I felt it would be good to show the ten subjects that have received the most visitors since I began my online journal. (Keep in mind that I’ve written 120+ entries with over 60,000 page views.) Perhaps there is something here that you would enjoy reading.
Here they are beginning with the entry with the highest volume of readers and following through to the tenth.
And now once again, the story of the young eaglet who didn’t know she was an eagle.
The Story of the Little Eagle’s Heart
Somehow an eagle’s egg became mixed with a number of chicken eggs that had been set aside to be hatched. The little eaglet hatched right along with a brood of chicks. The eagle looked a bit different, but for all she knew she was just another chicken.
But something deep in the eaglet’s heart was restless. She had this tugging in her heart that could not be explained. The eaglet kept stretching her wings. It made the other chicks look at her as an odd ball. But since chickens do very limited flying, the eaglet simply had to accept things as they were.
It wasn’t just the stretching of her wings. For some strange reason she didn’t like the food that the chickens were eating.
Now that was a real problem. All the other chickens continuously looked at the ground for bugs or corn or whatever they could find. But this growing young eagle couldn’t keep her eyes off the sky.
So it happened. As was her habit, one day while looking up at the sky, behold the young eaglet saw these majestic birds soaring on the air currents. She couldn’t explain her feelings. Tears filled her eyes. Her heart-strings were being tugged at.
What kind of chickens were they? None of the chickens she knew could fly. In fact the farmer kept their wings clipped so that they could not fly. And it was getting close to the time for the young eagle’s wings to be clipped.
That’s when it happened. One of the majestic birds spotted the young eagle and flew down to check things out. The great eagle said, ‘What are you doing in that chicken pen?’ The young eagle said, ‘This is where all the chickens that I know, live.’ The great bird said, ‘You are not a chicken. You are an eagle.’
Something went off inside the young eagle’s heart. It was like an eruption of all her pent-up emotions. ‘Is it possible that I am not a chicken?!’
She began flapping her wings as hard as she could. Her feet lifted off the ground but not enough for flying. The majestic eagle said, ‘You are doing it wrong. Come here. Climb on my back. I’ll show you how its done.’
Boy was she nervous. On the majestic eagle’s back she climbed. He spread out his mighty pinions and with a lifting of his wings, off they soared, higher, and higher. The wind flushed through her feathers. How wonderful it felt.
‘Don’t be afraid. It’s your turn. You were designed to fly.’ The majestic eagle did a backward flip and off into nothing went the young eagle. ‘I’m falling! I’m falling!’
‘No you aren’t. Just spread out your wings! You’ll see.’
She spread out her wings and fly she did. She soared and soared and soared. The young eaglet could not believe it. She could not get enough flying. On top of things, she had also found a great family of eagles to be with. They were just like her.
OK, so now you know the story of the eaglet who thought she was a chicken.
No, she never went back to the chicken pen. After all, she was an eagle and eagles are birds of majesty. They are designed to soar in the heavenly places.
Note: The eagle story has been told many ways. In this case I’ve re-adapted it to better fit what I see as the Christian’s call to live in his or her upward spiritual life.
How about you? Do you feel the call of the eagle’s heart?
Are you longing to fly? Take time to listen to this song. It describes the eagle Christian’s life. It is titled, ‘The Power of Your Love.’ Let it minister to your eagle heart.
There are a number of hidden mysteries in God’s Word. For example the Lord Jesus can be seen throughout the prophetic writings and yet He is declared to be a mystery. The Church is in the writings of the prophets, but is also declared to be a mystery. Then we have the unfolding mystery of redemption.
In this entry I will deal with the mystery of our redemption in Christ Jesus, and how that the believer’s salvation was set forth from the foundation of the world. The entry is a bit lengthy but well worth the reading. It will help my readers understand why Jesus tells us not to be troubled when we see the nations in an upheaval.
Place your cursor over a Scripture reference and it will appear.
Take time to meditate on the following Scriptures where you will see some of the wonder and mystery of redemption.
A Word from the Prophets
[Moses] “Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb. For I proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock!His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children, because of their defect; but are a perverse and crooked generation.” (Deu 32:1-5)
“You neglected the Rock who begot you, and forgot the God who gave you birth. … Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faithfulness.’ … Would that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would discern their future!” (Deu 32:18-20)
[This is from the Song of Moses; 1400 years before Christ. Cf. Rev15:3. The Song of Moses is a prophetic outline of Israel, including her rejection of Jesus Christ. ‘The Rock’ is Christ. ‘His work is perfect’ speaks of the new creation. ‘They are a perverse and crooked generation’ speaks to the Christ rejecters. Peter quoted from this. Cf. Acts 2:40]
[Isaiah] “A voice says, ‘Call out.’ Then he answered, ‘What shall I call out?’ All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’” (Isa 40:6-9)
[Isaiah wrote this 700 years before Christ. Here we see John the Baptist’s call to the people, that God’s Word is true. The gospel message begins in Jerusalem with,‘Do not fear, here is your God!’]
[Hosea] “I will go away and return to My place Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” (Hos 5:15; John 6:62; 7:33,34; 8:21)
[Hosea the prophet also wrote about 700 years before Christ. He sets forth the rejection of Jesus until the time of the second coming. In Israel’s tribulation they will seek the Lord and find Jesus. Cf. Zech12:8-10. Hosea 6:1-3 includes the second coming
[Jesus] “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it! Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I say to you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'” (Luk 13:34-35)
[Daniel] “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.” (Dan 12:3-4)
The book of Daniel sets forth both the first and the second coming of Jesus. Written 500+ years before Christ. The later rabbis placed a curse on anyone who attempted to calculate the time of Messiah by the use of Daniel.
All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge
Paul said that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ Jesus Himself. This can only mean that these Christ-treasures were not to be hidden from us. They have been hidden for us. In writing the Colossian believers, Paul said…
“… that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col 2:2-3)
It is because of these hidden treasures that the apostle prayed for the Church …
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Cf. Eph1:15-23)
And this also is why we should learn to pray the prayer of David, when he said,
“Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.”(Ps119:18)
From the foundation of the world
When David ask the Lord to open his eyes so he could behold Wonderful things from His ‘law’, we need to understand that the Hebrew word for law does not simply mean the Law of Moses. The word ‘torah‘ in Hebrew is a feminine noun. It speaks of instruction and direction.
David is asking the Lord to open his eyes to divine instruction and to the divine things of God. He wants to see into the eternity of God. David also uses the word ‘Wonderful‘ in a unique way. It has to do with the Man called Wonderful. (Isa9:6)
This is a very personal request. It is the kind of prayer we should take to heart.
The Bible has much to say about the things of eternity. The term ‘from the foundation of the world’ is used several times in the new covenant writings to express the eternity of God. Let’s look at them: (Caps are for emphasis only.)
(1) Concerning Messiah, it says, “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”(Matt13:35)
This reflects back on Deu29:29; “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.”
When we stop to consider that the Torah of Moses, that is, the first five books of the Bible, are filled with the ‘secret’ treasures of Christ, it gives us pause to consider just how rich the revelation of Jesus Christ is in the Old Testament writings. The entire Bible wraps itself around Jesus as a cloak. He said, “In the scroll [volume] of the book it is written of Me.”(Psa40:7)
(2) As to one phase of the kingdom of God, the King says to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed of my Father, INHERIT THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”(Matt25:34)
Did you catch it? The kingdom of the beloved Son was prepared long before the world was created. This would certainly mean that all of creation was planned for Christ and for the people of Christ.
