Living Waters of Grace 02.04.26

This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Lewis

Harold, assistant pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland

County in Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Lewis as he

continues teaching through God's Word.

Verse 7 says for a Bishop. Must be blameless.

As a steward of God, if we're stewards of.

God, then we must understand that we don't own anything.

Anything that we have is given to us or entrusted to us.

To watch over to. Manage It is not that we own it.

We don't own a ministry. We don't have our own people.

The congregation belongs to the Lord.

Jesus is head of the church. We all answer to him, and that's

why the. Word of God is the authority.

Have you ever had keys to your workplace before?

That can be a big responsibility.

A lot of places don't just hand over keys to anyone.

They give them to those they know they can trust.

When you're given the keys to your workplace, you know that

it's not so that you could do whatever you want, but so that

you could carry out the business of your employer.

In his message today, Pastor Lewis shares with you that when

God gives you responsibility in the body of Christ, it's for the

purpose of doing his work. Now here's Pastor Lewis in the

book of Titus, chapter one with today's edition of Living Waters

of Grace. Now this.

Whole word, The Senate order. That whole word.

Really is a medical term. And it's a term that really

deals or refers to. Setting a bone.

Setting a bone. Setting something that is out of

place in your body? Some orthopedic problem that you

may have. That's out of place, Paul says.

It's it's a setting in order when those things are out of

order if we have a limb. That's out of order.

If we have anything that's not lined up right, which.

Is why a lot of people will go. You know to the.

Specialist to. Line them up and.

Get their bodies. Right, because things are out of

order. And when they're not in order,

it causes pain, it causes discomfort.

It causes. Overcompensation of other.

Limbs or other areas of your body.

Making just cause of dysfunction in your system when things are

out of order. Sometimes a bone out of order

causes problems and if the body or limb is out of.

Order it will let. You know.

Because there is. You know that the body system is

is chaotic and it just doesn't function properly well.

The church is exact. Same way when things are out of.

Order if there. Is no order in the.

Church there is. Problems.

It doesn't function properly. It doesn't function properly.

Then there has to be overcompensation because

somebody is doing too much, because it's not enough.

This is lacking. So somebody feels they got to go

over and do that, and then that's lacking.

So somebody for the overcompensation.

So people are being burned out. People are being, you know, not

used. Properly.

Or people are getting upset. I mean, when the church is is

not in order, things happen in the church.

But when it's set in order, when leadership is set in order and

things are in order in the church, things go a lot more

smoothly. There's not as much affliction,

there's not as much chaos, there's not division and the

kind of things that can happen when things are.

Out of order. And the same thing happens in

our own home if things are out of order at home.

It's crazy. It's crazy.

But when things are in order at home, things run a lot more

smoothly. And that's exactly.

What, Paul? Is telling Titus put things in

order first thing to do? Is to.

Put things in. Order So what?

Did he do? He commanded him to put.

Elders approved elders. In every church.

So in verse 6. It talks about what the the

attributes. Are of these men who are to be

put in place and he says if a man is blameless, the first

thing he addresses is the man's home ministry.

He says if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having

faithful children, not accused of dissipation or

insubordination. He said if a man is going to be

an elder in the church. He first of all.

Needs to have his home ministry taken care of.

He needs to be the man. He He reminds us again of what

he told Timothy. You know he needs to be a man, a

man, a husband of one wife. And we talked about.

What that meant before. He can't have 3 or 4 living

wives, you know? You know you can't.

We're to talk about just having one wife at a time.

You marry one divorcer, marry another divorcer.

He's not talking about that either.

You know that's not one wife, OK, One wife.

Is if you if a leader is married.

And if the wife. Dies.

He can remarry, OK, but not just, you know, divorce and

divorce and divorce and divorce. And just to you know, I don't

like her. So she's no longer going to be

my wife. I'm going to take this one now.

Can't do it. That's not what that's not what

the Lord intends. It's not what the Lord intends,

but it's one wife, husband of one wife.

He said having children. Faithful.

Children. That means children.

Who are are faithful? These are These are.

Children who you can rely on Children you can depend on.

Children who would. You know who?

Who are good examples to some degree and that's why a lot of.

