Having A Good Name With God

Having a Good Name with God

Pastor Russell Henderson

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

[2Timothy 2:15 NKJV]

Today, I want to break this passage down and do a word study on three words:  diligent, present, and approved.

The word for diligent means to be earnest, or make haste.  It carries the connotation of working toward a goal with every ounce of strength you possess.  The King James version uses the word study.  We have to be careful here because it doesn’t mean that you need to hit the books or get smarter in order to be approved by God.  It literally means to investigate and scrutinize every detail to find the best way to get God’s approval.  Psalm 63 says….”earnestly I seek You” and Hebrews 11:6 says that God is a rewarder of those who diligently (earnestly) seek Him.  God looks very favorably upon those who seek Him with diligence.  As you seek to present yourself to God it is imperative that you put every ounce of effort and investigation into the process.

The next word is present.  This definition of present means to come into someone’s presence or to appear before someone.  Think of a servant coming and standing before the King.  He would always come with fear and reverence.  It was never a flippant routine.  We have developed such a watered-down view and perception of God that we don’t revere his presence any more.  We don’t revere the house of God, and we don’t take prayer and worship seriously.  When we come before God, we are coming before the King of the universe.  The Almighty God who is all-powerful.  Yes, He is a God of love and compassion, but He is also the God who will not tolerate sin and laziness.  His presence is to be honored.  It is to be respected and revered.

The final word we will look at is the word approved.     The Greek word here is dokimos.  It speaks particularly of money that is genuine—not counterfeit.  It also refers to something that has been put through the fire and endured the testing.  James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test (dokimos), that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”  Trial and testing can come in many ways: temptation, persecution, etc.  But to be approved by God means that He has determined that your faith and love is genuine.  There is no impurity inside of you.  Someone that has been approved by God is someone that God can use. 

In ancient times some of the most crooked people were the money changers.  They would literally shave off pieces of the soft-metal coins so that they would weigh less and therefore did not have to pay out what the coin was really worth.  There were some money changers, however,  that were honest.  They would not tamper with the money, and they would not accept counterfeit.  These men were called dokimos.  They had a good name, a good reputation, and they would receive more business because of it.  That’s the kind of person that God is looking for to use for His kingdom.

Now, taking the definition of these three words, let’s rewrite 2 Timothy 2:15:

Be earnest and diligent, work with every ounce of strength you have, and seek out the perfect way to come into the presence of God.  Don’t come to Him with contempt, and don’t come to play games.  But come into His presence with reverence and awe.  You are the type of person that has a good name in God’s presence.  He can use someone like you because you have gone through the fire and come out clean, and you would never do anything to taint your reputation with God.

The 3 Disciplines of Endurance

The 3 Disciplines of Endurance

By Pastor Russell Henderson

Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.  And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.

[2Timothy 2:3-7 NLT]

The books of 1 & 2 Timothy are full of so many nuggets of wisdom, and this passage is just one of those many golden nuggets.  In 2 Timothy, Paul has been instructing Timothy about enduring hardship and persecution.  In the verses above Paul uses three types of people to teach him about endurance:  the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer.  Each vocation requires strict discipline, and each one requires a specific type of discipline and skill set.  Let’s examine these three a little closer.

The soldier.  Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.  The discipline of the soldier requires him to lay aside the cares and worries of the world and serve a greater purpose.  The soldier is required to serve his commanding officer. And on a much larger scale he is required to serve his country.  When a soldier becomes entangled in the things of the world (civilian affairs) he is distracted and cannot fulfill his sworn duty.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you need to learn how to take the attitude of the soldier.  We are in a war against the powers of darkness.  The enemy is out to destroy you, and you must learn to keep your eyes completely fixed on your commanding officer, Jesus Christ.  You have to learn to put the things of the world behind you--the worries, the hardships, the persecutions—and live as a servant of Jesus Christ.

The athlete.  Athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. The discipline of the athlete is completely different from that of the soldier.  Athletes have to undergo strict training at all times to be the best that they can be.  They have to be disciplined in their diet to keep themselves at a certain weight.  They have to exercise regularly to keep themselves strong for the task ahead.  Failure to stay strong in any of these areas will greatly hinder their chances of winning the prize.  How do we stay strong in our spiritual race of life?  We must be disciplined and dedicated to a life of prayer, devotion, and fellowship with the saints.

