Precious Memories
Book of 2 Timothy
Chapter 1
We should understand
that some time had passed since Paul had written the first Book to
Timothy. Paul had first written to Timothy while he was in Laodicea.
At the time Paul wrote this second letter to Timothy Paul was
imprisoned in Rome and he was sentenced to death. At this time the
death penalty came by beheading and Paul would soon face this
judgment with a smile because he knew he was going home to be with
the Lord.
This time Paul was
charged for inciting an insurrection against the Roman government.
This will probably be the charge that will be used against Christian
preachers if the Democrats get back in office, here in America.
Paul was writing
this letter at a time when Christianity was banned in Rome and all
Christians found and sentenced to death.
We should understand
when we read the Book of 2 Timothy we are reading the very last words
of the Apostle Paul!
We will see that
like a prophet Paul knew that perilous times were coming for all!
*****2Ti 1:1 Paul,
an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the
promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
2Ti 1:2 To Timothy,
my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul knew what would
soon take place in his life and he wanted Timothy to understand that
he would see him again.
What will we see
from the Apostle Paul is that he would maintain his dignity as a man
called of God right to the very end.
This letter to
Timothy will seem to be a personal letter between he and Paul, but
the Holy Spirit decided that even we of today needed to understand
what Paul was saying here.
This letter is
another of what we call the pastoral epistles which are written to
answer questions about church organization.
This is another
letter from Paul by the Holy Spirit teaching us how to act in the
House of God.
One thing is very
clear, only those called of the Lord Jesus Christ will have a
ministry in the Christian Church. This is a personal calling from the
Lord Jesus Christ to that person who is called.
That one who is
called, is called to walk in the will of God, remembering that it is
the will of God that every living soul be saved.
1Ti_2:4 Who will
have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the
truth.
Eternal life comes
only by Jesus Christ! Eternal death comes to all that reject the Lord
Jesus Christ!
Joh 3:17 For God
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that
believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God.
God's plan is really
very simple, have faith in the works Lord Jesus Christ and be at
peace with God forever!
Joh 11:25 Jesus
said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth
in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And
whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou
this?
When we meet Jesus,
we will be meeting the God of all creation!
Joh 14:6 Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had
known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye
know him, and have seen him.
In all the
Scriptures we do not find one harsh word about Timothy and it was the
fact that Timothy was saved at an early age that he was able to do so
good in the ministry of the Lord.
Timothy shows us the
importance of discipling our young people with the truth of the
"Gospel" of Jesus Christ.
*****2Ti 1:3 I
thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience,
that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night
and day;
What did Paul have?
Paul had precious memories of the time he had spent with this young
man who was also called of God.
Paul leaves us with
the importance of disciple training covered with much prayer. We must
realize that is not about self because the Lord will take care of
that. It is about that prayer life for someone besides ourselves.
We must understand
that God has given us this wonderful privilege to pray for those who
are disciples!
Prayer is important
for everyone but when we do not zero in on our young people we are
neglecting the future of our church!
We should be
thinking of our young disciples in our morning prayers and our
nightly prayers and everything in between!
We should remember
what Jesus said:
Mat 21:21 Jesus
answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith,
and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig
tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed,
and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Mat 21:22 And all
things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall
receive.
We need to pray that
God would move all the evil things of this world (drugs, alcohol,
smoking, etc.) out of the way of our young people.
Maybe we to need to
shed a tear for our children!
*****2Ti 1:4
Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may
be filled with joy;
No doubt that when
Timothy heard that Paul had been arrested again and sentenced to
death, he shed tears for Paul who had taught him so much and had also
been like a father to him.
We also see Paul who
is sentence to death for preaching the "Gospel" of Jesus
Christ, who is at peace with his death, is trying to comfort Timothy.
Timothy was strong
in his faith and strong in his courage, yet he was still tender. We
should remember the qualifications of a Pastor and Timothy met all
these qualifications.
Timothy was young
man who was not afraid to stand up for the Lord, yet he was still
tender and compassionate and not afraid to show his tender side.
It is this powerful
man of God who brought joy to the heart of the Apostle Paul!
