BLESSINGS IN PRACTICING KINDNESS

My Dear Precious Child, One of Paul's spiritual bits of advice to his protege' Timothy was to never censure an older man; instead to appeal to him as if he were your father. He added with good spiritual advice relating to treating younger men as brothers and younger women as sisters, as well as treating older women as if they were your mothers, and all of that with purity of heart, meaning kindness toward all people. (I Timothy 5:1-2) How to treat widows in the churches had become a cause of concern to the members and leaders because some members were of the opinion that some of the widows were taking advantage of the funds set aside for helping the widows. Paul, in order not to create dissension, gave them his own advice. He advised Timothy to honor the claims of the widows who were real widows, being alone and in poverty. He said if the widows had children or grandchildren, that those relatives should learn the joy of providing for their mother or grandmother. He wrote that that's the way that I desire things to work. However, the real widow, any woman who is completely destitute with no one to help her financially and has set her hopes on Me by continuing day and night in prayers and supplications to Me, she is due to be helped by the church. A widow who uses any of her funds in self indulgence leads a life of living death because of her selfishness. ( I Timothy 5:3-6) Paul laid out this edict to Timothy, a rule concerning widows: if anyone does not provide for his or her own relatives, and especially for members of his or her own immediate family, he or she has denied his faith in Me and is worse than a nonbeliever. Then Paul wrote that for a woman to be on the rolls as a widow, she should be not less than 60 years old, of a good character as shown by her deeds, that she was bringing up children, that she had washed the feet of believing visitors, had helped people in distress and had been eager to do every possible good work for others in the church. He advised Timothy not to enroll younger widows because their passions will eventually cause them to retreat from Christ and they will want to marry again. He labeled young widows as people who go from house to house wasting their own time, becoming busybodies and gossipers, talking about things they should not. Paul wrote that he would rather see the young widows remarry, have more children, keep house and give no one the right to speak ill of the Christians in the church. He wrote that some women had already turned away from the church and were serving the devil. There were more rules and comments from Paul about widows. He wrote that if a female church member has relatives who are widows, then she should not let them become a burden to the church, who should give freely to help the widows who are really in need with no help from relatives.(I Timothy 5:7-16) Concerning the ministers, Paul wrote that any man who does a good job as a leader deserves to be paid double, especially if he is preaching and teaching, saying a worker deserves his wages, according to the Scriptures. (Deuteronomy 25:4; I Timothy 5:17-18) Paul was concerning about Timothy's administrative and pastoral duties as set aside from his ministerial duties. Administrative and pastoral duties concerned believers and their relationships with each other and the furtherance of the church's ministry to the community. Ministerial duties related to Timothy's relationship with Me and his ability to relay My truths about My kingdom of God to other believers. As head of the church Timothy had to balance all of those duties. Many of Paul's rules and advice included some things he had learned as a Pharisee in the Jewish religion that related to administration. My new covenant included advice that is always tempered with love in honoring and vindicating people. Paul's attitude toward women, which he had originally received as a member of the Jewish elite, was later tempered by My Holy Spirit's truth about there being no difference between male and female in My kingdom of God. Eventually Paul's kind advice toward men also related to the women. Your Father or Sound New Advice

