1 Timothy 5:5-6 (KJV) How to Trust God in Desolation

1 Timothy 5:5-6 (KJV) 

Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. 

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

 

A key to understanding verse six is the conjunction “but.” It signals that the person in this verse contrasts with the one in the previous verse. A “letter of the law” interpretation of the passage would see it as a guideline for determining which widows should be supported and which ones we may consider no longer under our obligation. Gill suggests there must have been widows at the time of this writing who were the opposite of “widows indeed”:

 

- They were not desolate or alone.  

- They did not trust in God.  

- They did not continue in supplications and prayers night and day.  

 

If this was true two thousand years ago, it is even more so today.  

“Living in pleasure” indicates more than just living comfortably. No one can fault a person for living comfortably if they are able, but this phrase implies perhaps living beyond their means—a serious issue in our economy, where many rely on credit to sustain a lifestyle they cannot afford.  

 

As for the phrase, “dead while she liveth,” Barnes writes, “Nothing could convey more forcibly the idea that true happiness is not to be found in the pleasures of sense. There is nothing in them that answers the purposes of life. They are not the objects for which life was given, and as to the great and proper designs of existence, such persons might as well be dead.”  

 

The widow indeed is of great service to the Lord and His work, as she dedicates herself to supplications not only for herself but also for her church (remember, the passage is in the context of the local church). She is no burden to the work of the Lord but is, in every sense, a contributor to its vitality through prayer. On the other hand, the one who seeks more than is within her means—and likely only prays for that—is of little value to the house of God (I didn’t say it; God’s Word did).

 

The “letter of the law” application of the passage applies specifically to widows and our responsibilities toward them. The spiritual application suggests that this principle holds true for any believer. Those whose purpose in life is to increase their standard of living misuse their resources and are as useful to the things of God as those who are buried in the cemetery. We may still love them, cherish their memories, and appreciate who they once were to us, but all of that is in the past.

 

#BiblicalTruth  #WidowsIndeed  #FaithfulLiving  #SpiritualWisdom  #TrustInGod

Faith over Pleasure: How to Trust God in Desolation

 

• Are you ready to see your church transformed through the power of prayer?

• With your pastor's approval, start by gathering a small group of fellow believers for a dedicated prayer session.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

1 Timothy 5:5-6 (KJV) How to Trust God in Desolation

Exodus 12:11 (KJV) Seeing God’s Word with Fresh Eyes

Exodus 12:11 (KJV)

And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.

 

I’m thinking about the matter of perspective and how much it influences our views and understanding. My wife and I are currently on a trip through much of the state of Washington. We had heard about a fire near Yakima at an area called the training center. It’s a piece of ground the military uses for training exercises. As we approached Yakima, we were still many miles from the city, but we could see the smoke rising in the distance directly to the left of our vehicle. I commented that it was either not as close to Yakima as we expected or else the road wound to the north, and maybe even a bit to the east, a lot more than we thought. By the time we got to Yakima, it seemed like the fire was far to the east of the city. We thought we must be miles farther away from it than we had initially feared. But as we began to climb the pass between Selah and Ellensburg, we found ourselves driving within sight of the blazing Horse Heaven Hills. Perspective.

 

As students of the Bible, we often draw parallels between the Jewish circumcision[1] and the Jewish Passover.[2] I think the connections are valid and even profitable. However, whether those comparisons are beneficial depends on our approach—our perspective. The New Testament teaches us that all that is recorded in the Old Testament is for our learning and example. The key principle is this: we find our doctrines in the New Testament, and we find illustrations of those doctrines applied in the Old Testament. We do not filter the New Testament through the lens of the Old but vice versa.

 

For instance, while the Jews were told to eat the Passover in haste, we observe the Lord's Supper more solemnly. We linger. We remember in the Lord's Supper our Saviour’s passion. The only one who may have observed that night in haste was Judas Iscariot, who quickly left to betray Jesus.

