"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say, 'No,' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait...." (Titus 2:11-13a, NIV)
"....while we wait...." All Jesus has done for us and is doing for and in us has a, "while we wait," in it. "....The grace of God...offers salvation to all people." This is Good News. And the same, "grace of God...teaches us to say, 'No,' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...." Most in modern Christendom do not speak of, "say, 'No.'" But this is all included in, "the grace of God."
"....while we wait...."--- for what, for whom?---- "the blessed hope-- the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 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." We are waiting for Jesus. Keep this in mind when, "ungodliness," rears its ugly head. We are an active, a serving, "doing" people, yes, but we are also a waiting people. The waiting says that there is more to come, indeed, a Someone to appear. It won't be long now. "....It is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed." (Romans 13:11)
Father, in Jesus' Name, may the reality that I am waiting for, "the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ," always control any, "ungodliness and worldly passion." Amen.
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"....while we wait...." All Jesus has done for us and is doing for and in us has a, "while we wait," in it. "....The grace of God...offers salvation to all people." This is Good News. And the same, "grace of God...teaches us to say, 'No,' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...." Most in modern Christendom do not speak of, "say, 'No.'" But this is all included in, "the grace of God."
"....while we wait...."--- for what, for whom?---- "the blessed hope-- the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 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." We are waiting for Jesus. Keep this in mind when, "ungodliness," rears its ugly head. We are an active, a serving, "doing" people, yes, but we are also a waiting people. The waiting says that there is more to come, indeed, a Someone to appear. It won't be long now. "....It is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed." (Romans 13:11)
Father, in Jesus' Name, may the reality that I am waiting for, "the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ," always control any, "ungodliness and worldly passion." Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
