Epistle for November 28, 2003

#1 · November 25, 2003, 2:45 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on November 25, 2003, 2:45 pm
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E-pistle

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Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation November 28, 2003

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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 9:1-17
II Corinthians 9:1-15
Spiritual Mentoring
Eating The Bread Of Mourning
(Hosea 9:1-17)
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Hosea pronounced God's judgment upon Ephraim because of her spiritual unfaithfulness
(adultery); he said that the nation would "eat the bread of
mourners," Numbers 19:14-15 . . . Israel would go into Assyrian captivity like the Egyptian
bondage centuries earlier, vv. 1-6.
2. Hosea condemned the false prophets of the nation as "fools" and "insane," while characterizing
himself as "the watchman of Ephraim," a true prophet who was considered to be their enemy, vv. 7-8.
3. Hosea compared the nation's present wickedness and corruption with their sins in the days of
Gibeah and Baal Peor, vv. 9-10.
4. Hosea predicted intense grieving by the nation, illustrating their coming sorrow as being like the
mourning over the death of a child, vv. 11-17.
II. Meditation: on the significance of the cities named here
1. Memphis (v. 6) - an Egyptian city on the Nile River south of Cairo, noted for its huge burial grounds;
this is a reminder of Israel's former captivity, and the pending "death" of the nation.
2. Gibeah (v. 9) - a city in Benjamin where the inhabitants raped and murdered the concubine of a
Levite, leading to a bloody civil war, Judges 19-20.
3. Baal Peor (v. 10) - the place where, during the wilderness wanderings, the nation fell into idoltary
and immorality resulting in 24,000 persons dying of a plague, Numbers 24-25.
4. Tyre (v. 13) - a wealthy and influential seaport city which, like Ephraim, would be destroyed because
of their sins of pride, Ezekiel 26-28.
III. Revelation: on the grief and mourning caused by sin
1. Sin brings sorrow like that of a woman who is barren: "no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception,
v. 11.
2. Sin brings sorrow like that of parents who are forced to watch their children being slaughtered by
enemy soldiers, vv. 12-13.
3. Sin brings sorrow like that of a mother whose child perishes in infancy because she is unable to
produce milk to nourish it, v. 14.
4. Sin brings sorrow like that of a mother whose infant is born dead, v. 16.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Realize that the wages of sin is death . . . remember Memphis.
2. Understand that one sin can have a domino effect which produces far-reaching tragedy and
devastation . . . remember Gibeah.
3. Avoid compromising with sin, which leads to idolatry, immorality, and a deadly spiritual plague
upon my life . . . remember Baal Peor.
4. Shun Satan's fatal flaw, the sin of pride, which inevitably leads to a fall and eternal destruction
. . . remember Tyre.

Sowing and Reaping Financially
(II Corinthians 9:1-15)

I. Observations: on the background and setting of this chapter (vv. 1-5)
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, telling them how he had boasted to the Macedonian
believers about the zeal and generosity of the Corinthians in making provision for the
needy Christians in Jerusalem; he urged the Corinthians to have their offerings ready when
he arrived, as they had promised to do.

II. Concentration: on how a Christian is to give (sow) to the Lord (vv. 6-7)
1. Sowing must be done bountifully, not sparingly . . . with abounding generosity,
not with stinginess, v. 6.
2. Sowing must be from the heart, v. 7.
3. Sowing must not be made grudgingly (reluctantly, resentfully), and sowing must
not be of necessity (by coercion; by pressure), v. 7.
4. Sowing must be done cheerfully (joyfully, gladly), v. 7.

III. Meditation: on God's gifts to us (vv. 9-11)
1. God has given His blessings to everyone, v. 9. (See Psalm 112:9)
2. God makes believers rich: "supplies seed to the sowed,
and bread for food," v. 10.
3. God multiplies our sown seed and increases our fruits of righteousness
(good works), v. 10.
4. God enriches our spiritual lives as we invest our money in His work, v. 11.

IV. Revelation: on why God makes us "RICH" (v. 11-14)
1. So believers can be generous on every occasion. v. 11.
2. So thanksgiving and praise may be offered up to God, vv. 11-13.
3. So the needs of God's people (ministries) may be supplied, v. 12.
4. So that a believer's personal testimony and prayer life may be
strengthened, vv. 13-14.

V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Give cheerfully and from the heart to support God's work.
2. Recognize that God is the source of everything I have to give . . .
He even is the one who gives me the ability to hold a job and to
earn wages, Deuteronomy 8:18.
3. Understand that as I give to supply the needs of others, God continues
to abundantly supply my needs, Philippians 4:19.
4. Perceive, in the light of my thanksgiving for God's "indescribable gift" . . .
Christ (v. 15), that my charitable giving is as important in God's sight as
love or faith, II Corinthians 8:7.

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
1-888-737-3392

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

Edward Sandford Martin: "Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year;
to the honest man it comes as frequently as the
heart of gratitude will allow."

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

Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

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

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation November 28, 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 9:1-17
II Corinthians 9:1-15
Spiritual Mentoring
Eating The Bread Of Mourning
(Hosea 9:1-17)
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Hosea pronounced God's judgment upon Ephraim because of her spiritual unfaithfulness
(adultery); he said that the nation would "eat the bread of
mourners," Numbers 19:14-15 . . . Israel would go into Assyrian captivity like the Egyptian
bondage centuries earlier, vv. 1-6.
2. Hosea condemned the false prophets of the nation as "fools" and "insane," while characterizing
himself as "the watchman of Ephraim," a true prophet who was considered to be their enemy, vv. 7-8.
3. Hosea compared the nation's present wickedness and corruption with their sins in the days of
Gibeah and Baal Peor, vv. 9-10.
4. Hosea predicted intense grieving by the nation, illustrating their coming sorrow as being like the
mourning over the death of a child, vv. 11-17.
II. Meditation: on the significance of the cities named here
1. Memphis (v. 6) - an Egyptian city on the Nile River south of Cairo, noted for its huge burial grounds;
this is a reminder of Israel's former captivity, and the pending "death" of the nation.
2. Gibeah (v. 9) - a city in Benjamin where the inhabitants raped and murdered the concubine of a
Levite, leading to a bloody civil war, Judges 19-20.
3. Baal Peor (v. 10) - the place where, during the wilderness wanderings, the nation fell into idoltary
and immorality resulting in 24,000 persons dying of a plague, Numbers 24-25.
4. Tyre (v. 13) - a wealthy and influential seaport city which, like Ephraim, would be destroyed because
of their sins of pride, Ezekiel 26-28.
III. Revelation: on the grief and mourning caused by sin
1. Sin brings sorrow like that of a woman who is barren: "no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception,
v. 11.
2. Sin brings sorrow like that of parents who are forced to watch their children being slaughtered by
enemy soldiers, vv. 12-13.
3. Sin brings sorrow like that of a mother whose child perishes in infancy because she is unable to
produce milk to nourish it, v. 14.
4. Sin brings sorrow like that of a mother whose infant is born dead, v. 16.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Realize that the wages of sin is death . . . remember Memphis.
2. Understand that one sin can have a domino effect which produces far-reaching tragedy and
devastation . . . remember Gibeah.
3. Avoid compromising with sin, which leads to idolatry, immorality, and a deadly spiritual plague
upon my life . . . remember Baal Peor.
4. Shun Satan's fatal flaw, the sin of pride, which inevitably leads to a fall and eternal destruction
. . . remember Tyre.

Sowing and Reaping Financially
(II Corinthians 9:1-15)

I. Observations: on the background and setting of this chapter (vv. 1-5)
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, telling them how he had boasted to the Macedonian
believers about the zeal and generosity of the Corinthians in making provision for the
needy Christians in Jerusalem; he urged the Corinthians to have their offerings ready when
he arrived, as they had promised to do.

II. Concentration: on how a Christian is to give (sow) to the Lord (vv. 6-7)
1. Sowing must be done bountifully, not sparingly . . . with abounding generosity,
not with stinginess, v. 6.
2. Sowing must be from the heart, v. 7.
3. Sowing must not be made grudgingly (reluctantly, resentfully), and sowing must
not be of necessity (by coercion; by pressure), v. 7.
4. Sowing must be done cheerfully (joyfully, gladly), v. 7.

III. Meditation: on God's gifts to us (vv. 9-11)
1. God has given His blessings to everyone, v. 9. (See Psalm 112:9)
2. God makes believers rich: "supplies seed to the sowed,
and bread for food," v. 10.
3. God multiplies our sown seed and increases our fruits of righteousness
(good works), v. 10.
4. God enriches our spiritual lives as we invest our money in His work, v. 11.

IV. Revelation: on why God makes us "RICH" (v. 11-14)
1. So believers can be generous on every occasion. v. 11.
2. So thanksgiving and praise may be offered up to God, vv. 11-13.
3. So the needs of God's people (ministries) may be supplied, v. 12.
4. So that a believer's personal testimony and prayer life may be
strengthened, vv. 13-14.

V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Give cheerfully and from the heart to support God's work.
2. Recognize that God is the source of everything I have to give . . .
He even is the one who gives me the ability to hold a job and to
earn wages, Deuteronomy 8:18.
3. Understand that as I give to supply the needs of others, God continues
to abundantly supply my needs, Philippians 4:19.
4. Perceive, in the light of my thanksgiving for God's "indescribable gift" . . .
Christ (v. 15), that my charitable giving is as important in God's sight as
love or faith, II Corinthians 8:7.

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
1-888-737-3392

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

Edward Sandford Martin: "Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year;
to the honest man it comes as frequently as the
heart of gratitude will allow."

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