People call them pre. K's, you know, a lot of kids

don't like to. Be called pre-K.

'S because that means that they're kind of out there.

People can see. Their their lives and it's true

people who are. Raised in the church if they

have. Children, their kids.

Are looked upon me and you know they want they they should be.

They're supposed to be an example.

It's supposed to be an example. Now we're only talking about the

kids who live in the home. We're not talking about kids who

don't live in the home. You don't.

No control. Over kids that are.

Grown adults and they're doing their own thing, making their

own decisions. That's not what he's talking

about. He's talking about the kids who

are living in your home. Those kids should be kids who

are faithful. And not accused of dissipation

or insubordination. They should be.

Kids who will. Respond to authority and not be

those who are. Rebellious to authority.

He said. And basically we're saying is if

a man can't take care of his own home, then how's he going to be

able to? Watch over a church How's.

He going to be able to watch. Over a church.

And verse 7 says for a Bishop must be blameless as a steward.

Of God if we're stewards of. God, then we must understand

that we don't own anything. Anything that we have is given

to us or entrusted to us. To watch over to.

Manage It is not that we own it. We don't own a ministry.

We don't have our own people. The congregation belongs to the

Lord. Jesus is head of the church.

We all answer to him, and that's why the word of.

God is the authority. Because we answer to him, we

don't answer to just a man. Because a man can tell us to do

anything we answer. To the Lord Jesus.

Christ according to this word, and that's why it's really

important to be in a Bible believing, Bible teaching

church. Somebody who really upholds the

word of God and. That being the authority, that

being the. Authority.

So a Bishop. Must be a steward.

Now a steward must be faithful. That is a.

Requirement of a. Steward.

A steward. Must be faithful.

First Corinthians chapter 4 verse one and two says let a man

1 Corinthians 4 · chapter mention

so consider us. As servants of Christ.

And stewards of the mysteries of God, moreover.

It is. Required in stewards that one be

found faithful, so it's a requirement to be.

Faithful. It's not perfect.

We're not going to be perfect, but we should be faithful.

We should be reliable. We should be reliable.

We should at least do what we say.

We're going to do and the things that.

We are to do. We should be.

Counted upon to do it not wondering if well.

We're supposed to have. Bible study here, but I don't

know if the pastor's going to show up or not, you know?

We're supposed to have a. Wedding but I don't know if he's

going to show up and do the wedding or not.

You know, has to be reliable. Has to be somebody who's

reliable and then he goes on. He says that he can Now these

are the not the things that he should not be He should not be

self willed. He should not be quick tempered.

He should not be given to wine. He should not be violent.

Nobody wants a. Pastor that's out there.

Or elder that's out there in the, you know, out there in the

streets fighting all the time, you know, fisticuffs, somebody

gets into an argument with him. Come on, we can take this

outside. I don't think y'all want to hear

that out of your pastor. You know, you know, we're always

brawling you. Know what I mean?

Getting into arguments with you all the time.

Word debates and, you know, always arguing and just, you

know, I got to be right. Because it's self willed.

You know, I mean, that's not a good.

Attribute for a pastor. So we should not be violent,

should not be greedy for money. You know, it's very dangerous

for a pastor who is greedy for money in the church.

Because if he's greedy for money, then now you got to watch

over the offerings and make. Sure that that's always.

Being used. For what it should.

Be used for and all things are accounted for financially.

If he's greedy for money, he's going to always be looking for

schemes to try to make more money and that maybe, you know,

even farming out himself for more speaking engagement

somewhere so he can make money doing that.

And then, you know, you're here on Sunday, left without, you

know, your pastor speaking to to you on Sundays.

You know what I mean? So you know you should not be

greedy for money. Verse 8 says he.

Should be hospitable now these are things that a pastor.

Should be we just? Mentioned 5 things that he

shouldn't be, but these are things that he should be and

it's about 6 of them. He says he should be hospitable.

He should be the. Lover of what?

Is good and that lover of. What is good?

Is actually not. Just what is good?

In terms of things. But also good people.

OK, an elder, a leader in. The church should be.

Someone who associates with. Believers who are believers who

were good and. That doesn't mean that he never

associates with unbelievers. It's not what we're saying.

