“[C]orrecting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

Throughout Scripture, it is clear that God is not trying to damn some and save others.  The Lord desires that none would perish.  Therefore, let us see to it that we too look at all others with compassion and seek their repentance.  The Lord calls us to love, and in love we confront the sin, but love the sinner.  Seek with gentleness for others to come to their senses and live into the life that comes through faith.

Lord, Keep me in my right mind and let me not be enticed nor carried away by the insanity of this world.  Guide me, Lord, according to Your goodness so that I would now and forever live in the hope You give through faith.  Help me learn how to forgive as You forgive.  Guide me to learn to love as You love.  Help me to see that You desire that all would come to You through repentance and belief in the Good News.

Lord Jesus, in You alone is all hope.  Lead me, Lord, today and every day, that I would be guided by Your goodness and mercy.  Help me to know that You desire the same grace that You have given me to be given to all others.  Use me as Your instrument so that I would share Your grace in word and deed with all whom I meet, seeking their repentance as You sought and called for me to seek mine.  Amen.

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil” (2 Timothy2:24)

Listen carefully to this and then understand why few are to be teachers (James 3:1).  The church is filled with quarrelsome people.  There are those who want you to think like they do.  But the servant of the Lord is kind to everyone.  The servant of the Lord learns how to be patient.  All must learn to endure the constant evil of this age.  Endure, yes, but never accept, promote, or even tolerate what is not from the Lord.

Lord, You walked this earth and You know how difficult it can be amidst all the noise and distractions to live a life of thanks, praise and commitment.  You, Lord, who knew no sin have had compassion on us who walk in this age and do not know what You know.  Lead me and all those who seek You out of the insanity of this age.  Lead me to not be quarrelsome, nor unkind, but to be firm in the faith You have given me.

Lord Jesus, You came to save all who believe from the evils of this world.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting life.  Guide me by Your goodness so that I would now and always walk humbly with You.  Guide me to be kind to all whom I meet, friend or foe.  Lead me away from the quarrels of this age.  Teach me how to teach in order that I may share the truth of the Gospel You have shared with me.  Amen.

“Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels” (2 Timothy 2:23).

The church is filled with quarrels.  That is just the way the wicked one likes it.  Yes, they exist, but do not be wrapped up in them.  When the Lord sent us into the world with His peace, it was to share the truth of the reconciliation with our Father that comes through grace.  This world is filled with dissensions and distractions.  The Lord has come to clear the way.  Do not be distracted but walk in the truth and concentrate on “the one thing necessary.”

Lord, that which is, reality, is what You have created.  Help me to not get caught up in the endless, distracting, noise of this age, but to seek the truth of the reality You have created.  Guide me, Lord, in all truth so that I may now and always walk humbly with You.  In Your goodness, lead me in the way You know I need to go to avoid the continuous quarrels of this age.

Lord Jesus, You have come in order that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me, O Lord, in all truth.  Your Word is truth.  Lead me in You, for You are truth.  Keep me from speculating on the things I do not need to know.  Keep me from claiming I know when I do not.  Guide me, Lord, to live into the life You have given me by grace.  In You I have all hope.  Keep me now and always in that hope.  Amen.

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).

Youthful passions only lead us into what we are feeling.  Look at the world around you.  People are chasing feelings.  The problem is that the more they chase them the less they feel.  They are chasing feelings until they are numb.  Do not be guided by what you feel, but by the Lord who has given you the words of everlasting life.  Come then, and be guided by the Lord, His Word, and the truth.

Lord, You know when and where I am carried away by my passions.  Lead me, Lord, in the way You have established so that I may be guided by truth and not by the lies of this world.  Help me to see what is true and to hear Your voice when You speak. Lead me to have a pure heart.   Guide me now and forever in the way of salvation unto eternal life.  Help me to be like You, Jesus.

Lord, the way and truth of life, guide me from this day forward through all the temptations that come my way.  Lead me to know that in You alone is all hope and an eternal future.  Guide me so that I see these tempting things for what they are and do not fall into the sins which are so common in this age.  Grant that I remain humble but observant; fervent in faith and love, disposed to be kind and always looking to You alone, Lord,  for guidance.  Amen.

“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).

Do a shift here and stop thinking in literal physical terms.  The Word is preparing us to understand something significant which is often not understood.  We, who are not clean, cannot clean ourselves.  We need that which is clean to be cleaned.  Without Christ it is hopeless.  Only by grace are we saved.  He has and will make us clean.  That is the promise of salvation.  The point goes farther in this text as the case is made to not give in to what we feel.  Our feelings can drive us to that which is dishonorable.  The Lord is bringing us to the place where we are always honorable.  Come then and live into the life you have been offered in grace.  Be guided by the goodness of the Lord and not by the fickle ways of this world.  Know that He gives eternal life.

Lord, I see around me so many who are working so hard.  Guide me Lord to not work so hard, but to trust You.  You give the words of everlasting life.  Lead me, Lord, in this way so that I may not try to clean myself on my own, but see that it is You alone who are able to do this.  Guide me Lord in the way of truth and help me to share this truth with others.  You alone have shown me what is true for You alone know.

