Acts one

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Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
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1 Timothy Chapter 1

- They want to be teachers of law, but they do not understand either the things they are saying or the things they insist on so strongly.

- To be able to defend our faith we need to know about!

- Making mistakes is not a problem if we keep on increasing our knowledge of God’s word!

- We must learn from our mistakes!

- We must learn to get deeper and deeper!

- But for that, we need to study carefully!

- Paul is a good example in this area!

- And always try to be humble!

 

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Titus Chapter 1

- For there are many rebellious men, profitless talkers, and deceivers, especially those who adhere to the circumcision. It is necessary to shut their mouths, because these very men keep on subverting entire households by teaching things they should not for the sake of dishonest gain.

- As a Christian we can’t be rebellious!

- As a Christian we can’t be profitless talkers!

- As a Christian we can’t be deceivers!

- But according to the Bible, many will be found among Christians!

- So it is necessary to be careful!

- Because these people turn many people away from God’s word!

- And they don’t care about God’s word or the disciples!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Hebrews Chapter 1

- Also, he says about the angels: “He makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” But about the Son, he says: “God is your throne forever and ever, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of uprightness. You loved righteousness, and you hated lawlessness. That is why God, your God, anointed you with the oil of exultation more than your companions.”

- Jesus is associated with uprightness!

- That’s what we should look for!

- And we should learn how to recognize those who are looking for lawlessness!

- Otherwise we will get into trouble and may lose eternal life!

- Jesus should be our model!

- And the apostles too as they had Jesus as model!

- Without forgetting Paul who had a special mission and who showed special talents!

 

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Romans Chapter 1

- Therefore, God, in keeping with the desires of their hearts, gave them up to uncleanness, so that their bodies might be dishonored among them. They exchanged the truth of God for the lie and venerated and rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.

- Man’s word versus God’s word!

- Adam chose man’s word instead of God’s word!

- And the majority have always done the same!

- The majority always looks for the easiest way!

- Pure human logic!

- And man has always paid the price for it!

- But there is a time limit!

- It won’t last forever!

 

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Looking for Paul
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1 Corinthians Chapter 1

- For it is written: “I will make the wisdom of the wise men perish, and the intelligence of the intellectuals I will reject.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this system of things? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not get to know God through its wisdom, God was pleased through the foolishness of what is preached to save those believing.

- Wisdom of men: power, war, violence, destruction, greed, corruption!

- God’s wisdom means the total opposite!

- It’s a question of time: today we can get wisdom of men and its consequences!

- But we have to wait to see the consequences of God’s wisdom!

- And the majority is not ready to wait!

- Human logic but no wisdom!

- Always short term!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Galatians Chapter 1

- Of course, you heard about my conduct formerly in Judaism, that I kept intensely persecuting the congregation of God and devastating it; and I was making greater progress in Judaism than many of my own age in my nation, as I was far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his undeserved kindness, thought good to reveal his Son through me so that I might declare the good news about him to the nations, I did not immediately consult with any human; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before I was, but I went to Arabia, and then I returned to Damascus.

- Here we have the reason why Jesus chose Paul for his special mission: he was zealous!

- And when Jesus called him he left Judaism for God’s way without looking back!

- that’s what we have to do: when we choose God’s way, we mustn’t turn back but always go straight away!

- Not like Lot’s wife!

- Eternal life is at stake!

- And Paul didn’t go all at once to Jerusalem and to the apostles!

- But he served God and Jesus directly and deeply!

 

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Ephesians Chapter 2

- Yes, among them we all at one time conducted ourselves in harmony with the desires of our flesh, carrying out the will of the flesh and of our thoughts, and we were naturally children of wrath just as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with the Christ, even when we were dead in trespasses - by undeserved kindness you have been saved.

- When we don’t know about God’s word, we can’t behave according to God’s word!

- But being told about god’s word, we have the opportunity to turn our back from our past life and follow God!

