Pastor and Missionary Tim Jones shared from Romans 15:20 on Sharing the gospel in the RV Camper ministry across the country
https://pastors.ai/sermon/living-on-mission-holy-spirit#quotes
if you like to know more about their ministry click here https://gotothetruth.org
Oswald Chambers speaking on Enoch said, “the test of a man’s life and character is not what he does in the exceptional moments in life, but what he does in the ordinary times.”
Enoch was a man, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and he walked with God… He was in the 7th Generation of Man in Creation.
Genesis 5:23-24 Enoch’s life lasted 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him
So he lived walking with God, and then he was no longer on the earth, but he was still WITH God.
There are just five verses in Genesis, two in Hebrews, two in Jude regarding this man. Yet the first verses and the last verses are 3000 years apart, and here we are 5000 years after, and we still know him.
Genesis 5:19 tells us that his father’s name was Jared. That name means, “to go down, bow down.” he is recorded to have lived 962 years, and yes I believe in a literal understanding. Though we can’t relate to that, he was 162 when he fathered Enoch. That’s sort of hard to imagine, but if I live to be 100, it would mean that my oldest son was born about the same time in my life, which is about 20% of my life, just like Jared’s son was born at about the same ratio of his life.
Interestingly, Enoch was 65 when his son, Methuselah, was born, which turned out to be roughly the same ratio of his life.
If he lived 1/5th of his life, he had done many things, seen many things in life.
He worked, working the ground, raising animals, probably lived close to his family. He met a woman, fell in love with her, and she became his wife. Then, they had a son.
What was life like? Don’t know much, but his son, Methuselah, had his son Lamech, and Enoch would have been 252, and lived another 48 years, yet was not still on earth when his Great Grandson, Noah, was born. Yet Lamach said about Noah, “this one will bring us relief from the agonizing labor with our hands, caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.”
Well, seven generations, and the sin of Genesis 3 was hard. He was working the ground, raising a family, and he had other sons and daughters…
What else do we know? 3000 Years after he left his earth…
Jude wrote Jude 14-15 tell us that he was a Forceful Preacher of Prophesy saying that he prophesied, “Look! the Lord comes with tens of thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on all and convict all the ungodly…”
WOW… we don’t know much more
But most significantly, the writer of Hebrews has the “Hall of Fame of the Faithful” in Hebrews 11…
Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen… by this our ancestors were approved… Hebrews 11:1-2…
Then 11:3 By faith we understand the universe was created by God… made from things that are not visible 4 by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice… he was approved as a righteous man… because God approved his gifts… though dead, he still speaks through his faith
Point being, God gave instructions for how to live, how to worship – Abel followed, Cain did not.
Then step forward many generations to Enoch.
Hebrews 11:5 by faith, Enoch was taken away… did not experience death… God took him away… FOR before he was taken away he was approved as one who pleased God.
That word, approved is the word, martyreo = testify, bear witness. The Testimony of Enoch’s life was that he pleased God – euaresteo = pleasing and interestingly this word is both a verb AND a noun. Because he acted in pleasing God, he WAS pleasing to God.
Now, then, just to be sure that we GET THE POINT… the context then of verse 6 is often quoted alone, but here in the context of the life of Enoch, it is a challenge to us to be like Enoch and these faithful in Hebrews 11
… he was approved as one pleasing to God 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draw near to him must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.
Oh, some believe IN God, but don’t obey God, believing that God has expectations that we must follow.
Compare Abel and Cain… both came to God in perceived worship, but only one of them worshiped as instructed and from the heart.
Remember God told Cain… if you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? He had been told, but he would not.
Yet, Enoch was approved, his life gave a witness, that as a man, husband, father, grandfather, worker, friend, preacher, he believed God, sought to obey God, drew near to God, walked close to God, in line with God, according to the Lord…
… and then, he was no more on earth… yet he was still WITH God.
My desire and full expectation for now and into eternity is to be with God, pleasing to God, giving that testimony – One Step One Walk… at a time…
Enoch walked with God – halak = to go, to come, accompany, to behave
Let it be said of me… that I “behaved, accompanied God, coming and going”
Here are some clips, devotions, summary, and study for yesterday …
What a family we are part of…
We are all part of the “family of humanity”, but I point out often that some often say in error, when referencing humanity, “we are all ‘God’s Children’”.
What a family, to be a part of humanity, a family of those created by God.
