SEED THOUGHTS ; I TIMOTHY I v 1-20. V 1. "An apostle of Jesus Christ." TRANSFORMATION.

Paul had been a Hebrew of the Hebrews and in a right relationship with God, until after the death and resurrection of Jesus, when Paul went about the countryside persecuting the Christians, and putting them in prison. Acts 9 v 3-6 ; And as he journeyed he came near Damascus and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why persecute Me ? And he said who are You Lord ? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. Is it hard for you to kick against the pricks. ? And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord what will You have me to do ? There was a tremendous change in Paul's life after this and he became the writer of many of the epistles. V 1. " By Commandment of God " REALISATION. By commandment of God, Paul realised that he had been commanded of God, through Jesus Christ, to serve Him and not satan. Paul would in future go forth to save the Jewish people by leading them to Jesus. COLOSSIANS I v 1 ; Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God. If we listen to the voice of God we too might hear something to our advantage. V 1. " And the Lord Jesus Christ. which is our hope." SALVATION. One cannot think of salvation without thinking of Jesus and Calvary and the price He paid for our redemption. Paul. having had such a unique experience with Jesus was soon to learn the meaning of salvation and eternal life with Jesus. I TIMOTHY 2 v 5-7 ; For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, ( I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not ) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. V 2. " Grace mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. " SALUTATION " What a grand thing to say to a fellow Christian. May the good Lord pour out His blessings abundantly upon you.. From sinner to saint, he acknowledges God as his Father and Jesus Christ as his Lord. 2 TIMOTHY 4 v 18 ; And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever. V 3. That you might charge some that they teach no other doctrine." SPECIFICATION. Timothy had been well taught in the Scriptures by his grandmother and mother and Paul. Now he was to be a teacher himself, 2 Timothy 2 v 1-2 ; Therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses the same commit to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. Has anyone taught us sufficiently about Jesus and His gospel that we feel able to go and teach others who do not know Him ? Let us continue to meditate on the word of God that we might be able to counsel from the Scriptures. . Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies." DENUNCIATION. Paul had no time for the evil things that displeased God. He knew the result of the wrath of God poured out We too should speak out and denounce the satanic things of this world. PHILIPPIANS 4 v 8 ; Finally brethren whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think on these things. V 4. " Godly edifying which is in faith, so do." EDIFICATION. Paul recommends to Timothy to do the things that please God and builds up the spiritual maturity of the Christians. I CORINTHIANS 13 v 13 ; And now abides faith, hope, and charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity. JOHN 13 v 34-35 ; A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another ; as I have loved you that you also love one another. V 5. " Charity out of a pure heart, and a good conscience and of faith unfeigned." MANIFESTATION. Practice what you preach. Let people see the love for Jesus in your life and your acts of charity to the sick and needy. I TIMOTHY 6 v 18 ; That they do good, they be rich in good works, ready to distribute , willing to communicate. PROVERBS 3 v 27 ; Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

V 6. " Have turned aside to vain jangling. " OPPOSITION . People bringing in their own interpretation of Christ's doctrines. Using fables of ancient times to confuse the new converts. Paul told Timothy to keep to the things that he had explained to him. That which he had learned from his grandmother and mother. I TIMOTHY 2 v 5-6 ; For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. I TIMOTHY 3 v 16 ; And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. V 7. " Understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm CONDEMNATION. 2 TIMOTHY 3 v 5-7 ; Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof, from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts. Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth. Let us not be caught up with false doctrines. ACTS 17 v 11 ; These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so. V 8. " We know that the law is good." COMMENDATION. PSALM 19 v 7-11 ; The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul, The testimony of the law is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean enduring for ever The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether .... V 11 ; Moreover by them is your servant warned and in the keeping of them there is great reward. Let us be obedient to the laws of God and receive His blessings forgiveness, fellowship and eternal life with the Godhead. V 9. " The law is not made for the righteous man but for the lawless, the disobedient, the ungodly and sinners." REVELATION. MATTHEW 9 v 136; For I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. A person who lives up to the standards of the law has no need of the law, but the word of God says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of the Lord. No man can call himself righteous unless his sins are forgiven and he keeps in a close relationship with God. V 10. " And if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine." MEDITATION. Just quickly reading a passage of Scripture and then doing something else will make it easy for us to get a wrong picture of that passage. We need to study what we read and think about it and look for other verses on the same subject. The Scriptures clearly states that there is a punishment for sins that are not forgiven. I TIMOTHY 6 v 17-19 ; Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy. They that do good, they that be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate laying up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life. V 11. " According to the glorious gospel of the' blessed God." ADORATION. The apostle Paul was aware of the awesome responsibility he had in teaching the Jews and Gentiles the truth of the Scriptures. therefore he had to find men who loved Jesus and were faithful followers of Him. 2 TIMOTHY I v 5 ; When I call to remembrance of the unfeigned faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother, Eunice, and I am persuaded in you also. God wants all Christians so built up in the gospel that they too may faithfully spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. V 12. " He counted me faithful putting me in the ministry." DEMONSTRATION. There was nothing wrong with Paul's ministry. God called him. Jesus brought him into the family of God and the Holy Spirit enabled Paul to bring forth the message in power and truth. All Christians should be able to give testimony to the greatness of God and His mercy and goodness. The depth of our love for Jesus can be seen in our daily life.

