In this eight-part companion series to his book Never Give Up, Dr. Dr. Michael Youssef encourages us to embody Paul’s unwavering confidence in the Gospel. Digging deep into the apostle’s letter known as 2 Timothy, Dr. Youssef exhorts believers everywhere to do all we can to remain true to Christ.

the apostle paul saw his spiritual life like a runner in the marathon. He would not quit the race halfway at times. He probably felt exhausted and kept on running until he run the race. Looking forward to a crown of righteousness. Stay the course. And don’t ever, ever, ever give up on the biblical truth, everyone who’s longing for jesus to come back and take us home, they too, are going to have the crown of righteousness coming up next on leading the way. The first time I started preaching consistent preaching ministry in a small church in Sydney Australia. I was a student pastor. I just enrolled in seminary. I still remember the first sermon I preached, but I was so nervous that the water, they had a water glass on the lectern and our I was shaking so much holding onto that lectern that the water was spelling To this day. Almost 50 years later, I still get nervous running up the stairs to the left and to preach because I’m handling the most important thing in life the word of God and to handle the word of God. You you have to be in the fear and trepidation because my goal in life is to honor the Lord, honor his word and preach it faithfully. Learn the keys to spiritual endurance, overcome spiritual burnout and train up the next generation to stand firm on biblical truth with Dr Yousef’s new book. Never give up dr Michael Yousef unpacks paul’s rich words of encouragement, found in second timothy words that will help you endure, flourish and thrive in the midst of doubt. danger and despair in this encouraging book. Dr Yousef unveils four unique aspects of what it means to never give up biblical truth. A timely message. As christians around the world face mounting pressure to compromise their faith and abandon their biblical values. Request your copy today for your gift of any amount. And received two bonus resources exclusively from leading the way. Be empowered to live for christ and learn how to leave a lasting legacy of faith for the next generation. Order your copy of Dr Yousef’s newest book. Never give up today by giving a gift of any amount. Contact us today And Matthew 24, Jesus warned again and again. He said, Let no man deceive you now. The apostle paul, he was absolutely aware of the insidious nous of that subtle deception. He knew that deception can come to all of us, pastor and congregation, all of us. That deception can come to the most ardent christian. That deception can invade a believing church. That deception can come to future leaders of a church like timothy to whom he is writing. And that is why Paul begins chapter four the last chapter in the second epistle to timothy in chapter four verse one and he says to him, I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of jesus christ, who is the judge of the living and the dead and by his appearing and his kingdom. I solemnly charge you. This is a legal term which means to testify under oath in a court of law except this is the court of heaven where the witnesses nor other than the holy trinity. So what is this charge that timothy is to receive? What is that charge that he’s charging timothy with? It’s a charge under oath to be faithful to the word of God and to preach the whole counsel of God that timothy would speak what God has already spoken no more and no less. That timothy would not take liberty to massage or to improve or to soften the word of God. And by the way, timothy, if people don’t like it, that is not your problem. Now that’s a use of translation, but you’ll you’ll get the meaning because God is the only one who’s going to judge him. God is the only one who’s going to judge me. God is the only one who’s going to judge everyone of us. Why? Because as long as timothy, as long as you, as long as I am faithful to the Lord, we have nothing to fear. Now you remember in the very beginning, paul told timothy to guard the truth guarded. And secondly, he told him to continue in that truth. And thirdly, we saw how he told him if you have to suffer for the truth. And fourthly, here today he is telling him to proclaim this truth to gossip. This truth to preach this truth to share this truth to pass on this truth. How is he to do this? Well, three ways he gives him, First of all, he’s got to be urgent about sharing of that truth. Secondly, he is to be relevant when he shares this truth. And thirdly, he said that he is to be patient for the fruit of that truth. Let’s look at those three very quickly to be urgent in sharing of the Word of God. What does urgent mean? It means to be ready. It means to be on call. It means that you’re always alert looking for opportunities and looking for ways by which you can share the truth. Never lose your sense of urgency. You see some people take versus true to me, and paul is giving us a license to make pests of ourselves until people believe. No, no, no, no, no, no. The reason he said to