Give Up to Give

2 Timothy 2-Part 12
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instruction those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the turth.  2 Timothy2:24-25

LET IT GLOW


Am I a servant? Pondering this question, I see that I serve others, but only to a certain extent. Why do I find it so hard to give up my will and do something that they want?(Selfishness) I found the definition of a servant is one who "gives up himself wholly." Maybe I should be asking, "What is your will?" to others and to the Lord. Give up, Linda. Give up wholly, Linda. Wholly is an adverb meaning "entirely, completely, totally. Now that puts a different perspective on the way I serve today. Am I willing to give up my will to do another's will? Will I give up to give today?
The seventh example Paul used to illustrate the life of a good minister/Christian is that of the servant.

According to Thayer's Lexicon, a servant is "one who gives himself up wholly to another's will; Those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing His cause among men: used of apostles."

The Greek word for servant is doulos which mans "slave." Paul called himself  "a servant of Jesus Christ" in Romans 1:1 and Philippians 1:1. A slave had no will of his own; he was totally under the command of his master. Once, we Christians were slaves of sin, but now we are the slaves of God (Rom. 6:16).
God's slave doesn't have an easy time teaching the Word. Satan opposes him and tries to trap his listeners (verse 26).

Here are some ways Paul says that the servant should be like:

• Avoids arguing, debating, or fighting about Scriptures.
• Be patient and gentle in one's manner, thoughtful and courteous with good manners.
• Teach the Word of God in meekness (their disposition), ready, able, and willing to pass on biblical truth.
• Instruct those who oppose them. 

What kind of servant am I? Do I wholly give up my will?


LET IT GROW

Verse 26 is talking about the rebellious person whose heart rarely repents. However, it is God who can and does work in their heart to bring this about. A person in the "snare of the devil" is a slave to sin (John 8:34, Rom. 6:17-18). The Lord sets us free to be His servants of righteousness. (Swindoll)

The word recover means to return to soberness; to be set free from the snare of the devil and to return to a sound mind (one's sober senses). Thayer's Lexicon

This man is coming out of a drunken stupor. Satan makes people drunk with his lies, and the servant's task is to sober them up and rescue them.

"Deception is Satan's trap. He is an inveterate, scheming, clever, and subtle purveyor of lies," says MacArthur Bible Commentary.

Do I recognize the rebellious person's need for recovery from sin? Do I pray for them and help them recover?

LET IT GO

Give up and give.

Wholly serve another.

Wholly serve my Lord Jesus.