My Moleskine is ready. I am ready. I want to hide these words in my heart, and chew them, and be transformed by them, and be mastered by them.

Are you planning on joining us? May I suggest you two things to help you be ready –besides having your PDF files printed and ready to go; having a Bible commentary ready,  and a journal to copy the Epistle-?

1. Read Titus from beginning to end once this week -in one sitting- and once next week (Our project officially starts on the Lord’s Day February 5).

2. Read the introduction to the book. (This week I am reading from the Introduction of the ESV Study Bible to the Epistle of Titus)

“The theme of Titus is the inseparable link between faith and practice, belief and behavior.”

It is also interesting to find out how Paul referred to Titus in other Epistles, consider for example these two verses:

Titus was a comforter:

“For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,  and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. ” 2Cor. 7:5-7

Titus had a compassionate heart and was willing to serve the Church.

“As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”  But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.” 2 Cor. 8: 15-17

I can’t but smile at these words after considering certain words of phrases that we have dismissed from our vocabulary: “thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus.”

UPDATE: I forgot earlier to include this quote from J.I. Packer’s book, A Quest for Godliness; The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life

“Before and after you read the Scripture’, says Baxter, ‘pray earnestly that the Spirit which did indite it, may expound  it to you, and lead you into the truth.’

Also, Scriptures teaches us our duty. Its instruction is for practice. It must be studied, therefore, for the purpose of setting our lives in order. And God will only prosper our study if we continually exercise ourselves to live by what we learn. Then our knowledge will deepen and expand; but otherwise it will run out into sterile verbiage and mental error…

He who would interpret Scripture aright, therefore, must be a man of reverent, humble, prayerful, teachable and obedient spirit; otherwise, however tightly his mind may be ‘stuffed with notions’, he will never reach any understanding of spiritual realities”

Now is your turn; search the Scriptures and find more about Titus and his partnership with Paul.

Coffee is awaiting as well as a day with 24 hours to do what God has prepared for me to do. Have a most blessed day, my friends!


Under His shadow,

Becky