Category Archives: Motherhood

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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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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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TIME TO FIGHT

1 TIMOTHY 1:18

“This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight,” 

If you aren’t aware, we are in a fight. It’s a real fight against a real enemy. I know we are told over and over that we shouldn’t fight. But this fight is not going away. This fight has eternal consequences. What fight am I talking about? The battle we fight daily against the devil. 

I know, I know. You are probably saying, “Carl, don’t talk about the devil. He is not concerned about me.” Keep thinking like that, and you are already defeated. The devil is real, and he is constantly revising his battle plans to defeat us. As believers, he can’t “unsave” us, but he can sure make our lives miserable and unfit for service.

APPLICATION

I am sure you teach your children that fighting is bad. You should. There is rarely a good reason to fight. We certainly shouldn’t be throwing the first punch. But all that has to do with people. I’m talking about a spiritual war. This is one in which we need to equip our children with every weapon available. They need to be trained as well as any Special Ops soldier.

How do you do that? The same way the military prepares their soldiers. You have to train them. They need daily time in God’s Word. They need to be taught how to study the Word for themselves. They need to be taught how to prepare. And then they need to be taken on some missions to apply those skills. We, as parents, need to be the ones who help our children use those spiritual warfare tactics.

Are you equipped for the fight? Are you strapping on your spiritual weapons each day? You need to. You can’t take off one day from this battle. The second you let your guard down, Satan will attack. He looks for our weak points and plans his attack. Be ready. Be diligent. Fight the good fight.

I am thankful, Lord, that I do not fight alone. I know You are my Commander-in-Chief. As long as I follow Your orders, I will be victorious over my enemies.

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AN EXAMPLE

1 TIMOTHY 1:16

“Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.” 

Could the Lord use you as an example? Paul was used that way. The Lord saved him from certain destruction and set him up as an example of His mercy and grace. God showed Paul patience as only God could do. 

Paul saw God’s actions as purposeful, not just for himself, but for others, as well. Paul’s salvation and life in Christ were an example God was using to draw others to Himself. Can God do that with you? Is your life one that the Lord can hold up to show others what He can do in someone who is surrendered to Him? 

APPLICATION

Sometimes we parents will tell one of our children, “Why can’t you be more like your sister (or brother)?” We compare their behaviors. That is NOT what I am talking about here. We should never compare our children. God has created each of them unique. They each have their strengths and weaknesses. Instead, we should always point them to Christ. Let Him be their example.

You also have to be an example to them. Your life should be a reflection of Christ to them, so they can see what a true believer looks like. That doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. No one is. But we are the ones the Lord has entrusted with this little life. He gave them to us to give back to Him. Do all you can to ensure you are doing that.

Okay, so how are you doing? If a total stranger met you for the first time, would they know within a few minutes that you are a child of the King? Better yet, do your close friends and family see Christ lived out in your life every day? Can the Lord say you are an example of His perfect patience?

Thank You, Father, for extending Your grace to me. I am grateful for Your perfect patience in my life. Without it I would be doomed for eternity.

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I’M NUMBER ONE

1 TIMOTHY 1:15

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”  

Paul called himself the number one sinner. Why would anyone do that? That is not a title I want. But he was making a point. Jesus died for all sinners, even the worst sinner of all. Paul, obviously, was reflecting on his past actions before he came to Christ. He was a persecutor of the early church. He sanctioned murder of Christians. He was there when the first martyr, Stephen, fell. He was, in fact, eager to bring them all to justice.

So, how does this relate to us? We are just as bad. We may not have killed anyone or persecuted anyone, but our sins are just as wicked. Our sins, left unforgiven, will lead us directly to hell. There are no little sins. Sin is sin – period. We all vie for the title of number one sinner.

APPLICATION

If you are like most parents, you don’t want to see your little Johnny or Susie as a sinner. Sure, they misbehave at times, but to think they will spend eternity separated from a holy God breaks your heart. It is hard to accept. But it is the truth. Unless your little angel turns to Christ and surrenders their will to His, they will not see the glory of heaven.

Our number one job as parents is to do all we can to introduce them to Jesus. We must prepare the spiritual environment in our homes to allow them to know Him and accept Him. We can’t make them choose Christ, but we must do everything within our power to prepare the way. How are you doing with that?

And this responsibility doesn’t just apply to our household. We are commanded by God to share His good news to everyone. Are you sharing that? Will you share that today? Ask the Lord to send people into your life today with whom you can share the greatest story ever told. You won’t regret it. It will be the best part of your day.

O God, Savior of my soul, thank You for redeeming me. Thank You for not turning Your back on me when I came seeking You. I, like Paul, am the foremost of sinners.

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SERVING

1 TIMOTHY 1:12

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,” 

What does it mean to serve someone? I never worked as a waiter or server in a restaurant. There just weren’t many places to eat in my hometown. But my son, Christopher, worked for a number of years in a couple of places. He was good at it. He made sure his customers were served well. Their dining experience was his priority.

The word “service” in this verse is the word we get “deacon” from. Deacons are servants. They serve the body of Christ. They were never meant to be the ones who governed the church. So many churches have that wrong. A true deacon has a servant’s heart. They serve at the pleasure of our Lord and serve for one purpose – to help the church proclaim the Gospel.

APPLICATION

Your children can learn to serve, as well. Service is a good thing. Serving others teaches humility. Serving others for Christ is fulfilling. Serving others allows them to put others above self. And look at how the Lord sees it in today’s verse. He considers us faithful to serve. It’s all about faith.

So, how can your children serve? How about helping clean rooms at church? No church has enough help cleaning. How about helping in the nursery (if they are old enough)? No church has enough nursery workers. How about helping serve snacks at Vacation Bible School? There are numerous ways in which your children can serve the Body of Christ. And teaching them this early will set them on the right path of service as they grow up.

Whom are you serving? Don’t look on service as a chore. Look on it as a privilege. You have the opportunity to show your love for Jesus by serving other believers. The Lord wants you to learn the joy of serving. Will you?

I am thankful I can serve others. Help me see it as You do, Lord. I want to be obedient to You as You lead me to serve.

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