Becoming an Instrument

Travis L. Matthews

Description

Saint Barnabas became an instrument of God to facilitate the transition from law to grace. By completing his mission, the world learned about salvation.

Saint Barnabas did not disappear after the quarrel with Saint Paul.

This happy, loveable servant of the Lord knew God’s purpose for life, defiantly obeyed the spirit of the Lord, and overcame opposition, failure, rejection, and hardships to obtain an eternal reward through faith in Jesus.

Travis L. Matthews celebrates Saint Barnabas’s accomplishments and argues he should be more highly regarded. He explores his motives, conduct, and accomplishments. The portrait he conveys is a great servant of the Lord.

Barnabas was an ambassador for Christ who knew God’s purpose, recognized the time, and made contacts to accomplish God’s will. Barnabas changed the world by helping people make transitions in turbulent times. Two apostles trained by Barnabas were instrumental in developing Christianity into a worldwide faith.

Saint Barnabas became an instrument of God to facilitate the transition from Law to Grace. By completing his mission, the message of salvation was brought to the world and Jesus became the Lord of our lives.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Biblical Commentary
• Philosophie et théologie
• Purpose
• Mark the Evangelist
• Barnabas
• Inspiration

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 14 avril 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664271159
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Becoming an INSTRUMENT
Defending Saint Barnabas
TRAVIS L. MATTHEWS



Copyright © 2023 Travis L. Matthews.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Unless otherwise noted, scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
 
Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Used by Permission HCSB ©1999,2000,2002,2003,2009 Holman Bible Publishers. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7116-6 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7117-3 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7115-9 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022912288
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 5/24/2023

CONTENTS
Reader Advisory
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part I. DIVINE DESIGN
1.Unleash Inspiration
•Discover Happiness in Purpose
•Feel the Spark of Life
•Implement God’s Plan
2.Divine Impartation
•The Neshamah
•The Pneuma
3.God’s Individual Mandate
•Exercise Dominion
•Proclaim the Good News
•Demonstrate Leadership and Personal Responsibility
•Get Help in Times of Need
•Stand Accountable
4.Eternal Destiny for Grabs
•Redemption
•Composite
•Authority
•Glorification
•Habitation
•Faith
•Eternity
5.Oh, So Many Choices!
•Conscious, Willful, Vocal Choice
•Free Moral Agency
•God in Humanity
•Empowered to Serve
6.Vital Connections
•The Spirit Connection
•The Natural Connection
•The Best Connection
7.The Human Predicament
•Perfect Design
•Perceptible Differences
•Regrettable Inconsistency
•Questionable Favoritism
•Primary Emphasis
•Measurable Compliance
Part II. TO REACH THE UTTERMOST
1.Prepare the Leader
•Ministry History
•Family History
•Endowed Gifts
•Divine Appointment
2.Go with the Flow
•Political Support
•Religious Persecution
•Decisive Change
•Extended Grace
3.Verify, Then Enlarge
•The Selection
•The Vision
•The Labor
•The Results
Part III. THE WORLD IS THE AUDIENCE
1.The Two-by-Four Approach
•Know the Objective
•Get the Attention
•Provide the Instruction
2.Wait for God’s Time
•Discerning the Time
•Deploying Zealous Assets
•Willingness to Take Risks
•Building Trust on the Back Burner
3.Basic Training Precedent
•Train Where You Are
•Expect Opportunity
•Refine Your Skills
•Glean from Experience
4.Fire Mission, Over!
•Bombard Paganism with Truth
•Victory at Paphos
•Unity of Purpose
5.Facing Harsh Realities
•Desertion
•Opposition
6.A Slippery Slope
•Fighting for Change
•Confronting the Issues
•Confirming the Results
7.Turf War: Separation and Revelation
•Irresistible Inspiration
•Definitive Revelation
•Expedient Problems
8.Build a Sure Foundation
•Accumulate Resources
•Establish Training Centers
•Understand the Opposition
•Demonstrate Courage
•Avoid Emotional Decisions
9.Falling off the Mountain
•Ignore the Warnings, and Trouble Follows
•Beware of Jews Bearing Praise
•Mourn the State of Malaise
•Know That Memories Endure
•Rise above Failures
10.Get to the Next Checkpoint
•A Commitment for Life
•A Commitment to Unity
•A Commitment to Relationship
11.Who Listens to Prophets Anymore?
•Ananias’s Prophesy
•Paul’s Prophesy
•Paul’s Example
•Paul’s Influence
•Paul’s Legacy
12.The Creed of True Love
•The Day of God’s Visitation
•The Creed of True Love on Trial
•The Knowledge That Compels Love and Action
13.The Fire
•Westward, the Direction
•Time, the Enemy
•Fire, the Accusation
14.Blaze of Glory
•Glorious Testimony
•Glorious Transformation
Part IV. THE GLORIOUS FUTURE
1.Persistence Pays Off
•The Crisis and the Call
•The Bug and the Cure
•The Martyr and the Witness
•The Pressure and the Product
•The Highlights and the Features
•The Transition and the Vision
•The Harvest and the Tragedy
2.Attributes of an Enduring Legacy
3.The Lessons of the Low Tide
•Gentle Breezes and Storms
•Casualties and Responsibility
•Disappointment and Changing Tides
4.Never Break off Engagement
•Quitters Never Inspire Good Works
•Quitters Never Experience Enduring Joy
5.The Crown of Victory
•The Glorified Body
•The Judgment Day
•The Straight and Narrow Path to New Jerusalem
•The Common Misconception of Heaven
6.The Complete Package
•Great Joy
•Great Escape
•Great White Throne
•Great Celebration
•Great Parade
7.Bon Voyage
 
