Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

Titus 3 Enduring Word Commentary Saved in Order to Do Good 3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. Paul again reiterates that Christians are to be subject to the governing authorities. All authorities have been appointed by God to exercise rule and order in the temporal realm. In our day it is often called, " the rule of law ".  Paul says in Romans 13 that if a Christian disobeys a law they deserve to be punished like anyone else. Elsewhere Paul calls it the " power of the sword" . While the authorities in govern the secular world (government, police, teachers, ...), the church has authority in the spiritualrealm to announce the forgiveness of sins in Jesus' name. Luther called it the " power of the keys ".  The way a Christian behaves in the world affects the witness he or she can have....

Titus 2 - NIV Enduring Word Commentary Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel 2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.  3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Paul points to the importance of the older part of the congregation being an example to the younger generation of what it means to be a Christ follower. This is not only by what they teach, but maybe more importantly, by the way they live their lives. He lifts up different qualities for the men and women to show in their daily lives. This reminds us that men an...

Titus 1 - NIV Insight for LIving Intro to Titus Enduring Word Commentary 1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,  4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith:  Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. Paul writes this letter to the believers on the island of Crete, who Titus is now pastoring. Paul is both a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ. He has given up his life to be a messenger of the gospel. Paul was once in bondage to trying to measure up by obeying the letter of the Law, but when he met Jesus and experienced his grace it set him free. He wanted to make sure that the church kept the purity of t...

2 Timothy 4 - NIV Enduring Word Commentary 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your min istry. Paul continues to encourage Timothy to carry out his duties as the pastor of the church Ephesus. Paul reminds Timothy that ultimately he will be accountable to Jesus, when he returns to judge the living and the dead.  Therefore, Paul challeng...

2 Timothy 3 - NIV Enduring Word Commentary 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. Many times throughout history Christians have felt like they were living in the " last days ". As we look at the traits which characterize people in the "last days", we observe these types of people living today. Paul gives a laundry list of traits which generally typify the sinful nature we have all inhabited from Adam. Then Paul says they have a form of godliness but denies its power. What does this mean?  This can be the case when people may seem godly on the outside but ...

2 Timothy 2 - Enduring Word Commentary The Appeal Renewed 2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Though "grace" is a gift, it doesn't mean we should be passive as we seek to live in it. Paul tells Timothy to be "strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." The apostle Peter said in his second letter to the church,  " grow in t...