54 1 Timothy 3-4 - Pastor Chuck Smith - C2000 Series

tonight we will be studying first Timothy three and four it is interesting as Paul writes to Timothy on several occasions he uses phrases that are interesting to me he said this is a faithful saying it's worthy of all acceptation here he says beginning chapter 3 this is a true saying again he'll say this is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptation he'll say without controversy he speaks to Timothy with interesting phrases affirming the truth of what he is declaring to him this is a true saying if a man desires the office of a bishop or overseer he desireth a good work not a good position but a good work the word episkopos which is translated here bishop is really a word that means an overseer one who takes the oversight the word translated elder is the word proof Spiteri are proofs proce pateros the prose Pateros the elder of the church the name implies an older man and in the communities they had as the governors of a community the press pateros the English had the older men who were appointed as the judges within a community and the term aldermen is actually elder men it was declared that a person should not be a proce pateros unless he was over the age of 50 the episkopos on the other hand was the man who was the overseer he was the often the the minister of the church one who would oversee the church n from this we have a great division in the church today between the Episcopalians which comes from the Episcopal and the Presbyterians which comes from the proofs Pateros so the difference between the church being ruled by the elders or the church being ruled by the episkopos the overseer and it is interesting though as you look at it in the Word of God they probably were one and the same as you study it in the New Testament the use of the words are often interchangeable and when Paul was writing he addressed the elders but of course that would include the Episcopal also when he called for the elders of Ephesus it would have been wrong for him to call for the elders without the Episcopal and so as you look at it throughout the New Testament a strong case can be made that the terms are almost synonymous or interchangeable at least in their usage in the New Testament so if a man desires this office of an overseer of the church he desires a good work but these are the qualifications for the man the overseer then must be blameless now that ought to just about exclude anybody he must be the husband of one wife in that particular time the marriage vows were in the pagan world not really held in high esteem the Greek culture had a saying that every man should have a mistress for his entertainment a concubine for his sexual pleasure and a wife to bear his legitimate children but the wife was looked upon as more or less a chattel and object now in none of the cultures in those days did a wife have the right of divorce that was something that only the husband's had and even in the Jewish culture a husband could get a divorce for just about any cause and even to that time in the Jewish culture in many areas polygamy was practice Josephus speaks about those that were had three or four wives and polygamy was a practice even in that time in the Jewish communities the church is to be a separate and distinct entity within the world standards that are higher than the worlds and thus he establishes the standard for the episkopos a man who was an overseer in the church he should be the husband of one wife he should be vigilant that is in his overseeing of the flock of God he needs to take careful oversight he needs to be sober of good behavior given to hospitality and able to teach so these are the beginning of the qualifications next of all is not to be given to wine no striker that is an abuser not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brawler not covetous one that rules well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity for if a man knows not how to rule his own house how shall he take care of the Church of God he's not to be a novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil so this is what Paul instructs Timothy as the qualifications for an Episcopal and overseer now if you will read Paul's letter to Titus he gives to them the qualifications of a press Pateros an elder and you find that as he gives the qualifications of an elder they are pretty much similar to the qualifications of an Episcopal or an overseer next he turns to the Deacons and likewise must the Deacons be grave or sober not double-tongued not given to much wine this is of course a little interesting in that the overseer the episkopos was not to be given to wine the Deacon was not to be given to much wine that probably is caused for a lot of persons to seek the job of a deacon rather than an elder Paul the Apostle in writing to the Corinthians said all things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient some things can impede my progress towards my goal all things are lawful for me but not everything builds up some things tear me down all things are lawful for me he said but I will not be brought under the power of any or the influence of any we have a very interesting case in the Old Testament when God commanded Moses to build the tabernacle and he gave them specific instructions as to the materials and the dimensions and the sizes the whole thing he gave him his careful instructions in building once they had built the tabernacle had set it up had set up the altar and and the whole framework for the sacrifices the time came to inaugurate now the temple or the tabernacle