Day 1

2 Timothy 2

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus

In 2 Timothy chapter 2: Paul continues to disciple his protégé, Timothy, and this time he emphasizes endurance, faithfulness, and sound doctrine, which he had already covered in chapter 1. So, in order to help him to be what God expects him to be, he asks Timothy to think of himself as a soldier, and all it requires to become a soldier. He then turns to asking him to be like an athlete, and all it requires for you to win an Olympic medal. But he even turns to the issue of becoming a farmer, and all it requires for a farmer to be able to reap a crop.

I think the key word is, discipline. He is saying you will not be a good minister in God's work if you are not disciplined. the idea is, as he is talking to Timothy, he is talking to all Christian leaders who must not only hear God for themselves, but must also spend time thinking of how to pass that knowledge which God has given them on to others, so that the people would not be ungodly, and that the people who are your mentees would be regarded as vessels of honor, fit for God's use.

Be Strong. Timothy is being told, be strong in God's grace. Timothy is also being told, you have to suffer hardship, be ready for it. Timothy is being told, if you are really going to succeed, you must avoid worldly entanglement. Timothy is being told, he needs to guard the gospel of truth, which had already been told in chapter one. He is being told that, he needs to learn perseverance. He needs faith for perseverance, even when some of his mentees will fall away. All that in one chapter is quite a lot.

Day 2

2 Timothy 2

. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

So then in verse seven, he concludes, "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this."

You can see that he has given him quite a load. As he's asking him, just think clearly about what I'm telling you and why you need to think about it. In verse one and two, then the main thing is, if you want to be a good leader, good Christian leader, you must be strong in grace.

So, what does that mean? Find a way of growing spiritual strength, not by being self-confident, but from grace. What is grace? Unmerited favor from God. So, he is telling Timothy, don't be self-confident, be God-confident. That's the meaning of "be strong in grace." If you are strong when you are not depending on yourself, you are actually depending on God. That is something important for every leader to know, because we normally say Moses was a very gifted leader, but the kind of challenges he had to go through were challenges that gave him a very rough time. It required God's help. And Christian leaders of today have no alternative than to face the same things. So, he is saying, you young leader, "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." In other words, be strong, not because you have any special gifting, natural gifting, but because you are relying on Christ.

Then in verse two he is saying, once you yourself are strong, remember your responsibility. What is your responsibility? Pass on '"Whatever sound doctrine you heard from me," (and now it's not hearing from Paul, it is reading what Paul wrote,) "and you heard it in the presence of many witnesses." In other words, it's not a private matter. The things that are in the Bible are not for the elite. They are not just for bishops like you, Timothy. I told you in the presence of others, so it is for all. Because sometimes we start thinking as leaders that the information we have, which people in the congregation cannot have, no wonder we do not ever allow them to talk. We don't allow them to share testimonies. He said, no, no, no, no. Whatever it is I taught you, I told you in the presence of many witnesses. So, they also heard.

Day 3

Psalm 66:16

Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me

There should not be things you are teaching privately and you think certain members of congregation should not hear, they can't manage, they don't understand, oh the Bible is so complex? Isn't that what led to what is called the dark ages in church history, where the Bible was kept separate, only those who know how to read Latin could actually read it. And unlike what Paul is saying, whatever he taught Paul, Timothy, he told him in the presence of witnesses. The word of God is supposed to be open to all. "As you talk to one group, let the other one also hear." The things you have heard me say in the presence of witnesses, so they are not for special people.

Your responsibility is to "entrust to reliable people." In other words, don't let things die with you. You are old, you are 70, you are 80 and you are still the only one holding on to the church?

Ever heard of these old people who read the Bible in the village church yet he has reached a level where he can't see properly? So, when the first reading comes, everybody wonders what will happen next. He is trying to locate where it is, he can't locate it, then finally he locates it and he reads one word at a time. You can't understand the passage and you wonder where not allow the youth to read? The church is full of young people who can read very clearly, but the old man does not want to allow them. No, no, no.

Timothy is told, no, no, no. Whatever I have taught, you must pass on and trust the reliable people, hand it over. That's one of the biggest responsibilities of leadership. A leader's major responsibility is to reproduce himself, to make himself not needed by ensuring he has mentored younger leaders who can run with a baton if he moved out of the place. He needs to be sure when he's still alive that somebody can run with it. That's what Paul was doing with Timothy. Then Timothy is being told in turn to do the same. One of your biggest responsibilities as a leader is entrust whatever it is that you regard as important for life onto younger people.

