Order in the House of God

Order in the Lord's Churches

Book of Titus 1

The Book of Titus was written to Titus and the Church sometime after Paul had written the first Book of Timothy to Timothy and the Church. Titus was a Gentile whereas Timothy was a Jew according to the bloodline of his mother. A Jew can only be a true Jew if they are from the bloodline of Sarah the first wife of Abraham.

Abraham is the father of many nations but only those from the bloodline of Sarah can be considered to be the true Israel!

Paul wrote to Titus to warn against false teachers. Many but not all those false teachers were Jews.

Paul wrote to Titus to set in order the organization of the church and the behavior of true believers.

Paul wrote to Titus to encourage him to proclaim the "Apostle's Doctrine" the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It was also Paul who had led Titus to the Lord.

The Book of Titus is the third Book of Scriptures that are known as the Pastoral Epistles!

The Pastoral Epistles deal with the Pastor's care of the church, the oversight, and the organization of the Church that has the foundation of Jesus Christ.

There is no church if Jesus Christ is not the foundation of that church!

These books teach us all how we are to behave in the House of God!

These books also teach us how we are to defend Christianity! This is where we Christians fail the most today. We are too lazy to stand up for the Lord Jesus. What a shame!

Let's begin:

*****Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Tit 1:3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

No building can exist for any length of time if it is not established on a solid foundation. Each Christian has become a Temple of the Lord but even this Temple cannot exist if it is not laid upon a solid foundation and that foundation is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Only when the proper foundation is laid, then that building can grow to its full potential!

Every child of God is called to serve in the House of God and be a messenger of the Lord Jesus Christ. All functions of the Church are secondary to these two things.

In a sense we are all to become slaves to our new Master, Jesus Christ!

In other words, we have given up our own will and serve at the will of our Lord and Master, Jesus.

A man once wrote: Our own will is to be swallowed up in the sweet will of God"

No doubt the modern-day church has forgotten these things. The modern-day church has forgotten the purpose of the church and have allowed the world to dictate the work of the church.

Those who have undermined the foundation, which is to be Christ, are beginning to crumble and fall and this will continue until the Lord returns.

Only when we obey the Words of our Savior can the church properly to do the work that is intended!

Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

There is no excuse for any place where God's people gather, to be confused about the purpose of the Church!

Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

There were only 12 Apostles specifically chose by the Lord but, after our own salvation we are all to do the work of the apostle.

As believers we have been chosen to be God's holy and beloved people, a people set apart from this world and away from our old life of sin which brings only death, to a new life and life eternal based upon the righteousness of our Savior!

These things can only take place according to our faith and our knowledge of the truth, which comes only by the truth of God!

God says we must repent from that old life that rejected, ignored and denied and was constantly cursing in the face of God!

Think about that for a moment and try to understand, that it is only by God's love, which is the means of God's "grace", that we can be forgiven of these things!

Our only hope is in fact the Lord Jesus Christ, the God who cannot lie, who took it upon Himself to provide the only path to forgiveness!

Jesus Christ did all the work to allow us to be adopted into the family of God, no more to be separated from Him.

Joh 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Our only work is to believe, have faith in the work that the Lord has done for us, to restore fellowship with our Creator!

Our job then is telling someone else the wonderful things that Jesus has done, so that the Holy Spirit will convict them to know the truth and then they too must make a choice to believe the truth or to reject the truth.

God then will guide us to live godly lives, that is, to follow in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God shows the world that He is real by showing how He can change lives. We as believers are to be a portrait of God's Mercy and Grace.

God has promised an eternal life of amazing wonders to those who trust Him but, also an eternal life of misery to those who reject Him.

I still have a very hard time believing that so many supposedly smart people fall into that trap of evolution!

The hope of eternal life is revealed in the Word of God many times and it is still true today!

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

As Christians we are to show the world our "faith"!

As Christians we know that no one is out of reach to the truth of God!

Isa 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

The Lord has chosen specific men to go out and "PREACH" the Word of God!

God is not somewhere off in space, unconcerned about His creation.

God is not sitting in His place ready to punish mankind for the least thing.

God is not mad at any of us and He never will be.

