Category: 1 Timothy

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Right now, I’m incredibly short on contentment. Anger seems to be the prevailing emotion, and anger and godliness aren’t very compatible, as you might imagine. I feel stuck in a simmering rage most days.

1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

These emotions are—this space is—not pleasant. And I’m struggling with the right steps to fix the issue—therapy, certainly; an attitude adjustment in the way I view myself, my situation, the world. More Jesus. I cannot serve Him effectively in this space.

1 Timothy 6:8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Lord, I love You. I want to shine Your light and comfort Your people. I want to be content, to live in Your peace. Help me to understand the root of my discontent and to address those issues so that I can shine brightly for You. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Have a blessed day.

1 Timothy 5:7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame.

This chapter brings to mind in full force the fact that Paul and Timothy are helping to build the early church. Jesus tells us to “love one another as I have loved you,” but the apostles are responsible for shaping the roots of the early church, deciding how they will be able to function and provide in their nascent stage.

1 Timothy 5:9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband….

I think it’s important to remember and distinguish Jesus’s teachings from Paul’s. Even Paul knows the danger of legalism. Rules are important. The early church couldn’t have gotten off the ground without them, but Christ’s teachings are paramount.

1 Timothy 5:10 …and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

Lord, Thank You for the early apostles who helped to establish the church. Also, help us not to ever lose sight of Your love, Your compassion, Your mercy as we strive to be Your hands and feet in this world. Amen.

1 Timothy 5:11 As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry.

Have a blessed day.

1 Timothy 4:3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

A verse that continues to strike me as I read 1 Timothy is Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

1 Timothy 4:4-5 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

As believers, it is imperative that we read and interact with the scriptures. We can’t just take someone else’s word for it (commentary), although reading and hearing the words of others can help us understand what the scriptures mean for us and to us. It is crucial that we experience the scriptures for ourselves in our individual walks of faith to understand what God is telling us.

1 Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

Lord, You want us to follow You. Thank You for the wonderful teachers who help us along that path, but help us to remember that we need to take everything back to You as we apply Your word to our lives. Draw us closer, Lord. Amen.

1 Timothy 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Have a blessed day.

1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

Lord, We get so caught up sometimes debating gender roles and authority issues, but You call us—all of us—to love You and love others. At its heart, it really is that simple. Help us.

1 Timothy 2:9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,

Lord, We get caught up in surface-level squabbles, in what folks are wearing or saying, but You call us to love—fiercely and unconditionally, as You love us—even when we don’t feel like it. Help us.

1 Timothy 2:10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

Lord, Your word is active and alive, but Your central message to love You and love others never changes. It’s so simple, but we often make it so difficult. Help us. Amen.

1 Timothy 2:11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.

Have a blessed day.

1 Timothy 1:2b …Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul talks in this chapter about the mercy that God showed him before he understood the truth of Christ. He urges Timothy to be mindful of that mercy as he tries to correct the erroneous ways of the people.

1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

He wants Timothy to be mindful of mercy so that he can fulfill the goal of the scripture—love. They aren’t perfect. None of us are. But God is loving enough and merciful enough to want us to see the light, to understand and to live it.

1 Timothy 1:6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.

Lord, Thank You for Your love, truth, and mercy. Thank You for pursuing us. Help us to show each other love and mercy. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

Have a blessed day.