Prayer Works Bible Study: January 12, 2025

"The Wrong Interpretation Can Lead To The Wrong Destination "

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Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you today. We thank you for your goodness and your mercy towards us. We thank you for all that you have in store for us today this week and years to come.  

We are going to rest in you knowing that it’s in you that we move and have our being. So in this moment, as we look to study how we can learn more and understand the words that you've spoken to us, thank you for revelation, knowledge and wisdom.  

Guide us in all things true and guide us in all things right in Jesus name, Amen. All right so last week we were talking about the process of understanding the word of God. So we kind of laid a foundation of what Scripture is and what the purpose of Scripture.  

And just a quick recap we said, what does the scripture do? It inspires, it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction. Why are all these things necessary is because we need instruction on how to live, because human beings are essentially living a life that we were not meant to live. 

And the evidence of that is Genesis 2:3. To profit, that was to benefit, to grow in doctrine. And we asked the question, what is doctrine, was a set of belief principles, teachings that have been taught and have been put to practice and are now readily acceptable by a group of people as a way of living.  

Then of course rebuke, because all I've sinned and fallen short of God's glory. We all need rebuke. Correction because we make mistakes every single day. And inspiration that's why the Scriptures were written that the first thing that the scriptures should do is to inspire you to do something.  

If you are reading the Bible and it's not inspiring you then you need to really check yourself, because the book has to inspire to do something and again, right, just before we got on here I got a text message from Danielle.  

Danielle, I'm gonna use you on this one. I got a text message on Danielle and it had a picture of something that she is doing now. And underneath it says I'm trying to push the change to my culture, right.  

And what she was stating as a desire to change her culture is not necessarily found in scriptures, but you can see that the evidence of wanting to change culture is coming out of the inspiration of trying to leave the right way and do the right things.  

And again, if you look at that really deeply, you realize it can go back to instruction to profitable, to rebuked, to correction, to inspiration. So the thing about Scripture right is that as you read it, out of it is going to push you to do something.  

And it might be even things that you desire to do just generally in life. Sometimes Scripture will push you to find the inspiration to do even the things that doesn't really have to do with the church, but just the things that you desire to do to gain strength and desire to do those things.  

So we talked about that about inspiration and then then we talked about the journey of understanding scripture. That it goes from revelation, interpretation, illumination application right.  

And you can skip this process, you can just start applying things that you don't have a revelation for. Neither can just skip to from the word to illumination. There has to be a process where you get the revelation behind what's being said, right then interpretation. 

Then illumination, then application and application we said the application of word, it just falls into two categories, obedience and usage because the word is going to tell you things. It's either you obey it or you don't, or you can use it, or you don't.  

And that's the application side of the word of God. Now we briefly talked about the challenges that exist when interpreting Scripture language is one. We are all speaking English.  

And English as a language is a very limited language. That's why it borrows from so many other languages and then time, right the time also pause this challenges to us as we try to interpret Scripture, because words evolve in their meaning based on history, culture, and context.  

For example, we use the word hot. If you were born and you grew up as a teenager in the 80s, if somebody says, oh, that car is hot. Your interpretation of that word was, Oh my God, that car must be burning.  

If you were born in year 2000 and you are a teenager right now and somebody says that car is hot. Your interpretation is Oh my God, I need to go check that car. There's something remarkable about it.  

So use of words changes over time and if somebody comes years later and they're reading a book that was written now and somebody says, as I was walking down the street, I saw a hot car.  

That person's interpretation of that word is probably like, Oh my God, that car was burning. But if you were born in this era, you'd say, oh, that car was really incredibly beautiful. So what we want to do now is we examining these challenges. 

We want to really look into interpretation, cause the goal again in this coming few weeks until we get to the end of January is just going to give everybody a foundation on how you can look at Scripture and break it down and use it correctly rather than to just take stuff.  

Because I've realized now brothers and sisters, that there are things that we say a lot in church and you wonder why stuff is not working until you realize that is that what it actually really means? Or we are just saying that and then we as believers especially 21^st Century. 

We are so caught up in extracting scripture just a passage of scripture away from its context. And then we're like, how come the scripture says this and I'm not getting the benefit of it. Because you didn't look at scripture and in its full context. 

So what I want to do today is I just want to give you a lay down of principles of things that we need to make sure we are paying attention as we are reading scripture. One of the things we talked about last week guys is that if you have wrong interpretation, you're going to find yourself in the wrong destination.  

We talked about MapQuest. Remember MapQuest if you can't interpret the map. You're gonna end up in Virginia, and you're trying to go to New York. And one of the reasons why we have a lot of denominations right now is because of interpretation. 

It's not because of the word is because of interpretation. And out of interpretation, you know what denominations have gone on to do. They've gone on to write their own extra scriptures. The Roman Catholic gave other books apart from the Bible.  

