The Prayer of Faith

Confidence in Prayer

Book of 1 John Chapter 5 Verses 13-21

What is confidence? Confidence is the assurance planted in our minds of the truth.

Confidence is a firm belief you have the truth.

Confidence is trusting in the integrity of someone or something you have placed your faith!

What must we understand?

Pro 3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

If we just did this one thing, "trust in the Lord", we cannot imagine how much better our lives would be and that we have such a future ahead of us that it goes far beyond our imaginations!

Where did we end last week?

1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

The biggest problem in the Church is that our faith, "our trust" in the truth of Jehovah God is speculative and experimental and therefore there is no change or very little change in our lives!

Our faith must become certain!

We must know that it is the spiritual world that is the real world and not this physical!

We must know for sure, "we have a Heavenly Father" who wants to be involved in every part of our lives!

We must also understand that though we may not take every commandment God gives us to be serious, God does!

Every commandment we have from God, "rightly divided" has its own intended purpose for our lives!

We must understand that this world we live in lies in wickedness, and God teaches us how to survive with some peace of mind in this evil world, until He calls us home.

God has a purpose for us after He has saved us from ourselves!

There are many that ask, why would a sovereign God care about each individual in His creation.

God answers that question along with any other question that can be asked!

Let's begin at Chapter 5 and verse 13.

*****1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

You have to get the feeling that Jehovah cares for all His children. Not just as a group but each and every individual.

God wants to get up close and personal with each of His children!

According to the Apostle John, his epistle is written to believers.

It should also be obvious that the Bible is written to the Church, each and every Believer!

We should also understand that even today, there are those who believe but still are not assured of their salvation.

The Church has become opinionated, and there are many things we voice our opinions on, when we should just shut up and let God talk.

God says if you believe upon the works of His Son Jesus, then you have eternal life and not eternal death.

We don’t have to take a vote to see who is right.

We don't have to gather the elders of the Church to get their opinion.

All we must do is trust the Word of God and believe on Jesus Christ!

There is a great blessing that comes from assurance.

There is great peace that comes with assurance.

There is great joy that comes with assurance.

We can be perfectly sure we have eternal life.

We can experience eternal life right now while we live in these bodies of flesh.

We can live as if we will never die as long as we live by the Word of God and in faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We can know beyond a shadow of doubt that we will live with our Savior for ever when He takes us home!

The one thing that must take place is, that we believe on the name of God's Son and believe, and believe, and believe, and believe, and keep on believing!

Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Since we will take on the subject of prayer let's listen as Jesus prays:

Joh 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Notice how Jesus addresses His Father 

Since we know how our Savior prays, then we should have more confidence in our own prayers.

Another of the great gifts of God is the fact that His ears are always open to hearing our prayers!

*****1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing "according to his will", he heareth us:

1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, "we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him".

We immediately see the key to answered prayer is praying for things that are in the will of God for your life!

We next see that this prayer must be a prayer of faith!

When we have that confidence in life eternal in God's Heaven, then we can also have that same confidence in answered prayer!

God hears the prayers of His children!

God does not hear the prayers of anyone else!

The only prayer of the lost that is heard is that prayer of salvation!

No one, not anyone, can approach Jehovah God without the Lord Jesus Christ!

You can pray five times a day or twenty five times a day, but without Jesus Christ that prayer is meaning less!

Every prayer that goes unheard is a plea for an action that will never take place.

As Christians, we should never fear the prayers of false religion, because they pray to a false god who is powerless to cause any harm to Christians.

When a Christian believer prays, God hears and if that prayer is in the will of God for your life, then that prayer will then be answered!

But don't be praying for the destruction of someone. We must never pray for God to destroy our enemies because God has already condemned them.

Don't be praying to win the lottery God has already said He would provide for us and we are to try to be good stewards of the things God lets us use.

Use prayer for the reasons God gave, and first prayer is intended for us to have a conversation with our Creator!

God hears our prayers if we ask according to His will, and this passage gives us God's will for answered prayer!

God has promised to answer our prayers if these conditions are met, but He did not say He would always make His answer obvious to us or in the time frame we have placed in our own mind!

Remember God is still the all-knowing God, and there are things we pray for that we do not need in our lives at any time!

For answered prayer we must have that total trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

For answered prayer we must possess the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

We can pray for many things, but we need to spend more time talking to our Heavenly Father than asking for any need!

Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Our Father in Heaven is not a deadbeat dad!

It is the will of God that we be delivered from the trials of this life!

1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

1Co 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

If God is first in your life because of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, then we should actually have no worries at all!

Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isa 41:11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

Isa 41:12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

We must pray to God by the Lord by Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit and He will answer our prayers!

We let our own selves down when we do not follow God's rules and I hate to use the word "rules".

You see by being obedient children, then we will be delivered from all evil!

2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The God of all comfort will hear His children when we pray according to His will, but it is foolish to ask God for anything, if we do not have enough faith to believe He can provide us that answer.

Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Jesus would not have said this if it were not true!

We should not forget John is writing to believers and we believers are all in this thing together and therefore we need to help one another.

*****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.

What are the facts? First, we are to pray for all our brothers and sister in Christ. If we see that they are in sin, then we are to pray even more for them!

We must always be concerned about sin and especially sin in the Church. Many lessons can be learned from a study of the Church in Corinth.

I will present a few things for us to consider.

It is clear that if we live in sin, then we do not love our Savior. To live acceptable to God, we must live holy and righteous lives!

By praying for our brothers and sisters who are in sin that can be seen, shows the Lord that we are aware of sin!

There is but one time that we should not pray for our brothers and sisters in sin and this is when they have committed a sin unto death!

There is also sin not unto death!

The Word of God says all sin is unto Spiritual death!

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Then the only sin that is not unto Spiritual death, is that sin that is under the blood of Jesus.

This is sin that is pardoned by our Heavenly Father by His free gift of "Grace"!

Rev_1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

We must also mention the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which is a great lesson in itself.

Mat 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Mat 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

What was the truth of the Messiah from the Old Testament?

Mat 12:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

Mat 12:18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: "I will put my spirit upon him", and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

What is the sin unto death?

Joh 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God "giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him".

Joh 3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: "and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him".

What we know is that the day when Jesus healed a man who was demon possessed the Pharisees and other religious leaders said these things.

Mat 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

Mat 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils".

This is the "blaspheming" the work of God the Holy Spirit who God the Father had placed on God the Son.

In reality since Jesus has returned to Heaven so blaspheming the Holy Spirit cannot take place as it did this when Jesus was upon the earth.

Now the instance of "Spiritual Death" still comes on all those who have rejected the "work" that Jesus Christ has done for our salvation, and are not a home for the Holy Spirit, but these are two separate things.

Getting back to our lesson there two more things that we can consider.

We do not judge our brothers and sisters, but we do see them get caught up in sin and we need to pray from them just as the Scripture says.

There are somethings in our world of sin that can bring capitol, punishment from the local governments, which would be a sin unto physical death and when those charges are in fact true, then maybe we should not pray that God deliver them from this death because God endorses capitol, punishment for certain crimes.

It does stop us for praying for their soul which remains in the hands of God and no man can take away.

We are also reminded of those who leave the Church:

1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest "that they were not all of us".

1Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

These who have left the Church and go out of the Church, blaspheming all the truth of the Church, were probably never saved to begin with!

They were just spies, for the Devil and people trying to cause confusion in the church!

They had heard the truth and decided against that truth!

We still need to pray for their souls, even if we have a tendency not to do so.

They will suffer eternal death just as all those who reject our Lord Jesus Christ!

Now if this does not answer that question of "sin unto death", then as individuals we need to pray for God's wisdom in these matters and just make sure we remain in prayer for all our brothers and sisters.

We are all sinners saved only by the "Grace" of God!

The one other thing we should point out is the Lord's Supper!

1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

1Co 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

1Co 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

By the Holy Spirit, written by the Apostle Paul, those that take of the Lord's Supper unworthily, could also see sickness and even death and we may not even notice when these things have happened.

The Lord's Supper is a simple ceremony of reverence to the Body of Christ and should be observed in that fashion!

Maybe those who are not the children of God, should not partake of the Lord's Supper since they know these things!

Trying to impersonate a Christian for evil reasons can bring death to your body and your soul which could couse your death when you are completely healthy.

This is dying when there is no physical reason for your death!

If we are true "Born Again" children of God, doing the best we can to live holy and righteous lives, praying daily for the forgiveness of our sins, we will never get caught up in any of these things!

