God’s Word tells the story of young man who was devoid of understanding. He went near to sin’s corner, and guess what happened? Sin was happy to greet him. Sin promised him lots of pleasure. He listened! He partook! “As an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, he did not know it would cost his life.” God warns us, “Listen to Me!” “Pay attention to the Words of My mouth.” “Do not turn aside!” “Do not stray!” Sin has slain strong men. Remember what it did to Samson? Sin is “the way to hell.” [2]
The Lord says, “ Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” [3]
Stay far from temptation! Stay close to the Lord!
Jesus says to you and me, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” [4]
The yoke is a beam of wood that connects two together to work as one. Jesus invites us to be one with Him and the Father. To work in tandem with God. To reject the yoke of Jesus is to reject rest for one’s soul. Jesus brings us into fellowship with God and with God’s people. Being yoked to Jesus and to His eternal kingdom is better than enjoying the temporary pleasures of sin for a season and ending up in hell.
The Lord Jesus converted Saul of Tarsus, His enemy, into an excellent example for us to follow.
Paul’s love for the Lord and His Word is demonstrated by his sufferings. He wrote, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the Gospel according to the power of God.” [5]
By the way, what did Jesus for you and for me? He saved us! Called us! He laid up grace for us before time began and revealed God’s grace to us by His appearing. He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us hold onto His Words with faith and love. [6]
Did Paul lose friends due to his love for God and for God’s Word? Yes, while imprisoned for Christ “all those in Asia” “turned away from” him. He lost fair weather friends but gained genuine ones. Onesiphorus often refreshed Paul. He was not ashamed of Paul’s chains. He sought Paul out very zealously and found him. He ministered to Paul. Paul asked the Lord to grant Onesiphorus mercy on “that Day” referring to the day Onesiphorus would meet the Lord in heaven. [7]
Even though misguided people placed Paul in prison, Paul continued to publish God’s Word. Paul relied on the Lord to make a way where there seemed to be no way to continue his ministry for Christ. He told Timothy, “I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the Word of God is not chained.” [8] God’s Word kept going out from Paul to people.
Paul kept encouraging his listeners to avoid sin even from prison. He wrote, “Let everyone who names the Name of Christ depart from iniquity.” [9]
Rather than encouraging mistreated servants of Christ to riot and destroy property, he wrote to them, saying, “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” [10]
Jesus helped Paul to consider others more important than himself.
A sign of the last days is a love for pleasure that exceeds love for God. Paul wrote, “From such people turn away!” “Do not be deceived. Evil company corrupts good habits.” [11]
I treasure! The apple my eye! My sister! My nearest kin! Love God and love God’s Word. Paul wrote, “The Holy Scriptures... are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” [12]
Love the Lord and love His Word! Don’t let this fire go out!
“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” [13]
It disappoints me, and I am sure it disappoints God even more when the people who are called by His Name are more excited about the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus (fables) than they are about the original and only meaning of the Incarnation and Resurrection Day, namely that the Son of God came down to earth and became like us so that we could become like Him. He died to atone for our sins and resurrected on the third day for our eternity with God.
I can’t think of anything to be more passionate about than loving God and loving God’s Word. To love anything more than God and God’s Word is idolatry.
Paul wrote, “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” [14]
The Lord and His Word was Paul’s treasure. The apple of his eye! His sister! His nearest kin! Love for God and love for God’s Word kept Paul from being captured and enslaved by the devil.
Paul grieved for lost souls. He wrote to Timothy saying, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” [15]
Paul rejoiced in the Lord because, said he, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” [16]
[1] Proverbs 7:1-5
[2] Proverbs 7:6-27
[3] 2 Timothy 2:22
[4] Matthew 11:29-30
[5] 2 Timothy 1:8
[6] 2 Timothy 1:9-10, 13-14
[7] 2 Timothy 1:15-18
[8] 2 Timothy 2:9
[9] 2 Timothy 2:19
[10] 2 Timothy 2:24-26
[11] 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 1 Corinthians 15:33
[12] 2 Timothy 3:15-17
[13] 2 Timothy 4:3-5
[14] 2 Timothy 4:6-8
[15] 2 Timothy 4:10
[16] 2 Timothy 4:17-18
No comments:
Post a Comment