Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church Of the Nazarene for Thursday, 15 June 2017 "Give These Instructions" by Phil Pinckard - 1 Timothy 5:1-16

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church Of the Nazarene for Thursday, 15 June 2017 "Give These Instructions" by Phil Pinckard - 1 Timothy 5:1-16
1 Timothy 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man sharply, but appeal to him as you would to a father; treat younger men like brothers, ² older women like mothers and younger women like sisters, with absolute purity.

³ Show respect to widows who are really in need. ⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, first let them learn to do their religious duty to their own family and thus repay some of the debt they owe their forebears, for this is what is acceptable in the sight of God. ⁵ Now the widow who is really in need, the one who has been left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day. ⁶ But the one who is self-indulgent is already dead, even though she lives. ⁷ And instruct them about this, so that they will not be open to blame. ⁸ Moreover, anyone who does not provide for his own people, especially for his family, has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
⁹ Let a widow be enrolled on the list of widows only if she is more than sixty years old, was faithful to her husband, ¹⁰ and is known for her good deeds — as one who has reared her children well, showed hospitality, washed the feet of God’s people, helped those in trouble, and engaged in all kinds of good work.
¹¹ But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they begin to feel natural passions that alienate them from the Messiah, they want to get married. ¹² This brings them under condemnation for having set aside the trust they had at first. ¹³ Besides that, they learn to be idle, going around from house to house; and not only idle, but gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t. ¹⁴ Therefore, I would rather the young widows get married, have children and take charge of their homes, so as to give the opposition no occasion for slandering us. ¹⁵ For already some have turned astray to follow the Adversary.
¹⁶ If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, she should provide relief for them — the congregation shouldn’t be burdened, so that it may help the widows who are really in need.

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In this 21st century, we have become more than familiar with technology—we have become dependent on it. Few of us memorize addresses or phone numbers, relying instead on our smart phones or computers rather than our minds.
First Timothy chapter five offers detailed instructions for various human relationships. Each man should treat the women in his life as mother, sister, wife, niece or grandmother. Likewise, each woman should treat the men in her life as father, brother, husband, nephew or grandfather. We are truly the family of God.
Sadly, sometimes we treat those of our immediate family less well than we do total strangers. “Charity begins at home” isn’t found in the Bible, but it certainly conveys a biblical truth.
It has been suggested that the B-I¬-B-L-E is the “Believers’ Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” How are you treating the members of your immediate and extended family?
"For the Beauty of the Earth" by Folliot S. Pierpoint

1. For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies—

Refrain:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

2. For the wonder of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flow’r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light—

Refrain:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

3. For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild—

Refrain:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

4. For Thy church that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Off’ring up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love—
Refrain:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.
Thought for today:

Don’t owe anyone anything — except to love one another; for whoever loves his fellow human being has fulfilled Torah. [Romans 13:8].

Please pray:

That many people in Cote d'Ivoire will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKadosh.
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