R1177 Four Encouraging Truths

God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message on four encouraging truths.

Today as we gain insight from God's encouraging word, these truths will help us apply a different standard to the way we love each other, in our families, as our friendships, in our work relationships, but change our perspective in a good way as God guides and directs us through His encouraging word. In these next few moments, we want you to know we're available for you as well, both online at theencouragingword.org and this phone number, 866-899-WORD. Many friends are signing up for the daily encouraging email as well. It comes out from Dr. Don at 6 o'clock every morning. You can sign up by texting the word daily to 30500.

That's daily to 30500 or sign up online at theencouragingword.org. Now today's message with Dr. Don Wilton. I'd like to ask you to take your Bibles and stand in the presence of the Lord.

Please stand. Four encouraging truths. For the past number of weeks I've been sharing with you in our Bible study on an incredible subject, Strong in Grace, in 2 Timothy 2 and in that first verse there we discovered that injunction, Paul, Strong in Grace, and we've been unpacking that. God has a word for us. The Lord has a word for us and it does, it puts a cap on this. I just want to read to you these verses.

They are dramatic. Verse 8 of 2 Timothy chapter 2. Paul says this, remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal, but God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. For here is a trustworthy saying, if we died with him, we will also live with him. If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us. And if we are faithless, he will remain faithful because he cannot disown himself. Any questions? May the Lord write this word upon our hearts.

Thank you and please be seated. Here in 2 Timothy, Paul is taking this young man and he's sending him out into a dark world, into the theater of his own imminent destruction. If one were to come to grips with Timothy's world, Timothy's world was a violent world. It was a dominated world. It was filled with Bashar al-Assad's defending the gates of Damascus. It was bleeding with civil war. It was encompassed by gross immorality.

It was a morally depraved nation in which the royal eye gained the preeminence of everything that was done. It was a world in which the human soul had raised itself to its lofty perch, a world in which man's own being became the center of every expectation and every ability. God was lost. Paul sent Timothy out. He told him to be strong in grace.

We've tried to discover what this means and he invoked these images. Fight like a soldier, man. Run like an athlete.

Work like a farmer. Roll your sleeves up and stand up and be counted for the Lord Jesus Christ because he alone is God and there is none like under him. Go back to the homes. Go back to those quiet streets.

Go back to those busy sidewalks. Mingle in the masses of humanity and society. Become subject to the anger and the hostility of the human heart, but be strong in God's grace. Go back to verse eight. I think the Apostle Paul perhaps somewhat unpacks four encouraging truths that I just simply share with you. It's almost like a cherry on the top, if you please. And as I was studying this passage, God just continually was speaking to my own heart and was saying to me, this is where you ought to be, America.

This is a word for every Christian person. This is what the massacre in Sweden is really all about that took place one year ago today. This is our just up the road at Columbine. This is our Virginia Tech campus. This is the answer. This is where you need to go.

This is where you need to be. And there are four encouraging truths in this desperate world in which we live. Number one that Jesus is alive. I love that.

Some might say, oh, please give us something new. I am the old story which is ever new. Paul here invokes this incredible, absolute truth. Jesus Christ is alive.

Yes, in the midst of our auroras, in the midst of the death of your friend and the pain of your heart, in the midst of your layoff, in the midst of your struggle to make ends meet, in the midst of your diagnosis, in the midst of your hard and terrible divorce. Jesus is alive. And it's very interesting to me here that in verse eight, in a sense, the Apostle Paul draws our attention. He takes Timothy and he zeroes him in on two fundamental aspects of the living Lord Jesus Christ.

First on his lordship. I don't think that the Apostle Paul was trying to remind Timothy concerning the resurrection of Jesus in this context in the Greek text. If you understand what he was saying to him, you need to remember that the living Lord Jesus Christ is still Lord. He hasn't changed, no matter how many shootings take place or how many hurricanes blow or how many houses are foreclosed, Jesus will always be Lord.

