What's Going on with 2020?

Stuff is happening that’s out of our control. “I know it!” you say. “Let’s work on that. Let’s get it under control!”

Our heads are swirling in clouds of either, “We’re all going to die of the virus!” or “It’s not really that bad; the numbers are all made up so we live in fear and someone can control us.” If all that isn’t enough, then there’s the spiraling anarchy combined with the insane defunding of the police. That can’t turn out well. But I don’t need to remind you of these things.

Here’s what I will remind you of:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph 6:12). What’s going on around us is controlled by an unseen mastermind. He’s called the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2) and the prince of this world (John 12:31 &14:30).

Knowing that, how do we battle him? I mean, we can join demonstrations, write messages to government officials and expose things we find on Facebook. But Satan just laughs. In the grand scheme, those things are pretty much a waste of time, though it might feel good to “do something… anything!”

But here’s what the Lord says to do about this in Eph. 6:13-18: Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  (14)  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  (15)  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  (16)  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  (17)  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  (18)  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Do you see that you’re not called to fight spiritual fire with natural fire? You fight the spiritual forces with spiritual tools, specifically the armor of God. How do you do that? You withstand and stand in this evil day held together with the truth you know from God’s word. You continue to live righteously. You be ready to share the gospel in these trying times. You use your faith to ward off the darts of the enemy who wants you to lose your ever-loving mind. Remember you are saved from eternal wickedness that’s being dished up. You fight off the evil with the Word of God. Find some truths to hang on to that will help you to stand—because notice that this passage begins with three encouragements to stand/withstand. Lastly, pray like crazy in the Spirit while you watch not only what’s going on, but how your brothers and sisters are handling it, and pray for them.

Now I know, all this doesn’t sound like enough. That’s because we think we need to take back some control. Well, just for one day, take your eyes off the news and off of Facebook and use those times to get the mind of Christ on this through reading some scriptures and praying. In so-doing, don’t feel like you’re surrendering to the enemy. You’re surrendering to God.

Jody

Am I a Milk Person or a Meat Person?

I’m intrigued with the idea that a person can be only able to handle spiritual milk and not meat. In the context of our key verse for today, Paul let the Corinthians know that because they were carnal like babies, they could only handle milk teaching. So, he was only feeding them milk and not meat.

It intrigues me because I don’t want to be like that. I want the meat of the word. It belongs to discerning believers who are of full age (Heb 5:14). How do I know if I’m a meat person or a milk person?

Meat has chunks and requires some assimilation. Here’s an illustrative example of the difference:

Milk: “If I was the only person on earth, Jesus would have died for me.” How many times have I heard that, and perhaps said it myself? Notice how simple and straight forward that is. It’s a satisfying feel-good statement (with no Bible backup).

Meat: Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (not just my sins). Remember, with meat we assimilate. The first time lamb is used in the Bible is the famous story of Abraham offering Isaac, and Isaac wondered where the lamb was that should be sacrificed, and Abraham said, “God will provide himself a lamb.” (Gen, 22:7-8) It looked forward to the lamb of God, whom John the Baptist announced (John 1:29). He would be sacrificed to take care of the sin of the world that started with Adam and Eve. And in the end, we read this: And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8)

Lamb slain from the foundation of the world? That is something to chew on, for sure. A milk person might say, “that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with me. I’ll look for a verse that will help get me through today.” A meat person would wonder about and study what slain from the foundation of the world means, and rather than look at it through the lens of life application, it might simply lead to worshipping God for His awesomeness.

If I assimilate all this about the Lamb of God discussed from Genesis to Revelation, it’s apparent that a theme of the Bible is Jesus as the Lamb to take away sins…a plan set in motion before the world began and effective for everyone who will believe.

Now. If I was the only person on earth, would Jesus have died for me? Isn’t that just a bit absurd, considering the whole eternal plan of God through the ages we just breezed through?

To a milk person, Jesus and the Bible are all about me. Only the verses I can apply to my life today matter. To a meat person, everything is about God and His plan and His kingdom. I want to be a meat person and learn all about that.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

What is There to Praise God About Now?

Could it be any more obvious that your days left on this earth are short? You are about to be in God’s presence—where worshipping Him will be the main focus. Get a good start on that right now. It begins with knowing some awesome things about your awesome God—things for which you can’t help but praise Him.

Take this verse: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Rom 11:36) 

First, what does it say? All things are of him, they go through Him and they are to Him. And so, all glory goes to Him. This speaks of the sovereignty of God in everything. Before you lower your eyes to the circumstances of your life, think of the testimony of some Bible characters. Think about Joseph’s life. His 11 brothers hated him and sold him as a slave where he ended up in Egypt. He had some bad times (unjustly accused of sexual misconduct and sent to prison) and good times (interpreted fellow prisoners’ dreams and was promoted to second in command under the king). Think of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt. They had some bad times (their hard labor was doubled) and good times (God released them and miraculously led them on dry land through the Red Sea). Are there others you can think of who had super highs and lows? How about Daniel, Samson and Paul?

Now back to our verse. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. All things. That means the things that happened in those character’s lives were all of him, and through him and to him. And now, in hindsight, we see how that worked out in their lives. Not just their lives… go ahead and think of Sarah, Ruth and Esther. Good times and bad times, but all things in their lives were of him, and through him and to him. All their stories are testimonies to God’s glory that we learn from. (The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple Ps. 19:7b.)

He allows all things that happen for a purpose in His eternal plan. All those I mentioned above… God’s eternal plan. Life is a tapestry that we only see part of from the underside. He sees the beauty that He is creating from the top over time. We will get His perspective later. When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2). Time doesn’t permit me to give the example I’d like to give regarding our Rom 11:36 context. The chapter is about how things have been working for the whole nation of Israel (bad and good) for the sake of us Gentiles that we might be saved.

But here’s the final point. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Rom 11:36) Let’s start giving Him that forever glory right now as we understand the truth of this verse.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

How to Study the Bible

Do I need to go to Bible college to learn how to study the Bible? Do I need to learn Greek and Hebrew to study the Bible? The answer to both is no. Otherwise, most of us wouldn’t qualify to study the Bible. Would God want to make it so difficult that only a few could study it?

I’ll share the magic of how to study the Bible here. You only need two things.

Intense Curiosity

First you need an intense, passionate curiosity about Bible books, verses and words. Without that you won’t want to study the Bible. You will be satisfied with reading a daily devotional and enjoying what other people think about topics or verses. Or you will watch Bible-teacher videos and love the perspectives of others. Let’s not mistake that for studying the Bible. Those are nice supplements, but they aren’t what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he said, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15) The question then is, do you have enough of a curiosity to drive you to study your Bible?

Here’s what curiosity looks like. You read or hear someone quote a verse, like 2 Tim 2:15 above, and you think, “What does studying have to do with being approved unto God?” Or you might really wonder, “What does it mean to rightly divide the word of truth?”

