1. Ready to be offered up (vr.6).
2. His departure was at hand (vr.6).
3. He had fought a good fight (vr.7).
4. Has finished his course (vr.7).
5. He had kept the faith (vr.7).

1. A crown of righteousness.
2. Not only will Paul receive the crown, but all those that love His appearing (vr.8).

1. We all become discouraged, if we are serving Christ.
2. Feeling forsaken can be a lonely feeling.
3. Paul informed the church at Corinth that,
4. "We may be persecuted but not forsaken" (II Cor. 4:9).
5. When family or friends walk away, we often want to throw in the towel and give up the fight.

1. Crescens had gone one way.  Titus another way.
2. Demas had forsaken and gone back to the way of the world (vr. 10).
3. Paul desired his co-worker to join him.
4. Evidently Paul and Mark had made peace,
5. Paul didn't want Mark to accompany he and Barnabas on their second missionary journey.
6. God sends storms to prove that He is the only shelter

1. Moses went up the mountain to draw himself closer to his God (Ex. 19:20)
2. Moses had a clear desire to be closer and get to God better.
3. God placed restrictions on this encounter;
   1. Leave even Aaron behind (no hindrance).
   2. 10 conditions of personal sanctification, ch.19

1. Moses was able to obey God.
2. Moses returned up the mountain as often as God ask him too.
3. Moses never allowed his people to hinder his personal blessing.
4. Moses, even though discouraged, (broke the first set of tablets) he still pressed forward.

1. The Children of Israel became restless and had their Assistant Pastor (Aaron) to help them to form another God (Ex. 32:1).
2. Could you be serving another god and possibly not be aware of it ?
3. The Children of Israel wanted to be able to SEE THEIR GOD.

1. The Children of Israel were almost destroyed because of their idolatry (Ex. 32:10).  This was the first of four times that God determined to destroy them.
2. God will not permit any worship of ANY OTHER GOD WHATSOVER
3. God forced Israel to burn, grind up and drink the golden calf (other god, vr.-20).

• Fighting your own battle with another god?
• Allowing some worship of another god?
• Declare Spiritual warfare on satan;
  1. Take the Bible into battle with you.
  2. The Sword of the Spirit will bring victory every time.
  3. Get rid of the other god.

1. Before I was conceived.
2. While I was in the womb.
3. While I was old enough to know better, but did not serve Jesus.

1. It is no crime to make withdrawals from the Bank of Heaven in Jesus’ name - no other name is recognized there - not Abraham, not Moses, not Joshua, not King David nor his son Solomon, not any other Biblical hero or current saint.
2. We must pray to receive from God.  "You have not because you ask not."  "Whatsoever you ask in my name, that I will do. And if you ask anything in My name, it shall be done for you."
3. The Bible contains a catalogue of answered prayers for every kind of human need.  Moses, David, Hezekiah, Daniel, Jesus, the early church, National heroes then (and now).

1. Paul said to Colossians, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins."
2. God cast our sins into the depths of the sea - not on the surface where man can look at them, but deep in the depths.
3. He has blotted out our transgressions as a cloud. Yesterday’s clouds are no more - you just can't find them.
4. Sin is not some rash.  It is deadly - like smallpox, like AIDS, like ALS, but His blood covers sins and washes them away.  ALL OF THEM.
5. What can wash away my sin - nothing but the blood of Jesus.  Jesus PAID IT ALL - I am not allowed to pay any of my sin dept.  If I could pay one percent of my sin dept - even one percent - that would make Jesus Co-redeemer with me.
6. We mock God’s grace when we try to be "good enough" for God’s forgiveness.

1. He died for me. Had Jesus done all His works on earth and not died I would still be under the curse of sin.  Now sin has no part in me and no power over me.

1. Baptizes me with His Holy Spirit.
2. Luke 11:13

1. Many people did not love Jesus; they hated him.
2. They called Him ugly names, but God love Him.  They spat on Him, but God loved Him.  They called Him glutton, wine bibber, a devil, one born of fornication, but God said, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
3. Morris’ Mazda pickup.

