SF202 - HERE'S HOPE FOR THE TOUGH YEARS (2 Timothy 4 1-5)

@PAGE NUMBER = SF202

@TITLE = HERE'S HOPE FOR THE TOUGH YEARS

@LEVEL ONE = 2 TIMOTHY 4:1‑5

@LEVEL ONE = INTRODUCTION:

@ILL TITLE = Teen Sex: A Survey

@ILL TEXT = ‑By the age of 19, 80 percent of the boys and 67 percent of the girls have had sex.

@ILL TEXT = ‑There are more than 1 million teenage pregnancies every year.

@ILL TEXT = ‑Every 31 seconds a teenager becomes pregnant

@ILL TEXT = ‑There are nearly 500,000 abortions performed on teenagers every year (one third of all abortions performed).

@ILL TEXT = ‑More than 50 percent of the 21 million teens between the ages of 15 and 19 are sexually active.

@ILL TITLE = And what about the church?

@ILL TEXT = ‑Of 500 church youth surveyed, 62 percent said they had been involved in oral sex.

@ILL TEXT = ‑Studies generally show that the percentage of sexually active Christian youth is about ten points behind the percentage of all teens. I estimate that between 55 and 60 percent of evangelical Christian youth are involved in sexual activity.

@ILL TEXT = ‑A recent study commissioned by a major conservative evangelical denomination reported that within two years after graduation 96 percent of their high school students leave the church. Less than 30 percent ever return.

@ILL TEXT = (McDowell, Josh; "What I Wish My Parents Knew About My Sexuality", pp.14,15)

@ILL TEXT = Every 78 seconds an adolescent attempts suicide

@ILL TEXT = One in eight teens runs away from home at least once

@ILL TEXT = One in four drops out of high school

@PAGE NUMBER = Page 2

@ILL TITLE = JUST DEFENSE

@ILL TEXT = Imagine being on a basketball team and your team only plays defense. You never practiced shooting or running plays. The only thing you ever did was practice playing defense. The coaches philosophy was to keep the other team from scoring. How many games do you think you would win? Probably none because the other team would only have to score once to win.

@ILL TEXT = That is the way many of us approach our Christian lives, our goal is not to let the world score against us. We say as long as I don't do drugs, or drink, or get involved in pre‑marital sex I will be a successful Christian. The problem is that all Satan has to do is score once and we are defeated and from then on all we can do is play catch‑up.

@LEVEL TWO = How To Survive In Tough Times

@LEVEL ONE = 1A.<T>KNOW WHERE YOU STAND (4:1)

@LEVEL TWO = 1B.<T>Before God Now

@LEVEL THREE = 1C. <T>As Savior

@LEVEL THREE = 2C.<T>As Lord

@LEVEL TWO = 2B. <T>Before God Later

@LEVEL THREE = 1C. <T>As Judge

@LEVEL THREE = 2C.<T>As King

@ILL TITLE = "WHAT WILL REALLY HAPPEN?"

@ILL TEXT = In his book Spirit Life, D. Stuart Briscoe writes, "When I moved to the United States, I was impressed with the number of total strangers who visited my home to wish me well . . . they all sold insurance! One day my visitor was talking about the necessity to be prudent in the preparation for all possibilities. 'If something should happen to you, Mr. Briscoe‑‑' he started to say, but I interrupted with, 'Please don't say that. It upsets me.' He was a little startled, but tried again, 'But with all due respect, sir, we must be ready if something should happen to us.' 'Don't say that,' I insisted. He looked totally bewildered and said, 'I don't understand what I said to upset you.' 'Then I'll tell you,' I replied. 'It upsets me that you talk about {life's} only certainty as if it's possibility. Death isn't a possibility, it's a certainty. You don't say "If," you say "When," whenever death is the subject.' Then I added, 'By the way, when something happens to you, what will really happen?'"

@PAGE NUMBER = Page 3

@LEVEL ONE = 2A. KNOW WHAT TO DO (4:2)

@LEVEL TWO = 1B. Witness

@LEVEL THREE = "Preach the Word"

@LEVEL THREE = "to herald, to proclaim"

@LEVEL TWO = 2B.<T>Work

@LEVEL THREE = "Be prepared..."

@LEVEL FOUR = Availability

@LEVEL FOUR = Ability

@LEVEL FOUR = Consistency

@SCRIPTURE = 1 Peter 3:15

@SCRIPTURE = "...Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have..."

@LEVEL TWO = 3B.Warn

@LEVEL THREE = "Correct..."

@LEVEL THREE = To expose, lay bear the sin in another person's life.

@LEVEL TWO = 4B.<T>Win

@LEVEL THREE = "Rebuke..."