This is a statement concerning his lordship, but it's also a statement concerning his humanity because Paul very quickly in that same verse says, but don't forget that this same Lord Jesus Christ was in fact descended from who? David. Oh, David. King David, you mean the one who committed adultery, the one who disobeyed God, the one who was appointed by God, the one who at one time was just a little squirt in a field, confronting a massive man by the name of Goliath. Is this the same one we're talking about who was belittled by his big brothers and bullied by everyone and asunder? This is the same one who killed a lion. This is the same one who rose up to become one of the greatest kings ever in the nation of Israel. Jesus Christ Lord was also human in the sense that by God's decree, this same Lord identifies with us in all of our struggles.

Isn't that great? He knows. May I say very respectfully, I think when something like the Aurora Massacre takes place that God weeps on our behalf. For encouraging truth, Jesus is alive. Number two, God's word is unchained. God's word is unchained. He moves on from there and he says, but God's word is not chained. Now he juxtaposes this against his own life. Paul talks about his own life.

He said, me? As for me, it's my gospel. This Jesus is in me. I'm strong in Christ.

We've talked about that. There's your little preposition. I'm fused into the life of Christ. God's grace is made available to me in every regard. I can be strong in him, even in my weakness. And he goes on and he says, in fact, because of this gospel and for the gospel, I'm suffering.

I'm in chains. What Paul was saying is, look, I'm a Christian person and I am bound by all of these things in life. But not so when it comes to the word of God. The word of God is not chained. What he's trying to tell us is two things. Number one, God's word is the living word.

It's not chained. Present continuous tense. God is speaking to us through the life of his living word. This inerrant, infallible word of God. What I loved about being with Gideon's this past week from all over the world is the incredible, unapologetic, high view they have of this word, which we share. This is God's mantlepiece.

This is his Magna Carta. It's the living word, but it's not only the living word, it's the liberating word. Steve Wise, our missions minister, told me this morning as we were talking about Haiti, he said to me, pastor, not only did we have over 70 professions of faith in Christ, but the leaders amongst whom we work came up to us when we left yesterday and begged us, would you please send that group from Spartanburg and would you come back to Haiti?

Would you come back to us? And then they followed it up by saying, one of the reasons we want you to come back is because you are a group of Christian people who actually believe in this word. You've brought us the living, liberating word of the life of God.

This is absolute truth. What an encouraging truth that Jesus is alive, that God's word is unchained. There are no shackles around God's word. God's word was not shot to death in a movie theater.

We were. Our lives are altered, but not his. Our world searches for answers, but not him. He is the answer. We need counseling.

He's the counselor. Two great encouraging truths. Jesus is alive. God's word is unchanged. Number three, personal testimonies have lasting value.

Indeed they do. Our personal testimonies change lives. Don't ever think that your story is not a story worth telling.

As Dr. Don reminds us, all of us have a story that God can and will use if we'll just tell it. Forgive the interruption. We'll be back with the rest of today's message from Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment on four encouraging truths. But Dr. Wilton wants us to pause to remind you that we're available to connect beyond this broadcast, both on our website and on the phone line. If you need to pray with someone right now or anytime, day or night, you can call 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673.

Grab a pencil, jot it down, store it in your cell, 866-899-9673. We'll connect you with us. Happy to pray for you and also connect you with powerful resources. If you haven't been by our website lately, drop by TEWOnline.org. That's TEWOnline.org. You'll find a powerful resource. It's really a combination of resources from Dr. Wilton on The Final Authority, God's Word, and then Chuck Colson's book that was wrapped up after he went to be with Jesus called My Final Word.

Both of these will give you the tools to answer the questions as a Christian witness in this 21st century, questions about crime and punishment, natural law, Islam, same-sex marriage, the persecution of Christians, and more. Again, those resources are available right now on our website, TEWOnline.org, or call and ask how you can get your copy. Our phone number is 866-899-9673.

That's 866-899-9673. Now more of today's great message with Dr. Don Wilton. There's your third encouraging truth. Look what he says here. He says, Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ.

Here's what he's talking about. He is saying that his personal testimony is one and in the same time both essential according to the mandate of Christ, but is useful for the furtherance of God's kingdom. So the essential nature of Paul's personal testimony and his personal testimony in terms of its usefulness so that others too may obtain the same joy and salvation that he knows leads me to conclude this third encouraging truth. And that is that personal testimonies have lasting value.

Personal testimonies have lasting value. That's something that's beyond me, folks. There's something in me that battles with these things. And if I battle with them, how much more so a grieving mother and father or a spouse?

