The Cost of Following Jesus | Pr Gloria Paul

You're listening to a message to go from acts church.

We hope this message will light up your day.

And so today's message we're going to go into second Timothy. Yeah.

And in fact, this book here could be I mean,

as we look at research, it could be one of

those last books that Timothy Paul wrote, and it was

at a state where he was actually not doing too good. Okay,

he was back in prison when he was writing this

letter to Timothy. It could have been his final words

to him as well, right, because he felt that he

may not come out of prison at this point. Okay,

So you can just imagine as you read this book

in what kind of situation he was trying to read it.

He was not having it all good, okay, but he

was going through trials, Okay, he was going through struggles,

and all he had is to just acknowledge that only

God can take me through this and no one else. Yeah.

So just sharing with you a bit of context here

to understand where Paul is coming in, what kind of

shoes you know is coming from, and you know that

it carries so much of weight because it could be

one of his final words.

Yeah.

And so when I was just studying this book. I

got me thinking, you know that if I was in

Paul's situation, Okay, when we know that it's our final

days again and we have a final letter to write

or a message to write, what we write about, what

we think about, okay, and what would matter to us okay,

And sometimes it just puts things into perspective when we

know or realize that this is all I have. Again,

that was Paul's situation as well. Yeah, and do it

was his final days or one of his final letters,

he still had Timothy in mind, okay. And that is

the heart of discipleship. It was the whole thing about

doing life. It was not just another thing to check

right or another task to be completed, right, but it

was also but it was just so part of him.

You know that he loved Timothy as his son. Yeah,

and he wanted to just give that final message to

encourage him. Right. So if you have your Bibles, okay,

you can just prepare by turning it to first Timothy, sorry,

second Timothy. Yeah. And the title of today's message is

the course of following Jesus. Yeah, the course of following Jesus.

There is a price for us to pay to follow Jesus.

Yeah.

And I think it's something that we don't talk about often, okay,

because we all like, of course, good days, blessings and

those are a short right, but we know that in

order to follow Christ, okay, in order to follow Jesus,

we've got to carry our across. Yeah, And there is

a price to pay. And I would say it's it's

it's better that we know it earlier in our life

than to be caught surprise later on, to think that, oh,

it's going to be all good and then your surprised. Yeah.

And I think it just prepares our hearts as well,

that when we go through trials, when we go through

tough situations, it's just part of life, okay, and it

just brings us to a closer dependent with God. Yeah.

And so when we look at the life of Paul okay,

with the missions he did he did, of course, he

had his fair share of pushback, right. He had his

season of wanting to be against God and against God's people,

but he had a turning point, right, and then he realized, Okay,

this is the true God. And ever since then he

went on Okay, he went on pursuing God's work, his ministry,

and at the same time though he was doing a

lot that was persistent challenges and suffering that he had

to face. Yem. So, you know, when we look at

this whole Second Timothy, the first Timothy was very much

about giving some guide guidelines and warning to Timothy about

how do you need to take care of the church.

Don't lose out your calling, right, he was telling all

of this. And in the Second Timothy here he reminds,

you know, Timothy about holding on to your call and

not losing it. Okay, holding on to your faith. Right.

So I'm going to draw us to three main points

that we can take on from Second Timothy, and then

we will read a couple of scriptures to understand ym

So the first point that we can see as you

read chapter one here, it's that Paul was reminding Timothy

to accept his calling. Tender person next to you and

tell them accept your calling. Okay, how many of if

you know that you are called, no one, how many

of you know that you are called you have a

calling in your life. If you're seated here, you have

a calling in your life. Right. It's not about whether

I'm just standing in the front. Therefore I have a

calling Okay, it's just being a child of God is

a calling, being His instrument in the marketplace, in the school.

The moment you talk about Christ, you have a calling.

