Titus 2:7-8 (ESV)
Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, [8]and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
Can you always be above reproach? Is this possible? I can tell you first hand, not on my own strength. The charge to Titus here is straightforward: Live what you profess! And when you teach be pure, honest and genuine (live what you profess) with truth. If you are living in God’s truth through Christ, then being above reproach goes hand-in-hand with yesterday’s teaching (Titus 1:15).
Remember that we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and there to guide us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We have also been charged to put God first and behave in a way that proclaims Him (Romans 12:1-2). To achieve “above reproach” is all about living for God and not for self (John 3:30).
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Pure or Unbelieving?
Titus 1:15-16 (ESV)
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. [16]They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Verse 15 is a test for myself: “do I always think the best of people?” I can honestly say “no.” As a self-preservation mode, I believe there are those that have impure motives and I need to protect myself from them. Two statements I just made show that I can be unbelieving (self-preservation & protect myself). God has promises I need to trust in at all times:
Psalms 28:7 (HCSB)
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
Therefore my heart rejoices,
and I praise Him with my song.
Deuteronomy 31:8 (HCSB)
The LORD is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
I’m learning to let the Lord protect and sustain me. I am fiercely independent by nature, but I have been learning over the last few years that real strength is in dependence on the Lord.
We still need to be wise on how we behave around others using the proper wisdom (James 3:17). Titus 2:7-8 (the next devo) gives us a good model of conduct around others so we can continue to be pure and trust in the Lord for the protection.
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. [16]They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Verse 15 is a test for myself: “do I always think the best of people?” I can honestly say “no.” As a self-preservation mode, I believe there are those that have impure motives and I need to protect myself from them. Two statements I just made show that I can be unbelieving (self-preservation & protect myself). God has promises I need to trust in at all times:
Psalms 28:7 (HCSB)
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
Therefore my heart rejoices,
and I praise Him with my song.
Deuteronomy 31:8 (HCSB)
The LORD is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
I’m learning to let the Lord protect and sustain me. I am fiercely independent by nature, but I have been learning over the last few years that real strength is in dependence on the Lord.
We still need to be wise on how we behave around others using the proper wisdom (James 3:17). Titus 2:7-8 (the next devo) gives us a good model of conduct around others so we can continue to be pure and trust in the Lord for the protection.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Be Ready in the Word and Persevere
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV)
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2]preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. [3]For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4]and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. [5]As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
How well do you know the Word of God? It’s a question we all should ask ourselves. Are you ready in season and out of season?
It has only been in the last couple of years that I have been able to memorize scripture (Psalm 119:11) – but what I have memorized helps me on a daily basis. I used to fall on the excuse that if I could remember what God’s word said, in general, I was doing good – this is the way I’m wired. So basically I was blaming God for my inability to memorize. What I was missing was discipline (and persistence) in my ability to be ready in the Word. We have a discipleship ministry at our church that focuses on teaching doctrine in seventeen lessons. With each lesson is 3 memory verses that support the doctrine being taught. The way I explain it to folks is that the memory verses are tools for our walk with Christ and the lesson is the instruction manual for using those tools.
How many of you have gone through “Masterlife,” “Experiencing God,” or any other discipleship/Christian life material and remember all the verses? Have you made the same mistake I have? Put more importance on mankind’s interpretation of scripture than on scripture itself? When we do that we put ourselves in danger of what Paul was talking about in verses 3 & 4. Know God’s Word. Be ready in season and out of season. Use interpretations and explanations to help apply the scripture better (as long as the interpretation/explanation agrees with scripture).
I believe the charge Paul gives Timothy applies to all believers, not just pastors. First, keep your wits about you – trust in what you know (God’s Word) more than what you feel (that midnight pepperoni pizza may influence you more than you think). Endure suffering (II Tim 3:12; 1 Peter 3:17). Share the Good News of Jesus with people (Matthew 28:19-20). Fulfill your ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12); all Christians are called to ministry for the building up of the body of Christ (the Church).
Rely on God’s Word and go forward in His strength.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2]preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. [3]For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4]and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. [5]As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
How well do you know the Word of God? It’s a question we all should ask ourselves. Are you ready in season and out of season?