 

So, there are parallels and comparisons, but they must be observed from the perspective of the New Testament, or else we might draw incorrect conclusions. When studying the Old Testament, look for examples. See how the unchanging God worked among the people of that age but interpret it in light of what God reveals about Himself in the New Testament.

 

#BiblicalPerspective  #ChristianLiving  #FaithAndDoctrine  #OldAndNewTestament  #SpiritualLessons  

Seeing God’s Word with Fresh Eyes: How to Connect Old and New Teachings

 

---

[1] Likening it to Christian baptism.

[2] Likening it to the Christian Lord's Supper.

• What parallels between the Old and New Testaments have stood out to you in your studies?

• Make it a point to share your insights with a friend or family member afterward!

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Exodus 12:11 (KJV) Seeing God’s Word with Fresh Eyes

Exodus 11:3 (KJV) Glorifying God in Adversity

Exodus 11:3 (KJV)

And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.

 

While Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, the Bible shows that this was not the case for everyone in Egypt. The Hebrews themselves found favor among the Egyptians, and Moses was highly regarded by both the Egyptian population and even Pharaoh’s servants. Many of them likely remembered him from his time growing up in the palace. Some may have tended to him directly, or been the children of those who did. So when the Bible says the Hebrews borrowed gold and silver from the Egyptians, it does not imply they stole it when they left. The Egyptian people were glad to offer support to the Hebrews, despite their own government’s hostility toward them.

 

This reminds me of Paul, who was imprisoned due to the enmity of the Jews but found favor among the Roman soldiers. This contrast between confinement and favor opened opportunities for Paul to write nearly half of the New Testament and to spread the gospel to the far reaches of the Roman Empire.

 

The lesson is not to fixate on opposition as we serve the Lord, but to focus on the favor God grants us. This tension—being in the world but not of it—positions us to glorify God without seeking glory for ourselves.

 

#GodsFavor  #ServeTheLord  #BiblicalLessons  #TrustInGod  #FaithInAction 

Glorifying God in Adversity: Overcoming Opposition with Grace 

• What opposition are you facing right now, and how can you see God working through it?

• Trust Him to turn that challenge into growth!

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Exodus 11:3 (KJV) Glorifying God in Adversity

1 Timothy 4:11 (KJV) The Pastor’s Role

1 Timothy 4:11 (KJV)

These things command and teach.

 

I will not attempt today to delineate what the “these things” are. I appeal to the reader to search out this chapter specifically and to consider the Bible as a whole. Here, we find these things. What I would point out is that the preacher is biblically charged both to command and to teach. He is not authorized to create his own rules to command over people, nor is he authorized to conceive his own dogmas to teach people. He is to command “these things.”

 

He is to teach 

I place this first because it seems to be the only role most people believe the pastor is supposed to fulfill. More and more frequently, we find the Christian community willing only to tolerate the teaching pastor. He is to study the Word of God and teach it. The most popular pastors in our country are known for their fine teaching skills. Consequently, many pastors, anxious to honor their calling, successfully become teaching pastors. This they ought to do, but not leave the other undone.

 

He is to command

John Gill writes, “What are to be commanded, command, and what are to be taught, teach …” We have no authority to command what is not commanded, but we also have no right to merely teach what we are commanded to command. It is the preacher’s duty—his charge and calling—to insist upon those things the Bible commands. To preach and teach without insisting on them is a breach of duty. It will lead to weak Christianity, impotent church communities, and eventually, a falling away from the faith.[1]

 

Conversely, it is incumbent upon Christians, especially those who are members of a church, to expect their pastor to place expectations upon them, encourage them in doing it, and to obey and observe those commands as they are pointed out from the Word of God and commanded by the pastor.

 

The preacher’s responsibility extends beyond teaching; he must also command what the Bible clearly instructs. Both roles are essential to the spiritual growth and strength of the church. A balanced ministry that faithfully commands and teaches will lead to a vibrant and obedient Christian community that reaches potential generations into the future. As believers, we must support and follow our pastors as they uphold the authority of God's Word.