Mary has a book in the Catholic Church and is considered as a holy Scripture. Why? Because of interpretation. The Latter Day Saints they read the Bible just like us, but they have extra books.  

The moments they read the Bible just like us, but they have extra books and those extra books comes from men who interpreted scripture the wrong way and they end up in the wrong destination.  

Because if we read this book, all of us, if we read the Bible the right way and follow the guiding principles of interpreting we all end up in the same destination, all of us. So these notes and the notes from last week, I'm going to make them available to you already.  

It's just a matter of maybe somebody looking at him, seeing the mistakes that I put in there. You know, I think in English and Shawna in different languages, you know, sometimes I need someone like, that's not English all right, so interpretation.  

So there are three things that we need to pay attention to. The first one is exegesis. And the word most of you probably know this word exegesis is pulling information from what the Bible says. In other words you know how you excavate something. 

So when you're mining for gold. You go to dirt and out of debt you excavate. The true mineral that you want out of it. It’s the same thing with Scripture we have to excavate Scripture. And find the true meaning out of it. So that's exegesis.  

Then you have isogesis which is inserting your own ideas into scripture to find meaning. For example David went and took 5 stones and the five stones was to use against Goliath. David only used one. But I've heard people preach the same message.  

And they say those 5 stones, one for grace, one for worship, one for you know, whatever it is they throw in there. And then you're like, well, the Bible did not say that. How are you saying these things?  

The reason why people say those things is because they are in isogesis. And the problem with that is that it's dangerous because it can lead to a place where you can come back from because then you start asking if that's true.  

Can we take five rocks and name them and use them? Then translation is now lost. The principle is not lost in translation, right. So we gotta pay attention to that. Then you have human humanity is the theory and methodology of interpreting scripture. Through biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical text, right.  

So I'm gonna get you these notes so we want to pay attention to how we read Scripture and instead of extracting things that we want out of it. And rather ask ourselves what is God saying because once you know what God is saying, then it'll cause you to ask more questions.  

Who is he saying it to? What had happened? What was he addressing? So what is the principle behind what was being addressed? Now let's take it to now. Let's apply it to now.  

What should I learn from what happened? And what we should be getting out of Scripture most of the time is the principle behind what is being said. Because again, if you take the story of David and insert your own ideas.  

You then lose the principle of what happened. Because now your focus is on grace and five rocks that represent grace and worship and then if it wasn't in the story, it had nothing to do with anything. You're trying to match grace and fighting and it has nothing to do with one another. So I want to give you these principles.  

So as we are putting our Bible reading plans for the year, right? We don't lose stuff in translation. Rather, really pay close attention to how we are interpreting Scripture so we can get the benefit of what we are reading.  

So principle 1, Interpretation of the Scriptures must be based on the author's intention of meaning and not the reader. The person who is writing. He is writing to somebody for a reason and we need to pay attention to that. And again, brothers and sisters not very far along.  

There's a group of people who took these scriptures and applied it to slavery. And committed heinous crimes against humanity because of failure to interpret scripture the right way and look at what happened to our world just because of that failure.  

So interpretation must be based on the author's intention of meaning and not the reader, not the person who's reading the person who's writing. So this means we must get into the author's context, history, dramatical, cultural, literal forms, right.  

So for that brothers and sisters, everybody my suggestion you should also have a Bible study book, a study Bible. Find a good study Bible with notes that explain history, cultural background information. So that you don't get lost and if you can, along with your Bible, get the most extensive extensive study Bible that goes with the translation that you use.  

Ok, get a study Bible that goes with the translation that's used. Then if you can go further and get Bible commentaries. Don't get this online stuff find the old ones.  

In fact, what I'll do is I'll probably should include a list that you could possibly find and get. And can I give you a trick while I'm at? if you can, if you can the stores, wherever they can be found usually they have free Bibles at the front, right?  

If you go and you see a free Bible that's on the front day, most likely you will find in 1984 version of the NIV. Or if you find any of the old versions, you see the manufacturers date over, they said. It's probably produced in 1984. If you find one of those, grab it. 

It's gold. It's better than the one you have the newest version because the newest version you have deleted scriptures in them. The 2011 has over 54 deleted scriptures in that Bible. So if you find an 84, keep it. If you actually go online and try to look for an 84 Bible, you probably see it around 506 hundred dollars, ok.  

So interpretation is based on the person who's writing. So we need to clarify what is the author saying and why is he saying what he's saying. Then we also need to ask along with that, what's the historical meaning? And now how do we apply that to today? Because we're living in a different time. 

And last week we talked a little bit about how Paul writes the letter to Timothy, encouraging him or telling Timothy what his preference as a church leader was says I Paul, I do not allow women to teach in church. That was for writing to Timothy.  

