Branch Church

Titus 2:4-10 gives practical insight for how a Christian grows in maturity and health through a church family. God intended the saving Gospel of Jesus to save us, transform us and then work through us to others. One will see that we need the local church and the local church needs us.

Titus 2:1-4 teaches that we must believe what is right then do what is right. There must be a connection between the doctrine we profess and the conduct we display. Both must glorify and exalt God.

In Titus 1:9-16, Paul continues his qualifications for an elder. This message looks at the importance of teaching in the church of God by the elder/pastor. An elder must understand, obey, teach and defend biblical truths to the congregation.

In Titus 1:5-9, the Apostle Paul gives Titus a list of qualifications to fill the role of elder in the churches in Crete. Allow these characteristics to challenge you to grow spiritually. In essence, these are qualities of any spiritually mature believer.

What we believe shapes how we behave and how we behave demonstrates what we believe. And for the Christian, the world watches how we behave more closely than what we believe.

The book of Ruth wants to teach us that God's purpose for the life of his people is to connect us to something far greater than ourselves. God wants us to know that when we follow him, our lives always mean more than we think they do. For the Christian there is always a connection between the ordinary events of life and the eternal work of God in history. Everything we do in obedience to God, no matter how small, is significant.

In Ruth 3, Naomi and Ruth are running out of time. The harvest is just about over and Boaz will be returning home. He obviously is not making a move, so Naomi comes up with a plan of her own to get Ruth and Boaz married. It turns out to not be the greatest advice, but it works because Boaz had a great amount of honor and integrity. There is a lot we can learn from the two of them in this situation. When Boaz acted with integrity, he was declaring that God was in control and He would provide.

Romans 2 introduces us to Ruth and Boaz. The question surrounding the love story of Ruth and Boaz is… did all of this just happen by accident, fate or of God? Even when it appears God is silent, He is still working!

We all face loss, tragedy and hardship. These tragedies and hard times can lead to bitterness, isolation and a feeling that God has abandoned us. The first chapter of Ruth shows us how God is working things out in ways we cannot even imagine. We just need to patiently trust Him.

"There are too many hypocrites in churches!" This message is to encourage Christians to be more aware and intentional in helping people know and follow Jesus.