Author: Ben Bourland

“Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:2 -> me: Today my verse of the day is the verse referenced on the front of Pastor Steve’s pulpit at church -> “Preach the Word”.  In verse one, Paul says that he ‘Charges’ Timothy with these following 5 exhortations.  He says that he charges, really nothing short of orders, Timothy in the presence of God and Jesus Christ.  Paul would never say this unless he serious meant Timothy to take to heart and take proactive action to engage on what Paul has said.  The five exhortations are 1) Preach the Word 2) Be prepared in and out of season 3) Correct 4) Rebuke and 5) Encourage.  The last quiet time was about the fact that God’s word is profitable for these 5 things.  There is so much focus on speaking God’s truth, not trying to twist His word in working for us and our needs.  This is so hard today, because a lot of what we read in God’s word flies right in the face of what the world is trying to tell us is right.  But no, we are to correct and rebuke.  However, look how Paul follow up after the ‘correct’ and ‘rebuke’ -> encouraging them with inexhaustible patience and teaching.  Correction and Rebuke can never come without instruction and teaching…in other words, you better know your stuff…know your stuff through your own study and meditation on the TRUTH.

“[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.  For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of  their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].” 2 Timothy 3:4-5 [AMP] -> me:  Here in chapter 3 Paul start to describe the moral decline that will come.  I am reminded of Romans 8:21 where Paul talks about the bondage of decay and corruption; this is the course of events, over and over again, that we can expect in this fallen word before Jesus returns.  Paul is telling Timothy to watch out for these shallow, shell of religiosity, people he will run into…that they look pious on the outside but their motives are earthly focused; focused on their sensual desires, love of money, and love of themselves.  They have no interest in the Power of the Gospel, they only operate in the scope of shallow righteous living in order to serve their own needs.  I believe that Paul is telling Timothy to be on the watch for these types of people and not only turn away from them but to also not allow them into church membership.  The sobering final thought in verse 9 is that these people will not get far operating this way as ultimately, their rash folly will become obvious to everyone.

“Shun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); [and aim at and pursue] faith, love, [and] peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels. And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.” 2 Timothy 2:22-24 [AMP] -> me: This passage today really resonated with me.  It calls out personal instruction, actions toward fellow Christians, and then our witness to EVERYONE.  Personal Instruction – flee youthful passions.  I would read this as immature earthly desires.  Instead, pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.  Fellow Christians – we pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with our fellow Christians.  This is our accountability group, our church, our Christian community in Life Groups and friendships.  Then it follows on, in regard to fellow Christians, that we should refuse controversies over non-heretical doctrine/theology.  To me I see Paul telling Timothy that this provides an opening for the evil one.  Everyone – finally we are to be kind to EVERYONE (non-Christians, enemies, persecutors, etc.) and not quarrelsome or argumentative.   We must be ready to teach with God’s word in our hearts and patiently endure evil.  What a passage for me in the world today.  This world of diametrically opposed views to our Biblical Christian beliefs.  I needed this today…

“But the firm foundation of (laid by) God stands, sure and unshaken, bearing this seal (inscription): The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let everyone who names [himself by] the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it.” 2 Timothy 2:19 [AMP] -> me: Finally have time to write my thoughts down!!  It has been a stressful week but God, through His grace and mercy, provided success in our efforts here at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.  Tonight as I was meditating on this passage, it led me to Numbers 16 -> God dealing with Korah and others who wanted to be more than workers in the Tent of Meeting and be Priests.  Please go read this chapter as it is very sobering to see how God deals with those who not content in their position of service and seek more for themselves as well as grumble and complain.  Moses and Aaron, more than once, fell on their faces asking God for leniency for the ‘Assembly’.  The application is found now in our 2 Tim 2:19 verse.  We are to stand tall in knowledge that as a believer in the Son of God, we are ‘KNOWN’ by the Father.  So then, if I call myself a Christian, having been purchased by the Blood of the Lamb, then I must not only flee the sinful desires of this fallen world but actually turn away and leave them behind as I would a forsaken land.  When I live with my sight set on the glory that is being IN the Son of God and the inheritance I am afforded as an adopted child; the old ways and things of this world become small and unappetizing; because I crave the future of Eternity with the One Who saved me and strengthens me. 

