SNT 0492 - 1 Thessalonians 1:1ff
March 7, 1971
SNT 492
Format: audio
Publication Date: 03-07-1971
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
(Act 17); 1Th 1:1; Act 15:22, 32; Eph 2:8, 9
1Th 1:1-4; 2:9; Col 3:12
1Th 1:4-8; Act 8:4-6; (Act 3:4, 6)
1Th 1:9, 10
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snt-0492-1_thessalonians-1_1ff(vpw)(03-07-1971) DRAFT
SUMMARY KEYWORDS: church, believing, chosen, Thessalonica, Paul, ceasing, called, lord Jesus Christ, joy, grace, lord, Thessalonians, true, ministry
Do you like to take your Bibles tonight and turn the fruits that Solonian bleeds? Last Sunday after I finished the conversation with you people back here at headquarters. And John Townsend and I were talking is when I got the guidance to teach the first chapter of First Thessalonians tonight. And later on, I'm sure you'll see why. But I deliberately had water Commons to read X 17 tonight. Because when you begin working church epistles, you many times have to go back to the book of Acts to find out how these churches were organized, and what happened in the areas where the churches were organized. And in Acts 17. Tonight, he read to you the founding of the church in Thessalonica years later, he addressed the Epistle to them. There were some very interesting things here, if you remember in that lesson that Walter read, because this happens to be the place where he went into the synagogue, and he openly alleged to them that Jesus was the Christ. And he proved this from the scriptures, reasoning with them out of the scriptures. And it was here that they got into a number of opportunities, because the religious people just couldn't believe it would be true. Furthermore, they didn't want to accept it. So they got they got themselves some lewd failings, whatever that means. And they started a real persecution. And when they couldn't find the apostle Paul, they took his buddies, Jason and some of the rest of them and brought them out, and they were going to whip them and so on and so forth. And the accusation first was that these are the fellows who have come over here and turn the world upside down. And that's the scripture I always you have in my mind, when I utilize it, saying that they simply turned it rots thought up. It was all screwed up to begin with. And it was topsy turvy. And when Paul came with a greatness of God's word to Thessalonica, they turned the world upside down, which simply means they got it right side up like it ought to be. And today, we need to turn it upside down again. We need to hold forth the greatness of God's word, to the end that lives are changed. And when lives are changed, situations change and when situations change, institutions change, governments change, but only with the greatness of that word. Nail after they left, that's a Nike, you know, they went over to Berea, and in Berea, the Bereans, were more noble than the title and icones. It says, because they received the word of God with readiness of mind. And then they searched the scriptures daily to see whether those things which these men like Paul brought, whether they were really true, and multitudes of people in that section of Berea believe now Thessalonians is the great record the great epistle, which according to God's word Tanzaku. Because it perhaps was the first epistle written but it's the last one that is in the church epistles because the revelation that's given into in the book of Catalonia they come so singularly significant, because it deals with holding fast, right at the ground roots, you know, right at headquarters, and staying put until the gathering together. Now, I can only handle tonight, the first chapter, or at least parts of the first chapter, because it's a heavy and you just cannot cover too much in such a short period of time as an hour, or even an hour and a half. But I am sure that when you remember what he read from us and now you remember For what I'm going to be sharing with you from the first chapter of this epistle to the Thessalonians. It will bless your heart. I should perhaps say also by way of introduction, that whenever it seems this way to God was sent like to the church at Thessalonica. That did not mean that that's the only ones it went to. That would was the first place it was delivered. Like, if you would send a letter to the way headquarters, this would be the first place. And if it was really tremendous, then I could share it with Columbus and Toledo and all over the country, right? Well, that's how the Word of God move came to Thessalonica. And from there, it went to the churches all over the country or different countries. Now, in chapter one, verse one, Paul and Sylvanus, and the word Sylvanas.
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Is the word silence. You know, that was his name. In Acts chapter 15. If you'll flip to it, you'll see it.
