Titus Connection, Volume 12, December 2025

Merry and Blessed Christmas to your family and you!  And a wonderful new year! Paul’s article is appropriate as you reflect on 2025 and dream about 2026.  Both articles have a theme of obedience to the Lord in them.  Enjoy!   Mike

Would it be wonderful if determining the will of God for your life was like making a phone call and you receive the following prompts.  Press 1 for career, Press 2 for who should I marry, Press 3 for major financial decisions, Press 4 for what I should accomplish in ministry this year, Press 5 for all other questions as a customer service angel will be with you shortly.

Paul was passionate for Jesus Christ.  He was 100% committed.  He would preach the gospel to anyone, for he was not ashamed of who Jesus is and what He did for mankind.   On his second missionary journey, Paul and his companions were traveling around the northeastern region of the Mediterranean Sea, along today the coast of southern Turkey.  They were planning to go deeper into Asia, (deeper into Turkey), but were not allowed by the Holy Spirit.

“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.  So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”  After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” Acts 16:6-10.

The group was busy doing the ministry that God had directed them and then as they planned to head further into Bithynia (central Turkey), the Holy Spirit told them to stop.  They headed west to Troas on the Mediterranean Coast.  There Paul had a vision from a man from Macedonia (today’s northern Greece) asking Paul’s group to head there, which they did preaching the Gospel to the Macedonians.

The sensitivity Paul had to the leading of the Holy Spirit was tremendous.  How did he develop that?  First, Paul had a very intimate, full committed, developing relationship with Jesus.  Second, Paul obeyed the leading of the Spirit every step of the way in his life and ministry.  No matter what, Paul was going to carry out the direction and will of God.  Third, Paul and his team consistently communicated with Jesus and also with one another, feeding off each other’s understanding of what Jesus was doing in their lives.  Paul’s team had one focus and that was to carry out the will of God.

These three aspects were some of the most important principles for Paul’s sensitivity.  Here I need to ask myself if I am following these principles mentioned.  The end of the year is a time for reflection and forward thinking.  As Christian leaders I assume we all want to be following God’s leading for opportunities He has for us in the coming, and following years.

I need to assess how my relationship with Jesus is.  Did I grow and develop in my spiritual journey with Him in 2025, am I measurably living in a deeper relationship with Jesus compared to a year ago?  Does it show in my relationships with others?  Do I have a greater commitment through obedience?

In what ways do I place myself in position to be hearing the leading of the Holy Spirit?  We can become so busy doing ministry for Jesus that we are not intentionally listening for His leading.  Paul and the team were in the middle of ministry opportunities when they were not allowed to head further into Asia, and when Paul had his Macedonian vision.  Be involved in ministry opportunities but leave room to slow down and listen and see the Lord’s leading.
WILD has been extremely committed, encouraging and teaching on developing teams.  Here is a great spiritual example of the importance of team.  Collectively, Paul’s team knew they were not supposed to head in a certain direction.

They could feed off each other, discussing what they were all sensing how the Spirit was leading.  The Chrisitan life and journey for each of us is not done in a vacuum, meaning this journey involves relationships and sharpening each other’s walk with Jesus against fellow believers.  Other mature believers can and will confirm God’s leading in my life.  But it is not the idea that I keep looking for the one Christian who will confirm what I want to hear and then “know it is God’s will”.

God’s will Never goes against His Word, so make sure our spiritual journey involves consistent spending time in His Word and listening to Him for leading through His Word.  If you want to know what you should do in 2026, make sure you are spending consistent time in His Word and being obedient to what you learn.  Then take time to listen to His leading as you are involved with mature believers.  Then you can potentially figure out what Macedonia you are to be involved in.

Ever have an experience that no one believed?  Consider this.  As a young lady, you get up your courage to tell your parents something that even for yourself seems totally impossible, but you know it is true because of what is happening to your body.  With all the courage you have, you tell your parents that you are pregnant, but it did not happen the way normal pregnancy occurs.

Your explanation to your parents and the guy you love, is God came to visit you and said that supernaturally you would become pregnant.  At that point your parents and boyfriend suspect that you are totally lying as you got involved sexually with some guy for a night.  The story you give is totally unbelievable.  In your loneliness and pain, you know that it is true – supernaturally God impregnated you.

That is the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, a young lady, in her teenage years, Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and was told that she would have a child (Luke 1: 26-38).  Mary knew she was a virgin and it was not physiologically possible but accepted that with God, all things are possible.  She was simply humbled that God would choose her for such a task.

Gabriel explained what God was going to do through her, that she would be the mother of the Savior of the world.  Even sense God was asking you to do something?  How did you respond?  As Gabriel spoke, Mary believed God, trusting Him for what she could not understand.  Her conversation with Gabriel ended by saying she was the Lord’s servant and God’s will be accomplished.  Her heart was submissive and obedient to God’s instructions.

Though Mary had few facts and little understanding, she was willing to follow God.  It would not be easy for her.  Thoughts of rejection, lying, accusations and pain had to flow through her brain.  “Who would believe my story, especially my parents and Joseph?”  In fact, the tag of bearing an illegitimate child never left her (Mark 6:1-3), when over 30 years later, Jesus returned to his home of Nazareth, people indicated he was the son of Mary, not Joseph.  Being known by your mother indicated that the mother was involved in infidelity and the child was illegitimate.

Following God’s leading is not easy.  How does God lead you; reading your Bible, praying and quietly listening in the stillness of your mind and heart, another Christian sharing something or as you worship Him?  When we sense His leading, how obedient are we willing to be?

God desires to use us for His glory in awesome ways but not everyone on earth will agree with God how He should use you.  You will even disagree with God at times on how He uses you.  We need obedient hearts and follow God no matter the cost.  Mary did that even though she lived through constant emotional pain.
Can you and I say, “I am the Lord’s servant.  Use me however You, God see fit!”? It is a choice we will make often in our spiritual journeys with Jesus.