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So we're going through the book of 2nd Timothy and before we dig into chapter number two I just want to kind of revisit some of the things that we learned in chapter one and just kind of talk about The book of 2nd Timothy for a second. So keep your finger here, but just go back to 1st Timothy chapter number four and What's 1st Timothy 2nd Timothy and Titus are usually well known for being what's called pastoral epistles So it's they're written to pastors, they're written to elders, it's instruction specific to a pastor But when I read these chapters, it's not like this only applies to a pastor in fact, this actually applies to everyone in the same and Some people have this idea that a pastor is something different than another than another Christian like in a sense that they're special They have special things. They're really unique in In reality, the pastor is just someone who's successful at being a Christian But everyone should have the same goals. The pastor doesn't have special goals It's just someone who's successful at doing what the Bible actually teaches. Look at 1st Timothy chapter 4 verse 11 These things command and teach let no man despise thy youth But be thou an example of the believers and word and conversation and charity and spirit and faith and purity He's saying look Timothy. You're just supposed to be the example You're supposed to be the example of how to preach. You're supposed to be the example of how to give the gospel You're supposed to be the example of how to be a husband of how to be a father of how to rule Well, that's why there's all those qualifications If you have a guy standing up behind the pulpit and he's not married, how is he gonna give good marriage advice? If he's not a father, how is he gonna give it good advice about how to be a father if he's not a soul winner How is he gonna give good advice about how to preach the gospel if he's never read the Bible? How is he gonna be good at teaching the Bible? So we see the pastor is just one who's Successful at what the Bible teaches but everyone should be striving for all of the same things Every man should be striving to know the Bible to be a good preacher To be a good soul winner to be a good husband to be a good father We should all have the same goals and what should separate a pastor from a non pastor is not merely the qualifications But rather the desire The Bible says if a man desire the office of a bishop he desired a good work You know what? I'd love to see I would love to see a church where there's dozens dozens of men who meet all the qualifications of a bishop and Then when we decide this guy's gonna go preach and be a pastor somewhere It's not because he just meets the qualifications But rather because he has the desire Because he wants to be but we should have plenty of men that meet all the qualifications that don't want a pastor They're just a faithful Christian. They're just a good father. They're just a good husband. They love the Bible They're a faithful man, not everybody that meets the qualifications should be a pastor It's the people that actually have the desire But every single person should be striving every single man should be striving for these Examples that are put forth in these books Govee would back and let's look at the first chapter again But the Bible says in James chapter 3 verse 1 my brethren be not many masters Knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation the Bible says look You should be careful about being a pastor because you're gonna have stricter scrutiny from God God's gonna look at you and when you mess up it's gonna Impact so many more so much more people you're gonna have a harsher Condemnation when you get into sin when you do that, which is wicked when you fail when you do that, which is wrong So you shouldn't strive to be a master except for because you want to Because you want to serve Christ not out of constraint the Bible says in 1st Peter chapter 5. I'll read for you Feed the flock of God, which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly Not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind a pastor should be a pastor Not because he feels like he has to but because he desires to serve other people He says you know what? I want to serve I want to be someone who can lay down my life and esteem others better than myself now when we read 2nd Timothy chapter number one. What was the point of? chapter 1 Well Timothy's trying to and I'm sorry Paul is trying to encourage Timothy to be strong He says hey in verse 7, what does he say in verse 6 he says stir up the gift of God He's saying hey, I want you to get a little bit more zealous I want you to get a little bit more spiritual look at verse 7 for God has not given us the spirit of fear But of power and of love and of a sound mind. He's trying to encourage Timothy He's saying look Timothy You need to get more zealous because I know that you don't have an you don't have an unfeigned faith Or you do you have an unfeigned faith. You don't have a feigned faith meaning you're not doing it for pretense You actually love people you actually love the Lord So I want you to stir up that gift and turn it up a notch because you don't need to have any fear We're resting on Christ look at verse number 12 For the witch cause us to sever these things nevertheless. I'm not ashamed for I know Whom I have believed he said you can have this power You can be strong Timothy because you know who you believe you believed on the Lord and We get through verses 15 and 18. He's talking about there's gonna be friends and there's gonna be enemies But when we finish chapter number one, what has been the main point? The main point is that he's trying to stir up his faith. He's trying to tell him to be strong That's why when we read verse 1 look at verse 1 thou therefore My son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus This is a whole epistle. So it goes all the way together when you get to chapter 2. He's finishing the thought of Chapter number 1 he's saying look Timothy. I want you to be strong and when we get into chapter number 2 The emphasis changes from the importance of being strong to the practical advice of how to be strong He's gonna tell you what that actually means because it's one thing to say hey be strong and like, alright, I'm ready You know, let's do it. Do I get some weights or do I go run around the track or you know? Do I lift up my Bible done? You get a you know bigger Bible, you know, the scurvy ones lot heavier Like how do you get strong? Well, he's gonna practically tell us in chapter number two of how we can be strong How can we be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus because he wants us to be strong with power He wants us to be strong with love he wants us to be strong with a sound Mind and it's all by the grace of God That's because we have our confidence in God and that's how we can be strong Look at verse number two and the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses The same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others Also, keep your finger here and go to Ecclesiastes chapter number four Ecclesiastes chapter number four You know how you can be strong by numbers strength in Numbers the Christian faith is not one to be done alone. It's rather to be done together Look at Ecclesiastes 4 verse 9 Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor for if they fall The one will lift up his fellow but woe to him that is alone when he falleth So the Bible is saying look two is better than one It's better when you have another person on your team soul winning is better when you have the silent partner Everything is better church service is better And there's more than one person there. I don't want to preach to the wall I want at least somebody sitting there that I can you know scream at and look at and see all the freckles on his face You know look at verse number 11 The Bible says again if two lie together then they have heat But how can one be warm alone and if one prevail against him two? Shall withstand him and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. So how are you gonna have strength? Well, you're gonna have strength by numbers and when he's looking at Timothy he says look Timothy if we want to be strong we got to multiply and How the question how do you multiply we say look you got to find faithful men and commit unto them The same gospel that I've taught you and then we can multiply then we can have strength Look, we're not gonna turn up the world with the gospel by ourselves It's not happen. I can't preach every everybody in the world the gospel by myself We can't even do it in this room by ourselves. We have to multiply. How are we gonna multiply? We have