Changes Are Coming!

Learning From the Master has been moved to its own Domain. You can now reach us at www.learningfromthemaster.com 

Blogger is being difficult and not letting me point you in the right direction, so please make sure to save the link above.

In order for everyone to stay "caught up" with the 1 Timothy lessons, I have back dated them so you won't miss anything.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Laura J. Davis

Are You Struggling With Temptation?

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. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. - 1 Timothy 5:11-15 (NIV)

Continuing on from our last discussion on the widow list, we learn that younger widows should not be put on the list for the following reasons:

• To be put it bluntly, they are still interested in sex, (that's not to say older women aren't, but their sex drives are not as strong) so their dedication to Christ is pushed aside because they are on a "man-hunt" so to speak. By focusing their attention on this aspect of their lives, Paul says they bring judgment on themselves. Why? Because these women who had committed themselves to Christ, are now seeking to gratify the flesh, thus breaking their pledge to the Lord.

• They become idle

• They become busybodies (gossipers, slanderers)

Paul is wise in counselling the younger widows to marry, to have children and to manage their homes, because this will keep them safe from the devil's schemes of taking them farther away from the Lord. 

So, what can we learn from this today? How do we apply it to our lives? Even if you are not a widow, if you are a young woman who has committed your way to the Lord, it is clear that you will still have strong desires battling within you. Desires to satiate what your flesh is lusting for - sex. And in this day and age, when the world tells us that "if it feels good do it", you might succumb to sin. In fact, most Christian young people today think there is nothing wrong with premarital sex. The problem that arises for our youth, is that they have one foot in the church and the other in the world and they inevitably listen to the world because it is more appealing. 

If you are a young woman or a young man in love and you have committed your way to the Lord, listen to me - keep yourself from temptation. If you do not, your relationship with the Lord will become strained, because you are no longer placing Him first in your life, but second. There is something to be said for the olden days when a girl was courted and had a chaperone. Today, it is too easy to fall into sin because the world says it is okay to have sex with anyone. Yet, that is all it is, just sex - not love. Love involves commitment. Love involves marriage and that kind of love is what will keep you both safely abiding in Christ. 

It all comes down to choice doesn't it? Whom will you serve? The lusts of the flesh? Thus pleasing Satan who is trying to get you to sin. Or will you stand firm and abide in Christ, growing stronger in your faith?

I'll leave you with this song, called Two Trusting Jesus, that I had at my wedding 30 years ago. May it impact your life, as it did mine.
 

Two trusting Jesus
There begins the story
Two separate pathways
Leading to glory
With God's Son
One and one
Two eternal lives begun
Two trusting Jesus
Are two within His care

Two trusting Jesus
Kneeling now together
Two separate prayers
They're now one prayer together
In God's Son
Two are one
Let the Master's will be done
Two trusting Jesus
Are one within His care

Written by Mark Heard
© 1979 Autumn Balm Music BMI

The Widow List

9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 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. 1 Timothy 5:9-10 (NIV)

In my church and probably many churches today, you will find several dozen different ministries, each focused on one thing in particular. For example, we have the following ministries in our church (these are just a few):

• Visitation Ministry
• Benevolence Ministry
• Care With Compassion
• Ministry of Cheer
• Ministry of Celebration
• Quilt Ministry
• Funerals & Weddings
• Children's Ministries
• Student Ministries
• Adult Ministries
• Life Groups

Within these ministries are other ministries, including Alpha, Divorce Care, Grief Care, etc., so if you have a need in our church - we've probably got it covered. As I said, these are only a few of the ministries within our church and each have a particular function and meet a certain need. Currently, we do not have any ministries that look specifically after widows. I assume this is because most of the ministries we do have would also meet the needs of widows. But, during the first century and even before that, if a woman lost her husband and had no sons to financially support her, it fell to the community to help her or she could die of starvation.


In my last post we looked at who qualified as a "widow in need" in the church. Today, we will look at The Widow List and how a widow in Paul's time got on that list. Surprisingly, you didn't get on it only if your husband died. The widow had to also meet these qualifications:

• She had to be over sixty.
• She was the woman of one man (in other words, married only once).
• She had to be well-known for her good deeds.

These good deeds included the following:

• Bringing up children.
• Showing hospitality (the KJV translates this as "having lodged strangers").
• Washing the feet of the Lord's people. This was a necessary practise during the time period due to the fact that sandals were always worn and feet would be covered with dust, dirt and grime. When someone came into your home it was common courtesy to have a bowl and a pitcher of water available for them to wash their feet. Servants usually performed this task and as Jesus later taught his disciples, we are all servants to one another.
• Helping those in trouble or sick.
• In general - devoted to "good deeds".

If you are a widow over sixty today, if your life exhibited all these qualifications, you would have made it on Paul's Widow List. So, how can the church apply something like The Widow List today? Do we even need one when we have so many ministries within the church that are inclusive of all members?

Perhaps we do, because sometimes people do fall through the cracks. They may be suffering and you might not even be aware of it. So, if you know any widows in your church invite them over to lunch, go out for a cup of coffee, get to know them and see how you might be able to help them during their time of grief. You never know, you may be an answer to prayer.

