Meditations on I Timothy.
 
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He has considered me trustworthy, appointing me to His service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”     I Timothy 1:12-14, NIV
 
     I love these verses. What I love is the progressive layering of Paul’s words. They portray a beautiful picture of hope. Paul is thanking Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has given him strength. Hallelujah for this simple yet profound truth. Our thanksgiving belongs solely to Jesus, who through our very weakness, makes us strong. In fact, Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, tells us that “My power (Christ’s) is made perfect through weakness.” Paul continues on to say that he will boast all the more gladly of his weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon him. What an encouragement this is to know that it is Christ and His power who gives us strength and that it is through our very weaknesses that He can make us strong. 

Meditations on 1 Timothy
 
“We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers - and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God  which He entrusted to me.”     I Timothy 1:8-11, NIV
 
     God’s law IS good. It is good simply because it comes from God. All things which God created and all things that come from Him are good. Even from the beginning of time, when God created the world, this truth is evidenced through Genesis 1:31, “And God saw all that He had made and it was very good.”
     Why then, does Paul say, “we know that the law is good if one uses it properly.” First, remember who etched the 10 Commandments on the initial set of stone tablets? The answer, of course, is God. 

Meditations on I Timothy
 
“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrine any longer or to devote themselves to myths or endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work - which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
I Timothy 1:3-5, NIV
 
     When Paul went to Macedonia, he urged Timothy to stay in Ephesus. I don’t know about you, but sometimes when my friends move ahead to new things, I feel left behind. Here, we are reminded that God has a purpose for us to stay exactly where we are at. In this case, Timothy stayed behind to combat false teachings, myths, and endless genealogies. Why was this so important? Because, if not addressed, it could hinder the spread of the gospel by 

Meditations on…I Timothy
 
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God, our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy, my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
I Timothy 1:1-2 NIV
 
As I begin my study on I Timothy, I can’t help but notice the greeting Paul gives. Yesterday, I felt overwhelmed. I confess, points even existed where I even felt hopeless. It was my first day “substituting” and acting as my Kindergartener’s teacher. In no way did I feel suited for the task. In no way did I feel prepared. So, it is from this lens that I began studying I Timothy.
     “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God, our Savior and of Christ Jesus, our Hope, to Timothy, my true son in the faith; grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and Christ our Lord (Timothy I:1-2).” These words washed over my frazzled spirit like honey. Just hearing this simple reminder that God is our Savior and Christ is our Hope, lifted my spirits. These are powerful words which Paul penned. Knowing that God is our Savior, that He is