The moment you said I received Jesus as my personal

Lord and Savior. Remember, you have a calling. You have

a calling to live this life for him. Yeah. And

so in this chapter here Paul reminds Timothy. Firstly, it

starts off, Okay, let's just read this chapter together. Yeah. First, Second,

Timothy chapter one, Okay, it says, Yeah, Paul, an apostle

of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, according to

the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus to Timothy,

a beloved son, Grace, mercy and peace from God the

Father and Christ, Jesus our Lord. I thank God whom

myself with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as

without ceasing, I remember you in my prayers night and day,

greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears,

that I may be filled with joy when I call

to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which

dwell first in your grandmother Lewis and your mother Eunice.

And I am persuaded is in you. Also. Therefore, I

remind you to stir up the gift of God which

is in you, true the laying on of my hands.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of power and of love and of sound mind

a man. So this first portion of the chapter, Paul

acknowledges the fact that you know he is his son. Okay,

he prays for him diligently. This is what we see

what discipleship is all about. We pray for each other, okay,

not just having a meal together, okay, but you are

truly remembering the person in prayer. Again, that is what

Paul was doing here. And then he talks about the

generation that Timothy came from. So Timothy was this guy

who was very faithful serving the church, though it was

not an easy church, the Church of Ephesus. There were

a lot of false teachers, you know, a lot of

situations that were going on. But yet Timothy held on

to his calling right. And so he acknowledges that it's

because of the generation that he came from his grandmother,

his mother, okay, and therefore it was passed on to

him as well. And I think what this reminds us

of is that some of us here may have that

privilege to be in such generation. Okay, maybe you have

parents in ministry and then you take it on of

your scene, your father, your mother's serving and then you

catch it. Right. For our parents here, you play a

very big part in building the next generation, right, the

prayers that we say to our kids, and that's why

we believe in our children, because these are the coming

generation that will lead and do his work. Yeah. And

so Timothy caught it because he had family that believed

in him, all right, who served God, and therefore he

caught it as well. Okay, And so good on you

for those of you who have that ability to see

someone serving, you know, and catching it on. But what

Paul reminds Timothy here is not to take it for granted, right,

just because you come from that generation. Yes, you're grateful

and you have that faith in you, but you've got

to also God your faith, okay. And so in this

version when we read KJV, it says, yeah, I remind

you to stir up the gift of God which is

in you. Okay. So the thing about our faith is

that it cannot just because I believe God at the

age of twelve years old or the age of twenty.

It doesn't mean that it's assured always. I mean, yes,

God promises tends, but we've got to do our part

to keep our faith going. Yeah. So what we can

see here is that you may come from a Christian family,

you may believe you know the word, but it is

an ongoing process to stir up your faith. Yeah. Or

you may not come from a you know, a Christian

family and you have caught it. Well, then it's the

same thing. We've still got to stir our faith. Some

version says to flame our faith, okay, to keep going,

to keep putting. If the fire has to burn, if

you go for a camp, the fire won't just burn

by itself, right, you have to keep it burning. The

moment that's no one there, the fire goes off. Yeah,

And so the same thing is with our faith. We've

got to keep our fire burning. Right. In fact, if

I may ask all of us this morning, how are

you keeping your faith stirred up all the time? Okay?

Because if you don't, it can feel like I'm stagnant. Okay,

you can feel like, what's the point of believing God?

I'm waiting and nothing happening. Right. But you've got to feel.

You've got to read the word of God, you've got

to speak to each other, you've got to be involved

in church. Right. You have to have the constant communication

with God. Right. And so Paul starts off the letter

with that, Okay, to stir up the gift of God.

So most of us here have gifts and talents and abilities.

But don't just keep it. Whatever you keep too long,

you won't be able to use it after a while. Okay.

I remember passing the Kenned was sharing his story about

his journey towards healing, and because he couldn't walk for

a while, he kind of forgot how to move his

leg to walk. Okay. And it's just a reminder of

how sometimes when we keep something too long without movement it,

we just don't know how to use it. I can

sing well, but now I just don't know how to sing.

I don't know how to dance anymore, right because I

don't do it. Yeah, I don't do it. So it's

about stirring. You know, God is there, It promises yes

and amen. But if you don't speak to him, it

becomes harder to speak to him. It's like I am

I good enough to come before God?

Right?

We have that that doubts then, But if it's just

something you do constantly, it's natural. Whether it's your updownce

up times or your downtimes, you will still go to God. Right.

So remember Church, stir up your faith. Turn the person

next you tell him, stir up your faith. Okay. Sometimes

you need each other to stir up as well. If

you see someone's a bit too quiet and staatenant, okay,

come on, wake up, okay, wake up, because we need

to keep our fate going right. So that's the first

part that he tells to Timothy. Okay, And then, of

course the scripture that we often go to. It says

that I've not God has not given us a spirit

off fear, but of power, love and sound mind. Remember

God has given us a sound mind. So whenever you

find yourself feeling too anxious, too troubled, too fearful, it's

not from God. Okay, it's just the way our human

minds are. We tend to think miles away before something

even happens, right, But it's good to come back and

ask God, God give me a sound mind. If you're

having difficulty to rest to sleep. Ask the Lord he

gives you. Restress comes from him. Yeah, so he has

given you a sound mind. Amen. And then it goes

on in this same chapter where he talks about not

to be ashamed of the Gospel.

Right.

And Paul is telling this because not just because it

was just a warning that he was trying to give Timothy,

but it was because he was going through that at

that point of life. Okay, some people was very shy

to acknowledge Paul because, Okay, this is the guy who

was sent to prison because he spoke so much about God.

So I don't want to be his friend. Okay, that

he was what he was facing. He was losing a

lot of friends at this point. Not many people came

and visited him at the prison, and that is why

he was acknowledging one of the guy's name in the

Bible that you'll go through later, that he came and

saw him frequently. Right. And so you know, sometimes following

Christ can just mean this. You might lose people, right,

because you are pursuing the things of God and not

the things of the world. Yeah, but what Paul reminds

Timothy here is to not be a shame of the

Gospel of God. And so if God is going to

call you today to bring his gospel, are we ready? Right?

Are we ready? Or is it? The first thing that

we think about is, Hey, what are they going to

think about me when I say I'm a Christian? When

I say talk about the gospel. Yeah, these things are

sometimes a good heart check to ask ourselves whether are

we ready? Because if we know the word of God,

and we know the power of God's word, why are

we sometimes so hesitant to talk about it to othersts? Yeah? So,

do not be a shame of the Gospel of God. Amen? Right?

And in this same chapter here Paul reminds Timothy to

hold on to his faith. Right now, let's read the

remaining scriptures here. Okay, From verses eight, chapter one, Therefore,

do not be a shame of the testimony of our Lord,

nor of me He's prisoner. But share with me in

the sufferings for the Gospel according to the power of God.

Now let's move on to verses thirteen. It says, hold

fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard

from me in faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus,

that good thing which was committed to you. Keep by

the Holy Spirit who dwellsinus this you know that all

those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom

are the two names he mentions here. I'm not going

to try to pronounce it. The Lord grant mercy to

the household of Monte Cyprus. Okay, this is the guy

who kept visiting him, for he often refreshed me and

was not ashamed of my chain. But when he arrived

in Rome, he sought me out very zealiously and found me.

The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy

from the Lord in the day. And you know very

well how many he ministered to me at Ephesus. Yeah.

