DOUBLE HONOUR
Today’s Reading: 1 Timothy 5
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Canadian and long-time Christian leader in Israel, Jay Rawlings, holds his Bible on the path that leads to the Eastern Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem. Jay and his wife, Meridel, have built many bridges of relationship between the Jews and Christians. Jay has a Masters Degree in Hospital Administration and was Assistant Administrator of Henderson Hospital in Hamilton as a young man. I had the privilege of serving as their Pastor when God called them to world missions, specifically with a calling to bless God’s ancient people, the Jews. Jay sold his much-loved Corvette Stingray and with their little son, David, they left all to follow Jesus. Jay and Meridel are surely worthy of “double honour,” as they have served as true elders, as Paul said, “in the Word and doctrine.”
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: 1 Timothy 5:1, 17
Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, the younger men as brothers…Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
Timothy was in a difficult position. As a very young man, he was appointed as Pastor of the church in Ephesus. We are not told that Timothy was not treating the older men with reverence, affection and respect, but Paul wanted to make sure young Timothy was showing the deference needed. Today there is what some call “a youth cult.” The media gives us the impression that anything worthwhile has to be new and that the most desirable time of life is “youth.” The Bible clearly teaches against this kind of upside-down thinking. It is no accident that leaders of the church are called “elders.” Yet at the same time Paul said to Timothy, “Let no one despise your youth” (1 Timothy 4:12a). There is a balance here that all, young and old, need to learn.
Yesterday we considered “a local church constitution.” The “rule” of the elders came not as an order from one person, but as a duly moved, seconded and carried motion. The admonition of Paul was not to an “elder” but to “elders.” We need to be able to say of decisions which “rule” that “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28a). We may want to read Acts 15:22-29 and meditate on the way the church leaders made their decisions.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Dear Lord, I pray that today You will guide me to someone older than myself who needs a word of deep appreciation for their faithfulness and wisdom over the years. May I find an elder who has “laboured in the Word and doctrine” and creatively give “double honour.” In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I want to thank my fellow bloggers who did not “rebuke” me about the ministry of women in the Church, but exhorted me “as a father.” Nevertheless, I still believe that Paul, who wrote to one individual, Timothy, was giving specific instructions to that one person about his specific problems in Ephesus (home of one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, the Temple of Diana and its female cult), and not to all the other churches. A good example of this is the matter of the hairstyle and the wearing of “gold or pearls” (1 Timothy 2:9). It is my understanding that the prostitutes who served in the temple “braided” their hair with strands of gold woven into their hairdo. Paul is saying that Christian women, in Ephesus specifically, should not appear to be as the priestesses of Diana.
As a young woman in 1924 on her way by ship to Egypt (to marry my father who was already there), my mother was forbidden by the missionary society from wearing an engagement ring. She told my sister that if she had a ring on, it would have discouraged the attention she was receiving from some men on board the ship. This was a cultural requirement by a denomination, not one from Scripture. Otherwise how do we understand the story Jesus told of the prodigal son’s father saying, “Put a ring on his hand” (Luke 15:22)? I try always to remember, “Let the Bible interpret the Bible.”
Your fellow student of the Word,
David
P.S. Norma-Jean and I are delighted to announce the arrival of Ruby Anne Lee, our 11th great-grandchild, daughter of David and Elizabeth Lee, and granddaughter of our blog photographer, Reynold. We send our love to her out in Regina, Saskatchewan. How beautiful she is. The new grandparents, Reynold and Kathy, came back from Uganda to be there for the birth (the chairman of their World Embrace board kindly flew them home on his air miles points). Reynold took the picture below just after Ruby was born. For more about Reynold & Kathy’s World Embrace ministry, click here.
congratulations to all lovely couple and beautiful little one
How very precious! A new life to honour our awesome God! Thank you Jesus.
Congratulations! Praise God for the delivery of this precious child.
I pray a blessing over Ruby Anne Lee that she will grow to be a strong woman of God.
Blessings to everyone on this happy occasion.
How beautiful!!! Congratulations to all 🙂
My Irish heart is overflowing with joy when I look at that dear little Ruby and her parents. Congratulations to your whole family Pastor David. PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINMG FLOW. Have a Blessed day everyone, we will be going to the Mandarin in a few hours to celebrate our son Glen and his wife Shelley’s 25th anniversary. Eleanor M.
Congratulations to all, grateful that Reynold and Kathy were able to be there to welcome this precious little girl, Ruby.
Wonderful ministry (WE) and miracles in such a short time for Reynold and Kathy. Beautiful picture of Ruby Anne and parents. Glad that Reynold and Kathy got to be there for the birth. Blessings all.
