Iris and I get so thrilled as we travel and we go to these seminars and ten or twelve-year-old kids will come up and give either her or I a hug! Then their parents get a little embarrassed and they say well "They watch you every morning. They feel like they know you!" So we do realize that even though our audience here at the taping is on a weekday afternoon and we have to depend mostly on people who are retired, yet rest assured that we do have a lot of younger people that are learning and studying the Word with us.

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;" So never neglect to pray daily for our men in high places, that indeed we might continue to enjoy liberty like no other nation on earth has ever before enjoyed. I’m afraid that too often we take it for granted, even as believers, that this is just common place. No, it is not! We are so blessed! The Grace of God has been showered on this nation like no other people on earth, and we should never take it for granted.

Let’s go to verse 4. The same God who is pleased when we pray for men in high places and for our government, the same God:

"What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is thereof circumcision? 2. Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles (Word) of God."

So it is the same way with us. See, we’ve been so blessed and we have so many things going for us as a nation of people, and yet I’m afraid that it is only a small percentage that have any true saving faith. The vast majority of our people, as I have said over and over, never even think about eternity, and that’s not what God wants.

A lot of people think that God has only chosen just a few and those are the only one’s that He’s concerned about, but don’t you believe it! The Scripture is full of it, that God died for ALL. We are going to just start looking at the Scripture in regard to that. Remember the verse that we are "kicking off from" – for it is the very will of God that all men should be saved. That’s what He had on His mind when he provided the plan of salvation not just for the few, but it’s for all.

We realize, of course, that there are theological concepts out there that say if God has chosen you to go to heaven, that you are going to go to heaven; come what may - somehow or other you are going to make it. But on the other hand, if you have been chosen to go to eternal doom, then there is nothing you can do about it. Well, I beg to differ! I just cannot go along with that line of thinking because of too many verses like we are going be looking at right now. This does not give any indication that you’re headed for Hell and there is nothing you can do about it, or you are headed for Heaven and you are going to get there regardless of what you do. It just doesn’t fit! But, look what it says:

"For whosoever (how many? Anybody! No limit!) shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." That’s a promise!

Now it doesn’t say how many are going to be in the "whosoever," but nevertheless the potential is that anyone who will call on God for salvation, his opportunity is as good as anybody else’s. Now turn to II Corinthians 5, verses 14-15. Don’t forget what we read in Timothy, for God would like to have ALL men to be saved. Remember the word ALL. Now watch the language.

"For the love of Christ (of course, love is synonymous with His Mercy and Grace) constraineth us; (or drives us) because we thus judge, (or we thus conclude) that if one died for (how many?) all,....." See, He didn’t die for just a few, but rather He died for the whole human race. Not just Israel, but for everyone. Not just the Gentile, but for everyone. He died for ALL.

"And that he died for all, (See? Repeated, twice in two verses.) that they which live (those who call upon Him now for salvation, according to Romans) should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."

The point I want to make is that He died for ALL. Not just for the few. Alright, now let’s go all the way to the other side of I Timothy and move into Hebrews chapter 2. Here we have this same concept and we’re are going to show it just as clearly as we know how. I have to force myself to slow down on the program. I had a gentleman call the other night and he said "Les, slow down! I can’t find the verses as fast as you do!" And, we do appreciate the fact that our television audience sits there with their Bible in their hand and with a pen and notepad. So, we do take that into consideration on the program. We are not here just to preach at you. We are here to help you find these Scriptures and to rest on what they say and hopefully, by faith, just take it as the Word of God.

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels (that is when He took on flesh,) for the suffering of death, crowned with glory, and honour; that he by the grace of God (not because anybody deserved it. But by the Grace of God, He) should taste death for (How many?) every man." His death was sufficient for every human being that has ever lived from Adam until the end of time! It was sufficient. He tasted death for "every man." Not just for those who believe but for everyone. Let’s move on a little further back to II Peter chapter 3 verse 9.

Now, the reason I teach is so that people can share these things with others who probably never look at the Word of God. That is why I take it slowly and verse by verse, as we pick every word out and examine it.

The next one I want to look at in this same verse is that, not only does God expect everyone to come to a knowledge of salvation, or to be saved, but also to come to a knowledge of the Truth! There’s not much of truth around anymore is there? You just don’t hear a lot of truth anymore. You hear a lot of "flim-flam" - stuff that does not line up with Scripture, but we have to take the time to dig out what in the world is "truth."

Alright, let’s go to the first one I think of when I think of truth and that is Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13. This is a verse that we use periodically on the program because it is so explicit in what it says. Now remember, Paul always writes primarily to the believer. But, as he writes to the believer it also speaks, of course, to the unbeliever as well. So to us believers, he said:

"In whom ye also trusted, (placed your faith) after (watch the language here – after) that ye heard the word of (what?) truth,.."

We became believers after we heard the word of truth. Now in this particular instance, what is truth? The Gospel! A lot of times I will say "truth" and the name of Jesus Christ are synonymous, because Christ is Truth and Truth is Christ. But here we are going to define it a little closer - that truth is the Gospel. Of course, Who is at the heart of the Gospel? Jesus Christ! Look at it again.

"In whom you also trusted, (or placed your faith) after you heard the word of truth. (and the Word of truth is the Gospel) the gospel of your salvation: in whom (the Christ of truth) also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise."

Now then, when Paul identifies "truth" as the Gospel, then we will go back once again, as we have done probably a hundred times on this program, to I Corinthians chapter 15 verses 1-4. I’m so thrilled that I am beginning to see more people use this instead of John 3:16. Now don’t get me wrong, John 3:16 is good and I don’t take anything away from it but, it’s not the Gospel for us today. John 3:16 was spoken primarily to the Jewish people, because Jesus spoke it in His earthly ministry. John wrote it with regard to His earthly ministry, but, here Paul now, after the fact of his death, burial and resurrection, tells us what Gospel it is to be saved! This is the Gospel of truth that he identified in Ephesians chapter 1.

"By which (by this Gospel that Paul has now shared with these Gentiles) also ye are (what?) saved, (A lot of people don’t like that word, but it is a Scriptural word. And it denotes a salvation, a saving from doom.) if ye keep in memory (I always put it, that you know what you believe.) what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." Now here comes THE Gospel. The Truth as Paul defines it.

Now again, I am going to stop and define that. Why does Paul always refer to this as "his" Gospel? Well, because it was to the Apostle Paul that the ascended Lord (not Jesus in His earthly ministry, but it’s the ascended Lord Who has now finished the work of redemption with His death, His shed blood, His burial and His resurrection that after He had ascended, then He) revealed to this Apostle, that now, this Gospel is the means of salvation. Not the miracles of His earthly ministry. But, the miracle and the power of His death, burial and resurrection. So that’s why he uses the words "that which he also received."

