[Music] all right good morning welcome to nor Baptist church this morning thank you for being here today we're going to get started so go ahead and take your himn Nos and stand turn to number 272 272 the solid rock my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name on Christ the solid rock I stand on all other Crown is sinking sand all other Crown is sinking sand when darkness fails his lovely face I rest on his unchanging Grace in every high and stormy Gale my anchor holds with in the veil on Christ the solid rock I sand all other ground is sinking sand all other ground is sinking sand his oath his cant his blood support me in the whelming flood when all around my soul gives way he then is All My Hope and stay on Christ the s L Rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand all other [Music] ground and on the last sing it out when he shall come with trumpet sound oh may I then in him be found dressed in his rightousness alone foldless to stand Before the Throne all on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand all other grounded sinking sand amen aren't you thankful for that today we have the Lord uh brother Ron AES if you could open us with a word of Prayer Serv amen thank you you may be seated all right good morning everybody good to see you in the house of the Lord on a beautiful Sunday air conditioning is working I think we'll all stay just at the right temperature amen soon as I see the women starting to Fan themselves I know oh I'm in trouble uh but looks like no one's doing that yet so maybe we'll be all right but I'm so excited to have you here and we welcome our outside audience as always as well thank you for tuning in or watching by delayed broadcast and and uh we just want to get right to it you see the new artwork right there you saw it in the lobby coming in today we kick off our new summer theme we are so very very excited it's called created unto good works that is taken right from the Bible That's Ephesians chapter number two verse 10 so you know Ephesians 2:8 that we were saved by grace through faith amen and that not of yourselves it's the gift of God not of works less man should boast but we're not quite as familiar with verse 10 after being saved we get to serve we were saved to serve or the Lord would just go on and take us home to heaven and so we were created unto good works when when God made you in your mother's womb he had a plan for your life there was something you would do on this Earth that would Point others to Christ that would give others hope in a hopeless world yes that would help others find the solid rock instead of the sinking sand and the quick sand Hallelujah we believe that God gave us our gifts we have natural gifts that we got when we are DNA was uh put into motion and we got spiritual gifts when we got born again we got we got talents that are natural and Supernatural all to do what to do good works to serve our Lord to build up the Saints and to strengthen the church Hallelujah you know uh we've always talked about this for going on 40 years but you're never get as much about it as in this theme we will give you a crash course you know every theme is not exhaustive when we get done with the theme is like we just had a nice introduction we wet your appetite boy are we going to wet your appetite for living a life of good works so stay with us to the very end I think that you'll be a better servant uh for doing so and you'll have more rewards to receive up in heaven amen all right now uh I want you also notice that um you know the graphic for our theme looks like a a church it's really cute all these guys and gals are are working on the church amen which we are reminded that that's what we do do we build up the church as we work using our gifts in the body of Christ but also we're going to have a literal Church work day and that's next Saturday and so uh we do have a sign up sheet on the back table and uh uh This Is Not Just For Men it's men and women and uh it is going to be primarily focused on weed control and uh we would like to really really uh get get a handle on that so uh if you do have a weed whacker or one of those uh canister sprayers uh we would appreciate you bringing that if you even have the ability to bring a lawn mower we could use that uh so we're going after those weeds and this would be a great opportunity to help us get get that under control before the summer progresses any further that's a great help to Paul Paul's a one-man operation when it comes to the property and we just need to help him every once in a while and I know he appreciates that and we do need you to sign up on the back table so there is a signup sheet back there and we just need to know the headcount so we can provide you lunch so this begins at 8:00 course if you can't come at 8 that's okay just come anytime after that but it will end at noon and uh let us know if you're going to come by signing up and then we can make sure we have enough food on hand to feed you amen so uh we'll take care of your lunch after the workday is over and believe me we probably will want to be done by 12 you know how hot it gets uh we don't want anybody to get heat stroke and uh dehydrated so anyway we'll we'll be done by noon so again thank you men or women uh that can help us this coming Saturday all right you know uh this reminds me of something else um brother Jose Rodriguez who is just about to go back to Mexico and bring his wife and baby daughter uh back with him to Colorado he's very excited about that he's uh going to be leaving us actually pretty soon and so uh he still has a lot of expenses um and if you would like to help brother Jose uh you could just give him a little gift directly it if we all pitch in it all adds up um you know you can also mark it on the envelope and the church can Channel it to him but he's leaving town here pretty quick in fact next Sunday will be his last Sunday and we're going to have him come up on stage and we're going to have a special prayer for him for safety and success uh because he's going to come back and start restart the Spanish Ministry at our church and we're very excited about that so again if you wouldd like to help him out we hope that if you can you will just uh directly give it to them brother Jose wave your hands there that's that dear brother right there okay amen all right and also uh we're having the Lord's Supper next Sunday night so always excited about the Lord's Supper we don't do it