Praying with Paul: We Hold these Truths
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Intro:
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
Tonight, we will continue [Praying with Paul]. The subject of my message is, [We Hold These Truths].
As the Founding Fathers sought to build a “more perfect union” the felt it necessary to make a formal declaration of their independence from Britain.
To begin their declaration, the first line of the second paragraph begins— “We hold these truths to be self-evident...” They then begin to detail these truths:
All men are created equal
Endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights
Life
Liberty
and the Pursuit of Happiness
For them, these truths were obvious and easy to understand and accept. The Declaration of Independence ignited a fiery passion in the colonies of a life of freedom.
When Jesus established His Kingdom, He did not outline a specific declaration of independence, per se. Instead, He taught, spoke, and demonstrated truth and freedom.
His actions on the cross and His resurrection granted us freedom from sin. His outpouring of the Holy Spirit gave His people a new fiery passion for life in His Kingdom.
Adjusting to life as free people takes time. The United States faced this as the continental congress and then more than once they had to meet to figure out how to govern a free nation.
But they built everything on the foundation of the truths that were self-evident.
Likewise, the Early Church needed a lot of help in learning in how to live and grow in the Kingdom of God. But everything was built on the foundation of the truth of the Gospel.
The grace of Jesus was to shape their thinking with the truths that are self-evident.
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
What we think and the way we think will shape our life.
If we constantly think about sin, we will get consumed with sin.
If we constantly think about negativity, we become negative.
If we constantly think about temptation, we will give into temptation.
If we constantly think about God, we will find Him everywhere.
If we constantly think about His presence, we will feel Him in our lives.
So I want to share three thoughts that should encourage us in our walk with God— [God Chose Me], [God Carries Me], and [God Comforts Me].
Let’s begin
1. God Chose Me
1. God Chose Me
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Throughout this chapter, Paul confronted the big problem of the Thessalonians. Someone lied to them about the coming of the Lord.
Paul spoke truth to them in his first letter, but their lack of understanding caused them to be swayed by persecutors and false teacehrs.
They thought they were living in the Great Tribulation. So Paul spoke at length about the Lord’s coming and the role of the antichrist.
I notice that often in the New Testament, be it Paul or John in the book of the Revelation, after sharing the negative about the end-times, they take a break and pray or praise God or share a vision of heaven.
Paul spoke about those who had fallen away and did not believe the truth. Then he took a break and thanked God for the Thessalonians.
He lets them know that God loves them and God CHOSE them.
Just that alone is so profound. God CHOSE us.
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
What a wonderful truth— GOD CHOSE US.
He looked at us, complete with our faults, failures, mistakes, bad habits, and sinful inclinations and thought, that is a person I can use, I choose them.
God chose to save us and He still chooses to hear us and help us in prayer.
The next time the enemy tries to convince us that God does not hear our prayer and that He is not interested in us, we must remember HE CHOSE US.
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
He chose us for salvation and sanctification. Say it after me— GOD CHOSE ME.
2. God Carries Me
2. God Carries Me
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
When I think of God carrying me, I think of carrying Davis into a new or unfamiliar place. Whenever we take him and he is a little unsure, he will hold tight to my thumb.
When we face uncertainties in life, here is a truth that is self-evident, God will carry us. BUT we have to stand fast in His truth and hold onto what He has taught us.
Paul uses the idea of standing fast or strong more than once.
Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
If we will build our lives on the solid rock, the firm foundation of Jesus Christ, we can face anything that comes our way, for Jesus is our Strength and Help.
We also have to HOLD ONTO HIM. We have confidence that He will carry us through whatever we face.
19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
Let’s look at His track record how many times has He:
carried us through troubles
carried us through trials
carried us through sickness
carried us through discouragement
carried us through loss
carried us through hardships
When we stand fast and hold onto the teaching and truth of Jesus, He will carry us. What wonderful truths— God Chose Me, God Carries Me and...
3. God Comforts Me
3. God Comforts Me
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,
17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Very few people can endure much discomfort without seeking something to help.
If my head, tooth, or back begins to ache, it makes my whole body uncomfortable. I search for some medicine to bring a little bit of comfort.
What a wonderful thought that of the many situations in life that bring discomfort, God comfort us. Paul believed that God HIMSELF will bring comfort and hope to us in everything that we do.
How has God comforted us?
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope,
He has loved us— He sent Jesus to die for our sins.
He gives us grace— He pours out His unmerited favor
He sends the Holy Spirit— who is our Comforter.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
When we open ourselves up to the work of the Holy Spirit, He brings comfort that no one else can give.
I will also add, when we open ourselves up to PRAYING in the Spirit, comfort will come.
I cannot count the times I have been concerned, worried, overwhelmed, or unsure, and I will begin to pray in tongues. Through that, the Comforter comes and everything changes.
Close:
What is the important of truth?
If we do not have truth and do not know the truth, we will not know what to believe. Therefore, we should declare the truth, live the truth, and speak the truth over our lives.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 8:44 (NKJV)
44 ... When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Truth or lies
Fact or fiction
God speaks truth
Satan speaks lies
There are only two options. What then do we do when the enemy comes to attack.
When Satan lies to us, we combat his falsehoods by declaring truth.
GOD CHOSE ME
GOD CARRIES ME
GOD COMFORTS ME
These truths are self-evident.