Lord Jesus, Your name means salvation.  Lead me and keep me from the temptation of leading myself.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of living my life such that I would now and forever be guided by You.  Of course, I cannot make myself clean with filthy hands.  But You cleanse me so that I may help others come to You as I come to You.  In the truth You have revealed once for all, lead me to know that I am in You, now and forever.  Amen.

“Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable” (2 Timothy 2:20).

We each have those parts of who we are that are, in a word, honorable and dishonorable.  We each put on our pants one leg at a time.  Be whom the Lord made you to be, but never lose sight of the reality that You have been created in both His image and the same as those around you.  Kings and paupers are of the same substance  though life takes them along different paths.  Do not be led by anything other than the word of the Lord.

Lord, You know where I stumble and fall.  You know the places where I see myself as special when I am only ordinary.  You also know the times and places where I need to step up and out to use the gifts I have for the sake of those around me.  Guide me Lord to walk humbly with You, but boldly in the faith You have given me.  Guide me into all goodness for Your sake so that I may be faithful.

Jesus, God in the flesh, in walking humbly in our midst, You showed us how to live life.  You, who are the Author of life, walked as just another ordinary person.  In that example, help me to be both bold in faith and humble in demeanor.  Guide me, Lord, according to Your purposes, to do those things You would have me do as You grow in me Your likeness.  Help me to be faithful as You are faithful.  Amen.

“But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”  (2 Timothy 2:19)

The Lord knows you.  The Lord knows all of your days.  The Lord has provided all that you need.  Why do you worry?  It is because of your unbelief.  But He even knows this.  The love of the Lord is such that He will lead you through all doubts and difficulties such that you may be amongst those who overcome the obstacles of this age.  Know that His word and promises are true.

You have given me all that I need.  Your Spirit searches my heart and You know where I have my doubts.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth so that I may now and always live into the promise of faith that You have given me.  Guide me, Lord, so that I see in You the hope which is mine in Your promise.  The wicked one would have me doubt, but You give me every assurance.  Teach me to trust You.

Lord Jesus, You have come to fulfill the law.  In You is all hope, for where I doubt, You are faithful.  Where I fail, You have completed all that is required.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of truth so that now and always I may humbly abide in You and You in me.  In You is all hope, for You have already accomplished salvation for all who believe.  Guide me this day in the way of truth, O Lord.  Amen.

“Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some” (2 Timothy 2:17b-18).

Throughout history and in every generation are those who say this, that, and the other thing.  The wicked one wants the simple truth of the Gospel messed up so that folks don’t know what to believe and end up walking away thinking the truth is nonsense.  The Lord has told us that He is our Savior and that in and through Him we are saved.  The final day will come and then everyone will know the truth. Until then, simply trust in the word of the Lord.

Lord, let me know that, until You come again, I should live by faith.  With pride (the most devious of sins) we are convinced that we are special.  Lord, we are called to be in You.  That’s it.  Help me see through all the nonsense of this world, the tricks and twists that are presented, in order that I may understand the simplicity of the Gospel.  Guide me, Lord, in Your Word of truth now and forever.

Lord Jesus, You have given us the words of eternal life.  You have established our salvation, which is in You.  Help me look to You alone and grant that my spirit discerns quickly when another is speaking something other than the truth.  You alone are the Savior and You have come to save as many as believe.  Guide me, Lord, in Your goodness and mercy to stand firm, understanding that You have revealed the truth once for all.  Amen.

“But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene” (2 Timothy 2:2:16-17a).

The point of using decent and reverent language is to teach us reverence.  The wicked one would have us use irreverent language to teach us irreverence.  Words themselves are powerful.  We are to love our neighbor such that we do not say things that will cause them to stumble.  We are to be guided by putting on the best possible construction.  Do not participate in the spreading of what is ungodly.

Lord, You have come that we may have a new, clean, and upright heart.  You have come that we may learn from You how to be respectful and reverent.  Lead me, O Lord, in living the way of life such that I would now and always be guided by You.  In Your grace and mercy, continue to grow in me the goodness of Your presence and purpose in my life.  Lead me according to that goodness to become like You.

Lord Jesus, You have given me the words of everlasting life.  Let me not defile them with irreverent words that will cause me to not give the best possible foot forward in proclaiming that I am Your follower.  Lead me in Your goodness to see that in You is all hope and an eternal future.  Guide me in that goodness to learn piety and practice my faith both in public and in private.  Amen.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

No matter the call you have in life, this is sage advice.  Live as one who serves the Lord where your actions are approved by Him: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  Do not do things for sordid gain, but in order to grow in the likeness of Christ, for His glory, and the good of His kingdom.  You need never be ashamed of doing things the way the Lord would have you do them.  He is good and gracious and has already given you all the grace you need.

Lord, help me to realize that if I seek to please myself or other men I will never be satisfied.  Guide me in the way of goodness and mercy such that I may seek to please You alone.  Help me understand that in You is all hope and the future You have made my heart long for.  Guide me in Your love so that I may live into the hope You give, knowing that what I do is pleasing to You.

Lord Jesus, You taught us that You did nothing that was not directed by the Father.  Help me learn from You that I too would walk in the goodness You give and the mercy which is mine such that all I do is serving the Father.  Teach me how to do these things through the grace and mercy that You give.  Guide me now and always in the wisdom of being ethical and moral in all times and places.  Amen.