www.scatteredchristians.org
The
Entire King James Bible is written FOR us, but it is not all written TO
us!
We
learn from the "For" and study to apply the 'TO!"
Another
Sermon for the Starving Bible Believing Christians All Over the World Wide
Web
2007
- KJV Bible Believers Church in Touchet, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike
Paulson - 2007
Expounding
the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26
-
with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II
Timothy 2:15
Knowing
God's Word Today Stands For Us, Not Against Us; For Good, Not For Evil!
See
Jeremiah 44:29
vs Romans 2:4
|
| Turn
To, Not Just Toward! |
I preached on The Great Turn a
few years ago.
-
I. "Turn" rightly divided
-
II. The Great Turn was turning
from pleasing ourselves to pleasing God - and that would be through Paul's
teachings, doings and manner of life in his own Epistles!
Now, we have seen some time
pass by since those two sermons...
How much have we turned?
Not just a curve, bend in the road,
slow down, angle off, curve, S curve, part turn, turn off, etc.
We all have our own personal answers...
As some folks
have expressed their concern for my health lately, it has recently been
said, (by more than one, by the way...) "We all make choices.
Many of us have made those choices and may or may not stick with them"
so that I am to just be concerned with preaching the word from the pulpit,
as Paul told Timothy.
Hey, I have even tried to say that
to myself - a number of times...
I almost believe Que Sera Sera...
This is my response to those who
say I should just be satisfied with preaching the word...
So why the stress? The tears?
the frustrations? the disappointments? as well as a
few joys, of course!
Ask
Paul - if anyone would know, he would!
Personal battles will still be
fought!
He had tears and temptations by his
own brethren for being profitable to them
He warned with tears for 3 years!
Tears and anguish of heart!
Paul had great conflict for others!
-
Colossians
2:1-8
-
Knowing what the folks can have as well
as the the battle for them to be beguiled and spoiled through philosophy
and vain deceit.
He just 'had' to know about his people
and how they were doing!
He longed in his heart for his people
- see his prayer for them.
He did it all gladly - but with disappointing
responses.
Paul is my
example in how I should be through all this preaching and teaching...
-
II Corinthians
7:4 - Great is my boldness of speech toward
you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding
joyful in all our tribulation.
But I haven't
been doing that well recently!
Folks, I just can't be satisfied
with just preaching & teaching the word - I also have a strong desire
to see those necessary TURNS being made!
-
Acts 14:15
- from these vanities unto the living God!
-
Acts 26:18
- from darkness to light
-
Acts 26:18
- from power of Satan unto God!
-
Acts 26:20
- repent and turn to God, and do works meet
for repentance!
But do I also
have to ask us this question:
-
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 to be in bondage?
-
Galatians 5:7
- Ye did run well; who did hinder you that
ye should not obey the truth?
And do I also
have to ask this question?
-
Are you like Elymas the sorcerer?
-
Are you trying to turn someone away
from making a or even trying to make a TURN in their life?
-
Acts 13:8 -
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his
name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy
from the faith.
-
Maybe you are
jealous? you don't agree? you think they are a hypocrite for
trying? Do their efforts hurt your own pride?
-
What if your kids
grow up and want to be better at following Paul than you? Does that bother
you?
Do you really
want to make the full turn - or just "towards?"
-
We are made to be his workmanship!
-
We are made to do good works!
-
We are made with a design and a specific
role to be lived!
-
We are made to be accepted in the beloved!
-
We are made his righteousness!
-
We are made reconciled!
-
We are made nigh to God by the blood
of Christ!
-
We are made free from sin!
-
We are free from the law of sin and
death!
-
We have been made alive!
-
We have been made 'able' to finally
please God!
-
I Corinthians
1:30 - But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification,
and redemption:
Why
is it so hard for us to make that complete turn to His ways through Paul?
Not imitate!
We are not to try to imitate Him
- or think we have to walk His walk from the Gospels, or be 'like Him,"
etc.
Live His RISEN life - and we hear
those details from Paul!
We are to live the risen life -
and make the complete turn from darkness to
light; from the power of Satan unto God; from these vanities unto the living
God!
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.
II Corinthians
4:10
I must continue to
keep challenging you/us to do so!
Paul said at the end, II
Timothy 4:7 - I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
I can't say that nor will I ever
be able to say that, but I hope I can say:
-
I fought a few skirmishes, anyway -
-
and that I didn't ever give up on preaching
the word, just trying to watch in all things, enduring afflictions, doing
the work of an evangelist, making full proof of thy ministry.
It may be over
for me before I know it!