A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International
Week of October 16-20, 2023
But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
Titus 2:1-5
MONDAY
All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness so that the man of God will be perfect, lacking nothing. This truth of the word of God is the basis and reason for all of our bible study. The word will profit us, and instruct us. The word corrects us in order that we will be whole and intact. The word also teaches us about righteousness. The teacher of the word of God instructs us to separate the holy from the profane. We will separate that which is of God from that which is of the world because we are instructed in the word of God. We profit in the things of God because we allow the word of God to instruct us. What does the word of God say to us at different ages of our lives? Is the word of God relevant to the young as well as the old? What is God’s instruction to us at different times in our lives? Are there different responsibilities for us from generation to generation? I think there are according to the word of God.
We are commanded to always speak those things that become sound doctrine. What is sound doctrine? According to Hebrews 6:1-2, there are six groupings of doctrines of the church: repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. These doctrines form the foundation and process of salvation in the life of the believer.
Anything that is taught must fit somewhere in these concepts. If we teach repentance from dead works, we must teach faith toward God. Teaching faith toward God helps us to submit to the baptisms and do the ministry of the laying on of hands through the power that raised Jesus from the dead. Teaching faith toward God also helps in our obedience to Him that we may escape eternal damnation, and receive everlasting life. The things that are taught to the believer must make him fit for this life.
If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:
Rx: Nehemiah 8:10 ~ The joy of the Lord is your strength.
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:
October 16: 1 Kings 19, 1 Thessalonians 2, Daniel 1, Psalms 105
October 17: 1 Kings 20, 1 Thessalonians 3, Daniel 2, Psalms 106
October 18: 1 Kings 21, 1 Thessalonians 4, Daniel 3, Psalms 107
October 19: 1 Kings 22, 1 Thessalonians 5, Daniel 4, Psalms 108-109
October 20: 2 Kings 1, 2 Thessalonians 1, Daniel 5 Psalms 110-111
October 21: 2 Kings 2, 2 Thessalonians 2, Daniel 6, Psalms 112-113
October 22: 2 Kings 3, 2 Thessalonians 3, Daniel 7, Psalms 114-115
TUESDAY
So God has divided the responsibility of the work of the ministry into duties according to our ages. He gives specific instruction to the older men and women to live as examples to the younger ones.
What is an example? A person who lives an exemplary life typifies the type of person that God has control over. This person becomes a standard of behavior. He becomes someone to emulate. He becomes a person to fix ones sights upon. He becomes a target, someone that you desire to become like. The older person should be one who is a person of peace, sober, sincere, with self control, sound in faith and love, giving and patient. In other words, that person is strong in the fruit of the spirit. He is a tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. He is a man you can trust with your problems, knowing that he will give you sound counsel, that he will pray in faith and those prayers will be answered.
The older women must likewise have the same character. They should demonstrate holiness. They should not be false accusers, or drinkers. They are held accountable to teach good things. Think of how far we have come! Many talk shows demonstrate the worst side of human behavior. Parents have little interest in teaching their children. Many feel that their children are out of control and hopeless before they are even teenagers. This is far from what God has written in the word.
WEDNESDAY
Older women are to teach the younger women to love their husbands and their children, in that order. In our day and age, many women have children and no husbands. This is a major problem. There is no covenant of love in which to raise their children. This is why many times the older Christian woman may appear to be old fashioned to younger women, both saint and sinner. Love always appears to make a person appear old-fashioned, out of step, non-relevant in what they are saying. However, usually by the time that young person becomes middle aged or older, they begin to see the truth and value of what that Christian older woman was saying concerning her lifestyle.
People often feel that when they are young they have many choices. They can choose to remain married or divorce their spouses and hope to find someone better. They never see their behavior as seed that they are sowing toward their future. This is something that the older woman can show: the reward of sowing good seeds throughout your lifetime. The fruit of righteousness comes because she has lived for God and has been obedient to sow to the spirit.
THURSDAY
Women are commanded by God to be discreet: not gossipers, slanderers, and trouble makers. Chaste, and not adulterers, flirts, or lewd in behavior or speech. TV and movies portray the liberated, new millennium woman as one who can do whatever she wants. The world depicts an out of control, rebellious, self-centered woman who is appearance conscious and unfaithful as the woman to be admired.
The world sets up a false model for young women to follow. Many of the role models are entertainers who have committed themselves to doing whatever is necessary for them to remain popular and make big money for themselves. They care nothing about your eternal soul.
Unfortunately, there are popular Christian women who have adopted the values of the entertainment world simply because God has exalted their gift and made them famous. They marry over and over again saying, “God worked it out that way.” They disrupt their homes and disappoint and hurt their children because they obey the commands of the flesh and fail to see the chaste, sober, discreet woman as the example to emulate.
FRIDAY
The women are also to be housekeepers. They are to be responsible to have a well kept home. Is this the man’s job? Not according to the word it isn’t. Many times husbands and wives strive over points that God has already settled. It is not the woman’s job to provide for the family, either.
Role reversal is something that is common in our society. We have to be careful as Christians to make sure that we know who is responsible to God for certain things necessary for family life. I don’t think there is any law against a husband doing some housework, or a wife having a job that interests her, but the responsibility for that realm of life belongs to one person only. Older Christians should exemplify that they accept the responsibility for their realm of family life. God has structured His Kingdom based upon duties coupled with abilities. Ability indicates responsibility.
Women should be obedient to their own husbands, not somebody else’s. Men do not have general authority over women, but each man has his own wife so that he can be held accountable for his family and his alone. Young men need to be taught to be sober so that their authority over their wives will be accepted. Men who do not demonstrate sobriety invite rebellion and anarchy in their homes.
Is there any surprise that we have so many difficulties in families these days, what with the drug use among parents? The God of all ages has given instructions for our behavior at every age. Begin to take your position. If you are younger, find Godly older, sober responsible people and emulate them. Older ones, live as an example for the younger. You have much work to do for the Master.