Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, I & II Peter

Today is Sunday!!  Praise God for Sundays!!  I get to go to church and enjoy God's people and I'm looking forward to that in just another hour and a half.  Well, I read a lot this morning, but here are some highlights: 1) The need for a Pastor- In Titus 1:5, Titus was instructed of Paul to "set in order the things that are wanting"  and ordain "elders" to keep that up.  In every church, there are many things that are "wanting" and that is why they need a "pastor" (elder...same thing!).  The pastor is always setting things in order and fixing things that are wanting, or at least trying to fix them.  In verse seven he gives us the qualifications of an elder in a few verses, but the job of the pastor is to set in order the things that are wanting in the church. 2) ONCE FOR ALL-  All that Jesus did for us, He did once for all!!  Heb. 7:27- "for this he did once, when he offered up himself."  Heb. 9:12- "but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."  Heb. 9:26 "but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."  Heb. 9:28 "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many"  Heb. 10:10 "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."  Yes!!  Jesus died once for all for all of our sins!! 3) FAITH- Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith.  We need to constantly be stretching our faith to be pleasing to our Savior, because He delights in our faith.  So faith must grow or it does not remain faith, but sight and confidence.  This is why the Christian life is to be a journey of faith... The Just Shall Live By Faith!!  Because... our faith pleases Christ!!! 4) LIKE A VAPOUR- Our life is so short in God's eyes, it is like a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away.  This is what James 4:14 tells us.  In Light of this we ought to say "If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." (vs. 15)  We don't live long, so make our life count for Christ!! 5) INCORRUPTIBLE- God's Word is incorruptible seed!  That is what I Peter 1:23 tells us.  That means it is seed that produces life every time!  It means it produces the real deal and not a weed or a fake!!  It means that once germinated in a human heart it sticks!!  It means that it is pure and undefiled truth!  Not watered down, not mixed with error, but incorruptible forever!!  Praise God!! WELL, I'm getting ready for Church this morning!!  I''m so looking forward to it.  May God richly bless you and yours!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler