Uncategorized

Dec

2011

The Light of the World – Lest we forget

“For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” (2Co 4:6-7 nasb)

Journal,

The apostle Paul said that all believers in Jesus Christ have ‘surpassing [divine] power’ in their hearts, and that we must learn to live by that power and not by our own soulish self powers. Each apostle tell us the same thing,

John says, “Greater is He who is in you and he who is in the world.”

The apostle Peter said, “[We] are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Living With a Glow for Jesus…

But before I go further I want to give a better perspective on why Paul called attention to the opening of Genesis, where God said, “Let there be Light.” Paul is saying that it is this ‘in the beginning’ Light that is now shining in the heart of a believer.

Paul is drawing on an ancient belief among God’s people that the original Light of creation that shown forth was the light that creation was to live by. The ancients called this Light, ‘the Light of Life’.

The Hebrew people said that ‘Light‘ is one of the names of Messiah, that God Himself is called ‘the Light of the world.’ Even the term ‘sun‘ was sometimes metaphorically used to speak of God and His Messiah.

You hear a bit of this from the Prophet Malachi:

“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.” (Mal 4:2)

Notice where God speaks through Isaiah concerning His Messiah:

“I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, and I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison.” (Isa 42:6-7)

And so we have…

The Light that Shines in the Darkness

When Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world,” His words did not fall on unknowing ears. Many of the Jewish leaders knew exactly what Jesus was drawing from, and they did not like it.

But many in Israel believed that Jesus was God’s Messiah. These believing ones would become partakers of God’s new creation in Christ. Jesus called His kingdom, ‘a kingdom not of this world.’

This new life world would begin in this present life and culminate in the life to come. This is why the apostolic writer said that true believers are partaking of the powers of the age to come. Paul said that we have this treasure in earthen vessels.

Listen carefully to the apostle John:

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. …

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (Cf. John 1:5-14 NASB)

This brings us to…

Our Redemption in the Light

When the Light of Jesus enters the human heart, the believing one receives a new Christ-like spiritual nature.

There is a burst of new life. There is joy! There is peace! There is wonderment! Grace flows like a river. But the new believer does not forfit his human nature. There will be trials and temptations to deal with.

Paul said that when these temptations begin to cloud the mind, the believer must learn to draw on that ‘surpassing power’ that is part of our inheritance in Christ. The believer is to look to Christ rather than to himself.

And this is why it is so important to understand this principle of ‘Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.’ The power of new life does not disappear because we had a failure or a hundred failures. It is a truth is to be realized in each believer’s walk with the Lord.

The Old Testament writer said:

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” (Pro 4:18)

It is the Spirit of God who births us, seals us, tutors us, educates us, places us where we need to be, refreshes us, turns our trials, temptations, and failures into victories, helps us escape bad teachings, keeps the glory of Jesus before us and in us, and many such things. Our final presentation in heaven is a thing of the Spirit.

The Redeemed Person is a Son and Daughter of God

Our relationship with the heavenly Father is not that of a servant. We are sons and daughters of the living God. Angels know the Spirit’s seal upon God’s children. The seal says, ‘Sealed for the day of redemption.’ (Eph4:30)

The Holy Spirit’s work is to present us safely before the throne of God. This work of the Spirit is so powerful, that He can take every situation of our life, and turn it into part of our reshaping in Christ. This is why the apostle said,

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Paul explains God’s purpose as our final glorification together with Christ.” Rom8:28-30

Paul also says,

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image (inward spiritual likeness) from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2Co3:18

Reaching Across History

Every believer’s name was recorded in the Lamb’s book before the foundation of the world.

So when God said, ‘Let there be Light,’ that statement reached across prophetic history and, at the right moment, that Light entered into your heart. And inside you were given a shining heart.

Now, can you let your soul relax in the knowledge that Jesus is going to see you through? Can you let go of bitterness? Can you lay your past failures and mistakes where they belong? In the sea of forgetfulness.

Can you be quiet in His rest?

Can you take to heart what David said in this ascending Psalm? Listen:

“O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me. Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me. O Israel [Christian], hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever.” (Psa 131:1-3)

Perhaps a good question to ask would be, ‘Who is lighting up your world during this season?’

Take time for this song.

In Christ always,

Buddy

Dec

2011

The Springs of Life – Reflecting the Heart

“My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body. Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Pro 4:20-23)

Journal,

The Hebrew word for ‘springs’ is the word ‘tosaah.’ Tosaah is a geographical term that speaks both a boundary and of a source. It’s reflective meaning is, ‘goings forth’.

The point is that what we have in our hearts does have to do with the boundaries and the outgoing of our own life.

It can be said that we give shape to our life by what is in our heart.

Thus we have the admonishment to…

Watch With all Diligence

Can many of our trials in life be a result of our own heart attitude? Can there even be a sickness or other ailment in our life as a result of harboring unforgiveness, resentments, bitterness, or ill will towards others?

Yes, the Bible does teach that our total well-being can very well show our inward state of being. Both our blessings and our disappointments in life can be a direct result of what is happening in our heart.

Just as a tree grows from the inside out even so with us. If the tree is not healthy on the inside it will reflect on the whole of the tree.

This is why the sage said,

“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”

David draws attention to how life reflects on the man who refuses to bless.

Listen carefully:

“He also loved cursing, so it came to him; and he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him. But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it entered into his body like water and like oil into his bones. Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself, and for a belt with which he constantly girds himself.” (Psa 109:17-19)

The New Testament also addresses the issue of a bitter spirit.

“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.”(Heb 12:15)

The heart issues in our life well show forth in our speaking. According to Scripture, our heart and our tongue have a direct connection.

Let’s see how the Bible allows us to understand how …

Our Tongue Reflects Our Heart

In Hebrews we are told that bitterness is a defiler. It not only defiles our own personal life, but it can defile those around us. And some of our bitterness can come from a failure in our own past. We need to change how we look at our past.

James draws attention to not being able to share the gospel properly because of a heart that is not where it needs to be with the Lord.

“With it [our tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” (Jas 3:9-11 NASB)

Now listen very carefully to the instructions given by the apostle Peter –

“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

“For, ‘The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.

“’He must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

“’For the eyes of the Lord are towards the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’” (1Pe 3:8-12)

Pursuing Righteousness and Peace

There is no question that bitterness can create an excessive burden in a believer’s life. It carries such a corrupting ability that if often calls for a discipline of the Lord.

The writer of Hebrews call attention to the issue of Godly discipline:

“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. …

“Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” (Heb 12:11-14)

This is metaphoric language that calls attention to some of the burdens than can weigh a believer down as a result of unforgiveness and resentments. Is it not possible that some of our physical ailments are a result of the bitterness we carry?

Is it also possible that some of our health issues can be the result of a corrective measure from the Lord?

Perhaps this is also where some of our miracle healings come from. Forgiveness can be the gate of healing.

These are things to consider.

A Word from the Apostles

Let’s see how both Paul and Peter speak to this.

[Paul] “For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.”

— The background for this is the Lord’s table, but its directive is to those who were resentful of others. The sicknesses in this case are punitive or corrective judgments from the Lord. — 1Co11:22-34.

[Peter] “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1Pe2:1,2)

— Where Peter speaks of the ‘pure milk’ of the word, he is speaking of milk that has not been adulterated by bitterness and other such things.

Consider this lesson in life.

A Cow in the Bitter Weeds

As a country boy I can give an example of what pure milk is not. In the south we have what is called bitter weeds. A cow will sometimes make these weeds part of her diet.

The milk looks so refreshing. But the moment you begin to drink, instantly you spew it out. Why? The milk is full of bitterness. And yet in appearance the milk itself looked perfectly good.

Can you draw a lesson with this story? I hope so.

This brings up a primary issue with regard to bitterness.

It is crucial for believers to …

Make Peace with the Past

Very often bitterness in our life is a result of not having forgiven someone. It is not a matter of whether the person deserves forgiveness, or even if they have asked for forgiveness. It is a matter of keeping one’s own spiritual life pure.

We have a perfect example to follow from the cross.

“When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

“But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.” (Luk 23:33-34)

We also hear this with the first Christian martyr.

“They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’

“Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ Having said this, he fell asleep.” (Act 7:59-60)

The Message of the Cross is Forgiveness

When Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,” was this not the message of the cross?

