DO YOUR BEST

DO YOUR BEST

Heb. 4:11  Let us do our best to enter that place of rest.  For anyone who disobeys God as the people of Israel did, will fall.  NLT

      This is a message that must be heard and believed.  Disobedience is a major determining factor as to whether we will make it to heaven or not.  Disobedience is sin and must be dealt with before God.  There is no rest for the soul who does not obey God.

      Now, in order to obey God, we must know what it is we are to do and not do in our walk of faith.  There is no way we will know what to do if we don't spend adequate time in the Word of God.  We must read it, meditate on it and listen to it as much as we can.  It is impossible to know what God commands us to do by just listening to what others tell us.  It is our responsibility to do all we can do to learn from God.  The more we learn, the more we grow in faith and our ability to live it out.

      We must do our best in our walk of faith. Most people do not do their best to obey God.  No one perfectly obeys Him, but most people don't seem to care enough to put much effort into it.  They take advantage of God's grace and believe they will get by with it.  Holiness is not on the radar of their minds.  They pay more attention to getting ahead in the world than they do getting ahead in faith. 

       People stumble and fall into sin simply because they do not obey God.  They rely upon themselves for strength and quickly learn that it never works, but they keep on doing it.  Our only chance of living in victory over sin is to humbly strive to obey God in all things.  We have no one to blame but ourselves when we fail.

       We will stumble and fall, yes.  But when we are doing our best with the Lord’s help, we will win our war over sin and make it to heaven when we die.

GOSPEL INDIFFERENCE

GOSPEL INDIFFERENCE

Heb. 2:3a What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself?   NLT

       Indifference to the Gospel is the death keel of the soul.  It is a very dangerous thing to not take the provisions of God for our salvation seriously.  Most who believe will accept with their minds that Jesus is man’s salvation, but they don’t accept Him with their hearts.  It is not what we believe about Jesus that saves the soul.  Only a life commitment to Him through the repentance of our sins saves us from an eternity in hell.

       I believe this is an issue that all believers need to take to heart.  Many who profess faith in Christ are indifferent to the Gospel message.  They do not conform to the image of Christ.  They do not let the Spirit of Christ work in them to change them into godliness of heart.  They do not engage themselves in spiritual disciplines that create growth in godliness.  They treat their salvation as a trivial matter.  How can God be pleased and accept those who are indifferent to their salvation?

      How can we expect to escape God’s consequences if we neglect salvation?  For those without Christ, the consequence is eternity in hell where they will forever think about what they have done.  For the believer, the consequence is a miserable life lived on earth.  There will many battles fought and lost with Satan.  There will a constant tension between the Lord and the heart that is not totally committed to Him.  There will be life lived without the blessings of God, no peace or joy in their salvation.  There will be a life lived that is stunted and of no real use in the work of the Kingdom.

       If you are indifferent to your salvation, repent now while you can.  Ask the Lord to break the chains of your indifference.  Ask Him to purify your heart and give you a passion for the things of God.  God’s favor rests upon those who regard their salvation as first importance in their lives.

       The Lord made it very clear in the book of Revelations that those who straddle the fence and are not committed to Him completely are repulsive to Him.  Because they are lukewarm, He says He will spew them out of His mouth.

      Indifference is not an option if you want to make it to heaven.  God demands our total commitment to Him.  He demands that we become holy, even as He is holy.

       Do you need to talk with the Lord about your indifference, your lack of commitment to Him?

CAREFULLY LISTEN

CAREFULLY LISTEN

Heb. 2:1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.  NLT

      I suspect that most of us are not careful listeners.  We are easily distracted by the noises around us.  We are prone to let our minds wander and we fail to grasp important truths being spoken.  We filter what we hear through our own ideas and quickly dismiss those things that would challenge us to think deeply about things.  Being a good listener takes discipline and self-control.  We need to submit our thoughts to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to help us stay focused.  We need to allow ample time in our lives so that we can actually hear what God wants to say to us.

