Crimson Seas (2026)

15/06/2023

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

09/09/2021

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

In Proverbs chapter 1 and through most of the book, we read about wisdom and folly. The difference between these two, we can actually see in verse 7 The FEAR of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Many people think that the beginning of wisdom is knowledge, and that's true in a sense. But really, where it starts is fear. I don't mean fear as in Ahh! A masked gunman is chasing me, trying to shoot me, and that is scary. What this verse is talking about is to have aww and be amazed by God.

The Hebrew word for fear is yir'â., it can mean the above being scared, but it means to fear the Lord in the way of reverence and aww in this specific context.

Having wisdom and being wise starts with giving respect to our Lord, and when we do that, we will grow in knowledge, and when we grow in knowledge, we can apply that to our lives which is wisdom.

So what is Folly? Reading Verses 27-29 gives us a good picture of what it is. 'when terror strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, ' Proverbs 1:27-29

These three verses describe what it will be like when men and women of the world face the judgment they fear and realize that it is too late because these mockers hated the wisdom of the Lord and did not follow his instruction.

So seek the Lord and read his word, fear him in reverence and aw.

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31/08/2021

2 Timothy - A Letter From Paul To Both You and Timothy: Finding/Becoming Good Gospel Partners

May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me… 2 Timothy 1:16-17

As we conclude the first chapter of 2 Timothy, we conclude by looking at a man who was of great aid to the Apostle Paul and his ministry, and how we can learn from the life and legacy of Onesiphorus.

Before Onesiphorus is mentioned for the first time in this letter to Timothy, Paul reminds Timothy of the abandonment he received from all those who were in Asia. Though these men once stood by Paul as good friends and companions in the Gospel, they turned away from him when the going got tough. Some of these men were even named, including Phygleus and Hermogenes. Think of the legacy of those men as preserved in Scripture, looked upon as men who failed to support their brother in dire need.

However, these men are contrasted sharply with the friendship, partnership and faithful support that was given to Paul by Onesiphorus. When Paul needed physical and emotional refreshment, Onesiphorus was there to bring that to Paul. When Paul was imprisoned, Onesiphorus willingly took on the shame being associated with a prisoner like Paul. When Paul was in Rome, he stopped at nothing to travel to Rome and find Him to support Paul. Though it is clear through this passage that Onesiphorus had a family and the responsibilities that entailed, he didn’t let that get in the way of helping his brother in need. That is the mark of a true friend and good Gospel partnership.

As Christians, we are called to support our brothers and sisters who do the work of Christ as we are able. Will we, like Onesiphorus, choose to be good Gospel partners of those who need it?

As Paul wrote to Timothy, God through the Holy Spirit writes to you. Will you choose to listen to Him?

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20/08/2021

2 Timothy - A Letter From Paul To Both You and Timothy: Guard Your Good Deposit By The Holy Spirit!

By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. - 2 Timothy 1:14

After Paul’s instruction to “follow the pattern of the sound words…in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus,” Paul instructs Timothy even further with another equally important imperative. However, we cannot do this on our own strength, as we will learn - we need the Holy Spirit’s help in this.

When we were first saved, we were entrusted with an eternal deposit. This deposit should be more precious to us than anything else in this world, as it is the deposit of the Good News of the Gospel. Without this deposit, we would be lost in our sin, destined for eternal judgment. However, because of the grace and love of God, He saves all those who believe in Him by grace through faith through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And upon our conversion, we are sealed and indwelled by the Holy Spirit, who will give us the strength to help us follow this command given by Paul to Timothy.

Considering the glorious weight and importance of the Gospel, this deposit must be protected and guarded at all costs. Though God alone is the one who saves and seals us for the day of redemption by the Holy Spirit, we are to do our part in guarding the good deposit entrusted to us. When the Gospel truth is attacked or when doubts arise in our lives, we need to rest on the truth of God brought to mind by the Holy Spirit, attack the lies and doubts we face with God’s truth, and live our lives in alignment with the Spirit’s will for us. In so doing, we can do our part in guarding that good deposit.

