1 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:08,520 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Lewis 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,200 Harold, assistant pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,520 County in Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Lewis as he 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:18,920 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,840 If God said thou shalt not fornicate, you can't just go 6 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,600 move in with somebody because you say, well, when women we're 7 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,200 in love and we're going to get married, but then get married 8 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,880 and then move in and listen, I'm not standing here acting like I 9 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,680 haven't committed that sin. That was me. 10 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:55,960 When you know better, you do better. 11 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:00,480 You can repent, you can turn around, you can change. 12 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,120 When you know the Holy Spirit prompts you and lets you know 13 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,120 that what you're doing is wrong, you can turn from that sin and 14 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,840 play by the rules. Wow, that's pretty rare. 15 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,120 Pastor Lewis was just very vulnerable in sharing his own 16 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,440 struggles and living in obedience to God's Word. 17 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,520 And Pastor Lewis also said when you know better, you do better. 18 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,200 Would to God that this would actually be the case for each of 19 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,760 us as followers of Jesus when we come into a better awareness of 20 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,720 what God's Word teaches. May each of us be people who 21 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:40,040 obey what we learn. And honestly, that's the risk of 22 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,040 listening to teachings like this. 23 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:44,480 Once you've heard, you're accountable. 24 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:48,320 Now here's Pastor Lewis in second Timothy chapter one. 25 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,560 We have today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 26 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:59,000 Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ 27 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,720 Jesus. Be strong in the grace that is 28 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,640 in Christ Jesus. So once again, Paul makes it 29 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:08,160 clear to Timothy. Timothy, I know that you've been 30 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,840 a little timid, sometimes a little fearful. 31 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,600 We talked about that earlier in chapter 1. 32 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:15,440 He's been a little fearful, a little timid. 33 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,920 We also know that Timothy, his health wasn't all that great. 34 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,120 You know, Paul had told him a while back, look, I know your 35 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:24,080 stomach's a little, you know, a little bad. 36 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:25,600 So take some wine for your stomach. 37 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,240 His health is not that great. And then on top of that, he's 38 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,680 young. So Timothy really needed a lot 39 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,240 of encouragement. And he had a church that was 40 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:39,120 right in one of the most Pagan cities in the world in Ephesus. 41 00:02:40,640 --> 00:02:42,360 And he was the pastor of that church. 42 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,880 So he had to let Timothy know. Timothy, you're not going to be 43 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,280 able to lean on your own strength, brother. 44 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:55,400 So be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 45 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:57,840 Be strong in the grace that is in him. 46 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,280 That grace is not only unmerited favor for Timothy that he would 47 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:07,000 be able to be in a place to be able to do this ministry or it's 48 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,840 not just the fact that he's saved that we're all saved by 49 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,280 grace. It's not even just that, but to 50 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:18,480 be in the grace, to be strong in the grace that is in Christ 51 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:20,320 Jesus. That grace is also the 52 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:25,520 enablement for Timothy to be able to do all that the Lord has 53 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:29,480 called him and assigned him to do your ministries. 54 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:33,280 Whatever it is that God has given you to do your ministry, 55 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,320 you'll never be able to fulfill it. 56 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,560 If you try to depend on your own strength and your own power, 57 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,600 you'll never be able to do it. You're going to get out, you're 58 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,600 going to give out, you're going to get frustrated. 59 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,360 We've all done it. We've all done it. 60 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,920 You get frustrated, you know you have to deal with some 61 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,320 opposition that can wear you out. 62 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,000 We have tons of pastors all the time that's giving up the 63 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,040 churches because they can't deal with it anymore. 64 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,160 And if you're trying to do this in your own strength, I don't 65 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:07,240 care what your ministry is, you will not be able to do it if 66 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:11,000 you're dependent on your own strength, your own wisdom, your 67 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:16,440 own logic, your own knowledge. You need the grace that is in 68 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:20,760 Christ Jesus. You need the grace that's in 69 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:22,960 Christ Jesus. Pray for that grace, that 70 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,680 enablement that gives us what we need to do the ministry. 