Dear Student of the Word,
It is with great pleasure that I start this new study focusing on Paul's second letter to Timothy. This is a short letter, so we will only study it for four weeks. Many believe that this was Paul's last letter, or at least the last one that we have. If that's true, then his word are important as are the last words of any great person. So let's be diligent during these four weeks and see what we can learn.
This week I wrote:
1:12 -- Paul was suffering but he was not ashamed of his testimony or the reaction to it. He had entrusted his work and his very existence to God. He knew that God would preserve his work in His sight until the last day and then Paul would be rewarded in full for his work. Paul was a man of faith, so he wasn't asking Timothy to do anything that he wasn't willing to do himself. Some leaders will do that and send followers where they are not willing to go. Paul wasn't one of them.
I think Paul was not only entrusting his work to God, but also the people impacted by Paul's ministry as well. What work or results of your work have you entrusted to God? Is there anything that doesn't look like it's yielding results, but God sent you to do it? Can you entrust the results to Him?
As I write this, I thought of these studies I have been writing for six years. Oh, how I would love to see them published! I get so discouraged that more people don't see them because I know they would help them in their Bible study. Yet I will continue to write, knowing that I have entrusted their results into His hands. Maybe they will be published next year, maybe after I'm dead and maybe never at all. That is up to God, and I will trust Him as to how He wants to use them or not use them.
You will find the studies to Corinthians, First Timothy and Mark's gospel on the site where this week's entry is posted. You can go to that site to sign up to receive each week's study or to post your comments.
Download this week's study: 2 Timothy Study 1.doc
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