Category Archives: Advice

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CHILD BEARING

1 TIMOTHY 2:15

“But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”

I have to admit something. I don’t fully understand every verse of the Bible (big surprise, right?). And today’s verse is one of those. There are as many interpretations of this verse as there are commentators. I don’t have the time or space in this devotional to argue every one of them. So, I am going to give it my best shot with the warning to check it out yourself.

The word “women” is not in the original. This verse is actually referring back to Eve in verse 14, but has reference to all women in the last part. Paul seems to be attempting to back off the harsh words of the previous verses. Women were the vessel the Lord used to bring forth the Messiah. Women have the incredible responsibility of child bearing and rearing. And that is done through self-restraint as they practice faith, love and sanctity.

APPLICATION

Okay, here is the challenge. How do you apply this verse to your children?  Well, Paul is NOT saying that your little Gertrude’s sole role is child bearing. Children don’t “complete” a woman anymore than marrying does. They are not saved by giving birth to children. But, if the Lord allows them the privilege of children, He has a duty for them. They are to practice faith, love and sanctity with self-restraint.

What is self-restraint? It actually means soundness of mind, sanity, self-control, or sobriety. The word was used previously in 1 Timothy 2:9 where it was translated “self-control.” So perhaps the lesson is not about child bearing at all. It’s more about learning to exercise self-restraint. That can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Are you showing self-restraint? In your walk with Christ, are you continuing in faith, love and sanctity with self-restraint? This admonition applies to all believers, not just the female ones. Men need self-restraint just as much as women, maybe more. Allow the Holy Spirit to control you so you can show the world how a believer lives.

Lord, I am thankful I don’t have to fully understand every verse of Scripture. I know as I am able to grasp its truths You will reveal the hidden treasures to me. Thank You.

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DECEPTION

1 TIMOTHY 2:14

“And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.”  

In this sixth verse of Paul’s instructions to women in 1 Timothy he returns to the Garden of Eden again. Timothy had heard this story, I am sure, from his Jewish mother. If you read this verse without the fuller context of Paul’s other letters, you could get the impression that Paul is blaming Eve for all of man’s problems. Paul is simply pointing out the order of the events in the garden.

The issue is not who was deceived first as much as it is the deception itself. Adam and Eve were both deceived by the evil one. He is still deceiving people today. I have been at events where it was obvious he was at work deceiving people. This Greek word has the idea of a baited hook. The hook is there, but the bait is just too good to pass up.

APPLICATION

Now, here is a perfect verse to teach your children the deception of the devil. Take them fishing and use some live bait. As you are baiting their hook talk about how the fish just can’t resist that bait. They see it and ignore the hook. The enticement of the bait is just too much. So, they are deceived into thinking they have a free meal. Once they bite, it’s too late.

Explain to your children that they are susceptible to the same deception from the devil. He will bait the hook for them with something he knows they want. They may even see the hook, but just can’t resist the bait. But Satan keeps his hooks sharp. They will cause pain. They will cause grief. The lure of sin is great, but with the Holy Spirit as their guide, they can avoid these deceptions.

Have you bitten the bait? Have you been deceived? It’s not too late. You may have a scar from that hook, but Jesus can cut that line that is holding you back. We all fall sometimes. Falling isn’t the end. Get back up. Let Jesus remove that hook and begin the healing in your life.  He wants you back in the kingdom work, not sidelined by sin.

Lord, point out to me those hidden hooks of sin that so easily entice me. Give me Your wisdom and discretion to recognize the bait when I see it. I want to serve You.

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BE QUIET, WOMAN

1 TIMOTHY 2:11

“A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.” 

I bet the title today caught your attention. Before you get up in arms and write me a seething letter, let me explain. The word “quietly” here does NOT mean speechless. That’s a totally different Greek word. This word means a “God-produced calm which includes an inner tranquility that supports appropriate action.” 

And why should she stay calm? So she can be discipled. That’s what “receive instruction” means. In fact, that word is the word from which we get “disciple.” She can only be discipled if she is willing to be submissive to the one who is discipling her. You cannot teach or disciple anyone who is not willing to be discipled. 