to identify? Identify faithful men and then commit unto them the work of the gospel We have to embrace other people to do the work with us now go back to 2nd Timothy chapter number 2 He also said and the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses The reality is the Christian faith is one that is public There's there's nothing I'm ashamed of that's in the Bible You don't come to the secret meeting to learn the Bible men's preaching night is not where we learn secret stuff Okay, it's not it's not during the baby showers There's no private meeting. Look everything I believe should be public knowledge That's why you put our sermons on YouTube live stream I'm not afraid about what I'm about to say because I'm just trying to say what the Bible says You know, there's so many cults today and there's so many churches a day They're too afraid to let you know what they actually believe you have a Jehovah's Witness or a Mormon knock on your door They are so terrified to tell you what they actually believe. So they just lie to you. They just lie Oh, we're just like you we use the King James Bible. We believe the same thing. We believe in the Trinity Oh, really? You believe in the Trinity? I thought Jesus Christ and Satan's are brothers according to your doctrine Well, yeah, I mean, I guess they kind of are but we got the Trinity to know you don't Liar Yeah, and the Bible says in Matthew chapter 10 This is Jesus speaking what I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what you hear in the ear that Preach ye upon the housetops. So all of Christ's messages were for public knowledge Christ wasn't giving secret knowledge. He wasn't giving secret information He says look if I tell you something in private preach it on the housetops tell everyone I'm gonna give you another verse go if you would to Matthew 25 Matthew chapter 25 The Bible says in 2nd Timothy chapter number 3 Verse 10, but thou has fully known my doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering charity patience When Paul's talking to Timothy, he says look I told you everything I believe I wasn't holding anything back You know all of my doctrine and what separates the true prophet from the false prophet from the false? Brethren is the false brethren are hiding things There's certain things that they believe that they don't want to tell you right away They have to bring you into their corner bring you over to their house and the dark corners and say hey You know, do you really think God's three persons? Let me tell you about let me tell you about what I saw online You know this one is Pentecostal showed me on YouTube Look Paul is not going around teaching secret doctrine and look if your doctrine is true If your doctrine is right, why are you afraid to tell anyone? Yeah Look if you believe something that's true. Okay, and the Bible clearly says it. Why would you sneak around with it? wouldn't you be able to just scream it from the housetops and Resting on Christ promises say hey this little Bible clearly teaches Look, if God was not a Trinity then why would people have to go around and secretly, you know describe what they believe If it really was something different just scream from the housetops, I'm not afraid of the truth I'm not afraid of the Bible and Paul saying look you fully know my doctrine I'm not hiding anything the people that have to hide something are false. They're wicked. It's evil We need to find faithful men and teach them and when you have a man that's being trained You need to consider whom is teaching you Oh Paul's giving me this doctrine. He's telling me everything he believes I should put a little bit more faith than him Then this guy coming over to my house and trying to teach me secret doctrines I need to consider who I'm getting this information from and we see Jesus Christ What was the purpose of his ministry? Did he go around having all these private meetings? No, but he did have some private meetings. Did he not? I mean he'd take his disciples up under the mountain and he's just teaching under them. But who is he teaching? Faithful men Peter John he's taking the disciples whom he loves the most who loved him the most who are the most faithful and he's investing the Most time into those people you see Jesus Christ taking the unbelievers under his wing Hey, let's go together and let's let's have a private meeting and I'll teach all the Bible No Jesus Christ is spending the most of his time with those that are faithful With those that want to know that want to hear and those that are not interested he's like see you later, buddy Let the dead bury their dead, you know, if you want to go do that go for it I'm not gonna chase after you. I'm not gonna follow after you if you want to follow after me, that's great I'll teach you everything but look Jesus Christ didn't beg people to come here and preach Show me a place where Jesus Christ is going out campaigning for people to come here and preach If they're not there to preach just move on the next city right? Yeah, and look he's trying to preach him out of the room He's trying to get him. He's trying to preach him away Every time he's saying look are you offended? Are you gonna go away too? And they're like thou hast the words of life Where are we gonna go? I love this preaching. It's everything. It's better than food I'll read for you one other place It says and Jesus came and spake of them saying all power is given unto me in heaven and earth Go ye therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even on the end of the world. Amen Jesus Christ said teach all things Look, there's nothing in the Bible. We shouldn't be teaching. We need to teach it all but Specifically to those that are faithful specifically to those that want to hear Look at Matthew chapter 25 verse 15 now and he said in unto one he gave five talents to another two and to another one to every man according to his several ability and Straightway took his journey Now when he was looking and identifying the people that he wanted to commit something unto he said faithful men But he also said who are able to teach others Also, what is that that's ability he was identifying this guy has some ability it's not just your average Joe off the street It's not just every single person. He's identifying this guy's faithful and he has ability. I want to entrust him I want to give him the tools to go out and teach others also He's not wasting his time on people that aren't interested and don't have the aptitude or the ability to do it He's trying to identify this guy is faithful and has the ability to do it go we would do Leviticus 27 Leviticus 27, you know, our government wants to teach no child left behind Right. Everybody's the same. We all have the same skills and the same abilities and basically public school system It has to drop down to the lowest common denominator. You don't allow people to excel that are excellent But you know what the Bible it actually allows people to excel at your own rate Whatever rate you want to excel the Bible is ready for you to excel. This is what David said He said I have more understanding than all my teachers For thy precepts are my meditation David said you know what? I'm the smartest now Obviously it's coming from the mouth of the Holy Ghost So he's not bragging on himself, but we see when the Holy Ghost is speaking through him He's saying look I know more than anybody You know why because I meditate on the Bible because I'm memorizing God's Word And look if you want to be someone great for the Lord No one's stopping you put yourself You are your worst own enemy and you're your own best friend You have the ability to excel and look if you're studying God's Word and seeking him and being faithful God will elevate you God will use you God is saying look we're just trying to find the guys that are faithful and have the ability and look at Leviticus chapter 27 verse 6 and If it be from a month old even in five years old then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver and for the female by estimation shall be three shekels of silver and if it Be from 60 years old and above if it be a male Then thy estimation shall be 15 shekels and for the female 10 shekels But if he be poorer than my estimation Then he shall present himself before the priest and the priest shall value him according to his ability That vowed shall the priest value him. Oh, man, the feminists hate this one According to the Bible you're supposed to pay women less. That's what my Bible says. Oh, we need fair wages How about you base your wages on your ability? Yeah, that's what the Bible teaches and look we see that the priest was supposed to evaluate people and determine Hey, what kind of ability you have? Not everybody's the same Not every has the same giftings not every