BLESSINGS FROM MODERATION IN ALL THINGS

My Dear Precious Child, There were doctrines being taught by demons in the churches during Paul's writings to Timothy and Paul warned Timothy about them. Those doctrines involved denying your life of all comforts and pleasures in order to suffer like Jesus suffered. They forbade marriage as a spiritual discipline, plus taught people to refrain from eating many foods that I had blessed. The doctrines encouraged believers to become prideful in their self depreciating practices as if they had to suffer in the flesh in order to gain salvation. Christ Jesus, Himself, did those things for you and you don't need to mimic them in order to complete your salvation from the works of the devil. In fact, denying yourself comforts for the sake of obtaining salvation is depending on works instead of faith, and it negates the ministry of Christ Jesus. Paul reminded Timothy that under My new covenant I said that nothing is forbidden if it has been blessed by you and consumed in an attitude of thanksgiving. He wrote that everything is good in its simple form; that it's taking things to the extreme such as being gluttonous in food or money, which is greed; Or it's going to the extreme of the forbidding of good things. Those doctrines qualify as being the doctrines of demons. The devil and his demons take things that are blessed by Me to the extreme of either craving too much or exhibiting pride in having too little that identifies them as having become demonic. (I Timothy 4:1-5) In amplifying that truth, Paul wrote to Timothy that he must tell these truths to the brotherhood and if he did that he would be a good servant of Christ Jesus, having been raised up in words of faith and sound doctrine that they had followed. Paul advised Timothy not to have anything to do with secular myths and powerless traditions practiced by the Jews. He encouraged Timothy to train himself for a life of virtuous piety. He explained for instance the practice of physical exercise, explaining that it was valuable when done in moderation but that it becomes dangerous when it becomes excessive. Paul wrote that using the same excessive desire for physical exercise, if the same desire is applied to seeking My truth it carries the promise of having the abundant life here and in the hereafter. Paul assured Timothy that what he just wrote about excessive physical exercise versus being determined to seek My kingdom was truth and could be depended upon 100%, writing that great rewards come from seeking My kingdom but excessive physical exercise just brings sore muscles and often injured joints. (I Timothy 4:6-9) Paul wrote to Timothy that the former truth of which he wrote explained why he and the other apostles worked as hard as they did, fixing all of their hopes on Me, the Savior of all people, but especially upon those who believe. He wrote that Timothy must teach and urge other people to do the same, allowing no one to look down upon their youth but they should, instead, be a constant example of love, faith and purity to all believers. He wrote to Timothy that he must devote his time to reading the Scriptures, to preaching and to teaching, refusing to neglect the gift that he had received when he had been anointed by the Holy Spirit, which referred to intercessory prayers in the language of the Holy Spirit, which Paul had amplified as being the only necessary battle against the enemy, the devil. (Ephesians 6:10-20) Many people had neglected that firm calling by Me and had fallen under the temptation of the devil to return to a life of evil undertakings. (Matthew 26:38-45) On one occasion Peter went back to sleep three times instead of praying after being urged to pray by Christ Jesus and he later fell for the devil's temptation to deny Christ three times. (Matthew 26:69-75; I Timothy 4:10) Again Paul encouraged Timothy in his letter to not only attend to his duties in seeking My Kingdom, but that he must let it absorb him so that everyone could see his progress. He stressed that Timothy must watch himself so that he did not fall under the temptations of the devil through false prophets or the personal temptations of demons. Paul also encouraged Paul to watch out for his teachings, making sure that they brought salvation to himself as well as other people, the Truths that come from knowing and teaching Truths that set people free. (John 8:32; I Timothy 4:11-15) Paul had a lot of practical principles and spiritual truths of which to remind Timothy, being convinced that they would set Timothy free and Timothy would, in turn, teach them to other people which would also set them free. Your Heavenly Father of Liberty

BLESSINGS FOR GOOD SPIRITUAL CONDUCT

My Dear Precious Child, In Paul's letter to Timothy he wrote that the believers to whom Timothy ministered should always pray for their kings and other people in authority so that the believers would live a quiet, undisturbed and tranquil life in perfect dignity and kindness. He commented that those kinds of prayers are good in the opinion of the Lord and Savior because He wants all men to come to a knowledge of the Truth, the Truth being this, "I am One with Christ, with Him as a mediator between men and Me, Him being the man Christ Jesus who gave Himself as a ransom for everyone." (Galatians 1:4) Paul wrote that the Truth was attested to in the fullness of time and that he was its apostle, preacher and teacher of that Truth to all the nations in true faith. (I Timothy 2:1-7) He wrote that it was his wish that in every place that people would offer prayers with blameless hands raised and that they be free of anger and dissension. Similarly, Paul advised that the women would dress and act properly, dressing modesty and quietly, not being decked out in fancy hairstyles or being adored in gold, pearls or expensive clothing, He advised that women would be completely submissive to their husbands and that they would learn in silence. Paul's Jewish training came out of hiding in these admonitions. He wrote that a woman should never be the teacher or in any way to have authority over a man; instead that she keep quiet because, as Paul wrote, Adam was created first and Eve was created after. He also reminded the believers that Adam was not deceived but it was Eve who was deceived and fell into sin. He surmised that the women would be delivered in childbearing IF they continued their lives in faith, love and holiness and of course IF the women remaining chase. (I Timothy 2: 8-15) If you will remember, Paul had been a loyal, obedient Jew and his traditional heritage occasionally rose to the surface and combined with My wisdom that I revealed to him. He had written to the believers in other churches that in Christ there are no males or females, Jews or Greeks, circumcised or uncircumcised, but that people are all One in My Body of Christ.(Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11; Romans 10:12) As a matter of administration, Paul told Timothy that when a man desires to be a bishop that he should be beyond criticism, married only one time, be even tempered, self controlled, modest and hospitable, that he should be a good teacher, not a drunkard, not contentious; but instead he must be gentle, a man of peace, a good manager of his household, keeping his children under control without losing his dignity, Paul wrote that if a man didn't not know how to manage his own household that he would not be able to take care of My house. A candidate for bishop must also be well respected in the community away from the church to ensure that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil's trap. (I Timothy 3:1-7) Paul also listed the requirement for a deacon, writing that men who desired that hospitable position must be serious, truthful, not overindulging in drinking alcohol, or yielding to greed. They must hold fast to their faith with a clear conscience. He advised that the candidates must be on probation before becoming deacons in order to prove themselves to be good deacons. He also referred to women in the church, saying that they must be serious, not being gossipers, that they should be temperate and trustworthy. He required that deacons also only be married once and be good managers of their households and children. He wrote that the people who serve well as deacons gain a worthy place for themselves in the community and be much assured in their faith in Christ Jesus. (I Timothy 3:8-13) He wrote to Timothy the expected character of those people who are in authority in the church, hoping that at his time of visiting them that they had taken the matters into mind. He was concerned that some of the people would turn away from their faith in Christ Jesus and would be obedient to deceitful spirits and doctrines taught by demons. Paul wrote to Timothy about those character requirements in case he was delayed in visiting them so that Timothy would know the conduct required for members of My household, the church of the Living God. He extolled the wonders of the mystery of faith in his letter, professing it as this: "Christ was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world and taken up into glory." (John 1:14; I Timothy 3:14-16) Paul left no stone unturned, but he outlined in his letter what he expected from the churches of which he had left Timothy in charge. Your Father of Wise Guidance