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At 1522 After they had had that conference in the church at Jerusalem, then it pleased the apostles and elders in Jerusalem with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul I know Paul and Barnabas, Judas surname, verse Sabbath and silence. Key man among the brothers. silence was not an uneducated didn't come through. silence was an educated, dedicated, wonderful man of God. He was one of the chief men of the church in Jerusalem. And in verse 32. It says that Judas and Silas being locked prophets, they had a ministry in the body. Therefore, in chapter one, verse one when you read this, now remember that Paul, and Silas and Timothy to meet yes as Timothy were together when he addressed this epistle onto the Church of the test Solonian. The church of the Thessalonians is the same as the Church of God would be in Corinthians.
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Because it's addressed to the church. The church which is app that will Annika the church of the Thessalonians. In God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ, Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now the word in after the right test scillonian is literally the word by the Greek word is the word again in you see Paul, and Silas and Timothy, under the church of the Thessalonians. By God the Father. The only way that you ever have a church in Thessalonica, or in new Knoxville, or any other place is by God, the Father by what God does in the lives of people. That's why it's the word by and by God, and the word God, as you would know, here is the revealed God. The word father is the begetter. This is why it's to the Thessalonians to the church, because it is by the revealed God de begetter. And how does he beget us? In the Lord watt, Jesus Christ, nail those words which are supplied in italics in the King James can very well be scratched because the church of the title and icons are Thessalonians by God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever we confess with our mouth Jesus as lat, Lord, then the miracle of the new birth is wrought within the Sioux, believing God raised Him from the dead. So here you have God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ, and the Lord Jesus precedes the word Christ, because it is emphatic. The word Jesus is emphatic when it precedes. The word Christ is only a subsidiary or explanatory.
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This is why it puts it in this category. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, the humbled that now exalted one as the Messiah. Wherever these three words in the word appear together, Lord Jesus Christ, they always mean the same. Look at that tremendous greeting to the church at Thessalonica. They are by God the Father. Well, how do you get to be a believer by God the Father, God, because he's the revealed God, as father in whom, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you confess Him with your mouth believed God raised Him from the dead, in your seat. Then he says, To the church, Grace, beyond to you and peace, from God, our Father, and the words, and the Lord Jesus Christ, you can do one or two things with them, you can either leave them there or scratch them.
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Because in most of the critical Greek texts, they are omitted.
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And therefore in my text, I have omitted them. Grace beyond to you and peace from God, our walk, Father, the first thing he tells the church here in Thessalonica, is that it to get in grace. So these people who want to get on our backs all the time by their good works, that stinks. That's right. If you are so good in your good works, you don't need a Savior. You just work at it to save yourself. We just happen to be smart enough to believe what God's Word says. And he says it's by a lot. He feeds and says, By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God, not of any workplace, the man should blow both. Right? And that's all good works, ever does dramatic gives you a lot of crazy lousy pride. And pride doesn't come from the true God comes from the diable. Cause you see if I can do more good work than you do. Then I can blow out my chest a little further knew somebody else does some other good works, they blow it up. The Bible says man is dead in trespasses and sins without God and without hope. Well, when we are by God the Father through our big Gutten by God the Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ, it is up grace and don't you ever forget it and don't do let other people try to help you to forget it? It is by grace. Grace is divine favor, cat is marked this way down. It is God's grace. And ladies and gentlemen, it's the only thing that I've ever seen that brings peace to the soul of a man or woman. I've never seen peace in the soul of a man or woman who is always out working to make himself so good. He doesn't need a savior and bragging about all of his experiences. He is miserable on the inside. He may look on the outside like he's living up on top of the heap. But inside no trip. They cause it's contrary to God's Word and God's word stands par excellence. By grace. We get it by grace and when you know you got it by grace, you got peace on the inside. And ladies and gentlemen, if there's ever been a time that the believers need to hear that they are at peace, this is it.
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This is it.
