Read Titus 2:1-5 1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
The apostle Paul introduced the concept of mentoring in his letter to Titus. If you are fortunate to have benefited from godly mentors, think of what they have taught you. Your meeting with them was not accidental. God brought you into their sphere of influence to fulfill His purposes. Let’s look at Paul’s charge to older women, pointing out certain qualifications for a mentor to younger women. (v. 3)
Reverent in behavior. Her actions show she respects God.
Not slanderous. Her speech edifies instead of causing conflict and division.
Not addicted to much wine. She is not addicted to any substance.
The general purpose for older women is: “to teach what is good.” The Greek word for “good” is kalos, which “expresses beauty as a harmonious completeness, balance, proportion.” Older women are to teach younger women about God’s idea of beauty. Titus 2:3-5 emphasizes several areas of help. I would like to focus on three:
Love their husbands. The original word used for “love” here is philandros, which speaks of “loving someone as friend.” Wives need to learn to be their mates’ friend. Phileo love, central to philandros, grows from common interests.
Love their children. If you have trouble loving your children, I suggest:
- Seek a mentor to train you to love your children.
- Seek sound, godly counsel to discover why your heart is hindered.
- Do the right thing until you feel the right things, e.g. hug your children and tell them you love them.
- Be involved in their lives, such as attending their school functions and games. Hang in there and seek some support.
Be busy at home. Homes and families do not take care of themselves. The wife and mother has something to give her home and family that no one else can supply as effectively - tenderness, nurturing, and personal touch.
-Beth Moore-
Responding - Do I know a younger person who could benefit from being mentored?
Following - God, shall I mentor someone or be mentored?
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Read Galatians 6:7-10 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Wouldn’t life be easier if you could blame everything bad that happens on your parents, your past, your boss, your neighbors, your circumstances, your biology, your… whatever? Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have to take any responsibility for ourselves? Scripture is pretty clear on that ballot:
“Do not be deceived… whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Galatians 6:7
Nowhere is this harvesting principle more apparent than on a farm. After the cold, hard winter, spring comes and the ground is tilled. The farmer sows seed into the field. Then, if he has been diligent throughout the summer, he harvests at the fall. He reaps what he has sown.
I’m sure you understand the concept but do you get the application to your life? Scripture says that whatever you plant, you harvest.
What have you been planting in your marriage? In your family, with your children? In your finances? In your walk with God?
If you planted corn, don’t expect wheat to grow. As hard as it is to accept, where you are today is because of the choices you’ve made. I am very aware of the weight of that principle. My rationalizations, excuse-making, and blaming others keeps me in bondage. When I admit and say, “OK, this is a consequence,” then I can begin to experience God’s grace flowing into the place of recognition and truth. This is the truth that sets you free. Far more than I ever want to admit, I am responsible for what I have planted and am now harvesting.
Do you have faith to believe God can make this a turning point in your life? When you honestly come before God with repentance, He will energize your future with grace because of your humility to acknowledge, “Hey, I’ve planted some things I regret but starting from now, I want to plant a new corp.” Woohoo! When that happens, get ready for a new harvest.
-James MacDonald-
Responding - What have I planted that I would like to weed out? What will I plant in its place?
Following - Weed out the bad choices, “plant” good ones and tend them well.
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Read Romans 1:21-28 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. 28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
I got a new fax machine the other day for my study. In typical Crawford fashion I said, “This is simple enough. In fact, it looks like a piece of cake. I don’t need to read these detailed directions.” Wrong! It wasn’t as simple as it looked. In fact, quite a while later I was still stumbling around trying to put it together. Then I had a brilliant idea. I told myself, “Crawford, why don’t you go back and reconsider your decision? Read those directions and follow the steps.” When I did, something wonderful happened. As I followed the steps, submitted to the directions, I put the fax together. It was easy once I knew how to do it.
Some of us are frustrated and fumbling through life because we refuse to read and submit to God’s directions. We know that we ought to do. There are very few Christian who can honestly say, “I don’t know the difference between right and wrong.” We all know the difference between what is right and what is wrong. We know what we ought to do or what is missing but for some of us the desire to be in control of our lives and our future has become our master. We do not want to submit.
