2006 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2006 Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15 |
The Worst Enemy of Them All! |
We have seen that there are many many enemies out there, eh! And
sure, it is very true that the devil is rough - we are told it is him that
we battle as the real enemy - Ephesians 6:12.
The rest are just 'different people'
being deceived and used by the devil to gather folks
to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Revelation 16:14
He certainly cannot be ignored and neither can those folks - even in
'Christian love."
But there is one who continues to fight up to the end. There is one who still fights while the devil is locked up in chains for a thousand years.
The point I want to make is that we can't always blame the devil for
the 'wrong' in our lives.
Paul even said of himself:
Romans 7:24,25 - O
wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself
serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Our soul and spirit are both ok - Colossians
2:12; Romans 4, etc. - but our flesh is still a mess!
Romans 8:5,6 -
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but
they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be
carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8:10-13 - And
if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is
life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised
up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth
in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to
live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall
live.
Our flesh still has arthritis, crippled members, it has been scolliosidated,
lusty, hungry, vain, selfishness, etc. etc.
It is pampered to the day we die - in fact, it is even pampered after
we die - for a few days.
Bitterness
Ephesians 4:31,32 - Let
all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be
put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you.
Childishness
Ephesians 4:14 -
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
I Corinthians 13:11 - When
I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as
a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Music
We all know what we know we like - and so...
"God must like it too if it helps us 'love
Him' more..."
"It is always there for me - it gives me comfort,
encouragement!"
"I breathe it and it goes everywhere I go!"
"Everyone must hear what I like!"
Acts 2:16,17; Psalm 68:4
False Worship!
Fleshy Praise!
Fake Rejoicing!
Slothfulness vs Too Busy
Slothfulness:Proverbs 30:7-9 - Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Romans 12:11a - Not slothful in business;...
Colossians 4:5 - Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Proverbs 18:9 - He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
Proverbs 21:25 - The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
Proverbs 26:14 - As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
Proverbs 26:15 - The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.Too Busy
Ecclesiastes 4:6 - Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
Proverbs 17:1 - Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
Love of money
I Timothy 6:10 - For
the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after,
they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
I Timothy 6:17-19 - Charge
them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust
in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things
to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to
distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves
a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal
life.
LEAVEN - Galatians 5:9 -
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
It is all so gradual - the toad in the pot of hot water story...
Exercised himself to be void of offence toward God, and toward men!
Acts 24:16 - And
herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence
toward God, and toward men.
Learned to even want to do right!
Romans 7:25 -
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself
serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Admitted that he knew nothing himself!
I Corinthians 4:4 -
For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that
judgeth me is the Lord.
Willing to be servant to all! (called the enemy; loved less, etc.)
I Corinthians 9:19 - For
though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all,
that I might gain the more.
Brought his body into subjection!
I Corinthians 9:27 - But
I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means,
when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Determined things with himself!
II Corinthians 2:1 - But
I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
Abased himself around others while still be bold and confident in
what he had to say!
II Corinthians 10:1,2 - 1:
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ,
who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence,
wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked
according to the flesh.
II Corinthians 11:7 -
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted,
because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
Ephesians 3:12 -
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Forgot about those things behind, reached forth unto those things
which were before!
Philippians 3:13 - 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,
Did not glory in himself!
II Corinthians 12:5 - Of
such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
II Corinthians 4:15 - For
all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the
thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
I Corinthians 10:31 - Whether
therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of
God.
Enjoyed the opportunities to answer folks
Acts 24:10 -
Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered,
Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this
nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:
Acts 26:1,2 - 1:
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then
Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: I think
myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day
before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Paul gloried in his infirmities, persecutions, etc...
II Corinthians 12:5 - Of
such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
II Corinthians 12:10 - Therefore
I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong
II Corinthians 11:30 -
If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
Romans 15:1 -
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and
not to please ourselves.
II Corinthians 12:9 -
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is
made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
...and those are the very
things that we allow to be our enemy to the joy that Paul teaches to us!
...and that final verse leads to another interesting sermon!