Paul's plea is for contentment, not to think too much of money or whether we have to much or too little, but instead to worship God, who is our treasure.

Like Timothy, we are men and women of God, holy people and children of God, and so we are encouraged to live accordingly.

Jesus has inaugurated a new exodus. God's calling us to to enlarge the borders of our tent, and our children will go to the nations.

The gospel leads to godliness, being content with the essentials. If we drift from the the gospel we will be led in a totally different direction, where we are greedy for money.

We stand not at Mount Sinai, which was a place of fear, but at Mount Zion, a place of joy, because of Jesus who is a mediator of a new covenant.

Paul wants both slaves and masters to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. and to recognise that they are united together in Christ.

God commands us to rest, and Jesus frees us from four burdens - the pressure to prove ourselves, the pressure to meet other people's expectations, the pressure to try and stay in control and the pressure to live life to the max.

We are meant to run the race together as a body, encouraging, challenging and sharpening one another. All are encouraged to run the race.

It is right that we should honour the Church elders, whilst avoiding a misplaced loyalty.

The life Jesus calls us to is a life where we can expect hardship. There's nothing wrong with lamenting or wrestling with God in difficulties, but we must also remember that God is treating us as sons.