As Paul wrote to Timothy, God through the Holy Spirit writes to you. Will you choose to listen to Him?

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19/08/2021

2 Timothy - A Letter From Paul To Both You and Timothy: Following Sound Instruction

Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. - 2 Timothy 1:13

As we continue to look at 2 Timothy, we come to an important instruction from Paul to Timothy that we can learn much from, and follow the example set by Paul as he followed the example of Christ.

If we are looking for a good, biblical definition of the adjective “sound” from this passage, it would be as follows: “Founded in truth or right, not to be overthrown or refuted.” As Christians we must believe that the ultimate source of truth that we have is God’s Word. When we read God’s Word and listen to preachers speak on God’s Word correctly, we are listening and following the patter of the “sound words” the Apostle Paul is talking about. In fact, many of these “sound words” directly from Paul to Timothy are found in the Bible, so we can glean and learn from these sound words ourselves. But this leaves us with a question: are we following the pattern of the sound words of God’s Truth? It is great that we know these patterns, but do we actually follow them?

As Paul goes on to say to Timothy, we are to follow the pattern of the sound words in the “faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” Without faith in Christ which leads us to trust that His patterns are best, and a love for Christ that leads to obedience to Christ, we will not follow in these patterns. So with this I ask you a personal question as I ask myself this same question: Do I truly trust God’s patterns for me are best? Do I truly love God enough to obey His commands? I pray that the answer to both of those questions are yes, and that our faith and love in these areas will grow.

As Paul wrote to Timothy, God through the Holy Spirit writes to you. Will you choose to listen to Him?

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16/08/2021

Have you ever jumped off a boat instead of prayed?

I have been reading around the life of Jonah and his ministry. He is a fascinating prophet, one of only 4 referenced by Jesus.

Jonah is on a boat 2000 miles from home running West instead of East after being called by God to proclaim a message to the people of Nineveh.

These people were sinful people, but Jonah let his own prejudice hinder the call of God and decided they didn't deserve Gods message.

So on a boat in the sea, a storm erupts. Jonah was not alone, he was with experienced fishermen who begin to panic, throwing items overboard in a bid to reduce the weight on the boat. They prayed to their gods. But then they wake Jonah who was asleep in the storm and they say 'Pray to your God to save us'. These gentile men where calling on Jonah the prophet to pray for their safety and his response was to say, throw me over board.

Its a strange resolve. Either Jonah thought landing in the water would kill him so he didn't have to deliver Gods message, or he thought if he was thrown in God would save him.

I find it strange but it led me to remember times that I left prayer as a last resort in the hope I could save myself. I cant be too hard on Jonah.

I wonder, how many of us are in storms and need to pray, to ask God for help, but either we are sleeping and oblivious to the chaos around us, or we are too busy trying to resolve it ourselves?

Friend, if that's you, take advice from the fishermen as they say in Jonah 1:6 Get up and call on your God!

Just as God was willing to redeem Jonah's mistakes, and forgive the sins of Nineveh, so God will be willing to be present for you. He will provide a way for you. God is always faithful to His people and you are not exempt of that rule.

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11/08/2021

Galatians 4: 8-9 ”Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?”

Galatian Christians were beginning to fall back into following the way of the Law of Moses due to false teachers infiltrating the pulpits. Paul must remind them that their old ways are no longer necessary for them to experience a close personal relationship with God. The Galatians were falling back into the slavery of the Law that they had just been rescued from. These ways were fulfilled through Christ and no longer necessary to follow to attain salvation. In the same way, we have old slave masters that are intent on returning us to our chains and bonds. We must remember that whatever our masters in the past were, whether lust, greed, pride, etc, we must never accept their calls to return. The only Lord and master we have is the Christ Jesus. He is the only one we are to be slaves to, and by being slaves to Him, we are set free through him. Christ is the key to the chains of sins and works; why then would we attempt to return those bonds to our hands and feet? If we return to our old ways of sin and destruction, why then did we accept Christ in the first place? How can you turn back to your old ways, knowing of the power of the one true God and knowing that Christ took your place in the face of God’s wrath? If you are ever tempted to sin, remember what God has done for you and what Christ did for you on that cross.

