Mentoring (6) – Paul and Timothy – July 9, 2023 but published July 15, 2023

 

Mentoring (6) – Paul and Timothy – July 9, 2023

This is last week’s study. Enjoy and be blessed. I believe you will be blessed! 

This is our final lesson in this series on Mentoring.

Our focus scripture is Acts 16:1-5, 2 Timothy 2:1-2, 3:10-12.

Focus your mentoring on growth in CHRIST and in HIS Word.

Our series has led us to consider several mentors. Being a mentor is a calling. When GOD calls and HE also equips. The mentor will learn as much or more than the person being mentored. When you, as a mentor, hit bumps in the road, it will result in you seeking GOD’S solution.

The person you are mentoring will experience the same. In fact, when you hit a bump, you can share with the person you are mentoring and you and your student can explore together the solution.

Keep in mind the indwelling Holy Spirit is teaching both you and the person you are mentoring.

Let’s read Acts 16:1-5:

Paul Selects Timothy

16 Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. ² The brothers and sisters (fellow Christians) at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him (Timothy). ³ Paul wanted Timothy to go with him; so, he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

The Apostle Paul removed the obstacle that would be a stumbling block to the Jewish audience to whom Paul and his team would be ministering. Timothy’s father being a Greek had the right to refuse for Timothy NOT to be circumcised after his physical birth, which his father did.

Let’s read 2 Timothy 2:1-2:

2 You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace (Unmerited favor or GOD’s Grace) that is in Christ Jesus. ² What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men^[a] or women who will be able to teach others also. (Notice The Apostle Paul referred to Timothy as his son. Those to whom we mentor do become grafted in us. Those to whom GOD has allowed me and my precious wife mentor are like blood family. Our Spiritual bond is eternal.

Christians (Faithful men or women teach) other Christians the truth of CHRIST. The principle is “each Christian, teach a new Christian.” It is vital that truth is taught which is confirmed by the scripture.

Just as a new born human baby must be fed baby food for a time, those born of the Holy Spirit must be fed appropriate baby Spiritual food until they grow Spiritually to be able to process more weighty Spiritual food.

The Apostle Paul mentions this in 1 Corinthians 3:1 For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. ² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, ³ because you are still worldly. For since there is envy and strife^[a] among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? What is your mindset? Toward the things the world offers or are your eyes and mind set focused on digging deeper into GOD’S Word and applying it as we journey through life? ⁴ For whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not acting like mere humans? Is JESUS our teacher via the Holy Spirit?

As a Christian have you grown Spiritually or are you still drinking milk and not yet eating solid Spiritual food? Those who are still drinking milk, it is time to grow up and start eating meat. We must ask our LORD JESUS to lead us to those who can teach us with the meat of the word and ween us from milk and pablum.

The Role of God’s Servants

⁵ What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given.

Many people listen to popular tele-evangelists. Many speak truth but others do not.  We must know GOD’S Word and listen to what they say and check what they say against the truth of GOD’S Word.

If you are listening to a presenter of GOD’S Word, listen carefully and if the hair on the back of your neck begins to rise or you feel uncomfortable, one of two things may be taking place. (1) The Holy Spirit is convicting you of your sin or (2) the Holy Spirit is warning that something being said is wrong. So, pay attention because something is either being said or about to be said that is contrary to GOD’S design and/or purpose. It is like when you feel uneasy being in an unsure situation. Ask JESUS to reveal truth to you, whatever it is. It may be that you are listening to a lie.

This has happened to me and my wife. We were listening to a pastor via TV while on vacation. We thought, wow, this person really knows truth, until he was finishing his message and that is when the hairs on our necks raised up and we both saw false claims. So sad but so glad not to be misled. As we get closer to end-times, many false preachers and teachers will rise up. So, beware and ask the Holy Spirit to separate truth from error. But keep in mind that there are those who speak truth. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to discern truth from error.

⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one,^[b] and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God’s coworkers.^[c] You are God’s field, God’s building.

