2 week 1 fight to the hsnfi i

2 WEEK 1 | INTRO / fight to The finish

M E E T T H E T E A M

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STUDY LAYOUT

Studies are monthly in length, and begin the first Monday of each month. Each week has study material for days 1-4. You can do multiple days at once, or follow the layout, as your schedule allows.

KIDSTRONGKidStrong is located at the end of each week’s study. This content ties in with what you are studying and you can use it either directly as scripted, or as a guide for Bible Time with your kids. KidStrong scripture is taken from New Living Translation, unless otherwise noted.

ANSWERSAll answers for the study are pulled from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted. Anytime we have a fill-in-the-blank or “specific” answer you can’t locate, make sure you’re looking at the ESV. If you’re still stuck, jump on Mom-Strong International Bible Study Facebook Page or the MomStrong International Members Forum and start a conversation with other moms.

SCRIPTURE WRITING CHALLENGE (SWC) MomStrong International provides a free monthly Scripture Writing Challenge with verses for you to write out each day. There is a copywork printable for use with your kids as well—we provide these in English and Spanish (for you), print and cursive (for your kids). You can find those in this month’s Bible Study Article in the Member Hub area at www.momstronginternational.com.

4 WEEK 1 | INTRO / fight to The finish4 WEEK 1 | INTRO / fight to The finish

6 WEEK 1 | DAY 1 / fight to The finish

LET’S GET INTRODUCED TO PAUL’S FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY!

"Yet you do not know

what tomor-row will bring. What is your life? For you

are a mist that appears

for a little time and then

vanishes."JAMES

4:14

DAY ONE | INTRODUCTIONWelcome to the home stretch, with the fi nish line in sight. While we mean that in more ways than one, right now we want to focus on Paul’s last leg of the race. The books of 1 and 2 Timothy were two of Paul’s fi nal letters written while here on earth, with 2 Timothy closing the chapter of his time well spent.

And yet, a couple certain realities stare each of us consistently in the face as well. Our own time on this earth is short, it is but a vapor. And current events mea-sured with biblical prophecy show that we are hurtling toward Christ’s return. Should the Lord tarry, none of us know the moment when the Good Lord will call us home. And what a blessing really...the not knowing. What an opportunity our Father has provided us to cherish each moment we have with the beauty of certain fi nality but the awesomeness of not knowing when. This blessing, often over-looked, is what drives many of us to witness so diligently. Let us not grow numb to the reality of our imminent homecoming with Jesus. At the risk of sounding cliche, let us truly live each day as if it is our last. Let us relay the gospel and be a beacon in a dark world as if each loved one, each passing stranger, were taking their fi nal breath today. Let us live in a way that when we cross that fi nish line, falling weak-ly into our Father’s warm embrace, He might say, “well done, good and faithful servant.” Let us fi nish the race!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessing You give us everyday to share Your Word and point others to You. Help us to see opportunities and give us the cour-age and love to share Your good news. Oh, and how good it is! Let us unself-ishly shout it from the rooftops so that we may be a willing vessel that You use to encourage others and bring lost sheep into the fold. We pray that we might tirelessly live in a way that glorifi es You.


AUTHOR

TIME OF WRITINGpaul62-65 ad

This month (and a smidge of next month) we’ll be studying 1 Timothy be-fore moving into 2 Timothy. Let’s get some historical context for both letters. Paul authored these two pastoral epistles to his young, devoted protege Timothy.

Timothy first met Paul in his hometown of Lystra during the time of Paul’s first missionary journey. It was during this ministry that Paul led Timothy to Christ, thereby later referring to Timothy as his “true child in the faith.” (1:2)

One of Paul’s final instructions to Timothy in his first epistle is to find and train up faithful and trusted men who can carry the torch in Timothy’s stead. This is precisely what Paul had done throughout his ministry, but especially with Timothy.

When Paul and Silas returned to Lystra during their second missionary journey, it appears that young Timothy (likely only in his late teens or early twen-ties) had grown to be a respected voice within the blossoming Christian community and had a rep-utation for godliness. (Acts 16:2) It was at this time that Paul chose Timothy to accompany him on his journey. (Acts 16:1-3) Of Timothy, Dr. David Jeremiah states, “Though not an apostle called by Christ, Timothy was the next best thing: a devoted, gift-ed, Spirit-filled, apostolically trained young leader who was prepared to devote his life to the cause of Christ (Hebrews 13:23).” He was Paul’s friend and co-laborer in the gospel. Not only does Paul speak of Timothy often throughout his letters, but as Paul’s disciple, Timothy went on to minister with him in many cities; including Berea, Athens, and Corinth. Timothy traveled with Paul to Jerusalem. He was with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment, and

he accompanied him to Philippi after Paul’s release. Timothy was a chosen representative sent to many of Paul’s young churches.

In this particular letter, we find Timothy pastoring a church in Ephesus. In his short and direct epistle, Paul hits on several issues that we currently face in our culture today. As we move forward, let us do so with softened hearts. We are watching our culture drift into a post-Christian era and society drift fur-ther away from the Word of God. Just as we have been experiencing, society will demand that you fall in line with its progressive, woke beliefs or else. So much for the inclusive, tolerant mantra they so vehemently tout. We know that Satan is the father of lies, he is the master deceiver; and we appear to have a front row seat to the beginning of his mag-num opus. We see a culture of individuals who are unfamiliar with God’s Word and as such, unfamil-iar with truth. When a person doesn’t know truth, they’re likely to believe anything; and this is what the enemy of our souls is counting on. Open your hearts, Precious Women. While we cover the pag-es of 1 Timothy, rest in knowing that God’s Word al-ways rings true. Even when culture, laws, and even our own emotions differ from His Holy Word; we side with God’s Word. He knows best. For He said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) And you can take that to the bank!


Motherhood matters! It appears from historical documents that Timothy had two godly women that were very influential in his upbringing; his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois. Both women were Jews who became followers of Christ and taught Timothy scriptures from the Old Testament as a boy.

Stop and consider these two godly women who influenced Timothy’s upbringing and early faith. Ladies, what an honor God has bestowed on us, blessing us with the opportunity to raise His children. There are so many notable and faithful individuals throughout the Bible and church history. Books have been written about these people; they have been praised for their steadfast faith and their bravery throughout generations. What we don’t often hear, however, is the story of their mothers. The ones who oftentimes diligently raised them in service and in love. As mothers, ours is often the song left unsung. Yet, what a beautiful opportunity to be a part of His-story. Precious Mom, don’t let Satan steal away the joy that God gave you when He graced you with His sweet blessing! And that’s what children are, you know?

Today’s culture would tell us to be ashamed to forgo a top ranking career in order to stay at home and raise our children. Our society treats motherhood and children as inconveniences to be tolerated just until we can get back to what is really important. Don’t you believe it for one second, Sweet Mom. You are a warrior in God’s army, raising the next generation of Timothys, Billy Grahams, and Joan of Arcs. Perhaps our children will go down in the pages of history, and perhaps their legacy will be only in loving memory of those they’ve influenced throughout their lifetime. But what an honor to give our life in service in such a humble calling, and all for the glory of God.

“Behold, ____________ are a _____________ from the Lord, the

fruit of the womb a __________. Like arrows in the hand of a

____________ are the children of one’s youth. ____________ is the

man who fills his quiver with them!” PSALM 127:3-5

Fill in the blanks below. These are always taken from the ESV unless noted.

How does this verse perhaps change your perspective on motherhood?

LET’S MEET TWO IMPORTANT WOMEN IN TIMOTHY’S LIFE!

Message for the Moment


In your Bible, put [ brackets ] around the phrase, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power.” Underline “great power.”

Women, if you ever find yourself distressed about a situation because you’ve come to a point where all you can do is pray, you are underestimating your greatest tool. We are assured that there is great power in our prayers. While we can get caught up in the busyness of daily life, we must not forget to pause and speak to the Heavenly Father of our children. Cast our cares upon Him.

As we close today, make a note to intentionally pray for the children in your life daily and let them hear you praying. If you struggle with the concept of motherhood, pray for God’s will in your life. Pray that your heart will be softened and your desires will be transformed. Our race in this life is not fruitless. As we bring up the next generation, we, like Paul with Timothy, are preparing to pass on the baton of faith. What a wonderful opportunity we have to set the children around us up for eternal success. Ladies, we serve a mighty God who is capable of mighty deeds. Sometimes all we need to do is surrender, and prayer is the beginning!

Take this moment to pray through this scripture with a view of parenting your children with joy.

1 PETER 4:8-11 (NASB20)

Write down the children in your life over whom you have direct influence. This may be your own children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, students, neighbor children, etc.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are some of the specific prayers for each of the children God has placed under your di-rect influence?

Write out James 5:16.

"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love cov-ers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God. Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Pray for the Kids in your life


"As I urgedyou when I

was going toMacedonia,

remain atEphesus so

that you maycharge cer-

tain personsnot to teachany different

doctrine..."

1 TIM. 1:3

We open by seeing that Paul wastes little time getting to his instruction for Timo-thy. In these six short chapters, Paul warns against false teachers, provides instruc-tion for worship, lays out the blueprint for church leadership, and dives deeper into many impactful topics. So let’s not waste any time ourselves!

Heavenly Father, be with us today as we learn about Paul’s teachings. Help us to glean insight into Your wisdom. Give us discernment in our daily lives as we face many deceptions in our culture today. We pray that You give us a craving for Your Word and Your Truth so that by that, we may know Satan’s counterfeit and help lead others to You.

As Timothy pastors the growing church in Ephesus, Paul’s leading point in his first letter to his young protege is a warning. False teachers have plagued the church ever since its birth. This is not only true today, but especially true today; so listen closely, Women. Christians of this generation, I encourage you to put on your dis-cernment hat daily. If the enemy of our souls can ensnare us with one small lie, we open ourselves and our homes to a path of confusion and fear, which is exactly where he wants us.

Let’s continue as Paul writes to Timothy. Read 1 Timothy 1:3-4.

In these verses, what is Paul urging Timothy to do?

Why do you think this might be the first instruction in Paul’s letter?

We see here that Paul encourages perseverance; a common theme in these two letters. Apparently there were already leaders woven into the teaching who were influencing others contrary to the gospel. Paul encouraged Timothy to endure; to keep fighting for the truth, because the truth is worth fighting for. I believe we all can relate to that need for encouragement that Timothy likely experienced.

daytwo 1 TIMOTHY 1:1-4


What are some situations where you feel like you’re fi ghting the uphill bat-tle against deceit and you often grow weary?

Look up John 16:33. What are we told will defi nitely occur while we walk this earth?

What is our future hope in the midst of today?

Look up Philippians 1:6. Is Jesus at work in your life?

When is your shaping complete?

How can these scriptures give you direction in times of discouragement?

We often become self focused and start looking at the battles we face in this world as “our battles.” But these are the battles between good and evil, and our Heavenly Father cares about the outcome (not to mention authored it). While we may not “all be in this together,” we are graciously not in this alone. If God has placed you in a battle, no matter how great or small, He is with you every step of the way.

Let’s look at some practices you can implement in order to avoid becoming discouraged by the fi ght for truth. the boxes that you put into practice routinely, and the ones that you will try next time you’re discouraged.

Take the things specifi cally discouraging you to the Lord in prayer. Write a letter to Him—don’t moan, but be honest. Ask WHAT He is doing, not WHY, and you’ll be better prepared to listen to His response.

Surround yourself with godly individuals who will keep your focus on Jesus. Are you going to a good Bible-teaching church weekly? Involved in serving people anywhere?

Listen to praise music. We love For King and Country, Zach Williams, and Shane and Shane’s new album Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Vol.1!

Speak with your godly friends about the struggles you’re facing so that they might be able to help carry the burden. List one or two girls to whom you can reach out. ___________, __________

Read God’s Word daily so that He may fi ll you with His truth, peace, and strength. Start by reading through these letters of 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy, and prepare to be encouraged!


When it comes to being prepared to face the tribulations of our world today, our current western church has unfortunately become too cozy with the concept of comfort and convenience. Many of us don’t like the idea of righteous conflict nor being stretched beyond our comfort level. We’d rather sit in the shadows with our private faith and let someone else be bold for the truth.

Read Acts 28:31. How did Paul witness to those around him?

Look up Proverbs 28:1 in your Bible. Highlight the action of the righteous.

Get off the bench, Ladies, and be bold for your Father in heaven! If this seems intimidating, start small. Just as physical stretching is beneficial for our physical health, so too is spiritual stretching good for our spiritual health! And not only should we be stretching, exercising, and growing our-selves, but encouraging those around us as well. I recall being at a homeschooling event a couple months ago when some fellow moms and I were standing outside maskless in an area near some masked individuals. After receiving some uneasy looks from the masked parents, one of my friends turned to me and said, “it’s good to stretch peo-ple sometimes.” And she was right. When we all could have put on our masks for the “comfort” of the others and the avoidance of conflict, rath-er we chose to display truth. This is just one small scenario, but in a world full of propaganda, false narratives, fake gospels, relative truths, and out-right lies; we have plenty of opportunities to step outside our comfort zone and grow.

Write down a couple ways that you plan to stretch yourself this week by stepping outside of your comfort zone to share and defend truth.