Rather than Google for the answers, you decide you are going to study it in the Bible. Let the Bible teach you the answers. It will define itself. But we’re back to our lead question. How do you study the Bible?

The Right Tools

The second thing you need to study the Bible is the right tools. The Strong’s Concordance was the first tool I learned about more than 40 years ago. It shows you every single verse that each Bible word appears in, so you can study where else that word is used. It also gives you the Greek or Hebrew word with its meaning.

The second tool is the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK) I discovered soon after Strong’s Concordance. It’s an amazing book of cross references for each verse. Many Bibles have a few cross references down the center column or at the bottom or off to the side. But the TSK book has umpteen more cross references so that you can get the idea of a verse by comparing it with verses that say something similar to the one you are looking at. When I discovered this book, I determined that if I was trapped on a desert island and could only have one book besides the Bible, it would be the TSK.

But I confess, now if I was trapped on a desert island, I would choose to have cell phone reception and an internet connection. That’s because both Strong’s Concordance and the TSK are on a few Bible apps for your cell phone or your computer. Since discovering that, it’s been revolutionizing. On my phone, I replaced the Bible app I had with the Blue Letter Bible. It has those 2 books/tools installed. On my computer, I installed e-Sword, which also has both books installed. Both apps are free. Install one or both right away.

In summary, the best way to study the Bible is to ask God to open your mind’s eye to have an intense curiosity. After all, it’s a spiritual book, and only the Spirit can teach you its meaning. (Pray this: Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Ps. 119:18). Then use one of your newly installed apps and start looking up cross references or word meanings and see what God shows you. It’s as simple as that!

Tell me what you think.

Jody

Missions, People Groups and a New Plan

The current popular 10/40-Window missions strategy emerged in 1990 and is still going strong. It focuses on areas in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia between approximately 10 degrees to 40 degrees north of the equator, which happens to be heavily populated with Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists—groups that by nature oppose Christianity, but they still must hear.

The idea of reaching people for Christ in those areas has become a missionary approach that makes sense and that anyone can get behind by personally going, praying or giving.

Those who lay it all on the line and actually go to those often-hostile regions and cultures are heroes in our minds. But time is short, and few of us will go ourselves. There are vast reasons that prevent us from going to those areas, and my purpose isn’t to address our reasons.

Rather, I’d like to look at some of the people groups Jesus spoke of, and these are groups any of us can take the message to. These are not divided by locale, but by need. And if we pick a group below, all we need is the same gospel message and faithfulness to actually get out there in a meaningful way. Here they are:

• The homeless. Rather than judge the reason for their homelessness, Jesus considers their need of food, drink and clothes. He points them out in Matt. 25:35-36 and commends those who minister to them as having ministered to Christ Himself. I’m not suggesting a social gospel where you build homes for the homeless and pat yourself on the back. In this case, along with those that follow, I’m suggesting developing a strategy of combining mercy with truth. Target this needy people group with a plan to go visit and help once a week or once a month and meet some physical needs while sharing the gospel. It’s not an easy group to reach because they likely will be suspicious at first. But mercy, love and the gospel over time will yield fruit and Jesus’s commendation.
• The sick. That is those in the hospital, hospice, nursing home, cancer center, etc. Jesus said in Matt. 25:34-40 that visiting the sick is the same as having done it to Him. This is the group I have picked out, and once a week I go to a local health care rehabilitation center with my ukulele and a few friends, and we visit patients, singing to them, sharing a Bible promise from the promise box I made for the occasion and sharing the gospel whenever possible. Some of the promise verses are gospel promises, which helps start the gospel conversation (John 3:16, John 1:12, etc.). Again, this is about sharing mercy and truth. We genuinely want to encourage them and lift their spirits, but we also want to make sure they are right with God and ready to pass from this life to the next.
• Prisoners. This is the group my husband has chosen to focus on. In that case, one of the goals is to help them with steps to overcome addiction, and the first step in that process is to recognize they are sinners (not hard to convince them) in need of a savior. Jesus said that visiting prisoners is the same as visiting Him in Matt. 25-34-40. There are other ministries that minister to the children of prisoners, which is a merciful way of ministering to prisoners. If you pick prisoners, find a regular opportunity to get in their space with a program that includes the gospel. My husband and I visited teens weekly in a local juvenile detention center for years. For the boys, it was basketball and a gospel message. For the girls, it was crafts and a gospel message.

This people-group focus doesn’t require uprooting or learning a new language. It does require sensitivity to the culture the need has created and a plan to regularly get yourself in their presence with a gospel-sharing goal.

In closing, I encourage you to study the combination of mercy and truth in the Bible. Mercy and truth is found 10 times. The combination is part of God’s character and part of the directive He gives to us. It’s a great strategy for evangelism.

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Ps. 86:15

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Prov. 3:3-4

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Prov. 16:6

Jody

An Evil Spirit From God?

What does this mean? And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. (1 Samuel 18:10)

How can it be that an evil spirit came from God? For context, God had already rejected Saul, the first king, from remaining as king because of his disobedience. This is the beginning of the downfall of Saul as king and the rising of David to become king.

God can use anything to accomplish His punishments and judgments. Everything is in God’s arsenal—in physical and spiritual realms. In the physical, He caused the earth to open up and swallow people; snakes to bite people; all the plagues in Exodus; fire and brimstone to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah; a flood; draught; enemy armies to get confused and kill each other; and much more.

He also can use things in the spirit world to accomplish His punishments and judgements. He can use evil as handily as He uses good. Saul wasn’t the only king to whom God sent a questionable spirit. Ahab was also a wicked king in Israel who needed to be taken down.

And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. (1 Kings 22:20-23)

Why would God send an evil and a lying spirit? Apparently, sometimes it’s part of His strategy. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Just note that the verse says that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul. This does not imply that God created the evil. He sent it. If I send someone a dozen roses, they are from me, but I didn’t grow them. If an evil spirit comes from God, it means He sent it. The spirits are subject to Him. That’s not difficult to understand. The spirits were also subject to the disciples through Jesus’s name (Luke 10:17).

So, in summary, everything in the physical and spiritual realms are subject to God. He can and does use anything to accomplish His punishments and judgments.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

Satisfied with too Little

As we navigate through the end times, there’s a consequence I think we’ve succumbed to without realizing it. Combine the personal technology at our fingertips with the fact that we are in the Laodicean church age marked by obliviousness to our anemic spiritual state, and I think we become entertained and satisfied too fast—regularly. We stop too soon.

I’m working on this in my own life. I’ll talk about my daily quiet time. There have been whole periods in my life when I just looked for a personal verse for the day. But what if God had more for my soul and His glory than just a verse? No. Sorry. I just need one verse.

Right now, I’m reading through the Bible in a year. That would be about three chapters a day. I just went through Leviticus. I was thinking about the concept of becoming satisfied too soon, and so I read five chapters a few days. I was amazed at how much more understanding I received from reading two extra chapters. I got a bigger context and more things to marvel at.