Does Your Church Care for Widows?

3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. - 1 Timothy 5:3-8 (NIV)

You wouldn't think that Paul would have to give instructions to Timothy on how to take care of widows, but there you are...apparently they needed reminding about those in need within the congregation. Sometimes we need reminding too. Especially if you belong to a huge congregation. It is easy to slip through the cracks. Paul had several instructions in regards to widows and we'll look at some of those today.

First, Paul tells Timothy to "give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need." Once again the NIV is a bit deceiving here. It is more correctly translated, "Honour widows that are widows indeed." The word "indeed" in Greek is ontōs and means, "truly, in reality, or in point of fact." So, Paul is not telling Timothy to take care of widows in need (that's a given, the poor, including poor widows in the congregation, were already being taken care of Acts 6:1-4). No, he is telling Timothy to honour those widows who are now without husbands.

But, how are they to honour them?

First, if the widow has living relatives (children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, etc.) they are to take care of them and meet their needs. Why? Because it pleases God. The word translated as grandchildren in the Greek is ekgonos and literally means "offspring, children, grandchildren, descendants" so if the widow has no living children or grandchildren but has a nephew or niece, it would fall to them to care for her. If she has no one - it falls to the church community.

The NIV goes on to say, "The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help." The KJV translation reads, "Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day." The word desolate is translated from the Greek word monoō and it means, "solitary or alone". So, this verse should read, "Now that she is truly a widow and all alone, trusts in God and continues to seek Him night and day." She is truly dependant on God for her needs and as a church community it is up to us to see the needs of widows who have no family.

Verse seven is clear - the widow who lives wantonly is dead, even while she is alive. The word for "dead" in this case is thnēskō and is a metaphor for being spiritually dead. Such a woman needs continued prayer.

So, caring for a widow is really a community effort. First, it is her relatives who are to care for her. Then, if she is truly alone, the church community is responsible for her. As Paul states, "Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame."

I would guess we have many widows in our churches today and I have to wonder how many of them are truly alone and desolate. Does your church have a ministry for widows? Do they make sure they have food and that their needs (both spiritually, physically and emotionally) are being met? If not, then they should. 

We will discuss more on widows next time.

Are You Respecting Others?

Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;² The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. - 1 Timothy 5:1-2 (KJV)

Today, we can learn some valuable lessons on how to treat each other. In fact, if we all tried to live by these commands I would think there would be no gossiping or fighting in the church (or anywhere else for that matter).

I used the King James Version today because the interpretation in the NIV is a bit misleading. The NIV read as follows:

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, ² older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

Right away you can see the discrepancies. The NIV assumes the word "elder" as being just an older man. While an elder is an older man, more importantly, he holds a position of authority in the church. The word "elder" as we have learned from past lessons, is translated from the Greek word presbyteros and while it does mean someone advanced in age, it is also means "a term or rank of office". Following the Jewish pattern of Elder leadership, all Elders were well along in years, but they were also the ones given the jobs of overseers, bishop, teacher, etc. (See my previous posts on Elders for a clear understanding).

The KJV says to intreat the elder as a father (an old English form of entreat). The NIV says exhort him as if he were your father. The original word is parakaleō and it does mean exhort, but it also means to comfort, encourage, instruct, admonish, strengthen, console and more importantly "to come alongside". In other words when talking to an elder in your church, be it for encouragement or to take issue with a certain teaching - you are to do it as if you were talking to your own father. With respect and love. How much more our Pastors and Elders would appreciate this kind of approach from people in the congregation, over someone who comes at them with all guns blazing. Think about that the next time you have an issue with your Pastor or Elders.

The next admonition from Paul to Timothy is on how to treat "the younger men". I found this surprising when I looked at the Greek translation. The term for "younger" is neos and means - "recently born, young, youthful" it also means "new". I'd always thought Timothy was referring to...well...younger men, say anyone from their twenties up to their forties. But, after closer inspection I can see this scripture doesn't say that at all. While it may be referring to someone's age in life, I also believe this is in reference to where they are spiritually in the Lord. In other words, treat new male believers as your brothers (brethren) in Christ.

We are told next to treat elder women as our mothers. The same word presbyteros, used for men, is also used here. However, since we already know that women cannot be elders in the church, we can know that Paul is using the Greek word presbyteros in the "aged" sense. Something else of course to consider is that both of these categories - "older men and older women" can also be thought of as in a spiritual sense - where they are in their walk with the Lord. Something to think about! 

As for the younger women, again the Greek word neos is used. Suggesting someone new in the faith. The word for sister is adelphē and it does mean sister, but it also means "someone who is connected by the tie of the Christian faith." Again - a spiritual connection.

And how do we treat these new sisters in Christ? With all purity. In other words - respect!

Let's remember how to treat each other in the Lord and put our differences aside for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What Teenagers Need to Know About Holy Living

11 Command and teach these things. 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. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:11-16 (NIV)

Young people, today this lesson is for you.