Paul is the first one to whom God revealed that he would now save the multitudes not through the Law of Israel, not by virtue of Judaism, not by virtue of Christ’s earthly ministry and His miracles, but by believing that finished work of the cross. Continuing on with verse 3, and here is what we must believe.

"... how that Christ died for our sins (we have already seen in II Timothy chapter 5, who is included in the "our?" Everybody! He died for the sins of the whole world, and so, He died for our sins.) according to the scriptures;"

Quite a verse, isn’t it? Think of all the religions of the world, the Orientals and so forth with their various priests and priestesses. My, this verse just screams. No! That’s not what it is. There is only ONE mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Now let’s go back to the first part of verse 5.

Go back to Deuteronomy chapter 6. All the way back to the Old Testament. That’s what we like to do, if at all possible, just tie all of the Scripture together. Even though the Apostle Paul is the one who writes to us Gentiles, yet we know that all Scripture is inspired and is profitable.

"Here, O Israel: (remember, this is Moses) The LORD our God is one LORD:"

Now you see, that’s why the Jewish people accuse us in this Age of Grace and as New Testament believers as having more than one God which flies in the face of their Old Testament belief. This is the verse that they will use. "Here, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD:."

Well, yes He’s one God. Of course He is! But from our New Testament perspective now we reckon that He is a God in three Persons, and in order to pick up what Paul is talking about, that the One God is also the Man Christ Jesus. This is what we have to understand that the Triune God, the One Moses is speaking of, the One LORD, was the invisible Godhead. A lot of folks, seemingly, cannot understand it.

And I don’t "understand it" but I can take it by faith that the Triune God as we come up through the Old Testament economy was for the most part invisible. Now at times He would become human, a theophany, as the theologians call it. And He would appear to man in human form.

Now, we know that he appeared to Adam and Eve in the Garden. He walked with them, He wasn’t an invisible Spirit. He walked with them in human form. And we know that Abraham, a perfect example, saw the Lord, saw God in human form. Remember when the three men came down the trail and Abraham invited them under the shade tree and fixed for them the fatted calf? What did the three men do? They sat down and they ate.

As you go further in that chapter, you realize that one of those three men was the Lord Himself in human form. Then a little later, we find Moses at the burning bush - same thing. God spoke out of the burning bush, but as you come down to the place where Moses now says "What’s your name? When I go back to Egypt and tell the Israelites that God has sent me. They are going to ask, What’s your name?" And what did the God of the burning bush answer? Go tell Israel "I AM hath sent you. I AM THAT I AM."

Then you go all the way to John’s Gospel chapter 8 and they were accusing Jesus of having a demon and he goes through that conversation. Then they finally say, you mean to tell us, you are not even 50 years old and you have seen Abraham?! Who do you think you are? What was Jesus’ answer? "Before Abraham was, I AM." So He was the same One that spoke to Moses out of the burning bush.

We have all this building of proof that the invisible God was in three Persons and at times, One of the Persons of the Godhead took on human form throughout the Old Testament. And then in the New Testament, He came by way of Bethlehem in the flesh.

Now let’s look at one them from the New Testament, from John’s Gospel chapter 1. We are trying to exhaust it as much as we can in the time we have, why Paul emphasized that the mediator between God and man was the Man Christ Jesus and yet he never stopped being God!

John’s Gospel chapter 1. These are verses we use a lot of times when we teach Genesis 1, that Christ was the Creator.

"In the beginning was the Word, (that is capitalized. It’s a term of Deity.) and the Word was with God, (but more than that) and the Word was God." See there was no separating it. Then verse 3.

"All things were made by him; (that is, the Word) and without him was not any thing made that was made." By the Word! Now when you drop down to verse 14, you see that the Scripture always interprets itself. So in verse 14, we see Who the Word was.

"And the Word was made (what?) flesh, (He took on humanity.) and dwelt among us....."

Yes, He was born in Bethlehem. Grew up in Nazareth and for three years went up and down the dusty roads of the land of Israel from village to village. Spent time in Jerusalem at the Temple, and indeed, He did dwell among the nation of Israel, because John is writing as a Jew.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

So here we have ample proof from the pen of the Apostle John that the Creator Person of the Trinity, took on flesh and the twelve experienced all those days of that three years in miracles and wonders and signs, knowing that He was the God of Glory, the God of Abraham, the God of Creation, Who had taken on human flesh. This is what we have to understand, that even though God is Spirit, yet God the Son took on human flesh.

In this lesson we will begin again with I Timothy chapter 2 verse 5, because I didn’t finish it in the last lesson. So now let’s continue on with our study in verse 5 where we left off in the last lesson.

Alright, so that’s what we started in our last lesson and we looked in John’s Gospel, how that the Word became flesh. Now we are going to look at Paul’s letter to the Colossians. These verses will show so explicitly that Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, ministered three years up and down the land of Israel, was indeed the visible manifestation of the invisible God. So let’s begin with Colossians chapter 1 verse 14 so that we know for certain Who we are talking about.

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, (now I think anybody knows that that is a reference to the cross of Christ) even the forgiveness of sins:"

"Who (the One Who shed His blood) is the image (an image is something you can see and touch- so Christ is the image) of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:"

"...that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:" So He IS the Creator! Now, lest you say that is just one verse, turn back to Ephesians chapter 3 verse 9.

To illustrate the Godhead. Think of a circle which has inside God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Comprising what the Scripture refers to over and over as the Godhead, the invisible God. Now, the Scripture that we are looking at shows that God the Son stepped out of the invisible Godhead and became the visible manifestation, or the visible image of that invisible God. You will see this throughout Scripture.

"And to make all men see (there’s that ALL again. This isn’t just for the privileged few. This isn’t just for the chosen few. This is for the whole human race.) what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world (or the ages, is a better word) hath been hid in God, (the invisible Godhead) who (the invisible God) created all things by (Whom? What does your Bible say?) Jesus Christ"

He became the visible manifestation of the invisible God. Now come all the way back to Acts chapter 2. In this passage Peter is preaching this on the day of Pentecost and he is approaching the nation of Israel concerning the One Whom they have crucified. So he says in verse 22:

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man (underline that, in view of I Timothy chapter 2. The Man Christ Jesus. See? The Mediator.) approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, (which, of course was a reference to His three years of earthly ministry.) which God (the whole Godhead. Again, the invisible God performed all these signs and wonders and miracles through that visible image of God the Son.) did by him in the midst of you, (speaking of His three years) as ye yourselves also know;" Now, how did all this come about? Next verse!

"Him, (Jesus of Nazareth) being delivered by the determinate counsel..."