I’ve also decided that just reading it and calling it good is stopping too short. So, I’m writing a summary of what I read and the insights I receive. So rather than just reading, I’m meditating on it.

Maybe another way to put this is, good enough isn’t good enough. Isn’t there something deeper that can capture my soul if I’d just look up some cross references with the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on my Blue Letter Bible phone app or e-sword computer app? When I find a heart-stirring verse, can’t I ask where else that might be in the Bible in different words, or who was an example of that somewhere in the Bible? Let’s all stop letting those devotional thoughts go by so fast. Let’s push ourselves to go a little bit further.

Let me illustrate another area where we have a whole Christian culture that stops too soon. Remember that beloved song “It is Well With My Soul?” What if Horatio Spafford was satisfied with his work after he finished writing the first verse and stopped? Or if John Newton thought he was happy and done after writing just that first verse of “Amazing Grace?”

I want to challenge the song writers of today to not be satisfied coming up with one meaty phrase and working that into a tune to repeat over and over. You are stopping too soon. Search your heart and pray and find more truths about God to add to that phrase. When you think you’ve done well, challenge yourself to go even deeper and come up with more, until you have a song filled with marvelous truths. It will be hard at first because it’s going to take more time, and you’ll be tempted to stop when you feel like you have one profound thought. But real worship happens when we interact with truths about God in our heart. We can’t let ourselves be satisfied with one little truth repeated 15 times because the writer didn’t take the time to think of anything more.

If you tell me it’s just the style of the day to repeat one phrase over and over, I’ll tell you that it’s a sign of our day. We’re satisfied with too little. We don’t know that we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. We need to anoint our eyes with eye-salve that we might see.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

What Does it Mean to "Wait on the Lord?"

The Lord is glad you asked. If you’ve determined that you need to wait on the Lord, it means you are desperate for something that requires His action or His direction.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Ps. 27:14

You might think that waiting is passive. You sit back in your chair and wait for something to happen. And you don’t budge until it does. LOL. That’s not it at all. This verse is a command. It’s something you do. And what you’re waiting for is not for the circumstance to resolve itself. You are waiting on the Lord.

If you’re not sitting in a chair (probably paralyzed with fear, doubt and worry) waiting for something to happen, what are you doing? The verse says Wait on the Lord: be of good courage.

You are waiting on the Lord and not the circumstance, so you can be of good courage. It’s out of your control and in God’s hands. That means you are emotionally and spiritually free to get up and live your life normally—in anticipation of what God is going to do—with a new spring in your step, because you have found new strength. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.

Whatever your issue, turn it over to Jesus. He loves it when you rely on Him and not on yourself. When He comes through, you’ll have a testimony that includes “I waited, and He answered in this amazing way.”

David had a testimony like that. He said, I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (Ps. 40:1-2)

Really? What was David waiting for? He wrote this while he was king of Israel, but his son was trying to overthrow him to be king in his place, and David (the dad, the king) became a wandering nomad—again. (Remember Saul chased him before David became king). David waited on God while he was on the move, and God provided all his needs (see 2 Sam 17) and restored his kingdom.

And so you too can wait on the Lord with anticipation. Waiting on God is trusting Him and His mercy to come through. Now jump out of that chair of fear and confusion and move along.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Ps. 27:14

Jody

Note: You can tell where the Psalms fit in David’s life by looking at their placement in The Reese Chronological Bible.

Why do People Commit Suicide?

In one week, the world was rocked when Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain each committed suicide. Weren’t you tempted to take your pulse to see if you were still OK? If these larger-than-life successful people couldn’t figure out life, do I have it figured out?

I confess, I knew nothing of Kate Spade, but Anthony Bourdain—I sometimes watched on TV, heard him speak at a conference and attempted to read one of his books.

There are many contributing factors to why people commit suicide. Mental illness, sickness, side effects of medication, hormones… many things. But I suspect I know what contributed to Anthony Bourdain’s demise. Lack of peace. I read that he “battled personal demons.” He’s not alone. Twice in the book of Isaiah you’ll find the verse “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.”

So, here is the condition, not only of Anthony Bourdain, but all of us in our natural state: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God… there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: … And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Rom. 3:10-18)

I don’t think Anthony Bourdain had peace because he did not know God. He wore his thoughts on his sleeve. I couldn’t read his books because of his filthy language, that interestingly, I read in one article is something people adored about him. He was quick to curse and deny God. In most of the episodes of his program, he was drunk. His traveling job led him to embrace every culture’s pagan practices, and therefore not adhere to any particular truth. He probably wondered, “What is truth?” He may have even doubted there is absolute truth in deference to the many beliefs of the cultures he got to know. To curse God and reject Him and His word as truth sets a person up to battle personal demons. It’s a life of agitation.

I know this because this was me. I also had no peace when I rejected everything having to do with Christ. I seriously contemplated suicide. Lack of peace leads to lack of purpose, which leads to hopelessness. Had I not been told the gospel of Jesus Christ and received it when I did, I am quite certain I would not be here today. (The bumper sticker is right: No Jesus. No peace. Know Jesus. Know peace.)

God made each of us to have a relationship with Him, but because we’re all sinners who do and think bad things, we don’t have a relationship with Him. God wants us to be close to Him, but He knew our sin would forever keep us apart from Him. So He sent his perfect son, Jesus Christ, to live that perfect life, die on the cross to take the penalty for our sin, rose again the third day to conquer death, and now He’s alive and offers us to be reconciled to God simply by placing our faith in Him and what He did on the cross for us. That’s the gospel. I heard it and accepted it, and immediately I had peace, hope and purpose.

This is what Anthony Bourdain never experienced, but he could have if he would have only believed: Col. 1:20-21  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (21) And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.

He never was reconciled to God. Jesus was compassionate about lack of peace. He said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

So, if you’re reading this and you completely relate to lack of peace, please do not commit suicide. Instead, get your heart right with God by accepting what Christ did for you. Pray and tell Him you know you’ve sinned, you are sorry, and that you know Jesus died for you, and you want to accept what He did for you. Ask Him to come into your life and save you.

Richmond and I have each written books that should help you with the issue you face. Richmond’s book specific to this topic is “The Happiness Code.” It explains from Solomon’s life and the Bible book he wrote, Ecclesiastes, why people can’t find happiness under the sun, and how you CAN find happiness. You will find the book off to the right side of the page here. You can actually download it for free.

I wrote a book about depression, “Ditch Depression Devotional,” and you will see a link to get you started reading that off to the right also.

There is complete hope in Christ. There’s a reason to live. You can live a peaceful happy life. If you wonder what church you could go to and talk to someone, I’d say generally, a Baptist church would be a good place to start. Look for the pastor and ask him your questions. God bless you, and don’t give up.

