Titus

At times I select a passage of Scripture and I read it repeatedly for a set amount of time. This week I chose the little letter to Titus. I will share what has overwhelmed me from Titus this week. (And, it was not the expected Titus Two Woman teaching that I might have thought it would be.)



Here are some key verses from Titus:

" [God] ... has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;" ~~Titus 1:3

"[the unbelieving] ... profess to know God but in works they deny Him." ~~1:16

AND....it goes on to say that they are disqualified for every good work.

So....this is the whole point; the words "good work" are often used in Titus. Let's look at how many times in chpt 2 and 3:

" ... our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for ***good works.*** ~~ Titus 2:14

"Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every ***good work,*** to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men." ~~Titus 3:1-2

" ... I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain ***good works***..." ~~ Titus 3:8

" ... let our people also learn to maintain ***good works,*** to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful." ~~Titus 3:14

That is FOUR times in only TWO chapters. Amazing.

But let's not get confused and start to think that our good works will bring us salvation. There are many, many, many solid Biblical teachings that clear that up. But have you ever noticed that Paul even included that thought right there in Titus? It's clearly taught in Chapter 3:4-7

"But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 ***not by works of righteousness which we have done,*** but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

This is what keeps popping out at me during my week's Bible reading.

Thank you,
Clevsea
: )

TWO Questions about Covering

Basically one question is what do women do when their husbands don't get 100% on-board with the covering.

The second question was concern about not looking pretty for one's husband if one were to start covering.

Clevsea's Answers:

Some women will not cover without their husband's blessing. Not me. I would cover regardless.

Why?

Because the headship order as given in the covering passage (I Corinthians 11) clearly shows that my husband is outranked by Jesus. Anytime I personally am faced with choosing between the Lord God and my husband I will choose God. There are times when I place myself under my husband's decisions even though I feel that they are not the Lord's most highest calling for he and I. Covering is not one of those areas for me however and I would choose covering to obey the Lord and His clear teaching in I Cor 11. Sometimes husbands are not even Christians and they have not read the Bible. To me that makes them somewhat untrustworthy to decide some things for me that I can see I am clearly accountable to obey.

But like I said many women will not cover unless their husband is 100% for it. I respect that. They feel that covering would defeat the purpose under those circumstances.

But for me I do not think that submission to one's husband is the whole purpose. The angels are named as one other purpose in I Cor 11. Whether we are speaking of "good" angels or "fallen" angels we cannot know from Paul's letter. Either way it seems best to simply obey what we are taught and not overly concern ourselves with what we cannot know.

Many other ladies with disapproving husbands cover regardless and they either "go for it" and cover in the most religious looking way that they can or they are way more discreet and wear hats more and hanging veils & kapps and bonnets less.

MANY ladies do concern themselves with how they will look. That is not foolish. As the covering passage says we (females) are made for them, not they for us. Part of the marriage is often a physical attraction, not always, but many times. So perhaps certain wives make themselves "attractive" when they are alone with their husbands but they still dress modestly in public and cover.

Taking your husband's sensibilities into account is very smart. You may get to the point where you and he can sit done and look at the zillions of covering websites and view all the options out there. You may be able to discern his taste in coverings by taking the time to do this.

There are ladies that I have known who freaked their husbands out, so to speak, by their choices and they later learned how important their physical appearance is/was to their husbands. This is why I say it is not a foolish struggle. A wise wife gives thought to this.

If a lady is married to such a man then it is possible to only cover for prayer and not when going places with the husband. I know we'd like to pray all the time but this is one compromise that has worked for some marriages.

Keep praying and seeking the Lord Jesus Christ for your clothing and covering choices. He will guide you and then you will obey that guidance. Sometimes you and I will choose obedience to the Lord over obedience to the husband but that too will be rewarded in some way in the Lord's timing.

Let me add that many husbands change. This is the truth.

At first they are frightened. The "frumps" scare them. They like tight clothes or they think that they do. After some time passes many, many husbands wind up SEEING the truth and thanking their wives for covering up their bodies and heads. They will eventually see the worldly women's attire and start to "wake up" to how ungodly it is. Then the see their wives with new eyes and realise that she is saving her charms for privacy. And....they like it after all!!

