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P.O. Box 416, Gravette, AR 72736

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Dr. Arnold Murray, DRE Newsletter #246 April 1999

@ 1999 SCN

Biblically illiterate Christians who know

only a verse of the Bible here and a verse .
II
there have a problem when someone starts '-!;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;'}
throwing darts at them concerning what will happen in the
latter days. As Jesus would often say, "It is written, haven't generation pretty well.
you read?". The only way you may claim God's promises /I TIMOTHY 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying
is to become familiar with those promises by studying His the power- thereof: from such tum away.
Word. God wants only what is best for those that love
Him. That isn't to say He won't allow you to be tested
at times. These tests are a means of proving that God can believe in the power of Christianity. Don't play church.
trust you and count on you when the going gets tough.
Let's begin our study in I Corinthians.
I CORINTHIANS 10: 11 Now al/ these things happened
unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
The things Paul is referring to are the fact that God
brought Moses and Israel out of Egypt. God parted the
Red Sea and made certain His children had water to drink
and manna to eat. These things were examples for you
in this generation. Trust in God.
I CORINTHIANS 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh
he standeth take heed lest he fal/.
If you are well-founded in God's Word, you will not
fall when the adversary appears as antichrist. You will be
prepared to boldly make a stand for Jesus Christ.
I CORINTHIANS 10:13 There hath no temptation taken
you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful,
Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are
able; but will with the temptation also make a way. to
escape, that -Ye may be able·· To-beat IT. -­
Those who make a stand for Jesus can count on this
promise from Father. When you are tempted, don't stop
thinking. What should you be thinking? Where does all
wisdom come from? All widsom comes from God. Some
read this verse and think they are being promised a rose
garden. That isn't what it says. The word tempted means
proven. God wants to see what you are made of. Can He
count on you? Turn with me to II Timothy as we continue
our study concerning God's assurance.
1/ TIMOTHY 3:1-2 This know also, that in the last days
perilous times shall come. g For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Does this sound like a rose garden to you?
II TIMOTHY 3:3-4 Without natural affection, trucebreakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that
are good, ~ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of plea­
<&nil' l'-ssUrnntt I sures more than lovers of God;
The last days being described sound
like trouble to me. The description fits this
Many like to talk religion; however, they don't really
/I TIMOTHY 3:6-7 For of this sort are they which creep
into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins,
led away with divers lusts, z Evenr learning, and never
able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
This applies to silly men as well as silly women. They
have attended church regularly for thirty years and know
nothing about God's Word.
/I TIMOTHY 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood
Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt
minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
Jannes and lambres were Pharaoh's magicians that
tried to belittle Aaron's rod turning into a serpent with
their own serpents. Aaron's serpent ate their serpents alive.
/I TIMOTHY 3:9-10 But they shall proceed no further:
for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs
also was. 1Q But thou hast fully known my doctrine,
manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
Paul is speaking of himself. How are you doing on
patience?
/I TIMOTHY 3: 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came
unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what perse­
cutions I endured: but out of them al/ the Lord delivered
me.
God provided Paul a way out. He will
provide you a way out, if you believe
and trust in God's assurance.
/I TIMOTHY 3:12-13 Yea, and all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution. n But evil men and seducers
shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived.
The trouble is going
to grow worse, before
things get better. That is
alright. God has promised
you that He won't give you
more than you can handle.
 1/ TIMOTHY 3: 14 But continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing
of whom thou hast learned them;
I each have three lines (a triplet) assigned to them. The
God assures you through the Holy Spirit as you grow
in His Word. You can count on God. He will always
provide you with a way out of the troubles and perse­
cution. Let's turn to II Peter.
1/ PETER 2:1 But there were false prophets also among
the People, even as there shall be false teachers among
you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even
denying the Lord That bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction.
The false preachers that lead their flocks right to
spurious messiah will have a lot to answer for. I wouldn't
want to be in their shoes on judgment day.
/I PETER 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious
ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil
spoken of.
How do you know if you are following a false
preacher straight to antichrist? Is your preacher teaching
God's Word, or man's words?
1/ PETER 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with
feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment
now of a long time Iingereth not, and their damnation
slumbereth not.
God keeps very good records in the book of life. He
knows very well those preachcrs that do their homework
in His Word before they start prcaching. He also knows
those preachers that teach with feigned, that is to say
fabricated, words.
II PETER 2:4-5 For if God spared not the angels that
sinned but cast them down to hell, and delivered them
into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
!J. And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the
eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in
the flood upon the world of the ungodily;
God destroyed the ungodly "nephilim", the fallen angels,
and their offspring the "gibber", or giants.
1/ PETER 2:6-7 And turning the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow,
making them an ensample unto those that after should
live ungodly; z And delivered just Lot, vexed with the
filthy conversation of the wicked:
Lot was upset with what was happening in Sodom
and Gomorrha. God was too! He destroyed them as an
example to others that choose to live ungodly.
1/ PETER 2: 8-9 (For that righteous man dwelling among
them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul
from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) II The Lord
knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and
to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be
punished:
Just as God delivered Paul and Lot out of temptations,
He will deliver you out of temptations, when you do
things God's way. Please God, and trust in His assurance.
Many, especially today, believe that evildoers get ahead
of the righteous and always win. We are going to Psalms
I 37 which is an acrostic Psalm having four lines (a quatrain)
assigned to each successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet
except the fourth, the eleventh and the nineteenth which
letters having three lines assigned to them are equivalent
to verses seven, twenty, and thirty-four. So what does
this mean? God wanted these verses to stick out like a
sore toe. You might want to circle these verses in your
Bible. Within this Psalm is a hidden message. Turn there
when you begin to think the bad guys always win. We
are going to cover the first six verses, as well.
PSALMS 37:1-3 Fret not thyself because of evildoers,
Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
if For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And
wither as the green herb. J Trust in the LORD, and do
good; So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou
shalt be fed.
God sends pastors to feed His sheep who love Him.
PSALMS 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the LORD; And
He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. !J. Commit
thy way unto the LORD; Trust also in Him; and He shall
bring it to pass.
When you truly delight, trust in and commit to God,
the blessings from Him begin to flow.
PSALMS 37:6 And He shall bring forth thy righteous­
ness as the light, And thy judgment as the noonday.
Here comes the first of the "sore toe" verses. These
are a special message from God to you.
PSALMS 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently
for Him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth
in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked
devices to pass.
What is the message? Don't worry about those that
prosper by doing evil. God keeps good records. Be wise
enough that you don't allow wicked people to rip you
off, though. Skip to verse twenty.
PSALMS 37:20 But the wicked shall perish, And the
enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: They
shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
Picture a piece of fat falling onto live burning coals.
The fat almost instantly becomes smoke forever and ever.
So shall it be with the wicked in the lake of fire. Do
you envy them? Now, the final triplet verse.
PSALMS 37:34 Wait on the LORD, and keep His way,
And He shall exalt thee to inherit the land: When the
wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and you will
be there to witness the destruction of the wicked. What
a powerful message! Isn't God's assurance beautiful? You
have nothing to fear. Your Father is in control. We have
the victory in Him.
In His Service,
~
Arnold Murray
­