2 Timothy 3:10-17
"But you (Timothy) have carefully followed my (Paul's) doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra - what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you (Timothy) must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
"But you must continue in the things you have learned and been assured of....", not like those who have a form of godliness but deny the power of godliness (the understanding of and willingness to continue in that which serves to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus) who are always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; who will progress no further due to their unwillingness. (The discussion in this paragraph comes from 2 Timothy 3:5-9)
Interestingly, Paul mentions Jannes and Jambres - magicians in Pharoah's court. They worked sensational supernatural acts. The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses devoured, literally, those supernatural activities. Why would Paul mention these men to Timothy, a young pastor? Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so will people resist the power of godliness: the willingness to continue in that which Paul writes in verses 10-17, 5-9. Timothy must understand that Satan uses unholy sensation to wrest our attention from the our God's calling to us in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 11:23,24
"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when HE HAD GIVEN THANKS, HE BROKE IT and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' "
As we head to our Thanksgiving celebrations, many are brought to consider what we are thankful for: family, health, more than enough, friends, are common responses. But, when Jesus GAVE THANKS, He BROKE THE BREAD as a symbol of He Himself, the "bread of God", the "bread of life" (John 6:33-35), about to be BROKEN to make salvation to God available to all!
Be thankful for those good things that God has provided to you. Be thanks-GIVING to the Father by allowing Jesus Christ to show you what you must do, in remembrance of Him, so others may see Him!
James 1:2-4; Philippians 3: 4-6, 8-11; 15,16
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith (in Christ) produces patience(perseverance). But let patience (perseverance) have its perfect work, that you may be perfect (mature) AND complete, lacking nothing." (James1:2-4)
"Yet indeed I also count all things (v. 4-6) loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things (v. 4-6), and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to (arrive at) the resurrection from the dead."
(Philippians 3: 8-11)
Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind."
(Philippians 3: 15, 16)
Mature. Perfect. Complete. In the dialect which I am familiar, perfect holds the most intense meaning. In fact, many times have I heard ministers say "you are never going to be perfect". "Perfect" to those who say such things means "entirely without any flaws" (Webster's). Another Webster's definition for "perfect" is "assured".
Assured to become complete. Perseverance, through its perfect work, causes the one who is assured (through faith in Christ) to become complete. That one will lack nothing. Even Paul says that he has not already attained completion, but presses on! That one is assured by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and that assurance holds those who will persevere through to completion! Must be some revelation.
This is where I will mention what I am impressed that the Lord made real to me. Paul says, "the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." (Romans 8:16,17)
Suffer how? Count anything you have accomplished (training); the pillars of your opinion; even YOUR RELIGION as rubbish at the revelation He brings; His way, His truth, His life; as He brings it! Paul greets the Philippian church and rejoices in their "fellowship". They were assured that they must count as rubbish what they thought they knew, attaining what Jesus knows and becoming complete in Him.
