R216 Surrounded by Friends

God has an encouraging word for you and me today to the Bible-based reading of Dr. Don Wilton and a message surrounded by friends.

Sometimes we feel that going and yet sometimes we don't. God has chosen to allow us to spend time in collaboration the body of Christ is about the elbow helping the kneecap helping the jaw bone and together as we work together we can accomplish things as friends like never before. If you feel like you are needing a friend where here for you 24 hours a day at this number 866-899-WORD.

You need someone to talk with pray with connecting some of our resources.

The number again is 86689673 or email us at online@tewonline.org@up for the daily Encouraging Word. It's their GW online.org save. Do not store up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy with the breaking of speed store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust cannot destroy, and where thieves do not break in and you where your treasure is, there your heart will also be my the Lord right you quit upon our hearts at this time. Paul's letter to the Colossians in chapter 4. I'm just so grateful that God has allowed me to be able to study and to share these wonderful truths from the great crystal is been a tremendous joy in wonderful experience for me personally as I have endeavored to study and teach from God's word out of Colossians I have entitled message surrounded by frame surrounded by framing we notice from verse seven of chapter pool right through to verse 18 that will begin to talk about all series of people that had come to mean a great deal to him. I wish that I could spend a lot of time today telling you about the cravings that God has brought into my life and into Karen's life into our families life is just something about the miracle of friendship.

That's what church is all about God is blessing me with so many friends.

I love people and love to be around people and there been many many times in my life that frames the main so much to me. I believe frames that here in Colossians chapter 4 that the apostle Paul prays for us. Perhaps I will photograph he verbalizes a group photograph rust and I believe that we begin to understand somewhat of what pull is trying to teach us that nothing that he has said and nothing that he has been able to accomplish is able to be accomplished outside of those who hold his crane read these few verses together beginning in verse seven talking Chris will tell you all the news about thesis Paul he is a dear brother, a faithful minister and a fellow servant in the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your heart is not a wonderful thing to say about a friend.

He is coming with a person by the name of an estimate faithful and here brother, who is one of you, they will tell you everything that is happening here, my fellow prisoner Aristarchus saves you his greetings as does John Locke, a cousin of Barnabas. Now you have received instructions about and if he comes to you welcome him. Jesus was called Joss.

Chris also seen greetings these are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. Verse 12 Pappas who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you that you may stand firm in one of the God of mature and fully assured of your salvation I've found for him that he is working hard for you and provided those at Laodicea entire progress. Our dear friend Luke, the doctor gives together with Dimas, greetings, give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea and Toluca and the church in our house is not a wonderful thing. Dr. Neely's been preaching about that the church in your house the family tonight.

I want to make sure that you get done. It was incredible lost two weeks the church in your house. What is the Bible teach about the family about your church in your house for 16 off of this letter has been read to you see that it is also arrayed in the church of the Laodicea and that your intern read the letter from Laodicea and fell onto Chris secret that you complete the work you've received in the Lord.

I will write this greeting in my own hand.

Remember my chains.

Grace be with you by the Lord. Write these words upon our hearts is wonderful to be able to be surrounded by friends I mean that's just incredible. The world is lonely. There are lonely people. He had a knife.

There are lonely people here this morning.

They are terribly lonely people in the world that God ever smiled upon our family was the moment in which God hold us together here together with our friends at First Baptist Church because the incredible dynamic of a group of men who often cravings in Christ Jesus, crying together, praying together sharing with one another. There is something very special about being bonded together in the birth of the living God in these final three verses of Colossians pool I believe is reminding us of any central truth and it is simply this, that God has no gift list children if we would understand what he was saying here. I believe that he is beginning to alkaline press. The essential nature of what it means for God's people to come together in the unified expression of the goodness of the common purpose of telling other people about the saving grace of God in Christ Jesus. And that's why I believe that we have a Google group photograph painted here. You see friends, my beloved friends this morning is what it means to talk about the world of the personal tax of knowing Jesus Christ.

