Our life and actions have an impact. If we walk on the narrow path and please God, the influence and blessings will be beyond imagination. These blessings is bound to overflow to our family, our neighborhood and our city depending on how fervent we are, how consistent we are, and how determined we are to have an ongoing relationship with him and walk with him.
Having a daily Bible Reading habit, weekly attending church service, praying daily, living a life obedient to the laws and commands. Nurturing an ongoing relationship with Jesus and daily conversation with the Holy Spirit is important.
Maintaining a book with thoughts, promises, prophecies you receive and testimonies would be good. Having a book of prayers points – so that you have a record of answered prayers is good. When you start in these and become consistent, you will see the faithfulness of God. What you daily read write and think will start filling your heart as well your mind. Your conversations and actions will become aligned to His will and you will see fruitfulness.
You will be surprised how the Lord brings you the right person who could get much blessed and encouraged because of your words and actions.
Every day of our life is precious. The Kingdom of God needs to advance every day. We are to encourage and build up fellow Christians around us with the living word of God from the Bible.
2 Timothy 4:2 from the Amplified Bible Classic Edition says
Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as a preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching.
Paul asks Timothy as well as each one of in the presence of God and Jesus Christ in the light of the 2nd coming of the Lord Jesus. So let us be ready to preach the word in season and out of season. We can do so to one precious soul or more than one. So let us not delay when it is called today.
Why is this urgency?
The time is coming when people will not endure sound doctrine, but their ears will itch for hearing something that is gratifying. They will go from one teacher to another to satisfy their liking and foster the errors they hold.
I know many near and dear ones among family and friends circles who have fallen into this trap which Paul spoke about in the below verse. You may be able to relate to this as well.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 from the NKJV says
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
Do you want your loved ones to be like the rich man brothers?
You would probably recall the parable of Lazarus, the poor beggar who used to be at the gate of a rich man who was wealthy. The many wounds on Lazarus body would be licked by dogs. He would look with eagerness to be fed by the crumbs at the table of the rich man.
One day he died. He found that Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom, whereas he was suffering in hell fire. The whole parable is given below.
Luke 16:19-31 NKJV
“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, Father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
Many of our friends and relations may miss out on Moses and the prophets. Do we want to lose them to hell or Hades? We better be equipped.
We need to be equipped and be ready to preach in every season.
And one day we need to be able to say, as Paul said. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7, NKJV)
We are to be watchful of people around us who have broken lives and broken hearts and we should be willing to endure afflictions. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.(2 Timothy 4:5, NKJV)
Let us aspire to state like Paul said. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.(2 Timothy 4:8, NKJV)
