“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” 2 Timothy 1:8-10 -> me: By the way that Paul speaks to Timothy, we get the sense that Timothy was timid in spirit. Paul is constantly telling Timothy to be strong, deliberate, confident, and now without shame. Even though we WILL suffer for the testimony of the gospel, Paul says that the suffering is by the Power of God. This means that the intention was never that we would endure suffering under our own strength. Paul also reminds Timothy that he was not just saved…he was also called. We are not just saved from sin but to a life of holiness. You can never leave that off. Said another way -> We saved from sin into a life of holiness. We did nothing to earn this saving grace. Our works in holiness are paved in a preceding call through genuine faith; not the other way around. Because we are in Christ through our Salvation, Paul can say that God gave us this saving grace before the dawn of time, because Christ has always been. Just dwelling on these points this evening gives me a confidence in witness. Today is Brooklyn’s first birthday and she, like Prim, is another gift God has given me; not just in the amazing little kiddo that she is, but also in a new testimony of God’s working hand in our lives.
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