Adorn the doctrine of God

I think I finally figured out the problem that has kept me from posting for a month now!  So I will work on catching myself up on a few things now that the holidays and shingles are over.

My special verse for 2019 is Titus 2:10b: "... adorn the doctrine of God our Savior."  Or, as it is put in the NIV version, "make the doctrine of God attractive."  I was really struck by the picture of what God is asking of me, so here is what I wrote the first day I read this and was meditating on it.

Titus 2:10b … adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

So just how does a believer “adorn the doctrine of God?”  Paul told Titus to encourage, teach and exemplify for the believers in Crete how to do this, so just what should they do?  I see several things mentioned in the letter to Titus:

           

            1. be self-controlled.  Everyone is included, beginning with the leaders (1:7) to older men (2:3), then women/wives (2:5) and younger men (2:6).

            2. be submissive and “well-pleasing” with others.  This is mentioned for servants   in particular (2:9), but can easily be applied to everyone when Paul ends the statement with the exhortation to “show all good faith.”  Besides, everyone has someone who is of greater authority than themselves and to whom he/she must submit, whether it be employment, home, church, government, etc.

            3. be pure and true to your faith.  Paul tells Titus that only to the pure all things will be pure (1:15).  This is what gives a believer the ability to accomplish things   for God (1:16 and 3:14).

Desert turned into pool

Psalm 107:35 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water.

This verse is such a beautiful picture of what God desires to do in my life.  When I read this verse, my mind immediately went to two other scriptures that support this claim of what God does for the believer.  The first one is Psalm 1:3 when the psalmist says that the person who walks with God is like a tree planted by streams of water.  Such a person does not wither.  I am planted in a desert-turned-pool, so as I walk with God, I will be fruitful and flourishing.  Then I thought of my life verse in Isaiah 58:11 where my promise from God is that not only will He guide me, but I will be like a well-watered garden with an unending spring.  God has turned the desert of my life into a pool of water that produces a green and fruitful life.  This is my promise from God and what an encouragement it is, keeping me walking with Him.

In training

I Timothy 4:7 Train yourself for godliness.

Godliness does not come naturally for the most part.  Because of my sinful nature and even though as a born-again child of God I have the Spirit of God at work in me, I still have the constant battle against sin.  This verse reminds me that I have to train myself to live in a godly fashion, to live a God-honoring life style.  The reason for this diligent training, according to this passage of scripture, is because “it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (v.8).  As the passage goes on, Paul tells Timothy what should be included in his training of himself, and I find it helpful and revealing to see what he lists as “training exercises”:  1) do not neglect to use my spiritual gifts (v.14), 2) immerse myself in my calling (v.15), and 3) keep a close watch on myself, i.e., be disciplined (v.16).  I have a lot of work ahead of me if I am going to become more godly!