Posts that reference the book of 2 Timothy

2 Timothy

Given

John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. John 3:27

If you took geometry in school, you may recall working through proofs. At the beginning, before you begin to line out a strategy for attacking the problem, you have a set of pre-conditions, a set of givens. These are your starting points. The things you know for certain. Then you work step-by-step from those givens, incorporating other things you know for certain, the theorems and so forth, until you arrive at the solution, the proof. (Hopefully I didn’t stir up any bad memories.)

While I’m very thankful that life is NOT a geometry proof, it is essential to understand that as believers, we operate with a set of givens. They are so much better than a list of theorems and postulates. These are things God has given us. No matter what we come up against, these need to be our starting points. These are things we know for certain.

1. We have eternal life.
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 1 John 5:11

We have so much more than what we see around us.

2. We have the Holy Spirit.
And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. Acts 5:32

We are never alone. God Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit lives not just with us, but in us. He sees and He knows exactly what we’re going through.

3. We have an understanding of Christ.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20

Maybe not full understanding, but we know enough to grasp that Jesus loved us and wanted us with Him forever, and He was willing to go to the most extreme lengths for us.

4. We have everlasting consolation and good hope.
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace. 2 Thessalonians 2:16

Consolation is comfort. And it’s everlasting. I like to think of it not just lasting forever with respect to time, but never running out. Not only that, but good hope, a confidence that there is more to come and it is better.

5. We have a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

We are not helpless, but we are able to accurately assess our situations in light of who we are in Christ and then respond, not out of fear but out of love for others, like the love Christ has shown us.

6. We have all things that pertain to life and godliness.
As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 2 Peter 1:3

We have all the resources we need to live the life God has called us to.

7. We have great and precious promises.
By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4

Not just the promise of eternal life, but promises that He’ll never leave us, and that He hears us.

Whatever it is, wherever you are, start with these givens. They’ll lead you from your questions and doubts to what you know and finally to the One who knows all.

Key Ingredients for Growth: Dirt

By Paula Wiseman

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18

Late last year, my husband took a different job and we moved back home. Home where we spent the first seven years of our married life, where he had grown up and just across the river from where I grew up. For the intervening twenty years, we lived in a rural community surrounded by farmland (with an oil refinery, too). Now we’re back where the farm is right outside the door. My husband’s family farmed and his brothers still do. We don’t have the acreage so we garden. All of this gives us plenty of opportunity to see how plants grow. Those lessons help us understand how we grow as believers and give us some things to consider that will help us grow. So over then next weeks we’re going to look at the things a plant must have in order to grow — like good dirt, water, light and protection — and think about how that applies to us.

We’ll start by considering the soil we plant in. To give our plants the best chance to grow and thrive, they need good soil. Not hard, compacted clay. Not loose sand, but rich dirt, full of nutrients and organic compounds. We need dirt that will allow the roots to grow, that has a balanced pH, and that’s not full of rocks and other junk. But before we can plant anything, the soil must be plowed, disked, and dragged. So composition, constitution and preparation.

Now the best analogy in the lives of believers for the dirt we plant in is the church. What kind of composition, constitution and preparation can help us grow?

Composition – The body of Christ needs to be rich and full of nutrients so that believers grow. Rich in mercy, like God (Ephesians 2:4), rich in good works (1 Timothy 6:18) and rich in faith (James 2:5). The Word of God must be the source of our nourishment, whether from the pulpit or in a small group. Just like the soil pH has to be balanced, we have balance uplift and encouragement with correction and admonition. (2 Timothy 3:16)

Constitution – How is the body put together? Is it difficult to learn and grow? The body of Christ needs pastors and teachers gifted by the Holy Spirit who rely on Him as they prepare. (I’ve had occasion to visit a lot of churches and classes in the last few years. They have all been led by sincere people who love Jesus, but that sincerity does not always lend itself to being a good teacher or expositor.) The curriculum or subject matter should be sound, well-written and relevant. Our small groups need to be organized so that everyone has the opportunity to take part, to ask questions, to participate and grow. We also may have to make sure that peripheral issues, church politics, personal preferences and other rocks don’t interfere with learning and growing?

