My Dear Precious Child,
Paul closed his second letter to Timothy with firm challenges for him. He began by saying that, viewed by Me and viewed by Christ Jesus, that he was giving a duty to Timothy in the name of Christ's appearing in his kingdom. The duty was that Timothy must proclaim the message of Good News, whether to people who welcomed it or didn't welcome it, saying that Timothy must also on occasion insist on giving the message of salvation, just like Paul had been doing, because they were convinced that Christ Jesus was coming back immediately.
Then Paul challenged Timothy under the circumstance to do these things:
To refute falsehoods;
To correct errors; and
To call the followers into obedience to the guidance of My Holy Spirit if they want to stay free from the works of the devil.
Paul said that those things must be done with patience and with the attitude of teaching the believers. He felt that the time was soon coming when people would not be content with sound teaching but would have a desire for novelties, seeking something new, so they would collect for themselves many different teachers according to their own tastes in belief. Instead of listening to truths, certain people in the church had turned to myths and man-made fictions.
He encouraged Timothy with these challenges also;
To always be careful to choose the right course:
To be brave in trials;
To make preaching the Good News his life's work; and
To do the works of the ministry fully and with a good attitude.
Paul knew that the end of his life was approaching and that the time for him to leave the earth was near. He knew he had fought the good fight of faith to the end, that he had run the race to the finish and the only thing left for him was to receive the crown of righteousness that was reserved for him. Paul was confident that Christ would give a crown of righteousness not only to him but to the other people who were expecting it because they had also fought the good fight of faith under trying circumstances.
It was necessary for Paul to caution Timothy about certain people. He said that the convert named Demas had deserted him for love of the earthly life and had gone to another city, that others had also deserted him, and that only Luke remained with him. He said that the silversmith had also done him great harm but Paul took comfort that Christ would repay the silversmith. Paul warned Timothy to be on guard against the silversmith because he had been bitterly contesting everything that Paul and Timothy taught. In the legal forum, even though Paul had presented a logical defense to the words of the silversmith, he lamented that there was not a single witness to support Paul. Ever though every one of his supporters had deserted him, he asked that I not hold it against them. He asked Timothy to bring Mark to see him. Paul knew that I had been on his side, that I stood by him and gave him power so that through Paul all of the pagans would hear the Good News. He wrote that I rescued him from the lion's mouth. He was convinced that I would continue to rescue him from all evil attempts on his life and take him safely into My heavenly kingdom. He glorified Me even in the face of danger and rejection. Paul was persuaded that I would receive him into My heavenly home when the time came.
Through the experiences of Paul, you must learn that there are demonic forces that do not want you to succeed in your life on earth, and so they send people to reject your testimonies, your witness and your Truth. Yet, you have a spiritual cloud of witnesses in support of you. I am in that cloud of witnesses, also Jesus, plus the entire angelic hosts, and the holy people who had been raised from the dead in Christ's resurrection, and the saints who had been made whole, and the blood of Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1 and 22-25) You have an entire spiritual nation surrounding you in the spiritual dimension. My entire kingdom of heaven is in you in the person of the Holy Spirit and My kingdom also surrounds you.
You are never alone. I am in you and you are in Me. Be conscious of that fact constantly, especially when you intercede along with My Holy Spirit in His prayer language which creates solutions for all the problems of My children and brings My blessings flooding into your lives.
Your Loving Father of Infinite Spiritual Power
No comments:
Post a Comment