The Integrity of Pressing On, Part 2

The apostle Paul refused to brag about his salvation emotionally about my weaknesses to see if I wanted to boast I would be no food doing so because telling the truth, but I won't do it because I don't want anyone to give me the credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear my message matter conversion one time Christian hater.

Paul's newfound faith in Jesus Christ shocked his friends and family how good this staunch adversary of the faith suddenly embrace what today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll teaches from Philippians chapter 1, Paul describes his determination to get sorted forward with Christ as a lesson of humility and conviction feel haunted by the mistakes of your past title.

Today's message integrity pressing on. On this day our father we do give you thanks. We thank you for the one who bore us, and the father who stood alongside those parents who were there for us in our infant days for those who fed us and bathed us and clothed us and cared for us when we could do none of that for ourselves. We thank you for them, not perfect people, but faithful mothers and dads. Thank you for both thank you for our siblings who came along.

Perhaps before us some after us and for the friendship we have built with them over the years as we have grown up together, learn together and love together. Some of past summer still with us. We thank you for each one. We thank you.

Our father for those who taught us in school.

They were there for us day in and day out. Thank you for their patients as it took time for us to learn for their careful teaching truths for such a part of the building blocks of our lives for those special ones along the way as we grew up, who became our mentors how we looked up to them and how they built into our lives, we found shelter under their wings.

Now they have become the wind beneath our wings. Thank you for each one, from whom we learned much, much beyond the textbook much about life.

Thank you for those who hurt us early in our lives as we were learning our way in business and ministry in the arts in the realm of work to which you called us, thank you for their confidence in us and their faith believing in us for understanding us in difficult times for being there for us. Thank you, dear father for the mates you have given to us. We who were married and grateful we are for them for the role they play in our lives for the way they enrich us and enhance our world. Thank you for teaching us about your love through your word for faithful pastors through our lives who've given themselves to the study of your truth in the communication of it for the things we've learned from the we thank you for each one poured his life into hours.

We thank you father for those who make beautiful music with their horses and with their instruments. For those who taught them for composers who wrote their works that linger in our day to this day throwing us with those lyrics and melodies how much they mean to us, Lord, in this black-and-white world that would like so much without a single thank you for this marvelous holiday for our nation. For those who fought to keep us free for those who served faithfully in difficult places, difficult times for those who died in battle. Finally, father, we thank you for those we have logged and lost as they rest in peace. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the memories we have of their lives. We bless the Lord, our souls do and all that is within us.

We bless your holy name who forgives us all our sins.

Giggles are diseases promises are returned.

Thank you in the name of Jesus, our Savior, who loved us and gave himself for us previously.

Everyone's search the Scriptures with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to Insight world.org/studies Chuck titled his message the integrity of pressing on, got it from Saul of Tarsus and we now know the Scriptures completed just how much he had planned, especially in his writings, for no one has contributed more to our theology in writing than the apostle Paul, how many sufferings.

He must endure. Paul 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 but notice true to his word and the Lord said he must suffer look at this after a while some of the Jews plotted together to Kelly, the roles are now reversed.

The man who had been telling is now 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.

There 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.

Tell people that Jesus as Messiah. We thought he was coming here to arrest these Christians who were telling us the same messages.

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 and Damascus and he made his way to Jerusalem. When he got there. The Hellenists heard them speak in the ready to Kelly 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. 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 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 then you 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 wonder 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 tape Marguerite of something rather remarkable that occurred that ties into the sufferings of Apollo. He's in Arabia he's isolated, you learn something of that is life is been anything but isolated all through his years as he studies under Gamaliel as he becomes known as a Pharisee as he is involved as a terrorist as he sowed, making sure Christians are arrested as is converted, as is witnessing in Damascus as he then goes to Jerusalem and all of a sudden things stop these in Arabia. We wish we had details not only do scholars not know exactly when that occurred we don't we don't know exactly what he did while he was there.

I suggesting that what were going to read in chapter 12 happened around that time. Maybe while in the country of Arabia look about greenery here, this boasting will do no good. But I must go on. I will I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. No good interrupt again and say this Saul is converted 8033. He writes the letter. Second Corinthians 8056 hereof. First Corinthians and 55 kn 56. I'm telling you that for a reason, because of what were going to read in a moment. It's in 56 that is writing this letter to the Corinthians, 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 in Arabia several years something three years because what follows that passage on Arabia.

It could've been more but he waits 14 years before he tells about this being caught up into the third heaven for the he's in the body or out of the body doesn't know only God knows. But while caught up into paradise. Verse four.

I heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words. Things no human is allowed to tell you I've taught on this before and after the class is over. Other people say what exactly did he learn I go. Didn't you hear what it says says no one can know not even Paul tells of what is significant is that he hasn't said a word about it for 14 years with that event happened today.

Are you kidding me how many books written on. I was in heaven. And I want to tell you about the event. While I was in heaven. Now that I come back to earth to tell you about it. Saul or Paul never never says this 14 years of silence about it. And finally, because it's on the subject.

He says I was caught up in the third heaven, and while I was there receive revelation and visions that are inexpressible. In fact, they are so amazingly experience was worth boasting about no one else. It had such experiences. He says in verse five that experiences worth boasting about. But I'm not going to go. I'm not going to do it.

I will boast only about my weaknesses. What an interesting statement. You say that if you suffer you say that after years of suffering.

I'm going to boast only about my weaknesses. You see, if I wanted to boast I would I would be no food.

In doing so because I'd be telling the truth, but I will do it because I don't want anyone to give me the credit beyond what they can see in my life or here in my message is that a great statement or what I want no credit. I just want to live my life. I want to live in such a way that it is irrefutable that it is honest that it has integrity and also want to add even though I received such wonderful revelations from God so as to keep me from becoming proud look at this I was given a 400 in the flesh, you may have heard of that but not known where it was located in the Scriptures. There you have it. Second Corinthians 12 of verse seven. The Greek word for thorn is state STA KE. It's a sharp object that penetrates and brings pain.

Whatever it was, and no one knows for sure all sorts of speculations have been made about the thorn in the flesh, but it was a painful experience so painful that the Lord gave it to them to keep them from being proud and so we praise look at this next verse.

Three different times I've begged the Lord to take it from me, and each time he said my grace is all you need. So three times. I asked to be relieved. Three times I heard no no no you know what else I'll never find a place later in any of Paul's writings or others about all for the floor and lifted. He lived in paid, easy to forget that he never whines he never complains.

He presses on he doesn't quit. He goes right on. In fact, he tells us the lessons learned from it. Look for yourself. The Lord said to me, my grace is all you need for my power works best in weakness is why said about boast of anything. It'll be in my weakness because that's where I can tell you about the grace of God. So now I'm glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me is why I take pleasure look at this verse, verse 10 take pleasure in weaknesses and insults and hardships and persecutions and trouble troubles that I suffer for Christ for when I'm weak that I'm strong when he is weak. He also grows deeper. His beliefs become his convictions as he presses on some amazing story. When you study the life of Paul. In fact, I've heard it said that if you wish to track Paul's painful journey through life. It would be like going on a search for a wounded deer in the snow. You simply follow the trail of blood. And if you stay at it long enough, you will come to the animal did in a pool of blood that the apostle Paul. He pressed on through it.

He never let up.

In fact, he wrote of that to the Galatians do not grow weary in well doing for we shall reap, if we do not faint. Don't quit.

He wrote to the Corinthians, be steadfast in movable, always abounding in the work of the Lord to the words press all knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. First Corinthians 1558, he pressed on.

He went right on. He stated that it he didn't quit.

He didn't hold back even complain there's integrity in living a life like that. Did you know that in the Philippians account which I read to you earlier. You know, when he wrote that, along with three other letters. Ephesians and Colossians, and Philemon was a reason scholars call those the prison epistles he wrote them while in chains in strains during a two-year house arrest.

He's manacled to a Roman soldier day after day week after week. He doesn't take walks outside if you came to see Paul. You came to him at the house. He didn't come to see you two years awaiting an audience with Nero and during that time came to Paul's land.

I got a captive audience here. Emphasis on Capt. He trained himself to me so I'm going to talk to them about Jesus and he can't get away a lot of thought while you're sitting here seven us want to tell you about Jesus will want to hear will trained to be so listen to you about the scene change my life and change your and did you know that the whole Victorian guard. The palace guard those closest to her.

His SS troops if you will change the price. The imagery is striking is yours. Paul chained to a prison guard speaking to his captive audience about the love of Jesus you're listening to Insight for living Chuck's one dollars midway through a message. She titled the integrity of pressing on, and if you'd like to learn more about this ministry.

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