datethewordtest

Tag: 2 Timothy

  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 5 (4/5) is 2 Timothy 4:5

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 5 (4/5) is 2 Timothy 4:5

    “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
     fulfill your ministry.” – 2 Timothy 4:5
    FINISH your race and FINISH FAITHFUL

    In getting to know God’s Word it is important to KNOW WHY THE WRITER WRITES what they write.  Looking at an introduction of 2 Timothy one will find that the Apostle Paul is writing to Timothy, his son in the faith, to give him words of ENCOURAGEMENT as well as words to EQUIP him so that HE DOES NOT QUIT running the race that God has set before him.  It is clear in chapter one that Timothy needs this as Paul tells him that he knows about his tears (2 Tim. 1:5).  Paul also knows that Timothy is struggling with him being in prison and is moving to a place of not wanting anyone to know he is a follower of Christ nor a friend of Paul.  Paul writes, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner.” (2 Tim. 1:8a)  

    The letter to Timothy then is to help him with practical instructions.  The help starts with 2 Timothy 1:6 where Paul tells him to STIR UP THE GIFT (keep the fire burning is the idea) and concludes with 2 Timothy 4:5.  After 2 Timothy 4:5 Paul will share some personal information.  Our verse to DATE in 4/5 is in many ways a summation of all that has been said and becomes one of those verses we all need to be holding onto as we run the race that God has for us.   Let us look at the 4 things Paul instructed Timothy to do.

    First, he tells him to “be watchful.”  The idea is ALERT.  It means to keep a clear mind. Timothy is a leader, and he is to be calm, cool, and collected in the face of a crisis.   He can’t let the enemy get the best of him.  As situations arise he must remember that God has not given him a spirit of fear but of power and love and a SOUND MIND.  As everyone else is losing their head in the crisis the Christians are keeping their head.   

    How do you need to apply “be watchful” to your daily life?

    Second, he tells him to “endure afflictions.”  The idea is to HANG IN THERE no matter how tough and rough and hard it gets.  In the first chapter, Paul invites Timothy to join him in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.   (2 Timothy 1:8b)  In chapter 2 Paul reminded Timothy that he is like a SOLDIER and soldiers ENDURE HARDSHIPS.   

    Isaac Watts wrote in his great song Am I a Soldier of the Cross, “Must I be carried to the skies on flow’ry beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?  Great question for us!

    How do you need to apply “endure affliction” to your daily life?

    Third, he told him to “do the work of an evangelist.”  This is basically a repeat of the first verses of 2 Timothy 4 where Paul tells Timothy to PREACH the Word and to preach in season and out of season.  Timothy was to step out and SPEAK UP!  Even if the message of the gospel is offensive, people have to know the TRUTH.  Paul is telling Timothy he can’t be silent.  

    How do you need to apply “do the work of an evangelist” to your daily life?

    Fourth, he told him to “FULFILL his ministry.”  This is the FINAL charge.  Be a FINISHER and FINISH FAITHFULLY.  Don’t ever quit.  Regardless of the persecution, regardless of the failures, regardless of the rejections, regardless of the objections, regardless of the resistance, etc. Paul wants Timothy to stay focused on what God has for him to do and to do it so that Timothy might finish the race and hear “Well done My good and faithful servant!   

    How do you need to apply “fulfill your ministry” to your daily life?

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 5 (4/5) is 2 Timothy 4:5. It says, “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

    To be FOUND FAITHFUL (1 Cor. 4:2) will mean FULFILLING God’s assignments!  
    “Don’t Quit.”  Dr. Jerry Falwell

    Continue Strong,
    And remember to DATE The WORD
  • Verse to DATE the Word on March 10 (3/10) is 2 Timothy 3:10

    Verse to DATE the Word on March 10 (3/10) is 2 Timothy 3:10

    Our verse to DATE the Word on March 10 (3/10) is 2 Timothy 3:10
    2 Timothy 3:10 says, “But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,”

    ESSENTIAL TOPICS TO TEACH as a DISCIPLER

    As my boys were growing up, they played little league baseball.  It wasn’t long after they started playing that I was asked to help as an assistant coach.  This was something I had never done before so there was a LEARNING CURVE.  I was blessed early on to assist a coach who had played in college and I was able to LEARN how to run a practice.  While baseball is a simple game it is also a very complex game I learned from him that we wanted to get the team not only to practice the basics of fielding, throwing, catching, hitting and running but also what to do in a variety of game situations.  When we arrived at practice he had a list of things to go over and do so each player could get some practice in the basics and in game situations.  He knew the areas that needed to be developed and as a result this team did very well.   

    I share this about me learning about what needed to be practiced because I have found that like baseball, discipleship, while simple, can be complex.  I have found that most people know they are to be discipling other people and many would like to but they don’t know how to run the practice.  Being transparent I was in this category.  I knew I was to be discipling others and I wanted to disciple others but I DID NOT KNOW what I should be teaching.  

