Proclaim the Message

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

As for me, I am already poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:1-8

We all face challenges that make us question our faith. It could be health, family, finances, or work related. Keep this in mind: when bad things happen to us, it does not always mean God is punishing us; in some cases, He is preparing us for something new. In your weakness, you are strong, if you have faith. Proclaim that faith.

The apostle Paul warned Timothy a time would come when people would prefer “lite” to “light.” He predicted that false teaching would increase and be embraced by many because it caters to the needs of their flesh. They have a craving to be entertained and desire teaching that leaves them with good feelings about themselves. Paul instructed Timothy to combat this by teaching doctrines to correct, rebuke, and encourage others.

As believers we are called to teach and obey the Word of God, not to scratch the itches of our culture.

Stand on the Word of God and you won’t fall into error.

Our Daily Bread – March 8, 2009