preach us in season and out of season, it’s not in terms of the person to whom you are witnessing, but in terms of us who are witnessing, it’s for us, not for them. It is. It’s the one who’s doing the witnessing and be ready to witness when the opportunity comes, Whether it is convenient for you or not literally be on duty all the time. Whether it’s convenient for you or it’s not. You see the Great apostle is not giving us a license for rudeness, but an appeal against christian laziness. Well, the second characteristic about our appeal, it is to be relevant, bringing the Gospel to bear on the circumstances that people are going through where they find themselves. This is how you go about. It is a person in need of healing. Take the opportunity. Tell him. Let me tell you about the great physician. Let me, let me tell you about my God, the God whose name is Jehovah, Wrath of God, my healer is that person in a predicament or tell them about the only one who can deliver them. The reason There are three different ways here, three different words convince rebuke and exhort. There’s a reason for that is because each of these are to be used differently in different circumstances, depending on where the need is. Let me explain this for those who are tormented by doubt. We convince him by argument for those who are falling into sin and they’re desperately needs to be gently rebuked exalted and then be led to the place of forgiveness and restoration. For those who are haunted by fear. We need to encourage them to overcome by the power of the Lord jesus christ. Let me show you how jesus himself did it. Let me show you how he did it. It’s very important with the samaritan woman. He knew she was living a defeated life. He knew that she absolutely dreaded the life of drudgery that she was living in, where she goes and it draws the water and then carries that heavy water jar all the way long distance. And so he opened the conversation with her how give me a drink because that’s where she is. That’s where she mentally and emotionally. Water was her preoccupation and what is jesus doing? He is breaking her preoccupation of barrier. So she will be recipient to the word of God. And from there he told her about the water of life he himself can give with Nicodemus, the erudite sophisticated theologian. He cut through all the philosophical mumbo jumbos that theologians like to use is that you must be born again, flabbergasted all Nicodemus. He looked for the opportunity where the need is where the circumstances are. And he presented himself and presented his message to that person’s need. The truth of the word of God reaches everybody at the level and therefore our task is to make the word relevant to them, not water down the word so they can accept it. No, we make it relevant to them. The word of God needs to be communicated what urgently secondly, it needed to be communicated relevantly. And thirdly it needs to be communicated patiently, invariably, always happen when I use the word patients. So patiently, I come under complete conviction. I want to quit right here. See there are those who tried to manipulate people’s emotions to get the results they wanted. But the problem with all of that is this, listen to me very carefully, please. The problem with all of these folks believe that they and their clever methods and their clever techniques and they’re clever marketing is what converts people beloved. That is not true. So they think if I can water down the message, if I can soften the gospel, if I can make it acceptable, I’m going to get more people, jesus said only those whom the father draws to me will come to me. We are incapable of converting anyone. Why do you think we ought to be on our knees all the time praying for the lost, praying for people to be saved. You see, our faithfulness is not measured by results, but the faithfulness in our proclamation. Bye faithful. Witnessing by faithfully passing on the God, news to the next generation to our Children and Children’s Children and then patiently wait for the fruit. Because beloved, listen to me, it is always, always, always God’s timing, not ours. Question Why did paul charged timothy to be urgent? To be relevant and to be patient? Why is he asked him to do that? Well, that he gives us three reasons, three reasons why he’s got to be urgent, Why he’s got to be relevant why he’s got to be patient. The first reason, he said, because God will judge our faithfulness and lack thereof. He’s talking to believers now. Okay, I know there are christians who don’t like to hear this. They don’t want to hear that they’re going to give an account of every idle word that came out of our mouth. I know that. And sometimes I confess to you I don’t like it either. You see, in addition to the judgment of hell, the judgment of the non believers who will be eternally sent into that fire that would not be quenched and the worm that will not die. In addition to that judgment, there is another judgment. The bible talks about it is the judgment of the believers. You know, in this church. We take the whole word of God to be the absolute authority. And when the word of God says, we