Passage II Timothy 1-4Message from 2:15 & 4:5
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Scripture—The Bible is a written description of God’s attributes and the way He operates. Many Christians read a passage or two each morning, but seeking the Lord requires more than that. As you open the Word of God, say to Him, “I want to know You better. Speak to me, Lord, and show me the truth about Yourself.” You can be certain that “Show me the truth” is one prayer God will always answer. When you are in love with somebody, you long to build a relationship to get to know him or her better. As genuine intimacy takes place, barriers come down and ignorance is replaced by knowledge on a deeper level than the physical or the emotional—it is a connection with that person’s spirit. In a similar way, if you want to seek God, then open Scripture with the purpose
of discovering answers to these questions: Who is this God? Who is this Christ? Who is this Holy Spirit living inside of me and expressing the life of Jesus through my being?
But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
a. Be watchful in all things: Timothy could not fulfill his ministry unless he kept careful attention, being watchful in all things. Every good shepherd has his eyes open. Being watchful in all situations means keeping your Head calm & cool & steady in all situations. God’s plan ensures that every believer reaches his or her maximum potential. He desires that His children live a certain way and make right decisions, so He accepts full responsibility for guiding them. In fact, He promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go” (Psalm 32:8). Make sure you do not loose your anointment and your grace by indulging in vain things.
b. Endure afflictions: Ministry is just like life - there are afflictions to be borne with. For some this is a disturbing thought because they thought that the ministry would be one beautiful spiritual experience after another. There are plenty of wonderful blessings in serving God but there are also afflictions to be endured. The Lord is actively guiding every incident of our lives in order to stitch the incongruent “threads” together for our good. (Romans 8:28) For example, when once a young Man wanted to go for seminary but had no money, even though he felt God’s call to preach. One day a friend called him over and then asked if he could help, and ask him to meet the pastor as he asked him to see him. I did, and out of that meeting came a four-year scholarship. Do not be afraid while suffering for the lord, because pruning always pains for a while but bears much fruits
c. Do the work of an evangelist: This implies that Timothy was not particularly gifted as an evangelist but he still had to faithfully do that work as a preacher of God’s Word. We all have to evangelize and witness but we all struggle as this man writes “ Few words strike more fear into the heart of the average Christian. How do you do it, anyway? What if you get rejected or look stupid? What if you get tongue-tied or don’t know the right answer to someone’s question? Think about it. If God commissioned us to struggle for the hearts and lives of those who don’t know Him yet, why would He make evangelism so hard? We might assume we’re the problem— too lazy, not bold enough, etc. After all, those of us “ordinary” types (who aren’t gifted with brilliant speaking skills or an
extroverted personality) find ourselves uncomfortable with the methods we’ve been taught—they feel too much like sales pitches, and we’re not natural salespeople. But maybe the real problem is this: we have analyzed evangelism for so long that we’re
stuck with strategies ordinary people can’t use. The presentation sounds fine, rehearsed in a classroom’s safety, but it disappears completely once we’re at work or talking with a friend over coffee.”
d. Fulfill your ministry: Paul gave a similar command to Archippus (Colossians 4:17), and he knew what it was to fulfill his own ministry in some sense (Acts 12:25). There may be many reasons why someone’s ministry goes unfulfilled and each must be earnestly battled: Fear, Unbelief, The cares of the world, the fear of man, Criticism and discouragement, Besetting sin etc. In Jude verse 24 says that the One who called us is able to bring us into His glorious presence without a single fault. And as Paul says “Therefore I , a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace."