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Getting Things In Order In Our Attitude And Our Actions
Pastor Floyd's final message from the series "Order."
$6.00 — $12.00
May God be praised. I had the privilege years ago to meet a man by the name Michael Hyatt. Michael is now serving as the Chairman of the Board for Thomas Nelson Publishers. Some say that Michael writes the number one leadership blog in all of America. I follow him on Twitter, and he is constantly enriching those of us who follow him. Recently he stepped down as the President and the CEO of Thomas Nelson, took a 30-day sabbatical and resumed, and assumed I guess would be the better way to say it, assumed the responsibilities to be chairman of the board of Thomas Nelson.
In his reflections and writings over the last several days he shared something that is so appropriate for each one of us today, especially in our study here in the book of Titus. Hyatt said these words and I quote, “We can’t just go, go, go and expect to function optimally. Slow down and enjoy being. God made us to be human beings, not human doings.”
That is a very convicting group of sentences. The last one is extremely convicting to me. That God has made us to be human beings, not human doings. Do you ever wonder if things are out of control in your life? I wondered that this past week. I tell you I have had a week. I mean a week! Early morning to late night practically every day of this week. And you know what? I’m telling you I know the price of that long term is not healthy at all, and I have received the gentle rebukes of my wife along the way this week.
But do you ever feel that it’s out of control in your life? Do you ever feel it’s out of control in your family? Do you ever feel like our church is out of control? I do. And we know America’s out of control. But it’s easy to point out there rather than looking at it inwardly. May I refresh your memory today that the real powerful understanding of the book of Titus that we have been studying now today is our seventh and final week in this study? The real heartbeat of the passage is chapter 1; verse 5 gives to us what the real theme of this great book in the New Testament. “This is why I left you in Crete,” Crete is an island off of Greece, “so that you might put what remained into order.”
May I remind you that the Apostle Paul had been to Crete? The Lord saved many people. Churches needed to be planted and launched. Leaders needed to be called. The advancement of the Gospel needed to increase, and so he asked Titus to stay there and to take care of putting things in order. Don’t read that phrase too quickly because the phrase has incredible imagery for us this morning. It creates the image of a limb, an arm, or a leg, a limb of your body being out of place, out of joint, out of line, whatever you may want to call it, and taking it and putting it back thoroughly where it needs to be. That is exactly what Paul told Titus he wanted him to do is to straighten things out, and to put things into order.
I’m convinced that’s what God’s trying to do with us today. He’s trying to straighten us out, and trying to get things in order in each one of our lives. In the book of Titus, chapter 1, verse 1 through 5 we learned the power of getting things in order with God. I want to take a moment and glance at where we have been. And we understood in that passage that we cannot be and do what God wants us to be and do unless we understand who God is, what the Gospel is about, and only then can we understand who we are.
So may I remind you today apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ you will never know who you are? You only understand who you are when the Gospel becomes your life. Chapter 1, verse 5 through 9 he challenges us to get things in order about church leadership. And in this church leadership study God talked to us about the role of the pastor. He talked to us about how the pastor needed to be distinctive in his life and his leadership. And also talked about how we need to respond to the leadership of the pastor.
Chapter 1, verse 10 through 16 we learned about getting things in order to expose and to expel false teaching. For 2 weeks we dealt with this subject, and we dealt with that passage. We learned that it is important for us to see the, the, the element of the problem of false teachers and false teachings. And then we talked about the solution to all of that.
Chapter 2, verse 1 through 10 we learned about the importance of getting things in order about where it really matters in life. Now let me ask you today, where does it really matter? We’re all involved in a lot of things, and we get pulled in a lot of directions, but when you really want to know where it’s important to live out your life, it’s in your personal life, in your family, through your church, and through the workplace. You cannot divorce the Gospel from any one of those elements. We have to stop imaging ourselves as having life over here, and a life over here, and one over here, and one over here. It’s all put together my friend, and it’s all got to be centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s why He has told us at least twice in the book of Titus that we need to live according to what we say we believe.