71 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,040 So he's saying to Timothy and these things, verse 2 and the 72 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:35,400 things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit 73 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,400 these to faithful men. And you know what? 74 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,840 I love that because when you go back and really look at what 75 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:44,480 Paul is talking about, these things that you heard from me. 76 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,880 Well, let's look at first of all, who did Paul get it from, 77 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:49,920 right? Who did Paul get it from? 78 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:54,240 If you go to the book of Galatians, because you see one 79 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:59,720 of the things that we have to learn is that the source of what 80 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,960 is given to you or what is said to you is just as important as 81 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,040 what is said to you. Kids got that down already. 82 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,840 Kids got that down. If you have more than one kid, I 83 00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:12,600 guarantee you, you've heard this before. 84 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,040 Johnny, cut off the TV and do your homework. 85 00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:21,560 Who said Everybody can relate to that, right? 86 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:23,040 You got kids you can relate to that. 87 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:28,240 Who said It's time to come in now It's time for The Who said? 88 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:33,800 It's always Who said? Because kids understand that the 89 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:35,440 authority is not in what's being said. 90 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:37,440 The authority is in who's saying it. 91 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,360 If it's just my brother that's saying it, I'm ignore that. 92 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,440 But if they tell me mom or dad said it, OK, I'll do it. 93 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:52,040 Who said, and that's exactly what we need to understand when 94 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:56,200 it comes to doctrine, when it comes to the word of God, when 95 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,680 we're being preached something. Who said, who said? 96 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,360 Look at what he says here in Galatians. 97 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:08,400 This is what he says here. Paul is letting Timothy know, 98 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,440 just like he's letting us know that what Paul is giving to 99 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,440 Timothy, he didn't just get it from man. 100 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:16,040 See, when Paul got saved, he didn't just go right to the men 101 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,280 and ask them to teach him the gospel. 102 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,960 That's not what happened. Paul was taught the gospel 103 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,320 directly from the revelation of Jesus Christ himself. 104 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,240 Look at what it says here in Galatians chapter one, verse 11. 105 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:31,400 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which 106 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:36,840 was preached by me is not according to man, verse 12 For I 107 00:06:36,840 --> 00:06:40,600 neither received it from man nor was taught it, but it came 108 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,560 through the revelation of Jesus Christ. 109 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,440 So Paul's saying what I'm giving to you, Timothy. 110 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,920 I got it from Jesus Christ. This is legit. 111 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,280 This is legit, this is for real. You don't have to worry about 112 00:06:54,280 --> 00:06:57,240 questioning it. So this is what I want you to 113 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:00,600 share with other people. So now we go back here to Second 114 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,680 Timothy chapter 2 right there in verse 2. 115 00:07:03,840 --> 00:07:07,560 And he says, and the things that you heard from me among many 116 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:13,640 witnesses, commit these things to faithful men who will be able 117 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,280 to teach others also, not just to men. 118 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,920 Don't just commit them to men, but commit them to faithful men. 119 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:24,000 Commit them to other men who will handle this word faithfully 120 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,240 and who will handle it reverently. 121 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,840 Other men who were faithful men who were seeking the Lord, 122 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:35,600 faithfully seeking the Lord themselves, men who were sitting 123 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:39,600 under the Word, men who are receiving and being fed the Word 124 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,920 just as much as they're being taught the Word. 125 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,560 It is so important to be in ministry and to continue to sit 126 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:51,920 under and be fed the Word of God and be fed the Word of God. 127 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,200 You know there's times when your hunger needs to be fulfilled and 128 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,760 your thirst needs to be quenched for the Word. 129 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,000 So this is a faithful man. This is a faithful man or 130 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,000 faithful woman and we have great teachers here. 131 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,080 We have great teachers that we have men who come here and teach 132 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,960 on Wednesday nights that that are just spirit filled women who 133 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,680 are teaching on Sundays, Spirit filled. 134 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:18,560 So many opportunities where the Word of God is being given out 135 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:22,040 in the same form and the right keep in the form of it and 136 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,200 keeping the pattern of it is being given out and that word is 137 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:27,640 also being given to others. Others are being taught. 138 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,840 Others are being taught because there's faithful men that are 139 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:37,520 receiving the word. If I am not ministering one 140 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:40,320 Sunday, or if I'm not ministering on a Wednesday 141 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:43,400 night, man, that is such an opportunity for me to come and 142 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:48,720 sit and receive because God still wants to speak to me. 143 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,160 I can't teach kids. I can't teach anybody if I'm not 144 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:55,720 being fed myself. I have to be fed. 145 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,640 So he says give it to faithful men who will be able to teach 146 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,320 others also. And that's able to teach doesn't 147 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:04,920 just mean able to communicate it able to teach also means able to 148 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:09,680 learn, able to learn or willing to learn, even more important, 149 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,920 willing to continue to learn. Then he goes on verse three. 