Jesus Came to Heal the Brokenhearted - tract

You have probably heard of these tracts that teach on the healing of your broken heart. Jesus is that One who alone can heal your heart. John McTernan is the author of this tract. Please read this and then contact the Mr Mcternan  for prayer and to order your own tracts to share with your friends.  You can link to the John Mcternan Insights blog at defendproclaimthefaith for more information.

or email daystarwindows@optonline.net  to order the tracts.

Unanswered Prayer

During this Lent season, our church is focusing on prayer. This past Sunday we looked at unanswered prayer.  

Psalm 13How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

I usually take notes as the pastor speaks and I like to post them here on my blog, perhaps you too can be blessed as you read what I heard. Pastor Ben was speaking. Here are my notes that I took as I listened to the message.

Unanswered Prayer

We have all experienced this. This is a complex issue but we need to tackle this topic.

The cross is central to our lives.

God became Human - Jesus in the flesh suffered, He was born into poverty, He was abandoned by his friends, He was betrayed, and brutally murdered.

Jesus feels our hurts and pain. He understands our grief.

So Why Do We Experience Unanswered Prayer?

1) Because of who God is - 

because His character is love. Sometimes we ask for things that are not good for us and in His love, He withholds these things from us.

Sometimes the choices we have made are such that we are not taking responsibilities for our actions and we want God to get us out of our situation. God doesn't respond because it would not be good for us. An example of this would be when a student does not study for a test or exam and then last minute cries out to God to zap him with the correct answers. God does not answer this because He wants us to be responsible people. 

God gives opportunities for us to become patient, loving and courageous.

2) God does us answer when we are selfish - He will not participate in our selfishness. James 4:3  You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 

We are encouraged to bring our every anxiety and concern to God.

If we bring our selfishness into prayer, God will not answer. He is not our servant or slave, to do this is idolatry.

The core issue of many of our problems is selfishness. Marriages fail, instead of love, there is selfishness. Human trafficking, pornography are examples of selfishness, It is using and misusing other people as objects in order to get selfish pleasure. God will not participate in our selfishness. He will not reinforce our selfishness.

3) Deep Wounding and Brokenness -

If God is loving, why doesn't He answer us in our pain and brokenness.
Example - praying for healing for a friend who has cancer. Why doesn't God heal? He is able.

We may have questions and doubts and wonder if God is even listening... Does He really care?

Even though God does not do what we ask, He assures us by answering us emotionally. He reassures us that He has not abandoned us. At Communion we remember how Jesus suffered. God has not left us. God is there, even though our problems are  not fixed.

God is in the process of healing our wounds. God helps us to forgive and to let go of the anger we have towards God and others.

God pours out His grace, He holds us close.

We need God's healing touch, not intellectual answers.

Read the Psalms and pour out your heart to God as the Psalmist did. Cry out to God!
Face your unanswered prayer - Read Psalm 22 and personalize it. Do the same with Psalm 23.

Remember the cross - how Jesus suffered, God suffers with us. He cries and grieves alongside of us.

God has not abandoned us!!

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I also found the following article by Anne Graham Lotz. It also talks about unanswered prayer. 

The Silence of God

• March, 27
• Pursuing MORE Of Jesus

He who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.

Psalm 32:10, NKJV

Is God silent in your life? What prayers has He not answered for you?

At a time of unanswered prayer in my life years ago, my mother taught me the verse to a hymn that I still quote when I am totally baffled by events that seem to careen out of the orbit of what I have asked:

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,

Trust Him when thy strength is small,

Trust Him when to simply trust Him,

Seems the hardest thing of all.

Is your focus on your immediate need blinding you to a greater purpose that God is working out? Would you choose to be patient and simply trust Him? Sometimes God does not answer our immediate prayer because He has something greater in store for us.

Sing Oh Sing of my Redeemer

Sing Oh Sing of My Redeemer
( from cyberhymnal.org )

I will sing of my Redeemer,
And His wondrous love to me;
On the cruel cross He suffered,
From the curse to set me free.

Refrain

Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer,
With His blood, He purchased me.
On the cross, He sealed my pardon,
Paid the debt, and made me free.

I will tell the wondrous story,
How my lost estate to save,
In His boundless love and mercy,
He the ransom freely gave.

Refrain

I will praise my dear Redeemer,
His triumphant power I’ll tell,
How the victory He giveth
Over sin, and death, and hell.

Refrain

I will sing of my Redeemer,
And His heav’nly love to me;
He from death to life hath brought me,
Son of God with Him to be.

Refrain

Listen to a beautiful instrumental of it here - I Will Sing of My Redeemer

I really am blessed with this one as well - Sing Oh Sing Of My Redeemer

Restoring Relationship with God and Others ( Sunday Sermon Review )

1 John 1:8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness..

This is a review from last Sunday's sermon in my home church. I take notes as the preacher speaks and I like to post them here on my blog. Perhaps you will be blessed as you read. Pastor Ben was speaking. Here are my notes:

picture from solidjoysandlastingtreasures.blogspot

Restored Relationship with God

God did everything He could to draw us into relationship with Him.

In order to have our relationship restored we have to confess how we have broken the relationship with Him.

Identify and label the things that separate us from Him. Name them, bring them to God to be dealt with.

You have to admit where you have gone wrong. God is not reluctant to forgive us.  Name the wrong done - "this " is wrong and I need to deal with it.


Restored Relationship with Others

We need to restore our relationship with God and with others.
What have I done to others, I must also bring it to God.
Whatever wrecks our relationship with others also wrecks our relationship with God.

Jesus died to destroy the sin in our lives, to rid us of the sin.


Prayer Exercise

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you need to confess. What is blocking your relationship with God? Come to Him as "Daddy".

We are amazed that God invites us to come - to approach the throne of grace.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need

Jesus taught us how to pray.

Romans 8: 12- 17 
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 

 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 


The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him,that we may also be glorified together


The Spirit of God teaches us to pray "Abba Father".
We come to God through Jesus and the cross.
We are not clever or influential, or good, - we come into His presence because Jesus and the cross. We have all fallen short.

Jesus is the core.
Jesus is the center.
Jesus died for our sins on the cross.
This is the ultimate expression of His love for us.

He ransomed us, the wrath of God was satisfied. He absorbed our sin.
On the cross, God dealt with the darkness of our lives.
How we have hurt others and ourselves.
We can stand before the throne of grace forgiven!

2 Corinthians 5: 18 - 21

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,  that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him

Listening Carefully by Anne Graham Lotz

This is a really good thought provoking devotional from Anne Graham Lotz. Please read, you will be blessed.

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Listening Carefully

• March, 18
• Why?

I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure. . . . I love Your law.

Psalm 119:162-163, NKJV

When have you totally misunderstood God's Word?

When He said, "Love one another,"

did you think He meant to tolerate sin? (1 John 4:7)

When He said, "in all things God works for the good,"

did you think that every story has a happy ending?

(Rom. 8:28)

When He said, "I will surely bless you," did you think that He

would make you healthy, wealthy, happy, and problem free? (Heb. 6:14)

Isn't it amazing how we can misinterpret what He says? Listening carefully to what God says is important, because if we misunderstand what He is saying, we set ourselves up for disappointment, discouragement, and disillusionment.

So . . . would you be quiet and listen with your eyes on the pages of your Bible? Listen for His still, small voice to whisper to your heart through His Word.

The Homosexual

Luke 18: 7-8  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Jesus asked the question - When He comes back to earth, will he find faith here? The question I am asking today is similar - Will the church stand up against the culture of today, that is Will the church cave in to the LGBT movement that is sweeping our nations or will the church stand with God's Word the Bible and condemn all such activity? It would appear that this could well be the make or break issue that will show who is on the Lord's side and who is not.  God is not going to allow people ( Christian or not) to mock Him and His revealed will and truth as recorded in the Bible. For the sake of His own Name, He will act.
The Bible says in Galatians 6: 7-8  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

As we study our Bibles we will not find one place where sodomy is approved of in any way. Throughout the Scriptures sexual sin of every sort is strongly condemned and unless repented of will have serious eternal consequences.  Sodomy and the like only brings ruin and destruction on individuals, families, cities and nations who pratice and promote such a lifstyle.

Isaiah 3: 8-10  For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were burned down to the ground due to the homosexual sin and violence that accompanies it. The Bible says that these stories from history are supposed to teach us to not make the same mistakes. 2 Peter 2:6    and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly

The Bible says that other sin is done outside the body but immorality  ( which also includes homosexuality ) is done within the body. Our bodies belong to the Lord and as such serious effort should be made to keep it clean to the glory of God.  1 Corinthians 6:18 -20  Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?  For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Many people today will say that because the Bible teaches that as Christians we are to be people of love, therefore we cannot condemn the homosexual lifestyle of the people around us. While it is most certainly true that we as Christians we are to be the most loving people on the planet, this cannot mean that we take the side of sin and oppose God and His word. It is not love to justify something that God condemns, something  that is an abomination to Him and for which He will surely bring suffering  and judgement for. The loving thing to do is to sound the warning bells and urge people everywhere to repent and escape the wrath of God.

1 Corinthians 6: 9-11  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,  nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.   And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

We have already seen the LGBT movement enter into the churches of Canada and the United States. There are churches where the pastors and other church leaders are gay. It seems more and more churches are failing to stand for the truth of God's Word.  The Bible teaches that in the Last Days many will be led astray and fall away from the truth and sad to say it appears that this has already begun. It is time that we who are Christians take a strong stand for truth and righteousness. Stand with God. Stand with the Bible!