every month it's only on the fifth Sunday keeps it extra special something to look forward to as a highlight now who is the Lord's Supper for only the saved and only those who are living for the Lord uh you don't want to come here with unconfessed sin that turns a blessing into a curse uh it's for those who are uh walking in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ keeping short accounts with God then God turns it into a spiritual Feast is it something it looks like nothing hardly to eat and drink but it is packed with truth and satisfies the soul it's all a picture of what Jesus did for us and so don't miss it that's coming up next Sunday evening at 6 o'clock and then also we have a craft fair something new that we haven't probably ever done before uh we are going to have craft vendors here and all of this is going to be a fundraiser for the teen camp uh so again that's coming up Saturday July 7 six if you are a person who likes to make things talk to Holly or Elizabeth and maybe you could uh donate some stuff that can be sold to help the teens out you know teen camp prices have been going up a little bit every year and a lot of them just don't have all the money to pay for that so here's a way we can help them also we're excited about Vacation Bible School uh we have it scheduled for the 10th and 12th of July and uh we hope that you'll help us spread the word of that we'll give give you Flyers to pass out and that'll be held right here at the church uh for three days for three days and that'll go like from 9:30 to noon and then also uh we are really excited about the return of Mark Bailey uh a singing preaching evangelist and Mark Bailey is going to do something really special we are going to have him sing and preach in the morning and then we're going to have dinner on the grounds so uh you'll be able to enjoy some fellowship have a delicious uh potluck dinner here at the church right after that dinner is over we'll come right back into the auditorium and have him do a God and Country Concert as you know this is July so this is when we think of our nation's founding and being grateful for America uh and he told me that he's got new songs a new God and Country Concert and so we'll let you enjoy that for about an hour and then you get to go home and the rest of the day is yours there'll be no evening service as we'll all be pretty much uh ready for a rest but boy we'll send you home Happy uh with a full tummy and your heart full of great praise and God's word all right so that's coming up Marky calendar don't miss it and one more time don't forget about our two homegrown authors right here at Northside uh Dr Salah Shuan and uh Pastor Paul they both have their newest books available and and uh Pastor saluan has marked his down to $10 Paul's is is already $10 so get those today if you haven't done so already okay that's enough we're going to go ahead now and according to this get to sing again remember the choir's on recess so you are the choir so sing like you mean it amen let's all stand and get our hym books all right stand and turn to number 459 459 he Lifted Me in loving kindness Jesus came my soul and mercy to reclaim and from the depths of sin and shame through Grace he Lifted Me from sinking sand he Lifted Me with tender hand he Lifted Me from shades of night to Plains of light oh praise His name he lifted me he called me long before I heard before my sinful heart was stirred but when I took him at his word forgive me Lifted Me from sinking sand he Lifted Me with tender hand he Lifted Me from shades of night to Plains of light oh praise His name he Lifted Me and on the last now on a higher plain I dwell and with my soul I notice well yet how or why I cannot tell he should have lifted me from sinking sand he Lifted Me with tender hand he Lifted Me from shades of night to Plains of light oh praise His name he lift me amen good singing you may be seated all right we'll let the men come on down and they can just stand in position and uh before we take the offering I want to kind of encourage you with something that I remember the first time I got a hold of this information it was astounding you all remember of course that when Israel was in the wilderness after they were delivered from Egyptian bondage they of course were fed by Egypt though they were abject slaves they ate the fish and the leaks and the onions and they had a diet that kept them alive then God put them out there in the wilderness for a while a very long while and there was nothing to eat and yet they were in the will of God on their way to do the work of God and you know what the Lord did he took reg good care of them now according to the departure figures there were 63,5 fighting men of course if you include the women and the children that number easily hits two million or more the interesting thing is that uh many men have figured out how much food it would take to feed them and I like Doug Macintosh uh he came up with a really uh really good analogy for seeing the amazing Miracle God did um if they were to have enough Mana per meal uh to feed two million people that would be 1,000 tons of food per day per day that is the equivalent of a freight train Lo a freight train load one in and 1/2 miles long that's every single day for 40 years if the people only used two gallons of water per day per person to wash and drink with God had to supply the equivalent of a train of tank cars hundreds of miles long every day and he did this for 40 years now uh I decided you know what there's another way to look at this so I uh I got my calculator out and did you know that one super center Walmart on average in America has 4,000 Shoppers per week 4,000 Shoppers per week now if everybody who came to a Walmart Super Center bought enough food to last one week and there were two million people shopping in an area of Walmarts how many Walmarts would it take to feed two million people are you ready for the number 500 500 time 4,000 is 2 million and yet God did that for his people he fed them the equivalent of 500 Super Center Walmarts and remember there were no warehouses there were no Farms there were no Stockyards he just made the food instantly and caused it to rain down out of a clear blue sky and he did that for 40 years that is the power of God and what do we do we think oh I can't give 10% I don't think I'll make it on 90% that's why God put that in the Bible so you can see that God doesn't even need your 90% he can he