*****1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, "and that wicked one toucheth him not".

If we have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, then all our sin is under the "Blood of Jesus" and our sin cannot ever be counted against us!

It is a fact, that we must live righteous lives as best we can, while still in these bodies of flesh and righteous means according to the Word of God.

When God says it is wrong, then it is sin!

We must not give in to temptation and remember that "He that is within us" is much stronger than "he that is in the world"!

1Jn_4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

All unrighteousness is sin! The only sin unto death is rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ!

There are no little sins and no big sins, they are all sin.

We must repent and forsake all sin, while we are still living!

And remember these are those who have been born of God!

Those who do not know the Lord as their Savior, must first invite Jesus into their hearts and be washed in His Blood!

Because we have accepted the fact that Jesus took all our sin upon Himself, we are freed from sin and are now acceptable to God, but we will never have a free license to sin!

Because of Jesus, that "Wicked one" (Satan, the Devil, the Deceiver) cannot touch us!

Though we may feel like it at times, "the Devil cannot ever get on our back", because we belong to Jehovah God!

*****1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

When we know, that we know, that we belong to Jehovah, then we also know that we live in a wicked world.

Think about Noah when he was building the ark. He knew He was right with God and He believed when God said it was going rain and the earth would be flooded.

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

At the same time, Noah knew the world would be flooded because of sin and therefore he knew he lived in a wicked world.

Noah was not bothered because he provided good jobs, and everyone thought he was a fool.

Things have not changed so much today, the Christian is still looked upon as a fool, but now this wicked world wants all Christians to be eradicated from this world and God will come get His people one day soon.

The world we live in is not the same world God, created back in the Book of Genesis.

The world we live in is not the same world that was left after the flood in Noah's day.

Everything in this world has been corrupted by the Devil and those who follow him!

Everything in this world is aging, deteriorating, and passing away, and this is easily seen if we just open our eyes.

We must do our best to separate ourselves from this world.

We must do our best to pray for all our brothers and sisters to do the same, and we must give ourselves to the Lord for safe keeping.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

2Th 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

While this wicked world looks to the coming of the Messiah, we know He has already come.

*****1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

The Old Testament told us of the coming of the Messiah.

The New Testament tells us that He has come and who He is.

If you are a child of God, then you are aware of the Spirit world, while we live in the physical world.

We know the truth!

Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Jesus the Messiah came to us to teach us the truth!

Jesus the Messiah came to restore our fellowship with Jehovah.

It is this restored fellowship that protects us from the wrath of God upon this sinful world.

We know these things because our fellowship with Jehovah is restored and this fellowship extends to every brother and sister in Christ throughout this world.

Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

Joh 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

If we reject the proof of the Messiah and the person of the Messiah, then we have placed this world above our Holy Father, and we are idolaters.

As the little children of God this is the first thing we must get right!

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Anything that takes first place in our lives becomes our little god or if it is our Savior then we have made the right choice!

There is only one answer to all our problems:

Jud 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

We have only one God and His name is Jehovah!

Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Isa 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

The Lord has taken the time to make sure we know all these things surely we can take the time to praise Him for the truth.

Any other thing we lack, God will certainly explain them to us, if we go to Him in prayer.

God wants us to know that He is not hiding anything from us!

When we know all these things are true, we can also believe our prayers will never go unanswered!

Amen

Let’s Pray!

The Word of God is Alive and Written for Today

Faithful Interaction

1 Timothy 5

We should understand as Christians we must certainly share in the responsibility for each other in times of need.

Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, "especially unto them who are of the household of faith".

Just as we have this responsibility in times of need, we have this same responsibility, "in times of discipline".

The truth of the church is the fact that we are all in the same family, the family of God, the household that has Jesus Christ as the Head!

The one thing we must always remember is, that the preaching and the teaching of the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ is always the first priority over any so called "social gospel" of its members.

The church must get out of the social gospel business, and the political truth business and get back to teaching the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ"!

Those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, will be more suited in obeying all the Word of God!

Those who are right with God, will know what to do in most all circumstances and all questions will be answered by the Scriptures!

The Word of God is alive and even more true today because it was written for the latter days, the days we now live!

*****1Ti 5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

1Ti 5:2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

Paul is still writing to Timothy about church organization and simply "how we are all to act in the house of God".

The "elders" in this Scripture refer to the older Christian men. It is normally true that older Christian believers have more wisdom in dealing with life.

