S – But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out.

1 Timothy 6:6–7 CSB

O – Commentary:

contentment The Greek word used here, autarkeia, refers to satisfaction with one’s circumstances. Stoic philosophers valued contentment because it indicated self-sufficiency. The Apostle Paul, however, values contentment because it indicates Christ’s sufficiency (see Phil 4:11, 13).

6:7 neither can we bring anything Paul cautions the believers in Ephesus against prioritizing material wealth over godliness (see 1 Tim 6:17; compare Job 1:21).

 Faithlife Study Bible 

A—Contentment in Christ is challenging. We usually feel we can do more to add to God’s provision. Sometimes, we can, and that is when we allow our will and desires to override God’s will and plan. There is a line we need to continue to resolve between accepting what God has for us and a healthy desire to grow more.

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you.  Please give us the discernment to know what your will and provision are.  We don’t want to cross the line in our efforts for gain.  We want to be content with your provision.

S – Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, ² older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters with all purity. 

1 Timothy 5:1–2 CSB

O – Commentary:

Older man translates presbyteros, the plural of which is rendered “elders” in 4:14. Here, however, Paul was not referring to those who hold the office of overseer. The word denotes “elderly” men, in contrast with younger men (cf. Titus 2:2–3 where the same word is used to contrast “older men” and “older women”). Timothy was to appeal to the older men as he would his own father—not with rough rebukes but with gentle exhortations. Young men may be treated somewhat more directly, yet with fraternity as if they were Timothy’s own brothers. Older women were to receive all the respect Timothy would accord his own mother Eunice (2 Tim. 1:5). Younger women were likewise to be treated respectfully, with the absolute purity (hagneia; cf. 1 Tim. 4:12) Timothy would grant his own sister. This would safeguard the young minister from reproach.

“1 Timothy,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – What would it look like if this was practiced today?  Older men would be honored and respected. Older women would be honored and loved.  Younger men would act like brothers and look at young women in purity and protect them.  It would be an amazing foundation for relationships and achievement.  As Paul encouraged Timothy, we are encouraged to do the same.

R – Heavenly Father, you are worthy of our praise and honor.  Thank you for the relationships you put in our lives.  All the men and women help mold our character and integrity.  We can impact them with your love and in our faith.  We invite the Holy Spirit to help us make a difference in those relationships today.

S – Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love,^, in faith, and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12 CSB

O – Commentary:

Timothy must not be intimidated by his relative youthfulness or what others might think of it. Instead he was to demonstrate his maturity by living such a godly life that he would become a pattern for other Christians in every area of his life: speech … life (i.e., “behavior or conduct,” anastrophē; cf. “conduct” in 3:15), love … faith, and … purity. The word for “purity” (hagneia, “moral cleanness”) is used only here and in 5:2.

“1 Timothy,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Timothy’s challenge was his youth.  Each of has “challenges” in our lives that others (or ourselves) use to exclude us from being used by God.  We need to move through those challenges.  The foundation to do that is found in a mature, godly life evidenced in our speech, conduct, love, faith and purity.

R – Heavenly Father, we exalt you above all.  You are God alone.  We invite the Holy Spirit to empower us to live our love for you in a way that models growth in our speech, actions, love, faith and purity.  Whatever challenges we face, we invite you to help us grow through them.

S – And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, 

vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, 

taken up in glory. 

1 Timothy 3:16 CSB

O – Commentary:

The six elements of the excerpt are as follows: (1) Appeared in a body refers to the Incarnation of Christ. (2) Was vindicated by the Spirit refers to God’s demonstration through the Resurrection (cf. Acts 2:24–36), by the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom. 8:11), that the crucified Jesus is Lord and Messiah. (3) Was seen by angels refers to His exaltation before the heavenly realm (cf. Phil. 2:9–11; Col. 2:15; Heb. 1:6). (4) Was preached among the nations (cf. Col. 1:23) and (5) was believed on in the world refer to the progressive fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan through His preordained means (cf. 1 Cor. 1:18–2:5). (6) Was taken up in glory refers to the Ascension (Eph. 4:10).

“1 Timothy,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Paul unpacks the “mystery” of God’s plan for Jesus as the Savior of the world.  What is known world wide today was being revealed to the early church.  Even thousands of years later and with much evidence, people still struggle with some or all of these concepts.  We must activate faith to believe that this is true.

R—Heavenly Father, we are grateful for your Son. Jesus is central to the gospel of faith, which allows us to have a relationship with you. Help us continue to grow in our trust and reliance on you.  

S – For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. 

1 Timothy 2:5–6 CSB

O – Commentary:

There is one God and therefore one mission encompassing all people (Rom 3:29–30; Gal 3:26–29). Using the phrase one God suggests a fundamental declaration of Christian faith, analogous to the basics of Jewish faith (Deut 6:4). • There is one Mediator of God’s covenant, the man Christ Jesus. He is fully human and fully God, and thus able to reconcile God and humanity (see 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:5–6)

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – This is a simple breakdown of the gospel – One God, One Mediator (Jesus) who was fully God and fully man.  That is how one finds salvation and a relationship with God.  There is no other way to God except through Jesus.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the one and only God.  Thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus.  He was fully God and fully man.  He chose the path of the cross so that all mankind could be reconciled to you.  We surrender and worship you alone as God.

S – Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, 

that I may fear your name. 

Psalms 86:11 NIV

O – Commentary: 

Unite my heart The psalmist asks God to transform his heart to have a singular and undivided reverence for God

 Faithlife Study Bible

A – We cannot have a divided heart about  God.  He wants our whole devotion, faith and trust in him.  We do not demonstrate the reverence He deserves if we rely on ourselves or others more than God.   We can put our whole hearts in faith in Him.

R – Heavenly Father, we walk in a holy fear of you.  You have no limits or peers – you are the only God.  Help us to love and serve you today wholeheartedly.  You are a God who wants the best for us.

S – May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you

 2 Thessalonians 3:16 CSB

O – Commentary:

Paul’s concern was for peace within the church through the unity of all members obeying the truth. The Lord is the source of peace (cf. 1 Thes. 5:23) and Paul prayed that He would bestow this on the Christians in Thessalonica. A Christian and a church enjoy peace when they are rightly related to the will of God. Paul prayed that this would be the Thessalonians’ condition at all times regardless of their circumstances, even in persecution.

“2 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Peace is one of the greatest promises one receives in a relationship with God.  No matter what you are facing, you can have peace that God’s got it.  The challenge is usually the battle of our will versus God’s will.  He offers his presence, power and peace.  We offer our strength, gifts and talents.  When we do things on our own, those attributes are all we have.  When we invite God into it, we have those and all of Him – big difference.

R – Heavenly Father, you alone are worthy of all praise and honor. We choose your will over our own today. We surrender our thoughts, words, actions, gifts and talents to you. We invite your Holy Spirit to bring all of your character into our lives. We will walk in your power, presence and peace.

S – A ruler can be persuaded through patience, and a gentle tongue can break a bone

Proverbs 25:15 CSB

O – Commentary:

Patience and a gentle (lit., “soft”) tongue (cf. 15:1) can be unusually influential, accomplishing far more than loss of temper and harsh words. A soft tongue breaking a hard bone is an unusual figure of speech-how can a tongue break a bone? The idea is that softly spoken words can accomplish difficult things. Also persuading a ruler to follow some difficult course of action takes patience.

  The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Two great attributes that are not easy to obtain – patience and gentleness.  Both are fruits of the Spirit.  Both make an impact not suddenly but over the longer run.  We need to look at our journey with God as a marathon.  There are times to act quickly.  Most of the time, staying the course and being a light in the journey is important.

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you.  We step towards you on this relationship journey we are on with you.  Give us patience and gentleness to display another aspect of your character.  

S – In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith,

2 Thessalonians 1:11 CSB

O – Commentary:

Paul and his colleagues habitually prayed for the Thessalonians. Their spiritual welfare was always on the apostles’ hearts.

They prayed that their God (the apostles’ and the Thessalonians) would reckon or declare the readers worthy of the calling they had received, to come to God through faith in Jesus Christ (cf. Rom. 8:30; Eph. 4:1; 1 Thes. 4:7). Paul consistently made what God has done for believers the basis of his appeals for them to lead lives in keeping with their destiny. Christians do not live worthily in order to obtain salvation but because they have been granted salvation.

A second request was that God would bring to full expression every good purpose of theirs to glorify God, and every act motivated by their faith in God. Both motives and actions have their source in God (Phil. 2:13); thus they are accomplished by His power.

2 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – This is a great prayer for us.  We want to be worthy of our calling, accomplishing every good purpose by our faith.  This aligns our thoughts, words and actions with God to do this by His power.

R – Heavenly Father, we acknowledge you are the only true God.  We ask that you meet us in our faith and we accomplish your purposes through our faith and your power.  We desire to walk worthy of your calling.

S – Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray constantly, ¹⁸ give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 CSB

O – Commentary:

5:16. Greek ethics often listed succinct statements one after another as Paul does here. Many biblical psalms associate rejoicing with celebration and worship (e.g., Ps 9:14; 33:1; 47:1; 95:2; 149:1–5); here it is thus naturally linked with prayer and thanksgiving (1 Thess 5:17–18).

5:17. Even the strictest pietists of Judaism did not pray all day; but they prayed regularly, much and faithfully. “Pray without ceasing” could mean this type of prayer or to carry the attitude of prayer with oneself throughout the day, not just in corporate worship or personal quiet times.

5:18. Pagans who recognized that Fate or some god was sovereign over everything acknowledged that one should accept whatever comes or even give thanks for it. For Paul, those who trust God’s sovereignty and love can give thanks in every situation.

The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament

A – Some of us just went through the storm of the century.  No exaggeration – no storm has hit Tampa Bay like that in over 100 years.  This verse jumps out today because even in this week’s challenge – all of this is true.  We can rejoice in the safety, security and hope of knowing Christ.  We are grateful.

R – Heavenly Father, we know that you are God and there is none like you.  We are grateful for your mercy and grace in our times of need.  Help us walk through today sharing your love with others.