Titus Chapter 2

Following Paul’s release from his first Roman imprisonment, he and Titus worked briefly together in Crete, after which he commissioned Titus to remain there as his representative and complete some needed work.  Crete at the time had sunk to a deplorable moral level.  The dishonesty, gluttony and laziness of its inhabitants were epic.  Paul’s letter to Titus was to give him authorization and guidance in meeting opposition, instructions about faith and conduct, and warnings about false teachers.  

In chapter 2 Paul instructs Titus what must be taught to the various groups.

To older men he should teach that they should be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love, and endurance.

To older women he should teach them to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.  So they in turn can train younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands.

To younger men he should encourage them to be self-controlled, and set a good example by doing what is good.

To slaves he should teach them to be subject to their masters in everything, try to please them, not talk back and steal, but show that they can be fully trusted.

He finishes the chapter with verse 15.  “These, then, are the things you should teach.  Encourage and rebuke with all authority.  Do not let anyone despise you.”  Sometimes easier said than done.

Be Blessed!

Titus Chapter 1

Reading Titus 1 in my Bible, the first bold headline is “Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good.” So I stopped and looked up our elders on our website just to be sure I wasn’t overlooking any in my mind. And I can say I know, love, and trust each and every one of them! And they do love what is good! They don’t take shortcuts or do what is easy or seek man’s approval. They seek after God and His good and perfect will. The interactions I have with them are sweet and caring. And I am so grateful!

Sadly, it is not always that way in the church. I’m part of a Facebook youth pastors’ group and the things I read are discouraging at times with the lack of support other staff people receive in their churches. Making it a hard and lonely walk in ministry. 

But if you are part of Church of the Chimes, be encouraged! Our elders hold fast to verses 5–9! And they do operate as the managers of God’s household and know they answer to Him. We are blessed!

2 Timothy Chapter 4

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  2 Timothy 4

As I sit to write this, the loss of my grandmother is very fresh. She was the first person in my family, who passed away in the faith. As I reflected on her life, Paul’s words, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, apply to her life as well. After her passing, the family learned of the countless people of all ages my grandmother poured her life into. She opened her home to the homeless, started a garden ministry in an elementary school, was the head deaconess for many years, she helped addicts get into treatment, and there was much, much, more. 

My grandmother’s life is an inspiration to me, I also want to finish well and keep the faith. However, the true inspiration is a life transformed by Christ. My grandmother (like all of us) was a very flawed person. There were many struggles throughout the years, especially when it came to familial relationships. It was the Holy Spirit’s work within her that enabled all the good works and the mending of relations before her passing.

This verse is a reminder to me that by keeping the faith, God will continue to transform the very flawed person I am, to become more and more like Him, and finish the race well. In a paraphrase of Philippians 1:6, I can be confident that God will continue His good work in me until the day for my departure.

2 Timothy Chapter 3

It's not hard to read today's opening paragraphs and find strong correlations between Paul's assertions to Timothy about the end times within the culture in which we are now live.

2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. 

What does the Holy Spirit bring to your mind with the statement above “having a form of godliness but denying its power”? Take a minute and ponder this.

Throughout my life I have been witness to many powerful moves of God and EVERY time, the result was worship and people surrendering their lives to Christ. Without fail, when God moves in power there is an undeniable presence of His holiness. 

My heart longs to see more of this in the body of Christ today. The world needs Christians to live in and be conduits of the power of God.

Spending time in the Holy Scriptures is one way we learn the truth and gather the wisdom to walk in Gods power. Paul gives a strong encouragement to Timothy (and us as believers) us to dive into it, memorize and learn its truth.

My prayer is that we would be a people who long to live life in the power of God. That we would see wondrous displays of His power through healing and miracles that all eyes and hearts would turn to Him. That we would be humble, always learning and able to understand the truth, because our love God is displayed through the way we live our lives.

Amen 

2 Timothy Chapter 2

I love the first part of this chapter.  As I sit here and read, I feel my heart rate increasing. I am pretty sure that it’s not due to my coffee but rather the text.  Paul is speaking my language.  It feels like a scene from a good action movie.  He talks about war and athletes, Triumph and failure.  

Even though this was not the circumstance, as I read I found myself imagining Paul pacing back and forth as his followers stood at attention thinking about the task ahead.  I imagined Paul raising his voice much like that of an army commander pumping up his troops as they prepare for battle. I pictured a scene from a move like Braveheart or Gladiator with Mel Gibson or Russel Crowe getting his men ready for battle. 

