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NOTES: 11/13/11 AM
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Thank God For Christians With A Veteran’s Heart

11-13-11 AM

 

 

Text: 2 Timothy 2:1-4…

 

 

One: Thank God… Christians With A Veteran’s Heart Are Strong

 

 

2 Timothy 2:1-4… You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

 

 

Psalm 27:13-14…   [I would have lost heart], unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.  14 Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

 

 

          What is strong-courage?

 

When diagnosed with cancer John Wayne said … Courage is being scared to death- but saddling up anyway! He went on to film the story of a dying cowboy.

 

When faced with death, Jesus said… John 12:27… shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this   hour '? But for this purpose I came

 

Courage is all about attitude…

A Recent advertisement in the lost & found section of a local newspaper… Lost, dog with three legs, blind in left eye, missing right ear, tails been bobbed, and recently neutered… answers to Lucky. Reward if found!

 

 

Hebrews 12:11-13… no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.  12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be [dislocated], but rather be healed.

 

 

Christians with a veteran’s heart spend their “post battle days” encouraging others…

 

Charles Spurgeon… Baptize your weakness into His infinite strength, and you shall be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

 

 

 

Two: Thanks God… Christians With A Veteran’s Heart Commit To Others

 

 

2 Timothy 2:1-4… You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

 

 

Mark 5:19-20…  Jesus spoke to the Gadarene He had just delivered from a legion of demons… saying to him, "Go home to your friends , and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."

 

 

E.M. Bounds… “any man of common intelligence has sense enough to preach the gospel, but very few have grace enough to do so.”

 

 

                        The delivered demonic could Preach the Word, so can you!

 

 

Mark 16:15… Speaks to us… Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every

creature.

 

 

2 Timothy 4:2… Preach the word! Be ready in season [and] out of season. Convince, …rebuke, …exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

 

 

The true function of telling the story of Christ is to disturb the comfortable & comfort the disturbed!

 

 

 

Three: Thank God… Christians With A Veteran’s Heart Are Prepared To Endure

 

 

2 Timothy 2:1-4… You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ…

 

 

Winston Churchill on enduring… Never, never, never, never give up!

 

            Endurance is much more than patience… it is proactive!

            Endurance is much more than survival… it is victory!

            Endurance is much more than lasting… it is eternal!

 

 

 

 

 

2 Timothy 4:3-5… (Reminds us that it will not always be easy)… the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, [because] they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn [their] ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

 

 

James 5:11… Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end [intended by] the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

 

 

 

William Wilberforce is a prime example of endurance –as a veteran advocate for freedom in the 17 & 1800s; - he pressed the British parliament to abolish slavery for years. He became weary and was about to give up When John Wesley heard of his discouragement. With trembling hand the aged Wesley wrote: Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them stronger than God? Oh be not weary in well doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of His Might, till even American slavery shall vanish away before it…         Wesley died 6 days later. Wilberforce fought 45 more years and in 1833, 3 days before his death, slavery was abolished in England.

 

Even great workers for Christ, need encouragement to endure!

 

 

Four:  Thank God… Christians With A Veteran’s Heart Take On The Enemy

 

 

2 Timothy 2:1-4… You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of [this] life

 

 

Deuteronomy 2:18 & 24-25… This day… I have given into your hand … the Amorite… and his land. Begin to possess [it], and engage him in battle.  25  'This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations… who shall hear the report of you, and tremble in anguish because of you.'

 

 

Isaiah 54:17… No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue [which] rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.  This [is] the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness [is] from Me,” Says the Lord.

 

 

                        Engage the enemy… their weapons will melt in the Spirit

 

 

Five:  Thank God… Christians With A Veteran’s Heart Live To Please Only God

 

 

2 Timothy 2:1-4… You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of [this] life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

 

 

Colossians 3:17… And [whatever] you do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

 

 

John 8:29…  The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.

 

 

Hebrew 11:6… 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

 

 

Luke 12:32… Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom

 

 

Conclusion: Thank God for the Veterans at Riverhills that have served God and country… we also thank the Veterans of Faith!!!!