So this is my preference and the reason I prefer this is because the time I was in Ephesus. These are the problems that I was having with women in that church. Now the same the same scripture has been taken and used by some churches, in order to keep women down.  

Because we don't ask ourselves why was this being written? And to who was it being written to? Until you understand what is going on in Ephesus at that time. So if what was happening in Ephesus is not happening in your church.  

Why should that apply then? Are we together? You following my drift? And there's so many things we can point to. All right, principle #2 interpretation must be done in the context of the passage, the interpretation must be done in the context of the passage. 

Let's look at this example. Let's use a ball, for example, ball. The baseball this is this is something I want to read to you and it's just going to trek with me. The baseball umpire saw the pitch drift to the outside and said it was a ball. Second statement, we went to the dance last in fact, it was so formal, it was a ball. 

As I was walking along the golf course, I spotted something small and white in the grass. It was a ball. I had so much fun at the game night at the game at the at the at the game night. It was a ball.  

In each case, the word ball means. Something different, correct? So therefore, context determines the meaning. So if you just take the word ball and you say this is what it means.

Then you might think the person who went to the dance and it was a ball that they were kicking a ball all over the place. But that's not what the person is saying.  

The person is saying he had great fun. So context is important as we read Scripture. So the nearest context, the nearest context of what's being said must give the most weight to interpretation.  

The interpreter which is you and I should look at all these contexts that are in the particular scripture and think about which one is the nearest to what the author is saying, and then we follow that context to find meaning in what we are reading. Let's go to if you read Revelation 3:20.  

It says, behold. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will dine with him and he with me. If you just extract that little passage right? You pretty much could take everything wrong.  

So what's being talked about is discipline more than it is about opening up for Christ. Because if you read the whole entire chapter, you realize what's being talked about is the idea of staying disciplined.  

So the passage is addressing believers who need to repent from sin and return to fellowship with God. But we could say, hey, Jesus is knocking on the door. We could use this scripture ro tell, to talk people to what? To come to Christ, right? Say if I'm knocking on the door, if you open her, I'm going to come and enter. 

You would oh Salvation but that's not salvation. He's talking about discipline. Principle 3 sometimes the Bible uses figurative language. Right, so interpreted the Bible literally or normally allowing for normal use or a figurative language.  

When there literally does not make sense, let's say if you're reading something and does not make sense, you probably have a figure in speech. For example, Isaiah 55:12 says the trees of the field will clap their hands.  

Since trees do not have hands or a clap, this must be what figurative speech, right? So look such as if you are reading the Bible guys, this is very important. Pay attention to words like is like or is which can also community figure of speech. 

And if you have been with us for a while, I've always said if you see an animal being used to illustrate scripture in the Bible. Study the characteristics of the animal in order to have a full context of what's being said.  

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They will mount on wings like an eagle. Now if you want to understand what waiting in the Lord is like study the eagle because if you understood that an eagle at the age of 50, it has to die.  

If it doesn't go on a renewal process because by the age of 50 it's close. The beak it's all blunt from hunting, so that means it can catch large prey and if it is to survive, it has to hibernate for 120 days.  

And in 120 days it grows in new beak and it grows new claws and after that process it can then use the new claws and beak to pluck away excess weight of feathers it wasn't able to do before because of the blunt beak it had prior to this experience.  

And if it goes through this process, 120 days of no flying, no eating, just hibernating, waiting on the renewal process, if it goes through that process an eagle can leave twice as much. It can reach 120 years. If it does that at the age of 50.  

Now, if you understand that and you go back now and you say they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. That scripture will have a totally different meaning altogether. So when you are reading scripture, you see as or alike.  

Don't just breeze by stop, ask yourself what is being used here? Study that and go back and find the true meaning of what's being said. Don't skip over figure of speech because that could be lazy and yet lose the full meaning of what's being said, are we together? 

Principle #4, the Bible helps itself in interpreting itself, right. If you have a difficult passage. I'm sure you will find an easy passage to explain that difficult passage. This is sometimes called the law of non contradiction because the Bible is God's word and God is true the Bible cannot contradicts or cause conflict, cannot.  

There are some passages in the Bible that are hard to interpret. But the more you study scripture. It will point you back to those scriptures to make them pretty much simple. There's a scripture that says if you give a prophet a prophet's gift, you get what a prophet's reward.  

And if you give a righteous man a gift, as if you're giving to a righteous man, you get what? A righteous man's gift. You could read that and justice say, Oh my God, if I give to a righteous man, what do I get? A righteous man's gift. Until you stopping us to set another question, what is the righteous man's gift?  