Not many realize
that after the martyr's death of the Apostle Paul, Timothy remained
Ephesus where sometime later he was also died the martyr's because he
preached the whole council of God without being ashamed of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Psa 119:63 I am a
companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy
precepts.
Timothy was never
afraid to call Jesus his Savior!
*****2Ti 1:5 When I
call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt
first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am
persuaded that in thee also.
As Paul was
remembering the faith of Timothy he also remembered the strong faith
of his grandmother Lois and also the strong faith of his mother
Eunice.
Here we the fruit
that can come from those mothers and grandmothers who teach their
children the truth of the Word of God!
Unfeigned faith is a
faith that is not counterfeit. It is not hypocritical. It is real
faith. It is sincere faith. It is based upon God's love for his
church!
Lois and Eunice had
that faith that could move those mountains out of the way from this
young man named Timothy!
We can see how the
Christian family can produce fruit for the work of the Lord!
It seems that in
every period of the history of the church, it is the church women who
have been more open to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and pass
these things down to their children.
It is in these last
days the Satan has used all his power to destroy the family in his
attempt to destroy the church.
We must remember
what Jesus has said.
Luk_18:8 I tell you
that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man
cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Once the church is
taken out of the world, during the time of the great falling away,
there will not be much faith, if any left upon this world!
It is only those
parents who have dedicated their lives to the Lord and walk in Christ
Jesus everyday who have a chance to pass these things on to their
children!
Pro_22:6 Train up a
child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart
from it.
God would not say
this if it were no true!
Even as strong as
Timothy was Paul knew that every Pastor needs to be encouraged from
time to time.
*****2Ti 1:6
Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of
God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
2Ti 1:7 For God
hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and
of a sound mind.
The biggest problem
we face in the church today is that God's people have let their fire
go out!
We will endure abuse
if we claim the Lord Jesus Christ!
Joh 15:18 If the
world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye
were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are
not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore
the world hateth you.
We already know that
this world we live in will never get better than it is right now!
2Ti_3:13 But evil
men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being
deceived.
Still like Timothy
it is not time to quit on God!
We need to take a
poker and stir up the fire that is within us, so our flame can shine
brighter.
There was no
indication that Timothy's fire was getting dim and about to go out!
The Apostle Paul was
on death row and he wanted Timothy to know his fight was finished and
he would soon be going home. It would be Timothy who would carry the
torch of freedom until he too had fought his good fight.
The truth of these
things is, if the Lord has given us a task, then we are to remain in
that task until we go home to be with the Lord!
We must not ever
forget that He has promised to provide our needs always!
Rom 12:5 So we,
being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of
another.
Rom 12:6 Having
then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,
whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of
faith;
Rom 12:7 Or
ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on
teaching;
Rom 12:8 Or he that
exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with
simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy,
with cheerfulness.
If we are afraid we
must know that fear is a word that is not in God's dictionary!
God gives us the
gift of active power, so that we are not afraid to speak up for
Jesus!
God gives us the
gift of speculative power, so we can think right, and discern right
from wrong.
No need to fear what
man can do to us if they kill us we just wake up in Heaven.
No need to fear the
trials we face every day because we are on the winning side, look in
the back of the book.
No need to fear what
the world says about us, they are on the losing side, also in the
back of the book.
God gives us the
spirit power if we just ask, but power is not needed if we are not in
the fight!
God gives the spirit
of love for everyone we see, if we just show it. The agape love of
God as our own Father!
God gives the spirit
of a sound mind when we have the mind of Christ!
1Co_2:16 For who
hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we
have the mind of Christ.
With these gifts of
the Holy Spirit plus all the fruit of the Holy Spirit how could we
ever be ashamed of our Savior?
*****2Ti 1:8 Be not
thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his
prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel
according to the power of God;
Makes me want to
say, just jump in this battle and stay as close to Jesus Christ you
can!
We can actually call
this section "Ashamed"!
Why must we never be
ashamed of the Lord Jesus? Because it is He who holds the power of
the Almighty God for salvation but only for those who believe!
Rom 1:16 For I am
not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek.
