Michelle Lesley

pr 3 5 6

Proverbs 3

My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
²for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.

³Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴So you will find favor and good success
    in the sight of God and man.

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
⁷Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
⁸It will be healing to your flesh
    and refreshment to your bones.

⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
¹⁰then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.

¹¹My son, do not despise the Lord‘s discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
¹²for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.

¹³Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
¹⁴for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than gold.
¹⁵She is more precious than jewels,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.
¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called blessed.

¹⁹The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
²⁰by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.

²¹My son, do not lose sight of these—
    keep sound wisdom and discretion,
²²and they will be life for your soul
    and adornment for your neck.
²³Then you will walk on your way securely,
    and your foot will not stumble.
²⁴If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden terror
    or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
²⁶for the Lord will be your confidence
    and will keep your foot from being caught.
²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to do it.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
²⁹Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
    who dwells trustingly beside you.
³⁰Do not contend with a man for no reason,
    when he has done you no harm.
³¹Do not envy a man of violence
    and do not choose any of his ways,
³²for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are in his confidence.
³³The Lord‘s curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
³⁴Toward the scorners he is scornful,
    but to the humble he gives favor.
³⁵The wise will inherit honor,
    but fools get disgrace.

Questions to Consider:

1. Who wrote Proverbs, and to whom is this chapter addressed? (1) What is the key word for this chapter (and the theme of the book of Proverbs)? (13, 19, 21)

2. Examine verses 1-2. Do you notice that the first verse is an imperative (command to do or not do something) and the subsequent verse gives a result of obeying the command? Can you identify this pattern throughout the rest of the chapter? List some of the specific commands and their results. Are these results guaranteed in all situations for all people? Is Proverbs a book of God’s promises? Can you think of any exceptions, in the Bible or in your life, to the results when people obey the commands? For example, compare verse 35 to Isaiah 53:3 (speaking of Jesus).

3. Read through the chapter from the perspective of Solomon – a loving parent instructing his child in wisdom and godliness. List two things you can glean from this passage to help you be a more godly mother or a more godly daughter.

Read through the chapter again from the perspective of God instructing you, His child. List two things you can learn and apply about obeying God’s word.

4. Most of this chapter centers on Solomon imparting his wisdom to his son, but in verses 19-20, Solomon speaks specifically about God’s wisdom. How does man’s desire for wisdom reflect that we are created in the image of God? What are some differences between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom? Differences between knowledge and wisdom?

5. Why is godly wisdom important for Christians?

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Comment Moderation Update

December 7, 2015December 8, 2015 Michelle Lesley

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the busiest time of the year! If you have submitted a comment in the past few weeks and it has not been published, it either doesn’t fit the parameters for comments I publish (see Welcome tab above) or I have to vet a resource you’ve included or it requires a lengthy or detailed response from me (this applies to emails, too). Just wanted to let you know I haven’t forgotten about your comments, but it might be after the holidays before I have time to get to them as family and church responsibilities come first, followed by writing deadlines. Also, I enjoy sleeping and eating from time to time :0)

Anyway, thanks for bearing with me patiently.

Wednesday's Word

Wednesday’s Word ~ 1 Timothy 1

December 2, 2015June 23, 2021 Michelle Lesley

For further study on the books of 1-2 Timothy, try my study 1 & 2 Timothy: The Structure and Spirit of the Church.

1 tim 1 15

1 Timothy 1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,

²To Timothy, my true child in the faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, ⁴nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. ⁵The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, ⁷desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

⁸Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, ¹¹in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

¹²I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, ¹³though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. ¹⁷To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, ¹⁹holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, ²⁰among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Questions to Consider:

1. Who wrote this epistle, and to whom did he write it? (1-2) What was their relationship? (1-2, 18)

2. What two instructions did Paul give Timothy in verse 3? What was the problem occurring in the church which was in need of correction? (3-7) What are the words and phrases in verse 5 which describe the motivation and the method for delivering the charge?

3. For what group of people is the law “laid down”? (9-10) In light of this, what does it mean to use the law “lawfully“? (8) How is this a step towards saving faith for sinners?

4. How does Paul describe himself prior to his salvation? (13) How does Paul describe his salvation experience? (14) How would you describe yourself prior to salvation? How would you describe God’s grace and mercy in your salvation experience? How did Paul’s salvation glorify God and serve as an example to others who would believe? (15-16)

5. How does Paul’s discussion of the lawful use of the law (8-11) and his description of his salvation experience and the gospel (12-17) relate to his instruction to Timothy to deal with false teaching in the church (3-7)? How is the relationship between the law, gospel, and false teaching relevant today?

Christmas

Christian Cyber Monday Deals You Probably Haven’t Heard About but Don’t Want to Miss! ~ at Satisfaction Through Christ

November 30, 2015September 28, 2016 Michelle Lesley

It’s Cyber Monday! Time to get in on some great on line deals as the Christmas shopping season gets underway. You’ve probably heard about the deals the larger Christian retailers are offering, but here are a few great ones from some awesome gospel-centered ministries and companies that you might not be familiar with.

Check out my article Christian Cyber Monday Deals You Probably Haven’t Heard About but Don’t Want to Miss! today at Satisfaction Through Christ.

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Thanksgiving Break

November 22, 2015 Michelle Lesley

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Hi everybody! Just a quick note to let you know I’m taking the week off from blogging and social media for Thanksgiving (well, I might check in a little here and there!). I wish all of you a great week filled with thanks for the blessings God has so richly bestowed on you and your family.