So what we can catch from this portion of scripture

here is that he's telling to Timothy to hold on

to your faith, to hold on to the pattern of

sound words. Right, because when trials hits you, what's the

first thing that's going to help you. Is it talking

to a friend or remembering God's word, remembering a teaching

that you heard from a sermon or from a fellow

believer okay who told you that if you're not fear,

the Lord is with you, or like what we read this, now,

God has given you a sound mind. Yeah, these are

the things that you need. These are the tools that

you've got to go back to as children of God. Right,

it's not about you know, only when life hits you

then you start reading the word of God. I don't

think anyone who is not in the right mind. Maybe

that's not the first thing that you do. But when

in your good days you're already filling your heart and

your thoughts with God's word, the first action that you'll

take when something hits you is to remember God's promises. Right,

remember God's promises. So for those who are here, can

you at least recall five scriptures? And you want to

take up the challenge five memory versus? Maybe the kids

can win in this five memory versus. You know that

when something comes you know, and you are go into

your trouble, you will recall that scripture.

Any takers, beware, beware of the ease of the said

diuces and the Pharisees.

Okay, so how does this scripture?

Don't follow the worldly things? Follow the word of God? Man.

Okay, that's good. So something to guide you our future

creature anyone else. Any other scripture that you can is

top of your mind that encourages your minds are just

blank to elie for all this. Okay, I'm just encouraging

you to remember, Okay, remembering the Word of God. It's

so important. Yeah, it's so important because when life hits you,

that's the first thing that you need, not another quote

from social media. All Right, it may sound nice to listen,

but what is true and what works is only through

the Word of God. Yeah. So remember, So this is

what he's trying to tell Timothy, to hold on to

your faith, good thing that was committed to you. And

so Paul was just reminding Timothy. Remember we have been

journeying together. They have been decided ship. Right, I've spoken

to you these words, I've encouraged you, I've prayed for you.

Try to recall those things. Okay. So you was trying

to remind Timothy of all this. And it says in

verse fourteen that good thing which was committed to you

keep by the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. So

we need the Holy Spirit and we need the Word

of God.

Yeah.

Every Sunday we are listening to messages. Okay, but the

real hard check is how am I bringing that Sunday

message to my week? Okay? When I walk into school,

when I walk into my office, Can I apply that?

Right?

Can I apply that to someone and I'm speaking to

or the way I make decisions? Because if not, it's

just going to be a hate knowledge.

Right.

It feels nice to listen on a Sunday, but what

am I doing for the week to come? Right? So

always learn to apply your word. I always remember, I

always believe that God's word is very practical. Again, that

is how if you read even this example of Paul

and Timothy, it's meant to be leaving out Timothy. Paul

show Timothy how to live by living out his life.

He was a testimony. He was not just all speaking

because just because he was a good teacher, right, but

he led his life that way so that Timothy had

a role model. So the same thing it is with

us when we disciple others, when we walk with others.

Are we a living testimony? Right? Are we a living testimony? Yeah?

So hold on hold on to the pattern of wholesome

teaching and God the precious truth. All right, God, the

precious truth. You know, the enemy is very quick to

take that truth away from us.

You know.

The when we are in a situation, what influences our decisions.

Is either the truth that we hold on to or

the lie of the enemy. It's either one. Yeah, it's

either one. And because the enemy knows that as children

of God, we have this you know, word which cannot

you know, and he knows that his future is determined

by the word of God as well. And that is

why he tries to rob that from us. So can

you see how sometimes why is it easy for us

to be disappointed very quickly, right, or to feel so

half fartted on things? Because he tries to mess with

our thoughts, all right, And that is why we need

to hold on to our faith. Don't let anyone take

it away from you, even friends who don't believe, you know,

just say why you all Jesus all the time. Don't

allow anyone to take that from you. Yeah, you are

a child of God. Be proud about it and speak

his word. Amen. Yeah. And then as we go on

into the same book, we can see that Paul reminds Timothy.

Here the third point is to stand strong with the

grace of Jesus. Yeah, to stand strong with the grace

of Jesus. So he builds the foundation here he says,

remember the word of God. Remember your relationship with him.

Don't take your faith for granted. You know why, because

and all these things that are going to happen, struggles,

you need the grace of God. You need his strength. Yeah.