Can you imagine the anger, the frustration? And some of them will bear the scar of that for the rest of their lives. Personal testimonies have lasting value. That's a great encouraging truth, isn't it?

So here it is, three of them. Jesus is alive, not dead, he hasn't gone anywhere. Encouraging truth number one. Number two, God's word is unchained. This word, this living, liberating word was not executed in a movie theater. No government, no disposition, no individual can ever take God's word out.

It's not chained. God's word stands. You can take God's word to your heart.

Number three, personal testimonies have lasting value. That's why we need to pray for each other. When you hurt, I pray for your personal testimony. When you go through dark waters, let's pray for each other in our personal testimonies, our personal witness. When we suffer loss, personal testimonies have great value.

They are both essential and useful. But here's the fourth, encouraging truth. God's promises are absolute. God's promises are absolute. From verse 11 and following, we've got two positive, two negative. When you use the word positive and negative, negative as far as God is concerned just simply means that God is getting to the same point. One through the front door and one through the back door.

Because he actually owns the whole house. God can come in the back door anytime he wants. And these promises that he gives to us, if we died with him, we'll live with him.

I'm telling you, that's a great thing. Every person who died in that massacre who knows Jesus Christ is tragic instantly into the presence of the Lord. Let's make certain everybody knows Jesus. If we endure, we will reign with him. God giving us one of those great promises of scripture. And by the way, we've discovered this word endure before, this keeping on keeping on, this call to perseverance.

Paul spoke about it repeatedly. The reason why he uses the word endure because it's jolly hard not to keep on. When you face all these challenges, it becomes increasingly difficult, doesn't it? Very hard to stand up, to keep on loving the Lord and serving him when you face the struggles of life. And some of you are facing some tremendous struggles. That's when it's hardest, isn't it? It's hard to get up in the morning, it's hard to go to church, it's hard to be a testimony.

It's just hard. It's hard to proclaim the name of the Lord because you just feel so beaten down. If we disown him, he'll disown us. God coming in the back door said, let there be no mistake.

You're either for me or you're against me. You disown me, don't expect me to show up because you don't know me and I don't know you. I think what he's saying here is I'm not some kind of benevolent grandfather floating by on a cloud.

That at any time of your choosing, you should just call me. God is holy and righteous. And he says, if we are faithless, he will remain faithful. Our faithlessness is not dependent on God's faithfulness because he is unchanging. God is not tempered by the ups and downs of our own predicaments. He stays the same. That's wonderful.

That's just wonderful. So what is he saying about God's promises are absolute? He's saying his promises come from God and his promises stand on God, encouraging truths. The bottom line is, as we as a nation mourn, as we read articles and watch television, those of us who know the Lord Jesus, let's remember that Jesus is alive. Let's keep reminding ourselves that God's word is unchanged. Let's ask the Lord to help us in our own personal testimony because it has such lasting value. Let's stand on God's promises because God's promises are absolute. Watch what the Lord does. Do you know something, my friends?

If you look at the history of revivalism, the greatest movements of God come in some of the most difficult times. And some of you will identify with that. And I love you today and I thank God for the strength that you give to others. Take a moment and write a note to someone.

God will deliver it. Get out a note today. Say, my name is Joe. I'm from Spartanburg, South Carolina, and I'm a Christian man. I just wanted you to know that I'm praying for you. Just say, we're praying for you. I'm praying for you. We're praying for one another. God is a God of grace.

It's a God of glory. Come to him. Turn your life over. Band together. Some of you young people, get together. Get in a group and do something in a group and put the name of Jesus in your letter.

Get together. Pray for those people. God answers prayer. Pray for our president today. Pray that we'll rise above our politics.

This is not a time for politics. And pray above all that God would come down and that every soul by sin oppressed will understand that there's mercy with the Lord. That's why you can trust him, because every person is valuable in God's economy. And you are a very loved person.

Did you know that? So what are you doing at lunch? And whose name are you going to call upon when you give God thanks for your food? And who are you going to hide from when you pray that prayer? Precious people, let's lift high the name of Jesus, shall we?

His name, which is above every name. I love you so much. What happens in here is critical for what goes on out there, because God has given us a launching pad from which to launch the rocket of conviction. Let's pray together. Father, as we leave here today, we do so in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, crying out to you, thanking you, worshipping you, believing in you, empowered by you. For we shall never be the same, all because of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray these things to you.

