Forever Faithful - Part 2

Speaking of how angry we got we got some going out to Truth Network this can help the world not be so angry, just need God's word is please help to Truth Network send Bibles to Africa and we know that they they need God's word. We have until the end of the month, just five dollars gets a Bible in the hands of a poor, impoverished believers all over the African continent with the help of the Bible league, just five dollars. Think about that Robbie just five dollars a please give you give more than five dollars man would love for you to do it in the number to call is one 800 yes word, one 800 yes word on 800 yes word hello this is Matt slick from the match looked like podcast right defend the Christian faith and lay out our foundation of the truth of God's word are chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network.

This is the Truth Network do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill.

Do you feel like Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this but I can't do that. Do you feel like your efforts to reach God.

Find God, and please God do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today.

Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local Triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious analysis to do anything is not done in faith.

It does not please God. Nothing done without faith. Please God see all God is a God of many second chances you need a second chance tonight. Would you like to start over one more time who would like to start it one more time if you answered yes to let me share tonight five commitments of five resolutions that listen I will make the semi we can make them together and we can commit tonight by making these five resolutions that we want to be forever faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ who is risky because that's what you're sitting here God has plucked you out and you're sitting here not because you chose to be able God chose you to be here, you realize that you have nothing to do with it. So if you're sitting here is not by chance you're sitting here because God rescued you. The reason I'm here is because he reached him, and he rescued me and I want to pay him back with my life. Not that I'm trying to earn his favor.

His are given this favor, but I want to live for him. The rest of my life. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives. Would you like to live the rest of your life worthy of the Lord, listen and commit your life to him completely in verse one, Paul addresses the issue of masters in this life was spent a lot of time on this is its is not because it's clear that slavery is evil so him. He slavery is evil. Anytime someone is kidnapped and healthful labor against their will, that is against everything that God meant for us in this life is evil and God hates it. In Paul's day, the sled was not exactly what you think of when you think of the evil slavery that we've had here in America. According to here is a wonderful website as if you want to have you have questions you would ask and get really good theological answers is a website called got questions.org and is still not this is theologically sound somewhat to got questions.org and I just typed in slavery in the Bible it is what it says there's a tendency to look at slavery as something of the past but is estimated there are today over 27 million people in the world who are subject to slavery, forced labor, sex trade, inheritable property and it goes on and on as those have been redeemed from the slavery of sin. Followers of Jesus Christ should be the foremost champions of ending slavery in the world today. That's what the Bible stands for. The Bible does not specifically condemn the practice of slavery.

Instead, it gives instructions on how slaves should be treated but it does not outlaw slavery altogether. That which is not the purpose of the Bible. The purpose of the Bible and the reason Jesus came to war was to share the gospel to say slaves and free men see when a person gets the dreaded call from the doctor that contains the C word. Most people get gripped with fear because they think they have cancer that we have something greater.

Dick that can cure something even greater. This more different here than Sandusky thinking cancer is sin in Jesus came to set us free from it. In Romans 116 Paul writes, I'm not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. Miller was the gospel has the power to save a man is when you hear the gospel you come to know who.

If you yield to it becoming a Christ did you know that atheists and agnostics, or he's not very impressed with our faith dinner while because they look at us, they say, what if you really believe what you say you believe that how come you haven't shared with me. They got a good point. Why you keep it to yourself why document myself, you know, most Christians aren't willing to share the gospel with a friend or family member because of because they fear the sneer of the peer and you might be ashamed of it. So if you having trouble opening your mouth. What should you do look at verse three. Pulses pray for us, to the God may open a door for a message so that we were may proclaim the mystery of Christ is when a guess.

We ask God that he will forestall give us the desire to share with others, and that he will give us the courage to share it you want to do that you have the desire only got give you that desire. Paul writes in Ephesians 619, 20.

Pray also for me that whenever I open my mouth wars may be given. They said I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel for John and ambassador in chains.

Pray that I may declare fearlessly as I should see even the apostle Paul wanted Kurt to share the gospel to his wobbly if you want to see God's spiritual blessings in your life if you want to run to win the prize, then you must be willing to pray fervently and then share your faith frequently and then you would you you will see how powerful God really is is I believe God supplies power to those who out there sharing the gospel with others who have their in the name of Christ, helping others if you just want to Bible studies and collecting knowledge in your like the Dead Sea or the Dead Sea has seven rivers that flow into it and nothing flowing out. This was dead.

So if all you're doing is going from one baluster to the next and collecting knowledge but you're not given it out. You will be dead. God will she be alive.

Jesus said, my food is to do the will of him who sent me the worst.

He found nourishment for so he found joy in life by doing God's will and God's will for us men is to not keep this to ourselves getting wet and share with your friends in one, all you have to do or say hey I get Obama Saturday July is really help me with my life is happy to be a better man. You don't come and join us. Third is man, we must be wise in our encounters with unbelievers. Look at verse five. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders.

Let me say just a few things about dealing with family members and friends who don't of the Lord, but have a family member or friend a dozen of the Lord, don't argue with them about Christianity. You can't argue people into the kingdom of God. 11 you show your love and concern for them. By being a good listener, you should have that you care and the ears to God getting and how many miles one is a reason for that. James 119 says my dear brother take notice. Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak. If you want to win your friends to Christ, you win them by showing that you love them as they observe the grace of God in you, then perhaps at some point they may ask you for the reason for your hope in this often happens when they go through what trials and hardships. Years ago I was walking into this church elder will mean it brought me my cell phone rang and I do not recognize the number but I answered it. It turned out it was someone I knew that we were just acquaintances and he had never call me in his life. But the reason they call me was that because he got a call from the doctor told him that someone they love had cancer.

One of his children and he call me because you believe I have some answers. That's what happens people will call you who may not be issued. Baluster right now, but they go through difficulty, and they see you going to Bible study this a change in your life and will call you when the going gets tough and I recall the people are parting with them call you first Peter 315 says we should be what always prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks for to give the reason for the hope that we have, but we should do this. How with gentleness and respect, gentleness and respect.

Fourth, be careful how you spend your time look at verse five. Again, this is make the most of every opportunity. Time is our most precious commodity in this world, this their semi-distractions and some of the structure actually very good distractions only as good distractions, but I wonder how often we pursue what is good rather than what is best. Paul writes in Ephesians 515 through 17. Be very careful in how you live not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will in this John Charles Ryle says what we will leave in time we where in eternity. What we weave in time we where in eternity.R1 loose recess.

By the way. He's one of the greatest preachers in America only eternal values can give meaning to temper one's time must be the servant of eternity and when I look at my life. One of my greatest time wasters has been watching way too much.

What television's where you find yourself wasted too much time we could be so much more productive. I'm guilty as charged some money. Verse 12 says so teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom will have 70 days left. The clock is ticking stimulus resolve to live our time for Christ.

Remember what city says that only one life to us in the past, only what's done for Christ will last you believe that everything else is going to burn up the men what you do for Christ is going to be glorious. This will God will reward you for you have that glory emanating from you for all eternity. Number five be responsible in the use of your time.

Look at verse six. Let your conversation be always full of grace. Season with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone you heard the old saying what's in the will comes up in the bucket. It might not heard that saying dinner with that saying come from where most of them come from the Bible. Matthew 1234 Jesus is for out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks what he means. What's in the well comes up in the bucket is a listen if you claim to be a Christian and your friends here you using filthy language telling course jokes, gossiping about others. What people say about you when they hear you going to Bible study.

Your active church member weighs nothing but what hypocrite and you lose all credibility with them and we need to ask God to give us wisdom because the days are evil.

God will live and in some very evil guys.

So we need to be wise towards those who are not yet in the faith.

When he wise for the time we really want our conversations see what we really need in every life is what wisdom that we get you asked for this exact right you get about prayer and uttering the word.

