The godly lives and righteous behavior of believers should set an example to the ungodly, who speak against the truth. Their conduct and character should convict evil-doers of their wrongdoing. Living godly lives should act as a testimony to the truth of the gospel. The way Christians behave and the words they speak should serve to promote the Word of truth and honor the Lord. We are not to imitate the ways of the world, but to talk about things that are true and to speak of things that are honorable and doctrinally sound. It is not always pleasant to have to chasten a fellow believer who has stepped outside the boundaries of truth or who has strayed from the path of righteousness. Sometimes inexperienced church leaders, timid elders, overbearing brethren, or misguided Christians, can cause great damage when attempting to reprove a fellow believer, due to legalistic learnings, incorrect doctrine, lack of spiritual understanding or a tendency to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true, without consideration of evidence or the opinions of others. There are many lessons to learn for older men and women, younger pastors, appointed elders, and the whole Body of Christ in this letter to Titus. We would all do well to study its organization and orderliness, and to ensure that our character and conduct reflects the Godly Behavior Presented To Us In Scripture. May we hold fast to the gospel of truth and live lives that encourage others, support our leaders, and honor our God and Savior. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the timely words of instruction Paul gave to Titus and the encouragement he gave to speak, exhort, and reprove with all authority,. We pray that we would be living testimonies to the truth of Your Word and encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We pray that Church elders, pastors, and those in authority, would act responsibly in their important tasks concerning the organization, orderliness, and spiritual well-being of the Body of Christ. We pray that they would speak the truth in love and be guided by Your Spirit to exhort and reprove with Biblical authority, if necessary, for the benefit of the Church and for Your greater praise and glory. This we ask in Jesus' name, AMEN. Spiritual gifts can be over-exaggerated by some Christians while being understated by others. While some elevate the importance of spiritual gifts above their great salvation, others can diminish the tremendous benefits that are ours through the spiritual gifts we receive from the Lord. But it is important that Spiritual Gifts Are Used As God Determined. They are not to be abused, or used for self-gratification. Nor should someone exploit their gift, by trying to demonstrate their own superior spirituality! Spiritual gifts are sovereignly bestowed, to enable us to carry out the good work God has prepared for us to do. We all receive a spiritual gift, or gifts, but we do not choose our preferred spiritual gifts, from a heavenly catalog of options. Today it is the gift of pastors and teachers for which we should earnestly pray, so that the men and women who are gifted to teach, are raised up within the Body, and empowered by the Spirit to interpret the Scriptures and teach the truth of God's Word to the wider congregation. Like all believers, they are to use these greater gifts of pastor and teacher, for the benefit of ALL. May we determine in our hearts to earnestly desire the greater spiritual gifts within the Body of Christ, so that together we may grow in grace and learn to LOVE others as Christ loved us. Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way. Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gifts of the Spirit and the wide diversity of gifts and graces that You graciously bestow on all Your children. Thank You that we are members of the Body of Christ and that together, our diverse spiritual gifts can be exercised for the greater benefit of the whole Body. May we all grow in grace and in a knowledge of Jesus, and be enabled to provide edification for one another, as well as being edified by them. Thank You that we are not meant to live in spiritual isolation from other believers, but are a collective Body, that is being built up into the Temple of God. Enable us to exercise the spiritual gifts with which we have been endowed, for the greater benefit of the wider Body of Christ. This we ask in Jesus' name, AMEN. Anything made or unmade, visible or unseen that is placed either before the Lord or alongside Him, is deemed to be an idol, for He will never share His honor with another. We read the following words from a well-loved hymn: "The dearest idol I have known, whate’er that idol be, help me to tear it from Thy throne, and worship only Thee," which captures the essence of what comprises an idol in any age, anything and everything, anyone and everyone that lays equal or greater claim to our affection for Jesus, is our own, personal idol. But the same hymn spells out the remedy that helps us to guard against the erection of such idols in our own lives: "O for A Closer Walk With God, a calm and heavenly frame, a light to shine upon the road, that leads me to the Lamb!" Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we know how easy it is for people, possessions, things, activities and customs, to creep into our lives and push You from the throne of our lives. Help us to stay ever close to You in thought, word, and deed, knowing that only as You are lifted up on the throne of our lives, will the things of this world take their proper, subordinate place. In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN. Christ was the perfect example of what a perfect Man should be, but He had to learn obedience through all that He was called upon to suffer throughout His life, as He kept the goal of His calling forever in His sight. We who are saved by His blood, baptized into His death, and risen with Him into newness of the new life, are to always strive to be perfect as He is perfect. Christ was perfected through all that He had to suffer, and we too are to walk the same path of suffering. We Must Keep Our Eyes Fixed On Christ, our perfect example, and to learn obedience through all that we are called on to suffer for His sake. As we submit to the leading, guiding, and correction of the Holy Spirit, He will use all things, including our suffering and pain, to work together for good to His praise and glory, as did Christ our perfect, obedient, example: That I may be conformed into the image and likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we long to know Christ more and to know the power of His resurrected life in us. We pray that we may partake of all the sufferings in our lives in obedient submission to Your Spirit and that, day by day, we may be increasingly conformed into the image and likeness of the Lord Jesus. In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN. God's people can always find encouragement and comfort in the shadow of His wings. Those who trust in God have a great assurance that He will vindicate us in front of all who have purposed evil against us. Unlike the writer of this psalm, we are not under the Law. During this Church dispensation, we do not have to go to a particular place to meet the Lord. We do not have to go to the tent of meeting or the tabernacle of the Lord to worship our God. Our access to God is not limited to a time or feast day or participation in a religious ritual. As members of Christ's Body, we have the Spirit of peace and joy and can enter boldly into the room of grace, for mercy to find help in times of need. We need to realize that the antidote to despair and distress is Hope In The Lord, and we need to apply it to our life on a day-to-day basis. We need to know and appropriate all the precious promises that are ours in Christ, when we delight ourselves in the Lord and offer Him our sacrifice of praise, we reignite our trust in Him and as our faith increases so fear and depression will be forced to flee away. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, there is much in this fallen world that can drag us into depression and distress of souls, but our hope is in You, You are the Anchor of our souls and the Rock of our salvation. When our souls are inclined towards despair or when fear begins to creep into our hearts, we pray that we would hope in God, fix our minds on Jesus, trust You with all our hearts, and present our lives to you as sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. Thank You that You are our God, the Lover of our souls, the Light of the world, and the joy of all the ends of the earth. Our hope is in You and we praise Your name forever and ever, AMEN. |
Prayer
We are a growing group of people praying daily for and with others. We were led to start an online ministry to deliver what is needed more now than ever, a place where you can go to easily to submit a prayer request or requests involving others to pray for your needs. The Power of Prayer. Matthew 18:20- For where two or more come together in my name, there I am among them. You are never alone in prayer. The Power Of Numbers Praying.
We ask you to pray for this ministry, for its success in helping others in need of prayer. Archives
July 2024
Categories
All
|