Author: admin

The key to successful Christian living is dying. The more we die to ourselves, the more we can live to Christ. Our problem is that the world urges us to cling to our lives at all costs. It goes against everything we have been taught in life to die to ourselves. But that is the key to successful Christian living.

Christ seeks to live out His life through us (Galatians 2:20). But He cannot do that if we stubbornly cling to the controls of our life. If we insist on doing things our way, Christ will not do things in us His way. Many a well-intentioned Christian has sought to serve Christ in his own effort, only to experience failure. That is because we are utterly incapable of living the Christian life! We simply don’t have the wisdom, power, or innate godliness to do it. But there is One who lives within us, who is perfectly capable of living like Christ. It is, of course, Christ Himself.

Why don’t you make your way to the altar and allow Christ to crucify you? Put to death the sinful impulses, pride, vanity, and unforgiving spirit so the hindrances to godly living are expunged from your life? Then enjoy the freedom that comes from truly living the life of Christ.

At times we can face difficult times in our service for Christ. Opposition can mount. Our efforts can sometimes end in disappointment and failure. Our enemies can wound us grievously. Such might Paul have thought when he surveyed his circumstances. He was writing his friend from a Roman prison. The carnal, secular powers of Nero’s Rome had seemingly put an end to Paul’s public ministry. His enemies among the Jewish religious leaders appeared to have triumphed in their hatred of Paul. Friends who had abandoned Paul seemed to have harmed the apostle with impunity. Writing to Timothy while in chains in a Roman prison, might have demoralized a lesser man.

However, Paul knew that though people might imprison him, they could not subdue the Gospel. Though the Roman authorities might execute the apostles and throw Christians to the lions, they could not prevent God’s work from advancing.

You may be facing painful opposition. Perhaps you have experienced setbacks and failures. Don’t allow the actions of others to color your view of God. People might hinder your efforts, but they cannot stop God’s purposes from being accomplished. Paul was willing to endure imprisonment and ridicule as long as God’s cause was advanced. Do you see God’s purposes advancing around you, even as people oppose you? The word of God is not in chains. It is unquenchable and unstoppable.

One of the greatest dangers for those who serve God is not necessarily that they would lose their interest in serving Christ, but that they would become entangled with matters that distract them from their calling. When soldiers enlist in the army, they understand that they have a mission to accomplish. Their life and the lives of others may hinge on how focused and efficient they are at their task.

Our problem is that we can sometimes forget we are in the midst of a battle. We become consumed with secondary issues and lose sight of what truly matters. We want to serve Christ and to honor Him with our lives, but we are far too busy pursuing our own interests and pleasures to live a life that makes a difference on the spiritual battle front. Focus makes all the difference.

When spiritual battles rage around us, we do not want to be caught distracted and unprepared. We don’t want to be preoccupied with minor issues so we cannot be effective in serving our Lord. Our life on earth is temporary at best. It will not last. Our possessions will perish. It is God’s work that matters and it is what is done for Him that will remain for eternity.

God is at work all around you. Are you alert to what He is doing? Are you prepared to immediately respond when He provides you the opportunity to serve Him? Are you ready to engage the enemy on the spiritual battlefield? What kind of soldier are you for Christ?

There are those who proclaim that God always wants us to be healthy, wealthy, and happy. That simply is not true. God does love us and want His best for us. But God’s will is that we be Christ-like and that we bring glory to Him through our lives. At times, these purposes are best met through hardship.

If difficulties can make us like Jesus and bring greater glory to God than can our comfort, then God will allow us to endure suffering. Unfortunately, many of God’s children are prone to whining and complaining. As soon as problems arise, we begin pleading with God to remove our discomfort. We can end up having a pity party or growing resentful toward God.

Paul urged Timothy to serve God as a good soldier. Soldiers follow orders. They don’t complain. They don’t demand lighter loads or easier service. They know they are serving an important cause and they understand that sacrifice may be required. They know their service could ultimately require their life. Generals who command such troops can expect to win many battles!

What kind of soldier have you been for the cause of Christ? Are you a complainer? Do you seek to avoid troubles or challenges? Or have you bravely endured whatever has come your way as you diligently fought for your King?

Sometimes we bring secular ideas and concepts into our Christian vocabulary and unknowingly weaken biblical ideals. A current trend is one-on-one mentoring. People look for an experienced person who will walk with them individually, pouring one life into another. There are many ministries that encourage one-on-one discipleship of younger Christians. The prime example cited for this approach is the example of Paul and Timothy.

Paul did invest himself deeply into Timothy’s life. But notice how he did it, “. . . among many witnesses.” That is, Paul discipled Timothy in the context of the local church. Believers in the church learned and grew together. Older Christians mingled with newer believers. Together, they sought to live out the Christian life and to grow in Christ-likeness.

Paul must have known that he could not impart everything that Timothy would need. Paul had his weak spots, just like everyone else. But Paul knew that if Timothy was functioning and growing in the midst of the church community, he could receive the benefit of everyone else’s walk with God. God made us to be interdependent. We learn, and grow best, in community. Are you so related to a church body that you are learning and growing as you regularly relate to your fellow members?

