2 Timothy 4:16 - At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
He says at my first answer. That's the word APOLOGIA, which means apology or defense. No man stood with me, but all forsook me: As soon as they arrested him and brought him in for his first hearing, the brethren scattered. They didn't want to be associated with him.
We know that Onesiphorus specifically went to Rome looking for Paul and specifically wanted to find him and go be with him. There's a contrast in the brethren who were afraid and those who basically said "That's brother Paul. Let's minister to him!"
In my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me: I pray that it may not be laid to their charge. Paul says I pray that God will not hold the brethren accountable for deserting me. It was much like Jesus on the cross when He said Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
2 Timothy 4:22 - The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
The Lord Jesus Christ (is) with your spirit. The word "be" is in italics because the translators have inserted it. In the Greek text, it's a statement of fact. It is interesting that the Lord Jesus Christ is with your spirit, not your flesh, not your material items. Christ is in your spirit, your soul.
The word thy in thy spirit is singular. He's talking to Timothy but has closed other letters by saying the same thing to everyone, that Christ is with your spirit. Grace be with you, and you is plural. Grace is with you. It's a statement of fact. The condition of all saints is that Christ is in your spirit, and God's grace is with you.
This is all I have for the letters of Timothy. There are two more books, Titus and Philemon, before we get into Hebrews. Hebrews is the first book of what is known as the Jewish literature section of the Bible. It should be a great study.
2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God. The term inspiration of God is one Greek word that means God breathed. All scripture is God breathed, and is profitable for these four things:
For doctrine: That's the system of the Christian faith in doctrine.
For reproof: This is a legal term that means to present proof to the court to bring about a conviction. So, it means conviction. Present evidence to bring about a conviction.
For correction: It means to bring people and make them line up with the things of God. Correction is to get people back on the right path.
For instruction in righteousness: The word instruction doesn't come from anything about teaching. In fact, it comes from the word discipline. It means to discipline children.
So, the word of God, the scriptures, is profitable for disciplining people in righteousness. This is why Timothy can have confidence. Continue in the scriptures that you already have been raised on, and in your ministry, continue this confidence by using it for doctrine, for conviction, for correction, and for discipline.
We don't see it used very much in these areas because we don't want to offend anyone. But out of love, God wants us corrected if we're going down the wrong way. God through His word will bring conviction. And He will teach us the doctrines, especially of Paul, and of Christ.
2 Timothy 4:6 - For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
A slight technical thing I would like to share here: It says for I am now ready. In the Greek text, it says I am being poured out as a drink offering. So, it's not that he's about ready to give up his life as an offering for Christ. It shows that he's been doing that this whole time. His life is being poured out as an offering. And the time of his departure is at hand.
2 Timothy 4:7 - I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
It is interesting in Verse 7, and I think I've mentioned this in an earlier post, but it's fascinating. It comes from the Coliseum games. There are three things here, and as it says in the text, it represents Perfect Tense verbs. It says, I have fought a good fight. The word fought and fight is the word agony. I have agonized the good agony. That's the word used for the Coliseum games. I have finished the course; I have kept the faith:
So, you have one phrase representing the discipline and the agony of going through training and participating, and you have the actual course itself that he has finished his course. And he has kept the faith. He has kept the rules and regulations, and trusted Christ through it all.
2 Timothy 4:15 - Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
Of whom be thou aware also; The word ware means on guard, for he has greatly withstood our words. Watch out for this guy. He resists the words of God. And as he resisted me, he's going to resist you. There are two different Alexanders mentioned in scripture. One is in Acts Chapter 19, who confronted Paul in Ephesus when he was there. And of course, in 1 Timothy 1:20, we have another Alexander that Paul mentions who is teaching false teaching. So, it's one of these two. He's telling him watch out for him. Be on guard.
2 Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
We are in that time. The word sound (HUGIAINOUSES) is where we get our English word hygiene from, and it means healthy. People will not endure healthy doctrine. They want things to entertain them. But they will not endure sound doctrine. But after their own lusts shall they heap up to themselves teachers, having itching ears; The word itching means to tickle, and it's a Greek word that's associated with entertainment. They're going to go find somewhere that tickles their ears.
2 Timothy 4:5 - But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
He says, but you watch in all things. The word watch doesn't mean to look with the eyes. It means to be sober, to be alert. We're not talking about just alcoholic beverages, because he also has mentioned in his letters about being sober minded, that is, we can become drunk with the thoughts of the world. And our lives can be affected by the thoughts of the world, and it can overcome and influence us just like alcohol does. So be sober in all things. Be sober minded!
