Titus 3 - 8.19.25

SCRIPTURE:  Titus 3:1-2 “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.”

OBSERVATION:  Paul’s purpose in writing to Titus was to advise him of his responsibility in supervising christians regarding right living in the Church and in society. The people on the island of Crete were known for their laziness, gluttony, evil and lying. 

APPLICATION:   As Christ-followers, we are always to keep God first.  We are taught to obey our government and our leaders. In today’s day and age, even though most of our society doesn’t always respect or reward discipline. God has called us to live upright lives before Him, and obey our government leaders. We may not always agree with them, but instead of talking bad about them, we must do what we can to be good citizens. 

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves.” 

We were saved in order to do good.  As Christ-followers, we are to submit to our government, but we should never allow them to force us to disobey God. 

PRAYER:  Even though there are many parts of our government that are corrupt, I pray Lord that You will help me not to give in to complaining or rebelling, but that I will remember to pray for our authorities and for the leaders of our land, that they will fear and reverence You, and want to do good, and what’s right, just and fair according to Your standards.

I pray for myself, that I will be peaceable, considerate and always gentle toward everyone, which is ONLY possible as I rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide me with my words and actions. 
Help me to remember that my right living is for the sake of the gospel, as it causes people to see You through my actions, and…it brings You the glory, honor and pleasure.

- Robin Orefice

Titus 2 - 8.18.25

Scripture

‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”

Observation

In this chapter, Paul writes Titus and outlines instructions for him towards different groups within the church. He writes how older men and women should be mentoring the younger men and women, and how they should be conducting themselves in a way that honors God and brings no shame to His name. Paul encourages Titus of the importance of teaching and living according to a sound doctrine, which is inseparable from a godly lifestyle.

Application

Spiritual Growth Requires Discipleship.

There must be a reason our church pushes joining Small Groups and being discipled. 🤔Probably because they are proven to be effective and essential in growing in our relationship with Jesus and maturing in our faith! After all, look at how Jesus took those “twelve misfits”, (some fishermen and some tax collectors), and turned them into His disciples…disciples who would radically change the world! It started with basically a “Small Group” of men. Jesus taught them God’s Word. Jesus not only talked the talk, but he walked the walk, as He led by example. He showed His disciples how to serve and love others as they served alongside Him in ministry. As the disciples grew in their faith, Jesus then entrusted each of them to “break off” and form small groups of their own, repeating the discipleship process that they were taught and shown by Jesus Himself; thus, fulfilling Jesus’ Commission of Multiplying Christ Followers Everywhere-(Matthew 28:18-20).

It doesn’t matter what age you are when joining a Small Group either, as long as you all have the same goal which should be to grow and mature in your faith and walk with God as you do life together. Older believers bring wisdom to the table to share with the younger ones. Younger believers bring an excitement and passion that can re-motivate older believers to keep going. It’s like a saying I heard when it comes to Small Groups:

“Older believers stabilize. Younger believers energize.”

So what’s stopping you from being part of a Small Group? If you truly want to grow in your faith and walk with God, I encourage you to be part of a group of people who strive for the same thing. Be part of something bigger than ourselves. Be part of a group who will encourage you and pray for you and who will want to see you grow in your faith as you do life alongside one another. Join a Small Group today! (Click link below.)👇

https://www.desertstreams.com/small-groups

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” -Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭24‬-‭25‬

Prayer

Father God, I pray and ask your blessing over each and every Small Group that is meeting. May they grow in their relationships with one another, but most importantly grow in their relationship with You. Thank You for blessing each of us with different talents and gifts. May we use them to help sharpen each other. I also pray for those who may not be a part of a group, or who are on the fence on joining one. Holy Spirit, give them that nudge to want to be part of something bigger, to know that life is not meant to be lived alone. May You bring a sense of excitement in building a discipleship culture into our church family. May each person in these groups walk away feeling refreshed, recharged, and re-motivated in their lives. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽 

-Moses Gaddi

2 Timothy 3 - 8.15.25

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-5

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Observation

The Apostle Paul is giving a warning to Timothy and to us about what it is going to be like in the last days. Paul is trying to prepare us for what is to come. There will be a moral and spiritual decline. People will be self-centered and materialistic. The priority of many will shift from loving God and others to loving themselves and their desires. They will not have respect for others. Paul gives us a checklist that reflects a deep-rooted problem in people’s hearts and society. When we put ourselves and our desires ahead of our love for God and others, we create a world where kindness and compassion can become rare.

Application

I don’t know about you, but I firmly believe we are living in the days of 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and this is not a good thing. This is a prophetic passage of scripture and as true believers we need to pay attention to Spiritual Drift and keep focused on the things that matter most.

We must pay the most attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. (Hebrews 2:1)

This passage is describing a world where the vast majority of people, including many who identify as Christians, that live a life that is self-focused and evil. They are only concerned about themselves and what they can get from you. They lack affection for their parents and family members. They will slander others to get what they want and would never give a thought to forgive anyone for the smallest offense. They are ungrateful and unkind.

,

A lot of these people will have an air about them that they are Godly, Good People and they live by “Christian Values”, but they are lacking the Holy Fear of the Lord. They look good from the outside; they behave appropriately but they do not put their faith in Jesus. They do not have a relationship with God and they are not obedient to His word. God does not look at the outer man, He looks at the condition of our hearts.

Paul’s message should be a wake-up call to all of us that we need to stay focused and present in our lives. We don’t need to hide from the world but we need to be a bright light in the darkness. We need to surround ourselves with loving, uplifting people who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I wrote this last month, but I am going to write it again…Daily Practices!

Read your Bible daily, let it penetrate your heart. Memorize scripture so you can pull it up anytime you need it. Spend time in the presence of God. Cherish and protect the Word of God and OBEY His Commands, so you will live a long and fruitful life. It’s Truth, it’s Real…Live it!

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus,

Living in these perilous times can be overwhelming, but we trust in You. We have faith that you are in control of all things, so we rest in You. Help us to be obedient to your Word and live our lives awake and ready for your return. Change our hearts Oh God, so we are ready to do Your will. We love and adore You!

- Michelle Craig