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2 Timothy 4 - The Greatest Book Ever Written!

2 Timothy 4 - NIV Enduring Word Commentary 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your min istry. Paul continues to encourage Timothy to carry out his duties as the pastor of the church Ephesus. Paul reminds Timothy that ultimately he will be accountable to Jesus, when he returns to judge the living and the dead.  Therefore, Paul challeng...
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2 Timothy 3 - What is the Purpose of the Bible?

2 Timothy 3 - NIV Enduring Word Commentary 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. Many times throughout history Christians have felt like they were living in the " last days ". As we look at the traits which characterize people in the "last days", we observe these types of people living today. Paul gives a laundry list of traits which generally typify the sinful nature we have all inhabited from Adam. Then Paul says they have a form of godliness but denies its power. What does this mean?  This can be the case when people may seem godly on the outside but ...
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2 Timothy 2 - Grace Is the Fuel of the Christian Life!

2 Timothy 2 - Enduring Word Commentary The Appeal Renewed 2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Though "grace" is a gift, it doesn't mean we should be passive as we seek to live in it. Paul tells Timothy to be "strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." The apostle Peter said in his second letter to the church,  " grow in t...
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2 Timothy 1 - Guard the Deposit!

2 Timothy 1 - NIV Introduction to 2 Timothy - Insight for Living Enduring Word Commentary 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,  2 To Timothy, my dear son:  Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul gives his familiar opening greeting, although he adds " mercy " to " grace and peace ".  "Spurgeon used this verse, along with 1 Timothy 1:2 and Titus 1:4 to show that ministers need more mercy than others do. After all, in the beginning to his letters to churches in general, Paul only wrote grace and peace in his greeting." - Guzik Again Paul uses the term, " my dear son" , showing his fondness and affection for Timothy.    Thanksgiving 3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy...
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1 Timothy 6 - All I Needed to Know I Learned from Jesus!

1 Timothy 6 - Enduring Word Commentary 6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves. Paul addresses how slaves should treat their masters. Paul commanded them to respect their masters so that Christianity would not come under ill repute. If a slave has a master who is a Christian, they should not only not disrespect them but serve them better because they are a brother in Christ. This shows us that Christians were slave masters at this time in history.  The slavery in Jesus and Paul's day was different than the African slavery in our 20th century.  All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters wort...
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1 Timothy 5 - Is It Wrong for Christians to Drink?

1 Timothy 5 - NIV   Enduring Word Commentary 5 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. Paul continues his first letter to Timothy by lifting up different groups of people, and why they deserve special attention, respect, and honor. Specifically, he starts with those who are older, who we often call our elders. Every older man or woman they should treat as if they were their own mother or father. Given the Fourth Commandment is to honor your Father and Mother, we see how important this is.  Paul exhorts Timothy to treat his peers and people younger than him as brothers and sisters. Since we are all children of God and have been adopted into his family, that makes any believer your brother or sister in Christ. Paul adds that Timothy (and the other men) should treat their sisters with absolute purity. When Paul uses the term " purity ...
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1 Timothy 4 - Godliness Doesn't Happen Without Training!

1 Timothy 4 - NIV   4 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. Some of the false teachers were teaching a strict legalism in areas like marriage and food, yet not following the same rules they had set for others. They were teaching that things God created which brought pleasure to the body were by nature bad. Jesus taught that the things we put into our body are not what are bad, but those things which come out of our hearts.  Sure overeating, getting drunk...
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