"First Three Sub-Points" (2 Tim. 3:15)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/23/2025 8:44 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  “First Three Sub-points”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                            Reference:  2 Timothy 3:15

 

            Message of the verses:  “15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God”

 

            I mentioned in the last SD on 2 Timothy that Dr. Wiersbe has five sub-points he uses to explain verses 15-17, and now in today’s SD I will begin to look at these sub-points by looking at the first three from the pen of Warren Wiersbe.

 

            “They are the Holy Scriptures (v. 15a) “15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings.’

 

            “The sacred letters’ is a literal translation.  The suggestion is that young Timothy learned his Hebrew alphabet by spelling his way through the Old Testament Scriptures.  The word for holy means ‘consecrated for sacred use.’  The Bible is different from every other book—even books about the Bible—because it has been set apart by “God for special sacred uses.  We must treat the Bible as the special book it is.

 

            “The way we treat the Bible shows others how much or how little we respect it.  While I don’t want to become a crank in this matter, I must confess that I hate to see a Bible on the floor.  When we are carrying a Bible and other books, the Bible should be on the top.  There is a difference between properly marking a Bible as we study and defacing it by careless marking.  I have seen people put a cup of coffee on a Bible!  Paul gives us the right attitude toward the Word of God (1 Thes. 2:13).”  “13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”

 

            “The Scriptures lead us to salvation (v. 15b) “which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

 

            “ We are not saved by believing the Bible (see John 5:39), but by trusting the Christ who is revealed in the Bible”  “John 5:39 “"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me.”  “Satan knows the Bible but he is not saved.  Timothy was raised on the Holy Scriptures in a godly home.  Yet it was not until Paul led him to Christ that he was saved.

 

            “What is the relationship of the Bible to salvation?  To begin with, the Bible reveals our need for salvation.  It is a mirror that shows us how filthy we are in God’s sight.  The Bible explains that ever lost sinner is condemned now (John 3:18-21) and needs a Savior now.  It also makes it clear that a lost sinner cannot save himself.”  “John 3:18-21 “18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.’” 

           

            Dr. Wiersbe goes on:  “But the Bible also reveals God’s wonderful plan of salvation:  Christ died for our sins!  If we trust Him, He will save us (John 3:16-18).”  “16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  Dr. Wiersbe goes on:  “The Bible also helps give us the assurance of our salvation (see 1 John 5:9-13)”  “9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”  Dr. Wiersbe continues:  “Then the Bible becomes our spiritual food to nourish us that we might grow in grace and serve Christ.  It is our sword for fighting Satan and overcoming temptation.” 

 

            After one becomes a true born-again believer then they should begin to read and study the Bible so that the Holy Spirit can then begin to cause you to grow up in the Lord as you follow the things that Dr. Wiersbe wrote in that last two sentences written above.

 

Spiritual Meaning for My Life Today:  Continue to learn from my study of the Bible and trust that the Lord will give me strength as my wife and I go through the great challenge that is before us, as she will have cancer surgery in six days.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord as He is in charge of this test and He never ever makes a mistake.  Trust that we will grow in the Lord and trust His results.

 

4/23/2025 9:23 AM 

PT-1 "Intro to 2 John 5-13"

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/22/2025 9:29 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                                                Focus:  Intro to 2 John 5-13

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                         Reference:  2 John 5-13

 

            Message of the verses:  “5 Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. 12 Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full. 13 The children of your chosen sister greet you.”

 

            I  will be mostly quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary on these verses from 2 John.  “Verse 9 jumps out of this section:  Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.  There again (as through 1 John) is the test of a  true Christian and a true preacher—pure doctrine concerning Christ.

