1 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,520 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Lewis 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,200 Harold, assistant pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,520 County in Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Lewis as he 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:18,920 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:40,840 So in order to prevent that danger, you can't lay hands on 6 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,720 people too soon. So a pastor should not be a 7 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,040 novice. You know, they can be gifted. 8 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:47,960 Often times they are. They're gifted. 9 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,280 They have a lot of abilities. Seen it. 10 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,920 But then as soon as adversity hits, soon as someone disagrees, 11 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,160 when you get a chance to witness someone in those situations, 12 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,879 that's when you find out exactly what the maturity level is, 13 00:01:04,879 --> 00:01:06,720 where that person is at, mature wise. 14 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:11,760 If you put a gumball under a 50 ton hydraulic press, what 15 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:13,840 happens? You get gum everywhere. 16 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,640 Now put a diamond underneath that same pressure and what do 17 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:20,080 you get? Well, you'll still get bits of 18 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:23,960 diamond everywhere, but it will take a lot longer and a lot more 19 00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:27,240 pressure. The point I'm making, and Pastor 20 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,400 Lewis will solidify today is that things under pressure 21 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,960 reveal a lot. You can learn a great deal about 22 00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:37,480 a person when you observe them under pressure. 23 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,440 Today Pastor Lewis remind you that an elder is someone who is 24 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,560 seasoned and experienced under pressure. 25 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,400 Now here's Pastor Lewis in the Book of First Timothy, chapter 26 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,160 3, with today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 27 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,680 So it wasn't, you know, far off that Paul talks about this, but 28 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:00,760 we should not be verbally or physically contentious. 29 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,120 We shouldn't be contentious with anybody and always looking for a 30 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,840 fight shouldn't be quick tempered in that way at all, 31 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,880 shouldn't be prone to that type of violence. 32 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:17,320 And then ten he says, not greedy for money, not greedy for money. 33 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,120 And you would think that this is something that you shouldn't 34 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:24,520 have to talk about. But you know, the desire to 35 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:28,360 obtain more and more money can happen before you know it. 36 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:32,960 You know, when money starts to be an object for you, before you 37 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:37,160 know it, almost everything that you do is geared around you 38 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,440 getting money is geared around you getting money. 39 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:46,560 You know, people talk about is it unlawful to gamble or to do 40 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,000 things of that nature? But when you think about it, 41 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,360 when someone is given to that to the point where they're losing 42 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,160 control, it's because the money has become almost, it's come 43 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:02,520 like an idol and they're constantly seeking more and more 44 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:08,560 and more of it. We also understand that the, you 45 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,800 know, the people who are in the ministry for money, you know, 46 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:14,600 are, are, are in it for the wrong reason. 47 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,640 I mean, if a person goes in to be a pastor because they're 48 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:19,800 trying to be rich, then they're going into it for the wrong 49 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:25,000 reason. We shouldn't run our churches 50 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,720 like corporations where we care more about revenue than we do 51 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,520 about souls. We can't do that. 52 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,280 It's about sharing the gospel and getting the gospel message 53 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:41,320 out for to win souls and once those souls are one to teach 54 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:45,600 them in the ways of the Lord to disciple those souls, not to 55 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:50,880 make money, not to make money. We don't even like pass around 56 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,280 plates and things of that nature, you know, trying to get, 57 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,040 you know, money or push people to get money. 58 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,480 I have been in churches where people have taken multiple 59 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,880 offerings because they didn't get what they wanted the first 60 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,360 time. So they take multiple offerings 61 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,440 to get what they want. I've seen that happen. 62 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:15,640 But in this church, I've never seen money be the main issue. 63 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:18,399 Won't teach about money as being the main issue. 64 00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:20,959 If we feel like the week before, well the offering was a little 65 00:04:20,959 --> 00:04:21,959 low. So this week I'm going to teach 66 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:26,120 on money. I've seen churches to do it, so 67 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,440 thank God we don't do that. We don't even have offerings in 68 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,680 here. You never want to see anybody in 69 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,640 here walking up to you asking you for money or pushing money. 70 00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:39,200 That's just not something we do, and ministry shouldn't be about 71 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,080 that. That's like having a covetous 72 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,720 pastors who are always looking to make more money. 