We aren’t “all God’s Children” but are all God’s Creation.
John 1:3 – all things were created through him
John 1:10 …the world did not recognize him
John 1:11 he came to his own, and his own did not receive him
We are ALL God’s creation… the family of humanity… but the “family of God”
John 1:12 But to all who DID RECEIVE him, he gave THEM the RIGHT to be children of God, to those who believe in his name
Hebrews 2:6-9 says about Humanity
What a family. Man is the highest of God’s creation on earth… and yet, we sinned, bringing separation from God, “Short of his glory” (Romans 3:23)
Yet, we are still on his mind. He did not leave us without an opportunity for restoration… no. Hebrews 2:6 what is man that you would REMEMBER – memneke = remember. It looks like our word “memory”.
We were not yet in the family of God, but still we are “remembered”, and you care for him… episkeptomai = look after, visit, concern
Oh my… God could have just moved on from us, done something different, or many other things, but he created us for a relationship, and he cared for us enough that in his concern, he visited us in order to look after us…
Providing for us in the substitutionary death of Christ, he gave us the opportunity to enter the Family of God… to those who believe in his name … and receive his provision.
Paul writes to the church in Corinth, and tells us about the wonderful family of God, locally and globally… in time, and those ahead of us in eternity…
1 Corinthians 1:2-3 to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord – both their Lord and ours. Grace to you and Peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh the beauty of humanity, the glory of being created by God, beautifully and wonderfully made, as the Psalmist says in Psalm 139. The writer of Hebrews then says we are the highest of his earthly creation, cared for and remembered by God, visited by his Son.
So then, if we will receive him, believe him, we become what Paul says, Sanctified, Saints, filled with Grace and Peace.
Oh, what a family – the Family of God
When we share the good news of the death of Christ to pay for our sin… we aren’t inviting people to join a “club”… no we are inviting them into the Family of God!
Though we all miss the mark, short of God’s Glory… we can become Saints – hagios = holy ones, set apart ones… we become Sanctified – hegiasmenos or hagiazo –
“Saints” that’s not a noun, but an adjective here… and “Sanctified” is a verb… and they both come from the root hagios/agios = holy
Because God is Holy… we must be MADE Holy in the Verb form, in order to be described as holy in the adjective form, and become holy as a noun…
All of that is the work of God in Christ providing Grace, (God’s undeserved kindness) and at Peace ending our enmity with God.
How?
Do I have to be from a special place, or a certain group? No – what did Paul say? To all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Our only hope is to call -(verb, present, active) I have to call, in a moment in time, on the NAME (onoma = name / authority) of Jesus Christ who became one of us, died in our place, to pay the debt for our sin, we call on him, believe he cares, came, is concerned, and receive him as Lord, Master, Owner.
Then – we become set apart, transformed, holy ones of God, who are holy, are becoming holy, will be holy…
That word Sanctified – is a verb in the perfect, passive, plural form. That means, I don’t DO it, but he happens TO me, and once done, is perfectly, permanently done, and is available for ALL who call on the name of Jesus.
Oh MY – that’s Good News to Tell!
Oh go ahead and read the rest of that chapter, but Paul says
v8 – he will strengthen you TO THE END, you will be blameless in the day of our Lord
v9 – God is faithful; you were called by him into fellowship with his Son
Oh, I could preach some more… but let me say YES LORD, Thank you Lord… and I’ll Stop There
We are beginning to work with sermons.ai as they take our message each week, bring in 5 weekly devotions, a sermon summary, and bible study, along with some clips from the message
Hope you enjoy
Click the link
https://pastors.ai/sermon/freedom-christ-body-mission#quotes
So, years ago, in a small Central Texas town, there was a church, a simple little L-shaped brick church. The Calvary Baptist Church. Great name for a church. They built a sign out front and painted the name of the church, “The CALVERY Baptist Church”. It was a misprint that wasn’t noticed for a
Cavalry or Calvary?
Pip: Pastor Goforth opens with the words "let me just ramble for a minute" — and then proceeds to cover Paul, John the Baptist, the role of the best man, the nature of boasting, and the seduction of Eve. Quite a minute.
Mara: That ramble has a destination, though. Today we're following one sustained argument about what it means to protect a community's devotion — and why Paul's strange boasting strategy is the key to understanding it.
Pip: Let's start with the bride, the groom's friend, and a very particular kind of jealousy.
