Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Maintaining Good Works - 4/15/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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Maintaining Good Works - 4/15/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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  Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
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  Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
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  Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
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  today. If you enjoy today's message, be
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  sure to subscribe, follow, and share
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  with your friends. Now, let's join
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  Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
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  God.
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  All right. Titus chapter 3 tonight. Take
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  God's word, turn with us to the book of
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  Titus, chapter number three, New
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  Testament. Go to the book of Second
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  Timothy. And if you find Hebrews, go
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  back left. All right? And uh there's a
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  little book in between Titus and Hebrews
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  called Fiman. And some of these books,
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  there's dust in these pages, but uh but
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  I hope there's not. Amen. I hope you
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  wearing them out. Amen. And I tell you
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  this, it's all profitable. And even
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  those ia books over there in the Old
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  Testament. Amen. And uh those ones that
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  we think really ain't in there. If you
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  ask most people, you know, you ask them
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  if there's the book of Zephaniah, some
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  people look at you. Not sure. Amen. But
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  there is. I think some people get
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  Hezekiah and that one confused. But turn
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  to the book of Hezekiah and about 30
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  people go to flipping through their
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  Bible. But uh Amen. just in case you're
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  wondering, there is no book of Hezekiah.
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  Amen. But, uh, Titus chapter 3 tonight.
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  I'm not trying to be foolish this
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  evening. Forgive me. But, uh, Titus
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  chapter number three. Got a thought on
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  my heart. Something the Lord put on me
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  today. Want to share it with you. And,
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  uh, something I think that will help us.
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  And, uh, I wish I could preach it on
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  Sunday morning. If it goes well tonight,
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  I may preach it Sunday morning. So,
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  we'll see how that goes. Amen. Preacher,
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  we've heard it twice. Well, y'all y'all
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  are about a quarter of the Sunday
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  morning crowd. So, we'll just take it
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  and run with it. Amen. But, uh, Titus
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  chapter 3, I want to read three verses.
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  Jump with me. Uh, verse number one, and
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  we'll go from verse number one to verse
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  number eight. And then from verse number
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  8 to verse number 14. All right. Notice
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  the verse with me. Titus chapter 3 verse
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  number one. U Paul says here writing to
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  Titus which is at Cree. He says put them
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  in mind to be subject to principalities
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  and powers to obey magistrates to be
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  ready to every good work. Verse number
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  eight. This is a faithful saying. And
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  these things I will that thou affirm
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  constantly that they which have believed
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  in God might be careful to maintain good
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  works. These things are good and
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  profitable unto men. Now notice verse
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  number 14.
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  The Bible says, "And let our hours also
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  learn to maintain good works for
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  necessary uses that they be not
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  unfruitful."
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  Now, Father, I ask you this evening as
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  we've come to uh study thy word. I pray
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  you'll help us tonight, God. We have
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  nothing without thee. And Lord, I pray
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  that you cleanse us of all sin. God, I
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  realize just how short we fall, God.
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  Each and every day, Lord. Many every day
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  we miss the mark. And God, we come up
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  short. But Lord, would you help us
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  tonight, Father, I want to hit the mark.
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  Um God, I want to share what you put on
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  my heart. And I pray that you would
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  speak to me and through me. Help me
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  remember what I've studied, God. And and
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  Lord, whatever else you want said. Help
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  me to say everything that needs to be
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  said and nothing that ought not be said.
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  Get glory to yourself. And we'll exalt
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  you and praise you because you alone are
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  worthy. And Lord, we pray for these
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  situations in our church tonight, God.
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  Many heavy hearts, please Lord, give
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  grace in every life, Father, and let
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  them know, Lord, that you are sufficient
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  and that you do love them and help them
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  during this time. We'll give you thanks
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  because we ask it in Jesus name. Amen.
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  And amen. Now, if you didn't notice
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  tonight what the correlation is in these
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  three verses, there's a phrase that I
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  want to zero in on tonight in these
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  three three verses. And I want to look
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  back at our text tonight just for the
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  sake of emphasis. Notice with me verse
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  number one in the last phrase of verse
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  number one of Titus 3. Say it with me
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  tonight. To be ready to every good work.
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  Notice verse number eight, the middle
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  part of the verse. That that they which
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  have believed in God, what's it say?
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  Might be careful to maintain good works.
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  Now notice with me verse number 14 again
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  read the whole verse. And let ours also
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  learn to maintain good works for
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  necessary uses that they be not
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  unfruitful. So tonight I want to talk to
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  you about good works. What they are,
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  what they're not. Why should we be
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  involved in good works? Now I think we
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  can answer the question tonight that the
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  good work is the salvation work.
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  >> Right? I'm reminded of the man that came
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  to Jesus one day and he said this. He
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  said, "What must I do that I might work
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  the works of God?" You remember what
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  Jesus said to that man? He said, "This
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  is the work of God that you believe on
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  him whom he hath sent." And so,
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  primarily tonight, the work of God
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  number one is salvation in the heart and
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  life of a human being. If you have a
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  soul tonight, if you are a living,
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  breathing vessel, human, amen, you have
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  a soul and the primary work of God is
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  for you to be saved. Amen. And you say,
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  "Well, being saved is not a work." I
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  agree with you on that, but it is the
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  work of God done in you. Amen. And I
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  want to zero in on this thought, the
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  book of Titus. Now, Titus, this phrase
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  is used in all three chapters. And I
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  believe verse number eight of chapter 3
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  really is a summary of the entire book
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  of Titus. Notice what he says. This is a
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  faithful saying, "And these things I
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  will that thou affirm constantly that
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  they which have believed in God might be
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  careful to maintain good works. These
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  things are good and profitable unto
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  men." Now, what you'll find is when you
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  study these three short chapters that
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  this is the emphasis of this entire
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  book. This is what Paul is telling Titus
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  here to apply to his heart. And
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  literally the emphasis begins in chapter
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  number one when he says in verse number
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  five. He tells Titus, he says, "For this
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  cause I left the increase." Notice what
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  he says, "that thou shouldest set in
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  order." What's the Bible say? The things
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  that are wanting. You know what he was
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  talking about? He was talking about good
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  works.
