1 Timothy 3 - 3.18.24
Scripture
1 Timothy 3:5 NLT
”For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?“
Observation
Paul is writing Timothy to instruct him what characteristics to look for when assigning leaders to the church in Ephesus. Here are the requirements found in verses 2-4 as suggested by Paul:
”So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.“
It’s a high standard to ask, but then again, we are talking about someone who is supposed to be managing God’s church and shepherding God’s people. A very important task indeed.
Application
Ministry begins at home.
The verse I chose this morning really spoke to me as a reminder that my ministry begins in my own household. Too many times we hear stories of church leaders whose families are broken. Either their marriage ended in divorce, or their kids rebelled and went off the deep end with a life of drug addiction. It hits home with me now because I’m a husband and father who is an Elder at a church. Sometimes leaders can get so caught up in their ministry at church, that they can often neglect their ministry at home to their wife and kids. That’s why I like Paul’s advice here to Timothy, as Timothy prepares to elect church leaders. Paul tells Timothy, (among other things), to look for a man who is faithful to his wife, and has children who respect and obey him. It is important for the man to be able to manage his home in a godly manner if he’s expected to manage God’s church in the same fashion. It kind of reminds me of this verse:
”If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.“ -Luke 16:10
If someone can’t even run their own home in a godly manner, what do you expect will happen if that person tries running a church (which is a larger scale of family and home)?🤔
So today I’m reminded that my ministry to my wife and kids are a priority to me. I have to make sure my wife is getting the love and support she needs from me at home. I also need to make sure that my kids are getting the proper love and discipleship from me that they need. I need to make it a point to spend that quality time with them, loving them, and pointing them to Jesus, as we go through life together. I know if I can do that, we will have a healthy and thriving marriage, a blessed and joyful home life, and a church we can call home as we all serve in ministry together. 😊
Prayer
Father God, I thank You for being the foundation and center of my family and home. You have blessed me with a beautiful, God-fearing wife who loves and supports me and our kids. You blessed me with 2 beautiful daughters who I had the privilege of baptizing into Your Family. I pray for Your protection over our home. May You continue to bless us with Your love and provision as we learn and grow in our faith, and serve in ministry together. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
Psalm 98 - 3.15.2024
Scripture - Pick one verse that stood out to you.
Psalm 98:1,2
Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
1 Timothy 2:1-4
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Observation - What about this verse stands out to you?
The absolute, unadulterated joy of Psalm 98 stood out to me. I wasn’t sure if I would journal about psalm 98 today but then when I re-read the apostle Paul’s words to Timothy I just knew that the same Spirit which exalted the Savior in psalm 98, was the same Spirit that urges us to pray for, petition, intercede and thank all people. Yikes. What a tall task you ask of us, Lord.
But what would it feel like, to please our Savior.
My loving God who wants all people to be saved.
Application - How will you apply this to your life?
Sing to the Lord a new song! I will apply what I have learned today by singing unto the Lord! Help me to find a song to praise and worship you with today!
I will petition, pray for, intercede, and thank all people today! Including the ones in authority over me!
Thank you God for Your Spirit of Joy! Thank you God for Your Spirit of Peace!
Prayer - Write out a prayer.
Lord, help me to apply what I have learned this morning. Fill me with the joy that is in psalm 98. Fill me with the joy that the psalmist is singing about. Fill me with the joy that is my loving Savior Jesus Christ.
Lord, I pray for the future president of this country. May they come to fully know and obey you. I pray for the political leaders in California, that they would turn their hearts completely towards you. I pray for the christian leaders in our nation, may you grant them wisdom and love. I pray for the christian leaders in our state, may they be filled with your joy, wisdom and love. I pray for our local church leaders, may you continue to use them to bring the love of Christ to all people. May we all choose to live lives that want to please You. The One who desires that we would all be saved.
I thank you Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
I am grateful for my pastors, my bosses, my parents, and all the various societal leaders who work in the background to give me the life that I currently have. I am grateful for it all.
In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.
-kenneth lee
1 Timothy 1 - 3.14.24
S - 1 Timothy 1:12-16: 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 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. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 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.
O - This is a letter from Paul to Timothy, who is the first “second-generation” Chrisitan mentioned in the Bible. He was Paul’s protégé and Paul thought of him like a son. This letter is full of fatherly advice to Timothy; warnings about false teachers, how to guard his motives and stand firm in his faith, while ministering to others and living beyond reproach. Timothy was originally influenced by his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, who were believers, then he became an imitator of Paul’s life and pastored the church at Ephesus.
A – People can feel so guilt-ridden by their past that they think God could never forgive and accept them. But consider Paul’s past…He had not only scoffed at the teachings of Jesus, but he had hunted down and murdered God’s people before coming to faith in Christ. God forgave Paul and used him mightily for his kingdom. Wow! That is some amazing grace! And that grace extends to us as well. And for that I am sooooo thankful.
This book is also a great reminder of the profound effect a Christian home can have on family members as well as the effect we have as Christian leaders. Do I live a life worthy of emulating? Do I live up to the standards of a good leader? Sometimes I feel like no one should follow me because of what I’ve done or who I used to be, but I must continually remind myself that yes, I will always have work to do, but I am no longer a slave to my past sins and that God has given me a purpose.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
That’s one of my favorite scriptures. No matter how shameful our past is, God can, and will forgive us. He will use each one of us if we make ourselves available. And then we have the chance to bring others along side of us and watch God use them for His glory.
I also took note that these two men, both worthy of following… started from two complete opposite places. Some of us were a complete mess all on our own, with no Christian background before we encountered Jesus and some were raised by Christian families….BOTH have equally important rolls to play in bringing people to Christ. Don’t let your past dictate how YOU pursue your walk with Jesus!
P – Lord, I thank you so much for finding me in my pit of death, destruction and despair that I was in all those years ago. For loving me so much that you gave your son for me so that I could live a life worthy of being your daughter. Thank you that I didn’t have to do a thing to earn your love; that it was there my entire life just waiting for me to receive it. I pray today that each one of our own circles of friends and family will come a little bit closer to feeling that love just like each one of us in the DSC family has. Use us to bring them to you Lord. Thank you that you consider us worthy of the task. May we act in obedience and love to bring them to you! Amen.
- Crystal Penrod Flory