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Being Faithful Until Jesus Comes | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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If your visitor here this afternoon, we welcome you and
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we're so glad you can join us and whether you're a visitor or
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you are a member or planning to be member.
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Join with me in the Bible in 2nd Timothy and chapter 3, and let's
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begin together in verse 10. 2nd Timothy chapter 3 beginning in
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verse 10, we read. You however, have followed my
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teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my
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love, my steadfastness, my persecutions.
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And sufferings that happened to me at Antioch at Iconium and at
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lystra what persecutions I endured yet from them.
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All the Lord rescued me. Father, we thank you for these
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verses and though we may not understand completely what you
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have in store for us. We thank you in advance because
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we know that all scripture is breathed out by you and it is
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profitable. It is very much profitable for
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you will fashion us this afternoon to look more like your
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son. We pray Lord that you would Aid
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Us in receiving these words and that, oh God we would sense Your
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Love in them, your wisdom, your beauty, we pray Lord, that the
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result of A time together as a family, unpacking the
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scriptures. We would leave here.
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Loving our Lord, loving Our Savior, our Master, the raining
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and Risen King Lord, you are alive.
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You see us in this moment you are present and we ask Lord with
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great desperation that you would manifest your realities to us
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though. We long for your fellowship and
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we hunger for your word, make it known to us.
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Now in the name of Jesus, we pray.
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Pray, amen. Amen.
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Last week, you and I receive the sobering illustration provided
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by the Apostle Paul. getting a glimpse of just how corrupt and
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warped man can be and how man will continue to be and how
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activities as we have learned last week, will only grow and
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become more rampant in the days ahead.
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The apostles specific example deals with certain Predators
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roaming seeking people to take captive and they do this by
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twisting the word of God. They do this by assaulting the
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word of God, and they intend to lead.
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People astray, especially those that the Apostle has categorized
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as weak woman. Meaning there's a certain class
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of women who are primary targets because they lack spiritual
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substance and discernment. We read how these wicked men
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long to devour such people. Even if it means their
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damnation, for the sake of personal gain, they're willing
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to do so much for self. And as Timothy is learning this,
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I mean, put yourself in his shoes for a moment.
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Everything from people to avoid everything from those, who would
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come against the gospel, those who would try to lure, others
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away, you can imagine that. As a young Minister, this would
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have been challenging to hear. I mean, all you're hearing is
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that it's going to get worse days are going to become more
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Bleak. There's going to be people who
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are going to oppose your message and those that you're trying to
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win to Christ will in fact be deceived.
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And so I can just imagine what this man felt in his heart as he
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was holding this letter from his mentor.
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This is what I'm headed towards this is what Ministry is going
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to look like. I can't trust certain people,
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it's going to only become more violent and aggressive against
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the work that I've dedicated my life to And we're read here
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that. As these things are true for
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Timothy. They're also true for us.
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So over the past few weeks, maybe you found it difficult to
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hear that what Timothy was warned about you and I are in
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and you and I will only experience more and more as long
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as God keeps us on the Earth. And I'm sure the past couple of
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years here in America and even across the globe has taught us.
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I hope that what we've been studying isn't just some
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theology, this is an instruction manual.
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You and I are seeing it. We're observing it.
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We're in it. So this is completely relatable.
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But there's no need to be discouraged because Paul in the
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verses that you and I just read is trying to encourage his
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spiritual son. Yes, he's about to continue to
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warn him about the dangers ahead.
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He's not going to neglect those things.
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He's not going to shy away from the dangers that will come
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against a church, but at the same time, well, Paul is going
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to do is put his finger ever. So gently on Timothy's chin and
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turned his attention toward an encouraging message.
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Mainly, the example of Paul, in his testimony And in this
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example of how to live for Christ.
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That's what he's trying to do here.
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In other words, what Paul is trying to say is Timothy, I need
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you to look at me for a second here.
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I need to remind you my Prodigy. I need you to see and understand
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that I myself was committed to the work of Christ during
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perilous times. It was not easy for me either
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and I'm trying to give you something to imitate Timothy.
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But we also read here that he's not only going to have Timothy.
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Look at Paul, he wants him to look at God.
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How God was faithful to Paul and the same?
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God, that was faithful to. Paul is going to be faithful to
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Timothy. And the same God that was
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faithful to Timothy is going to be faithful to you and me.
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And so what Paul is trying to do is look at my example as you put
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your hands to the plow and you drive yourself into the
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darkness, as you bear the light. But also don't fail to look up
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to realize that God is with you Timothy That's culture is
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becoming more corrupt as there's more apostasy.
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As there's more compromise in Christendom.
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Let me give you something that will help you move forward in
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faith and strength. And almost an Artful fashion.
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You know what Paul does, did you notice it?
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He lists certain things about himself, he provides one trait
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after the other of what faithfulness looks like.
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And it contrasts that ugly list that we read earlier in the
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chapter about what the god less are like.
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But instead of touching on each of these things like we did
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instead of going through every single point and making a
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message out of Egypt. We're going to zoom out and look
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at the broader application here because here's the main point.
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If you're Note Taker whether mentally or on paper.
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Here's the main point of today's message.
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How to be faithful in the last days.
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How to be steadfast in these Final hours how to be effective
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and fruitful. And a day, that is becoming more
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opposed to the truth and to righteousness.
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Because that's what Paul is trying to instruct Timothy about
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the necessary applications in order to be faithful in these
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last days. Number one, where you read it
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and verse 10, you however, have followed my teaching, my
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conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my
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steadfastness Paul lists nine different attributes about
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himself. And what's incredibly important
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to understand is that he is not exaggerating about himself, he's
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not boasting about Self everything that he is saying.
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By the spirit about himself is true.
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It's not just true because the Holy Spirit Bears witness is not
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just true because he's a vessel of divine revelation.
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It is also true because Timothy was an eyewitness to it.
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He says, you have followed my teaching, you followed me and
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that word, followed means to closely examine.
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It means to be accompanied by means to be near and needs.
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It means to be very well acquainted with It's the same
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word that Luke used in the introduction to his gospel when
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he says that he has followed closely, these things concerning
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Jesus, and he's going to write a accurate account of his ministry
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and his life. It's the same word.
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And so as we look at this word, we realize what Paul is saying
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is you have studied my life Timothy You're my disciple, you
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heard the testimonies about me, you sat underneath my teaching,
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you traveled with me from time to time and as a close companion
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you have with your own eyes. Observe the events that make
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these things that I say to you. True.
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You know it's true. You can bear witness to it for
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yourself. You've traced my life, you've
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witnessed my life, you've considered the instances that
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make these things true. And here's the thing, Paul's
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mentioning all of this for one main purpose so that as Timothy
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is prepared to face great, danger for his faith, he would
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have someone to imitate and he would remember that.
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He he can imitate someone that he has witnessed being faithful
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and troubling times himself. Listen to this, Paul was an
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apostle. Yes, but his influence toward
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Timothy was not exclusive to his office.
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This man had a relationship with Timothy.
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He Disciple This Man, it was life on life and what impacted
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Timothy was not just the fact that he was an apostle, it was
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that he was faithful. And the point I want to make to
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you from, this is a you and I, you better believe it.
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Today, no matter what your occupation is, no matter what
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your personality is like, you have by the grace of God, the
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ability to be a blessing to those, even beyond your
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lifetime, you can based on one simple thing, faithfulness to
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Jesus, Christ's faithfulness, to the gospel, faithfulness, in
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your relationship to God, that can be true for you.
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Father, that could be true for you wife.
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That can be true for you older, brother older.
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Stir. It could be true for you.
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Best friend. It is possible to live in such a
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way in which we can bless people to live.
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Even greater ways for Christ even beyond our lifetime.
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Do you remember that? You forget that Paul is writing
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this as his final letter, he's about to die.
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He's about to be executed and he wants to pass the Baton to
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Timothy. He wants to meet, either way of
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high, the flag of the Gospel without shame or hindrance.
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And as he's about to do this, he's reminding him of his life
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and he has complete trust. That Timothy can move forward
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even though he's not going to be a lot to celebrate it.
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That's a discipleship that we should want to give to people
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that's the influence that each of us has a ability to offer
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another generation. and this encouragement would make
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absolutely no sense to Timothy if he could not draw strength
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and stimulation from a real life example, And that's the point I
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want to make to you today. Listen leaders today will shape
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the leaders of tomorrow. Current leaders today will shape
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the leaders for tomorrow. The attitude of parents toward
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God's word and Ministry. And the local church will set
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the standard for the spiritual development of their children.
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Those that you associate with their measure of passion for
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Christ, whether you want to believe it or not, will have an
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influence and no small influence on your own, outlook on the
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things of God, and the value that they carry in your own
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life. We all know this, you know, this
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but instead of making this a text about associating with the
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right people in order for us to be encouraged, like Timothy
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would be, let's turn it around in.
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Paul's perspective, you'd be the person that will encourage you
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be the example, the nobody else would be the example that can
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bless. Even one person that will take
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the Baton of the Gospel forward. And though the influence of this
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may vary from each of us there is people.
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There is a person at least that you can bless.
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There is no doubt about it. And Paul's main concern was
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Timothy. And I hope that that would be
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your desire. The same desire of Paul that you
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would believe in the bottom of your heart that I can live in
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such a way. That I can impact at least one
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person to be faithful to Christ. There's enough compromise
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around, wouldn't you agree? There's enough disappointment,
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maybe be a people, an army of people that would actually give
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people A disturbance in a holy way to live for Jesus Christ.
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So how does he do it? He gives the recipe right here.
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You have followed number one, my teaching, my Doctrine, Paul,
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yes. He's an apostle.
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He received specific and divine revelation as a representative
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for truth. But listen, the principle is
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still the still true Paul lived. It, he believed that he loved it
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and this is not by accident. The fact that teaching is the
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first thing on the list. It's not random, it's on purpose
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because everything else, that follows, teaching his conduct,
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his aim in life, his faith, his love, his steadfast as
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everything that follows is built on the foundation of what do you
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believe? What do you believe, what is the
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ultimate Authority in your life? What do you, what do you govern
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your decisions? With what are your, what are you
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Guided by? What are your plans determined
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by? And the foundation of Bedrock
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for Paula is divine truth. What Jesus Christ personally
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revealed to me, that is where everything else flows from that
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is where everything else is shaped into.
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And that's important because if you and I are going to have a
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lasting impact on anybody. At least eternally, it's going
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to have to come from the place of upholding.
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The word of God. As a supreme authority in your
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life in mind, it's not just a reference text to you, it's not
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just a place where you call tree referred to when you need
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something. It's your very source of life.
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It's the reason why you live. It is your compass in this
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world. It is the determiner of how you
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make decisions. Only then will there be even a
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step forward into being? An impactful disciple for
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Christ. You, and I have to understand.
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That what made Paul the man that he was was that he was a man of
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God, concerning the word of God, he knew it for himself, he
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believed it for himself and he obeyed it even though nobody
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else would obey it. And may we so joyfully be
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submitted to the word of God. May we be so saturated with the
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scripture, may we be so overflowing with the word of
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Christ dwelling in us, not just in knowledge but an affection
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and passion that those who know us.
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Well, unmistakably make the conclusion that you are a person
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who trembles at God's word. That person takes that book
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seriously. And let those who observe us
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realize that the reason why you love the reason why you forgive
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the reason why you sacrifice, the reason why you serve is
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because you are compelled by this truth, that is the driving
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force of all that you do. There's an attack on the word of
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God today. And though many people will say
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that this is the inerrant word of God.
