"How to" in ministry

2 Tim. 4:2-5 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

What a warning we need to heed! Preach the WORD!!!! We must be prepared-(this is called work and study). We must use GREAT patience (easier said, than done). We must use careful instruction(Speaking truth, with love.) We must keep our head in all situations. (Tough one again!) When is the last time I lost my head? Hmm, I think I did pretty good today, but yesterday was a killer!! We must endure hardship. We all have hardship, but how do we ENDURE it? We must do the work of an evangelist. It doesn't say if you are "called" to be an evangelist. It says do it! We must discharge(faithfully perform) ALL the duties of our ministry. Paul was giving Timothy this charge or challenge for his life. Do these things in your ministry, in your life. Why? Because if we aren't teaching sound doctrine, and getting it through to them, they are going to listen to what their itching ears want to hear. Don't our kids try to do that? WE don't want our children, our family, our friends, our co-workers or anyone to turn their ears away, or turn to myths instead of truth!! I wonder if we lead with that resounding gong in their heads (no love)---how many do we turn away? I don't know about you, but it is very important to me to faithfully discharge all the duties of the ministry Christ has given me. I want to be able to say, like Paul, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. But will I be able to?