Author: admin

It seems hard to believe that people would desert the apostle Paul. After all he had done for others, how could anyone abandon him in his hour of need? But they did. In fact, they all did. How painful it must have been to have poured his life out for others and then to have those same people forsake him at his most desperate moment.

But there was one person who had stood with him throughout his ordeal. And no, it was not Luke! Or Timothy (I believe neither of these men were among his deserters). It was Paul’s Lord. Christ knew full well what it was like to be abandoned at a crucial moment. He understood how it felt to face enemies alone. And, Christ knew how to comfort others going through the same thing.

Paul understood that Christ was going to maximize his life and his suffering so that the Gentiles might hear the Gospel. Paul knew that, as much as God loved him, He was going to use Paul’s life, including his sufferings, for the furthering of the Gospel. If by suffering Paul could further God’s purposes, then that is what God would allow him to do. Perhaps you are facing intense opposition right now. Know that Christ will be with you and guide you to accomplish every purpose He has for your life. And, when people disappoint you, keep your eyes on the one person who never will.

At times we can wrongly assume that because we are serving God, He will protect us from suffering harm at the hands of our enemies. Such was not the case with the apostle Paul. Paul devoted his life to the service of Christ. He had planted numerous churches and mentored many of the early Church’s greatest ministers. Yet he constantly suffered at the hands of his enemies. He was in prison because his opponents had falsely accused him. He would ultimately die at the hands of pagan soldiers.

Alexander the copper smith had apparently done much to harm Paul and his work. In response, Paul trusted God to vindicate him and to punish his enemy. Yet the truth was that the enemies of God had brought harm to one of Christ’s choicest servants.

Why would God allow us to suffer harm from ungodly people when we are striving to serve Him? That is a question that has often been asked by those who suffered at the hands of carnal or evil people. Paul believed two things about these situations. First, he was not immune from the attacks of the ungodly. Second, God would ultimately bring justice to his opponents. While this may not alleviate the pain we must sometimes endure, it helps us prepare for the assaults that may come.

We need to be occasionally reminded that even the greatest saints in history were human beings, just like us. They had needs and concerns just as we do. They were not immune to pain or fear or discomfort any more than we are. Yet, they managed to keep their focus on Christ and were determined to accomplish His purposes for their life, regardless of their physical limitations.

Winter was apparently looming and the great apostle was going to be cold in prison if someone did not retrieve his cloak for him. The famous former Pharisee had physical needs just like everyone else! A cloak was a poor man’s primary means of facing the elements. In this simple verse, we are reminded that everyone has physical concerns that must be met, regardless of how “spiritual” they may be!

But Paul also desired that his parchments be brought to him. More than likely these were Scriptures. He required his spiritual needs to be met as well as his physical ones. And, Paul depended on the assistance of others if his needs were to be met. He was not self-sufficient.

Great leaders readily acknowledge that they have needs and that they rely upon others. They have no problem asking for help. They suffer no delusions that they can go it alone. What is it that others could bring to your life, if you would only ask?

Throughout your life you will make a wide array of friends. Some could become lifelong companions. Others may eventually let you down. Still others may simply move away and lose touch. Friends will pass in and out of your life throughout your earthly pilgrimage.

Paul met many people over the course of his adult life. Some, like Luke and Timothy, had become life-long, reliable friends. Others, like Demas, eventually disappointed Paul. People like Mark, had once been a disappointment but, over time, had grown close. Some friends such as Cresens, Timothy and Tychicus had been compelled to leave Paul for a time to carry out God’s assignments. These were associates whose pathways at times crossed that of Paul’s and at other times drew them apart.

But there was one friend who seems to have remained close to Paul, regardless of the circumstance. It was his trusted companion Luke. Luke was a physician. Perhaps the embattled and beaten apostle required constant medical attention. Luke may not have been the preacher or teacher that Silas and Timothy were, and so he may not have been dispatched to churches as were Paul’s other colleagues. But it may be that God knew that even Paul needed at least one friend who was always close at hand. When everyone else had gone, for good reasons or bad, Luke still remained. What a joy to know you have someone to whom you can turn when you are in need. How encouraging, to be assured that, even if everyone else should forsake you, one friend will remain loyal. Luke was that friend in Paul’s life. Who is it in yours?

Are you the kind of person everyone thinks of when they are in need? When people receive bad news, are you the first person they think to call? When they are in the hospital, are people delighted to see you walk in their room? When your church is facing a difficult decision, are people relieved that you show up for the meeting?

We often think of the apostle Paul as a Christian made of granite. He appears at a distance as a saint who needed no one but God. He can appear as someone who was infinitely self-sufficient, but who encouraged countless others. But that is not true. Even the veteran missionary needed people in his life to encourage and help him. He could never have accomplished what he did without the support of his friends.

Paul was in need and he urged Timothy to come to him quickly. It may have been that Timothy needed to sail quickly before the ports were closed for the winter. But we also sense that Paul was eager to be comforted once again by his young protégé. One of the greatest rewards of investing in others is that, in time they may well return the favor. Those who appreciate your time and investment in them may be delighted to come to your aid in your time of need. Those who live their lives selfishly cannot expect anyone to care for them later in life. But those who gave themselves away to others will be dearly loved in their later years. Who in your life would be eager to come to your aid today due to all you have done for them?

