November 20, 2025 • 18 mins
Find the full episode here >>> LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog
When life is packed with meetings, errands, and ministry, how do you keep your soul steady and your purpose clear? We open 1 Timothy and find a roadmap for busy believers: pray first, guard the gospel, grow in character, and lead from a quiet strength that comes from the Holy Spirit. Timothy’s story meets us where we live—messy calendars, real doubts, and a longing to be useful without burning out.
We start with Ephesus, a church swamped by hot takes and harmful ideas, and Paul’s call to “fight the good fight” with courage and clarity. You’ll hear why prayer is the first move, not the last resort, and how the often-misread call to “be silent” is actually an invitation to hēsychia (ἡσυχία)—a settled, Spirit-led calm for both men and women who lead. We unpack what mature leadership looks like in real life: self-control, hospitality, gentleness, and a trustworthy reputation that shines in Zoom rooms, living rooms, and sanctuary aisles alike.
Then we explore chapter four’s heartbeat: set an example, fan your gift into flame, and reject hyper-spiritual myths that dismiss God’s good creation. Paul reframes church as family—honor across generations, care for widows, fair accountability for leaders—and offers wise counsel on work, wealth, and the discipline of godliness, eusebeia (εὐσέβεια). The result is a simple, sturdy pattern of discipleship that turns ordinary days into meaningful mission. If you feel too ordinary or too busy, you’ll walk away convinced that your small acts of obedience matter more than you know.
Ready to grow with a gentle, doable plan? Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs fresh courage, and leave a quick review so others can find these conversations. Your voice will help more believers live on purpose in Christ.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Paula Behrens (00:00):
If you've ever found yourself wondering how on
earth you're supposed to liveout your faith boldly when
you're juggling Zoom meetings,church leadership, grocery runs,
helping grandkids withhomework, hosting Bible study,
or trying to remember where yourglasses are, then pull up a
cozy chair, friend, becausetoday's episode is for you.
We're about to walk through thebook of 1 Timothy together, a
(00:22):
tiny, but mighty, power-packedletter from the Apostle Paul to
a young pastor who was trying toshepherd a complicated
congregation in an even morecomplicated cultural moment.
And if you stay with me all theway to the end, I've got a
special invitation for you tocome hang out with us in our
Facebook community where you cangrab some free monthly
(00:42):
devotional and essentialoil-inspired spiritual rhythm
resources.
Trust me, you're going to lovewhat we're doing over there.
But for now, let's step intothe world of Timothy, a young
leader trying to figure out howto live on purpose in Christ
while guiding others to do thesame.
Because if Timothy needed thisencouragement, direction, and
fire under his feet, maybe we dotoo.
(01:05):
And you know, friend, whilePaul's encouragement to Timothy
reminds us that we're all a workin progress, I've got a funny
little story from my own earlydays as a pastor that might just
help us laugh at the chaos andremember to give ourselves a
little room to breathe.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
(01:28):
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I
realized that even in my chaos,there was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
(01:49):
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula, and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God but
(02:12):
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.
Please take a moment to followthe show, leave a review, and
share with your friends who needa little biblical encouragement
today.
You want to grow closer to God,but let's be honest, your days
(02:34):
are full, your mind is busy, andyour devotional routine feels
more like a struggle than asanctuary.
That's exactly why I createdthe Aroma of Christ Coaching
Hour.
This one-on-one session isdesigned to make deepening your
relationship with God simple,peaceful, and personal.
No pressure, no overwhelm, justa guided, spirit-led approach
to help you reset and reconnectwith Jesus in a way that truly
(02:57):
fits your life.
You won't leave empty-handedeither.
Before our coaching call,you'll receive an essential oil
sampler to use during our onlinesession to enhance this fun
spiritual journey.
You'll walk away witheverything you need to continue
your journey, including aprintable devotional planning
guide to help you stayconsistent, a beautiful gospel
reading plan that walks youthrough the life of Jesus, a
(03:18):
downloadable prayer journal toreflect, process, and pray
intentionally, and practicalguidance on how to use essential
oils to quiet your mind andinvite peace into your spiritual
practices.