       A careful listener strives to remember what he hears.  Very few people are able to retain what they hear for more than a few hours, if that much.  We need to hear truth over and over again in order for it to sink it.  In order to do that, we must faithfully be in a church where the truth is proclaimed.  We must be consistent readers and thinkers of the Word. 

      When we fail to listen to what God says in His Word, we more than likely will drift away from it.  By nature we are prone to embrace the lies of Satan.  We are easily deceived and need to protect our minds by staying in constant touch with the Word of God. 

      We are responsible for guarding our souls.  We must listen carefully to the Word and apply it to life.  We must stay grounded in the Word so that we don’t drift away from God. 

       Also, how are we going to discern truth from error other than to listen to God through His Word?  God means what He says and says what He means.  He never contradicts or nullifies what He has spoken.

       Listen very carefully to the truth from God or may drift from it.it.

LISTEN TO THE TRUT

LISTEN TO THE TRUTH

Heb. 2:1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.   NLT

       Listening very carefully to the truth is good soul protection. But, just listening to truth is not enough. We can hear the truth, learn it well, and even proclaim it well, but if we don't embrace the truth from our hearts, it is to no avail. Many people drift away from the truth because they never allow the truth to change their heartS. We can even convince ourselves that we are living in the truth when in reality the truth is not living in us.

      The only way truth can make any difference at all in our lives is through our personal relationship with Him who is Truth. Jesus is truth personified. He is the only one who can take the written Word and make it the living Word. It is not enough to know the truth; we must know Him who is the Truth as well. Knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him. Hell will be full of people who listened well to the truth but who never really knew the Truth.

      The only way to know Christ is through a personal commitment to Him at the cross. We must come to Him with our sins, confess them, seek His forgiveness, and embrace His forgiveness. We must give Him permission to come into our hearts and clean house. We must let Him change us and redirect our lives into lives of service for Him.

      When we let Jesus take over our lives, we won't drift away from Him. It is when we wrestle with Him over control that we stumble and fall. As long as you try to control your life you will drift away from the Lord. He will not force you to listen or submit to Him.

       Also, as long as you hold back some sins from Him, you will not have Jesus dwell in your heart.  He will not dwell where sin dwells.  Period.

      Are you listening carefully to the truth you have heard from Him?

JESUS: GOD'S GLORY

JESUS: GOD’S GLORY

Heb. 1:3 The Son reflects God's own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.  NLT

      How we relate to Christ and treat Him is how we act towards God. What we believe about God directly affects what we think about Jesus. Let us pause for a moment and consider what we do think about God. Is God for us whom He reveals He is, or have we put Him into our own little boxes within our comfort zones? Is God all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect holiness, and everywhere we are at? Is God as demanding on us as the Scriptures reveal Him to be? Or, have we limited God to that which we are comfortable with, what we want Him to be?

       I am convinced that God should make us uncomfortable. We should always see God as one who is perfect in all things good and who calls us to become like Him. There should always be an edge to our relationship with God. We are not who we should be or could be. We do not measure up to God's standards and He knows we don't and will hold us accountable for it. We should always respect God in His holiness.

      We should respect God in His glory. God radiates himself throughout all of creation. We see God in all He has made if we but take the time to observe and appreciate what we see. We see God in His workings in human life. Each changed life is a witness to God's power and greatness. We see God in history as He preserves the faithful and faithfully acts according to His Word. God is seen in His glory by all who open their eyes to see. He reveals His glory to us through His Son, our Savior and Lord.

      At the same time, we should respect Him in His love. Jesus is God's love in action. Jesus becomes for us what we are not on our own. He is our righteousness and holiness before God. He makes it possible for us to live by God's holy standards. We become holy to the degree we allow Jesus lordship over us. We dare not rest in His love and think that our work on earth is done. We must strive to constantly apply grace to our lives with the intent of becoming more like Him in His holiness. We must work out our salvation. We must not minimize the importance of becoming a holy people, a people after God's own heart.  To not become holy mocks the name of Jesus.

