Category Archives: Testimony

Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Commands, Faith, Love, Modeling, Parenting, Scripture, Testimony

A REAL MAN

TITUS 2:2

“Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.”

Today there is a lot of debate about what a man should be. Should he be more in touch with his feelings and show more emotion or should he be more macho and manly? Well, right here in today’s verse we have a perfect definition of a godly man. Paul gives us six ways to identify a real man.

He is first temperate (not under the influence of outside sources). He is to be dignified (has the respect of others). He is to be sensible (have control of his behavior). And then Paul says he should be sound (in good shape) in regards to faith, love and perseverance. Wow! Is this all possible? In Christ it is.

APPLICATION

How do you make this verse applicable to your children? By teaching them all these principles. We want all our children to be protected from outside influences. Therefore, insulate them with God’s Word. We want them all to be well respected by others. That comes from showing respect and living lives that earn respect. And, of course, we want them all to be sensible, which really means to be self-controlled.

As parents, we are to help our children’s faith grow, to help them learn to love others as Christ does and to learn to persevere under hard times. All three of those will make them healthier Christians, which is what the word “sound” implies. We get our word “hygiene” from it. Healthy faith, healthy love and healthy perseverance. Hmmm, I could use some of that myself.

So, how do you measure up, dad? Are you a real man? But hold on, mom. These are applicable to you, too. Do you exemplify these traits? Our goal should always to be more and more like Christ. Our goal should be perfection. We will never achieve perfection, of course, but Jesus is our model of a real man. Strive to live like Him and point towards Him always.

O Lord, give me these traits today as I live my life for You. I want others to only see You as they look at me. May my every action and word draw them to You.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Deception, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Eternity, Holy Spirit, Lies, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Testimony

PRETENDERS

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.”

Don’t you just hate people who pretend to be one thing but aren’t? Hate is really too strong a word. We shouldn’t hate anyone, except Satan. But pretenders are very hard to like, much less love. Paul had undoubtedly dealt with some of these folks through the years. He is now warning Titus to be careful. They say they know God, but…

Paul says their words don’t match their actions. They are detestable. That Greek word is only used right here. It means revolting, abominable. Then he says they are disobedient. This word really has the meaning that they can’t be persuaded. Don’t waste your time. And finally, Paul says they are worthless. That’s kind of harsh, isn’t it? The Greek word means unapproved or rejected.

APPLICATION

So, let me ask you something. Is that how you want you or your children to be known? “Not really, Carl.” Then you have to decide to surrender your life fully to Christ as you walk with Him daily. We can’t say we believe Christ and not follow Him. We can’t say we love Christ and yet hate others. As you live out Christ, your children will see the connection. When they don’t, point it out.

There are far too many people in the church today who are playing pretend Christianity. They don’t seem to realize that the Lord sees right through that. And if you are walking in the truth daily, you will also. Your children, however, can be hoodwinked. People can fool them. Teach them to allow the Holy Spirit who resides within them to reveal people’s real motives. He will.

Pretenders know ABOUT God, but they don’t know God. If they really knew Him, they would not be detestable, disobedient or worthless. They would welcome good deeds and would be qualified to carry them out. Why? Because they would be done to glorify Jesus, not themselves.

How do you measure up? Are you pretending rather than living truth? Playing pretend can be fun if your playing. It’s not if you are talking about eternal things. There’s no fooling the Lord. Why don’t you today allow the Lord to set you free from the temptation to deceive others about your walk. Live in truth. It’s so much simpler.

You are the Real Deal. There is no pretending with You. I want to be known by others as genuine and true.

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Advice, Bible, Child Bearing, Child Raising, Commands, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Eternity, Evangelism, Following, Inspirational, Love, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Testimony, Witnessing

TOUGH LOVE

TITUS 1:13

“This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,”

When I read this verse, I was trying to figure out what point to emphasize. I settled on the word “severely.” Why? Because so many times we rebuke others so cautiously they truly don’t understand the severity of their sin. We hear people all the time talking about God’s love. I even heard someone on tv say one time that the Gospel means God loves you. While that statement is true, that is not the Gospel.