You don't need fancy tools orhours of free time.
You just need a doable plan andsomeone to help you make it
real. So let's make yourdevotional life easy,
(03:39):
meaningful, and refreshinglyChrist-centered.
It's time to simplify yourspiritual life so you can savor
it again.
Book your Aroma of Christcoaching hour today at
PaulaBehrens.com/coaching.
That's Paula Behrens B E H R EN S .com/coaching (no spaces).
(04:00):
Look for a link in the shownotes.
All right, friend.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal, cozy up to your
favorite beverage, and let's getstarted.
Before we jump chapter bychapter, let's get the feeling
of this letter.
Paul is writing from a place ofdeep affection.
He calls Timothy his true childin the faith, not because they
(04:21):
shared DNA, but because theyshared destiny.
Timothy didn't grow up with theadvantages Paul had.
He had a Greek father, a Jewishmother, and a grandmother
deeply rooted in faith.
He wasn't a confident,natural-born leader.
He wasn't the guy who walksinto a room and instantly
commands the space.
(04:42):
If anything, he was quiet,tenderhearted, maybe even timid.
And yet God chose him.
Paul saw something in him andsaid, You, you're called to
shepherd God's people.
Don't you dare shy away becauseyou're young, unsure, or
imperfect.
If you've ever feltunqualified, unprepared, or a
(05:04):
little too ordinary to make animpact for the kingdom, you and
Timothy would have been buddies.
And Paul's letter to him, it'sjust as much for you.
Paul doesn't waste time withpleasantries.
He jumps right into the mess.
Timothy was living in Ephesus,and the Ephesian church was,
well, let's say it was aspiritual pinterest board gone
(05:27):
wrong.
Everyone had an opinion,everyone had a new teaching,
everyone had a specialrevelation, and false teachers
were spreading ideas that weredistracting, confusing, and
harmful.
And if you're thinking, wow,that sounds like the internet,
then yes, you're exactly right.
Paul tells Timothy to stay putand confront unhealthy teaching,
(05:50):
not because conflict is fun,but because truth matters.
He reminds Timothy that thegospel is not about speculation
or intellectual gymnastics, it'sabout transformation.
Paul shares his own story, theway God saved him, the chief of
sinners, to show Timothy that noone is beyond grace.
(06:10):
This wasn't Paul's braggingabout his sin resume.
This was Paul reminding him, ifGod can use me, God can use
anyone.
Don't give up.
Then comes that wonderfulcharge.
Fight the good fight, not thepetty fight, not the internet
fight, not the neighbor dramafight, the good fight, the one
(06:34):
that's worth your energy, yourattention, and your prayers.
If you're someone working fromhome or someone who wants to
blend their faith with work,maybe you're running your
business from your kitchen tableor writing devotionals in your
pajamas with a mug of pepperminttea, then Paul is saying, stay
focused, don't let other thingssteal your purpose.
(06:56):
Guard what God gave you.
Chapter 2 opens with Paulessentially saying, All right,
Timothy, before you get caughtup in everybody's opinions,
arguments, and personalsoapboxes, pray.
It's almost as if Paul isgently taking Timothy by the
shoulders, looking him dead inthe eyes, and saying, Son, lead
(07:17):
the people into prayer beforeyou try leading them into
anything else.
Paul lists kings, leaders,neighbors, strangers, everyone.
Why?
Because prayer softens thesoil.
Prayer is a posture that keepsour hearts open to God and
closed to foolishness.
(07:37):
Prayer keeps a church fromgetting entangled in secondary
distractions.
And then he begins steppinginto the chaos that had been
stirred up in the Ephesianchurch.
And trust me, chaos is not anexaggeration.
Ephesus was a city soaked inspiritual confusion.
The Artemis cult empowered akind of radicalized female
(07:59):
dominance.
False teachers usedphilosophical trends to
manipulate vulnerable believers.
