“For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party” (Titus 1:10).

Listen to just about anybody these days and you hear a parroting of whatever the latest trend is.  “Get with the program and walk alongside everyone else,” they say.  Empty talkers seek to convince you to do what you do not want to do and spend money you do not have on things that do not matter.  Do not be deceived.  The Lord gives you his grace and mercy and calls for you to follow Him alone.

Lord, there are so many in the world today who lead folk all over the place.  Guide me, Lord, so that I would humbly walk with you and not be led astray by what does not matter.  Guide me, O Lord, in order that I would hold fast to You first and then understand all the other things around me through Your eyes.  Let me see through the traps that have been laid by those who are insubordinate and empty talkers, seeking whom they may lead away from You.

Lord Jesus, You have come to set free those who look to You.  There are those in this world who want people to look to them instead.  There are those who try to say there is a new way to do the impossible: pleasing you through perfect obedience.  Lead me into the arms of Your mercy and grace so that I would walk humbly with You, my Savior.  You alone are the only way of everlasting life.  Lead me into You alone!  Amen.

“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).

Hold firm!  How many are tempted to be nothing to nobody all the time?  Hold firm to what you have been given.  The world rides on the tossing waves of whatever the trend may be.  Give it a year, it will change.  The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Hold firm to what you have been taught so that you may be able to instruct and rebuke those who contradict it.  Be trustworthy.

Lord, You know where I have been tossed about.  You know where I am not the person I should be.  You know where I have compromised.  I know these things.  Help me to repent and stand firm in the faith You have given me so that I may be guided by Your goodness and mercy.  Lead me, Lord, in the way of everlasting life.  Bring me to the place where I am trustworthy and able to resist the ever-changing whims of this world.

Lord Jesus, You held fast so that I would have to opportunity to live the gift of faith You have given me.  Guide me, O Lord, in order that I may now and always abide in the truth of life You make possible through grace.  In You, Lord, is life and apart from You is nothing.  Lead me to live under the sound doctrine and way of life found in You.  Guide me today and every day to live humbly with You as my Savior.  Amen.

“For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined” (Titus 1:7-8).

Take a look at this list; it is not about doing this or that, but about the character of one who is a child of God.  Too many think Christianity is a get-out-of-hell religion.  It is about becoming a child of the Heavenly Father.  You have been called to see your character changed such that the latter part of this list does describe you.  Seek to be one who is above reproach in the eyes of “our Father.”

Lord, You know where I need to go to work.  You know my weaknesses.  Let us begin with those places where I know them too.  Help me to be on the path You know I need to be on.  Guide me into the life that is mine in You.  Help me to overcome the obstacles of this age in order to humbly walk in Your presence into eternity.  In You Lord is all hope and an eternal future.  Please lead me there.

Lord Jesus, You have paved the way with grace so that I may live in the hope of becoming a child of the Father.  I know there is much that needs to be done.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way You know I need to go.  Guide me today into those things which will change my character to be in conformity with all that is needed.  Remove from me the sin which is in me and replace it with godliness.  Amen.

“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you – if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination” (Titus 1:5-6).

Some have said they wanted the first century church — where getting good people to be the elders was difficult.  Too many were open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.  It doesn’t seem all that different today, only many do not seem to care about people’s behavior.  Dear Christian, you are to seek to put things in order that the Lord may find order around and in you.

Lord, You know there are those around me who are intentionally breaking Your law and then saying that all is well.   Help me, dear Lord, not to focus upon them, but to seek to put good order in and around me.  All things have always been in Your hands and in You will those things which are redeemed be redeemed.  Let me do my part so that I would not waste the time You give me here in debauchery.

Lord Jesus, You have dealt with every kind of wickedness from those who rebel against the truth.  I too have taken part in the rebellion.  Lead me, Lord, to go away from the chaos of this world and into the order You have created from the beginning.  Guide me into all truth and help me to live the truth into which You have led me.  In You I have hope.  Lead me in faith and hope so that I may be at peace.  Amen.

“To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior” (Titus 1:4).

We hold these things together in Christ.  We have not made these things up; but have been called into the one faith through one baptism into the One Lord who is in all and through all.  Do not be led astray by the constant noise of this world, but hear the Holy Spirit call you into the truth for all ages.  Be a true child of God, holding faith in common with the communion of saints and hope in Christ Jesus.

This world is filled with so many options.  That is how it seems, but really there are only two options for the obedience of faith.  Either trust in the Lord, or else continue in the rebellion and hope in anything else.  From the dust we have been formed and we are destined to return to dust.  Our hope is in the Lord who promised that because He lives, we too shall live.  Come then into the peace which only He can give.

Lord Jesus, You came so that we might have the abundant life which, in You, never ends.  Though we die, yet we shall live.  These are the promises You give through Your death on the cross and the following resurrection from the tomb.  Guide me, Lord Jesus, in this eternal hope which You give that I might live my life in the way You have established.  Let me not follow the many paths that lead away from the Father, but stay on the true path through You to Him.  Amen.

