2005 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2005 Learning the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18: |
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Second of all, I would hope the men hearing this sermon would be:
II Timothy 2:1-4 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
see II Timothy 3:6,7 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Well, do any of us fit verses 1-5? If we haven't done anything about it, then we are not much better than those men. "But," you say, "WE ARE learning and we ARE ABLE to come to the knowledge of the truth!"
Then don't complain about things anymore. It is time to get those pants back from your wife!
Will we continue to allow them to be led away? No? Ok...
Then how about your daughters? ... your sons?
Are they still being led away by the perverts of this world?
Are your hands tied? Yes, they probably are these days... but this isn't about them, anyway -it is about us men!
I Corinthians 4:16
Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
I Corinthians 11:1
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Philippians 3:17 Brethren,
be followers together of me,
and mark them which walk so as ye have
us for an ensample.
...how can one enter into a strong man's
house, and spoil his goods,
except he first bind the strong
man? and then he will spoil his house.
Matthew 12:29
I have realized that I had been bound and disarmed during my past years - and only recently have I taken off some of those chains and have seen a change in my own life (Acts 12:7). I can look back now and because of the Book, see HOW, WHO, WHERE, WHY and the PROCESSES that bound me up!
However, this is not a blame game sermon - there is barely enough time to go forward like Paul says - Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13,14
Behold, ALL things are become new - this means that all things are still new and will stay new - every second is a new second!
Us older guys can look back and see this stuff more than ever if we get in and stay in the Book! (You young guys will probably just have to learn it all the hard way, but I hope you choose to hear and then take heed to this message today!)
My concern today is what we are doing, if anything
about the goods
and spoils that
God has given us today!
And don't forget these - yes, it is too obvious
that the Scriptures have the work place covered!
I Timothy 6:1,2
- Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy
of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because
they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful
and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
Titus 2:9 -
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them
well in all things; not answering again;
If you don't put on and keep the Lord on at work, then it all will just
burn - a total loss...
...what a waste of energy and life, eh!
For what is a man profited, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
or what shall a man give in exchange for
his soul?
Matthew 16:26
And you men who are understand the Greater Commission,
you know that goes for your inheritance, too!
amen?
Can you see any or all, or most, of those characteristics in today's men? I was shocked to see how well they fit more and more of the common modern American men, even the ones in our churches - KJB churches! I Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind...
As pastor, teacher, etc. I see more and more:
If folks try to define "Godly Man" they will all have different
answers and opinions!
Let's just go with the Book!
The King James Bible!
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Look again at Luke 11:21,22
When a strong man armed keepeth his
palace, his goods are in peace:
But when a stronger than he shall come
upon him, and overcome him,
he taketh from him all his armour wherein
he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
Our Goods
NOT the house, the car, our guns, our belongings, our toys, our jobs,
our salary, our raises, our retirement programs, our stocks, our food,
our snowmobiles, our 4-wheelers, our horses - that is not what this is
about today!
Matthew 6:19: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Come on men - those 'things' ARE already being destroyed or ARE destroyed and they are or will destroy your family as they grow up!!
If you can't see that yet, your are blinded by the god of this world, you are selfish, lazy. We can get pre-occupied with success, money, sports, TV, videos, your house, your personal desires, comforts, your job, your own design of your life, and your earthly future. etc. - and remember, all that stuff is designed by the very people God tells us to withdraw from, from such turn away, etc.
Yes, those things do have their place - amen! I am not preaching the apostolic doctrine of 'give it all to Jesus' - I Timothy 6:17 says that we should trust in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; I Timothy 2:2b says, ...that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. But those times are changing - and HAVE BEEN for some time in America - we just pretend not to see it - we don't WANT to see the truth of these days! We like what we have in the bank, in our garages, in our homes, in our rooms and in our pockets!
I believe that as men, our judgment seats are going to be a disaster
- and as we shame him today, we will be ashamed tomorrow!
Colossians 3:23,24 and
25 - And whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord
ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done:
and there is no respect of persons.
God's Order will be rewarded, man's order will burn!
But lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves do not break through
nor steal:
Matthew 6:20
Physical kingdom challenges today:
Yes, we do see the physical challenges taking place in the public place
in Christianity today: - we are being accused of being hate speech; being
put down with no opportunity to return the favor; no KJ Bible; laws against
the Book and us; being targeted by police and lawyers, etc. but I wonder
if that is really the calling of this church age anyway- are some folks
making some huge mistakes in their public witness? in this what the
Book really has to say to folks today? Are we really putting forth
the proper words and testimony to sinners? Just asking...
