Tuesday 27 Aug 2013

Tuesday Reading: 2 Timothy 2:22-26

Key Verse: 2 Timothy 2:22
22  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Devotion:
Following God some of the time is just not good enough! If we want to be able to avoid the evil one and all that he throws around us then we have to live our lives for and with God all of the time. Yes there are times when we feel like we are strong enough to resist what Satan can dangle in front of us and we go walking toward him to see what else is out there, but when we do that we are opening ourselves to so much more than we realise!

When we are youthful and feeling good we also like to think that we can do things and that they will not affect our walk with God because we are young or because we feel like we are strong enough… wrong! Those are the times when we trip and fall and find out the hard way that we are still humans and that we are still sinners. We need to turn toward all the good traits that God has shown us and that will encourage us to walk with God and not taint our lives with evil things. Going along to be with slightly questionable people just because they are enjoying themselves is not what God is telling us to do… yes we do have to take the Gospel with us and face some horrible places and faces as we reach out to others, but we should be relying on those who follow Christ with a pure heart.

God has given me some very special people in my life who are a great example and encouragement to me daily. When I am feeling down or feeling weak I can always speak to them and be encouraged to know that God is always there for me. We have so many words in our bibles that remind us of the fact that God is waiting patiently for us to walk with Him; but we also have many words that remind us that we are running out of time too.

Don’t try and leave it to the last second because we don’t know when that last second will be. Don’t try to walk on the wild side just to see if we can have what looks like a good time because the good times are those spent with God and not against Him. Don’t expect to be taught and give nothing in return because God wants us to teach others what we know as well! Don’t bully people into being Christians because that will not endear them to anything other than rejection! Christ want us to love others openly just as He loves us; always walking with Him and His saints.

Points to Ponder:
Do you think you are strong enough?

Or do you know you actually need Christ?