Titus 2:2: "Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance."
I love sharing with people the idea that, "You can only be young once, but you can be immature forever." I dont believe God wants us to walk around with a somber face every minute of the day. There is a certain amount of teaching you do by the way you handle life.
Meditate On This!
Although we could go a number of directions with this teaching today, I want you to meditate on what kind of legacy you are leaving your family by the way you handle your life. How you handle situations - whether temperate or out of control - sensibly or irrationally - in faith or out of opinion - love-based or hurt-based - with long suffering and perseverance or short tempered - will have an effect on your family. You will be remembered not only by words you use, but also by your reactions to lifes situations.
This week, take some time to ask God to show you the type of spiritual legacy you are leaving your family and associates.
2 Peter 1:5-9: "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But, if anyone does not have them he is near-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."
In order for us to enjoy a Major League baseball game, it takes hundreds and hundreds of hours by hundreds and hundreds of people behind the scenes. One such person is the scout. As he goes to and fro across the face of this earth, he is looking for young men who can play the game of baseball. Typically, he is looking for "tools" - tools that will take this young man to the next level of baseball. Typically, those tools include: running, throwing, and hitting.
As we look at the verses above, we see some of the "tools" God is looking for to keep us productive in our knowledge of Christ. Notice that we need to possess them, and, also have them, in increasing measure. If we do not possess these qualities, in the long run, we will forget that we have been cleansed from our past sins.
Meditate On This
It is a "grocery list", but let’s ask ourselves the question: On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest), what kind of grade would you give yourself in the following areas:
- Goodness
- Knowledge
- Self-control
- Perseverance
- Godliness
- Brotherly kindness
- Love
In those areas in which you scored low, what can you do to raise those scores? Are you satisfied with the level you have attained in all the areas? Ask God to help you continually improve the "tools" which He has given us.
James 1:13-15: "When tempted, no one should say, God is tempting me. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
We are all pretty good at playing the "blame game", arent we. "He did it." "Its not my fault." It seems to be a human tendency to blame someone else since Adam and Eve in the garden. Isnt this also true as we think of our relationship to God and sin? Remember, God cannot tempt anyone. Rather, it is what is living in us that is the problem. For example, if you have a problem with stealing, you are going to be tempted when goods are left unguarded.
Meditate On This!
The sin within us is the cause of the problems we face. Our loving Father is in the restoring business and wants to continually restore us to fellowship. But also He calls us to be crucified with Christ. What is in you that entices you so much that you take a vacation from Christ?
In I John, it says that the world is the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and pride of life. What are each of those in your life? This week ask God to show you the sin within you that keeps you handcuffed.
James 1:19-20: "My dear brothers, take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."
Quickness is a great attribute of an athlete. In fact, without it many athletes will not excel in their given sport. If you play basketball, it is not as important how fast you run the mile, but rather how quick you get that first step. In baseball, tenths of a second can make the difference between being "safe" or "out" at first base. Yes, quickness is indeed an attribute for every athlete.
In the Scriptures we are also told to be quick to flee from temptation, and in the above verse, quick to listen. However, another attribute in Christianity, which is not necessarily an attribute in athletics, is to be slow - slow to speak and slow to anger.
Meditate On This!
How are you doing with this command from the Word of God? Ask yourself these questions: Do I really listen to what people are saying? Do I interrupt and want to add my two-cents before they are completed with their thought? Am I over-anxious in giving a response before hearing the entire story? Do I battle with impatience? Do I "explode" because I misinterpret motives?
This week there are some things we can all practice in everyday conversation. Try to listen to everything a person says before we respond, and then, when responding, watch our tongue. Right now, ask the Holy Spirit to help you in these areas. He is in the business of changing us, and this is one area that may need a major adjustment. Dont try to do it on your own power, but ask Him to give you the ability to lead a righteous life - flee from anger and impatience.
Proverbs 22:24-25: "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared."
We have all had fits of anger, havent we. Fortunately, in the verses above God is not talking about a person who occasionally gets upset. Rather, He is telling us that we do have the potential to become like the people with whom we associate.
I remember, as a younger person, seeing players smashing water coolers or throwing equipment, etc., because of their anger. As I got older and became a coach, even though I understood fits of rage, they were an embarrassment and if not dealt with, could be understood as acceptable behavior.
Meditate On This!
Although we are to be "light and salt" in the world, there may be people in the family of God or that you are "hanging with" that bring you down. Why? Because they are men or women of anger. Take the time this week to go to a concordance and look up anger in the Scriptures. It is amazing how many references are made to men of anger, especially in Proverbs.
On the other hand, maybe you are one of those men of anger. It affects your wife, your family, the way people act around you, etc. Get on your knees and ask God to show you the reason for your anger, and ask Him to help you take care of any unresolved issues.
Proverbs 6:16-19: "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers."
Typically when you become a part of any company or organization, you are given an "Owners Manual". In it are mentioned the various privileges you have, as well as some of the guidelines of the organization.
In the above verses, God mentions seven things that He detests.
Meditate On This!
Lets put all seven down and ask where we are in this:
1) Haughty eyes
Are you proud? Do you have a look in your eyes other than that which Jesus would have?
2) A lying tongue
Half truths are not true.
3) Hands that shed innocent blood
Hopefully, none of us are in that category.
4) A heart that devises wicked plans
Remember our hearts are deceitfully wicked. Are your plans always for good?
5) Feet that run swiftly to evil
Do you run from temptation, or actually enjoy running toward it?
6) A false witness who breathes lies
Here we go again with the tongue. A false witness affects other people.
7) One who causes strife among brothers and sisters
Are you one who is causing the followers of Christ around you to go in a direction other than what God would want?
This is serious stuff, gang. Lets get on our knees now and ask the Spirit to expose any of these that are a part of our lives.