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  >> What does that mean? The things that are
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  wanting. Well, they were lacking in the
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  department of good works. Let me say
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  this tonight. The truth is about this
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  church and I believe about every church,
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  you know, there's some churches, yeah,
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  we probably could say they're living
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  pretty close to the scriptures as far as
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  the operation and the function of the
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  church. But really, good works is not so
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  much what you're doing, but why you're
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  doing it.
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  >> Okay? And you can be doing everything
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  right tonight, but if you have the wrong
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  motive and what you're doing, then all
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  of that is null and void. So, I want to
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  define this term tonight for just a
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  minute and then I'll give you the text
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  this evening. I thought maybe the Lord
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  wanted us to go through Titus, but we're
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  kind of going to do that in a one sermon
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  time here. So, notice with me tonight
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  the phrase again in in Titus 3 verse one
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  to be ready to every good work. Verse
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  number eight, to maintain good works.
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  Verse 14, to maintain good works. Now,
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  I'll give you the three points tonight.
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  All right, the three points for these
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  three verses are this. number one verse
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  number one speaks of the preparation for
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  good works. The preparation for good
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  works. Verse number eight speaks point
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  number two speaks not only not of the
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  preparation but of the practice of good
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  works. Verse number eight speaks of the
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  practice of good works. And then thirdly
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  tonight we look at verse 14 and it's
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  going to tell us about the purpose of
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  good works. the purpose of good works.
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  Now, let me say this tonight by way of
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  introduction. Number one, tonight I
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  would say this. We are designed as
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  Christians, we are designed for good
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  works.
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  >> Right?
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  >> We are designed this way. How is that?
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  Well, Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace
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  are you saved through faith, and that
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  not of yourselves, it's the gift of God,
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  not of works, lest any man should
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  boast." So, salvation's not of works.
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  All right? But verse 10 says this, "For
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  we are his workmanship, created in
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  Christ Jesus, what's it say? Unto good
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  works, which God hath before ordained
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  that we should walk in them." Now, you
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  was not predestinated to be saved, but
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  you were predestined to after that you
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  were saved, predestined to good works.
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  It was designed by God in his mind when
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  he saved you that you would live for
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  him.
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  >> Amen. And those good works we are
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  designed the Christian if any man be in
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  Christ he is a new creature. That new
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  creature's design is for employment in
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  good works. Now number one we see that
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  we're designed for good works. Number
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  two we are demanded to do good works.
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  It's demanded. Notice James chapter
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  number four.
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  Listen to what James says here
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  concerning this subject of good works
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  this evening. James chapter 4 verse
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  number 17.
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  Your Bible says this. Therefore, to him
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  that knoweth to do good and doeth it
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  not, what's your Bible say? To him it is
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  sin. So we are not only designed for
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  good works, but we are demanded to do
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  good works. Why? Because it is sinful
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  for a man to know to do good and to not
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  do it.
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  >> Amen. So we are demanded tonight and we
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  are commanded. It's expected. Let me say
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  it again. It is demanded that we do good
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  works. Then I'll say this number three.
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  We're not only designed and we're not
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  only demanded to, but we are we ought to
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  be desirous of good works.
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  >> Notice Titus 2 and verse 14, the chapter
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  just prior. Listen to what he says. Who
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  gave himself for us that he might redeem
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  us from all iniquity and purify unto
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  himself a peculiar people. What's your
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  Bible say? Zealous of good works. So
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  tonight, our number one desire ought to
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  be to do good works before God. Now,
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  what are good works? All right, four
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  things tonight about what good works is
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  concerning the Bible and what that means
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  for us this evening. All right, if you
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  are going to if you were going to make a
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  list tonight and say, "What are bad
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  works and what are good works?" This is
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  what you would find under the list of
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  good works. Number one, I would say
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  this. Good works are holy.
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  >> Come on.
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  >> Pure in motive. They promote holiness.
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  And also the work itself is holy, but
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  the work promotes holiness. If what you
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  are doing is not holy, it will not
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  promote holiness. And it will not be
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  deemed a good work. And so good works
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  for you and I have to be something that
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  is pure. You understand God is holy. And
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  so his children are to operate in purity
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  and in complete and total holiness. So
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  number one, good works are holy. That's
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  the first qualification. If your works
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  are not holy, then your work is not a
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  good work. Out of that, not only good
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  works are holy, number two, good works
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  not only are holy, but they are helpful.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> They're beneficial.
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  If your work produces nothing. Amen. If
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  what you're doing it I if it produces
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  nothing number one it's probably not
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  holy. Okay. But if your work is holy
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  it's going to be beneficial.
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  >> Right?
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  >> What you Bible say? James said faith
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  without works is what? Dead. And when he
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  talks about works you remember the
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  example that he uses. He says if you say
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  to a brother he said he comes unto you
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  and he's unclothed and he's hungry. And
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  he say you you look at him you say all
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  right depart be warmed and filled. He
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  said, "Except," he said, "but you don't
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  give him the things needful for his
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  body." He said, "What does it profit?"
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  >> You're right.
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  >> You tell him he's okay, but you do
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  nothing to supply his need. Good works
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  take care of needs.
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  >> Right?
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  >> Amen. They're helpful. Let me say this.
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  Not only good works are holy, and good
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  works are helpful, but good works are
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  honorable.
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  >> Good works are commendable. If what
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  you're doing cannot be commended, if you
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  have to hide what you're doing,
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  >> come on. That's right.
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  >> If it has to be done in secret,
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  >> you're right.
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  >> Amen. You say, "Well, I I in my
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  humility, I want to I want to, you know,
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  stay to myself." Well, there's certain
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  things that should be done in secret.
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  Okay. But if it was brought out to
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  light, would it bring shame to the name
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  of Christ or would it bring honor to the
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  name of Christ?
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  >> Right?
