Why is the Word Healthy Used So Much in the Epistle to Titus?

   Heath and nutrition are important topics these days.  But have you ever thought of your own spiritual health or receiving proper spiritual nourishment?  The word healthy stuck out to me in chapter 3 of the Life-Study of Titus this week because Witness Lee used it over and over. 

    Awhile ago I highlighted all the places in Titus that the word healthy is used, and  it's used five times in just 2 of the 3 chapters of this book!

... that he may be able both to exhort by the healthy teaching and to convict those who oppose.  Titus 1:9

This testimony is true; for which cause reprove them severely that they may be healthy in the faith,  Titus 1:13

But you, speak the things which are fitting to the healthy teaching.  Titus 2:1

Exhort older men to be temperate, grave, of a sober mind, healthy in faith, in love, in endurance;  Titus 2:2

Concerning all things presenting yourself as a pattern of good works in your teaching showing incorruption, gravity, healthy speech that cannot be condemned,…Titus 2:7-8

   From what I've been learning from reading the Life-Study of Titus is this Epistle was also written like 1 & 2 Timothy during the time of the church's decline before Paul's martyrdom.  A lot of false teachings were creeping into the church at that time, and Paul addresses a lot of them in Colossians.  Later  the aged Apostle John points out in his Epistles the erroneous teachings that were infiltrating and affecting the early church.  

   To safeguard the church during decline, Paul shows us in Titus that it's imperative that the church stay in the healthy teaching of the apostles.  I appreciated this excerpt from page 23 of chapter 3 of the Life-Study of Titus that highlighted why Paul uses the word healthy in this Epistle:

"The word healthy points to that which is hygienic and which can both inoculate others against spiritual poison and also supply them with life.  Our teachings should not merely pass on knowledge to others, but should supply them with life….Healthy teachings do not provoke debates or arguments. If we give adequate attention to feeding on the Lord, we shall not care to argue. A dining table is not a place for debate or argument; it is a place for feasting and nourishment" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Titus. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry  1981, Print).

     Later on in this chapter he shares that the way to be healthy is to come to the Lord and His word every day and pray.  I've heard Witness Lee say that the Bible is the best prayer book, and when we come to it with a prayerful spirit, we eat the heavenly bread the Lord spoke of in John 6.  When I eat more healthy foods, I've found that I lose my taste for excessively sweet foods.  The same thing holds true for our spiritual diet.  This verse in Jeremiah is amazing-- with only part of the Old Testament in his hands Jeremiah saw that it was his spiritual food!  

Your words were found and I ate them, and Your word became to me the gladness and joy of my heart,….   Jeremiah 15:16

You can  also listen to live excerpts from these messages on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon on The Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.  You will enjoy listening to both  the excerpts  from these spoken messages and the helpful and enlightening commentary of the radio hosts.

List of Other Life-Studies on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, & Philemon:

What is Paul's First Exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1?
How Can You Be Nourished With the Words of the Faith in 1 Timothy 4:6?
Looking at the Church's Decline in 2 Timothy
From the Life-Study of 2 Timothy - How Did Paul Inoculate the Church Against Decline?
Why is the Word Healthy Used So Much in the Epistle to Titus?
Why  Should You Avoid Questionings in Titus 3:9?
What Does the Account of Onesimus Show Us in the Book of Philemon?

My Favorite Gluten Free Strawberry Cheesecake

  This is my go to recipe for cheesecake.  I've been making it for over 25 years; it's another one of those classic recipes from my Heritage School Cookbook (Made by the 5th-6th grade mom's from a school I worked at years ago). 

 This crust is automatically gluten free, and the combination of ingredients in the filling and topping just make this cheesecake a winner for all those special family occasions. 

And guess what?  This fabulous tasting cheesecake only uses 1 box instead of 3 boxes of cream cheese! That's the only thing I tweaked on this recipe, and I've been making it that way for years.   I made  this strawberry cheesecake this month to celebrate our anniversary.  One of my grandsons was my little helper as you can see in the pictures below.