Are we not forgiven by a life exchange with Jesus? Jesus gave His life up for us.

Are we not to learn to live in this flow of forgiveness? Are we not to forgive?

We are also under commandment to walk in love the way Jesus walked. The Lord pointed out that a powerful faith walk revolves around forgiveness.

He said,

“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25)

And so it may well be that the most crucial matter in a believer’s life is in coming to grips with the past.

Until we learn to make peace with the past, we will suffer in the now. Are you free from the past? Is there something you need to let go?

The place to begin is by…

Identifying With Jesus

What does identifying with Jesus mean? John said,

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1Jn 4:4)

How did Jesus conduct Himself in the gospels? He freely loved and He freely forgave. What should we do? Freely love and freely forgive.

Jesus forgave all our sins, past, present, and future. How can we do otherwise?

Forgiveness is a power key of the faith walk. If we learn to forgive quickly, it gives us the power to jerk the rug out from under the enemy. He will have nothing to work with.

Paul tells us how this works. Listen and learn:

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal 2:20 NASB)

Did you catch it? Good.

Jesus provides the power for the child of God to walk a life of victory in Him.

Let Jesus be the reflection of your heart.

Here is your song of meditation. Listen – The Lord wants to speak to your heart.

In Christ always,

Buddy

Dec

2011

Never Go With Strangers

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.” (1Co 2:14-15)

Readers,

All true followers of Jesus Christ are given a unique spiritual ability to recognize those things which are of God. This ‘intrinsic’ knowing is functional to our newly created spiritual nature. It is an awareness that becomes even more acute as the believer matures.

The apostle uses the term ‘spiritual’ with regard to our maturity in Christ. Paul said that a spiritual man ‘knows‘ and ‘appraises‘ all things.

These words are important. The word ‘know‘ is ‘eido’ in Greek. It means ‘to turn the eyes, the mind, or the attention to a thing, that is, to be skilled in knowing the spiritual significance of a thing.

Then we have the word ‘appraises‘. Anakrino carries a forensic sense which addresses an investigation to decide either the excellence or the defect of a thing.

The Crown of a Believer’s Life

The crown of a believer’s walk rests in this ability to truly know if a thing is of God. It is this knowing that protects the believer from error.

The English language doesn’t always carry the fuller meaning of a Hebrew or Greek term. For this reason it is good to know what certain terms really mean in the original languages of the Bible.

For example, Jesus said,

“I am the good shepherd, and I know (ginosko) my own and my own know (ginosko) Me.” (John 10:14)

Ginosko addresses a personal closeness. Jesus said that He addresses each of His sheep by name. He also stated that His sheep know His voice. It is in this secret of knowing the Shepherd personally that compasses our love and loyalty to Him.

Fleeing from Strangers

Let’s continue with the understanding of Greek terms. Listen carefully:

“When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know [oikeios] his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know [oikeois] the voice of strangers.” (Joh 10:4-5)

Now we find a different word. The Greek for ‘know’ here is a different word. ‘Oikeios’ involves, ‘belonging to a household’. Oikeios is a family word. Jesus said that because of His family relationship to the sheep, they would never confuse who is doing the speaking.

Remember how we taught our children not to go with strangers. This is the idea being projected here. Not only will the sheep not go with a stranger, but they will actually flee from the stranger’s voice and beaconings.

Now notice again how the term ginosko is used:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know [ginosko] them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (Joh 10:27-29)

Knowing Jesus Christ is knowing salvation.

It’s All in the Knowing

Did you catch it? Jesus is saying that no one can be saved and not know it. Salvation is a knowing relationship with the Lord.

Listen to how the Lord defines eternal life in His prayer:

“ … and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.’

“’…This is eternal life, that they may know [ginosko] You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.’” (Joh 17:1-3)

There it is. Eternal life is all about knowing the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ.

A Deepening Knowing

Jesus said that His ‘sheep’ know His voice. Notice that Jesus did not use the term ‘lamb’. Until the lamb becomes better acquainted with the voice of the Shepherd, the lamb will follow other sheep and especially the mother.

Does that mean the lambs have little protection? Not at all. Consider:

“Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” (Isa 40:11)

Now let’s talk about why this issue of ‘knowing’ the Lord is so important.

Deception – The Hallmark of Satan’s Work

The ability to know if a thing is of God is important because the supernatural realm makes up more than the things of God. Satan is a spiritual being. The hallmark of Satan’s work is deception. Paul said,

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this spiritual darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph6:12)

We are especially warned that in the last days there will be a great increase of deception in the earth. The Lord said that this deception would be so acute that even the very elect will have to keep up a special guard.

Consider these cautions:

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance.“ (Mat 24:24-25)

“But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2Ti 3:13)

“ … there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

“… in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2Pe 2:1-3)

Appealing to the Flesh

The work of demons is closely linked to the prideful flesh of man. And what the prideful fleshly person attributes to God, is actually ‘soulishness‘ at work.

James gives us the basic description of how the soulish person functions. James 3:13-18)

“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic..”

The word for ‘natural‘ here is ‘psuchikos’. This word speaks to the sensual side of our lower nature. Notice how ‘psuchikos‘ connects to ‘demonic.’

And so you have bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, arrogance, earthy, natural, and demonic working together.

James goes on to describe what is truly of the Lord;

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”

When prideful flesh is at work it glories in itself.

Making Careful Examinations

The way Paul taught believers is to examine things was by use of the Scriptures. The ‘what is written’ is always to be the testing ground for teachings, experiences, and prophecies.

Listen to Paul’s instruction on teachers:

“Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

“Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.” (1Co 4:5-6)

Again, did you catch it? We are never to exceed ‘what is written.’ If the teaching is truly of the Lord, it will always line up with the Word of God.

To begin with we must always check teachings to make certain they are in agreement with the true gospel message. This is where caution is important. It is easy to prove many things in the Scriptures, but are these things in accordance with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Satan does his work through half-truths.

Then we are to look at things that are said to be spiritual operations. Demonic spirits bring a false anointing. These spirits love to prophesy. They love to give information about people. They love to be the center of attention.

Learn Spiritual Balance

The balance comes where God’s people are told to keep a pilgrim attitude about life. We are to hold tightly to Jesus, and loosely to the world. There is a prosperity message making its rounds today that is very much earthly centered. Where is the balance?

Paul said,

“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

True Biblical prosperity has a spiritual base. It is an outflow of a proper relationship with the Lord. This proper relationship has a heart attitude in the word ‘humility.’ We are to live with humble hearts before the Lord, never striving after things of the world.

The Lord Himself said that if we will seek first God’s kingdom, and His righteousness, then everything else will be provided for us.

What’s the message in all this? It is simple. As a believer you must learn to trust your own spiritual intuition and never ever hearken to the voice of a stranger. The Shepherd is the guardian of your soul. Trust in Jesus with all your heart.

Think about these things.

Here is a song for your meditation … ‘Lead Me to the Cross’

In Christ always,

Buddy

Dec

2011

A Christmas Journey –

Readers,

The Christmas season has its ups and downs for everyone. Would you like a refresher on what Christmas is truly about?

Take time for this production by the Christian Challenge Drama Department, entitled ‘A Christmas Journey’. (Heather Waring, Director) You will have time for tears and laughter.

(Don’t be concerned with the black spots or the slow times. Backdrops are changing.)

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

“In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

“And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

“’This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’” (Luk 2:7-12)

May the Lord richly bless you during this time of the year,

In Christ always,

Buddy

Dec

2011

In the Midst of the Congregation I Will Sing

“…in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise; and again, ‘I will put My trust in Him.’ …

” … And again, ‘Behold, I and the children who God has given Me.’” (Heb 2:11-13 nasb)

Readers,

Notice the bold portion of the above Scriptures where we hear Jesus say, “Behold, I and the children who God has given Me.”

This statement draws on a redemption promise that God gave through the prophet Isaiah.

“And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.” (Isa 8:17-18)

Then we have this in Isaiah:

“Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: ‘Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now turn pale; but when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they will sanctify My name; indeed, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.” (Isa 29:22-23)

Fulfilled in Christ

Jesus said,

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. …

“ … This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds [looks to] the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (Joh 6:37-40)

Again pay close attention to the words in bold print – “Of all that He [the Father] has given Me I lose nothing.”

