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Forever Faithful
Persevering, Enduring During Strenuous Times
Couples In Christ, Sunrise Community Church, Winter 2012
Faith ENDURANCE
Sunday, January 8, 2012

 Introduction     

These are difficult days in America and indeed in the world.  Economically, politically, relationally – we seem to have lost our bearing.  Marriages are struggling, businesses are failing, and values that have long brought relative stability are being eroded and discarded.  Indeed, many have become “lovers of self (pleasure) rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:2, 4).  Even mature believers sometimes question or compromise their faith; some have been “shipwrecked” (1 Tim. 1:19).  What stabilizes you during tough times?  How can you be like Abraham, who “did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Rom. 4:20)?  Abraham was “fully assured that what He (God) had promised He was able also to perform” (Rom. 4:21).  How is this confidence in God cultivated?  How can you be “forever faithful”?  “If we are faithless He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim. 2:13).

When Paul wrote his previous letter to Timothy six years earlier he had just been released from “house arrest” in Rome.  He had been confident of being released (Phil. 1:19) and looked forward to freedom and continued ministry.  Now Nero was persecuting Christians and had Paul in chains (2:9) with no hope of deliverance (4:6).  Nearly everyone close to him abandoned him, and he was soon to be executed.  This is when he wrote to Timothy again.  Perhaps Timothy never made it to Rome to see him again.  What was the essence of his instruction to his mentee?

·         Take the reins for me now (2:2)

·         Keep serving faithfully (1:6)

·         Hold on to sound doctrine (1:13, 14)

·         Avoid error (2:15-18)

·         Accept persecution for the gospel (2:3,4; 3:10-12)

·         Put confidence in the Scripture, and

·         Preach it relentlessly (3:15-4:5)

Timothy was struggling it seems, having a hard time “bearing up under it” (1 Cor. 10:13).  I can relate to him; how about you?  And yet God used Paul to “shore up his faith” and encourage him, resulting in the ministry being multiplied.  How about your family; how is that “handoff” going?  Do those around you see a faithful servant of God?

We have a tremendous hope in Christ!  “If God is for us who is against us?” (Rom. 8:31).  Consider the last few verses of Romans 8,

³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Teaching Overview

Faith Evaluation

Dr. Bruce Wilkerson, in his teaching series The Testing of Your Faith, states that God never tests you without having first taught you.  He also teaches that a key to standing firm in your faith is to remember God’s faithfulness in the past.  So let’s put this into practice right now:

How is your faith currently being tested?                                                                                                              

What are you humanly inclined to do?                                                                                                                  

Name a time in the past when God was faithful to you:                                                                                          

Thank Him for His faithfulness, and tell Him that you trust Him to see you through your current struggle.

Key Thoughts (Group Exercise)

List the key thought for the sampling of verses in the table below:

Spiritual Roots

Do you have parents or grandparents who love(d) the Lord and established a spiritual legacy? 

“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” (Heb. 13:7 NASB)

Faithfulness is contagious!  Determine that, if for no other reason, YOU will be faithful to God for the sake of those who follow you.  Do any children come to mind?

To Go Home With

Tell the Father that you trust Him today, in every detail of your life.  Tell your spouse that you will trust the Father during your current trial.  Then stay alert to His work in your life.

NEXT WEEK: Faith FRIENDSHIPS – 2 Tim. 1:1-5

Printable PDF version of 2 Timothy Lessons

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