2 Timothy 4: 1-8

Brother Gary delivered the message at church today. It was very eloquent and inspiring. I found it especially applicable to me this week. I take notes every week at church and I never do anything with them. This week, I decided I would blog about what I learned, the notes I took during service are in black and my comments are in red.

In Paul's last letter to his son, he encouraged him to Remain faithful and to finish what you started. He gave the following directions for accomplishing such a task.
1. Remain faithful
A. To the charge
-Preach the word
-convince (I was faced with this challenge this week. Someone told me Christians were stupid for believing in something that they could not prove and someone else talk me christians are lazy because we choose to pray for those that suffer instead of sending money or traveling (to Japan. I totally missed my chance because I find myself at a loss for words)
-rebuke
-exhort (preach with encouragement)
-endure affliction
-evangelism (lead people, tell them about Him, be busy about the task, simply tell/talk/share, the Holy Spirit does the rest (I love to talk, shouldn't this be easy?)
B. To the Truth
Desire the sincere milk of The Word (I really do, I want to learn more and more)
-Endured heart, hold up to what is right and stomach it, stand on it (I struggle with this as well, it is so much easier to believe what I want to rather than face the truth)
-Tuned ears
C. To the Lord
-His appearing (he will return) (How awesome/scary will that be? Why do I hope that I am with my girls when it happens? I only get nervous about it when I think about not being with my babies)
-His Kingdom
-His judgment
2. Finish Well
A. Departure (we are all going to die)
B. Journey
C. Reward (we don't serve to get a reward, we get a reward not because of what we've done but because of what He has done). I get it now, but I always thought that if you were "good" you went to heaven and if you were "bad" you went to hell.

Those that stand with Christ will be persecuted (as He was persecuted). Why? Why is it ok to call a christian stupid or lazy because of what we believe in? Am I prepared for the times when I really am persecuted? I don't feel like I am. What if I can't stand up for what I believe in? What if I falter? What if I am now?