Gary Gleans

Greet Priscila and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.     Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.     Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.     The ministry is always about people.  It is always amazing to see the number of people Paul knows and cares about. These partners in ministry are largely unknown but played a role in the advance of the Gospel and they are known by God.  The partnerships we forge in the Gospel are vital to the mission to which God has called us.   YOU GREET THEM FOR ME: Priscila and Aquila were a couple that left Corinth with Paul, stayed in Ephesus, helped correct Apollos before he went on to Corinth.  Apparently, they were still in Ephesus where Timothy was currently helping to establish the leadership of the church.  They were certainly an influential and important part of what God was doing there.  This is the second time Onesipho

At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me.   May it not be charged against them!    But   the Lord stood by me and   strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and   all the Gentiles might hear it. So   I was rescued   from the lion's mouth.    The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.   To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. During times of persecution and hardship we will often feel lonely and forgotten.  There may be times where it feels like the Lord has forgotten us or feels distant.  In these times it is important to remember that if the Lord feels distant it is not because He moved away from us but that we have moved away from Him.  As Paul faced imprisonment and anticipated his impending death; His faith in the Lord remained unwavering. PAUL FELT ABANDONED BY MEN’S COWARDACE IN THE PAST: It is hard to know to what historical event Paul was referring in this passag

Do your best to come to me soon.    For   Demas,   in love with   this present world,   has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.    Luke alone is with me. Get   Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.    Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.    When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.  Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm;   the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.    Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. There will be many people with whom we work throughout our ministry lives.  Some of those people will be a great blessing, others will disappoint, and still others will hurt us badly.  Paul is facing his final days on earth and is reflecting on the people in his life.  This personal letter to Timothy reveals what is going on in his heart and mind.  His thoughts give us insights as to what is truly importa

For   I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my   departure has come.    I have fought the good fight,   I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.    Henceforth there is   laid up for me   the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,   the righteous judge, will award to me on   that day, and not only to me but also to all   who have loved his appearing. There are many who start well, but only a few who end well.  Everyone wants to commence, continue, and conclude well; unfortunately, it is rare to actually do it.  Paul sets an example for which we all should aspire.  Even though he had a terrible start before salvation; the transformation God brought about in his life is astounding.  He gives us a great picture of what it looks like to finish strong. END WITH EXCELLECNE: Paul knows that his days are numbered and that the number is getting close to the end.  His life has been lived as an act of worship to the Lord and now that he is at the end, he refer

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,   who is to judge the living and the dead, and by   his appearing and his kingdom:   preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;   reprove, rebuke, and   exhort, with complete patience and teaching.    For the time is coming when people will not endure   sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and   will turn away from listening to the truth and   wander off into myths.    As for you,   always be sober-minded,   endure suffering, do the work of   an evangelist,   fulfill your ministry. Every occupation requires a job description.  Ministers in the last days must face the rebellious nature of the society armed with the authoritative and powerful Word of God.  The job requires that the Scriptures be preached with boldness even though people may not want to hear it.  The minister is called to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  Paul c

But as for you,   continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it  and how   from childhood you have been acquainted with   the sacred writings,   which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.    All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that   the man of God may be complete,   equipped   for every good work. The most effective deterrent to the rebellious culture in which we live is the Word of God.  It is important that the Word of God be etched into the hearts and minds of believers so they can stand against the effects of the world in which we live.  This passage presents an effective methodology for the study of God’s Word as well as an argument as to why we should bother to do so.  HOW TO STUDY GOD’S WORD: The first recommendation for studying God’s Word is to learn it.  The Bible is a big book with profound meaning tha

You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,   my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me   at Antioch,   at Iconium, and   at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet   from them all   the Lord rescued me.    Indeed, all who desire to   live a godly life in Christ Jesus   will be persecuted,   while   evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and   being deceived. More is caught than taught.  We learn more through observation than instruction.  In the previous passage, the conduct of the rebellious was exposed along with their certain judgment.  In contrast to the rebellious, Paul points to himself as a pattern worthy of emulation.  Certainly, Christ is the goal of every Christian, but we do not see Jesus in our daily lives.  We see one another and need to learn both positively and negatively from others. AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW: In contrast to the rebellious people of the “last days

But understand this, that   in the last days there will come times of difficulty.    For people will be   lovers of self,   lovers of money,   proud,   arrogant, abusive,   disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,   heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal,   not loving good, treacherous, reckless,   swollen with conceit,   lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,   having the appearance of godliness, but   denying its power.   Avoid such people.    For among them are   those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,   always learning and never able to   arrive at a knowledge of the truth.    Just as   Jannes and Jambres   opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth,   men corrupted in mind and   disqualified regarding the faith.  But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all,   as was that of those two men. The existence of injustice in this world is not a

Now in   a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay,   some for honorable use, some for dishonorable .   Therefore,   if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,   he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house,   ready for every good work.    So   flee   youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with   those who call on the Lord   from a pure heart.    Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant   controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.    And   the Lord's  servant  must not be quarrelsome but   kind to everyone,   able to teach, patiently enduring evil,   correcting his opponents   with gentleness. God   may perhaps grant them repentance   leading to a knowledge of the truth,   and they may come to their senses and escape from   the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. Excellence is something for which all ministers o