Anchored

On a sunny Sunday morning Pastor Terry White welcomed us. After sharing announcements he told us a story and then read from Lamentations 3... "The Lord is good toward the one whose hope is in Him."

Announcements
Membership classes are taking place on Wednesday evenings
Small groups will be happening from March to May, every other Sunday evening. Contact Terry or Walt and Gwen Cresman for details regarding small groups.

After a time of worship the children came forward for a children's talk using Valentine's Day as a springboard into a message based on Psalm 119:11, "I have hidden Your word in my heart." First she asked the children about how one would hide their physical bibles. Then she asked how to hide God's word in out hearts.

An offering was taken while Pastor Terry and Haden sang "Mighty To Save." A time of prayer for the various needs in our church family followed.

Anchored

We began a deep dive into II Timothy this week. Today's message would be on II Timothy 1:1-14.

Pastor Terry's opening thought was that even passages that are overly familiar to us can sometime spark a fresh insight because we ourselves are in a different place the next time we read it. This is why the Bible never gets old. Paul's letter to Timothy here is about leadership.

Leadership isn't just for people who have it all together. Just as becoming a parent is a challenge that arrives whether we think we are ready or not, leadership is something we grow into.

Leadership is something all Christians are called to. Jesus stated that we are to enter by the narrow gate. The invitation has always been to not be like the masses. Leadership is all about walking down the path that few choose.

Leadership is not about our competence. Moses didn't lead a million people into the desert because he was trained in solving the feeding and fluids issue. We are thrust into situations that seem overwhelming, but this is normal.

Whether in the home, our workplace, our experiences coaching or teaching, we are leaders. People watch us and we influence them.

The letters to Timothy were written for a purpose. Timothy was a leader in Ephesus. Paul wrote him to address some issues that were taking place in the church there.

Timothy and Paul had a significant long-term relationship. They travelled and did ministry together. Paul also knew Timothy's roots. Timothy's mother was Jewish and his father Greek. He was recognized as someone worth listening to.

* * * *
Paul wrote this letter while he was on death row. in Rome His death was imminent. The letter opens by noting that he is in his position by the will of God.

In verse two he affirms that Timothy is like a son to him.

"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." ~verse 3

Our conscience pains us when we sin because one task of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin. Paul affirms that God has cleansed him and that his heart is in alignment with God's will.

This should be our prayer: "I want to live my life with a clear conscience." Listen to the voice of God and do what God asks.The more we listen to God and do what He asks, the stronger we become. The closer our hearts are to God's voice, the harder it becomes to hear Him. He speaks but it just gets lost in the noise of our lives.'

In verse 5 Paul recognizes Timothy's mother's and grandmother's faith which now resides in Timothy. This is followed by a reminder to keep the embers of faith stirred. God does His part, but you have a responsibility, too.

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

The key thought today is to figure out what it means to have a clear conscience before God, and to listen to the voice of God. Ask God to help you become what God wants you to become. Pray it. Believe it. Affirm it in the way you live this week.