(Saved Through the Fire) 09 - the Walk of Peace — Milton Green

This is tape number nine in a series. We urge you to listen to all the tapes in this series in numerical order. So that the whole teaching can be received and understood. Listening to a part of this series or to the tapes out of sequence can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature.

The intent and the importance of this series.

Repentance Amid Affliction and Burnout

Now you'll be afflicted in every way. Let me share something with you. If I had not known how to repent and been shook out of direction I come. Those powers of darkness that was on me Would have crushed me and destroyed me and I died.

They were there. If this man That was in my house. Hadn't in his heart he canceled every schedule that he had. He's right now gone on the 40-day fast and one of the last sermons he preached. Was you better get out of that religious system just as hard and fast as you can.

I like that part, too. Now the ones who don't have any conception Of this kind of repentance Burnouts going to come on them and burnouts going to kill them and they'll just think it's burnout. But we're going to be afflicted in every way, but we're going to repent and we'll come to peace.

Affliction, Perseverance, and the Life of Christ

We'll die. Here we go. Verse 8. We're afflicted this same way we will walk like we're afflicted in every way that's in the parable of word. But we're not crushed. We're going to be perplexed, but we're not going to despair and walk on that heaviness.

We're going to be persecuted there's your persecution and affliction within the parable of word, but we're not going to be forsaken. We're going to be struck down. We're not going to be destroyed. We always get up.

We're always caring about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're taking up our cross and laying down our life that the life of the Lord Jesus Christ may be manifested in our bodies. Glory be to God.

For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus sake that the life of the Lord Jesus Christ May be manifested be manifested be manifested in our mortal flesh, and it comes through the fruit of righteousness.

Verse 16. Therefore we do not lose heart. But though our outer man the flesh is decaying yet our inner man the spirit of man is being renewed day by day. For this momentary is fall cause that light. Afflictions its light afflictions dying to the flesh is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all.

Comparison boy. When you have some people around that's loving the Lord, but the pure heart and you see them going through the same thing, honey. Then they're there just to encourage you. I'll tell you what you watch him go through them and you just you just help them and love them.

They come around and help and love you. We need love and encourage. That's what we've been dying for it. You know it and then in verse 18 and we look not into things which are seen we got a living hope you know James talked about at the things which are not Seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen we look in that city.

That's not built at hand. We've gone. We're headed on our way to Mount Zion. Hold you play it mom. I'm gonna let you turn over there. You already seen it once. I'm just going to read it to you When I find it and here's what it says.

The Hope of Purification and Righteousness

First when I was a certain verse somewhere in a Bible. If you know the Lord Jesus is righteous. You know that everyone who practices righteous or bears the fruit of righteousness of the ones who born of him.

And beloved now we are children. God is not appeared as yet what we shall be but we know that when the Lord Jesus Christ Appears we be like him and everyone who has this hope fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ is going to purify himself.

But everyone who's practice sin also is going to practice lawless because sin is lawless. And and that's what the hope we have and yet hope isn't seen but we walk in it by faith now. We're in 2nd Corinthians 5.

In 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 14 Paul went on to say that this is for you the body of Christ and it's for me also for the love of Christ is controlling us. Having concluded this that one died the Lord Jesus Christ and all and there and for all therefore all are what?

They're gonna die. Also, and he died for all that we who live should no longer live for our flesh as you see up on the screen. But we're gonna live for him who died and rose again on our life. Rose again on our behalf.

In other words here were whoever wants to Follow me. Jesus Christ said you're going to have to take up your cross and follow me. But whoever wants to save this life is going to lose it. But ever lose his life for my sake and the gospel is the one that's going to save it.

And that's who we live for for the one that died on the cross. We love him with you got all of our hearts. Amen. Praise God now look in verse 17. Therefore if any man is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation.

The old things the old man the old ways of life the ways of the world that pass away behold a new things have come. He's a new creation. He walks lay does the will of God's in this life as it's done in heaven.

He doesn't walk like they do on earth. Now. All things are from God who reconciled us to himself. How did God reconcile us to he brought us back to him through Jesus Christ who brought the Word in the Spirit and Jesus?

Has given us the ministry of reconcilious Resiliation that we can bring others back to him also. Namely that God was in Christ Jesus Reconciling the word to him world to himself not counting their trespasses their previous trespasses against them.

But is committed to us the word of reconciliation, which is the gospel therefore we are ambassadors for Christ as though to God as. Though God were in treating to us and we go around this world and we beg you we beg everyone.

We beg you on behalf of the Christ be reconciled to God be saved from your trespasses and wrath of God. Verse 21 and he made Jesus who knew no sin to be sent on our behalf that we might become what? We might become what the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus look at me folks the standard right here the false gospel to say I believe that Jesus Christ the Son of God died on the cross and was raised from the dead and.

Then you become the righteousness of God. I'm going to tell you a part I'm gonna tell you what you walk in that walk right there and You begin you're saved at this point and you're in a process of being saved if you don't turn back.

When you come to this place and you make Jesus Christ your Lord. You are in righteousness because you're never to practice sin again. That's how you become the righteousness of God. But if you turn back, you're not the righteousness of God.

You're no longer the righteousness of God and you will lose the spirit of God. In you if you turn and you don't receive correction to come back and you continue to practice in. Are you hear what I'm saying?

You don't become the righteousness of God, but just saying. Just saying some words when you're not walking a walk of repentance. Are you hear what I'm saying? Now, let's just continue and see what else we see there.

Separation from Unbelief and Spiritual Warfare

And while we're here, let's look to Corinthians on 2nd Corinthians 6. We've already Seen Right there that Do not be bound together verse 14. Do not be bound together of unbeliever. What partnership have you at walking righteousness with those that walk in lawlessness?

Or what fellowship has lacked with darkness? Amen. It has no fellowship at all. Does it? Amen now I'm going to skip that we've already looked now. Let's go to 2nd Corinthians 9. 2nd Corinthians 9. I Meant 2nd Corinthians 10.

I'm sorry now. We're going to look in verse 3. We're going to look in 2nd Corinthians 10 verse 3, okay. All right, but though we walk in the flesh now we no longer what. Look at me folks. Look up here.

We no longer war according to flesh when something comes against we no longer hit back with anger and forgiveness resentment. But look at where we are right now. This is what's happening now for the weapons of our warfare, which is in Ephesians 6 or not of the flesh.

But it's divinely powerful for the destruction of what? Fortresses that the powers of darkness are built off of roots. That's other than the Lord Jesus Christ and we've turned down those fortresses. Is that right?

I won't ask you if you're getting peace and freedom in your life. Amen. Now we're destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God and we're taking how many thoughts captive.

We take every thought captive the obedience of Jesus and we're ready to punish all disobedience whenever your obedience is complete. Is that correct now chapter 11? But Paul says I verse 2. I'm jealous for you with a godly jealous.

Jealousy for I betrothed you to one husband that the Christ. I want to present you as what I Want to present you as a pure virgin. Amen. But I'm afraid less is a serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness.

Your mind should be led astray from the simplicity and the purity of devotion to Christ. Is that what's happened today? For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus whom you have not preached and Then you're going to receive a different spirit, which you've not received and then you get a different gospel.

Which you've not accepted you you're burying all this beautifully. Amen. Verse 14, it's no wonder for even Satan verse 14. No wonder for even Satan disguises himself as an angel light. Therefore. It is not surprising if the servants of Satan Also disguise themselves acting like they're servants of righteousness.

Acting like they're walking in righteousness whose end is going to be according to their deeds. Amen. Now I want to ask you something. We already gone through Galatians and we already seen that Christ is supposed to be formed in us and that's exactly the way that formed in Paul and We we're not perfected in the flesh, but we are perfected in the spirit.

We died the flesh amen, and we went through a Galatians and I don't need to do this again. But we know that the Church of Jesus Christ in this world walks and talks like they do in heaven. We become a new creation.

We become the new Israel we become a new Jew we become the new Jerusalem we become the sign of God. We're the city of the Living God. We're the church of the firstborn of the Lord Jesus Christ. Which keeps the commandments of God's law.

We're holy and we're spotless and blameless. Is that exactly what we've seen? Now there's nothing going on in the world like that. Is there? That right? All right now I want you to turn back to Philippians 3 then.

Walking According to Paul's Example

We're going to what party Paul say was going to walk as he walked Philippians 3 verse 13. Brethren 3 13 brethren. I do not regard myself as having hold of it yet. But one thing that's being perfect. One thing I do.