Christians who lack knowledge in how salvation works will always battle insecurity. The problem isn’t merely with the believer. In some pulpits Jesus Christ is being presented in a way that is not worthy of the gospel message.

The message they hear is often filled with fear and condemnation. It centers on a salvation through works, that is, a salvation that is based on a believer becoming good enough.

This kind of thinking is a misreading of the gospel story. The work of salvation is not our work. We are all sinners saved by grace. Salvation is God’s work from beginning to finish. He alone is the author and the finisher of our faith.

Here is an example where a Scripture is sometimes mismanaged:.

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Php 2:12)

Sounds pretty plain. How then is it mismanaged? The problem is that this statement is only half of what is being said. Listen to the rest of the statement:

“ … for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Php 2:13)

Notice carefully that the working out has to do with God Himself. The believer is to place his faith in God who is at work in his life. The believer is to trust that the Lord is working His will in the believer’s life.

That isn’t the only Scripture that sets forth God at work in the believer. Listen with your heart:

“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, …

“… working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb 13:20-21)

Once again note the words in bold. God is the one who equips us to do His will. God is the one who is working in us that which is pleasing in His sight.

The Author and Finisher

The apostle said he was convinced the good work that God began in us, He would perfect until the day of Jesus Christ. God is the author and the finisher of our faith. He is the perfecter of His work. The Lord God began the work and the Lord God finishes the work

The Lord does not want His children to live in fear of any nature. And when the Lord speaks into our lives it is His purpose is to destroy our fears. Even when He needs to correct us, it is a correction towards life.

Here is an example from my walk with Jesus –

It was 1974

I had just resigned from my former church affiliation. The following morning at my office a dark cloud settled over me. What will we do? Where do we go? Where will we find fellowship? Did I miss God?

The last words my former pastor had spoken to me when I handed him my resignation was ringing in my ears, “Brother Martin, these people will never anything else to do with you.”

I fell on my knees next to a chair, and reached for my Bible. Lord, I need to hear from You.

My Bible actually fell open to Philippians 1:6, and my gaze riveted on these words,

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

The Son of God had spoken to my heart. Instantly the cloud vanished. No more fear! No more uncertainty. I knew everything would be alright. Our future was well cared for.

In my excitement I reached for the phone to call Betty. Little did I realize that she was facing the very same struggle at that very same moment. Before I could get the words out of my mouth, Betty said, “Honey, listen to what the Lord just shared with me.”

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Gal 1:10) — We were both using the KJV at the time —

The Lord had spoken to both of us at the same time. Betty knew just as I knew that our future was well cared for.

God’s Unconditional Promises

Of course I’m not telling any true believer something that you don’t know. Jesus has come to my aid myriads of times on my pilgrim journey. He does the same for all who belong to Him. What did the Lord say about His presence in our lives?

“ … for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, or will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” (Heb 13:5-6)

That, dear friend, is an unconditional promise.

This is where we need to understand Biblical promises.

Conditional promises are based upon some action on our part. Unconditional promises are based upon something God has promised with no aid from us. These are the, “I will” promises of God.

An example of a conditional promise is Luke 6:38, where the Lord says,

“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure — pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

Notice that it is by ‘our standard’ of measure that gauges the ‘pressed down’ blessings.

Unconditional promises are different. Unconditional promises are generally summed up as redemption promises. These kinds of promises are, ‘from God, through God, and to God’ promises. They cannot be broken by believers simply because we have no role to play in them. They are based entirely on the sovereignty of God.

The Bedrock of the Faith Walk

These ‘never-ever’ promises serve as the bedrock of our walk with the Lord. One of the very last things Jesus said to the disciples was,

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt28:20)

Another one is the John 10:27,28, promise where Jesus said,

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

Some believers see the strength of their walk in how strong their grip is on God. This is not what Jesus is saying. The safety for a child of God does not depend on his or her grip. It rests entirely in the hands of the Lord. Jesus said,

“No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

A few more ‘never-ever’ promises

“…whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

“…everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:26)

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39)

Our Inheritance in Christ

The point being that these promises are based upon something God says He will do. These unconditional promises relate to God’s redemption plan in Christ, a plan that was set forth before time.

Paul gave insight into this area, when he said,

“We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to [God’s] purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” (Eph1:11)

Notice that Paul said it is God’s will that is at work. The apostle John certainly agrees. He said that our birth from heaven was not a thing of our will. He says,

“[We] were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13)

When we were born again, it is because God opened our ears to hear, and placed in our heart to respond. We see this being worked out in a lady named Lydia. It says,

“A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshipper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.” (Acts 16:14)

The stumbling, bumbling apostle

Have you ever been a stumbling believer? Sure you have. Think about a man called Peter. Peter actually denied the Lord three times. Was that the end of the story? Certainly not. Jesus sought him out, restored him in faith, and gave him the privilege of preaching the gospel at the very place where Peter had become fearful for his life.

Have you caught the point in all this?

— Regardless of how well we think we understand the mystery of our salvation, the fact remains that God’s unconditional promises do not rest upon how well we are able to do or how much we understand. They are not performance promises. Each of these promises rest upon God Himself. When He says that He will never desert us or forsake us, that promise cannot be broken.

Yes, we all become stumblers at times. So we ask, “Why me, Lord?” About the best any of us can do is write songs about all this.

In the Midst of the Congregation

And so, we agree with the Psalmist who said,

“…in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise; and again, ‘I will put My trust in Him.’ …

We write:

“I don’t know why Jesus loved me. I don’t know why He cared. I don’t know why He gave His life for me. Oh, but I’m glad. So glad He did.”

And,

“Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong.”

And,

‘All hail the power of Jesus name! Let angels prostrate fall…”

And,

“I am weak but Thou art strong, Jesus keep me from all wrong…”

And,

“So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, … Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown.”

Oh yes, we Christians write songs without end. And we will continue to write them.

But the message from heaven never changes. While we love the Lord with a love that cannot be measured, John wants us to understand something very special when he writes,

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1Jn4:10)

Think about these things.

In the meantime listen to this song that was written and sung by Kris Kristofferson – ‘Why Me Lord.’

Your Servant in Christ,

Buddy

Dec

2011

This is My Beloved Son

“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

“For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory,

“’This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”– and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” (2Pe 1:16-18)

Readers,

In this study we will take a closer look at one of the most wonderful mysteries in the Bible, that is, the mystery of the Father and the Son. The question we want to unravel is how the earliest Hebrew believers could hold to an absolute monotheism and yet direct their faith and their worship to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, as well as to God the Father?

Not everyone is very familiar with the early Jewish believer’s theology of Christ, while others are little aware of how the Messiah was seen in ancient beliefs of that time. Everything centered on the word ‘identity‘.

With this key in mind let’s take a closer look at the Father and the Son.

The Hallmark of Hebrew Christianity

Very often we fail to understand terms like, ‘And the Word was with God,‘ or, ‘He existed in the form of God‘, because these terms are in Hebrew thought form. They don’t always mean the same thing to us as they would to a Jewish person. These expressions were deeply embedded in ancient Judaism. They reflect on a great mystery to be found in God Himself.

The earliest believers saw Jesus Christ as intrinsic to who God really is. Jewish believers had been schooled in the Scriptures and in the ancient sages. They believed that in the one true God was a mystery that reflected on terms such as, ‘the Word’, or, ‘the Form‘, or ‘the Image‘, or ‘the Glory‘, or even, ‘the Shekinah.’

The earliest Christians were absolute monotheist. They believed that Jesus Christ originated in and came forth from the Father, that is, without becoming separate from Him in His spiritual essence. This was part of the mystery that they accepted.

However, what made this belief so strong was that the Scriptures actually wrapped themselves around this great mystery in God. These new Jewish believers were discovering Jesus and letting the words of Moses and the prophets unwrap themselves in their hearts and minds.

It wasn’t long before the non-believing Jewish rabbis countered by accusing the Christian Jews of believing in two powers in heaven. The rabbis used the book Hebrews as a backdrop in their accusations against the Christian Jews, and especially where it says,

“In these last days [the Father] has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” (He1:2)

It was this statement that pretty much qualified the earliest theology of the Jewish church. It says that in the last days God has spoken to us (or speaks to us) in His Son, and that it was through His Son that the Father made the world.

