Timothy: What a week. Ministries, churches, and bookstores shutting down all over the place.
Intro: Welcome to the Consider Podcast where we turn our minds to consider wisdom, madness and folly. Join the host Timothy and Jacob on a quest to have God enlighten the mind according to verse 25 of Ecclesiastes chapter 7. So, I turned my mind to understand. To investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly. Ecclesiastes 7:25. The Consider Podcast examining today’s events and Paulorrow’s realities at www.consider.info.
Song: Times are getting bad, sing, sing to the choir, the end is at hand, sing, sing, sing to the choir. There’s so much Evil by sinners. There’s nothing good in the news. You get to know about the last days. Jesus is outside, sing, sing, sing to the choir, sing to the choir. There’s so much Evil by sinners. There’s nothing good in the news. You get to know about the last days. Jesus is outside. Sing, sing, sing to the choir, sing, sing, sing to the choir. Sing to the choir. but Jesus he’s outside, he’s outside. Outside, Jesus is out. Sing to the choir, but Jesus is outside. He’s outside, outside. Jesus is outside. Sing to the choir but Jesus is outside. Sing, sing, sing, sing to the choir, sing, sing, sing to the choir. The Jesus is outside.
Timothy: She has quite a voice, doesn’t she Jacob?
Jacob: Yeah.
Timothy: By the way, she, I don’t know if you could tell, but she sings all the parts in that song and some other musician put that part together. But very very powerful voice. I really like that song from the Lord. We’re continuing to talk about the fact that Jesus is not in our ministries. He’s not in our retreat. He’s not in our churches. He’s not in our comfortable Christian conventions. He’s certainly not you sitting in your living room wherever you are watching a conservative podcast that claims to be Christian. Jesus isn’t there. He’s not in those things. Jesus Christ isn’t even at your local Christian bookstore. He’s not in the last book you read about. The end times are here and how bad things are in Israel. He’s not in any of those things. And you understand what I meant by that. Right Jacob?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: Tell everybody what I meant by that.
Jacob: I think the best thing is to Hebrews 13:13.
Timothy: Go for it.
Jacob: Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.”
Timothy: That’s a direct call from God, isn’t it?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: And it doesn’t say let us then go to him outside for the camp meaning to get our blessing?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: Let us then go to him outside the camp and then what are we called to put on? Bearing the disgrace, he bore. That is the life of discipleship if you’re following Jesus Christ. You will be disgraced time and time again. And it can be over the little thing or the largest thing. It’s a movement of the Holy Spirit, it’s the fragrance of Jesus Christ. And we covered in the last podcast how it can’t be you just embracing and playing the martyr. You don’t go looking for this. It’s not like I get up every morning and go, okay, I’m going to go look for a suffering. If I did that that’s typically, I’m the one in charge and then I deserve everything that I get. Well, I want to read Hebrews 13 to put it in context for all these context people. We’re going to get to Hebrews 13:13 but let’s just back up to Hebrews chapter 13 verse 1 and on just kind of a cursory look at it to see where we’re headed. Are you ready Jacob? “Keep on loving each other’s brothers.” Amen?
Jacob: Amen.
Timothy: Anybody would disagree with that out there?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Wouldn’t that be quote in the church. Amen. And hallelujah and good going Tim.
Jacob: Yes. Even them living it’s two different things. But yes, they would Amen it.
Timothy: Correct. Hebrews 13:3. “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners.” This gets a little iffy. They might say, yeah, I remember them, but as their suffer. But anyway, “And those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Remember there was one couple they were facing some persecution in different state. They didn’t know me. I didn’t know them. But I sent them a book. Sent them a letter to encourage them. Now after the whole episode and what they’d gone through. I got a letter back. They thanked me for the letter and what an encouragement was the book was and those kinds of things. And in fact, one of the things the person said was yeah, you’re told stranger and you contacted us that that impressed them strongly. That’s because I’m looking for those in Jesus Christ for whom I can join with in the fact that they’re being mistreated. You get what I’m saying?
Jacob: Yeah.
