Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.
Summary: This single sentence near the end of Paul’s letter to Titus includes clues to what it means to be a believer in Christ. Giving ourselves to Christ transforms us from unproductive people into people who live productive lives that are a blessing to others.
Continue reading “Titus 3:14 (c) — Antidote”
And I want you to stress these things … so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.
Summary: Looking at Paul’s list again, we can pare it down in size and simplify it a bit. It really boils down to saying “Yes” to Jesus and “No” to the world.
Continue reading “Titus 3:8 (c) — Two Choices”
Remind the people …
Summary: Paul understands a basic truth about people: Our memories leak! To help, he gives Titus a list of things to remind people about.
Continue reading “Titus 3:1 (a) — Leaky Buckets”
… eager to do what is good.
Summary: Paul describes what godly living is all about, and the end of his thought is that God’s people are eager to do what is good. The question then becomes, “What is good?” Paul points us to some things that help us define good from God’s perspective instead of our own.
Continue reading “Titus 2:14 (d) — Doing Good”
It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions …
Summary: Matthew chapter four recounts the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. He is sent into the wilderness without food for forty days and nights. What happens next are a series of questions Satan poses to Jesus. These questions help us understand what godly behavior looks like.
Continue reading “Titus 2:12 (a) — Saying “No””
Then they can urge the younger women… to be … busy at home …
Summary: The world views this passage in a very hostile way, yet a world without homes is a very bleak place indeed.
Continue reading “Titus 2:5 (c) — Building the Future”
Then they can urge the younger women to love their … children
Summary: Paul wants young women to care for their children as God cares for us. The word used in the NIV is “love,” but in this case, it means “caring like a friend.”
Continue reading “Titus 2:4 (b) — The Source of All Knowledge”
Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith …
Summary: Some people are more sensitive than others. Some are less sensitive. What we are used to creates an expectation that we often apply to other people. Sometimes this has disastrous results.
Continue reading “Titus 1:13 (b) — My Normal is Your Pain”
… full of meaningless talk and deception …
Summary: Paul points us to a key facet of rebellious people: They are full of meaningless talk and deception. These two things are very real and very dangerous. If we let them, they can steal our lives.
Continue reading “Titus 1:10 (b) — A Waste of Air”
… so that he can encourage others …
Summary: We live in an imperfect world. Sometimes our words go astray or are misused. We need encouragement in the struggle against darkness. God’s Word provides us with a bright hope in dark times.
Continue reading “Titus 1:9 (c) — Bright Hope, Dark Times”