Titus 2:1-10 New American Standard Bible
Proclaim Sound Doctrine
2 But as for you, proclaim the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be [a]temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, in [b] perseverance.
3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may [c]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.
6 Likewise urge the young men to be [d]sensible; 7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with [e]purity in doctrine, dignified, 8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Have you seen the car commercial that talks about having “this or that” and how much better it is to have “this and that and the other”?
That commercial illustrates how I feel about the local church I get the privilege of being an Associate Pastor in. We are planted in the quiet rural backroads of Jarrettsville, Maryland and what started simply as a “old country church” has become something far more complex and in need of repairs —yet beautiful.
Many of the churches in our area swing far to one side of the pendulum: they are either comprised of mainly small families, or they have few families but a large group of diverse aged students. Rarely does a church have much of both, but by God’s grace, we are blessed by a small mix of young and order families.
We are the and We need each other
Psalm 71:18 says,
“Even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”
Likewise, Psalm 145:4 declares,
“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”
Hebrews 10:19-25 New American Standard Bible
A New and Living Way
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let’s approach God with a [a]sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let’s consider how to [b]encourage one another in love and good deeds, 25 not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Throughout the Biblical Canon we clearly see that each generation is called to nurture one another, build on the foundation passed on from the previous one.
Mark 4:13-20 New American Standard Bible
Explanation of the Parable
13 And He *said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16 And in a similar way these are the ones sown with seed on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and yet they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately they [a]fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown with seed among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 but the worries of the [b]world, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter and choke the word, and it [c]becomes unfruitful. 20 And those are the ones sown with seed on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.”
What this illustrates in our local churches context is that in each successive generation, we all absolutely need each other in order to produce Kingdom fruit; a healthy fruitful local church and see Jesus’ mission going very forward.
Mentoring Discipleship
Deuteronomy 6:4-12 New American Standard Bible
4 “Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. 8 You shall also tie them as a [a]sign to your [b]hand, and they shall be as [c]frontlets [d]on your forehead. 9 You shall also write them on the [e]doorposts of your house and on your gates.
10 “Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land that He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and carved cisterns which you did not carve out, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, 12 be [f]careful that you do not forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of [g]slavery.
We need older men and women planting their know how and maturity into younger men and women. This is how we help build godly character, invest in future generations, and help ensure legacies of faith in Jesus going forward.
Sacrificial Service
Psalm 118:24-29 New American Standard Bible
24 This is the day which the Lord has made;
Let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, O Lord, do save us;
Please, O Lord, do send prosperity!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, and He has given us light;
Bind the festival sacrifice [a]to the horns of the altar with cords.
28 You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
You are my God, I exalt You.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His mercy is everlasting.
In all aspects of life we have been covenanted by God to give our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving in the house of the Lord to serve Jesus and one another.
With a church of multi-generational families the opportunities to sacrifice and serve are innumerable – as the effort of our counting the stars in the night sky.
Carrying our Crosses, Bearing our Burdens, Trusting God
Proverbs 3:5-10 New American Standard Bible
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your [a]body
And refreshment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord from your wealth,
And from the first of all your produce;
10 Then your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
Each of us has probably already made many decisions today. And for the rest of the day, we will continue to make conscious and not-so conscious decisions.
The choices we make say something about who we are and whom we serve.
Is life “all about me,” or am I aware that what I do is really my response to my Creator and Provider?
We read, “In all your ways submit to him.”
That calls for implicitly trusting that God’s ways are good, that following them leads to bearing Kingdom fruit, and living life to the full, as God intends for us.
When Joshua challenged Israel,
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”” (Joshua 24:15),
Joshua knew that his decision to serve the Lord shaped all his other decisions.
When we trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, all our other decisions are based on obeying his teachings, not relying on our own “best understanding.”
Guided by the God, Jesus, Holy Spirit and God’s Word, we know what to do.
We know God’s Spirit will not tell us to do what God’s Word says we may not.
And obedience eventually leads to being on the right path, whatever the cost.
Knowing what to do comes more readily with a whole-hearted commitment to serving Jesus and our neighbors. Then, like Jesus, we will be focused on our own calling to be fruitful disciples who make decisions based on knowing God’s will.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit ….
Praying ….
Psalm 119:33-40 Complete Jewish Bible
ה (Heh)
33 Teach me, Adonai, the way of your laws;
keeping them will be its own reward for me.
34 Give me understanding; then I will keep your Torah;
I will observe it with all my heart.
35 Guide me on the path of your mitzvot,
for I take pleasure in it.
36 Bend my heart toward your instructions
and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
with your ways, give me life.
38 Fulfill your promise, which you made to your servant,
which you made to those who fear you.
39 Avert the disgrace which I dread,
for your rulings are good.
40 See how I long for your precepts;
in your righteousness, give me life!
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 