When Jesus returns - Will He really find faith on the earth?

Jesus is The Cornerstone

Jesus is The Cornerstone 

Ephesians 2:20  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,



Please listen to the song Cornerstone. It is a favorite of mine. Link to song here : Cornerstone

HILLSONG LIVE LYRICS

"Cornerstone"

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus name

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus name

Christ alone; cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all

When Darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil

Christ alone; cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all
He is Lord
Lord of all

Christ alone
Christ alone; cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all

Christ alone; cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless stand before the throne.

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There is another older song titled Jesus is the Cornerstone. I have always loved this one as well. They used to sing it on the Hour of Decision broadcast. The lyrics are as follows:


Cornerstone 
Jesus is the Cornerstone, came for sinners to atone 
Though rejected by His own, He became the Cornerstone 

Jesus is the Cornerstone 
When I am by sin oppressed, on the Stone I am at rest 
Where the seeds of truth are sown, he remains the Cornerstone 

Jesus is my Cornerstone 
Rock of Ages, so secure, For all time it shall endure 
'Til His children reach their home, He remains the Cornerstone 
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me find my rest in Thee 
'Til the breaking of the dawn, 'til all footsteps reach His throne 
Ever let this truth be known, Jesus is the Cornerstone 

( from namethathymn.com )


This song really blesses me as well. Please listen to it here:
Jesus is the Cornerstone

Lent - Jesus at the Center..... Prayer....

Colossians 1:16-23 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 
 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 
 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight
  if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

This is the season of Lent. We are focusing our attention on Jesus and how He died on the cross to save us from our sin. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ and his shed blood on the cross. He died in your place and in mine to redeem us to God.

This Lent season our church is focusing on prayer and on drawing closer to the Lord through prayer. The following are my notes that I took during last Sunday's service. Pastor Ben was speaking.

The Cross ( picture from wallhdesign.com )

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Life is to be lived - not just to exist.

John 14:6   Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus is the answer to the longing and desire in our heart.

We will face difficult situations, we live in a broken world.

Jesus needs to be the center, the foundation on which we build our life.

He is the Creator and Sustainer of our life.

Philippians 3:7-9 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Everything is garbage compared to knowing Jesus.

Experience the power of God in your life - Nothing can compare to it. Status, influence, power, friends, job etc can not compare.

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

The center of Paul's life is Jesus - Jesus and the cross.

Jesus is the center of life - the core of our church.
The cross is an expression of God's love for us.
Jesus willingly died so that we can know him.
Knowing and experiencing God gives us life, gives us passion.


We desire to know God better - we long for this...or do we???

Are we content with our material lifestyle, our toys and our status... do they really satisfy you?
Or maybe you are doubting Jesus?  Still you must admit that deep down inside you there is a small desire within your heart that wishes you wanted God in your heart.
Jesus is the answer - He is the answer to the deep longing in your heart.

We need to be a people of prayer - communicating with God.

Why are Christians defeated, discouraged and why is the church not on fire for the Lord??
It is because they pray so little.

Prayer is going to be the theme of our Lent.
We want to be passionate about Jesus.

Prayer is a discipline - it takes time to learn, the more you prayer the better you will become at it.

This is Lent - surrender to the Lord. Discipline yourself to draw closer to the Lord by either fasting from something or by adding something to your day.

Give something up - fast from video games, or movies, or TV, a food item etc.
Or add something - add writing in a journal everyday during lent, or praying more, or add a special time of worship to your day, etc

Become part of a prayer meeting - join with others in prayer, and pray for each others needs.

Read your Bible.

Pray this prayer everyday this week - "Come Lord Jesus, Come"

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Lent - Hallelujah!

It is the time for Lent. People are wondering what to give up for the Lent period. As a church we are giving up the word Hallelujah. On Easter Sunday we will again begin to praise and worship the Lord and again sing Hallelujah!!

picture from sodahead.com

The word Hallelujah is an expression of praise and worship and means "God be praised!"

Titus Series - Part 1 - Of Bishops and Elders...

I have wanted to do a study on the book of Titus for some time now. It is a short book - only three chapters but packed with wonderful truths that the Lord would have us know and live by. So my plan here is to go verse by verse and see what it says. Please feel free to leave comments if there is something on your mind - just keeping in mind that I delete comments that are bitter or if a comment is with malice and looking to be argumentative.
So let's begin with Titus chapter 1.

picture from rgbstock.com

Verse 1 - Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
Paul regards himself to be a servant of God. A servant is not above his master. A servant is willing to be obedient to the instructions that his master gives him. So also, we should consider ourselves to be servants of the Lord Jesus and ready to do our Master's will!  God has chosen every person on the planet to be one of His own, but He knows that many will not choose to follow Jesus. To become a part of the family of God we must accept Jesus as our personal Saviour and put all our faith and trust in Him. OnlyJesus can save - no one except Jesus! Jesus is the way, the truth and the life as it says in John 14: 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Verse 2 - In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
God's goal for each of us is to have eternal life with Him in heaven. This verse reminds us that God does not lie. He will always keep His promises!! God is faithful to us always. 2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.


