Where to Keep Our Focus

“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 this present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour 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.” (Titus 2:11-14 NKJV)

    Throughout this month we have studied Titus 2:11-14 and learned:

• To be watchful of how we use our time each day (and aware of the habits already formed in our lives) to make sure we are being wise (Ephesians 5:15-17) and properly denying ungodliness and worldly lusts (v12), leaving no place for the devil to get a foothold (Ephesians 4:27).
• The importance of replacing all bad habits with good ones and how God prepares us for exactly that by telling us what we need to put off/flee and what we need to then put on/pursue, so we can live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age (v12).

    Now, as we finish our study of this passage, we will see the value of having a proper focal point and the truth we can think on so we can remove bad decisions before they become habits and learn to become zealous for good works (v14).

What to Focus on Each Day

    “…the grace of God that brings salvation…” (v11) Only by God’s grace can we be saved (Ephesians 2:1-9), we could not, cannot save ourselves from sin, but God loved us and sent His Son to be the atonement for our sins (1 John 4:9-10, John 3:16-21). Jesus gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed – how could we so belittle His sacrifice by returning to lawlessness? God’s grace frees us from the bonds of sin; we need to realize the magnitude of His gift and be vigilant in our effort to keep ourselves from sin and sinful habits (Romans 6, 1 John 1:7-10). God has helped us in this by preparing good works for us to walk in (develop as daily habits, Ephesians 2:10). Jesus gave Himself so that we would be purified from sin and become zealous for good works (v14). We need to think on God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice each day with sincere, unwavering focus and appreciation so our zeal for doing good works can develop and flourish (consider Galatians 6:9-10, Titus 3:8, 14).

    “…looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ…” (v13) Reminding ourselves that this life is temporary (James 4:14) will help us to make the best use of Today. We are not guaranteed tomorrow (James 4:15-17), but as children of God we have hope of life beyond this life (Titus 1:1-2, 1 John 3:1-3). When we keep our focus on things above (Colossians 3:1-2) we will walk in love, in light, and in wisdom (Ephesians 5:1-17); we will do our utmost to abide in Jesus and practice righteousness (make it a daily habit) so that when He appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed at His coming (1 John 2:28, 1 Timothy 2:15).

    Please read and reread Titus 2:11-14 and if you have time please add the epistle of 1 John to your reading schedule – it fortifies the points in this week’s lesson, as John reminds his readers of all that they can be assured of so that they remain faithful throughout their lives.

    Take time today to think on God’s grace that provides you with hope beyond this life. Recall it to your mind each morning as you open your eyes to a new day; think of it each night before you close your eyes, and be thankful (Psalms 92:1-12). Remain diligent in removing bad habits and deliberate in your desire to develop good ones; focus your mind on the freedom God has granted you by His grace to do beautiful, blessing-filled works (Galatians 5:22-23, “Against such there is no law”) and let your love and appreciation for Him be made evident in your zeal for doing what is right and good!

You can do it! So can I!!

Good Habits to Put in Place

    Last week in our study of Titus 2:11-14 we looked at what it means to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. I encouraged you to pay attention to your habits so you could identify the bad and/or sinful ones so you could make appropriate choices to remove them.

    In Matthew 12:43-45 Jesus spoke of a man who had an unclean spirit who leaves him but because he could find no new place to rest the unclean spirit decides to return to the man, finding his former “home” empty, swept, and put in order. So he takes seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they all enter the man – causing the state of the man to be worse now than it was before. The mistake the man made after the evil spirit left him was that he did not replace the evil that was removed with something good and proper; although swept and put in order (having a tidy appearance) he had left himself empty and did not fill himself up with better knowledge nor determination to maintain new and better habits/conduct.

    Have you heard the old proverb, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop”? We can remove bad habits but if we do not replace them with a new direction of thought and action we leave ourselves open to the devil’s deceptions (1 John 2:15-17). That is why God, in His great and abounding love for us, has always provided us with good habits to immediately put in place of the bad habits He commands us to remove.

