Zion Orphanage International

Nsukka quintuplets: Father says he can no longer cope with their upkeep

2012-06-20T02:05:00.001-07:00

“Ours is an admixture of joy and pain. But this is not to say that we are ungrateful to God Almighty who blessed us with four children at a go. Our problem is that the challenge is enormous and difficult”. This was the confession of Mr Matthew Amoke, the Okada-rider father of the Nsukka quintuplet delivered in November 2009. Since the birth of the two boys and two girls two years ago, the Amoke family has not found the upkeep of the kids easy.

This is in spite of the fact that added to his Okada business, Amoke also gets some income from his petty trading at the Ogige market, Nsukka where he sells rice and condiments in a cubicle carved out from a stall.

Narrating their agony, Amoke told Daily Sun that the cost of the children’s upkeep increases in geometrical progression while his income and other money come in trickles Cost of feeding As they grow, so the quantity of food they consume increases. Now, they have started eating solid food, they eat like adult, they eat about six times daily and my wife is always busy in the kitchen cooking. We have no maid because we cannot afford it. For this reason, I and my wife are always on our toes round the clock. At night when they wake up to demand one thing or the other, the rest will join suit. My wife is relieved a bit now they have been weaned of breast milk.

They consume not less than N1,500 worth of milk daily. The daily expenditure without corresponding daily income has put stress on my petty trade with the result that, my stock now consists mainly of goods given to me by friends on credit. I nearly drove myself to madness one day as I tried to itemize my expenditure. It was a friend who noticed what I was doing that saved me, he warned me: “my friend don’t try to check your expenditure or else you run mad”.

Their going to school My problem here is two pronged: one is that I need to register the four children at once with about N4, 500 each and this is excluding the school uniform and the rest. The other problem is transporting them to school on a daily basis to and fro, they area too tender to stay on a motorbike, otherwise I would have been using my motorcycle to take them to and from school. What I do is that, I use taxi at a very exorbitant charge to take them to school and also bring them back. I have no money to make a permanent arrangement with a driver.

Scholarship Some people will be saying but the church gave the children scholarship. This is true and for this, we will ever remain grateful to the head pastor who is now on transfer. The fact is that the scholarship covers only school fees. We have to cater for the children in the areas of uniform, daily transportation, and other materials.

Government support Up till now we have not received any assistance from any government. Every assistance we received were from good spirited Nigerians from mainly outside the state. We will ever remain grateful to them. On one occasion we were able to meet the First Lady of the state, the wife of Governor Chime at the Nsukka Local Government Stadium. She admired the kids and promised to take up their matter with her husband. We are eagerly expecting to hear from her.

While thanking our donors we are constrained to renew our appeal for assistance as the lives of the children could be endangered by lack of fund. All financial assistance should be paid to account numbers: Diamond Bank Plc – 0033468114. Intercontinental Bank Plc – 1001141035. Account name: Amoke Matthew O.C.

So This Happened: Dad Takes Crazy Baby Photo

2012-05-24T17:31:00.001-07:00

By Piper Weiss, Shine Staff | Parenting – Mon, 21 May, 2012 5:46 PM EDT

(Eric Krebs/National Geographic)[Shine's daily spotlight of the most jaw-dropping photo from today's news.]

Every year, National Geographic Traveler hosts a photography contest in search of the most dramatic images of earth's wild inhabitants. The submissions, open until July, already boast a fair share of lions, tigers and bears.

But nothing compares to this entry from photographer Eric Krebs, taken deep in the jungle of the living room.

Before you conference call Child Services and Animal Control, let Krebs explain: "It was taken at about 1:30am after my 7-month-old son decided he wanted to wake up and play with some toys...our dog Molly decided to walk in front of the camera and yawn the moment I took this shot." Believe it or not, that mouth doesn't belong to a wooly mammoth preparing to carry the newborn in her jaws to her winter cave. That's just Molly being sleepy.

Overweight pregnant women are target of new guidelines

2012-05-18T02:08:00.000-07:00

Cannot play media. You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version

Mothers often say they get confusing advice about exercise during and after pregnancy

Obesity levels among pregnant women have reached epidemic levels, putting the health of their babies at risk, experts say.

