Be Sensible

Perhaps you are familiar with a woman's role as describe in Titus 2 perhaps not but for some odd reason I thought it had nothing to do with me because I am not married and I don't have any children. I wondered to myself what does God's word say to me about my role as a single woman, or more specifically how I am "to be." (Forgive my grammar.)

In the book of Titus, the Apostle Paul wrote to his true child in the common faith, Titus, about setting in order the work that remained--to appoint elders who were able to exhort in sound doctrine and reprove the rebellious. It is important to have good pastors or elders in every city or geographic region but Paul made a point of it here because in the isle of Crete where Titus was located there were many rebellious men teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain (sound familiar?). This was especially important in Crete because the Cretans were said to be "liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." Titus was to reprove them severely so that they would be sound in the faith. After Paul deals with the rebellious, he exhorts Titus to "speak the things fitting for sound doctrine" in Chapter 2. And here is where we get to the verse about women and how they are "to be".

"Older men are to be ....sensible."

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior ..teaching what is good so that (emphasis mine) they (the older women) may encourage the young women to love ... to be sensible, pure, workers at home... Titus 2:3,4,5. Now we know that the older women are to encourage the young to love their husbands and their children but I took that part out of the quote to make a point. (I hope you don't mind that I took that liberty.) Sometimes, I think, we read these verses so fast because we think we know what they say. Yeah, yeah I know I am to love my husband and children (if I had any). Yeah the older women are to teach the younger, yeah, yeah.

Titus 2 goes on to decribe how young men are to be as well: "...the young men [are]to be sensible".

Wow, it seems that "sensible" is a key word in this passage. Everyone in the body is to be "sensible". Why? The word "sensible", what does it mean? If you look it up in your Strong's Concordance you will find that the Strong's number for "sensible" in this passage is 4998. The number 4998 corresponds to the word sophron which means "discreet, sober, temperate, of a sound mind; self-disciplined in one's freedom, self re-strained in all passions and desires."

Now go back to Titus 2:3-4. Why are the older women to be reverent in their behaviour, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine (in other words they are be sober and in their right mind)? So that they may encourage or train the young women. The NASB uses the word "encourage" but when you go to your handy-dandy Strong's Concordance, the corresponding number is 4994. Wow, that number is rather close to "4998". Hmmm, let's see what we learn...

The number 4994 corresponds to the Greek word sophronizo which is from the root word sophron. The word means to "train to think (emphasis mine) and act soberly, discreetly and in moderation". Okay let's put this definition back into the text.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior .. teaching what is good so that they may encourage the young women (or train the young women to think and act soberly, discreetly and in moderation)to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands (why?) so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

Is the word of God making a difference in your life such that folks can look at your life and see that your life sytle honors the word of God, His commandments, His teaching, His doctrine? Do you act as if you are in your right mind, curbing your passions? I don't know about you, but I can honestly say that I have not been sensible, sober, controlled in my actions and thoughts. Sometimes I act on a whim. I am not sensible. But oh how I want to be sensible so that I may adorn the doctrine of God, so that those who do not open God's book, the Bible, or darken the doorstep of a church may see my good works and not glorify me but my God.

I hate to be hard on women because in doing so I indict myself but truthfully as you look around do you see many self-controlled, sensible women? If you do, praise God, because I think you are in the minority. (We will deal with men in a moment.)

At one point, I so wanted a godly older woman to mentor me but I did not know where to go. Hey, I still want a godly older woman to mentor me. The only thought that came back to me as I pondered this was perhaps God wants me to be that older woman for someone else. What a sobering thought! Me? Yeah right.

One of my passions is not only for me to be a godly, mature woman of God but to see other godly women as well. I want to see other women growing in the faith...you know to be. . .sensible.

Okay, let's go back to Chapter 1. Some of the qualities for the elders that Titus was to appoint was that he must be a man who was above reproach, not addicted to wine (sound familiar) and yes you guessed it, be sensible. Why was this important what was one of the tasks for the godly elder? He not only must be able to exhort in sound doctrine but also to refute those who contradict and reprove the rebellious severely. Why? So that they may be sound in the faith.

Look at men and women in our society today. Do we have folks like the Cretans--"liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons". Why don't we go back to Scripture and follow the pattern given to us by God? The older are to teach, encourage, train, reprove, the younger. What happens if we don't do that?

A Compassionate God

As I think about what I have learned about God from my study of the book of Jonah, one word stands out...well maybe two and those are compassion and longsuffering. Not only was God compassionate on that great city Nineveh but He was also compassionate on that stubborn and disobedient prophet named Jonah.

