Wednesday November 10, 2021

Wednesday – November 10th – 2 Timothy 4:6-7     -----    

4:6) For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 
 
 The Daily Walk Bible inspirational though for today:
     ONLY THE WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER CAN REDEEM SUFFERING.*
 
    Welcome to mid-week Wednesday! I pray your week so far has been both a blessing to you and your life an encouragement to others. Our inspirational thought today is connected to the last few chapters of the book of Acts. Paul is now a prisoner for the Gospel and is experiencing an uptick in personal suffering as a result of his unwavering commitment to Jesus. I typically need to slow my reading as I encounter stories of the heroes of the faith who are willing to suffer great things for the gospel. I always inventory my own willingness and passion for Jesus to see if suffering would be acceptable for me if it meant one more person in the kingdom of Heaven. I guess it comes down to each of us defining what our salvation means to us and then how that effects our desire to share that with others. I have lots of room for growth to be consistent in this area of my spiritual walk.
 
    In our pick verses today, Paul shares with Timothy his personal inventory of what has made it worth suffering for the Gospel message. Paul portrays his future death as a sacrifice being poured out before God as a way to bring honor and glory to God. For Paul, leaving this life will mean a release from its restrictions and the beginning of a glorious new eternal life in Heaven. Paul closes out these two verses with a dose of reality. He knows his time on earth is quickly drawing to a close. Even in light of wanting to accomplish more for the Kingdom, Paul is strengthened by the knowledge that he has been a faithful follower of Jesus and a committed minister of the gospel to which Jesus himself had called Paul. Verse seven should be the goal of every believer as we near the end of our life. And since we don’t always know when that will be, this should be our daily goal to strive for in our Christian walk.

Blessings
  Pastor Jim
Thursday – November 11th – 2 Timothy 4:8

*Tyndale. The Daily Walk Bible NLT (Kindle Location 59504). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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