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  >> Your work should be honorable in itself,
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  but it also should honor the name of
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  Christ and his church. If what you're
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  doing is not honorable to this church,
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  then it is not a good work. This is what
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  I like the best. You say, "Well, that's
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  really bad." Okay, here's where it gets
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  good. All right. A good work is holy. A
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  good work is helpful. A good work is
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  honorable. But let me say this. A good
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  work tonight is happy.
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  >> You're right.
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  >> Amen. If you are doing a good work for
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  God, you can be happy in spite of
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  whatever circumstances you're in.
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  >> You're right.
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  >> Amen. Because here's the thing about it.
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  You know that your work, number one, you
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  know the reason why you're doing it
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  >> cuz God told you to. You know the
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  purpose that you have out of it,
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  ultimately whether anything else happens
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  or not, God's going to get glory out of
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  it.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> You know what? If I pray for a lost
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  sinner to be saved for the rest of my
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  life, if I pray for lost sinners to be
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  saved for the rest of my days and I
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  never see one of them get saved, you
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  know what? I can chalk that prayer up as
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  a successful prayer. You're
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  >> right.
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  >> Because God gets glory out of that.
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  Because what happens when we pray the
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  will of God, God is pleased. Isn't that
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  right? And so good works are happy. Now
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  I'm reminded what Solomon said.
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  Ecclesiastes chapter 9 and verse number
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  10. He said, "Whatsoever thy hand
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  findeth to do, do it with thy might."
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  Now he's not literally just talking
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  about physical labor. Okay? It goes to
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  all facts of life. Whatever you put your
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  hand to, so to speak, you ought to give
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  it your best. Amen. Because he says in
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  the verse, you can turn there and read
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  it. Chapter nine and verse number 10, he
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  said there's no labor. There's nothing
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  where you're headed. Amen. He's talking
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  about the grave. He said there's not
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  going to be any of that. And Jesus said
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  this. He said, I must work the works of
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  him that sent me while it's what? Day.
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  Amen. For night cometh when no man
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  >> can work. Amen. So the truth is tonight
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  are good works. You say, "What does all
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  that mean for me? How can I employ
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  that?" Obviously, I've got some things
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  to change. Well, you're not the only one
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  because I do, too.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> Amen. Cuz truth is, not everything I'm
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  involved in fits those four
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  >> criteria. Now, God, just give me that.
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  Okay. I believe that scriptural. Amen.
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  It's got to be holy. It will be helpful.
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  Amen. It'll be honorable. And it will
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  make you happy. There's nothing in this
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  life, if you're saved, there is nothing,
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  listen to me, there is nothing in this
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  life that will satisfy you the way
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  serving Jesus will. Amen. Notice the
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  text tonight and I'll be done. I see
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  first of all tonight concerning this
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  text, I've got to give you context so
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  you understand what's going on here.
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  Paul has mentioned this thought of good
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  works in this chapter. The first time he
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  mentions the thought that I saw here in
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  these verses in chapter 1 and verse
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  number 16. And he's talking about the
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  unapproved for good works. Look what he
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  says. They profess that they know God,
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  but in works they deny him. Notice this.
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  being abominable and disobedient and
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  unto every good work repbate. You know
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  what that word repbate means? It
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  literally means unapproved or
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  unaccepted.
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  >> It means that the good works that they
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  should be involved in, they cannot do
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  because they do not have the Holy Ghost
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  on the inside. Now, we know what the
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  primary work out of the Holy Ghost is.
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  It's those fruits of the spirit. And
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  what's the first one? Love. Ain't that
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  right? And the Bible says in Romans
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  chapter 5, he said, "Hope maketh not
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  ashamed because the love of God is shed
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  abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
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  which is given unto us." And so the
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  number one work of God is love. The
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  greatest commandments, love your God,
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  love God with all your heart, soul, and
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  mind. And love your neighbor as
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  yourself. That's the work of God. But
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  the truth is tonight, if you are not
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  saved, if you don't have a have the Holy
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  Ghost on the inside, you cannot
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  accomplish that.
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  >> You are unapproved for good works. I
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  notice not only the unapproved for good
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  works, but I notice the uniform for good
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  works. Notice verse two, chapter 2 and
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  verse number seven. Paul is talking to
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  the young, he's talking to Timothy to
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  exhort the young men. Look what he says.
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  Young men likewise exhort to be sober
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  minded. Verse 7, in all things showing
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  thyself a pattern of good works. Now,
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  what this means is when I say uniform,
• 17:07
  I'm talking about there's consistency
• 17:09
  involved. When you think about good
• 17:12
  works, good works is not a one-time
• 17:13
  thing,
• 17:14
  >> right?
• 17:14
  >> But it's a pattern. It's a lifestyle.
• 17:17
  It's something that you involve yourself
• 17:19
  in and you don't get out of it.
• 17:21
  >> Amen. I don't understand people, well, I
• 17:24
  I I got to I I got to quit serving God
• 17:26
  because I've got too busy. I've got too
• 17:28
  much on my plate. Let me just hold up
• 17:30
  right there for a minute. Okay? If you
• 17:32
  serve God, you ought to serve God until
• 17:34
  you you physically cannot serve God
• 17:37
  anymore. Amen. Because the truth is he
• 17:40
  went until he couldn't go anymore. And
• 17:41
  yet he still went a little farther on.
• 17:43
  Amen. And we ought to give it our very
• 17:46
  best until we cannot go another mile or
• 17:48
  another minute and and serving him
• 17:50
  because it's it's a life meant to be
• 17:53
  consistent. You see, we the Christian
• 17:55
  life I understand, you know, I've even
• 17:57
  made the statement that, you know, um if
• 17:59
  your life's not like this, you know, um
• 18:01
  that's the heart mander saying you're
• 18:03
  alive. And in a sense, the trouble that
• 18:05
  we face, yes, our life is like that.
• 18:08
  >> But your heart should be straight,
• 18:10
  >> right?
