The Doorway to Righteousnes
by Lahry Sibley
2Ti 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
2Ti 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Oh, oh, oh there is just so much here. So much. Every word is so important. But the first text that really jumps off the page to me is this one:
2Ti 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
The foolish and the "unlearned" are everywhere here on FB. Or they have learned a "half truth". I have a search and rescue kind of make up. So when I see others floundering or worse, defending themselves, their half truths, and their actions with doctrine that is not biblically sound, I want to cover them with TRUTH. Trouble is, they don't want to hear it, and so in comes the strife.
Paul instructs Timotheus to AVOID this kind of activity. Wow! FB would surely quieten down, if we all followed this instruction. I should paint this across the top of my laptop. How many countless and mostly wasted hours I have spent here, "contending for the faith" that only ends in strife. No fruit. Just resentment on both sides. In my life, this must stop. Today. LORD have mercy and forgive me.
The second text I want to mention is this:
2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
If we do involve ourselves with contentious topics, surely we must do so in meekness. Meekness is "power under control". Our instruction must be with prayerful intent that GOD WILL GIVE THEM REPENTANCE. This just jumped off the page to me. Even REPENTANCE is a gift from YEHOVAH. How dare we push it aside. And those we see floundering in obvious sin? We must pray for them, that YEHOVAH will grant them REPENTANCE. Even if our speech is graced with eloquence, and our words are quite biblical, except the LORD grant repentance, there will be no response. Oh it may come later, and they might discover this gift by HIS mercy and grace. We must pray that they do. But to expect someone to decide to truly REPENT (STOP SINNING) without the GIFT of repentance, is unrealistic. REPENTANCE is a GIFT from HAYAH (I AM).
Now, let us stand before the mirror of HIS word. What do I see? What is reflected when I look? Do I see YESHUA, in HIS meekness and love? Or do I yet see....... me? Perhaps, just maybe, we could spend more time praying about our own walk, and asking YEHOVAH for HIS great and glorious gift, REPENTANCE.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Have you received the POWER? Power to do what? TO STOP SINNING. The WITNESS of TRUE REPENTANCE is that one has a new passion to STOP SINNING. And this passion has an element of success, that is above and beyond the natural ability of fallen man and the religious mindset. The success is only possible to those who have accepted the gift of REPENTANCE.
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Who does HE give the HOLY SPIRIT too (with the power to stop sinning)? Those who do what? Those who decide to accept HIS gift of REPENTANCE and start a new creation life of OBEDIENCE. Sin is NOT OBEDIENCE. So true repentance floods the heart of the sinner with new empowerment to stop sinning and obey GOD.
So what is the EVIDENCE of the infilling of the HOLY SPIRIT in the heart and life of man? OBEDIENCE. Not tongue talking. It is obedience. The manifest presence of the truly infilled man, is OBEDIENCE empowered by the gift of YEHOVAH. That gift, my friend, is REPENTANCE.
Mat 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
So my question this morning is this. Have you been called? Deep inside, is the GIFT of REPENTANCE diligently alive and working within you? No? Maybe it's time too......
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Friend, if you're not living and walking in OBEDIENCE, your entire testimony of "faith" is suspect. Have you STOPPED SINNING, since you "believed"? Only you can answer that. And it is between you and HAYAH (I AM). HIS appointed time to get this right in your own life, is RIGHT NOW. Don't wait another breath. Do it now. You're not guaranteed to live beyond that. REPENT or PERISH. If you feel like you don't really have this "gift" of REPENTANCE (evidenced by the new ability to stop sinning), then cry out to HAYAH until you get it. Don't look to the right or to the left, stay focused. Don't give in and don't give up, until HE grants you this precious gift. I'm praying with you, that it will be soon, for HIS glory, honor, and praise. Amen.

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Lahry Sibley