       Most people want to believe that God will overlook their sinfulness or lack of commitment to Him because He is love.  They want to believe that He would never allow them to go to hell because He loves them.  But, what they don’t understand that God is holy love.  Because He is, Jesus came to set us free from sin’s hold on us.  He sets us free to become a holy people, a people fit for heaven.

         Sin is what put Jesus on the cross and sin is what will send people to hell. 

TRUST AND LOVE

TRUST AND LOVE

Philemon 4-5  I always thank God when I pray for you, Philemon, because I keep hearing of your trust in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.  NLT

      Paul was a man who really appreciated the faith of others and supported them in prayer, his writings, and in his conversations with others. 

      Even though Paul was writing this letter while in prison, he was thinking of Philemon and wanted him to know that he was praying for him.  Wow, what an encouragement that must have been for Philemon to know that a man of the stature of Paul was praying for him!  It makes me wonder who we could encourage in their faith walk by praying for them and letting them know we are.

      Paul heard good things about Philemon.  He heard about his trust in the Lord and the love he had for all of God’s people.  Paul probably already knew how real Philemon’s faith was because of the time he had spent with him, but it sure helps to know that others see the same thing as we do.  It makes me wonder if others can see in us our trust in the Lord and our love for others.

      Trusting the Lord sometimes is easier than loving others.  Love is seen in how we act towards others, say to them, say about them, and do for them.  It’s not always easy to love others, especially those who do not return our love.  Loving others who make our lives miserable is a true test of our love for God.  How do we feel about those whom we disagree strongly with spiritually, politically, and socially?  How does our love play out in the real world?

      If we truly love the Lord, we will trust Him in all things.  We will trust Him even when everything within us screams out at us to not do so.  If we truly love the Lord we will love others without conditions and sacrificially. 

      Live so that everyone who knows you will know your trust is in the Lord and that you love all of God’s people.

STAYING TRUE TO GOD

STAYING TRUE TO GOD

Philemon  1  This letter is from Paul, in prison for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.  NLT

      It intrigues me that Paul was in prison for preaching the Good News.   If you know anything at all about the Apostle Paul, you know he was not one to back down from preaching the Gospel.  He did not care what others thought of him, he was determined to stay true to the Lord and His Word.

     We live in a time in which most are more concerned about what others may think about them than they are about staying true to God’s Word.  We are more into being “politically correct” than proclaiming what God says and let the chips fall where they may. 

       Staying true to God and His Word may get us into hot water in the world.  Some people do go to prison because of their faith now.  I believe that there is a strong possibility that being put into prison for our faith will become more and more common as we try to live out our faith in a hostile world.

      Jesus told us to count the cost before we commit to following Him.  If you knew that you could very well be put in prison because of your faith or how you live it out in the world, do you love the Lord enough and believe strongly enough in Him to continue living for Him?  If you aren’t sure about your level of commitment, you need to get alone with the Lord and spend time with Him until you settle the issue.  Your life for all of eternity may depend on it.

      God promised that things are going to get more and more evil the closer we get to Christ’s coming.  More and more people are going to be antagonistic towards us who believe.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling now and you won’t fear what may lie ahead for you.

DIVISIVE PEOPLE

DIVISIVE PEOPLE

Titus 3:10-11  If anyone is causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning.  After that, have nothing more to do with that person.  For people like that have turned away from the truth.  They are sinning, and they condemn themselves.  NLT

        They are everywhere.  There are people who seem to have a natural talent for causing divisions in the Church.  Some are blatant troublemakers and others are subtle.  Paul tells Titus to not waste time on that kind of a person.  There should be unity and peace in the church, not divisiveness.  He was to give the troublemaker a warning, two at the most, and then he was to have nothing to do with the person.

       It’s not an easy thing to do and it’s a very unpopular stand to take.  We do not want to alienate anyone.  We don’t want to get the reputation of being “holier than thou art.”    Rarely do we have the boldness to suggest to someone that they need to leave.

       Divisive people have wandered away from the truth.  Whether it is an obvious departure from the truth or the spirit of the truth doesn’t matter.  As God’s children, we are to strive to live at peace with one another to the best of our ability.  In order to do that, we need a lot of grace, patience, and understanding.  But, when there can be no peace, for the sake of peace, there must be a parting of ways.

