Study Topic: Witchcraft
Leviticus 19:26 (NIV)
26 " 'Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. " 'Do not practice divination or sorcery.
In the New Testament (after Jesus died for our sins and rose again), he said in Matthew 15:10-11 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”
Then in Matthew 15:15-18:
15 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”
16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you.
And Jesus has authority:
19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. 21 For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. 22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, 23 so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.
24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
For more on how we are to eat, see my blog called, “Topic of Food in the Holy Bible”.
Leviticus 20:6 (NIV)
" 'I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people.
Medium: a person through whom the spirits of the dead are alleged to be able to contact the living.
Spiritism: The belief that the dead communicate with the living; spiritualism.
Deuteronomy 18:10-14 (NIV)
10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
The Prophet
14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.
Division: the practice of attempting to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge by occult or supernatural means.
Sorcery: the art, practices, or spells of a person who is supposed to exercise supernatural powers through the aid of evil spirits; black magic; witchery.
Omen: anything perceived or happening that is believed to portend a good or evil event or circumstance in the future; portent.
Witchcraft: the art or practices of a witch; sorcery; magic. magical influence; witchery.
Kings 9:22 (NIV)
When Joram saw Jehu he asked, "Have you come in peace, Jehu?"
"How can there be peace," Jehu replied, "as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?"
There won’t be any peace!
2 Kings 17:15-18 (NIV)
15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, "Do not do as they do," and they did the things the LORD had forbidden them to do.
Idol: an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed. any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or devotion
16 They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. 17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
Asherah pole - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An Asherah pole is a sacred tree or pole that stood near Canaanite religious locations to honor the Ugaritic mother-goddess Asherah, consort of El. The "asherahs" were usually upright wooden objects, often standing beside altars, and in at least eight instances they are described as carved. So it seems they were not merely wooden poles, but probably quite large carved images.
So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left,
2 Kings 21:5-6 (NIV)
In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
2 Kings 23
Josiah Renews the Covenant
1 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2 He went up to the temple of the LORD with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. 3 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD -to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.
4 The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel. 5 He did away with the pagan priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem—those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts. 6 He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people. 7 He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the LORD and where women did weaving for Asherah.
8 Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the shrines [a] at the gates—at the entrance to the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which is on the left of the city gate. 9 Although the priests of the high places did not serve at the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.
10 He desecrated Topheth, which was in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, so no one could use it to sacrifice his son or daughter in [b] the fire to Molech. 11 He removed from the entrance to the temple of the LORD the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the court near the room of an official named Nathan-Melech. Josiah then burned the chariots dedicated to the sun.
12 He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had erected on the roof near the upper room of Ahaz, and the altars Manasseh had built in the two courts of the temple of the LORD. He removed them from there, smashed them to pieces and threw the rubble into the Kidron Valley. 13 The king also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption—the ones Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molech [c] the detestable god of the people of Ammon. 14 Josiah smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones.
15 Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin—even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also. 16 Then Josiah looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.
17 The king asked, "What is that tombstone I see?"
The men of the city said, "It marks the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced against the altar of Bethel the very things you have done to it."
18 "Leave it alone," he said. "Don't let anyone disturb his bones." So they spared his bones and those of the prophet who had come from Samaria.
19 Just as he had done at Bethel, Josiah removed and defiled all the shrines at the high places that the kings of Israel had built in the towns of Samaria that had provoked the LORD to anger. 20 Josiah slaughtered all the priests of those high places on the altars and burned human bones on them. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
21 The king gave this order to all the people: "Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant." 22 Not since the days of the judges who led Israel, nor throughout the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah, had any such Passover been observed. 23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to the LORD in Jerusalem.
24 Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the LORD. 25 Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.
26 Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to provoke him to anger. 27 So the LORD said, "I will remove Judah also from my presence as I removed Israel, and I will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose, and this temple, about which I said, 'There shall my Name be.' "
28 As for the other events of Josiah's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
29 While Josiah was king, Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah marched out to meet him in battle, but Neco faced him and killed him at Megiddo. 30 Josiah's servants brought his body in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father.
Jehoahaz King of Judah
31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. 32 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his fathers had done. 33 Pharaoh Neco put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath [e] so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents [f] of silver and a talent [g] of gold. 34 Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah and changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, and there he died. 35 Jehoiakim paid Pharaoh Neco the silver and gold he demanded. In order to do so, he taxed the land and exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land according to their assessments.
Jehoiakim King of Judah
Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother's name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah; she was from Rumah. And he did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.
1 Chronicles 10:13
Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,
2 Chronicles 33:6
He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
Isaiah 2:6
The Day of the Lord
You have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans.
Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
Isaiah 19:3
The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will confuse their plans. They will plead with their idols for wisdom and call on spirits, mediums, and those who consult the spirits of the dead.
Isaiah 65:3-4
All day long they insult me to my face by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens. They burn incense on pagan altars. At night they go out among the graves, worshiping the dead. They eat the flesh of pigs and make stews with other forbidden foods.
Pagan: one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks. A person who is not a Christian. An irreligious or hedonistic person.
Jeremiah 19
Jeremiah’s Shattered Jar
1 This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy a clay jar. Then ask some of the leaders of the people and of the priests to follow you. 2 Go out through the Gate of Broken Pots to the garbage dump in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and give them this message. 3 Say to them, ‘Listen to this message from the LORD, you kings of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem! This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will bring a terrible disaster on this place, and the ears of those who hear about it will ring!
4 “‘For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods—idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children. 5 They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing! 6 So beware, for the time is coming, says the LORD, when this garbage dump will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.
7 “‘For I will upset the careful plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will allow the people to be slaughtered by invading armies, and I will leave their dead bodies as food for the vultures and wild animals. 8 I will reduce Jerusalem to ruins, making it a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be astonished and will gasp at the destruction they see there. 9 I will see to it that your enemies lay siege to the city until all the food is gone. Then those trapped inside will eat their own sons and daughters and friends. They will be driven to utter despair.’
10 “As these men watch you, Jeremiah, smash the jar you brought. 11 Then say to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: As this jar lies shattered, so I will shatter the people of Judah and Jerusalem beyond all hope of repair. They will bury the bodies here in Topheth, the garbage dump, until there is no more room for them. 12 This is what I will do to this place and its people, says the LORD. I will cause this city to become defiled like Topheth. 13 Yes, all the houses in Jerusalem, including the palace of Judah’s kings, will become like Topheth—all the houses where you burned incense on the rooftops to your star gods, and where liquid offerings were poured out to your idols.’”
14 Then Jeremiah returned from Topheth, the garbage dump where he had delivered this message, and he stopped in front of the Temple of the LORD. He said to the people there, 15 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will bring disaster upon this city and its surrounding towns as I promised, because you have stubbornly refused to listen to me.’”
Jeremiah 27:9-10
“‘Do not listen to your false prophets, fortune-tellers, interpreters of dreams, mediums, and sorcerers who say, “The king of Babylon will not conquer you.” 10 They are all liars, and their lies will lead to your being driven out of your land. I will drive you out and send you far away to die.
Jeremiah 29:8
This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams,
Ezekiel 21:21
21 The king of Babylon now stands at the fork, uncertain whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbah. He calls his magicians to look for omens. They cast lots by shaking arrows from the quiver. They inspect the livers of animal sacrifices.
Ezekiel 23:39
39 On the very day that they sacrificed their children to their idols, they boldly came into my Temple to worship! They came in and defiled my house.
Most of these scriptures came from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible unless otherwise noted.
Definitions came from http://www.dictionary.com/ unless otherwise noted!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
My Commission
Scriptures on our Commission
(From the New Living Translation)
Matthew 10:33
33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
Jesus says this so we know that if you believe He was not sent by God to save you then when our Father in heaven asks Jesus about each of us, Jesus will deny the unbelievers!
I say, just try and stop me from sharing my testimony!
Acts 18:9-10
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.”
A few years ago I was in line at the store and the cashier claimed he was “Rastafarian” and he was talking to the customer about it. They were both young guys. He spoke of Rasta like it was a religion and the coolest thing to get into. My spirit was immediately prompted but for what I wasn’t certain. I just thought, NO! Jesus is the way! The only way! I didn’t know what to do but I felt there was something I should do! When I got home I talked to God about it. Then I opened the Holy Bible to a random page and my eyes went straight to Acts 18:9-10! I read it and couldn’t believe it! Well I could believe it but I was surprised! God showed me this scripture as an answer to my question.
God is amazing and is very approachable and relatable!
Romans 15:18-19
18 Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. 19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.