1. He was a joy bringer.
2. He believed the Bible.

1. He is the Great Shepherd. We all need a shepherd - King David needed a shepherd.
2. Luke 15:4-7 - One Lost Sheep.

ANY fire will only burn so long as there is fuel.  No Fuel?  NO FIRE!
1. Distracted Attention: The fire tender may have other duties that distract him tending the fire!  You can get so caught up in important secondary things, that you forget the Primary Thing!  (1 John 2:15-16)
2. Laziness - If it requires effort, I'd rather stay in bed and freeze! You are in charge of your own destiny many times.  If you don't put forth the effort, your fire will die.
3. Diminished Desire - Fire normally generates light- If you are hiding under the cover of darkness, you may not wish to take a chance of exposure in order to receive warmth of the fire.  You may be "hiding or running" from the fire that is badly needed in your life.  (1 John 1:5-6)
4. Lack of Commitment - To keep a fire burning you must continue the fueling process.  If you don't fuel the fire, Your fire will go out.  You can't build a church on empty pews!!
5. Jesus said the 1st Commandment is to Love the Lord thy God with all thy "Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength." We say we love Him, but do we love what He does for us, OR do we Love HIM?  If we love Him, we will be committed to Him

1. Remember GOD!  For Fuel, we must go to the source!  You can't build a church, or a Christian life without God.  (2Chr 7:14)
   • How do you get in touch with God?
2. PRAY!!!  (Psa 121:1-2)  I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  {2} My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.  HE IS MY STRENGTH and MY SONG ... The Fuel For My Fire - Without Him there is no Fire
3. Consume The Fuel and Feel The Fire!   When we consume the Word of God, we receive the Fire of the Holy Ghost! - Pour The Fuel On And Watch The Fire Fall!
   • (Heb 12:29)  ...God is a consuming FIRE.
   • (Jer 20:9)  ... His word was in mine heart as a burning FIRE
   • (1 Ki 18:24)  the God that answereth by FIRE, let him be God.
   • (Acts 2:1-3)  ... And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of FIRE,

• What are you going to do about it?
• PURGE AND PURIFY yourself before God!
• (2 Cor 6:17)  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
• If you are hungry for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Ghost, come closer to the fire! Praise Him and receive the benefits of His Joy, His Warmth, His Holiness and Purity!

Napoleon Bonaparte
Leonardo DA Vinci
Wolfgang Mozart
Thomas Edison
Wilbur / Orville Wright
Bill Gates

1. The faculty of sight
2. Something that is, or has been seen
3. Discerning perception

1. Much like Habakkuk most of us live with a narrow focus on life.
2. We allow external factors and influences to hinder our vision, and ultimately define our lives.
3. Most of us lack control over our own lives and allow some of the following to control us;
4. Finances, we live our lives for the sole purpose of paying off debt, or adding more to our assets.
5. Time, some allow schedules to dictate their lives. No time for devotions / prayer.
6. Family / Friends, for some of us its our family. We even loose our self identity.
7. Job, we often live just to work.
   

1. Dare to seek prayer and Scripture
2. Dare to dream
3. Become committed to your vision
4. Allow God to lead you in your vision.
5. Have faith to act on your vision (Jesus told the disciples to be endued with power) Acts 1:8.

• Joy is a By-Product of obedience, "If you obey." (John 15:10-11)
• God is in sovereign control of ALL THINGS.  (Rom. 8:28)
• Joy is a deep and abiding inner rejoicing.

Remember, God is working joy in my life.

There are many Joy-Stealers in our lives;

• Current circumstances
• People that have hurt you
• Concern about the future
• Even concern about the past

They can distract us from the life that God wants us to enjoy. (James 1:2-4 - testing of faith)

We must have a positive attitude and be willing to express it to others.

Chuck Swindoll says that joy is, "A matter of attitude that stems from God."

As Christians, we must be on guard that we Don’t get robbed of our joy.

It is hard to KEEP JOY, when all we surround ourselves with is, DOOM and GLOOM.

Paul affirmed the source of a Christian’s joy when he wrote, "Rejoice always, Rejoice."  (Phil. 4:4)

Paul remained hopeful regardless of the circumstances and uncertainties of life