Podcasts about what paul

Text: Philippians 3:2-11 Sermon Series: “Gearing Up for a Fantastic Fall” A little over a decade ago, a new profession began to develop in American culture, one that focuses on providing people help with getting their lives better organized. Most of the demand for this help stemmed from busy housewives and young single adults who had entered the labor force and found themselves with less time to keep their home as tidy and together as they used to could do. And so, you had the emergence of “professional organizers” like Marie Kondo and the explosion of books on the topic of “feng shui” and other ways of making a home “balanced.” You had stores open like the big Container store in Atlanta, and even trendy big box stores like Target started to figure out how there's a profit to be made in stocking such household organizational items. All in all, people started to see the value in getting not just their space but their souls “together,” a big part of which is coming to a place where they are finally ready to “lose the clutter.” As we think about gearing up for the fall, like with the start of other seasons, many of us see this time as a good one for thinking about getting rid of the stuff we've been hanging on to for too long a period of time, stuff in particular that we don't use on a regular basis. But maybe this season of the year is also a good time to think about the stuff we've been lugging around in our souls, stuff that loads us down so much that we don't have sufficient room for Jesus. We don't know what season of the year it was when Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi. We talked just two Sundays ago about the church that Paul had established there when Paul and Silas came to that strategic Roman city to proclaim the Lord Jesus. Philippi was where the woman Lydia, the merchant of purple cloth, had come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. It was also the place where the jailer and his whole family had confessed Jesus as Lord also. A significant church must have come from those conversions, given how in his letter to the Philippians, Paul states “I thank my God every time I remember you” (Phil. 1:3). But at some point along the way, things became cluttered in the fellowship there. To be specific, a group of outsiders had come into the church, insisting that these Gentiles who had come to saving faith in Christ also be observant of the Mosaic Law. And so, when word reached Paul about the situation in Philippi, he became so distressed that he felt the need to take this heresy, this false belief, head on. “Watch out for these people. They have no desire to promote Jesus. They're only interested in promoting themselves. They're prideful. They boast about their credentials. That's not how we came to you. Even though we could have, we wouldn't have thought of doing such a thing because we serve God by means of his Spirit and we boast only of his power in Jesus Christ.” What Paul was telling the church was that in order to find true fulfillment in life, the only thing we really need is Jesus. Now, understand, this advice wasn't coming from someone who had never tried to prove his worth to others or endeavored to get to the front of the line on the basis of privilege. No, Paul had been there. He had been born into the right family, the tribe of Benjamin. He had been educated in the right school; he was at one time a Pharisee. He had made it to the upper echelons of his profession. He was a persecutor of the church and considered faultless in terms of his own observance of the Law. Simply put, Paul had touched all the bases. But what does Paul say of his once upon a time impressive resume? “I call garbage on it,” Paul says. “It was all worthless and nothing more than clutter. And so, whatever I once considered gain, I now count as loss. The only thing that matters any more is my desire to know Christ and the power of his resurrection.” In other words, Paul invites us to look at our own lives and to see if there's anything in them that prevents us from having room for Jesus; and if there is, to let go of it so that Jesus might have the space that he needs to empower us with what we require to face whatever challenges or setbacks may come our way. Paul's warning to the Philippians reminds me of the story of the young couple that had moved into their dream home in an upscale neighborhood. The husband had gone out to pick up some supplies while the wife had stayed home to empty out some of the boxes. When the husband returned, the wife informed him that a neighbor had stopped by to welcome them to the neighborhood, but while doing so she had asked the wife a question she didn't exactly know how to answer. “What did she ask?” the husband said. “She told me we had a beautiful house, but then she asked me, ‘Did Jesus live here?'” “Oh,” the husband answered, “one of them. So, what did you tell her? Did you tell her that we're respectable people? Did you tell her that we both have important jobs? Did you tell her we go to church when we get a free Sunday?” “No,” the wife said. “That's not what she asked. What she asked was, ‘Does Jesus live here?'” Has anyone ever asked you that question? Have you ever asked it of yourself? Today, as we prepare to receive the Lord's Supper, is a good time for us to do so. It may be that as we consider it, we may become aware of something that is crowding Jesus out. And if we do, whatever it may be, it would be the perfect Sunday to kick it out to the curb and call it garbage. For only then will we have room for Jesus and know the power of his resurrection, which is the greatest thing to know – the greatest thing in this life and the greatest thing in the life that is to come. Philippians 3:2-11

The following sermon excerpt entitled “Christ is All I Need” was preached by Jonathan Ray at Hopewell Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, 8/11/2021. Because many just got back from camp last week, decisions are fresh on our minds. Sermons about going home changed and living godly lives result in decisions. I remember the ride back from camp with a list of decisions. I am going home changed. The topic of tonight's sermon was not clear in mind, though. I had the idea that I was going to go home and try really really hard to live godly. A lot of times that leads to frustration and disappointment. God wants us to understand tonight that godliness is not about our willpower to change. A changed life does not come through what I do but what Christ has done for me. Christ is all I need. And that's the title tonight: “Christ is All I Need.” Text: 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.” The theme of the book of Colossians is Christ is sufficient. Christ is all we need. It's not Christ plus something extra. It's not “yes, but…” Three times in this passage Paul says it's not “yes, but…” It's yes period. Christ is all you need. Paul warns against three sets of dangerous teachings that say Christ is not all you need. They all follow a pattern. It does like this: Good works don't save you, but good works make you godly. You don't have to work at all to gain God's forgiveness, but you must work like a dog to gain God's love and approval. Being birthed into God's family is through the power of God, Living day to day in God's family is through the power of me. Justification by faith, sanctification by works. Being born again has nothing to do with my performance, being godly has everything to do with my performance. The whole idea is Christians receive God's free gift of salvation and then try to maintain God's favor by their accomplishments. We are going to read three ways Christians do this. What Paul says about this at the end of the passage is startling, very startling. Through all of this, Paul is reminding us, Christ is all we need. The goal tonight is to read this text and understand what it means, what it doesn't mean, and what we are to do with it. For the rest of the message, be sure to watch the video above or visit our church website. You can watch archived services on Vimeo, YouTube, or audio podcast. Stay up to date by following us on Facebook or Instagram. Hopewell Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist Church in Napa, California pastored by Mike Ray. It is Bible-based with a warm, friendly atmosphere. Hopewell is dedicated to bringing the water of life to the Napa Valley and beyond.

Philippians 4:8, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.Much of the Christian life comes down to the mind. Romans 12:2 speaks of the essential place of being transformed by the renewing of your mind and 2 Corinthians 10:5 speaks of the importance of casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. What we choose to meditate on matters.What Paul describes here is a practical way to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Christianity asserts a number of seemingly counter intuitive truths. For example, wealth comes through poverty, maturity through childlikeness, exaltation by submission, life via death, glory by suffering, and freedom through enslavement.* Truths like these are difficult for us to grasp because our sinful nature screams rebellion and our ignorant world preaches their opposites. Another such reality is presented throughout Scripture promising peace, joy, purpose, influence, protection, and blessing, and summarized by the apostle Paul: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10). Counter intuitively, true power is seen, found, and experienced in total weakness. What Paul was writing to the church in Corinth, the church in Philadelphia was likewise experiencing. It's not until believers are stripped of earthly influence, competence, and independence that God's power can be fully understood and demonstrated. Key Passage: Revelation 3:7–13 Series: Revelation: Come, Lord Jesus Speaker: Josiah Boyd

One of the consequences of being an honest non-conformist is that people who love standardization and so-called normalcy have their attention drawn to me, often with less-than-harmonious, happy effects. I am not anti-authority, per se. But being a non-conformist who comes by it honestly on both my father's and mother's side, popular and typical ways of relating to authority are a puzzle to me. When someone tells me to jump, I do not necessarily ask how high I should jump. Rather, the question which comes first to mind is whether this person actually in fact has the proper authority to be making this particular request in this particular situation. And if they do not, or if it is not clear that they do, the mere fact of raising the question is more often than not enough to produce conflict. Growing up, my Dad especially impressed on me the importance of Romans 12:2, which says "...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Now it is worth noting that the very next verse should contextualize. "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith." What Paul is getting at here is the need for humility even amidst our God-ordained non-conformity. Where this gets sticky is at precisely the point when non-conformity leads to pointed questions of just who do we think we are that we would dare to do things differently than others do them. It is admittedly hard to answer that we are trying to maintain integrity and excellence whatever everyone else is doing without being accused of lacking humility. What is more, it is admittedly difficult to remain patient when the very fact of non-conformity, or of questioning conformity, is taken as proof that we are arrogant, stubborn, or rebellious. Hear me now, then, and mark this well. Christians ought not to be rebels without a cause. Moreover, we ought not to be rebels at all. But it is easy to be mistaken for rebels when we question whether lower authorities are acting in accordance with higher precepts and principles derived from greater authorities. Therein lies the rub. However much the larger body politic needs non-conformists to question why everyone is going about things in a certain way, the non-conformists are historically the ones who get the pointed questions first of where they get off doing things differently. And when the cause of standardization and normalcy becomes an end unto itself, the clipping of wings and rounding off of square pegs follows close behind. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/support

What Paul had established as that time of commemoration,-celebration - anticipation, essentially disintegrated into a time of separation - self gratification. They had managed to take this sacred rite that the Lord had entrusted to His own - somehow twist it into sacrilege

Series: Romans Title/Text: Gospel Foundations Rom. 1:16-17 I. What Unashamed Means to Paul Rom. 1:16a-c A. Every word that proceeds includes “for” 16a. B. What does unashamed mean 16b. C. What Paul is unashamed of and preaches 16c. II. Rom. 1:16d,e A. The gospel is powerful to believers 16d. B. The gospel moves out from Israel 16e. III. By Faith You Are Justified Rom. 1:17. A. The gospel reveals righteousness 17a. B. Faith alone! 17b.

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 6 The subject of Romans 6 is about being united with Christ, including the experience of death and resurrection with Christ (Romans 6:1-5).  Paul specifically mentioned that our old man was crucified with Christ.  The sinful flesh has already been annulled (Romans 6:6-16), so we should consider ourselves alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11).   Although many Christians know this truth, they often find that their old man and flesh are still very active in their experience. How do we make sense of this? Paul's explanation in verses 12-23 says that we should offer our bodies to God as instruments for righteousness and not offer them to sin as instruments for unrighteousness (Romans 6:13).  In other words, as Paul said in Romans 8, "Setting our mind on the Spirit is life and peace, but setting the mind on the flesh is death." (ESV, Romans 8:6). How do we better understand Paul's message in Romans 6?  During our meeting, we cited a few examples to help our bible study members understand what Paul meant. First of all, we must know that man is a living soul, and this living soul is the product of the combination of God's Spirit or breath and the body formed by God from dust.  Genesis 2:7 (KJB) explains, "The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul."  The "breath of life" here can be translated as "spirit" or "God's breath."  So the soul acts as an intermediary when God's breath and man's body of dust are combined.  The soul can contact the material world through the body's senses, and it can also contact the spiritual world through the Spirit in a person.  For example, I have had many prophetic dreams since 2015.  In these dreams, I will go to heaven and paradise to watch various situations.  If this is a real experience, then this should be something that happens in the Spirit.  It should be an experience of contacting the spiritual world in the Spirit.  But I need my soul and mind's function to remember these dreams and record them in time.  Therefore, we can see that the soul helps the Spirit or uses the Spirit to contact the spiritual world. The power of the soul is great.  For example, before Adam's fall, God asked all animals to come to Adam for him to name them (Genesis 2:20).  This shows that Adam's knowledge was very extensive. In the Local Church Movement, they often mention that after man's fall, the body of man will fall into the flesh, the soul will fall into selfish self, and the Spirit of man will die. This is a fascinating thought. Here, we only look at this fallen soul.  The Lord Jesus said, "For whoever would save his soul-life will lose it, but whoever loses his soul-life for My sake will save it." (Luke 9:24).  According to STEPBIBLE.ORG, the "life" indicated in the original text does have the meaning of "soul."  There are two souls here; one is the old, fallen soul-life that must be discarded.  The other is the renewed soul-life that must be gained. After man's fall, the body did not immediately die, but the Spirit of man died. The soul of man is continuously dying. At this time, the man's soul-life is no longer the wonderful soul-life that God created. Instead, it is the fallen soul-life that is mixed with the sinful life of Satan.  This is the life of the old man mentioned by Paul here in Romans 6. God created the soul the same way Satan merged his life with man's sin producing sinful flesh.  The example I gave in a previous study can still be used to explain this.  Satan is like a drug dealer. If a drug dealer comes to sell drugs, and you are not weak or vulnerable, he can't deceive you. Therefore, if a person is tricked into taking drugs and becomes addicted to them, on the one hand, it is the fault of the drug dealer. On the other hand, it is also because of the weakness of the person being deceived.  When these two things are combined, it can produce a drug addict.  If a drug dealer came to entice you, and you refuse to give in to him, then the drug dealer has no influence over you, nor can he cause you to be an addict. When Satan's deception and the sin of Adam's rebellion are combined, it produced a sinful life, which is the man's fallen soul-life or the life of the old man that Paul mentioned.  When the Lord Jesus came to accept Satan's temptation, He did not sin and therefore, did not produce this fallen life.   As He said in John 14:30 (ESV), "The evil one has no claim on me." When I was young, I used to work on a construction site.  We mixed limestone and water, which caused a chemical reaction that produced the white plaster we used to renovate houses on the construction site.  It was fascinating to watch the chemical reaction of two substances producing a third substance. Similarly, the combination of God's Spirit and man's body produces the soul-life, and the combination of Satan's life and the sin of man produces the fallen old man.  How do we get rid of this old man's life?  Satan is immortal.  He will be tormented forever in the lake of fire. The purpose of Jesus' death on the cross was not to kill Satan but to dethrone him and renounce his work.  How is his work renounced?  It is by crucifying the old man's life, which is a combination of Satan's life and humans' sins.  The old man is crucified by the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, removing human sin once for all.   When human sin was removed on the cross, then the old man's life, which is the combination of human sin and Satan, no longer exists; it is dissolved. This is a spiritual truth and reality.  Another way to look at it is to liken Satan to the water, human sin as limestone, and white plaster as our old man.  Removing the limestone and changing it to another kind of stone that doesn't react to water will not produce the white plaster or old man. Why do many Christians seem to operate out of their flesh and sin even after they are saved?  Why can't they overcome sin?  One reason would be cooperating with Satan's lies through their imaginations and living in an illusion of sin.  Or perhaps they set their minds on the flesh, which the Bible says is death.  Why is it that setting our minds on the flesh is death and cooperating with Satan's lies through our imaginations leads us to live according to the crucified old man? After I left the Local Church Movement, I started to listen to many Charismatic pastors' sermons on the Internet.  One of them is Mel Bond.  But an example he cited left a deep impression on me.   He said that human imagination is very important.  Just as God can create anything, He gives people a similar creative ability.  For example, we often say that there is nothing you can't do that can't be done, only things that you haven't thought of.  There are often many things that you haven't thought of. If you come up with an idea, you will find that others have already done it.  Even the Bible recognizes the importance of imagination.  For example, when people were building the Tower of Babel, the Lord said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do.  And nothing that they propose to do will be impossible for them." (ESV, Genesis 11:6). The word "propose" here can also mean "imagination." If the people united and plotted evil, even God couldn't stop it. This is why God confused their language. Mel Bond asked, "How can we have the signs and wonders of the spiritual world, or how do we use prophetic gifts to obtain the word of knowledge and prophetic words?" He said that in addition to prayer, it was mainly through holy imagination.  When we focus our imagination on the spiritual world and the presence of God, we will often be miraculously inspired and receive prophetic gifts such as prophetic words and words of knowledge. He said that many evangelical Christians do not dare to talk about imagination for fear that they will come into contact with evil spirits after the imagination is opened up.  This fear is justified, but it's not without a solution.  Satan often influences our thinking and imagination through worldly and degenerate images such as TV and movies, filling our imagination full of sinful things all day long, making us prone to sin.  Similarly, as Christians, we should sanctify our imagination and always set our minds on God and heavenly things.  Only then will the holy imagination open the door of the spiritual world. This is similar to the Local Church Movement's teaching of exercising the Spirit and setting the mind on the Spirit. In the Local Church Movement, special attention is paid to turning one's mind away from sin and the world through pray-reading the Lord's words, calling on the Lord's name, and other methods of exercising the Spirit. This helps a person set their mind on the Spirit, which brings life and peace. I like to sing a song composed by a brother using Colossians 3:2-4 (ESV) "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."  I often sing and read this verse to help me set my mind on the Spirit and things in heaven. I also like to pray 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (ESV), "But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." When our minds are constantly focused on the Spirit and heavenly things, we unconsciously and naturally open up a sacred and holy imagination, thereby entering the kingdom of God's presence and peace.  At this time, our actions in life can easily flow from the Spirit and not from the mixed life of the flesh and the fallen soul. The negative experiences happen when we don't actively focus on heavenly things and the presence of God.  We live in anxiety and sorrow, ending up controlled by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life John described in  1 John 2:16. Why? The example cited in Mel Bond's sermon can explain this. Mel Bond said that a man drove a red Ferrari to the church for a meeting one day. During the meeting, text and pictures were displayed on the big screen, showing that a red Ferrari was smashed by a passing truck.  When he heard the news, he immediately experienced all kinds of negative emotions, including anger, resentment, pain, anxiety, etc. so much that if he were tested, his body would be hypersecreting hormones. He rushed out to take a look.  As expected, a red Ferrari was wrecked.  Taking a closer look, it turns out that the crashed Ferrari was precisely the same as his red Ferrari, but his car was still parked in another place and was in perfect condition. After telling this story, Mel Bond asked the audience, "The man's red Ferrari was not damaged, but he began to think it was.  This was a false fact.  But I would like to ask because he thought his red Ferrari was damaged, was the feeling of anger, pain, and increased hormone secretion that he produced a real experience?"  He said yes.  Even though it was a lie that his car was wrecked, the experience in his heart caused by his imagination was completely real. This is the story that Paul talked about in Romans 6.  Our old man died on the cross with Christ. The Lord Jesus, as the spotless lamb, took away the sins of the world.  So the old man's life produced by Satan who combined himself and man's sins no longer exists.  This is a sacred fact.  But if you think it still exists, and you live with it by imagination, you will fall into Satan's tricks, letting it continue to live out sin in you by deceiving you. The world looks as real as how the person in the above example felt the first time he saw the photo and heard the announcement that someone had damaged a red Ferrari. Satan has no jurisdiction over you once you are saved, but he can still control you if you believe his lies.  So in the past, Satan controlled people through their sins, but now Satan controls people through lies.  If you believe his lies, you will still live under his control. If you believe in a lie, you can create a false world based on this lie.  If you believe in spiritual truth, such as "justification by faith," "he who believes and is baptized will be saved," you can enter a real spiritual world.  Christians who received salvation have this kind of experience.  If someone said to you, "you can't do anything," and you believe it, you will find that you really can't do anything.  But if you believe that all things are possible with Christ, you can do all things through His power. This is the importance of imagination.  If the word imagination makes you uncomfortable, use the terminology in Romans 8 "setting the mind on the Spirit" and Colossians 3 "setting the mind on things that are above" to express the same meaning.  2 Corinthians 3:16-18 say that we who behold the glory of the Lord gradually become the same image as Him.  In other words, we are like a mirror. What we look at, reflect on, think, and imagine, we will become. Bill Johnson, another Charismatic pastor, often says, "You are what you are most aware of." This means what you paid most attention to is what you will become.  If you pay more attention to the glory of God and the presence of God in your life, you will slowly live in the scope of God's presence and His glory.  If you pay more attention to worldly things, you will become a part of this world. If you continuously pay attention to sinful things, you will sin and become a part of sin. What Paul said in Romans 6:12-23 is nothing more than this.  In verse 13, he said that we must offer our bodies to God as instruments for righteousness, not to sin as instruments for unrighteousness.  Verse 14 says that if we offer our bodies to God as instruments for righteousness, sin will have no dominion over us because we are not under the law but under the grace of God.  Because we have been set free from our sins and have become slaves of God, the fruit we get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life (ESV, Romans 6:22).  These experiences are Paul's way of laying the groundwork of saying, "Setting the mind on the Spirit is life and peace but setting the mind on the flesh is death" in Romans 8. What kind of life we live today depends entirely on our choice.  By the mercies of God, we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice, which is our spiritual worship (ESV, Romans 12:1).  Our bodies must be offered to God as instruments of God and righteousness.  You can't say you want to pray and worship God while watching worldly TV programs.  This type of thinking won't work.  You must separate yourself from sin, sinful behavior as well as living habits and present it to God.  Second, you have to dedicate your soul and mind to God, or at least your imagination, and you should set your mind on the things above and the Spirit to live a heavenly, victorious Christian life. Romans 7 begins to talk about the various experiences of a saved person in the flesh.  Paul sighed and said, "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." (ESV, Romans 7:19).  He even sighed that he was a wretched person (ESV, Romans 7:24).  This was a real experience, but it was also a false experience.  Why?  Your imagination has not been sanctified.  You are still living in the deception of the enemy.  After you see this spiritual fact clearly and set your mind on the Spirit, you can enter into Paul's experience in Romans 8; you will be set free from the law of sin and death through the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:2). One of the biggest problems of many Christians today is they set their minds on the flesh.  They can live a holy and victorious life, yet they choose to offer their bodies to sin as instruments for unrighteousness or put their imagination or minds on the flesh.  Combining this with Satan's deception, they live a sinful or worldly life.  However, this life is an illusion.  The actual spiritual reality is that Christians have already been crucified with Christ.  The life of your old man no longer exists.  You only need to sanctify your imagination or set your mind on the Spirit and the things above, and you will be able to be free from all the sins, failures, and weaknesses in your body and live a victorious life! No matter what lies you believed in the past, such as "I can't do anything," "I am not good at socializing," "I am not good at doing business," "I can't overcome a certain fear," "I can never do that," "No one likes me," and so on, these words have no power in themselves.  When you believe and focus on those thoughts, you create a false imagination in your mind and end up living out what you believe.  I   believed these lies before, but God used His miraculous salvation to bring me into the experience of healing and casting out demons.  Then I was able to break countless similar lies.  My life has been different from that point on. Because I lived in a rural area in China when I was young, and my family situation was not that ideal, I believed in a lie, which was, "The reason why I am not successful is that I am the son of a farmer.  Success is not in my genes."  My life was in bondage because of this thinking.  I experienced inner healing in my soul, broke this lie, and broke through the life that I designed for myself because of believing this lie. Negative words can only affect you if you believe in them.  Similarly, positive words can only produce positive results by combining your faith, positive thoughts, and the power of your imagination.  I hope this study blesses you.  

God's Guidance Bible Study with Jairus – 1 Corinthians 7   Have you ever been in a situation where you faced a tough decision? How did you deal with the ambiguity and uncertainty? Often, when we don't know what to do, we search for a dogmatic command from God to eliminate all uncertainty. However, God wants us to get to know him personally and accept his unique guidance in each specific circumstance of our lives.   Today we are going to discover that God's word provides unchanging principles, as well as specific guidance that helps us navigate the ups and downs of life.   Avoiding Extremes. In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul continues his discussion of sexual purity (Ch. 6) by focusing on marriage and singleness. Paul emphasizes the importance of loving God from the heart rather than merely conforming to a rule or imitating a standard. No matter our external circumstances, we must respect God from the heart.   Paul explains the dangers of two extremes. On the one hand, immorality is not good, as Paul explained in chapter 6. On the other hand, it is not helpful to completely ban natural desires. In the spiritual experience, we tend towards one of two extremes. Either we indulge the lust of the flesh, or we swing to the opposite extreme of total sexual abstinence. In the Catholic church, we see these two extremes played out. On the one hand, we see the indulgence of clergy in Catholic history, and on the other hand we see the abstinence in the monasteries later in church history.   Paul explained that spirituality does not come merely from imitating another believer's way of life. Believers in the Corinthian church wanted to imitate Paul's singleness, perhaps in response to the rampant immorality described in chapter 6. But Paul stated that true spirituality lies in learning to live in the Spirit in any circumstances and in always putting God first. Whether we are married or unmarried, circumcised or uncircumcised, slave or free, God does not require us to change our outward experience. Instead, he wants us to honor Him from the heart. Although Paul is single, he does not want the Corinthian believers to automatically imitate him. Instead, he wants everyone to learn to serve God according to God's guidance.   Paul's words were aimed towards specific problems in the Corinthian church. Although God's words transcend time and space, we still must not regard Paul's words as laws and dogmas. Throughout the ages, many Christians took Paul's words as dogma, which caused a lot of harm to the church. For example, when Paul talked about the question of whether slaves should be freed, he was not at all supporting slavery. He was emphasizing that true spirituality does not lie in external imitation or in changing the outward environment, but in finding inner freedom and exalting Christ in all circumstances.   No Shortcuts to Spiritual Growth. Understanding the context in which the biblical authors wrote these words will help us better understand the text. Through the Holy Spirit's illumination, we can interpret God's words accurately and avoid misunderstanding. For example, 1 Corinthians 6 discusses the issues of litigation and immorality. How does a discussion of marriage connect to these topics? 1 Corinthians 7:1 gives us a clue: "As for what you wrote, I think it is better for men not to be close to women..."   Theologians believe Paul wrote more than two epistles to the Corinthian church. Some other epistles were lost. The Corinthian church also wrote many letters to Paul, but these epistles were also lost. These verses give a clue to what the Corinthians may have asked Paul in their letters.   We know that some people in the Corinthian church were involved in immorality, but certainly not everyone was. When church problems arise, there are often certain members who are particularly disgusted with what is going on. For example, Boaz did not concur with the prostitution his mother was involved in. Jephthah, the son of another prostitute, was a judge of Israel and dedicated his daughter to keep her virgin for God. Although he swore rashly, it was definitely not accidental (Judges 11). Similarly, some believers in the Corinthian church were uncomfortable with the promiscuity all around them. Like the Catholics who reacted to sexual indulgence by forming monasteries, the Corinthians may have protested against the immorality in the church by making vows of sexual abstinence. They were eager to imitate Paul and learn to stay single. They may have asked Paul if they should stay single and lead a life of total abstinence.   In context, we see that the topic of marriage and singleness in chapter 7 are a continuation of the discussion of immorality in chapter 6. Members of the Corinthian church could not accept the behavior of the promiscuous believers, and they wanted this behavior to be corrected. But since they were spiritually immature, and their spiritual father, Paul, was single, they concluded that being single was a more spiritual way to avoid impurity.   However, Paul tells the church that his singleness was a special gift and calling of God. Without this special gift, believers would not be able to sustain their commitment to abstinence. A believer who is relying on their own sexual abstinence to please God will start to burn with passion and be easily tempted towards immorality.   Paul instructs couples to meet each other's physical needs in order to avoid temptation (1 Corinthians 7:1-7). He counsels married couples not to sleep in separate rooms, so that Satan does not seduce them. The only exception would be when both partners agree to a short time of dedicated abstinence for the purpose of intense prayer. Paul specifically stated that his words are not commands, but suggestions. Not everyone has the gift of being single like Paul.   In verses 8-9, Paul tells the unmarried and widows that it is best for them to be single like he is. However, if they cannot control their lusts, it is better to marry. In verses 10-16, Paul discusses the topic of divorce. He says it is best that the husband and wife remain together. But if the unbelieving spouse wants to leave, let them leave. Paul's discussion of divorce continues the conversation about avoiding immorality. Paul specifies that these directions are from the Lord, not merely his own opinion.   Paul continues, “Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.” (vs. 17, ESV). As he responds to the Corinthians' questions, Paul acknowledges that each person's gifts and callings are different. As we pursue spirituality, we should not simply imitate another believer's external life choices. At the same time, imitation is an important first step for every young believer. We all start our Christian lives as spiritual babies, imitating people who led us spiritually. Our spiritual parents subtly shaped our spiritual growth, and we imitate them unwittingly. This is understandable. But when our spiritual life has reached a certain stage and it's time to enter into a deeper and more abundant spiritual life, simply imitating others is not enough. We must strengthen our fellowship with God, understand the gifts and unique calling God has given us, and then personally and subjectively follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we continue to pursue spiritual growth.   I heard a story about a spiritual sister who discipled many other ladies in their spiritual growth. This sister walked very slowly. Many people she discipled began to think that walking slowly was a manifestation of spirituality. They imitated her by deliberately walking slowly. This is not spiritual growth, but just imitation.   Another time, several Christian sisters in Korea read from the Bible that Peter walked on the water. They imitated him to show their faith. But unfortunately, they drowned. Another brother from Taiwan tried to imitate Daniel by entering the lion's den at the zoo to show his faith. Unfortunately, he was bitten by the lion. An American pastor who saw that Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake but did not die, took a poisonous snake in his hand. Tragically, he was killed by the poisonous snake.   I cannot confirm the authenticity of these stories, but there are countless examples of such imitations. Each of these stories remind me of the Corinthians. Throughout the ages, many Christians have tried to show their faith by imitating Paul, Peter, or other saints. But they only imitated them on the outside. What seems like a shortcut to growth is actually a dead end.   In the next section of the chapter, Paul continues to contrast outward imitation with inward obedience. Paul says that obeying God's commands matters more than outward circumcision (verse 18). Today, Christians easily accept the fact that circumcision is not required. But for Jewish believers, this assertion was a major betrayal of all they had learned throughout Jewish history. The topic of circumcision led to many disputes between Jewish believers and Gentile believers. However, Paul emphasized that external surgery (circumcision) had no real impact on the heart.   There are no shortcuts to spiritual growth. We must not rely on imitating other believers' outward choices. Instead, we should get to know God personally and ask him what his will is for our life.   Slavery In verses 21-22, Paul seems to imply that slaves who were believers should not seek freedom. Paul explains, “Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called. Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave.” (BSB) Many believers in history have misused these verses, asserting that Paul was supporting slavery. This opinion comes from a legalistic, dogmatic interpretation of Paul's words. What Paul meant was that true spirituality does not lie in external behavioral changes. We don't please God by changing our environment or our identity, but through worshiping God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).   God's Guidance. In verse 25, Paul shares his opinion about singleness. He seems to encourage individuals to stay single, even encouraging those without wives not to seek wives (verse 27). Verse 38 says, "It is good to ask your virgin daughter to marry, and it is better not to ask her to marry" (verse 38). Paul also said that although widows can remarry, it is best to preserve chastity (verse 39). Paul mentions that though his opinions do not reflect a specific command from the Lord, they are guided by the Spirit of God (verse 40).   Though Paul seems to lean towards the opinion that virgins and widows should not marry, we must look at these words in the overall context of the chapter. Paul's desire is to encourage people to learn how to best serve the Lord in their own environment. For example, he instructed people who are bound to marriage to stay faithful to that commitment (vs. 27). If you are married, you understand that marriage is full of difficulty. Many people are eager to be free from the commitment to each other. Many couples don't seek a divorce because they want to commit immorality with someone else. They simply are tired of the difficulty of getting along with another person. Corinthian believers may have raised the issue of singleness because they wanted to break free from the bondage of marriage. However, Paul clearly told them that those who are married should stay faithful to that commitment.   Paul said in verse 26, "Because of the current hardship, I think it is best for people to maintain the status quo." The Holy Spirit highlighted the words "the current hardship.” What does Paul mean by this phrase?   Even though the United States is a Christian country, Christians still feel great pressure from the secular world. Similarly, the brand-new Corinthian church faced powerful social pressures toward idolatry, secularization, and immorality. The pressure they faced were even greater than the pressure Americans face in their “Christian” nation.   Corinthian believers experienced pressure from the outside, as well as from the inside. Their own weaknesses caused spiritual problems. Therefore, in their specific situation, Paul advised them to maintain the status quo. Perhaps the " current hardship " referred to the secular pressure faced by the Corinthian church at the time.   When the Lord Jesus was on earth, some Pharisees tested Jesus by asking if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus quoted Genesis 2:24, where God commanded the husband and wife to unite and become one flesh. Jesus explained that in the beginning, divorce was not God's plan. Because of the hardness of Israelites' heart, Moses allowed them to divorce their wives (Matthew 19:8).   In this chapter, Jesus explains the difference between the overarching principle established by God, and the unique methods that we deal with problems in special circumstances. Christians often make the mistake of reading about God's unique ways of dealing with special circumstances, and then applying those solutions as universal principles from God. The words of the Bible are undoubtedly from God's inspiration, but some words clarify divine nature and overarching principles, while other words clarify God's guidance in a certain situation.   Therefore, we need both Bible teachers and prophets in the church. Bible teachers help us understand God's word, nature and principles. Prophets help us obtain God's timely words about how to deal with special situations. We must understand the true meaning of God's words in the Spirit, and we must not misinterpret God's words. We need to understand God's words in light of the linguistic context and target audience at the time. I absolutely believe that the words of the Bible are the breath of God and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. However, when we actually apply it, we also need to pray to God and receive revelation from the Holy Spirit on how to apply it to our lives. For example, Paul's encouragement towards singleness was specifically related to the "current hardship" they faced in their unique circumstances.   When we use the word of God, we need to avoid dogmatism and legalism. I once heard a parable about a believer who decided to read God's words and literally obey every word. For example, when he reads about giving alms to others, he gives alms to others. When he reads that he should love his neighbor, he will love his neighbor. He is very dogmatic and stubborn, literally imitating every Bible character he reads about. One day, he read that the Bible says that Judas went out and hanged himself. He did not know what to do. Although this story is a joke, it demonstrates that we should not interpret God's words mechanically, out of context. We should interpret them in context in accordance with the personal guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.   As we interpret God's word, we must make a distinction between God's nature and principles, and his specific guidance for special circumstances. For example, Scripture tells us about God's overarching principle of purity. God is not pleased with sexual immorality. This principle applies to anyone at any time. In the same way, God's principle unites a man and a woman in marriage for life. God's unchanging character values purity and faithfulness in marriage.   But does this mean that people can never get a divorce? No. The Lord Jesus explained that spouses should not separate unless one partner is unfaithful. If a husband or wife commits the crime of fornication, divorce is permissible. Paul also added that if an unbelieving spouse insists on leaving, believers can get divorced. God provides guidance for these specific situations. Each person's situation is different, so God's guidance for each person is also different.   The same principles apply to the decision to marry or stay single. From Paul's personal point of view, it is better to remain single. But he explains that this is not an issue of God's nature and principles, but of specific guidance. God may lead a person to remain a virgin, like he led Paul. He may lead another person to marry, establish a family, and have children. God provides different guidance to different people.   Paul was an apostle and a pioneer of the gospel. If he had a wife or children, it might prevent him from preaching the gospel unhindered. Practical considerations and worry for his family would hinder his gospel ministry. But for a person serving as a pastor in a local church, getting married and having children could be a good thing. Having a family enables the pastor to serve not only brothers in Christ, but also sisters and children. Because of their experience in married life, they can serve everyone.   Living a Life that is Free from Worry At the end of the chapter, Paul shares some fascinating verses that appear to be contradictory at first glance. Paul says, “What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing; and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away." (BSB)   What is Paul trying to say here? Verse 32 to provides some insight: “I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.” Paul wants us to be free from worry so we can focus on the Lord. Ultimately, Paul is not concerned with whether or not you are married, whether or not you decide to make a purchase, and whether or not you are happy. He is concerned that you are free from worldly worry and care. He wants us to have nothing to worry about so we can worry about the things of the Lord.   Paul's words provide a powerful word of encouragement to believers today. Many American churches today are full of worries. These worries distract us and keep us away from the Lord. What is the solution? Do we need to swing to the opposite extreme, resign from work, divorce our spouses, stay single, and live in a monastery? No, God wants us to turn our hearts to him in all circumstances. As we allow the Lord to reign in our daily lives, we will learn to please Him. Rather than imitating other people externally, we must follow God alone according to the specific gift, calling and guidance that God gives us. We must not treat God's words mechanically and dogmatically, turning them into "laws" for beating people over the head.   I trust these words have been an encouragement to you. God offers you a personal relationship with him and personal guidance in your unique circumstances. Open yourself to his loving guidance today.

Welcome to today's show!   WHAT WE'LL LEARN: Paul's deepest roots came from living with a family of doctors that pushed him to excel at school. He deeply wanted to learn more about the nervous system and what makes up the brain & spinal cord. You have to “rob” the tumor in a stealth manner so as not to awaken the brain. Think Jedi Warrior :) How addiction affects the brain structure. And the brain wants to do good for us until there's an insult that's put into our body (e.g. nicotine, heroin, alcohol).  Then the brain gets the signal that “this must be what this person wants.” And now there's a new normal. When we're at a party the brain correlates drinking with fun.  And that's when the external factors take over. How the body & brain heal from addiction.   The normal lifestyle is not meant for us to be feeling high all the time. It's just an average lifestyle. Why did Paul begin to write. And why he decided to showcase some of his client's surgical cases. How Paul's writing has helped people all over the world to heal. Paul discussed how he's changed from the beginning of his journal writing til now. What Paul does with his writing mimics a lot of the recovery principles-joining in on conversation, giving back, showing vulnerability, courage and empathy. Key Quotes:   “You need to have the confidence that you can beat this addiction. It's never too late.”   “Follow your bliss. And you can never go wrong if you truly follow your bliss in life.” RESOURCES MENTIONED   DrPaulWriting.com   The Young Neurosurgeon: Lessons from My Patients  From The Eyes Of A Doctor My Surgical Cases Told In Poems   Schedule a free consultation with me! Learn more about our A.I.R. writing group and journaling prompts by subscribing to the newsletter here! For more info, head over to atheistsinrecovery.com and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening!   Leave an honest review on ITUNES.  Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.   Subscribe to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery.    If you enjoyed today's episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.

Scripture For Today: Isaiah 37:4 “It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.”Refuse to Worry pt 6We have been studying about Refusing to Worry and how we need to “Cast all of our cares over on the Lord, for He cares for us,” from 1 Peter 5:7. Do you remember awhile back when we talked about Peter and Silas praying in the jail? This is from Acts 16:25-26.  They had been put in the jail and locked up tight. Their feet were in stocks. Their backs were bleeding because of the beatings they had endured. But the Bible says, “…at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed…”  But, that scripture does not end there, does it. NO!  It continues and says, “…AND they sang praises unto God…!” I believe this is what Paul was referring to when he wrote, “…in EVERY THING, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…”  Paul wrote this letter to who? The church at Philippi, right?  Let's look at the sequence of events… First, they are arrested, beaten and locked up, right? It would have been so easy for them to start wondering “Why did God allow this to happen to us?  Why didn't He make a way of escape? Why? Why? Why?” That's what a lot of people would be doing, right?  I'm including me in that, too! Amen! You probably would be too! Amen! You went to this town to share the Gospel and you end up getting arrested, beaten and locked in the prison!  How did this happen?  That would be a normal reaction, right? Not for Paul and Silas!  Amen! Next, they PRAYED.  Do you see that?  Ok, then what happened? After they PRAYED – they began to SING PRAISES TO GOD! The scripture goes on to say, “…and the prisoners HEARD THEM…”  If the prisoners heard them, you can rest assured God heard them, too! Amen!  You know the rest of the story. God gave them a great deliverance and the jailer and his family were born again and baptized in the Spirit – and ALL THE PRISONERS, too! Praise God. There is no doubt in my mind, that the jailer at that prison became the pastor of the church in Philippi. None!  That is what the Church in Philippi was!  A jailhouse church! Praise God! Think about it!  Nowhere else does it say Paula and Silas established other house churches there. No doubt there were some established. But I believe this was a true prison ministry that then extended out to the dwellers around that area. Think about it… Those whose loved ones were locked up were probably living pretty close to prison. It was not like it is today. The family was more or less responsible for feeding and taking care of the needs of the prisoners. Amen!   What do you think the prisoners shared with their family members?  What Paul and Silas did and who they were talking about while in there! JESUS! Amen! This impacted the entire city and area!  This is why we are still talking about it today!  Amen! Let's Pray! Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com/ (https://podcastersforchrist.com). And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today. You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2 (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2)

「但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。」（加六14） 那么，保罗是什么意思呢？他宣称，除了耶稣基督被钉在十字架上，赦免了他的罪并拯救了他的灵魂之外，他别无信靠，这就是他的意思。要是有人愿意到别处去寻找拯救，就随他们去吧；要是有人真这么定意去信靠别的东西以求得赦免和平安，也就随他们去吧。但是就保罗自己而言，这位使徒定意不立足于任何别的东西之上，他不依靠于任何别的东西，他的盼望也不本于任何别的事物，他的自信也不建立在任何其他事物之上，他断不以别的夸口，只夸我们的主耶稣基督的十字架。 读者啊，请让我来跟你谈谈这个题目。相信我，这是一个有着最深远的重要性的题目，绝非什么简单的争议的问题；绝非什么人们认为尽可以言人人殊，同时却觉得对他们进不进天堂并无大碍的观点。“你怎么看基督的十字架？”每个人都必须对这个问题有正确的答案，否则他就永远失丧。对这个问题的答案将决定：天堂或地狱，幸福或悲苦，生命或死亡，末日的祝福或咒诅，也就是说，将决定一切。让我来告诉你： 1. 使徒保罗断不以什么夸口 2. 使徒保罗以什么夸口 3. 为什么所有的基督徒都应像使徒保罗那样思考和感受到十字架 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the Apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which men may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A man must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day – all hinges on the answer to this question: “What do you think about the cross of Christ?” Let me show you: 1. What the apostle Paul did not glory in. 2. What Paul did glory in. 3. Why all Christians should think and feel about the cross like Paul.

「但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。」（加六14） 那么，保罗是什么意思呢？他宣称，除了耶稣基督被钉在十字架上，赦免了他的罪并拯救了他的灵魂之外，他别无信靠，这就是他的意思。要是有人愿意到别处去寻找拯救，就随他们去吧；要是有人真这么定意去信靠别的东西以求得赦免和平安，也就随他们去吧。但是就保罗自己而言，这位使徒定意不立足于任何别的东西之上，他不依靠于任何别的东西，他的盼望也不本于任何别的事物，他的自信也不建立在任何其他事物之上，他断不以别的夸口，只夸我们的主耶稣基督的十字架。 读者啊，请让我来跟你谈谈这个题目。相信我，这是一个有着最深远的重要性的题目，绝非什么简单的争议的问题；绝非什么人们认为尽可以言人人殊，同时却觉得对他们进不进天堂并无大碍的观点。“你怎么看基督的十字架？”每个人都必须对这个问题有正确的答案，否则他就永远失丧。对这个问题的答案将决定：天堂或地狱，幸福或悲苦，生命或死亡，末日的祝福或咒诅，也就是说，将决定一切。让我来告诉你： 1. 使徒保罗断不以什么夸口 2. 使徒保罗以什么夸口 3. 为什么所有的基督徒都应像使徒保罗那样思考和感受到十字架 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the Apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which men may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A man must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day – all hinges on the answer to this question: “What do you think about the cross of Christ?” Let me show you: 1. What the apostle Paul did not glory in. 2. What Paul did glory in. 3. Why all Christians should think and feel about the cross like Paul.

「但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。」（加六14） 那么，保罗是什么意思呢？他宣称，除了耶稣基督被钉在十字架上，赦免了他的罪并拯救了他的灵魂之外，他别无信靠，这就是他的意思。要是有人愿意到别处去寻找拯救，就随他们去吧；要是有人真这么定意去信靠别的东西以求得赦免和平安，也就随他们去吧。但是就保罗自己而言，这位使徒定意不立足于任何别的东西之上，他不依靠于任何别的东西，他的盼望也不本于任何别的事物，他的自信也不建立在任何其他事物之上，他断不以别的夸口，只夸我们的主耶稣基督的十字架。 读者啊，请让我来跟你谈谈这个题目。相信我，这是一个有着最深远的重要性的题目，绝非什么简单的争议的问题；绝非什么人们认为尽可以言人人殊，同时却觉得对他们进不进天堂并无大碍的观点。“你怎么看基督的十字架？”每个人都必须对这个问题有正确的答案，否则他就永远失丧。对这个问题的答案将决定：天堂或地狱，幸福或悲苦，生命或死亡，末日的祝福或咒诅，也就是说，将决定一切。让我来告诉你： 1. 使徒保罗断不以什么夸口 2. 使徒保罗以什么夸口 3. 为什么所有的基督徒都应像使徒保罗那样思考和感受到十字架 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the Apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which men may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A man must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day – all hinges on the answer to this question: “What do you think about the cross of Christ?” Let me show you: 1. What the apostle Paul did not glory in. 2. What Paul did glory in. 3. Why all Christians should think and feel about the cross like Paul.

