Psalm 90:3 You return mortal humankind to the dust, saying, “Return, children of Adam.” Psalm 90:4 Yes, in your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that passes by, like a watch of the night.
he bestows and withdraws
Rogerson & McKay comment on verse 3: “God both bestows and withdraws the life-force which makes man a living person as opposed to lifeless matter” (200).
He decides how much time each of us has, and he does not pass that information along. It, therefore, behooves us to use the time we have in the best possible way. Each day is a gift from him, and we do not know how many such gifts we will have.
Rogerson, J W, and J W. McKay. Psalms 101-150. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977.
Psalm 90:1 Lord, you have been where we live generation after generation. Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the land and the world, from age to age, you are God.
from age to age
Mays points out that the theme of time “is woven through the whole (of the psalm) in a way that identifies time as the problem of faith with which the psalm’s theology is concerned (vv. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15)” (290).
It does us all good to stop and realize that God has preceded us in time, and will still be here long after we are sleeping in the dust. He is the permanent one. We are temporary — at least we are now. Those who put their faith in Christ are promised a permanent resurrection life, but we are not there yet. He is the only one who is from age to age.
Mays, James L. Psalms. Louisville: John Knox Press, 2011.
Titus 3:12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, put forth your best effort to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there. Titus 3:13 Put forth your best effort to support and send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos; so that neither of them lacks the resources to join me. Titus 3:14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good achievements, so they can bring relief in these urgent cases, and not be unproductive. Titus 3:15 The ones who are with me send greetings to you. Greet our friends in the faith. Favor be with you all.
best effort
There are seasons when the gap between desire and ability becomes painfully clear. The heart longs to accomplish more, to serve more fully, to meet every need placed before it. Yet limitations—of strength, time, resources, or circumstance—stand in the way. Scripture never denies this tension. Even the most faithful servants encountered moments when their intentions exceeded their capacity. Paul wanted to heal Trophimus but could not. David longed to build the temple but was not permitted. Moses desired to enter the land but was stopped at the border. These examples remind believers that limitation is not failure; it is part of the human condition.
What matters is not the ability to do everything, but the willingness to offer the best effort possible within the boundaries God has set. Faithfulness is measured not by the scale of the outcome but by the sincerity of the effort. The widow’s two coins were small, yet Jesus declared her gift greater than all the others because she gave what she could. The servant entrusted with two talents was commended just as fully as the one given five because both were faithful with what they had. God does not demand the impossible; God calls for wholeheartedness.
Courage is needed for this kind of faithfulness. It takes courage to keep showing up when the results seem small. It takes courage to offer one’s best when others appear to accomplish more. It takes courage to resist discouragement when limitations feel heavy. Commitment is required as well—the steady resolve to continue doing good, even when progress is slow or unseen. This commitment is not fueled by personal ambition but by trust in the God who sees every act of obedience, however modest.
The prayer that rises from this truth is simple and sincere: may God grant the courage to give the best effort available, and the commitment to persevere in that effort. Strength may fluctuate, opportunities may shift, and circumstances may restrict what can be done. But the heart can remain steadfast. The hands can remain willing. The spirit can remain devoted.
In the end, God honors faithfulness, not perfection. The offering of one’s best—however small it may seem—is never wasted. It becomes part of the quiet, steady work through which God accomplishes far more than any individual could imagine.
Titus 3:1 Keep reminding them to be submissive to their priorities and authorities, to obey them, to be ready to do every good achievement, Titus 3:2 to insult no one, to be a non-combatant, to be gentle, and to demonstrate consideration of all humans. Titus 3:3 Because we ourselves were once stupid, disobedient, led astray, slaves to our lusts and various pleasures, spending our lives by being mean and envious, hateful, hating one another. Titus 3:4 But when the goodness and loving kindness appeared from our Savior God, Titus 3:5 it appeared, not because of achievements done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Sacred Breath, Titus 3:6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, Titus 3:7 so that having been declared not guilty by his favor we might become heirs, confident of inheriting permanent life. Titus 3:8 The word is trustworthy, and I intend for you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good achievements. These things are good and profitable for humans. Titus 3:9 But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, arguments, and fights about the law because they are unprofitable and useless. Titus 3:10 As for a human who causes division, after warning him once and twice, refuse to participate with him, Titus 3:11 since we know that such a person has been warped and is being sinful; he is self-condemned.