Timothy: Verse 4, “Marriage should be honored by all.” Most of the church can agree with that, right?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: “And the marriage bed kept pure.” I think it’s pretty safe to say at least we give lip service to it. “For God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” There’s a good portion. Oh yeah, the homosexual stuff, the perversion, that’s all evil, that’s all wicked. We get it. Everybody’s a hearty amen to that those that hold on to this conservative viewpoint, right? That gets a little more complicated but you get my point. We’re headed to verse 13 and I’m just trying to get us to see that we will pick and choose and go, yeah, amen to this and amen to that, but it’s not of equal quality by the power of the Holy Spirit. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”” Is that a likable legalism, Jacob?
Jacob: Yes, it is.
Timothy: You take away the part about the love of money, right? Because everybody goes, well, I don’t love money. I have it in my proper place. So, everybody thinks they’re innocent on that one.
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: I’ve yet to hear anybody else say we need to despise the dollar and we need not gather up gold, the silver for the end times. Because we’re too busy right now spending all we have whether energy, money, life, whatever to preach the gospel. Because by the time they come take my money and my freedom, preach the gospel becomes a different scenario. Alright, be content with what you have because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Can you buy that on a bumper sticker or a bookmark or whatever, right?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: Everywhere that is there. Verse 6, “So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What command do to me?”” Ever heard that quoted?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: Well, now it gets into well I’m not so sure everybody that thrilled about everything. Verse 7, “Remember your leaders.” Again, we’re back to that fellowship, remember? Remember your leaders. Fellowship with them. Don’t be like the Israelites as they came out of Israel when they were grumbling against Moses all the time. Hebrews warns congregations. Look, as you face suffering and as you go through these things, don’t start grumbling or get a bitter root because it’ll destroy many. I can assure you that promise is true.
“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.” When you consider the full gospel message, when you consider all that’s going on, there is nothing wrong with saying this person has a special place in my life. You do without favoritism. You do it first by hating them Jesus Christ but there is nothing wrong with that intimate kind of fellowship that Jesus Christ came to bring. That’s in heaven. I hope I can run up to Moses and you know, shyly give him a hug, right? Because I’m remembering him. He’s worthy to be respected. Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and look at this and imitate their faith.
You got to look at the outcome. You got to look at the ending of where this thing is headed and then you begin to look at what God brought them through and how the sufferings of Christ came through their life so you don’t give up hope. You can say, okay, God was really there. He really did the work. If you want to experience God on a much more intimate level is begin to embrace the sufferings of Jesus Christ. I can assure you from experience, oh you’re going to suffer, you’re going to hurt all that’s going to be but he also draws closer. The fellowship is sweet. The outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Verse 8, "everybody likes to quote that. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,” right?
Jacob: Yup.
Timothy: Everybody likes it. Usually, it’s quoted with the sense of, well, I know I’m going to heaven because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever but let’s look at finally the context, right? Because want to be accused of being out of context, right? Verse 9, “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.” So, we have all of these Things we should be doing, right? There’s a lot there, remember your leaders, fellowship with them, remember those in prison, right? You just kind of go down there a lot to do, right?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: Well, then in verse 9, it’s like he’s trying to warn them like don’t get carried away from the central things here. In other words, how many people, the famous saying, “They major and minors’ kind of thing,” right? What’s another way this would apply to today’s the time period we live. What’s he saying there in verse nine, that first part, Jacob?
Jacob: Well, the church today uses this verse to do away with anything they don’t like. So, if you come to them with the full gospel or full message or these other scriptures, they’ll say, no, no, no, those are strange teachings to dismiss who we don’t like.
Timothy: Correct. The strange teachings are the conservative Christian news website. If you take the message of the cross that we we’ve looked at clearly, right?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: Then, the 700 Club is a strange teaching. It doesn’t reflect the gospel. TBN, most people will say, yeah, that certainly is way out there, right? Because it doesn’t reflect, it’s a strange, it doesn’t reflect the message of the cross. If you look at downtown Seattle, I forget, the UPC churches down there, it’s a strange teaching. They think we’re the one strange because it’s in the minority but the truth is, if you take and understand what the full gospel message is, don’t those things come into perspective that there’s something strange or off or different about them?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: Alright, so then we tack on cellphones and we tack on iPads and podcasts and overwhelming of news, right? All of this stuff is strange. It’s all out there. It’s flooding in. That make sense?
