Colossians1--Focusing my Prayer

As I pray for others I want to remember these verses

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy;giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

And remember to pray
1. That they would be fruitful. They would increase in good deeds as evidence of the change Christ has made in their hearts.

2. That they would increase in knowledge of God.

3. That they would be strengthened and empowered by God to live a godly life.

4. That they would joyfully give thanks to the Lord in everything.

II Tim 4--Word, Finishing Well

I charge you:
Preach the Word
Be ready in season and out!

The Word can be used to:
Convince--Apologetics/Evangelism
Rebuke--Correct
Exhort--Encourage

There will come a time when men will not listen to sound doctrine because of the OWN desires.

You should:
--be watchful
--endure afflictions
--do evangelism
--fulfill your ministry

Paul says, "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith."
I pray I will be able to say such some day as well.

The Lord stood with me and strengthened me.
When times are tough and it seems impossible to persevere, we can look to the Lord to stand with us and strengthen us.

II Tim 3--Evil Men, Persecution, Scriptures

In the last days, perilous times will come.

Men will be:
--lovers of themselves
--lovers of money
--boasters
--proud
--blasphemers
--disobedient to parents
--unthankful
--unholy
--unloving
--unforgiving
--slanderers
--without self-control
--brutal
--despisers of good
--traitors
--headstrong
--haughty
--lovers of pleasure
--not lovers of God
--having a form of godliness
--but denying it's power.
And from such people, TURN AWAY.

These men lead gullible women loaded down with sin astray by their false teaching.

All who desire to live godly in Christ WILL suffer persecution.
I suppose the question is if we are not suffering some kind of persecution, what should that tell us?

Knowing from childhood the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
It is the scriptures that teach us about salvation through faith in Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work.

II Tim 2--Depart from Sin, Characteristics of Servants

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of truth.

The Lord knows those who are His.

Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
We should be pursuing holiness. Fleeing from sin. When we fall, we should hate it and be disgusted, not be diving into sin and reveling in it.

Avoid foolish disputes knowing that they generate strife.

A servant of the Lord must
--not quarrel
--be gentle to all
--be able to teach
--be patient
--in humility correct those who are in opposition.

God grants repentance.
It's all by God's grace and He will get all the glory!

II Tim 2--Grace, Hardship, Denial

Be strong in the grace that is in Jesus.
Grace...I like what someone once said that grace is giving you what you DON"T deserve and mercy is NOT giving you what you DO deserve. Through Jesus we have been given an awesome gift! Not only are we not condemned to the hell we so justly deserve, but through grace He has given us eternal life as heirs and sons and daughters of His inheritance. Oh wretch that I am! I am so undeserving of His rich love towards me. But He has called me His child and I am so grateful. Help me to live in such a way that I would reflect the mercy and grace you have bestowed upon me.

You must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus. Don't get tangled in the affairs of this life.

Hardship doesn't seem like an option here. And yet we are continually bombarded with the message that if we "accept" Jesus, then our lives will be better. And indeed they will be for we will be saved from the wrath to come. But I think as American Christians and because of the prevalence of the prosperity gospel, we somehow equate knowing Jesus with having more stuff, less strife and happy days. This is the exact opposite of taking up our cross, denying ourselves and laying down our lives others, and dying to ourselves.

If we deny Him, he will deny us.
This is a final denial at death. Peter denied Christ 3 times, but this was a temporary denial. After being filled with the Spirit, he was used mightily by God and died for the sake of the gospel. IN the end, he glorified Jesus and did not deny Jesus, but fed His sheep.

II Tim. 1--Gifts,Fear and Election

Paul wants to "Remind you [Timothy] to stir up gift which is in you."
Was he faltering or wavering in his gifting?)

God has not given you a spirit of fear, but power. love and sound mind.
How many times have I not used my giftings because of fear. I need to remember that the context of this verse was in relation to stepping out with your giftings. In particular, I feel the need to be more courageous in sharing my faith with others. I still struggle with fear. But my desire is for my love of God to overcome my fear of man. Cowardly fear is caused by a weak and selfish character. Only thinking of self. It is not glorifying God or edifying the body.
Love is focusing on pleasing God and seeking the welfare of others before one's own.
Sound mind means focusing on the sovereign nature and perfect purposes of God

He has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works (we can't earn by doing works) but according to his purpose and grace which was given in Christ before time began.
Another verse related to unconditional election. That God saved and called us before time began.

I Timothy 6--False Teachers, Money, Pursuing God

Let bondservants as are under the yoke could their own masters as worthy of honor so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.

I think this could apply to an employee. Each employee should give honor to their employer so that God is not blasphemed. Blasphemed is a pretty strong word, but a reminder of how important it is for us to show honor to those who are in authority over us.

Characteristics of False teachers
1. Teach otherwise--different doctrine
2. Do not consent to wholesome words
3. Reject doctrine which accords with godliness.
4. Are proud
5. Know nothing
6. Obsessed with disputes and arguments over words
7. Envy
8. Strife
9. reviling
10. evil suspicions
11. useless wranglings of men
12. of corrupt minds
13. destitute of the truth
14. use "godliness" as a means of gain. (Pretend to be godly to get what they want.)

WITHDRAW from such men!

Godliness with contentment is great gain.
Be content with what the Lord has provided. With your food, clothing, etc. We in America are so blessed and so rich! It is so foolish for us to be ungrateful and discontent with what the Lord has provided.

If you desire to be rich, be careful for you may fall into temptation and snares and into many harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some have strayed from faith in greediness and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
This isn't saying that they've lost their faith. Just wandered to pursue greed and money and with it many sorrows. It's so much better to pursue the Lord!

Flee greed and pursue:
1. righteousness
2. godliness
3. faith
4. love
5 patience
6. gentleness

Command those who are rich not to be haughty not to trust in riches, but in the living God.
Let them do good. Be rich in good works, ready to give and willing to share.

Again we in America should not trust in our riches (houses, money, stocks, etc), but in God. He is our true provider and sustainer! Help us, dear Lord, to be rich in good works!

Avoid profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.
I'm reminded of the quote by Socrates--"One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing. " The more I learn, the more ignorant I learn that I am. Lord, I need to know what you say is true. And help me to discern true from false.