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- Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God
II Timothy 1:8
There were multiple reasons for Timothy to have become fearful in his office as a minister of the gospel. One was the shame which the surrounding culture would have heaped upon him for preaching a message so antithetical to the values of the times. Another was the apparent powerlessness of the messengers of the gospel in their confrontation with the authorities. Paul was in prison and was about to be executed. Timothy is reading, as it were, the last will and testament of his mentor. Finally, there were the multitudinous afflictions which befell Timothy - from persecution to the apostasy of friends to personal weakness. It was all overwhelming and Timothy apparently thought about giving up.
But the apostle Paul wasn't about to let that happen, and so he proceeds to encourage Timothy to keep on keeping on. Over the next few days, we want to look at the reasons Paul gives to his son in the faith to persevere in the face of difficulty and discouragement. There are good lessons here for us, as well, whether we are pastors or not.
First, Timothy was to stir up the gift of God that was already in him (ver. 6). In other words, he was to fan the spiritual gifts God had given him into a flame. In the ancient world (actually, up until about a century ago) it was important to always keep a fire going. If you let it go out, it could be very difficult to get it going again. Paul is saying to Timothy: "Don't neglect the gifts you have (cf. 1 Tim. 4:14), use your gifts of ministry, don't let them go idle, and don't let fear cause you to become paralyzed."
How does this counteract fear? It does so in the following way: as we obey, God meets us, through the Holy Spirit, with power, love, and a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). He gives us power to strengthen us in the face of overwhelming tasks and impossible odds (cf. 2:1). He gives us love to motivate us to sacrifice for the souls of men and women, especially when they are difficult. And he gives us a sound mind, good judgment, to apply this power and love wisely.
The problem is that we want all this before we obey, but Paul's words imply that it is only as we obey in faith that the Lord will meet us with the help of his Spirit. Like Peter on the waves, we are to put our feet out onto the sea, trusting that the Lord will keep us afloat.
Now I know that Paul was talking here to Timothy who was a pastor. But if you are a Christian, and especially if you are discouraged, these words are for you too. God has equipped you for the task ahead, no matter how difficult it looks, no matter how impossible it seems. Stir up the gift of God that is in you and you will find the Lord meeting you with all the resources you need to keep you abounding in the work of the Lord.
~~Baptist Bible Hour
https://baptistbiblehour.org/r....ead/devotionals/how-
- …as it pleased the potter to make, Jeremiah 18:4
There was a man visiting a school one day for the deaf and blind. During his visit to one of the classrooms he gave a question to the children to think about: “Why has God made some to hear and speak, and made others deaf and even blind?” This harsh yet thought provoking, question brought a sense of hushed reality, as the children pondered this heart wrenching question. After some moments had passed a little girl, eyes full of tears stood up and made her way to the blackboard. Grasping the chalk in her hand she wrote confidently these powerful words: “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight!”
How powerful this truth did emerge, not from a scholar or person of great intellect or prominent position, but from the heart of a little child. A child who though could not see, saw what most will never gaze upon in their lifetime of seeing. For the deep truths of God are not seen with the natural eye but rather through the spiritual eyes of childlike faith. Tragedies of life are too often questioned in the heart of flesh looking for reasons, for understanding, for purpose or meaning oftentimes leaving us empty and void of peace. May we grasp the truth here set upon us and resound in confident reply to every question that rises itself against our souls: “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight”.
Yielding to the potter’s hand will a vessel of honor make; a vessel of glory, beauty and praise to its maker, for so it seemed good for Him to make. Yielding into the Father’s hand will lay your soul into a place of sweetest peace. The fire cannot consume the gift that is not laid upon the altar. May the flames of heaven burn all the stronger until all is consumed for the Master’s glory. Let me leave you with this thought, precious one: “Will not the judge of all the earth do what is right”? How would your heart answer that question today in the midst of your circumstances?
May I be found pliable in the potters' hands, for He makes no mistakes.
~~Pearls of Grace
https://www.crosscards.com/dev....otionals/pearls-of-g
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! (Matthew 27:29).
All of the Angels both Fallen and God's messengers all KNEW that Jesus IS God the Creator, and even those who had fallen KNEW that He was the Judge...
Angels must have marveled at the cruelty of man when the Son of God was prepared for crucifixion.
The One whom heaven praised was rejected, humiliated, and mocked by Pilate’s soldiers. As a part of their mockery, they placed a crown of thorns upon His head.
Though the wicked soldiers did not realize it, their handmade ugly crown was symbolic.
Jesus Christ was made a curse for us in order to redeem us.
Consider that the crown was made of thorns, and the thorns were brought on the Earth in the curse brought by sin: “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field” (Genesis 3: 17, 18).
Nature has suffered because of the sins of man.
Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins.
When King Jesus returns to reign, the earth will know release.
All creation awaits that day: “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22,23).
The work of Jesus Christ on the cross was a complete work.
And we are complete in Him!
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