73 00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:48,360 There's some pastors who are involved in schemes outside of 74 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:52,480 the church to try to make more and more money for themselves. 75 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,320 Well, if you're focused on that, it's very hard to be focused on 76 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,640 shepherding the flock. It's going to be hard to take 77 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:02,240 time to study and to be in prayer. 78 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,320 If you're always thinking about your next scheme to make money, 79 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,720 it takes over. It takes over. 80 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:10,840 And the more you get, the more you want. 81 00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:12,640 That's just the trap of the devil. 82 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,400 That's the trap of the devil. And that's something that we 83 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:21,480 have to try to avoid so that we don't get in that trap. 84 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,800 And we it's, it's circular. It just keeps you moving and 85 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:30,240 going and going and going. And first Peter, in first Peter 86 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,960 chapter 5, chapter 5, it says the elders who are among you. 87 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:40,600 I exhort I am a fellow elder and a witness of the suffering of 88 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:45,440 Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed. 89 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,920 He says, shepherd the flock of God, which is among you, serving 90 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:54,880 as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not by dishonest 91 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:58,280 gain. That means trying to do things 92 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:02,880 to bring money in so that I can gain more money, but eagerly, 93 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,080 nor as being Lords over those entrusted to you. 94 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:13,920 So we should not be always given to looking for and trying to 95 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,720 accumulate more and more money. Calvin had an interesting quote. 96 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:22,160 He says, I repeat, that the man who will not bear poverty 97 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:28,160 patiently and willingly will inevitably, inevitably become 98 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:32,000 the victim of mean and sordid covetousness. 99 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:36,680 So we become victims to covetousness when we do not 100 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:41,720 allow ourselves to just trust in the Lord, to make him our 101 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:45,760 Jehovah Jireh. And I can tell you by doing that 102 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:48,320 here that Lord has been faithful. 103 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,400 He has been faithful. He's taking care of this house, 104 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,960 He's taking care of the house and the needs of the house. 105 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,000 As long as we, I've heard, you know, years ago, I was always 106 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,840 taught that when we take care of God's business, he'll take care 107 00:07:00,840 --> 00:07:03,720 of ours. And I found that to be true. 108 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,960 I found out to be true. So we go on. 109 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,240 He says 1. He says not dumb, he said not 110 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,800 greedy for money, but gentle. He should be gentle. 111 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:18,520 You know, not someone who is impatient or someone who is not 112 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,800 approachable, but he should be gentle. 113 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:24,400 It should not be a problem to approach a pastor. 114 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:26,880 He should be able to listen to others and listen to others 115 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:31,200 opinions, listen to criticisms, opposing views without 116 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:36,320 overreacting or reacting in a defensive or an aggressive 117 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:38,840 manner. But to be gentle with people, be 118 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,800 gentle with each other, be gentle with the flock. 119 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,760 He also says they try to allow others to serve in the church. 120 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,880 And this is one of the things that I really love about here at 121 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,680 Calvary Chapel that we give those who we see that God is 122 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,200 putting a passion on your heart for ministry. 123 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:59,440 We give you the room to be able to go and to serve in that 124 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:03,080 ministry. And not only do we not interfere 125 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:06,560 with your serving, but we are a covering and not a lid. 126 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,920 We support you and encourage you in that ministry, but we don't 127 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,040 stunt your growth in that ministry. 128 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,880 We don't stunt how big that ministry can grow to or the 129 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:18,880 things that you can do in that ministry. 130 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:22,040 We don't stunt the growth of your ministry. 131 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,720 We encourage you long as it's a blessing. 132 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,480 It lines up with the Word of God. 133 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,960 People were being blessed by it. Souls are being touched by it. 134 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:34,600 People were getting into the Word of God through it. 135 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:42,640 We have no issue only want to know what can we do to help How 136 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,520 can we assist you? What resources can we give you, 137 00:08:46,680 --> 00:08:52,680 but we not going to be a lid and try to stop your progression and 138 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:55,480 then in #12 says that he's not quarrelsome. 