I forget those things which are behind and I'm reaching far into what lies ahead. I press on to the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore as many as a what. If some of you out there are already perfect have this attitude as if in anything you have a different attitude.

Gotta reveal that also to you. However, let if you you're perfect you keep living by the same standard that's perfection to which we have attained. Amen, that's perfection now brother. He said in verse 17 brethren now watch this church.

He's saying brethren Church Join in following my example and observe those who walk. According to the pattern that you what? There's policy walk the same way that I walk. Is that what he says there? Look just for a second over in Philippians 4.

I want you to see something verse 9. Paul said the things you have learned the things you have received the things that you've heard. The things that you've seen. In me Paul says what'd he say? Practice these things and the God of peace are going to be with you because it's all over me verse 8.

Finally brethren, whatever is true. Whatever is honorable. Whatever is right. Whatever is pure. What is lovely whatever is good repute if there's any excellence if it's anything worthy of praise let your mind dwell on what?

It's going to dwell on the good things now verse 7 and the peace of God Which passes all comprehension shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. Now this Paul says three times in there you walk exactly and you suffer like I do.

Amen. Now we turn back to 318 for many walk. Paul says they're continuing to walk in the flesh of whom I often told you and Now tell you even weeping that their enemies are the cross of Christ now I want you to look at him back there up there in verse 2 back up to verse 2 and you're warned right there.

But where of the who? The dogs who come who won't walk in the covenant a man. We saw him while I go but where are the evil workers? That's the false teachers, but where are the false? Circumcision. Well, who is a false circumcision?

We're going to see it for we are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God and our glory is not men. Our self-glory, but it's the Lord Jesus Christ and we put no confidence in the flesh the false circumcision puts their confidence in the flesh.

Do you see that? Now let's back up to verse 18. Go back to verse 18 for many walk of whom often told you and now tell you when we can their enemies of the cross of Christ. Whose the end is destruction.

Whose God is their appetite flesh whose glory is in their shame. Fleshly ambition and they got their mind set on earthly things and that's who Jesus has come destroy. You saw that for our citizenship is no longer of the world, but it's where Our citizenship is in heaven at the right hand throne of God.

From which also we are now eagerly waiting for our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Who will transform the body of a humble state into the conformity of the body of his glory? By the exertion of the power that he even Subject all things to himself.

Salvation Worked Out with Fear and Trembling

Now. We're going to get in a very interesting thing here in a little bit. I Want you to look with me back in Philippians 2 again right here, and I want you to see something with me. Now we skipped a thing or two and I want you to see it now.

Let's see if this makes sense to you this verse in verse 12 now. Let's see how it sounds to you now see if it sound different last time you heard it. Verse 12 so then my beloved. Just as you have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absent.

You work out your salvation with fear and trembling how many are beginning to understand that right now hold up your hands and Paul goes on to say for it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling and disputing. That you may prove yourself to be what. Blameless and innocent. Is that exactly where the first Adam was before he fell? He was an innocent and he's blameless in that, right?

That's the walk that you return to that's where the second Adam is taking you back to to be blameless and innocent children of God. Above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you're going to appear as what?

In this world, you're going to be the light of the world. Amen, Jesus came as a lie of the world and now we're going to become lights. Amen now verse 16. Hold fast the word of life so that in the day of Christ, they may have cause to glory because you did not run how?

In vain. Dark toil in vain now. I want to show you something exactly so you'll understand for sure How salvation come to you? I want you to hold your place there in Philippians. And I want you to turn the knee back to Titus for just a moment, please.

I mean you turn over to the right to Titus about four books at the end of the teas Thessalonians Timothy and Titus and I want you to see how salvation comes to you. So you'll not mistake what salvation is Titus 2 verse 11 you ready For the grace of God verse 11 for the grace mark grace of God has appeared bringing what?

Salvation all men now you circle salvation in grace now. What is this salvation and grace going to do verse 12 it instructs us to deny? Ungodliness that means all unrighteousness. We to deny all worldly desires.

That's what grace and salvation instructs you to do is to deny all ungodliness all worldly desires and here this was. Grace and salvation instructs you to walk righteously and godly in this present age.