Preparation – I put this one last, because it often falls last in our thinking. We don’t do any planning or preparation for growth and then we are surprised and disappointed when people don’t progress in their Christian walk. Farmers and gardeners will tell you, if you just sling out some seed and hope for the best … you’re going to be disappointed. I’m afraid that’s how we sometimes approach our Commission. We’ll just throw the gospel out there and good things have to happen. It could work that way, but let’s think about how Jesus did it. Jesus taught His disciples, sent them out to practice what they learned, helped them download the experiences, taught them deeper stuff, then handed off responsibility to them. Paul used the same progression with Timothy, Titus and others. This was intentional and purposeful, not accidental. It is hard work but it is a critical step if we want to see growth. When people come into the body of Christ, we have a responsibility to make sure they progress to a place of service and not let them languish as spectators.

Are you growing? Is your church good soil? What can you do to improve the composition, constitution or preparation of the soil?

Next week: Water

Read the other posts in the series

Refined

By Paula Wiseman

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. Isaiah 48:10

Refined means to free from impurities or unwanted material.
We don’t pump pure gasoline out of the ground.
Nor do we find pure sugar in the fields.
Nor do we find silver jewelry or coins in the mines.

We find raw materials that must be refined.
And in their refined state they are most useful and most valuable.

So it is with us.
Except it is not sulfur compounds or salts God is most concerned about.

In Isaiah, God’s people were polluted with idolatry. Rebellion. Pride.
In our time, in our culture, in our lives, things haven’t really changed.

In industry, we use chemicals, pressure or heat to refine the raw materials.
The LORD uses the furnace of affliction.

It is in the hardest times, the most painful,
that we become most focused, the most aware
Of our deep need for God, of our dependence on Him.

It is a very hard, painful process, no question.
But afterward, like Paul told Timothy:
We will be fit for “honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21

Read other Insights from Isaiah

Underappreciated Virtues: Encouragement

By Paula Wiseman

And when he had passed through those areas and offered them many words of encouragement, he came to Greece. Acts 20:2

You’ve no doubt seen the list at the end of 1 Corinthians 13 with faith, hope, and love. And I’m sure you’re familiar with the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in Galatians 5:22-23. Over the next few weeks, let’s take a moment or two to consider some underrated traits that are no less necessary in the body of Christ than some of these other fruits.

First up is energy-infusing encouragement. Not too long ago, we discussed Barnabas. Encouragement (also called exhortation or edification) was his specialty. A quick word search shows it popping up regularly in the book of Acts which means it was key to the growth of the early church. It’s safe to say it will help our churches grow today.

We all need encouragement. Even guys like the Apostle Paul need it. Think about that for a moment. The Apostle Paul needed encouragement from other believers. Romans 1:12 and Philippians 2:19 both mention how Paul looks forward to the encouragement he will receive from his fellow believers. (When you consider he was in prison when he wrote Philippians, that encouragement must have been extremely precious.)

Sometimes we focus on other things at the expense of encouragement. Paul reminds the Thessalonians, “As you know, like a father with his own children, we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to live worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12). He also instructed Timothy, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). Paul listed three things. Rebuke – tell where we need to straighten up. Correct – show us where we can do better. Encourage – tell us what we need to keep doing.

We need a balance. If we only ever hear things that give us warm fuzzies, we’ll get soft. If we’re only yelled at, we’ll get discouraged and maybe give up. Think of the very best coaches you or your kids played for or the best boss you worked for. What made the difference? I’m going to guess it was the encouragement received.

How do we encourage others?

I wish there was a verse with three or four easy ways to encourage others. But a thoughtful reading, especially of Paul’s instructions to the churches, can give us some ideas.

1. Watch our words – Ephesians 4:29 is very straightforward. “No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.” It’s easy to read that verse and think because we don’t use R-rated vocabulary, it doesn’t apply. Let’s stretch it out to the spirit of the instruction, not just the strict letter. No gossip. No mean-spirited criticism. No disparaging, Spirit-quenching remarks. What if we expand it to body-language? No eye-rolls or frowns. Let’s replace those with kindness, with smiles, with compliments, with appreciation.

2. Do our part – In Ephesians 4:16, Paul says, “From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.” See that? The body, that is, believers encourage each there when we all take part in ministry. We know this is true. One of the most DIS-couraging, burnout-inducing things is when we have to carry a heavy ministry load alone. How encouraging would it be if someone recognized that we could use a hand and offered it? How would it encourage your pastor to see the whole church involved in carrying out the Commission? Think about your church. Who is doing double or triple duty? How and where could you step up? If you’re unsure, make it a matter of prayer.