mercy triumphs over stupidity
Harvey summarizes the argument of Paul here: “If God showed such kindness and love to men as he has manifested in saving us, we also ought to show kindness and love to all men” (142). Harvey’s summary captures the heart of Paul’s argument with striking clarity. Paul roots Christian ethics not in human effort, social expectation, or cultural norms, but in the character of God revealed in salvation. The kindness and love God has shown become the pattern for the kindness and love believers are called to display. The logic is simple and profound: God acted toward us with mercy when we were foolish, disobedient, and enslaved to passions. That mercy transformed us. Therefore, those who have received such mercy must extend it.
Paul describes humanity’s former condition in stark terms—spiritually blind, morally misguided, and incapable of rescuing itself. Yet God intervened, not because of righteous deeds, but because of his own compassion. He washed, renewed, and justified. He poured out the Spirit richly. He made heirs out of those who had nothing to offer. This divine generosity is not merely a theological truth to be affirmed; it is a moral foundation to be lived.
If God’s mercy reached into human ignorance and rebellion, then believers cannot withhold mercy from others because of their flaws, failures, or immaturity. The transformation God worked in us becomes the model for how we treat those around us. The gospel does not produce people who look down on the spiritually confused; it produces people who remember their own confusion and respond with patience. It does not produce people who demand perfection; it produces people who recall their own need for grace. The mercy that removed our spiritual stupidity becomes the mercy we extend to those still trapped in theirs.
Paul’s argument also guards against pride. No believer can claim moral superiority, because every believer stands where they stand only because of God’s kindness. This humility becomes the soil in which gentleness grows. The community shaped by such mercy becomes a living demonstration of the gospel’s power—people who treat others not as they deserve, but as God has treated them.
Harvey’s summary therefore reflects Paul’s intention: the kindness God has shown becomes the kindness believers must show. The love God displayed becomes the love believers must embody. The mercy that rescued us becomes the mercy we extend.
LORD, overcome our stupidity!
Harvey, H. Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, First and Second Timothy and Titus, and the Epistle to Philemon. Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1890.
Titus 2:11 Because the favor of God has appeared, announcing salvation for all humans, Titus 2:12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly lusting, and to live self-controlled, fair, and godly lives in the present age, Titus 2:13 waiting for our blessed hope, the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are uniquely his — enthusiastic about doing good achievements. Titus 2:15 You should say these kinds of things; encourage and reprimand because you have every right to do so. Do not let anyone wonder about your right to teach them.
say these kinds of things
Paul’s instructions to Titus in this passage outline the core message he is to proclaim as he manages the mission work on Crete. His task is not administrative in the modern sense but pastoral, theological, and formational. He is to speak in ways that shape the community’s understanding of salvation, their conduct in the present age, and their hope for the age to come.
At the center of his message is the salvation God has revealed in Christ. Paul wants Titus to keep announcing that God’s grace has appeared—an event rooted in Christ’s incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection. This salvation is not a human achievement or a philosophical insight. It is God’s decisive act of kindness toward a world trapped in sin. Titus is to keep this truth before the believers so that their identity remains grounded in what God has done, not in their own efforts or cultural expectations.
Flowing from that salvation is a call to renounce ungodliness. The gospel does not merely forgive; it trains. Grace becomes a teacher, instructing believers to turn away from the patterns of life that once defined them. For the Cretan Christians, this meant rejecting the vices that characterized their culture—dishonesty, self‑indulgence, and moral disorder. For believers in any place, it means allowing the gospel to confront whatever habits, desires, or attitudes contradict the character of Christ. Titus is to speak in ways that help the community understand that salvation leads to transformation.
But the transformation is not only negative—turning away from what is wrong. It is also positive—learning to live godly lives in this present age. Paul envisions believers who are self‑controlled, upright, and devoted to good works. These qualities make the gospel visible. They show that the grace of God has taken root. Titus’s teaching is meant to cultivate this kind of life, shaping a community whose conduct reflects the reality of the salvation they have received.
