[DCLM Daily Manna 13 November 2021] Topic: Endure Hardness
TOPIC: Endure Hardness (DCLM Daily Manna 13 November 2021)
TEXT: 2 Timothy 2:1-13
1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
KEY VERSE: “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” – (2 Timothy 2:3)
As a young man, Winston Churchill was in a heated battle. The war planes were dropping bombs all around the soldiers. Several died but many were running away, hiding and not following commands. One soldier ran past Winston Churchill. The soldier asked if Winston was going to run away. The great soldier replied; “I will not do the cowardly. I will stand at my post of duty.” He later became his country’s hero of the Second World War after leading Britain to victory against the German Nazis.
From our text, Apostle Paul, in his parting charge to young Timothy, encouraged him to endure hardness as a good soldier of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was to endure and remain focused. The metaphor of an athlete is used in the passage to teach a lesson about obeying scriptural guidelines in ministry and winning the crown. Finally, the lesson of hard work and patience is taught using the metaphor of a husbandman (a farmer) who patiently waits for the growth and maturity of his crops. Paul concludes in the passage under consideration by referencing the troubles he had to endure in his ministry and calling. He emphasises his readiness to follow Christ’s example till death.
Often times, we are fascinated by the glamour and the demonstration of power through the ministries of men and women of God without ever thinking of the price they had to pay to be who they are in Christ. To be vessels unto honour is not a child’s play. We must be ready to do away with anything and everything else that is cherished by the world in order to retain the anointing of God upon our lives.
As good soldiers, athletes and husbandmen, we must endure affliction and look forward to the crown of life waiting for us at the end of our service.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
The prize will justify whatever price we pay.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezekiel 6-8
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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