Jody

God Answers

Our prayers may not be eloquent, and the act of saying of them may not bring immediate relief in a stormy time, but God is faithful to His word, and He delights in meeting the needs of his children. He is merciful, and He loves to receive the glory when He comes through. So I’m giving Him glory.

We had a storm for the ages in Kauai last Sunday. In an instant, our carport was filled with thigh-high water. Everything in there was submerged—including the lawnmower, chain saw, power washer, etc. I wished Richmond was here! As quickly as the water came, it left. It left me wondering if that lawnmower was going to work. It was days before I gathered the courage to try to start it. It didn’t start.

Over the next few days, I prayed regularly about what to do. I contacted anyone on the island I thought might know someone who knows anything about lawnmowers. The most common advice… take it to a repair shop. Not what I had in mind.

It looked like it was up to me and God to fix the thing. Meanwhile, the grass grows into a jungle within 1-2 weeks on the island. No time to waste.

Yesterday (Saturday) my only mission was to get it done. Of course I was praying all along that God would bring help. With Richmond coaxing me over the phone, I tried to take out the spark plug, but I didn’t have the right size socket. I made a list of things to buy at Home Depot. I was about to leave the house with my list, but I got hungry. I couldn’t go running around on an empty stomach. As I ate, I prayed and asked God to direct the timing of me leaving to go out, because I know from past experience that He does split-second timing. More than once I have run into someone at Home Depot shopping the same aisle who was an expert at whatever my issue was and offered valuable advice. If ever there was a need for that, this was it.

I finished lunch, got in the car and headed down the long driveway out to the street. At the end of the driveway I saw a neighbor at the end of his driveway whom I have never met, but I had wanted to meet him for months to thank him for trimming his trees and bushes by the road so that I could see to turn onto the road. (He had heard from another neighbor that we couldn’t see to turn and was now keeping them trimmed.) I waved to him and started to drive on, but I had the urge to pull over, get out and go meet him and thank him. With my engine running, I ran over for a short conversation with him. We discussed the flood and the lawnmower and the spark plug socket dilemma and my Home Depot mission. He wanted to come take a look. My heart skipped. Could this 80 year old man be God’s help?

I turned the car around and went back down the driveway. He came with his van full of tools. Within 30 seconds he could tell me there wasn’t water in the gas or oil tanks as I suspected. He opened this and that and sprayed various sprays here and there. He agreed it needed an odd sized socket to get the spark plug out. He happened to have the right size right there. He whipped out the plug, sprayed something on it. Shortly, he had the lawnmower running! I was so thankful, I could hardly breathe. I thanked him profusely and told him God sent him. He said, “No. God sent you… to Kauai.”

That was another lesson on top of the one about God amazingly answering specific prayer. (Lord, direct me in what time I leave the house. I believe in your split-second timing). God is the one who sent me to Kauai. He will take care of me.

Jody

Choose Meat

How do you know when it’s time to wean a baby from milk and move on to solids? There are several indications. One is when milk is not satiating any more. You can supplement the milk, but it’s also a sign that you can introduce solids, including meat, which provides the iron and zinc the body needs.

Well, that’s physical babies. You know the Bible talks about baby Christians and the need and desire for milk, but also how it’s eventually time to move past that and onto meat.

Illustrations always break down. When babies first get meat, it’s mush. That’s not the Bible idea of spiritual meat. Neither does it mean ABC meat (already been chewed). If you’re living on devotional books, consider weening yourself off of those and finding your own meat and discovering the delightful mysteries of God on your own. You can do it. In fact, God expects you to mature to the point you can handle strong meat.

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Heb. 5:12-14

This may seem like a silly question, but as a Christian, how do you know if you are only on milk level with the Bible or if you are consuming meat? It also begs the question, what is meat? I’ll apply the Bible study principal that will put you on the path to meat. That is, when you can compare scripture with scripture and come to conclusions on your own without a Bible teacher, devotional book, sermon or conversation with the pastor.

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. Isa. 28:9-10

Fortunately, we live in a day when it’s easier than ever to look at precept upon precept and line upon line and find a little here and a little there to draw it all together because we have Bible study tools. I maintain, all it takes to soar ahead in your knowledge of God and the Bible is a strong curiosity and Bible tools, like the Blue Letter Bible smartphone app. Or on my computer I use eSword and the Online Bible. Whatever Bible program you have that allows you to type in a word or phrase and find all the verses with the word or phrase, that’s the start of “line upon line.” It’s also helpful if the app or program gives cross references to verses—taking you to other passages that discuss the same topic.

This leads to meat, but it also takes work. If you’re used to milk—that is reading devotional books of what someone else wants you to see from the Bible, the idea of getting it yourself might sound difficult. But you must do it if you’re going to grow in your knowledge and understanding of God.

Remember, growth is our goal. We stop eating, we stop growing. We drink just milk, we only grow so much. The apostle Paul tended to pray for spiritual growth for those he ministered to. Growth involves knowledge. Here’s one of his prayers, That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power…. Eph. 1:17-19

You learn these kinds of things when He enlightens you in the Scriptures. Surely you’ve had that happen … where you read something that burned in your heart and it brought tears to your eyes and you “got it.” The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to do the work of God in your heart. And that will happen regularly if you curiously study a book of the Bible, a Bible character, a word or a concept in His word with anticipation that He will show you something.

When you see things, write them down. Keep a Bible study journal, perhaps on your computer. Then practice what you know and teach it to others. Help them to grow past milk into strong meat.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

A Manifested Mystery

Some might say that God Himself is the greatest mystery of all. After all, you can’t see Him. How do you know He even exists? That’s exactly what I said as a youngster. I concluded that believing in something invisible was absurd. Yet I could be found in my bedroom at night gazing out the window up at the sky, hoping to see just one star that I might wish upon. I’m probably not the only one who has ever repeated in earnest, “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.”

That’s because when God created us, He hard-wired in us a conscience and a consciousness of something out there greater than ourselves. And, He didn’t want to remain anonymous. He chose the things He created to point to Himself and get us thinking and seeking to learn the mystery of Him.

Not only did he make us with a heart to lean toward Him and a conscience to know we need Him, He gave us a giant missive of 66 books written over a period of 1,500 years from three continents using 44 authors to convey everything He wants us to know about Him so that He doesn’t remain a mystery to us. In that, He says Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. (Rom. 1:19-20)

Let’s practice our grasp of God’s big secret by examining His message in these verses.

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. God has manifested something about Himself to someone. Who is the “them” referred to in this verse? We have to look at the preceding verse for that: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness (vs. 18) So, what this is saying is that what can be known of God has been revealed to ungodly people who hold this truth in unrighteousness.