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Those same people by practice would admit that.
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It is not sufficient. Is it sufficient not?
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Is it just perfect? Is it sufficient?
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Is it enough? Is it all that we need to build
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a local church? Is it all that we need to know
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how to be a Godly husband. A Godly mother, a Godly friend,
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a Godly employer, is it sufficient This world is
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confused and people don't believe that truth even within
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the church. But Paul was a man who said
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everything flows from Doctrine, everything flows from my
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teaching, and you've noticed that Timothy, haven't you?
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But he makes a quick shift. He doesn't stay there.
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He goes from my teaching to my conduct.
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See, Timothy wouldn't just be stirred by the fact that Paul
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had a set of Creed's that he believed in even author.
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That wouldn't be enough. What would mole Timothy is They
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realized that this teaching that Paul promoted and preached and
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was willing to be stoned for this teaching affected his
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conduct. You couldn't separate.
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That's why it's right there next to each other because what good
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is it to be able to quote things and eloquently express it if
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practically you deny it and show people that it doesn't have the
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power to change you or transform you She Paul was saying this and
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Timothy go. Yeah, I understand your vessel
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Divine truth. You have a wealth of
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information. That's great, you have wonderful
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things to teach. You can execute the Old
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Testament like nobody else, but I can see Paul I've noticed that
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it actually changed you. You are a murderer.
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You are persecutor now you're being persecuted.
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The love that you have that oozes out of you, the sacrifice.
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I can see how what you know, actually changes the way you
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behave and think and act. That's what makes an impact.
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When people actually realize that that Bible that you hold is
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actually in your heart as well. And a pulsates through you and
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it gets in your blood. You've seen my conduct and he
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couples this together. We would think that Paul would
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end there. We would think that that would
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be enough to motivate Timothy but it look what he says right
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after he goes. Not just my teaching not just my
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conduct but my aim in life, I love that phrase.
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You have followed you have observed, you have recognized my
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aim in life. In other words, you know what,
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the purpose of my existence is, there's no question about it,
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this isn't just Theology. And this isn't just behavioral
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modification. You want to be somebody that
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actually impacts somebody else for Christ.
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Have a fiery, passionate desire for the Lord.
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Let it be the reason why you live, not just the reason why
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you do something on Sunday morning.
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Let it be. The very reason why you,
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breathe, and wake up and whatever it is that you do.
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He says, this is my aim in life. That's the goal that I have its
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Christ. I'm actually passionate about
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this. So he's talking about affection
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here, he's talking about devotion.
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He's talking about a long-term commitment to Christ and he
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says, you know, you've seen it, you've heard it and you even
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know that I'm writing to you from prison.
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So you know that this is the reason why I actually live. we
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don't need firework, Christianity anymore, just a
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spurt of emotion for a season and it dies out in terms of the
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smoke The thing that Paul had is a thing that you and I can have
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in that is a fire on the altar of devotion that continues to
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burn, as it did in the tenth and the Wilderness day and night day
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and night day and night, that alter remains that alters their,
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that's what's going to make an impact.
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What I love about Moses is that when he was in the wilderness,
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he saw burning bush, that he not burning bushes, were not
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uncommon in the wilderness. They would combustion, the flame
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all the time. What compelled Moses to look is
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that this thing Burning and it is not, it's not stopping, it's
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not consuming the bush, it's still burning.
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That's what catches people's attention.
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I've seen many people, I've seen many people burn for the Lord
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and burn out, not too long after it's not their aim in life, they
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got excited for a moment, they're good people, they
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wouldn't harm or do evil, but the aim in life is not Christ.
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Everything else should orbit around this, man.
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The god man. And that's what Paul is trying
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to say. This is my aim And Timothy as
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he's listening to this, and reading this new that he can
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face a deteriorating culture, knew that he can face trouble
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ahead because in his life, he had witnessed a man who was
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Ablaze for the gospel. You couldn't put the thing out
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of him. You couldn't Stone it out of
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him, you couldn't whip it out of him, you couldn't discourage him
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out of it. You could have Gotham out of him
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that man could not move. And I pray that each of us would
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have a fire in such a way that it would cause those who are
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fickle in their faith. It would cause those who are
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distracted by trinkets in this world to have a holy disturbance
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because no matter what, they justify their compromise with,
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they would know in the back of their mind.
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I know a man that that is committed to Christ and they
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just don't stop. I know a woman.
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That is Godly and loves the Lord.
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I have no excuse, have no excuse because I've seen a person burn
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for the Lord and they haven't stopped burning since I've known
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them. That was the person.
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Paul was so Timothy's excuses. To be timid and fearful was
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becoming less and less possible because Paul in humility.
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Yes. But by the spirits leading is
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putting himself out and displaying Timothy.
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It's possible. Look at me.
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Look at my scars. Look at, look at where I'm
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writing you from. You've seen it, you've heard it.
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And I'm telling you that whatever happened to me can
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happen to you. I cannot help in studying this
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be reminded of another close relationship between two men of
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God, not Paul, and Timothy, but Elijah and Elijah.
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Elijah was to replace Elijah in his prophetic office.
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As a spiritual spokesman for the nation of Israel.
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And Elijah was taken up into heaven, and Elijah was left
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himself. And as he was left himself, he
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was just left to himself. He was left with a burden, he
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was left with a responsibility. He was left with an expectation
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from the people. Is this guy going to walk in the
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shoes of Elijah? And this man receives a lie,
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judgmental, his mentor disappears into the heavens and
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he walks up to the bank of the Jordan and he makes an
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interesting prayer. It's a very short prayer but
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sometimes short prayers are better than long ones if they
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mean everything to you, he says this just listen, you don't have
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to turn there, you probably know it.
