In 1 Timothy 4:16, Paul warns his young protégé Timothy, "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” Out of all the things that a young leader could be concerned about, why do you think Paul focused a watchful eye on self and teaching?
 
 
   Paul warned Timothy to keep a watchful eye on self and teaching for several reasons. One of the hardest tasks to accomplish as a Christian leader is too remained focused on our calling. In ministry it can become easy to be distracted by many elements. When we take our eyes off the “mission” God has given us, it leaves us susceptible for other attacks as well. When a leader is “mission” minded fulfilling the calling of God, the enemy loves few things more than to be able to distract and interrupt God’s work.
 
   From the beginning of chapter four, Paul has been given spiritual and moral guidance regarding how to be the best Christian leader and Minister Timothy can be. Paul is warning Timothy to be on guard for false teachers, doctrines, to warn other Christians of their sin, and even how to “train yourself to be godly” (v.7). Verses 11-14 instruct Timothy how to be a good leader and example, free from moral failure. Verse 16 only continues this trend by telling him as another version of 1 Timothy 4:15 says to, “Watch your life and doctrine closely.”
 
   Paul, being the great mentor and leader that he was had a vast knowledge of what it took to be a spiritual leader. Now, since his conversion he was a Christian leader who also knew the Judaic laws, customs, and traditions. He knew the commandments, character, and moral expectations God had for His people. Paul was a perfect Christian Leader’s mentor as he came from a formerly educated Jewish and Roman background. From his conversion experience and his educational background he could understand what it was that people saw and expected different from the Christians than the Jew. Paul understood the value of not only looking good (the Jewish method), but also being good at heart (Christ’s way). Paul knew that if Timothy could be distracted by all the false doctrines and temptations that come with leadership, he would also soon be teaching these beliefs as well. This would not only lead to his inevitable demise, but also that of all those believers under his leadership. These things are easily crept in when there are distractions all around, however if we stand firm on the Word of God we can stop these things in their paths before they ever arrive.  

Lesson:  Facts about our Faith

II Timothy 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."


The Bible (from Koine Greek , ta biblia “the books”—a paper or scrool) a collections of sacred texts or scriptures that was  Christians considered to be a product of divine inspiration and a record of the relationship between God and humans. The word Bible means a collection of writings or library of books. II Timothy 2:15 “Righty divide His word.

II Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

• The Bible is the inspired word of God
• The Holy spirit, intervened and influenced the words, message and collation of the Bible
• The Bible is also the infallible word of God and incable of error in matters of faith and practice
• The Bible represents the inerrant word of God, without error in any aspect, historical, factual and theologically
• The Word was spoken by God and written in its perfect form by humans.
• The bible is the biblia sacra “holy book”.
• Protestant churches focus on the idea of solo scriptura, or scripture alone.

-The Bible is the best-selling book of all time with an estimated total sales of over 5 billion copies.  Annually around 100 million bibles are sold.

The Septuagint , or the LXX, is a translation of the Hebrew Scriptures and some related texts into Koine Greek, began in the late 3rd century BCE and completed by 132 BCE, originally in Alexandria, but in time it was completed elsewhere as well.
​
The oldest extant copy of a complete Bible is an early 4th –century parchment book preserved in the Vertical Library, and it is known as the Codex Vaticanus.

• The bible consists of 66 distinct books; 39 in Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. When the books of the Bible were originally written, they did not contain chapters or verse references.  The bible was divided into chapters and verses to help us find Scriptures more quickly and easily.  It is much easier to find “John chapter 3, verse 16” than it is to find “for God so loved the world….”
• The Bible was first divided into chapters around 1250 by a Dominical by the name of Hugo de Sancto Caro, who became  Cardinal. Cardinal suggested  preparing a concordance to the Scriptures – the Vulgate or Latin Bible.
• Chapters division commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury. Langton put the modern chapter division into place in around A.D. 1227.  The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to use this chapter pattern.
• The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into verses by a Jewish rabbi by the name of Mordecai Nathan in A.D. 1448, Robert Estienne, who was also known as Stephanus, was the first to divided the New Testament into standard numbered verses, in 1555.
• The Geneva Bible from the sixteenth century was the first Bible to include both chapter and verse divisions for both Old and New Testaments.
• The bible includes 1, 189 chapters 979 in the Old Testament, 260 in the New Testament;  Apocrypha not included.
• The shortest verse of  the Bible is John 11:35, Jesus wept. The longest verse of the Bible is Ester 8:9.
• Five books consist of only one chapter (Obadiah, Philemon, 2nd John, 3rd John, Jude)
• The book of Psalms has the most chapters – 150.

