The Pastor

Are You Weary in Well Doing

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Do Not Give Up Doing Good

Book of Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 1 through 10

We should understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to help our brothers and sisters in Christ or in fact anyone else.

We must stress this point at all times!

We are all still sinners at least as long as we are in these bodies of flesh as Paul has pointed out.

We all suffer the same passions and at times someone of us is always overtaken by sin.

How we approach a fallen brother or sister is of great importance!

It is sometimes a very delicate matter!

That one who has fallen may be sensitive or even embarrassed and easily shamed for giving into their flesh.

It is these things that may not allow this brother or sister to return to the Church.

He or she may even feel like he or she is unwelcome, and we must never allow this to be our intensions.

Unless this person is approved in the right spirit they may never return to the Church.

We must understand that a ministry of restoration, is a ministry of God and should be a ministry of the Church!

This is a ministry that God has called us all to take part in, for any of us could fall at any moment.

*Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

A wise man said: “A word of Love is more potent than any argument”.

That word “brethren” reminds us that Paul is speaking to saved people.

If we see one of our brothers or sisters in violation of the Law of God, he or she is not immediately our enemy!

They are still our brother or sister in Christ.

We all know how hard it is to fight with this flesh and win every battle.

None of us will win every battle with our flesh!

There may have been some in the Churches of Galatia that had fallen from the “Grace” of God, none of us live perfect lives.

That word “overtaken” gives us the idea that someone had fallen back into sin.

It was not deliberate, it was not planned, it was a mistake they had made.

Paul was not speaking of faults in doctrine, but a mistake through weakness of the flesh.

Jesus said to His disciples: Mat_26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Sin is like an addiction, and it is hard to break free from any addiction!

We may not know the problems of our brothers and sisters, unless we show them love where they may trust us enough to speak with us.

Why did the Lord Jesus come to this earth?

Jesus came to restore God’s children back to a relationship with our Creator that had been lost by Adam.

Why would we ever refuse to attempt to restore one of our brothers and sisters in Christ, yet many in the Church would say good riddance.

This is not what the Lord Jesus Christ taught when He walked upon this earth.

We all brag about the Scriptures of the Apostle Paul has taught us and he taught a restoration ministry.

The job of restoration is often neglected in the Church.

We tend to pretend that the sin never happened or we tend to react too harshly towards that person.

Those who are Spiritual are those who show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives and in the Church.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

It is those who show that Spirit of Gentleness that the Lord Jesus showed to all He met who have the best chance of reaching that backslider.

Then Paul says we need to understand there is a possibility that we could be drawn into that same trap of backsliding, and we need to be prepared.

One such thing would be that we could be so full of pride that we can manage every situation that we ourselves fall, but it includes the same temptation our brother or sister has fallen into.

The Bible says: 2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

*Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Remember the law of Jesus Christ is love!

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

It is love that caused our Lord Jesus to hang on that cross and die for each of us!

Jesus Christ bore the sins of everyone who has ever lived!

Now we cannot bear the sins of anyone, but we can bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters!

We can first forgive each other! We must understand that sin that made this person fall from Grace was a sin that Christ died for.

Again, what did the Lord Jesus teach us?

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

*Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

We should understand to be Christian is to be like Jesus Christ. There is no other reason to be called a Christian or to say you are a Christian except you are trying your best to be like Jesus Christ.

It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to bear one another’s burdens!

It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to be forgiving!

It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to love one another!

To neglect to do these things is to set ourselves above Christ our Savior.

God came down to earth in the flesh to humble Himself and die for our sins, so how can we say we will not humble ourselves to help a brother or sister in need.

No Christian is better than any other Christian.

None of us can stand before God unless we are wearing the “Righteousness of Jesus Christ”!

There is no place in the Church for feeling superior or spiritually better than others.

Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

We need to do a self-examination to see for ourselves if we possess the right qualities to help a brother or sister in their time of need or we could make things worse.

*Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

We need to do a self-examination of our own selves comparing ourselves to Jesus Christ and not to some other member of the Church.

We need to understand our own conduct and our own understanding.

