2 Timothy 4:1-8

 1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the
dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke
and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will
come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own
desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what
their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and
turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,
do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
 6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come
for my departure. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have
kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me,
but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Meditation:
1. Paul has known plenty of discouragement, and abundant persecution.  But
he looked back over his life with a sense of satisfaction.  Through it all, Paul
kept on serving.  He fought a good fight.  He ran a good race.  He kept the
faith.  And now he looked forward to his reward.
2. Paul wants us to know that God has the same reward for each of us.  We have
lived our life here aware that this earth is temporary, and all its pleasures
are passing.  We have yearned not for the things of earth, but for Jesus to
return.  And this longing has kept us, as it kept Paul, faithfully committed to
whatever ministry God has given us.

Personal Note:
I am young and the people I chill with are young.  The charge that Paul gave to Timothy is like my supervisor   giving me the charge to proclaim the Gospel.  As followers of Christ, we look for reward in heaven.  I give the charge to the young people to fight a good fight for God's kingdom.  The foundation for eternal life is develop when one is young.  This generation is consider a generation that is lost and confused.  God delights in us when we are like Timothy, who obeyed Paul's charge in spreading the Gospel.

2 Timothy 1:6-12

6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you
through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,
but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
 8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.
But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved
us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because
of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before
the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing
of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel. 11And of this gospel I was appointed a
herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I
am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that
he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Meditation:
1. It’s amazing what some people are willing to suffer for.  Athletes are willing
to suffer through training to receive a gold medal.  Some are willing to
suffer to reach a mountaintop.  Some are willing to suffer to obtain certain
physique.  Others sacrifice home and family to make more money on a job
that takes them constantly on the road. Some sacrifice everything at the
altar of their children. Others suffer through heartbreak after heartbreak as
they seek “the one” perfect husband/wife.
2. Paul asks us to suffer for something far more worthwhile.  The Gospel is
that amazing expression of God’s grace, revealed in Christ’s appearance,
that announces God’s victory over death and invites everyone to come to
Him for “life and immortality”.  Now that is something worth suffering for.
Besides, our times of suffering become spiritually significant when they are
induced by faithful discipleship and when we see them as opportunities to
rely on the power of God.
3. Recall one experience of suffering in the past.  Consider how God through
this suffering brought transformation to my life?  What deeper understanding
and appreciation of God have I gained from it?

Personal Note:
The most recent suffering is the lack of sleep and energy from TC.  I was physically and emotionally drained.  I was taught to rely on God alone and it takes God's strength to serve Him faithfully.

Romans 1:1-4, 14-17

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel
of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy
Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life[a] was a descendant of
David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in
power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the
foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in
Rome.
 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings
salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in
the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith
from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Meditation
1. Martin Luther and John Wesley, two of church history’s towering figures,
came to Christ through Romans 1:17.  Through this verse each realized
that God’s righteousness is obtained by faith, not by human effort or merit.
Through their influence millions have claimed God’s righteousness, and made
it their own “by faith from first to last.”
2. How did God call me to Christ?  How has God’s call changed my goals?
My sense of obligation to others?  To what mission or task do I sense God
nudging me?  How is that reflected in my prayers?  My actions?

Personal Notes:
God call me to Christ through His love and grace.  Before I was called to Christ, I was living for my own selfish ways and pleasures.  With God's call, my goals changed from building up my own kingdom by making lots of money, desiring to be popular and respected to partnering with God in His work in furthering God's kingdom by being a faithful steward of what he has given me.  In the past, I don't feel I am obligated to anyone who does not help make me happy, now I am willing obligate myself to others for the sake of witnessing for Christ.

God is asking me to focus and be faithful in making disciples by growing as a faithful disciple personally.  From there, I trust that God would guide me in motivating others to become mature disciples of Jesus Christ.
Since it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes, I am to pray and continue to rely on God's guidance and grace as a spiritual leader.