November 21st
“In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:20-22 NIV
We often correspond with people who feel they could never be used by God because of past sin or current struggles with sin. This passage is a faith-builder for all of us because it shows that anyone can be “an instrument for noble purposes” and be used by God.
If we cleanse ourselves from our “ignoble” or sinful motives, we will by default become an instrument for God. The practical steps to cleansing ourselves are to confess our sins to God, turn away from practicing further sin and offer our bodies for righteous uses (instead of sinful ones). When we confess our sins to God, he forgives us of our sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of Christ actually cleanses even our conscience from sin (Hebrews 9:14).
We back up our confession by turning away from further sin and choosing to serve righteousness instead of sin.
Paul said that we must “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Too often people dabble with lust, thinking they can control themselves, only to fall under its control. We simply have to flee from lust and give it no opportunity to gain a foothold in us. God will strengthen us through the Holy Spirit to put the sinful deeds of our bodies (and minds) to death and empower us to live for righteousness (Romans 8:11,13).
Fellowship with other believers in Jesus will help us in living for righteousness. Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
The daily attacks against our faith and purity can be severe in our pornographic society. We need encouragement from “faith-filled” friends who are walking with the Lord. Staying connected with other people in the faith will refresh our spirits and also give us opportunities to refresh others in the Lord.
Questions for further thought:
What sorts of “ignoble purposes” or motives have you allowed to influence your life?
Why can’t our “vessels” be used effectively for both good and evil purposes?
What are some examples of the “evil desires of youth”?
Why is pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace a team effort?
Prayer:
“Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins and resurrecting him from the dead so that I might have life. I confess that I have tolerated sinful motives and practices in my life – specifically, that I have: ___________(list all sins/sinful motives that come to mind). Please forgive me for these sins and cleanse my conscience and flesh from the memory of the sin by the blood of Jesus. I receive your healing and forgiveness. Lord, please fill me afresh with the Holy Spirit and empower me to live for righteousness, faith, love and peace. Please help me to connect more deeply with other people in the body of Christ who are genuinely following you. Thank you, Father that you have not left me alone. Thank you that your Spirit is with me and in me for this walk to freedom! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”