Ladies, let’s never cease to grow spiritually. As wives and mothers, our days are often filled with endless to-do lists that somehow rarely ever get done (can I get an amen?); houses that need to be cleaned, work that needs to be accomplished, and families that need to be loved. Unfortunate-ly because Jesus is not right there tugging on our shirt-tail like the proverbial three-year-old, He can easily be placed on the backburner. It’s times like this when we need to have some perspective. Not that our daily lives are unimportant, but they are less important. This earth is not our home, we are just passing through. And all the things that seem critical will pale in comparison to our eter-nity. Throughout these two letters, Paul warns Timothy about many deceptions and encourages him to persevere for the truth. These warnings and sound encouragement apply to this generation’s believers as well. Women of God, fight the good fight! Let’s prioritize our daily walk with Jesus so that we may be effective discerners, continue to grow spiritually, help point others to their eternal salvation, and endure for truth.


day three1 TIMOTHY 1:5-7

"The goal of this command is love, which comes from a

pure heart and a good con-

science and a sincere faith." 1 TIM. 1:5

(NIV)

It’s good to have goals. Sometimes we forget what we’re working toward which often results in aimless efforts, frustration, and failure. Paul knew this and wanted Timothy to have a clear ambition, an ambition that has been applicable in the lives of Christians throughout history and has seen them through times of great trial and persecution. It’s a goal that still holds true for us today.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word, an everlasting reminder of Your love. We pray that we may glean encouragement and direction from this letter as Timothy did so many years ago. We pray that You might give us a desire for Your heart so that we can face today’s battles with a spirit of peace.

In verse five of 1 Timothy 1, Paul provides Timothy with the objective for his perseverance. What does Paul say is the goal?

The verb form of “instruction/command” in this verse is a Greek word that refers to a military command, demanding that a subordinate obey directives from their superior. Using a word commanding obedience may seem incon-sistent with doing something from a “pure heart,” but let’s not forget that sometimes, even as God-fearing women, we tire of doing good and need a swift little reminder.

Let me humor you with a couple examples...Have you ever walked out of the supermarket, exhausted from your long day and wheeling a cart full of hun-gry children around a store filled with endless temptation, only to return to your car in the back acre of the parking lot and realize that you forgot to pay for an item in the lower rack of your shopping cart? Happened to me last week! I wrestled with myself for a moment, telling myself “it’s only a few dollars...I’ll pay extra next time” (knowing I would never remember), when I felt that small nudging instructing me to obey. Or perhaps there is a widow in your neighborhood or church to which you’ve felt encouraged by the Spirit to reach out with a visit or phone call but your days have simply been too busy.


Read Galatians 6:9. What is some good that you have grown weary of do-ing yet you feel called to carry out?

When we tire of doing the right thing or we are conflicted by the circumstanc-es, it is often best to simplify the situation. We need to obey because we are called to obey. That’s a phrase I tell myself often. It’s a concept that we teach our children. We strive to give them a heart of obedience so that when they are grown and facing their own inner conflicts as adults, they recognize that still, small voice encouraging them to “simply obey.” As we grow in our re-lationship with our Heavenly Father, that military command doesn’t seem quite so direct. Even in times of inconvenience, I find myself wanting to obey and it’s because of the fruit of the instruction…love.

Pastor John MacArthur describes this love as “the love of choice and the will, characterized by self-denial and self-sacrifice for the benefit of others, and it is the mark of a true Christian.” 1

Let’s move on to see what Paul says of some of Timothy’s opposing teachers.

Have you ever found yourself in a discussion with such an individual? Perhaps they’re not necessarily running in circles about the law, but they’re going on and on with you, making irrelevant points with no logical end. Today, we often see this played out with emotions. People try to justify their beliefs and actions based upon their feelings. Ladies, while it’s important for us to share truth with someone who is genuinely seeking, I encourage you to not get yourself entangled in discussions with these individu-als who refuse to acknowledge the existence of truth. Where we see a world divided by false doctrine, rest in knowing that the true doctrine will build up individuals rather than tear them apart. Pastor John MacArthur accurately states, “False doctrine leads nowhere, but to the deadening end of human spec-ulation and demonic deception.” 2

From what have these persons swerved?

When they wander from these things, into what do they stumble?

1 TIMOTHY 1:6-7

"Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away

into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without un-

derstanding either what they are saying or the things about which

they make confident assertions."

1. The MacArthur Study Bible, p. 16072. Ibid


Let’s end today knowing that while there are people with hardened hearts, there are also a multitude of individuals seeking truth. In a world that is hostile to our Creator and all who proclaim Him, it is easy to grow calloused and seek self-preservation. But resist the temptation, Sweet Sister. As the world grows dark with despair, it is imperative that as believers, our hearts not grow cold. Never forget the love we possess for one another, it is our most powerful ambi-tion. Take this moment to journal out some specific prayers for op-portunities to witness, the words to say, and a heart of courage and love to step out in faith.

Write down a scenario you’ve experienced with such an individual.

Do you still get upset thinking about that situation?

What does Matthew 10:14 instruct us to do with people who illogi-cally cling to a false doctrine?

What does Jesus go on to say in Matthew 10:15 about the future of such peoples?

Jesus said, “Shake off the dust from your feet when you leave them,” when we converse with people who resolutely hold to false doc-trine. In other words, shake it off! Avoid being ensnared in these traps, Ladies. It is God’s desire that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9) and so too should be our wish. But take care not to let our witnessing devolve into fruitless discussion and aimless arguments with individuals whose hearts God has not yet softened as this can often lead to seeds of doubt, an increased blood pressure, and a ruined day. Is there an “Amen” in the room?!

“SO NOW FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE ABIDE, THESE THREE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.”

1 CORINTHIANS 13:13


dayfour1 TIMOTHY 1:8-11

"Understanding this, that the

law is not laid down for the

just but for the lawless and disobedient,

for the ungodly and sinners…"

1 TIM. 1:9a

As it happens, Satan has been working hard to spread a lie over generations. The lie that we can earn our own salvation. That a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ isn’t necessary to spend eternity in heaven. That faith and good works are two separate concepts. Let’s dive deeper into this passage and close this week by looking at the last part of Paul’s warning against false doctrine.

Dear heavenly Father, we thank You for Your law. A law that, if studied and understood, points us directly to our beloved Jesus. We pray that today You will open our eyes to this truth; that You might peel back the layers of lies that the master deceiver has laid down. We thank You, Lord, also for Your grace and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. What an awe-some love!

Read 1 Timothy 1:8-11.

The Greek word for “good” in verse 8 can be translated “useful.” The Law (the 613 commandments decreed in the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Torah) is useful and good because it helps demonstrate to people their need for a Savior. It reflects God’s holy standard and fulfills its purpose in opening a sinner’s eyes to their sins.

Who does Paul say the law is not made for? (verse 9)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Taking into account the above verse, why do you think Paul excludes the righteous from God’s law?

These wanna-be teachers were teaching the false doctrine of salvation through good deeds, which is still alive and well today. There are many peo-ple (and even “Bible-teaching” churches) who are striving hard to teach the false hope of pluralism—the fallacy that there are many ways to get to heav-en and a saving knowledge of Christ is not necessary. Let’s take a look at what God’s Word has to say about that.


Draw a line below from each reference to its correct scripture.

And straight from the horse’s mouth…Let’s have a look at Jesus’ own words on salvation below:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.” John 10:1

A few verses later, Jesus explains this analogy when He states:

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:9

According to 1 Timothy 2:5, how many mediators are there between God and men? Who is the mediator?

Do you ever find yourself praying to something or someone else, other than Jesus, as your mediator?

According to John 3:36, what remains on a person who does not be-lieve in and obey Jesus?

What is the common theme among these scriptures?

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ ”

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator be-tween God and men, the man Jesus Christ.”

JOHN 14:6

ACTS 4:12

1 TIMOTHY 2:5

JOHN 3:36


Who is the door referenced in John 10:1?

What are some other doors in which people might be trying to enter the sheepfold?

Based on the above two verses, can anyone enter heaven any other way than by intercession through Jesus?

Many substantiate the claim that salvation can be obtained via good works, deeds, and/or traditions with James 2:14-26. So as to familiarize yourself with this argument, go ahead and read this passage in James and we’ll move forward, breaking this down.

And now for the alternative point. Let’s start by reading Galatians 3:21-24. How do you think the law was our guardian?

Do a quick internet search to define the term “justified” as referenced in Galatians 3:24.

According to Romans 3:28 and Ephesians 2:8-9, how is a person justified?

Faith from my parents passed down | Faith that is a gift from God | Faith in my good works

“The Greek word [for guardian] denotes a

slave whose duty it was to take care of a child until adulthood.

The [‘guardian’] escorted the children

to and from school and watched over

their behavior at home. [Guardians]

were often strict dis-ciplinarians, causing

those under their care to yearn for the

day when they would be free from their

[guardian’s] custo-dy. The law was our

[guardian] which, by showing us our sins, was escorting us to

Christ.” 3

3. Ibid


“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

In Ephesians 2:9, underline what your salvation is not a product of. Circle what your salvation is a product of. Put [brackets] around the reasoning for this and remember this when pride starts to rear its ugly head in our moments of self-righteousness. Humility is a good look, Ladies!

In Romans 3:28, underline in your Bible the word “apart.” Does this verse demonstrate that good works are necessary for salvation?


What does it mean?“For by grace you have been saved through faith.”

It is a gift. Jesus did not have to die on the cross for our sins, and God the Father did not have to accept Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. But because of God’s love and grace, we can be saved from eternity in hell if we have faith that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, rose again from the grave, and that He is our only Lord and Savior.

You see, salvation and good works are two sides of the same coin. We don’t perform good deeds in order to achieve a relationship with God, but rather do them because they are the byproduct of our relationship with God.

Take a moment to consider the information in today’s study and ex-amine if there are any layers of lies that you need to peel back and shed. Have you been believing or worshipping in such a way that is contrary to scripture?

As humans we often feel more comfortable sticking with our traditions and preconceptions, even after we realize they are false. But I promise you, Ladies, God’s way is so much better. Let me encourage you with Jesus’ own words.

Write out John 8:31-32.

Along with this knowledge comes an awareness of a call to action, Ladies. Your neighbor, best friend, husband, nor even your child will spend eternity with you in heaven if they do not know and trust in our beloved Jesus for sal-vation. We exhort you to boldly battle Satan’s lie that “ ‘good’ people go to heaven” and that “we’re all trying to get to the same place, just in our own way” (among so many others). We have just read that there is only one way to obtain eternal salvation, and it does not matter how good a person is, the Law proves that they will never achieve God’s holiness. Stretch yourselves, Women, share the good news with those around you. We want to encourage you that there is no failure when we speak God’s Word. He will use our efforts for good. In the world of witnessing, the only thing He cannot use is our silence. Precious Women, let us demonstrate love. Let us persevere and not grow weary of seek-ing and leading others towards Christ.

GOT QUESTIONS ADDRESSES THESE HARD-TO-RECONCILE PASSAGES:

“Some see a difference between Paul (salvation is by faith alone) and James (salvation is by faith plus works). Paul dogmatically says that justification is by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), while James appears to be saying that justification is by faith plus works (James 2:24). This apparent problem is answered by examining what ex-actly James is talking about. James is refuting the belief that a person can have faith without producing any good works (James 2:17-18). James is emphasizing the point that genuine faith in Christ will produce a changed life and good works (James 2:20-26). James is not saying that justification is by faith plus works, but rather that a person who is truly justified by faith will have good works in his/her life. If a person claims to be a believer, but has no good works in his/her life, then he/she likely does not have genuine faith in Christ (James 2:14, 17, 20, 26)...James and Paul do not disagree in their teaching regarding salvation. They approach the same subject from different perspectives. Paul sim-ply emphasized that justification is by faith alone while James put emphasis on the fact that genuine faith in Christ produces good works.” 4

4. https://www.gotquestions.org/salvation-faith-alone.html


KidStrongWe are about to study the book of 1 Timothy. It was written by the Apostle Paul, and this type of book is called an epistle. Epistle means “letter,” and these books are called epistles because they were orig-inally written as letters to various people in the early church, and these letters became part of the Bible. Who do you think this epistle, or letter, was written to? Hint: the name gives it away!

Some epistles were written to specific people (like 1 Timothy), and others were written to specific churches (like 1 Thessalonians).

Pull out a Bible and show your kids the New and Old Testaments. Look up each of these books and have them circle which ones are also epistles from the New Testament:

Titus Genesis 1 Corinthians Psalm Romans

There are 21 epistles in the New Testament! That’s a lot of letters. Most of them were written by Paul, a man who once oppressed Christians but had a miraculous encounter with Jesus and became His follower!

22 WEEK 1 | KIDSTRONG / fight to The finish

Why did Paul write so many letters? Paul spent a lot of time in pris-on. Back in those days, Christians were not treated well, and often were put in prison. But what the enemy means for evil, God can use for good! It is likely that Paul would not have written so many letters if he was able to travel and visit his brothers and sisters, but since he was in prison and had to write letters, we now get to learn from his wisdom thousands of years later! This is an encouragement and reminder that even when things look bad, we can trust the Lord that He sees and knows, and very well may have a plan to bring good out of the situation!

So back to our letter, 1 Timothy—who is Timothy? He was a young man who would go out and represent Paul (remember, Paul was in prison and couldn't travel). We know Timothy was young because Paul talks about people looking down on him because of his youth. (1 Timothy 4:12) It is likely that Paul led Timothy to Christ since he calls him “my true child in the faith.” (1 Timothy 1:2)

As a representative of Paul, Timothy would travel to churches and show them how to be healthy, pure churches. While Timothy wasn’t a pastor himself, 1 and 2 Timothy can be thought of as the Pastor’s Instruction Manual. These books are filled with guidance on how to establish and lead a healthy church.

These books are also filled with timeless wisdom and a beautiful charge from a mature believer to a young, new leader. As we study some of the things Paul teaches Timothy, think about how they ap-ply to you. Is God calling you to follow Him and live a life honoring Him as well? (I think so!)

