In 1 Timothy 5, we come across a teaching that at face value seems rather harsh. There were widows who genuinely needed assistance, but that qualification alone didn’t automatically make one eligible for church assistance. No, they had to meet certain spiritual and moral criteria. In other words, they must have lived a life worthy…

Whose responsibility is it to take care of your family? That question isn’t just personal. It’s biblical. In 1 Timothy 5, Apostle Paul addresses the care of widows in the early church. But the principle he establishes reaches far beyond just widows There is no doubt, the church is called to compassionately care for others.…

I’m not sure how many fans there are in this listening audience  for rapper Ice Cube, but back in the early 1990s, he famously dropped this line: “You better check yo’ self before you wreck yo’ self.” Now, that isn’t from the Bible, but the Bible says a very similar thing in 1 Timothy 4:16.…

A surgeon’s time is too valuable to fool with prepping and cleaning the operating room. Nobody argues with that. You protect what matters most by keeping it from being crowded out by what matters less. In 1 Timothy 4, Apostle Paul tells Timothy, a young pastor in a demanding church, to devote himself to the…

One of my favorite shows over the years is “Forged in Fire.” It’s that show on The History Channel that is a blacksmith competition each episode. They are always making some kind of weapon. And one of the things I’ve noticed is that, a blacksmith doesn’t strike hot iron once and call it a sword.…

In 1938, Orson Welles broadcast a radio dramatization of The War of the Worlds so convincing that thousands of listeners believed Martians were actually invading New Jersey. People fled their homes in panic. Welles never meant to deceive people, but the fallout was real. In 1 Timothy 4, Apostle Paul warns Timothy about a far more…

What makes a woman beautiful? The beauty industry generates over $600 billion annually. Algorithms study what women click, buy, and envy and then sell it back to them as a standard. The message is relentless: thinner, younger, trendier, more skin. Worth is measured in appearance. We know what the world thinks is beautiful, but what…

There’s a lighthouse on the coast of Maine called West Quoddy Head. It’s the easternmost point in the United States. Every day it shines its light out for ships. Not just big ships, but little boats too. Not just passenger ships, but cargo vessels as well. Not just friendly ships, but even unfriendly ones. It…

In 1707, British Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell sailed confidently home from Gibraltar with four Navy vessels under his command. Certain of his position, he ignored warnings. As night fell, tragedy suddenly came upon him as his flagship vessel struck the reef off the coast of the Scilly Isles. His ship sank in under three, dragging…

The Burj Khalifa is a building in Dubai that stands over 2,700 feet tall. It’s so high it pierces the clouds. From what I hear, standing at its base, you can barely see the top. It’s the tallest building on earth and is almost incomprehensible. Now imagine stacking next to that building every sin you’ve…