       Stirring up trouble in the church is sin and the person who does it stands self-condemned.  A lot of trouble can be averted by simply holding those who cause division in the church accountable for their actions. 

       If you tend to be divisive, let this be a warning to you, stop it now!  Take it to the Lord and ask Him to forgive you and help you to stop.  Ask Him to give you a heart of love and a desire to be a peacemaker.

WHY JESUS SAVED US

WHY JESUS SAVED US

Titus 3:4-5  But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love.  He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy.  He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.  NLT

       Think about it.  Mankind has really made a mess of life.  We have done irreparable harm to our environment, we have conceived of every kind of imaginable sin, and we have pushed God out of the public arena.  In spite of what we have done, God has shown us His love and kindness by showing us our Savior and given us an opportunity to have a better life.

      God is like that, no matter how bad a mess man makes of life, He is there to show us a way to get cleaned up and live a better life.  He is merciful and desires nothing but what is best for us. 

      God starts where we need it the most, our sinful hearts.  He exposes our sins and convicts us of them.  He answers our prayer of repentance and washes away our sins.  He purifies us and makes us clean, whiter than snow.  The old is done away with and we become new creations in Christ.

       Isn’t that awesome?!!  The slate is wiped clean.  We have a fresh, brand new, start.  No matter what we have done, in God’s eyes it’s as if it never happened. 

       If you have messed up, don’t give up.  You are not hopelessly lost.  You are not without hope.  God is merciful.  He can wash away your sins and give you a new and fresh start through the work of the Holy Spirit. 

       Do not believe Satan’s lies that you are beyond hope.  Don’t listen to the naysayers that say you can’t start over.  No matter how bad things may be for you, believe God.  He can make you a new person in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

     Why did Jesus save us?  So you and I can be forgiven for our sins, made pure before God, and be with Him eternally, all because He loves us.

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER

     God is portrayed in the Scriptures as our Father in heaven.  He is the perfect example of what a father should be like.  In instructing His disciples on how to pray, Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 6:9 to address God as, Our Father in heaven.

OUR FATHER’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE   I Cor. 13:4-8a

        There are many things we can say about God’s love for us, but one thing we must know is that God loves us without regard for who we are.  Everyone needs to know that God loves them.  Everyone needs to know they are loved by others.  It is a basic human need we have, to love and be loved, and God’s love embraces all who come to Him for the forgiveness of their sins.

        God loves us without regard for our goodness.  No one is good enough to deserve to be saved.  Yet, God loves us anyhow and offers us the free gift of His forgiveness.   Also, God loves us without regard for our faithfulness to Him.  He will never stop loving us, even when we don’t return His love.  He is not willing that anyone should enter into eternity without Him and will pursue a relationship with us until there is absolutely no hope left for us to be saved.

OUR FATHER’S UNCONDITIONAL GOODNESS  Luke 18:19

       God is good all the time.  His goodness is always on display, no matter what the circumstances may be. The works of God are good. The gifts of God are good.  The attributes of God are good.  The character of God is good. The plans of God are good, both for this life and all of eternity.  Knowing that God is always good is essential for a proper understanding of God.

OUR FATHER’S UNCONDITIONAL GRACE  Eph. 2:8,9

      We see God’s amazing grace on display all the time.  God’s grace is seen in His gift of salvation.  God offers freely to all who want it His forgiveness and life in Christ.  No one can experience this wondrous life apart from confessing our sins, asking Him for forgiveness, and accepting what Jesus did on the cross to obtain it for us.

      God’s grace is seen in His gift of the Holy Spirit.  We scarcely acknowledge what the Spirit of God does in us and for us, but without Him will never make it to heaven. God’s grace is seen in His gift of abundant living.  We scarcely scratch the surface of all that God wants to give us through Christ.  God’s grace is seen in His gift of eternal life.  Life in Christ is the greatest gift that God has ever given to man and it’s free for us.  Jesus paid the price that had to paid and that only He could pay for us to be saved.  “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.”

