A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Do you hate to wait? Me too. Sometimes God has us in the waiting room, and Pastor John Randall says, that's the time to exercise faith.

John Randall: There's a season in which the harvest comes. There's a season in which that which you have planted begins to grow, and sometimes you have to wait, and that can be the most difficult time waiting for the season to come. Maybe you're waiting for the season right now. When's my season? I've been waiting a long time for this thing. I've been sowing. I've been sowing here, and I've been sowing into that. When's it going to happen? When's the the the fruit, the harvest in my child's life going to come to pass? The harvest in my marriage going to come to pass, or ministry, or wherever it is that God has you, there's something we have to understand.

God makes everything beautiful in his time. And I have to wait for that. I need to wait in faith.

Guest (Male): Great to have you along for a daily walk. We'll be joined by Pastor John Randall in a second. Paul in writing to Timothy encourages him to look to the soldier, athlete, and farmer for characteristics to apply to his life and ministry. And these are words we really need to hear today, too. For instance, the soldier follows the commands of his superior officer without hesitation. And that should be our response to God's commands to us. Or how about the farmer who needs patience when dealing with his crops? You can be sure patience will be needed in our lives from time to time.

From 2 Timothy chapter 2, here's John.

John Randall: Bible tells us in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run the race with endurance. There are many things that can easily entangle us, easily ensnare us. But if I'm a soldier in this in this spiritual battle, I can't allow those things to entangle me, to entwine my life to like the thorns that Jesus talked about in that parable that come in and choke out the work of the spirit in my life.

And I have to be mindful of that. Timothy needed to be mindful of that. Roman soldiers were intense. Once a man enlisted on a campaign, there were certain things he had to avoid in order to give careful attention to his service as a soldier. In fact, there was a Roman code, and it said, we forbid men engaged in military service to engage in civilian occupations. Is there anything this morning that you've allowed yourself to get entangled with that is hindering your walk with Christ? Anything that is currently tripping you up? Are you a sheep that's caught in the thorns of the cares of this life, or the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things?

Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 verse 24, no one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and be loyal to the other, or he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. You cannot be entangled in these things. And like a good soldier, Timothy needed to endure hardship, avoid entanglements. And what was the goal in mind? Why do that? There's one reason. He wanted to please the one who enlisted him. Folks, that's why we're engaged in the battle. That that's why we're part of this warfare, because ultimately the goal is to please Jesus.

Jesus was the one who saved me. Jesus was the one who enlisted me. Jesus is the one who gave me my orders. My life belongs to him, and so he can tell me where he wants me to go. He can call me to whatever he wants me to do. He can take from me whatever he wants. It's all his. I have to be reminded of that. I'm a soldier. I just say yes, sir. You're the captain of my salvation. You want me to do this, I'm going to do that. You want me to go this way, I'm going to go that way.

You tell me what to do, and I'll do it. That's the mentality of the soldier. But not only did Timothy need to be like a soldier, Paul uses another example, that of an athlete. In the fifth verse, he says, and also if anyone competes in athletics, he's not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. Certainly Timothy needed the devotion of a soldier, but he also needed the self-discipline of an athlete. The Romans considered sports a good form of entertainment, much like we do today, most men at least. And the Greeks saw athletes and athletics as a means of personal enrichment at a young age.

Most cities of substantial size would have a gymnasium within them, and young boys would get started right away developing and and working and and growing physically. In ancient Greece, the games, the Isthmian games that took place in Corinth as well as the Olympic games that took place were religious events where they would actually sacrifice to their gods. The games were so esteemed in ancient times that if two different states were at war, they would stop the war in order to have the games go on unhindered. Many of those who competed were actually soldiers in those games.

And then once the games were over, they would get back to warfare. That's how important it was to them. It's no wonder that the Apostle Paul, in light of the culture in which he lived, would often use athletic metaphors to describe the Christian life. Have you noticed that? He talked about it in 1 Corinthians chapter 9. He said, don't you know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Therefore, run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate. The word is self-controlled, disciplined in all things.

And they do it for what? For a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. As an athlete, there are certain things that you have to avoid lest you become disqualified. You have to compete, it says here, according to the rules. How many of us have observed over the years those who competed, but then you came to find out later they didn't compete according to the rules. They hit so many home runs, but a good portion of that time they were on the juice that enabled them to hit the ball even later in life out of the park.

