Epistle for May 9, 2003
Posted by: info <info@...>
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Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation May 9, 2003
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Dr. Scarborough will be teaching on the entire books of Nehemiah and Hebrews
during this quarter (April-June)
In This Issue:
Nehemiah 6:1-19
Hebrews 6:1-20
NEW Degree Program from PIAC
What Would It Take to Make Me Quit?
( Nehemiah 6:1-19 )
I. Concentration: on the irony seen in the names of Nehemiah's enemies (v. 1)
1. Sanballat = "God has healed," . . . but not Judah's illness!
2. Geshem = "Rain from God," . . . but no heavenly refreshing for Judah!
3. Tobiah = "God is good," . . . but His providential care isn't for Judah!
4. Shemaiah = "God hears," . . . but He doesn't hear Judah's prayers!
II. Meditation: on the tactics of these enemies
1. To side-track the leader (Let's have a meeting!), vv. 1-4.
2. To force the leader to fold up in the face of lies and rumors, vv. 5-9.
3. To use a false prophet to panic the leader into self-preservation, vv. 10-14.
4. To form a conspiracy of enemies and traitorous "friends" (Tobias and Judah's nobles)
to influence and/or to frighten Nehemiah into quitting, vv. 17-19.
III. Revelation: on Nehemiah's responses to these evil schemes
1. He declined to meet with them (in a focus group) because he was too busy
"doing a great work," v. 3.
2. He denied their false accusations and exposed their true motivation . . .
to create fear, vv. 8-9.
3. He refused to listen to a false prophet, but rather stood on his own integrity saying,
"Shall such a man as I flee?" (v. 11), clearly implying: "I shall not!"
(See Matthew 7:21-22; 24:11-12, 24.)
4. He kept at the project, finishing the work on the wall in only 52 days; his enemies
were disheartened because "they perceived that this work was done by our God," vv. 15-16.
IV. Applications: as a Christian leader, I need to . . .
1. Guard against getting side-tracked; keep a proper focus on the top priorities . . .
majoring on majors, not on minors.
2. Stand firm and steadfast in the face of vicious slander, calmly exposing the
enemy's tactics and motivations.
3. Not try to "save" my life or my ministry . . . they are the Lord's property, Matthew 16:25.
4. Courageously remain faithful to the Lord's call, refusing to give up because in
God's eyes, "It's always too soon to quit!"
Baptisms and Laying On of Hands
(Hebrews 6:1-20)
I. Concentration: on verses 1-2
1. There are six "first principles" . . . "elementary teachings" . . .
"foundational doctrines" . . . mentioned in these verses, 5:12; 6:1.
2. Four of these basic teachings usually are emphasized by churches today:
(1) Repentance (2) Faith (3) Resurrection (4) Judgment
3. Two of these basic doctrines often are overlooked today:
(1) Baptisms (2) Laying on of hands
4. Believers must comprehend these six principles before they can hope to be
able to understand the deeper things of God.
II. Meditation: on the doctrine of baptisms
1. The baptism into Christ (new birth) -
I Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27.
2. The baptism in water -
Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-4; Acts 8:36-38.
3. The baptism in (being filled with) the Holy Spirit -
Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16; Ephesians 5:18.
4. The baptism of fulfilling God's destiny, including suffering persecution -
Matthew 20:22-23; 5:10-12; Luke 12:50; I Peter 4:12-19; II Timothy 3:12.
III. Meditation: on the doctrine of laying on of hands
1. To bestow blessings (in Jesus' name) upon someone -
Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16.
2. To heal (by God's power) those who are sick -
Matthew 6:5; Mark 16:18; Luke 4:40; 13:13; Acts 28:8.
3. To be a conduit for God to fill someone with the Holy Spirit -
Acts 8:17-19; 9:17; 19:6.
4. To ordain someone whom God has called for Christian service -
Acts 6:6; 13:3; I Timothy 5:22.
5. To impart (through God's grace) spiritual gifts to another believer -
Romans 1:11-12; I Timothy 4:14; 1:18; II Timothy 1:6.
IV. Revelation and Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Be well grounded in the basic teachings of the Christian faith: repentance, faith,
baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection, and judgment.
2. Experience all four kinds of "baptisms" in my life: new birth, baptism in water,
baptism with the Holy Spirit, and being totally immersed in fulfilling God's
mission, purpose, and destiny for me . . . even though it means suffering and persecution.
3. Understand and practice the "hands-on" ministries taught in the New Testament and
exercised in the early church.
4. Continue growing spiritually toward maturity . . . "let us go on to perfection," v. 1.
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Upon graduation, the student will be issued a degree diploma (MA, PhD, or PsyD) and a complete transcript of the NCCA studies completed at PIAC. The student has the option of presenting this official transcript to NCCA to show the courses completed at PIAC. The student then may choose to apply for membership in NCCA and to apply for acceptance into an advanced program of study designed to qualify him or her for NCCA certification and licensing as a Christian pastoral counselor. Small fees are charged by NCCA for both of these options.
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