Slideshow image

Do thy diligence to come before winter………… 2 Timothy 4:21

As we enter December and the weather changes, I'm reminded of Paul's words to Timothy as he waited in his cold damp prison cell in Rome. Paul desired warmth and companionship as he neared the end of his life. Though he had the hope of eternity before him and enduring strength of our Lord within him, he still wanted to see Timothy, the parchments and slip on the warm coat that he had left in Troas.

Thus far, we have seen a very warm and mild fall and winter. The cold bite of winter has not set in though we are just weeks away from Christmas and a new year. I've often considered the state of the world and the church at that time of Paul's ministry. It must have felt like winter in many ways. Though many difficulties and disappointments existed in the first century church, you would be hard pressed to find a shadow or doubt or discouragement in Paul's letters to the churches. Sure, there was the church at Corinth and the problems with Judaizes among most of the gentile regions of modern Europe but at length Paul clung to the incredible promise Jesus made to his disciples in Matthew 16:18, "…upon this rock, I will build my church; and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Even as Paul ran out the last few steps of his earthly ministry, he looked forward with anticipation knowing that Jesus had the power to deliver that which he promised.

Winter comes quickly upon all of us, so it is important that we are prepared. The investment of our lives in the gospel is of the utmost importance while we have the health and time to grasp hold of it. We are tempted to be slothful like the children of Israel and "relax" once we are established in the land, but we must not stop going forward for Jesus has called us to run our race and finish our course. Paul left much work undone and it was the disciples of Jesus Christ who were charged to carry the work forth to the next generation despite the cold conditions without the fire of God's word burned in the hearts of the first and second century saints stoking the fires of the church that survived ten Pagan Roman persecutions for three hundred years.

In many ways, we can see the cold winds blowing today. A change of presidents will do little to nothing to change the hearts of God's people or the world in which we live. True change of heart only comes through our relationship with Christ and his word. Paul knew this, which is why he was not discouraged that Nero, a contemporary antichrist, was on the throne. Paul utilized the opportunity of his imprisonment to stand before Nero and give an answer of the hope that he had within him with meekness and fear. Paul was encouraged, not discouraged, because despite being a prisoner of Rome, he was the Lord's free man. Despite being nearly blind, he could clearly see the end of his race. Despite being cold and nearing death, his inward man was renewed day by day through the warm promises of scripture. Despite being in a cold dark cell in prison, he was soon going to be at liberty in Jerusalem above. Despite the churches being weak, he had faith God would make them strong. Despite facing real opposition and oppression, Paul, the saints and the church demonstrated they were more than conquerors. Despite the sting of the prison guards lash, the sting of death was not present. There were a lot of things Paul could look at through faithless eyes and say this or that was weak, feeble, frail and dysfunctional or even dead, but Paul's eyes of faith could see past the temporal and look into the eternal. It is this faith based view of scripture that grabs hold of the hearts of God's people and keeps the fires of revival moving from disciple to disciple, generation to generation.

Though we know that the Bible's prophecies are true and there will continue to be an apathy and apostasy among many who count themselves to be Christians, there is no need to be negative nor despair for the warmth of God's revival fire is only a decision away. The cold wind we sense is not an absence of heat but an indication of our proximity from heat's source. We are often set adrift and wander from the center of God's will causing the passion of our salvation to quickly grow cold. God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29) and he desires to consume our doubt and fear along with our mind, will and emotion, and bring them forth renewed in the image of his person. In reality, Paul didn't need a revival because he lived in the reality that he was eternal. He understood that his place on earth was temporary and his future was set before him in eternity. It was this that brought the eternal optimism, hope and heat to the heart and ministry of one of the first centuries great saints.

If we don't want to grow cold in the days before the catching away of the church, draw near to scripture and those who are undistracted by the perdition and faithlessness that surrounds us. Follow close to the promises of scripture, kindle the flame on the hearth of your heart by meditating, praying and seeing scripture fulfilled before your very eyes.

May this Christmas season be filled with the warmth of Christ warming the hearth of our hearts. In the midst and even in spite of the sickness, hurt, distraction, discouragement and pain that exists in our daily existence, may our fervor and zeal for truth increase and ignite a fire in the hearts of those with whom we have to do. My prayer this Christmas is that God would allow his light to shine so brightly through his saints and his church that Christ would catch fire in the hearts of anyone who is nearby. Our salvation is nearer than when we believed so let's put the petal to the metal and press into the cold winds of apathy and indifference and look forward in faith. It will not be long before the trumpet blows and this life will be over and we will have the millennium to reflect on the faithfulness or faithlessness we had during these wonderful moments that existed in this life. There is no greater time to glorify God than now! I pray that the cold winds of apathy, apostasy and outright rebellion that circulate through the trees of humanity would not cool our hearts, but serve to remind us to crank up the temperature of our zeal to love God, people and fulfill God's mission for God's glory.