Then you can go back to Scripture. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man, What avail it much, right, So what is a gift? What is the gift of a righteous man answered prayer. You see that? Because if you give a gift to a righteous man, the effectual favor and prayer of a righteous man availeth much and what is that answered prayer. 

And if you give a gift to a prophet as if you give it to. Prophet, you get a what? A prophet's reward. What is the reward of a prophet prophecy being fulfilled? You see how the scriptures can a mirror image to one another.  

So if you don't understand the scripture, don't freak out. Continue reading this book and at some point it will point you back to that scripture and derive the meaning that is deeper than what you could possibly understand, because God does not cause conflict.  

Also, use the New Testament to help you interpret the Old Testament. Remember the Old Testament is the fulfill. New Testament is the fulfillment of what? The old. But sometimes, before you go, this is why it is important to read the Old Testament.  

Because it lays for all of us a foundation of what's to come. Are we together? #5 interpretation must be distinguished from application. While there is one interpretation that is historical, there are many applications that can be carried over to one modern context.  

Our job because we are living in a different era is to build a bridge between history and now. What's going on right now the scriptures. But we have to bridge the gap. This is why all of us we need to be masters of this.  

Because if somebody comes to you like yesterday, I was watching the news. And there were two men neighbours in one's house is all burnt, the other one is still standing. The guy with the house that was in ashes stood up there and he says.  

Why is his house still standing? And he said, surely God must hate us and like him. And they interviewed the man who had the house that was standing and he was weeping feeling guilt. 

Why is my house still standing when my whole entire street is burnt down to ashes? Two people experiencing the same event. But interpreting this different way because of circumstances. But now that person who's experiencing these people who are experiencing what they're experiencing in California.  

If you give these people raw scripture without interpretation. They might probably mad with you. Because you have to build a bridge between what was said back then, and so we can apply it to now.  

And we as believers, we must be skilled in doing that because I'm telling you, if we are not, This is why sometimes you can give somebody scripture and they get mad at you. In John 4, Mary anointed Jesus with expensive oil.  

This is a historical context recorded as an event that took place. What happened between Mary and Jesus, right was between who Mary and Jesus because it was a historical event that somebody recorded.  

Now if you take that and bring it to today. If somebody does that through a Pastor, let's say Vee says pastor Zee take this oil and put it on your feet. Calvin is probably like, wait a minute. What is going on here, right.  

A few years ago, there's a pastor who spit in in his palm and took that and applied on his arm bearer eyes. And he was illustrating a point that sometimes we want the glory without the dirty work and that caused controversy.  

So when you look at Mary and Jesus. It's a historical event. Now, what is the principle behind this event? Mary was showing what? Sacrificially giving. That's what he was showing. But man, this is because remember who Mary was.  

And to her, this is one of the most important thing that she owns. And she took one of the most treasured thing that she has and applied it on the feet of Jesus. So the principle behind that right is sacrificial giving is an act of worship from Mary's perspective.  

But I can guarantee you these brothers and sisters, they are churches in this world who practice this possibly once a year. Because they fail to distinguish application to interpretation. That's why we can't insert ourselves in these stories.  

Rather take the principle behind the story and run with that. Number 6, we need to be sensitive and have a distinction between Israel and the church. The old coven and the new covenant. 

While we are in this neighborhood, right? Let's talk a little bit about giving, right. Malachi is found where? in the Old Testament, which is what? Old covenant, right. And in the old covenant we were taxed, or humanity was taxed to give what?  

10% Percent of earnings. Why was that the thing? Because the Holy Spirit was not given in terms of the matter of giving. So it's like you gotta give 10% and that went where into God's house that was used to do what? to distribute what was brought into the house to all the people who needed help, correct. That was what old covenant?  

Now the greatest teaching about giving is found in the church in Corinthians, when Paul is writing to the church. He then says to the church you must give what? Your heart has decided to give not somebody pushing you to or forcing you to do says you must do it. Freely. Because why must you do it freely?  

And he says, because God will give seed to the sower. So in other words, the first thing that you must do in the new covenant is a desire to be a giver. Then God will give you seed to sow and when he has given you seed to sow, if you do it repeatedly and you do it well. He says he will then give you generously seed to sow so that you will be a sower.  

On every occasion lacking nothing. Now if you are to sow on every occasion is that greater or smaller than 10%? Greater right, because every occasion is more than 10. That means everywhere, whatever it is that you are doing, you are going to find yourself with the need to do what to give, right?  

Now why do we wrestle too much or why do we quoteMalachi a lot? We quote Malachi a lot and interpreted the wrong way or the right way for the wrong time. Because we didn't master what was taught in the new Covenant? Otherwise, as a believer, the goal is to create have a desire to be a giver. 

