Kristi Burchfiel

Salvation leads to strength which leads to service. As Paul is writing to Timothy, he shares the gloriousness of salvation and then write this verse. Read 1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 1 TIMOTHY 1:12 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ti.1.12.NASB When Paul was saved by grace through Jesus Christ, Christ strengthened him and then because he was strengthened, he was put into service. Paul knew that the salvation that Jesus Christ brings comes with purpose. Christ saves us, not so we can just be ourselves. Christ saves us so that we could allow him to live through…

Sinners need salvation. That may seem simplistic, but that is the essence of the gospel message. If people were truly good already, then they wouldn’t need Christ. Read 1 Timothy 1:8-11. But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the…

How to lead. What makes up a great leader? Yesterday Paul shared with Timothy the importance of the motivation that he should have as he goes about doing the things that God has given him to do. Today, Paul goes into some of the characteristics of leadership that are not positive and that do not help move the gospel message forward, but that unfortunately are all too common among the leaders. Read 1 Timothy 1:6-7. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about…

Motivation. What motivates us to share what we’re supposed to enter teach in to train others about Christ? Paul was challenging Timothy specifically with his motivation. See 1 Timothy 1:5. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 TIMOTHY 1:5 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ti.1.5.NASB Paul has just finished encouraging Timothy to be sure that he is challenging the wrong teaching of those days. Now he’s reminding him what those challenges should look like. When we challenge others, it must come from a place of seeking and desiring to see them grow and improve. It must come from a place…

Happy Resurrection Sunday! What is Resurrection Sunday all about? Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, crucified as the sacrifice for our sins, arose from the dead in victory today! We celebrate the truth of who He is and what He did for us. Interestingly, Paul is encouraging Timothy to share the same message because unfortunately, others have been sharing a false one. Read 1 Timothy 1:3-4. As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than…

Who to share with? Yesterday we saw Paul writing this letter and now, we must understand who he is writing the letter to. Paul mentions Timothy as the recipient to this letter. Read 1 Timothy 1:2. To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 TIMOTHY 1:2 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ti.1.2.NASB While Timothy may not be Paul’s biological son, Paul has adopted him as a son in the faith. Paul has taken it upon himself to make sure that Timothy understands all that God has for him and how he should be using it his life. That is a…

Study. Do. Share. These three words have been our focus this year. We’ve spent time going through James seeing how our knowledge and study must lead to action because it can’t really be called faith if we are not acting on what we believe. Then we went through Ruth where we studied an example of three people “doing” their faith as they acted out what they truly believe. Now, we are going to work through 1 Timothy. In this book we see Paul “sharing” what he knows and what he does with young Timothy. Read 1 Timothy 1:1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God…