can take care of you jobless God is all Mighty all powerful you can trust him if you were living in a Wilderness he can keep you alive they had to trust God all the way for their next Food their next drink of water because they had none in a Wilderness can't we trust God with 90% kind of makes us look puny like we have such little faith I wanted to share that with you because I remember the first time I heard the train car analogy it just blew me away and so our biggest problem is that often our faith is crippled by walking by sight and God said the first lesson I'm going to teach my people before they go to the land that is Flowing with milk and honey where they will have farms and all kinds of herds and all that good stuff like we're used to first I'm going to teach them that I don't have to have any of that take care of them so let's just put our faith in God and God will take care of you amen will you do that hope you got your offering ready let's look to the Lord in the word of prayer we are truly dear father speechless as we look at your power first of all you made everything out of nothing we can't make anything without using what you already made you can make things out of nothing you took care of Israel for 40 years where nothing grew you had water just come out of rocks you had bread Fall Out of Heaven wow you're a great God and the last thing we're going to do is doubt you right now and so we just thank you so much Lord for the ability to give knowing that that came from you and the blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and we believe that you'll continue to bless us oh Father help us right now to not let these lessons from history fall on deaf ears let them dear father be our guides to help us do the right thing right now so to this end father we ask that you take good care of us far more than we could ever take care of ourselves and we'll put our lives in your hands the safest place in the world we open our hands to give to put our lives in your hands to care for to this end we give rejoicing and with expectation in Jesus name amen [Music] h [Music] all right good morning go ahead and open your Bibles to the book of Titus the book of Titus in chapter number three Titus Chapter 3 and uh there's a few things here uh as far as prayer requests uh brother uh brother Robert is scheduled for a knee replacement surgery this coming week we'll be in prayer for that uh Elizabeth has a a friend my name of Jackie she needs salvation and she's really uh she's really going through a lot right now so we're going to pray for for for that we're going to pray for salvation as well and then also I have an update here um brother Richard's mom Janet uh she's okay is the time brother is is the time still the same like in five minutes okay so right now she's going into surgery but they're not going to replace her hip they're going to put a pen in there they think they found some some kind of an infection uh there abouts and they were a little Rel reluctant um but they decided just to go ahead and she's going to be on antibiotics anyway so we just go ahead and get it done uh but so it's not a total replacement it's just a pen so we're going to pray for that this morning after the reading of the scripture if you found Titus Chapter 3 would you say amen amen if you're able this morning I'd invite you to stand for the reading of the word I'm going to do two verses this morning in Titus Chapter 3 Verse number one the word of God says put them in mind to to be subject to principalities and powers to obey magistrates to be ready to every good work now skip down if you would to verse number eight this is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men amen let's pray heavenly father thank you for the day that we've been given lord it's wonderful weather Lord it is hot uh but you have sent rain here and there and uh we know Lord that the heat serves your purpose uh it is just an inconvenience to us really uh you've blessed us here in in in this great nation with air conditioning and we thank you for that uh but uh Lord we do pray that you'd focus our minds uh on the word of God there are people Lord all over the world who have it much much worse than we could ever imagine most people on the planet can't even dream of having a breakfast like most of us had this morning uh and so uh yet in those places they flock to hear the word of God sometimes walking for two hours and feeling robbed if they did not have a 4-Hour sermon so hungry for the word Lord I pray that we'd have that same hunger here uh in spite of the fact fact that we have uh so much by way of luxury uh by way of relative wealth Lord It's hard here in the economy it is but compared to the rest of the world we have it very good Lord I pray that you would tune our hearts and our minds to the message this morning so that we might pay attention and be every bit as blessed as the people who uh have to suffer uh uh greater inconvenience and and and sometimes even in great Hazard great Peril just to come and read from a Bible Lord I Thank you that uh we have these niceties but God what we really need is your presence I pray for your presence Among Us this morning touch every heart every mind with the preaching of the word Lord we have some that could not be with us today uh Lord we we think of uh Miss Janet that uh Lord she's in surgery right now if everything's moving according to schedule and I want to pray uh that although this is not now a total replacement I I do pray that you would help them uh Lord to medicate properly for that infection that they think may be there Lord also for the procedure itself and for the recovery and healing afterwards there's going to have to be probably some physical rehab there there's going to have to be uh of course a regimen of antibiotics and the the body is going to have to heal and so Lord we just just pray that you would be in the midst of all of that have your hand on everything we we know that by Design the human body heals itself but it does such a better job when you're in the middle of it working when we've prayed for your active involvement in it and Lord I pray that you give the doctors the steady hands that they need the sharp eyes and the sharp Minds that they need to perform this task uh Lord I I want to pray also for uh for brother Robert that uh his knee replacement surgery coming up l this week I pray that that would be successful and the same thing for him uh your grace and