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He said in Second Kings to 14. Where is the Lord the god of
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Elijah. Where is the Lord the god of
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Elijah. You know what?
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He didn't say? Where is the Lord?
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The god of Israel? Where is the Lord?
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That would have been sufficient. He was very specific.
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Where is the Lord? The god of Elijah.
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Well, isn't God, the god of everyone who puts their faith in
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them. Yes.
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Yes. But his request is specific.
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Where is the god of my mentor? You see, Elijah was very quaint
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and to Elijah. He was his servant.
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He was his assistant. He traveled with them and Elisha
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witnessed many things to the relationship between God and his
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spiritual leader. Oh, he saw how God provided for
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Elijah. He saw how God protected Elijah.
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He saw how God empowered Elijah. I'm sure he is witness.
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Elijah, pray, and God answer those prayers.
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How God empowered him to be able to be that faithful Minister
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that he was though, he had moments of weakness.
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How he had this love spillover to the nation of Israel even
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though they were in spiritual compromise because he was
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energized by loyalty to God. And you know what?
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Elijah I believe is saying here among many things.
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I believe what he is saying is, oh God.
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The God that I saw in the life of Elijah.
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I need that God in my life. I want that God in my life.
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Can you imagine that father mother would not be the burning
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desire of your heart that as you live for the Lord Jesus that
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your children would grow up and making that request the god that
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my Mommy's served The God that I heard my daddy pray to when we
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were in trouble. I want that God to be my God.
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I want to serve that God. I prayed that it would be true
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of the leaders of this church. And as by God's grace, we raise
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up Future Leaders. That has the people who serve
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with those leaders be, will be able to witness their lives and
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the conviction and the unction that they have.
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And say, I want the god, that these pastors serve To be real
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in my life. Oh, you think you need to be a
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prophet, right? You think you need to be an
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apostle? No, you just need to be faithful
25:57
and you need to have this to be the aim of your life.
26:01
See this, this Christianity, in the corner of your heart will
26:04
never influence anybody. But this thing when it's an
26:07
all-consuming passion can leave a mark on other generation.
26:14
I'm sure you didn't have perfect parents.
26:16
I didn't have perfect parent. I'm not perfect.
26:19
But I can tell you moments that have marked me, I can tell you
26:23
moments where I, my room was in the basement of our house back
26:27
in Canada and some days I would climb out of that hole.
26:31
Go upstairs and I would see two Bibles on the kitchen table,
26:35
open. My parents were at work.
26:40
They didn't say anything to me. They didn't sit down with me,
26:44
but I know one thing that day as I started my own Day Mom and Dad
26:48
met with the Lord together. And that impressed me, that
26:53
touched me that meant more to me than any amount of money that
26:57
they made. Whatever toys, they can give me.
27:01
That marked me. So you and I can know such a
27:05
thing. But only when it becomes our aim
27:09
in life and the point that Paul is trying to make to Timothy's,
27:13
that culture is going south Christendom is becoming very
27:17
complicated and compromised. but in these last days, Timothy
27:23
strive to live in such a way in which you will burn for God, And
27:28
these are the things that will make it possible know what you
27:31
believe, let it apply. Let it be applied to your life
27:35
and make sure that it doesn't just get to your head but let it
27:37
consume your affections. And if that's not possible for
27:41
you, if you feel like there's a disconnect between your brain
27:43
and your heart, you beg God until it trickles down there.
27:49
Cuz that's the only thing that will radiate and influence
27:51
others. I remember great friend and
27:55
evangelists who is now with the Lord and whenever I would ask
27:58
him, how can I pray for you? He would look at me and say pray
28:05
that I would die climbing. Pray that I would die climbing.
28:13
Pray that I would die with my hands on the plow, not in my
28:16
pockets whistling in this world. I'm sure that he did die
28:20
climbing. So the first thing is to
28:24
establish such a recipe in order for our walk to not only be
28:29
concrete, but to be influential. So we don't want this
28:32
individualistic idea of Christianity.
28:34
In these last days, we don't want to go buy some property out
28:36
there and hide from all the evil in the world.
28:39
We want our light to shine as a darkened, the darkness thickens
28:43
in the evil becomes more evil. But there's something else, it's
28:48
not just a walk that can be imitated.
28:51
And verse 11, we read my persecutions and sufferings that
28:55
happen to me. If you and I are going to be
28:59
faithful in these last days, if you and I are going to know and
29:01
Effectiveness in our witness in these last days that you and I
29:04
must have a comprehension, and a realistic expectation to suffer.
29:11
Notice we didn't touch on everything that Paul is talked
29:13
about in verse 10. But again, let's zoom out and
29:15
look at another broader application here.
29:18
Out of all the things that he mentions in this list, there is
29:20
one thing that he elaborates on. There's one thing that he
29:23
emphasizes on and that is this, my personal sufferings That's
29:29
what out of all the things he chooses to unpack.
29:32
I suffered much and you will to Timothy I went through great
29:39
pains and I traveled through dark alleys and Timothy, if
29:44
you're going to be faithful you better know it.
29:47
That's why this Prosperity Gospel.
29:49
So damn the ball among other things, it is setting up people
29:52
for failure. It is setting up people.
29:59
To make their hearts Rocky instead of soft.
30:03
See, in this Faith, you have Christians who endure for a
30:08
while and you have Christians who endure until the end.
30:12
Now enduring for awhile. Sounds good, but not according
30:15
to Jesus. Because enduring for a while,
30:18
According To Jesus speaks of those who receive the word of
30:22
God, initially, with great joy and excitement, and even
30:25
expressing their gratitude of how they found a church.
30:28
That is so serious about the gospel, and they sing these kind
30:31
of songs and they know the scriptures, they love it, they
30:34
eat it up. But when persecution comes and
30:38
tribulation arises on account of the word as fast as that Joy
30:43
was, so will it be their departure from the faith?
