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Subtle Practices that Destroy Souls - Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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What a precious time in worship this morning.
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Thank you for including your voices today.
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Would you please meet me in the second letter to Timothy in
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chapter 2? Beginning in verse 14, in our
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Bibles. So we open up God's word
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together. 2nd Timothy Chapter 2 beginning in verse 14.
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Remind them of these things in charge them before.
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God not to quarrel About Words, which does no good, but only
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ruins the hearers, do your best to present yourself to God as
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one approved. A worker who has no need to be
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ashamed. Rightly handling, the word of
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truth, but avoid irreverent babble.
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For it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.
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And their talk will spread like gangrene among them are
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Himalayas and Phi leaders, who have swerved from the truth.
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Saying that the resurrection has already happened, they are
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upsetting the faith of some, let's pray.
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Or this is your word, we acknowledge it as a supreme
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authority, we acknowledge it as perfect.
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We acknowledge it as god-breathed and that it is
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sufficient to make us Godly. We ask Lord that you would help
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us understand what you're saying in these verses and that they
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would apply to our lives. Give us your heart.
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Give us the grace to know your will for us.
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We ask these things in the name of Jesus.
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We pray. Amen.
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There are many hooks in this world that have the ability to
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lure any Soul into destruction. Both in this life and in the
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Life to Come. And unfortunately, these
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spiritual dangers are not few but they are many.
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And so, vast and extensive are these threats.
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That many of them may not even be in the radar of our
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understanding. Nonetheless, we have to
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understand all that God has given us concerning warnings.
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And there are some professing believers who may not recognize
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how particular practices put them in others in great
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Jeopardy. And what are the warnings that
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you and I are about to explore this morning.
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Apply to you are relatable to you.
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It doesn't really matter because it is our duty to identify as
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many Lethal things as possible. So that we would not be caught
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unaware by the enemy of our souls.
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We must be familiar. We must be studied and we must
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be prepared less at any time in your own life, or even in the
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life of this church. We would see these looming has
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It's affecting the faith of even some. and the menacing tricks
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that we are about to discover this morning, do not have to
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deal with the danger of lust. Or Pride or divisiveness or
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anger or jealousy? They focus on the misguided
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discourse. Of various kinds more
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specifically, arguing debating and even teaching that is not
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aligned with God's word or God's ways.
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And before we continue we might fall into the temptation to
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think. This is really not a pliable to
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me. This is not something applicable
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to me. I don't think I really need to
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really pay attention and I would say no, you must pay attention.
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look at Verse 18 Again, very quickly as we look at the last
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phrase, they are upsetting the faith of some Paul brings up
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that there are certain behavior that is disturbing certain
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Christians within the Church of Ephesus, that's where Pastor Tim
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was was leading And that was enough, just a handful even if
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people within that church were being disturbed.
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And Paul saw it necessary to intervene, just one part of the
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body was being affected. And Paul says, this has to be
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dealt with from the leadership. This has to be dealt with as a
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whole entire congregation. What's the point that I'm trying
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to make? If one part of your body was in
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pain, if one part of your body was injured Afflicted in some
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way, would you not take care of it?
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We do not give it great attention, even if your finger
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was out of place, you would do all that, you can to make sure
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that it was restored to perfect health and like manner as the
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body of Jesus Christ, we are one, we are connected and we
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must be fully aware and alert even if some even if one member
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is affected in some way, It is our duty.
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We are accountable to one another.
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And so, when we look at these things, consider not just a
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danger to yourself, but perhaps a danger to others in which you
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must also be aware of, there are three things we have to avoid.
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These are subtle practices. These might not be so dangerous
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to the immediate. I but they are in fact,
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dangerous, and we must avoid these things.
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And the first thing that is mentioned is in verse 14.
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We are told here that we are to not quarrel about words.
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The first thing to avoid is to not give in to things that are
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not sensual. Paul says, remind them who are
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them the people in his church, the people in his congregation,
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the people in Ephesus, remind them not to quarrel about
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certain words. And what's amazing here is that
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this command is so serious and Paul's mine more importantly,
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the holy spirit's mind that Paul does something that he often
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doesn't do before. He gives a command He invokes
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the presence of God. Does he not say it charge them
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before God charge them before the presence of the Lord?
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And why is he doing this? Because before he's about to
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give this instruction, he is trying to remind the people of
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God, of a truth that we often forget.
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And that is this, God is in the midst.
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God is surgically supervising and taking into account whether
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or not we are taking seriously, any of his commands.
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And what Paul is trying to do by saying charge them before, God,
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Is to provoke a fresh fear of the Lord and the people.
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God Is Watching You. And the believer.
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Must be continually aware of The Unbroken, attendance of God in
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all of our activity. Including our conversation.
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And I can tell you this from the scripture, and I can even tell
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you this, if this means anything from personal experience in
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Ministry, That one of the greatest ingredients in order
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for a church to be clean. Spiritually and healthy is for
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every single individual of that church.