Paul was not saved for many years AFTER Jesus resurrected! In fact, Paul was a persecutor of Christians! Once he was baptized with the Holy Spirit he began to take his testimony to the non-Jews outside the Holy Land. Like to Greece. He NEVER took credit for what would end up happening! But what happened is the exact reason why Christianity will never die! A spiritual event takes place! God is the one doing it! But He chooses to work through humans. What an honor. Which is what I see Paul expressing here; that he was honored to take part in God’s great plan to save.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
Yeah! Who am I? I’m just God’s servant through whom people will believe the Good News. I do the work the Lord gives me! I plant seeds in people’s hearts, and water seeds planted by other servants, but it is GOD who makes those seeds grow! It doesn’t matter if I plant… or if I water as long as I am working together with other servants with the same purpose. For instance, my Pastor, Pastor Ed Taylor put out a request on facebook for his friends to pray for those who were about to receive his message out in Cairo. Pastor Ed knows it’s not his message, but God’s. He asked for prayer because he was about to plant and water seeds. He would be teaching believers and preaching to the lost. He was about to plant seeds in the lost. So, I prayed from over here in Colorado that those seeds would be watered by other servants and that faith would take root in those people who hear the message of God. I trust that other servants will come along and water those seeds. And God will make it grow! We’ll each be rewarded for our own hard work! I don’t even think of a reward and knowing Pastor Ed, he doesn’t either. The Holy Spirit has poured love into us and a longing to see everyone pass from death to life! Once they do, they will be filled with the Holy Spirit and have God’s love poured into them! And the church grows and grows and grows. God causes this “increase”. The people in Cairo are God’s building!
1 Corinthians 9:19-21
19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
Paul traveled and his main “work” in life was like that of today’s Pastors. Pastors work extremely hard. They engage spiritually and physically every day with a multitude of people. People who are broken and the Pastor like Paul brings them to Christ. He was easy to get along with because of the many different types of people he encountered. Could I do this every day? Not without a serious anointing by God!!! God doesn’t make every believer a “Pastor” but he does make each believer who surrenders, a disciple.
dis•ci•ple –noun
1. Religion.
a. one of the 12 personal followers of Christ.
b. one of the 70 followers sent forth by Christ. Luke 10:1.
c. any other professed follower of Christ in His lifetime.
2. any follower of Christ.
3. (initial capital letter ) a member of the Disciples of Christ.
4. a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another; follower: a disciple of Freud.
(dictionary.com)
When Paul says he obeys the Law of Christ he means he loves no other before God and loves others as he loves himself. Also, the jews were still living under the law of what foods to eat and not eat etc. and so Paul would do likewise while eating with them even though he was free through Jesus from this type of law. The laws were actually there for the people’s own good and to teach obedience. When Paul would go to Greece and eat with them, he had freedom to eat what they ate. He wouldn’t do that if it were a sin. So, he fits in around all kinds of people and cultures, but does it without disobedience! Paul is always very careful! Because he loves God! Because he is baptized with the Holy Spirit! He couldn’t do this without God’s help! Nor can Pastors! I wonder what Pastor Ed is eating in Egypt!!
1 Corinthians 10:33
33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
Paul always has one focus. To bring people to Christ. He puts forth effort and work for the sake of people!
2 Corinthians 1:17-23
17 You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say “Yes” when they really mean “No”? 18 As surely as God is faithful, my word to you does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” 19 For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. 20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
I think of this in my daily conversations. I try to say yes when I mean yes and say no when I mean no. When did I learn that wavering was a nice thing to do? Or a means of keeping the peace? It actually just causes distrust and confusion.
21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
And here it is. Paul teaches the church of Corinth, and me, to stand firm for Christ! He commissioned ME. When Paul says “us” I am included in that because I am identified as Jesus’ own by the placement of the Holy Spirit in my heart! And thank God, that through this, I am guaranteed all that God has promised. And…… he doesn’t waver!
23 Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke.
Paul is not just talking for his own purposes and wants this church to believe what he is saying. So much so, that he calls on God to witness these truths! That’s where we get the saying, “As God is my witness”. It means we are telling the truth and would not lie about such a thing!
2 Corinthians 2:14
Ministers of the New Covenant
14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
I myself am honored to be triumphant through Jesus and to be used to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere! I want so deeply to go to the ends of the earth where God needs workers. America needs workers but we are blessed with freedom here. Freedom to have Holy Bibles in our homes, to have meeting places to learn about God, and to speak freely about our faith. It only makes sense that other nations who do not have this freedom depend on God’s workers to bring them the Good News, that Jesus died for them too! God will save them so I have no pressure. My only pressure right now is to go. I keep thinking of Israel and the middle-east and even Russia! I know nothing about their food and little about their culture. One thing I do know is that my body is naturally in their time zone! So, I would probably get up early there! Lol! But I’d starve! Lol! God, my God, thank you for leading ME in Christ’s triumphal procession! It would be an honor to go where you want me to work! If that is right here in Colorado, great, I’m already working. If it is across the world, let me go work there and Speak Out for you! By the power of the Holy Spirit in me! In Jesus name I pray!
2 Corinthians 3 (From the Apostle Paul to the Church in Corinth)
1 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
My mess is my message! (I was pulled out of the pit/miry clay!) My life is a letter! Praise God!
4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.
This is what I am hoping to minister to the Jewish people of today who still try to obey the ten commandments in their own power! God has already taught that it is impossible! God has already sent the Messiah!
The Glory of the New Covenant
7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!
Everything changed after God sent his only begotten son into the world as a man to save us (not to condemn us) and then after He resurrected and conquered death!! I’m glad to have been born on this side of that event! (the cross).
12 Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.
Father, my Father. I pray that the veil be lifted once and for all for your chosen ones! In the powerful name of Jesus, I ask. Amen!
16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
Have you ever noticed how people who are reborn with the Holy Spirit begin to change? It’s the Spirit making them more and more like the Lord! The world outcasts Christians but in reality we are being changed into Christ’s glorious image! LOL!
2 Corinthians 4
Treasure in Fragile Clay Jars
1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
Again I learn, there is no pressure to be deceitful! We don’t save anyone. God does that! He has prepared those who receive from us the truth! We give the truth and then God saves that person! There’s no need to “trick” anyone. So, that being said, why are there a bunch of televangelists using tactics to supposedly bring people to their salvation??!!
3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
Don’t let him! Always lean toward God! I pray that none would perish!
5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
This is so true! In my life and in the life of all my Christian brothers and sisters whom I pray for!
10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
Our bodies are just like Jesus’ body was?
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.
12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
This is a lot for me to chew on! I thank you God that I can come directly to your throne using the name of Jesus and ask you to show me what this scripture means! It seems like it’s about martyrdom but could also be about the fact that Jesus was in fact in a human body that was just like our human bodies.
13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”
Yes, I have that kind of faith too. I can relate to this scripture. Again, with the example of the Rastafarian dude. I believed in God and I wanted to speak but I was still learning these things from the Holy Spirit and that time I failed to speak. I’ve learned a lot since then.
14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.
When Paul says “we” he means him and the disciples who are with him. When he says “you” he is talking to the church (which is the followers of Christ today as well as the church in Corinth!)
So, Paul, the disciples with him, the church in Corinth and today’s “church” or “body of Christ” or reborn Christians will not lay dead in a grave like our bodies, we are raised with Jesus in his name, because we came to the Father through Jesus… and that is the only way to come to God.
15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
Yes, why would Paul suffer as he did taking the Good News to the gentiles and facing persecution do that for himself? He’s already sealed with the Holy Spirit! Now, you will carry the message forward and more people will be reached through you! This is how God wants it.
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
There are two “beings”. Our body and our spirit.
17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
One thing I can look forward to are those “rewards” that God has promised us for our hard work.
2 Corinthians 10:16
16 Then we will be able to go and preach the Good News in other places far beyond you, where no one else is working. Then there will be no question of our boasting about work done in someone else’s territory.
Wow, in re-reading this now, the Holy Spirit is impressing upon me for the second time during this study, the desire to go where no one else is working. Not that there’s any competition between me and the disciples in America! But that part about, “where no one else is working”. That is what I’m called to. Also to disaster areas. Praise God!
Ephesians 4:1-3
Unity in the Body
1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
Yes, and wow! I WANT to lead a life worthy of my calling! God, help me be humble and gentle! Assist me to be patient with the other members of the body. (other Christians). Guide me in making allowances for other’s faults and fill me with your love!!! Lord help us disciples always be united in the Spirit, binding ourselves together with peace! I really need your divine assistance and will meditate on this word. In Jesus name, Amen!
Philippians 1:22
22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.
This is Paul, the Apostle, who is about to die. He wants to live so he can continue in his commission, but he also wants to be with the Lord! To be apart from the body is to be with the Lord and he knows that! This is where my love for Paul grows deeper! I love him for being obedient, for cooperating with God, for loving others and putting them before himself all the time! The Holy Spirit used him so mightily and I believe it’s because he used to persecute Christians before Jesus got a hold of him on the Damascus road!!! God made a HUGE statement by taking Saul, saving him, renaming him Paul, and sending him out to the gentiles to deliver the good news!!! God brings such glory to himself!!!
