Charity Begins At Home. 1Timothy 5:5-16 NLT

Those who spend much time talking about other people’s lives need to get a life of their own. David Guzik 

“It is no sin in any case to marry, bear children, and take care of a family; but it is a sin in every case to be idle persons, gadders about, tattlers, busybodies, sifting out and detailing family secrets” (Clarke). 

1 Timothy 5:5-16 NLT

5 Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for His help.  6 But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.  7 Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism. 

8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. 

9 A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband.  10 She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly?  Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good? 

11 The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry.  12 Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge.  13 And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t.  14 So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.  15 For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan. 

16 If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone. 

Blessings, Cecilia 

Genesis 2:4-9 Accounts!

4This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made them.

5Now no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth, nor had any plant of the field sprouted; for the LORD God had not yet sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. 6But springs welled up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.

7Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

8And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, where He placed the man He had formed. 9Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

God was busy in these verses! Here’s a summary,

Gave an account

Created springs of water

Formed a man

Breathed the breath of life

Planted a garden

Grew Trees

Created the tree of life and the tree of knowledge 

Accounts, everybody has one!

One day you will have to give an account of your life. 

Satan will be your accuser.

Will Jesus be your Savior?

Blessings, David 

A Little Respect. Timothy 5:17-20 NLT

When Aretha Franklin died recently, I heard for the first time the history behind the song "Respect". 

Originally written by Otis Redding, it references "a plea from a desperate man, who will give his woman anything she wants. He won't care if she does him wrong, as long as he gets his due respect when he brings money home. 

Franklin's version is a declaration from a strong, confident woman, who knows that she has everything her man wants. She never does him wrong, and demands his "respect". (Wikipedia)

I remember Rodney Dangerfield as a stand up comedian and actor whose catchphrase was  "I don't get no respect!" 

To be treated with respect is what all of us want. It tells us we are valued, important and loved. This current  world  has lost so much respect for basic freedoms, life itself, even our right to exist. Who can you show respect to today? 

1 Timothy 5:17-20 NLT 

17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well,  especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.  18 For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!” 

19 Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses.  20 Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others. 

Blessings, Cecilia

Genesis 2:1-3 The Holy Day.

The Seventh Day

(Exodus 16:22-35; Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Hebrews 4:1-11)

1Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work.

3Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.

sanctified; set apart and declare holy.

What is your holy day, Saturday or Sunday? Do you take a day of rest after six days of work?

In this scripture God is giving us an example to follow. “2And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work.”

God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, shouldn’t you?

Blessings, David 

Genesis 1:28-31 And it was so!

28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”

29Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food. 30And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

31And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.

And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day

God gives man a job to do, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”

Prior to the flood, mans food was vegetation. It wasn’t until Genesis 9:3 that animals became food.

Genesis 9:3 (NKJV)

3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.

31And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.

This was before sin and decay entered the world.

“And it was so.” “The Lords will has been law.” (Spurgeon)

Blessings, David 

Genesis 1:27 His image or yours?

Genesis 1:27So God created man in His own image;

in the image of God He created him;

male and female He created them.

This is Gods plan for creating man and woman. 

We will see exactly how He creates them in Genesis 2.

God created you because He has a plan for your life.

Will you seek Him and His plan for you or will you make and follow your own plan?

Remember, “in the image of God He created him” (you).

Will you keep His image or change it?

Blessings, David 

Genesis 1:26 The image of God.

26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.”

“Let Us make man in Our image,”. “Us” speaks of the Trinity.

“after Our likeness,” likeness: the semblance, guise, or outward appearance of.

"humans are described as being made in God's likeness"

God gave man dominion over the earth, birds, livestock and every creature.

These verses set us apart from every other creature on earth. We were made in The image of God and we have a soul. 

How do you rule over your domain, like a loving God or a tyrant?

Blessings, David 

Hurling Day. 1 Timothy 5:1-4 NLT

Back in the early 90's there was a sitcom called "Dinosaurs" . It was the brain child of Jim Henson, creator of Sesame Street. The characters were puppets. Very low grade and corny by today's standards but entertaining at the time. I loved to watch it. 

There was a mom and dad, grandma ( mom's mom) and three kids. My favorite was the youngest child, a baby dinosaur. His tag line was "Not the mama" which was what he called the dad. 

One episode was titled "Hurling Day". "Earl (dad) is excited to throw Ethyl (mother in law) into the tar pits on her 72nd birthday, an old dinosaur tradition. The tradition specifies that men have the honor (and pleasure) of throwing their mother-in-law off a cliff. The day before the hurling, however, Robbie (boy)  decides that it is the tradition and not his grandmother that should be hurled."

Unfortunately, our society today does not have the same respect for the elderly it once had. While some cultures still value their senior citizens the United States is moving further and further away from what Paul was teaching Timothy in this letter. 

If you still have your parents in your life, embrace the time you have left with them. We do not know what tomorrow will bring.

1 Timothy 5:1-4 NLT 

1 Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers.  2 Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters. 

3 Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. 4 But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.

Blessings, Cecilia

Genesis 1:24-25 And God saw that it was good!

The Sixth Day

24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and wild animals according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

God created all the animals, reptiles, beasts etc. 

“according to their kinds”.

Simplified terms basically means animals of like kind would procreate within their species and raise their offspring. 

“And it was so.”

And God saw that it was good.

Wouldn’t it be great to see the Garden of Eden? No disease or corruption and wildlife as God created!

Blessings, David 

Genesis 1:20-23 And God Said!

Genesis

The Fifth Day

20And God said, “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” 21So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every bird of flight after its kind. And God saw that it was good.

22Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

23And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

And God said,

“God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, .... and every bird of flight after its kind”.

Kinda blows the Big Bang theory and evolution apart doesn’t it? 

Next time you hear about those theories just remember these words, 

“And God said”!

And don’t forget, “And God saw that it was good”.

Blessings, David 

Genesis 1:14-19 The sun and the moon!

The Fourth Day

14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between day and night and to mark the seasons and days and years, 15and let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so.

16God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well.

17God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth, 18to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

19And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

God creates the sun and the moon.

Psalm 147:4 (NKJV) 4 He counts the number of the stars;

He calls them all by name.

Isaiah 40:26 (NKJV)26 Lift up your eyes on high,

And see who has created these things,

Who brings out their host by number;

He calls them all by name,

By the greatness of His might

And the strength of His power;

Not one is missing.

Mark the seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter. 

And God saw that it was good.

Do you lift your eyes up at night in awe at His wonders?

Blessings, David 

Genesis 1:9-13 Gods light!

Genesis 1:The Third Day

9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land “earth,” and the collection of waters He called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

11Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation, seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each bearing fruit with seed according to its kind.” And it was so. 12The earth produced vegetation, seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

13And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

God created the seas which in turn created areas of dry land. He brought forth vegetation, seed bearing plants and fruit trees, each bearing fruit with seed according to its kind.

Do you understand these are mature.....vegetation, plants and fruit trees? This blows up the theory of evolution!

In an instant God created everything. 

He hasn’t created the sun yet! So where did the light come from?

Gods Light! His light was the light of the day because it’s not until the fourth day when He creates the sun and the moon!

In the book of Revelation 21:23 And the city has no need for sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp. 

So we see in the Beginning (Genesis) and in the End (Revelation) God illuminates with His glory, Jesus is the lamp!

John 8:12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Who is your light?

Blessings, David 

Genesis 1:6-8 Words and Translations.

Genesis 1:6-8

The Second Day

6And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, to separate the waters from the waters.” 7So God made the expanse and separated the waters beneath it from the waters above. And it was so. 8God called the expanse “sky.”

And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

Expanse, space, firmament, dome, horizon, fifteen different translations with five different words all meaning the same thing.

Which one brings you understanding?

With me it was horizon. God called the horizon, sky.

On the second day God created the sky.

I had an interesting discussion the other day about words in the Bible and the meaning of those words and whether they were properly translated. 

I use the app called Bible Hub which as of today has fifteen different translations at your fingertips.

During the discussion I related a teaching by Chuck Swindoll on this verse;

Matthew 26:34 BSB Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

Chuck explained that the Jews consider the chicken/rooster as a dirty animal so their religion would have forbidden them to be in Jerusalem. 

So why did Jesus say rooster? Chuck explained that the Roman guards blew a horn or trumpet at the changing of the guard which sounded like a rooster or was referring to the name of the horn. So Jesus was telling Peter before the Romans blow their horn for the change of the guard, you will deny me three times.

So after years of studying the Bible I’m still learning something new about words and their translation.

Expanse, space, firmament, dome, horizon all refer to sky.

Are you still studying and learning the Bible?

Blessings, David 

Saved Soul, Wasted Life. 1 Timothy 4:14-16 NLT

Years ago Hamburgh was nearly half of it burned down, and among the incidents that happened, there was this one. A large house had connected with it a yard in which there was a great black dog, and this black dog in the middle of the night barked and howled most furiously. It was only by his barking that the family were awakened just in time to escape from the flames, and their lives were spared; but the poor dog was chained to his kennel, and though he barked and thus saved the lives of others, he was burned himself. 

Oh! Do not you who work for God in this church perish in that fashion. Do not permit your sins to enchain you, so that while you warn others you become lost yourselves.” (Spurgeon)

1 Timothy 4:14-16 NLT
14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.  15 Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.  16 Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. 

