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Confidence of knowing Christ (2 Timothy 1:12)

by Julia Bruce
CEO, Author, and Conference Speaker

If you are familiar with the old hymns in Baptist Churches, you probably sang 2 Timothy 1:12 more often than reading it. I couldn’t help but sing it as I typed it, but maybe that’s because of all the years I played piano in church. Sometimes we sing these older songs that we have grown up with so often that the meaning of the words get lost. In other words, we sing them without taking the time to contemplate what we are singing. Yet those old songs, grounded in the truths of the Bible, hold so much of God’s promises to us.

Waiting for execution, Paul still has confidence of knowing Christ

The small book of 2 Timothy in the New Testament, is Paul’s second letter to his “son in the faith,” Timothy, giving him the encouragement that he could live with the confidence of knowing Christ. It was most likely written while Paul was in prison waiting for his execution. When you take that into consideration, the words Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:12, have an even deeper meaning. In this verse, Paul gives Timothy two reasons that he is not ashamed for the sufferings he has endured, even his pending death.

Confidence in knowing whom I have believed

Paul says, “I know whom I have believed.” This isn’t like the weatherman on TV knowing what tomorrow’s weather is going to be like. He can take all the meteorological data available to him and make an educated guess, but he can not tell us with certainty what the weather will be like tomorrow. God is in control of the weather and one little adjustment of wind can change the weather’s entire prediction.

For Paul, when he said, “I know” he has 100% – all in – certainty of who he has placed his faith and trust in. He knows who he has believed in – Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

Confidence without doubts

There isn’t any doubt in Paul’s mind about his faith or who Jesus is. From the moment he met Jesus on the Damascus Road, Paul was 100% sold out to advancing the gospel of Christ. He endured beatings, chains, loneliness, persecutions, and prison because of his faith in Christ. He also had a pretty good idea that he would not leave this prison alive. Yet in Philippians 3:8-10, Paul wrote to the church at Philippi:

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

Risking it all for the Gospel is worth it

To Paul, everything he endured for the sake of the gospel was worth knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection. Because of his certainty of whom he had believed, Paul was not afraid to die. I imagine like most of us, it wasn’t that he wished to die, but he also wasn’t afraid. He knew his eternity would be with the one in whom he had believed.

Confidence in knowing Christ is able to keep and protect our souls

The second thing Paul said to Timothy was that he believed Christ was able to keep what Paul had committed to him against that day. Paul had confidence that God would both protect the gospel once Paul had died and that God would protect his soul.

Paul knew that the sovereign, omnipotent God would, in all His power, keep his soul safe and he was at peace with himself and God as he awaited the moment his life on earth would end.

To the church at Corinth, Paul wrote:

“For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands…So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight, and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. ” (2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-8)

Paul knew the very second that his soul stepped out of the earthly confines of his human body he would be in heaven with Jesus.

Confidence in Christ’s return

So Paul is confident in whom he believes in and he knew that his eternal soul was in the safe keeping of the one in whom he believed. But what is the day that Paul is talking about when he says, “against that day?” Paul is referring to the “day of the Lord.” This is a day in future history that has not yet occurred. It is the day that Christ returns to earth “like a thief in the night” (Zephaniah 1:14-15, 2 Thessalonians 2:2). The writers of the New Testament was looking for this day even back then. Yet here we are now, in 2020, and “the day of the Lord” has not happened.

Based on how people live today, I believe that Christians have lost their expectations of this day. We don’t live our lives each day as if today could be the day that Christ returns and gathers all the believers in the moment, in a twinkling of an eye.   

If Christ were to return ten minutes from now, what would you be doing? Would you be ashamed of what you were doing in that moment? We need to be ready – expectantly ready – always watching, for Christ could come at any moment.

Do you have Paul’s confidence?

Can you say with the same confidence that Paul did that you know whom you have believed? Do you have as much faith and trust as Paul did that Christ will keep and safeguard your soul until the day that he returns? If not,  2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “today is the day of salvation.”

Don’t wait. Christ could return before you finish reading this post. Make your confidence in Christ as certain as Paul’s. If you need to have Paul’s kind of confidence, pray the prayer below:

Dear God, I need you. I am humbly calling out to you. I’m tired of doing things my way and I want to have the same kind of confidence in You that Paul did. I confess that I am a sinner and ask you to forgive me and cleanse me of my sin. Help me to live according to your Word and follow Your plan for my life. I surrender all that I am to you – my faults, failures, sin, dreams, and hopes – and invite you into my life to be my Lord and Savior. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Help me to trust you, love you, serve you, and live my life for your glory. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed that with a sincere heart, then you can now have the same confidence as Paul. If you are not already part of a local, evangelical church, I encourage you to find one and talk with the pastor about the prayer you just prayed. He can help direct you in your next steps as a child of God – and welcome to the family, dear brother or sister.

