1 Timothy

1 Timothy

Summary: Ephesus the home of the Temple of Artemis, infested with magic practitioners of all sorts and a port of trade was a vibrant city in Timothy's time. It was here Paul had left Timothy having quite a job to fulfill. Timothy was to guide the church out of heretical teachings and to solidly establish church leadership. As writing like a father to son we see much advise given to Timothy included to have wine to ease his stomach and ailments. Let us follow this journey and take a good look at what was said. 

Things I Noticed:

1. The aim of our charge is love  that issues from the our heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 

2. The law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient.

3. The King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.

4. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 

5. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 

6. For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?

7. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. 

8. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

9. The Spirit expressly says that in the later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demon.

10. For everything created by God is good, and and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 

11. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myth

12. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have out hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 

13. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

14. Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father. Treat younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity. 

15. Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 

16. (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)

17. Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

18. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.

19. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

20. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of God.      

As I continue through Ecclesiastes I can only say as you peel away the layers of angst gems of wisdom are strewn throughout this book.  We will be having time with Timothy again in Paul's second letter to him. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Philemon

Philemon

Summary: Paul, who is in prison (probably in either Rome or Ephesus), writes to  Philemon and his other brethren. Some think Philemon was possibly a bishop of the house church that met in his home in Colosse.  As a slave-owner he would have been wealthy by the standards of the early church and this explains why his house was large enough to accommodate the church that meets in his house. Paul writes on behalf of Onesimus, Philemon's slave. Beyond that, it is not self-evident as to what has transpired. Onesimus is described as having been "separated" from Philemon, once having been "useless" to him (a pun on Onesimus's name, which means "useful"), and having done him wrong. Onesimus seems to be a runaway slave who became a Christian believer while imprisoned with Paul. Paul now sends him back to face Philemon his aggrieved master, and strives in his letter to effect reconciliation between these two Christians.

Things I Noticed:

1. The Heart of the Saints have been refreshed through you. 

2. I appeal to you for my child, Omesimus, whose father I became in imprisonment. 

Ecclesiastes is throughly filled with sorrow found in the depths of understand that everything one does is a legacy. Solomon's sadness is filled by the wisdom that nothing gained is kept. As we move on with Paul we will visit his protege Timothy. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Lamentations

Lamentations 

Summary:  The city you have loved has been burned, rampaged and the people carried off. The King has been captured and you sit watching the embers of the Temple burn. The great army of Babylon lead by Nebuchadnezzar has crushed Israel leaving Jeremiah the prophet Lamenting over the lost. Known already as the weeping prophet this does nothing to take away from that nick name. Still there is a time to mourn loss and this would be one of them.     

Things I Noticed:

1. Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns her face away. She took no thought for her future. (This reminds me of where America is today)
2. Your prophets (economic forecasters) have seen you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading. 

3. The Lord has done what he purposed; he has carried out his word
4. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
5. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul "therefore I will hope in him."
6. (God) will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
7. Is it not form the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come.
8. Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven.
9. Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities.

Next we take a look at the honorable Philemon. The concept of grace and mercy over a run away slave who is returning to his master and Paul's plea. Continuing through the sorrow found in the depths of the books of wisdom we shall move on to Ecclesiastes. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Titus

Titus

Summary:  Titus was a gentile convert to the belief of Christ. He was mentored by Paul most likely as a Rabbi mentors his disciplines. Titus would have lived with Paul, walked with Paul and learned oral and written precepts from him also. This letter to Titus takes brings us into his journey as a student of Paul's who has been in trusted with the Island of Crete to finish what they had started together. This letter is should be seen as not a letter from teacher to student but more like father to son giving him direction in how to care for the household. More then just a job these instructions would have been a showing of trust and a reminder of what Paul saw in him and the identity that Paul has seen in Titus during their travels. 

Things I Noticed:

1. God's stewart must be above reproach, hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine (Torah, Law) and also to rebuke (correct) this who contradict it. 

