WEBVTT

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 Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons Podcast.

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 We're so glad you chose to listen today.

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 This week's message dives into Titus 1, 1-9,

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 emphasizing the importance of godly leadership,

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 sound doctrine, and a life rooted in faith.

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 Paul's instructions to Titus remind us to pursue integrity,

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 surround ourselves with a community of faith,

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 and hold firmly to the truth of God's Word.

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 Just as elders were called to lead with humility and discipline,

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 we are challenged to examine our own character and commitment to Christ.

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 Join us as we explore what it means to live a transformed life

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 shaped by God's truth and love.

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 Thanks for listening.

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 Well, as we jump into Titus together, if you would, take your Bible and turn to Titus chapter 1.

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 In Titus chapter 1 in verse 5, verse 5 is kind of the overall theme.

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 It's the focal point of what this whole book is about.

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 And in Titus chapter 1, verse 5, we read these words.

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 So what's taking place here is Paul has already been to Crete.

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 Paul has been to Crete with Titus.

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 Paul has established churches all over the towns of Crete.

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 And now Paul is somewhere else doing other missionary journeys,

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 establishing other churches.

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 And so now he's commissioning Titus.

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 Titus is a young pastor at this point.

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 Titus is in close relationship with Paul.

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 And Paul is sending him this letter and asking him to be a part of what is taking place in Crete.

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 So that's kind of the context of what we have here this morning.

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 So if you would, let's read the entire first nine verses.

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 That's where we'll be this morning.

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 I know that doesn't sound very much after we've gone through Genesis together, chapter by chapter.

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 But trust me, when you and I see what Paul is writing to Titus,

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 Paul really opens up a lot of things that you and I need to think about and address.

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 Verse 1.

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 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ,

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 for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth,

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 which accords with godliness,

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 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began,

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 and at the proper time manifested in his word,

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 through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God, our Savior.

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 To Titus, my true child in a common faith, grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus, our Savior.

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 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order

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 and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.

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 If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife and his children are believers

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 and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.

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 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach.

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 He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

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 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

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 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught,

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 so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine

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 and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

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 You and I need to be careful when you and I read this together

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 that we don't check ourselves out if we don't carry the title of elder.

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 There's things in Scripture when we see it we want to check out

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 because maybe the label doesn't fit us like elder or another term in Scripture

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 and we're like, well, that doesn't apply to me.

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 But anything that God has shared with you and me and His Word applies to us as a follower of Christ.

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 We can't say we're going to pick one part of Scripture and not listen to the other part.

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 All of Scripture is for you and for me.

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 It is basically the foundation that Paul builds all this around.

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 Keep this in mind when you read the letters written by Paul.

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 Remember Paul's epistles, he wrote several letters to the churches,

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 Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians,

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 but he also wrote letters to Timothy and Titus who are young pastors.

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 And when you and I read these letters of Paul,

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 the things that you and I need to keep in mind is this,

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 that Paul writes these letters with words of encouragement,

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 with words of instruction.

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 He writes in order that they be aware of the culture of their day

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 and how to navigate that culture.

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 But he also writes about correcting ungodly behavior.

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 So let's keep this in mind when we read these words here in Titus.

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 The foundation is the Word of God.

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 Paul's words to Timothy now in 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17 said this,

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 Paul sends this short letter, three chapters, to Titus.

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 And in just these nine verses that you and I are looking at together this morning,

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 Paul says a lot.

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 I mean, there is a lot of things that Paul says

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 and he raises questions for you and I to ask and look at.

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 So let's just look at verses 1 through 3 again together.

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 Let's just kind of break this down.

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 Paul is servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ

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 for the sake of the faith of God's elect

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 and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness

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 in hope of eternal life which God who never lies promised before the ages began

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 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching

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 with which I, Paul, have been entrusted by the command of God, our Savior.

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 So what do we learn about Paul?

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 Just in these short little verses,

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 we learn that he calls himself a servant of God.

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 He serves God out of his love and relationship for God.

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 He is a servant of God.

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 He calls himself an apostle of Jesus Christ.

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 An apostle is a messenger, one who is sent.

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 The 12 disciples were known as apostles.

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 They were the only ones given this title.

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 We also learned that he preached the message of salvation and eternal life

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 and also that he understood his responsibility as a command by God.

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 Now why is Paul these things that he just mentioned to you and I?

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 It says it right there in the beginning.

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 For the sake of the faith of God's elect.

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 That includes you and me.

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 Not only for those that Titus was going to order,

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 that Titus was going to teach those believers in Crete,

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 but it's also for you and I.

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 We can't remove ourselves from the fact that when we read God's word,

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 it is written for you and I.

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 For the sake of our faith.

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 Who is that you and who is that person that he's talking about?

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 Who is that elect?

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 It's very simple.

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 And Romans 10, 8 and 10 is for the person who receives Christ as their Savior and Lord.

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 Romans 10, 8 and 10 says,

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 But what does it say?

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 The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.

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 That is the word of faith that we proclaim.

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 Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord

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 and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,

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 you will be saved.

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 For with the heart one believes and is justified,

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 and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

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 So the elect that Paul is talking about here

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 is what he's talking about there in Romans.

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 If we believe and if we confess,

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 that is the person who follows Christ as their Savior and Lord.

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 Paul also points out that what he's there for,

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 not only the sake of their faith,

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 but also for the knowledge of truth.

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 Which leads to godliness.

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 You see, God's word is there for you and I

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 for the knowledge of God's truth.

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 Not man's truth or an individual's truth,

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 but God's truth.

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 That's what matters in life.

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 We hear that word truth just strung out all over the place, don't we?

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 We hear people saying,

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 This is my truth.

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 Well, it may be your truth,

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 but is it the absolute truth?

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 Is it the absolute truth of God and his word?

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 And Paul is saying,

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 I am there for the sake of the elected

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 and their understanding of the truth of God's word.

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 We have God's word for the sake of our faith

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 and understanding who God is.

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 Paul also points out that he was there

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 to bring hope for eternal life.

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 But Paul also points out some things in there about who God is.

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 It's very interesting.

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 Again, in this short little few verses here,

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 he opens up his understanding

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 or some understandings of who God is.

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 He said he never lies.

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 Think about that for a moment.

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 Paul states to Titus in this introduction

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 that God never lies.

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 You and I need to let that sink in

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 to our minds, our hearts, and our spirit

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 because there's times even as believers,

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 we question what we read about God.

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 We question what we know about God.

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 We question even what we've put our faith in God.

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 We've got to realize that God doesn't lie.

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 That whatever he promises you and I in his word,

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 it's to build our life on.

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 It is truth.

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 It is not a lie.

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 And in that one little statement there,

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 Paul shared his doctrine and belief of God.

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 He promised eternal life from the very beginning.

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 We see that those words here that Paul opens up.

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 He showed the message of eternal life in his word.

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 God showed you and I the message of eternal life in his word.

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 He trusted Paul with the handling

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 and the preaching of his word.

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 And he trusts you and I with the handling

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 and the teaching and preaching of his word.

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 He points out to Titus that God is our savior.

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 Now put this in context.

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 God is also our savior in this world,

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 from this world.

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 God is our savior from ourselves.

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 God is our savior for eternity.

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 So how did this message get out?

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 God used a person like Paul.

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 If you have any biblical knowledge,

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 you kind of understand who Paul was.

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 Pastor Bo shared a little bit of that

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 in the message of Genesis,

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 how Paul was there to persecute the church.

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 Well then, God got a hold of him and changed that.

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 He used a person like Paul.

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 God uses a person like you.

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 God uses a person like me.

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 You and I are not exempt to be used by God.

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 We may tell God,

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 no, I'm not going to do that.

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 But God desires it from us.

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 And just like Paul said,

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 it was a command of God.

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 God commands you and I to be his representative,

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 to be his voice,

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 to be his feet.

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 What was the message?

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 Really very simple.

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 Again, one of those,

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 you know,

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 let's close the Bible,

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 let's pray,

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 let's walk out the door.

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 It's that kind of simple of a message

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 that Paul opens up here

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 in these first few verses.

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 It deals with faith,

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 which points to the truth of God's word,

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 which points to godliness in our lives

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 because of God's word,

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 which then leads you and I to eternal life.

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 That's what he says in those first few verses.

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 But then at all,

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 Paul also says there this very interesting phrase,

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 proper time.

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 What is proper time?

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 What is Paul getting at

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 when he tells Titus at the proper time,

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 God will reveal this?

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 It's God's timing.

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 It's God's timing.

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 That's the proper time.

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 That's hard for you and I

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 to kind of juggle and think about

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 in things that we deal with in life,

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 isn't it?

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 God's timing versus understanding

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 our timing of things.

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 A lot of times,

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 we want the fast food line route, right?

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 We don't want the 12-hour

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 let it smoke and marinate

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 in the smoker route.

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 We want that quick one.

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 But Paul says to Titus,

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 it's going to take time.

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 I mean, you and I

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 went through Genesis for two years

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 just to experience that together.

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 You and I understood

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 throughout the life of Genesis

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 of the people that we saw,

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 Isaac, Jacob, Joseph.

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 We understood it was all about God's timing.

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 Look at Joseph's life

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 as we looked at it towards the end.

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 It was all about God's timing.

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 Joseph didn't want to be in the places

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 that he found himself in,

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 but it was about God's timing.

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 There's a lot of times

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 I don't like God's timing.

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 But I trust.

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 I have faith.

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 When I struggle with that thought

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 of God's timing in my life,

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 whether it be decisions

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 that I need to make,

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 whether some hardships

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 that I'm going through,

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 I always go back to a verse

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 that my mom and dad

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 always pointed us to.

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 They've always pointed us

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 to Proverbs 3, 5, and 6.

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 But when I think about times of this,

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 I only go to Proverbs 3, 5,

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 where it says,

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 trust in the Lord,

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 not yourself,

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 trust in the Lord

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 with all your heart.

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 And here's the sticking point.

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 And lean not

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 on your own understanding.

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 I don't understand God's timing

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 sometimes in my life.

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 I don't understand

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 some of the situations

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 that I may go through

00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:50.380
 and deal with in life.

00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:52.820
 But one thing I do know,

00:14:53.380 --> 00:14:54.340
 I can trust God.

00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:56.500
 I can trust God

00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:57.500
 and His timing.

00:14:58.780 --> 00:15:00.300
 And as a follower of Christ,

00:15:00.440 --> 00:15:02.380
 I've got to keep reminding myself

00:15:02.380 --> 00:15:04.100
 over and over

00:15:04.100 --> 00:15:05.700
 and over again,

00:15:06.300 --> 00:15:07.400
 in God's moment,

00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:08.860
 in God's timing,

00:15:09.180 --> 00:15:10.400
 that's what's best.

