Monthly Archives: December 2024

Question

This was posted on by .

Do you ever stop and evaluate how well you are using your time? That is very important to me. Next in importance is being a good steward of the Lord’s money. 

To send out the monthly Mom’s Corner and weekly Seriously Dads emails, is an investment of time and resources. Our heart’s desire is that they are being used effectively to encourage Christian dads and moms in raising their children to love and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t remember ever asking for donations, and I’m not doing that now. 

I am asking that you would simply, reply to this email with a simple answer to the following question: Are you reading Seriously Dads emails and are they encouragement to your walk with Jesus Christ as you strive to lead your family? 

Yes  or No?

“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you” (Titus 2:1-8).

Comments have been disabled for this post.
Posted in: Seriously

Hairs in  Socks

This was posted on by .

I remember a time years back when I noticed one of the children meticulously inspecting the inside of a pair of socks. Quite perplexed, I asked, “What are you looking for?” “Hairs.” 

“Why would you look for hairs in your socks?” 

“Because it tickles my feet if there is one in there.” 

In all my years of wearing socks, never was that a problem for me. As I thought about it, I was amazed at how sensitive the bottom of that child’s foot must be to feel a hair. 

Then the prayerful thought came, “Oh Lord, may I have such a spiritual sensitivity in my life that I can sense the slightest grieving of Your Holy Spirit by my actions, words, or even thoughts. May I be willing to examine my life ever so closely for those minor things that could been offensive to You, Lord, or others?”

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). 

Gone

This was posted on by .

We give out sweet bread every year at Christmas time to our extended neighborhood. Out of the almost 75 houses on our list, four people died this year. Three out of the four had no reason to think they would be six feet in the ground in one year’s time. The fourth had a serious health problem and was just waiting until it was over. Those four people who were here last Christmas, are now gone from this world.

Brothers, are you living every day and every week as if it was your last? Are you living for your Lord or living for yourself? Are you loving God or the world? Are you loving your family as God calls you to? Are you in the Word every night instructing them in the way they should go? Are you an example to them of what you are reading and discussing? Would their memories of you be that you were a steadfast man of God who loved and spoke often of the Savior. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

 Just yesterday a man at a car parts store said he was saved. Yet, he wasn’t in the Word and wasn’t going to church. There seemed to be no evidence that he was bought with a price. 

“And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:19-21).

Oh, my brothers, are we living all day every day for the One who died for us?

Bible Reading

This was posted on by .

In June 2015, Sarah wrote a blog post (https://blog.titus2.com/2015/06/20/reading-through-the-bible/) on reading through the Bible and how she realized she wanted to keep track of doing that through her life, even though she hadn’t started the first time she read through the Bible. Her blog post motivated me, that while I was almost 60 and had read through the Bible many times, I would like to know how many more times I read through it until the end of my life. I used an app to direct several Bible read throughs just prior to that decision, so I can tell you that in the past 12 years, I have read through the Bible 17 times.

It isn’t about tallying up Bible read throughs, though. As a matter of fact, I often haven’t used my Bible reading time for a read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year but to focus on or study something specific to my current needs.

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:2-3). I want to grow spiritually. Don’t you?

I remember when I was a young, homeschooling mom with lots of children and still having babies. Sometimes I heard a speaker or read an article that assured me in that season of life, God understood how busy I was. Because of that, it was okay to just send up flare prayers through the day and know that “real” Bible time would be for another season of my life. That just wasn’t true. I needed Christ, through His Word and all that it had for me, more during those over-the-top time-crunched days than I ever have. So I purposed to set aside time in my life for my relationship with Christ, just like I made time for Steve, my children, preparing meals, and homeschooling. 

Not only do I want to grow spiritually, I also want to know Christ more and better. I desire His grace and peace and all things that pertain to life and godliness. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3). How is that going to happen without spending time in the Word? That is God’s communication with us and His teaching tool.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). That seems to sum it up – what Scripture is good for and what the outcome of it is to be. 

I plead with you to do whatever you have to do to make time in your day to read your Bible and pray. Maybe you have started a read through the Bible and didn’t finish it. First of all, it doesn’t have to be done in a year. I used to go at the pace I could with the time I had for Bible reading, and it if took me 2 years to get through the Bible, fine. It could be that you do better with a plan that incorporates Old Testament and New Testament passages each day. There are many plans to choose from. Perhaps for this time in your life, you would do better reading in the New Testament where you find Christ’s words and instructions for believers.

Sisters, desire the sincere milk of the Word!

Also, I don’t normally do this, but I encourage you to think of other sister’s in Christ who need to hear this month’s encouragement as well and forward it to them. 

Comments have been disabled for this post.
Posted in: Mom's Corner

How Many Stars

This was posted on by .

I just got off the phone with the most professional customer service rep I ever spoke with. She knew her job, was polite, and helpful. There were three things she took the time to tell me that weren’t necessary but might be helpful for me to know later. When I worked with someone who cared about her job and the customer she was attempting to assist, even if my problem wasn’t immediately resolved I had confidence and peace going forward. What a pleasure she was. 

The call prompted some self examination for me. Isn’t part of my “job” as an ambassador for Christ to be like that customer service rep? How knowledgeable am I of the One I represent and what it means to be a follower of Him? In addition to my Bible knowledge, am I polite, kind, and loving? Am I living the reality of the One I am called to represent? If heaven and my Lord are so wonderful, wouldn’t it create many questions if others see me living for the world? 

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).