@LEVEL THREE = To call men to repent of the sins that have been exposed.

@LEVEL TWO = 5B.<T>Woo

@LEVEL THREE = "Encourage"

@LEVEL THREE = Impassioned plea.

@LEVEL ONE = 3A. KNOW HOW TO DO IT (v.2b)

@LEVEL TWO = 1B.<T>Patiently

@LEVEL THREE = "Great Patience"

@LEVEL THREE = Forbearance, putting up with others even when they sin against you.

@LEVEL TWO = 2B.<T>Purposefully

@LEVEL THREE = "Careful Instruction"

@LEVEL THREE = Refers to sound doctrine, ie. Biblical truth.

@PAGE NUMBER = Page 4

@LEVEL ONE = 4A. KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT (4:3,4)

@LEVEL TWO = 1B.<T>Reject You (v.3)

@LEVEL THREE = 1C. Reject your Message

@LEVEL THREE = 2C.<T>Reject your Ministry

@ILL TITLE = A RESCUER REJECTED

@ILL TEXT = Some years ago "The King's Business" told of a Christian fisherman who lay in his boat one night when he heard a loud splash not far away. Knowing that the owner of another craft nearby was a heavy drinker, he hurriedly jumped into the cold water and with a great effort succeeded in pulling the half‑ drowned man out of the bay. He carried him to his berth and applied first aid until the alcoholic regained consciousness. Having done everything to make him comfortable, he swam back to his own boat. The next morning he returned to inquire how he felt. "That's none of your business," said the man defensively. The fisherman reminded him that he had risked his life to save him; but instead of showing gratitude, the man only cursed him. As the Christian rowed away, tears filled his eyes. Looking up to Heaven, he said, "When I think of how men have treated You, dear Lord, I'm filled with sorrow. Now I can begin to understand how YOU must feel."

@LEVEL TWO = 2B. Reject God (v.4)

@LEVEL THREE = 1C. Reject God's Word

@LEVEL FOUR = Lies become truth, men literally refuse to hear the truth.

@LEVEL THREE = 2C.<T>Reject God's Way

@LEVEL FOUR = When truth is denied it must be replaced with the

@LEVEL FOUR = half‑truth of cults and false religions.

@LEVEL ONE =

@PAGE NUMBER = Page 5

@LEVEL ONE = 5A. KNOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT (4:5)

@ILL TITLE = DISTRACTED BY THE WORLD

@ILL TEXT = A man bought a new hunting dog. Eager to see how he would perform, he took him out one day, hoping to track down big game. No sooner had they gotten into the woods than the animal picked up the trail of a bear. Excitedly the hunter followed close behind. Then suddenly the dog stopped, sniffed the ground, and headed in a different direction. He had caught the smell of a deer that had crossed the path of the bear. A few moments later he halted again, this time captivated by the scent of a rabbit that had crossed the path of the deer. And so, on and on it went until finally the breathless hunter caught up with his dog, only to find him barking triumphantly down the hole of a field mouse.

@ILL TEXT = Many new Christians start out with the high resolve of keeping the Savior first in their lives. But it isn't long before their whole attention is diverted to things of temporal importance.

@LEVEL TWO = 1B.<T>Self‑Control

@LEVEL THREE = "keep your head..." = Be morally aware, don't be confused.

@LEVEL TWO = 2B.<T>Sacrifice

@LEVEL THREE = "endure hardship..." = Be willing to suffer persecution because of your stand for Christ.

@LEVEL TWO = 3B.<T>Soul Winner

@LEVEL THREE = "do the work of an evangelist..."

@LEVEL TWO = 4B.<T>Steadfast

@LEVEL THREE = "discharge all the duties..."

@ILL TITLE = THE GAME ISN'T UP

@ILL TEXT = George Washington nearly abandoned all hope in the winter of 1776 when he and his men suffered from the bitter cold and were confronted by the dreadful prospect of starvation. He sent a letter to his brother in which he said, "I think the game is up!... I believe no man has ever had greater difficulties and less means to extricate himself from them." But subsequent events proved him wrong! He and his army survived, and later they were victorious over the enemy. He would have made a terrible mistake if he had yielded to despair.

@PAGE NUMBER = Page 6

@LEVEL ONE = CONCLUSION:

@LEVEL TWO = God Wants Us To Enjoy Life, Not Just Endure It

@LEVEL TWO = We Must Plug Into His Plan

@LEVEL THREE = 1. Know Where You Stand

@LEVEL THREE = 2. Know What To Do

@LEVEL THREE = 3. Know How To Do It

@LEVEL THREE = 4. Know What To Expect

@LEVEL THREE = 5. Know What Is Important