Epistle for December 26, 2003

#1 · December 23, 2003, 3:40 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on December 23, 2003, 3:40 pm
Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation December 26, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This fourth quarter of 2003, I shall be sharing with you my "Personal & Practical" notes and applications
on two important books in the Bible. From the Old Testament, we'll be studying all 14 chapters of
Hosea, and from the New Testament, we'll be studying all 13 chapters of II Corinthians.
In This Issue:
Hosea 13:1-16
II Corinthians 13:1-14
Mentoring
Vivid Pictures of God's Judgment
(Hosea 13:1-16)
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Because of the nation's idolatry: "Let the men who sacrifice kiss the
calves (calf images of Baal)," the judgment of God is coming, vv. 1-3.
2. Because of the nation's continued rebellion during the years of the
wilderness wanderings, the judgment of God came upon them, vv. 4-8.
3. Because of the nation's continuing sins during the period of the kings, the
judgment of God came upon them, vv. 9-13.
4. Because of the nation's present guilt, the judgment of God shall come
upon them; yet, Hosea says, the Lord will ransom and redeem His people
from death and the grave, from plagues and destruction, vv. 14-16.
II. Meditation: on the vivid pictures of God's judgment seen in this chapter
1. When God sends His judgment, Israel will vanish from sight . . . like
the morning cloud, like the early dew, like chaff blown away from a
threshing floor, and like smoke up the chimney, v. 3.
2. When God judges and punishes Israel, He will tear and devour them
like a wild beast . . . a lion, a leopard, or a bear, vv. 7-8.
3. When God judges and punishes Israel, the nation will suffer and grieve
like a travailing mother in the extreme pains of childbirth, v. 13.
4. When God sends an invading army to punish Israel, their troops (acting
as the hand of God's judgment) will come like an east wind to dry up the
springs and fountains of water; the enemy will plunder their wealth and
slaughter their women and children, vv. 15-16.
III. Revelation: on God's offer of victory over death
1. Old Testament promise: "I will redeem them from the power of the
grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues
O Grave, I will be your destruction," Hosea 13:14.
2. New Testament fulfillment: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death
where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death
is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, Who gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," I Corinthians 15:54-57.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Heed the warning of God's coming Judgment Day.
2. Repent, confess, and forsake my sins against the Lord.
3. Trust the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord . . . He is the
"resurrection and the life," John 11:25.
4. Thank the Lord for the triumphant victory that is mine through faith in Him,
I John 5:4; Romans 8:37.

Final Words to the Corinthians
(II Corinthians 13:1-14)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Paul reminded the Corinthians that he would visit them soon, vv. 1-3.
2. Paul wrote of Christ's power; he urges self-examination, vv. 4-6.
3. Paul urged the church to "be made complete" (mature) vv. 7-10.
4. Paul sent his final greetings and a benediction, vv. 11-14.

II. Meditation: on Paul's concluding instructions
1. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith, v. 5.
2. Do no evil . . . do what is honorable, v. 7.
3. Become complete (mature), assured (of good comfort), and unified
(of one mind . . . in peace), v. 11.
4. Greet one another with a holy kiss (a spiritual expression of affection
growing out of a mutual love for Christ), v. 12.

III. Revelation: on the reasons for these instructions
1. Paul said, "Test yourself," v. 5, because the believers needed to know
with certainty that Christ was in them.
2. Paul did not command them to live godly lives to build his own reputation;
rather, he wanted them to establish their own spiritual traits of being
honorable before God.
3. Paul desired that his converts grow in spiritual maturity and harmony . . .
exhibiting those traits even when he was not present to supervise their lives.
4. Paul taught that both the highest motive and the highest form of spiritual
services is loving God and loving others to the same degree that God
loved us, I Corinthians 13:1-3, 13.

IV. Observations: on the words of Paul's benediction (v. 14)
1. GRACE - God's unearned, unmerited favor expressed toward mankind
through Christ, John 1:14, 17.
2. LOVE - Father's unconditional "agape" love toward us, John 3:16, I John 4:19.
3. COMMUNION - spiritual intimacy with Almighty God through the Holy
Spirit, John 16:7, 13.
4. AMEN - "so be it" . . . as it is spoken, so let it be done, II Corinthians 1:20.

V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Examine myself according to God's standards . . . my spiritual maturity
level, my faith, and my character.
2. Serve God and other people as an expression of my pure motivation of love
for God.
3. Speak the blessings of the Trinity upon fellow believers: Christ's grace,
the Father's love, and the Holy Spirit's communion.
4. Perceive with eyes of faith that the words (blessings) which I speak in Jesus'
name will produce the spiritual results which God purposes . . . "for all
the promises of God in Christ are . . . Amen!"