150 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:18,000 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier. 151 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:21,000 So he's saying here, if you look at it and we put it all in 152 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,920 sequence, we're saying here he says be strong in the grace that 153 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:29,880 is in Christ Jesus and the things that you have heard among 154 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,440 many witnesses, commit thou to faithful men. 155 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,600 So now from this point in the next couple verses, he is going 156 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:41,160 to explain to us what are some of the characteristics of a 157 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:46,560 faithful man, a faithful pastor, a faithful servant, a faithful 158 00:09:46,560 --> 00:09:47,840 Christian. What are some of the 159 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:50,440 characteristics? And the first one, it's going to 160 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:54,040 give you 3 back-to-back. And the first one is here, right 161 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:57,160 here in verse three. He says you therefore must 162 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:01,240 endure hardship as a good soldier. 163 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,480 As a good soldier, you must endure hardship as a good 164 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:07,520 soldier. What is a good soldier? 165 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:12,600 A good soldier is someone, a soldier that is committed to his 166 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,600 mission. He's committed to his mission. 167 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:19,680 He is somebody who understands what he's called to do and will 168 00:10:19,680 --> 00:10:21,880 fulfill that mission at all costs. 169 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:29,000 Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, as all of those, they all had 170 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:33,640 missions, they all had purpose and they had to be faithful to 171 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:37,240 that mission, be faithful to that purpose that helps keep our 172 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:41,200 country safe. And he's saying to Timothy, 173 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,520 Timothy, they must be able to endure hardships as a good 174 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:46,920 soldier. That endure hardships mean to be 175 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:51,280 able to share in the hardships, be able to take their place with 176 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,360 the hardships, you know, take their share of it, of the 177 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,840 hardship as a good soldier. And then he goes on, He says, 178 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,840 here no one engaged in warfare and tangles himself with the 179 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:06,080 affairs of this life. And it's interesting because 180 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,880 there he's basically looking at, let's separate what it means to 181 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,960 be a civilian from what it means, OK, to be in the 182 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,400 military. If someone's in the military, 183 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,320 they cannot live the way they live in the military like they 184 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,600 do in civilian life. Just like you can't live both 185 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,640 lives if you're a Christian, you can't live like the world, can't 186 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,480 live like the world. You can't be entangled in the 187 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,160 things of the world. And that entanglement means to 188 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,160 be twisted. It means to be twisted or to be 189 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,120 caught up. We can't be caught up or twisted 190 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,240 in the things of the world. We can't be involved in things 191 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,240 that's going to take our focus or our time away from the 192 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:47,000 gospel. If they do start to take our 193 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,760 time away from the gospel, that's a work of the enemy 194 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,720 trying to defeat us, trying to cause us to become ineffective. 195 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:59,920 We can't be both in the world and be a soldier for the Lord at 196 00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:01,960 the same time. There's too many entanglements. 197 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:05,040 There's a lot of entanglements. Drugs is an entanglement. 198 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,400 Alcohol is an entanglement. Being overly involved and get 199 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,480 rich schemes are entanglements. Being involved in the cares of 200 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:15,880 the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other 201 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:20,080 things, as it says in Mark 419, those things are entanglements 202 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,080 and it really brings us into perdition and destruction. 203 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,320 It destroys us and it destroys our testimony. 204 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:28,960 Paul said, Timothy, you can't be involved in that. 205 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,800 Got to be separate from that. And at the end of that same 206 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,160 verse it says that he may please him who enlisted him as a 207 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,640 soldier. Jesus said at one time that I 208 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,560 only do what pleases my father. I only do what pleases my 209 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:44,240 father. I don't waste time on things 210 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,680 that don't please my father. I know who sent me, and I'm here 211 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:50,120 to do the will of him who sent me. 212 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,040 This is what Jesus says over and over and over again, and that's 213 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,440 where we have to be. We have to do what pleases Jesus 214 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,320 Christ. The one who called us, the one 215 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:04,000 who saved us, the one who justified us, the one who will 216 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,760 glorify us ultimately is Jesus Christ. 