Some newly converted women,excited, passionate, and
completely untrained, werejumping into teaching roles
without grounding in Scripture.
They were being swept up byfalse ideas and unknowingly
spreading them.
(08:20):
It wasn't just messy, it wasdangerous.
So when Paul starts correctingbehavior in the church, it's
crucial to read his wordsthrough the lens of their
situation.
He wasn't restricting women, hewas correcting cultural chaos.
His goal wasn't to silencewomen, but to stop disorder from
(08:41):
anyone that was harming thechurch and hindering the gospel.
And this is where our Greekword study becomes incredibly
eye-opening.
In 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse2, Paul tells men to lead
peaceful and quiet lives.
The Greek word here ishēsychios, hēsychios (ἡσύχιος).
It doesn't mean mute orpassive, it means settled,
(09:08):
peaceful, calm, composed,grounded.
The inner stillness that comesfrom the Holy Spirit.
Now here's what's fascinating.
In 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse12, Paul uses the same Greek
word when instructing women tokeep silent.
Same word, same meaning, sameexpectation.
(09:28):
The English translations makeit look different, though.
Quiet for men and silent forwomen.
But in the Greek, it's thesame.
Paul wasn't saying women need tohush up.
He was saying anyone who wantsto lead should first have that
peace in their heart that comesfrom the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(09:49):
Leadership, whether male orfemale, must first flow out of
hēsychia (ἡσυχία), the settled,spirit-led calm that comes only
from yielding to God.
This shifts our understandingentirely.
Paul was not restricting womenfrom leadership.
He was teaching that both menand women must first yield to
(10:10):
the leadership of the HolySpirit before leading others.
Only those anchored inspirit-led peace are ready to
guide the flock faithfully.
The heart of chapter two, then,isn't about who gets to talk,
it's about who is spirituallyready to lead the church into
God's mission.
Paul moves into guidelines forchurch leaders.
(10:31):
And if you've ever read thislist and panicked, thinking, oh
no, I'm disqualified, pleasebreathe.
Paul isn't listing superhumanstandards.
He's describing the characterof someone who's growing in
spiritual maturity.
Paul highlights traits likeself-control, hospitality,
gentleness, managing one'shousehold well, being faithful,
(10:55):
being grounded in truth, andmaintaining a good reputation.
He's not saying find flawlesspeople.
He's saying find growingpeople.
And let me offer a freeingreminder.
You don't have to hold a churchoffice to be a leader in the
kingdom.
Leading a Zoom Bible study,encouraging women in your small
(11:15):
group, volunteering, writingChristian posts online, praying
with a neighbor, showing upconsistently, being faithful in
your family, all of that isleadership.
Paul wanted Timothy tounderstand that the gospel moves
forward through everydaybelievers whose lives quietly
glow with Christ.
This means you.
(11:37):
Yes, you can reach people forJesus right where you are
without ever standing behind apulpit.
Chapter 4 is the heart of thewhole book.
Paul tells Timothy to be awareof teachings that sound
spiritual but disconnect peoplefrom God's goodness.
Some were teaching thatmarriage and food were unholy.
Paul calls that nonsenseimmediately, reminding everyone
(12:00):
that creation is good whenreceived with gratitude.
Then comes one of the mosticonic lines in the New
Testament.
"Set an example for thebelievers in speech, in conduct,
in love, in faith, in purity."Set an example, Paul says, not
be impressive, not be perfect,not be loud, but live in such a
(12:24):
way that people sense Jesus inyour presence.
Paul tells Timothy not toneglect the gift God gave him.
Don't bury it.
Don't pretend it's not there.
Don't talk yourself out of it.
Practice it.
Grow in it.
Fan it into flame.
Someone listening right now mayneed to hear this.
That stirring you feel, thatlonging to encourage others,
(12:47):
that desire to pray with people,to write, to teach, to start a
devotional group, to createChristian content, to lead a
gathering, to mentor youngerwomen, to launch that ministry
idea, that's not random.
