Category: Devotions

Opposition isn’t optional for followers of Jesus—it’s inevitable. Ministry and discipleship both come with their share of resistance, because opposition is woven into the fabric of life itself. Even the great Apostle Paul faced it, so we shouldn’t expect immunity.

Paul writes candidly about Alexander the metalworker: “Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message” (2 Timothy 4:14-15).

In reflecting on friends—those he commissioned, those who disappointed him, and those who may never have been true friends at all—Paul offers us a masterclass in handling opposition. His approach to Alexander reveals five crucial principles:

1. Name the Reality

Paul identifies Alexander by name. Sometimes we’re so wounded that merely hearing someone’s name triggers anxiety. But naming your opposition robs it of its power over you. When you can say the name without flinching, you’ve taken back control.

2. Acknowledge the Damage

Paul doesn’t sugarcoat the impact: Alexander “did me a great deal of harm.” Minimizing hurt only keeps you trapped in it. Honest assessment is essential—the harm happened then, but it doesn’t have to harm you now.

3. Trust God’s Justice

Rather than seeking revenge, Paul entrusts Alexander to divine justice: “The Lord will repay him.” This surrender requires ultimate forgiveness—releasing the person who hurt you into God’s hands.

4. Exercise Practical Wisdom

Forgiveness doesn’t equal foolishness. Paul warns others to “be on your guard against him.” You can forgive someone completely while still protecting others from potential harm. This isn’t character assassination—it’s wisdom.

5. Keep the Bigger Picture

Paul recognizes that Alexander opposed “our message,” not just Paul personally. The apostle’s primary concern remained the gospel. Opposition should prompt us to ask: How can I respond in a way that serves the greater purpose, not just my personal interests?

When your own “Alexander the metalworker” appears, may you respond with Paul’s blend of honesty, faith, and practical wisdom.

He didn’t write letters that made it into the New Testament, plant famous churches or perform recorded miracles. He is only mentioned once. But one day Paul asked him to take care of some things for him.

Timothy is planning to visit Paul in prison.

“When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.” (2 Timothy 4 v 13)

Carpus, what’s your role in the grand scheme of things?

“I’m the keeper of the winter coat.”

In many ways, Carpus embodies the vast majority of Christian service throughout history. Faithful, practical, often unnoticed, but absolutely essential to the work of God’s kingdom. His brief mention reminds us that behind every great ministry are people like Carpus: reliable, trustworthy, and willing to help with whatever needs doing, even if it’s just holding onto someone’s winter coat and a few books.

At the end of his life, all Paul had left, was a cloak and a few books. Even then he had left them with a friend, perhaps because he was arrested quickly before imprisonment.

Parchments were expensive, precious items, likely containing portions of Scripture or important theological works.

At the end of his life, with his desire for these parchments and his books, we see the heart of a lifelong learner, a man whose passion for knowledge and truth never dimmed, even in the shadow of execution.

We all need friends to hold our coats.

We all need friends who can carry our books.

We all need friends to carry out the most mundane acts of service so that we can survive our difficulty and continue to grow in God.

Paul knows his time is short, we have already seen how he writes of his departure being at hand and having fought the good fight. Yet even in these desperate circumstances, his mind remains focused on the churches he has planted and the leaders he has trained.

We will now read a short sentence which gives some insight into what apostolic leadership actually is.

“I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.” – 2 Timothy 4:12

It demands the careful development and deployment of reliable leaders who can carry on the work when the founding apostle is no longer available.

It always placing the mission and the welfare of others above personal preferences, even in the most difficult circumstances.

Tychicus has appeared in Paul’s writings in places like Ephesians 6 v 21-22 and Colossians 4 v 7. He was a good friend to Paul.

Ephesus was no random assignment. Ephesus was arguably the most important church in Paul’s apostolic network, a metropolitan centre where he had invested three years of intensive ministry. The church there served as a hub for reaching the entire province of Asia Minor.