(3) Of the Christ-rejecting leadership, the Lord said, “The blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged to this generation.”(Luke11:50)
The Greek term ‘generation’ [genea] can express more than a meaning of time. It includes the idea of a multitude of contemporaries. Hence it speaks to an affinity of communion, or a grouping of people who share the sameness of character. We need to understand that there has always been a wicked element in the earth that has set itself against the Lord and against His Christ.
Moses spoke of this group; “They have acted corrupted toward Him, they are not His children, because of their defect; but are a perverse and crooked generation.”(Deu32:5) — This is part of the song of Moses, which Revelation calls ‘the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.” (Rev15:3)
(4) Jesus prayed, He said, “Father….YOU LOVED ME BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”(John17:24)
Jesus said that He experienced the Father before the world was.
(5) Paul says of all believers, “HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love.”(Eph1:4)
What is left to be said on this one? God determined to gives us His own holiness. All the guilt of our sins would be placed upon Jesus.
(6) The book of Hebrews speaks of God’s rest in the Messiah, in saying that, “HIS WORKS WERE FINISHED FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”(Heb4:3)
(7) Of Christ’s pre-existence in eternity, and with regard to our salvation, it says,
“He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”(Heb9:26)
(8) Peter says the Christ, “Was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you, who through Him are believers in God…”(1Pet1:20,21)
(9) Both Rev13:7 and Rev17:8 speak of the names of the saved written in the Lamb’s book of life, “from the foundation of the world.”
Wow — How did God know what your name was going to be? Have you ever considered just how deeply involved the Lord has been in your life from here to yon?
(10) The apostle said, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, BECAUSE GOD CHOSE YOU FROM THE BEGINNING for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” (2Th2:13)
The seal of sanctification
Every believer has a seal of sanctification upon his or her heart. Satan knows it. The angels know it. The seal belongs to God. The seal means,‘This child is Mine.’ It can only be broken by God and He promised that nothing would ever be able to separate us from His love.
Thus we hear God say of Jeremiah,
“Before I formed you in the womb I KNEW you, and before you were born I consecrated you…”(Jer.1:5)
The Hebrew word for ‘knew’ is quite interesting. Yada (yaw-dah’) means to know, to learn, to perceive, to discern, and to experience. It carries more thoughts, but this gives an idea of the strength of what God is saying. He ‘knew’ and even ‘experienced’ Jeremiah before the prophet was formed in his mother’s womb.
David talked about this very thing, and then confessed,
“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.”(Ps139:6)
How about you? Do you feel that such knowledge is too high for you? To say that God knew and experienced us before the foundation of the world is an awesome thing to say. This is God thing, a treasure hidden in Christ.
The issue in all this that all believers need to have their conscious life filled with assurances of their salvation. This is what moves our salvation out of the emotional realm, and even the intellectual realm, into the very heart of new covenant salvation.
Jesus Himself said that His sheep walked with Him in a ‘knowing’ relationship. This can only mean that the people of the Lamb have an intuitive knowing about God that is far beyond anything this present world can offer. We have come to ‘experience’ God Himself in the deep of our inward man. We found Him in Christ.
It was Jesus who said,
“I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.” (Matt11:25)
Paul said the new covenant experience is based upon a believer’s conscious relationship with the Father. This relationship is brought into reality by the Spirit of God. He said,
“The Spirit Himself testifies [bears witness] with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Rom8:16)
In another place Paul says,
“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!'”
The Abba Father cry is not merely our cry, even though we feel it deep in our spirit life. It is actually the cry of Sonship. It is our birthing cry made by the Spirit of Jesus. This cry speaks of a joining of our life to the Father of eternity.
This cry of sonship speaks of God’s eternal redemption that was set in place from the foundation of the world. The prophet heard God say it this way;
“Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, ‘Ask Me the things to come concerning My sons, and you will commit to Me the work of My hands.” (Isa45:11)
The Children of Eternity
We are the children of eternity. We are the work of His hands. We carry in our hearts an eternal perspective. We long for eternal things. We have a grasp of eternal things even when we are unable to put them down on paper. That is just the way we are. Yes, we are sinners saved by grace, but saved we are. We are the children that God’s removes from the earth as part of our redemption in Jesus.
It is wonderful to think about.
Here is a song for your heart, – I’m Redeemed I Am Saved – (By Sounding Joy).
“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.” (Dan 12:1-4)
Notes:
(1) The “time of distress” has to do with the great tribulation period. Cf. Dan8:17; Mat24:32-34 (the fig tree is a symbol of Israel); Rev4:1 may well speak to the rapture.
(2) “Those with insight” has regard to end time believers who are given spiritual understanding and prophetic insight into the end times and are thus able to turn many to the Lord. (Includes a great gospel movement into Islam.)
(3) Parts of Daniel would be sealed for the last generation. Not even Daniel understood some of what he was given as prophecy. (1Pet1:10-12) Paul was also given special insight into the end time but was not allowed to share what he heard and saw. Cf. 2Co12:2-4.
Keep in mind that the rabbis placed a curse on anyone who tried to calculate the times by using Daniel. Daniel not only set forth the timing for the first coming of Jesus, he also set forth the timing for the second coming.
(4) “Knowledge will increase” has to do with the flow of revelation and understanding given to God’s end time people from the prophetic writings. It likely allows for an increase of human knowledge on all levels including communication and technology. The revolution in Egypt can largely be traced to Tweeter and Facebook and other forms of communication.
*Place your cursor over a Scripture reference and it will appear.
Journal,
I want to encourage my readers to preview the two preceding entries on ‘Egypt and the World of Islam.’ (#1 and #2)
The whole world is in wonderment at what is happening in Egypt now. Of course this is only the forefront for the continual unveiling of God’s end time program of redemption. Muslims have been in upheavals for a few years; war in Iraq, in Afghanistan, disturbances in Iran, in Pakistan, in fact all across the Isl?mic nations.
I shared in an earlier entry how Satan raised up Mohammed to create an antichrist religion that has held untold millions of souls in the bondage of darkness. What is happening in Egypt and the middle east is merely a precursor to prophetic events that are unfolding in the days ahead. The end time battle lines have long been drawn. The clock is ticking.
Keep in mind that God’s time clock of redemption did not begin with this revolution in Egypt. God’s time clock was set in motion on May 14, 1948, when Israel became once again a nation among nations. (Isa66:8) It is likely that God’s prophetic seventy year wrap for this age as we know it began on that date. (Go to the entry prior to this one for how the principle of seventy figures into prophecy.)
Here is a quote from my last entry:
The place to begin is to understand the role that Islam plays with regard to the second coming. Here is the scene – Satan has always known that God’s plan of redemption completes itself with the second coming of Jesus to Jerusalem. Therefore his major line of defense has been to create a false gospel that would get around the true gospel. This false gospel would honor Jesus as one of the great Messengers of God. However, it would disallow how the gospel of Jesus saves people. This false gospel would find its center in the nations surrounding Israel. Herein you have Islam.
Leave room for adjustments
With regard to end time events it is important not to nail things down too tightly. Leave room for adjustments. In some prophecies you will see both the first and the second coming of Jesus. Prophecy is not always laid out in an exact time sequence. The Holy Spirit is the One who helps us see how things are falling into place. However, we are seeing the end time prophetic picture unfold in a way never seen.
One thing I’ve tried to stress in these entries is how very important the Old Testaments prophets are with regard to God’s plan for the ages. They often prophesied far beyond their own experiences. As I shared earlier, the New Testament church was not some upstart religion. The Christian faith is literally a fulfilling of what had been spoken by God’s ancient servants.
Consider these Scriptures:
“I sent you [apostles] to reap that for which you have not labored; others [OT prophets] have labored and you have entered into their labor.” (Joh 4:38)
“And He said to them, ‘O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (Luk 24:25-27)
“ … that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.’” (2Pe 3:2-4)
There are two things I want to discuss more fully In this entry. One has to do with what is commonly called the ‘catching away of the church.’ The other has to do with how God’s people should view the events that are now taking place.
Let’s begin with…
The People of Christ
Believers who struggle the most over their salvation are generally those who come from a ‘works-righteousness’ background. What they don’t understand is that their salvation is wholly of the Lord. No person will ever be saved because they became good enough. We are saved by grace alone.
There isn’t much I can add to what this dear sister recently wrote. It took a revelation from the Lord to bring total peace to her life.
Tina is from a Pentecostal background.
From a sister in the Lord
I just thought I’d share something that happened a few days ago. I was thinking about death and having to face Jesus. I was feeling really scared and wondering if I’d done enough. All of a sudden, I had an image come into my head of Jesus standing there with his arms open. Every time I started to tally up my good vs bad deeds, the image would return. I finally got the message…. He is WAITING for me to come home.
All the good, bad, and ugly will stay here on earth. My Savior is standing there waiting for me to come home. Jesus already completed his mission here on earth, now it’s my turn. He is here in spirit (Holy Ghost) helping me through this journey. And when it’s over, I’ll be with him…period, end of sentence.
My physical flesh acts like a prison. It keeps me in the shadows where things sometimes become fuzzy and confused. I am living in the domain of evil. The lures of the flesh are almost like being tortured. Sometimes we do things that are wrong before we even catch ourselves or realize that it’s wrong.
The Father knew that, and he planned for that, and sent his Son to make a way for us to be made clean. Jesus went back to heaven, but he left the Holy Spirit here to act as a guide through the many pitfalls in life. The HS keeps us on the right track. When life is over, I will shed this flesh and go be with HIM!
What a blessing when God puts peace in our hearts and lets us know that we are his! I didn’t speak in tongues or become hysterical, it was just the sweet, presence of God’s spirit that spoke to my heart. That’s what it’s about. That’s what Paul and the apostles tried to get across over and over and over again in the New Testament. Men get tripped up over doctrine, and when they do, they completely miss God’s plan for Salvation and life with him.
The removal of all who belong to Jesus Christ is well taught in the Scriptures. Regardless of the time element involved, and regardless of what a person believes about Pre-trib, Mid-trib, or Post-trib, this truth is well established.
I’ll share just a bit in brief. Note carefully:
“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1Th 4:14-18)
The expression ‘caught up’ is the Greek word ‘harpazo‘ [har-pad’-zo]. This word is used fourteen times in the New Testament, with the sense of sudden removal from one place to another. In this case it states that believers will be instantly caught up to meet the Lord in the clouds. Notice how Paul said that we are to comfort one another with these words. The second coming of Jesus and all that it entails is a time of glory for the Church. Our being caught up has to do with the marriage feast of the Lamb.
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Jesus spoke of this in John 14. Many don’t realize that what Jesus shared with the apostles in this setting has the Jewish wedding as its motif. The Ancient Hebrew wedding had two parts. The first was the espousal and the second part was for the bridegroom to actually come for the bride. Here is the setting:
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (Joh 14:1-3)
Did you catch it? Look closely. Jesus ascended into heaven and thereby through the cross He has prepared a place for all believers. He is returning at the proper time to receive us to Himself. Because we are already espoused to the Lord, our placement in heaven has already been decreed. Positional we have already been seated with Jesus. Now we are waiting for our full glorification with Him.
There is so much more I would like to share but I’ll leave off for now. Here is a wonderful song that will minister to your heart. It is titled, ‘There’s Something in the Air’, by the Lanny Wolfe Trio.
” … in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.” (Dan 9:2)
Journal,
This is a follow-up entry on ‘Egypt and the World of Islam.’ In my last journal entry I called attention to certain prophecies about Egypt and the world of Islam and to world events that precede the second coming of Jesus Christ. I concluded that entry with a prophecy where the Lord makes His appearance with Israel. Part of the prophecy reads…
“And 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 for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” (Zec 12:9-10)
I also shared a video that sets forth how the gospel is making powerful inroads into the world of Islam. The gospel penetrating into Islam is a crucial part of God’s redemption program that is to be played out before the second coming. In this entry I want to share more properties about the second coming of Jesus Christ that some may not be aware of.
The place to begin is to understand the role that Islam plays with regard to the second coming. Here is the scene – Satan has always known that God’s plan of redemption completes itself with the second coming of Jesus to Jerusalem. Therefore his major line of defense has been to create a false gospel that would avoid the true gospel. This false gospel would honor Jesus as one of the great Messengers of God. However, it would disallow how the gospel of Jesus saves people. This false gospel would find its center in the nations surrounding Israel. Herein you have Islam.
Here is a quote from my last entry:
“In the Golden Dome [on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem] there is written in Arabic, ‘God has no son.’ The world of Islam has labored under a false gospel about Jesus Christ ever since Muhammad began his religion of the sword. Muhammad perverted the gospel in saying that Jesus Christ is not the Son of God, that His death on the cross had nothing to do with salvation, that Jesus was simply one of the great Messengers (prophets), that Jesus would return, would die, and would be buried.”
Did you catch it? Muhammad managed to undermine the saving power of the gospel in the world of Islam by removing the very heart of the gospel. Jesus said He would build His church upon this revelation: ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ Yet Muhammad said that God has no son. Muhammad literally created an antichrist religion. {Anti means in place of or over against.]
Listen to the apostle John:
“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)
God is Taking Out a People
God is taking out for Himself a people from all the nations. This final movement of redemption is moving swiftly through Islam and will end up at Jerusalem. The redemption movement will increase in the days ahead. Consider these Scriptures:
“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Mat 24:14)
“And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.'” (Rev 5:9)
“And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. And it will be said in that day, ‘Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.'” (Isa 25:7-9)
*Place your cursor over a Scripture reference and it will appear.
The Principle of Seventy
The number seventy often carries a prophetic emphasis in the Scriptures. Here is a short synopsis on how the number seventy can be seen prophetically. It is possible that we are in a seventy year redemption time frame. (Place your cursor over the Scripture references.) …
(1) Jeremiah prophesies of Israel’s captivity into Babylon for seventy years. (Jer25:10-12)
(2) Daniel’s attention is brought to Jeremiah’s prophecy. The time was at hand. (Dan9:2,3)
(3) In seeking the Lord, the angel Gabriel gives Daniel a prophecy that reaches across redemption history and takes in both the first and the second coming of the Messiah Jesus. (Dan 9:23-26) This prophecy of seventy calculated into weeks of years and pinpointed the time of the Messiah. It foretold the cutting off of Messiah until the time of restoration. (Second coming.) The rabbis later placed a curse on anyone who tried to calculate the times of Daniel’s prophecy.
