1 & 2 Timothy

1 Timothy chapter one, God is our Savior and hope. He gives us grace, mercy and peace. He has entrusted is with His Gospel, he gives me strength, he has considered me faithful and appointed me to his service, he has abundantly poured out grace, faith and love on me. He came to save me and through me he displays his unlimited patience! God is GOOD!

1 Timothy 3 - When a heart is most desperate it says "Tell me the truth…" and then begs a question. The church of the living God is to be the pillar and foundation of truth. We are to be that place where those desperate and lost can find the truth! Do not be a weak pillar crumbling away as a result of the world's erosion! Stand boldly and give this lost and hurting world the Hope found only in the truth of Jesus Christ!! 1 Timothy 3:15

1 Timothy 4 - In later times some will depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons 1 Timothy 4:1. I must always be careful to measure all that I consider godly against God's Word. Just because I found it in a Bible book store doesn't make it true. Just because a minister is on TV and is famously popular doesn't guarantee that what he says is right. The enemy is crafty and many are being lead away from "the faith" those doctrines that are essential to the believer. The easiest way to recognize a lie is to know the truth! Study the Word, pray that the Holy Spirit will give you understanding. Watch your life and doctrine closely. 1 Timothy 4:16

2 Timothy 1 - I have accepted Jesus as my personal Savior. Now what? Do I go back to life as usual? Absolutely not! You are still here today because people that God loves are still lost to the deception of a very real enemy. We must join hands with Him and make our life about His! He did not bring up the sun to simple have us play out our routine, He has work to be done and we are His hands and feet. We must be bold in our mission to share the goodness of the gospel. "Now brothers I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you which you received and on which you have taken your stand. That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve. After that, he appeared to more than 500 of the brothers at the same time." God has given you gifts to use for His glory and to further His kingdom, do not sit idly by waiting for the Lord to use you, stir up the Gift of God that is already in you and let your light shine! 

2 Timothy 2 - 2 Timothy 2:3-7 instructs us to endure hardship like a good soldier, like an athlete compete according to the rules and like a hardworking farmer receive a share of the crops (feasting on the word of God) first. Sometimes we can get quite cozy in our Christian bubbles or perhaps desensitized by the world to the battle for souls that rages around us. Following Christ should not be easy, Jesus said that we must pick up our cross, deny ourselves daily and follow Him! There is work to do... Go into all the world and preach the Gospel; so feast on the Word, put on the full amour of God and let's do this! For as C.S. Lewis said "hardship often prepares ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny!!"

There is a work of God that comes along side our willingness to cleanse yourselves. Work that makes us useful and prepared to do any good work, whether it is in ministry at the church, in our workplace or in our homes. An athlete must learn the rules of the game, train, and practice to be useful to the team he has joined. So too, must we "Flee the temptations of our youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace" avoid foolish disputes and quarrels, be gentle to all, instruct and with patient humility correct those who oppose the truth, in order to be useful to the team we have joined through our faith in Jesus. we have been purchased at a high price and given a great privilege to serve on the Lord's team. Let us do as He says and get off the bench and in the game!! 

2 Timothy 3 - In today's world of texts, emails and social media, a letter can be a very special thing. May we never forget the letter from God, that is our Bibles. As you would savor a letter from a friend or relative shouldn't we even more savor a letter from our Creator? Don't let someone else read it for you and simply tell you what it says, you will miss out on all the joy, comfort, encouragement, strength, instruction, love, faith and peace that He has reserved for your time with Him. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16

Looking back over 1 & 2 Timothy I learned that faithfulness to God makes me usable by God, He has appointed me to tell the truth, the church of LIVING God is the pillar and foundation of the truth, we must not abandon and depart from the essential doctrines of the Bible, godliness with contentment is great gain, I am to stir up the gift of God which is already in me, endure hardships like a good soldier of Jesus Christ, flee the evil desires of my youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, remember that all of scripture is God breathed and know... That God will stand with me, and with YOU and give us strength!