ARE YOU PURSUING?

I decided recently to spend some time reading Paul’s letters to his spiritual son Timothy. We understand Timothy became the Bishop (snr, Pastor) of the church in Ephesus which we understand had some 75000 members in the 1st century. So I think his Leadership success would have been strongly influenced by Paul’s Mentoring and teaching ministry to him.

There are so many things in these two epistles I could highlight but today I want to look at 1 Tim. 6:11-12, I will list some various translations and see what Paul was saying to his son.

NKJV PURSUE righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

NLT. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.

PASSION CHASE after true holiness, justice, faithfulness, love, hope, and tender humility. So fight with faith for the winner’s prize! Lay your hands upon eternal life, for this is your calling—celebrating in faith before the multitude of witnesses!

MESSAGE Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. RUN HARD AND FAST in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

There is so much truth in these two verses, it could really be a series of sermons, for us to get a hold of all that Paul is saying to Timothy.

I would suggest Paul had already laid a STRONG FOUNDATION in Timothy’s life, which I am sure Timothy had personally been building on, confirming the importance of BIBLICAL DISCIPLESHIP, but Paul still felt to remind and bring to Timothy”s attention those essential keys for him to be the person and the ministry God had called Timothy to be.

Paul begins with THE TOTAL IMPORTANCE PURSUING, and CHASING AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS. not only that we have been declared righteous, but we must learn to walk in righteousness and live a constant Godly, holy life, a life of wonder, as we seek to deepen our intimate realtionship with the Lord.

As the Word of God is the source of FAITH, Paul is reminding Timothy to be a MAN OF THE WORD, and letting the Rhema Word work in his life, to produce FAITH & FAITHFULNESS in his life.

By doing this the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT grow abundantly in his life, and Timothy will learn PATIENCE, STEADFASTNESS AND PERSERVERANCE. The Agape love of God will flow our of his life which GENTLENESS AND HIMILITY in him.

Paul goes on to say that Timothy’s teaching and preaching, as well as his one on one daily (CONFESSION) will clearly articulate this awesome growth that he is experiencing and can be his hearers experience too.

The key word in all of this is PURSUE, we cannot relax for a moment as we have an enemy without (the evil one) and our own sinful nature, that will tell us to slow down, and take it easy.

Let us ask the Lord daily to help us pursue and chase after Him, and be all he wants us to be amen.