God is love and it is His desire to save us, so we can spend eternity with Him wherever He is!

God has some qualifications that we must accept the main one being "Faith"!

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

God is seeking a Spiritual relationship with each of us, not just the church, even those who do not yet believe!

*****Tit 1:4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Every Pastor is a spiritual father to each one they lead to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Titus was led to the Lord by the Apostle Paul, as was Timothy and countless others.

It is the "common faith" that we all believe in Jesus Christ just as Paul, and Peter, James, and John, and all the apostles did that brings eternal life to every believer, and this will never change.

Those that say they believe the Word of God but still try to adapt to the world of today, are those same ones who would like their own pet sin to be removed from the truth of God and this is not going to happen!

Grace, Mercy, and Peace can come only by the truth of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior!

The Lord left us with His unchanging command.

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things "whatsoever I have commanded you": and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Why would we ever want to fall away from the truth of our Savior, and He says He will never change!

Titus was left by Paul to establish and organize the churches on the Island of Crete using this same "common faith"!

*****Tit 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Tit 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

When we see the terms elder or bishop in these Scriptures, we should think Pastor, or Preacher, or Minister and the gift of Pastor-Teacher will refer to just one gift.

The word "elder" refers to the man's years of faithfulness and service to the church.

The word "bishop" refers to the man's duties and his work overseeing the church that God has assigned to him

These two words are interchangeable!

What are the needs of every church?

1) There is to be a certain order in the church and this cannot go undone or the church will be defective in its work.

It takes time with everyone working for one goal to remove the defects of any church. The church must be organized in the ministry that the Lord Jesus Christ has commanded. Leading souls to Christ and making disciples of them.

False teaching must not be allowed into the church which can only cause divisions and strife in the congregation.

The Church that is not growing in Christ Jesus, is not a true church! Leaning into apostacy.

2) Hopefully there will always be a need to ordain more men called of God into the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

No church should remain without a true Pastor for any length of time!

In the days of the Apostle Paul there was a great need for men like Timothy and Titus to ordain such men to be sure they were made up of the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That same need remains today! Those who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ must be totally rejected. The church has no need of such men!

Every true man of God must also meet certain qualification.

Again, we will see that God created the family before He created the church and every family is to be a mini church for the family to work by God's design.

When Christian families can come together in one mind and in one accord, then those families become a church and then they have need for a Pastor.

Notice: first this man must be blameless. Blameless in his family and blameless as to his dealings with the world.

In other words, his dealings with the world should contribute to his Christian service rather than be a hindrance to him.

One who can lead his family according to the Word of God has a better chance of being able to lead a church.

A Pastor can be single but there is no proof of how they can lead a family.

Both Timothy and Titus were single as far as we can tell but they taught of the family because most all Pastors will also have a family.

Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

A good family man will have a faithful and loving wife who can also guide the children to be faithful and loving children.

There is no place in the ministry of the church for those who would have more than one wife at a time!

There is no place in the church for anyone seeking to become rich off the "Gospel"!

Deu 17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

The Christian family will seek to glorify God in everything they do!

*****Tit 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

Tit 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

Tit 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Some words to describe every Pastor should include humility, self-sacrifice, simplicity of heart, undaunted courage, and moral faithfulness.

The true Pastor will not be Lord over his flock, but he will be the shepherd!

The true Pastor will be a good steward of God's tithes and offerings and will never seek riches for himself nor his family!

The true Pastor will seek to raise his flock above himself.

The true Pastor will see that the household of God is cared for.

On the other hand, the true Pastor will not be self-willed.

The Pastor does not own the church, the church belongs to God and His children!

The Pastor must never be self-centered, arrogant, haughty, nor self-pleasing.

The true Pastor will not easily become angry!

The true Pastor will not remain angry enough to sin at any time.

The true Pastor will not partake of alcohol of any sort.

Luk 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

This was written of John the Baptist and it is good enough for every true man of God and of course every child of God!

The true Pastor will not be a violent man!

The true Pastor will not seek riches, nor worldly possessions, but this does not mean he is not have leisure time and hobbies.

The true Pastor will be a lover of hospitality!

