Quote for the Day
“…pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace…”
Today's Prayer
This week ask that God give you and those around you a heart of love and compassion. Ask God to show you how to listen and gently instruct those whom you will encounter.
2nd Timothy 2:14-26
2nd Timothy 2:14-26 (NIV)14 Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.No sent May 18th or 25th……
Message
Paul continues his words of encouragement to his young disciple, Timothy, as he reminds and re-focuses us in these verses. In this section we see Paul continue to remind us what NOT to do, in addition to adding a major “To Do” list to our agenda. (See above in the weekly quote.) A major emphasis of this passage is on not quarreling, which seems to be a major need in our society. Today we have debates that turn into fights, and “reality shows” that are nothing more than arguments on TV. We live and work in a society that puts more value on winning and being right, than on listening and understanding. One way to avoid arguments is to listen. Listening does not necessarily mean “agreeing with”, it only means that you are willing to understand and hear what the other person has to say. How much better could we talk and discuss the Gospel with someone, than if we were to actually know what they thought and how they felt? Quarreling has become an issue in the church as well. It has become an issue of “being right”, not pursuit of God’s truth or saving a soul. Just to be “right”. Paul says we are not to quarrel and we must also “gently instruct”. Do you know the difference? The person you are quarreling with does. This week pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace.