So that's the third point here that we can see. Okay,

let's just read some scriptures here from chapter two Second Timothy,

Chapter two. Okay, it says from verse one, you, therefore,

my son, be strong in the grace that is in

Christ Jesus and the things that you have heard from

me among many witnesses. Commit this to faithful men who

will be able to teach others. Also, you therefore must

endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No

one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of

this life, that he may please him who enlisted him

as a soldier. And also, if anyone competes in athletics,

he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

The hard working farmer must be first to partake of

the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord

give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ,

of the seed of David, was raised from the dead

according to my gospel, for which I suffered trouble as

an evil doer, even to the point of change. But

the word of God is not changed. Therefore I endure

all things for the sake of the elect, and that

they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ

Jesus with eternal glory. This is a faithful saying, for

if we died with him, we shall also leave with him.

If we endure, we shall also reign with him. If

we deny him, he also will deny us. If we

are faithless. He remains faithful. He cannot deny himself a man.

There's a lot of points to take on from this chapter. Yeah.

The first thing that Paul reminds Timothy is to pass

on this truth to others. That is how the word

of God shouldn't work. Okay, when you catch it, when

you experience the goodness of it, don't keep it to yourself,

but pass it on. In fact, that is discipleship. Okay,

you don't just stay there, but you pass on and

you raise artists as well. Yeah, and then he goes

on by talking about being a good soldier. So he

uses tree examples here, right, He use an example of

a soldier. He uses an example of you know, a farmer, okay,

and as someone who is in the spots. Right. So

if you look at all these tree examples here, okay,

canyone tell me what is that one thing, one common

thing that they should all have to succeed. Discipline, very

good commitment, yes, sincere being sincere. Yeah, all right, there's

the reason why Paul uses this example, Okay, because he

says soldier, because if you're going to think about the

affairs of the people, you can never get you know,

get things done. We have a ex military, right you

would know. Yeah, So you need to keep your mind

on the right thing. Yeah. And if you're talking about

an athlete, you can't win the championship if you're going

to look at left and right, okay, or if you're

going to break the rules and think that you're going

to take a shortcut okay, if you get caught, you

can't join the competition anymore. Right. And of course a farmer,

you should be the first to enjoy your crops, right

and so meaning to be able to show up. Yeah.

And so the one thing that they have in common

is to, like you said, discipline, committed, to keep your

mind on the game, right, to keep your mind on

the game. The moment you lose track, you forget what's

important in life. Yeah, I'm not sure if you have

all watched all these kind of shows on police shows,

all the FBI and all that. I think the one

that's going on in Netflix is Rookie. Rookie is the Yes, Okay,

those have watched Data. I enjoy watching it because you

get to see how they solve things. Right. It's all action.

But there will be moments right that you'll see these

police officers that they will get emotional, like if only

I didn't, you know, tell this person to go, they

wouldn't have caught right, or they wouldn't have got into

this crime issue. Then another police office officer will tell them, hey,

get your hat straight, because if you don't focus, you're

not able to help this you know this victims. Yeah,

and they keep reminding each other if you watch this

show's right, it's because you've got to put your hit

on the game. Okay. You may have families, you may

have personal things to look into, but if you're called

to be a police to see if the nation, then

you've got to do what's right. Yeah, and so He

uses this example here that sometimes we can get so

wavered by things, emotions, struggles, and people's opinions. But then

that's gonna get us out track. We would lose our focus. Yeah,

we would lose our focus. So we have to get

ourselves back our mind. Our mind is the greatest battlefield. Okay,

you can ask anyone out there, especially if you're there

doing physical activities out it's the mind. You can ask

any spotsman. It's the mind first. If you can't tackle this,

then you're just no point. No matter how much muscles

you have, how many muscles you have, Ah, You're not

just gonna do it right. It's all about your mind.

And that is why Paul reminds Timothya that God has

given you a sound mind, a sound mind. Right, So

how sound our minds are?

Right?

How sound our minds are? How focused are we in life?