    Consider the basis of our study: Titus 2:11-14. God tells us, through the apostle Paul, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (turn our backs on them) and instead “live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age” (v12) and “be zealous for good works” (v14) – God gives us good things to do (Ephesians 2:10) so we can develop new and better habits!

Side Note: soberly means with a sound mind, conducting yourself moderately and sensibly

                righteously means uprightly, morally correct behavior based on God’s law

                godly means pious and devout, wholly respectful of God and His way

                zealous (for good works) means ready and willing, most eager to do

    Consider the following passages and take hold of the good habits God proffers you to put in place of your bad habits:

Romans 13:12

• Cast off: works of darkness
• Put on: the armour of light

Romans 13:13

• Cast off: revelry and drunkenness, lewdness and lust, strife and envy
• Put on: walking properly

Romans 13:14

• Cast off: provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts
• Put on: the Lord Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 13:11

• Put away: childish things (speaking, understanding, thinking as a child)
• Put on: maturity and love

Ephesians 4:22-24

• Put off: former corrupt conduct, deceitful lusts (see vv17-19)
• Put on: the new man created according to God in true righteousness and holiness

Ephesians 4:25

• Put away: lying
• Put on: speaking the truth to your neighbour

Ephesians 4:28

• Put off: stealing
• Put on: laboring with your hands what is good so you can provide for those in need

Ephesians 4:29-32

• Put off: corrupt words (v29), all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking with all malice (v31)
• Put on: words that are good for necessary edification (building up, v29), kindness to one another, being tenderhearted, and being forgiving to one another (v32)

Colossians 3:5-14

• Put off: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, covetousness (idolatry), anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth, lying to one another, old man (of sin) with his deeds
• Put on: the new man renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another, love (the bond of perfection)

2 Timothy 2:22

• Flee: youthful lusts
• Pursue: righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

• Flee: sexual immorality (fornication)
• Instead:  glorify God in your body and spirit, which are God’s

1 Corinthians 10:13-14

• Flee: temptation (v13) and idolatry (v14)
• Take: the way of escape God makes (that you may be able to endure the temptation, v13)

1 Timothy 6:3-12

• Withdraw yourself from: teachers who do not consent to wholesome words, who are proud, knowing nothing, obsessed with dispute and arguments over words, from which envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of truth, who suppose that godliness if a means of gain (vv3-5)
• Flee: desire to be rich, love of money, greediness (vv9-10)
• Pursue: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness (v11), fight the good fight of faith (v12)

1 Timothy 6:17-19

• Do not be: haughty nor trust in uncertain riches
• Do: trust in the living God. Do good that you may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share

Hebrews 6:11-12

• Do not: become sluggish
• But Imitate: those who through faith and promises inherit the promises (v12) and show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end (v11)

Additional mentions of things to put off and what to put on:

• Put off: the body of the sins of the flesh (Colossians 2:11)
• Put on: Christ (Galatians 3:27)
• Put on: the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)
• Put on: the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
• Put on: follow after (pursue) good works (consider 1 Timothy 5:10)

    God is SO good! The Bible is not a book filled with a bunch of “thou shall nots,” but a book overflowing with loving instruction from our heavenly Father so we can walk properly as His children (Ephesians 5:1-17, 1 John 2:3-6) and have a beautiful and beneficial life! Think on these good habits that God commands you to put on and be busy in them! Remind yourselves of them each morning so you can develop your daily determination to put them into practice!

You can do it! So can I!! 

Be Watchful of Our Habits So We Can Change the Sinful Ones

    Last week we looked at the overall message of Titus 2:11-14 and the three areas we need to be aware of – and working on – so we can flourish in our walk as Christians. This week let’s dig into the first area: being watchful of our habits, so we can change the sinful ones.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts…” (Titus 2:11-12a NKJV)

    No matter your background, whether you were “raised in the church” (your parents were faithful Christians and raised you in accord with God’s word) or you came to your faith later in life, we all have habits; some good, some bad, some established through determined effort, and some we’re still unaware of although they are noticeable to others.