Timothy traveled from church to church representing Paul. Who do we each represent? (Jesus) Yes! Let’s do that well together, just like Timothy.

Let’s pray. Dear Lord, thank You for Your church. Thank You for help-ing us build a good community that worships You together. Help us to represent You well and follow You forever. In Jesus’ name, amen.


“Here is a trust-worthy saying that deserves

full acceptance: Christ Jesus

came into the world to save

sinners—of whom I am the

worst.”1 TIM. 1:15

(NIV)

I love when Paul gets poetic with his words. Eloquence is not always Paul’s go-to, but he can turn it on when the Spirit moves him! As Paul moves into the next part of his letter, he beautifully describes how Christ came to save sinners. So grab a warm cup of coffee, lean in, and let’s dive deeper into these passionate verses.

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us such beautiful imagery of Christ’s sacrifi ce. We pray that it touches our hearts as we read; that we grasp the immensity of Your love. We pray that this love strengthens, encourages, and comforts us in precisely the right way at exactly the right hour.

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted igno-rantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overfl owed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 1:12-14

For those of you who may not be familiar with Paul’s past, it had some dark spots to say the least. Paul (originally called Saul prior to his transformation) was a Jew and a Roman citizen who grew up well educated in God’s Word, and he later became a student of the well respected Gamaliel. (See Acts 5 andt Acts 22:3.) Paul had an extensive knowledge of scripture and was zeal-ous to do the Lord’s work. Unfortunately, however, he had been led astray by false teachings of certain self-righteous Jewish leaders, and soon after Jesus’ death, Paul had made it his ambition to hunt down and persecute members of the early church; going on to have a hand in the death of Stephen, the church’s fi rst martyr. (See Acts 8:1.) Three to fi ve years after Jesus’ death, Paul had a miraculous conversion when he was visited by the Spirit of Jesus on the road to Damascus. Once having his eyes opened to the truth and receiving the Holy Spirit, Paul was a completely transformed creation. (See Acts 9:1-19.) Side note…see what type of impact false teaching can have?

DAY ONE | 1 TIMOTHY 1:12-15


Write down 1 Timothy 1:15 taken from the NIV:

Paul recognizes his past and his need for a Savior, which is the foundation of our salvation process. If we do not acknowledge that we are a sinner, we do not realize our need for a Savior. What type of sinner does Paul claim to be?

Paul has experienced a miraculous transformation in his life, which we are all capable of. Let’s break down this process.

Read John 3:3. What does Jesus say is required in order for someone to enter the kingdom of heaven?

Explain what you feel it means to be born again.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. What does Paul say is required in order for someone to transform or to be born again?

What does it mean to be “in Christ”? I’m glad you asked! Take a look at Galatians 3:26-28 in order to glean some insight into this phrase.

Gotquestions.com explains it like this:“To be ‘baptized into Christ’ means that they were identified with Christ, having left their old sinful lives and fully embracing the new life in Christ...To be ‘in Christ’ means we have accepted His sacrifice as payment for our own sin. Our rap sheets contain every sinful thought, attitude or action we have ever committed. No amount of self-cleansing can make us pure enough to warrant forgiveness and a relationship with a holy God. The Bible says that in our natural sinful state we are enemies of God. When we accept His sacrifice on our behalf, He switches ac-counts with us. He exchanges our list of sins for His perfect account that is totally pleasing to God. A Divine Exchange takes place at the foot of the cross: our old sin nature for His perfect one.... Only ‘in Christ’ is our sin debt cancelled, our rela-tionship with God restored, and our eternity secured.” 1

So, we must be born again by being in Christ.

1. https://www.gotquestions.org/in-Christ.html


Now that we have the process broken down, let’s take a look at the results. According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, once someone trusts in Christ, what happens?

It’s an actual rebirth, Ladies! MercyMe proclaims in their lyrics, “They say you only live once, but I live twice!” which is so fantastically true! Just like a caterpillar dies to itself and reemerges a new creation, so too do we find that a trusting knowledge of Christ has the ability to completely transform our being. I often hear the phrase, “People never change.”

In fact, it’s a very common phrase touted today. Whether we find ourselves dealing with a person’s small habits or we’re addressing personalities and lifestyles, Satan has permeated the lie that the sin is bigger than the person, that an individual can never overcome.

John 3:3 2 cor. 5:17 gal. 3:26-28MUST BE BORN AGAIN

MUST BE IN CHRIST IN ORDER TO BE BORN AGAIN

MUST ACCEPT JESUS' SACRIFICE AS PAYMENT FOR OUR SINS IN ORDER TO BE IN CHRIST

Perhaps it’s an in-law that wants nothing to do with you and drives a wedge between you and your loved one; Satan sneers, “They’ll never accept you.”

Perhaps it’s a prodigal child that has walked away from their faith and family; Satan is taunting, “They’re never coming back.”

Conceivably it’s a loved one who struggles with homosexualty and has bought the tempter’s lie that pursuing these desires will bring them happiness; Satan leers, “They were born this way.”

Maybe it’s our own sin that weighs heavy on us while we’ve bought into Satan’s lie that “it’s just who I am.”

It could be something as small as a spouse that won’t put his laundry in the hamper or maybe it’s as big as an unbe-lieving husband; Satan whispers, “He’ll never grow.”


The truth is, Satan is partially right. The enemy of our soul is also the master deceiver. And what makes a good lie? When you can intertwine it with truth. In this scenario, Satan is only providing you with half of it while omitting the killer punch. The truth is, the sin can be bigger than the person. But Christ is always bigger than the sin. He is bigger than every. single. sin. mentioned above and any others you can add to the list. We can strive to change someone, or even ourselves, until we’re blue in the face; but nine times out of ten, we find ourselves defeated and discouraged. Perhaps we were born this way, but that is why we must be born again!

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, when a person is in Christ, what are they?

Beloved Sister in Christ, that’s you! You are a new creation! You are no longer held hostage to your sin, but a freed child of God; a daughter of the King. This is true for any loved one you have who is also battling sin. And our Father is a loving Father. I once heard author and speaker, Norm Wakefield ask the question, “What are the most powerful words you can say to a person?” (Hint, it’s not “I love you.”)

In order to find the answer, write out Hebrews 13:5b.

Ladies, when will God leave us?

When will He forsake us?

Write down a struggle with which you or a loved one is dealing that is seemingly impossible to overcome.

Is God limited?

“But Jesus looked at them and

said, ‘With man, this is impossible,

but with God all things are

possible.’ ”

MATTHEW 19:26


Do you find yourself putting God in a box, believing that His capabilities and love go only so far? If so, when and why do you slip into this delusion?

According to Matthew 19:26, what things are made possible with God? Double underline the answer in your Bible.

With God, all things are possible. When the battle rages around you, when the situa-tion seems hopeless; be still and rest in this knowledge. If it’s a loved one who is strug-gling, share this powerful truth with them and saturate the situation with prayer. While it may seem sedentary, we learned on Day 1 of our study that prayer is one of our most powerful tools. If it is ourselves who struggle, abandon your fighting stance and get on your knees. Stop trying to fix it yourself; you can’t. I encourage you, Be-loved, to surrender it. Acknowledge that alone, you are not enough; but with Jesus you can conquer anything.

How does this knowledge change your perspective on the struggle in which you or your loved one is battling?

“NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO FAR MORE ABUN-DANTLY THAN ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER AT WORK WITHIN US…”

EPHESIANS 3:20

Our perfect Creator could abandon us to our im-perfect, sinful natures and destitute fate. But He is a loving God, capable of miraculous salvation. Rather, He chose to come to earth to save sinners, from the least to the worst. I would like to share a powerful de-piction with you. My family and I have become huge fans of the TV series, “The Chosen.” Let me just say, if you haven’t watched it, you’re missing out big time! One of the lead characters is the infamous Mary of Magdalene. As the creators develop Mary’s back-story, we see that she had traveled a difficult road in life. She had lost her parents when she was young. She had been a victim of rape, had fallen into the depraved lifestyle of prostitution, and even battled actual demons within herself. Mary was literally at

the end of herself, feeling that there was nothing that she could do to end her misery. But then, Jesus...Oh, our beloved Jesus. Rarely early, but never late. If we would but only surrender ourselves and our struggles to Him as our first line of defense rather than our last. As most of you know, Mary becomes a dear follow-er of Jesus, and during one scene of the series, she is asked about her transformation by someone who recognizes her from her former life. As a viewer, we can tell that Mary is grasping to put into words what happened, because no earthly experience describes it. Then Mary simply answers, “I was one way and now I’m completely different. And the thing that hap-pened in between is Him.” 2

Women, that’s the God that we serve. Don’t you ever forget it.

2. The Chosen, Season 1, Episode 2


“To the King of the ages,

immortal, invisible, the only God, be

honor and glory forev-

er and ever. Amen.”1 TIM.

1:17

Ladies, we share a loving Father. One who is patient and deals generously in mercy. These are blessings that we do not deserve, yet we receive daily. Let’s open today by thanking God for our many blessings.

Precious heavenly Father, thank You for Your unending love. We praise You in Your enduring patience for our salvation and the kindness that You demonstrate regularly in the forgiveness of our sins. Lord, we know that when it comes to holiness, we miss the mark; but we thank You for Your sacrifice so that we might have hope everlasting.

Read 1 Timothy 1:16-20. Go back to verse 16; list at least two reasons Jesus extended mercy to Paul.

1.

2.

Write down 2 Peter 3:9.

Circle the adjective used to describe God in this verse.

What is His wish?

Based upon this wish, what type of God do you feel we serve?

daytwo1 Timothy 1:16-20


Take a moment to reread the verse above.

Underline and consider the three adjectives describing God in the verse.

Circle the word “only.”

Ladies, we serve a powerful God. A God that is not only outside of time, but authored the very concept of it. He is the only God, the true God; and He is worthy of our praise!

Read these verses; what do we learn about God’s nature?

HEBREWS 13:8

DANIEL 2:21-22

1 TIMOTHY 6:16

Write a favorite verse of yours that speaks of God being eternal, strong, and powerful. Share it with your MomStrong group or on our forum at MomStrongInternational.com!

The question has been asked, “why would a loving God send anyone to Hell?” Well, the answer is simple. He doesn’t. People choose to go to Hell by rejecting God and His merciful gift of salvation. His Word tells us ex-actly what God does. He waits patiently, with a heart that each of us (even the worst of sinners) would repent and turn to Him, so that not a single one of us would perish. That’s the heart of a loving God.

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 TIMOTHY 1:17 (NIV)


We will close today by looking at Paul’s challenge to Timothy in vs.18-20.

What’s another way to say “wage the good warfare”? (v.18; Check out the NIV or NASB version!) Consider the two areas in which Paul exhorts Timothy to press into in order to fight the good fight. What are some specific ways that you can implement so as to be success-ful in this instruction? (See v.19.) Look at Philippians 4:13, and ask the Spirit of God to show you things that are helping you wage the good warfare, and to convict you of what's not helping that needs to go. Write about that here.

Here we start to see the common theme of Paul’s in-struction to Timothy and it’s a teaching that all Chris-tians should adhere to, especially today. While it’s so much easier to be the “silent Christian” or to identify as the type of Christian who is called to only love, we must remember that it must not be at the expense of truth. Gone are the days of “live and let live.” In fact, lifestyles such as this are much of the cause of our tolerance infested faith as we know it today. I once heard it said that, “The world says ‘tolerance is love,’ but that’s not true. Tolerance is the opposite of love. Tolerance is nothing more than lazy apathy. Love is sacrificial action.” 3 How true. It is so much easier to

avoid conflict and rejection by allowing someone to walk out their sin. But true love warns someone when they’re about to step off a cliff. True love urges some-one not to take the path that leads to brokenness because God has a better way. True love does all of this at the risk of loss and strife, because it is selfless. It places a higher value on the offending loved one’s eternity than on the temporal relationship. Make no mistake, as Christians we are always called to love but we are also always called to truth. They are two sides of the same coin. Like our loving Father, be pa-tient, Ladies, and be encouraged. The good fight is not always easy but it is always worth fighting for!

“BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO REMAINS STEADFAST UNDER TRIAL, FOR WHEN HE HAS STOOD THE TEST HE WILL RE-CEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE, WHICH GOD HAS PROMISED

TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” JAMES 1:12

3. Source unknown



“For there is one God, and there is

one mediator between God and men, the

man Christ Jesus."

1 TIM. 2:5

Over the next few days, we’re going to cover some topics that might challenge your status quo. I want to encourage you, Ladies, to open your heart and mind to God’s will. When our knowledge, traditions, feelings, and beliefs differ from God’s Word, we’ve got to remember that His ways are higher than our own (Isaiah 55:8-9) and walking out the will of our Father will never sell us short. In parts of studies such as this, we challenge and encourage you to pray for God’s will, to seek and follow truth, and even when it defies what we know and feel, trust in our Good Lord and simply obey. In time, God will show us His glory and open our eyes to the purpose for His good and perfect ways.

Heavenly Father, for those of us who may be looking for direction today, we pray that You edify and uplift us. We pray that You open our ears and our hearts to Your ways and that we seek Your will in all that we do. Speak to us this day Lord and wrap us in Your Loving embrace.

Have you ever found yourself at a loss of direction with another individual? Perhaps it’s a child that you’re struggling to parent. Maybe it’s a coworker that makes your life miserable or a friend with whom you have differences that you’re struggling to re-solve. As usual, God’s Word brings advice and encouragement. Let’s open the Word together to see what Paul writes.

Read 1 Timothy 2:1-7. In vs.1-2, for which people are we called to pray? Name at least three groups of people you will pray for today.

If we walk out this command, what type of life might we lead?