00:15:12.640 --> 00:15:15.200
 And then Paul switches gear

00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:16.100
 from this greeting.

00:15:16.300 --> 00:15:17.820
 He now goes to Titus

00:15:17.820 --> 00:15:19.060
 in verse 4.

00:15:21.400 --> 00:15:22.660
 He says to Titus,

00:15:22.800 --> 00:15:23.740
 my true child

00:15:23.740 --> 00:15:25.520
 in a common faith,

00:15:26.400 --> 00:15:28.160
 grace and peace

00:15:28.160 --> 00:15:29.980
 from God the Father

00:15:29.980 --> 00:15:31.020
 in Christ Jesus,

00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:31.980
 our Savior.

00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:36.440
 You ever gotten a card

00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:37.400
 of encouragement?

00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:39.100
 You ever sent a card

00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:40.240
 of encouragement?

00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:42.220
 You ever get a text

00:15:42.220 --> 00:15:44.000
 with encouraging words

00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:45.380
 or maybe words

00:15:45.380 --> 00:15:47.400
 that are giving you guidance

00:15:47.400 --> 00:15:48.360
 and maybe a decision

00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:49.360
 you've shared with somebody

00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:50.540
 and they sent you a text

00:15:50.540 --> 00:15:51.300
 or an email,

00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:53.140
 some form of communication

00:15:53.140 --> 00:15:54.620
 to help you think about

00:15:54.620 --> 00:15:56.280
 what it is you're going through.

00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:57.520
 Or maybe just a simple thing

00:15:57.520 --> 00:15:57.900
 of saying,

00:15:58.040 --> 00:15:59.000
 I'm praying for you.

00:15:59.560 --> 00:16:00.500
 Or maybe they text

00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:01.920
 a verse of scripture

00:16:01.920 --> 00:16:02.700
 because they know

00:16:02.700 --> 00:16:03.620
 what you're going through

00:16:03.620 --> 00:16:04.820
 or a card,

00:16:04.900 --> 00:16:06.140
 whatever the case might be,

00:16:06.660 --> 00:16:07.900
 they sent you something

00:16:07.900 --> 00:16:08.940
 because they knew

00:16:08.940 --> 00:16:10.000
 that you needed it.

00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:12.200
 Whether it be encouragement

00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:13.360
 or instruction

00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:17.320
 or a form of words to help.

00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:21.400
 What about receiving those cards,

00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.100
 those texts,

00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:22.780
 that information?

00:16:22.920 --> 00:16:24.860
 What it's like to receive those

00:16:24.860 --> 00:16:26.580
 in a time of your life

00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:27.040
 when, man,

00:16:27.100 --> 00:16:28.220
 it's hard,

00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:30.660
 but that text seems to come

00:16:30.660 --> 00:16:31.480
 at the right time,

00:16:31.560 --> 00:16:32.940
 that card seems to come

00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:33.920
 at the right time.

00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:36.860
 Well, here's this young

00:16:36.860 --> 00:16:38.180
 Pastor Titus

00:16:38.180 --> 00:16:40.320
 on the island of Crete

00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:43.640
 and you'll see later

00:16:43.640 --> 00:16:44.220
 in the verses

00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:45.660
 in this same chapter later

00:16:45.660 --> 00:16:47.300
 as Pastor Bo gets into it,

00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:49.540
 this is not a fun place.

00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:52.060
 Crete is not a fun island.

00:16:53.140 --> 00:16:53.920
 Now, there's just,

00:16:54.060 --> 00:16:55.020
 it's just not.

00:16:55.400 --> 00:16:56.640
 The people are not fun,

00:16:58.820 --> 00:17:00.740
 but yet Paul had established

00:17:00.740 --> 00:17:01.460
 churches there

00:17:01.460 --> 00:17:03.940
 and now Paul needs Titus

00:17:03.940 --> 00:17:06.300
 to go about bringing order.

00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:08.620
 And can you imagine

00:17:08.620 --> 00:17:09.760
 being a young pastor

00:17:09.760 --> 00:17:10.620
 with the task

00:17:10.620 --> 00:17:12.560
 of bringing organization

00:17:12.560 --> 00:17:14.620
 and bringing order

00:17:14.620 --> 00:17:15.600
 to churches,

00:17:15.740 --> 00:17:16.520
 several churches?

00:17:17.940 --> 00:17:19.660
 That's a massive task.

00:17:21.080 --> 00:17:23.080
 And here Paul says to Titus,

00:17:24.280 --> 00:17:25.220
 grace and peace.

00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:27.760
 Grace and peace.

00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:30.380
 Titus knew exactly

00:17:30.380 --> 00:17:31.800
 what Paul was talking about.

00:17:33.620 --> 00:17:35.020
 Titus spent a lot of time

00:17:35.020 --> 00:17:35.480
 with Paul.

00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:37.240
 And so when Paul talks about

00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:39.180
 greeting him with grace

00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:40.100
 and peace,

00:17:40.620 --> 00:17:41.780
 he knows that it's

00:17:41.780 --> 00:17:42.840
 the grace of God

00:17:42.840 --> 00:17:44.220
 and it's the peace

00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:45.100
 of Jesus Christ,

00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:45.960
 his Lord and Savior.

00:17:46.840 --> 00:17:48.420
 So it brings this extra,

00:17:48.560 --> 00:17:50.500
 this extra wonder

00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:51.920
 of encouragement,

00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:53.800
 this extra joy

00:17:53.800 --> 00:17:54.500
 and excitement

00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:54.860
 to say,

00:17:54.940 --> 00:17:56.380
 man, I can do this.

00:17:57.380 --> 00:17:58.680
 I know what I'm facing

00:17:58.680 --> 00:17:59.140
 is hard,

00:17:59.260 --> 00:17:59.600
 but man,

00:17:59.660 --> 00:18:00.760
 I can do this.

00:18:03.180 --> 00:18:04.160
 So what do we learn

00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:05.060
 about Titus

00:18:05.060 --> 00:18:07.200
 just in this little bit?

00:18:08.100 --> 00:18:09.840
 But not in this passage,

00:18:10.340 --> 00:18:11.820
 but it is important.

00:18:13.320 --> 00:18:14.640
 Titus was a part

00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:16.320
 of Paul's ministry team.

00:18:18.080 --> 00:18:19.100
 Paul says a lot

00:18:19.100 --> 00:18:19.800
 about Titus

00:18:19.800 --> 00:18:20.740
 in 2 Corinthians.

00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:21.800
 In 2 Corinthians

00:18:21.800 --> 00:18:23.000
 chapter 2,

00:18:23.080 --> 00:18:23.880
 verse 13,

00:18:24.020 --> 00:18:24.480
 it says,

00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:25.880
 my spirit,

00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:26.840
 Paul is speaking here,

00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:27.960
 my spirit was not

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:28.560
 at rest

00:18:28.560 --> 00:18:30.080
 because I did not

00:18:30.080 --> 00:18:31.080
 find my brother

00:18:31.080 --> 00:18:32.420
 Titus there.

00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:34.960
 You ever go looking

00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:35.880
 or trying to reach

00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:36.640
 or call a friend

00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:37.640
 and you can't find him?

00:18:38.080 --> 00:18:39.020
 Kind of that feeling

00:18:39.020 --> 00:18:39.920
 that it seems like

00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:40.920
 Paul is expressing

00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:42.000
 here about Titus.

00:18:42.800 --> 00:18:43.840
 2 Corinthians 7,

00:18:43.980 --> 00:18:44.320
 6,

00:18:44.760 --> 00:18:46.080
 but God who comforts

00:18:46.080 --> 00:18:47.020
 the downcast

00:18:47.020 --> 00:18:48.440
 comforted us

00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:49.440
 by the coming

00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:50.820
 of Titus.

00:18:52.220 --> 00:18:53.520
 God sent Titus

00:18:53.520 --> 00:18:54.740
 as a way of a comforter

00:18:54.740 --> 00:18:55.500
 for Paul.

00:18:56.620 --> 00:18:58.180
 And then in 2 Corinthians 8,

00:18:58.260 --> 00:18:59.760
 verses 16 and 17,

00:19:00.340 --> 00:19:01.440
 but thanks be to God

00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:02.620
 who put into the heart

00:19:02.620 --> 00:19:03.260
 of Titus

00:19:03.260 --> 00:19:04.900
 the same earnest care

00:19:04.900 --> 00:19:06.320
 I have for you.

00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:07.840
 For he not only

00:19:07.840 --> 00:19:09.000
 accepted our appeal,

00:19:09.400 --> 00:19:10.660
 but being himself

00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:11.780
 very earnest,

00:19:11.780 --> 00:19:13.580
 he is going to you

00:19:13.580 --> 00:19:15.040
 on his own accord.

00:19:15.980 --> 00:19:17.240
 Get to see a little bit

00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:19.060
 of Titus' character,

00:19:19.540 --> 00:19:20.800
 motivated himself

00:19:20.800 --> 00:19:23.160
 to bring the care

00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:23.940
 that is needed.

00:19:24.100 --> 00:19:25.940
 2 Corinthians 8, 23,

00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:28.440
 As for Titus,

00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:29.960
 he is my partner

00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:31.520
 and fellow worker

00:19:31.520 --> 00:19:32.980
 for your benefit.

00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:34.840
 So there was

00:19:34.840 --> 00:19:36.220
 a special relationship

00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:38.380
 that Paul has

00:19:38.380 --> 00:19:39.660
 with Titus,

00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:40.380
 the same type

00:19:40.380 --> 00:19:41.440
 of relationship

00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:42.520
 that Paul has

00:19:42.520 --> 00:19:43.620
 with Timothy,

00:19:43.860 --> 00:19:45.340
 these other young pastors.

00:19:46.620 --> 00:19:47.580
 To the point

00:19:47.580 --> 00:19:48.440
 where you see

00:19:48.440 --> 00:19:50.340
 a discipling

00:19:50.340 --> 00:19:51.600
 relationship here.

00:19:53.020 --> 00:19:54.140
 where Paul,

00:19:54.320 --> 00:19:55.760
 who is more mature

00:19:55.760 --> 00:19:56.540
 in his faith,

00:19:57.140 --> 00:19:58.940
 is working with

00:19:58.940 --> 00:20:00.580
 and discipling Titus

00:20:00.580 --> 00:20:01.960
 to help him

00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:02.720
 have confidence

00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:03.540
 in who he is

00:20:03.540 --> 00:20:04.060
 in Christ.