Wasn't Jonah supposed to be God's man? So how could he try to flee from the presence of God? As I apply what I have learned to my own life I can honestly say that I have walked in Jonah's steps many times. Sometimes I react so quickly to circumstances that I don't even stop to think about what God's word says about a particular situation. I just react and then get upset when things don't go my way. Wow. Sad but true.

Now do you want to know the good news! There is nothing in my past or future sins that Christ did not die for. Not that I want to test God by continually walking in disobedience. Besides if I continually walked in disobedience or wanted to walk in disobedience then I would question whether I was a Christian. But I digress.

It is so comforting to know that God is so relentless when it comes to fulfilling His word. He never slumbers. He never takes a break. When you finally come to repentance He takes you right back to your point of disobedience and gives you the opportunity to walk in obedience. Isn't that so wonderful! Read Jonah 3:1.

On a side note, you can study Jonah as part of great resource entitled "Lord Teach Me to Study the Bible in 28 days". This book takes you step by step through the components of inductive Bible study. Sometimes it is hard to explain in a few words what inductive Bible is but this book shows what it is by taking you through a study of Jonah and Jude and other portions of Scripture. It is very good and not dry or scholarly. With that being said the author of this book, Kay Arthur, does not skimp on showing you how to study.

Jonah and Jude are very short books so that makes it helpful if you are just beginning with Bible study. So if God has been speaking to your heart about Bible study, why not start walking in obedience by trying this resource, "Lord Teach Me to Study the Bible in 28 days"?

Money! Money!

I have been searching for a church home for a long time and I admit that I really was not looking into God's word and being patient. In 1Timothy, Titus, and 1Peter, God is very clear about the qualifications for elders or overseers or pastors as we would say today. Now I know that no church is perfect but I failed to evaluate the leadership based on God's Word.

Lately, the Holy Spirit has drawn me back to the book of Titus for Bible study. The Precept Upon Precept study has you do a profile of the Godly in Lesson 2. I was to list the qualities and characteristics of elders/overseers from Titus 1, 1
Timothy 1, and 1Peter 5. One thing that I found to be common to all was that the overseer or sheperd was to be free from the love of money. (Titus 1:7, 1Tim. 1:5, and 1Pet. 5:3) Wow!

Now this is not to minimize the other qualities because surely the overseer or pastor has to be able to teach and is to have a good family life otherwise how can he take care of the household of God? But is it not interesting that both Paul and Peter mentioned money in the context of pastoral qualifications?

I have been going to a new membership class recently. And last Sunday, the lesson was on Pastoral leadership. Now I am supposed to read ahead in preparation for class but I have not been doing that so I had no idea that we would be dealing with the subject. So imagine my surpise! I am not sure as to whether this is to be my church home but one thing I am doing is trying to evaluate everything on the basis of God's word.

One thing I can say is that at every other church where I had some serious problems, the leadership's focus was on money. Don't get me wrong. I understand the importance of money in doing God's work but how can a pastor care for a church and be worried about getting a bigger building at the same time?

My purpose in writing this post is not to church bash but to ask you and myself to open our eyes when evaluating church leadership. For years, I thought of myself as just a church member and that I didn't have the right to evaluate anything. But if you are in a church where the focus is to raise money not to build lives but to build a facility...well? Go to God's word and evaluate what He says about the love of money and the qualities of an overseer.

Am I a Fool? Are you a Fool?

I have not started a blog about the Jonah Precept study called "Where Are You Going?" yet. I think I may need to do over it again. Sometimes I have to do a study over again just to let it set in. I hope I have not become one who has dull hearing. (See Hebrews 5:11)

But on another note, I just started a New Inductive Study Series on Proverbs entitled "God's Answers for Today's Problems". I have been wanting to do this study for awhile because I am in desperate need of wisdom. Also, who does not want answers to problems? I feel compelled to be in study day and night so I am doing a Precept study in the morning and this study on Proverbs at night. I guess I am blogging on it because perhaps you will hold me accountable to complete what I have started.

The opening verses tell you the purpose or the reason the author wrote this book. See Proverbs 1:1-7. One of the reasons Solomon, the son of David, wrote these proverbs (note: all Scripture is inspired by God and men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God-2Tim 3:16a, 2Pet1:21) was so that we, the reader, will receive instruction in wise behavior. Hmmmm. I don't know about you...but I need it! LOL But at the same time, I have to ask myself and perhaps you want to ask yourself the same question: Do I want (desire) this?

You see I often find myself being a very prideful person --not admitting that I don't know something or that I need help. "I'll do it myself" has been my modus operandi. I have often heard many people at Precept Ministries say that the LORD delights in showing us how utterly dependent we are on Him. Excuse my grammar but ...ain't that the truth, Ruth. LOL Any time I try to walk my own way without seeking guidance or wisdom, I end up in a pit of worry or despair or confusion. I find myself thinking that I did not have these issues before I was a Christian. Well, I know that this is the enemy of my soul trying to tempt me to doubt God. By God's grace, he won't win.

