CROSSING The ‘T’s TTUF STUDY 1st THESSALONIANS Ch. Two

~ by James Fire

For another great teaching in 1st Thessalonians (and 2nd later on), check out pastor Pat Lazovich from Calvary Chapel Sierra Vista!

1st THESSALONIANS Chapter Two  

INTRODUCTION:   As we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, it’s good to look back in review and note the challenges met, the obstacles overcome, the advancements made in spiritual maturity – as well as observing the pitfalls and stumbling that occurred (Check out Walking w/o Stumbling series) – and learn from these experiences as well as offering the giving of thanks to the LORD in preserving us through all such times.

Paul the apostle is reminiscing on the all too brief time spent with these beloved saints; and yet even in this short period, he taught the Thessalonian church quite a lot, as we shall see! Here he wants to express his love, his commendations, and his desire towards these saints; probably the first official ministration to any church that Paul served.

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EXODUS – GOD’s MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE of ISRAEL FROM EGYPT – Chapter THIRTY THREE & THIRTY FOUR

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire

Complete Study of Exodus by pastor Chuck Smith 

EXODUS 33 & 34: “GOD’s GLORY IN THE ROCK” – by James Fire, Facebook video.
INTRODUCTION: While the people of Israel committed idolatry, bowing down to the molten golden calf images of Apis, the Egyptian god, and corrupted themselves, Moses was on the mountain of Sinai communing with GOD.

He told Moses He was going to wipe them out because of their rebellious idolatry and start the nation over again through Moses and his descendants. Moses intercedes and GOD spares the people – which on the surface makes it seem that Moses is more merciful than GOD, when in reality, GOD in His mercy, anticipating Moses’ intercession, displayed the mercy He intended all along. We know that GOD will only answer those prayers that are in accordance with His will – so He hears the plea of Moses and answers it.
Yet Moses’ own anger rises up when he sees for himself the rebellion and idolatry of the people; he commands those who were on the LORD’s side to strap on their swords and slay the idolators – these were the sons of Levi that carried out this judgment and 3,000 were slain that day.

Moses goes up to the LORD in the mount the next day and intercedes for the people Israel:

EXODUS 32:31-32
Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 "Yet now, if You will forgive their sin - but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.

Here again Moses is a type of Christ, interceding for the people (HEB 7:25), and willing to be blotted out of GOD’s Book, along with Israel, if He would not forgive their sin! Though GOD did show mercy on Israel, He did bring affliction upon them with a plague (EXOD 32:35). And this brings us to Chapter 33:

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A TTUF Report: STRATEGIES as Outlined in WAR of the AGES by Dr. Gregory Reid – Part Four

~ By James Fire

Due to the length of this article, I’ve divided it into two sections (the point at which I divided it was a completely arbitrary decision).

SECTION ONE .

It is my expressed desire for Christians who are aware of the need for genuine, biblically-based spiritual warfare to get a copy of this book as it is the finest I’ve seen in our contemporary age.

For the moment, let us pause to consider what is ‘spiritual warfare’?
There are many good answers to this question; here is mine:

Spiritual warfare is the contention between the Kingdom of GOD and the kingdom of darkness; the point of contention is that of human souls. GOD desires to see us redeemed; Satan desires to see us held fast under his spiritual deception and ultimately the condemnation of GOD’s Holy Judgment. 

It is a war, not over land or resources, or domination of belligerent human powers over the weak by these oppressors who seek to expand their ideologies. It is a war against unholiness, unrighteousness, a war against evil and everything it stands for. Ultimately it is GOD’s War against Satan in the rescuing of humanity that by Adam’s fall was brought under ‘new management’ with Satan, instead of the first Adam, as ruler over this world.

It is by the last Adam, Christ Himself (1 COR 15:45-49), , that proper rule over this world is secured and restored.

Thus the preaching of the Gospel is a part of this spiritual warfare, as is intercessory prayer, deliverance from demonic influences of various kinds, and personal holiness because Satan opposes all of these and more: the very truth of GOD’s Word! Proving the veracity of the Scriptures which is apologetics, and discipling the saints are a part of this!