BLESSINGS FROM PEACEFUL UNIONS

My Dear Precious Child, In Paul's advice to the Ephesian believers he advised husbands to love their wives as Christ loves His body, the church, giving himself up for her to make her holy, and purifying her by bathing her in the power of His kind, gentle words, in order for Christ to present to Me a glorious church, holy, immaculate and without stain or wrinkle or any other imperfection. In addition, Paul advised women to respect their husbands as if they were submitting to Christ because the husband is head of the household just as Christ is Head of the church as well as its Savior. He advised both husbands and wives not to hate their own flesh, but instead he advised husbands to love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. A man takes care of his own flesh, nourishing it and taking care of it as Christ cares for His church, which is His own body. He quoted My instructions at the beginning when I created the first man and woman and I commanded this: "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cling to his wife and the two shall be made into one." (Genesis 2:24) I commanded that because the first man and woman were originally one person until I took the woman's DNA out of the man and formed her into a helper for him. That creating process was a foreshadow of Christ and His church. Paul reiterated again that every man should love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife should do her part of showing respect for her husband. When that advice is taken by both the husband and wife, there is peace in that family. (Ephesians 5:22-33) In Paul's attempt to give advice on how to maintain peace in families, he also told fathers not to anger their children but instead to bring them up with the training and guidance benefitting the Lord's gentle training of His body, the church. He also advised children to obey their parents as if they are obeying Christ. He reminded children of the Jewish Law that says for children to honor their parents, which is the only commandment with a promise, that being so that things in the earth will go well with children and so that they will live a long life. (Ephesians 6:1-4) Good parents have lived a much longer time in the earth and they are qualified by experience on how to teach and train their children in how to act when they encounter difficult circumstances and situations. Again, this advice by Paul is to help in keeping peace in families and keep the wolves from the door, or in truth keep the demons from invading your family. Along the same lines, Paul advised workers (slaves) to obey their bosses (masters) with the same results, to keep peace in the marketplace, farm or manufacturing plant. He wrote that workers owe peaceful reverence to their superiors as to Christ. He qualified it by saying for workers not to give respect to their bosses merely for the looks of approval of other people to gain favor. He told them to do good works because it is My will, giving your service willingly and without strife in an effort to keep peace even in your professional life, knowing that whether you are a worker or a boss, you will be repaid by Me for whatever good you do in your associations with other people. (Ephesians 6:1-8) In return, Paul wrote that bosses (masters) must act similarly to their workers (slaves). He commanded the bosses to stop threatening their workers in order to get a good days work out of them. His reasoning was that workers and bosses have another Master in heaven who has no favorites, masters or slaves, bosses or workers. (Ephesians 6:9) Peaceful associations reap good rewards from Me. In these practical suggestions on Paul's part, he endeavored to teach the Ephesians how to keep peace in every family and in every workplace, knowing that where there is strife there is every evil demon from hell. (James 3:16) His emphasis in all relationships was given in order to maintain peace in a world that is governed by strife-filled demonic forces from hell. In an effort to keep peace in families and the workplace, Paul gave excellent practical yet spiritual advice. Your Father of Peace and Tranquility In Unions With Others