The health watchdog NICE has issued new guidelines encouraging women in England to attain a healthy weight before they get pregnant.
It also advises them against eating for two once they conceive.
It says almost half of women of childbearing age are overweight or obese, which could harm their child.
Many women feel they are offered confusing and conflicting advice about their health during pregnancy.
The guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence are aimed at cutting through that. They discuss weight and exercise before, during and after pregnancy.
Celebrity culture If a woman is obese during pregnancy, she has an increased risk of developing serious complications like pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, miscarriage and stillbirth. She is also more likely to have a Caesarean section.

“Start Quote

It can set a worrying example, by encouraging new mums to embark on drastic weight lost programmes, which are not only unrealistic, but can also be very unhealthy”

End Quote Belinda Phipps NCT

NICE says women with a body mass index of more than 30 should be encouraged to lose weight before they become pregnant. During pregnancy, losing weight can be harmful to the unborn child, so women are advised to eat healthily and to do gentle exercise.

After they have given birth, women are told they should lose their baby weight gradually. Experts from NICE say celebrities who regain their pre-baby figures very fast can put unrealistic pressure on ordinary mothers.
"Women should understand that weight loss after birth takes time, and physical activity and gradual weight loss will not affect their ability to breastfeed," said Professor Mike Kelly, NICE public health director.
"Losing weight gradually can actually help women maintain a healthy weight in the long term."
NICE also wants local authorities to offer women more opportunities to exercise, at an affordable price, and with creches for their children.
"There's been an exponential increase in obesity among pregnant women," said Professor Lucilla Poston, from King's College, London, who helped develop the guidance. "It's very worrying, as there are so many potential risks for the mother and her baby."
The National Childbirth Trust welcomed the move to bring clarity to the issue. Chief executive Belinda Phipps said women were presented with a lot of conflicting advice about exercise.

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"It can set a worrying example, by encouraging new mums to embark on drastic weight lost programmes, which are not only unrealistic, but can also be very unhealthy," she said.
Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said he hoped the new guidelines would be actively promoted by the government.
"We need to support women who are overweight by encouraging them to lead healthier lifestyles. This includes providing them with advice on diet, nutrition and exercise.
"These healthy behaviours should occur throughout a woman's lifetime and not just when she is considering starting a family or during pregnancy."

Fat, pregnant or both?

2012-05-18T01:59:00.000-07:00

Pregnant women need only increase their food intake by a relatively small amount rather than "eating for two"

Scrubbing Up

"I'm not fat, I'm pregnant!" Actually, some women may be both but there are currently no UK guidelines to help midwives and women define how much is too much when it comes to weight gain during pregnancy.

In this week's Scrubbing Up, Bridget Benelam from the British Nutrition Foundation says there needs to be clear advice on weight control for pregnant women.

Nearly half of women of childbearing age are overweight or obese in the UK and this means there are increasing numbers of obese pregnant women. But spotting those mothers whose bumps are due to fat as well as baby is difficult, not least because there are no UK guidelines on how much weight women should gain during pregnancy.
Pregnancy weight gain varies and depends on many things - including the weight of the baby, the amount of amniotic fluid and the mother's increased blood volume - as well as body fat. Some additional fat is stored during pregnancy to provide a reserve for breast feeding when the baby is born.
But excessive weight gain during pregnancy carries health risks for the mother and child. It also makes the delivery of the baby more difficult, with caesarean sections and forceps deliveries more common. All this puts a strain on an already stretched maternity service.
Despite the common idea that women need to "eat for two" when pregnant, there is actually only a small number of extra calories needed in pregnancy.
No extra calories are needed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy and only an extra 200kcal per day are required during the last 12 weeks, the equivalent of two small slices of bread.
In a survey of over 6,000 women carried out by the Royal College of Midwives and NetMums last year, 61% said their midwife did not have enough time to discuss their concerns about weight management and nutrition, meaning many women may embark on pregnancy without having discussed how to manage their weight at this important time.

What is a healthy pre-pregnancy weight?