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To be convinced that God is in the midst.
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There's an interesting verse in Acts 9:31, where we were told
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about the church and walking in the fear of the Lord.
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And in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied walking in
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the fear of the Lord. What does it mean to walk to do
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all life to be in conduct in the fear of the Lord?
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And in the comfort of the Holy Spirit?
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It multiplied. That was the thing that set it
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for growth, the fear of the Lord, something that Satan has
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made us afraid of And I can tell you that the opposite of this
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truth is just as effective, negatively, listen, all you need
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as you're going to find out by the end of this message.
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Is one person in a church to not be convinced that God is in the
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midst to not be convinced that God is taken to account.
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What you say, what you do to not be convinced that God is
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watching for Havoc to ensue and for chaos to erupt just one just
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one. But let me tell you something.
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In case, you're that person that you don't believe that God is
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watching at all times. You're in for the shock of your
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life. when you stand before, the judge of the Earth, And how you
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dealt with his bride, you're in for the shock of your life,
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brother, you're in the shock of your life sister.
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Charge them. Before God.
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And what this Paul want, the people of God to realize that he
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is observing. Do not quarrel about words.
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He's listening. And this may be a little
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difficult to interpret because what this Paul mean by words, is
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he talking about? Empty words, he's talking about
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theological terms, is you talking about controversial,
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spiritual subjects? Is he talking about gray areas
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that are not so clear in the Bible?
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What does he mean by words? Here's one thing that we can be
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secure about Paul is not implying.
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That Christians should have a relaxed attitude about the
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precise meaning of the Bible. In fact, Paul himself, gets
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caught up in words. Sometimes you don't have to turn
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there, but let me read this to you as a reference and Galatians
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when Paul is defending, the gospel of grace, from Heretics
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that are coming into the churches of galatia and trying
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to say, you know, Jesus died on the cross but it's Plus your
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efforts, he's making a defense and he uses this argument out of
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many arguments and Galatians 3:16.
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Now, the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring.
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Now, look, he's quoting Genesis, it does not say, and to his
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offsprings referring to many, but referring to one and to your
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Offspring, who is Christ. So he takes one word from the
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Old Testament to make a case that The Offspring is Jesus
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Christ. So that's somebody getting
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caught up in words. That's somebody who is who's
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fighting with words defending a word in the Bible.
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There's an appropriate application.
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Listen of getting caught up in specifics, in the Bible.
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Of being serious about Doctrine, especially when it deals with
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foundational truths of our faith.
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But listen, there's a very fine line between being on The Quest
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For Truth. And quarreling about things that
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are not sensual. And that don't benefit one
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person in the end of it. A sincere Believers.
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I hope you're a person that loves the Bible and I hope
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you're a person that wants to go beyond Elementary truths.
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And you want to, you want to dig deep in the terrain of the
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scriptures and get a grip on everything that the Bible has to
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shed light on. That should be your pursuit in
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life. That should be your joy in life.
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And I believe that you and I should understand all that, the
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Bible has to offer, whether it's weightier matters or things,
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that are not so clear. We should want to know God's
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mind, and God's heart. And Paul is not saying here, do
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not come to the point where you don't study or even discuss the
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details of divine revelation. I believe what the holy spirit
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is trying to say, here is more about the attitude.
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Do not quarrel about words, What are some examples of this?
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You have some people? Who orbit all their energy
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around words. You have some people for
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example, that make their entire Ministry and their spiritual
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journey. Convincing people that creation
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is not six literal days but more expansive time because the
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Hebrew word can be a broader definition and and they'll fight
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Christians about that. Or you have others who will say,
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because the Hebrew word for Adam is man.
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Adam was not a literal figure Eve was not a literal literal
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person, but they represent their allegorical of humanity and they
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creep into churches and they clash with Believers about these
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things upsetting the faith of some Buses.
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Don't quarrel about words. Don't get caught up with these
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things. He's not saying don't defend
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truth. He's not saying don't get caught
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up in serious study. The Bible, he's saying don't
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quarrel about it. In fact, when he says squirrel,
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here's the Greek word. Tell me if it sounds familiar
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katastrophe. When he says, it will ruin the
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hearers, the word ruin is katastrophe.
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Says, if you get caught up in this as a church, it will be
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catastrophe upon catastrophe. Really brother?
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Are you sure? I'm not saying in the Bible is
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subtle ways that people can destroy Souls.
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And the catastrophes are many. I rev an example of a young man
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who was headed towards Bible College, and as he was being
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prepared to go and study theology, he approached a man
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that he believed was a man of God, and you might believe the
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same, aw Tozer. And it came up to aw Tozer.
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And he said, aw Tozer. I don't know if he said it, like
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that. Pastor Tozer.
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I'm headed to Bible College. Can you give me some insight
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about Calvinism and arminianism who?
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And this is what the man said. As he received an answer from
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Tozer quote and I'll never forget the advice.
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He gave me at the time, I thought it was rather
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inconclusive and not too helpful.
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But I listen carefully, he said my son, when you get to College,
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you're going to find that. All of the boys will be gathered
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in a room discussing and arguing over arminianism in Calvinism
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night after night after night, I'll tell you what to do.
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Cliff go to your room and meet God at the end of four years,
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you'll be way down the line and they'll still be where they
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started because greater minds than yours have wrestled with
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this problem and have not come up with a satisfactory
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conclusion instead. Learn to know God now am I
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against going back and forth with people concerning these
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doctrines. Absolutely not Am I against not
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having Clarity on certain themes of the Bible?
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Absolutely. Not. but I personally refuse to
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allow myself to be given into living by the adrenaline of
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arguing. To the point where I cause
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unnecessary friction between genuine brothers and Christ and
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Sisters in Christ. To the degree, while I neglect
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my personal pursuit of holiness. This is they don't discuss about
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words. Don't study words.
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Don't quarrel about words. You have many unsanctified
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Debaters in Christendom and they're good at it.
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And their entire spiritual journey is all about arguing and
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not about becoming like Christ. This is the great warning that
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we have today. If you get caught up in
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quarreling about words, you might just be ruining your
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spiritual progress. Again am I saying that we should
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not pursue knowledge? Know what I am saying is that we
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must avoid the motive and the attitude that Paul ascribes to
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false teachers. But what do you mean Paul brings
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up quarreling about words before and he Associates it with the
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attitude of false teachers go to First Timothy chapter 6 and look
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at verse 4 with me. This is Paul's description of a
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false teacher and this is what he says among other things.
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He is, puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.
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Now, look at this, this is an important part.
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He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels
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about words, there it is, which produced look at the fruit of
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it, which produces Envy dissension.
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Slander evil suspicions and look at an expert in verse 5 and
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causes friction. And causes friction among people
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who are depraved the Mind deprived of Truth.
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Imagine that godliness is a mean of gain.
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So here's the thing. I mean, it's a very fine line.
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You can get caught up in these things but you have to look at
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the fruit. I personally am willing to sit
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with somebody all night about whatever subject they want to
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talk about. As long as I can discern, that
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they are genuinely wanting to grasp truth.
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But I am not interested in speaking with somebody that just
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wants to quarrel because they find some cheap thrill from it.
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I don't have time to waste. There's so much that I need God
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to do in my life and if you're going to rob that time, go find
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some other place with all due respect.
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Don't quarrel about words. Don't get caught up in these
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things. But he comes to the next point.
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The next thing to avoid in verse 15, of 2nd, Timothy 2.
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Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved.
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A worker who has no need to be ashamed.
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Rightly handling. The word of Truth, avoid being
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careless with the Bible. Is the second thing.
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This is a more obvious malpractice to us.
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We understand this pretty clearly it's pretty
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straightforward and sandwiched between the negative command of
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do not quarrel about words. And in verse 16 avoid irreverent
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babbling is the cry to handle the the word of God rightly.
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But notice what he says before, he says do your best.
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Do your best, just like the verse before this.
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He is trying to emphasize the seriousness of this.
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Do your best to show yourself as one approved before God,
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white-knuckled devotion, immovable, immovable discipline.
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laser sharp Focus to what get the approval of man God forbid
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To receive your acceptance from God.
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And yeah, they're they're being approved by God as listen is to
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be severely tested to go through much scrutiny and investigation.
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Only to find yourself in the clear, only to find yourself in
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the past. This is what he's speaking about
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and he's saying, I want you Timothy Pastor, I don't want you
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to give all your energy to win the respect of your congregants.
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Do that is important to some degree.
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I want all of who you are your priority.
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You're Ambition in life to win God's acceptance.
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What would the church look like in America if every single
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believer had that as the banner over their life?
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What kind of heights of Holiness?
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Would we reach? What kind of purging and
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draining of corruption in the church?
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Would we know what kind of power from the Holy Spirit?
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Can we see flow from vessels? Who have cleanse themselves from
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all other motives except except this one?
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Make sure that you do your best of all things to seek and to
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receive your approval from God and God Alone.
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And there's an example. If you were there last Friday, a
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Bible study that I can't get out of my head.
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So I have to share this morning. About a contrast between a man
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who was concerned about God's glory and a bunch of other men
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who were concerned by inferior motives.
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If you want to turn their you can.
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It's in first Samuel chapter chapter 17, this is when Goliath
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comes on the scene and he's roaring from one Hill and he's
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intimidating the Israelites. And in first, Samuel 17 verse
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24. If you were there.
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Last Friday repetition is good. It gets in your soul deeper.
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First Samuel 17, 24. Look at the reaction of the
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Israelites. All the men of Israel when they
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saw the man being Goliath fled from him and were much afraid.
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And the men of Israel said, have you seen this man who has come
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up? Surely he has come up to defy
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Israel and the King will enrich the man who kills him with great
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riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's
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house free in Israel. What a reflection of the poor
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leadership of Saul Saul had to stoop down.
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So low, that he had to actually bribe.
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His men with cash prizes, his daughter for marriage and a
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tax-free house. With the hopes to motivate at
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least one man to stand before a Goliath and do something about
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it. And look at the attitude of the
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soldiers, nevermind Saul, what was their concern?
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They said, surely he has come up to defy Israel.
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Israel and here you have unfortunately a commentary of
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the modern Church to some degree like saw you have much
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leadership that needs to use, worldly means to try to wake up,
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the people to be faithful to the Lord to get involved in serving.
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God, God's glory is not enough. Walking for him, is not enough.
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No. No.
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We need to give you toys. And we need to, we need to pet
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you and we need to give you some kind of entertainment.
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Something of the world to persuade you, that God is worthy
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of your service. And like these men.
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When opposition comes, you have many Believers, that are only
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concerned about themselves. He has come to defy, Israel, my
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safety and my comfort, and my needs.
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Where's God in all of this? Where is God?
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I'll tell you where God is after this David shows up on the scene
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and I want you to see how he responds in verse 26, and David
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said to the men who stood by him what shall be done for the man
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who kills this Philistine and takes away.
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The reproach from Israel for who is this uncircumcised
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Philistine. Now look that he should defy the
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armies of the Living God. So, David shows up on the scene,
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you know, how these men including salt interpret what's
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happening to Goliath, oh, he's gonna kill us.
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And here's some, here's some money.
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And here's a beautiful girl and here's an easier life.
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If somebody's willing to stand up and David this teenager shows
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up on the scene, he goes. Do you guys hear that?
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He's blaspheming our God. David possess something that the
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entire armies of Israel, lack. You know what?
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It was a fierce loyalty to the glory of God?
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And guess what? Because he had that he didn't
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need promotion. He didn't need man's approval.
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He didn't need your toys. He didn't need your product.
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God's glory was enough. You want to dishonor?
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My God. Then I will stand for me, even
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if I stand alone, and that's the thing that drove him into that
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Valley and to look up into the eyes of a man that could have
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crushed them at the expense of the risk of his own life.
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He said, because God's glory is at stake.
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I will give my life. That is the key ingredient that
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will produce an endurance and great acts of faith from your
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life. And that is unfortunate.
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The thing that keeps many people because they lack it from doing
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things for the Lord, like these armies show.
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Get a church filled with people that want to honor God and you
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don't have to use worldly means to try to keep them.
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That's what Paul is trying to say to Timothy.
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Don't worry about your approval. Do your best for God's sake, for
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God's name, for God's approval. And you will see great strides
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in your faith and he says, rightly handle it.
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So, this is the, this is the context.
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Get your approval from God as you defend the truth, as you
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stand for a while, there is opposition and criticism and
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heresy. But more than that, not just
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defending it, rightly handling it What does that mean?
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Very straightforward, isn't it? To not include your
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interpretation in two verses to honor the context in which
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things are presented to. As a pastor dissect.
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The word of God in a way, that doesn't cause more confusion,
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but brings more clarity to apply it to your life.
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First, before you dare even teach it to another Soul.
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Rightly handled the word of Truth in the original language.
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It simply means this. Cut it straight.
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Cut it straight. Honor it respect it.
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Revere God through it. And this imagery is very
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impressionable when we understand that, the word of
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Truth is also referred to what as the sword of the spirit.
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So you can translate it this way.
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Rightly handle the sword of the spirit. if handled Faithfully,
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the sword of the spirit, Can kill the old man and make way
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for the new man to live in the newness of Christ.
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If handled Faithfully, this sword is able to slaughter the
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power of sin. so that Holiness can flow through your
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bloodstream as a blood, but Christian If handled with love
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this sword can cut out unbelief in the great physician of your
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soul, can replace it with faith. But unfortunately.
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If handled without God in mind, this sword can be turned into a
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tool to pitch. It's you.
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And to satisfy your flesh because someone refuses to take
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out the sharp Blades of the word of God, that cuts your heart
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with conviction. And the opposite way.
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This sword can also be mishandled by by frightening,
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Sinners unnecessarily because someone is Out For Blood and
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they decided to wound people without healing in mind and
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they're out just to make a statement even at the expense of
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your soul. And listen, even some genuine
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believers. Can cut out portions of this,
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favorable parts of the Bible and they have an imbalance diet,
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making them malnourished in the spirit.
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Can I prove that to you? Go to Luke chapter 24 with me.
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I want to show you something quite interesting in the Bible.
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I this portion of the Gospel of Luke is arguably one of my
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favorites. There's so much meat in this
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chapter of the Book of Luke. And what you see here is those
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two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
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They were sad. They were sad because the
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Messiah, the one that did all these Miracles.
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The one that made so many promises and their understanding
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has been crucified and news spread through all Jerusalem.
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This man is dead. And their heads were hanging low
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and Jesus shows up on the scene and he avails himself, he
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doesn't reveal that. He is Jesus.
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And he begins to have a conversation with him.
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And he asks, why are you sad? And they look at each other and
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they look back at him and they are you are you new to this
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place? Did you not just hear what's
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transpired over the past few days?
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And they begin to express their sorrow and their grief and their
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disappointment and here's counselor Jesus.
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Here's Pastor, Jesus. You know what?
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He's going to say. What would probably cause people
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to leave the church of it. He's very insensitive that
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Pastor doesn't isn't sympathize with me.
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You want to see what Jesus said, look here in verse 25 of Luke
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24. And he said to them, o foolish
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ones. And slow of heart to believe all
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that the prophets have spoken. He calls them fools.
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He calls them fools. That seems insensitive you have
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two men who put their hope in the Messiah, their hope, and in
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the Christ. And it seems like their faith is
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being challenged and and you come Lord and you tum your
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foolish Why? Was it because they sincerely
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believed and they were going through a trial.
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No. It's because what, what did he
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say? Slow of heart to believe all
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that the prophets have spoken. They believed some of what the
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prophets have spoken, not all, why just like many of the Jews
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including the disciples when they read the Old Testament
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scriptures, you know, where they gravitated towards the
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triumphant Messiah, the Messiah, that would save Israel from its
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oppressors. The Messiah that would deliver
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this nation and would rule the world.
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That is the thing that they were attracted to.
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That is a thing that they interpret its solely and they
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miss the suffering one. They miss the one that would die
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and would be buried. And when resurrect and guess
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whose fault it was theirs. Some people question, how can
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Jesus be so strong against the leadership of that day?
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They were just understanding what they seem to understood
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know. They misunderstood the Bible
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wasn't confusing. They just chose the parts that
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they wanted to receive while neglecting the others.
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And that's what many Christians do today.
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They don't take all of the word of God.
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They take some of the word of God, preferably the ones that
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don't disturb their sin. And don't challenge them to be
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prayerful and serious and zealous.
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Give me the ones that will Coach me and will help me pursue my
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dreams and my ambitions and that's what's the most popular
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preaching today. It's self-help.
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Sprinkled with some Jesus on it. And then you wonder why there's
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so much compromised so much. Powerlessness and not just that,
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just like these disciples consider this, that because of
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their lack of balance. Understanding of the word of
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God, they invited unnecessary sorrow.
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The reason why Jesus rebuked them was because the very sorrow
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they were experiencing was their own doing.
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And what about the depression and people's lives?
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And what about the weakness? And what about the spiritual
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anemic state of so many believers?
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it's because like these two on the road to Emmaus, they took
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some of the Bible and not all of it.
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You didn't consider the rest of the scriptures you too.
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So listen, what does Jesus do to these Heavy Hearts?
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What did you do to provide healing and restoration?
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Look at verse 26, was it not necessary that the Christ should
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suffer these things and enter into glory and then look at
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verse 27, He says here, it says, here about him and beginning
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with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them all the
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scriptures, the things concerning himself. so you know
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what, Jesus does, the great Expositor He rightly handles the
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word of Truth. See your fault as you didn't
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listen to all. So you know what I'm going to do
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to you right now. I'm going to give you all that
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the prophets have said. and I always say this when ever I
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references, this this part of the Bible, don't you wish that
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the Holy Spirit recorded that bible study, He didn't they just
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summarize it? Oh, I would have loved to know
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what Jesus said. As you walk with those to the
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realize what we said in Moses, do you realize what was said in
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the prophets? Do you realize what was said in
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the Psalms and this is what happens, we know this later on
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these Heavy Hearts, listen, they invited that Pain by their
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negligence, they invited that Sorrow by their laziness by the
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presupposition by their desire to choose and eat the And spit
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out the bones, whatever that means.
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And by the end of that Bible study later on when Jesus
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appears to them in that house and he disappears, they look at
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each other and said did not our hearts burn within us.
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So that what's that's what happens when you honor the
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Bible, for what it is, you take the scripture for what it is
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that you rightly handle it. You will know a burning
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sensation that will cause your affections for Christ to
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increase that will burn away all other things of the Flesh and
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will cause you like those two to run out of that house and tell
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others about this Jesus. Don't be deceived by those who
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are filling stadiums and when that talented worship team goes
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up. There's a hoopla and there's
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amazing passionate expression of praise If there is not a right
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handling of the truth, it's all a facade.
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It's misguided at best. Jesus rightly handle the word of
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Truth. Listen, the implications of this
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is great. Pay attention now To rightly
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handle the truth. Has the power as we know to save
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a soul from hell. And listen, it has the ability
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to save the saved from unnecessary sorrows.