James 15 It says if anyone of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and you will be given to him so wisdom begins with type prayer and continues with the word of God. That's what we pray and we study God's word. As you spend time in God's word you're pouring God's mind into your mind so that you begin to take on the mind of Christ and you can make judgments about all things you'll be able to discern truth from error right from wrong and good from evil. That's was wrong with our country today week we have a depraved mind. Romans 128 ability depraved mind is one that can no longer discern between good and evil and Esther were living in, but if we ask God's wisdom, he will give it a minute, then you know how to live, you also know how to pray for you not to share the gospel with others. You know how to deal with family members and friends who don't know the Lord, you know how to use your time and you know how to speak, how to converse with everyone you encounter is everybody you deal with is coming from a different place. And God will give you wisdom on how to converse with them. She wisdom is the key to living a life or that God is not about knowledge, is about God's wisdom. Wisdom enables a man to apply knowledge to life circumstances and then you know what God would do so you do what what God would do the man of God begins to take on the mind of Christ as he spends more and more time in God's word, the great Charles Spurgeon said wisdom is the right use of knowledge to know is not to be wise there's no food so great is a knowing full.

But you know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.

I was with someone over Easter who on this brilliant it was. Tell us how Brody walks seriously.

He was tell us how what he met on the SAT and have them when he was in the ninth grade he took Latin all the seniors work. He was all one who can get all the answers, and so we will listen listen but he doesn't know the Lord and listen he could destroy the own horse show on TV jeopardy.

He would email talking thing they would shut he would destroy would take me to lunch on jeopardy. But I can take my five-year-old granddaughter who knows Scripture send the Scripture she's, was that he does she wisdom is not knowledge wisdom from God and power. First, it is the deep mysteries of Christ and what God does as he reveals those ministries to us so that we would would we have great understanding about life and the more you read the Bible, the more you understand the mysteries of God and you know how to live your life man to be a lot better in Romans 12 to Paul. Rights do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world will be transformed by the renewing of your what the mind so as you renew your mind by study God's word. This is your you will be able to test and approve what God's will is is good, pleasing and perfect will soon as you guys you want to know what God's good, pleasing and perfect life Thomas for your life. Do you Bob you want to know if you life Lou Jim Hank van Eyck all in the room.

Wayne Neil Wes Bill Mack not get too much rather back to back Jos. So you guys in the balcony you want to know God's will is right in the battle pick it up and read it, it will change your life. It will revolutionize what you think it will reorient your worldview so that you see the world from God's perspective and you cannot back up and you're not consuming bowel things. The world and closing out. Read these last few verses of Colossians and a lot of civil automatics will how much time I just want to talk about two men there actually 10 men in here including Paul and apparently a woman nympho and so I want to read this and I will talk about two of these men. Dimas and Paul one finish will one did not know what you think about what kind of man you want to be you want to bid Dimas or don't be appalled to look at verse seven to chicas will tell you all the news about me about this Paul writing. This is a dear brother, a faithful minister and a fellow servant in the Lord is what Paul is doing these tell us about the group of man that in women that serve with him who walked with him is he's honoring them I'm sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances that he may encourage your hearts is coming with an SMS who was a slave whose become a believer of faithful and your brother sees: a nest misses a slave a faithful and dear brother, who is one of you in this misfortune, colossi they will tell you everything that is happening say he sending an SMS back with to chicas because he wants to choose their to help Philemon understand who Nessus is a new man is apparently Nessus is runaway and he owed something to Philemon so Paul is telling Philemon in the book of Philemon taken back as a brother treated him like a brother.

My fellow prisoner. Aristarchus send you his greetings as does Mark.

Because newborn Barnabas you received instructions about him. If he comes to you welcome him. Jesus was also called justice also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me a path for us, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus sends greetings.

He's also resting in prayer for you that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured that your group leaders will gather fusion not forget here we are wrestling in prayer for you guys because we care for you and in you and we all need we don't. We pray for each other. We also pray for you guys how differently the doctrine Dimas ingredients give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea Internet ball in the church in her house after this letter is been read to you see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea tell arch of us see to it that you complete the work you've received in the Lord and then he ends this letter Paul right this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains grace the with you. What about these two men in verse 14, Paul Mitchell Dimas in a positive light. However, in a later letter. We love the Dimas disorder.

Paul Kelly John Mark did all the John Mark delay the faith. Dimas apparently did any dessert Paul.

When Paul needed him the most. Second Timothy was the last letter that Paul wrote it when he wrote it. He was not under house arrest. The first time he was imprisoned in Rome.