• 18:11
  >> You ought to be consistent. You ought to
• 18:13
  be steady with God. What Paul say to the
• 18:15
  Corinthians? He said, "Be you," he said,
• 18:17
  "Wherefore, my brother, rather, be ye
• 18:18
  steadfast, unmovable, and always
• 18:22
  abounding in the work of the Lord. For
• 18:25
  as much as you know that your labor is
• 18:27
  not in vain in the Lord." So there's
• 18:29
  steadiness, there's uniformity involved
• 18:32
  with the work with good works. Notice
• 18:34
  this. Not only there's the unapproved
• 18:36
  that he mentions of, and then there's
• 18:37
  the uniformity speaking to these young
• 18:40
  men, the pattern of good works. Let me
• 18:42
  say this. Just because he said that to
• 18:43
  young men doesn't mean that's not for
• 18:45
  all of us. Amen. We ought to all have a
• 18:47
  pattern of good works. And then notice
• 18:49
  verse 14, the verse I already mentioned.
• 18:51
  He says, "Who gave himself for us that
• 18:54
  he might redeem us from all iniquity and
• 18:56
  purify unto himself a peculiar people
• 18:59
  zealous of good works." So that speaks
• 19:01
  of urgency.
• 19:02
  >> There's a desire. Somebody who's
• 19:05
  zealous, they're fervent about it. It's
• 19:07
  an urgent need. It's something that
• 19:09
  they're burdened by.
• 19:11
  >> Let me ask you, does does the work of
• 19:12
  God burden you? If all if all you ever
• 19:16
  come to church to do is get a blessing
• 19:18
  and not be a blessing, you've missed the
• 19:19
  point.
• 19:20
  >> Amen. If you're lo, if you're looking to
• 19:23
  just sit around and get in, why don't
• 19:25
  you get involved?
• 19:26
  >> Add that to the end of the phrase get
• 19:28
  in. Amen. Get involved in what's going
• 19:30
  on down at the house of God. There's
• 19:33
  urgency that's involved with good works.
• 19:36
  And so all of that introduces what he's
• 19:39
  going to talk about in chapter three.
• 19:41
  Notice what he says. Verse number one,
• 19:43
  put them in mind to be subject to
• 19:45
  principalities and powers, to obey
• 19:48
  magistrates. Notice this, to be ready to
• 19:51
  every good work. So he lists three
• 19:55
  things in that verse. Number one, we are
• 19:57
  to be subject to principalities and
• 19:59
  powers. Notice that. To obey
• 20:02
  magistrates. We ought we are subject to
• 20:04
  the law of the land. Okay?
• 20:06
  >> Whether you like it or not. Amen. You
• 20:08
  can go out here and get mad and upset
• 20:10
  about what the government's doing, but
• 20:11
  you know what they going to do? They're
• 20:12
  going to put you in jail.
• 20:14
  >> Amen. And so, we ought to be subject to
• 20:16
  that. Put them in mind. That's
• 20:18
  respectful.
• 20:19
  >> Amen. I And and the truth is tonight,
• 20:22
  the powers that be, the Bible says
• 20:24
  they're ordained of God.
• 20:25
  >> Right?
• 20:26
  >> That's what the Bible says. All right?
• 20:28
  Notice not only the subjection, but
• 20:30
  notice the submission in the verse. To
• 20:32
  be ready to every good work. And then he
• 20:36
  speaks of silence in verse two. Now,
• 20:38
  what's interesting about that that all
• 20:40
  of that is together is because the
• 20:42
  people that get no work done are the
• 20:43
  ones that are all the time talking and
• 20:45
  all the time fussing about leadership.
• 20:47
  >> Did anybody just hear what I said?
• 20:50
  >> I'm talking about Paul laid it out
• 20:52
  perfectly. He showed the leadership. He
• 20:55
  said, "Put them in mind to be subject to
• 20:56
  leadership and then to be silent." But
• 20:58
  he said to be ready for every good work.
• 21:01
  The reason why men don't get anything
• 21:03
  done, the reason why they run off to
• 21:05
  math all the time is cuz they've never
• 21:06
  submitted to good works.
• 21:08
  >> Amen.
• 21:08
  >> Amen. There's more people in the church
• 21:11
  that talk about what we're going to do
• 21:12
  instead of getting involved in what
• 21:14
  we're going to do. Amen.
• 21:16
  >> Get involved. DO THE GOOD WORKS. DON'T
• 21:18
  JUST TALK ABOUT THEM. WELL, I just don't
• 21:20
  know about that. Get involved and you'll
• 21:22
  find out about it. Amen.
• 21:24
  >> It's a lot better on this side. Let me
• 21:26
  tell you that. It's a lot better to
• 21:27
  serve than it is to see it. Amen. Right?
• 21:30
  >> He says in the verse and I'm talking
• 21:32
  about this is the preparation. Notice
• 21:34
  what he says to be ready. There is a
• 21:38
  preparation for good works. And I I
• 21:40
  think many way in many ways we've
• 21:42
  failed. And I and I can speak in and and
• 21:44
  from a perspective as from the workforce
• 21:47
  point of view. I I mean if anything I'll
• 21:49
  be honest, my parents prepared me to
• 21:50
  serve God, but I'll say they prepared me
• 21:53
  and and this is not to their shame, but
• 21:55
  they probably prepared me more to work
• 21:57
  than they even did that. Yeah.
• 21:59
  >> I mean that they instilled that in me
• 22:01
  from the time I was just a little boy.
• 22:03
  And we failed our children this day and
• 22:05
  time because we have not prepared them
• 22:07
  unto good works.
• 22:08
  >> Come on, preacher.
• 22:11
  >> Now look, okay, I'm not I'm not against,
• 22:14
  you know, sports and all things of that
• 22:16
  nature. But if we spent the time, come
• 22:18
  on,
• 22:19
  >> that we spent with our children at the
• 22:21
  ball field or at some hobby or something
• 22:23
  like that, if we invested in them how to
• 22:26
  work and how to do the things of God,
• 22:29
  cuz you see those things go in h hand in
• 22:31
  hand. Okay? If you'll teach them to
• 22:33
  labor, they'll love God,
• 22:34
  >> right?
