Some women think they have it all together. Others feel like falling on the floor in a heap as they know they could never have it all together, especially if it means keeping a perfect home, perfect children, and perfect situations! Let’s face it. There is not a day that goes perfectly. Every day poses new challenges.
And yet Titus 2:4, 5 tells the older women to teach the young women to “have it all together.” Well, it actually says “to be discreet” in the King James Version. Would you like to find out what this word really means? I love the adventure of discovering what God is truly saying to us, don’t you?
The Greek word for “discreet” is “sophron” and comes from two root words:
“Sozo” which means “to save, deliver, protect, heal, cure, preserve, keep safe, and make whole.” And “phren” meaning “the mind.” Therefore it means to have a sound and whole mind.
We can never have it all together in our circumstances as we cannot control our circumstances. If we have babies and little children around us we can never have a perfect house with laundry and every household duty up-to-date. However, in the midst of chaos, babies and children, crying and loud noise, the weight of more to cope with than we think we can possibly accomplish, we can still have a sound and steady mind. We can have peace in the midst of the storm. This is what it really means to have it all together.
Let’s look at some other translations:
“To be mistress of themselves” (Moffat). This means that we are in control of ourselves. We have command of our emotions. We are self-disciplined. Not freaking out. Not falling to pieces. No matter what happens around us, our hearts and minds are fixed upon the Lord. What would I do without the wonderful promise in Isaiah 26:3, 4: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” I believe this is the underlying secret of having it all together--to keep our minds stayed upon the Lord, no matter what the situation.
“Orderly behavior” (Knox). Our example as a wife and mother must not bring discredit to God’s Word, but be a good advertisement to the Christian faith (Titus 2:5).
“To live wisely” (RSV and NLT). Not foolishly. Not gadding about. Not hankering after the materials things of this world and worldly entertainment. Not possessed by social media. We speak wisely. We act wisely. We walk according to God’s plan for wives and mothers, rather than fashioning ourselves according to the ways and trends of this current society.
“To be sober-minded” (WEB).
“To be self-controlled.” Many translations use this phrase such as NET, AMP, TLV, CJB, ESC, GNB, HCSB, LEB, MEV, and NIV. How can you be self-controlled? Stoically repress your emotions? No. We surrender to the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, for He is self-control. In fact, He is everything we need to have it all together. His life in us is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22, 23). That’s everything you need. Instead of yielding to the flesh, yield to the Holy Spirit.
“To be sensible” (CEB, CEV, and NASB). Being sensible keeps our feet on the ground and act in a way that brings glory to God.
Dear mother, you may feel overwhelmed, the house may look chaotic, but you can still “have it all together” as you look to the Lord and allow His peace to fill your heart and mind in the midst of everything that is happening.
Have a wonderful day,
Nancy Campbell
Yesterday we talked about “sound doctrine,” the healthy lifestyle God intends us to live. God also gives us pointers in the Old Testament to bring health to our bodies and to everyone in our homes.
Paul writes to Titus and exhorts him: “Speak thou the things which become sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1).The word “sound” is interesting. The word is “hugiaino” and means “to be physically well in body, to be healthy, hygiene.” The Scriptures use this word in the context of health in 3 John 1:2: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health (hugiaino), even as thy soul prospereth.” Also Luke 5:31; 7:10; and 15:27.
God’s water of life that He gives to us is pure, clean, holy, and life-giving. Revelation 22:1 says: “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”
There are times when it is right to be silent. We all know the adage, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” It’s also good to remember, “If you can’t say something positive and faith-building, don’t open your mouth.” When we are accused unjustly, we should also follow Jesus’ example and keep our mouths shut. Jesus “opened not His mouth” when He was accused by his tormentors.
Have a blessed day worshipping the Lord together as a family.
Dear mother, you are in the greatest building program in the nation--building strong, godly marriages and families. Proverbs 16:14 reminds us that we are builders: “Every wise woman builds her house: but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.”
Filling our children with God's Word is the greatest antidote to deception!
Yesterday we reminded each other about digging deep wells. Away with shallow wells. Away with sitting on the fence--dabbling with the world and having a little bit of God when we need Him.
The early patriarchs dug wells to get their water. They couldn’t survive without a well. We also have to be well-diggers in our spiritual life. Isaiah 12:3 inspires us to draw water out of the wells of salvation. Not just one well. Do you notice the word is “wells”? Plural! There are wells for every need we have in Christ.
Lift up your head.
“But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have permitted his house to be burglarized” (Luke 12:39 MLB).
"In EVERY thing give thanks: for THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Our thought life is our biggest temptation isn’t it? It’s so easy to allow negative thoughts, unbelieving thoughts, doubtful thoughts, depressing thoughts, self-pitying thoughts into our minds. And worry! The worst! We are consumed with worldly matters of this life. We spend more time thinking about material things and the things of this earth rather than things which are above (Colossians 3:1-3).
This is a picture of the car from Isaiah’s accident. The interesting thing is that the opposite happened. Somehow he didn’t have his seat belt on, but it saved his life. He would have been killed immediately if he had the seat belt! One of these exceptions, but God was in it all. Praise the Lord.
We are now in our eighth week of praying every night as a family for Arden, Serene’s son, who is diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Serene and Sam’s son, Isaiah was with us for our praying meeting Sunday night, praying along with everyone else for his brother (we often have over 30 of us each night praying, including all the children who are great prayer warriors). On the way home to Franklin Isaiah had a bad car accident. It took them two hours to extricate him 
We are now warring a warfare and fighting the good fight of faith, not only for Arden, but now for Isaiah. We’d love you to join with us in the prayer of faith for two of Serene and Sam’s sons. At this stage Isaiah is still in a coma and hasn’t woken up. We are praying for a great miracle of healing for his brain which is their greatest concern. His back is also broken in three places.
On Sunday afternoon we enjoyed a lovely baby shower for sweet Christiana and her precious baby, Liliana. Christiana is Serene’s daughter-in-law. Aunty Melissa is holding little Liliana.
I would now like to catch you up on the happenings of last weekend. There is never a dull moment during any of our weekends, or any day of the week, at our home here on the hilltop with many of our large family living around.
Your identity is “the state of having unique identifying characteristics held by no other person or thing.” People have said to me that women should not find their identity in motherhood, but only in Christ. Will you please forgive me if I challenge that statement? Yes, I believe that every born again Christian has their identity in Christ. I live my life by the truth of Colossians 1:27: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
The first home was called the Garden of Eden and was the prototype of all homes to come. In the Hebrew Eden means “delight” and this is God’s intention for our homes. We mothers set the tone for our homes and it is our mandate to make them a delight--a delight for our husbands, all our children, and all who come into our homes.