That's the Holy Spirit nudgingyou.
Chapter four is Paul's grabbingTimothy by the shoulders and
saying, I believe in you.
(13:10):
And maybe today the Spirit iswhispering the same thing to
you.
Paul then draws Timothy back tothe heart of shepherding
relationships, real ones, notsuperficial ones, not 'I only
know you from the commentssection,' ones.
He tells Timothy to treat oldermen like fathers, younger men
like brothers, older women likemothers, and younger women like
(13:33):
sisters.
In other words, stay pure, stayrespectful, stay relational.
He talks about widows, urgingthe church to care for the
vulnerable.
He addresses leaders, remindingTimothy to treat them fairly,
but also hold them accountablewhen necessary.
What's beautiful here is thatPaul is teaching Timothy to see
people through the lens offamily, not as a task to do, not
(13:57):
as a problem to solve, not asnumbers, but family.
If you've ever reached out tosomeone and felt unseen, God
sees that.
If you've ever tried to lovesomeone difficult, God honors
that.
If you've ever felt weary frompouring out more than you
received, God understands thatdeeply.
(14:17):
This chapter reminds us thatour ministry, whether at home,
online, in our community, or inour church, is never wasted.
You are building up the familyof faith every time you choose
compassion over convenience.
The final chapter is bold,direct, and incredibly
practical.
Paul talks about how believersshould navigate work
(14:38):
relationships, especially whentheir environments aren't
spiritually supportive.
He warns about the dangers ofgreed and the seductive pull of
wealth, not because money isevil, but because it's a
terrible master.
Then Paul uses a word thatbeautifully captures the call of
this entire letter.
(14:59):
When he tells Timothy to pursuerighteousness, godliness,
faith, love, endurance, andgentleness, the Greek word he
uses for godliness iseusebeia (εὐσέβεια).
And this word is so much richerthan our English translation.
Eusebeia (εὐσέβεια) isn't justbeing a good person, it means
living with such a God-centereddevotion that it naturally
(15:21):
spills into everyday life.
The way you speak, the way youlead, the way you work, the way
you love, the way you respondwhen things get stressful or
complicated.
It's a steady, reverent,purposeful orientation toward
God in ordinary moments,eusebeia (εὐσέβεια). In other
words, Paul isn't tellingTimothy, try harder.
(15:42):
He's telling him, live from theinside out.
Let your life be shaped by Godat the core.
Paul warns Timothy that somewill wander from the faith
because they're more interestedin arguments than
transformation, more interestedin being right than being
righteous, more captivated bycontroversy than compassion.
(16:03):
But Timothy must be different.
He must guard the gospel,protect the truth, and stay
faithful to the mission.
And you, you are invited intothat same mission.
Every message you send, everyprayer you whisper, every
encouraging word you offer,every devotional you share,
every small act of faith thatfeels too ordinary to matter,
(16:26):
well, it does matter, and itmatters deeply.
You are guarding what Godentrusted to you every time you
choose love over fear, truthover confusion, and faithfulness
over comfort.
First Timothy isn't a dustyletter for ancient pastors, it's
a lifeline for modernbelievers.
(16:47):
If your work keeps yousometimes feeling isolated,
Timothy gets it.
If you're trying to lead othersspiritually but feel
unqualified, Timothy gets it.
If you're trying to speak truthin a confused world without
being consumed by it, Timothygets it.
If you're juggling caring forpeople while staying faithful to
(17:09):
your calling, Timothy gets it.
Paul's message to him is Paul'smessage to us.
Stay grounded, stay prayerful,stay humble, stay watchful, stay
anchored to truth, stayfaithful to your purpose, and
above all, don't let fear,discouragement, or comparison
(17:29):
convince you that your smallacts of obedience don't matter
because they do, more than youknow.
Friend, before you head backinto your beautiful busy life, I
want to personally invite youto come and hang out with us in
our Facebook community,"Biblical Encouragement and
Devotional Rhythms withEssential Oils." That's where we
(17:49):
share practical faith tools,gentle encouragement,
scripture-based resources, and afree devotional download every
month to strengthen your walkwith Christ.
