2nd Timothy Study, part 23

Hey y'all! Well, remember my post yesterday? Today I read verse five, the next verse we are studying, and it goes along with what I was saying yesterday! God works in cool ways! Since it is so important, I am just going to do it today. I really, really, really, really, really like the next few verses too!!! Esp. verse seven!!! Remember to pray today!

5. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

WOW! Sorry, I can't help but see how cool it is that this would be the next verse to study, when I shared my passion for mission work with y'all yesterday!

"But watch thou in all things." What does that mean? It means that we must watch. Huh? What exactly does Paul want us to watch? I'm not sure, lets look at some different versions and see. I like looking at a few different versions, it helps explain it, in my opinion.

The New International Version* says,

But you, keep your head in all situations.

The New American Standard Version says,

But you, be sober in all things.

The New Living Translation* says,
But you should keep a clear mind in every situation.

So, between these four different translations, I think we have a pretty clear understanding of what Paul is trying to tell us. He is telling us to watch, to keep our eyes open, to be sober, have a clear mind in all situations, and to keep our heads (to not fly into a temper, to keep calm and think about what we are doing at all times). How would this help? My goodness! It would help a lot! Think how calm and peaceful the world would be if everyone did these things! No one would fly into a temper, they would think before they acted, they would see when something bad was coming, they would be sober, and many other things that go along with this!

In the next part of this verse Paul repeats something he has said multiple times in this book, "endure afflictions." Now that we are nearing the end of this book, we need to ask an important question, "Why does he emphasize this?" I think he emphasized it because it is true, and very important. All Christians, great and small, old and young, will be persecuted in some way, at least one time in their walk.*** All Christians should know this so that they can be prepared, they should know that they have to suffer for the gospel, just as Jesus suffered for us.

Next, Paul lists, "...do the work of an evangelist." What does an evangelist do? They preach the gospel, tell people about God, counsel them in the faith, pray with/for them, etc.

Lastly, Paul says to, "...make full proof of thy ministry." What does that mean? I think that it means that we must not only minister, but we must make full proof of it, we must go full into it, we must do it all the time, encourage, exhort, pray, preach to, and love the body of believers! For non-believers we must pray, preach to, and love them, for they might be one of God's elect, and one of our future brothers or sisters in Christ! We must minister until we can do it no more.

Well, that's all for today, I hope y'all are having a great hump day, and a great week! God bless!

In Christ,
Buttercup :D

*I don't usually trust the NIV....
**I haven't really read this translation before, it just said something a bit different than the others, and it kinda explained it better.
***Y'all know what I mean by that right? Their walk with God, their Christian life.