What we're saying is though. He should associate with good

people. You know, because.

The Bible. Tells us in First Corinthians

what 1533 that evil communications corrupt good

manners, and then in Proverbs 1320 says that you.

Walk with the wise. You'll be wise.

But you know the companions and fools.

Will be destroyed, so. We have to make sure that we.

Associate with. Good people.

I mean that, you know. All of us should.

Should make sure. That we're associated with good

people because our good habits. Can be corrupted if we're

constantly exposing ourselves to people who don't.

Believe what we believe. And not walking out what we or

trying to walk. Out what we believe so lover of

what is good. Sober minded, Clear minded.

Just righteous, upright. Mean living uprightly, living

justly, holy, being separated unto God, self-control, having

that self-control again. And that's.

Really very similar to the attribute.

Which talks about being sober minded, but the difference here

is that he should be under self-control.

That means that he's not just out trying to.

Please his. Flesh.

And he's always giving into his flesh.

He doesn't have no. Control over his flesh.

He doesn't have no. Self-control.

No self. Constraint to not do things that

are disorderly but pleasing the flesh.

Talk a little bit a little bit more about that.

And then verse 9 says beholding. Fast, the faithful Word.

As he has been taught, that means the faithful word that we

have been taught. Through the scriptures we've

been taught. It through the scriptures and we

hold. That fast.

Not some man made. Theory about what the scriptures

say. Or some man made.

Theory about. Some other doctrine.

That they are. Putting in place of the Bible,

that should not be. We should hold fast the faithful

word as He has. Been taught and the reason why.

Is so that. He may be able by sound doctrine

both to resort and that means to encourage or to.

Warn OK to courage. Or to warn and convict.

That means the conviction of error.

To convict someone of error that someone is.

Able to see. And someone able to.

Come to the place by. Hearing sound doctrine, they're

able to come to the. Place that they realize.

That what they're doing or what they're saying is in error.

They're convicted of it. OK, so they're convicted.

Those who? Contradict like those who are

going against it. And that's exactly.

What the word of God does for. Us, you know, we really don't

have to. It's not the power that any one

of us has in US that causes someone to see that they're in

error. It's the word of God all you got

to do. Is just bring the word.

Of God and share look. This is what you said and this

is what the. Word of God says.

They can see themselves that they're in error.

I don't have to do anything to try to convince them that

they're in error. I don't have to, you know, go

through any kind of, you know, mental gymnastics.

Or try to put something logical together.

The word of God tells us. It shows us.

And that's why when we come to share with someone, if you feel

that someone has taught something that is not accurate,

bring your Bible. We sit down and the word of God.

Will be the authority. Because if you don't bring the

word of God, then that means I'm either taking your word or

you're taking my word. That ain't going to work.

It's not about. Who's right or who's wrong?

It's about what's right. And what's wrong according to

the word of God? Amen.

Amen. Then we go on.

And he said in verse 10, he says now for there are many

insubordinate, insubordinate, unruly.

People he's. Talking about the false teachers

that are in Crete now that he sent Titus back to deal with,

you know. Titus had a really tough job.

I mean, because he's going into an area that's really dangerous.

He's going into an. Area where people are, they

don't really, they don't take real.

Kindly to hearing new things and all of us when we go and share.

The Gospel with people. We are sharing the gospel with

some people who don't like to hear new things.

They don't want to hear things. About Jesus Christ.

And we're sharing the gospel with these people and tell them

I'm telling you I have been cussed.

Out. On the streets, sharing the.

Gospel of Jesus Christ because they get just.

That angry? So it's really a it's a

dangerous. Job, to some degree of what Paul

was asking him to go in and do, this is a very immoral place.

And he said, and these people were insubordinate.

That means that they do not conform.

To rules they don't. Conform to ruliness or or.

They don't conform to authority. Rather, it's the authority of

church leaders or the authority of the Word of God.

They're insubordinate. They're both.

Idle talkers and deceivers, these are people.

Who are idle talk. That means their talk is empty.

I mean, they share all these things and they get up and they

talk in front of these people when they share their little

doctrines, but they're empty. They can't 'cause life change

because there's no power in it, there's no anointing in it.

It may sound good, it may sound logical, it may stimulate the

flesh, but there's no. Power in it.

