TITUS CONNECTION Volume 16, Number 10 – October, 2022
WISE INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
TITUS CONNECTION
Volume 16, Number 10 – October, 2022
Greetings. John the Baptist directed people to Jesus and to live holy. That should be our loudest message once we know a person is a believer in Jesus. How we live and our communication should constantly be Jesus. This world needs us to communicate Jesus every moment of the day. That is a goal worth pursuing. Mike
DIRECTING PEOPLE TO LIVES OF HOLINESS
People from all around came to him to hear what he had to say. Many repented and then were baptized in the Jordan River, to testify that their lives had been changed through the preaching of repentance and a lifestyle change as a result of that decision. Their sins had been forgiven and they publicly gave testimony to their peers, they were pursuing being completely changed by the truth of the Gospel. This is what John the Baptist preached (Mark 1:4-6, Luke 3:15-18).
John made it clear that he was paving the way for the Messiah. He would baptize people with only water. Jesus would be coming soon and provide salvation. John was nothing compared to Jesus (John 3:30). John felt he was not even worthy to carry Jesus’ sandals. What does that mean? He knew his role, knew who the One salvation would come through and he was simply leading the way for people to have the opportunity to have a personal relationship with the Creator of the world and salvation for all the world.
How would Jesus baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire? Matthew 3:11-12 stresses that the baptism by the Holy Spirit refers to Christ saving believers and the fire describes judgment upon the wicked, those who refuse what Jesus offers through salvation.
John spoke of how much more powerful and mighty Jesus would be through this baptism and how Jesus worked the threshing floor. The winnowing fork or fan was the shovel used to throw grain into the air so that the chaff would blow away, while the clean kernels would fall back to the floor. Jesus would separate the believers from the non-believers. The kernels that fall back to the floor were saved and the chaff would be burned up as it says in Matt 3:12 and Luke 3:17 with unquenchable fire. That unquenchable fire is eternal hell.
Jesus would not be playing games with people. You either accept Him to forgive your sins or else, it is eternal fire, forever away from Jesus. That is why John felt he could not even carry the sandals of Jesus, for how holy Jesus is.
This beckons the question, what is our attitude toward Jesus? Is Jesus my homeboy, my friend, the one I go to when things get difficult and there is no other way out? Or is He my Savior, the One who standard of perfectness is so far above me but who I will pursue to be like?
Sin separates us from Jesus and without a personal, repentant relationship with Jesus, we are in eternal hell. I have found that how I deal with sin in my life is an indication of how I view and treat Jesus. How I treat others reveals my relationship with Him.
After reading this section, how do I view holiness and what do I need to do to change an area of my life to become more like Jesus? John felt he was not at the level of holiness to even pick up Jesus’ sandals. As part of my spiritual growth, I need to consistently take inventory of how I treat personal sin and am I actively growing in my relationship with Jesus.
Lord, Help me to have the right view and understanding of who You are and that I treat sin as You did – I actively pursue becoming more and more like You, that when people see me, they in fact, see Jesus.
YOUTH MINISTRY – Finding People Who Positively Impact Us
Find people who will be positive and honest in your life. Hopefully that list includes your parents and guardians. We need people who speak truth to us and live accordingly. If you are hanging around people who are not in that category, get away from them. That is why it was mentioned that your parents/guardians are on that list.
The level of influence your family and friends have on you is enormous. Shawn Byler, Ph.D., who works with athletes, shares, “Athletes will learn faster, perform better, and have fewer practice problems when the coach uses techniques to catapult the athlete toward confidence and self-esteem.” How we treat people, what we say to and interact with them, has great importance and impact. Continually build others up by saying and doing things that are wholesome, helpful and uplifting, that it will benefit the one hearing it (Ephesians 4:29).
If you are around people who tear you down or treat you with disrespect, this impacts your life. This is a major reason why a Christian must spend time in the Word of God, as this guidance will help you to begin to understand your value and who you are in Jesus and combat the ideas and concepts that are being thrown at you. If you want to love God and others, and not be like the world around you, your mind (thinking processes) needs to be changed (Romans 12:1-2).
If we as Christians could only view others like Jesus views them, this would change our world. Speaking uplifting truth into a person has so much value and influence. This truth is also the willingness to guide someone when they are doing the wrong thing, to help, build them up to get them back on the right path.
One of the biggest responsibilities an older person, especially a spirit led leader is to speak truth into the lives of others. Plus, an older person can see potential in a younger person quicker than that person is able, and that can be spoken to guide that young individual. Younger person, get around people who believe in you. It could mean the difference in the type of life you lead!
R. Ruth Barton said, “We set young leaders up for a fall if we encourage them to envision what they can do before they consider the kind of person they should be.” Dancing prestige, financial freedom and gain power by leading others give the wrong understanding of a true leader. Help ground a young person to become a quality, considerate, others focused person of integrity. If you focus on these attributes and attitudes first, when a young person becomes something the foundation of their life will be solid. Older people, believe in your young people.
If any young person has a bad home life, realize God has not abandoned you and that He supernaturally can take care of and help develop you. Work to find positive people outside your home who will fill the gap of building and developing you. Your struggles are more than those who has a good home life, but God is in control. Call out to Him.
If you are in a group that involves itself in negative, destructive activity, go find quality people. It is your choice. Make the right choice. In Daniel 1, Daniel, Shadrach, Abednego and Meshach also had choices to make. They were torn away from their families and country, being immersed in a new godless philosophy and way of life. They chose to focus on God and lean on each other. The four of them had an immense impact on the empire of Babylon and other empires.
Peer pressure was horrendous to go against God (Daniel 3, 6). But they stayed the course and sought God. These were four normal young people who in adult life shook the foundations of a mighty empire. You and I may not shake a mighty empire’s foundation, but we can impact so many people by sticking with God and people who positively believe in us. But it is your choice.