An Uncomplicated Theology

The early believers fully accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and as Yahweh of the former testament. They also firmly held to a Father-Son view of God.

Paul Himself brings this forth in reaffirming the sh’ma of Israel. He said,

“Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” (1Co8:6)

Where Paul says ‘one Lord’, he is drawing on the ancient ‘She’ma’ creed of Israel.

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!” (Deu 6:4 NASB)

A great many scholars today are beginning to reach back to a more Hebraic form of theology. They are setting aside the notion that the Trinitarian doctrine is intrinsic to Christianity and that to be a Christian you must accept this form of theology.

This is not an affront against Trinitarian beliefs. It is simply for the benefit of a better understanding of how the early Hebrew Christians generally held to a less-complicated theology of the Godhead.

The point is that the earliest Christians were scriptural-centric. Both Jesus and the apostles instructed the evolving church to never exceed, “what is written”. The term ‘what is written’ had regard to Moses, David, and the prophets.

Thus we hear:

[Jesus] “Now He said to them, ‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luk 24:44-45)

[Paul] “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.” (1Co 4:6)

The Divine Image

The apostles were expressing a very ancient belief held in Israel at that time. Jesus was looked at as the ‘eikon‘ (divine image) of the invisible God. The Judaic beliefs before the rabbis made their anti-Christ intrusions, believed that you had the invisible God who could not be seen, and God who makes Himself visible across history and across time. Or, as one early Christian writer said, “God brought forth from Himself a beginning.”

For the early Jewish believers, Jesus did not become for them a second god or another deity. Paul explained Christ as the hidden mystery of God. The apostle wrote,

“To me, the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things.” (Eph3:8,9)

Regardless of how difficult this may seem to us, the groundwork had already been laid for the mystery of the divine image to be revealed. Here are a few Scriptural considerations:

“Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know!” (Pro 30:4)

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. …

“ … There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.” (Isa 9:6-7)

“’What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘Then how does David in the Spirit call Him “Lord,” saying, ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”‘? “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” (Mat 22:42-45)

“I [Yahweh] will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” (Zec 12:10)

My Lord and My God

How is it than an orthodox one-God, Jewish man could fall down before Jesus, and say, “My Lord and my God?”

And how is it that everything Jesus did in His earthly walk reveals that He was intrinsic to the very identity of God’s person? Jesus did God things.

And so we must agree with the Jewish author who stated that Christianity is the most Jewish of all the non-Jewish faiths.

I would go further as to say that Biblical Christianity fills out the Jewish faith in that the God of the Hebrews came into the earth as a man to fulfill His own program of redemption. Did the early Jewish believers worship the Father and Son as one God? Absolutely.

Now the big question — Does our salvation hinge on acknowledging that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Lord God Almighty?

John said it well enough;

“Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.” (1Jn 2:22-23)

The Mystery Called, ‘Wonderful’

Do we still have a mystery? Sure we do. It is a mystery that is wondrous indeed. What we do know is that the divinity of Jesus lies within God Himself. And when we worship Jesus we are not worshipping a second deity. We are worshipping the Father in the Son.

For all our Christian, Jewish and Muslim friends, take time for this song. Let the Lord open your heart to hear from God – ‘O Come Oh Come Emmanuel’.

Your servant in Christ,

Buddy

Nov

2011

The Path of the Godly – The Path of the Sinner

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.

“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.

_______

“The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psa 1:1-6)

Readers,

To appreciate the depth and beauty of Psalm 1, we have to approach it from a Biblical-Hebrew mindset. To God’s ancient people, religion was seen as an individual walking the road of life. The godly person’s traveling companion was God Himself. And God’s Word was his road map.

Thus we hear David say,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

Christians are the recipients of the ancient faith. Jesus is the Living Word who imprints in our souls the guidance found in God’s written Word. He speaks into our hearts the way we are to live.

The uniqueness of Psalm 1, is that it sets the tone for the entire book of Psalms. In this Psalm you have a description of the two paths than men can travel. One is the godly path. The other is the path of destruction.

It is no secret why some people live a blessed life while others live a life of muddiness and disarray.

Let’s take a closer look at Psalm 1, and other related Scriptures.

The Ancient Faith Realized

Take note of these Scriptures:

“You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” (Psa 16:11)

“He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.” (Pro 10:17)

“The path of life leads upward for the wise that he may keep away from Sheol below.” (Pro 15:24)

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” (Pro 4:18)

The Lord said,

“I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

And again,

“When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (Joh 10:4-5)

The Way – The Truth – The Life

In other places where Jesus said, ”I am the way”, or made reference to, ”broad is the way,” he was drawing from a rich Hebrew heritage. These terms were familiar to the Jews of His time.

The truth is that there have always been only two ways. You have the way of the righteous, and you have the way of the wicked. You have the way of Light and you have the way of darkness.

Hear another description of the two ways:

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.” (Pro 4:18-19)

And so Psalm 1, and the Sermon on the Mountain are quite similar. Psalm 1:1, says,

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.”

The very first thing Jesus says on the mountain is,

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

The Happiness Of

The Hebrew word for ‘blessed’ is esher. (eh-sher) It comes from the same root as Asher, who was one of Jacob’s son. Literally it means, ‘O, the happiness of.’

Godly happiness does not mean there will be no points of sorrow or difficult times in a true believer’s life. This happiness has no regard to external circumstances. It is an inner contentment of knowing rightness.

While many look for this blessedness of life in things or in relationships, the godly knows that it can only be found one place. It is found in a personal walk with the Lord.

Another mark of the walk of the godly person is that it is not influenced by evil. This is what the term ‘holy‘ speaks of. Kodesh means to be set apart, to be distinct.

This is one reason that Satan hates believers. He is unable to mold them into societies that speak of evil.

Then we have this characteristic of the righteous man and woman. The righteous person delights in truth. Psalm 1:2, says,

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.”

The righteous person loves the truth. His bend, pleasure, delight is towards God’s Word.

The Bouquet of Heaven

The ancients had a custom that when a child was born they would rub his gums with honey. The purpose was to begin very early teaching the little one that God’s Word is like honey to the soul.

David said,

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8)

The Psalmist adds to this in saying,

“How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

When Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied,” it is very likely that His Jewish audience would think about what David said.

But there is also another thought to be had. The righteous person’s walk with the Lord carries with it the very fragrance and sweet aroma of a heavenly life. The apostle said it this way:

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

“For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.

“And who is adequate for these things?” (2Co 2:14-16)

While the righteous person carries with him a heavenly aroma, the sinner lives in earthy stench. But this is where God uses His own people to draw the sinner’s attention to a life that can be had through Jesus Christ.

The Living Word

Another thing to understand is that God’s Word is a living thing for those who believe and trust in Him. God’s Word is full of wisdom and power. It works itself into our very nature and spreads its healing love throughout our being.

This is why the apostle said,

“Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2)

Peter was speaking of our attitude towards God’s Word. An infant instinctively seeks its mother’s breast for nourishment. We are to instinctively seek the nourishment of God’s Word. Our want is to be in the Word of the Lord.

Notice again that Psalms 1:2 says,

“In His law he meditates day and night.”

Here we need to bring out the Hebrew. The Hebrew word for meditate is ‘hagah.’ This word means to mutter, to emit a sound, to speak in undertone. A dove coos. A lion rumbles. Throughout the day the godly person pours out from his heart responses to the Lord. It is like a conversation is going on that cannot be heard by others. It is between the godly and his Lord.

The ancients were taught to process life moment by moment. Most every prayer would begin with, “Blessed are You oh Lord, our God. King of the universe.” Long prayers were not the rule.

When Paul says, “Pray without ceasing,” he is speaking in a Hebrew mind. The essence of Hebrew prayer was to bless God.

Firmly Planted by Streams of Water

It is in Psalm 1:3 that we find the description of God’s blessed child. Listen carefully:

“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” (Psa 1:3)

The Path of the Wicked

Psalm 1 then describes the life of a sinner. Again read:

“The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” (Psa 1:4-5)

Three words describe the ungodly man – Wicked. Sinner. Scoffer.