APPLICATION

I truly believe this verse applies to all of us, not just women. Our children cannot be discipled unless they are willing to submit to their parents. Fathers cannot be discipled unless they submit to the one who wants to invest in their lives. You see, it’s not just about women.

So, Mom and Dad, model submissiveness. This teaches your children to do the same. Show that calm spirit that you want them to have. Allow others to disciple you. There is no higher calling than to disciple your children to follow Christ. But you have to model this yourself first.

Do you demand your rights? Do you refuse to follow anyone’s direction? By doing that you are showing an example to others of the exact opposite Christ desires in you. What do you think Christ wants you to do – be rebellious and stubborn or submissive and teachable? Do what you know He desires.

O Lord God, teach me to be calm in spirit and learn from others. Help me come up under their leadership and portray to others a teachable manner. I want to please You.

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GOOD WORKS

1 TIMOTHY 2:10

“but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.” 

To properly understand this verse, you have to go back to verse 9. You know that is true of every verse in Scripture. You can’t just take the verse out of context. That’s what causes a lot of confusion and dissensions. Stick to the context.

And here, you have to go back to see Paul discussing how the ladies should adorn themselves. Paul is saying what you wear and how you look outwardly isn’t the important thing. The important thing is to let your walk match your talk. He is NOT saying good deeds is the mark of godliness. That would go against all his other teachings. He is saying that if you claim to love Jesus you will be about doing good works, not because you have to but because you want to.

APPLICATION

This is so important to teach our children. We do not want them thinking they have to “perform” to get our love or God’s love. It’s what is in the heart that matters. Their behavior or good deeds are merely an outpouring of their love for us and God. We obey and do because we are loved and because we love. We don’t have to do those things to be loved.

How can you teach this? The next time your little Johnny really blows it (and he will, lol) show him love. You may still have to discipline him in some manner but pull him close and hug him tight. Let him know that nothing he can do will ever diminish the love you have for him. He can’t earn it. It is just yours to give freely.

Are you trying to get God to love you more by doing stuff for Him? Stop it. Your godliness is not portrayed because of your good works. Your godliness is shown through submission to your holy God. Then as He tells you to do certain things, you do them to honor Him, not to get Him to love you back.  Isn’t that great? His love is freely given. 

Father, I desire to please you in all I do. Thank You I don’t have to earn Your love, though. Thank You for loving me despite me being me.

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YOU ARE NOT WEARING THAT

1 TIMOTHY 2:9

“Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,” 

Modesty seems to be a thing of the past. Have you walked through a mall lately? The things people are wearing and the things the stores are selling can be very, should we say, revealing. I know, I know. Every generation screams this. There was a day when if a woman’s ankle showed below her dress she was horrible.

But modesty isn’t just about what we wear. It’s about so much more. This Greek word for “modesty” is only used right here in this verse. It actually refers to an act that precedes or prevents a shameful act. Hmmm, Paul is trying to encourage the women to do just that. Modesty, in other words, can help prevent wrong things from happening.

APPLICATION

Modesty isn’t just for girls, though. This is appropriate for all of us. We should not only dress modestly, but we should behave that way. We should never present ourselves in such a way that lures others to make bad choices.  As parents, we teach our children modesty to protect them. When they are toddlers, it is cute to see them run around the house naked. Not so much when they are 10 or 12 or 18, right? 

But we teach them also not to draw attention to themselves. Remember, as believers we should always be pointing others to Jesus. When we dress or behave in such a way that all attention is on us, then we have strayed from our mission – to lead others to Him. Modesty helps us achieve our goal.

Maybe you struggle with this issue. Perhaps you like to flirt or show yourself off. Will you examine your heart today and ask the Lord to reveal how you should display modesty? He wants you to never be ashamed. He died so that you would not feel that way ever again. He is the image of modesty. Follow Him.

Let my every action point to You, O Lord. Make me aware of anything that pushes people away from You. 

