"Sound Doctrine"

Disqualifications

When someone teaches errant information out of ignorance, they are unqualified to teach.  When someone teaches errant information in an attempt to deceive others, they are disqualified from teaching.

Titus 1:7-11

⁷ For the overseer must be beyond reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not overindulging in wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, ⁸ but hospitable, loving what is good, self-controlled, righteous, holy, disciplined, ⁹ holding firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.

¹⁰ For there are many rebellious people, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of dishonest gain.

 

“Biblical Production”

Discipleship

To disciple an individual means to dedicate a great amount of time training them and explaining the essential details of a specific subject.  When we give our lives to Christ and discover the specific gift(s) that is given to us by the Holy Spirit, and begin to function in the gift(s) according to the desire of the Holy Spirit; we PRODUCE within the kingdom.  When we take the time to disciple someone else, we REPRODUCE within the kingdom. 

Matthew 28:19-20

¹⁹ “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

 

“Biblical Approach to Life”

Delays

Lettuce takes about 30 days to grow.  Some varieties of potatoes can take between 90 and 150 days to cultivate.  What is the delay with the potatoes?  What takes them so long to produce?  Nothing.  There is no delay and they do not take a long time to grow.  They grow in the amount of time that it takes potatoes to grow.  Many times we believe that there is a delay in the answer to our prayers or we believe that God is delaying our blessing.  God has a time when He desires to do something.  Unless we know God’s timing, we cannot determine that our blessing is delayed or that the answers to our prayers are delayed.  We will get what God wants us to have WHEN He wants us to have it.

In Genesis 40, while Joseph is imprisoned in Pharaoh’s prison, God provides Joseph with the opportunity to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief cup bearer and his baker.  After interpreting the dream of Pharaoh’s chief cup bearer, Joseph requested that the cup bearer petition Pharaoh to have Joseph released from prison.  However, after being released from prison, the cup bearer forgot about Joseph. 

In Genesis 41, Pharaoh has a dream that no one can interpret and the cup bearer finally remembers that Joseph has the authentic ability to interpret dreams.  So he mentions Joseph to Pharaoh and Pharaoh has Joseph brought to him to interpret his dream.  After giving Pharaoh the correct interpretation of his dream, Joseph’s life changed instantly.  He never returned to his cell and he is placed in a position that requires him to answer only to Pharaoh.

On the surface, it may appear that there was a delay in Joseph obtaining his freedom from prison.  However, there wasn’t any delay at all.  God is the One who gave Pharaoh a dream that required a divine interpretation.  This brought about the need for the only person in Egypt who had been given the divine ability to interpret dreams.  Joseph was released from prison when God determined that he should be released.  If Joseph had been freed 2 years prior, he would have been like fruit or vegetables that are harvested before they are ripe:  good for nothing.  There would not have been any purpose for Joseph to fulfill for Pharaoh.  God determined when the time was ripe and Joseph became beneficial to the Egyptians, his father and his brothers, the Israelites who would come from the lineage of his brothers, and the rest of the world that would have access to salvation because of Christ who came from the Israelites through the lineage of Judah.   

Galatians 4:4-5

  ⁴ But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, ⁵ so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters.

 

“Life Applications”

Deliverance

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 

There are times when God will allow us to stay in a situation beyond frustration.  When we get to a point where we have placed our focus completely on Him and we have to be reminded that we are even in a situation, we have come to a point where God can change our situation.  We are not learning to live with our situation; we have learned to live beyond it.