Its hard to keep going when you see others quitting. Paul encourages, no, charges Timothy in the sight of God to keep at it and fulfill his ministry.

With all the messy role models out there from the previous passage, Paul encourages Timothy to look to grounded role models to follow.

We can be focused on all the problems around us or we can be focused on furthering the mission of God in the world. Paul tells Timothy to have nothing to do with troublemakers, but instead, to live for the purposes of Christ.

Conflict is inevitable. How do we enter conflict on godly footing and how do we conclude conflict with personal holiness and a restored opponent.

For people that love God and His Word, it is important to use it constructively. It is easy to get so passionate for it that we end up tearing others down through quarrels about certain words in the Word.

Heaven is our home! God is faithful! No matter what happens here, it is all temporary. So we need to feel boundless despite our circumstances because God and His message cannot be bound by anything or anyone.

Paul warns Timothy about the easy choice to abandon the Lord. Many have done so. Two of them: Phygelus and Hermogenes left to escape pain and go after newbut false teachings. One remained however. Onesiphorus profited himself and Paul by staying near and refreshing Paul in his imprisonment. So we have to decide will we leave when things get tough -or- will we devote ourselves even at the hardest moments?

The Gospel is a powerful promise. God has brought life and immortality to light in the Gospel. The Gospel is that you did not nor could not do anything worthy of eternal life, but God gave it to you at His own expense despite the fact that you did not deserve it. Eternal life is your gift at the expense of Jesus' death.

Paul encourages Timothy, his son in the Faith, about the family nature of the church. Because we are a family, God challenges us to remain faithful and continue building on our family's long legacy within our generation.

As we begin the new year, let's take inventory of our spiritual life. Are you growing in your character? Are you deepening your participation in God's mission?