Jacob: Yeah.
Timothy: So, for example, if God will it, shut off all the internet as far as news goes. I won’t read another book about the end times. Let’s just go another book. All those things. Would I not be more pure in terms of getting to what’s important.
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: Well, that’s the kind of fast we’re talking about the church really wants to gain the victory, then shut down the news sites, quit reading the book. Stop going to church and begin to call a sacred assembling and get rid of everything that is strange to the message of the cross. Anything you want to add to that?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: That’s why it goes on to say in Hebrews 13:9, “It is good for our hearts to be strengthen by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are no value to those who eat it.” They’re clearly getting drawn off in peripherals That’s why singing to the choir is so dangerous because all you’re doing is regurgitating what the congregation wants to hear and that’s why you find so many churches either going down in terms of oh what am I trying to say? They become cold and dead or they become foolish or they become full of sexual immorality or you know greed or whatever right?
The reason why is there we’re just preaching to the choir and so the more people that come in expecting, well yeah, that’s what I’m going to hear and that’s what I want to hear and the more they cater to it sounds like a drug addiction doesn’t it? Whereas with the message of the cross, right? That’s impossible. Number one, my message isn’t such that people are just in the message of the cross are not going to come in and go, oh, I want to hear more about suffering and I want to hear more about hating my own life and I want to hear more about giving my children. That’s a surrender thing, right?
Jacob: Correct.
Timothy: Then, God is individually going to come to those individuals who are brave enough or humble enough to actually move forward with the whole gospel and he’s going to make it real to them beyond what I can tell them. So, there’s no singing to the choir. If you’re in a position where you’re just listening to me talk about the message of the cross, you’ll eventually leave. You’ll eventually fall away, give up because your flesh is not going to want it. It takes the new creation and the power of God to stick or be nailed to the cross so you can’t go anywhere. Comments, questions?
Jacob: Nope.
Timothy: Alright. Verse 10, “We have an altar from which those who minister at the Tabernacle have no right to eat.” See, this is everything I’m telling you is beyond what you’re hearing on TV. It’s beyond the conservative podcast. It’s beyond the Twitters and the tweets and all those things that we do. It’s beyond. They don’t have the right to eat what those who embrace the sufferings of Jesus Christ eat. That’s why they don’t experience the joy. That’s why they do not overcome. That’s why their lives are not purified by a Holy Spirit, because they’re not eating from Jesus’s Christ altar. When you surrender to God and allow him to do whatever, all those things will be present. The joys of Jesus Christ and the sufferings, and you will experience, you will know, you will understand things that other people who are just playing at the tabernacle so to speak or they’re in church, right? Doing all the Jesus things, listening to the choir, giving of their money, tithing, laboring, serving, all those things, right?
I’m eating something that they don’t know anything about. That’s what makes it so difficult. It’s such a foreign thing to them and so different from what they’ve heard and yet there’s a joy that surpasses all of their strange teachings, their tabernacle worship, their church doings and comings and going. Comments before we read Hebrews 13:11?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: What does it say Jacob? Read it. Hebrews chapter 13 verse 11. We’re getting outside the camp now.
Jacob: “The high priest carries the blood of animals into the most holy place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp.”
Timothy: Oh, we’re in trouble because what that passage is saying is go to church, you go in for the blood of Jesus Christ, you offer your body as a living sacrifice, right? That’s what church is to get filled up, worship God, seek, get the blessing to go do, what Jacob?
Jacob: To burn.
Timothy: To be burned outside the camp. He’s leading up to the fact of look this is a matter you can go a church. Well, I don’t know you at church and get filled up anymore. We got to have a sacred assembly first but you go to church. It’s purified, it’s holy, all those things are given. In fact, Jesus said, “Those are given much, much will be demanded.” But it’s outside the camp that your body is consumed. It’s outside the camp where the rubber meets the road. It’s outside the camp where you are charred up, burned up, used, candled both ends. However, you want to look at this, a complete demolishing of your life and who you are that Jesus Christ and God might be glorified. That’s the Christian walk in his essence. That’s the message of the cross. The church is not gaining real victories in Jesus Christ although they count their little legal, no, you didn’t. But anyway, because they’re not being burned outside the camp.