I myself probably won’t contemplate like this! Does that make Paul better than me?! No, I think God gave Paul that desire to carry out the commission that was so strong that he even contemplates putting off going to the Lord to keep working on the earth!!!! I always want to live for my son! To be his mom! To help him in life! And yes, I have a sense of urgency to get out there in the world before it’s too late for the non-believers! Not because I sense that I will die prematurely, but because I sense that Jesus will return soon! But even if I pass on before He returns, I can’t see contemplating that I still wanna go to that far-way territory to work some more on the earth! To be persecuted some more, etc.!!! Paul was very dedicated and I believe that God made him that way on purpose.
Philippians 1:29 (NKJ)
29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
Yes, we do suffer with Him. So many of my brothers and sisters are like me in the work-place in that we are outcasts. Not necessarily invited to join in all the reindeer games… and yes, outright verbally abused for our faith! Though I don’t know anyone personally who has been killed for their faith. But I realize that even I could be a martyr. I think of Scott, who died at Columbine. The killer asked her if she believed in Jesus and she said, “Yes” and then he shot her. That could happen. Especially in the world today with all the terrorism going on.
1 Timothy 4
A Good Servant of Jesus Christ
6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach.
This letter was written by Paul to Timothy. They are both working and striving to be a good minister of Jesus. Paul encourages Timothy to stay in the word and in good teachings and to reject the false stuff. I like that Paul uses exercise to make a point. Rather than just physical exercise for our bodies, he encourages Timothy, and us, to exercise our Godliness! There’s this life that is yet to come for believers! As believers we are all working toward that life! We do suffer censure. But our work is not in vain. We can trust that God saves!
Take Heed to Your Ministry
12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Timothy is young. But he can still set a good example to other believers by things he says, how he behaves, by loving them, by being in the spirit (rather than satisfying fleshly desires), by believing in Jesus, and by being pure! So, if Timothy is our example then I must aspire to be this way also. He instructs Timothy to stay in the word and to give urgent advice to the believers, and to attend to the things he has learned so far.This reminds me of how Jeremiah opens in verse ; 6 “O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” 7 The LORD replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
Youth are not “elders”, true. But they are to carry out the same commission just as well!
14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
The Elders of the early church gave authority to Timothy, by God. Paul exhorts Timothy to use this gift!
15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.
The other believers will benefit from seeing a young leader giving himself entirely to these practices of faith.
16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Tim has an honorable role in life. He will stay pure by taking Paul’s advice and those who hear Timothy speak will be saved by God! We have the same opportunity to take part in God’s plan for those who are still lost! We must continue to keep ourselves in check!
1 Timothy 6:11-14
Paul’s Final Instructions
11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses. 13 And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
Paul is Timothy’s “Senior Pastor”!!! How awesome to see this illustration of “discipleship”! Some of today’s men portray themselves as macho, but a strong man-of-God is one who is loving and gentle! He stays the coarse! And he doesn’t waver! Now that’s an attractive Christian man!
Paul considers it well-done that Tim has confessed his faith to many! I want to do good in this way too!!!
2 Timothy 1:8-12
8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
Paul was arrested more than once for preaching the truth! If my Pastor was arrested, I might be tempted to feel embarrassed or foolish and to hang my head down, but this scripture would encourage me to keep telling others about Jesus! Even if I myself were to suffer for doing so!!! Wow. God would have to give me strength!
9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
I’m glad I’m on board!
10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.
Acts 10:36
This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—
that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Ephesians 1:7
7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom
with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Ephesians 1:13
And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that
God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you
as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
This passage reminds me of my Pastor. And correctly so given the following passage:
Ephesians 4:11-12
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles,
the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and
build up the church, the body of Christ.
2 Timothy 2:2
2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
Paul’s commission now becomes Tim’s commission, and mine!
2 Timothy 2:25-26
25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
2 Timothy 4:5
5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
God has given ME the a burden for the lost. I want to work at telling others the Good News, and I do! But I’d love to be more focused on it!
2 Peter 3:12
12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.
I can hurry it along by sharing the Good News. In Matthew 24:14, Jesus said,
“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole
world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
God doesn’t want any to perish. I pray everyone gets on board soon!
Matthew 10:14-15
14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.
Jesus sounds very clear here! I’ve experienced households who have refused to listen to my message. Sadly, I have had to shake its dust from my feet as I left. I tried really hard for a long time; praying the whole time, listening for direction and finally it was clear. That I had to leave this one. This one was a rebel. :(
God, my God, I thank you for the Good News that you save! I thank you for the Savior, JESUS! I’m thankful for all of your gifts for the church! For having it as part of your plan to include us in the work! And by the way, the rewards! I’m just thankful to be saved Father! You have been so good to me the last five years. You have treated me better than any human ever has! I’m thankful that you relate with me. You show you care about me! You answer my prayers, you increase my faith, you protect me! You’re awesome! You also teach me and correct me and purge me of sin! You have given me new desires! I have passion that I never had before in my life! I ask you to help me cooperate with you! I do feel the sense of urgency that time is short! And I know I will only live so much longer. So, use me Lord! On this earth with whatever time I have left. Perhaps Jesus will return before my body dies. Perhaps my body will die first. Either way, I meant it when I surrendered my life to you. Don’t let me try to ever take it back! Or shy away from any job you would have for me! I would be honored. Take away all fears in me to carry out my mission from you! Clear the way! Make a way! Be glorified through my life! In Jesus name I ask. Amen.
John 14:13-14
13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it,
so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.
14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
(From the New Living Translation)
Matthew 10:33
33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
Jesus says this so we know that if you believe He was not sent by God to save you then when our Father in heaven asks Jesus about each of us, Jesus will deny the unbelievers!
I say, just try and stop me from sharing my testimony!
Acts 18:9-10
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.”
A few years ago I was in line at the store and the cashier claimed he was “Rastafarian” and he was talking to the customer about it. They were both young guys. He spoke of Rasta like it was a religion and the coolest thing to get into. My spirit was immediately prompted but for what I wasn’t certain. I just thought, NO! Jesus is the way! The only way! I didn’t know what to do but I felt there was something I should do! When I got home I talked to God about it. Then I opened the Holy Bible to a random page and my eyes went straight to Acts 18:9-10! I read it and couldn’t believe it! Well I could believe it but I was surprised! God showed me this scripture as an answer to my question.
God is amazing and is very approachable and relatable!
Romans 15:18-19
18 Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. 19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.
Paul was not saved for many years AFTER Jesus resurrected! In fact, Paul was a persecutor of Christians! Once he was baptized with the Holy Spirit he began to take his testimony to the non-Jews outside the Holy Land. Like to Greece. He NEVER took credit for what would end up happening! But what happened is the exact reason why Christianity will never die! A spiritual event takes place! God is the one doing it! But He chooses to work through humans. What an honor. Which is what I see Paul expressing here; that he was honored to take part in God’s great plan to save.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
Yeah! Who am I? I’m just God’s servant through whom people will believe the Good News. I do the work the Lord gives me! I plant seeds in people’s hearts, and water seeds planted by other servants, but it is GOD who makes those seeds grow! It doesn’t matter if I plant… or if I water as long as I am working together with other servants with the same purpose. For instance, my Pastor, Pastor Ed Taylor put out a request on facebook for his friends to pray for those who were about to receive his message out in Cairo. Pastor Ed knows it’s not his message, but God’s. He asked for prayer because he was about to plant and water seeds. He would be teaching believers and preaching to the lost. He was about to plant seeds in the lost. So, I prayed from over here in Colorado that those seeds would be watered by other servants and that faith would take root in those people who hear the message of God. I trust that other servants will come along and water those seeds. And God will make it grow! We’ll each be rewarded for our own hard work! I don’t even think of a reward and knowing Pastor Ed, he doesn’t either. The Holy Spirit has poured love into us and a longing to see everyone pass from death to life! Once they do, they will be filled with the Holy Spirit and have God’s love poured into them! And the church grows and grows and grows. God causes this “increase”. The people in Cairo are God’s building!
1 Corinthians 9:19-21
19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
Paul traveled and his main “work” in life was like that of today’s Pastors. Pastors work extremely hard. They engage spiritually and physically every day with a multitude of people. People who are broken and the Pastor like Paul brings them to Christ. He was easy to get along with because of the many different types of people he encountered. Could I do this every day? Not without a serious anointing by God!!! God doesn’t make every believer a “Pastor” but he does make each believer who surrenders, a disciple.
dis•ci•ple –noun
1. Religion.
a. one of the 12 personal followers of Christ.
b. one of the 70 followers sent forth by Christ. Luke 10:1.
c. any other professed follower of Christ in His lifetime.