And then He talks about getting things together by living by the grace of God. Chapter 2, verse 11 through 15. This is what we talked about last week. And I’m telling you the Lord lit us up last week with the power of His Word, and I’m understanding what Jesus did for us. I mean when we understand what Jesus did for us, and we are able to understand it and comprehend it to the point we should be able to explain it, we then will begin to experience that transformation in life. And you know what we all want to be transformed to be more like God, but I want to remind us all today that doesn’t come through you making a decision I’m going to be like Jesus in my life. It’s got to be deeper than that. And the depth of that is not an outward uh change in your life, but it’s an inward change that goes on inwardly that, that comes forth outwardly through your life.
And then we understand that we can soon expect the coming of our Lord. And when we live life like that, according to chapter 2, I’m telling you God will begin to do great and mighty things in our midst. So this morning we come to our 7th week in this series, and our final week. And we’re going to talk about “Getting Things in Order in our Attitude and our Actions.”
Anybody here ever struggle with your attitude? I do. I’m telling you I do. Your actions? Absolutely. Well guess what? The Gospel cannot be divorced from your attitude or your actions. You can’t say well you know that’s just me. No, it’s not about being you. I mean that’s not a good you. That’s not a good me. I mean if I could get away with that in my family it would be a great life, but hey, you know what? I can’t get away with that. I’m held accountable by my wife. I’m held accountable more importantly by the Holy Spirit. He won’t let me get away with that. Will the Holy Spirit let you get away with that? I pray He doesn’t.
So today what I want to do is that I want to read chapter 3 of the book of Titus. We’re going to talk about all of it, but I’m going to ready it first. And I want you to understand the importance of this today. I want you to stand in honor of the Word of God. So I want you to get a copy of God’s Word if you brought your Bible, which you ought to try to bring your Bible. And uh, if you don’t have the Bible on your phone, you need to put the Bible on your phone. And if you don’t have your Bible on your iPad, get your Bible on your iPad. That way if you bring your iPad or your phone, you can have the Word of God, and you stay in there and don’t go anywhere else. Got it? And so with that, I hope that we are ready to read the Word.
Now before we read it let me, let me just help you imagine something for a moment. I want you to imagine that the Apostle Paul goes down to the nearest Starbucks restaurant with his personal computer. He’s got to go somewhere that’s online. He knows he can get online at Starbucks because he’s got to finish this word to Titus. And he just feels that this the time. This is the moment. So here’s Titus, and all of a sudden he’s got email come in straight from the Apostle Paul, and he told him now listen man this is for you, it’s for the churches there in Crete, but it’s going to be long-term. Unknowing to Paul it was going to be long-term for the church beyond New Testament days.
Why? Because it’s the Word of God. That’s what it is. The Word of God abides forever. Now with that I want you to join me, and if you want to have a shout out anytime during this reading, feel the liberty from your pastor to do so.
“Remind them,” verse 1, “to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.”
Father bless the reading of the Word. In Jesus name. Amen.
Now this morning from the power of this word we’re going to lift out 5 highlights from the Word of God out of Titus chapter 1. These are attitudes or actions and you’ve got to discern which one they are. Highlight number one he lifts out:
1. We are to be submissive to leadership and authority. The Bible here begins with the word remind in verse 1. This is not a casual word by the way where he says oh by the way I want you to remember this. It’s a little deeper in the original language. It really means I want you to command them. I want you to get their attention, and I want you to tell them like it is! And here’s what I want them to understand. I want them to be submissive and obedient.
That word “submissive” means to be under the authority of another. It is a voluntary placing of yourself under the authority of those over you. And to be obedient, which means to do what they ask you to do. Why is that? So that you’ll be ready. So you’ll be qualified. So you will have a heart that is resonating with the Gospel, and so that you will be ready to do every good work.
Now listen, a person who is not being submissive to authority and leadership is not ready to do good works for God. They’re not worthy to do good works for God. John McArthur gives a great word here in relationship to this passage. He writes, “Submission to the authority of Scripture demands submission to human authorities as a part of a Christian’s testimony.” That’s a good word because you see what we have to understand is that our submissiveness to those that are in authority over us, and our willingness to do what they ask us to do, is a testimony of our faith.