Is that exactly what your Bible says? Now I want you to look up me in here. Is that what the doctrines teach today? Absolutely, they don't teach that they sure don't teach it now. What are we going to be doing?

Looking for the blessed what hope now. What did we see in first John 3 2 and 3 when he appears we're going to be like him and whoever has his hope. Fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ. What's he going to do?

He how do you purify yourself you repent of all your lawless deeds and turn from him and it goes down the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and the transgressions are removed from you. Is that right? You don't just say I believe all sin and come sure the glory of God and then you're going to be free of it.

No, you repent and turn from it in your heart and then the lawless deeds are removed that way. That's what purification is. Amen. It's a walk of salvation now. Yeah, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ Who gave himself for us now what he gave himself on the cross we saw in first Peter 2 24 he gave himself on the cross that we might die to sin so we can live what?

To righteousness and he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from what? Ever lawless. How does he redeem us from ever lawless day for us? Just saying some words to know by having a walk of repentance.

Is that right? Listen folks when you sit in a religious setting and They tell you that you can just simply say some words and you continue to walk in these deeds right here. They lead me to your death for eternity.

Don't speculate about what's happened to some of your ancestors and everything. Don't get it in your heart to love them more than you do God. Or you'll start speculating and trying to change the Word of God.

Are you hear what I'm saying? Don't change the Word of God with some of your 20th century reason. Jesus gave himself for us that he might redeem us from ever lawless deed and what is he going to do? He purify himself of people for his own possession zealous for good what good deeds we saw them in 2nd Timothy 2 we after you're Sanctified and purified then you're prepared for the good works of righteousness and holiness and godliness.

Amen. Praise God, that's good. Now in chapter 3 verse 3 we see for we also once were what? We were foolish folks just like the foolish virgins a day. We were foolish herself. We were disobedient children.

We were deceived. We were enslaved to the various lusts of the flesh and pleasures. We were spending our life and malice and envy hateful and hating one another. Is that where we once walked before Jesus Christ became our Lord?

Amen. But when the kindness of God appeared you remember see that in Romans 2 Our Savior and his love for mankind appeared through the Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit of God. He has now saved us. Jesus Christ has saved us not on the basis of deeds, which we've done in righteousness now and they're going to stop right there.

Folks look here put it up there Frank. Although all of these right here is removed and you now bear the fruit of love joy Peace long-suffering goodness jealous meekness tempting faith. It's not the deeds of righteousness and love That saves you because these deeds Are the result that you're already being saved.

The work of grace has done in your heart because you can't bear this fruit without the deeds the works Of the Spirit and the Word being morshed. Because if you start making it your deeds You might want to take some kind of credit for it when you bear love joy and peace long-suffering goodness jealous meekness and Attempts of faith, it's because God has caused you to possess the Holy Mount.

He's cleansed your heart. And after you suffered a while he established you perfect you strengthens you and confirms you. Now, let me just show you just exactly what that's saying He saves us not on the basis of the deeds which have been done in righteousness but according to his mercy By the washing of the regeneration and the renewing in by the Holy Spirit.

Now folks, let me tell you something. I want you to look at me here. So you clearly understand this salvation is Not your deeds which you do in righteousness. Salvation is a fact that you go through the various tests and you prove the love of the Lord by all your heart.

And the result of loving the Lord with all your heart That is a way the Word of God and the Spirit of God can remove all lawlessness from your heart. Purify your heart. It's a process of Purifying your heart that salvation comes to you what comes out your mouth right here Is only a result of The work that was done Right here in your heart Which was a work of grace and that work of grace can only happen in your heart number one.

If you love the Lord with all your heart number two if you're obedient and Receive discipline and prove and that way that is a way that everyone that's part of the Holy Remnant of God will prove. When you come through these tests and all the thing that the powers that I just won't attempt your hearts to turn somewhere else and get Your hearts on the world.

Things in the world are suffix and self-centeredness. You prove you love God more than anything else. That's what saves you right here Having a pure heart. It's not the fruit that comes from it. The fruit out here is not what saves you.

The fruit only shows you that salvation is there In your heart. Amen. Let me see that Praise God now. We're back in Philippians 1. We're gonna run in something good here in a minute. Now I want you to realize something in Philippians 1 verse 28.

