2 Timothy 1:13-14 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

I didn’t have a topic for today. I opened up my Biblegateway app to search the Word to see if the Lord had anything for me this day. Here in the verse of the day my eyes became fixed on the word form. I have a tendency to notice words. It was not clear to me what was meant here. This was the KJV so I looked at other translations to see if there was not some clarity to be found.

The NASB uses the word standard. The NIV uses the word pattern. In searching various other translations I noticed the message itself varied greatly. It became clear that others in an effort to bring clarity to this subject also struggled to grasp a consistent meaning.

An image from my past came into mind. I was younger, inexperienced and I was trying to build a box. I had the base and four walls and I was by myself trying to hold everything together to form the shape of the box. There were more pieces than I had hands to hold. I was actually embarrassed to think about how clumsy I was back then.

Verse 14 held a clue as to the meaning of form, it called it a thing. This thing was committed to me by the Holy Spirit. He who dwells in me. Then I got a glimpse of the meaning of form that took shape, not from the efforts of the hands that clumsily tried to hold it together but that by pressing in, the contents within gave shape, form and definition to the container, that thing, me.

Genesis 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him,

2 Timothy 1:13-14 Hold fast the shape which God has fashioned you by the power of the Holy Spirit working in your inner most parts. (LIV) i.e. Larry’s Insight Version.

John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

I know that the numbering of scriptures did not exist in the original letters and gospels or scrolls. I cannot help but to marvel at the coincidences of numbers either. Teachers have often commented on how many meaningful scriptures have the address 3:16, John’s being the most notable and remembered. But just look at this 666 and marvel again at coincidence.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

The son of perdition, a man who’s number is 666. Here in John 6:66 we see an example of a falling away. Many disciples went back to their old lives and no longer walked with Jesus. Is this an example of the falling away of 2 Thess. 2:3? If this is true then I have to question the issues of discipleship.

I haven’t seen discipleship as a focus in the main stream churches in a very long time. I have no idea if any of them realize the importance of discipleship. For all I know they assume that if you are sitting in a pew listening to a preacher or teacher that makes you a disciple. Really?

John 13L35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

I got to see what discipleship was on Emmaus walk 1717. We would sing a centering song at the opening of each session. It began with a two or three guys holding hands. Next session it seemed like all the tables were holding hands. The next session they put arms over each other’s shoulders at their tables. Before you realized it, without a word between men, the tables broke up and formed a circle around the room which included everyone in the room, leaders, pastors and musicians alike. No one was left outside the circle for the centering song. Discipleship is inclusive, no one is left behind, no one is alone.

Ephesians 4:1-3 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. …