The word ‘wicked’ comes from a word which means to be agitated; confused; in motion; restless. This is a character trait. The wicked are ethically lose & unstable.

Note Isaiah:

“But the wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up refuse and mud. ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.’” (Isa 57:20-21)

The term ‘sinner’ is from an archery term. It means to miss the mark.

The scoffer is a mocker. He makes light of all that is holy, both in his words and in his life style. His heart is filled with darkness.

God’s guidance tells us not to spend time with these people. They are without God and are on the path of a terrible doom. Eternal darkness is in their future.

Where the Wicked Cannot Stand

There are two places the wicked are unable to stand. They cannot stand in the judgment nor are they to be found in the assembly of the righteous. They live their lives under a cloud of judgment.

This is the reason a sinner does not wish to be in a church gathering. Their own heart condemns them. Where the godly person shares the joy of walking with God, the sinner is agitated and confused.

Psalm 1 completes itself in saying,

“For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psa 1:6)

The Hebrew for ‘knows’ is a very strong word. Yada carries the thought of, ‘to watch over, to be deeply involved with.’

The godly person walks in true happiness because he knows the Lord God is watching over his life. And even if the righteous falls, God’s love will pick him up.

The sinner has no one but himself.

Jesus summed it this way:

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mat 7:13-14)

And so, it is no secret why some people live a blessed life while others live a life of muddiness and disarray.

Take time for this song. Perhaps the Lord has something He would like to say to you —

In Christ Jesus always,

Buddy

Nov

2011

The Longings of Eternity – My How Time Does Fly

“Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” (Rev 20:6)

Journal,

I was asked some time back to give a study that would include eternity to come, and the early Church’s belief in a millennium, or what is often called the 1000 year reign, or the kingdom age of Messiah.

These are pretty broad subjects. I’ll limit my sharing to what I think will best help my readers. Let’s begin with what is called the millennial age. It is in the book of Revelation that we find the subject of a millennial reign. Yet it is interesting that the concept of a 1000 year reign is taught both in Christianity, in Judaism, in Islam, in Zoroastrianism, and in other oriental religions.

Seems this idea is deeply embedded in nearly all religions. Here we can take note of how the earliest Christian writers approached the idea of a millennium. Keep in view that these writers were the closest to the time of the apostles.

According to the Apostle John

Once again, John is the apostolic writer who calls attention to a thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth. He references the thousand-year reign six times in Revelation 20:2-7.

John seems to be pretty clear on the issue of a thousand-year time when Satan is placed in captivity. But the question that we want to answer is how did other early believers look at this idea of a thousand-year reign? The answer is that nearly all the earliest Christian writers believed in a literal thousand-year reign.

When I speak of the earliest writers, I am including second and third generation disciples. This would include those who were nearest to the apostolic age. Here are some quotes:

#1) Papias cited by Eusebius (Papias was a disciple of the Apostle John and a friend of Polycarp; 60-130 ad): “Among these things, Papias says that there will be a millennium after the resurrection from the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth.”

#2) Justin Martyr (c. 160); “There was a certain man with us, whose name was John, one of the apostles of Christ, who prophesied by a revelation that was made to him, that those who believed in our Christ would dwell a thousand years in Jerusalem.”

#3) Hippolytus (c. 205); “The Sabbath is the type and symbol of the future kingdom of the saints, when they shall reign with Christ after He comes from heaven, as John says in his Revelation. For ‘a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.'”

#4) Tertullian (c. 207); “We do confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon the earth, although before heaven. Only, it will be in another state of existence. For it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years in the divinely-built city of Jerusalem ‘let down from heaven.'”

#5) Victorinus (c. 280); “The true Sabbath will be in the seventh millennium of years, when Christ will reign with His elect.”

#6) Lactantius (c. 340); “Back then a mortal and imperfect man was formed from the earth, so that he might live a thousand years in this world. So, now, from this earthly age is formed a perfect man. And, being quickened by God, he will bear rule in this same world through a thousand years.”

#7) Irenaeus (c. 180); “The predicted blessing, therefore, belongs unquestionably to the times of the kingdom, when the righteous will bear rule, after their rising from the dead. It is also the time when the creation will bear fruit with an abundance of all kinds of food, having been renovated and set free. And all of the animals will feed on the vegetation of the earth. They will become peaceful and harmonious among each other, and they will be in perfect subjection to man. And these things are borne witness to in the fourth book of the writings of Papias, the hearer of John, and a companion of Polycarp.”

#8) Commodianus (240); “The Amen sends flames on the nations. And the Medes and Persians burn for a thousand years, as the apocalyptic words of John declare. After a thousand years, they will be delivered over to Gehenna. And he whose work they were is burned up with them.”

More on The Age to Come

That there was to be an age to come that precedes the eternities of God is very much described in the Scriptures. Isaiah is replete with descriptions of that age. Rather than go through the many references, let’s consider this one;

“The wilderness and the desert will be glad, and the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; like the crocus. It will blossom profusely and rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given it the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.” (Isaiah 35:2)

Then we have the teaching of Jesus. In the beatitudes, the Lord said,

“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

This is a near quote from the book of Psalms;

“But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” (Psalm 37:11)

An important point to keep in mind is that before the apostolic writings were collected, the Bible of the earliest believers was simply the writings of Moses, of David, and the prophets. The Hebrew people very much believed in a Messianic age. Their Bible was filled with descriptions of that certain age.

Sons of the Resurrection

Perhaps we need to consider the word for ‘age.’ The Greek word is ‘aion.’ Aion generally refers to a unit of time. (The context determines its usage.) The Lord seemed to have the kingdom age in view, when he said,

“The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” (Luke 20:34-36)

This statement by Jesus ties in with that John had to say about the resurrection and the thousand-year reign. He said,

“Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” (Rev20:6)

Then when John speaks of thrones being set up at the end of the thousand-year reign, Paul had this to say:

“Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the matters of this life.” (1Co6:3)

The Longings of Eternity

No matter where the thousand-year reign fits in God’s program for the ages, there has always been in the hearts of God’s people a longing for their eternal destiny. Moses looked upon the tribal people, and said,

“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” (Psalm 90:1)

Moses must have had a deep longing in his heart for the things of eternity. Psalm 90 is a most precious Psalm. Since Moses was a prophet he was able to see into the far distant future. Then we have the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 30, that John calls attention to in Revelation. It is called,

‘Song of Moses the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.’ (Rev15:3)

Psalm 90 is similar to the Song of Moses in that it touches on eternal issues while reaching into the deep of our soul. We hear Moses say,

“O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” (v14)

But there is something else that Moses says that each believer should take to heart. The man of God says,

“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” (v12)

It is this last statement that gives us pause for reflection. How is it that learning to number our days will cause us to have a heart of wisdom? It all comes back to our allotted space of time. Moses knew that his time-space was only a moment in comparison to eternity. He also knew that God’s people needed to keep this truth ever before them.

It is as the apostle said that our life is like a vapor that appears but for a moment. Moses’ entire life was wrapped up in doing God’s will in whatever space of time had been given to him.

How about you? Do you feel the same about your space of time? In Psalm 90 Moses also marked out the general life span given to humanity. He said,

“As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years…” (v10)

Certainly some folk live beyond the eighty years. Some live much less. Our allotted space of time is not for us to know. But it is a truth none the less. We have only so much time to live. No more. No less.

Our Allotted Times on Earth

David also drew attention to our allotted days. Being a prophet himself, David wrote,

“Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalm 139:16)

But David also gave us a glimpse into wisdom. He ended Psalm 139 in saying,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there is any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” (vv23,24)

David knew that he was not free from sinful attitudes and thoughts. This remains true today. Even the most godly of believers still have to bring their thought life into check. But like all true believers, David did not want anything in his life that would be offensive to a walk of holiness. (Nor should we.)

Then where David says, “Lead me in the everlasting way,” he was speaking of the ‘way of the Lord,’ that is, he wanted to keep his focus clear on God’s path of redemption.

The Everlasting Way

Perhaps we should point out that David’s Lord is the very same Lord that new covenant believers love and serve. Sometimes it is hard for us to grasp this. But when David wrote, “The Lord says to MY Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet,'” he was calling attention to the One who would be incarnate as Jesus Christ.

