How to be a Man of God 1 Timothy 4:7-12

I know its been a while since I've blogged and I'm skipping a couple of verses but just wanted to reflect over this passage.  This whole book is really an encouragement from Paul to a young new pastor Timothy.

Paul shifted in this passage to an athletic illustration at this point in his letter.  Just as a Greek or Roman athlete had to refuse certain things, eat the right food, and do the right exercises so a Christian should practice "spiritual exercises." If a Christian puts as much energy and discipline into his spiritual life as an athlete does into his game, the Christian makes opportunities for him to grow faster.

The Temporary: Again, this is an athletic image.  Certainly we ought to care for our bodies, and exercise is a part of that care (yeah I just said that).  But bodily exercise benefits us only during this life; godly exercise is profitable now and for eternity.  Paul did not ask Timothy to choose between the two; I think God expects us to practice both.          

Godliness: Phillips Brooks said, "The greatest purpose of Life the shaping of character by truth." Godly character and conduct are far more important then gold metals, world series rings, or super bowl trophies, though it is possible for a person to have both.  Pauls challenge to Timothy to be devoted to godliness as an athlete is to his sport.  We are living laboring and striving for eternity!!! Christians must make his/her body his servant and not his master.  The point I'm making here is there are spiritual exercises that I ought to be doing Prayer, meditation, self-examination, fellowship, service, sacrifice, submission to the will of others, witness, all  of these are spiritual exercises to help develop me into a more godly man.  A Christian that wants to excel spiritually needs to work at it!!  But exercising ourselves in godly living is not only profitable for us; it is also profitable for others.  Paul named several areas of life in which you and I should be examples:

In Word:  Implies our speech should be honest and loving  speak the truth in love. (Eph 4:15)
In Conduct: Our lives are controlled by the Word of God
In Love: This is the motivation of the lives in which we live.  We do not obey God to be applauded by men but because we love God and love God's people
In Faith: We trust God and our faithful to Him.  Faith leads to faithfulness
In Purity: Keep yourself pure in mind, heart and body

Just as Timothy was to spread this message to the early church so are we!! Verse eleven says command and teach these things The local church is a unit in God's spiritual army, and its leaders are to pass God's orders along to the people with authority and conviction.  

 

  

Women in the church 1 timothy 2:9-15

Let me first state this is one of those passages in scripture that is often misinterpreted and over the years has caused conflict between both men and women. In this blog I'm going to express my view on what this passage is trying to communicate to us.

I've heard it said that the apostle Paul was sexist towards women. Those of us who hold to the inspiration and authority of the Word of God know that Paul's teaching came from God and not from himself. If we have an issue on what the Bible says about women in the church, the issue is not with Paul or Peter, (1Peter 3:1-7), but with the Lord who gave the word (2 Tim 3:16-17). The word of God is either true or it isn't we can't pick and choose what we want to believe from it.

In verse eleven we see this word submission being used and what it literally means is "to rank under." Anyone who has served in the military knows that rank has to do with order and authority, not with value or ability. For example a Major is higher in rank then a private, but that does not necessarily mean the Major is a better man than the private. It only means that the Major has a higher rank and, therefore, more authority. "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:40) is a principle that God follows in His creation. Just as an army would be in confusion if there were no levels of authority, so society would be in chaos without submission. For example children should submit to their parents because God has given the authority to train and discipline them in love. Submission is not subjugation. Submission is recognizing God's order in the home, and the church and joyfully obeying it. Submission is the key to spiritual growth and ministry. Husbands should be submitted to the Lord, Christians Should submit to each other (Eph 5:21), and wives should be submitted to the Lord and their husbands. The emphasis in this section (1 Tim 2:9-15) is on the place of a women in the local church. Paul admonished these believing women to give evidence of their submission in several ways.