By the time of 2 Timothy, Ephesus likely faced significant challenges. False teachers were infiltrating the church (1 Timothy 1:3-7), and the spiritual climate was deteriorating. The church needed mature, tested leadership during this critical period. By sending away one of his closest and most reliable companions, Paul was choosing the needs of the church over his own comfort during his final, lonely days.

So what more can we learn?

• Send your friends. They need to be used of God as much as you. Celebrate that.
• Sacrifice for your friends and the mission. Don’t hold on to them for your own needs.
• Strategic thinking regarding your friends. What is best for them? What is best for where you are cheering them on to? Paul didn’t send Tychicus randomly but strategically placed him where his particular gifts and experience would be most effective.

Two great friends in ministry parted company over one man, who we see makes a remarkable comeback, in the verse we read today. The disagreement was because of this: ““From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.” (Acts 13 v 13) His full name was John Mark and the two great friends, Barnabas and Paul, became divided later when Barnabas wanted to bring him back into the team and Paul didn’t think it wise at that time. “They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,” (Acts 15 v 39). That was the last time we hear of Barnabas. Sadly some friends never make it back together.

What have I learnt about friendship that divides?

It happens; parting company doesn’t solve the problem; not many apologise; because God makes things work together for good, it only reveals the ‘things’ were bad, so let’s call the disagreements bad instead of declaring they were right; in division some will drift away and may never be heard of again and others may be spurred on to other things.

But as we come to read this next sentence there is a startling discovery. Writing from a Roman prison, likely facing imminent execution, the great apostle makes an urgent request:

“Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” (2 Timothy 4 v 11)

What an amazing turnaround. Yes, it does happen. Time can heal. People do change for the better. The young man who once fled from hardship had become someone Paul specifically wanted by his side during his darkest hour.

Paul had watched friends leave him for good and bad reasons now he reaches out. He wasn’t just asking for an assistant; he was reaching out for a faithful friend who had proven himself reliable and valuable to Paul.

• If you have friends who you know you can call on at a time of need then you are very rich.
• Friendship is a journey and things can go wrong but don’t discard your friend for good. With grace and time they can end up being hugely important for you.
• If you are in ministry then the greatest help you need, is not to be lifted out of your ‘prison’ or some other miraculous provision, but friendship.

Who are the “Marks” in our lives? Not necessarily those we have had disagreements over or who have left us in the past, though it could be those. But those that we can count on when life gets difficult? In the end, it is all about one thing, friendship.

In slowing down this farewell from Paul to Timothy we get the opportunity to hear the Spirit speak through God’s Word. We are going to read five simple words that show us that the power of friendship is often in the fact that you are present. Have you ever heard or said this, “I can’t believe you came to see me.” There is one better than that, “I can’t believe you stayed.”

Throughout the book of Acts, which Luke wrote, we often find passages with the word, ‘we’, revealing that this doctor was present in many of Paul’s travels. He was with him in the shipwrecks, imprisonments and many dangers. Now when others have left him, some for legitimate reasons of the gospel, others because they loved the world, we have five amazing words.

“ Only Luke is with me…” (2 Timothy 4 v 11)

If all you read is Paul lamenting then read it again. I read it as a wonderful acknowledgment of Luke. One true friend is enough. Luke lifted Paul’s mood when everyone else walked out. Paul had someone who truly saw him for who he was, who believed in him and who stood by him. Do you have someone like that? Are you that someone?

Here are 7 thoughts about the friendship of Luke.

This friendship is more than a comfort. It reminds of the value and the calling of the individual.

This friendship’s power is to walk in when others walk out.

This friendship reveals the character of God who is completely faithful.

This friendship receives as well as gives. Luke is here at the end of Paul’s teachings and life and is part of this wonderful Bible story that lasts for ever. That is quite an achievement!

This friendship chooses commitment not comfort and it this costs not only our own needs but at times our reputation.

This friendship sees beyond the temporal difficult circumstance of our ‘prisons’ to who we really are.

This friendship redefines success and finds purpose even in our darkest seasons.