And so there's always this he hit this many, but there's an asterisk by their name. We don't think he competed against the rules. In fact, he's tested for this and tested for that. Or some runner in the Olympics who is the fastest person that's ever run on the face of the earth, and then they do a test on him. Oh, that's why he was faster than anybody else. He had an edge. He didn't compete according to the rules. And so what Paul is saying Timothy, in light of this battle that you're in, you got to be a soldier, but you also need to have that self-discipline lest you be disqualified.

You have to be mindful of these things, self-controlled. And then he adds to this another example, that of a hard-working farmer. The hard-working farmer must first partake of the crops. Paul was not only fond of using athletic metaphors, but also agricultural metaphors in his epistles. He talked about at one point being rooted and grounded in Christ. Jesus often times would use metaphors that referred to the farmer, talked about the seed being like the word of God. And the person that sows the seed of the word throws it on the different areas, and as the seed goes into the ground, it bears fruit.

He talked about the wheat and the tares that would grow up, and eventually they would be divided. All of these examples talked about trees being planted and to give us an idea. But the hard-working farmer, Jesus would say no one having put his hands to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom. The the farmer had to work hard, especially in those days when when things when the tools that were available were so primitive. I mean, how are you going to break up fallow ground, probably by hand with some kind of tool that you were given?

And then you have to take an yoke of oxen and plow through the field, and then you have to sow the seed, and then you have to to pray for rain. And then you'd have to wait. A hard-working farmer. No lazy farmer will ever see a crop come to pass. He has to plow the field. And many times the farmers work, especially in ministry, you sow in tears. But the Bible says you will reap in joy. The Bible says let us not grow weary in well doing, for we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Why did Paul say that in Galatians 6:9? Because we have a tendency to lose heart. And so he said you got to sow, man. You got to sow in faith. You got to believe that God's going to do it at some point. Not only does the farmer need to be hard-working, but let me add to this, I believe the farmer needs to be patient. You got to be patient to be a farmer. I mean, you planted that seed, and you're wanting a a crop to come up. It's not like it just sprouts up overnight, and you know, you're you're picking an ear of corn.

I mean, it takes time. What I'm saying is there's a season. There's a season in which the harvest comes. There's a season in which that which you have planted begins to grow, and sometimes you have to wait. And that can be the most difficult time waiting for the season to come. Maybe you're waiting for the season right now. When's my season? I've been waiting a long time for this thing. I 've been sowing. I've been sowing here, and I 've been sowing into that. When's it going to happen? When's the the the fruit, the harvest in my child's life going to come to pass?

The harvest in my marriage going to come to pass, or ministry, or wherever it is that God has you, there's something we have to understand. God makes everything beautiful in his time. And I have to wait for that. I need to wait in faith. With these three pictures, the soldier kept on going and enduring by the thought of a final victory and pleasing his enlisting officer. The athlete upheld the vision of of having that crown if he completed his race and participated accordingly. And the farmer, well, he looks for the hope of the harvest. That's what sustains him.

And in order for Timothy to have the devotion of a soldier, the self-discipline of an athlete, and the patience and wearisome toil of the farmer, he had to have, listen, a particular mindset. There's a mindset that you have to have. This is critical. Do not miss this. This is so important, especially if you're in a season where you got to endure. Here's the mindset. Look at verse 7. Consider what I say and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains.

But the word of God is not chained. Paul says first of all, this is the mindset that Timothy had to have. Notice this word, please. The word is consider. Consider what I say and may the Lord give you understanding. The word consider means to put one's mind upon, to fix one's mind upon, to think about carefully, to give careful examination with the view to discerning and arriving at a conclusion. Timothy, I need you to set your mind on these things. This is the mindset. This is the mentality that you have to have. And so often that's where the battle is.

It's right up here in the mind. So I have to have the right mindset. In in writing to the Colossians, Paul spoke about the proper mindset for the believer when he said in chapter 3 verse 2, set your mind on things above where Christ is seated. In writing to the Philippians, he said, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. The Bible talks about let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart speaks of what I'm thinking about. Let it be pleasing in your sight. What's your mindset? What's your mentality?