Because we can have they can have. There's a lot

of distractions around us, right, There are a lot of

distractions around us, and we are living in that. Those

times you just go click with your phone, so many opinions,

so many thoughts. How are we then going to listen

to God's voice? How we're then going to pursue his work,

because come on, guys, God is coming. His time is coming, right,

Jesus is coming for all of us. And if you

think about all that's happening around us, it's not always

good news, right every other day when you watch the news,

and the only one that can save is God himself.

So you've got to not stop preaching God's with We

shouldn't stop saying that, hey, there's hope in a world

that seems to be hopeless. Right, and if you and

I don't bring that gospel, who is going to do that?

We're just going to remain then yep, So let's get

back our mind on the game. Turn to a person

next to you. Get your mind on the game. Okay,

get your mind on the game. And sometimes it's about

just changing small habits, right, small habits. How you manage

your time. Who are you spending your time with? Who

are you constantly talking with? Some people can just be

wasting your time. Conversations that you're having toxic are you

gossiping with others? Those things are not necessary, right, They

talk about things. It helps you grow. It's word like

they say, the person you become are the five people

that you always mix around with who are your five

closest people of friends that you communicate? Do they help

you grow? Do they bring you closer to God? Do

they remind you of your ability, your potential? Or are

they there to bring you down? Yeah, it's time to

choose your friends wisely, It's time to choose what you

read every day, because what you consume is what you become. Yeah,

so remember that. Then he goes on here in this

same chapter, okay, where he talks about the Word of

God cannot be changed. Okay, So he uses this example, okay,

where he says in verses nine, as we read this

now for which I suffer trouble as an evil doer,

even to the point of change. But the Word of

God is not chained. And so he gives us this

example of his life. He went he's you know, persecution

because of what he did. But then again, the word

of God is not changed. It's able to set us free,

is to break every other chain in our lives. And

so it doesn't matter what your past would have been, Okay,

your past choices, you know, maybe the generation that you

came from, all those things can be broken because you

are a child of God. You are chosen by him.

Always remember that, never allow anyone to take that identity

from you. Yeah, the word of God has so much power.

It is not chained. So if you just declare the

word of God, you can imagine what it had it does.

Don't just play along, I mean, don't just be very

careful with your the words that we speak, because it

carries weight. Yeah, it carries weight, the same thing how

we speak with people. We can either bring each other

closer towards or we can draw apart the choices in

our hands. Okay, so let's be wise with how we

speak and declare the word of God. Amen. And then

as we read on earlier, you know, in verses eleven,

we can see that this is what it means to

be faithful. Right, this is what means to be faithful

where he says him. For if we died with him,

we shall also leave with him. Okay, what does dying

with him means? Canyone tell me died to yourself? Dying

to yourself means being humble, Yes, giving up what I

think is right all the time, my ego right. And

that is when we can leave with him, Because the

more we get rid of ourselves, the more we are

making space to experience God. Right, and then it goes

on saying, if we endure, we shall also reign with him.

So can I say, don't give up. Turn to the

person next to you, do not give up. Let's keep enduring, okay,

Let's keep enduring this rays of life. Though it can

feel tiring sometimes, okay, doing ministry or you know, you know,

serving others, it can get tiring, right, But God is

there with us, okay, and if we keep enduring, we

will reign with him. That should be our end goal. Yeah,

that should always be our end goal. He says. Here,

if we deny him, he also will deny us. And

I think none of us would want that for him himself,

denying us when we see him, right, would the respond

be good and faithful servant. I'm sure we all want that,

And that's something we've got to work now. The salvation

is a short but the relationship has to constantly be built. Yeah,

So let us draw with him, and he says he

if you are faithless, he remains faithful to God be

self right. As humans, we can fail, we can forget.

We are all sinners, you know, in our own ways,

but He is still faithful. So whenever you feel you're

too far away from him, quickly run back to him.