The true Pastor will love the children God has presented to him.

Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.

Heb 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Drunkenness brings ruin to everyone who is touched by it and this includes the Church that Jesus Christ has built!

Maybe the most important of all, the true Pastor will hold fast to the truth of the Word of God and never seek to change anything that God has already said!

(This one thing is abused more today than all the others put together).

When you must have multiple translations to get you point across, then you are only seeking to impress your will upon God's children rather than the truth of God's Word!

We all must have control over our bodies of flesh to be legitimate Christians. This one thing is the greatest battle we face every day and it is no different for the Pastor!

The true Pastor will hold fast to the truth of the Word of God and not allow the world to dictate what God meant!

If there is one thing true above all else, it is that God says what He means, and God means what He says!

We can be sure that God's will is done upon this earth always!

1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is not only "good news" to be told to everyone it is also the Faithful Unchanging Word of God, which is sound doctrine, much more than good advice but also will also bring Holy Ghost conviction to those who hear it when it is preached!

There are many more false teachers that we realize!

*****Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Tit 1:11 "Whose mouths must be stopped", who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

Who is a false teacher? All those who reject even one truth written down in the Word of God!

There will be false teachers in and around every true church!

To be unruly means: to be insubordinate against God and His truth! The violation of just one word in God's love letter is sin!

They were religionists, which is being a bigot to Christianity.

They refuse to submit themselves to the Word of God therefore, they reject God no matter what comes out of their mouths!

They will teach things that amount to nothing toward God's salvation plan!

Their teaching is not able to overcome sin and death!

Their teaching will not bring forgiveness of sin and therefore will not bring eternal life to those who receive it!

Job 15:3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

Job 15:4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

Job 15:5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

Job 15:6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

The truth is they are all like their father Satan, the Deceiver

2Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Paul used the word circumcision, meaning that many of them were Jews demanding that the Laws of Moses be followed which is a works doctrine that cannot bring salvation!

Ecc 10:13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

Ecc 10:14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

The refused to believe that Jesus Christ died for their sin because they claim to obey all the laws, written and oral, and therefore Christ Jesus need not to have died!

These false teachers are around today in even greater numbers, at least here in America!

These false teachers rejected that it is faith and faith only that can bring us close to God, even though they claimed Abraham as their forefather.

These false teachers taught that only man can make himself acceptable to God! Jesus said this cannot be true!

Joh_15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

What else does Jesus say?

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

We find that most all these false teachers are in it for the money (filthy lucre). Does this mean we must stay away from Mega Churches?

We must stay away from every church that does not preach Jesus Christ, Him crucified, then raised from the dead, therefore salvation comes by the blood of Jesus Christ!

All false teachers must be silenced but not by physical force!

False teachers must not be allowed to turn people away from Jesus Christ!

Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

One truth is that, a false teacher will have a bad reputation outside the church because everyone hates a liar!

*****Tit 1:12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

Tit 1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

Tit 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

It is said that Epimenides, a Cretian poet was this prophet who had written down these words "The Cretians are always liars"

Some Cretians even invented a new word "Cretize" meaning all those who played the part of a Cretian. In other words, they were liars as the prophet had said and were as an evil beast which can mean that they were very greedy.

We must understand that the speaking of lies is condemned in the Word of God!

What does God say? 1Ti 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

You see, it is the Church body that is put a stop to false teaching!

When we study the Word of God ourselves we will be able to discern the Word of God from false teaching.

Every lie causes harm to the Church because a lie is the enemy of the truth!

Lies are something that God just hates!

Pro 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

It is well past the time when Christians need to take a stand, but we certainly must sharply address false teaching in our own church!

Fables can only distract you from the truth. There are no fables in the Word of God!

Fables are attempt of some human being to place themselves on a level with the Word of God.

God's Word is settled in Heaven, nothing on earth can compare to the truth of God!

Psa_119:89 LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

We already know it is the Holy Spirit who gave us the written Word of God!

Any Jew who compares fables to the Word of God has already left his own Jewish beliefs!

Jewish fables come from a false interpretation of the Books of Moses, the Pentateuch.

We must understand the Spiritual meaning of the Word of God and apply it to our own lives!

