Seeking Reliability

Seeking Reliability

2 Timothy 2: As for you, my son, be strong through the grace that is ours in union with Christ Jesus. ² Take the teachings that you heard me proclaim in the presence of many witnesses, and entrust them to reliable people, who will be able to teach others also.

 

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After partying all night, I went to bed. I woke up hours later in a haste that I had forgotten something. “O no!” I said to myself. I had forgotten to open the dorm office and I was the only one with the key. Many people were waiting on various services. I rushed down and opened the office, but was fired because I had been late before.

 

• I was not reliable.
• I was not dependable.
• I was not trustworthy.

 

Paul appeals to Timothy to seek “reliable” teachers who can be entrusted with spreading the Gospel. This may have been done to prevent someone who would twist the message into profiteering or some other manipulation. The highest importance was to remain strong in the grace of our LORD and Savior, JESUS.

 

My Observations

• Reliability is something GOD wants me to have so I can be entrusted with more precious things.
• Dependability is something GOD wants me to have so HE can send people to me and know I will rely on HIS message versus my hidden agenda.
• Trustworthy is something GOD wants me to be so I can be sent to the right place at the right time or be ready to speak HIS message in HIS way.

 

Faith has multiple components, but one is being dependable. I mean, as a business owner or employee, if I show up randomly, then I become unreliable. Same with GOD’s message. If I am not reliable to speak on HIS behalf, HE will not entrust HIS precious souls to me. In other words, HE will not send people who need to hear about GOD to someone who will not speak on HIS behalf.

 

GOD wants reliability. HE knows that times will get difficult and still wants me to be reliable. Faith is also dependability. GOD is faithful to cleanse me of all unrighteousness when I confess the to HIM. I am glad I can depend on HIM and hope HE can depend on me.

 

Challenge

• What is so important that the writer seeks reliable people to teach?
• Have you ever ran into a situation where you needed a reliable source but could not find it?
• Will you be the reliable source GOD needs so HE can entrust HIS plan and message to you today?

Full Trust

Luke 21: As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. ² He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ³ ‘Truly I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴ All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’

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Watching the other bikers soar high and then land made me want to try. I got in line behind the others and watched them pedal hard then roll over the board that was leaning on a cinder block in the middle of our street.

It was my turn. I pedaled but at the last moment I thought about the flimsiness of the setup. I went too slow and I crashed!

• There were times when I got filled with fear.
• There were times when I doubted and could not perform.
• There were times when I did not fully trust the situation and bumped my head.

JESUS marveled over a poor widow who gave all she had. Most would think HE was speaking about offering. JESUS knew she had no means to gain income and no one to take care of her. HE was excited that she put her full trust in GOD to provide.

• GOD wants me to fully trust HIM.
• GOD wants me to give my all to HIM.
• GOD wants me to embrace HIM at every turn.

How much do I trust GOD to love me and take care of me? I believe this is the illustration JESUS was trying to make. Whether it means giving to a church or a homeless person or my time with someone in need, it should be done with “hope” in mind.

I should not fear to do what GOD wants me to do . I should pedal life’s bicycle harder and throw away the fear of failing HIM. GOD loves me and I trust HIM to decide where I should go and what I should do.

• Is your trust in GOD low?
• Do you feel like giving up on the pursuit HE has you doing?
• Will you continue to put your all in HIM and trust that HE will have the best outcome for you?

GOD’s Timing

Luke 13: ¹⁰ Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹ And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. ¹² But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” ¹³ And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

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Day after day, the problem still persisted. “Is GOD even listening?” I asked. I mean it has been years and it seemed like the problem would not subside. “What are YOU waiting on?” I said.

• There have been many days when I wondered if GOD was even with me.
• There have been many days when I wondered if GOD was too busy punishing me to listen to my prayers.
• There have been many days when I wondered if GOD was being sadistic, withholding HIS mighty power from me because of my many sins.

The woman with a “spirit of infirmity” could in no way “raise herself up.” She tried everything in her might to unbend herself for eighteen years. Eighteen years! JESUS saw her, called her over, touched her and healed her from the crippling spirit. She praised GOD.

• GOD wants me to practice praising HIM even when my problem has not ended.
• GOD wants me to practice praising HIM because HIS timing is perfect.
• GOD wants me to practice praising HIM through difficult times because HE can use me to show others, who are in the same situation, that HE is powerful, even in my weakness.

GOD doesn’t gloat at my pain and to the contrary of my thinking, HE is not always trying to punish me. In fact I believe GOD feels the pain I’m going through, only more intensely. My faith is not based on if GOD will clear up my problems as soon as they appear. GOD wants me to have faith for the long-haul.

HE wants me to see that at the end of every problem, HE is the solution. HIS love never fails and HIS grace for me is sufficient. I believe through my problems that GOD is always with me.

• Are you waiting on something?
• Do you think GOD is withholding a blessing from you because you are not trying hard enough?
• Can you stop trying to control the situation and believe GOD has a solid purpose for your trial and HE will use this time to bring many people to HIM through you?

Hasty Decisions

¹⁵ Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

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Hasty decisions are made when I am full of fear. I mean when I am scared out of my wits, I make hurried decisions without thinking through the long term consequences of my actions. I squirm and only want out of the problem!

• Many times I lost my patience when faced with certain problems.
• Many times I wanted out of the problem so bad that I could not wait on a good solution.
• Many times I could only see demise so I panicked and ran towards any comfort I could get.

Trust in GOD sometimes went out the window when I faced a pressure filled problem that did not seem to go away. I started searching for the quickest way out of the problem rather than facing the situation. BUT GOD wanted me to act differently.