「但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。」（加六14） 那么，保罗是什么意思呢？他宣称，除了耶稣基督被钉在十字架上，赦免了他的罪并拯救了他的灵魂之外，他别无信靠，这就是他的意思。要是有人愿意到别处去寻找拯救，就随他们去吧；要是有人真这么定意去信靠别的东西以求得赦免和平安，也就随他们去吧。但是就保罗自己而言，这位使徒定意不立足于任何别的东西之上，他不依靠于任何别的东西，他的盼望也不本于任何别的事物，他的自信也不建立在任何其他事物之上，他断不以别的夸口，只夸我们的主耶稣基督的十字架。 读者啊，请让我来跟你谈谈这个题目。相信我，这是一个有着最深远的重要性的题目，绝非什么简单的争议的问题；绝非什么人们认为尽可以言人人殊，同时却觉得对他们进不进天堂并无大碍的观点。“你怎么看基督的十字架？”每个人都必须对这个问题有正确的答案，否则他就永远失丧。对这个问题的答案将决定：天堂或地狱，幸福或悲苦，生命或死亡，末日的祝福或咒诅，也就是说，将决定一切。让我来告诉你： 1. 使徒保罗断不以什么夸口 2. 使徒保罗以什么夸口 3. 为什么所有的基督徒都应像使徒保罗那样思考和感受到十字架 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the Apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which men may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A man must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day – all hinges on the answer to this question: “What do you think about the cross of Christ?” Let me show you: 1. What the apostle Paul did not glory in. 2. What Paul did glory in. 3. Why all Christians should think and feel about the cross like Paul.

「但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。」（加六14） 那么，保罗是什么意思呢？他宣称，除了耶稣基督被钉在十字架上，赦免了他的罪并拯救了他的灵魂之外，他别无信靠，这就是他的意思。要是有人愿意到别处去寻找拯救，就随他们去吧；要是有人真这么定意去信靠别的东西以求得赦免和平安，也就随他们去吧。但是就保罗自己而言，这位使徒定意不立足于任何别的东西之上，他不依靠于任何别的东西，他的盼望也不本于任何别的事物，他的自信也不建立在任何其他事物之上，他断不以别的夸口，只夸我们的主耶稣基督的十字架。 读者啊，请让我来跟你谈谈这个题目。相信我，这是一个有着最深远的重要性的题目，绝非什么简单的争议的问题；绝非什么人们认为尽可以言人人殊，同时却觉得对他们进不进天堂并无大碍的观点。“你怎么看基督的十字架？”每个人都必须对这个问题有正确的答案，否则他就永远失丧。对这个问题的答案将决定：天堂或地狱，幸福或悲苦，生命或死亡，末日的祝福或咒诅，也就是说，将决定一切。让我来告诉你： 1. 使徒保罗断不以什么夸口 2. 使徒保罗以什么夸口 3. 为什么所有的基督徒都应像使徒保罗那样思考和感受到十字架 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the Apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which men may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A man must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day – all hinges on the answer to this question: “What do you think about the cross of Christ?” Let me show you: 1. What the apostle Paul did not glory in. 2. What Paul did glory in. 3. Why all Christians should think and feel about the cross like Paul.

「但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。」（加六14） 那么，保罗是什么意思呢？他宣称，除了耶稣基督被钉在十字架上，赦免了他的罪并拯救了他的灵魂之外，他别无信靠，这就是他的意思。要是有人愿意到别处去寻找拯救，就随他们去吧；要是有人真这么定意去信靠别的东西以求得赦免和平安，也就随他们去吧。但是就保罗自己而言，这位使徒定意不立足于任何别的东西之上，他不依靠于任何别的东西，他的盼望也不本于任何别的事物，他的自信也不建立在任何其他事物之上，他断不以别的夸口，只夸我们的主耶稣基督的十字架。 读者啊，请让我来跟你谈谈这个题目。相信我，这是一个有着最深远的重要性的题目，绝非什么简单的争议的问题；绝非什么人们认为尽可以言人人殊，同时却觉得对他们进不进天堂并无大碍的观点。“你怎么看基督的十字架？”每个人都必须对这个问题有正确的答案，否则他就永远失丧。对这个问题的答案将决定：天堂或地狱，幸福或悲苦，生命或死亡，末日的祝福或咒诅，也就是说，将决定一切。让我来告诉你： 1. 使徒保罗断不以什么夸口 2. 使徒保罗以什么夸口 3. 为什么所有的基督徒都应像使徒保罗那样思考和感受到十字架 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the Apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which men may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A man must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day – all hinges on the answer to this question: “What do you think about the cross of Christ?” Let me show you: 1. What the apostle Paul did not glory in. 2. What Paul did glory in. 3. Why all Christians should think and feel about the cross like Paul.

「但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。」（加六14） 那么，保罗是什么意思呢？他宣称，除了耶稣基督被钉在十字架上，赦免了他的罪并拯救了他的灵魂之外，他别无信靠，这就是他的意思。要是有人愿意到别处去寻找拯救，就随他们去吧；要是有人真这么定意去信靠别的东西以求得赦免和平安，也就随他们去吧。但是就保罗自己而言，这位使徒定意不立足于任何别的东西之上，他不依靠于任何别的东西，他的盼望也不本于任何别的事物，他的自信也不建立在任何其他事物之上，他断不以别的夸口，只夸我们的主耶稣基督的十字架。 读者啊，请让我来跟你谈谈这个题目。相信我，这是一个有着最深远的重要性的题目，绝非什么简单的争议的问题；绝非什么人们认为尽可以言人人殊，同时却觉得对他们进不进天堂并无大碍的观点。“你怎么看基督的十字架？”每个人都必须对这个问题有正确的答案，否则他就永远失丧。对这个问题的答案将决定：天堂或地狱，幸福或悲苦，生命或死亡，末日的祝福或咒诅，也就是说，将决定一切。让我来告诉你： 1. 使徒保罗断不以什么夸口 2. 使徒保罗以什么夸口 3. 为什么所有的基督徒都应像使徒保罗那样思考和感受到十字架 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the Apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which men may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A man must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day – all hinges on the answer to this question: “What do you think about the cross of Christ?” Let me show you: 1. What the apostle Paul did not glory in. 2. What Paul did glory in. 3. Why all Christians should think and feel about the cross like Paul.

Title: The Coming Storm Text: II Timothy 2:1-7 FCF: We often struggle in the Christian life to endure suffering and trail. Prop: Because we are certain to have struggle and trial, we must depend on Christ and His church. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 2. Coming off of a somewhat discouraging message last week, seeing the prevalence of apostasy, we step into this week hoping for a message of encouragement. And Paul delivers. What makes this passage difficult is that Paul writes II Timothy as almost a stream of consciousness kind of letter. This makes dividing it up for analysis extremely difficult. Every phrase and point hinges on another and pulls both from concepts he has and has not yet talked about. This section we are studying can't really be divorced from verses 6-18 of chapter 1, nor can it be easily divided off from 8-13 of this chapter. We find ourselves in the middle of a greater discussion. Fortunately for us (and I do mean us) we can carve out these first 7 verses to give us closer to a 1 hour sermon rather than a 2 hour sermon. Unfortunately that will mean we will need to be keen listeners and observers of all that we have learned and even read ahead a little to know where Paul is going. I'd encourage you to add a read through of the entire book of II Timothy each week. Hopefully this will allow you to see the same threads I do as we make our way through. For today though, we are building from this concept of apostasy and holding fast to the gospel. Paul will again command Timothy with many of the same kinds of things he said in chapter 1. So let's not delay. I am reading from chapter 2 starting in verse 1 and I will read through verse 13. I am reading from the NET which you can follow in the pew bible on page 1342. Transition: So we have a lot to cover today, so let's get to it. I.) The Christian life will be full of struggle and suffering, so we must rely on Christ for strength, truth and endurance. (1-3) a. [Slide 2] 1 - So you, i. We do not always agree with or like the chapter divisions in our bible. Sometimes they help us in one way and hurt us in others. ii. In one sense, the interpretation of this text can be made more difficult by separating it from the previous section. The word “so” at the beginning here points us backward to look for the reason for what Paul is about to say to come from what came before it. If we ignore that, we could step into chapter 2 and miss something. iii. However, with this set off as chapter 2, we do see Paul cycle back to repeat themes he has given us in chapter 1. It seems like this should be the next chapter of what Paul says. iv. Paul, after giving both positive and negative reasons for Timothy to hold fast and endure and take up his mantle, now circles back and reasserts these commands in different words. v. Paul is done talking about himself. He is done talking about Phygelus. He is done talking about Hermogenes. He is done talking about Onesiphorus. vi. Paul addresses Timothy. So… YOU! vii. You is the first word in the Greek sentence, meaning it inherits the most emphasis. YOU Timothy… b. [Slide 3] My child, i. Here we have love again. ii. My beloved. My little one. My heir. My child. iii. Paul's words here soften the strong commands he is about to issue to Timothy. It softens the emphasis on YOU. iv. He does not say this aggressively but with good brotherly, Christian love. v. What follows are four commands to Timothy. vi. The first is… c. [Slide 4] Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. i. He tells him, Timothy… my son… you be strong. ii. He is calling him to be something. iii. In the Greek, this is in the imperative mood but in the passive voice. It is a command, but what is clear, is that the ability to fulfill this command is not found within Timothy. iv. But for we English speakers we could see this if we just continued to read. v. Be strong… yes… but how? vi. In grace. vii. [Slide 5] What is grace? I actually posted a video on CBC scoop and on the Facebook page that I hope you viewed. The ministry is called “for the gospel” which has been established by Costi Hinn, Benny Hinn's nephew who has been called out from his uncle's false teachings and is a believer and preacher of the true gospel. The person in this video identifies four types of grace. Whether it be a gift of general goodness of His common grace to all men, or the special gifts of justification, power, and endurance in His Saving, Sanctifying, and Sustaining Grace given to His people, all of them share the same core. God's underserved favor to undeserving people. viii. And Paul says that this grace is the kind that is in Christ Jesus. ix. This is the first callback to chapter 1. How does God save us? He saves us by His grace. And how is His grace communicated to us? It is granted to us, gifted to us, in Christ. When? Before time began. x. So which grace of the 4 is this talking about? It is somewhat of a trick question, because it is probably talking about all of them. I have a whole bunch of thoughts on why that is true – but maybe we'll save that for the bible study next week. xi. For now – let us understand that if Timothy is going to be strong enough to face all that Paul is asking of him, it cannot be his own strength. It must be drawn from the gifted goodness, justification, power, and endurance of God through Christ. xii. My friends, this is how we too can be strong. God says when we are weak, He is strong. His grace is sufficient. xiii. But there is more… d. [Slide 6] 2 – And entrust i. The word here is deposit. ii. It is to place in someone's care. iii. This is the second command given to Timothy. He is to give, or entrust what? e. [Slide 7] What you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses i. So generally, we are talking about the apostle Paul's corpus of teaching. ii. However, he puts some caveats on this that we could gloss over, but we shouldn't. iii. What specifically is Paul saying? iv. Not simply what I taught you – but what? v. What you heard me say and what other witnesses can verify. So, is this expressing doubt for Timothy to convey the proper message? Is Paul saying – hey Timothy, don't trust your own recollection of what I said. Pass on what you know I said because many people heard me say it and can confirm it. vi. So the answer to this is both yes and no. 1. I don't think Paul intends any slight to Timothy or lack of confidence that Timothy will deposit the right message. 2. However, I do believe Paul is demonstrating a principle that we learned in I John. A principle that we struggle with as evangelical protestants. What is that principle? No private interpretation of the scripture. But what does that mean and what doesn't that mean? a. It means that no Christian has a right to declare “My creed, my statement of faith, is the bible!” i. Now that sounds good. It sounds like something we might want to affirm. ii. But in reality, what they are actually saying is… “My creed, my statement of faith, is what I have accepted as the right interpretation of the bible!” iii. After all, a simple question following their statement would be, “What does the bible say about the trinity?” Immediately the person is caught in a dilemma. They may believe that God is three persons in one being. But the bible does not use the word trinity. Nor does the bible overtly say God is three persons in one being. It teaches this… but the only way to get there is by interpretation. It is by hermeneutics. b. However, no private interpretation, does not mean that we are to submit to the largest body of interpreters, nor to every widely accepted tradition. i. The Arian heretics once greatly outnumbered those who were orthodox. ii. Elijah and 7000 were by far the minority. iii. In fact, of all those claiming to be of Christ, many are probably not. iv. How can I say that? I didn't. Christ did. “On that day, MANY will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!” v. So, to trust the greater swath of Christendom with how we interpret scripture seems… unwise. 3. So what does this mean for Timothy? 4. Deposit the teachings that are verifiable by others. 5. This is a safeguard for Timothy in two ways. a. First, that he not transmit error. i. In this, it echoes back to chapter 1 where Paul exhorted Timothy to hold fast to the standard of sound words that he heard from Paul. ii. It is worthy to note that in chapter 1 Paul said to hold fast with the faith and love that are in Christ. So, although unsaid here, dependance on Christ is still the means to safeguard himself from error. b. The second safeguard for Timothy is that those who doubt what he says will be silenced. Any who would say, “I don't think that is what Paul taught.” Will have to also stand against all those who heard the same message. vii. So, Timothy is to deposit teaching that is able to be verified by reliable witnesses, to whom? f. [Slide 8] To faithful people i. Does this mean those who are trustworthy or those who are full of faith? ii. Because of what we are discussing here, the teachings of the apostle, it seems that both are necessary. General trustworthiness to accomplish the task seems predicated upon their being full of faith – genuine believers. iii. This runs directly counter to our natural inclinations. iv. Who might we want to teach doctrines of our faith to? Certainly, to those who are unbelieving correct? v. No. Paul tells Timothy to focus on those who are faithful. Why? vi. What is Paul asking Timothy to do? We are getting ahead of ourselves a little, and I don't want to spoil anything. But Paul is going to tell Timothy to come to Rome. vii. It seemed that before, Timothy was called to be the pastor here at Ephesus for the foreseeable future, but now Paul wants him to come to Rome. viii. So why should Timothy invest only in faithful people? g. [Slide 9] Who will be competent to teach others as well. i. Paul is telling Timothy to focus on passing his instruction to those who are genuine believers and trustworthy enough to convey those truths to others. ii. And so Paul's instruction is to make disciples. To replicate himself. To go and find for himself a few “sons in the faith” iii. So that they can be the next Timothy there in Ephesus and so Timothy can be the next Paul in Rome. iv. Inherent in the call for Timothy to come to Rome… is what? h. [Slide 10] 3 – Take your share of suffering i. Paul commands Timothy to take his share of suffering. He is calling Timothy to the belly of the beast. ii. This echoes back to chapter 1 where Paul says to take his share of suffering for the gospel in the power of God. iii. So, once again, the means for Timothy to take his share in suffering for the gospel, is the power of God. iv. Or as Paul chooses to put it… i. [Slide 11] As a good soldier of Christ Jesus. i. The means for Timothy to take up this suffering for the gospel is rooted in the command of the Captain of our Salvation – Christ Jesus. ii. Certainly Timothy would suffer in Rome, but as Paul puts it, this is an axiom for all true believers. iii. To be a good soldier in the Lord Jesus' Army, you will suffer. iv. Suffer in God's power, and suffer under the Lord's command. j. [Slide 12] Passage Truth: What Paul teaches by implication in this passage, is that the work of the Lord and His Kingdom is full of struggle. There is so much struggle that Timothy will have to rely on things that are given to him by God to make it. k. Passage Application: And that is the essence of all three of Paul's commands. Timothy must be strong in the grace of Christ, he must teach the message that was given to him, clinging to it in the faith and love of Christ, and he must take up suffering for the gospel as the will of Christ for him. Ultimately this is so Timothy can leave Ephesus in good hands while going to Paul to be re-commissioned. l. [Slide 13] Broader Biblical Truth: If we look no further than the sayings of our Lord Jesus, we find him predict some things. John 15 Jesus says that if the world hates you, keep in mind, it hated me first. John 16 he says I have told you these things so that you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. But this same Christ who predicts our suffering, struggle, and trouble in this world, also says in John 15 – I am the vine and you are the branches, without me you can do nothing. Meaning that if we are to make it. If we are to endure – it cannot be without Him. m. Broader Biblical Application: So for us at CBC, the commands of Paul are our commands. We also must be strong to face the coming days. We also must pass on the faithful teachings of the apostles to the extent that we raise up future teachers. We also must ready ourselves to suffer for the name of Christ. Whether in persecution, trouble, difficulty or pain. But it is important for us to realize that to do any of these – we cannot rely on ourselves. It is only in the grace, faith, love, and hope of Christ that we can face uncertain days. Are you prepared to lose everything to keep Christ? Are you prepared to cling to the warmth of His promises as you shiver in the cold? The world may take everything from us – but they cannot take away Christ. Killing us only gives Him to us fully. And taking all we have is taking nothing we will keep forever. It pains us to think this way. But my friends, I fear, that if we do not start thinking this way now… by the time we get around to it… We may not be ready. We must practice now. Is Christ enough for you right now? Is He enough? Transition: [Slide 14(blank)] What Paul implies in these first 3 verses in teaching, he will now make plain in the next three illustrations. And although the commands in these first three verses were overt, he will now give 3 more commands by way of implication. II.) The Christian life will be full of struggle and suffering, so we must be focused, endure in obedience, and work diligently for Christ. (4-7) a. [Slide 15] 4 – No one in military service i. Given the daunting task of these three commands, Paul will now riff off of the imagery of a soldier in Christ's army, and introduce three occupational illustrations for Timothy to consider. ii. Paul begins by saying that no one in military service… b. [Slide 16] Gets entangled in matters of everyday life; i. Paul presents a somewhat comical thought as an illustration. ii. Imagine a young soldier on the field of battle. He has been called out to war, but must stop to take a phone call from his wife, asking him what he wants for dinner. iii. Imagine in the midst of battle a soldier calls timeout to log into his bank account and pay his bills. iv. Such silliness is too much. If we saw it in a movie we would have to conclude it to be a comedy and not a documentary. That is why Paul says NO ONE in military service. This would never happen. v. Why? vi. The nature of war is so far removed from every day civilian life that some soldiers return and express genuine frustration with their friends and family over their concern for such trivial matters. Having been used to the battlefield where the stakes are so high, coming home to folding clothes and attending Christmas plays, hardly seems like something worthy of their attention. vii. Such is the juxtaposition Paul throws at Timothy. viii. He is a soldier in the Lord's Army. And he is currently at war. For him to lose focus and worry about the trivial, at such a time as this, cannot be permitted. ix. And Paul not only presents a logical reason for this not to be, but also presents an incentivized reason for this not to be. c. [Slide 17] Otherwise, he will not please the one who recruited him. i. Now we see the word “recruited” and we think of someone as a military recruiter sitting in an office trying to get young men to be all they can be. ii. However, in a 1st Century context, such a position was unnecessary. The pay of the soldier was good, there was glory in being a Roman legionary, and several were forced to serve in the military. iii. Who then is his recruiter? iv. His captain. His general. That is his recruiter. The one who picked him from a pool of soldiers to fight for him. v. Do you think a general would be satisfied with his hand-picked men who have to stopped fighting because they were just “super invested in a football game right now”? vi. So, Christ is not pleased with a soldier of the cross who is consumed or entangled by the world and all its cares. vii. We are in the world. Therefore, these cares are necessary. But we are not of the world. Anything that will burn someday, anything we will not take with us, must be seen already as expendable. viii. Remember – all we need is Christ. Is He enough? d. [Slide 18] 5 – Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, i. The second occupation is that of an athlete. ii. These are the famed Olympic games. Athletes from all over the Roman empire would gather to compete in these displays of strength and dexterity. iii. And Paul says of any athlete… e. [Slide 19] He will not be crowned as the winner i. Athletes compete to win. There is no other reason to compete. ii. Certainly, exercise and fun are great incentives, but winning is the only reason to compete, especially at this level. iii. And what does the winner receive? iv. A crown of leaves. That's all. No money. No paycheck. v. So, what is the athlete truly competing for? vi. Glory. Honor. Respect. vii. And what is the prize for those who finish the race set before us? viii. The Glory of Christ. We inherit with Him, glory. Paul actually brings this up in verse 9. Again, these contexts are so woven together it is sometimes – impossible to untangle them. ix. But how is the athlete to win? f. [Slide 20] Unless he competes according to the rules. i. But here is the comical illustration. ii. Will a baseball pitcher receive glory for throwing great pitches after it is discovered that he uses sticky substances to make the ball do unhittable things? iii. Will a football player receive glory for deflating footballs so he can throw it better? iv. Will there ever be an athlete that receives glory for winning by cheating? v. No! There is no honor in winning, if you must break the rules to do it. It isn't a true victory. And the only real justice for this, is that you are disqualified. vi. What does this mean in Paul's context? It is by the word and will of God alone that all things consist. He has established the rules. vii. If we are to win, so as to gain the prize, we must cast aside every weight that holds us down, and do as the Lord asks us. We must train hard in His will. That is the only way to win. The only way to attain to the glory of Christ is to continue to trust Him and keep His commands. Afterall, it is only the believing ones who will not perish, but have everlasting life. g. [Slide 21] 6- The farmer who works hard i. The final example is that of a farmer. ii. Specifically of a farmer that works hard. iii. What do you call a farmer who doesn't work hard? iv. I don't know – but I know what you don't call him in a few years… you don't call him a farmer. v. Especially in this society. Farmers did not have the large-scale crop yields that we have grown accustomed to in this culture with our technology. vi. A farmer does not plant and work for sales alone – but to feed himself and his family. He needs to have enough to supply his household, his workers, and still some to spare to trade for goods that he cannot make or grow. vii. So, one thing is true, without doubt, of farmers who work hard… h. [Slide 22] Ought to have the first share of the crops. i. It is certainly a natural and logical conclusion, isn't it? ii. The silly picture would be a farmer working hard, sweating and breaking his back to bring in the crops and then starving to death because he took it to market and neglected to feed himself. iii. No! A farmer who works hard will have his belly filled first and his family cared for. Then he will take the grain to market. iv. And so Paul's third illustration points to another truth of the struggle in the Christian life. v. We labor in this calling. We work hard in this work. But we feast on the first fruits. vi. Is this talking about converts, trained disciples, or something else. For me, it makes most sense in the context – given this is a personal plea for Timothy to be strong and endure – that this speaks more toward Timothy's own spiritual person. vii. As much as I tell you that every week I am drug through the word of God and beat up and tattered and broken. Then my job truly gets difficult as I try to condense all I have learned into 45 minutes so you can try… try to absorb it. As much as that is true… viii. I am a fat and full farmer for it! ix. Yes, I am broken and beaten. Yes I am perplexed and puzzled. Yes I am drug along by my ankles sometimes. But I am immeasurably blessed by it! x. I am gorged on the first fruits of my labor. And then I bring the rich bounty I have left on Sunday – so that you may eat and be filled too. Much like the Lepers in the Syrian camp. I cannot feast on this alone. I must bring it to you to eat. xi. My friends, if you obey Paul's command to teach faithful people the words of Christ… you too will experience this. xii. Does not the jug that dispenses the water to several cups, hold all the water at some point? xiii. If you want to be blessed of God, Study the word in order to teach it. It will be a labor. But it will have great reward. xiv. If you do not believe this, just ask the men who filled in for me while I was away. Ask the men who have been leading Foundations since the beginning of the year. See if they have experienced this. i. [Slide 23] 7 – Think about what I am saying i. The meaning of Paul's illustrations seems clear enough. That this life for Christ will be full of difficulty and suffering. We must be focused, we must endure in obedience, and we must be diligent in our work. ii. But Paul does not explain to Timothy what each of these means for him. iii. So he tells Timothy to think about them. iv. In fact, this is another imperative for Timothy. v. Yes, be strong in Christ. Yes, entrust sound teaching to faithful people. Yes, Take your share of suffering. But also, think on these things. vi. What does it mean to be focused to please Christ our Captain? vii. What does it mean to endure in obedience for Christ our glory? viii. What does it mean to be diligent in our work for Christ's our true Word? ix. This is what Paul tells Timothy to think about – but once again… a familiar thread comes through. j. [Slide 24] And the Lord will give you understanding of all this. i. From where can Timothy expect all this understanding to come? ii. From who else? iii. None other than the giver of every perfect gift, the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variation. iv. Our Lord and our God. k. [Slide 25] Passage Truth: Now more clearly Paul teaches through illustrations that the Christian life is a life full of struggle and suffering. That if Timothy wants to please his Captain, win Christ's Glory, and see abundant fruit, he will need to be prepared to struggle and suffer. l. Passage Application: So for Timothy this means he must be focused on the call, he must endure in obedience, and he must be diligent in the work that is laid before him. m. [Slide 26] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out to all of scripture and even beyond to church history – we know that generally speaking, a life lived for Christ is a life destined for pain. It is difficult for us to come to that conclusion given our historical context. But a look into the old and new testaments confirms this to be true. So how can we prepare for such difficulty? n. Broader Biblical Application: Well, church, we must be single-focused. We may see to the affairs of this world, but we must not be entangled by them. We must strive to win the prize, but we can only reach the glory of Christ if we walk in His ways. And we must work diligently if we desire an abundant crop. In short – there is no way but forward. The path ahead is difficult, but didn't we count the cost? Didn't we spy this treacherous path through the narrow gate? Didn't we see that before entering in? Didn't we know that our life would be full of self-denial and submission? But once again our hearts and heads are turned to see Christ at the center of all this. Indeed, it is His pleasure we seek, He is the prize we run for, and His abundant gifts are our sustenance. Conclusion: [Slide 27(blank) How do we apply this text to us CBC? Well, there are 7 commands in this text. 4 that are overtly commands and 3 that are implied from illustrations. Be strong in the grace of Christ. Entrust sound teaching to faithful people who will do the same. Take up Suffering for Christ. Be focused on the mission. Endure in obedience. Work diligently for abundant fruit. Think about these things. I believe the last command is somewhat separated from the rest. It is a command for us to apply the text to our hearts. It doesn't become the text, it is a command to obey the text really. So, that gets us down to 6 commands. That is still a lot. I believe we can further group these commands into two categories. Furthermore, it seems like verses 1-2 set these up for us. 1.) To be strong in the grace of Christ is to take up suffering, remain focused on the mission and to endure in obedience. 2.) To entrust sound teaching to faithful people who will do the same is to work diligently striving for abundant fruit. And I believe we can boil this down even further. What is Paul's 1 command? Discipleship. Make Disciples. Personal and Communal. Timothy must be personally strong in Christ. He must endure, he must be focused, He must be filled with grace. His path to that is through diligence to which He will feast on the first fruit of the increase. But if the church is to continue on mission and obeying the rules, the doctrines and teachings of the gospel of Christ must be passed on by faithful people to faithful people. There must be a communal commitment to diligent work so that we will not only be supplied personally, but communally as well. Some commentators, particularly of a Pentecostal background, see Paul handing down a succession of the apostolic role here. That Timothy is taking the title of apostle. [Slide 28] That is not at all what Paul is teaching. This is none other than the intended role of Christ's Church. Paul spoke of this in Ephesians 4 4:11 It was he (Jesus) who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry (what is the work of the ministry?) that is, to build up the body of Christ, (when will that be completed?) 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God – a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ's full stature. (So, until we are all like Christ. Cool. So, how do we get there?) 4:14 So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes. (ok so stop being duped by false teaching. Then what?) 4:15 But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. (So the only way to attain the measure of Christ's full stature is to live out what we believe with a motive of love and by this we will grow into it… that makes sense. But who will help me do this?) 4:16 From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body grows in love. (Christ and other Christians. Wow. That is the church!) Do you see that what Paul calls Timothy and those who will continue what he taught to do in this passage, is to be the church Christ designed? To personally and communally grow to the full stature of Christ. And Paul wrote this to the Ephesian church about 6 or 7 years before he writes this to Timothy who is now there in Ephesus trying to do the exact same thing. You'll have to excuse a preacher if he repeats himself my friends. [Slide 29 (end)] This is the essence of the church. We are the body of Christ, working in Christ, to grow together in Christ, into the full stature of Christ. The Christian life is hard. It is a struggle. We need the grace, faith, and love of Christ in us and from us to all His people. This is the way we will finish our race. This is the way we will fight the good fight. For those of you sitting at home watching. Not because you are ill, or shut in, or caring for those who are ill or shut in, or because you simply could not make it today. But you are sitting at home because you have thought that you can get your “church” in by watching online… Listen to me… You won't make it when the suffering comes my friends. You need this. Get off your couch and submit yourself to a local body… SOMEWHERE! And for those sitting here in the pews. You need this too! If you aren't a member yet… you need to be! Membership is submission to one another. Submission to minister and care for each other. Make it a priority! The body is joined together and grown by Christ, toward Christ. We are sustained by Christ. A fitting message for the Supper we will partake in next week. Christ sustains us… He is the only way we will endure the coming storm. Is Christ and His church enough for you?

