Pain with a Purpose

2 Timothy Part 2 | Sunday, September 17thPastor Wes Morris Bay Chapel is a life-giving church in the New Tampa community. We meet Sundays at 10:00 am and you are welcome to come anytime in person or online. Find out more at baychapel.com Subscribe to receive our latest messages. Stay Connected, ask for prayer and find out more.http://www.baychapel.com/connectBay Chapel exists to help people ‘Find God and Find Life’ through a relationship with Jesus Christ. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: http://www.baychapel.com/giveMessage Notes:II Timothy 1:6-12 (NLT) This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior.He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.PAIN WITH A PURPOSEI. SOMETIMES PREPARATION COMES PACKAGED AS PAIN.II Timothy 1:8 (NLT) With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.Luke 22:31-32 (NIV) “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”II. KEEP YOUR PROBLEMS IN PERSPECTIVE. Romans 5:3-4 (TLB) We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. III. SURRENDER YOUR STRUGGLES TO GOD. II Timothy 1:12 (NLT) ...for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.Psalm 55:22 (NIV) Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.There are dangers all round us. We are like men traveling in a land full of pickpockets and highwaymen, laden with gold and precious stones. On every side there are enemies that seek to rob us of that which is our true treasure - our own souls. We cannot keep ourselves. Slippery paths and weak feet go ill together. The tow in our hearts, and the fiery sparks of temptation that are flying all round about us, are sure to come together and make a blaze. We shall certainly come to ruin if we seek to get through life, to do its work, to face its difficulties, to cope with its struggles, to master its temptations, in our own poor, puny strength. So we must look for trusty hands and lodge our treasure there, where it is safe.- Alexander Maclaren