In order to have a counsel, you have to have more than what? More than one! There has to be a meeting of the minds. Now, whenever our President has a Cabinet Meeting, what is basically the purpose? Well for a meeting of all the minds on some momentous decision.

I always get a kick out of Israel. They are in the news every day and they are under tremendous international pressure as well as from their Arab world neighbors. But, whenever Israel decides to do something, whether it was to react one way or another, where does it always come from first before the Prime Minister makes any kind of a statement? Well from his Security Counsel, from him Cabinet. Not necessarily the whole Knesset but from his group of advisors. When they come to a consensus, when they come to a meeting of the minds, then the Prime Minister steps out and puts out the command or the order or whatever the case may be. That’s a consensus. Now look at this verse again. Verse 23.

"Him, (Jesus of Nazareth) being delivered (up to the cross) by the determinate counsel(by that meeting of the minds) and foreknowledge of (who?) God, (not just one Person, but a meeting of the minds of all Three, still in the invisible pre-eternal state. The invisible Godhead came together and they providentially laid out the blue print for all of earth’s history. And look what it says) ye (the Nation of Israel) have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:"

Now what does that mean? Way back in eternity past when the invisible Godhead came to a counsel and a meeting of the Triune mind, they delegated that One of the Three, in this case God the Son, would be the One that would step out, if I may use that expression, He would step out of that invisible Godhead and become the visible image of the invisible God. Does that help? I hope so.

So, then come back to Colossians again - to chapter 2, and in order to pick up the full meaning, I have to let you look at verse 8 as well as 9. Nine is the verse I really want you to see.

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9. For in him (in who? In Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead (but how?) bodily."

So you see, when Christ stepped out of the invisible Godhead and became the visible manifestation, He never lost his make up with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Now, we could go all afternoon on this alone! Come back to John chapter 14, because if you are confused, you are not alone. The Twelve that had been with Him for three years couldn’t figure it out. John chapter 14 verse 7, 8 and 9. In our human frailty there is no way that we can just understand all of this. We must take it by faith! And it does take a lot of faith. That is what God expects. He said it and we believe it. Just because you can’t explain it, doesn’t mean it’s not true.

Here we are with Christ and the Twelve and they are in the Passover chamber. You know the account. Drop in at chapter 14 and come to verse 7. And Jesus says to the Twelve:

"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." Quite a statement, isn’t it? Now look at the next verse.

"Philip (one of the Twelve who had been with Him for three years) saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us." Let us see that other part of the Godhead. Look what Jesus said in verse 9.

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen (who?) the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" You are looking at Him!!

Unbelievable, isn’t it. But yet we believe it by faith. So this is the best way I can put it. You have the invisible Godhead from eternity past and according to that determining counsel of this three Persons of the Godhead, they delegated the Son (we don’t call him Jesus Christ back in Genesis, but we call Him, the LORD, Jehovah. Capital letters.) So God the Son stepped out of the Triune Godhead and created man, walked with him in the Garden in human form. And would come back up into the Godhead and become invisible.

"The LORD (now you have to be careful. What’s different about the word LORD and the next word Lord? Well capitalization, that’s all.) said unto my Lord, (you have two different personalities) Sit thou at my right hand, until (time word) I make thine enemies thy footstool."

Now stop and think a minute. Who would have said "Come and sit at my right hand until your enemies become your footstool"? Well, God the Father speaking to God the Son. It’s that simple. When Christ was here on the earth, rejected of men, and they refused to have Him as their King, what did God the Father say? Come back up and He went back from the Mount of Olives. He ascended back into Glory but He’s not sitting on the throne of the Godhead tonight. He’s sitting, where? At the Father’s right hand.

Now I always tell people. Don’t be foolish in your thinking. Don’t picture God the Father sitting on some great big chair up here and God the Son on a kitchen chair down here. This isn’t what you are supposed to think. The thing that you are supposed to realize is the positional difference. God the Son has not yet usurped the throne of God the Father, He’s at the right hand of God the Father. This falls right into what we are talking about in Timothy "and He became the mediator."

John puts it in a little different language in his letter back there. We will look at it later. But John puts it in 1 John chapter 2 verse 1 that "if we sin we have an advocate!" The Greek word is "paraclete" which is another term for the Holy Spirit.

Here in Psalms what I want you to see is that the capitalized LORD is God the Father and He says to God the Son, come and sit at my right hand.

I read one time that Martin Luther struggled with this verse for years and he just couldn’t comprehend what this was saying. And then one morning he came out of his study and exclaimed to his wife "Now I see it!" Supposedly, like a good wife, she said "What?" He said "It was God crying out to God!"

Well, you have the same thing on the cross, when Christ said "God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Who was He talking to? It was God in the person of the Son, crying out to God the Father Who was in Glory. Then after He was rejected and from the Mount of Olives, God the Father said "Come, sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."

Paul says the same thing. Now let’s go back to Hebrews. We are going to wear out our Bibles today! That’s the way I like it. Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 1. Now this is what I call Bible study! I hope everyone can agree with me, THIS is Bible study, you just pick it apart and build on it.

In Hebrews 1, we have the same connotation. Starting at verse 1. What’s the first word? God! What God? The whole Godhead.

"Hath in these last days (which refer to Christ’s first advent) spoken unto us (not by the prophets but how?) by his Son,(the One who stepped out of that invisible Trinity and became the visible image of Jesus of Nazareth and went to the cross. Then) whom he hath appointed heir of all things, (that is in the future. But going into the past) by whom also he made (past tense verb) the worlds;"

What? The worlds, the universe and everything in it. We covered that once before so let’s move on into verse 3 because I came from Psalms 110, I don’t want to lose you now, where God the Father said, "come sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool" Which, of course, will trigger the Second Coming.

"Who (God the Son) being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, (that is with His death, burial and resurrection. Now comes the ascension and He sat down where?) sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high"

Perfect fitting with Psalms 110! Only in Psalms 110 it says that God the Father said to God the Son, come sit at my right hand. In Hebrews, it doesn’t give that invitation of the word "come," it just simply states the fact that when Christ ascended back to Glory, he didn’t assume the throne. He is positioned at the right hand of the throne, until He will return and then He will sit upon His throne over the nations of Israel and the world, when He assumes David’s throne there in Mount Zion.

So, we are still trying to establish Christ’s role as the Man Who became then our mediator. Well, do you get the picture now? Where is the mediator? Seated at the right hand of the Father. And, He is the only connection that we have between us and the Godhead.

