Comments on: Day 15 ~ II Timothy 2:15

By: Sarah Espineda

Sarah Espineda — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:18:21 +0000

II Cor. 10:18 “For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” As we were reciting this for our Command of Christ memory verse this morning, one word stood out to me—approved. “Why, that’s the same word that’s in our Challenge verse for today!” I thought. “I wonder if it’s the same Greek word.” I looked it up and sure enough it was! I thought it was really unique how the Lord put these two memory verses on the same day.

Pretty much anything that a person diligently applies himself to will pay off in the end, despite the difficulties encountered. Diligently applying myself to piano practice always pays off when, in the end, I play it well; whether at a lesson or during a presentation. There is then no need to be ashamed that I did not prepare myself adequately through necessary practice. There have been times (and I still experience them) that I have repeatedly practiced and practiced and gone over and over a piece of music, and it all feels like it was in vain. But I have found that persistence has always paid off, and it shows when I play the piece the next day and play it perfectly. It is wonderful when that happens!

So in my own life, if I am diligent and faithful to persistently study God’s Word, memorize and meditate on it, and apply it, I will have no need to be ashamed of failing to have done so to my fullest when I see Him and He awards me according to what I did. I have often heard the quote, “The test of maturity is how long a person can wait between achievement and reward.” That quote never fails to challenge me whenever I hear it, and that is something I still work on. I have to remember that God may not always immediately reward faithfulness or obedience to Him. It may not be until I get to heaven that His rewards may come! Oh, “it will be worth it all, when we see Jesus!”

Thank you for the reminder to apply myself wholeheartedly to each task that God gives me so that I will have no cause to be ashamed.

By: Kendalyn

Kendalyn — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:59:14 +0000

This verse also reminds me of something Oswald Chambers said – “If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us and that is where the sting comes in…”. When we present ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice and study Scriptures diligently, we either cause those around us to rejoice (Ps. 119:76), or hate us (Ps. 119:86-87).

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:47:02 +0000

A good word, Thomas! I like the extra adjectives that the Amplified Version uses: “be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved.”

A great example to me of this verse is my younger brother Jonathan (he’s the guy reading his Bible in the top picture). He has been memorizing two verses a day in order to complete II Timothy 2 in half the time . . . and yesterday he quoted the entire chapter to Mom! Go Jonathan! You’re a great example to me of one who studies to “show himself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

By: Kendalyn

Kendalyn — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:06:57 +0000

I’ve never thought of running the race in relation to others before. Not only are we running the race set before us with our eyes fixed on the mark, but at the same time the Lord is using our life example that is committed to Him to show others how to live life victoriously while enduring hardness. This is incredible! Thanks so much for sharing, Thomas!

By: Tim E.

Tim E. — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:17:22 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts Thomas. A worry of mine is that I won’t be a “good Christian” because maybe I don’t fit the colloquialisms. But my goal should be what Christ will think of me, not others.

In Christ,

Tim E.

P.S. Did anyone else notice that one of America’s founding fathers wrote this note?