Paul says to rebuke them severely. That means just what is says. Give it to them with both barrels. If you don’t, they could very well spend eternity in hell. I know you don’t want that. They may get upset with you. That’s okay. I had rather have a mad friend in heaven than an unoffended friend in hell. Point out their errors from God’s perspective. The rest is up to Him. He will “close the deal.”

APPLICATION

This applies to our children as well. There are time when a swift, severe rebuke is called for. I don’t need to spell out what that means. You know. Don’t let the crocodile tears or the puppy dog eyes sway you. If you truly love your children, you will administer quick and decisive discipline. If you don’t, you are asking for trouble. They will figure it out, and you are gone for.

Willful disobedience is my threshold. When a child willfully disobeys, I respond with the severe rebuke. They know better, yet they willfully disobey. You have to be aware of their actions though. You can’t go on word of mouth. When they see you being consistent and harsh, you will begin to see a different child.

Are you willing to be the “bad guy”? Are do you compromise so they will still like you? Only one of these choices has a happy ending. I believe you will find if you will start out as firm rebuker, you will have fewer and fewer opportunities to show it. People will know you mean what you say and say what you mean. They will respect your approach. Do what God’s word says and experience the freedom of firmness.

Father, I don’t like being too firm with others, especially my own children. But I know You have called me to confront others in sin. Give me boldness to approach them and win them to Jesus.

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Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Family, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Parenting, Reputation, Testimony

REPUTATION

TITUS 1:12

“One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’”

What a reputation! And this was said by one of their own. How would you like to be known as a liar? I’ve known people who would lie about the dumbest stuff. I didn’t know what to believe. I prefer to tell the truth. It’s much easier to keep straight.

And then he says they are evil beasts and lazy gluttons. The Greek word for “evil beasts” means brute. It’s someone who is always aggressive and mean towards others. “Lazy gluttons” means just want you think. All they think about is satisfying their own belly, their own desires, but they don’t want to do anything about it. What a terrible reputation.

APPLICATION

My dad always told me that our reputation was important. The Willis name was known as an honorable name. My dad’s name meant something in our hometown. So, he pressed my brother and I, especially, to keep that same reputation. Well, family names are important, but keeping the name of Jesus above reproach is even more important.

You need to teach your children when they come to Christ, that they now represent Jesus wherever they go. What they do and say reflects on Him. As a Christian we have a higher calling. We are not perfect, but we need to live in such a way that others are drawn to Christ and not repelled by our lifestyle. Of course, you have to model this for your children. They will learn best by observing.

Are you living that way? If someone were to describe you, especially a non-believer, what would they say? Are you more like a Cretan or a Christian? I pray today you take a moment to look at your outward display of your faith. Make sure everyone you come into contact with knows where your allegiance is – with Christ. May He be glorified in all you do this day.

I am not perfect, Lord, but You are. Help me submit my will and actions to Your divine plan for my life today. I want others to see only You when they see me.

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PUT A MUZZLE ON HIM

TITUS 1:11

“who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.’

One time our dear, precious dog named Reese had to be muzzled. He had hurt his back chasing birds in our back yard and had to see the vet. Because he was hurting so bad, the vet knew he would be very defensive about being touched, even though the vet was trying to help him. So, on went the muzzle. The vet worked on him and then took it off.

Why am I talking about muzzles? Because the Greek word for “must be silenced” means exactly that. The word only appears right here in the New Testament and means to stop the mouth or muzzle. These people’s words are harmful and need to be stopped. Now, you can’t put a muzzle on people (although that would be nice sometimes, lol), but you can stop the words from influencing your family by refusing to listen and changing the environment.

APPLICATION

Your children are going to hear all kinds of wrong teaching and ideas as they grow up. How do you protect them? Well, you insulate them rather than isolate them. As you teach them the truth of God’s Word, they will learn to recognize the false teachings. You must teach them when they hear these things to handle them. What do I mean by that?

They may not be able to leave the situation if they are in a classroom hearing this from a teacher. In that case, they must be prepared to stand their ground and defend the Gospel. If they are somewhere from which they can remove themselves, that might be the best option. And they may have to change some friends who refuse to hear the truth and openly oppose it. Those are tough lessons, but the Lord will protect and defend them.

Are you willing to stand for the Gospel and defend your family from the attacks of the evil one? You may need to change your tv habits. You may need to adjust the music you are listening to. You may have to avoid certain situations with your children because you know there will be conflict with some people. Whatever it is, you need to decide to stand tall and trust the Lord. He’s got your back.

I am grateful for Your steadfast presence in my life. I know I can trust You to defend me when I am attacked. Help me be strong and bold in the face of opposition.

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Affection, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Disciplemaking, Elders, Encouragement, Following, Godliness, Inspirational, Mentoring, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Qualifications, Righteousness, Scripture, Testimony

EXPECTATIONS

TITUS 1:8

“but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled,”

What do you expect from your leaders? Well, Paul continues to lay out the Lord’s expectations for Elders. These leaders are so important to the healthy function of the body of Christ. By living up to these expectations they are showing others that these are possible through Christ. Let’s look at these quickly.

“Hospitable” literally means to love strangers. “Loving what is good” is really a lover of what God loves. “Sensible” can be translated as self-control. “Just” is approved by God. “Devout” means beloved by God. And finally, “self-controlled” has the meaning of being mastered from within.

APPLICATION

Why did I go through all those words? Because you need to know them, and your children need to know them. You need to know that they are all possible through Christ. The Lord will never put an expectation on you or your children that He cannot empower you to do. He can give you the ability to love strangers. He can give your children the ability to love what God loves.

Do you believe that? Or do you think these qualifications only apply to Elders? NO!!!! They apply to us all. All believers need to live this way. So, what keeps us from doing that? That’s simple. Our flesh, our self gets in the way. And the only way to get rid of that is to die to it daily and surrender your all to Him. When you do that, your kids see that.

Are you willing to live this way? Can you embrace these qualities knowing He can live these through you? Decide today to do this. If you allow Him to control you, He will use you in ways you cannot imagine. And as He uses you, your children will see that and hopefully begin to emulate these qualities they see in you.

I want to be just like You, Lord. All these qualities are You. I will surrender my will to You today.

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KEEP AN EYE ON YOU

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 position of overseer or elder has often been misinterpreted as a position of authority or title. The Greek word for “overseer” actually means someone who intently keeps their eye on something or someone. In the church that man is watching over the church body to provide first-hand care and protection. It’s a service role more than an authority role.

Now, elders must help guide the body. But they do this from a position of service, not by brow beating. That is exactly why Paul lays out all these qualifications. In this verse he gives six more character traits (good steward, not self-willed, not quick tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain). He has further limited the pool of men who rise to the position, this ensuring their heart for service, not rule.

 APPLICATION

It is interesting that these traits Paul lists for an elder are traits we as parents want for our children. We want them to handle what God gives them well. Money management is an important skill for us to teach them. Secondly, we want them to think more of others than themselves. Self-willed children will face many more challenges. Thirdly, we definitely want them to know how to control their temper, to not be easily upset or angry.

We also want our children to know how to handle the issue of drinking. If you think they won’t face that temptation, you are fooling yourself. You have to model that. The next trait, not pugnacious, means not a fighter. Some kids are always ready for a fight. We want to teach them how to avoid that. And finally, we want them to not be greedy. In fact, we want them to share liberally.

So, you see these elder traits are really traits for us all. How are you living up to these? These are all characteristics of someone surrendered to Christ. It requires dying to self daily. Then you too can help oversee the flock. You can keep your eye on your brother or sister to help guide and protect. Aren’t we all called to do that in the family of God?

Father, remind me to live my life in such a way that I am worthy of “overseeing” my brother and sister. I want to live like Jesus so I can help guide others in the path of righteousness.

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THE RIGHT MAN

TITUS 1:6

“namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.”

Paul begins a list of qualifications for elders in today’s verse that goes through verse 9. This list is long and intimidating. When I read it, I wonder who can fulfill it. Who can possibly meet all these expectations? Only the man who is one hundred percent surrendered to the Lordship of Christ.

Paul describes an elder, the men he wants Titus to find and appoint in Crete, as above reproach or blameless, He must not have more than one wife. He has to be old enough for his children to have accepted Christ. He can withstand accusations that he is unsalvageable or insubordinate. Wow! That bar is high.

APPLLICATION

Children play a key role in their father’s selection as elder. Why would their children’s salvation be a determining factor? Because it implies that he has spent the time to invest in their lives and lead them to Christ. It implies that family is a priority. They say your family should be your first mission.