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Man, the Christians wouldn't have to go on all their trips, with all their drugs and all the rest of their stuff. If they just believe God's word, they've got peace. It's not something you work for he gave it to you. While he gave it to us we've gotten so I have to renew my mind according to what the Word says. Now, even if I don't renew my mind, I still got peace. Because the word says so. And it's by grace, and peace through home. From God, our walk, that's where we got it from. And boy, this thing just turns me on. Because it's up grace, not I've worked and I've got peace. And people, there's nothing more wonderful than to be at peace in yourself, you know, where you're not to and at the bip. You're not all disrupted on the inside, you're not all mashed up on the inside. You just know that you know that you know that you know that you're at home with him.
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And boy, if that isn't worth it, I have nothing to say. Well, that's what the Word says. That's what it means.
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And that's why he says in verse two, we give lot, thanks to God. That's why we can give thanks to God because we know it's by grace and people have peace, God's people have peace. Give thanks to God always for you all. making mention of you, in our prayers. We give thanks to God always. Literally, it it would say, in my mind with my comprehension of the subject,
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it would say, every time we think about you, we give thanks. It doesn't mean we give thanks to God always meaning all the time.
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It means every time we give thanks to God. Like I would say to you, while I always remember you in prayer, a connotation of that word could mean to lots of our people or to people that would say well, he is always praying for me. And I you know, I couldn't do that. Because once in a while you've got asleep. And occasionally you have to do some males got to think about something else. They saw this word always don't get tripped up on it.
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The word for is real interesting because it's the word paw which means to give thanks to God along with you. For you always i In other words, I give thanks to God. Paul says, while you are thanking God to in touch all Annika, like here at the headquarters. I pray for you people. But you also pray for me right? Then we pray for one another. That's that word for making mention of you in our prayers.
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Very three.
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Remembering without ceasing, your works of faith and labor of love and patience and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father. Here you have the words without ceasing. We had the word always in verse two. without ceasing does not mean without ceasing. Cause when when you and I in our usage of language semantically today, say well, without ceasing. I believe the average connotation to your mind is you're never stopped. Now first of all, All by sheer senseless sense, knowledge logic, you would know without ceasing cannot be true. Because, again, you have to sleep some time you got to eat your soup. And you got to, you know, think of something else once in a while. But it's tremendous. These words without ceasing mean with careful attention with perseverance and water, I forgot the other word you gave me. Whatever that means. How do we spell that one? Well, it still means perseverance, doesn't it? With real, the seriousness, real perseverance. Real committed understand, that's without ceasing. With careful attention. With perseverance Isn't that beautiful? Boy.
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He says, we we give thanks to God always along with you. In other words, you pray for us. We pray for you. Always making mention of you in our prayers. Remember remembering without ceasing, with careful attention and with perseverance. This is stronger than the word always. It's stronger in emphasis than the word always. without ceasing
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your work of
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or proceeding from the word of in the text is the word from and it's proceeding out of our proceeding from the word faith is the word pistas. Believing remembering with careful attention or perseverance, your work proceeding out of your alot. Belief believing as Paul looked at his church in Thessalonica. He could see the work that was being accomplished, proceeding out of there believing and therefore when he prayed for them, he prayed for them with careful attention with perseverance. He remembered that these people this family over here had really by their believing moved out this family over there it really moved out. And he remembered these families, these individuals and so forth, that tremendously your work preceding from believing and loving labor and hopeful patients of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is tremendous. Your work by believing by your loving labor, by laboring lovingly loving labor and hopeful patients of our Lord Jesus Christ and hope relates itself to something that couldn't have now but we're looking forward in the future just as we do tonight you know in verse nine of chapter two for you remember brother in our labor drill for labor 90 Because we don't check we preached on Do Not gospel. That's not the various I'm looking for. But it's in here someplace. They look for his return. It's in one of these tests alone Ian's records.