In other words, we cannot divorce the way we operate with others who are over us from the Gospel. That’s what he is telling us. Now I want to make something real clear today. Unless your leader asks you to do something that is hundred and eighty degrees opposite of the Word of God, and violates Holy Scripture, you need to be under the authority of that leader. You need to be under the willingness, the authority of that leader. I am convinced that many Christians lose their testimonies in their home, in the workplace, in the church, on the ball field, in life, because we’re not willing to be under those in authority over us.
I wonder how many husbands have never been won to Christ because their wife was not willing to put herself under her husband? I wonder how many children have not been won to Christ because they witnessed that? Or they saw a father who was constantly out from under authority at the job? Or at life? Or some public arena? Or even the church arena? And what we must understand is that God has had authority structure for life, and it’s for protection and safety. It’s not for dictatorship and rulership. It is not about whether that person is right or wrong. If you’re going to wait until that person is perfect to put yourself under them, that’s never going to happen! But it’s about the condition of your heart. It’s about the condition of my heart that I am willing to put myself under. And by the way, we’re not worthy to be over anyone until we’re willing to be under someone. Can I get an amen? I mean that is really, really, really important.
And for whatever it’s worth, and I really want you to grab a hold of this. The most unsafe place you have in your life is when you are out from under the authority of those over you. Because you open yourself up to the attack of the enemy, and you will find yourself involved in things that you would normally not be involved in because God is protecting you. This is one of the ways we live out the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Highlight number 2:
2. Be respectful to all people. We read about this in verse 2, as well as in verse 12 through 15. In verse 2 he talks about how God is calling us to act considerately, and he’s calling us to show courtesy to all people. But notice what he forbids, and I want you to really get your heart around this now. If God says we’re not suppose to do it, guess what that means? We’re not supposed to do it. It’s nothing that we try to negotiate, and compromise, but God has told us not to do it.
Now notice what God tells us not to do. He forbids us to slander. That means to speak evil of anyone. He forbids it. It’s not acceptable in the life of the believer. He forbids us to quarrel, or to fight with one another. And then He calls us to do something. He calls us to display the character of Christ by having patient trust in the Lord in the midst of a challenging situation that may seem to be very impossible to deal with. And maybe you’re dealing with impossible people to deal with. But God wants us to respect those people.
Paul models that over in chapter 3, verse 12 through 15. Sometimes we read the end of those, those chapters at the end of Paul’s epistles so quickly we don’t, we don’t even consider he’s calling people by name. And I guess because we don’t know their names, they don’t mean anything to us. But I want to tell you today those names represent real people just like you and me. There’s not one of us that doesn’t like our name being called, right? I mean you know, if somebody knows your name that’s important to you.
And so with that Paul models this in his relationships. At the last part of that chapter in this entire epistle, he calls people by name. He mentions them. He calls on the church to pray for them. He said Zenas get yourself over here. Send him, he’s a lawyer. I don’t know if Paul was getting sued or what, but he needed help! Send him and send him now! And he also asked that not only Zenas be sent quickly, but Apollos who was a great teacher by the way, and he said you do whatever it takes to send them, and you take care of those two men.
Again, notice how he cares for people. He challenges the church to serve the people around them, and he also sends his love to all people. Now I think today that we’ve got, we’ve got to stop here for a moment, and we’ve got to be really serious about what God is telling us. And I want to make it very applicable for us today. No person is below you. No person is above you. You be respectful and courteous to all people! Here’s the message: the message of his epistle is this in this section, do not lose your testimony by the way you treat other people. Think about that. A server at a restaurant, someone in a retail store, someone at the bank, someone at the church, someone on the ball field, someone in life, just life, wherever life is. I wonder how many people are not interested in our God and our Gospel because we haven’t treated them rightly?
I want to say to you today God wants us to give people a chance to fail! It’s really okay to fail! Greater men than you and me have fallen! I wish I had a chance to fail more. Do you? And you know what? Never let anyone outside of your circle of love. Never let anyone outside of your circle of love regardless of what they say about you, talk about you, do to you, write about you, you be respectful to all people! Receive all people just as Christ as received you! Hm.
Highlight number three, that’s a message in itself. It just gets kind of quiet when we get there. But there’s a third highlight, and the third highlight is:
3. Remember what we were before God saved us. That’s an attitude and an action. Remember what we were before God saved us. Now Paul was telling Titus the church and to us today how can we be disrespectful to other people, and critical of others because then he says for we ourselves were once…and then he just gives this long list of what once were. In other words what he was saying is remember what you were, remember who you were, and then he begins to list it.
Look at verse 3. Remember what you were. You were without understanding. You were disobedient. You were away from the truth. You were a slave to your own pleasures and your own passions. You were full of evil and your heart was bad. Your heart was bad toward God and your heart was bad toward others. And he was saying to them your life was nothing more than a relational mess! You hated other people and they hated you! And in the flow of that notice what he does. He explodes! He said that’s what we were!
Verse 4, but, underline it, but when Jesus came, He loved everyone and He died for all! When Jesus came, listen to what he said, everything changed. Grace appeared on the scene in the midst of darkness the light came to the earth, and what did he do? Look at verse 5. He saved us. That means that He rescued us. He delivered us from our sin, the power of our sin, the penalty of our sin. He delivered us from death. He delivered us from hell. He delivered us from the grave. Why did He do it? He saved us, listen to what the Bible says, verse number 5, not because of works done in our righteousness! No! Because we’re not saved by good works. We couldn’t do enough works to get ourselves saved! But what were we saved by? Look at what he says, “by the grace of God.”
The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:8 and 9, “But by grace are we saved.” And then notice what he says. You were saved, but according to His mercy, to His own mercy.” Do you understand what the mercy of God is? The mercy of God is the kindness of God. The mercy of God is the love of God. Let me tell you what mercy did. Mercy hunted you down. Love hunted you down! The kindness of God hunted you down even when you were all the bad that you were! And mercy found you! Anybody glad today that mercy found you? And it found you by the washing, listen to what he says, by the washing of regeneration.
What does that mean? That means that we were bathed all over. We were washed all over by the Spirit of God. We were given a new birth. We were renewed by the Holy Spirit of God. Spiritual change occurred. And you know when that spiritual change occurred, it began occurring the moment I received Christ into my life. In verse number 6 says when you are saved, you are changed by the power of God’s grace. He pours the Holy Spirit out upon you abundantly, and verse 7 says you all of a sudden realize that you’re justified. Do you know what that word means? It means you all of a sudden realize you’ve been set free from the penalty of every sin you’ve ever committed. And it’s just as if you have never sinned before in your life. And now you are heirs of God, heirs of the coming King of kings, and Lord of lords, and you’re looking with great expectation to the coming of your blessed Hope, and what will you do with that blessed hope? He will take you up and you will reign with Him eternally.
I’m telling you today church, we need to remember what we were and who we were before God saved us, and then we’ll give everybody else a break! Then we will respect people. Then we will live more for Christ. I ask you this morning have you ever been saved? Has that ever happened to you when Jesus came into your life and everything changed? Sin taken away, eliminated, forgiven, free to live in Christ? Have you ever been regenerated? Born again? Born from above where life change has happened? Today I pray in the name of Jesus that when we finish this message that you will come to the nearest aisle, you’ll walk down that aisle, and you’ll tell that pastor today I want what Ronnie talked about in the middle of that message. I want Jesus in my life. That’s what I need.
Highlight number 4 he talks to us about:
4. Assisting those who are in need. Assist those who are in need. He mentions that in verse 8. He mentions it as well in verse 14. Paul says what I’m telling you is true and right. That means that it’s trustworthy. Therefore he insists on people. Listen to what he says, live according to the Gospel. Live out what you say you believe. We do real well believing the right things. Most of us here believe the right things. But there is a disconnect in life choices versus what we believe. And we’ve got to have a connectivity there that is strong, a strong testimony, and notice what he says. When we’re willing to connect our practice with what we say we believe, we will be devoted to doing good works, which means to assist people who are in need.
