I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:1-8)
Today's Morsel: I was observing a church program on television once and I never heard the minister preach one word. All I heard him do was tell stories. Stories are good if they have a spiritual meaning and are leading up to the word of God. Yes, Jesus told parables. But parables are earthly stories with heavenly meaning. Paul said to preach the word. The word of God is designed to change people's lives. It is designed to let us see where we are in our walk with God. It causes us to see where the rubber meets the road and make us do a u-turn if we are heading the wrong way. James tells us, "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:21-22). He said that the word saves our souls. But if people don't hear it (the word) they never believe, Paul said (Romans 10:14-15). Jesus said that we are cleansed by the word that He spoke to us (John1 5:3). This is why it must be preached. It is through the foolishness of preaching that God has chosen to save them that believe. (For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21). And so Paul told Timothy his protégé, "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." So preach the word!
Sing: We are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For it is, the power unto salvation; and it's to everyone, everyone that believes it; and it's to everyone! Everyone that receives it. We shall have everlasting, life.
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