Helping Others Avoid the Dangers of the Last Days

0 (4s): cross says food. 0 (9m 19s): Crown, the cherish Jesus. walk beside me. 0 (10m 0s): Lord, we praise you this morning. 1 (14m 4s): We thank you that you've made a way for each one of us to walk with you and have power over sin and death. We praise you and we ask that you would teach us this morning. Give us ears to hear what you're saying to each one of us. Give us power to walk with you in Jesus name. Amen guys. Thanks very much guys and gals. So 2 (14m 44s): Welcome. Hey, when everybody walked in, they probably saw an info card on their desk or on their seat there. Everybody get that. Oops, 3 (14m 52s): Everybody see the info card. So this 2 (14m 55s): Is going to be one of those awkward moments in the service where we ask everybody to take a moment and to fill out a card. And maybe you, when you arrived, you already filled it out. But what we're trying to do is update our database. And so we're trying to get updated information from everybody. So we're going to take a minute in the service to do that, just to take care of some Sheriff's business, and then we will get to the rest of the service. So fellas your name, if, if there's anybody, any, if there's been any kind of email changes or address changes or whatever, just go ahead and fill that out. And we promise to keep all of this information in house and it'll be really, really helpful to our team. 2 (15m 40s): So yeah, we've got few people. I think first service, I was the only one who filled it out. That's what it felt like. Anyway, I looked up and nobody's filling it out. So thank you for taking the time to fill it out when you are done. Hold on to that. And at the end of the service, as you walk out, the greeters will collect your communication card. Sound good? I feel like we should pray again, Lord. Thank you. Thank you for this time. We just continue to invite your presence Lord. And as we teach through second Timothy chapter three, today, we pray God that you would, as Jim said, God, that you give us ears to hear Lord that we would hear that we'd be excited and responsive and challenged and ready to move forward in Jesus name. So thank you for what you're doing in our lives. 2 (16m 22s): We love you. We bless you Lord. And for those going through hard stuff this week, a lot of people have been sick, have had surgical procedures. We lost a member of our family, our church, family, Andrew and Lord. It's just been a challenging week on a lot of different levels. And so we pray God that you administer your mercy minister, your peace minister, your grace Lord God, where healing is needed for people's bodies. God, we pray that you would minister in Jesus name, where people are needing encouragement spiritually and emotionally. Lord God. I pray that you build people up, encourage people and help people to continue to trust you, to continue to believe you and continue to follow you all the days of their lives. 2 (17m 5s): No matter what life throws at us, Lord, you are faithful and you give us the grace to walk, walk through it, Lord. So thank you for this time. Thank you for your goodness in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. A quick update on my dad. I asked last week, everybody to pray because I was going to be flying out to Denver. So last Sunday night I flew out to Denver, spent a few days in Denver with my dad and we made the tough decision to put them on hospice. Very, very difficult decision as a young guy, 72 years old. And so to put somebody at 72 on hospice, it's just a hard decision, but he's got some dementia going on. And so mentally he's not where he needs to be to be on his own physically. 2 (17m 47s): He's really not in a good place. It's hard there. They've detected some heart issues and he's not physically fit to even get out of bed. So thanks for praying for him. It was really a good week to be there and a hard week to be there. So I guess the good news is that my siblings and I, we were all kind of collaborating to try to figure out what to do. He doesn't have a will. So if you haven't gotten your, your end of life stuff squared away, get it squared away, especially if you're 72 or above. So that'd be really helpful before we get into first Timothy or second Timothy chapter three. 2 (18m 30s): Why do you, why do you need to knock on the fridge before you opened the door? Why would you need to knock on the fridge before you open the door? Well, the salad is dressing, so 3 (18m 39s): You just want to be careful. 2 (18m 42s): Yeah. Second Timothy hay, some very good. Usually people just blew at my jokes, but today I got some applause. All that does is encourage me. It doesn't encourage me. I'm encouraged. Thanks very much helping others avoid the dangers of the last days that we're, that's what we're talking about today. The last days include the entire period between the first century and the return of Christ. So that's kind of what we're talking about. We say in time. So when Paul is talking about the times he's talking about what's going on in his day and age, but then so what's been going on for the last 2000 years. So helping others avoid the dangers of last days last week, we learned how to gain God's approval. 2 (19m 29s): And these things, these things that we learned this week will actually help us to help. Oh, there's if we're doing the things that God has called us to do, it will actually equip us and prepare us to help others who God has put in our path. You know, God has given us, they met in the earth to make a difference and to communicate the truth and to love people side of heaven. So we said last week, how do you gain God's approval? Number one, be a good worker. And basically what that means is do the work that God has called you to do. We wrote about Paul told Timothy, be a good worker, be faithful to the work that God has called you to do. We're not saying work as unto salvation, but we're saying the work we're saved by grace through faith. 