2 Timothy 1:8-12

I know whom I have believed –“know” & “believed” used together  Faith is not a “leap in the dark” or a good guess  A Christian can have “fullness of knowledge” with a faith, trust & confidence that are firmly settled –Overwhelming evidence exists for God  The earth evinces perfect design in its distance from the sun, relation to the moon, orbit, rotation, tilt, water coverage, atmosphere, etc.  The human body evinces perfect design in its cellular, genetic, skin, skeletal, muscular, digestive, circulatory, nervous, sensory, respiratory, excretory, endocrine, reproductive systems

I know whom I have believed –But not just any God or some unknown intelligent designer  We “know there is one God…and that there is no other God but one” – 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 Cor. 8:4  We “know the God in heaven above and on earth beneath, and there is none other besides Him” – Deut. 4:35-39  We “know the only true God” – John 17:3

And am persuaded that He is able –God created all things (Rev. 4:11) and by the word of His mouth they are upheld (Heb. 1:3)  With God, all things are possible (Mk. 10:27; 14:36)  With God, nothing will be impossible (Lk. 1:37)  There is nothing too hard for the Lord (Jer. 32:17) –Are you “persuaded He is able” in your life?  He delivered the righteous out of Sodom’s cesspool  He parted the Red Sea when the enemy pursuing  He gave a boy strength to kill a lion & a bear  He cooled the fiery furnace that was 7 times hotter  He brought Jesus back to life after three days

And am persuaded that He is able –Nobody is able like God is able  People will let you down, disappoint & destroy trust  But NOT God! –God is not only able to do… – Eph. 3:20 –He will do it! – 1 Thess. 5:24; Num. 23:19 –God is able to:  Save to the uttermost – Heb. 7:25  Work all things together for our good – Rom. 8:28  Make all grace abound toward us – 2 Cor. 9:8  Aid those who are tempted – Heb. 2:18  Give us the petitions we ask of Him – 1 John 5:15  Keep us from stumbling & present us faultless – Jude 24

To keep what I have committed to Him –God is the keeper, guard, protector  Who would you want guarding your investment more than God?  God is “greater than all” (John 10:29) –God keeps what I have committed to Him  This is a banking term = “deposit”  Place into another’s trust (entrust, NASB)  We commit to Him our lives (Mt. 16:25-27), our souls (1 Pet. 4:19) & our eternity (Luke 23:46). –When God guards/keeps it, how secure is it?  “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish… My Father…is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).

Until that day –God has a day when our investments will reach maturity, and we will be rewarded beyond measure –The certainty that every faithful, committed, New Testament Christian can have is:  If I commit/invest/deposit my life –I know He’ll give me a crown of life – Rev. 2:10  If I commit/invest/deposit my soul –I know He’ll give me a home of the soul – 2 Co. 5:1  If I commit/invest/deposit my eternity –I know He’ll give me eternal life – 1 John 5:13

Be You Are Saved! Believe Jesus is God’s Son – John 3:16 Repent of your sins – Acts 2:38 Confess your faith in Jesus – Matthew 10:32 Be immersed in water – Mark 16:16 –Sins are forgiven – Acts 22:16 –Added to His church – Acts 2:47 –Registered in heaven – Hebrews 12:23 Commit your soul in faithful service – 1 Pt. 4:19