worship of God and so the altar was built the sacrifice was placed upon it and fire came from heaven and sort of lit the fire of the altar a supernatural manifestation of God the presence of God came down the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle the priests because of the glory of the Lord sort of swooned they weren't able to stand up and in the midst of this moving of God among the people a couple of Aaron's sons got excited and they had little bowls with incense that they were to offer before the Lord and they went in to offer this incense in the excitement of the moment and the fire came from the altar of God and consumed them and later God commanded Moses to speak unto Aaron that when they were doing the service to God they were to drink wine made very specific Commandments the intimation is that they the two sons of Aaron perhaps had been drinking a little wine and had lost their sense of good judgment and that is why they were consumed by the fire of God when they thought to offer strange fire before the Lord God wants us to serve Him with a clear head with a clear mind now a lot of people get very godly minded when they get drunk and we've had them call the house at 2:00 3:00 in the morning and my wife sleeps on the side where the phone is I don't know why but she does sometimes the phone will ring in the middle of the morning and someone will start telling I want to tell you what a wonderful husband you have in all just say here tell him and she hands the phone to me the praise that comes from the lips of a drunk really don't do much for you that's what they may think when they're drunk but what do they think of me when they're sober and so in in our worship of God no artificial stimulants he wants our worship and praise to come from a heart and from a mind that is not under some kind of a false stimulant so the overseer the one who had the responsibility of overseeing the church not to be given to wine whereas the Deacons and these were the people who oversaw the more practical aspects of of the church in those days the administering of the church's welfare program and things of this nature they were not to be given to much wine the wine in those days of course was drunk by just about everybody it was mixed three parts of water to two parts of wine and of course that that ratio would take an awful lot to get a person drunk and usually you get too full before you could get drunk but it was a diluted form and really it was drunk in lieu of the water which in many places was not fit to drink you remember Paul said to Timothy to take a little wine for your stomach's sake and your oft infirmities so a deacon not to be given to much wine we are told not to be drunk with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the spirit they also are not to be greedy of filthy lucre holding the mystery of God in faith in a pure conscience and let these also first be proved and then let them use the office of the deacon being found blameless so much of the same requirements for the elders are also for the Deacons deacons are to prove themselves and even so wives now in our King James you notice must their wise is added because the translators thought that he was probably referring to the wives of the Deacons which is possible but it is also possible that Paul is just referring to the deaconesses and that this is in reference to those women who would take a activity within the church body in the office of a Deaconess and so also wives are to be grave not slanderers sober faithful in all things and let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife ruling their children in their own house as well for they that have used the office of a deacon well purchased to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus and so Paul here writes the qualifications for these offices and he said these things write I unto thee I hope to come unto you shortly but if I don't if I have to tarry here awhile I want you to know how you ought to bill hate how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and ground of truth Timothy was left at Ephesus by Paul to strengthen the church it is to Timothy in Ephesus that Paul is writing and instructing him in the things of the government of the church now having declared the qualifications for the Deacons the the overseers and the Deacon is's again when you get to these qualifications we realize that very few people could really qualify for these offices these characteristics and traits that are required for those in leadership roles are stricter than the average you might say it takes a life of commitment and many people may as the result of these requirements feel unqualified to take a position of authority within the church and so Paul in verse 16 declares and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness godliness is God like nuts great is the mystery of being like God these characteristics and traits that are described are the characteristics and traits of God God wants us to be like him a man who is an elder in the church or an overseer in the church is really one of God's representatives to the people and one of the most awesome responsibilities is that of being God's representative people looking at the leadership to understand God God wants me to be like him so that as people look at me they can understand what God is about and that is all the understanding that many people will ever have of God is what they observe in the life of the followers of God so each of us are God's representatives to the world but those who take the position of an elder or an