Timothy had to had to consider what Paul had said. And Paul had said a lot. If you read through his epistles, there's a lot to consider. But if he would consider these things, if he would think about these things, Paul said that he would arrive at a proper understanding. The right conclusion. Timothy considered the things that he'd been told, and Paul was confident that if he ran the things that he was going through through the grid of scripture, he would come to the proper understanding of what he was supposed to do. A passage in scripture that I find extremely encouraging, and there are many.

But when Jesus, it says concerning his disciples in Luke 24 verse 45, he said, and he, that is Jesus, opened their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures. I'll tell you something that is a prayer of mine every day when I open my Bible. Lord, would you open my understanding that I might comprehend the scriptures? Lord, when I stand here before you, my prayer for you is, Lord, would you open their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures? If you consider these things, it will bring you to the proper conclusion with the right understanding. Consider these things.

But then he adds, here's another part of the mindset. He says, remember something. Consider this, but also remember this. Remember what? Remember Jesus. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel. Remember Jesus. I love this. Remember Jesus. It's like It's like the the war cry. Remember the Alamo. You know, suddenly everybody remembers. Oh yeah, that's why we're doing this. Remember Jesus. Remember what Jesus endured. Remember what Jesus went through. Remember your salvation. Remember what he suffered. Remember how he rose again. Remember that he's coming again.

Remember Jesus. Why do you think we partake of communion when we do in order to remember him as often as you do this? Remember me, because we easily forget, and so we have to be constantly reminded. And this word for remember, the tense in which it is used does not imply one definite act in time, but a continued state which lasts forever. In other words, keep on remembering. Don't lose sight of this. Keep it at the forefront of your mind. Paul is not so much saying to Timothy, remember the actual resurrection, but rather remember your risen and ever present Lord.

He's alive. You know, Jesus rose again, you know, back historically. He's not talking about history. He 's talking about a living reality. The risen savior present in every situation. Remember Jesus. You in some difficulty today? Let me just give you a piece of advice. Remember Jesus. The living, risen king with you right now presently. Remember Jesus. Boy, that changes everything. That just altered my mindset. I'm so overwhelmed. Remember Jesus. Oh yeah. Oh yeah, what was I thinking? Remember him. Consider him. You remember that the writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 3, for consider Jesus who endured such hostility from sinners against himself lest you become weary and discourage in your souls, knowing that you have not resisted unto bloodshed striving against sin.

You're having a rough day? Remember Jesus. We haven't been killed. We haven't been crucified. Remember also not only consider these things and remember Jesus, but there's something else Paul wanted him to remember, and this is powerful. He says, notice in verse 9, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer even to the point of chains. But look at this. The word of God is not chained. Isn't that powerful? Paul said, I'm sitting in this prison, and there are certain things that I cannot do. I have no power to get out of here. I'm not getting out of here.

I'm hindered. I'm chained. However, he says the word of God isn't chained. The word of God isn't hindered. Even though I can't do anything, God's word can do everything. I 'm not worried about it. I 'm not concerned about it. God's word, the gospel, it 's not confined in any way. And I believe that these are the things that even enabled Paul to endure hardship, considering Jesus, remembering Jesus, being mindful of the power of the unchained, unstoppable word of God. God 's word isn't it won't return void, the Bible says. It will accomplish the purposes that God has set out for it.

It's unchained. Maybe you have somebody that you're trying to witness to, and it just seems like your hands are tied. But God's word isn't his word will accomplish what it what he intends for it to accomplish. Well, I just can't get to them. I just feel like I I I'm I'm just tied up. I'm just bound. I can't really do anything. That's all right. God's word has the ability to do what you and I can't do. And so we praise him for that. I love what Matthew Henry said, that famous commentator, pastor from so many years ago.

Listen to what he said. He said persecuting powers may silence ministers and restrain them. But they cannot hinder the operation of the word of God upon men's hearts and consciences that cannot be bound by human force. Nothing can stop the word of God. And so Paul says, remember these things, Timothy. This is the mindset that you are to have. And then in verse 10, he says, therefore or because of this understanding that I have concerning Jesus, concerning the word of God not being chained, therefore, he says, I endure all things for the sake of the elect that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Timothy, this is why I endure. God is working in the midst of this. God is moving powerfully even in in what I'm experiencing right now. I can see what God's doing through this. And then he adds, this is a faithful saying. If we died with him, we shall also live with him. Remember Paul is about to die, but there is this confidence that if we die with him, I'm going to live with him. He would write in another place to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. There was a confidence that he had even in the face of death to which he adds, if we endure, we will also reign with him.

