PAUL'S ENDURANCE IN HIS MINISTRY

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=490940" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=95 BGCOLOR="#330066" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="048005f0dkblkv.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Preach The Word</b></FONT><B>     </b><B>|    </b><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </b><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Preach The Word"><U><B>home</b></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2 Timothy"><U><B>2 Timothy</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DANIEL"><U><B>Daniel</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ZECHARIAH: "><U><B>Zechariah</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MARK"><U><B>Mark</b></U></A><B>    I    </b><A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TOPICAL STUDIES"><U><B>Topical Studies</b></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#DDDDDD" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>PAUL'S ENDURANCE IN HIS MINISTRY</b></div> <div> 2 Timothy 3:10</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> "Darakoloutheo (followed) literally means to accompany and was used metaphonically of conforming to something as a matter of conviction.  In ancient Greece, philosophers used the word to describe the close relationship between a teacher and his disciple, or student."  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >MacArthur, p. 127</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>1. PAUL'S DOCTRINE</b></div> <bR> <bR> <div> "You… know all about my teaching" (10a)</div> <bR> <div> The Greek term here for <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"teaching"</FONT> (didaskalia) is also elsewhere translated "doctrine".  So Paul is telling Timothy, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"Remember what you've heard me teach in all the churches, Timothy!"</FONT> Why? Because you are what you think. Your actions spring from what you believe in your heart.</div> <bR> <div> When a child is born into the world he knows nothing. He acts on instinct.  But how he is raised and what he is taught throughout his childhood and adolescent years will play a big part on the decisions he makes as a young adult and throughout his adult life. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> If a person is taught and comes to believe that what's most important in life is to lookout for himself and forget everyone else then that's the type of person he will become: self-centered, self-oriented and little concern for his neighbor.  On the contrary, if he comes to believe in compassion, respect and sacrificial love then….</div> <bR> <div> That's why the Bible places so much emphasis on raising children in a godly home. Why? Because if you don't he'll turn out like most everybody else in the world, a godless, egocentric and sin-loving individual. </div> <bR> <div> So, how are you going to succeed in not being contaminated by selfish, god-despising world in these last days?  By filling your mind and heart with God's word.</div> <bR> <div> Turn to<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" > Psalm 1:1-6</FONT></div> <bR> <div> "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8</div> <bR> <div> Turn to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >Psalm 37:30-31</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Oh really? Is that true?  Does it really work?  Well, it did for Paul.  By sticking to the Word he was rendered capable to persevere in a godly lifestyle in spite of people abandoning truth all around him.  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>2. PAUL'S LIFESTYLE</b></div> <bR> <div> "You, however, know all about… my way of life" (10b)</div> <bR> <div> Paul is a great example to follow because he was a believer who practiced what he preached. Paul wasn't a "Sunday-only Christian".  Paul wasn't the type of guy that you were very long with before knowing he was a believer.  And here he's encouraging Timothy to follow his personal example of living. </div> <bR> <div> "I urge you to imitate me."  1 Cor. 4:16</div> <bR> <div> "You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed." 1 Thess. 2:10</div> <bR> <div> "You know how we lived among you for your sake." 1:5</div> <bR> <div> Paul had nothing to hide from any man who ever met him.  Paul was not a double minded, two-faced believer.  What was his secret?  I believe it's found in <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >1 Thess. 2:4,6, "We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts… We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else." </FONT></div> <bR> <div> So, if you want to be able to get through these dark and desperate Last Days in the midst of a lawlessness and God rejecting society, follow Paul's example: Fill your heart and mind with God's word and live for Him and Him alone.  If you do this, it won't matter what the world says, does or things. Why? Because your faith won't depend on how people treat you or what people think of you. It'll depend on what God thinks of you. </div> <bR> <div> But don't be deceived people.  You can't separate the two or isolate one or the other. Some believers are deceived this way.  So I sometimes meet one of either group.  (1) The Bible Island man, or (2) The Christian "Yes" man.</div> <bR> <div> Next we have Paul's third example to follow.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>3. PAUL'S CLEAR PURPOSE FOR LIVING</b></div> <bR> <div> "You… know all about… my purpose" (10c)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Right from the beginning of his Christian life the Lord made it clear to Paul what he was put on this planet for and Paul spent the rest of his life doing exactly that.</div> <bR> <div> Turn to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >Acts 26:13-24</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> And this is an absolute crucial ingredient to everyone who wants to endure through tough and threatening times. I mean, why would anyone continue in sharing the Gospel and living a holy life if it only gets him humiliation, ridicule and more enemies? Believers who persevere under the crushing weight of an unbelieving world's hostility are people who know their "purpose" for living.</div> <bR> <div> Unbelievers ask that question all the time, "For what reason was I born into this world?"  Well, let me formally ask you here this morning, "Why were you born into this world? Do you know what God has called you to do in this lifetime?"  Let me tell you this: If you're really serious in finding it, God will be more than happy to show it to you. Problem is, most of God's children are too busy wasting their time with the world and Satan's distractions. </div> <div>  </div> <div> Well, Paul knew what his God-given purpose for living was. And did he pursue it?   </div> <bR> <div> Turn with me to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >2 Timothy 4:6-8</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Turn back to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >Philippians 3:7-14</FONT>.  </div> <bR> <div> Now that's a man who knew for what purpose he was born into this world. </div> <bR> <div> The Prophet Jeremiah lived in lawless times of Apostasy also.  He was humiliated, ridiculed, slapped in the face, publicly thrown into a dry well and left there to die.  Yet, he refused to give-up.  He refused to back down.  He turned away the temptation to throw in the towel and abandon ship.  Why?  Because like Paul, Jeremiah had no doubt in his mind concerning for what purpose he was born into this world.</div> <bR> <div> "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."  Jer. 1:5</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Lord Jesus</b></div> <bR> <div> "You are a king!"  said Pilate.  Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king.  In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth." Jn. 18:37</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><U>APPLICATION TIME</U></b></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Well, how is it with your Christian life?  Are you keeping afloat or going under?  Are you barely making it, surviving or taking on the World for the Coming King, Jesus Christ?  If you feel like you're going under let me encourage you to follow Paul's example.  Because he made it to the finish line, didn't he. How?</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He was rooted deep in the Word of God.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He lived for God and God alone.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">He knew what God called him to do and stuck to it no matter what.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."  Psalm 19:14</div> <bR> <div> Amen and God Bless You All.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>