BLESSINGS FROM BEING IMITATORS OF GOD'S LOVE

My Dear Precious Child, In Paul's letter to the believers at Ephesus, he amplified the truth in his former letters to churches that spoke of the believers becoming Love in a dark world. He enlarged that truth by saying that they must BE LOVE as imitators of My character, which is Love. The greatest example is Christ Jesus who gave himself for all humanity as an offering to Me, a gift of aromatic pleasure. Then Paul contrasted His loving gift by contrasting it with lewd conduct of promiscuity or lust of any kind, asking that they not even be mentioned among believers because My holiness forbids it. Not only did Paul speak negatively of lustful actions, but he also discouraged obscene, silly, suggestive talk, meaning all that is out of place in the light of day. Instead of speaking about lustful acts or speech, he suggested that thanksgiving should replace them. In relation to My kingdom of heaven of Christ, no fornicator, unclean, lustful person -- in essence being an idolator -- has any inheritance with Me in My pure, loving Kingdom. Paul made it very clear in simple terms that there are no just arguments about the truth that you should have nothing to do with those sins that bring My wrath down upon the demons who foster them, thus by osmosis condemning the people who follow the temptations of the devil to do them. He wrote not to have anything to do with those thoughts, speech and actions. They do not descend from My Love. (Ephesians 5:1-7) Paul reminded the Gentile Ephesians that they were formerly in darkness, participating in such filthy activities, but he emphasized that they now lived in the Light, producing every kind of goodness, justice and truth. He wrote that they must be correct in their discernment of what pleases Me, taking no part in vain deeds that take place in the dark. He said they should even condemn such practices because it is shameful to even speak about those actions done in secret. He said that bringing them to the light by condemning them will cause them to be seen in the light of day and then all of those actions will be seen in view of the Light. He quoted the prophet Isaiah who wrote, "Awake, O sleeper, arise from the dead and Christ will give you Light!" (Isaiah 60:1) The advice from Paul was that the believers should keep a constant vigil over their own mind and conduct so that they would not become fools but instead become thoughtful men. His advice also included that they must, in the sinful world in which they lived, take advantage of every opportunity to refute evil and choose good. Their actions must be in tune with My will in every matter. He emphasized that they should not get drunk with wine but instead to be filled with the Holy Spirit, addressing each other in psalms, hymns and inspired songs, singing praises to Me with all of their hearts. His cure for refuting sinful sexual actions was to sing praises to Me with your whole heart for everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He instructed them in communal meetings to defer to one another out of reverence to Christ because He lives in all believers. (Ephesians 5:15-21) As was formerly revealed in other writings to other churches, in the letter to the Ephesians Paul gave a short but definite synopsis of the thoughts, meditations and actions in which My children must engage and ones in which they must disengage. In other words, he listed the temptations of the devil which must be disobeyed and condemned and he listed My guidance and instructions which must be obeyed in order to remain in My kingdom of God with all of My marvelous and loving gifts, rewards and blessings. Light cannot participate in darkness. If you participate in darkness you will dispel My Light. If you participate in My Light, you will dispel the devil's darkness. It's a simple truth that Paul wrote, the same one that the prophets spoke about choosing either good or evil, blessings or curses. It's the same truth that Jesus Christ spoke about when He taught His disciples to pray that I would deliver them from evil. I did when I gave to them the power of My Holy Spirit. (Matthew 6:13; John 16:12-13) Paul wrote the same truths to the churches of Corinth, Rome, Thessalonika, Galatia,Colossae and Philippi that he wrote to the Ephesians. Yet, in his letter to the Ephesians he wrote truths in more easily understood, concise words. In his letter to the Ephesians Paul did not lament about his unjust treatment by the other apostles which resulted in his attempts to justify his apostolic calling from Me. Eventually, by revelation from Me, Paul was convinced of the value of My calling on his life by the time he wrote his letter to the believers at Ephesus so he prioritized amplifying Truth in that letter. Your Father of Truth That Brings Liberty

