“The Lord Stood With Me”

Paul the Apostle

Near the end of his second letter to Timothy, Paul spoke of his experience in making a defense of the truth. He warned Timothy – and us as well – what to be prepared for and reminded him of the importance of keeping his trust in the Lord.

At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:16-18).

Let us notice briefly some lessons we can learn from Paul in this passage.
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Daniel: The Courage to Defy the Law

Take Courage

The final example in our study is Daniel. This lesson will focus on the courage he demonstrated in his willingness to violate the laws of men in order to be faithful to the Lord.
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Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: The Courage to Trust in God

Take Courage

The example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shows us the courage needed to put one’s complete trust in God. Of course, other men in the examples we have already noticed have trusted in God, but the example of Daniel’s friends is different – they did not receive special, direct revelation (as least not as far as we are told in the Scriptures) like many other Old Testament characters. Therefore, their example is very helpful for us today.
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Audio: Why Was Paul Amazed at the Apostasy in Galatia?

Paul’s letter to the Galatians was addressed to the churches of that region – Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. These churches were established during Paul’s first preaching journey (Acts 13-14). The Christians in this region experienced a lot of opposition to the gospel, yet this was not what caused them to slide into apostasy. Instead, their apostasy was caused by something much more subtle. This lesson examines the history of the establishment of these churches and what eventually threatened to lead them away from Christ.
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Amos: The Courage to Speak Out

Take Courage

Amos may be the one in our series with whom people are most unfamiliar. Yet his is a powerful example of one who had the courage to speak out – to proclaim the truth and condemn error.
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Will Etheridge: “Shoot Before the Baptizing”

The following is an excerpt from a letter written by Layton Hall to Basil Overton about Will Etheridge (1872-1951). In the account below, Etheridge showed the type of fearlessness that all Christians must have – even when threatened with bodily harm for their faith in Christ and their work in His kingdom.
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Making Wise Investments (Part 6): Faith More Precious Than Gold

Making Wise Investments (Part 6): Faith More Precious Than Gold

The next and final lesson in our series will deal with the “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). But before we get to that, we must answer this question: How can we make it through the trials of life so that we will reach heaven? The answer to this question is that we will “obtain an inheritance…in heaven […] through faith” (1 Peter 1:4-5). Peter went on to describe the value of a proven faith.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

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