What are you willing to endure for the Gospel?

Scripture:

II Timothy 2:10 "So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen".

Observation:

Paul is writing to Timothy from a jail cell and is preparing him to suffer for Jesus Christ. He tells Timothy to endure suffering like a good soldier and then tells him why. Paul says he is willing to endure "ANYTHING" if it will bring salvation and eternal glory to someone else. Here you see Paul's heart. He is totally unselfish as he is willing to endure anything for others to come to Christ. He has Christ at the Core and everything else is meaningless.

Application:

What are we willing to endure for the Gospel? What is the point that we would say, "no Lord"? At what point of suffering would we say, "okay Lord, I've had enough. I am done." Paul had been beaten, abused, hurt, mistreated and is now in prison for Christ and is saying he is willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation to someone. We need to realize that there is a higher purpose in our lives than feeling good and having nice stuff. We must put Christ at the Core and live a life that pleases Him. His will must be paramount and everything else must come to nothing.

Prayer:

Lord, rearrange my perspective. Let me see life as Paul did with an eternal perspective. Help me to be driven by eternity and let my life count for eternal things. Help me to set my affections on things above instead of things on this earth. Teach me to live with Paul's level of devotion to You and Your purposes in the earth.

Love,
Jeff