I like the way he says it. By the way, he says these young people will also be qualified to teach others. In other words, you don't teach them like a secret, you don't suggest'€¦ don't tell anybody else, no. He said, so it is the first, the recipient of the message from God was Paul. He passes it on to Timothy. Timothy is being told to pass it on to qualified people whom he has. They're also being told to pass it on to others. So, you see how many generations? Paul, number one, Timothy, the level two, Timothy's mentees, level three, and the mentees of Timothy's mentees, level four. So, you can see that's what will allow the gospel to move on. Everybody who gets to know the gospel, must pass it on. And you have just seen it is the message was given in the presence of many witnesses. All of them, if they are to go and become active in entrusting what they know to others, who also give to others, who also give to others, can you see why Christianity will fill the earth? That's the responsibility of a Christian leader. And it's important that the Lord helps us to see why we must take that as a big responsibility. passing on the message, discipling others, mentoring others is a leaders responsibility.

Day 4

2 Timothy 2

3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Then in verse three to seven, he now takes the trouble to tell him as a leader, there are many models you can follow. One is be a like a soldier. Think of yourself as a soldier. And if you think of yourself as a soldier, then you learn several lessons.

Number one, you'll be focused. A soldier can't other than be focused. If he's not focused, the shot from the other enemy will kill him before he kills the enemy. Similarly, leaders must be focused.

We're also learning that if you're a soldier, you must be disciplined. What is to be disciplined? To be a person who does not what he wants, but what needs to be done, even when he doesn't enjoy doing it, only because he knows it's important to do it. That is the meaning of discipline. And if you are a leader who thinks of himself as a soldier, you'll be disciplined.

But he's also told that if you're a soldier, it means you learn not to be entangled in civilian life. What that means is that you don't say, but I'm also a man like others. I ask, how can you behave like that when you're a Christian? Brother Nganga, I'm also a man. Or a woman says, you can't talk to me like failure is that bad. I'm also a woman. I have feelings.

Soldiers live totally different from civilians. Many of them live in the bush, in difficult terrain, not because they do not want to enjoy living in comfortable places, but for the security of the nation, they need to be out there. Similarly, you are being told as a Christian leader, don't be like others. Don't get yourself mixed up to how other people who are not Christians are living, even if it's admirable or whatever reason you have for thinking it should be something you want to follow. He said, no, no, no. Don't entangle yourself in civilian life. Don't live like everybody around you. You are with them, but you don't act like them.

Jesus, in the last prayer, prayed very well. He says, he is praying for us and he says, we are in the world, but we are not of the world. In other words, you will be working in the same place as everybody else. We shall be in the supermarket with everybody else. We shall be in maternity, having babies like everybody else. These things are the things that are normal and around us, but we shall behave differently. Why? Because you are soldiers and there are certain things that people do, which you will not do. You will hear of a good business that is giving a very high return, but does not honor God. You will not get involved. It's not that you don't want to be rich, but you are not going to entangle yourself with the affairs of the people. If you are really a Christian soldier, you will behave differently from the people that are around you.

Day 5

2 Timothy 2

3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

In other words, once you see yourself as a soldier, you will be ready to suffer for your faith and those things we are talking about will be true of you. You will be disciplined, yes. You will also not get yourself involved in civilian affairs.

Look at what verse 4 is saying,

4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer

Hmm. One of the ways of knowing that you will soon be discharged out of the army is when people see you sleeping out of the barracks and getting yourself mixed up with buying things, like some of our soldiers were accused in another country of getting involved in charcoal trade. Now you should be sent home, discharged, because you are getting entangled in civilian affairs.

And thirdly, he says if you truly are a soldier, you will be trying to please your commanding officer. Who is your commanding officer? Not Paul. Jesus himself. You see, when the soldier's commanding officer tells him to jump, he doesn't ask why. He can only ask how high. Similarly, if a Christian leader compares himself with a soldier, it means that whatever the Lord tells him to do, he will do it even if it's going to make him uncomfortable or to put him in a bad place, as long as he's sure of the command. That's the commandment which our officer has ordered. You do it despite the consequences. You will not be a vital Christian leader until you come to where you are seeking all to ensure you please your commanding officer in everything. And that's something you have to ask yourself if you are doing. Is that what you are doing? Or do you feel you have choices you can make? There are choices you can make.

No wonder, he says that if you don't want to think of yourself as a soldier, also think of yourself as an athlete. And three things about the athlete are.

You don't become an athlete by force. It's a choice because you have to enlist yourself. Number two, you practice. It means waking up early. One of our top Olympians used to say that they decided they would go from Nairobi to Thika running several times a week. These are two towns 50 km apart. We normally have to take public vehicles or personal cars to drive. For them 50 kilometers is of running from Thika to Nairobi. So, is it a wonder when they finally go for the Olympics, the Kenyan Olympians just win and get gold? But it''s a voluntary thing. But once you get into it, although you entered it voluntarily, it's like a punishment. It's like a jail. It means a commitment to a life of practicing if you actually want to win.

And then thirdly, you must run by the rules. You can't run outside the rules. So, you must know how do you run a marathon? What are the rules of a marathon? Because you think you have won but then they say, you remember on the 30th kilometer out of the 42, you took a detour. You did not follow where the designated route and so you just lose your crown. So, it's important to understand the rules and follow the rules.

