Beyond Sunday

Ready For Work

Pastor Lee Day

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Your calendar can be full and your soul can still be unprepared. We sit down as a family around Titus 3 and let Scripture confront the places where Christian maturity gets tested the most: authority, speech, and the everyday choice to serve. I’m Pastor Lee Day, joined by my wife Erica Day and my mom Sheila, and we take Paul’s command seriously, to be ready for every good work, not only when it’s convenient but also when it interrupts our plans. 

We talk about biblical submission to rulers and leaders, what it means to obey without compromising God’s Word, and why respectful conduct matters for your witness. Then we get honest about the damage done by gossip, slander, and quarreling, even when what you want to say feels “true.” One line becomes a gut-check for everything we say out loud or type online: is it anointed or is it poison? We connect that to Ephesians 4 and James 3, and we challenge ourselves to let prayer replace the urge to vent. 

From there, Titus 3 pushes us into the harder work: gentleness and perfect courtesy toward all people. Erica frames gentleness as strength under control, and we reflect on how mercy changes your tone, your timing, and your reactions. Paul’s reminder that we were once foolish leads straight into the gospel hope: God saves us by mercy, renews us by the Holy Spirit, and keeps chiseling away the old while shaping the new. We close with practical ways to stay devoted to good works and wise boundaries for divisive behavior that threatens unity in the church. 

If this encouraged you, subscribe to Beyond Sunday, share it with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What is one “good work” you want to be ready for this week?

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SPEAKER_02

Welcome

Welcome And Guests At The Table

SPEAKER_02

to another episode of Beyond Sunday. I am your host, Pastor Lee Day, and I pastor Christ Family Outreach Church located in Amelia Courthouse, Virginia. On this episode, I have a couple of guests who are very special to me. My wife, Erica. Erica Day, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_01

I am great. I'm so excited to be back on the show.

SPEAKER_02

Back around the table. It's been a while since I let you come up here.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_02

But I'm glad to have you back. And I know the listeners are as well. The other lady around the table, she's known me all my life. And it is my mother. She is at the table with us. Mom, are you pumped up? Are you ready to go?

SPEAKER_00

Yes, I am. It's my favorite way to start the day in God's word.

SPEAKER_02

Amen.

SPEAKER_00

Let's do it.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and that's what we're going to do together here around this table. The three of us, along with the help of the Holy Spirit, we've already prayed and asked his anointing be on us as we share, and we are going to get into the word.

Titus 3 Sets The Standard

SPEAKER_02

Let me give you guys the title of this episode, uh, Ready for Work. Be ready for work. And our text, if you have your Bibles, is found in Titus chapter three. And I'm going to read to you right now just the first verse. Okay, just the first verse. And Titus chapter three, verse one says this remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work. Okay. Erica, Paul is talking about what it is to be a true believer of the faith. And as followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be submissive to those in the faith that are in a place of authority. And we must be obedient as long as it lines up with the word of God. And we must be ready to do, as Paul writes to the church, we must be ready to do every good work. What are your thoughts on that right there, Erica?

SPEAKER_01

Studying this, I saw where if you look at other scriptures, God's word tells us to submit to authority. God Himself establishes every government authority. And Romans 13:1 tells us that. So whether we agree with who our authority is, say in the government at that time, God's word tells us to submit as long as it's not going against his word, right?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, Acts 5.20 talks about obedience to leaders is obedience to the Lord unless they commit sin. And 1 Peter 2, 13 through 15 says, our respectful conduct silences critics and adorns the gospel. So we should be submissive and obey um authority no matter what, unless it goes against what the scripture says. And then Daniel 3 and 6 tells us how to do that. He submitted until he was commanded to violate God's word, and then he respectfully refused. And I think that's where sometimes um believers can not be respectful, but then that totally the enemy wins in that because then we are losing our light, right? To others.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I think too that when people come, obviously in the system of the world, they're they're they're there all week, they're they're at their jobs, many of them, and they've got to respect uh the authority, respect the authority, respect the authority. And many times, mom, it's not

Submitting To Authority Without Compromise

SPEAKER_02

godly authority that they're having to fall up under uh at their jobs and and things like this and such in the world. And then they come into the church and they're wounded, they're hurt, they're they do, you know, they don't want to fall under someone else's authority, just another person that they've got to listen to and and respect and be told what to do. Uh so they they don't understand the beauty in it when it's done right, that that God does set people up in up into a position of authority, not to lord the authority and power over the people, but because the people in authority should be seeking the face of God, they should be being led by the Holy Spirit, and they should be leading the people uh to to bring glory to God the Father and also for the spiritual health of the body of Christ. So when it comes to just submission to authority, to being ready for every good work, is is there anything, mom, that you wanna that you want to add into that part right there?

SPEAKER_00

Well, for me, to be ready for any good work um means that I would be submissive um to the authorities, to rulers and authorities. And as a Christian, I should obey, you know, the civil law as long as it's not against God's word. Um, but I also should be ready in my community as well as in my church family.

SPEAKER_02

That's good.

SPEAKER_00

And then it just brought to mind the scripture, uh, 2 Timothy 4 2, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season.

SPEAKER_02

Be ready.

SPEAKER_00

So, yes, I'm not a preacher, but I can tell everybody about Jesus and I can share what he has done for me. And um, you know, sometimes we have our days planned, what we're gonna do. Uh, but in season and out of season means when it's convenient and when it's not convenient.

SPEAKER_02

That's right.

SPEAKER_00

And so, you know, am I as a Christian willing to do the good work when it's needed and put my uh agenda aside for the day.

SPEAKER_02

And that could, if we're honest, that could be difficult to do at times.

SPEAKER_00

It could be.

SPEAKER_02

Because we have things that we schedule and we have things that we plan that we look forward to and we get excited about, and there's nothing wrong with that, but we do have to go through it with eyes open, spiritual eyes, spiritual ears open, ready to do every good work and not just lay it aside because we've got something else going good for ourselves. That's right. Paul

Refusing Gossip And Quarrels

SPEAKER_02

gives some things to do, but then he also lists out some things not to do, okay? And and some things to make sure that we're not doing as Christians. And and I want to take a look at that. It's found in Titus chapter three in the second verse, and Paul writes that we are to speak evil of no one and avoid quarreling. We're to speak evil of no one and avoid quarreling. So, mom, maybe maybe there's some listeners out there listening to this episode. They're struggling with this, maybe keeping their thoughts and opinions to themselves, because oftentimes that can be hard to do. Um, even if those opinions are true, okay? They could be factual. It could still be hard to keep it to yourself. Maybe it's something that someone out there listening to this right now is struggling with. Why is it so important, mom, to take heed to Paul's instructions here and not talk bad about people and avoid those quarrels? Why should we, why should we just not go run at the mouth and why should we be avoiding avoiding quarrels?

SPEAKER_00

Well, we always want to go to the word for advice, and I uh refer to Ephesians 4, 31 and 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. Amen. And you know, bitterness is something that uh has a root that can cause us to have a hardened heart, yeah. Um, to be a gossiper. We have negative attitudes.

SPEAKER_02

And that the root of bitterness can go down deep.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, it can.

SPEAKER_02

And and the problem with that is is that the root of bitterness, I look at it like this it likes to spread out and touch other things in your life. It doesn't just deal with that one topic. It it it it becomes contagious.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, it touches other things and other people.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, but I want to be a reflection of Jesus, right? Amen. And so that's why we want to we want to hold our tongues. Even if what we have to say is true about someone, you know, stop and think, what is the reason why we would want to share that information? Did this person like not meet our expectations? Yeah. Um, and certainly we all have our own faults, right?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And so we should forgive those people and let that go as Jesus forgives each one of us. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

As you were saying that, I'm sitting here thinking, like, before we say something, this could be a question that we ask ourselves. Is it anointed or is it dangerous?

SPEAKER_04

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02

What I'm about to say, is it going to be anointed or is it dangerous? Is it is it anointed or is it poison?

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

There's been times where I want to get out there and say the truth. That that that's really the main reason why I don't have social media, because I'm I'm tempted to tell some truth when when I see when I could see things that are that are going on. Yes. You know, or or there's people that'll say spread lies and say things that that I know the truth too, and it would be very easy to tell the full truth, but but I don't because would it be would it be anointed or would it be poison?

SPEAKER_00

Right. Well, I have learned too in my many years that, you know, a lot of times, or all of the time, it is better to let God handle it.

SPEAKER_02

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00

Pray about the situation instead of speaking to others about it, yeah. Let God handle it. Yeah. And he will.

SPEAKER_02

All the time. Yes. I've seen him do it time and time again. I'd rather God speak for me than me speak for me. Exactly. Because God never messes his words up, he doesn't mix words where where we do in this flesh suit. Yeah. Um, Erica, how do you how do you feel? Do you have anything to add to that? Why is it so important to avoid those quarrels and not talk bad about other people? You got anything?

SPEAKER_01

Well, slandering corrodes both the speaker and the listener.

SPEAKER_02

That's great.

SPEAKER_01

So when you're slandering and gossiping, not only are you sinning yourself, but you're corroding the person that you're speaking to.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and you're giving them an opportunity to sin along with you. So how dangerous is that?

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely. James tells us in three, nine through ten, with the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men. These things should not be so. So instead of tearing each other down, we're called to build each other up. And so our mouth is an instrument to the Lord. That's what the word says. And so would you take an instrument and play filthy music with it? No, right? You would feel convicted about that. So if our mouth is an instrument to the Lord, when we curse men out of in one second, but then moments later praise and bless the Lord, it's the same thing shouldn't be coming out of the same instrument, you know? So if we kind of look at it that way also, yeah, it might make us think twice before slandering other people.

SPEAKER_02

That's good. That's good. When we look at it like that, our our mouth is an instrument. What kind of notes are we playing out of it? What are we getting out of it?

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02

That's good. In the in the second verse, oh, you know what? I I just I just kind of had this image. As you you you're saying our mouth is an instrument, and it is. I was just thinking about a guitar that's out of tune. And when an instrument is out of tune, you can hear it. It's like, oh, that's not right, you know. And so we can look at it like that. When when we're treating people ungodly, that instrument is out of tune. We're giving them something to hear that is not is not the best that that instrument is capable of playing or doing. In the second verse,

Gentleness And Perfect Courtesy

SPEAKER_02

Paul goes on to say that we are to be gentle. If you're taking notes, I want you to write that down because that can be very hard to do at times. That we are to be gentle and that we are to show perfect courtesy towards all people. Erica, question for you. When it comes to being gentle and showing perfect courtesy towards all people, why is that so hard to do?

SPEAKER_01

Well, I would say because of your flesh, sometimes that can be hard to do in a situ in certain situations.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

But I think the world makes us think of gentleness as a weakness, but it's not strength. Gentleness is actually strength under control.

SPEAKER_02

That's good.

SPEAKER_01

It refuses harshness even when correcting others. And to have a mindset of not being harsh even when you're correcting, it's taken me many years to try to get to that point. I look back on raising, you're talking about even children, but you're supposed to be like this to everybody, but raising Elijah and sometimes maybe harshness coming out during correcting versus gentleness and correcting. There's a difference between the two. And so just learning throughout the years with now our second Josiah and just the difference in correcting with that. But we all need to remember our own need for mercy. I think sometimes, you know, it's easy to be harsh with other people when you don't recognize your own need for mercy from the Lord and just what he's delivered us from. And responding, not reacting, and letting the spirit govern my tone and how I react to things that's good. Makes the biggest difference. And we all know Galatians 5, 22 and 23, the fruits of the spirit, and allowing those to be my reaction and not my flesh.

SPEAKER_02

That's good. Gentleness is strength under control. If you're taking notes, write that down. Gentleness is strength under control. Mom, can you remember a time in your walk with Christ when your flesh wanted to speak out against someone where you wanted to quarrel, you wanted to give them your your two cents worth, but instead you chose to be led by the Holy Spirit of God. And you don't have to give us the exact situation. I mean, if if you don't want to, but I guess the answer that I'm looking for is that I want you to share with the people is how you ended up choosing the gentle path and how you gave courtesy toward the individual. Was that hard? And if so, why?

SPEAKER_00

There was an incident um that comes to mind. It was very hard at first just because of the person that this this person was very close to me and hurt me very deeply. And so, yes, I I had to deal with those feelings. Um, I didn't retaliate, but it took I let it take me to a place that I will not go again.

SPEAKER_02

Amen.

SPEAKER_00

Because when that happens, the worst thing that happens is it separates us from hearing God. You know, it it interferes with our relationship with the Lord. When someone hurts us deeply and we keep it in. But I learned through that experience to uh give it to God. We have to give it to God, we have to forgive the person, even if they don't forgive us. Yeah, we forgive them. It took a while for me to get there, but I have decided, you know, sometimes we have to think with our mind and not with our emotions and our heart.

SPEAKER_03

That's right.

SPEAKER_00

And recall what God's word says.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And do the word instead of following our emotions. And so through that experience, um, it has made it much easier for me, if I get offended, not to react in that in that way. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

That's good. I I say amen because you've you've made your mind up that you're not going back to that place. Exactly. You've been in that land, you've journeyed through it, you understand that you don't want to go back. And that's so important to understand that you're not gonna go back no matter what, no matter what it takes to stay out of there, you're not going back.

SPEAKER_00

Right, because I will not allow what other people to do, what they do to affect my relation with Jesus Christ ever again.

SPEAKER_02

Amen. Praise the Lord. That's a good word. In

Remembering Who We Used To Be

SPEAKER_02

the third verse, Paul gives us a reminder. He writes this for we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others, and hated one another. I mean, think about that. That's a that's a powerful statement right there. For we ourselves were once foolish, we were once disobedient, we were once led astray, we were once slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy. We've all been there. We've we've all been to the place where we've um been hated by others and where we ourselves have hated one another. And I think that that just kind of picks up on to what Erica was saying just a few moments ago about understanding that, you know, it's not just us that needs mercy, it's other people too. But we've been there when we look out and we see people acting foolish, and I don't use that word lightly. Uh, when we see people walking in disobedience, we've got to understand we can't judge them. We too were once there. We were once there. So how can we best minister to them rather than judge them? Now, that that type of lifestyle that Paul's talking about, it's it sounds rough, but again, as he said, we need to remember that we've all been there, we've all lived that lifestyle prior to coming to Jesus Christ. So Paul said this. He said that for we ourselves were once foolish. And I'm so glad that Jesus Christ stepped in and rescued us from that foolish living.

SPEAKER_00

Amen.

SPEAKER_02

That brings us to what Paul writes next in the text, ladies. And in

Saved By Mercy Not Works

SPEAKER_02

the fourth and the fifth verses, he writes, But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, amen. He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. So there it is, Erica. There it is, Mom. Yeah, right there. The good news that I want to remind all the listeners of today is that Jesus Christ stepped in, as Paul said, He saved us. Jesus saved us. And oh, yes, he did. Mom, if someone came up to you today and said, Sheila, what did Jesus truly save you from? What what would what would be your answer in a nutshell? What would you say?

SPEAKER_00

I would say that Jesus has saved me from hell and damnation is the first thing that comes to mind.

SPEAKER_03

Come on, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um, but even more than that, he saved me from an unfulfilling life.

SPEAKER_02

True.

SPEAKER_00

Here on this earth, yeah, which is what I was living before I was living for the Lord. Yeah. And living with Jesus is the best life that we could ever have.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Praise God. Praise the Lord. Yeah. And that unfulfilling life that you live, mom, was that for you? Um, was that a day-by-day feeling, or was that just weekend to weekend? What did that look like for you and dad?

SPEAKER_00

You know, at that point, we were not living for the Lord, and we were just living for ourselves and our own pleasure. But, you know, it's uh it is an unfulfilling life. There's the pleasures of this life are just temporary. That's it. Whatever you choose, whatever your pleasure is, it is a temporary thing. So, you know, you're living from for the nine to five job, um, you know, you have your kids and and life is going. But and I think in everybody's soul, there is an empty place that needs to be filled with Jesus.

SPEAKER_02

That's right. And sports teams can't do it, watching your children out on the ball field can't do it, taking vacations can't do it. Exactly. Getting the promotion at the job and making more money can't do it. There's that one empty space that can never be filled by anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ. Absolutely. And you'll never feel that complete fulfillment until you let him in and then let him start to change you. Absolutely. Erica, how about you? If if someone walk up to you and asked you what Jesus Christ saved you from, what would your response be?