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Honor the Bible read it. That's why I personally, this
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isn't Bible, this is personal but I'm sure the Bible can be
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proven by this statement. Read your Bible entirely.
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Let me be practical Now, read it cover to cover.
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And listen, I say this in love, if you're a Believer, has been a
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Believer for many years and you haven't read through the entire
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Bible. Shame on you.
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Shame on you. You have to know the word of God
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from cover to cover. If you believe that this is the
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word of God, the most important truth known to mankind and you
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haven't covered it after many years.
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Why? Get into the word honor, the
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context have conversations about it.
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Seek reputable men, who fear God and interpret it correctly and
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you will know something in your soul, you will know a great
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protection and provision that you can't even imagine.
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Rightly handle the word of Truth. and we come to the final
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warning in second Timothy, In verse 16 down.
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We're told to avoid one. More thing.
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First thing, avoid quarreling about things that are not
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Central, it ruins, it's hearers, secondly, avoid Miss handling or
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being negligent or lazy with the Bible.
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You are inviting like those two, perhaps, unnecessary sorrows and
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ways of thinking, and lastly, avoid people.
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Who are given to irreverent babble.
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This may seem like an introduction to a different
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version of polluted speech. It may seem like the impression
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here is don't be around those. Who entertain sin with their
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tongue? Who are?
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Entertaining foul language who don't honor Christ in their
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dialogue. But the the context suggest,
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otherwise Paul seems to be suggesting that this irreverent
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Babble actually speaks of false teaching.
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False teaching. Now we hear that when we go,
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okay, I get it, don't believe false teaching but I believe the
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emphasis is different here. It's not saying, don't believe
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what is wrong. I believe what it is saying here
37:43
is, don't be around. Don't invite, don't leave an
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Open Door in your life of those who contradict core teachings of
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your faith. We are in no doubt call to be
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associated with this world and every sphere of life, even those
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who have heard, the gospel and refused to believe it, you're
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supposed to have contact with such people.
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That's where your light shines. But there is a different
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responsibility by the leadership of a church to make sure that
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the right people are in attendance within the assembly.
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and pastures have a call to make sure that those within are not
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promoting a teaching, that would upset the faith of some and he
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brings up two people by name feminism.
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File etus Or fill it us. Now here's what's interesting,
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how many as has been mentioned before?
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Go to First Timothy chapter 1, verse 20, actually verse 19 and
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look what we're told about this man.
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In verse 19, holding faith and a good conscience by rejecting.
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This, some have made shipwreck of their faith among whom are
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Himalayas and Alexander whom I have handed over to Satan.
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That they may learn not to blaspheme.
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So you know what Paul did with this Jimenez guy.
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He apparently was in the Church of Ephesus and he started going
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around teaching weird things. He's having people over for
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Bible study at his house and now he's getting it to some strange
39:24
stuff. One of them being you guys
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realize the resurrection already happened, right?
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And they're all looking at each other.
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Like what are you talking about? Yeah.
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And we don't know what he taught specifically.
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He could have said that the resurrection already happened
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that there is no bodily resurrection that your spirit is
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resurrected, it's all done. There's no Resurrection to look
39:42
forward to Now here's the problem.
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That's a core tenet of our faith.
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That's not secondary issues that serious.
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That is foundational. Paul hears about it.
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Paul must have confronted him perhaps.
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They went back and forth and Jimenez was convinced.
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Paul says, you're out of here, you can't be in this church and
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teach such things you need to go.
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That's what it means to be handed over to Satan.
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You want to, you want to act like Satan with your sin, the
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final stage of church, this event, you can't stay here.
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We're sorry. We're a people called to
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holiness. Yes, you want to believe what
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Satan believes. Then go into his world and
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preach it all Yuan. Don't preached in the house of
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God. Here's what's amazing Jimenez
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was kicked out. And he seems to still be
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pursuing the faith of those within the same church.
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Like even though he was excommunicated, he's still
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trying to. He still trying to deter what
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people believe in the same church that he was kicked out
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of. And guess what, it worked a
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certain degree because we read of him and his and Alexander.
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And now we go to chapter 2 of the second book.
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And we were to Himalayas and fill it.
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This, he got another one, he got another one. and he was
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upsetting the faith of some and this man had to be warned about
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And This concerns the first point about this message,
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doesn't it? Listen!
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All it takes is one guy in a church, man.
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To not believe that they will be held accountable before God to
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not hold to this truth. All the truck was one him and a
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has to cause trouble in a church.
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And this is the warning. Failing to be prompt failing, to
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be serious about someone, in the midst, who was intentionally,
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trying to sway. Others away is nothing short of
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deadly. I know in this place, many of
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you, if not all of you love the truth and you can't even fathom
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how this is relatable to our context.
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If God by his mercy and his will decides for this church to grow,
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don't be shocked, who comes in. Don't be surprised.
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It's a scheme of Satan. And it is so deadly.
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Paul says it can spread like gangrene Another translation
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says it can spread like cancer. Many of us have seen that over
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the past year and a half with many narratives from the world,
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including a false view of Justice and Black lives matter
42:18
and all these weird ideas of what the Bible says, concerning
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these issues. And how fast did it?
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Corrupt? Churches, like gangrene, People
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ate it up. And within just a matter of a
42:32
few months, you had churches that were Faithfully preaching
42:37
and teaching the Bible now, electing Elders based on their
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race. This is not something to play
42:44
around with. And it can just start from one.
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And so Paul is telling Timothy, you got to pay attention to
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this. And here's, here's a call for
42:57
you. Pray for your pastors.
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Pray for all pastors because pastors are like surgeons.
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When they see something that's deadly and is lethal, they must
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be prompt to do something. They must be prompt to make an
43:10
operation to make sure that it doesn't spread and to deal with
43:13
that as soon as as soon as possible.
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I pray that they would never be an issue in this house that
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fears God's word. Pray for your pastors and pray
43:24
for either people to have a watching.
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I now, you might be hearing this and saying that's great.
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That's wonderful, but I'm not a pastor.
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This isn't applied to me, that's a duty that belongs to you and
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maybe the elders. So how does this really apply to
43:38
my personal life and it does in many ways, but I'll reinforce
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what I said earlier. Here's your duty, here's your
43:45
duty in a world where you can, it's almost impossible to ignore
43:49
false narratives, and teachings. It's in the form of songs.
43:52
It's in the forms of quick reels on your phone.
43:55
It's in the form of so many different means by which the
43:59
enemy is trying to persuade you from rightly handling and
44:02
understanding the truth. And we've seen it in some of you
44:05
have seen loved ones over the past year and a half, get caught
44:08
up in it. Here's your duty.
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Let me say it again. I know this isn't glamorous, but
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let me say it again. Know your Bible. know, your
44:17
Bible and I will quote a preacher who said this and I am
44:19
in full agreement because if there is anyone who owns a Bible
44:24
and does not read it regularly and does not seek to understand
44:26
it, they deserve to be deceived They deserve to be deceived.
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And there will be an increase of deception in this world that you
44:40
won't be able to look at any direction without seeing it.
44:43
You think it's bad. Now, when Jesus in that
44:47
discourse concerning the end times and Matthew 24 warned, and
44:50
gave the signs to his disciples of what the end times would look
44:52
like, remember what the first thing was see that no one leads.
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You astray, that was the first thing Jesus said, see that?
45:00
No one leads. You astray.
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The first sign that Jesus gave of the last days was Mass
45:07
deception. And so great.
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Is this deception? Just like these to look at Verse
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18 who have swerved from the truth implying that they were
45:17
once in the truth. They once held to it.
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They once claimed it and professed it and then they
45:26
swayed away from it. But you just said, know your
45:29
Bible. You just said know your
45:34
Doctrine. You're saying here that they
45:36
swerved from the truth. So what's the truth?
45:38
Got to do with me and protecting me?
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Well I'll take it to the next level.
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It's more than just knowing the truth.
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Because you can sit in a place like this and here faithful,
45:48
Bible preaching for weeks and years.
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And still be deceived in the end.
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Brother, you're scaring me, good.
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I want to show you in our final verse.
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What? You must do to know a
46:03
protection. Listen, this protection will be
46:06
so great. That even the Antichrist won't
46:09
be able to deceive you. This protection is so powerful
46:13
that even with false signs and wonders.
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You'll be faithful to the word of Truth.
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The second Thessalonians chapter 2. in this chapter, Paul
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describes the Antichrist, the timing of the Antichrist, the
46:33
ways of the Antichrist, Let's begin in verse 9. 2nd
46:40
Thessalonians 2:9. The coming of the Lawless one is
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by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and
46:49
wonders. You have many Believers today
46:52
that have made their Christianity.
46:53
Not just about quarreling about words.
46:55
Those are those who belong to the debate Society?
46:58
There are those who have an unhealthy craving for signs and
47:01
wonders. I believe God can do miracles.
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I believe God can heal the sick. I believe that God can intervene
47:10
and do Supernatural things because my Bible says God can do
47:13
it. But then there are those like
47:16
many extremes who just want signs and wonders their Bibles
47:20
collecting dust because they don't believe this is
47:22
Supernatural. They want tangible things.
47:25
Those people are setting themselves up for deception.
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When you neglect the word of God and want Miracles and power and
47:34
manifestations, all it's going to take is for the Antichrist to
47:37
show up, perform signs and wonders.
47:39
And you got some people who attended church the whole life
47:40
saying, I don't know. This is pretty convincing.