Mmmm...more of that please. I don’t know many women who would turn down a more peaceful and quiet life. Oftentimes, we wring our hands with worry, trying to decide what more we might do or how we might prepare for the future. But we need to remember that our first course of action should be prayer. One woman has a de-cal on her bedroom wall which reminds her of this. It adorns the wall across from her bed so that it is one of the last things she sees before she closes her eyes for the day. It reads, “Give it to God and go to sleep” and oh, how that simple reminder puts her soul at ease.

Ah, truth! A concept that our world is not so fond of and yet there it is. Truth does exist, Ladies. Whether we’re talking about the Bible and salvation or more current affairs such as gender, viruses, the use of masks, the number of human races (it’s one by the way), etc. With all things, there is truth and truth is knowable. Don’t ever let the culture nor the enemy of your soul tell you otherwise. When truth starts to change with the tide of emotions, feelings, and the news, then it is no longer truth—it is simply opinion. And opinion, like sand, is a terrible foundation for life, faith, and decisions. The battle against truth is currently being waged across the world. But our Father and our Savior are the very epitome of truth, and truth is worth seeking and fighting for. Speaking of truths, Paul teaches us a big one:

Moving on to our next two verses, which people does God want to be saved? (vs.3-4)

Are you starting to notice a common theme? What comes along with sal-vation?

For my thoughts are

not your thoughts,

neither are your

ways my ways,

declares the LORD.

For as the heavens

are higher than the

earth, so are my

ways higher than

your ways and my

thoughts than your

thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV

Put [brackets] around verse 5 and double underline the word “one” both times in the verse above. Also underline the word “truth” shown two times.

Merriam-Webster defines a mediator as “one that intervenes between parties.”

According to the verses above, is there any other being, living or dead; ordained or otherwise, that can mediate on our behalf before God except Jesus?

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man

Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at

the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the

truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” 1 TIMOTHY 2:5-7


Next, we want to point out our need for a Mediator and a Savior. Our God is a Holy God. He is a perfect God. He is a God of love, grace, beauty, jealousy, righteousness, justice, and many more attributes besides.

Read 1 John 4:7-10.

1 John 4:8 tells us that God is _______________ . He loves us with all He is; it’s His very nature.

But sin separates us from Him as He is holy and perfect. In the Old Testament, people were called to offer animal sacrifices time and again to temporarily atone (make-up) for their sin.

Write Romans 6:23. (If you are quite familiar with this verse, try to write it without look-ing it up and then double-check your accuracy!)

What is the “earnings” of sin?

What gift does God choose to extend?

No other mediator is omnipresent nor omniscient and able to hear all of our prayers. No other being is omnipotent and able to absolve us of our sins. If you want to dive deeper into this truth, Hebrews is a fantastic study. We could spend a month on this topic alone, but for our purposes today, we’ll summarize.

So as to lay our foundation, take this moment to define the three aforementioned attributes of God. Meditate for a moment on what it means for God to be the only being to possess these at-tributes.

OMNIPRESENT:

OMNISCIENT:

OMNIPOTENT:


Read Hebrews 9:22. (Make time this week to read He-brews 9:11-21 as well!) “Only someone

who was both man and God could represent God

to humanity and reconcile humanity to God. Jesus served

as the one Media-tor between these

otherwise irrec-oncilable parties,

meaning He is the only way to God.” 4

DAVID JEREMIAH

Unworthy of fellowship with our perfect Creator. Death is the consequence of sin, and the only offering we can make to fully atone for our sin is a perfect human sacri-fice as only human blood can fully atone for human sin.

WHEN WE BREAK ONE SIN, WE ARE SINNERS;

BUT WE ARE GOD’S PRECIOUS SONS AND DAUGHTERS.

He loves us deeply. And because of this awesome love and His desire to be with us for eternity, God became human and He gave His only Son as this sacrifice. (John 3:16) Jesus, who was perfect and completely without sin throughout His life, willingly gave Himself as the sacrifice for each of us, so that we may not spend eternity apart from God in death. We are guilty in the eyes of our Judge and Father,

This is a free gift that God has given. All we must do is trust that Jesus is our Savior and honor Him as Lord of our life. Trust that He is enough. Trust that we cannot save ourselves; that it is not of our own works nor tradi-tions. And trust that He is the only means of salvation.

BUT JESUS HAS COME TO PAY OUR FINE;

IF ONLY WE ALLOW HIM.

All it takes is one sin.

Do you believe this dear sister? Have you trusted in Christ as your one and only means for salvation, as your only beloved Mediator

between you and your awesome Judge?

4. The Jeremiah Study Bible, p. 1705


*If you find yourself with questions regarding salvation, how to attain it, and what to do moving forward, please reach out to us at MSI. We would be overjoyed to help you walk out your lifelong commitment to Christ.

If you need clarity, pray for God’s wisdom and that He might open your eyes to truth. If you believe but have not yet confessed with your mouth (Romans 10:9), pray aloud your profession of faith and confess it to those around you.

If you have said the words but do not feel your life has been transformed, write a prayer asking that the Holy Spirit would move you. Acknowledge that your life is no longer your own—it has been bought with a price. We owe Him our eternity. Make Jesus not only your Savior, but Lord of your life by surrendering to His will. His ways are higher than our own, we need but simply to obey.

If you are already a born-again daughter of the King, journal out a prayer of thanksgiving and praise! For you serve a mighty and loving God and your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life forever and ever, amen.

take this closing time to journal and pray

“It is finished.” - Jesus (John 19:30)



"Likewise I want wom-en to adorn

themselves…by means of good works,

as is proper for women mak-ing a claim to

godliness."

1 TIM. 2:9-10 (NASB)

As Christians, many of us are familiar with the concept of living holy lives; lives that are set apart from the rest of the world. The last part of chapter 2 gives us an opportunity to put feet to our faith. In a world plagued with pride, im-propriety, and extreme female empowerment, we get to see the beauty and benefits of a true godly woman. While many, even Christian women, might shy away from this chapter of God’s Word, it’s truly a beautiful chapter that gives insight to God’s glorious plan for His beloved creation.

Precious, heavenly Father, I pray this morning that You give insight into Your magnificent design. I pray that You soften our hearts to Your will, Fa-ther; hearts that may have been twisted and hardened by the lies that Sa-tan permeates throughout the culture. I pray, Lord, that You might break down those walls and simply give us a desire to live in such a way that through us, others might be drawn to You.

Read 1 Timothy 2:8-14. In our first few verses, notice that Paul has a specific desire for men and a corresponding desire for women. Why do you think Paul provides two different directives here?

Paul seems to be addressing the besetting sins for men and for women as (contrary to the culture’s views today) we are, in fact, different. Let’s roll up our sleeves and dive deeper...

Most people can look at 1 Timothy 2:8 and think it’s pretty straight forward. But let’s quickly draw our attention to “lifting holy hands.” Paul isn’t laying out a particular posture necessary for prayer. The Greek word for “holy” means “unstained by evil,” and “hands” are used to symbolize the actions of our lives. Here, Paul is calling believers (specifically men) in their daily lives to live and act in such a way that is unpolluted and set apart from evil.

Write out 1 Timothy 2:9-10.


What do you feel Paul is trying to accomplish by this instruc-tion to women?

John MacArthur writes this about the two adjectives used to describe a godly woman’s appropriate attire:

Modestly: “ ‘Modestly’ refers to modesty mixed with humility...It can also refer to a rejection of anything dishonorable to God, or refer to grief over sin.”

Discreetly/ With Self-Control: “‘Discreetly’ basically refers to self-control over sexual pas-sions. Godly women hate sin and control their passions so as not to lead another to sin.” 5

In Ephesus, women that were in the church were living prideful and self-cen-tered lifestyles. Even in the church, they were striving to draw attention to themselves rather than to God. This is not a passage that should be taken over literally but rather as instruction to dress appropriately when worship-ping.

Ladies, the proper attire for the worship service is modesty, godliness, and good works; which as a godly woman, is also the proper attire for life. The way we dress is just one small way that we can live a life set apart and point others to our Father. It’s not that we are called to walk around in sackcloth. There are plenty of ways to dress modestly and attractively. But does your attire draw far too much attention to your body or perhaps your wealth? Can the way you adorn yourself lead a fellow brother in Christ (whether he’s 14 or 75) to have impure thoughts or a fellow sister to envy? In a world that idolizes sex and money and flaunts temptation on every magazine cover, let us help one another in our walk of purity rather than lead another to sin.

Write out some ways the Holy Spirit is challenging you in order to better walk out this humbling command.

No light stuff today! Let’s keep pressing on…

Well...that’s a crowd-shrinker in today’s culture if ever I saw one. Before we take up our defensive stance and start twisting scripture to fit the culture norms of today, let’s break it down.

Is Paul allowing women to receive instruction from the church? Yes! This is of great importance.

“A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissive-ness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the wom-an being deceived, fell into transgression.” 1 TIMOTHY 2:11-14

5. The MacArthur Study Bible, page 1610


In reality, we actually find Paul advocating for women’s rights. Jewish and Greek culture both considered women inferior. Allowing women to sit in on scriptural teaching and worship was a novel concept that Paul was commanding. But the false teachers in Ephesus appeared to have encouraged women to flaunt their new-found freedom by seeking a dominant role in leadership. As Paul goes on to elaborate, this false teach-ing and deception dates all the way back to the Garden, when Satan upended God’s order of creation and Adam and Eve fell into sin.

Do a quick online search to define submissiveness:

When we look at the definition of “submissiveness,” we learn that submission is not a concept that should offend us because one can’t be forced to submit. True submission is something done of our own volition. When Paul continues by saying that women should remain quiet, this is in the context of church worship. Women are to remain silent by not teaching men, and they are to be submissive by not usurping the role of leadership over the elders within the church which are clearly defined as men in our next chapter of 1 Timothy.

Paul then goes on to justify his instruction by recounting the fall of Adam and Eve in verses 13 and 14. Take a moment to read the account of what we refer to as The Fall in Genesis, chapter 3. Who did Satan target and why do you think this was the case?

I like how John MacArthur breaks this passage down:“A woman’s subordinate role did not result after the Fall as a cultural, chauvinistic corruption of God’s perfect design; rather, God established her role as part of his original creation. God made woman after man to be his suitable helper. The Fall actually corroborates God’s divine plan of creation. By nature Eve was not suited to assume the position of ultimate responsibility. By leaving Adam’s protection and usurping his headship, she was vulnerable and fell, thus confirming how important it was for her to stay under the protection and leadership of her husband. Adam then violated his leadership role, followed Eve in her sin, and plunged the human race into sinfulness—all connected with violating God’s planned roles for the sexes.” 6

Let’s face it, very few people find submission to come naturally. But, Precious Women, we are not the only ones called to submission; all are called to this hum-ble action. Our ultimate role model, Christ Himself, submitted Himself to the Father. Men are called to submit themselves to Christ, and women are called

to submit themselves to their husbands. (1 Corinthi-ans 11:3) God’s design is so wonderful; if we would but humbly embrace it. When we dig into God’s Word, we see that women were not created to be servants to men nor as a secondary afterthought. God knew we were needed before creation. He knew that Adam would need a companion, a help-er, an equal. But just like we cannot have two CEOs of a company, nor two presidents of a country, we cannot have two leaders in a home. Ultimately, this was Adam’s role, but Adam was incomplete without someone to compliment him in his shortcomings. Do not let the lies of Satan distort scripture. Because Eve was created second does not make her the less-er. Men and women are created with equal value, simply with different roles. When Satan flipped these roles, he was able to lead Adam and Eve down the path of sin. This is relevant in today’s world as we see divorce numbers soaring, extreme feminism tox-ifying men, and the two sexes resenting and hating each other as Satan’s lie roots deeper into our souls.

6. John MacArthur Study Bible, page 1610


Ladies, this is God’s beautiful design and when lovingly walked out to its full potential by all parties, what a harmonious place we can find ourselves in.

If you or your husband struggle with this, take this time to jour-nal and pray for God’s heart in your lives and marriages.

Perhaps you struggle with this teaching in your church. Study the Word. Are they approaching this biblically? Ask the Lord for clarity as to whether you’re bothered because of scriptural integrity, or your own issues and potential misgivings.

Write down some ways that you can work toward submis-sion, acceptance of God’s design, and walking out a holy life. Remember that God’s ways are higher than our own and He wants us to live a life of abundance, if we would but trust, hum-bly submit, and obey.

A word from Ashley: As a be-lieving Christian, there was a time early in marriage when, even I, had subcon-sciously bought into the lie. I felt like being a mom and raising my children wasn’t enough. I felt like I had to take on the man’s role, build up a career and make my "mark" on the world. As a Christian, my husband was the head of the house...until we disagreed on something important. But the Lord got hold of us one day, in the midst of my husband’s and my lowest moment in marriage. He gently showed us the error of our ways and lovingly extended grace by opening our eyes and soft-ening our hearts to His will. Where once I saw men as something to compete with, this newfound attraction for them blossomed (spe-cifically for my husband). He was my helper and I was his. Where I once resented him, I now relied upon him. We met each other where we, ourselves, fell short. It was what God had intend-ed and what we had been searching for all along.

As we close today, let’s spend some time journaling.

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosper-ous, and then you will achieve success.” JOSHUA 1:8


dayfive1 TIMOTHY 2:15

Happy Friday, Ladies! I’d like to take this fifth day to briefly wrap up the last passage of

chapter two. It’s a verse that is somewhat confrontational and

can be easily misunderstood, so we’re going to devote our time

to understanding it today.

Heavenly Father, as we bring our week to a close, let us

finish strong, knowing that Your Word is truth. Give us the strength and the desire to ap-

ply Your holy instruction to our lives in the coming week. Help

us to live a life set apart for You, Lord, being a beacon of truth

and an example to our families and all those around us.

