Tag Archives: 2 Timothy 2:3-7

Endure Hardship

Posted on by
Reply

 

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 66 - 2 Timothy 2:3-7 - Endure Hardship - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 66 – 2 Timothy 2:3-7 – Endure Hardship – Growing As Disciples

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer.  Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.  The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.  Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.       2 Timothy 2:3-7  (NIV)

Rich Harvest

You do know that this life is filled with pain and suffering. You do know that this life will require you to endure hardship. This is a sin broken world that no longer functions according to its original design. Life is now, not as it was once, intended to be. Sin has brought pain and suffering and hardship into this life. I experienced pain and suffering and hardship, so will you. This should come as no surprise to you. Believe me, it doesn’t. I am under no illusions. Why do you say that? I have experienced my share of pain and suffering and hardship. Yet, I know that others have endured far more. I have no idea what pain and suffering and hardship might lie ahead of me. What do you know? I know you will be with me to help me. You will not forsake or forget me. You will comfort and encourage me. You will lift me up. Sometimes, you will even carry me. At all times, you will help me to keep moving forward with you. Yes, I will do all these things for you. You can rely fully on me. Of that, I have no doubt. That is very good.

What else to do know about hardship? Sometime loving and following and serving you will require me to endure hardship. Why is that? The places you will lead me to go and the things you will give me to do will not always be easy. The work will be challenging. I will experience trials. I will endure temptations. I will certainly experience difficulties along the way. You experienced trials and temptations and difficulties as you were fully devoted to loving and following and serving your Heavenly Father, why wouldn’t I, as well? That is true. But I will be like a soldier with you as my commanding officer. How so? I will live to do what is pleasing to you. I will not allow myself to be enticed and dragged away from serving you. I will not allow myself to become involved in what could be called civilian affairs. Instead, with your help, my life will resemble that of a finely tuned athlete. I will enter your training. I will keep my heart and mind and life focused on you. I will run the race you have set before me. I will stay on course. That will be very good. Or you could say, I will be like a hard-working farmer. I will keep on doing the work you set before me. I will keep on sowing. One day, I will reap a rich harvest for you. With your help, I will bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Yes, you will. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, I know that this life is filled with pain and suffering. I that know I will be no stranger to hardship. You experienced pain and suffering and hardship. So will I. Help me to endure pain and suffering and hardship as I live a life that is fully devoted to you. Amen

Key Question… What hardship have you endured as you have loved, followed and served the Lord?

Living It Out… Endure hardship in this life as you love, follow and serve the Lord with all that is within you.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to endure hardship as you love, follow and serve Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you have endured hardship as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you endure hardship as you keep on loving, following and serving the Lord.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 66 – 2 Timothy 2-3-7- Endure Hardship – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Endure Hardship

Posted on by
Reply

 

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Becoming Like Christ - Day 56 - 2 Timothy 2:3-7 - Endure Hardship - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 56 – 2 Timothy 2:3-7 – Endure Hardship – Growing As Disciples

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 2 Timothy 2:3-7 (NIV)

Reflect 

That is exactly what I will do. What will you do? I will reflect on what you are saying to me. I will take your word deeply into my heart and mind and life. I will let your word guard and guide me. I will allow your word to teach and train me. I want your word to continually be on my heart, in my mind and on my lips. I want your word to change my heart, transform my mind and guide my life. I want to think and speak and act according to your word. That will be very good.

What is my word saying to you? You want me to be fully devoted to loving, following and serving you. I am like a soldier in the military. You want me to be prepared and ready for the battles of life. You want me to follow and obey your commands. You want me to put into practice what you have been teaching to know and training me to do. Yes, I do. You don’t want me to allow my life to become entangled in civil affairs. Why is that? You want me to be focused and ready to go and do your will. That’s true. I am also like an athlete. How so? You want me to run the race that you have set before me. You want all aspects of my life to contribute to my running well. What will that require of you? I must enter into your training. I must put into practice everything you have taught me. I must keep on moving forward with you. My heart and mind and life must remain focused on you so that I will be able to run well and finish strong. That is also true. I am also like a hardworking farmer. How so? I will be planting seeds. I will do doing what is necessary to bear an abundance of fruit for you and your kingdom. I will be working in your field so that I can help bear a rich harvest for you. As I bear fruit for you, I will be storing up treasures in heaven. Yes, you will. Be a like soldier and an athlete and a hardworking farmer for me. Yes Lord, I will. It will be my joy and pleasure to love, follow and serve you in these ways. That will be very good. 

Lord, I will endure hardship as your good soldier. I will follow whatever commands you give to me. I am living my life to please you. I want to go wherever you guide me to do whatever you ask of me. I want to bear abundant fruit for your kingdom and glory. Amen

Key Question… How are you, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, avoiding being entangled in civilian affairs?

Living It Out… Endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to endure hardship.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you have endured hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you endure hardship like a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Becoming Like Christ – Day 56 – 2 Timothy 2-3-7 – Endure Hardship – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Endure Hardship With Us

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Spiritual Warfare - Endure Hardship With Us - 2 Timothy 2:3-7 - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Spiritual Warfare – Endure Hardship With Us – 2 Timothy 2:3-7 – Growing As Disciples

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 2 Timothy 2:3-7 

All That You Ask Of Me

What does a good soldier look like to you? A good soldier is well trained. Have I been training you? Yes, you have. What else? A good soldier is strong and determined to complete his mission. He has a singular focus and is not distracted by civilian affairs. His desire is to please his commanding officer by following the orders that he has been given. No amount of adversity or hardship will cause him to withdraw from what he has been called upon to do. He will never give up. How about you? Are you this good soldier? Will you follow me with that kind of determination? Don’t answer me yet. I have more to ask of you.

What does an elite athlete look like to you? An elite athlete has a vigorous and balanced training regime that includes exercise, rest and healthy nutrition. How balanced has your training schedule been as you have followed me? I have had a hard time staying in balance. What do you mean by that? There have been many times when I have over trained and allowed myself to become weary and worn out. That’s where you are right now isn’t it? Yes, I suppose that it is. There have been plenty of other times when I have not trained hard enough. I’ve been pretty lax about my growing, following and serving you. But, not now? No, not now. Aren’t you missing something that almost all elite athlete’s have? What’s that? Don’t they all have a coach to help guide them in their training? Yes, they do. Who is your coach? You are my coach. Yes, I am. Will you allow me to guide your training as you follow me? Yes, I will. Are you sure? Yes, I am. You won’t try to take control of your own training? No, not anymore. I’ve tried that and it doesn’t work out very well.

What does a diligent farmer look like to you? A diligent farmer labors with great perseverance until he receives a crop. He keeps patiently working until he sees the fruit of his labors. He is patient because he knows that he will reap what he sows in due time. Do you have the patience of a diligent farmer? I’m afraid that I don’t. So often I want more immediate results. It’s hard for me to wait until the time of reaping. Do you believe that one day I will reward you for all the labor that you have done for me in this life? Yes Lord, I do.

So let me ask you these questions. Go ahead. Will you serve me with the singleness of mind of a good soldier so that you will be able to fight the good fight of faith? Will you allow me to coach and train you so that you will be able to run the race I have laid out for you? Will you persevere as a diligent farmer so that you will be able to reap a rich harvest and enjoy the fruit of your labors? Yes Lord, I will. I know that I can rely on you to help me to be and do all that you are asking of me. Yes, you can.

Lord, it is you that gives me strength to endure hardship. Help me to keep moving forward with you like a focused soldier, a committed athlete and a hard working farmer. I want to live a life bearing an abundance of fruit for you.  Amen

Key Question…  What kind of hardships have you suffered and endured as a good soldier of Jesus Christ?

Living It Out…  Commit yourself to following and serving the Lord with all the strength and endurance He will give to you.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that all your endurance and faithful service to Christ will be rewarded when you meet Him in heaven.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how Christ is bearing fruit through your enduring faithfulness to Him.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May the Lord give you strength to endure hardship as you faithfully serve Him; bearing fruit for His kingdom.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Spiritual Warfare – 2 Timothy 2-3-7 – Endure Hardship With Us – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                                                                                    www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Reflect On What I Am Saying

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 270 - 2 Timothy 2:3-7 - Reflect On What I Am Saying - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 270 – 2 Timothy 2:3-7 – Reflect On What I Am Saying – Growing As Disciples

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer.  Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.  The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.  Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 2 Timothy 2:3-7 (NIV)

Reflect On

Those are two very important words. What are two very important words? I want you to “reflect on” all that I am saying to you. I don’t want my word to go in one of your ears and out the other. I want you to take my word deep into your heart and mind and life. I want my word to dwell in you richly. I want my word to abide in you. I want you to abide in my word. I want my word to change your heart. I want my word to transform your mind. I want my word to guide your life. My word will mold and shape you. My word will guard and guide you. My word will teach and train you. My word will make able to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. My word will do all these things in, for, and through you, only if you reflect on my word and then do what it says. You must hear, follow, and obey my word if you want to live as one of my followers. So, I will say it again, “reflect on”, are two very important words. Have I made myself clear? Yes, you have made yourself very clear. That’s good.

