Entangled Or Entrusted?

Entangled Or Entrusted?                                        08-05-16

2 Timothy 2:4 (ESV) ⁴  No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

I know, I know.....I hear you LOUD AND CLEAR! There aren't enough hours in the day are there? It's not as if they have you for eight, nine, ten or maybe more hours in the day. No, no that isn't enough. They feel it necessary to call you on the phone at home to ask about a problem at work. Just heard a story at my work about a man I know personally. His father died last Sunday night past, but his employer required him to be at a Monday morning7A.M. meeting or lose his job.

You and I may think "How cruel and heartless, I would tell them to take that job and.........." I hear ya. But maybe he's got a couple of small children who would enjoy having some corn flakes or bacon and eggs to eat tomorrow for breakfast.You see the above is easy for us to say but a little harder for him,.. he's got skin in the game.

You see there's a difference between being entangled and entrusted. I hope I can make some sense here. Please take a  look at  the previous verses in this passage.

2 Timothy 2:1-3 (ESV) ¹  You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
²  and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
³  Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.


Pay particular attention to vs. 2

".....what you have heard from me............ENTRUST  to FAITHFUL (caps mine) men who will be able to teach t others also."

When I was a young Christian I was led to attend a Saturday morning prayer meeting at the home of my friend Pastor Doug. If memory serves, we would meet in a concrete shed in his back yard every Saturday morning at 4A.M. and pray for a couple of hours. I don't remember the number of men, about five or six I think. The prayer meeting was based on 2 Timothy 2:2. Some of us drove 50 or more miles to attend this prayer meeting and over the course of a couple of years we had some mighty, mighty answers to prayer. Let me assure you that 4 A.M. came very early in the cold of winter; and, many times I would question my sanity while driving to that little prayer meeting. But, I was COMPELLED to attend. No, Pastor Doug didn't require my attendance. The Holy Spirit did. It was something on the inside of me that urged me on, many times IN SPITE of myself.

God had entrusted that prayer meeting to me,along with the other men who gathered on those Saturday mornings.He taught me something in that prayer meeting.
Sometimes,.. no ALL the time it was hard to roll out of bed that early. It was difficult just to get to that place of prayer, and my flesh wanted no part of it. It was easy to get puffed up and consider what a great "sacrifice" I was making. But as God showed me as only He can,it was not a sacrifice, but a PRIVILEGE to gather together and seek His face. Not only a privilege, but an OPPORTUNITY to be blessed mightily. And so I was. Had I been unfaithful to His prompting, I would have missed witnessing the many answers and outright miracles that God wrought in that gathering. And herein lieth the lesson.

 Has God entrusted something to your care? Just like my friend at work, the circumstances may be difficult. If God has given you a responsibility, if He has entrusted your faithfulness, then more than likely your flesh is going to war against it, and the enemy is going to attack it. It may get difficult and trying at times. But look at vs. 1 again. If God has entrusted and compelled you to do something, He's going to enable you to complete the task. 

2 Timothy 2:1 (ESV) ¹  You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,

His grace will strengthen you inside and out.

So your world is a little haywire right now huh? It's a wee bit frantic and unsettling. You are tempted, like the pinball machine to flash TILT! I FEEL YAH!!

Hang in there, whatever it is, it may seem like a great sacrifice now,  it may seem absolutely off the chain, but TRUST GOD, He will turn your faithfulness into a great opportunity for YOUR blessing.  

Psalm 20:4 (ESV) ⁴  May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!



God Bless