Timothy is a wonderful example of a young person, fully dedicated to God. He was so well-versed in Scripture and so totally surrendered to Christ, that Paul and the elders of the congregations, laid their hands on him, commissioning him to serve the church in Ephesus, until Paul could arrive. By following Paul's instructions to Timothy, you can also be an example of Christ to your peers. How?

• Through Speech - If you are a teenager, the words you hear on a daily basis at school are likely filled with vulgar obscenities. Which, unfortunately you might be used to. You probably don't even realize that you might be taking God's holy name in vain as well. Ending every other sentence with, "Oh, my G-d!" I used to do that as a teenager and I had no idea I was hurting God, until a godly friend of mine pointed it out to me. Such talk has no place in the life of a Christian. You don't have to be "like" your peers who don't know the Lord to "fit in". Instead, be an example to them through pure and edifying speech. 

• Through Conduct - I hear all too frequently and with great disappointment of youth in the church who drink excessively and are sexually promiscuous. Many of our church youth today even think it is okay to sleep with someone before marriage. Where do they learn that? From the world - movies, TV, etc. We are warned to separate ourselves from the world. If you are dressing provocatively, drinking, sexually active, etc., you are still in the world and are not yet fully committed to surrender to God. It's time to make a choice and take a stand for Jesus.

• Through Love - How do you show the love of Christ to others? The same way He did. Jesus waded into the lives of everyday people and changed the world. He taught them how to live, he fed them when they were hungry, both physically and spiritually. He healed them when they were sick. In the same way, we too can show the love of Jesus through the simplest ways - like giving a drink of ice cold water to a tired construction worker on a hot day. Or by visiting someone in the hospital. How about helping your mother with the laundry, cutting the grass for your father, or keeping your room clean? All these actions say, "I love Jesus and He loves me, and because of that love I will help you." See the need and do something about it, if it is within your power to do so.

• Through Faith - Are you afraid to speak up to your friends about Jesus? Don't worry about it. Trust in the Lord to work in your friend's lives and when the time is right, He'll give you the right words to tell them about Him. Remember, it is not up to you to lead them to Christ, (that is where the Holy Spirit comes in) but it is up to you to show them the way.

• Through Purity - The life of a believer in this world is only a brief moment of training for the world to come. What you do with your life, here and now, will determine where you spend your eternity! How you honour God, how you follow Him and obey Him, will also determine your rewards in heaven. A life that is abiding in Christ, is a life that is not entrenched in sin. Will you stand ashamed before the Father because you realized too late, that you wasted your life by following after the things of this world? Or will you be eager to stand before Him because you lived every day for Him?

• Attending Church Regularly - We are admonished in Scripture to meet regularly with other Christians. This helps us to learn from each other and to grow in Christ. This is why it is important to hear the public reading of Scripture and to hear sound preaching and teaching.

• Staying in the Word - Regular bible study keeps us growing in our knowledge of the Lord. We learn to be like Him, by learning about Him. We learn what He is like and we grow closer in our relationship to Him through studying His scriptures - our handbook for living!

• Regular Prayer Times - Young person, how many times do you text a message to your BFF a day? Now, how often do you talk to God? If it is less than you talk to your friend how will you ever hear God or know His will for you? Make prayer a priority.

As Paul admonished Timothy, "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

Are You Practising Godliness?

Read 1 Timothy 4:6-10

There are many things to cover in these verses. So I want to take them one by one for your edification and encouragement.

If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.

These "things" Paul refers to are the false teachings that had crept into the church. The brothers and sisters are believers in Christ. What does this verse teach us? It admonishes disciples of Jesus to make other believers aware of false teachings and teachers. Therefore, when you know that your brother or sister in Christ is listening to and believing in something contrary to Scripture, it is your responsibility to show them where they are wrong. 

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 

In Paul's day, Gnosticism had already penetrated into the true church. He mentions having nothing to do with "endless genealogies" as well, in 1 Timothy 1:4. Gnosticism held to the belief that Jesus never had a physical body, but a spiritual one and of course there were other tales floating about that people were quick to believe. Today, we have the advantage of the complete Bible to help us be discerning Christians. Unfortunately as we approach the last days, we also have false prophets and false teachings on Jesus Christ. In order for us to combat these false teachings, Paul recommends we train ourselves to be godly. How does one become a godly person? Through prayer and being in the Word daily. This is how we discern truth from fiction. For example - today we have the false teaching of "name it and claim it". In other words, God wants you to be rich, healthy, etc. and have everything you want. This false teaching comes from many different TV evangelists (Benny Hinn and Joel Osteen to name two). Train yourself to be godly and you will not fall for such nonsense.

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

No, this is not an excuse to get out of exercising! But it is what makes you a stronger Christian. When we imitate Christ and follow His teachings, we are training ourselves to have a proper perspective and proper reactions to life's surprises and deceptions.

This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.

What is? Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. Paul makes it clear to us that we need to practise godliness.

That is why we labour and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.     

Why do we labour and strive as Christians to be godly? Because we have put our hope in the living God! Jesus has saved us from the fiery pit of hell through His sacrifice. What greater gift can we offer back to Him then our unending devotion by following His example?