overseer have even a greater responsibility of being God's representatives to the people and God doesn't take lightly how we represent him James tells us that we should not be many masters knowing that we receive the greater condemnation we are told unto whom much is given much is required and so for those who in the position of overseeing there is a tighter standard by which they must live blameless of good reputation really even outside of the church by the manner of life that you live that it doesn't bring blame unto Jesus Christ or to the gospel of Jesus Christ it has been the sad tragedy of the church's history that not often does the leadership take that awesome responsibility of representing God seriously enough Paul talks about falling in the snare of the devil and Satan surely seeks to trap ministers and it is always a tragedy and a very sad thing when you see a servant of God being trapped by the enemy because of the reproach that it brings upon the gospel as Nathan said to David concerning his sin with Bathsheba you've caused the enemies of God to blaspheme the problem of course is that Satan I think works harder on those who have a greater influence than those of lesser influence I think that the more the Lord uses you the greater are the temptations that the enemy places in your path this past year two of the most promising talented of the young ministers in our Calvary Chapel outreaches fell into the snare of the enemy 1 thank God has been delivered and has been restored but the other is still in snared and it grieves me it breaks my heart because I love these young men like a father loves the son and I was just so thrilled with their ministry the effectiveness of their ministry the effectiveness of their communication their ability to teach it was a thrill to see what God was doing through their ministry and through their lives as they were touching thousands of people and to see them ensnared by the enemy is it just a tragedy and a grievous thing to my heart great is the mystery of being like God God wants us to be like him that's his purpose in creating us and when he created us he created us like him he made us in His image and after his likeness it was the purpose of God that we'd be like him what is he like God is love God wants love to dominate our being God is pure God is holy he wants us to be pure he wants us to be holy God is kind God is compassionate God is patient he wants us to be kind compassionate patient he wants me to be like him great is the mystery of being like God because I say hey yes I want to be like God but how to be like God is another thing there are many people who accept that yes being like God is the greatest thing that could possibly happen to a person and they try to be like God but we find that whenever we try to be like God there are other forces at work within us hindering us from our goals as Paul the Apostle described in Romans chapter 7 I consent to the law of God that it is good but I find that there is another law at work within my members within my body and the good that I would I do not and that which I would not I do I consent to that which is good but how to perform it I just can't find and we find ourselves in that position so many you guys I consent this is right this is good that's what I ought to be doing but how to perform it that's where the problem lies and he cried out o wretched man that I am Who Shall deliver me from this body of death great is the mystery of godliness being like God it's a great mystery that has been solved it was solved in the incarnation so without controversy great is this mystery of godliness but God solved the mystery through the Incarnation of Jesus Christ for God was manifest in the flesh a plain clear positive declaration that Jesus Christ is God God was manifest in the flesh and the purpose of the Incarnation was to bring man to a god likeness or to help us to be like God God was manifest in the flesh he was justified or proved to be righteous in the spirit the spirit led him in the wilderness to be tempted of the devil and he passed every test he resisted the temptation he remained true and obedient unto the first principles of God he was justified ordy proved to be righteous in the spirit he was seen of angels is the engine ministered unto Him also it has been suggested that the angels had never seen God until the incarnation great is the mystery of being like God God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of angels called in a light that man cannot approach those who had visions of God never had a vision of a form there was always just that brightness of the glory that shone forth from his being looking directly into a light a brilliant bright light all you can observe is just light have you ever been out in the woods at night and it's been dark and someone turned to one of those five cell flashlights in your eyes have you ever been a kid at camp those counselors always carry those five selves you know I may put it right in your eyes all you see is the bright light in your eyes you don't see the flashlight you can't even see the counselor all you all you see is this bright light that is shining in your face but you have no sense of form because all you can see is the light you don't see the little bulb you don't see the filament within the bulb you just see the brilliance of the light so God the glory of his presence so overwhelming the brilliance that comes forth from this creator of the universe call it energy or whatever you wish that must be emanating forth from God it is possible that the Angels had never even seen the form but only the brilliance coming forth from his presence until he was made flesh and he was then seen of angels he was preached unto the Gentiles as Paul tells King Agrippa concerning his Damascus Road experience he tells him that the Lord had called him to go unto the Gentiles to turn them from darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God and then he was believed on in the world all over the world those who believed on Jesus Christ those who believed upon God who was manifest in the flesh and then he was received up into glory he said I came from the father I'm going to the Father in his return to the Father the cycle was complete his ministry was accomplished Jesus came to manifest to man what God is and he was the true and the faithful witness all that we need to know about God we discover in Jesus Christ no man has seen the father at any time but the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he had manifested him made him known declared him God who at sundry times and in different ways spoken to our fathers through the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his own dear son whom he hath made heir of all things who was the effulgence of his glory or the outshining of his glory so he fulfilled his purpose in manifesting God to us and he fulfilled the purpose of redeeming the world back to God through his death upon the cross so now as he returns to the father he is promising that he is going to send to them the Holy Spirit one who would come alongside of them to help them I will not leave you without help he said but I will pray to the Father and He will give to you another helper even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive and he tells us that when the Spirit comes we will receive power what kind of power power to be like God great is the mystery of being like God you cannot be like God with your best effort no matter how hard you try it isn't within our nature or our power to change our nature to be like God the only way I can be like God is through the power of the Holy Spirit working in me and changing that nature and so the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the church was the proof that Jesus had indeed ascended to the Father because that was his promise when he came to the Father he was going to send the comforter it is necessary for you that I go away because if I go away if I go not away the comforter cannot come that helper the Holy Spirit but if I go away I will send him and so Jesus sent the Holy Spirit and through the power and the working of the Holy Spirit within my life God likeness is now possible and as I am yielding myself day to day the work of the Holy Spirit in me everyday is making me a little more like God as Paul the Apostle said I have not yet apprehended that for which I was apprehended neither do I count myself perfect but I'm pressing towards the mark what is the mark being like God God likeness and so I'm on my way and as John said beloved now are we the sons of God it doesn't yet appear what we're going to be but we know when he appears we're going to be like him one of these days his work will be complete in US and we will be just like God and the purposes of God will now be accomplished in his creation for man for God created man to be like him and through Jesus Christ ie and the power of the Holy Spirit I am being restored into the image of God great is the mystery of being like God but that mystery is solved in the Incarnation and through the work of the Holy Spirit that Jesus has sent now the spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils here Paul speaks of a departure from the faith there are some who claim that such a thing is an impossibility but the spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times there would be some who would depart from the faith Jesus in speaking of his return said when the Son of Man returns will he find faith on the earth a question he also told his disciples that because of the iniquity of the earth abounding the love of many will wax cold and so it means that living in the last days is going to be living under a great pressured situation we are finding that to be true the opportunity of fulfilling a person's fantasies for sin are all around you can indulge yourself now in just about any type of a sinful fantasy that you may desire read the personal columns in your Santana register any kind of a experience that a person may desire is available for price pornography the openness of our society the breakdown of the moral values has opened a door of opportunity for anyone to just indulge themselves in their flesh Jesus said because the iniquity of the earth shall abound the love of many will wax cold the spirit speaks expressly of the latter days that many will be departing from the faith it is not easy to live the Christian life in this world in which we live today that is so totally given over to the flesh you cannot look at any of the media without being exposed in some way or other to the things of the flesh it's not easy to live a Christian life now these last days is going to be harder to keep the faith is going to take a positive commitment as Daniel you're going to have to determine in your heart that you're not going to defile yourself with the opportunities in the world around you but that you're going to live completely and totally forgot a life of God likeness and you cannot do it without the power of the Spirit so the spirit speaks expressly of the last days it's going to be tough many will depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and how much seduction is in the world today seductive spirits are in the world today I mean it's there it's all around you the seductive spirits and to doctrines of devils and I'll tell you in our society today men are espousing the doctrines of devils telling you that any kind of life is acceptable to God the Lord said because they did not want to believe the truth God turned him over to believe a lie and men would believe a lie rather than the truth and I have found this soul true today you take any kind of a screwy heresy and it can spread all over the world in six months if you want to become popular just dream up some new heresy for the church oh how I wish to God that they would be more careful in the things that they allow to be proclaimed I wish they'd just stick to the Word of God people are so reticent to receive the truth but so ready to receive a lie a heresy people are so ready to believe that California is going to get wiped out during the earth during the Olympics in an earthquake how many people have called all worried you know oh my you know this earthquake is going to come I lived through at least 10 of these visions and it hasn't come yet now I'll tell you what's going to happen I'll make my own predictions now when the Olympics are over and the earthquake did not hit they are then going to start taking credit that their prayers kept it from happening I mean there's no way they're going to lose they'd faster than they prayed and they saved California how look out that thing in just a couple of weeks time has swept through the whole community our switchboard has been swamped this week with this nonsense hey if you want to predict that there's going to be an earthquake in California man there's nothing to that of course there's going to be I mean this is earthquake country we're surrounded by Falls but I predict that we won't have a major earthquake during the Olympics speaking lies in hypocrisy having their conscience seared with a hot iron I really wonder how these evangelists and all can really sleep at night with all of the gimmicks that they pull speaking lies in hypocrisy I don't know if you've been cursed to be on their mailing list or not but we keep a file and the things that they can dream up to extract money from people and you wonder how can they do that in the name of God how can they tell such outlandish lies the only answer is their conscience has to be seared with a hot iron they have no conscience for them to live in palatial mansions do the things they do and then get up and say friends we need your money our tour guide in Israel gets after me he said you don't know how to operate a tour he said tour leaders with famous names never travel with the people on a tour they don't travel on the Jets with the people they fly over in their own private jets and they don't get on the buses with the people they get in private limos and they'll meet the people twice during the tour and then fly home in their jets he said you travel all around with the people he said you never make deals with the tourist shops and all and he said you just don't know how to operate a tour he said nah you ought to come and watch some of these fellas at work the conscience is seared with a hot iron how in the name of God can they do these things except their conscience is just seared with a hot iron now in some of these last day weird things there are those who will be forbidding to marry of course marriage is becoming almost a thing of the past it's move in with me and there are so many just move in relationships without marriage that's the thing of the day abstaining from means which God has created to be received with Thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth a lot of the cult things and occult things get into vegetarianism but Paul tells us these things meat is to be received with Thanksgiving of course for the meat is sanctified by the Word of God in prayer Oh pray over your meal and eat it if thou put the Brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine we're into that has detained so remind the Brethren of these things Paul said writing to Timothy if you do then you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ as you nourish them in the words of faith sound good doctrine but refuse the profane and old wives fables but exercise thyself rather to godliness now you can waste a lot of time and Earthquakes cares reading a lot of the junk that's published better to exercise yourself unto godliness bodily exercise profits a little or for a little it doesn't ready forbidden it's good it's got a little profit to it but more profitable is godliness its profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come years ago when I really made my choice between medicine and as a career and the ministry as a career as the Lord was dealing with me and speaking to my heart concerning the ministry he pointed out to me that by going into medicine by becoming a medical doctor by ministering to people's physical needs I could help people but at the best it would only be temporal so they're strong and healthy and live for a hundred years but if I would go into the ministry and minister to the spirit of man healing the spirits bringing spiritual healing that I would be involved in something that would benefit them eternally any more or less put it up to me how do you want to benefit man in a temporary way or in an eternal way and when he put it to me that way I had no choice now Paul is saying the same thing about exercise physical exercise has temporal benefits but godliness has eternal benefits now we are living in a day of you