We were showing in the last lesson, how God the Son became flesh, became the visible image of the invisible God. And as such, went the way of the cross, purchased our redemption, rose from the dead, and ascended back to the Father’s right hand. In order to give another perspective, we were just ready to look at I John chapter 2 verses 1 and 2 in the last lesson when time ran out. The terminology is slightly different but it’s still the same setting. John writes:

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if (it’s conditional) any man sin, (we know we will) we have an advocate (like I said that’s a different term than mediator but nevertheless it fulfills the same role.) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"

Where is He? At the Father’s right hand interceding for us. Now come back with me to Galatians chapter 3 verse 19, which is the only other place that Paul uses the word mediator other than in I Timothy. He does use it in the Book of Hebrews, but that’s a little bit different setting than what Paul writes to us in the Church Age.

The Law was added because of transgressions, and you have to know your Bible. All the way from Adam at about 4000 BC, up until Moses, there was no written Word of God, there was no Law. At that time right and wrong was based on men’s conscience. So with the Law at 1500 BC and Adam at 4000 BC that tells us that there was 2,500 years that the human race did not have any written Word of God.

That is why Paul uses the term then that the Law was added 2,500 years later. It was added because of the transgressions. In other words, mankind was just going deeper and deeper into sin, and that’s why God had to destroy them at the Flood. But, even after the Flood it came out the same way. They just went deeper and deeper - so that’s when He called out the little nation of Israel through the man Abraham. To the nation of Israel He gave the Law, so there was no doubt about what was right and wrong.

"It (the Law) was added (because of their sinful lifestyle and it was going to be enforced) because of transgressions, till the seed (speaking of Christ) should come to whom the promise was made; and was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."

Now, who was the mediator at that time? Moses was! Moses was the one who stood between Israel and God. So, he was the mediator between those two parties. The picture is that now it isn’t Moses who is our mediator, it’s Christ Himself! The One who satisfied all the demands of the Law, the One Who finished the work of redemption and so now He is fully capable to sit at the Father’s right hand as our mediator.

Isn’t that a comfort? We know that even as John places it in his little letter, if we sin, we have Jesus Christ the Righteous One as our advocate. Or today we would say, He’s our attorney. He’s pleading our case constantly. He is also the mediator between God and man when it comes to this whole idea of prayer. Here again, in Hebrews it tells us:

This is all on this same scenario of Jesus Christ the Righteous One, Who is our advocate, Who is our mediator and as such then, we can go right into the presence of God! Day or night! Doesn’t matter when or where we are. We don’t have to be in our prayer closet. You can be driving down the road and you can lift your heart in prayer. You can wake up in the middle of the night and flat on your back, you can pray. You don’t have to be in a particular position or anything like that. And, here it is verse 14 of Hebrews 4.

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, (see how plain this is? Since that is the case) let us hold fast our profession. (our faith.) 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted (or tested) like as we are yet (whereas we fail, He did not. He was) without sin. 16. Let us therefore come (what’s the word? Boldly! We don’t have to shrink. We don’t have to think, Oh, I am coming into the presence of a Holy God. No, we are now on that plane as a redeemed, blood bought individual that we can come) boldly unto the throne of grace, (into Heaven itself) that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

My what a promise!! We don’t have to be worthy. We don’t have to find someone who can plead our case. We have Him! He’s our mediator. He’s our advocate, and He’s ready and He is willing because of His mercy! When it comes to His mercy, we have to go back to Exodus chapter 33. It has been a long time since we have used these verses. I don’t think I have used them since we taught Romans chapter 11.

This is just shortly after Israel had made the golden calf. And, if ever there was a reason for God to destroy the nation of Israel it was then and there. God could have destroyed the Nation in an instant. Why didn’t He? Here’s the reason.

And he (Moses) said, I beseech thee, shew me they glory. 19. And he (the Lord) said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and (now here it comes) will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy."

How could God say something like that? Because He is sovereign! He doesn’t have to make an excuse for doing anything. He can do whatever He wants. If He determines He wants to pour out Mercy and Grace He can do it! And that’s where we are. It’s because of His sovereign Grace that we can come into the throne room boldly in any time of need.

We don’t have to go through anybody else, because He is there constantly. Another verse I have to use that shows His worthiness is Revelation 5 verse 9, which is a whole different setting. Here we have the Lord, ready to take the scroll, in this case which is the mortgage on the planet. He is ready to pour out the Tribulation wrath of God and all I want you to see is what makes Christ worthy of everything that He does.

"And they sung a new song, (Look what they sang in their singing.) saying, Thou (speaking of Christ) art (what’s the next word? Worthy!) worthy to take the book, and to open the seals (that is to pour out the judgements of the Tribulation that would be coming from it) thereof: (Now here’s why He was worthy) for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation:"

See, it wasn’t that He did it for any one group of people. This is no longer just for Israel. But He went to the cross and shed His blood and rose from the dead to redeem the whole human race! That’s what we have been seeing for the last two or three lessons now, that when He finished the work of the cross, the price of redemption was paid for every human being. None excluded! They can all come in the same way, by faith plus nothing! Yet the vast majority of the world walks it under foot.

Come back to I Timothy chapter 2 and the very next verse is just about as loaded as the last, it’s the same concept. What did Christ accomplish with His death, burial and resurrection? Here verse 6 tells us.. Not only is He the mediator between us and God, not only is He the One Who advocates on our behalf, but now there is another idea. He gave Himself a ransom.

" But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20. Who verily was foreordained (that should take you back to that verse in Acts chapter 2. That it was foreordained before anything was ever created, that Christ would go to the Cross.) before the foundation of the world."

So now come back to I Timothy again. Maybe we can make another verse or two before this lesson is over. Christ paid the ransom, not just for the few but for the whole human race. And, if I don’t get anything more across this lesson than that, I will have accomplished something. That He didn’t just pay redemption for a few, but rather He paid it for the whole human race. When you see the mass of humanity walking it under foot, chasing other gods and other religions with no concern whatsoever, what a travesty to think that He has paid for every one of us, and yet they pay no mind.

"Whereunto (In other words, the fact that Christ had paid the ransom. The fact that Christ is our mediator between God and men.) I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith (truth) and verity."

I have mentioned this on the program more than once that a lot of people don’t even give Paul the time of day. They will not even look at his letters. They will quote everything from the Old Testament sometimes it’s just sheets of paper with references trying to disagree with me. And all they quote is the Old Testament and the Gospels and the early Acts and Revelation. They absolutely will not touch the letters of Paul. When I see that, if they hear this on the program, I don’t care. They go in the waste basket. Because if they are not going to pay heed to what Paul has written, they are out in left field anyway. Why should I waste my time.

I always call the stoning of Stephen in Acts chapter 7 as the epitome or the crescendo of Israel’s rejection. They literally screamed at Stephen as they were stoning him. We will NOT have Jesus of Nazareth over us. Well, then in chapter 8 you find that Peter again is still in the limelight and then when you get to chapter 9, we are introduced to the next character on the stage of history, biblically speaking, Saul of Tarsus.

