Psalm 137:6  " May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy."   How the exiles felt about Jerusalem, the symbol of God's Presence, the place of God's Name,  is how we should feel about Jesus.  He is God, present in us who believe.  He is the center of our worship.  Our God and our King.  Do we long for Him so much that we are ready to ask such a thing?  To wish for suffering if we were to forget Him?  Thomas a` Kempis said "Let this be thy whole endeavor, let this be thy prayer, this thy desire; that, being stripped of all selfishness, thou mayest with entire simplicity follow Jesus only, and, dying to thyself, mayest live eternally to me."  Tozer said it this way, " The way to deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul poverty and abnegation of all things."  and "  If we would indeed know God in growing intimacy, we must go this way of renunciation".  To learn as Abraham did, that he owned nothing... wholly surrendered, even those things most precious ( in his case Isaac).   My chief joy, my only Hope - Jesus!  Have all of me, my Lord.  I am Your own.  Strip me of all myself.  I lay "me" down. I want, I desire, to follow You all the days of my life.  Amen.

I Timothy 2-3
Paul begins to describe the qualities and the conduct of those in leadership of the " household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."( 3:15)  In chapter 2 he began with the first priority - prayer.  Starting with v 9 he instructs the women of the church.  Modesty and discretion, good works in godliness, quiet submission, faith, love, sanctity, and self-restraint.  Modesty - has the idea of reverence toward God,  a bashfulness, with downcast eyes. Not brazen or bold or flirtatious. To be discreet is to be of sound mind, self-controlled, sober.  To be focused on  godliness, piety, a worshipper of God. Doing good works out of love for our Lord.   The quiet and submissive attitude pertains to proper relationship with her husband.  To not take the authority of the husband's  place in the marriage. Purity and holiness and self-restraint ( same word as discreet).  These are the characteristics of a woman who is truly godly.
Starting with Chapter 3 Paul gives the characteristics of the men, especially of those in positions of overseer or deacon.  They must be "above reproach" - blameless.  Married to 1 woman.  Temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, gentle, uncontentious, free from addiction, not pugnacious ( quarrelsome or combative).  He must manage his home, his children, and his finances. He must be mature in his faith and have a good reputation outside of the church.  Deacons must be men of dignity, integrity, and soberness. Also good managers of their homes, children, and have a good wife.  Most important for all men and women is their "holding of the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience" .  Paul loves to tell the story of Jesus and never passes up the opportunity to tell it again:  " He who was revealed in the flesh"  the incarnation
            " Was vindicated in the Spirit"  - resurrection
             "Beheld by angels"    - exaltation
             " Proclaimed among the nations" - proclamation
             " Believed on in the world"  - redemption
             " Taken up in glory"   - ascension
To have the "knowledge of the truth" , this great mystery of the faith. This must be the foundation of all men and women to be in the "household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."
Father, do Your work in me, even as David prayed, " Set a guard , O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over my lips.Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness." ( ps. 141:3-4) . " Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." ( Ps. 139:23-24).   Make me to be a godly woman,  walking in faith and love and sanctity and self- restraint. Be Lord of my life.  Be glorified! Amen.