Faithful to Pray in the Name of the Lord

Faithful Praying

1 Timothy 2:1-15

The truth is, most all people in church and many outside the church think they know how to use the wonderful gift of prayer!

Prayer in its simplest form is just talking to God, through the Holy Spirit, by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Believe it or not, we can just talk to God without asking Him for a thing!

We are to end our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ because He is not only our Savior but also our Intercessor.

Those who believe they can lose their salvation are saying that the Lord Jesus Christ is a failure, which is impossible!

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

And for those who are still confused, The Lord Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible and there is no other God!

Knowing this, our own prayer life is the most important tool in our arsenal when it comes to dealing with everyday life in this world or anything else!

Prayer is so important, that the Lord Jesus taught us to pray with the model prayer.

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ prayed constantly and everything He did was an example for us!

The subject of is this lesson is more about public prayer rather than closet prayer, even though both type prayers can be very similar in content at times.

Another thing, in fact a major part of our prayer life, is that God expects us to put aside our own needs, which He already knows, and pray for others, so that can show that we are not just about self.

It should also be clear to us in this quarter, God is teaching us about the organization of the Church, that has Jesus Christ as the foundation.

The Church is formed from all those who are faithful in following the lead of the Lord Jesus Christ which was the message of Chapter 1.

It is only the "faithful" who can truly expect to get the help of God!

There are people praying all around this world, some many times each day, but they are wasting their time if they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and the only God, and they are yet sinners in need of this Savior!

This may hurt but it is still the truth!

Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Chapter 2 Verse 1

*****1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty".

As we ended last week’s lesson, we know that Paul had delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan, because they were still his children and had no part in the Church at Ephesus other than cause problems.

Immediately after this Paul begins his instruction for public prayer or some would say corporate prayer.

Supplications, are those prayers imploring the help of God in a time of need.

Intercessory prayers, are when believing people pray for others including those who do not know our Savior.

The giving of thanks, is a prayer directly to our Heavenly Father, to thank Him for the things He has already done and for the things He is about to do, if you pray in a heart of faith!

That phrase "for all men" does not leave any one out!

In fact, "it is our duty" to pray for the Church and the lost, no matter who they are!

It is our duty to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

It is our duty to pray for our national leaders and our nation!

We cannot refuse to do the things that Jesus Christ did on earth and now in Heaven, if we are to be like Him!

That word "exhort" can mean "to encourage" but it can also mean a "desire" that, as Christians and the Church, that we do not neglect, do not ignore, and do not bypass any living human being when we pray.

It is sin to bypass anyone in our prayers!

When we pray for the helping the hand of God, we are acknowledging that God is the source of all power!

If we do not have faith that God is able fulfill our request, then we are wasting our time praying!

Every person needs prayer and those who are lost cannot reach into the throne room of God, unless they are praying for their own salvation first, which He will hear and answer immediately, if prayed in faith!

There are many people who humble themselves before some false deity many times a day, but if they all knew the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior they would be heard.

Even if just God's people would get serious about prayer, this world would take notice of the power behind our prayers!

We should certainly pray for those who are in authority, that they would make the right decisions and they would have good councilors.

It would certainly be hard to pray for evil rulers but even they can be saved!

We must consider that when the Holy Spirit gave these words to Paul, it was Nero, a most evil Roman ruler who ruled much of the world at that time and the Christians were to pray for even him.

Why should we pray for rulers? That we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty.

We should pray that we would always have the freedom to worship our God, the Lord Jesus Christ

1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

We could ask ourselves why would be pray for evil rulers? The answer is that God said so, Jesus Christ died for every human being who has ever lived and because it is good and acceptable in the sight of our God, our Savior.

*****1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

We should pray for our nation and its rulers because we know who sits on the throne in Heaven and it is He that moves this world according to His own will!

We should pray for all people to be saved!

God would have all mankind to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth of the Gospel".

If they all do not want to be saved, then they would have least had the choice to be saved!

The most wonderful thing we know as Christians is that we have a God who saves because He is a God of "Mercy"!

This most amazing plan of God is that His will for all the world to be saved is the motive behind all His actions in this world!