 
Major Division of the Old Testament
 
The Pentateuch  - five scroll-cases,  (Commonly the first five books of the Bible) – The Hebrew –speaking Jewish community referred to these five books as “The Law,” “Torah,” or “The Law of Moses.” Torah – means “teaching” or “instruction.”

• Genesis (Beresheeth Heb) (the first 11 chapters of Genesis provide accounts of the creation (or ordering) of the world and the history of God’s early relationship with humanity. The remaining 39 chapters of Genesis provide an account of God’s covenant with the Biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (also called Israel) and Jacob’s children, the “Children of Israel,” mainly Joseph.
• Exodus - Shemot
• Leviticus - Vayikra
• Numbers - Bamidbar
• Deuteronomy - Devarim

History (Describing how the obedience or disobedience of God’s people is directly tied to the blessing and curses of the covenant).  In the Hebrew arrangement , Joshua, Judges, and he books of Samuel and Kings form a group of books called “the Former Prophets” due to the prophetic view from which they’re written. Neviim , Hebrew for Prophets. Former prophets are the books, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. Begin immediately after the death of Moses with the divine appointment of Joshua as his successor, who then leads the people of Israel into the Promised Land, and end with the releases from imprisonment of the last king of Judah. The latter prophets are dividing into two groups the “major” prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and the Twelve “Minor prophets.”

• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth - Ruth
• 1st and 2nd Samuel
• 1st and 2nd Kings
• 1st and 2nd Chronicle – Divrei ha-Yamim
• Ezra - Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Ester - Ester

Poetry or  Wisdom Writings (The fear of the Lord) which is the beginning of wisdom

• Job - lyyobh
• Psalms  (Tehillim Heb)( consist of five divisions: 1 Psalm 1-41, Book 2 of Psalms 42-72, Book 3 of Psalms 73-89, Book 4 of Psalms 90-106, and Book 5 of Psalms 107-150)
• Proverbs - Mishlei
• Ecclesiastes - Qoheleth
• Song of Salomon – Shir Hashshirim

Major Prophets (These Books were declared “major” because of the amount of text and not because they were considered more important than the “minor” prophetic books.) the Old Testament prophet tended to be revealed during times of crises. God used the prophets to provide direction and wisdom during times of crisis. They were also used by God to remind the people of their covenantal promises. Prophecy in the bible is part of God’s self-revelation, by which we come to know God through what He has done in the past and what He plans to do in the future.

• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations - Eikhan
• Ezekiel
• Daniel - Daniel

Minor Prophets  (part of the “classical prophecy” era of the Old Testament. The classical prophecy era began in the eighth century during the reign of Jeroboam II in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. These prophets addressed both he king and the people and became social-spiritual commentators for the Jewish people.)

• Hosea - Hoshea
• Amos - Amos
• Joel-Yoel
• Obadiah - Ovadyah
• Jonah - yonah
• Micah - Mikhan
• Nahum - Nahum
• Habakkuk - Havakuk
• Zephaniah - Tsefanya
• Zechariah - Zekharyah
• Malachi - Malakhi

 
New Testament
Gospels (Gospel by four so called by Eusebius) or (Synoptic Gospels)

• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John

History

• Acts

Letters of Paul (Epistles)

• Romans
• 1st  and 2nd Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1st and 2nd Thessalonians
• 1st and 2nd Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon

General letters

• Hebrews
• James
• 1st and 2nd Peter
• 1st  2nd and 3rd John
• Jude

Prophecy

• Revelation

 
Pastoral Epistles (All three are letters from an old man at the close of his ministry who is concerned for his successors in the pastorate. As such, the letters concern the things that would be crucial for the young pastors to understand—church organization and discipline, including such matters as the appointment of elders and deacons, the opposition of rebellious members or false teachers, and the maintenance of doctrinal purity.)

• 1st and 2nd Timothy
• Titus

Prison Epistles (The Prison Epistles refer to four letters in the New Testament written by the apostle Paul during his time under house arrest in Rome between approximately 60—62 AD. The first three of these epistles were written to specific local groups of Christians in the cities for which the books were named. Ephesians was written to the believers at Ephesus and covers areas of doctrine (chapters 1—3) and application (chapters 4—6). Of great importance is this letter's emphasis on salvation by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), church unity (Ephesians 4), and spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18).

• Ephesians,
• Philippians,
• Colossians,
• and Philemon.