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Quotes from the Self Care Blog Series

299 physical self

The quote above is from Part 21 of a blog series by Julia Bruce on Self-Care for people in ministry. Read the blogs here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21.

click to tweet  Click here to tweet this quote.

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We have a new product line of Christian apparel and gifts available in our Teespring Store and our new Spreadshop Store. You’ll find tee shirts, hoodies, tanks, socks, leggings, tote bags, mugs, iphone cases and more. All proceeds go to the advancement of Wellspring Christian Ministries. Thank you for helping us grow!

Click here to view the Teespring store. 

Click here to view the Spreadshop Store which has a 15% discount through August 9, 2019

Cover_mHave you seen Julie’s new book: God, Love and Marshmallow Wars? This book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. Click here to purchase your copy. (This link will open a new widow and take you to Westbow Press’ bookstore.) It is also available at Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel

book now summer and fall

Looking for a speaker for your next ministry event? Julia is now booking for 2019 and 2020 Christian events for women’s and couples’ ministries for both small and large events.
Book with us now.

Julia is CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people and couples develop a passionate relationship with God. A public speaker, conference trainer, event planner, and blog writer, Julia is a two-time graduate from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor in Psychology and a masters in Professional Counseling. Saved as a child and raised in church and in a Christian home and private Christian School as a Pastor’s kid, Julia has taught Sunday school, led music, played the piano, served as Children’s Director, and engaged her gifts in many other areas of church life. Previously employed with the Florida Baptist Convention, Julia organized events and led conferences for church ministry assistants.

Julia enjoys sharing her journey as a growing Christian with others looking for a deeper connection with God. Through Bible study and her own life experiences, God has given Julia a passion to help couples understand God’s design for marriage while they learn to place God first in their marriage, cultivate meaningful relationships, build intimacy, and address the tougher issues that come in every marriage so that they can experience a marriage that honors and glorifies God. Julia also loves mentoring, teaching, and working with women to help them learn to live as Godly women.

With her history and experience growing up in both small and large churches, Julia enjoys bringing top level quality events to churches of all sizes. Her father largely pastored small churches and therefore she understands that these vital parts of the believing community need to be good stewards of the resources God provides them with. This knowledge inspires her passion for being available with a fresh perspective for those who want to provide their congregations with meaningful spiritual growth opportunities.

Image result for form pngTo request more information or a booking, 
fill out the online form here.
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Or call us at 904.524.8073

 

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Quotes from the Self Care Blog Series

291 ironic

The quote above is from Part 21 of a blog series by Julia Bruce on Self-Care for people in ministry. Read the blogs here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21.

Click here to tweet this quote.

August divider 2

teespring spreadshop logos

We have a new product line of Christian apparel and gifts available in our Teespring Store and our new Spreadshop Store. You’ll find tee shirts, hoodies, tanks, socks, leggings, tote bags, mugs, iphone cases and more. All proceeds go to the advancement of Wellspring Christian Ministries. Thank you for helping us grow!

Click here to view the Teespring store. 

Click here to view the Spreadshop Store which has a 15% discount through August 9, 2019

Cover_mHave you seen Julie’s new book: God, Love and Marshmallow Wars? This book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. Click here to purchase your copy. (This link will open a new widow and take you to Westbow Press’ bookstore.) It is also available at Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel

book now summer and fall

Looking for a speaker for your next ministry event? Julia is now booking for 2019 and 2020 Christian events for women’s and couples’ ministries for both small and large events.
Book with us now.

Julia is CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people and couples develop a passionate relationship with God. A public speaker, conference trainer, event planner, and blog writer, Julia is a two-time graduate from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor in Psychology and a masters in Professional Counseling. Saved as a child and raised in church and in a Christian home and private Christian School as a Pastor’s kid, Julia has taught Sunday school, led music, played the piano, served as Children’s Director, and engaged her gifts in many other areas of church life. Previously employed with the Florida Baptist Convention, Julia organized events and led conferences for church ministry assistants.

Julia enjoys sharing her journey as a growing Christian with others looking for a deeper connection with God. Through Bible study and her own life experiences, God has given Julia a passion to help couples understand God’s design for marriage while they learn to place God first in their marriage, cultivate meaningful relationships, build intimacy, and address the tougher issues that come in every marriage so that they can experience a marriage that honors and glorifies God. Julia also loves mentoring, teaching, and working with women to help them learn to live as Godly women.

With her history and experience growing up in both small and large churches, Julia enjoys bringing top level quality events to churches of all sizes. Her father largely pastored small churches and therefore she understands that these vital parts of the believing community need to be good stewards of the resources God provides them with. This knowledge inspires her passion for being available with a fresh perspective for those who want to provide their congregations with meaningful spiritual growth opportunities.

Image result for form pngTo request more information or a booking, 
fill out the online form here.
Image result for phone clipart png
Or call us at 904.524.8073

 

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Trivia Answer

TA039

Why did Cain kill Able? Read the full story in Genesis, chapter 4.

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