Unlikely Leaders

215 Pages·2012·1.08 MB·English

by  Ellen G. White

Unlikely Leaders
Ellen G. White
2010
Copyright © 2012
Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.

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Ellen G. White (1827-1915) is considered themost widely translated Americanauthor, her
works having been published in more than 160 languages. She wrote more than 100,000
pages on a wide variety of spiritual and practical topics. Guided by the Holy Spirit, she
exaltedJesusandpointedtotheScripturesasthebasisofone’sfaith.
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i
Anadaptationintoday’slanguageofTheActsoftheApostles.
[3]
Contents
InformationaboutthisBook .................................................. i
Foreword ................................................................ viii
God’sPurposeforHisChurch ................................................10
TheTrainingoftheTwelve ..................................................12
No“Wall”BetweenJewsandGentiles.......................................12
WhattheHolySpiritAccomplished .........................................13
TheGoodNewstoGoEverywhere............................................15
SuccessfulWeaponsintheGreatWarfare ....................................16
Christ’sSecondComing—theHopeoftheChurch............................. 17
Pentecost: TheApostlesBeginTheirWork .....................................18
HowtheHolySpiritCameontheApostles ...................................18
WhattheGenuineGiftofTonguesAccomplished .............................19
ConvictionThatJesusWastheTrueMessiah .................................20
ThousandsinJerusalemConverted ..........................................20
TheGiftoftheSpiritIsforUs................................................22
GodHasNotRestrictedHisGift............................................22
TheEarlyRainandtheLatterRain..........................................24
PeterandJohnForbiddentoDoChrist’sWork ..................................25
TheTrueGuiltoftheJewsRevealed ........................................25
ASinWorseThantheOriginalCrucifixionofChrist ...........................26
TheDivineGiftofHolyBoldness........................................... 27
ADishonestHusbandandWifePunished ......................................29
WhyThisDisplayofGod’sWrath? .........................................30
PeterandJohnFreedFromPrison.............................................32
God’sCommandComesFirst ..............................................32
Peter’sAmazingBoldness .................................................33
IntheWorldWeHaveTrouble .............................................34
WhytheSevenDeaconsWereChosen .........................................36
TheResultsofThisNewPlan ..............................................36
EachBelieverHasaSpecialGiftoftheSpirit ................................. 37
ABeautifulPlanofOrganization ...........................................38
Stephen,theFirstMartyrforChrist............................................39
AHolyRadianceShinesonStephen’sFace...................................39
Stephen’sMartyrdomMakesaDeepImpression ..............................40
TheGospelReachesSamariaandEthiopia ..................................... 41
NicodemusNoLongerCautiousandQuestioning ............................. 41
TheBaptismoftheFirstPersonFromAfrica .................................42
AngelsStillGuidetheFootstepsofPeople ...................................43
FromSaultoPaul: PersecutortoDisciple ......................................45
ALightTooGloriousforMortalEyestoBear ................................45
SaulUnderConviction ....................................................46
iii
iv UnlikelyLeaders
InLonelySeclusion ...................................................... 47
HowGodEducatedPaul.....................................................49
Paul’s“University”intheDesert............................................49
TheFormerPersecutorIsPersecuted ........................................50
TheGospelGoestotheGentiles ..............................................52
Frail,TemptedHumansAretheMessengers ..................................53
PeterFindsThisaDifficultCommand .......................................54
PeterPlacestheMatterBeforeHisAssociates ................................55
AnAngelDeliversPeterFromPrison..........................................56
GodAnswerstheConstantPrayersofHisPeople..............................56
PeterFinallyRealizesHeIsFree ........................................... 57
KingHerodStruckDownbyanAngel.......................................58
WhatAngelsAreDoingToday .............................................59
DramaticSuccessatAntioch .................................................60
TheBeautifulNameGodGavetheBelievers .................................60
TheMeaningofGospelOrdination.......................................... 61
GodRecognizesandHonorsChurchOrganization .............................62
HeraldsoftheGospel .......................................................64
PaulandMarkLaterReconciled ............................................65
PaulSpeaksPlainly.......................................................65
TheGentilesSeetheLight.................................................66
TheApostlesAreBothPersecutedandAdored..................................68
ExcitementatLystra ......................................................68
JewsIncitetheCrowdtoStonePaul .........................................69
InstructionandOrganizationEssentialtoSuccess..............................70
ThornyProblemsSettledbytheHolySpirit.....................................72
TheFirstGeneralChurchCouncil ..........................................72
HowtheHolySpiritLedtheCouncil ........................................73
TroubleinJerusalem......................................................74
Paul’sSecret: ExalttheCross ................................................76
HowTwoWomenTrainedaManofGod.....................................76
TheCrossandRighteousnessbyFaith .......................................78
AngelsOpenaPhilippianPrison..............................................79
AFrenziedMultitude .....................................................79
ACruelJailerIsConverted ................................................80
TheAuthoritiesApologize................................................. 81
Paul’sExampleBecameaLastingInfluence .................................. 81
ARevivalandaRiotatThessalonica ..........................................83
PaulRelatestheStoryofHisConversion.....................................86
PaulPreachesinBereaandAthens ............................................88
TheGreatCityofPaganism................................................88
Paul’sImpressiveOrationonMars’Hill .....................................89
TheGreatPhilosophersRejectedtheGospel ..................................90
TruthtoBeTaughtTactfully ............................................... 91
PreachingthePoweroftheCrossinCorinth ....................................92
Contents v
TheOneObjectofSupremeInterest.........................................92
AgaintheJewsRejecttheGospel ...........................................93
PaulBitterlyAttacked.....................................................94
RomanProconsulRefusestoBeaDupeoftheJews ...........................95
TwoImportantLetterstotheThessalonians.....................................96
WhereAretheDead? .....................................................96
SignsofChrist’sComing .................................................. 97
DidPaulExpecttoLivetoSeeChristReturn? ................................98
ChurchPoliticsatCorinth ..................................................100
HowPaulHandledSexualImmorality ...................................... 101
TheLettertotheCorinthiansIsTimelyToday ...............................102
ThePerilofTryingtoGoItAlone .........................................102
WitchcraftBooksBurned ...................................................104
TheHolySpiritProducesFruitintheBeliever ...............................105
TheBattleBetweenChristandSatanatEphesus .............................105
WhyTheyBurnedtheSatanicBooks .......................................106
TheSilversmithsRiotatEphesus ............................................108
TheApostleEagertoDefendTruth ........................................109
OppressedbyEnemiesandDesertedbyFriends ..............................110
PaulChallengesLawsuitsandSexualLooseness ............................... 111
TheNatureofaProphet’sInspiration .......................................112
HowtoHandleLawsuitsAmongChurchMembers ...........................113
HowtoLivePureLivesinanOceanofImpurity .............................113
PaulStrengthenstheChurchforAllTime .....................................115
TheRaceWhereEveryoneCanWin........................................116
ImportanceofLove......................................................117
TheResurrectionClarifiesAllScriptureTruth ...............................118
CorinthAcceptsPaul’sCounsel..............................................119
Paul’sJoyatTheirReconversion...........................................119
TheMostWonderfulCareerPossible .......................................120
TheCrossAccomplishesTrueConversion................................... 121
TheJoyofLiberalGiving ..................................................123
ShouldFollowersofChristGiveLess?......................................123
BlessingsinGratitudeOfferings ...........................................124
WhytheGiftsofthePoorAreValuable .....................................125
WorkingUnderGreatDifficulties ............................................127
PriscillaandAquilaEncouragePaul........................................128
ASuggestionforModernGospelMinisters..................................129
TheHeartBurdenCarriedbyServantsofChrist ..............................129
TheJoyofWorkingWithChrist ............................................. 131
Christ’sLoveaGreaterMotivationThanMoney ............................. 131
ComeClosetothePeople ................................................132
TheDangerofSideBusinesses ............................................133
God’sSpecialPlanfortheJews..............................................135
ThoseWhoFallCanRiseAgain ...........................................136
vi UnlikelyLeaders
AllWhoBelieveAretheTrueIsrael........................................136
WhatIsNeededinOrdertoAwakentheSincereJews .........................137
Paul’sTimelessLettertotheGalatians ........................................138
WhyPaulWasSoAbrupt.................................................138
SuccessFollowedtheLetter...............................................139
Paul’sFarewellJourneytoJerusalem .........................................140
TheSaturdayEveningFarewellMeeting ....................................140
TheHolySpiritMovesPaultoSayGood-bye................................ 141
PaulWouldNotTurnAsideFromDuty .....................................142
PaulReceivesBadAdvice ..................................................144
SomeLeadersContinuetoHurtPaul’sMinistry ..............................144
AdvicetoCompromiseLeadstoDisaster ...................................145
TheHatredShowntoChristRepeatedAgainstPaul ...........................146
TheUnreasoningHatredofPaul’sEnemies..................................147
TheRageofExclusivism .................................................147
PaulBeforetheCourtofLaw .............................................147
Paul’sNephewFoilsthePlot ..............................................149
AddingCrimetoCrime ..................................................149
Paul’sTrialatCaesarea..................................................... 151
FelixandDrusillaHeartheWonderfulGoodNews ...........................152
FelixandHisWifeRejectTheirGoldenOpportunity..........................152
PaulAppealstoCaesar .....................................................154
ThoseWhoServeGodNeedFirmCourage..................................155
TheKingWhoRefusedtheCross ............................................156
PaulNotIntimidatedbyEarthlyPomp ......................................156
Worldly“Great”PeopleRejecttheCross....................................157
PaulExperiencesShipwreckinaStorm .......................................158
Paul’sInspiredAdviceRejected ...........................................158
DisastertotheShip......................................................159
ThePrisonersAbouttoBeKilled ..........................................160
PaulinRome: Big-CityEvangelistinChains .................................. 161
Paul,inChains,AppealstotheJews........................................162
ReligionIsPracticalandExperiential.......................................162
AsaPrisoner,PaulHasStrongerInfluence ..................................163
TheBeautifulStoryofOnesimustheSlave ..................................163
PaulWinsConvertsintheEmperor’sPalace .................................165
Paul’sAfflictionsDoNotRestricttheGospel ................................166
NoExcuseforUnfaithfulness .............................................167
TheLettersPaulWroteFromRome ..........................................168
Christ,theCreator.......................................................168
HowtoBreaktheChainsofHabit..........................................170
TothePhilippians: HowtoReachPerfection.................................170
TheTrueMotiveThatLeadstoPerfection................................... 171
PaulIsFreeOnceMore ....................................................173
Paul’sLastPeriodofFreedom.............................................173