1 Timothy 4:7-9 - Have a Blessed New Year

This is the time of year when we often say, “Merry Christmas”and “Happy New Year.” Christmas has already passed, and now we are preparing tobegin a new year. I’m not so sure that “Happy New Year” is always the bestexpression, because happiness, for the most part, is based on happenings. Ifeverything goes well—if things turn out the way I want them to—then I’m happy.If something happens that I don’t like, then I’m unhappy. What we really oughtto say is, “Have a blessed New Year.” Jesustells us what it means to be blessed in Matthew 5. “Blessed are the poor inspirit. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are thepeacemakers.” He gives us about eight “blesseds.” What He is teaching us isthis: when you are blessed by God—when you do what you ought to do in the powerof the Holy Spirit—you will experience true happiness. You will have joy inyour heart. Why? Because you are trusting the Lord with every area of yourlife. To be truly blessed is to have God’s smile on your life and even in thetough and difficult times you know the God has your back and that all thingswill work together for good (Romans 8:28).  Thatkind of life happens as we discipline ourselves as disciples of Jesus Christ todo the right things. That is why we are talking about 1 Timothy 4:7, where Paulwrites to Timothy and says, “Have nothing to do with worldly fables fit onlyfor old women.” In other words, don’t waste your time with worldly stories,distractions, or ideas that have no lasting value—and often aren’t even true.We can get so distracted by what’s going on socially, economically, orpolitically. Paul says, Don’t give your time and attention to those things. “Onthe other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. For bodilydiscipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for allthings.”We want to talk about what it means to be disciplined for the purpose ofgodliness. As we said yesterday, discipline means that you go to the spiritualgym, so to speak. You put yourself in the pathway of God’s grace. You do thethings that build spiritual growth in your life. You establish a foundation forliving each day by doing what you ought to do, rather than simply what you feellike doing. My friend, that takes discipline to be in the Word of God. TheApostle Paul, in 2 Timothy 2:3-6, told Timothy to be a good soldier of JesusChrist. That speaks of the discipline of a soldier. Then he goes on to talkabout an athlete—how an athlete trains and disciplines himself in order to winthe prize. He also speaks of the discipline of a farmer—a hardworking farmerwho gets up early, sows at the right time of year, and does what he may notalways want to do, but must do if he is going to reap a harvest in the fall.  Myfriend, that is description of the Christian life that pleases the Lord. Wedon’t do this in our own strength. We do it in the strength and power of theHoly Spirit and by the energy He supplies as we set our hearts on pleasing Himand doing what is right every day. Yes,physical exercise profits a little. It is good to eat right and to exerciseproperly. But my friend, it is far more profitable to pursue godliness.Godliness affects our relationship with God. It shapes our character. Itinfluences our relationships with others. It impacts our peace, our wisdom, andour joy—and ultimately, even our eternity.  Noticethat Paul says godliness holds “promise for the present life and also forthe life to come.” It matters now, and it matters forever. When youdiscipline yourself for this purpose, you are not only living to please theLord today—you are living with eternity in view. Your sights are set on heaven,on the day when you will stand before the Lord and hear, “Well done, thougood and faithful servant.”