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With false signs and wonders. Now look at this verse 10 and
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with all Wicked deception. So this is how bad it's going to
47:54
be. You're not just going to have a
47:55
persuasive person with charismatic abilities, calling
47:59
people to believe something that's not true, he's gonna back
48:01
it up with miracles. And look at the people who are
48:08
going to be deceived. For those who are perishing,
48:11
because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
48:18
Did you catch it? It didn't say because they
48:22
refuse to know the truth. And so be saved to love it.
48:33
You can have people that can quote verses and still be
48:35
deceived. But here's the the factor that
48:40
makes it different to love for the truth.
48:45
That your heart is convinced within yourself that no matter
48:47
what the truth is, whether it offends your flesh, whether it
48:50
lines up with your understanding of life, you're willing to
48:54
submit to the truth because you know that this is God's voice
48:58
and this is God's Will and God's ways and you love God.
49:01
So you love his truth? It's a heart that says I want
49:04
truth at any cost. I'll submit the truth in any
49:07
way, it's that love for the truth, not just having an
49:11
acquiring information about it. But with a Heart of Worship
49:15
willing to absorb it and apply it, it is that love for the
49:19
truth that God will honor and by the power of His holy spirit,
49:22
revealed to you more truth and will be the great teacher in
49:26
your life and will be the great discerner in your soul because
49:30
he sees a heart that says I love truth.
49:33
I want truth, I may not understand all truth but oh
49:35
Lord, I want all that I can get You know what begins to happen.
49:41
You develop a discernment. And it's an amazing amazing
49:45
sensation. It's not mystical God.
49:48
Doesn't sprinkle something on you?
49:50
It's the word of God in you. and then you have a filter and so
49:55
when you, when you visit a church and you hear something
49:57
and you're like a lot of that sounded right, But there's
50:01
something off about it. It's not because you're Miss
50:05
judging the person, or you don't like his style of preaching,
50:07
it's because they're not rightly handling the word of Truth.
50:10
And the Holy Spirit sees your heart that loves truth.
50:13
And says, I will discern for you.
50:16
I will show you, I will protect you from deception.
50:21
But unfortunately many people who are lazy with the truth
50:23
because they don't love the truth because of that you might
50:27
be setting yourself up for some dangerous things brother.
50:30
You must love the truth priority, your prize your
50:34
Supreme Delight in life and many things come greater the rewards
50:38
for those who love the truth. And one of them is by God's
50:42
grace. You won't be deceived.
50:46
Avoid quarrel about things that are not Central, it ruins your
50:51
spiritual progress, it ruins it causes faction and frustration
50:55
and friction amongst people. Let's not fight.
50:57
There are many things that we need to fight for.
50:59
Let's save our energy. Avoid mishandling the word of
51:04
Truth. Yeah, that's for pastors but
51:06
it's also for disciples who like certain parts and don't take the
51:10
whole And avoid people avoid any form of teaching, avoid this
51:16
idea that they might be wrong, but the right another things
51:20
because you don't know what you're digesting, while you
51:22
listen to that guy. Avoid people and those who are
51:27
into irreverent babble. And we will save our souls from
51:32
much destruction. Let's bring
52:00
Louis, thank you for the word of God.
52:03
We sent its power. This morning, we sense its
52:06
Authority this morning. We sense your wisdom, Lord.
52:13
You have blessed this generation with a full revelation of your
52:17
word. Forgive us for our negligence.
52:20
Forgive us for not being serious.
52:21
Forgive us even for a season where we have not love the
52:24
truth, Help us love the truth. Help us taste the truth as the
52:29
psalmist did. Like honey on our lips.
52:34
Lord in this moment, we pray that you would refine us more
52:38
into the image of your son. Perhaps, these dangers were not
52:42
on the radar of our understanding, but now they are
52:47
We want to be as Godly as you've called us to be.
52:51
Lord, we pray that this church would rightly handle the word of
52:55
Truth. And that Lord when it comes to
52:59
issues that are not Central that we would know how to because we
53:02
are a people who love to know the Deep things of God.
53:05
We would know what the right attitude.
53:06
How to discuss these truths And even argue these truths and
53:13
Holiness, but help us to not quarrel.
53:18
And Lord protect this church from false teachers from wolves.
53:24
We have not yet have to deal with that and we thank you for
53:26
it and we pray that that would remain.
53:28
But Lord, may we have a church that is Discerning because they
53:32
know their Bible, not just the leadership Lord, but every
53:36
person in here to be, like The bereans Honorable men and women,
53:40
who searched the scriptures who even searched the scriptures
53:43
after they hear a sermon from their own pastors, We love you
53:48
Lord. We thank you for These Warnings
53:50
because your warnings are always in love and thank you for the
53:54
fresh jolt to master the Bible and to know all that you have to
53:59
say, from cover to cover, we give you all praise and glory in
54:03
Jesus name, amen. And amen.
54:05
Let stand and Worship the Lord together, shall we?