2 TIMOTHY 2 v 1-2 ; Therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me, among many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. V 13. " Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious." PRESENTATION. Paul could say in his testimony, I am the chief of sinners, but many people were aware of the injuries they had suffered at the hands of Paul before his conversion. now they could see the change in this man's life since he embraced Christianity and preached openly of the forgiveness of God and his love for Jesus Christ. 2 TIMOTHY 4 v 2 ; Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. V 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but to all them also that love His appearing. V 14. " The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Paul could continue to present the Christian gospel with great confidence because he had experienced the grace of God in his life and he could rightly describe, exceeding abundant grace. 2 2 TIMOTHY 2 v 3-4 ; This is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge and the truth. ACTS 2 v 21 ; And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. V 15 ; " Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." LIBERATION. Paul and the disciples were constantly calling sinners to repentance and to turn back to God. This great message of liberation through Christ and the abundant mercy of God and love for His people was a magnificent truth for the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles who wanted to worship other gods. ROMANS I v 21 ; Because when they knew God they glorified Him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened . ROMANS 1 v 16 ; For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. V 16. " I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting." ILLUSTRATION. The Jews and Gentiles around Jerusalem knew Paul well and many feared him. Now here he was preaching Christ in Jewish synagogues and on street corners and saying he had been forgiven of all his sins and this showed just how longsuffering and patient God had been with him. From the chief of sinners to the chief of preachers and this change in Paul's way of life had a great effect on may sinners who heard his preaching. 2 TIMOTHY 4 v 18 ; And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil word and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom. V 17. " Now unto the king, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever." EXALTATION. Paul's declaration showed that he was ready to die for His Saviour and God if this was required of him. The psalmist also showed his love for God. PSALM 118 v 28-29 ; You are my God and I will praise You. You are my God and I will exalt You. 0 give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures for ever. PSALM III v I ; Praise you the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my all my whole heart , in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation. Nothing pleases God more than our praise and worship and to see us obeying His statutes. V 18. " According to the prophecies which went on before you that you by them might war a good warfare." OBSERVATION. Called by God, anointed by the Holy Spirit and sent forth to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Timothy certainly waged a good warfare against the evils around him. 2 TIMOTHY 2 v 2 ; And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit

to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. 2 TIMOTHY 3 v 16 ; All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof. for correction, for instruction in righteousness. This message has been given to all Christians in the expectations that they will use it to bring the unsaved to Jesus. V 19. " Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck." SEPARATION. Having rejected the doctrine of Jesus these people are left with only one option, that of serving satan. But God in His longsuffering and mercy says. 2 CORINTHIANS 6 v 17 ; Wherefore come out from among them and be separate says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you. Let us make sure that our families are sure and steadfast in the love of God. V 20. " Whom I have delivered unto satan that they may learn not to blaspheme." CONSIDERATION." 2 TIMOTHY 4 v 14 ; Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil, the Lord reward him according to his works. I TITUS 3 v 3-4 ; For we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lust, and pleasures living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. Consider what we were like before we came into the family of God We can look back and be ever grateful to God for His willingness to allow Jesus to pay the price of our redemption. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me Confused at the grace so fully He proffers me. I tremble to know that for me He was crucified That for me a sinner, He suffered, He bled and died.