Clelie

Paul was missing the presence of his protégé and desired to see him before long for he believed that he would soon leave this world, He urged Timothy to arrive before winter if not it would be too late to reach Rome in time. Timothy must have prepared everything Paul asked him for he has always obeyed his mentor.

Trusted friends are part of us in the spiritual or emotional realms. There,s been good and bad sharing ,joy and sadness . This kind of relationship creates a bond that tie us together. When there is desertion or separation of any kind the feeling is like losing something that is crucial to our soul, causing disappointment and pain and a sense of disorientation. Yet it is given to us to live in community.We need each other to feel alive and useful with a purpose in life.But thank God is always with the lonely one. Paul knew his God was forever with him. But God is in heaven and he was on earth and he needed fellowship with human beings

The crown of righteousness which Paul refered to is an award kept in heaven for those who have lived the righteous life Christ has purchased for them on the cross of Calvary. A precious and eternal reward promised to those who have loved and served Him faithfully on earth and brought glory to His sacrificial death and resurrection.

To have fought the good fight and to have run the good race show a persistent willingness to do the will of God in spite of oppositions or negative circumstances. To finish the course God has designed is to faithfully carry out the commitment due to Him in Christ Jesus. Keeping the faith is to believe in the One to whom we have made the commitments to serve without any doubt or failure.

Paul s Timothy to be watchful in all things,to endure hardship and to continue fulfilling the purposes of his call to ministry inspite of opposition and even persecution. Timothy is to proclaim the gospels to win people to Christ and to train them in righteousness as an evangelist. Personally I have to obey the command of Jesus in Matt 28: 19 , doing the great commission.

Timothy is being charged to preach and teach the scripture so that man of God may be complete ,thoroughly equipped for every good work . The Word of God should be proclaimed whenever opportunity arises. Paul is exhorting Timothy to preach fearlessly regardless whether the message may displease some,it’s for the result of producing disciples worthy of the name of Jesus. It’s not easy to tell the truth for truth hurts .But we are not men pleasers but Christ centred.

A Christian is taught and believed the word of God for His faith. He in turn uses the scripture to teach others the same faith. All scriptures are from God and are used to train, to correct, to reproof, to lead into living righteously.

God has communicated to His chosen vessels that is prophets and apostles in all scriptures the intentions of His heart.He did that by communicating to them those intents through the work of the Holy Spirit in their innermost beings. God breathed is that comes from God ,so scriptures are from God. The doctrine of inspiration of scripture is important because it comes from no other source but God.

If we keep quiet over our faith , no one would hear the name of Jesus being proclaimed..Jesus said , if we are ashamed of Him, He would be ashamed of us when He comes. Taking up our cross is to follow Jesus daily and accept all consequences as Jesus did and won the victory over satan.It is dying to self and living the life of Christ in us not our flesh anymore .

Hypocrisy is hiding behind a false pretence of being righteous . A Christian who is still living in the flesh will want to show himself a true Christian by behaving outwardly as a one, but inwardly is still the same old man. Believing in and living the word of God for transformation will keep us from the desire to look as Christian outwardly but inwardly still dead .

Teaching Christian ethics must be done in the power of the Holy Spirit, be under His leadership to teach the truth of God . The teacher must be self control that will not suffer negative reaction from opponents. He must exercise the patience, the kindness, the skill to convict through the word of God . All should be done through the power of the Holy Spirit who will produce the fruit of the spirit in him. To do the work of God from self is detrimental ..

My best plates or silverware are used for invitees or for celebrating a special occasion. The everyday tableware is as said for every use where there is no such importance attached to it. when we become especial for God’s use , we are called for more important mission for His glory, like apostle Paul. For God to use us we need to die to self but live for His purpose in obedience to His call.

A skilled workman gives time and concentration on what he is doing . He takes pride in producing an object that satisfies his soul or his ego . But Timothy is to preach the word of God with the same intent but to please God. Today in many churches the word of God is not been given all its importance in teaching, correcting, encouraging or exhorting . Many times ithe message is not explicit

A soldier has to leave snything that may gets in his way to become a conquering soldier. An athlete trains for hours to win the prize of the competition he is going after A farmer labours in his field watching the seeds grow and taking all care to see the crops thrive. Watering , fertilizing, weeding making sure he has done all the steps to see his crop yielding , so he might enjoy a share ofthe hard work he puts in. Planting and growing is hard work that brings a deep satisfaction to the heart for the hard work put in .

In our today society of comfort and ease of life, the idea of having to suffer for the gospel is not appealing.Some pastors do not want to frighten their congregation in saying that following Christ there is a cross to carry. Timothy Being young and not having yet experienced the opposition against the message of salvation , shunned the idea of having to suffer as Christ the Saviour suffered. Jesus said “ in the world you will have tribulations, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” There is no victory without battle. Suffering for Christ guaranty victory in Christ Jesus against the schemes of the devil.