Therefore, God will never change His actions because it would go against His will.

Anything that God did against His plans for this world would be sin and God simply cannot sin.

God can never go against His written Word!

We may never understand why God does the things He does, but we should understand that He has our best interest in mind at all times!

God not only loves those who come to the knowledge of His saving "Grace”, but we must be aware that our Lord died for His enemies which we all were before we understood the "Mercy" and the "Grace" of our God, The Lord Jesus Christ!

Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Isa 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

The thing that religions hate the most is not that there is a God, but the fact that our God, is the Lord Jesus Christ!

This truth that is rejected by this world, but it is the only truth that you can reach if you study the Word of God!

*****1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

If there were in fact many Gods as the world chooses to believe, then there would be many ways to get to Heaven but in fact this to goes against the Word of the true God!

In Christianity when we speak of God we speak of the Supreme Majesty of this universe, the Creator, the Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ.

When we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ then we will know His plan of salvation!

Jesus Christ is God our Savior who gave Himself, a ransom for all, to physical death therefore we are redeemed by His blood!

Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

The key then to salvation is not only be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ but also to be wash in the "Word" of God!

1Jn_5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, "the Word", and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh_1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

And this means we are washed in the blood of Jesus.

Since all these things are true and there is only one God, then there is only one way to reach Him and only one way to be saved!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1Co 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and "that there is none other God but one".

Since all these things are true and they are, then it is only those who are ordained by the calling of the Lord Jesus Christ that we should listen to in this world and not any other who would all be false!

*****1Ti 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

The Apostle Paul was called specifically to reach out to the Gentiles with this amazing plan of God and there were others who helped him.

Most of the other Apostles were sent to the Jews with this same message of Jesus Christ they were all martyred early except the Apostle John who died of old age, still preaching the "Gospel" on his death bed.

There are no truer words than the Word of God!

Ecc 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

Ecc 12:10 "The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth".

Eph 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

The truth is as humans who need God just to live in this world, then because of our sin we needed a Mediator if we are to be saved when we approach God and be acceptable to God.

Since not one of us were perfect then we needed someone of perfection to reach out to our Holy God who can only know those who are also holy!

The only way to be acceptable of God is then for us to reach that perfection and be just and righteous. God will reject all imperfect beings!

To solve this problem then a perfect God had to become man in order for those who could believe such a thing could be saved!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who solved that sin problem for us all!

God takes the faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and credits this faith as righteousness and therefore acceptable to Him!

Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Jesus Christ gave Himself a ransom for all! Jesus Christ exchanged His life for the life of all mankind!

Jesus arose from that death to the astonishment of the world!

It is this same message that we as Christians are to take into the world.

Not only this but we are to pray that those who hear the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ will believe and be saved!

God instructs all those He calls to carry the message of Christ to the world, but God also instructs us to pray for good results, fruit for their labor!

*****1Ti 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Praying is just having a conversation with God. The one most important thing in our prayer life is to pray without doubting! We must pray in faith!

We can also say that we do not have to have every word to be perfect because God looks into the heart of the believer.

Sometimes we have a hard time putting into words, what we really want to say.

Thank God for the Holy Spirit who prayed for me!

As believers we can pray everywhere, in any posture. In fact, as Christians we are be like Jesus Christ, so let’s look at the prayer life of Christ.

**Jesus prayed while He was being baptized:

Luk 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

**Jesus prayed in public:

Joh 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Joh 11:42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

**Jesus prayed in private:

Joh 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

**Jesus Prayed on the mountain:

Mat 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

**Jesus prayed in the wilderness:

Luk 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

**Jesus got up early to pray:

Mar 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

**Jesus prayed all night:

Luk 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Jesus prayed for children:

Mat 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

Mat 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

**Jesus prayed for Peter's faith and He is no respecter of people:

Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

**Jesus prayed for every believer:

Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

**Jesus had a favorite place to pray:

Luk 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Luk 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

Luk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

**Jesus prayed even while He was on the cross:

Luk 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

**Jesus is praying for us every day:

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

If the Lord Jesus Christ is our example, then we can see that our prayer life is the most important thing we must build upon!

