Served a feast

The second chapter of Titus is almost done. If you'll recall, I undertook a new discipline this summer: memorizing the book of Titus.

I am working on Titus 2:13 right now. (Keep holding me accountable.)

Memorizing helps me to see insights I have missed even with intensive reading. For example, Titus 2:11 says this:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

So simple and so easy to glide over. But I saw three important points:

• Grace comes from God. He's the source of grace.

• That grace brings salvation. I love the action word: "brings." I get an image of a waiter bringing the entree to the table. It comes to us; we are served.

• That salvation has appeared to all men. It's not reserved for Pharisees or church elders. It has appeared to all.

But, like the entree placed on the tablecloth, we have to take it in. It doesn't do much good sitting there on the table.

Feast today!

Titus: TV and Reese's

Read Titus 2:11-15

Homer loved Reese’s, Mt. Dew and Cheetos. Every afternoon, he gathered his snacks and settled in front of the TV to play Swords and Heroes.

“Homer,” his sister said, “get some fresh air. Homer, go, get some exercise!”

Homer didn’t want to get some fresh air or exercise. He wanted Reese’s and Mt. Dew and Cheetos.

He also hated the word “self-control,” which is what his dad had been talking about last weekend. As in, “Homer, you need some self-control.”

Homer didn’t want any self-control. He wanted to do what he wanted to do.

But after awhile, he seemed to catch every cold that went around. And inbetween times, he didn’t feel so good anyway. His pants didn’t fit anymore. “Well, I’m growing!” he told his mother, who scowled as they moved into the husky section of the jeans rack.

He didn’t do much at game time because he ran out of air so fast. He stood in the corner panting while the other boys were running. They were stronger than he was, anyway, and he’d rather go home and sit on the couch.

What would you tell Homer?

Homer hated self-control because he thought it was better to do what he wanted to do. But what he wanted wasn’t good for him.

That’s not news we always want to hear. We want to do what we want. It may not be candy and video games. It might be the right to lose our temper or be selfish or expect a certain gift on our birthday.

We want what we want. We want to be in charge.

But Paul’s advice to Titus was to teach the people in the church about self-control. Paul wanted the people to life self-controlled, upright and godly lives. How on earth could they do that?

By the grace of God. We sometimes think our own gritted will power will get us to self-control. It won't. We need to trust God's grace.

God’s grace is amazing, isn’t it? Our own selfish choices make us like Homer, intending to please ourselves but actually hurting ourselves. God wants better things for us.

"...we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."
Titus 2:13-14

A fun contest

A Girls ’n Grace Christmas Contest!

Pam Davis, creator of Girls ’n Grace, and Authentic Books are sponsoring a contest, just in time for Christmas. To launch the release of the latest two books in the Girls ’n Grace series, Sydney Claire: A Girl ’n Grace in the 1960’s and Mesi’s Season of Change: A Friendship Story, they are giving away one of the character dolls.

As a Christian mother, Pam Davis knows the lasting imprint that “playtime” can really leave on an impressionable little girl. With the right character as a role model, God could use those sweet afternoon tea parties, hours of make-believe, and sleepovers to sow seeds of faith in tender hearts. This concept became the foundation for the Girls ’n Grace products, a line of dolls and books designed to fulfill Davis’ dream of demonstrating to today’s young girls what it means to be girls of grace.

To enter the doll giveaway contest, submit your story about your best teachable grace moment with a child in your life to mystory@girlsngrace.com. Below is the information that you need to include on your entry.

· All entries must be submitted by December 17 to mystory@girlsngrace.com
· Stories should be 400 words or less
· Include the name of the blog site (or a link to the blog) where you saw the contest
· Include your preference of Sydney Clair or Mesi doll
· The winner will be notified, and the doll will be shipped to arrive on December 23.
· Please note that entries may be reprinted/reposted by Girls ’n Grace and Authentic

If you would like to post this contest on your blog site too, please send the link of your post to ajennings@tbbmedia.com, and you will receive a copy of each of the new books. The blog that has the most entries will also win a doll to keep for themselves or that can be given away on their blog.

Visit the Girls ’n Grace interactive website at www.girlsngrace.com for more information about the books, dolls, Bible studies, games and more.

Galatians: Grafted in

Once in Arizona I saw a tree growing oranges, grapefruit and lemons. How did that work? You can’t grow one of those orange-grapefruit-lemon trees from seed. Someone had grafted grapefruit and lemon branches onto an orange tree.

Grafting is an amazing way to give new life and Paul used that imagery in the third chapter of Galatians.

Galatians were grafting in the wrong teachings and Paul challenged them. Because they were considering a return to Jewish law, Paul gave them correct Jewish teaching in this chapter.

God made promises to Abraham that still apply to Abraham’s offspring. Followers of Jesus are grafted in, like a new limb onto a tree, and made part of God’s contract with Abraham. The law had not yet been given when that first happened, yet Abraham received God’s blessing – not because he kept the law but because he believed God.

The law came later, with Moses. When the law was given, we were all put in jail until Christ paid the price for us. When the law code was published, lawbreaking became clear. No one had an excuse now. We were guilty by the law.

Jesus died in our place so that the promises made to Abraham are also available to us. We receive the blessing of God as an inheritance, not because of our efforts but because of God’s grace.

Paul wrote to the Galatians to remind them that they did not need to earn God’s grace through following the law. In choosing to follow Jesus, they were grafted in to the tree of life. They were declared children of Abraham and therefore heirs of the promise.

Consider journaling on these questions:

Are you an heir of God’s promises? Why has God allowed you to enjoy blessings? What are examples of God’s grace?

A new robe

Abigail nervously adjusted her simple woven dress, wishing she had something more magnificent. Her bridegroom would come soon and she wondered again at his love, for he was rich and would come in purple silk and gold. Why had he noticed her?

Didn’t he know that her father was dead, unable to give her the things she needed? Her brother did what he could, but he was busy with his own family. She knew her dress was inadequate before her beloved but she had nothing better.

Then, in a flurry of activity, he arrived with a large group of attendants. His robes were magnificent but he paid them no attention. He approached her tenderly, placing a jeweled tiara on her head, bowing before her. “We will be married in a grand ceremony.”

Couldn’t he see that she had no place in the palace? Tears welled in her eyes. She had tried to find cloth that would please him but she knew she simply didn’t measure up. There was no reason for her to go through this humiliation. She turned away.

“I’m not adequate,” she said.

“You are not,” he agreed. And in a flurry, his attendants clothed her in beauty, transformed her into a princess. This was not her work, but his. Not her plans, but his. Not her riches, but his.

She took his hand, head raised, and began the march.

I will sing for joy in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul! He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara. For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, so the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom..

Isaiah 61:11