      No matter what kind of father you have had on earth, be assured our Heavenly Father is a perfect fit for what we need in this life.  The longing of His heart is for you.  He wants to pour out His love upon you.  Is God your Father today?

CIVIL CITIZENS

CIVIL CITIZENS

Titus 3:1-2 Remind your people to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. They must not speak evil of anyone, and they must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.  NLT

      God wants us to live in peace. He doesn't want us to live on the edge, always riled up about something. We may not like or agree with all that is going on around us, but we should strive to live well in our world. It is easy to dislike the world we live in and those who rule in it. But, unless there is an obvious misuse of power and abuse of those who rule over us, we are to be law-abiding citizens who strive to do good.

      It is a good thing for us to pray for our leaders. Instead of always finding fault with them, we should pray for them. We should leave the judging up to the Lord who alone is able to judge the heart. Our duty is to do good and pray for them.

      It is a good thing for us to not participate in gossip and degrading discussions. It is easy to speak evil of people we don't know. God knows what we talk about and He will hold us accountable for it.

      It is a good thing for us to be gentle and show true humility to everyone. It is good, but it is not easy. Our sinful nature does not act that way. It takes a lot of determined effort on our part to resist the temptation to be driven by selfish ambition and pride. It is a battle that we are never completely freed from.  The more we live in Christ, the more likely it is that we will win far more battles than we lose. The most effective way to change the world we live in is for the body of Christ to live godly lives consistently in the world. We are commanded to be a holy people.

      Are you praying for those who rule over you? The list would include your leaders in government, at work, in the church, or perhaps even at home.  

      Are you living a godly life outside of the church? Does your life reflect Christ in such a way that you are making a difference in your world? You may be the only true witness for Christ someone will ever have.

      We are to submit to our civil leaders and their representatives. We are to support them as they carry out their duties.  However, if they are not civil in how they govern us, we are to obey God and not man. When we live godly lives, striving to live in peace with everyone, there is nothing to fear, God will honor and reward you, no matter what man may or may not do to you.

WHY JESUS DIED

WHY JESUS DIED

Titus 2:14  He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right.  NLT

       Jesus gave His life.  No one took it away from Him.  No one could have done anything to Him without His permission.  No one could have put Him on the cross or take Him down without His permission.  Jesus died for our sins willfully.  He surrendered himself fully to God’s will when He went to the cross.

      Jesus died for our sins to free us from every kind of sin.  There is no sin excluded.  Every sin conceived by man or Satan himself is included.  He died, taking every sin upon himself, and cleaned up every heart given over to Him. 

      Jesus died to make us His very own people.  We are no longer His enemies, we are adopted into His family and become His children.  We now, in Christ, have a living, everyday relationship with God himself.

       As God’s children, we are to be totally committed to Him.  And, this is where most people stumble.  Most who profess to be children of God are not totally committed to Him.  Most are content to live life their own way instead of God’s way.  He is not allowed to make a real difference in their lives.

       There are going to be a multitude of people who think they are fine with God who will find out how wrong they are on Judgment Day.  God commands us to be holy, a people like Him, a people after His own heart. 

       There is no such thing as forsaking some sins and hanging onto others.  Sin is an abomination to God.  Jesus died to take away all our sins and if we don’t let Him, He cannot be our Savior or Lord.

       If you are not fully committed to the Lord today, it’s not too late to open up your heart and let Him take control of you.  Do it now before it’s too late.

READY TO GO

READY TO GO

Titus 2:12-13  And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures.  We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.  NLT

      It is very clear from God, we must turn from godless living and sinful pleasures.  You can’t turn from what you are not facing.  So, when we are confronted with sinful temptations, we don’t linger in front of it, we turn away from it and get away from it as soon as we can.

      We live in a very evil world.  It takes a lot of self-control to stay right with God.  We must want to be right with God more than we do to enjoy the pleasures of sin.  The only way we can do that is to be devoted to God.  We must seek out God, spend time alone with Him, and work on establishing a love relationship with Him.  We must see Him as our most valuable element in our lives.  We love Him with all our hearts, minds, and souls.