Jesus carefully brought attention to this. So, David’s Lord was Jesus Christ, though he did not know Him by that name at the time. Keep in mind that the term ‘the everlasting way’ always had a view to God’s redemption story. David had much more to say about this Jesus Christ whom both he and we love.

In fact all the prophets wrote about Jesus. Abraham saw Him.

This is why the writing prophets described future redemptive and historical events with such clearness that it is astonishing. But they wrote in what is called ‘prophetic perfects.” This means that when they wrote, it was as though they were actually present at the time of the event.

They recorded what was being revealed to them in the Spirit. This is the primary reason the apostle said that we should never exceed the writings of the ‘prophets.’ So, as a prophet, David spoke and wrote in prophetic perfects. This is why he could describe the events of the cross with such vividness. David literally recorded the words and even the thoughts of Jesus as He hung on the cross. Notice how Psalm 22 begins;

“My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”

And so about the everlasting way, David further writes,

“Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth [this is Jesus], and righteousness looks down from heaven [this is the Father].”

Then he writes,

“Righteousness will go before Him AND WILL MAKE HIS FOOTSTEPS INTO A WAY.” (Psalm 85:10-13. Caps for emphasis only.)

The Footsteps of Eternity

What did David mean about God making the footsteps of Jesus into a way? He wasn’t speaking of ‘a’ way as though there were other ways. David is speaking towards the finished work of the cross. Jesus Himself said,

“I am the [everlasting] way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus is the Way of God. Jesus is the Truth of God. Jesus is the Life of God. It was His footsteps in the earth that opened the portals of heaven for the saving of all who would believe in Him. Jesus walked out of heaven, into our earth. He walked our planet, loving, healing, preaching, teaching, and presenting Himself as the Messiah and Savior of humanity. He was placed on a cross. He walked out of the tomb. He ascended into heaven. And His footsteps became our salvation. Jesus said to Peter,

“Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” (John 13:36)

Jesus had to first enter into heaven on our behalf, bringing His own blood for the atonement sacrifice. When the sacrifice was accepted, that opened the door for all who believe to follow in His footsteps. In fact His life has become our life.

Completing Our Course

Time marches on. It waits for no man. I was twenty-four years old when the Lord called me to the ministry. I am now seventy-five. And the older I get the more I appreciate the Lord’s adage for completing my course of life. It is so simple and yet so profound. Jesus said,

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt6:33)

Notice that Jesus didn’t tell us to seek a certain religion, or to seek to be right about everything, or to seek to make a name for ourselves, or to seek to be a corrector of everyone else. Seeking the kingdom is a Hebraisms. It means to seek the direct rule of God in our hearts and lives. We are to do this day by day by day. This is true wisdom. Peter understood this as well as anyone. In alluding to the Psalm of Moses, Peter writes,

“All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.” (1Pe1:24)

Thus life as we know it now is like a fading flower. Perhaps there are questions left to ask –

Is your name written in the Lamb’s book of life? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Savior? Have you turned from your sinful living? Are you serving Him with a true heart of faith?

As for me, I thank you, my brother Moses. I’m on the same page as you. I agree fully with how you concluded your wonderful Psalm, when you said,

“Let Your work appear to Your servants and Your majesty to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands.” (Psalm 90:16,17)

This does need sober thinking. Nor does it take away from the joy of our walk with Jesus. It simply puts things into a better perspective. Are there any adjustments you need to make? Think about it. God has allotted you a space of time. What will you do with it?

Take time for this song. The Lord wants to speak to your heart. In Christ always,

Buddy

Nov

2011

What Did Jesus Write on the Ground

“Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”

“They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him.

“But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.

“But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

“Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.” (Joh 8:5-8)

Journal,

It was known and recorded by the prophets that the Jewish nation would turn her back on Jesus. The Lord spoke to this when He said,

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'” (Mat 23:37-39)

According to the prophets, and the apostles, and the Lord Jesus Himself, there will be a moment in history when Jerusalem calls upon Jesus as Lord God and Messiah. But a problem remains. Jerusalem has had a long history of killing those sent to her from God Almighty.

If we keep this issue in mind it may help us understand what the Lord may have written on the ground when the Pharisees drug the woman before Him.

Could it have been…

‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN’

Keep in mind that this is merely a supposition on my part. However, it does seem to fit the prideful attitude of the Pharisees and others of the leadership in Israel.

The ‘mene, mene, tekel, upharsin’ story reaches back to King Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar. Belshazzar failed to learn the lesson that his father had been taught concerning the Lord God being over all the kingdoms of the earth; that God alone raises up and brings down rulers. (We would do well to learn that lesson ourselves.)

Belshazzar in his heart filled with pride held a feast for thousands of his nobles. During the feast he had the gold vessels brought out that were taken from the temple in Jerusalem, and had his guests drink from them. While doing this everyone was praising the gods of Babylon.

Then it happens –

“Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. Then the king’s face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together. “ (Dan 5:5-6)

The writing was in Chaldee but no one could bring an interpretation, that is, until someone remembered Daniel. When Daniel came, he reminded Belshazzar of the lesson that his father had been taught –

“Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified.” (Dan 5:22-23)

Daniel interpreted what the hand of God had written. The translation of mene, mene, tekel, upharsin, can be literally translated as, ‘He hath numbered, He hath numbered.’

Hear it from Daniel –

“This is the interpretation of the message:

“’MENE’–God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it.

” ‘TEKEL’–you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.

“‘PERES’–your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.” (Dan 5:26-28) — Note: Peres is the singular form of ‘Pharsin’. (The sense is that the kingdom would be divided.)

Now let’s return to Israel during the time of Christ and afterwards.

The Struggle Through the Centuries

There is a struggle in Israel of which many are not aware. Believe it or not, the struggle is between ultra-religious Jews and secular Jews. Politicians are caught in the middle. And while the religious Jews make up only 20% of the population in Israel, they wield far greater influence than their numbers show.

The issue is over power. An intense hatred exists among the orthodox Jews, especially those of the ultra-conservative sects, for anyone who is not of their sect. This hatred is essentially directed to the secular Jew. In some instances it is more intense against the secular Jew than it is against Gentiles. Secular Jews are considered traitors.

But these ultra-conservative groups also have war going on with one another – even over such things as whose rabbis are the greatest, and such like. So the hatred is wide-spread.

In any event, infighting among Jews has coursed its way through history, with one group accusing the other of being heretics. A great many Christians Jews were slaughtered in the Bar Kochba rebellion in 132-135 A.D., because the Christians would not recognize Bar Kochba as Messiah. This is only a sampling of blood-letting among the Jews.

Secular Jews on the other hand do not wish to be brought under the austere dictatorship of the ultra-orthodox rabbis. A great many Jews in Israel today will not even step inside a synagogue. Does that surprise you? Israel has one of the highest percentages of atheism among the nations today.

Where Does Jesus Fit the Picture

And while we may think that the secular sector of Israel has little interest in Jesus Christ, this is not so. The fact is that secular Jews are really more so against orthodox Judaism, especially in its more radical forms, than against anything else. Did you know that the Orthodox Jews are agitated over secular Jews who put up Christmas trees? The Christmas tree business in Israel is flourishing.

There is a cue card here. A little known fact is that there is a Jesus revival sweeping Israel. Not a revival in the sense that Americans understand it, but a revival of wanting to know more about Jesus.

According to Pinchas E. Lapide, the recently deceased orthodox professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, there is a “Jesus wave” passing through Israel. The wave is not about a Catholic Jesus or a Protestant Jesus or a Charismatic Jesus. It is about the Jesus of the land, the Jesus of the gospels.

The ultra-conservative orthodox groups are not very happy about this. Talmudic Judaism has erased Jesus from the history of the Jewish people, but the tables are now turning on them. The people want to know!

It remains hard for Christians to understand this enmity in Israel. The reason is that most people in the west know so little about the third period of Judaism. The third period is considered to begin with the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. up to our present. It essentially forms itself around rabbinic Judaism. The rabbis considered themselves the last mouthpiece of God, even exceeding that of Moses and the prophets.

It is good to know something of what is called the temple periods.

The first temple period concerned itself with the original temple in Jerusalem, up to the scattered tribes in the Old Testament. Second temple Judaism began with Nehemiah and the repopulation of Israel, and runs up to the destruction of 70 A.D.

Historians tell us there were twenty-four distinct Judaism’s during that time. The third period picks up from there.

But we need to know a bit more about how…

The Enmity Continues

The enmity against God Himself reaches back to the times of Jesus and much further. It reaches back to the fall of Adam.

But as for Israel’s enmity, Jesus and John the Baptist called the hate element in Israel, “a brood of vipers.” Jesus said of them,

“If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.” (John 15:24)

So the hate element has always been there. It continues to this day.

If you know anything about the scribes and Pharisees, about the traditions of the elders, or about Talmudic Judaism, then you already know something about the ultra- orthodox groups in Israel today. They are the same. They are of the same spirit as those who renounced Jesus so strongly.

Their hatred for Jesus Christ and for all things Christian is often covered up, but it always lies just below the surface. In fact if it came to the need for a blood transfusion, this group of Jews would prefer to die than accept the blood of a Christian, or of any Gentile, or even the blood of a secular Jew. They believe other bloods are defiled. They cannot take a chance on defiling their own sacred “divine” blood.

Does this sound strange? It shouldn’t. It was pretty much the same during the time of Christ. Even the apostles had to process this. It wasn’t easy.

When Peter was sent to the house of Cornelius, he said,

“You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.” (Cf. Acts 10)

Keep in mind that the Law of Moses never said any such thing about entering the house of a foreigner. This came from the traditions of the elders. It later became encoded in Talmudic writings. Even back then the rabbis had a choke hold on the people in Israel.

This helps us understand why Jesus went outside the religious establishment to minister to those who were considered outcasts.

As for the religious powers, Jesus called them what they were. He said,

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”

If you would like to see the dressing down that Jesus gave the “hate” element in Israel, take time to read Matthew 13.

It was immediately following this dressing down, that Jesus said,

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem … your house is being left to you desolate.”

For a better understanding of ultra-orthodox Judaism, let me share about some of the …

Beliefs held by the ultra-orthodox in Israel

(1) They forbid Jewish men to listen to a woman singing in a choir or solo, regardless of what she is singing. They believe the voice of a woman is adultery. (Many Talmudic teachings are against women in general. These teachings are very much in favor today.)

Compare this to Paul:

“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28 – Peter adds that husband and wife are fellow heirs of the grace of life.)

(2) They believe that when they come to power, all Christian churches are to be destroyed and all non-Jews to be expelled from the country, including secular Jews.

(3) Haredim rabbis often teach that the Holocaust was a well deserved divine punishment for failure to keep Talmudic studies. (Among other things.)

(4) Their hatred for non-Jews comes from their continuous cabalistic tradition. They are much into magic. (They try to hide this fact from westerners.)

(5) For them the gravest sin is for a Jew to deny Judaism. The Jew who denies Judaism becomes a Canaanite, and to kill such a person is an act of righteousness. (Thus we see their hatred against the secular Jew.)

(6) The doctor Baruch Goldstein who slaughtered 20 Muslim worshippers, including children, in Hebron in 1994, is considered a saint by this group and is seen as their intercessor in heaven.

Note: Perhaps it should be said that what this ultra-religious hate group may not realize, is that they are doing pretty much the same as did Hitler in his own hate against the Jews. This shows how very wicked and prideful the heart can become when it gives no place for Jesus Christ.

The Battle is On

So — What is it going to take to turn the eyes of Israel to Jesus? The answer isn’t as difficult as it may seem. It is clearly set forth in the prophets, that the Messiah would not return to His place until Israel acknowledges her guilt and seeks His face. The Lord said,

“In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” (Hos5:15)

Jesus told the rejecters,

“I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sins; where I am going, you cannot come.” (John 8:21)

The fact is that Israel is going to desperately need a Savior. When the moment comes, they will cry out to Jesus. The apostle said,

“The deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” (Rom11:26-27)

And again,

“In that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem … I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will LOOK ON ME whom they have pierced; and they WILL MOURN OVER HIM, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” (Cf. Zech12)

What did Jesus write on the ground? Could it be that God’s hand once again was writing, ‘Your days are numbered.’

Just something to think about.

Listen to this wonderful song about Jesus the Messiah of Israel.

In Christ Always,

Buddy

Nov

2011

Beware of Spiritual Counterfeits

“So the worthless rose up against the honored, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years.

“For this reason righteousness and peace are now far departed from you, inasmuch as everyone abandons the fear of God, and is become blind in his faith…”

– The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.” (1Ti 4:1-2) – Apostle Paul

Journal,

The beginning quote for this entry is from a letter of Clement to the Church of Corinth. Scholars are in favor that this letter was written by the traveling companion of the apostle Paul. When Clement wrote the Corinthian Church both Paul and Peter had already been martyred.

Clement’s letter is one of several letters written by those who knew the apostles. Clement along with Barnabas, and a couple more writings, were given consideration with regard to being placed in the New Testament canon of Scriptures. (Clement’s letter is found in the Alexandrian manuscripts. [Clement lived A.D. 30-100])

Paul speaks of Clement and other workers who helped him;

“[They] have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.” (Phil4:3)

The Battle Through the Ages

One of the greatest dangers that the Church has faced through the ages has been that of seducing spirits that attempt to make inroads among God’s people. Paul warns that in the latter times this will become even more pronounced. He says many will reject or abandon the true faith in Jesus Christ to follow ungodly spiritual influences, even to the extent of following a false or counterfeit Jesus.

It isn’t simply Paul that gives the warnings. All the apostolic writers call attention to the spiritual seductions of the end times. But it goes even further back. The prophets of old also called attention to the last days where false prophets will abound among God’s people.

Listen carefully to the Lord speaking through the prophet Jeremiah –

“The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; In the last days you will clearly understand it. I did not send these prophets, but they ran. I did not speak to them, but they prophesied.

“But if they had stood in My council, then they would have announced My words to My people, and would have turned them back from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds.” (Jer 23:20-22)

Jeremiah gives several clues to the false prophets of the end times –

1st: “In the last days you will clearly understand it.” [God’s true people will have insight into false prophets.]

2nd: “I did not send these prophets.” [Why would God need to say that He did not send these prophets? It is because they’ll claim to speak for God, in a way of, ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ They will flower their prophesies and preaching with the name of Jesus.]

3rd: “(A true prophet) would have turned My people back from their evil way & evil deeds.” [Notice how the prophets in Jeremiah’s time were preaching prosperity, and love, and no accountability or responsibility for sin.]

— Now take note of what Malachi has to say; “You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied Him?’ In that you say, “EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL IS GOOD IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD LORD, AND HE DELIGHTS IN THEM,’…”(Mal2:17)

Don’t confuse these warnings with God’s promises that nothing will ever be able to separate His ‘born from heaven’ believers from His love that is found in Jesus Christ. A believer’s salvation was make complete at the cross. All the warnings have to do with false prophets and false spiritual movements.

There is a Biblical example of a church gone astray…

Corinth Typifies a Church Gone Astray

The Church of Corinth is a classic example how dark spirits can make inroads among God’s people. Let’s take a closer look at the Corinthian issues that allowed the enemy to find a place with this group.

With the Corinthian Church there was one very serious situation that called for special concern by the apostle Paul. It had to do with the gifts of the Spirit and in particular the gift of speaking in foreign or other languages.

There is so much more to this story than many are aware of. The City of Corinth was less than 50 miles across the Corinthian Gulf from Delphi. To the Greeks, Delphi was considered the center of the earth. A stone was set in place that was called the navel of the earth. Delphi had the Delphic oracle, which belonged to the Earth goddess, and was supposedly guarded by a serpent, Python. (Keep the serpent Python image in view.)

At the Delphi temple they practiced a pagan glossolalia or speaking in tongues, but not in any language that could be understood. This influence of the pagan glossolalia was strongly felt not only in Corinth, but also in the entire Grecian world. (You can study this in most encyclopedias.)

The way the oracle worked was that a male prophet at the temple would receive a question from an inquirer. The question could be personal, or about government affairs, or whatever. The inquirer would be brought into the presence of a young woman priestess of Apollo who was said to have a “pythonic spirit.”

The young woman would speak or scream out in unintelligible utterances, often fall out in a frenzy, supposedly through the spirit of Apollo in her, and the prophet would interpret the message.