healing be with him uh and that Lord he would also be a good testimony to the doctors as they're there it's a knee replacement surgery something that's relatively routine by today's standards and yet uh Lord anything can happen and we pray that uh you might be honored and glorified even in such a routine procedure Lord we we thank you uh that you have your hands on the doctors and pray for that continually Lord also uh want to pray for uh a lady by the name of Jackie she needs to be saved Lord she's got some demonic oppression going on in her life right now and there are situations that you're aware of and we thank you that we don't have to know everything but we know that she needs Jesus and we pray this morning uh Lord for her salvation whether it be Lord Maybe she's watching YouTube right now and can and can see the service maybe even see this service here but Lord wherever uh she's up north uh and wherever she is Lord I pray there'd be a good church there with a faithful witness a faithful testimony to the saving power of Jesus Christ and The Marvelous gospel of grace that you've given to us Lord we're stewards of that and I pray there'd be a faithful gospel Steward somewhere around where she is uh that could reach out to her Lord or or even uh uh Lord over the internet if she could watch the service and learn of Christ and the love that sent him to the cross and the power that raised him from the grave thank you Lord again for the privilege that we have to be here to be called children of God to Worship in the house of God this morning we look forward to seeing you work in each and every one of these ways in Jesus name amen all right turn in your himels now to number 224 224 I know whom I have [Music] believed I know not why God's wonderous Grace to me he hath made known nor why unworthy Christ in love redeemed me for his own but I know whom I have believ it and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day I know not how this saving Faith to me he did impart nor how believing in his word brought Faith within my heart but I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that jump down to verse four I know not what of good or real may be reserved for me of wey ways or golden days before his face I see but I know whom I have believed and then persuad that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him again and on the last sing it out I know not when my Lord may come at night or Noonday Fair nor if I walk the veil with him or me e him in the air but I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that [Applause] day amen praise the Lord good singing you may be seated and this morning just before the message we're going to have a trio sing and we'll be singing this song entitled God and God alone so think about these words this morning talking about our great God [Music] God and God Alone created all these things we call our own from the mighty to the small the glory in them all is God and God Alone God and God Alone reveals the truth of all we call and all [Music] and God Alone God and God [Music] Alone is f to take make the universe strong let everything that Liv reserve it true his praise for God and God [Music] Alone God and God Alone will be the joy Jo of our Eternal home you will be our one our hearts will never of God and God Alone God and God Alone is fit to take the universe Stone [Music] everything that lives serve it truest praise for God for God and God Alone God and God Alone is f to take the univers let everything that lives preserve it to his praise for God and God Alone the voice I do praise the Lord I was singing really out of my league there but God is good to God be the glory all right I hope you are comfortable I am so very excited to always do the first message in a new theme I really ask the Lord to help me with that to get us off to a good start today I would like to speak on this subject ready to every good work ready to every good work let's get started by prayer first Father in heaven we are very grateful to be back in your house again for another week what a joy it is Lord to see our dear Christian friends our Brothers and Sisters in Christ we are very excited to begin a new level of commitment to serve you bear fruit for you to the glory of God to leave a legacy of Labor that will go on blessing people long after we're gone to this end we certainly need your help I pray you give us your guidance in your holy word and Lord what you do you will get the glory you will get the credit and so father do a mighty work in our midst this morning that we may do a mighty work on your behalf and we'll thank you in jesus' name amen as we begin this new thematic study on good works I want to stress the truth that salvation and service should be causing effect we do not want to separate the two they go hand in glove for the individual the greatest Triumph of life is twofold becoming a saint who becomes a servant let me say that again becoming a saint who becomes a servant and the greatest tragedy is never getting being saved and never serving God there is no tragedy worse than that for society the greatest blessing is when Saints outwork Sinners and do what Paul said in Romans 12:21 be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good conversely the greatest disaster in a society is when Sinners outwork Saints I did not say when Sinners outnumber Saints for Sinners have always outnumbered Saints but Sinners should not outwork Saints amen so when they do more evil Works than we do good works we're in trouble and so Saints cannot allow themselves to be defeated by the evil works of man we want them to be defeated one evil plot or scheme or device after another God wants us to be the Overcomers of evil not the other way around now get this settled deep within your heart once and for all God saved you to serve him he saved you to serve him he saved you so you can escape hell and yes go to heaven yes he saved you so that you can have a relationship with him and with your brothers and sisters in Christ yes he saved you so you can worship Him in spirit and in truth truth yes he saved you so you can escape the curses and enjoy the blessings but in that wonderful list don't forget he also saved you to serve him in this life this is not like a little afterthought oh by the way you're going to serve me this is a big deal because the world needs us to serve them to serve the Lord so that they can be reached now here is another amazing truth about salvation