Who Is Our Lord?

There are only 2 lords. Some may think they are their own master and lord, but this is foolishness. People hurt them, steal from them, tax them, and eventually they die. They have no authority. There are only 2 lords. We can either serve God or the devil.

It is written:

B1 John 8:44 WEL You are of [your] father, the devil, and you want to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he tells [it] from himself, because he is a liar and the father of it.

B2 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 WEL So then come out from among them. Be separate," says the Lord, "and do not touch [what is] unclean, then I will accept you, 18 And I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters," says the Lord Almighty.

B3 John summarizes: 1 John 3:10 WEL God's children and the Devil's children are plainly recognized by this: whoever does not do what is right is not of God, nor he who doesn't love his brother.

We are born as sinners: Ecclesiastes 7:20 NIV Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.

We have evil thoughts and actions all the time: Genesis 6:5 NIV The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

Our heart is the source of our evil. The heart is speaking of our soul: Matthew 15:18-20 WEL But those things which come out of the mouth come from the heart; they defile a person. 19 "For out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies. 20 "These are what defile a person but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.

We are…

B1 Servants of sin. This servant is one who gives himself up wholly to another's will (Thayer’s). John 8:34 WEL Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I say to you that all committing sin are servants of sin.

B2 Sin is addictive. We are all addicts before salvation. Ephesians 2:3 WEL Among whom we also lived our life in the past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, by nature we were children of wrath even as others.

B3 We resist God by hardening out hearts. Hardening is the word for resisting.

C1 Psalm 95:8 NIV Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness.

C2 Hebrews 12:25 NIV See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?

These 2 lords have different styles of leadership. They are totally opposite of each other. It is either God’s method or the devil’s method. One is controlling and the other is with a measure of libertarian freedom.

Here is a good example of 2 styles of leadership.

B1 Controlling: Exodus 5:1-2, 5-6, 10, 15, 17 NIV Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.' " Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go." ... Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working." That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: ... Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. ... Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way? ... Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are--lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.'

C1 A heavy yoke

C2 Rigorous service

C3 Pain

C4 Decisions made from one person

C5 Not mercy, care, compassion, or love.

B2 Godly: Matthew 11:28-30 WEL "Come to me, all who are exhausted and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For my yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light."

C1 A light yoke

C2 Delegation

C3 Care

C4 Merciful

C5 Loves his servants

Godly leadership style can be applied in many different situations: marriage, pastoral, employer, family, etc. Controlling is not Christian, and Christian is not controlling.

Even though God is sovereign, for He can do whatever He wants, and no one can prevent it. God is sovereign and can degree. No one can resist. We read this in the Bible regarding things in...

B1 Creation

C1 Colossians 1:17 NLT He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

C2 God gave the order, and it was obeyed—perfectly. We read this in God’s command to the birds of the air in Revelation 19:17-21 NIV And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small." Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

B2 Humans. Here we read of an action performed that Jesus’s enemies did not want to do, but they did. They fell backwards: John 18:4-6 NLT Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. "Who are you looking for?" he asked. "Jesus the Nazarene," they replied. "I AM he," Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) As Jesus said "I AM he," they all drew back and fell to the ground!

B3 The miracles done by the Lord Jesus show His power over creation, sickness, demons, people, and situations. In Matthew 14, Jesus feeds 5,000, walks on water, calms a storm, and heals the sick.

B4 Most of His covenants with people and nations are unconditional, but some are conditional.

C1 Conditional—Edenic: Genesis 2:16-17 NLT But the LORD God warned him, "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden-- except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die."

C2 Unconditional—Adamic: Genesis 3:15-17 NLT And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." Then he said to the woman, "I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you." And to the man he said, "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.

C3 Unconditional—Noahic: Genesis 9

C4 Unconditional—Abrahamic: Genesis 12:1-4;13:14-17; 15:1-7; 17:1-8.

C5 Conditional—Mosasic: This is the Law given to Israel on Mt Sinai. If you obey, these blessings will happen. If you disobey, curses will happen.

C6 Unconditional—Land: Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20.

C7 Unconditional—Davidic: 2 Samuel 7:11b-16 and 1 Chronicles 17:10B-14.