Write out 1 Timothy 2:15.

See what I mean about being easily misunderstood? Many would like to take this passage of scripture and interpret it to mean that women obtain salvation through childbearing, which leads to a whole other slew of questions and contradictions. But that is not the meaning of Paul’s words.

This verse is a continuation from our passage yesterday in 1 Timo-thy 2:8-14, when Paul concluded by referencing back to The Fall of Adam and Eve. Let’s first address that Paul is not speaking specif-ically of Eve in this text. We know this because the verb “saved” is in the future tense and the pronoun “they” is plural. Paul is talking about women after Eve.

Let’s take a look at what Pastor John MacArthur says about this pas-sage.

“Paul is not advocating that women are eternally saved from sin through childbearing or that they maintain their salvation by having babies, both of which would be clear contradictions of the New Testament teaching of salvation through grace alone through faith alone sustained forever. Paul is teaching that even though a woman bears the stigma of being the ini-tial instrument who led the race into sin, it is women through childbearing who may be preserved or freed from that stigma by raising a generation of godly children. Because mothers have a unique bond and intimacy with their children, and spend far more time with them than do fathers, they have far greater influence in their lives and thus a unique responsibil-ity and opportunity for rearing godly children. While a woman may have led a race into sin, women have the privilege of leading many out of sin to godliness. Paul is speaking in general terms; God does not want all wom-en to be married (1 Corinthians 7:25-40), let alone have children.” 7

7. John MacArthur Study Bible, page. 1610


What are we, as women, called to continue in?

Ladies, we have a unique opportunity. We are raising the next generation of kingdom war-riors and like Heidi often says, “you can’t give what you don’t have.” If we, ourselves, are go-ing to pass down a legacy of faith, love, holiness, and self-control, we must first know what that looks like, ourselves. We must be intimately familiar with God’s Word, our love letter from our Father, our battle plan from our Captain, and our instruction manual for life. But we cannot stop there. We must pass that knowledge on to our future generations.

Read Deuteronomy 4:9. Why are the people called to keep their soul dili-gently? And to whom are they called to make the truths known?

Take a moment to read Judges 2:6-15. Where would the breakdown have hap-pened for the children to step away and be drawn to other gods and customs?

After all the miracles the Hebrew people had seen and all that God had done for them, how do you think God’s reputation could possibly have fallen into shadow?

Why do you think this happened?

We see it time and again in the Old Testament. God’s people turn from Him and His ways, and this blame falls heavily on the parents and grandparents of those fallen generations. Even our beloved King David, a man after God’s own heart and the ancestor of Jesus—even his grandsons lived a life apart from the Father. We cannot assume that just because we are a Christian and we know the Word of our Creator that our children will too. Be diligent, Women, in passing that knowledge onto not only your children, but your children’s children and as many little lives as you can reach.

All it takes is one generation of parents to change the tide for God’s glory. We must arm ourselves daily with the whole armor of God and model righteous living for the little souls tenderly placed in our care. And do not take this call lightly. God has blessed each of us, as mothers, with His children for a reason. Who is influencing your children, Precious Mom? Where and with whom are they spending the most influential years of their lives? These years are far-reaching and critical beyond words. They will shape the very future and eter-nity of our children. And the time is short.


Take a moment to write down who influences your children and has the greatest impact, either by time spent or meaningful impression.

Does your answer include godly systems and individuals and (most importantly) you? If not, I would encourage you to prayerfully consider how you might rearrange and re-prior-itize your children’s influence.

In closing, write down some ideas you can implement to better walk out this calling and finish strong. While we all have responsibilities in this world and this may seem like an overwhelming and un-reachable goal for some, it’s never too late to do the next right thing; one small change at a time. And I promise you, Beloved Mom, it’s worth it. The eternity of your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren is always worth it. After all, they are of course, the only treasure we can ever hope to take to heaven with us. And that’s worth fighting for.

JUDGES 2:10-12

“And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel. And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. And they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the LORD to anger.”


KidStrong

In this passage Paul talks about one of the biggest things that sets Christianity apart from every other religion: Jesus saves sin-ners. In every other religion, people must do something in order to save themselves. They must please their gods, earn their way, and do exactly the right thing in order to be saved.

In Christianity, rather than us having to go to God, God came to us.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus loves us each so much? We might think it’s because of the good things we do, or how cool we are, or how special we are…but it’s none of those things. He loves us simply because He does. There isn’t anything we could do to earn more of His love, we already have it. There isn’t any-thing we could do to make ourselves right with God, Jesus has already done it. The beautiful thing about this is that we don’t have to worry that we could fall out of God’s love, either.

Ephesians 2:8 says, “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”

READ 1 TIMOTHY 1:12-17.


The reality is God knows us for who we are: sinners. (Paul understood this best of all! He went from killing Christians, to following Jesus and becoming arguably one of the most influential people of all time!) And yet, God sees us in our sin and still not only saves us, but wants to work in our lives so that we can help save others too! Just like Paul! It’s truly amazing!

God can use anyone to accomplish His purpose. He used Paul, who was the greatest of sinners, and He used Timothy, even though he was young.


Here we see Paul gives Timothy a charge to wage good warfare as was prophesied about him. Clearly from a young age, Timothy had saints praying over him who were excited for what God would do in his life. Have you ever been prayed over? What kinds of things do we pray over you?

Just as Timothy was commissioned for good work, God has commis-sioned all Christians to spread the Good News of the Gospel. Each of us has a different role, but we are all called and anointed for what God has for us to do.

Our prayer today will be a charge for our family:

May whatever we do, whether in word or deed, be done as a represen-tative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Amen. (From Colossians 3:17)


“The say-ing is trust-

worthy: If anyone

aspires to the offi ce of

overseer, he desires a noble task.”1 TIM 3:1

As we open this week, we’ll begin by seeing what a godly leader looks like within the church. While this passage applies to the men in our fellowship, it is important for us to know as well so that we are able to equip ourselves and our families with godly deacons and overseers. By knowing what God expects of the leaders of our con-gregation, we can know how to align ourselves with a church that is in God’s Word.

Dear Heavenly Father, we pray that You bless us today with Your wisdom and de-votion. Fill us with the knowledge needed to place our families in churches that love and obey You, Lord; thereby, cultivating our faith. Thank You, Father, for giv-ing us the qualifi cations needed to seek out qualifi ed shepherds. In a world that believes they know best, let us lean into Your Word when surrounding ourselves with individuals who will lead us to the truth.


At the start of the early church, and especially after Pentecost, the number of believ-ers grew exponentially. Christ’s apostles quickly became so bogged down with the daily administration of the church that they could not carry out their spiritual calling of prayer and sharing the good news of the gospel. The apostles asked the church in Jerusalem to select seven men who could oversee the logistics of daily church function and the distribution of food.

In Acts 6:3, what were the two attributes the Jerusalem church was directed to seek when choosing these seven ministers?

Does this simple yet straightforward description characterize your current church leaders? Why or why not?



Once the church began to spread, Paul began delegating church elders and overseers to manage the day-to-day affairs of local churches. In the New Testament, the words “over-seer,” “elder,” and “pastor” are used interchangeably to describe the men responsible for leading the church, teaching, preaching, guiding the spiritually weak, and appointing other leaders. The qualifications that Paul outlined to choose such leaders are as appli-cable today as they were 2,000 years ago.

Below, let’s list these qualifications from vs.2-7 that Paul laid out.

As you go through, place a check mark beside each qualification to which you feel like your church is adhering.

OVERSEER: MEN WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE TO LEAD THE CHURCH.

verse 2verse 3

verse 4verse 6

verse 7


Quite a list, right?! And rightly so as these are the men who should be shepherding us and our families within the ministry. Many of these qualifications are self-explanatory, but let’s take a closer look at a few of those which are not so clear.

Do a quick online search for the definition of reproach:

In other words, this individual’s closet should not be full of undealt with skeletons or past actions that would mar their reputation. However, there is an important distinction be-tween blameless and perfect. We know that, as humans, our lives have all been marred by sin. The qualifying dis-tinction is made by whether these sins have been fully ad-dressed. It is important that past flagrant sin not be swept under the rug but rather confronted so that repentance, reconciliation, and restoration have been achieved by God’s grace and forgiveness, and that individual can now be utilized by God to further His kingdom and be a leading example to believers. Beauty from ashes, Girls.

“The husband of one wife.” There are many interpretations of this qualification, from forbidding polygamy, to barring a remarried widower, to excluding an unmarried man al-together. However, the Bible is already clear on where God stands regarding these topics in other areas of scripture. This qualification addresses the moral and sexual purity of an elder to his wife. It ranks toward the top of the list because it is often one of the most easily corrupted qual-ifications. An elder of the church should be singularly de-voted to his wife, maintaining affection and sexual purity in thought and deed. To fail in this would negate the first qualification and make this man’s reputation not “without reproach.”

Draw a line from the below qualification to its definition:

Worthy of esteem; a good social standing

Receiving guests warmly and generously

Self-restrained; not extreme in opinion or statement

Wise or judicious in practical affairs; discreet

TEMPERATE

PRUDENT

RESPECTABLE

HOSPITABLE


Moving past some of the more obvious qualifications, what reason does Paul give for requiring an elder to manage his own household well? (v.5)

What reasoning does Paul provide for excluding new converts from such an office? (verse 6)

Finally, regarding verse 7, what type of snares do you think the devil could set for someone who is not well thought of by outsiders?

These are all good, godly requirements set forth by our Father and none should be taken lightly. There are times when we may be tempted to bypass a qualification here or there that may seem trivial, but each is used as a building block for another. We ignore God’s Word to the potential peril of that individual and our congregation. A gentleman might almost meet each qualification, but when it comes to his ability to teach, he falls quite short. There is no shame in this as God has blessed us all with our own unique spiritual gifts and everyone has a place in God’s church. But as an el-der, the gift of teaching is necessary. One can be full of wisdom, kindness, devotion, hospitality, etc.; but if he cannot connect with individuals in such a way as to convey God’s Word aptly, members of the church may quickly become bored, confused, and/or discouraged.

Go back through the qualifications you wrote down from verses 2-7. Look for any that rub you the wrong way, or feel overbearing to you. Ask the Lord to clarify what’s going on in your heart that needs sorting. Take it to your group or jump on our fo-rums at MomStrong International and talk it through. God was intentional; ask Him to train you to be malleable to His purposes!

So, how did you do—can you see the wisdom in God’s design? Does your church meet God’s instruction? Does it revere the Bible and consider it essential and true? If not, what are some godly ways you might be able to influence your church towards a more biblical leadership team?

Check your motive—your goal is not to create division within the church!

Do you pray diligently for your church and her shepherds?

Are you mindful not to gossip but rather to take it directly to the offending party with a heart of restoration? (Matthew 18:15-17)


We’re wrapping up, Ladies. Let’s look back to the beginning of chapter 3.

What does Paul say is a trustworthy statement? Write your answer IN LINE TWO.

What does Paul also say is a trustworthy statement, in chapter 1:15? Write your answer IN LINE ONE.

1.

2.

It’s so important to clear away cultural cobwebs and church calamities when we look at the Word of God. On the whole, godly men who step into these positions have prayerfully, carefully considered first, and are taking on a trust in order to help shepherd the body of Christ. Let’s support them!

God’s Word is good, Ladies. If we choose to humbly submit, trusting that our Creator knows best, we set ourselves up for success. We give ourselves and our families a fighting chance of not only finishing the race, but fin-ishing well. In a post-Christian world that is ignoring God’s instruction and filling the pulpits with pastors and leaders that have no regard to this es-sential chapter of Timothy, I encourage you, Precious Daughter of the King, Warrior of the living God; hold firm to the truth and His instruction. The leaders, systems, cathedrals, and chapels of this world will all pass away, “but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (1 Peter 1:25)


“Great in-deed, we

confess, is the mystery

of godli-ness…”

1 TIM. 3:16

Today we will close out Chapter 3 by looking at the qualifications for a deacon of the church and looking closer into the mystery of godliness. We all like a good mystery, right? ;) Well grab a warm cup of tea and nestle into your favorite spot on the couch. Let’s dive in…

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for giving us a glimpse into Your ways so that we might know You better. We long for the day when we can fall into Your arms; when we can lay down the burdens of this world and praise You tirelessly. Until that day when we can fully comprehend Your glory, thank You for reaching out to us graciously through Your precious Word.


Before we dive into the qualifications for a deacon, let’s first look at the differ-ence between a deacon and yesterday’s previously mentioned overseer.

Dr. David Jeremiah distinguishes the two as such:

Overseer: “The pastor, bishop [overseer] is responsible for the oversight and spiritual care of the church and must be able to teach.”

Deacon: “The qualities for deacons (meaning ‘ones who serve’) are virtually identical to those for the [overseer] bishop or elder, except that an [overseer] is expected to be able to teach. Like the [overseer], the deacon must be one whose heart is impelled by Christ, whose character is formed by Christ, and whose mind is focused on Christ.” 1

Essentially, the overarching difference between these two leadership positions is that an overseer (also known as an elder, pastor, and bishop) teaches the congregation while a deacon serves the congregation.

Like yesterday, let’s list the qualifications Paul lays out for those who lead by serving and place check marks by the qualifications being met by your church’s election of deacons.


1. The Jeremiah Study Bible, page 1708


Do a Google search for the definition of dignified:

So a deacon, like an overseer, needs to be an upstanding gentleman, full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit. And, as mentioned in verse 9, he must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear con-science. Paul references the “mystery” several times in his writings. It describes the truth that was previously hidden in the Old Testament but is now revealed through Jesus.

DEACON: THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING THE CHURCH BY SERVICE.

verse 8verse 9

verse 10

verse 11verse 12


Draw a line from Paul’s reference of this great mystery to the truth each reference is revealing:

We see in verse 10 that a deacon should then be tested for blamelessness prior to being committed to service. Why do you think this might be an important point?

Here’s where we come into play, Ladies. Write out 1 Timothy 3:11.

One doesn’t want to put the cart before the horse. It is much more difficult to remove some-one from a position of leadership than to withhold that position initially until an individual proves themself worthy of such a position of influence. Have you ever placed your child in a role that they just were not prepared for, because you were so excited for them to succeed, Mom? This is similar. When we place someone in a position prematurely, we do it at the risk of those they are leading as well as to the character of the one we are promoting.

This is a high calling. Read it again.It’s interesting to note that the word used for “slanderers” is the plural form of “diabolos” which is a title often given to Satan, himself. 2

The unity of Gentiles and Jews in the church

The rapture of the church

Christ’s incarnation

The Gospel

Christ’s indwelling of believers

Lawlessness

1 TIM. 3:16

COL. 1:26-27

COL. 4:3

EPH. 3:4-6

2 THESS. 2:7

1 COR. 15:51-52

Read Psalm 101:5. How seriously do you think God takes the sin of slander?

2. The MacArthur Study Bible, pages 1611-1612


“The Mystery of Godliness:I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness.” 1 Timothy 3:14-16a

Women, make no mistake, malicious gossip is a serious offense and one that God takes very seriously. While we may or may not be in the spotlight, let us not grow idle in our call to faithful living. Our actions and speech can be the very thing that inspires someone to Christ or creates a stumbling block on their journey to their Savior.

As we move into the final portion of 1 Timothy 3, the spotlight shifts off of leadership and back to the church collective. Let’s look at vs.14-16a below.

That’s us, Ladies! We are the church and we are described as the “pillar and buttress of the truth.” A large part of our calling as Christians is to support the truth. While it is certain that we should do this with all love and gentleness, we are still called to it. Some would like to use the “call to love” as a justification to avoid all conflict; but make no mistake—as a Christian in today’s culture, we are sure to encounter conflict. Women, do not shrink from the fight. With a righteous heart, I encourage you to uphold the truth; always with a heart for repentance.

Let’s close today by looking into the Mystery of Godliness…

Underline the words pillar and buttress. What is the purpose of these two things?

Who is Paul describing in this elegant passage?

“He was manifest in the flesh,vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”

1 TIMOTHY 3:16B


That’s right, Ladies...our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we learned above, the truth that this passage is revealing is Christ’s incarnation, or embodiment. Let’s define a few words so as to better understand Paul’s passage.

God came to us in human flesh; maintaining His sinless, spiritual righteousness. He is “seen by angels,” both fallen and elect. He is “proclaimed among the nations, be-lieved on in the world,” emphasizing His inclusion of Gentiles. And after He laid down His life for us, He was “taken up in glory,” at His ascension and exaltation; demonstrat-ing His Father’s love and full approval of His work here on earth. What a mighty and loving God we serve, Precious Women. A God that loves us so much that He left His heavenly splendors to live and suffer the persecution and agonizing pain of death so that we might one day be together with Him for all eternity. He did that for us. For you and for me. Yes, Christ finished well. What a blessing that our God came, not only to save us from death, but to be an example and an inspiration. Let us set our sights on Him, a Man and a God worthy of our worship and praise, and let us not grow weary of living for His glory.

Write down the NIV translation of the first line to better understand “mani-fest in the flesh”:

Do an online search to define the word “vindicated”:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only

Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

JOHN 1:14



“If you put these things

before the brothers,

you will be a good servant of Christ Je-

sus, being trained in

the words of the faith and of the good

doctrine that you have fol-

lowed." 1 TIM. 4:6

Chapter 4 of this book is chalked full of some great advice that Paul had given to Timothy, and it’s advice that we can heed today. Scratch that, it’s advice that we must heed today. While there are some teachings within our Bible that are directed toward a certain person, culture, or time; most are timeless and apply throughout the ages and transgress cultural boundaries. After all, as believers in our Lord and Savior, we are all family—brothers and sisters in Christ. And this world, our country in which we currently reside—it’s not our home. We’re just passing through. Heavenly Father, let us set our sights on You. We pray that when we might become blinded by the things of this world, that You turn our focus heavenward. We pray that we might work diligently with our time here on earth so as to be soul winners for Your heavenly family. To know You and to make You known, Father…what an honor and a blessing You have bestowed upon us. We pray that we might use ev-ery moment earnestly to glorify You. Read 1 Timothy 4:1-10. Then go back and look at vs.1-2. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insin-cerity of liars whose consciences are seared.” Mmm, mmm…doesn’t this sound familiar? Not only our culture, but much of those who claim the title of “Christian” have fallen into this very pit. We live in a post-Chris-tian era, Ladies; a time when the Bible is being labeled as “antiquated,” “old-fash-ioned,” and “non-applicable.” Many churches and pastors treat God’s Word as a buffet, going down the line, picking and choosing what is palatable for their lifestyle and passing up passages that call out sin. They do theological gymnastics in order to twist scripture to fit their narrative, avoid accountability, and protect the feelings of their congregation. In doing so, they are flattering their flock straight into the gates of hell. This is not a debatable topic, Women. God’s Word is true and applica-ble. Every. Single. Word. In this we must not falter lest we give Satan a foothold into our lives and our homes. It’s the lie that the master deceiver has utilized (and often with success) throughout the generations when he began in the Garden, cunningly whispering to Eve, “Did God really say that?...You will not surely die.” Do not let the enemy of your souls slither his way in between you and Your Creator by seeding doubt in God’s Word.


Isaiah 40:8 Psalm 33:11 Numbers 23:19 Hebrews 13:8

Read the following verses. What truth can you take away

from each verse? What attri-bute of God can you identify?

What are ways that you can know when God’s Word is being twist-ed or altered? Paul goes on to say more about the false teachings of these individ-uals. Read 1 Timothy 4:3-4.

In what way do these teachers appear to be stating that holiness can be achieved?

How does this support or contradict scripture? For a quick refer-ence, see Ephesians 2:8-9 and John 14:6.

What are two ways that Paul gives in which we can be shaped by the Gospel? (Read verse 7.)

Speaking of training, have you ever needed an excuse to sit on the couch, cozied up with your Bible, and forgo physical exercise? Let me introduce you to 1 Timothy 4:8:

“for while __________ __________ is of some __________, _____________

is of value in __________ way, as it holds promise for the

___________ life and also for the ________ ___ _______.”

1 Timothy 4:8 ESV

“If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good ser-vant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.” 1 TIMOTHY 4:6


There ya go, Ladies! Don’t feel bad about bypassing that 20 minutes on the treadmill. ;) Of course, I’m only kidding. Our bodies are a precious gift from our Father and a temple of the Holy Spirit which should be appreciated and nourished. However, if you find yourself often forgoing your time with the Father in order to squeeze in those crunches, I would en-courage you to rethink your priorities. I’m preaching to my-self here, especially when it would come time for me to try to lose some of my postpartum weight. There are only so many hours in a day and when you’re a tired mom homeschooling little ones, maintaining a home, writing a Bible study, you fill in the blank; something’s gotta give. I found myself saying, “I’ll just take a couple of weeks off my morning routine Bible reading in order to lose those last ten pounds.” Then God so graciously placed this little gem of a verse in front of me, and I was quickly reminded of my lack of perspective. While some priorities may need to be rearranged in order to focus

on nourishing our temporal, physical bodies, it should not come at the expense of our eternal, spiritual souls. Remem-ber where your eternity lies, Women. On certain days, it may seem like a struggle, waking up a little early after a late night with the baby or squeezing in ten minutes of Bible reading in between crockpot stirs; but in the grand scheme, it’s only a small sacrifice. And our dependable Paul, in his timely fash-ion, takes a moment to encourage us as to our purpose and why we are called to strive for that glorious finish line. I’m going to close today simply by stating this lovely pas-sage—our third trustworthy statement in this letter—from our dear Paul. Take this time to meditate on it. Journal your thoughts and confess where your hope lies. If necessary, how might you recalibrate your priorities and your hope? Take your time and consider to what end we each toil and strive.

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance.

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the

Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.”

1 TIMOTHY 4:9-10



"Do not neglect the gift you

have, which was given you

by prophecy when the coun-cil of elders laid

their hands on you."

1 TIM. 4:14

In today’s study, we will wrap up chapter 4 and Paul’s instruction to Timothy in which he vehemently encourages Timothy and other believers to pursue their God-given gifts. That’s right, ladies…God has blessed each and every one of us with a spiritual gift in which He intends for us to put to use in order to glorify Him. Let us not tarry in seeking out these gifts and putting them to their intended uses. And what better way to get a jump start than opening up God’s Word? Let’s dive in! Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Words of encouragement. In mo-ments of life when we feel lost or question our purpose and time here on earth, let us look no further than Your Holy Word. While others may seek fulfillment in this world, we know why we are here. To know You and to make You known. Praise You, Lord, for blessing us with such a high and in-timate calling. We pray that we might work diligently to accomplish such a mission. Read 1 Timothy 4:11-16.

Based on vs.11-12a, how old would you suspect Timothy to be?

Does Paul demean Timothy because of his age? At this point in Paul’s letters, it is estimated that Timothy was likely in his late 20s or early 30s, which is notably young for a pastoral elder. However, Paul encourages Timothy not to be discouraged nor to let others dismiss him sim-ply because of his youth. While age does often bring experience and wisdom which deserves respect in its own right, an individual’s youth should not dis-qualify them from walking out their calling to further God’s kingdom. God chooses to open the eyes and soften the hearts to His will at differing ages for every individual. Let us not squelch a young person’s fire for the Lord, and if you are that young person, take heart! God loves you and has blessed you! While other individuals may struggle with purpose their whole lives, you are a step ahead. Yes, respect and consider godly wisdom; but do not dismiss yourself because your age has not reached a certain number. From the mo-ment we are placed in our mother’s wombs to the moment we take our last breath on this earth, God has a purpose for us. It’s never too early nor too late to start walking it out.


Paul instructs Timothy to set an example for believers in five ways. List those below: (See verse 12b.) Write down at least three ways you are specifically setting an example for believers from Paul's challenging list to Timothy.

Write down at least three ways that sin in your life is detracting from your testimony in these areas. Take time to confess and repent (turn the other way and run!) Eva, a wise older woman in the faith, once said, "Repen-tance is a fruit!" What do you think she meant?

“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” 1 Timothy 4:13 The reading of God’s Word is powerful, Ladies. Sometimes we do dam-age by trying to overpower scripture with our own thoughts or interpre-tations when what we really need to do is provide God’s Word, get out of the way, and let the Holy Spirit do His work. Read Hebrews 4:12 and in your own words write out the power possessed in the book laid out before you.

The Word of God is an essential component of the armor of God found in Ephe-sians 6:10-20. While other tools are used for defense, God’s Word is the very weap-on given to us to defeat the lies and the spiritual forces of evil at work in this world and in the very lives of our loved ones. Paul commands that we not only read it, but that we exhort and teach it. That requires us to be vocal, Ladies. For some, that may be out of our comfort zone. But when we step out in faith to obey God’s com-mands, be encouraged knowing that we are not alone. As believers, we are in-dwelt with the Holy Spirit, with God Himself. Time and again He promises through-out scripture that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. The Creator of heaven and earth is on our side.

Let’s continue into vs.14-15.


Find this verse in your Bible and put [brackets] around the command “do not neglect the gift you have.” Circle the word “gift.” And underline the exhorta-tion to “practice these things, immerse yourself in them.”

Do an online search to define the term “immerse.”

In Heidi’s book Becoming MomStrong, she speaks on the importance of knowing our spiritual gifts and applying them.

Earlier in the year, we provided a link to a neat little survey that is meant to help point you toward your spiritual gifts. If you weren’t with us then or you didn’t have time, here is that link again. Follow the URL below or scan the QR code. Be honest and have fun!

https://hannahshouselansing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/adult-gifts-test.pdf

“Other people may have already noticed a special gift in you. If you’re not sure what that is, take some time to ask yourself a few questions: -What am I good at?-What activities or tasks energize me?-What do I like to do in my free time?-What could I teach someone else to do?-Where are my efforts most fruitful? In other words, what do you do naturally and with the most ease? If you take time to notice what you lean toward doing in your spare time (or what you would do if you actually had spare time), you’re probably close to dis-covering what God has gifted you to do – what your passion is. If you can identify your passion, chances are, your purpose isn’t far behind!”

“Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things,

immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.”

1 TIMOTHY 4:14-15


What do you feel might be your spiritual gift or purpose? You may have more than one!

What actions can you take to help cultivate your God-given gift(s)?

Paul closes with a warning in 1 Timothy 4:16. What is it?

If Timothy heeds Paul’s warning, who will be saved?

How does this knowledge change your perspective on immersing yourself in your God-given gift and honing your ability to read, teach, and exhort others to God’s Word?

“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you

will save both yourself and your hearers.”

1 TIMOTHY 4:16

Timothy’s perseverance in his sound and biblical teaching is something that Paul calls attention to. Like us, Timothy is called to endure for the faith. And in doing so, he preserves not only him-self but also his hearers.

This is a lofty responsibility that applies to all of us and God has blessed each of us with a unique gift that we can use to fulfill such a calling. When teaching and upholding God’s Word, we have eternal impacts on those around us. Likewise, the “not teaching” has eternal impacts as well.