has the same talents and obviously we see Timothy's instructed Hey, let's find the guy that's faithful Let's say find the guy that's able and let's entrust him with great work So we see it's important to be faithful and it's important to work on your abilities work on your skills Look, God likes skilled labor. You know what the workforce likes skilled labor. You want to have a good job You need to be skilled people that don't have any skills. They don't have a good job Many times, you know, the best people are in the workforce the people that are really skilled They're really good at what they do the Bible emphasizes having skills. That's why I don't like college Okay, there's so many degrees where after you degree you still have the same level of skills none I got a management degree after going to college and it was like what skills do I offer to the workplace? Oh I could be a manager of what they're like. Well, what experience do you have none? Okay, who's gonna put a person in management that has no experience in the job a fool. That's who right? Go back to 2nd Timothy chapter number 2 The Bible says most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness, but a faithful man who can find That just makes me think of the interview process Isn't the interview process you just tell them how great you are. Oh, I'm great Look at all the accolades I have who goes into interview, you know, I'm usually pretty lazy It's like office space right? I come in the side door. I'm 15 minutes late. I don't do any work Nobody does that right? They're like, I'm super hard working. I'm ready to learn I'm on time every time and then they show up the next day like oh, I'm sick. Oh, I can't show up I don't know how to do this. You're not giving me tasks. Look. It's hard to find good labor today It's hard to find good workers It's a shame the Bible says a faithful man shall abound with blessings but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent, you know a faithful person's patient a Faithful person is not just ready to chomp at the bit to just get that promotion To get to the next level. He just says, you know what? I'm content with where I'm at I'm just gonna be faithful what I got and He's gonna let the chips fall where they may and if you're just faithful at your job You'll get elevated real quick because most people today are not faithful. They're not good at their job They quit their job people can't stay employed to save their life because they're just not faithful I've talked to so many managers and they're like, it's just hard to find anybody that'll just do what you say That'll just stick in the job. They don't argue with everything that you say It's hard to find good and faithful workers. So if you're a good and faithful worker, you're gonna make money You're gonna be able to provide for yourself. It's not that hard. Look at second to be chapter 2 verse 3 Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ No, man that worth entangled himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who have chosen him to be a soldier So we're talking about this chapter. What is it being strong? How are you gonna be strong? Well, you got to multiply but when you multiply you don't want to multiply in just quantity You want to multiply in? Quality look if I have you know, ten terrible workers, that's way worse than one good worker I just want to have quality and grow that way That's how I'm gonna do more work is by having quality work and the Bible says that this is important because it's war Many times when there be war the guy that's got your back if he's not good you're gonna die I mean the guy that's got your back. He's got to make sure the shields covering you and he's guarding you look in a Military combat situation you can't have a breach in The unit if you have a small breach if you have a hole in the wall The enemy is just gonna attack there and destroy you you must be strong on all fronts because the whole Bible is about fighting Show me where it's not about fighting you start out and Abraham has to go rescue Lot from all the kings It's war they're trying to take him in bondage and Abraham has to go and rescue him Moses has to rescue the children of Israel out of Egypt. We see then we go into what Joshua Talk about some fighting talk about some war They're going into destroying all of the wicked heathen the Canaanites and the Jebusites They're taking over the land then we get into the Kings. Oh, they didn't have any wars It's just constant war after war after war after war till they finally get destroyed Once they're destroyed, I guess they're not fighting they're in captivity Okay, and then when they come back to the land Nehemiah and Ezra they got to build the wall, but they're still in war mode They got their sword next to their path I mean they're building the wall where they got their gun, you know sighted in I mean they got to watch out for themselves And then when Jesus Christ comes on the scene when we enter in the New Testament you say well It's not about physical battle. You're right, but it changes into a spiritual battle But it's still a fight go to 2nd Corinthians chapter number 10 2nd Corinthians chapter number 10 all the physical battles and the Old Testament represent spiritual truths in the New Testament Testament all of the physical truths of the Old Testament represent spiritual truths in the New Testament. So what is the fight then? What is the war look at 2nd Corinthians 10 verse 3 for though we walk in the flesh We do not war after the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal But mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringing in captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ so according to the Bible there's a war but what's that war? It's the fact that spiritual wickedness wants to get into your mind and into your heart and destroy your life And you must cast down those wicked imaginations through the knowledge of God Through the Word of God, there's a constant fight for your mind. There's a constant fight for your family There's a constant fight every single day every single moment the news media and your friends and your family and the devil They are just trying to constantly attack you with all these wicked imaginations and you have to say no I'm gonna fight you with the Word of God I'm gonna bring in captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ go if you would to Romans chapter number 7 Romans chapter number 7. How are you going to be strong? You must renew your mind with the Word of God if you don't you're not gonna be strong You can't be strong and this is the picture of the Old Testament. What was happening with law? Well, the Kings just come in just take him and make him captive Right, but then Abraham has to come and rescue him. What were the children is they're in bondage to Egypt What is Egypt represent sin? Sin wants to make bondage of your life you say, how can I be free the Bible You should know the truth and the truth shall make you free Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty You can have liberty and freedom from sin in your life when you get the Word of God in your heart But without it you're gonna always be in bondage. So there's this constant fight. Look at Romans chapter 7 verse 21. I Find that a law that when I would do good evil is present with me for I delight in the law of God after the inward man, but I see another law on my members warring against the law of my mind and Bringing me into the captivity of the law of sin, which is my members Oh wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin look your flesh Only wants to sin Every second. I mean your flesh never ever wants to do the right thing That's why you have to crucify the flesh. That's why you have to daily repent. You have to continually walk in the Lord Otherwise, you're just gonna satisfy the lust of the flesh if you want to walk in the spirit You have to renew yourself with the Word of God and it's a constant fight It's a constant battle. You say hey pastor Shelley. Do you struggle with sin? Yeah, I still got this flesh I still got this body of death and all it wants to do is death the Bible says for the wages of sin is death My body wants to do that which is wicked every moment every second and it's a constant fight and I have to Continually read my Bible and pray and go out soul-winning and go to church or I will lose every time Look if I stop going to church, I'll get straight back into sin Wicked sin, I'll be just as backslidden as anybody else outside these walls. Look I need to be around like-minded brethren I need to be around faithful brethren. I have to read my Bible. I have to pray I have to seek God You said all your pastor. No, it's because I'm a Christian Every Christian if you want to be