Character: Are you Qualified?

SCRIPTURE: Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

OBSERVATION:  In Paul’s letter to Titus, a faithful leader he left on the island of Crete in which sound doctrine and integrity were being challenged and perverted, he is exhorting Titus to properly seek out godly leaders to do the work of the ministry;   and at the same time telling him to hold fast to the things Paul had taught him that he might be able to exhort and convict those in the wrong.  Apparently the Jews were inter-mixing the knowledge of popular fables and bywords that were turning people from the faith as well as leading for their own selfish gain.  Their conduct and behavior not only caused others to sin, but it immediately disqualified them for the leadership they assumed in the lives of others.  In their state of willful disobedience they were unable to walk in the good works God had set before them.  Because of their lack of adherence to neccesary character of a follower of Christ, they had judged themselves unfit to lead.

APPLICATION:  Once again, character is crucial.  The truth that motivates our righteous behavior is key.  Basically the word is telling us that if our character isn’t aligned with the word of God and being obedient to Christ, we’re not qualified to lead or even do the work of the kingdom.  It’s a matter of the heart and it always has been with the Lord.  Why do we do what we do?  Just this morning I had cleaned up the house while my wife was asleep that I might bless her when she woke up.  Well she did and much to my disappointment I didn’t receive one word of recognition.  HOLY SPIRIT CHECK:  Was my motivation to bless my wife and honor God by honoring others over myself, or was my motive to be noticed and verbally esteemed by my wife.  So subtle, but because my heart was not in alignment with the heart of God in the situation, I disqualified myself from the blessing, from the reward, from real joy.  I learned a lesson this morning...

There is an Inheritance Waiting for you: Lead like a servant and serve like the Master

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm 80: 8-9  You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it.  You prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, And it filled the land.

OBSERVATION: Here the Chief Musician Asaph inspired by God has written a psalm of lament.  Meaning it’s a type of psalm that cries out to the Lord in distress, voices his distress, confesses his trust, list his reasons for God to intervene and petitions, and finally vows to praise God.  There are many psalms written in such a manner.  Very honest and real in their distress and confession, but most often remembering that God is able to save them. 

Egypt is often a metaphor for bondage, especially in terms of referring to our old self or our old nature before Christ.  In Psalm 80:9 God speaks of His people as a vine he brought out of Egypt (their literal captivity) cast out the nations and planted it (I’m fairly certain this is referring to their conquest of the promised land of Canaan after 40 years in the wilderness) and caused it to take deep root (They did indeed gain more and more territory once they entered in and pushed out the Gentiles) and it filled the land (they did just that!  They filled the land.)

APPLICATION:  The God of the Old Testament is the same God as in the New Testament.  There’s something for us to learn in the entire word of God.  We have only to look to II Timothy 3:16 to be assured of that.  We were all once lost in darkness, in sin, but God gave His Son to deliver us from that bondage and into the inheritance that He has for us in Christ.  We too were all once lost in Egypt.  And now, being agents of His kingdom, there is an inheritance…a prepared space for each and every one of us to take deep root in, and have God glorifying impact!  God never changes..the same yesterday, today and forever!  In Ephesians 2:10 God declares that He has prepared good works in advance that we should walk in them.  His call today is still the same as yesterday.  Be obedient and you will possess the land he has prepared for you!  And inversely as we see all throughout scripture; Behave disobediently and be conquered, punished and judged..that you might look up once again and be restored and remember your God.  The one foot in, one foot out approach (lukewarm faith) is also just as dangerous.  Half-hearted Christianity puts us in the same condition as the whining, back sliding Israelites that followed Moses out of Egypt…wandering in the wilderness until we wake up, repent, cry out!, and be lead into the promises God has for us.

Our relationship is personal, but our pursuit is not!

SCRIPTURE:  2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, preace with those who call on the Lord our of a pure heart.

Crisis at hand! What's your first response?

SCRIPTURE: 2 Chronicles 13:14 And when Judah looked around, to their suprise the batte line was at both front and rear; and they cried out to the LORD, and the priests sounded the trumpets.