So, how will you “reflect on” my word? I will start by setting a daily time and place to meet with you in your word. I will listen intently, careful consider, and reflect deeply, on your word. I will hear and obey you, that is for sure. In my hearing and obeying your word I will be like a good soldier being trained in your service. I won’t let myself be caught in civilian pursuits. My heart and mind and life will be focused on you. I will be like a finely tuned athlete wanting to be trained and prepared, by your word, to compete well and finish strong so that I will win the prize. I will be like a hardworking farmer patiently waiting for a crop of fruit to be born in and through my life as I allow your word to do its work. I can see that you truly have heard from me. You will reflect on my word. You will put my word into practice. Yes, I will. That will be very good. 

Heavenly Father, I will not let your word go in one ear and out the other. I will listen intently, carefully consider, and reflect deeply on all that you have to say to me. I will take your words deep into my heart and mind and life so I can hear, follow, and obey you. Amen

Key Question…  How are you listening intently and carefully considering all that the Lord wants to teach you?

Living It Out…  Listen deeply, carefully consider, and reflect on all the Lord wants to teach you so you can hear, follow, and obey Him.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that you will be able to be a faithful and fruitful follower of Christ as you hear and obey Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are hearing and obeying all the Lord wants to teach you.

Prayer To Bless Others…  Heavenly Father, what do you want me to hear and obey as I reflect on your word?

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 270 – 2 Timothy 2-3-7 – Reflect On What I Am Saying – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Like A Good Soldier

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Identity - 2 Timothy 2:3-7 - Like A Good Soldier - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Identity – 2 Timothy 2:3-7 – Like A Good Soldier – Growing As Disciples

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 2 Timothy 2:3-7 (NIV) 

Training 

Will I endure hardship like a good soldier as I love, follow and serve you? Will I serve you like a good soldier, hoping to please my commanding officer, and not allow myself to become entangled in the civilian affairs of this world?  Will I enter your training like an elite athlete preparing for the highest levels of completion? Will I be like a hardworking farmer hoping to bear fruit for you and receive a share of the crops? Who is asking me these questions? Am I asking them only of myself? Who wants to know my answers to these questions? You may have asked these questions of yourself, but they did not originate with you. You may want to know your own answers to these questions, but you are not the only one wanting to hear your answers. These questions originated from you? Yes, they did. You want to hear the answers to these questions from me? Yes, I do.

I will endure hardship like a good soldier in your service. I will serve you well, like a good soldier, hoping to please you, my commanding officer. I will not allow myself to become entangled in the civilian affairs of this world. Can I work hard, serve well and stay clear of civilian entanglements with my own strength, abilities and perseverance? No, I cannot work hard, serve well and persevere in a way that will be pleasing to you without your help. I need you. I need your help. You will have my help. Will you rely on me? Yes, Lord, I will rely on you. That will be very good.

Are you asking me to enter training like an elite athlete preparing for the highest levels of competition? I’m not even sure what this means. I have no idea what this training will require of me. Will you be my coach? Will you train me? Will you prepare me for the race that I will run in life? Yes, I will coach you. Yes, I will train you. I will prepare you for the race that you will run in life. Will you enter my training? Yes Lord, I will enter your training? That will be very good.

You have said many times that you want to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. That is true. That is the desire of my heart. It takes an attitude like that of a hardworking farmer to bear a rich and abundant crop for me. Will you work hard? Will you persevere? Will you keep on working until the time of harvest comes? Yes Lord, I will work hard. I will persevere until the time of harvest. I will keep on working until an abundance of fruit is born for you. That will be very good. 

Lord, thank you that you have helped me to endure hardship. You have been with me through every difficulty, trial and hardship. You have given me your strength to endure everything that this life has thrown at me as I have loved, followed and served you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Identity – 2 Timothy 2-3-7 – Like A Good Soldier – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com