A Verse, A Comment, A Prayer, A Blessing

Casey B. Hough
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A Weekday Devotional Podcast hopeforlife.substack.com

  1. 11/24/2025

    A Painful but Good Reminder (Titus 3:1-3)

    Preface - Be Sure to Check Out the Podcast Audio Linked Above. A Verse Titus 3:1-3 1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. A Comment Having considered verses 1-2, we now look at verse 3, which functions as a partial explanation for why Titus’ congregation should “speak evil of no one, avoid quarreling, be gentle, and show perfect courtesy toward all people.” Paul’s explanation is that “we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.” In other words, the people that you are tempted to speak evil of, to fight with, to be harsh toward, and to be inconsiderate to are not much different from us before God’s grace in Christ changed us. Thus, verse 3 serves as a painful but good reminder of who we were before God’s merciful salvation came to us. When we are tempted to treat others sinfully, we should remember our former condition. God did not show kindness toward us because we were more deserving than others. Likewise, as those called to reflect God’s character, we also shouldn’t attempt to justify cruelty and sin toward others because we feel they deserve it. No one really deserves kindness. But that’s part of the point that Paul is making here. We do not treat people as they deserve to be treated because God has not treated us as we deserve to be treated. God is merciful and patient toward us. And, in light of how this mercy and patience have changed us (as we will see in the following verses), we ought to be the most merciful and patient people our undeserving neighbors and enemies encounter in this sin-broken world. A Prayer Would you pray with me? (Pray along with me in the audio version linked above) A Blessing Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11) Get full access to Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough at hopeforlife.substack.com/subscribe

    A Painful but Good Reminder (Titus 3:1-3)

  2. 11/11/2025

    The Outrage Isn't Holy - Titus 3:1-2

    A Verse Titus 3:1-2 1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. A Comment With verse 2, “Paul turns to our relationship with everybody in the community.” The first two points are stated negatively: do not speak evil and avoid quarreling. The last two are positive: be gentle and show perfect courtesy toward all people. In a sense, these ideas work in parallel, teaching through contrast. It would be difficult to be gentle and courteous toward others if you were also bent on slandering them or starting fights with them. To be sure, the idea of “slander” or “speaking evil” here does not exclude the need for correction or confrontation when necessary, but rather emphasizes that our words must be true and seasoned with grace. The Christian is called to be a peacemaker, not a quarrelsome spirit. Robert Yarbrough notes, “A sharp tongue is often combined with an irascible spirit and confrontational behavior. These tendencies are inconsistent with confessing Christ as Lord and Savior.” As Paul would tell us elsewhere, such behavior is unbecoming of God’s people—and especially of those who proclaim the gospel. Based on what I see on social media, I can’t help but wonder if some Christians need to be reminded to read Titus again. There’s a needed reminder here about how we represent Christ in a culture fueled by outrage. Gentleness and courtesy are not weakness; they are strength under control and the mark of a heart shaped by grace. (If you are looking for a resource that covers this in more depth, check out my latest book When Poets Were Warriors here) They reveal that our confidence is not in winning debates but in displaying the character of the One who has already conquered sin and death. What the world needs most is not louder Christians with sharper words but humbler Christians with Christlike hearts, people who speak truth with conviction, patience, and love. Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. A Prayer Would you pray with me? A Blessing The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14) Get full access to Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough at hopeforlife.substack.com/subscribe

    The Outrage Isn't Holy - Titus 3:1-2

  3. 11/11/2025

    Ready for Every Good Work (Titus 3:1-2)

    Preface - Be Sure to Check Out the Podcast Audio Linked Above. A Verse Titus 3:1-2 1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. A Comment Last week, we considered the Christian’s responsibility to “be submissive” and “obedient” to ruling authorities. Today, we note one of the limits to such submissiveness and obedience as Paul commands Titus to remind his audience to “be ready for every good work.” Commenting on this verse, John Stott wrote, “The emphasis on ‘whatever is good’ not only clarifies our responsibility but limits it. We cannot cooperate with the state if it reverses its God-given duty, promoting evil instead of punishing it, and opposing good instead of rewarding and furthering it.” I find this to be a helpful point. As Christians, we are constrained to do “every good work.” And, as Denny Burk has mentioned regarding this verse, “This presumes both a knowledge of what God’s revelation requires and a willingness to do it.” Because God has revealed His will to His people, we do not have to wonder what it means to “be ready for every good work.” As we will see in the days ahead, these good works are the result of transformed hearts. They are not the grounds of our justification before God, but they are the fruit of God’s grace working in us. A Prayer Will you pray with me? A Blessing The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26) Get full access to Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough at hopeforlife.substack.com/subscribe

    Ready for Every Good Work (Titus 3:1-2)

  4. 11/07/2025

    Grace in the Public Square (Titus 3:1-2)