2. any follower of Christ.
3. (initial capital letter ) a member of the Disciples of Christ.
4. a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another; follower: a disciple of Freud.
(dictionary.com)
When Paul says he obeys the Law of Christ he means he loves no other before God and loves others as he loves himself. Also, the jews were still living under the law of what foods to eat and not eat etc. and so Paul would do likewise while eating with them even though he was free through Jesus from this type of law. The laws were actually there for the people’s own good and to teach obedience. When Paul would go to Greece and eat with them, he had freedom to eat what they ate. He wouldn’t do that if it were a sin. So, he fits in around all kinds of people and cultures, but does it without disobedience! Paul is always very careful! Because he loves God! Because he is baptized with the Holy Spirit! He couldn’t do this without God’s help! Nor can Pastors! I wonder what Pastor Ed is eating in Egypt!!
1 Corinthians 10:33
33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
Paul always has one focus. To bring people to Christ. He puts forth effort and work for the sake of people!
2 Corinthians 1:17-23
17 You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say “Yes” when they really mean “No”? 18 As surely as God is faithful, my word to you does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” 19 For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. 20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
I think of this in my daily conversations. I try to say yes when I mean yes and say no when I mean no. When did I learn that wavering was a nice thing to do? Or a means of keeping the peace? It actually just causes distrust and confusion.
21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
And here it is. Paul teaches the church of Corinth, and me, to stand firm for Christ! He commissioned ME. When Paul says “us” I am included in that because I am identified as Jesus’ own by the placement of the Holy Spirit in my heart! And thank God, that through this, I am guaranteed all that God has promised. And…… he doesn’t waver!
23 Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke.
Paul is not just talking for his own purposes and wants this church to believe what he is saying. So much so, that he calls on God to witness these truths! That’s where we get the saying, “As God is my witness”. It means we are telling the truth and would not lie about such a thing!
2 Corinthians 2:14
Ministers of the New Covenant
14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
I myself am honored to be triumphant through Jesus and to be used to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere! I want so deeply to go to the ends of the earth where God needs workers. America needs workers but we are blessed with freedom here. Freedom to have Holy Bibles in our homes, to have meeting places to learn about God, and to speak freely about our faith. It only makes sense that other nations who do not have this freedom depend on God’s workers to bring them the Good News, that Jesus died for them too! God will save them so I have no pressure. My only pressure right now is to go. I keep thinking of Israel and the middle-east and even Russia! I know nothing about their food and little about their culture. One thing I do know is that my body is naturally in their time zone! So, I would probably get up early there! Lol! But I’d starve! Lol! God, my God, thank you for leading ME in Christ’s triumphal procession! It would be an honor to go where you want me to work! If that is right here in Colorado, great, I’m already working. If it is across the world, let me go work there and Speak Out for you! By the power of the Holy Spirit in me! In Jesus name I pray!
2 Corinthians 3 (From the Apostle Paul to the Church in Corinth)
1 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
My mess is my message! (I was pulled out of the pit/miry clay!) My life is a letter! Praise God!
4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.
This is what I am hoping to minister to the Jewish people of today who still try to obey the ten commandments in their own power! God has already taught that it is impossible! God has already sent the Messiah!
The Glory of the New Covenant
7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!
Everything changed after God sent his only begotten son into the world as a man to save us (not to condemn us) and then after He resurrected and conquered death!! I’m glad to have been born on this side of that event! (the cross).
12 Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.
Father, my Father. I pray that the veil be lifted once and for all for your chosen ones! In the powerful name of Jesus, I ask. Amen!
16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
Have you ever noticed how people who are reborn with the Holy Spirit begin to change? It’s the Spirit making them more and more like the Lord! The world outcasts Christians but in reality we are being changed into Christ’s glorious image! LOL!
2 Corinthians 4
Treasure in Fragile Clay Jars
1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
Again I learn, there is no pressure to be deceitful! We don’t save anyone. God does that! He has prepared those who receive from us the truth! We give the truth and then God saves that person! There’s no need to “trick” anyone. So, that being said, why are there a bunch of televangelists using tactics to supposedly bring people to their salvation??!!
3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
Don’t let him! Always lean toward God! I pray that none would perish!
5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
This is so true! In my life and in the life of all my Christian brothers and sisters whom I pray for!
10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
Our bodies are just like Jesus’ body was?
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.
12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
This is a lot for me to chew on! I thank you God that I can come directly to your throne using the name of Jesus and ask you to show me what this scripture means! It seems like it’s about martyrdom but could also be about the fact that Jesus was in fact in a human body that was just like our human bodies.
13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”
Yes, I have that kind of faith too. I can relate to this scripture. Again, with the example of the Rastafarian dude. I believed in God and I wanted to speak but I was still learning these things from the Holy Spirit and that time I failed to speak. I’ve learned a lot since then.
14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.
When Paul says “we” he means him and the disciples who are with him. When he says “you” he is talking to the church (which is the followers of Christ today as well as the church in Corinth!)
So, Paul, the disciples with him, the church in Corinth and today’s “church” or “body of Christ” or reborn Christians will not lay dead in a grave like our bodies, we are raised with Jesus in his name, because we came to the Father through Jesus… and that is the only way to come to God.
15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
Yes, why would Paul suffer as he did taking the Good News to the gentiles and facing persecution do that for himself? He’s already sealed with the Holy Spirit! Now, you will carry the message forward and more people will be reached through you! This is how God wants it.
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
There are two “beings”. Our body and our spirit.
17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
One thing I can look forward to are those “rewards” that God has promised us for our hard work.
2 Corinthians 10:16
16 Then we will be able to go and preach the Good News in other places far beyond you, where no one else is working. Then there will be no question of our boasting about work done in someone else’s territory.
Wow, in re-reading this now, the Holy Spirit is impressing upon me for the second time during this study, the desire to go where no one else is working. Not that there’s any competition between me and the disciples in America! But that part about, “where no one else is working”. That is what I’m called to. Also to disaster areas. Praise God!
Ephesians 4:1-3
Unity in the Body
1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
Yes, and wow! I WANT to lead a life worthy of my calling! God, help me be humble and gentle! Assist me to be patient with the other members of the body. (other Christians). Guide me in making allowances for other’s faults and fill me with your love!!! Lord help us disciples always be united in the Spirit, binding ourselves together with peace! I really need your divine assistance and will meditate on this word. In Jesus name, Amen!
Philippians 1:22
22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.
This is Paul, the Apostle, who is about to die. He wants to live so he can continue in his commission, but he also wants to be with the Lord! To be apart from the body is to be with the Lord and he knows that! This is where my love for Paul grows deeper! I love him for being obedient, for cooperating with God, for loving others and putting them before himself all the time! The Holy Spirit used him so mightily and I believe it’s because he used to persecute Christians before Jesus got a hold of him on the Damascus road!!! God made a HUGE statement by taking Saul, saving him, renaming him Paul, and sending him out to the gentiles to deliver the good news!!! God brings such glory to himself!!!
I myself probably won’t contemplate like this! Does that make Paul better than me?! No, I think God gave Paul that desire to carry out the commission that was so strong that he even contemplates putting off going to the Lord to keep working on the earth!!!! I always want to live for my son! To be his mom! To help him in life! And yes, I have a sense of urgency to get out there in the world before it’s too late for the non-believers! Not because I sense that I will die prematurely, but because I sense that Jesus will return soon! But even if I pass on before He returns, I can’t see contemplating that I still wanna go to that far-way territory to work some more on the earth! To be persecuted some more, etc.!!! Paul was very dedicated and I believe that God made him that way on purpose.
Philippians 1:29 (NKJ)
29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
Yes, we do suffer with Him. So many of my brothers and sisters are like me in the work-place in that we are outcasts. Not necessarily invited to join in all the reindeer games… and yes, outright verbally abused for our faith! Though I don’t know anyone personally who has been killed for their faith. But I realize that even I could be a martyr. I think of Scott, who died at Columbine. The killer asked her if she believed in Jesus and she said, “Yes” and then he shot her. That could happen. Especially in the world today with all the terrorism going on.
1 Timothy 4
A Good Servant of Jesus Christ
6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach.
This letter was written by Paul to Timothy. They are both working and striving to be a good minister of Jesus. Paul encourages Timothy to stay in the word and in good teachings and to reject the false stuff. I like that Paul uses exercise to make a point. Rather than just physical exercise for our bodies, he encourages Timothy, and us, to exercise our Godliness! There’s this life that is yet to come for believers! As believers we are all working toward that life! We do suffer censure. But our work is not in vain. We can trust that God saves!
