"KEEP A CLOSE WATCH!"

1 Timothy 4:11-16                 (ESV)
"11 Command and teach these things.
12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
13 UNTIL I COME, DEVOTE YOURSELF TO THE PUBLIC READING OF SCRIPTURE, TO EXHORTATION, TO TEACHING.
14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.
16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers."


The writings of the Apostle Paul fill a large amount of the New Testament.  Of the letters I enjoy the most are his epistles to Timothy.  There is such wise and heartfelt instruction where Paul is guiding, not only Timothy but all who follow, to grow in the LORD and for HIS glory.

I love how Paul instructs Timothy to "devote yourself to the public reading of scripture" in 1 Timothy 4:13.  He didn't encourage him to write a book or hold a seminar.   He didn't instruct him on how to fundraise for the kingdom.  He wasn't interested in growing the ministry of Paul or Timothy, only the Kingdom of JESUS CHRIST by the reading of scripture!

So many times we get so caught up in how many people attend our "worship service", or how ornate and modern our facilities are, that we push CHRIST and HIS glorification aside.  We get so involved in the ceremonial rituals that we neglect to honor and celebrate the ONE to whom we should be worshipping.

Verse 16 tells us plainly to "KEEP A CLOSE WATCH on yourself AND on the teaching"!  Could it be that we claim grace too readily for our lifestyles and our teaching has suffered as a result?  Verse 15 instructs me to "immerse" myself in these things.  For us to "KEEP A CLOSE WATCH" and to "immerse" ourselves in the reading of scripture, exhortation, and teaching, leads our lives to submitting to seeing "progress" in our daily walk.  I pray that I will "KEEP A CLOSE WATCH" on my actions and entrust everyone else's actions to The LORD!