Experts assess obesity using a scale called BMI or body mass index
This is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared
A BMI between 18.5 and 25 is ideal
A BMI of 25-30 is overweight
A BMI of 30 or more is obese

And whilst there is a clear need for readily available advice, guidance is lacking.

Current recommendations in England from NICE (National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence ) do not address the issue of how much weight gain is healthy in pregnancy. Indeed, they flag up the need for UK-specific guidance.
These guidelines, issued in 2010, do say that women who are overweight or obese should be encouraged to lose weight before trying for a baby.
However, they say once a woman is pregnant, she should not be encouraged to diet to lose weight as this may harm the health of the growing baby and so women should follow a healthy diet and be physically active.
But what does this mean in practice?
In the US, guidelines go further.
The Institute of Medicine sets out what is a healthy weight gain - 25 to 35 pounds (11.5 to 16kg) during pregnancy for women at a normal weight for their height.
And it says overweight and obese women should gain less weight during pregnancy than lean women. For example, no more than 20 pounds (9kg) for the most obese.
Pregnancy is a window of opportunity where women are particularly interested in looking after their health and that of their growing baby.
Getting the right help and advice about weight control to pregnant women (and those planning a pregnancy) could help to reduce the risks to both mums and their babies, and also help mitigate the strain that obesity in pregnancy puts on the health service.
But midwives need support in delivering this advice on weight control, something they may never have been trained to provide. Arming them with clear guidance would be a good place to start.

Your comments (140)

Weight management 'benefits' for mother and baby

2012-05-18T01:55:00.000-07:00

Pregnant women are already advised to eat healthily

Dieting in pregnancy is safe for women and does not carry risks for the baby, a review of research has suggested.

The British Medical Journal analysis looked at the findings from 44 previous studies involving more than 7,000 women.
The London-based team said following a healthy diet - and not eating for two - prevents excess weight gain and cuts the risk of complications.
But current guidelines do not advocate dieting or weight monitoring.
The advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), published in 2010, says: "Dieting during pregnancy is not recommended as it may harm the health of the unborn child."
However women are advised to aim to reach a healthy weight before conceiving.
Babies' weights 'unaffected' Half the UK population are either overweight or obese and the rates are rising.
And in Europe and the US, between 20% and 40% of women gain more than the recommended weight during pregnancy.
High weights are linked to complications such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes and high blood pressure as well as early delivery.

“Start Quote

We should be careful to note that the researchers are not advising women to lose weight during pregnancy”

End Quote Dr Janine Stockdale, Royal College of Midwives

This review, funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), compared diet, exercise or a combination of the two.

Dietary advice was based on limiting calorie intake, having a balanced diet and eating foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and pulses.
The researchers then examined how much weight women gained during their pregnancies and if there were complications.
While each approach reduced a woman's weight gain, diet had the greatest effect with an average reduction of nearly 4kg (8.8lbs).
With exercise, the average reduction in weight gain was just 0.7kg (1.5lbs). A combination of diet and exercise led to an average reduction of 1kg (2.2lbs).
Women following a calorie-controlled diet were significantly less likely to develop each of the complications considered, but the researchers say those findings need to be repeated in larger studies.
Babies' birth weights were not affected by dieting.
'Simpler and easier' Dr Shakila Thangaratinam, a consultant obstetrician at Queen Mary, University of London who led the study, said: "We are seeing more and more women who gain excess weight when they are pregnant and we know these women and their babies are at increased risk of complications.
"Weight control is difficult but this study shows that by carefully advising women on weight management methods, especially diet, we can reduce weight gain during pregnancy.
"It also shows that following a controlled diet has the potential to reduce the risk of a number of pregnancy complications."
She added: "Women may be concerned that dieting during pregnancy could have a negative impact on their babies. This research is reassuring because it showed that dieting is safe and that the baby's weight isn't affected."
But in a commentary in the journal, women's health experts from St Thomas' Hospital in London - including Lucilla Poston who helped develop the NICE guidance, said it would be "premature" for the current guidance, which only recommends women be weighed at their first pregnancy check-up, to change.
Dr Janine Stockdale, research fellow at the Royal College of Midwives, said: "We should be careful to note that the researchers are not advising women to lose weight during pregnancy; this is about managing excessive weight or weight gain.
"If a woman is on target to gain the right amount of weight during her pregnancy, then 'dieting' and 'calorie-controlled dieting' as we commonly understand these terms, is not for her.
"We need to reassure women that under the care of a midwife or other health professional, weight management is safe."

