Grace Baptist Church - Rough Drafts, the Epistles of Paul - Claiming Our Canaan - Promised Land - Pastor Jerry Shirley - Decatur, IL Independent Baptist Fundamental

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"The Ideal Church" - 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Their ENERGY, their ELECTION, their EXAMPLE, their ENTHUSIASM, and their EXPECTANCY. More than a rough draft, Paul’s first letter to any church was the final word on what a church should be.

"The Ideal Servant" - 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Spiritual power, perseverance, purpose, and parenting made Paul the ideal servant to those he was leading. And we are all called to be servants.

"The Ideal Discipleship" - 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13
Win ’em, wet ’em, & wean ’em. That last step is the big one of discipleship - "Teaching them to observe all things..." Often forsaken, but so important!

"The Ideal Walk" - 1 Thessalonians 4-5
5 Reasons the Christian life is compared to a walk. Then Paul gives a candid illustration of sex, purity, and holiness. Other topics include the walks of love, honesty, hope, and much more.

pt. 3 of above--"I'll Fly Away" - 1 Thessalonians 4; Psalm 55

Awesome pictorial PowerPoint accents this 'rapture' message. In these verses written by David, he is tired and oppressed from all directions. Thus, in his prayer to God, he says “I wish I could fly away to a place of rest and get away from it all.”

"Good Words for Bad Days" - 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
Bad words may be the first to come to mind when times are hard. But our text has some encouraging good words, particularly right now.

"Son of Perdition" - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
The Disturbing Message. The Deceptive Man. the Deluded Masses. The antichrist, the timeframe, and why we believe these are the last days.

"Lazy Bones" - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18
Several jokes and illustrations on how to know if you are lazy--then what the Bible says about it and how to be diligent as a servant of the Lord.

"How to Kill a Church" - 1 Corinthians 1:1-17
The angel at the tomb said, ‘why seek the living among the dead?’ And many are finding it true as they seek a church. Corinth was a defiled, divided, and thus disgraced place, but there was hope!

"The Power of Foolishness" - 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16
The cross divides men. The lost see it as foolishness. But it unites those of us who have been born again. Jesus called Himself a divider of men, and the dividing line is the cross.

"Three Guys" - 1 Corinthians 3:1-17
There is the natural man, the supernatural [Spirit filled] man, and the unnatural [carnal] man. Which guy are you? "6 Things the Bible says to do to the Flesh."

"I Only Work on Sundays!" - 1 Corinthians 4:1-21
I have learned that everyone knows what the pastor should be doing except me. That is exactly what Paul was saying to this church in Corinth--and things haven’t changed much after all of these years.

"Church Discipline" - 1 Corinthians 5:1-11
Tactful way of bringing the church back to the Biblical roots of accountability, responsibility, and discipline!

"Courting Church Members" - 1 Corinthians 6:1-11
How should Christians settle differences of opinion with each other, disputes, or even instances of personal damages? Through lawsuits?

"Trippin'" - 1 Corinthians 8
All about the 'grey areas' of life and morality, and how to avoid becoming a stumbling block to others as you choose your standards for the Savior.

It takes desire, discipline, drive and determination, self denial, and distinctive character to fight the good fight and win in the race of life.

"What Can I Do When I'm Tempted to Do What I Don't Want to Do?" - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Temptation: The PURPOSE, the PROTECTION, and the PROCEDURE. And how to PRACTICE taking the 'way of escape' God provides.

It’s not an equality issue or about women at all. It’s really about authority, headship, submission, and order. God - Christ - Man - Woman

"Come To The Table" - 1 Corinthians 10:16-11:31
Includes 7 things we ought to bring with us as we approach the greatest dinner table of all time.

"Frozen Assets" - 1 Corinthians 12
Every Christian has spiritual gifts. But few really put them to use. It's time to thaw them out...to defrost what God has given us and get to work. Be informed, Be influenced, and Be identifying yours!