Endure afflictions, literally suffer afflictions. Do the work of an evangelist. Some people think this means to go out and preach to non-believers. But it's literally, do the work of someone proclaiming the good news. That's what evangelist means. Be a proclaimer of the good news. That includes non-believers and believers.
Then he says make full proof of your ministry. The term full proof means fully carry out. Fulfil your ministry. Don't hold back. Don't withdraw. Do the work of one who's handling the good news. Suffer afflictions. That's a command! And be sober in your thinking in all things.
2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Number 1, the command: Preach the word; Young pastors sometimes ask, "How do I start my church?" You start it and you continue it by preaching the word. Just give the word. If you preach the word and nobody gets ministered to, or nobody gets saved, sit down, you haven't been called!
We have too many that have not been called, and their ministry through the word does not minister to anyone, so they use other means to get people into their church. Preach the word! The word preach in Greek, KERUSO, means to publish, which would include both speaking and written word. Publish the word.
Be instant, or more literally, be ready. It's a military term. Be ready in season, and out of season; literally, during convenient times, and inconvenient times. Be ready all the time. Reprove is the word for convict, to present evidence for a conviction. Rebuke. Rebuke actually is to call someone out because of sin or false teaching.
And exhort. That's the word for encouragement. And you are to do all of these things with all longsuffering and doctrine. Again, longsuffering is slow in human reaction, and doctrine is the teaching of scripture. So, when he preaches, it's supposed to be with longsuffering and doctrine.
When he's ready in season and out of season, it's just longsuffering and doctrine. To convict, rebuke, and exhort, do it with longsuffering and doctrine. There isn't anything personal there. There isn't anything human there. That's how he is to minister. This is at a time in the last days. Be ready, be on guard. He's already told him to endure afflictions as a good soldier in Christ. Now he's telling him you're in the unit now, be ready!
2 Timothy 3:17 - That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
That the man of God may be perfect, and that means complete, mature, thoroughly furnished, which means totally trained for all good works. Again, the word good is the word AGATHOS, for spiritual good.
So, the scripture for doctrine, conviction, correction, and discipline in righteousness, is for maturity, and to train those to be ready for every good work. Peter says in 2 Peter 3:18, let us grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to grow, to become mature, to be thoroughly furnished to be involved in the work of God, especially in and against the great apostasy in the last days.
2 Timothy 4:1 - I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
He says I charge thee, literally I thoroughly testify, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
I used to read this and say to myself that this doesn't make much sense because it's obvious that dead people are not quick. But this word quick means the living.
2 Timothy 3:13 - But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Evil men and seducers shall wax, literally, shall advance worse and worse. Then we have what are called Modal Participles that tell us how they're going to advance worse and worse: By deceiving, and being deceived.
The people who are deceivers. It's not that they know the truth and they are trying to deceive people by telling them a lie. People who are deceived are deceiving others in sincerity with a deception that they believe is true, deceiving continuously, and continually being deceived.
2 Timothy 3:15 - And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The word child is BREPHOUS (infant or newborn). From an infant, you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
We saw in Chapter 1 that his mother and grandmother would read the scriptures to him since he was an infant. Through the reading and explanation of the scriptures, and when Paul came to town during his first missionary journey, Timothy received Christ.
The scriptures will make you wise unto salvation. It will tell you about salvation and the need to be saved. The NT message is that it's through faith which is in Christ Jesus. He says you been having the scriptures read to you since you were an infant, and through the knowledge of the scriptures, you have found salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, so he says remain in it. Don't leave off from it.
He experienced what Proverbs 22:6 says. His grandmother and mother were faithful and devoted Jewish women who eventually came to receive Christ, and then Timothy came to receive Christ. So, he's telling him in conduct and in condition, to follow Paul and the influence of his life. Keep following the scriptures. Keep learning. Keep reading. Remain in them!
2 Timothy 3:10 - But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
The term fully known means you have closely followed. You've been right there at my side with me. You know, number one, my doctrine. Now all of these words here in Verses 10 and 11 are marked by two things. Number one, each one has the definite article "the". And each one is marked by a personal pronoun "my." So, he has my doctrine, but all of them have "my." Paul is emphasizing the doctrine that belongs to me, the whole scope of all of my doctrine.
My manner of life. It's a Greek word that means to conduct yourself, to be led around running errands and taking care of business for the day. So, you've known my doctrine, you've known my manner of life, you know my whole purpose for living, you know my faith, you know my longsuffering.
Longsuffering, MAKROTHUMIA, means slow in human reaction towards other people. This is different than the word for patience. Patience means to remain under circumstances. Longsuffering applies to people. Sometimes it's both remain under your circumstances and be slow in reaction to other people.