C8 Unconditional—New: Jeremiah 31:31-40 and Hebrews 8:6-13.

C9 For further information on covenants see Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

God decrees a measure of freedom

B1 We can choose:

C1 2 Samuel 24:12 NIV Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.

C2 Proverbs 1:29 NIV since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD.

C3 Isaiah 56:4 NIV For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant.

C4 Matthew 7:13-14 WEL Enter in at the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in there. 14 "Because the gate is narrow and the road difficult that leads to life and there are few who find it.

B2 We can resist:

C1 Nehemiah 9:30 NIV For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.

C2 Acts 7:51 NLT You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That's what your ancestors did, and so do you!

B3 We can cause the Holy Spirit to grieve: Ephesians 4:30 WEL Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by which you are sealed for the day of redemption.

B4 We can quench the Holy Spirit: 1 Thessalonians 5:19 WEL Don’t quench the Spirit.

B5 We can lie to God the Holy Spirit: Acts 5:3 WEL Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit to keep some of the money from [selling] the land?

B6 We can test God: Acts 5:9 WEL Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! See the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door and will carry you out."

B7 We can insult the Holy Spirit: Hebrews 10:29 WEL How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserving the one who has spurned the Son of God and has considered the blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, an unholy thing and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

B8 We can blaspheme the Holy Spirit: Matthew 12:31-32 WEL Therefore, I say to you, 'All kinds of people’s sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, but a person’s blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.' 32 "Whosoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, not in this age nor in the age to come.

Let us reverently serve God and enjoy His great leadership style. As we do, they us live by that same leadership style in all we do.

And remember, let us always choose life by choosing Yahweh and His ways. He will give us grace when we need it, if we ask. When it is time for judgment, there is no choice we can make. He is the judge who decides and who sentences.

Some Lessons to Learn from Elijah and the Widow in Zarephath

1 Kings 17:8-24

8 Then the LORD said to Elijah, 9 “Now go to the town of Zarephath, near Sidon, and stay there. I have commanded a widow who lives there to feed you.” 10So Elijah went to Zarephath, and as he came to the town gate, he saw a widow gathering  firewood. “Please bring me a drink of water,” he said to her. 11 And as she was going to get it, he called out, “And please bring me some bread, too.”

12 She answered, “By the living LORD your God I swear that I don't have any bread. All I have is a handful of flour in a bowl and a bit of olive oil in a jar. I came here to gather some firewood to take back home and prepare what little I have for my son and me. That will be our last meal, and then we will starve to death.”

13 “Don't worry,” Elijah said to her. “Go on and prepare your meal. But first make a small loaf from what you have and bring it to me, and then prepare the rest for you and your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The bowl will not run out of flour or the jar run out of oil before the day that I, the LORD, send rain.’”

15 The widow went and did as Elijah had told her, and all of them had enough food for many days. 16 As the LORD had promised through Elijah, the bowl did not run out of flour nor did the jar run out of oil.

17 Some time later the widow's son got sick; he got worse and worse, and finally he died. 18 She said to Elijah, “Man of God, why did you do this to me? Did you come here to remind God of my sins and so cause my son's death?”

19 “Give the boy to me,” Elijah said. He took the boy from her arms, carried him upstairs to the room where he was staying, and laid him on the bed. 20 Then he prayed aloud, “O LORD my God, why have you done such a terrible thing to this widow? She has been kind enough to take care of me, and now you kill her son!” 21 Then Elijah stretched himself out on the boy three times and prayed, “O LORD my God, restore this child to life!” 22 The LORD answered Elijah's prayer; the child started breathing again and revived.

23 Elijah took the boy back downstairs to his mother and said to her, “Look, your son is alive!”

24 She answered, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the LORD really speaks through you!”

Some lessons to learn:

God does punish sin.

• King Ahab was incredibly wicked, even more wicked than any of the kings before him.
• He married a very wicked woman.
• He killed Naboth in order to have his vineyard for his own.
• He provoked God to anger by what he did and didn’t do.