"But the Lord said unto him (Ananias), Go thy way; for he (Saul of Tarsus) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the (what?) Gentiles,..." This has never been whispered before that God was going to save Gentiles. Never!

Paul makes such a clear definition of all of this in the little Book of Galatians - how that he is to become the apostle and the teacher of the Gentiles, and that’s what we’re trying to show that it wasn’t just a statement of braggadocio. He’s not claiming something that wasn’t true, but indeed, he IS the chosen vessel by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to now go to those hated, wicked, pagan Gentiles. Here Paul lays it out so clearly what took place.

"But I certify (guarantee) you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but (where did he get it?) by the revelation of Jesus Christ."

I am always pointing out when I teach Paul’s apostleship, remember that everything in the four gospel accounts was Christ before the Cross. Except, of course, for the account of the crucifixion. But, the whole three years of His earthly ministry are only to the nation of Israel under the Law before His death, burial and resurrection. It’s at least seven years after the cross that this man gets all of his revelations from the ascended Lord, Who is now up there at the right hand of the Father. And so, this is what he says. I got it by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Then in verse 15:

When Christ died, He died for ALL. When He rose in resurrection power, He defeated everything that was against us, and He became our mediator. He became our advocate. He became our Lord, our Master. As we have seen just a moment ago, it was all because of what He accomplished in that death, burial and resurrection.

I always like to let it be known that we are just an informal Bible Study. I am not a preacher, I just feel the Lord has given me the ability to teach the Word in a way that even young people can understand. That reminds me that at today’s taping we have a young family that has come all the way from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to be with us and I think they are going to come down and spend the night with us at the ranch. They have three small children and when they walked in today, they knew "Les" because they watch him on television!

As we begin this lesson we’ll still be back in I Timothy chapter 2 for a little bit. I am always running out of time, it seems, so we are going to go right back to verse 7, because I didn’t get quite finished with that verse in the last lesson.

"Whereunto (Paul says) I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity."

In other words, there was no mincing words with the Apostle Paul and he was not a imposter. He was not a purveyor of half truth or untruth. He was strictly God’s vessel in order to take the Word of God to the non-Jewish world.

Now I trust you all realize, that all the way up through the Old Testament beginning with the appearance of Israel in Genesis chapter 12 and the Abrahamic Covenant, God dealt only with the nation of Israel, with an occasional exception. It was Jew only all the way through the 2,000 years after Abraham, and even in Christ’s earthly ministry, it was Jew only with only two exceptions.

In fact, I made reference to a couple of Scriptures in the last lesson and I guess it has been a long time since I pointed this out on the program. Let’s go back to Matthew chapter 10, because I am just amazed at how many people who have been in Church all their life don’t know that some of these verses are in their Bible. Some of them will look at it and say, "Well I’ll be!" Others will look at it and say, "But I don’t believe it!" Well, when they look at the Word of God and say they don’t believe it, do you know my answer? "Then you’ve got a problem. If you can’t believe what the Bible says there’s not much anybody can do for you."

But, now look at Matthew chapter 10 verse 5, at the very onset of Christ’s earthly ministry, in the first four verses He chooses the twelve disciples then in verse 5 He gives them these instructions:

"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded (no ifs, ands or buts about it. He commanded) them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and unto any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. 6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

You can’t make it any plainer than that. The twelve were to have nothing to do with anyone who was not a Jew. Now, it is magnified, I think even more when you come still in Matthew, over to chapter 15. This is a perfect example of how Jesus and the twelve had nothing to do with Gentiles or non-Jews. For three years He ministered only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel with a couple of exceptions. This is going to be one of those exceptions. It’s the story of the Canaanite woman, and we find that He finally condescends to her constant begging.

"Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. (Cities on the Mediterranean Sea coast.) 22. And behold, a woman of Canaan (a non-Jew) came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil." A valid request? Well, I guess! But what’s her problem? She’s not a Jew. She’s a Canaanite. Now look what the twelve said.

"But he answered her not a word. And his disciples (The twelve) came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us."

Why didn’t they say, "Lord grant her her request?" They knew better! Because of what He had told them earlier, "Have nothing to do with anybody who is not a Jew." So they were valid in their request to send her away. She’s a nuisance. She’s a pest. And don’t worry, this is no reflection on the Lord Himself or shows His lack of compassion or any thing like that, because He knew His role. And His role was to present Himself in fulfillment of the Old Testament covenant promises that He would be their King and Messiah and Redeemer of Israel. Then if Israel would have fallen in line, He could have sent the Jews out into the Gentile world, but not until Israel came in first. So now verse 24, and the Lord himself in response to the twelve:

"But he answered and said, I am not sent (that is, based on the Old Testament covenants) but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

You know what people will do? They will just say, "I don’t believe that! That’s not the way it was." But that’s what the Book says! And that’s what we are going to have to line up with. I don’t care what people say. The Lord said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel because of those Covenant promises. Alright, verse 25. Remember I said, this lady kept on insisting! She didn’t give up.

"Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26. But he answered (again in a negative, and what is His answer?) and said, It is not meet (it is not right) to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs."

Who were the "dogs" in Jesus’ day? Gentiles! Who were the "children"? Israel! So what is He saying in plain English? I can’t take that which belongs to Israel and give it to Gentiles. It would be flying in the face of the eternal God. He could not. Because, all of the things coming out of the Old Testament had promised Israel a Messiah and Redeemer and Gentiles were left out in the dark, until after His death, burial and resurrection and that is where Paul’s ministry comes in.

Now reading on here in Matthew chapter 15. My it has been a long time since we have taught this. I guess maybe we are supposed to do this in today’s taping. I hadn’t planned on it, believe me. This is strictly off the cuff, but I can’t help that. Remember Jesus had just told the Canaanite woman, "But, it’s not right to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs." Now verse 27.

"And she said, Truth, Lord: ( I agree) yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table."

What’s she saying? Can’t I have just a little of the overflow from Israel? And then, of course, it got to Him, didn’t it?

So He condescended to her. And the only other one he did was the Roman Centurion, who had a like request. His son was sick unto death and He said, "he’s healed as of this moment." But, other than that, He had nothing to do with Gentiles. I don’t care what people say about Galilee being Gentile, there is not one word in the Scriptural record that Jesus ever ministered to Gentiles other than to these two.

The other one I like to use as a total backup, which shows so clearly that He could not do anything for the Gentiles until He had finished the work of the cross, is in John’s Gospel chapter 12 verse 20. Now don’t lose sight all of this is coming from what we read back to I Timothy chapter 2 verse 6 where Paul says, I am the teacher of the Gentiles. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, and His disciples ministered only to Israel. But, Paul is immediately told to now go to the Gentile world.

Here we are still in Christ’s earthly ministry. It is the last days before the Passover and the crowds of Jews are gathering in the Temple area. In the midst of those crowds of Jews, we find some Gentiles:

"The same (these Greeks) came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, (one of the twelve) and desired (or asked) him , saying, Sir, we would see Jesus."

Now again, use some common sense. Everybody knew, even when you get to Acts chapter 10 and you have Cornelius the Roman Centurion, who was pulling his duty in the little land of Israel and remember, when Peter got to his doorstep? What did Peter tell him? "Cornelius you know that it is an unlawful thing for a Jew to come unto one of another nation." Why did Cornelius know this? Well, he had been living amongst the Jews. There was nothing hid in a corner.

And it was the same way with these Greeks. They had probably seen some of His miracles and at least they had heard about them. They wanted to see this man! Somebody probably pointed out Philip and said, Hey, there is someone who has been with Him all the time. Go ask him. So these Greeks go and corner Philip and they said, we would see Jesus.

Now, verse 22. Philip was no dummy. What could he remember? What Jesus told them back in Matthew 10, have nothing to do with Gentiles. And so, Philip knew that it was not his place to take these Gentiles to speak with Jesus. Philip knew that Jesus had nothing to do with Gentiles. But rather than just take the thing in his own hands and say, No I’m not going to do that, or I will take you. No, he shares the responsibility with Andrew, another one of the twelve.

See how logical this is if you just put it together! So Philip goes over and finds Andrew and says, "Andrew there’s Gentiles out here that want to see Jesus. What are we going to do?" Well now, the text is plain. Andrew evidently says to Philip, "Let’s go ask the Lord." Now verse 22.

What do they tell Him? "There’s Greeks out here that want to see you! Gentiles." Now read the next verse. And Jesus said, "Bring them to me!" No, it doesn’t say that! Your Bible doesn’t say that He went out to them. But your Bible does tell you what Jesus’ answer was.

"And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come (remember, we are only a few hours before the crucifixion and His resurrection) that the Son of man should be glorified. (speaking of His resurrection. That’s when He assumed His full glorification.) 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground an die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

What’s the lesson? Every time you plant something and you see it come up and see it reproduce, whether it’s grain or garden products or a flower, the picture is the same. That seed until it goes into the ground can do nothing. But once it is put into the ground and everything takes place, and it reproduces and the new blade comes up, then it can produce.

Alright, Jesus is giving them a lesson. Not until He had been, and I will use the word that Paul uses in Romans chapter 6, He had to be planted. Buried. And as a result of that death and burial, like a new blade of wheat coming up out of the ground, now, He was in a position to reproduce the Gentile world with salvation!

That’s the whole picture. And he said I cannot minister to those Gentiles until I have finished the work of the Cross. Because of that finished work of the cross, now then God can take the Apostle Paul and send him out into the Gentile world.

Consequently, now let’s start looking at what Paul says of his own apostleship. Let’s turn to Romans chapter 11 verse 13. I am so thrilled that we are getting people by the hundreds to realize that Paul is the Apostle for us today!

All of Scripture is for us. He says it himself, in Romans chapter 11, that everything that was written aforetime, which meant the Old Testament, the four gospels, they were written for our learning. Absolutely, we study the Old Testament! Absolutely, we teach it, because it is just the background for everything in which we place our faith.

But our marching orders, if you want to call it that, the instructions for us in the Body of Christ have come from this apostle, and we must receive those orders or we’re going to end up out in left field, it’s just that simple. Now looking at verse 13, and this is just plain English!

"For I speak to you (whom?) Gentiles, (why?) inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles,..."

Paul is saying, he’s not one of the twelve, but rather, I am the only one, "I am the apostle of the Gentiles." The Apostle Paul becomes the only writer of Scripture that pertains to the Church Age. I have stressed it so often. Jesus and the twelve are constantly preaching the "Kingdom of Heaven," the "Gospel of the Kingdom," to Israel.

Paul never used the term! But, Paul instead uses the "Body of Christ" and the "Gospel of the Grace of God." See what a difference that makes? So Paul says, I am the Apostle of the Gentiles.

"...I magnify mine office:" In other words, he was never going to back down from it.

Now, let’s go on over to II Corinthians for a moment. The Corinthian Church was probably a little bit more cantankerous than any other of Paul’s congregations. They would once in a while, let him know that they didn’t think he had the authority that he claimed.

So, when we were teaching Corinthians, I said it over and over, what did Paul have to do? Defend his apostleship. Defend it! Defend it! Defend it! Because, they were always trying to say, Paul you are not it! Some said, we listen to Peter. Some said, we listen to Apollos. Some said, we are going to follow Jesus. And Paul had to come back and say, No, I am your Apostle.

Turn to II Corinthians chapter 2 verse 17, in defense of his apostleship and you can just read between the lines what they were accusing him of.

"For we (speaking of himself. He would often do that. I read sometime ago, that this was typical of the writers in antiquity to take away any semblance of egotism. So instead of saying "I" he would use the plural pronoun "we") are not as many, which corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ."

The Greek implies, and we taught this when we were back in Corinthians, that he was not like a huckster selling half grade materials. Or he was not someone who was peddling wine that had been watered down with water.

He said, "I am not that way. I do not corrupt what I speak. It’s all true." Now, I think we can go on back to Galatians again, where we were in our last lesson. And so after chapter 1 where he explains how he was separated from his mother’s womb for this role of being the Apostle of the Gentiles, now we can come into chapter 2 verse 7.

This is at the counsel at Jerusalem, where he has to convince the leadership of the Jewish economy, that God had indeed ordained him to go to the Gentiles with the Gospel of Grace. The twelve, up until now, just couldn’t quite comprehend it.

Like I said before, I don’t think Peter ever did fully comprehend it. But, nevertheless, they agreed here that, indeed Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles. Now Galatians chapter 2 verse 7.

"But contrariwise, when they (that is the twelve, as well as some of the other elders at Jerusalem) saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (or lets just put it like it is. The gospel of the Gentiles) was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision (the Jew) was unto Peter;"

Now isn’t that plain? Ah, I have been teaching this for over twenty years. Isn’t it plain! Here we have it laid out so clearly, inspired by the Holy Spirit that the Gospel of the Gentile was committed unto the Apostle Paul. And, the Gospel for the Jew was committed unto Peter.

I have already delineated the two. To Israel it was the "Gospel of the Kingdom." That Jesus was the Christ and ready to set the Kingdom. But they wouldn’t believe. So God sent Israel into the dispersion that has lasted unto our very day.

And He sent the Apostle Paul out to the Gentile world with the "Gospel of the Grace of God" (I Corinthians 15:1-4) which he calls here the Gospel of the Gentiles. Next verse.