In times when the burden seems too heavy and we might grow overwhelmed with a particular stretch of the race, scripture such as this reminds us that we are not only fighting the good fight solely for ourselves, but for those around us. Sometimes taking the focus off of ourselves is all we need in order to take a refreshing breath and be inspired to endure to the finish.


KidStrong


Imagine being sent into a room of adults to teach them an im-portant truth about God. Imagine you were also supposed to teach the pastor in this group, too. Would you feel nervous? It might feel intimidating! Well, that’s where Timothy found him-self.

It is natural, as humans, to prefer people who we like best or think are the most important. We tend to put the most import-ant or cool or smart people first, and treat the rest as lesser. Je-sus knows this about us, and time and time again we see Him break down those barriers! He does things in ways we don’t ex-pect and uses people who are the least likely. Think about it! What are some examples from the Bible where God used an un-likely person or place to accomplish His mission?

Here are a few:

God chose Abram and his wife Sarai to be the parents of His chosen people—funny thing is, they were a couple who couldn’t get pregnant! That didn’t stop our Lord. By His power He gave them a child in their old age.

NEVER TOO YOUNG


Everyone thought the Messiah would be born in a palace and come in glory and honor and splendor! But God had another plan! Our Messi-ah was born where? In a stable! Wrapped in swaddling clothes!

The very author of this book, Saul, was a man whom Christians feared! His heart was against Jesus and His mission to take down anyone who preached the Good News. But God had a different story for him. By His power He convicted Saul of his sin, changed his name to Paul, and turned him into one of the Bible’s most prolific teachers.

So who are we to look down on others because of their humble position? It’s those who are in humble positions that God loves to use! This abso-lutely includes those who are young.

Just because you are young, does not mean that your time is not now to be used by God. Follow Jesus, learn His Word, train yourself in godliness. Do these things and watch as the Lord uses you to bless others! You’re never too young to love others and lead by example. God could even use you to teach some older folks.

Now, it is important to respect adults. Part of training in godliness is walk-ing in humility, not pride. It is important that you respect and obey those in authority over you, and be a good listener and learner. And as you do that, don’t let people look down on you because you are young, but walk in maturity and uprightness.

What are some ways you can grow in your walk with the Lord? How can you train in godliness?

Let’s pray. Dear Jesus, we love Your holiness! We love how You think and act differently than the world does. It’s so amazing how You love every-one, not just the coolest or most important people. Thank You that we can honor and follow You no matter how young we are. We love You. Help us to train in godliness well. In Jesus’ name, amen.


“But if anyone does not pro-

vide for his relatives, and especially for

members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an

unbeliever.”1 TIM. 5:8

As we wrap up this month, we will look at Chapter 5 of 1 Timothy, continuing with Chapter 6 in next month’s study of 2 Timothy. In Chapter 5, Paul addresses some very practical systems regarding the church’s administration of welfare, especially regarding widows. While at fi rst thought, this may not seem like one of the most riveting passages of the Bible, all doctrine is sound and applicable. Our country is currently plagued with an abundance of greed as well as a gross abuse of welfare and dependency, something that Paul foresaw when instruct-ing the church in such affairs. Let us not bypass such impactful scripture but rather, actively seek how we might apply it to our lives.

Dear Lord, we pray for those in our communities and throughout the world who are in need. We pray that You might open our eyes to opportunities to put feet to our faith by helping those who are truly in need, while providing us with discernment and boldness to inspire others to seek You for direction. We thank You for Your Word as clear guidance on how to handle such matters, and we pray that we might walk them out in faith and obedience.

“Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.” 1 Timothy 5:1-2

We’re all familiar with the phrase, “respect your elders.” Well, that phrase is a derivative of the fi rst part of verse one! When an older believer sins, we are to show respect and address it with gentleness, avoiding harsh words. When ad-dressing sin in any believer, it is best to do so with love.

How does Paul say we are to talk with those who need a rebuke, no matter their age?

In Galatians 6:1, what does Paul say is the best way to restore someone?



Do not rebuke: The ancient Greek verb for rebuke is not the normal word for “rebuke” in the New Testament. This is the only place this word is used, and it means literally “to strike at.” Timothy was told not to lash out at old-er men, but to treat them with respect – as he would treat the younger men with respect as brothers. 1

1. Guzik, David. "Study Guide for 1 Timothy 5." Blue Letter Bible. 21 Feb, 2017. Web. 27 Sep, 2021.2. The MacArthur Study Bible, page. 1614

Pray, pray, pray before having these tough conversations. Not only for the of-fender but that all self-righteousness would be taken from you and that you would be given a gentle heart for restoration.

Read 1 Timothy 5:3-8. According to Paul’s first two verses on this topic, whose initial responsibility is it to care for widows?

Why do you think Paul gives this directive?

This verse not only instructs the church to continue carrying out one of the church’s important roles from early days, but it also serves as a limit in order to prevent abuse of the church’s charity. A true widow is qualified by a godly woman who does not have any other family to aid in her care. If a widow has children or grandchildren who can aid in her care (financial and otherwise); Paul clearly states that it is, first, the descendant’s responsibility (and oppor-tunity) to learn to show godliness. At the start of today in 1 Timothy 5:1-2, Paul expresses the concept of church family. When you belong to the church, you belong to a family. When a widow within the church has no earthly family to care for her in times of vulnerability, the church family is expected to lovingly and willingly attend to her.


What does Paul say about a woman who is self-indulgent?

Eeesh...that’s a pretty eye-opening statement. What do you think Paul means by this candid allegation?

Pastor John MacArthur says this about such a woman: “A widow who lives a worldly, immoral, ungodly life may be alive physically, but her lifestyle proves she is unregenerate and spiritually dead.” 2

Thankfully, Paul gives some advice as to avoiding self-indulgence as a widow, which we will get to later in this chapter. But let’s not jump ahead of ourselves.

“Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. But if anyone does not provide for his

relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

1 TIMOTHY 5:7-8


Paul’s not holding back any punches with these rather bold statements. Let’s mark this verse up in our Bibles so as to thoroughly appreciate its claim.

Dr. David Jeremiah states, “Families are responsible for each other. Any Christian who neglects the needs of family members not only acts worse than the average unbeliever but also neglects the basic premise of the faith - to love and serve one another. Christians are called to a higher standard.” 3

As Christians, we are distinctly set apart from the world. How does Jesus say we are distinguished? Write out His answer from John 13:35.

In a world plagued with greed and apathy, we shine a light of hope to the hope-less. Our demonstration of love for one another shown by our acts of kindness is the comfort and encouragement the downtrodden need to remind them they are not alone in this life, as well as the very actions which lead others to Christ. Current-ly, we live in a world full of opportunities to learn to show godliness.

1. Does Paul simply suggest these instructions to Timothy? Underline the word that is Paul’s directive.

2. For what reason does Paul command this? Circle the answer.

3. For whom does Paul emphasize “anyone” should provide? Put [brackets] around the answer.

4. If a Christian fails in this command, how does Paul label them? Double underline the answer.

“Jesus said that love would be the identifying mark of His disciples. It wasn’t that love for the outside world was not important or relevant, but it wasn’t first. There are other mea-sures of discipleship, but they come after this mark.

· Jesus would mark us as His disciples by our love for one another

· We can mark ourselves as His disciples by our love for one another

· The world can mark us as His disciples by our love for one another” 4

3. The Jeremiah Study Bible, page. 17104. Guzik, David. "Study Guide for John 13." Blue Letter Bible. 21 Feb, 2017. Web. 27 Sep, 2021.


Take this time to write down a few opportunities in your family and within the church where you might walk out this command. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you a heart of love and benevolence, and that you might seek out the opportunities to walk out such actions. We must remember that as believers, we are brothers and sisters in Christ; all on this long journey together. Let us never tire of seeking out ways to uplift one another as we all stumble through life’s course, striving to finish our race.

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

COLOSSIANS 3:14


“And is well known for her good deeds,

such as bring-ing up children, showing hospi-tality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting her-

self to all kinds of good deeds.”

1 TIM. 5:10(NIV)

As we pick up where we left off yesterday regarding Paul’s instruction for welfare, we will look more closely at Paul’s qualifications for a wid-ow in need. Not only is this section applicable for church ministry, but as women, it gives us something to aspire towards. These qualifica-tions that Paul lays out can be applied currently in each of our lives. Are we living up to the godly instructions set in place? Let’s jump right in and find out.

Dear Heavenly Father, we pray that this week’s study might open our eyes to opportunities to serve. We pray that these verses would guide us and that the Spirit might fill us with compassion as we dili-gently walk out the call of loving one another.

Read 1 Timothy 5:9-10. In this next section of Chapter 5, Paul gives us a list of qualifications for a widow who should be enrolled in the church’s charity. It should be mentioned that this is not a list given to identify which women are eligible for church support, as all people are eligi-ble. Rather, it is a list directing those eligible for a more specific long-term church care ministry.



Write out the eight qualifications Paul has given, starting in verse 9:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Much like 1 Timothy 3 pro-vides character qualifica-tions for men who might serve as overseers and deacons of the church, this section highlights the qualifications of a godly woman who would qual-ify for widow’s ministry in the church. What that means for us, Moms, is that among other things, this is an aspirational list of qualifications that we, as Christian women, should take special note of. Isn’t this character list full of fruit we’d like to have at that age?

Let’s break these down a little bit as the meaning and the purpose of some qualifications may not be clear.

“Not less than sixty years of age”—This is pretty straight-foward. While it may seem prejudice to disqualify some-one simply because of their age, Paul does so for good reason. As mentioned yesterday that Paul will give ad-vice for avoiding a life of self-indulgence as a widow, this goes hand-in-hand with this qualification and will be ad-dressed more thoroughly in tomorrow’s study.

“Having been the wife of one husband”—This is the feminine form of the phrase used in 1 Timothy 3:2-3 when Paul list-ed the qualifications for deacons and elders. This phrase is describing a “one-man woman.” It is not disqualifying women who have remarried after the death of a hus-band, but rather emphasizing her devotion and purity to her husband in thought and in action.

Next, Paul dives deeper into what a reputation for good works looks like when walked out in a godly woman’s life-time. This list of works also serves as accomplishments to which younger women should aspire.

“She has brought up children”—This directive is declaring that godly women should have reared their children up, or shepherded other children which the Lord brought into their lives, in such a way that they will know and love their Creator. If we reference back to 1 Timothy 2:15 in our study, we see the importance for such a qualification. Parents have the unique responsibility and opportunity of shap-ing the next generation. Precious Mom, I cannot stress enough the weight of this obligation. God is not silent on how our children should be raised.


In other words, as parents we should be teaching our children about God and His Word all the time! Our culture has effectively implemented the necessity of a socialized education system. While many eyes have been opened during the wake of Covid and the “pandemic schooling,” a vast majority of people still believe that the best education for their children will be given by an organized schooling system. Do not buy into this lie, Sweet Mom. God did not bless the govern-ment, nor any other schooling system, with your child.

If God saw fit to bestow you with such a blessing, He also bestowed you with the ability to raise that beloved child. The reality is that when our children spend the majority of their waking lives during their most influential years with someone other than us, we cannot fulfill this critical com-mand. And I should emphasize that this command was not given to Sunday school teachers, Christian schools, nor even pastors. It was given to parents, because our Father knows that a parent’s love and devotion far exceeds that of most other earthly relationships.

On this topic, I would encourage you to check your heart. There are, of course, certain instanc-es when homeschooling is not an option. But if your hesitation stems from lack of faith in your abilities or a prioritization of your own personal interests, take it to the Lord and ask Him to con-firm that or to provide a way through! And be proactive, Moms, in interacting with your child’s educators and curriculum no matter the teacher or situation. The last several generations of parents have willingly given up their gift of these precious years with their children in the name of progressivism, feminism, and personal pursuit; and we are seeing the repercussions playing out in our world today. I won’t deny the sweat and tears that go into raising up godly children, but it’s a good fight, Ladies. These are years that we cannot get back. I would encourage you, Women, to move heaven and earth in order to walk out this calling. Our children’s ability to perform basic algebra, excel at public debates, speak a foreign language, or recite Newton’s Second Law of Motion...these are temporal accomplishments which pale in comparison to their eternity; and that’s really the only thing that matters. In this, as parents, we have the awesome opportunity to set our children up for success.

Read Deuteronomy 6:6-7.

Who is the verse directed toward?

Based on the instruction given, when should a parent be teaching their chil-dren about God’s commands?

Graciously, God tells us what the primary focus of our children’s upbringing should be. What is it?

Is this the case in your home? Why or why not? If not, what are some steps you can take to recalibrate?


While Proverbs, as a literary form, is not a guarantee nor promise, it is the general rule of thumb. This was the observation of life some 3,000 years ago and it still holds true today. Timothy is a great example! What would be the likely result of a child brought up in a home with godly parents and whose education is built around the faith?

And yet, this Proverb works both ways. What would be the likely result of a child edu-cated in a secular system that is determined on removing God from every aspect of life and filling the void with secular doctrine for the first 18 years of their life (maybe more)?

Let us not willingly place our children’s eternity in the hands of those our Creator deemed less qualified. I encourage you, Sweet Mom, this is a hill worth dying on and a good fight worth fighting for.

“She has washed the feet of the saints”—This phrase is used to describe, both literally and metaphorically, women who have the humble heart of a servant, willing to perform a task often meant for a slave. Write out 1 Peter 4:10.

So Ladies, how are we doing? Do you find yourself faithfully living up to the model that comes along with a regenerated heart? As believers, our salvation is always a work in progress and doubtless we each have room for improvement. Lists such as these should not be a discouraging tool used to deal out shame, but rather a tool utilized to set goals for growth. Many people work better with goals, as they provide direction so they know what they should be aspiring towards. God’s Word provides countless means by which we can walk out godliness as women, wives, mothers, and sisters in Christ; these are but a few. Take this closing time to write out some ways that you can grow your faith this week by walking out some of Paul’s qualifications for a godly woman. Take heart! It’s never too late to do the next right thing.

