"Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry."
2 Timothy 4:11 (NKJV)
Most people enjoy music, movies, and television programs. Of course, not every kind of music, movie, or television show is good, but generally speaking these are things that people enjoy. The music we listen to and the movies or television shows we watch are the result of people working to get everything just right. The majority of the time things do not work as well as they should the first time around, so they will usually try again, or as they say, "Take Two", in an effort to get a better result. This same principle holds true in other areas of life, things don't always work right the first time so we need a second attempt to get it right.
There is a great example of this principle in the New Testament. In Acts 13:5 we see that Mark went with Paul on Paul's first journey to preach the Gospel. But, after just a short time, Mark left Paul's group and returned to Jerusalem. People have many ideas about why this may have happened, but the Scripture does not really tell us. Later, as Paul was about to take another trip, in Acts 15, Paul refused to have Mark travel with him again because Mark had not continued on with the group on the first trip. Mark had a bad reputation at this point, but the good thing is that this is not the end of the story of Mark.
Paul did not approve of Mark leaving the group on the first journey. But, in 2 Timothy 4:11 Paul asks Timothy to bring Mark with him because Mark is "useful to me for ministry". That is quite a change from what happened previously. The lesson we can all learn is that no matter how things start we can have a "Take Two". God, and godly people, will not give up on us. God will help us to get past the mistakes and problems of our past to be people that are useful to Him in His Kingdom. How about you? Do you need a second chance, a Take Two? If so, God is ready to help you turn things around and bring you to the place of being a significant part of His work on the earth today!
2 Timothy 4:11 (NKJV)
Most people enjoy music, movies, and television programs. Of course, not every kind of music, movie, or television show is good, but generally speaking these are things that people enjoy. The music we listen to and the movies or television shows we watch are the result of people working to get everything just right. The majority of the time things do not work as well as they should the first time around, so they will usually try again, or as they say, "Take Two", in an effort to get a better result. This same principle holds true in other areas of life, things don't always work right the first time so we need a second attempt to get it right.
There is a great example of this principle in the New Testament. In Acts 13:5 we see that Mark went with Paul on Paul's first journey to preach the Gospel. But, after just a short time, Mark left Paul's group and returned to Jerusalem. People have many ideas about why this may have happened, but the Scripture does not really tell us. Later, as Paul was about to take another trip, in Acts 15, Paul refused to have Mark travel with him again because Mark had not continued on with the group on the first trip. Mark had a bad reputation at this point, but the good thing is that this is not the end of the story of Mark.
Paul did not approve of Mark leaving the group on the first journey. But, in 2 Timothy 4:11 Paul asks Timothy to bring Mark with him because Mark is "useful to me for ministry". That is quite a change from what happened previously. The lesson we can all learn is that no matter how things start we can have a "Take Two". God, and godly people, will not give up on us. God will help us to get past the mistakes and problems of our past to be people that are useful to Him in His Kingdom. How about you? Do you need a second chance, a Take Two? If so, God is ready to help you turn things around and bring you to the place of being a significant part of His work on the earth today!
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