30:48
We don't want to endure for a while we want to endure until
30:50
the end and Paul prove that knowing that he is about to have
30:55
his head, possibly cut off. He writes here which
30:59
persecutions and the second part of verse 11 I endured I didn't
31:05
just face it I went through it. And that is what you and I
31:10
should strive for. And, as we read this, we realize
31:14
not only is he talking about persecution?
31:15
He is mentioning three specific locations where he experienced
31:19
these hardships and we're in Antioch at Iconium and lystra.
31:24
Why these three is that the only places where he experienced
31:28
resistance? Oh no.
31:31
The man can reveal his back and tell you where he got those
31:35
trophies from but by the spirit he chooses to give us these
31:39
three and would we praise God? Today, that these three accounts
31:43
are given to us in the book of Acts and perfect order.
31:46
All you have to do is read acts 13 and 14 to realize what
31:49
happened to Paul in these places.
31:51
And I think it would do us great service to come to the book of
31:54
Acts and to see how these sufferings were various And how
32:01
they had different masks and different Expressions.
32:03
So term with me to Acts chapter 13,
32:16
And let's begin here. And Antioch.
32:21
We read here. And verse 14 of Acts 13 just to
32:26
know that we are in Antioch but they went on from Peugeot and
32:29
came to Antioch beside you. As we come down to verse 45,
32:36
Paul preaches, an amazing sermon, a sermon That Shook
32:40
people, a sermon that brought about this result in verse 44,
32:44
in Acts 13. The next Sabbath, almost the
32:48
whole city gathered, to hear the word of the Lord.
32:52
I forgot that today many people are going to be gathering for a
32:54
game. I didn't realize it till today,
32:56
but could you imagine what it would look like for an entire
32:58
city to come to a church to hear another sermon?
33:03
That's what Revival does. By the way, that's what Revival
33:06
does. It makes bars and strip clubs
33:09
and even sporting sport. It's not bad.
33:11
Don't email me after this. It's okay, but it makes many
33:15
things go out of business, because there's a passion for
33:17
the spirit of God. Verse 44, the next Sabbath,
33:22
almost the whole city gathered, to hear the word of the Lord.
33:27
But look what happens in verse 45, but when the Jews saw the
33:31
crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict
33:36
what was spoken by Paul revealing him?
33:40
Now, the ESV is unique in this because it includes the fact
33:44
that they reviled Paul. So not only in other word for
33:48
word translation is it might not be so clear, but not only did
33:51
these men blaspheme the message. They actually wanted to
33:56
ridicule. Messenger.
33:59
And so they begin to scorn him. And revile him.
34:04
And we don't know exactly what they said.
34:06
But one thing came to mind when when Paul was before a great
34:09
governor. In fact, when he was before a
34:12
king king Agrippa and Acts 26, all I love that site of Paul.
34:16
In those chains, he's preaching the gospel and he's trying to
34:19
persuade King, Agrippa to become a Christian.
34:23
And then the governor Festus is there and he interrupts, he
34:26
interrupts Paul in his presentation and he says, Paul
34:30
you were out of your mind. Your great learning has driven
34:35
you out of your mind. That's not nice.
34:39
He's calling him crazy for what he is, sharing and believing
34:43
You've lost it, you're you're crazy.
34:48
I can imagine that these Jews were saying similar things,
34:51
maybe you believe I have heard similar remarks from family
34:54
members. You believe that book written by
34:57
man. You actually think that this is
35:01
applicable today? Are you all right?
35:05
Have you heard from co-workers, have you received the Facebook,
35:07
comment? Have you been reviled for the
35:10
gospel? Paul has he's been ridiculed.
35:16
I can imagine what these men spewed out of their mouths.
35:20
But the resistance only intensified in verse 50.
35:24
And acts 13. We read in verse 50 but the Jews
35:26
incited, the devout woman of high standing and the leading
35:30
men of the city stirred up, persecution against Paul and
35:34
Barnabas and drove them out of their District.
35:36
Get out of here. We don't want nothing to do with
35:40
you. You're gonna stay here and spew
35:42
that leave. So went from verbal assaults to
35:46
now saying we don't want your presence.
35:50
We don't want you to be around us.
35:53
You can no longer work here as much as you've been faithful to
35:57
our company, because we've discovered that your beliefs are
35:59
bigoted and discriminatory. Paul experienced rejection.
36:07
In our context, it would look like you losing your job and
36:09
your context, it would look like you not coming and being invited
36:12
over by friends or family because you're one of those
36:16
loony evangelicals. I remember when I first got
36:19
saved and I was expressing myself, one of my friends who's
36:22
was in the world, looked at me, says, whatever you do.
36:25
Do not become those fanatical evangelicals.
36:28
Would you too late? Paul was reviled, Paul was
36:37
driven out, you can say, relationships were severed.
36:41
There was awkwardness in the air and he was noted, he was marked.
36:47
This man is no longer invited in this neighborhood.
36:51
But he goes from Antioch at Iconium and chapter 14.
36:55
Look at verse 1 and 2. Now, what Iconium, they enter
36:59
together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a
37:02
way, that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed, but
37:06
the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles.
37:09
And look at this poison, their minds against the brothers Their
37:17
strategy was slightly shifted. They use their words.
37:20
Yes, but not to directly assault Paul.
37:23
But to now manipulate and to poison, the minds of others
37:28
about them, do you believe that people's minds can be poisoned?
37:34
Words are powerful. And again, just like Paul being
37:38
reviled, we don't have a record of the words that were shared,
37:41
but it should not surprise us that whatever was shared was
37:45
enough for these people to discredit the man and the
37:48
ministry. So I just allow my imagination
37:52
to go places. Sometimes do not making a
37:54
dogmatic, but I can just imagine these unbelieving Jews
37:58
Whispering two people meeting in their homes Gathering to them
38:01
and say, you know, this Paul guy what he teaches, whenever people
38:06
believe it just like splits up families, it's very ugly there.