Not only do athletes have to be disciplined in their body, but they also have to be disciplined to play by the rules.  Rules are put in place so that everyone will compete on an equal level.  It is very easy to try to bend or even break the rules to gain an advantage, but disobedience to the rules will always be discovered and brought into the light.  In our spiritual walk, we can “break the rules” by deviating from God’s word and/or His plan for our lives and by trying to do things in our own power.  If you want to stand against the attack of the enemy, you must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and follow God’s plan at all times.  There is no alternative.

The farmer.  Hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.  The final type of discipline that we must learn is the discipline of the farmer.  The farmer’s ultimate goal is to produce the largest crop possible.  If he fails at his job many people will starve to death.  The farmer has to be smart.  He has plow the field at the right time.  He must plant the crop at the right time.  He must be patient for long periods of time, and he must harvest the crop at the right time.  A farmer’s life revolves around time.  Failure in any of these areas could spell disaster for himself, his family, and possibly even an entire community.

As spiritual farmers, we must be constantly listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit.  We must know His voice above all the other voices that are speaking to us on a daily basis.  The Holy Spirit will tell us the right to make a move, and then He will tell us exactly how to do it.  Just the like the farmer, we also must learn patience.  Once a crop has been planted, it takes time for it to come to fruition.  If we try to jump ahead of God’s timing it could mean the loss of one or many souls (spiritual crops).

We were never promised an easy life as a Christian, but God has given us some practical instructions to help us overcome the obstacles and hardships that the enemy will try to send our way.  Keep your eyes on God, keep yourself strong in His Spirit, and be patient that He is working everything for the good.

A Rescued Mind

A Rescued Mind

By Pastor Russell Henderson

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

[2Timothy 1:7 NKJV]

The bible talks quite frequently about the mind.  Romans 12 tells us to have a renewed mind.  Jesus said to love God with all of your mind.  And Colossians 3 tells us to set our mind on heavenly things and not on earthly things.

Why is it, then, that the mind is mentioned so much?  I believe that the mind is the first place that devil will attack.  We know that the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  He doesn’t usually do that by striking someone with a fatal disease or by causing someone to be killed in a car accident.  The devil first works to destroy our mind through temptation.  If he can get us to dwell on whatever the temptation might be, he knows we will eventually act it out which is sin. (James 1:15)

As a matter of fact, most of the issues we face in life usually start out in the mind.  In 1 & 2 Timothy, the young pastor, Timothy, was dealing with a lot of fear.  He feared that he was to too young to pastor, he was afraid that he wouldn’t know how to deal with all the issues of a church, and he was constantly trying to avoid serious persecution.  Paul, however, instructed Timothy not to be afraid but rather allow the Spirit to give him a sound mind.

The Greek word for “sound mind” is a combination of two words.  Sodzo which means “to save, keep safe, or rescue from danger”.  The second word is phren which literally means “the mind”.    In other words “sound mind” could literally be translated as “a mind that has been saved and rescued from danger and will constantly be kept safe”. 

What kind of war is raging in your mind today?  You may feel like you are completely out of control in your mind.  Maybe you feel completely paralyzed by fear.  Maybe you can’t move forward because you are burdened down by grief or depression.  Perhaps you feel like Satan has been working overtime on you, and you can’t seem to break free from constant temptation.  Or maybe you have been offended or hurt, and now you are so bitter and angry that you can’t forgive and find rest.

Whatever it is, the Lord wants to rescue your mind by the power of His Spirit.  He wants to give you a new mind.  He wants to trade your doubt for trust, fear for peace, and weakness for strength.  You see, just like doubt, fear, and anger start in your mind so do trust, peace, and forgiveness.  Maybe you need to start daily reciting the promises of God, and as you continually claim those promises they will eventually become planted in your heart.    Remember Colossians 3:2 instructs us to stop thinking about earthly things and to start thinking about heavenly things.  If your spirit has been renewed in Christ, shouldn’t your mind be also?

Finally, remember the words of Paul from Philippians 4:8. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  Take those things and meditate on them.  Rehearse them over and over in your mind until you are able to walk in truth, nobility, righteousness, purity, and love.