We need to be in constant contact with our God!

1Th_5:17 Pray without ceasing.

The Lord is teaching us that we should never stop praying!

The phrase "lifting up holy hands means we must always come before God with a clean heart!

As I have already said, there is no need to pray if we do not think God will hear us and answer our prayer!

Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

The fact is, God will give us anything that corresponds to His will if we ask in faith!

Were these things written just for men? No but also to the women.

*****1Ti 2:9 "In like manner" also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

In a like manner the women were to also pray without ceasing!

Another Scripture we must also be clear on is this one:

Gal_3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: "for ye are all one in Christ Jesus".

And we must keep in mind that Paul is writing to Timothy and Timothy is pass these instructions to the church.

Christian women are to dress modestly which means clean, neat, and decent, and that word adorn means to add to this modesty, behavior, and demeanor, that is, the way a woman is to carry herself.

We could simply say for a woman to be dressed in simple elegance.

When this same woman was outside the church, no one would interpret her to be in any sinful way by the way she dressed or the way she acted.

All men and the women are to bring honor and glory to the Lord at all times, inside and outside the church!

1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

1Pe 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

We all agree that true beauty is on the inside and not on the outside!

The truth is, God takes a godly woman and floods her with a beauty that is far beyond any such beauty of just flesh and clothing!

*****1Ti 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

Just like the men, the women are to be silent during the preaching of the Word of God!

Once she gets home with her husband who is the head of the house and she, subject to him, then they can discuss the message that God gave them on that day.

We already know that God is no respecter of persons, but He is a God of order.

1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

In a greater sense, every woman who is a child of God and a true believer, must learn all she can about Jesus Christ just as the men!

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

This Scripture was written for all men, all women, and all children!

Since God is a God of order, then there are some things a woman must not do in the church and we must use the home as the example.

The man is to be the head of the home, "if he is following the Lord"!

*****1Ti 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

1Ti 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Christ is the head of the home and Christ is the head of the Church.

The Christian man is the head of the wife at home and at church, because God is still a God of order in the Church.

So, a woman is not to teach a man, and this would include the job of the Pastor not being available to the woman.

The woman is to never usurp the authority of the godly man!

Just as in the home, the woman should always be involved with the teaching of the children, but this does not relieve the same responsibility for the man, who is also to help with the teaching and the discipling of the children in the church.

We must always remember, it is God's love that is, passed down to the man and the woman, who are also to live in the love for each other in every instance!

God simply says that Adam was first formed before Eve and this settles the order of the godly home and the true church!

God then says, remember that it was Eve who was deceived and not the man, and that it did led to the sin of Adam's disobedience, because of the love he had for his wife, he forsook the commands of the Lord.

This is what God demands.

This is what Paul preached.

This is what Timothy was to teach this church!

We cannot allow the love of another human being to come between us and God, period!

Order is then based on the facts. The man is more subject to forsake God, if the woman becomes the head of man!

Again, we must never forget that God is no respecter of persons, but the woman is to never usurp the authority of the man, who is dedicated himself to the Lord!

The woman is never to be in competition with the man, because she is the counterpart of man and together they are "to be one" just as in the marriage!

1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

The world does what the world does, but we as Christians are told to come out from the world and be subject to the law of God!

This is what we agreed to, when we asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into our heart!

Women have always played a great part in the close nit family.

Women have always played a great part in the church.

Women will have to play a great part in both as long as we are in this world!

There is one more thing that may be considered. If a man is made to sit before a woman for a long period of time, then the man may take his mind off the message and place His eyes upon that woman and temptation may overcome the man!

God knows us better than we know ourselves!

Mat_5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Remember our lesson is about faithful prayer and when things are out of the order of God, it will seriously hinder our prayers!

*****1Ti 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

We should remember the curse of Eve.

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

I believe we can say that the woman’s primary intention has never been about teaching in the church but primarily about bearing children and teaching them in the home and then teaching in the church if they are called of God to do so, just as the man who is called of God!

We can be sure that the Holy Ghost placed that Holy seed in Mary, but it was Mary who bore that child for those 9 months and then mothered the Lord Jesus Christ until He reached the Jewish age of maturity!

The woman will always have a special place in the family and in the church.

Our own prayer life will guide us in all these things!

Amen

Let's Pray

Being Faithful

Counted Faithful

Book of 1 Timothy 1:1-20

Paul, the ambassador for Jesus Christ our King, is writing to his dear son in the "Gospel", Timothy.

The most important job of the Church is to make disciples just as Paul has made a disciple of Timothy and then went further in his teaching when God called Timothy to be a Pastor.

Anything else is secondary to this function.

1) The disciple must first believe the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

2) The disciple must rest on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

3) The disciple must be absorbed with the Holy Spirit.

4) The disciple must imitate the example of Jesus Christ so close, that he resembles Him. (This is what Christ-Like means, a Christian)

Timothy became such a disciple and then he was called of God to become a Pastor.

*****1Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

The authority to call anyone into the service of God must come from God Himself! We cannot call ourselves to be a Pastor!

We can rest assured that Paul was truly an apostle specifically called by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Also notice that Paul knew that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is God and Savior, one person of the Holy Trinity!

Paul also new that all our hope lies in the truth of the "Gospel" and in all the Word of God!

So, we must clearly understand that Jesus Christ is our only hope for salvation!

Jesus Christ is the love of God shown to us in His Son!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus Christ is the author of our hope.

Jesus Christ is the object of our hope.

Jesus Christ is the foundation of our hope!

God has provided the only means of salvation to every person since the resurrection of His Dear Son.

If God had not loved us and have a plan of salvation from the beginning, then no one could be saved!

Paul spoke with such authority because these epistles to Timothy and Titus will be considered the Pastoral Epistles and this is a specific calling of God.

Paul expected young Timothy to share these epistles with all the church.

All the epistles of Paul were passed from church to church!

The question comes up many times by those who are full of pride, why should the church make disciples?

The answer lies in the truth that all the world is enslaved by sin!

These people are gripped by spiritual death and are too blind to see it.

These people are doomed to face the judgment of God and they need someone to tell them the truth!

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Timothy needed to hear these things from Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ, who was also the same messenger of God who had led him to the Lord.

*****1Ti 1:2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

Why is it so important that our children be taught the Word of God? Because on occasion you get a Timothy!

His mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois had prepared this young man in the Old Testament Word of God at a very young age as it was written in the laws of Moses. They had also been converted on Paul's first trip to Lystra.

2Ti 1:5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

Timothy was just a child when Paul had first come to Lystra. He was probably no mare that 10 to 12 years old when Paul led him to the Lord. He was no more than 18 when Paul returned on his second missionary trip and had grown so much in the Scriptures that Paul took Timothy with him and treated him as his son.

1Co 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

Timothy became so likeminded in the Scriptures as Paul, that Paul said his mind was at one with Timothy.

Php 2:19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

Php 2:20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

From this point on, Timothy would travel with Paul or would be sent by Paul to other locations.

Timothy may not have reached the age 30 years old, when Paul left him at Ephesus to correct the errors in doctrine that had made their way into this church.

The problems in Ephesus was not only from the Judaisers but many of the Greeks tried to bring parts of their pagan worship into the Church

**Timothy had been saved by the "Grace" of God just like every Christian is saved.

The "Grace" of God is revealed in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ died, to redeem us from all our sin.

Jesus Christ died, to raise up a peculiar people a people set apart for His use.

Jesus Christ died, to stir us into good works like the works that He did.

All these came because of the '"Mercy" of God.

The "mercy" of God came to us because of His compassion for us, His love for us, and His pity for us!

God has mercy for us because He truly cares about all His creation, especially we of human race..

God sees our needs and provide our needs and the greatest need we had, was to be in harmony with our God!

Because of God's "mercy" He has withheld His judgement of us, even though we deserve His wrath.

All those who do not know the mercy of God do not know God at all!

The peace of God means, we are bound together with the Lord Jesus Christ and secure in the love of God!

If we know the peace of God, we can then be at peace with God!

Timothy knew all these things and was a willing young Pastor to serve God, wherever he was sent!

*****1Ti 1:3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

1Ti 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

What was Timothy's job at Ephesus? Timothy was charged to defend the truth of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

This must be the charge of every Pastor, Missionary, and Evangelist!

This must be the same charge to every "Born Again" child of God!

It is a fact, that all false teachers teach a false doctrine because, they cannot know God. Only those filled with the Holy Spirit who will only come by acknowledging the truth of Jesus Christ that can have such knowledge

Paul had gotten the Macedonian call at this time and the Holy Spirit was at work in Paul, yet he felt Ephesus could not be abandoned at this time, so it was Timothy who had to stay there to lead this church back to the truth.

Paul had warned this church that false teachers would come, and it is also a fact that we need to understand, false teachers will make an attempt to cause problems in every church!

We simply must guard against all those who attempt to corrupt the Word of God!

We must demand that our teachers and preachers teach the truth of the Word of God and the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

We can see that Timothy even at this young age, was strong enough in the Word of God, that Paul trusted him to work that truth into this church.

There is also no one on the face of this earth who has the authority to change the Word of God!

In the day of Timothy there were many of the Jewish faith who made attempts to stop Christianity.

There were also many from the pagan Greeks who wanted to incorporate Christianity intro their own beliefs.

Some say this was the beginning of the Catholic church.

Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

There were many who taught fables rather than the truth of God.

Tit 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

There were those that wanted the Christians to abide by the Laws of Moses.

Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

The true Word of God, does not contain fables as some say! Fables are any fictional teaching of the Scriptures.

The Lord Jesus taught using with parables, but He never taught using fables and neither should any man of God!

There is nothing contained in the Hebrew or Greek Scriptures that suggest the use of fables!

2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

That word "genealogies" is the teaching of those who take comfort in their godly heritage.

As Christians we can look back to the faith of Abraham because the Scriptures point us to him.

The truth is, we cannot be saved just because Abraham had such a great faith.

We cannot be saved just because we have godly parents or godly grandparents.

We must accept the Lord Jesus Christ ourselves in a faith such as Abraham had in trusting God, as our personal Savior and there is no other means of salvation period! *****End of discussion!

What did Jesus say?

Luk 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

It is only because of the love of God, that we get this opportunity to be saved!

*****1Ti 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

1Ti 1:6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Those false teachers had put empty discussions of the Law ahead of the "Love of God"!

The church is to teach love for one another, just as God loves each of us!

What had Jesus said?

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

When there is no love in a church, then there can be no church!

It is also a terrible sin to compromise the Word of God, just to get more members or to keep the ones you already have!

*****1Ti 1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

The teacher or preacher must not allow ambition to cloud their understanding of the truth!

To make disciples as preachers and teachers, the church must focus on learning as well as teaching!

When those who do not know the Lord ask why we love the Scriptures, we should just say, "because we have a personal relationship with the Author".

Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Tit 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

We must also understand that the Laws of Moses had their purpose in the day of Paul, just as they do today!

Those laws point out that we are all sinners who cannot measure up to our Savior!

*****1Ti 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

1Ti 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

1Ti 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

The Scriptures were not written for those who already think they know it all. Nobody can teach these people!

The Scriptures were not written for those who want to do it their own way. That what Elvis said and the theme of humanism!

The Scriptures were not written for those so full of pride, who think they are much better than all others. Pride was the downfall of Lucifer (Satan).

The Scriptures were written for those who know they are sinners in need of a Savior!

False teachers will always put pride and self-righteousness above the Word of God!

False teachers would say, to be saved required you to give yourselves to Christ, but also you needed to add to this the obedience of Judaism to be truly saved!

False teachers will always reject that salvation can come only by the free gift of the "Grace" of God alone!

False teachers will confuse everyone on the gifts of God!

The law is good if it is used properly! The law teaches us what God considers to be sin. There are 613 Jewish laws and not just those 10 commandments.

Those laws can only teach us how far short we come when compared to the goodness of God which was in the Lord Jesus Christ!

False teachers will also teach that God had a set of scales to weigh our goodness against the things we do that are bad and whichever one came out on top would determine if you went to Heaven or to Hell.