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31/07/2021

2 Timothy - A Letter From Paul To Both You and Timothy: Remembering You In Prayer

I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. - 2 Timothy 1:3

As we embark on our series through 2 Timothy, I want us to briefly look at something that might just get glanced over in our personal reading of this book of the Bible or many sermons on this letter. If we aren’t careful, we can easily miss important or beneficial lessons which we can learn from God’s Word if we gloss over seemingly unimportant things. I just want to challenge you briefly to be intentional in our study of God’s Word and not gloss over any verses found within, which we learn later in 2 Timothy is profitable for teaching and training in godliness.

With that said, we see this precious and intimate statement from the Apostle Paul, stating: “as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.” Despite all the external distractions and sufferings of Paul including a time of extended imprisonment as he wrote this letter, Paul uses his time well and remembers Timothy constantly in prayer both night and day. As a young man in the faith, Timothy would be facing a lot of the same things which many of us might be facing in a world hostile to Christianity. Perhaps these things were weighing down on Timothy, discouraging him from living out his life and faith as he was called to... Is that relatable to some of us? Now think of how encouraging and strength-building is it to know someone you know and love is remembering to pray on our behalf night and day to an all-powerful God as Paul did for Timothy... Do you not think this would spur Timothy on to live more fully for Christ upon hearing this?

With that said, are we thankful for those who remember us in prayer night and day? Likewise, are we remembering those we love and care about in prayer night and day? If we believe prayer is indeed powerful as God’s Word says it is, we ought to live in such a way.

As Paul wrote to Timothy, God through the Holy Spirit writes to you. Will you choose to listen to Him?

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29/07/2021

2 Timothy - A Letter From Paul To Both You and Timothy: Introduction

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. - 2 Timothy 1:1-2

Over the past year in the midst of all of the craziness that has gone on, there has been one book in the Bible that has spoken to me, challenged me, convicted me of my sin, and sanctified me in my Christian walk more than any other. Written by the Apostle Paul who was led by the Holy Spirit to write a letter to his young disciple Timothy while in prison for sharing the gospel, these writings are full of important, essential and wonderful teachings preserved for us in Scripture to learn from and be changed by. It is clear through this letter that Paul loves Timothy deeply, and we see a relationship that is close to that between a father and his son. As Paul sensed that he was nearing the end of his earthly life and ministry, he wanted to exhort, encourage, and instruct Timothy while he still had opportunity. With that said, the urgency with which Paul wrote this letter is clearly evident, and we would be good to observe these things.

Through my upcoming devos, I want to take us through an overview of this incredibly impactful and important letter or epistle of Paul to Timothy, share what God has taught me through this letter, and how this it can prepare us for the opposition to come as a follower of Christ who seeks to obey and glorify Him in all He commands of us...As it did for young Timothy. I hope and pray that this overview of what has now become one of my favourite books of the Bible will impact and grow your faith, and make your love for Christ grow so much stronger. As we begin this series, I want to call us all to be ready to “fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith” as we learn from someone who lived this out until the end by God’s strength.

As Paul wrote to Timothy, God through the Holy Spirit writes to you. Will you choose to listen to Him?

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27/07/2021

Today I was reading Joshua 9, which tells the account of the Gibonites receiving a treaty from Israel that no harm would come their way, sworn in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

It all sounds perfect, until we realise that the Gibonites deceived the Israelites in order to protect themselves and their people from what they believed would be certain death if Israel came against them.

So, Israel in the name of the Lord tied themselves in covenant to the Gibonites. But there is this little verse in Chapter 9 verse 14, that got me thinking. It says, “So the men took some of their provisions but did not ask counsel from the Lord”.

This covenant the Israelites gave was given in God’s name, but no one asked God’s opinion. They skipped the part where they consulted God. They ignored Him in the decision-making process.

