The Integrity of Pressing On, Part 1

Today on Insight for living from Chuck Swindoll have great beliefs you think right correctly.

I mean, it squares with the Scriptures conviction's learn when you press on in life, you need more than mere beliefs in deep-seated conviction said that believe in and of itself is no intrinsic value, at least in the spiritual after all.

Even Satan believes in God. So what's the tipping point. What's the virtue that elevates those who truly follow Jesus Christ above those who simply believe today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll teaches from Philippians chapter 1, the apostle Paul provides the answer to this valid question. This is the 11th message in a 12 part series called walking with integrity times of adversity titled today's message the integrity of pressing on, walking with integrity in times of adversity for the last number of weeks as we have journeyed through the Scriptures to see examples of those who have done so in all different kinds of adverse circumstances, beginning with Daniel.

You may recall then we took on Noah and then there was Joseph and others along the way until we have come today to of course the great apostle Paul, the man who knew adversity as few will ever know it were looking at Philippians chapter 1 together and I will use this as a moment to announce that my last in the series will be next Sunday as I talk about the integrity of finishing well out of second Timothy chapter 4, but for today we will look at Philippians 112 through 14 and then the third chapter same versus 12 through 14. I'll be reading from the new living translation and I want you to know my dear brothers and sisters that everything that has happened to me here has happened to spread the good news for everyone here, including the whole palace guard knows that I am in chains because of Christ and because of my imprisonment. Most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear not. Chapter 3 verse 12 mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection but I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me know, dear brothers and sisters. I have not achieved it but I focus on this one thing forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and received the heavenly prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us great counsel for any generation. Any age, any circumstance, forgetting what lies behind, I press on to what lies ahead. And in between we get things search the Scriptures Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download is searching the Scripture study by going to Insight world.org/study Chuck titled his message the integrity of pressing on believing important truths is valuable. Standing on the tough times is invaluable. That's what mere beliefs turning the convictions don't have all heard was the president of Dallas seminary for 34 years. During his tenure, he often presided over the commencement exercises a graduation I'll never forget one of those commencement ceremonies. Dr. Wahlberg stood tall, looked at the graduates and spoke openly from his heart as he said I fear we may be graduating students with too many beliefs and not enough convictions. I've never forgotten that statement and I agree with him. In fact, I would alter that since you're not students. In order not speak to students regularly, though on occasion I do, but I would say the same for believers today. Many have great beliefs you think right you believe correctly. I mean, it squares with the Scriptures conviction learn when you press on in life, you need more than mere beliefs, unique deep-seated convictions. Apostle Paul is a marvelous example of such. He was concerned that his understudy Timothy. The amount of convictions. He wrote to him on one occasion and said, continuing the things that you have learned and become convinced of second Timothy 314 you learned beliefs going through tough times become convinced of them and they turn into conviction pressing on. Of course, requires that we hang tough during times of suffering. It may not be a pleasant subject for you to hear. But it is a necessary one. Hard times are upon us harder times are coming. Scripture tells us this several times that is predicted for us. I suggest it's high time we believe it. Beliefs will not get you through hard times convictions will I'm turning in my Bible before we get over to other parts of his letters to the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. The recording is in chapter 9.

For the Lord found him on the road to Damascus.

He was on his way to arrest believers in Christ to put them in chains and to bring them back to Jerusalem, that they might be put on trial and would necessary kill because they believe that Jesus was Messiah.

In this proud Pharisee was again owned one of those terrorist missions by now. He is a household name among believers. They are fearful of him. Especially when he came into their city on the road to Damascus. However, all that changed you who know the story. Remember that the Lord brought down a laser bright light that blinded him. He wound up blinded helpless sitting in the home on straight Street in the old city of Damascus filed initially blinded. He decried out who are you, sir. Using the word Coriolis translated Lord, but didn't see them as Jesus until Jesus answered, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting for the first time for the first time he realized his mission was in the wrong direction and Saul of Tarsus is converted to Christ is life in Christ only begins while he is helplessly sitting in that house on straight Street the Lord is at work in the life of a man named Ananias. Your Bible is open to chapter 9 of acts, you will see in verse 10 where the Lord spoke to Ananias about his plan for him. There was a believer in Damascus, named Ananias, the Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling Ananias yes Lord, he replied, Lord should go over to straight Street when you get there. Ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul.

He sprang to me right now. I've shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again immediately.

Ananias is reluctant. Remember, everybody knew about Saul of Tarsus and now he's being told to go and stand before him so his first responses but but Lord, I've heard many people talk about the terrible things this man is done to believers in Jerusalem and that he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name, the Lord will hear nothing of his pushback so he answers the Lord said go for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.

No, look at the next verse you may have not seen it before, or may have been a long time. He had said and I will show him how much he must suffer for my namesake part of Saul of Tarsus calling part of his conversion included the promise of suffering. How much he must suffer for my name's sake got implants for Saul of Tarsus and we now know with the Scriptures, completed just how much he had planned, especially of his writings were no one has contributed more to our theology in writing than the apostle Paul how much he must suffer pathfinding is the Greek term we get our word pathos or pathetic from it. It means always means to endure suffering and misfortune, and it almost always appears in the original text in the plural.

How many sufferings. He must endure call was to communicate great beliefs great truths as a result of his multiple sufferings they would come through the convictions of his heart and surely they did. What's interesting is how quickly Saul of Tarsus becomes the evangelist rather than the persecutor of people in Damascus look for yourself. After the scales dropped from his eyes and he is no longer blind after he is baptized given food and something to drink daily strength and immediately reread Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days and immediately look at that immediately he began to preach about Jesus in the synagogue saying he is indeed the son of God. Imagine the surprise they knew the man. At least they knew of him and here he is thinking in the synagogue declaring to these Jews, unbelieving at the time that he, Jesus is in fact the son of God's Messiah was shocking all who heard him were amazed. Of course they were. Isn't this same the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus followers in Jerusalem that didn't come here to arrest arrest them and take them to in chains to to the leading priests. Paul's preaching became more and more powerful. So he went on with his evangelistic work and the Jews in Damascus could refute his proof that Jesus was indeed the Messiah but notice true to his word and the Lord said he must suffer get this after a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill it.

The roles are now reversed. The man who had been killing is no being stalked.

In fact, we read they plotted together to kill him. They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him rather than letting these words rest on page in your Bible. May I ask of you ever been stalked by someone who wanted to kill you. I think it's safe to say probably not. Most of you have not had that happen. Summit think about it was a man who finally is believing right. Beginning to be treated in such wrong ways. Those who are not converted resent the fact that he's a turncoat therapy tell people that Jesus is Messiah. We thought it was coming here to arrest these Christians who were telling us the same message as he's now preaching. We need to put him out of his misery. He debated with some money. According to this 29 verse the Greek speaking Jews look at this and they tried to murder him. This happened on in the city of Jerusalem, so he was let down the big basket off of wall Damascus and made his way to Jerusalem. When he got there.

The Hellenists heard them speak in the ready to killing. So the suffering begins suffering begins and what had been beliefs on the part of the apostle now that he presses on through these hard times turn into conviction. He's now more determined than ever. Not to run scared not to quit but to get at the task of fulfilling his ministry.

However, when he gets to Jerusalem and tries to fellowship with the apostles and the other believers.

They reject him. They're afraid of it.

He's notorious and want nothing to do with him so his hated mother, Helen, this he's stalked by the unconverted Jews, the believers won't have anything to do with him. So what does he do I want to suggest about this time something took place that we often find hard to locate when it happened. I want you to go from acts nine over two Galatians chapter 1, I was super all in one chapter, but it isn't.

So we have to move to a place where we can read of the next event that took a that occurred and if I were fighting Galatians chapter 1 verse 15. But even before I was boring. But this is Paul writing before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace of his theology is already beginning to be perfected. Another belief as he understands God's sovereign hand in his life.

He says that in place, then it pleased him to reveal his son to me that what happened on the road to Damascus that would be his conversion so that I would proclaim the good news about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, he says, I didn't rush out to consult with any human being. I didn't look to be ordained or to be justified in my conversion. I didn't look for that. When I went up to Jerusalem. He said I didn't go to be consulted to consult with those who were apostles before instead to look closely. Instead, I want a way to Arabia and later returned to the city of Damascus, now pause right here, Paul is converted about 3380 33 were not sure exactly when he went to Arabia or what part of Arabia. He was in some of it boarded awfully close to Damascus could go to the edge could have gone more into the interior were not even told what he did when he was in Arabia. No one went with him. But while there he met with the Lord intimately and some phenomenal things occurred. They are not linked directly with his time in Arabia, but quite likely the occurred during that time. Around that time so you're in Galatians 1. Go back to the previous book going to keep doing this to you but I gotta go back and forth to tie that story together. Go to first go to second Corinthians 12. J.

I'm suggesting that what were going to read in chapter 12 happened around that time. Maybe while in the country of Arabia look about going to read your this boasting will do no good.

But I must go on.

I will I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord help would interrupt again and say this Saul is converted 8033. He writes the letter. Second Corinthians 8056 and for the first time he's telling of this event.

Look, I was caught up in the third heaven 14 years ago. Do the math you wrote this in 56 so this would be in 42 A.D. 42. He's been a believer nine years, but he waits 14 years before he tells about this being caught up into the third heaven, whether he's in the body or out of the body doesn't know only God knows, but what caught up to paradise.

Verse four. I heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words.

Things no human is allowed to would prefer to continue the clock dictates that we hit the pause button but there's much more ahead and alert you to join us again when Chuck Swindoll resumes this study about the integrity of pressing on, and to learn more about this ministry. Visit us online at insight world.or. But I'm pleased to tell you about our newly updated resource from Chuck. It's a daily devotional that contains more than enough chapters to take you through the entire year titled wisdom for the way this deluxe leather soft edition features daily reflections on topics such as dealing with discontentment developing personal character and finding purpose in your job, plus the book includes thought-provoking questions and space for writing your own personal thoughts to purchase a copy right now.

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