and service Jesus Jesus did the work you could never do can you save yourself no Jesus did that for you so I this is real important to remember that Jesus did the work that you could never do and that's live a perfect life and die on the cross as your substitute taking your sin debt upon himself and pardoning you forever Jesus lived the perfect life not you you know the best we can hope for is to be forgiven and again you can't forgive yourself so much as he needs to forgive you he wipes the Slate clean and so yes if he can forgive you you can forgive yourself so praise the Lord for that so this is important to remember that we call this Saving Grace and saving grace is found in Ephesians 2:8 nine for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works less any man should boast so your salvation is not your work at all it is all Jesus free gift to you if you accept it and remember that's the idea of a gift and so if God is offering to you today his free gift of Salvation take it take it it's the real deal now Jesus Paid For That gift it cost you nothing and it cost him everything you have no Bragging Rights in Salvation Jesus Paid It all all to him I owe including all praise for his unspeakable gift now once you accept jesus' work of Salvation done for you remember a work that you could never do for yourself because you're just an imperfect helpless sinner he then works in you to do his will and so the same rule applies we needed him for salvation we need him for service we're just as helpless in serving him as we are we are in Saving ourselves in fact if God is not working in you you will not be working for him let me say that again if God is not working in you you will not be working for him period into story there are two passages that clearly declare this I don't know if you ever seen them or not but you're going to see them right now and I want you to go first to the Old Testament and go to Isaiah 26 and look at verses 10-2 Isaiah 26 10-2 here's what it says let favor be showed to the wicked yet will he not learn righteousness in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly and will not behold the Majesty of the lord lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their Envy at the people yay the fire of thine enemies shall devour them Lord thou Wilt ordain peace for us for thou also Hast wrought all our Works in us so notice that we have a dichotomy set up here we have a comparison or a contrast between the righteous and the wicked and this is one of Isaiah's telescopic visions of the coming Millennial reign of Christ but in verse 10 he's kind of back in the present in verse 10 actually it's a principle that always applies to every age when many Sinners enjoy God's favor in a time of Revival and blessing no thanks to them but to God's Saints who have been praying and going to the house of God and asking them him to heal their land and if God does that again Sinners they enjoy all the blessings but they don't change they don't change you see they can enjoy God's favor but they not necessarily are going to trace it back to him it's very interesting isn't it that they will not earn righteousness it says they will take his Blessing usually but not even saying thank you so the verse actually says that they will deal unjustly you saw it there didn't you in a time of righteousness in a time of Revival in a time when God is showing favor they'll just go on cheating people they'll continue to deal unjustly it said that is live selfish dishonest lives to benefit benit themselves amazing isn't it and notice they won't spiritually behold God's Majesty it said why because God is not working in their hearts this is the Crux of the problem God is not working in their hearts even though verse 11 declares that God's hand is lifted up that is working in society at large and we see that he is working visibly all around them yet they were refuse to see or credit God's hand but they do see one thing they see God's favor on God's people and they become envious of the blessings they enjoy and so we have a picture here of jealous fire they are burning with jealousy from their evil Hearts which only ends up burning themselves it only hurts the themselves you know Envy is called rottenness in the bones that's giving yourself cancer kind of a moral spiritual one but notice now the contrast of the righteous from the wicked in verse number 12 these are the ones who have good Hearts not bad hearts and as a result they do good works not bad works and notice that they're full of Peace they're full of peace God has removed all toxic emotions out of them they have been forgiven and they forgive others and this peace has settled on them every every work they do now whether it be at home at God's house or at their jobs it is a demonstration of the goodness and grace of God in their lives it is all owed to God working in their hearts and they even admitt it they said look at this for thou also Hast wrought all our works in us the works that we are now doing again at the job at home at church God's worked all those in our hearts wow God is forming inspiring guiding approving blessing and multiplying their work now go to the New Testament basically echo of the same thing in Philippians 2: 12 and 13 Philippians 212 and13 here's what Philippians 2:12 says wherefore my beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence here it is work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both both to Will and to do of his good pleasure concerning verse 12 it has been said you can only work out what God has worked in how very true God works from the inside out not the outside in that's why if you're sitting here today and God's not working in your heart I cannot help you this church cannot help you God must be working silently secretly in your heart right now because you love him and you want to know him and Obey him and yes serve him God knows if you want to serve him if he if you don't want to serve God he doesn't want you to do anything for him God doesn't twist people's arms he's not out to have you be a robot and program you he wants you to willingly serve him and God works in you to that end aren't you so glad that God does it without threats but he can do it with Promises of of fellowship and success you know according to verse 13 I'm just going to come out and say this according to verse number 13 God will make you want to work for him God will make you want to work for him if God's not