Modest Dress 2:9: Paul did not forbid the use of jewelry or lovely clothes, but rather the excessive use of them as substitutes for the true beauty of "a meek and quite spirit" (see 1 Peter 3:1-6. The word translated "modest" simply means "decent and orderly." Ephesus was a wealthy commercial city, and some women there competed against each other for attention and popularity (its hard to believe women would do this lol) . In that day expensive hairdos arrayed with costly jewelry were an accepted way to get to the top socially. Paul admonished the Christian women to major on the "inner person" the true beauty that only Christ can give. He did not forbid the use of nice clothing or ornaments. He cautioned balance and propriety, with the emphasis on modesty and holy character.

Godly Works 2:10: Paul did not suggest that good works are a substitute for clothing. Rather he was contrasting the "cheapness" of expensive clothes and jewelry with the true value of godly character and Christian service. Godliness must come from within. Women played an important role in the ministry of the church. The gospel message had a tremendous impact o them because it affirmed their value before God and their equality in the body of Christ (Gal. 3:28). Women had a low place in the Roman world, but the gospel changed that. The New Testament is filled with women who put their faith into action. For example

Luke 8:1-3: Devoted women who ministered to Jesus in the days of His earthly ministry. They were present at his crucifixion and burial, and it was a women who first heralded the new of the resurrection.

Acts 9:36 We meet Dorcas

Acts 16:14, Lydia

Acts 18:1-3 Priscilla

Romans 16: Paul greeted at least eight women in Romans 16 and Phoebe, who carried the Roman epistle to its destination, was a deaconess in a local church.

Learning 2:11; "Silence" is an unfortunate translation because it gives the impression that believing women were never to open their mouths in the assembly. This is the same word that is translated "peaceable" in verse 2. The point here is not that women as a group should not speak - it’s that there were several types of women who needed to learn before they spoke. It included Jewish and Greek women who had been under the hand of a harsh culture towards women. They sometimes flaunted their new found freedom in Christ and disrupted services (1 Cor 14:34). Paul was saying that women should "learn" was actually a good thing. In that culture women were not allowed to study or discuss issues with men.

Authority 2:12-15: The meaning and application of Paul's statement, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” (1 Timothy 2:12), have puzzled interpreters and resulted in a variety of positions on the role of women in ministry to this day. A reading of the entire passage of 1 Timothy 2:9–15 I feel suggests that Paul was giving Timothy advice about dealing with some heretical teachings and practices specifically involving women in the church at Ephesus. The heresy may have been so serious that he had to say about the Ephesian women, “I am not allowing women to teach or have authority over a man.” I feel if all is done decently and in order then God will bless. Well, these again our my thoughts let me know what you think.

Men of the church Timothy 2:1-8

As we look at this passage we see Paul giving instructions to Timothy on how the church needs to conduct themselves. Apparently Timothy was experiencing a congregation that was losing their order and effectiveness, because both men and women members of the church were disobeying God's Word. Paul in this passage is trying to tell Timothy on how both men and women are to conduct themselves.

The first eight verses in this chapter revolve around men of the church need to be about prayer. I once heard this quote "Much prayer, much power! No prayer no power." Prayer was as much a part of the apostolic ministry as preaching the Word (Acts 6:4) I truly believe when a local church ceases to depend on prayer, God ceases to bless its ministry. True Christians pray in order to please God. This suggests that we must pray in the will of God, because it certainly does not please the Father when we pray selfishly (James 4:1-10, 1 John 5:14-15). I've heard it often said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man's will done in heaven, but to get God's will done on earth.

So what is Gods will: The salvation of lost souls for one thing. We can pray for "all men" because it is God's will that "all men" come to the knowledge of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. God loved the world (John 3:16) and Christ died for the whole world (1 John 2:2; 4:14). Jesus died on the cross that He might draw "all men" to salvation (John 12:32). We pray for "all" because Christ died for "all" and it is God's will that "all" be saved. We must give ourselves to God to be a part of His worldwide program to reach people before it is to late.

Some food for thought effective praying, then, demands that I be in a right relationship with God and with my fellow believers. Jesus taught the same truth (Mark 11:24-26). If we spent more time preparing to pray and getting our hearts right before God, our prayers would be more effective!! So what's stopping us from having an effective prayer life??