Or sometimes, I am not diligent with in my Bible study. I waste time doing things that do not profit. Time slips away I have not done the things necessary to acquire wisdom.

One of the questions that the study asks you is what is the relationship among wisdom, fools and the Lord. Well, fools despise wisdom and instruction. The beginning of knowledge (or instruction) is the fear of the Lord therefore fools don't fear God. If one won't receive knowledge or instruction one can't honestly say he or she fears God. Your lips may say that you fear God but your heart is faaaaar from Him. You are a fool. No, I did not say you are a fool. God's Word did if you fit the description of a fool. Or perhaps you know a fool and you want wise counsel on how to relate to a fool. Get the study if you want to learn more about fools.

That is all I will say for now because I hope that I have enticed you not for evil but for good, to get your own book and discover truth for yourself or to receive instruction by some other method on a daily basis. You don't have time? Cut something out of your schedule. It is too hard? Ask your Heavenly Father to help you. He has given you His Son. Won't He freely give you all things? Or perhaps you feel that instruction once a week when you go to church is enough. Dear heart (this is what my mother calls me), consider something ....know I won't say it. Read Proverbs 1:1-7 and ask yourself am I a fool? (I am not asking you to do something that I have not already done).

At this moment, I am tempted not to send this blog because I don't want to sound harsh or hurt someone's feelings. But should I stop speaking truth because it may hurt someone's feelings? Can it be a good thing if a little pain brings about a change in your thinking or actions for the better? By God's grace, I hope this blog is received in love. Be blessed.

Mary and Martha

This morning on my way to work I was worrying about something. My thoughts were probably on what I had to do that day. I have been meditating on the Luke passage where Jesus tells Martha that she is worried about so many things but that only one thing is needful. See Luke 10:38ff I have pasted the passage in below for your review.

Lately, I have been thinking about what Jesus told Martha about Mary...that she (Mary) had chosen the good part. I have been wondering if I have been going about my daily activities and responsibilities all wrong. What if I took God at His Word and chose the good part, in other words, what if I chose to make sitting at the feet of Jesus the priority everyday? Surprisingly (and I should not be surprised because my Lord is a great God and King) everything seems to work itself out when I do not make the job my priority. I get extensions on my deadlines. My calendar gets amazingly cleared up and generally I learn that I am just not that important to everything. The world goes on even if I don't work 12 hours a day. :-) Don't get me wrong I still have to get my work done but somehow He just makes a way for me. I can't explain.

I also thought to myself, "Why did the Lord include this little passage about Mary and Martha in the Bible." It almost seems out of place in the text. Jesus is busy teaching the disciples and sending out the 70 in the verses prior to Luke 10:38. Then in Luke's Gospel, he tells of Jesus making a stop in a village where Martha welcomed Him in her home. I am sure throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus was invited into many homes. By why was this incident mentioned?

The thought came to me that God knows women. He made us right? We are so subject to being distracted by so many things. I have never been married but in my experience, men basically have one track minds. A man can walk into a room and be focused on the fact that his favorite game is on television. A woman can walk into the same room and turn on the television, but then remember she needs to call Mary Jane, or wonder if she remembered to pay a bill, and at all at the same time keep up with the pertinent details of what is going on in the next room. Wow. This makes me tired just typing this.

Our Lord left this little message to you and to me: "_________, you are worried about so many things but only one thing is necessary. Sit at my feet and learn of Me."

Thank you Lord, I believe I will...

38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named aMartha welcomed Him into her home.
39 She had a sister called aMary, who was bseated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
40 But aMartha was distracted with 1all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “aMartha, Martha, you are bworried and bothered about so many things;
42 abut only one thing is necessary, for bMary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, S. Lk 10:38-42

Something New

I decided to start something new by joining others on this eblog journey. Also, I look at this as an outlet for my thoughts on certain topics and for what I am studying in the Word.

I love to do indepth Bible studies and in particular inductive Bible studies published by Precept Ministries. I have been in a class before but distance is playing a factor on how often I can attend. I would like to lead a class one day but that is not possible at this time.

I am no one from nowhere. If I told you what I do for a living or where I live this would tell you absolutely nothing about me, I think.

Right now I am studying Jonah. It is one of my favorite books. There is so much in that study about GOD. Yeah everyone knows about the man, Jonah, in the belly of a great fish (not a whale) but there is soooo much more. I look forward to sharing what I learned in the near future. Perhaps there are others out there who want to know their God better so join me on my journey. Go to Precept Ministries website and order your own book or just open up your Bible and begin to read....