Peggy Crans

The best antidote for the love of money is to realize the hope we have in God. He is our only hope. When we trust in wealth and not God we must repent and get rid of our selfish desire for things. Do good, be rich in good deeds, share your blessings. We should rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit to keep us from going overboard. When we rely on God completely and give Him all of problems He will never let us down.

I guess the love for money grows when we start to become dissatisfied with what we have. It becomes a trap when we loose focus on what is important. We think only of how we can get more and more. We think things will make us happy. How wrong to let greed take over our very being. To escape this trap we must get back to basics. God is our provider and our peace not money or things.

I think contentment is inner peace and only God can give you that. No I don't think it will keep us from getting ahead. Look at Paul, he is a good example God will provide what we need. He is Jehova Jirah our provider. Our main quest should be to put God first and then all things will be added.

People are susceptible to distorted Bible teaching concerning financial gain because that's what they want to hear thinking it will benefit them. I guess it's called greed. They are like little children they want everything they see. They think wealth will solve all their problems. It is true that God will bless us. There are many blessings that are from God that are not financial. I have heard distortions like if you give you will receive it back 100 fold, or if you do this or that you will get such or such. I really don't go for this kind of Bible teaching. That's why we should stay in the Bible and know what it teaches so we know when the truth is being spoken. How do they differ from the truth? False teachers have just enough truth in them that some people are fooled by their twisted message.

The Word tells us that we are all one in Christ. I think Paul was not condoning slavery or putting it down, It was the times they were living in there was slavery he was giving guidance to them so God's name and their teaching would not be slandered. If they had a believing master(brother in the Lord) or a non-believing master they were to respect them and Their teaching would not be very fruitful if they were disrespectful and lax when it came to the work they were to do.

There is danger in being hasty. False teachers can be among those that are being considered for ordination. There needs to be background testing before anyone can be considered. New converts should have more years of service and training before they can take on such a great responsibility. Even some that have walked with the Lord for many years are not always the best to be chosen. Therefore the testing to see what that person is all about, what he or she believes is vital.

It was necessary because they were teaching false doctrine. This had to be stopped. Elders are to be honored and therefore need to cease from what they were teaching. It always seems easier to compromise and sweep wrong doing under the rug, but we are to do what is right even if it is unpopular with some. Those that were hearing the false teachings were being lead down the wrong path and that had to be corrected. We should always be just when confronting someone with wrong doing. It is hard to confront someone today because we are sometimes intimidated by authority, especially in church. If we know something is wrong we should step forward and face the situation. If we don't it will only hurt the church. We certainly have to know the facts before anything is done. That's why it says it should be brought by t wo or three witnesses.

They should be honored and compinsated financially(double honored) when they do their work well especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. Deuteronomy 25:4 says "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.Oxen were allowed to stop and eat some of the grain. That was their reward for doing a good job.

It is our responsibility to help our aging family members in any way that is needed. We are to honor them as the Bible tells us to do. Our parents and grandparents have sacrificed for us and to care for them when they get older is our way of giving thamks for all they have done for us. Those who refuse this responsibility are worse than an unbeliever.

Actions speak louder than words. We need to have and show a loving and gentle spirit. Being rigid and unsmiling turns people off and discourages them. A strong example of godliness in church leaders is essential to a healthy church because leaders should lead by example. If we lead by world example we don't show the love of Christ.

Godliness, I think, is being close to God, knowing His Word and living by His Word and yeilding to the Holy Spirit as best as you can. We all slip at times that's what repentence is for. He is so willing to give us another chance. Godliness is produced in a person by truly loving God above anyone or anything else, yeilding to the Holy Spirit, and alowing the fruits of the Spirit to be fruitful in our life. Abundant love for God and for others should be obvious in Godliness while embracing a strict morality is not.

The performance of legalistic requirements is attractive to people because it makes them feel self righteous. There are no spiritual fruits to the legalistic requirements the only possible fruit it could produce is a self righteous spirit, a pride in self, a hautiness that they are closer to God than anyone that is truly following the Word of God. Only the Holy Spirit can produce the spiritual fruits. It is different from the true gospel because it is the opposite of the gospel.