We’re relying on lawyers and pastors and ministers and concepts and elections. Anything but the power of God because anybody who comes before the power of God. Anybody who comes in before Jesus Christ. Anybody worshiping like this will be burned outside the camp. There there’s no exception to this rule. Now, when that happens, how that happens and in what way that it happens, that’s all up to Jesus Christ. Paul had a different life than Peter had and Peter and the average person and Timothy was different than Paul but they were all, were they not all burned outside the camp?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: You think with the twelve apostles and with Paul and Peter and everybody that served him. What’s the common theme? They’re out there. They’re outside the camp. They’re being burned up. This isn’t like, the super little victories we all get. How we won this legal thing or we can pray after a touchdown. It’s like, that’s the wrong kind of victory. The right victory is I’m burned up. By the way, the coach that did that thing. It was predictable is ice watered the North Pole. He won the legal victory, right? He goes back to the college and then he quits the college to do a ministry. Really that wasn’t predictable. One of the reasons he gave for leaving the college after he gain or whatever it was after he gained the victory, was because he was facing opposition. And I’m thinking that’s when you want to dive in. You’ve got their attention. At least use the victory of the legal thing to endure the suffering until Jesus Christ tells you to leave, and I’m not telling you there isn’t that time when he tells you to leave. The apostles were scattered. Let me bring that up for a second. Remember when in Acts it talks about the great persecution that broke out and the church was scattered?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: Because our nature is, we’re dumb sheep. Our nature is, who doesn’t want to stay in church all the time and praise God? I would. Who wouldn’t want to just be at the pulpit preaching the word of God all the time? I would. I mean, there’s a real pleasure and joy in Jesus Christ and being in church. Well, the example we haven’t asked. God says, okay, you know what? You guys are filled up. Testing times come. We’ll just see what you’re going to do and bang. Guess what? They’re scattered everywhere and it says to their credit, they went and preach the gospel where they went. When the church was finally destroyed, when God finally made it clear to me, okay, now is the time to stop fighting. This is when you need to move on. Everything was scattered. What God was looking for was that everybody else had the same excitement and zeal and sacrifice that I had to preach the gospel. That’s what all that was about.
Hebrews 13:12, “And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate.” You can’t say this is an Old Testament thing, right Jacob?
Jacob: Correct.
Timothy: Hebrews 13:12, “And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.” It is by us as Christians laying down our very lives for other people that we will discover who are true children of God. there isn’t any other way. You can market it. You can tell people put your hand on the TV or say this simple prayer, ask Jesus in your heart and join our number and send donations. We’ll feed the poor. We’ll do all these good things. We’ll bring considered values. You’ll get this little trinket, right?
Jacob: Yeah.
Timothy: You’ll get the Christmas special that’s going on. We’ll give you this DVD. We’ll give you the song over here, right? And it goes on and on. That’s a marketed, strange teaching in Jesus Christ that is to be avoided at all cost and if you would pick up the cross, surrender your life, you would learn to detest those as much as I do. Maybe more if you’re blessed. Any comments on that?
Jacob: No.
Mid Point
Timothy: And so, Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Paul will write he’ll say I endure all things for the elect. If you’re looking for large numbers then don’t become a Christian. Or let me rephrase it. Don’t become a disciple of Jesus. This is just not going to happen. We’re talking about a few people unfortunately and a few can be a lot comparatively speaking. But a few people laying down their lives suffering outside the camp to discover the one or 2 other people that are chosen of God to repent. It is by the blood of Jesus Christ we’re made holy and it’s by our blood in Jesus Christ so to speak going out to be obedient and to walk as Jesus walked, right? That’s why Hebrews 13:13 says what? Go ahead and read that Jacob.
Jacob: “Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.”
Timothy: Kinda getting clear maybe? Anything I need to clarify?
Jacob: Nope.
Timothy: And why would we endure these things and why would we press forward was very simple. Hebrews 13:14, “For we do not have an enduring city.” Oh, do we have a Christian American nation?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: Do we have a Christian American Christian city?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: Do we have a Christian American town or county or plot of land?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: we do not have. Let me repeat that. Hebrews 13:14, “For we do not have an enduring city.” There is no election that is going to Make America Great Again in terms of Christian values. It’s not going to happen. It’s a waste of time. It’s actually you’re going to be condemned in the end. So, let’s just take that scripture. Well, how many websites just are pure sin? How many newscasts are just pure sin? How many ministries are just pure sin just shut down because they’re trying to make something here, right?
Jacob: Correct.
Timothy: “But we are look for the city that is to come.” Do I really, at the end of the day, care if Seattle becomes a Christian city?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: Number one, that is so laughable to even suggest or even if it did. Even if I was elected, I don’t know what dictator of Seattle. By the time I stepped out, there’d be so many people coming, it would never happen. It would be worse than before. You see that all the time in government, they get caught in something, they don’t reform.
Jacob: No.
Timothy: They just go deeper into the darkness or how about just history where you had a lot of people this Christian city thing, right? And they wound up burning people to stake. They wound up flogging people and a lot of people were died over this whole concept. Get it clear in your head as you vote or don’t vote depending on what God wants you to do. “For, we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking forward to the one that is to come.” Kind of all were promised so far through this or what, Jacob, suffering and disgrace, right?
Jacob: Correct.
Timothy: So, we let that kind of sink in. Let me, I’m just pausing a little bit. Because just to most people that this is not gospel, this is something strange to them.
Jacob: Correct.
Timothy: But everything that we’ve looked at involves suffering. Even if it’s miracles, even it’s raising the dead, there’s going to be the suffering of Christ in that and I don’t have time to develop that today. But the sufferings of Jesus are there. Certainly, today as we see government closing in and all those evil and wicked things happening around us. Suffering is like on the horizon. If it’s not at your door already, it’s coming that direction. The reason I bring this up, it’s when the church begins to suffer or disciples begin to suffer the bitter roots become the biggest danger. Betrayal becomes huge. All the negative things of our sinful nature because when we’re under pressure and when we’re suffering and have to do things we don’t want to do or things we don’t have control of or things we really have to trust by faith are of God we begin to grumble and accuse one another.
We hate our leaders because they keep telling us to move forward and that’s where the accusations of it’s a cult or you’re brainwashing people, right? That’s why in verse fifteen he goes from verse fourteen and he begins to say now look at the city that’s above and then verse 15 he gives us a measurement here of what we should be doing as we’re suffering. Through Jesus therefore let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise. I know you’ve heard the choir sing about let us offer sacrifice of praise, right? But it’s not in the context of suffering for Jesus Christ. This is the concept or in the concept of what? Potluck dinners and those kinds of things, right?
Now, I do want to emphasize verse 15 the first part. Says, “Through Jesus.” If Jesus isn’t the cross, if Jesus isn’t the full message of people aren’t seeking Jesus, then it does turn into, well, I’m just doing what leadership is telling me to do. But that’s your own fault. Anybody who came to the church I preached at or where I was at or even now, they fellowship with me. If you wind up following me, whose fault is that, Jacob?
Jacob: The person’s fault.
Timothy: That’s right. I’m doing everything possible, are I not to point them to Jesus Christ?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: That’s why you can’t just go, okay, we’re suffering or we have the potential for suffering or this is going to be tough and this isn’t music that the choir, sings to the choir. This is like real gospel calls stuff. It becomes very tempting then once we’re suffering to really betray or leave or stop. We have to be sure that we’re seeking Jesus Christ and only Jesus Christ. That’s one of the reasons for the suffering by the way is to drive us into his arms, and he’ll come very close to us. “Through Jesus, therefore let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—"
Emphasize the word ‘sacrifice.’ This isn’t the easy praise, this isn’t the marketed praise, this isn’t the big band praise, this isn’t the guitar praise, this isn’t the guitar guy with the hair that’s long curly and flowing and looks like Jesus up there. That’s not what we’re talking about here. This isn’t some woman up there singing with her voice with an uncovered head. This isn’t people marketing and promoting and going oh this is a great song of praise. I know you can often find the local radio station, right? They always call it the praise and worship channel, right? They never call it the suffering for Jesus Christ channel.