 

            “The true church of Jesus Christ has always understood that fact.  Through the centuries, even in the church’s darkest hours, there have always been those who were faithful to evangelize the lost with the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.  People searched the Scriptures, without all the Bible study tools available today, to understand the gospel in preparation for spreading the message of salvation.  Many unsung heroes of the faith labored for decades translating the Word so people could read it in their own languages.  Missionaries traveled in arduous and threatening circumstances to reach difficult places with the truth of Christ. There they endured long periods of separation from family, friends, and country, suffered the loss of coworkers and loved ones, and battled disease, danger and satanic opposition for the gospel’s sake (cf. Eph. 6:12).  Tens of thousands of faithful evangelists have been martyred for their unwavering commitment to obey the Lord’s command to proclaim the truth that saves.”  In the church that I attend, which is around 180 years old, that means it began before the civil war in our country.  This church has helped to start two mission agencies.   Baptist Mid began a little over 100 years ago and it began in Africa, and they still have a hospital and church where it started.  Then some time ago, not exactly known the exact date another mission agency began at our church, Baptist Church Planters is the name of that one, and for a while there were some financial problems with it, but later on that was taken care of and all of the churches and people who invested in it were given all their money back.  This agency works only in our country to get the much needed gospel message to a nation that is in dire need of it. 

            “There are some, however, who advocate a radical and alarming shift from this commission, suggesting that preaching the gospel to the lost may actually be unnecessary, along with the immense sacrifices that have been made to do so.  Going beyond the Bible’s teaching about the general revelation of God in nature (see the discussion of Rom. 1:18-32 below), some argue that natural theology (‘the attempt to attain an understanding of God and his relationship with the universe by means of rational reflection, without appealing to special revelation such as the self-relation of God in Christ and in Scripture’ [Colin Brown, ‘Natural Theology,’ in Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F. Wright, and J. I Packer, eds., New Dictionary of Theology (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1988), 452]) alone is sufficient to save—apart from any knowledge of the true God, or of Jesus Christ or the gospel.  Some imagine that God saves people apart from the gospel by treating them as He did those who lived before the time of the New Testament (a view labeled trans-Dispensationalism). But as the writer of Hebrews emphasizes, ‘God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world’ (Heb. 1:1-2).  Having given His final revelation in His Son, God will not turn back the clock to another era.  John 1:12 fixes the necessity of faith in Christ:  ‘But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.’”

 

            4/22/2025 10:00 PM

PT-2 "Continue in God's Word" (2 Tim. 3:13-17)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/22/2025 9:06 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                            Focus:  PT-2 “Continue in God’s Word”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                               Reference: 2 Timothy 3:13-17

 

            Message of the verses:  “13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (KJV).

           

            In yesterday’s SD the Lord seemed to be prompting me to write some things that were on my heart, and I did not get very far in looking at these verses from the end of the third chapter of 2 Timothy.  Now I have made the decision to look at Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe’s commentary to aid me in looking at these verses at the end of 2 Timothy chapter three.  His commentaries are not as lengthy as John MacArthur’s commentaries, but Dr. Wiersbe has things to say many times that just bless my heart.  I have heard it said of Dr. Wiersbe’s commentaries that “he puts the cookies on the shelf where you can reach them,” and I certainly agree with that statement about him. 

 

            One more thing before we begin to look at these verses and that is the Focus, “Continue in God’s Word” is the main point on these verses, and then later on we will look at five sub-points as we continue looking at these verses.

 

            Dr. Wiersbe writes:  “Timothy had been taught the Word of God from the time he was a child.  Some people are prone to say, ‘Well, I needed the Bible when I was younger; but I can do without it now that I’m older.’  How wrong they are!  Adults need the guidance of the Word far more than children do because adults face more temptations and make more decision.  Timothy’s grandmother and mother had faithfully taught him the Old Testament Scriptures.  (The word whom in 2 Tim. 2:14 is plural, referring to these women; see 2 Tim. 1:5.)  Timothy was to continue in what he had been taught.  We never outgrow the Word of God.”  I totally agree with this last statement that Dr. Wiersbe writes, in fact I have found out in my time of being a believer that I certainly need it more the older I get.  You see I did not become a believer until I was almost 27 years old, and I have to say to my shame that I did a lot of living the first 26 years of my life, especially in my teen years, so as memories of those years come to me from time to time I certainly need the Word of God to cause me to get those memories out of my mind.

 

            Dr. Wiersbe goes on in his introduction to these verses:  “This is a good place to admonish Christian parents to teach their children the Bible.  In our home, my wife and I used Kenneth Taylor’s Bible Stories with Pictures for Little Eyes; in fact, we wore out two copies!  What a joy it was to see our older children who had learned to read share the stories with the younger ones and help them answer the questions.  Little by little, the children graduate to older Bible story books and then to Bibles of their own.  We were fortunate that our Sunday School included a Bible memory program.  As soon as your child is born, surround him with the Word of God and prayer.  You will not have this opportunity after he grows up.

 

            “In this paragraph, Paul made some important statements about the Scriptures:”

 

            This is where we will end this introduction as tomorrow, Lord willing, we will begin to look at the first of five sub-points, and I will probably look at the first two sub-points.  In this section of 2 Timothy we have two verses that many have put to memory:  16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works”

 

Spiritual meaning for my Life Today:  Continue to remember the importance of Scriptures in my life, as when I go through different battles in my life the Scriptures are the best place to get the help to see me through those battles, and since my wife has found out that she has cancer, I need the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart in order to be able to fight to get us through this very difficult challenge, but God is Faithful!

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Fight the good fight so that the Lord will receive glory as He sees us through this difficult time in our lives.

 

4/22/2025 9:39 AM

 

"The Truth Controls Believers" ( 2 John 4)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/21/2025 10:34 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                              Focus:  “The Truth Controls Believers”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                               Reference:  2 John 4

 

            Message of the verse:  “I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.”

 

            From reading all of the different letters that John wrote including the gospel of John, and then the three different letters of John we can see that he had a commitment to the truth, and so this comes to no surprise that John was very glad to find some of this Christian lady’s children walking in truth.  Now surely the apostle was enthusiastic at the news of their obedience to divine revelation, which he may have heard from her sister ore her sister’s children.  (The children of your chosen sister greet you, v. 13).  That he mentions only some of her children does not necessarily mean that the others were not saved; John was referring only to those of whom he had personal knowledge.

 

            John MacArthur writes:  “The truth of God’s Word is to be lived as well as believed (cf. Matt. 7:21; 12:50; Luke 6:46-49; 11:28; John 13:17; Rom. 2:13; James 1:22; 1 John 2:3).  The phrase walking in the truth refers to moving through life controlled by the truth; it is the equivalent to walking in the light (1 John 1:7).  Walking is a frequent New Testament metaphor for the Christian life.  Believers ‘walk in newness of life’ (Rom. 6:4), ‘walking by faith, not by sight’ (2 Cor. 5:7), ‘walk by the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:16, 25), ‘walk in good works’ (Eph. 2:10), ‘walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which [they] have been called’ (Eph. 5:8), ‘walk in wisdom’ (Eph. 5:15), ‘walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects’ (Col. 1:10), ‘walk in a manner worth of the God who calls [them] into His own kingdom and glory’ (1 Thess. 2:12), ‘walk in the same manner as [Jesus] walked’ (1 John 2:6), and ‘walk according to His commandments’ (2 John 6).”  I have to say that there is a lot of this kind of walking found in the New Testament, and so it is good to have this references to follow.

 

            “John’s reference to the commandment believers have received from the Father to walk in the truth is not a reference to one particular command, but reflects the general and obvious mandate of Scripture to obey.  Scripture is even called ‘the commandment of the Lord’ (Ps. 19:8; cf. the similar use of ‘commandment’ in1 Tim. 6:14).  Obedience to God’s truth is not optional.  ‘God has not revealed His truth in such a way as to leave us free at our pleasure to believe or disbelieve it, to obey or disobey it. Revelation carries with it responsibility, and the clearer the revelation, the greater the responsibility to believe and obey it’ (John R. W. Stott, The Epistles of John, They Tyndale New Testament Commentaries [Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1964], 206).”

 

            MacArthur concludes his comments on this verse by writing “The brief letter opens with a ringing call for Christians to live consistently with the truth they believe.  The only true basis for unity in the church is the truth of God’s Word that indwells, blesses, and controls the lives of individual believers.  And it is only those Christians and churches who are firmly planted on the solid foundation of the truth who will be able to withstand the storms of persecution, temptation, and false doctrine that constantly assail them.”