God cares for widows and woman

• She had lost much and was discouraged.
• Elijah was sent to help her and as a result himself.
• She told Elijah she had only enough food for one more meal for her and her son, then they would die. Such was the famine in Israel.
• Elijah, in God’s authority, spoke that her flour and oil would not lessen in amount until the rains came.

She believed God.

• God gives many promises in the Bible.
• We need to believe these.
• God gives these promises to encourage and help each believer.

Her faith was tested when her son became sick and died.

• Even though she was discouraged, she still sought God’s help. She passed the test.
• We will be tested in many ways to see if we will continue in the faith.
• God will help us by giving us grace.
• We may or may not have such a miracle as this mother had.

We can speak plainly to God.

• Note how Elijah prays plainly to God. Elijah tells exactly how he feels, “Then he prayed aloud, “O LORD my God, why have you done such a terrible thing to this widow? She has been kind enough to take care of me, and now you kill her son!” (Verse 20).
• God is a wonderful counselor.
• One of the first steps in healing is to tell our story of pain.
• The next is for the counselor to believe it.
• We may have to tell our story over and over with tears and groans at the pain we have faced, but we can speak plainly.
• Isaiah 9:6 A child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be our ruler. He will be called, "Wonderful Counselor," "Mighty God," "Eternal Father," "Prince of Peace." 

We need to be persistent in our prayers.

• Elijah prayed 3 times.
• We may pray until we die.
• Maybe God will answer our prayer the way we want it, or maybe not.
• We must not quit.
• The Persistent Widow, Luke 18:1-8 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: 2 “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God or respect men, 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge. 7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help? 8 I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

She humbly acknowledges her lack of faith.

• “Now I know you are a man of God.”
• We should always acknowledge our faults and not cover them up.
• God will forgive us our sins.
• 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God will not leave us in troubles: Hebrews 13:5 ...For God has said, "I will never leave you; I will never abandon you."

Truth in Unrighteousness

Romans 1:18 WEL For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

How do people suppress the truth?

In unrighteousness?

This is done by burying the truth. Covering up truth. Ignoring truth. Lying about the truth.

We see this being done in evil churches, evil pastors, evil people.

Instead of facing the truth, confessing the truth, dealing with the truth, it is buried.

Look carefully in the bowl of seeds. Do you see the red marble?

How about this one? Look carefully, very carefully. Do you see it?

It is buried in the seeds.

Suppressing truth in unrighteousness; buried marble in the seeds.

John 3:19-21 WEL "This is [the reason for] the judgment, because light is come into the world and people loved darkness rather than light, because their actions were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, so that his actions may be discovered and reproved [discovered and reproved is one word in Greek]. But the one who does the truth comes to the light, so that his actions may be plainly seen that they are done for God."

1 John 1:7-10 WEL But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we keep on confessing our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Let us confess our sins instead of burying them, covering them up, or lying.

Evil people hide their sins and when they are exposed, do anything to cover it up. This is why domestic abuse and sexual molestation is so evil, because pastors, churches, groups, politicians, and people do not want to admit the truth.

Whatever sin there is, God knows about it.

Let us do what is right and confess our sin.

All sin is against God, so we must confess sin and ask forgiveness from Him.

If we sin against one, we confess and ask forgiveness of God and that person.

If we sin against more or publicly, we confess and ask forgiveness from God and that group.

If we truly are sorry, we will not do it again.

King David raped Bathsheba and had her husband murdered. When confronted by Nathan, the prophet, he confessed and asked forgiveness, which was granted. He never did these things again. See 2 Samuel 12 and Psalm 51.

King Manasseh was very wicked. God had the king of Assyria captains capture Manasseh, brought him to Babylon, and throw him in prison. He repented, was restored in Israel, and showed his repentance by worshiping only Yahweh. See 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33.

Peter denied the Lord Jesus. After the Lord looked at him, Peter repented, did not hide his sin, and wept, but never did it again. See Mark 14 and Luke 22.

Let us learn and do.

God bless.

God's Wisdom

From the 27 Feb 19 Evening Devotional of Daily Light on the Daily Path

God...gives...profusely and doesn't scold.