• GOD wants me to slow down and see HIM rather than speeding up.
• GOD wants me to focus on HIM rather than on human obstacles.
• GOD wants me to join HIS winning fight rather than making the fight mine.

Looking back I can see when I trusted GOD and when I made a hasty decision on my own. The times when I did not trust made me make decisions I regretted for a long time. On the other hand, the times where I placed my trust totally in GOD bared the most fruit, usually in ways I never would have imagined. GOD wants total loyalty and total trust in HIM. HE knows I sin, yet HE wants my trust to grow rather than shrink. I trust GOD alone.

• Where have you placed your trust?
• Are you squirming to get out of the problem?
• Can you allow GOD to handle the problem rather than thinking you know the solution?
• Will you add a measure of trust in GOD today?

Because You Trust

Jeremiah 39: ¹⁵ While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: ¹⁶ “Go and tell Ebed-Melek the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city—words concerning disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. ¹⁷ But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. ¹⁸ I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.’”

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Nervous about what I was trying to accomplish I tried to move ahead, but something kept coming up. Each time I tried to put one step forward, something would come up and it seemed like I was just standing still. “How am I supposed to do this?” I exclaimed. I mean it seemed like I was facing nothing but opposition.

• Sometimes I cannot see my way out of the situation.
• Sometimes the situation seems so bleak that I cannot fix it or even dream of a solution.
• Sometimes the odds seem so overwhelming that I cannot even think I could get myself out of it.

Many times I have faced something that seemed so overwhelming that I felt like just giving up. “Why continue” or “Why try” would be the words of despair that I was tempted to believe in.BUT GOD had other words for me.

• GOD says to me “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.”
• GOD says to me “Trust and obey and you will live long and prosper.”
• GOD says to me I will save you because you trust in ME.”

Trust is different than faith. I mean it takes faith in order to “trust” GOD. It means I look to GOD for the truth, for HIS direction, for HIS way instead of mine. Trust means I don’t listen to myself rather I look to GOD’s word for the correct answer. When GOD says something I can trust that it will most definitely, exactly, positively come true. When HE says HE is always with me, I can “always” trust that HE “is” there, for HE has never let me down.

• Where are you looking for your answers?
• Do you trust GOD or are you following your own instincts?
• Will you start putting your trust in GOD today?

Mindful Trust

Isaiah 26: ³ You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
⁴ Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

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Seized with fear I stared at the wheel one more time. I puffed out three quick breaths, pushed off with my left foot and found myself gliding down the sidewalk on my bike. I rode past three or four houses without falling this time and when I fell, I got up excited. The next time I got on I was at peace and I could ride even further.

• Sometimes fear takes away my peace.
• Sometimes worry makes me doubt.
• Sometimes anguish makes me think I cannot overcome “this” circumstance.

I am so happy that I learned how to ride a bike but it took pain to do it. I flipped over the handlebars on a few occasions and came into the house with a bloody lip on others. I had to go through the pain in order to have peace.

• GOD takes me through storms, so I need to have trust in HIS plan.
• GOD takes me though painful situations and heals me from my bumps and bruises.
• GOD takes me through difficult circumstances, providing peace along the way.

Just like riding a bike, having peace takes practice. Instead of getting worried about the situation I had to learn how to have peace in the middle of the storm. I started small by not worrying about misplacing my security shirt I fashioned into my carry around buddy; to not worrying about the fact that someone broke into my car to now worrying about larger life events.

GOD grows my peace the more I trust HIM instead of the thing I worry about. HE may have a good reason for allowing whatever to be removed or destroyed. HE helps me grow and gives me peace. I trust in HIS plan.

• Are you worried?
• Are you nervous?
• Can you take three deep breaths and decide to follow GOD?
• Will you put your trust in HIS plan for you today?

Let Me See

Psalm 144: ⁸ The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.

⁹ The Lord is good to all;
    he has compassion on all he has made.
¹⁰ All your works praise you, Lord;
    your faithful people extol you.
¹¹ They tell of the glory of your kingdom
    and speak of your might,
¹² so that all people may know of your mighty acts
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
    and faithful in all he does.

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Once when I woke up, my mind flooded with thoughts of the day. Immediately I started thinking about my priorities and problems I needed to solve. As I thought more and more I knew one of two things would happen; I would get deep into problem solving or painful pleading.

• Sometimes my thoughts are the culprit.
• Sometimes my thoughts are the problem.
• Sometimes my thoughts are not in control and are open to negativity.

Thoughts are wonderful and dangerous at the same time. I can be blessed with some creative ideas or I can be cursed with negative thoughts that spill only over myself. As I wake up “Thinking” I want to have my thoughts altered.

• I want GOD to open my eyes to see HIS grace and compassion because my thoughts blind me.
• I want GOD to open my eyes to HIS slowness to anger and richness in love so I won’t blame HIM for my wicked thoughts.
• I want GOD to open my eyes to HIS works, trustworthiness and faithfulness so I can go out and exclaim HIS blessings to all!

GOD wants me to roll out of bed and onto my knees in prayer so I can hold my thoughts captive for a moment while I ask HIM for peace. Only GOD can provide peace, especially when my thoughts can be hijacked. GOD opens my eyes and lets me see!

• Have you assessed your thoughts?
• Would you say your thoughts are mostly positive or negative?
• Do you know your heart is tied to your thoughts and the words you speak can affect many?
• Will you guard your thoughts today and speak encouraging words of wisdom and peace?