(4) Gabriel left the seventieth week to itself. The seventieth week is known as ‘the time of Jacob’s troubles’ or the period of tribulation. It is understood by many that the book of Revelation largely concerns itself with the seven years of tribulation. This seven-year tribulation is also called ‘the day of God’s wrath.’ (Just as the day of grace is a defined time, even so the day of God’s wrath can be traced through the Scriptures.)
(5) Then we have another interesting notation – The city of Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 a.d. Israel ceased to being a nation for nearly 2000 years. Then on May 14, 1948, Israel once again became a nation among nations. (Isa66:8) It may be that God’s time clock of redemption began clicking once again in 1948. And here once again we need to consider the number seventy. No one knows the day or the hour for the second coming but Jesus said that we could know the times of His coming. So, if the seventy year time frame began in 1948, it would then end up with 2018.
(6) The removal of the church.) There are three broad beliefs about what is commonly called ‘the rapture’, Pre-trib, Mid-trib, or Post-trib. If we subtract the seven years of tribulation from 2018, we end up with 2011. This is the Pre-tribulation position. Some take a mid-tribulation position. In this case the rapture would happen in 2014. For those who do not believe in a rapture, for them the time of the second coming would be in 2018.
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(7) What is important is knowing that the coming of the Lord is near at hand. With this in mind God’s people are not to live in an attitude of fear. The second coming is a time of our completed salvation. But as for the times, there are many prophecies that describe the world as we know it today. As for the proper time itself, be it this year, in three years, seven years, or whatever time the Father has determined, keep in mind what Jesus said, “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luk21:28)
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Here are some Scriptures to meditate upon —
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” (Joh14:1-4)
“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.” (Isa 12:2-3)
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.” (1Th 5:9-10)
“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Col 3:1-4)
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev 21:1-2)
Let this song minister to your heart. ‘Morning Has Broken’ (This is a Christian hymn set to the music of a traditional Gaelic tune known as ‘Bunessan.’
“Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Ps. 110:1.]” (Heb 12:2 Amplified Bible)
Journal,
This journal entry is primarily for those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible tells believers not to be sluggish in our faith walk but to follow after those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. In this study I will share ten things that can help make up for a strong walk of faith. These ‘nuggets of gold’ are some of things that I’ve learned in my forty-five years as a servant of the Lord.
Rather than provide a fuller commentary with each nugget, I will generally give Scripture references that apply to that nugget. Place your cursor over the Scripture reference and it will appear. (If the full reference doesn’t show, click on the ‘more’ at the bottom left where the Scripture is shown.) Each nugget of gold addresses an issue to take to heart…
I – Leave the Old Life Behind
Keys: Rom4:5-8; 2Co5:17-21.
Whether as a sinner, or you stumbled as a believer.
II – Do a Faith Check Up
Keys: The ‘working out’ and ‘testing’ principles: Cf. Phil2:12,13; 2Co13:5.
Our faith walk is deeply personal. Don’t compare yourself to others.
III – Draw on God’s Grace
Keys: Grace for today. Lam3:21-24; John1:16
Learn to dine from God’s table daily.
VI – Retake Lost Ground
Keys: Isa30:15; 54:17 – Repentance is worship
IV – Strengthen Your Heart in Faith
Keys: Prov4:20-23
‘Speak truth in your heart’ means to meditate on that which is of the Lord.
V – Don’t be a Doubter
Keys: James 1:5-8.
Doubt can honeycomb your whole personality.
VII – Allow the Lord to Choose for You
Keys: Gen13:14; Psa16:5,6; Isa25:1; Jer29:11. Throw away your design for life.
VII – Live by Your Last Instructions
Keys: John 21:20-22. Remember Jonah
VIII – Leave Room for the Unexpected
Keys: Isa55:8-11; Eph3:20,21 Stop measuring.
X – The Language of Faith is Laughter
Keys: Gen17:15-19; 18:10-15; Psalm 126:1-3
Isaac means ‘laughter.’ Paul says that we are the children of laughter. Gal4:28
Do you remember a special time when the Lord put laughter in your mouth? Laughter and joy are the natural outflow of a heart filled with faith. We laugh because we know that God is true to all His promises.
While you meditate on these ‘nuggets’ here is a song that will minister to your heart.
“And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.'”
(Rev 5:9 NASB)
Readers,
I’ve had much interest on a journal entry that I provided in July, 2010, entitled, ‘The Voice of the Blood.’ This entry is based on that earlier entry but with a few allowable differences. The most important thing to understand about God’s work of salvation involves the blood of Jesus. The old-time song says it well enough —
What can take away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Let’s begin with King Messiah
David often spoke of the Lord as his God and as his King. And because David had prophetic visions of Jesus and personal encounters with the Lord, he could speak of Jesus the Messiah long before He walked among us.
Consider a few statements from David:
“Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psa 2:12 NASB)— This Psalm is quoted from by the apostles in Acts 4, about Jesus as the anointed King.It has to do with both the first and the second coming of the Lord. The day of Pentecost was the coronation day of Jesus. The kingdom of God today is noted as‘the kingdom of God’s beloved Son.’Cf. Col1:13 — At the end of the age of redemption the Lord hands over the kingdom to His Father. Cf. 1Co15:22-25.
“The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, ‘Rule in the midst of Your enemies.'” (Psa 110:1-2 NASB) — Quoted by Jesus and by Peter with a view to Jesus being exalted to the right hand of the Father. This is the most quoted part of Psalms to be found in the New Testament.—
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your fellows.” (Psa 45:6-7 NASB)— Quoted in the book of Hebrews with regard to the exaltation of Jesus. —
“Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.”(Psa 24:8-10 NASB) — With a view to the second coming of Jesus as the King of glory —
A King is exactly who Jesus is
While we readily acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we must always keep before us that He is a King and has a kingdom. A King is exactly what Jesus is. And in order for a king to rule, he must have a kingdom.
The term kingdom (basileia) in Greek speaks of sovereignty, or power. In an abstract sense it refers to the power exercised by a king. So the kingdom of God refers to God’s direct ruling power. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of great power.
Now we turn to Jesus. Follow carefully the conversation between Pilate and Jesus. In questioning Jesus, Pilate becomes frustrated. His wife had a dream about Jesus and warned Pilate not to do Him any harm.
Pilate says,
Are you the King of the Jews?”
Some think that Pilate asked this in jest. I don’t believe this is the case. Pilate is too disturbed to be joking around.
The Lord responds,
Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?”
Pilate is confused. He responds,
I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”
It is here that Jesus begins to explain His kingdom. Listen carefully;
My kingdom is not of this world. [It’s not simply a Jewish kingdom.]If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world or of this realm. World [kosmos] speaks of a worldly order. Realm [enteuthen] has to do with ‘from a place’. Jesus says His kingdom is not an arrangement or an adornment to be seen with the eyes. It is not from ‘this place.’ It is neither a worldly kingdom nor a Jewish kingdom.
Pilate responds,
So You are a king?”
What Jesus says next puts His kingdom rule into its spiritual essence.
You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (Cf. John 18:33-37)
A kingdom not of this world
Now we come to the crux of the matter. If the kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world, then His subjects must not be of this world.
The Lord points out that only His subjects are able to hear His voice.
And the Lord says His kingdom is all about truth.
