Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 283 – 2 Timothy 2:22-26 – Pursue Righteous Living – Growing As Disciples
Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 2 Timothy 2:22-26 (NLT)
Flee – Pursue
Do you want to live a life that is good and right and pleasing to me? Do you want to be powerfully used by me? Do you want to store up treasure in heaven with me? Do you want to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name? Yes, I want all these things to be true in my life. What must I do if I want to live a life that you can and will bless in these ways? That is a very good question. I am glad that you asked that question. You must do two things at the same time if you want to live a life that I can and will bless. You have my full attention. I am listening attentively to you. That’s good. You must flee anything and everything that feeds sinful desires within you. So, I suggest that you take an exhaustive inventory. Closely examine what feeds sinful desires in your life. What are you allowing your eyes to see or ears to hear that will feed sinful desires within you? Ruthlessly eliminate those things from your life. Don’t play around. Don’t delay. Don’t linger. Flee evil of every kind. Don’t allow yourself to be in tempting circumstances. Run as soon and as fast as you can away from what will surely try to allure and entrap you. Am I being clear? Do you fully understand what I am saying? Yes, I understand. That’s good. That is only one thing that you must do if you want to live a life that is good and right and pleasing to me. If you only ran away from evil, that would not be nearly enough. Evil would track you down and entice and entrap you. Running away alone will never being enough to escape evil. This world is full of sin and evil and darkness no matter where you go. So, you must pursue me. You must pursue the righteous life that I have called you to live. To say it another way, you will run away from evil as you run to me. By running away from evil you will be resisting the devil and all his evil. By running to me, you will be submitting yourself to me. Then the devil will flee from you. Then you will be able to live the life I have called you to live. Then will you be living a life that I can and will bless. Will you run from evil and pursue me and the life I have for you? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.
Lord, I will run from anything and everything feeds sinful thoughts, words, and actions in me. I will pursue righteous living. Help me to live a life that is fully pleasing to you. Help me to be patient and kind and loving to all so that I can be a fruitful witness for you. Amen
Key Question… Why will being impatient and quarrelsome and difficult make you unfruitful as a follower of Christ?
Living It Out… Allow your pursuing righteous living to guide all your thoughts and words and actions.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to lead a fruitful life as you pursue righteous living.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are pursuing righteous living in all you think, say, and do.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you pursue righteous living so you can be a fruitful witness for Jesus Christ.
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