Always remember this word when you're persecuted In nowhere alarm for your opponents, which is a sign of destruction for them if they oppose this work. You know that and you you I'm gonna tell you what it's a sign of destruction for them.

But it's a sign of salvation for you. Now. Don't you that's a good sign to have on your fridge in it verse 30. You experience the same conflict Paul said what you saw in me and now here to be in me. Now over in Philippians 2 again, I want you to remember this in verse 12.

So then my beloved just as you've always obeyed and just in my presence on it. But now much more in my absence work out your salvation with fear and trembling verse 15 that you may prove you're going to prove yourself you're going to prove yourself to be blackness.

A Blameless person does not walk in lawlessness and you're going to prove yourself to be an innocent children because you're not Involved in any evil look here evil thoughts does not lodge in your mind up here like it's talking back and back in Jeremiah 4 it doesn't lodge up here because you're not interested in lusts and and and Deceit and unforgiveness.

It doesn't lodge up here because your heart Only wants to please God. Are you hear what I'm saying? So verse 15 that you prove yourself to be blameless and innocent children God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation of whom you appear as lights in the world Holding fast the word of life.

So then in the day of Christ I may have caused the glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. Now watch very closely in in in verse. Let's go to verse 19. Now now, you know what the truth is about salvation.

I want you to see the predicament that Paul found himself in there if you will, please Look at verse 19, but I hope in the Lord Jesus Christ to send Timothy to you shortly. So that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.

For I have no One else of kindred spirit. I don't have anyone else to teach you To send to you besides Timothy who will genuinely Be concerned for your welfare for they're all Seeking their own what? Look at me put it up there brother.

All of them. It's teaching the Word of God are Still walking at this selfish ambition and I can't send any of those to you. Because they're still they won't genuinely care for you. They'll genuinely care for you until some of these roots and motivations that's in their heart come up.

And then they'll turn from that part of the Word of God and you can't be perfected in love. When you put your confidence in man, how many see that that's a false cock. That's a false circumcision that puts his confidence in man.

Why would a man who loves the Lord the law his heart wants your confidence to be in you what we do? Is point everything to Jesus and we receive our glory from God not men. Now I want you to look back in Philippians 1 verse some to be sure are Preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from what?

Pure motives the latter do it out of love. The ones that do it out of goodwill verse 17, but the former who preach from envy and strife. They're preaching Christ out of what. Look at me folks. Is this selfish ambition that we saw?

The ones that preach Christ out of self envy and strife our hearts are full of this Selfish ambition and their motives are not pure and that's how they lead you astray to doctrines. Which support this selfish ambition?

So they can pee kings and lords and princes over God's heritage. I may see that. That's what you'll waken up to right now. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition ambition rather than from what?

They don't have pure motives and we saw in 2nd Peter 2 how they're preaching Christ from greed and that right. Did we see that? Now I want you to turn with me over to the right to 1st Thessalonians 2.

1st Thessalonians 2 and I want you to see when Paul now we've seen Paul with the Corinthians. We've seen Paul with the Galatians. We've seen Paul. Paul with the Philippians and now we're going to see Paul with the Thessalonians.

We've seen Paul all over the place. Amen. Two-thirds of the New Testament is written through Paul. Amen. Now 1st Thessalonians 2 I want you to listen very closely verse 1. So you yourself know brethren.

That our coming to you was not in vain now. Let me show you why it was not in vain Paul's coming to the Thessalonians. If you look back in chapter 1 read 2 verses 6 and 7. You also Paul said the reason it wasn't in vain because you all you they said you all back then you all became imitators of us and You became interpreters of the Lord having received the word in what much tribulation with a joy of this Holy Spirit.

So that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. That's the reason our coming was not in vain. Now we go back to chapter 2 verse 2 but after we had already suffered and Been mistreated over in the Philippians where we was reading while ago and fell apart man.

As you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid what? Much opposition. I want to ask you something. Is there much opposition today? Gospel a little. You better believe it.

Pleasing God Rather Than People

For our exit orientation our preaching and teaching this word to God doesn't come from error. Look at me. We're not preaching from some error. We're not trying to preach to you. Let me get it rolled up here to get we're not trying to preach it from the eyes Of this doctrine here what we see in the Word of God.

