www.scatteredchristians.org
From the
Badlands & Prairie of Western South Dakota
January
17, 2010
Audio
sermon
Video
sermon
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Are You
In Your Latter Times?
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I Timothy
4:1 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,
that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed
to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Note the Tribulation use of the word
'latter' - and see how we see us approaching the Tribulation more and more.
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II Peter 2:20
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entangled again, they lose their salvation!
My concern
is OUR personal latter times.
The definition and use of the word
'latter' is consistent throughout the entire Bible!
-
Proverbs 19:20
- Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that
thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
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Do we want to end up with a departure
from the faith?
-
Or would we rather end up wise in our
latter end?
I
Timothy 4:1 - Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
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Giving heed to seducing spirits and
doctrines of devils = departing from the faith!
II Timothy
4:1
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They will NOT endure...
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turned to fables? Jewish Great
Commission?
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Colossians
2:8 - philosophy / vain deceit /
tradition of men / rudiments of the world - NOT AFTER CHRIST!
Ephesians 4:17+
As we think more and more like
the lost world:
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our understanding is darkened!
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we reject the life of the living God!
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we are ignorant because of the blindness
of our heart!
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we get past feeling
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we give ourselves over to lasciviousness
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we work uncleanness with greediness
We have NOT learned from Christ! - KJB
- Paul, etc.
The fight in Christians is gone -
I am seeing the Paul following folks fading, as well!
The little leaven is doing the job
of leavening the whole lump!
As a pastor - a former pastor - a
friend - close friend to a few... When I see this falling away, it hurts!!!
When I see folks who have grasped
onto Philippians 1:9-11, and then began
to fall backwards and then slowly begin to give up... what they know is
right - it hurts my heart!
You say to ignore it? I can't!
You say to say something?
I have tried - and look where I am today!
There is a price to pay - and I
guess I am paying it! Are you willing?
It is becoming common among the Paul
following crowd - some are departing from the faith, just like Paul warned.
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Is it because we are so thrilled about
all things being lawful?
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Is it because of God's grace, etc.?
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Do we do it on purpose?
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Do we fear man so much that we choose
the snare instead?
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Do we do it out of frustration?
Anger? Rebellion?
See the example of someone who tried...
Mark
14:50-52
Is that us?
Wait!
We do have God's grace
/ Long Suffering / payment!
Get up and get going
again!
Romans
12:1
It is the reasonable thing!
Read first half
of the article - The
Graduation of Error to Tolerance, to Commonplace, to Acceptance and Participation
How does that apply to us?
-
Christ paid it all for a reason!
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Christ gives us total grace for
a reason!
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Christ prevents us from losing
our salvation!
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Christ took ALL our chastisement
and God's wrath for a reason!
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Christ knows we can't do it!
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Christ knows we don't even want to do
it!
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Christ knows if we try, we can still
'choose' to go backwards by following our flesh!
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Christ knows we will give in to the
ways of the world!
-
Christ knows most are just playing the
game!
-
Christ knows our sincerity!
Paul had the battle - Romans
7:15-25!
But he fought to the end! - II
Timothy 4:6-7!
The reward is there at the end!
I Timothy 4:8!
Or will we just give in?
How long have you been 'in battle?'
Are you in your latter times?
Are you departing from the faith
little by little?
Are you well along in your departure?
Are you wondering if you could ever
begin to fall back?
Latter
Times-Table
Philippians
1:9-11
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Grow in knowledge
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Grow in judgment
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Learn to approve things that are excellent!
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shamefacedness modesty
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mouth
-
manners
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music / melody
-
meat
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meekness
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mercy
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moderation
-
mysteries
-
meditation
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manner of life
-
etc.
The Process of the
Departure:
Fumble:
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Caught off guard - the hit hurts - you
were not prepared for it
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not totally sincere
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not totally convinced
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tripped by others / hit hard / conspiracies
against you
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not prepared to fight or to protect
yourself
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preaching doesn't edify, exhort, challenge,
charge, comfort, guide, inform, warn, etc.
Faint:
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on your own strength and effort
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the hurt - the battle - their watch
and scrutinizing wears you down
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not renewed day by day
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feed the flesh or the Spirit
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don't study - read - to apply to yourself!
Fade:
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start to back off - give in - participate
more and more
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make provisions for your flesh
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not as interested as you once were
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losing desire
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not as excited and driving to do right
as you were before
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worn down
Falter
-
hesitate
-
yield
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no longer firm
-
no longer strong and steady
Fall Away
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Will not endure the battle
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Depart from the faith
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quit - done with it all!
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make your friends back
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family loves you again
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you can find a better job
-
live 'feels' better again!
My
hope!
Philippians
1:6-8 - Being confident of this
very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it
until the day of Jesus Christ: Even as it is meet for me to think this
of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds,
and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers
of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in
the bowels of Jesus Christ.
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
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!"