"The Crown Jewel" - 1 Corinthians 13
This 'love chapter' is often read at weddings, but its meaning and significance go deeper than man can comprehend. God is love, and to come to know this kind of love is to know Him.

1 Corinthians 14
Greek Word Study which has convinced many open-minded that this sign gift has ceased in its Biblical form.

We can have the merriest Christmas by celebrating the real reason for the season, that the incarnation was for the purpose of the substitution and the resurrection!

I Corinthians 15:57
Acrostic of word "VICTORY" outlines the 7 points. We all need victory over various hurts, habits, and hang-ups.

"Wrapping Things Up" - 1 Corinthians 16:1-24
When it comes to giving many Christians stop...at nothing! 6 Guidelines for Giving God’s tithe on God’s day that God’s work might be done in God’s way. Then the closing of this letter.

"God of All Comfort" - 2 Corinthians 1:1-21
It is one thing to have comfort when the sun is shining. But what we really need is comfort in the time of trouble. Then we can comfort others.

"You CAN Handle the Truth" - 2 Corinthians 2:1-24
As preachers we are privileged to handle the truth in our grasp. Sometimes it hurts, but it always helps, and God makes the truth to triumph gloriously!

I think you can tell when someone has been with Jesus…the proof is in the pudding, and you can see it all over their face! 'O taste and see that the Lord is good!'

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not...

There was hand-to-hand combat in the corners, but Paul still could turn to God. When you can't look this way or that you can always look up!

I'm going to have a glorified body [house] someday that will make a mansion look like a shack, and my God has already paid for it in full!

We may age and get old on the outside, but we can grow ever younger and more alive on the inside...if we are IN CHRIST!

"All Things New" - 2 Corinthians 5:17
We need not wait for heaven to begin the new life in Christ! And reincarnation is nothing to hold your breath over...A New Creation, A New Covenant, A New Command, & A New Kingdom to Come!

"The Minister's List" - 2 Corinthians 6:1-10
What are God's expectations for His man? What are we supposed to do and to be? And what's this?...oh yeah, all God's people are to be ministers like this!

"A Separate Message" - Separation. What is it? What does it mean? How do I become separated? Separated from what? Unto what? And why? Worldliness and the carnal Christian.

When the Pastor Makes a Hard Decision" - Pastors have a difficult job in many ways, contrary to the 'He only works on Sundays' mindset many in the church have. Spiritual stress is unlike stress of any other kind.

"Example of Christian Giving" - 2 Corinthians 8:1-6
The subject changes from Christian living to Christian giving. Our heart is very much tied to our wallet, or what we treasure most.

"Exhortation to Christian Giving" - 2 Corinthians 8:7-15
Christ was rich, but for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich, in more ways than just the money we give back.

We could call this message, "Proof of Love", because that's what our giving is. It is one of many proofs that we love God.

"Encouragement to Christian Giving" - "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Jesus said it first, and we repeat it often, but do we practice it? How to sow bountifully and reap the same.

"Playing Defense" - 2 Corinthians 10
Usually Paul is on the offensive, but now suddenly he is under attack and on the defensive. But Christians aren't supposed to defend themselves, are they? That's the Lord's job. But Paul isn't defending himself, he's defending the Lord and the ministry...and that IS our job!

"He Earned the Right" - 2 Corinthians 11
It's not right for a Christian to brag on himself. In the grand scope of life we are nothing, but God makes us into something, and will do so if we will give Him the glory for it.

"Beyond the Stars" - 2 Corinthians 12
Paul was brought to the third heaven and back. Why? What did he see there? And why is he rather glorying in his thorn in the flesh instead of this awesome trip he took?

"Saint Paul is Coming to Town!" - 2 Corinthians 12:13-21
God has many good gifts for His children, and His way is to pass them along using His ordained chain of command. But will the church believe in his spiritual authority?

Paul's third and final journey to Corinth is what did the trick. EXAMINE YOURSELVES! If Jesus asked you, "Why should I let you into heaven?" what would you respond?

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