Schoolkids sit their exams, then flee gunfire for Rwanda refugee camp

2012-05-18T01:44:00.000-07:00

Congolese refugees stream into Rwanda

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Refugees flee Fighting between Congolese government and rebel loyalists
Rwanda refugee camp was unprepared to deal with the numbers of people arriving
People are sleeping on floors as workers try to build more quarters
Fighting started after Congo government began a hunt for a former rebel leader

Nkamirah Transit Camp, Rwanda (CNN) -- Tumsifu Gilaine was at school when she first heard the gun battles. The teenager said she and her friends were taking their final exams and every day from their classrooms they could hear the army and rebel soldiers battling it out for dominance.

Tumsifu and her family stuck it out until she finished the exams. Then they fled.

They followed thousands of others making their way from their homes in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Nkamirah Transit Camp across the border in Rwanda.

After three years of fragile peace, the government of Joseph Kabila last month announced its intention to capture Bosco Ntaganda, a notorious warlord who calls himself "the terminator" and has been charged by the International Criminal Court with war crimes including the slaughter of civilians.

Ntaganda had agreed to allow forces of his National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) to be absorbed into the national army -- a deal Kabila called a "linchpin" for restoring stability that quickly fell apart.

Follow CNN's Nima Elbagir on Twitter

Struggling for survival in South Sudan

Thousands of Ntaganda's fighters defected and then began clashing with the army to thwart the hunt for Ntaganda.

Tens of thousands of civilians were forced to leave their homes as their towns became warzones. Some fled south to Goma in South Kivu, some to Uganda and some to Nkamirah.

Anouck Bronee, representing several U.N. agencies working on this emergency, said the influx was felt almost instantly.

"It started on April 27. From the Friday evening we went from 50 to 190 to 2,000 within three days."

Aid agencies have tried to make life for the refugees as comfortable as possible but the center is already over capacity.

"The first challenge that we had to contend with was shelter. The transit center could accommodate a maximum of 2,600 individuals. We've had to do a lot of rehabilitation and reconstruction as well as rehabilitation of additional structures that weren't part of the center," Bronee added.

Anouck Bronee showed us an old milk factory where some of the new arrivals had been housed. Dusty and soot covered, some families had even set up home inside the rusting machinery.
Nima Elbagir

Bronee showed us an old milk factory where some of the new arrivals had been housed. Dusty and soot covered, some families had even set up home inside the rusting machinery.

It's far from ideal but at least it is shelter from the lashing rain.

And the refugees keep coming.

It's not just the violence they are fleeing. Young men here told CNN that Congolese army soldiers had attempted to forcibly recruit them.

Samuel Nsanzamahoro said that when the battles started coming closer to his home town of Gicanja, soldiers began picking up young men and girls at random, accusing them of being army defectors.

"They were taken by force," he said. "Young men and especially young girls."

Samuel is 22, but many others we spoke to were much younger. Out of fear for their security they declined to be identified or directly quoted.

Samuel said he's not afraid of fighting in the government ranks but he does fear the abuses such recruits are subjected to. He did not elbaorate

Congolese military and government officials could not be reached for comment, but in the past have denied accusations of forcibly recruiting civilians.

Bronee said the Rwandan government has identified a site in the south of the country where it hopes to move the refugees as soon as a new camp is readied, but as the violence continues many worry the growing refugee numbers will create a serious burden for Congo's neighbors.

Rwanda already hosts nearly 60,000 refugees, many a legacy of the last time Ntaganda and his forces clashed with government forces.

The 1998-2003 war in Congo is sometimes called Africa's World War as fighting and refugees crossed borders, destabilizing the region.

So it's no wonder this new violence is worrying its neighbors.

More worrying still is the fate of the thousands the U.N. says are trapped inside the Congo, unable to escape the violence.

