Titus 2:1-8,11-14 ~ Beloved: You must say what is consistent with sound doctrine

 

Titus 2:1-8,11-14

Beloved:

You must say what is consistent with sound doctrine,

namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified,

self-controlled,

 sound in faith, 

Love, 

and 

endurance.

Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior,

not slanderers, not addicted to drink,

teaching what is good, so that they may train younger women

to Love their husbands and children,

to be self-controlled,

chaste, 

good homemakers,

under the control of their husbands,

so that 

The Word of God 

may not be discredited.

Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves,

showing yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect,

with integrity in your teaching, 

dignity, and sound speech

that cannot be criticized,

so that the opponent will be put to shame

without anything bad to say about us.

For the grace of God has appeared, 

saving

 all

and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires

and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly 

in this age,

as we await the Blessed Hope,

the appearance of the Glory of the Great God

and of our Savior Jesus Christ,

Who gave 

Himself for us 

to deliver us from all lawlessness

and

 to cleanse for Himself a

 people as His own,

eager to do 

what is good.

In a recent post, we talked about life collecting memories. One of the Posts I've kept on my social media, is the story of a woman who has loved creating a family to live in love.  All the baseball games, baseball practices and going to the Big Leagues with the family.  She wrote of the boys wanting to sit in their mother's lap at the Big Leagues.  The comfort of their small bodies she knew so well from infancy and illness and snuggles.  Then as life grew to future days, going home from taking her beloved sons to college. The emptiness of life without the making of meals, the constant talking, and no warm body known so well to plunk down in the lap forever. Life still has Love, but she said it feels like the pieces of the beloved puzzle have been taken when she never expected to see an emptiness in the picture of such joy.

And her expression of family left me with a place in the quilt of my heart. 

There are conversations we will live in to Eternity. 

And then there is gossip and then this balances with the lessons life will provide like a great picnic complete with messquites, mosquitos, ants, and someone is bored and wants to go home because there isn't a peanut butter sandwich and no one really likes chicken salad sandwiches.  And because of these life lessons, we have the Books of Chronicles and Kings.  

The Family of David and the generational divides.  My parents loved to cook and have a household of godparents and friends to cook for.  Saturdays going to the grocery 3 times to improve the menu. Constant discussions of comparisons and food magazines and recipes.  My father putting me on dining room chair after taking me, age 7, away from our neighborhood trampoline to explain the correct way to take a horse syringe and butter baste a turkey.

With this, I love to order groceries, have a quick meal and never discuss food for more than about 3 minutes.  And still long for someone to really love to cook fabulously for me and, in the dream, clean up too.  We won't go into what my parent's kitchen looked like from 7 pm to 10 pm.  Yes, my parents won an enormous amount of culinary prizes in our small county fair.  Yes, my father once baked a dozen pies, with our antique apple trees and hard green apples, with 12 recipes and 12 different crusts.  Then a damn verbal fight downtown from an adult to a teenager, when the adult, he did not win the Apple Pie Award.  And didn't believe me about the humidity in the bathrooms arranged for pie crusts.  My mother never shared her winning cornmeal recipe, but I think I can guess. I'm not sure my father knew it.  He never attempted Cornmeal. We had tried hush puppy recipes for an entire year. Still not fond of many hush puppies. Or try to eat one.  Our godparents and friends would remember the year they set out to outdo Colonel Sanders, and everyone liked every recipe. Which didn't please my parents and created 12 months of dialogue without research material to think upon.  And the Sangria. Just about perfection on earth. Borsch is good. Cow tongue is great. A wow, but someone has to slice it and then the rest can have the beef. 

I so understand how generations do not look like one another. 

Mother's mother did not drink. She really was upset we had lived in France and the children were allowed sips. Oh, Grandmother. A sip is a sip.  In fact, we had our own tiny sherry glasses at the table. "To remove the mystery and allure of drinking." One of my godfathers, a very profound Baptist, had a built in, shutter door, library shelf in the den that locked. So his mother Nevah knew he had liquor upon the premises.  His favorite was my father's Sangria. 

The Scriptures tell us, where the Lord is, there is freedom. 