Not only Christian life, but also of the things of this world.

We must also be aware that they may not be right all the time!

We must not forget that a false "Gospel" was being preached in the Church at Ephesus and those doing so, were to be rebuked and excommunicated if need be!

We simply cannot allow those who reject the truth to bring their own false message into the House of God!

Timothy might certainly have to rebuke some elderly men in this church. These elders may have had many years in the Scriptures or very little, but they still had the wisdom of experience more than this young Pastor.

Many say that Timothy was only 23 years old at this time, but he was on fire for God!

In a real sense, Paul was saying to respect those who are older than you, Timothy and at the same time, even some of these may need to be rebuked.

The elder members of any church are never to be ignored, nor neglected, nor bypassed, not overlooked nor ever be set aside as useless!

They should be treated as fathers, with respect and honor.

The church needs to know their opinions and they need to be involved in all decision making.

It is true that many of them may be set in their ways and close-minded to new ideas or new ministries.

The point of the Apostle Paul is that, if and when one of these elders needed to be rebuked, they still needed to be treated as a father and not as an enemy.

We should understand that the Holy Spirit must always be followed!

Lev 19:32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

Those that respect their elders will have a better chance respecting our Heavenly Father!

The younger men are to be treated as brothers. It is our younger men and our younger generation who one day will keep the church going so they are also never to ignored or bypassed.

These younger men many times will need direction and they may not accept it, if they have not seen this in the family at home.

The church is to always function as the family of God because we belong to the Lord Jesus Christ freed us from the chains of Satan.

God the Father holds all the answers to the prayer life of the Church!

The Lord Jesus Christ as the Head and the Foundation of the Church, and our Intercessor between each member and Our Holy Father.

The Lord Jesus is the only Advocate to defend us from the continuous accusations of Satan.

The Holy Spirit is the power behind the church because He not only abides in each believer, but He also causes conviction of sin to the lost!

The church is a most powerful weapon against evil when it functions properly! This is where the problems lie today as the church gives in to political correctness, which goes against the Word of God.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Just as the elderly men are to be treated as fathers, then the elderly women are to be treated as mothers!

We all have a mother who in most cases keeps our family functional and it will be no different in a working church!

God will hold the church responsible for those who mistreat its mothers!

If some of these need to be rebuked, it must not be done in contempt but in total respect.

Mat 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Younger women are to be treated as sisters, but in all purity remembering they are also "born again" onto a new life.

There must be no immoral thoughts, when thinking about the physical attractiveness of these younger women!

Not many men will cause harm to their daughters nor their sisters!

They are all to be protected and guarded and nourished with the Word of God, just as all others in the House of God!

It is the church and the family that are to prepare those future virtuous women.

Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Pro 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Pro 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

When there are young and old of each sex, there will many families but as time goes by there will also be more widows!

It seems that the women will normally live longer than the men! We men need to find this secret of longer life, but it matters not to the child of God.

*****1Ti 5:3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

Many times, there are church mothers who no longer have families outside of the church.

Many of these become desolate when they have no one to help them meet their needs.

Deu 14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.

We all think about the blessings of God but when we do not do right in the church, we are losing those precious blessings that we could have had as a church and as a family!

A widow indeed, is a widow who has no means of support outside the church. It is these women of the church that the church is to help.

BUT, this widow should, if able, still be involved in the ministries of the church!

*****1Ti 5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

Just so we are clear, God began the family before He began the Church. Every family is to operate as a miniature Church.

Children are to take care of their elderly parents!

The very first duty of any child, is to honor their parents! Nothing that is done in the church by these who are children of widows can take the place of honoring their parents.

The true believer is to be a Christian at home before he is a Christian anywhere else!

There is no other action by children where is says that it "is good and acceptable before God".

There is also this of the parents. Widowed parents are to live their remaining years above reproach!

They must be true to Christ and still trust in the Lord for their provisions!

God will meet the needs of His older children and His younger children alike!

*****1Ti 5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

1Ti 5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

1Ti 5:7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

A true widow is that person male or female who have no relations to provide for them and are wholly devoted to God. These dear people can be the greatest prayer warriors in the church!

A widow, male or female, who has not been faithful to the church all their days should not be considered a "widow indeed"!

We must understand that no matter our age we are still to place our faith in our Savior and every added day can still be a blessing!

