QTVOTD: I must be meek, tender, and strong in God…

“Shun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); [and aim at and pursue] faith, love, [and] peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels. And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.” 2 Timothy 2:22-24 [AMP] -> me: This passage today really resonated with me.  It calls out personal instruction, actions toward fellow Christians, and then our witness to EVERYONE.  Personal Instruction – flee youthful passions.  I would read this as immature earthly desires.  Instead, pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.  Fellow Christians – we pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with our fellow Christians.  This is our accountability group, our church, our Christian community in Life Groups and friendships.  Then it follows on, in regard to fellow Christians, that we should refuse controversies over non-heretical doctrine/theology.  To me I see Paul telling Timothy that this provides an opening for the evil one.  Everyone – finally we are to be kind to EVERYONE (non-Christians, enemies, persecutors, etc.) and not quarrelsome or argumentative.   We must be ready to teach with God’s word in our hearts and patiently endure evil.  What a passage for me in the world today.  This world of diametrically opposed views to our Biblical Christian beliefs.  I needed this today…

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