Who are we serving Satan or God?
1 Tim 1:1-18
 
1:1 Greeting Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope, Paul begin the letter of 1^st Timothy as an Apostle which we all are. He was committed to making sure he was following the commandments of God his Savior. He understood the power that was in his hands, as will as in the hands of Gods Children, who are saved by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ as He loves us.  Without Jesus, the world was hopeless; the expectation of being saved can only come to mankind by his Gospel. He is called our hope, our life, our peace, our righteousness, etc., because from him hope, life, peace, righteousness, and all other blessings proceed.
 
2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. He is addressing Timothy a true son of faith that is some one that has proven he is a follower of the way, the truth and the life which is in Jesus Christ. That is the reason as a Church we need to make sure we desire to follow the Lord in all we do and say. With out faith we are not able to comprehend God grace for He loves all mankind, regardless of who they are, or where they were born. Grace has many benefits and one is mercy, for mercy gives us the ability to continue on knowing we can work out problems within relationships. Grace is experienced on a daily bases and when your married for 50 plus years you understand the term grace. It’s given by God and has its own rewards or certificate and that is mercy. We can over-look the minor things and concentrate on the major issues. No we learn to accept what we can’t change and deal with what we can change and that is our attitude and behavior. When Grace and Mercy are apart of our lives there is a peace that the world can’t buy. That is the reason you can’t earn your way into heaven. It is not what we have done, it is what the Lord has done in our heart and lives
3 No Other Doctrine 
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia -- remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Paul was very concerned with people spreading bad seed, and even today we have a lot of minister spreading a lot of seed that has a lot of weeds in it. Lord helps us to stick to the truth of what is going on in our world. Satan is the master trickster and we need to make sure we try one another spirits like never before. Timothy was a person that Paul could count on to continue what the Lord wanted for the Church. It take a strong person to correct any wrongs with in the Church for we are taught to accept authority, we do not dare go against ministers or pastors. Abuse can not be tolerated in the home the Church, or the government even in the financial world. Let’s learn to speak up when someone is hurting with out a cause. Paul could count on Timothy to be honest, show piety or empathy and endure all opposition to the truth of Gods Word.
We have seen just last Sat on Fox TV Mosab Hassen Yousef, the son of one of the founding fathers of the Hamas renouncing Islam saying, “Islam is not the word of God. Islam is a drug and many people do not know what they are doing. Are you really going to heaven with 72 virgins after you kill 20 plus people?” The program was entitled, “Escape from Hamas”. “There is not peace with the Militant Islamic organizations just as we are seeing today”. “Is there any change for fire to co-exist with the water”.
The Lord is using this young man to bring a message of hope to the Muslim world just as Paul was bring hope to his world of Roman rule.

8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, Rather hard to accept because it is the truth.9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. 
12 Glory to God for His Grace  (cf. Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-19) And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, I am so thankful the Lord called me into the minister while here in Harrah back in 1980 and the next 2 years I study the Global University courses to become a licensed minister and after pastoring for 3 years we were ordained by the Assembly of God. Up to this time I was always involved in the Harrah Assembly of God Church teaching a nursery class up to the Adult class. I was the Educational Director, Youth Director and served on the School Board as will as being president of the Jr Chamber of Commerce here in Harrah. Served on the Campus Life Board for 15 years and now having been a Minister of the Gospel we have been blessed having seen many come to accept the Lord as savior. I can’t say like Paul did here in the 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Yet I too was a sinner saved by Grace. Salvation is not a once in a life time event, it is necessary I accept the way the truth and the life everyday, it is a moment by moment experience.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. The Lord gives me grace and mercy as I walk with Him, follow Him and not do my thing. Who are we servants to the man of sin, our the man of righteousness, Jesus?
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. When I accept this truth a person finds a peace that passes understanding, for God is always faithfully in control, if we let Him. We are taught to do our things wrong, rather than what is right and it is causing our world to be out of control Lord help us. Look at the homes of America and the world, are they peaceful or are they dysfunctional? 
16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
It is because of us abiding in the vine (Jesus) that our heavenly Father God is able to do anything with us. That is totally surrendering to His will, not yours or mine. I am so thankful we have the opportunity to obtain mercy as we walk with the Lord, or abide in the vine. Abiding makes one safe and secure, we do not have to fight but relax in who He is. Look at the amount of people that are suffering to day because of being addicted to sin.
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 
Who are we following should make one realize what they are doing, instead of making us unsure of who we are following. The King eternal that is forever and He does not change. He is invisible and that is the reason we need faith and hope in what we can’t see. God is the only person who has given the world a choice. Satan forces behavior and addictions upon people. God give peace love and joy abundantly and free.
18 Fight the Good Fight This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. Are we ready to fight to win, or are we going to find ourselves loser because we are serving man the enemy Satan rather than God?