Hmmm. How has God manifested Himself and shown Himself to such unrighteous people? Look at the next portion of our study verse: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. God found a way around the fact that He is invisible so that He can be knowable. How? We understand the invisible things about Him by examining the things He made in creation. What things about Him do we clearly see through what was made? Now the rest of the verse: even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

In His creation, we can see His eternal power and Godhead. You can pick almost any of creation and see that, but the most obvious is the sun. The power of the sun is eternal. Talk about solar power! You see His Godhead in various aspects of the sun. The light it gives (Jesus said He’s the light of the world); the heat it gives (God’s heat that heals can also destroy, Mal 4:1-2); the x-ray power it contains (the Holy Spirit’s examination penetrates right to the heart).

These ungodly people who refuse to acknowledge the invisible God, even though He has manifested Himself so clearly to them, are without excuse. No one is going to face God at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11) and say, “I had no idea about you. Why are you judging me?”

So, back to the beginning: God—invisible as He is—does not intend to remain a secret to us. He has given us a starting point to learn about Him, and that is creation. Once a person is drawn to God through the wonder of creation, it’s time to read about Him in His book that He preserved and will continue to preserve for every generation, because He promised to do that. (Psa. 12:6-7)

It’s time to go on a journey of other secrets and mysteries of God.

Jody

The Deep Dark Secrets

Perhaps you have a complicated job, hobby or interest focus area that is hard to explain to those who ask about it. Because the listener has no experience or frame of reference to understand your explanation, you may have learned to just not talk about it. You summarize that the other person is so much in the dark about your topic, it wears you out explaining it.

Could God feel that way? After all, He knows everything, and we know nothing. We are in the dark about a lot of things. We don’t even know what we don’t know. Not knowing what’s in the dark is unacceptable to one of our neighbors. He goes out into his back yard every morning between 4 and 5 and walks the whole yard with a flashlight. He says he does it because he has no idea what kind of creatures are lurking out there in the dark, and he wants to know.

Darkness, physical and metaphorical, holds all kinds of mysteries. But what’s dark to us is not to our omniscient God.  He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. (Daniel 2:22)

Let that be a comfort. For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. (2 Sam. 22:29) That’s a beautiful verse, but exactly how does He enlighten my darkness? He uses His word. (Psa. 119:105, Heb. 4:12)

While God’s omniscience and power through His word is a comfort in illuminating the darkness, sometimes we are the ones with the darkness. We have our own secrets we would like to hide from others and from God. But of course, that’s not possible. From the day God breathed the spirit of life into our lungs, He has known everything about us. We keep no secrets from God. The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. (Prov. 20:27) That spirit He breathed in you is the light He uses to search everything about you. It’s like an implanted chip that uploads everything to God.

To those trying to live for Him, that’s an awesome thought. But to the wicked, that’s a horrible thought. But it’s true. We hide nothing from God. For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. (Job 34:21-22) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Heb. 4:13)

Even if you’re a mystery to yourself, God knows. A grasp of that will change your life in many ways. You might as well go along with Him on the inward candle search and pray with David, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psa. 139:23-24)

Tell me what you think.

Jody

When God Shows His Hand

In the poker game of life, God always has the perfect hand, and He doesn’t have a poker face. If you want to know something, just watch Him and follow His eyes. The problem is, He would (and does) reveal His hand, or His secrets, but some of us won’t believe Him and therefore dismiss Him and go on about our own way.

For example, what if God said that deep outer space is made of cream cheese, and you have to bike peddle through it. Sounds absurd. And that is what some people would conclude and would not only quit listening to God, they would become antigod, trusting in their own reasoning instead. Others would believe because He’s God, and they know He’s always right, so they search out the matter.

God simply reveals His secrets to those who have an open enough mind and heart to believe what might seem crazy. And a lot of things of God seem crazy. Why? For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isa. 55:8-9)

Trust is the issue. Will you believe what God says? Small children easily believe their parents. If Dad says deep space is made of cream cheese, then that settles it. God wants us to have that kind of faith in what He says. (Luke 18:16-17)

Some argue against blind faith. I’m against it too, if it has no basis. But if God said something, take the faith position that you will believe it first, then you will search it out further in the Scripture. Be curious. Curiosity is a secret of learning secrets.

When you study the Bible on any particular topic (secrets for example), it’s a good idea to start with the passage with the most to say about it. I went into my eSword online Bible (you could do the same with The Blue Letter Bible phone app) and did a search for secret. It shows me there are 65 verses with that word. As I scroll down through the references, I notice that one chapter, Daniel 2, uses the word six times. That’s more than any other chapter in the Bible. I conclude that Daniel 2 must be the most thorough guidance in the Bible on secrets. In Bible-study terms, this is called the passage of  “full mention.” (Other examples: 1 Cor. 13 is the go-to passage, or most complete mention, of love or charity. Hebrews 11 is the full mention of faith, etc.) You simply start with the full-mention passage when you study something and look for cross references from there.

In this Daniel 2 passage, pagan King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. He didn’t know what it meant and summoned a group of people who specialize in figuring things out—magicians, astrologers and sorcerers. He wanted to know the interpretation of his dream. Only to make matters worse, he didn’t even remember the actual dream itself to explain it to them. Of course no one could come up with the actual dream and its interpretation. Shall we call this the ultimate secret?

But there was Daniel. He and his three buddies prayed that God would reveal this big secret. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven (2:19) He worshiped God according to truth. Listen in: He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. (2:21-22)

He then promptly went to Nebuchadnezzar and told him what his dream was and what it meant. Nebuchadnezzar thought he was the greatest. Daniel deflected the praise. Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.” (Dan. 2:27-30)

On your own, you can read through the four verses above and draw all kinds of conclusions. As you do, one question to ask while studying full-mention passages is, do these verses remind me of any other verses in the Bible? Two jumped out at me regarding God sharing secrets with those who ask. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5) It’s not God’s plan to keep everything a secret. He likes to enlighten curious, God-seeking and God-believing people. Here’s a prayer: Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. (Psalm 119:18)

Another thing regarding secrets we see in our Daniel 2 passage is that God doesn’t enlighten unbelievers. Why? Because God is on a different frequency than the unbeliever. King Nebuchadnezzar knew nothing of the God Daniel served and worshipped. The king was a natural man with no access to the supernatural God. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they (the things of God) are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14) You need an implant to even begin to grasp God’s secrets: the Holy Spirit living inside you—an outcome of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.

The final point I’ll make about the Daniel 2 passage is that King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream had to do with end-time prophesies. Does anyone else find it interesting that God entrusted this key prophesy to a pagan who would never get it on his own? I mean, he didn’t even have the wherewithal to remember what the dream was, let alone what it meant. He was clueless, just like any other unbeliever with a piece of God’s Word in hand. Fortunately, there was Daniel, a vessel for God to work through.

Let’s be like Daniel. Love God, study His Word, ask for wisdom and share it with others.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

Kingdom Secrets Revealed

Talk about God’s secrets, He readily divulged His future plans to the Old Testament prophets, revealing all kinds of mysteries. These prophets lived in various locales at various times of history, so they didn’t compare notes. And much of the time, they didn’t fully understand the events they wrote about, because those events were (and still are) future.

