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But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you. – 2 Timothy 4:5

 

Do you feel called into ministry? In 2 Timothy 4:5, Paul outlined four sequential steps that should occur for entering the ministry. It is important information for anyone who is called to minister.

First, he said to “keep a clear mind in every situation.” Learning to observe carefully what is going on around you will begin your ministry training. Watch and learn from seasoned pastors, missionaries, and teachers to see how they minister.

Second, Paul said, “Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord.” After a season of watching and being under the care of your ministry mentor, you will enter a season of flying solo. Your flight may be rough at first, but all of us have to encounter a little hardship in order to test our mettle!

The third stage of entering ministry is to do the work of an evangelist, “bringing others to Christ.” Every minister should be a soul winner. Timothy was a pastor, not an evangelist, but Paul told him to throw himself into personal evangelism anyway.

Finally, Paul said to “complete the ministry God has given you.” The day will come when you will put on your ministry like a custom-fitted jacket. The preparation will be over, the ministry will fit you, and you will enjoy your calling for the rest of your life!

2020-12-31T10:53:28-07:00

“For the time is surely coming when I will punish this great city and all her idols. Her whole land will be disgraced, and her dead will lie in the streets. The heavens and earth will rejoice, for out of the north will come destroying armies against Babylon,” says the Lord. – Jeremiah 51:47-48

Babylon was destined to fall. Even though Babylon’s final demise was years in the future, Jeremiah could see through his prophetic eye that the time for Babylon’s fall had come (Jeremiah 51:13).

God had used Babylon to destroy Jerusalem, and for many years the Babylonians ruled over the Jews to the glory of their false god. Now the time had arrived for the Medes to be stirred up to attack the seemingly invincible city of Babylon. History records that the Medes diverted the Euphrates River, which ran through the city of Babylon, and were able to penetrate the massive city walls in one night. When God gets ready to judge a proud nation, the curtain of history has closed for them!

John the Revelator foretold the same collapse for the future economic empire called Babylon: “How terrible, how terrible for Babylon, that great city! In one single moment God’s judgment came on her”

(Revelation 18:10).

It doesn’t matter how great, lofty, and mighty the world’s empires are—they will all fall before Jehovah God. His awesome power is described this way: “The Lord is king! Let the nations tremble! He sits on his throne between the cherubim. Let the whole earth quake!” (Psalm 99:1). We, too, should tremble, remembering what happened to the great Babylon.

2020-10-27T00:00:00-06:00
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