139 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:57,760 The man of God shouldn't be course, when we talked about 140 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,160 that a little bit and that's talking about fighting, but this 141 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:04,040 is more verbally fighting, always being contentious with 142 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,920 someone verbally getting into arguments and things of that 143 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,040 nature. And that that's that that's it's 144 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,680 kind of prideful. You know, when, when, when a man 145 00:09:13,680 --> 00:09:17,200 of God is always being defensive and getting into arguments with 146 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:19,920 people, whether it's about the word or about something that's 147 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:22,680 happening here, you know, like we can't listen to hear. 148 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,280 If you feel like you have an idea about how to do something a 149 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,760 little better than what we're doing it, you know, absolutely, 150 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:32,800 of course, through prayer, through much prayer and 151 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:36,320 supplication, that's when we actually move on doing things. 152 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:40,840 But absolutely we listen and hear what people want to share, 153 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:43,800 what people want to share. We want to do that. 154 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:46,400 So we're not being argumentative, but the people 155 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,480 who are being argumentative always getting into disputes 156 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:52,920 that nature, that can be a problem. 157 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,200 Wheresby says this, he says short tempers do not make for 158 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,160 long ministries. You know, you got a short 159 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,520 temper, you'll probably have a short ministry as well. 160 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,600 In verse three, he says do not be covetous. 161 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,680 And we talked about that and that has to do with someone who 162 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:10,560 is a lover of money. And we know what it says in 163 00:10:10,560 --> 00:10:14,440 First Timothy that, you know, if you're a lover of money, that 164 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:19,400 can cause problems, a lot of problems, causes you to suffer 165 00:10:19,560 --> 00:10:22,320 many things. But it's the love of money 166 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,640 that's the root of all evil, not money itself. 167 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:29,160 It's the love of it that's the root of all evil. 168 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:31,520 And then he goes on here in verse four. 169 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:36,240 He says one who rules his own house well, having his children 170 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,880 in submission with all reverence. 171 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,640 Verse 5 says if a man does not know how to rule his own house, 172 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,320 how will he take care of the House of God? 173 00:10:46,680 --> 00:10:48,520 So we have to look at a couple things here. 174 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,240 First of all, when he talks about ruling, he's talking about 175 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:56,000 managing his house well or stands before his house or 176 00:10:56,120 --> 00:11:00,400 presides over his house, governs his house well. 177 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:04,400 A pastor and elder must be able to manage their own house, must 178 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:10,040 be able to have his own children in subjection to be able to 179 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,960 minister to anyone else. Now, we're not talking that we 180 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,240 know that people know children. They grow up, they get older, 181 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:19,080 they leave the house. You know, you don't always. 182 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,120 We don't have control over people that leaves your house 183 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:22,880 anymore. They make their own decisions. 184 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:24,880 That's part of growing up and growing out. 185 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:27,760 They make their own decisions. But the children who are in the 186 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:32,240 house with you, how well do we manage the house with the with 187 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,080 children, you know, that are in the house? 188 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:36,680 And that's not to say that every again, that's not to say that 189 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:39,000 every pastor has to have children. 190 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:41,520 Doesn't mean that they have to have children. 191 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:45,360 But if they do, the children should respect the man of God. 192 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:47,960 They should have respect for you because see, if there's 193 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:50,280 something going on at home that's different than going on 194 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:53,280 here, The first place that you'll detect that is going to 195 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,280 be in the face of the children. It's going to be in the lives of 196 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,000 the children. They're going to be able to tell 197 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,120 you the law and I ain't the same God that we live with. 198 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:06,560 Yeah, I know who that is. Stand up there teaching because 199 00:12:06,560 --> 00:12:10,000 I ain't the same God that we go home with, you know, I mean, you 200 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,640 know, it, it, it, it's, it's, it's again part of that double 201 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,200 life. And and kids don't respect 202 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,440 hypocrisy no more than adults respect hypocrisy. 203 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:22,280 They can see it, they can sense it. 204 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:24,960 And if you know, and if and if you're doing it at home, then 205 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,440 how are you going to manage the House of God? 206 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:29,560 Our children should be respectful. 207 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:32,880 They should obey them and be in subjection to them. 208 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,440 And the reason why is because the example that they see is 209 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:41,520 someone who is subject to the leading and the authority of 210 00:12:41,560 --> 00:12:45,640 Jesus Christ. That's why a family should be 211 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:49,880 able to follow the man of God. It's because they see that he is 212 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:54,560 willing to submit himself to his authority, which is Christ. 