Our first verse deals with wisdom. Wisdom is God’s way of thinking and handling situations. If we seek counsel from an expert in finance, medicine, education, law, or whatever business or personal situation we face, it will cost much money. Frequently, the better the counselor, the higher the fee. Yet with God, the greatest expert imaginable, the fee is zero; it is absolutely free.

Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you? She said, "No one, sir." Jesus then said to her, "I don't condemn you either; go, and do not sin anymore."

Here is an example of the great wisdom of God.

This passage deals with a tricky (from a human perspective) situation for Messiah regarding God’s Law, and the evil men who are trying to trap the Lord Jesus in the corner. No matter what the Lord answers; He will be condemned. How will He handle this situation? How would you handle it?

A woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. She was brought before Jesus. Those who caught her said, "Master, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us that such to be stoned, so what do you say?" (John 8:4-5 WEL).

She is standing before THE Messiah. What is she thinking? What is the expression on her face? What is the expression on the face of Messiah?

In my mind, I wonder where the man was? If the woman was “caught in the very act of adultery,” then the man was committing adultery, too.

This seems like she was set up. She committed adultery, yes, but perhaps these men set it up. I don’t know for sure, but it does seem suspicious.

If Jesus lets her go, then He will be condemned for not upholding God’s law. If Jesus casts the first stone, then He does not show love and mercy, for God wants everyone to repent.

So Jesus bends down and starts to write. What did He write? I imagine, He was writing down the names of the men present and the date they had committed adultery either in their heart or both heart and flesh. The men left one by one, convicted. John 8:7-9 WEL And as they continued to ask him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let him who is sinless throw a stone at her." Again, he stooped down and wrote on the ground. After hearing this and being convicted by their conscience, they left one by one starting at the oldest down to the last. Jesus alone was left alone with the woman standing in the midst.

God's grace and the gift by grace (also by one man, Jesus Christ), is more than enough for many... the free gift resulted in acquittal for many sins.

All of us are sinners. Some are worse than others. The penalty for lying, stealing, blaspheming, etc. is death. But God wants people to repent and believe in Him, trusting in Him for forgiveness of sins.

God’s grace (receiving what we do not deserve) gives us salvation. This is only through Jesus Christ.

It is free. However, it was very costly for Jesus in that He suffered and died for our sins. Once the Holy Spirit opens our heart and mind to the extent we are evil, we can resist His offer or we can accept His offer of salvation. We cannot work, earn, it. It is free. It is a gift. His salvation forgives, pardons, our many sins.

God who is rich in mercy, for his great love in which he loved us, even when we were dead because of sins, he has made us alive with Christ, for you are saved by grace. He has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

This work and offer from the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, shows what great love He has for us. He did not have to do this; He wanted to, because He wants all to repent and believe the Gospel.

We have a hope and promise that after death, we will be in heaven with the other believers, holy angels, and God Himself.

We were created for fellowship with God and to serve Him forever. Serving such a wonderful King is pure joy.

He didn't spare his own Son but handed him over for all of us. How much more will he not also graciously give us all things?

If God the Father sent God the Son, and if God the Son freely and willingly came for us, will He not also give us all things? These things are spiritual treasures not necessarily earthly treasures. The very first treasure is wisdom:

Psalms 111:10 GW The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Good sense is shown by everyone who follows God's guiding principles. His praise continues forever.

Proverbs 2:6-8 NRSV For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;  7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,  8 guarding the paths of justice and preserving the way of his faithful ones.

For those who resist God and refuse to repent, believe, and put their trust into the Lord Jesus for salvation, they also have a promise—eternal, conscious punishment in hell.

Please, do not resist.

Enjoy the beautiful, indescribable wisdom of God.

James 1:5: John 8:10-11; Romans 5:15-16: Ephesians 2:4-7; Romans 8:32

Bible verses are from the Welcome Bible Copyright © 2006-2019 by Len Gane. All Rights Reserved.

1 Timothy 6

1 Timothy 6:1-2

B1 Paul continues the pastoral responses to various congregational issues.

B2 Employers and employees

C1 Servants (I’ve already answered the question about slavery and the Bible).

