Titus 2 Men And Women

I Will Bless The Lord/Jehovah
by Sharon Merhalski

"My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD (Jehovah)." Psalm 26:12

(Unless otherwise indicated Scripture is defined from the Strong’s Concordance)

As Thanksgiving approaches I am reminded that Christians think much about being thankful for the "all things" in our lives.  We easily ‘think much’ about being thankful, but too often fall short of being able to vocalize it. Why?

Psalm 26:1-12

In this passage of scripture God gives some prerequisites to our being able to be publicly and vocally thankful to Jehovah for His marvelous and wonderful works.

Vs. 7 "That I may publish (hear intelligently, discern, proclaim) with the voice (call aloud, sing, voice+yell) of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works." 

As I sat and considered these twelve verses of scripture, God reminded me of a conversation I had with Teddi Neevel a couple of weeks ago: A conversation about our need to vocalize the goodness of God to the decade of Christians behind us who were raised in plenty in an economically prosperous society.  And, of course, to the lost.  I think this is especially relevant as our society becomes less prosperous and so many have no idea how to live with less and trust God to supply their needs.

My greatest burden is for our churches to be filled with Titus 2 men and women...Christians who will reproduce the good things and teachings of God in younger people. I believe the area we have fallen short in the most is being transparent enough to proclaim the goodness of Jehovah God in every detail of our lives.  And I believe God---in Psalm 27--gives the reason why men do not boldly and loudly bless Jehovah---voicing loudly and openly  His greatness with thanksgiving.

Verse 1---"JUDGE ME, O LORD (Jehovah); for I have walked in mine integrity (completeness, simplicity, moral innocence, uprightness):  I have trusted also in the LORD (Jehovah); therefore I shall not slide (waiver).

Verse 2---"Examine me, O LORD (Jehovah), and prove me; try my reins (mind---inner self) and my heart (feelings, intellect).

These two verses of scripture are powerful and tough ones to pray.  Even the word 'integrity' has all but escaped the English language -- even where Christians are concerned.   Integrity in the Strong’s Concordance means: completeness, simplicity, moral innocence, uprightness.  The Webster’s Dictionary defines integrity as: being complete, wholeness; soundness, uprightness, honesty, sincerity.

It would be a difficult thing to ask God to "JUDGE ME, O LORD" and "Examine me, O LORD" and "try my mind" if I was not walking in integrity trusting the LORD (Jehovah).   If I was not with purpose walking in integrity, trusting God, I believe His examination and judgement of my lack of integrity and trust would be a heart-wrenching painful experience for me. 

If I was:

• Failing to go to church
• Failing to tithe
• Failing to pray
• Lying
• Not truly loving my brothers in the Lord
• Backbiting, gossiping, or full of anger and bitterness
• Swearing
• Full of anxiety-- which is sin and a lack of trust for Jehovah God
• Feeding "self"’ with pity and so called injustices from others
• Watching ungodly television (and commercials are part of watching television)
• Listening to ungodly music
• Reading ungodly magazines
• Surfing and reading ungodly Internet sites
• Dressing in immodest clothing
• ‘Borrowing’ items from work and never returning them.
• Yoking with vain people (vs. 4---evil literally or morally; those practicing idolatry)
• Yoking with disassemblers (vs. 5---those who hide self and secret things)
• Fellowshipping with wicked men (vs. 6--morally wrong; an (actively) bad person:condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.
• Etc.---anything else that is contrary to the Word of God.

If I was knowingly living in a manner contrary to the Word of God and His perfect will for me, would I ever consider praying for God to Judge me or to Examine me?  Not unless I wanted to be totally broken to full surrender to the God Who unconditionally loves me, saved me, keeps me, and will take me to Heaven when I die.  And unfortunately not too many Christians are concerned with or want to be broken anymore.

(Learn the blessed place of brokenness in a Christian’s life from Pastor David M. Atkinson’s article "Brokenness": http://www.titus2menandwomen.org/Articles/PastorAtkinson/SpiritualBroken/index2.shtml)

The World has crept into our churches "unawares" as God calls it.  We have read the world’s magazines for decades and have accepted much of the garbage we say we don’t believe.  We have become so desensitized to what God calls sin.  For example: I remember when murders first became explicitly explained on the news.  I remember how horrified I was and how it left me extremely sad.  I am thankful I am still saddened--but I know I have become greatly desensitized to the horror of murder by hearing about it over and over and over.

Why don’t Christians bless Jehovah with a ‘call aloud/ voice+yell’ as the Strong’s Concordance defines the word ‘voice’ in verse 7?  Why don’t we have that kind of voice of Thanksgiving telling others of all His wondrous works?

Verse 8 says, "LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thy honour (glory) dwelleth."  Do we?  Do we love to go and assemble ourselves in the house of God?  Do we love to "Be" in Christ: Steal away to a quiet place to be alone with God--asking Him to examine us, fellowshipping with Him, having a quiet time of listening to Him speak to our hearts, nourishing ourselves with His presence and teaching?    Verse 6 says we should desire to "compass (be about on every side of) thine altar, O LORD:"  Is that our desire?

Does our integrity matter to us as much as God wants for it to matter? 

Verse 11---"But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity; redeem (ransom, redeem, preserve) me, and be merciful (to find and show favaour) unto me.

Verse 12---"My foot standeth in an even place (harmony, justice, uprightness): in the congregations will I bless thee (bless God as an act of adoration) the LORD/Jehovah.

Why should we bless Jehovah?  How do we stand in an even place?

"We are complete in him. The man that walks in his integrity, yet trusting wholly in the grace of God, is in a state of acceptance, according to the covenant of which Jesus was the Mediator, in virtue of his spotless obedience even unto death. This man desires to have his inmost soul searched and proved by the Lord. He is aware of the deceitfulness of his own heart; he desires to detect and mortify every sin; and he longs to be satisfied of his being a true believer, and to practise the holy commands of God. Great care to avoid bad company, is both a good evidence of our integrity, and a good means to keep us in it. Hypocrites and dissemblers may be found attending on God's ordinances; but it is a good sign of sincerity, if we attend upon them, as the psalmist here tells us he did, in the exercise of repentance and conscientious obedience. He feels his ground firm under him; and, as he delights in blessing the Lord with his congregations on earth, he trusts that shortly he shall join the great assembly in heaven, in singing praises to God and to the Lamb for evermore." 

From E-Sword--author unknown

From experience I know even in the deepest trials and heartache we have the ability to remember Who Jehovah God is and be thankful for His Sovereign charge of our lives.  But to voice it aloud while living without integrity would be a situation that would---or should---bring much guilt about our living in hypocrisy. 

Oh LORD, may we Your children open our hearts with an overwhelming desire to be judged and examined by You so that we can, with a loud voice full of thanksgiving, praise You and bless You.  May we then live our lives with integrity so our praises of You will teach those around us and truly say to others, "I will bless the LORD/Jehovah" for His mercies are new every morning and His unconditional love and grace never fails.  May all who know us be able to ‘read’ from our lives, God is good---Always!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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