Spiritual Mentoring by Private Tutoring

Dr. Curt Scarborough, president and founder of Pillsbury Institute, is available to mentor a limited number of mid-career Christian ministers on a one-on-one basis. He will personally tutor mature graduate-level students one day per month . . . any day of the week except Sunday.

Here's how this Spiritual Mentoring program works:
1. A minister enrolls in the Spiritual Mentoring track, agreeing to
spend a minimum of 10 hours a week in disciplined private
devotions under the guidance of Dr. Curt Scarborough.
2. The goal is to develop personal and practical notes on selected
portions of Scripture within one year (on all 260 chapters in the
New Testament, for example). The mentoring partner will write
on at least five chapters each week, focusing on a few chosen
verses in each chapter and using a suggested simple outline:
(1) Concentration
(2) Meditation
(3) Revelation
(4) Applications
3. Every four to six weeks, the mentoring partner will meet with Dr.
Scarborough personally (or by telephone or computer) to review
the work, to compare spiritual insights, to discuss revealed truths,
and to sharpen each other's ministry skills. (see Romans 1:11-12).
At each monthly meeting, the previous month's work will be
reviewed and discussed, new assignments made, and the next
appointment will be scheduled.
4. At the end of one year, the mentoring partner in this example
would have produced a 260 page personal and practical devotional
commentary on the entire New Testament . . . to use in his preaching
and teaching, to publish as a book, to preserve and pass along to his
family, and to serve as a resource for mentoring others.

Degrees Available at Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity

Associate of Applied Christianity in Biblical Studies
Associate of Applied Christianity in Biblical Counseling

Bachelor of Applied Christianity in Biblical Studies
Bachelor of Applied Christianity in Biblical Counseling

Master of Ministry in Spiritual Mentoring
Master of Arts in Christian Counseling Psychology

Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Mentoring
Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Counseling Psychology
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Christian Counseling

For more information visit our web-site at
www.pillsburyinstitute.org
or call Dr. Scarborough toll-free at
314-737-3392

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Pride is tasteless, colorless, and sizeless.
Yet it is the hardest thing to swallow."
August B. Black
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HAPPY 2004!

Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation December 26, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This fourth quarter of 2003, I shall be sharing with you my "Personal & Practical" notes and applications
on two important books in the Bible. From the Old Testament, we'll be studying all 14 chapters of
Hosea, and from the New Testament, we'll be studying all 13 chapters of II Corinthians.
In This Issue:
Hosea 13:1-16
II Corinthians 13:1-14
Mentoring
Vivid Pictures of God's Judgment
(Hosea 13:1-16)
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Because of the nation's idolatry: "Let the men who sacrifice kiss the
calves (calf images of Baal)," the judgment of God is coming, vv. 1-3.
2. Because of the nation's continued rebellion during the years of the
wilderness wanderings, the judgment of God came upon them, vv. 4-8.
3. Because of the nation's continuing sins during the period of the kings, the
judgment of God came upon them, vv. 9-13.
4. Because of the nation's present guilt, the judgment of God shall come
upon them; yet, Hosea says, the Lord will ransom and redeem His people
from death and the grave, from plagues and destruction, vv. 14-16.
II. Meditation: on the vivid pictures of God's judgment seen in this chapter
1. When God sends His judgment, Israel will vanish from sight . . . like
the morning cloud, like the early dew, like chaff blown away from a
threshing floor, and like smoke up the chimney, v. 3.
2. When God judges and punishes Israel, He will tear and devour them
like a wild beast . . . a lion, a leopard, or a bear, vv. 7-8.
3. When God judges and punishes Israel, the nation will suffer and grieve
like a travailing mother in the extreme pains of childbirth, v. 13.
4. When God sends an invading army to punish Israel, their troops (acting
as the hand of God's judgment) will come like an east wind to dry up the
springs and fountains of water; the enemy will plunder their wealth and
slaughter their women and children, vv. 15-16.
III. Revelation: on God's offer of victory over death
1. Old Testament promise: "I will redeem them from the power of the
grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues
O Grave, I will be your destruction," Hosea 13:14.
2. New Testament fulfillment: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death
where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death
is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, Who gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," I Corinthians 15:54-57.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Heed the warning of God's coming Judgment Day.
2. Repent, confess, and forsake my sins against the Lord.
3. Trust the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord . . . He is the
"resurrection and the life," John 11:25.
4. Thank the Lord for the triumphant victory that is mine through faith in Him,
I John 5:4; Romans 8:37.

