direction

This is from Paul's second letter to Timothy.

Timothy wasn't just a friend & disciple of Paul's - Paul considered Timothy his son.

Since as far as we know, Paul never married or had children, Timothy seems to have filled the bill as Paul's really & truly son.

Paul knows he's about to be killed, so I doubt he was mincing words here in these verses.

I know if I was writing for the last time to a son I'd "come by", I would be quite frank & to the point.

So would you.

When I read especially verse 3 just now, I thought about the many ways our "itchy ears" have been scratched by those willing to satiate our own desires.

Think of these verses as not just a mandate for Timothy from his friend & father but as direction for us in a day of profoundly "itchy ears". 



2 Timothy 4

1 I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, 

who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom:

2 Preach the word of God. 

Be prepared, 

whether the time is favorable or not. 

Patiently correct, 

rebuke, 

and encourage your people with good teaching.



  3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. 

They will follow their own desires 

and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.



  5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. 

Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. 

Work at telling others the Good News, 

and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

take heart

Luke 12

6 "What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? 

Yet God does not forget a single one of them.

7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 

So don't be afraid; 

you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.



If we REALLY believe what Jesus says in those 2 verses, we should take GREAT strength & courage from them.

my fav psalm

I read the Psalms sequentially - iow, I read one right after the other until I reach the end & then I start all over again.

Yesterday I was to read Psalm 139 in the sequence of things. It's my fav psalm.

I didn't share it yesterday, but I want to share it today.

There's just so much in these few verses - read them slowly - read them more than once.



Psalm 139

1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
  You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.
3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
  You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
5 You go before me and follow me.
  You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
  I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
  if I go down to the grave, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
  if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
  and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
  and the light around me to become night—
12   but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
  Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
  and knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
  Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
  as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
  before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
  They cannot be numbered!
18 I can't even count them;
  they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
  you are still with me!


23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
  test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
  and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

LGLO

Luke 10

25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: 

"Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"



  26 Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?"



  27 The man answered, 

"'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, 

all your soul, 

all your strength, 

and all your mind.' 

And, 

'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"


  28 "Right!" Jesus told him. 

"Do this and you will live!"



There you have it...

...which could be boiled down into 4 words...


Love God, love others.

LGLO

the "rich"

This is Paul in his first letter to Timothy, his son that he "come by".



1 Timothy 6

17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud 

and not to trust in their money, 

which is so unreliable. 

Their trust should be in God, 

who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.

18 Tell them to use their money to do good. 

They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, 

always being ready to share with others.

19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future 

so that they may experience true life.



Hmmmmmmmm...

Before we think this applies only to the super rich, remember that most of the world regards us here in America as "the rich".

dead things

Luke 8

40 On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him.41 Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come home with him.42 His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying.


  As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds.43 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure.44 Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.

  45 "Who touched me?" Jesus asked.


  Everyone denied it, and Peter said, "Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you."


  46 But Jesus said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me."47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed.48 "Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace."


  49 While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, "Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."


  50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just trust me, and she will be healed."


  51 When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn't let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl's father and mother.52 The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but he said, "Stop the weeping! She isn't dead; she's only asleep."


  53 But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died.54 Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, "My child, get up!"55 And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.56 Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened.



Jesus brought back to life someone who was unspeakably precious & important to Jairus.

And Jesus told Jairus, "don't be afraid - just trust me..."


Is there a dead thing in our life - something precious & unspeakably important?

Could it be that Jesus is saying the same thing to us that He said to Jairus?

Could it be that Jesus wants to bring back to life that which is dead in our lives?


"don't be afraid - just trust me..."

one verse built on another

Don't be afraid or discouraged, 
for the Lord is the One who goes before you.
He will be with you.
He will neither fail you or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT, 1st ed.)



The above verse is the basis for the author of Hebrews for my life verse, which is: 

Hebrews 13:5b - I will never leave you nor forsake you.



That's all I got for y'all today, folks. Sorry...