SDCCM Blog

2 Timothy 1:14 – Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.

I have not been able to move on from this instructive word of Paul to Timothy. I have been asking myself before the Lord, “How well do I guard the treasure?” The treasure is Jesus Christ and the life He has given to each believer. That life came through the power of the Holy Spirit and can only be kept through His power as well. Paul says to “guard” through the Holy Spirit. Daily I need to be asking the Holy Spirit for His help to protect what the Lord has given to me by His grace.

Life is filled with little foxes that “spoil the vines.” “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, while our vineyards are in blossom” (Song of Solomon 2:15). Foxes quietly sneak into the vineyard and ravage the vines while the owner of the vineyard is asleep. The enemy tries to sneak into the vineyard of our lives in order to spoil what the Lord has been growing. It is important to be diligent in guarding the treasure of His life that lives inside of us. We do this by guarding our life through the Holy Spirit. We are the Lord’s vineyard and He is looking for the fruit of the vine which Jesus calls “the new wine.”

I believe the little foxes to be “the cares of the world.” It is a subtitle because the cares of the world are tied closely with the daily needs to sustain living in this natural life. We all have basic needs which the Lord promises to supply. “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33).

Part of the task of guarding is to not worry. We are to trust our heavenly Father for all. Another part of guarding is to “seek first God’s Kingdom.” It is important to evaluate our life by looking at our priorities. Does the kingdom of God take first place in everything? If not, stop and repent and then surrender that area to the Lord. Immediately ask for the Holy Spirit’s power to help you. Look up the word “guard” in a concordance and see how often believers are instructed “to guard” particular areas of their lives.

Father, I ask You to raise the level of my awareness of guarding the treasure You have entrusted to me. Show me the “little foxes” so I can drive them off and protect the vines that You are growing to produce the fruit of new wine. I trust in the help of Your Holy Spirit who “dwells in me.

2 Timothy 1:11-12 – I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.

Paul is instructing a young minister named Timothy. Previously Paul had taught Timothy to not be ashamed of his testimony of Christ or of Paul who was totally dedicated to Christ through his sufferings. Paul states, “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Timothy 1:9).

We are included in the “us” to which Paul is referring. Jesus saved you and me. Jesus called you and me with a holy calling. That means we have been separated to God’s eternal purposes and His grace. Relax, for only in Christ Jesus can we accomplish what God wants done. Paul realizes he was “appointed.” Timothy was being reminded by Paul that he too had been appointed. The Scriptures remind us as well of our appointment. Paul and Timothy took responsibility for their appointment. We too must take responsibility for His assignment in our lives. This is done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul further tells Timothy, “By the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10). Every revelation we receive from God comes as a result of what Jesus did through His earthly ministry. Faith tells us that death has been abolished. Faith tells us that life and immortality have been granted. Faith operates because of the light which came through the gospel. Paul, in verse 11 says, “I have been made a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.” Paul is describing that he was called in three specific areas of the gospel. First, he was called to proclaim the good news (Romans 10:14). Secondly, as an apostle, Paul is a builder. “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it” (1 Corinthians 3:10-11). Finally, Paul is called as a teacher. “For this I was appointed . . . as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth (1Timothy 2:7).

We, as Paul, need to know what God has called us to in the body of Christ. We all have a responsibility to proclaim the good news. We are to be a consistent witness to others daily. We are all called to build our lives upon the Lord Jesus Christ. We are then to help others build strong Christian lives. Finally, we need to know God’s Word and be available to instruct others in the admonition of the Scriptures.

Father, I ask for divine appointments to share with others Your eternal truths.

Matthew 16:18 – I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church.

Jesus came to build His church. He did not come to start a church, but to build a church. Building requires a sure footing on which a foundation can be laid. Once the foundation is laid, then the building can begin. As Jesus is talking with His disciples in Matthew 16, He asks them what the general consensus is among the people about His identity. He then got more specific with them and asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter boldly states, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Upon Peter’s statement, Jesus goes on to tell His disciples that “upon this rock I will build My church.” What rock? The eternal truth that Peter had stated!

The name Christ means, “The Anointed One” or “Messiah.” He is not only “God’s Anointed One,” but the living Son of God. The Christian faith is rooted in this eternal truth. If any one does not believe this, they are not Christian. Jesus gave up His human life on the cross, in order to build a “new building” from His resurrected life. His whole spirit, soul, and body were raised from the dead on the third day by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“You are no longer strangers and aliens, but follow-citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Jesus the Rock, Jesus the Builder, Jesus who laid the foundation in both His Apostles and Prophets is building by using people as the stones of His church building. “Coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-6). The Church is not mortar or brick. The Church is not an ecclesiastical system. The Church is a people made alive by the Holy Spirit. The Church is not “static,” but “dynamic” in its spiritual core. In other words, The Church is alive on earth. Another metaphor which Jesus used in John 15 is that we are branches which are attached to Him, a fruit-bearing Vine. Today, celebrate your life in Christ as a living stone and a fruit-bearing branch for His glory!

Father, I thank You for raising me up from the dead in Christ. Thank You for the breath of Your Holy Spirit who causes me to be a living stone in the building You are building in the earth by Your Son Jesus, the Christ. Cause me to be a dynamic force for Your glory in my sphere of influence.

