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Hosea 11

11:1 God's Continuing Love for Israel

"When Israel was a child, I loved him,And out of Egypt I called My son. 2 As they called them, So they went from them; They sacrificed to the Baals,And burned incense to carved images.
3 "I taught Ephraim to walk,Taking them by their arms; But they did not know that I healed them. 4 I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love,And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.
5 "He shall not return to the land of Egypt;But the Assyrian shall be his king,Because they refused to repent. 6 And the sword shall slash in his cities,Devour his districts,And consume them,Because of their own counsels. 7 My people are bent on backsliding from Me.Though they call to the Most High, None at all exalt Him.
8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim?How can I hand you over, Israel?How can I make you like Admah?How can I set you like Zeboiim?My heart churns within Me;My sympathy is stirred. 9 I will not execute the fierceness of My anger;I will not again destroy Ephraim.For I am God, and not man,The Holy One in your midst;And I will not come with terror.
10 "They shall walk after the LORD.He will roar like a lion.When He roars,Then His sons shall come trembling from the west; 11 They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt,Like a dove from the land of Assyria.And I will let them dwell in their houses,"Says the LORD.
12 God's Charge Against Ephraim
"Ephraim has encircled Me with lies,And the house of Israel with deceit;But Judah still walks with God,Even with the Holy One who is faithful.

Hosea 12

12:1
"Ephraim feeds on the wind,And pursues the east wind;He daily increases lies and desolation.Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians,And oil is carried to Egypt.
2 "The LORD also brings a charge against Judah,And will punish Jacob according to his ways;According to his deeds He will recompense him. 3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb,And in his strength he struggled with God. 4 Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed;He wept, and sought favor from Him.He found Him in Bethel,And there He spoke to us — 5 That is, the LORD God of hosts.The LORD is His memorable name. 6 So you, by the help of your God, return;Observe mercy and justice,And wait on your God continually.
7 "A cunning Canaanite!Deceitful scales are in his hand;He loves to oppress. 8 And Ephraim said,'Surely I have become rich,I have found wealth for myself;In all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.'
9 "But I am the LORD your God,Ever since the land of Egypt;I will again make you dwell in tents,As in the days of the appointed feast. 10 I have also spoken by the prophets,And have multiplied visions;I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets."
11 Though Gilead has idols — Surely they are vanity — Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal,Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field.
12 Jacob fled to the country of Syria;Israel served for a spouse,And for a wife he tended sheep. 13 By a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt,And by a prophet he was preserved. 14 Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly;Therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him,And return his reproach upon him.

Titus 1

1:1 Greeting

Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, 3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
5 Qualified Elders

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you — 6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
10 The Elders' Task

For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

TITUS

This letter was written by Paul from Rome to Titus about 67 A.D. Titus was teaching the churches on the island of Crete. The letter provides Titus with instruction and advice for his conduct as well as guidance for dealing with the believers in Crete. The letter touches on the abilities and character of elders of the church, what should be taught in the church, and living the Christian life. A key verse would be chapter 1 verse 5 (NIV):