Note for 2024/08/09

Audio version of the Note of the Day available on SoundCloud at: https://on.soundcloud.com/PYpkafPW9yiFQ1MT7

The House of Bread · Note For 20240809 - 2 Timothy 21 - 26 KJV - Be Strong

2 Timothy 2:1-26 KJV

[1] Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. [2] And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. [3] Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. [4] No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. [5] And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. [6] The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. [7] Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. [8] Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: [9] wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. [10] Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. [11] It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: [12] if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: [13] if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. [14] Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. [15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [16] But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. [17] And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenæus and Philetus; [18] who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. [19] Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. [20] But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. [21] If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. [22] Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. [23] But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. [24] And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, [25] in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; [26] and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

https://bible.com/bible/1/2ti.2.1-26.KJV

Selah, in other words, consider deeply what you have just read.

Friends, read from verse 24 again. Let it simmer in you. This may well be one of the most important lessons to learn. "...those that oppose themselves..." and "...that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who is taken captive by him at his will." We further read that it is GOD that gives repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, but it starts with opposing oneself.

Friends, what does this mean? Who is the accuser of men? When you fail, it is he that will come against you, accuse you to convince you that you have stepped out of the grace of GOD. He might even attempt to get you to give up all your efforts to oppose yourself in an attempt to convince you to do as you please. In other words, to do what your will dictates, giving up on the will of your Father in Heaven.

Now, in contradiction, who did Christ die for on the cross? Yes! Indeed, He died for sinners like you and me. Let me see if I can paint a picture for you. Say you stand on a slippery slope, needing to ascend it. As you step, not every step is secure enough to let you scale that hill, but every secure step gets you progressing up. It is when you stop your attempt that your progress ends, and that is what the devil wants. He wants you to slip all the way down, back into the muck. Now, this is not just true of life in general, as a collective, but also in each thing you oppose in yourself for GOD. See your journey then as a travel across a thousand hills. Each one to be scaled and passed over, to complete this race of life. What is it then to resist the devil, that he shall flee from you. Is there any giving up? "...that they may recover themselves from the snares of the devil, who are taken captive of him as he pleases."

Remember, you cannot be taken captive of something that does not reside in you first. In that step up, there is a process of repentance and acknowledging the truth. What is repentance but to admit that you stand in error and your intention to walk out of it? It requires an admission of guilt. It requires opposing yourself. It requires you to free yourself from the snare that you are caught in. And friends, that effort is only possible with faith in Jesus Christ.

A friend of mine stated that it is not that you suppress error only; no, it must be purged from you, so it can never return again. So we climb that slippery slope in the strength of the Lord our God, with the Holy Spirit as our comforter and the source of our strategic benefit. In obedience we scale, step by step, every hilltop that stands between us and the end of the race. But if you do not resist the devil, then you give him occasion to do as he pleases with you. So yes! Verse 22, "Flee also youthful lusts..."

It is important that you understand the race to run it. In this life, it is easy to identify those that come against you, but Paul writes in Ephesians 6, that our struggle is not against flesh and blood. No, instead, we must understand what drives dark desires even in ourselves. Hence, to oppose oneself, remove the beam from your eye, so you may see clearly to help your brother remove the splinter from his. The struggle starts within ourselves, and to stand before the Lord in honesty. In other words, admitting to Him, when you slipped up. That is indeed, an admission of guilt in truth. Don't come to the Lord with a mask, thinking in yourself that you have done no wrong. That is pride, that is a vanity and it is also a lie. For all men fall short of the glory of GOD.

Tell me, if you oppose yourself, do you then love the sin you have taken part in? No, you hate it. Even hating that you may have found pleasure in an act. That is opposing yourself. It is not for seeking an occasion to sin, no! That would mean you are slipping that slippery slope as the devil wants, and first that slip sends you just a few steps back but when you buy in fully to your failure, you may just go into a free fall, even deeper than you were at first. If something is not in you, how then is there need to oppose that which is not in you. It is that which is in you that is standing in opposition to the commandments of GOD that must be purged. By pointing fingers at others, you yourself then stand in the nature of the accuser. Love covers a multitude of sin, but the enemy points out each and every one. God forgives in love, and Satan accuses in hate. Who then, do you honor?