Congratulations to David and Elizabeth on the birth of Ruth Anne, and to the proud Grandparents Reynold and Kathy. May the Lord continue to Bless you David, Norma-Jean and the rest of your Family.
You are a blessing to me with this blog. Following this blog since January has really help me to understand the Bible a lot better. I enjoy your stories about yourself and others as it ties into each chapter and make every thing comes to life.
Thank you David.
Have a Blessed Day fellow bloggers.
Sorry about the mistake of the baby’s name should have typed Ruby Anne.
Beautiful baby girl, Ruby Anne!! How precious!! Congratulations to all of you!! I was fortunate to meet Jay and Meridel at Kingston Gospel Temple at the beginning of the summer. They are truly blessed servants of the Lord, as Paul was, and you are, David. Amen! I just came back from a very powerful prayer meeting at Kingsway Christian Church. The Holy Spirit was ever present in His House. Amen!! Wishing all saints a most blessed day in the Lord!!
Congratulations to the young couple on the birth of Ruby Anne, and to the rest of the family.
Blessings to one and all.
David
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your stand on women in the church. How sad the input of fifty percent of the church is being blocked by this erroneous thinking. Judi Peers has written a very thoughtful book on women in the church called Second Fiddle and for too long the women in the church have been relegated to playing second fiddle.
Congratulations to you David and Norma Jean as great grandparents, number 11, may your family be Blessed with good health.
Thanks for the your daily blog. Jenny Smith.
My heart was touched with the wonderful news and picture of your beautiful 11th grandchild!
Your family is truly blessed!!!
And I am truly blessed by reading your wonderful daily blogs!!!
Love your words of wisdom, your son’s beautiful pictures which brings the bible to life for me!!!!
Thank-you so very much for your example to me and your faithfulness!!!
Would love to be put back on the daily email list for your blogs after accidently touching the unsubscribe button!!
Congratulations David to you and your entire family. Every child is a miracle from God. You are richly blessed.
l dont comment often but l want to thank you for this amazingstudy of Gods Word. I have been richly blessed by 100 Huntley street since becoming a believer of the Lord Jesus in June 1990
What a beautiful picture! You and your family are truly blessed David! I thank God for the kindness he shows to each and every one of us every day!
What a precious moment for Reynold and Kathy…congratulations!!! Thank you Pastor David for sharing and congratulations to you and Norma-Jean on the arrival of your 11th great-grand-daughter!!! How blessed you are!!! I pray blessings on your beautiful Ruby Anne Lee may the hand of Our Lord Jesus Christ protect her both now and always. Amen and Amen!!!
What a blessings Reynold and Kathy as they share and minister to the people in Uganda through World Embrace ministry!!! May God continue to strengthen and keep them safe in all they do, in Jesus Name I pray.
Thank you for continuing to enlighten the scriptures to us in this blog; allowing the scriptures to speak for themselves. Young Timothy had a hard roll to fulfill; how fortunate he had Apostle Paul to guide him through these times.
Thank you Pastor David for taking on that roll for us in this blog.
Congradulations to the new parents ,new grandparents and new gr.
grandparents and baby, what a beautiful baby…. R…
Great picture of Jay Rawlings. Was blessed with their ministry when they were in Edmonton. I believe Meridel displayed some of her paintings
Ben Gouren? when he was Prime Minister of Israel.
Congratulations David and Norma Jean on your 11th great grandchild, Ruby Anne Lee. Also to you. Reynold and Kathy and all the family. May the Lord really bless this little one and use her for His Glory! Have been meditating about your exposition on 1 Timothy. Thank you.
A beautiful little gift by the name of Ruby Anne Lee! 😀 Congratulations!!
Congratulations– if every child could be so wanted and loved from the womb and beyond this world would be a better place
Congratulations David & Norma-Jean on the arrival of your beautiful great granddaughter! “Fearfully and wonderfully made”. (Psalm 139) So great Ruby Anne’s grandparents could also come home for the arrival of their precious grandchild. Praise God for ‘Air Miles Points” and a generous donor! Blessings.
Also, I want to comment on ‘The Role of Women”. I know there continues to be various interpretations on the role of women in ministry in Paul’s day and affecting the Church of Jesus Christ today. A couple of things that come to my mind in this regard that I want to share:
1. Women are honored and used extensively by God throughout the New Testament. Definitely honored and value by Jesus in many instances. Paul also commends many women for their ministry and the first to meet Jesus on Resurrection morning and he entrusted them with his first message, ‘go tell my my disciples”..