Final Words to the Corinthians
(II Corinthians 13:1-14)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Paul reminded the Corinthians that he would visit them soon, vv. 1-3.
2. Paul wrote of Christ's power; he urges self-examination, vv. 4-6.
3. Paul urged the church to "be made complete" (mature) vv. 7-10.
4. Paul sent his final greetings and a benediction, vv. 11-14.

II. Meditation: on Paul's concluding instructions
1. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith, v. 5.
2. Do no evil . . . do what is honorable, v. 7.
3. Become complete (mature), assured (of good comfort), and unified
(of one mind . . . in peace), v. 11.
4. Greet one another with a holy kiss (a spiritual expression of affection
growing out of a mutual love for Christ), v. 12.

III. Revelation: on the reasons for these instructions
1. Paul said, "Test yourself," v. 5, because the believers needed to know
with certainty that Christ was in them.
2. Paul did not command them to live godly lives to build his own reputation;
rather, he wanted them to establish their own spiritual traits of being
honorable before God.
3. Paul desired that his converts grow in spiritual maturity and harmony . . .
exhibiting those traits even when he was not present to supervise their lives.
4. Paul taught that both the highest motive and the highest form of spiritual
services is loving God and loving others to the same degree that God
loved us, I Corinthians 13:1-3, 13.

IV. Observations: on the words of Paul's benediction (v. 14)
1. GRACE - God's unearned, unmerited favor expressed toward mankind
through Christ, John 1:14, 17.
2. LOVE - Father's unconditional "agape" love toward us, John 3:16, I John 4:19.
3. COMMUNION - spiritual intimacy with Almighty God through the Holy
Spirit, John 16:7, 13.
4. AMEN - "so be it" . . . as it is spoken, so let it be done, II Corinthians 1:20.

V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Examine myself according to God's standards . . . my spiritual maturity
level, my faith, and my character.
2. Serve God and other people as an expression of my pure motivation of love
for God.
3. Speak the blessings of the Trinity upon fellow believers: Christ's grace,
the Father's love, and the Holy Spirit's communion.
4. Perceive with eyes of faith that the words (blessings) which I speak in Jesus'
name will produce the spiritual results which God purposes . . . "for all
the promises of God in Christ are . . . Amen!"

Spiritual Mentoring by Private Tutoring

Dr. Curt Scarborough, president and founder of Pillsbury Institute, is available to mentor a limited number of mid-career Christian ministers on a one-on-one basis. He will personally tutor mature graduate-level students one day per month . . . any day of the week except Sunday.

Here's how this Spiritual Mentoring program works:
1. A minister enrolls in the Spiritual Mentoring track, agreeing to
spend a minimum of 10 hours a week in disciplined private
devotions under the guidance of Dr. Curt Scarborough.
2. The goal is to develop personal and practical notes on selected
portions of Scripture within one year (on all 260 chapters in the
New Testament, for example). The mentoring partner will write
on at least five chapters each week, focusing on a few chosen
verses in each chapter and using a suggested simple outline:
(1) Concentration
(2) Meditation
(3) Revelation
(4) Applications
3. Every four to six weeks, the mentoring partner will meet with Dr.
Scarborough personally (or by telephone or computer) to review
the work, to compare spiritual insights, to discuss revealed truths,
and to sharpen each other's ministry skills. (see Romans 1:11-12).
At each monthly meeting, the previous month's work will be
reviewed and discussed, new assignments made, and the next
appointment will be scheduled.
4. At the end of one year, the mentoring partner in this example
would have produced a 260 page personal and practical devotional
commentary on the entire New Testament . . . to use in his preaching
and teaching, to publish as a book, to preserve and pass along to his
family, and to serve as a resource for mentoring others.

Degrees Available at Pillsbury Institute of Applied Christianity

Associate of Applied Christianity in Biblical Studies
Associate of Applied Christianity in Biblical Counseling

Bachelor of Applied Christianity in Biblical Studies
Bachelor of Applied Christianity in Biblical Counseling

Master of Ministry in Spiritual Mentoring
Master of Arts in Christian Counseling Psychology

Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Mentoring
Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Counseling Psychology
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Christian Counseling

For more information visit our web-site at
http://www.pillsburyinstitute.org
or call Dr. Scarborough toll-free at
314-737-3392

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Pride is tasteless, colorless, and sizeless.
Yet it is the hardest thing to swallow."
August B. Black
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HAPPY 2004!