It is a fact that
cowardice is a bad thing. To a soldier it could lead to his death or
imprisonment.
To the Christian who
refuses to get into the war against evil, it could mean an early
death because to be in the will of God is the safest place for any
Christian to be.
Thank goodness our
God is in the soul saving business!
Being ashamed of our
Savior, is showing doubt that our Lord Jesus Christ does not have the
power of God. We are nothing without Jesus Christ!
Why would anyone be
ashamed of the "Gospel" when it actually does bring "Good
News"!
The Gospel answers
every question concerning sin and it is the remedy for fallen man!
We must never be
ashamed that our God came to this earth to die!
We must never be
ashamed of the blood of Jesus Christ that washes away all sin.
We must never be
ashamed of the virgin birth!
We must never be
ashamed of the cross that Jesus bore.
We must never be
ashamed.
We must never be
ashamed to take our stand on the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus
Christ!
When we cannot take
a stand on freedom from the bondage of sin, then nothing else can
satisfy that question of just "who am I".
When we cannot live
for Jesus we will certainly die for Satan!
Joh 15:20 Remember
the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his
lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if
they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
We must never be
ashamed of persecution. Paul said to Timothy, do not be ashamed of my
imprisonment"!
It should be an
honor for a Christian to be so much like Jesus that he is imprisoned.
It should be an
honor to speak the words of Jesus and be imprisoned for it.
This shows the
weakness of those in charge who are so afraid to hear the "Gospel"
because one, some know the Word of God is so powerful that they would
suffer because of God's message and two, they are denying the truth
to live in their own little false world of misery.
For the Christian,
this is the only world that we can suffer in, we will not suffer at
all in Heaven.
Though the
non-believer they may or may not suffer much in this world, but they
will suffer an eternity of unreal suffering in Hell!
God sends His
message to this world in order for those bound for Hell can repent
and join Him in Heaven.
Eph 2:8 For by
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of
works, lest any man should boast.
My question to all
those that reject the Word of God, why don’t you leave the
Christians alone!
Why be so afraid of
God's Word?
Joh 8:23 And he
said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this
world; I am not of this world.
Joh 8:24 I said
therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe
not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
To a world that can
believe in aliens and UFOs, why can you not believe in the
supernatural, our Heavenly Savior.
I’m not sorry that
I am called a Christian, I am sorry that so many just do not believe!
*****2Ti 1:9 Who
hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to
our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2Ti 1:10 But is now
made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath
abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel:
Some people say we
use the word saved to much, but this is the word that works for me!
I am saved. I am
preserved, I am protected, I am redeemed, I am delivered from the sin
of this world
Tit 3:4 But after
that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5 Not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy
he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he
shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
When you speak of
salvation, you cannot get around the fact that Jesus Christ is the
Author of salvation!
It is a fact that
God has a purpose for everything that happens in the world. God does
not do bad things, but He allows bad things to happen if they suit
His purpose and His plans.
What is God's
Purpose?
Eph 1:9 Having made
known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure
which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in
the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in
one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on
earth; even in him:
Now we know that
everything in this world happens according to this purpose which God
is so bold to give to us that we would know, and we can rest on the
surety of these words!
If you are not in
Jesus Christ, you simply will not be gathered when the Lord comes to
take us home. This is known as the rapture of the church. These
things are true because God says they are true. Now who do you trust?
Col 1:26 Even the
mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now
is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom
God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
We have a hope that
is much better than a guarantee when we place all our faith in the
works of the Lord Jesus Christ!
There is absolutely
no reason those in the Lord Jesus Christ should be uncertain about
their salvation.
There is absolutely
no reason that we should fear death as a Christian because we will be
going home!
Over and over the
Scriptures will lead us to Jesus Christ as our Savior, not just some
other man but truly God come down from Heaven to die just so we can
be saved.
Yes, I like that
word saved!
It was also the work
of the Lord Jesus Christ to abolish the death that Satan uses to hold
onto his followers. There are far too many of these followers who
have come out of the woodwork to declare they worship Satan to their
own demise!
Evil abounds but God
has more "grace" than this world has "evil"!
