Understanding GraceThis word is intended to help the brethren with our understanding of God's redeeming grace, in Christ Jesus, and our responsibility to fill the earth with the splendor of His glory and the saving work through Jesus.Welcome to the Preaching and Teaching Hour with Pastor Nick Holden. This message was delivered while we served the faith family at Gray Baptist in Gray, Texas on 10.17.23.#nestingwithjesus #titus2and11thru14 #1corinthians16and22 #john17 #matthew11 #burningbush #yokedwithJesus #exodus3 #jeremiah27and5thru8 #isaiah40 #waiting #understandinggrace #mark8and34thru38 #theagendaofgrace #theschoolofgrace #graybaptistchurch

Regenerating and RefreshingPaul's letter to Titus describes the encounter like this... "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man was manifested (made clear to us), not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)Those who have been bought, sought, caught and taught by Jesus can see and know that Jesus is God in the flesh and this revelation and regeneration changes their perspective and perception on God, life, grace and eternity. Jesus alters everything when He interrupts and invades a life."But we are BOUND to give thanks to the Father always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because the Father, FROM (eternity past) the beginning, CHOSE you FOR salvation (now, in time) through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, TO which He called you by our gospel, FOR the obtaining of the (eternal, forever and ever) glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).#nestingwithjesus #titus #titusoverview #titus1 #titus2 #titus3 #regeneration #jeremiah16and19thru21 #2thessalonians2and13 #1peter1 #sanctification #john3and16 #acts3and22thru26 #interruption #invasion #covering #veil #remove #isaiah25and7 #grace #faith #justification #redemption #agentofregeneration #gentiles #holycalling #eternalsalvation #salvationinChrist #bothsidesoftime #fromeverlastingtoeverlasting #Hissalvationisfarreaching #farreachingonbothsidesoftime

Things Still Lacking #nestingwithjesus #titus #titus1# titus2 #setinorderwhatslacking #healingwhatsmissing #mendingwhatslacking #2Timothy3 #ephesians4 #hebrews13and20thru21 #missionary #ministry #colossians1and28thru29 #doctrine #didask #clarification #conviction #correction #confirmation #complete #pluckablefruit #fruit #scriptures #gifts

Address Who and What they Profess Address Who and What they Confess and ProfessAddress Who and What they Address by Addressing Who and What they Profess.Take captive the active witness they give you.Addressing Who and What We also Confess and ProfessTitus 1:16 highlights the contrast between professed knowledge of God and attitudes, affections, and actions that denounce and deny Jesus.A few bullet points from the transcription of this message.• The book of Titus and its themes. 0:00 ◦ Titus 1:16 highlights the contrast between professed knowledge of God and attitudes, affections, and actions that deny Him.• False teachings in Crete. 2:30 ◦ Paul left Titus on the island of Crete to address the lack of submission to Jesus' Lordship and appoint elders. ◦ Paul emphasizes the importance of sound doctrine in rebuking those who contradict it.• Misinterpreting God's message and mistreating Jesus. 7:59 ◦ Pastor Nick Holden argues that false teachers in Crete mistreat Jesus and deny His Lordship. ◦ God chooses leaders, warns against rebelling against them. ◦ God controls the distribution of power and authority, even among nations like Babylon and Medes Jeremiah 27:5-9.• God's authority and salvation through Jesus Christ. 14:41 ◦ Pastor Nick emphasizes the importance of submitting to God's chosen means of salvation, as seen in John 17 and Titus…#nestingwithjesus #titus1 #titus1and16 #titus2 #jeremiah27 #jeremiah27and5thru9 #john17 #acts17 #acts3 #titus2and11thru14 #grace #guilt #jesus #GainingaHeartofWisdom #gain #wisdom #gleaning #learning #messups #dontletyourmessupsmessyouup #messupsdonthavetomessyouup #redeeminggrace #sin #forgiveness #Hesbetteratsavin

Grace, Grace, GraceThe clearest and most compelling explanations of grace and its concise agenda is found in Titus 2."For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."" Titus 3:11-14Yes, glory… such a clear revelation on the agenda of grace which is personified in Jesus, who gave Himself, when He (the personification of grace) came, to redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for Himself, His own unique people, who are now zealous for His good work and agenda. If grace is teaching it is teaching us to say no to us and yes to Him. It reaches us in our sins, impeaches us from the throne of governing our own lives, and teaches us how to live, love, and look for the blessed hope of His appearing. Glory be… the syllabus of grace, for the masters level work in eternal living, in God's Kingdom University, all open Book assignments, tests, and grading — to be lived and applied abroad for the classroom of life.Therefore, when a servant of grace is teaching God's children, it's ALWAYS with the same agenda of grace... instructing us on how to live life for Jesus, denounce and defer our rights to Jesus and eagerly wait for the hope of our righteousness that is found in Him. All biblical teaching in the school of grace is going to teach and remind us that God's redeeming grace REACHES us in our sin, IM