THE WEEK OF TRINITY V - SUNDAYLESSON: LUKE 5:1-11When they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish, and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. Luke 5:6-7First of all, let us note here that those who believe in Christ will also have enough for their bodily needs. Christ attends to this matter here in supplying Peter and his partners with such a large number of fish, more than they would ever have dared to hope for.We see here how Christ is genuinely concerned for the bodily welfare of His disciples. If only there were not so much accursed unbelief! Take the example of St. Peter in this Gospel. Look into his heart, and you will find that he did not reckon with the possibility of catching so many fish. But God intervenes here and brings the fish into the net in greater numbers than any of them had desired.This example shows us that believers in Christ receive enough for their bodily needs. Unbelievers never have enough of anything. They never experience any real rest and are continually engrossed in the piling up of earthly possessions. This is how they become enmeshed in all kinds of harmful vices.What Paul writes to Timothy is only too true: “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:9-10).SL 11:1304 (2-3)PRAYER: You have given us the strongest of assurances, heavenly Father, that You will always watch over the needs of all Your children, even the needs of their bodies. Grant us the grace of contentment so that we always receive Your blessings with thanksgiving and with real benefit to ourselves and our neighbor, in and through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.Editor's note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today's sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 4:131-140.

A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity Romans 8:17-23 by William Klock Our Epistle from Romans 8 this morning is one those wonderful, short passages that remind us of the bigger picture, that gives us a bird's-eye view of the Good News, of God's redemption and renewal of humanity and of his entire Creation.  It's the hilltop from which we can see the lay of the land, where we've come from, where we're going, and how it all fits together. This is the midpoint of Paul's letter to the Roman church.  In the first half of the letter, Paul works his way through the story of Israel and all her ups and downs—and for Israel things were mostly “down”.  And now in Chapter 8 he begins talking about life in the flesh versus life in the Spirit and the law of sin and death versus the law of the Spirit.  This is where, in verse 11, he famously writes that if the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, the One who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies—if we are in Christ Jesus we live in hope of the same resurrection he has experienced.  But even more than that, Paul goes on to write, through our union with Jesus we are children and heirs of God, fellow heirs with Christ—that means sharing in Jesus' inheritance.  But what is that?  Paul writes in verse 17 that it means to suffer with him so that we can be glorified with him.  The Christian life—life with Jesus—for Paul means two things: suffering and glory.  Suffering is a given as we long for glory. What does that mean?  What does Paul mean by “glory”?  And what about suffering?  Most Christians living through the last two thousand years have understood that suffering is part of our calling as we follow Jesus.  Jesus promised it.  The New Testament writers talk about it often—and most of them faced it themselves and were martyred for proclaiming the lordship of Jesus.  Many of our brothers and sisters today are persecuted for their faith in various parts of the world.  And yet in the West—probably in part because we haven't faced persecution for such a long time—many Christians have no place for suffering in their theology.  Many even go so far as to say that if you're experiencing suffering—sickness, poverty, rejection or anything else negative—it's due to a lack of faith.  But that's just the opposite of what Jesus taught and it's just the opposite of what Paul teaches here.  The inheritance we share with Jesus is one of suffering that leads to glory.  What this means is at the centre of our Epistle and Paul goes on in verse 18: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.   Paul says, “For I consider…”  That doesn't mean this is his opinion.  Paul uses the same Greek word several times as he builds his argument in Romans.  Other translations say “I reckon”.  The sense of it is, “This is how I work it out”.  Knowing the Scriptures, knowing Jesus, working under the Spirit's inspiration, this is the only conclusion he can reach.  He's been building this argument for eight chapters in Romans and here he reaches the inevitable conclusion: those who will be glorified will first face suffering, but that this suffering can't begin to compare with the glory to be revealed. Think about what a powerful statement that was when Paul wrote this.  When he writes that word “suffering” most of us probably read into that whatever our own trials and tribulations are.  That's fine.  But what did Paul have in mind?  Later in the chapter, in verses 35-36 he writes that nothing will separate us from the love of Christ—nothing—and then he goes on to detail the sorts of suffering that he and other Christians were facing—things people might think mean that God doesn't love them, things they might think show a lack of faith, things that might separate them from Jesus.  Here's his list: hardship or distress, persecution or famine, nakedness or peril or sword.  And he quotes from Psalm 44: “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted sheep to be slaughtered.”  These things are far worse than the sorts of suffering any of us are likely to face.  And as horrible as this suffering was, none of it could compare with the glory to be revealed—no amount of suffering could make the glory not worth it. But what is the glory Paul's writing about?  Our translation says that this glory is to be revealed “to us”, but that makes it sound like we're going to be spectators to this glory.  What Paul writes in Greek has the sense of this glory revealed towards us or into us.  It's a sense of this glory being bestowed on us as a gift—and this makes perfect sense when we remember what Paul said before: that if we are in Christ, then we will share in his inheritance—we will participate in his inheritance. And what's the inheritance?  Well, who is Jesus?  He is Lord.  His glory is revealed or it's unveiled in his glorious and sovereign rule of Creation and Paul is saying here that the glory we wait for with eager longing, the glory that is the basis for our hope as Christians is not glory in the sense many people often think.  We often think of “glory” as a place or a state of being.  When a Christian dies we often hear people say that he or she has gone on or been promoted to “glory”.  Brothers and Sisters, “glory” isn't going to heaven when you die.  As Jesus' glory is his sovereign rule over Creation, so the glory to be revealed in us is our participation, our sharing in the sovereign and saving rule of Jesus in the age to come.  And this is why he says what he does in verse 19: For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.   If our hope, if our glory—as it is so often wrongly portrayed—was for the destruction of this world and an eternity of disembodied existence in heaven with God, then the Creation would have no reason to eagerly long for that glory to be revealed.  What Paul describes here is the opposite: God's Creation is waiting for the great day when its true rulers are revealed, the sons of God, and when it will be delivered from corruption.  Look at verses 20-22: For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.   This is where we need to stand back and look at the big picture.  Everything Paul's saying here is dependent on that.  It's the big picture the Bible gives of us of God's Creation, from beginning to end.  We read in Genesis that God created and that everything was good.  We even read there that when he created human beings he looked at his handiwork and declared us not just “good”, but “very good”.  But we look around us now and have to wonder what happened.  War is always raging somewhere, there's violence everywhere, there's greed and corruption everywhere.  Justice is in short supply and so are the basic things that people need to survive—maybe not in our part of the world, but for billions of others.  And yet even if we don't pay attention to the big evils that play out on the international scene—or even on the local scene, for that matter—we only have to look at the struggles that we have ourselves and that we share with our family and friends to keep away from sin and to do good.  Hate is easy; love is hard.  Paul knew it.  The Roman Christians knew it.  We know it. Paul tells the story of Creation in the book of Romans, but he tells it as Israel's story.  We don't have time to run through the whole book this morning obviously, but Paul's point is that the whole Creation is enslaved in the same sort of way that Israel was in Egypt.  And right there we get a glimmer of hope.  Remember, when Israel went down to Egypt—we read about that in the story of Jacob and Joseph—it was all according to the Lord's plan.  The Lord arranged for Joseph to become a slave in Egypt so that through him he could rescue his people.  Egypt started out good for Israel.  When things turned around under a new king who enslaved Israel, it was not because the Lord had ceased to be good and it was not because the Lord was no longer in control.  No.  We learn later that the Lord allowed the Israelites to become slaves in Egypt so that he could then manifest his glorious sovereignty to everyone—to Israel in rescuing her and to the Egyptians by showing his power over her false gods and over her mighty horses and chariots.  In the Exodus, the Lord marked Israel forever as the people he had freed from slavery, people to whom he had given a new life.  That became their national identity, celebrated every year in the Passover. In all of that Paul is working up to his point here.  As the Lord allowed Israel to fall into bondage to Egypt, so he has allowed his good Creation to be subjected to death and decay.  We may look around and wonder if things are hopeless.  Every time one war ends and we see peace break out another war begins somewhere else.  We work hard to lift this group out of poverty, but then that group over there falls into it.  We cure one disease only to have two new ones crop up.  Isaiah wrote about a day when the lion would lie down with the lamb and we look around us and wonder if that's ever going to happen. And Paul assures us: Yes, it's for real.  This is God's promise.  No matter how bad things are, this is still his good Creation and he has promised to put everything to rights.  Even as he cast Adam and Eve from the garden he was promising them that he would one day overcome sin and restore everything to the way it should be.  Genesis shows things going from bad to worse.  It shows us humanity losing even the very knowledge of God and sinking into paganism and idolatry.  But then it tells us how God came to Abraham and established a covenant with him.  The Lord promised that through Abraham and his family he would restore not only humanity, but all of Creation and here Paul reminds us what that means, what it looks like and why the Creation itself would long for it to happen. Again, we need the big picture—we need to remember where things started.  In Genesis we read that the Lord created human beings to be his image bearers.  Theologians have argued for two thousand years over what exactly that means, but in the last century, as we've been able to read the Old Testament in light of other Jewish and Ancient Near Eastern literature that's been unearthed we've realised that the language of Genesis is temple language.  Israel's pagan neighbours built great stone temples and then places images of their gods in them.  Those images represented the gods' rule or sovereignty over the land and people.  And Genesis uses the same languages and imagery, except that in Genesis it's the Lord himself who builds his own temple—the cosmos—and instead of placing an image of himself carved in stone or gold in it, he creates human beings, to live in his presence in the temple, but also to rule his creation justly and wisely—to have dominion and to subdue Creation in the Lord's name.  That's what it meant for humanity to bear God's image: to be his stewards, the priests of his temple.  But then we chose to rebel.  As Paul writes in Romans 1, we chose to worship the Creation instead of the Creator.  We subjected the Lord's good creation to corruption. Now, in light of that, it should make sense that Creation goans with eager longing for the day when our inheritance is revealed.  That's the day when Creation will be set free from the corruption we brought on it.  That's the day when we, Creation's stewards will be restored and renewed and put back in charge, reigning with Jesus.  Again, think back to Israel.  He chose and called her, he rescued her, he made her his people, he sent her to the nations to bring healing and restoration.  But she rebelled and she rejected her mission.  And yet the Lord didn't give up and he didn't change his plan to redeem his Creation through Israel.  He simply sent a faithful Israelite—he sent Jesus.  And Jesus not only redeemed Israel by dying in her place, he established a new Israel in his own person, a new people to be a light to the nations—this time equipped by the Holy Spirit. This is what Paul is getting at in verse 23.  It's not just the Creation that groans in eager longing: And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. The Lord hasn't given up on his Creation any more than he gave up on Israel.  Creation is eagerly waiting for its rightful stewards to be set right.  On that great day the Lord will make all things new and restore his redeemed people to their rightful place as good, wise, and just rulers of Creation—as the faithful priests of his temple.  This is what it means for our glory to be revealed.  The big picture, the story of redemption, reminds us that this was how it was supposed to be from the beginning.  And so we groan and we wait eagerly too.  We live in the mess we've made here in the world.  We live with sin and with sickness and with death, and yet we live in hope, knowing that what God has begun in Jesus he will one day complete. And we can hope, because in Jesus and the Spirit, God has given us the firstfruits of his new creation.  He's given a down payment on what he has promised.  The present age and its rulers have been decisively defeated by Jesus at the cross and the empty tomb and God's new age has been inaugurated.  Jesus is Lord.  He truly is God's King.  He's given us his Spirit—Paul describes the Spirit here as the firstfruits—and that's because we live in the overlap between these two ages, these two kingdoms.  The Jews brought the firstfruits of the harvest—usually sheaves of grain harvested at the very beginning of the season—as offerings to God.  They offered them in good years and even in bad years in faith that God would provide the rest of the harvest.  And so the Spirit is the sign of hope for us.  The life he gives to us here and now is a reminder that encourages our faith and hope in the resurrection and the new creation to come.  We groan and we sigh, we wait longingly in eager expectation, but our hope is certain because God is faithful and keeps his promises.  The prophet Habakkuk wrote that one day the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea.  Brothers and Sisters, life is full of suffering, of trials, of tribulations, when the glory of the Lord filling the earth seems impossible, we only need remember the cross of Jesus, his empty tomb, and his gift of the Holy Spirit. But with this in mind we need to be careful.  A lot of Christians, knowing this hope, have ended up becoming complacent.  Brothers and Sisters, we haven't been redeemed by Jesus and given the gift of the Spirit so that we can retreat into a sort of personal holiness or private piety—or even into the walls and fellowship of the Church—while we wait for Jesus to return.  Not at all.  Jesus has inaugurated this new age in his resurrection and somehow someday the making new that began in his resurrection will encompass all of Creation and you and I are called, in the power of the Spirit, to embody that renewing work here and now.  How is Habakkuk's prophecy going to be fulfilled?  How does the knowledge of the glory of the Lord spread to cover the earth?  Brothers and Sisters, that's our mission.  Full of the Spirit, we're called to proclaim to the world the Good News that Jesus is Lord and that his kingdom is here and now.  Our mission is to call the world to repentance and faith.  But don't forget: We are also called to live out repentance and faith in our lives in such a way that we lift the veil on the kingdom and that we give a glimpse to the world of what heaven on earth looks like.  So far as we are able to do so today, we are called to exercise the good dominion that was given to Adam—we are called to be stewards of God's temple, of his Creation.  Jesus has led the way for us here, the second Adam.  In his earthly ministry he made his Father's new creation known in practical ways to the people around him and so should we.  In a word full of sin we should be visible in seeking after holiness.  In a world full of war and injustice, we should be visible and at the forefront working for biblical peace and biblical justice.  In a world full of hurting and sickness, we should be seeking to make the healing ministry of Jesus known.  In a world full of anger and hate, we should be working for forgiveness and reconciliation. If you're like me you might get discouraged thinking about the mission Jesus has given us.  When I think of these things I think of things that we as Christians can do to bring Jesus and his glory to the world in “big” ways.  I think of Christians—and there are so often so few of us—working on the big international scene or I think of missionaries going to far off countries.  And then I get discouraged.  That's far away.  It's bigger than me.  But Friends, never forget that for every St. Paul or St. Peter, there were thousands of ordinary saints manifesting Jesus in their ordinary lives, proclaiming the Good News, and building the kingdom right where they were and transforming an empire.  We fulfil Jesus' calling to us as we raise covenant children to walk with him in faith and to live the values of his kingdom.  We fulfil Jesus' calling when work for peace and reconciliation with our neighbours, in our workplaces, and in our schools.  We fulfil Jesus' calling when we forgive as we have been forgiven.  We fulfil Jesus' calling when we love the hard-to-love people around us, knowing that we ourselves are hard-to-love too, but that Jesus loved us enough to die for us.  We fulfil Jesus' calling when we sacrifice ourselves, our rights, our prerogatives, our time, and our treasure in order to make Jesus and his love and life known.  In everything we do, we should be seeking to give the world signs and foretastes of God's new creation. Let us pray: Heavenly Father, as we asked earlier in the collect we ask again for grace to pass through the trials of this life without losing the things of eternal importance.  Remind us that the suffering we experience cannot begin to compare with the glory to be revealed to us.  Remind us always of the suffering that Jesus endured for our sake that in love and gratitude we might suffer too for the sake of making him known.  And as we think of Jesus' death and resurrection and as we live the life given by your Spirit, fill us with hope and faith, knowing that the glory inaugurated in us today will one day be fully accomplished in our own resurrection and the restoration of all your Creation.  Amen.

Title: Dare to be an Onesiphorus Text: II Timothy 1:15-18 FCF: We often struggle being aware of the danger of apostasy. Prop: Because it is not certain who will depart the faith, we must hold fast and keep the good thing entrusted to us. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 1. As we close out this first chapter of II Timothy today, and knowing that the start of chapter 2 will be a passage requiring more time for us to expound, I think I'll take the opportunity now to review what we've learned so far in II Timothy. For the book itself, we know that it is a few years separated from Paul's first letter to Timothy. Much has happened in that time. First, Timothy has had some success in forming the church there in Ephesus around the gospel of Christ. He is not failing what is mentor asked of him only a few years prior. However, what we do know is that hostility and opposition to the gospel is growing in the area. How do we know that? Well Paul has been arrested once again. This time is different though, and Paul knows it. What is so different? Well, Paul is not going to be released. Whether by intuition or by revelation from God, Paul knows that he will not make it through this imprisonment. He will be executed soon. And so, Paul's primary reason for writing this more personal letter to Timothy is to encourage him to take up Paul's mantle and carry on in the ministry. Paul's concern for Timothy is that he not give in to timidity or fear but that he would fully rely on the power of the Spirit of God which is in Him, to continue to boldly proclaim the gospel, and to hold fast and persevere through persecution. Paul encourages Timothy, and believes Timothy can do this, first because he has been convinced that Timothy's faith is genuine. And if his faith is genuine, Paul knows that the Spirit of God is with Timothy to accomplish all that God would ask of him. Paul knows this to be true, because Christ and the Spirit have kept and protected him in his ministry. So Paul lifts up the glorious gospel of God's saving power and grace, gifted in Christ, before time began. It is for this gospel that Paul now suffers, and it is for this gospel that Paul is preparing Timothy and the church there to continue to cling to and suffer for. We left the text last week with Paul imploring Timothy with that common tension in the scriptures. A command given with the expectation that God will see it done. Paul keeps the gospel with which he has been entrusted by the faith and love that are in Christ. And he calls Timothy to keep that same gospel in the power of the Spirit of God. And so, shines brightly, the common conundrum. Humans are called to do something for the Lord, but are unable to do it without first being what God has made them to be. With God all things are possible… but with man it is impossible. And so now Paul concludes his thoughts on holding fast and protecting the gospel with examples. 1 verse of many bad examples, and 3 verses of 1 good example. If you look closely, you will also note the primary theme of the Pastorals flowing through this text. Doctrine received in true faith produces people conformed to Christ. We'll see people here, who although not denying or affirming a confession, do deny or affirm the doctrines by whether they are or are not conformed to Christ. It should be a powerful and interesting albeit short message for us today. I am in II Timothy chapter 1 starting in verse 15. I am reading from the NET which you can follow on page 1342, or in whatever version you have. Transition: Let's dive in this morning to see these examples of those who hold fast, and those who do not. I.) There are many who look like Christians who will depart, so we must hold fast and keep the good thing entrusted to us. (15) a. [Slide 2] 15 – You know that everyone in the province of Asia deserted me i. “Province of” is added for clarity in the text. The NET does not wish us to think the whole of Asia is in view. ii. We saw this when we looked at Tychicus who was from the province of Asia. iii. This refers to the southwestern part of Asia minor, probably around the Aegean coastlines. iv. Now when Paul says that everyone in the province had deserted him, does everyone mean everyone? v. This seems extreme. vi. Furthermore, Timothy and Onesiphorus (On-uh-siph-or-us) whom Paul names in this text, have not deserted him, and they are certainly from Asia or in Asia at this time. Therefore, we must put a limit on what Paul means by everyone. We see two options. vii. Either that Paul is saying that those in Rome from Asia have deserted him, or more likely Paul uses hyperbole to emphasize that many had deserted him from the province of Asia. viii. Finally, what does it mean that he was deserted? Are we talking about apostasy or just that they are ashamed of Paul's imprisonment? 1. In favor of this being a personal abandonment we have a few points. a. Paul calls out several people in this book for departing the faith. b. In each case, Paul speaks clearly about their defection from the gospel itself. c. Here Paul makes it clear it is a defection from him. d. Furthermore, the two men he mentions are not included later for having apostatized. 2. In favor of this being both personal abandonment and apostasy, we have a few points. a. Paul has already linked his imprisonment with the gospel of Christ in verse 8. b. Paul has historically had issues with people rejecting his apostleship and therefore his teaching. And if we remember from I Timothy – this was probably the case in Ephesus. c. The preceding and following context of this seems to indicate that what Paul is offering to Timothy are two examples of what not to do and what to do. And in the preceding verses it is clear that Timothy must hold fast to the gospel. d. And in keeping with the overall scope of the pastoral epistles in general – we know that to cite unchristlike lifestyles would be the same as citing apostasy to a certain extent. Not all denials of the faith are by our words or affiliations. Some of them are from our lifestyles. ix. All this considered, I think given the context, it seems best to understand that Paul means that these people have deserted him and by extension, his gospel. b. [Slide 3] Including Phygelus (Fih-Jel-us) and Hermogenes (her-mah-joe-knees). i. What is clear in this text is that when Paul singles out these two men as those who have abandoned him and the gospel, it should be shocking to hear. ii. What is not clear in this text is anything else about these men. iii. This is the only mention of their names in the New Testament. iv. So all we can do is draw upon this text, and here is what we know… v. These men appeared to be loyal to Paul and the gospel – but when the going got tough, they deserted Paul and his gospel. c. [Slide 4] Passage Truth: Int his first verse, Paul teaches Timothy with examples. He shows two men who were loyal to Paul before, along with many others in the province of Asia. And what is clear is that no one saw their desertion coming. And yet, here they are. They have used this opportunity to desert Paul and even his teachings for another gospel. d. Passage Application: So Timothy's imperative from the previous section endures. He must hold fast and keep the truth of the gospel with which he has been entrusted. e. [Slide 5] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out to the rest of scripture, unfortunately we see countless examples of those who were thought to be loyal to God and His servants, turn and go after other gods. Before Christ was revealed many Israelites abandoned Yahweh in favor of Baal, Ashteroth, and other would-be gods. And even after the cross, we see people know the truth and walk away. I'd like to say that this doesn't happen anymore – but alas, it happens often. Either by their words or actions, many high-profile Christian leaders have rejected the gospel of Christ, either replacing it with Christ plus something, or rejecting Christ altogether. I say all this, not to worry you, but to help you to realize that apostasy is not something that is uncommon. f. Broader Biblical Application: What does that mean for us at CBC? Every single person Paul has mentioned and will mention has made a profession of faith, has served in the church, and were considered part of the covenant community. Yet when Paul was thrown into prison for his teachings – they abandoned him and his teachings. It is not enough for us to confess what we believe one time and rest in that confession. The Lord Himself tells us that those who deny Him before men, He will deny before the Father. True, genuine, saving faith, is one that endures. And while that doesn't mean perfection or even that we will never doubt, it does mean that God's true people will not permenantly walk away from the faith – no matter how hard they are pressed. Therefore, my friends, we MUST hold fast and protect the truth of the gospel that we have been entrusted. Do not listen to men who talk about the bible – listen to the bible. Even me. Don't take what I say without pause. But search the scriptures. Not what someone says about the scriptures, but the scriptures themselves. Then consult what the church has taught down through the ages. If what you believe has been taught as orthodoxy, and has been widely accepted, then you must hold fast to its teachings! There are teachings that are widely accepted in Christendom today that have no history in the church before the 1600s and some even more recent. Meaning that just because you have always been taught it, doesn't mean it has always been taught. How could this have happened? People neglected to hold fast to what they were taught and instead invented novel doctrines to assuage their itching ears. And they passed those novel doctrines to more and more people. And it spread like gangrene. But we must hold fast to the truth that we have received from the apostles. And as Paul said earlier, we can only do this through the indwelling of the Spirit and love and faith found in Christ. Transition: [Slide 6 (blank)] We have seen Phygelus' and Hermogenes' negative example of those who did not endure in belief and good works. But is there a positive example that we can look to? Certainly Paul, but is there no one else who is enduring? II.) There are some who will continue to endure in faith and good works, so we must hold fast and keep the good thing entrusted to us. (16-18) a. [Slide 7] 16 – May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus (on-uh-siph-or-us), i. So the first question is, obviously, who is Onesiphorus? ii. And, again we have to say – we don't know. iii. Here is what we do know. Later in the letter – like at the end – Paul tells Timothy to greet the family of Onesiphorus. So, we know that Onesiphorus is from Ephesus. iv. Here Paul asks the Lord for mercy to Onesiphorus' family. Why? b. [Slide 8] Because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment. i. Because we know absolutely nothing about this man it is difficult to understand what Paul means here. ii. But as Paul continues it becomes clear. c. [Slide 9] 17 – But when he arrived in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me i. Paul asks for mercy on the family of Onesiphorus because he was not ashamed of Paul being imprisoned for the sake of Christ. ii. Not only was he not ashamed, he came to Rome, sought out Paul and ministered to his needs there with Luke. iii. This is the first indication that Paul's imprisonment was not like his previous house arrests. Since he was difficult to find in Rome, it seems that he was probably in a cell somewhere obscure. iv. But Oneshiphorus sought him to the extent that he would find him. v. For all of this Christ-like love, Paul desires that all his family would be blessed by God while he is away serving Paul. vi. But the temporal needs of his family is not Paul's only wish for Onesiphorus… d. [Slide 10] 18 – May the lord grant him to find mercy from the lord on that day! i. A couple things here. 1. Mercy here most assuredly refers to God's chief mercy in salvation. However, this poses a problem for us. a. After all the glowing words about this man, why would Paul put this in wish or prayer language? Shouldn't he be surer about the nature of Onesiphorus' faith? b. Consider the context. He is sure and has been persuaded about Timothy's faith. But there are many others who he thought were legitimate and have since walked away. c. It is not wrong, and perhaps intensely biblical for us to always hopefully pray for the endurance of someone's faith. This sounds like a slight and maybe even doubting Eternal security… but in reality, we must understand that true believers endure to the end. And there are many who do not endure to the end. d. So Paul's prayer, really, is that Onesiphorus is a true believer. Which should be our prayer for one another. 2. Secondly, it is good to take note that in order for Onesiphorus to find mercy on the day of judgement, the same Lord who will be his judge must grant that ability to him to find it. I don't want to delve too deep into that because that isn't Paul's point here – but it is worthy to note the phrasing there. That to find mercy from God, God must grant us to find it. Our searching will do us no good until God allows us to find it. e. [Slide 11] And you know very well all the ways he served me in Ephesus. i. Finally, Paul as an aside to Timothy stresses again the history of this man with reference to serving Paul. ii. While Paul was in Ephesus or Rome – Onesiphorus was there to help him. iii. This is what true children of God do. f. [Slide 12] Passage Truth: So Paul gives Timothy a second example. This time he gives a positive example of who to emulate. Just as abandoning Paul meant abandoning the gospel, so caring for Paul means caring for the gospel. Further we are reminded of the overall teachings of all the Pastoral epistles. That doctrine, received in true faith, produces people conformed to Christ. What Paul is saying is that Onesiphorus is conformed to Christ – therefore, he seems to have received doctrine by true faith. g. Passage Application: And so, before, Timothy was encouraged to take up Paul's mantle and follow his example. Now he is encouraged to follow the example of Onesiphorus as well. A true servant of Christ and is holding fast to it. Timothy must hold fast to His confession and keep the gospel pure both in belief and action. h. [Slide 13] Broader Biblical Truth: As we saw in I John, as Eric, CJ, and Jerry preached as I was away, and as the whole of scripture affirms – the only way to have assurance of our faith being real and genuine is to observe the fruit of that faith. When Christ uses parables to speak of crops bearing fruit and a harvest that is coming where the wheat and tares are separated – the harvest is the final judgment. A man's life will be measured by all that God does through Him. He must finish the race. He must fight the good fight. He cannot produce fruit for a time and then be barren at harvest time. Such fruit would be useless to the famers to which Christ told the parable. Rather, the only crop that is useful, is one that bears fruit until harvest. Certainly, whoever is God's true child can never lose that status. God knows who are his. But, how do we know we are His? It is only by our love, faith, power, self-control, and general outpouring of the Spirit's power in us. i. Broader Biblical Application: So at CBC, we must understand that holding fast to our confession is certainly to continue to believe the right things, but it is not this in exclusion. But it is also continuing to bear the fruit from a heart invaded by the Spirit of God. There have been many pastors, preachers, evangelists, and apologists through the ages and recently who have believed all the “right” things. But lived lives of unrepentant sin. They will be numbered among those who cry out “Lord, Lord – have I not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out demons and done many miraculous works.” And He will say to them “Depart from me, lawbreaker, for I never knew you.” My friends, we must hold fast to our confession, we must keep the good thing entrusted to us, not just by continuing to believe, but also by continuing to obey. Conclusion: So what does this mean for us here at CBC? Well let me give you a little “state of orthodoxy” update. [Slide 14] 3/2018 – Christian band underoath – openly walked away from Christianity 5/2019 – Christian of 40 years, Pastor of 20 years - Dave Gass – Left his wife and denied Christ 7/2019 – Well-known Christian author – Joshua Harris- separated from his wife, apologized to the LGBTQA+ community, denied Christ 8/2019 – Hillsong Worship Leader - Marty Sampson- Denied Christ 2/2020 – Social media personalities - Rhett and Link or The Bently Brothers – Denied Christ 5/2020 – Singer in the band Hawk Nelson – Jon Steingard – Denied Christ 2/2021 – Christian Apologist for more than 40 years – Ravi Zacharias – Had deep sexual appetites and addictions that he failed to repent of and succeeded to hide until his dying breath. 4/2021 – Contributor to Desiring God Ministries – Paul Maxwell – Has denied Christ. These folks are either the same as Phygelus and Hermogenes or the opposite of Onesiphorus. Some of them have been in ministry longer than I have been alive. And yet by their confession and their lifestyles, they have proved their faith to still be a dead faith. All these details about our world today are both shocking and discouraging. Not just for the body of Christ and the testimony of Christ in the world, but also because we look inward and wonder – if they fell, how can I not? If it were possible for someone to work in ministry for decades, and still fall away, how can I hope to be saved? [Slide 15 end) Read the words of Paul. I know whom I have set my faith and he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me. So keep the good thing entrusted to you through the Holy Spirit's indwelling. My friends, if it was only you, you could not hope to hold fast to the confession and protect the gospel. But if the Lord is with you, if He is in you, if you are in Him – then my friends there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. He is able to keep us from falling! Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. You say, but everyone thought that these people had that same Spirit in them. They even thought they had that Spirit in them. How can I be sure that He is in me? Hold fast! Endure! Bear Fruit! Obey the Lord. Work out your own salvation. Not in your own strength. Not in your own effort. Not in your own gumption. But in fear and trembling. In humility. In awe. WHY? Because God is the one in you, giving you power and desire to be and do all that He has asked of you. But my friends… it is not a sprint. It is a marathon. My friends… it is not a playground slap fight. It is war. How do you know you have the Spirit? Believe God and keep believing God. Obey God and Keep obeying God. If you are able to do this… then the Spirit is in you. Why must that be our conclusion? Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood… but against unholy, ungodly, powerful beings in this dark world. To endure… it cannot just be us. For if it is… we will fall. But greater is He who is in us, than He who is in the world.

In Romans 8:14, the apostle Paul wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (ESV). Often some look at this verse and claim “the Holy Spirit is telling me . . .” or “the Holy Spirit is showing me . . .” or “I feel the Spirit moving me . . .” What Paul wrote in Romans 8 means something, but what does it mean? How is one ‘led by the Spirit of God?” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Thoughts Wrapping Up Let's take a quick look at the end of the the last chapter of Acts. What Paul quoted to the Jewish leaders should have sounded familiar to you if you've been with me since the beginning of our year together. He quoted from the book of Isaiah 6:9-10. When God gave that message to Isaiah, it was a message to the Jewish people. It was one of the times that God had had enough of their rejection of Him.  And now, Paul is quoting these verses to the Jewish leaders in Rome because the Lord wants them to know that the message of the Gospel which has been presented to them, and which they rejected, will be taken to the Gentiles, where it will be embraced and accepted. You see, God is patient, but there is a point at which He draws the line.  God's Patience Has A Limit Beloved, I believe we are getting very close to the time when God says, “Enough. You have rejected my Son long enough. I have offered you forgiveness through His shed blood, and you have chosen your own way. You refuse to listen to my Holy Spirit as He tries to speak to you, and your ears will not hear and your eyes will not see. Your hearts are hardened. Therefore you cannot turn to me and let me heal you.” Just as this message in Isaiah was not directed toward a specific sin, other than the rejection of God, I do not believe God's displeasure with mankind today is directed at a specific sin other than the rejection of Christ. Any sin you want to name can be traced back to man's pride and wanting to be his own master. Adam and Eve's sin was the pride of wanting to be like God. Every sin is a rejection of God. Pushing the Boundaries As our nation and our world falls deeper and deeper into sin and farther and farther away from God, we are seeing more and more outrageous behaviors being accepted by the culture. It's no wonder, because without God, man is unable to govern himself. Action Now Now is the time for each of us…you and me and every believing person on the planet…to get on our knees and pray. Pray for God's hand in the affairs of the world. Pray that people would open their eyes. Pray for your unsaved family and friends. Time may be short, beloved. Don't let them be left behind. Be bold. Don't be cowed by those who will not hear. You have the message of life. Don't be afraid to share it with those dying around you. Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 27 NIRV, Ch. 28 CEV Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. When you buy through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission, and you will earn our gratitude. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Adam Winger on Unsplash Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents By Rod Dreher / Sentinel Aleksandr Solzhenitzyn once noted that people often assume that their democratic government would never submit to totalitarianism---but Dreher says it's happening. Sounding the alarm about the insidious effects of identity politics, surveillance technology, psychological manipulation, and more, he equips contemporary Christian dissidents to see, judge, and act as they fight to resist the erosion of our freedoms. 304 pages, hardcover from Sentinel.

Thoughts Wrapping Up Let's take a quick look at the end of the the last chapter of Acts. What Paul quoted to the Jewish leaders should have sounded familiar to you if you’ve been with me since the beginning of our year together. He quoted from the book of Isaiah 6:9-10. When God gave that... The post Acts 27-28: LSFAB0360 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Bible Study with Jairus - Colossians We are striving to speed read several volumes of the Bible every month. The main consideration is to help some brothers and sisters who aren't able to read further when they reach Exodus in the Old Testament, and Romans in the New Testament. This will help those new ones to have a rough understanding on the contents of some books in the Bible. We started to speed read the Old Testament, from the first book up to the Book of Ruth. Meanwhile, we have done the opposite in the New Testament. We began to speed read from the Book of Revelation up to Colossians. Although it's just a passing glance, it might help some of our brothers and sisters who have never read the Bible from cover to cover. This time, the inspiration that I got after speed reading Colossians is how Paul dealt with carnal Christians in the church at Colossae. Originally, we arranged a speed reading of 3 letters: the letters to the Colossians, and First and Second Thessalonians. But because of the rich content of Colossians (one meeting will take up most of the time), we will have one Bible study session on both First and Second Thessalonians later. I had an inspiration after I read Colossians and First and Second Thessalonians. In Colossians, it was dealing more with carnality in the church. While in First and Second Thessalonians, it was dealing more with Christians who are easily deceived in church. As Paul mentioned in Colossians, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (NIV, Colossians, 3:2), and advised Christians in the church at Colossae to forgive each other.  In First and Second Thessalonians, it talks a lot about the lessons of the Antichrist which led people to be deceived. What does this mean?  Even when people are long time church goers, we  find that many Christians may actually possess the knowledge and truths of the Bible, but when something really happens, they still can't overcome their own flesh. For example, we know that God isn't happy with the divisions in the church and hopes that all of us can get along with each other, but when something happens, we will still form sects and factions.  This is a common situation in churches today. Another situation we find in today's church is people who don't have much biblical knowledge and haven't meditated on the truths of the Bible.  They may not have strong fleshly desires but they are easily led astray by wrong teachings leading to greater losses.  Both of these situations are ubiquitous in the church. Today, let's talk about Colossians. First of all, we have to clarify that there are fleshly or other problems in the church at Colossae but it isn't entirely a bad thing. For example, in the church at Corinth, there were also a lot of problems that existed. Thus, Paul wrote two letters to them, revealing many truths about Christ. There's background information behind every letter. Similarly, Colossians has a special background.  Paul wrote four letters in prison - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.   There's very important historical background behind these letters. I asked a Christian who attended our Bible study, to imagine that he was Paul, he was in prison, he only had a little time left and the conditions were poor, but he has to say something important right from his heart to write these letters. Of course, after writing the letters, it has a lasting significance, letting the churches benefit from them for thousands of years after. But often, there is a latent cause in writing them initially. For example, when I mentioned the chaos in the church at Corinth, including the man who had married the stepmother, it leaves Paul with no choice but to write a long letter to them. What is the background of Colossians here? There are many things in the Bible that are not accounted for, but it doesn't mean that they didn't happen. I shared a story I personally heard. Soon after I received salvation, a brother told me of a situation that had happened in the church. There was a man who had been in the church for a long time and his car was accidentally hit by a newcomer causing minor damage. This man insisted on filing an insurance claim to let the newcomer compensate. Someone tried to persuade him to give a little grace to this newcomer, let him compensate just a little money, but the man refused. Naturally, in the end, the newcomer stumbled. The person, who told me the story, said that the man whose car had minor damage didn't have enough grace. He lacked real Christian love.  He regarded his own car as more important than the newcomer's stumbling. Of course here in the United States when we encounter such things, there is no reason not to file an insurance claim. The point that the person telling the story was trying to make is that we should look less at the circumstance and have more grace toward the person to avoid having them stumble. I don't know whether a situation like this is a common occurrence in the church, but as far as my own experience is concerned, there are indeed many similar situations. On the one hand, we are Christians. On the other hand, we are human beings. Humans have fleshly desires. When we talk about the love of Christ, we may speak clearly and logically, but when our interests are involved, the flesh often speaks louder than the spirit and we lose. After sharing this story in the meeting, I asked everyone “Is there a similar situation in the church at Colossae that Paul is concerned about?” As stated in Colossians 1:7, the church in Colossae was taught by Epaphras, and he also reported the situation of the church to Paul and others. Is there a possibility that after Epaphras told Paul about the grace of God to the Colossian church, he also told Paul about the situation in which some brothers and sisters become competitive, irreconcilable and unforgiving when they are in the flesh? And that these brethren are actually those whom Paul knew, even loved, or personally brought to be saved or trained? Is it possible that the two parties are both loved by Paul, but are incompatible, leading Paul to worry in prison and to write a letter to the Colossians to mediate them? Both are Paul's love, so Paul can't blame one, and hold the other in high regard. He must be very careful in dealing with this subtle situation. If these situations are possible, if you were Paul, how would you deal with it? We don't know if Paul was facing these things, but we know that in the life of the contemporary church, we often have to face these situations. We assume that this may be the background behind Paul's writing. Let's see how Paul's letters respond to this situation.    Suppose the parties involved are all Paul's acquaintance, and the two people are still arguing, it will be difficult for Paul to directly judge who is right and who is wrong. And judging right or wrong may not be a good choice because the dispute between right and wrong is often in the realm of the mind, the flesh, or the soul. What Paul needs to do is to help the members of the two factions to break carnal, and spiritual strongholds, enter the mind of Christ in the heavenly, and look at these problems from the eyes and perspective of God. When they can look at these problems from a Heavenly perspective, they can escape from earthly, carnal, and spiritual strongholds and they will be able to forgive, tolerate, and mutually compromise in love. If you were Paul, how would you start writing this letter? Of course, he wouldn't begin by blaming the two brothers. Instead, he avoided direct accusation. He started from a very high place - Heaven. Paul's slant at the beginning of Colossae is very high. Paul began by praising the believers of Colossae, saying he heard the praise of the Colossian believers from Epaphras, which he mentioned in 1:4: "because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God's people." (NIV) After praising the Colossian believers, Paul switched the thread of conversation to directly mentioning the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 12 Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified youto share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (NIV) Then Paul used this opportunity to say that, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:15). He added, “But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:22). From here, we can speculate that what Paul means is we have eliminated all strife on the cross of Christ. Paul then uses his experience again to testify that, “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” (NIV, Colossians: 1:24). Paul mentioned how he was called to complete God's Word. He revealed the mystery hidden by God over the ages - Christ is our hope of glory. Paul has struggled and worked hard for this. He wants us to maturely dedicate our life to God. In this chapter, Paul seems to be saying good things. It appears that he doesn't have any criticism. But in the second chapter, Paul slowly began to raise the obscure issue of the Colossians. Of course, when Paul ended the letter, he never forgot to give encouragement and comfort to the audience of his letters. Some people call this type of writing a "sandwich". This kind of writing is very common in the Bible. For example, Jesus' seven letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation are also in the format of a “sandwich." It praised the faithfulness of each church in the beginning. After which, it criticized the church in the middle. In the end, there were words of encouragement and promise again. Let's take a look at how Paul began to put "meat" in this "sandwich" from the second chapter (we will use meat as a metaphor for Paul's criticism). In verse 2:4, Paul said that, “ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.” (NIV) This sentence implies that in the church of Colossae, some people will use flowery words to deceive the Christians in Colossae. 2:8 says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ”. (NIV)   This sentence has implicit meaning. In the church in Colossae, there are those who will use philosophy and empty deception according to human teachings rather on Christ, leading the Christians in Colossae astray. Thus, in the second chapter, Paul especially revealed many of the mysteries of Christ in these two negative situations. Then at the beginning of third chapter, Paul immediately encouraged the Christians in Colossae to set their minds on things above and not on earthly things (NIV, Colossians: 3:2). Chapters 3:1-4 are some of my favorite verses: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory”. (NIV) Paul becomes more and more straightforward in here. 3:5 says, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (NIV) 3:8 says, “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” (NIV)  3:9 says, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” (NIV) 3: 12-15 also say, “12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (NIV) I shared my experience and said that when I was starting to learn to serve, I was with a brother who was a little older than me. We had a dispute when we once served together in the Church.   Our Elders in the church did not criticize us, but they let us sing Colossians 3:12-15. So at this bible study, my wife and I sang these same verses again to the tune of a hymn. Why is Paul particularly emphasizing here that as God's chosen people, we must have compassion, kindness, humbleness, gentleness, patience, and even if there is a discord between people, we must always bear and forgive each other as the Lord forgive us? It is not enough to just forgive, but we must also have love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect unity. So although these are just speculations, perhaps things such as carnality and strife among people really happened in the church in Colossae. Ultimately, the reason why such things happen is due to the fact that their life is not mature enough to let the life of Christ rule their lives. So Paul said in 3:16-17 (NIV), 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” In chapter 4, Paul has hardly any criticism. Instead, he began to comfort, encourage and greet. 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (NIV) 4:6 says,  “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (NIV) In conclusion, Paul ended the four short chapters of Colossae with a lot of greetings. Although our sharing is of a speed reading nature, or a passing glance, we can see that many of the verses in Colossians are written with a delicate touch. Let's pray and try to fathom the implications of these verses. This will be beneficial to our Christian life because it especially helps us to grow up into Christ, overcome the flesh, and even enter and preserve Christian unity.      

Last week, we talked a little about humble obedience and how important it is in becoming more Christ-like. But what does that look like, practically speaking? How do we know if we are being obedient to the Lord and why is it really that important? In Philippians 2:12-18 Paul gives us three ways to practice humble obedience and why it matters:LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH (verses 12-13) Paul says to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Okay, Emily, what does that mean..I thought we were saved by grace, not by working it out ourselves in fear!I promise this verse isn't a contradiction! What Paul is saying here is that when you are saved, you want to act on it because you don't want to live the life you lived before (that's the working out your salvation part) and you do this with a holy reverence of God that trembles at the thought of sin (that's the fear and trembling part). It's kind of like if you were raised in a Christian home, you live out your parents' faith until you come to the realization that it has to be a personal choice. Paul is telling the Philippians “don't live out my faith, live out your own!” And once you make that choice and you start becoming more like Christ, the thought of sin will be totally awful to you so you'll do anything you can to run from it! Living out your faith looks like desiring a different way than the way of the world.2. BE JOYFULLY STEADFAST (verses 14-16) So now that you're living out your own faith with a hate for sin, you've got to find a way to be in it for the long haul, because it is a loooooong haul, amiright? How do we do this? Paul tells us to “do all things without complaining or arguing.” The Greek word for “all things” is literally all things. Try this: throughout your day, every time you complain or argue about something, make a tally on a piece of paper or your phone. Then go crawl into bed and cry and complain about how hard it is to not complain! Boop. This one feels impossible.We can laugh (or cry) about how impossible it feels, but Paul says it's super important because people who don't complain or argue stand out. Think about that person in your life who always seems to just joyfully go with the flow. If you're even able to think of someone like this, they're probably rare. Paul is telling us that in order to look like Jesus in this world, we must become this rare person! And we all know our world desperately needs this kind of influence because each day this world becomes darker and more hopeless. When we are joyfully steadfast in our run towards eternity with the Lord, we will “shine as lights in the world” against “a crooked and twisted generation” of unbelievers. 3. LET MINISTRY BRING JOY (verses 17-18) Paul uses some Jewish/religious language in verses 17-18, but what he's essentially saying is “even if I have to sacrifice everything in order to help you know Jesus better, I will do it with joy!” Wow. I know I don't feel this way about ministry super often, and I'm a pastor's wife! People can be really draining or hurtful, and I naturally just want to run away and get comfy on my couch to protect myself from getting hurt instead of drawing myself deeper into those people's lives. Ministry is messy. But Paul says we're supposed to live the same way, choosing joy in the mess instead of avoiding the mess. So friends, joyfully (and boldly!) go live out your love for Jesus in humble obedience, so the world can see it and want more of it!

“The content of your life is the curriculum of your evolution.”Today I am joined by internationally acclaimed speaker, trainer, mentor and coach, as well as my dear friend, Paul Martinelli. While you may know Paul as the Founding President and faculty member of The John Maxwell Team, what you may not know is that Paul was raised in an abusive household, and has had to overcome much adversity in order to become the entrepreneur he is today - with multiple, multi-million-dollar companies. Paul’s idea-abundant energy is unique and unmatched, and I can’t freaking wait for you to get the opportunity to gain insights from this true BADASS in today’s podcast!Tune into Episode 39 of Cure For The Common Life to hear more!In this episode you will learn:Some background on Paul Martinelli (1:26), What Paul’s upbringing was like and how that shaped him (3:09) Why Paul spent the first half of his life believing he was stupid (4:33) The person, and book, that transformed the trajectory of Paul’s life (5:43) What called Paul to become an entrepreneur, even amidst facing constant adversity (7:53) Where Paul’s passion comes from (10:50) Why Paul gives 10% of everything he earns away (11:58) The 3 most profound pieces of advice Paul would give to you, and anyone else looking to make a positive shift in their life (17:42) Which rituals keep Paul in a perpetual forward motion, moving further, faster (24:16).Let’s Connect!WebsiteTwitterFacebookInstagramConnect With Paul Martinelli:www.PaulMartinelli.netSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Trinity Sunday Text: Romans 8:12-17 No doubt you've been able to feel the excitement that's in the air as people begin moving out of the season of COVID into one that resembles something we're more accustomed to. Oh, I know that we haven't made it entirely out of the woods yet with respect to the coronavirus. We still have some ways to go before younger folk can be vaccinated, but still the number of new cases has gone down to the point where mandates have been lifted and restrictions have been eased and people have started once again to make plans for a long overdue vacation. As you can see this morning, some from among our number have already headed out. But it won't be long before you and I will be doing the same. And if you're like I am, you've already begun anticipating that time. You've already become looking forward to that season of rest and relaxation. Having something to look forward to is the primary ingredient in the recipe of hope. That's not to say that we should be so focused on tomorrow that we ignore the possibilities of the present. But it is to say that unless you have something that excites you about what lies ahead, you'll most likely be so discouraged today that you wouldn't be able to take advantage of present possibilities if they slapped you in the face. Hope is a wonderful balm that lifts our spirits for today simply because we are certain that in due time we will experience something that will be so much better than what we know now, especially if what we know now is something we wish we didn't know. That's the inspiration the Apostle Paul was offering the church in the eighth chapter of his letter to the church at Rome. The eighth chapter of Romans is a part of Paul's epistle where he lays out his theology of justification by faith, which is the ability to stand before God sinners that we are, sinners who deserve death, not life, sinners who have been completely forgiven of their transgressions and released from their constraints not by what they have done or earned but because of what God has done for them in sending Jesus to die for their sins and on the third day to be raised again to life. In this eighth chapter, Paul speaks specifically to the “obligation” we have as believers to live in accordance with the leadership of the Holy Spirit. That may seem like an unusual word for Paul to use in a letter that is steeped in grace, simply because grace and obligation sound like diametrically opposed concepts. Paul's point, however, is that our obligation to follow the Spirit's lead is not something we do in order to be saved; it is rather something we do because we have been saved. Our obligation to follow the Spirit stems from our gratitude over how God the Father has sent Jesus His Son into this world to make possible our salvation. Hence Paul says in the fourteenth verse: “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” Now, a bit of interpretation is important here, particularly as Paul's teaching points his readers back to the Exodus story in the Old Testament. In fact, Exodus overtones are overlaid throughout this passage before us this morning. As you probably know, the Old Testament was first written in the Hebrew language. But during the time of Alexander the Great in the fourth century before Christ, as Alexander conquered the world, Greek influence spread with it, and the Old Testament was then translated into the Greek language. That translation became the dominant one among the Jewish people because of how they had spread out into the world, and thus came to be the Bible of the first Christians. Remember, the New Testament was being written at the time of Paul. Therefore, the Bible used by Christians was the Greek translation of the Old Testament. This fact is significant because of how the word that Paul uses for how Christians are to be “led by the Spirit of God” is the same word used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament book of Exodus to describe the experience of God's people as they were released from their bondage in Egypt (much as we as Christians have been released from our bondage to sin by the cross) and directed through the wilderness to a land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey, a land that would enable them to dwell safely and securely. Perhaps now you can better appreciate the promise of a more hopeful tomorrow that Paul offers his readers, with a bit of a nod to the Roman culture they were a part of. “The Spirit you received,” says Paul, speaking of course of the Holy Spirit, which comes from God the Father and Jesus the Son, “does not make you slaves (think Exodus) so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.” Adoption in Roman times was a status conferred in some undeserved way whereby one gained all the rights and privileges of belonging to a new family, which included the cancellation of all past debts. However, with those undeserved privileges carried the expectation or, better I should say, obligation of allegiance to the new family. See now how all these pieces come together to complete the puzzle. Paul was writing to Christians in Rome who were surrounded by those who on the surface appeared better set for the days ahead than they. On the one hand they had ethnic Romans who had these rights and privileges as citizens of the Empire. And on the other hand, they had ethnic Jews who could lean on the promises God had made with their ancestor Abraham. What then did Christians have to lean on? “The Spirit you received has brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.' The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. And if we are God's children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, so that we might share in his sufferings so that we might also share in his glory.” What Paul is promising is the assurance of a most favorable future, one that can stabilize all believers in the face of the most unfavorable present. Do you have that assurance in your life today? Do you find comfort and strength in the promise of a God who has given all of Himself – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – so that in return we might give all of ourselves in return for the promise of a glad tomorrow? All around us are people who have for all intents and purposes mortgaged their tomorrows for the sake of a deceptive today. In their efforts to attain security by their own accomplishments, they have, as I once heard someone say of himself, “plenty to live on, even somebody to live with, but nothing to live for.” You don't have to be like that. You're a child of God, led by the Spirit. You have everything to live for…today, tomorrow, and into eternity, if you will only stay focused on the good future that God has for you to know and which the Spirit is seeking you into. I noticed something the other day as I drove into work that you probably noticed a long time ago. I noticed that so many of the vans and SUVs people are driving today illustrate a search for something “more.” There are “Explorers” and “Expeditions.” There are “Odysseys” and “Pilots.” There are “Discoverys” and “Escalades” and “Land Cruisers” and “Trail Blazers” and I could go on and on. Do you see a trend here? People want access to something that can help them get to a better place than they are today. And I get it. Even on a Memorial Day weekend, it's always best to define our futures by our dreams and not our memories, by our hopes and not our fears.” So, if you must remember something on this holiday weekend that will take you into a better future, remember that you are a child of God, an heir of God and a co-heir with Christ. Remember that you have an obligation to live according to the Spirit, not yourself, because of how our Triune God gave all of Himself for you and your salvation. Now, if that doesn't get you excited about your tomorrow, and for that matter your today, I honestly don't know what will. Romans 8:12-17

[Comment: Living in the Spirit] Friends of the Rosary: Last Sunday we reflected upon the miracle of descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. The fire of God transformed those disciples who were locked out of fear to the Jewish, into brave and joyful people. They realized that becoming ambassadors of Christ was a fulfillment of life. The Holy Spirit would entirely transform them. Decades later, St. Paul, the thirteen apostle of Jesus would describe in a letter to the Galatians (Gal 5:16-25), the need to live by the Spirit, and not by the passions and desires of the flesh. What Paul wrote twenty centuries ago is applied today — and probably more than ever since the sign of time is the attack against the truths of the Holy Spirit. Paul stated then: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” In contrast, the works of darkness are immorality, pride, idolatry, division, hopelessness, and a variety of sins. Let's live in Spirit, let's also follow the Spirit, as St. Paul said. Ave Maria! Jesus, I Trust In You! + Mikel A. | TheRosaryNetwork.org, New York _ Daily Broadcast at 7:30 pm ET on YouTube.com/TheRosaryNetwork & Video after the Broadcast

(Acts 28:16-20,30-31;   Ps.11:4-5,7;   Jn.21:20-25)   “I wear these chains solely because I share the hope of Israel.”   The hope of Israel indeed wears chains.  The Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the nation, is fixed to a cross.  This is the call of all who follow Jesus – to die. But, Peter is prompted to ask as he walks with Jesus and the Lord explicates his dual call to serve as leader of the Church and to die for his faith, “What about him?”  What about John, who follows them?  The question pertains not simply to whether or not John also must suffer a martyr's death, but principally – as the principal call of Peter is to feed the Lord's flock – to why Jesus does not call John to serve as His first of priests, standing in His stead, for it is clear to all that John is “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  Jesus responds, “Suppose I want him to stay until I come,” suppose He does not want John to pour himself out as a libation on His holy altar… that should be of no concern to the Rock of the Church.  Jesus calls whom He wills to what He wills for His blessed purpose.  And John is not called to die, or to lead. John is, in fact, the only one of the Twelve who does not suffer a martyrdom of blood.  He does remain until a very old age.  His martyrdom is white, that of suffering a long life.  And in several ways he remains ever with the Church on earth, in a sense, as the Christ's beloved Church.  It is he to whom the Blessed Mother is entrusted, she who is with us always to nurture us here on our journey.  And in our gospel today, the principal call of John is most evident: he is called to “witness to… the things that Jesus did” and to “record them.”  “It is he who wrote them down,” he who is the great Evangelist – he whose words remain with us even today as we read his gospel throughout the most blessed season of Easter.  And, of course, it is he who, in his old age, while exiled on the island of Patmos, will receive the great vision that has become the Book of Revelation, thus telling us so thoroughly not only of Jesus' life on earth, but also of His life in heaven. In our first reading, Paul is “allowed to take a lodging of his own.”  Though “a soldier was assigned to keep guard over him… with full assurance, and without any hindrance whatever, he preached the reign of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”  What Paul does in earthly chains for two years – for soon he, too, shall be martyred for the faith – John does, in a sense, endlessly, or at least until its natural end. “The Lord is in His holy temple…  His searching glance is on mankind.”  He calls all to the martyrdom He chooses.  Let us each wear the chains He provides, each find the place in the kingdom to which He leads us, knowing always that “the upright shall see His face.”   ******* O LORD, however much we speak of you, there is more to tell; you far surpass our poor witness, O hope of Israel. YHWH, if we must stay here in rented lodgings, let us witness to you with our lives.  If today we must die, let our blood be shed upon your altar of sacrifice.  Whatever we do, whether we live or die, let it be done for you. We do not know how long we shall dwell upon this earth, O LORD.  We do not know when we shall die and come with you to Paradise.  But we know that your call is upon our souls, that while here we wear your chains and before us is set your Son's Cross.  And we know the source of both the chains of this life and the death we must die is the hope we bear in our souls, the hope of entering into your reign.  And we know that your reign is alive in us even this day. Peter is the first of priests, sacrificing himself in the place of your Son upon your holy altar.  John, your beloved, witnesses to you with his love and in the words he speaks to us.  If we must stay and write, O LORD (vision of you upon our souls), or if we must bleed and die, let all be done for you who dwell on high… and let us join you in your Temple.

(Acts 28:16-20,30-31;   Ps.11:4-5,7;   Jn.21:20-25)   “I wear these chains solely because I share the hope of Israel.”   The hope of Israel indeed wears chains.  The Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the nation, is fixed to a cross.  This is the call of all who follow Jesus – to die. But, Peter is prompted to ask as he walks with Jesus and the Lord explicates his dual call to serve as leader of the Church and to die for his faith, “What about him?”  What about John, who follows them?  The question pertains not simply to whether or not John also must suffer a martyr's death, but principally – as the principal call of Peter is to feed the Lord's flock – to why Jesus does not call John to serve as His first of priests, standing in His stead, for it is clear to all that John is “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  Jesus responds, “Suppose I want him to stay until I come,” suppose He does not want John to pour himself out as a libation on His holy altar… that should be of no concern to the Rock of the Church.  Jesus calls whom He wills to what He wills for His blessed purpose.  And John is not called to die, or to lead. John is, in fact, the only one of the Twelve who does not suffer a martyrdom of blood.  He does remain until a very old age.  His martyrdom is white, that of suffering a long life.  And in several ways he remains ever with the Church on earth, in a sense, as the Christ's beloved Church.  It is he to whom the Blessed Mother is entrusted, she who is with us always to nurture us here on our journey.  And in our gospel today, the principal call of John is most evident: he is called to “witness to… the things that Jesus did” and to “record them.”  “It is he who wrote them down,” he who is the great Evangelist – he whose words remain with us even today as we read his gospel throughout the most blessed season of Easter.  And, of course, it is he who, in his old age, while exiled on the island of Patmos, will receive the great vision that has become the Book of Revelation, thus telling us so thoroughly not only of Jesus' life on earth, but also of His life in heaven. In our first reading, Paul is “allowed to take a lodging of his own.”  Though “a soldier was assigned to keep guard over him… with full assurance, and without any hindrance whatever, he preached the reign of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”  What Paul does in earthly chains for two years – for soon he, too, shall be martyred for the faith – John does, in a sense, endlessly, or at least until its natural end. “The Lord is in His holy temple…  His searching glance is on mankind.”  He calls all to the martyrdom He chooses.  Let us each wear the chains He provides, each find the place in the kingdom to which He leads us, knowing always that “the upright shall see His face.”   ******* O LORD, however much we speak of you, there is more to tell; you far surpass our poor witness, O hope of Israel. YHWH, if we must stay here in rented lodgings, let us witness to you with our lives.  If today we must die, let our blood be shed upon your altar of sacrifice.  Whatever we do, whether we live or die, let it be done for you. We do not know how long we shall dwell upon this earth, O LORD.  We do not know when we shall die and come with you to Paradise.  But we know that your call is upon our souls, that while here we wear your chains and before us is set your Son's Cross.  And we know the source of both the chains of this life and the death we must die is the hope we bear in our souls, the hope of entering into your reign.  And we know that your reign is alive in us even this day. Peter is the first of priests, sacrificing himself in the place of your Son upon your holy altar.  John, your beloved, witnesses to you with his love and in the words he speaks to us.  If we must stay and write, O LORD (vision of you upon our souls), or if we must bleed and die, let all be done for you who dwell on high… and let us join you in your Temple.

Paul Battisson is the Chief Operating Officer for Cloud Galacticos. In this episode, we are talking about the convergence of two of his favorite things: “super hardcore nerdy math” (as Paul puts it) and Apex.   Paul has performed some unique experiments that combined his love for math with his love for Apex. In our conversation, we talk about those experiments at length. We go into some detail about what factors can affect Apex performance and weirdly, talk a lot about pigeons.   Show Highlights:   Paul’s inspiration for learning how to code. What Machine Learning is and how it is architected Why Paul wanted to get Machine Learning (ML) in Apex. The difference between Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Where matrices fall into the toolset of creating Machine Learning. How linear regressions are utilized in Machine Learning. All about Paul’s Virtual Reality (VR) experiment in Apex. The pitfalls of enterprise VR and where Paul sees it going in the future. Specifics on how to increase performance in iterators What heap size is and how it affects performance What Paul’s two books are about.   Links: 1. Paul's Blog Posts on Machine Learning in Apex:   Part 1: https://paulbattisson.com/blog/2018/ai-for-salesforce-developers-part-1/ Part 2: https://paulbattisson.com/blog/2018/ai-for-salesforce-developers-part-2/ Part 3: https://paulbattisson.com/blog/2019/ai-for-salesforce-developers-part-3/ 2. Better Performance in Loops:   Part 1: https://paulbattisson.com/blog/2014/force-com-cast-episode-6-faster-loops/  Part 2: https://paulbattisson.com/blog/2014/force-com-casts-episode-7-faster-loops-part-2/   3. Follow up blog on performance: https://paulbattisson.com/blog/2020/Salesforce-Performance-Some-Thoughts/ 4. Dreamforce deck of doing VR in Visualforce: https://www.slideshare.net/pbattisson/salesforce1-vr-immersive-data-visualization 5. Learning Salesforce Development With Apex: https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Salesforce-Development-Apex-English/dp/9389898188/   6. Mastering Apex Programming: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1800200927   ***   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com  

Text: 2 Timothy 1:10 Post-Easter Series: “The Dawn of a New Day” Maybe it's just me, but it seems as if we've had more than our share of storms this spring season. And even if you've managed to escape the damage generated by the high winds and fierce lightning, more than likely you've had to deal a time or two with the loss of power at your home or business, which always manages to come at the worst possible moments. It usually happens at night, does it not, when the sun has gone down and the loss of power has us shrouded in darkness. When that happens at your place, you know the drill. Find the candles. Find the flashlights. Look for matches or batteries to create some sense of light until the power can be restored. When we think about them, those moments become a parable of our modern-day existence where we are reminded of how vulnerable and exposed we are when the power is taken away. Storms always come our way, and not just in the weather-related sense of the word, but they also come in the form of emotional storms and vocational storms and relational storms and financial storms, and we lose power in the face of each one of them, a loss of power which plunges us into a level of deep darkness that nothing we can put our hands on seems to dispel. Oh, that we might get our hands on some kind of mystic generator that could kick on the power when those existential storms came our way! Well, what if I were to assure you that while there is no mystic generator we can turn to in the pitch-dark times of life, there is most definitely a spiritual one. There is a source of power that never fails in the moments of our deepest distress, one that according to the Apostle Paul, has brought “life and immortality to light through the gospel” so that in those very times we might see clearly that God is in control and how even in those most challenging moments God's purpose and grace are very much in play. Those were Paul's words to his protégé in the faith, Timothy, in his second letter. In First Timothy, Paul has addressed what we might call “nuts and bolts” questions on how to manage life in a community of faith, things like the qualifications of a pastor and the qualifications of lay leaders. But in Second Timothy, Paul speaks more specifically to the challenges that must have come Timothy's way in his seeing after that task and which were most likely sapping Timothy of his strength and robbing him of his joy. On this Mother's Day, I think it's interesting to note how Paul acknowledges how Timothy's faith journey was nurtured by his mother Eunice and by his grandmother Lois, both influential women in his life. But even more importantly, Paul reminds Timothy that ultimately his salvation and calling rests in the providence of God, a God who purposed all of it “before the beginning of time,” which was Paul's way of reminding Timothy that his salvation and his calling weren't afterthoughts to God. They were instead a part of God's purpose for Timothy, and as they emanated from the heart of a Sovereign God, they weren't vulnerable to the whims of fate or the vagaries and disruptions of everyday life. But evidently, Timothy was having trouble seeing all of that, which is why Paul made such a strong appeal to the significance of the Resurrection of Jesus and how through it God displayed a source of power that has “destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” Note how in this verse I read for you this morning, verse 10, Paul employs three expressions that all speak to illuminating power of the gospel. “It has now been revealed. It has been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus. His appearing has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. What Paul is reminding Timothy is that even when life saps our souls of strength and resolve, as we turn our eyes away from the challenges to the life that the Risen Jesus awakens, our anxieties are lessened and our fears are resolved in the promise of God's resurrection power, which has been unleashed into this world and into our lives through our commitment to Jesus as our Savior and Lord. More importantly, we even begin to see and celebrate how those very challenges that have come our way are all a part of God's plan to form us and shape us for how His power might more easily flow through us into this world so that we become agents of God's redemptive purposes and evidence as to the difference His Easter power can make in an ordinary life. Perhaps you're here this morning and you find yourself in a place similar to the one in which Timothy had landed. Life has taken its toll on you. Disappointments have robbed you of your joy. Setbacks have piled up so that you feel you don't have the power to rise above them like you once did. Here then is a suggestion: Take your attention away from all those things and redirect it to the abiding presence of the Risen Jesus, who is very much with you even in the midst of all your despair. See how the power of God is able to create for you a new situation in the face of your current one and illumine your darkness with the light of God's everlasting light in Christ Jesus. Then you will be able not only to rise above your darkness, but you will help others to do so through your witness to the power at work in you, which is what you have been called to do through God's purpose and His grace in Christ Jesus. Can you do that this morning? Can you open your eyes and your heart to the illuminating possibilities the Risen Jesus can bring about in you and through you? I'm reminded of the story of the rich man who was living out his life and therefore called to his bedside his three sons, telling them, “I wish to leave my fortune intact. I'm not going to split it up among you. I want to make sure that one of you employs it as faithfully and responsibly as I've done my best to do. So, I will give each of you the same opportunity so that I might see which one of you is the most capable at managing the money. Here, then, is the task I set before you. In my warehouse there are three large storerooms. I'm going to give each of you the same amount of money. Your task is for each of you to fill one of those storerooms with as much as your portion of money will buy.” Then, he sent them out. What would you have bought? The first son went out and bought sand with all his money, and was able with the sand he had purchased to fill a third of his room. The second son went out and bought some dirt with his money, and was able to fill a half of his room. The third son went out and with only a small portion of his money bought candles and matches, and he filled his room with light. I think you can see the application. This world in which we live is shrouded in deep darkness and needs something from beyond it to cast out the darkness and replace it with light. God has done precisely that in raising Jesus, God's Only Begotten Son, from the dead. Jesus, through his life, his death, and his resurrection has destroyed death, has robbed it of its power and brought it to naught, which is what that word really means, and has in its place brought life and immortality to light. You may not see yourself as qualified to bear witness such good news because of how you may still be struggling with your own darkness. According to what Paul says in this passage from Second Timothy, I'm not sure that anyone is able to experience Easter until he or she has spent at least some time in the dark. After all, even Jesus was in the grave for two days, where in some faith traditions, Jesus “harrowed” hell, casting light into that darkness and rescuing imprisoned spirits who were awaiting his revelation. Such is the message of apocalyptic passages such as 1 Peter 3 and Revelation 4, where in that latter passage we're told of the creatures around God's throne who are “covered with eyes in front and behind” that enable them to see the victory of the Lamb in the midst of all the trials and tribulations. The point is that you may not see yourself as someone qualified to bear witness to the light. But the truth is that, like Timothy, you're actually in the perfect place. You're in the perfect place for the light to shine through you so that you become the evidence of a soul that has been transformed and through whom the Risen Jesus is at work to transform this entire world. So, in the midst of this world's deep, deep darkness, don't just look for the light. Be the light, and let the light of Christ shine through you, the light of life and immortality. For the gospel's sake and for the world's sake, let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine.

Text: Acts 26:8 Post-Easter Series: “The Dawn of a New Day” When I was growing up, one of my favorite comic strips was “Ripley's Believe It or Not.” Some of you may remember it. Or some of you may have visited one of their “odditoriums,” as they are called, while on vacation in Orlando or Gatlinburg. Both comic strip and odditorium involve collections of stories about bizarre events and displays of odd items that were so strange and unusual that they bordered on credulity, even though they were supposed to be real; hence the title, “Believe It or Not.” You may not can explain it. You may not can wrap your head around it. You may not be able to replicate it or repeat it. But the choice is yours. You can believe it or not. Quite honestly, I'm surprised that while the comic strips have long since disappeared, the “odditoriums” have managed to attract enough attention to stay open. That's because, once upon a time, people were prone to be open to the possibility of things inexplicable, but as life has evolved and narratives of despair have become the default, we've become jaded and pessimistic and not all that excited about what the future holds for us. Even on this Senior Recognition Sunday, it would be interesting to hear our seniors respond as to how they feel about their own futures. If they view them positively, then our church had done a good job of grounding them in the possibilities of a God who is always about making everything new; but if they don't feel good about their futures, then by all means we need to remind them before they get away, that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ always works best in what seems on the surface to be the most hopeless of situations. That's the burden the Apostle Paul must have felt as he stood before King Agrippa and his Jewish accusers that day in the governor's audience room in Caesarea, on the shores of the Mediterranean. This last section of the book of Acts recounts Paul's final days in Judea, before his arrest and extradition to Rome. At this point in Paul's life he had returned from his last missionary journey with an offering for the impoverished believers in Jerusalem, which he had received from Gentile believers in other places throughout the Roman Empire. But now, as a way to open doors among potential Jewish converts there in the Holy City, Paul has taken upon himself a vow of purification and has gone into the temple to make an offering for himself and four other men who have joined him in the vow. It is there in the temple that Paul is recognized and immediately branded a blasphemer because of his commitment to Christ and his openness to non-Jews. Several trials ensue, along with a number of plots against his life; and the next thing you know, Paul is whisked off to Caesarea, thrown into prison there, and like a ping-pong ball is batted from one Roman official to another until he is given an audience with King Agrippa, the great-grandson of Herod the Great. Paul's witness to Agrippa would make an ideal case study in first century Greek rhetoric. For example, notice how Paul first expresses his respects to Agrippa and counts it an honor to explain his situation to someone who understands Jewish customs and controversies as well as does Agrippa, who himself would have been at least part-Jew. Then Paul turns his attention to the charges leveled against him, knowing that his accusers are in the audience. “I'm not a fraud or a blasphemer,” he begins. Everyone in Jerusalem knows me. They know my background. They know my training as a Pharisee, the strictest sect of the Jewish people. And so, I think it odd (yes, that's essentially what Paul was saying) that these are the people who would charge me with doing something against God in light of how they say they live in God's hope, working night and day to see it fulfilled.” And then, having checked off all the rhetorical boxes, Paul comes to the main point in his defense, which is “And why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?” I find Paul's speech a thing of brilliance. He doesn't disrespect the king. He doesn't undermine his critic's belief. He doesn't even start out by naming Jesus, even though he will definitely get to Jesus in short time. What Paul does instead is to tell everyone within the sound of his voice that if anyone there has a problem with him, it's not really Paul they have the problem with. It's God. It's God they have the problem with. “And why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?” “You believe it or not.” That is, after all, the one question upon which the whole matter of our everyday life hangs; is it not? Do you believe that God raises the dead or do you not? I saw a statistic the other day that first didn't register until after a few moments reflecting on it. The statistic read that 52% of all non-Christians in America believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. That's right; the statistic doesn't refer to Christians; it refers to non-believers in America, those who claim no real faith in the Risen Christ. On the surface, that might seem something to celebrate. Over one out of every two non-Christian Americans believe in the Resurrection of Jesus. But when you think about the implications of that belief, you come to understand that it represents mere intellectual acceptance, the same sort of concurrence you might give to any other historical fact, such as Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 or Alabama became the 22nd state in the Union in 1819 or the Mets won the World Series in 1969. The people who “believe” in the Resurrection don't necessarily see it as anything that changes the playing field upon which they live their everyday life. But when you believe in the Resurrection like the Bible calls us to do, then you can't help but do things that other people find odd or strange or unusual, though they seem perfectly reasonable to you in light of Easter hope. You see the world differently. You see other people differently. You see yourself differently. You forgive those who wrong you. You put others first. You follow God's lead even when it takes you to the edge of light, and then you take one step more. You live in the hope of God's glorious tomorrow because, quite frankly, without it you couldn't abide the cold, harsh, lifeless reality that surrounds you at every turn. Reading this account of Paul's defense of his faith to King Agrippa, I've been reminded of how when I was growing up, it seemed that every youth revival we had in my home church involved the preacher asking us the same question: “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” That question haunted me then, and even though I like to think I'm older and wiser, it still haunts me today, despite the fact that for all intents and purposes I'm a credentialed Pharisee with a Ph.D. in religion. The question still haunts me today because of how in my more honest moments, I see how on too many occasions I limit God. I limit God by showing more faith in the constraining realities of this everyday life than I do in a God who has the power to raise the dead. I walk to the edge of light, peer into the darkness, and flinch before I take a step. And in those very moments I have to remind myself of where my hope rests. It rests in a God who raised Jesus from the dead. And if God can do that, then what is there that God cannot do? You may be here this morning, decades past your high school graduation. Or you may be here with some years yet to go. The question still pertains, “How do you see your future?” “Where do you see yourself in the days to come?” “How do you feel about the possibilities that are before you?” If you feel pessimistic and uncertain, then know that's precisely how the Devil wants you to feel, because then you will have nothing to live for, except how much you can make, how far you can advance, how much power you can attain – none of which will bring you joy. Now, is the time to ground your future instead, as incredible as it may seem, in a God who can raise the dead, and whose power can do in you immeasurably more than you might ask or imagine. John Bertram Phillips was an English Bible scholar, whose translation of the New Testament into Modern English in 1958 set the stage for other contemporary translations that would follow. In an interview done toward the end of his life, Phillips was asked to define the marks of a Christian. That's essentially asking how you might put someone on trial to see if he or she truly trusted Jesus. Phillips's answer speaks, I think, to the type of witness to which all genuine believers should aspire. “There are,” Phillips contended, “four marks of a genuine Christian, all of which come from God. They are a tranquil mind, an unquenchable joy, an outgoing love, and an irrepressible sense of victory.” In a day when such distinctives may seem odd to many, for us who truly love Jesus, they seem to make entirely good sense. They make entirely good sense because we choose to believe. We choose to belief in Jesus, and our belief in him makes all the difference today and will continue to do the same tomorrow…and the next day…and even forevermore. Acts 26:8

On this episode of Real Israel Talk Radio – Season 2, Episode 69, Program Part 5 – the biblical definition of love – we are going to continue with a look into 1 Corinthians chapter 13 of the New Covenant, a teaching that is often referred to as "The Love Chapter." According to 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and Paul’s teaching chapter on love, it is not something that can be earned, merited, or deserved and it is certainly not only for Jews or another specific national people group. Love is for all if we choose to first receive it. The love that is referred to in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 is not what we think it is. Far too often, we read those words of Paul and come to the conclusion that it is up to us to show actions of love and, of course, there it is in the thirteen verses of 1 Corinthians 13, right? That the love represented here is to show us when we fail to love and when we fail to make the grade as it's expected of us!  That's generally what most people think. However, remember that Paul was a Jewish scholar of his day and with this, he studied in Hebrew and in Aramaic and he knew the linguistics of the languages that he grew up with. Consequently, he certainly had to know that in Hebrew and Aramaic, we would never say, "I have love" or "I do not have love." What Paul would have known from his mother tongue of Hebrew/Aramaic is that "there is love to me" or "there is no love to me." In other words, love is something that is given to us or not given to us from the divine source of love. Paul knew that it is impossible for any of us to manufacture or generate love unless unless it has been put into us from outside of ourselves and this is a driving principle found in the thirteen verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 13. If we are forced in any way to generate our own love rather than to receive it as a gift from above, the result will be complete failure along with plenty of guilt and shame to go along with it. Why? Because when we are born into this world, we do not come naturally “wired” to give, which is the essence of what love is. Rather, we naturally come into this world “wired” to first receive before we can even think to give leading us to the principle that we cannot give of something that we do not possess.  On this episode of Real Israel Talk Radio, we will look at 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verses 1-2, which will give us a definition of love that will surely define all that we read about in the New Testament. Join us for this week’s podcast on Defining Biblical Love - PART 5 from 1 Corinthians chapter 13 with Avi ben Mordechai from the outreach ministry of Cominghome. Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=23WBKCMBHKDT8/Ancient Roads: Real Israel Talk Radio)

On this episode of Real Israel Talk Radio – Season 2, Episode 69, Program Part 5 – the biblical definition of love – we are going to continue with a look into 1 Corinthians chapter 13 of the New Covenant, a teaching that is often referred to as "The Love Chapter."According to 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and Paul’s teaching chapter on love, it is not something that can be earned, merited, or deserved and it is certainly not only for Jews or another specific national people group. Love is for all if we choose to first receive it.  The love that is referred to in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 is not what we think it is. Far too often, we read those words of Paul and come to the conclusion that it is up to us to show actions of love and, of course, there it is in the thirteen verses of 1 Corinthians 13, right? That the love represented here is to show us when we fail to love and when we fail to make the grade as it's expected of us!  That's generally what most people think. However, remember that Paul was a Jewish scholar of his day and with this, he studied in Hebrew and in Aramaic and he knew the linguistics of the languages that he grew up with. Consequently, he certainly had to know that in Hebrew and Aramaic, we would never say, "I have love" or "I do not have love." What Paul would have known from his mother tongue of Hebrew/Aramaic is that "there is love to me" or "there is no love to me." In other words, love is something that is given to us or not given to us from the divine source of love. Paul knew that it is impossible for any of us to manufacture or generate love unless unless it has been put into us from outside of ourselves and this is a driving principle found in the thirteen verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 13. If we are forced in any way to generate our own love rather than to receive it as a gift from above, the result will be complete failure along with plenty of guilt and shame to go along with it. Why? Because when we are born into this world, we do not come naturally “wired” to give, which is the essence of what love is. Rather, we naturally come into this world “wired” to first receive before we can even think to give leading us to the principle that we cannot give of something that we do not possess. On this episode of Real Israel Talk Radio, we will look at 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verses 1-2, which will give us a definition of love that will surely define all that we read about in the New Testament.Join us for this week’s podcast on Defining Biblical Love - PART 5 from 1 Corinthians chapter 13 with Avi ben Mordechai from the outreach ministry of Cominghome.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=23WBKCMBHKDT8/Ancient Roads: Real Israel Talk Radio)

It takes only a handful of smart choices to convert regular savings into a secure future. Today we welcome famed financial educator Paul Merriman onto the show to discuss how the right habits and investing approach can add millions to your retirement nest egg. After chatting about his personal and professional background, we dive into Paul’s investing philosophy and how it’s been influenced by the work of Eugene Fama. A significant theme in this episode, we then talk about why Vanguard’s portfolio allocation ensures that clients have the smoothest possible emotional relationship with their investments. This leads to a discussion on the benefits of simple versus complex funds and how simple funds fit with the preferences of many do-it-yourself investors. Linked to this, Paul explains why it’s emotion and not strategy that gets in the way of successful investing before exploring the challenges of sticking to portfolios that are heavily weighted in small-cap value stocks. Reflecting on his career as an advisor, we ask Paul about his difficulties in working with clients as well as the role of financial advisors. Later, Paul unpacks some of the top habits and beliefs that lead to investing success; a key focus of his new book, We’re Talking Millions. We wrap up our conversation by touching on target date glide paths, how Paul’s foundation educates investors, and the relationship between money and a life well-lived. With such an illustrious career in financial education, tune in to benefit from Paul’s investing advice.   Key Points From This Episode: We introduce today’s episode with financial educator Paul Merriman. [0:00:17] Paul shares details about his personal and professional history. [0:03:16] How Eugene Fama’s work impacted the way that Paul built his firm. [0:06:55] What PWL Advisors went through to access Dimensional’s products. [0:08:21] Insights into the fateful chat that Paul had with Jack Bogle in 2017. [0:09:08] How Paul helps his clients balance fee frugality with expected returns. [0:13:29] Exploring the trade-offs between simple and complex funds. [0:16:49] Paul compares his former buy-and-hold strategy with his simpler new approach. [0:19:06] The costs of do-it-yourself investors having an overly-complicated portfolio. [0:22:46] The rationale underpinning the small-cap value strategy. [0:27:20] Why it’s so difficult to only invest in small-cap value stocks. [0:25:36] What Paul would say to clients who want to ditch their small-cap value stocks. [0:37:32] Paul reflects on challenges when communicating with investors. [0:40:39] We ask Paul about the value of financial advice and financial advisors. [0:46:32] Discover the habits that every investor should follow. [0:51:29] What Paul is trying to achieve with the Merriman Education Foundation. [0:58:21] Pros and cons to target date glide path funds. [01:02:00] We chat about Paul's radio show from the previous decade. [0:50:35] Hear Paul’s top lessons on the relationship between money and a life well-lived. [01:08:51] How Paul defines success. [01:16:29]

In Ephesians 4:25-32, Paul continues to contrast the old and the new. In 4:22 & 24 he said to put of the old and put on the new because they are in God’s new humanity. But it is a struggle, often a daily struggle. What Paul sets up for us in these verses follows a pattern: a negative command, a positive command, and finally the reason for that command. What’s striking, is that “reason.” We are in something together. Why lie to, steal from, damage, and divide what God has done so much to unite in Christ?  In 4:30, Paul tells us that our poor behaviours also “grieve” his Holy Spirit! God is grieved when we mistreat a fellow-member of Christ’s body. So that should sober us as we consider what we are about to say or do to our spouse or kids, or to those we serve with at CIT. In 4:23, Paul gives us a way to align with God’s desire each day: “Be being renewed in your mind.” That is a continual and ongoing process. It’s not once for all. How are you doing that each day?