Clevsea

Christian Internet Guidelines

This is a manner of posting and emailing that I think would help people on the internet:



#1) Pray before, during and after an email.


#2) Please be careful to really read what another has written or do not respond.


#3) Walk away from the keyboard at the first sign of anger.



#4) In other words don't post comments or write emails when angry.


Further comments:


Personally I only email or blog when I'm in an upbeat mood. I will not open my email if something is going on in my life that upsets me and if/when I get upset at something in an email I do not respond in my flesh.


Try to remember that we Christians have a daily choice. Day by day we walk in the Spirit or we walk in our flesh.

In regard to anger, have you ever heard this? Anger is almost always a "how dare you" reaction. If you think about this for the next 2 weeks I believe that you see the truth of this.

For example: When someone cuts you off in traffic the fast rush of anger is really based on "how dare you pull out in front of me....you might have caused an accident."


Or....when someone says something to you like, "don't leave your stuff there" it common to have a "hey, don't tell me what to do" reaction within us that is pretty quick to surface.


Remember that as Christians we can take every thought captive to the Lord Jesus Christ and rise above our fleshly reactions. We don't have to give in to our first impulse.

Consider joining me in these guidelines. Email and blog when you're in a good mood and when you are upset sign out and give yourself some time.


If you have already made a fleshly error then don't fear asking for forgiveness when you truly know that you have caused hurt and you truly feel sorry. That step is the most effective way to bring healing to relationships.

Side NOTE: Having shared this with an on-line friend she remarked that this would be great to practice in real life as well as on-line.



I responded with this:

Yes, it would be great if we practiced this in real life. I think that submitting all of our thoughts to the Lord is a good thing for our real lives.

Walking in the Spirit instead of in the flesh in another thing that really works in real life.

For myself taking note of when I get a "how dare you attitude" has helped a lot. It does seem to be at the root of most anger. Mostly that quick anger that you don't think is so close to the surface and yet it can be.

The forgiveness thing I learned from the Bible, of course, but one of my children taught it to me in a way that really got my attention. One of my daughters, while in her teen years, would grant instant forgiveness, right on the spot if
you asked for it. So simple. No grudges, no revenge, no keeping lists of wrongs.

I'm not sure what she was doing mentally if you didn't ask for forgiveness but I sure do know what she did if you asked. I really learned from that and I had been a Christian for a long time when she taught me this.


Thank you and may Christ's peace be multiplied to you.

Clevsea

Help me to Keep Covering

Another question:

Help. Nobody else covers around me and I don't want to be the only covering woman. I want to give it up. Thousands of other women are not modest. Why do I have to dress differently?

Clevsea's Answer:

What keeps me covering is there is ZERO option to stop. The Word says to do it and I can't get out of it. I looked for a way to get out of it 20 years ago and could not find a way. That is why I know the passage in Greek so well. I looked hard for some loop-hole so that I wouldn't have to cover my head.

The letter to the Corinthians does not say to drive around in the USA in the year 2010 and look around you. Whatever you see being worn, wear that.

I not being mean, just truthful. We cannot go by what others are wearing. If I did that I would look like a prostitute.

The Bible teaches us to dress like a woman professing godliness.

You ought to set your thoughts and your entire mind on Christ and give up the fashions and what the world around you is doing.

If you allow non-believers to influence you then you will be mis-led. Would you live among Vegas Show-Girls and do as they do? No. Your mind needs to get back to the pure Word of God.

Here is a "mini" reading assignment:

Set your mind on things above---Col 3
How to dress---I Tim 2 and I Pet 3
Covering---- I Cor 11

... and there is so much more to read and think about.

Shrug off what you see around you. I have to do that all the time because I live downtown in a university town. There are lots of universities and lots of drinking, party kids and other drunks and Wiccans and gays, and plenty of tattoos and facial piercings.

If I went by what I saw I'd be gone from all things modest and I would be disobeying the Lord and His Word.

