Journal

Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:

• A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
• A Guide to Self-Reflection
• A Chart to help articulate feelings

Bible Text

1 Timothy 6:1-10

¹ Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.  ² Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

Teach and urge these things. ³ If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, ⁴ he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. ⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Reflection & Application

1 Timothy 6:1

• How significant a consideration is it in my life whether or not God’s name and the church’s teaching are reviled or slandered?

1 Timothy 6:2

• Why would Christian slaves show less respect towards their Christian masters? In what ways do I take advantage of my relationships with other believers?

1 Timothy 6:6-7

• How can a person be content with just “food and clothing”?  In what ways am I discontent with my life and what does this reflect about my attitude towards God?

1 Timothy 6:9-10

• Why would a person who wants to get rich “fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires”?
• What illusions about money do people who want to get rich have?  How does eagerness for money cause a person to wander from the faith?

Prayer