Now here’s what Paul is telling us, and God is speaking to the church today. Assisting people in need because or becomes your platform to share Jesus Christ. That’s the platform. We have to care, show people we care, before they believe. Now at times in the power of what we talk about in the Gospel, now what happens here He helps us to interpret this in a brand-new way, in a deeper understanding in verse number 14. Now I tell you it’s very important for us to understand because he restates this principle of assisting those in need. But then he specifies, and he tells us to concentrate on cases that have urgent need. In other words don’t just go about and, and, and do good deeds even though good deeds are good, and they’re important, but he said the most, the greatest fruit, the most fruit will be seen, the most productivity will happen when you go to where the person has the most urgent need. I’m telling you we need to take counsel here.
For years and years evangelical Christians in America were afraid to help anybody because we thought we’d be, become a bunch of social oriented people. Well now one of the big things happening all across the evangelical church in the nation is that many churches, including ours, is trying to do whatever it takes in the community, coming alongside the community, helping them at schools, and in various situations, and needs, hopefully to gain a platform for the Gospel. But we need a little more balance. And the balance comes here. We need to go where the needs are the most urgent! And that is where we will find the biggest fruit, and the most productive fruit. That’s what he’s telling us there in verse number 14.
Let me share with you there are a lot of reasons you need to be grateful to God for what the Lord is doing at Cross Church. But let me give you some words today that will hopefully encourage your heart. When the tornado recently hit Joplin, Missouri, within 2 hours we had people on the ground in Joplin, Missouri. Since that point we have mobilized some 400 plus people from our church to go help in that urgent need. Plus thousands of dollars have been given. Plus coming alongside of other evangelical Christians to try to put that community, help them begin to put that community back together, and the lives of those people. Now thanks to all of you, many of you may have not gone, but because you’ve given some of that has been placed up there for the good of the Gospel.
This week we are going to find out from some of our city leaders whether or not we’re going to be approved in relationship to putting a Compassion Center in one of our cities that will become a major, strategic focus of helping those in urgent need. Pray. Pray. Pray. It’s important because we believe we’re on the brink of meeting needs like never before in Northwest Arkansas, because you see when we meet needs, urgent needs, I’m telling you it becomes a platform for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And then he tells us in the fifth way to:
5. Preserve the unity of the church. There’s a transition that takes place in verse 9 through 11, and all of a sudden you just feel like, I mean, I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m a pastor and I’m reading this, but almost feel like Paul did what most of us don’t like when somebody puts everything in caps to try to get our attention, but I really think that’s what he’s trying to do or he puts it in bold, or highlights in yellow. But look what he says in verse 9, he said avoid, that means to shun, shun what? Foolish, stupid controversies. That’s what the word means. To avoid foolish, stupid controversies. How many churches have lost their testimony because we’ve gotten in stuff that nothing really matters about?
Geneologies, he warns us about that. What does that mean? When you go in there and I don’t have time to develop it today, but he’s talking about anything that we try to add on to the Gospel, and churches are historically famous for adding on to the Gospel. We don’t need to add on to the Gospel. That’s legalism when we try to do that. He warns us against dissentions. Dissentions meaning divisions. He warns us against quarrels, which means that we will fight with one another.
Notice what he says in verse 9. Powerful word, all of this kind of stuff happening in the body of Christ, it’s unprofitable, and it’s useless for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And how much we’ve all seen that in our lives. In verse 10 and 11 he talks about when a person decides to stir up something in the church. And he mentions his people who stir it up. He’s very clear there. He says here’s what our actions need to be, when we know someone is stirring up something, you warn them once, you warn them twice, and then you reject them and have nothing to do with them. That’s what the Scripture says.
You know I’m convinced that a lot of problems in churches happen it’s not only about what people say, but it’s about what people don’t say. Warn them once. Warn them twice. And reject it and having nothing to do with it.
