She Shall Be Praised

This passage has haunted women for 3,000 years. How can anyone meet this amazingly high standard??

The goal is not Perfection

The goal is Direction

Passionately pursuing these things

You CAN achieve that and BE that amazing woman that God calls you to be.

This is the first thing Proverbs tells us about the Woman to Be Praised

1. She is Excellent and Trustworthy

2. She Runs the Home

3. She’s Compassionate

4. She’s Prepared

5. A Blessing to Her Husband

6. Wisdom

7. Admired & Praised by Her Family

8. Yahweh Honors the Woman who Fears Him

Take the next step toward greater pursuit.

Pursue these things:

1. Biblical Wisdom

Understand how Proverbs 31, 1 Timothy 2, Ephesians 5, and 1 Peter 3 all work together. 

2. Graciousness

3. Strength with Submission

Who is the most submissive person ever to live? 

Who is the strongest person ever to live?
The answer is the same: Jesus

4. Singular Devotion

When you’re singularly devoted to your husband, and his good, he knows it. Not nit-picking, tearing him down, shaming him, complaining about him. etc.

Win his trust by demonstrating your devotion to him

5. Fear Yahweh

a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.

Devotion to God is the central organizing factor in all of this. 

All of these things flow out of that.

We glorify God NOT when we attain perfection, but when we’re in passionate pursuit of Him

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

And we are most satisfied in Him when we are pursuing His will for our lives, pursuing greater alignment to His Word.

Let’s pray…

Praying Together

 

1 Timothy 2:1-8 gives very important instruction on the priority of prayer in the church:

Prayer: What

This is, first and foremost - a call to prayer. 

Petitions - this is about praying for needs. 

Prayers - this is the basic word for prayer and its focus: God. Prayer is an act of worship 

Requests - Coming alongside - having empathy for the one we are praying for.

Thanksgivings - pray with gratitude. We have the great joy and privilege to be the able to approach the King of the universe.

Prayer: Who

The emphasis here is: all men. 

With an intentional focus on evangelistic prayer.

all men is to be the focus of our prayers. The ones to whom the gospel should be proclaimed.

Prayer: Why

Here’s why we should want freedom: for our evangelistic efforts. 

Remember Show and Tell

Show them what the gospel looks like

what a life radically transformed is

Tell them how they can have that too. 

When we pursue godliness and dignity, We promote and foster, Tranquil and quiet lives so that we have greater freedom and opportunities for sharing our message of hope with others.

Practical Prayer Principle: 

Prayer Catalyzes Love

No greater way to foster a genuine, right love and care for someone than to pray for them.

As you pray for someone, your heart will turn toward them.

Richard Baxter - puritan pastor:

Let your heart yearn for your ungodly neighbors. Alas, there is but a step between them and death and hell. Many hundred diseases are waiting, ready to seize on them and if they die unregenerate, they will be lost forever. Have you hearts of rock that cannot pity men in such a case as this? Do you not care who is damned as long as you are saved? If so, you have sufficient cause to pity yourselves, for it is a frame of spirit utterly inconsistent with grace… Do you live close by them? Or, do you meet them in the streets or work with them or travel with them or sit and talk with them and say nothing to them of their souls? If their houses were on fire you would run and help them. Will you not help them where their souls are almost at the fire of hell?

We need to see those we encounter in our lives as Bound for Hell if they die without Christ

And all of this is the starting point for us to be:

A fired up church, 

Radically obedient to a 

Passionate pursuit of

knowing God and

making Him known

Pursuing Passionate Prayer

1. Prioritize Prayer

Take every opportunity that you have to join

in prayer. 

2. Engage

Don’t zone out - focus - tune in. 

3. Think and Look Back

Be a prayer historian. Track your prayers and 

their answers. 

4. Be a Catalyst

Always be ready to pray.

Ask others how you can pray for them this 

week. Then follow up next week.

Pray through the membership directory using 

Colossians 1:9-14 as a prayer guide

There’s probably no better way to foster  unity in our church than to pray for one  another this way. It will knit our hearts together in love.

Let’s re-commit ourselves to praying for one another, praying for the lost, and for those in authority. 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob

Be Like Batman, part 2

 

Three major elements Chapter 1

• Guard the Gospel (1-11)

• Celebrate the Gospel (12-17)

• Fight for the Gospel (18-20)

• Celebrate the Gospel (12-17)

Be thankful to GOD: the Source of Grace (v. 12)

WE Need Grace (v. 13)

His Grace is Superabounding (v. 14)

SAVING GRACE (v. 15)

We are all sinful and stand desperately in need of His grace

Why did God save a wretch like me? (v. 16)

So that when people look at you they would see a picture of what a life transformed by the gospel looks like.

The gospel is not about you.

It’s about God’s amazing grace put on display

Pause for Praise (v. 17)

Paul can’t even get through the first chapter without a doxology of praise for God’s grace.

Conclusion/Application:

Verses 18-20:  FIGHT for the gospel.

What does it look like?

Know the Gospel.

Celebrate the Gospel

Fight for the Gospel

Practical Steps:

1. Join a Sound Church

2. Show Up

3. Be Discerning

Use the target to help evaluate teaching:

1. The center: The Gospel

There are unwavering gospel truths that, if you deny, you’re not a Christian. Those are always central and must be continually taught. These truths should be the core of Christian teaching.

Colossians 1:28 – Him we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom

2. Second Circle

We can differ on these issues & still go to church together (Example: Eschatology & Spiritual gifts) We can disagree and still contend together for the faith of the gospel,

3. Third circle

Not a denial of the gospel, but an issue that means we cannot go to church together. 

Example: infant baptism vs. believers baptism

Outside the Circle:

You can affirm the biblical gospel, but be in the “dangerous” category if your teaching falls outside the circle. It’s not a drop-dead-done-you’re-a-heretic issue, but outside the circle is a dangerous place to be. 

These are all outside the circle:

Woke/Critical Race Theory

Social Justice Movement (we do, however, need to be impacting our communities) Anything Prosperity related

Claiming you can “release the power of God in your life when you _________…”

Affirming extra biblical revelation.

If you deny the inspiration, inerrancy, authority, or sufficiency of God’s Word (all Scripture that is breathed out by God) - you’ve stepped outside the circle.

Yes - You can affirm the gospel and still be outside the circle.

Marks of a False Teacher. 

Man Pleaser

Criticizing Faithful Servants of God

Teach their own wisdom, not God’s Word

Emphasizing minor things - not gospel focused

Uses eloquent words to disguise false teaching

Inconsistent - true doctrine is beautifully consistent.

Final Characteristic is what Sound Teaching produces (false teaching does not produce this).

Sanctification, Growth, and Holiness

If the goal is not your sanctification - FLEE!

We must hold tightly to truth and reject what is false.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob

Be Like Batman: Guard the Gospel

 Today, we started a new sermon series in 1 & 2 Timothy (and at least one Rabbit Trail over to Titus, the other pastoral epistle). The first major point in the series titled, "Dear Timothy..."

 Growing up, Grandma sent letters from Africa every week. The purpose was to keep us up to date with what was going on and to encourage along the way. I'll always treasure her letter to me after hearing that I'd trusted in Christ as my Savior. 

The purpose of 1 Timothy is found in Chapter 3.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 – I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you soon, but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

1. The Greeting (vv 1-2)

Don’t just breeze by the introduction.

This is a personal letter from Paul to Timothy, it’s also intended for a wider audience.

It’s an essential letter:

For Timothy

For every pastor

For Every Christian

The letter opens with a reminder of the hope we have in the gospel because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

This letter has one of the clearest answers in the Bible to the question: what is the church supposed to look like?

First instruction:

2. Guard the Gospel (vv 3-11)

This is the starting point for what we must do in the church. 

One of the primary tasks of those who lead in the church. 

Also critical for those who are in the church.

This is where we need to Be like Batman

Who had no super powers

Was not from another planet

He didn’t get bitten by a radioactive spider

He was just a guy who, when his city was 

threatened, went out and did what he could, 

using all of, his resources - to guard his city.

We need to guard the gospel like Batman guarded Gotham City.

False teachers are threatening the church. 

Timothy was instructed to command them to put a stop to it. 

A. The Error

The error of the files teachers was some form of legalism. Ultimately, it was “a different gospel.”

It seems that it was elements of Judaism mixed in with some of the strange OT interpretations that floated around occasionally.

B. The Goal

The goal of a true teacher of the gospel and a false teacher is different. 

The true teacher - the faithful shepherd

The goal is sanctification. Loving God and loving fellow believers. (Matthew 22:37,39, 

John 13:35, 1 John 4:7-8 & 3:10)

Three things about true teaching: (verse 5)

1. Pure heart (Titus 3:5 , Psalm 24:3, Psalm 5:10, Romans 6:17)

2. Good Conscience

Your conscience either affirms or accuses 

3. Unhypocritical faith

False teaching points away from the gospel, miss the mark, and go off course

C. The Motive

Look to someone’s motive and you’ll see much truth there. (Matthew 12:34)

And the false teachers wanted recognition as teachers. It wasn’t about knowing and exalting the Lord

The false teachers were seeking to be teachers for their own satisfaction, not for the sanctification of others.