213 00:12:56,680 --> 00:12:58,760 A woman will follow that, a wife will follow that, and so will 214 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:02,440 the children. They'll follow that, but he goes 215 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:04,680 on here and he said to take care. 216 00:13:04,680 --> 00:13:08,160 How will he take care of the House of God or the Church of 217 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:09,960 God? And that take care actually 218 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,760 deals with ministering to the Church of God. 219 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,560 How will someone who doesn't minister to the needs of their 220 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:19,240 own home and address the needs in their own home? 221 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:22,600 How will they address the needs in the House of God? 222 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,360 And it's taking care of those needs when someone is hurting, 223 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:29,440 when someone is was going through sorrow, when someone is 224 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:33,440 going through different needs or hurts, If someone gets into sin, 225 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:36,480 how does the man of God respond to that? 226 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,120 How does the man of God respond to that? 227 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,320 That's what this is talking about, how, you know, taking 228 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,440 care of the Church of God. It's the shepherd. 229 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,200 Remember, he's a shepherd, and a shepherd takes care of the 230 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:53,880 sheep, and one of the main ways that the shepherd takes care of 231 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,640 the sheep is by feeding the sheep. 232 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,360 Just to go back to that whole thing about being able to teach, 233 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:04,120 you have to feed the sheep. The sheep has to be fed. 234 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,000 If the sheep aren't fed, they die. 235 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:12,400 Sheep that aren't fed die. So you have to feed the sheep 236 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:14,720 and that's taking care of the sheep. 237 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:19,760 The next one that he talks about here is not a novice. 238 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,120 He said he shouldn't be a novice and this is a big one. 239 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,600 It's an important one because often times in a church, because 240 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:33,200 of need, people kind of lay hands on other people too soon 241 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,760 because there's a need. So you lay hands on someone too 242 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,960 soon and they put them in a position before they are ready 243 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:46,600 to be in that position. It should not be a novice. 244 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,640 And this is not saying, in other words, what it's saying here is 245 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,760 that they should not be someone who is newly planted or a new 246 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:58,600 convert. Now there are people that come 247 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,480 into the ministry, they get saved and they grow really, 248 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:04,600 really fast. I've seen it how, I mean, you 249 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:06,440 know, people, they can grow really fast. 250 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:08,840 I mean, they're hungry, they're eating up God's Word, and 251 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,800 they're growing, and you're watching this growth. 252 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:17,400 But maturity comes over time. It has nothing to do with age. 253 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:24,440 It has to do with time in the Word, time in the faith to be 254 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,720 mature. What have you experienced? 255 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:30,040 You know, it's not how long someone's been a pastor, but how 256 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,640 long have they been saved? That's the question. 257 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:33,960 How long have you actually been saved? 258 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:37,640 You know, you don't get saved one week and then two months 259 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,280 later, three months later, you put someone in the ministry. 260 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,280 That can't happen. That sets that person up for 261 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,320 danger, sets them up to get puffed up with pride and because 262 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,960 they don't know how to handle those things yet, have not had 263 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,480 the humility that is necessary to have one. 264 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,920 Age doesn't have anything to do with Christian maturity, but 265 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:57,400 there's a lot of things they have to learn. 266 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,520 You know, Paul talks about the, I'm sorry, Peter talks about the 267 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,840 fact that we have to add to our faith once we get saved. 268 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,920 And that takes time to add different things to our faith 269 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:09,720 once we get saved. So in order to prevent that 270 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,640 danger, you can't lay hands on people too soon. 271 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,160 So a pastor should not be a novice. 272 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,160 You know, they can be gifted. Often times they are. 273 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,200 They're gifted. They have a lot of abilities. 274 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,240 Seen it. But then as soon as adversity 275 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:29,120 hits, soon as someone disagrees, when you get a chance to witness 276 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:33,280 someone in those situations, that's when you find out exactly 277 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,520 what the maturity level is, where that person is at. 278 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:42,800 Mature wise haven't had an opportunity to view their prayer 279 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,640 life or to see them when they're being criticized, or to view 280 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:48,520 their faithfulness to the current ministry. 281 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:50,760 How faithful are they to the current ministry that they're 282 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,920 in? Because that's very important. 283 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:56,920 So these are all fruit that we look at and, and the last one, 284 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,240 and we're going to close on this one, is a good testimony among 285 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,160 those who are outside of the church. 