And then he clarifies. I mean look, look, look at the boldness that he shares. Understand, he says, their thinking is warped. They’re evil in their heart. They may not intend to be evil, but they’re evil in their heart and their conduct is evil. And people who would cause any dissention in a church, or division in a church, he said we need to listen to what God says about it. And do you know what God goes on to say? Notice what he says in verse 11, that person by their own actions is condemning themselves. That’s what he’s saying.
Let me put it another way and maybe, maybe this will help us understand, here’s another way to understand. He says when a person is doing that it’s like they are screaming to you about how carnal they are, how fleshly they are, how selfish they are! He said don’t put up with it. They’re, they’re going to get what comes to them. Now I know today that churches aren’t perfect. It’s not about a church being perfect. You want a perfect church you better get ready to die, because there’s one in heaven, the only one I know. The moment you joined it, or you associated with it, it became imperfected. If you’ve come in since I’ve been here then I’m the one that polluted it. And if you were here before me, then you polluted it. It’s just part of it. But the great news is this, we can use words like pray about it, I’ve been thinking about it, I’m concerned about, but you know what? The bottom line is? A lot of that’s carnal. A lot of it’s evil. A lot of it is self-serving, and I want to challenge you today we need to understand what is happening.
Do you know what the Scripture teaches us, and I tell you this is so important. And I want to really challenge you to get your arms around it, and your heart around it today. I’ve got two quick statements to make to you. Statement number 1: don’t cause division in the church. Don’t cause division in the church. Now I’ve been pastoring a church for 35 years, 25 in the same church. Let me tell you my observation. I’ve never seen anyone who’s ever caused division in the church to end up on the plentiful and abundant end of the favor of God in their life. Never. God takes care of those very seriously. Again, I challenge you, just read the Bible. Just read the Bible. It’s clear.
And then the second statement is don’t let anyone cause division in the church! That’s your role. It’s your role! What did he tell us? We’re to be, we’re to be concerned for the fellowship, but we need to build the fellowship. We need to preserve the unity of the body. We need to warn them once, warn them twice, and then hey may, you turn it off. You don’t listen to it. And you know what? It’s not about just listening to it. It’s about telling it like it is when you hear it. So I challenge us today to understand that we just need to go back to the Bible. And we need to understand the Bible.
Think about it this way friends, when a church, follow me now, when a church is committed to seeing lives changed, the Gospel advanced, churches planted, unreached people groups reached for the Gospel, caring for orphans, caring for widows, meeting the urgent needs in the community, when a church is committed to that do you think Satan and hell are going to say wow great job? No! He will pull out his ballistic guns and he will come after us. He will try to rip us apart, and destroy his glory, the glorious work of the Gospel! He will do that! I can promise you he will do that!
And none of that should surprise us at all! The Bible says it real clear in chapter 6 in Ephesians, verse 10 through 20 that we don’t wrestle with flesh and blood, but against principalities of powers. I’m telling you Satan and hell does not like a church going forward, doing great things for the Lord Jesus. And I just want to take this to another level, and then we’ll be gone. If he will not tolerate that in the church, what do you think Satan thinks when you decide with your heart and your life I believe this Book, I’m going to live this Book, and I’m going to try to do it in the power of the Holy Spirit? What do you think Satan and hell will do?
I’ll tell you what Satan and hell will do! They will come after you like gangbusters! They will come after you and try to destroy you in every way in your life! And you have got to recognize it for what it is! When your family makes that kind of decision, you’ve got to understand folks Satan is committed to destroying your family! He’s committed to destroying your family! We’ve seen men walk away from husbands, or wives. We’ve seen wives walk away from husbands. We’ve seen kids walk out of the lives of their parents. We’ve seen it all, and I’m telling you it’s ugly! It’s ugly! It’s ugly! We say we need to control pornography better, and things will change.
