1 Timothy by Jim Leffel (2014)

Throughout his letter to Timothy, Paul exhorts him to make the most of his life. In order to fulfill this, the prime goal of the Christian life is love. This requires a pure heart, should be done in good-conscience, and is a product of a sincere faith.

The grace, mercy, and love of God form the basis for serving others. Understanding these things will result in gratitude, humility, and praise that are necessary to truly love others.

The Bible describes a "good fight" for followers of Christ to advance God's purposes in a broken world. The goal of this fight is to battle using truth and love. In order to be successful, the church needs to be committed to praying for others.

Many accuse the Bible of promoting negative cultural trends such as sexism. However, when interpreted correctly, the Bible upholds progressive and revolutionary cultural values that can form the basis for social change.

Ambition to influence others is a virtue that is promoted in Scripture. Many have observed negative examples of worldly ambition, or even a lack of ambition in the church. But spiritual ambition is a thoughtful passion rooted in vision, expressed in Christ-like serving, and resulting in a rich reward from God.

Spiritual leadership is desperately needed by the church. Those who desire to become leaders should, over all else, desire to be a faithful representation of Christ. This is only possible through spiritual maturity in areas such as home life, self-control, reputation, and the ability to teach others.

Contrary to other religious ideas about discipline, the Bible present discipline as our response to God's initiative and grace. Disciplined spirituality keeps the end goal in mind, is profitable to those who partake in it, and requires a steady diet of God's Word.

Christians are called to lead by example, and to view ministry as a gift and stewardship from God. In order to live out this call to leadership, we need to have a focused passion. This kind of passion requires commitment, initiative, and strategy.

We must view our wealth as a stewardship and from the perspective of God's priorities. The western church is in a unique position to strategically care for the poor domestically and to support missions overseas. Kat Gossman spoke about her experience in the refugee ministry at Whispering Oaks.

Most Christians think about wealth in a very secular way, and let it choke out their passion for Christ. Adopting materialistic values from culture is very dangerous for a believer. Instead of this, Christians are to foster contentment and a habit of generosity.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul encourages him to fight the good fight to manifest the truth and life of Christ. Jesus' sacrifice offers a new life that Christians most choose to live out. An understanding of the character of God is essential.