“Only Luke is with me.” As we navigate our own relationships and commitments, may we aspire to be the kind of people others can count on in their final chapters. May we be someone’s Luke—faithful, present, and unwavering when the going gets tough.

We are at the end of Paul’s life. This second letter to Timothy has been filled with emotion and as we come to the end of it Paul is vulnerable as he contemplates on the people he has had in his life.

When I became a Pastor there was a sought after preacher who everyone wanted to hear. Several years ago now a friend attended his funeral. It wasn’t really a Christian funeral, in fact, one of the eulogies came from a work colleague, who said “when he started at work he told us he was a Pentecostal Pastor but then he became one of us” he then quoted something that he was well known for, which wasn’t fitting for any Christian.
What makes men and women move from such places in God to become shadows of who they were?
What do they think about when they’ve walked away?
Do they still pray?
Do they rubbish their experience of God?
Did they have anything to walk away from?

“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.” (2 Timothy v 9-10)  

Crescens and Dalmatia were seemingly commissioned to represent missionary departures. Paul mentions them matter-of-factly, without emotion or judgment, because their leaving advanced the very cause for which Paul himself was imprisoned.

But Demas? This is where we become sad. Perhaps you know of a Demas?

Some may think it was an abandoning of his salvation. But maybe it wasn’t.

It could be simply this, the choice between looking after an old Apostle trapped in prison, going nowhere, the thrill of missionary journeys having ended, well, it doesn’t sound like fun does it? Demas needed to live his life, he needed to see the world and get what it had to offer him, he had dreams you see. If so, it hurt.

This wasn’t a fair-weather friend walking away, this was a close associate, someone who had seen the power of the gospel firsthand, someone who had witnessed Paul’s unwavering faith through previous imprisonments.

This makes his desertion all the more painful. It’s one thing to be abandoned by strangers; it’s another to be left by those who once stood beside you in the work of the kingdom.

We don’t know what became of Demas after Thessalonica. Did he ever return? Did he find what he was looking for in the temporal pleasures of this world? History is silent on his ultimate fate.

The question remains: When the cost of faithfulness rises, what will our response be? Will we, like Demas, choose the temporary comfort of this world?

The choice, as it was for Demas, remains ours.

If you had a friend who became a Demas, it will have hurt you but draw comfort as Paul looks back on those that were with him, some stayed and some left, yet he has remained faithful to God.

So purposely I am reading to the end of this chapter.

It is all of the people that surround Paul’s life.

“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. At my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.” (2 Timothy 4 v 9-22)

You will lose some people
Demas couldn’t cope any longer and wanted out so he left. Crescens and Titus left for their own reasons. Paul didn’t ask them to go, but they went. Paul sent Tychicus to preach. Onesiphorus had probably died as Paul greeted his household. Erastus had an important job in the city of Ephesus (Romans 16:23) so didn’t go into Paul’s next chapter of his life. Not everyone gets healed and Trophimus had stay behind.

You will keep some people
Luke was the writer, he’d seen it all, a fellow journeyman. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and others who are nameless, who knows who these are, except they were friends. Your friends may not be well-known but they can be highly valuable.

You will gain people
Mark returned after that earlier fall-out.

You will be hurt by people
Alexander is handed over to God, and Paul makes sure he doesn’t give a good reference.

You will remember people
Paul probably stayed at the house of Carpus, he had left his winter coat there and his books. He greets the great couple, Priscilla and Acquila.

People and the greatest of all is in the last verse, The Lord. He is with you!!

Paul’s final words are not that of a defeated man. On the contrary, he has run the race, he has fought the fight and he has kept the faith. This is not a tragic end to someone who has been ‘poured out’ but rather he believes in what looks like a ceremony to come.

“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4 v 8)

I just saw this phrase at a podium in the U.S: May Charlie be received into the merciful arms of Jesus, our loving Saviour. How wonderful it is to see that on the BBC News.

When we die and meet Jesus we will be given the victor’s crown given to winners at athletic competitions.