Matthew 6:10 – Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

For the believer in Christ, there should be no question about the ultimate fulfillment of God’s government. E. Stanly Jones said, “Every man is built for the Kingdom. Even the most hardened sinner, and intransigent violator of God’s law is constitutionally structured to relate to God’s Kingdom,” (What on Earth Is the Kingdom of God? by W.A. Young, Jr., page 115). Because we were created in the image of God, there is no rest outside of His Kingdom or Government. Saint Augustine said, “You made us for Yourself, and our hearts find no peace until they rest in You.”

In Matthew 6:10, Jesus was helping His disciples understand the centrality of His message concerning the kingdom of God. “Your kingdom come” is not a request for some future event, but it is what the Father had begun in Christ during His earthly life. The disciples were seeing the kingdom of God beginning to be established in the Earth as they experienced life with Jesus. God’s will was realized in the cross as the Lord freely gave His life for lost humanity. The Day of Pentecost brought the fulfillment of what the Prophets had been looking for, God living in the person of a human being on earth. It was what Nebuchadnezzar saw in his forgotten dream which Daniel revealed, described, and interpreted. He saw a stone cut out of the mountain. A stone which grew until it became large and smashed the feet of the image. This was a prophetic picture of God’s kingdom being established in the earth and overcoming all other kingdoms on earth (Daniel 2:44-45).

The kingdom of God came in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God grew as believers received the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of God continues to grow in the earth as believers surrender to God’s will and to His kingdom purposes. The nations are hearing the message today. God’s kingdom is growing in the earth. Repent and submit to the king. If you do, the blessing of heaven will come. If you refuse, God’s judgment will overcome your plans.

The emerging of the kingdom of God and the will of God being done in the earth is the future for all humanity. God’s kingdom will not be overcome by any other kingdom, as has been the experience of the nations throughout history. Will you permit the Holy Spirit to rule in your life today and walk in His favor?

Father, I choose to live under Your kingdom purposes. I thank You for Your grace that has led me to surrender to Your appointed King, the Lord Jesus Christ. Please use me to declare Your governmental rule in the earth.

1 Peter 2:13-14 – Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of those who do right.

The Lord set us free from the dominion of sin and Satan’s kingdom. Our “independence,” does not mean we are free to do anything we want or to be independent of God ordained authority. Jesus redeemed us to the Father’s divine order. The government of God, must start in our personal life. It must start with our personal submission to authority. It must start with our understanding that the government of God is imperative in our lives. When we were born again, we were born into government. We were born into a kingdom; we were born into the realm of King Jesus and His delegated authorities. To fully recognize King Jesus, we must also recognize His delegated authorities.

We need to grasp that the government of God in the earth is the realm of our highest joy (The Government of God by Ern Baxter, page 15). True joy is not found in one’s “independence” but in submission to God’s government under Jesus in the Holy Spirit. God the Father governs our lives through His settled Word, through our personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, through submission to His delegated spiritual leaders, and the authority structures in the earth as stated by Peter in our verses for today.

Many of God’s people try to walk independent of the authority that others carry. True joy comes when we submit to the laws of the land (see Romans 13:1-7), when we learn how to submit to one another in the Lord (see Ephesians 5:21), and when we receive God’s true leadership (see Hebrews 13:17). Paul establishes that “Righteousness, peace, and joy is in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). For many, independence means “I am in complete control of my life.” Each one must take responsibility for their choices in life and then deal with the outcome of those choices. For the kingdom of the God-minded person, submission to God’s appointed authorities brings true and lasting peace and joy established in righteousness.

Father, I confess that my life belongs to You. Your King, the Lord Jesus Christ purchased my salvation and set me in Your kingdom. I choose to submit to Your will and to the order of Your kingdom in the earth. Holy Spirit, guide me and establish me in Your government.

Acts 1:8 – You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.

By this time, the eleven disciples had walked with Jesus for over three years. I say eleven, because Judas, after betraying Jesus took his own life. Many others followed Jesus as well. 1 Corinthians 15:6 tells us that over 500 brethren saw Him at one time after His resurrection. Acts 1:15 records that one hundred twenty disciples waited in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father of which Jesus had spoken.

Days after the resurrection it is recorded, “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14). These disciples were seeking to obey Jesus’ command to “wait” by preparing for the promise of the coming Holy Spirit. It is evident that they did not know what to expect, but they prepared the best they could to receive what the Lord had promised.

After the resurrection, when the disciples encountered the risen Lord, they did not recognize Him (Luke 24:31-32). The years in which they had walked and lived with Jesus were an encounter with the Lord in the flesh. Now, they were experiencing Him in the Spirit, and they did not really know Him (2 Corinthians 5:16). We have not known Christ after the flesh. We have only known Him by the Spirit. Although we, as they, were born of the flesh, it becomes quite a challenge to learn to respond to the Holy Spirit as He leads us in becoming a “new creation” person in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

It is important for us to prepare for the Lord’s presence. Many just assume He is present around us. I believe that He is present in our daily lives, but He wants to show Himself to us in ways we have not known and cannot imagine in our rational mind. These disciples “devoted themselves to prayer.” They devoted themselves to searching the Scriptures about what was happening. They sought to set some things in order in preparation for the coming Holy Spirit. Notice, the Scriptures state that, “they were of one mind,” as previously mentioned.

Father, help me to prepare myself for what You want to accomplish in and through me. I ask for You to help me prepare my heart and lifestyle for what You are planning. Give me an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying today to the church. Father, I pray for Your people to be of one mind in their willingness to allow the Holy Spirit to accomplish the Father’s will.