286 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:06,800 A good testimony. Look at what it says there in 287 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:11,520 verse 7. Moreover, he must have a good 288 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:15,599 testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into 289 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:20,760 reproach or shame and the snare of the devil. 290 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:27,400 The elder or pastor must have a good reputation not only in the 291 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:29,280 church but also in the community. 292 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:35,560 If you have, if, if a person is a pastor and in the community, 293 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:41,840 people are able to say things about the pastor, say things 294 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:45,520 about the pastor that are true, that's an issue. 295 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,360 Who's going to come in here and listen to a pastor that they've 296 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:52,840 seen out on the corners or listen to a pastor, you know, 297 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,160 how's the guy who owns a bar going to come in and listen to a 298 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,280 pastor who's frequenting a bar stool in his bar? 299 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,320 Or maybe a woman who's, you know, looking at changing her 300 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,280 life and maybe right now she may be a dancer or something and she 301 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:08,640 comes in and say, man, I know him. 302 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:12,560 I mean, these are all drug dealers. 303 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:15,800 He's one of my, he's one of my customers. 304 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:22,320 How will a man be able to witness the word of God if 305 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,200 that's what's going on? Seeing it happen, seeing it 306 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:29,080 happen. Reputation in the community is 307 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:31,440 important. Got to be respected in the 308 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,560 community as well as outside. Just because someone doesn't 309 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:36,880 agree with you, someone doesn't want to be saved. 310 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:40,680 Just because they're not into church, so to speak, it doesn't 311 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,080 mean that they don't respect the pastor. 312 00:18:44,360 --> 00:18:46,240 They see him. He's always speaking to him, 313 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:48,160 even though they don't. They haven't showed up in the 314 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,280 church yet. He's invited them several times 315 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,120 and they haven't showed up yet, but yet they respect them. 316 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:56,840 They never slander him. They're not saying anything 317 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:58,360 about him. Yeah, he's a good guy. 318 00:18:58,360 --> 00:19:01,920 Just ain't going to this church. I ain't into that right now. 319 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:04,120 Never know what God would do with their hearts later. 320 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:07,200 He just got to keep on asking. That's what I'll do. 321 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,800 We just keep on asking. You know, I couldn't make it 322 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:12,640 this week because I had this to do. 323 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:15,200 No problem. Catch you next time, man. 324 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:18,120 See you next time. Yeah, I'll be there. 325 00:19:18,120 --> 00:19:20,040 I'll be there. OK. 326 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,560 That's how it goes. That's how it goes. 327 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,640 It's just like that sometimes. But we must have a good 328 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:31,480 reputation so we don't let the devil be able to speak. 329 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:34,960 I'll of us. In Acts 16 and 2, Paul said that 330 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:40,240 Timothy was well spoken of amongst the men in Lystra and 331 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,560 the reason why is because he gave a good example. 332 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:48,520 He walked in the ways that were of good behavior and he had a 333 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:52,680 good testimony and a good reputation among those who are 334 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:56,160 without. See, all these traits that we 335 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:59,800 talked about are really traits that Jesus Christ has. 336 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:06,000 He has these same traits. And we cannot get these, but by 337 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:10,000 the power of the Holy Spirit, I look at some of these traits and 338 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,960 I said, oh, Lord, have mercy, have mercy. 339 00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:19,520 How am IA, pastor? These aren't things that you can 340 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:21,680 do yourself. These aren't things that you can 341 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,000 become yourself. These aren't things that you can 342 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:27,040 become yourself. These aren't things that you can 343 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:30,600 try to act or try to show in front of people, but really 344 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:34,320 they're not in your heart. Lord, have mercy and put these 345 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:38,080 things in my heart. Holy Spirit, lead me in these 346 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:40,560 things lead me in the way everlasting. 347 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,800 I don't want to be a castaway when I when I teach the word of 348 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,600 God and though I'm teaching to somebody else and yet I'm 349 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,720 disqualifying myself by what I'm saying. 350 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:55,400 I don't want to be that. So Holy Spirit, I need you to 351 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,440 help me and we all need this. This isn't just, it's it, you 352 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:02,040 know, he's talking about it here for leaders, but this isn't just 353 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,040 about for leaders. This is Christian life. 354 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,320 This is Christian life. This should be the description 355 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:12,400 of all of us, but the only way we can attain to it is through 356 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,320 the Holy Spirit. And thank God he's so merciful 357 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:18,160 because we don't have all these things. 358 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:19,600 He don't stop. That's it, you're done. 359 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:22,800 You have 5 out of the seven, sit down. 360 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:24,800 You got to have all of them. Sit down. 361 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,480 You can't do this no more. Thank God He doesn't do that. 362 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:31,160 He doesn't disqualify us because we don't have it all together. 363 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,040 The Bible tells us that the good work that he's begun and us, 364 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,760 he's going to continue to do it until the day of Jesus Christ. 365 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:41,480 That means as long as we're living, He is sanctifying us 366 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,000 into a good work. Let's pray. 367 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:47,880 Father, we thank you for your word. 368 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:49,440 We thank you for your instruction. 369 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,400 We thank you for your goodness, Father. 370 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:58,560 We ask now, Lord, that You would touch our hearts, This word, 371 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:00,760 Lord, that you gave us today in First Timothy. 372 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:04,560 These instructions, Lord. These are high standards, Lord. 373 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:09,360 And these are things, Lord, that it takes prayer, it takes the 374 00:22:09,360 --> 00:22:12,840 movement of your Holy Spirit in US, Lord, for us to be able to 375 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:18,360 attain to such things. Even Paul himself said, even 376 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:23,320 though I'm not attained and I've not apprehended everything, but 377 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:27,440 what I do is that I put those things that are behind me and I 378 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:31,040 reach toward those things that are before me, and I press 379 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:33,960 toward the mark of the high calling of God. 380 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:39,640 So yesterday or today, I may have fallen short on some of 381 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:41,080 these things that we talked about. 382 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:45,840 Maybe some of us fell short, but we can put those things behind 383 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:50,600 us, Lord, and we can seek You today and ask You, Lord, to help 384 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:55,320 us today to attain those things, Lord, to put those things in our 385 00:22:55,320 --> 00:23:00,520 hearts and to help us to live a life, Lord, that is worthy of 386 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:03,000 the call wherewith we are all called. 387 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:08,800 So, Father, even as we do that, we remember your sacrifice 388 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,920 because you left heaven with a reputation in heaven, Lord, You 389 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:18,560 were glorified, and you came down here to earth amongst men 390 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:22,720 who mocked you, who slandered you, who talked about you, who 391 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:27,120 spoke I'll of you, who lied on you, all for the purpose of 392 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:29,280 setting you up to take your life, Lord. 393 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:34,480 But yet your word says that even when you were reviled, we were 394 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,200 persecute, persecuted. Lord, You never reviled. 395 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,880 You didn't revile again even when you were threatened, Lord, 396 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:45,400 you didn't threaten that. You never threw back the spear 397 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:49,560 that was thrown at you, but instead, Lord, you committed 398 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:55,440 yourself to the Father, to the one who judges righteously. 399 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,640 Thank you for tuning in to Living Waters of Grace with 400 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,840 Pastor Lewis Harrell. We're currently in the books of 401 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:07,600 First and Second Timothy. Some of the things included in 402 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:11,680 these New Testament letters from Paul are that the young and 403 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:16,360 newly established Pastor Timothy was being encouraged to hold 404 00:24:16,360 --> 00:24:20,400 fast to what was true. He was challenged to confront 405 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,360 and address the false teachers that were rising up. 406 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:27,640 He was also reminded to accept his calling to the ministry with 407 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,520 gratefulness and to address the happenings going on in the 408 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,560 Ephesian church. Paul was imparting his 409 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,960 experience and knowledge to the next generation. 410 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:42,520 Timothy was receptive to learning and gleaning what he 411 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:46,160 could from Paul's wisdom. This is how it should be in 412 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,880 ministry across multiple generations. 413 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,720 Those who have lived a little more life should be open to 414 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:56,920 sharing their successes and also things they've learned along the 415 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:58,480 way. That we're not a wind. 416 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,360 The younger generations coming up can learn and appreciate much 417 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:06,600 from those ahead of them, and perhaps avoid some of the same 418 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:11,080 pitfalls that their mentors work through mentoring. 419 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:15,560 It's a beautiful relationship. When the hearts are in the right 420 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,840 place to learn and grow. You trust that you're in a 421 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:20,560 community where this is happening. 422 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:25,800 Older ones providing advice and wisdom, and each side learning 423 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:29,560 and growing from one another. This certainly was the case for 424 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:33,280 Paul and Timothy as they were comrades for the sake of the 425 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:36,280 gospel. For more information on where 426 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:40,360 this teaching came from, go to calvarychapelonline.com. 427 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:44,880 There you can also learn about our service times to join us in 428 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,160 person. This has been living waters of 429 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:48,720 grace.