You Are or Were… Where and Who are You?Yes, a dark and grossly deceived world that as Paul described as being... unwise, unpersuaded, unable to see right properly, being led away by the darkness of their self-centered minds, being hated and hating others (Titus 3:3). And while he gives us this description he also says we were no different than them until we were interrupted by Jesus and invaded with His redeeming grace and glory.Before the interruption of Jesus: Humanity without Jesus"For we ourselves also were sometimes (in the past) foolish (unwise), disobedient (unpersuaded), deceived (unable to see light), serving divers lusts (living for self)and pleasures (going our way), living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another (looking out for number one and dared anyone to cross us or try to get in our way" Titus 3:3After the interruption of Jesus: Disciples who now know and follow Jesus"But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man was manifested (made clear to us), not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)The only thing that separates verses three and four is Jesus and His far-reaching redeeming grace. America and the entire world need this interrupting work before they are disrupted with destruction as in the days of Noah. See, Noah, like you and I, was interrupted when he was invaded with grace and instructed by God on what to do

Learning to LiveNotice how Paul described this thought to Titus, as he sent him a word while he was the under-shepherd over the elders and churches in Crete. Paul said his calling and aim was intentional in every way, for he had a heavenly agenda and mandate to fulfill, and with unquestioned loyalty, he expected nothing less than what God promised before time ever began. "...in expectation of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His eternal promise through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior" (Titus 1:1-3).#nestingwithjesus #titus #titus1 #titus1and1thru3 #heavenbornheavenbound #boughtsoughtandcaught #mymessage #mylifesong #lifesong #myrighteousness #myfaith #myhope #mylove #thegospel #lovingkindness #redeeminggrace #everlastinglove #bothsidesoftime #fromeverlastingtoeverlasting #Hissalvationisfarreaching #farreachingonbothsidesoftime #andmanifestedintime #doctrine #missing #mystery #lawlessness #godliness #Godselect #hope #faith #love #1timothy3 #deceived #endure #work #labor

Who, When and How Men Come to Jesus?All the Father Has Given"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)All the Father Has Given... I will give My all ~ JesusPaul's letter to Titus describes the encounter like this... "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man was manifested (made clear to us), not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)Let's walk through the first 10 chapters of John to get a better idea of Titus 2 and 3.I love it when Jesus talks specifically about me... without mentioning my name of course. But nonetheless, He's talking about me and every single soul that He MUST bring home to His Father. Even though I wasn't around at the time, and wouldn't be for a couple thousand years, He said I had been given to Him, by His Father. This meant, long before I ever knew I was His, I was His, therefore, I would one day hear His voice and be part of His flock, that He not only laid His life down for, but the flock that He would faithfully shepherd through this world, for His own glory. Wow!!! Thank You Lord for giving Your life and redeeming grace to me... I trust You! "...As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And [OTHER] sheep (me) I [HAVE] which are not of this fold; [THEM] also I must bring, and they will hea

When WE Were FoolsA fool thinks his or her way is best, even superior to God's thoughts on a thing. It's not that they are ignorant or unteachable, they're just unwise toward God because they believe their means and methods and mode of learning have no need for God or His favor and His wisdom. The fool will go to great lengths, as needed, to find someone or something or a system of thinking to affirm their opinion, justify their reasoning and validate their experience. Some fools are much smarter than other fools, but no matter how brilliant or brutish they may be, a fool is still a fool. A genius, without God and His redeeming grace, is still a fool... they just have a bigger trash can to collect and distribute more garbage. Like landfills... some are more toxic than others but all are toxic. Garbage is garbage not matter how shiny or rotten it may be. For any person, no matter the size of their intellect, that functions freely and fruitfully, in a world full of folly, without Jesus, is a walking, talking and balking fool. The natural result response of a fool to God and His way is disobedience. Why disobedience? Because they have not been convinced or persuaded that God's way is better than theirs or the system they are trusting. Therefore, they are led astray, again and again, by their own opinions, reasoning and experience. The problem with living like this is that it came so natural. And that's exactly Paul's point. Notice what verse three is teaching. Prior to Jesus interrupting my life, and invading me with His saving grace, I lived for myself. I was foolish or unwise, unpersuaded that God's way was the right way, led away bu my corrupted thinking to roam..

How Does God See It?What or who has your heart? What God meant it for or what others meant it for?What if what you or they meant and what God meant are not a match. So, what should you do with that?Where will you place your faith and focus?Who will you give yourself to?What means more to you?What they meant or what God meant?There will always be faith robbers and focus bandits... and their distracted agendas are a faith nullifier, only if you let it be.Don't give yourself to what everyone else meant. What was God's agenda in this? Joseph, in Genesis 50, helps us see the beauty of this principle.God used their actions — but condemned their attitude and affections and affirmations. Like Joseph's brothers others fall in that same category. Men like, Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar. Titus 2:11-14Let's look at Christ, and what God sent Him for.What's God's agenda in the birth of Christ? What did He mean it for? Others think it mean something else. You may have your own meaning for it. But anything short of God's meaning is a hijacked agenda.Have you hijacked what God meant?Has someone else hijacked your attention and focus on something less than what God meant?Think about it?If your faith in God's trustworthiness is not growing (expanding, stretching, increasing) while you're investing time to walk through His message (His word to us), you're tiptoeing through it WITHOUT Him. And to glean and grow, as we journey through God's message one MUST walk WITH God. And to walk with God one MUST please God. And the ONLY way to please Him is by believing and trusting Him — faith! It's IMPOSSIBLE to walk with God, consistently hear from Him and intent