Finally, Titus is to direct the believers’ attention toward the next age. The present age is marked by brokenness, temptation, and mortality. But another age is coming, and it will begin when Jesus appears in glory at his second coming. This hope is not an escape from responsibility but a motivation for faithfulness. The appearing of Christ will bring the fulfillment of salvation, the resurrection of the dead, and the renewal of all things. Titus’s teaching must keep this hope alive so that the believers live with expectation and perseverance.
This passage, then, gives Titus a threefold message: proclaim the salvation God has revealed, train believers to live transformed lives now, and anchor them in the hope of Christ’s glorious appearing.
Titus 2:1 But you should say what fits in with healthy teaching. Titus 2:2 Teach older men to be balanced, dignified, self-controlled, healthy in the faith, in the care, and in the perseverance. Titus 2:3 In the same way, teach older women to be reverent in how they act, not slanderers or slaves to a lot of wine. They should be good teachers, Titus 2:4 so that they can train the young women to show love to their husbands and show love to their children, Titus 2:5 to be self-controlled, devout, hard workers for their families, good, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be accused of being useless. Titus 2:6 In the same way, encourage the younger men to be self-controlled. Titus 2:7 Offer yourself to be a model of these good achievements in every way, demonstrating in your teaching integrity, dignity, Titus 2:8 and a healthy message which is beyond criticism, so that anyone wanting to oppose you may be put to shame, finding nothing worthless to say about us. Titus 2:9 Teach bond-servants to be submissive to their own employers in all matters; they should be satisfactory, not argumentative, Titus 2:10 not embezzling, but demonstrating that they can be trusted to do all kinds of good so that in everything they make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
training in consistent living
Barnes paraphrases the text in 2:5 as “That the gospel may not be injuriously spoken of on account of the inconsistent lives of those who profess to be influenced by it” (343). Believers from every background and personality type must be trained to live in a way that aligns with the gospel we confess. The Christian life is not shaped by instinct or by the momentum of past habits. It is shaped by intentional formation—learning to let the message of Christ govern attitudes, decisions, and relationships. Paul’s instructions to Titus assume that every believer, regardless of age, gender, or social position, needs this kind of training. No one drifts into godliness. It is cultivated.
The temptations faced will differ from person to person. Some struggle with anger, others with self‑indulgence, others with fear, pride, or dishonesty. Some must learn restraint; others must learn courage. Some must learn to speak; others must learn to be silent. The gospel does not erase these differences. Instead, it addresses each one with the same transforming power, teaching believers to renounce what is destructive and to embrace what reflects Christ. The Spirit works within each life, but the community also plays a role, encouraging, correcting, and modeling what faithful living looks like.
What unites all believers is the responsibility to demonstrate that the word shaping their lives has made them trustworthy. The gospel is not merely a message to be repeated; it is a truth to be embodied. When believers live with integrity, consistency, and self‑control, they show that the grace of God has taken root. Their conduct becomes a visible testimony that the gospel is not empty talk but a power that reshapes character. This is why Paul emphasizes good works—not as a means of earning salvation, but as evidence that salvation has taken hold.
Trustworthiness is one of the most compelling forms of witness. A believer who keeps promises, speaks truthfully, treats others with dignity, and handles responsibilities faithfully becomes a living argument for the credibility of the gospel. In a world marked by instability and self‑interest, such lives stand out. They make the teaching about God attractive, not by clever words but by consistent character.
Training in godliness, then, is not optional. It is part of the calling of every believer. The gospel that saves also instructs, shapes, and equips. As each believer learns to overcome personal temptations and live in alignment with the message proclaimed, the community becomes a living demonstration of the transforming grace of God.
LORD, make us consistently godly.
Barnes, Albert, and Ingram Cobbin. Notes on the Epistles to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon: Explanatory and Practical. Edinburgh: Gall & Inglis, 1840.