Paul wants them to be prepared for what is coming and not to abandon the teachings of Christ. Timothy and the church are to stand firm and not let the false teachings of some influence them in any way.

I don't see much difference in the two positions. the deacon is like an administrator,caring for the business of the church, to give their attentiont to prayer and the ministry of the word. The elder or overseers are teachers of sound doctrine so that he can encourage others by the sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. They both speak the worD of truth.

Church leaders should not be any of these things. They should be Sincere, sober, patient, gentle, not violent, peaceable, not quick to anger, etc. If these things are not considered this could cause an unhealthy church. We don't need anyone that can't control hemself, that is ready to argue and probably be slandress, to others. Leaders should be able to handle things that come up in a quiet and patient manner. Disruptions and unrest only hurt every one present.

A leadership position is a very serious thing. they should be ovserved carefully to see how they receive different peopoe, how they react in crisis and etc. Time has to be taken to observe their Spiritual maturity Probably many people are picked before anyone truly knows them. You must know the character of the person you are considering. They should be a seasoned christian not a new convert. They must be trustworthy,dependable, faithful, upright not show favoritism. One who loves what is good.

I believe Paul means just what it says. He should be the husband of one wife. True to her and not be a womanizer. He should be a faithful husband. If a leader can't keep his family under comtrol he won't be able to be a very good in a leadership role. If he has problems in his own familly life it sure isn't a good indicator of leadership.

I believe there is a great cultural difference from then to now. In the twenty-first century women can get a very good education, whereas in Paul's time they couldn't. I do believe God does call women into the ministry. There are some excellent women preachers. I believe that the husband should be the head of the household, but we must rememeber after all Eve came from Adams side, so that's where she should walk. Christ treated women and men equally. If a woman is a preacher or a teacher and her husband is not, I don't think that she is usurping his authority. His authority would be in the home not as a dictator but as a loving husband. When we marry we become one in Christ. If a woman is not married she is not usurping authority, she is following God's callling on her life.

The women that were in the fancy clothes were drawing attention to themselves. The attention is supposed to be on worshipping the Lord not on our attire. It must have been very distracting. I believe most women in the twenty-first century dress modestly and respectfully. They use good judgment in their attire. Some women wear make-up, jewelry and so on, but not to draw attention to themselves.

Because of the controversies of the false teachers the men were in many disputes. They were going through the motion of prayer but their hearts were full of anger. They needed to be worshipping with pure hearts. They needed to come before the Lord with clean hearts and true worship not anger and confusion. Their hearts, and ours, must come before the Lord with love and compassion and our minds focused on our worship of the Lord.

Paul emphasized the roles of Mediator and Ransom because Christ is our Mediator and He also was the perfect Ransom. He is without sin, He is pure, He is the Son of God. When we pray we ask in the name of Jesus because He is our Mediator. He pleads our case before the Father.

Because Christ gave His life for all mankind. Not one does He want to perish. Like John 3:16 says, "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". that means everyone. The church at Ephesus was not evangelising. Aparently is was a very disruptive aervice. The false teachers were probably causing a lot of divisions and unrest and not preaching about Christ's death and resurrection.

He is King eternal. He always was and always is and always will be forevermore. He is immortal.He will never die, He is incorruptible, He is imperishable. He will always be. He is forevermore. He is invisible. We can't see Him, but He is always there. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is The only God. The one True God. Our praise is a sweet smelling aroma to His nostrils. He inhabits the praises of His people. We bring honor and glory to our Lord. Our praises are our love song to our Heavenly Father. we show reverence to Him when we praise Him. Speaking out a doxology is a humbling experience. It reminds me of how little I am and how great He is.

Because of his own life, he can show how merciful our God is. Paul wants to tell the church that no matter what has taken place in the past in their lives, God still loves us and is willing to have mercy for all who believe in Him. Paul want the church to know that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst", that God poured out His mercy and love to him, as an example, for those who would believe on Him and receive Him and have eternal life. He sincerely wants them to know the truth.