Called

Called and Chosen {2 Timothy 1}

12:30 AM

Related image


As we begin 2 Timothy, let me remind you that these are Paul’s last words to Timothy.  And Paul’s tone is so full of love and encouragement, while he waits to be killed for his faith.  

The very first verse should remind us all who we are; just replace Paul’s name with your own.  We are all chosen believers, because of God’s will and have life eternal because of the promise that is in Christ Jesus.

When we are united with Christ, life takes on both immediate and eternal dimensions.  When we trust Jesus, we are immediately, and in the moment, changed.  And that’s exactly where we have to stay trustworthy.  We are also promised eternal life through Jesus Christ.  The journey from that new realization/new birth, to the moment we reach eternity, is filled with trusting in the moment, and not comparing ourselves with others, or worrying about the past or future.  And so we receive grace, mercy and peace from our Lord when we place each moment with the Lord.

Image result for 2 timothy 1:10

If you could write your last words to your loved ones, what are the most important things in life?  What would you want them to know mattered most to you?  I’ve had a couple of opportunities to share with my children and with other family members what means the most to me and that is; God out of His grace has saved us (v. 9).  Though we may suffer in this world, we have faith that Jesus has defeated death and gives us eternal life (v. 10).  The promise of eternal life should compel us to live a holy life now while we have an opportunity to share the gospel (vs. 8-12).  The Spirit of God empowers us through His spiritual gifts to be filled with love and His power (v. 7).


Our life in Christ includes our promise of eternal life with Him and the call to a holy life now, empowered by His Spirit.  That is simply the most marvelous gifts of God!

Changed Life

Instructions for a Changed Life {Colossians 4}

12:30 AM

Treat others right and fair...

I have this picture in a frame on my desk at work.

 

Everyone is accountable to someone.  Even if you are the boss, we still have a master in heaven.  This should be our incentive to treat others fair and right, especially when we are in a position  over them.  Even in the Old Testament God gave rules about how to treat servants (Leviticus 25:39-43, 53).

I am considered a lead worker where I am employed.  A lead worker is the person who knows how to do many other people's jobs, but also reports directly to management.  This can be a very tough position because I have often struggled to get management to understand the amount of work the employees actually do.  It seems management spends so much time in their offices, away from the hub of activity.  Many times these managers are not Christians - they simply are not fair.  They just don't know how to serve the Lord.  They are puffed up with accomplishments and have filled their offices with awards they've received, mostly because of the performance of the employees under them, but refuse to be good, honest and caring employers.

I recently had the opportunity to change jobs.   Part of the reason I changed jobs had to do with the season if life I am in. Over the past two weeks, I shared about this difficult season of life and during the course of our study, I have discovered a couple of things:

1)         Be devoted to prayer.

Prayer is a skill and it takes time to develop.  “pray continually.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17; “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”  James 5:16a.

The first key is placing the importance on praying.  If it is not something you see as important, you will never devote to it.

Prayer carries God's promise. (see 1 John 5:14-15.) This is incentive to pray: learn what God's will is and pray in faith.  When you do, you will see results.  He will answer your prayers.

2)        Be watchful, alert and intent in prayer.

God wants us to pray because it gives God the ability to move and act.  He has given us authority. 

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”.  Matthew 18:18;

“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.  He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lighting from heaven.  I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”  Luke 10:17-19

and it's our responsibility.

It's not our last resort - it's our first line of defense.

3)        Be thankful in prayer.

Gratitude and thankfulness is the key that unlocks the power of prayer.  Why?  Because praise elevates you into a different realm.  Praise turns the focus off you and onto God - the result is FAITH. 

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  James 5:16b.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him.  1 John 5:14-15,

Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  Mark 11:23-24

4)        Ask for prayer

Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter on account of sharing the gospel.  And in verse 2, he asks for prayer.  Because in order for him to succeed, he needed the power of prayer.  We all need prayers, not just for our everyday issues, but more for our calling - for open doors to share the gospel and that the message be clear and understandable.

People are watching; they sit back and observe.  If your life reflects Christ and what you believe, it will win the opportunity to speak truth when the time is right.  This is why we are always to be prepared, behaving wisely in our relationships and seizing opportunities to be full of grace and seasoned with salt (v. 6).  See also 1 Peter 3:15-16

I know whenever I see a list of people in scripture whose names I cannot pronounce, I often just skip over those lines.  But should our inability to get to know people hold us back?  If it weren't for these people like Tychicus, who was a convert, we could not have access to these powerful letters.  The fact that these oddly named people are listed in scripture should cause us to pause and offer a prayer of thanksgiving.  We so often give Paul all the credit, but we would not know all we know without what they did, risking their lives to share the good news of Jesus.  These people had no idea of the impact they would have on the world. 

We live a changed life because of our relationship with Christ.  We may desire to see the fruit if our labor now, but what a great testimony of faith to know that what you are doing now could affect someone so far outside of your time and influence!

The journey we are all on has many seasons, but the one thing that is always with us is God's grace.  We should all be so grateful of our chains, of being a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It's so worth it.   Like Paul said in Philippians 3:8-9, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things, I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”