To be a believer we
had to be bought from Satan's slave market but many more are left
behind that we need to reach with the "Gospel of our salvation!
1Jn 4:12 No man
hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in
us, and his love is perfected in us.
1Jn 4:13 Hereby
know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us
of his Spirit.
1Jn 4:14 And we
have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the
Saviour of the world.
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever
shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and
he in God.
What is the only
method to become a preacher of the Gospel?
*****2Ti 1:11
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of
the Gentiles.
Paul was appointed
to preach by the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no other way to be a
true preacher of the "Gospel" do not be fooled by nay
sayers.
Paul was appointed
Apostle by the Lord Jesus. The only way to be an Apostle was to have
been selected by The Lord Jesus Christ seeing Him with his own eyes.
For this reason, there can be no more Apostles, Paul was the last.
**Paul was appointed
to be the Preacher assigned to the Gentiles.
The God called,
Jesus Christ chosen, Holy Ghost filled preacher is the person who is
chosen to go forth and proclaim the message of King Jesus!
The main message
will be that Christ has abolished death followed with that He has
brought life and immortality to those who believe upon Him!
What has happened to
our preachers of today have they ignored this message or have they
forgotten who Jesus is, or are they to ashamed to preach the truth?
**Paul was appointed
to be an Apostle because he was sent by the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle is to go
where ever he is sent with the message that "the King is Coming"
and that sooner not later and speak the message he was given by the
Lord.
It is the job of the
Apostle to make known the business of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The business of our
Savior was to do all the work necessary to provide his subjects a
means of eternal life with Him and His true angels!
**Paul was appointed
to be a teacher.
It is the job of the
teacher to teach the curriculum that they have been assigned without
changing it in any way. The Teacher will teach the whole council of
God with diligence and perseverance!
Paul understood the
hazards of what he had to do.
*****2Ti 1:12 For
the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not
ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is
able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
The biggest problem
with the Christian of today they make God out to be powerless and not
able to fulfill His promises, which is very foolish if we just look
around to what God has created for us!
When we have been
justified (just as if we had never sinned) how can we think God is
not able to fulfill His promises?
God says those He
has justified will escape eternal death (the wrath of God) only if
they have faith!
Rom 1:17 For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as
it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because
that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath
shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the
invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal
power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Psa 19:1 The heavens
declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
There is no one (no
one) who could have given us these majestic heavens but The Lord God!
It is so very
foolish to think these things came about by some accident. The only
thing accidents have ever brought is destruction!
Rom 1:21 Because
that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened.
I along with the
Apostle are not ashamed of our God of glory!
In fact, the Lord
Jesus Christ came to this earth to reveal the power of God!
God is independent
of His being because everything God is( His virtues, His decrees, His
works, His causes, all God's character) depends on Him!
There is absolutely
nothing cannot do but sin. God is who He says He is!
Exo 3:14 And God
said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say
unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
I too am persuaded
that God can save my soul and that I will join Him when I die!
We must commit
ourselves to the work of the Lord! Why?
1Pe 1:5 Who are
kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time.
We are kept by the
power of God!
The Apostle Paul was
very sure that judgment was coming but he was also very sure this
would take place sometime after he was gone on to Heaven!
Paul was also very
sure that when he met Jesus in the clouds, he would have to give an
account of himself after his salvation because all the things Paul
had done by persecuting the church before he was saved had been
forgiven and God would not remember these things against him.
Even as we see the
things of this world get even more evil we must still hold fast to
the Word of God!
*****2Ti 1:13 Hold
fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith
and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Because the nature
of humanity is corrupt and sinful we cannot always trust that we can
know the truth of their words.
This is not so with
God. The Word of God is good for our health here on earth and eternal
life when we join the Lord!
The only sound words
that we can depend on come from the Lord!
When we start
doubting the words that tell us the truth of our Savior then we are
not clinging to the truth!
No false doctrine
comes from sound words which are the words that Jesus Christ our only
Savior has brought to us from God the Holy Spirit!
When we doubt the
Word of God we are calling God a liar.
2Ti 3:16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the
man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
It is impossible to
truly believe upon Jesus Christ if we reject in any way the truth of
Scriptures!
