ONESIPHORUS #1

Birthdays
Birthdays

Antoni is being tested for leukemia. A blood transfusion followed by a bone marrow test Sunday morning. Please pray!!

We are in Ridgeley West Virginia. The weather was beautiful when we left Williamsburg. In fact although it was 32 degrees there was no rain nor wind so it was BALMY. David and Regina ate dinner with us at the home of Fred & Pat where we are staying.

Tim & I continue to work on the bank problem and finally he was able to get me through so I have peace of mind.

Today is our oldest son Tony’s 45th birthday.

Adam took his ministry team to Tiquisate for an outreach.

 

Did you know that Paul had a pastor?

2Ti 1:16 “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:  17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.  18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.”

When Paul was at the stage of life where he was writing Timothy he was seen as a danger because he never backed down from authority whether it was Rome or Ephesus or even Jerusalem. He was uncompromising and refused to back down when it came to the truth of the Gospel or of Jesus. He often was in prison or house arrest and here he is writing Timothy from Rome. He has been in a cell block or under house arrest for nearly 6 years.

In Acts 21 we see that Paul’s actions caused a riot. He could have gone quietly but when brought to court he asked to address the crowd and he did not light a fire—he threw buckets of gasoline on the fire he had started. The angry crowd wanted to kill him. Most Christians believed that Paul should be quiet and serve his time and the crowd would go away. But 2 years later when he can get out of prison he demands that he go to Rome and appear before Caesar. The crowd goes ballistic.

Nero was a butcher. Paul must have been crazy. Paul appeared to be his own worst enemy. He should let things die down. Lay low!  Since he was unwilling to do that most Christians and especially Christian leaders decided to stay away–distance themselves from Paul.  When he writes Timothy he actually tells him that he felt deserted by other Christians. He mentions Phygelus and Hermogenes who had traveled with him but now took off and avoided Paul.  Later in chapter 4 he will say that even his dear friend Demas had deserted him.

We read that alexander the blacksmith is was especially hard on Paul and that Hymenaeus and Philetus were spreading lies about Paul. His closest companions such as John Mark, Tychicus, Onesimus and others were all on errands or ministering on Paul’s behalf. He is isolated.

He tells Timothy to endure hardship like a soldier(We are in a battle). The most difficult battle any Christian will endure is when there is disloyalty shown us by those we love and have ministered to. I even suffer with that as many of the children who I feel I have loved and taught the truth have abandoned me.

Enter the scene_______________Pastor Onesiphorus.