2 Timothy 2:22-24 Paul is writing to Timothy, a young preacher in Ephesus at this time. He had been like a son to Paul, had traveled with him and was taught by him. Now Paul is offering some helpful advice to a young man on a difficult field. None of us should be ignorant of the fact that just because one is a Christian, living in a Christian atmosphere that somehow temptations and opportunities to sin are no longer anywhere around. The fact is that as long as one is breathing air on this planet, there will be a drawing to sin. In fact, anything that we do, say, think, or feel, is subject to a counterfeit or ungodly substitute ready to take the place of one that is uplifting and God honoring. The lie comes as a feel better, quicker, sooner thing. The drives and emotions that power these temptations are God given and He has designed outlets for them that are honoring to Him and fulfilling to us. When the counterfeit offers itself, the arguments begin to fill the mind. How can anything that feels so right be wrong? Who does it hurt? After all, God gave us the emotions; wouldn't He want us to use them? The counterfeits will leave one feeling empty, dirty and unfulfilled. Notice in verse 22, Paul tells Timothy to flee the "evil desires of youth" implying that one doesn't need to look very far to find fulfillment. It's there on display, in your face, begging to be taken. When Paul uses the word "flee", he is saying you' re not strong enough to fight off the temptation, run for your life! Instead the encouragement is to "pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace." To find out what this is all about requires that we spend time in the Word and in communication with God. In the pursuit we also discover that not only do we please God, but we also find that our needs are met; our emotional, our spiritual and our physical in ways that last.

Flee Evil, Pursue Righteousness!