e-mail 10/11/06

Several months ago, I wrote a note in the front of my Bible that says "Don't be discouraged by looking at how far you have to go. Look at how far you've come".

In 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul was writing to Timothy from his long term house arrest. He had had a long ministry, preached many sermons, started several churches on three missionary journeys. He had suffered beatings and imprisonment for his faith and still he remained faithful, never wavering in following Christ. He did not allow discouragement to overtake his life but many times he did look back over his life and he rejoiced over the victories - the times when God delivered him from near death experiences.

We tend to focus a lot on the good that Paul did but seldom do we(or do we hear of Paul) being sad, depressed or fearful because he was a short man, not considered handsome and visually impaired. We also know that Paul spoke of a "thorn in the flesh"(we do not know exactly what it was) but nothing kept Paul from being true to his faith in Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.

2 Tim. 1:7, Paul said, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."Paul considered Timothy his son in the faith. Timothy was the son of a Greek gentile father and a Jewish Christian mother. He became part of Paul's mission team on his second journey to Corinth, Macedonia, Ephesus and Jerusalem. Paul was still in prison as he began writing this letter. He wrote as if he would be leaving any time to go where Timothy was. He wrote to encourage his young friend to stay strong in his faith and not be intimidated by his youth. Paul missed Timothy, their friendship and fellowship in the Lord. Most of Paul's friends had deserted him at this time.

In this personal letter, Paul, while reminding Timothy of his situation in prison and also making the comparison of being a prisoner of Christ, said "I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that day".

Paul then tells Timothy to "Hold fast..." To paraphrase a bit; Paul was saying, "Stand Firm, Timothy! Don't wobble with your faith. Stay Strong! You are stronger than the temptations that will come. Hold on to the truths you have been taught."

Paul believed his time was nearly up and he was passing the torch along to the young man he had mentored. It is a wonderful experience to mentor a young Christian and pass the faith of Jesus Christ along. Can you just imagine what the world would be like if every professing Christian took their faith so seriously that their every decision was based on "what would Jesus do"? and "what kind of example am I setting for the one I am mentoring?" Suppose every Christian asked the question, "Who is watching me?" The world would be a different place.Paul concludes the letter with "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith and finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge will give me on that Day and not to me only but to all who have loved His appearing."

A crown awaits all who belong to God. We are the children of the Most High God. We are the children of the King. We are royalty. We will be given a crown - a crown that we will lay at the feet of Jesus because He alone is worthy to wear it.

There are awesome days ahead for those who believe and tragic days for those who do not. A song the youth sang several years ago, said, "They will know we are Christians by our love".

Are you...

Sharing God's Love,
Peggy