2 (20m 12s): It has nothing to do with our works, but our assignments have everything to do with our work. And we're actually going to stand before the Lord and give an account to God for the things that we have done or have not done in the earth. So essentially the challenge and the encouragement is to be a good worker. Then number two, turn away from evil. That's obvious. And then number three, do life with like minded people. We need each other. We gathered church to be encouraged, to gather, to pray for one another, to hear the word to worship together. And hopefully from there, we go into small groups throughout the week where we can gather and do the same thing where we're praying together and loving on each other. I meet with a group, like I said last week on Friday mornings at 6:00 AM. 2 (20m 53s): And then I meet with other pastors throughout the week and just for the purpose of growing together and praying together and loving on each other together. And, and then out of that, we're able to be filled up. We're filled up and we're able to overflow and bless others in the world that we come in contact with. And so it kind of, that's what it's all about. It's be a good worker, turn away from evil, do life with like-minded people. So this week let's revisit the last two verses from second Timothy chapter two, because they set up the passage for second Timothy chapter three, and the focus of this week's message. Second Timothy chapter two verses 25 and 26 says this gently instruct those who oppose the truth. 2 (21m 38s): Perhaps God will change those people's hearts and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil's trap for they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. A number of years ago, I was, we had a neighbor, you know, where the church office is now. So that house used to belong to Mark Miller and Mark Miller was our neighbor. And for about five years before mark passed, we would share the gospel with him. And probably once every, you know, once or twice a month, we'd go over there and share the gospel with him, have a cup of coffee and just kind of talk about things of the Lord. And before he passed away, I had an opportunity to go over there and, and, and when the final conversation and he prayed the sinner's prayer. 2 (22m 23s): And, but it was through gentle instruction over the course of a long period of time that finally opened his heart part to the work of the Lord. So Paul is instructing Timothy to help others. And we as followers of the Lord, Jesus Christ, we have this responsibility 3 (22m 44s): To help 2 (22m 46s): Others with gentle instruction 3 (22m 49s): In doing so, perhaps God will change 2 (22m 52s): Their hearts and they will learn the truth. I was talking to a gal earlier today during first service, before first service. And she was talking about how her dad passed away at about 86, 87 years old. And he had been an atheist his whole life, but the last like weeks of his life, she had the opportunity to gently instruct him in the truth and to share the gospel with him. And before he died, he accepted the grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ, being an atheist for like 86 years. So God is up to good all the days of our lives. And if we will never give up, but continue to ask and seek and knock and pray for our loved ones and continue to gently instruct them in the truth. 2 (23m 35s): God will do amazing and wonderful things. I can't tell you how many people I've prayed for over the years. Family members and friends who some took 30 3 (23m 44s): Years praying for talking to 2 (23m 50s): Encouraging them in truth. And then finally at the end of their lives gave their life to the Lord. But the beauty of the Lord is that he takes us at our last day or anywhere, you know, in our lives. But man, the beauty of the Lord is, is when we choose him early, is that we get to walk with him all the days of our lives. We get to experience his peace. And we talked about the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self, to all of those things. That's free to the Lord working in our lives for the holy spirit, working in us. And we can experience all of those things if we just choose to honor the Lord now, today. So maybe you're here today and you said, man, I I've been putting this off. 3 (24m 29s): I haven't trusted the Lord 2 (24m 31s): Or, or maybe you're here today and you've been distant from the Lord. Are you backslidden and, and your heart's been far from the Lord. I would just encourage you today to refresh yourself and the grace and mercy of the Lord, Jesus Christ. If you confess your sins, he is faithful. And just to forgive you and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. So confess your sin to him, acknowledge your need for him and watch what God will do to wash over your life. I think about the prodigal who left his father and when he decided he came to a census and came back, the prodigal was received with open arms. A party was thrown form. A ring was put on his finger rope on his back, great celebration. That's what God will do when you choose to return. 2 (25m 13s): And that's what God does when any center turns and repents. And so 3 (25m 17s): Don't lose hope. Don't lose 2 (25m 19s): Heart, continue to ask and seek and knock, continue to pray and watch, watch what God will do. Pause instruction Timothy, to help others in doing so, perhaps God will change their hearts and they will learn the truth. So what can we do to help others avoid the dangers of the last day? And we're going to talk about what the last days look like as we get into chapter three, it just unfolds it for us. Yeah. Number one, gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. So I gave my life to the Lord in junior high school, but I kind of vacillated in my faith for all my, all of my, most of my high school years, junior high and high school years. I gave my life to the Lord, but didn't know what to do with my faith. And so I, we go to church on Sunday and was even helping out in Sunday school. 2 (26m 3s): But when I was outside of the church that I was doing the wrong stuff, I was doing stuff that I shouldn't be doing. And so the problem with that is I had a guilty conscience. So I would tell my youth pastor, every time I did something wrong and at one point he said, Hey, Steve, until you kind of get this stuff out until you decide what you want to do with your life, whether you're going to serve the church or serve the Lord or serve the world, you need to, you need to take a break from teaching Sunday school. I said, you can't do that. At first, I was kind of mad. You know, he said, well, I just did. But the reality of his discipline and his instruction was, was, was helpful to me. And as I thought about it considered it, it was really an opportunity for me to make, make a choice. 3 (26m 48s): Will I 2 (26m 50s): Serve the Lord wholeheartedly or will I continue to vacillate in my faith, the rest of my life? And so challenge the instruction, the gentle instruction that I received, actually put me on a proper path and gave me an opportunity forward as a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ. So there was no condemnation. He wasn't judging me necessarily. He just said, Hey, based on what you've told me, you need to take a break from your work in the Sunday school department until you just kind of figure out what you want to do with your life. So he said you can't serve in this area for awhile. And so it just challenged me and awakened me. Yeah. And it allowed me to make a 3 (27m 30s): Choice without, with, with, so 2 (27m 32s): I've heard of so many people who've been injured by the church. And I talked with a couple, couple of weeks ago and I said, why aren't you insurers? They said, well, we've been injured by the church. I said, well, who hasn't been injured by the church, right? I mean, the church is full of people and the church is full of broken people. So if you come to church, chances are, you're going to get your stuff, your toe stub and somethings get somebody going to say something or do something and it's going to be hurtful. Or, and 3 (27m 60s): So, you know, I I've had poor 2 (28m 3s): Treatment by a doctor that doesn't mean I stopped going to a doctor, right. I just keep going forward. So, so we, we need to, by God's grace lovingly instruct people, giving them an opportunity to move forward, not condemning them and not giving them a way forward. And we need to instruct in such a way that people have room to repent and a path forward in the church. It has God's kindness that leads people to repentance according to Romans too. So when you're tempted to be harsh, when you're tempted to be unloving, when you're tempted to be critical or remember your own struggle with sin, and that will soften. If we get honest about our own struggle with sin, our own struggle with temptation. 2 (28m 47s): If we get honest about what God has done to deliver us in the extent to which God went to deliver us, it will soften us. When we're dealing with people who are stuck in sin themselves. We can remember I'm giving my testimony tomorrow night at M six. It's a men's group that gathers a few hundred people. And as I, as I've been thinking about my testimony, I thought this is how I always instruct people to give their testimony. What is, what was your life like BC, like your BC days before Christ and then what triggered your life change and brought you to the cross. And then what has God done since the cross? And so that's kind of how I'm going to break it up. Three-part message tomorrow night about my story. And it just began to get me thinking about my story again. 2 (29m 29s): And we need to think about our, our path, our story, because it refreshes us in the grace and the mercy of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Maybe God's done a bunch of a Mar marvelous things, wonderful things, but it's been 10 years or 20 years or 30 or 60 years. And you've forgotten how incredibly good God is. His mercy, his grace, his kindness, his love, his patience, all of those things. So be refreshed in your own story. And then you can instruct people with gentleness and watch the fruit of that. I was talking to a guy, I mean services. And he said, Hey, my grandpa, Fred, he's got stage four, colon cancer. I'm going to go pick him up. 2 (30m 9s): And I'm looking for an opportunity to share the gospel with them. How do I share the gospel with my grandpa Fred? I said, well, just be, just be prayerful. I said, this is how we do everything in the kingdom. We're prayerful first. We're praying for God's opportunity to open up and we're listening and we're in tuned to what God is doing in the person's life. And I said, it's just like, anything else you're excited about? I said, well, I'm excited about golf and I'm excited about God. So in the course of any conversation, I might talk about golf or God, depending on the situation. So just make sure it's natural. Don't force it. Don't S you know, do a sales pitch. But when there's an opportunity, just begin to talk about the Lord, see what he will do to be clear. I'm excited more about God 3 (30m 51s): Than golf. 2 (30m 53s): I don't want anybody to be confused about that. Golf didn't save me, but it is awfully fun on a Monday afternoon to go play some 3 (30m 60s): Golf. So, 2 (31m 2s): Yeah. So remember your own struggle with sin. Remember what God did to rescue you. Remember the mercy and grace that you received then extend that same mercy and grace to others. We were struggling with somebody's sin because maybe it reminds us of somebody else or reminds us of our own past and our own sin. And it makes us jaded. And it hinders our ability to minister effectively, but most likely, that's the person that God has placed in your life to minister to effectively. So I said, this, I say this all the time, whatever it is that God has asked us to do, it requires that we be humble and dependent on God and fill with