We see that Timothy, the new in Pastor in Ephesus, is to preach the whole counsel of God, to whoever sits in the pews of this church, young or old.

It is a sad thing, but many widows seem to feel blessed that they no longer have that partner in life!

It is sometimes understandable when there has been much time with bad health, but the blessing comes from know that they no longer suffer!

These are those who live in pleasure, being released have given themselves over to the world.

The truth is, the world of pleasure is a region of death and a life of pleasure is living in death!

We must understand, that we are to obey these instructions in the church and God gives us a very good reason.

"That we will be blameless" when the Lord returns, and we meet Him at the "Judgment Seat of Christ".

We will all meet Jesus either at the Judgment seat of Christ, or at the White Throne Judgment and we make this choice ourselves!

The church that knows the truth of the Scriptures and makes application of the truth of God, is the Church that is a weapon against the evil of this world!

We will all be held accountable for the things we have done after we are saved! Not for punishment but for the loss of rewards we cannot lose the free gift of our salvation at any time!

It is so easy to lose a reward by the actions we take in the treatment of our elderly parents! Those who are widows indeed have no one to support them!

These things are written to the Church and to the Pastors of those churches!

Those children of the church, who do not take care of their elderly parents, especially those of their immediate family, are denying the faith!

They are worse than and an infidel or an unbeliever which is the truth of God! These are very strong words from the Holy Spirit!

*****1Ti 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Again, we must remind ourselves that God created the family before He created the Church!

The responsibilities of the Christian family are to never cease as long as we are alive.

In the Old Testament all transgressions against the family were severely punished and these things were not to change in the New Testament.

What did Jesus say?

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 we deny our parents, we have denied the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ, because we have rejected true love!

*****1Ti 5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,

1Ti 5:10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

1Ti 5:11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

It should be obvious that the early church put those who were "widows indeed" to work in the ministry. I'm sure that there were the children because there are always children in the families but there are always other things these widows could do to spread the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Once a widow has recovered from the loss of that spouse they could give themselves fully to the ministry!

Today we do not see these things that often, but it does still happen.

Threescore years old would be 60 years of age. In the time of Christ, the life span of the people was not as long as it is today.

You may not be aware of it this number is slipping backwards today and this is because of the trend of Insurance and Medicare to pull back from the care of those over 70 and in bad health. This is the truth of Obamacare, feed them with medications and ignore major surgery of the elderly.

These would only be those who are already active in the church before the loss of their spouse.

These are those who had lived in a lawful marriage whether it be with one person or more successively but even that person has died.

These were to be women of good character and there is no one more special than that godly woman who has stayed by the Lord even when all her family were gone.

These are the same widows who treat the children of the church as their own.

These are the same ones, who can comfort all those in the church because they know what to be comforted really means.

These are the same ones who come to help others when there is a need.

Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

These are the same ones that the young people of the church should look up to as those who have stuck by the Lord since the time of their salvation!

Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

The Holy Spirit suggest that those under 60 years old may not devote themselves to the Church because they are looking for someone else to wed, whereas those above 60 years old may not be interested in seeking another spouse.

The older widow would find all comfort in just God Himself and devote herself to Him.

The younger widow may also find all comfort in the Lord and devote herself to just the Lord but as time goes by she finds a new spouse it would be as if she had broken a vow to the Lord.

Deu 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

As we see, it could be very hard for a young widow keep a vow she has made to the Lord.

We will see that this is the sin of the Church in Ephesus in the end, leaving their first love.

*****1Ti 5:12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

When we pray in faith for the Lord to come into our heart and save us, we are making a vow to the Lord and when we break that vow we will suffer the consequences as the Scriptures have said.

This does not mean we have loss our salvation for that is impossible. We may forsake the Lord, but He will never forsake us, and He will never leave us because this is also what the Scriptures teach.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

The best thing that can happen to these younger widows is that they remarry but only in the church!

*****1Ti 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

1Ti 5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

First, it is not wrong for anyone who has lost their spouse to stay single, but it is sometimes hard to do so without sin!

These younger widows, if supported by the church, would soon find the work of the church boring as they go from house to house in visitation.

These visits would become more about gossip, than contributing to the work of the church.

The Jews called these "gadding widows", having nothing else to do but gossip and tattle everything they learned of people.

They would always have some news to tell about others as they try to interfere in matters which did not concern them.

