Earning your credentials...

Philemon 1:6  "... and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake."

The year was 1980.  I was halfway through an 18 month regimen of weekly chemotherapy treatments. Fatigue was my constant companion and nausea always hung just below the surface, eager to make its appearance.

In the midst of the physical discomfort, God was birthing something new deep inside me.  The fear and despair that enveloped me were being displaced by an inexplicable peace and joy.  The Holy Spirit was renewing me, remaking me with promises from His Word and by the prayers and  encouragement of my Christian friends.  I remember telling friends that He was "tenderizing" my heart.

The people who impacted me most were those who had overcome similar circumstances and had experienced God's mercy first hand.  They had "walked in my shoes" and, because of that, what they said pierced the surface and stuck in my heart.  They had instant credibility and I hung on their every word.

Paul's message to Philemon echoes my journey.  As we experience the "good things" Christ is doing in us, He is building in us a testimony.  My walk through cancer has given me credentials, allowing me to effectively share my faith with others who may be traveling the same road.  Whatever your circumstance, He's doing the same thing in you.

Lord, I can honestly say "Thank You" for my membership in the fraternity of cancer survivors.  Although it wasn't clear at the time, looking back, I see that the suffering was an essential part of my spiritual journey. I'm so thankful that I can trust You with every facet of my life.  Please let others see in me a grateful heart today. Amen.

"Being and Doing...."

Titus 3:8   "This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men."

Titus 3:14  "Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful."

Ephesians 2:10   "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

James 2:14-18.  "What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?   If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?  Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.  But someone may well say, 'You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.'"

These few verses are but a sampling of God's Word that describe the relationship between "being" and "doing".  These two concepts are inextricably linked in the word "faith".  Faith is inherently an action word.  It is dynamic and by its very nature involves vulnerability and risk.

Trusting Jesus, committing my life to Him, drives me to action.  According to the verses above,  acting on my faith in a way that honors God is a learning process,  is proactive ("careful"),  becomes a way of life ("walk in them"), and meets the pressing needs of others.

Lord, I confess that too often I am so self-absorbed that I miss the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and in so doing, I miss the opportunity to be engaged with You in living out my faith.  Please help me to look upward and outward more than inward.  Help me to "be" and "do" today.  Amen.

Be prepared...

Titus 3:1.  "Remind them ... to be ready for every good deed..."

I grew up in the Boy Scouts and their motto became ingrained in my thinking, part of my DNA: "Be prepared."  I came to understand that there are three key components to preparedness: resources, training, and state of mind.

Living in Southern California,  preparedness is usually linked to earthquakes. We are constantly reminded to be ready for the "Big One".  At school we have equipment and supplies sufficient to sustain our student body for 72 hours.  We have a plan and we practice it and, for me as the leader, the anticipation of an earthquake is always lurking just below the surface of my thinking.

Paul exhorts Titus to remind the Believers to be prepared for every good deed. How do we do that?  Joshua 1:8 says, "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success."

For me to be "ready for every good deed", I must spend time daily in God's Word, allowing it to saturate my thinking.  Then, as opportunities arise, the Holy Spirit will guide me in using what I have learned. That's the "resources and training"  part.  In order to be fully prepared, I must also maintain the right mindset, always anticipating opportunities to share God's Word with those He brings my way.

Lord,  I know You have a plan for me today.  Please help me to be sensitive to Your leading.  Holy Spirit, please bring to mind the appropriate Words for every encounter.  I'm ready

Meet my personal trainer....

Titus 2:11-13  "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing ("training") us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus..."

I celebrated turning 40 by competing (I use that term loosely!) in the Seal Beach Triathlon.  It was a significant event for me in that it marked 5 years of surviving colon cancer.   My primary goal in the race was to finish; my secondary goal was to do it in under two hours.

I dedicated 6 months to prepare for the race, my regimen consisting of daily jogging and biking, and  occasional swimming   In addition, I went to the gym three days a week and worked out with a personal trainer   Knowing what lay ahead of me, he created a specific regimen geared toward my goals.

As Believers, each of us has a personal trainer, the Holy Spirit.  By the grace of God, He designs a training plan custom-fit for us.  We share a common goal: to "finish the race" victoriously.  The race is a triathlon, having three components: denying, living, and looking.

Training isn't easy.  Hebrew 12:11 says, "All discipline ("training") for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."

With the help of my Personal Trainer, I will successfully get rid of the bad habits, replace them with godly ones, and keeping my eye on the goal, reach the finish line in victory.

Lord, thank You for not leaving me to figure things out for myself.  Thank You for Your indwelling Spirit who relentlessly trains me to run the race well.  Please help me to keep my eye on the finish line.  Amen

Are you an adornment or a stain?

Titus 2:10   "... showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect."

"What's that on your shirt?"  I hear that occasionally when I get home from school or after a meal.  It's not a compliment.  It's recognition that I am very skilled at attracting food or other stains that detract from my appearance.

"That looks good on you!"  That's a comment I would much rather hear.  Something I am wearing is adding positively to my appearance, making me more attractive.

Paul tells Titus that each day the way we conduct ourselves will either stain or adorn the Gospel.  Our conversation, our attitudes, our body language, our choices will attract people to Him or will detract from Him.

I have a choice today to either be an adornment or a stain.  It's up to me.

Lord, I want to draw people to You today.  Please let my life complement the Gospel as Your Holy Spirit lives in and through me.  Amen.

I hear what you say, but....

Titus 1:16  "They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed."

For months we have been deluged, overwhelmed with "spun-truths", "half-truths", and outright lies.  They're everywhere.... T.V., radio, newspapers, automated telephone calls.  Everyone wants us to believe what they say, but they rarely tell us the whole truth.

Paul told Titus to confront the false teachers who had infiltrated the church at Crete.  They were seeking to become the leaders,  proclaiming a relationship with God, but their actions revealed their true colors.

I believe our country is at a crossroads today.  I pray that Americans across our land will vote for truth, that we will be able to penetrate the smokescreen, wade through the verbiage, and evaluate the claims in light of actions.  I pray we will vote into leadership men and women whose lives demonstrate a stand for godly, moral values.  I fear for our country if we continue down the road we currently travel, a road littered with the bodies of unborn babies and reeking with the stench of immorality.

Oh, God, I believe we are like Israel of old, rebellious, not heeding the warning of Your prophets to repent. Please, God, forgive us, let righteousness prevail today.  Give Christians the courage to stand together for You.  Amen.

"Living above reproach..."

Titus 1:7   "For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain..."

The Holy Spirit often brings to my mind songs I learned as a little boy in Sunday School.  Sometimes they reassure me and other times they rebuke me.  One such song starts out like this, "Oh, be careful little hands what you do...for the Father up above is looking down in love..."  It goes on to remind me to "be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little ears what you hear, be careful little mouth what you say, be careful little feet where you go."

Paul's words to Titus are directed at Christian leaders, but they apply to each of us as well.  Twice in a few verses he says we should be "above reproach".  Our lives should be of such quality that there is no basis for accusation of wrongdoing.

How can I do it?  For me, the key is in that simple children's song..."for the Father up above is looking down in love..."  The Father is ever present; His Holy Spirit is within me.  There is nothing I can see or say, nothing I can do, nowhere I can go that is  beyond His observation   It is the awareness of His presence that keeps me "in line".

Lord, as I begin this day, I acknowledge my inability to live above reproach; I am inclined to stumble.  Thank You for Your presence around me and within me.  Please guide me, restrain me from thoughtless words or actions, remind me that You are near.  I want to represent You well today.  Amen