Young women saved out of paganism needed to get accustomed to a whole new set of priorities and privileges; and those who had unsaved husbands needed special encouragement. The Titus Two Models had the responsibility of training the younger women how to be successful wives, mothers, and housekeepers; and the younger women had the responsibility of listening and obeying. TRAINING HUSBAND-LOVERS One word in the Greek text, philandrois is translated “love their husbands.” Paul used the same terms to describe godly widows (I Tim. 5:9). It means to be a woman totally devoted to one’s husband. Some women say their husbands are no longer lovable, but having such an attitude is disobedience to the clear Word of God. If you need help to overcome this attitude, keep in mind that loving your husband does not mean always feeling the rush of emotions that characterized your love at the beginning of the relationship. Marriage is a contented commitment stretching beyond feelings to devotedness—to a level of friendship deep and satisfying. If you don’t love your husband, you should train yourself to love him. Serve him kindly and graciously every day, and soon you will make such a great investment in him you will say to yourself, ‘I’ve put too much of myself into this guy not to love him.’ The best way to fill a home with joy and peace is to have a husband and wife who are best friends--intimately, emotionally, and spiritually. This precept is just one of the important actions explained and mentored by older-in the faith women. STEPS THAT CAN BE TAUGHT What are some practical steps a Titus Two Woman mentoring a younger woman in the faith would teach? Here would be some wonderful starters: • Decide you will make your own husband your number one most important human relationship of life over your parents, brothers, sisters, and friends. • Seek your husband’s friendship and love ahead of all other human relationships, including your children. • Begin examining your lifestyle and schedule to see if you are intentionally “spoiling your husband rotten” if you are doing so as a way of life, then you can be sure that you are his best friend and are truly “loving” your husband. HABITS TO CULTIVATE Here are some habits to cultivate to keep on in your love for your own husband: • Pray for your husband daily. • Plan for him daily things like: special acts of kindness, special dinners, special times alone, special meals alone, early bedtimes for the children, going to bed at the same time. • Prepare for him daily: prepare your heart with being clothed with God’s love; prepare the house; prepare your appearance; prepare your greeting; set the table; clear out all visitors; stay off the phone; pray for his arrival. • Please him daily. • Protect your time with him. • Physically love him, let him know that you are available at any time that would please him. • Positively respond to him. • Praise him. • Pray without ceasing… GOD’S GRACE IS KEY The grace of God teaches us. It starts us out as children, and God’s grace takes us from being children, to growing, into maturity. That’s what His grace is all about is, to teach us and train us to learn, to say ‘No’ to sin. We are energized by God’s grace. God’s Spirit works within us, works in our lives, to help us deny ungodliness. Martin Luther is quoted as saying, “every time Satan knocks at my heart’s door, I send Jesus. And Jesus goes and says, ‘Martin doesn’t live here anymore; I do.’” That solved Martin Luther’s problem. That’s what—in Martin Luther’s 500-year-old thinking—denying ungodliness is all about. Saying ‘No’, rejecting, refusing, not accepting, not taking sin’s offer. Now what’s fascinating, this concept, Titus was to train the new believers in denying ungodliness. We need to deny sin, and say, “No! That’s not me anymore, that’s not what I want; I reject, I refuse, I will not accept whatever ungodliness knocks at my heart’s door.” Go back and by God’s grace rekindle the blessing, edifying, sharing, and touching that always build a strong, close, encouraging partnership for life. Be a beacon of Christs love, reflecting to an empty and hopeless world that true love is possible and can be shared for as long as you live. This is a section of Chapter 3 in Grace Energized Women: amazon/Grace-Energized-Women-Steps-Every-Century-ebook/dp/B00PYJ724Y/ref=la_B001K8Y0SE_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422283569&sr=1-3
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 14:54:43 +0000
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