strong you must do these things or you're gonna lose the battle You're gonna lose every single battle and sin will take over your life. You will be in Egypt You will be with lot you will be kicking captive of your enemies Your enemies want to take captive of you and dominate you and destroy you Go to Ephesians chapter number six This is why it says in 1st Timothy 1 this charge I commit unto thee son Timothy according to the prophecies before on thee that thou by them mightest war a good warfare You know the the big mega churches today. They just say that everything's a demon they say Oh, you must have the demon spirit of jealousy and the demon spirit of you know alcohol and the demon spirit of gossip and if we just pray over you brother Then you won't have that feeling anymore and then God will deliver you and you'll be delivered Look, that's a lie straight from hell That's why people come down and get saved every single week because they think well, I'm still struggling I'm still gossiping. I'm still you know, I smoked a pack in the parking lot before I walked in You know because they don't realize it's a battle and if you're not prepared for the battle if you're not fighting you're gonna fail You have to realize it's a fight. You have to realize you have to try you have to realize it's hard work Otherwise, you're not gonna do it. It's never gonna happen Just like kids your kids will not turn out well If you don't work hard at training them at spanking them at spending time with them. They will turn out horrible So, you know what how you're gonna have good kids spending time with them training them punishing them teaching them loving them Spending time with them just like your life if you don't work on Memorizing the Bible and reading your Bible and singing praises going to church. You're just gonna live a life of sin Every single one of us will look at Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10 Finally, my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the whole Armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil for we wrestle not against flesh and blood But against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness and high places Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to Stand and when you read the whole armor of God, he's talking about having the belt of truth and the helmet of salvation He's talking about have the work the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Look you need all of it You got to have salvation, right? You got to be in church. You got to be reading your Bible You got to be praying you got to have faith. This is how you're gonna be successful in the Christian life This is how you're gonna war a good warfare in the Old Testament. They literally had the sword They literally had the shield. They literally had the helmet. They literally had the breastplate They literally had all of the tools of a physical fight in a physical battle, but in the New Testament Those things are carnal It's spiritual in the New Testament and we must war but if you have no armor The enemy is just going to take you out in a second He's just gonna shoot an arrow throw a dart at you and you're gonna be gone like that We must constantly fight. That's how you're gonna be strong Someone that's strong has armor on right if you look at a battalion of you know Militia just a bunch of farmers with pitchforks. You're like we're gonna take these guys out real quick But if you see a trained army of soldiers with their shields It's a lot harder to penetrate that armed forces go to second Timothy chapter 2 go back if you would. I I Like this analogy because pastor Anderson's usually he's like we're like the special forces when it comes to Christianity man I mean who else is going out and preaching the gospel who else is tearing up the world with the gospel and Look, if you're gonna be in the special forces, you got a train It's hard work. You don't just accidentally make it in the special forces You know what? I mean? And look if you want to be a successful Christian You must work hard at being strong you don't just instantly get strong if I don't work out I'll never be strong if I don't run if I just sit at my desk and we'll work a secular job I mean, I'm gonna get you know Lazy and slothful and fat and just I can't move and my back's gonna hurt and you know that it If you don't use it you lose it look at second Timothy 2 verse 5 and If a man also strive for masteries as he not crowned except he strived lawfully the husband men that labors must first be First partaker of the fruits. What is he saying? He's saying look if you want to be successful in the Christian life You have to do it according to God's Word just like you know Lance Armstrong gets all of his medals stripped away because he was cheating and Look if you want to be successful in the Christian life, you can't be cheating God will make sure that you get condemned God will make sure hey this guy was cheating He you thought he was reading his Bible you thought he was living the Christian life But it found out he was a hypocrite and look if you want to be crowned at the end of the day You must strive lawfully. You must actually be one who truly believes in practices what he preaches That's why he's talking about in the last verse. You must be first partaker of the roots. What is he saying? Look a good chef Tastes his food doesn't he? I mean he's making his sauce. He's mixing in all the ingredients It's kind of ad-lib most chefs don't even you know measure. They just kind of ad-libbing Well, if he wants it to taste right he's got to taste it You know if you're a good, you know arborist if you're a good person that goes out and produces fruit If you don't ever try your fruit, you don't really know what's going on So you must also be a partaker if I'm gonna teach you how to be a good soul winner I have to go out and go so winning Otherwise, I'm not gonna be able to practically explain to you how to go so winning someone that's never been a parent Don't get parenting advice from them ever Look young people that don't have kids. Well, if I had kids I would do, you know, I would never let my kids do that Okay, look, they don't know what they're talking about You must have gone through the situation experience is the best teacher in most cases now obviously getting run over by a truck I you know, I don't need to try that to figure out that that's bad But I'm just saying look in a lot of good things Experience is something we need in order to understand it better So we must be a doer of the work not a hearer only if we want to be a successful Christian look at verse 7 Consider what I say in the Lord give the understanding in all things Remember that Jesus Christ in the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel Wherein I suffered trouble as an evildoer even in bonds, but the Word of God is not bound Therefore I do all things for the elect's sakes that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal Glory now go if you would to acts chapter number 20 acts or 20. So again, we're talking about being strong, right? We see we need to increase in numbers We should continually, you know focus on the Word of God getting strength through God's Word We should be as someone that's doing it by experience But not only that we must have purpose If you don't actually care in your heart if you don't actually have the motivation with inside You're not going to really be successful. You must have the motivating factor You must actually want to do what you're doing. Some people say to be you know, have fun at your job You must want to do that job, right? Now obviously when it comes to the workforce, most people don't get super excited to clean toilets or you know Lay bricks or do electrical but obviously if it's something you really enjoy doesn't it make it easier? Isn't it more enjoyable if you actually like your job some people they really like cars So they become a mechanic that makes it a lot easier. Some people like to deal with small components So they become an electrician some people like dealing with computers. They become a computer programmer Obviously if you have some type of interest it's gonna make it better and the same thing is with the Christian life If you actually want to get people saved you're gonna be a better soul winner If you actually have motivation in your heart to actually see people saved you're gonna want to preach in the gospel This is why Calvinists suck at preaching the gospel They don't even think they can get anybody saved Why would I go out and preach the gospel when I think I have no impact I Wouldn't right I had to realize that I have importance. I have impact That's why it says in Jude 1 verse 20 But ye beloved building up yourselves and