Be Good

Be Good
Words of Faith 9-19-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Titus 3
[14] Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives. [15] Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

I always pay attention to the last things said. I tend to think that they are in that position for a reason. They are often among the most important things said.
The closing of Paul's little letter to Titus brings things together in a very practical way. "Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good..." It is a statement so simple that we might easily miss it. But it is the very last thing and it is so true.
How much the world would benefit if only people would learn to devote themselves to doing what is good. Being good means providing for daily necessities and not living an unproductive life. If people would do this, how different the world would be.
There is a lot of power in those words. No wonder he saved these words for last.
The image is reminiscent of the famous motion picture E.T. in which the extraterrestrial creature E.T. is saying farewell to Elliot with the phrase "Beeeee Goooood." Could we ask for anything more? Well, actually we could.
As we know "being good" is not as easy as it sounds. If it were only so simple. That is why the very last words of Paul in this letter have to do with love and grace. Yes. Grace again.
Of course. It is only by grace that we can be good. It is only by grace that we can be productive. It is only by grace that we can provide daily necessities.
So the final words of Paul in this letter, not his last letter but close to it, are "Be good by grace." Grace be with you all.

Lord God, give me genuine devotion. Give me the strength to endure and persist in doing what is good. Give me strength walk in love and in faith. Give me strength to do good by Your grace. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.