This probably led to youth group on Sunday Night at the earliest and original Chili's Restaurant. Father B would go on home and those remaining would have a wonderful frozen Margarita. For a long time.  Until someone at the restaurant let on.  Being Episcopalian has a lot of Mercy. Thank The Lord.  Edward was there.  And our families thought this was marvelously funny.  Tate might not have thought this was as funny.  Decades later I could add, and a good time was had by all who heard this and thought it was a hilarious riot.  The drinking age wasn't really a thing in the Disco era. Or as I went to college and the age changed by law every year. 

We live in such a riotous time. The facts are sometimes completely ignored until the heart is moved to see the situation with need for Upright Hearts.  And so many hearts have grown definitely chill towards one another. 

We all know in our lives about 1 of 3 families have a disconnect with technology and the way Kings and Chronicles is part of life.  Entertainment or the Traditional Way of Life. The Denominations have flipped and some have just bolted. 

This week Titus's Gospel or well known as The Book of Titus, Chapter 2 shows me I have not properly attuned to being a willing helper.  I have had a visitor to the house that began with an eye to eye confrontation. To becoming a conversation between 2 or 3 generations that went well.  Until this man wanted to talk about the disconnect between a truly clan family. He wanted to explain with his heart about the disconnect. As he got to the details, I wanted to ride away. I stopped him twice to say, I really do know what you are saying.  And this hurt him.  I really should have listened, but I was concerned after going to a funeral and listening to people I have known since I was 15, telling me about their sadness with the just weirdness of the days.  I didn't think I could weep in front of someone in their 20s and 30s. I would have wept. I might have had to say, it's just weird, it's just weird. It hurts. 

And then the fervor of the Nations making decisions looking dangerous to me.

It hurts.

And today, for the first time, buying clothes for my grandchild we are so excited about and haven't met until this Season because Edward has had 5 debilitating eye surgeries and is half blind.  We are so very, very, very extraordinarily thrilled.  And Alexander called and asked me to live with them for a year to avoid the infant going to day care. I can't leave blind Edward to do this.  

And going into the shop today to find the precious tiny clothes,  and get into a conversation at the counter about children who refuse to answer a text.  And someone jumps in to say how awful it is her son won't reply. I cut her off. I could not listen. I couldn't say it's weird. It's weird. It hurts. I would not cry in public. And I hurt this woman to cut her off with a situation she really, by her face, needed to share and needed some love. I cut her off. And was much, completely more sorry than a deliberate calm could comfort.  Don't want to cry about hurt. 

Wouldn't you know the week of huge funeral is the week everyone decided to share emotions. And after the midterm.

I 'think' a lot of Church families also have a simmer going about the Lockdown. 

I saw at least a dozen Church Leaders Retire. I saw a famous one, burst into tears and say he couldn't pray for the Church anymore with the hurt their families put upon them and upon each other and was retiring to go live with his father and his older children. I heard one sermon about a church leadership going shipwreck.  And wasn't surprised. 

I 'think' we all are living at least one chorus of "Alice's Restaurant." 

I mean, I mean, you are at the tire store and the clerk wants to grill you as a shish kebob. And he proceeds to let you know he 'thinks' he is a high school friend part of my son's life decades along and understands something he really has no handle on. Like a pick up truck living in a whole other county.  But he is seriously annoyed. And that is going to stay that course, because there is absolutely no clue to that and that. And no desire is there to even put the sail to the wind. 

Man. We all need a big Soul Band-Aid. 

Another person was telling me he loves his tattoo and his mother-in-law questioned him if he joined a gang. Does anyone have immediate comfort? That one I could discuss. I won't cry over that.

People have been telling me their life stories for a long time. And quit.  Now. Now. Now.  This is the week we start again.  I know about furtive abortions and married abortions. And rooked him to marry me. And how my mother liked the next door neighbor to my grandmother, who probably was in organized 1930s trafficking crime.  And then my neighbor found out his parents were Seriously Not in Insurance. More like Jack Ruby.  And then bullets at his uncles house. People have always told me this and that and not had it repeated.  I know who the criminal was in my childhood neighborhood and how his daughter found out.  Oops. Hysteria can sometimes tell as story.  I helped our school trustee, who was my Doctor, fire the English Teacher. But her husband teacher was the actual thug. And that fixed up rather spectacularly.  We had an Edward Jones newbie get fired because he was invading backyards to get gardening ideas. And the Police watched him go in the backyards because he actually had a small group on the street hiding behind trees to watch the house burglar, but more stock broker.  Ex Stock Broker.  I'm the one at the family funeral who understood what Cousin Bob was saying about the county in Bolivar. And then had to tell my cousin Anne Cable. And mom.  (If you condense 6 decades into 1 paragraph, you could do this with your life too.)

