Stewart Topping's E-Newsletter August 19, 2011

Stewart Topping's E-Newsletter   Aug 19, 2011
The Law Read this and see if you agree with this ... That is because the Law had been for filled with the death of Jesus.  The law is misunderstood. There are 3 things that people feel are part of the Ten Commandments: Most people think; the law was given to the first man, Adam.  Actually it was after 2500 years of history, about 1500 BC; God gave the Law to Moses for Israel only. Most people think; that the Law was given to mankind, but it was given to Israel alone (Deut 5:2,3) Most people think; that the Law was given to help us to do right, even Clergy teach this.  The Bible teaches that the Law was given to show that we were sinners and in need of a savior. (Romans 3:19)  Check out these and other scriptures. You have to prove it everything by by scripture. Link to my website Prayer .... God doesn't care when we talk to him.  We can pray in the house, in the car, as we take a walk, running, and when we are in bed. But it is important that we do talk to him, and often. If you care, then tell God how much you care about Him and the His death off His Son at Calvary! Link to Website ************************** THE CHRISTIAN'S PRAYER LIFE        BY CORNELIUS R. STAM     Prayer to God manifestly must hold great importance to those who would be truly spiritual.  While God's Word to us is always to have first place in our lives, prayer must certainly have second place; indeed, we must even study God's Word with prayer for understanding and willingness to obey. The Scriptures everywhere exhort God's people to pray, and in the Epistles of Paul we find greater cause, greater reason and greater incentive than ever to pray -- to pray "always," "in everything," "without ceasing." The example of our Lord and of His apostles -- particularly Paul -- is a call to prayer.  Every need, every anxiety, every heartache is a call to prayer. Every temptation, every defeat -- yes, and every victory is a call to prayer. Yet, merely praying, or even spending much time in prayer, is not in itself evidence of true spirituality. Many carnal Christians, still "babes in Christ," and even many unsaved people, spend much time in prayer.  But the truly spiritual believer will join the Apostle Paul in saying: "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also" (I Cor. 14:15). "With the spirit": earnestly, fervently, pouring out to God my adoration, my supplications and my thanks. And "with the understanding also": intelligently, with a clear grasp of what the Scriptures, rightly divided, say about God's will and His provisions for my prayer life in this present dispensation of grace. Link to my website	The Apostle Paul a Pattern of our Salvation Dear Reader 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (KJV) 12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. This week let’s take apart this portion of scripture; I have highlighted the three key areas I want to discuss.  We know the letter was written to Timothy, who was a young preacher. This is the first letter of three letters that are called the Pastoral Epistles that were written to establish the basics of the early Christian Church.  I think the most important thing for Paul would be to establish salvation.  How to receive it, conditions, etc.  Remember you cannot build the Body of Christ, the spiritual body, without having the cornerstone of faith is Jesus.  Here are the 3 key areas of Paul’s message in 1 Tim. 1:12-17. 1.       for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry Who was before a blasphemer, and a, persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief 2.       Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 3.       that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting Paul will use himself as example for a really good reason.  First Paul didn’t consider himself to be worthy to be in Ministry or even to be saved, because of whom he was and what he had done in the past.  He considered himself to be unworthy and on his way to Hell. I when to the dictionary to get clear definition of these words, after looking them up, here is what I found.  This explained who Paul was during the time he persecuted believers.  These believers were Jewish believers with faith in the name of Jesus and still practicing the law.  Blasphemer: To speak of (God or a sacred entity) in an irreverent, impious manner. Persecutor:  To oppress or harass with ill-treatment, especially because of race, religion, gender, beliefs. Injurious:  Causing or tending to cause injury We do know that Jesus came into the world to save sinners; He was the prophecy of the Old testament from the time of Adam till the end of the Gospels;   Genesis 3:15 (NKJV) 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." Until the death of Jesus on the cross; 1 Thessalonians 5:9 (GW) 9 It was not God's intention that we experience his anger but that we obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The thing that is important about Paul’s message is how Paul’s conversion is the center of our faith in Jesus.  Paul was allowed to receive his salvation because he was ignorant in his unbelief. Paul says in; 1 Timothy 1:16 (NKJV) 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. In me first Paul says … Paul was the first converted with the new message of believing in the Death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  He became a pattern to those that believe.  We are to continue to use the same pattern concerning salvation.  When you build a house you make a pattern to cut the first stud.  If you change and use one that was cut from the pattern then it may change the length but if you use the pattern for the cutting of all the studs then all of them will be the same length.  If a woman was to make 5 dresses she would make a pattern and proceed to cut five dresses from the same pattern, this way all dress would be identical.  If she used one cut from anything other than the pattern it would not be identical. That’s why it is important to receive your salvation from the one who is the pattern for our salvation. Paul made it very clear in; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NKJV) 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, If Paul is the pattern for our salvation and he says in 1 Cor. 15; 1-4 that his gospel (good news) by which you are to be saved is to believe in the Death, Burial and resurrection of Jesus. Then that is the way we must believe.  This is why we have so many different ways to heaven, people use different Pattern for how we are to be saved. We want to make peace with God; we should expect God to provide a way of salvation and a clear path to that salvation.  Paul was a committed man in his belief towards God, but it was wrong.  God did not hold it against him because he was ignorant in his belief.  So now Paul is the Pattern of someone who received salvation from God because now his belief is correct. Paul gives us the ability to believe in God’s salvation but first we must believe that He is; Think on this verse.  Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. What is the reward? 1.       Peace with God 2.       Salvation 3.       Receiving the Holy Spirit, seal of God’s promise 4.       Ability to receive peace of God.