That's what he's saying. You want to call yourself a Christian? It will be important to do what verse 5 says.

5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor''s crown except by competing according to the rules.

So, as a Christian, think of yourself as a soldier.

Day 6

2 Timothy 2

6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.

But thirdly, Paul is telling his protégé, why don't you think of yourself as a farmer? And a farmer has several lessons you learn. Several lessons because if you are a farmer, you must first prepare the ground. it's not an interesting time preparing the ground. Number two, you must plant the seeds. What is worse is that after you plant it, go to the ground, you have no power of making it germinate. You have no power of making it grow. You are totally dependent on the weather and God to make it happen.

So, a Christian is like a soldier, but also like a farmer because of that aspect. The things you are doing, you just trust in God to make them happen. You just walk by faith. So, you prepare the ground, plant, but have to wait for God to do the miracle of getting it to work.

But thirdly and importantly, if you're a farmer, there will be opportunities to share in the harvest. You must work hard, yes, but you'll be among the first ones to share in the harvest even if you are not the one harvesting. So, you would even taste the maize to see whether they are ready. I think it's interesting to imagine of yourself as a farmer because that means you are sure there will be harvest and that you yourself will enjoy the harvest.

6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops

I believe heaven is our harvest, that as we serve the Lord in this complicated world in the sense that a lot of things we just depend on him, one day we shall rejoice with him in heaven. And it's something you need to ask yourself whether planting is an area you are involved in. "The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops." So, you need to understand that. So, if you are seeing yourself as a Christian, as that farmer, what will motivate you is that one day there will be harvest which you yourself will be sure to enjoy.

So, in verse seven, then you can see why it says,

. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Those three examples are things we should be having at the back of our mind every time we are asking the Lord to help us to grow and to learn. So that's an important thing we need to meditate over.

Day 7

Hebrews 12:11

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it

So, what are the lessons that those three models are showing us?

I think disciplined living is the thing that is emphasized by the three different examples. We must be disciplined. You remember the word disciple and discipline have the same root. So you cannot be a disciple who is not disciplined. And whether you talk about the soldier or the athlete or the farmer, all of them have a discipline.

What's a discipline? Something they do because they need to do, not because necessarily they enjoy doing it. And that's what we will need as Christians to commit ourselves to, a life of discipline. We don't go to church when you feel like going to church. We don't have our quiet time when you feel like having a quiet time. We don't fast just when you feel you do not enjoy fasting. We don't read the Bible when you feel like it's enjoyable to read the Bible. We do not fellowship with people when you feel like fellowshipping them or because they are likable. It's discipline. You do it because you know it is going to help you spiritually even if currently you may not be actually enjoying it.

So, discipline is a big issue and I have written a book on spiritual disciplines and I argue in the book that you will not become a spiritually mature person if you don't live a life of disciplines. And there are many Christian disciplines. In the book I talk about the discipline of reading God's word. I talk about the discipline of prayer because it will be very important to the discipline of repentance, seeking forgiveness, keeping short accounts with God, the discipline of witnessing, sharing your faith with others, which is a very important thing. The discipline of righteousness, seeking to live in righteousness in life, a life that's honoring and pleasing to God. My book contains many disciplines. They are called spiritual disciplines because they help you spiritually. But they are discipline because it is not something you do when you enjoy. You do it because it's important to do and useful to do.

I think that what I hear Paul asking, telling his protégé is, are you living a disciplined life? Are you living a life where you do things, not because there's immediate results, but we know they are the right thing to do. The harvest may take time to come. For example, if you are actually planting a fruit tree, some of the fruit trees will take two, three years before they ever bear any fruit. And yet, if you are a disciplined farmer, hardworking farmer, you will wait and you will continue until the right time for harvest, because you know the harvest will finally come.

What are things that are discouraging you from serving the Lord because the results are taking too long or you are not even sure if you have ever seen the results this side of the sky? What are they? Discipline means you be committed, even if there are not immediate results you can see, because you know for sure it's a good thing to do. You know it will yield good results. You commit yourself to it, even if you cannot see quick results. And discipline is something that you need to answer.

So ,the first question is, are there disciplines that are good for you spiritually, but you are not practicing them? Which discipline are you not practicing, which needs to be added to the spiritual disciplines you should be having? Or maybe I should ask a different question. Those spiritual disciplines you are practicing, how well are you practicing them? Do you read the Bible one day then skip another? Do you read the Bible just when the pastor tells you where to read? Or do you have a commitment to the scriptures? And because God has given many of us the ability to read, literacy, we use it so that we saturate our mind with God's word. We read it all the time. Is that something you do or you are not committed to it? You do it sometimes, sometimes you don't do it. It is true you have that discipline, but you are not carrying the discipline well. May the Lord help us to be what the minister is being told. A Christian leader who is totally committed to follow the Lord, "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."