TITUS
"You are living between two epiphanies. You have no higher calling in this life than to relate for one supreme purpose---to reveal the Beauty of My Grace until the Beauty of My Glory fills you with joy forever." 66 LL
"Your vision of how He has freed you to relate is too low...the Beauty of Grace frees you to reveal that same Beauty---never perfectly but substantially, in the way you relate, especially to people who hurt, disappoint, betray, or assault you." 66 LL
Titus 1:1 - Paul was a servant of God for the faith of God's people and their knowledge of the truth which leads to godliness. Paul was a servant for changed lives.
Titus 2:12-13 God's Grace appeared in Christ training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives this day.
Where our vision is "too low" this day, may we have eyes to see your Grace. I pray for my sisters today that their lives reveal the Beauty of Your Grace!
PHILEMON
Philemon 1:21 - "Confident of your obedience." Paul was confident that Philemon would treat well the slave who stole from him and then bailed on his owner. The question is: How will I relate to those who have wronged me? Will I offer them distance and detachment or forgiveness and freedom? Philemon not only forgave Onesimus but also "received him as a brother."
"Your flesh is strong. My Spirit is stronger! To experience His Strength, you must drop all the trappings of religion, all dependence on the external good things you do that make you feel spiritual enough....all the internal attitudes that make you think you can become all you were meant to be without radical ongoing dependence on My Son."
My apologies. This was a lot of reading for one day to try to read both books plus both chapters. I think the 66 LL chapter is longer than the books! The 66LL book was not meant to be read with the one-year readings.
ReplyDeleteNext year, starting January 1st, this blog will be 26 Love Letters...we will spend one year reading the New Testament. So you will have another opportunity to linger in these chapters if you join us.
As we approach the birthday of the One we Adore, may you glimpse His Grace in your life a tiny bit more. Amazing Grace all over you! And knowing each of you as I do, Psalm 50:2, His Beauty will be poured out through you this Christmas. May we keep on letting go of what so easily entangles us.
Grace be with you! You will reveal the Beauty of His Grace!
"Guide older women into
ReplyDeletelives of reverence
so they end up as neither
gossips
nor
drunks,
but models of goodness.
By looking at them, the younger women will know
how to love their husbands
and children,
be virtuous
and pure,
keep a good house,
be good wives.
We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior."
Lives of reverence
Models of goodness
Homes filled with love, virtue and purity
It would be so easy to say none of this is possible for women today. Marriage could be declared as dead.
Mothering could be done by paid strangers.
Reverence? What's that?
Goodness? Don't be naive.
Love?
Virtue?
Purity?
Um, no...no...and are you kidding me?
That is the world view for women today.
But Titus women are set apart. Faithful servants of the most High.
And, YES! It is possible to be these women.
We know TRUTH!
We know TRUTH!
We know TRUTH!
Don't buy into the lies the enemy daily feeds us through the media and through the popular divas of this world.
Don't you know they are miserable trying to find happiness in their lives without Jesus?
Perfect we will never be in this lifetime. But we can be changed! Give us this day our daily bread, Lord. Help us to live on Your fruit of goodness and reverence.
The MSG just doesn't capture the beauty of the NKJV in these verses:
ReplyDelete"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you." ( Titus 2:11-15)
The past: God's grace has appeared.
The future: The certainty and anticipation of our God and Savior Jesus Christ coming back for His Bride.
The present: Because of what He has done...Because there is "a future and a hope", I can live today in a way that brings Him glory.
Deborah, you are so right: We do know truth. May I walk in it today.
He is so worthy!
Forever Grateful