Joh 20:30 And many
other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which
are not written in this book:
Joh 20:31 But these
are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
The Holy Spirit has
decided that the words He has given to us are all we need to trust in
the Lord for eternal life.
We have the truth
and the results of the truth.
When it comes time
to hear the Word of God, we can believe that it is true, beyond all
doubt and yes Jonah was swallowed by a real whale!
Rom 10:17 So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The Word of God
brings so much truth many people spend too much time trying to find
fault in the Word of God.
We must hold fast to
the form of sound words!
*****2Ti 1:14 That
good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which
dwelleth in us.
We should understand
that trust works both ways with the Lord. We are to trust in His
Words and He will trust us to take those words to someone else, so
they also can make the choice to accept or reject the truth of God.
The world just does
not understand that God wants everyone in this entire world to get an
opportunity to compare His truth to what the world has to say about
health, love, life and purpose!
We as Christians
have the words of life, how can we not share it?
We must also
understand that if God has something that affects humans then He will
choose another human to do it.
The only humans who
can do this thing must be filled with God the Holy Spirit!
In fact, the only
good thing upon this world is the Word of God!
What is the greatest
truth of the Word of God? It is all about Jesus Christ!
Joh 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God.
1Jn 5:7 For there
are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the
Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Rev 19:13 And he
was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called
The Word of God.
Joh 1:14 And the
Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and
truth.
There should be no
doubt in the Christian, of what these things mean!
It is our Holy God
the Father that gives us the Gift of Life and that gift comes by "The
Word", God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!
So, we can hold fast
the gifts God places in our hands.
*****2Ti 1:15 This
thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me;
of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
We should pay very
close attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying here.
The Apostle Paul was
arrested a second time and sentenced to death at the hands of Nero,
just for preaching the truth of the Scriptures.
Phygellus and
Hermogenes had travel with Paul since Paul was in Asia.
Most all those of
Asia abandoned not only Paul but also the Lord and when we say no to
God, we are committing sin.
Certainly, Rome was
a dangerous place to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but God would
take something bad and make good come from it!
Php 1:12 But I
would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened
unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
Php 1:13 So that my
bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other
places;
Php 1:14 And many
of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much
more bold to speak the word without fear.
These things being
true Phygellus and Herogenes both from Asia not being arrested with
Paul abandoned him and took with them others from Asia.
This was a sad time
for Paul, but he never gave up and the Lord never left his side just
as He said, He will never forsake us.
Paul was not ashamed
of the "Gospel" and this showed in these words given to Him
by the Holy Spirit.
Rom_1:16 For I am
not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek.
There was one who
stood by Paul and he became a very special help to him!
*****2Ti 1:16 The
Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed
me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
2Ti 1:17 But, when
he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
Onesiphorus was a
Christian from the church of Ephesus where Timothy was being sent.
While Onesiphorus
was helping Paul his family back home was without their father and
Paul prayed for mercy for this household and Paul was making Timothy
aware of this family who may also have a need.
Onesiphorus came
many times to visit Paul and while he was there he would cheer Paul
up and it also reveals to us the Paul may have spent some time with
family when he was in Ephesus.
This may be all we
know of this man Onesiphorus, but it is obvious that he was a
Christian who was not ashamed of the "Gospel" and he was a
true friend to Paul.
Pro_18:24 A man
that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend
that sticketh closer than a brother.
No doubt that the
name of Onesiphorus had been written in the Lambs Book of Life.
*****2Ti 1:18 The
Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day:
and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest
very well.
Not one of us
deserve the mercy of God!
To ask God to show
mercy is not so much to ask God to be good as it is to show we have a
forgiving God.
I believe when Paul
says, "that day" he is referring to the day of the
"Rapture" when we will all face the Lord Jesus Christ, at
the Bema Seat!
We must never
abandon our brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter the
circumstances, we are all bound together by the blood of Jesus Christ
and we must never bring shame to His name!
Heb 13:3 Remember
them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer
adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
There will never be
a day, while we live upon this earth that we will not need the mercy
of God!
Amen