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We must be willing to be, seeking to
be & wanting to be DELIVERED!
A. Be Saved
1. Yes, salvation is a great thing,
no doubt, but there is more to being a Christian than being saved!
2. Jesus preached the Great Commission
to a nation that needed to fear the wrath of God for rejecting their Messiah!
a. Matthew
3:7; Malachi 3:1-5; Malachi 4:1-6
b. See
John
3:7 - Marvel not that I said unto
thee, Ye must be born again. - the nation of Israel needed
to be born again - their Messiah was here!
c. The
beatitudes HAD to be walked, etc. (Matthew 5:9;
20; 44,45, 48; 7:24-27)
B. We must be delivered!
1. Today, from Jesus Christ
to Paul, we preach the GREATER COMMISSION - Paul's Gospel
2. There is still the initital and
most necessary need to be saved, of course!
3. The need is also to be delivered!
(not just how to mingle; how to 'get along;' how to mix with the multitudes
- but how to give God glory for all that he did for those saved - FOR US
- to provoke others to jealousy (Romans
11:11!)
a. delivered
from
the law of sin to serve in newness of spirit - Romans
7:5,6
b. delivered
from the body of the battle between our flesh, sin that is in me
and the Spirit of God - the body of this death - Romans
7:24
c. delivered
from the frustrations and tribulations of daily life - the sentence
of death in ourselves - II Corinthians 1:8-10
d. delivered
from
ourselves that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest
in our mortal flesh - II Corinthians 4:5-11
e. delivered
from this present evil world - according to the will of God, not
ourselves - Galatians 1:4
f. delivered
from the power of darkness - into a spiritual world - Colossians
1:13 (Ephesians 6:12;
I Corinthians 2:9-16, etc)
g. delivered
from the
wrath to come - I Thessalonians
1:10
h. delivered
from unreasonable and wicked men - men that have not faith - II
Thessalonians 3:2
These are the purpose driven trendy ALPHA designed fun fleshly music easy psychological sermons - that produce a religion that God hates! Their vain babblings lead unto more ungodliness - true godliness must be according to the Book, not according the new terms of what is right and wrong! II Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
C. Help others be saved AND delivered! - Don't stop at
Salvation! God said not to, Jesus said not to, Paul says not to!
a. John
6:40 - raise him up! And this
is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and
believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at
the last day.
b. John
6:39 - raise it up! And this
is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given
me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
c. Paul with
same desire - Acts 26:18 and many other
references - too many for today's sermon...
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
But... folks must make their own decision to get out of the messes their lives & famillies are in - it is their call to go to God and to open the Book - we can show them - we can show them how God delivers them, but they must make the call and THEN God will DELIVER THEM! II Timothy 2:24-26 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
We can't forget - any of us - that we are all dogs that have been delivered out of the dog house and from underneath the table! Romans 10:19; Matthew 7:6; 15:26; ACts 26:15-18; Ephesians 1:15-19; 2:14-19; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-12!
The Spirit in this Book will save you - and your family!
The Spirit in this Book will deliver you - and your family!!
Jesus Christ saves - Jesus Christ delivers!
Paul shows us Christ's Salvation TODAY - Paul shows us Christ's deliverance
TODAY!
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We can't pretend to live the Philadelphian church age and expect the same blessings - open doors - doors we can't shut, etc. and battles - and promises! We are in the Laodicean church age - this is the hour of temptation - not the beginning of sorrows, that is the tribulation inMark 13:8
Revelation 3:14-22
Revelation 3:10 -
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from
the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them
that dwell upon the earth.
I Peter 1:7-9 - That
the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and
glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love;
in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the
salvation of your souls.
I Corinthians 10:12-13 - Wherefore
let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will
with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it.
I Timothy 6:9 -
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many
foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
Galatians 4:14 - And
my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but
received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
II Peter 2:9 -
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve
the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
There is a 'right way' for Christians today and a wrong way - a right way and a wrong way for us men today! We must be alert to the right way dispensationally and rightly dividingly. We can do the right thing the wrong way and at the wrong time!
But we must remember, men - Our families are CONSTANTLY under GREAT
TEMPTATION,
not great tribulation...
...YET!
Philippians 4:6-9 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
We have to, men! Our wives, our daughters, our sons, our grandkids,
our neighbours, our friends are watching us - will they listen to us!
Do you have anything to show them - and do you have anything to tell them?
A Real Man is Saved
AND Delivered!
And tells others - and
shows others - ESPECIALLY HIS OWN!
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always
obeyed,
not as in my presence only, but now much
more in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear
and trembling.
Philippians 2:12