 
What did Thomas Jefferson believe?
The Jefferson Bible, or The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth as it is formally titled, was a book constructed by Thomas Jefferson in the latter years of his life by cutting and pasting with a razor and glue numerous sections from the New Testament as extractions of the doctrine of Jesus. Jefferson's condensed composition is especially notable for its exclusion of all miracles by Jesus and most mentions of the supernatural, including sections of the four gospels which contain the Resurrection and most other miracles, and passages indicating Jesus were divine. Jefferson cut and pasted his arrangement of selected verses from the King James Version[8] of the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in chronological order, putting together excerpts from one text to those of another in order to create a single narrative.
 
 
 
 
This Bible Study Was Written And Taught By Rev. Jesse Adams (M.Div.), Senior Pastor of Oak Level Baptist Church in N.C.

Sunday School Lesson
Kings of Judah: Rehoboam The Arrogant
 
2 Chronicles 10-12 (KJV)
10 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.
2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,
4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.
6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?
10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.
13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the Lord might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.
17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
11 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
 
 
23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.
12 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.
2 And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,
3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.
5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.
6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The Lord is righteous.
7 And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.
11 And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.
12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well.
13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

2 Chronicles begins with the successful building of the Temple. It was filled now with all the marvelous items for God such as golden vessels, altars of brass, bronze basins, pillars, and was dedicated to God by Solomon. The glory of God so filled the temple after Solomon’s prayer that the priests could not even enter….
 
I sure would love to see the glory of God fill the church so strongly that we couldn’t enter the sanctuary without allowing Him to first cleanse our hearts. I pray that His conviction would be so heavy in the service today that we would be convicted of our unclean thoughts, acts, and deeds. The presence and glory of God is missing in His houses across the world today.
 
 
At the same time the temple was built, a palace for Solomon was built as well. In all it took 13 years to complete all the construction that Solomon had ordered.
 
We see in 2 Chronicles 7 that God makes a covenant with Solomon and the His people:
 
2 Chronicles 7:11-22 (KJV)
11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.
12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;
18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
 
 
God had already blessed Solomon with great wisdom, wealth, and material things.
However, Solomon also married many foreign women, which was confusing considering his dedication to God at the time, however 2 Chronicles 8:11 shows his early intentions to be faithful in the beginning to God:

2 Chronicles 8:11 (KJV)
11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come.”

Eventually, these outside influences and pressures from these many spouses would prove to be to much of an influence for Solomon.
Solomon began to turn to idols and we see that God became angry at him as he turned to idolatry away from god.

• God raised up adversaries in the kingdom to divide it. However, due to the promises made to his father David, God would not tear it apart during Solomon’s lifetime. Thank God that He always keeps his promises!

Let’s look at 1 Kings 11:1-14
11 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:
2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lordhis God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.
7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon……..
 
11 Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.
14 And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
 
Solomon and Rehoboam then try to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt
 
 
 
Now Let Us Flash Back To 2 Chronicles 10:1-19
 
What Is Significant About Jeroboam’s Rise To Power?

1. We should always keep in mind, that if we rebel against God in disobedience and loyalty, he has a loyal man on standby, ready to take our place to do his Kingdom work
2. Jeroboam’s demands for the people were not extensive and showed some degree of loyalty, however Rehoboam’s response was unacceptable. Notice how humbly Jeroboam approached the situation, not even mentioning the prophecy regarding his soon coming reign.

 
Rehoboam’s Rejection Of The Elders Advice Sheds Some Light On His Character.

1. Jeroboam was obviously a know-it-all, however must have still found it difficult to resist peer pressure based on how easy it was for his decision to be made regarding the advice of the young advisers and friends.
2. What sticks out to me regarding this is that Rehoboam inquired two different groups of men, but never once was mentioned as to whether he inquired of God or turned to Him. How many times did God turn things around for the people of Israel and their leadership when they repented and cried out to Him?
3. Right here in the same book God tells them in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

 
Our Text Points Out That The Israelites Were Getting Exactly What They Asked For

1. The people of Israel had asked for a king “like all the other nations.”
2. Rehoboam was grasping on with dear life to a position which was slipping out of his grips because he wanted complete control. His leadership style was controlling and obsessive and the tighter he held on, the farther God’s people pulled back.
3. This scenario reminds us of the situation between Saul and David in many ways. David like Jeroboam lived away in exhile for a while and eventually like Saul, most of the kingdom was stripped from Rehoboam’s hands. God often works in similar ways and patterns, revealing to us things that will possibly happen in the future. I can think of one significant power change that happened in the fall of 2016 when the people of America began to become disheartened with the government establishment cronies. 

