TUESDAY, October 18

2 Timothy 4:5-13. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

A recurrent theme in these meditations has been that of evangelism and our responsibility to proclaim our faith through word and action by what we say and what we do. We may be tempted to think we’ve heard it all before and therefore dismiss it.

That’s a temptation we need to resist, because we have been entrusted with teaching the gospel by the way we live our lives. We will meet opposition along the way and will have to suffer for our faith in one way or another.

We fight this fight every day of our lives. We might win most of the fights, but no day is void of a defeat or two. Those defeats in living out our faith come because we either do not try or do not train hard enough to win the battle. But there is always tomorrow, when we rise in the morning and wait for the bell to ring.

To do the work of an evangelist takes strong dedication and the willingness to endure suffering. We cannot be reminded of this often enough.

PRAY for the Diocese of Tennessee (Province IV, USA)

Ps 147 or 147:1-7; Ecclesiasticus 38:1-4, 6-10, 12-14; Luke 4:14-21

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...

Oct 18, 2011 at 6:36 am

Written by Bonnie,

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10).

We were created for such a time as this. God created us and prepares us.

He Whom God Calls He Equips

Oct 18, 2011 at 7:07 am

Written by emeline,

The work of an evangelist is a never-ending one. We are called to persevere in whatever we do for the Body of Christ. We will meet up with road blocks, but that is part of the journey. With faith, and an abiding resolve to work for God, our journey will meet with some measure of success. Remember that the race is not for the swiftest but for he who endures to the end. Let endurance and pereverance be our watch words.

...

Oct 18, 2011 at 8:29 am

Written by nancy berndt,

In evangelizing, we must remember that it is never our responsibility
to make it (faith) happen in another: we are responsible only to
plant the seed, Someone else waters. "How, then, can they call on The One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in The One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?.....How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14-15

Be a living example...

Oct 18, 2011 at 9:13 am

Written by Marco of San Francisco,

Be a living example of anything you
would ever say. Yes, your actions
will speak louder than anything you
would ever say.

...

Oct 18, 2011 at 9:26 am

Written by carolyn,

BUT we must not be unwilling to speak the good news of Jesus Christ as well as live it. "How can they hear without someone preaching to them?" That is not likely to be in church. Live our faith and proclaim our faith: we must pray to be faithful to do both.

endurance, suffering, and evangelism

Oct 18, 2011 at 11:34 am

Written by Mike,

My 93-year-old mother-in-law, who has lived with us for 35 years, has had dementia due to multiple strokes for a dozen years and requires total care. She's too tough for her daughter, who is still working full time, to care for, so I'm "it," with only the help from one eldercare worker for 30 hours per week. Most friends and family express admiration. One "can't stand to watch what you have to do to feed her," which is merely spoon-feeding. One Episcopalian son appears scornful, is resentful of time not spent with grandchildren as a result, and has said, "That Christian self-sacrifice stuff is a bunch of #&X@!" 6 months ago, I began a monthly group meeting for retired men from our Church to discuss and sustain each other in our faith journeys, and we have recently begun a shared ministry of addressing hunger in a nearby city. Lord have mercy and give us strength.

...

Oct 18, 2011 at 12:10 pm

Written by E. Linda Cushner,

God bless and keep you Mike and reward you wonderfully on earth and in heaven.

Inspiration

Oct 18, 2011 at 8:01 pm

Written by Rick,

Mike, you're an inspiration. Yours is truly self sacrifice and Christian love.

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