Weekly Devotional 12-15-14 An Encouragement to Continue
2 Timothy 2:20-26 (NKJV) “20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21Therefore 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. 22Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV) “1But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
In this second letter to his son in the faith, Paul had been instructing Timothy how he was to lead the church that had been entrusted to him, the church at Ephesus. As he read this letter Timothy would have recalled Paul’s words to him in his first letter. If he (Paul) was to tarry long and not soon come to him, Timothy was to continue conducting himself as he ought in the church (1st Timothy 3:15). Even though there would be some that would cause him grief, Timothy was to stand strong. Paul warned that in the church there would be those who would not follow Christ as they should, even some who were not true followers of Christ.
The situations that Timothy faced have been the situations that all true servants of the Lord have faced down through many centuries and are the situations that true servants of the Lord face in our day. Since the beginning of the church there have been those who have attempted to subvert the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unregenerate man attempts to change the gospel of Jesus Christ by adding his philosophies to it or by denying what it says altogether. Unfortunately, many of the professed church are in this same camp. But, the true servant of the Lord is to stand firm. As He instructed His disciples Jesus warned them, “21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ‘24Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. ‘26But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall’” (Matthew 7:21-27 NKJV).
It is difficult in our day for a pastor to stand firm, but he must. If he is to stand firm he must know the Word of God and he must subject himself to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He must not allow himself to be swayed by the world, or even by those of the flock he has been called to serve. The pastor, after all, is the under-shepherd and God will hold him responsible for the way he leads the flock under his care.
All Christians, of course, will be held responsible for their (our) conduct of life. We must not let the world lead us. We must lead in the world. Our responsibility is to be the salt of the earth and the light to the world.
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power, The Work of God on Behalf of man
www.gbchurch.us