So what are we going to do about all this sad weirdness?

That's spectacularly Easy.

Thank GOD.

Titus is the Long Game.

Titus according to those looking at Scripture was part of the 72 Disciples of Jesus. Not one who left when Jesus began speaking of transubstantiation.  Titus was from Greece and very probably sought to introduce the Greek Pilgrimage Dispersion who all wanted to save Jesus from Herod. And Rome.  The group Jesus dismissed saying Jesus had a Purpose here.  

Titus is an answered prayer.  

He went back to Greece and the Jewish dispersion to Crete and lived to be extremely old. Titus was the first Christian Bishop on Crete and lived a life of harmony and faith. 

If you don't do Titus' Gospel, The Book of Titus, Chapter 2 well. Well. God has a long game for all of us who Love Jesus Christ.  Because we have to give ALL of Creation our love for Jesus. However, God is God. And God is the one Author of Salvation. The Greatest Name is Jesus.  He is the One. 

God Identifies the Holy Spirit to us. Help. Helper. Comfort. Comforter.

We can certainly try. Really. God's Love is the Glory. Alleluia. 

Following the shining water through the hills and highways of Heaven to find the green throne of God.

The actual Path John the Disciple took to the top of His mountain on Patmos, 

where John chose to live

WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE

IN
JESUS CHRIST

THE LORD

Father God, Dear Father God,

WE PRAY 

BLESSINGS 

for those

helping the earth 

to heal.

Jesus Christ

Shine on us

ALL

Let evil and practicing evil

depart 

far 

from us

and our children.

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

Peace and the Joy God gives us.

And we will finish well, 

in Jesus Christ. 

We are praying for 
NATIONS

to put

aside

Tyranny

and Cartels.

Pray with hope!

Ending

Bad weather experienced 

And

be good weather again.

Praying for safety and prosperity in these days.

Only 1 

Hurricane in the Gulf.

God help our Hawaii to be safe.

Please continue to pray for peace and the wishes of our parents and great

 and 

grandparents to be fulfilled in a peaceful and complete manner. 

This is Our Father and Jesus, 

comforts us 

enabling us, 

strengthening us,

able to comfort those in any affliction,

 Blessings of Grace 

Blessings of Peace,

we ourselves are comforted 

by God.

We pray the 

impossible 

more Heaven on earth and 

for the believers of God 

and 

the ones they pray for 

To Know Your Love 

and

See the weary world REJOICING in Christ Jesus.

Thank You

Father

for

Your

Mercy

and

Grace.

Forgiveness.

Thy Kingdom come

Thy will be done

on earth

as it is

in Heaven. 

And we will be blessed indeed. 

Jesus the Lord. Alleluia

and Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You, Jesus

Yes, The Lord Fulfills His Purpose!

2 Corinthians 5 ~ Given us The Spirit as a guarantee

 

2 Corinthians 5

Papyrus 46

University of Michigan

Verbs and all

90 AD

until the woke was upon us

Labeled still

90 AD

University of Michigan

Today the verbs are

debated

and really

Koine Greek

of first century, second century AD

Scriptures

in Eastern Mediterranean Greek

is extremely rare

So rare

that Roman Empire

history begins to

have rarest history records

and even the 

emperor sequence is

not fully understood.

So

Therefore

NINETY A.D.

2 Corinthians 5

 

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, 

Who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer. 

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we go through life, whether we are indulged and dissatisfied or simply living with great gratitude, we do judge our lives as well lived or not worth living. Very Marvelous indeed, the Scripture immediately speaks of the levels of courage life requires. Jesus assures us even if our social media is immaculate and filled with celebratory confetti of joy and effervescence, we all have those situations we wish we did not have. 

God even goes further with the idea of Bro and Poser, larping, NPC the youths recognize as glaring insincerity. 

Julius Caesar confronted bravery. The ancient Gallic Wars, Gauls of France.