Amen. God bless you. Oh, you can trust Him. God is using this broadcast, Dr. Don Wilton's message and his encouraging word, the Bible itself, to let you know you can trust Him. Reach out.

We would love to pray with you, pray for you. Dr. Don's got a message in just a moment, just to close things up today. But jot this number down. Know that we're available 24 hours a day, not just during the broadcast, to talk, to listen, to pray, to maybe connect with resources that will help answer questions you have. The number is 866-899-WORD.

That's 866-899-9673. We stand ready to connect 24 hours a day online as well at theencouragingword.org. That's theencouragingword.org. Now, as promised, Dr. Wilton with a closing thought. God has spoken to you, hasn't He? And you're ready to give your heart to Jesus.

I'd love to help you right now. Would you pray this prayer with me and accept Jesus into your heart and life? Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner.

I know that Jesus loves me and died for me on the cross. Right now, I repent of my sin and I confess my sin to the Lord Jesus Christ. Come into my heart and save me today and forgive me for my sin. In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen. If you've prayed that prayer, we'd love to get alongside of you and celebrate with you and send you some literature and help you as you begin to grow. And I want you to know that I love you very, very much. And by the way, don't leave. Don't go away, whatever you do, because I'll be right back.

Such powerful truth. God will protect us. In the midst of all that we're studying from 2 Timothy, it's our prayer that you have understood that, yes, God will protect us if we belong to him. Do you belong to Jesus Christ? Have you given your life to Jesus? Perhaps if you've been listening today to Dr. Don Wilton as he's been teaching and preaching from 2 Timothy, you've heard more than just Dr. Wilton. You've heard this servant of God present the word of God, and in turn, you've heard the Spirit of God call you to him because he loves you so very much. Know that if you have questions, we would love to discover the answers with you in the Bible itself, God's encouraging word. You can call us right now at 866-899-WORD.

That's 866-899-9673. We're available 24 hours a day, and we'd love to pray with you, talk with you, but perhaps more than that, instead of talking to us, you need to talk to God. If you just gave your heart to Jesus, praying along with Dr. Wilton, Dr. Don wants to pray for you, encourage you, and give you some free materials that will help you grow in your faith.

Maybe you rededicated your life. Dr. Wilton has resources for you as well. Absolutely free if you'll call us right now at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673. Again, we would love to pray with you, rejoice with you, and Dr. Don would love to pray over these resources that we send out to you to help you grow in your faith.

The number again, 866-899-9673, or meet us on our website at www.tewonline.org, where you'll discover wonderful resources like this. Hello, everybody. You know, my friends know me as Don Wilton, pastor, friend, neighbor, dad, husband, grandpa. But I'm going to tell you people all around the world just like you know and identify Dr. Billy Graham as that man that God used to reach so many people around the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Graham in a very personal and intimate way, both as his friend and as his pastor. In fact, for many years, I drove up to his home in Montreat, North Carolina, and visited with him every Saturday. Just like friends do everywhere, we sat together and ate together, walked, talked. We discussed politics, friends, places, people. We laughed our heads off. We did everything one could possibly imagine. That's why I wrote this wonderful book, Saturdays with Billy.

It's all about a personal relationship. And I hope and pray that Saturdays with Billy will be a blessing to you, will inspire you, and will encourage your heart, just as Mr. Graham encouraged my heart and changed my life. God bless you, my friends. That's just one of many great resources available on our website at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org. And if you haven't gotten it yet, also that special book and collaboration between Chuck Colson and Dr. Don Wilton is on our website right now, an opportunity to push back against the world that is coming against us when we stand for Christian principles. Great resources, the message from Dr. Wilton about the Bible called The Final Authority, and then My Final Word, a special book from Chuck Colson, who's with the Lord now but has tremendous insight on how we push back and be a strong Christian witness. All of that's available on our website right now at www.tewonline.org. It's been a wonderful week on The Encouraging Word with Dr. Don Wilton as we head into the weekend. I know Dr. Wilton is challenging us all to make sure we're in God's house on Sunday, gathering together for fellowship and worship and the studying of God's Word.