“[I]n hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior” (Titus 1:2-3)

We live in the hope of eternal life.  Perhaps the materialist does not hope for life after death, but most everyone else does, especially when they are older.  Be that as it may, You have been given hope through Christ who promises that if you join Him with your cross, He shall join you with His resurrection.  We are to share the truth of the offer of genuine hope which comes through Christ alone.

Lord, there are many things in this world which can and do get me off track.  Let me not get this one wrong.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth in order that I might be led in the hope You give through grace.  Like Job, I know that at the last I shall stand before You and say, “My Redeemer lives.”  In the certainty of the hope You give, guide me to live all the days of this life in You.

Lord Jesus, You are the hope for all who believe. Guide me, Lord, in the hope You give.  Let me not replace that hope with the futile thoughts of this world.  Lead me to know that You alone are the way, truth, and life.  Hold me to the rock of the salvation You have given through grace.  In You, Lord, do I hope and in You alone am I given the assurance that because You live, I too shall live.  Amen.

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness” (Titus 1:1)

We are all slaves of the Lord.  Do not think that we have any ability to negotiate with the Lord.  He bids us come just as we are.  Come and receive the grace and mercy you need.  Come and be led in the truth of His ever-abiding word of truth.  Know that He to whom you give your loyalty is the One who made all things.  He gives you the promise of redemption and opens your eyes to truth.

Lord, all godliness comes from You alone.  Help me, Lord, to walk humbly with You.  Guide me in the way of truth so that, like Paul and all of the saints whom You have called over the ages, I might humbly submit to You, my Lord and my God.  Lead me in truth, for Your word is truth.  Guide me to put into practice these things which You are teaching me.  Lord, You know all that is needed. 

Lord Jesus, You have brought into my life all I need to submit and humbly walk with You.  Guide me, O Lord, that I may now and always walk knowing that You are Lord.  Lead me according to Your goodness in the way of grace and mercy.  Lord, You know all that is needed.  You know what I need.  Lead me, Lord, so that I may live into the knowledge of truth and godliness which comes by Your grace alone.  Amen.

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.  Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.  Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you” (2 Timothy 4:19-22)

Listen to the list of the first saints in Europe.  The Lord has called many who have come in faith and are amongst the witnesses.  There are a cloud of witnesses to the faith.  You have been called to be amongst them.  Come then and live into this faith that you have been given.  Do not be counted as great in the world but be counted as among the saints of glory whom the Lord has called.

Lord, it is a matter of right priorities.  Guide me, Lord, so that no matter my position in this world I may be guided by the gift of grace for the world to come.  You have given me grace and mercy, enough to live into the life that comes through faith.  Help me to live the better portion and be guided by Your Word in all that I say and do.  Lead me, Lord, with right priorities and in the right direction.

Thank You Lord Jesus for preparing the way to walk humbly with You into eternity.  Guide me this day to join with the cloud of witnesses that have followed You.  May Your Spirit be with my spirit that in all I say and do, You are present and leading me.  Guide me, O Lord, now and forever in the way of everlasting life.  You are the One who leads and must lead.  Teach me to follow.  Amen.

“But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.  The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:17-18).

The Lord is the One who preserves us according to His will.  Be guided then by the Lord that you may learn to hold fast no matter what may come.  Know that in the Lord is all truth and the only future worth living.  In Him you have hope.  Apart from Him is separation and death.  Come then and walk humbly with your Maker and know that He who made you has provided the way of life.

Lord, lead me in the way of truth.  Guide me according to Your goodness to see that in You is all hope and an eternal future.  Lead me Lord and help me to follow.  Guide me always in the way You know I need to go.  Help me to see through this age and its fog.  Guide me by the mercy of grace You provide so that I may have the needed time to understand these things.  Lead me, Lord, and I will be led.  Guide me, Lord, and help my feet to follow.  You alone know the way we need to go.

Lord Jesus, You are the way, truth, and life.  Guide me according to Your goodness to walk in the grace You have provided me.  Grow in me strength of character and the willingness to go where You would have me go.  Lead me, O Lord, and help me to always follow where You lead.  In You alone, Lord, is hope and an eternal future.  Bring me safely into Your heavenly kingdom.  Amen. 

“Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.  At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!” (2 Timothy 4:15-16)

Holding to the truth is not as easy as saying that you will do it.  There are times when we are tried.  Hold fast and even if you have chosen what is wrong, repent and come into the truth.  Do not be opposed to what the Lord has shown you to be true.  In season and out of season, be willing to live in the truth.  Christ has come so that all who believe would not perish but have everlasting life.

Lord, You have spoken Your word and it is in me.  You have revealed all truth and my biggest problem has been where I resist the truth.  Lead me, Lord, to live the truth You have revealed and to hold fast to what is true.  Show me where I am wandering and lead me according to Your goodness and mercy to do what is right always.  Lead me in the way of truth forevermore.

Dear Jesus, You went to the cross abandoned by almost all of your followers, who went their own way in fear.  Lead me, O Lord, according to Your goodness in order that I would forever hold fast to the truth of all that You have done, shared, and called us to be.  Guide me according to Your goodness so that I would learn to hold fast to what is good, right and salutary.  Let me not wander or go astray but hold fast to the truth.  Amen.