• It’s a reward for faithfulness, not perfection. The righteousness isn’t his own moral achievement, but the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ.
• It’s awarded by the righteous Judge. God’sevaluation is based on truth, not appearances or politics.
• It’s promised for that day. The day of Christ’s return and final judgment.
• The promise to all. The crown of righteousness isn’t reserved for apostles or super-saints. It’s available to every believer who lives with eager anticipation of Christ’s return.

Every day we see a follower of Jesus go on that amazing journey to Jesus. Every time it teaches us to live with the healthy balance between engaging fully in this life while keeping our ultimate hope fixed on the next. We work diligently, love deeply, and serve faithfully, but we hold all earthly things lightly, knowing our true citizenship is in heaven.

As we face our own challenges, losses, and even our own mortality, we can do so with Paul’s confidence. The race we’re running has a finish line, and the Judge waiting there is both righteous and gracious.

May we live today worthy of that eternal reward.

One of the sports headlines for yesterday was this: “Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury is biggest fight in boxing and must happen, says promoter Eddie Hearn”

Eddie Hearn said, “I don’t really have many regrets but I think we would always kick ourselves if we never saw that fight. For me, it’s a must. Tell me a bigger fight in boxing?” – Hearn says AJ is “fired up” and “has a lot to give”.

Big claims right there!

Boxing and humility don’t really go together do they?

Well let us look at a very humble statement in this next verse.

Paul says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4 v 7)

The “good fight” isn’t about winning arguments or defeating enemies, but about battling against discouragement, temptation, and the urge to quit when the way grows difficult. It’s the daily choice to love when it’s hard, to serve when it’s costly, to hope when circumstances suggest despair.

“I have engaged in conflict chained to this Roman soldier. I have never quit. I have never slackened in my commitment to Christ. I have journeyed far and wide to tell others of Him.
I know what it is to conquer against the odds. I have stayed the course.” That’s what Paul had done.

I had coffee this week with a man who is facing his biggest fight ever regarding his health. He is having to lean in to God more than he has ever done. The battle is raging for him.

What are you facing today? The biggest fight ever? Who will win?

Then Paul switches to that of a runner.

Another sports headline at the same time said this, “Keely Hodgkinson could end her career as one of the greatest athletes of all time” Sebastian Coe has predicted on the eve of the world championships in Tokyo.

We understand these images as did Paul when it comes to the Christian fight and the race.

Paul kept the faith, not merely intellectual belief but active trust in God’s goodness even when imprisoned, abandoned by friends, and facing death

Today, we’re still in our own race, fighting our own good fight. The question isn’t whether we’ll face difficulties, but whether we’ll meet them with the same steady resolve Paul demonstrated.

What fight is God calling you to today? What step in the race lies before you?

Some days are just overwhelming aren’t they? Paul is pouring out his heart to his spiritual son. He knows more than anyone what it is to be beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned and yet always focused on the mission. He is not writing theory but from his own experience.

“But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.” (2 Timothy 4 v 5-6)

Effective ministry demands mental and emotional stability. We must maintain perspective when circumstances seem to overwhelm us. Alongside that we must continue to evangelise even when going through tough times. There is no time to back down but we must, with perseverance, continue to be faithful to the tasks God has set before us, especially during the tough time.

This is why Paul writes, speaking from his own experience of his life, for him it has been like a drink being poured out. This is wholehearted devotion.

Today your life with God will cost you, it will ask you not to hold anything back and most importantly it will be about God being glorified even during the pain and death. I went to sleep last night hearing of the death of Charlie Kirk in Utah, USA. He discharged all the duties and he absolutely poured out his life. Today, all around the world, others will follow. They follow Paul who knew where he was going. He faces death with remarkable peace. He’s not in denial about his circumstances, nor is he bitter about his suffering. Instead, he demonstrates the confidence that comes from a life well-lived in service to Christ. Paul’s not being morbid. No, he is finishing well because he lived well. He has been focused, faithful, and fully surrendered to God’s purposes.

Paul’s example inspires us to live with intentionality, share the gospel boldly, and pour out our lives as offerings to the One who gave everything for us and so does the life of Charlie Kirk.