There's nothing that changes. The heart.

And we need things that we need to.

Hear the word of God, because it's the Word.

Of God that changes our hearts when we.

Got saved it. Wasn't someone's logic or

someone's clever. Speech that got us saved.

It was the true. And the word of.

God that got us saved, that caused us to see the fact that

we are. Sinners and we need.

A savior. It's the word of God that

reveals that. But when you.

Have a false teacher. He's not teaching that what they

teach is empty in. Fact, Jude said.

They're like. Wells with no water, and they're

like clouds that have no water. Well, A.

Cloud that has no water you can't bring forth.

Life, the whole idea of a. Cloud in the rain is because it

brings life on the earth, it gives us vegetation and it gives

us things that we can eat and survive on and that's.

What the word of God has water it it has it's life.

Giving. It's life giving.

Not only life giving, but it's life sustaining.

Because it can give. Us everlasting, it takes us into

everlasting life, so he said. And they're deceivers.

And they're deceivers because? They themselves are deceived.

They themselves are deceived. Remember what it said over in

Second Timothy, over in Second Timothy chapter 3 and verse 12.

2 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

It said yes. And all who desire to live godly

in Christ. Jesus.

Will suffer persecution 13 but evil men and.

Impostors will grow. Worse and worse, deceiving and

being deceived and the reason why they are deceiving.

Is because they are deceived. By Satan.

Satan is using them to deceive. Others and that's.

Why They're being deceived. So then it goes on.

It says that. These are those.

Of the circumcision that means those who are.

The Jewish people who are. Teaching them to come under

Jewish bondage. Whose mouths must?

Be stopped who subvert whole. Households teaching them things

which they ought not now remember back in those.

Days the church. Was not a church building that

we have right now. The churches was in homes.

So these people were going into homes and they were teaching all

these strange doctrine. They were.

Trying to take over. You know, the Bible studies and

they were trying to take over the meetings in these homes and

and that's why even we here, you know who have Bible studies and

I thank God that we have. Really a good accountable spirit

filled teachers. That are teaching the word of

God and we go to the homes and we hear somebody teaching we're

going to hear. The true.

Word of God is coming right out of this.

I thank God for that. But we must be.

Careful that visitors. Who will come there?

That we don't know. That we'll find out about your

Bible studies. Will try to come in, sit down

and. Eventually, try to take over

your Bible study. And try to put in this poison.

Little by little, try. To introduce this poison and

try. To corrupt the word of God, we

have to be careful with that. And be on the.

Watch out for that. And this is what Paul is saying

to. Titus, these people we're.

Putting them in bondage, trying to make these gentile.

Believers, go back. Into the bondage under the law.

And they don't have to keep the law.

They're gentiles. They don't have to keep the law,

they don't have to be circumcised in order to be

saved. But this is what they were.

Teaching whose mouths must. Be stopped who subvert whole.

Households teaching things which they are not for the sake of

dishonest gain, so they're doing these things out of the

selfishness of their own hearts. They're doing it because.

They want something. It's not real clear exactly what

that dishonest gain was. I don't.

Know if that dishonest gain was financial.

Usually when the Bible talks about dishonest gain,

greediness, it usually is talking about.

It usually is. Talking about financial money

but dishonest gang can also be. Just trying to get their trust,

Dishonestly trying. To, you know, get them to

convert to something that is not true dishonestly, you know, So

we don't know exactly what they mean when they say dishonest

gang. And then verse 13 it says here

one of them, a prophet of their own, said Christians must.

Are always liars, evil beasts, lazy?

Glutton and Paul said in 13 this testimony.

Is true. Now that's really wild.

Now Accretion is talking about his own.

People and he said. Look man, my people are messed

up. My people are messed up.

He didn't just. Say they're liars, he said.

They always. Lying in.

Fact they have a. Word in the Mediterranean if

someone lies. They'll say that they're.

Cretinizing. That's how much they associate

lying with the Cretians. They said, oh, he.

Just cretinized. He's lying.

That's how bad it is. And he?

Said they're not just. Evil, he said.

They're not just beasts, he said.

They're evil. Beasts.

They're primal animals. They live their.