Mara: The post works through 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 by asking what Paul's actual job is — and the answer turns out to be borrowed from John the Baptist's description of himself in John 3.
Pip: John 3:29 gives us the frame: the best man's whole role is to prepare everything, bring the bride, and then step back. Decrease so the groom can increase.
Mara: Paul maps his own ministry onto that exactly. His concern, as the post puts it, is "to bring them TO the Groom and protect them from distraction from that destination."
Pip: Which makes the boasting chapters suddenly coherent — he's not grandstanding, he's running interference.
Mara: Right. There were deceivers in the Corinthian church building a case on credentials and self-promotion, so Paul decides, as the post describes it, to play that game. He offers a resume of suffering, then pivots: "I'd rather boast in my weaknesses." The whole sequence ends at 12:9 with God's grace being sufficient precisely because strength is made perfect in weakness.
Pip: The boasting contest where the winning move is to lose — Paul would have been terrible at LinkedIn.
Mara: The verse at the center of all of this is 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 in the CSB: "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy… because I have promised you in marriage to one husband — to present you a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ."
Pip: That word "seduced" carries real weight here. The post flags the Greek — phtheiro — which means corrupt, destroy, ruin. Not just distracted. Undone.
Mara: And the post draws the line straight back to Eden: Adam and Eve had the closest relationship with God anyone has ever experienced, and they were still vulnerable. The implication for the church is that no community is too grounded to be at risk.
Pip: So the job description the post lands on — bring people to Jesus, protect from false teaching, guard against deception — isn't pastoral modesty. It's the whole stakes of the thing.
Mara: The post closes with a call that follows directly from that: be in love with Jesus, stay on mission, and preach a clear gospel faithfully enough to stand between the congregation and whatever would corrupt that devotion.
Mara: Godly jealousy as a protective instinct — that's the thread running through everything here.
Pip: Present the bride. Step back. Don't let the serpent get a word in. Simple job, enormous stakes.
Mara: More from Pastor Goforth next time.
Let me just ramble for a minute as I did yesterday morning looking at this passage.
The Word “boast” or “boasting” is kauchaomai – Paul kind of likes this word. He uses it 10x in his letter to the Romans, as well as 10x in his First Letter to the Corinthians. but in the Second Letter to the Corinthians he uses it 16x just in chapters 10-12.
Paul is going somewhere. In 10:17 he says, let the one who BOASTS, boast in the Lord. Paul is not boasting for approval, but for attention because he has a JOB to do. and he knows 10:18 that the Lord will be on the one who commends him, whose approval he seeks.
Then in chapter 11 Paul describes his “job” in a similar fashion to John the Baptist in John 3. Remember when John’s disciples came up to him about this new “upstart” that’s getting all the attention, and he’s doing “our thing” and baptizing people.
John then says in John 3:29, that he is just a friend of the groom. It was the role of the best man, as we would know him, to make everything ready and bring the bride to the groom.
All the friend of the groom wanted was to make arrangements, bring the bride, for the groom to be pleased, and the bride find fulfillment in the arrangements. Other than that, the friend took a backseat. Certainly, he wanted / needed to present himself well, as a representative of the groom, but then he would decrease and he (the groom) must increase, John explained (3:30)
Paul has his role in a similar way. Paul’s great concern was for the people of the church, as he desires to bring them TO the Groom and protect them from distraction from that destination.
Reading these chapters, there were obviously deceivers in their midst, and to build their case, they had been boasting about their knowledge and qualifications. So, Paul decides to play that game.
They obviously were boasting in themselves, but Paul says, boast in the Lord.
But I love the game he plays starting in 10:15 – “Alright… I’ll play the fool and boast a little. 11:20… I’ll take the dare, talking foolishly… and boast.
Then Paul gives his “resume” for suffering in 11:23-29 – read that… woah.
Then 11:30 – “I’d rather boast in my weaknesses”. But 12:1 It’s not really profitable to boast, but if necessary, I could talk about visions I’ve seen. 12:6 just telling the truth here… Then he boasts of the great struggles, 12:7-10 – physical afflictions / weaknesses, that God has allowed and will not take away because God’s grace is sufficient and God’s strength is made perfect in his weakness.
I know I’m rambling… but why all of this? Paul wants a faithful, blessed, purely presented Bride
11:2-3 (CSB) I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy… because I have promised you in marriage to one husband – to present you a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
What is his job?
