In 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: Preach
the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and
encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (II Timothy 4:1-2)
Excuse me, Paul, could you be any more
emphatic? Is there something more important that Timothy could be doing? Apparently
not. Preach.
Preach when….
It’s convenient,
It’s not convenient,
It’s raining
It’s snowing
It’s hot
It’s cold
It’s a holiday
You’re among friends
You’re among family
You’re among enemies
You’re among strangers
During the school year
During the summer
During your vacation
You’re employed
You’re unemployed
You’re retired
And if you can think of any time that is not
covered by those, preach then, too.
And when you preach, there’s more to it than “God loves you.” Yes, that’s
there, but correct those who are wrong because otherwise, so that their minds
will grow. Rebuke those who are misbehaving or rebellious so that their wills
will grow strong enough to keep them on the right path. Encourage those who are
weak, tired, or fearful so that their faith will grow. Don’t give up even if
they don’t like it. Give them the information and the motivation they need.
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