    As I struggled with what was involved with discipling I had a couple of young men come to me and ask if I would disciple them.  Now I had to get an answer as I agreed to meet with them once a week.  To get the answer I recalled someone somewhere saying 2 Timothy was a book that revealed how the Apostle Paul discipled Timothy.  So I grabbed my Bible and I read through the four chapters and sure enough, I saw how one could conclude 2 Timothy was a book about discipleship.  The first major conclusion came from 2 Timothy 2:2 which says, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  I reasoned that to disciple another was to teach what I had learned from the various men who had discipled me.  

    The second conclusion that this was a book about how to disciple came from our verse to date on March 10, (3/10), 2 Timothy 3:10. It starts with, “But you have carefully followed my…”  As I consider those words I am realizing that what would come next would be things that Paul taught, (discipled) Timothy to do.  So, then I read that Paul had taught Timothy “doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,”
     
    From 2 Timothy 3:10, I saw seven essential areas to pour into the two young men that wanted me to disciple them.  I would teach them what we believed as believers (doctrine) and how we should behave as believers (manner of life).  I would want to spend time with them about determining what God wanted them to do with their life (purpose).  I would be spending time with them on how to trust God to do what He wanted them to do (faith).  We would look at how to get along with people by being patient (longsuffering) and showing them love. And we would consider what it took to stay in the race that God had set before us (perseverance.)

    Like coaching a baseball team the essentials, I now had the essentials for discipling.  And now you have them as well.  If you are going to fulfill the Lord’s commission of going and making disciples I strongly encourage you to read 2 Timothy and especially drill down on 2 Timothy 3:10. 

    Verse to DATE the Word on March 10 (3/10) is 2 Timothy 3:10. 2 Timothy 3:10 says, “But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,”

    Continue Strong making disciples,
    And remember to DATE THE WORD
     
  • Verse to DATE the Word on February 22 (2/22) is 2 Timothy 2:22

    Verse to DATE the Word on February 22 (2/22) is 2 Timothy 2:22

    Our verse to DATE the Word on February 22 (2/22) is 2 Timothy 2:22
    2 Timothy 2:22 says, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
    RUN AWAY FROM THE BAD AND RUN AFTER THE GOOD

    As the Apostle Paul DISCIPLES Timothy he calls on him to be a CLEAN, SANCTIFIED vessel that is USEFUL to God.  2 Timothy 2:21 says, “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”  In order to be clean and sanctified Paul now teaches Timothy three actions to take that involves the word RUN.  

    To become a clean, sanctified, useful vessel there will be things that you must RUN AWAY FROM.
    To become a clean, sanctified, useful vessel there will be things that you must RUN AFTER.   
    Our verse does add a third action as we are to consider who we RUN WITH.

    As we battle temptations some battles are best won by RESISTING while others are best won by RETREATING. Yes, we win by RETREATING.  We win by RUNNING AWAY.  Our verse tells us to FLEE youth lust. The Greek word for FLEE gives us our English word FUGITIVE. We are to be a FUGITIVE to youth lust.  As a FUGITIVE we are to RUN AWAY FROM AND HIDE from temptations! 

    A principle I use here is DON’T STAY AT PLACES WHERE TEMPTATIONS ARE PRONE TO WIN! 

    Pay close attention; When it comes to one major temptation, that of sexual temptation, I teach that you DON’T RESIST THEM. RUN AWAY FROM THEM.  The temptation is so strong that you will almost always lose if stay and try to resist.  RUN!!!  RUN AWAY FROM IT!  RUN AND HIDE!  Remember the story about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife.  He RAN AWAY from the temptation! 

    While RUNNING AWAY from temptations Paul teaches Timothy and us that we should be RUNNING AFTER those things that strengthen our walk with the Lord. We are to PURSUE – be RUNNING AFTER righteousness (doing what is right); faith (trusting God with every area of our lives), love (the action we take with God and people, loving both saved and lost. **Remember the time a person needs love the most is when they deserve it the least), peace (keeping calm with one another even during storms).

    So we are RUNNING AWAY from sinful things and we are RUNNING AFTER sanctified things. 
    So we are RUNNING AWAY from hurtful things and we are RUNNING AFTER helpful things.
    There are temptations we are RUNNING AWAY FROM and there are godly actions we are RUNNING AFTER! 

    Paul gives one more teaching to Timothy and us that is very crucial in being successful in becoming a clean, sanctified, useful vessel. His last statement of this verse tells us to CONSIDER who we choose to RUN WITH as who we RUN WITH will have a tremendous influence on us. You will want to RUN WITH THOSE who have been saved and who themselves are seeking to be a sanctified vessel. (with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart.)

    In applying our verse of 2 Timothy 2:22 I suggest asking three questions of yourself every day:
    What do you need to be RUNNING AWAY FROM?
    What do you need to be RUNNING AFTER?
    Who do you need to be RUNNING WITH?
    The answers to these three questions will greatly determine if you will be a clean, sanctified, useful vessel to the Lord.