Now we have all the elements that describe the Lord’s kingdom.
(1) His kingdom is not of this world.
(2) His subjects are not of this world.
(3) Only His subjects hear His voice.
(4) His subjects do not fight. (Not in the sense of worldly kingdoms. Their weaponry is not of the flesh.)
(5) His kingdom is about Truth.
What does this tell us up front? It tells us that the kingdom of Jesus Christ cannot be put in religious terms. Religion is what man does. Relationship and reality is what God does for us in Christ.
Hence the dilemma —
If His kingdom is not of this world, and His subjects are not of this world, and only His subjects can hear His voice, and His kingdom is about Truth, and His subjects do not fight, how can we ever expect to recognize His kingdom? How can anyone find it? How can anyone enter into it?
Recognizing the kingdom
Every born again person knows the answer to this or they would not be born again. The only way to enter into what Paul calls ‘the kingdom of His Beloved Son,’ is to have a personal invitation from the King. And the only way to be born again is to take to yourself Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Savior and King.
Thus we have the gospel message. Many people are not aware of just how powerful the gospel really is. The gospel is an official message from God’s heavenly kingdom and in the gospel is a personal invitation from the King to His kingdom. The gospel carries in it the voice of the King.
I’ve been a gospel minister since age 24. I’m now 70. The most wonderful thing that I’ve experienced in my life as a minister of the gospel is to see people actually brought into the kingdom of the beloved Son of God. In my many years I seen untold numbers brought into the kingdom that is not of this world.
Here is just one incident that has been forever etched in my memory.
I Have a Message from the King
We were on our way to a village in Honduras near the border of Guatemala. As we were nearing the village, I asked the Lord what He wanted me especially say to the people. He placed on my heart to begin my message by saying, ‘I come to you as an ambassador of the kingdom of God, and I have a message for you from the King.’
“That was the first thing that came out of my mouth. A total stillness settled over the crowded building. I began sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then it happened – An old Indian stood up and began to make his way towards me. Once again I stood amazed at the power of the gospel. The old Indian heard the voice of the King. He was making his way to accept God’s invitation to enter the kingdom of His beloved Son. He was ready to give his heart to Jesus.
But what actually happened to the old Indian? This brings me to the story of the blood and the only thing that can take away our sins.
The blood of the King
To enter into the kingdom of the beloved Son, you must have an invitation. This is the job of the servant of God and of the Holy Spirit. The invitation is sent through God’s servants in the gospel message.
Jesus said,
And He [the Holy Spirit], when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”(Joh 16:8 NASB)
The gospel message is about the blood. The gospel is God’s invitation to turn from the kingdom of darkness and to the kingdom of His beloved Son. In this turning the blood of Jesus is sprinkled on the sinner’s heart. And in this turning comes the believers transfer out of darkness into the Lord’s kingdom. The blood speaks to the throne of God. First, as a person turns from their former master Satan, and thus receives Jesus Christ as Lord, and Savior, and King, something marvelous takes place in their heart. Listen very carefully to Peter:
“…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood:
“May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
“… to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”(1Pe 1:2-5 NASB)
Every statement that Peter makes is without measure. What does the blood of the King speak over us? It speaks mercy and grace. You may be concerned with the idea of the blood of Jesus speaking. Listen:
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.”(Heb 12:22-24 NASB)
Abel’s blood cried our for vengeance against his brother Cain. The blood of Jesus speaks from the finished work of the cross. It speaks of mercy and truth and grace and forgiveness and love and acceptance. The blood speaks of joy that is beyond expression and full of glory. This is why we sing,
‘What can take away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.’
An invitation of life.
The world has a standing invitation.
John says,
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.” (John 1:11,12)
It is important to understand what John means by believing. Our salvation is not based on some emotional work up. It is based on an open declaration of faith in Jesus Christ. Believing in the Bible has to do with the heart. It is an outflow of the deepest of our heart.
The Greek word for believe [pisteuo] means to put faith in a person, to rely on, to trust in, to adhere to. (It is the Greek word that we get our English word ‘glue’.) To believe in His name means to accept who Jesus really is, that is, to believe in the full message of the gospel, and in His authority. We actually believe out of darkness and into life.
What about the truth part and the voice part?
Well, I’ve covered this a bit. The gospel is a message from heaven. It carries all the authority and power that is needed to cause a person to be born again.
The word ‘truth’ in Greek, speaks of the reality that is behind an appearance. To realize truth is to become fully aware of the Person and Presence of Jesus Christ. It is a heavenly reality.
When a person is born from above, that birth brings a new spiritual reality into their life. The realness does not go away. It will be there from today, to the next today, to the next today, and forever. Out salvation is eternal.
His voice also speaks of the Lord’s Kingly ministry. The issue of Jesus being our King is very real to a believer. And hearing His voice is also very real. Jesus explained it this way;
I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”
And again,
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.” (Cf. John 10)
Where do we go from here? Listen to this old-time song. It has a message for you.
“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
(Luk 24:49 NASB)
Journal,
The Bible uses the term ‘metamorphoo’ to describe changes that take place in a person’s life when they truly receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. [meta = over. morphe = form or shape] At the moment of true faith, the Spirit of Christ enters the heart of the believer and a seal is placed upon the believer’s heart. The seal is called ‘the seal of redemption’.
From that moment on the nature and attitudes of Christ are thus transposed into this person’s innermost being. It is this experience Jesus spoke of when He said,
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'”(Joh 7:38 NASB)
The action that places the believer into Christ is called the believer’s immersion into Christ or the believer’s baptism into Christ. It is in our heavenly birth that we are made one with Christ. The apostle also speaks of this action as our being clothed with Christ. In another place Paul says that our life is now hidden or concealed in Christ. Thus we have the miracle of the cross.
This brings us to the major thought in our Scripture reading. What did Jesus mean when He directed attention to the promise of the Father?
The Sphere of the Spirit
The promise of the Father reaches back into eternity. We see it played throughout the pages of the Bible. The promise was the promise of a new life to come. Even before the fall of Adam the scene of new life is set forth in creation itself.
Notice carefully how the Spirit of God and the Word of God meet together in bringing forth new life:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”(Gen 1:1-3 NASB)
It is this scene that will be played out time and time again each time a new person is birthed into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. Note the elements:
Formless and void. The sinner’s life of darkness.
The Spirit of God begins to move over the heart of the sinner, arranging and preparing.
Then God says, ‘Let there be light’, and the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ enters thebelieving person’s heart and now we have another child of the living God.
Does this sound like an overreach on my part. Listen to Paul:
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.
“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.
(2Co 4:3-6 NASB)
A point needs to be made. Anyone can be religious. Being born again is not an emotional work-up, nor is it simply mental acquiescence. A person can be a church goer all his or her life and be nothing more than religious in nature. It happens all the time. Suddenly this person wakes up. It dawns on them that they have missed the boat. What made the change. The Light of the gospel of Jesus Christ begins to penetrate their heart. Their darkness was a religious darkness. They were simply religious sinners into ‘church-idolatry’. And now they become a truly born from heaven child of God.