And then if you desire to be that, it says God himself will give you what to give. If it's time, he'll give you time. If you desire to give off yourself. He give you strength to do that. This is why some of us or some of you, you do certain things like how come you never get tired of doing that? Because if you desire to do it, the scripture says God will give you that.  

So that in every occasion you will have the strength to accomplish whatever you desire to do for him, because you have made a decision to be a giver. But if we don't pay attention between what was told to the Nation of Israel.  

And what was told to the church God was turning the national Israel, you can't eat certain stuff. Because that was his covenant he had with these people. Now we take that and run with it in the New Testament and impose things upon ourselves. Why?  

Because we are failing to be sensitive to the distinction between Israel and the church. While we are in this neighborhood. We have what, we have moral law in the scriptures, which governs who? All of us. Then we have civil law.  

Which governs who the nation of Israel? It was given specifically to them but then you also have moral law, which was given to all of us. If you read the Book of Leviticus, it lays down a whole ton of stuff for the nation of Israel.  

Now, are there laws that cross yes. But we have to observe and to stay sensitive to the distinction, because we can end up in the wrong place. Imposing on one another things that we should not. 

So when you are reading scripture, especially the Old Testament, pay attention to what's being said and who it is being said to. Now, if there are things that were said to the nation of Israel. 

What should you pay attention to? You should pay attention to the principles behind what's being said. Rather what is actually being said to them. For example Leviticus 19:19.  

There is a command in there it says you must not wear a garment made of two different kinds of fabric. Right now if this applies us we are all in trouble. Because we 21st century dressing is, you have a dress that is 6 different fabrics just, right.  

And I bet you say probably half of the clothes we wear, they have two different kinds of fabric. And then some have a lining of a different fabric inside the cloth and the scripture here says you you should not do that.  

But who was this being said to? The Nation of Israel because of relationship that God had with them right, so let's pay attention to that in our reading. This is why if you are to read a passage of scripture, right.  

Go back to the very beginning of that book because you hear the introduction who this is being written to? And then once you know that, start making your way down towards the passage of scripture that you're right, you're reading. 

And then from there breakdown why it is being written to the person. What has happened? What is the principle? Now, if I'm to take this and apply it to now, what does this mean? Yeah and now how should I apply it to my life? Are we together? 

 7. Be sensitive. Yes, I really, really was listening to what you said just now. Do you have? Do you have all that written down? What you just said? I mean, you may have just been talking out the part where you were talking about we read a passage of scripture back. 

Which part? Beginning and read it and everything that you. I mean, you may have just been talking off the top of your head, but did you have that written down in that order or no? No. Off the top of your head, ok.  

No, don't worry about it then. I really wanted that information. But that's ok, don't worry about it. Well it's it's simple. So for example, right if you go to. Let's see. If you read any of Paul's books. 

It says I Paul. Let's go to. If anybody has Timothy opened, right. Anybody with first Timothy you can read. First Timothy 1 just the intro. 

So the intro and let me let me do new King James. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope. That's it or you want me to keep reading? 

Keep reading to Timothy, a true son in faith in the faith, Grace, Mercy, and peace from God our father in Jesus Christ our Lord. So the info says IPO introduces himself. Then he introduced who is right, who he is writing to.  

He’s writing so now we already know. What S being written is towards Timothy? Right. Right. So now that we know he's riding towards Timothy, continue reading. How because you tell us why he's writing to Timothy. 

As I urge you, when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes rather than godly edification, which is in faith now. 

You just pose right there. So the first thing he tells Timothy, he says you must remain where in Ephesus. So which means Timothy wanted to what? You go somewhere else. Pack  and leave. 

Why is he leaving? He can't deal with stuff that's going on in Ephesus. And Paul, in his letter as he is writing to him, he is also telling us stuff that is going on over there. Right. All kinds of doctrine is being taught.  

And all this stuff that's going on, right? All right, so he's writing to the church episode because there's a problem. That's Timothy #1 Calvin skip all the way to second Timothy. 

OK, read the greeting. So this is number 2. This is now. We all confirm this is the second letter, right? Yes. So the first letter we have an idea of why Paul is is writing to Timothy 2nd letter let's go. 

Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus to Timothy, a beloved son. Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Keep going. I thank God keep reading ok. I thank God whom I serve with the pure conscience as my forefathers did as without ceasing. I remember you in my prayers. Night and day, greatly desiring to see you being mindful of your tears, that I may fill.  

I may be filled with joy when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.  

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind. 

All right, so we have a 2nd letter that's being read into. Paul first is encouraging him and thanking him. So which means that what was said in 1Timothy it means Timothy stayed one and he started doing things that Paul had instructed two.  

So now Paul isn't thanking him for what he did, three. And then now we get to this part now where he's telling him things almost kind of like I'm now giving you further instruction from where you are standing. Now continue reading, Calvin. 

Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling. 

Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  

Who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things non the less I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that day. 

All right, Old fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me in faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us.  

This you know that all those in Asia have turned away from me among whom are the jealous and homogeneous. The Lord Grant mercy to the household of Mizeras for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my change.  

But when he arrived in Rome, he sought me very zealously and found me the Lord Grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that day and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me in Ephesus. 

All right, what's the? What does he say next Friday? That's the last one. That's the last one. That's the last of that one, yeah. So there's a scripture right there at the very end that he caught it, right? 

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of the power of love and of sound mind. So now you we call this Scripture a Lord. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound mind. So in order to understand that scripture, for example in seven, right?  

If you read the context of why Paul is writing to Timothy and if you read Chapter 1, right, the introduction of why he is doing this and why he's writing this. And now you come to 2 why is encouraging? Now is what is encouraging and kind of thanking him for all right.  

So when you come to now, God has not given up the spirit of fear. Now if you take all that happened in chapter 1. In 1 Timothy and in 2 Timothy and now when you read this scripture, it is a more powerful meaning.  

Than if you just take it by itself, is this kind of clear? Because when you understand what's being said and why, how did we get here? We got here because Timothy wanted to leave. He was done with Ephesus.  

He probably wrote the points like I'm done. I want to leave. I don't like what's going on here for telling. Dude, calm down, stay over there. This is what you need to do instruction for students started exercising that.  

Then the second letter came and is thanking him for staying and is thanking him for exercising the things I told you to do now. I'm grateful for you and to add to that you're doing well because God did not give us what freedom of fear. 

So which means you don't say that to somebody who was not afraid, correct? Because if somebody was not afraid then so when you really look at that context, right? When do we use this scripture? When somebody is feeling about is feeling giving up. Want to throw in the towel? Leave their posts go somewhere because things are not working out.  

Now we can go and use the same scripture because we have a general sense. But now, sometimes when you hear people use this scripture and you be like I don't, if it was supposed to be used right here because we have taken it out of context.  

So this is what I'm. That even if you like what the scripture says, go back to the initial stages of the introduction of that chapter, because it gives you an overview of why we are here in the first place.  

And then go back to your scripture, because if you read this scripture alone, it means something. But the full context or the full measure and power behind that scripture is way different if you understood what Timothy was going through. 

It's way different. Because then you be like, Oh my God. Yeah. It's like when we have when we have an assignment on our life and we and we afraid to proceed with it. So Paul was telling Timothy to go ahead. And that's when ok, I understand now more about what that scripture means, do not give you a spirit of fear.  

We quote things and we don't know why, but we had to read first Timothy to understand why Paul was telling him to go and you know, complete that assignment play. Let's I didn't mean to go over, but I mean. Let's no that's good. 

It's good because it help. It's helping all of us. So again, right quickly, right. The last one. Be sensitive to the type of literature that's being used, Mary, I'm glad you said you. You interjected there because this is going to help all of us.  

So the books of the Bible for you. We have law, you have narrative books, wisdom, poetry, gospel, parable, epistles, right. So you also need to understand where? What am I? Because if you are reading the books of poetry, for those who have studied literature, you will know that poetry goes all over the place to say something, right?  

So again, right, this book is progressive revelation, right? I can borrow 5 Minutes this week or next week I give you back next week. Uh, most of the scriptures we caught in the faith are found in the book of what? Philippians right. 

Hmm Vee do me a quick favor. Just Google on the most famous scriptures in the book of Philippians. Well, one is I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Let's go. That's why I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. What's the second one? 

I know that forgetting those things, right Oh. That's behind and press, yeah. In the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, right? Oh no Philippians 4 everybody knows this. Do not be anxious for anything but true prayer sufficiency to make a request known. What's the other one? 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. 

Therefore my differences, you have always obeyed not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continues to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Being confident of this, that he who began a good work, and you will carry it on to completion until the of price. 

Supplies off the need to him. He shall supply all my need, according to Oh my God, we need all your deeds according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Oh yeah. The rejoice always. I will say it again rejoice, right. 

I long to stay, but I need to go. You know, since I'm here, I'm just you know. Forgetting all those things that happened but pressing forward towards the mark to die is to be with Christ died. 

For me to live with Christ and to die is gain, yeah. Now all these amazing scriptures that we caught in the big old Philippians, right? It's amazing to understand or to know that if Paul does not cast the devil out of the girl who was practicing witchcraft in Philippi.  

Which caused him to be arrested and been sent to jail. Where at midnight he starts singing with Silas. And Angel comes and break them out of prison.

The God wants to kill himself and the poor says don't kill yourself we are all here, the guard, Oh, my God, what must I do to be saved, the guard says come with me.  