• 22:35
  >> Amen. That's the truth tonight. And I
• 22:37
  think we failed in preparing our
• 22:40
  children for these good works. Remember,
• 22:42
  if they're saved, they're designed for
• 22:43
  that,
• 22:44
  >> right? It's who they are on the inside.
• 22:46
  And you are selling them short. You are
• 22:49
  selling them, you're selling them cheap
• 22:51
  when you try to get them to do something
• 22:53
  they are not designed to do.
• 22:55
  >> Amen.
• 22:55
  >> You know the percentage, it's like a
• 22:57
  quarter of a percent of people that make
• 22:59
  it into the major leagues. And let's
• 23:01
  just be honest, how many it's less than
• 23:03
  that that make it out make them that
• 23:05
  that make out of it. You think about
• 23:07
  this. I mean, most people that come out
• 23:08
  of that, their life's ruined. I mean,
• 23:10
  they they got all the kinds of money,
• 23:12
  but they've been involved in drugs.
• 23:13
  They've been involved in everything
• 23:15
  known to man and it did more to hurt
• 23:17
  than harm their life than it did to help
• 23:19
  them.
• 23:19
  >> Right?
• 23:20
  >> Why do we waste our time?
• 23:23
  >> We need to invest eternally in their
• 23:26
  life. We need to prepare them. They're
• 23:28
  designed for it. They're demanded to do
• 23:30
  it. We should teach them to be desirous
• 23:33
  of it. So I see the preparation tonight
• 23:36
  for good works. Verse one. I'm moving
• 23:38
  quickly. We'll be done just a minute.
• 23:39
  Notice verse eight. He has just told
• 23:42
  them in the text verses 3 through 7, he
• 23:46
  reminds them of salvation. Some of the
• 23:48
  most powerful verses in all of
• 23:50
  scripture. Verse 5, not by works of
• 23:52
  righteousness which we have done, but
• 23:54
  according to his mercy saved us by the
• 23:56
  washing of regeneration and renewing of
• 23:58
  the Holy Ghost. What a powerful truth.
• 24:00
  The fact he says, look, this is who
• 24:02
  we're to be in light of what he has done
• 24:04
  for us.
• 24:05
  >> Right?
• 24:05
  >> Good works is our life because he has
• 24:07
  given us life. Amen. Notice this verse
• 24:11
  number eight. This is a faithful saying.
• 24:13
  What does that mean? It's true.
• 24:15
  Faithful. It's true. All right. Notice
• 24:17
  the verse again. And these things I will
• 24:19
  that thou affirm constantly. Constantly.
• 24:22
  Paul tells Titus, "Son, what I'm telling
• 24:24
  you is right.
• 24:26
  >> But you need to say it over and over and
• 24:28
  over again. You need to tell it." I
• 24:31
  think that's where we missed it. We
• 24:33
  believe it. We don't tell it.
• 24:35
  >> Come on.
• 24:35
  >> Amen. We know what good works are. But
• 24:38
  how often are we instructing people in
• 24:41
  those good works? Notice the text.
• 24:43
  There's the truth. There is the telling
• 24:45
  of the truth. And notice verse eight.
• 24:46
  There's the testimony of the truth. Look
• 24:48
  what your Bible says. That they which
• 24:50
  have believed, you know what that is?
• 24:52
  That's a testimony,
• 24:53
  >> right?
• 24:54
  >> They which have believed in God. There's
• 24:56
  a testimony. Hey, is anybody saved in
• 24:58
  the building tonight?
• 24:59
  >> Amen.
• 24:59
  >> Saved. I hope you're all saved. Amen.
• 25:02
  >> You know what that is? That's that's
• 25:03
  you.
• 25:05
  Notice what he said again. I will that
• 25:07
  thou affirm constantly that they which
• 25:08
  have believed have you believed? Amen.
• 25:11
  Look what he says. In they which have
• 25:13
  believed in God might be careful to
• 25:16
  maintain good works. Now see this with
• 25:19
  me. All right. He says this is the
• 25:22
  truth. I command you to tell the truth.
• 25:23
  This is the testimony of those who have
• 25:26
  known the truth. But there's something
• 25:28
  you need to be thinking about. Notice
• 25:30
  the word. What's that word in the middle
• 25:32
  of the verse? That God might be careful.
• 25:36
  That doesn't mean that you're to be, you
• 25:38
  know, you know, be careful, don't fall.
• 25:40
  That's not what that means. It means
• 25:41
  you're to be constantly thinking about
• 25:44
  it. That's
• 25:44
  >> right.
• 25:45
  >> You're to be careful. That's why the
• 25:47
  Bible says be careful for nothing.
• 25:50
  >> Be b not don't don't be anxious. Be
• 25:52
  careful for nothing. But in everything
• 25:54
  by by prayer and supplication, let your
• 25:56
  requests be made known unto God. You
• 25:58
  know what he says? Philippians 3, that's
• 25:59
  where the verse is. Let your moderation
• 26:02
  be known to all men. Be careful. Be
• 26:04
  anxious about nothing. What he's saying
• 26:05
  here in the text is this is something
• 26:07
  you need to be anxious about.
• 26:09
  >> Look what he says. Notice it again. That
• 26:11
  they which have believed in God might be
• 26:13
  careful to what? To maintain good works.
• 26:17
  Now, this I've preached all night to get
• 26:19
  to this point. Okay. What does it mean
• 26:22
  to maintain good works? Well, I think
• 26:26
  really you can't give it one definition.
• 26:29
  Most writers say it means to keep them.
• 26:31
  Well, I would agree with that. But
• 26:32
  there's something you got to have it
• 26:33
  before you can keep it,
• 26:34
  >> right?
• 26:35
  >> I thought about these four things. Okay,
• 26:37
  I know I've thrown out a lot tonight,
• 26:39
  but stay with me. Okay, number one, I
• 26:41
  think if you're going to maintain good
• 26:42
  works, number one, that means you have
• 26:44
  to be available.
