Lesson 191: “FROM WHICH CUP ARE YOU DRINKING”?

Hebrew tradition has it that when a man and woman were to be betrothed, the groom poured the wine into his cup and invited the woman to drink. It was up to her whether she accepted his marriage proposal. If she drank from his cup she was considered engaged to him; if she did not partake then no wedding would take place. As Christ was compared to Adam (Rom. 5:12-21, 1 Cor. 15:21-22, 45) Paul compared the church in Corinth to Eve (2 Cor. 11:2-4). Instead of resisting the devil (James 4:7), Eve listened and fell into his trap of disobedience (Gen. 3:1-6). The devil’s representatives in Corinth, false prophets, were tolerated (2 Cor. 11:3, 13). In Paul’s metaphor, the church was a virgin betrothed to Christ at conversion. Until the marriage was consummated at Christ second coming, exclusive devotion to Christ should prevail (Eph. 5:25-27). “I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him” (2 Cor. 11:2).

Understanding these symbolisms, we can understand what Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 26:28; “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”. As we drink of His Cup we accept His invitation to be betrothed to Him and appear sinless, spotless and without fault in His presence at the Marriage Supper (Rev. 19:7-9). When we take the Lord’s Supper or Communion we almost always quote 1st Corinthians 11:24-25; “do this in remembrance of me”. Do not take this lightly or irreverently! Drinking the cup means to accept whatever the cup represents. When the mother of James and John asked Jesus to favor her sons (Matt. 20:20-23), He asked if they could drink the cup He was about to drink? Jesus was speaking of His coming trials and death as He would be betrayed and die on the Cross (Matt. 26:14-16, 48-49, 27:26-50). Although the disciples did not fully understand they would have to drink more than they would care to swallow, Jesus assured them they would indeed drink from His cup.

Part of drinking from this cup includes trials and suffering for both the disciples and Christians today. Do not feel guilty to pray for God to ease your sufferings or take away your trials. Jesus prayed the same prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-42). He showed us the privilege of prayer, the necessity of praying in the will of God and the hope of everlasting life when our sufferings will fade away (Rev. 22:3-5). He realized and accepted, as we must, that the only way to get past this trial was to go through it. Christ’s words from John 18:11; “Shall I NOT drink from the cup my Father has given me”? And shall we NOT drink the cup which our Father has given us? We do not just drink the wine but rather we drink the cup, meaning we are proclaiming our willingness to share in similar trials and endure whatever He has appointed for us. We are cup bearers of the King (Ps. 16:5), drinking from the cup of salvation (Ps. 116:13), enduring the contents of the cup that we might reign with Him (2 Tim. 2:12).

There is another cup which we must avoid drinking from and that is the cup of God’s wrath. He pours this cup out on all of the wicked (Ps. 75:7-8) and they stagger from drinking the contents (Isa. 51:17). God punished the disobedient nations with this cup of wrath, saying they must drink it (Jer. 25:15-29). There are many biblical references to the cup of God’s wrath and how Babylon and other nations drank from it, symbolizing divine punishment being inflected (Rev. 14:10, 16:19). Drinking of the cup means participating in whatever that cup contains and sharing the consequences (Rev. 17:4, 18:3). Living in this world we have all, to some degree, sipped from that wicked cup and have been affected by what it held (Rom. 3:23). We must totally reject it, empty it, discard it and replace it completely with the cup of the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16). You cannot drink this cup of the Lord and the cup of the demons at the same time (1 Cor. 10:21).

When Paul tells us to examine ourselves and not take the cup in an unworthy manner (1 Cor. 11:27-28), he does not say to pass the cup by, but rather to make your heart right with God. Jesus actually commanded that we drink from His cup (Matt. 26:27). When we really understand “drinking of the cup” we can quote David with a new conviction; “my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:5-6). If you are holding a cup in each hand you need to put one of them down and hold onto the cup of salvation and the Blood of Christ with both hands!

Lesson 190: “SUCCESS IN GOD’S EYES”

The word “success” is found only once in the Old Testament, King James Version (Jos. 1:8). After this, success is most usually translated prosper or prosperity. In the eyes of God, success has nothing to do with money or position. The word originally meant wise behavior or to bring to a conclusion or to go to completion. Opposite of success is failure meaning one does not complete what he starts. Our prosperity source is always God and goes to completion under the power of the Holy Spirit. Success and prosperity have to do with obedience to God and His Word and not worldly attributes. Notice the wording of Joshua 1:8; meditate on the Word day and night so that you may be careful to do EVERYTHING written in it. THEN (and only then) you will be prosperous and successful. God has a plan to prosper you with hope and a future if you come to Him, seeking Him with all your heart (Jer. 29:11). Notice too in Joshua that God did not give the people “money” but entire cities came down in front of them to clear the way to the Promised Land. The book of Joshua is a book for people who dare to win God’s way. What applied then applies today! It is the faithful who conquer successfully!

