The David Spoon Experience 8-18-23 Part 2

1)  In first Peter 3:13-15, it says if you suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. Suffering for righteousness' sake is, in this context, doing good for being a Christian. It’s for praying for people, caring about people and loving people. The person who got arrested because they were praying outside of the abortion clinic suffered because of doing good. God loves that because it proves the guy honors Jesus in his heart.

2) As we have said before, so we say again, be ready. The Bible teaches us to watch and pray; to watch means to observe, be aware, have our eyes open, and be prepared. We are commanded to be ready to defend (to give an apologetic or a defense) our faith to anyone who asks us the reason for the hope in us. There is one caveat, however.  We have to have hope in order to defend it. People have to be able to see that we hold on to a hope that goes past circumstantial understanding.

3) As you know, I’m a student of multiple eschatologies. I am a manifold millennialist. I see the Millennium from the perspective of different points of view. And I rather enjoy it because I seem to get the benefit of all of them. But there is one advantage that pre-millennialism has that outshines the rest. And that is simply this. There is a greater anticipation for the return of Jesus Christ, a greater expectation and a greater sense of urgency. One of the primary benefits of engaging with premillennialism is that there is an urgency to proclaim the return of Jesus Christ. He's coming again and sooner than we think. 

4) I’m leaning toward teaching 1st Samuel. Why? Cuz. Jonathan is with his attendant, and they are trying to figure out what to do for their next steps. And Jonathan decides, you know what? Let’s take a chance. The Lord can help us. It doesn’t matter whether there are just a few or many of us; he is right. Stepping out in faith and believing that God can help us is the manner that pleases Him. Let’s live to please him. Amen.