We are to examine and judge our own lives, not the life of that fallen brother or sister.

Again, Jesus says: Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

If we are to deal with a backslider, we need to make sure we are not hypocrites!

Criticizing and judging others is a sin!

We cannot help anyone unless we have a pure conscience ourselves.

It is a great joy knowing that we are pleasing God by the way we walk in this life.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

*Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

None of us can escape from our own moral responsibility!

We are personally responsible to the Lord for our own behavior and we shall be judged for what we have done.

We know when we meet the Lord in the air it is a judgment for rewards, and it will be to our own shame if we do not receive any rewards for the things we have done in this life.

If we do not periodically examine ourselves, we can never overcome any faults that we have!

If we spend our time observing the failures of others and not the burdens of our own failures, we will never be able to help anyone in their time of need.

Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

We must understand that every child of God is a student who sits at the feet of the Master learning how to be like Him.

*Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

We can go up and down the hallways of our education building and we will find good teachers, but I do not claim to be one of them.

I know if I listen to the Holy Spirit, I can try to get His message across in this classroom and this is what I try to do.

Between myself and my class we should aways be able to discuss the things that I teach.

Here in this Scripture, we see the Holy Spirit speaking directly to the learner who is also a believer.

This passage speaks more to the Pastor than it does to the classroom teacher.

These same things apply to both.

If you want to be good to the teacher:

1) Be present when the teacher teaches.
2) Be attentive and learn what the teacher teaches.
3) Share in discussion of what the teacher teaches.
4) Pass on what the teacher teaches.
5) Participate in the ministry of that teacher.
6) Support the teacher.
7) Encourage others to learn.

Again, this passage is referring to the Pastor of the Church who must also be a good teacher.

Thank goodness for our own Pastor here at Gethsemane.

Teaching is a vital part of the New Testament Church.

Members of the early Church devoted themselves to the teaching of the Aposltes.

Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The Apostles taught the doctrine of our resurrected Christ.

Act 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

They taught as they had opportunity.

Act 5:21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Act 5:25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

Notice being locked up in prison did not stop the Apostles.

At that time the city of Jerusalem was saturated with the teaching of Jesus Christ and His atonement.

Act 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Act 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Act 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Act 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The heart of the message of the Apostles was that our Lord Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

Act 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Act 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

It is teaching the truth of Jesus Christ that will bring the Church to maturity.

Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

The goal of the Gospel is to make us all look more like Jesus Christ.

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

This teaching is to be taught until the Lord returns.

2Ti 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

We are not to forget the Scripture but continuously teach the Gospel.

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

This the purpose of our classrooms to teach Jesus!

God knows the truth of every Pastor and every teacher.

In fact, God knows the truth of us all!

*Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

In the secular world few people are as important as the teacher.

Its the same for the Church.

We should understand that every Pastor should also be a good teacher but few teachers will ever be Pastors.

Teachers in the Church are also very important, especially those who teach the children.

The truth of the Gospel is the most important message in this world!

The Pastor has responsibilities because he is called of God.
The Teacher has responsibilities because he or she is to follow the pastor’s lead in teaching the truth of the Scriptures.
The student also has responsibilities to the teacher and to the Church.

In the Bible believing church the true Pastor, is one who accepts the truth of the Gospel and the Apostle’s Doctrine which is the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The teachers in that church are to follow his lead and teach the truth of the Scriptures.

The student then honors the teacher and the Pastor when they share the ministry of the teacher.

In the churches of Galatia many of the members were being deceived about facing the judgment of God.

They were being led astray by teachers with a false message.

They were failing to share in the ministry of the Apostle Paul and shared the false message of Judaism.

Judaism is a religion; Christianity is based upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ they cannot be intermingled.

These false teachers were turning their nose up at God who had told them of this New Covenant, but they were rejecting it.

These teachers were rejecting the teaching of the Apostle Paul, so they were not teachers at all.

They were church terrorists plotting the downfall of the Church of Jesus Christ.

When we attack the true Pastor, we are mocking God who called that Pastor into service.

The lesson these men learned at their death is that God is not mocked for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.

God is very clear those that reject the message of God will be rejected by God.