Job Description : The Harvest is great workers are few

Imagine with me if Jesus had advertised for workers. I wonder if his flyer or brochure would have sounded something like this; Men and women wanted for difficult task of helping to build My church. You will often be misunderstood, even by those who will be working with you. You will face constant attack from an invisible enemy. You may never see the results of your labor, and your full reward will not come till after all your work is completed. It may cost you your home, your ambitions, even your life. If people new up front what they were getting into would they honestly commit to it? (It makes you wonder.) In spite of the demands he makes Jesus receives the applications of many who have chosen to give their all for him. Timothy is one of those men who responded to Jesus call to help build his church.

Paul wrote the letter we call 1 Timothy to encourage Timothy, to explain how a local church should be managed, and to enforce his own authority as a servant of God. Paul in this chapter explains 3 responsibilities of a pastor but not just of a pastor but members of the church. I'm going to suggest that part of our job description as followers of Christ is carrying out these responsibilities

1. Teach Sound Doctrine (1:1-11)

In this time period there were teachers of false doctrines in Paul's day just as there are today, and we must take them seriously. These false teachers have no good news for lost sinners. They seek instead to lead Christians astray and capture them for their causes. The reason for this false doctrine was a misuse of the Old Testament Law. These false teachers did not understand the content or the purpose of God's Law. They were leading believers out of the liberty of grace into the bondage of legalism, a tragedy that still occurs today. The flesh loves religious legalism because rules and regulations enable a person to appear holy without really having to change his heart. Thats why Paul is writing this letter to Timothy to encourage him in this challenging time in his life. Paul was trying to convey to Timothy you are not only a pastor of the church in a difficult city. You are also a Christian soldier under orders from the King. Now pass these orders along to those that are under your leadership.

2. Proclaim the Gospel (1 Tim. 1:12-17)

Paul in this passage shares his personal testimony.

A. What Paul used to be: Saul of Tarsus was a brilliant man and well-educated his mind was blinded from the truth. He was a religious man, yet he was not headed for heaven! It was not until he put faith in Jesus Christ that he was saved.

B. How Paul was Saved: How could the holy God ever save and forgive such a self-righteous sinner? The key words are mercy and grace. God in His mercy did not give Paul what he did deserve; instead God in His grace gave Paul what he did not deserve. Grace and mercy are God's love in action.

C. What Paul Became: The Damascus road had a life changing effect on Paul. So dramatic was the change in Paul's life that the Jerusalem church suspected that it was a trick and they had a hard time accepting Paul's transformation (Acts 9:26-31). Paul has become a great example of what the Holy Spirit can do in your life. He is proof that the grace of God can change any sinner!! Today I want to challenge you maybe you know somebody who is far from God and you have spent years trying to reach out to them but feel like it's a lost cause. I want to challenge you lets NEVER GIVE UP!! If God can make a change in Paul's life I'm sure he can change anybody else.

3. Defend the Faith (1 tim. 1:18-20)

Timothy must have been greatly helped and encouraged when he read the opening to this letter. God had called Timothy, equipped him, and put him into his place of ministry. When someone obeys God's call to serve, God always equips and enables that person. Timothy's job was not to run all over Ephesus, being involved in a multitude of tasks. His job was to care for the church by winning the lost, teaching the saved, and defending the faith. Any task that did not relate to these ministries would have to be abandoned. I want to leave you with this question taking spiritual inventory of yourself, what tasks is God calling you to do and our there things in your life that are keeping you from what God has called you to ?