This the second time in Rome and now he's in a dungeon is called the maritime person and he was in the bottom of that dungeon he was chained to a wall and he could not have visitors.

This was during the time of Nero. When Nero was burning Christians on poles and Paul knew that his letter, his life was coming to an in second Timothy 410.

He writes for Dimas because he loved this world, has deserted me. What a sad epitaph for a man who spent so much time with apostle Paul, traveling with him and hear the gospel if you like traveling with Billy Graham of 3 to 4 years and then Billy Graham gets in prison and you just lay them you dessert and you do this because he loved the world what world do you love this one of the one this coming yesterday man, you will be jealous.

Mate this I had the privilege of going to the first practice round of the Masters and I mate some guys I've never seen a more beautiful manicured golf course I teach 20 believe they spent millions and millions and millions of dollars to make all this money finish tele-TV revenues and they got to spend it. And I mean it is manicured what they took fingernail clippers and scissors right up to the enemies everything is etched in smooth and I were walking down this road that the patrons they don't call them fans there called patrons. This is mystique about the Masters is really I hate to say this about love and a watch on the big little but is an idol.

We walk along this asphalt paved street which is very beautiful asphalt and concrete pavers that the water runs down and I made the grass. Was it right up to it and assist with this.

We were just like taking in the glory and all looking at these fun, be credible, new buildings is like the Lord whisper me and I said Smith.

You know, Smith, Jesus said you ain't seen nothing yet wait to see what's in heaven.

I told that Webb Simpson by the way, is a believer, but I looked at all the PJ players there. They live such charm blessedness and they have worked for they they earn it until we have is a web I don't think this really work in and we were down there for practice round message you know I'm some dinner, watching web practice.

I told mostly practicing preaching next week if you want to come watch me. I don't think he's a restaurant to get tickets that I said I get your ticket. We watched all the beautiful people walking around a lot, and further in jets is so easy to come up in the world isn't just how the things that we see resident things that are unseen is like all this abuse is pulling us. Satan love to look took took took to using beauty this and got creamed the war to be beautiful and I love beautiful things, the reason we love beautiful things as God loves a beautiful things are promises we struck the warship beautiful things. We start to worship the creation rather than the creator, that's what people are doing in the Masters primer there worshiping these players as if they are God's house and all of of listening, just in what not just in Thomas. Dustin was his name. Wes Dustin Johnson met that guy I think you to step out on MB Abascal court will play wide receiver in FL tomorrow. I've never seen. I think I can walk like and I can walk like this has allowed as how all but listen I will be glued to what I love it. Webb Simpson place for the glory of God. If he wins this printed he wins, he will give glory to God. I believe the sea apparently Dimas left side of heaven. Paul never did. I don't ever lose sight of heaven. Paul run the race to win the prize. He was faithful man to the very end and we came to the end of his life. This is what he wrote in his epitaph to a life well lived for the king.

Second Timothy four says, for I am already being poured out like a drink off and he knew his life was coming to an end and the time is come for my departure. I have felt the good fight have finished the race of The faith. Now this install for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and now into me but also the all of us. If we long for his appearing to limit ischemia to be like Dimas Paul this and don't waste your life, the clock is ticking.

We only have 70 years left this try to remember to words is really for tonight forever. What ever faithful.

We want to be faithful to the Lord and not waste the time the guy has left for us to guess, I want you to commit to those five resolutions.

Okay commit to them in your life when you come to the end your stem of the Lord and he will say what well done my good and faithful servant list prohibit father, thank you for tonight. Thank you for these men sitting here for 45 minutes. Listen to what I had to say or hope they hurt you, and on the floor. Thank you that you have given us so many second chances and that you're willing to redeem our wasted lives that you can restore to us all the years the looks of the Lord help us to be able to stay committed to you. I pray that many men will come to this Bible study. This will start on May 4 here at 6 o'clock that we can continue the study during the summer months, and so we come back next September. I pray Lord that you feel the sanctuary with man who need to hear the gospel is going to pray and then okay because it takes to tonight which Sharon liked. Okay so would all be here is I will give you the microphone you can share what God is doing in your life are saucy next Tuesday being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living. You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources finding purpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh. Find out more finding purpose.net.

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