 
The 10 Tribes Now Rebel and Claim Loyalty To Jeroboam As King

1. Instead of giving the people what they asked for, a “lighter yoke”, he threatened them with harsher treatment. How many times do we see this same situation today and then the people have finally had enough, resulting in the overturn of that government? How much longer does our own government have here in America making life harder on us by corruption and back door deals with corporations which take our wealth, but do not provide back with income for our families? How much longer will we allow them to place heavy yokes on our backs?
2. Rehoboam even sent out a tax collector in an attempt to assert his rule by collecting the usual taxes, but they sent Rehoboam a message by killing the tax collector, this is how he got the message that he too needed to get out of dodge!
3. 10 tribes with the exception of Judah and Benjamin now side against Rehoboam. We must keep in mind though that Judah and Benjamin by themselves were a large portion of the numbers in Israel. 180k able bodied fighting men alone!
4. The Kingdom was now split in half as was previously prophesied back in 1 Kings. As Rehoboam came up with the army and began to march upon the northern kingdom, God gave word for them to stop.
5. The fact that God intervened, confirms that the split of the country in the way it happened was exactly how God willed it to happen, therefore He wanted no interference from Judah that would cause the loss of unnecessary deaths to His people. God’s will would not be overturned no matter how big the army was.

Rehoboam Strengthens And Refortifies Judah

1. Rehoboam’s focus turned from control of the remaining 10 tribes to strengthening what he had control over. Fortress cities were built and weapons stockpiled.
2. Rehoboam walked in the ways of God the first few years. Rehoboam would take advantage of the priests and Levites who were killed out of Jeroboam’s kingdom. Rehoboam did this for 3 years the Scripture tells us.
3. Not only did Rehoboam strengthen his territory, but also his family line by marrying many wives in the family line of David.

 
 
 
 
So Where Did Things Turn Around For Rehoboam?

1. Rehoboam became humbled by the reminder that He was just one leader among a world of wolves. Take any Senator in the U.S. and place him in the middle of a central American country and he is a nobody and somebody to rob. Rehoboam was humbled by the fact that He was surrounded by enemies and wasn’t as brilliant as he thought he was.
2. Rehoboam truly repented in all sincerity. Crying a few crocodile tears or apologizing while blaming someone or something else does not cut it with God. He is empathetic to our hurts, needs, desires, but expects us to be obedient. When is the last time we truly repented with full sincerity? We throw around this word like it’s something you just do, like using the restroom.
3. God revealed that He had no respect for arrogance or disobedience and surely didn’t mind disrupting the thought that He wouldn’t touch Rehoboam because of his family line.
4. Rehoboam realized that this was a pivotal moment when the Egyptians came against them. He could either live up to his family legacy or he could go down as another failed leader in the Old Testament.

 
Rehoboam’s Pride And Arrogance Had A Cost:

1. Rehoboam backslid, but he also drug “all of Israel” down with him.
2. The King of Egypt, Shishak was raised up against Judah. They had 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and a huge army. They got all the way through the boundaries that Rehoboam had set up and fortified the cities with, even to Jerusalem.
3. Rehoboam and Judah’s leaders humbled themselves and God turned Egypt back. This shows us a lesson about admitting our wrongs and keeping our own will in its place. God can crumble our man-made empires at any time. If we know we are wrong, why not admit it, repent, and move on?
4. Rehoboam’s bad decisions wound up costing his country mightily. It caused a civil war, then a war between Egypt and Judah, before finally resulting in Rehoboam’s repentance.
5. This story stands as an example of God’s mercy and grace. It is amazing to watch the lengths that God goes to in order to shape and mold His called and chosen people. Will we require Him to take drastic measures in our live to get our attention? I know it did for me. It took Jesus, the Son of God hanging on a cross to not only get the attention of the world, but to redeem us.
6. From the story of King Rehoboam we learn the importance of wise counselors and maintaining faithfulness to God. When Rehoboam went his own way, things did not go well for his kingdom. When he listened to God, Judah was strong and secure.

Nobody Wants That
 
1 Samuel 4:5-11 KJV
5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
 
 
 
This is a sad story, with a better ending. A story about God’s chosen people who turn their back on the Lord.

When Eli was getting older and Samuel was now grown, sin began to take hold in Israel and destroy the good within the land.  God had warned Eli through Samuel that their day was coming when God would no longer defend them. The people had decided they didn’t want the presence, conviction, and standards of God anymore. As a matter of fact, they didn’t even need the Ark of the Covenant anymore.
 