These things would not be written if they were not true!

We must understand God knows more about us then we can know ourselves!

Idleness is not good for anyone and the purpose of the church is not to be involved in such things and certainly not to support those widows caught up in those things.

They would go from being useful to becoming useless in the work of the church. Those outside the church would take notice of these things and ruin the name of the church. The church must never support such things as these!

These women had become widows through no fault of their own and certainly they would need some help.

The Holy Spirit says that they should remarry, bare children and be the head of that household and this would keep them busy enough to stay out of temptation.

Notice here we have another place where God does not condemn a second marriage in the church but actually encourages it.

Above all the things we do, let us never give occasion for Satan to exploit the church or the work of the church!

It is also a sad thing that many widows will leave the church when their spouse dies. Some just get mad at God and reject their salvation and reject their Christian life.

*****1Ti 5:15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.

We should understand Satan is that roaring lion, walking about to see who he can destroy and when we get mad at God we open the door for Satan to step in.

Eze_16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

We seem to forget that God simply does not do bad things, and He will never tempt us to do evil.

Jas_1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

Jas_1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

As Paul is inspired by the Holy Spirit, he says some in the Church have already turned aside after Satan and there are some of these in most every church.

It is we who give into the works of Satan. Keep the inner doors of your heart to the outside world closed and locked always and do not provide even a crack where Satan can enter in.

2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

It is the Church family that is to come to the rescue of the widow whose only help is the church while they are still living.

*****1Ti 5:16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

If you believe in the truth of the Scriptures, then we are to take care of the widows in our own families and never send them to the responsibility of the church!

We must always keep in mind that it is the family that God created first and the actions of that family are to carry over into the church.

When believing families do not obey God in these things certainly the church cannot function as it should!

The family is to operate as a church within the church for the church to be the true "Bride of Christ"!

Isa 1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

*****1Ti 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

1Ti 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

1Ti 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

We began this lesson talking about elders. Those were mainly just the aged.

Here as we begin this Scripture we see the elders of the church, those who preach and teach in the house of God and deacons and other who hold offices in the church.

We must remember that after Christ Jesus ascended back to Heaven, the 12 Apostles chosen by the Lord were the foundation of the Church!

The Church of today is still to preach the Apostles Doctrine, given to them by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Act_2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Since these 12 men chosen by the Lord are now in Heaven, it is the job of the elders of the church to assist the Pastor in teaching the Apostle's Doctrine.

We must also remember these words of Jesus:

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

The modern-day church is now rejecting the Apostle's Doctrine because these words do not set well with those sitting in the pews nor does this doctrine fit in with the political correct societies of today.

It is these elders of the church (Pastors, Teachers, Leaders) that will be held accountable for the words they teach!

Act 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Those elders who have been faithful stewards of the true Word of God and have proven to above approach, should be counted worthy of a double honor and respect, but only if they rule well by the Scriptures.

It is the job of these men to be on guard against any error of the teaching of the Word of God!

Each one will be held accountable at the Bema Seat of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Of course, any who are not saved will go to Hell having no excuse for not believing of the truth.

When we see this word "honor" we should understand that means payment to that Pastor that and it says double honor or double the salary!

God will always deplore the money grabbing Pastor:

1Ti 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, "not greedy of filthy lucre"; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

God also deplores those churches that do not take care of that Pastor financially, when they are able to do so.

Every true Pastor is called and approved of God, if he preaches the whole counsel of God then he should be rewarded for his effort!

Deu 25:4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

Those that labor in the Word of God and preaching, making sense of the Word of God, should be as that ox and taken very good care of.

The true Pastor is a treasure to any true church!

1Co 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

1Co 9:10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

1Co 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

No doubt the church that has such a Pastor, that Pastor could be accused of wrong doing in an attempt to be rid of him.

God says there must be two or three reliable witnesses to that wrong doing or it should not be brought before the church!

And if these accusations are found to be true, they need to be brought before the church!

*****1Ti 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

We should clearly understand the instructions of the Lord should be followed at all costs or the church will be just as guilty as that one who had done that evil.

Disobedience is disobedience no matter who does the evil!

We should keep in mind, Timothy is going to Ephesus to root out false teaching!

We should also remember that we all are sinners only saved by the "Grace" of God.

If the honor of the true Pastor is being double value, then the rebuke of the false Pastor should also be of double value!