Verse 3  But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
It is so amazing to think that God has entrusted us humans to carry forward His Word to our friends and family and to the coming generations. Yet we always must keep our focus on the message of the cross, focus on the message of the Bible and not on the messenger who is preaching the sermon to us. I have looked up to many preachers in my lifetime already, Some have failed to live up to God's standards but the message of the Bible does not fail us. I would encourage anyone who is looking for some good preaching to google James MacDonald or Levi Lusko, or Dr J Vernon McGee, or John Munroe. These are all good teachers of God's Word. We can learn much from their teachings.

Verse 4 - To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Paul is writing this book to Titus. He is referring to him as his son. This means that Paul has been instrumental in helping Titus come to faith in the Lord Jesus. Grace, mercy and peace is given to us by God our heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 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:

Paul is now getting in the business of the day. He says that he has left Titus in Crete for a purpose. Titus needs to help set things in order in the churches here. There is some work here that needs getting done!  Paul wants Titus to ordain elders in every city. We can also use the word bishop here in place of elder. In verse 7 the word bishop is used. It would appear that Paul had previously given these instructions and now is reminding him to get the job done.


Verse 6  If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
Verse 6 begins to tell us what characteristics are required for a man to possess in order for him to qualify to become an elder or bishop. The church that I grew up in did have a bishop. He was the one who would officiate at baptism services and also Communion services. He held a special role in the church. Now a days it is uncommon for a church to have elders or bishops. I don't know why as it seems to be an important role in the church. Where there is no bishop, the role of bishop would fall on the lead pastor or group of pastors in the church.  A bishop needs to be blameless, this means to have no evil behavior in his conduct. There would be nothing you could find in his lifestyle that you could accuse him of. He is living a good, God honoring life in his private and public life - no hidden dark secrets. He is to be the husband of one wife - this means he is faithful to his wife, he must have only one woman in his life and that is his wife. This indicates sexual purity in all it's fullness. The elder or bishop must have faithful children, if a man is not in good relationship with his children, there is something wrong in the family. A father must first lead his own family in the ways of the Lord before God will call him to lead a church. 


Verse 7 - For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
 Here we see again that a bishop must be blameless, a repeat of verse 6. So what does it mean to be blameless? We have already pointed out that this means this man would be living a pure God honoring life both in public and in his private life. I looked up the word "blameless" in my dictionary and it means there is no fault in the person. So in the work the bishop is doing there will be only uprightness and he will remember that all he does is done to and for the Lord. Not selfwilled, not soon angry, and not given to wine are self explainitory I think. No striker mean he is not a violent person. He will not physically hurt anyone. Not given to filthy lucre - lucre is money or profits. The bishop is not going to cheat or nor will he be greedy or accept bribes or bets, or gamble etc.


Verse 8 - But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Basically to be a lover of hospitality means you love people, you enjoy engaging people in deeper conversations and topics over a cup of coffee, you enjoy having people over to your house and try to communicate of the things of the Lord with your guests. As the next part of our verse says, a lover of good men - you love good people.  To be sober means to be sensible and discreet and are able to see the serious side of situations. The word just  means that you are fair, you are going to be fair in dealing with people, not take the side of a person just because he or she is has a likeable character or is beautiful to the eye. You will be fair and kind as you counsel people.  Holy - set apart to the Lord, we are to be pure and holy in all mind, thoughts, attitudes and conduct. Hate the evil and cling to what is good and right in the sight of God.
Temperate - a temperate person is a person who is free from extremes - in food and drink, and also calm and restrained in character. 


Verse 9 - Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
The elder or bishop  will know the Bible - He will have the Word of God in his heart. He knows the truth of the Word. And since the Holy Word of God is in his heart and mind constantly, he is able to teach and give instruction and encouragement  to anyone who is opposing  the truth of the Bible. He will not hesitate to challenge the one who is speaking  lies or teaching heresy. He can show the the backsliding person the error of his ways and lead him or her back to faith in the Lord. There are many voices out there today who like to contradict Scripture or say that this or that portion should not be in the Bible. God calls the elders and bishops of the church to silence these critics. 


That concludes the first of our studies in the book of Titus. Be blessed as you study the book of Titus with me. 


Titus 1: 1-9 

 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

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:

6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.