This is why, mom and dad, I spend so much time telling you to read Scripture to your kids. Scripture is what draws them to salvation. It prepares their heart to hear from the Lord. That means you must be a student of the Word. You must be comfortable sharing and applying it. This is an eternal decision. Don’t take it lightly.How do you line up with the list given today? You may never be asked to serve as an Elder. But I believe we all need to strive for the highest standards. We all serve a mighty God. If you don’t meet the criteria, ask the Lord to change your heart. He can use you. Won’t you let him?

O precious Lord, I know I am not worthy, but You want to use me. I am Your vessel. I surrender to You.

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MY STUFF

2 TIMOTHY 4:13

“When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.”

Paul was in prison, his last imprisonment, and like a lot of prisoners, was asking a friend to bring him a few things. From what I have read about his conditions, they weren’t too nice. He was basically in a hole in the ground, guarded around the clock. It was a damp, cold, uncomfortable cell. So, he wanted that cloak to stay warm.

But why the books and parchments? He wasn’t through writing and reading God’s Word. We don’t know what the books were, but I bet they were Greek fables. Paul didn’t have time to waste on mindless thoughts. His focus, even there, was presenting the Gospel. And the parchments? I suppose they were for more writing. Aren’t you glad Paul wrote his thirteen letters of the New Testament for us to read today?

APPLICATION

You are probably thinking, “How will you apply this verse, Carl?” Well, think about it. How much time and energy are you wasting right now? Paul didn’t spurn one moment. He was laser focused even in his last days to present the Gospel. Are you and your children doing the same? We may not be in a prison cell, but we are in the last days. Yep, I believe that. I believe every day could be our last, so bring me my cloak and books and parchments.

Explain to your children that we have a responsibility to take every opportunity we have to share the Word of God with the lost. Do they have lost friends? Make sure your children know how to share with them. Do they have a teacher who needs to hear about the Lord? Perhaps you can go with them to share. That would be cool – tag teaming with your child.

Just don’t waste these moments. Take full advantage of every day the Lord allows you to be here on planet earth. He has placed you here and brought you to salvation for one purpose. He wants to use you to spread His message of salvation to a lost and dying world. Will you do that? What do you need? A cloak? Some books? Some parchments? Ask and it will given.

O Lord My God, I know You will give me exactly what I need to accomplish Your mission. Give me the gumption and desire to fulfill all You have for me. I want to see many come to You.

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WHATEVER YOU NEED

2 TIMOTHY 4:12

“But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.”

Have you ever had a friend who said, “Whatever you need”? And they mean it. You could call on them for anything, and they would be there. Tychicus was that type of friend. He is mentioned by name five times in the New Testament, once in Acts 20:4 and four other times in Paul’s letters (Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 2:7; today’s verse and Titus 3:12).

He was a faithful and beloved friend of Paul who is believed to have delivered the letters of Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. He may have delivered 2 Corinthians. He was sent by Paul to Crete and Ephesians. Why am I telling you all this about Tychicus? Because we need faithful friends, and we need to be that type of faithful friend.

APPLICATION

Our children are going to have so many friends in their lifetime, but only a few like Tychicus. And the best way for them to have those kinds of friends is to be that type of friend. To be that kind of friend you have to have a motivation beyond your friendship. Tychicus wasn’t serving Paul. He was serving Jesus. So, how can your children serve Jesus by serving their friends? That makes them a Tychicus, not just doing nice things for them.

Of course, they will also learn to be like Tychicus by watching how you and your friends interact. As they observe your selfless love for others, they will begin to understand what that means. When you give up your time and resources to meet your friends’ needs, they will ask you questions. These are the times you can explain selfless love and commitment. What great teaching moments.

How are you doing with being a Tychicus today? Have you thanked your friends who are being Tychicus to you? I know I have several people in my life who I need to thank more for that. You may not think of Tychicus as being a major player in the New Testament, but Paul obviously trusted and loved him. One day we will meet him in eternity and get to hear the rest of the story. Will you serve the Lord that selflessly today?

Lord, it is not important that I am known for what I do for You or others. Help me to serve just to please You. Let me be a faithful friend to those who need me.

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