The Day of New Life – Pentecost
When Peter began to preach on the day of Pentecost, he called attention to the Father’s promise. Concerning the Holy Spirit, Peter said,
For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” (Acts 2:39)
Then we have this from Isaiah;
For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants; and they will spring up among the grass like poplars by streams of water.” (Isa44:3,4)
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a term that speaks of the covenant experience wherein a believer receives the life of Messiah. The apostle said,
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1Co12:13)
The Covenant of Christ
The most beautiful picture we have of the Father’s promise of our new life in Christ is found in the analogy of the Vine and the branches. (John 15:1-8.
Look at it closely —
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.”(Joh 15:1-8 NASB)
It is easy to misunderstand what the analogy of the Vine and branches is about. The Vine had long been a symbol of Israel’s covenant relationship with the Lord. Over the temple door was the emblem of the vine. Jesus had in view Israel itself. Those of Israel who reject Him would become the rejected branches.
When Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing,”the Greek word ‘meno‘ means to stay in place, or to remain within a sphere.
We have a picture of this when God said to Abraham,
I am God Almighty; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you.”Gen 17:1,2
The word covenant in Hebrew is ‘berith.’ In Greek it is ‘diatheke.’ Both words speak of a declaration of the will of God concerning His own commitment, promises, and conditions by which He enters into relationship with man. God is the initiator and completer of the covenant. This is why the vine is a vivid picture of our new covenant relationship in Christ. The believer is to look to the Lord Jesus for everything in life.
What did Jesus tell the disciples about their vine life?
Without Me you can do nothing.”
Our perfect example for the vine life is Jesus Himself. Not one time in His earth walk do we ever see Jesus defensive or frustrated. His secret is in something He said;
I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 5:30)
The flow of new life
It really isn’t hard for a child of God to learn to live in the flow of new life. There are things we need to understand. First, we need to understand that God has a perfect will for all of His children. Secondly, we need to know that God is the only One who can work His will in our life. And finally, we must learn the great principle of new covenant life. Listen:
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)
It is in our trusting in Jesus that we come to know more about this wonderful thing called God’s providence. There is no part of a believer’s life that the Father is not vitally concerned with. The prophet of old said,
The Lord’s lovingkindness indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lam3:22,23
As we learn to walk in loving submission to the Lord, we are given a promise of fruitfulness. The privileges and experiences of a new covenant child of God are awesome indeed. Where the Old Testament saint relied greatly on a prophet and priest mediator, the new covenant child of God has direct, open, and immediate access to the Lord, at any moment, and under any circumstance.
What do you think about ‘The promise of the Father’. Would love to hear from you.
Let this song minister to your heart. – ‘I Believe in Jesus’.
“For some men, straying from these things, have turned to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully….” (1Tim1:6-8)
Journal,
Why would Paul say the Law is good if one uses it lawfully? The apostle is saying
that the Law of Moses has to be viewed through the lens of the new covenant. Therefore the Law of Moses can serve as a text-book in many respects, but it cannot be used in place of the covenant of Christ. Each covenant is distinct in itself.
Paul’s point is that while the Law of Moses contained wonderful truths of God, yet much of the Law of Moses is simply not applicable to the covenant of Christ. The reason is that both Laws are marriage contracts. We are espoused to the resurrected Lord of glory. Israel of the Old Testament did not have that privilege.
Paul speaks with regard to those in Israel who rejected Jesus, as Israel after the flesh. The King James Version says it this way: 1 Corinthians 10:18;
But Israel after the flesh; are not those which eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar?” (1Co10:18)
The covenant of the husband…
Let’s go to the prophet Jeremiah, where the Lord explains the new covenant;
Behold, days are coming, ‘declares the Lord,’ when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers … My covenant which they broke, although I was a *HUSBAND* to them.” (Jer31:31,32 Caps for emphasis.)
Notice God says that the new covenant would not be like the covenant of Moses. Why? There would be a death of Israel’s husband, which would nullify the former marriage contract. (The Man on the cross was the God of Israel manifest in the Son.) From the cross would come a new creation. This new marriage covenant would be a marriage between the Messiah and His elect. (Holy begotten ones.)
This new order will take up the name Christian, which means, ‘belonging to Christ.’ (Isaiah 65:15 speaks of a new name to be given God’s people.)
This new order would have its own marriage contract that would be suitable to it. Jesus said we cannot put new wine into old wine skins. The covenant of Moses was never intended for a new creation people. It was designed for an earthly people until the Christ should come.
Now continue with Jeremiah;
“But this is the covenant which I will make … I will put MY LAWS within them and on their heart I will write it…” (Vs33)
Each covenant contained a heart issue. In the new covenant each person born from above receives into their heart the very Spirit of Christ, who, in turn, works and writes new covenant laws into their heart. It is the imprinting God’s wonderful truths that helps us to process life as we should. In the covenant of the Law, God wrote on stone tablets.
Again notice the Lord did not say He would put the Law of Moses within His new covenant people, rather He would write His Laws or His instructions in them. (The Hebrew word ‘torah’ often translated as ‘law’ simply means ‘instructions’ or ‘teachings.’)
I need to repeat this for the sake of understanding – The law of Moses was the law of the husband given at Sinai. In the new covenant we are under a new law, which is called ‘the law of Christ.’ It is a new marriage contract, without any curses. And yet, both the law of Moses and the law of Christ contain eternal laws (truths) of God.
The song of Moses and the Lamb.
The covenant of Moses did not have the spiritual love factors built into it that are contained in the new covenant. Love was commanded, but it was not fulfilled. Why? Because the defect of Adam’s sin still rested upon the people. Before the cross, no person could attain the spiritual expressions that are found in the new covenant.
This is why Peter said,
And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” (1Pe1:8)
Listen to Moses as he sings this song over Old Testament Israel;
They have acted corrupted toward Him, they are not His children, because of their defect; but are a perverse and crooked generation.” (Deu32:5)
Peter alludes to this song on the day of Pentecost. The song of Moses and the Lamb is a prophetic song. It reaches across the generations and fulfills itself in the Lord Jesus Himself. In the book of Revelation it is called ‘the song of Moses and the Lamb.’
And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!’” (Rev 15:3 NASB)
The defect of Adam…
What did Moses mean by their ‘defect?’ This reflects on the fall of Adam. All humans on this planet inherited that defect. The best religion in the world, and Israel had the best, could not remove the defect. Only the cross could do that.
This is also why the new covenant cannot essentially be classified as a religion. It is a living union between God and His people. This is a love union. However, if we wish to call Christianity a religion we must reckon it as ‘the religion of the Bible.’ (We have far too many manmade synthetic ‘sectarian’ religions.)
This is also why God’s people began to tire of religion. When believers go from Church to Church, it isn’t necessarily that they are being rebellious. Often they just don’t understand that what they are looking for cannot be found in any religion. Find the truth, and God will flock you where you belong.
Paul was a Christian Hebraist
Let’s return to Paul’s teaching on Law. One problem we have in the study of Scriptures is our distance from the writers. We are not familiar with the thought form, with the customs, or with the word usages, along with many other things that belonged to the early Church, or to the new covenant. Because of this, we tend to lose sight of distinctions being made.
When we see the term ‘the Law of God’ in New Testament writings, we automatically think ‘Law of Moses.’ In many cases the Law of Moses is in view, but not always.
Let’s see the distinctions. Paul puts three distinct Laws together in one portion of Scriptures. Listen carefully to the language that Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 9:19-21. (The numbers (1), (2), etc. will be explained.)
To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win the Jews; to those who are under the Law(1), as under the Law(1) though not being myself under the Law(1), so that I might win those who are under the Law(1); to those who are without law(4), as without law(4), though not being without the law of God(2) but under the law of Christ(3), so that I might win those who are without law(4).
Do you see the distinctions? Read it carefully in your Bible and these four law usages stand out.
(1) Is a reference to the Law of Moses. (2) Is with regard to the law of God. (3) Is to the law of Christ. And, (4) is to those with no regard to any law.
Now compare this to Romans 2:14,15, says,
For when Gentiles who do not have the Law(1) do instinctively the things of
the Law(1&2), these, not having the Law(1), are a law(2) to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law(1&2) written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness…”
The (1&2) is used to show that the Law of Moses had encoded in it God’s eternal laws. And yet, the Law of Moses itself is not in itself the eternal Law of God. The Law of Moses was for that moment, and for that marriage.
The curse is removed in Christ.
And so, it wasn’t the Laws of Moses that was written in the hearts of these Gentiles. It would have been God’s eternal laws, or the Law of God. (God would not write into the hearts of the Gentiles a covenant that had to do with Israel alone.)
Again we come to the fact that the Law of Moses was essentially a marriage contract between Israel and God. No other nation had a part in that contract. A great portion of the Law of Moses had to do with the land, with temple worship, with blessings and curses of the marriage. Understand this and it will help you understand the new covenant better.
And so what did Paul mean, when he said,
But we know that the Law [of Moses] is good, if one uses it lawfully?”
Or, what did Paul mean, when he said, “…the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life?”
The apostle is showing that in much of the Law of Moses you will find wonderful things that pertain to the Lord Himself. But the Law of Moses cannot be used as an instrument of righteousness because it was written for an earthly people. The covenant of Christ is purposed for a heavenly people. (Those who are born of God’s Spirit.)
Listen carefully:
Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2Co 3:5-6 NASB)
The Law of Moses was a covenant of the letter. The new covenant is entirely a covenant of the Spirit. Each covenant served a different purpose.
Hear it from two of our apostles:
John – “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:16-17 NASB)
Paul –“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death [Law of Moses]. For what the Law [of Moses] could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law [of righteousness] might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Rom 8:2-4 NASB)
Removing the bruise
Is it any wonder that so many Christians are being bruised by those who do not understand the covenant of Christ, or the love of Christ, or the forgiveness of Christ; those who keep reaching back into the Law of Moses and use it as a whipping post to bring condemnation upon God’s children.
And so we need to hear it again:
For some men, straying from these things, have turned to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully….” (1Tim1:6-8)
The Lord Himself said,
And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” (Gen3:15)
The prophet Isaiah painted the picture:
But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:5-6 KJV)
My word to any minister who is using the Law of Mose to beat up on God’s people is simple –
Stop bruising God’s people. They have been bruised enough by the world. Jesus took their place. If you have been led astray in your on teachings, take your heart to the Lord for forgiveness and cleansing. (Both Paul and James said that ministers would receive a stricter judgment.)
Think about it.
Please take time to listen to the message in this video:
“For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
(Pro 1:32-33 NASB)
Journal,
The soul of every sinner is the same. Yes, I’m talking about everyone, including we who have found Jesus Christ as our own Lord and Savior. We were sinners by nature and by birth.
We walked in the ways of the world. We lived in the ways of the world. Our life was flesh driven and self-centered. We sought pleasures to our own making. And we were locked in chains of darkness and did not even realize it.
This is why Paul said,
“Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” Eph2:3
The apostle is saying that it doesn’t matter if we were of a Jewish or a Gentile background. We all had the same kind of souls, the soul of sinners.
David understood this issue. He said,
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” Psa51:5
David was speaking of his natural life.
Paul takes it further;
“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Rom7:25
Both David and Paul knew the answer. David looked ahead and saw the resurrection of Christ. This is why he said,
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; who shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?” Psa27:1
David had seen the beauty of the Lord. He saw Jesus of the cross. He saw Jesus of resurrected glory.
What of the Christian soul?
There is a certain wonder that takes place when a person is born of heaven. It is almost too wondrous for words. Peter said that it is joy, inexpressible, and full of glory.
When a person is born again a number of things happens. First the Christian is given a Christ like nature. The Christian becomes a spiritual being. Where there was darkness, there is now light. Where there was endless searching for fulfillment, the fulfillment has arrived. Jesus completes our life. That missing part is no longer missing. The search is over.
The Psalmist said it this way –
“The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.” Psalm16:5,6
Reshaped for life.
When a new believer first enters the realm of salvation, there is a burst of spiritual life. There is joy! There is peace! There is wonderment! Grace flows like a river. Then somewhere along the way something happens and this feeling of joy begins to wane. Some of the old sinful patterns try to reappear. What is happening!
It could be a number of things. Very often it is self-assertion. We are replacing the Spirit with the flesh.
Then there is the issue of truth. In the Scriptures, the term ‘truth’ does not refer simply to a doctrine. The Greek term is used in the new covenant for our experiencing the realities of Christ. Sometimes a Christian gets bogged down in legalism and letterism. Paul said the letter kills whereas the Spirit gives life.
What did Paul mean? It would seem that we need all the laws we can get! Not really. Paul understood the new covenant as well as it can be understood. He knew that every person who is truly born again is under the life supervision of the Holy Spirit. If we try to live for the Lord in our own strength we will surely find ourselves weakening.
The apostle said that he had found the secret to living a full life of victory. Listen:
“I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Phil4:12,13)
The lesson is simple – 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 into victories, helps us escape bad teachings, keeps the glory of Jesus before us, and many such things. Our final presentation in heaven is a thing of the Spirit.
In the new covenant this all centers on sonship. Paul said,
“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” Gal4:6
Our relationship with the Father is not that of a servant. We are sons and daughters of the living God. Angels know the Divine seal upon God’s children. And so our inward life is being reshaped by the Spirit of God.
Living Out Our Life in Christ
Yes, the believer can very well find himself drifting back into old life styles. This does not mean that he isn’t saved. What it means is that ‘the’ lesson is yet to be learned. This lesson will be taught to the believer under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It often comes through necessary trials in the believer’s life. (Trials are not punishments from God. They are designed to give true purpose in our walk with Him.)
The point is that the life that Jesus came to give us is unlike anything the world has ever known. We are heavenly born people in earthly bodies. This is why we often struggle within ourselves. This is also why true believer’s carry in themselves a longing for their final transformation. And this is why we can only be happy when we are living a Spirit-filled life.
Paul speaks to this in saying,
“As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have born the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1Co15:48,49)
The second lesson to learn is that we actually carry in us the life and power of Jesus. We can draw on His life and on His power. We reaffirm our life on a daily basis by remembering our unique role on planet earth. We also affirm our life in Christ when we learn our need to gather as the people of God. It is in our gatherings we share a very unique promise of God’s presence.
And so the question remains, ‘Are we having fun yet?’ You can decide this for yourself. It really depends on whose camp you are in.
Here is a song that will bless you – ‘I Can’t Even Walk,’ by Jessy Dixon, David Phelps, and Guy Penrod.
“Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” Isa30:21 NASB)
Journal,
One way I know to testify to the goodness of the Lord is to share stories of how the Lord has often sustained me through the years. After all I am now seventy years on the pathway of life. As you read this entry I hope you will be able to look over your own life and remember just how oftentimes the Lord has blessed you. It could have been in the midst of a trial. Yes, we are all the same. We all have trials. We serve and love one Master.