Western is an interesting niche for a brand. It is a niche, but it is also a niche that a large part of the population participates in, so there’s a lot of opportunities there. Today’s guest is Paul Hedrick, founder of Tecovas, a Western brand. Listen in to the episode to hear Paul talk about what his brand is all about, how he grew his physical locations quickly, and how to make an accessible luxury product. Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode: ✔ How Paul founded Tecovas ✔ What the Tecovas brand is all about ✔ The process involved in making boots ✔ How many stores Tecovas has ✔ How Paul managed to grow his stores so quickly ✔ How Paul picked locations ✔ The key elements that make Tecovas unique ✔ How to make a luxury product that’s accessible ✔ Brands that Paul admires ✔ Advice for companies who want to know what to put in the store location ✔ What Paul believes is the power of data technology ✔ Best things to do in Austin Resources: Paul Hedrick QUOTES: “Our goal is really to be the most beloved Western brand in the world.” “I would say that the overarching element is hospitality.” “A brand with the most friends wins.”

When filmmaker Paul Del Vecchio reached out to me six months ago, he had a successful career as a high-end commercial editor, director of photography, and colorist. He had climbed to the top of the ladder in his corner of the world - the trouble was that he was at the top of the wrong ladder and didn’t want to be there anymore. How did he end up there like so many others do? Simple - Paul said yes to practically every opportunity that came his way his entire career, an answer driven largely out of fear. He found that every time he tried to pursue his true calling of writing and directing, he had nothing left to give his own projects because he gave all his mental, physical, and creative energy to other people’s projects. In fact, Paul struggled so much to get into the rhythm of writing again that he convinced himself he had run out of ideas. Here’s a Slack message that Paul sent me recently after working through his many fears and obstacles in my Optimizer coaching & mentorship program: Not bad for a guy who was burned out and “out of ideas.” So how did Paul become an absolute productivity ninja? We talk all about the strategies he implemented in todays episode including: Alleviating his financial fears of not being able to afford saying no to the wrong jobs (which was total BS he was making up in his head) Implementing a system of external accountability and financial management to have confidence he could turn down the wrong projects and focus on the right ones Building in new daily habits to help reignite his creativity that would inspire him to go back to writing again (a habit he had all but given up on). Paul’s ideas are now abundant and he's no longer "busy" doing everyone else's work, but rather he's productive and focused on his own work. Paul is here today to candidly and honestly share his story and tell you in his own words the steps he took to turn his career around and rediscover his own creative flow so if you’re stuck in a similar place you too can get back on track. Want to Hear More Episodes Like This One? » Click here to subscribe and never miss another episode Here's What You'll Learn: How Paul's obliger tendency led to him climbing to the top of the wrong ladder. The key mindsets Paul implemented to begin making changes in his life. The film contest that Paul won but didn't bring the opportunities he hoped for. How Paul began to create his own opportunities. Paul’s reaction to his own words played back to him about how stuck he was 6 months ago. Paul admits to skepticism in the beginning of the program but decided to trust the process and see what happens. KEY TAKEAWAY:  The smallest of steps lead to big changes. How Paul uses accountability to keep himself writing and working towards his goals. The finance system that allowed him to let go of his fear and feel confident about saying no to jobs he didn't want to do. KEY TAKEAWAY: Saying yes to something means saying no to many other things such as time, freedom and creativity. Paul was terrified of beginning the outreach process in the Advanced Networking program. Paul shares the secret to not feeling like you are bothering people when you reach out to them. Paul describes his experience of writing, sending, and getting a response to his first outreach email. KEY TAKEAWAY:  Make your outreach emails easy to respond to by asking if you can ask a question. What Paul learned from a connecting with a director via cold outreach. Why asking for advice is not the best way to get the most valuable information from people. Paul reflects on the changes and progress he's made over the last 6 months of being in the Optimizer community. Paul's advice for anyone wanting to make a change in their life. Useful Resources Mentioned: Myspace - Wikipedia Trello Ep75: The Four Tendencies' (aka 'The Matrix' For Understanding Yourself & Others) | with Gretchen Rubin Continue to Listen & Learn Ep144: Redefining What It Means to Be “Productive” (and Aligning Your Values With Your Time) | with Tamara Torres Ep55: How Tiny Changes Can Create Remarkable Results | with James Clear Ep132: How to Pursue Fulfilling Work and Find Your ‘Calling’ | with Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar Ep105: Ramit Sethi on Forging The Path Towards Your Own ‘Rich Life’ Ep86: How to Become ‘Indistractable’ | with Nir Eyal [CASE STUDY] Why I Said No to a Job (A Great One)…During a Pandemic Ep119: [Case Study] Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Better Managing Your Time, And Making the Most of This Pandemic | with Ariel Fujita, Kristi Shimek, and Maxton Waller Want a Response to Your Cold Emails? Then Every Message MUST Do These 5 Things (optimizeyourself.me) The 5 Most Common Mistakes You're Making With Your Cold Emails (and How to Fix Them) (optimizeyourself.me) How to Find the Right Type of Mentor For You (and When You Should Seek the Best) Our Generous Sponsors: Struggling With Real-Time Remote Collaboration? Meet Evercast As work begins to slowly trickle in again, perhaps the most pressing challenge we as creative professionals face in our post-pandemic reality is real-time collaboration. Zoom is great for meetings, but it sure doesn't work for streaming video. Luckily this problem has now been solved for all of us. If you haven't heard of Evercast, it's time to become acquainted. Because Evercast's real-time remote collaboration technology is CHANGING. THE. GAME. → Click here to see a free demo of Evercast in action! This episode was brought to you by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat (my #1 recommendation for anyone who stands at their workstation) and now their latest product. New Standard Whole Protein is a blend of both whey and collagen, sourced from the highest quality ingredients without any of the unnecessary filler or garbage. Not only will you get more energy and focus from this protein powder, you will notice improvements in your skin, hair, nails, joints and muscles. And because they don’t spend a lot on excessive marketing and advertising expenses, the savings gets passed on to you. Guest Bio: Paul Del Vecchio is a Promo & Commercial Editor, Colorist, and DP in NYC who has done work for companies like NBCUniversal, Nickelodeon, USA Networks, TNT, Conde Nast, and Viacom on brands such as Furious 7, The Hunger Games, Mr. Robot, Crimson Peak, Hennessy, Michael Kors, Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Bon Appetit, and more. As a Director, his film, "The Final Day," was hand picked by legendary filmmaker George Romero and The Weinstein Company as the Grand Prize Winner in the "Diary of the Dead" contest. The film is in the special features of the "Diary of the Dead" Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Release. Show Credits: This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel. The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

Understanding biblical message; Darkened minds; Hebrew meanings; Commentaries?; Practicing what Christ condemned; Systems of religion; Caring for parents; Holy days?; Daily ministration of faith, hope and charity; Paul's path; Income tax in Egypt; Micah; Dispelling idolatry; Coronavirus; Research for yourself; George Floyd; Racism?; The answer is Christ; The rest of the story; Working iniquity; What's causing delusion?; Belief by repetition; Racial statistics; Prov 21:6; Robin Hood; Redistribution of wealth by charity; Strengthening the poor; Eph 4:14; Coming to serve; Given over to love of self; Who Paul's talking to, and talking about; Lust for benefits; A flock divided; Network of Christians; Media manipulation of YOU; Rom 8:38; Eph 3:10; Repenting to Christ's way; Principalities and powers; Knowing by fruits; Comforting pastors?; The name of Jesus; Metaphysics; Nature includes spirit; Romans study; COVID successes; The Living Network; Romans 8; "Spirit"; What if we need help?; The law of sin; What Paul was doing; Temple activities; Christian activities; Christ as king; Religion by force or by charity; Your salvation is in Christ; Death by sin - life by righteousness; Where you are at; Paul's heavy heart; Ps 69:22; Rom 11:9; Seeking His righteousness; Minister job description; Bishop?; Deacon?; Is your right to choose intact?; Nimrod the provider; FDR's ways; Grace?; Prelude to Micah; George Floyd the criminal; Back to COVID; History of hate;

Paul Lawrence Vann is just getting started as a podcast host and guest. He's enjoying his journey as a podcast host and he's just getting warmed up.On August 18, 2020, Paul and fellow students launched their podcasts and he hasn't looked back. His launch consisted of two solo episodes and one guest and today this is episode #114 with several to follow shortly. What Paul has learned is to approach podcasting from a business perspective and be as professional and treat guest experts with care.Today Paul Lawrence Vann's podcast has listeners and subscribers in over 38 countries. He interviews guest experts from the U.S., Australia, U.K., Scotland, Chile, Ecuador, Jamaica, Sweden, and many other countries. Paul has also created a Clubhouse room titled Club Wealth Academy and he discusses topics such as wealth building, podcasting, and more. Join him @paulvann, club wealth academyPaul encourages you to listen to his podcast and rate and review and provide a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. Prepare to listen t several episodes over the coming days and weeks and thank you in advance for your support.Host Paul Lawrence VannEmail: info@paulvannspeaks.comOffice: (800) 341-6719Podcast Website: www.wealthacademypodcast.com

THE WEEK OF LAETARE - WEDNESDAYLESSON: PSALM 121My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2There are situations in life when God really strips us bare and we suffer want, even in regard to such matters as clothing, housing, and the like. But before very long, clothing has to be found, otherwise the very leaves would have to be plucked from the trees and become coats and cloaks for us to wear, just as it happened to the children of Israel in the wilderness, whose clothing and shoes remained intact (Deuteronomy 8:2,4). So also the wild deserts became their houses and provided ways for them where there were no ways and water where there was no water; indeed, stones became water for them.God's Word stands fast, which says, “He cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7). What Paul says to Timothy is only too true: “God [...] richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).Christ's own words in His Sermon on the Mount also apply here: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore, do not be anxious” (Matthew 6:33,34). Such words must remain true and stand fast into all eternity.It is quite a common sight that poor people and their children are better conditioned and that their provisions seem to go further and to be more beneficial than is the case with the wealthy and their rich supplies. In many ways, we are reminded that earthly provisions are not the only matter of importance. God's Word nourishes all men.SL.XI.538,13AE 76,369PRAYER: Lord Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, you have assured us that you will be with us always, even to the end of time. For this reason, we now turn to you in the faith and conviction that you will always hear us, for your truth's sake. Amen.

On this 250th episode of "Marketing Today," host Alan Hart speaks with Paul Cowan, the CMO of FreshBooks, a cloud-based accounting solution for small businesses and self-employed professionals. Over the past 20 years, Paul has marketed everything from booze to SaaS products, learning that product experience and marketing go hand-in-hand. In this episode, Alan and Paul discuss the symbiotic relationship between product experience and marketing while touching on the intersection between marketing and community. They even talk of activism — or really slacktivism — and what it means for businesses. The conversation begins with an overview of how FreshBooks came to be and how Paul stepped into his CMO role during a company rebrand. Like any good CMO, Paul believes it's important for your customers to understand the pain you address, but it's even more essential for them to understand what makes you different. From a brand standpoint, Paul says marketers need to look internally and find what he calls the "bits of goodness" that exist within the product experience and communicate that to customers. Paul goes on to explain how to use that pain to build a community, what slacktivism means, and how it impacts business, for better or worse.   In this episode, you'll learn: How to take a pain point and use marketing to exploit it How to find your company magic and use it as your superpower What the symbiotic relationship is between product, customers, marketing, and community What role slacktivism plays in marketing and in pushing companies to be purpose-driven   Key Highlights: [01:33] Why Paul isn't allowed around chainsaws [03:01] What is FreshBooks and Paul's path to becoming CMO [05:38] The pain FreshBooks set out to solve [07:06] The FreshBooks rebrand [11:42] The overlap of product experience and marketing [13:27] Using pain points to build network and community [19:15] What is slacktivism, and how it applies to purpose-driven companies [27:51] An experience that defines Paul, made him who he is today [29:31] Paul's advice for his younger self [30:17] A recent impactful purchase Paul made [31:22] The brands, companies, and causes Paul follows [33:03] What Paul says is the biggest opportunity for marketers today   Resources Mentioned: com Paul Cowan FreshBooks Rebrand (Glossy Inc) Mike McDerment, founder of FreshBooks Slacktivism (Wikipedia) #DeleteUber (NY Times) Casper, DoorDash SEC Filings   Subscribe to the podcast: Listen in iTunes (link: http://apple.co/2dbdAhV) Listen in Google Podcasts (link: http://bit.ly/2Rc2kVa) Listen in Spotify (Link: http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC ) Connect with the Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulcowan/ https://twitter.com/cowanpkc https://twitter.com/freshbooks Connect with Marketing Today and Alan Hart: http://twitter.com/abhart https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart http://twitter.com/themktgtoday https://www.facebook.com/themktgtoday/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-today-with-alan-hart/   Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/marketingtoday See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've often said that being a Post Producer is one of the most thankless jobs in Hollywood. They are tasked with pleasing seemingly opposing forces, i.e. studios, networks, and show runners, while also managing a team of editors and assistants and making sure the show gets finished on budget (and on time). Having a good post producer that not only knows how to keep the trains running on time but also foster a creative, collaborative environment where everyone performs their best and enjoys life outside of work is a winning combination that is far too rare. Today's guest, Paul Leonard is one of those rare species of producers that has both editors and show runners alike wanting to work with him again and again. Paul has worked in television post production for 23 years and is best known for Co-producing Battlestar Galactica which earned 15 Emmy nominations (with three collective wins). He recently wrapped up a job at Marvel where he was one of the vice presidents of TV Post Production before deciding to go back to freelance producing. Paul is a fountain of knowledge and wisdom with countless ideas about how to lead successful post teams. He also has a wealth of war stories about managing demanding executive producers. In today’s conversation Paul candidly shares his thoughts on what gets editors and AE’s hired, and what qualities he likes his editors to possess in the bay. He combines a winning charm with a no BS approach that has earned him the well-deserved reputation for making great shows while also keeping his team happy and sane (it is possible!!!! But it takes effort). This is a rare “Insider Baseball” conversation that will be valuable to anyone wanting to get the unique perspective of a post producer who is both in charge of hiring, delivering a high quality creative product, and also getting maximum creativity out of his team while promoting a well balanced, collaborative team environment. Want to Hear More Episodes Like This One? » Click here to subscribe and never miss another episode Here's What You'll Learn: Paul's early years starting out as an editor and getting into producing after earning his MFA at USC. Lessons Paul learned in wrangling difficult Executive Producers to try to keep his department from burning out and keep the show on schedule. How Paul became known as the 'Hour Long VFX SyFy Guy' and found himself pigeon holed. The surprising place Paul learned to become a great team manager and keep people happy, united, and doing great work. What made Paul gravitate towards producing rather than directing. How Paul learned to bring out the best in his editing teams and facilitated new creative ideas that he would bring to the Executive Producers on his shows. The fascinating story of how he and his post team saved the studio a million dollars while earning the show 3 Emmy nominations. What it was like working for Marvel Studios and how it affected his career. Why Paul got the moniker 'Mother Hen' from an Executive Producer he worked with. The questions he learned to ask to ensure that the show runs smoothly and his team is taken care of BEFORE starting the job. Paul's thoughts on what it takes to lead a creative team in a collaborative environment and why it's so difficult to cultivate that in Hollywood. How Paul learned to set boundaries with executive producers and earned respect of demanding, bully EPs. What Paul looks for when hiring editors. The sign that he wanted to hold up to editors in interviews to keep them from ruining their chances of getting hired. Advice for editors when interviewing and soft skills that they should possess once they are hired. KEY TAKE AWAY: Address 'the note behind the note' when making creative changes. Paul's advice for getting on the 'inside' at places like Marvel. The important quality that editors should always possess when trying to have a fulfilling career. (HINT: it has nothing to do with talent) Useful Resources Mentioned: Paul’s LinkedIn Profile Paul’s Email Address (Please go through the Insider’s Guide to Writing Cold Outreach first.) Continue to Listen & Learn Ep113: The Importance of Setting Boundaries, Advocating For Yourself, and Asking For Help | with Janace Tashjian Ep112: On Signing COVID Waivers, Kit Rental Fees, and Working Humane Hours | with Cathy Repola, MPEG National Executive Director Ep128: How to Have a Successful Career Without Sacrificing Family | with Farrel Levy How to Find the Right Type of Mentor For You (and When You Should Seek the Best) How to Go From Cold Contact to Your Ideal Mentor In Seven Simple Steps IMDbPro for Networking: The 10 Features That Will Take Your Outreach to a New Level Ep80: How to Avoid Getting Pigeonholed, The ‘Concentric Circles of Networking’ & More | with Doc Crotzer, ACE Our Generous Sponsors: Struggling With Real-Time Remote Collaboration? Meet Evercast As work begins to slowly trickle in again, perhaps the most pressing challenge we as creative professionals face in our post-pandemic reality is real-time collaboration. Zoom is great for meetings, but it sure doesn't work for streaming video. Luckily this problem has now been solved for all of us. If you haven't heard of Evercast, it's time to become acquainted. Because Evercast's real-time remote collaboration technology is CHANGING. THE. GAME. » Click here to be the first to gain early access to the new Evercast P.S. It's (finally) priced for freelancers and indie creatives like us! This episode was brought to you by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat (my #1 recommendation for anyone who stands at their workstation) and now their latest product. New Standard Whole Protein is a blend of both whey and collagen, sourced from the highest quality ingredients without any of the unnecessary filler or garbage. Not only will you get more energy and focus from this protein powder, you will notice improvements in your skin, hair, nails, joints and muscles. And because they don’t spend a lot on excessive marketing and advertising expenses, the savings gets passed on to you. [optin-monster slug="u1u6n4yv97rxxz4icynf"] Guest Bio: Paul M. Leonard has worked in television post-production for 23 years. He is best known for Co-Producing "Battlestar Galactica", a show TV Guide and Time Magazine called "the best show on television." "Battlestar" earned 15 Emmy nominations in the following categories Leonard supervised: editing, sound editing, visual effects, sound mixing with three collective wins. Paul won a Streamy Award as Producer for "Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy" in 2009 for Best Dramatic Web Series. In 2012 Paul produced "Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome," a two hour pilot shot entirely on green screen that featured over 1800 visual fx shots, which received three Emmy nominations for best visual fx, sound editing and sound mixing. In an entirely different arena, Paul developed a script and set up the feature film "Assassination Games," which was released on DVD in 2010 starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Paul also taught a class in editing and post-production for the University of Texas' LA satellite program for ten years. Paul earned his MFA from USC's Peter Stark Producer Program. He wrapped up a VP - TV Post-Production at Marvel job earlier this year. Show Credits: This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel. The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

What Paul exhorted churches to remain "in one mind," it seems divisions have been the norm since the beginning. We discuss what is meant by being of "one mind" (it doesn't mean marching in lockstep)and look at reasons churches split, from doctrine to poor people skills, and the Christ-like traits that Paul says foster unity amid disagreement. After listening, visit our YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-7ygRzB3xlve113C3-YAaw) for some more background on Man Up and the Man Up fellows.

This podcast addresses the most important investment lessons of 2020 from The Merriman Financial Education Foundation’s research team, Chris Pedersen and Daryl Bahls. In each case there is a table/chart/graph that helps illustrate the lesson. (See more below. Also, WATCH as a VIDEO). In this a year-end Zoom call, Chris discusses his recent studies on using “2 Funds for Life after 60” as well as the case for international diversification and how he has created additional past returns for international asset classes that are difficult to find. Paul discusses why he thinks the new book, We’re Talking Millions, has been well received. Each finished the discussion with what’s coming in 2021. For Daryl it is new studies on distributions and inflation. For Chris it is a new book on 2 Funds for Life, along with Best In Class ETF Portfolio updates. For Paul it is more presentations to high school and college students, a series of 5-minute videos, promoting the upcoming We’re Talking Millions audio book, and a major overhaul of his website. About The Charts Click here to access a pdf of the charts The first two Quilt Charts show the one year returns (1928-2019) for S&P 500, Large Cap Value, Small Cap Blend, Small Cap Value and 4 Fund Portfolio. Only 1 in 5 years produced expected premiums. The next two quilt charts show that the 10 and 20 year results become more dependable in achieving results. In 75% of the 20 year periods the ranking of results was as expected. The next 5 graphs show the relative strength of the S&P 500 vs. the 4 Fund, All Value and Small Cap Value Portfolios. All of the graphs show investors how very patient they must be to capture the better returns of the different portfolios. The worst case in each graph ran from 15 to 20 years of under-performance. The next five tables track the risk and returns of 11 super simple portfolios of 1 to 4 funds. The good news is all but one of the portfolios had very fine returns. It was also noted that the best performers also had the biggest number of best and worst years. The Ultimate Buy and Hold Equity Portfolio didn’t produce many new lessons but the one it produced was interesting. After 50 years of performance the All Value Portfolio produced its first total return that was lower than the portfolio of all 10 asset classes. What Paul failed to note (but Daryl and Chris left in the table) was the 50-year result of the 4 Fund All U.S. Portfolio of 12.3%, just .3% less than the much more complex 10-fund Ultimate Buy and Hold Portfolio.

Philippians 3:3 (NIV): For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the fleshIn today's 2-minute Bible study podcast, Paul gives us 3 signs that you're a born-again Christian. What you will discover in 2-minutes:What Paul means when he says that "we are the circumcision"How we serve God in the spiritWhy Paul says that we put no confidence in our fleshToday's Bible study is essential to understand so that you can explain What it means to be a born-again Christian to non-believers, and What separates us from other religions

In this episode of TGC Q&A, Tim Keller and Don Carson address the question, “What did Paul mean by ‘I do not permit a woman to teach'?” They discuss:What Paul actually forbids (:29)The debate over whether he forbids one thing or two (2:21)Imperial ignorance—it can’t be known (3:43)Transcultural exhortation (4:15)Explore more from TGC on this topic:Should Women Preach In Our Churches?Pastors Need Women Teachers (and Vice Versa)This episode of TGC Q&A is brought to you by Operation Christmas Child. National Collection Week is November 16 through 23. Visit SamaritansPurse.org/OCC to learn how gift-filled shoeboxes will result in evangelism and discipleship for millions of children this year.