Don't go even further, don't hesitate to speak to him,

because he's always there, faithful. He's not going to say, okay,

just because you're not spoken to me, I'm not going

to speak to you. That's not God. Our God is

always there, the only one that remains him. He cannot

deny himself. This is what it means to carry the cross.

Does it sound easy?

No?

But is it possible? Yes? True God, right, true God.

And the moment you start to catch this, especially when

you're a younger person, you will leave a more fulfilled

life because then you know what matters. Right, You're not

just running around like a lost chicken wondering. You know

what is important? I need this, I need that everything,

but what matters? And that's why sometimes people wish to

a certain level of their lives. You know where they

have it all, they have money, possessions and everything. But

yet why am I leaving? Have you heard of people

like that I've come across? What's the purpose? Why am

I still not happy? Well that's because we have not

cotton the core of it, which is to remain in

God first, to get rid of ourselves so that we

can endure Him to the fullness. Yeah. So when you

go through trials, when you go through waiting seasons, remember

God has not forgotten you. Right, God, God never make mistakes.

Nothing is in coincidence in the eyes of God. He

always has the best short for each one of us.

But it's just that we're all in different seasons of

our lives. Yeah, and He will take us through. Amen.

And as we you know, come towards the final part

of chapter two. Okay, he talks about being an approved

and a disapproved worker. Okay. So in this portion of

the scripture, okay, he reminds us about, you know, doing

things that are right in the eyes of God. Let's

read Versus fourteen on words. Okay, it says remind them

of these things, charging them before the Lord not to

strive about words to no profit to the ruin of

the hearers. So meaning, choose what you get to want

to engage in. Okay. If it's not worth talking about,

if it's not worth arguing, then don't do that. Be

diligent to present yourself approved God, a worker who does

not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of God.

But shun profane and ideal babelings, for they will increase

to more ungodliness, and the men say should spread like cancer.

So he was giving this example because there were people

during that time in the church where they were doing

such things, talking unnecessary things, trying to cause chaos in

the church, confusion. So you're trying to warn them. Yeah,

and then it goes on. Okay, let's look at okay

Versus nineteen. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands having

this seal. The Lord knows those who are his, and

let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

But in a great house, okay, Jesus this example in

Verses twenty. But in a great house there are not

only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood

and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore,

if anyone cleanses himself from the letter, he will be

a vessel for honor, centified, useful for the Master, prepared

for every good work. So as we go into this chapter,

it's reminding Timothy about guiding your hearts, doing what is right,

and keeping from evil, keeping away from last ful desires. Yeah,

and so use this example that in our house you

will find gold and silver plates, okay, and treasure, but

at the same time you will see wooden plates clay plates. Yeah.

By the end of the day, two of it has

its own function. The one that is made of gold

and silver are used for royal okay, it's used for

more important matters, whereas the one that is made of

wooden or clay, it's for just things that are not

so important. So what he's trying to tell you us

here is that we have a choice. Yeah, we have

a choice. You either want to be the one that

is of importance, right, or do you want to just

be sitty there. Yes, you have a place in the house,

but you don't carry any value, right, You don't carry

any value. So it's a choice that we have. It's

not about being in between. It's not about just going

with what I like, But it's about how we carry ourselves.

Because a thing is seen as something pure or something

valuable because it has gone through its refining process, it

has the why, it has a value to it, you

spend more money to purchase it. Yeah, But the other

one may be cheaper because there's not much time put

into it and therefore anyone it's available to anyone. Right,

And so what this example or analogy is used, what

is it used for? It is it just show us

how are we presenting ourselves? So if God is going

to enter this house today, which category are we going

to fall under? Are we found as the gold and

silver like what the Bible says? Okay, where we are pure,

a blameless. Our lives are a pleasing example. Right, we

don't engage in last fool you know, last fool thoughts?

