Out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

 Good morning. We were talking about the Holy Spirit last time – whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Remember that John the Baptist said that the One following him (Jesus), was the one who is going to baptize in the Holy Spirit. We were justified by grace not by our works. Why – that we might be made heirs. Paul wanted Titus to speak confidently so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. God did not pour out his Holy Spirit upon us for us to just sit around singing worship songs. We are to get out and do good deeds. We don't attract men to Christ by what we do in church; we attract them by what we do in the world. I'm not aware of this happening at church, but with one that big I would not be surprised that it goes on in secret - reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. There is a fine line between speaking out about something that is wrong going on in a church and speaking out through selfish motives. Because the latter is so threatening to the life of the church, we are trained to disregard and condemn those statements as attacks against the church. At a previous church I heard that a particular person was leaving because she believed that something was going on in the church that was inexcusable. Of course I immediately dismissed it because that is what you're supposed to do, and I had not seen anything wrong happening. I later discovered that she was right. It was an economical thing. Father thank You that You poured out Your grace richly upon the reader. He/she is an heir according to the hope of eternal life.