This is the flesh and blood of the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

This is the real essence of what it means to know that I know beyond any thought whatsoever that Jesus Christ is changed my life. May I submit to you today the doctrines on indispensable asset. I don't know where I would be without my friends I don't know where I would be. As I look out across his congregation without our deacons. I know where I would be without the Sunday school teachers. The men and women. We were not home on Friday night. I don't know where we wouldn't be without close to love us and who rarely reach out and call ourselves friends. We we had meetings this week. We were taken alkaline sleep, we rub shoulders me wearing funeral services. We were in the vice in that place meeting with people who are as much brothers and sisters in Christ, as they are our friends in Proverbs 27 verse 17 the writer says, as I am strong. I so it is that one man sharpens another as iron sharpens iron, so it is that one person sharpens another well I want us to look at this very briefly and I I want to warn you about eight points this morning and I tell you something I said.

Now, Lord, are you sure that you don't me to preach another eight messages on Colossians he said MoveOn son MoveOn so we probably going to come back to these at some time. I wish that we could beginning to tear into each one of the characteristics of these people who surrounded the apostle Paul, but let's look at the number one. One of the frames that surrounded the apostle Paul had a servant's heart. I want you to notice that in verse seven and eight that one of the friends that surrounded the apostle Paul had a servant's heart attack because the Bible says will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother. He's a faithful minister and he is a fellow servant of the Lord Jesus Christ pulled repeatedly throughout his epistles called himself the chief of service uses that would loss which means I am the bondslave of the Lord Jesus Christ. When I think of the real true essence of who we are in the Lord Jesus Christ. I think of what God means when we are called to be evidence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is an believable unspeakable gift and if it was one thing that made very clear. It was simply this, that he was surrounded by those whom God had cooled to be true true servants of the gospel servant is one who serves. A servant is one who gives with no strings attached, expecting nothing in return there be no limit my claim to the extent to which we are willing to go in order that others might know that they know that they know the truth. Joy of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ type because was one such person pool had been surrounded by friends who had a servant's heart, but I want you to notice in the second place that Paul was also surrounded by a person who had a sinful part. A sinful cost is nine was an estimate. Verse nine tells us about the book of Philemon was written because of him are missing must was a runaway slave.

He was someone who had been disobedient. He was someone my friend, who more than anything else demonstrate for you and for me that the pasta is no longer an issue as far as God people are concerned. I imagine you say amen to that. This morning I would nastiness my friend was one of the friends who surrounded the apostle Paul had a sinful path.

There was no question about his guilt. There was no question about these needing forgiveness but there was no question my friend about the concreteness of the forgiveness that he had received because of the Lord Jesus Christ and I've got news for you today. If you're a born-again believer. You indeed are a friend with a sinful path. I am one Bible says all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none who is righteous, no not one, but what an SMS was a testimony to because he was a living testimony to the trunk and forgiving of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ you're listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word. Please don't go away will be back with the rest of today's message surrounded by friends in just a moment, but we want you to know that we are excited to see how our friendships are growing as we study the word together. We are unifying our hearts around God's word in many different ways. There The Encouraging Word one of those is the daily Encouraging Word devotional you can receive it by email for interested in that sign up right now on our website@twonline.org that's TE W online.org you'll have the opportunity to sign up for it physically.

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Grow 2021 like never before email us at online@tewonline.org OR now back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton. All he was surrounded by some crane.

This man was one was one who had a seven star. Another was one who had a sinful cost but not in the third place. He was surrounded by friends who had a pathetic call.

He was surrounded by a friend who had a sympathetic look with me at first came in the first part my fellow prisoner aristocracy and you greetings now frames this morning. I don't have time to get into all the details about Aristarchus, but I do want to tell you that if you go back into the book of acts, and if you going to Ephesians and several of other cozy persons you going to discover that Aristarchus was always there with the apostle Paul. I mean, he was on the boat.

He was taken to prison, he was maligning saffron and smack on but you hardly ever hear about Aristarchus. Aristarchus was always there and the apostle Paul here at the lost moment of his liquor to the Colossian people say is I want you to know that my fellow prisoner aristocracy Lindsay's greetings to you and what is Paul trying to say.

