1 Timothy

What a great and confusing-in-parts book! Haha. There are so many things to take away from this book and I think what I want to do with this weeks Thought is write down some verses that speak loudly to us about our walk with Christ, and also to encourage us in this good fight.


Chapter 1.
I think the first thing I grabbed from this book is that we are all sinners. We have all fallen short. Even though you have grown-up and currently are growing-up in a Christian family, and maybe have never done anything "wrong"...you are still a sinner. Sometimes it's easy to listen to some of those crazy testimonies of salvation...like Paul's here in the Bible...and think, "Well, I don't feel like I was really saved from anything." That's how I've felt at times in my life. I realized though, because we have human nature in us from the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden, we are automatically sinners even if we don't have "proof" like Paul had. 1 Timothy 1:12- "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to hi service."

God's grace covers us all. 1 Tim 1:13- "Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief."


Chapter 4.
Always remember this...your whole life! vs 12- "Don't let anyone, (including yourself!) look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." Remember that. Do not look down on yourself because you are young!

Phil and I are reading the book Anointing by R.T. Kendall right now. He talks about everyone having an anointing, or gift as it's sometimes called. God keeps reminding me to not neglect my gift, like Paul says here to Timothy- vs- 14-15- "Do not neglect your gift..." "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them..."


Chapter 5.
Have you ever met a really obnoxious old man? Old woman? Peer? They are everywhere! Am I right? Well...as much as sometimes I'd like to just give them a piece of my mind on how their actions are dumb, Paul is great at reminding me that I can't unless that's how I would talk to my own Dad (not a chance!) or my Mom (uh-no way!) or my brother (have said more than I should have) or a sister. Even in those times when we're justified to give someone a reality check, remember that we are to treat them with exhortations and purity. vs-1-2 "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older woman as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."


Chapter 6:12
"Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession..." vs 20 - "Timothy (insert your own name), guard what has been entrusted to your care." Nuf said.