Epistle for December 5, 2003

#1 · December 5, 2003, 12:45 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on December 5, 2003, 12:45 pm
Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

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

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation December 5, 2003

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

This fourth quarter of 2003, I shall be sharing with you my "Personal & Practical" notes and applications on
two important books of the Bible. From the Old Testament, we'll we 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 10:1-15
II Corinthians 10:1-18
Mentoring
Break Up Your Fallow Ground
(Hosea 10:1-15)
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Hosea compared Israel to a fruitful vine, but because their heart was divided and disloyal to
their true King (the Lord God), their fruit had become like a deadly poison (hemlock), vv. 1-6.
2. Hosea prophesied judgment upon the nation: "They shall say to the mountains, 'Cover us!'
and to the hills, 'Fall on us,'" and he predicted that they would become slaves performing
forced labor for their conquering enemy, vv. 7-11. (See Luke 23:30 and Revelation 6:16.)
3. Hosea called upon the nation to repent and seek the Lord; he held out the hope of God's
promised mercy, v. 12.
4. Hosea preached "cause and effect" to the sinful nation which would bring the end of their royal
dynasty: "You have plowed wickedness; you have reaped iniquity . . . at dawn the
king of Israel shall be cut off utterly," vv. 13-15.

II. Meditation: on Hosea 10; 12
"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is
time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you."

III. Revelation: on how to receive a bumper crop of God's blessings
1. "Break up your fallow ground" - in repentant prayer, confess your hidden (below ground)
sins, break up the unplowed, hard clods of iniquity, and root out the rocks of wickedness . . .
and do it NOW because "It is time to seek the Lord!"
2. "Sow for yourselves righteousness" - plowing and sowing are personal choices and
actions which persons only can do for themselves; if plowing is repentance, then sowing
is faith . . . moving in the direction of "RIGHTEOUSNESS," that is, moving into a right
relationship with God (which also moves one into a right relationship with other persons.)
3. How long should a person "seek the Lord"? . . . "Till He comes and rains righteousness
on you." Plowing an uncultivated field and sowing seed is futile unless and until the Lord sends
rain . . . His righteousness which miraculously transforms our efforts into spiritual life.
4. Plowing a field plus sowing the seed plus God's life-giving rain produces a crop of God's favor
(grace): we shall "reap in mercy" . . . we shall enjoy a bountiful harvest of God's tender-kindness
and blessings.

IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Repent, confess, and turn from my sins.
2. Turn to the Lord in faith.
3. Diligently seek the Lord until He "rains righteousness" on me.
4. Thank God for His bountiful blessings of mercy and grace.

Spiritual Warfare
(II Corinthians 10:1-18)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Paul taught that living a Christian life in this world involves constant
spiritual warfare, vv. 1-6.
2. Paul commented on his source of authority (Christ); he asserted that
his deeds, when he arrived to confront them in person, would march his
powerful written words to them in his epistles, vv. 7-11.
3. Paul stated that he had limited his authority to only those converts whom
he had won and those churches which he had established, vv. 12-16.
4. Paul concluded: "But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord," vv. 17-18.

II. Meditation: on the weapons of spiritual warfare
1. We do not make war according to the flesh (human activity), v. 3.
2. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal (physical, material), v. 4.
3. Rather, the warfare and the weapons are spiritual, "mighty in God," v. 4.
4. Spiritual warfare involves:
(1) Pulling down strongholds, v. 4.
(2) Casting down arguments, v. 5.
(3) Casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God, v. 5.
(4) Bringing every thought and idea into captivity to the
obedience of Christ, v. 5.

III. Observations: on the battleground . . . the mind
1. Strongholds = places where Satan is well-established and solid, v. 4.
2. Arguments = human reasoning without understanding, v. 5.
3. High things = prideful knowledge without wisdom, v. 5.
4. Thoughts = ideas which are disobedient to God, v. 5.

IV. Revelation: on what God is able to do
1. Demolish Satan's strongholds in our minds. (See Romans 12:1-2)
2. Refute and reject Satan's deceptive thought patterns.
3. Bring down pride and arrogance in our spirits.
4. Keep our thoughts on Christ and spiritual things.

V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Identify strongholds (sins which so easily ensnare me), and allow God to
break those strongholds of Satan.
2. Recognize and dismiss false (Satanic) thoughts and ideas; meditate on
the truths of God revealed in His word.
3. Be humble and teachable; be submissive and non-judgmental.
4. Focus on Christ, so that fleshly, earthly things become less important.