Paul in this chapter is pushing us.  He is pushing us to the end.  He encourages us to push through to completion.  In verse 11 to 13 he writes, “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him. If we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will also disown us. If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.” We must live knowing that everything we have, everything we have accomplished is worthless unless it is found in Him.  

2 Timothy Chapter 1

5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. 

 We are reminded in Paul’s second letter to Timothy of the impact that a legacy of belief and faith has on those we are close to.  Timothy’s mother and grandmother were faithful disciples of Jesus.  The sincerity of their faith was so evident that it had molded Timothy’s view of life, and his purpose in that life.  I often think of how my faith is evidenced to my children.  Do they see the “sincerity” of my devotion to Jesus?  Or is it, (or He) a rarely discussed topic I hope somehow seeps into their consciousness over time?

I think of the passage in Deuteronomy where Moses is encouraging the parents of Israel:

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

 Nothing is more important in my life than Jesus. Education, wealth, career advice, “happiness” --  these things all pale in significance when compared to leaving my sons and daughters a legacy of faith in Jesus.  

1 Timothy Chapter 6

Our world measures success by material things. We have not made it until we have settled in our dream home or have a certain amount in savings or investments, or whatever you want to fill in the blank.  We can get wrapped up in thinking we are able to sustain ourselves.  This chapter reminds us where our heart should be with finances and with the things we have been blessed with. God has provided for us and has given everything we own to us. He has blessed us but wants us to bless others so we can proclaim who the ultimate Provider is.  This chapter also reminds us that hope in money is fickle but God is not. God is able to do all things and He wants us to yearn for, seek after, and rest in relationship with Him. He wants us to realize that we can be content in all things, because of who He is and what He is capable of. Let us be thankful for the blessings we have in our life, trusting in His provision, and willing to share that which we have already received. 

1 Timothy Chapter 5

Chapters 5 and 6 pretty much go together, but Paul lays out some pretty interesting guidance in chapter 5 for Timothy concerning widows, elders, and dealing with sin in the church amongst elders, and finally being cautious about laying on of hands too soon for a leader that is new to the faith.

 AMEN to the opening two verses of 1 Timothy 5!

 Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers.2Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.

 Is this a lost art today? If you asked me last October when I was on vacation in the southern part of the country (not SoCal), I would say not at all. Young’ns were replying “Yes Sir” or “No Ma’am” to those in authority, it was refreshing to see and hear that level of respect again. So is this a lost art in our church? I think that it could be better, our kids may not give an elder a "Yes Sir" or "No Ma'am" response, but I do believe that it is getting better especially with the integration of young and older folk into our life groups. 

 There really is a lot of great wisdom in this chapter, but what stood out to me the most were the final two verses: 

24Remember, the sins of some people are obvious (Ezekiel 21:24), leading them to certain judgment (Rev 20:12-13). But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later (2 Corinthians 5:10). 25In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).

 Be blessed!

1 Timothy Chapter 4

Paul's famous letter to Timothy is a guide for me. The context here is what does Timothy need to pay attention to? What should he particularly pay attention to as he lives out his life?

For starters avoid teaching that is based on deception or demonic.  Know that God’s creation is good, discern rules being presented to you, a thankful heart is important, follow good teaching, and I really love this one in the age of 24 Hour Fitness, Cross Fit, fitness gadgets, and our culture’s preoccupation with beautiful, sculpted bodies.  

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.   This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.” 

I’m not against being fit, the good book says our physical bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit so be sure to take care of it!  It just made me chuckle.

The other major point for me was really about how one’s character can trump being young.  “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.”

1 Timothy Chapter 3

Because of his advanced age Paul is writing a letter to Timothy, passing on how he sees the church should be structured, characteristics of the overseers of the church.  Husband of one wife, temperate, self controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent, quarrelsome, or lover of money.  Must manage his family well and his children obey him with proper respect. 

Upon reading this for the first time I never realized that the church was to be intentionally structured this way.  But it makes perfect sense that you would want people of high morals and character to be leading the flock.

We would all aspire to be these kinds of people as believers in Christ.

On a personal note, as a first time member of consistory, I am awed by the quality of leadership this body consist of.  Mindful, respectful, a very diverse group, they have taken on the noble task of leadership of this church very seriously.  Through every situation they have opened it to the floor for discussion, allowing all members to express their views, perspectives, opinions.  Then holding it up for vote.  I have never seen decisions "rubber stamped" or made without mindful consideration.

My point is not to heap praises on our consistory, but to bring to light the awesome power of God, the Bible, the Apostles, and the vision for the church back then is still in place now and hopefully in the future, by the grace of God, prayer, and the Holy Spirit.