    Preface - Be sure to check out the audio version linked above. A Verse Titus 3:1-2 1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. A Comment Yesterday, we considered the need to be reminded. This is a hallmark of faithful, gospel ministry. We are not expected to come up with new ideas but rather repeat the ideas that God has revealed for His people in His word. Today, we are going to take a look at the substance of the reminder for Titus’ audience. Specifically, Paul commands Titus to remind his audience of their need “to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” When covering a passage like this, our tendency, at least here in the West, is to immediately qualify the kind of submission and obedience that Paul is commanding Titus to remind his congregation of in his ministry. In other words, instead of considering our responsibility as citizens in our respective countries, we want to know how and when we should NOT be submissive and obedient to “rulers and authorities.” I get this impulse, at least in part. I doubt anyone reading or listening today would say that their favorite Bible verse is Romans 13:6-7, which says, “For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” Nevertheless, as Christians, we believe that Scripture is God’s Word. Passages about submitting to and obeying ruling authorities, whether by paying taxes or simply by being good, responsible, hardworking, and law-abiding citizens, are just as inspired and authoritative as John 3:16 and Romans 8:1. The Scriptures are not a buffet from which we get to pick and choose the things that suit our tastes. As we consider Titus 3:1-2, we need to be reminded that when the ruling authorities do not require us to disobey or dishonor God, we have a responsibility to submit to their God-ordained authority over our lives and the society in which we live. As Robert Yarbrough put it, “The special grace [we] have received in Christ should enhance, not curtail, [our] cooperation with the common grace of human government to the extent this is possible.” Just like the Cretan to whom Titus ministered, so we need this reminder. So, what might this look like in practice? For starters, it would look like Christians being model citizens to the extent that they are able without violating their consciences before God. I believe this would include observing laws, participating in our political processes, and advocating for righteousness in the public square. Furthermore, I believe this means we should acknowledge the legitimacy of maintaining and promoting rightly ordered loves (ordo amoris) within the Christian community, which includes not only a supreme and preeminent love of the Triune God but also a love of family, friends, neighbors, and country. And just in case you skipped over the last word of the last sentence, yes, I said we should have a rightly ordered love for our country. Love for one’s country is not an endorsement of all that your country or its political leaders have or are doing at any given moment. Instead, it is an acknowledgment of God's sovereignty, who has “set the boundaries of our dwelling places that we might seek Him” (Acts 17:26-27). In keeping with these convictions, an implication of Titus 3:1-2 would be to obey Paul’s admonition to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, where he writes, “1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” When I first began serving in pastoral ministry, I had the privilege of serving under the leadership of Earl Blackburn. Earl was (and is to this day) a man of great conviction. Week in and week out, I sat under Earl’s leadership and listened as he led our congregation in pastoral prayer during our morning worship service. Regardless of who was in political office at the time, Earl led our congregation to pray for those political leaders. Among the many things that I learned from Earl, I learned that obedience to God’s Word did not depend on the political climate of the day. We pray for our political leaders not because they are worthy of our prayers, not because they have earned it, but because God commands us to do so. Now, for those who are wondering about the exceptional scenarios when submission and obedience to our ruling authorities would actually be a form of insubordination and disobedience to God, the ultimate Ruling Authority of the universe, I will close by saying this: when earthly ruling authorities require you to violate God’s Word and your conscience as it is informed by God’s Word, you should chose to “obey God rather than man.” With that said, the situation into which Paul was writing was not such a scenario. Most likely, given the Gospel’s proclamation of the Lordship of Christ, there were some in Titus’ church who were questioning why they needed to be submissive and obedient to other authorities at all. While their zeal for the Lordship of Christ was commendable, it was a zeal without a mature understanding of how God had ordained ruling authorities for the good of society. Thus, Paul wanted Titus to remind his people not to bring reproach on Christ or the ministry of His people in Crete because of a poor doctrine of the Christian life in the public square. As for how you might be able to apply this passage to your life this morning, take a moment to obey 1 Timothy 2:1-2 and pray for the leaders that God has placed over you. You don’t have to agree with them on everything or anything to pray for them. If the apostle Peter could tell his audience to “honor the emperor” in 1 Peter 2:17, then surely we can pray for our elected officials to fear the Lord and lead with righteousness. A Prayer Would you pray with me? A Blessing May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13) Get full access to Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough at hopeforlife.substack.com/subscribe

    Grace in the Public Square (Titus 3:1-2)