Paul was needing to endure at that very moment. He needed the endurance, and he had this promise that if we endure, we're going to reign. We're going to reign with him. Listen, this part of life is temporary. Eternity is what it's about. I mean, we enjoy this. We're thankful for it. We we live as long as the Lord would have us to live, but ultimately we're going to reign with him. And so right now we might have to endure. But then we get to reign. And if we deny him, he will also deny us. You remember that Jesus said, if you confess me before men, I'll confess you before my father who is in heaven.

But if you deny me before men, I'll deny you before my father who is in heaven. How important it is not to deny the Lord in word or in life. I will not deny the Lord. Now lest we think that it all depends on us, and sometimes we can make that mistake, oh man, I don't know if I can endure. I don't know if if I can if I can die. I don't know if I can do I don't know if I can I I'm not sure. Look at the next verse and and be free.

It says if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. Here's something I've learned and I'm continuing to learn. The Christian life is not based upon my ultimate performance. If it was, if it was based upon my faithfulness alone, I would never make it. It's the faithfulness of Jesus to me. When I am faithless, I find that my savior my father he's faithful. Even when I don't feel like I have the faith, Lord, I don't know I I mean, I I want to trust you. I 'm trying to trust you here. I I 'm doing my best to believe you have those moments.

It says here, even if we are faithless, God will remain faithful. He cannot deny himself. He's not going to be anything less than faithful to us. He's always been faithful. He'll continue to be faithful even in those moments when we feel faithless.

Guest (Male): Well, we'll put on the brakes right here, but don't go away. There is more to come. This is a daily walk with Pastor John Randall. To hear this message again, either go to adailywalk.org or call 877-242-0828. And by the way, all our recent programs are accessible through the website at adailywalk.org or wherever you get your podcasts. And you can hear Pastor John's messages shortly after they're delivered by getting our church app. It's free. Just do a search for Calvary South OC. As the world around us is growing darker by the minute, it would be easy to lose heart and be discouraged.

But what if God has been preparing you for this time all along? Today we're pleased to offer you Pastor Jack Hibbs' book called To Take a Bold Stand. It contains an urgent reminder to make every moment on earth count and be resilient and effective for a godless age. It's available right now at adailywalk.org for the cost of $11 or call us at 877-242-0828. Again, we can serve you at 877-242-0828. When you give to support adailywalk, you're helping people all across the world grow in their daily walk. And in some cases, people are actually receiving Jesus as their Lord and savior.

Thank you for standing with us with either a one-time gift or ongoing monthly support. Again, donating online is super easy at adailywalk.org or call 877-242-0828. Check out the adailywalk devotional. Grab your Bible and join Pastor John for an encouraging daily devo. Watch the video each day at adailywalk.org. Here to finish things up is Pastor John once again.

John Randall: Finally, Paul exhorts Timothy in verse 14, remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit to the ruin of the hearers. And in verse 15, be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Timothy needed to be strong in the grace that was in Christ. He needed to be faithful to teach faithful men who could teach other faithful men. He had to endure hardship, avoid entanglements as a good soldier. He needed to be self-disciplined like the athlete patient and hard-working like the farmer.

And Paul adds, he had to remind the people of the truth of the word of God and charge them. Don't don't strive about things that that are to no profit. Don't get sidetracked in these things. Don't get off the straight path. Don't get off of the course that God's placed you on. So many things want to divert us from from the main course that we're on. And Paul said, Timothy, make sure you tell the people not to divert. Make sure they stay the straight course. And then he adds, you also personally, you be diligent. Cuz it's easy to tell people, hey, stay the course.

Make sure you're on the right path. But but personally, stay diligent in your own life. Study the word of God so that you can be able to rightly divide it. There's some people that wrongly divide it, and it brings confusion to people. We want to be those that study it in such a way that we can rightly divide it, that we understand what it says and so that we can apply it to our lives, and that we can be approved workmen unto God. May the Lord help us to do just that to be strong in the grace that's found in Christ.

We'll get back to 2 Timothy 2 next time on a daily walk with Pastor John Randall. See you then. This program is brought to you by Calvary South OC and made possible through the support of our listeners.