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You see, that's why it's hope. That's why it's hope they're labor of the Have they labored lovingly holding forth ordered by their believing, but still hoping for the return of Christ. Now beautiful, exactly what we've got to do. This thing is as timely as if had been written this afternoon to the church gathered at the way international headquarters tonight. And he does this. He remembers them with careful attention in the sight of God, even our Father, the Word and is the word even. Knowing brethren,
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beloved,
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your election of us, knowing brethren, then the next word, beloved, why are they beloved, because they have grace and what they have been begotten of God, they're his children, and therefore, they're not at loggerheads with God they are beloved, knowing brethren. Beloved, your electorate, of whom, and the word election means simply chosen.
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In verse 12, of cautions. Three 312 put on there for as the elect of whom God chose not God.
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People talk about us choosing him. That's not right. The word says he chose us. He called us. But in His foreknowledge, he knew when he did call us, we'd hear and it just wouldn't go clean, clear through. That's why we're called a god. No man is ever good enough to choose God. Because we're dead in what he chose us, it says before the foundations of the word, or the overthrow, knowing brethren, beloved, knowing your chosen, God, God, well class, if we are chosen of God, we have a wonderful ministry to share. were chosen up God, man, let that thing get you some time. We're not chosen by the governor of the state of Ohio, or the President of the United States. We are chosen by God, Who created the heavens and the earth sector stars in our courses. We are chosen by him.
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Boy, oh boy, have we got something to share? Or have we got something to share? You said it, man. That's what it says. That's what it means. And so chosen out of him. Imagine what this does to my life to your life. Boy, when you find out your chosen of him, God your Father and nobody's above him, that he loved us enough to choose us. Can we do any less than to say yes. To what he says we are in his or what we are to hold forth in Him.
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Verse five says,
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For our gospel, came not unto you in word what? And that's a good one. Because anybody can Yak, anybody can blow. But that's not the criteria of the truth of the gospel. There have to be signs, miracles and wonders with the word or it's just counterfeit.
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In Acts chapter eight, when Philip prints better look at it just to refresh our minds. In verse four, it says, I say, therefore a day that was good abroad went everywhere preaching lot. Then Philip went down to the city of Sumeria. And he preached a lot. And the people with one accord gave heed under the things that Philip SPECT,
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hearing and seeing the miracles, which he, he who fell up, not God, which fell apart by the power of God, Edie, they believe Phillips wrapping, his talking his preaching, they believed what he said from the word was true, because they heard and saw the miracles which he fell up dead. Let's say. That's what we're talking about in Thessaloniki, where our gospel came not unto you in word lot. But in power, also. I'm going to do our work some night, Sunday night or some time on the usage of this small word also. Because it depends a great deal on where it's put. But also is out the textbooks had bought in power also makes a lot of difference. I can do a lot of things ever get to it one way, I make a lot of promises. Just got to keep reminded me, I'll make the promises sooner or later get around. It'd be a good thing to do some evening, summer school, you know, but in power also. And here, it gives the explanation of lie in power also. And a corresponding with in Panama do this in power also, because the power was in the Panama do the Holy Spirit, the gift in manifestation, I was approved. And in much assurance. This is how the gospel came to the church at Thessalonica. And he know what manner of men we were among you, for your sake. Very sick. And he became followers of us and the Lord. Now that is tremendous. You can know so much about God's word, and you're still turned people off. The reason you're turning people off is because we can make ourselves obnoxious knowing God's word. If you're going to catch fish, but good bait on the hook, if you're going to hold forth the Word of God, because you're chosen to have him put on your best manners.
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Do you read you better?
