The Devotional - A Look at the Book #893

by Jesse Abel

Thoughts from Papa “J”

 

Yesterday the verses in this section should have been from Proverbs 7, what a hoot! Looking now briefly at Proverbs 8, one needs to be careful since it is easy to say that wisdom is the Holy Spirit but I believe this is an error, notice Proverbs 8:22-31. The Triune God is Eternal, while all of these verses indicate a beginning.

 

Good Morning

 

2 Corinthians 7:13-16 – There is no greater experience than fellowshipping with the saints and no greater joy to have than when a congregation comes around an individual or a family that has been through a moment of intense suffering of some kind. Every church knows this experience and every seasoned saint has at one time or more been the recipient of this fellowship of love.

 

These are moments of grace in action, the results of answered prayer, the outworking of the kingdom of heaven at hand. The blessings of these times are innumerable, where the restoration is not just the superficial mask like the one below. There is simply no greater joy for believers when the comfort of being with brothers and sister in the LORD is lived out in truth.

 

I have done a brief search of the history of Titus and do not feel that any of it is worthy of comment. What does seem pertinent to me is that he was well known in Corinth and Crete, where in Crete he became the bishop. Some also argue that Timothy is Titus, not that there is a name change but that Titus can be a shortened informal name. However 2 Timothy 4:10 rejects that thought.

 

So Titus was a man, faithful to God and good companion of the apostle Paul. Yet we see that even though he has the qualifications of a church leader, there could have been a time in his life when things were not that way at all. There seems to be a bit of apprehension in the words of the apostle Paul as he waited for the arrival of Titus in Corinth. How would they receive him? I see a similar apprehension of Paul in the book of Philemon. Notice the plea for Onesimus that Paul presents in Philemon 1:8-16

 

Also as you recall Onesimus had wronged the church in Philemon’s house, was caught and place in prison with the apostle. History indicates that Onesimus became a bishop in Ephesus and later martyred. The point that I wish to make is that believers are saved from the sin of the world by the LAMB. Their histories as sinners are evident. But more importantly is their history as saints who would willingly die for their Savior; Jesus. Saints do not need to hide behind a mask, since the life they live in the flesh, they live by the faith of the Son of God. Galatians 2:16-20.

 

The picture of the two masks did not print, but hopefully you get the picture???