October 25
Jer 48:1-49:22 | PS 95:1-96:13 | Prov 26:9-12 | 2 Tim 4:1-22
What is your greatest fear? For most it is death and illness. I see it daily in my practice. Others fear joblessness, not finding a spouse, not being able to have children, etc. Some will state they fear where they will be in eternity (though this is a minority). Yet, God has clearly stated in Scripture how one enters heaven, not by works, but by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Once repented, and accepted, there is no reason to fear this, as God has guaranteed this. My greatest fear is somehow doing something that would disqualify me from being used as God's vessel, and in the process hurting those that God has given me to truly love. Though eternity can be guaranteed since it is based on Jesus' perfect sacrifice, we continue to walk this earth in our imperfect flesh and we are immersed in this imperfect world. That is why we can never take our gaze off of Him. We cannot coast to the finish line. Discernment must continuously be sought as this walk on earth is long and difficult.
Paul stated what we all one day would like to say in 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith". What a beautiful legacy. What a final peace Paul must have had, despite being imprisoned in miserable conditions. He mentions some of those towards the end of the chapter who deserted him. We must consider the lack of peace they must have had after this. Paul gave these important instructions to Timothy in 4:2, 5, "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching... But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." You can almost hear Paul encouraging Timothy to never let his guard down, to fixate himself on God's word, the Bible, and in so doing to not be led astray.
We read in Jeremiah 48:10, "Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully,...". Many people in the church just coast through, remaining lukewarm (which Jesus strongly condemned in His words to the church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22). How often we give God our leftovers rather than the best of our time and devotion. We also read in 48:38, "...For I have broken Moab like a vessel in which is no pleasure,"...". We are God's earthen vessels, as Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:20, some will be used for honor, others for dishonor. Though there is nothing innately special in any of us, God chooses to use us, His imperfect vessels to accomplish His purpose on earth. Once coming into a relationship with Jesus Christ we want to maintain our Christ-centeredness. We want to leave behind a legacy of being Christ's ambassador, whether popular or not, so that one day we may be able to state the same thing Paul did as his life came to an end in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith".
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: