From the Black Hills, the Badlands and the Prairie of Western South Dakota

www.scatteredchristians.org

March 14, 2010
Audio sermon
no video available

More of the 'series' about what if Paul could come back to preach to us...

• II Corinthians 12:19 to 13:1-5 - Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

• Increase - I Corinthians 3:6,7 - I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

• II Corinthians 10:15 -  Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
• As our faith increases, you will grow according to Paul!
• Romans 10:15 - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

• I Thessalonians 1:9,10 - For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

• II Corinthians 11:3 - But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
• II Corinthians 12:20,21 - For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
• Galatians 4:11 -  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

• Success will cost others big bucks!
• Acts 19:26,27 - Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
• Stay with your decision - faith, not flesh will keep you in the fight!
• Colossians 1:21-23 - And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
• It is possible...!
• Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
• I Corinthians 10:13 - 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.
• 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.
• Needs will be provided!
• Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
• Ensample to others!
• I Thessalonians 1:3 - Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
• He made us capable of doing right in our choices!
• Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
• When necessary, just avoid - don't fight it or accept compromise, etc.!
• Romans 16:17 - Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
• Cleave to that which is good!
• Romans 12:9 -  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
• Acts 11:23 -  Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

• All is lawful, but does it abuse your liberty?
• That is our test as a Christian when it comes to 'should I' or 'shouldn't I'.
• Will anyone understand?
• Can you do it for Him?
• Colossians 3:23 - And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
• People will not endure!
• II Timothy 4:3,4 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
• Do not compare yourself to others!
• II Corinthians 10:12 - For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
• It could be depressing, frustrating, discouraging, etc.
• You could use it to justify your level, knowing it still isn't good enough to truly please God according to Paul, but good enough for others to see that you are somewhat / sorta serious, anyway.
• Makes you feel better about yourself, but still is not pleasing to God, etc.
• shamefacedness, etc.
• roles of man / woman
• loudness
• sober mindedness
• entertainment, etc.
• personal behaviour,
• etc. etc. etc.
• It brings on wrath & confusion from and to others!
• Acts 19:28,29 - And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
• At least we bring unity to the community!
• ... they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
• Luke 23:12 - And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
• They will try to 'kill' you and your desire; they will even try to trip you up!
• Acts 21:27-31 - And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
• Galatians 4:9 - But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
• Galatians 3:1-3 - O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
• Jeremiah 20:10 - For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side.  Report, say they, and we will report it.  All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
• Nehemiah 1-6
• 4:1-3 - Mock you!
• 4:7,8 - Conspire to stop you!
• 4:10,11 - Sneak in amongst the rubbish life, etc. and 'git' you from within!
• 5:1-5 - Fuss over finances!
• 6:1,2a - Compromise!
• 6:5-7 - Slander you!
• 6:10-14 - Seek to CAUSE you to do wrong!
• 6:15-19 - If a victory still comes to you, they still try to put you in fear!
• Relatives especially!
• vs 18
• You will be considered a 'nut'!
• Acts 26:24 - And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
• We will be troubled; perplexed; persecuted; cast down... - but not...
• II Corinthians 4:8-10 - We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
• The ways of the world could be enticing to you if you don't want to follow Paul!
• Colossians 2:8,9 - Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
• Romans 16:18 - For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

• Persecutions and Tribulations
• II Thessalonians 1:4 - So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
• You will be resisted
• II Timothy 3:8 - Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
• "these" is verses 1-8 - modern Christians, etc.
• Persecution by those deceived and deceiving
• II Timothy 3:12,13 - Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
• Called the enemy
• Galatians 4:16 - Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
• Loved less
• II Corinthians 12:15 - And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
• It will come with affliction
• II Timothy 1:8 - Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
• II Timothy 4:5 - But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

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This all signals the end of God's goodness to the Gentile nation and the beginning of Jacob's troubles!
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God:
on them which fell, severity;
but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness:
otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Romans 11:22

 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery,
lest ye should be wise in your own conceits;
that blindness in part is happened to Israel,
until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Romans 11:25

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Mike Paulson
(former pastor of King James Bible Church of Touchet, WA)
Doing the work of an evangelist teaching Paul's gospel of the Risen Saviour!
www.scatteredchristians.org

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The entire King James Bible is written FOR us, but it is not all written TO us!
We learn from the "For" and we learn to apply the 'TO!"