It led me to wonder, how often do I attach God’s name to something without asking His permission? Without asking for His counsel.

How often do I make decisions and ignore God in the process subconsciously or consciously?

How often do you?

Are we quick to make decisions without consulting God?

Are we quick to connect God’s name to a circumstance or promise without first seeking Him?

Maybe today it might not be a bad idea to self-examine, to think over, and ponder this thought. To ask yourself how often you exclude God and rectify this matter.

God wants to be involved in every aspect of your life. 1 Peter 5 tells us to “cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you”. All your anxieties, your worries, your cares, God wants to be involved in them all.

What area have you kept to yourself recently, maybe it is time to allow God into that space to help you make those decisions.

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23/07/2021

A Church Divided - Divisions Which Hurt Christian Unity: The Ultimate Summation: Love

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. - Colossians 3:14

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. - Proverbs 10:12

Today, we conclude our series on divisions which hurt true Christian unity. Over the last seven devos, we looked at several specific things which can divide the church and looked at biblical ways to keep this from happening, as well as solutions if these divides do happen. I hope and pray that this was helpful for you. However, if there is one major takeaway from this series that I firmly believe the Lord Jesus cares so much about, it would be this: Christian unity is utterly impossible without a deep love for both Christ and His Church.

As Christians, we will not be perfect. We are still dealing with a sinful nature. Likewise, other Christians will not be perfect. As a result, there will be opportunity for misunderstanding (both theologically and relationally), for others to sin against us, for needless quarrels to arise, and potential for division to happen. Though we should all strive by the power of the Holy Spirit within us, there will always be at the very least the temptation to cause division within God’s Church. There will always be people we don’t get along with in the Church. There will always be people we disagree with for various reasons. However, I want to remind us of an important biblical truth.

Let us look to our great God. When we were enemies of God, He sought reconciliation and harmony with us and made a way through Christ Jesus so that we can be saved and have that reconciliation and harmony with God. When we offended God with our various sinful offences that we justly deserved His wrath for, He showed us His amazing love in Christ Jesus and He covered our offences with His precious blood. Since we were loved with love such as this, can we not do the same with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ by seeking to have a similar heart as our Saviour by seeking unity and reconciliation with others despite so many imperfections and misunderstandings?

I hope and pray we see the importance of true Christian unity through this series. O God, unite your Church!

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21/07/2021

A Church Divided - Divisions Which Hurt Christian Unity: Divisions Over Civilian Pursuits

No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. - 2 Timothy 2:4

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. - Colossians 3:1

As we continue our deeper look into issues which divide God’s church, today we will look at some “everyday” issues so ordinary that we might not consider them issues which divide the church. However, if we are not careful, these issues can cause even sharp division within the church if we allow them to.

I think many of us know intellectually that this world is not our home as Christians and that we have an eternal weight of glory awaiting us in Christ Jesus. However, so often we can get caught up in the pursuits and activities of the world, forming deep passions for these things. These things might not be inherently bad, wrong or sinful, but too often we can form unhealthy priorities for these things, thus taking God from His rightful place on the throne of our hearts. And when we allow this to happen, we will feel more passionate to wage needless wars that we are not called to fight.

When it comes to these needless wars, sometimes we can let battles over our careers, our statuses, our relationships, our politics, our sports, our personal tastes and many other things the Bible would call “civilian pursuits” get in the way of the Church being united as Christ would desire. Instead of being focused on being united in glorifying Christ together, we are more worried about one-upping others or being more concerned about what others like or don’t like. If we are to see unity as Christians, we need to see the above things and other things like it become less important.

As Christians, our first and foremost priority in life is to glorify God. One of the ways we can best do that is to seek the things which are above as Colossians 3:1 says. When we are focused on that goal more and more and have a desire to live that out, our passion and desire for these “civilian pursuits” will diminish, as will our desire to divide the church over these things which are trivial in the grand scheme of eternity.

Oh God, may we with Your help seek things which are above!

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Crimson Seas