The word charity is the word AGAPE, AGAPE love. You know my love. You know my patience. Here's the word for circumstances, to remain under. That's what patience means.
2 Timothy 3:12 - Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
How do you like that promise to claim? Literally, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. We live in a hostile environment. The worlds system is against those who belong to Christ. Satan, who is the god of this world, is hostile against God's people. So, we can expect that the physical world is not always going to cooperate with us.
So, concerning conduct, it is interesting that Paul wasn't just telling Timothy little bits and pieces of how to live his life. He basically used himself as an example.
I would surmise there are several reasons that Jesus at this point was switching His focus in ministry from healings and casting out demons to what apparently was His only way of speaking to the crowds at this point in parables. First of all most in Israel had seen firsthand if not actually directly experienced a miracle from Jesus personally; or the Disciples and others doing things in His Name. Secondly; the time for His death was near. The message had to transition as Jesus wouldn't be with anyone including His Disciples much longer and He had to probably focus most of His attention to them so that they would be able to continue afterwards. Thirdly; the consequence after the Resurrection would be the birth of the church at Pentecost; and it was important then and thereafter to have the Word firmly rooted in His followers as persecution was about to come big time.
In light of this last reason; the concept of tares with the wheat surely would be understood soon with the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. This would work to favor God's predestined plan for Jesus to die on the cross much to Satan's rage. I am reminded of verses such as Luke 9:62 about not turning back when working the plough. This means family and even certain church members can't be controlling or manipulating us and our love for the Lord must be paramount. I look at it as being having our eyes fixed on Him and focusing our lives on eternal truths and heavenly places; still caring when we can for those in our lives and whenever possible living peaceably. Jesus demonstrates these concepts in His own life and His admonitions to keep priorities straight. I would conclude as I often say that the biggest resistance is often in our own camp so to speak. If the enemy can cause havoc to divide the church or in our personal lives then he can damage our witness. Overall as we read the Gospels we see His love but also His constant boldness in exposing evil.
Is anyone else having problems navigating around this website? I am able to see posts but cannot view any of the threads. When I click on the box that says "view thread" a dialog box pops up for me to post a comment. Also, I can only view page 1. There is nothing at the bottom to go to page 2 or any other pages.
2 Timothy 4:16 - At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
He says at my first answer. That's the word APOLOGIA, which means apology or defense. No man stood with me, but all forsook me: As soon as they arrested him and brought him in for his first hearing, the brethren scattered. They didn't want to be associated with him.
We know that Onesiphorus specifically went to Rome looking for Paul and specifically wanted to find him and go be with him. There's a contrast in the brethren who were afraid and those who basically said "That's brother Paul. Let's minister to him!"
In my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me: I pray that it may not be laid to their charge. Paul says I pray that God will not hold the brethren accountable for deserting me. It was much like Jesus on the cross when He said Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
2 Timothy 4:22 - The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
The Lord Jesus Christ (is) with your spirit. The word "be" is in italics because the translators have inserted it. In the Greek text, it's a statement of fact. It is interesting that the Lord Jesus Christ is with your spirit, not your flesh, not your material items. Christ is in your spirit, your soul.
The word thy in thy spirit is singular. He's talking to Timothy but has closed other letters by saying the same thing to everyone, that Christ is with your spirit. Grace be with you, and you is plural. Grace is with you. It's a statement of fact. The condition of all saints is that Christ is in your spirit, and God's grace is with you.
This is all I have for the letters of Timothy. There are two more books, Titus and Philemon, before we get into Hebrews. Hebrews is the first book of what is known as the Jewish literature section of the Bible. It should be a great study.
May God bless and keep you all!
2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God. The term inspiration of God is one Greek word that means God breathed. All scripture is God breathed, and is profitable for these four things:
For doctrine: That's the system of the Christian faith in doctrine.
For reproof: This is a legal term that means to present proof to the court to bring about a conviction. So, it means conviction. Present evidence to bring about a conviction.
For correction: It means to bring people and make them line up with the things of God. Correction is to get people back on the right path.
For instruction in righteousness: The word instruction doesn't come from anything about teaching. In fact, it comes from the word discipline. It means to discipline children.
So, the word of God, the scriptures, is profitable for disciplining people in righteousness. This is why Timothy can have confidence. Continue in the scriptures that you already have been raised on, and in your ministry, continue this confidence by using it for doctrine, for conviction, for correction, and for discipline.
We don't see it used very much in these areas because we don't want to offend anyone. But out of love, God wants us corrected if we're going down the wrong way. God through His word will bring conviction. And He will teach us the doctrines, especially of Paul, and of Christ.