When our Pastor preaches the truth of the Scriptures, and that message is rejected by those who hear it then they will stand before God and answer for that rejection.

If we do not listen to the warnings of the lust of the flesh, then we will reap the lusts of the flesh.

Those who reject the message of the true Pastor will worship as they desire.

They will seek some form of the truth somewhere else.

They will refuse to pray.

They will live as they please.

They will strive against the true Church.

They will reject all the Law of God.

They will seek the things of this world.

When we allow our flesh to lead us rather than the Holy Spirit we will see the wrath of God.

The flesh ages, dies, and then it decays.

If we sow to the flesh then we will age, then die, then face the judgment of God which he spells out so vividly in the Scriptures.

It does not matter what the world says, it only matters what God says!

True teachers teach the Word of God just it is written, and these lessons must be learned by us all.

God will not be mocked and there is no escape from His truths!

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

If we sow to the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer, we shall reap life everlasting!

if we listen to God’s saving message, the Gospel, the Holy Spirit will implant the Divine nature of God within the heart of each believer.

This is how we know and accept the fruit of the Spirit.

This is how we will live forever with God in the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

We know it has been close to two thousand years since the beginning of the Church Age, and we must be patient until the Church Age reaches its fulfillment.

Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

It may seem like an endless task sowing faith and hope, but we must not lose heart!

God is going to reward all those who have such patience!

There is just too much truth in the Scriptures for it all to end in nothingness.

The timing of all these things in is God’s hands but the season of sowing is in our hands.

*Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

God has given us this opportunity to earn rewards.

We should not be waiting for opportunities to develop but making them happen.

We should not be waiting on an opportunity to do good, and we should show kindness to all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Someone in the Church always has a need!

We must stay alert and not be weary if we want to receive a full reward.

We are responsible for our own family first.
We are responsible to our Church family next.
We are responsible for the lost next.

Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Amen

Precious Rewards in Perilous Times

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Precious Rewards

2 Timothy 4

As we close out the 2 Books of Timothy, next week will begin with a few lessons in the Book of Titus.

We should not forget this second book written in the name of Timothy contains the last written words of the Apostle Paul.

It was written from Rome as Paul was probably arrested the second time by Nero, for preaching the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ.

This time Paul was sentenced to death by beheading, and again Paul was content that his life would soon be coming to an end and he would be going home to be with the Lord!

The truth is, we live in a world that is bombarded with messages of hope, yet all we can see is a world that is becoming more and more corrupt and evil, because this world offers no hope for true life.

My hope is that we could see one more worldwide revival and thousands or even billions would come to know the Lord Jesus Christ on a personal level that begins with love and remains as love because we have such a great love letter from our Savior!

The message of the Word of God is so simple that many do not understand the simplicity of salvation, but one thing must happen. The Holy Spirit must convict us of our sin!

The only lasting hope for all mankind is a personal relationship with Jehovah God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Great “I AM” of the Scriptures.

The Word of God is so important that the Lord called special men and then equipped them to preach the “Gospel Message” of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead “at his appearing” and “his kingdom”;
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

What is the work of that Preacher who is called of God? Number one He is to preach!

I think it would be good to mention that in all the pastoral epistles we find nowhere in these Scriptures where any female is authorized to preach the Word of God and the Word of God gives no indication that any woman should become the Pastor of any of the sheep of God who is the Good Shepherd of all His sheep!

In fact, it takes only one Scripture to prove my point!

1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, “the husband of one wife”, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

What we know is that Timothy was a single man called to be Pastor in the Church at Ephesus and this too matches the Scriptures.

For a married man called of God, he must meet the qualifications set down in what we call the Pastoral Epistles, the 2 Books of Timothy and Titus, after first becoming a “Born Again” child of God.

In this one passage we see that a husband must be blameless and have only one wife and may even mean one wife at a time, but this one passage eliminates the woman who could never be the husband of one wife.

Note: If it turned out to be a couple in the LBGT movement then it cannot be any part of the church!

So, God commands that those men He has personally chosen, are to preach the Word of God and not any others.