But God says we have no goodness, "which is righteousness" to put on our good side.

Isa_64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags"; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

There is nothing wrong with being good, but no amount of goodness will get you saved!

God is a perfect God and we cannot come face to face with God until we are also perfect!

God gave all those laws to show all of us, that we had a great need of a Savior!

The Law was given to all those who are lawless and disobedient.

The law was given to the ungodly and sinners.

The law was given to those who are unholy and profane.

The law was given to those murderers who are so low that they would kill their own families.

The law was given to all those who commit fornication, and adultery, and homosexuals and all immoral people.

The law was given to all those who trade in slavery, and kidnappers.

The law was given to all liars and those who commit perjury.

The law was given to anything else that goes against the truth of the Word of God.

There is no one left out of this list because we are all sinners!

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

False teachers just do not understand the truth of God or they will reject the truth of God!

God has made a way for every human being upon this earth to join Him in Heaven and that way is by the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must never be deceived. It is the truth of the "Gospel" that is the only way to become perfect enough to join God in Heaven!

1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The Gospel is described as "glorious".

The Gospel is described as "everlasting".

The "gospel" is the unchanging, perfect, Word of God!

All those who come to know the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal relationship, will tell you how great it is to know the truth of Jehovah, the saving God!

*****1Ti 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

There are no true ministers of the "Gospel" unless they are called by Christ Himself!

There are no true ministers unless they came by "faith", trusting the Lord!

It was Jesus Christ who enabled Paul to teach the truth of the "Gospel".

Enabled means to strengthen and give power to.

The power of Paul's ministry came from the Lord Jesus Christ.

The power of every minister of the "Gospel" comes by the Lord Jesus Christ!

The power to continue in the ministry of the "Gospel" comes by the Holy Spirit who is the only path to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

There can be no self-made ministers of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

Those that call themselves, can only serve to a humanistic false religion who will lead people into a false sense of security!

It is Jesus Christ who found Paul to be trustworthy, to teach the wonderful Word of God.

It is Jesus Christ who finds any of us to be trustworthy, to teach the truth of the Word of God!

If you preach or teach the truth of the Word of God, God knows those who are faithful to Him!

*****1Ti 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Paul had spent some time trying to destroy the Church but by the "Grace", he had been forgiven.

Paul had committed blasphemy, hating even the name of Jesus Christ.

Paul was the persecutor who first set out to wipe the name of Jesus off the face of this earth.

Paul was injurious to destroy the rights of others who sought the Lord Jesus to be saved.

By God's "Grace", Paul was forgiven of all these things but all these things continue by others of the world today and yes, they can also be forgiven.

Paul thought he knew God and that Judaism was the true path to glorify God, but he had been wrong.

Judaism is not the way.

Islam is not the way.

Jehovah's Witness is not the way.

Mormanism is not the way.

Religion means death.

Christianity is life and leads to eternal life because Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible and has all the authority of God because He is God!

The Lord Jesus poured out His "Grace" onto the Apostle Paul and Paul was gloriously forgiven of all his sin!

None of us are worthy of the "Grace" of God and we can thank God for giving us the Apostle Paul who remained faithful all his days.

God's "Grace" is sufficient to cover any sin but one and that is the sin of not believeing that The Lord Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible!

We must remain faithful to the Gospel all our days to be of any use to Him!

In fact, when we remain faithful to the Lord, this is when He will pour out blessing after blessing to us all our days!

*****1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1Ti 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Why did the Lord Jesus come to this world? Jesus Christ left Heaven to come to this world to save sinners!

**The Apostle Paul is the greatest of examples of just how far God will go to save a worthless sinner!

It is an indisputable fact, that even the worst of sinners can be saved!

Jesus Christ would save the entire human race if they would only believe that His able to do it!

It is still "faith", not just any faith, but "faith" in the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ"!

Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

**The Apostle Paul is also the greatest example of God's "mercy"!

Paul was also chosen to be the pattern of mercy to all those in sin!

It was not easy in that day to bring the "Gospel" to the gentile nations.

The truth of Paul was that if God could save Paul, then God could save anyone!

Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

**The Apostle Paul is our greatest proof of God's "mercy"!

*****1Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

When we know of the glorious salvation that Jesus Christ has given us, we to should break forth into praise!

**Our Savior is the unchanging King of all the ages.

Psa 145:13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

**Our Savior is Immortal, which means He is incorruptible, He cannot age, He cannot deteriorate, He cannot decay within His being. He absolutely cannot die! He is immortal!

Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

**Our Savior is invisible! He cannot be seen by people with physical eyes in this physical dimension!

He came, He took all our sin to the lower part of the earth, and He ascended back to His throne!

Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

**Our Savior is the only wise God. "Yes Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible" the stumbling block of this world!

Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

**Our Savior is the only living and true God who can interact with this world!

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Timothy probably had not reached the age of 30 at this time and he needed to be encouraged to become the pastor at Ephesus.

*****1Ti 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

1Ti 1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

1Ti 1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Each and every believer is called to be in the army of God, but the calling of the Pastor is to do more!

Many a believer fail to realize, that as Christians we are in a great battle, in fact a war and our job is to fight a good fight.

Paul would have had Timothy to be like himself while he was also like Jesus.

2Ti 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Timothy was sure he was called of God into the ministry and it was now time for him to begin his ministry.

Every Pastor must be called of God. To be a Pastor is not just another profession as many see it today. It is never another place just to make a living.

Just like every new Pastor, Timothy would find himself right in the middle of spiritual warfare. He had witnessed these many times already, but the Apostle Paul and other Elders had taken charge, but now he would be on his own but not forsaken by the Lord.

The truth is when a person is called into the ministry by the Holy Spirit, he or she must not reject the call. They must jump right into the battle and fight a good warfare.

To reject the call of God is to live in misery!

Sometimes we must be stirred up to get into the battle and Paul was doing this to Timothy here in this passage.

Each ministry is a sacred trust, a sacred commitment to the Lord!

The war we fight, is for the minds and the souls of the lost, some even being of our own family. We must jump right into this conflict if we are called of God.

The Pastor, the highest calling, is God's instrument to not only be a fisherman of men but, also God's instrument to teach and make other disciples.

Each Pastor must be faithful to fight a good warfare!

The greatest weapon of defense is the shield of "faith".

Good conscience is that conviction that our course of conduct is right, and it is accompanied by an obligation to the truth of God.

Conscience is our sense of right and wrong!

Conscience does not come by training, because each of us are born with a sense of right and wrong.

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Though conscience does not come by training or education, it must still be developed and matured!

A good and healthy conscience comes by living a godly and righteous life before our Savior!

It is Holy Ghost conviction, that works with our conscience for us to discern right and wrong!

It is that same conscience, under conviction of the Holy Spirit, that convicts us of sin.

Rom 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

Rom 9:2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

The word conscience is used 31 times in the New Testament.

There is the good conscience.

There is the conscience void of offense.

There is the weak conscience.

There is the pure conscience.

There is the seared conscience of which we see more of today.

There is the defiled conscience which has been around since the sin of Adam.

There is the evil conscience.

And the most frightening thing we can do with our conscience, is to put it away.

If we put away our conscience concerning our faith, we will be shipwrecked.

Shipwrecked means our faith is destroyed!

Hymenaeus put away his conscience by denying the true doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Alexander the coppersmith also rejected the truth of God.

Paul delivered them to Satan which means:

1) They were excommunicated from the Church and left out in the world with the hope that they would come to the truth of the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ. (We never read where they made a change)

2) The were given back to the world, which is under the power of Satan.

The church would then pray that some circumstance would happen to them out in the world that they might repent and return to the church and accept the truth of the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The truth is, it is impossible to commit sin and escape the chastisement of the Lord!

The Lord says we will reap what we sow!

There remains also the Spiritual power that inflicts punishment for sin.

Even modern medicine agrees that misbehavior causes physical, emotional and mental punishment.

And we must always remember that church discipline is put in place, in order that those who receive the discipline may return to Jesus Christ for forgiveness.

1Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

The Lord always knows what is best for His Church!

Amen