    Verse to DATE the Word on February 22 (2/22) is 2 Timothy 2:22. It says, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

    Personal note: 2 Timothy 2:22 is one of the most important verses I have ever learned.  I encourage you to memorize, meditate and APPLY this verse.  Answer daily the three questions of what are RUNNING AWAY FROM; what are you RUNNING AFTER; and WHO are you RUNNING WITH.

    Continue Strong,
    And remember to DATE THE WORD
  • Verse to DATE the Word on February 5 (2/5) is 2 Timothy 2:5

    Verse to DATE the Word on February 5 (2/5) is 2 Timothy 2:5

    Our verse to DATE the Word on February 5 (2/5) is 2 Timothy 2:5
    2 Timothy 2:5 says, “And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.”
    A Little Mistake can bring a Major Loss. 

    The Apostle Paul is discipling Timothy as he writes 2 Timothy.  Timothy is STRUGGLING so to help him (and us) understand what it takes to FINISH WELL the ministry that has been given to him Paul uses some down-to-earth practical examples.  For instance, he told Timothy to think of himself as a SOLDIER in verses 4 and 5 of 2 Timothy.  He reminds him that the SOLDIER has to be single-minded for his commander and that the soldier must ENDURE HARDSHIPS.  He will tell him in verse 6 about the HARD-WORKING FARMER and that the work will result in a crop to be enjoyed.  
    Here in verse 5 the Apostle Paul uses the world of sports to teach the important lesson of LIVING and MINISTERING WITH INTEGRITY.  Paul gives Timothy a beautiful word picture of ATHLETES competing. Can you see runners standing in their starting positions awaiting the signal to run for the win, for the victory, for the prize, for the gold, for the crown?  To Timothy and to us Paul says there is the absolute necessity that an athlete must compete with character to capture a crown. There can be no CHEATING!   

    I suspect the Apostle Paul knew very well the RULES for competing in the Greek Olympics.  Regarding the rules of the Greek Olympics, I read the following from HISTORY.com. “Athletes breaking the rules could be disqualified and publicly whipped, and competitors and judges found guilty of bribery could pay hefty fines, some of which were used to finance bronze statues of Zeus erected near the entrance to Olympia’s stadium. On the statue for all to see as they entered was the inscription, “Victory is to be achieved by speed of feet and strength of body, not with cash.” 

    In other words, competitors were to compete with character to capture the crown!  They were to compete according to the rules!  The character of the champion counted!! 

    The Apostle Paul spoke of himself regarding running a race with integrity and stated he did not want to be disqualified. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:27 that he “disciplined” his body and brought it into subjection, lest, when he had preached to others, he should become disqualified!”  The mindset of the apostle Paul needs to be our mindset!!  Discipline yourself!  LEAD YOURSELF FIRST!

    Years ago I heard a statement that I have tweaked just a little. It goes like this: 
    Don’t expect your gifts, talents, abilities, and even past achievements to take you where your character can’t keep you. 

    With that challenge it might be good to review Hebrews 12:1. Remember that it speaks of running the race God has for you and running it by LAYING ASIDE THE SIN THAT ENSNARES YOU. “Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” 

    Please take the necessary action(s) so you can compete according to the rules and complete the race God has for you!!  Remember that one little mistake can bring a major loss.  

    Verse to DATE the Word on February 5 (2/5) is 2 Timothy 2:5. It says, “And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.”

    Continue Strong with character and integrity
    And remember to DATE THE WORD 

    For further study on this, you might consider some sports heroes who lost their crowns after it was determined they cheated.
    You might consider some Christian leaders who made some very bad sinful decisions.  
    You might consider some Biblical examples who made some very bad sinful decisions. 
    Remember that greater men and women have fallen so always be on GUARD.
  • Verse to DATE the Word on February 2 (2/1) is 2 Timothy 2:2

    Verse to DATE the Word on February 2 (2/1) is 2 Timothy 2:2

    Our verse to DATE the Word on February 2 (2/2) is 2 Timothy 2:2
    2 Timothy 2:2 says, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 
    Making Disciples who Make Disciples is the Mission

    The mission of Jesus Christ to each Christian is to make disciples (Matthew. 28:18-20) and the method of doing so is in 2 Timothy 2:2. We have Paul discipling Timothy and as he disciples him he teaches Timothy to make disciples and to make sure that as he disciples he teaches those he is discipling to make disciples. Thus there are 4 generations here; Paul, Timothy, faithful men, and others.

    For me personally, it started with a man named Jack Finch who would disciple Bill Crawford. Bill Crawford would disciple me. Now whoever I disciple is the fourth generation of Jack Finch. Jack, Bill, Dwayne, and now others.

    Each of us should be being discipled. Who is your Paul? 

    Each of us should be discipling someone. Who is your Timothy? 

    As we disciple our “Timothy” they should start discipling someone. 

    Where are you in the discipling process found in 2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”? 

    Are you making disciples that make disciples?