This is why the Lord Jesus Christ challenged Jewish teachers who put man’s laws before the Word of God!

Ceremonial laws cannot save but they also lead us away from the truth. Jewish fables have nothing in them to replace "faith".

Without faith we cannot even please the Lord, who came that we be saved.

Man-made religion has no answer for the truth of God and we live in a world full of man-made religion!

Christianity is being obedient to the will of God!

Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

Joh 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Joh 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

Joh 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

If we are not rooted and grounded in the truth of God then, we are subject to all fables, which are only the words of some man.

As Christians we are all required to warn all others that they will be eternally separated from God unless, we know the truth and teach others the truth.

Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Our faith must be in the truth of God or we will attain purity enough to live with the Lord!

*****Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

No false teacher will ever be pure enough to stand before a Holy God!

Our salvation can never be based upon lies!

When we try to make up our own rules to please God, we will always fail.

God has given us His instruction manual and we must go by the Word of God to ever have a chance to overcome God's wrath. Remember all mankind has already been sentenced to eternal death from the day we are born.

When we cannot accept that we are sinners in need of a Savior we will remain under God's curse!

Our only question should be, "how do we become pure enough to come face to face with God"?

There are no works that we can perform to overcome our sad situation!

When God our Father in Heaven accepted the work of God the Son, only then did we become a Temple for God the Holy Spirit, which means we will be pure enough to stand before our Heavenly Father.

Only the purity and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ can accomplish these things and then only when we invite Him to come into our heart and stay!

Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Jews rejected the truth of God when He first came. They will accept Him when He returns. There are no other nations that will get such a second chance as this promise to the Jews.

It is the truth of God that makes us free!

Unto them that are defiled, and unbelieving is nothing pure and they will remain caught up in their sin!

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

What is wrong with the Church today?

*****Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

We live in a world ruled by reprobates!

A false preacher is no more than a professional atheist!

Their sermon may sound great but, in their everyday life they fail to apply the Word of God to their everyday existence!

Their witness outside the church will clearly show they are no more than hypocrites!

When we deny God's authority over our lives, we too are no more than professional atheist!

Truly a hypocrite is even offensive to those who do not know the Lord.

There are always those in the Church who are hypocrites, and still lost but, God will not remove them because they may see the error of their ways in the true Christian.

The hypocrite is always a great professor of religion, but religion will only lead to your death!

Some hypocrites are truly hard to see. Even Judas spent 3 years with the Lord, but the other disciples never did accuse Judas of hypocrisy.

The Lord knew all the while, even when He chose Judas!

We deny things in 3 ways:

1) With our tongues, the words that we use.

2) With our heart, that only God can see.

3) With the life we lead, that everyone can see.

Without submitting to God and His Word , we will never know salvation.

The false teacher will corrupt the church and to be honest, corruption will always leave a foul smell!

All these things are the fulfillment of prophesy!

Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Amen

Let's Pray

God Rewards His Children

Precious Rewards

2 Timothy 4

As we close out the 2 Books of Timothy, next week will begin with a few lessons in the Book of Titus.

We should not forget this second book written in the name of Timothy were the last written words of the Apostle Paul.

It was written from Rome as Paul was arrested the second time by Nero, for preaching the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

This time Paul was sentenced to death by beheading, and again Paul was content that his life would soon be coming to an end and he would be going home to be with the Lord!

The truth is, we live in a world that is bombarded with messages of hope, yet all we can see is a world that is becoming more and more corrupt because our world offers no hope for true life.

My hope is that we could see one more worldwide revival and thousands or even billions would come to know the Lord Jesus Christ on a personal level that begins with love and remains as love because we have such a great love letter from our Savior!

The message of the Word of God is so simple that many do not understand the simplicity of salvation, but one thing must happen. The Holy Spirit must convict us of our sin!

The only lasting hope for all mankind is a personal relationship with Jehovah God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Great "I AM" of the Scriptures.

The Word of God is so important that the Lord called special men and then equipped them to preach the "Gospel Message" of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead "at his appearing" and "his kingdom";

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

What is the work of that Preacher who is called of God? Number one He is to preach.

