IN THE WORD DAILY
with Brother Rick
2 Timothy 1: 11, 12
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an
apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
V- 12 For the which cause I
also suffer these things: nevertheless, I am not ashamed: for I know in whom I
have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have
committed unto him against that day.
For those Bible believers
and students of the word of God, who believe we are living in the last days,
this second epistle to Timothy is a book in which we must take heed. The
parables of Jesus and the letters to the seven churches in Revelation reveal an
increasing apostasy through the church age. In 2 Timothy, not only were
individuals turning away from gospel truth, but entire regions were turning
away. 2 Timothy 1: 15 says, “This thou knowest, that all they which are
in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are
Phygellus and Hermogenes.” False teachers had taken root and were
eating away the life of the church like cancer destroys the physical body. 2
Timothy 2: 17 says, “And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom
Hymenaeus and Philetus.”
Spiritual reprobates, who
possessed worldly fame and recognition, were actively engaged in opposing the
truth of the word of God: You know that crowd, those who serve for filthy lucre
and insist on bringing the world into the church. Its like mixing oil and
water, it won't mix. Rock music, country music, rap music, just will not mix
with spiritual songs and hymns. Bible worship and biblical church conduct will
not mix with seminars, bake sales, sports conferences and other worldly
activities. Church is church and all the rest IS NOT!!!!!!
2 Timothy 3: 8 says, “Now
as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these resist the truth: men of
corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” Doesn't this sound like
our current spiritual condition? The average church member is content to listen
to fairy tales and religious human invention rather than established biblical
truth. 2 Timothy 4: 4 says, “And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
But our text reveals the
heart of a man who could not be moved by the apostasy of others. Paul could not
be persuaded by the falling away of his comrades. Paul stood his ground when
all others forsook him and went their own way. Tony Hutson says it best, “If
you don't learn to walk A-LONE, you won't walk FOR LONG.” I think that is
right. Paul understood what happened that day at Calvary .
Jesus bore our reproach openly and we must bare his openly. There is no such
thing as a closet Christian. We are children of God and happy about it. We
stand on the verbal inspiration of the scriptures and we will not be moved. We
believe that Jesus died for the church. And the church is where ministry is
birthed. For I am not ashamed of the gospel. Jesus is my Lord. Jesus is my
Master. Jesus is my hope. Jesus is my only way to the Father. Jesus is all in
all. Where does Jesus stand in your life? Isaiah 9: 6 says, “For unto us
a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Oh, what a Savior! Oh,
what a Savior! Oh, what a Savior is mine!
Unto the uttermost,
wonderful, glorious!
Oh, what a Savior is
mine!
In the text, Paul states
that he is not shamed, he knows in whom he believes, and he is persuaded that
God is able to keep that which he has committed. What have you committed to
God? Is it your soul? If so, then you should have not problem serving. Have you
committed your mind? Then you should have no problem with God's Word. Have you
committed your body? Then you should have no problem following the Lord instead
of following the filthy flesh and a deteriorating world's system. A committed
man will stand out in a crowd and proclaim the name of the one in whom he has
put his trust.
Paul warns Timothy in 3: 12,
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution.”
Will you commit and make a
stand today? You should! Jesus made a stand for you.