“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!” 2 Timothy 2:8-9 -> me: I have been pondering over these 2 verses for the last two days.  First while I was on the plane here to Virginia and now here in my hotel room before a stressful week.  For Paul, the resurrection is the most prominent Christian truth because it guarantees all other aspects of the work of Christ.  Then Paul talks about his own situation and suffering in the name of the risen One.  Paul might be chained, but the Word of God is not.  In Pastor Steve message today about the Holy Spirit in us, he taught about the power of God in and through His word.  The Holy Spirit is the reason that you can read the same passage hundreds of times but then there is the one time where you are so caught of guard by a meaning reveled to you at that moment…and you back away thinking, “why has this never resonated with me in this way?”  Because the Holy Spirit is at work in you through His Word…and His Word is every where, being propagated by you and me and, hopefully, every other born again Christian out there.  Heed Pastor Steve’s call today to share your testimony with someone this week.  I am praying that the Lord would divinely set that appointment for me.

“Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” 2 Timothy 2:7 -> me:  What an amazing simple verse!  Paul reinforcing in Timothy that when we petition the Lord for an understanding and wisdom in His word, He will reveal it to us.  In the verses preceding this one, Paul talks about a CALLING to a way of life, FOCUS, OBEDIENCE, and DEDICATION using examples of a soldier, athlete, and farmer.  The Lord WILL give you understanding in EVERYTHING…what a great promise!  It makes me want to saturate my quiet times in prayer with a petition for deep understanding of His precepts and direction.  God already has delivered on this many times in the last several years, but to hear this again is so encouraging and inspiring.  Thank you Lord for this little tidbit I needed today.

“May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.” 2 Timothy 1:16-18 -> me: I love Onesiphorus!  I think that he is a model for Christian kindness.  What I also like is that it was not just Onesiphorus who Paul was acknowledging, he was acknowledging his whole household.  The family worked as a team to extend kindness to Paul.  Most version say ‘refreshed me’ but it can also mean ‘to brace up’, ‘to revive’, or ‘to comfort’.  It is almost like Onesiphorus’ presence was like a warming elixir to Paul and his imprisoned body.  It didn’t matter where Paul was; Onesiphorus was not ashamed to meet Paul where he was…in fact, contrary to being ashamed, Onesiphorus search night and day all over Rome to find where Paul was being kept.  Rome was notorious for making it difficult to find where prisoners were being held.  I am sure that Onesiphorus was mortified that Paul was calling him out in such an acknowledging way…just from this little passage I see this man being someone I want to emulate.  Paul understands the impact that Onesiphorus is laying up for in eternity so Paul has the mindset to look forward to ‘that Day’, the day of judgement, to express to God through prayer how much good work (through faith) Onesiphorus has done to get a “Well done my good and faithful servant”.

“…I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that HE IS ABLE TO GUARD  until that day WHAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO ME. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, GUARD THE GOOD DEPOSIT ENTRUSTED TO YOU.” 2 Timothy 1:12-14 -> me:  The ‘guarding of what has been entrusted’ really caught my eye with these verses.  In verse 12 it is God who will guard what has been entrusted to me and in verse 14, it is by the Holy Spirit that I am to ‘guard the good deposit entrusted to me’.  I believe the ‘good deposit’ is the calling on Timothy’s life that Paul talks about earlier.  Paul here is showing us that we can not do this guarding unaided…we not only need the Holy Spirit within us to help us guard that the calling God has put on our lives but we also need Him to help us unlock the power needed to fulfill our calling through sanctification.  Our relationship with Jesus and God the Father are clearly spelled out here – it is symbiotic.  God guards what He has entrusted to me in my ministry, and I lean on Him alone for the strength and power to guard the deposit that will grow into a return as I seek Him and remain obedient to His word, will, and purpose in my life.

“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. 

“I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7 -> me:  The last several weeks can only be described as inconsistency.  Today I started 2nd Timothy.  I started my quiet time with a pray of repentance and asking of forgiveness to my Lord in being distance and complacent the last several weeks.  Then, here I read “fan into flame the gift of God”.  That is exactly what pursuing God and His will for your life is…the Amplified version says “rekindle the ember of…the inner fire that is in you”.  My whole time in prayer was recounting to my Lord and Savior the confidence in spirit I have when I am in His word [DAILY], praying for the needs of others [HOURLY], and seeking His will [EVERY FREE MOMENT].  Just yesterday I was talking to Sophie in the car on the way back from church; encouraging her not to snuff out or quench the sensitive heart she has….that it is a gift from God that she needs to hone and sharpen by seeking God’s power through daily reading and prayer.  That there will be a day that she will get that ‘ET Feeling’ in her heart and instead of fear, she will be filled with an awesome sense of God’s closeness to her through this open portal to His Spirit and will for her.  When we got done with our car ride, I just sat there thanking God for His word into MY heart through what I was telling my own daughter…I need to practice using the gifts and tools He has given me in my life to do His work; to impact His kingdom for eternity.  So not only did God speak to my heart in what He laid before me to tell Sophie, but then He one-upped it by giving me a verse in my quiet time today to share with Sophie as a verse to focus on in regard to this special gift she has.  Humbled….