"The cardinal doctrine which they seek to teach is that souls do not die, but after death pass from one to another; and this belief, as the fear of death is thereby cast aside, they hold to be the greatest incentive to valour." — Julius Caesar, De Bello Gallico, Book VI, Chapter 14  

1 Corinthians 5 immediately sets aside the idea of death for the cause. God never asked for human sacrifice. This lack of Human Sacrifice: One of the Absolute Reveals in the Nature of God and the Holy Spirit.  The Lord is saying Ambassador. Reconciliation.  Not nutty murder or nutty behavior.  Not armies of death. The Chapter is not about sending Crusades. 

The Ambassador nature of a Loving Father in the Lord has a very concrete boundary: He reconciles the world to.... Himself.  The Lord does not suddenly ask for human sacrifice. Or wars to kill the infidel.  Jesus never joined the gang of zealots, hairshirts, John The Baptist diet and clothing, the 350 aspects of the Torah, Temple Enthrallment, prostitutes or demons. Jesus as God led the way to better, abundant, hopeful and Loving Life forever.  And in this rigorous love for God, Jesus led the Nation of Israel to change the world.  

In the Freedom God gives us, we are free to make our choices and be the person we want to be. Relying upon The Lord in His Grace upon Grace Mercy.

Isaiah 49: 1-7

 

 Listen to me, O coastlands,

    and give attention, you peoples from afar.

The Lord called me from the womb,

    from the body of my mother he named my name.

2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword;

    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me a polished arrow;

    in his quiver he hid me away.

3 And he said to me, “You are my servant,

    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”

4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;

    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;

yet surely my right is with the Lord,

    and my recompense with my God.”

5 And now the Lord says,

   He who formed me from the womb to be His servant,

to bring Jacob back to Him;

    and 

that Israel might be gathered to Him—

for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,

    and my God has become my strength—

6 He says:

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

    to raise up the tribes of Jacob

    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;

I will make you as a Light for the nations,

    that My Salvation 

may reach 

to 

the end of the earth.”

7 Thus says the Lord,

    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,

to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,

    the servant of rulers:

“Kings shall see and arise;

    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;

because of the Lord, 

Who is faithful,

    the Holy One of Israel, 

Who has chosen you.”

The actual Path John the Disciple took to the top of His mountain on Patmos, where John chose to live

Life for preborn children. Human Beings. Babies.  Hoping for love and warmth to give and receive.  So many willing hearts and homes. Valid Adoption Agencies.  Hope for the biological mother, instead of a life of sadness.

The end of Abortion.

Asked why not affordable

Adoption.

Agree

LABOR
DAY

and the price of giving

birth

is and frequently 

and outrageously

and

unpatriotically

is

$50,000.

We pray

about

all

of these

valid 

true

concerns.

Saint Nicholas of Myra, b. March 270 – 6 December 343, Nicholas of Bari. Known as St. Nicholas. 

Pere Noel. Father Christmas. Santa.

If our Saint Nicholas 

buys 3 women out of being trafficked. 

We can certainly 

ask 

the mother to accept payment 

for bringing

God's Gift of Life 

into the world. 

Support 

The Book of Life!

Support 

The Book of Life!

Lord Jesus Christ

Only Son of God, our Father.

WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE

IN

JESUS CHRIST

THE LORD

Father God, Dear Father God,

WE PRAY 

BLESSINGS 

for those

helping the earth 

to heal.

Jesus Christ

Shine on us

ALL

Let evil and practicing evil

depart 

far 

from us

and our children.

Health for

American Gray Whales

and their solid survival

facing Orcas. 

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

Peace and the Joy God gives us.

And we will finish well, 

in Jesus Christ. 

We are praying for 
NATIONS

to put

aside

Tyranny

and Cartels.

Pray with hope!

Ending

Bad weather experienced 

And

be good weather again.

Praying for safety and prosperity in these days.

Please continue to pray for peace and the wishes of our parents and great

 and 

grandparents to be fulfilled in a peaceful and complete manner. 

This is Our Father and Jesus, 

comforts us 

enabling us, 

strengthening us,

able to comfort those in any affliction,

 Blessings of Grace 

Blessings of Peace,

we ourselves are comforted 

by God.

We pray the 

impossible 

more Heaven on earth and 

for the believers of God 

and 

the ones they pray for 

To Know Your Love 

and

See the weary world REJOICING in Christ Jesus.

Thy Kingdom come

Thy will be done

on earth

as it is

in Heaven. 

And we will be blessed indeed. 

Jesus the Lord. Alleluia

and Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You, Jesus

Yes, The Lord Fulfills His Purpose!