      When the Lord is our focus, we develop a longing to be with Him.  We begin to share the Apostle Paul’s passion for Christ.  We will strain with all we have to not mess up, to make sure we will go and be with the Lord when we die.

       We only know the Lord a little bit now.  When we are with Him in heaven, we will know Him fully.  His glory fills heaven.  There is no sin or its effects in heaven.  For the child of God, heaven indeed is a glorious place filled with His glory and grace.

       Jesus is coming soon.  For the redeemed, it is the most anticipated event yet to come.  Expectation fills the air.  Being ready to go home with the Lord is our passion.  The King is coming and none too soon.  There’s a longing in the soul for that day in which Christ will be revealed for all to see.

       Turn away from evil, be devoted to the Lord in all things, live godly lives ready for the Lord to come.  When you do, you will be ready to go.

GRACE REVEALED

GRACE REVEALED

Titus 2:11  For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.  NLT

      Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve; it is His favor on our lives.  We are sinners deserving only an eternity in hell, but God loves us and did not let us get what we deserve.  He did what was impossible for us to do; He made it possible for us to be made holy, able to be in His presence.

      Everything God has ever done for mankind has been an act of grace.  God has revealed himself to man ever since the time of Adam and Eve.  He slowly, but surely, helped man to know He is holy and that he needed a Savior. 

      At just the right time God entered into our world and revealed himself as our Savior, the one who could make us right with himself.  He took upon himself our sins when He went to the cross.  He satisfied His own wrath against sin and opened the door of salvation for all.

       Now, anyone can be saved from God’s judgment against sin.  Anyone can be made right with God.  Anyone who admits their sins, confesses them to Christ, asks for forgiveness, and commits himself to a changed life in Him, will be qualified to be in God’s presence. 

      Salvation is for everyone.  No one is excluded from God’s offer of salvation.  No sin is beyond God’s ability to eradicate.  No one is so bad that he cannot be forgiven. 

      Praise God from whom all blessings flow!  Praise Him who has brought salvation down to man! 

      “Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul.  Thank you, Lord, for making me whole.  Thank you, Lord, for giving to me, my salvation so rich and free!”

CORRECT TEACHING

CORRECT TEACHING

Titus 2:8 Let your teaching be so correct that it can’t be criticized. Then those who want to argue will be ashamed because they won’t have anything bad to say about us.   NLT

      It is imperative for our own souls and for the sake of others that our teachings be correct and above reproach.  It is so easy to fail at this.  We don’t study well enough and pray over what we study to get a proper knowledge of the Word.  We often let our own ideas determine how we interpret and apply the Scriptures.  We readily accept as true what others tell us without examining the Word for ourselves to see if it is true.  We tend to not think too deeply about what we read.  We do not ask the Holy Spirit to guide our thinking as we think over the Word.  We tend to not put Scripture into the context of Scripture for a proper understanding of it.  In other words, we don’t invest the time we need in the Word to make sure our teaching is correct.  We are spiritually lazy.

      It is good for the soul to make time for public and private Bible studies.  We can learn much from others by sitting under their teachings.  We can learn much from the thinking of others as the Word is discussed.  We can examine our understanding in light of the understanding of others and correct our thinking as needed.  It is good for us to discover how the Word is being applied in the lives of others.  The more time we spend in fellowship over the Word, the better chance we have of getting it right.

      As good as public Bible studies are for us, we dare not excuse ourselves from our own time with the Lord in His Word.  It is imperative for the health of the soul to be alone with the Lord and let Him speak to you through His Word.

      Correct understanding of the Scriptures leads to correct application which diffuses the arguments of those who would seek to find fault with us.  Let the Lord guide you in all your thinking as you learn from the Scriptures that which is true.