Guard your heart Proverbs 4:23-27

In this passage of scripture Solomon gives us some godly wisdom on how we should use our body to avoid folly. In these couple of verses he names our heart, mouth, eyes, and our feet. This passage instructs believers to “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.” I have thought about this verse often and I ask myself okay, what does that mean and look like to truly guard your heart? When Solomon refers to guarding the heart, he really means the inner core of a person, the thoughts, feelings, desires, will, and choices that make that person who he/she is. The Bible tells us that our thoughts often dictate who we become (Proverbs 23:7, 27:19). The mind of a man reflects who he really is, not simply his actions or words. That is why God examines the heart of a man, not simply his outward appearance and what he appears to be. Just as there are many diseases and disorders that can affect the physical heart, there are many ailments of the spiritual heart that can impair growth and development as a believer. If we could see a picture of your spiritual heart what would it look like?The Apostle Paul instructs us, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”(Philippians 4:8). Dwelling on these things will help to build a guard fence around our hearts. So the reflective question I have for you is how protected is your heart??

Wisdom Directs our Path Proverbs 3:1-12

The key verses in this chapter are verses 5-6, a promise God's people have often claimed as they have sought the Lord's direction for their lives. And this promise has never failed them-if they have obeyed the conditions God has laid down in verses 1-12. God ALWAYS keeps His promises when we obey His precepts, because our obedience prepares us to receive and enjoy what He has planned for us.

The first condition for receiving God's guidance is that We learn God's truth (1-4). The will of God is revealed in the Word of God, and the only way to know His will is to study His Word and obey it. It isn't enough for believers to carry the Bible in their hands; they must let the Holy Spirit write it on their hearts. Obedience to the Word can add years to your life and life to your years.

Secondly Obey God's will (Verse 5-8): This means we must trust Him with all our heart and obey Him in all our ways, total commitment to Him. The word translated "trust" in verse five means to lie helpless face down. It pictures a servant waiting for the master's command in readiness to obey, or a defeated soldier yielding himself to the conquering general. The danger that we might experience is that we lean on our own understanding and thereby miss God's will. This warning doesn't suggest that God's children turn of their brains and ignore their intelligence and common sense. It warns us not to depend on our own wisdom and experience or the wisdom and experience of others. Let this be a reminder to all of us be careful of times when we become wise in our own eyes Prov.3:7 then were heading on the path of trouble.

Third Share God's blessing: (Verse 9-10): If we don't faithfully give to the Lord, we don't really trust the Lord. Our tithes and offerings aren't payment for His blessings; rather their evidence of our faith and obedience. Christian industrialist R.G. LeTourneau used to say, "If you give because it pays, it won't pay." Giving is heart preparation for what God wants to say to us and do for us. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also Matt. 6:21.

Submit to God discipline: (Proverbs 3:11-12) Discipline is part of God's plan to help His sons and daughters mature in godly character (Heb.12:1-11). God disciples us, not as a judge punishes a criminal but as a parent disciplines a child. He acts in love and His purpose is that we might become partakers of His holiness (Heb.12:10). Sometimes God might discipline us because we have rebelled and need t0 repent; other times He disciplines us to keep us from sinning and to prepare us for His special blessing. No matter how much the experience hurts us, it will never harm us, because God always disciplines in love (Deut. 8:2-5). Take sometime and reflect and ask yourself how is your path being directed? Are you leaning on your strength or are you relying on Gods wisdom to lead you?

Proverbs 2:1-15 the search for wisdom

In these verses of scripture it reveals three things about wisdom

Wisdom is sought after by man (Verses 1-5)

If you were told that in your front lawn,there was burried chest of silver and gold, wouldn’t you dig up every inch of it? The knowledge of God is the greatest treasure anyone can find because it brings with it eternal life (John 17:3). How important that we should search for it with all our heart! Sadly it seems our search for wisdom is often over before we even start.

II. IT HAS TO BE GIVEN BY GOD (6-9)
We can only "discover" God as he reveals to us. He has done this in nature, in the Bible, and supremely, of course, in the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

III. IT HAS TO BE APPLIED TO LIFE (10-15)
To say that we know God, and to continue "to walk in the ways of darkness" (13) is, of course, a complete contradiction. Knowing Him should keep us from sin in every shape and form. Look at 8:13 where we read, "The fear of the Lord" (and that is the beginning of wisdom) "is hatred of evil."

My prayer is that we would search after Godly wisdom for our lives. It's not going to be easy or quick but its what we need to rely on.