2. To the pure all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
3. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works
4. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled. sound in faith, in love and in steadfastness. Urge the younger men to be in self-controlled.
5. Oder women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
6. Live self-controlled (Paul hounds on this in this letter), upright, and godly lives in the present age.
7. He (God) saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
8. Those who believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.  (Seems like we have some agreement with James here Paul)
9. A person who stirs-up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such as person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
10. And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

After our visit to the Island of Crete the next person to visit it is Philemon, Apphia and Archippus three fellow brethren. My journey into Lamentations is rich with regret and grief, emotion usually ignored in Christian society today. Parallels strike me as I read this book of sack cloth, tears and ash; all of which I will address upon my posting. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Ruth

Ruth

Summary:  The country has gone desolate so you pick up your bags and move to a better land with your  sons. There for a time you settle and life is good your sons marry and your successful. Just as time and life seem at its best tragedy hits, taking your heart, the color from your world and forever changing things. Naomi lost her husband and then her sons. When her life seemed as desolate as the land she was decided to return home. She sent her daughter-in-laws away back to there families in hopes they could start over. Still as everything had gone out of Naomi's life, Ruth decidedly did not. This is a story about sticking together through adversity and God honoring that with redemption.   

Things I Noticed:

1. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

2. The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.

3. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.

4. May the Lord make the woman, who sis coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel.

5. So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went into her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. (Yep the whole act in the Bible described.)

6. They named his Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 

 Titus is up next and I do not mean the comedian. My journey with him will help me as I read through Lamentations a book of regret and grief, emotion usually ignored in Christian society today. Still to get a better understanding of my self and my savior I have to reevaluate these emotion and ideas found in this book. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

James

James

Summary:  James the Just. People would later call him that being the bishop of Jerusalem. Written to  the believers who were scattered about the Mediterranean by persecution James looks to address issues the where rising up. At the time to cull the hostility of their surroundings James had noticed believers allowing intellectual agreement pass as true faith, combined with partiality between of visitors and lack of wisdom is addressed with in his letter. James who was brother of Jesus never claimed to be anything more then a slave to the Lord. His book parallels the Oral Torah much like the teachings of Jesus and is full of rich connections that still can be found in Mishnah today. The things to highlight about this Epistle is James advice about trials and his position of faith justified by works. Though it would seem to contradict Paul stance at the matter. Still if you dig deep you find both the root of there ideas are the same. Enjoy this journey as much as I did.

Things I Noticed:

1. Count it all joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
2. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. BUT let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea  that is driven and tossed by the wind.
3. Blessed is the the man who remains steadfast under trails, for when he has stood the he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to this who love him.
4. Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (Not someone else tempting us. The seed of that desire is already there.)
5. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin and sin when it has fully grown brings forth death.
6. Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
7. If anyone thins he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
8. If you play the game of partiality then you are in Sin. So if I come dressed like a bum and some guy comes in a semi-formal and your nicer to him over me. Then sin is abounding. Things like this happen all the time.
9. For Judgement is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over Judgement. (This need to be remembered when bring someone back out of sin.)
10. Faith without works is dead
11. I will show you my faith by my works. (Loves James claim here)
12. You believe God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-- and shudder!
13. Faith was active along with his works and completed by his works.
14. A persons is justified by works not by faith alone. ( That being said you can talk a good walk but what does you life say about you?)
15. We who teach will be judge with greater strictness. ( I still want to teach)
16. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be every vile practice.
17. Wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
18. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
19. Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
20. God oppose the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, ad he will flee from you.
21. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
22. Be patient Establish your hearts
23. Do not grumble against your brothers (other churches), so that you may not be judged; behold the Judge is standing at the door.
24. Do not swear or make an oath but let your yes be yes and your no be no so you won't be condemned.
25.  James 5:13-16 Discusses Church conduct.
26. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (Example is very Jewish and uses Elijah stopping the rain with prayer and starting the rain again in prayer. 

Ruth and Naomi are up next. Come see what I find in the story of tragedy and redemption. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Esther

Esther

Summary:  Hadassah lived with her uncle Mordecai in the capital city of Susa. Seeing caravans carrying Jewish people back to Jerusalem and Israel, delegates from different parts of the Kings Xerxes kingdom most likely captured her imagination. As Hadassah is taken away to prepare to meet the king we see her caution as she hides herself under the name Esther. She moves with wisdom friending her guardians and garnering there advice. Between her and her uncle plots of intrigue are stopped, Haman is rebuffed and Israel is saved.    

Things I Noticed:

1. Esther one the favor of Hegai the Eunuch in charge of the women.
2. Before going to see the King the women spent twelve months in preparation.
3. Esther garners wisdom about the King from Hegai in her choice of what to take with her to see the king.
4. Who knows if you here for such a time as this?

Ruth and Naomi will be telling of how Boaz saved them and God lead them to be redeemed. James has taught me the ways of faith, works and coping with tribulation which I will share with you next. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.