Latest / The Daily Word / June 27 – Capable and Ready
Transcript
- Robert Rosales: Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. Whenever you're catching this, welcome to the Daily Word Podcast. I'm Robert Rosales, and alongside my wife Yolanda, we have the honor of serving as campus pastors at our Gastonia location. This podcast is a simple space we share each day to slow down, open God's Word, and pay attention to what He's saying. As a church family, We're committed to meeting with God daily, not out of a routine, but out of relationship, through scripture, through prayer, and by capturing what the Holy Spirit is stirring in our hearts and how it connects to our everyday lives. We're walking together through the Life Journal Reading Plan. And today we'll be focusing on the New Testament portion from that plan. When I invest time with the Lord, I try to keep things uncluttered. Just my Bible, my journal, something to write with, and of course a highlighter to mark what stands out. A lot of times I'll also lean on a couple of trusted study tools or commentaries to help me go a little deeper and stay grounded in the text. Now, again, not to replace God's word, but to help me study and listen more closely. We also use the soap method. Scripture, observation, application, and prayer. It's a simple and practical way not just to read the word, but also to respond to the word. Now, before we jump into today's passage, let's take a moment to prepare our hearts. Would you just agree with me as I say a quick prayer? Lord, as we open your word, we ask that you would open us. By your spirit, make your truth come alive in us. Give us ears to hear, hearts to receive, and courage to respond. Speak, Lord, we are listening. In Jesus' name, amen. Friends, today's passage for June 27th is 2 Timothy chapter 3, and I journaled from the all too famous verses 16 and 17. Now I want to read it to us out of the amplified version today. It's really, really cool. Listen to this. All scripture is God breathed, given by divine inspiration, and is profitable for instruction, for conviction of sin, for correction of error and restoration to obedience, for training in righteousness, learning to live in conformity to God's will, both publicly and privately. Behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage, so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted, and thoroughly equipped for every good work. Come on, somebody say amen. The title of my journal entry, you ready? Capable and ready. Come on, say it with me. Capable and ready. Here's the first thing I observe. The word proficient comes from the Greek word artios, A-R-T-I-O-S, as in Sam. And the word carries the idea of fitted, capable, proficient, complete, fully qualified, well prepared for a task. It doesn't primarily mean sinless perfection. Rather, It describes someone who is thoroughly equipped and capable of fulfilling the purpose for which they were designed. The next word here ⁓ that I like to highlight from the New King James it's the word proficient or equipped, and it's the word ex artizo, ex A R T I Z O. In the New King James, it actually uses the words thoroughly equipped, ex artizo. And the word means to equip fully, to furnish completely, to supply with everything necessary. I like this to prepare thoroughly for a task or to outfit completely. It's a stronger form of the root word art, arti-zo, which means to prepare. Or to fit or to make ready. With the prefix X E X added, the idea carries completeness or fullness. In these verses, the apostle Paul is telling Timothy, the church who is pastoring, and you and me today, that God's word makes us capable and ready for what God has called us to do. God's word is alive. And it is the essence of who he is. When we read it, we hear from him. Look at all the powerful benefits it brings to our lives. It's profitable for instruction, that's teaching. It's profitable for conviction of sin. It's profitable for correction of error and restoring us back to obedience. It's profitable for training in righteousness, learning to live in conformity to God's will. Both publicly and privately, behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage. God's word is profitable. Let me give you this illustration. Imagine a firefighter responding to a house fire. Before entering the burning building, he must first be trained. He learns how to read smoke, handle equipment, rescue victims. And navigate dangerous situation. That training makes him capable. That's Ardias. But training alone isn't enough. He also needs his helmet, oxygen tank, radio, protective suit, flashlight, and tools. Once he has everything necessary for the mission, he is fully equipped. That's exartizo. A firefighter may be capable but not equipped, or equipped, but not capable. He needs both. In the same way, God's word does both for us. Through its teaching, correction, rebuke, and training, Scripture develops our character and wisdom so that we become both capable servants of God, that's Ardias. Then it furnishes us with everything we need to carry out God's calling. So that we are fully equipped and ready for every good work. That's exartizzo. See, the Bible doesn't merely fill our heads with information, it shapes us into capable servants and equips us for faithful service. Come on, somebody say amen, Pastor Robert. Well, how does this apply to our lives? I wrote this down. This applies to our lives in every way. If we want to be trained and fully equipped for all that God wants us to do in life, we need to be committed to investing time with Him daily in the Word. In addition, I need to invest time into meditating, thinking deeply on God's Word and how to work it into daily living. Finally, I need to memorize God's word to make it easier to apply to my life. Church, As we do these things, we can trust that God's word will make us capable and ready for all that he has in store for us. Come on, pray with me as we close. Father God, thank you for speaking to me today through your word. I love your word. I'm grateful for your word. Help me by the power of your spirit to come to a new level in pursuing your word. I open my heart and my life for you to lead me into receiving and walking in your word. So that I am capable and ready for all that you would have me to do in life, ministry, and beyond. In Jesus' name, Amen. Lakeshore family, as you go into your day, my prayer is that you'll develop a hunger for God and His Word like you've never had before. As you do, God will open your eyes to the riches of His Word, giving you revelation and life-changing insight. That will help you become everything God's called you to be, fulfilling your mission, purpose, and plan for our great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thanks for joining me today on the Daily Word podcast. I hope this encourages you to stay faithful in the Word and sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. God bless you, and we'll catch you again tomorrow.