217 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:11,160 And we have to do what pleases Him and not what pleases the 218 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,440 world. And then in verse 5 here it 219 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,400 says, and also now this is the second illustration. 220 00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:20,880 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned 221 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:23,360 unless he competes according to the rules. 222 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,800 So he's now talking about comparing the Christian Walker 223 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,120 being a pastor to actually being an athlete. 224 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,000 There's a lot of disciplines in being an athlete. 225 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:33,880 They're disciplined about their workout. 226 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:35,920 They're disciplined about what they eat. 227 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,760 They're disciplined about what they do and how they do it. 228 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,320 And they got to play by the rules at this particular time 229 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:46,520 they were in the Olympic Games. You know, and Greeks and Romans 230 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:51,520 are very, very enthusiastic about sports, very enthusiastic. 231 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:55,080 And that's, and Paul uses the athletic or a sports analogy 232 00:13:55,080 --> 00:14:00,000 quite a bit because they are, but they're also very stringent 233 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,520 about the rules. If you think about how many 234 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,320 people get disqualified from the Olympics, from breaking rules, 235 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:10,280 it happens all the time. Sometimes they disqualify before 236 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:12,760 they even get to the event. Sometimes they disqualify while 237 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,680 they're in the event because they break the rules. 238 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,960 And Paul was saying to Timothy, we got to play by the rules, 239 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:22,400 man. And this is Timothy. 240 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,080 This is the rule book. This is the rule book. 241 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,600 We play by these rules. I'm sorry, but we can't make up 242 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:32,120 our own rules in ministry. We can't make up our own rules. 243 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:35,080 If God said thou should not commit murder, then we can't 244 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,320 think that we can kill babies because we can cover our sins. 245 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:42,080 If God says that marriage is between a man and a woman, then 246 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:44,640 we can't think that we can go grab somebody with the same sex 247 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:46,960 and go live with them because we say we love them. 248 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,280 That's not the rules. That's not the rules. 249 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,680 If God said thou shalt not fornicate, you can't just go 250 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:57,400 move in with somebody because you say when women, we're in 251 00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:59,920 love and we're going to get married, but then get married 252 00:14:59,920 --> 00:15:03,520 and then move in and listen, I'm not standing here acting like I 253 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:07,280 haven't committed that sin. That was me. 254 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:10,440 When you know better, you do better. 255 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:14,840 You can repent, you can turn around, you can change. 256 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,400 When you know the Holy Spirit prompts you and lets you know 257 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:22,280 that what you're doing is wrong, you can turn from that sin and 258 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:25,480 play by the rules. And Paul's telling Timothy, 259 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:29,200 Timothy, play by the rules, man. Don't disqualify yourself by not 260 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,000 playing by the rules. So then the third illustration 261 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:35,360 is here in verse 6. The hard working farmer must be 262 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:39,120 first to partake of the crops. And that's true in a couple 263 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:42,360 sense because you have the ministry of the financial 264 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,720 aspect. You know the labor is worthy of 265 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,280 his wages. So that's one aspect of it. 266 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,760 But the other aspect of it is just in the word itself. 267 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,240 As we read and study the Word, we're first partaker of the 268 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:55,840 things that the Lord is saying to us. 269 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,960 When we come and we teach here from the sacred destiny, we 270 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:03,600 share the Word of God with you. And when you get convicted, 271 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,560 that's because we got convicted first as we were studying it. 272 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,600 We were convicted first. We were the first partake of 273 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:14,480 that conviction. The Lord dealt with us in 274 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,200 studying it. So we are first partaker of it. 275 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,000 And then here he also says here in verse 7. 276 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:24,800 Now consider what I say and the Lord will give you or in some 277 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,880 verses may say, may the Lord give you understanding in all 278 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,720 things, but it says here that Lord will give you understanding 279 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,960 in all things. Meditate on what was said 280 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,960 Timothy, think about all those things that I just said and then 281 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,600 I love how he finishes up here. That section of it in verse 8 282 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:46,200 when he says remember Jesus Christ, remember Jesus Christ. 283 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:51,440 King James Version says remember that Jesus Christ, but in a 284 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:55,560 number of the other versions says remember Jesus Christ. 