How many false men behind the pulpits of America and even this world have already rejected the Word of God and preach every version but the truth of God?

A Preacher, whether you say Pastor, Bishop, or any other name is to Preach the Word of God and this means every passage in the Bible, all 31,173 verses in the context that they were written, rightly divided.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

We saw this Scripture last week and it has not changed, nor will it ever change!

It is a fact that we will be judged for every evil thing we have done since coming to know our Savior but without a doubt that Pastor will be judged for every message he has preached all the time he has been called to be a pastor.

God is watching us all, but there is much more written about God watching those who deal falsely with the truth of the Word of God!

The most important reason to preach the pure truth of God is the fact that we will all be judged by the same Word of God that is be preached.

I personally trust the King James Version Bible because it is an English translation from the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts.
I also realize that King James himself was an evil man who I never hear of changing.
The King James Bible has nothing to do with King James except to say that he may have paid to have this work done and even then, he did not have the right intentions. As God will always do, He makes good things come from bad intentions!

I would stay away from any other English translation and those who use any of the other languages, should gauge their own translation by those same Greek and Hebrew manuscripts.

Every work of the Christian must be good enough, not to satisfy men, but to satisfy Jesus Christ (be Christlike)!

We must clearly understand that if the Lord gave such a command to “Preach”, then He is certainly not trying to hide anything from us and He will greatly judge all those who do try to hide the truth of God from us!

In fact, the truth of God simply cannot be hidden from those who are seeking the truth but easily hidden from those who will sit and listen to anything from every “so-called” man of God!

No one is perfect and myself far from that, but we are all to search the Scriptures, so we will know the truth when we hear it and it is not that hard because God will never hide the truth from us!

The man has never lived who can outsmart God!

Psa_2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Psa_59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

The one thing that stands out in this passage is the fact that the Lord says to preach the Word of God and does not mean to preach any other matter to those who are listening! This is a sharp command to preach!

This is to take the Word of God and make sense of the Word so all those listening can understand, with the same vigor to make sure they hear what God has to say!

This is so the Holy Spirit can do His work of conviction!

There are many Preachers and Pastors who have no problem with the preaching of God’s Word.

Where many fail they do not exhort those who are hearing, to take the Word of God in to their hearts and apply it to their daily life.

God has already proved that He is longsuffering and even says so and all those who receive the Word of God into their hearts can be gloriously saved but even God has a limit with His longsuffering.

Isa 63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

We already know that God does not ever changed His perfect ways and He never will!

Why are all these things so very important? Because of the time we have arrived at today in the last Church Age!

*****2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

We should clearly understand that in the day Paul wrote these words to Timothy and the Church, false doctrine was already entering into the Church!

The human being is still a basically sinful creature, since the time of Adam and we will use every method thought of, to avoid hearing the truth of our sinfulness! This is the Holy Ghost’s first obstacle in convicting us of our sin!

The human being will seek out words that will be more suited to their desires and their fancies!

It is just a fact and even more so, when we only receive partial truths of the Word of God and it is not drilled into our fancies. Most every one that hears the Word of God that is preached as commanded, will know when they hear the truth and it is then it becomes time to make a decision to accept the truth or reject the truth, but the truth is understood and not many will do so the very first time they truly understand the Word of God.

The Preacher is to also be patient! Salvation is nothing to be toyed with. It is the most important decision any of us will make and it is the right decision!

God will continue to send His Words to each individual, until the Holy Spirit says that it is enough! God said: “my Spirit will not always strive with man”!

Church history has already proven that this happened early to the Churches in Asia and Paul even commented upon this same thing.

2Ti 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

Even today it is a struggle to get the Word of God into these countries so the Holy Spirit can do His work.

These are the 7 churches in the Book of Revelation all in Asia, but we must also remember that these are also the 7 Ages of the Church, which is nearing its end.

Only one Church the Church of Philadelphia is shown to remain completely faithful to the Lord!

All six of the other churches became apostate in one way or the other with the greatest apostacy of leaving the first love of the church or the foundation which is the Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe this is where we are at in the USA and most of the rest of the world, where the church is not still on fire for God!

In fact, the USA has become one of the biggest mission fields in the entire world when it was once known as a godly nation and more missionaries went out into the world from here!

We must also know, that if we are not on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ, then we can also be considered to be an apostate Church!

People turn away from God simply because they have rejected the truth and do not want to hear the truth, not even considering the consequences of such a rebellion against our Holy God!

The Bible is very clear! When you turn away from the foundation of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ, then Satan will have a man or even some woman who will teach unto you vain fables, to make you feel good about the false church!

They will tell you anything that sounds close to the truth without having any truth in it at all.

Our example comes from this passage in the Book of the Beginnings (Genesis)

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Gen 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Sinful man simply wants teachers who will allow them to live as they please, without hearing anything about sin or Hell, or even Heaven.

For such people these places will become places that simply do not exist!

We must pray for such people because God still loves them!

But we must not ever be fooled, the only way any one can be saved is to surrender to the whole truth of God!

Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

We must realize that myths and fables do certainly exist in every religion but not in Christianity!

*****2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

When God gives us a ministry then we are to make full proof of that ministry God has given to us!

It is obvious that when we look around we can see many so-called men of God who just do not remain faithful to their ministry or they never were!

A true minister of God will suffer more hardships than most because they have a target on their back for all those who follow Satan to fire their fiery darts.

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Not every man of God will be traveling preachers because many are chosen to Pastor a church. For any ministry the object must remain to seek to win souls in everything that is done, even in discipleship training, the object is to seek those that the Lord can save.

The Lord Jesus has passed this baton to the church!

Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

We should not forget the circumstances of the Apostle Paul as the Holy Spirit gave him these words.

*****2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Paul knows his punishment will be death by beheading but his knowledge of going home to be with the Lord, far outweighs anything this world could do to him!

The very last act we as Christians must do is give our bodies as a sacrifice back to the Lord, who will then even resurrect that body at the “rapture of thee Church”. That saved soul will be in Heaven at the last breath of that body!

When we give our life to the Lord, He will still require the death of that body at a time of His choosing!

To depart from this world and to move into that place prepared for us by the Lord Jesus Christ, is the greatest blessing we can receive in this world and the beginning of true life!

**Paul said death was no more than a departure from this world and finally going home!

We must remember when we are in the Army of God we must live our life as a faithful soldier. We should clearly understand, God has an all-volunteer Army but we must be committed to the fight!

This world no longer has any real importance to that soldier in God’s Army!

In the end we should all be able to say we have fought a good fight. In fact, our rewards will be based on our fight in the army of God!

**Paul said he had remained in his race and he had finished his course, he had completed his race in this life!

We must discipline our lives to the commandments of God and follow the Lord as our example right up till the end!

A true runner will never stop in the middle of a race. This also includes taking care of that body that we have been given and following the lead of the Lord.

**Paul had kept the faith!

We must be good stewards of the Word of God!

The Lord has given us the ability for our faith to grow. When we are saved we have sworn our allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. Even through all the sufferings of the Apostle Paul, when he could have thrown up his hands and laid his faith aside, but he had claimed that faith and he held onto his faith all the way to Heaven’s gates where he was welcomed in the arms of the Lord!

We serve a righteous God who will Himself present a “crown of righteousness” to all those who have followed in the steps of the Apostle Paul!

Think about that for a minute!

The King of all the Ages will make a presentation to a dirty rotten sinner like me, and like you, a Crown of Righteousness.
It is only then that we will have been made perfect in the eyes of the Lord!

Now if you are not looking and preparing for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, then you will miss out on such a precious gift that we will all just toss back to the Savior’s feet.

How can I be worthy of such a thing?
Have I truly finished my course?
Have I been a consistent soldier in the army of God?
Have I kept the faith as did Paul?
Have I been true to the Lord once He saved me?
Will I even have a crown to toss to the feet of Jesus?

We should ask ourselves these questions.

1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

What did the Lord advise us all to do?

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: “hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown”.

This is what happens to those who fall into the trap of false preachers and false teachers!

One of the things that Paul wanted and could be fulfilled before his death was to spend just a little more time with this young man Timothy before he went home to be with the Lord.

We can learn many things in these last breathes of the Apostle Paul.

*****2Ti 4:9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
2Ti 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
2Ti 4:12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

We should understand that until we get to Heaven, human companionship is a necessary thing. The most important of those would be our family and our church family who we know we will spend eternity with.

Timothy was close to the heart of the Apostle Paul.

We should also understand that though the Christian life is the greatest life while we are upon this earth, but there are certainly times when every believer needs help!

No doubt Demas was believed to a part of Paul’s church family but when he realized that he could die because of his beliefs, it was too much for him to commit to.

Demas loved this present world more than he loved the Lord Jesus and Paul was hurt by his leaving.

It is a terrible thing for someone who has been involved in the ministry of the Lord to give up on the Lord when times get hard. They too just reject the truth!

Mat 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
Mat 26:57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

We see these things happening all over our nation today. Those who prefer to be politically correct, rather stick to the proven truth!

It should be obvious to anyone that worldliness is fatal to God’s plan of salvation.

The Lord Jesus said this was a sign of the end of the Church Age!

Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Timothy was the Pastor in Ephesus until He was also murdered by the government but this is no reflection on his preaching, but it is a sign of the Church Age we live in today.

For some unknown reason, Titus had to return to his own ministry but we should consider that Dalmatia was also a Roman province and persecution was no doubt an issue here.

This is the only mention of Crescens in all the Scriptures, but tradition says he was one of the seventy disciples of Christ Jesus who was sent to preach and no doubt Crescens also had to return to his ministry in Galatia also a Roman province.

Christians throughout the Roman Empire were being persecuted relentlessly.

Luk_10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
Luk_10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Doctor Luke remained with Paul right up to the end. We should not doubt that Luke was certainly a highly skilled medical missionary!

We also see that Mark was near to Ephesus and Paul needed someone to take over his jail ministry and Mark was a great value to the Lord for such things.

We know from past studies that Tychicus had been sent to deliver these epistles of Paul many times which shows the importance of such men who jeopardize thier own lives to take the Word of God to places it is not allowed.

We should also understand that the Church has no power when the world is allowed to enter into it!

We cannot be politically correct and obey the Word of God at the same time!

We next see that there are other things that Paul held dear all of his days after he met the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus!

I pray we all remember our own day on the Damascus road forever more!

When we lay on death’s bed, we need to remember what is truly important to us.

*****2Ti 4:13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

No doubt that this Roman prison was a cold dark place and Paul left his heavy coat in Troas. Just so we know, when Timothy found Mark and then went to Troas, it was a 600-mile journey to Rome in a time when walking and by ship were the only means transportation.

No doubt that some books were at that time available and Paul had some favorites, but these could still be scrolls containing the Word of God which is probably more accurate but at least we know that Paul enjoyed reading!

Those parchments were probably animal skins that had been prepared for writing. These things might not out last paper but they were certainly more durable.

Paul is in prison, he cannot preach nor, can he teach but he could keep his mind active by reading and studying from some books that he had chosen. I’m sure the Scriptures were among them!

Paul’s life as a Christian missionary had certainly been harsh at times!

*****2Ti 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
2Ti 4:15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

Since not much is known about this Alexander, then we must just accept what Paul is saying. We can also understand that Timothy knew of this person.

It is believed that this is the same Alexander of Ephesus who was a leader in a certain union of metal workers making idols to the false goddess Diana.

Diana was a goddess in Roman mythology and the Greeks called her Artimus. In Ephesus was the Temple of Diana, once listed as one of the seven wonders of this world.

This Alexander was a Jew and the Jews had developed an extreme hatred for the Apostle Paul.

We still see that answer lies in the fact that when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, anything we place over our Lord then becomes our god.

We should be able to see that money was the god of Alexander and not Diana nor the Lord Jesus Christ and he was truly an evil man!

There is a real possibility that this same Alexander testified against the Apostle Paul at his first answer, as he puts it!

It seems that today, even more Christians are turning against other Christians, effectively killing the Holy Ghost Power in the Church.

