Hope of Salvation: Standing Through Anxiety
Notes
Transcript
Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
Much stress equals much chemical imbalance, further activating anxiety. Stress + sleeplessness + poor diet + inactivity = a toxic physical and hormonal cocktail designed to break us and harm those we love. We literally lose our right minds and exist in a mire of imbalance and emptiness. The negative flow fuels negative biology which fuels negative physiology.
Schmidt, Cary. Steady Strength (p. 128). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Rest
Rest
Paul couldn’t handle it any longer.
Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
An old Russian proverb became internationally known in English after Suzanne Massie, a scholar of Russian history, taught it to Ronald Reagan, then president of the United States, used it when visiting nuclear facilities in Russia.
Trust but verify…
Paul was unable to go himself for fear that the Jews would only intensify their attack on the believers. So he and his ministry team consorted with each other and determined to send Timothy.
Determine
Determine
A common first century practice for sending letters to business partners or even family was to send them by the hand of an individual who was commissioned to deliver and read the letter. In this case Paul decides not to use the USPS services but rather sends someone trusted to deliver and stay to teach the foundations of the faith.
Timothy was more than a portage. He was a called, certified, commissioned follower of God.
Trust
Trust