  5. 11/06/2025

    Why We Need Old Reminders More Than New Revelations - Titus 3:1

    Preface - Be sure to check out the audio version linked above. A Verse Titus 3:1 “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work…” A Comment Here, in verse 1, Paul instructs Titus to “remind” his audience “to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.” Obviously, a lot could be said about the essence and extent of submission and obedience to ruling authorities in this passage, but I’m inclined to start by focusing on the initial command: remind (Greek - hypomimnēske). Commenting on this idea of remembrance, John Stott wrote, Remind the people (literally ‘them’), he begins, for the teaching he is about to give is not new. The churches have heard it before. But there are many warnings in Scripture of the dangers of forgetfulness, and many promises to those who remember. A bad memory was one of the main reasons for Israel’s downfall. ‘They soon forgot’, we read, and ‘they did not remember’. Jesus had to make the same complaint to the apostles: ‘Don’t you remember …?’ It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the leading apostles Paul, Peter and John in their New Testament letters all stress the importance of their reminding ministry. So all conscientious Christian teachers, once they have been delivered from the unhealthy lust for originality, take pains to make old truths new and stale truths fresh. In an age of hunger for novel, fresh, cutting-edge ideas and so-called “revelations,” isn’t it interesting that a great deal of Christian discipleship is concerned with being reminded of truths and responsibilities that we already know but are prone to forget? In Titus 3:1, the need was to remind the people of their obligation to submit to and obey the ruling authorities so far as they could without violating their conscience and sinning against God (Cf. Acts 5:29). Titus’ audience would have already been familiar with this admonition, but their familiarity with it did not rule out the need for them to be reminded of it. As I think about this passage, I wonder what we need to be reminded of. Things we already know but tend to forget. Things that we willfully forget because they are inconvenient or difficult. What are the things that you need to be reminded of today? A Prayer Would you pray with me… A Blessing Grant us, O’ Lord, to remember Your deeds; yes, bless us with a remembrance of Your wonders of old. Let us ponder all Your work, and meditate on Your mighty deeds. (Based on Psalm 77:11-12) Get full access to Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough at hopeforlife.substack.com/subscribe

    Why We Need Old Reminders More Than New Revelations - Titus 3:1

  6. 11/05/2025

    More Bricks, Less Straw

    Prefatory Note - The notes below accompany the audio that is linked above. While they can stand on their own, they were not written to be read alone. On occasion, when I am recording the audio portion of this newsletter, I will make other comments that are not included in these notes. To get the full picture, listen to the audio as well. I appreciate your support! A Verse Titus 3:1-11 1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. A Comment Over the next several days, I plan to take a deep dive into Titus 3:1-11. In the providence of God, I read these verses today as part of my daily devotional rhythm and was struck by how pertinent Paul’s instructions to Titus are for us today. In terms of getting oriented to these passages, Robert Yarbrough wrote, “Verses 1–3 and 8–11 deal with behavior, attitudes, and policies for Titus to observe and encourage. Verses 4–7 are a thick vein of soteriological lore that furnishes a basis for Paul’s counsel.” I believe this is a helpful way of framing these verses. We begin by noting an exhortation to believers, then quickly observe Paul’s digression into a contemplation of God’s gracious work in salvation toward us, before resuming his exhortation. In the days ahead, we will look at those exhortations and reflections on redemption in more depth, but for now, I believe it is essential to consider them as a whole. As believers, we must never separate the exhortation to holy living from the power of the gospel. Any hope that we have to address our “behaviors” and “attitudes” must be rooted in “the goodness and kindness of God our savior.” Otherwise, we are treating ourselves like Pharaoh treated the Israelites: “More bricks, less straw.” We depend wholly on the Lord to supply what we need to live as He has called us. To that end, let us go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to meet us in our need as we seek to live for His glory and the good of others. A Prayer Would you pray with me… A Blessing The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (Philemon 1:25) CBH Get full access to Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough at hopeforlife.substack.com/subscribe

  7. 07/08/2025

    Weep With Those Who Weep (Romans 12:15)

    A Verse Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. A Comment Since July 4th, our family has had near-constant conversation about the tragic flooding in the Hill Country, which, to date, has claimed the lives of over 100 people. As a father of five children, I cannot fathom the pain that so many parents and family members are going through right now. Trite comments and platitudes have no place in moments of tragedy. The better way forward is to obey the command of Romans 12:15, which tells us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” As tears have streamed down so many faces over the last several days, the appropriate response is to weep alongside those who weep. We must resist the urge to be like Job’s friends, who, after several days of silent weeping (the thing they got right!), amid Job’s sorrow, sought an explanation that would satisfy their ill-conceived theology of blessing and suffering. While questions regarding protocols and flood detection should surely be explored in the near future, and the heroic efforts of first responders should be lauded as we hear stories of rescue, we must not forget to weep and grieve as those with hope in Christ. Let us mourn with those who mourn. A Prayer Would you pray with me? A Blessing “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) Thanks for reading Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough! This post is public so feel free to share it. Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough at hopeforlife.substack.com/subscribe

  8. 07/02/2025

    "Stretch Out Your Hand" - The Impossible Command of Jesus (Matthew 12:9-14)