Then those who have heard and even approved of that false teaching may then repent and be restored to the truth of God.

*****1Ti 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

We will all stand before God one day and be judged for the things we have done since being saved by the "Grace".

Each Pastor is to minister without showing partiality in the church and to rebuke without showing partiality.

With Timothy being so young, Paul cautioned him to not shrink back from reproving men of weight and influence, which means those who were of high standing outside the church.

This may the biggest problem in the church today, Pastors who refuse to preach all the truth of God because of influential men in the pews.

Timothy like all Pastors will answer to the Lord when He returns.

When Timothy stepped up to the podium and looked out over his flock, he must not immediately judge his congregation, he was to preach to them what God had laid on his heart.

Our first thing to do in the church is to worship the God of the Bible, in Spirit and Truth because this is the only worship that God will accept!

God says many times that He does not show partiality and we are to do the same!

Deu 1:17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

Deu 1:18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.

The Church should never make decisions or choices because some powerful man in the church insist on it!

The Pastor must preach all the Word of God without being partial to a few in the church.

The Pastor must not accept the favor of men just because of their wealth or their standing.

The Pastor must not give his attention to one group of people above another.

Pro 24:21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

Pro 24:22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

Pro 24:23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

Pro 24:24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

Pro 24:25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

The Pastor must at all costs keep himself pure!

*****1Ti 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

When Timothy gets to this church in Ephesus, it is very probable that he does not know who is distorting the Word of God until he has been there for a while.

The laying on of the hands was used to ordain Pastors and maybe some elders.

Paul is teaching Timothy that he should spend some time there before he could be able to ordain a Pastor, or Deacon, or other man by the laying on the hands.

We also know that the laying on of the hands is done for the sick.

There is no power in "the laying on of the hands" because the power is in that prayer that is made during the laying on the hands!

The best example of one who is partaking of another man's sins would be Paul himself at the death of Stephan.

Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Act 7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

Act 7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

Act 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Paul was just as guilty of the death of Stephen, as was those who threw the stones that killed him.

This church in Ephesus was a young immature church that probably did not have a mature Christian in their group.

The truth is God will hold us responsible for the failures of unfaithful workers and any false teachers we have approved!

Each Pastor is to keep himself pure not only inside the church but outside the church!

According to some, these passages also prove that a fallen Pastor can be restored to his ministry or at least to some ministry in the church.

Again, let’s look at that word "wine".

*****1Ti 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

This is one of the most favorite passages for those who insist that God approves of drinking alcohol.

I personally disagree that this wine was used as a medicine, when combined with water.

Those who traveled outside of America have found that the drinking of water will cause terrible stomach problems, and this is what was happening to Timothy.

The fruit of the grape, grape juice, was made drinkable buy mixing one-part grape juice to two parts water to drink when traveling in those days.

The Roman soldiers would take the left over from wine that had turned to vinegar and had no alcoholic value and add water to drink in every nation for this same reason.

The Lord said not to even look at wine:

Pro 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

The point Paul is making is, that it was very important for each Pastor to take good care of their health.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

What would Timothy expect to see in this church?

*****1Ti 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

1Ti 5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.

Paul told Timothy that many of the men in Ephesus did not hide their sinful ways and certainly none of these should be chosen to serve in the ministry.

Timothy was not to judge them, except to know that they were not fit to serve the Lord at this time!

It is God Himself who will judge the sinner and He already has:

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Why would we even try to judge anyone who is already sentenced to death?

Timothy was to also expect to find men who would try to hide their sin. This is what we all have done in our past!

These men would not be able to hide their sin for very long once Timothy preached the whole counsel of God.

We should also understand that the good works of some are clearly seen, while others have good works that are not known to others or to just a few.

As we live in the church family we still cannot see into the hearts of other believers, it is their actions that we can see.

The only judgment we can make on others is by the Word of God and even then, we must be certain.

It is God who will Judge this world and even then, He can only judge by the Written Word because this is what He said Himself!

What was Paul saying to Timothy?

Rom 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

We can also know that there some of God's people who would work in a ministry but are just never able for some human reason, but God knows these also and they will still receive a reward.

1Ki 8:17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

1Ki 8:18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.

King David truly wanted to build a Temple but because of David's bloody hands, God would not allow it.

But it was well that it was in the heart of David to do so!

Amen

Let's Pray!