    We need to open our eyes to our habits – the ways we use our time in the days we are granted (Psalm 39:4-5; 90:12) – and walk in wisdom (Ephesians 5:15-17), respecting and appreciating the gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:1-13) that teaches us that we must deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (consider Romans 6:1-2, 1 John 2:15-17).

    If we have truly learned Christ – heard the gospel message (the grace of God that brings salvation) and been taught by His word, instructions, and conduct (consider 1 John 2:3-6) – then we will “no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind” but instead we will “put off… [our] former conduct, the old man (of sin) which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Ephesians 4:17-24).

    Sinful conduct will only grow more corrupt and will only lead us further into the pits of corruption when we mindlessly follow after lusts thinking that they will give us what we need. We must see sin for what it truly is and deny ungodliness and worldly lusts!

deny means to renounce, forsake, to turn your back on, you show yourself (by acts and conduct) to be wholly estranged from it

ungodliness means a lack of respect toward God, showing itself in bold irreverence (ungodly thoughts and deeds), and a refusal to give honour where honour is due

worldly lusts means a lust (corrupt desire) and longing for what is forbidden

    God’s word tells us clearly what to pursue and what to flee (ex: 2 Timothy 2:22), what to cling to and what to abhor (ex: Romans 12:9), what to put on and what to put off (ex: Colossians 3:1-17). Our Father provided His word for this very reason (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 5:14) – that‘s how much He loves us and wants us to overcome our bad habits – He tells us the way (John 14:6, Matthew 7:21), He lights the path (Psalm 119:105), and He even provided us with the perfect example in whose footsteps we can follow (1 Peter 2:20-24)!

    Open your eyes to your habits: Are you consuming your time with TV shows, movies, music, books/magazines, or online media that contain inappropriate and sinful content? Are you lusting after a celebrity or someone in your life you have no right to? Do you embrace negative thinking and nurture anxious thoughts? Do you find yourself complaining, fuming, and losing your temper on a regular basis? Do you spend more time with the world than you do in the word of God? Do you sound more like those in the world than a child of God? Are you more interested in spending time with your friends in the world than your acquaintances in the church? Do you prioritize family events/celebrations over church attendance? Do you put yourself (your feelings, your desires, etc.) ahead your responsibilities to God? Do you secretly judge your sisters in Christ? Do you privately slander your brethren? Do you keep your distance from those who keep stumbling in their walk so you can continue to look down on them? Do you steer clear of work in the church and then openly complain about what is lacking? These are just a few bad habits that we can have that exhibit ungodliness and give the devil a foothold in our lives (Ephesians 4:25-27), allowing him ample opportunity to deceive us into further corruption!

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13:11-14 NKJV)

    We are not guaranteed tomorrow, we must make appropriate use of Today. Let’s determine to make this Day One of our pursuit to prove, to ourselves and others, that we are on God’s side, that our desire is for Him and His way (Psalm 27:8)! Let’s determine to take full account of our conduct and habits, prayerfully removing every sinful one, so we can glorify God in all that we do and flourish even more in 2024!         

You can do it! So can I!!

Three Areas to Develop So We Can Flourish Even More

    In this new month I would like to build on our determination to Flourish Even More in 2024 by exploring a passage that tells us how to live: to be watchful of our tendencies/habits with a ready willingness to change them if they are sinful, the good habits we can put in their place, and where to keep our focus so we can maintain our attention in the first two points.  

“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 this present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour 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.” (Titus 2:11-14 NKJV)

    God, through the apostle Paul, packed so much good information into that one sentence and, if the Lord wills, we will use our time this month to dig into it so we can understand it and live it!

Be Watchful of our Tendencies/Habits So We Can Change the Sinful Ones

“…denying ungodliness and worldly lusts…”  (v12)

Good Habits to Put In Place

“…we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age…” (v12)

“…zealous for good works.” (v14)

Where to Keep Our Focus So We Can Maintain Our Attention

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us…” (v11)

“…looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people…” (v14)

    Over the week I would like you to read this passage within its context – the letter to Titus is only 3 chapters long (only 28 sentences!) and well worth your time. Being mindful of these three areas this month will help us to grow and flourish – are you ready?

You can do it! So can I!!