Titus 1:10 Because there are also many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from the circumcision faction. Titus 1:11 It is necessary to silence them; they overthrow whole households by teaching what they shouldn’t in favor of getting money shamefully. Titus 1:12 One of their very own prophets said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. Titus 1:13 This testimony is accurate. So, rebuke them sharply, so that they may be healthy in the faith Titus 1:14 and may not pay attention to Jewish myths and the commands of humans who turn away from the truth. Titus 1:15 To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are stained and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience are stained. Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but they are denying Him by their achievements. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good achievement.
detestable, disobedient, and disqualified
Paul’s warning in this passage explains why the doctrinal qualifications in verse 9 are absolutely essential for anyone considered for the office of overseer. The issue is not merely intellectual ability or theological interest. The problem is that unqualified individuals will inevitably assume they are fit for leadership. Some will even seek the role aggressively, convinced that their charisma, confidence, or personal opinions make them suitable. Titus is therefore instructed to evaluate candidates not by their claims but by their demonstrated achievements—the observable fruit of their lives, their stability, their integrity, and their faithfulness to the apostolic message.
Paul knows that a person can profess sound doctrine while living in a way that contradicts it. A person can speak well, appear persuasive, or project authority, yet lack the character required to guide God’s people. This is why the qualifications in verse 9 matter so deeply. An overseer must hold firmly to the faithful word as taught. This means more than agreeing with correct doctrine; it means being shaped by it, anchored in it, and able to use it to strengthen the community. Such a leader must be capable of encouraging sound teaching—building up the congregation with truth—and also refuting those who oppose it. The role requires discernment, courage, and a deep grasp of the gospel.
Paul contrasts this with the kind of individuals who should never be entrusted with leadership. Some who present themselves as strong leaders are, in reality, “detestable, disobedient, and disqualified.” Their lives reveal patterns of rebellion, moral compromise, or doctrinal distortion. They may be forceful, confident, or influential, but their character disqualifies them. Appointing such people would harm the congregation, distort the gospel, and undermine the witness of the church. Titus must therefore resist the pressure to elevate those who appear impressive but lack the qualities God requires.
This passage underscores a timeless truth: congregational leadership is not granted on the basis of ambition, personality, or self‑promotion. It is entrusted to those whose lives and doctrine align with the gospel. The church must look beyond claims and examine character. Only those who embody the faithful word and demonstrate its fruit in their lives are fit to guide the community of believers. 1
LORD, give us discernment!
William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries: “Exegesis and Exposition of Titus 1:10,” 2014. p.1.
Titus 1:5 In favor of this, I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, like I directed you to, to appoint elders in every town: Titus 1:6 someone who is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of irresponsible living or rebellion. Titus 1:7 Because an overseer, as God’s administrator, must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, Titus 1:8 but hospitable, loving what is good, reasonable, righteous, holy, self-controlled, Titus 1:9 holding to the faithful word as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.
blameless and biblical
The two terms Paul gives Titus describe the kind of person entrusted with guiding a local congregation, and they reflect a leadership model very different from the modern, professionalized notion of “pastor.” These overseers were community leaders—mature believers recognized for their character, stability, and faithfulness. Their authority did not come from a title but from the quality of their lives and the trust they had earned within the congregation.
Paul’s emphasis begins at home. An overseer had to be blameless in family relationships, demonstrating integrity in marriage and wisdom in guiding children. The home was the proving ground for leadership. If a person could not cultivate order, respect, and faithfulness within the household, that person was not ready to shepherd the household of God. This requirement was not about perfection but about observable maturity. The congregation needed leaders whose lives were consistent, steady, and free from scandal.
Public reputation mattered as well. An overseer had to be blameless in the eyes of the surrounding community. The early churches were small, vulnerable groups watched closely by neighbors, officials, and critics. A leader with a compromised reputation could damage the witness of the entire congregation. Paul therefore insists that leaders must be people whose conduct commands respect both inside and outside the church.
Alongside moral integrity, Paul requires doctrinal stability. An overseer must hold firmly to the faithful word as taught. This means being anchored in the apostolic message, not swayed by novelty or pressured by false teachers. The overseer must be able to encourage sound teaching—strengthening believers with truth—and also refute those who contradict it. Leadership involved both nourishment and protection. The congregation needed leaders who could build up the faithful and guard the community from destructive ideas.