My Favorite Gluten Free Strawberry Cheesecake 

1.  Prepare the gluten free oatmeal & walnut crust:
(1)  Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a small saucepan.  Then put the butter into a mixing bowl.
(2)  Add 1/3 cup of brown sugar
(3)  Then add 1 cup of rolled oats
(4)  Chop up 1/4 cup of walnuts and put them in the pan.
(5)  Blend completely and then press it into the bottom and sides of a 9" pie pan. 
6)  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. 
Note:  If it falls a bit down a bit off the sides, just use a wooden spoon and press it back on the sides of the pan and let it sit a few minutes to set before adding the filling.

2.  Prepare  cheese cake:
(1)  Put 8 oz of room temperature cream cheese into a bowl and beat it with 1/2- 3/4 cup of sugar or to taste. 
(2)  Add 2 eggs and 2 t of vanilla extract and beat until creamy.
(3)  Pour it into the baked crust and bake for 30 minutes at 350.



3.  Meanwhile prepare the topping:
(1)  Put 2 cups of sour cream/yogurt into a small mixing bowl.  I only had 1 cup of sour cream so I used a cup of each.  And actually it comes out tasting great with a little less fat!
(2)  Add 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 t of vanilla.
(3)  Beat until smooth. Pour over the hot filling.
(4)  Bake for another 18-10 minutes at 375.  Watch it carefully so the top doesn't get too dark.

4.  Cool the cheesecake to room temperature  and then refrigerate 6+ hours before serving.    Cut up fresh strawberries and put them on the top or make a strawberry sauce.

Other Gluten Free Baking & Desserts on This Blog:

Breads: 
Gluten free & Low-fat Banana Bread  (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Celebrate Fall With Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread   (A friend's recipe)
Delicious Gluten Free Zucchini Bread   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
My Favorite Gluten Free Cranberry Nut Bread    (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)

Cakes:
Gluten Free German Apple Cake   (From my grandmother)
You Won't Believe It's Gluten Free Carrot Cake    (From my daughter's husband's grandma)
Judi's Super Moist Gluten Free Chocolate Cake   (From a church friend)
Judi's Gluten Free Orange Chiffon Cake       (From a church friend)
Marilyn's Spectacular Gluten Free Oatmeal Cake    (My mother-in-law's--she's a great cook!)
Delicious Gluten Free Rhubarb Cake     (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Grandma's Gluten Free Applesauce Cake  (From an Internet search tastes like my grandma's!)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Banana Cake      (From my grandma)
Rosie's Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake    (From my daughter-in-law's family)

Cookies:
Gluten Free Cowboy Oatmeal Cookies  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Mom's Go To For Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
The Best Gluten Free Recipe for Snickerdoodles  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Rocky Road Brownies     (From a church friend)
Mark's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies - Made Gluten Free!    (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Judi's Gluten Free Oatmeal Craisin & Coconut Cookies       (From a church friend)

Cornbread & Rolls:
Beth's Amazing Gluten Free Cornbread   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Crisps & Pies:
Lena's Rhubarb Crunch (A crisp with a gluten free top and bottom crust!) (My daughter-in-law's mother.  She's an amazing cook, which I think most of us moms become after a few years!)
Delicious Gluten Free Apple Crisp  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Ginger's Outrageous Apple Pie  (From a church friend)
The BEST Lemon Meringue Pie with Mrs. Lauralicious Gluten Free Pie Crust  (Internet)

Desserts with Fruit:
Sensational Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake   (From the back of Costco's organic sugar)

Terrific Gluten Free Strawberry & Peach Trifle  (Modified from an Internet search)
My Favorite Gluten Free Strawberry Cheesecake   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Just Like Grandma's (But Only Gluten Free) Blueberry Cobbler (My husband's grandma)

Holiday Cookies & Baking:
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies  (Modified from back of the Libby's can)
Incredible Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
My Grandkids Favorite Gluten Free Peppermint Sugar Cookies  (From Syre School Cookbook)
Our Favorite Pumpkin Pie   (Modified from back of Libby's pumpkin can)
Perfect Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake  (From back of cream cheese box)
Gluten Free Polish Fruitcake   (Modified from Internet search)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Muffins:

Banana Nutty Muffins   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Gluten Free Tremendous Pumpkin Muffins    (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Bursting with Blueberries Gluten Free Muffins  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Toni's Outrageous Gluten Free Corn Muffins  (From back of a Bob's Red Mill package)
Sassy Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

