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Stone

Creek

www.rossvillechurch.com

781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741

October 3, 2012

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Ephesian church elders

Counsel for the future

of the church.

Acts 20Paul is headed

home.

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Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to

God, and to the Word of His Grace, which is able

to build you up, and to give you an inheritance

among all them which are sanctified.

Though trust in God is essential, it must be accom-

panied by obedience to His Word. This will lead to

edification (it will build you up) and to an inheri-

tance among all those who are sanctified.The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

Sanctified = to make holy; consecrate

Consecrate = to set apart for a purpose.

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To trust God is to obey His Word.

Proverbs 30 5 Every Word of God is pure: He is a

shield unto them that put their trust in Him.

See how closely God links obeying His Word

with putting our trust in Him.

Those who trust God will

live life His Way.

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Lack of submission and obedience to the Bible

reveals the lack of trust in God.

For a willfully and rebelliously disobedient

child of God to claim great faith

is to deceive himself.

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All of God's blessings come through

obedience to His Word.

He warns us against those things harmful.

He commands us to do those things helpful.

If the Bible says "don't do it"

Then just don't do it.

If the Bible says "do it"

Then just do it.

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33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or

apparel.

In verses 29 and 30 Paul warned the elders against

false teachers who would come in, and even from

those who would rise up within the church.

Most of the false teachers wanted something.

Paul said, "I wanted nothing from you."

I only wanted to give you the free gift of salvation

through Jesus Christ.

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34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have

ministered unto my necessities, and to them that

were with me.

Paul had worked and earned

his own living, and the

living of his companions.

Be assured, they worked too.

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35 I have shewed you all things, how that so

laboring ye ought to support the weak (diseased or

feeble), and to remember the Words of the Lord

Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than

to receive.

Ephesians 4 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but

rather let him labor, working with his hands the

thing which is good, (for a purpose) that he may

have to give to him that needeth.

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Not many people in this world work for the

purpose of having something to give away.

Many will work for their own gain;

some won't even do that.

But productive work is essential for a man or a

woman to have a satisfying and fulfilled life.

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1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV) Make it your

ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own

business and to work with your (own) hands, just

as we told you, so that your daily life may win the

respect of outsiders and so that you will not be

dependent on anybody.

God doesn't want His children to be dependent

on anyone or anything -- but Him.

We depend on God by living our lives His Way.

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Acts 20 35b and to remember the Words of the Lord

Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than

to receive.

Generosity always leads to blessing and increase.

God is generous with us, and we are more like God

when we are generous also.

Galatians 6:10 (NIV) Therefore, as we have

opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially

to those who belong to the family of believers.

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36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled

down, and prayed with them all.

It is not the position of the body

that matters, but the humility of the

heart that enables us to pray.

To pray with friends when we are parting is a

good thing, and a blessing from God.

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37-38 And they all wept sore, and

fell on Paul's neck, and kissed

him, sorrowing most of all for

the words which he spake, that

they should see his face no

more. And they accompanied

him unto the ship.

Although Paul had many enemies among

unbelieving Jews and Gentiles,

those who accepted the

Gospel, loved him dearly.