Oneplace.com
Sign In
Follow

Devotionals by Raul Ries

TUESDAY March 4, 2025

A Charge to Commitment

This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare having faith and a good conscience....
1 Timothy 1:18-19

Once again, Paul gave a charge to Timothy––his son in the faith. The word charge is a command––a military term. He commanded Timothy to keep a high standard of commitment in the ministry. The word commit literally means “to place beside the command.” It can also refer to a proclamation of spiritual teaching. Paul saw the importance to exhort Timothy to be committed in teaching the truth about Jesus Christ. As a teacher, he had the responsibility of never watering down the Word of God. He should speak boldly, without any fear.

Paul wanted to make sure that Timothy, because he was so young, would never be deviate from the truth of the Gospel. He pointed his young prodigy to stand upon the things that had already been given to him by the Holy Spirit––according to the prophecies previously made concerning you.... The elders had laid hands on Timothy, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, prophecy was given to reveal that God had a special call to be fulfilled in his life. This did not mean things would be easy; you have to count the cost of following Jesus.

There are Christians who “come under fire” from nonbelieving family and friends. Sharing their faith has a risk––losing them. Under these circumstances, fear can creep in and stop them from sharing their faith, but the Bible tells us: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment (1 John 4:18). When God gives you opportunities to share your faith, share without fear.

However, I have found that the best way to witness to family and friends is to live the Gospel before them. Why not show them the love of Christ in everything you do?

The true ground of most men's prejudice against the Christian doctrine is because they have no mind to obey it.
~John Tillotson~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!

About Somebody Loves You

'Somebody Loves You' program is designed to equip listeners with the necessary tools to live out their faith. 'Somebody Loves You' features Raul Ries' humorous, sensible and comprehensible teaching of God's Word.

About Raul Ries

Raul Ries is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Golden Springs and President of Somebody Loves You Ministries. After his miraculous conversion in 1971, Raul began to read and study the Bible extensively even though he had a limited education. In 1974 he began a home Bible study with seven other committed individuals. Soon, he started to preach and counsel youth during the noon hour at his former high school, Baldwin Park High. Calvary Chapel West Covina grew out of Raul's home fellowship, as well as his Kung-Fu studio, and was soon meeting weekly at an old converted Safeway store. In 1993, the congregation moved to Diamond Bar and occupied a 101,000 square-foot corporate building on 28 acres. Calvary Chapel Golden Springs (as it is now called) draws between 10,000 - 12,000 in attendance weekly.

Author of several books, including Fury to Freedom (the story of his early life and dramatic conversion), Raul Ries has also produced three films: Fury to Freedom (feature film dramatization of the book); A Quiet Hope (a riveting and stirring documentary detailing seven soldier's accounts of the Vietnam War and its aftermath); and A Venture in Faith (a documentary of the history of the Calvary Chapel movement).

Contact Somebody Loves You with Raul Ries

Mailing Address
Somebody Loves You Radio
P.O. Box 4440
Diamond Bar, CA 91765

Telephone
(909) 396-1884