2 Timothy 1:8-10

2 Timothy 1:8-10 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

We have been given grace for GOD'S PURPOSE and not our own. Sometimes we get God's love mixed up with our own purposes. We want OUR LIVES TO BE SMOOTH; we want God to come across in every difficult situation we face. If God somehow postpones an answer to our prayers or doesn't clear up a difficulty or trial we are facing, we wonder if He loves us. We wonder where God is in our lives. Is He even concerned about us? But our lives should not to be focused primarily on our needs. The real focus of a Christian's life should be to reveal God's purpose to the world. The above scriptures indicate from the beginning of time God's purpose was and is to give grace to his creative beings. And this grace, purchased by Jesus Christ's blood, brings humans into a right relationship with God. We who are imperfect become perfect because of faith in Jesus Christ, THE PERFECT ONE. His SACRIFICE perfects the imperfect; faith in him and his SACRIFICE makes us acceptable to a holy, righteous God. IN CHRIST JESUS we receive grace, which as the scriptures reveal was embedded in him before the beginning of time.

Paul tells Timothy, because of such a marvelous, unbelievable plan, do not be ashamed to testify of it, and do not be ashamed of following me a prisoner of the Romans for God's purpose. Paul is reminding Timothy that there is no cost too great to be paid when following God. There is no persecution or trouble too intense not to serve God with all your heart, mind, soul, and spirit, for in Jesus Christ, God has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to the LOST. This gospel of God's purpose has been carried by many, even to their martyred deaths. The true church of God has never backed away from this mission of spreading the gospel of Christ and sharing the "Good News." The first church was scattered by persecution. The Christians ran from city to city to survive. They survived another day to tell of Jesus Christ and his mercy to a lost and dying world. In the New Testament we see Stephen and James giving their lives for this gospel, and through the ages many others have given their lives for this message of grace.

We sometimes need to step back and to consider what a Christian's life is all about, for we tend to get our purposes mixed up with God's supreme purpose. Rather than focus on his purpose and his plan, we focus on our desires and our goals. We want our lives smooth, we chafe under any difficulty, we despair in hardship, we die under criticism. Many of us are very weak. (I am afraid I am in the front of that line.) When the world becomes too important, too central in our day-to-day lives, we focus more on us and less on Christ and his desires. Then, except for a few church activities, our lives become quite similar to the world's lifestyle. This of course is when we need to stir up the Holy Spirit's inspiration within us. We need to hear his voice and not ours. We need to value his concerns and not focus so much upon ours. If we focus more on God's plan, our plans will be less important. A seed must die to produce. Our lives and our plans must die, must shrivel, to produce heavenly fruit. We need new eyes, God's eyes, to see clearly the vision He has for us and his church. If we die daily, even if we wholeheartedly attempt to die, living waters will flow from our lives and his love will emanate from our hearts.