"(For he that wrought effectually in Peter (the same Jesus, who, of course, worked through Peter and the eleven, tremendously) to the apostleship of the circumcision (Jews), the same (Christ) was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)"

See that constant separation? Back in chapter 1 which we looked at earlier, he didn’t go back to Jerusalem to pick up from the twelve everything that they knew. God sent him east instead of west! And as he went east, I think out to Mt. Sinai, there God revealed to this Apostle this whole body of truth, which he calls the revelation of the mysteries. Now verse 9.

"And when James, Cephas, (Peter) and John, who seemed to be pillars,..."

I am always stopping at that word. What does that indicate? They weren’t anymore! Israel was falling through the cracks. Israel was rejecting His Messiahship. Israel was rejecting the Gospel of the Kingdom. And Paul is ascending as Israel goes down, Paul and his Gentile congregations are rising. So going on.

"And when James, Cephas, (Peter) perceived (or understood) the grace that was given unto me, (they come to a full gentlemen’s agreement) they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship;..." Isn’t that plain? They shook hands. They said, no more argument. They agreed:

"... that we (Paul and Barnabas) should go unto the heathen (the Gentile world), and they (Peter and the eleven would go, where?) unto the circumcision. (to Israel)"

That’s where they remained until they all suffered their martyr’s death. If fact, let me take you back to Acts chapter 10, where Peter has to have his eyes opened in order to bring Paul out into a little bit of freedom there in Jerusalem.

In Acts 10, God sends Peter up to that Gentile house or Cornelius. You all know the story. And after Peter has ministered in the house of Cornelius, and he has seen the manifestation that they had become believers, then you drop down into verse 1 of chapter 11. Remember this is eight years after Pentecost.

"And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. (by virtue of Peter) 2. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, (after his experience with Cornelius) they that were of the circumcision (that is the Jewish Church at Jerusalem) contended with him,"

They didn’t pat him on the back and say, "Hey, Peter, great!! My, must have been a great thing to go up there to the house of Gentiles!" No, they contended with him:

"Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, (and you didn’t just go in, you ate with them. Peter, how could you? See?) and didst eat with them."

I have always put it this way. If Peter suddenly understood that God was going to save Gentiles, why bother to go back to Jerusalem? Why didn’t he head out into northern Galilee where there were Gentiles by the thousands? But he doesn’t.. He goes back to Jerusalem and that’s the way it stayed. Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles, and Peter and the eleven remained as the Apostles of Israel, and I have always said that according to this Book, Peter and the eleven never had a ministry to the Gentiles.

Let’s start where we left off in the last lesson and that would be I Timothy chapter 2 and verse 8. And in order to pick up the "therefore" in verse 8 I’m going to read verse 7 as an introduction to it.

I want you to remember that all the Old Testament was written primarily to the nation of Israel, and Israel was under the Law. Even when you come into Christ’s earthly ministry, it’s really just an extension of the Old Testament program, as Christ came to fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant, the promises He had made to Abraham.

So when Jesus came on the scene in the New Testament, Israel was still under the Law, and the temple was still in operation, so everything that Jesus said in His earthly ministry was under the Law of Moses. There was not one word uttered to give us any idea that the Age of Grace would be coming to the Gentiles. (non-Jews)

But when Israel continued to reject everything back there in the first 7 chapters of Acts, God finally made a fork in the road, and Israel went into a dispersion that has lasted even to this very day, although she has been coming back to the land for several years now. And then in chapter 9 the Apostle Paul was saved on the road to Damascus, and he was immediately told "that he would be sent far hence to the Gentiles."

So ever since we began our study in Romans, we have come all the way through most of these epistles of Paul, and this is really where we have to be as Gentile believers in this Age of Grace to understand what God is saying to us.

Now all the rest of Scripture is profitable because it’s all the Word of God. But when you go back into some of the things in the Book of Leviticus for example, that has no bearing on us in this Age of Grace, and I always like to use for an example in Leviticus chapter 5 and the first 5 verses, where if someone touches a dead animal or someone hears someone cursing and if they do not bring the prescribed sacrifice as they are required to do, they’re in trouble. Well we don’t take that for us because we’re not under any form of bringing any sacrifices for something. Even though it’s still the Word of God, it’s was not written for us today in this Age of Grace. Our Lord gave that responsibility to the Apostle Paul. So we always have to keep that in perspective, "To whom is the Scripture written, and what are the circumstances?" If you can recognize that, then the Scriptures will just open up to you.

So again even these little letters of First and Second Timothy and Titus, I almost have to stop periodically and explain that even these, as we call pastoral epistles, are under a whole different circumstances than Paul’s doctrinal Books of Galatians, Romans, I and II Corinthians, and the Thessalonians. And those we just mentioned are in turn different than his prison epistles which are really deeper Church doctrine.

So all these things are categorized, and have their own particular role, And so these pastoral epistles to Timothy and Titus, who will more or less pick up the mantle when Paul prepares now to leave this earth, and so nothing here in I Timothy and Titus has doctrine as we normally think of it, pertaining to our salvation or to the hope of the end, because Paul doesn’t address that here. All Paul really addresses in these pastoral epistles are probably best put in I Timothy 3:15. And this is really the purpose of these pastoral letters. They’re not written for basic fundamental doctrine of salvation, our hope, and glory, and so forth, but rather here’s what they’re written for.

"But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God,…" What’s Paul saying? These letters are written to show people how to function in the local church - how they are to be organized, because remember, God is a God of order, and not a God of confusion. Also he gives a warning of what to be aware of, and what to look out for in these short little epistles. Now we’re ready to come back to chapter 2 and verse 7 again.

Now, up until the Age of Grace, and the writings of the Apostle Paul, how was prayer for the most part practiced? Now that may seem like an ambiguous question, but let’s come back to the Book of Acts, chapter 3 and let the Scripture answer for us.

What does that mean? Now we can approach the throne of Grace anytime, wherever we are, even while driving down the road you have every option to pray. If you’re at the work place, and come up against something that is mind boggling, you can pray. That’s our privilege under Grace. The throne room is always open, and we’re not under a designated hour of pray like the twelve disciples were.

I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands, (which of course goes back to the Jewish tradition, there’s not doubt about that) without wrath and doubting."

What does that tell you? Do you ever get bitter with God? No. I’ve given the account on the program before about a young man who thought that God had given him a raw deal. He developed a real serious health problem, that caused a lot of hospitalization, and as a result of that, I guess his wife got fed up and she left him and filed for divorce, and he got bitter. He said, "I got so bitter that I hated God and cursed Him." He was one of those who professed salvation as a kid - you know, had walked the isle, and all that, but had never really had any inkling to live a Christian life.