RESPONSIBLE TEACHING

RESPONSIBLE TEACHING

Titus 2:6-7 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely in all they do. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. NLT

      We need to take responsibility when teaching others.  We need to encourage those who follow us to live wisely in all they do.  One of the biggest problems that we have today is that our young people have not been taught the essential things that produce wisdom in them and have not been encouraged to seek them.  Most young people have pretty much had to fend for themselves when it comes to things that really matter in life. 

      We need to take responsibility for the kind of an example we are setting for those who follow us.  Our young people learn best by watching those who are teaching them.  They are perceptive and know by watching whether or not we really believe what we teach.  Consistency in living a godly life is essential for our teachings to have any value at all.  When what we say is backed up by what we do, others take note and are encouraged to believe that they can do it too.

      We only have one chance to influence future generations to follow the Lord.  We must not shirk our responsibility before God.  How we live not only affects our own souls, it affects the souls of all those who follow us.  Let us strive to always be encouragers of the faith of others and not discouragers.  Let us be careful how we live.  We are influencers of others, whether we think we are or not. 

RIGHT LIVING AND TEACHING

RIGHT LIVING AND TEACHING

Titus 2:1  But as for you, promote the kind of living that reflects right teaching.  NLT

       The Apostle Paul is telling Titus to promote a lifestyle that is consistent with sound doctrine.  He is saying that if we are not living godly lives then we aren't living what comes from God.  If we are teaching and preaching a lifestyle different than holy living, we are not living rightly with God.  There is no middle ground where we can justify not doing what we know God says for us to do.  If we are not living holy lives, we are not living in obedience to God and we are not in fellowship with God.

        The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God.  All of the Scriptures are inspired and useful for our living and the Word clearly commands us to live holy lives.

        It is not easy to always do what we know God commands us to do.  Holy living is indeed a very difficult life to live because we are living in a sin-infected world with by nature sinful hearts.  We are naturally drawn to sin and the only way we can resist it is to willfully seek Christ's help.  We must determine in our hearts and minds to do what is right before God instead of what our flesh desires.  We must resist the temptation to compromise what we know is right.  We must keep our eyes fixated on Christ and not on the allurements of sin.  It takes great determination to do what is right before God and no one does it perfectly all the time.

     The key to practicing what we preach is to keep our souls saturated with God's Word and spend much time in close communion with God.  We must read the Word of God with open hearts and minds, ready to listen and learn from God.  We must desire to grow in holiness.  We must refuse to let things into our hearts and minds that are not beneficial for our soul's well-being. 

      The reward for living a life that reflects right teaching is being richly blessed by God both here and in heaven.  Our failure to do it is the absence of God's fellowship and blessings both now and forever.

ARE YOU DEFILED?

ARE YOU DEFILED?

Titus 1:15-16 Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are defiled. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are despicable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.  NLT

      I believe heart purity is possible, probable, and practical for the Christian's life---if he sincerely seeks to know God. Jesus not only does away with sin, He purifies the heart of the believer. He changes our heart's desires so that we want to do what is right in God's eyes instead of sinning against Him. Jesus gives us a new set of eyes so that we see things differently.

      Without Jesus, we see things differently. We see sinful things and are drawn to them. We sin because it is the natural thing for us to do. We have no interest in having a pure heart and mind. We may claim to know God, but in reality, our hearts reveal the real self. What our hearts are really like is seen in how we are when we are all alone. If we find ourselves not resisting sin consistently, our hearts are not pure. If we look for opportunities to feed our sinful desires, our hearts are not pure. If what we do and how we do it is not consistent with what we profess, our hearts are not pure. A person whose heart is not pure can do nothing good and what he does do is not acceptable to God. God calls those with impure hearts despicable, disobedient, and worthless for doing anything good.

     Just claiming to know God does not mean we know God. When we know God, we take on the character of God. We enter into the process of heart purity. All of our living is influenced by Him and reflects Him.

     Let me ask you, how does God see you?  Are you pure in heart, or are you defiled by sin?  A pure heart is only possible through the forgiveness of our sins by Jesus Christ.  Do you have sins you need to confess to Him today?  He will forgive you if you come to Him sincerely and ask Him to.