“Karen’s Notes!
Insights from a Glory-Bound Lady”

Selected Notes
Volume 5 Number 33 “Be An Onesiphorus Today!”
August 17th, 2022

For nearly five years I have been sharing with you clips from Karen’s conference notes which she would share with ladies, as well as her own Bible study journal notes to herself. I am going to open to my friends another one of Karen’s notebooks. Whenever Karen sat under the preaching of God’s Word, she always took notes. It has been a spiritual and emotional blessing to me to hold in my hands her Bible and open her 8X5 notebooks of notes that she wrote for herself.

In the summer of 2010, Karen accompanied me to Camp Manitoumi in Low Point, Illinois. I was the family camp speaker and preached in morning and evening chapel. We had such a delightful week with those dear folks. The theme I used during the week was “A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ.” This was based on Paul’s statement to Timothy about viewing himself as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and how to please the Lord (2 Timothy 2:1-3). On Friday morning of the week, I spoke about “When Hard Times Come!” I will share what Karen wrote that I preached as well as her own personal notes. Last week I shared the conviction in confusing times. Today we move to the letter H.

Karen wrote: Let’s have a pointed and precious C.H.A.T. together from the book of 2 Timothy. When hard times come, and they will, it will be important to remember these four things that Paul wrote to Timothy.
C stands conviction in confusing times.
H stands for help in hurting times.
A stands for assurance in alarming times.
T stands for triumphant in trying times.

H stands for help in hurting times.

“This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well” (2 Timothy 1:15-18).

When hurting times come, and they will, God cares about us. During these times, He helps us with His promises (1 Kings 8:56); His power (Ephesians 3:20); and His people (2 Timothy 1:15-18).

Onesiphorus “refreshed” Paul by the ministry of “being” with him (1:17). He also helped Paul by “doing” precious acts of ministry (1:18). This is how we help people going through hard times. We have the ministry of “being” (our personal presence) and “doing” (our acts of kindness and encouragement that we share) in the hard times.

Michael’s observation: Over the years I have had the opportunity to watch the Lord’s people responding to hurting people with the wonderful ministry of “being” and “doing.” I want to be an Onesiphorus kind of believer. How about you?