For among those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Timothy 3:6-7 NAS
LET IT GLOW
It used to be a dream of mine to reach five feet in height. I admit, as a young Christian, I would pray that the Lord would make it so. I'm here to tell you, He doesn't always answer our prayers in the way we want Him to. He certainly has never answered this particular one, anyways.
Then, after my repeated 5' prayer didn't come to pass, I read this verse in Matthew 6:27: Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? I know that scripture is true. Skipping down to verse 32, I read: For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Conclusion: My heavenly Father knows I don't need to be 5' tall in order to do His will and do it His way. Do I accept it or reject it? I'm good with it. Hey, what's 2 ", anyway?
It's been about 40 years since I prayed that silly pray, well maybe not quite that long. Looking back, I was a "silly woman." Maybe in heaven, the Lord will let me be 5' tall :0) (Don't forget to look me up to find out.)
Enough of that. Get your walkin' shoes on ; here we go into scripture.
Paul is talking about these religious, but rebellious people, false teachers, who have the previously mentioned characteristics of human depravity. Now he describes their converts, who are fair game for the cultists and the religious racketeers. Paul told us to turn away from such people in verse 5.
What kind of women are these? Since I figure most of my readers are women, I checked out various versions of the Bible as to what adjective was used in this verse to describe these women. Here's what I found:
-weak (NAS)
-weak-willed (NIV)
-vulnerable (NLT)
-silly (KJV)
-idle (Holman)
Since the Thayer's Lexicon uses the words found in the King James Bible, I looked up silly and found the meaning of "a little foolish woman." (Then I saw my picture.)
Warren Wiersbe tells us some things concerning these silly women found in these two verses:
*Women were of a low status in Paul's society.
*These women were burdened with guilt.
*They were looking for some escape from bondage and fear.
*They were unable to control their various desires.
*These women weak women were always searching for truth, yet never able to be satisfied.
*They were worse off than they were before-still had problems.
I don't want to be a silly woman, do you?
Here's what Wiersbe said about those false religious leaders:
*They took advantage of the problems people had and promised them quick and easy solutions.
*They "wormed their way in" and soon controlled people's lives.
*Then these leaders grabbed their followers' loyalty, money, and service.
No wonder Paul told Timothy, From such turn away.
MacArthur Bible Commentary describes them as "gullible women." It says: "Weak in virtue and the knowledge of the truth, and weighed down with emotional and spiritual guilt over their sins, these women were easy prey for the deceitful, false teachers."
LET IT GROW
What's the strategy of the corrupt spirit of the last days?
David Guzik tells us:
- They creep into households. Who and what have I allowed to creep into my household? Is it the wrong things to see and hear on tv, pay-per-view, videotapes, and Internet?
- They make captives of gullible women. Am I gullible to pay attention to most anything if it's packaged the right way? Am I held captive by anything? Can I walk away from my captor for a week?
Satan is a weasel, slipping in underhandedly. He tempted the first woman, Eve, attacking her weaknesses. Don't follow the itch for new teachers, new doctrines, and new practices. Stay strong in God's Word. Don't be led astray; stay close to Jesus.
LET IT GO
Don't be a silly woman, following after any religious teacher and beliefs.
Faithfully follow Jesus and His Word; know what His Word says.
Be aware of what I let into my home.
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