Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – 2 Timothy 4
Set – Psalms 80; 2 Timothy 4
Go! – Amos 1–3; Psalms 80; 2 Timothy 4
2 Timothy 4
1And now I bring you this charge before God and Jesus the Anointed, the one destined to judge the living and the dead, at His glorious appearance and His kingdom: 2 go out and preach the word! Go whether it’s an opportune time or not! Reprove, warn, and encourage; but do so with all the patience and instruction needed to fulfill your calling 3 because a time will come when some will no longer tolerate sound teaching. Instead, they will live by their own desires; they’ll scratch their itching ears by surrounding themselves with teachers who approve of their lifestyles and tell them what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from the real truth you have to offer because they prefer the sound of fables and myths. 5 But you must stay focused and be alert at all times. Tolerate suffering. Accomplish the good work of an evangelist, and complete the ministry to which you have been called.6 For I am already being poured out, and the last drops of this drink offering are all that remain; it’s almost time for me to leave. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have stayed on course and finished the race, and through it all, I have kept believing. 8 I look forward to what’s in store for me: a crown of righteousness that the Lord—the always right and just judge—will give me that day (but it is not only for me, but for all those who love and long for His appearing).
9 Come to me, Timothy, as soon as you can. 10 You see, Demas has fallen for this world, abandoned me, and headed off to Thessalonica. Crescens took off for Galatia. Titus has gone to Dalmatia. 11 Luke is the only one left. Bring Mark with you because he is useful in this work and will help look after me. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 On your way here, pick up the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, and bring the scrolls—especially the parchments.
14 Keep your eye out for Alexander the coppersmith! He came against me with all sorts of evil—may the Lord pay him back accordingly— 15 so watch your back because he has gone overboard to oppose our message.
16 When it was time for my first defense, no one showed up to support me. Everyone abandoned me (may it not be held against them) 17 except the Lord. He stood by me, strengthened me, and backed the truth I proclaimed with power so it may be heard by all the non-Jews. He rescued me, pried open the lion’s jaw, and snatched me from its teeth. 18 And I know the Lord will continue to rescue me from every trip, trap, snare, and pitfall of evil and carry me safely to His heavenly kingdom. May He be glorified throughout eternity. Amen.
19 Give my regards to Prisca, Aquila, and everyone over at Onesiphorus’s house. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus in Miletus because he was sick. 21 Try your best to come before winter blows in. Eubulus says hello and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters. 22 May the Lord be with your spirit, and may His grace be with you. [Amen.]
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
You can hear in Paul’s words at the end of his letter to Timothy that he knows his time is short. Soon he will hear the call from the executioner and will leave this life and join Me in eternity. He knows I will not save him from the executioners tools, it’s just a question of how he will die. He doesn’t know if his death will be quick and painless or a slow tortuous death on a cross.
Even knowing his death is coming soon, Paul’s words are not mournful. He leaves words of greeting to his friends and words of encouragement to Timothy. He wants his books, the scrolls and parchments that contain the scriptures so he can read them again and learn more from them. And even as he hears the executioner’s footsteps, he knows that I am able to deliver him if I choose.
I will soon let Paul die as a martyr, but not quite yet. Timothy’s letter will not be his last, but almost. Very soon Paul will suffer his “thorn in the flesh” no more. Soon he will join Me for eternity and will have preached his last sermon, written his last letter, counselled his last teacher. After all is said and done, Paul will continue to pronounce, “I have run a good race, I have fought a good fight, I have won the crown that awaits me.”
I encourage you to listen to Paul’s words carefully in his last paragraphs to Timothy. They are full of encouragement. Charged with a desire to go on. Yet they also show Paul knows his destiny and he accepts it willingly as a faithful servant. He is not discouraged. He is not complaining. He doesn’t sorrow. In fact, you’ll recall in other letters, he questions which is better to remain or to die and be with Me? He was torn between the two. Paul found contentment in whatever circumstance he found himself because I was always with him.
I will always be with you, too. Find contentment in Me and you will have real joy in living each moment whatever your circumstance.
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