Christian Widow

Christian Widow Walk - Widow Bible Verse

Widow in the Bible

Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Daily Bread study program. This is our very interesting and important Christian Widow Walk and Widow Bible verse study taking an in depth look into the Widow in the Bible. The absolutely thought provoking Christian widow Bible verse message will truly bring a smile to the lips and heart and shine the LIGHT of Truth upon your be-YOU-tiful Christian walk path.

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Widow in the Bible Rules

Glad to have you back for today's Daily Bread. We've been studying Paul's first letter to Timothy and the expected conduct for the people within the church.

If you like to read straight from your Bible either before or after you read through your Daily Bread, you might notice that sometimes Paul jumps from one topic to another, and then back again. Don't forget, Paul is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and while he's writing, he may get a vision or a message and need to interject something that doesn't follow the subject that he's writing about at the time ... Or it may just appear that way to us, as we get different messages oft times even though we may read the same scripture.

You know how it is when you're doing something and you think of something important, so you jot down a note so you won't forget it?

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Widow in the Bible Blessings

Well, imagine Paul getting messages from the Holy Spirit all the time! He didn't have Post-It® notes to stick on the walls of his tent, or his prison wall to remind him to add things to his writings later, and Paul wasn't a rich man either, so he probably didn't have extra papyrus lying around to scribble notes on either, so when it seems like something is out of context - literally - you can bet that the Holy Spirit has a reason for every sentence to be just exactly where it is. It may not make sense to you, but maybe to someone else, it makes perfect sense. And maybe when you read the same passage at another time, a verse that you simply could not understand for your very life, is suddenly crystal clear.

Alright then, Paul is now addressing Timothy's position as minister, and in addition to making sure his youthfulness remains an asset instead of a hindrance to the Gospel, he tells Timothy:

Do not rebuke (scold or criticize sharply) an elder, but advise him as a father, and the younger men as brothers, the elder women as mothers, and the younger as sisters with all purity.

Now if you've ever read the Psalms, you know that the Lord has much compassion on the widowed and the fatherless (Psalms 68:5; 94:6; 146:9), and for most of us as well, even the mention of the word widow, invokes compassion in our hearts.

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Widow in the Bible Promises

If you'll bear with me, I know that many women are still a little sensitive about what Paul had to say in Chapter 2 of this letter, but when Truth is your motive, you call things as you see them, and the Holy Spirit isn't gonna let Paul sugar coat anything so that women will agree or not be offended.

In a moment, we're going to study some things that Paul says about widows, and in advance, I feel compelled to ask you to be open minded to the Truth about women who are alone. What happened to Eve when she was alone in the Garden of Eden? Also, take into consideration her age. We don't know exactly how old she was, but she didn't have any children yet, so it's a good guess that she was fairly young. Now, think about women throughout history and the women that you know today. Would you say that young women or old women are more likely to stray from their faith?

Okay, while you contemplate those things, let's look at something that will help you a little. Paul was alive somewhere around 4,000 years after Adam and Eve, and apparently young women then were still easily lured as Eve was. The truth is - painful childbirth and being under man's rule aren't the only things that women inherited from Eve. If you hide and watch, today, 2,000 year later, women still have the same reputation. Why? Because it's the Truth.

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Widow in the Bible Secrets

You see, Paul wasn't a chauvinist. He wasn't a woman hater either. Paul had insight. The intuition that women brag about having all the time ... When you realize where a woman's characteristics come from, you won't want to claim this so readily. What Paul had was Spiritual intuition.

Don't get me wrong here. I'm not saying that being a woman is a shameful existence by any means. I'm saying there are challenges that are beyond anyone's control, and that if you understand them better, it will make many of your actions, reactions and instincts much easier to understand and deal with as well.

If you're a woman and you read all the way through to the end of the study of Chapter 2 of this letter from Paul, kudos to you. Now let's look and learn what he has to say about widows.

Honor widows that are widows indeed.

Honor, meaning support. Indeed, meaning "in deed" or by their deeds. Perhaps it was commonplace for a widow to be "employed" in some respect by the church, thus benefiting the church as well as the widow. In essence, Paul was saying:

Show compassion to widows that live according to God's expectations. But if any widow have children or nephews, (near kin) let them support them instead of putting the burden on the church.

I have an interesting little Daily Bread Crumb for you. Actually, the term nephew used to be used for the word grandchildren, but is now obsolete.

Christian Widow Walk and Widow Bible Verse
Widow in the Bible Discussion

Paul further describes a widow, "indeed," as one who is totally alone ...

She has no children or family on whom she can depend, so she has no one to turn to but God. She is also very prayerful. But widows who live a lifestyle opposite of this is spiritually dead.

Paul advises Timothy to stress these things for the peoples' (especially the widows') own good.

Paul then gives Timothy some other requirements for those widows seeking support from the church, as well as what kind of behavior to beware of concerning younger widows. One of the things Paul points out is that they abandon their first faith. What does that mean? It means that before the women married, they served the Lord. They were holy, prayerful, pure. When they married, they served their husband and children and home. But when they became widowed, they didn't return to their first beliefs, their first faith, their first love, and instead they become interested in worldly matters. Then Paul describes what worldly women since creation until now have done and still do today when they are alone, single, widowed. And now, you know the difference between a widow and a widow indeed. One turns to the world(ly) and one turns back to the Lord.

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Widow in the Bible Comfort

So, knowing woman's natural tendencies, Paul says:

I wish therefore, that the younger women (widows) marry, bear children, manage the house, and give no opportunity to the adversary (the devil) to speak reproachfully (to accuse them to God shamefully), because some have already been led away by Satan.

If any believer have widows (who are relatives, servants, etc.), let them assist them, and don't make the church responsible, so that the church can assist those who are widows indeed.

Now Paul switches subjects midstream and gives Timothy all different kinds of advice.

Let the elders that rule well, get special treatment, especially those who work in the Word (preach) and doctrine (teach). Because the scripture says, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn (Deuteronomy 25:4).

(Paul likes that scripture, doesn't he? If you remember back ... he cited that scripture when he was pointing out to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 9:9) that he supported himself so as to avoid feeling obligated to anyone.) And, the labourer is worthy of his reward. (Luke 10:7)

Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it is in front of two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). Those that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. I command you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect Angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by favoritism.

Lay hands suddenly on no man ...

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Widow in the Bible Today

This is probably concerning the ordaining of ministers, since Paul has used this phrase before in other letters meaning such. In other words, one shouldn't be appointed without considering their qualifications for it carefully. Paul continues:

... Because if if you appoint an unfit man to the ministry, you become responsible ... Don't do this, keep yourself pure.

On a personal level, Paul tells Timothy:

Don't drink water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent ailments.

This may have just been a personal note which Paul felt compelled to insert out of concern for Timothy, apparently he had some health issues that aren't explained in detail here. Then Paul continues talking about the appointing of prospective ministers ...

Some men's sins are clearly evident beforehand; and some men's sins show up later. Likewise also the good works of some are plainly seen beforehand; and they that perform evil works, they can't be hidden.

Christian Widow Walk - Widow Bible Verse End
Widow in the Bible Summary

As usual, Paul has given us some great advice, some interesting things to think about that we may have never contemplated before, and more Truth to add to our faith, which helps us to grow as Christians and follow the Lord's path for us to eternal life.

Join us again next time for the conclusion of Paul's first letter to Timothy, right here at Daily Bread.

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