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I’M NOT LYING

1 TIMOTHY 2:7

“For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”

Boy, oh boy, how many times have you heard that as a parent after catching your child red-handed? They begin to lie to cover up their actions. One lie leads to another lie, and before they know it, they have dug themselves a very deep hole.

The meaning of the Greek word “lying” is to willfully misrepresent or mislead. You know exactly what you are doing, and you still do it. Paul is ensuring Timothy that he is NOT lying. He was simply telling the truth about his calling. As hard as it may seem to many, Paul was called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

APPLICATION

So, how do you teach your children not to lie? By holding them accountable for the lies they tell. Some people think little children telling fibs is cute. It is not. Little lies, if gotten away with, just leads to bigger lies later. Their little minds are thinking, “If I got away with this, what can I get away with later?” Don’t let them. No matter how small you think the lie is, confront it.

But don’t go to the extreme and try to catch them in a lie. Reward truth telling and discipline lying. Children respond to praise (so do we adults). When they tell the truth, praise them vehemently. Let them know how proud you are they told you the truth, even though it may have meant getting into trouble. Afterall, as believers we only have one choice – be truthful. 

Are you tempted to tell little half-lies? So many people are. They figure as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else, it’s okay. Well, it’s not. Christ indwells us. Truth indwells us. Truth and falsehood can’t cohabitate. They just don’t get along. Tell the truth. Believe the truth. Celebrate the truth.

O God, You are Truth. All that is true is You. You cannot stand for falsehood in any form. Help me to remain true to You and Your Word.

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OUR GO BETWEEN

1 TIMOTHY 2:5

“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” 

Just what exactly is a “Go Between”? Well, that’s what a mediator is. It is someone who intervenes to restore the peace between two people or groups. You see it a lot in the legal field. In fact, you can get certified as an official mediator and make a very good living at it. Unfortunately, people are always fighting about something, so we need mediators.

And we have the perfect mediator, Jesus Christ, who mediates between God and us. He paid the price for our sins and continues to intervene on our behalf before His Father in heaven. He has mediated a new covenant, according to Hebrews 8:6; 9:15 and 12:24.  Aren’t you thankful for His mediation on your behalf?

APPLICATION

The next time you have to “mediate” between your children, remember this verse. I am sure if you have more than one child, there will an occasion shortly when you can apply this verse. You may have to come in and stop a fight or an argument. You will have to be the mediator.

After you have calmed the storm and returned the peace (at least for a while) share this verse with them. Explain that Jesus, not only mediated for us way back then, but He is still mediating for us now. Part of the mediator’s job is to guarantee “the performance of all the terms stipulated in a covenant (agreement).” In other words, He makes sure both people stick to the agreement. Sounds like parenting, huh?  

Christ Jesus is mediating for you this very moment. When Satan accuses you of your sins, He is right there at the Father to speak up for you. His blood has been used to mediate peace between you and our holy God. He is the ONLY ONE who can serve as this mediator. No one else is qualified. Give Him thanks today!

O Jesus, my mediator, I give You praise for interceding on my behalf. I thank You for continuing to mediate for me. I would be lost without You.

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IN GOD’S EYE

1 TIMOTHY 2:3

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,”

When I travel to my other two home countries of Uganda and Kenya I am normally greeted by “You are most welcome.” That is to say my friends there are very glad to see me. I am very welcomed in their homes. I just love that. I know I can rest and enjoy my time there because I am welcomed just like I am part of the family.

The word “acceptable” comes from the verb form of the word which means just that. You see when we pray as Paul instructed in verses 1 and 2, we are welcomed into the very sight of God. In His eyes we are doing good, which inspires others. He is pleased. He is blessed by our prayer life. Did you read that right? Yes, God is blessed by our obedience to pray.

APPLICATION

How have your children blessed you? Have they done something you have instructed them to do lately without being reminded? That always blesses our hearts, doesn’t it? I will never forget the time my son mowed and trimmed our yard in Florida while I was away on a trip. When I returned home to see it done (and done well), I was blessed.

