2 Timothy 1-4

Fellowship, celebrities, schools, evangelism, friendship, church, sports. What do these all have in common? They all involve other people. Paul knows we need encouragement, as well as direction. While talking to Timothy, his unofficial "son", he says one of my favorite verses in the Bible:

"7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

Paul knows Timothy's weaknesses and strengths, just as God knows our deepest fears and fantasies. But, God gives us things we don't see sometimes or chose not to claim. God gave us: Power, Love, and Self-discipline. His gifts that we must cling to and cherish. If you truly think about it, if your life did not include one of these right now, at this moment, it would fall apart. So, claim your gifts and exude a powerful spirit. Exude love to everything God gives you. Be self-disciplined because it brings you close to God in faith.

Paul also charges Timothy to "not be ashamed to testify about our Lord" and to not be ashamed of Paul as God's "prisoner."

He makes an analogy that helped me to think in Chapter 2:

"5...if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown
unless he competes according to the rules."

This verse was really showed me that we need the Bible even more in our lives. Think about it this way: if we play a game, we can't win unless we follow every one of the rules. You can achieve the goal by cheating, but you will not receive the prize. It's the same with life! You cannot go through life not knowing what God wants of you. Getting to Heaven takes more than belief. It takes knowledge, commitment, and struggle. We need to know what is a sin and what it is to believe. The "game rules" are in the Bible, but we just need to take the time to learn them so we can play the game called "Getting to Heaven."

Paul reminds us what it is to be a true Christian. We aren't just here on earth to get to Heaven, we are also here to help others get there as well.

"16Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will becomes more and more ungodly. 17Their teaching will spread like gangrene."

"20In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."

"22Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels."

Paul shows us how to strive to be a Worker of God, to be useful and a true Christian. He loves which is holy and stays away from unholiness. In Chapter 3, he talks about the hole Christians can slip into that will lead to destruction:

"1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be Lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God -- 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. 9But they will not get far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone."

These verses scare me. It shows that I can become an enemy of God simply by giving into my sin. I quoted everything Paul said here because he is whole-heartedly against people like this. These are the people who pretend to represent Jesus, but then sin for all to see. We are to "have nothing to do with them" especially because a disease like that can spread. This also encouraged me to be stronger in my faith and my studies so it will be even more difficult to fall.

This book also helped me to rely more on the Bible. In Chapter 3 it says:

"16All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, 17so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

I should trust these collection of books, this holy binder called the Bible. I should trust it with my life. It says in Chapter 4:

"3For the time will come when men will not put up sound doctrine and careful instruction. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."

Paul is a smart dude, he knows what keeps us holy and what is hardest when we already have the truth in our hands. 2 Timothy is a great charge to help Christians to be a Worker of God: useful, righteous, self-controlled, and God-loving.

Theme: Flee evil desires and denial of the truth. Claim your gifts and be useful to God!