Gary Gleans

Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been   the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has   shown hospitality,   has washed the feet of the saints, has   cared for the afflicted, and has   devoted herself to every good work.    But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when   their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry   and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith.    Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also   gossips and   busybodies, saying what they should not.  So I would have   younger widows marry, bear children,   manage their households, and   give the adversary no occasion for slander.    For some have already strayed after Satan.    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

Honor widows   who are truly widows.    But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn   to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for   this is pleasing in the sight of God.    She   who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and   continues in supplications and prayers night and day,   but   she who is self-indulgent is   dead even while she lives.    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. The church has a responsibility to care for the widows that are in their midst.  However, the primary responsibility falls to family members who are of the faith.  It important for the testimony of the church and the Christian family in the community that widows be taken care of.  The way we treat these women will demonstrate the love

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. Teaching is an important part of ministry as we saw in the previous passage.  However, another important part of ministry or a different aspect of teaching is encouraging.  All believers on this side of eternity require confrontation and correction of sin.  However, we also need to be given hope and be encouraged in the Lord.  Churches are made up of a wide variety of ages as well as men and women.  The wise minister will understand how to distinguish between how they will serve these different groups most effectively. ENCOURAGING MEN:  Timothy is a young man but was called to minister to older men.  As a minister of God’s Word, he has the authority to teach God’s Word and to exhort these older men.  However, this must be done with the proper respect and honor.  Rebuking an older man will, very likely, not produce the desired

Command and teach   these things.    Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers   an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.  Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.    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.    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. Teaching the Word of God to the people of God is key component to effective ministry.  It is a privilege to be able to devote oneself to studying the Bible and proclaiming what we learn to others.  It is also a huge responsibility and can expose us to being criticized or even rejected.  Ministry is a dangerous vocation because it makes us vulnerable to judgment from God, human authoritie

If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have   followed.    Have nothing to do with irreverent,   silly myths. Rather   train yourself for godliness;   for while   bodily training is of some value, godliness   is of value in every way, as   it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.    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. Job descriptions are important to the success of every leader.  The minister of the Gospel needs to understand what is expected of him.  Paul wants to make sure that Timothy understands what his ministry should entail.  These same responsibilities continue to be ours as we strive to serve the Lord and help others to do the same. EXPLAIN TRUTH AN

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 insincerity of   liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and   require abstinence from foods   that God created   to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.    For   everything created by God is good, and   nothing is to be rejected if it is   received with thanksgiving,   for it is made holy   by the word of God and prayer. One of the reasons it is so important to keep the church in good working order and have qualified leaders for the church is the certainty of false prophets coming on the scene.  The church is to faithfully proclaim and defend the truth of God’s Word so the false teachers will not be able to gain a foothold.  Satan is always striving to make us turn from faith in Christ for the glory of God to trust in our own efforts for our own glory.    THE COMING O

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:    H e  was manifested in the flesh,   vindicate d  by the Spirit,   seen by angels,   proclaimed among the nations,   believed on in the world,   taken up in glory. The church is the institution created by God for the advancement of His mission in the world.  We all belong to the Church as the Body of Christ that is basically invisible.  However, we are called to be part of local churches that gather as visible bodies of believers in Christ.  Each church is unique and has a role to play in the outworking of God’s will.  However, there are certain truths that are essential to every church.  Paul writes to make sure that these truths are known and followed.   PROCEDURE IN CHURCH: The instructions given in thi

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine,   not greedy for dishonest gain.  They must   hold the mystery of the faith with   a clear conscience.    And   let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.    Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded,   faithful in all things.    Let deacons each be   the husband of one wife,   managing their children and their own households well.    For   those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. Paul continues his instructions concerning the officers of the church.  Deacons serve an important role in the life of the church.  They have many of the same qualifications as the elders but they are not required to possess the gift of teaching.  The apostles appointed deacons in the early church to help in the distribution of food to the widows.  It se

The saying is   trustworthy: If anyone aspires to   the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.    Therefore   an overseer must be above reproach,   the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable,   hospitable,   able to teach,   not a drunkard, not violent but   gentle, not quarrelsome,   not a lover of money.    He must manage his own household well, with all dignity   keeping his children submissive,   for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for   God's church?    He must not be a recent convert, or he may   become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.    Moreover, he must be well thought of by   outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into   a snare of the devil. One of Timothy’s jobs while he was in Ephesus was to establish leadership in the church that would serve the body faithfully.  Paul provides the qualifications for the elders that would be entrusted with the respons

Let a woman learn quietly   with all submissiveness.    I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.    For Adam was formed first,   then Eve;   and Adam was not deceived, but   the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.    Yet she will be saved through   childbearing—if they continue in   faith and love and holiness, with self-control. There is certainly controversy and confusion about this passage in many churches today.  The idea of a distinction between men and women and their roles in the family and church certainly goes against the flow of many cultures around the world.  Some would argue that the literal and plain teaching of this passage is no longer applicable to today’s culture.  However, it is always dangerous to discard biblical teaching or try to interpret Scripture based on the cultures in which we live.  Certainly, the Spirit who inspired this text was aware of the many changes that would occur in future cul

I desire then that   in every place the men should pray,   lifting   holy hands without anger or quarreling;   likewise also   that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.    It is important to remember that the general subject of this passage is prayer.  Paul has given clear instructions about that things we need to take before the Lord in prayer.  Praying for our authorities, the salvation of others, and ministers of the Gospel is something that should be true of both our private and public prayers.  This passage turns to the subject of the prerequisites Paul places on those who will exercise the ministry of public prayer. PUBLIC PRAYER FOR MEN: Prayer in general and public prayer should be marked by a reverence and recognition that we are talking to God.  Preparation should be made for prayer in our relations

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and   dignified in every way.    This is good, and   it is pleasing in the sight of   God our Savior,   who desires   all people to be saved and   to come to   the knowledge of the truth.    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.   Prayer is one of the greatest privileges believers have and it should be one of our greatest priorities.  Too often our lives are more often marked by complaining about our circumstances and our political leaders than by prayers for them.  The government in Paul’s day