I think it would be good to mention that in all the pastoral epistles we find nowhere in the Scriptures where any female is authorized to preach the Word of God and the Word of God gives no indication that any woman should become the Pastor of any of the sheep of God who is the Good Shepherd of all His sheep!

In fact, it takes only one Scripture to prove my point!

1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

What we know is that Timothy was a single man called to be Pastor in the Church at Ephesus.

For a married man called of God, he must meet the qualifications set down in what we call the pastoral Epistles, the 2 Books of Timothy and Titus, after first becoming a "Born Again" child of God.

In this one passage we see that the husband must be blameless and have only one wife and could even mean one wife at a time, but this one passage eliminates the woman who could never be the husband of one wife. If it turned out to be a couple in the LBGT movement then it cannot be any part of the church!

So, God commands that those men He has personally chosen, are to preach the Word of God.

How many false men behind the pulpits of America and even this world have rejected the Word of God and preached every version but the truth of God?

A Preacher, whether you say Pastor, Bishop, or any other name is to Preach the Word of God and this means every passage in the Bible, all 31,173 verses in the context that they were written, rightly divided.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

We saw this Scripture last week and it has not changed, nor will it ever change!

It is a fact that we will be judged for every evil thing we have done since coming to know Savior but without a doubt that Pastor will be judged for every message he has preached all the time he has been called to be a pastor.

God is watching us all but there is much more written about God watching those who deal falsely with the truth of the Word of God!

The most important reason to preach the pure truth of God is the fact that we will all be judged by the same Word of God that is be preached.

I personally trust the King James Version Bible because it is an English translation from the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. I also realize that King James himself was an evil man who I never hear of changing. The King James Bible has nothing to do with King James except to say that he may have paid to have this work done and even then, not having the right intentions. As God does, He makes good things come from bad intentions!

I would stay away from any other English translation and those who use any of the other languages should gauge their own translation by those same Greek and Hebrew manuscripts.

Every work of the Christian must be good enough, not to satisfy men, but to satisfy Jesus Christ (Christlike)!

We must clearly understand that if the Lord gave such a command to "Preach" then He is certainly not trying to hide anything from us and He will greatly judge all those who do try to hide the truth of God from us.

In fact, the truth of God simply cannot be hidden from those who are seeking the truth but easily hidden from those who will sit and listen to anything from every "so-called" man of God!

No one is perfect and myself far from that, but we are all to search the Scriptures, so we will know the truth when we hear it and it is not that hard because God will never hide the truth from us!

The man has never lived who can outsmart God!

Psa_2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Psa_59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

The one thing that stands out in this passage is the fact that The Lord says to preach the Word of God and does not mean to preach any other matter to those who are listening! This is a sharp command to preach.

This is to take the Word of God and make sense of the Word so all those listening can understand, with the vigor to make sure they hear what God has to say!

This is so the Holy Spirit can do His work of conviction!

There are many Preachers and Pastors who have no problem with the preaching of God's Word. Where many fail they do not exhort those who are hearing to take the Word of God in to their hearts and apply it to their daily life.

God has already proved that He is longsuffering and even says so and all those who receive the Word of God into their hearts can be gloriously saved but even God has a limit with His longsuffering.

Isa 63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

We already know that God does not ever changed His perfect ways and He never will!

Why are all these things so very important? Because of the time we have arrived at today in the Church Age!

*****2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

We should clearly understand that in the day Paul wrote these words to Timothy and the Church, false doctrine was already entering the Church!

The human being is still a basically sinful creature, since the time of Adam and we will use ever method thought of to avoid hearing the truth of our sinfulness. This is the Holy Ghost's first obstacle in convicting us of our sin!

The human being will seek out words that will be suited more to their desires and their fancies!

It is just a fact and even more so, when they only receive partial truths or the Word of God is not drilled into those fancies. Most every one that hears the Word of God that is preached as commanded, will know when they hear the truth and it is then it becomes time to make a decision to accept the truth or reject the truth, but the truth is understood and not many will do so the very first time they truly understand the Word of God.

The Preacher is to also be patient! Salvation is nothing to be toyed with. It is the most important decision any of us will make and it is the right decision!

God will continue to send His Words to individuals until the Holy Spirit says that it is enough! God said my Spirit will not always strive with man!

Church history has already proven that this happened early to the Churches in Asia and Paul even commented upon this same thing.

2Ti 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

These are the 7 churches in the Book of Revelation, but we must also remember that these are also the 7 Ages of the Church nearing its end.

Only one Church the Church of Philadelphia will remain completely faithful to the Lord.

All six of the other churches became apostate in one way or the other with the greatest apostacy of leaving the first love of the church or the foundation which is the Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe this is where we are at in the USA and most of the rest of the world where the church is not still on fire for God! In fact, the USA has become one of the biggest mission fields in the entire world when it was once known as a godly nation!

We must also know that if we are not on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ, then we can also be considered to be an apostate Church!

People turn away from God simply because they have rejected the truth and do not want to hear the truth, not even considering the consequences of such a rebellion against our Holy God!

The Bible is very clear! When you turn away from the foundation of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ, then Satan will have a man or even some woman who will teach unto you vain fables to make you feel good about the false church!

They will tell you anything that sounds close to the truth without having any truth in it.

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Gen 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Sinful man simply wants teachers who will allow them to live as they please, without hearing anything about sin or Hell, or even Heaven.

For such people these places will become places that simply do not exist!

We must pray for such people and God still loves them!

But we must not ever be fooled the only way any one can be saved is to surrender to the whole truth of God!

Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

We must realize that myths and fables exist in every religion but not in Christianity!

*****2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

When God gives us a ministry then we are to make full proof of that ministry God has given to us!

It is obvious that when we look around we can see many so-called men of God who just do not remain faithful to their ministry!

A true minister of God will suffer more hardships than most because they have a target on their back for those who follow Satan to fire their fiery darts.

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Not every man of God will be traveling preachers because many are chosen to Pastor a church. For any ministry the object must remain to seek to win souls in everything that is done, even in discipleship training, the object is to seek those that the Lord can save.

The Lord Jesus has passed this baton to the church!

Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

We should not forget the circumstances of the Apostle Paul as the Holy Spirit gave him these words.

*****2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Paul knows his punishment will be death by beheading but his knowledge of going home to be with the Lord far outweighs anything this world could do to him!

The very last act we as Christians must do is give our bodies as a sacrifice back to the Lord, who will then even resurrect that body at the "rapture of thee Church". That saved soul will be in Heaven at the last breath of that body.

When we give our life to the Lord, He will still require the death of that body at a time of His choosing!

To depart from this world and to move into that place prepared for us by the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest blessing we can receive in this world and the beginning of true life!

**Paul said death was no more than a departure from this world and finally going home!

We must remember when we are in the Army of God we must live our life as a faithful soldier. We should clearly understand, God has an all-volunteer Army and we must be committed to the fight!

This world no longer has any real importance to that soldier in God's Army!

In the end we should all be able to say we have fought a good fight. In fact, our rewards will be based on our fight in the army of God!

**Paul said he had remained in his race and he had finished his course, he had completed his race in this life!

We must discipline our lives to the commandments of God and follow the Lord as our example right up till the end!

A true runner will never stop in the middle of a race. This would include taking care of that body that we have been given and following the lead of the Lord.

**Paul had kept the faith!

We must be good stewards of the Word of God. The Lord has given us the ability for our faith to grow. When we are saved we have sworn our allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. Even through all the sufferings of the Apostle Paul, when he could have thrown up his hands and laid his faith aside, but he had claimed that faith and he held onto his faith all the way to Heaven's gates where he was welcomed in the arms of the Lord!

We serve a righteous God who will Himself present a "crown of righteousness" to all those who have followed in the steps of the Apostle Paul!

Think about that for a minute!

The King of all the Ages make a presentation to a dirty rotten sinner like me, and like you, a Crown of Righteousness.

It is only then that we will have been made perfect in the eyes of the Lord!

Now if you are not looking and preparing for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ then you will miss out on such a precious gift that we will all just toss back to the Savior's feet.