the holy spirit, reflecting his life and his word in everything that we do. 2 (31m 42s): And then as we do those, just things we're able to do, fruitfully what God has asked us to do. So it doesn't mean that we don't speak the truth, but we speak the truth in love, right? So sometimes we dance around the issues with the woman at the well, Jesus is at the well, and he addresses is the woman's sin and go get your husband. And he said, she said, well, I'm not married. And he said, yeah, you're right. I've been, you've been married five times. And the guy that you're living with now is not your husband. And what did she do? She ran into the city and she said, come meet the guy who told me everything that I'd ever done. Right? So she'd been confronted lovingly by Jesus about her sin. 2 (32m 24s): And then she was convicted by the power of the holy spirit. And she was changed and the whole city heard the gospel. What can we do to help others avoid the dangers of the last day, gently instruct extreme, instruct those who oppose the truth. And then number two, the season and the times we need to understand this season and the times in which we live, what are the last days look like? Luke 1256 in the new living translation, speaking to the crowd. Jesus said, you fools, you know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don't know how to interpret the present times. So we can look at the sky and say, ah, it's going to be a nice day. I think I'll go to the beach or no, it looks like it's going to rain. 2 (33m 7s): I should have my umbrella today. We're able to look at the signs in the sky and determine what the weather's going to be like, but we can't determine the signs of the times that we're living in. And sometimes we're blinded to it. Sometimes we're not paying attention to it, but we can be aware and we should be aware of the signs of the times. If you'd like help keeping up with what is happening in the last days, especially in the middle east, if you need help understanding the prophecies that are unfolding, you can download the app called 3 (33m 37s): Telegram. Thank you 2 (33m 39s): And follow Amir. Sarfatti on that. So telegram is a great, I just found out about it recently. And so Amir is a guy from the middle east who just stays on top of a biblical prophecy. That's unfolding in our lifetime and you'll get daily updates on what's happening in the middle east. And it's a hotbed for prophecy, and it's a hotbed for what God is going to be doing in the, in times and what he's doing now. And so if you'd like to know more about it, check that out. A mirror has about to be clear. There's counterfeit, Amir websites, Sarfatti websites, and so, or Instagram telegram accounts. And so he's got 125,000 followers. 2 (34m 21s): So you want to be careful to make sure that you're following the right guy. So find the guy that's got over a hundred twenty-five thousand followers, and that's who you want to follow. So that's telegram a mirror. Also. He's got to be hold Israel app and website. So you can check that out as well. Behold, Israel, Amir Sarfatti anyway, check it out. It'll just help you. It'll just help you day to day. And I'm so grateful for the resource and been reading it every day. So let's get into second Timothy chapter three, verse one, it says, you should know this Timothy that in the last days, there will be very difficult times, very difficult times. And so we're talking about for the last 2000 years, the church has had very difficult times, but leading up to the return of Christ is going to get increasingly different. 2 (35m 8s): You should know this Timothy that in the last days, there will be very difficult times for people will love only themselves and their money. So now we're going to see what this will look like. People will love only themselves and their money. People will be self-centered and narcissistic. It's interesting because Lucifer said, I will be like the most high God. So he was self-centered and narcissistic. So it's not curious. It's not, it's not surprising that he would attempt people in the area that he was tempted. He said, I will be like, imagine standing before God and say, I will be like the most high God, you gotta be pretty delusional about who you are, but that's where he was. And for the rest of humanity's history, he's been tempting people the same way. 2 (35m 53s): Colossians verse continue. Verse two continues. They will be boastful and proud scoffing at God disobedient to their parents and ungrateful, they will consider nothing sacred. So boasting is just an indication that there's pride internally. And so we need to be careful because whatever's going on out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. And so if we've got pride in our hearts, we will be boasting. We need to be clear that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. But this is a sign of the in times people will become increasingly proud and boastful scoffing at God. The words literally blaspheming God disobedient to their parents and ungrateful, they will consider nothing sacred. 2 (36m 38s): And we've noticed that even just in the 21st century with our church here, we used to have lots of weddings here at harvest church. It's a cute little chapel spot for people to get married. And so people would use the classrooms to, you know, dress and that sort of thing. And we, so he would say, Hey, please don't drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes in our buildings, simple requests, right? Almost inevitably, almost every time we would show up and people would be smash. And this is not always, but sometimes church people as well, and they'd be smoking and drinking in our rooms. And so you'd wake up Sunday morning going into the classrooms and what it would, it would smell like a bar in there, right? Cigarettes and alcohol. So we had to stop basically for the most part, having weddings here, especially for the public, because they were just thrashing our facility and they had no, they consider nothing sacred. 