given up on you yet if he's still working on you one of the things he's out to do is to make you want to work for him he will work in your will making you willing he does it again without even violating your will only God can do that sometimes I have to make over the past years when my kids were growing up I'd make them do what I wanted them to do whether they wanted to do it or not but God is better he can make us want to do what he wants us to do and you know what once you are willing you will soon be working let me say that again once you are willing you will soon be working so God does not accept work that is against your will and no one can continue to work with a weak will you remember when Jesus was in The Garden of Gethsemane and he asked his three top disciples to continue to pray for him he dropped off the others then he took those three and said pray with me my soul is Sorrowing even unto death Jesus was just about to go to the Cross to pay for our sins and what did those three disciples do fall asleep fall asleep and finally when Jesus caught him doing that twice he came back and he remember what he said to them oh the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak I'm so glad that God knows how to strengthen our will he knows how to strengthen our will and let me tell you something if God strengthens one part of you he will strengthen all the other parts that are needed to be strength strengthened to get the job done so if God's going to strengthen your will he will also strengthen your mind and strengthen your heart and strengthen your body because he's got something for you to do God doesn't do a halfway job he will strengthen all the parts that are needed to get the job done now notice the last two words of verse number 13 good pleasure good pleasure you should underline those words for it is God which worketh in you both to Will and to do of his good pleasure here's a question who do you really want to please who do you really want to please you want to please yourself you want to please your mate you want to please your friends it's okay to want to please others even yourself but it's only after God you please God first God's most important if you just work to please yourself or anybody else you have your reward enjoy it because when you die that reward will perish with you but if you work to please God your rewards are many all precious and all permanent Hallelujah now that brings us to Titus Chapter 3 Titus Chapter number three go right back where David read just a moment ago I'm going to tell you something did you know that the little Epistle of Titus reminds me of the little Epistle of James it packs a punch there's more encour encouragement to Good Works in this little pastoral epistle than in most all other books and so we're just going to kind of uh sample its power now as we study this this is very important that we just kind of read these verses and make sure we don't go too quick and don't miss what God is trying to say so here we are in Titus Chapter number three notice Paul opens with the obedience to civil government first thing obedience to civil government put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey magistrates to be ready to every good work verse number one you know what that means this is again spoken to new Believers or to believers who are not yet fully discipled maybe half grown half taught half committed and Paul is trying to get these churches Consolidated and Titus is just the guy to do it Titus is different than Timothy remember timid Timothy Titus was not timid so Timothy goes to Ephesus and Titus goes to cre a small island in the Mediterranean and it's a pretty rough road to hoe but Titus is the man for the job so first of all it says now when you get there you're going to find out that there is a rebel Spirit on that island and there are factions who just want to overthrow Rome it does even matter what the law is the law could be fine but they just don't like Rome so this often became a hot bed for conspiracies against Rome and all kinds of dis Civil Disobedience he said basically this keep those laws that do not violate violate the higher laws of God so that Society will not slip into Anarchy so even if the laws a little bit excessive and inconvenient it's better than no laws at all that's called Anarchy but right after that he says be ready to every good work be ready to every good work how practical this is it isn't enough to be a law-abiding citizen if you don't do anything you know remember this remember this we must all be labor Loving Citizens as well as law abiding citizens so again it's very important that we remember that being lazy may not break any laws but it will also not help anybody keep them either and and so we need to be very mindful that apathy in service always ends in Anarchy in society then in verses 2 and three Paul tells Titus to teach the members of these startup churches on this little island to maintain their Christian character in the midst again of that gossip loving hot-tempered sex crazed culture look at verses two and three now to speak evil of no man to be no Brawlers but gentle showing all meekness unto all men for we ourselves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers or different lusts and Pleasures living in Malice and envy hateful in hating one another wow Paul says basically I don't want you to be like the cretans the cretans by the way what were the cretans like well pretty much just the way he just described them before they got saved in fact look at Titus 1: 12- 13 flip back a page Titus 11:12 says one of themselves even a prophet of their own said the cretians are always Liars evil beasts slow bellies wow that's about the bottom of the barrel I think wouldn't you I mean first of all just here here is one of their own celebrated prophets a religious man who is supposed to be at the top of the societal chain and yet uh he himself is a liar he's no better than them so we see always Liars people that that place was a place where everybody got ripped off you couldn't trust anybody you better get it in writing you better have a laer look at it there was all kinds of Deceit going on it seemed like lying was a way of life on that little island oh look at that all way liars and then evil beasts which refers of course to debauchery debauchery that little island was a playground for Sinners I don't know if you know this but cre cre was the birthplace of Greek mythology they