This month's freebie is waitingfor you, and you can grab
everything easily by heading toDevotionDrops.com.
That's DevotionDrops D-R-O-P-S .com (no
(18:10):
spaces).
I would love to connect withyou there.
Come join us.
Grab your free resources andgrow with other faith-filled
Christians who are living onpurpose in Christ right
alongside you.
Thank you for tuning in todayand remember, just like setting
biblical boundaries, it's okayto say no to things that don't
(18:30):
serve you well, like that thirdpiece of cake at the church
potluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach even more
listeners like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to live
on purpose in Christ.
Until then,keep leaning into Him and walking in His wisdom.
(18:54):
See you next time.
If you've ever found yourself wondering how on
earth you're supposed to liveout your faith boldly when
you're juggling Zoom meetings,church leadership, grocery runs,
helping grandkids withhomework, hosting Bible study,
or trying to remember where yourglasses are, then pull up a
cozy chair, friend, becausetoday's episode is for you.
We're about to walk through thebook of 1 Timothy together, a
(00:22):
tiny, but mighty, power-packedletter from the Apostle Paul to
a young pastor who was trying toshepherd a complicated
congregation in an even morecomplicated cultural moment.
And if you stay with me all theway to the end, I've got a
special invitation for you tocome hang out with us in our
Facebook community where you cangrab some free monthly
(00:42):
devotional and essentialoil-inspired spiritual rhythm
resources.
Trust me, you're going to lovewhat we're doing over there.
But for now, let's step intothe world of Timothy, a young
leader trying to figure out howto live on purpose in Christ
while guiding others to do thesame.
Because if Timothy needed thisencouragement, direction, and
fire under his feet, maybe we dotoo.
(01:05):
And you know, friend, whilePaul's encouragement to Timothy
reminds us that we're all a workin progress, I've got a funny
little story from my own earlydays as a pastor that might just
help us laugh at the chaos andremember to give ourselves a
little room to breathe.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
(01:28):
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I
realized that even in my chaos,there was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
(01:49):
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula, and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God but
(02:12):
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.
Please take a moment to followthe show, leave a review, and
share with your friends who needa little biblical encouragement
today.
You want to grow closer to God,but let's be honest, your days
(02:34):
are full, your mind is busy, andyour devotional routine feels
more like a struggle than asanctuary.
That's exactly why I createdthe Aroma of Christ Coaching
Hour.
This one-on-one session isdesigned to make deepening your
relationship with God simple,peaceful, and personal.
No pressure, no overwhelm, justa guided, spirit-led approach
to help you reset and reconnectwith Jesus in a way that truly
(02:57):
fits your life.
You won't leave empty-handedeither.
Before our coaching call,you'll receive an essential oil
sampler to use during our onlinesession to enhance this fun
spiritual journey.
You'll walk away witheverything you need to continue
your journey, including aprintable devotional planning
guide to help you stayconsistent, a beautiful gospel
reading plan that walks youthrough the life of Jesus, a
(03:18):
downloadable prayer journal toreflect, process, and pray
intentionally, and practicalguidance on how to use essential
oils to quiet your mind andinvite peace into your spiritual
practices.
You don't need fancy tools orhours of free time.
You just need a doable plan andsomeone to help you make it
real. So let's make yourdevotional life easy,
(03:39):
meaningful, and refreshinglyChrist-centered.
It's time to simplify yourspiritual life so you can savor
it again.
Book your Aroma of Christcoaching hour today at
PaulaBehrens.com/coaching.
That's Paula Behrens B E H R EN S .com/coaching (no spaces).
(04:00):
Look for a link in the shownotes.
All right, friend.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal, cozy up to your
favorite beverage, and let's getstarted.
Before we jump chapter bychapter, let's get the feeling
of this letter.
Paul is writing from a place ofdeep affection.