Take Heed to Your Ministry
12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Timothy is young. But he can still set a good example to other believers by things he says, how he behaves, by loving them, by being in the spirit (rather than satisfying fleshly desires), by believing in Jesus, and by being pure! So, if Timothy is our example then I must aspire to be this way also. He instructs Timothy to stay in the word and to give urgent advice to the believers, and to attend to the things he has learned so far.This reminds me of how Jeremiah opens in verse ; 6 “O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” 7 The LORD replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
Youth are not “elders”, true. But they are to carry out the same commission just as well!
14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
The Elders of the early church gave authority to Timothy, by God. Paul exhorts Timothy to use this gift!
15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.
The other believers will benefit from seeing a young leader giving himself entirely to these practices of faith.
16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Tim has an honorable role in life. He will stay pure by taking Paul’s advice and those who hear Timothy speak will be saved by God! We have the same opportunity to take part in God’s plan for those who are still lost! We must continue to keep ourselves in check!
1 Timothy 6:11-14
Paul’s Final Instructions
11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses. 13 And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
Paul is Timothy’s “Senior Pastor”!!! How awesome to see this illustration of “discipleship”! Some of today’s men portray themselves as macho, but a strong man-of-God is one who is loving and gentle! He stays the coarse! And he doesn’t waver! Now that’s an attractive Christian man!
Paul considers it well-done that Tim has confessed his faith to many! I want to do good in this way too!!!
2 Timothy 1:8-12
8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
Paul was arrested more than once for preaching the truth! If my Pastor was arrested, I might be tempted to feel embarrassed or foolish and to hang my head down, but this scripture would encourage me to keep telling others about Jesus! Even if I myself were to suffer for doing so!!! Wow. God would have to give me strength!
9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
I’m glad I’m on board!
10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.
Acts 10:36
This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—
that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Ephesians 1:7
7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom
with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Ephesians 1:13
And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that
God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you
as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
This passage reminds me of my Pastor. And correctly so given the following passage:
Ephesians 4:11-12
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles,
the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and
build up the church, the body of Christ.
2 Timothy 2:2
2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
Paul’s commission now becomes Tim’s commission, and mine!
2 Timothy 2:25-26
25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
2 Timothy 4:5
5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
God has given ME the a burden for the lost. I want to work at telling others the Good News, and I do! But I’d love to be more focused on it!
2 Peter 3:12
12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.
I can hurry it along by sharing the Good News. In Matthew 24:14, Jesus said,
“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole
world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
God doesn’t want any to perish. I pray everyone gets on board soon!
Matthew 10:14-15
14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.
Jesus sounds very clear here! I’ve experienced households who have refused to listen to my message. Sadly, I have had to shake its dust from my feet as I left. I tried really hard for a long time; praying the whole time, listening for direction and finally it was clear. That I had to leave this one. This one was a rebel. :(
God, my God, I thank you for the Good News that you save! I thank you for the Savior, JESUS! I’m thankful for all of your gifts for the church! For having it as part of your plan to include us in the work! And by the way, the rewards! I’m just thankful to be saved Father! You have been so good to me the last five years. You have treated me better than any human ever has! I’m thankful that you relate with me. You show you care about me! You answer my prayers, you increase my faith, you protect me! You’re awesome! You also teach me and correct me and purge me of sin! You have given me new desires! I have passion that I never had before in my life! I ask you to help me cooperate with you! I do feel the sense of urgency that time is short! And I know I will only live so much longer. So, use me Lord! On this earth with whatever time I have left. Perhaps Jesus will return before my body dies. Perhaps my body will die first. Either way, I meant it when I surrendered my life to you. Don’t let me try to ever take it back! Or shy away from any job you would have for me! I would be honored. Take away all fears in me to carry out my mission from you! Clear the way! Make a way! Be glorified through my life! In Jesus name I ask. Amen.
John 14:13-14
13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it,
so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.
14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Ezekiel 36 - Wow SO powerful in my life!!!
Ezekiel 36 (NLT)
Restoration for Israel
“Son of man, prophesy to Israel’s mountains. Give them this message: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD! 2 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Your enemies have taunted you, saying, ‘Aha! Now the ancient heights belong to us!’ 3 Therefore, son of man, give the mountains of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: Your enemies have attacked you from all directions, making you the property of many nations and the object of much mocking and slander. 4 Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign LORD. He speaks to the hills and mountains, ravines and valleys, and to ruined wastes and long-deserted cities that have been destroyed and mocked by the surrounding nations. 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My jealous anger burns against these nations, especially Edom, because they have shown utter contempt for me by gleefully taking my land for themselves as plunder.
Throughout the Old Testament God illustrates how he disciplines His people of Israel (the Jewish bloodline). But he will only keep blessings from them so much, though they sin, because he wants to protect his Holy name. Here, God is angry because another nation took advantage of Israel. Edom, God is furious with you!!! Not a very good place to be!
6 “Therefore, prophesy to the hills and mountains, the ravines and valleys of Israel. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am furious that you have suffered shame before the surrounding nations. 7 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I have taken a solemn oath that those nations will soon have their own shame to endure.
8 “But the mountains of Israel will produce heavy crops of fruit for my people—for they will be coming home again soon! 9 See, I care about you, and I will pay attention to you. Your ground will be plowed and your crops planted. 10 I will greatly increase the population of Israel, and the ruined cities will be rebuilt and filled with people. 11 I will increase not only the people, but also your animals. O mountains of Israel, I will bring people to live on you once again. I will make you even more prosperous than you were before. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 12 I will cause my people to walk on you once again, and you will be their territory. You will never again rob them of their children.
Here God is going to cause a change so that His people prosper and be “re-built”. It doesn't matter that Edom took advantage of them!!! He's GOD! He'll keep to HIS plan! I love when he says, “See, I care about you, and I will pay attention to you.” (This is MY God!)
Also, throughout the Holy Bible God never forgets about the animals! He always says somethin’ like …”but also your animals!” He has his eye on ALL his creation. Creatures bring glory to the Creator!!!
13 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The other nations taunt you, saying, ‘Israel is a land that devours its own people and robs them of their children!’ 14 But you will never again devour your people or rob them of their children, says the Sovereign LORD. 15 I will not let you hear those other nations insult you, and you will no longer be mocked by them. You will not be a land that causes its nation to fall, says the Sovereign LORD.”
It’s like God is a parent whos child has been bullied!
16 Then this further message came to me from the LORD: 17 “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by the evil way they lived. To me their conduct was as unclean as a woman’s menstrual cloth.
Yes, God knows everything! He made us women! Lol!
18 They polluted the land with murder and the worship of idols so I poured out my fury on them.
19 I scattered them to many lands to punish them for the evil way they had lived.
This is true. Jews are all over the world now.
20 But when they were scattered among the nations, they brought shame on my holy name. For the nations said, ‘These are the people of the LORD, but he couldn’t keep them safe in his own land!’ 21 Then I was concerned for my holy name, on which my people brought shame among the nations.
God is God. God has a plan. His plan requires this bloodline (to make beauty from ashes?), and for His name to be revered in the world.
22 “Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations.
As a parent, God is very clear with His children.
23 I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign LORD, then the nations will know that I am the LORD. 24 For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.
How wonderful for the Jews to be chosen for God to reveal His holiness through them!
25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
This is the same picture God uses of SALVATION. In the gospel, He teaches that we must be “reborn” with the Holy Spirit. With this new spirit in us and a “new heart” we become less stubborn and more tender and responsive and we are careful to obey Him. We have a desire to! Without this baptism, we have little or no desire to!
28 “And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
This has always been the plan. God’s plan WILL continue to unfold! People, get ready!!!
29 I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior. I will give you good crops of grain, and I will send no more famines on the land. 30 I will give you great harvests from your fruit trees and fields, and never again will the surrounding nations be able to scoff at your land for its famines. 31 Then you will remember your past sins and despise yourselves for all the detestable things you did. 32 But remember, says the Sovereign LORD, I am not doing this because you deserve it. O my people of Israel, you should be utterly ashamed of all you have done!
This is a picture of the Spiritual Baptism too. First we are CONVICTED, then we ACKNOWLEDGE our sin, then we CONFESS our sin to God, then WE ARE FORGIVEN through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and then we REPENT!!!!! Once this baptism takes place, THEN we despise the sins of our past! It’s true! This is another example of how the Holy Bible is real, alive, and the very word of God (written by chosen men). Because it is accurate in my life. I live it!!! I read this and I can see how it has played out in my own walk! So, YES, it’s REAL! The Holy Bible is TRUE.
Back in Genesis, Abraham was so obedient that God began to bless him and give him descendants who will conquer their enemies AND through these people, ALL the nations of the earth will be blessed! All because Abraham obeyed God! Gods' plan is so Godly that I have to remember that my ways are not His ways! I can't possibly wrap my head around the who, what, where, how, and WHY! But I can "obey" like Abraham. (now that the Holy Spirit is driving in my race to the finish line!!!)