- And live in harmony with God’s word!

- And adopt a better style of life which can protect us from many problems!

- And then we can have a purpose in life!

- And having the hope of working forever for our creator is something incredible to think about because then you can forget poor human managing!

 

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Philippians Chapter 1

- Now I want you to know, brothers, that my situation has actually turned out for the advancement of the good news, so that my prison bonds for the sake of Christ have become public knowledge among all the Praetorian Guard and all the rest. Now most of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence because of my prison bonds, and they are showing all the more courage to speak the word of God fearlessly.

- Paul was an incredible example for the disciples when he was alive!

- And he keeps being an incredible example for those who believe in God’s word today!

- Yes, we need to gain confidence to talk about God’s word!

- Yes, we need courage to speak the word of God fearlessly!

 

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Colossians Chapter 1

- Also, he is before all other things, and by means of him all other things were made to exist, and he is the head of the body, the congregation. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might become the one who is first in all things; because God was pleased to have all fullness to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all other things by making peace through the blood he shed on the torture stake, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.

- Thus Jesus is the beginning of everything!

- He is the head of the congregation!

- He is the firstborn from the dead!

- He has become the one who is first in all things!

- Through the blood he shed!

- And by using the expression “God was pleased” Paul shows the special relationship between God and Jesus!

 

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Thessalonians Chapter 2

You yourselves surely know, brothers, that our visit to you has not been without results. For although we had first suffered and been insolently treated in Philippi, as you know, we mustered up boldness by means of our God to tell you the good news of God in the face of much opposition.

- Paul always remembers us that being a disciple is not a job for tourists!

- It must fill our hearts and minds!

- We must be 100% active!

- It is not when we have time!

- It must fill our thoughts!

- That’s the only way to get boldness to speak about God's word!

 

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1 Timothy Chapter 1

- Now we know that the Law is fine if one applies it properly, recognizing that law is made, not for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, ungodly and sinners, disloyal and profane, murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, manslayers, sexually immoral people, men who practice homosexuality, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and everything else that is in opposition to the wholesome teaching according to the glorious good news of the happy God, with which I was entrusted.

- The meaning of a righteous man!

- There is no room for:

- Lawless people!

- Rebellious ones!

- Ungodly ones!

- Sinners!

- Disloyal ones!

- Profane ones!

- Murderers of fathers and mothers!

- Manslayers!

- Sexually immoral people!

- Men who practice immorality!

- Kidnappers!

- Liars!

- Perjurers!

- Quite a long list!

- And a lot to think in connection with our modern world which far away from God’s criteria!

- Man will never understand!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Titus Chapter 1

- A certain one of them, their own prophet, said: “Cretans are always liars, injurious wild beasts, idle gluttons.” This witness is true. For this very reason, keep on reproving them with severity so that they may be healthy in the faith, paying no attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. All things are clean to clean people; but to those who are defiled and faithless, nothing is clean, for both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They publicly declare that they know God, but they disown him by their works, because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of any sort.

- Be healthy in the faith!

- That’s a good image!

- We should be careful about our faith if we care about it!

- That’s the same for our physical and mental health!

- Unfortunately the majority forgets about it!

- And as a result we get so many diseases!

- And the problems occur when people are younger and younger!





- Find the error!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Hebrews Chapter 1

- But about which of the angels has he ever said: “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet”? Are they not all spirits for holy service, sent out to minister for those who are going to inherit salvation?

- First God must place Jesus’ enemies as a stool for his feet then God’s kingdom will come!

- Then the second part is also interesting!

- Are they not ALL spirits for holy service, sent out …

- He doesn’t say a minority but all!

- Thus there is plenty of work for everybody!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Romans Chapter 1

- That is why God gave them over to disgraceful sexual passion, for their females changed the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature; likewise also the males left the natural use of the female and became violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males, working what is obscene and receiving in themselves the full penalty, which was due for their error.