38:09
I think there are a cult actually, they do this thing
38:11
where they eat, eat the blood, and they eat the Flesh of their
38:15
leader. Don't list.
38:17
It's a crazy cult. This Paul, he's money hungry.
38:24
He's doing all of this because he wants more, you know, they
38:28
given these things, these churches and I think he just
38:30
wants an extra buck So, be careful with this Paul guy.
38:36
And slowly. But surely People's minds were
38:40
poison potential here as potential disciples were.
38:44
Now, we're now so influence that they could not even hear the
38:48
man. And it's a sad sight indeed.
38:53
But I want to make this admonition to you.
38:56
The here's another form of suffering.
38:57
Servant of God that is you have set your life to plant the seeds
39:01
of the gospel and hearts, there are people who are enemies of
39:04
truth that will plant seeds of Suspicion and doubt in others,
39:11
concerning you. You think Satan's Arsenal is
39:15
limited to a Roman Colosseum with lions?
39:21
Now, he has different tricks. And if you can't revile you and
39:26
intimidate you head on, he'll just get other people against
39:29
you and poison their minds. Are you ready for that?
39:34
Are you ready for that? Are you ready for your
39:36
reputation, your motivation, your integrity to be put into
39:40
question by others, because Satan wants to make sure that
39:44
your testimony and Ministry is hindered and can't move forward
39:47
in a specific place. Are you ready for that?
39:52
Because it will come, it will happen.
39:57
And if you're not ready for that, you will not make it very
40:00
long and effective Ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ.
40:05
So, mines were poisoned, that it stopped there.
40:07
No, we come down to verse 19. Now, we go from Antioch at
40:12
Iconium to lystra, but Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and
40:16
having persuaded the crowds. They stoned Paul.
40:20
And dragged him out of the city supposing that he was dead.
40:25
So Not only was this man's Ministry, making great strides
40:28
and advancement. So was the persecution, the
40:30
greater, the success, the greater the viciousness of men,
40:35
you want to know how vicious they were.
40:37
Did you read it carefully? It wasn't the men at lystra that
40:40
necessarily attacked him. Look at verse 19.
40:42
Jews came from Antioch and Iconium they, they traveled.
40:46
They follow the guy that wasn't enough to say, get out of here.
40:50
It was enough to say, you're no longer, welcome in our
40:51
community, or in our synagogues. No, no.
40:53
They wanted to written from the Earth.
40:57
News came this Paul that wherever he went.
41:00
Power comes out of him. Truth comes out of him.
41:02
He's shaking our streets. Let's go get him.
41:07
So they packed her bag and realize as you read this we
41:10
think this is just like one suburb to the next.
41:12
So this is miles away from each other hatred is just as strong
41:16
as a motivation. As Love Is Burning With Envy
41:20
burning with jealousy burning with hatred.
41:23
For Christ, they packed their bags and they follow the man
41:26
like leave him alone. He's not there anymore.
41:31
And they find them and they whisper the same garbage to some
41:34
of the citizens of this place. And now it wasn't just words
41:38
that were hurled against him. Now, actual physical bricks and
41:42
stones were launched at his face in his back.
41:46
And they wouldn't stop until they believe that this man was
41:49
dead. And once they came to that
41:52
conclusion and they're all mines, they dragged his
41:55
unconscious body. Like it was a bag of garbage and
41:59
threw it outside of the city left to rot without a proper
42:03
burial. This man, what startles me about
42:11
him is not just how much he endured, but once he regains
42:14
Consciousness, he gets up, wipes the dust off his shoulders and
42:18
he goes to the next city to preach.
42:22
II. Look at that and I go I know
42:25
what it's like to be revived. I know what it's like to have
42:28
people's minds think differently.
42:29
I know that but to be stoned and then dragged out of the city.
42:35
Only to get up and this man was, you know, maybe I should take a
42:38
couple weeks off, he gets up and he goes to the next city.
42:44
And that's what blesses me because not just what he
42:46
experienced and how he remained faithful and he didn't retaliate
42:50
In the Flesh. Those are all glorious things
42:52
but his response afterwards after he traveled through these
42:56
cities and all the hatred and the things that came against
42:58
him, what did he do? Go to verse 22.
43:03
When they had preached the gospel to that City and had made
43:06
many disciples, they returned to lystra and to Iconium.
43:10
And to Antioch, you went back. Doing what?
43:20
Strengthening The Souls of the disciples, encouraging them to
43:24
continue in the faith and saying that through many tribulations.
43:28
We must enter the kingdom of God.
43:32
That's what this man did. He gets up and the main concern,
43:38
though, his soul was afflicted though, his body had cuts and
43:43
bruises. The only thing traveling through
43:45
his mind is all we have to take care of those converts.
43:50
We have to, we have to make sure that there's leaders established
43:52
to nurture them and train them up in the faith.
43:54
Barnabas. Come on, let's go and he limped
43:57
his way back. He's going, he's going back into
44:02
enemy territory. What possesses a man with such a
44:06
love? The love of Christ.
44:09
The love of Jesus Christ, the love for Souls.
44:12
The love for the church. The love for people that is
44:16
greater than any stone that is greater than any slander.
44:20
Brother and sister, I say this in love week, Christianity is
44:24
not going to cut it. Oversensitivity is not going to
44:28
cut it. It's not going to happen.
44:35
Not having things, our ways not going to make effective
44:38
Christianity, expecting to be treated in a certain matter.
44:42
In the moment that we received some resistance.
44:44
We give up. That's not going to work, it's
44:46
not This man is showing his trophies to Timothy and he's
44:54
expecting the same from his spiritual son.