know it's sort of a craze and all this physical exercise jogging aerobic exercises in the night my wife and I were eating a recipe looked across the street we saw all these heads bouncing up and down and all and man the whole time we were eating there they were bouncing I did admire them and I didn't eat dessert but this bit of physical fitness it's a craze it's swept America and this that's all right false not really coming down on it I mean bodily exercise has some value toning up yourself and all it you know there's nothing wrong with that but godliness exercising yourself in godliness hate that you will reap eternal dividends let me tell you what I used to be about the most physically fit person around in time it'll get all of you I mean you may you know go for it for time sure it's great but ultimately oh is it the guy that did all the writing on everything you want to know about running how about that died of a heart attack while he was jogging mr. Fixx better watch out for that jogging is dangerous to your health you know good wipe yeah there are things that have temporal value there are things that have eternal value and a man who is wise will engage in those things of eternal value he will choose the eternal over the temporal if you're really wise there are things that can bring you temporal gain there are things that can bring you eternal gain the man who is wise will choose the eternal over the temporal so Paul is telling Timothy the same bodily exercise with property other Timothy was a younger man but I keep it in shape it was fine but hey don't neglect the godliness spiritual exercise now again this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation it's it's again Paul uses this phrase it's it's it's a true saying and it's worthy that all should accept it and that is that the spiritual is superior to the physical or the material that it is better to exercise yourself in spiritual matters than in physical matters one has only temporary value the other is of life now and also that which is to come the eternal and because of this declaration Paul said the superiority of the spiritual over the physical which is the opposite of the worldly view therefore we labor and we suffer reproach the world reproaches us they they take an opposite view of this completely the time in church to them is a waste of time because we trust in the Living God who is the savior of all men especially of those that believe Jesus died for the sins of the world but only those who believe receive the forgiveness of sins Jesus died to redeem the world but he will only take his treasure out of it and so he died and is the savior of all men but specifically those who believe he provided salvation for all men but not all have received it these things Paul said you should command and teach let no man despise thy youth how old was Timothy well he had been with Paul now traveling as a companion for 15 years assuming that he was 15 years old when he started out with Paul and that's probably a little young but let's say that he was only 15 he's at least 30 years old now so he's not just a kid when Paul said let no man despise your youth you shouldn't be thinking of some 1516 year old kid Timothy is probably 30 or more at this particular point but when the elders were not ready considered elders until they became 50 there was that tendency to look down upon a younger man as lacking in the wisdom that comes from age and maturity so let no man despise your youth but instead be an example of the believer in the word in your manner of life in love in the spirit in faith and in purity set the example Timothy now what Paul writes to Timothy is good for all of us we should be examples of what a Christian is Paul said to the Corinthians you are living epistles known and read of all men as a Christian the world is watching you be an example of the believer not unto the believer but of the believer what a believer should be this is how a believer should live this is how a believer should act and react be the example of a believer in your words the word conversation there is an old English word that it just doesn't mean and you know in your conversing with each other but in your manner of living your total manner of living let it be as becomes godliness in Christianity in your love your copy in the spirit in faith in purity now till i come give attendance to reading to exhortation and to doctrine so these are the three things that were done in the early church the reading of the scriptures it was a very prominent and common practice in the early church when the christians gathered together to read the scriptures these letters that Paul sent to the churches were to be read to the churches so he tells Timothy give attendance to the reading of the scripture there's value in just the reading of the word of God but then all the exhortation as you are then prompting people to act upon the word to be doers of the word and not hearers only now trust in the Lord now give thanks to God and so the exhorting of the people and then also to the doctrine and neglect not the gift that is in you which was given to you by prophecy with the laying hot on of the hands of the presbytery so Paul here is mentioning how that when Timothy had land hands laid upon him by the press Peter owes by the elders they laid hands on Timothy and a prophecy came forth and in the prophecy Timothy's ministry was declared directed and now Paul tells him don't neglect neglect that gift that was given to you by the word of prophecy when the elders laid hands on you meditate upon these things give yourself