Anyway at the peak of his bitterness and anger with God, he had torn up his Bible page by page and threw them in the fire place. He then said, "I went and turned on my television, and I just happened to catch Through the Bible with Les Feldick, and the first thing I heard you say was, the Grace of God." He said "I just sat there glued till the program was finished, and when the program was over I dropped down on my knees and I asked God to save me." He said my whole life has been changed." Now that’s a young man that’s just 40 years old, but you see that’s what Paul is telling us, "Don’t get to the place that you get bitter or angry with God."

And the next word in the text is just as pertinent. "doubting." What good does it do for you to pray if you don’t think God can do it? Now I didn’t say will do, but rather that He can do it. There is a difference. When it comes to prayer I always like to use Philippians chapter 4:6-7, and a lot of our television viewers know that, because that’s the first verse that I refer them to.

Look at verses 6 and 7 for a moment - this is exactly what he’s referring to, where we says, don’t get to the place of wrath and doubting when we pray, but on the other hand appreciate God’s love, appreciate His Grace, and with thanksgiving, knowing that He can do it. That’s why I say, not that He would do it, He’s not duty bound just because we ask, but nevertheless we have that privilege of asking.

"Be careful for nothing; (or be worried about nothing) but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving…"

Now what are you to be thanking Him for? For what He’s going to do with your request, whether it be yes, no, or maybe later, you still thank Him. You don’t get bitter, you don’t get angry, and say, "Now God why haven’t you answered my prayers?" No, we make our petitions with thanksgiving.

Now you see what a free open door that is? He doesn’t limit us to Spiritual things, but I think he does limit us to common sense. I don’t think this verse gives me the right to ask for two Cadillacs in my garage. I don’t think this verse gives me the right to ask to be a millionaire. But when it comes to things that are common sense, and things that are necessary and close to our heart, then yes, we have total freedom to ask for what we will. And then verse 7 is the immediate answer to all prayers, and what is it?

"And the peace of God,…" Regardless of what may come, or what happens, we have that peace of God, and that transcends anything this world can give.

"…which passeth all understanding (now here comes the promise) shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Now come back to I Timothy again, and I’m sure that was on the apostle’s mind as he wrote. That as we pray, we approach the Lord in Grace and mercy, and with thanksgiving, but knowing that when we leave it in the throne room, it’s in good hands.

Now then we come into verse 9 and as I told Iris driving up here that these are going to be some tough verses for me to address, because we know there’s a lot of controversy lately about the role of women in the church. So I’m just going to teach it for the most part as the Word lays it out, but on the other hand, I’m going to leave a few loopholes. I’m not going to get to hard on the women, but nevertheless, I’m hopefully going to show you that the Apostle Paul was not simply being anti-feminine.

Paul is not a hater of women as he is so often described, but rather he is in total accord with the overall Sovereign working of God, and never forget that. Paul does not write what Paul thinks, but rather Paul writes what God has inspired him to write, and never lose sight of that regardless of how you may feel or how this affects you one way or the other. So in verse 8, men were to pray, and in verse 9:

Now stop and think a minute, what did he just tell the men up there in verse 8 to do? Pray without doubting, and without any anger or wrath, and the women should do the same thing. Women have just as much access to the throne room as men do today. And it’s simple because that in the Body of Christ there is no difference. Now I’ve got to take you back to Galatians chapter 3 to finish that thought. I wasn’t going to use this verse but the Spirit is causing me to do it. Of course this is one of Paul’s basic elementary, fundamental, letters to the Churches.

"For ye are all (not just the men) the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27. For as many of you as hast been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

Now most of you know how I approach that word baptized, as it’s simply the work of the Holy Spirit who baptizes every believer into that invisible Body of Christ, by an invisible act of the Spirit. (I Corinthians 12:13) And Paul tells us that there is only one baptism in the Book of Ephesians. But here’s the verse I want you to see, and I want you to keep this in mind as we deal with Paul’s writing to Timothy.

Now can you make it any plainer than that? I can’t! So as members of the Body of Christ, women you see are basically on the same level playing field as the men, but on the other hand we have the overall Sovereignty of God that we also have to recognize, and we’ll look at that in just a moment. Now coming back to I Timothy chapter 2, verse 9:

"In like manner also, (with that attitude of believing prayer and peace of God) that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;…"

I had to go to the Greek and pick that word up, and I think there’s a better word than "shamefacedness," because we really don’t understand what that is. But when I went into the Greek with my dictionary, and Strong’s, the truer and probably a better translation for that word was a two fold meaning "toward other men the woman want to be shy and reserve, but in her attitude toward God it was to be an attitude of Ah."

And I like that and thought, my isn’t it funny how sometimes just one word can miss so much. But as the women now come into the workers experience in the local Church they are not to be aggressive, and flamboyant in the presence of the men, but rather they are to be a little more on the shy and reserve side, but their attitude to God is to be just in Ah in all that he is. Now reading on:

Now to show that this isn’t just Paul’s idea, we’re going to go to I Peter chapter 3, for a moment. A lot of you already know those verses. Here the Holy Spirit has caused Peter to write almost the same kind of language. So putting these two portions together and you realize that this is God speaking. First through the Apostle Paul who is writing to Timothy, but also through the Apostle Peter in his little epistles.

"Likewise, ye wives, be subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, (in other words the husband is an unbeliever) they also may without the word be won by the conversation (or the manner of living) of the wives: 2. (so that this unbelieving husband) while they behold your chaste conversation (in other words your pure manner of living) coupled with fear. (or respect). In verse 3 this is telling how the wife or the women of the Church in Timothy are to dress.

Now Peter doesn’t forbid it. He doesn’t say, "Now ladies don’t fix your hair, or ladies don’t look half way decent," not at all, but he is saying, "Don’t let that be your primary way of attracting that unsaved husband."

And Paul is going to use the same type of language, but a lot of people have abused it, and tell their women "That they can’t fix their hair, they can’t wear jewelry, and can’t look nice," but that’s not what the Book says. It merely says, "Don’t let your primary way of speaking out to people, your testimony be these physical outward appearance." Then verse four says it all.

Even though it says, man, it’s still a generic term here, but let it be that inward personality that has been transformed by the Grace of God that is without price.

Now I was reading an article the other day about one of our more famous basketball coaches in the college ranks, who used to coach up at Iowa University, and the last few years has coached Arizona University. Just recently he lost his lovely wife to cancer, and there’s been several articles in the paper about what a tremendous lady that coach’s wife was to those basketball players. She was just like a second mother, and even guys who were under her husband’s coaching years back were still relating how they could remember when they were kids fresh out of high school and in a strange place, and she just mothered them like their own mother. Well what a great testimony she had. And I’m sure that Lute Olson and his wife, Bobbi were true Christians because I’ve read accounts of their life before her death.