Explain to your little Elrod that God is blessed when He sees him doing what is expected. Willful obedience is so much better than forced obedience. Doing what we are asked or commanded to do in His Word is expected. We have clear instructions to follow. Teach your child to do as the Lord asks. They will see God’s response. He will be blessed and will also bless. 

Do you struggle to obey? Do you obey kicking and screaming? I have to admit that there are times when I do. I feel just like Paul in Romans 7 when he says he does what he doesn’t want to do and doesn’t do what he wants to do. I may eventually yield to the Spirit, but I am worn out in the process. Don’t do that. Surrender your will to His today. Do what is good and acceptable in His sight.

I want to be pleasing in Your sight today, O Father. I want to know that all I do is good and acceptable to You. Forgive me when I fail to obey.

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WHY PRAY?

1 TIMOTHY 2:2

“for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” 

Do you like to pray? Or do you find it hard to pray? I have discovered something in my almost 60 years of living. The more I pray the easier it is. The more I pray the more I am at peace. The more I pray the more tranquil and quiet my spirit becomes. Now, that doesn’t mean I am always calm or patient. Stuff happens that can get me excited or anxious. But when I pray the peace returns.

“Tranquil” is described as the “lifestyle of someone who is composed, self-contained or discreet.” That person avoids the spotlight. They prefer composure and calm.  “Quiet” actually refers to a “divinely-inspired inner calmness.” Does that describe you? If not, perhaps you need to pray more, lol. I know I do. I have never heard anyone say they regretted praying too much. You won’t either.

APPLICATION

There is something calming about a child’s prayer. Maybe it’s the tone and pitch of their voice. Maybe because it is so innocent and unassuming. Whatever it is, I love to hear children pray. Encourage your little Johnny to pray. Model it for him. I am sure when you pray with your child you go to a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. That’s good, but it’s not the only place where you can pray.

I have prayed in busy restaurants for waitresses who broke down and sobbed as I prayed. I have prayed (literally) in the middle of an interstate after being rear ended by another driver. I will pray just about anywhere it is physically safe to pray. And we should teach our children to do the same. Pray with them and watch the tranquility and quietness fall.

Prayer will force you to focus. Prayer, real prayer, will require you let go of yourself and concentrate on the Lord. Oh, listen to me beloved, God wants to hear you call His name. He is always ready to bring tranquility and quietness into your life. So, take the time today to pray.

You are always listening, Lord. I know that. I thank You for the peace You give as I lift my voice to You.

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AN URGE TO PRAY

1 TIMOTHY 2:1

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,…”

If you have ever had any doubts as to how you ought to pray, this verse should answer them. Paul spells out how to pray here in four unique and separate ways. Entreaties means “heart-felt petition, arising out of deep personal need coming from a sense of lack or want. Prayers literally means an “exchange of wishes.” You are swapping your desires for God’s desires. Petitions implies a “Spirit-directed intervention.” These are the prayers on behalf of others. And finally, Paul mentions thanksgivings which is “the giving of thanks for God’s grace.”

So, you are to let God know your needs (entreaties), pray His will (prayers), pray for others (petitions) and give Him thanks (thanksgivings). Pretty plain, huh? Are you still confused? Don’t be. Just start practicing these four things each day.

APPLICATION

Teaching our children to pray can be a real joy. Don’t cramp their style as they pray. Let them just talk to God. Don’t correct their theology during their prayers. That’s left for another time. Just let them pray. I truly believe the Lord bends His ear a little closer to the earth to hear the prayers of His little ones.

And may I encourage you to do something special? When your children are praying for a specific need they have or for something for someone else, make a note of that and the date they began praying for that. And then when (not if) God answers that prayer, bring out that note and show them. Children need to see answered prayers. God uses that to build their faith.

Do you believe in prayer? Do you have the urge to pray? I go through a daily, weekly and monthly prayer list each day. It keeps me in touch with my Master. I love talking to Him. Why? Because I now He is ALWAYS listening. He never tunes me out. As I pray and trust I rest in His sovereign timing to answer. Will you?

I am so thankful that You are listening to me, Lord. I know You care about my needs and the needs of others. Help me pray in such a way that all I desire is Your Will for my life.

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