wholly to them that you're profiting may appear to all take heed to yourself and unto the doctrine continue in them for in doing this you will both save yourself and those that hear you interesting take heed to yourself in to the doctrine continuing them for in you doing this you not only save yourself but you save others it is important that we are reaching out important for our own continuance that we go on and that we're pressing on and that we're reaching up there's really no place for stagnation this is something that I think that we all ought to really carefully examine our own hearts the Bible says now little men judge himself for we will judge ourselves we will not be judged of God and I think that we should all examine our own hearts and our own present relationship to Jesus Christ and as I examine my present relationship to Jesus Christ tonight is there a time in my walk with the Lord that I was more fervent than I am tonight is there a time when I was more excited about the things of Jesus than I am tonight is there a time when I was more diligent in my serving the Lord than I am tonight and if in the examining of your heart your present relationship and your past experiences if tonight you do not have a deeper richer more enthusiastic relationship with the Lord then you are in a backslidden state if at any time in your walk with God your relationship to him was richer more committed than it is tonight then you are in a backslidden state and you should be very careful about that the spirit speaks expressly concerning the last days that because the iniquity of the world will abound the love of many is going to wax coal are you one of those in which the love is waxing cold and it should cause this very serious consideration jesus said to the church of ephesus I have this against you because you have left your first love now repent do thy first works over or else I will remove the candlestick out of his place there is a story told of a man who was lost in a blizzard and as he was just blindly walking through the snow blinded by the blizzard he was becoming tired and weary until they just stumbled and fell and he just felt allow light here for a little while I just don't have the strength to go on but as he was lying there he came to the realization that what caused him to stumble was a body that was lying there being buried in the snow and so realizing that there was another person there he picked them up felt that the pulse was still there picked them up and started trudging through the snow carrying now this other person with a superhuman effort and within fifteen feet he came to the door of a cabin where he was saved but he came to a very interesting discovery and that is in saving this other person he in reality saved himself that's what Paul is saying to Timothy take heed to yourself and to your doctrine continuing in them for in saving others you'll really save yourself you see you cannot minister unto others without being ministered to by the Lord I've often said the best way to learn is to teach because you have to study so much more in order to be able to give out that in teaching a subject you really learn the subject thoroughly and the best way to learn is to teach the best way to develop is to give to give out take heed to yourself into your doctrine continuing them for in saving others and reaching out to others you'll find that it'll be your own salvation it'll be your own enrichment it will be to your own blessing strengthening in the things of the Lord so we pray father as your Holy Spirit has again tonight caused us to look in the mirror to see the truth face the reality of what we are help us Lord not to be so foolish as to just go away and forget what we saw but lord I pray the night that there might be within our hearts that renewed commitment to the things of the Lord things of the Spirit Lord we know that we are in the last days many have departed from the faith been caught up with these seducing spirits following after the flesh turning away from the things of God being drawn into the things of the world god help us in these days to be like you God give to us a renewed experience in the spirit then we might walk in the spirit and live in the spirit and be led of the Spirit a new sense Lord of spiritual values the examination of our priorities our energies going into those things that are going to fail and those things that are going to crumble and those things that are going to be reduced to ashes while we neglect the eternal physically fit but spiritually bankrupt God may that not be our case renew our hearts and the things of the Spirit or walk in life with me in Jesus name father amen may the Lord be with you to guide and direct you this week in a path of righteousness for his namesake may you be empowered by the holy spirit that you might be blameless walking in love walking in the things of the Spirit a witness to the world around an example of what the believer ought to be bringing glory unto God through your commitment to Jesus Christ god help you in these last days to stand strong stand firm giving heed to things of the Spirit the doctrine saving others saving yourself in Jesus name

Channel: Ken Zenk

Views: 12,090

Rating: 4.8518519 out of 5

Keywords: Bible, God, Jesus, Christ, Love, Hell, Death, Sex, Marriage, Drugs, Satan, Porno, Cancer, Sports, Girls, Music, Holy Spirit, Children, Family, Heaven, Healing, Pregnant, Aids, Gay, Movies, TV Shows, Animals, Israel Prophecy, Last Days, Christian, Jewish People, Gentiles

Id: VPnSC4ZlU-M

Length: 79min 32sec (4772 seconds)

Published: Sat May 11 2013