2 (37m 30s): We've had to set up video cameras all over inside and outside of the property, because this is a thoroughfare, which is great. We love that people come through, we invite kids to come and play basketball and our basketball courts, and we just love it. But inevitably people will. We've had people break into our facilities, stealing from us, vandalizing our property, doing all kinds of crazy stuff. And so now we have to have doors locked back in the day. Remember you watched these old films and the church doors are always open, right? So people can come in and pray. If we did that, the whole place would be destroyed and looted. And there would be nothing left for Sunday morning. It's just a crazy world that we live in. And so nothing is considered sacred in this day 3 (38m 14s): And age. And so we just, just, we have to 2 (38m 18s): Be aware of the seasons and the times and adapt, but keeping our hearts tender because we don't want to be hard-hearted toward the world. Otherwise we're not doing what God has called us to do. So we're to love those. We talked about this last week, love those who are difficult. We can only do these things as we're filled with the holy spirit and his word and allowing God to be God through us. First three, they will be unloving and unforgiving. Again, this makes sense. The very thing that defines the gospel God's love and forgiveness is what the enemy tempts people to resist. 2 (38m 59s): I've noticed that when the person hasn't received the love and forgiveness of God, they have a hard time extending love and forgiveness to others. So maybe it's been a while since you've experienced the love 3 (39m 10s): And the forgiveness of God, 2 (39m 13s): Refresh yourself in that truth. Rehearse that truth that God's love is unconditional. Maybe you're feeling distant from the Lord because you made it some mistakes. And you're feeling if the Lord doesn't love you, God absolutely loves you. His love is on 3 (39m 30s): Conditional. And so 2 (39m 33s): Whatever mistakes you've made, no, that when you confess your sins, he is faithful. And just know that his forgive, this 3 (39m 39s): Is for you. I have 2 (39m 41s): To remind myself sometimes at the gospels for me, 3 (39m 44s): Right? 2 (39m 46s): If I stumble how the gospels for me, if I say something, I shouldn't say, ah, the gospel's for me, right? I need you to remember that the gospel is free. That refreshes me in the Lord. It keeps me humble and it keeps my heart in the right place so that I might minister effectively to people in the church and people outside of the church. A few weeks ago, I challenged everybody a couple of weeks in a row to be taking the gospel to the streets as it were to share the gospel. And so I just want to continue to encourage you to do that as part of your job, your responsibility, as a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ 3 (40m 21s): Love people. The 2 (40m 24s): Passage in second Timothy, that we studied last week, told us to be kind to everyone. And again, this is impossible. If one has not experienced the kindness of God personally, so no this season, this is the last days. And it's our time to gently instruct people who oppose the truth, right? Sometimes you just get from 3 (40m 42s): Straight in by the world's falling apart. Wow. The world's going to go into a pot. It is, it is, 2 (40m 51s): But as the world gets darker or light gets brighter. And we have an opportunity before us. And so love people by the grace of God, difficult people and see what God will do. Second, Timothy three, three continues. They will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends. Be reckless, be puffed up with pride and love. Pleasure, rather than good. 3 (41m 15s): They will act religious, but they will reject the power 2 (41m 21s): That could make them godly. Stay away from people like that. What's the power that can make us godly the holy spirits and the holy Bible. Those two things make us 3 (41m 33s): Holy. Now the holiness of God 2 (41m 35s): Has been imputed to us, but our lives 3 (41m 38s): Are made holy by our actions. So we 2 (41m 41s): Are w w we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, but the holy spirit and the holy Bible help us to help us to walk in that godly life that he's called us to live. So the holy spirit is there to it's a person, second or third member of the Trinity. The holy spirit is meant to convict the world of sin and of righteousness. So when we're struggling, he convicts us. When we need challenge, he challenges us. He speaks to us, he's taken a residency in our lives, but we got to invite him. Also, we got to say, holy spirit, would you speak to me? Would you lead me? Would you guide me as part of the, the abiding with God that we talked about last week, allowing the holy spirit to do what he wants to do the holy Bible. 2 (42m 23s): The last couple of verses that we'll look out today is verses 16 and 17. And I'll just read those really quickly. It says, all scripture is inspired by God. So we're talking about the old and the new Testament, the Canada, God, okay, inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true. And to make us real, what is wrong in our lives? It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good. So you can't do what God has asked you to do in the earth. Not for long. Anyway, you might be able to muster up some spiritual energy or something and do what God has asked you to do for a moment, but you'll know, never be able to do it longterm and with great fruitfulness and that kind of fruitfulness that God desires to produce in your 3 (43m 6s): Life. So be a person who is filled with the holy spirit, 2 (43m 12s): Right? Ask the spirit of God to speak to you, to minister, to equip you for the work that God has called you to. And then open up the word of God every single day, every day. I know I beat that like a drum, but that is the reality of the situation. You got to open up the word every day, I'm in a seminary level class, and I love it because they take you back to the basics in this class. And they say, go back and reread Genesis through the song of Solomon and do it over the next two months. And at first I was like, ah, this is a lot of reading it's going to be kind of, or, but then I changed my mind and this is what we have to do. We have to change our mind about the scripture. 2 (43m 53s): We often think it's, oh, it's a bummer. It's just going to take up time. It's not worth my time. It is worth our time. And so, instead of thinking about this as an assignment for myself, I decided added to think of it differently and say, you know what? This is an opportunity for me just to 3 (44m 6s): Be deep in the word and see what the Lord will speak 2 (44m 9s): To me as well as, you know, get my assignments done and that sort of thing. So now I'm reading, I don't know, 10, 12 chapters a day, sometimes 15 chapters a day just to get through that text. And, but I'm reading through it just kind of thoughtfully. Sometimes we rush through our devotional time, but the Lord wants us to just, it doesn't take that much extra time to read through it thoughtfully and make it a time of devotion where you're, what you're doing is you're examining your own life in light of the scripture. You're saying, God, speak to 3 (44m 39s): Me through this scripture, the culture and the context may be difficult for me to 2 (44m 45s): Grasp, but I know that you've got something to speak to me. The word of God is it's a, double-edged short, it 3 (44m 51s): Cuts and divides and reveals and communicates. 2 (44m 56s): And there's just something powerful about it. But we need to change our minds 3 (44m 59s): About the word of God and begin to think 2 (45m 4s): About it differently and open it up every single day, verse five, again says they will act religious. So Paul, isn't just talking about people in the world. He's also talking about people in the church. People who act religious godless, men and women who claim to know God, but our wolves in sheep's clothing. This is what they do. Verse six, they are kind, they are the kind who worked their way into people's homes. And when the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires, such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth. And so Paul is addressing something that is happening currently in the church at emphasis, but he's also addressing what godless people do in the earth. 2 (45m 48s): Those people who are wolves in sheep's clothing, they are pretending or acting pious, but they lack the power that can make them godly. So Paul is addressing occurrence in that day situation, but he's also addressing what's going on here. So we, we need to be careful if we are pious religious, but lacking the word in the spirit. We're always going to be off. We're always going to be missing the mark. We're always going to be misunderstanding what God has called us to do much like these women that Paul is talking about. They're forever following new teachings, but they're never able to understand the truth. And so that's why we say, keep going back to the truth. 2 (46m 29s): Keep going back to the truth, get a good Bible, get a good study Bible. Keep going back to it. I'll ask a lot of the holy spirit to fill you and to direct you. We just prayed out a couple who are moving to Arkansas. And I don't know why anybody would want to move to Arkansas, but apparently people are moving to Arkansas and Idaho and Oregon and all, all kinds of places. So we prayed 3 (46m 52s): Them out and 2 (46m 55s): They said, Hey, we're, we're living. There's 21 churches to choose from. I said, you know what? Pray and watch the holy spirit direct you to the right shoe. 3 (47m 3s): Cause you gotta be careful. So they're praying. They're believing 2 (47m 7s): That the holy Spirit's going to direct them. And then they will find a church that is good and Bible teaching 3 (47m 12s): And, and aligns with their values as followers of the Lord. Jesus Christ. Do you believe that stuff or is it just kind of like whatever? I 2 (47m 25s): Mean, do we believe that the holy spirit of God dwells 3 (47m 28s): In us in two Wells, this was 2 (47m 30s): In us richly and that gives us the wisdom instruction for life. It's part of the abiding walk with Jesus. We have to believe this kind of stuff. It's not Hocus Pocus. It's not magic. It's the real person of God living in us directing us. I mean, it's real stuff like you don't have to ask Lord what pair of socks should I wear? He, I don't think he cares about that kind of stuff. But if you want to ask, go ahead. It's that kind of relationship. I don't care if you ask God, what kind of socks to wear, but you can ask, Lord is, you know, what do you want me to do with this resource, Lord? What do you want me to do with this day? I get up every morning and say, God, this day is yours. I just want to honor you with the day. 2 (48m 11s): And sometimes I get it. Sometimes I miss it. But, but that's the intention. I believe that God wants to speak to us and direct us. So as I go to work, Lord, what do you want me to do? Would you help me to encounter the right people? Help me not to be distracted by the wrong people. How many get the work done that I need to get done and help me not to be worried about the stuff that I don't need to be worried about. Just watch what God will do. First aid. These teachers oppose the truth just as Janice and jam bris opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and the counterfeit faith who were Janice and Jamaris, we don't really know from scripture, but from a tradition, Hebrew tradition, Jewish tradition, these were most likely the magicians in Pharaoh's court. 2 (48m 57s): So you go back to Exodus 7, 8, 9 in there. 3 (49m 3s): There were a couple 2 (49m 4s): Of magicians who would do basically mimic the, the miracles that God would perform. And we read about here next exit seven, verses eight through 13. Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron Pharaoh will demand. 3 (49m 16s): Show me miracle 2 (49m 19s): If we need it miracle. So miracles were given in the first century and they're still given today to help people believe the truth. But if your day-to-day life requires a miracle from God before you trust him, your, your faith is shallow and you're not gonna, you're not gonna make it. You're not gonna make it long-term. And when things get difficult there, I went to Israel a couple years ago, year and a half ago or so. And our tour guide was Jewish, but he wasn't a Christian, but he knew about all the miracles that Jesus performed. And he talked about all the miracles that Jesus performed, but he still did not know Jesus, the Pharisees, the religious leaders of Jesus' day. 2 (49m 59s): They saw him raise the dead feed. The multitudes heal the sick, do all of these amazing things. And they still refuse to believe. Pharaoh will see the miracle and he will refuse to believe, show me a miracle when he does this say to Aaron, take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh. And it will become a serpent. So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials. And it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers. And these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic. They threw down their staffs and I don't know how that happened and they became serpents, but then Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs and Pharos part. 3 (50m 45s): However, it remained hard. His heart remained hard. 2 (50m 49s): He still refused to listen just as the Lord had predicted. So if you're walking around and expecting a miracle and you're throwing around down your staff, like, oh, I didn't turn into a snake. I'm going to throw it out another one. Oh, apparently God, God 3 (51m 2s): Is not real. 2 (51m 7s): Put out fleeces before the Lord all the time. Lord, give me a financial miracle or give me a relationship. Miracle, Lord, give me a healing miracle or give me all of this stuff. And that's the expectation some of us have. And because God doesn't do our wish lists, we kind of hold them at arms length. The miracle that we need to be thinking about is the miracle on the cross, 3 (51m 32s): Where he died, 2 (51m 33s): The substitutionary death 3 (51m 35s): In my place, imputing righteousness to me so that I might know him and know him for eternity and escape, hell and death. That's the miracle. Jesus has done everything that he needs to do. And if 2 (51m 54s): He graces us with a miracle, praise the Lord, but I'm not serving him for the miracles. I'm serving him 3 (51m 58s): Because he saved me and he's called me and he is worthy. And so we need to get 2 (52m 8s): Out of that deal, making perspective and plan with God because he won't play your game. He loves you. But playing that game will keep you shallow 3 (52m 23s): And weak in your faith. As a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ, 2 (52m 29s): Timothy three nine, but they won't get away with this for long someday. Everyone will recognize what fools they are just 3 (52m 36s): As with you they were 2 (52m 39s): Free pools because they refuse to believe Moses, even when science had been given. Why? Because they have depraved minds in counterfeit, faith, how has your mind, and how has your faith? We need to be careful to guard our minds. And that's why last week I talked about protecting what we allow in. We do, we do that by protecting what we see through our eyes on the internet, on the television. So there are different software programs that can be used. Covenant eyes is one that you can download on your computer 3 (53m 13s): And, and that will help 2 (53m 15s): Filter the stuff that actually doesn't filter, but you've got an accountability partner. So whatever you watch on line that your accountability partner knows. So that's pretty awesome, right? And so you need to be careful what you're you're doing. We have a video angel. Yes. Heard of it. Angel. It's just kind of filters all of the trashy stuff on TV programs and movies and that sort of thing. 3 (53m 37s): So anyway, 2 (53m 40s): No, the seasons of the times, number one, gently instruct those who oppose the truth. This is how we help others. We gently instruct them. And then we know the seasons and the time so that we're not taken aback by them. And then number three, we remained faithful. 3 (53m 51s): So we're able to help others. If we're not remaining faithful, we don't even have a desire to help 2 (53m 57s): Others. We don't see the need to help others. But if we're remaining, if we're remaining faithful, like Paul talks about in verse 10, then we will. But you Timothy. Certainly no I teach 3 (54m 8s): And how I live and what my purpose in life is. So we talk 2 (54m 13s): A lot about purpose around here. What's your purpose? What has God called you to do? And will Paul knew what Timothy was up to or Timothy knew what Paul was up to, what he taught, how he lived and his purpose. You know, my faith, my patients, my love and my endurance. Why did Paul need faith? Patients' love and 3 (54m 27s): Endurance. Why did he need 2 (54m 30s): Faith? Patients' love and endurance. He needed faith. Patients' love and endurance because his life was hard. His life was hard. You know, how much persecution and suffering I have endured verse 11. You know, all about how I was persecuted in Antioch. I conium and Lister, but the Lord rescued me from all of it. In those places. Mobs were incited against Paul. Like people gathered in incited mobs. And at one point they stoned him. They thought to death, they drug him outside of town to leave him there because they thought he was dead. The believers gathered around him. And as they gathered around him, he came to and what did he do after he came to, he went back into the town. 2 (55m 10s): Why did he get he's? He's got work to do, right? He's got work to do. And even stoning, even Stony, I was not going to keep him from 3 (55m 19s): Doing what God had called them to do. 2 (55m 22s): Do you know all about what I personally all about how I was persecuted Antioch. I, Tony, Melissa, but the Lord, this is an interesting statement that Paul makes, but the Lord rescued me from all of it. Moms were incited against him and he was stoned almost to death, but the Lord rescued me from all of it. What does that mean? We think the Lord's going to rescue us and take us out of all of our trouble. And we won't have any tribulation troubles or problems in the earth if we just trust the Lord. And we think if, if we're experiencing tribulation or problems that we've obviously disappointed. God, okay. Paul was able to say the Lord rescue me from all of it because God resurrected him after his Stony. 