I'm going to take you to my cousins house. Paul goes over there and he ministers to the whole family. He leaves Philippi. The family that he ministers to starts a church in Philippi.  

Now Paul is writing this book in prison is about to die. Now he is now encouraging one of his favorite churches, which is in Philippi that was started because Paul cast a devil out of a girl and they end up arresting him because the pimps who are who were using this girl.  

We're mad because they are no longer receiving money now. How did Paul get to this situation? Paul got this situation because he is an argument with Barnabas in Acts 9. Because Barnabas wanted to take his cousin on the mission trip. Paul did not want his cousin to come with him.  

And then Paul said to him, no, we're gonna leave your cousin and Barnabas was irritated he's like, you know I'm not going to the mission trip you go by yourself. Paul then ends up picking Silas and he says you before we go, I'm gonna circumcise you boys.  

You circumcise these boys. Since they can walk long distance, they stop in Philippi. Mind you, they never. They were going back to the churches they planted and there was no church that was planted in Philippians. So they stopped out of necessity. Which causes this whole event.  

Because remember, Paul, remember Paul was walking around in the city for three days and this girl was following them and he never did anything in day 1. Did anything day 2. Never did anything until day 3 he’s like I'm tired of this woman.  

I'm going to curse this devil out of her. Which caused Paul to be in prison, which started a ripple effect which caused a church to be started in Philippians on his way to minister back in the churches that he was.  

And out of that we get all these incredible phenomenal scriptures that we are reading now. If you understand that story. Now the meaning of the words we just read, and this scripture we caught all over the place drastically changes.  

Because you realize now that if these events don't take place, you and I in 2025, two thousand years later, we are not going to stand there and say I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. So scriptural interpretation.  

That's why we have to be students of the word to literally fall in love with Bible because it's going to reveal how incredible God is in setting things in motion, even for people who are still yet to be born to time, that's why we can read scriptures like we are reading a novel. That's why we can be quick to want to want to finish the book. 

Sometimes you can find yourself listen, two months ago I read the book of Daniel which I have read before, but I read the book of Daniel probably over 20 times in a month because I kept seeing things in the hours just like, Oh my God.  

Because of the progressive nature of God's revelation. It's tied together, so you can't isolate one thing and try to get over it. It's all tied together. Barnabas having a fight with Paul was necessary for the book of Philippians to be written.  

And what do you see out of that scripture? Because remember Paul and Barnabas have an issue, right? It. Now, who put poor and Barnabas together? If you go back to the few chapters, it says the Holy Spirit joined Paul and Barnabas right.  

Now,what does the scripture says on putting things apart that God has joined together the book of Matthew? What God has joined together let no man put asunder. Because, once you put asunder, you don't get the benefits of description.  

Now do we ever hear of Barnabas after this? No now, what other scripture falls in this category? All things work together for those who love the Lord, are called according to his purpose. Yeah, we know those scriptures. 

So I want us this year, guys, right. We are just starting, we are just starting. We gonna open our minds to really see what is behind these scriptures because there is a lot that is behind them.

And when you discover the power behind the words, it will transform you. Read scripture like it's you realize every word has a meaning. 

Last one, I think Romans 9 or 16 right somewhere there 4 is which is the last Romans get to chapter 1. Which is the last one? Romans through chapter what? 16:9, let me see.

If you have it 16 verse 9. That's the one that says greet Abraham is our fellow worker in Christ and statues my beloved. 

Yes, read the next one, number 10. Keep reading, Great Urbanus approved in Christ. Because there's full stop after that, right? Yes. Now, brothers and sisters, ok this is one of my favorite beings in the Bible, this guy Apelles. And some of you have probably heard me talk about this guy. 

Now this sounds like it's nothing, right? Greet, Apelles approved of Christ forwards, one of  the shortest scriptures in the Bible. Now I will beg you to go do a study on this guy Apelles. And you are going to find nothing about him.  

No way we don't even know whether he was Greek. We don't even know whether he was Italian. But we know he was in Rome and Paul is writing his final greetings. And God, in his infinite wisdom, he places this man right in the middle of chapter 16 of a list of people that are being thanked for doing God's work in the Kingdom.  

And what he get, what he gets as a title. He was approved in Christ. Now stop and just think about what that means. We don't know what he did. There is no history of what he did. You will never find anything that's written about this man.  

Nothing he is silent. But we know one thing for certain that God was like this man has to be included in Scripture, that he was approved of Christ. Now if you read this in passing, read Apelles approved of Christ.  

It sounds like nothing, right? Yeah, it sounds like just a greeting. How are you? Until you like, who's this guy? Why is he? Why is he being mentioned as a person who was approved of Christ?  