    A Verse Matthew 12:9-14 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. A Comment Today’s passage appears in the context of Jesus’ dispute with the Pharisees over the Sabbath command. You can get a fuller idea of the context by reading the preceding verses in Matthew 12:1-8, but for today’s devotional, I want to take a look at the man with the withered hand. From a narrative perspective, the man with the withered hand is not really the point of the story. The main point of the story is the lordship of Christ over the Sabbath, His authority to interpret and apply God’s law accurately, and the response of the Pharisees to Jesus. The man with the withered hand plays a role in the story, but he’s not really the point. With that said, however, I cannot help but think about this unnamed man. Here’s what we know: First, the man with the withered hand was at the synagogue on the Sabbath. We have no indication from this passage that the man showed up at the synagogue expecting to find Jesus there on that Sabbath so that he could be healed. In fact, given the language of verse 10, where we see the Pharisees question Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”, it is entirely possible that the Pharisees requested that the man be there so that they “might accuse” Jesus of healing on the Sabbath. Of course, the man with the withered hand might have just been at the synagogue out of habit as a faithful Jew, and the Pharisees tried to take advantage of the situation to catch Jesus. In terms of the question in the passage, healing on the Sabbath, at least given what we know about the Pharisees, would have been permissible in situations of life-or-death, but not in cases where the man could have been healed on another day of the week; such healing would not have been permitted. For the man with the withered hand, while his situation was challenging, it did not rise to the level of “life-or-death” according to the traditional interpretation of the Sabbath by the Pharisees. It was likely that his hand had been withered, literally “dried,” for some time. Thanks for reading Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough! This post is public so feel free to share it. Jesus responded to the Pharisees’ question with a question of his own, regarding how they would handle a situation involving one of their sheep on the Sabbath. Jesus’ question aims to expose the hypocrisy of these particular Pharisees who had specific rules for everyone else but found loopholes to help them navigate their rigorous interpretations and application of the Mosaic law. From here, Jesus employs an argument known as a “lesser-to-greater” argument to show that the inclination of the Pharisees to save their own sheep but allow this man with the withered hand to continue to suffer is wrong. In other words, men are more important than sheep, therefore, it is “lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Now that we have a context, we come back to the man with the withered hand. The Pharisees are basically using him. He likely didn’t come seeking Jesus, and probably dealt with some shame in his local synagogue. After exposing the error of the Pharisees in his midst, Jesus turns to the man with the withered hand and issues a command: Stretch out your hand. That’s quite a command for a man with a withered hand to hear, don’t you think? How can a man with a withered hand respond to Jesus’ command to “stretch your hand?” Is that not the very problem that the man had in the first place? He is incapable of stretching out his hand. His hand is withered. It is paralyzed. He does not possess the ability to do what Jesus has just commanded him to do. What kind of man commands someone to do what they cannot do? While the man is incapable of obeying Jesus’ command on his own, nonetheless, he believes in Jesus enough to attempt to obey Him, and as he does, the withered hand is restored. The man with the withered hand becomes the man with a formerly withered hand on account of the power of Jesus. The command of Jesus supplies what is required of the man. And, as a result, the man is healed. In many ways, this story of the healing of the man with the withered hand parallels the Christian’s new birth in Christ. We are commanded to repent of our sins and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, as we are told in Scripture, we are, by nature and by choice, dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-10). Dead men cannot choose to repent and believe unless the One who is calling them gives them, by His own sovereign power and prerogative, the ability to repent and believe. Our own healing is not the result of our combined effort with Jesus. Much like the man with the formerly withered hand, we need Jesus to give us the power to do what He commands us to do. Only Jesus gives life to the dead. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. Stretch out your hand to the Lord, who alone gives life. Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. A Prayer Would you pray with me? A Blessing Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17) WHMI Update From now until 8/22/2025, new gifts to our budget at WHMI are doubled due to a generous matching gift. To learn more about WHMI, click the image below to take you to our website. Any support would be greatly appreciated! Prayer Needs For those who have followed my work at WHMI, I assumed a new role at the beginning of this year, in addition to my previous responsibilities as Director of Partnership and Curriculum. I am now also the Director of Europe. So far this year, I have traveled for work in Latvia, France, Romania, and Slovenia (2x). Later this month, I will travel to the UK for meetings with a church planting network, and then, in September, I will likely return to Belarus. As you have a chance, please pray not only for the broader work of WHMI but also for my work in Europe. While Europe may seem like a region of the world that does not need theological education, as a whole, Europe is one of the least-reached areas of the world due to rapid secularization. Many evangelical churches in Europe struggle to find a pastor, and as a result, many godly young men are forgoing pastoral ministry in favor of other vocations. WHMI aims to provide such men with the theological training that they need to serve the churches in Europe well. Get full access to Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough at hopeforlife.substack.com/subscribe

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