2. Joel’s prophetic word in Joel 2:28-32 and referred to in Acts 2:16-21 says that “it shall come to pass in the last days,’ says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit ALL fresh; your sons AND DAUGHTERS shall prophecy…and on my menservants and ON MY MAIDSERVANTS I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and THEY shall prophecy..”
3. The Salvation Army Internationally that started in the East End of London, England in 1865 just celebrated their 150th Anniversary. When the church he was associated with wanted him to go in one direction and his heart and his wife felt God leading in another direction, the denomination were insisting that William Booth agree to their direction; it was his wife, Catherine Booth who stood up and yelled, “Never!” and they proceeded to go out on the street by faith to minister to the unchurched under the captain of “the Christian Mission” which later became known as The Salvation Army. It was Catherine Booth in the 1880’s wrote one of the first significant pamphets called ‘Female Ministry” when such a ministry was literally unheard of. She is recognized as the co-founders of The Salvation Army. In many instances, it was young, bold, Salvation Army women, fired up by the Holy Spirit, who went around the would “opening fire” causing the Salvation Army to spread like wild fire. An example, five women and one man boldly opened the work of The Salvation Army in the United States. It was 4 women who opened the work in Vancouver British Columbia. The Announcement in the Vancouver Papers blared, “The Salvation Army is coming to Vancouver”..six months after the train reached the west coast, to the surprise of all, 4 women exited the Train and began their single file march down Cordova Street and the work of The Salvation Army was launched in British Columbia.
4. My wife was an equal and valued partner in our 43 years of full time ministry in a number of churches across Canada and our final 15 years working with the homeless and addicted in downtown Vancouver. If I led a service in the morning, my wife would present the message; if she led the service at night, I did the preaching. And the Lord blessed us and I do thank God for her spirit and valuable ministry over the years. The same Holy Spirit flowed through her life as he did through my life as we strived to be his servants ‘with heart to God and hand to man”
5.Finally, the Judgement on Adam and Eve was God’s judgment following their sin in Genesis 3. They lived under this Judgment. But, praise God, Jesus came. He took that sin & judgment ..upon himself on the Cross ..and now we are under His grace, and we now live and operate IN Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Both men and women all minister in His Name by the same Holy Spirit that was poured out on the day of Pentecost with the promise to all: “and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and TO ALL AFAR OFF (us), as MANY as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38b-39.
Just think of how spiritually vitalized if all women in all churches were set free to serve the Lord Jesus Christ by the Power of the Mighty Holy Spirit. We would have a world wide revival. Let the women be set free to be vessels of the Lord in a very needy world. We need the women’s perspective. Absolutely invaluable.
Samuel
A very good word Samuel
What a beautiful name, Ruby Anne, and what a precious little Ruby she is to her blessed Parents, Grandparents and Great-grandparents. Congratulations to the Lee and Mainse families!
Thank you David for interpreting scripture with scripture. I came to know Jesus under the minister of two women in the Holiness Movement church in Brockville. Pastor Tom Richardson often had his wife Eileen speak I loved her sermons on the Rapture. We also had Hannah Price speak and Eunice Myers. Great women of God thank you for your faithfulness. I always say the only time the scripture is brought up about women being silent in the church is when one walks towards the pulpit. We all know women are not silent in the church and never have been. As you say Paul was giving instructions in a particular situation. My friend Donna McLaughlin was mightly used of God to minster His word. Gd Bless you and Norma-Jean for the great work you do.
thank you and God bless you Samuel Fame! Your posting was incredible! thank you so much. Yes indeed, you have shared some very good words!
Let’s get on with sharing the love of Jesus Christ with others!, We can do this in thoughts, words and deeds! EACH ONE OF US, GOD’S CHILDREN, HAVE SOME VERY UNIQUE GIFTS AND ABILITIES AND TALENTS!
Just reading this bog, it is very clear to see different gifts being shared!
Congratulations on the birth of a beautiful great-grandchild! Yes indeed, PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW! PRAISE HIM ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW! PRAISE HIM ABOE YE HEAVENLY HOST, PRAISE FATHER, SON AND HOLY GHOST! AMEN!
Congratulations David and Norma-Jean on the arrival of your 11th great-grandchild, Ruby Anne Lee! She is a beautiful baby girl! Praise God!!!
AMEN
Also congratulations to little Ruby’s parents and grandparents. Wonderful that Reynold and Kathy were able to be there to welcome her into the world!
AMEN to your prayer today David! I came upon a worthy elder and it was you! I give you triple honour!!! Thank you for sharing your faithfulness and wisdom! Reynold sure captured the JOY of the moment in this picture! How beautiful!! Congratulations! God Bless Ruby Anne and her parents and grandparents and great-grandparents!!!