… I see the work of Your hands
Galaxies spin in a heavenly dance, oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

… I hear the sound of Your voice
All at once it’s a gentle and thundering noise, oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

… I delight myself in You
Captivated by Your beauty
I’m overwhelmed
I’m overwhelmed by You

… God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed
I’m overwhelmed by You

… I know the power of Your cross
Forgiven and free forever You’ll be my God
All that You’ve done is so overwhelming

… I delight myself in You
In the glory of Your presence
I’m overwhelmed
I’m overwhelmed by You

… God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed
I’m overwhelmed by You

… You are beautiful
You are beautiful…

Overwhelmed  (by Michael Weaver / Phil Wickham)

THIS song is playing in the background of my mind as I read this passage from the beloved apostle Paul to his apprentice, Timothy.  This is not a leadership conference speech with glorious plans for self-improvement for better results based on the world’s way of assessing and evaluating progress, but rather a integrity lesson that involves how to be rich in all the ways that matter to God.

It begins and ends with elements of the overwhelming grace that God has poured out over all who believe in His Son, Jesus.  All of us become beloved brothers and sisters who truly believe what Jesus did to save us from our own sins.  It does not matter what position we hold in life or how much money we have in the bank, we are all equally saved, redeemed from sin, and given life forever!  Teaching anything else is unnecessary, a lot of hot air, relates Paul.

Because of Jesus, we grow rich in faith.  Because of Jesus we are free to give generously as God freely and so generously gave to us—The Way to Truth who gives Life!  We preach and teach Jesus, the One and Only, who died for us, went to hell and back again for us, defeating death and then rising from death in victory forever! 

Because of His amazing, overwhelming grace, Jesus stayed on earth long enough to prove His resurrection power to those who would carry on the profound, generous work of God for us.  Yes, after rising from the grave that could not hold Him, Jesus walked and talked with His believers.  He ate meals to show He was fully alive while showing the scars of His battle to save us to His friends.  Now, that’s rich! 

And that’s not all—Jesus is coming back!  Imagine with me, Paul dictating to the one who is writing this letter.  Paul writes with so much passion, we can almost see the writer with a quill, ink and parchment, scrambling to get all the words down as Paul loudly speaks excitedly with hands waving in the air—“Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.”

You can feel the love of God flowing through Paul as he gets personal with Timothy—

“And oh, my dear Timothy, guard the treasure you were given! Guard it with your life. Avoid the talk-show religion and the practiced confusion of the so-called experts. People caught up in a lot of talk can miss the whole point of faith.

Overwhelming grace keep you!”

… Oh God, there is no one more Beautiful
You are Beautiful
God, You are the most beautiful

… You are wonderful
You are wonderful
Oh God, there is no one more wonderful
You are wonderful
God, You are the most wonderful

… You are glorious
You are glorious
Oh God, there is no one more glorious
You are glorious
God, you are the most glorious

… I delight myself in You
In the glory of Your presence
I’m overwhelmed
I’m overwhelmed by You

… God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed
I’m overwhelmed by You
I’m overwhelmed…

TIMOTHY—MENTORSHIP

1 Timothy 6, The Message

^1-2 Whoever is a slave must make the best of it, giving respect to his master so that outsiders don’t blame God and our teaching for his behavior. Slaves with Christian masters all the more so—their masters are really their beloved brothers!

The Lust for Money

^2-5 These are the things I want you to teach and preach. If you have leaders there who teach otherwise, who refuse the solid words of our Master Jesus and this godly instruction, tag them for what they are: ignorant windbags who infect the air with germs of envy, controversy, bad-mouthing, suspicious rumors. Eventually there’s an epidemic of backstabbing, and truth is but a distant memory. They think religion is a way to make a fast buck.

^6-8 A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that’s enough.

^9-10 But if it’s only money these leaders are after, they’ll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.

Running Hard

^11-12 But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

^13-16 I’m charging you before the life-giving God and before Christ, who took his stand before Pontius Pilate and didn’t give an inch: Keep this command to the letter, and don’t slack off. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way. He’ll show up right on time, his arrival guaranteed by the Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High King, High God. He’s the only one death can’t touch, his light so bright no one can get close. He’s never been seen by human eyes—human eyes can’t take him in! Honor to him, and eternal rule! Oh, yes.

^17-19 Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

^20-21 And oh, my dear Timothy, guard the treasure you were given! Guard it with your life. Avoid the talk-show religion and the practiced confusion of the so-called experts. People caught up in a lot of talk can miss the whole point of faith.

Overwhelming grace keep you!

Lord,

Thank you for saving my soul! Thank you for teaching me, growing my faith, turning my messes into messages of your love, mercy and overwhelming grace!  Keep transforming me because I’m not there yet…

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

… I delight myself in You
In the glory of Your presence
I’m overwhelmed
I’m overwhelmed by You

… God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed
I’m overwhelmed by You