He says that I'm not any surrounded by those who have a seven slot. I'm not any surrounded by those who have a sinful path, but I am surrounded by those who have a sympathetic call who have become man have become one in the street in which God has called us, but in the fourth place. I want you to notice that he was surrounded by friends who had surprising futures. He was surrounded in this instance, in verse 10 in the second part by praying who had a surprising future and his name was John Mark, the Bible says Mark, the cousin of Barnabas also send you greetings now you received instruction about from him in the pasta. But if he does come to you.

I want you to welcome him. Why was Mark John Marx future so surprising, very simple. If you go back to the book of acts you going to discover, as I did that it was John Mark who dissented Paul and Barnabas. It was John who decided to give up and leave. It was John who left in the half and I want to say few friends of John Mark had been in our community today. We might've just walked in with the map set off to get him inside of a man. He's walked out of your he's not willing to accept these responsibility.

He's not a man's man. He's not willing to face up.

When he's not willing to be flown with all those who are being flogged and beaten for Christ and yet when becoming a second Timothy chapter 4 and 11.

The apostle Paul says three sign in the ministry. Make sure that you receive: why because he is fully restored. He has a future in Christ Jesus. He was surrounded by those who had a surprising future, but I want you to notice in the first place. He was also surrounded by friends that despite the difficult circumstances he was surrounded by friends and stood firm.

Despite their difficult circumstances. Verse 11 Jesus who is called Justus by the way, that means that his last name was just a sleepy if you live Jedediah and he would be known as Mr. Jesus just is lost 97 nine would be justice and the Bible tells us about something about Mr. justice says that Mr. Justice also sends greetings, but they something remarkable about Mr. just the Bible says to him that he was one of only a few Jews among my fellow workers who have, for the sake of the kingdom of God friends back then.

In these circumstances.

That means that Mr. justice. And these huge cues of who they were only appearing number must be for this and put Jesus Christ and yet Paul says these are the people who brought me the most comfort. Why because they stood firm. Despite the difficult circumstances I know of people. Jedediah my friends who have undergone incredible difficult circumstances, but you stood for. I know people here who have undergone unbelievable things at home, at work and at play in the apostle Paul says I thank God that I'm surrounded by friends who stood firm. Despite difficult circumstances noted in the six instance that he was surrounded by those you wrestle in prayer before God. He was surrounded by those who wrestled in prayer before God look at a practicing verse 12.

Hypocrisy was one of you and a servant of Jesus Christ sends greetings. He is always wrestling and pray for you that you may stand firm in all the will of God.

Mature and fully assured that was the one dynamic that jumped out of mean them more than any of these others to think that the apostle Paul singled out and made so important.

The fact that they were somebody was praying for him, not just praying for him but wrestling in prayer. I'm convinced my friends that God brings into every church friends who wrestle in prayer before the throne of grace, but I want you to notice frames. The four things that he practiced prideful Bible tells us what he prideful number one. He prayed that Paul would stand firm. He prayed that forward stand firm.

He's right that he's always wrestling in prayer for you that you may stand firm. I wonder what he meant by that. My I suggest to you that what he meant by that is that it's very easy as a born-again believer to become wobbly ever seen a wobbly wobbly Christian you know they look like a been writing too many horses on the lake they just goblets like kill alarming they just wobble around all over the place and you know with all the circumstances of life friends, many of us become shaky with all the challenges going on, you know, if I had to awesome my beloved congregation to pray for me and for the stock. I would ask you to pray for these four things. Number one that we would stand firm that we would be bold that we would be unapologetic in our love for one another and for our people that we would love to minister in a in a manner of Christlike firmness that we would be determined and that we would be resolute that they would be a natural foundational understanding within our hearts and lives that we would seek to grow in the grace and knowledge and admonition of the Lord Jesus, a preference wrestled in prayer number one that they would stand firm number two that they would determine God's will that they would determines God's will. That's what he says right there in verse 12 PC friends. There is nothing more important for us as a church, then to determine the will of God for our lives and then to do it.

There's nothing more important I want you to know something friends. I have discovered that the teachers that I can know how mature I am in the five you see what a preference is hitting on here is the dynamic of which there is a real sense in which you can be a 60-year-old born-again believer and yet still run around in spiritual diapers. Paul is saying that that because my understanding of God is in Phillips my very being that I need to be involved in a systematic program aggressive step toward Christian spiritual maturity. We need to pray for that. But in the fourth instance but we need to pray that we would be fully assured about salvation is by how could that be applicable to pull friends. I think they must be many times when Paul must wondered whether he was saved. Archer, I can just imagine when he was flogged by those Romans and the meat was being pulled off his back by those spikes from the Non-titles.