Jacob: No.
Timothy: It’s all positive. I tried to introduce any of this stuff, they wouldn’t give me the airtime even if I offered money to pay for time. Therefore, let us continually from beginning to end, day one, no matter what we hear, offer to God a sacrifice of praise. And what is the sacrifice of praise? It’s not even the music at this point. “The fruit of lips that confess his name.” See, we’re talking about we’re outside the camp. We’re bearing disgrace. Our bodies being burned. The temptation then is to shut up. The temptation is to not move forward with it. That’s why God says in Hebrews, “If you shrink back, I’ll be disappointed.”
Now, by my time in Jesus Christ, I can pretty much predict, okay, if this happens, if God moves here and here, this is going to be the persecution, right? Well, there in our sinful nature, it’s all, do you go up there and put your hand on a gas stove till they’re illegal? Put your hand on a gas stove because you know what?
Jacob: You’re going to get burned.
Timothy: Right. So, if I said, here Jacob, take your hand, put it on a gas stove, you want you pull back and reject?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: That’s our human It’s called self-defense. Is it called about thinking about yourself? So, in the same way, once you get enough experience under your belt in Jesus Christ, you you’re going to know persecution is coming. In fact, Paul says, when I come to preach to you, I told you we were persecuted, that’s exactly what happened. What most people do once they’ve tasted persecution or they know if they open their mouth here or if they follow Jesus Christ here, they’re going to be persecuted. So, you naturally draw back. You have to deny yourself and move forward. You have to train yourself by the power of the Holy Spirit that when self says, oh don’t go there or don’t say that. You say what God wants you to say at that time and the way that he wants that. You have to be surrendered and that’s a daily cross. That make sense there with all that?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: Let’s see what context of them because people will talk about praising God all the time, right? Let’s go to Hebrews chapter 10 verse 32. And Jacob just, well Hebrews 10:32. Go ahead and read that passage.
Jacob: “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering.”
Timothy: Remember, are the TV ministries or the radio ministries or the churches or the books or whatever causing a great contest when you come to Jesus Christ?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: No. They may not like you. They may debate around the table but we’re talking a great contest. I when people would come to the Lord, the Lord would bring them and they would join the church. There was always, I can’t think of a single time when there was not a great contest that surrounded what they were doing, right? They’d come in, and we’re not talking about obnoxious Christianity. You just come to Jesus Christ. You start coming to church and you have aspects of the message of the cross and you’re naturally sharing that. Guess what? Every family member, every friend, in fact, the Enumclaw worship, they call the cops to warn people not to join our church. This is a very serious contest. You face that suffering.
Now, again, that keeps away people that are half sincere or people that get started and leave. Then, there are those that will persevere past that. My point only at this time is what? It is a fact that if you really come to the full gospel message, it’s going to become a great contest. Expect it, right? Is there’s no exception.
Jacob: Correct.
Timothy: There are those few times when a whole family might come to Jesus Christ but they’re still going to face persecution or I like the word ‘contest’, really rather than persecution. You follow? Because the contest imply, this is bringing back memories decades. From day one, start sharing the Gospel and then questions always come up. Well, what do you mean by this? And what’s this over here? So, it’s a contest of ideas certainly to start with and obviously being young in Jesus Christ. I didn’t have all the answers by any means. What it drove me to do is go back and seek God and the contest was purposeful, great. It caused the other person to think and it caused me to seek God but it is a contest.
If you remotely, just go around telling people, oh I’d listen to the Consider Podcast and that’s all you don’t have to say I believe it. In fact, you can do the usual, I don’t believe everything he says but he’s got some good things he says. Can you imagine saying that to Paul you stand in heaven well God I didn’t believe everything Paul says. Like okay whatever, you get my point, right?
Jacob: Yeah.
Timothy: Just say you listen to whether you do or not just say it and see what happens a great contest will break up and you’ll be facing suffering because of it. There just isn’t the other way around it. We see that today because the government’s coming in obviously and shutting down anything that they don’t agree with. This can get murky to some people, but I’m talking about the full gospel suffering by the power of the Holy Spirit in terms of love and fellowship.
Alright, verse 33. Sometimes, again, this isn’t all the time. We’re not being martyrs going out to look for this. Don’t worry, it’ll come to you in timing. God will have his time and his purpose to glorify his name. That’s why it’s so important every hour of every day to be surrendering as God continues to work the crucified life. “Sometimes you were publicly exposed insult and persecution; at other times, you stood side by side with those who were so treated.” How few people there are that stand side by side. That’s a rare one, right? You’ll find little small groups go out whether it’s protesting abortion clinics or whatever. Those workers are few.
The people that even present the gospel are few and there’s even fewer. I think there’s I’ve never talked to him. He may not even want me mentioning what he does but he preaches the gospel downtown Seattle and it’s usually in front of gay praising. He’s been arrested. He’s the only one and probably his other friend filming it. That’s about it. Where are all the Christians standing by side by side with these people and so treated? Different story.
Alright, let’s look at part of the joy. Hebrews 10:34 and you tell me Jacob, as you read this, how does this compare to by gold and silver now? Prepare for the end times. Make sure you have food stock that’s all ready to go, because you know what? The Antichrist is coming. The economy is going to collapse. Our feds are going doing damage to us. We’ll be homeless without anything. You won’t even have internet so what should our attitude be? Jacob Hebrews 10:34.
Jacob: “You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.”
Timothy: Whoa. “Joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property.” Is that what the church is being prepared for Jacob?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: No. Not even close. We call it sacred assembly. We will be pointing people to the cross, to the Holy Spirit, to let God clean up their wicked hearts, to get rid of the Lot’s wife that lives in there. So that when they finally do come and they will come to take your property. Again, I point you back to Enumclaw when they did the thing driven out of town everything was lost did it hurt. Yes. Was there a lot of suffering involved? Yes. Was there a great contest? Yes. But there was a joy given by the Holy Spirit and you joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property because you knew that no matter what they did, no matter what they took, you yourselves had a better and lasting possession. It’s not in this world, it’s not in this America, it’s not in this middle-class lifestyle. Where is it at, Jacob?
Jacob: It’s in heaven.
Timothy: That’s correct. That’s why we get the warning in Hebrews 10:35. “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” There’s always, there is no one saved, always saved. If you throw away your confidence, you will not be richly rewarded. It’s really that simple. Verse 36 goes on to say, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God.” Again, all suffering has to be according to the will of God. I can’t emphasize that enough. Otherwise, you deserve whatever it is you’re going to get and you may even in but it has nothing to do with God and when you stand before God, he’s going to go, you know what? I’m just disappointed you’re in my way to obey what have been better than sacrifice.
You need to persevere. “Perseverance has to finish its work,” scripture says. You see, my life has moved on. It’s been a decade since the bigger events went on, right? It’s perseverance. It’s surrendering to the will of God and that’s exactly what when you have done the will of God, you’ll receive what is promised. Not until then. Verse 37, “For in just a little while, “he who is coming will come and not delay.” It’s on its way. We got it. New story, Jesus on his way. Got it? News flash? It’s there. Don’t have to repeat it, right? Except in your heart to continue to have faith, as they take your property, as you burn your bodies outside, as you suffer the disgrace that Jesus Christ has by the will and the power of God. “For just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and not delay. But my righteous ones will live by faith.” However, everybody would quote that part but look at the warning. “And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” That’s a huge understatement. “I will not be pleased with him if you shrink back.”
Right now, again, I’m not out searching for any suffering persecution. That’ll come in God’s timing as he sees fit but I am preparing my heart every day then when it comes as Peter says, “Prepare your mind for action.” Again, Jacob, I am not trying to point to me but whatever. Consider the outcome of their life. Whatever. Do you see me as a man of action or not action, Jacob?
Jacob: Of action.
Timothy: It’s scares me. “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” So, when he uses the word ‘and if he shrinks back,’ he’s talking about your salvation. Is he not?
Jacob: Yes.