33 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When I cleanse you from your sins, I will repopulate your cities, and the ruins will be rebuilt.
(My ruins are being rebuilt!!!)
34 The fields that used to lie empty and desolate in plain view of everyone will again be farmed.
I praise God that I am useful now!
35 And when I bring you back, people will say, ‘This former wasteland is now like the Garden of Eden! The abandoned and ruined cities now have strong walls and are filled with people!’ 36 Then the surrounding nations that survive will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted the wasteland. For I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do what I say.
He does what he says, in ME!
37 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am ready to hear Israel’s prayers and to increase their numbers like a flock.
And of course our God always has it to where we must “participate” with Him! Commonly our participation is in the form of “prayer”. This is how our God likes it! He put this desire to talk to him in us to be a lifestyle, daily! Because I am His and this is what He likes so this is what I began to want more and more! If you asked me 6 years ago if I had the desire to talk to God everyday more than I talk to anyone else, I would have said, “Um, not really…. But I do love God!”
38 They will be as numerous as the sacred flocks that fill Jerusalem’s streets at the time of her festivals. The ruined cities will be crowded with people once more, and everyone will know that I am the LORD.”
The theme throughout the messages God gave to Ezekiel to give to His people, is that “He is the LORD!” Plain and simple. It’s a lesson that all people have to learn right away in their walk. Before and after the cross! And one day, every knee is going to bow to Him!
But wow, I finally have a life verse! “And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command.”
This is so powerful to me at this time in my life. He has layed missions work on my heart for many many years. Before I was reborn, I wanted so badly to travel and journal and take pictures and I never really pictured me with a bunch of friends or relatives while doing so. Back then I thought I was meant to be a journalist. Now that I am reborn, the desires have narrowed and it’s clear that I am to serve in disaster areas throughout the world, easing suffering, being a prayer-warrior, bringing the "Source of Comfort" to the suffering, and sharing the good news that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it! This would give anyone hope!!!! And I want this life I have to be worth a lot to God. I give my life over to Him to obey Him and do whatever He commands! I hope one day to be blogging from Israel!
Restoration for Israel
“Son of man, prophesy to Israel’s mountains. Give them this message: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD! 2 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Your enemies have taunted you, saying, ‘Aha! Now the ancient heights belong to us!’ 3 Therefore, son of man, give the mountains of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: Your enemies have attacked you from all directions, making you the property of many nations and the object of much mocking and slander. 4 Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign LORD. He speaks to the hills and mountains, ravines and valleys, and to ruined wastes and long-deserted cities that have been destroyed and mocked by the surrounding nations. 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My jealous anger burns against these nations, especially Edom, because they have shown utter contempt for me by gleefully taking my land for themselves as plunder.
Throughout the Old Testament God illustrates how he disciplines His people of Israel (the Jewish bloodline). But he will only keep blessings from them so much, though they sin, because he wants to protect his Holy name. Here, God is angry because another nation took advantage of Israel. Edom, God is furious with you!!! Not a very good place to be!
6 “Therefore, prophesy to the hills and mountains, the ravines and valleys of Israel. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am furious that you have suffered shame before the surrounding nations. 7 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I have taken a solemn oath that those nations will soon have their own shame to endure.
8 “But the mountains of Israel will produce heavy crops of fruit for my people—for they will be coming home again soon! 9 See, I care about you, and I will pay attention to you. Your ground will be plowed and your crops planted. 10 I will greatly increase the population of Israel, and the ruined cities will be rebuilt and filled with people. 11 I will increase not only the people, but also your animals. O mountains of Israel, I will bring people to live on you once again. I will make you even more prosperous than you were before. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 12 I will cause my people to walk on you once again, and you will be their territory. You will never again rob them of their children.
Here God is going to cause a change so that His people prosper and be “re-built”. It doesn't matter that Edom took advantage of them!!! He's GOD! He'll keep to HIS plan! I love when he says, “See, I care about you, and I will pay attention to you.” (This is MY God!)
Also, throughout the Holy Bible God never forgets about the animals! He always says somethin’ like …”but also your animals!” He has his eye on ALL his creation. Creatures bring glory to the Creator!!!
13 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The other nations taunt you, saying, ‘Israel is a land that devours its own people and robs them of their children!’ 14 But you will never again devour your people or rob them of their children, says the Sovereign LORD. 15 I will not let you hear those other nations insult you, and you will no longer be mocked by them. You will not be a land that causes its nation to fall, says the Sovereign LORD.”
It’s like God is a parent whos child has been bullied!
16 Then this further message came to me from the LORD: 17 “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by the evil way they lived. To me their conduct was as unclean as a woman’s menstrual cloth.
Yes, God knows everything! He made us women! Lol!
18 They polluted the land with murder and the worship of idols so I poured out my fury on them.
19 I scattered them to many lands to punish them for the evil way they had lived.
This is true. Jews are all over the world now.
20 But when they were scattered among the nations, they brought shame on my holy name. For the nations said, ‘These are the people of the LORD, but he couldn’t keep them safe in his own land!’ 21 Then I was concerned for my holy name, on which my people brought shame among the nations.
God is God. God has a plan. His plan requires this bloodline (to make beauty from ashes?), and for His name to be revered in the world.
22 “Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations.
As a parent, God is very clear with His children.
23 I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign LORD, then the nations will know that I am the LORD. 24 For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.
How wonderful for the Jews to be chosen for God to reveal His holiness through them!
25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
This is the same picture God uses of SALVATION. In the gospel, He teaches that we must be “reborn” with the Holy Spirit. With this new spirit in us and a “new heart” we become less stubborn and more tender and responsive and we are careful to obey Him. We have a desire to! Without this baptism, we have little or no desire to!
28 “And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
This has always been the plan. God’s plan WILL continue to unfold! People, get ready!!!
29 I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior. I will give you good crops of grain, and I will send no more famines on the land. 30 I will give you great harvests from your fruit trees and fields, and never again will the surrounding nations be able to scoff at your land for its famines. 31 Then you will remember your past sins and despise yourselves for all the detestable things you did. 32 But remember, says the Sovereign LORD, I am not doing this because you deserve it. O my people of Israel, you should be utterly ashamed of all you have done!
This is a picture of the Spiritual Baptism too. First we are CONVICTED, then we ACKNOWLEDGE our sin, then we CONFESS our sin to God, then WE ARE FORGIVEN through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and then we REPENT!!!!! Once this baptism takes place, THEN we despise the sins of our past! It’s true! This is another example of how the Holy Bible is real, alive, and the very word of God (written by chosen men). Because it is accurate in my life. I live it!!! I read this and I can see how it has played out in my own walk! So, YES, it’s REAL! The Holy Bible is TRUE.
Back in Genesis, Abraham was so obedient that God began to bless him and give him descendants who will conquer their enemies AND through these people, ALL the nations of the earth will be blessed! All because Abraham obeyed God! Gods' plan is so Godly that I have to remember that my ways are not His ways! I can't possibly wrap my head around the who, what, where, how, and WHY! But I can "obey" like Abraham. (now that the Holy Spirit is driving in my race to the finish line!!!)
33 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When I cleanse you from your sins, I will repopulate your cities, and the ruins will be rebuilt.
(My ruins are being rebuilt!!!)
34 The fields that used to lie empty and desolate in plain view of everyone will again be farmed.
I praise God that I am useful now!
35 And when I bring you back, people will say, ‘This former wasteland is now like the Garden of Eden! The abandoned and ruined cities now have strong walls and are filled with people!’ 36 Then the surrounding nations that survive will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted the wasteland. For I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do what I say.
He does what he says, in ME!
37 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am ready to hear Israel’s prayers and to increase their numbers like a flock.
And of course our God always has it to where we must “participate” with Him! Commonly our participation is in the form of “prayer”. This is how our God likes it! He put this desire to talk to him in us to be a lifestyle, daily! Because I am His and this is what He likes so this is what I began to want more and more! If you asked me 6 years ago if I had the desire to talk to God everyday more than I talk to anyone else, I would have said, “Um, not really…. But I do love God!”
38 They will be as numerous as the sacred flocks that fill Jerusalem’s streets at the time of her festivals. The ruined cities will be crowded with people once more, and everyone will know that I am the LORD.”
The theme throughout the messages God gave to Ezekiel to give to His people, is that “He is the LORD!” Plain and simple. It’s a lesson that all people have to learn right away in their walk. Before and after the cross! And one day, every knee is going to bow to Him!
But wow, I finally have a life verse! “And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command.”