00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:05.320
 To help him

00:20:05.320 --> 00:20:06.060
 have confidence

00:20:06.060 --> 00:20:06.920
 in the task

00:20:06.920 --> 00:20:08.040
 that he has.

00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:10.520
 Two important phrases

00:20:10.520 --> 00:20:11.720
 that Paul uses

00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:12.500
 here with Titus.

00:20:12.580 --> 00:20:13.000
 He says

00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:14.580
 he is his true child.

00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.020
 Scholars believe

00:20:17.020 --> 00:20:18.100
 what Paul is saying

00:20:18.100 --> 00:20:18.860
 here is that

00:20:18.860 --> 00:20:21.320
 he was instrumental

00:20:21.320 --> 00:20:22.920
 in bringing Titus

00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:23.980
 to faith in God

00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:24.700
 when he says

00:20:24.700 --> 00:20:25.800
 my true child.

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:27.600
 And then he says

00:20:27.600 --> 00:20:28.480
 common faith

00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:29.300
 that he,

00:20:29.860 --> 00:20:30.900
 that Paul and Titus

00:20:30.900 --> 00:20:31.520
 are brothers

00:20:31.520 --> 00:20:32.200
 in the Lord.

00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:35.000
 If you're a follower

00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:35.480
 of Christ,

00:20:35.620 --> 00:20:36.820
 you are my brother

00:20:36.820 --> 00:20:37.360
 in the Lord.

00:20:37.460 --> 00:20:38.100
 If you're a follower

00:20:38.100 --> 00:20:38.540
 of Christ,

00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:39.540
 you are my sister

00:20:39.540 --> 00:20:40.120
 in the Lord.

00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:41.680
 Because we have

00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:42.500
 common faith,

00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:44.720
 we follow the same

00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:45.820
 and only true God.

00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:48.260
 And moving on

00:20:48.260 --> 00:20:48.780
 from there,

00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:50.460
 we see Paul

00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:51.180
 give Titus

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:51.840
 his purpose

00:20:51.840 --> 00:20:52.340
 in Crete.

00:20:53.600 --> 00:20:54.680
 In verse 5,

00:20:56.280 --> 00:20:56.960
 this is why

00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:58.040
 I left you in Crete

00:20:58.040 --> 00:20:59.520
 so that you might

00:20:59.520 --> 00:21:00.840
 put what remained

00:21:00.840 --> 00:21:01.760
 in order.

00:21:02.940 --> 00:21:03.940
 Task number one,

00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:05.760
 use some

00:21:05.760 --> 00:21:07.060
 administrative skills,

00:21:08.260 --> 00:21:08.840
 use some

00:21:08.840 --> 00:21:09.920
 administrative gifting

00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:12.120
 and put the churches

00:21:12.120 --> 00:21:12.640
 in order

00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:15.000
 and appoint elders

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:16.700
 in every town

00:21:16.700 --> 00:21:18.000
 as I directed you.

00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:20.320
 So Titus,

00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:22.140
 bring alongside you

00:21:22.140 --> 00:21:24.940
 those who are like you

00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:26.140
 who will be able

00:21:26.140 --> 00:21:27.180
 to guide

00:21:27.180 --> 00:21:28.380
 and bring direction

00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:29.100
 to the churches

00:21:29.100 --> 00:21:30.160
 that I've established.

00:21:31.800 --> 00:21:32.380
 Now,

00:21:33.100 --> 00:21:34.100
 6 through 9,

00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:35.280
 this is how I want you

00:21:35.280 --> 00:21:36.100
 to listen to this.

00:21:36.520 --> 00:21:36.740
 Okay?

00:21:37.700 --> 00:21:38.900
 Verses 6 through 9,

00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:40.120
 listen to them this way.

00:21:41.080 --> 00:21:42.320
 as a description

00:21:42.320 --> 00:21:43.060
 for you

00:21:43.060 --> 00:21:44.540
 as a Christ follower.

00:21:45.540 --> 00:21:46.540
 As a description

00:21:46.540 --> 00:21:47.300
 for you

00:21:47.300 --> 00:21:49.380
 as a Christ follower.

00:21:50.680 --> 00:21:51.100
 You see,

00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:52.180
 throughout the scripture,

00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:54.080
 we see a lot of lists

00:21:54.080 --> 00:21:55.300
 and I'm a list

00:21:55.300 --> 00:21:56.020
 kind of person.

00:21:56.380 --> 00:21:56.700
 All right?

00:21:57.040 --> 00:21:58.400
 I've got a list

00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.220
 in my garage

00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:00.420
 of about 10 things

00:22:00.420 --> 00:22:01.280
 that I need to do

00:22:01.280 --> 00:22:02.380
 in and around the house.

00:22:02.620 --> 00:22:02.900
 Okay?

00:22:04.900 --> 00:22:05.540
 Two of them

00:22:05.540 --> 00:22:06.320
 are checked off.

00:22:07.180 --> 00:22:08.100
 That board's been on there

00:22:08.100 --> 00:22:09.260
 for at least two years.

00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:10.560
 But anyway,

00:22:10.680 --> 00:22:11.500
 I'm a list person.

00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:13.080
 So I love making lists.

00:22:13.140 --> 00:22:14.580
 So when I see lists

00:22:14.580 --> 00:22:15.000
 in scripture,

00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:15.820
 that helps me

00:22:15.820 --> 00:22:16.620
 because that's how

00:22:16.620 --> 00:22:17.080
 I'm wired.

00:22:17.180 --> 00:22:18.580
 But we see a lot

00:22:18.580 --> 00:22:19.620
 of types of lists

00:22:19.620 --> 00:22:20.580
 from the Old Testament

00:22:20.580 --> 00:22:21.280
 all the way

00:22:21.280 --> 00:22:22.320
 through the New Testament.

00:22:23.760 --> 00:22:25.180
 Here's such a case here

00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:26.020
 in verse 6.

00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:28.600
 Paul says to Titus,

00:22:28.680 --> 00:22:31.100
 if anyone is above reproach.

00:22:31.940 --> 00:22:32.920
 Now we're going to see

00:22:32.920 --> 00:22:34.380
 that Paul uses this phrase

00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:35.220
 above reproach

00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:36.000
 twice here.

00:22:36.580 --> 00:22:37.480
 Anytime you and I

00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:38.440
 see something multiple

00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:38.980
 in scripture,

00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:41.000
 especially so close together,

00:22:41.300 --> 00:22:42.320
 you and I need to go,

00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:42.600
 okay,

00:22:42.660 --> 00:22:43.820
 I need to be aware of this.

00:22:44.620 --> 00:22:45.780
 In some translations,

00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:47.000
 they refer to the word

00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:48.540
 reproach as blameless.

00:22:49.280 --> 00:22:51.320
 If anyone is blameless.

00:22:51.420 --> 00:22:53.000
 If anyone above reproach,

00:22:53.500 --> 00:22:55.040
 the husband of one wife

00:22:55.040 --> 00:22:56.220
 and his children

00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:56.920
 are believers

00:22:56.920 --> 00:22:58.080
 and not open

00:22:58.080 --> 00:22:58.960
 to the charge

00:22:58.960 --> 00:22:59.840
 of debauchery

00:22:59.840 --> 00:23:01.420
 or insubordination.

00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:03.480
 For an overseer,

00:23:03.600 --> 00:23:04.600
 as God's steward,

00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:06.140
 must be above reproach.

00:23:07.260 --> 00:23:08.820
 He must not be arrogant

00:23:08.820 --> 00:23:09.780
 or quick-tempered

00:23:09.780 --> 00:23:10.520
 or drunkard

00:23:10.520 --> 00:23:11.060
 or violent

00:23:11.060 --> 00:23:12.300
 or greedy for gain.

00:23:13.560 --> 00:23:13.960
 But,

00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:15.580
 don't you love that word

00:23:15.580 --> 00:23:16.300
 but when you hear

00:23:16.300 --> 00:23:17.140
 something like that

00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:18.040
 and then there's the but

00:23:18.040 --> 00:23:19.100
 and then you get to say,

00:23:19.180 --> 00:23:19.280
 man,

00:23:19.320 --> 00:23:19.700
 there's got to be

00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:20.260
 something better

00:23:20.260 --> 00:23:20.880
 on the other side

00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:21.500
 of that, right?

00:23:22.300 --> 00:23:23.260
 Usually when you hear

00:23:23.260 --> 00:23:24.040
 that word stuck

00:23:24.040 --> 00:23:25.040
 in between different things,

00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:25.660
 you're looking

00:23:25.660 --> 00:23:26.860
 for the good side of it.

00:23:26.860 --> 00:23:28.940
 and hear what Paul says

00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:29.580
 in verse 8,

00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:30.880
 but hospitable,

00:23:31.800 --> 00:23:32.820
 a lover of good,

00:23:33.660 --> 00:23:34.460
 self-controlled,

00:23:35.500 --> 00:23:36.000
 upright,

00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:37.500
 holy,

00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:38.520
 and disciplined.

00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:40.120
 He must hold firm

00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:41.360
 to the trustworthy word

00:23:41.360 --> 00:23:41.900
 as taught

00:23:41.900 --> 00:23:43.600
 so that he may be able

00:23:43.600 --> 00:23:44.520
 to give instruction

00:23:44.520 --> 00:23:45.840
 and sound doctrine

00:23:45.840 --> 00:23:47.620
 and also to rebuke

00:23:47.620 --> 00:23:49.700
 those who contradict it.

00:23:51.220 --> 00:23:51.500
 You see,

00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:52.640
 an important part

00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:53.720
 of that last phrase,

00:23:53.820 --> 00:23:54.580
 and I forgot to bring

00:23:54.580 --> 00:23:55.300
 this up earlier,

00:23:55.300 --> 00:23:56.360
 the rebuke part

00:23:56.360 --> 00:23:58.100
 is there are a lot

00:23:58.100 --> 00:23:59.060
 of false teachers

00:23:59.060 --> 00:24:00.060
 in Crete.

00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:01.440
 There were a lot

00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.380
 of false teachers

00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:03.260
 that were starting

00:24:03.260 --> 00:24:04.120
 to show up

00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:05.040
 in the churches

00:24:05.040 --> 00:24:05.560
 in Crete.

00:24:05.960 --> 00:24:06.360
 And you know

00:24:06.360 --> 00:24:07.480
 that was kind of

00:24:07.480 --> 00:24:08.240
 commonplace

00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:09.360
 in a lot of the churches

00:24:09.360 --> 00:24:10.940
 that Paul was sending

00:24:10.940 --> 00:24:11.540
 letters to,

00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:12.340
 false teachers

00:24:12.340 --> 00:24:12.980
 coming in

00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:14.320
 and trying to teach

00:24:14.320 --> 00:24:15.340
 a false truth.

00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:17.100
 Trying to teach

00:24:17.100 --> 00:24:17.700
 things that were

00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:18.460
 not of God

00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:19.000
 or were not

00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:19.820
 out of God's word.

00:24:21.340 --> 00:24:22.480
 So what did we learn

00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.480
 about why Titus

00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:24.100
 was in Crete?

00:24:25.500 --> 00:24:26.460
 Paul left him

00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:27.740
 in Crete

00:24:27.740 --> 00:24:28.400
 with a purpose.

00:24:29.820 --> 00:24:30.600
 To bring order

00:24:30.600 --> 00:24:31.600
 to finish the task

00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:32.140
 that Paul

00:24:32.140 --> 00:24:33.860
 had already started.

00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:34.560
 To organize

00:24:34.560 --> 00:24:35.060
 the churches

00:24:35.060 --> 00:24:36.220
 in Crete

00:24:36.220 --> 00:24:36.740
 that we'd already

00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:37.340
 talked about

00:24:37.340 --> 00:24:38.920
 and to appoint elders

00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:40.000
 in every town.

00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:42.140
 So he had a purpose.

00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:43.720
 Paul laid it out

00:24:43.720 --> 00:24:44.020
 for him,

00:24:44.080 --> 00:24:44.620
 very plain,

00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:45.180
 very simple.

00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.660
 What's your purpose?

00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:51.420
 What is your purpose?

00:24:52.280 --> 00:24:52.960
 When you think

00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:54.300
 that God has created you,

00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.800
 that God has gifted you,

00:24:56.260 --> 00:24:57.460
 what is God's purpose

00:24:57.460 --> 00:24:58.300
 for your life?

00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:00.680
 First and foremost,

00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:01.880
 we find it in Matthew

00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:02.880
 chapter 22

00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:04.700
 verses 36 and 38.

00:25:05.020 --> 00:25:06.940
 This is our purpose.

00:25:07.620 --> 00:25:09.020
 These were the very words

00:25:09.020 --> 00:25:09.840
 of Jesus.

00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:13.040
 Verse 36,

00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:13.380
 it says,

00:25:13.720 --> 00:25:13.760
 Teacher,

00:25:14.680 --> 00:25:16.180
 which is the great commandment

00:25:16.180 --> 00:25:16.800
 in the law?

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:17.960
 And he,

00:25:18.120 --> 00:25:18.680
 being Jesus,

00:25:18.840 --> 00:25:19.540
 said to him,

00:25:20.360 --> 00:25:21.240
 you shall love

00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:22.680
 the Lord your God

00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:24.080
 with all your heart,

00:25:24.320 --> 00:25:25.620
 with all your soul,

00:25:26.100 --> 00:25:27.320
 and with all your mind.

00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:29.160
 This is the great

00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:30.960
 and first commandment.

00:25:32.460 --> 00:25:33.020
 You see,

00:25:33.080 --> 00:25:33.640
 the whole thing

00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:34.480
 is about you and I

00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:35.140
 having a relationship

00:25:35.140 --> 00:25:35.560
 with God.

00:25:35.660 --> 00:25:37.680
 That is our utmost purpose,

00:25:38.060 --> 00:25:39.460
 to have a relationship

00:25:39.460 --> 00:25:40.900
 with God.

00:25:42.040 --> 00:25:42.440
 And then,

00:25:42.540 --> 00:25:43.800
 in within that relationship,

00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:44.540
 it then begins

00:25:44.540 --> 00:25:45.360
 to spill out

00:25:45.360 --> 00:25:46.320
 in all areas

00:25:46.320 --> 00:25:46.900
 of our life,

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:48.000
 what is your purpose

00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:48.480
 at home

00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:49.180
 with your family?

00:25:50.340 --> 00:25:51.460
 What is your purpose

00:25:51.460 --> 00:25:52.100
 at work,

00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:52.740
 at school?

00:25:53.880 --> 00:25:54.920
 What is your purpose

00:25:54.920 --> 00:25:56.200
 with your friend group?

00:25:56.620 --> 00:25:57.540
 What is your purpose

00:25:57.540 --> 00:25:59.120
 in your neighborhood,

00:25:59.480 --> 00:26:00.140
 with your neighbors?

00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:02.100
 What's your purpose

00:26:02.100 --> 00:26:02.880
 with a stranger

00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:04.500
 that you come across,

00:26:04.560 --> 00:26:05.980
 maybe a one-time meeting?

00:26:07.420 --> 00:26:08.580
 What does God's word

00:26:08.580 --> 00:26:09.140
 say to you

00:26:09.140 --> 00:26:10.260
 in those arenas

00:26:10.260 --> 00:26:10.960
 of your life?

00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:11.660
 Those are questions

00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:12.960
 that I have to ask

00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:14.220
 and answer

00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:15.080
 on a regular basis

00:26:15.080 --> 00:26:16.340
 that you have to ask

00:26:16.340 --> 00:26:16.900
 and answer

00:26:16.900 --> 00:26:18.480
 on a regular basis.

00:26:18.660 --> 00:26:20.200
 God gives us

00:26:20.200 --> 00:26:20.720
 a purpose.

00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:22.220
 Paul gave Titus

00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:22.760
 a purpose.

00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:24.680
 God gave Paul

00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:25.200
 a purpose.

00:26:25.460 --> 00:26:26.520
 God gave Titus

00:26:26.520 --> 00:26:26.940
 a purpose.

00:26:27.100 --> 00:26:27.640
 You and I

00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:28.920
 have that purpose

00:26:28.920 --> 00:26:29.980
 to love him

00:26:29.980 --> 00:26:30.520
 with our heart,

00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:31.040
 mind,

00:26:31.040 --> 00:26:31.860
 and soul.

00:26:33.540 --> 00:26:34.680
 But Paul set

00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:35.420
 some standards

00:26:35.420 --> 00:26:36.480
 for Titus

00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.380
 to be on the lookout

00:26:37.380 --> 00:26:40.080
 for in these men.

00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:42.420
 The same standards

00:26:42.420 --> 00:26:43.220
 that you and I

00:26:43.220 --> 00:26:43.780
 are to have

00:26:43.780 --> 00:26:44.680
 in our own life.

00:26:46.060 --> 00:26:47.500
 A person who has

00:26:47.500 --> 00:26:48.660
 character and a reputation

00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:49.660
 that stands out

00:26:49.660 --> 00:26:50.320
 in their community.

00:26:52.040 --> 00:26:53.180
 A person who has

00:26:53.180 --> 00:26:54.340
 character and a reputation

00:26:54.340 --> 00:26:55.580
 that stands out

00:26:55.580 --> 00:26:56.200
 positively

00:26:56.200 --> 00:26:57.560
 in their community.

00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:01.000
 A person who has

00:27:01.000 --> 00:27:02.080
 their family life

00:27:02.080 --> 00:27:02.660
 in order.

00:27:03.540 --> 00:27:04.180
 If you think about

00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:05.320
 how this breaks down

00:27:05.320 --> 00:27:06.520
 that Paul talks about,

00:27:07.700 --> 00:27:08.360
 he starts talking

00:27:08.360 --> 00:27:09.520
 about the family first.

00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:12.160
 In Genesis,

00:27:12.320 --> 00:27:13.060
 we saw that God

00:27:13.060 --> 00:27:14.440
 created the family first,

00:27:14.560 --> 00:27:15.160
 Adam and Eve.

00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:17.540
 And Paul says

00:27:17.540 --> 00:27:18.020
 to Timothy,

00:27:18.020 --> 00:27:19.800
 look at the individual's

00:27:19.800 --> 00:27:20.900
 family first.

00:27:23.360 --> 00:27:24.260
 He then says,

00:27:24.380 --> 00:27:25.100
 a person who has

00:27:25.100 --> 00:27:25.660
 the ability

00:27:25.660 --> 00:27:26.760
 to give oversight.

00:27:27.760 --> 00:27:28.780
 A person who's

00:27:28.780 --> 00:27:29.760
 going to be a steward

00:27:29.760 --> 00:27:30.780
 of the things of God.

00:27:31.300 --> 00:27:31.960
 God has given

00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:33.000
 things to you and I

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:33.860
 that he expects

00:27:33.860 --> 00:27:34.300
 you and I

00:27:34.300 --> 00:27:35.620
 to be stewards of.

00:27:36.020 --> 00:27:37.440
 Good stewards of.

00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:39.380
 Our talents

00:27:39.380 --> 00:27:40.060
 that we use,

00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:41.160
 our talents and gifts

00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:42.280
 that God gives us.

00:27:42.540 --> 00:27:43.240
 Our finances

00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:44.020
 that God has

00:27:44.020 --> 00:27:45.200
 blessed us with.

00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:47.220
 Any of the things

00:27:47.220 --> 00:27:47.880
 that God has

00:27:47.880 --> 00:27:48.840
 provided for us,

00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:49.680
 God intends

00:27:49.680 --> 00:27:50.460
 for you and I

00:27:50.460 --> 00:27:51.900
 to be good stewards

00:27:51.900 --> 00:27:52.340
 of that.

00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:55.160
 A person not having

00:27:55.160 --> 00:27:56.400
 ungodly qualities.

00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:57.600
 Would you agree

00:27:57.600 --> 00:27:58.420
 with me that these

00:27:58.420 --> 00:27:59.500
 that Paul talks about

00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:00.780
 would definitely fit

00:28:00.780 --> 00:28:01.820
 that ungodly

00:28:01.820 --> 00:28:02.520
 characteristic?

00:28:04.260 --> 00:28:05.320
 But what I notice

00:28:05.320 --> 00:28:05.960
 these things

00:28:05.960 --> 00:28:06.860
 that Paul mentions

00:28:06.860 --> 00:28:07.500
 here and these

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:08.400
 ungodly characters,

00:28:08.560 --> 00:28:09.200
 all those are

00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.220
 self-centered

00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:11.160
 qualities,

00:28:11.260 --> 00:28:11.580
 aren't they?

00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:14.000
 These are things

00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:14.960
 that you want to do

00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:15.900
 because you want

00:28:15.900 --> 00:28:16.360
 to do them.

00:28:18.060 --> 00:28:19.000
 But then Paul

00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:19.980
 says to Titus,

00:28:20.380 --> 00:28:21.980
 this person needs

00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:22.700
 to have these

00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:23.820
 godly qualities.

00:28:25.100 --> 00:28:26.140
 This person needs

00:28:26.140 --> 00:28:26.600
 to have these

00:28:26.600 --> 00:28:27.660
 godly qualities.

00:28:28.320 --> 00:28:28.720
 hospitable,

00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:30.620
 willing to speak

00:28:30.620 --> 00:28:31.340
 and open up

00:28:31.340 --> 00:28:31.900
 to people.

00:28:33.080 --> 00:28:34.340
 A lover of good,

00:28:34.600 --> 00:28:35.300
 self-controlled,

00:28:35.460 --> 00:28:35.720
 upright,

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:36.260
 holy,

00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:37.260
 disciplined.

00:28:37.760 --> 00:28:38.520
 These are all

00:28:38.520 --> 00:28:39.400
 qualities that are

00:28:39.400 --> 00:28:40.180
 other-centered.

00:28:41.260 --> 00:28:41.920
 Now doesn't that

00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:42.680
 match with what

00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:43.780
 you know of what

00:28:43.780 --> 00:28:44.420
 you've read in

00:28:44.420 --> 00:28:45.300
 God's Word that

00:28:45.300 --> 00:28:46.560
 we're to be about

00:28:46.560 --> 00:28:47.100
 others?

00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:48.100
 We're to look,

00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:48.860
 as Scripture says,

00:28:48.940 --> 00:28:49.600
 for the interests

00:28:49.600 --> 00:28:50.220
 of others?

00:28:51.400 --> 00:28:52.360
 That we're to help

00:28:52.360 --> 00:28:53.200
 them with the needs

00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:53.840
 that they have?

00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:54.720
 That's all about

00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:55.740
 being other-centered.

00:28:57.740 --> 00:28:58.640
 But lastly,

00:28:58.800 --> 00:28:59.260
 but certainly

00:28:59.260 --> 00:29:00.040
 not least,

00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:01.660
 that Paul says

00:29:01.660 --> 00:29:01.940
 here,

00:29:03.540 --> 00:29:05.380
 a person who

00:29:05.380 --> 00:29:05.880
 has a good

00:29:05.880 --> 00:29:07.240
 grasp of the

00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:07.800
 Word of God.

00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:10.320
 A person who

00:29:10.320 --> 00:29:10.920
 has a good

00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:12.820
 grasp for the

00:29:12.820 --> 00:29:13.420
 Word of God.

00:29:14.920 --> 00:29:15.920
 Paul uses some

00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:16.800
 important phrases

00:29:16.800 --> 00:29:16.960
 there.

00:29:17.020 --> 00:29:18.340
 I never realized

00:29:18.340 --> 00:29:19.960
 that my English

00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:21.040
 classes in high

00:29:21.040 --> 00:29:21.880
 school would help

00:29:21.880 --> 00:29:23.220
 me read and

00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:24.220
 understand God's

00:29:24.220 --> 00:29:24.480
 Word.

00:29:25.160 --> 00:29:25.560
 If you would have

00:29:25.560 --> 00:29:26.220
 told me about that

00:29:26.220 --> 00:29:27.060
 back then, I still

00:29:27.060 --> 00:29:27.560
 wouldn't like to

00:29:27.560 --> 00:29:27.840
 have been in

00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:28.560
 English class.

00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:31.460
 But to see how

00:29:31.460 --> 00:29:32.220
 important the

00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:33.200
 words are that we

00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:34.020
 read in the

00:29:34.020 --> 00:29:34.640
 Scriptures, that

00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:35.900
 there's not a

00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:36.840
 word there that's

00:29:36.840 --> 00:29:37.920
 out of place.

00:29:39.280 --> 00:29:40.460
 But every word

00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:41.480
 that we read,

00:29:41.540 --> 00:29:42.940
 that God used

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:43.500
 the different

00:29:43.500 --> 00:29:44.580
 people to put

00:29:44.580 --> 00:29:45.220
 together the

00:29:45.220 --> 00:29:46.180
 Word of God.

00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:49.460
 Paul says the

00:29:49.460 --> 00:29:50.340
 word, hold

00:29:50.340 --> 00:29:50.960
 firm.

00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:53.360
 hold firm.

00:29:55.860 --> 00:29:56.640
 Don't let your

00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.520
 Bible be that

00:29:57.520 --> 00:30:00.480
 home decoration

00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:02.320
 that sits on a

00:30:02.320 --> 00:30:03.140
 table somewhere

00:30:03.140 --> 00:30:03.880
 that collects

00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:05.640
 dust, or that

00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:06.260
 sits on the

00:30:06.260 --> 00:30:07.080
 shelf that never

00:30:07.080 --> 00:30:07.980
 gets moved.

00:30:09.260 --> 00:30:10.540
 Paul says to

00:30:10.540 --> 00:30:11.560
 Titus, look for

00:30:11.560 --> 00:30:12.660
 those individuals

00:30:12.660 --> 00:30:14.380
 who hold firm

00:30:14.380 --> 00:30:16.220
 to the Word of

00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:16.580
 God.

00:30:17.420 --> 00:30:18.500
 He says, have the

00:30:18.500 --> 00:30:19.620
 ability to give

00:30:19.620 --> 00:30:21.880
 instruction, not just

00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:23.060
 any doctrine, but

00:30:23.060 --> 00:30:23.980
 on sound

00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:24.740
 doctrine.

00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:26.580
 God has given

00:30:26.580 --> 00:30:27.240
 you and I His

00:30:27.240 --> 00:30:28.500
 Word that is based

00:30:28.500 --> 00:30:29.740
 on sound doctrine.

00:30:30.820 --> 00:30:31.740
 But He also

00:30:31.740 --> 00:30:32.360
 said in the

00:30:32.360 --> 00:30:33.300
 context of the

00:30:33.300 --> 00:30:34.680
 culture in which

00:30:34.680 --> 00:30:36.260
 Titus was in, He

00:30:36.260 --> 00:30:37.720
 says, to be able

00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:38.660
 to rebuke

00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:40.400
 contradictions to

00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:40.860
 the Word.

00:30:43.860 --> 00:30:44.760
 So how do you

00:30:44.760 --> 00:30:45.380
 measure up to

00:30:45.380 --> 00:30:46.180
 these qualifications?

00:30:48.060 --> 00:30:48.720
 May I ask

00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:49.760
 myself that when

00:30:49.760 --> 00:30:50.380
 I read over

00:30:50.380 --> 00:30:50.760
 these?

00:30:51.800 --> 00:30:52.780
 You and I have

00:30:52.780 --> 00:30:53.660
 to ask ourselves

00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:54.240
 when we come

00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:55.000
 across God's

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:55.700
 Word and we

00:30:55.700 --> 00:30:57.260
 read things like

00:30:57.260 --> 00:30:57.880
 this throughout

00:30:57.880 --> 00:30:58.620
 God's Word.

00:31:00.860 --> 00:31:01.960
 You and I also

00:31:01.960 --> 00:31:02.840
 both need to know

00:31:02.840 --> 00:31:03.380
 that we're not

00:31:03.380 --> 00:31:04.200
 perfect, right?

00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:06.020
 On this side of

00:31:06.020 --> 00:31:06.900
 eternity, there's

00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:07.880
 no such thing as

00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:08.380
 perfection.

00:31:08.540 --> 00:31:09.440
 That only works

00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:10.540
 when you and I

00:31:10.540 --> 00:31:11.920
 die as followers of

00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:12.540
 Christ and we

00:31:12.540 --> 00:31:13.740
 spend eternity in

00:31:13.740 --> 00:31:14.500
 the presence of

00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:16.180
 God, that's where

00:31:16.180 --> 00:31:17.160
 we're clothed with

00:31:17.160 --> 00:31:18.020
 the new body that

00:31:18.020 --> 00:31:19.000
 God's Word talks

00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:19.720
 about, that Paul

00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:20.560
 talks about in

00:31:20.560 --> 00:31:20.980
 Corinthians.

00:31:21.860 --> 00:31:23.100
 On this side, we're

00:31:23.100 --> 00:31:24.100
 imperfect people

00:31:24.100 --> 00:31:25.680
 struggling through

00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:26.600
 life, trying to

00:31:26.600 --> 00:31:27.820
 apply the Word that

00:31:27.820 --> 00:31:29.120
 we read from

00:31:29.120 --> 00:31:29.900
 God's Word.

00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:32.320
 But at the same

00:31:32.320 --> 00:31:33.340
 time, you and I

00:31:33.340 --> 00:31:34.720
 battle with sin in

00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:35.880
 our life, you and

00:31:35.880 --> 00:31:36.900
 I also need to

00:31:36.900 --> 00:31:38.140
 realize in Scripture

00:31:38.140 --> 00:31:39.540
 it's there for a

00:31:39.540 --> 00:31:40.380
 purpose, it's there

00:31:40.380 --> 00:31:41.580
 for God to

00:31:41.580 --> 00:31:42.740
 edify us, it's

00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:43.660
 there for God to

00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:44.820
 sanctify us.

00:31:46.520 --> 00:31:47.540
 So in light of

00:31:47.540 --> 00:31:48.240
 that, you and I

00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:49.180
 need to confront

00:31:49.180 --> 00:31:50.320
 this list, to

00:31:50.320 --> 00:31:50.940
 confront these

00:31:50.940 --> 00:31:51.580
 things that we

00:31:51.580 --> 00:31:53.040
 see with a heart

00:31:53.040 --> 00:31:54.180
 of evaluation.

00:31:54.800 --> 00:31:55.300
 And I know

00:31:55.300 --> 00:31:55.880
 that's hard.

00:31:56.900 --> 00:31:57.360
 You know, one of

00:31:57.360 --> 00:31:58.440
 the worst things

00:31:58.440 --> 00:31:59.120
 for me to try to

00:31:59.120 --> 00:31:59.920
 do, I get so

00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:01.480
 nervous, I know

00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:02.240
 it may not seem

00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:02.820
 like it, but I

00:32:02.820 --> 00:32:03.820
 get so nervous

00:32:03.820 --> 00:32:04.340
 up here.

00:32:04.920 --> 00:32:05.660
 My stomach

00:32:05.660 --> 00:32:06.480
 churns for a

00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:06.680
 week.

00:32:07.140 --> 00:32:07.960
 My wife and I

00:32:07.960 --> 00:32:08.540
 went up to see

00:32:08.540 --> 00:32:09.340
 our son up in

00:32:09.340 --> 00:32:09.920
 Greenville, he's

00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:10.740
 over at Clemson.