As difficult as conditions are in the Nkamirah camp, at least they feel safe.

Analysis: In this battle with Mladic, women of Srebrenica hold the edge

2012-05-18T01:41:00.000-07:00

An elderly woman and her husband are treated for injuries inflicted by Serb military forces as they fled Srebrenica in July 1995.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Ratko Mladic seems almost eager to fight all comers to the bitter end, says Nic Robertson
Robertson: The women of Srebrenica occupy the moral high ground in this battle
In Bosnia, the war is an awkward topic and a bane to the nation's future, he says
Robertson: If justice isn't sufficient, then Bosnians will be hostage to their history

The Hague, Netherlands (CNN) -- Seventeen years after the end of the war, Ratko Mladic gives the impression he is still on the battlefield in what was once Yugoslavia, staring down his enemy, glowering across the courtroom. Even gesticulating death threats.

What the former Bosnian Serb military commander hopes to gain and exactly what he is trying to defend are unclear. He may be the only one who expects an outcome other than guilty.

He seems almost eager to fight all comers to the bitter end.

The women of Srebrenica are in the Hague too. All these years later, they stand before him, with international justice on their side.

These women -- the widows, mothers, victims of one of the worst atrocities since World War II -- occupy the moral high ground. They will not be moved.

Mladic shows no remorse

But they have sunk so low in despair and desolation that even a bone unearthed in a mass grave raises spirits -- maybe something tangible from a loved one, something to cling to, a hint that truth and justice may not escape them.

'Butcher of Bosnia' shows no remorse

Almost 1,000 miles away, most of Bosnia goes about its business with little talk of the war; life goes on. If a question is unwittingly asked by an outsider, it is met with grace, but it hangs awkwardly over the conversation, like an unwanted guest at a dinner table everyone would rather not be there.

So back here, in a courtroom in the Netherlands, it is the women of Srebrenica who have the moral weight to slug it out. Eight thousand murders in Srebrenica alone. This is what gives their families such power: There are so many of them.

They've become a force Mladic must reckon with, by proxy of course. The international community, in the form of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), controls this courtroom battlefield. They are such a force, in fact, that the whole country must listen, too, awkward or not. No amount of reconciliation -- not that there is a lot -- can really happen until the women of Srebrenica and their families get the justice they are looking for.

Can their moral high ground be shared with other Bosnians? Can the country untether itself from the weight of this anchor on progress? If so, then a bigger battle will have been won in the Hague.

Ratko Mladic: Villain to many, hero to others

Will a guilty verdict in the battle still playing out in the courtroom here be enough to win -- Mladic vanquished to jail, banished from the battlefield by a long sentence?

If not, then no prison sentence will bring back the dead, rectify the wrongs, and Bosnians hopeful of a better future will be hostage to their history and to those who more than anyone deserve a better future, the families of Srebrenica.

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Saving Face: The struggle and survival of Afghan women

2012-05-18T01:34:00.000-07:00

Women tortured for saying 'no'

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

18-year-old Mumtaz bears the scars of an acid attack after she refused marriage
Two armed men pulled her head back and poured acid all over her face
Mumtaz now lives in a shelter for abused women in Kabul, Afghanistan
A 2008 Global Rights study said 87% of Afghan women reported suffering from domestic abuse

Kabul (CNN) -- When 18-year-old Mumtaz walks into a room the first thing you notice about her is the patchwork of painful puffy red scars that stretch across her face.

"I feel so bad, I do not look at myself in the mirror anymore," Mumtaz said.

She is the victim of a scorned man who decided if he couldn't marry her, he'd make sure no one else would want to. The man had asked for her hand in marriage, but Mumtaz's family declined the offer. One night she says several men showed up at their home.

They beat up her family, and finally two armed men held her, pulled her head back, and let the man who had wanted to marry her pour acid all over her face.

Tortured Afghan girl tells her story

"I was in the hospital for 10 days in Kunduz, and later they brought me to Kabul," Mumtaz said. "Most of my body was burned. When the doctor gave me medicine I felt like I was being thrown into a fire."