2 Timothy 4:6 - For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
A slight technical thing I would like to share here: It says for I am now ready. In the Greek text, it says I am being poured out as a drink offering. So, it's not that he's about ready to give up his life as an offering for Christ. It shows that he's been doing that this whole time. His life is being poured out as an offering. And the time of his departure is at hand.
2 Timothy 4:7 - I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
It is interesting in Verse 7, and I think I've mentioned this in an earlier post, but it's fascinating. It comes from the Coliseum games. There are three things here, and as it says in the text, it represents Perfect Tense verbs. It says, I have fought a good fight. The word fought and fight is the word agony. I have agonized the good agony. That's the word used for the Coliseum games. I have finished the course; I have kept the faith:
So, you have one phrase representing the discipline and the agony of going through training and participating, and you have the actual course itself that he has finished his course. And he has kept the faith. He has kept the rules and regulations, and trusted Christ through it all.
2 Timothy 4:15 - Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
Of whom be thou aware also; The word ware means on guard, for he has greatly withstood our words. Watch out for this guy. He resists the words of God. And as he resisted me, he's going to resist you. There are two different Alexanders mentioned in scripture. One is in Acts Chapter 19, who confronted Paul in Ephesus when he was there. And of course, in 1 Timothy 1:20, we have another Alexander that Paul mentions who is teaching false teaching. So, it's one of these two. He's telling him watch out for him. Be on guard.
2 Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
We are in that time. The word sound (HUGIAINOUSES) is where we get our English word hygiene from, and it means healthy. People will not endure healthy doctrine. They want things to entertain them. But they will not endure sound doctrine. But after their own lusts shall they heap up to themselves teachers, having itching ears; The word itching means to tickle, and it's a Greek word that's associated with entertainment. They're going to go find somewhere that tickles their ears.
2 Timothy 4:5 - But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
He says, but you watch in all things. The word watch doesn't mean to look with the eyes. It means to be sober, to be alert. We're not talking about just alcoholic beverages, because he also has mentioned in his letters about being sober minded, that is, we can become drunk with the thoughts of the world. And our lives can be affected by the thoughts of the world, and it can overcome and influence us just like alcohol does. So be sober in all things. Be sober minded!
Endure afflictions, literally suffer afflictions. Do the work of an evangelist. Some people think this means to go out and preach to non-believers. But it's literally, do the work of someone proclaiming the good news. That's what evangelist means. Be a proclaimer of the good news. That includes non-believers and believers.
Then he says make full proof of your ministry. The term full proof means fully carry out. Fulfil your ministry. Don't hold back. Don't withdraw. Do the work of one who's handling the good news. Suffer afflictions. That's a command! And be sober in your thinking in all things.
2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Number 1, the command: Preach the word; Young pastors sometimes ask, "How do I start my church?" You start it and you continue it by preaching the word. Just give the word. If you preach the word and nobody gets ministered to, or nobody gets saved, sit down, you haven't been called!
We have too many that have not been called, and their ministry through the word does not minister to anyone, so they use other means to get people into their church. Preach the word! The word preach in Greek, KERUSO, means to publish, which would include both speaking and written word. Publish the word.
Be instant, or more literally, be ready. It's a military term. Be ready in season, and out of season; literally, during convenient times, and inconvenient times. Be ready all the time. Reprove is the word for convict, to present evidence for a conviction. Rebuke. Rebuke actually is to call someone out because of sin or false teaching.
And exhort. That's the word for encouragement. And you are to do all of these things with all longsuffering and doctrine. Again, longsuffering is slow in human reaction, and doctrine is the teaching of scripture. So, when he preaches, it's supposed to be with longsuffering and doctrine.
When he's ready in season and out of season, it's just longsuffering and doctrine. To convict, rebuke, and exhort, do it with longsuffering and doctrine. There isn't anything personal there. There isn't anything human there. That's how he is to minister. This is at a time in the last days. Be ready, be on guard. He's already told him to endure afflictions as a good soldier in Christ. Now he's telling him you're in the unit now, be ready!
2 Timothy 3:17 - That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
That the man of God may be perfect, and that means complete, mature, thoroughly furnished, which means totally trained for all good works. Again, the word good is the word AGATHOS, for spiritual good.
So, the scripture for doctrine, conviction, correction, and discipline in righteousness, is for maturity, and to train those to be ready for every good work. Peter says in 2 Peter 3:18, let us grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to grow, to become mature, to be thoroughly furnished to be involved in the work of God, especially in and against the great apostasy in the last days.