Declaration of prophecy and the arrival of His kingdom on planet Earth to rule from the national capital of Israel, Jerusalem, is included, therefore standing with Israel, and praying for this nation is also part of spiritual warfare.

I think it’s vital that everyone who has a passion for all of the above to read this book. I fear in my zeal to give people a glimpse into this ‘Reader’s Digest’ version, that once they read through this series of articles, they will feel content that they have the basic idea and principles, and not bother to get the book.

Please, by all means, get the book (purchase your copy here)!
So, I will summarize the next couple of chapters and then give a very broad overview for the rest of this book. I prayerfully hope that I will give everyone enough of a taste for this treatment that they’ll ‘be hooked’ and get a copy for their own careful study. The days ahead will require of every true child of GOD, a necessary understanding and ability to implement the exercises and wisdom in this work.
So with that said, on to the next chapter. . .

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EXODUS – GOD’s MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE of ISRAEL FROM EGYPT – Chapter THIRTY TWO

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire

Complete Study of Exodus by pastor Chuck Smith 

EXODUS 32: “THE GOLDEN CALF” – By Sonny Islas, watch the Youtube video here.

INTRODUCTION:
At this point in the Book of Exodus, Moses is on Mount Sinai with God, and has been up there fasting from bread and water for forty days and forty nights. After the forty days were complete, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments written by the finger of God on two stone tablets (these details are found in DEUT 9:9-11). 

EXODUS 32:1
1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain: They quickly reverted to hardcore idol worship and sexual sin - as we will soon see. They became impatient and without Moses, their evil desires could no longer be restrained.

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EXODUS – GOD’s MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE of ISRAEL FROM EGYPT – Chapter THIRTY ONE

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire

Complete Study of Exodus by pastor Chuck Smith

  
EXODUS 31: “THE HOUSE THAT GOD BUILT WITH OUR HANDS” – by Albert Lopez, watch the Facebook video here.

INTRODUCTION:
In the previous chapters we have read about the tabernacle and its furnishings. Now we will read about how it all came to be. God didn’t say, “Let there be a tabernacle” and it miraculously came to be. Although he could of, no; he used His people to carry out His purpose as that is God’s way. 

Chosen people were used to build this tabernacle and everything in it and chosen people are used in order to expand the Kingdom; God’s Kingdom. The Israelites would construct the tabernacle and it’s furnishings by using a wide variety of skills that the Lord had supplied to the builders. 

Their calling and enabling came from the Lord by His Spirit. Let us remember that Church. As Paul the apostle said in:

1 CORINTHIANS 15:10-11
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 

With this Idea specifically in verse 11, We preach to every creature because we don’t know who God has called and chosen (1 PET 2:9). As the Word says, God doesn’t want anyone to perish but wants everyone to come to repentance and a saving faith in Jesus (2 PET 3:9).

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CROSSING The ‘T’s TTUF STUDY - 1st THESSALONIANS INTRO & Ch. One

~ by James Fire

For another great teaching in 1st Thessalonians (and 2nd later on), check out pastor Pat Lazovich from Calvary Chapel Sierra Vista!

INTRODUCTION: We will be going through some of the epistles of Paul the apostle, beginning with 1 Thessalonians. Currently, we already have 2 Thessalonians on TTUF (from a Men’s Retreat that was conducted a few years ago); we will then proceed to the pastoral epistles: 1 and 2 Timothy and lastly Titus. As they all begin with the letter ‘T’ I thought the title of this series appropriate.

Most scholars believe this epistle represents the first one that the apostle wrote (around 49-54 AD; though some believe Galatians to be the first), and among the earliest writings of the New Testament. These two epistles to the church of Thessalonica have extremely pertinent doctrine contained in their pages; they are also full of exhortation, commendation, and admonition, and not without some doctrine of significance as well. Let’s examine more about this city and the men of GOD called to minister there. . .

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