 
 
Listen To This Poem Written By:  Robert L. Hinshaw
 
It has stood for decades along the county gravel road.
Skittering mice and barn owls now call it their abode.
 
What was once a stately building is now a shambles,
Surrounded by barren fields and prickly brambles.
 
Where once its weather-boarding was a bright cherry-red,
Due to the ravages of time, they're now a silvered-gray instead.
 
Yet can be seen a faded Mail Pouch Tobacco sign on its weathered side,
And a rusty weather-vane twisting in the wind, though a bit cockeyed!
 
Seasons of howling gales have striven to raze its sturdy oaken beams,
But they've held the old barn together though straining at its seams.
 
Its cavernous lofts once abounded with fragrant alfalfa hay,
That provided children a playground on many a rainy day.
 
It sheltered horses, sheep and cattle on frigid winter nights,
And for lack of electricity, it was lit by flickering lantern lights.
 
It was built when neighbors helped neighbors who were skilled,
At wielding hammer and saw and cherished great pride in their guild.
 
Now those great days are far gone
Nobody wants that old barn around their home
 
Life will most likely never be the same again
One day we will wish we could get back to how things were back then.
 

 
Isn’t this a lot like how we treat the presence and our relationship with God? As a country and people, we have decided that sanctified, holy living for God is something of old. “We no longer need to live that way” they say. “That was for the old people and a different time!” But, are we really better off today economically or spiritually? These things are said and thought in the hearts of man until the time comes when you need his presence, protection, prayer, guidance, conviction, and anything else that is beneficial to man. We have driven God out of our homes, schools, and all facets of life. Just as the barn represents an old and phased out economy, now we wish we had both back. They both represent a better time and lifestyle.
 
The Israelites had forgotten about God and the need for His presence and holy living. They didn’t need that old stuff anymore. As a matter of fact, His presence convicted them and made them uncomfortable so they moved him out yonder somewhere.

This was until the Philistines had raised up an army and invaded the lands of the Israelites. It was then that they decided that somehow because God gave them this land and that they were His people that He would defend them against this enemy.

It turns out that the Philistines knew the God of the Israelites better than they knew their own God. They had remembered the plagues of the Egyptians, the crossing of the Red Sea, the capturing of the Promised Land. They remembered these events and remembered the God who made them possible. The Philistines believed more in the God of the Jews than the Jews themselves.

The Philistines were afraid, but that was not necessary because the presence of God was not with the Israelites any longer. Just like the Jews, if we do not change… one day God’s presence will not be with us any longer.

The enemy fought and captured the Ark. Eli and his sons now lay dead, their sin and corruption representative of what was happening in Israel as a whole. Complacency had set in the people and they allowed sin to begin to take hold, which led to idolatry and violations of God’s law. Nobody wanted that old relic, that old chest that was said to hold God’s power, that old Ark anymore. That was just an old piece of furniture/relic of a past time that collects dust. Nobody needs that old stuff anymore.

Once the Philistines got it, they soon learned that they did not really want it themselves. They took the Ark containing the old remnants of God’s blessings (really supposed to hold God’s presence) and placed it into a temple of their idol God. The next morning they go back to find their stone God down before the Ark as if it were worshipping the Lord.
Soon after, many people die due to the curse that God places on them for having possession of the Ark. It gets passed around until one day they decide they have had enough death and devastation and they send it back to the Israelites.

They send it back with two cows, but without any direction. The cows are guided all the way down the road to an Israelite area where they receive the Ark with joy and gladness. That old washed up relic, that old box collecting dust, that old Holy Ghost presence that they once disregarded was now back.

Unfortunately, there were very few in the land that was righteous or qualified to take care of the Ark of the Lord. No one wanted that old, doomed, cursed relic around to weigh them down.

To keep that Ark meant they had to be serious about God. They had to give up that unsanctified life. They had to give up sleeping with whoever they wanted, they had to give up going to the bar, talking with poison tipped lips, and start living according to God’s law.

It may have seemed like there was no hope or no man left who could handle God’s presence in the end, but then there was Eleazar.
Eleazar said, daddy I will take it.

I will live how God wants me to live, I will do what God would have me to do, and I will say what God would have me to say. I will live a holy and sanctified life. All these things I will do to keep the presence of the Lord safe.

I must ask you today, are you keeping the presence of the Lord safe in your heart? Is your life and heart clean enough for God to stay with you or is his presence like that old barn, that old relic the Ark… collecting dust and being a hindrance to your lifestyle and desires of the world.
 