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Because boy, the rest of it is just a bunch of baloney. Because you're never gonna get anybody to believe God's word. If they don't see it in you. They got to see it in your face, they got to see it in your law, they got to see it in your whole body movement. They got to see it in what you do. That word says just the opposite of what many biblical conservative theologians say. It's still true that they became followers of us. And as they became followers of us, they saw home. That's right, because God is Spirit. He needs men to teach stored and hold forth the word. And when they look at your life and when they look at mine, when they look at our carries, how we present ourselves in public, how we look how we act, how we dress. That all makes a difference whether you're going to get the word to him. And ladies and gentlemen, you and I have to be at our best. We got to give our utmost for his highest because he's worthy. Gods he chose us. He made us His ambassadors. While ladies and gentlemen, let's walk like ambassadors thing Paul did
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And he said to the followers in Thessalonica, that they got to the Lord because they were followers of us. Paul and Silas and Timothy. Thread, why Walter Cummins could not teach you people the Word of God. Unless he had that thing in him, the effervescence, the glow, and if you are followers of him. But as you follow Him, who gives the word rightly divided, you get to the Lord. Nobody gets saved until somebody teaches on the word. God's faith comes by law. And hearing doesn't come by the Reader's Digest life look, or time or playboy. That That's right, it comes by the word. Now, how are people gonna hear the word unless somebody tells it like it is? Try? Oh, they got it. And when people come to you, and they say, Well, don't look at us look at the Lord, you can't see. Try God is what? Spirit your eyeballs can't see spirit. Ain't that good? sense knowledge try. But you can see me, I can see you. Remember, Peter, and John went to the temple one day and a fellow was sitting outside of the temple later said, the first thing he said to that man, after he had the revelation to deliver him, he said, by revelation, look on what? That's right. If you're going to lead people at God's word, you got to get their attention. And you can't do it like the old mills story. Hit him over the head with a two by four. What do you get is the taint. You cannot get people's attention by criticism, by finding fault, by race and hail. The only way you can get people's attention is by holding forth the greatness of that word, with all the personality you have with all the drive with all the conviction, using every so called spiritual weapon and natural weapon at your control to make the beauty of that word, lip. Because even then, we fall far short of the greatness of it, but there is no other way to get it to people. He said look on us. Then he said such as I have I given to you, in the name of Jesus Christ get up and go. And he became followers of us and of the lot having received Dec omoide. Having subjectively received tremendous boy the word in my twat affliction. But they received it with joy of Panama hockey, oh, why? Because back then a while ago, he said, but in power, also an input to Mahaki Oh, they they were operating manifestations. They were speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues prophecy, where the knowledge were the wisdom discerning the spirits, faith, miracles and healing in operation. And they received that with joy. They subjectively received the word in spite of the many afflictions because in Thessalonica, they got in trouble as you read in act 17. They went to the synagogue where they should have accepted the word and the usual thing happened. Just a little handful wanted to hear the rest of them said you're off your rocker. You're out left field. You're not that's what they say it and then they began persecuting you. They heckled them, they laughed at them. And amongst that much affliction, that the people heaped on the, the, the, the their fellow Thessalonians. They received the word subjectively with joy up in Omaha killed
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a wonderful trip. So that very simple Given the word examples, you are examples to all that what believe in Macedonia and in Greece, a KR Athens that whole place. Why? Because from you, from you sounded out the word of God. Right? Not only in Macedonia in a cave but also in every place you're believing toward God or to God word is spreadable, broad. So that we need not to speak anything. We don't have to say anything further about it because everybody knows that you were an example. And from you because of your example of believing there sounded out from you. The word of the Lord in every place and it was spread abroad. That's why the headquarters has to be strong. That's his headquarters over here in Thessalonica is where the things started. Sure, they were persecuted legit that stopped them from having joy in the Holy Ghost. Some stupid birds through their Bibles through my beautiful side. You know, this week cost the way ministry is gonna cost us 200 bucks to repair their beautiful Christian little trip they make out here you know, in that beautiful so they throw their bottles through it. You think that's gonna stop me from teaching the word couldn't stop me if I drank all that stuff. might stop me for what die? Because most likely makes me sick. But how silly. You know, to think that you can hurt the way ministry by throwing beer bottles. Oh, well, all they have to do is all we have to do is just raise to order put in, don't bother. We got 200 Try Wait, somebody give it to me if I ask for it, no problem. But to see how silly in Thessalonica. You know, they tried to scare him a little too, you know, shut up. That's not a good way to go. You know, remember where you're brought up? You know, remember, you've been a member of this outfit ever since we can remember. Persecution, you know, that's what I thought. You know, when I came home this week, Tuesday, I just sick of that little sign that is sort of my pride and joy. We had it back there and then worked, you know, and I brought it from Van Wert had it fixed. It says Home of the way or something. And, of course, first thing I noticed when I came back the dumb thing was Buster Caden. And I got to thinking, you know, how crazy if you don't get any worse by destroying anything you get someplace by introducing like, I have no animosity toward people broke it. I just feel sorry for him. Because if those things are the Lord in it, boy, if it isn't, there's no hope for our country. They're not going to hurt us. They only hurt themselves. It's like that story of throwing mud at them at the sun. You know, because you don't like to raise. You don't get any mud on the sun. You get it on your own hands.