Why is he silent? Now, how many other people you know in the Old Testament that there's no record of what they did, but we know how about Enoch? Work with God then? He was not no more. What did Enoch do? He walked with God. He save some people.  

Did he feed people? Did what did he do? Now we have this other guy. He doesn't even his last name mentioned in it. So you could be dismissive because it's 4 words. Until you can stop and ask yourself. 

So what I'm saying here, guys is I want you to go beyond and don't skip scripture because it sounds boring. Because out of it you will find something that might blow your mind and have a clear understanding of what's actually taking place here. 

Now if you read at the beginning of the Book of Romans Calvin for me, read right at the top of the Book of Romans Paul a bond servant of Jesus called to be an apostle separated to the Gospel of God, which he promised before through his prophets and Holy scriptures concerning his son Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to the son of God power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. Through him we have received Grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among the nations for his name, among whom you also are called from Jesus Christ. 

Jesus, now you hear this intro, you hear the intro Paul is putting in there, so that means he's not writing a letter to correct somebody, this is more like yo man we are brothers of. This is what it means to be brothers of faith.  

Look at what God has done for us. Look at the work that you all is almost kind of like a father who is proud to be belonging to something that is so incredible. So now if you understand that that opening statement that Paul puts to the church in Rome.  

Now read Apelles, read if you read 16:9 read applies approved of Christ. With the knowledge of what how this was introduced the whole meaning of those four ways automatically changes because you have like Oh. 

So this man is included in that intro. He’s one of the brothers. Everything that Paul is saying right there, this is how incredible our scriptures are. So brothers and sisters, we might be here until tomorrow because I find joy in doing this stuff. 

So I'm gonna invite you, right? Don't rush in your Bible reading. Don't try to finish stuff. There is nothing to finish. We're going to spend eternity revealing these things. You never finish it, by the way, because every day you're going to you read the same scripture every day for 365 days and you get a whole different revelation all together.  

So my goal and our goal, my prayer is that we want to make this a culture. This is just what we do like breathing, reading Scripture, checking it out, understanding it, making sure what pastors he's saying is that really let's go back to this debate about it.  

Lets ask questions. Let's let's prompt one another to think beyond just Oh my God, that was cool. All right, before we go, let me use Danielle again. I hope she's still here. I can’t see. She has a Bible study she does things Sunday, one of them days. 

Tuesday she calls me . She's like, hey I'm teaching on genesis. And I'm freaking out because I'm Oh my. Oh my God. I gotta do this and I gotta you know. We start talking about Genesis and he's asking me questions and I’m trying to answer.  

And we get to a snag where I'm like, oh, I gotta have to go and do a study on that. I get off the, I get off the phone, I go and start doing a whole inter study on Genesis and the next thing she calls me after one and says, Oh my God, it was unbelievable.  

I spoke for one hour. Nobody was really kind of contributing, but I was just right. Again, right. The beauty out of that, even though when she called me, she asked the question and I didn't have a readily available answer. 

The thing that sets or that makes a difference in our scripture reading is the passion that we in set in trying to find meaning. Because, what does the scripture say? Seek, ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you.  

Seeking is this desire to find something you don't know you need, but you know you need, but you're not sure what it is. But you know it's out there. But you know what? I'm going to keep looking for it.  

And once you have that mentality God is never going to deny you revelation ever. He's not going to hold it back. Because his desire is to give it to people who desire to. Because there's no need to give somebody revelation and they're not enthusiastic about it.  

Hey, we all have been parents here. Imagine you spend time trying to shop for your child and you give them a gift and it just throws it and says I don't like it. Are you going to buy some more gifts? 

No, that's not happening. All right, let's end here 7:27 sorry but this is good. We can’t end without me telling you how grateful I am that you and Veronica and Nina and Pastor Zee and everybody just worked in.  

It has worked out good and I will talk to you about it Pastor Zee. Ok mama thank you. Tomorrow 7:00.Vee I'm calling you right away. Everybody I love you. Good to see Mother Jones, Cynthia, Dorothy. The judge magistrate. Good to see you, Deborah and of course, Vee. Love you, mother Carrie. Good to see you, Sarge, Mother Mary.  

Back to school tomorrow. Get ready. We drive back from Florida tomorrow. So pray for us as we pray for you. I love you and may the Lord continue to bless each and every single one of you and give you wisdom beyond your years.  

So that this year becomes a joy that fulfills your heart about everything that you might find in this world. Because everything that we own, if there's one thing that's reminding us that everything that we own is nothing is California.  

The only thing that will last forever is this word says if I’ve hidden my word in your heart so that you would see no more? That's the only thing that's left that will be left forever this word.  

So you better carry it in your heart. You better love it beyond everything else that you might love, Amen in Jesus name. Amen, Love you, God bless everybody, goodnight.