 

4/21/2025 11:02 PM

 

           

 

             

 

 

PT-1 "Continue in God's Word" (2 Timothy 3:12-17)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/21/2025 9:28 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                      Focus: “Continue in God’s Word”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                              Reference:  2 Timothy 3:12-17

 

            Message of the verses:  “13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

 

            I have decided to continue looking at this third chapter of 2 Timothy by using Dr. Warren Wiersbe’s commentary and then I will see what I want to do after completing the remaining verses of this chapter.  Now the verses above conclude the third chapter of 2 Timothy, but it will take a few days to get through them.  The name in the focus part of this Spiritual Diary is the main point and there will be sub-points which will follow after as we break down these verses into sub-sections. 

 

            Dr. Wiersbe writes:  “The only way to defeat Satan’s lies is with God’s truth.  ‘Thus saith the Lord!’ is the final answer to every question.  Evil men and deceivers are going to get worse and worse.  They will deceive more and more.  Why?  Because they are being deceived by Satan!  In these last days, there will be more deception and imitation; and the only way a believer will be able to tell the true from the false is by knowing the Word of God.”  Now the Be Book on 1^st and 2^nd Timothy “Be Faithful” was written in 1981, 44 years ago, and a lot has changed in the world since then.  My point is that it seems the technology we have in the world the worse the world becomes.  Now I love the technology of being able to sit at my desk each and every day and write my Spiritual Diaries and then put them onto my blogs and then look the next day to see that the Spirit of God has sent them around the world, which tells me that the Lord is using them to send the gospel message around the world.  However there are many people using technology for evil purposes.  Looking at what will happen in what the Bible calls the Tribulation Period, which is the last seven years of planet earth before the Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth to stop the war of Armageddon one can see how technology will be used during those seven years.  My ministry in writing these Spiritual Diaries is to get the Word out so that those who will accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will not have to go through those seven years of hell on earth for those saved now in the Church age will go to be with the Lord in what is called the Rapture of the Church, which will happen before the Tribulation period.  I have written about the Rapture of the Church in many of my Spiritual Diaries.  The books of 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians speaks of the Rapture along with the long chapter of 1 Corinthians (15^th chapter) also speaks of this.  Also in my study of the 9^th chapter of Daniel which has what has been said the greatest prophecy found in the Bible one can even see what will happen in the end times from the end of the 9^th chapter, the 490 year prophecy which is seen there.  That prophecy began in the second chapter of Nehemiah and then 483 years later Jesus came riding on a donkey into Jerusalem and offering the Kingdom to the Jews they turned Him down.  That was 173,880 days after the Nehemiah chapter two began those 490 years.  Luke writes the following about this event which we call Psalm Sunday:  41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:41-42).  Now these verses happened right after Jesus rode into Jerusalem and I want you to notice the highlighted section of verse 42, or “this day” was 173,880^th day of the prophecy given in Daniel and because the Jews turned down their Messiah Daniel’s prophecy of 490 years stopped with seven years left on it.  Daniel goes on to tell us what will trigger the beginning of these last seven years as he prophesied that there will be a man who is called the Antichrist who will make a peace deal with the nation of Israel and they will accept it.  That event will begin the last seven years of Daniel’s prophecy, which the Bible calls the Tribulation Period. 

 

            I realize that this had nothing to do with our verses in 2 Timothy, but as one looks at what is going on in the Middle East at this time, especially with Iran whose nation is part of the Tribulation Period, along with Russia, Egypt, Europe, Turkey, and others some think that the event of the Rapture is very close to happen because the events of the Tribulation Period seem to be very close. 

 

            So what is the best thing to do?  Going to heaven in the Rapture is the best way, the only way to miss the events of the Tribulation Period.  To do that one must realize that you are a sinner, born a sinner, to realize that the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth in order to die on the cross for your sins, and so after realizing you are a sinner you pray to the Lord and tell Him that and then thank Him for taking you place on the cross and invite Him into your life to be you Savior and Lord.  Then celebrate the fact that you have become a child of God.