your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost Keep yourselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life and as some have compassion Making a difference and others saved with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh He says some people because of their compassion they make a difference but without that compassion without that motivating factor They're not gonna want to go out and preach the gospel. That's why Paul was saying look remember Jesus Christ Remember the gospel. That's why I endure all things You know why I'm willing to go to jail because so that people could be saved and be pulled out of the fire You know why I endured the the beatings and the sufferings and the shame and the mockings I mean this guy's been stoned to death Multiple times what could motivate someone to go through such excruciating torture? shame Humiliation, you know just constant threat of death Because he wants people saved because he actually loves people because he remembers what Jesus Christ did for him look at Acts chapter 20 verse 18 and When they were come to him he said unto them ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I've been with you at all seasons serving the Lord of all humility of mind and with many tears and Temptations which befell me by the laying in weight of the Jews and how I kept back Nothing that was profitable unto you But I've showed you and taught you publicly and from house to house testifying both to the Jews and also the Greeks Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ and now behold I go bound in the spirit under Jerusalem Not knowing the things that shall befell me there Save that the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city saying that bonds and afflictions abide me, but none of those things move me Neither count I my life dear unto myself So that I might finish my course with joy in the ministry Which I have received in the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God You know why I think Paul was used the greatest because of his heart Because he wanted people saved the most and is in his own heart. He had decided you know what? I don't even care my own life. My own life isn't even dear to me I just want to get people saved no matter what the cost I want to pull this guy out of the fire I don't even know him, but I would lay down my life just to get this guy the gospel just to get him saved Look at verse 25 And now behold I know that you all Among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God shall see my face no more Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men Men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God Take heed therefore into yourselves and do all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost have made you overseers to feed the Church of God which you have purchased with his own blood For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also your own selves shall men Arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years I cease not to warn everyone night and day with tears How many times did Paul warn about false prophets? every day and every night You say all you make so many YouTube videos against false prophet sounds like I can't make enough You wouldn't like the apostle Paul because he's warning you every single day and every single night with tears Cuz he cares he wasn't doing it for clickbait He wasn't doing it to build a YouTube ministry. He wasn't doing it to get glory of men He was doing it cuz he cared He's like I just know what's gonna happen, and I don't want you guys to be led astray I don't want you to be taken by these grievous wolves and we see he said in verse 26 That I am pure from the blood of all men He loved every single man, and he wanted every single person have a chance to get the gospel that's strength It's strength when you say I don't care what happens to me. I'm gonna preach you the gospel I'm gonna preach every person the gospel no matter what happens to me. You can throw me in prison You can throw rocks at me you can do whatever you can lie about me You can do whatever you want, but I am gonna preach the gospel until I die That's strength when he has nothing to lose. He's not holding anything back. He's ready to preach the gospel That's what he's trying to warn in trying to encourage Timothy. He's saying look buddy. I endure all things For the elect's sake why so that they can also have eternal glory So they can also have eternal life so they can also escape the torment and flames of hell Go back to 2nd Timothy chapter number 2 The Bible says the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and he that win his souls is wise When you realize your purpose you say what's my purpose pastor Shelley to be a soul winner To preach the gospel. Why is Jesus Christ have you on this earth today to preach the gospel? To seek and to save that which is lost you say I thought that was a pastor's job No, I'm just supposed to be an example I'm just supposed to be someone that's successful at it, but everyone is supposed to do it It's every single person's purpose. And even if I'm not a pastor, I have the exact same job. It didn't change I'm still supposed to go out and preach the gospel to every creature every single man woman boy child I don't care who you are You can go out and preach the gospel if you're saved you can get someone else saved Open your mouth and make known the mystery of the gospel. That's what the Bible commands That's what the Bible teaches, but you know why people don't do it because they don't have purpose They don't care They don't have compassion I mean you just see a building on fire complete strangers will drop everything and try to help you and Scream and call the cops. I mean, they're so worried about Physical fire but yet there's eternal flames that people will suffer Forever and you can't even can't even say anything I mean people will drop all their groceries and yell fire fire call the police help get this person help and Someone's sitting right next to you and you can't even just say hey if he died today, would you go to heaven? It's ridiculous, isn't it? It's silly when we think about it. Why cuz in their heart they don't care Paul cared Paul was pure from the blood of all men Look at 2nd Timothy 2 verse 11 It is a faithful saying for if we be dead with him We shall also live with him if we suffer we shall also reign with him if we deny him He also will deny us if we believe not yet he abideth faithful He cannot deny himself of these things put them in remembrance Charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit But to the subverting of the hearers study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed Rightly dividing the word of truth. So according to the Bible we're supposed to be put in remembrance of all these things What is the the culmination of this thought its strength comes from knowing God's Word knowing that? Hey, we're dead Our flesh is dead our only life consists in Christ when we know that when we read the scriptures and understand that We're gonna have strength. We realize there's only some things that matter in this life eternal things The things that the Bible teaches if we suffer we're gonna rain Hey if I realize that when I keep reading my Bible that he's gonna reward me according to my works I'm gonna have a lot of strength because I want it. I actually want to suffer. Hey, I'll suffer for righteousness sake I'll suffer for preaching the gospel. I'll suffer for preaching any of God's Word and I don't want to suffer as an evildoer I want to suffer as one who's preaching God's Word suffer for being righteous. He says hey if we believe not Yet he abideth faithful. He cannot deny himself a little caveat saying no matter what we do He's gonna be faithful. So why don't we be faithful? Why don't we be the same way and we should be put in remembrance of these he's telling to Paul is telling Timothy to charge the people that God is going to pay attention what you do Say, I don't know what you do every day. I don't know if you go soul-winding. I don't know if you read your Bible I don't know if you pray but God does God knows every single thing you do and when you deny him He will deny you when you have an opportunity to preach the gospel and you say no Guess what? The Lord's gonna say to your prayer When you pray at night, no Look God is wanting to reward the faithful Go view it at first Corinthians chapter number two Strength coming comes from knowing God's Word. That's why he says look we don't want you to strive about words to know profit Because there's a lot of there's a lot of just junk information out there I mean go on the internet there's More knowledge than can ever be known But most of its junk most of it is something you should never want to know You should never even hear and look the world is trying to cram a bunch of junk in your into your mind to cloud And to get you distracted from God's Word and it's just going to subvert you We need to study to show ourselves approved unto God. We need to read the Bible ourselves And take personal responsibility for our Christianity. I can't take responsibility for Christianity I can't force you to do anything. You have to decide you want to serve God You know what as hard as I can try I can never force someone to be saved They have to make that decision for themselves you going to heaven or hell. The only person that can make that decision is you Your mom can't make it for you. Your dad can't make it for you. Your pastor can't make it for you Nobody can make that decision for you. And if you're gonna serve God, I can't make that decision for you either My goal is just to encourage you to make it to show you why you should make it Tell you what the Bible actually says, but you have to decide somewhere in your own heart. I want to serve God I want to serve Christ and you know what God can change your heart when you continually read his word Is that I don't really desire it that much it's hard for me. It's hard for all of us That's why I got to continually read his word and renew our hearts and minds. Look at 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verse 1 And I brethren when I came to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring on you the testimony of God for I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified and I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling and my speech my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in Demonstration of the spirit and of power that your face should not stand in the wisdom of men But in the power of God How be it we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world Nor the princes of this world that come to not but we speak the wisdom of God and a mystery even the hidden wisdom Which God ordained before the world into our glory which none of the princes of this world knew for had they known it They would have not crucified the Lord of glory. He's saying you know what the the heathen They make all kinds of mistakes because they lack knowledge They lack wisdom from God's Word and the only way you get the wisdom is from God's Word not from man's Word I can't explain you the gospel without God's words. I can only explain you the gospel through God's words I can't make up a gospel presentation without the Bible I must use God's Word if you want to have any wisdom It only comes from God's Word and you must study to show yourself approved unto God By learning this book not by learning other junk and this is what most of Christianity is you know is fascinated with commentaries Bible College Extra-biblical books. I mean you go to most churches today and they want to sell you the pastor's book He writes a book every single year and he's trying to give it to you This is man's wisdom man's words, and I'm not saying that I'm against books or against knowledge But look if I want to get wisdom of God, it comes from the King James Bible period I don't need a commentary I don't need the extra words. I just need God's words. That's what's gonna change me That's what's gonna affect me. You say hey, I'm not really growing in my Christian life Well, how much Bible you reading? Well, I got this devotional book It has about one verse and then a hundred other, you know lines of just man's logic Man's wisdom man's words, you're not gonna grow. Yeah, you must feed yourself with the Word of God That's what's gonna cause you to grow go back to 2nd Timothy chapter 2. So if you're gonna be strong We must know God's Word. That's why the Bible says I understand more than the ancients because I keep thy precepts David has said he had more understanding all his teachers because the testimonies were his meditation memorizing God's Word is gonna give you understanding He Contrasts that look at verse 16 But shun profane and vain babbling's for they will increase in a more ungodliness and their word will eat is death the canker of whom is hymenace and Philetus who concerning the truth have erred saying that the resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some It's very dangerous to listen to false doctrine is what the Bible is teaching Look if I have a dangerous chemical, I don't want to use that dangerous chemical in the kitchen You know bleach or ammonia I'm not gonna start putting it near the pots and the pans and near all my food because it's very toxic And if it touches my food or my dishes it could ruin a lot of things and look if you just listen to a bunch Of false doctrine sometimes their words can eat as death the canker It's like cancer it gets in and just starts destroying you from the inside out. That's why it's important to avoid heretical teachings avoid Heretics avoid false teachers make sure who you're listening to is saved But I know people they're King James only and then they'll listen to an NIV preacher stupid You're getting you're just like I want cancer. I want disease. I want filth Look, you can't mess around with this junk. It will cause all kinds of damage to yourself The Bible says go to Matthew chapter 16 Matthew chapter 16 The Bible says in Titus chapter 3 verse 10 a man that is in heretic after the first and second ammunition reject oh I thought we're supposed to love everybody. I don't love heretics. I'm not trying to help the heretic learn the Bible I'm trying to help people that love God Then actually want to learn the Bible a heretic is one who has a false doctrine and he won't change He won't actually believe the Bible he doesn't have the voice of the Shepherd you keep explaining to the Bible and he's saying no That's not what the Bible teaches He's just rejecting God's Word over and over and the Bible says look that guy's condemned leave him alone Don't mess with the cancer. Don't mess with the sick guy get him out of here Look at Matthew chapter 16 verse 6 Then Jesus said unto them take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees He's saying you got to be aware of these guys but specifically the leaven now skip down to verse 11 It says how is it that you do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread That you should be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees then understood They how that he bade them not be aware of the leaven of bread But of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees So the disciples when he warned them about the leaven they're like are these guys just really bad bakers I mean, it's bread bread just stale and moldy. I mean, it's not how to cook. No, he's saying look what they teach is Dangerous and when you get false doctrine in it can spread and ruin the whole Bible When you believe in the preacher rapture it spreads and it starts ruining all kinds of doctrines When you believe that, you know in not you don't believe the Trinity Wow, you just destroyed John 3 16. I Mean you destroy all kinds of us a little bit 11 will leaven the whole lump. It'll ruin the whole Bible it'll destroy your faith from the inside out That's why you have to be careful to avoid to shun profane and vain babblings Don't go and seek it don't go find it and when you hear it reject it get it out Go back to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 The Pharisees want to go around and tell you what the Bible says They are so learned and they know the Bible and they have the traditions and they're the ones that know everything Come and hear me preach you the Bible. They're trying to ruin your life. They're trying to give you cancer and kill you Slowly a slow death of destruction. They want to ruin you They want to make you twofold more the child of hell than they are. They want to make you worse than they are Give you more disease look at 2nd Timothy 2 verse 19 nevertheless the foundation of God stand is sure having the seal the Lord knoweth them that are His and let everyone that name with the name of Christ depart from iniquity but in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth and some to honor and some to dishonor if A man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honor Sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared into every good work. So again, what are we focusing on this chapter being strong? So if you're gonna be strong you have to say no You have to say no to false doctrine You have to say no to the Pharisees You have to say no to the false doctrine and the false teachers all these people trying to destroy your faith You have to say no to that But you also have to say no to sin You have to say no to iniquity and the Bible saying look when you go into a house. There's some things that are really nice You know