Titus through

It is rainy today in Oregon, but we have had a great week of weather, and this will put more snow on Mt. Hood, which we need.  Here are some thoughts: 1) THEY NEEDED PASTORS-Titus 1:5  "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:"   Elders are pastors in the Bible.  There are only Pastors and Deacons as officers in a New Testament Church.  The idea of Pastors and Elders and Deacons is man made.  It is not from Scripture because it makes all of the qualifications of a Pastor now passed on to a body called Elders and then has no qualifications for Pastors.  No, they are one and the same.  Elder, and Overseer refers to the responsibility of a Pastor and Pastor refers to the relationship between the man and the people God gives him to pastor.  Notice that they are used of God along with Timothy to "set in order the things that are wanting".  Pastors "fix" things in the church. 2) LISTEN TO JESUS!  Hebrews 3:7, 15; 4:7 each say:  "Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts..."   God wants to speak to us today... Will we be listening.  It does not say today if ye hear His voice; it says:  "Today if ye WILL hear His voice"   We make a choice each day whether or not we will be listening to God.  I hope you will join me today in listening to what God has to say to my heart and yours! 3) ONCE!  Eleven times in Hebrews we are reminded that what Jesus did for us, He did once!  Hebrews 9:12  "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."   Hebrews 10:10  "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." The idea of this is not just to let us know Jesus died once, but that the ONCE was enough!  He finished everything needed to complete our Salvation!  It was His work, not ours!  Trust Him, or Reject Him; those are the choices, and there is no in between. 4) FRIEND OR FOE?    James 4:4  "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."   Friend or Foe.  What will it be?  Those who revel in liberty that allows them to be a friend to this world... is not the friend of God.  They are saved, but certainly not acting very friendly towards God.  This is indeed a powerful verse.  Hope you have a blessed day and hear Jesus leading you along, and speaking to your spirit.   Pastor Mike Mutchler