“God’s gifts groan under our disuse or misuse.” (Trapp) 

Blessings, Cecilia 

Live It! 1 Timothy 4:11-13 NLT

Recently I realized the depth of your faith or the knowledge of the Bible has nothing to do with how long you've been a Christian. I've met people who have been Christian's much longer then me that seem to lack basic Christian love or compassion. I've also met people who are fairly new in the faith that seem to have such wise understanding. 

Someone recently said to me "I guess it all depends on where you are in maturity as a Christian." Boy, is that true. I guess it just depends on how much time you're willing to invest in maturing as a Christian. 

So never stop learning, studying and investing. Don't just claim the prize, live it. Continue to grow and mature. 

1 Timothy 4:11-13 NLT 

11 Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. 12 Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.  13 Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.

Blessings, Cecilia 

Genesis 1:1-4 Thank Him continually!

Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

The First Day

3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And seeing that the light was good, God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.”

And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

Look at the nature around you, God created all of it. Thank Him for His creation.

Thank Him for the wonders.

Thank Him continually!

Blessings, David 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Time

Ecclesiastes 3

To Everything There is a Season

1To everything there is a season,

and a time for every purpose under heaven:

2a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to break down and a time to build,

4a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6a time to search and a time to count as lost,

a time to keep and a time to discard,

7a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

What is time? Pink Floyd had their version of Time but to God .....

2 Peter 3:8 Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

Our time, your time, my time, the clock ticks away. If you accepted Christ you prepared your time wisely, and if you didn’t your time has been appointed for you in hell.

Did you take the time to receive His mark?

Time is running out........

Blessings, David 

Joel 2:12-14 Can you hear Him?

Joel 2:12Yet even now,

declares the LORD,

return to Me with all your heart,

with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

13So rend your hearts and not your garments,

and return to the LORD your God.

For He is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger,

and abounding in loving devotion.

And He relents from sending disaster.

14Who knows? He may turn and relent

and leave a blessing behind Him—

grain and drink offerings

to the LORD your God.

Rend:to rend, tear, cut, lacerate, cut down”

If you read Joel you will see that the Lord is disciplining the Jews, but in the middle of it all, His loving heart for man leaves them a way out. He invites them back.

God invites you back too. No mater what you’re going through,  no mater what you’ve done, reread these verses, 

“For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in loving devotion.”

He is inviting you back. Can you hear Him?

Blessings, David 

Open Up. 1 Timothy 4:6-10 NLT

Push through, continue on, don't stop, that's what Paul is telling Timothy. That's what God is telling you. That's what God is telling me. 

I have never been so spiritually attacked as I have been these last few weeks. And I am sure it ain't over yet. So why is God allowing these things to happen? What is He  trying to teach me? I haven't figured it out yet but I'm open to learn and move on. Isn't that all God really wants from us anyway? To be open to Him teaching us, open to Him strengthening us and open to Him directing us on to better serve Him? 

Please remember me in your prayers, that I would be open to receive what He is teaching me today. 

1 Timothy 4:6-10 NLT 

6 If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy,  you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed.  7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly.  8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come " 9This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it.  10 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. 

Blessings, Cecilia 

Job 1:6-12 & 2 Cor 1:21-22 Don’t be afraid!

Job 1:6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.

7“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan.

“From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and from walking back and forth in it.”

8Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.”

9Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

12“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

These verses amaze me. “One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.”

Satan has limited power, the Lord restrains him. He had to give Satan permission to affect Job and his family but in these verses he is instructed “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.”

If we could see into the spiritual world, what would “a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns”. look like? A bright light from heaven shining down on Job, his family and property? An angel standing guard over him?

2Cor 1:21 Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He anointed us, 22placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come. 

Don’t be afraid when you go out into the world today, you have His seal and His Spirit. Satan is restrained from touching you too! 

Blessings, David 

Deut 34:4-8 & Romans 10:9-13 Promises!

Deut 34:4And the LORD said to him, “This is the land I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will not cross into it.”

5So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, as the LORD had said. 6And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab facing Beth-peor, and no one to this day knows the location of his grave.

7Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not diminished. 8The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.

Several things stick out to me about Moses.

Moses sinned.

God wanted Moses to see the promised land “but you will not cross into it.”

“He buried him in a valley in the land”.... The Lord buried Moses!

At the time of his death, 120 years old, “his eyes were not weak and his vitality had not diminished”.

What do we have in common with Moses? We are sinners too!

The Lord made promises to Moses and kept them. 

The Lord will keep His promises to you too.

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

11It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”e 12For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”f

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Have you called on the name of the Lord?

Blessings, David