Or are we the other? Because God will choose the

one that is pure? Okay, and you've got us an

assignment for us today. Okay, First, he wants to see

our hearts. It's not just the outward appearance, but it's

about how we carry ourselves. Yeah, how we carry ourselves.

And that's why he uses this example of being an

approved or a disapproved worker. So everyone is going to

be there, but who is the one that is going

to hand pick to be used?

Yeah?

And so God is gonna call us today our answers.

Is it going to be like okay, I just need

to be more time to get things right, or can

be straight away say yes I'm ready. Let me just

take up this call, because I hope it is the

second one where we can just say, yes, I'm ready,

let's go. Because if there's things to work on, do

it today. Don't wait when you're older, don't wait when

Let me enjoy all I can first, then I come.

That's not how life works because you don't know when

the day would come. Right, Let's seize the moment. Can

we be prepared all the time, because that is what

Paul tells Timothy here, because you will never know what

comes tomorrow, so let's be ready. Let's be ready all

the time. Yeah, the coming of Jesus is something that

we'll never know. And if he shows up, the question

I always ask myself is are we ready? Right? Are

we ready? If you're not, then let's do something about it.

Whether it's forgiveness, ready to forgive someone, whether it's asking

forgiveness from God, or changing our life choices, our decisions,

our lifestyle, or like what we read, getting rid of

certain things that are not right in the eyes of God.

What is it so that there's nothing that is stopping

us from answering the call of God? Yeah, answering the

call of God. So the choice is ours at the

end of the day to be clean and to be

ready and be used by God. Yeah. And if you can,

if you have the time, you can read on the

rest of the chapter here okay where he lists out

a couple of things that shouldn't be in our lives. Yeah,

where he talks about flee from you, youthful last okay,

But pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call

on the Lord out of a pure heart. That is

what God is looking for, Not to please men, not

to look good in front of others, but the heart.

So our prayer every day should be God, give me

clean hand, to come before you with clean hands and

a pure heart.

Right.

It is a prayer that I've learned to say every

other day. Now it becomes a habit. We'll say, God

renew my mind, okay, out of the things that sometimes

you know, because we listen to a lot of things,

it it tends to influence the way we think. So

God renewed my mind. My eyes, Help me to see

my surrounding the way you want me to see. Help

me to see your people the way you want me

to see them, to love them. My years to listen

to your voice and to shut down every other noises

that are necessary my mouth, to speak your word, your

truth with boldness, my heart to be pure. So there's

any kind of evil thoughts, any kind of unforgiveness, would

you get rid of it? That's how we have to

start our day every other day, so that we're starting

it right and we're coming right before God, building alter

before him. Yeah, and so that's something that we've got

to learn to do and cultivate it as a lifestyle. Yeah.

It's not about doing it one day and then get

it's right all the time. But it's a constant journey it. Man,

are we catching something here? Yes? All right? If you

see your friend dozing off nuts them, okay, yes. And

so as we come to a you know, a close

towards this message, right towards the end here, Okay. What

Paul reminds Timothy is to be prepared.

Right.

Let's look at Versus chapter four, Okay, Versus two. It says,

preach the word be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke,

exhort with all long suffering and teaching. For the time

will come when they will endure sound doctrine. But they

will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires.

Because they have itching years, they will hip up for

themselves teachers, and they will turn their years away from

the truth and be turned aside to fables. But you

be watchful in all things and your afflictions. Do the

work of an evangelist and fulfill your ministry. Amen. So

preach the word Church, Yes, presh the word. Be ready

in season and out of season. Yeah. Do not be

caught hoff guard when you're told to share. Just be prepared. Okay.

What is that to be hesitan about? That's always something

I think about when someone asks for favor or to help.

You know, why am I hesitan about? Especially when it

comes with things of God? Right, because we don't have

much time. Okay, I mean I say time, not talking

about just the twenty four hours, but the time of

Jesus coming. That should always be our focus, right, and

that's how we will live our lives as well.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

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this week is going to be a good week ahead

for you. God bless