• 26:45
  >> Yeah,
• 26:46
  >> you have to be available. Now, here's
• 26:50
  what I'm finding this day and time.
• 26:51
  Nobody's available.
• 26:56
  I mean, you call the doctor, six months
• 26:58
  out. Call the dentist, you're a year
• 27:01
  out. You know, I mean, just everything,
• 27:04
  you know, everything's backed up. Nobody
• 27:07
  is available. And if it's true anywhere,
• 27:09
  it's true in the church.
• 27:10
  >> You're right.
• 27:11
  >> Good works. We're not in short supply of
• 27:13
  works to do,
• 27:14
  >> right?
• 27:15
  >> We're in short supply of people to do
• 27:17
  the works.
• 27:18
  >> Right.
• 27:18
  >> Amen. And the thing is tonight, if I
• 27:21
  could tell you anything, number one, you
• 27:23
  need to be available. Make yourself
• 27:26
  available. All right? Then God will take
• 27:28
  these other points here and help you
• 27:30
  with this. All right? Number one, you
• 27:31
  need to be available if you're going to
• 27:32
  maintain good works. Number two, you
• 27:34
  need to be aware.
• 27:36
  What do I mean by that? Well, you need
• 27:37
  to know what the good works are.
• 27:40
  >> Amen. You need to know where they are.
• 27:41
  You need to know what they are. And you
• 27:43
  need to know what your part in that is.
• 27:45
  >> Right?
• 27:45
  >> Okay. You say, "Well, preacher, how do I
• 27:47
  know if somebody doesn't tell me?" Well,
• 27:49
  the thing is, you got a Bible,
• 27:51
  >> right,
• 27:52
  >> that tells you what to be involved in?
• 27:53
  And the trouble is, we've got too many
• 27:55
  people that's been led around by the
• 27:56
  hand their entire life. Get involved,
• 27:59
  >> right?
• 28:00
  >> Figure it out.
• 28:02
  I mean, I never thought I'd say that
• 28:03
  from a pull pit, but figure it out. I
• 28:07
  mean, really, I can preach to you three
• 28:09
  times a week, but the truth is, if you
• 28:11
  never take it and read it yourself,
• 28:12
  you're never going to know.
• 28:13
  >> You're right. everything I have ever
• 28:15
  learned there. Don't get me wrong,
• 28:17
  there's been sermons that have helped
• 28:18
  me. I talked to the man of God
• 28:20
  yesterday. Men of God's helped me more
• 28:22
  than anybody else. And his sermons have
• 28:24
  probably helped my ministry as much if
• 28:26
  not more than anybody else. But you
• 28:28
  realize every truth that's ingrained in
• 28:29
  my heart. I learned for myself.
• 28:31
  >> Amen.
• 28:32
  >> I got it in the Bible down on my own
• 28:34
  knees and my own prayer time, my own
• 28:36
  study time, I got it. I got aware of it
• 28:38
  when GOD SHOWED IT TO ME. GOD DIDN'T
• 28:40
  SHOW IT to the preacher. HE SHOWED IT TO
• 28:42
  me through his word.
• 28:44
  >> And if you're going to be available,
• 28:46
  you're going to have to be aware.
• 28:48
  >> I think, you know, there's a lot of
• 28:49
  people, they just get saved and here's
• 28:51
  what happens. They're available, man.
• 28:52
  We'll do whatever you want to do,
• 28:54
  preacher, but you know what? They just
• 28:56
  don't know. That's
• 28:57
  >> right.
• 28:57
  >> They're not aware. You got to be taught.
• 29:00
  Teach yourself. You got to be taught,
• 29:02
  but also learn yourself,
• 29:04
  >> right?
• 29:07
  >> I hope this is resonating tonight.
• 29:09
  >> You need to be available. need to be
• 29:11
  aware. Number three, not only you need
• 29:13
  to be available and aware, but you need
• 29:15
  to be attendant. All right? When you
• 29:16
  find out what you're supposed to do, if
• 29:18
  you're going to maintain good works, you
• 29:20
  need to stay with it,
• 29:21
  >> right?
• 29:22
  >> Attendant. You know, you think about,
• 29:23
  you know, the only place in the world
• 29:24
  that still does this is Betty's. Amen.
• 29:27
  Where they have somebody that pumps your
• 29:28
  gas. Amen. And for some, that's a
• 29:31
  blessing. Amen. And I I mean, I
• 29:33
  appreciate it. Amen. I guess I'm just
• 29:34
  that lazy, I guess. But but you know
• 29:37
  what they do? They're always waiting for
• 29:40
  somebody to come by.
• 29:42
  >> You're right.
• 29:42
  >> To do the same job that they do all day
• 29:44
  long. You know, you say, "Well, that my
• 29:48
  gosh, that's monotonous." You know what?
• 29:50
  When you see the fruit of it, it's a
• 29:52
  blessing,
• 29:52
  >> right?
• 29:53
  >> And I'm not talking about that. I'm
• 29:54
  talking about spiritual things. When I
• 29:56
  come to you and preach every week, you
• 29:59
  know, as people say, "Well, man, that
• 30:00
  must be that must be tough to get up in
• 30:02
  front of a bunch of people and preach
• 30:05
  every week." But when it's what you're
• 30:06
  called to do,
• 30:08
  >> when you've been made available and
• 30:09
  you've been made aware of what's needed,
• 30:12
  >> you want to be attended to it.
• 30:14
  >> Right?
• 30:15
  >> You want to stick with it. You want to
• 30:17
  stay by it because you want it to
• 30:19
  produce what it's supposed to,
• 30:20
  >> right?
• 30:22
  >> Notice this. Not only you need to be
• 30:24
  available, wear, and attend it, but you
• 30:26
  need to abide.
• 30:28
  Look what he says. Be careful to
• 30:29
  maintain good works. You need to make it
• 30:32
  your life, not just stay with it, you
• 30:35
  know, just during church time. And I'm
• 30:37
  thankful for those of you that do that
• 30:39
  serve in this church. You would do
• 30:40
  anything that I asked you to do in this
• 30:42
  church. But it's more than just here,
• 30:44
  >> right?