2 Timothy 4:1 - I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
He says I charge thee, literally I thoroughly testify, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
I used to read this and say to myself that this doesn't make much sense because it's obvious that dead people are not quick. But this word quick means the living.
2 Timothy 3:13 - But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Evil men and seducers shall wax, literally, shall advance worse and worse. Then we have what are called Modal Participles that tell us how they're going to advance worse and worse: By deceiving, and being deceived.
The people who are deceivers. It's not that they know the truth and they are trying to deceive people by telling them a lie. People who are deceived are deceiving others in sincerity with a deception that they believe is true, deceiving continuously, and continually being deceived.
2 Timothy 3:15 - And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The word child is BREPHOUS (infant or newborn). From an infant, you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
We saw in Chapter 1 that his mother and grandmother would read the scriptures to him since he was an infant. Through the reading and explanation of the scriptures, and when Paul came to town during his first missionary journey, Timothy received Christ.
The scriptures will make you wise unto salvation. It will tell you about salvation and the need to be saved. The NT message is that it's through faith which is in Christ Jesus. He says you been having the scriptures read to you since you were an infant, and through the knowledge of the scriptures, you have found salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, so he says remain in it. Don't leave off from it.
He experienced what Proverbs 22:6 says. His grandmother and mother were faithful and devoted Jewish women who eventually came to receive Christ, and then Timothy came to receive Christ. So, he's telling him in conduct and in condition, to follow Paul and the influence of his life. Keep following the scriptures. Keep learning. Keep reading. Remain in them!
2 Timothy 3:10 - But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
The term fully known means you have closely followed. You've been right there at my side with me. You know, number one, my doctrine. Now all of these words here in Verses 10 and 11 are marked by two things. Number one, each one has the definite article "the". And each one is marked by a personal pronoun "my." So, he has my doctrine, but all of them have "my." Paul is emphasizing the doctrine that belongs to me, the whole scope of all of my doctrine.
My manner of life. It's a Greek word that means to conduct yourself, to be led around running errands and taking care of business for the day. So, you've known my doctrine, you've known my manner of life, you know my whole purpose for living, you know my faith, you know my longsuffering.
Longsuffering, MAKROTHUMIA, means slow in human reaction towards other people. This is different than the word for patience. Patience means to remain under circumstances. Longsuffering applies to people. Sometimes it's both remain under your circumstances and be slow in reaction to other people.
The word charity is the word AGAPE, AGAPE love. You know my love. You know my patience. Here's the word for circumstances, to remain under. That's what patience means.
2 Timothy 3:12 - Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
How do you like that promise to claim? Literally, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. We live in a hostile environment. The worlds system is against those who belong to Christ. Satan, who is the god of this world, is hostile against God's people. So, we can expect that the physical world is not always going to cooperate with us.
So, concerning conduct, it is interesting that Paul wasn't just telling Timothy little bits and pieces of how to live his life. He basically used himself as an example.
I would surmise there are several reasons that Jesus at this point was switching His focus in ministry from healings and casting out demons to what apparently was His only way of speaking to the crowds at this point in parables. First of all most in Israel had seen firsthand if not actually directly experienced a miracle from Jesus personally; or the Disciples and others doing things in His Name. Secondly; the time for His death was near. The message had to transition as Jesus wouldn't be with anyone including His Disciples much longer and He had to probably focus most of His attention to them so that they would be able to continue afterwards. Thirdly; the consequence after the Resurrection would be the birth of the church at Pentecost; and it was important then and thereafter to have the Word firmly rooted in His followers as persecution was about to come big time.
In light of this last reason; the concept of tares with the wheat surely would be understood soon with the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. This would work to favor God's predestined plan for Jesus to die on the cross much to Satan's rage. I am reminded of verses such as Luke 9:62 about not turning back when working the plough. This means family and even certain church members can't be controlling or manipulating us and our love for the Lord must be paramount. I look at it as being having our eyes fixed on Him and focusing our lives on eternal truths and heavenly places; still caring when we can for those in our lives and whenever possible living peaceably. Jesus demonstrates these concepts in His own life and His admonitions to keep priorities straight. I would conclude as I often say that the biggest resistance is often in our own camp so to speak. If the enemy can cause havoc to divide the church or in our personal lives then he can damage our witness. Overall as we read the Gospels we see His love but also His constant boldness in exposing evil.
Is anyone else having problems navigating around this website? I am able to see posts but cannot view any of the threads. When I click on the box that says "view thread" a dialog box pops up for me to post a comment. Also, I can only view page 1. There is nothing at the bottom to go to page 2 or any other pages.
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