claimed that Zeus was born on Creet and died and buried on cre and all the other gods they looked up to Zeus and what was Zeus according to Greek mythology are you ready for this he was the biggest liar of all and he was a womanizer who did nothing but bed women I kid you not and he was idolized by the men men of cre again a liar and a womanizer and so we see that basically the values of all of these Greek gods had permeated that island and turned it into a moral Cesspool and of course that's what it refers to when it says there and you read it for yourself evil beasts just driven by their un Godly passions but then it said Slow bellies you know what that is right that means they were lazy Glutton it was a Tropical Paradise out there in the Mediterranean Sea and everybody had plenty of food and oh my goodness everybody was gaining weight and the whole place was getting overweight just people that were just Glutton at the buffet wow what a picture this is ladies and gentlemen so after reminding these Christians you're going to live on creit you make sure that you got some salt and light in your life so Paul tells these baby Believers or these half taught half grown halfed dedicated Christians to remember they're once just like them but they were gloriously transformed from reel rebellious Sinners to redeemed Saints we we were gloriously transformed take a look now verses 4-7 but after that the kindness and love of God our savior toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ Our Savior that being justified by his grace we should be made hes according to the hope of eternal life on cre the slogan that was passed around a lot was eat drink and be merried for tomorrow we die that's the end of us maybe if you sin enough you might get promoted into a God Like Zeus and all the others by the way all those Greek gods were people men and women who if they did enough adventurous things they got turned into Gods either Prospect is tragic first of all nobody becomes a god Paul was there you know what you're doing you know what you're going to be doing Titus you're going to be talking about The God Who became a man to overcome the error of men becoming God how interesting is that so I want you to zero in on two words in verse number five two words in verse number five I want you to see if you can pick out what two words I'm thinking of not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the wash Wasing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost you probably caught it it's regeneration and renewing regeneration is simply being born again being born again regenerated spiritually with a new nature and sinners only have one nature they have the one they were born with the Fallen nature we that have been born again have a nature we have dual Natures we can operate out of either one we want you can choose to feed the one and neglect the other and work out of the one and neglect the other but you got a choice you can switch choose to operate out of the new nature starve that old nature crucify that old nature don't let it run your life feed the new nature let it be turned loose notice that the spirit renews us though because we have that second word that renewing that renewing that goes on by the Holy Spirit you know when you get saved 2 Corinthians 5:17 therefore If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become New 2 Corinthians 5:17 isn't that a wonderful experience when you first get saved that it's like a whole new world to you a whole new orientation now the Bible makes sense now you love to go to church ladies and gentlemen we need to keep that renewal going that's something that the holy spirit continues to do in our lives Romans chapter 12 and verse number two says that we're not to be conformed to this world but be renewed in our minds remember that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and so this renewal can get fail real quick if you don't stay in the Bible and stay in church watch out for that now we're going to kind of wrap up with three words that are found there in verse number uh eight we must use our new nature and renewed mind to maintain good works this is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly and will be doing it constantly during our theme for sure that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men don't you love people if you love people then you need to serve the Lord people need your example people need your impact people need your your gifts oh my goodness these things are good and profitable unto men remember all good works come out of the new regenerated nature nothing but bad Works come out of your old Fallen adamic nature if you find yourself doing nothing but bad works that's because you're not working or operating out of your new nature so we must be careful it says careful look at that word there careful be careful be careful to maintain good works so take great care of for your life because it is your life that will be doing the laboring now let's think about this real quickly in three directions if you want to maintain good works not be a starter and a quitter a starter and a quitter but you want to start and continue to do good works for the rest of your life then you must maintain spirituality go to Second Timothy chapter number two how close just a page or two back second Timothy chapter number two and look at verses 20 and 21 but in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of Earth and some to honor and some to dishonor if a man or a woman therefore Purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honor Sanctified which means set apart and meet for the Master's use and prepared ah what's this say prepared unto every good work wow isn't that something when the Lord goes through his house and the whole Christian world is looked at as a big house God's got massive cupboards inside one of those cupboards which is the North America Colorado North Glenn Shelf it's you and if you have allowed him to work in your life you have purged yourself from your old sins you're all clean inside he's washed you up he says you know what you're clean you may be gold or silver or just wood and Earth but you're clean that's the biggest thing with the Lord be clean you may not be high IQ type Highly Educated type but you're clean he said purge yourself from all the other unclean ones and God says okay I'm going to I'm going to set you aside that's what Sanctified means you know what I got something for