If you’re in that situation, here’s a warning: We are on dangerous ground when we continue to ignore God’s truth. In fact, we may reach a point where we not only ignore God’s truth but we flat out reject it. If that is the case, then the justice of God says that He will allow us to experience the consequences of our rejection.
The apostle Paul in Romans outlines the consequences of rejection. The expression “God gave them up to” simple means that because they were bent and determined on rejecting God’s truth, He stood out of the way and allowed them to experience the consequences of rejection and disobedience.
God loves and tenderly pursues us, but He is also just. When we reject Him and His truth, we have in effect said, “We prefer the consequences.”
-Crawford W. Loritts-
Responding - Has the desire to be in control of my own life and future replace God in my life?
Following - People are eternally lost because they refuse to respond to the truth.
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Read Genesis 2:3 and Exodus 20:8 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. 8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
The generations before us may have worked ‘6 days a week, but when they left work at the end of the day, they left work.
We, on the other hand, bring it home in our briefcases and laptops. Then there are all the chores that don’t fit into our 10-14 hour workdays: Weeding, washing and cleaning, plus taking the car in for its oil change and the children for lessons or games.
There are haircuts, faucet repairs, and bill to pay. And games to attend - on Fridays, Saturdays, even Sundays. Don’t laugh. We all know people with schedules like that. Oh, and how about the piano recital and board meeting at church?
We’re running as fast on the weekends as we are during the week. Even going away for the weekend is a chore. There are so many cars on the road that Friday afternoon traffic becomes Friday evening traffic.
Where is the rest in all that?
The biblical idea of Sabbath centers on rest and refreshment. God rested on the Sabbath; He looked at His creation, saw that it was good, and gave Himself time to enjoy what He’d accomplished. That’s the whole idea.
The Jews have understood this principle for centuries. Modern Israel is a remarkable land with a remarkable history. You can hike to the Engedi where David hid from Saul, or travel to Mount Carmel where the God of Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal, or sample water from very spring where Gideon’s men drank before they went into battle.
But don’t go on Saturday. The whole country shuts down for the Jewish Sabbath because they get it. The Sabbath is designed for rest - and every one needs it. Including you.
So you should be resolute to do the following: Take your Sabbath regularly, worship God, spend time with your family or indulge in a hobby God would approve of. You’ll find rest and refreshment for your soul - and that’s a gift Jesus Christ wants to give you each week.
-Steve Farrar-
Responding - Lord, thank You for the blessing of a Sabbath. And forgive me for the times when I have violated Your design for the rest I need.
Following - Sometimes, the best measure of my obedience is what I don’t get done.
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Read Hebrews 4:14-16 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
As a boy I remember listening to my bedside radio as I fell asleep. One of my favorite shows was Big Joe’s Happiness Exchange, beamed from the nearby New York City. The program always began with a deeply mellow and tender voice saying, “Have no fear, Big Joe is here,” and then he would sing…
Somebody cares about you and every little thing that you might do / Somebody cares if you sleep well at night. If your dreams have gone wrong or your day has gone right… Please believe me it’s so but in case you didn’t know / Somebody cares.
Then people from all over city would start to call in to Big Joe. With an understanding and quieting spirit he would listen and encourage those who were hurting and lonely. If they had material needs, other people would call in to offer help. It was a tangible, loving expression of grace and mercy.
But it doesn’t compare to what we have in Jesus. More caring than Big Joe and much more capable to meet our needs, Jesus is willing and able to be our aid. Not limited to a one-hour call-in program, our God is “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). When our troubles are so complex and overwhelming that we don’t even know what to ask for, be assured that the Spirit helps us in our weakness, praying for us “with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). When sin invades and corrupts our existence to the point that we feel too ashamed to call for help, be encouraged that Jesus “speaks to the Father in our defense” (1 John 2:1 NIV).
Knowing that He is praying for me “24-7″ anchors my soul with stability regardless of what is happening around me. When I feel lonely, rejected, misunderstood, or taken advantage of, I know that He has felt it all before. He understands and readily supplies grace and mercy.
While programs like Big Joe’s are a helpful commodity to our hurting world, I can’t help but think about how much more wonderful Jesus is to me! He is ready and waiting… All we need to do is to call in and encourage others to do the same.
-Joe Stowell-
Responding - Who do I know is hurting? How can I encourage that person to “call in” to Jesus today?
Following - Have no fear… Jesus is here.
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