Thoughts on 2 Timothy 4

The charge:

“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;
reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Why?

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:3-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Do your best. Do the work diligently, endure. Be sober-minded, always be ready. Correctly handle the word of truth.

It’s going to be worth it.

The prize is not the crown in itself, but the acknowledgement you will receive from God – the all powerful, Creator, Lord of all.

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

To be honest, and to my shame: I have not endured, I have not done my best..

Thoughts on Deuteronomy 5

10 Commands, 10 Covenant Promises.

What we need to have is the realization, understanding and acceptance that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present. The Savior Redeemer, that without Him we would still be lost slaves. He is the maker and owner of all things. He gives according to His infinite wisdom and the richness of His grace.

This realization will give us a correct image of who we are, in relation to God and in relation to other people. 

To remember.

“Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭5:29‬ ‭ESV‬‬

and, 

“You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭5:33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Thoughts on Hosea 1

Hosea is a difficult book.

I understand the allegory, that it serves as a real-life representation of God’s relationship with the Israelites at that time. And since the Old Testament also mirrors certain events in our lives, the book of Hosea is also representative of God’s relationship with us.

But there’s just too many things to process:

• What Hosea must have felt
• What was going on in his mind
• What was going on in Gomer’s mind
• That what Hosea was going through was what God was (is) going through
• Why were the Israelites idolatrous/adulterous
• Why are we idolatrous/adulterous
• How can Hosea/God be faithful in spite of an unfaithful partner?

***

Can the faithfulness of one partner cover up for the unfaithfulness of the other? It doesn’t seem like it. This kind of relationship only brings sadness, pain, suffering, missed blessings, missed opportunities.

Regardless of the difference in the levels of commitment each partner gives, both partners should be faithful. God will do His part, we need to do our part.

***

What’s in a name? Memories will fade, and will be replaced with new ones. But a name will remain. Puts more pressure on me on what to name my second-born…

Thoughts on Proverbs 2

Beautiful passage, re-read it many times. Just ended up making a rewrite/paraphrase for easier reading (left-brain thinking).

• Receive God’s Word
• Treasure His commands
• Ears – attentive to wisdom 
• Heart – inclined to understanding 
• Seek it like silver 
• Search for it like treasure 
• Then you will understand, the fear of the Lord 
• Then you will find, the knowledge of God
• The Lord gives wisdom, knowledge, understanding 
• He stores up wisdom for the upright 
• He is a shield to those who walk in integrity 
• He guards the paths to justice 
• He watches over the way of the saints
• Then you will understand righteousness, justice, equity, every good path, for
• Wisdom will come to your heart 
• Knowledge pleasant to your soul 
• Discretion – watching over you 
• Understanding – guarding you 
• Delivering you from the way of evil
• From men of perverted speech whose paths are crooked and devious in their ways
• From the adulteress with her smooth words whose path leads to death
• So you will walk in the way of the good 
• So you will keep to the paths of the righteous
• For the upright will inherit the land, those with integrity will remain in it
• But the wicked will be cut of from the land, the treacherous will be rooted out of it

Thoughts on 2 Timothy 3

The ‘last days’ will be difficult. Knowing about it beforehand does not make it less difficult, but it does help us be prepared and not be surprised when it happens.

Paul gives a list of negative characteristics of people in the last days – some obvious, some subtle – and gives a simple command, “Avoid such people.”

Two characteristics that made me think: “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.”(v.5) and “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” (v.7)

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”

‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/2ti.3.12.esv

We shouldn’t be surprised when persecution comes. On the contrary, we should be alarmed when there is no persecution. Jesus himself said that his followers will be persecuted. 

A note of caution : we should be careful on what situations we use the word – the denial of some luxuries or trivial matters is not persecution.

What should we do when we are persecuted? By Paul’s example in v.11 – we are to endure, and trust in the Lord. God will deal with the persecution according to His perfect will. In Christ, things will get better. Without Christ, things will go from bad to worse. 

So, in spite of circumstances, continue learning, continue growing, continue serving. Let God’s Word be your guide.