Scripture to Read: 2 Timothy 4:11
While God continues to use Paul to proclaim His Truth to Timothy and us, we read today about some people in Paul’s life that ministered to Paul. God had Paul mention that Luke was still with him. This is the same Luke that God used to write the book of Luke and the book of Acts. Luke was a physician and no doubt was an incredible asset to Paul as a physician and friend. God also had Paul mention Mark and that Paul wanted Timothy to get Mark and bring Mark with him when Timothy went to visit Paul. This was huge because this is the same Mark that Paul and Barnabas got in a disagreement over in Acts 15:36-41. The dispute happened because Mark was Barnabas’s cousin (Colossians 4:10) and Barnabas wanted Mark to join them on their second missionary journey. According to Acts 15:38, we read, “But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.” Paul did not trust Mark because Mark had abandoned him and Barnabas earlier in Pamphylia. So, for God to have Paul tell Timothy, in 2 Timothy 4:11, that Paul wanted to see Mark and that Mark was helpful to him for ministry was big. Paul lived out God’s Truth that God had led Paul to write in Galatians 6:1-2, Ephesians 4:31-32, and Colossians 3:12-14. We must all live out God’s Truth so we live in right fellowship with all believers.
Challenge & Application
1. What did God teach you today about needing other believers in your life and about forgiving those who fail you at times?
2. How are you making sure that you are in right fellowship with other believers and how are you practicing God’s forgiveness to others?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!