Afterword
About the Author
Endnotes


Travis Matthews draws from decades of study in the scriptures to bring us this step-by-step account of the first-century founding fathers as they laid the foundations of the church. So well established was the foundation that we are still building on it two thousand years later. From place to place, we follow Paul’s four missionary journeys and the ministries of Barnabas and Mark as they carried the Gospel message to the known world.
As I read the manuscript, I was fascinated by the detailed unfolding of events offered in chronological sequence, and I was riveted by the question “What happens next?” As you read this masterful work, you will feel the weight of responsibility that rested on their shoulders, and you will see how the grace of God brought them through every hardship with victory.
Sure to become a classic and a must-read for serious students of the Bible, Becoming an Instrument: Defending Saint Barnabas leaves the reader with a renewed appreciation for the contributions these great men of faith made, which continues to serve the church well today.
—Dr. Carl Morris, author of An Offer I Couldn’t Refuse: The LaVerne Tripp Story


To the Lord:
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works”
(Psalms 26:7).
To my uncle:
To my uncle, the Reverend Claude E. Hurley Sr., a faithful man of God who inspired my love for the Lord and the scriptures. His instruction and encouragement continue to shape my beliefs and practices.

READER ADVISORY
The endnotes are not necessary for readers to understand the text of this book. They are presented to acknowledge and appreciate the work of the authors, editors, translators, or compilers quoted or paraphrased and as supplementary information for readers who wish to verify the basis for statements made in the text.

PREFACE
The love of God for humanity has been and is extensive. God uniquely created humanity in his image and likeness to rule the earth by projecting a sinless character and nature. God’s covenants have been changed several times to encourage humanity to be witnesses exhibiting lifestyles of righteousness, truth, and justice. God wants every human being to experience the happiness of knowing and doing his perfect will. The New Covenant is God’s final covenant for the grand prize. The New Covenant established an understanding and a means of maintaining communications with humans who choose to be heirs of the living God. Jesus, the Son of God, was sent to redeem creation, communicate the terms of God’s covenant, train representatives, and demonstrate how to cooperate with God’s divine purpose. The sacrificial death of Jesus opened the door through which humanity can experience a more personal, powerful, continuing relationship with God. The gifts of God through Jesus are empowerments by which humans can know the will of God, be happy, and receive the resources to accomplish God’s purpose for human life on the earth.
The knowledge of the spiritual dimension of humanity, the spiritual kingdom from heaven, and the current dispensation of opportunity is essential to developing a satisfying, productive relationship with God. The human being has been