*****2Ti 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
2Ti 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Here again we see another instance where Paul followed in the ways of Jesus Christ as he asks God the Father to forgive all those who had forsaken him.

We can also see that Paul would stand before Nero one more time. We may all stand before our own government one day just because we know the truth and accept the truth of God. We will never stand alone for though the whole world abandoned us, the Lord Jesus Christ will never leave our side the whole time.

We should not miss a very important point here. The Lord Jesus Christ was abandoned by all those who followed Him and was delivered by God the Father, now The Lord Jesus Christ will deliver all those who call upon His name.

Paul knew He was going to his death, but he wanted every Christian to realize he would be delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that “roaring lion” Satan himself because, Satan holds no power over our death, because our life now lies in the hands of our Holy God!

As long as our “faith” lies in work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, our life is held securely in the hand of God!

The Lord informed Paul that because he had remained faithful to the “gospel”; and the Holy Spirit had been the mind behind all the Epistles of Paul, that every Gentile would at some time, hear and understand the lifesaving Word of God, “The Truth” of life!

Php 1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Php 1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

What is true deliverance?

*****2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

If we could all just hold to the truth of this Scripture, all our worries in this world would vanish and stay away!

We as Christians have been delivered from a Devil’s Hell. It is in the past, we have already been delivered! We have been preserved to live out eternity wherever the Lord our God abides in His Heavenly Kingdom!

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

At the death of our body, in one moment of time, “the twinkling of an eye”, our life in this world will cease and our life will begin wherever God is at!

Some say a twinkling is 11/100’s of a second. This means it will be very quick!

One moment we are a citizen of this world and the next moment we will be at our new home in Heaven!

We will never have the taste of death in our mouths!

Isa 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

While we remain in this body, we should remember all those who have made a difference in our lives!

*****2Ti 4:19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
2Ti 4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
2Ti 4:21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.
2Ti 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen

We should also remember that these are the very last words of the Apostle Paul.

Paul would always send greetings from those who were with him and also to those he was writing to.

If there was ever a woman who God would allow to take on the role as Pastor, it would have been Priscilla, but she knew the order of things and remained with her husband Aquila and they both helped Paul and other Christians in any way that they could.

They had been driven from Rome by the Emperor Claudius and had met Paul in Corinth and they made friends quickly because they were all tent makers.

They accompanied Paul to Ephesus, later again they went back to Rome where they allowed their house to be a church, where God’s people could assemble.

Again, they were run out of Rome and it seems they settled in Ephesus.

No doubt these two Christians were a great help to Timothy. Priscilla was a great example of the godly wife and would work tirelessly in the church at Ephesus.

Onesiphorus was a Christian from Ephesus who had shown a great kindness to Paul while he was in that Roman jail. No doubt that this entire family had been a precious family to the Apostle Paul.

Erastus was also a companion of Paul at Ephesus who had been sent with Timothy to Macedonia while Paul traveled in Asia. He was a native of Corinth.

Trophimus had traveled with Paul on his 3rd missionary journey. He was also with Paul in Jerusalem. He was that same Gentile Paul was accused of taking into the Temple, which was a lie but if true it meant the Temple was made unclean until a ceremony of cleanness could be performed.

It seems that Trophimus was too sick to travel to Rome to assist the Apostle Paul in his own last days.

It was difficult for ships to travel the Mediterranean Sea in the winter months and Paul wanted to see Timothy before this time and he certainly wanted that cloak.

Eubulus was another Christian who had helped Paul while he was in that Roman dungeon.

Pudens was a friend of Timothy who after the death of Paul, was also murdered by Nero.

Linus is said to have become the Pastor of the Church in Rome after Peter had been murdered.

It is believed that this Claudia, was the wife of Pudens and both of them may have come from royal families, she being from Britain.

When Paul said all the brethren then he was referring to all those of the Church that day and today!

All brethren have the same Father, God the Father, and are brothers and sisters to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ and filed with God the Holy Spirit!

Without wearing the seal of God, the Holy Spirit, you cannot be in this wonderful eternal family!

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Paul loved all those who had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior we all should!

Amen!

Let’s Pray!