3. Love each other – That is the root and foundation of encouragement. 1 Corinthians 8:1 states exactly that. Love builds up. Our family of fellow believers is a refuge for us. They are a haven for us to escape to when life is challenging. OR at least they should be. Let’s deliberately decide that our church is not going to add another level of drama and frustration to our lives but that we come alongside one another with genuine love. Notice I said “decide.” Christlike love is not based on merit, nor is it reciprocation. It is an active choice to give of yourself for someone else.

There are other ways to encourage, but I think if we focus on these until we are really good at them, things will change. By the way, you don’t have to wait until Sunday to get started.

Next in the Underappreciated Virtues series: Maturity

Hello My Name Is Tychicus

By Paula Wiseman

Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, Colossians 4:7-8

When you read Paul’s letters, he often sends greetings back and forth or mentions people who would have been known to his first-century readers but whose identities are lost to history. However, there are a few people, that with a careful reading a more detailed picture emerges. Tychicus is one of those guys. His first mention with Paul is in Acts 20:4 when Paul was in Ephesus. That leads many to suspect he was from Ephesus or at least the area nearby. Paul had been warned that trouble was waiting for him on his planned journey to Jerusalem. That didn’t deter Paul or any of his party from making the trip.

Now let’s be honest, we fuss if a flight gets canceled or if there are construction delays. We have no idea what an undertaking it was in to agree to accompany someone on a trip in the first century. Tychicus stayed with Paul throughout his arrest, through three trials and through the voyage to Rome which included a shipwreck.

He delivered the letters to Colossae and Ephesus and maybe the one to Philemon. This involved walking across Italy AND Greece AND another hundred miles across Asia Minor (with passage by ship across the Adriatic and Aegean Seas in between, of course). Finally, he was sent back to Ephesus to fill in as pastor for Timothy so Timothy could visit Paul in prison one last time. (2 Timothy 4:12)

All of those qualities made Tychicus the kind of guy worth emulating, but Paul’s own words about him are worth a closer look.

A beloved brother – Not only was he a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, but he was a beloved one. Tychicus had a heart and an attitude that endeared him to the apostle. Do we have that kind of heart and attitude?

A faithful minister – Tychicus was entrusted with difficult, yet critical tasks and he faithfully completed them. He demonstrated his faithfulness not only to the Lord who called him but the one he served with. Are we that loyal and determined?

A fellow servant – Tychicus was first and foremost a servant. He clearly didn’t seek attention or prominence or even recognition. He willingly worked to do whatever was needed. Do we exhibit that same selflessness and humility?

Hardly as well-known as Timothy or even Barnabas or Silas, Tychicus stands as an example of a beloved, faithful servant who served not only his Lord but devoted his life to serving the body of Christ. He’s certainly worth knowing and emulating.

What are some ways you serve or can serve?
Would others use Paul’s words about Tychicus to describe you?

Read the Hello My Name Is series

Kingdom Lessons from the Kitchen Cabinet

By Paula Wiseman

There are kingdom lessons all around us. Even the dishes can teach us something if we’re paying attention.

But 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. 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. (2 Timothy 2:20-1)

I have some dishes up in the corner of my attic, and every year, usually the weekend after Thanksgiving, I bring those dishes down and put them to use. After New Year’s, I pack them back for another year. In a sense, those dishes are sanctified, set apart for a specific purpose. If I chose, I could use those dishes in July. Or I could use them every day. Either way, they are still set apart for a purpose, determined by the one who purchased them.

I am set apart for a purpose determined by my Lord, who purchased me.

My dishes are useful. The bowls don’t leak. The plates hold the food. They do what they were designed to do.

I was designed by my Father to function in the roles He assigns. And I’m suited for that role just like the bowl is suited for ice cream.

My dishes can be set apart and can be useful, but if they aren’t prepared- that is, clean and in the cabinet- I can’t use them. My kids have some old plastic dishes in their playhouse outside. The dishes are dirty, stained, and many are chipped and cracked. They are no longer useful. Truth is, they were no longer useful when they were relegated to the playhouse.

I need to ensure I stay prepared, by keeping clean and being available.

Now my nature is to be one of those dishes that gets used every meal, every day. But God in His wisdom knows that’s too much for me. He knows when and how to put me to work to accomplish His purposes and glorify Him.

One more point- what happens if one of my Christmas dishes is used for dirt in the yard? It’s still a Christmas dish that I bought and set aside for that purpose. After it’s been in the yard, I have to bring it inside and run it through the dishwasher on the super-hot “sterilize” cycle before I’d consider using it again.

If I get out and get myself dirty, God may have to put me through some really hot water before He can use me again.

It doesn’t change the fact that I’m His.