Need INSPIRATION, ENCOURAGEMENT & FORESIGHT?

[WISDOM]

I love the ENTIRE Bible! There isn't a book in it that I do not enjoy. However, I do show favortism to the Pauline Epistles. Why? I see a Christian who our LORD used greatly to truly inspire and encourage the individual Believer, as well as the Church.

The Book of 2 Timothy is one such writing. If you ever take the time to do historical research you will find that the Apostle Paul's letters/epistles are NOT in chronological order in the New Testament. So, although 2 Timothy IS NOT the last of the Pauline letters in the NT, it is the last letter Paul wrote, and thus, it is the most moving.

After a lifetime of service and sacrifice for our LORD/SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, Paul is in prison again, and this time death is imminent. Look closely and you can see in this letter that his days were spent WITHOUT material comfort. We do not know the details of this second imprisonment, but we do know from history that the Roman emperor, Nero, had begun a horrible persecution against Christians. This second imprisonment of Paul's was much different than his first, in which he lived "in his own hired house" (Acts 28:30) as an accused citizen awaiting trial. Now, Paul's arrest was so sudden that he did not have time to collect his valuable books and parchments, or even to take his warm cloak with him (2 Timothy 4:13).

I don't know about you, but when I read this letter/book I can sense Paul's loneliness as he awaits certain execution....."Only Luke is with me" (2 Tim 4:11). He pleads with his "son in the Faith", Timothy, to come to him as soon as possible.

I believe Paul's purpose in writing this epistle was to inspire and encourage Timothy. Timothy was young and had a hard task ahead of battling the heresies that were invading the early church. Interesting isn't it? Oh, you say? What is this?? Well.....that we're STILL battling those SAME HERESIES after 2000 years, huh?! Satan is VERY persistent!! Look closely and you'll see that Paul first reminds Timothy of his confidence in him. Nothing can be as encouraging as to know that someone REALLY believes in us. We will do everything we can to keep from disappointing those who love us.

Secondly, Paul reminds Timothy of the qualities that the HOLY SPIRIT gives to us.....POWER! LOVE! A SOUND MIND!!! Fear NEVER comes from our FATHER! It is a satanic weapon used to stop and discourage us, even to the point of doubt and lack of trust, including rebellion. Let me tell you this....don't YOU ever blame GOD for those feelings!! Like Peter walking on the water, as long as YOU and I keep our eyes on CHRIST those three qualities will be apparent in a soul committed to CHRIST and one being led by the HOLY SPIRIT.

From his own experience, Paul reveals to Timothy how to keep his courage. Like him (Paul) YOU and I need to remember that we are saved by GOD's grace, and we should ALWAYS be persuaded that our FATHER WILL KEEP US until that day when CHRIST returns! (2 Tim 1:8, 9 & 12). Paul shares with young Timothy his personal confidence in our LORD. He says, "I know WHOM I have believed", showing that he knew he could trust CHRIST to keep him and his soul. Let me ask you this.....is this YOUR attitude? Do YOU realize that we serve a POWER Above ALL other "Powers"?

To YOU and I it might look as though Paul was cut off in the middle of his career. It would seem to some that the only reward Paul received for his faithful preaching was a cold dungeon and a Roman sword. However, Paul had entrusted his life to GOD, and he was sure that in life AND in death he was in good hands (and it wasn't "AllState"....*smile*). It costs something to be a true born again blood bought Christian, and no one knew this better than Paul. Have you read the advice he not only gave to Timothy, but also left behind for YOU and I? How we MUST endure suffering? (2:3) How we shouldn't become so entangled in the world that we forget GOD! (2:4)

How we MUST live according to our FATHER's rules....the Bible! (2:5) If we die to self, CHRIST will live through us. If we endure for HIM, we will reign with HIM!! (2:11-13) My favorite verse in Scripture is the key verse in Chapter 2. It is the best advice anyone could give to a fellow Christian....."Study to show thyself APPROVED unto GOD" (2:15). Brothers/sisters...THIS is a COMMAND, NOT a suggestion. Every Christian should cultivate a regard for the Bible as being the literal Word of our Heavenly FATHER. It CANNOT be "just" a holy book; it MUST BE the very stuff of which YOUR moral and spiritual fabric is woven. It is GOD's Word, and it MUST be treated as such.

Many a Christian life has been wrecked by "spiritual malnutrition" - lack of Bible study. I can tell you this from personal experience..YOU cannot live a victorious Christian life if YOU fail to study prayerfully the Bible ON A REGULAR BASIS!

Timothy would need determination and guidance to keep from getting sidetracked or sucked in by the fallacies of his day (just like YOU and I nowadays). Two of the things Paul warned Timothy to avoid have helped me tremendously in my Christian walk. He told him to avoid FOOLISH ARGUMENTS about things that are not central to the Christian faith. They only provoke anger and lead to spiritual decline. Keep the MAIN THING, the MAIN THING (2:16).

The other thing was to AVOID FOOLISH ARGUMENTS with FALSE TEACHERS or CULT MEMBERS (2:23). It is one thing to defend the Gospel (Apologetics). There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with doing that. We should also in the process use prayerful wisdom and keep in mind the old saying....."YOU can take a horse to water, BUT YOU can't make him drink!"