Or we need to control affairs better and things will change. Well surely things will be helped with that, but affairs and pornography are not our problem! Our problem is Satan is coming after your family! And Satan wants to destroy your family! And you could do away with pornography and affairs and he’d come after you in another way! He’s committed to destroying you man! Recognize it for what it is! And to those of you men and women who work outside of the home, what if you determine in your heart that God wants you to live your life like God wants you to live. Do you think he’s going to just sit there and let you have what you want? No, I’m telling you today Satan will try to bring destruction to your career. He will try to bring destruction to your own personal economy. He will try to bring destruction to your business, to your, to your, to your corporation, whatever you’re involved in, and whatever you’re involved, and whoever you’re involved with, he will do everything possible to bring destruction to you! Please get it! Read the Bible!
He plays for keeps! He is committed to stealing, to killing, and to destroying you, and to destroying everything about you. You’ve got to understand that. We’ve got to see it like it really is. And we also have to understand my friend that I’m telling you if you are even entertaining, if you’re entertaining coming to Christ as Savior and Lord, if you are even thinking about the possibility of coming to Jesus, I’m telling you Satan will give you a thousand reasons not to come to Jesus. He will give you a thousand reasons not to walk an aisle, and give your life to Christ today. He will, he will give you a thousand reasons why it doesn’t matter. But I’m telling you today God saves you! God wants to save you! He wants to change you! He wants to do something in you today! And you’ve got to be willing to let Him do it.
If you’re here today and you’ve been considering coming and being a part of a local church, I’m telling you Satan will do everything he can. He’ll give you a hundred reasons why you should never be a part of a church. A hundred reasons why you don’t need a small group in your life. A hundred reasons why you don’t need a fellowship of believers. You know it’s cool today to have your own little gig out here, doing your own little thing, but the only problem is nobody’s there when you die. Nobody is there when you’re hurting. Nobody shows up because nobody knows about you. And I want to challenge you today you don’t need to buy all that crud from the enemy. He doesn’t want you in a church because he’s out to destroy you! Are you with me? He’s out to destroy you!
If you’ve never been baptized, I guarantee you he doesn’t want you walking in the waters to profess to your friends and your family that you’ve been saved, and saved by the grace of God. He will give you 500 reasons not to be baptized. He will make you think Jamie Lantzsch will drop you. He will make you think that Chuck Butler’s not strong enough to baptize you. He will make you think that when Pastor Floyd really wants to baptize you next Sunday before our fireworks at the crosses that he’ll just wear out! Look at him he’s aging! Look at him! But no! I haven’t ever dropped anybody! I haven’t ever let anybody drown, and I can get up there in about a hundred, in about 1 minute! I can get there that quick! I’m in shape! And I can get there to rescue you! You need to stop making excuses! Because you see he doesn’t want you! He doesn’t want you to profess Him because when you profess what Jesus did for you, I’m telling you hell gets mad, hell gets angry, and he’s committed to never letting you walk in that water!
And I want to tell you my friend today you need to understand that he’s going to turn it on you! He’s going to turn it against you! The last thing he wants you to ever do is to walk down an aisle and to pray about something in your life. The last thing he ever wants you to do is to learn to praise the Lord in worship. The last thing he ever wants you to do is all of that! But I’m telling you today you better understand who you’re fighting against. He’s tough! He plays for keeps! He’s going to kill you! He’s going to take you out if you let him. But I say to you in the name of Jesus we don’t have to buy that crud. We don’t have to buy it whatsoever at all! And you say Pastor Floyd, why not? I’ll tell you why we don’t have to buy it because of what God says in His wonderful Word. Greater is he who is in Me than he who is in the world. And when Jesus is in you, I’m telling you today there is nothing that can stop you! There is no one that can stop you! And He is your power, your source! Come to Christ today! Everything changed when He entered this world, and the whole rules of the game stopped! No longer do we have to live by the power of Satan, no sir, we can now live by the power of the Gospel, and the wonderful Holy Spirit He richly blesses us with in life.
Are you for it today? Are you wanting to go there? I’m telling you that’s where we need to go.
- SKU:
- 2AA226L
- MP3:
- http://www.ronniefloyd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2AA226L-In-Our-Attitude-and-Actions.mp3
- Vimeo:
- 25682296