An Attractive Message

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Bible Reading

Psalm 36
2 Timothy 2
Titus 2

Ps 36:5-7 Your unfailing love, O Lord is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depth. You care for people and animals alike O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

2 Tim 2:11 I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ to those God has chosen.

2 Tim 2:15-16 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.

2 Tim 2:21-26 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

Titus 2:1-11 As for you, Titus, promote the kind of life that reflects wholesome teaching. ..They they will not bring shame on the word of God (V5) Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. (V11) then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.

Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of God will be revealed. (v15) You must teach these things…

Devotional Thoughts

There is a really good book that I read while in training based on Titus 2:11-12. “Disciplined by Grace” by JF Strombeck. The premise is that it’s God’s grace that motivates us to live rightly. Because of all God has done for us, when we truly understand it, Romans 12:1 becomes true… I willingly give my life to him, it’s only a reasonable sacrifice, since He gave Himself for me.

Ps 36:5-7 describes the depth of God’s love and faithfulness to us. “Your unfailing love, O Lord is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depth. How precious is your unfailing love O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.” When we understand and experience the depth of His love, we should be able to say, along with Paul, “I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ to those God has chosen.”

Paul instructs Timothy to “work hard… be a good worker… avoid worthless foolish talk that leads to more godless behavior. (2 Tim 2:15-16) Our motivation for how we speak to people and what we say should not be to cause arguments, but always, in everything to help them “come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.” (2 Tim 21-26)

Paul instructs Titus, promote the kind of life that reflects wholesome teaching (Titus 2:1). Then you will not bring shame on the word of God (Titus 2:5) Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. (Titus 2:11) then you will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.

As God’s image bearers, motivated by God’s unfailing love that is as vast as the heavens, our message, both from what people witness in our lives, and what they hear come out of our mouth, should attract them to God, and not distract or generate more godless behavior because of what they see.

Prayer points:

  1. That you will come to know the vastness of God’s love, not just in theory, but by experience.
  2. That God’s grace, His love, will occupy your heart to the place where it motivates everything you do.
  3. That the way you live your life would not in any way be a distraction from people seeing Christ.
  4. That your conversation would not bring shame on the Word and Name of God.
  5. That everything you do would reflect the seriousness of your message… helping people to escape the devil’s trap and freeing them from being captive by him.

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