44:56
Even though he might some believe with his personality
44:58
might be more timid and shy. No, no there's something that's
45:02
greater than your personality greater than your fears greater
45:05
than your concerns. The indwelling power of the
45:07
spirit of God, we have to believe that this is real.
45:10
We've it can be so real that it helps.
45:12
You soar above these things. People give up too easily,
45:18
people get discouraged. So quickly people interpret
45:21
things and read into things and and and they need to take a
45:24
break from Ministry for six months, I'm not talking about
45:28
not resting, I'm not talking about needing to be encouraged.
45:31
I'm talking about striving for what this man had because it's
45:34
possible. I want it.
45:38
I hope you would want it as well.
45:40
You and I have to realize that if we're going to endure in
45:42
these days, you've learned it face on.
45:45
And these past two years, if you're going to make it with
45:48
fruit hanging from the branches of your faithfulness, you have
45:52
to be ready to embrace suffering.
45:56
That might look like slander. That might look like stones.
45:59
That might look like you losing your job.
46:01
That might look like you losing your friends, but it's Christ
46:04
Worthy. He is worthy. and Paul believe
46:10
that for himself, This man did not allow the lumps on his head.
46:15
He then I allow The Whispers of the crowds to deter him.
46:21
See, as much as he saw unbelief and resistance, he also saw
46:25
Souls that were willing to receive the Gospel and be
46:27
trained up and that was enough for him to say even if there's a
46:30
handful at Iconium, I'm going. See, Paul had an amazing resume
46:38
in second Corinthians, 11 of the things that he suffered
46:41
shipwreck. Robberies sleepless nights.
46:47
But then the cherry on the top at the end of that list and
46:50
second Corinthians 11, he says this in verse 28 and apart, from
46:54
other things, there is this daily pressure on me of my
46:57
anxiety for the churches. A holy anxiety, a concern for
47:04
the people of God, the children of God, this is what drives me.
47:10
It hurts me sometimes when I hear Heretics coming, I mean,
47:13
can you not see that this was his aim in life?
47:20
It's clear, isn't it? Paul suffered.
47:23
It's clear isn't it? Timothy's being prepared to
47:27
suffer and if it hasn't been made clear to you, let it be
47:29
clear to you that all who desire to live a Godly life in Christ,
47:33
Jesus will be persecuted. It might look like persecution
47:39
and Antioch and Iconium or Lister, but it's coming one way
47:42
or another. You know, I was thinking about
47:46
this. This is this is sometimes very
47:48
difficult to preach in American churches.
47:51
It really is because like, we understand it but you preach
47:55
this kind of message in China and they'll get it, they'll get
47:59
it there. Like I've heard it was true that
48:03
you have pastors there. That when they enroll to be a
48:08
pastor they're fully convinced that part of that job is that
48:13
they will be in prison. Like that's what they know.
48:16
But in their minds isn't, it's not having a better building,
48:19
it's not having none of that stuff is in the Forefront of
48:22
their minds. Know, when they say, oh oh, I
48:24
feel like God's call me and password.
48:25
They have, they are fully convinced that at one point,
48:28
they're going to go to jail and be tortured.
48:31
They that's just it. Can you imagine training up
48:34
seminarians like that in America, as you graduate, you
48:37
most likely go to prison between 3 to 10 years.
48:40
So, prepare your family. It's very hard to communicate
48:46
these things. Because of the Great Lengths of
48:50
peace, that we have known in this nation, but let me remind
48:53
you, as we come to the book of Acts.
48:55
Again, I want you to see that even the early Church, New
48:58
Seasons of Peace. We almost have this idea that I
49:01
was just constantly turbulent not.
49:03
So here's proof. Acts 9:31.
49:13
Acts 9:31. We're told this about the
49:16
church, the early church. So, the church throughout all
49:21
Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built
49:24
up. No persecution.
49:29
No disruption. No laws being placed just peace
49:33
people meeting together celebrating potlucks Fellowship
49:37
conferences, nothing. No, this nothing and it was
49:41
being built up. And in three chapters later,
49:45
look what happens. In verse 1 of Acts chapter 12,
49:51
About that time Herod, the king laid violent hands on some who
49:55
belong to the church. the image that I have here is if you've
50:02
ever if you've grown up in a tropical area, in this in
50:05
America or tropical place in the world, you know how quickly it
50:08
can go from Sunday and clear to cloudy and downpour And
50:14
sometimes you can see those clouds in the Horizon and then
50:18
you're just, you're having a conversation.
50:20
Next thing, you know, you realize that there's no sun
50:22
kissing your skin and you're feeling drops on your head and
50:25
it took but a moment. So as much as you, and I in
50:29
America are enjoying Great Piece.
50:32
I can tell you very quickly. Can we see the church?
50:39
Knowing great trouble. So don't be too comfortable with
50:43
peace. Enjoy it.
50:45
Thank God for it. But prepare yourself for things
50:49
to change very quickly. We're almost done.
50:55
We come back to 2nd Timothy and we read the final thing that
50:58
Paul has in mind for Timothy to know in order to be faithful in
51:01
these last days. He says in verse 10 you need to
51:07
have a walk that's worthy to be imitated and here here's how it
51:11
looks. There's a car there's a there's
51:13
a doctrine that you have to believe in.
51:14
No let that influence your conduct.
51:16
Let It Be Your very aim in life and look at how he can touch
51:19
other people. Not only that you have to know
51:21
that there are suffering your way, don't be surprised when it
51:24
comes and be ready to endure it when it does.
51:27
But lastly, look what he says at the end of verse 11, Which
51:32
persecutions I endured yet from them.
51:35
All the Lord rescued me. If you and I are going to no
51:42
faithfulness, then you have to know something about the
51:45
sovereignty of God. What he is telling his faithful
51:50
disciple is that even though I had no great pain.