It has only been in the last couple of years that I have been able to memorize scripture (Psalm 119:11) – but what I have memorized helps me on a daily basis. I used to fall on the excuse that if I could remember what God’s word said, in general, I was doing good – this is the way I’m wired. So basically I was blaming God for my inability to memorize. What I was missing was discipline (and persistence) in my ability to be ready in the Word. We have a discipleship ministry at our church that focuses on teaching doctrine in seventeen lessons. With each lesson is 3 memory verses that support the doctrine being taught. The way I explain it to folks is that the memory verses are tools for our walk with Christ and the lesson is the instruction manual for using those tools.
How many of you have gone through “Masterlife,” “Experiencing God,” or any other discipleship/Christian life material and remember all the verses? Have you made the same mistake I have? Put more importance on mankind’s interpretation of scripture than on scripture itself? When we do that we put ourselves in danger of what Paul was talking about in verses 3 & 4. Know God’s Word. Be ready in season and out of season. Use interpretations and explanations to help apply the scripture better (as long as the interpretation/explanation agrees with scripture).
I believe the charge Paul gives Timothy applies to all believers, not just pastors. First, keep your wits about you – trust in what you know (God’s Word) more than what you feel (that midnight pepperoni pizza may influence you more than you think). Endure suffering (II Tim 3:12; 1 Peter 3:17). Share the Good News of Jesus with people (Matthew 28:19-20). Fulfill your ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12); all Christians are called to ministry for the building up of the body of Christ (the Church).
Rely on God’s Word and go forward in His strength.
Friday, September 4, 2009
God Gives Us What We Want
Psalm 81:10-12 (KJV)
[10]I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
[11]But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
[12]So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
Just a reminder – God will always be willing to fulfill our needs when we follow Him. He will also give us up to our own lusts and wisdom. We have a choice between God or the world and the Lord will let us have our desire.
[10]I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
[11]But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
[12]So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
Just a reminder – God will always be willing to fulfill our needs when we follow Him. He will also give us up to our own lusts and wisdom. We have a choice between God or the world and the Lord will let us have our desire.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Correction
2 Tim 2:22-26 (ESV)
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
What I need to do to correct; how I should correct; and why.
What I Need to Do:
How I Do It:
Why Do This?
If you feel the need to correct someone look at the previous to make sure it is done in a godly way.
Check yourself:
Is it out of selfishness? Are you seeking righteousness, love and unity?
Be careful on your approach:
Are you gearing up to fight or argue with your own wisdom? Are you ready to teach God’s word in the situation? If they are aggressive towards you, are you ready to be patient and gentle?
Make sure you motivation is right:
Are you correcting because you are right and they are wrong? Or are you seeking to share God’s truth with them in order that they may accept Jesus or escape the traps of the devil?
I just want to end this with verse 22, I believe this is the best encouragement on this topic: “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
What I need to do to correct; how I should correct; and why.
What I Need to Do:
- Flee youthful passions
- Pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace with the brethren
- Avoid useless controversies
How I Do It:
- Don’t argue or quarrel
- Use God’s Word (able to teach)
- Be patient if offense is against you (patiently endure evil)
- Be gentle when approaching the offender.
Why Do This?
- If a non-believer: there is a chance they will be saved
- If a believer: God may enlighten them to His truth. With this truth, the believer may escape the traps of the devil (look at what the devil throws at believers to hurt us – the biggest thing is disunity).
If you feel the need to correct someone look at the previous to make sure it is done in a godly way.
Check yourself:
Is it out of selfishness? Are you seeking righteousness, love and unity?
Be careful on your approach:
Are you gearing up to fight or argue with your own wisdom? Are you ready to teach God’s word in the situation? If they are aggressive towards you, are you ready to be patient and gentle?
Make sure you motivation is right:
Are you correcting because you are right and they are wrong? Or are you seeking to share God’s truth with them in order that they may accept Jesus or escape the traps of the devil?
I just want to end this with verse 22, I believe this is the best encouragement on this topic: “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Lots of Lessons in One Story
1 Chronicles 21:1-17 (ESV)
Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. [2]So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.” [3]But Joab said, “May the LORD add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord's servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?” [4]But the king's word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem. [5]And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword. [6]But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.
