SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/26/2024 9:07 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-1 “Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 2 Timothy 1:6-18
Message of
the verses: “6 For this reason
I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the
laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of
power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony
of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the
gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a
holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and
grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has
been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death
and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and an
apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am
not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able
to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Retain the standard of
sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in
Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure
which has been entrusted to you. 15 You are aware of the fact that all
who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16
The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and
was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched
for me and found me — 18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from
the Lord on that day — and you know very well what services he
rendered at Ephesus.”
Today I begin looking at a very long section of
Scripture and also a very long introduction to that section of Scripture. In his commentary John MacArthur entitles
this very long chapter “Not Being Ashamed of Christ.” That is a very important reminder to all
believers, for it is a good thing to do even if that will cause trouble for you
in this world as it did Paul. Paul is
writing this letter to his son in the faith, the one who is to carry on his
ministry, the one that he mentored for a long time and so this is very
important to Paul as we mentioned that he is writing this from prison and will
soon be killed for the cause of Christ.
I
begin with a story from John MacArthur’s commentary. “During the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1900),
extreme nationalist Chinese fomented a campaign of terror against officials of
foreign governments, Christians missionaries, and even Chinese Christians. After they surrounded a certain mission
station, they sealed all exists except one.
They placed a cross in the dirt in front of the opened gate and told the
missionaries and students that anyone who walked out and trampled the cross
would be spared. According to reports,
the first seven students who departed trampled the cross and were sent on their
way. The eight student, a young girl,
approached the cross, knelt down, prayed for strength, carefully walked around
the cross, and was immediately shot to death.
The remaining 92 students, strengthened by that girl’s courageous
example, also walked around the cross to their deaths.” That is quite a story of the great faith and
trust that those 92 students had who all if they truly were believers went
straight into the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ and will one day receive a
crown during the time of when the church is raptured and in heaven during the
tribulation period which will be going on, on earth where many, many more who
have become believers will suffer the same fate.
Now
we want to try and tie this story to what is going on in these verses we are
looking at today, which is the second section of 2 Timothy that we begin to
look at this morning as it focuses on the believers’ not being ashamed of Jesus
Christ, like those 93 missionary students demonstrated. Paul founds this appeal on the motivations
were to generate in Timothy the pervasive attitude of not being ashamed of the
Lord Jesus Christ, the underlying attitude that is indispensable for effective
ministry in the kingdom. MacArthur adds “The
positive expression of that attitude is courageous, unapologetic witness to and
obedience of Him, no matter what the cost or consequences. It is the attitude that refuses to
equivocate, vacillate, or compromise and that does not hesitate to be confrontational
when necessary.”
Let
us look at an example from the pen of David as he expresses the attitude of
courageous witness in the following words:
“9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great
congregation; Behold, I
will not restrain my lips, O LORD, You know. 10 I have not hidden Your
righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your
salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the
great congregation.” David would always
speak for the Lord without restraint or reservation. There is another palmist who declares “15 My
mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And of Your salvation all day
long; For I do not know the sum of them. 16 I will come with the mighty
deeds of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone”
(Psalm 71:15-16). Now we will look at a verse from the longest chapter in the
Word of God, Psalm 119:46 “I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings
And shall not be ashamed.” There was
nothing that could withstand the commitment of those saints to speak of God’s
grace and righteousness.”
This
is the first of what will be many SD’s that relate to the verses we are looking
at, and as stated it will take us awhile to get through the introduction.
Spiritual
meaning for my life today: I have to have a great love for the Lord
Jesus Christ in order to stand up for him, and my prayer is that my love for
Him will continue to grow and grow so that I can do things for the cause of
Christ.
My
Steps of Faith for Today: I desire to continue to fulfill 2 Timothy
2:15 in my life today and everyday that the Lord allows me to live on His
earth. “Study to show yourself approved
to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.”
11/26/2024 9:46 AM
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