Go Toward Righteousness.  1 Timothy 6.11-21                                                To read:http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6.11-21&version=NIV&interface=print

I really do want to be totally devoted to God.  And I am.  Then I get out of my studying chair, open the door of my home office, and wham!  Life happens, starting right in my own house.  My sons are watching “How I Met your Mother,” (what do they see in it?), I agonize over whether or not to make them turn it off, realizing I cannot control everything they consume, my mind is off to the races.  Twill be the first of many races my mind takes off on this day.

Fact is, we live in a fallen world; fact is, our jobs, our responsibilities, the newspaper, the internet, driving on a crowded highway—they all have the potential to leach devotion to God right out of us, or at the very least, divert our attention and attitude.

Paul had some instruction on the matter for Timothy as he closed his first letter to the young pastor.  These action points are his parting thoughts, things he wished to have looming large in Timothy’s mind—so helpful for you and me today:            

>‘Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.’ Go after those things that grow your faith, that lift your thoughts toward God.  Indeed, go hard after the things of God!  Honor God by praying bold prayers that require him to act and to move, and require faith on our part. 

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”¹ The more we hear the Word of God, and its application, our faith is strengthened.

>Fight the good fight of the faith… Paul had said earlier to pursue endurance – stay at our post.  Don’t grow weary in choosing goodness, but instead, remain faithful. Jesus said, ‘In this world you will have trouble, but take heart … I have overcome the world!’² We are called to be overcomers.

>Put your hope in God, not your riches; God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. God is omnipotent ~he is all powerful; God is omniscient ~ he is all-knowing, God is omnipresent – he is present everywhere at the same time; and God is eternal ~ he has always has been, always will be . . . he alone is worthy of all of our trust. 

Beyond that, God is good.  Jesus said, ‘So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.’³ God is a loving Father, who loves to give good gifts.  Aye, there is nothing God loves more than keeping promises, answering prayers, performing miracles, and fulfilling dreams.⁴

He has a plan – since before he created the world and humanity – and that plan includes you and me.  His plan includes for each of us a future and a hope … a unique purpose, fashioned individually for each one of us.⁵                                                                                                                                            >Do good, be rich in good deeds, and be generous and willing to share.   In this way, you will lay up treasure for yourself as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that you may take hold of the life that is truly life.  *Are you faithful in your giving to God?  Do you give to God first from your paycheck?

>Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.  Do not partake in godless chatter, that which is not pleasing to God.  I need to have Ephesians 4.29 – [Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up.  Yes!]  -- tattooed into the inside of my eyelids, and pray Psalm 19.14 repeatedly throughout my day.  [May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.]

And do not heed the world’s idea of knowledge that is separate from God. 

While Paul’s instruction is not meant to be a sandwich list of things to do, it sure does act as a plumb line.  So much to think about … so much to apprehend and apply: let’s purpose to go toward righteousness.

>Grace be with you all.

Christine

^{1 – Romans 10.17;}  2 – John 16.33;  3 – Matthew 7.11;  4 – The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson;  5 – Jeremiah 29.11