Reading from 2 Timothy 4

Today's reading came from 2 Timothy 4.

These verses caught my attention: 1I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

We are to always be ready to preach God's word, and that readiness is to "in season and out of season". So that means ALL THE TIME. Not just when we think the time is right, but all the time.

What does readiness entail? Knowing God's word, trusting God's word, reliance upon God for the ability to preach (teach) his word, etc.

We know from earlier in 2 Timothy 3 that God's word is:

16All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Because of that we can use it to reprove, rebuke and exhort people to live the way that God wants them too. But we are not to do it with the attitude of "get on with it already". We are to be patient. We are to teach. Teaching means showing and explaining what God's word means.

Why do we do this? Why must we be ready to do this?

Because a time is coming when people won't want to hear sound doctrine taught. They will want to follow their own ears and thoughts. They will be itchy to learn, but not to learn the right stuff. They will follow their own interests and pursue myths and dreams.

This is not to change how we do things. We must remain the evangelists that God has called us to be. A sober minded people, willing to endure suffering for the sake of the gospel. We must have the heart to fulfill our mission and ministry.

I want to be able to say with Paul "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." This is why these words are so important.

I live (and you as well) in a day when these words are so true. People make up their own religions all the time. They really don't want to hear what God has to say, especially since it doesn't 'fit' with what is important to them. Things like "gay rights" within the church even are becoming so paramount.

I was looking at some literature the other day for a women's conference for our demonination....It bothered me. The topics that people will be listening to: the christian arguement for gay marriage, dreams, artistic expression in understanding the Old Testament, meditation and so forth. These are topics for a Christian women's conference? Hosted by our denomination? It makes me so sad and yet so infuriated that people don't stop and think about what it means to teach this stuff. It's like, but it's what we're interested in!

I want to say... so? What does this have to do with knowing and following after God and the things of God? Where does the interest of your heart truly lie?

Let us keep the faith.