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) Concentrations
(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
1-888-737-3392

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

>From Good Stuff: "You can either complain that rose bushes have thorns - or
rejoice that thorn bushes have roses.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

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

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation December 5, 2003

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

This fourth quarter of 2003, I shall be sharing with you my "Personal & Practical" notes and applications on
two important books of the Bible. From the Old Testament, we'll we 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 10:1-15
II Corinthians 10:1-18
Mentoring
Break Up Your Fallow Ground
(Hosea 10:1-15)
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Hosea compared Israel to a fruitful vine, but because their heart was divided and disloyal to
their true King (the Lord God), their fruit had become like a deadly poison (hemlock), vv. 1-6.
2. Hosea prophesied judgment upon the nation: "They shall say to the mountains, 'Cover us!'
and to the hills, 'Fall on us,'" and he predicted that they would become slaves performing
forced labor for their conquering enemy, vv. 7-11. (See Luke 23:30 and Revelation 6:16.)
3. Hosea called upon the nation to repent and seek the Lord; he held out the hope of God's
promised mercy, v. 12.
4. Hosea preached "cause and effect" to the sinful nation which would bring the end of their royal
dynasty: "You have plowed wickedness; you have reaped iniquity . . . at dawn the
king of Israel shall be cut off utterly," vv. 13-15.

II. Meditation: on Hosea 10; 12
"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is
time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you."

III. Revelation: on how to receive a bumper crop of God's blessings
1. "Break up your fallow ground" - in repentant prayer, confess your hidden (below ground)
sins, break up the unplowed, hard clods of iniquity, and root out the rocks of wickedness . . .
and do it NOW because "It is time to seek the Lord!"
2. "Sow for yourselves righteousness" - plowing and sowing are personal choices and
actions which persons only can do for themselves; if plowing is repentance, then sowing
is faith . . . moving in the direction of "RIGHTEOUSNESS," that is, moving into a right
relationship with God (which also moves one into a right relationship with other persons.)
3. How long should a person "seek the Lord"? . . . "Till He comes and rains righteousness
on you." Plowing an uncultivated field and sowing seed is futile unless and until the Lord sends
rain . . . His righteousness which miraculously transforms our efforts into spiritual life.
4. Plowing a field plus sowing the seed plus God's life-giving rain produces a crop of God's favor
(grace): we shall "reap in mercy" . . . we shall enjoy a bountiful harvest of God's tender-kindness
and blessings.

IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Repent, confess, and turn from my sins.
2. Turn to the Lord in faith.
3. Diligently seek the Lord until He "rains righteousness" on me.
4. Thank God for His bountiful blessings of mercy and grace.

Spiritual Warfare
(II Corinthians 10:1-18)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Paul taught that living a Christian life in this world involves constant
spiritual warfare, vv. 1-6.
2. Paul commented on his source of authority (Christ); he asserted that
his deeds, when he arrived to confront them in person, would march his
powerful written words to them in his epistles, vv. 7-11.
3. Paul stated that he had limited his authority to only those converts whom
he had won and those churches which he had established, vv. 12-16.
4. Paul concluded: "But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord," vv. 17-18.

II. Meditation: on the weapons of spiritual warfare
1. We do not make war according to the flesh (human activity), v. 3.
2. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal (physical, material), v. 4.
3. Rather, the warfare and the weapons are spiritual, "mighty in God," v. 4.
4. Spiritual warfare involves:
(1) Pulling down strongholds, v. 4.
(2) Casting down arguments, v. 5.
(3) Casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God, v. 5.
(4) Bringing every thought and idea into captivity to the
obedience of Christ, v. 5.

III. Observations: on the battleground . . . the mind
1. Strongholds = places where Satan is well-established and solid, v. 4.
2. Arguments = human reasoning without understanding, v. 5.
3. High things = prideful knowledge without wisdom, v. 5.
4. Thoughts = ideas which are disobedient to God, v. 5.

IV. Revelation: on what God is able to do
1. Demolish Satan's strongholds in our minds. (See Romans 12:1-2)
2. Refute and reject Satan's deceptive thought patterns.
3. Bring down pride and arrogance in our spirits.
4. Keep our thoughts on Christ and spiritual things.

V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Identify strongholds (sins which so easily ensnare me), and allow God to
break those strongholds of Satan.
2. Recognize and dismiss false (Satanic) thoughts and ideas; meditate on
the truths of God revealed in His word.
3. Be humble and teachable; be submissive and non-judgmental.
4. Focus on Christ, so that fleshly, earthly things become less important.

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) Concentrations
(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
1-888-737-3392

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

>From Good Stuff: "You can either complain that rose bushes have thorns - or
rejoice that thorn bushes have roses.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------