Lives totally doing nothing but, you know, supporting and

satisfying their flesh. If they want to eat.

They're just going to go kill something.

That's what an animal do. An evil beast just get just go

kill someone. I don't.

Care what he kills, kills anything, he'll kill his own.

To eat evil beast they only want.

To do is eat and mate. However their body drives them,

that's all they do. And you know, it's funny

sometimes when we see these commercials and we see.

These little kids. You know, behind these window

panes and and we see these animals.

Out there these big. Tigers and big lions and, you

know, these big cats and, and, and they're coming up to the.

Glass Where the kid? Is and then and it looks like

they're playing with the kid. They're not playing with that

kid. They're animals.

Trying to find a way to get over to that kid so we.

Can eat him. Because that's what they do.

They're. Driven by that and Paul is

saying that these. People are evil beasts.

They're just driven by. Their flesh driven by their

flesh. And he said they're lazy

gluttons and the Bible just talk about glutton.

And this gluttony really means like excess.

This is somebody who is constantly about excess.

You know, everything that they do, whether it's eating and here

and here they are talking about eating for the most part.

But gluttony can also be anything, you know, being greedy

for anything, greedy for money, greedy.

For power. Greedy for fame, greedy for

position, greedy for anything can be given to gluttony.

Sexually greedy. You know this insatiable lust or

whatnot. Gluttony.

Always in excess wine. In excess of wine, They're just

the gluttons. And he said they are just.

Lazy gluttons and. This is what these false

prophets, this guy's the we're describing false prophets here.

That are in Crete. That Titus had to deal with.

So it wasn't an easy job, it was an easy job.

So I just want to say that you know, one of the things that.

We have to do as believers is that we always have to check

ourselves to see where we. Are in the faith.

Where are we? Are there some areas where I

really need to give to the? Lord.

You know, have I become glutton in any area?

Have I become driven by my flesh in any area of my life?

Have I began to do? Exercises or do.

Different things with the truth. Have I begin to play around with

the truth instead of being a straight shooter?

Have I begin to manipulate or deceive in any kind of way?

We have to check these things out because these things can

subtly creep into our own lives. And this is what the.

Word of God is. For us, and that's why we

should. Love it because it is our.

Measuring. It's our monitor.

That shows us where. OK, you're too.

Far to this side. Come on back over, you know,

we've got cars now that have. These corrective.

Gadgets in them that if you go across the line it brings you

back over. Or or gives you a.

Signal and. That's what the Word of God does

for us. You're going a little.

Bit too far, bit bring you back over.

You're going too far that way. It brings you back over.

And thank God. For it because we need it.

We need it. We can.

All fall prey. To that from time to time

because. The devil is subtle.

In what he does and how he does it.

But we're not ignorant. Of his devices.

Thank God this has been Living Waters of Grace, a ministry of

Pastor Lewis Harrell of Calvary Chapel, Westmoreland.

Today's message has been on the book of Titus.

This book is a master class in how Christians should live in

modern culture. Titus was ministering to the

people of Crete, an island off the coast of Greece, but he was

facing many challenges. The Cretans who came to know

Jesus seemed to assimilate Jesus into their existing culture

instead of allowing themselves to be transformed by the Holy

Spirit inside of them. Others were fully devoting

themselves to Jesus but shutting themselves off from the world

around them. The apostle Paul encourages

Titus to help his audience find a middle ground where they can

live in this world while still following a different way of

life in Jesus. If you would like to learn more

about what it means to faithfully follow the teachings

of Christ in a world full of darkness, we'd love to get

connected with you in person. If you are in Greensburg, PA,

we'd love to invite you to join us at Calvary Chapel

Westmoreland. We meet every Sunday at 10:30 AM

at 400 E Pittsburgh St. Ste. 6B.

Also, if you visit us at calvarychapelonline.com, you'll

find links to our mobile app, our giving page, and our contact

form where you can leave a prayer request if you have one.

Before we go off the air for today, we ask you to invite

someone to tune in next time right here on Grace FM 91.7 or

streaming online at Grace Radio dot FM.

Word of mouth is the best way to spread the good news of the

gospel with those who are hungry to hear.

Until next time, this has been another edition of Living Waters

of Grace.