¹⁰ According to God’s grace (GOD’s unmerited favor) that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder,^[d] and another. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work that he/she has built survives, he/she will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience^[e] loss, but he himself will be saved—but only as through fire. [Which of the foundation materials will burn and which will survive fire? How does a person obtain these fireproof foundational materials? First, A person must be Spirit-born by asking JESUS to forgive him or her for their sins and for JESUS to come into his or her heart. Why JESUS? JESUS freely gave HIS sinless human life by shedding HIS blood on the cross. JESUS willingly gave HIS life and died to pay the penalty for sin in full. The Good News is that GOD raised JESUS from the dead to be eternally alive. JESUS was and is the first fruit of all who will be resurrected from the physically dead. Salvation earns a person a silver reward. When a Spirit-born person leads others to JESUS, he or she earns a silver reward. Precious stones are earned as the Spirit-born person reads, studies and applies GOD’S Word. There are precious gems to be discovered and disclosed as we read GOD’S Word, The Bible. What about Gold? Gold is a Spirit-born person’s reflection of JESUS as he or she goes about life. When a Spirit-born person goes about obediently serving GOD by ministering to others and/or sharing the Gospel/JESUS that person receives a Gold reward and the Spirit-born person never knows it. Spirit-born people have many opportunities to build with fire-proof materials. Silver and gold melt? Oh YES! That makes it all the more exciting because the Master builder has the opportunity to take the remnants of life and build GODLY men and women. In GOD’S hands all of us have huge potential. Place your hands in the hands of GOD and ask HIM to make your life into a Masterpiece. When we get to heaven GOD will apply the fire to test our works. Our beautiful dwelling will be reduced to ashes. Oh, we may think oh such a loss, until we are led to filter through the ashes and discover the precious items that survived the fire. Oh, this looks like silver, this looks like gold, this looks like a ruby and a diamond and so many precious stones. Can you guess what GOD will do with these items? My precious wife reminded me of the answer – GOD will fashion the crown which we will place at the feet of JESUS, because without JESUS none of this would be possible. Oh My!!! Store up treasure in heaven where it will be waiting for that special day.]

¹⁶ Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and that is what you are. YES!!! Those who are Spirit-born belong to GOD and the Holy Spirit dwells within each person who has asked JESUS to forgive him or her for their sins and asked JESUS to come into his or her life.

The Folly of Human Wisdom

¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool so that he can become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written, He catches the wise in their craftiness;^[f] 20 and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings of the wise are futile.^[g] 21 So let no one boast in human leaders, for everything is yours— ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter) or the world or life or death or things present or things to come—everything is yours, ²³ and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Those who teach or mentor others are accountable to GOD to teach and live the truth as expressed in GOD’S Book, the Bible. We are to study and teach truth as written in GOD’S Word.

You may say, “I don’t understand it all!” Neither do I but we are to ask GOD to reveal truth to us and over time HE does, as we grow Spiritually. The indwelling Holy Spirit is our teacher. Tell HIM what you do not understand and to give you understanding.

Our part is to seek and to ask and keep on asking. Why? We may need to grow mentally or Spiritually to be able to understand the answer. Wait.

There is much that goes on in the Spirit world. Let’s consider Daniel 10:10-20:

Angelic Conflict

¹⁰ Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. ¹¹ He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God.^[f] Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.” After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

¹² “Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. ¹³ But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days, for the vision refers to those days.”

¹⁵ While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless. ¹⁶ Suddenly one with human likeness touched my lips. I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless. ¹⁷ How can someone like me, your servant,^[g] speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”

¹⁸ Then the one with a human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. ¹⁹ He said, “Don’t be afraid, you who are^[h] treasured by God. Peace to you; be very strong!” (Oh, my we who have been Spirit born are treasured by GOD!!! That is beyond exciting! Plus, we can call GOD, FATHER. WOW!

Salvation is a gift from GOD through faith in JESUS! That is the simple message of salvation.)

As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

²⁰ He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come. ²¹ However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth. (No one has the courage to support me against those princes except Michael, your prince.

Did you know that all who are Spirit-born have a guardian Angel assigned to him or her? But keep in mind the Holy Spirit indwells you and the Holy Spirit is different than your Guardian Angel. All are accountable to GOD.

Let’s read 2 Timothy 3:10-12:

Struggles in the Christian Life

¹⁰ But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, ¹¹ along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured—and yet the Lord rescued me from them all. ¹² In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ¹³ Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, ¹⁵ and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God^[a] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man/woman of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Amen!!!

Blessings!!!