But there’s one event mentioned in nine of the prophetic books. It has to do with the theme of the Bible, which is the establishment of Christ’s kingdom and Him finally reigning over all and getting the glory that is due Him. It is called the day of the Lord. How do I know that? I did a Bible search on the phrase day of the Lord. Then I read all those 29 verses. The day of the Lord is the second coming of Christ. It’s not the rapture. It is when Christ returns and stands on the Mount of Olives and splits the mountain and all hell breaks loose with the Battle of Armageddon, because He has come with vengeance to wipe out all the ungodliness that He’s been patient with—up until then. And then He rules.

The reason all this is such a secret to most of us is because we don’t read the Old Testament prophets very much. It’s not the low-hanging fruit devotionally. But study this out. The wrath of God carried out by Jesus Christ and the saints who come with Him arrives on the day of the Lord. That and its immediate aftermath of incredible millennial peace with Jesus ruling is called that day. If you’d like just one spot to visit in the Old Testament that discusses this, go to Zechariah 14. Actually, the whole book is heavy on the second coming, but that day appears seven times in that chapter, and we know it refers to the day of the Lord from 14:1. It’s a study for you to do on your own.

We think of a day as 24 hours. That day is 1,000 years. This should not mystify us. After all, Peter wrote, But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8) And by the way, the context is the second coming of Christ—the Day of the Lord. Peter tells us not to be ignorant of that time equation. So let’s not be ignorant of it. That day is the 1,000 year reign of Christ, and it’s a day God is looking forward to.

As believers, we are looking forward to the rapture, when we will be delivered and be with Jesus. God is looking forward to that day when Christ will get the victory and glory and will reign in His Kingdom.

Let me quote from Mark Trotter, a great Bible “studier” and expositor. (I think he would hate to be called a theologian. That’s too snooty of a word for him.)

“There is a day on God’s ‘calendar’ that He has circled, underlined, starred, exclamation pointed, and ‘smiley faced.’ It is the most important day in history. It is NOT, however, the day most Christians think. It is NOT the day God watched His only begotten Son brutalized on the cross. It is the day the Lord Jesus Christ returns in all of His glory to set up His kingdom on the earth, and for the first time since man sinned in the Garden, He will finally receive the glory that is due His name! The theme of the Bible is Christ’s Kingdom Glory or the day of the Lord.”

With this understanding, let me close with two New Testament verses that might have deeper meaning to you now.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Mat 6:33)

And then, the Lord’s Prayer… And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come… (Luke 11:2a)

Let’s make His kingdom desire our desire. Start glorifying Him now. Let’s not keep Him and His splendor a secret from those around us.

Jody

Sons of God for the Kingdom of God

I remember a little tune I learned as a teenager containing a phrase I’ve heard repeatedly since then. “We win, we win, Hallelujah we win. I read the back of the book and we win!”

I’ll use this little song to float a secret that will rock your world, if you get it. Here it is: When you read the back of the Book, we don’t win. Jesus wins. You respond, “OK, of course. What’s the big deal?”

What I point out might smack a little of “holier than thou,” but this brings up a huge perspective shift that will affect how you view the Bible and your Christian walk. Ask most Christians (even Bible college educated) what the theme of the Bible is, and what do you think their answer will be? Many will say something like “salvation by Jesus Christ.” That is certainly a theme and prominent message to which many prophesies point. But it’s part of a bigger, broader picture that puts God’s kingship and kingdom at the center rather than us and our salvation.

Now… back to the back of the book. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev. 11:15) Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords eventually reigning forever and ever over all kingdoms in His kingdom—that’s the theme, from the first to the last of the Bible. (Ex. 15:18, Ps. 146:10, Isa. 49:6-7, Eze. 37:25, Dan. 7:14, Matt. 6:13, Luke 1:33, Rev. 11:15)

In eternity past, God ruled on His throne, unchallenged until His highest angel, Lucifer, rebelled. Lucifer’s pride led to his fall (Isa. 14:12-14), and he took 1/3 of the angels with him. (Rev. 12:4)

God’s complete kingdom was now incomplete.

Enter Adam and Eve created as perfect beings and told to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth. (Gen. 1:28) With what? Sons of God. The first sons of God were angels (Job 38:7), and some of them fell with Lucifer. God’s plan was to replenish His kingdom with replacement sons of God.

As we know, from the beginning to the end of the Bible, there’s an enemy fighting for that kingdom. He’s the prince of the power of the air right now.

Satan entices these first perfect human sons of God, Adam and Eve, to sin by disobeying God and eating of the fruit of the tree from which God told them not to eat. (Gen. 3:11-15) God has a prophecy for Satan. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (3:15)

The seed referred to in this passage that would destroy Satan’s head is Jesus. From the beginning, God set a new “son of God” plan in place to redeem sinners and turn them into sons of God to replenish his kingdom. (John 1:12)

Watching that seed line come up through Bible history is a nail-biting read. Just go to the genealogy of Christ in the first chapter of Matthew and review some of the characters, recalling some of their harrowing stories from the Old Testament. Notice how that seed line was constantly in peril.

• Abraham is promised the seed will come through him (Gen. 22:17—compare the “stars of heaven” addition with the “stars of heaven” loss in Rev. 12:4), but he’s not having a child any time soon, so Sarah his wife tries to devise a plan to come up with a seed herself through Hagar. Nope that wasn’t the one.
• Isaac is the one, but God asks Abraham to sacrifice him. Isaac is inches from having his body sliced up when God intervenes. (Gen 22:12)
• Isaac’s first son Esau should be in line for the seed blessing, according to tradition, but Rebekah prefers their other son Jacob and manipulates to get the family blessing passed on to Jacob instead. It works. And surprise: God wanted Jacob to be the line from which Christ came anyway. (Rom 9:13)
• Later, God reveals David is the one through whom the seed will come, but Saul tries desperately to kill him. Fortunately, he’s a bad aim with the javelin. (1 Sam. 19:10)
• Eventually the Seed, Christ, is born, but King Herod wants him dead, so he orders all small children to be killed. Joseph and Mary run away with baby Jesus to Egypt until Herod dies. (Matt. 2:13-14)
• But alas, at the right time, the Seed dies His intended death on the cross, partly because one of Jesus’ 12 disciples gets a plan from Satan to betray him and have him killed. (John 13:27) Satan thinks he won. But no, because Jesus, the perfect Son of God, rises again from the dead, and now those who receive him have the power to become sons of God. (John 1:12)

Now do you see through a new lens what the plan of salvation is about? It’s not as much about God’s plan for you as His sovereign rulership over His completed kingdom, of which you get to be a part if you’ve accepted His only begotten Son, the promised seed, and become a son yourself.

When you look at it this way, do you think your salvation by faith in Christ is all about you living your best life now? The phrase, “Jesus would have come and died for just one (me, you),” seems ill-informed now, doesn’t it.