Some parenting advice is given in Proverbs 22:6. If heeded, what is the result?

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

PHILIPPIANS 1:6



"Give her the product of her

hands, and let her works praise her in

the gates."PROV. 31:31

Do you remember those two topics earlier this week that I mentioned Paul would be addressing later? The topics of how to avoid becoming a self-indul-gent widow and why there is an age limit on the church’s ministry regarding widow welfare? We’ll be addressing that today. While some might ponder why such instruction is necessary, Paul’s advice is practical and realistic. Let’s read on.

Heavenly Father, help us to remember Your many attributes today. While You are a loving God, You are also a just and righteous God. We know that Your ways are the best ways. Help us to trust You and obey not only Your com-mands, but Your limitations as well.


Let’s look at verses 11-12. Who does Paul disqualify from enrollment?

In the above two verses, what is his reasoning?

In the time when Paul was writing these letters, it was common for a woman to pledge herself to the service of God after the death of her husband. This included a specific covenant that widows would make in order to be included on the widows list. They planned to devote the rest of their lives to the service of God and the church. Of this passage, Pas-tor John MacArthur writes, “[Their passions draw them away] is an expression that includes all that is involved in the marriage relationship, including sexual passion. Paul saw the danger that younger widows might want to escape from their vows to re-main single and be devoted only to God’s service; he knew the negative impact such feelings could have on young widows’ personal lives and ministry within the church. Such women were also marked out by false teachers as easy prey, causing them to leave the truth.”5

This covenant was likely well-meaning during the time of its commitment. During the moments of grief we all suffer at the loss of a loved one, many often (and rightfully so) seek solace in God and the church. Paul, however, knew that while older widows are likely capable of fulfilling such a life-long com-mitment as they have less time and desire to seek earthly romances, it was more probable that these young widows would, in time, desire remarriage. Rather than chance the likely possibility of these younger women tainting their reputation of their own ministry when they reneged on their vow, Paul thought it best that these younger widows seek re-marriage. Moving forward to our next passage, we see his secondary reasoning.



Based on 1 Timothy 5:13-15, what do younger widows run a greater risk of be-coming? Fill in the answer beside its corresponding definition below.

CHOOSE FROM THE FOLLOWING: Busybodies | Idlers | Gossips

What is Paul’s exhortation for younger widows in order to avoid being caught up in such snares?

A person given to unproductive talk and rumors, usually about personal or private affairs of others.

A person who pries into or meddles in the affairs of others.

A person who passes time in a lazy, unproductive way.

Ladies, it’s important that as children of God, we stay busy in His work. If you’re any-thing like me, you might find it hard to even imagine a life of idleness amidst the meal planning, school lessons, extra-curricular activity chauffeuring, Walmart pickups, and never ending pile of laundry...speaking of which, I need to go put in a load (sigh). But the Bible warns us time and again about times of inactivity. Ever heard the saying, “idle hands are the devil’s workshop”?

Write out Proverbs 31:27.

This verse is taken from the powerful passage describing the “Proverbs 31 woman.” There are whole Bible studies and women’s groups devoted to encouraging fellow sis-ters in Christ to strive towards this worthy woman described in God’s Word. We should not take this instruction lightly. Many good women have fallen victim to the sin of idle-ness which has commonly been known to lead to substance abuse, sexual impurity (in thought if not in action), gossip, depression, poverty, and just plain ol’ trouble. We should not only strive to keep ourselves out of the grasp of idleness, but our fellow Christian sisters as well.

Is this an area of your life in which you are currently struggling? If so, I would encour-age you to submit to Christ. Pray to Him for counsel and for a desire to be effective for the Kingdom of God. Humbly reach out to other believers. Accountability and encour-agement are powerful tools that God has given us to edify and uplift one another. Or perhaps you know of someone who is struggling with idleness. Be that sister that reaches out in love to pull her out of that spiraling pit.


Below are some possible activities to implement for yourself or for a fellow sister in Christ.Below are some possible activities to implement for yourself or for a fellow sister in Christ. the boxes that you put into practice routinely, and put a beside the items you’d like

to implement next time you or a fellow sister falls into idleness. Then, write down some of your own suggestions that you can do in order to keep your hands busy in God’s work. Feel free to add them to the MSI Facebook group or forum, we love to see the new ideas!

Join a Bible study group

Volunteer at church

Get involved in a charity

Wake up earlier

Exercise

Limit screen time

Pursue a hobby

Get a part-time job you would enjoy

Cook some meals for neighbors or friends

Apply the “two-minute” rule (If it takes less than two minutes to do, just do it and get it done.)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

“If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.” 1 Timothy 5:16

Paul closes out his instruction on widow welfare by reminding believers that the responsibility of caring for elderly widows lies primarily on the widow’s living family. If we, as believers who are held to a higher standard, cannot walk out our calling to love and serve one another, we certainly can-not expect it of unbelievers. And we see that playing out all across our country as our welfare and unemployment systems are grossly abused. Let us be an example to the people around us, not only in desire to serve but also to stay busy in God’s work. Take this closing time to read Proverbs 31:10-31, studying the description of a worthy woman. Perhaps you might meditate on a few verses, write down a couple inspirational highlights, journal some steps you might take towards such a lifestyle, or even start to memorize the passage (it’s possible, Ladies!) Let us show reverence to our Father by desiring to walk out His blessed calling.

“But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”

PROVERBS 31:30B NASB



“In the pres-ence of God and of Christ Jesus and of

the elect angels I charge you

to keep these rules without

prejudging, doing nothing

from partiality."

1 TIM. 5:21

We will close this month finishing up our study of Paul’s instruction for the church in Chapter 5 which is directed toward the elders of the church. Again, I would encourage you to look to apply these instructions in your own church life. Are Paul’s directions being walked out in your own church?

Heavenly Father, many of us struggle to find a biblical church. Truly, many of us struggle to even know the definition of a biblical church. In this short book, we have seen several qualifications for a biblical church and those who lead it. As we find ourselves in a post-Christian era, in a world plagued with false doc-trine and teachers, help us to turn to Your Word not only as recommendation but as the blueprint for our fellowship.

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, es-pecially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and ‘The laborer deserves his wages.’ ” 1 Timothy 5:17-18

How much honor should a well-ruling elder be considered worthy of?

Which type of elders does Paul emphasize worthy of such honor?

Why do you feel that Paul emphasizes these positions as worthy of such honor?

Look up James 3:1.

Why do you feel that God will judge those who teach with greater strictness?


When the time comes that we all stand before our great Creator to answer for our deeds here on earth, James clearly states that teachers will be held to a higher stan-dard. The leaders within our churches who are responsible for the teaching and preaching will be held more accountable because they may be the very shepherds that lead their lambs to their Savior or to the slaughter (no pressure, right?) So when we find ourselves blessed to be in a church with elders who rule well, give them the praise worthy of their efforts.

Take a moment to write out the names of some of your church leaders to whom you might reach out this week in order to thank them for their ministry. There’s a lot of work and pressure that goes into being a well-ruling leader and a little encouragement can go a long way for these servants of God.

In 1 Timothy 5:19, how many witnesses does Paul say is necessary to admit a charge against an elder?

Of verse 19, Pastor John MacArthur states, “This demand does not place elders be-yond accusation, but protects them from frivolous, evil accusers, by demanding the same process of confirmation of sin as for all in the church.” 6

Our society no longer seems to live by the phrase, “innocent until proven guilty.” Of-tentimes, all it takes is one whistle blown on a righteous individual and the evil of this world is chomping at the bit to smear that person’s reputation, irreversibly. The media (and many people) love a scandal, and while some may be “gracious” enough to cor-rect an error once proven otherwise, you cannot unblow a horn. The damage is done and the reputation of many decent people will never recover. Let us not be hasty to tear apart the ministry and influence of those who work diligently to lead us in God’s Word but rather utilize God’s directed due process to uncover and expose the truth.

“As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.” 1 Timothy 5:20

In Pastor MacArthur’s quote above, he mentions “the same process of confirmation of sin as for all the church,” and 1 Timothy 5:20 is what he’s talking about. It’s church dis-cipline as directed in Matthew 18:15-17. Take a moment to read Matthew’s instructions.



There are four steps when confronting a fellow believer about their ongoing sin. Put them in the correct order below:

Step ______ “If [your offending brother or sister] does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”

Step ______ “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.”

Step ______ “If he refuses to listen to even the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

Step ______ “If he refuses to listen [to two or three witnesses], tell it to the church.”

I’m here to tell you, this is hard stuff! Confronting a fel-low brother or sister in Christ about their sin is not a fun experience, nor should it be. If you ever find yourself rel-ishing in the prospect of telling someone their wrong, check your heart. You should never come at a situation such as this consumed with self-righteousness but rath-er with a heart of restoration. And a good indicator of the heart is whether the accuser is following the above steps. There is no need to publicly address a believer if one has not taken the consideration to first approach them privately, giving them the opportunity to repent and move forward.

But equally as important is following through on the remaining steps. I once heard a fellow brother tell the story of how he and his wife had a dear friend (also a believer) who had been dating a lovely young woman. After a time, the dating couple proceeded to move in together prior to marriage. After much prayer, my friend and his wife confronted the offending couple, pointing out to them their sin against each other and God. They gently compared the offending couple’s action to scrip-ture but firmly told them that if they continued in their sin, they could no longer continue to fellowship with them. As it turned out, the offending couple was rather moved by their act of love. The young woman decided to live with her parents until the time they were married, and they decided to move forward with their nuptials. While every situation may not be quite so harmonious, consider how much more repentance there would be in

the world if we all had the love and boldness to walk out this calling. In fact, it’s what one of our first church elders commanded when Paul said,

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiali-ty.” 1 Timothy 5:21


I want to briefly clarify that the “laying on of hands” was a practice used to affirm a man’s suitability as an elder within the church. Paul is simply instructing caution against making any quick decisions regarding church leadership. As we’ve learned previously, it is much more difficult to remove someone from a position of pow-er than to withhold that power until they have proven themselves worthy and capable. Further, we’ve learned in today’s study that electing an ill-fitting leader can be at the very detriment of a congregation as well as that leader. In such decisions, we should be wise and discern-ing, always measuring against God’s Word.

“The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.” 1 Timothy 5:24-25


Take a moment to summarize this verse.

How does this verse speak to you?

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righ-teousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will

award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

2 TIMOTHY 4:8

As the saying goes, “time and truth go hand-in-hand.” In a world where we all desire instant gratification, we must learn the fruit of patience. Some sins may be obvious but Paul states that others will be exposed in time. While the good works that we per-form should never be for self-service, Paul assures us that even the humblest of good deeds will be brought to light eventually. The whole emphasis on this instruction for choosing elders is for people to be fair, impartial, patient, and pure. Time will shed light on the eligibility of an individual as a church leader. Let us not rush God’s meth-ods which are perfect in every way.

These last two verses apply to our lives as well, Precious Women. Both our unrepen-tant sins in the shadows and selfless good deeds will come to light, in time. Eventually, the cream will rise to the top; perhaps known by many or perhaps only by one. And yes, there is the chance that recompense doesn’t happen in this lifetime. Take heart, this earth is not our home. We are here for only a little while. Take solace in knowing that God is good and He is just. Rest assured that all our actions, good and bad, are seen by Him. Keep the faith and finish the race, Warrior of Christ. While we may not always see justice served, God is certain to make all things right at the finish. And likewise, while we may not feel sufficiently rewarded in this lifetime, a crown of righ-teousness and heavenly home with our loving Father awaits us in the time to come.


KidStrongRead 1 Timothy 6:11-16.

Most kids know a thing or two about fighting. Do you? Typically we think of fighting as a bad thing because, well, often it is.

Well in this passage Paul tells Timothy to “fight the good fight of faith.” And no, he’s not talking about a literal fight! We aren’t supposed to go swinging our fists and Bibles at others (or our-selves!) who aren’t walking rightly.

So what does Paul mean here? What’s this fighting business?

Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

The reality is we are in a spiritual war. The war is waged by Satan against God. He hates God and therefore wants to de-stroy what God loves. And what does God love? Us! Even when we have Jesus in our hearts, while we live on this earth, we are prone to wander and fall into the temptation of sin. This is bad because sin separates us from relationship with God.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH


While we are on this earth, every day is a fight to follow Jesus. Just before our passage in 1 Timothy 6:11-16, Paul listed all types of falling away, like the pursuit of being important or right or rich. All those things pull us from the One who loves our souls—Jesus.

This is our fight: we are to flee these things and pursue

RIGHTEOUSNESS

GODLINESS

FAITH

LOVE

STEADFASTNESS

GENTLENESS

Take a moment and talk about what each one of these words means. Feel free to pull out a dictionary, too!

Our hope in eternal life is found only in Jesus. There are lots of things that look shiny and tempting on this earth. There’s always something new and exciting to chase after, but only Jesus can offer eternal joy, “He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has im-mortality, who dwells in unapproach-able light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eter-nal dominion.” vs.15-16 (ESV)

Follow Him, fight the good fight and never stop.

Let’s pray. Jesus, King of Kings, You alone are our Hope and Freedom. Thank You for all You have done for us! For taking our place and dying for our sins. For accepting us into Your eternal kingdom. For loving us and pursuing us, even while we were still sinners. May we follow You and bless You with our whole lives. Help us to fight the good fight by the power of Your strength! In Jesus’ name, amen.

2 week 1 fight to the hsnfi i

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