BLESSINGS FROM LOVING AND BEING LOVED

My Dear Precious Child, It was through Paul's call to ministry by Me to minister to evangelize the Gentiles that allowed My magnificent plan to be revealed concerning the secret plan hidden in My mind concerning the nations of Gentiles. It was revealed to Paul concerning the mystery of Christ which was unknown to men in former ages but was revealed to the prophets and apostles by the Holy Spirit. The mystery was that through Christ Jesus the Gentile pagans became co-heirs with the Jews, equal members of the same body and sharers of the same promise through the preaching of the Good News. Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesian believers that it was through My goodness that I bestowed upon him the power to become the minister of the Good News to the Gentiles. He considered himself the least of all believers because of his having formerly persecuted the believers in Christ, and yet he was given by Me the grace to preach to the Gentiles and to enlighten all people on the mysterious design which was hidden in My mind, as the Lord of all. (Ephesians 3:1-6) Now, though, through My children My manifold wisdom is made known to the principalities and powers of heaven in accordance with My age-old purpose that is carried out through Christ Jesus, the Lord. That wisdom is through faith, and only faith, that Jews and Gentiles alike can speak freely to Me, coming near to Me with confidence. Paul begged the church at Ephesus not to become depressed with the hardships that Paul was experiencing because of his calling to preach the Lord Jesus Christ to the pagan Gentiles. Under the old covenant of Mosaic Law the Gentiles were excluded, but under My new covenant of the Holy Spirit, they became totally and completely included, as if they had never been excluded. (Ephesians 3:10-13) Paul prayed before Me, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name, asking that I will bestow on all of My children all of My gifts in keeping with the riches of My glory. He prayed that I would strengthen you inwardly through the working of My Spirit. Paul also prayed that Christ would live in your heart through faith and that love might be the root and foundation of your life. He prayed that you might spiritually grasp what is the breadth, length, height and depth of My Love so that you would come to realize the Love of Christ which passes all knowledge, so that you will be filled with My fullness and become a body completely filled and flooded with Me and My love. In Paul's closing remarks he wrote that IT IS BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT IS AT WORK IN YOU THAT I AM ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY OVER AND ABOVE ALL THAT YOU DARE IMAGINE, ASK, THINK, PRAY, HOPE OR DREAM. (Ephesians 3:14-20) It is in your having revelation knowledge of My love that allows Me to flood your life with My blessings. Your HEAVENLY FATHER of ALL POWERFUL LOVE

BLESSINGS COME FROM SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

My Dear Precious Child, As years passed Paul's writings to the churches increased, as his wisdom and revelation knowledge also increased as he grew in grace which revealed that he had the mind of Christ. In his letter to the Ephesians he explained what had happened to them when they became born again by the Holy Spirit. He reminded them in his letter that they had died to their sins that they had committed when they gave their allegiance to the devil, whom Paul called the prince of the air, the demonic spirit that was still at work in the earth among rebellious people. He wrote that the believers were all in the same category when they lived by the dictates of their flesh, following every whim and fancy of the demons in the earth, and so they deserved the wrath that I poured out on the devil. But, even being in that spiritual condition, the richness of My mercy and love had brought them to life with Christ Jesus when they were dead in sin. He wrote that it was by My favor that any of them were saved. He explained that when they became in Christ they were given a place in MY heavens so that in the ages to come they might display the richness of My favor which was manifested in My kindness to people in Christ Jesus. Paul even repeated that truth, that it was because of My kindness that My favor was granted to you and the Gentiles as My gift. It is not a reward for anything you have done, it is a gift from Me so that no one can pride himself in his own accomplishments. It is truly My handiwork in Christ Jesus to enable you now to live a life of good deeds which I create and which I prepare beforehand. (Ephesians 2:1-10) Paul reminded the Ephesians that they, and you, had formerly been uncircumcised of flesh and of heart and you had formerly no part in Christ and were excluded from Israel, and you were also strangers to My new covenant of the Holy Spirit and its promises, without hope and without My help in the world. However, even though you and they were once far off from Me, you have been brought near to Me through the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed for you on the cross. He made sure that the believers knew that they were introduced to My peace and to the knowledge that I am the One who made two beings into One Being by breaking down the barrier of hostility that kept you apart from Me. It was in the flesh of Jesus that I did away with the old laws and I made One new man out of two to make peace with you, reconciling both of you, Christ and you, to God in one body on the cross, which put the division between you to death. Christ came and announced the Good News of peace to you who were far off from Me and to those who were near through whom you have access in One Spirit to Me, your Heavenly Father. (Ephesians 2:11-18) The purpose of that scenario was that you are no strangers or aliens to Me any longer. No. Instead you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of My household. The believers form a building which has a firm foundation in the prophets and the apostles of which Christ Jesus is the cornerstone. It is through Him that the entire structure is fit together and becomes a holy temple in the Lord. It is in Christ that you have been made into a dwelling place for Me in the earth in the person of the Holy Spirit. It was in that visual picture created by My Holy Spirit and given to Paul that the transformation becomes revelation knowledge to you that you are a new creation and you are a mansion for Christ in the Holy Spirit to live in the earth. (Ephesians 2:19-22) Paul's revelation knowledge becomes your revelation knowledge when you give your mind to the Holy Spirit for Him to teach to you spiritual truths that create the mind of Christ in you. Your Father of Revealed Knowledge