2 (56m 6s): Not that he was dead, but he healed him, got him up. I mean, the guy was left for dead. God actually absolutely had to heal him. He getting pelted with stones in the head and you're getting knocked. God had to heal him so that he could get back up. Doesn't say he was dead. So he didn't get resurrected, but he was, he had to get healed. So what Paul's saying is, Hey, the Lord was faithful to the Lord, rescued me and that he got me back up on my feet. So I can go back and do what God had asked me to do. Right? When God was done with Paul, they cut his head off. That's a pretty good indication that God has done with you. So keep going, keep going. And all they do the same, right? Keep going. Your head's still attached. 2 (56m 46s): Oh good. I got work to do. Yes. And everyone who is, who wants, oh, this is interesting and encouraging. Yes. And everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ, Jesus will suffer persecution. So this happened in Paul's day and what happened as the end time events unfold and as demonic opposition to God's people. 3 (57m 5s): And God's plan on fold. 2 (57m 11s): I'm told from things that I read, that there's actually more persecution of the church today in the 21st century than the previous 20 centuries combined. 3 (57m 22s): That interesting, not in our town, you know, 2 (57m 28s): Not much anyway. I mean, I don't know of anybody that's been stone lately or mobs incited, or had their head cut off. But in other parts of the world, Israel is a war zone right now, just Friday. 3 (57m 40s): Hezbollah dropped 19 2 (57m 44s): Rockets, shot 19 rockets at Israel and Northern Israel. And, and they've been in a war zone where they're God's people. And so for almost since the inception, the beginning of Israel's history, they'd been in a battle somewhere. Cause the enemy hates God's people who are God's people. Well, it's the Jews. But then if you know, Jesus you've been grafted in. So you're part of God's people. And so you're going to be under, under, in a battle zone and you're going to be up against 3 (58m 14s): Obstacles and you can be sure that Satan is interested in 2 (58m 18s): Just discouraging you. If you want to find out why Israel or God's chosen people just go back and read the pendant to go back and read Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, numbers, and Deuteronomy, and watch the story of God unfold. It's still 3 (58m 32s): Unfolding today. And 2 (58m 35s): It's just helpful for us to go back and have that understanding. Sometimes we avoid the old Testament, but it's actually a foundation 3 (58m 40s): For the new. It helps us to understand the whole Bible as a whole back 2 (58m 45s): To the description of what the last days will look like. Verse 13, but evil people and imposters will thrive. 3 (58m 51s): They will flourish. They will 2 (58m 53s): Deceive others and will themselves be deceived, but you must remain faithful. Verse 14 says you must remain faithful to the things that you've been taught. You know, they are true for, you know, you can trust those who touch you. You've been taught the holy scriptures from childhood and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus, all scriptures wired by God and is useful to teach us what is true. And to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. So 3 (59m 29s): How can we help others 2 (59m 31s): Avoid the dangers of the last days, gently instruct those who oppose the truth. 3 (59m 38s): Figure out a way to do that. Lovingly 2 (59m 41s): Graciously mercifully 3 (59m 44s): Instructed with the truth, 2 (59m 46s): Know the seasons and the times don't let it freak you out, but let it prepare you and remain faithful. So you're able to help others with that. Let's go ahead and stand up all of us and we'll invite the worship team out. And we will worship some more with a couple more songs and, and we will wrap up this service Lord, thank you for this time. Thank you that you have been here through the worship, through the fellowship, through the times of prayer, through the teaching of your word, Lord, we thank you that your presence is obvious. And so we pray God that you would continue to speak to us as we worship you. God revealing God reveal yourself to us in wonderful ways. Lord God got to refresh our hearts and minds, bring conviction where we need conviction and do the work that you do in our lives. 2 (1h 0m 31s): It's the work that only you can do Lord. So thank you. Thank you for what you're doing in our church. Bless the work at 1 0 2 down the road. Lord, that new facility blessed that we pray. Thank you for providing for it. God, you know the obstacles in front of us with the electrical stuff that's in front of us and the plumbing stuff and all of the, all of the challenges. Lord, we just give those to you and trust you Lord. So thank you for your goodness and faithfulness through every season and project of life. We love you in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Let's worship 1 (1h 9m 50s): Lord. We pray that our praise would be pleasing to you. We honor you this morning. We humble ourselves confess that you are the one true. Holy God. Worthy of all praise. We asked you to give us strength, walk with you this week.