Scripture

"Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He Loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God!" Ephesians 5:2 NLT

"Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other for love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

"Love each other deeply, as much as I have loved you." John 15:12 TPT

Matthew 5:14-16 MSG

The Gist

Melissa's turn...and she lets it rip! Today, we take a deeper look at a topic Melissa has been overlooking or shying away from and she tells us how she really feels - Passionately and from the heart.

The enemy has us divided on topics that are not salvation issues. We scream from the roof tops at one another while the world is watching and wondering, "Why in the world would I want to hang with them?"

The Bible is clear...we are to LOVE ONE ANOTHER as He loved us.

Does love really win?

Digging Deeper

Do our conversations, actions, and reactions reflect the love, humility, mercy of Christ?

What area of your life have you allowed the enemy to divide and conquer?

Who in your sphere of influence can you show the love of God to?

Scripture

It’s best if a woman learns quietly and orderly in complete submission. Now, Timothy, it’s not my habit to allow women to teach in a way that wrenches authority from a man. As I said, it’s best if a woman learns quietly and orderly. This is because Adam was formed first by God, then Eve. Plus, it wasn’t Adam who was tricked; it was she—the woman was the one who was fooled and disobeyed God’s command first. Still, God, in His faithfulness, will deliver her through childbearing as long as she remains in faith and love and holiness with self-restraint.

1 Timothy 2:11-15 (VOICE)

The Gist

Allison takes a deeper look at a verse she has been overlooking (on purpose) for years to find out what she believes Scripture says about women teaching and leading in ministry.

Historical Context: This letter was written by Paul to Timothy, who was leading the Church in Ephesus. At the time, the city was dominated by the Cult of Artemis (Greek goddess of childbirth and fertility). Scholars believe the women leaders were trying to influence and blend their ideas with the church.

The Word Definitions Count:

Hesychia "silence", authentein "authority", and askein "to teach"

Two Sides: Traditional: believe the text is black and white - that Pau's instructions should be universal and across the board. The other side (Egalitarian): says Paul wrote the letter to address this specific local crisis (The cult of Artemis) and not laying it down as a timeless universal biblical law.

MOST INTERESTING argument for the Egalitarian way of thought for Allison is how many more of Paul's letters in which he spoke of women as leaders and affirmed their roles in ministry, sometimes even putting their name before men.

Acts 18:26, 1 Corinthians 11:5, Romans 16:1-16, etc.

Digging Deeper

Is there something in God's Word that you have been ignoring or going with the flow on, depending on who you were around? Something that maybe you are nervous about or avoiding because you might not like the answer?

Are you willing to take it on with God, dig in, and allow Him to speak truth to you?

Where to start: get a good commentary and Bible with extensive endnotes/footnotes. Start with the historical context, enter into the time period, and consider when, why, and who wrote the letter. Then pick out the words that stand out (mine were silence/quiet, authority, teach) and define them with their Greek or Hebrew meanings. Consider the author and compare their other writings (if they have them) to see if you find a theme.

Paul's writing showed me a theme of honoring and affirming women in ministry rather than dismissing them from it. That's what led me to believe this letter was written to a specific situation, instead of an overall Biblical theme.

Scripture

So own up to your sins to one another and pray for one another. In the end, you may be healed. Your prayers are powerful when they are rooted in a righteous life. James 5:16 (VOICE)

The Gist

We don't talk much about confession in the protestant church. James isn't saying we should confess every fault/sin to every person, but instead to certain situations:

• Where reconciliation is needed
• where your heart/conscience is burdened
• where a trusted friend can listen and help us receive grace and gain power over shame/guilt.

We avoid confessing for several reasons: exposure/shame, loss of control, lack of safe listeners, and theological confusion, but there is a lot of good that comes out of confession. It heals the body and soul, sin loses its power, authentic relationships happen, prayers become specific, and we experience the Gospel physically through being fully known and not rejected from the listener.

Digging Deeper

Is there something you would confess to God privately but can't imagine saying out loud to another person - what does that gap tell you?

Bonhoeffer said, "If the demon that is named is the demon that loses its power." What in your life needs to be named?

Who are you performing wholeness for, and what would it cost you to stop?

These questions are meant to clear the ground and create the conditions for confession, not demand it.