• 30:45
  >> It's more than just inside the walls of
• 30:47
  this building, but it's out there. It's
• 30:50
  at your home. It's at your job. It's an
• 30:52
  abiding life. Good works is not just at
• 30:54
  the house of God.
• 30:55
  >> You're right.
• 30:56
  >> But it's how you live outside the doors.
• 30:59
  It's you're to abide in those. If you're
• 31:01
  going to maintain good works, it's going
• 31:03
  to have to be more than just a look
• 31:05
  every now and again, but it's going to
• 31:06
  have to be your life,
• 31:07
  >> right?
• 31:08
  >> It's going to have to be your life. Be
• 31:10
  careful to maintain good works. Notice
• 31:12
  lastly, we consider the preparation. We
• 31:14
  consider the practice maintaining,
• 31:16
  keeping these good works. You got to be
• 31:19
  available. You got to be aware. You got
• 31:21
  to be attendant. You got to abide
• 31:23
  in these good works. And there's
• 31:25
  scripture for all this, but I really,
• 31:27
  you know, the scripture tonight. I want
• 31:28
  you to get the point. Okay, notice the
• 31:31
  text. Verse 14. And the Bible says, "And
• 31:34
  let ours also learn to maintain good
• 31:36
  works for necessary uses that they be
• 31:39
  not unfruitful." Now, we've noticed the
• 31:41
  preparation, the practice. Now, notice
• 31:43
  the purpose. Okay? Now, I got to give
• 31:45
  you some more context. All right? Notice
• 31:46
  the verse just before that in verse
• 31:48
  number 13 or verse, let's look at verse
• 31:50
  12. Paul says, "When when I shall see an
• 31:53
  Artimus unto thee, or Titicus, be
• 31:55
  diligent, or however you say that, be
• 31:57
  diligent to come unto me to Nicopoulos,
• 32:00
  for I determined there to winner. Bring
• 32:02
  Zenus the lawyer and Apollos on their
• 32:06
  journey diligently." Notice this last
• 32:07
  phrase, that nothing be wanting unto
• 32:10
  them.
• 32:12
  So what that means is Paul was saying
• 32:14
  you know when when you come you or
• 32:17
  actually he's not saying when you come
• 32:19
  Titus but there's people there with you
• 32:21
  that you're going to send. That word
• 32:22
  bring in verse number 13 it literally
• 32:25
  means to send verse 13 bring Zenus it
• 32:28
  means to send and to supply. So here's
• 32:31
  what he's saying. He says when he says
• 32:33
  bring Zenus and Apollos on their journey
• 32:35
  diligently that nothing be wanting unto
• 32:38
  them. He's saying that there is a need.
• 32:41
  Notice verse 14. Let ours also learn to
• 32:44
  maintain good works. What's that next
• 32:46
  phrase? For necessary uses. All right.
• 32:49
  What he's talking about is he says they
• 32:52
  need to be involved working. This is
• 32:55
  talking about physical labor providing
• 32:58
  for the needs of the church because
• 32:59
  there is a there is a need for supply,
• 33:02
  >> right?
• 33:03
  >> There's men that need to be cared for.
• 33:05
  What he was talking about is he's
• 33:06
  saying, Titus, those men of God that's
• 33:08
  serving God and traveling, you make sure
• 33:10
  they have everything that they need when
• 33:12
  they leave to come unto me.
• 33:14
  >> Right?
• 33:15
  >> You say, "Preacher, that's a that's a
• 33:18
  heavy burden." No, it's just the primary
• 33:20
  purpose of the child of God,
• 33:21
  >> right?
• 33:22
  >> We're to we're to supply the needs. And
• 33:26
  and look, I'm not talking about myself.
• 33:28
  I mean, what I'm trying to tell you here
• 33:29
  is is what he's expressing in verse 14
• 33:32
  for necessary uses. Your tithe is so the
• 33:35
  church can function,
• 33:36
  >> right?
• 33:37
  >> But let me give you this truth. All
• 33:38
  right. It's more important. Notice the
• 33:40
  verse. It's more important the support
• 33:43
  that's needed. Let me say this. All
• 33:44
  right. It's more important that you be
• 33:46
  successful than you be supportive.
• 33:49
  Notice the verse. Let ours also learn to
• 33:52
  maintain good works for necessary uses.
• 33:54
  Notice the last phrase, that they be not
• 33:57
  unfruitful. You know, here's the truth
• 33:59
  about the Christian life. Don't miss
• 34:01
  what I'm going to tell you right now.
• 34:02
  God does not need your money.
• 34:04
  >> Right.
• 34:06
  >> He don't need it.
• 34:08
  >> This place will go on. God will keep the
• 34:10
  lights on. Man, if there was no money
• 34:12
  coming in, God could he can keep the
• 34:14
  lights on. I I'm not that's not what I'm
• 34:17
  talking about. The reason God says here
• 34:19
  in the text that you're to do good
• 34:20
  works, maintain good works for necessary
• 34:23
  uses. What he is saying is there is
• 34:26
  support needed. He said, "But greater
• 34:27
  than the need for support because God
• 34:29
  don't need us,
• 34:30
  >> right? But what he's saying is is you
• 34:32
  need to be successful
• 34:34
  and that's a necessity. And the only way
• 34:36
  that you'll be successful is if you
• 34:38
  maintain good works. Let me say this. If
• 34:41
  you don't work a regular job, all right,
• 34:43
  listen to me now. Mama's in here, ladies
• 34:46
  in here that you stay at home, that is
• 34:48
  your job. That's
• 34:48
  >> right.
• 34:49
  >> Okay, listen to me. And I understand
• 34:51
  ladies that do different things. You
• 34:53
  work a job, but you got to be doing
• 34:55
  something,
• 34:56
  >> right?
• 34:57
  You ever wonder, you ever looked at
• 34:59
  people that they're constantly
• 35:01
  underneath the surface? Like they never
• 35:04
  have any money. They're always broke.