285 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:01,400 And that's a spot that you can stay on for quite some time 286 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:07,599 because in ministry, sometimes Jesus Christ gets lost because 287 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:11,599 we get busy. We get busy, we get involved, we 288 00:17:11,599 --> 00:17:14,079 get over involved, and then we start thinking the ministry's 289 00:17:14,079 --> 00:17:15,839 about us, that the ministry is us. 290 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:18,440 I own the ministry and we're doing this now. 291 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:20,160 We're no longer doing it for Jesus Christ, but I'm doing it 292 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,119 now for results. I'm doing it now because I like 293 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:25,839 the way it feels. I'm doing it now because pride 294 00:17:25,839 --> 00:17:28,000 is starting to kick in when people say, oh, you're doing 295 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,000 such. I mean, we got to remember Jesus 296 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:35,120 Christ. This is about Jesus Christ. 297 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:39,720 Jesus said, if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself. 298 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:41,720 And we all have to be careful with that. 299 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,880 We all do. That's just something that the 300 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:49,280 enemy uses to try to get us derailed and try to get us to be 301 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:51,960 deflected from what it is that we're supposed to do. 302 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,600 So the Lord is saying that we have to be humble and remember 303 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:59,160 Jesus Christ. Look how he did ministry. 304 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,520 But it says here Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised 305 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,960 from the dead according to my gospel. 306 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:10,920 Paul said, listen, I'm doing all of this because I am sure that 307 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,920 almost goes back there to verse 12 and chapter 1. 308 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:19,040 When he says I am sure, I know, I'm persuaded of the one that 309 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:22,200 I'm doing this for. He is the Messiah. 310 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:24,760 He is the one who is of the seed of David. 311 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,800 He's the one who was raised from the dead just like it was 312 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,520 prophesied. He's the Messiah. 313 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,400 I'm not doing this for somebody that's going to take me to a 314 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:37,920 dead end. He's able to keep my life that 315 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,200 I've given to him. He's able to keep it. 316 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:43,520 So he says, remember Jesus Christ. 317 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,120 And then he goes on. He says, according to my gospel, 318 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:51,000 verse 9, for which I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even to 319 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:55,880 the point of chains, but the word of God is not chained. 320 00:18:56,320 --> 00:19:00,880 Paul said I suffer and I go through all these persecutions, 321 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,320 these afflictions, these beatings, being in the deep, 322 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:08,400 almost drowned in, you know, I go through this when I go to 323 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,720 cities, They're constantly, you know, men are are taking 324 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:17,160 different oaths to kill me. I go through all that for the 325 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:20,240 gospel because of what I know to be true. 326 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:25,040 And even though they may chain me, they may put me in prison 327 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:28,240 and they may stop me from traveling around. 328 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:33,440 But the word is not chained, It's not constricted, It's not 329 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:38,400 confined over. In Acts 28, around verse 30 or 330 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:42,520 so, it talks about how Paul, he was in jail, but he was given 331 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:44,920 the freedom because he got favor from God. 332 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:48,960 So he was given the freedom to continue to receive and to teach 333 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,680 people who were coming to him while he was in Rome. 334 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,280 And that word was going out to other people and then from other 335 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:57,800 people, and then to other people and then to other people. 336 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:01,800 The Word of God is not confined. It is not in chains. 337 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,920 There are people who are sitting in hospital beds, laying in 338 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,000 hospital beds, sick. But when people come in, they're 339 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:09,400 not talking about their condition. 340 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,200 They're not talking about how bad they feel. 341 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,640 They're sharing the gospel. They're sharing the gospel of 342 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,320 Jesus Christ. And that word is going out, 343 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:20,600 nurses. And you know our brother Ron, 344 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,360 who end up passing of cancer, Ron, you go to visit him, you're 345 00:20:24,360 --> 00:20:27,360 getting the gospel, you're getting the gospel. 346 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:29,800 You get a hello, maybe an embrace, but you're getting the 347 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,680 gospel. And everybody who comes in that 348 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,000 room, every nurse, they come into that room. 349 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,120 And there's other people that I've visited from here that when 350 00:20:38,120 --> 00:20:40,360 someone walks in that room, I don't care if it's a doctor, a 351 00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:44,560 nurse, a receptionist, they are hearing something about the word 352 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:47,280 of God and about the goodness of Jesus Christ. 353 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:52,240 The word is not confined. Paul said it's not confined. 354 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:56,520 And in verse 10, he says, and then he gives the reason why he 355 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:00,160 endures these things. He says therefore I endure all 356 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:07,320 things for the sake of the elect or the chosen, that they also 357 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:14,840 may obtain salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 358 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:21,240 Paul says I do all this, I suffer all these things, I take 359 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,680 all these beatings, I take all the persecutions. 360 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,400 I'm dragged before council, pro councils, I'm dragged before 361 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:37,520 kings, governors beaten, taking slashes back, totally busted 362 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:44,920 open from being flogged. But Paul said, I do this for 363 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,720 those who need to hear the gospel, the ones who will hear 364 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:52,600 the gospel and believe. There are people out there that 365 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,200 will hear this gospel and believe. 366 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:58,240 We don't know who they are. We don't know who we are. 367 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:01,960 We walk down the street, we go into a grocery line, we pick up 368 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,480 the phone, we walk through our neighborhoods. 369 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:08,080 Lord gives us a passion to share the gospel. 370 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,720 We don't know if the people that we're sharing the gospel with is 371 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:13,440 going to be one of those who will believe. 372 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:17,040 We don't know. It's not our place to know that 373 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:21,000 God knows. We're just supposed to forecast 374 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:22,920 it. We're supposed to share it. 375 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:27,320 We put it out there and let the Holy Spirit does its work. 376 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:29,880 Let the Holy Spirit does it work. 377 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:34,000 He takes what we shared and it goes into the heart and the Holy 378 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,680 Spirit brings it to fruition. And they believe, Paul said. 379 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:43,000 I'm doing it for them. I'm doing it for them so that 380 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:48,240 they can obtain salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal 381 00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:51,920 glory. Remember, the gospel is a 382 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,200 promise of life. So this eternal glory that he's 383 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:59,560 talking about is the coming Kingdom in which we will have no 384 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:03,440 more dying, no more sickness, no more crying. 385 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:09,640 He's going to wipe away every tear, not even night, because 386 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:11,680 God Himself is going to be our light. 387 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,160 We have it in Christ Jesus, Amen. 388 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:22,440 So Paul is encouraging Timothy as we are encouraging you state, 389 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,200 of course, don't give up. Don't give out what you're 390 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,000 doing. Regardless of whether you think 391 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:32,680 that you see results or whether you think that nothing's 392 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,360 happening at all. Continue to do what God has 393 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:38,040 called you to do. Stay faithful to the Word. 394 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:43,680 Stay faithful to the calling, to the mission, to the Co mission. 395 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:46,680 God is at work and He's using you. 396 00:23:47,360 --> 00:23:52,880 He's using you, He's using me, He's using all of us to make a 397 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,240 difference according to His purpose. 398 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,640 Thank you for tuning in to Living Waters of Grace with 399 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,840 Pastor Louis Harrell. We're currently in the books of 400 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:07,600 First and Second Timothy. Some of the things included in 401 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:11,680 these New Testament letters from Paul are that the young and 402 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:16,400 newly established Pastor Timothy was being encouraged to hold 403 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:20,440 fast to what was true. He was challenged to confront 404 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,360 and address the false teachers that were rising up. 405 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:27,680 He was also reminded to accept his calling to the ministry with 406 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:31,600 gratefulness and to address the happenings going on in the 407 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,520 Ephesian church. Paul was imparting his 408 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:38,960 experience and knowledge to the next generation. 409 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:42,520 Timothy was receptive to learning and gleaning what he 410 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:46,160 could from Paul's wisdom. This is how it should be in 411 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,880 ministry across multiple generations. 412 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,720 Those who have lived a little more life should be open to 413 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:56,920 sharing their successes and also things they've learned along the 414 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:58,440 way. That we're not a wind. 415 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,360 The younger generations coming up can learn and appreciate much 416 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:06,600 from those ahead of them, and perhaps avoid some of the same 417 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:11,080 pitfalls that their mentors work through mentoring. 418 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:15,560 It's a beautiful relationship. When the hearts are in the right 419 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,840 place to learn and grow. You trust that you're in a 420 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:20,560 community where this is happening. 421 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:25,800 Older ones providing advice and wisdom, and each side learning 422 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:29,560 and growing from one another. This certainly was the case for 423 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:33,280 Paul and Timothy as they were comrades for the sake of the 424 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:36,280 gospel. For more information on where 425 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:40,360 this teaching came from, go to calvarychapelonline.com. 426 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:44,880 There you can also learn about our service times to join us in 427 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,160 person. This has been living waters of 428 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:48,720 grace.