(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.

(1Ti 4:12)  “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”    “Purity”: cleanliness, chastity.  Purity is not just thoughts and actions, but includes motives. Why do we do what we do in the Name of the Lord? There is only one right reason for “doing” in the Name of the Lord – love being demonstrated in thankfulness towards Him.

(1Ti 4:12)  “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”    “..be thou an example….in faith….”  Faith is believing what God says is true and acting upon it. To accept some of the Lord’s teachings and dismiss other parts because we don’t think they should apply in our day and time is “not” faith. It is unbelief. Who do we think we are? Truth: we are sinners who owe thanks to the Lord for their next breath from God. Don’t claim to be a believer if you do not embrace all of God’s Word as truth.  For more, come to www.thirstingsouls. com

(1Ti 4:12)  “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”   “In spirit”: there is a difference between being born again (a time and place where you have repented of your sin, asked the Lord to save your soul, Him impart the Gift of Everlasting Life, the Holy Spirit making your dead spirit live) and living in that spirit. Many seem to let the flesh reign over the spirit. That is why the Bible says, “Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. Each of us are to be an example of doing just that.