are saved by Grace alone, it means what? By Grace alone, You cannot do anything to earn it. You cannot do anything to achieve it. It is a gift. It is by Grace. God gives it to you and your graciously and thankfully receive it from his hand. It is given by Grace. Listen to what paul said to the Ephesians in 289 and 10. For by Grace, you have been saved through faith and this is not of your own doing. It’s a gift from God, verse nine, not because of works as if he said if he didn’t get it in verse eight, I’m going to emphasize it verse nine, not because of works lest anyone bust no bragging. I’m a sinner. God gave me what I don’t deserve verse 10 for we are his workmanship created in christ jesus You see, we have created when we’re born physically, we are recreated. That’s the rebirth. The three generations we recreated in christ jesus unto good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in. What is this judgment of the believers? And if you want to read more about this, go to romans 14 12th Corinthians 5 10. And and read about this judgment of the believers. Sometimes I like to refer to it as our award giving ceremony celebration. Each of us. How many? Each of us will be rewarded differently. God is fair and he’s just all the believers are saved by grace, gift of God. But not all the believers are gonna be rewarded equally, Paul said, we are not saved through good works, but unto good works. Say that with me not through good works, but unto good works him right. If a person claims to be a christian does not give of themselves to the work of God does not walk with God. That person. If he saved at all. He or she is in a world of hurt, paul told the Corinthians in Chapter 3 1st Princes. Chapter three. Every believer’s work is going to be judged by fire. Well, let me give it to you in the use of translation in the in that day of judgment for the believers God is going to light a match fire. And those who sat on their blessed assurance and done very little. If nothing that fire, It’s gonna burn their works like you have lit a fire to a band of hey, nothing but dust small grains, but for the faithful believers, uh the the ones who gave of themselves use their gifts. Um gave sacrificial e always serving and always giving their workers are gonna be like gold. And so the appeal here is urgent, relevant. And it’s to be done patiently. Why? Because in the last days, every believer is going to be judged. And now some of you are not liking this one bit. And as I told you the times when I don’t want to like it either, But please don’t shoot the Messenger. I’m only telling you what the water God said. There’s a second reason. And he said that reason is because we see and increase of unfaithfulness. Look at Verse three with me, please. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but have itching ears, they will accumulate to themselves. Teachers who will suit the likeness paul said. Such people are suffering from a pathological condition called itching ears. They have itching for novelties. They have itching for what’s trending. They are itching. They have itching for us new. They have itching for the soft underbelly. They have itching to hear that, which is not convicting them of their sin and lead them to repentance. And the only relief they can get from this pathological condition is for the preacher to tell them what they want to hear. Here’s a fact about that condition. There is a stop against hearing the truth. How can their ears get unstoppable? Well, their itching ears can only be unstoppable when someone scratches them, who I’m under conviction, That’s good. So what is timothy to do? What are you to do? What am I to do? Verse five stay the course and endure suffering if you have to. And at any cost. Don’t ever, ever, ever, ever give up on the biblical truth, beloved. I want you to hear me right on this one. It’s a fact. When a church grows in favor with the world, it loses power with God. That’s what we are. Let me repeat this. When a church grows in favor with the world, it loses power with God. We need to communicate the word urgently relevantly patiently. Why? Because God will judge our faithfulness. And secondly, because unfaithfulness is rampant, rampant, and we see it all around us. And thirdly, because paul himself, he’s about to die. Believe it or not. This is not a sad thing for paul. This is not a sad thing, paul is about to die. But timothy now must keep the gospel alive, paul is in chains. But timothy must preach the freeing power of jesus christ. Look at Verse six. The time of my departure has come the word departure here. It’s a significant thing. I want to take a moment and explain it to you. It’s a word in the greek that’s used when a ship pulls anchor and beginning to sail to another shore. And that’s how he sees his departed beloved listen to me. This is how we should see the departure of believers. I often call it moving from the basement to the penthouse. Don’t miss this. Don’t miss this. The Apostle paul saw this. He saw his spiritual life to be a spiritual battlefield. And as a soldier, as a good, faithful soldier, he stayed in the battlefield. And that is