We are living in the last days, and the pervasive perspective, even among the church, is a “me” focus. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves… (2 Tim. 3:1-2a)

This focus has become lost: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. (Rev 22:13)

For a parting thought (that I’ll expand on next time)—when we get saved, we become part of His spiritual kingdom (the kingdom of God) where He rules. After the second coming, we become part of the actual physical kingdom (the kingdom of heaven) where He will rule over all.

Jody

Is God Finished With the Jews?

Paul was pointed. The Jews wouldn’t accept the gospel message, so he turned to the Gentiles.

Here’s when it happened: Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you (Jews): but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth (Acts 13:46-47)

While his position may have been abrupt, it was God-advised. His visions and revelations, as we’ve learned, were that the Gentiles would receive the gospel. And it’s these verses that lead some to believe that God was and is finished with the Jews. How would you respond to someone who said that?

We simply compare Scripture with Scripture. It helps to have a perspective of God’s overall plan, which is for Jesus Christ to be glorified and to reign forever and ever (Exo. 15:18; Psa. 146:10; Dan. 2:44; 7:14; Mic. 4:7; Matt. 6:13; Luke 1:33; Rev. 11:15). Do we think for a minute that when He reigns eternally, it will only be over the Gentiles? As much as you read about Him reigning, you read that it includes all nations (Ps. 22:27-28; 72:17; Mic. 4:1-2; Rev. 7:9; 11:15). If God had not opened the door of the gospel to the Gentiles, how would all nations become a part of His eternal kingdom over which He will reign that was first promised to the Jews?

Since Paul received the full revelation of God’s purposes with the Gentiles and Jews, let’s look briefly at one of his explanations in Romans 11. Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. (11:25b).

The fullness of the Gentiles that ends at the conclusion of the Church Age at the rapture hasn’t come, and the Jews nationally are still blind.

But then, God does something different with the Jews that is hard for us to comprehend, because He has not done it yet and has never done it before. Here we go with what Paul said next in Rom 11:26-27  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:  (27)  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

He’s quoting from Isaiah about something still future, and there’s going to be a new covenant with Israel to take place after the rapture of the church. It’s going to be a covenant of mercy with Israel.

Isa 54:6-10  For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.  (7)  For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.  (8)  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.  (9)  For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.  (10)  For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed (in the tribulation); but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

What does that mean?  It means just what it says. So read it again and believe it. He’s talking to Israel. Maybe you’re questioning this covenant and wondering if it’s a new one or an old one revived.

Let’s go to a rule of Bible study. Don’t run to commentaries on this. Compare scripture with scripture. Another prophet discussed the same topic and sheds more light. Jer 31:31-34  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:  (32)  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:  (33)  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, (those days = tribulation) saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  (34)  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Back to where we were in Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. It’s still future as of Paul’s writing. This is likely to blow your mind, but He’s going to take away their sins, not because they received the gospel of Jesus Christ. He’s just going to take Israel’s sins away—by grace and mercy—apart from anything else but His promise. Paul said, regarding Israel in our study passage: As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your (Gentiles) sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. Rom 11:28 They are an elected nation, per His promises to their forefathers. The Gentiles (Americans and other nations) receive God’s mercy and grace by faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross. Israel as a nation gets a new covenant.

All this leads up to a better understanding. In our present church age, we, through the gospel, receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This wasn’t available to folks in the Old Testament, and they wondered about it.

After the rapture, Israel won’t get the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That mercy will be over. But Israel will get the indwelling of God’s law. Read this verse again: “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer 31:34)

Both groups, Jews and Gentiles, get their sins blotted out miraculously. Us through simply believing the gospel of Christ. Them, simply through God’s future act on their behalf. And the following prophesy applies to them before it applies to us: I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isa. 43:25)

We ask, “Why would He blot out their sins automatically apart from Christ’s shed blood?” They ask, “Why would He blot out the Gentiles’ sins through simply trusting Christ?” Neither makes sense. But it’s God’s mercy that does it in both cases.

Rom 11:33-36  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!  (34)  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?  (35)  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?  (36)  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

All this begs for an understanding of another secret…the theme of the Bible. It’s not what you may have been taught, and when you understand it, this difference between how God deals with the Jews and Gentiles will become much clearer. Stay tuned.

Jody

To Wish You were Paul

The Apostle Paul was someone God entrusted with secrets—in a unique way. In fact, you know the thorn in his flesh he discussed in 2 Cor. 12? The reason he got that affliction, which many believe was an eye problem, was so that he wouldn’t get proud over the many revelations God gave him.

Even Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus was a dramatic, direct revelation from God. Paul’s salvation wasn’t a result of the disciples’ witness or of reading the parts of the Bible available at that time. He had a God-orchestrated encounter with the Almighty.

Later, in the 2 Cor. 12:1-7 account that ends with his thorn in the flesh, Paul talks about being caught up into paradise and hearing amazing revelations. What he took away from that life-altering experience was not the beauty he saw, but the words he heard (12:4). He had a message from God.

This shouldn’t surprise us. After all, the Old Testament prophets received secrets from God in dreams. They recorded them by inspiration from God for us to read, though they didn’t understand them. It was a matter of progressive revelation in which God didn’t make His whole plan plain all at once. His design was to build understanding on the prophets’ truth by the apostles. (Eph. 2:20) Enter the Apostle Paul.

Paul was God’s choice to open up some of those Old Testament hidden secrets, which he revealed in the New Testament books he wrote, and most notably the book of Ephesians, as far as mysteries are concerned. How did I figure that out? Did I read a commentary? No. I went to my Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK) via my eSword app and typed in the word mystery. You can do it too. You’ll see the word shows up in 22 verses, all in the New Testament. Ephesians is the book with the most mystery mentions. (And interestingly, all but five of the 22 verses show up in the books Paul wrote.)

Now, just what were those mystery revelations? Anyone can look them up and be amazed, but I’ll just focus on the ones from Eph. 3:3-10 and its companion verses in Col. 1:25-27.

Before I share the secret, it’s important to understand that up to this point, everyone’s understanding was that the promises of God were for the Jews. He made kingdom promises to their forefathers Abraham, (Gen. 13:15-16) Isaac, (Gen 26:24) Jacob (Gen. 28:13-3) and David (2 Sam. 7:12-13).  

What hidden mystery was revealed to Paul for such a time as that (and now)? “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.” (Eph. 3:6) That’s the simple answer. He expands it a bit by naming that body the church.

I hope that I don’t need to explain another mystery we know somewhat. That is that us humans aren’t all there is. There are spiritual beings out there called principalities and powers in heavenly places. They aren’t omniscient. They also marvel at the revelation of God’s mysteries as they unfold in progressive revelation. That secret revealed about the Gentiles being fellowheirs and of the same body and partakers of God’s promises in Christ by the gospel was equally news to them. “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” (Eph. 3:10)

The body of Christ, the church, is a witness of the gospel truth to the world and a witness to powers and principalities.