- Once again an interesting verse!

- Disgraceful sexual passion!

- And receiving in themselves the full penalty which was due for their error!

- Through sexual diseases!

- When we look at human history, it is too true!

- And especially nowadays!

- And it keeps growing and growing!

- And it is the same for everything and everywhere!

 

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Looking for Paul
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1 Corinthians Chapter 1

- For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks look for wisdom; but we preach Christ executed on the stake, to the Jews a cause for stumbling but to the nations foolishness.

- It is still true today!

- God seems to be a nonsense!

- But man’s behavior is a nonsense!

- A nonsense can only leads to more nonsense!

- And we are digging our tomb!

- And it seems obvious for more and more people!

- That’s why God’s intervention is needed!

- To wash all this nonsense and bring back wisdom on earth!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Galatians Chapter 1

- Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and I stayed with him for 15 days. But I did not see any of the other apostles, only James the brother of the Lord.

- Incredible!

- For three years Paul was on his own before going to Jerusalem and to the apostles!

- He had no connection with them!

- And he did an incredible work!

- He was definitely sent by Jesus to fulfill an incredible mission!

- And turning back from Judaism, he rushed into God’s word making an incredible number of disciples in a short time!

- For him it was an obligation!

- The way was straight!

- He would never let the work or the harvest done by others!

- He would do the job again and again never turning back!

- Unbelievable!

- And probably disturbing for the majority who are not ready to follow his example!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Ephesians Chapter 2

- Moreover, he raised us up together and seated us together in the heavenly places in union with Christ Jesus, so that in the coming systems of things he might demonstrate the surpassing riches of his undeserved kindness in his graciousness toward us in union with Christ Jesus.

- God and Jesus are busy to prepare the coming systems of things!

- That is really great!

- Time is the answer!

- At the difference of man!

- God and Jesus take time to organize everything to do it the best way possible!

- Man always does things when it’s too late and being unprepared!

- When the situation is too bad!

- like today!

- And they never agree!

- So they can’t find any proper solutions!

- That’s again pure logical!

- Man digs his own tomb!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Philippians Chapter 1

- True, some are preaching the Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter are proclaiming the Christ out of love, for they know that I have been appointed to defend the good news; but the former do it out of contentiousness, not with a pure motive, for they are intending to create trouble for me in my prison bonds.

- Out of envy and rivalry and contentiousness!

- Or out of goodwill and love!

- Two different ways!

- Only one is correct!

- We should better find the right one!

- And keep on it!

- The bad one leads to big troubles!

- And we won’t be able to say I’ didn’t know!

- The Bible is here!

- And the basic for us is to read it and study it carefully and speak about and exchange to find the right way!

- We can’t sleep and stay inactive!

- It will never work!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
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Colossians Chapter 1

- Indeed, you who were once alienated and enemies because your minds were on the works that were wicked, he has now reconciled by means of that one’s fleshly body through his death, in order to present you holy and unblemished and open to no accusation before him - provided, of course, that you continue in the faith, established on the foundation and steadfast, not being shifted away from the hope of that good news that you heard and that was preached in all creation under heaven. Of this good news I, Paul, became a minister.

- We must always remember the past not to go back to our past life!

- We must always remember that Jesus died for us!

- We must show how precious it is for us!

- We must show him respect by working like Paul!

- By being 100% active and not by sleeping quietly!

- Thus we must be steadfast always eager to learn more about God and Jesus and God’s word!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Thessalonians Chapter 2

- For the exhortation we give does not spring from error or from uncleanness or with deceit, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak to please, not men, but God, who examines our hearts.

- No error!

- No uncleanness!

- No deceit!

- Because we must be entrusted with the good news!

- And it is an important responsibility!

- And we can’t leave it to others!

- We have to do our share!

- When we speak about God’s word it is to please God not men!

- And we must be careful because he examines our hearts!

- We can cheat men but not God!