How can I be worthy of such a thing? Have I truly finished my course? Have I been a consistent soldier in the army of God? Have I kept the faith as did Paul? Have I been true to the Lord once He saved me? Will I even have a crown to toss to the feet of Jesus?

1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

What did the Lord advise us all to?

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

This is what happens to those who fall into the trap of false preachers and false teachers!

One of the things that Paul wanted and could be fulfilled before his death was to spend just a little more time with this young man Timothy before he went home to be with the Lord.

We can learn many things in these last breathes of the Apostle Paul.

*****2Ti 4:9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:

2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

2Ti 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

2Ti 4:12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

We should understand that until we get to Heaven, human companionship is a necessary thing. The most important of those would be our family and our church family who we know we will spend eternity with. Timothy was close to the heart of the Apostle Paul.

We should also understand that though the Christian life is the greatest life while we are upon this earth, but there are certainly times when every believer needs help!

No doubt Demas was believed to a part of Paul's church family but when he realized that he could die because of his beliefs it was too much for him to commit to.

Demas loved this present world more than he loved the Lord Jesus and Paul was hurt by his leaving. It is a terrible thing for someone who has been involved in the ministry of the Lord to give up on the Lord when times get hard. They too just reject the truth!

Mat 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

Mat 26:57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

We see these things happening all over our nation today who prefer to be politically correct rather stick to the proven truth!

It should be obvious that worldliness is fatal to God's plan of salvation.

The Lord Jesus said this was a sign of the end of the Church Age!

Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Timothy was the Pastor in Ephesus until He was also murdered by the government and this is no reflection on his preaching, but it is a sign of the Church Age we live in today.

For some unknown reason Titus had to return to his own ministry but we should consider that Dalmatia was also a Roman province and persecution was no doubt an issue here.

This is the only mention of Crescens in all the Scriptures, but tradition says he was one of the seventy disciples of Christ Jesus who was sent to preach and no doubt Crescens also had to return to his ministry in Galatia also a Roman province.

Luk_10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Luk_10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Doctor Luke remained with Paul right up to the end. We should not doubt that Luke was certainly a highly skilled medical missionary!

We also see that Mark was near to Ephesus and Paul needed someone to take over his jail ministry and Mark was a great value to the Lord for such things.

We know from past studies that Tychicus had been sent to deliver these epistles of Paul many times which shows the importance of such men who take the Word of God to places it is not allowed.

We should also understand that the Church has no power when the world is allowed to enter into it!

We cannot be politically correct and obey the Word of God at the same time!

We next see that there are other things that Paul held dear all of his days after he met the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus!

I pray we all remember our day on the Damascus road forever more!

When we lay on death's bed we need to remember what is truly important to us.

*****2Ti 4:13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

No doubt that this Roman prison was a cold dark place and Paul left his heavy coat in Troas. Just so we know when Timothy found Mark and then to Troas it was a 600-mile journey to Rome in a time when walking was the most used transportation.

No doubt that some books were at that available and Paul had some favorites, but these could still be scrolls containing the Word of God which is probably more accurate but at least we know that Paul enjoyed reading!

Those parchments were probably animal skins that had been prepared for writing. These things would outlast paper because they were more durable.

Paul is in prison, he cannot preach nor, can he teach but he could keep his mind active by reading and studying from some books that he had chosen. I'm sure the Scriptures were among them!

Paul's life as a Christian missionary had certainly been harsh at times!

*****2Ti 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

2Ti 4:15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

Since not much is known about this Alexander, then must just accept what Paul is saying. We can also understand that Timothy all knew of this person.

It is believed that this is the same Alexander of Ephesus who was a leader in a certain union of metal workers making idols to the false goddess Diana.

Diana was a goddess in Roman mythology and the Greeks called her Artimus. In Ephesus was the Temple of Diana, once listed as one of the seven wonders of this world.

This Alexander was a Jew and the Jews had developed an extreme hatred for the Apostle Paul.

We still see that answer lies in the fact that when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, anything we place over our Lord then becomes our god.

We should be able to see that money was the god of Alexander and not Diana nor the Lord Jesus Christ and he was truly an evil man!

There is a real possibility that this same Alexander testified against the Apostle Paul at his first answer, as he puts it!