Few people have had to endure more relentless opposition and criticism than did the apostle Paul. Having suffered numerous beatings, imprisonments, and even shipwreck, it would have been easy to lose his focus or to grow discouraged. Yet the aged apostle had refused to allow anything or anyone to move him off course.

Paul understood that the Christian life is not a sprint, but a marathon. Anyone can live the Christian life in brief spurts. But it takes perseverance and faith to live victoriously day after day.

What had kept Paul relentlessly moving forward in his faith? He had never lost sight of the prize. Paul knew God was infinitely just and gracious. No act of faith would be overlooked in heaven. No sacrifice would go unrewarded, if not in this life, then certainly in the life to come. Paul never placed undue value on his current existence. He knew full well that it would end soon enough. He did not want to grasp his life on earth so tightly that he missed the kingly reward awaiting him in the next.

There is a crown of righteousness prepared for every believer. When we finally come face to face with our eternal King, we will be overwhelmed at the majesty and splendor of that moment. Then everything in our life will come fully into perspective. So run well in this life. Keep your eye on the prize, and one day, great will be your reward.

As the veteran apostle wrote to his beloved younger colleague, he knew his time on earth was drawing to a close. Ever since Paul had met Christ on the road to Damascus, he had been sold out in his allegiance and devotion to his Lord. He had never wavered in his calling. He had held nothing back.

Now, as he reflected on his experiences, Paul concluded that his life had been one extended drink offering, poured out freely to his Lord. Just as a drink offering is poured out on the altar and spent fully for God, so Paul had held nothing back in his devotion for Christ. Truly Paul’s life had been an acceptable sacrifice to holy God! Paul had fought the good fight. The Christian life had not been easy. He had been dogged by bitter opponents. He had suffered severe persecution. Paul’s spiritual pilgrimage had not been a pleasant cruise down a gentle stream. His life had largely been an unrelenting battle in the midst of a tempest. Yet he had fought well. He had refused to complain. He had kept his eye on the prize. And, like a marathon runner, he had eventually come within sight of the finish line. Despite fierce opposition and continual persecution, Paul never wavered. He held tightly to his faith.

We ought to take heart from Paul’s example. Our Christian life may not be easy. In fact, it might have introduced us to some of the most painful experiences of our life. Yet we must hold on! We cannot surrender. We must continue to fight. The prize may not be far off. The finish line is approaching. Keep fighting! Keep running! Live a life that is a glorious offering to your Lord and Savior.

If there is one thing the Bible makes clear about the last days it is this: a lot will be happening! There will be intense opposition to God’s people and purposes. Believers will be forced to endure afflictions. Multifarious heresies and false doctrines will abound. We will be inundated with temptation and ungodly values. Rumors and fables will pervade people’s discussions.

In such a time, we must be watchful. And, there will be many things to be watching for. We will certainly need to be cognizant of the many dangers close at hand. We’ll also need to be alert to those who would delight to trip us up or rob us of our hope and joy. We will also need to be careful about the insidious lies and deceptions that could so easily lead us astray, should we grow careless. But the most important thing to be watching for is God’s activity. Even as Satan and his evil forces are insidiously working, God and His kingdom will be much on the move as well. It will be a glorious time to be an evangelist! For, even as time draws to a close, we will have the enormous privilege of snatching people from the brink of destruction, as we lead them to Christ.

In such a time, it will be crucial that we fulfill the ministry that God has called us to. Others suffer when we fail to fulfill our divine calling. We live in crucial days. Are you fully living out the life God called you to?

People choose how and what they listen to. For many unbelievers, the issue is not that they do not believe; it is that they choose not to believe. Many agnostics and atheists claim to only believe what is factual and reasonable. Yet that is not true. These same people refuse to listen to facts that challenge their beliefs. They ridicule and argue rather than listening and inquiring. When hearing biblical truths, these people immediately begin formulating a rebuttal rather than seeking to understand and to fairly evaluate the evidence being presented.

In the last days, people will be impatient with truths that disrupt their opinions. Their ears will itch for teachings that affirm what they already believe and support their present lifestyle. They will likewise be impatient and resistant to anything that challenges their beliefs or condemns their current lifestyle.

In the last days, it will be amazing how seemingly intelligent people will embrace worldly fables and belief systems built on wishful thinking. People will choose to believe lies rather than to listen to the truth. In the coming days, it will not always be easy to share truth with others. But we must. And we must do so in ways that command people’s attention.

We may have plenty of advice and opinions we’d like to share with others, but the only words that can transform a life are the ones that come from Scripture. When people encounter God’s word, they experience an authority and power that is found nowhere else. The Bible is not good advice. It is the voice of eternal God. And, it has been entrusted into our care so the people we share it with can be set free.

Not everyone is called to be a preacher, but we are all expected to exhort people to believe and obey God’s word. To do so, we must know Scripture so thoroughly that we can share it instantly if an opportunity arises. We are to strive to convince people of God’s truth. We are also to use God’s word to rebuke people who sin. Finally, we are to exhort people to follow God’s standards and teachings. And, we are to do so with long-suffering. We are to live and breath God’s word so that it dramatically affects others! Are you?