• 35:07
  They always got their hand out. And
• 35:09
  they're telling you, you know, we're
• 35:11
  doing the best we can. We're trying to
• 35:13
  do all we can. Some cases that's true.
• 35:15
  Let me say this. Most time it's not.
• 35:17
  >> Right.
• 35:18
  >> Most time it's not. Here's the thing
• 35:20
  about it. If you're not tithing, all
• 35:22
  right, Bible says, "Will a man rob God?"
• 35:24
  You know, "Where have you robbed me?"
• 35:25
  you know, tithes and offerings. We know
• 35:27
  the verse. Okay, here's the truth. If
• 35:29
  you're not tiing, what you're doing is
• 35:31
  it's not the failure is not that you're
• 35:33
  not supporting the church. It's that
• 35:34
  you're not being successful before God.
• 35:36
  >> You're right.
• 35:38
  >> It's a command.
• 35:40
  It's not got so much to do with taking
• 35:42
  care of the church. God takes care of
• 35:44
  the church.
• 35:45
  >> You are commanded to do it to bear fruit
• 35:47
  in your Christian life.
• 35:49
  >> You're right.
• 35:49
  >> Amen. It's why Jesus said Matthew
• 35:51
  chapter number six, he talked about your
• 35:53
  offerings. Amen. He said you need to he
• 35:56
  said you know you don't do that in front
• 35:57
  of everybody else just making you know
• 35:59
  what I'm saying. He says you don't do
• 36:00
  that to be seen. You don't go out in
• 36:03
  front of everybody and
• 36:05
  >> you know what I'm saying. He says Paul
• 36:07
  says there is a need Titus but you need
• 36:10
  to tell them greater than the need for
• 36:12
  support. Their need for success in the
• 36:14
  Christian life is greater than that.
• 36:16
  Here's what I know. When Jesus looked at
• 36:19
  that widow that had two mites. Remember
• 36:22
  what he said? He said he saw those rich
• 36:25
  men casting in of their abundance. And
• 36:26
  he said this widow of her penury
• 36:29
  >> or poorness. She cast in more than they
• 36:31
  all because she gave all that she had.
• 36:33
  >> Right?
• 36:34
  >> He's not concerned about the amount.
• 36:37
  He's just concerned about you doing what
• 36:39
  you what he told you to do.
• 36:40
  >> Right?
• 36:41
  >> If you are going to maintain good works
• 36:43
  tonight, and I'll say this, it goes
• 36:44
  across the board. This is the Wednesday
• 36:46
  night crowd. This some of the people in
• 36:48
  here, y'all the hardest working people
• 36:49
  I've ever been around. And this is a
• 36:50
  commenation to you. All right. God will
• 36:53
  bless you for that.
• 36:55
  >> Amen. Not because what you do for the
• 36:57
  church, but because when you give to the
• 36:59
  church, you are giving it to him. That's
• 37:02
  >> right.
• 37:03
  >> Brother Gray said this the other day,
• 37:04
  and I thought this was so good. He was
• 37:06
  talking about tithes. Now, don't don't
• 37:08
  get scared with me. He can say this
• 37:10
  because it's been 28 years, okay? Him
• 37:12
  pastor, but don't don't be afraid what
• 37:14
  I'm fixing to tell you, okay? He said
• 37:16
  this. He said, "If every bit of the
• 37:18
  money," because this happens a lot in
• 37:20
  this society. If every bit of the money
• 37:22
  that was brought into this church, for
• 37:24
  some reason by fraudulent activity by
• 37:27
  leadership, it got wasted and every bit
• 37:30
  of it got lost. He said, "Do you think
• 37:32
  all the people that tithe would lose
• 37:34
  their blessing?
• 37:37
  >> God don't want the money."
• 37:38
  >> That's right.
• 37:40
  >> It ain't about how much is in the bank
• 37:41
  account,
• 37:42
  >> right?
• 37:42
  >> It's the action
• 37:44
  >> of faith.
• 37:45
  >> You're right.
• 37:45
  >> Talking about maintaining good works.
• 37:47
  Amen. You ought to give your tithe not
• 37:49
  because it supports the church. You
• 37:51
  ought to give your tithe because it's s
• 37:52
  it's what success is in the eyes of God.
• 37:55
  >> Amen.
• 37:55
  >> Amen. Father, thank you for this time. I
• 37:58
  pray that this has been a help tonight.
• 38:00
  I know for myself, Lord, I want to
• 38:02
  maintain good works and I realize I've
• 38:04
  got a long ways to go, Lord, to get to
• 38:06
  where I should be. And Lord, I pray
• 38:07
  you'd help me tonight. Lord, you've even
• 38:09
  convicted my heart in this message.
• 38:10
  Lord, would you help us, God? Would you
• 38:13
  help us Lord to maintain
• 38:16
  God to to be available
• 38:19
  Lord but to be aware God? I'm afraid
• 38:22
  there's a lot of people that's aware of
• 38:24
  good works that need to be done but they
• 38:26
  have chose to make themselves
• 38:27
  unavailable. Lord would you help us all
• 38:29
  to be available to be aware and to be
• 38:32
  attendant to the needs Lord of the good
• 38:34
  works and to abide there. Lord would you
• 38:37
  help us take this message apply it into
• 38:39
  our hearts and lives. We give you thanks
• 38:40
  for it because we ask it in Jesus' name.
• 38:43
  And God's people said,
• 38:44
  >> "Amen."
• 38:45
  >> Amen.
• 38:46
  >> Thank you for joining our service today.
• 38:48
  We'd love it if you'd join us in person
• 38:50
  the next time you are able at Meadows
• 38:53
  Baptist Church. Our physical address is
• 38:56
  2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
• 39:00
  Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
• 39:03
  school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
• 39:05
  worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
• 39:07
  worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
• 39:10
  evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
• 39:13
  information, visit us at
• 39:14
  meadowsbaptisturch.com.
• 39:17
  Thanks again for tuning in.