00:32:11.240 --> 00:32:11.780
 I said that

00:32:11.780 --> 00:32:13.020
 word again, and

00:32:13.020 --> 00:32:14.700
 to see him, to

00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:15.960
 see him, to see him

00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:16.460
 because we hadn't

00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:17.200
 seen him for a

00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:17.340
 while.

00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:18.180
 I say that for my

00:32:18.180 --> 00:32:19.040
 love for my Clemson

00:32:19.040 --> 00:32:19.380
 people.

00:32:20.140 --> 00:32:21.120
 We hadn't seen him

00:32:21.120 --> 00:32:23.060
 for a while, and it

00:32:23.060 --> 00:32:24.020
 was just a good

00:32:24.020 --> 00:32:25.460
 trip to kind of ease

00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:26.060
 my mind.

00:32:27.140 --> 00:32:28.580
 And then I woke up

00:32:28.580 --> 00:32:30.620
 about 2.30 this

00:32:30.620 --> 00:32:32.100
 morning, couldn't go

00:32:32.100 --> 00:32:32.740
 back to sleep.

00:32:34.100 --> 00:32:35.480
 It's just one of

00:32:35.480 --> 00:32:36.580
 those ways in which

00:32:36.580 --> 00:32:38.400
 it's hard to evaluate

00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:38.960
 where I was

00:32:38.960 --> 00:32:39.340
 getting at.

00:32:39.460 --> 00:32:40.420
 Sorry, I just

00:32:40.420 --> 00:32:41.040
 lost track.

00:32:41.120 --> 00:32:41.740
 Where I was really

00:32:41.740 --> 00:32:43.220
 getting at is the

00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:44.080
 worst thing for me to

00:32:44.080 --> 00:32:45.060
 do is come in on a

00:32:45.060 --> 00:32:47.200
 Monday morning, and

00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:48.280
 after Joel has

00:32:48.280 --> 00:32:49.820
 uploaded the YouTube

00:32:49.820 --> 00:32:51.660
 channel, to sit and

00:32:51.660 --> 00:32:53.100
 listen to myself talk.

00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:53.720
 Have you ever done

00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:53.960
 that?

00:32:55.060 --> 00:32:56.380
 Oh, man, it's awful.

00:32:56.940 --> 00:32:57.980
 It is awful.

00:32:58.660 --> 00:32:59.360
 And I'll be honest

00:32:59.360 --> 00:33:00.280
 with you, I've never,

00:33:00.380 --> 00:33:01.300
 as long as I've been

00:33:01.300 --> 00:33:02.580
 in ministry, I have

00:33:02.580 --> 00:33:04.600
 never, ever been able

00:33:04.600 --> 00:33:06.040
 to listen to myself,

00:33:06.040 --> 00:33:07.220
 so I apologize to

00:33:07.220 --> 00:33:09.440
 you the entirety of

00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:10.440
 my time speaking.

00:33:11.880 --> 00:33:13.220
 But self-evaluation

00:33:13.220 --> 00:33:14.420
 is important.

00:33:15.520 --> 00:33:16.580
 But we have to be

00:33:16.580 --> 00:33:17.660
 motivated out of our

00:33:17.660 --> 00:33:19.240
 love for God when we

00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:20.380
 evaluate ourselves and

00:33:20.380 --> 00:33:21.660
 we read what we've

00:33:21.660 --> 00:33:22.540
 just read together.

00:33:23.400 --> 00:33:24.300
 And a desire to

00:33:24.300 --> 00:33:26.920
 please God, to see

00:33:26.920 --> 00:33:28.280
 the need in your life

00:33:28.280 --> 00:33:29.380
 and in my life for

00:33:29.380 --> 00:33:30.700
 godly change, not

00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:31.660
 just change that

00:33:31.660 --> 00:33:33.480
 benefits change, but

00:33:33.480 --> 00:33:34.840
 change that reflects

00:33:34.840 --> 00:33:35.920
 who we are as a

00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:37.320
 follower of Christ.

00:33:38.620 --> 00:33:39.860
 Here's some steps to

00:33:39.860 --> 00:33:40.360
 change.

00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:43.700
 Be honest and

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:44.340
 truthful with

00:33:44.340 --> 00:33:44.860
 yourself.

00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:47.200
 I've sat down many

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:49.480
 times with folks, and

00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:50.060
 that's usually the

00:33:50.060 --> 00:33:50.940
 first thing I say.

00:33:51.020 --> 00:33:51.880
 If you really want to

00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:53.040
 get anything out of

00:33:53.040 --> 00:33:54.160
 this conversation that

00:33:54.160 --> 00:33:54.860
 you and I are going

00:33:54.860 --> 00:33:56.400
 to have, you need to

00:33:56.400 --> 00:33:57.740
 be truthful and

00:33:57.740 --> 00:33:59.160
 honest with

00:33:59.160 --> 00:33:59.700
 yourself.

00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:01.440
 Because if you're

00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:03.440
 not, you're not

00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:04.340
 leaving the point in

00:34:04.340 --> 00:34:04.660
 which you're

00:34:04.660 --> 00:34:05.500
 standing on.

00:34:06.800 --> 00:34:07.560
 You've got to be

00:34:07.560 --> 00:34:08.580
 truthful and honest

00:34:08.580 --> 00:34:09.300
 with yourself.

00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.620
 Then you've got to

00:34:10.620 --> 00:34:11.740
 confess to God and

00:34:11.740 --> 00:34:12.800
 repent for whatever

00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:15.300
 it is that God has

00:34:15.300 --> 00:34:16.800
 opened up your eyes

00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:17.440
 to seeing.

00:34:18.280 --> 00:34:19.100
 And then you've got to

00:34:19.100 --> 00:34:20.100
 seek guidance from

00:34:20.100 --> 00:34:20.900
 God's word.

00:34:21.860 --> 00:34:23.060
 That's where it is.

00:34:23.520 --> 00:34:24.360
 Everything that you

00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:26.040
 and I need to know is

00:34:26.040 --> 00:34:26.640
 right here.

00:34:27.080 --> 00:34:27.560
 Everything.

00:34:28.460 --> 00:34:28.940
 Everything.

00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:30.460
 I know sometimes it's

00:34:30.460 --> 00:34:31.400
 hard for you and I to

00:34:31.400 --> 00:34:32.400
 wrap our minds that

00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:33.640
 everything that you and

00:34:33.640 --> 00:34:34.420
 I need to know about

00:34:34.420 --> 00:34:35.940
 life is right here, but

00:34:35.940 --> 00:34:36.760
 it is true.

00:34:37.660 --> 00:34:38.540
 It's right here.

00:34:39.320 --> 00:34:40.540
 We just got to find

00:34:40.540 --> 00:34:40.740
 it.

00:34:41.520 --> 00:34:42.580
 We just got to read

00:34:42.580 --> 00:34:43.140
 it.

00:34:45.620 --> 00:34:46.620
 Seek God's guidance

00:34:46.620 --> 00:34:47.360
 from his word.

00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:49.740
 And in some cases,

00:34:50.820 --> 00:34:51.980
 seek guidance from a

00:34:51.980 --> 00:34:52.740
 biblical counselor.

00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:55.460
 Allow a biblical

00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:56.540
 counselor to pour in

00:34:56.540 --> 00:34:57.900
 you the words of God

00:34:57.900 --> 00:34:58.740
 that you need to hear

00:34:58.740 --> 00:35:00.600
 for your situation that

00:35:00.600 --> 00:35:01.400
 you're going through.

00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:03.800
 C.S.

00:35:03.860 --> 00:35:05.420
 Lewis, there's a app on

00:35:05.420 --> 00:35:06.520
 Instagram that I love

00:35:06.520 --> 00:35:07.320
 following because it

00:35:07.320 --> 00:35:08.880
 seems like it has a lot

00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:09.980
 of quotes from C.S.

00:35:10.060 --> 00:35:11.260
 Lewis, a lot of quotes

00:35:11.260 --> 00:35:12.760
 from A.W.

00:35:12.880 --> 00:35:13.780
 Tozer, and one of them

00:35:13.780 --> 00:35:14.920
 that I came across said

00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:15.780
 this from C.S.

00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:16.080
 Lewis.

00:35:17.080 --> 00:35:18.360
 The Christian life is

00:35:18.360 --> 00:35:20.440
 simply a process of

00:35:20.440 --> 00:35:21.720
 having your natural

00:35:21.720 --> 00:35:24.400
 self changed into a

00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:25.140
 Christ self.

00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:27.420
 And that this process

00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:29.040
 goes on very far

00:35:29.040 --> 00:35:29.840
 inside.

00:35:31.100 --> 00:35:32.200
 Remember that scripture

00:35:32.200 --> 00:35:33.300
 that talks about that

00:35:33.300 --> 00:35:34.500
 God's word is there to

00:35:34.500 --> 00:35:36.780
 divide between joint and

00:35:36.780 --> 00:35:37.840
 marrow where it's like a

00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:38.960
 surgeon's scalpel?

00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:40.540
 You remember that

00:35:40.540 --> 00:35:40.880
 scripture?

00:35:41.200 --> 00:35:42.140
 That's what I see here

00:35:42.140 --> 00:35:43.280
 when I hear these words

00:35:43.280 --> 00:35:43.700
 of C.S.

00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:44.000
 Lewis.

00:35:45.100 --> 00:35:46.000
 And that this process

00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:47.400
 goes on very far

00:35:47.400 --> 00:35:47.820
 inside.

00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:49.540
 One's most private

00:35:49.540 --> 00:35:52.300
 wishes, one's point

00:35:52.300 --> 00:35:53.520
 of view, and the

00:35:53.520 --> 00:35:55.080
 things that have to be

00:35:55.080 --> 00:35:55.640
 changed.

00:35:57.140 --> 00:35:58.000
 That's the kind of

00:35:58.000 --> 00:35:59.180
 change that God does

00:35:59.180 --> 00:35:59.980
 in and through his

00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:00.260
 word.

00:36:01.040 --> 00:36:03.760
 Most importantly, how

00:36:03.760 --> 00:36:04.540
 are you doing at

00:36:04.540 --> 00:36:05.560
 holding firm to the

00:36:05.560 --> 00:36:07.300
 trustworthy word of

00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:07.580
 God?

00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:09.480
 How are you doing

00:36:09.480 --> 00:36:10.180
 holding firm?

00:36:11.160 --> 00:36:12.180
 Are you reading the

00:36:12.180 --> 00:36:12.480
 word?