something that's really gold and silver, you know jewelry or something It's really fancy and you look at it in the house like this is great and then next to it There's a porcelain toilet. That's not as great. This is not a vessel unto honor. This is a vessel unto dishonor so I see not everything's created equal and Look silver and gold is precious, but that which is not the wood and you know The toilet that's bad And I'll straight this way Sometimes I go soul winning I say I use the analogy of always being a son of God when you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ The Bible says your children God by faith and I say the reality is there's some good kids and there's some bad kids But no matter if they're good or bad, there's still your children, right? And I say hey, there's good Christians and there's bad Christians But all Christians go to heaven and all those that have rejected Christ and are unbelievers no matter good or bad They are they all go to hell but the reality is there's good and bad Christians. Some of you are vessels under honor Some of you are vessels under dishonor Which one are you going to be? Which one are you going to choose? Well, if you don't depart from iniquity, you're gonna be a vessel unto dishonor. You're a good example of what not to do Lot, he saved he went to heaven. He's an example of what not to do. This guy didn't do anything good This guy goes the most wicked city. He marries his daughters to sodomites then he ends up, you know, impregnating them I mean nothing this guy does is good. He gets drunk. I mean everything this guy does is wrong, but he saved And look there's people in church Everything they do is wrong They're still saved, you know if they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and we need to realize That God wants us to be a vessel unto honor Why so we can be prepared unto every good work God wants to use clean vessels Just like me if I open up the cabinet and I'm gonna get a glass to drink water out of the one that's dirty I put that in the dishwasher The one that's clean is the one that I'll fill up with some water and decide to drink out of the same thing is with God he's looking for something to use and he's gonna use the cleanest vessel he can find Unfortunately with Jerusalem they ran out. So then he had to just destroy them all and rebuild right? He had to make new pots to be used Let's keep reading it says in verse 22 flee also useful lust but follow righteousness faith charity Peace with them that call on the Lord out of your heart But foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender strives and the servant of the Lord must not strive But be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient and meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God per adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth The Bible says by mercy and truth iniquity is purged and by the fear of the Lord men Depart from evil when you fear God when you fear his commandments You're going to decide to get the sin and the wickedness out of your life and we see why why should you do that? Well, he also tells you to flee youthful lust and then when you do these things in verse 24 or in verse 25 You can instruct those that oppose themselves The servant of the Lord must have certain attributes must have certain qualities about himself that God wants to use And we see there's a lot of lust in this life But we need to follow righteousness and faith and charity and peace with all of them that call on the Lord out of a Pure heart now that clean or unclean? If you say something's pure Pure is obviously that which is clean. God wants to use those that are clean and he's saying again He's emphasizing verse 23, but foolish and unlearned questions avoid Knowing that gender strives when you're constantly debating whether or not the earth is flat You're not pure I mean you're letting this cancer get in and destroy you if someone wants to argue with me about the flat earth I'm gonna reject you Immediately, you know in school. They'll say there's no such thing as a dumb question and There's a lot of dumb questions. You asked me a dumb question. I'm not gonna answer you I'm not gonna give you the satisfaction of answering a stupid question The Bible tells me not to the Bible tells you not to when someone asks you a stupid question Don't answer it Avoid it. Don't give any kind of credence unto it now Obviously the Bible talks about you know, answer a fool not according to his folly, right? And then it'll say answer a fool according to his folly. What does that mean? Basically saying if someone asks me a stupid question, okay I'm not gonna answer their question, but I will answer the fact that I'm not gonna talk about a stupid question I'll say that's stupid The Bible says not to act, you know answer stupid questions, so I'm gonna answer him, but I'm not gonna answer his question I'm gonna avoid his question and rebuke him for the stupid question that he answered me That's why you see a lot of times people and you know news reports or in debates and stuff if someone asks you a bad Question you shouldn't answer it You need to either rephrase the question or say why it's an invalid Question if you answer a lot of times these people try to trap you with a stupid question or a stupid Hypothetical and they'll try to get you detracted even in soul winning people, you know Hebrew roots They'll try to ask you all these questions about who the true Israel is, you know And and what color hair did Jesus have and you know, it's like these stupid vain questions. I'm not gonna answer them I'm not gonna go down their trail of stupidity. I'm gonna reject that. I'm gonna try and correct them so we can get on to the truth But It also says in here in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves What is meekness meekness is in steaming others better than yourself go if you would to first Peter chapter number three You know the Bible says that Moses was the meekest man upon the earth. What does that mean? He didn't think highly of himself when he was asked of the burning bush to lead the children of Israel out He didn't say oh, I knew you're gonna ask me. Hi. I know I got this I mean, I'm really good. He thought very low of himself. Did he not he thought he asked, you know sends who you will I'm not an eloquent speaker, you know Don't send me and obviously the Lord got frustrated with his unwillingness to serve but at the end of the day He was meek He was a steaming other better than himself if I go out soul winning and I look at someone that's unsaved I don't think oh you poor simple one Huh? I'm so much wiser than you look someone had to show me the gospel and if I get this this guy saved What's stopping him from being the next Apostle Paul? He could be better preacher than I am He could be a better Christian than I am when you talking to someone you should look at them with all the potential they have Look at them and say this guy could do great things to the Lord having meekness about yourself not thinking. Oh, I'm just the best We see, you know people at Joshua the Son of nuns coming unto, you know, Moses and saying hey These guys are prophesying and he says envious thou for my sake would to God all the words people were prophets You know what? I wish we had a hundred great preachers in this building I don't need to be the one getting up and preaching if someone's a great preacher. Let's put them in the pulpit Let's start impeaching the Word of God You know why there's not a lot of people to pick from because there's not a lot of faithful guys There's not a lot of guys that have been training and studying and memorizing God's Word. There's a lack There's a dearth of faithful godly men and my goal is to try and raise them up Show yourself faithful. I'm ready to use you You know what God's ready to use you God's ready use the faithful when you study his word be strong God will use the strength of you. Look at 1st Peter chapter 3 verse 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready Always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ for it is better if the will of God be so that you Suffer for well-doing than for evil doing. The Bible's saying you should already be ready Should already have a sermon ready? You know, it's interesting when I went to an old IFB church in Amarillo, Texas I just I wanted to preach a sermon in my church, you know, I want to be a preacher I want to be a pastor one day and so I said, you know what I should probably just have a sermon ready I should just write a sermon. So I wrote a sermon I show up to church on Sunday morning and right after the Sunday morning service the pastor says hey We're just gonna do something special tonight We're just gonna have some random men in the church preach