Maybe you been faithful just about all the days of your life and you are more like Samuel. I want to congratulate you because that is an achievement, however are you doing what is necessary to maintain that relationship over time or are you becoming complacent as the Israelites did with Eli?

We have to maintain our salvation as the Scripture tells us:
 
Philippians 2:12 (KJV)
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
So I must ask, are you ready to meet the Lord? If today were your last, are you prepared or have you set that old barn/ark/relic/past-time aside?

The Word of God is clear that we must be willing to do what it takes in order for the presence of God to dwell with us once more. Are we willing to do what it takes?

Inside And Out
 
Genesis 6:14 (KJV)
14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
 
1.)  Noah’s Ark Was Pitched Inside and Out, Something That Would Be Required In The Flood to Come In Order For The Wood To Keep Water Tight And Resist Impact
 
Pitch is a sticky substance that is water resistant in the right consistency and is commonly made with elements such as tar or coal, which is where the state of N.C. earns its name of the Tar Heel State and this is where the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill gives credit to their nickname the “Tar Heels”.

According to the UNC General Alumni Association, The Tar Heel Legend Is:
“A story that at best must be considered folklore states that when Lord Cornwallis's troops forded the Tar River in early May 1781 en route to Yorktown, they emerged with tar on their feet. This marked their passage through North Carolina as tar heels.”
 
Pitch can be manufactured and also happens naturally. It was used commonly in early days of shipbuilding as a protective barrier against decay and rot in the ship hull’s wood.

When water begins to seep into the wood, it breaks down and allows bacteria to begin to eat away at the wood. Ships for the most part in the western world do not require the natural kind of pitch anymore, but manufactured watercraft usually have some sort of barricade or liner in between the sheets of metal to form the hull of the vessel.

Isn’t it amazing how God knew exactly how to build this ship in such a way that it would resist the coming storm, the turning of the waves, and the instability of the battering winds and rain?

Studies have been performed that show it is nearly impossible to sink a ship built in the scale model of the ark with waves because when it turns over, it flips back upright by default of its design. The only other safety measures needed outside of its physical design was a method of water proofing its hull.

The Ark would also suffer possible blows and bangs up against floating debris, the pitch would have provided a protective (explosive) barrier.
Hasn’t the enemy dealt you many blows in your lifetime. I know he has in mine.
 

​The Scripture tells us that in Revelation 12:15 KJV
“And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.”
 
Our Vessels MUST BE PITCHED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, Lest the beast consume us in the last days. He spews lies, deceit, curses…. the harmful water of death upon us all.

​If our vessels go un-pitched, we will surely be consumed in these last days!
If we go on un-pitched, we risk spiritual and moral decay of our vessel. We risk losing our vessel to the ocean of death and suffering.
 
So why was the ark pitched within as it was without?
The ark was pitched from within as a double layer of protection in the event that the outer layers began to wear away. Many times, we as believers have an outer appearance that is finely pitched without, appearing that we “have it all together”. The truth is, many of us are falling apart from the inside because we lack that inner pitch. Even further, we need a stronger pitch within than we do on the outside. The wood of our vessel may become saturated with the water outside, but we can burn warmly for God inside knowing that we are kept by Fire of God.
 
That same word used for “pitch” in the Hebrew form also refers to the term “covering” or “atonement”, and as the pitch covered the ark to protect it, God has covered us with his atoning love.
 
 
 
2.)  So How Do We Become Pitched?
The Answer Is Simple, But For Some May Not Be Easy
a.)    First we must get on the boat: our faith in Christ as our Lord and Savior is our symbolic act of getting on that boat. We walk through the door a changed person, now saved by grace and given a new life.
b.)    When we allow ourselves to be humbled, repent, and profess faith in Christ, we open up the windows of Heaven to our soul. The Spirit then comes to reside in our hearts, but unlike many Christians are told, this is not the final step. For many Christians, this is where they stop, but they are only halfway done. You can make into Heaven this way, but you have left your boat half-pitched. At this point our vessel is only pitched from the outside, but what about the protective barrier on the inside?
c.)    To become pitched on the inside, we need the anointing of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. He is protector and sealer from the inside. He is our conviction, source of strength, prays for us unceasingly, guides us, and protects us from the slippery slope of sin decay.
d.)    In order to achieve the Baptism, we must seek to be sanctified which is achieved by confession, praying through, and maintaining a sanctified walk.
 
Sin, like the damaging water and bacteria that eat at the ship’s hull, will rot us from the core. We will suffer a slow fade and death from the inside out.
 
Many Christians today are pitched from without, but far fewer are pitched from within. It is great to look the part; I will never tell you that it is a problem to look sanctified
 
The Ark Was A Perfect Picture of The Coming Christ and the Pitch Was The Symbol For The Holy Spirit Who Acts As Our Protector, Comforter, Sealer, Sanctifier, to keep us safe from the tricks of the enemy who wants for us dearly to fail in our faith.
 
I pray today that the Lord will pitch us inside and out! I pray that my pitch never become dry, crusted, and fall away. I pray that each day, that God would add a new layer of pitch inside and out, that we would mature and grow as believers together. I pray that as He brings life to “dry bones”, and that His life would choose to continue to burn in me providing that ever-lasting life, protection and fire.
 
So I must ask you today, do you have that inner pitch? Do you have that holy ghost fire? Have you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
 
If today’s message has inspired you spiritually to act upon God’s vision in your life, let us know. Fill out the prayer request, questions, and concerns form and submit it to us today. We would love to hear from you. Thank you for joining us here today. I pray you enjoyed the message God has brought us today and that you will join us next time.

The Compassion of Jesus: Luke
Lesson 6: Jesus Is The Compassionate Healer
 
Luke 13:10-17 (KJV)
10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
 
Golden Text:
Mark 2:27-28 (KJV)
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
 
This verse simply reiterates the fact that since man is more important than some day of the week, so is God’s compassion for man.
Some of us have had jobs, many of us for years that have required us to occasionally work on Sundays. While I used to be upset by that I don’t worry about it anymore. If God wills for me to have a job where I do not work on Sunday, He will give it to me. That day isn’t right now so I do not need to concern myself with it. Whatever the Lord wills is what I want for my life.
 
That is the theme behind this whole story: The Lord’s Will (We will come back to this later)
 
It wasn’t the Lord’s will for this lady to be in pain and suffering as she was. What kind of God would Jesus have been to ignore that pain, honor the Sabbath over her, but fail to honor the people of God’s covenant (His Own Creation By The Way) by not showing compassion upon her?
The Scripture states that she was afflicted by a “spirit of infirmity”, now we know that God’s children can’t be possessed by demons, but we can be oppressed. Many Christians today have found themselves oppressed by demons.
Another version says she was “Crippled” by the Spirit. She was bent over and could not stand up straight at all…….
Imagine walking around for 18 years bent over looking at the ground. That should have given her depression as well.
 
Verse 12 says, “Woman, thou art loosed form thine infirmity.”……You are set free from your infirmity!
Verse 13 says, “He laid his hands on her”---We have to remember to lay hands on the sick and those in need…. We will come back to the laying on of hands again in a moment.
 
13b) says, “immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”
Notice, her healing was immediate and while this is always possible, this does not happen every time someone is prayed for. Don’t lose hope if your healing doesn’t happen immediately, soon, tomorrow, next year, or ever. Some sicknesses may be due to oppression, some due to the fallen state of man’s body. What every may be the cause, its ok to ask God to take it from you, but always let Him know that you want His will to be done. His will should override anything in our life, even sickness and death.
Does anyone remember the story of Jephthah and his daughter? He vowed to God that if he were to win the battle that his daughter not bare children and remain a virgin. That ended his family line
Remember Hezekiah, who had his life spared 15 more years from sickness only to have a son born three years into the 15 who would be wicked at heart and allow Israel to be taken.
These are huge examples of what happens when God’s will is not sought.
That is why the Lord’s Prayer says, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”
 
There are 5 major reasons this woman was instantly healed:

1. It was God’s Will
2. It was Jesus Himself that touched her
3. God wanted to show how powerful He was through His Son and to bring glory to His name
4. God wanted to expose the hypocrisy of the synagogue ruler
5. God wanted to change the question and concern of when (what day) he healed her to why

 
Verses 14 says,
“And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.”
 
What’s funny is how the ruler exposed his own hypocrisy with his own words!
 
Verse 15-16 states:
“15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?”
 
Pay close attention to the phrase: “whom Satan hath bound”

• All sickness is evil  and wicked and there is nothing natural about it. God doesn’t make us sick, sin and oppression makes us sick and is evidenced through the story of creation where Adam/Eve sinned and was cursed as a result. This is why sickness continually grows and becomes more aggressive, because our sins continue to feed this curse.

 

• Thank God that we have the great healer and physician in Jesus Christ!

