(1Ti 4:16)  “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”  “Heed”: from two roots 1. retain or detain and 2. pay attention to. We are to not to just live as this world, saying anything we like and doing anything we like. We are possessors of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of God’s Word. Be careful what you say and do, for you represent your Savior and your God!

 (1Ti 4:15)  “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”   The text is saying, “The Lord, without question, will bless the effort.” Saved brother/sister, the Lord will without question bless you as you seek to do right before Him! Honor Him by seeking to live right in His presence before the lost. You will “profit”.

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”   Give yourself wholly to what? Answer: the teachings of the Bible – the Word of God, the dedication to being an example of walking with God in every area of our life. There is no such thing as a Sunday Christian. There are Sunday fakes, but not Christians. Believer, will you give yourself wholly to your Lord? There is where the blessings are (profiting)!

(1Ti 4:15)  “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”  Meditate: to ponder, spend time thinking on. Don’t just read the Bible and then leave it behind. Spend time pondering that which you have read. Its purpose is to reprogram our thinking in line with God’s. If you truly wish to please Him with your life, spend much time reprogramming.

(1Ti 4:14)  “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”  I believe that this is referring to Timothy’s commission as a minister of the gospel. It is a privilege to serve the Lord, even during the times when people hurt you or challenge your right to lead them. God’s children represent the Savior of those lost in sin. This commission is a sacred trust that only ends upon our death. So, brethren, keep on keeping on.

(1Ti 4:13)  “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”   Doctrine: the distinct teachings of the Lord God. Friend, all of those teachings are vital to the Christian Faith. Some wish to drop some for others. For example, love for the brethren cannot cancel out (Rom_16:17) “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”  Love for God and His Word comes before all other things and helps us in making the hard decisions and obeying them.

(1Ti 4:13)  “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”  Exhortation: has the idea of consoling, but also entreaty, to implore. When we speak to a lost soul, we implore them to be saved. It should move our own hearts for them, for the choice of heaven or hell lies in the balance.

(1Ti 4:13)  “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”  Do you think these things were discontinued once Paul came? No. They are so important they must be continued. Read. Read what? The Bible – the Word of God. If you have never read it through, you really need to just read the New Testament over and over again for about a year. Then proceed to reading all of the Word through again and again, more and more as your life continues.