In this book, "Paul seemed to have no illusion that walking the narrow road would carry him around difficulties. I gather he believed that You would use Your Power to protect him through hardships for Your Purposes (Phil 2:23)." 66 LL
"You tell me to count on You for enough strength to stay faithful to Your Purposes no matter what happens." 66 LL. "There is a battle going on between an obsession with my present comfort as the highest value and a commitment to Your Present Purpose as my greatest good." 66 LL.
"With endurance, comes a joy that frees you to endure whatver hardships lie ahead without indulging your still-alive spirit of entitlement by justifying illegitimate relief." 66 LL.
Listen as Paul speaks for the last time before he dies:
"I know Whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day. II Tim 1:12.
"Run away from indulgence. Run after righteousness, joining with those who are in serious and honest prayer before God." II Tim 2:22
"I, Paul, can't impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead." II Tim 4:1
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." II Tim 4:6
2 Tim 1:10 – “Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.” Our Gift of this season is more than a sweet baby in a manger. This steady blaze of light in Christ is ours because He vindicates us and makes us presentable before His Father.
ReplyDelete2 tim 2:22-26 ¬– “God's servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently” –my personal note to self this day.
2 Tim 2:19 – “Meanwhile, God's firm foundation is as firm as ever”
2 Tim 3:14 – “Stick with what you learned and believed. . .There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” God is steady so we must be steady, staying the race, grounding ourselves in the firm foundation of His Word.
I always want to sing when I hear 2 Tim 1:12! I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Hima against that Day."
Annette, I think the description regarding the gentle listener is you. You are a such a sweet and gentle listener.
ReplyDelete"There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another - showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks god has for us." ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 MSG)
ReplyDeletePaul to Timothy(and to us): Be so convinced and grounded in the truth that you live it and continue in it. You guard it and proclaim it..."Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God's people." ( 2 Timothy 2:14 MSG) "Fight the fight, run the race, keep the faith. Endure and enjoy until you enjoy Me forever with nothing to endure." ( 66LL, pg 299)
Someone told me years ago: "You experience an internal joy by always keeping an eternal perspective."
Thank you, Father, for the promise of a sustaining joy available today, knowing that a full and complete joy awaits us.
FG Forever Grateful
Thank you, Jan. I remember our early morning conversation at the ranch. You are easy to talk to and interesting to listen to. I get in too big a hurry and God is really telling me to slow down, to listen, to clothe myself in love especially in my speech but in all my actions.
ReplyDeleteForvever Grateful, I love that path to inner joy with an internal perspective.
I could have camped on every line in the readings today. Such wisdom...
"A soldier on duty doesn't get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It's the diligent farmer who gets the produce."
ReplyDeletePaul and Timothy have such a precious relationship. I enjoyed reading today's words. Bring my coat, Paul asks Timothy. My winter coat. Try hard to get here before winter.
Does that make you shiver just a little? Paul is cold and lonely. Only Luke is with him. He recalls in this passage those who have deserted him. One he even gives the harshest mention...he has done me much evil...may the Lord reward him according to his works.
Paul paints a picture in my mind as he writes about the
Soldier - Focus on the mission
Athlete - Follow the rules
Farmer - Be diligent
Here's a definition for the word "diligent."
diligent - quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness.
That is a good Word to chew on, to feed on, to sow into my life.
Beth Moore has taught that we can be so desperate for a Word that sometimes we eat the Word instead of sowing it. To produce a crop, we have to sow it.
Example: God's Word says to forgive. We can eat that Word...agreeing...and move forward without really applying it to our situation. We never forgive. We go "this far" but not "that far." We fall short. We haven't sown it and allowed it to produce a crop in our lives.
Stay focused, follow God's rules, be diligent.
Thanks, Paul. I will have the visual of my faith being the faith of a mighty warrior, an obedient athlete and a faithful farmer...in season and out of season.
Pearls...praying that we would all be as open as Mary was to God favoring us with a miracle. Let's believe that He still works miracles today. May He favor us all...may we be highly favored women of faith...ready for the Messiah to come in our greatest times of need...even if it means we are chosen to be the vessel He reveals His unbelievable power through. He is looking for faith today. Will faith be found in us?