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Hear the devotional: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/If-We-Endure--We-Will-Reign-with-Him-e1oot02
8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, 9 for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. 14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:8-15 New Revised Standard Version)
There are many things that come our way that we consider difficult and so the word endure means that we put up with that difficult thing and trust in God that God will see us through. I praise God that I have never had to endure being incarcerated for the sake of the Gospel. I did, as a Rotarian in San Antonio get picked up by a San Antonio police officer in a real squad car. And the nice officer drove like what one perceives officers to drive. And, if I had not yelled at him, we would have rear-ended a stopped car at an intersection. (That was a thing to endure!); I was then driven safely to the place where the "jail" was set up and I was given a phone to call friends and church members to raise money for the charity for which I had been arrested. This afternoon (Monday) my darling wife suggested we truly needed our fourth vaccine against Covid-19 and our flu shot as well. Those of you who know me know this was truly something to endure. I praise God for sweet, caring nurses who jab with no pain. I endured. Yes, there are other more difficult things that some of us face, and I'm not making light of them, I'm stressing that we should trust God to be with us and help us as we face what we face, with a faith that overcomes and helps us truly endure.
Paul's second letter to his son in the faith, Timothy, serves as a needed reminder to the young man of Who Paul believes helps him be a prisoner in chains, helps Timothy be a good son with hope as his spiritual father is in chains, and helps his leadership as he guides the church who also lived in fear that their days of freedom, and indeed, even life, could be cut off at any time by those who opposed the faith. Paul's cornerstone was his faith in the resurrection of Jesus. In that, Paul found strength and peace. It was that faith that allowed Paul to endure all sorts of suffering. Paul states that even though he is in chains, the word of God cannot be chained. And because of that he will endure all things for the sake of all who had already come to faith in Jesus, so they might also obtain salvation. Paul heard and believed, "If we have died with Him; if we deny Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny you; if we are faithless, He remains faithful - for He cannot deny Himself."
Paul did it all so that everyone might be saved. He loved God that much and he knew that God loved him so much, that even in chains, Paul held out hope that someone might tell someone that might tell someone who might tell someone that they matter to God and God loves them. Someone told you. Someone told me. And from the perspective that when Paul wrote this letter was a long time ago. And Paul told enough people who made it possible for you to have heard the good news of Jesus Christ. Who have you told? You/we, who have never, thank God, been in physical chains of the government or the Church, why haven't we told someone? "But we pay our minister to do that!" No. You pay your minister to teach you how to tell others; because if you don't, the church will die. And we know that our God is not a God of Death, but of life; so tell someone!
PRAYER: Awesome God, bless my faith by allowing me the courage, boldness, and words so that I can tell someone about Jesus and His love for them. I praise You in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Tell someone that they matter so much, that God sent Jesus to die for them.
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
