1 Timothy 6

August 22, 2022

Paul closes out this letter with much to say about money:

The prosperity gospel is a lie (v5)
Learning to be content with what we need, versus what we want, will lead to greater personal satisfaction (v6-8)
The desire for riches can lead to temptation and self-destruction (v9)
The love of money is a root of evil, that can lead to apostasy and grief (v10)
Putting our hope in money is foolish, because it’s part of a worldly system that sometimes crashes; putting our hope in God is wise, because He always provides for us (v17)
The wealthy are not to be condemned for having money, but called to share their money (v18)
We can’t take our treasures to Heaven, but we can lay up treasures in Heaven - by being generous with the money God entrusts to us in this life (v18-19)

Father, I praise You for Your faithfulness to provide for all of my needs: when I didn’t know how I’d pay for college, when Amanda and I didn’t have two dimes to rub together in the early years of our marriage, when we stepped away from a large church with a great salary to serve in East Africa. Thank You, too, for teaching us the blessing it is to trust You with our money (even when we had very little) by giving it away, which has only served to reinforce the truth that You are our Provider, and we can’t out-give You!

— Pastor Joshua Brooks

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Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…

Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?