Timothy: I’ll repeat Hebrews 10:39, “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed.” So, this is a shrinking back of destruction. That’s why God might forgive some people the first time as Paul talked about when they were deserted. But you don’t get like 15,000 different chances to do this thing you got to step up to the plate and embrace outside the camp Jesus Christ. You got to go running to him and say, okay, I’m out here with you Jesus. I’m out here with you. What do you want me to do?
Verse 17, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others.” It’s just easy to do when you’re being persecuted because why? We get so self-absorbed. We really do. We get self-absorbed in our suffering that we can’t see what God wants us to do in terms of just good deeds and sharing with others. We’ll get into this probably more when we eventually get into to looking at various aspects of persecution and how it goes on. Now, verse 17, I want to emphasize it again because of the bitter roots and all that. What does it say in verse 17, Jacob of Hebrews 13?
Jacob: One second, I’m getting back there.
Timothy: Oh, sure. No rush. I talk a little bit quick, anyway.
Jacob: So, we’re going back to Hebrews 13.
Timothy: 17.
Jacob: 17. “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.”
Timothy: Sorry. I mean I know I’m interrupting you, but sorry folks. That’s just the Christian life. And I know everybody’s goal was to separate to destroy any leadership that’s Godly. I get that’s how Satan attacks. I hope we’re getting this clear that that’s what our government will seek to do. They’ll seek to divide, put you in solitary confinement. There’s no telling what evil things they do. Besides just the destruction of your livelihood, your income, and all of those kinds of things. “Obey your leaders.” There is an authority in Jesus Christ and if there was one thing that was hated on all those things, it was certainly that attitude and that authority that came from Jesus Christ. Wasn’t it Jacob?
That’s where the word “called” comes in because if they can get you to be separated from fellowship by the power of the Holy Spirit in relationship to leadership, you stopped obeying. That’s the purpose of Satan bring a bitter root. “They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.” This is not like, oh I’m in so leadership, hey, look at me here’s a sign on the door. This is a fearful thing. “They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be no advantage to you.” He’s even trying to appeal to their self-interest at that point. I don’t have time to go into all this right now. My main point is seeing that what suffering has to do. In fact, we’re running out of time. Any thoughts Jacob before I figure out where we’re going to wind down here?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: Hebrews 13:21 says, “May God equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.” Amen. Well Jacob, would not a lot of people quote that Likable Legalism? Oh my God will equip me with everything good for doing his will, right?
Jacob: Yes
Timothy: To the same degree that they talk about the sufferings of Jesus Christ confiscating property being sold into refusing to release from prison.
Jacob: No.
Timothy: Of suffering daily with Jesus Christ going outside the camp?
Jacob: No.
Timothy: No. That’s not what the choir likes to hear. Jacob, we’re out of time. Had more, but let’s play song.
Song: Times are getting bad, sing, sing to the choir, the end is at hand, sing, sing, sing to the choir. There’s so much Evil by sinners. There’s nothing good in the news. You get to know about the last days. Jesus is outside, sing, sing, sing to the choir, sing to the choir. There’s so much Evil by sinners. There’s nothing good in the news. You get to know about the last days. Jesus is outside. Sing, sing, sing to the choir, sing, sing, sing to the choir. Sing to the choir. but Jesus he’s outside, he’s outside. Outside, Jesus is out. Sing to the choir, but Jesus is outside. He’s outside, outside. Jesus is outside. Sing to the choir but Jesus is outside. Sing, sing, sing, sing to the choir, sing, sing, sing to the choir. The Jesus is outside.
Outro: This has been the Consider Podcast at www.consider.info where yesterday’s folly is today’s madness. In the beginning, the unrepentant sinners words are folly. At the end, they are wicked madness. Ecclesiastes 10:13. Judgement begins with the house of God. Therefore, let everyone who loves the Lord with an undying love pick up their cross and walk the talk. As Peter the wrote. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action. Be self-controlled”. First Peter 1:13-14. The Considered Podcast, examining today’s events and Paulorrow’s realities. www.consider.info.
End
The Consider Podcast
Examining today’s wisdom, folly and madness with the whole gospel
www.consider.info
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