51:54
I also saw Gods intervene power in each of those places.
51:58
God delivered me from each of those situations Timothy and if
52:03
you did it for me, he will do it for you.
52:05
Now here's the thing. This is where I believe the ESV
52:08
might do a disservice because you look at other word for word
52:11
translations and it doesn't read the same way.
52:14
See here it says yet from them all the Lord rescued me, but
52:18
other Translations would say, yet out of them all.
52:22
The Lord rescued me and I think that makes more sense.
52:26
It's not true that the Lord will rescue and Deliver Us from
52:30
trouble. That's not true.
52:34
What is true is that you will know afflictions, but from those
52:37
afflictions he will deliver you. That's the difference.
52:40
And that's what he's saying here.
52:42
Yes, I've known those afflictions.
52:44
Yes, I've went through them, but I can tell you this.
52:47
I felt the hand of God lift me out of them in due time.
52:51
In fact, many believe that what Paul is doing here is he is
52:54
borrowing the language of the psalmist in Psalm 34:19 where we
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are told many are the afflictions of the righteous but
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the Lord delivers him out of them all.
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Timothy. You have to understand that
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though, your foes no Kings do Governor's even though entire
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cities would come against you, there is a God who is Sovereign
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over all of them, he holds all power.
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He is supreme and strength. Nothing can confound his
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counsel? He is in control.
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Is he Paul? You believe that he'll rescue
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from from everything? Yes.
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So is he going to rescue you from prison as you write this
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because you're telling me that he rescued you from Antioch and
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Iconium is he going to rescue you From jail right now.
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Here's the answer and Paul knows it.
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No. No.
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In fact, Paul in this letter is confident, I'm going to Glory.
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I'm not going to be delivered. This time.
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This imprisonment is different. So wait, does it make your point
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less valid? I thought you just said that the
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Lord rescues us from death that he will.
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Not let the enemy have his way with us though he might come out
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scape. Is that is that what's going to
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happen to? You know, I'm actually gonna
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die. So what does it mean?
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Well, it's the same understanding that those three
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Hebrew boys had when they were ready to be thrown into a
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furnace for not bowing. Down to an idle.
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The Lord is able, And he will. But even if he doesn't, We're
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not going to worship your gods. Is God a table?
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Paul says yes has God. Yes will God this time as much
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as you and I believe in his Sovereign power.
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We must also believe with it, his perfect wisdom.
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He can deliver me. but it doesn't mean he has to He can
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save me from Death, he can make sure that your body will never
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know even a cold for the rest of your life.
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And he can make sure that whatever assassination attempt
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on your head is planned will never succeed.
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But his deliverance from death. Can also be a Deliverance
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through death into his presence forever and ever.
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So Paul had a confidence in the sovereignty of God.
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He can, he has and he might but I know he won't.
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He still Sovereign, though, how can you be discouraged with such
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a belief. How can you be discouraged?
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It's like he's able to do it in a moment, he can remove that
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pain from you in a moment. He can, he can make a way he can
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open it, he can do everything, but I also rest in the knowledge
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that if he doesn't. There's a greater reason for it.
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I think about ax you not to turn there in Acts 12 and acts 12.
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When Herod came to put his Filthy Hands, on the pure Church
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of Jesus Christ. He takes a hold of James, one of
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the Apostles and slays his neck. He kills them.
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And in the same chapter in prisons Peter and Peter through
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the prayers of the Saints. Knows a miraculous escape from
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iron bars. Well why didn't do it for James?
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We were you not able know he was able He was able to save James
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and Peter but in his perfect wisdom, James had an early
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graduation into Glory. And it is perfect, wisdom.
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Peter needed to be delivered because Peter still had some
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work to do. How do you lose in the Christian
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Life? Tell me.
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Do you know a loophole that I don't know about?
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Because I look at this and I realize that we are more than
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conquerors in Jesus Christ. Let's pray.
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But we thank you for the inspired word of God.
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Oh the life that we felt this afternoon from the scriptures
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Lord. We are amazed at your wisdom and
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Lord we realize that this is a word for today.
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We ask you o God by your grace and by the things that we have
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heard that you would make Us Faithful.
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Make us faithful in these last days.
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Lord, may we be a people of the book who know what we believe.
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It may it be translated into our conduct.
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It may not just be translated into how we behave, but may it
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actually affect the Throne of our affections. maybe are very
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aim in life to live for the glory of Jesus O Lord, may we
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not be intimidated at the hostility in the Horizon but
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maybe look at all persecution with a smile on our face knowing
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that you are able to rescue, you will rescue but even if you
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don't Lord you are sovereign still and so, Lord, we ask that
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you would give us what you put in this man, Paul that despite
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the Betrayal, despite all the Despicable things that were done
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to him to his reputation, He had a love for the church, I love
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for the gospel, love for souls and he wanted to minister to
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them even if it costs them, even if it costs him his health his
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comfort his safety. Lord we are so selfish Deliver
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Us from self crucify us Lord. We pray o.
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God that that this old man though met would try to be
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resurrected that it would remain, it would remain in the
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Tomb. And that we would walk in New
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Life In Jesus, but we do not have the power to do this within
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ourselves. It must be your grace.
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It must be your grace in US. Lord, we pray for the father's
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in here. We pray for the disciple makers
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in here, we pray for the mentors, the leaders will God,
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those who are training, those who are older brothers and
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sisters, may our walk be worthy of imitation.
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The we may not be Apostles or prophets.
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May our love for Jesus Christ. Make an impression those who
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watch us. Oh Lord.
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This is what we long for it. May not our walk be for the sake
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of impressing. Others may just be the simple
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devotion to you, that would spill over into other things,
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but we worship you for the word today.
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We give you all glory as a church in Jesus, Christ's name
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we pray. Amen, let's stand and Worship
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the Lord shall we?