[7]But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. [8]And David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” [9]And the LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying, [10]“Go and say to David, 'Thus says the LORD, Three things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.' ” [11]So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, 'Choose what you will: [12]either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, pestilence on the land, with the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.” [13]Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”
[14]So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell. [15]And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the angel who was working destruction, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. [16]And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. [17]And David said to God, “Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done great evil. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O LORD my God, be against me and against my father's house. But do not let the plague be on your people.”
None of us are beyond making a bad decision. If the person making the decision is in authority over you, express your concerns, but don’t fight – ultimately the accountability falls on them. If the bad decision is sin or leads to sin, don’t be prideful and stubborn: stop, confess and seek forgiveness. Own up to the consequences of your decision – do not blame others. If the consequences hurt those under your authority do your best to intercede (God blessed David’s intercession in verses 27 & 28).
Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. [2]So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.” [3]But Joab said, “May the LORD add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord's servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?” [4]But the king's word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem. [5]And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword. [6]But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.
[7]But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. [8]And David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” [9]And the LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying, [10]“Go and say to David, 'Thus says the LORD, Three things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.' ” [11]So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, 'Choose what you will: [12]either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, pestilence on the land, with the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.” [13]Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”
[14]So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell. [15]And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the angel who was working destruction, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. [16]And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. [17]And David said to God, “Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done great evil. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O LORD my God, be against me and against my father's house. But do not let the plague be on your people.”
- Satan influenced David. David, a man after God’s own heart, was not above being deceived by Satan and taking an action against God.
- Joab respected his king when he believed the decision was wrong. How times do we fight tooth and nail with our church leaders over a decision they have made that we know is wrong? Do you let God have a say in it, since He is the one who put the leader in the position? Or is God so weak that He can’t correct His children, so you have been ordained to smite that leader because God has no idea what’s going on? Or could it be, that in your haste to be “right,” you are actually the one in the wrong? Joab followed orders, even though he didn’t think his king was making the right decision – David was ultimately accountable to God.
- David confesses his sin and asks for forgiveness. When David realized that He had sinned against God, he went to Him for forgiveness of his folly.
- David accepts the discipline of the Lord. Sin has consequences. David realized this and owned up to the consequences that had to come.
- David intercedes for his people. When David saw that his choice in consequences was hurting Israel, he went to the Lord and begged that all wrath be turned on him since he was the one who sinned in the first place.
None of us are beyond making a bad decision. If the person making the decision is in authority over you, express your concerns, but don’t fight – ultimately the accountability falls on them. If the bad decision is sin or leads to sin, don’t be prideful and stubborn: stop, confess and seek forgiveness. Own up to the consequences of your decision – do not blame others. If the consequences hurt those under your authority do your best to intercede (God blessed David’s intercession in verses 27 & 28).
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Led by the Father
Psalms 73:23-24 (KJV)
Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
[24]Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
There are verses in the Psalms that always comfort me. These two verses are no exception. Four thoughts to remember when things are tough:
Let’s just say over the last month or two (or week) everything started going wrong in your world: the water heater broke, the car battery died, you had an bug infestation, your son’s Xbox just bit it and the warranty isn’t being honored, your health has been a roller coaster, etc., etc.; the Father is there for you to guide you through: He will never leave you or forsake you; His strength is made perfect through weakness; His Word is always a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path; and when all is said and done, He waits to receive us into glory. Keep this in mind when the hiccups of life on this world occur so you can become more than a conqueror through Christ.
Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
[24]Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
There are verses in the Psalms that always comfort me. These two verses are no exception. Four thoughts to remember when things are tough:
- I am continually with God (because Jesus reconciled me unto Him)
- He secures me by my right hand (right hand being a symbol of strength – He is my strength)
- He is my guide through His Word
- When the pilgrimage on this world is done He has prepared a place for me in Heaven.
Let’s just say over the last month or two (or week) everything started going wrong in your world: the water heater broke, the car battery died, you had an bug infestation, your son’s Xbox just bit it and the warranty isn’t being honored, your health has been a roller coaster, etc., etc.; the Father is there for you to guide you through: He will never leave you or forsake you; His strength is made perfect through weakness; His Word is always a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path; and when all is said and done, He waits to receive us into glory. Keep this in mind when the hiccups of life on this world occur so you can become more than a conqueror through Christ.
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