00:36:13.280 --> 00:36:14.200
 Are you studying the

00:36:14.200 --> 00:36:14.480
 word?

00:36:15.120 --> 00:36:16.420
 Are you meditating on

00:36:16.420 --> 00:36:16.880
 the word?

00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:18.600
 Are you being taught

00:36:18.600 --> 00:36:19.080
 the word?

00:36:20.420 --> 00:36:20.940
 You know, we come

00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:21.580
 here on Sunday

00:36:21.580 --> 00:36:22.320
 mornings, we have the

00:36:22.320 --> 00:36:23.480
 opportunity to listen

00:36:23.480 --> 00:36:25.020
 to Pastor Bo teach

00:36:25.020 --> 00:36:25.840
 us what God has

00:36:25.840 --> 00:36:26.620
 laid on his heart

00:36:26.620 --> 00:36:27.540
 through his word.

00:36:28.340 --> 00:36:29.280
 But we have so many

00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:30.260
 other opportunities

00:36:30.260 --> 00:36:31.320
 throughout the life of

00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:32.560
 Willow Ridge Church to

00:36:32.560 --> 00:36:33.880
 be connected in a small

00:36:33.880 --> 00:36:34.800
 group, to sit down with

00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:36.540
 other people and share

00:36:36.540 --> 00:36:37.780
 maybe like, I don't

00:36:37.780 --> 00:36:38.860
 really understand what

00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:40.020
 this scripture means.

00:36:40.120 --> 00:36:41.180
 Will you share what

00:36:41.180 --> 00:36:42.960
 you know of this

00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:43.820
 scripture?

00:36:44.800 --> 00:36:45.940
 Placing ourselves in

00:36:45.940 --> 00:36:46.940
 situations where we're

00:36:46.940 --> 00:36:47.940
 being taught the word of

00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:48.160
 God.

00:36:48.500 --> 00:36:49.260
 Are you seeking

00:36:49.260 --> 00:36:50.620
 counsel and guidance

00:36:50.620 --> 00:36:52.220
 from the word of God?

00:36:53.700 --> 00:36:54.900
 So I was thinking about

00:36:54.900 --> 00:36:56.540
 these nine verses.

00:36:56.720 --> 00:36:57.660
 Here's the things that

00:36:57.660 --> 00:36:59.360
 seem to come to my

00:36:59.360 --> 00:37:00.620
 mind as we wrap up our

00:37:00.620 --> 00:37:01.460
 time together this

00:37:01.460 --> 00:37:01.760
 morning.

00:37:03.560 --> 00:37:05.740
 One, know who you are

00:37:05.740 --> 00:37:06.140
 in God.

00:37:07.160 --> 00:37:08.440
 Paul knew who he was.

00:37:09.240 --> 00:37:10.200
 Do you know who you are

00:37:10.200 --> 00:37:10.560
 in God?

00:37:11.440 --> 00:37:12.780
 Know who you are in God.

00:37:12.860 --> 00:37:14.660
 He created you in his

00:37:14.660 --> 00:37:15.020
 image.

00:37:15.140 --> 00:37:16.460
 You are of great value to

00:37:16.460 --> 00:37:18.080
 him and he loves you.

00:37:18.580 --> 00:37:19.720
 He loves you.

00:37:20.780 --> 00:37:21.580
 No matter what

00:37:21.580 --> 00:37:23.500
 anybody, anybody has

00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:25.800
 ever said to you, God

00:37:25.800 --> 00:37:27.460
 loves you more than

00:37:27.460 --> 00:37:29.420
 any one significant in

00:37:29.420 --> 00:37:30.140
 your life.

00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:31.960
 God loves you.

00:37:33.060 --> 00:37:34.280
 Know what you believe

00:37:34.280 --> 00:37:35.000
 about God.

00:37:35.660 --> 00:37:36.800
 Paul expressed that in

00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:38.440
 short little phrases here

00:37:38.440 --> 00:37:39.400
 in the beginning of his

00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:39.780
 opening.

00:37:40.340 --> 00:37:41.400
 But you and I need to

00:37:41.400 --> 00:37:42.260
 know what we believe

00:37:42.260 --> 00:37:42.900
 about God.

00:37:43.820 --> 00:37:44.660
 It's a great one.

00:37:45.220 --> 00:37:46.180
 God never lies.

00:37:46.380 --> 00:37:47.200
 That's a good one for

00:37:47.200 --> 00:37:48.020
 you and I to know.

00:37:48.660 --> 00:37:49.620
 Because when we come

00:37:49.620 --> 00:37:50.420
 to that time in our

00:37:50.420 --> 00:37:51.760
 life, we need to know

00:37:51.760 --> 00:37:52.040
 that.

00:37:52.700 --> 00:37:53.720
 When we read God's

00:37:53.720 --> 00:37:54.820
 truth, it's not a lie,

00:37:54.940 --> 00:37:55.540
 it's truth.

00:37:57.060 --> 00:37:58.060
 We've got to know that

00:37:58.060 --> 00:37:59.280
 God keeps his promises

00:37:59.280 --> 00:38:01.080
 and that our eternity

00:38:01.080 --> 00:38:03.460
 as a Christ follower is

00:38:03.460 --> 00:38:05.400
 sealed because of God.

00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:07.720
 Surround yourself with

00:38:07.720 --> 00:38:08.220
 people.

00:38:08.520 --> 00:38:09.860
 I love this phrase that

00:38:09.860 --> 00:38:10.400
 Paul used.

00:38:10.520 --> 00:38:11.560
 Surround yourself with

00:38:11.560 --> 00:38:13.200
 people of common

00:38:13.200 --> 00:38:14.160
 faith.

00:38:15.060 --> 00:38:16.100
 Faith in God.

00:38:16.300 --> 00:38:16.700
 Why?

00:38:16.700 --> 00:38:18.460
 Why is that so

00:38:18.460 --> 00:38:18.920
 important?

00:38:21.320 --> 00:38:22.820
 He's not saying don't

00:38:22.820 --> 00:38:23.960
 have relationships with

00:38:23.960 --> 00:38:24.880
 people that don't know

00:38:24.880 --> 00:38:25.200
 God.

00:38:25.600 --> 00:38:27.020
 That contradicts the

00:38:27.020 --> 00:38:28.280
 fact that that whole

00:38:28.280 --> 00:38:29.460
 wall out there on the

00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:30.480
 board talks about you

00:38:30.480 --> 00:38:31.340
 and I going to the

00:38:31.340 --> 00:38:32.180
 nations where you and

00:38:32.180 --> 00:38:33.740
 I got to share the

00:38:33.740 --> 00:38:34.600
 love of Christ with

00:38:34.600 --> 00:38:34.940
 others.

00:38:36.580 --> 00:38:37.840
 But you and I, if we

00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:39.040
 surround ourselves

00:38:39.040 --> 00:38:40.500
 completely with people

00:38:40.500 --> 00:38:41.600
 who don't know and

00:38:41.600 --> 00:38:43.300
 love the Lord, we will

00:38:43.300 --> 00:38:44.560
 be influenced by the

00:38:44.560 --> 00:38:45.740
 way they live.

00:38:46.580 --> 00:38:48.020
 and not influenced by

00:38:48.020 --> 00:38:49.280
 the way God wants us

00:38:49.280 --> 00:38:49.780
 to live.

00:38:50.400 --> 00:38:51.600
 You and I need to

00:38:51.600 --> 00:38:52.780
 surround ourselves with

00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:53.680
 people of common

00:38:53.680 --> 00:38:54.340
 faith.

00:38:55.160 --> 00:38:56.160
 They're there to

00:38:56.160 --> 00:38:57.040
 encourage you when

00:38:57.040 --> 00:38:57.840
 you're struggling in

00:38:57.840 --> 00:38:58.740
 your relationship with

00:38:58.740 --> 00:38:59.340
 the Lord.

00:38:59.460 --> 00:38:59.920
 They're there to

00:38:59.920 --> 00:39:01.160
 encourage you when

00:39:01.160 --> 00:39:01.960
 you're struggling in

00:39:01.960 --> 00:39:03.420
 your relationships on

00:39:03.420 --> 00:39:03.740
 earth.

00:39:04.060 --> 00:39:04.940
 They're there to

00:39:04.940 --> 00:39:05.900
 encourage you when

00:39:05.900 --> 00:39:06.800
 you're just struggling

00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:08.260
 because of life

00:39:08.260 --> 00:39:09.520
 sometimes is a

00:39:09.520 --> 00:39:09.920
 struggle.

00:39:12.380 --> 00:39:13.780
 just like it says in

00:39:13.780 --> 00:39:14.660
 God's word, they're

00:39:14.660 --> 00:39:15.980
 there to sharpen your

00:39:15.980 --> 00:39:17.320
 relationship with the

00:39:17.320 --> 00:39:17.600
 Lord.

00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:22.920
 And some of the

00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:23.760
 things sometimes we

00:39:23.760 --> 00:39:24.740
 don't think that much

00:39:24.740 --> 00:39:25.560
 of and we really

00:39:25.560 --> 00:39:27.580
 sure should is they're

00:39:27.580 --> 00:39:29.020
 there to pray for you.

00:39:30.140 --> 00:39:31.200
 One of the greatest

00:39:31.200 --> 00:39:33.580
 blessings, one of the

00:39:33.580 --> 00:39:34.740
 greatest things that you

00:39:34.740 --> 00:39:36.260
 and I have that God has

00:39:36.260 --> 00:39:38.380
 given us is the ability

00:39:38.380 --> 00:39:40.240
 to talk to him like I'm

00:39:40.240 --> 00:39:42.320
 talking to you and

00:39:42.320 --> 00:39:43.460
 the ability to go

00:39:43.460 --> 00:39:45.420
 before God on behalf

00:39:45.420 --> 00:39:47.560
 of those in our life

00:39:47.560 --> 00:39:49.160
 or those that we don't

00:39:49.160 --> 00:39:51.720
 even know and bring

00:39:51.720 --> 00:39:52.620
 them up to the Lord

00:39:52.620 --> 00:39:53.800
 for whatever the

00:39:53.800 --> 00:39:54.880
 purpose, whatever the

00:39:54.880 --> 00:39:55.720
 reason is.

00:39:56.500 --> 00:39:57.800
 But when you surround

00:39:57.800 --> 00:39:59.000
 yourself with people of

00:39:59.000 --> 00:40:00.340
 common faith, you have

00:40:00.340 --> 00:40:02.880
 people who journey

00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:04.620
 with you in prayer, who

00:40:04.620 --> 00:40:06.520
 come alongside you with

00:40:06.520 --> 00:40:06.880
 prayer.

00:40:08.640 --> 00:40:10.700
 Desire and pursue the

00:40:10.700 --> 00:40:12.900
 character that aligns

00:40:12.900 --> 00:40:14.220
 with godliness that we

00:40:14.220 --> 00:40:14.800
 just read.

00:40:15.360 --> 00:40:16.700
 You got to desire it.

00:40:18.180 --> 00:40:19.400
 Jesus said to those

00:40:19.400 --> 00:40:20.440
 listening to, if any man

00:40:20.440 --> 00:40:21.740
 wishes to come after me,

00:40:22.120 --> 00:40:23.620
 let him deny himself,

00:40:23.800 --> 00:40:24.760
 take up his cross and

00:40:24.760 --> 00:40:25.160
 follow me.

00:40:25.220 --> 00:40:27.020
 That's about desire of

00:40:27.020 --> 00:40:28.600
 wanting to follow God

00:40:28.600 --> 00:40:30.640
 with all of who you are.

00:40:31.740 --> 00:40:33.220
 And then hold firm to

00:40:33.220 --> 00:40:34.380
 the truth of God's word.

00:40:35.880 --> 00:40:37.440
 Make the Bible the

00:40:37.440 --> 00:40:38.940
 number one book that you

00:40:38.940 --> 00:40:40.040
 spend the most time

00:40:40.040 --> 00:40:40.420
 reading.

00:40:40.620 --> 00:40:41.360
 And there are some great

00:40:41.360 --> 00:40:42.060
 books out there.

00:40:42.780 --> 00:40:44.040
 And my shelf is filled

00:40:44.040 --> 00:40:44.880
 with great books.

00:40:45.260 --> 00:40:46.200
 People ask me all the

00:40:46.200 --> 00:40:46.920
 time, you read all of

00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:46.980
 them?

00:40:47.020 --> 00:40:47.280
 Nope.

00:40:48.040 --> 00:40:49.040
 I've read parts of

00:40:49.040 --> 00:40:49.180
 them.

00:40:51.100 --> 00:40:52.300
 But spend more time

00:40:52.300 --> 00:40:53.340
 reading God's word than

00:40:53.340 --> 00:40:54.720
 you do reading anything

00:40:54.720 --> 00:40:55.140
 else.

00:40:57.020 --> 00:40:59.100
 And then lastly, then

00:40:59.100 --> 00:41:00.100
 lastly, as the band

00:41:00.100 --> 00:41:01.100
 comes up, as we get

00:41:01.100 --> 00:41:02.060
 ready to close out our

00:41:02.060 --> 00:41:04.380
 service together, never,

00:41:04.780 --> 00:41:08.980
 never, never, never,

00:41:08.980 --> 00:41:12.800
 never, never let go of

00:41:12.800 --> 00:41:14.920
 the word of God no matter

00:41:14.920 --> 00:41:17.160
 how tough life gets.

00:41:19.220 --> 00:41:20.840
 Through his word, God

00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:22.000
 will bring you through.

00:41:24.120 --> 00:41:26.320
 Hold firm to the word of

00:41:26.320 --> 00:41:26.620
 God.

00:41:29.300 --> 00:41:30.680
 It is what you and I

00:41:30.680 --> 00:41:32.360
 need throughout our

00:41:32.360 --> 00:41:34.480
 entirety as we walk with

00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:36.220
 Christ, our Lord and

00:41:36.220 --> 00:41:36.480
 Savior.

00:41:39.640 --> 00:41:41.120
 We're about to sing as we

00:41:41.120 --> 00:41:42.080
 close out our service

00:41:42.080 --> 00:41:42.540
 together.

00:41:43.180 --> 00:41:44.380
 And we have prayer

00:41:44.380 --> 00:41:45.740
 encouragers that, as we

00:41:45.740 --> 00:41:46.720
 start to sing together,

00:41:46.820 --> 00:41:47.260
 they're going to be

00:41:47.260 --> 00:41:48.700
 standing on these walls on

00:41:48.700 --> 00:41:49.200
 the side.

00:41:51.700 --> 00:41:55.120
 You're here because God

00:41:55.120 --> 00:41:55.980
 has you here.

00:41:56.340 --> 00:41:56.980
 You know, you could have

00:41:56.980 --> 00:41:57.860
 been anywhere, but maybe

00:41:57.860 --> 00:41:58.540
 you woke up this morning

00:41:58.540 --> 00:41:59.420
 like, man, I just need to

00:41:59.420 --> 00:42:00.140
 go to church.

00:42:01.680 --> 00:42:02.880
 But whatever reason you're

00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:04.400
 here, they're here, our

00:42:04.400 --> 00:42:05.600
 prayer encouragers, they're

00:42:05.600 --> 00:42:07.200
 here to pray with you.

00:42:08.240 --> 00:42:09.540
 If you've got a burden, let

00:42:09.540 --> 00:42:10.400
 them pray with you.

00:42:12.160 --> 00:42:15.140
 Man, if you need to come to

00:42:15.140 --> 00:42:16.920
 a saving relationship with

00:42:16.920 --> 00:42:17.920
 Jesus Christ, they're here

00:42:17.920 --> 00:42:19.140
 to walk you through what

00:42:19.140 --> 00:42:19.800
 that means.

00:42:21.100 --> 00:42:22.280
 You know, it might be that

00:42:22.280 --> 00:42:23.240
 you've got a friend on the

00:42:23.240 --> 00:42:24.380
 other side of the room that,

00:42:24.500 --> 00:42:26.140
 man, your relationship is

00:42:26.140 --> 00:42:26.560
 tight.

00:42:26.680 --> 00:42:27.520
 Man, you have one of

00:42:27.520 --> 00:42:29.040
 those common faith

00:42:29.040 --> 00:42:30.980
 relationships, and you've

00:42:30.980 --> 00:42:32.100
 never said it to them or

00:42:32.100 --> 00:42:33.300
 whatever, and you need to

00:42:33.300 --> 00:42:34.440
 go encourage them, or you

00:42:34.440 --> 00:42:35.540
 need to go ask them, hey, in

00:42:35.540 --> 00:42:36.640
 this moment right now, will

00:42:36.640 --> 00:42:37.460
 you pray for me?

00:42:38.280 --> 00:42:39.560
 Maybe you can do that.

00:42:41.520 --> 00:42:43.160
 God desires for you and I

00:42:43.160 --> 00:42:45.520
 just to let folks into our

00:42:45.520 --> 00:42:45.920
 lives.

00:42:47.840 --> 00:42:49.140
 Would you join me in prayer

00:42:49.140 --> 00:42:50.960
 as we prepare ourselves to

00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:52.860
 continue to worship the Lord

00:42:52.860 --> 00:42:53.380
 and song?

00:42:56.020 --> 00:42:58.500
 Father, I thank you just, I

00:42:58.500 --> 00:42:59.800
 know sometimes I say this and

00:42:59.800 --> 00:43:01.140
 pray this a lot, but I do

00:43:01.140 --> 00:43:03.220
 thank you for your word, Lord.

00:43:05.860 --> 00:43:08.300
 There is so much power in your

00:43:08.300 --> 00:43:08.740
 word.

00:43:11.820 --> 00:43:13.280
 Power that we've not probably

00:43:13.280 --> 00:43:15.340
 even touched in our lives, but

00:43:15.340 --> 00:43:15.800
 it's there.

00:43:15.900 --> 00:43:19.600
 And Lord, just like you just

00:43:19.600 --> 00:43:21.080
 showed us what Paul points out

00:43:21.080 --> 00:43:22.520
 to Titus, you point it out to

00:43:22.520 --> 00:43:23.640
 our life as well, Lord.

00:43:26.280 --> 00:43:28.520
 Lord, help us to be the men and

00:43:28.520 --> 00:43:31.020
 the women that you have called

00:43:31.020 --> 00:43:32.840
 us to be in this life.

00:43:34.920 --> 00:43:36.640
 Lord, help us to put off the

00:43:36.640 --> 00:43:37.700
 things that are not of

00:43:37.700 --> 00:43:39.260
 representative of who you are,

00:43:40.260 --> 00:43:42.660
 but Lord, to strive to be the men

00:43:42.660 --> 00:43:44.040
 and women of God that you call

00:43:44.040 --> 00:43:44.540
 us to be.

00:43:47.220 --> 00:43:48.620
 Lord, if there's anybody in this

00:43:48.620 --> 00:43:49.760
 room that's struggling with

00:43:49.760 --> 00:43:51.120
 anything in life, and man, they

00:43:51.120 --> 00:43:52.660
 just need somebody to speak to,

00:43:52.740 --> 00:43:53.820
 Lord, give them the courage to

00:43:53.820 --> 00:43:55.860
 step out and to approach

00:43:55.860 --> 00:43:57.400
 somebody just to ask for

00:43:57.400 --> 00:43:59.420
 guidance, to ask for help, to

00:43:59.420 --> 00:44:00.160
 ask for prayer.

00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:05.460
 Father, thank you for loving us,

00:44:05.620 --> 00:44:07.180
 loving us for right where we are,

00:44:07.280 --> 00:44:10.540
 for who we are, but loving us

00:44:10.540 --> 00:44:12.260
 and desire to pull us closer and

00:44:12.260 --> 00:44:13.820
 closer to you in a relationship

00:44:13.820 --> 00:44:16.440
 that just far exceeds what we

00:44:16.440 --> 00:44:17.780
 can even imagine or think.

00:44:19.380 --> 00:44:20.800
 Lord, we love you and we thank

00:44:20.800 --> 00:44:21.860
 you and we ask this prayer in

00:44:21.860 --> 00:44:22.260
 your name.

00:44:23.060 --> 00:44:23.420
 Amen.

00:44:32.000 --> 00:44:33.260
 That's it for this week's

00:44:33.260 --> 00:44:33.620
 message.

00:44:34.020 --> 00:44:35.600
 Be sure to check back next week

00:44:35.600 --> 00:44:36.500
 for another episode.

00:44:37.160 --> 00:44:38.640
 In the meantime, you can stay up

00:44:38.640 --> 00:44:39.920
 to date with everything happening

00:44:39.920 --> 00:44:41.860
 at Willow Ridge by visiting us on

00:44:41.860 --> 00:44:44.660
 Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and

00:44:44.660 --> 00:44:46.800
 online at willowridgechurch.org.

00:44:47.140 --> 00:44:48.140
 Thanks again for listening.