Paul expounded on this previously enshrouded mystery in Col. 1:25-27. Remember, to these first readers and to the powers and principalities, this was novel. “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27)

Here’s an exercise. If you do a TSK search on Col. 1:27, you’ll find that in many ways, when Jesus was on earth, he told his followers that He would be in them. Here’s just one: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  (17)  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:16-17)

The gospel, Christ in you, the body of Christ—it was all a revelation given to Paul that is now common to us.

Let me end with this. Does this mean God’s promises to the Jews transferred to Gentiles and that He is finished with the Jews? We’re living in an age that increasingly believes that’s the case. They even have an elevated name for the false teaching—replacement theology. But a good Bible student sees another secret that shows how God will deal with the Jews in the future. It’s fascinating, and it’s progressive revelation with elements still enshrouded in a bit of mystery because it hasn’t happened yet. Stay tuned.

Jody

Why Jesus Hid Wisdom

When I first came to know the Lord and was reading the gospels, one thing bugged me—for years. Maybe it bugs you too. The parables. If Jesus wanted folks to know Him, why did He speak in parables? If you were trying to communicate something important, wouldn’t you want to use the plainest, simplest explanation? Why enshroud your message in mysterious parables?

His disciples wondered the same thing, and after Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes from a ship, they asked Him privately, “Why speakest thou unto them in parables?”

Even after reading Christ’s response, I didn’t get it as a new Christian, and for many years. He said, “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it is not given.” (Matt. 13:11) Could you explain that to someone? Why did He make His message a mystery to some and not to others?

For the answer to that, you don’t need to go to the original Greek and Hebrew. You don’t even need a pastor to explain it. The Bible explains it. I found the answer by looking up cross references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK). But first, tuck this truth away: God chose to hide and reveal secrets in what has been called progressive revelation. That is, God has a master plan that He didn’t choose to reveal to all of humanity in one period of time. Much of what the prophets wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they didn’t understand. It was for future generations to grasp. We’re talking about the birth, life, death and second coming of Christ. That plan unfolded over time through the pages of Scriptures. So we understand it now. The revelation of that plan of God was progressive.

The reason for parables ties into this, and you can see it by following the cross references found easily in the TSK. So let’s go on that journey quickly here, starting with something repeated many times in the Bible that starts in Isaiah:

“And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” (Isa 6:9-10).

For context, Isaiah is a book of prophecy in the Old Testament written to the Jews, You must always ask yourself when studying a passage, “who was it written to?” God wanted the Jews blind to the clear truth of the kingdom of God. Note, hiding this mystery from them was so important that Jesus spoke in parables so the average listener wouldn’t get it. He wanted that blindness to continue. Might seem odd, but God’s ways aren’t ours, and He has a grand plan we will see as we progress through Scriptures.

God, through Isaiah, reiterated the fact that He wanted to hide the kingdom truth from the Jews by actively shutting their eyes to it in Isa. 44:18 “They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.”

Don’t stop studying and get mad just yet. Let’s jump ahead from Isaiah to what Jesus said further when He explained to his disciples why He spoke in parables. “And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” (Matt 13:14-15)

He was deliberately perpetuating this blindness the Jews had to the kingdom truth.

You’re a curious person, and you want to know why. Keep following the cross references.

Later, after Jesus had performed many miracles and was wrapping up his time on earth, before his death approached, we read this: “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.” (John 12:37-41)

National restoration for Israel wasn’t due yet. It was a future thing, so He shut them off through unbelief for the time being until His greater purpose was accomplished. What was that master purpose? He gave the Apostle Paul that information, which he passed along as he was seeking to be released from prison at Rome.

“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” (Acts 28:23-28)

Now we’re getting somewhere. That national blindness was to flip a switch eventually to allow the kingdom to open to the Gentiles. They would hear it, believe it and receive it while the Jews continued to be blind to it and reject it.

Later, to the church in Rome, Paul explained further the mystery of the kingdom of God and the Gentiles’ ability to be part of that, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom. 11:25) We’re in that time period right now, waiting for the fullness of the Gentiles to be complete. That is the church age we’re in. God is dealing with us Gentiles now. The Jews are on hold during this dispensation with a vail to the truth over their eyes that remains to this day.

Paul later revealed more of this. “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.” (2 Cor. 3:14-16)

Later, God will deal with the Jews in a different way, and that’s a topic of discussion for another time. But here we see why blindness was perpetuated. It was so the message could go beyond the Jews to the Gentiles—to give us a chance.

I’ll conclude here: “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Cor. 2:7-8) I’ll leave you to your thoughts on this.

Jody

Jesus is in Charge of Wisdom

Hidden wisdom is another way to look at God’s secrets. He is the Master at hiding deep eternal truth. But what is the point, you may wonder. Does one need a master’s degree to learn this wisdom? Some think so and would urge you to enroll in their Bible college. But then, what chance does a young or simple-minded person (who can’t afford Bible college) have to know the deep things of God?

There’s an answer for that, and it’s found in what I’d consider the passage of full mention on the mysteries of God. You will want to get to know the Bible study rule of “full mention.” That is, any topic you are curious about in the Bible has at least one spot that explains it thoroughly. Start there in your study of whatever the topic is.

When it comes to the hidden wisdom or the deep things of God, the go-to passage is 1 Cor. 2:7-16. In a nutshell, the way to learn God’s hidden wisdom is by the Spirit of God. Those without God’s Spirit living in them will never comprehend God’s mysteries or His deep truths. He hides them from non-believers. Remember that God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and at salvation, His Spirit comes to live in us (John 14:17, Col. 1:27, 1 John 4:4).

Everyone else… how can they possibly grasp deep spiritual things when they don’t have the Spirit?

It turns out, Jesus loved the beauty of wisdom hidden from smart knuckleheads. 

“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” (Matt. 11:25)

Babes. Let’s call them the poor simple-minded we considered above who know Jesus. The fact that they know Jesus isn’t even because of their limited smarts. Because God wants the glory for what we know. Two verses after Jesus praised God for revealing things to babes, he said, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” (Matt. 11:27). We’re bumping into another mystery of God we will never fully grasp, and that is His sovereignty combined with His choices. An unregenerated mind will look at that concept, and the closest they will come to understanding it is naming it fate. That is, “stuff happens for whatever cosmic reason.” God’s air breathed into that equals His sovereignty. God knows hearts, and He knows who to entrust with the truths of Jesus. Even Jesus didn’t entrust Himself to everyone. He knew those who believed in Him only because of His miracles. With that knowledge of people’s hearts, He knew who to commit himself to and who not to (John 2:23-25).

Don’t cry “foul!” too soon. You don’t know enough about the secrets of God and who he reveals them to to judge yet. His truths are treasures—pearls He won’t cast before swine.

Tell me what you think. Jody