The Lord loves a repenting heart. Admit your guilt in truth before the Lord, and make your struggles known to God, while you oppose your own will in things and cede the crown of your own kingdom to God, so your kingdom might become His. Then it is GOD'S will, not yours, because you stand subject to your King. That means, His will, His Law, becomes that then, that which, rules in you. By the Word of GOD then, is your kingdom His and protected by His protection, even the whole Host of the Heavenly armies. Yes, friends; that means you bend the knee and bow the back to the ordained King of Heaven, which is our Lord and Savior, our King Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the only Begotten Son of the Most High GOD. See? It is not just a story written on paper, it is also the Truth that is transcribed upon your heart. So we pray, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in Heaven. Then we can say, for Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and The Glory, forever, Amen! That gives us inclusion to the Kingdom of Heaven, which also opens up, receiving our daily Bread and for our sins to be forgiven by the King who paid off all our debts.

Like the prodigal son, when we find ourselves in desperate situations, when we have spent our inheritance on rebellious indulgences; repenting of what we have done, we head home to be servants in our Father's house. But, while we are still a far way off, our Father sees our approach. He rushes closer and falls upon our neck, kissing us. He removes the old and torn garments, gives us a robe of honor on our shoulders, places new shoes upon our feet and bids a feast to be prepared in our honor. For we were lost, but now we are found. Now, we have no need to desire that substance of pigs, but instead a feast is prepared for us.

As Paul wrote letters to the churches, even as the letter here to Timothy; our Father in Heaven wrote a letter in His Love for us, containing the Word of GOD. He has made a way unto salvation, even as a map for his lost children to find their way back home to Him. He welcomes us, and in Christ Jesus, all is forgiven. We are welcomed back home.

When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to redeem us back to our Father in Heaven, we will be perfected. We will be co-inheritors of the promises of GOD. What is impossible for man, is possible for GOD, by His own will, that none should perish, but have everlasting life. Just as we learn in John 3:16.

Thing is, will you believe? For if you do not believe then you will remain in a foreign land and desire to eat the feed of pigs. But, a feast is awaiting you, if only you will repent and head home, over the thousand hills in walking out of the trap that the devil has set for you.

Yes, it is a beautiful vision. Yes, it is inspiring. Yes, it is the hope beyond all hopes, of a salvation that we do not deserve, but have because of the love of a merciful Father in Heaven.

So, believe. Hope! Repent, and walk back home, resisting all that will stand in an attempt to place distance between you and the Father. Christ opened up the Way unto Salvation. GOD sent His own Son. In Him, we have all hope unto Salvation, and the forces of Heaven standing as allies to the Will of GOD to be performed.

Do you believe the Good News yet? For as a servant we walk back to be received of GOD and be called the Sons of GOD.

Shalom

YouVersion Bible Verse of the Day

(Expanded)

Philippians 2:12-16 KJV

[12] Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. [13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. [14] Do all things without murmurings and disputings: [15] that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; [16] holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

https://bible.com/bible/1/php.2.12-16.KJV

From Psalms

Psalm 97:1-12 KJV

[1] The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. [2] Clouds and darkness are round about him: Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. [3] A fire goeth before him, And burneth up his enemies round about. [4] His lightnings enlightened the world: The earth saw, and trembled. [5] The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. [6] The heavens declare his righteousness, And all the people see his glory. [7] Confounded be all they that serve graven images, That boast themselves of idols: Worship him, all ye gods. [8] Zion heard, and was glad; And the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD. [9] For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: Thou art exalted far above all gods. [10] Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of his saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. [11] Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart. [12] Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; And give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.97.1-12.KJV

Note in Continuance

Remember who your Father in Heaven is. All of His Kingdom, all His servants, both in Heaven and on earth.

Are you ready yet to start heading back home and to be received by your Father, the King of kings and Lord of lord's. Creator of the Heavens and the earth.

Start your journey back home today, don't satisfy yourself on that which is intended for the pigs. Go home, and receive the robe that GOD has reserved for you.

Praise God for His merciful kindness, there is no other besides Him.

Shalom

From Proverbs

Proverbs 30:5 KJV

[5] Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.30.5.KJV

On Prayer

1 Kings 19:7-13 KJV

[7] And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. [8] And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. [9] And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? [10] And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. [11] And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: [12] and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. [13] And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

https://bible.com/bible/1/1ki.19.7-13.KJV