For some reason it was the women that took the role of having a pythonic spirit. They would go into trances. Their frenzied babbling sometimes would continue over a time.

The idea was that the young woman was possessed by the spirit of the god. The god was supposedly speaking through her in the form of telling the future.

Paul met this pythonic spirit at work in Philippi.

“It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination [puthõna] met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.” (Act 16:16 NASB)

The Issue of Gifting

It is important to understand that Paul never took away from their being a gifting from God about speaking in other languages. The problem seemed to stem from those who had been to a Delphic priest and had been exposed to the spirit of divination. It is even possible that some of the Delphic priests and priestesses were attempting to infiltrate the Christian assembly. Christians would have been considered a threat to the Delphic oracle.

In addition the Corinthian believers may have felt like they were in competition with the Delphic oracles. This was probably why Paul had to deal so much with the issue of speaking in tongues with the Corinthian church. You don’t find this issue in any of the other churches.

If you read the Corinthian letters with this background in mind, it will help you appreciate some of the things Paul is addressing. Listen carefully to the language:

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.” (1Co12:1,2.)

From this we can assume that some of the Corinthian believers had taken part in the Delphic oracles. It was the spirit of divination that had led them astray. (Keep in view the term, ‘led astray’. We are going to see it again in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. )

Again:

“Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is accursed’; and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” (1Co12:3)

Someone was speaking by a spiritual power that declared Jesus was accursed. Paul’s contention was that the Holy Spirit would most certainly not say that Jesus is accursed. There is a vast difference between Jesus taking the curse of the Law upon Himself at the cross, and Jesus being accursed. But these false outbursts of prophecies were leading the people astray.

Can a Person Confess the Wrong Jesus?

The false prophet claims power by simply waving his hand.

For someone to make a true confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for our sins, that He arose from the grave and ascended to the right hand of the Father, and is truly the Lord God, this would be an act of the Holy Spirit. It is this act of true believing that includes the very heart of repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ. Out of this heart confession of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, there is a heart exchange, the person is born again.

However, can someone say that Jesus is Lord and it not be of the Holy Spirit? Yes, if there is a occultic spirit involved. Paul addresses this issue in his second letter. He says it is possible to preach a Jesus who is not the Jesus of the Bible. (See the book, ‘The Beautiful Side of Evil’, by Johanna Michaelsen. She came under the influence of a false Jesus spirit.)

Listen to Paul:

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”(2Co11:3)

Continue to keep in mind the term ‘led astray.’ Paul uses it in both letters. In this second letter, Paul’s warnings are even stronger with regard to people being led astray.

‘Led astray’ is the Greek word phtheiro, which means to corrupt or spoil. The corrupting is a spiritual deception. Notice that the background of being led astray is still the serpent.

This word is used in Rev19:2, where it says,

“He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting (phtheiro) the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bondservants on her.”

Paul shows how this corrupting influence works. He said,

“For if one comes and preaches another Jesus who we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted you bear this beautifully” (2Co11:4)

The Corinthian group was coming under the influence of the occult. There is no other way to explain an involvement with a different Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel. You may think this is hard to do, but Church history has proven that this has always been a real danger for believers.

The pattern seems to follow this line – First a move of God in the hearts of believers for a return to the purity of the ancient faith. Not long afterwards the enemy begins making inroads into the movement. The movement becomes corrupt. Then comes a judgment from God that includes a call to repentance.

Now let’s hear a bit more from Paul’s traveling companion.

Clement Has More to Say

Let’s come back to Clement. Here are a few notable quotes from his letter. It gives an idea of what happened to the church in Corinth, and what can happen in a church today if a spirit of occultism enters the scene, and turning to the Lord with repentance does not take place.

“Your schism has subverted the faith of many, has discouraged many, has given rise to doubt in many, and has caused grief to us all. And still your sedition continues.”

“The height to which love exalts is unspeakable. Love unites us to God. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love beareth all things, is long-suffering in all things. … Love admits no schisms.”

“All the generations from Adam even unto this day have passed away; but those who, through the grace of God, have been made perfect in love, now possess a place among the godly.”

“Through envy and jealousy, the greatest and most righteous pillars of the Church have been persecuted and put to death. … Peter, through unrighteous envy … Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity … Thus was he removed from the world and went into the holy place…”

Did the Church at Corinth ever revert itself? Who knows. We do have a promise that the Lord will not lose any that belong to Him. It is possible that the Lord simply removed His people to a place of His choosing. But this is speculation.

So a question remains.

What Gives Birth to Working of Darkness

It all begins with false promises. The downward spiral of every spiritual movement can usually be traced to people seeking power without purity of heart. People want power and they want it now. So they run about seeking someone to lay hands on them so they can have more power. They are looking for this one special experience that will transform them into some sort of spiritual-giant.

Then you have these false teachers who make prideful boasting their platform of ministry. People get turned on by being told that they can do everything that Jesus did. The gospel of, ‘take up your cross and follow Jesus,’ becomes a mockery. And the inside message becomes, ‘We are gods!’

[For more insight go to: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2011/05/twisting-and-turning-in-the-wind/]

What’s wrong with this? What is wrong with this is that the power of life that believers are promised is found in only one place. It is found in the out working of the cross. God never promised us that we would have no struggles, or battles, or temptations, or failures, or heart ache. He promised that He would never desert us or fail us. He promised us that His presence in our hearts and lives would be enough to any and every circumstance we may face.

What the Lord promised us is that we would have tribulations but we were to take courage because He had overcome the world. The lesson is that He will overcome the world in us. The Lord made it very plain that we are not of this world and that our future glory is yet to come.

Listen to the great apostle Paul —

“After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying,

“‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.’” (Act 14:21-22)

Time For a Check Up

Paul was simply telling the Corinthians not to get over-focused on these particular gifts. There is no question that the Lord can speak to us through others. But to go about seeking a prophet today can do much damage to a believer’s walk with the Lord.

I realize everyone has their own thoughts, opinions, and experiences. But in the study of Scriptures, it is important not to let our experiences decide what we believe. We must learn to be true to the Scriptures.

Everything I have shared in this entry is for educational purposes. My advice to believers today is to stay on guard against any form of occultism. Familiar (pythonic) spirits love to enter congregations and play off as being from the Lord.

Here is your song for today. Please listen to it. It is titled, ‘In Christ Alone.’

May the Lord’s blessings rest upon you and all that is yours,

In Christ always,

Buddy

Living With a Glow for Jesus…

The Light that Shines in the Darkness

Our Redemption in the Light

The Redeemed Person is a Son and Daughter of God

Reaching Across History

Watch With all Diligence

Our Tongue Reflects Our Heart

Pursuing Righteousness and Peace

A Word from the Apostles

Make Peace with the Past

The Message of the Cross is Forgiveness

Identifying With Jesus

The Crown of a Believer’s Life

Fleeing from Strangers

It’s All in the Knowing

A Deepening Knowing

Deception – The Hallmark of Satan’s Work

Appealing to the Flesh

Making Careful Examinations

Learn Spiritual Balance

Fulfilled in Christ

The Author and Finisher

God’s Unconditional Promises

The Bedrock of the Faith Walk

A few more ‘never-ever’ promises

Our Inheritance in Christ

The stumbling, bumbling apostle

In the Midst of the Congregation

The Hallmark of Hebrew Christianity

An Uncomplicated Theology

The Divine Image

My Lord and My God

The Mystery Called, ‘Wonderful’

The Ancient Faith Realized

The Way – The Truth – The Life

The Happiness Of

The Bouquet of Heaven

The Living Word

Firmly Planted by Streams of Water

The Path of the Wicked

Where the Wicked Cannot Stand

According to the Apostle John

More on The Age to Come

Sons of the Resurrection

The Longings of Eternity

Our Allotted Times on Earth

The Everlasting Way

The Footsteps of Eternity

Completing Our Course

‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN’

The Struggle Through the Centuries

Where Does Jesus Fit the Picture

The Enmity Continues

Beliefs held by the ultra-orthodox in Israel

The Battle is On

The Battle Through the Ages

Corinth Typifies a Church Gone Astray

The Issue of Gifting

Can a Person Confess the Wrong Jesus?

Clement Has More to Say

What Gives Birth to Working of Darkness

Time For a Check Up

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