Junk Drawers

God gives us the strength to live godly.

Titus 2:11-15

11. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12. It teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, 13. While we wait for the blessed hope--- the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14. who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. 15. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

This lesson started with me and 7 junk drawers. 7!!!! I had 7 drawers filled with mostly junk, stuffed away, hidden from sight, and in cleaning them God started cleaning me. I have a hard time with biblical submission. I wasn't raised to submit. I was raised like most women in our culture to be self-sufficient, strong, and fight for my rights. So when God started showing me and teaching me that I have a very stubborn heart the heat was on. I was broken by the 7 drawers. I saw the junk in my own heart that needed to be cleaned and purged out. So I pray the same for you! I pray that you will take this lesson and apply it to your heart, those secret places that are hidden away for no one to see.

To have a clean heart we first MUST be saved! The key to living a godly life is to be converted and filled with the Holy Spirit. Apart from Him we can do nothing.

So examine yourself and ask God to reveal the condition of your heart. This is for everyone, the Sunday School teacher, the ones of you that made a profession of faith at a young age, you that prayed a prayer, everyone needs to examine their heart. If you are converted there are things that we all need to be delivered and set free from. Women carry a lot of baggage and stuff a lot of junk. Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit and God's word to teach us.

Look at verse 12--- Gods grace teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions.

I love the word "teaches" in this verse. It says to me that it is a process that is not yet complete. We are continually being taught to say no to our flesh and to live a self controlled life.

Let's look up at verse 10. Here Paul is telling Titus to teach slaves how to obey their masters (WE ARE BACK AT SUBMISSION). Read verse 10 "They will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive." !!!!!

Are we making the teaching we do about God attractive through our lives? Can we be trusted with the holy word of God?

What are areas you lack self-control? Write them down.

What secret sin do you need to clean out of your junk drawers? Write it down.

What are some worldly-passions we lust after? Read Titus 3:3 List some worldly passions.

We should live godly in this present age. Our present age is defined by social media, texting, entertainment. We have a lot of temptations to fight against in order to live godly. We shouldn't look like the world. If we are watching what they watch, wearing what they wear, listening to what they listen to, are we living godly? Can they see a difference?

This brings us back to submission to Gods authority. He created us for good works. He has equipped us beforehand to live upright, godly, and self-controlled lives.

Verse 13--- We live this way while we wait for our blessed hope to return. We live with GREAT expectation of the life to come. When our obedience is full-filled and we are with Christ forever. He is coming for His people a pure people. Verse 14--- a purified bride.

The end of Verse 14 says: "We're eager to do good."

Are you eager to do good? It is not always the easiest thing to do, but we should want to do good.


Homework

Clean and organize a space in your house, a drawer, a room, a closet, etc. As you are cleaning ask God to reveal any area in your life that is junkie. Ask Him to purify you and help you in this area. We all need help. There is none perfect except Christ. Open the drawers of your heart today and let God cleanse you!