I would imagine Paul would've said, Lord, I don't even know finally, I guarantee you friends. There are many times in our lives, born-again believers, that we find ourselves touting our salvation and wondering if we going to go to heaven. But the Bible says that we can pray that we know that we know that we know that we know that we know that with not because we feel that Chris by virtue of the fact of our faith even through the Lord Jesus Christ. You can know that you're safe you can say collecting right now and I'll tell you God will give you an assurance structure which you've never experienced in your entire life people. These were the kinds of frames that surrounded the apostle number seven. He was surrounded by friends who had specialized talents. I like this one. He was surrounded by friends who had specialized talents liquidated verse 14. The first part now dear friend Luke, the doctor how we know a lot about Luke because he was a doctor and he wrote a lot in God's book. But you know what Paul is trying to tell us your is that God's people, and God's church comprises of those who have specialized care. I look around this congregation.

I see the quiet of the orchestra. I hear the singing. I look at the Sunday school and discipleship training in life Institute. I see the deacons in the visitation programs I work for the stop and go here and there and all the time. I'm becoming more and more aware that God surrounds God's people with friends who have specialized what is your specialized talent. What are you doing for the sake of the cross. But I want you to notice in the final instance in the in the eighth instance today that pull was surrounded. Sadly enough by a friend who had a sad future. He was surrounded by friend who had a sad future. He's name was Dimas look with me in bed. Verse 14. Now, dear friend Luke, the doctor and Dimas send greetings to you and see what we don't know about Dimas.

My friends is that in second Timothy chapter 4 verses nine through 10 fold says Dimas, having loved this present world, has deserted me. Yes, Jesus Heidi's Judas and Paul Heidi's Dimas. You know, my beloved friends this morning. The greatest tragedy about this great congregation here today. The greatest tragedy is that they could be a precious person in this congregation, having heard and having love the things of God you going to allow Satan to get hold of you that in years to come. People are going to simply say what a tragedy that he ladies life go to pieces market. You see, you don't have to do that when you're apart a family of God.

Paul is saying that when we are inextricably intertwined into the heartbeat of who God is, when we are surrounded by friends who know and love and serve Jesus Christ that God will write upon us to join my beloved frame structure which we've never experienced. I thank God for my frame. I thank God for you and we thank God for you. Some of you and our friends from the very beginning of this ministry over 10 years sharing Christ in every day seeing people get their lives to Christ. Some of you you're tuned in and you realize that instead of just hearing Dr. Don Priester that you've heard the love of God reach out to you through the living word of God, the Bible itself.

You know it's time for change.

I pray that none of us whether we been walking with Christ like I have for decades ready like some my friends that I know are Brenda Christensen just literally came saved in 2020.

Or maybe Patty to step out in faith. Hold on for just a moment. Dr. Don comes back with a closing thoughts for the day. Are you ready you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that Jesus loves that he died on today. I repeat to myself and I confess my sins and I give him in Jesus name, amen.

If you prayed that prayer from your heart, giving your life to welcome you to the family of brothers and sister in Christ, it's getting gauge to give because we are connected together for ever as believers in Christ, welcome to the family of God. Some of you I know have given your life to Christ for the first time in some rededicate your life. We have wonderful resources that Dr. done what you have, give us a call right now at 866-899-WORD and let us know if you like to tease 866-899-WORD 9673 is also the place to call if you if you have some questions. Let us discover those answers in the Bible, 866-899-9673 are here for you 24 hours a day were here to encourage you and also grateful for the many of you who are encouraging us by becoming encouragers are so happy to tell you that over people. Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior's arm right to harvest our prayer for the new year is the good news of Jesus Christ to more people. People learn. Will you join us and we need your support becoming collected 99 wearing 999673 information on how where encouraging wearing The Encouraging Word anywhere in an industry today again discover more of who we are online@twonline.org and nowhere here to pray for you right now at 866-899-WORD 9673 take care and