and John of the cell is gonna come up and preach a sermon this evening Not a coincidence, I don't know But you know, I was ready I was ready and look there's a prepared place for a prepared person If you want to do something great for God start preparing. Are you ready? God wants to use people that are ready to step in and do the work of the Lord He's not looking for people that is gonna drag along into the Christian faith. He's not dragging people into the faith No, he's trying to find people that say here Lord. Here am I send me? I'm ready. I want to do it. I want to serve God God likes that attitude Having aptitude and the Bible talks about pastors being apt to teach what is apt having aptitude having the ability You know prepare yourself training practicing if we're gonna say hey, we have some great piano players Okay, what I'm just saying, let's say we didn't I'm not gonna take someone that's never played the piano and put them behind there Someone's gonna show up to me and say hey, here's my list of all my songs. I can play. I'm ready use me Let's do it. Let's go for it. We see that God wants to use people that are ready I want to use people that are ready go back to 2nd Timothy chapter 2. We'll finish the chapter Says in verse 26 and That they may recover themselves of the snare of the devil who are taking captive by him at his will This is kind of a sad caveat. The reality is those that are unsaved They can't be free from sin They're in bondage. They're taken captive by the devil and we must rescue them Rescue the perishing. I mean we have to be the ones that are gonna step in and seek and save that which is lost and the lost The devil has full reign on them right now He can go in and destroy their lives and do whatever he wants They're taken captive by him at his will the devil's will and the only way to rescue him from the devil's will is to get them saved Go view it to the first John chapter 5 last place. I wanna have you turn It says in Ephesians 2 and you have the quickened who are dead in trespasses and sins Wherein in the time past you walked according the course of this world According to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that will now worketh in the children of disobedience Among whom also we all Had our conversation in time past in the lust of our flesh Fulfilling desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as others the Bible says None of us were better than them. We were all in disobedience We were all serving the lust of our flesh until we got saved We were all taken captive by about his will the prince of the power of the air was leading and guiding us through what movie TV Worldly influences the government the school system Everything in this world the devil is trying to influence you and the only way to rescue people out is through the knowledge of God's Word is through the Bible and once you have that look at verse John chapter 5 verse 18 We know that whosoever is born of God sineth not but he that has begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth them not and We know that we're of God and the whole world life and wickedness the reality is the whole world is lying in wickedness You know, this is why they repent of your sins Street preachers are stupid. You can't reform an unsaved person I'm not gonna find an unsaved person and try and get him to stop sinning. It's never gonna happen ever He needs to get saved. That's why Paul's saying I'm gonna preach Christ and him crucified when you approach an unsaved person You know what? I'm gonna try and teach you the gospel how to be saved I'm not gonna try and sit here and reform your life. And obviously unfortunately your your unsaved family members and friends They want to talk The only thing they want to talk about is how you dress and how you go to church three times a week They want to talk how you don't drink alcohol, but look I'm not gonna get on those topics I just want to get on the topic of the gospel of how to be saved I'm not gonna sit here and argue with you all the doctrines of the Bible. It's unprofitable You're not gonna change through that the only way you're gonna change is by getting saved That is the power of the gospel. So let's review the chapter for a moment. What is the chapter teaching us? It's teaching us how to be strong practically. That's the importance of second Timothy chapter number one and two the whole book Okay Paul is trying to encourage Timothy to be strong and he's giving you the importance of being strong in chapter number one But in chapter two, he's giving you some practical advice of how to be strong How can you be strong? We need to teach and train others who are faithful We need to find other people and teach and train them find someone who's not a soul winner and teach and train him how to Be a soul winner. He says that does a pastor's job. No, it's your job You should find people that are showing up to the soul winning time and invest time in them and teach them how to be a good Soul winner not only that we meet endure difficult times like a soldier. We must realize it's a fight We're in a fight you say I don't want to be in a fight. Well, you're in it Say I don't wanna be a soldier you were drafted if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ You're in the Lord's army period the question is are you gonna start fighting? Are you gonna start getting into the battle? We must adhere to God's commandments if we want to be crowned We must do it lawfully the purpose of our life is to give the gospel and with no purpose You're not going to really be successful in the areas your life. We must take personal responsibility for our own Christian faith If you're gonna be strong you must take responsibility for yourself and doing that you must avoid the trolls all the gossip All the seducers all the false teachers all the heresy. It's rampant right now every troll under the Sun and in the caves and hiding they're like multiplying trolls and they're just trying to attack you and Infect you with all kinds of poison and cancer and wicked avoid it Don't sit there and argue with them they won, you know what the goal of a troll is to get you to respond Yeah, that's their whole motivation. They don't even care many times. They don't even believe anything that's coming out of their mouth They're just trying to stir you up. So just by you commenting one time they win. They immediately won Do you know how you you beat a troll ignore him? Pretend they don't exist because they don't exist trolls don't exist. Okay, that's how you should view them Alright and we need to be stuck on the fundamentals of the faith You say how how am I gonna be a successful Christian stick to the fundamentals? There's good Christians and bad Christians, but which one are you say I want to be a good Christian We got to purge out all the man's logic all the trolls purge out all the iniquity and start feeding on this Get the organic food. Okay, get that which is pure and holy and righteous We must flee the lusts of our flesh avoid the stupid questions and we must be gentle and in meekness instructing others Realize we're no better than anybody else. It's not the pastor's not better than everybody else The evangelist isn't better than anybody else the person on staff at the church isn't better than everybody else The man isn't better than the woman the parents aren't better than children. We're all made, you know to serve God We all have the same purpose to go out and win souls and you should esteem yourself as as someone very important You know, some people say I'm not important and they say that makes me humble Look, it's not humble when you think you're not important when you think that you're insignificant when you think you don't have value That's just being self-deprecating Being humble would realize I have great importance in this world. I could save a lot of people I need to say no to my flesh say no to my desires and just serve Christ That's true humility true humility is deciding my life is important. So I should use it to help others. Let's close in prayer Thank you father so much for your word Thank you so much for giving us grace so that we could be strong through you not by our own might not by our own Wisdom not by anything of our own flesh, but rather only through you through the knowledge of God I pray that everyone in this room would realize the importance they have right now. This is a very trying time It's a very difficult time and if we're going to be successful, we must band together We must have strength through your word. We must rest upon your promises. We must get it in the fight We must encourage others. We must show ourselves Faithful to thy word. We must avoid all the garbage and we must be focused on your pure and holy word in Jesus name we pray Amen