He calls Timothy his true childin the faith, not because they
(04:21):
shared DNA, but because theyshared destiny.
Timothy didn't grow up with theadvantages Paul had.
He had a Greek father, a Jewishmother, and a grandmother
deeply rooted in faith.
He wasn't a confident,natural-born leader.
He wasn't the guy who walksinto a room and instantly
commands the space.
(04:42):
If anything, he was quiet,tenderhearted, maybe even timid.
And yet God chose him.
Paul saw something in him andsaid, You, you're called to
shepherd God's people.
Don't you dare shy away becauseyou're young, unsure, or
imperfect.
If you've ever feltunqualified, unprepared, or a
(05:04):
little too ordinary to make animpact for the kingdom, you and
Timothy would have been buddies.
And Paul's letter to him, it'sjust as much for you.
Paul doesn't waste time withpleasantries.
He jumps right into the mess.
Timothy was living in Ephesus,and the Ephesian church was,
well, let's say it was aspiritual pinterest board gone
(05:27):
wrong.
Everyone had an opinion,everyone had a new teaching,
everyone had a specialrevelation, and false teachers
were spreading ideas that weredistracting, confusing, and
harmful.
And if you're thinking, wow,that sounds like the internet,
then yes, you're exactly right.
Paul tells Timothy to stay putand confront unhealthy teaching,
(05:50):
not because conflict is fun,but because truth matters.
He reminds Timothy that thegospel is not about speculation
or intellectual gymnastics, it'sabout transformation.
Paul shares his own story, theway God saved him, the chief of
sinners, to show Timothy that noone is beyond grace.
(06:10):
This wasn't Paul's braggingabout his sin resume.
This was Paul reminding him, ifGod can use me, God can use
anyone.
Don't give up.
Then comes that wonderfulcharge.
Fight the good fight, not thepetty fight, not the internet
fight, not the neighbor dramafight, the good fight, the one
(06:34):
that's worth your energy, yourattention, and your prayers.
If you're someone working fromhome or someone who wants to
blend their faith with work,maybe you're running your
business from your kitchen tableor writing devotionals in your
pajamas with a mug of pepperminttea, then Paul is saying, stay
focused, don't let other thingssteal your purpose.
(06:56):
Guard what God gave you.
Chapter 2 opens with Paulessentially saying, All right,
Timothy, before you get caughtup in everybody's opinions,
arguments, and personalsoapboxes, pray.
It's almost as if Paul isgently taking Timothy by the
shoulders, looking him dead inthe eyes, and saying, Son, lead
(07:17):
the people into prayer beforeyou try leading them into
anything else.
Paul lists kings, leaders,neighbors, strangers, everyone.
Why?
Because prayer softens thesoil.
Prayer is a posture that keepsour hearts open to God and
closed to foolishness.
(07:37):
Prayer keeps a church fromgetting entangled in secondary
distractions.
And then he begins steppinginto the chaos that had been
stirred up in the Ephesianchurch.
And trust me, chaos is not anexaggeration.
Ephesus was a city soaked inspiritual confusion.
The Artemis cult empowered akind of radicalized female
(07:59):
dominance.
False teachers usedphilosophical trends to
manipulate vulnerable believers.
Some newly converted women,excited, passionate, and
completely untrained, werejumping into teaching roles
without grounding in Scripture.
They were being swept up byfalse ideas and unknowingly
spreading them.
(08:20):
It wasn't just messy, it wasdangerous.
So when Paul starts correctingbehavior in the church, it's
crucial to read his wordsthrough the lens of their
situation.
He wasn't restricting women, hewas correcting cultural chaos.
His goal wasn't to silencewomen, but to stop disorder from
(08:41):
anyone that was harming thechurch and hindering the gospel.
And this is where our Greekword study becomes incredibly
eye-opening.
In 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse2, Paul tells men to lead
peaceful and quiet lives.
The Greek word here ishēsychios, hēsychios (ἡσύχιος).