C2 The application for most of us today is employee and employer relations.

C3 We are to give respect to our employer. The reason for this is that God will be honored and His teachings respected.

C4 If our employer is a believers, then we must not despise them. Even though they are our brother or sister we are to obey what they expect of us in our work.

1 Timothy 6:3-5

B2 Insist on these things

C1 What is the pastor or church to do when another member disagrees with these rules?

C2 They are described here as proud, ignorant, challenging words, and nitpicking.

C3 Their attitude and actions result in envy, discord, abusive verbal attacks, and evil suspicions. If a church member acts like this list, then it could be they are the person described in the first part of verse 4.

C4 Not only are they in a sick spiritual state, but they are also described as having corrupt minds, a total lack of truth, and have the wrong attitude that if he/she is rich, they are held in high regard by God.

C5 God advice Withdraw from this type of person. Put them out of the congregation, because they only cause trouble for the others.

1 Timothy 6:6-10

B3 Material wealth

C1 Even though many have the idea that being rich equals a person pleasing to God, God has a different thought—godliness with contentment is great gain.

C2 Money is not held in high regard with God.

C3 We were born naked and penniless, and whatever we have here, we will not take it with us when we die.

C4 We should be content if we have a place to sleep and clothes to wear (the clothing part of verse 8) and if we have food.

C5 Contentment:

D1 Hebrews 13:5 WEB Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.

D2 Philippians 4:11-12 NRSV Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.

C6 Being materially rich in this life might be spiritually dangerous. Be careful. They face:

D1 Temptations that others do not

D2 Traps

D3 Harmful cravings/desires

D4 All of which results in destruction and eternal ruin.

C7 A very serious warning from God—do not love money. Loving money will result in:

D1 Straying from the faith

D2 Piercing pains with many heartaches

1 Timothy 6:11-16

B4 Live the Christian life consistently

C1 We are to run away from those hurtful things.

C2 We are to seek and cultivate righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and meekness.

C3 We need God’s grace to continue in the faith. Let us be mindful of that and be careful about temptations. Sin is addictive.

C4 We must always have a good confession, not being ashamed of the Lord Jesus, His teachings, and His way of life.

C5 The time WILL when all will know for sure—they will see it with their own eyes—Jesus reigning in power. He is King of kings and lord of lords. God alone has:

D1 Immortality

D2 Living in light (a clear mind, a clear conscious, and no evil)

D3 The light that is so bright, no one can stand in His presence

D4 Perfect and everlasting honor

D5 Omnipotence

1 Timothy 6:17-19

B5 Instructions to the rich

C1 It is not sinful to be rich, but the rich have certain temptations

D1 Arrogance, haughty, because of their money

D2 Trusting in money, instead of God

D3 Tendency to not depend on God

C2 Some helpful suggestions are given to help them keep perspective

D1 Do good

D2 Be rich in good works rather than money

D3 A readiness to donate

D4 A cheerful willingness to share

C3 Doing these will result in

D1 A good foundation (solid and sure of faith to stand the spiritual blows and temptations of this life)

D2 Eternal life The eternal life will not come from what they do, for it is only through grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. What it means is they will not lose their salvation.

1 Timothy 6:20-21

B6 Warning about false logic

C1 A warning to be careful, to be steadfast, and to be faithful to Jesus Christ.

C2 A warning to avoid ungodly and fruitless discussions

C3 A warning to avoid leaning and depending on philosophy for life. Philosophy is useful, and God bless those brothers and sisters who study and use it for apologetics. The idea here is that faith might be lost if one depends and puts their trust in human knowledge ALONE.

B7 Applications

C1 We are to treat our employees God’s way.

C2 We are to respect our employers God’s way.

C3 We are not to trust in money or philosophy.

C4 We are to trust in God.

C5 We are to be content.

1 Timothy 5

1 Timothy 5:1-2

B1 This chapter gives instructions to church leaders for various classes of people and situations in the congregation.

