Quick Thought for Meditation – Full Proof of thy Ministry – 2 Timothy 4:5

2 Timothy 4:5

“But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

The Apostle Paul here is speaking directly to young Timothy as a minister to minister but the lessons he teaches are not confined to the ministry.  We all should be careful in all the things we do so that we bring honor to our God.  Furthermore, we all have the duty of enduring afflictions and in doing so showing our dependence on the Lord.  It is the second half of this verse that make so many believe that the verse does not apply to them.  However, each believer does have a role as an evangelist and has a unique ministry to perform.  The work of the evangelist that we all have to do is to share the peace and mercy of God that is present in our lives.  We each should be a reflection of God’s grace to those around us.  When it comes to ministry it looks different for each believer, but the idea of ministry is that of service.  No matter our role in life we do have a place of service to those around us.  Therefore, let us all be faithful in these things in our service to the Lord.

Quick Thought for Meditation – In Season and Out of Season – 2 Timothy 4:2

2 Timothy 4:2

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”

Paul instructs Timothy as a minister to begin this fourth chapter that he is to be involved in the work of preaching the word at all times.  He should be either in preparation, actual delivery, or reflection upon delivery of the word of God in every season of his life not just those that lend themselves to these activities.  The difficulty for most ministers is the other obligations they face in life.  None of these obligations are bad, family, school, work, hospital visits, etc…, in and of themselves.  In fact a minister should be diligent to each and every duty.  However, those duties often take time away from study of the word.  A minister needs support and encouragement to fulfill Paul’s commandment as it was intended.

Quick Thought for Meditation – Mouth’s Stopped – Titus 1

Titus 1:11

“Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.”

Paul immediately makes it clear what he believes should happen to these men and that is that their mouth’s should be stopped.  In other words they should immediately lose their right to continue to talk to God’s people.  These men were sending whole households of believers into confusion and were profiting monetarily all the while.  Paul does not say that these men need patience or counsel as so many today would say.  Rather, he wants that they would be silenced immediately so as to not confuse any more of God’s children.

Quick Thought for Meditation – For There are Many – Titus 1

Titus 1:10

“For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:”

The unruly deceivers were not among the regular members of the church nor were they on the outside of the church but rather they were among those professing to be ministers or elders.  These that were calling themselves ministers were mixing together the laws of Moses with the truth of Jesus Christ and were doing damage to the new converts.  They were of those men who take on the role of being a minister in order to heap vain glory upon themselves and care little if at all for the actual truth of Jesus Christ.  Their preaching is centered upon deceiving the children of God that they might profit from it.  These men still exist today and in the next verse Paul will explain what he believes should happen to men like this.

Quick Thought for Meditation – Supporting the Ministry – Galatians 6

Galatians 6:6

“Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”

There are several key aspects to this verse in order to understand it correctly.  The first is the word “communicate” — in our modern culture we have reduced that word down to mean a transfer of information whether verbal or in writing.  But a larger sense of the word is “to give to another.”  That definition still holds true for a transfer of information but the definition is not limited to information and rather includes all manner of items.  The second key aspect is that you have two types of people included in this verse.  The first being the people that are taught in the word of God.  The second being the one that teaches.  Thus, the meaning of what Paul is writing is that those that are taught (the congregation) should give unto the one that teaches (the minister) in all good things.  Those things should include prayer, emotional support, study and engagement, and not to be overlooked physical and financial support.  If the Lord has blessed you with a minister that feeds you spiritually make sure that you support him in a manner that allows him to continue to study and feed you in the days to come.