Billions in cash leaving Afghanistan

A few of the men involved have been arrested but not the one responsible for changing Mumtaz's face forever. This was the first time she had agreed to show her face and tell her story on television, partly because she fears for her life.

America rushing to leave Afghanistan?

Mumtaz has been through hell, which makes the second thing you notice about her all the more remarkable. She smiles every chance she gets.

Most of body was burned, when the doctor gave me medicine I felt like I was being thrown into a fire
Mumtaz

"I guess it is just my nature," she said.

The shelter where Mumtaz now lives is a haven for women who have been abused. Right now there are 16 women there and some with young children. Many have been there for years because they simply have nowhere else to go.

"This shelter has helped us a lot. If they were not here to help me, I would have been dead by now. My life was in a great danger, " Mumtaz said.

Mumtaz is learning to read and write for the very first time and is hoping to receive treatment for her scars in India.

Just across the hall from her there is another girl with a soul-destroying story of abuse.

Sahar Gul had been beaten, burned, scalded with water and had her finger nails ripped out after being married off to a man more than twice her age when she was just 13 years old.

Tortured girl: The same should be done to them

"Sahar Gul's brother married her to this person in return of 200,000 Afghanis (about $4,000 dollars). Sahar had about 15 to 20 'good days' with her husband but then problems started to arise; (The family started telling her) you are a child and cannot give birth and that you do not understand how to be a wife," Gul's attorney Shukria Khaliqi told CNN.

In Afghanistan it is an accepted tradition that the husband-to-be's family pay a dowry, also known as the bride price, to get a bride. But her new family had expectations that Gul could not meet.

Gul said when she didn't conceive a child her husband and his family started complaining she was eating too much food. They called her useless, stopped feeding her, locked her in a basement and began torturing her. She told us they also told her to sell herself to other men, which she refused.

"They used to bring boys into the house. They used to say that they want to make money and wanted to buy a car," Gul said.

Gul's mother-in-law, sister-in-law and father-in-law were convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail for the torture but are appealing the ruling. Gul's husband is still on the run.

Mumtaz and Gul's stories illustrate the fragile state of women in Afghanistan. Human rights groups say overall conditions for women in the country have improved since the U .S. led war, but there are still too many cases where women are treated as subhuman.

"Since 2001 there has been some really important progress. Literacy has improved. There are about two million more girls in school right now then there were at the time when the Taliban fell. Infant mortality has fallen and age expectancy has increased. But I still think the overall picture is less than people really hoped for," Heather Barr of Human Right's Watch in Afghanistan said.

A 2008 study by Global Rights revealed 87% of Afghan women reported suffering from domestic abuse.

"It [domestic violence] is a silent tsunami because nobody sees it but it's taking the life of women. And many women turn to self-immolation or commit suicide or throw themselves in the rivers to escape the situation. It's something we do not see, because it's happening within the families," Afghanistan Member of Parliament, Fawzia Kofi told CNN.

Kofi has been fighting to try and get the government to pay more attention to issues facing women.

Recognizing the problem, President Hamid Karzai signed legislation aimed at eliminating violence against women in Afghanistan. Women's rights advocates say the law is good but enforcement of the law is lax.

Kofi, along with human rights advocates, worries about what will happen to women, if international aid for services halts along with the pullout of NATO troops and the threat of the Taliban in government.

"I think the biggest fear, and concern all of us have, is that we go back to the dark period from where we had to look at the whole world from a small window," Kofi said.

Today's Scripture: Titus 3

2011-10-24T03:18:00.003-07:00

Today's Scripture: Titus 3

1Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

2To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

3For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

9But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

10A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

11Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

12When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.

13Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them.

14And let our's also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

15All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

learn
What is the Meaning of this Text?

bedience to magistrates, and becoming behaviour towards all, are enforced from what believers were before conversion, and what they are made, through Christ. (1-7) Good works to be done, and useless disputes avoided. (8-11) Directions and exhortations. (12-15)

Verses 1-7: Spiritual privileges do not make void or weaken, but confirm civil duties. Mere good words and good meanings are not enough without good works. They were not to be quarrelsome, but to show meekness on all occasions, not toward friends only, but to all men, though with wisdom, (Jam 3:13). And let this text teach us how wrong it is for a Christian to be churlish to the worst, weakest, and most abject. The servants of sin have many masters, their lusts hurry them different ways; pride commands one thing, covetousness another. Thus they are hateful, deserving to be hated. It is the misery of sinners, that they hate one another; and it is the duty and happiness of saints to love one another. And we are delivered out of our miserable condition, only by the mercy and free grace of God, the merit and sufferings of Christ, and the working of his Spirit. God the Father is God our Saviour. He is the fountain from which the Holy Spirit flows, to teach, regenerate, and save his fallen creatures; and this blessing comes to mankind through Christ. The spring and rise of it, is the kindness and love of God to man. Love and grace have, through the Spirit, great power to change and turn the heart to God. Works must be in the saved, but are not among the causes of their salvation. A new principle of grace and holiness is wrought, which sways, and governs, and makes the man a new creature. Most pretend they would have heaven at last, yet they care not for holiness now; they would have the end without the beginning. Here is the outward sign and seal thereof in baptism, called therefore the washing of regeneration. The work is inward and spiritual; this is outwardly signified and sealed in this ordinance. Slight not this outward sign and seal; yet rest not in the outward washing, but look to the answer of a good conscience, without which the outward washing will avail nothing. The worker therein is the Spirit of God; it is the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Through him we mortify sin, perform duty, walk in God's ways; all the working of the Divine life in us, and the fruits of righteousness without, are through this blessed and holy Spirit. The Spirit and his saving gifts and graces, come through Christ, as a Saviour, whose undertaking and work are to bring to grace and glory. Justification, in the gospel sense, is the free forgiveness of a sinner; accepting him as righteous through the righteousness of Christ received by faith. God, in justifying a sinner in the way of the gospel, is gracious to him, yet just to himself and his law. As forgiveness is through a perfect righteousness, and satisfaction is made to justice by Christ, it cannot be merited by the sinner himself. Eternal life is set before us in the promise; the Spirit works faith in us, and hope of that life; faith and hope bring it near, and fill with joy in expectation of it.

Verses 8-11: When the grace of God towards mankind has been declared, the necessity of good works is pressed. Those who believe in God, must make it their care to maintain good works, to seek opportunities for doing them, being influenced by love and gratitude. Trifling, foolish questions must be avoided, and subtle distinctions and vain inquiries; nor should people be eager after novelties, but love sound doctrine which tends most to edifying. Though we may now think some sins light and little, if the Lord awaken the conscience, we shall feel even the smallest sin heavy upon our souls.

Verses 12-15: Christianity is not a fruitless profession; and its professors must be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. They must be doing good, as well as keeping away from evil. Let "ours" follow some honest labour and employment, to provide for themselves and their families. Christianity obliges all to seek some honest work and calling, and therein to abide with God. The apostle concludes with expressions of kind regard and fervent prayer. Grace be with you all; the love and favour of God, with the fruits and effects thereof, according to need; and the increase and feeling of them more and more in your souls. This is the apostle's wish and prayer, showing his affection to them, and desire for their good, and would be a means of obtaining for them, and bringing down on them, the thing requested. Grace is the chief thing to be wished and prayed for, with respect to ourselves or others; it is "all good."

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How can We Apply this Scripture familyto our Life?

In our Bible Study here in the book of Titus we have made application in Titus chapter 1 for the Right Leadership in the Church, in Chapter 2 our responsibility to live right in the Church, and here in Chapter 3 to Obey Government, Avoid useless arguments. We all have a responsibility to live what we study in the scriptures. To not just hear the Word but Obey and live it out in every decision we make. Keeping the main thing, the main thing, Sharing what God did for us through His Son. Once we learn it, we live it, then teach it to the next generation. I have heard of Churches splitting because of the color of the carpet in a building plan. I have heard of Christians not paying their taxes. Fighting within the Church for anything and everything. Be tolerant of believers for their standards and level of their Christian growth. It is really simple, get saved, share Christ, and love others as Christ has loved us. Keep the main thing the main thing.

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