This is so powerful to me at this time in my life. He has layed missions work on my heart for many many years. Before I was reborn, I wanted so badly to travel and journal and take pictures and I never really pictured me with a bunch of friends or relatives while doing so. Back then I thought I was meant to be a journalist. Now that I am reborn, the desires have narrowed and it’s clear that I am to serve in disaster areas throughout the world, easing suffering, being a prayer-warrior, bringing the "Source of Comfort" to the suffering, and sharing the good news that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it! This would give anyone hope!!!! And I want this life I have to be worth a lot to God. I give my life over to Him to obey Him and do whatever He commands! I hope one day to be blogging from Israel!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Jeremiah & Lamentations
Well, Jeremiah is a very long book! A very good book with lots of profound scripture. It was mostly about how much God hates idol worship. Back then, His people would actually make up Gods and worship them. Even carving them out. God kept telling them, through the prophet Jeremiah, that those carved idols were not going to save them in hard times! And sure enough!
Todays idols can be anything we put our trust in. Even our imaginary Gods. The ones that some people will pray to for prosperity, and mysticism, even those God's that are worshiped through emails that are passed all around posing as the God of Israel! The Gods that people "wish" upon.... I've even heard folks say they are God incarnated. The truth is all distorted. Even now today. And I've learned that God STILL hates it!
In the Old Testament I've learned that God is God. I mean, he really is the one in control. We aren't, and Satan isn't! God can send calamity and He can cause cities to rise and fall, He can and does also have mercy. I've learned that He wants us to know "Who's the God". (hee-hee).
He has been with His people all these years, watching the growth and communicating with His people. Sometimes through prophets like Jeremiah. I love how the book opened with,
Jeremiah’s Call and First Visions
The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Sometimes I think that way too. Like I'm too young to obey what the Lord has layed on my heart to do or say. But, I have to remember that He is with me too and will protect me and I don't have to be afraid of people! It's hard though!
(God would probably tell me, "Don't say 'It's hard though'!")
LAMENTATIONS:
Oh wow. Lamentations. I never hear anyone say "Lamentations" but I've heard my brothers and sisters refer to some of the scriptures in this short book AND I can see why!!!!
This book is a must-read, (over and over) but it does have some pretty harsh stuff in it. It's very descriptive and at times, graphic! It's a little Job-ish, and packed with information! But I tell you I really learned about this whole other level of God's anger! His anger is a result of His people's sin.
But some of the most compelling words of God are in this book! Like the following from Chapter 3:
The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.
So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.
And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline:
Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord’s demands. Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last. Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies.
For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.
Wow, huh?!! This is who God is!!! I Praise Him!!! I also have to submit to His authority more than once!
And, there's some very poetic verses too, like:
“He wove my sins into ropes to hitch me to a yoke of captivity."....................... lol
Todays idols can be anything we put our trust in. Even our imaginary Gods. The ones that some people will pray to for prosperity, and mysticism, even those God's that are worshiped through emails that are passed all around posing as the God of Israel! The Gods that people "wish" upon.... I've even heard folks say they are God incarnated. The truth is all distorted. Even now today. And I've learned that God STILL hates it!
In the Old Testament I've learned that God is God. I mean, he really is the one in control. We aren't, and Satan isn't! God can send calamity and He can cause cities to rise and fall, He can and does also have mercy. I've learned that He wants us to know "Who's the God". (hee-hee).
He has been with His people all these years, watching the growth and communicating with His people. Sometimes through prophets like Jeremiah. I love how the book opened with,
Jeremiah’s Call and First Visions
The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Sometimes I think that way too. Like I'm too young to obey what the Lord has layed on my heart to do or say. But, I have to remember that He is with me too and will protect me and I don't have to be afraid of people! It's hard though!
(God would probably tell me, "Don't say 'It's hard though'!")
LAMENTATIONS:
Oh wow. Lamentations. I never hear anyone say "Lamentations" but I've heard my brothers and sisters refer to some of the scriptures in this short book AND I can see why!!!!
This book is a must-read, (over and over) but it does have some pretty harsh stuff in it. It's very descriptive and at times, graphic! It's a little Job-ish, and packed with information! But I tell you I really learned about this whole other level of God's anger! His anger is a result of His people's sin.
But some of the most compelling words of God are in this book! Like the following from Chapter 3:
The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.
So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.
And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline:
Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord’s demands. Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last. Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies.
For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.
Wow, huh?!! This is who God is!!! I Praise Him!!! I also have to submit to His authority more than once!
And, there's some very poetic verses too, like:
“He wove my sins into ropes to hitch me to a yoke of captivity."....................... lol
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Pam’s Study of Jesus Coming Again, The Rapture, & End Times (NKJV)
(Emphasis and highlighting added. My spiritual observations are in purple)
1 Thessalonians 2:13 (Written from Paul the Apostle, Silas, & Timothy, who have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, to the church in Thessalonica )
13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
Paul is making it clear that what he writes is in fact God’s words, not his own.
1 Thessalonians 4:14
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
This is referring to what happens to the Christians who have died before us so that we the living would not be full of sorrow but rather have hope!
When Jesus returns any time now, he will be bringing with him those Christians who "sleep" or have "died" in Jesus! How cool.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep (or dead physically). 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (These are the Christians who have died before us)
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. (Rapture: the carrying of a person to another place or sphere of existence. dictionary.com) And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
These are comforting words for followers of Jesus!
Bible Dictionary
“Maranatha”
consists of two Aramean words, Maran'athah, meaning, "our Lord comes," or is "coming." If the latter interpretation is adopted, the meaning of the phrase is, "Our Lord is coming, and he will judge those who have set him at nought."
1 Thessalonians 5
The Day of the Lord
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. (This is why Evangelists care about the lost who have not confessed their sins, turned away from them, and turned toward Jesus- accepting him in faith as the one who was punished instead).
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Referring to those who are troubled with persecution).
When Jesus returns he will be accompanied by angels! Because of the vengeance part, Evangelists are eager to spread the gospel!
9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.
Hell is being apart from Jesus for eternity! The lost will be punished, the believers will admire Jesus!
1 Timothy 6:14 (This letter is from Paul the Apostle to Timothy)
14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing,
This verse is referring to Timothy staying pure and obedient to Jesus until Jesus appears again!
Hebrews 9:27-28 (King James Version)
27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
When Jesus appears again he will carry his followers off with him. These are followers who are physically alive when he appears again. (Rapture).
James 5:7 (This letter was written by James, a servant of Jesus to Jewish Christians throughout the nations)
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
2 Peter 1:16 (Written by Simon Peter the Apostle to followers of Jesus)
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
1 John 3:2-3 (New Living Translation) (Written to those who are mature because they know Christ)
2 Dear friends, we (meaning followers of Jesus) are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.
In this scripture, Jesus’ followers can look forward to this “event” when Christ Jesus appears and then his followers become something else; "like Him"!! How cool! But again this verse illustrates that Christ is going to appear and we look forward to it!
Jude 1:14-15 (Written by Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James to all who are called to live in the love and care of Jesus)
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men (who are false teachers) also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
Matthew 16:27 (Written by Matthew the Apostle as a record of what Jesus said when he was in the flesh laying down his new covenant, before he died for our sins)
27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
2 Timothy 4
1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
James 5:9
9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! (Jesus IS the Judge! He is standing at the door which means any day now will be judgement day!)
End Times Scriptures:
Luke 17 (Written by the Apostle Luke to Theophilus as a summary of the truth of the teachings of those who were eye-witnesses of what God did)
This is what Jesus said and taught his disciples when he lived in the flesh among them:
24 For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. 25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. (the crucifixion)
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
Here’s an illustration of the Rapture of Jesus’ followers again:
31 “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. (So, believe! Then, just go with Jesus when he comes! Don’t hesitate, be ready with anticipation for this rapture!)
34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. 36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
37 And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?”
So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”
So, those followers who are alive physically when the Son of Man is revealed will be taken into the sky because that is where eagles gather.
Acts 17:31 (Written by the Apostle Luke to Theophilus as an account of the early church establishment)
31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Referring to Judgment Day and the Judge being the Man (Jesus) who God raised from the dead!
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (New Living Translation)
51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!
First the followers of Jesus who have died before us, and then those who are physically alive when Jesus comes again. He will transform us to be like Him!
52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.
So, this tells me that those followers who have died physically already will be granted eternity with Jesus and if I’m physically alive at that same moment I too will be transformed to be like Jesus! (by the rapture)
Philippians 3:21 (Written by the Apostle Paul, who incidently was made an Apostle by Jesus some time after Jesus ascended into Heaven!)
21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
We can't imagine what body we will have after this event!
2 Thessalonians 2
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, (the Antichrist) the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
So, this is illustrating how we can recognize the Antichrist when he is revealed in the end times.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (The Antichrist) 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Again, this is why the disciples of Jesus go out into all nations delivering the good news that Jesus saves all people in the world when they repent and call his name! Why wait until the Antichrist is already revealed? By then the lost are condemned!
1 Peter 4:7
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
I’m satisfied by the Holy Spirit who baptized me that the “end of all things” is not measured by “human lifetimes”!
2 Peter 3
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep (died), all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
This is another sign of that the end is near. The lost are scoffing!
5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
God hasn't brought the day of judgment yet because he doesn’t want the lost to perish!!! This is MERCY! So, he gives us another day and another. But eventually this day of judgment WILL come like a thief in the night.
We won’t know when so no human can even “predict” the Last Day but all should repent from their wrong-doings. Just look at the 10 commandments. Ask, "Do I measure up?" Answer, "No!" This is why Jesus came into the world to die for our wrong-doings so they wouldn't go "un-punished" and we could be saved and have everlasting life with God!!!
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (we should live Godly lives!) 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Even though we know the lost will be without God from that point on, we look forward to this event. Look at the condition of the world today, how much worse it will be with no access to God!!!
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
We are looking forward to the Lord coming. If it had already happened, we wouldn’t be here as followers of Jesus; we’d be with Him per the word of God!!!
Also, each day that passes is like "suffering" for God -because we are not all repentant! He cannot let us share in Jesus' glory unless we are made pure first, by Jesus.
The “longsuffering of our Lord is due to him waiting on the lost to repent! If they don’t he will not be reconciled to them. They will be considered sinners who could not keep his commands. He will consider them to be "without a Savior"! Jesus was punished in our place and when we believed that, we were reconciled with God! That’s what God wants! He wants to be reconciled with us!
Also, this is why Christianity will never die. This point of repentance and surrender to Jesus brings the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is a spiritual process that can happen for ANYONE because they can be baptized if they believe in their hearts and say it with their mouths! No man or other religious leaders can stop Christianity because they can't stop a spirit!!! The HOLY Spirit!
1 John 4:17-18
17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Revelation 22:7 (Written by the Apostle John who God gave this vision)
7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Antichrist:
Revelation 13:18
18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
1 John 2:22
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
This is one way we can recognize the Antichrist.
1 John 4
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming,
This helps us discern who God is really speaking through about the future and who is lying!
2 John 1:7-9
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. (This is saying we ought to be in the Holy Bible reading and learning the words of God. The Holy Spirit is our "Teacher" who is in us, living with our own spirit!)
Doctrine: something that is taught; teachings collectively. dictionary.com
1 Thessalonians 2:13 (Written from Paul the Apostle, Silas, & Timothy, who have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, to the church in Thessalonica )
13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
Paul is making it clear that what he writes is in fact God’s words, not his own.
1 Thessalonians 4:14
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
This is referring to what happens to the Christians who have died before us so that we the living would not be full of sorrow but rather have hope!
When Jesus returns any time now, he will be bringing with him those Christians who "sleep" or have "died" in Jesus! How cool.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep (or dead physically). 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (These are the Christians who have died before us)
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. (Rapture: the carrying of a person to another place or sphere of existence. dictionary.com) And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
These are comforting words for followers of Jesus!
Bible Dictionary
“Maranatha”
consists of two Aramean words, Maran'athah, meaning, "our Lord comes," or is "coming." If the latter interpretation is adopted, the meaning of the phrase is, "Our Lord is coming, and he will judge those who have set him at nought."
1 Thessalonians 5
The Day of the Lord
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. (This is why Evangelists care about the lost who have not confessed their sins, turned away from them, and turned toward Jesus- accepting him in faith as the one who was punished instead).
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Referring to those who are troubled with persecution).
When Jesus returns he will be accompanied by angels! Because of the vengeance part, Evangelists are eager to spread the gospel!
9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.
Hell is being apart from Jesus for eternity! The lost will be punished, the believers will admire Jesus!
1 Timothy 6:14 (This letter is from Paul the Apostle to Timothy)
14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing,
This verse is referring to Timothy staying pure and obedient to Jesus until Jesus appears again!
Hebrews 9:27-28 (King James Version)
27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
When Jesus appears again he will carry his followers off with him. These are followers who are physically alive when he appears again. (Rapture).
James 5:7 (This letter was written by James, a servant of Jesus to Jewish Christians throughout the nations)
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
2 Peter 1:16 (Written by Simon Peter the Apostle to followers of Jesus)
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
1 John 3:2-3 (New Living Translation) (Written to those who are mature because they know Christ)
2 Dear friends, we (meaning followers of Jesus) are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.
In this scripture, Jesus’ followers can look forward to this “event” when Christ Jesus appears and then his followers become something else; "like Him"!! How cool! But again this verse illustrates that Christ is going to appear and we look forward to it!
Jude 1:14-15 (Written by Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James to all who are called to live in the love and care of Jesus)
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men (who are false teachers) also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
Matthew 16:27 (Written by Matthew the Apostle as a record of what Jesus said when he was in the flesh laying down his new covenant, before he died for our sins)
27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
2 Timothy 4
1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
James 5:9
9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! (Jesus IS the Judge! He is standing at the door which means any day now will be judgement day!)
End Times Scriptures:
Luke 17 (Written by the Apostle Luke to Theophilus as a summary of the truth of the teachings of those who were eye-witnesses of what God did)
This is what Jesus said and taught his disciples when he lived in the flesh among them:
24 For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. 25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. (the crucifixion)
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
Here’s an illustration of the Rapture of Jesus’ followers again:
31 “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. (So, believe! Then, just go with Jesus when he comes! Don’t hesitate, be ready with anticipation for this rapture!)
34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. 36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
37 And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?”
So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”
So, those followers who are alive physically when the Son of Man is revealed will be taken into the sky because that is where eagles gather.
Acts 17:31 (Written by the Apostle Luke to Theophilus as an account of the early church establishment)
31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Referring to Judgment Day and the Judge being the Man (Jesus) who God raised from the dead!
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (New Living Translation)
51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!
First the followers of Jesus who have died before us, and then those who are physically alive when Jesus comes again. He will transform us to be like Him!
52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.
So, this tells me that those followers who have died physically already will be granted eternity with Jesus and if I’m physically alive at that same moment I too will be transformed to be like Jesus! (by the rapture)
Philippians 3:21 (Written by the Apostle Paul, who incidently was made an Apostle by Jesus some time after Jesus ascended into Heaven!)
21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
We can't imagine what body we will have after this event!
2 Thessalonians 2
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, (the Antichrist) the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
So, this is illustrating how we can recognize the Antichrist when he is revealed in the end times.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (The Antichrist) 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Again, this is why the disciples of Jesus go out into all nations delivering the good news that Jesus saves all people in the world when they repent and call his name! Why wait until the Antichrist is already revealed? By then the lost are condemned!
1 Peter 4:7
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
I’m satisfied by the Holy Spirit who baptized me that the “end of all things” is not measured by “human lifetimes”!
2 Peter 3
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep (died), all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
This is another sign of that the end is near. The lost are scoffing!
5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
God hasn't brought the day of judgment yet because he doesn’t want the lost to perish!!! This is MERCY! So, he gives us another day and another. But eventually this day of judgment WILL come like a thief in the night.
We won’t know when so no human can even “predict” the Last Day but all should repent from their wrong-doings. Just look at the 10 commandments. Ask, "Do I measure up?" Answer, "No!" This is why Jesus came into the world to die for our wrong-doings so they wouldn't go "un-punished" and we could be saved and have everlasting life with God!!!
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (we should live Godly lives!) 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Even though we know the lost will be without God from that point on, we look forward to this event. Look at the condition of the world today, how much worse it will be with no access to God!!!
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
We are looking forward to the Lord coming. If it had already happened, we wouldn’t be here as followers of Jesus; we’d be with Him per the word of God!!!
Also, each day that passes is like "suffering" for God -because we are not all repentant! He cannot let us share in Jesus' glory unless we are made pure first, by Jesus.
The “longsuffering of our Lord is due to him waiting on the lost to repent! If they don’t he will not be reconciled to them. They will be considered sinners who could not keep his commands. He will consider them to be "without a Savior"! Jesus was punished in our place and when we believed that, we were reconciled with God! That’s what God wants! He wants to be reconciled with us!
Also, this is why Christianity will never die. This point of repentance and surrender to Jesus brings the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is a spiritual process that can happen for ANYONE because they can be baptized if they believe in their hearts and say it with their mouths! No man or other religious leaders can stop Christianity because they can't stop a spirit!!! The HOLY Spirit!
1 John 4:17-18
17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Revelation 22:7 (Written by the Apostle John who God gave this vision)
7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Antichrist:
Revelation 13:18
18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
1 John 2:22
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
This is one way we can recognize the Antichrist.
1 John 4
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming,
This helps us discern who God is really speaking through about the future and who is lying!
2 John 1:7-9
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. (This is saying we ought to be in the Holy Bible reading and learning the words of God. The Holy Spirit is our "Teacher" who is in us, living with our own spirit!)
Doctrine: something that is taught; teachings collectively. dictionary.com
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