B2 Respect the brethren

C1 The word rebuke is the Greek word ἐπιπλήσσω epiplēssō (G1969). It is used 1X in the New Testament. It has the idea of getting in someone’s face and yelling at them for being so stupid. God does NOT wants us doing it.

C2 We are to plead. The Greek word is παρακαλέω parakaleō (G3870). It is used many times in the New Testament. It has the idea of a gentle, calm approach.

C3 So we do to brothers and sisters in the congregation

C4 Proverbs 25:15 WEB By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.

1 Timothy 5:3-16

B3 Widows

C1 Most widows can be and must be assisted by family.

C2 Some widows have no family or that family will not help because the widow is a Christian.

C3 Qualifications for the congregation to help.

D1 60 or greater is age.

D2 One woman wife. This is only one husband at a time.

D3 Has and doing good works. For example, raised children, hospitable to strangers, washed the feet of God's people, helped the afflicted, and diligence in doing so. These examples are to family first, Christians second, and non-Christian last. That is the order of priorities.

C4 Younger widows must be rejected, in most cases, because they might give a pledge, a promise, of serving others full time. If and when they want to get married, they forsake their promise.

C5 Be careful. Because a widow is accepted in the registry, they might, for whatever reason, turn against God and follow satan.

1 Timothy 5:17-21

B4 Support the ministry

C1 Elders and honorarium

D1 Unless agreed upon, there should be some honorarium given for the time serving.

D2 Especially for those laboring in word (Scriptures) and teaching.

D3 It takes time to prepare and time to present.

D4 Scripture supports this:

E1 Deuteronomy 25:4 NRSV You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.

E2 Luke 10:7 NRSV Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house.

D5 An honorarium is not to make the elders rich.

D6 It needs to be known to the congregation.

C2 Elder misdeeds/sins

D1 This deals with the leaders, not individual Christians as Matthew 18.

D2 The accusation needs to be 2 or more witnesses.

D3 This would include pastors, deacons, and deaconesses.

E1 Would need to be adults.

E2 Pastoral abuse is rampant.

F1 These fake pastors love money.

F2 And love power.

F3 When people start questioning what they are doing, they abuse to shut them up.

F4 They have a certain respect, so they love to cover up their evil. John 3:19-21 "This is [the reason for] the judgment, because light is come into the world and people loved darkness rather than light, because their actions were evil. 20 "Everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, so that his actions may be discovered and reproved [discovered and reproved is one word in Greek]. 21 "But the one who does the truth comes to the light, so that his actions may be plainly seen that they are done for God."

F5 Imagine an abused person or even a child coming to meet their sexual molester, rapist, or abuser in private (Matthew 18). This would be a very great evil, and it MUST not be allowed.

D4 This needs to be public, not private. Public means to everyone in the congregation and outside it.

D5 Rebuke is needed.

D6 Fake pastors will not be ashamed or in godly fear.

C3 Both of these activities must be without prejudice or favoritism.

C4 God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels are watching and will testify against us if we do otherwise.

1 Timothy 5:22

B5 Ordain carefully

C1 Be careful in whom we ordain. Use background checks and have them be a part of the congregation for awhile.

C2 If they are ordained when they are unqualified in God’s sight, it will be a sin that is remembered by God. We will have to give an account.

C3 We are to be pure. Purity is God’s definition, so personal, how the spouse and children are treated, money, sex, work, criminal record, etc.

1 Timothy 5:23

B6 For your health: wine is for health and medicine. Whiles some can use without problem, many cannot. Think, seek counsel, and act wisely. God is watching.

1 Timothy 5:24-25

B7 Good deeds

C1 Whether it be elders or others:

D1 Some sins are public, so all know about.

D2 Some are hidden.

D3 God judges both. He knows everything in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

C2 Again, whether it be elders or others:

D1 Some good deeds are public, so all know.

D2 Some are hidden but it will be know eventually.

D3 Let us do all to the glory of God.

B8 Applications

C1 These are God’s wishes and instructions for elders and the congregation. We must do them. We are God’s servants.

C2 Those members of the congregation who need help, need to receive it first before we give to outsiders.

C3 God knows who is sinning and what they are doing.

C4 Thank God for His mercy and instruction.