Sunday Stillness – How Can God’s Word Change You?

Thank you for all your prayers and emails during this flu. I am happy to say that I am on the mend.
I am continuing to study Titus using the SIMPLE Method of Bible Study and Ed Hird’s book Restoring Health. Today I am working through Titus 1:7b. If you want a PDF of the SIMPLE Bible Study – please click on SIMPLE Bible Study by Janis Cox.
Of course, I start with a prayer for God to open the Scripture to me.
S – Say the passage aloud.
– not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain (Titus 1:7b, NIV).
I – Identify the characters, the setting, and the circumstances surrounding this passage.
When I think of the pirates Paul is talking about – yes they were violent and robbed others. How hard must that have been for Titus to speak against. Their whole way of life needed to change.
M- Make a list of the thoughts, questions and ideas.
What’s the opposite of violent? – peace loving, and grace giving.
What’s the opposite of pursuing dishonest gain? – living honestly, working for your money, telling the truth.
I began thinking of this world – nowadays. What do we hear and see on TV, movies, books, video games? Violence, murders. What would Paul say to our world? STOP it. If we want to follow Christ, we have to stop this way of thinking and viewing. What we see is then enacted out in real life. I think of this next generation growing up with violent video games – how is that affecting their minds?
And dishonest gain? We see that in all walks of our lives. People cheating on taxes, people trying to get a “fast buck”, people scamming others. Lotteries – aren’t they just trying to get money that wasn’t earned? Look at big companies – CEOs charged with fraud. The crash of 2008 – greed of the banks and lending companies blinded them to what could happen.
What is happening?
Ed writes a wonderful chapter on this verse.
Our glorification of violence makes us our own worst enemy. Our pride naturally leads to anger and aggression.. Loneliness creates anger (Restoring Health – Mind, Body and Spirit, Ed Hird, page 40).
P – Pray again for God’s guidance.
L- Life – How can I apply what I have been studying to my life?
It’s always funny (to me at least) what God brings to my mind. It is not always what I think about reading the passage, or writing my questions, or even reading Ed’s thoughts – sometimes it is out of the blue.
1. – Not Violent –
I used to read violent books. I wondered why I didn’t sleep well. I used to watch the news before bed. I wondered why I didn’t sleep well. I believe it is good to keep up with what is happening in the world and for that reason I read the news on my IPAD in the morning – never before bed.
I now read good books, with love, redemption, excitement, troubles that are overcome, journeys and struggles.
2 – Not Given to Dishonest Gain.
I don’t think I ever purposefully lied or took money illegally. However, my giving heart had to melt before I could open the door to being generous. One sermon many years ago cracked open the door to giving in my heart. The question was asked: How much do you pay to heat your house? Shouldn’t you pay that amount or more to heat your heart?
Hubby and I now look for God’s leading of where to give. Try it and as Ed says:
Our giving must be out of thanksgiving and love for what Jesus did on the cross (Restoring Health, page 42).
Generosity is a healthy mark of a Spirit-filled ex-pirate (Ibid. page 43).
This also brought to mind taking Dave Ramsey’s course, called Financial Peace, and how this changed our thinking too.
E – Exit the passage with a prayer for God to help you.
Lord, thank you for showing me the ideal way to live – Your way. Help me as I struggle with keeping peaceful at all times. As I go out into the world help me to pray when I see violence and dishonest gain. Help me to have a generous gentle heart. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.
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Janis Cox
Janis is the author of the award winning children’s book, Tadeo Turtle, published by Word Alive Press. Available in Kindle Format, in bookstores, online and from her website. Curriculum available upon request.
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Today is Sunday Stillness.
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Janis, I love your SIMPLE Bible study method! I will try it!
Ellen,
That is wonderful. I would love to hear back from you about what you learn through this method. Did you find the PDF link?
Blessings,
Janis
Janis,
Glad you’re feeling better… and thanks for sharing what you’re learning from Titus…blessings 🙂
Dolly,
So great to hear from you. Thanks for your comments – and I am learning so much from Titus.
Blessings to you, too.
Janis
Great to hear that you’re doing better – I was about to catch a cold as well, but sleeping and rest took the worst of it.
Blessings to your week, and thank you for the Bible study, Janis!
Nina,
You are most welcome! I am so happy you are enjoying it.
And resting is what helped me too.
Blessings,
Janis
Janis…thank you for the encouragement and for hosting. Have a blessed week.
Naomi,
You are welcome – I love how we are gathered together as a team for Jesus. Blessings to you on your week too.
Janis
Thanks so much for sharing vulnerably from your life, Janis, as you study God’s word here. You’ve gleaned some gems for us and I appreciate it! Thanks also for hosting the linkup!
You are so encouraging in your comments. I do love using the SIMPLE study – with prayer, God really can talk to us, can’t He?
Blessings,
Janis
So many good nuggets in this post, Janis! Heating your heart, watching violent movies(I used to watch horror movies and then wondered why I was afraid all the time-now I fill my mind and heart with something good before going to bed), Dave Ramsey (I also learned a lot from him and our credit card debt is ALMOST paid off), and the lottery-I don’t play, but I never thought about that-wanting money that you didn’t work for! That’s great. Thanks for another week. Hope you’re all better now!
Mary,
Thank you for your wonderful encouragement. Yes I am feeling much better. Now I have to exercise to get my body back in shape. I am tired and so I need exercise. I did start walking again a little.
Yes we have to watch what goes into our hearts and spirit – would God be watching it and smiling? That’s my cue.
Blessings,
Janis