It's not from error. We're not leaving any of it out not leaving none of the Bible out. They preach it all. We're not preaching to you from error and we're not preaching to you from what? We're not preaching to you from an impure heart.

Amen. So you'll understand our motives and we're not preaching to you from deceit. We're not saying one thing what we're trying to fulfill greed and pride and selfish ambition and those things. Amen. Folks, are you beginning to see something?

Honey you're going to start looking over people. It's teaching the Bible. Aren't you you're a false circumcision if you put your confidence in a man. If you don't know the voice of Jesus to be able to hear it through him you love people.

But I'm going to tell you what you don't put your confidence in a man. You I mean you you could you have confidence in a man. But you don't put all your confidence in a man. A man's not your source. It's Jesus through the man.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? See when you put your confidence in a man you're putting in making him king and Then you what you do you make him stumble you put him under. Are you know what I'm saying?

Now I want to ask you something if everybody wants what if everybody wants to have it Jesus receive all the glory. Why does anyone want to be burdened with that? I run from people coming at me. Absolutely.

I just take off like up when I said when I see people people's hearts turn into a me it breaks my heart. I'm working to through too many things myself. Well, and I'm gonna go out. I'm going out now I'll tell you what I'm doing right now as I drive through the country the Lord send me to stop and I just get on The phone and and and the Lord is to have me to get it go into a motel and we get a room or get in A house right there and I'll call somebody and I know it's just walk with the Lord.

I've got people around the country and I have your names and they will just start calling up and we just have a meeting there For day or two and I just love them and encourage them and I just go on because they're going through the fire.

I just share a few things and wash them a little bit and go on. It doesn't have to be any of these meetings like this anymore. These things are good. I'm gonna keep doing them and you know, because it's good to come back and and to be Encouraged and everything as you go on and get to fellowship with others are going through the same thing.

You are you understand what I mean? See, I think we might if the Lord and I see I can't plan these things I don't know anymore, but I know in my heart I'd like to see more of a retreat setting where we stay there and Where we just really have more time for fellowship with one another and everything.

You see what I mean? Maybe stay there a while and you know, I'm more inclined to want to go somewhere and and stay there. I Don't like these meetings set up for five days. I like to go there until God says go Amen.

Because I tell you mostly what I do is I just go around in different parts of country and I'm just sharing the foundation. I never really get into some of the things I'm getting into now and I'm gonna have to stop short of a lot of stuff here and I had to go back and care some foundation and then you shouldn't be bothered by the fact that I go back and share a little of the foundation for the benefit of somebody that's Come along that don't know what you do because it can't hurt you to hear this over and over because every time you hear it's Gonna tear down another wall.

Amen. And I am he just has so tried didn't tell me I've been sharing this thing over and over and over and over and it gets Clearer and clearer and clearer and gets brighter and brighter and brighter all the time, doesn't it?

Oh, it be to God. It's good. Amen. Now look at old Paul. Paul said my exhortation doesn't come from you from error impurity of a way of deceit. But just if we've been approved by God to be untrusted with the gospel.

So we speak not as pleasing the men the flesh of men, but we please God who examines our hearts. Amen. Verse 5 where we never came with flattering speech like it did over in Jude as you know. Now with a pretext for greed as you saw in 2nd Timothy 2 God is a witness.

Nor did we seek glory from men. Either from you or for others it I don't ask in that wonderful verse 14. For you brethren became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you also endure the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen.

Even as they did from the Jews. Now I want you all to listen very closely at that verse or you'd miss something right now. Now after Paul explained all the sufferings and his attitude in man, and he's sharing.

He said to him verse 14 for you brethren became imitators of the true churches of God in Jesus Christ. They're in in Judea. Now watch what he said to him for you. Also endured the same suffering at the hands of your own Complement countrymen as they did from the Jews.

I want to tell you I don't care what city you're from. Chicago Pittsburgh Benton Tennessee. Wherever you're from. You're going to experience suffering from your countrymen. They're not going to understand people.

It's trying to walk and talk like they are in heaven. Amen. Isn't this wonderful now look over in chapter 3 verse 1. Therefore when we couldn't do it no longer. We thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone.

And once again, he said we sent Timothy our brother. He could always trust Timothy. He called him a brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith.