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In what is being perceived as a woke move, Apple has released ‘pregnant man’, ‘pregnant person’ and other gender-neutral emojis to all iPhone users following iOS 15.4 update.
In a letter to a young man that was trained by Paul in the scriptures he encourages him to instruct the different age and gender groups in the church. These principles still apply today for our learn and NOT for great stories to debate about. Remember the Holy Spirit will give you wisdom FOR YOUR PARTICULAR situation when you ask HIM.
Here are some things that I found when studying what the mentor spoke to the mentee:
First he tells Titus:
- “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Tit. 2:1)
- Then he gives Titus instructions on how to teach the older men, older women, younger women, and then younger men in the church at Crete
- For the young guys, he focuses the younger men to be self-controlled NOT controlled by their passions, sexual lust or a wild n’ out lifestyle.
Paul who was a ‘mature man’ (notice I DID NOT SAY OLDER) speaks from experience. Paul knew young men – they traveled with him constantly in his ministry!
Guys like Aristarchus, Barnabas, Epaphras, Gaius, Jason, John Mark, Lucius, Luke, Onesimus, Silas, Sosipater, Timothy, Titus himself, Trophimus were all trained and shared life with Paul. There was one thing Paul had learned in dealing with young men that he wanted to make sure Titus did not forget. Demonstrating and showing young men to exercise self-control in every area of their life. If you are going to have great victory one must learn how to train like an athlete, work hard like a farmer, and fight like a solider.
Life will always bring you test; however, it is also war. War against our minds, emotions, families and even stereotypes that we have allowed others to place on us. Self-control is really about bringing our whole life under the Holy Spirit’s control so that God will get the glory out of every area of our life. It is not the outward result of self-repression but rather the inward result of the Spirit’s work in us with us daily cooperating with the process that he has instructed us in this word to do.