Ultimately - what is 

D. The Effect

False teachers are not only unable to truly understand God’s truth, they’re absolutely convinced they do. 

The whole point of Mosaic Law: you can’t achieve holiness on your own

A right understanding of the gospel

A right understanding of Scripture

Leads you to mourn over all of your sins

Here’s your self-test. 

Everyone teaches in some manner. You might not stand up in front of a group, but your life, your attitudes, your actions, your words, your texts, emails, Facebook posts, t-shirts - they’re all teaching others what the gospel is and how it affects someone’s life in real time.

Are you growing in love?

   Love for Christ

   Love for the Church (Christ’s Body, His people)

   Love for the Lost

Guard the gospel. Be radically committed to it!

What is the Gospel?

Here it is in one minute:

The one and only God, creator of everything, who is holy, made us in His image to Know Him and glorify Him.

But we sinned, we rebelled. We did our own thing and cut ourselves off from Him. There’s nothing we could ever do or would ever do to earn our way back to Him or even begin to fix the problem.

BUT – In His great love, God became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, taking on himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn to and believe in Him. He rose again from the dead, showing that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice and that God’s wrath against us has been satisfied.

He now calls us to repent of our sins and to trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness.

If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God.

I pray we all grow in our commitment to guarding the gospel. 

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Rob

Learning to Be Content

 

Learning Contentment

In Philippians 4:11, Paul says - I have learned to be content

The problem: contentment isn’t automatic. We’re all inclined to be discontent. It’s built in to our flesh.

Contentment flows out of the pursuit of sanctification as Paul introduced in Philippians 1:27 – live your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Chapter 2:12-18 outlines how we are to pursue sanctification:

1. Obedience is the starting point

Verse 12 – just as you have always obeyed

Disobedience to any of God’s commands is outside of His will. 

2. It will take effort

Verse 12 – work out your salvation

It’s going to take effort. It won’t just happen on its own.

3. A Right attitude toward God

Verse 12 – with fear and trembling

A healthy reverential awe. You take God and His commands seriously

4. Without Grumbling & Complaining

Verse 14 – Do all things without grumbling or disputing

A clear sign of discontent

Matthew 12:34 – the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

Holding fast is also holding forth

5. Sharing this with others

Verses 15-16 – …shine as lights in the world,  holding fast the word of life…

Holding fast is holding forth

6. Rejoice 

This comes from within - from the heart.

The Secret of Contentment

Learning Contentment is a Discipline 

that we must all pursue with great intensity.

FOCUS on these Things:

• The Spiritual, 

Rather than Immersing yourself in worldly pursuits - those will always lead to discontent 

on some level, in some way.

• Jesus

Hebrews 12:2-3 – fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary, fainting in heart.

See also: Phil 1:6, Phil 1:19

• Scripture - God’s Word must be our guide through life. The Instruction Manual

A Ship’s Ballast is internal, it’s not propped up from outside.

• The Positive (& God’s Sovereignty)

What’s happening to you is a result of the Sovereign, loving hand of God in your life.

It’s happening for His glory and your good.

When we carry our discontentment in a bucket and focus on it, we get frustrated.

When we see it in relation to the abundant ocean of God’s grace and mercy, it disappears.

The Underlying Principles of Daniel 12

 

Living for God in Ungodly Times

Nine principles to live godly lives in an ungodly world.

1. Stand Up

Bow up with confidence (not pride)

verse 1 – “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people.

God will protect His people.

We can Stand Up and be confident of His protection of us.

2. Buckle Up

Verse 1 – there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. ⁷ the shattering of the power of the holy people

Trouble & difficulty & persecution is part of the regular rhythm of life. 

Be ready for trials.

James 1 - Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,

3. Rest Up

You can rest confidently looking up to the Lord

Because full and final rescue is coming. 

If I go and prepare a place for you, 

I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

Relax - you can trust God to rescue His people.

4. Look Up

Maybe “Hope Up” is a better phrase

Christ’s resurrection gives us absolute confidence that we will be resurrected.

1 John 3:2 – We know that when He is manifested, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 

And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

5. Point Up

Our Christian walk has never been and never will be just about us. 

We cannot focus all our attention on ourselves.

We absolutely have to turn our attention to others. 

God has given us the message of the gospel of salvation, not so that we can keep it to ourselves and exult in it, but so that we can point others to Jesus Christ. 

Be praying daily that the Lord would bring evangelism opportunities your way

6. Grow Up

You have to dig deep into God’s Word to grow up spiritually. We live in an age that does not like the truth of Scripture and despises biblical doctrine. Many Christians quickly set it aside for the sake of “experience.”

The wise will always look to God’s Word to find true wisdom. 

7. Time’s Up!

Verses 5-9 Daniel’s conclusion.

The time of difficulty will be “cut short.”

verse 12  (the numbers 1290 & 1335) show us that God’s timing is precise - down to the very day that things happen. 

Whatever trial you’re currently going through - as you persevere, know that it will end precisely when it is supposed to.

Difficulties are never pointless - they always have a purpose

God is sanctifying you, even when it doesn't feel right in your own heart/mind.

8. Clean Up

1 Peter 1:13-16 – Therefore, having girded your minds for action, being sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

As obedient children, (radically obedient children) not being conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your conduct; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

You need to passionately pursue holiness

9. [Don’t] Give Up

In verse 8, Daniel’s honesty is pretty cool:

I heard, but I did not understand. 

You will endure – Don’t give up

This is a promise given to us

Not only the guarantee of making it to heaven

But also endurance.
Matthew 24:13 – And because lawlessness is multiplied, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 

(Salvation brings endurance)

Conclusion

Look again at to 1 Peter 1:15

Radical obedience is:

• Not being conformed to the world

(the characteristics of AntiChrist we saw in 11)

• and the pursuit of holiness

We’re commanded to be holy

That’s what these nine principles are: 

The passionate pursuit of 

knowing God

and making Him known.

If you call yourself a Christian - this is not optional. 

I pray that you make every effort toward sanctification as together we strive to be a fired up church, radically obedient to a passionate pursuit of knowing God and making Him known.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob

Ongoing Conflict

 

Here is an outline of what we learned from Daniel 11.

The sermon is available on the church's YouTube channel: Precision & Perspective

Verses 2-4 - Alexander the Great

    History hails him as the greatest military commander of all time. 

    God's evaluation: a passing mention in three verses.

    Summary: what matters is not the lens of the world,  the media, or the government

        God’s verdict is the only one that matters.

Verses 5-20 - The Northern & Southern Kings (Egypt vs. Syria)

    The Prophecy is perfectly precise in all that happened. 

    This is mostly history, but not mere history

Verses 21-35 - Antiochus IV - Epiphanes - the great persecutor of the Jews

Verses 36-45 - Turning our attention to the end and seeing the ongoing pattern of the personification of evil.

What lessons do we learn from this chapter?

1. When you’re pursuing your own will rather than God’s will - there’s no stability

    You can achieve a lot of things in the flesh, but they don’t matter and they won’t last

2. The church must guard against being influenced by the World.  

    The world has influenced the way we think and the way we do things far more than we realize it or want to admit

    We must remain strong and stand firm

doctrinally

morally

spiritually

Lest the enemy gain a foothold

3. The enemies goal is always to destroy God’s people. 

    Even though the enemy plots - God prevails.

4. God is working out His purpose for HIs glory and our good.

One of the ongoing patterns we see in the world is opposition to God.

What are the characteristics of opposition to God?

1. There’s a drive for autonomy 

    to make all of my own decisions - be in charge

2. There’s a lack of regard for God and a disdain for the Order He created

    God made us male and female to reflect His glory.

    There’s nothing more basic to life (physical, emotional, social, etc) that male/female.

    The attack on male/female today is an attack of the enemy,

3. A reach & desire for power and control

    Might makes right

militarily

economically

socially

legistlatively

    There is a basic desire to have the power and authority to control others. 

Our hope: the end of verse 45 tells us:  Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him. 

When the Lord returns, his end will be sudden, and without fanfare. The enemy will just simply be done.

What everyone will see is the Lord Jesus Christ - nothing else will remain in view.

What do we do with all this?

How are we to live for God in these ungodly times?

1. Believe

    Simply trust in God. It's not easy, but it is simple,.

2. Resist

    Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James)

    Stand firm (Ephesians)

    We must remain faithful to God no matter what the consequence. 

3. Tell Others

    We must tell others the good news of Jesus Christ.

    Daniel 11:33 – the wise among the people shall make many understand

    We are literally commanded always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an 

    account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and respect,

4. Pray

    “Prayer is the revolutionary activity by which weak, mortal creatures take our stand in the great cosmic     

    battle and do our part to move heaven and earth towards God’s final victory” (Iain Deguid)

The Kingdom that will endure is the Kingdom of God - not any kingdom of this world. 

If you wish to endure to the end, you must place your trust in the only One who saves.

If you would be delivered from the kingdom of darkness and transferred to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ - you can only do that by turning to Jesus.

Only the power of the blood of the Lamb will bring you into His Kingdom

Only Jesus Christ can grant forgiveness

Only in Him can you be redeemed from your sin.

The Kingdom of God will endure forever

He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

And we will praise His holy name FOREVER

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Rob