These qualifications reveal a pattern of congregational leadership rooted in character, not charisma; in faithfulness, not personal ambition. The overseer was not a solitary authority figure but a mature believer entrusted with guiding the community in life and doctrine. The focus is on integrity, stability, and the ability to preserve and pass on the apostolic teaching.
These remain the essential qualifications for congregational leadership: a life that reflects the gospel, a reputation that honors Christ, and a commitment to guard and strengthen the faith of the community.
LORD, give us leaders who are blameless and biblical!
Titus 1:1 From Paul, servant of God, and missionary sent by Jesus Christ, representing the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the awareness of the truth which godliness brings; Titus 1:2 In hope of permanent life, which God (who is free from deceit) promised before the ages began; Titus 1:3 But he has revealed that promise in our own seasons through preaching, a task which has been handed over to me by order of God our Savior; Titus 1:4 To Titus, a legitimate child representing that shared faith: Favor, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
a promise revealed
God’s promise of permanent life is not a late addition to the biblical story but the unveiling of something long hinted at throughout the Old Testament. The Hebrew Scriptures contain scattered rays of hope—images of God swallowing up death, raising the faithful from the dust, and establishing a kingdom that never ends. These were not yet fully illuminated, but they pointed forward to a future in which death would not have the final word. In the gospel, that hope becomes clear. Through Christ’s resurrection, God reveals openly what had previously been only glimpsed: the promise of another life, a life that does not decay, weaken, or end.
This life is not simply endless existence. Scripture never treats immortality as something every soul automatically possesses. Human beings are mortal by nature, dependent on God for every breath. The Old Testament consistently describes death as a return to the dust and the cessation of conscious activity. The New Testament continues this pattern by teaching that immortality belongs to God alone and is granted only through Christ. Eternal life is therefore not an inherent human trait but a divine gift, rooted in God’s character and secured by Christ’s victory over death.
The promise of permanent life is tied to faith in Christ because he is the one who has conquered death. His resurrection is not merely a demonstration of power but the beginning of a new creation. Those who trust him are united with him and will share in the same kind of life he now possesses. This is why the apostles speak of eternal life as something believers will receive “in the age to come,” something that will be “given” or “inherited.” It is a future reality grounded in a present relationship. Faith lays hold of the promise, but the fulfillment awaits the moment when Christ returns and raises the dead.
This understanding guards the church from two distortions. One is the idea that everyone is already immortal and simply moves into another mode of existence at death. The other is the belief that eternal life is merely a spiritual metaphor rather than a concrete, embodied reality. Scripture affirms neither. Instead, it presents eternal life as God’s gracious gift, bestowed on those who respond to the promise with trust, and realized fully when Christ transforms the mortal into the immortal.
The promise is real, the hope is solid, and the life to come will be permanent because it is sustained by the God who cannot die.
Ezekiel 48:30 “These are the exits of the city: On the north side, which measures 4,500 cubits, Ezekiel 48:31 there will be three gates facing north, the gates of the city being named for the tribes of Israel: one, the gate of Reuben; one, the gate of Judah; and one, the gate of Levi. Ezekiel 48:32 On the east side, which is 4,500 cubits, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Joseph; one, the gate of Benjamin; and one, the gate of Dan. Ezekiel 48:33 On the south side, which measures 4,500 cubits, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Simeon; one, the gate of Issachar; and one, the gate of Zebulun. Ezekiel 48:34 On the west side, which is 4,500 cubits, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Gad; one, the gate of Asher; and one, the gate of Naphtali. Ezekiel 48:35 The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits, and the name of the city from that day on will be, Yahveh Is There.”
put him in the center
Laura Putnam comments on this text: “Because the people had turned from God, he, in turn, had sent them off to exile, not as punishment exactly, but as a teaching experience — that they might learn to trust and obey him, to put him in the center of their lives as was only fitting for the great Creator God that he truly is” (Maranatha Daily Devotional, August 10th, 2020).
This picture of a city, with Yahveh’s temple in the center, and a life-giving river flowing from it — shows us what can happen if we dare put him in the center of our lives today.
Devotions 