Adam and Eve took their eyes off of truth, love, and promises. The evil one has always called into question the Goodness of God and the Word of God, and those who knowingly or unwittingly do his work, still do the same.
These followers were in danger of the same, and so it happens in the church the danger of being seduced – phtheiro = corrupt, destroy, ruin.
What we teach, in the church, what we allow is very important. Adam and Eve had a perfect relationship with God like none other have ever experienced, and yet still they were seduced, corrupted, destroyed, ruined.
Well, we have an opportunity to now be another voice in the struggle against deceivers and deception
So,
Pip: Pastor Goforth opens with a question that sounds simple and lands like a conviction: what exactly is the church supposed to be doing right now?
Mara: That's the thread running through today's episode — the church's silence on ethnic division, and the scriptural case for why silence isn't neutral. Let's start with the opportunity that silence might actually create.
Pip: The post opens with a frustration that a lot of people probably share — the church is either missing from conversations about ethnic division, or it's making noise in the wrong direction entirely.
Mara: The framing is direct: "the church is either silent, or so loud that you can't hear, and generally loud about the wrong things." That's the diagnosis. And the argument is that silence, paradoxically, creates an opening.
Pip: Right — the person who never speaks commands the room when they finally do. The post is essentially saying: church, you have accumulated credibility by staying quiet, now spend it on something that matters.
Mara: And the theological grounding comes fast. On the question of racial supremacy, the post is unambiguous: "The truth genetically is that there really is only one race, the human race." Ethnicity, nationality, culture — real distinctions. But not a basis for hierarchy.
Pip: So if supremacy is off the table even as a concept, what's the model? The post goes straight to Philippians — Christ, who had every claim to supremacy, emptied himself and served.
Mara: That's the pivot point. The most Supreme Being in the universe, as the post puts it, did not flaunt it. He took the form of a servant. The implication for the church is: you don't get to claim innocence and do nothing.
Pip: And the scriptural case for action is extensive. Exodus, Deuteronomy, Psalms — the post builds a pattern: God defends the alien, the fatherless, the widow, and expects his people to do the same, because they were once the outsider too.
Mara: Deuteronomy 10:19 is the hinge verse there — "you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt." The reason for the command is embedded in the command itself.
Pip: Then First John ties it to something material. Not just spiritual solidarity — actual need, actual response.
Mara: "Let us not love with words or tongue, but with action and in truth." That's the close. The post ends with a rewritten Psalm 68 — the church cast as a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, settling the lonely in families. A vision, not just a critique.
Pip: It's a long post, but the argument is tight: silence is not innocence, the model is Christ, and the ministry of reconciliation is already assigned.
Mara: The through-line is reconciliation — between people, not just between people and God.
Pip: And the church, apparently, has both the assignment and the opportunity. Whether it shows up is the next question.
So, in the growing face of division on the ethnic front, my frustration is often that the church is either silent, or so loud that you can’t hear, and generally loud about the wrong things.
However, in the reality that the church, especially the church of a lighter hue of skin, is often silent on these issues, there is an opportunity.
Do you ever have a friend who never says anything, and then they finally speak, and everyone just stops and listens? Well, silent church, it’s time to speak. It’s time for the church to be the church. It is time for the church to model Our Lord, humble ourselves and get into the equation, in order to draw men to God.
The idea of one group or another thinking that they have supremacy over another is ludicrous. The idea of differing “races” is first designed to divide us. The truth genetically is that there really is only one race, the human race. There is so little difference between differing ethnicities that you cannot divide us into “races” genetically. A difference in hue of skin is not enough to call for supremacy. We are different ethnicities, we are different nationalities, we are differing cultures, but even those are not limited to hue of skin or language spoken. Some of the greatest atrocities in history have been carried out in the name of supremacy. Even if supremacy were a reality, what should be the attitude of the one who thinks themselves supreme?
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in the appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on the cross! (Philippians 1:5-8)
The most Supreme Being in the universe, who has lived in and out of time for eternity, who created all things, who is himself completely pure and holy, did not consider his Supremacy something to be flaunted, but emptied himself, made himself nothing, took up the clothing of a servant, and served!
What should the church, the people of God be doing in the world? No less. We may be ourselves “innocent” of any wrongdoing, though that is probably not true, but still even if we are, there is action to be taken. We are given the ministry of reconciliation by God in 2 Corinthians 5. That, I believe, includes reconciliation between God and man, and people to people. Why, because Paul also says in Ephesians that the great mystery of the work of God is that people who were separate are brought together by God. People who were God’s Special people, and people who were not, are brought together by the work of Christ at the cross. How can WE do any less?
The expectation of God has always been that his people would be loving toward outsiders in an effort to bring them inside. Oh I am not talking about our right and expectation to defend ourselves against those bent on destruction and desolation. But the issue is that God always has a place for the outsider who desires to be in.
Homeless/Displaced, Fatherless, Faithless, Spouseless, Voiceless –
God has always reached out and always calls his people to do the same. Why? Because we have ALL been on the outside. We all needed to be brought in, and Christ has made that possible for all of us.
I don’t want to take time for an exhaustive exposition of the scriptures on this topic, but let me bring up a few
Exodus 22:22–24 (NIV84)
22 “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. 23 If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.
Expectation? Responsibility? Accountability? Yes, yes, yes.
Deuteronomy 10:18–21 (NIV84)
18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. 20 Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. 21 He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.
Did you see verse 19 “and you …” there is an expectation and a reason … “for you yourselves were … (so) fear the Lord … serve … hold fast … he is your God”
In Deuteronomy 16:11 – every category or division of persons are called to Praise and Worship God together
Deuteronomy 24:17–22 (NIV84)
17 Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this. 19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.
What does God think about our failure to join him in these things? Notice here what God says, AND that the response of God’s people is “Amen” (so be it)
Deuteronomy 27:19 (NIV84)
19 “Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
Psalm 10:14, 18 (NIV84)
14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.
How do we understand love?
In 1 John 3:16-18, we see love, and see the expected response from those who know the love of God.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”
Love requires action and is directed toward those who need it, not just toward those to whom we want to give it, or to those who give it to us. But if the scripture stopped there, Jesus did that, we would be left to decide if we should just say “thank you” or if something else was expected of us in response. But then the Holy Spirit inspired John to continue in v17 …
and WE ought to LAY down OUR lives for our BROTHERS …
Then speaking materially John says if we see our brother in need (having ability to meet the need) and do not meet the need, how can the love of God be in us?
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this takes the Spiritual response of Christ that entered the Physical Realm of laying down his life, then ties it to material needs … But the principle is there. If there is a need, and we CAN meet the need, but will not, how is that a reflection of one who is indwelt by the Spirit of God? So then John tells the Church what to do in v18 …
let us not love with words or tongue, but with action and in truth …
What should the church be doing and saying?
It is time for the church which is often silent, to speak up. Here is our opportunity. It is time for the church, which is often seen in the posture of kneeling in prayer, or standing in worship, to get busy walking in truth and acting in love. I tweeted out today, “if the church Lives Love, we earn the right to speak. When we do NOT love, we cannot speak, we lose our right to lead when we do not Live Love.”
So then, let me come back to two scriptures and close,
Psalm 146:5–10 (NIV84)
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the Lord, who remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, 8 the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. 10 The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.
This is what God does. He is our hope, he is the hope of the one who is hopeless and will but turn to him. Remember Isaiah quotes God as saying “Turn to Me and Be Saved all the ends of the earth.” Oh that the Church of the Lord would live like he lives IN us. That we would be a place that upholds the cause of the oppressed, hungry, the prisoner, the blind, the broken, the displaced, the fatherless, the spouseless. If God stands with them and for them, we better get on God’s side.
Then … here is a vision for the church in the world today …
Psalm 68:1–6 (NIV84)
1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. 2 As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. 3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. 4 Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds— his name is the Lord— and rejoice before him. 5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
Oh could we tread on thin ice here and put ourselves, as imitators of God, in this equation? Let me say it this way …
Let The Church Arise, may the enemies be scattered; may their foes flee before them. As smoke blown away by the wind, as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. May the righteous be glad and rejoice, be happy and joyful. Sing to God, sing praise to his name, and rejoice before him. But may we be more than worshipers in a church building. May the church, modeling God, be a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, believing we must, because God is on his throne in the Holy Place. May the church be God’s instrument for settling the lonely in our families, leading forth prisoners with singing instead of stealing their song. May their ever be room, for all, in our walls, who are needy and seeking. May there be NO ROOM, for those who will abuse and divide.
Let us, dear children, love, not just with words or with tongue, in silence and separation, but let us love with action and in truth, out of the church and into the streets.