you to do won't be long I'm going to be using you and God's going to take you and use you you don't use yourself God uses you only When God says you pass my inspection he looks inside there he looks inside your heart like you look inside a bowl or a cup he said it's clean it's clean so if you want to maintain good works you've got to maintain your spirituality when he said purge yourself it's it's referring to repentance repentance if you sin you defiled yourself let him use the agent of his blood the savior's cleansing blood that washes away all sin just ask him to forgive you secondly if you want to maintain good works you must maintain Bible study back up just a little bit to 2 Timothy 2:15 study to show thyself approved unto God a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth what I'm about to say is so very important God has no good servants who were not first good students if I detect that you're not a very good student I know that most of your service is still ahead of you God has no good servants who are not first good students that's putting the cart before the horse isn't it you're going to start serving the lord and you go off half cocked you don't even know what you're doing Bible says don't ever anoint a novice novices haven't studied enough and they just get puffed up with pride and Devil's got them you got to be a student to become a good servant you got to maintain your study habits you should have your own Study Bible you should be going to church and sitting under the teaching and preaching of God's word and reading it every single day yourself and so again a good student is going to make a good servant and you're only a good servant as long as you're a good student and if your attendance starts to drop and you're getting away from your Bible God is phasing you out number three if you want to maintain good work maintain Church attendance and I'm going to tell you why it's going to be the reason the Bible gives first of all in Proverbs 27:17 you'll find these words iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend that is the look a person gets on his face when he re when he discovers a great truth or perhaps even he gets a rebuke and he realized God just opened his eyes oh no I almost made a big mistake with my life there is that aha moment iron sharpeneth iron as we talk about spiritual things together a sharp Christian will make another sharp Christian a dull Christian will make another dull Christian and nobody gets sharp unless they hang out with others that are sharp and then I want you to notice he Hebrews 10: 24:25 which complements that verse Hebrews 10: 24:25 here's what it says Hebrews 10: 24:25 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and there it is and to Good Works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so so much the more as you see the day approaching what day is that that is the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ when you will stand before him and give an account for your life you could die of a heart attack die in a car crash get a disease or the Rapture may happen we'll all go up at once and then we're going to stand before the Lord and so he says in the meantime knowing that the clock is ticking we need to be going to church considering one another to provoke unto love and good works the way we talk to each other should stimulate one another to be more faithful more excited if we're not careful we'll do just the opposite by being so narcissistic so self-absorbed that we don't really care what impression we leave with anybody be aware of that and so he used some power ful words there exhorting one another you know what that means I'm going to tell you it just means a good pep talk a good pickme up something positive exhort could also be a rebuke or a warning wow not like well here's what I think take it or leave it no and I close with this this is so so important write this down if you maintain one good work just one if you can maintain one good work you are always ready for another good work some Christians say well I can't do that I can't do this and they they look at all the different things that they could do but they never settle on even doing one thing you know what just start with one thing the Journey of a Thousand Miles begins with the first step take the first step just do one good work God says you know what if you do one good work I'll give you another good work and then another good work and you'll expand and you'll get better by the way you ought to go back and read Matthew 25 whoo What A chilling Parable the Lord the lord gave in Matthew 25 where he gave remember one person 10 talents another person five talents another person two talents one person got one talent and all the other ones doubled their talents except the guy had one Talent who had the least work to do he had the least work to do one talent and he buried in a napkin and buried in the ground when he finally had to give an account to his Lord he said I knew that you were on a stare man very demanding he only had one Talent he said the Lord said you knew I was that way you should have put my talent out into the US Series in other words get interest on it so that it could acre to me God says you could have invested your ability you could have invested your resource you chose not to so guess what I'm taking your talent away and giving it to this other person that's what God will do if you're not willing to do good work even one but you bury it you hide it and you wrap it up and you don't let anybody know your abilities God knows and he says okay fine eventually you're going to lose the ability altoe one day you will wake up and find out that you can't do that anymore because God took it from you don't let that happen to you can you do one good work are you a one- talent person invest it and God will let you double it and someday you stand before him and say Well done thou good and faithful servant you see this is what really Comforts my heart is that God doesn't say you have to be as successful as the next guy God just says be faithful with what I gave you just be faithful with what I gave you if you do that you're as big a success in my eyes as the guy with 10 talents God puts us all in a Level Playing Field like that so uh now you you're getting a a sense of just how important good works are very important let's bow our eyes and let's bow our heads and close our eyes now in just a moment I hope the workers will pray e