Day 6 - 1 Timothy 3: 8-16

8 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. 9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:

Christ was revealed in a human body
    and vindicated by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
    and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world
    and taken to heaven in glory.

Tori's Comments:

More elaboration on the previous guidelines... that above all, we are apart of God's family. We are representatives, ambassadors of His household and should act accordingly.

Terrie's Comments:
I think one might wonder why we are reading all these instructions that don't pertain to us in general.  1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus are letters that were written specifically to Pastors for the purpose of instructing them in their role.  As we read these letters it is good to keep in mind the intent of the letter.  Many of us are members of the church but probably not in the role of a pastor so some things that are mentioned may just be good reading but may never be practical instruction in our lives.  

If we are a wife of someone in leadership then we "must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do."

Final thing I noticed about this passage was that even though it refers to a "mystery" the mystery isn't a mystery anymore.  When Jesus Christ came and ascended into heaven the mystery was revealed.  This is the good news!
Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

The Forgotten Freedom

Written by Tori

It wasn't too long ago that I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. But as a Christian, why I should feel the weight of the world, of all things, was beyond me.

It could be construed as anxiety, stress, or a number of things we seem to brush off as normal. That somehow if you had prepared better, or just were better, you wouldn't be so worried, stressed, or insecure.

Of course, I was going by my worldly diagnosis, and it wasn't long after that a random thought hit me.

Who told me I had to always be reaching for someone different than I was? Since when did the world's approval begin to mean so much to me?

And it did. I hadn't realized it, but that need was like a leech sucking life and joy from me with every insecure taunt the devil threw at me.

With this new revelation came a new perspective.

God doesn't ask us to be the most beautiful, the cleverest, the strongest... He doesn't require us to be liked by everyone.

He requires us to love.

To love and recognize we are loved. We need to realize just how much God pours out His love and mercy, and we in turn just need to pour it out on others. That's all.

Don't feel the need to be witty. To be brilliant. To be the best.

Feel the need to love. 

Because that's who you are. That's who God has made you to be.

That's all. 

"For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts." -1 Thessalonians 2:4