It doesn't mean mute orpassive, it means settled,
(09:08):
peaceful, calm, composed,grounded.
The inner stillness that comesfrom the Holy Spirit.
Now here's what's fascinating.
In 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse12, Paul uses the same Greek
word when instructing women tokeep silent.
Same word, same meaning, sameexpectation.
(09:28):
The English translations makeit look different, though.
Quiet for men and silent forwomen.
But in the Greek, it's thesame.
Paul wasn't saying women need tohush up.
He was saying anyone who wantsto lead should first have that
peace in their heart that comesfrom the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(09:49):
Leadership, whether male orfemale, must first flow out of
hēsychia (ἡσυχία), the settled,spirit-led calm that comes only
from yielding to God.
This shifts our understandingentirely.
Paul was not restricting womenfrom leadership.
He was teaching that both menand women must first yield to
(10:10):
the leadership of the HolySpirit before leading others.
Only those anchored inspirit-led peace are ready to
guide the flock faithfully.
The heart of chapter two, then,isn't about who gets to talk,
it's about who is spirituallyready to lead the church into
God's mission.
Paul moves into guidelines forchurch leaders.
(10:31):
And if you've ever read thislist and panicked, thinking, oh
no, I'm disqualified, pleasebreathe.
Paul isn't listing superhumanstandards.
He's describing the characterof someone who's growing in
spiritual maturity.
Paul highlights traits likeself-control, hospitality,
gentleness, managing one'shousehold well, being faithful,
(10:55):
being grounded in truth, andmaintaining a good reputation.
He's not saying find flawlesspeople.
He's saying find growingpeople.
And let me offer a freeingreminder.
You don't have to hold a churchoffice to be a leader in the
kingdom.
Leading a Zoom Bible study,encouraging women in your small
(11:15):
group, volunteering, writingChristian posts online, praying
with a neighbor, showing upconsistently, being faithful in
your family, all of that isleadership.
Paul wanted Timothy tounderstand that the gospel moves
forward through everydaybelievers whose lives quietly
glow with Christ.
This means you.
(11:37):
Yes, you can reach people forJesus right where you are
without ever standing behind apulpit.
Chapter 4 is the heart of thewhole book.
Paul tells Timothy to be awareof teachings that sound
spiritual but disconnect peoplefrom God's goodness.
Some were teaching thatmarriage and food were unholy.
Paul calls that nonsenseimmediately, reminding everyone
(12:00):
that creation is good whenreceived with gratitude.
Then comes one of the mosticonic lines in the New
Testament.
"Set an example for thebelievers in speech, in conduct,
in love, in faith, in purity."Set an example, Paul says, not
be impressive, not be perfect,not be loud, but live in such a
(12:24):
way that people sense Jesus inyour presence.
Paul tells Timothy not toneglect the gift God gave him.
Don't bury it.
Don't pretend it's not there.
Don't talk yourself out of it.
Practice it.
Grow in it.
Fan it into flame.
Someone listening right now mayneed to hear this.
That stirring you feel, thatlonging to encourage others,
(12:47):
that desire to pray with people,to write, to teach, to start a
devotional group, to createChristian content, to lead a
gathering, to mentor youngerwomen, to launch that ministry
idea, that's not random.
That's the Holy Spirit nudgingyou.
Chapter four is Paul's grabbingTimothy by the shoulders and
saying, I believe in you.
(13:10):
And maybe today the Spirit iswhispering the same thing to
you.
Paul then draws Timothy back tothe heart of shepherding
relationships, real ones, notsuperficial ones, not 'I only
know you from the commentssection,' ones.
He tells Timothy to treat oldermen like fathers, younger men
like brothers, older women likemothers, and younger women like
(13:33):
sisters.
In other words, stay pure, stayrespectful, stay relational.
He talks about widows, urgingthe church to care for the
vulnerable.
He addresses leaders, remindingTimothy to treat them fairly,
but also hold them accountablewhen necessary.