why, he said, I fought the good fight like faithful military men and women. They stay. He stayed in the heat of the battle. He did not defect to the enemy side. He did not run away. He did not hide. He did not choose the shady and cool spots. He did not choose the easy jobs. He did not run away from the front line. No, he stayed there and fought the good fight. But he also said his life was like a runner in the marathon arana in the marathon. And he kept on running. He kept on running. He would not stop. He would not quit the race halfway, even though he might have been tired, even though he may have felt pain he endured at times. He probably felt exhausted, but he kept on running and kept on running until he run the race looking forward not to a green wreath as the olympic runners would get, but to a crown of righteousness. Listen to me, Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that every believer my where his crown of righteousness, of his righteousness. And then paul immediately goes on to say, I’m not the only one who’s going to get that crowd, I’m not the only one. Everyone who loves Jesus is appearing, Everyone who loves the return of christ, everyone who’s looking forward to the great Day, Everyone who’s longing for jesus to come back and take us home, they too, are going to have the crown of righteousness. And if you are in fear, you can change that today. You can say Lord jesus, I receive you as my savior, forgive my sins. I’m a sinner and deserve hell, but you, when your blood shed on calvary offered me salvation, I received it gratefully and you change your destination from fear to joy. I’m going to conclude by reading notes that were left in a home of a martyr. He was martyred for christ and few days later people found this is translated. So just bear with it, he said, I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed the die has been cashed. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of jesus christ. I will not look back, let up slow down, back away or be still my past is redeemed, my present makes sense and my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living site, walking smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow and my way is rough, my companions are few. My guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I won’t give up shut up or let up until I have stayed up stored up, prayed up for the cause of jesus christ. I must go until he comes give until I drop preach till everyone knows work until he stops me and when he comes for his own, he will have no trouble recognizing me because my banner would have been clear check out leading the ways smartphone app with the leading the way up, you can watch recent episodes of leading the way, listen to sermon series as well as read special daily devotionals written by dr Yousef you can even watch leading the way live events on your mobile device or follow along with a daily bible reading plan to keep you consistent in your walk with the Lord, download the leading the way smartphone after your device so you can be plugged into and stay connected with what God is doing through leading the way all over the globe. Just search for leading the way on your apple android or amazon fire device to download the app today, no matter how hard these days, maybe no matter how trying those times may become, no matter how challenging the situation is, don’t ever give up on the gospel truth, learn the keys to spiritual endurance, overcome spiritual burnout and train up the next generation to stand firm on biblical truth with Dr Yousef’s new book. Never give up. At the end of his life, imprisoned in a roman dungeon, the apostle paul urged his young disciple, timothy. Never give up on prayer, Never give up on Biblical truth. Never give up on the faith that was once for all, entrusted to the saints In his brand new book. Never give up Dr. Michael Yousef unpacks Paul’s rich words of encouragement found in 2nd Timothy words that will help you endure flourish and thrive in the midst of doubt. Danger and despair. Don’t be ashamed of the Word of God. Don’t alluded to the point of unrecognized Ishan in this encouraging book, Dr Yousef unveils four unique aspects of what it means to never give up Biblical truth. A timely message. As christians around the world face mounting pressure to compromise their faith and abandoned their biblical values. Dr yusef also shares personal examples from his life and ministry of how he found the strength to stand for christ amid the pressure to compromise, request your copy today for your gift of any amount and received two bonus resources exclusively from leading the way, be empowered to live for christ in difficult times and learn how to leave a lasting legacy of faith for the next generation. Whatever the future may bring, don’t surrender. Don’t be intimidated. Never give up on Biblical truth. What are your copy of Dr Yousef’s newest book? Never give up by giving a gift of any amount. Contact us today. Mhm, passionately proclaiming uncompromising truth. Leading the way with Dr Michael Yousef. Thanks you for your faithful support through your continued prayers and gifts.