It seems that today, even more Christians are turning against other Christians effectively killing the Holy Ghost Power in the Church.

*****2Ti 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

2Ti 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Here again we see another instance where Paul followed in the ways of Jesus Christ as he asks God the Father to forgive all those who had forsaken him.

We can also see that Paul would stand before Nero one more time. We may all stand before our own government one day just because we know the truth and accept the truth of God. We will never stand alone for though the whole world abandoned us, the Lord Jesus Christ will never leave our side the whole time.

We should not miss a very important point here. The Lord Jesus Christ was abandoned by all those who followed Him and was delivered by God the Father, The Lord Jesus Christ will deliver all those who call upon His name.

Paul knew He was going to his death, but he wanted every Christian to realize he would be delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that "roaring lion" Satan himself because, Satan holds no power over our death, because our life lies in the hands of our Holy God!

As long as our "faith" lies in work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, our life is held securely in the hand of God!

The Lord informed Paul that because he had remained faithful to the "gospel"; and the Holy Spirit had been the mind behind all the Epistles of Paul, that every Gentile would at some time, hear and understand the lifesaving Word of God, "The Truth" of life!

Php 1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

Php 1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

What is true deliverance?

*****2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

If we could all just hold to the truth of this Scripture, all our worries in this world would vanish and stay away!

We as Christians have been delivered from a Devil's Hell. It is in the past, we have already been delivered! We have been preserved to live out eternity wherever the Lord our God abides in His Heavenly Kingdom!

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

At the death of our body, in one moment of time, "the twinkling of an eye", our life in this world will cease and our life will begin wherever God is at!

Some say a twinkling is 11/100's of a second. This means it will be very quick!

One moment we are a citizen of this world and the next moment we will be at our new home in Heaven!

We will never have the taste of death in our mouths!

Isa 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

While we remain in this body, we should remember everyone who have made a difference in our lives!

*****2Ti 4:19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

2Ti 4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

2Ti 4:21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

2Ti 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen

We should also remember that these are the very last words of the Apostle Paul.

Paul would always send greetings from those who were with him and also to those he was writing to.

If there was ever a woman who could take on the role as Pastor, it would be Priscilla, but she remained with her husband Aquila and they both helped Paul in any way that they could.

They had been driven from Rome by the Emperor Claudius and had met Paul in Corinth and they made friends quickly because they were all tent makers.

They accompanied Paul to Ephesus, later again they went back to Rome where they allowed their house to be a church, where God's people could assemble.

Again, they were run out of Rome and it seems they settled in Ephesus.

No doubt these two Christians were a great help to Timothy. Priscilla was a great example of the godly wife and would work tirelessly in the church at Ephesus.

Onesiphorus was a Christian from Ephesus who had shown a great kindness to Paul while he was in that Roman jail. No doubt that this entire family had been a precious family to the Apostle Paul.

Erastus was also a companion of Paul at Ephesus who had been sent with Timothy to Macedonia while Paul traveled in Asia. He was a native of Corinth.

Trophimus had traveled with Paul on his 3rd missionary journey. He was with Paul in Jerusalem. He was that Gentile Paul was accused of taking into the Temple which meant the Temple was made unclean until a ceremony of cleanness could be performed.

It seems that Trophimus was too sick to travel to Rome to assist the Apostle Paul in his own last days.

It was difficult for ships to travel the Mediterranean Sea in the winter months and Paul wanted to see Timothy before this time and he certainly wanted that cloak.

Eubulus was another Christ who had helped Paul while he was in that Roman dungeon.

Pudens was a friend of Timothy's who after the death of Paul was also murdered by Nero.

Linus is said to have become the Pastor of the Church in Rome after Peter had been murdered.

It is believed that this Claudia was the wife of Pudens and both of them may have come from royal families, she being from Britain.

When Paul said all the brethren then he was referring to all those of the Church that day and today!

All brethren have the same Father, God the Father, and are brothers and sisters to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ and filed with God the Holy Spirit!

Without wearing the seal of God, you cannot be in this family!

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Paul loved all those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!

Amen!

Let's Pray!