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It's just beautiful. Well, people the Word of God has to sound out from here and it has for years. And it'll keep on as long as we stay put on that word. And our believing here at headquarters must be spoken of around the world. Because when we are strong here that ministry moves around the world. Oh, are you setting a little bit of a flex a little bit of persecution. Not going to stop at 40 Because we've got joy of the Holy Spirit. We've been born again we do speak in tongues. Right. Christianity Today is going to do a paragraph on the way ministry called me from Washington this week. I'm gonna buy him a steak if he can do it in one paragraph.
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He was a wonderful fella. I enjoyed him. Because he used a word I had forgotten. It's in the background and my forgetfulness or something. It's some of this theological hogwash that I sort of left behind when I gotten the depth of the word. And I never knew what it was even when I came down to eat dinner with a core because it was bothering me as the core knew. And finally, it dawned on me that what he was trying to say the way was, I had remembered back in my theological education centuries ago, in a course in systematic theology. And he used the word that we in the way we're modal list.
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Yeah. And after I got home from lunch that noon with a Core i got to thinking, you know, casting back in that shelf back there, switch on my IBM. And I thought about this, and I remembered that I'd had it and systematic theology. So I got my old systematic theology popped out, looked it up in there, it wasn't paid at a bigger server. Back in about 260 ad, they had what they called a heresy under a fella by the name of Sebelius. And so Bailey has taught, in essence, that God was just a model for Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ was like a model for the Holy Spirit. And out of that came the English word in translation called moralist. And he said, Well, he had been dogging me or asking me questions on the Trinity, you know? And that's how this thing came up. And he's, I told him, I didn't know what was we just weren't Modalism I knew that because whatever they say they're wrong. I just know. You just can't put truth in a package like them. So the other thing, of course, is that they said, We were by in practice, or in theological position, we were dispensationalist. And Pentecostals, while we're not dispensationalists, and Lord forbid, that we're Pentecostal. Because the Pentecostals don't even believe in eternal life, and I believe in eternal life. So I can't be Pentecostal. And we found that out with Dr. Wade, because I dismissed him from the Assemblies of God, the moment he joined the way as my minister here with me, they gave me his walking papers. So I told him that we believed in Plato and play Lacan or vice versa, where we believed in the fullness of the Christ within through His Holy Spirit as a gift, and then the manifestation and nine evidences of speaking in tongues interpretation, tongues prophecy were to knowledge wisdom, there's a reason for faith miltenyi all nine, and that we didn't believe in Pentecostalism. We believed in our fullness or the power of God in manifestation. Now, how are you going to write that then figure it out, I don't have to write. But it's like this thing in here. Boy, the word was spread abroad, because the people in Thessalonica believed and they held forth the word you label a canned pickles, you know, on the outside, you got pure peaches on the inside. It doesn't change the pizzas delay but effect. If somebody calls us a modal list, or an immoral modal list wouldn't change the brand. It's still God's wonderful matchless word. And someday, somebody's just going to have to believe because we believe it. And if they don't believe it, they're missing the greatest trip in their life. Because it answers the questions without tripping out without copping out without trying to rationalize it. We just take it for what it says and what it is. And then we got the proof in manifestation. That's why it's joy. Joy is an inside job. Happiness is dependent upon the material things you have in your surroundings. I wasn't happy about that stupid side. But I didn't lose my joy. Right? We shot it caught those guys I love love to have them pay for. Well, isn't that wonderful people? Verse nine, for a day themselves, show of us What manner of entering in we had unto you, and how you turned to God from what just serve the living and true God. He turned them in Thessalonica, from serving idols to the true God. That's our ministry, to turn people from their idols to the true God. And boy, we got more idols today than they had, because we've had 2000 years to accumulate more threats.
