Good morning. As we finished last time Paul talked about the gospel – for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. People tried to make Paul ashamed of standing for the gospel and preaching it. They beat and mistreated him terribly. And yet he was not ashamed. Some people try to make us ashamed of standing for the Gospel. If they can make us feel ashamed, we won't be saying things that they know is right – which they have been wrong about. And why was Paul not ashamed? He didn't just know about Jesus – read about Him in a book. He knew Him personally. All Christians have Jesus living inside of them, but Paul actually spoke with Him face-to-face in a vision. When we know Jesus, we can be confident that He will take care of everything that we have entrusted to Him. It is safe in His hands. Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. The world's standard is a lot lower than God's standard. We must speak the truth in love. We cannot water down the Gospel to either make ourselves acceptable or to make God's word acceptable. Father thank You that the reader knows whom he/she has believed and is convinced that You are able to guard that which he/she has entrusted to You until that day.

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