What's beautiful here is thatPaul is teaching Timothy to see
people through the lens offamily, not as a task to do, not
(13:57):
as a problem to solve, not asnumbers, but family.
If you've ever reached out tosomeone and felt unseen, God
sees that.
If you've ever tried to lovesomeone difficult, God honors
that.
If you've ever felt weary frompouring out more than you
received, God understands thatdeeply.
(14:17):
This chapter reminds us thatour ministry, whether at home,
online, in our community, or inour church, is never wasted.
You are building up the familyof faith every time you choose
compassion over convenience.
The final chapter is bold,direct, and incredibly
practical.
Paul talks about how believersshould navigate work
(14:38):
relationships, especially whentheir environments aren't
spiritually supportive.
He warns about the dangers ofgreed and the seductive pull of
wealth, not because money isevil, but because it's a
terrible master.
Then Paul uses a word thatbeautifully captures the call of
this entire letter.
(14:59):
When he tells Timothy to pursuerighteousness, godliness,
faith, love, endurance, andgentleness, the Greek word he
uses for godliness iseusebeia (εὐσέβεια).
And this word is so much richerthan our English translation.
Eusebeia (εὐσέβεια) isn't justbeing a good person, it means
living with such a God-centereddevotion that it naturally
(15:21):
spills into everyday life.
The way you speak, the way youlead, the way you work, the way
you love, the way you respondwhen things get stressful or
complicated.
It's a steady, reverent,purposeful orientation toward
God in ordinary moments,eusebeia (εὐσέβεια). In other
words, Paul isn't tellingTimothy, try harder.
(15:42):
He's telling him, live from theinside out.
Let your life be shaped by Godat the core.
Paul warns Timothy that somewill wander from the faith
because they're more interestedin arguments than
transformation, more interestedin being right than being
righteous, more captivated bycontroversy than compassion.
(16:03):
But Timothy must be different.
He must guard the gospel,protect the truth, and stay
faithful to the mission.
And you, you are invited intothat same mission.
Every message you send, everyprayer you whisper, every
encouraging word you offer,every devotional you share,
every small act of faith thatfeels too ordinary to matter,
(16:26):
well, it does matter, and itmatters deeply.
You are guarding what Godentrusted to you every time you
choose love over fear, truthover confusion, and faithfulness
over comfort.
First Timothy isn't a dustyletter for ancient pastors, it's
a lifeline for modernbelievers.
(16:47):
If your work keeps yousometimes feeling isolated,
Timothy gets it.
If you're trying to lead othersspiritually but feel
unqualified, Timothy gets it.
If you're trying to speak truthin a confused world without
being consumed by it, Timothygets it.
If you're juggling caring forpeople while staying faithful to
(17:09):
your calling, Timothy gets it.
Paul's message to him is Paul'smessage to us.
Stay grounded, stay prayerful,stay humble, stay watchful, stay
anchored to truth, stayfaithful to your purpose, and
above all, don't let fear,discouragement, or comparison
(17:29):
convince you that your smallacts of obedience don't matter
because they do, more than youknow.
Friend, before you head backinto your beautiful busy life, I
want to personally invite youto come and hang out with us in
our Facebook community,"Biblical Encouragement and
Devotional Rhythms withEssential Oils." That's where we
(17:49):
share practical faith tools,gentle encouragement,
scripture-based resources, and afree devotional download every
month to strengthen your walkwith Christ.
This month's freebie is waitingfor you, and you can grab
everything easily by heading toDevotionDrops.com.
That's DevotionDrops D-R-O-P-S .com (no
(18:10):
spaces).
I would love to connect withyou there.
Come join us.
Grab your free resources andgrow with other faith-filled
Christians who are living onpurpose in Christ right
alongside you.
Thank you for tuning in todayand remember, just like setting
biblical boundaries, it's okayto say no to things that don't
(18:30):
serve you well, like that thirdpiece of cake at the church
potluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach even more
listeners like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to live
on purpose in Christ.
Until then,keep leaning into Him and walking in His wisdom.
(18:54):
See you next time.
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