|
|
|
|
Safe Passage Introduction Perhaps you have wondered how in the world you’ll be able to lead your family through the many challenges facing us today. Raising godly kids in a very ungodly world; keeping high standards amidst constant pressure to compromise; guarding against your weaknesses / guarding your passions, keeping your bearings when times are tough (like today), and keeping your hope fixed steadily on God. Wisdom and discernment tend to waiver, and sometimes God does not make sense to us. What anchors you? How can you “not waiver in unbelief”; can we really belief that God has the power to do what He promises (Rom. 4:20)? Let’s look at the book of 1st Timothy from the perspective of relationships. I’m convinced that beginning with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (this is your “ticket” for a safe journey) God’s plan is for us to celebrate godly relationships with other believers. You’ve heard it said, “No man is an island”, and that we need each other. Hebrews 10:24-25 instructs us as believers not to neglect each other but to encourage each other in the Lord. Timothy means “one who honors God”. His mother Eunice and grandmother Lois were Jewish believers (2 Tim. 1:5); his dad was a Greek (Acts 16:1) and likely not a believer. Timothy was from Lystra, a province of Galatia. Paul led him to Christ (1:2, 18) while on his first missionary journey there (Acts 14:6-23). On his next visit he chose Timothy to accompany him (Acts. 16:1-3). Timothy may have been very young then, perhaps a teenager, but he stuck with Paul for the rest of Paul’s life. Paul often sent Timothy to churches as his representative, which is the case in this letter, where Timothy served as pastor of the church at Ephesus. Paul advised him on such practical topics as qualifications for church leaders, public worship, confronting false teaching, how to treat various groups of people within the church, and materialism.
Paul needed Timothy and Timothy needed Paul. What about you; who is shoring up your faith and helping keep you on course? In turn who are you encouraging in the faith? Are you cultivating and celebrating godly relationships, beginning in your own home?
Teaching Overview
Godly Relationships Worksheet Rate the relationship qualities about yourself on a 1 – 10 scale, with 10 being the strongest and 1 the weakest.
A. Shoring Up Circle the qualities that you scored lower than 8. Who do you have in your life that may be able to help you grow stronger in these areas? If not at least one person, begin investing in such a godly relationship.
B. Reaching Out Underline the qualities for which you scored 8 or higher. Who do you know that you can rub shoulders with and encourage in these areas? Ask God to show you someone you can touch in this way.
Sneak Peek Into 1st Timothy
To Go Home With Which of the “sneak peek” relationship strengths is the Lord encouraging you to focus on this week? How about sharing this with another believer and asking them to check back with you in a week to see how you are doing?
NEXT WEEK: Strong Anchor of Faith: ORIENTATION – 1 Tim. 1:1-11 © copyright 2011, Daniel Kinnoin
Introduction |
Lesson 1.1 | Lesson 1.2 |
Lesson 1.2 Reprise |
Lesson 2.1 | Lesson 2.2 |
Lesson 3.1
|
Lesson 3.2 | Lesson 4.1
| Lesson 4.2 |
|
Home | Lesson Archives | Upcoming Events | Christian Links
|