 

            Every day after I post my Spiritual Diaries onto my blogs I pray five things, and the very last thing that I pray is if it is the Lord’s will that the very last person in the Church age will accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will take place after reading one of my Spiritual Diaries.  It could be you!!!

 

4/21/2025 10:16 AM

"The Truth Blesses Believers" (2 John 3)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/20/2025 9:43 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                               Focus:  “The Truth Blesses Believers”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  2 John (verse 3)

 

            Message of the verse:  “Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”

 

            What we see in this verse is Grace, mercy and peace all together, and this also appears in Paul’s letters to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2).  These three great Christian terms are seen in other passages, but not in order as they are very familiar New Testament terms.  They are also often used in the salutations of the epistles.  MacArthur writes “Grace combines with peace in Jude 2.  The three terms summarize the progression of the plan of salvation:  God’s grace caused Him to grant mercy, which results in peace.  Grace views sinners as guilty and undeserving (Rom. 5:20; Eph. 1:7); mercy views them as needy and helpless (Matt. 5:3; Rom. 11:30-32; Eph. 2:4-5; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3); peace is the result of God’s outpouring of both (Acts 10:36; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14; Col. 1:20).  These divine blessings, like everything in the Christian life, come only from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father.  For God, ‘the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow’ comes down ‘every good thing given and every perfect gift’ (James 1:17).  And though the Son, all ‘the promises of God…are yes’ (2 Cor. 1:20).  They are present when divine truth dominates the mind and heart, resulting in genuine love.  The twofold repetition of para (from) stresses Jesus’ equality with the Father.  John emphasized Christ’s identity as God’s Son because the false teachers were denying that truth.”

 

4/20/2025 9:58 PM

PT-2 "Follow Those Who Are True" (2 Tim. 3:10-12)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/20/2025 8:08 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus: PT-2 “Follow Those Who Are True”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                              Reference:  2 Timothy 3:10-12

 

            Message of the verses:  “10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11  Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (KJV)

 

            I began looking at these verses in yesterday’s Spiritual Diary and mentioned that I got a little mixed up when trying to find out what parts of verse ten that Dr. Wiersbe was looking at.  Well I have one more section from verse ten to look at this morning, and then one section from verses 11-2. 

 

            Their Purpose is to glorify God” (v. 10d)

 

            Dr. Wiersbe writes:  “There was never a question about Paul’s ‘purpose’ in ministry:  he wanted to do God’s will and finish the work God gave him to do (Acts 20:24; Phil. 1:21).  The Apostle Paul was a man of ‘faith’ who trusted God to meet his needs.  He was a man of ‘long-suffering’ who bore up under people’s attacks.  He was a man of love (charity) who willingly gave himself to serve others.

            “The word patience at the end of 2 Timothy 3:10 means ‘endurance, the ability to stick with it when the going gets tough.

 

            They are willing to suffer (vv. 11-12)

 

            “Paul did not ask others to suffer for him; he suffered for others.  The fact that he was persecuted from city to city was proof that he was living a godly life.  Some people today have the idea that godliness means escaping persecution, when just the opposite is true.

 

            “I wonder how Paul would match up with today’s concept of a Christian leader.  He would probably fail miserably.  If he applied for service with a modern mission board, would he be accepted?  He had a prison record: he had a physical affliction; he stirred up problems in just about every place he visited.  He was poor, and he did not cater to the rich.  Yet “God used him, and we are being blessed today because Paul was faithful.”

 

            Just a note for all who read this Spiritual Diary today that we are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave today and I would like to call this “Resurrection Day” as most people call it Easter.  At any rate have a blessed “Resurrection Day.”

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I know that times are different than when Paul wrote to Timothy a short time before he would enter into the presence of the Lord, but I can learn from the things that happened to Paul in his long ministry for the cause of Christ.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I trust the Lord that He will bless our Sunday school class this morning as I teach it for the glory of Christ.

 

4/20/2025 8:33 AM