2 Timothy 2:1-5 New International Version (NIV) The Appeal Renewed
2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.
What are some of the things that Paul has taught Timothy?
- Teach other men to teach (not to teach false doctrines)
- Teach them the command to love, command of a pure heart, command of a good conscience and the command of sheer faith
- Teach men to lift up holy hands in prayer (without anger or disunity)
- Teach men the qualifications of Elder and Deacons
- Train yourself and others to be godly
- Devote yourselves to public reading of Scripture
- Teach yourself to be watchful (of your life and doctrine)
- Provide for widows and your families
- Learn godliness with contentment
- Teach those who are rich to give generously and to be rich in good deeds, in this way they will lay treasure up in heaven for themselves
- To avoid godless (also fruitless) chatter
- To grow up and flee the evil desires of our youth
- Teach these men not to quarrel, be kind to everyone, and for those who oppose these men (and us) to gently instruct them in the hope that God will grant them repentance.
- Teach them truth in that every man that chooses to live a godly life will be persecuted
- Teach them that all Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16)
- Preach and teach the word, correct and rebuke and encourage (all with great patience and careful instruction)
Other Scriptures: Galatians 6:1-2, 2 Corinthians 13:5-10; James 5:19-20
This past Tuesday, I met with 16 other men and we did this devotion and discussed what Paul had instructed Timothy. We read the four scriptures listed above and then discussed all the points that Paul instructed Timothy with in reaching Jesus’s disciples. I am amazed at the gifts of the Spirit and how He equips each member of his body. It was a great discussion and we talked about how we, as leaders, are doing with this list. We talked about how our church was doing. We gleaned a lot from this study and I think all of us were blessed as a result of it.
The more and more that I read, pray and watch God reveal His plan for all of us, the more wonderful and secure I feel about being a part of His Kingdom. If God is with us then who can stand against us?
Some takeaways from this devotion:
- Why does this matter to us?
- If not us, then who?
- Are we making a difference?
- We need to hone our listening skills and let the Holy Spirit do His work.
Blessings,
Dante