 

#BiblicalPreaching  #CommandAndTeach  #PastoralDuties  #TeachTheWord  #BiblicalAuthority

The Pastor’s Role: Essential Duties of a Pastor  

 

---

[1] Not that the saved can lose their salvation, but that professing Christians may come short of saving faith.

• Are you ready to deepen your understanding of your role in the church?

• Start by considering  how you can support your pastor in both teaching and commanding God's Word.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

1 Timothy 4:11 (KJV) The Pastor’s Role

1 Timothy 3:6 (KJV) No Waste of Time

1 Timothy 3:6 (KJV)

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

 

I remember attending a preachers' fellowship meeting about 30 years ago when a new pastor from the state was invited to preach.[1] This new pastor, a church planter, had served 20 years as an assistant pastor in one church.[2] As he preached with confidence, tact, and truth, I thought to myself, “This is why it’s no waste of time to serve under a ministry for many years before pastoring.” He was indeed “not a novice.” He has proven himself through a long, consistent ministry.

 

Over the years, I’ve come to believe that we ought to redefine the term "novice." I’ve witnessed dozens of young, ambitious men enter the ministry, seemingly building ministries, only to fall in various ways—some sexually, some financially, and some doctrinally.[3]

 

A wise worker understands that it’s not a waste of time to sharpen their tools. An axe fells a tree with much more efficiency if it’s kept sharp. The preacher who spends many years in preparation (after those years in college) has not wasted anything. His ministry will accomplish so much more, and his work will last significantly longer than the high-energy efforts of youthful labor.

 

I know there are exceptions. Some young men prove themselves to be faithful servants of God, but they demonstrate this over time. 

 

It’s never a waste of time to spend ample time—lots of it—proving that they are not novices before entering the ministry.

 

#SpiritualMaturity  #NotANovice  #PastoralWisdom  #BiblicalPreparation  #MinistryLongevity

No Waste of Time: Three Key Lessons from Long-Term Preparation  

---

[1] At that time, I had been pastoring for about 10 years.

[2] His name, Steve Brown, in Salem, Oregon

[3] Of course, those who fall doctrinally often mock this description, believing that they have advanced doctrinally instead.

• Are you ready to build a strong foundation for your spiritual journey?

• Take the first step today by finding a mentor in your community to guide you on this path.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

1 Timothy 3:6 (KJV) No Waste of Time

1 Timothy 2:4 (KJV) 3 Reasons God's Will Includes All Men

1 Timothy 2:4 (KJV)

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

 

What a precious word this is!  

God will have all men to be saved.  

It is not some—it is all. It is not the elect—it is all. 

Our God has excluded no one from His will. His offer of salvation extends to every corner of the earth, every tongue of man, every creed, and every background.

 

Why then must we evangelize?  

Because the will of God does not supersede the will of men. Though God could force salvation upon all men, what a lesser salvation that would be. Imagine a man bound in prison, and now another comes to force his rescue from that prison, only to place him in his own. Could he truly be said to have been saved? God wills, desires, and has provided that all men might be saved—but it is true salvation. His salvation sets a man free.

 

And to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

This is the crux of it. True salvation brings us to the truth. The truth about who we are. The truth about who God is. The truth about our need for salvation. The truth about what salvation truly is. The truth about our future. The truth about our inheritance.

 

It is not God's will that we merely be off the hook for our sins. It is His will that we be set free from those sins, and set on the course of righteousness, holiness, and glory.

 

#AllMenToBeSaved  #TruthAndSalvation  #GodsWillForAll  #FreedomInChrist  #EvangelizeTheTruth  

3 Reasons God's Will Includes All Men: God's Universal Offer of Salvation

• What is one way you can share this truth with someone in your life? 

• Start a conversation with a friend, inviting someone to church, or simply sharing your testimony

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

1 Timothy 2:4 (KJV) 3 Reasons God's Will Includes All Men