Getting a Do Over

 

Getting a Do Over

Titus 3: Remind your people to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey them, and to be ready to do good in every way. ² Tell them not to speak evil of anyone, but to be peaceful and friendly, and always to show a gentle attitude toward everyone. ³ For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and wrong. We were slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds. We spent our lives in malice and envy; others hated us and we hated them. ⁴ But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed, ⁵ he saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us.

 

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After taking the bait of an argument, I said all the wrong words. My apology could not erase what was said. After sliding on ice, I hit a pole, damaging the passenger and my car. Grousing about the weather could not undo the damage. After taking a test, I realized I made a costly mistake. It was too late.

 

• I wish I could have a do over in many instances.
• I wish I could rewind time and not do or say what was done or said.
• I wish I could install a second chance button for times when life seems to go wrong.

 

Paul reminds everyone to act peacefully because “we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient and wrong.” He then explains the root of the solution, namely JESUS. He said “HE saved us.” Paul then explains that the HOLY SPIRIT “give us new birth and new life by washing us.”

 

My Observation

• I was foolish until I met the LORD.
• I was lost and a slave to my own passion and pleasures until JESUS rescued me.
• I was the problem BUT GOD gave me a second chance.

 

Getting a do over in life would be nice. I mean, I look back at the mountain of mistakes I have made and would love to erase them. But they linger. JESUS decided to do something about them. HE died for every mistake I have made. HE was raised from the dead and placed in authority over all. HE sent the HOLY SPIRIT to live in me so I could get a second chance on eternal life.

 

This do over enables me to live a life that is pleasing to the one who sacrificed HIMSELF. This is a loving relationship that knows no bounds. There is no limit to the amount of love poured out on me when I realize where true love comes from. I gladly give my life to HIM and I am thankful for a second chance.

 

Challenge

• Why do people need to be reminded by the writer?
• Have you ever done or said something that you regretted?
• Will you give your regrets to JESUS today by believing you need HIM for salvation so HE can give you a new life through the HOLY SPIRIT?

Recommendations

Recommendations

Acts 16: Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. ² The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

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“Mind if I introduce someone to you?” a person from another department asked. “Please” was my reply, not knowing why I was meeting the person. I had a lot of work to do, and meeting someone was the last thing on my mind that day. “You have been recommended to lead a division” the person said. Wow! I didn’t expect that!

• I have been blessed to receive recommendations.
• I have been shocked that someone noticed what I was doing.
• I have been excited to work with those who believed in the abilities given to me.

Many believers approached Paul, recommending Timothy. After a while, Paul could not resist wanting Timothy to join him on the journey to teach the simplified message of obedience to new believers of JESUS. This recommendation paid off. Paul and Timothy spoke, many believed and the church was getting stronger.

• GOD wants me to seek HIM.
• GOD wants me to simply use the gifts HE has given me.
• GOD wants me to focus on HIM and HE will deliver me to the people HE needs me to speak to.

There are two ways to work. One way is to work to seek recommendations or “thank you” from people. While this brings moderate success, my rewards are only the “thank you.” BUT GOD wants me to seek eternal rewards which are given by HIM. This is not achieved by bragging and self-promoting.

GOD wants to be centerstage. My work for HIM should point to HIM. People may notice or they may not. BUT GOD always sees when I work for HIM with sincerity. I am grateful for HIS eternal rewards.

• Are you seeking to be known?
• Do you want to create a huge following for yourself, and not for GOD?
• Will you point people to GOD and allow HIM to change your approach so you become highly recommended without needing to boast?

Too Important

Matthew 19: ¹³ Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

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Prepping for the meeting was difficult. I only had fifteen minutes with the president of the company and I had to make every minute worth it. “Maybe I will be ‘too important’ to meet with people for long stretches of time someday.” I thought to myself.

• I sought to make a name for myself.
• I wanted to be “important” to other people.
• I desired to be in the exclusive crowd.

Exclusion is great when I am in the “in crowd.” I mean when I am getting the fringe benefits that others aren’t, it feels wonderful, so much so that I craved more. BUT GOD wants me to act differently.

• GOD wants me to welcome people with open arms.
• GOD wants me to make time for people who cannot do for themselves.
• GOD wants me to be available for the little children.

The disciples were trying to make JESUS exclusive to “important” people. These little kids had nothing to offer and JESUS could heal people back from the dead so the disciples shooed them away. JESUS illustrates how open I should be.

HE wants me to make time for people and not see levels or classes of humans. In fact, GOD wants me to make others more important than I make myself. The more I grow others, the more GOD grows me.

• Are you trying to be important?
• Do you want to exclude people away from you or the group you are in?
• Can you stop trying to be important and point people to the ONE who is, namely JESUS?

GOD Won’t Mind

Jeremiah 32: ³⁷ I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. ³⁸ They will be my people, and I will be their God. ³⁹ I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. ⁴⁰ I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. ⁴¹ I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.

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Too tired to pray I skipped it and said to myself, “GOD won’t mind.” I mean HE knows I’m tired. Hanging out with a crowd, saying and doing what they were, I said to myself “GOD won’t mind.” I mean, isn’t HE supposed to forgive me anyway? Skipping church for months, even years and then when I did go I decided not to give, I said to myself “GOD won’t mind.” I mean those religious people are hypocrites anyway and I don’t want to be a hypocrite.

• Many times I took my relationship with GOD as “granted.”
• Many times I thought GOD would never get angry with me.
• Many times I justified my sin by saying “the man upstairs is supposed to forgive me.”

Having the wrong view of GOD lead to calamity in my life. Instead of the freedom I anticipated, I wound up trapped in a cage full of sin with no way out. Broken relationships, broken accomplishments and broken bank made me realize that doing life on my own was incredibly sad and wrong. There had to be something more, something greater.

• GOD said to me “I will be your GOD and you MY people.”
• GOD said to me “I will gather you and give you singleness of heart and action so you will always fear ME and that all will go well with you and your children.”
• GOD said to me “I will make an everlasting covenant with you and never stop doing good to you.”
• GOD said to me “I will inspire you to fear ME, so you will never turn away from ME.”

A solid relationship is what GOD wants with me, but HE can’t have it when I turn my back on HIM and HIS ways. When I run away from HIM and sin like there is no tomorrow, I should expect consequences and hope they are repairable. My fear of GOD should keep me doing what HE wants me to do rather than fulfilling any temptation that pops into my head. I must think to myself “GOD will mind” in order to have a life where all is well.

• Are you living a lifestyle that is not pleasing to GOD?
• Have you said to yourself “GOD made me this way” instead of asking HIM how do YOU want me to live?
• Will you consider stop trying to please people and seeking to please GOD by serving others the way HE has gifted you?