SPEAKER_01

My response would be he saved me for myself.

SPEAKER_02

That's good.

SPEAKER_01

My flesh from a lifetime of selfishness and from the snares of the enemy.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, he did. Yes, he did. That's so good. That's so good. Titus chapter three, I'm gonna read verses five through seven that says this He, Jesus, He saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy by the washing of the regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly. That's so good. He is poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. So we we lack for nothing, we we should want. Want or need for nothing when it comes to the spiritual fulfillment. If we truly walk with God as He calls us to to be in step with His Holy Spirit, we will be completely filled every moment of every day of our lives, ladies. Amen. If we truly just understand that God has richly blessed us by way of his son and by the gift of the giving of his Holy Spirit in our lives. I mean, the Holy Spirit of God will encourage you. He will lift you up. He even prays for you when you don't know what to pray for yourself. So verse six, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Renewal By The Holy Spirit

SPEAKER_02

Erica, what jumps out at you in this text right here?

SPEAKER_01

Well, what really jumped out to me, I wanted to talk about was the renewal of the Holy Spirit and how you had talked about that. Right now, I guess we're doing a study on the Holy Spirit and just hearing the Holy Spirit. So maybe that's why that jumped out to me more. But renewal by the Holy Spirit, renewal is an ongoing work. It's not, okay, I'm saved. Yes, I have the Holy Spirit dwelling within me.

SPEAKER_04

Right.

SPEAKER_01

But it says in his word right now, he's renewing us. We're renewed by the Holy Spirit. That's ongoing. That's not one and done, right?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And so the spirit indwells and transforms us. But in Romans 8:11, it says, if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, he will also give life to your mortal bodies. So renewal is a continuous thing. And the spirit, he just keeps chiseling away the old in me and shaping the new, just for his glorification. Philippians 1.6 says, Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

SPEAKER_03

That's so good.

SPEAKER_01

So I just have to stand on that word, just like Sheila was saying, standing on the word, whatever my emotions say, ignoring that. But what does the word say? What is the word saying about me? He's saying I am renewed by the Holy Spirit. He is continuing to chisel away the old, making the new. And I am being confident of this that whatever he started, that good work, he is going to carry that on to completion.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. That's so good. You you talk about it's a renewal is a continual thing. And I'm a visual person. When you said that, the first thing that the Lord showed me was just the image of, you know, like when you're going down to the beach, there's always that that highway that has been under construction for years, you know, and there's equipment everywhere, there's people everywhere, and it's just construction for years and years and years. And and maybe listeners, you you you know what I'm talking about. There's a stretch of road that's just been under construction in an area that you travel through that is just years in the making. And that's what we are. You know, we are spiritual, living, breathing construction zones. Yeah, mom, what'd you get out of that passage?

SPEAKER_00

Well, I really like the part too about poured out on us richly. You know, God doesn't do anything halfway.

SPEAKER_02

No, no, no, he doesn't do anything poorly.

SPEAKER_00

No, he fills us um daily. I mean, he has given us our his his spirit is within us. Yeah how how much more could we ask for? I mean, there's not. That's right. But justified by his grace, um, to be made right with God through justification, and also that we are his heirs, his children. It says being justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. And that word hope right there is not the hope that a lot of us might think about, you know, like, oh, I hope I can afford that car one day, or I hope I get that promotion. No, this hope in the Greek is elpo, el po. And it means to anticipate with pleasure, with expectation, or with confidence. So a confident hope. It's not like we're hoping we're gonna get it. We are confident that in Jesus Christ we have eternal life.

SPEAKER_02

A confident hope. Yes. I like that. It uh a hope that is expecting, yes, expecting something. Titus

Staying Devoted To Good Works

SPEAKER_02

3.8 tells us that those who believe in God should be careful to devote themselves to good works. So, ladies, how do we make sure as Christians that going throughout our day, we remain devoted to the good works of God towards others? Mom, what do you think?

SPEAKER_00

Well, I think that kind of brings us back to verse one where it says, ready for every good work, you know, at any time. But I also feel like being connected to the body of Christ, uh, with Christ Family Outreach Church.

SPEAKER_02

It helps, don't it?

SPEAKER_00

We have so many opportunities, whether we're taking a meal, whether we're doing a visitation, um, praying for a brother or sister, sending a card, or serving at church. There, there's always an area that we can we can be of good works.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, because like Erica had said, like this renewal is an ongoing process, right? So there's there's there's there's construction going on all around us. Yes. Because we all as Christians should be going through that renewal. Erica, you have anything you want to add to that?

SPEAKER_01

Yes. It says right here, be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. That word devote implies deliberate, continual attention. Good works become a planned priority, not an occasional spur of the moment act. Being devoted means deliberate, right? We're not just devoting and it's just spur of the moment. It's a planned thing. So, number one, we must stay anchored in scripture daily because the word fuels discernment for what is excellent and profitable for us to do. And two, abiding in Christ through prayer and obedience. In some practical ways, speak words that build people up, show integrity by keeping promises and refusing to gossip, offer quiet acts of kindness to people, use your spiritual gifts. I feel like we're seeing that more and more people really tapping in to their spiritual gifts and using that for the glory of the Lord, giving generously. There's so many things we can do, but it needs to be purposeful, deliberate, continual attention to. That's what devotion means.

SPEAKER_02

What I love about spiritual gifts is it brings spiritual fruit all the time. I want to read from Titus chapter 3, 9 through 11, and we're gonna we're gonna wrap this episode up here.

Avoiding Division And Praying For Change

SPEAKER_02

Titus chapter 3, verses 9 through 11. If you got your Bibles, you can turn there, brothers and sisters. But it says this but avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful, he is self-condemned. So Paul says, stay away from controversies, stay away from the quarreling, stay away from fights, uh, even about the word. The scripture teaches us um that it does no good to argue about the word because it can only not only hinder your witness, but it can also lead to more damage being done by the enemy. So, mom, Paul instructs the church to stay away from someone who stirs up division, and we are to warn them once, and he says twice about their ways, but but but then he says, stay away, stay away from that type of person. What does that mean to you and why?

SPEAKER_00

Well, only God can change a person's heart. That's right. Who wants to quarrel and stir division? As a Christian, I can go to them in love and show them through scripture the error of their ways, but inevitably it's God that is gonna change their heart. And from the way this passage reads, this is a person who is not gonna change their mind, no matter, you know what we say, how many times we say it, because the word says you've gone to them twice and they don't change their mind. Um, in Matthew 18, 15 through 20, it also says you can take another step and take them to the elders of the church. And after that, it's an issue that we should stay away from them.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So at that point, I would just try to avoid that person and just but continue to pray for them.

SPEAKER_02

Absolutely. That's what I was gonna say too. It's so important that we we don't give up on them altogether when it comes to the spiritual side of things. We we continue to pray for them, pray that their eyes be opened and that they would be delivered from whatever lies that they've bought into, whatever hold that the enemy has for them. We we should be praying and rebuking in the name and the blood of Jesus, the enemy, yes, off of their their lives, off their minds, so that they would be able to see and hear clearly uh what God has for them. And that they would be able to see the air of their ways. And again, this all goes back to what Paul is writing in the beginning of the chapter to be submissive to authorities, because if if the authority in the church is doing it right, they should be seeking God for the movement of the church. They they should be seeking God for the movement of the ministry, and we have to trust that authority does that. And so that is really what Paul is saying to line up with here is to line up under the authority. Do not get caught up arguing and quarreling because it'll pull you outside of that. And we just have to keep our eyes and ears open, most importantly, being attentive to the Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER_00

Amen.

Final Prayer And Blessing

SPEAKER_02

Amen. Let's pray. Father, I'm so grateful to have an opportunity to get into your word with my wife and my mother and these listeners. Father, I pray that this episode has been a blessing and has opened eyes and been a blessing to the ears that have heard the scripture and the references that we have shared today. We love you, we praise you, we honor you in the name of the blood of Jesus. All God's people said. Amen, amen, and amen. Until next time on Be On Sunday, God bless.