If fear settles into your thinking, you will no longer want to face anything; you will become a coward. You will be afraid to get up in the morning, afraid to go to work, to make vital decisions, afraid of everything and everyone. If you allow it to go that far, fear will take control […]
In the eighth verse, Paul says: “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” According to this verse, Timothy is tempted to do two things: (1) to be ashamed of the testimony about […]
Fidelity consists of three main facets that are a “must”. There are: (1) Fidelity to God, (2) fidelity to our friends, (3) the action of this fidelity, or in other words, service. These three aspects of fidelity are essential. The first aspect is fidelity to God. Long dissertations are not needed to know that we […]
Years ago, while I was an associate pastor in a Baptist church, I worked with single adults. For a year, I led a Divorce Recovery Program for those who found themselves alone after a divorce. What an education for my wife and me! That year, I spoke with hundreds and hundreds of newly divorced people. […]
Paul isn’t talking about those kinds of ‘difficulties’. He isn’t advising on enduring cancer; he isn’t speaking to us about that type of suffering. When he says, “endure suffering,” Timothy must understand: “Timothy, you’re not the only one who’s been wounded on the battlefield. We too have been wounded. Stop believing that you’re the only […]
Paul continues his discourse on the mindset of a fighter in 2 Timothy 2:3: “Share in suffering like a good soldier…” “We come to the second important word in this verse, the term ‘good’.” In Greek, “good” is translated as “kalos” which speaks of something “good, beautiful, excellent, just, capable, or virtuous.” By using this […]
Lord, I pray that (your husband’s name) has a good reputation and that it remains untarnished. I know that a man is often judged “by his reputation” (Proverbs 27:21). Therefore, I pray that you act so that he is respected in our town and that people speak well of him. You have said in your […]
A good reputation is quite fragile, especially in our age of rapid communication and mass media. It only takes being in the wrong place at the wrong time for someone to ruin their reputation. Our reputation is not something to be taken lightly. It’s a treasure to cherish and protect. “A good name is more […]
Lord, I entrust all our money to you. Be its master and use it for your purposes. May we both be good stewards of all that you entrust to us, and walk in full agreement on how to spend it. I pray that we learn to live free from any burdensome debt. Where we have […]
Your husband’s relationship with his finances has significant consequences on his self-image and everything he experiences. Is he generous or stingy? Is he grateful or envious of others? Does he see money as a curse or a blessing? Is he wise or reckless with what he has? Do you both agree on financial management, or […]
