4.11.10_2 Tim. 2:3,4_For oneself

   Praise the LORD!!!

    As I made mention of the other day, I'm in the process of a "read through" of the whole Bible. You see, sometimes I'll read in just one book or on a certain topic. At others I'll be led to take on another full reading, from cover to cover. These vary with that which the LORD leads me to do and isn't that of my own will or intuition. Sometimes, a full read through will be uninterrupted and completed without stopping at all. This time though there's been a bit of a break to it, of about three months. This hasn't been an unusual event for me, because it's happened numerous other times. This time though, I'm being led to write these devotionals and my readings have just happened to coincide with current events or topics that I'm led to write on. Here is that which is for today!

   2 Tim. 2:3,4

      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." (KJV)
    In the last several days, my heart has been turned to the persecuted church. Those of the Christian faith in other parts of the world, that are suffering trials and tribulations for their belief in JESUS CHRIST! There may be those of you that truly don't realize this is going on somewhere out there around the globe, but it is. There are Christians in China, North Korea, Africa and others countries, which at one time allowed the practice of our faith to flourish, that now have to hide the fact that they believe in CHRIST. This is so they can continue on living a free life and in some cases even remain living! Yes, there are Christians, that are being placed in prisons for their belief in CHRIST, in many places around the world. In other places there are those that are dieing because of the beliefs. Just the other week there were several hundred Christians killed in Nigeria by a Muslim group for this exact reason.

    Many years back, there was a movement of missionaries that were going around the world spreading the GOSPEL. Which in itself is an awesome task and one we're called to, but in their preaching, they were being one sided and preaching their belief in a pre-tribulation rapture. Which is very common in a large number of denominations these days. I'm not here to refute this teaching or not, but I am here to draw attention to the fact that it caused a big problem. When people believe in this, they're unprepared to withstand a large amount of persecution for their faith. In a way, it is bringing forth a harvest of Believers that are unprepared to stand against any form of major secular persecution and to some degree, even those that can't stand under the slightest of trials.

   You may be wondering what this has to do with our verse for today, or at least part of the verse? In the first part of the verse it is clear that we are to stand strong under hardship. But what about the latter part? We all know that soldiers are trained to attach, to always be moving forward in battle and never retreating. To retreat is held as dishonorable and to be shunned at all cost. It is also here that we have one of the greatest paradoxes of our faith. We're to be meek and humble, yet we're to be warriors and stand strong against the forces of evil. There are times when trying to understand what the LORD wants from us is next to impossible to figure out and an area like this is one of them. When we refuse to repent of our belief in JESUS, no matter what the cost maybe to us, we are defeating that which is evil without ever lifting a weapon against them. It is at times like this that our humbleness and meekness is our most powerful weapon.

   There have been many "Christian" groups in the news at times, in the last several years. For their stand against political and social differences in opinion. Their stand against those that profess opinions in direct conflict with our Christian moral values. I truly don't think I need to waste the space here to mention the groups they're against, for most every Christian knows of them. But the difference is the fact that there are those that go to the physical extremes in confronting these groups. No where in the Bible does the LORD tell us to pickup weapons and take an armed stand against those that disagree with our morals, NOWHERE! Yet we've these groups that protest violently against these groups, some even going to the extremes, of murdering those of the other belief group. Where these groups are getting their Bibles or preachers, I don't know, but they need to start reading the WORD for themselves and receiving understanding from the LORD and not a man.

   In verse four we've this area of our walks covered. We're not to be entangled in the affairs of the world, but to be focusing on that which the LORD wills for us to be doing. This would bring most of this that I've written into context as one topic and not numerous. When we focus on that which CHRIST teaches in scripture and this alone, we have the tendency to live and thrive in a safer and stronger lifestyle. Not worrying about all that is happening around us, whether we have or have not, whether we're suffering or prospering. All we focus on is that which pleases our LORD and this alone. So where are you receiving your understanding? Where are you receiving your teaching? Is it from the Bible and the HOLY SPIRIT? Or is it from a man? Whether preacher or not, all men have the human trait of making mistakes. All men can fall into error whenever they depend on their own intuition, and not that of the HOLY SPIRIT. I check myself many times in writing and readings. Going to famous writers of 'old' and to those of recent years. I reference and cross reference all that I read, as much as I can to make sure that what I believe is according to the Bible and not to the teachings of any man, group or movement. I seek to always be moving forward, never retreating, focused on the will of the FATHER for me and always ready to stand strong under any form of persecution that may come my way!!! Will you join me in seeking to urge all others that we know, to pick up their Bibles and begin reading them for themselves! Now don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with a good sermon, book by a Christian author, or even a daily devotional written by a growing Christian. But there is nothing better then cracking open the cover on your personal Bible or firing up your Bible program on the computer, offering up a prayer and then diving into the WORD of GOD for yourself and I do mean nothing!!!


   Here are some verses that you just may enjoy to follow through on: John 1:17; Romans 8:37; Eph. 6:10; Hebrews 2:10

Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!


Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org
For other writing of mine, you can check out: "Blogs from the Vine"

GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Vine Ministerial Network International