You
then,
my
child,
be
strengthened
by
the
grace
that
is
in
Christ
Jesus,
and
what
you
have
heard
from
me
in
the
presence
of
many
witnesses
entrust
to
faithful
men
who
will
be
able
to
teach
others
also.
(2
Timothy
2:1‐2)
2 Timothy is about endurance. Specifically endure or persevere in your faith. In chapter 1, Paul urged Timothy to remain loyal to Christ, warning him about certain disloyal workers. In light of that, Paul encouraged Timothy to persevere and not back down. In chapter 2, Paul focused squarely on how to persevere. In the first 13 verses, Paul used several illustrations from ordinary life (teachers, soldiers, athletes, and farmers) to teach us principles on how to eliminate the drain of spiritual power, enabling us to persevere.
How do we persevere? First Paul teaches us ways to be strengthened. Let’s focus here on just the first illustration that Paul uses, a teacher. Paul’s command in verse 2 is to take what you have heard and pass it on to others. By the way, this is a test of a reliable disciple. Do you take the things you are taught and teach or deliver it to others? This is The Teacher Principle: Transfer What You Learn. In other words, you can’t just keep gathering and gathering information. You must you share what you hear and learn with other people.
You gain strength by giving to others what you learn. You can’t build strength by watching every Bible video you can, by attending every Bible study you can, and then hoarding it for yourself like a sponge. In fact, those that do this are actually the weakest spiritually, making it difficult to stand in face of difficult circumstances.
Let me ask you this by way of illustration: Do you attend church or other Bible studies and take notes on what you hear? Are you one that really likes to see the outline of what the teacher is saying? Then let me ask you this: What do you do with those notes? Do you ever look at them again? Do you place them in a drawer at home? What does Paul say we are to do? Take it and pass it on to someone else! If you don’t, you are breaking the teacher principle.
I have not had the opportunity to visit the Dead Sea but I have learned some things about it. It is almost 1,400 feet below sea level, making it the lowest elevation point on earth. As a result, everything flows into it but nothing can flow out. Therefore, it has an extremely high salt content and nothing can live in stagnant, overly salty water. Guess what? That’s why they call it the Dead Sea. Everything in – nothing out. Sadly, this describes the lives of some believers, taking in teaching and preaching week after week and not ever taking what is taught and passing it on to others. Even more sadly, this is most true about sharing the good news of God’s free gift of salvation and eternal life!
Believers who choose to live this way are most often undernourished spiritually and, consequently, are underdeveloped, confused, disoriented, and immature in the things of the Lord. There is much activity in their lives, but little spiritual fruit; much talk about Christianity, but little conviction; high moral proclamations, but little accountability; doctrinal convictions, but much compromise. Begin the journey to spiritual health by passing to others what you take in. Experience spiritual strength like never before!
SATURDAY PRAYER PROMPTS:
1. Pray for our Life Group teachers that their weekly lessons will overflow from what God is doing in them week by week. Pray for the new Life Group that will be starting September 8 led by Eric and Helen Brantley that God will bring the people who need to be there, that God will bless with rich, new relationships and a renewed spiritual hungering.
2. Pray for our church as we seek to be faithful disciples. Pray that the staff that are working to develop helps for individuals and small groups identify where they are in the disciple making process and how to continue to grow.
3. Praise the Father for a fruitful kick-‐off of our Ignite Marriage Ministry. Pray that we as a church will be able to support marriages within the church. Pray for families to take necessary steps to protect and build healthy marriages.
4. Pray that the individuals of Apex Baptist are compelled to share Christ with throughout our community, that evangelism and making disciples will become the main goal of their every endeavor at work, at play, at school, with family, with friends, with total strangers.
5. Pray for our men’s ministry. Praise God for raising up godly men who lead their families and our church. Ask the Father to help them stand strong for biblical values in manhood.
6. Pray for women’s ministry. Praise God for women who desire to serve God with their lives. Ask the Father to help them stand strong for biblical values in womanhood.
7. Praise the Lord for our many senior adults who have not resigned from serving the Lord and growing in His might. Pray for them to continue to use their gifts in the church. Pray for the many who struggle with living alone, medical concerns, decisions they are faced with maybe for the first time.
No comments:
Post a Comment