The worldliness around me cannot be my standard. Dont allow other's disobedience to influence you.

what to say when asked about headcovering

Common Question~~~

I'm new to covering and I don't know what to say to those who ask me about it. What do I say?

My Answer:

As to what I say to people in real life; I find that most of them are not teachable.

It's important to me to figure out if someone really wants to know something or if they are justing verbalizing to hear themselves speak.

The vast majority who comment or ask do not want to know anything about covering. They want to assert their lack of approval.

The main thing that works on other people is praying for them to get it.

IF --- in all caps---laugh.......IF someone really wants to know why I cover then I've learned to condense my answer down to one sentence. They seem to have short attention spans so the fewer words the better.

Come up with a short sentence and memorize it. If the Lord wants you to teach further then you'll know that at the time.

My short sentence is this: "I'm trying to obey a New Testament passage in the Bible that says women ought to cover their heads when they pray."

See how short that is?

Short as it may be it packs a lot of info. First it says the whole matter in what is known as an "I" statement. It is said that other's have a harder time arguing with "I" statements. If I say, "I'm feeling tired." it's difficult for someone else to say, "No, you're not." If I say, "I'm feeling defeated." again, it's difficult for someone else to assert that I am not.

There is something a little more humble about saying "I'm trying to obey...." because it sounds a lot different than...."There is a teaching in the Bible..........." and launching from there because that implies that they are
not in compliance with the Bible. They aren't....we know that....but it's good (in my opinion) to kind of "own" this choice of obedience as your own thing when talking to someone new to the teaching.

The other components of my short sentence is that it does establish covering as being from the Bible and not from my brain or my Pastor or from any other notion I might have come across. For the "Church going Christians" that you will be answering you may well find that to be very powerful.

I clarify that it's a New Testament teaching because almost 100% of Christians I've talked with have accused me of legalism. I know of 3 definitions of legalism and none of them have anything to do with following a New Testament teaching in simple obedience. That would be like someone saying that we don't have to follow the Great Commission that Jesus gave us. Or we don't have to any of the many teachings in the NT.

You will eventually find some woman who really is teachable and really does want to know. If you do then take her aside and read I Cor 11 out loud to her. Show her there are 3 reasons given in the passage. When she belly-aches about culture then show her that none of the 3 reasons are cultural.

There is a lot more to say to such a person but prayer and leaning on the HOLY Spirit of Jesus Christ at the time of teaching will work for you.

Brain Cleaning Thoughts

I have been making a serious effort to focus my mind and thoughts on Jesus Christ and good Biblical topics.

One of the BEST passages is this well-known one:


"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."--Phil 4:8



AND............there has been a giant "side-effect" which is:

When I redirect a negative, accusitory thought and turn my mind to anything noble, just, pure, lovely, good report and of virtue then the very NEXT thing that happens in my mind is that I praise God.


Why?

Because it seems like all the pure & noble and praiseworthy things to focus on are also the very things that God has given.

I wind up praising pretty much non-stop due to the wonderful content and quality of thoughts.

It is a GREAT side-effect.

There are a few more verses in case you are new to the concept of cleaning your brain and thoughts. Here are a few:


taking every thought captive----

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..." II Cor 10:4-6

the mind of Christ----

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..." Phil 2:5

in this one we learn that the Word of God is able to discern the thoughts of the heart:

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."---Heb 4:11-13


AND my favorite, set your mind on things above----

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Col 3:1-3

Gentleness

Gentleness is the main word/concept that I got from my quiet time this morning.

Such a huge word.

"Let your **gentleness** be known to all men. The Lord is at hand." Phil 4:5

and then the more well-known passages:

II Tim 2:24---"And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be **gentle** to all, able to teach, patient..."

I Pet 3:3-4---"Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a **gentle** and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God."

James 3:16-18---"For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, **gentle**, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace"

AND, of course it's one fruit of the Holy Spirit:

Gal 5:22-24--- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, **gentleness**, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

There are more passages but we can't skip the one about our Lord Jesus:

Matt 11:28-30----"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am **gentle** and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”