This is why I wanted to call this entry, ‘Whispers of the Heart.’ There is something very special that happens between the Lord and His people. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice and would not follow another. Most of God’s speaking in our lives will be like whispers of the heart. And in those whispers comes His peace. Yes, we do know the Shepherd’s voice.
Jesus is a living Savior.
Living by faith is a life of discovery. It begins with a call upon our heart. It completes itself with our entrance into heaven. And in between there will be many points of reality where the Lord shares something very special with us. With each sharing we acquire a renewing of God’s s goodness. Most of these sharings will be like whispers in our heart.
The Bible calls our walk with the Lord, ‘the path of life’.
“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)
Fruitfulness in the Kingdom.
God makes known to us the path of life. Everything in a believer’s journey of life has in its setting the working of the Lord. It is important to understand this aspect of our journey. What the Lord may tell one believer, He will not necessarily tell another believer. Our walk will always be deeply personal. Every situation is different. And how the Lord works in each situation will be different. Everything wraps around the word ‘trust.’
I well remember when the Lord began to open my understanding to how fruitfulness works in the kingdom of God. Fruitfulness is basically a product of sowing and reaping. This principle affects everything that we do in life. It is one of the greatest of all the spiritual laws.
Paul shared some insight with Timothy:
“The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” (2Ti 2:6-7 NASB)
Notice that Paul said the Lord is the one who gives us the understanding. Sowing and reaping isn’t merely about finances although this is certainly a key to financial blessings. Sowing and reaping is about everything in life. You want to be loved, be a lover of others. You want friends, become a friend to others. It is no different from natural sowing. If you wish to grow corn, you have to plant corn.
x
This is why Paul said that whatever a man sows, this is what he would also reap. Yes, financial well being is a real part of this great law. This is something that Betty and I learned. Every believer needs to learn this lesson in life. If you are not a sower don’t expect to be a reaper.
Let’s hear it from the apostle:
“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” (2Co 9:6-8)
Now listen carefully to what Jesus said,
“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure–pressed down, shaken together, and running over. Forby your standard of measure it will be measured to youin return.” (Luk 6:38)
This was only a beginning place.
My heart was stirred. But it was only a beginning place for us. Not only did I repent of making debts but I soon saw where I was not to be signing notes for others when they make debts. I decided to never co-sign a note for anyone at any time. I was learning the ways of the Lord.
“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” (Pro22:7)
What does this have to do with whispers of the heart? Very much indeed. When we saw that sowing ‘according to the Spirit’ was a vital key in living a fruitful life, Betty and I ask the Lord to guide us in our sowing. We began sowing in new ways. It was during this time the Lord spoke to my heart. He said,“Because you have believed Me, in six months you will be out of debt.”
Six months later we were completely out of debt. We were back into full time ministry. And we have lived on that level of life ever since. It has been well over 35 years since we’ve had a car payment or any other kind of debt. We don’t borrow. We don’t make debts. We don’t sign notes for others. And we learn to sow by the Spirit.
I will remain forever grateful and humbled for how the Lord taught me this wonderful truth of sowing and reaping. And it all revolves around living according to the Spirit.
But walking down the path of life isn’t simply about finances. The real key is to learn to live a life under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
This brings me to ….
A word on healing
It is important to remember that God knows what we need at each point of our life journey. With regard to healing, oftentimes the Lord will use doctors to help us in our walk. At othertimes He can provide a healing miracle. The important thing is that the Lord is always in the background of our life, guiding us, providing for us, and arranging circumstances in a way that is according to His will and purpose.
The Lord has blessed me through physicians. He has also blessed me with direct healing from His hand. My latest healing was from cancer. The Lord prepared me for this when He spoke to me, saying, “Expect the unexpected.”
I well remember another case when the Lord gave me something to do. It happened in March, 1978. Here is the story. I’ll title it…
Run for Your Life
It was March, 1978. In closing the seminar in Garland, Texas, I began to feel a weakness in my body. On my way home from Garland, the weakness became more pronounced. The two times that I stopped along the way, when I stepped out of the car I would stumble. This was really strange. (Once for a snack. Another time to fill up.) I was getting concerned.
The weakness worsened. I had never experienced anything like it. After I made it home the weakness became worse. I could barely walk without falling. I had no strength in my arms or hands. Finally I was talked into seeing a doctor. Blood work and all the minor tests were made. They couldn’t find anything wrong.
The doctor said that he suspected multiple sclerosis (MS) and wanted to do further tests. That’s when I said no more tests. I felt that it was a spiritual attack and not simply something physical. (There is so much more to the story. This is a shortened version.)
Then it happened. I’m at my desk at home when I have this impression that I was to run. How could I possibly run? It was difficult to walk without tripping over. The impression was strong. I stepped out the kitchen door, and made a vain attempt to run. If anyone could see me they would think I was crazy. Every few steps I would stumble and fall.
Now I’m back at my desk, sweaty and puzzled. It came again. It was a whisper of the heart. I’ve learned to trust those impressions of the Spirit. I was to run. Once again I stepped out the kitchen door. This time something different was in play. As I began to run I literally felt a strengthening in my body. I picked up speed and ran around the house without stumbling. My strength was returning. Next thing you know all the weakness has left.
And that is the story of my healing from whatever it was. Do I believe it was spiritual? Yes, I do. Would I recommend that anyone do what I did? No, I would not. Living by faith is too personal a thing to go around trying to mimic others.
While there is more to the story I will share something the Lord said to me. It left me in tears of thankfulness. The Lord said, “I delivered you out of the mouth of the lion.”
Is that all?
I could go on and on. For instance there was the time that a tornado was racing towards the church and our parsonage. Betty and the children were in our trailer home. (Church parsonage.) It had just hit a store up the road. The lady had walked to the center of the store and all four walls flattened out. She was unscathed.
The tornado was on a straight path towards the church and the parsonage. I was outside in the church yard. I saw the trees were whipping and snapping off. I began running towards the trailer home. That is when I heard the Lord speak to my heart, “Satan would like to destroy you, but he can not. I have you in the palm of My hand.”
It hit and knocked me to the ground. I watch the front porch of our trailer parsonage rip through the woods. Along with it went our storage building. Yet the trailer did not even tremble. Betty and the children were safe.
Oh yes, I have stories to tell. They are all true. And they are all about my walk down the path of life. But they are not hero stories on my part. I am not a hero. These stories are all about the goodness of the Lord.
The greatest story of all is that Jesus Christ is truly my Lord and Savior. Had He never provided any sort of miracle for me, I could never thank Him enough.
How about you? Do you have stories you could tell? Feel free to share them. (If you like you can use the comment portion of the blog.)
That’s all for now.
May you discover all of God’s goodness for your life.
Top Ten Journal Entries
IV – Strengthen Your Heart in Faith 
What can take away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Jesus Christ 
they truly receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 
believing person’s heart and now we have another child of the living God.
Then we have this from Isaiah;
understand. First, we need to understand that God has a perfect will for all of His children. Secondly, we need to know that God is the only One who can work His will in our life. And finally, we must learn the great principle of new covenant life. Listen:
A word on healing
That’s when I said no more tests. I felt that it was a spiritual attack and not simply something physical. (There is so much more to the story. This is a shortened version.)