Jesus Fellowship: God gave us power to love. 10/27/15

Day 299

Today's songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0snyPIp6m-U&list=PLBC88A53A4261677E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtzCD_8KbjI

No copyright infringement intended.

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/niv/2Tim.1

2 Timothy 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, my dear son:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanksgiving

3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 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. 9 He 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, 10 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. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty

15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

Supplied Life Devotional by Bill Freeman

Answering our environment October 27th

“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.”
MATTHEW 11:25
Notice the phrase “At that time.” At what time? At the time everything was negative and contrary. At the time when everything was against the Lord. At the time when, naturally speaking, you would not utter a thanksgiving. When you read the word “answered,” you may wonder who the Lord was talking to. In the preceding verses, He was not talking to anyone. He was going through the cities, and they were rejecting Him. They would not repent. It was at this point that Jesus answered. What was He answering? Who was He answering? He was answering His environment. He was answering what was being spoken to Him in His environment.
Brothers and sisters, we must this moment answer our environ- ment as it is. How have you answered your environment? How have I answered my environment? “At that time, Jesus answered and said.” Our environment requires answers. We cannot remain neutral. We cannot just cope with environment. There is no progress in God that way. We cannot blame environment. Not only will there be no progress, but we will go deeper into the flesh, deeper into our mind, and deeper into Satan. So we dare not answer the environment in that way.
When the Lord answered His environment, He was answering all the rejection. And what did He say? “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight” (Matt. 11:25-26). The Lord uttered this in His humanity, after having a disappointing environment, an environment contrary to His expectation. The Lord answered with thankfulness from His inner being saying, “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.” So the Lord kept His blessedness.

ray Until Something Happens (PUSH)

Anna, Ariana, Ariel, Georgie, Wes, and Zoe.