Paul also looked ahead and gave great foresight to young Timothy. He warned that as the time for CHRIST's return gets closer, evil would intensify. Now....unless you live on another planet, or the moon, I do believe you don't have to be a rocket scientist to see the moral and spiritual decay our world has fell into over the years....especially the last 30 years! What were the characteristics Paul described? Lovers of themselves (Selfish).....Covetous (greedy).....Boasters (proud, they don't need GOD)....Blasphemers (verbally abusive)....Disobedient to parents (lack of respect for basic authority).....Unthankful (Don't appreciate anything)....Unholy (Offenders of what is Holy)....Without Natural Affection (unloving, mean, inhuman, marrying out of gender)....Trucebreakers (bitter, unforgiving)....False Accusers (Slanderers).....Incontinent (without self-control).....Fierce (brutal).....Despisers of those that are good (critical of Christians.....not "religious people", CHRISTIANS!!)

Just stop for a moment and think about those things I just wrote. It should make you both thankful that YOU are a Child of the Living GOD, and have the opportunity to share with others the GOOD News wherever/whenever HE opens a "door or window". Paul was executed for the cause of CHRIST. However, in this letter to Timothy before his death Paul made it clear that the Bible you and I study today is the inspired Word of GOD, and that it was inspired not only to reveal the way of salvation, BUT ALSO that YOU and I would know how to live. Paul's final charge to Timothy is to PREACH THE WORD! Preach IT whether it is popular or not. We should do the same....SPEAK THE WORD......REPROVE (Correct).....REBUKE (Condemn SIN!!).....EXHORT (Encourage)......WATCH, ALL THINGS (Be morally alert).....ENDURE AFFLICTIONS (GOD never promise us an easy journey, but a wonderful destination!).

Paul was now about to leave the scene, and somebody must take his place. Apparently, that somebody was young Timothy, and Paul wanted to prepare him for the work that was before him.

YOU and I need to remember that in the not too distant future the young people of our local church will be the leaders. Therefore, we must do all that we can to make sure they are prepared. And not only them, but also "newborn Christians"..."Babes in CHRIST". All of you mature-minded Christians (notice I did not say according to your age!) have a responsibility to help inspire, encourage, and give honest foresight to those who are young in the Word, including the ones on this Board. From chapter 4:7-8, we can see that Paul had NO REGRETS as he faced Eternity. He was ready because he had found GOD's will and had been FAITHFUL to it.

Next to losing one's own soul, the greatest tragedy of life is to come to the end of life, facing Eternity, and discover we have MISSED our FATHER's will and have wasted our lives on TEMPORARY THINGS. The only thing worse is missing the "call of the HOLY SPIRIT" and ending up in the "Lake of Fire" (Revelation 20:11-15). Please allow the HOLY SPIRIT to use this writing to INSPIRE and ENCOURAGE you in your day-to-day dealings with this world system. Remember what I said.....CHRIST didn't promise us an easy journey (FORESIGHT), but HE did guarantee a WONDERFUL DESTINATION!

Stay The Course!! *John 14:1-4.....17:6-26*

[Guest shadow2b]

-Two of the things Paul warned Timothy to avoid have helped me tremendously in my Christian walk. He told him to avoid FOOLISH ARGUMENTS about things that are not central to the Christian faith. They only provoke anger and lead to spiritual decline. Keep the MAIN THING, the MAIN THING (2:16).

-WeLLLLLLL,Bro.HERE YA go AGAIN---back one day & YOU already been Areadin

-MAH -MAIL{aint yuse A-shaymed of yoseff??}tsk.tsk.tsk.{-Foolish-DUMB-Ignorant-& over-zealous-dudes-

-uhhh?ME-in particular}arggy-fying over non-sensical positions-that doNOT edify-nor teach anyone anything except --HOW to Argue& look like an Idiotinstead of-{setting a GOOD example}

-They only provoke anger and lead to spiritual decline. Keep the MAIN THING, the MAIN THING (2:16)

-ahhhhhhh-YES--YOU DO have a way with words Bro.-& you keep the MAIN-THING---THE MAIN THING---by reading the MAIN-BOOKThank YOU for your WISDOM----WISDOM& HOME--BRO.

[WISDOM]

Gary.....*smile*

Thanks bruh! It feels good to be back. The particular point you've address means so much to me when it comes to dealing with my Christian brothers/sisters. All too often we get wrapped up in a whole lot of foolish debate and arguments that in turn get us sidetracked off the "main road".

Some draw sheer delight from this because of personal pride, although they don't want to admit it. However, there are some who THINK they're doing the right thing by acting this way, but no one has corrected them. So they continue in a destructive pattern, not knowing it is wrong. WHO said so? Our FATHER did!

Unless a Christian sits down DAILY, and ask GOD for "guiding light" in the reading/studying of HIS precious Word, he/she is going to continue to follow their ego in these matters. Our FATHER does not want us to get into foolish arguments with one another or foolish arguments with false teachers/cultists. The Apostle Peter made us aware that they're here (2 Peter 2:1-3).

[traveller]

I never tire of the beauty of God's Word.

* trav makes note to self to read 2 Tim TONIGHT *

[WISDOM]

Trav:

Please try to always maintain that feeling. With it, you CANNOT lose!

[George]

Good Word Wisdom!

One of my favorite passages in 2 Timothy --

2 Tim 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Your brother in Christ with much agape love,

George

[traveller]

This one really caught my attention this morning as I was re-reading.

2 Tim 3:

12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

[WISDOM]

George:

Thanks for the kind words, bruh!!

Hey listen....please send me that phone number again via PM. I lost the piece of paper I had it on when you originally gave it to me. I know...I know, I told you the other day I had it...... :x:

Trav:

THAT happens to be my favorite chapter in the book!!!! You go gurrrrrrl!!!! *lol*