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And boy, anything that stands ahead of God is an idol. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength. This is the first and great lot. Therefore the first and great sin is to put anything ahead of God and love something more than you love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength that tonight it just not big account, or little old statue, their idols too. But there are a lot of things and there's no use and pointing our fingers at any group or any denomination. All we do is hold forth the greatness of God's Word. And it will turn people when they believe it will turn them from their idols. Oh, here's verse 10. I knew it was there all the time. That's alone. There it is. And to wait for his lot from heaven. Haha, that's the hope factor in that verse that I couldn't find a while ago. You were read to someplace in the word once. Wait for his son. With all this believing held forth, turning people from their idols to the true God. We still wait. The hope, the patient hope wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the lot. Even Jesus who delivered us from the wrath love playing enough. Then people say to me, I gotta go through the revelation period. Not Bible says we've been delivered from what? And if we've been delivered, where what I try, we been delivered. Well, if we've been delivered, then we've been delivered. Even those people who say they're going through it or hope they've gone through it ain't gone through it if they're born again, because the word says they're delivered. And boy, I thank God I'm delivered. You do too, right? Man, when I read those records in the book of Revelation, I thank God I won't be around and look at that stuff. They cause he has delivered past tense, who delivered us past tense? Well, if he delivered us, then we're what? delivered. He delivered us the moment we were born again. He delivered us from the wrath which is to come for now there is no condemnation. We shall never come into condemnation because we passed from death and a lot. Boy is now wonderful. Boy, you see how this church in Thessalonica stood strong. And as they stood strong, their influence reached out over that whole section of HMI on. And as they declared this wonderful word, they declared it with boldness dedicated with loving something we read a while ago. Right? Loving labor, yet they had hopeful patience because they were waiting for the return. You and I worked like Christ is never coming back. But at that same time, we look for is coming any moment. That's the truth. We we put our shoulders to the wheel to when men and women for Christ to get them away from their idols. Like as if Christ is never coming back. But at the same time, we look for him in the immediate prison. We're always looking for him. Because Sarah, you become what you look at. You look at dirt and filth, you know what you become Darton Phil, you move with people who are living that way and you become like it. You move with people who are moving in a beautiful relationship you become like we always become what we look at. Well, ladies and gentlemen, when we look at the Lord Jesus Christ, and look for his return, we become what we look like, look at, we become the absolutely parametrization of that. And the glory of the Lord gets written on your face and in your soul and your whole move. When you walk down the street to walk like the Son of God. That's a beautiful thing to do. Because nobody knows who y'all are. They've seen anybody walk in that way for a long time, right?
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Well, you know who we are, you know where your head is, you know, where you've been, where you've come from, and what God has made us right? Ball. And He has delivered us from the wrath to come. That's why the church can walk people because we have grace and walk. And we've been delivered. Therefore, the light afflictions of our time. Don't stop. They don't even slow us up. They cause we have joy in the Holy Spirit. Isn't this first chapter just fantastic. Just like it was written to the way international headquarters. Like it was written just today.