Live Out Who You Are
Opening Prayer
Father, thank You that in Christ You have made me an heir of God and a coheir with Christ.
Read 1 Timothy 6:11-16
[11] But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. [12] Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. [13] In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you [14] to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, [15] which God will bring about in his own time-God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, [16] who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Does your life reflect this kind of passionate pursuit?Can you imagine how Timothy must feel when Paul calls him a “man of God” (11)? (Sorry, but I can’t help thinking of that moment in the movie Shrek when Donkey is over the moon because his friend Shrek calls him a steed!) Other “men of God” in the Bible were leaders such as Moses (Deut. 33:1), David (1 Sam. 9:6), and Elijah (1 Kings 17:18)–big boots for Timothy to step into!For Timothy, being a “man of God” means taking notice for himself of all Paul has said about other leaders. Timothy will then be a man of integrity, living out who he is (someone who belongs to God), his life consistent with his message. Notice how the list in verses 11 and 12 echoes much of the rest of Paul’s letter to Timothy. “Flee from all this, and pursue…” (11). These phrases suggest determination in the heat of a chase or sports match. Do they express how we feel about living as children of the Lord, who is described awesomely in verse 15? Do we long desperately to reflect him in all we are, say, think, and do?
Apply
Talk to God about it now, asking him to help you show the world you’re his child.
Closing prayer
Author of life, help me to live in obedience to You, moving according to Your heart so the world might see You in me.
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