Grace is an undeserved gift. Because it is a gift, God does not force it upon us. We can reject it or receive it in vain if we so choose. Yet it is God’s grace that can totally transform our life. His grace makes us like Christ. It forgives and cleanses us of our sin. It brings us life. All of heaven’s resources are available to us by God’s grace.

How tragic to have God’s grace available to us and yet choose not to embrace it! How sad to have so much at our disposal and yet to use it sparingly. That is why Paul urged Timothy to “be strong” in grace. That is, to let God’s grace work itself out fully and completely in his life. Paul did not want his young disciple to dabble in grace or to sample God’s grace. He urged him to be strong in grace.

You can experience all of the grace of God you desire. If you want to have God’s grace touch every area of your life, it can. If you want God’s grace to transform each aspect of your character, it can. If you want God’s grace to bless every one of your relationships, it can. The question is: How strong in God’s grace do you want to be?

It is amazing the contrast you find between Christians. Some, like Phygellus and Hermogenes claim to be friends and spiritual brothers, yet they disappoint you when you need them. Despite all of their rhetoric about their belief in God and Christian principles, they are not there when you need them.

Then there are others like Onesiphorus. He was a person who didn’t talk about his concern for Paul, he acted. He didn’t claim to be Paul’s friend, he acted like a friend. In fact, because Paul was consigned to a prison somewhere in Rome, it was difficult to locate him. Yet Onesiphorus did not become discouraged. He did not make a superficial inquiry and then return to his own business. He looked “very zealously” until he located the imprisoned apostle. Once he found the saintly captive, Onesiphorus did everything he could to bring comfort and encouragement to Paul. Though associating with the captive might have drawn criticism or even charges against him, Onesiphorus stood loyally by his friend.

It is wonderful to have friends like Onesiphorus. They can make even the harshest trials seem bearable. But what kind of friend are you? Have you stood loyally by those who needed you? Do you make the extra effort to be with friends in need? Are there people who are grateful to God that you are their friend?

The Bible is candidly honest about what happens in people’s lives! It tells not only of their successes and victories, but it also chronicles their failures and hardships. Even the greatest saints, such as the apostle Paul, suffered painful disappointments. After all he did to take the Gospel to people who had never heard it before, there were those who betrayed him. Friends Paul counted on, let him down. How painful it is to sacrifice much on behalf of others only to be abandoned by supposed friends.

Yet what may be even more tragic is that Phygellus and Hermogenes missed the opportunity to link their lives with one of the greatest men of God in history. Imagine! For 2,000 years people have been reading about them and what they did! Only, unlike Timothy, or Silas, or Barnabas, these men missed the opportunity to link their lives with one of the greatest church planting movements in history.

How often do we miss such opportunities? We have no idea what motivated these men. Perhaps they were jealous of Paul and allowed their envy to ruin their relationship. Perhaps they had sin in their lives and they were uncomfortable around the godly apostle. There are innumerable reasons why we can isolate ourselves from the very people who could bring us the greatest spiritual blessing.

Are you missing a divine opportunity due to a broken relationship?

What motivates you to keep doing the “right” thing even though others oppose you or are criticizing your efforts? What compels you to remain at your post in the face of painful adversity or to refuse to quit even though no one seems to appreciate your sacrifices?

The apostle Paul had ample reason to take out early retirement! Few people will endure the hardships he did in his service of Christ. Yet he never wavered. Why? Because he had surrendered his life to Christ. It belonged to his Lord. He relinquished his dreams, ambitions, future plans, and longings to Christ and was trusting that Christ, in turn, would grant him abundant life.

Paul also knew that one day Christ would return and set everything in human affairs right. Christ would reward those who had remained faithful and He would judge those who had defied him. Paul knew that day was most certainly coming, so he forged ahead. Paul was convinced that Christ would keep every promise. The apostle understood that he could live his life for Christ with confidence because one day he would experience his full reward.

Are you living your life with confidence, knowing that your Savior is absolutely trustworthy?

Spiritual leaders must function from a sense of sacred calling. They know that almighty God chose them to fulfill His divine purposes. Their calling stems not from their expertise or superior skills or advanced schooling. Rather, God’s call is a gift of His grace. What an awesome privilege to be chosen by God to represent Him and to speak and serve on His behalf! How amazing it is to know that our ordinary lives have been swept up into the purposes of heaven! At the end of our lives it will be those holy adventures in which we participated that will give us the greatest satisfaction.

Making our calling even more magnificent is the fact that God has been preparing to use our lives since before time began. God has, in His eternal counsel, always known you would one day be born and walk upon the earth. He knew what the economy would be like during your life. He understood what the trends, political issues, diseases, natural disasters, and technological breakthroughs would be during your lifetime. God has not been caught by surprise by anything you have experienced! He has always known how your life could make the maximum impact for His kingdom.

Now you have finally been born and are living out your life on earth. Make certain you miss nothing of what eternal God has prepared for you!