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Pastor Lud Golz
Pastor Lud Golz

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  Home | Transcript Archive | December | December 14, 2010

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

In our devotional study of 2nd Timothy 4 we now come to the final interrogative, How? How do we “discharge all the duties of our ministry”? Or put another way, How do we run each leg of the relay races we run in life with a view to winning in the end?  

Paul makes it clear it will take patience. Outcomes are not always evident immediately. In challenging people to live Christianly we are to do it “with great patience and careful instruction.” There are no shortcuts or quick fixes in ministry. That’s why it’s important to “be prepared in season and out of season.” You never know what you might encounter as you run the race. 
 
“Keep your head in all situations,” and when necessary, “endure hardship.” By example Paul encouraged Timothy to stay positive in the face of setbacks and opposition. Paul was disappointed when Demas deserted him. When faced with the opposition of Alexander the metalworker, though no one stood with him, he knew God was his defense. He just kept running. 
 
Setbacks happen in life. Don’t let them trip you up. 
 
I remember hearing of John Akjwan of Tanzania who ran the 26 mile marathon in the Mexican Olympics. Though injured early in the race he got up from the fall and kept running. When he finally reached the arena he was exhausted, bleeding and in great pain. Staggering across the finish line the first aid team immediately treated him. When asked why he kept on running when he knew he couldn’t win a medal he answered: “My country didn’t send me here to start the race. They sent me here to finish the race.”    
 

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