 

• Sickness=Spirit oppression

 
Did you know our bodies were never designed for sickness nor death?
What does the two Scriptures addressed here today and just about every healing story of Jesus tell us, except the one where the person being helped had great faith that required Jesus not to have to go to the place to help them…..They are all centered around Jesus touching the person. The laying on of hands.
Look at verse 13 again where it says, “He laid hands on her”. Even 14:4 says, “He took him”, which means He touched the man.

• We also have to remember to lay hands on the sick and those in need. The power flows from one believer to another through touches of love, concern, faith and compassion. The laying on of hands is spiritually symbolic and significant.
• It was used when the disciples and apostles wanted to anoint ministers to begin ministry and operate in leadership.
• The power flows through two receptive points: God and the person of faith. That power much like electricity can then be flowed from one place through the next just as electricity flows from one point to the next. All of our bodily movements are controlled by electrical impulse from our brain to the nerves which gives the muscle on the other end a jolt of electricity, causing it to move.
• There are 2 main types of muscles that receive these signals that I want to highlight: Voluntary and Involuntary. The heart and lungs (involuntary) and we need those to stay alive or something telling them to move. Then there are muscles like in the arms, legs, and shoulders which are needed when in demand and are told to move. We tell voluntary muscles to move with our brains (like a control center).
• But who are what is connected to the brain to make it work? Conciousness: The Soul!
• The moment that the soul is pulled from this world to the next, the body is dead. There is nobody there to control the brain.
• There is something out there even known by secular scientist called the “God particle”, they are trying to use it to prove the big bang theory in Switzerland. What it is basically is the energy source for atoms, which are smaller than cells, which makes up the brain. It’s the spark to our plug, it’s the breath of Adam, the giver and taker of life, The First and the last, The beginning and the end. They won’t recreate the creation of God, because He is the creator!
• If you’re not saved this morning and you’re still breathing, that’s compassion from God. He can allow that light switch in your head to flip off any time. It’s best to know your next destination now, rather than take that risk. Most of us are closer to death than we realize because it only take an instant and its lights out and power off.

I say all these things to say this: a spiritual touch and connection is significant. The laying on of hands is spiritual and allows the Spirit to flow through and in us.
God’s Spirit is the only thing that I have encountered that can hijack my voluntary muscles. You might have muscle spasms, but that is nothing compared to the Holy Ghost. It reminds me that the body is nothing but a shell housing my spirit, a temple. And like all the matter and elements on earth, God controls it all.
This is significant, because it means if He made it, He can control it, He can destroy it, He can also fix it. And if He can fix and infirmity of 18 years such as this woman’s, He can fix mine if He so chooses.
 

​
Verse 13 states, “immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”
Notice her healing was immediate and while this is always possible, I believe there were a few reasons God made sure it was an immediate healing:

1. It was Jesus himself that touched her
2. God wanted to show how powerful He is (for His glory).
3. God wanted to expose the hypocrisy of the ruler for our teaching benefit
4. God wanted to change the question and concern of when He healed her to why!

 
Mark 2:1-12 KJV
2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

• Healing and Saving is based on authority, not the person involved. This is why a minister can say that your sins have been forgiven or lay hands on others. When you pray in Jesus’ name, you take authority over the enemy with His name!

 
Let’s go back and wrap up Luke 13, Verse 17:
“17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.”

• This response sounds a lot like Psalm 23, you know where it says, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.”… A response of power and authority by Jesus
• We must praise the Lord for the victory and vengeance over the enemy is His!
• Jesus surely had a table set before Him this day. Not only had he defied them, but turned their own words against them and exposed their false religion. They were being legalistic, while Jesus was being compassionate!

 
Luke 14:1-6 (KJV)
 
14 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.
2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
6 And they could not answer him again to these things.
 
Jesus approaches the next healing different and appears to be almost using their silence and lack of understanding as a teaching opportunity. He understood from the previous experience that there was obviously a piece of the puzzle missing for the Pharisees and leaders of His time that did not apply the mercy, grace, compassion, and love of God to the law.

• In verse 2, it shows us a man with dropsy (fluid on the body or swelling) being healed and it is good to know whatever our condition whether sick of heart or body, Jesus has the compassion to heal!
• Let us have the faith unlike the leaders and Pharisees of Jesus’ day to stop worrying with the when and concern ourselves with the why?
• Because if we know why He saves, why He heals, Why He blesses, We will know why it is necessary for us to have compassion for one another, why it is necessary to share the Gospel of Christ in the first place.
•