 Puddings & Ice Cream:  

Dairy Free Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream (And other ice cream favorites!)  (From searches)

Baked Coconut Pudding  (Something I worked out from my Aunt Sue's rice pudding recipe)
Tangy Lemon Pudding   (From Internet search)

Looking at the Church's Decline in 2 Timothy

    Everything depends on context.  And from reading 2 Timothy it's evident that the context is the church's decline.  In order to really understand this,  Witness Lee points out in chapter 4 of the Life-Study of 1 Timothy that you have to go back to the book of Acts and take a good look at how the believer's met during the time of Paul's writing to understand this decline.

   When I did that, I could clearly see that  the believers just met together in the city they lived in.  Sure they didn't all fit into one building because Acts 2 tells us that the church in Jerusalem with thousands of believers met mostly from house to house (Acts 2:46).  But they had one fellowship--and Acts 2 tells us it was the apostle's fellowship (Acts 2:42).  And it amazed me when he said that today we are still sharing in that same fellowship!   

   You can pick up a lot of how the believers met by looking at Paul's opening greetings--in most of his Epistles it's either to the church in the city or the saints in the city.   Take 1 Corinthians it begins with:   Paul, a called apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God and Sosthenes the brother to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, the called saints,…. And when you look at the Epistles to the Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, you will see this reference to the saints--"to the saints who are in Ephesus" and "to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi," and "To the saints in Colossae." 

    So if you put what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:1 with these other verses,  the reference to the saints in the city has to be equal to the church in that city.  The saints are just the believers in the city not a special class of people set above others.

On a walk with my grandkids.

   From the little bit of church history that I've read and just by looking at the yellow pages, I can see there's really been a decline!   I really like the book ca;;ed  Watchman Nee--The Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age where Witness Lee shares that  Watchman Nee saw the vision of how the New Testament believers met.  It compelled him to leave his denomination and meet with a few others simply as the church in his city. 

  When his co-worker Witness Lee came to this country, he was faithful to present this same truth to God's people.  At the end of this chapter he shares what he told others who asked about why he met like this. Here's just one part of that conversation on page 38 of chapter 4 of the Life-Study of 2 Timothy:  

'For example the Jones family may have many members.  Suppose the majority of the members move away from home and only three remain. Are these three not the Jones family?  Are they wrong to put a sign on their house saying "The Jones Family"?  Certainly not.  If they are not called Jones, then what should they be called?  It certainly would be wrong for them to take the name of Smith or any other name.  It is right for them to say that they are the Jones family, even
though many of the members of the family have gone away and live elsewhere.  Likewise, many of those who are truly members of the church in Los Angeles do not meet as the church.  Nevertheless, those who do stand as the church have the right to describe themselves as the church in Los Angeles' (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of 2 Timothy.  Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1980, Print).

My husband and I have really appreciated Witness Lee's opening up this New Testament revelation concerning the building up of the church. I've been listening to The Life-Study of the Bible With Witness Lee broadcasts on 2 Timothy because there are some parts I wanted further clarification on. 

You can  also listen to live excerpts from these messages on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon on The Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.  You will enjoy listening to both  the excerpts  from these spoken messages and the helpful and enlightening commentary of the radio hosts.

List of Other Life-Studies on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, & Philemon:

What is Paul's First Exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1?
How Can You Be Nourished With the Words of the Faith in 1 Timothy 4:6?
Looking at the Church's Decline in 2 Timothy
From the Life-Study of 2 Timothy - How Did Paul Inoculate the Church Against Decline?
Why is the Word Healthy Used So Much in the Epistle to Titus?
Why  Should You Avoid Questionings in Titus 3:9?
What Does the Account of Onesimus Show Us in the Book of Philemon?

Just Like Grandma's Strawberry Jam (With Less Sugar!)

On Monday I went strawberry picking with some of my grandchildren.  After about an hour of picking, my 5 year granddaughter only had 11 strawberries!  We both laughed when I told her, you must be picking 1 and eating 2!  

If you've never done a U-Pick, you really need to try it this summer.  It's a great way to spend time with family.  I told my grandkids that when I was a little girl at my grandparent's farm, our grandmother got us strawberry picking  by telling us she would make us some strawberry shortcake. Of course, we were like, deal!

I  remember my grandmother's homemade jams--blackberry, strawberry, and plum--they're so much better than store bought!  And I have enjoyed keeping this tradition alive.  I am planning next week to pick more strawberries and invite some of my grandchildren over to help me make jam. 

Home Made Strawberry Jam

1.  Prepare boiling water canner:  Fill your canner half full of water and put it on medium high heat. It takes about an hour to start to boil.  Make sure there's enough water to go 1-2" above the jars.

2.  Prepare jam jars, bands, and lids:  
(1)  Put jars and screw bands in hot soapy water and wash them or put them in the dishwasher.  

(2)  Then fill jars with boiling water and let them sit until ready to fill.
(3)  Put a small pan on the stove when the jam is almost ready to boil with a few inches of water.  When the jam is hot , put the lids you'll need in, and let them sit in there until ready to use.  The water doesn't need to boil this is just to soften the seal.

3.  Prepare strawberries:  Crush with a potato masher enough strawberries to make 6 cups. As you can see from my pictures, I very carefully doubled this recipe knowing that if I wasn't accurate, it might not set up right.  I've done this before without any problem. Just make sure you don't overcook the pectin because that could cause it to lose its thickening properties.

4.  Put strawberries into a pot:
(1)  Then stir 2 box of Fruit Pectin for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes with 1/4 cup of sugar. Slowly add it to the berries and whisk it to make sure it doesn't clump together.
(2)  Add 1 1/2 cups of apple juice concentrate to the crushed strawberries.
(3)  Then add 2 teaspoons of butter to keep the foam down.
(4)   Bring jam to a full rolling boil.  A full rolling boil is one that doesn't stop bubbling even while you're stirring it. 
(5)  Stir in 1/2-2 cups of sugar;  I usually taste it and see what's needed to keep the sugar level down.
(6) Let the jam boil for just 1 minute stirring constantly.--I usually put it on a timer.  Skim off any foam on the top.

5.  Fill the jars & put into the canner:
(1)  Empty the glass jars one at a time of theirhot water and put a funnel on the mouth of the jar and ladle the hot jam into it. Be careful to leave about 1/4" at the top. 
(2)  Wipe the rim carefully, and take a lid out of the saucepan with a fork and then put a band on the jar and tighten it. 
(3)  Place jars into the water canner and put the timer on for 10 minutes when you hear it starting to boil. 

6.  After processing:  Take out the jars with tongs and place upright on a flat surface and allow them to cool.  Don't disturb the jars for 24 hours.  Then you can unscrew the bands and check the seals.  Press down on the center, and if it flexes up and down often making a popping kind of sound, it's not sealed. If they're sealed, there is a little depression on the lid.  If any of the jars didn't seal, you have to redo the process or stick it into the frig or freezer. 

7.  Storage:  Store your jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year, but it's best to eat them up within 8 months as the longer they sit, the runnier the jam usually becomes.  When you open a jar, it will last for about 3 weeks in the refrigerator.  

Other jam and canning posts you can check out:

Making Low Sugar Blackberry Jam
How to Make Low Sugar Raspberry Jam
Homemade Apple Butter
Triple Berry Low Sugar Jam
How to Make & Can Your Own Blueberry Jam


Making & Canning Applesauce  
Tasty Countertop Pickles - Naturally Fermented Without Vinegar!

From the Life-Study of 2 Timothy - How Did Paul Inoculate the Church Against Decline?

    The church life that began in such an amazing way in Acts 2 started to show serious signs of decline at the end of Paul's life.  In the Epistle of 2 Timothy Paul honestly tells his coworker Timothy that many believers had even turned away from his ministry or had backslidden into the world. 

My husband with two of our grandkids.

      In Chapter 1 of the Life-Study of 2 Timothy Witness Lee points out that the subject of this second Epistle is the inoculation against the church's decline.  Although babies don't particularly like getting immunized, it's important that they get their shots or something comparable. 

   A few years ago when I was subbing in a high school biology class, we saw an amazing DVD on the immune system with live footage.  When germs enter the body, the B cells make specific antibodies that destroy them. Along with these B cells there's an arsenal of T cells and macrophages that work together to keep our bodies healthy.  These B cells also have a long memory for invaders, and they stay in the body for years to protect it.  Anyway I found all of this amazing--and this is such a picture of the Lord's spiritual Body.

   In 2 Timothy Paul is like a nurse inoculating the church against the germs of decline.  An inoculation gives our body a heads up on certain germs so it can prepare ahead of time for encountering those germs.   In this chapter Witness Lee says that 2 Timothy 1:1-14 is a description of all the items in the spiritual inoculation:

     If we have the proper insight, we shall realize that the divine thought within Paul was to inoculate the believers against the decline of the church. Paul foresaw this decline….Paul's burden in writing this Epistle was both to encourage and to strengthen Timothy and also to inject a divine substance into the church in order to inoculate the church against the germ of decline. We praise the Lord that this inoculation has been effective.  Yes, the church throughout the centuries has been ruined to a certain extent, but it has not been exterminated.  Paul had the foresight to inoculate the church.  (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of 2 Timothy. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1980, Print).

     Through my reading I was reminded that when I read the Bible, pray, and fellowship with other believers,  I'm touching the divine life that contains all these elements that can destroy any invading spiritual germs that would bring my Christian life or church life into a decline.  For instance, if I hear something that's in pretense or not spiritually healthy, my spirit will easily recognize it and reject it.  I could see from all this fellowship that it's so important for all of the Lord's believers to spend time with the Lord every day.  

You can  also listen to live excerpts from these messages on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon on The Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.  You will enjoy listening to both  the excerpts  from these spoken messages and the helpful and enlightening commentary of the radio hosts.

List of Other Life-Studies on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, & Philemon:

What is Paul's First Exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1?
How Can You Be Nourished With the Words of the Faith in 1 Timothy 4:6?
Looking at the Church's Decline in 2 Timothy
From the Life-Study of 2 Timothy - How Did Paul Inoculate the Church Against Decline?
Why is the Word Healthy Used So Much in the Epistle to Titus?
Why  Should You Avoid Questionings in Titus 3:9?
What Does the Account of Onesimus Show Us in the Book of Philemon?

Easy to Make Gluten Free Waffles

  When the grandkids spend the night, I like to cook Saturday morning breakfast with them.  A few weeks ago when they woke up, I told them we were going to make some waffles.  Of course they were excited; they love to cook with me.  

    This recipe comes from a fundraiser cookbook I picked up at an elementary school many years ago.  I only had to switch out the flour.  These waffles are great especially if you serve them with yogurt and fruit or jam.   

 Easy to Make Gluten Free Waffles

1.  Bowl #1: Prepare dry ingredients - In a large bowl put:
(1)  1/3 cup rice flour, 1/3 cup sorghum flour, and 1/3 cup tapioca starch/flour
(2)  Add leavening and sugar:  Stir in `1 1/4 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. sugar.

2. Bowl #2:  Whisk 3 egg yolks.  Then add to that 2 cups of sour cream/yogurt, and 1/2 cup milk.

3. Bowl #3:  Beat 3 egg whites until they are stiff, add 1/4 tsp. of cream of tartar.

4.  Combine ingredients: 
(1)  Slowly add the egg mixture from Bowl 2 to the flour mixture in Bowl #1.
(2)  Then fold in the egg whites.

5.  Cook the waffles according to your waffle iron instructions and enjoy!!

Other breakfast recipes on this blog:

Pancakes
Fantastic Gluten Free Blueberry Pancakes  (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Gluten Free Banana Split Pancakes  (Another recipe from my daughter-in-law's family!)
Outstanding Gluten Free Oatmeal Pancakes  (From my Heritage School Cookbook, where I worked 3 1/2 years)
Yummy Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes (From About Gluten Free Cooking)
Crunchy & Delicious Potato Latkes  (From a flier in my sweet potato bag)
Tasty Gluten Free Swedish Pancakes    (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Protein Packed Gluten Free Ricotta Cheese Pancakes  (From my daughter-in-law's family)
Family Favorite Gluten Free Buttermilk Pancakes (From my daughter's home ec teacher)

Waffles, Crepes,  Fritters & Dutch Babies 
Gluten Free Gingerbread Waffles   (This is one I adapted from Rachel Ray)
Easy to Make Gluten Free Waffles  (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Incredible Gluten Free Crepes  (Mix of 2 recipes)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Banana Fritters   (My grandmother's recipe!)
Amazing Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby  (From an Internet search)

Egg Dishes
Sweet Potato Hash With Poached Eggs  (From my daughter's Internet search)
Hash Brown Egg Casserole  (From my friend Lisa)
Mexican Migas Breakfast Casserole  (An adaptation from a recipe from an airport cookbook)
Baked Zucchini Frittata  (I picked this up from a Whidbey Island farmer's market)
Jan's Sausage & Vegetable Frittata  (From a friend who was a home ec teacher)
Huevos Rancheros - A Fantastic South of the Border Breakfast  (I learned this years ago!)
Beautiful Eggs Florentine (Adapted from an Internet search)
Gluten Free Crustless Zucchini & Spinach Quiche  (From my Syre School Cookbook) 

Cereals
 Honey Almond Granola   (From the Heritage School Cookbook)
 Gluten Free Baked Oatmeal   (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)

Breakfast Muffins
Banana Nutty Muffins   (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Bursting with Blueberries Gluten Free Muffins  (From the Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Tremendous Pumpkin Muffins  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Scrumptious Gluten Free Blueberry Scones  (From Heritage School Cookbook)
Thanksgiving Gluten Free Pumpkin Scones  (From an Internet search)
Sassy Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Claudia's Blueberry Coffee Cake (Made Gluten Free!) (From a neighbor)

How Can You Be Nourished with the Words of the Faith in 1 Timothy 4:6?

  You don’t have to be a starving Christian.  Especially if you consider the Bible as spiritual food. The Lord said in John 6 that He was the bread of life (v. 35), and if we eat Him, we shall live because of Him (v. 57).  

   From this chapter in John you can see that those words stumbled a lot of people back then; they just couldn’t figure out what Jesus was talking about.  Towards the end of that chapter in verse 63 Jesus pointed out specifically what He was referring to: “…the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and  are life." 

Last week I read Chapter 8 in the Life-Study of 1 Timothy, and it was also on the word being food to us:  Laying these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, being nourished with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which you have closely followed.   1 Timothy 4:6

I like the clear exposition Witness Lee gave on this verse:

"By 'these things' Paul means all that he has covered thus far in this Epistle.  Just as a steward lays different courses of food before guests at a dinner, so a good minister of Christ should lay 'these things' before the believers. Furthermore, Paul’s use of the term 'being nourished' indicates that his concept is that of supplying life to others.  It is significant that here Paul does not say 'being taught' but 'being nourished' with the words of the faith….Being nourished with Christ, we shall have Christ as food, as life supply, to minister to others….We all need to be good ministers of Christ, serving others with His supply.  Let us first be nourished ourselves and then minister this nourishment to all the people of God" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of 1 Timothy. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry. 1980, Print).

     In this chapter Witness Lee also uses the illustration of mothers knowing how to feed their children nutritious food because they have learned the importance of eating properly.  Every day it matters that we spend time with the Lord in His word so that we can each receive a life supply, a living word from the Lord.  I’ve found out that the word I enjoy in the morning really strengthens and encourages me, and it really becomes spiritual food for both myself and others.  And even brother Lee said that his burden with giving the Life-Study of the Bible was to give spiritual groceries to God's people. I know this is true because every time I read one of these Life-Studies, I get spiritually fed! 

You can  also listen to live excerpts from these messages on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon on The Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.  You will enjoy listening to both  the excerpts  from these spoken messages and the helpful and enlightening commentary of the radio hosts.

List of Other Life-Studies on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, & Philemon:

What is Paul's First Exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1?
How Can You Be Nourished With the Words of the Faith in 1 Timothy 4:6?
Looking at the Church's Decline in 2 Timothy
From the Life-Study of 2 Timothy - How Did Paul Inoculate the Church Against Decline?
Why is the Word Healthy Used So Much in the Epistle to Titus?
Why  Should You Avoid Questionings in Titus 3:9?
What Does the Account of Onesimus Show Us in the Book of Philemon?