2 Timothy Chapter 2 Verse 15

•Your Bible might say, “Study to show yourself approved…,” rather than, “Be diligent to present yourself approved…,” and I like that because the word in the Greek does mean to study and yet it also means to be diligent or to put in diligence! And I love love love this truth! Yes we are to study…and yet…we are to be diligent in our studying of the Word…for sure! But here is the hidden truth. Diligence itself is birthed, fed and flourished in the study of the Word of God! Diligence in study? No! Diligence in life, man!

•Timothy be diligent…in trials, in these things I have taught you, in denial of evil and temptation to lose your cool or lose your confidence, be diligent when the moment is tough! Man, be diligent to be mind-filled of and to seek the glory of God and not your own and that will be as if presenting yourself to God for His approval. Where is the desire to do those things birthed, strengthened and fed? In the study of the Word of God!

•Notice we are to be approved to God…not so much to man and here lies the issue in the thinking and psyche of so many. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Timothy, you are to be a worker, an athlete, a soldier, a farmer that is not put to shame…how do we do all of this? Be in the Word and a student of the Word and equally as important, a doer of the Word! Be diligent in the study of the Word and diligence will thrive!

•There are churches out there that tell you that the Word of God is too confusing or difficult for just anyone. That you need special training or schooling to understand the Word of God. There are even groups that say, “Don’t read the Word, read this magazine, read our materials, and that will explain to you what God really meant…” Ridiculous. Read the Word of God and God will grant you understanding as you diligently seek Him. He has promised. He will not deny Himself.

2 Timothy Chapter 2 Verses 16 – 18

•This even continues today, I don’t know if you know…the JW’s teach that the resurrection is past. That Jesus came back in 1914, to a secret chamber in New York mind-you revealed only to a very small and select number of men, and we are now living in the Kingdom Age. Well I personally was expecting things to be a little bit better when Satan is bound for 1,000 years! HA! I like what Chuck Smith used to say about this…he used to say, “Well I guess that chain holding Satan is pretty long because he’s still able to mess me up!” HA!

•Obviously the only resurrection that has past is the resurrection of Christ and if you would only read the Word for yourself, you would know exactly what is to come and what to look for! Please don’t say you can’t or you don’t have time. An inmate on death row with an 8th grade reading level named David Sington read 1,000 books in three years! Please don’t tell me theology is above your paygrade. That same inmate taught himself words like “triskaidekaphobia” which means the fear of the number 13…yes you can and yes you can find time…you just need a little bit of diligence…

2 Timothy Chapter 2 Verse 19

•This isn’t, “The Lord knows the names of who are His…” This is that He KNOWS them. Does He know you? Remember what Jesus said of the people in Matthew Chapter 7 verses 21 – 23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”

•And really that’s the fruit, that’s the key…do you have a heart, a desire, a need, do you have the God implanted wisdom…to hate the practice of lawlessness? Jesus continued in verse 24 of Chapter 7 of Matthew, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, that man is wise…”

2 Timothy Chapter 2 Verses 20 - 21

•This is huge because Paul is talking about the church (which is the Kingdom of God on this side of eternity). Even Jesus referred to the Kingdom of God as, “His Father’s house, having many mansions,” in John Chapter 14. And Paul says within the Kingdom there are vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor. Just like in your house. You may have a beautiful vase that you display in your house for folks to admire…but you also have a trash can…Or you may have a nice sports car in your garage, but you also have a beat up old hand me down lawn mower…HA! Same thing in the church…

•For those that cleanse themselves of dishonor, have diligence given and granted through the consistent, committed and orderly study of the Word of God…knowing God and being known by Him… they are sanctified by the Master, made useful and even prepared by God for all kinds of good work, man…but the opposite is true as well…

2 Timothy Chapter 2 Verses 22 – 23

•This is the third time Paul is covering this topic…we ought to stop and give ourselves a bit more than a cursory check on this subject…if this is us, foolish and ignorant disputes that generate strife…stop it.

2 Timothy Chapter 2 Verses 24 – 26

•This is so very eye opening and even stunning to hear because today if you are not living your life for the Lord, you don’t even perceive this…you may think that you are just living…but the truth is this…there is no in between…if you are not living with Him and for Him then you have been taken captive and are in bondage. You want to stay that way, your choice. But you will have to stay that way knowing the truth, that you are a prisoner of weakness.

•Why? Because you are being held captive with usurped authority. Jesus died on the cross for the sin of all but as long as you are consenting to it, you remain captive to sin and to Satan. I pray that you will come to your senses if that’s you…no matter what sin you’re in or if you’re just simply in sin and have not given your life to Jesus…that you today would receive the truth and if so…not believe it, receive it…and resolve to do something about it…if you would receive the truth, the truth will free you…