It is not a sin to be worldly wealthy but please always remember it is God who gives one the power to be rich (Deut. 8:18). “You might say to yourself, ‘I am rich because of my own power and strength’” (Deut 8:17). God says He owns even the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10); “the earth belongs to the Lord and everything in it and all its people” (Ps. 24:1). This scripture is meant for Christians and non-believers alike. Regardless of the fact that some believe that what they have worked for and “earned” is totally theirs, they are thinking too highly of themselves (Rom. 12:3). They came into God’s world with nothing and will take nothing they have amassed out of this world (Ps. 49:17, Job 121). The benefits of material wealth are short lived and no amount of money can buy back the life of another. No one can pay God back for His own life because the price is too high. The rich, poor, wise and foolish will all die a physical death (Heb. 9:27) and only through salvation will anyone become truly successful. There are wonderful Christian people who are blessed with riches untold. These are the ones I envy, not for their material wealth rather the fact that they have found a way of life that pleases God. Their love, compassion and generosity to all around them are rewarded by God Himself, knowing they can be trusted with more (Luke 12:48b). They have learned to be good stewards of God’s earth and all things in it.

There are others that have great gain of earthly possessions without a care for God or others and these I pity and send up my prayers for them “for what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world yet forfeits his soul” (Matt. 16:26)? If one does not remain in Jesus Christ, he is like a withered branch that is thrown into the fire and burned (John 15:6). Great wealth, according to God, is the completion of His plan through the obedience of a person. A prime example of wealth and God’s favor through total obedience is when Abraham was told to sacrifice his only “promised son” (Gen. 22:1-18). Just as he was about to plunge the knife into his beloved son, an angel stopped him with a message from the Lord, blessing him with “saving” his son and the promise of descendants; as many as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. In obedience a servant was sent to find a wife for Isaac and checked with God to make sure his trip had been successful (Gen 24:21-26). Rebekah was chosen by God to become the wife of Isaac and mother of two nations, Esau and Jacob (Gen. 24:23-26). Jacob became Israel (Gen. 32:28) and Esau became Edom (Gen 36:1).

Check out Joseph, Job, Esther, Ruth and all the other “successful” characters in the bible and find that only when in God’s will did they find true wealth and success. In God’s will WE find successful living! God way may be harder than the world’s way, but He rewards obedience. We may never have a billion dollars, mansions, diamonds or gold here on earth but accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and obeying the commandments of God will bring you to that eternal city with all these things included (Rev. chapter 17-21). Purity of faith is worth more than gold (1 Pet. 1:7), the redemption of your soul is precious (Ps. 49:8) and respect is better than good perfume (Ecc. 7:1). God says after He has tried us we will come forth as gold (Job 23:10). That my friends, is true success in God’s eyes!

“THE JUDGES” Lesson 189

After Joshua’s death, the Israelites asked the Lord; “now what”? Joshua was one of the great leaders in the Old Testament, taking the responsibility of bringing the people into the Promised Land. God’s servant Moses, whom He knew face to face, was dead and Joshua was appointed to prepare the people to cross the Jordan. Joshua followed the ways of the Lord and the people followed Joshua and did as he commanded. The book of Judges covers the time following the death of Joshua and the Israelites’ initial conquest of Canaan. Joshua had destroyed the Canaanites in some sections of the land and kept others in subjection. The people were ruled by a series of judges and fell into a cycle of apostasy, judgment, repentance and mercy. As in the wilderness, the people failed to learn their lesson. This cycle is repeated seven times in the book of Judges, emphasizing God’s love and forgiveness and the penalty for lack of faith and their disobedience.

The form of government in Judges was the “Theocracy” meaning God Himself was supposed to be the direct ruler of the nation. But the children of Israel did not take their God seriously and continued to fall into idolatry. The Israelites’ desire to fight the Canaanites came from Joshua’s command for them to occupy their allotted tribal territories (Jos. 18:3, 23:5). They needed to fight and conquer and break away from the Canaanites. They asked God, likely through a high priest, who would go up against the Canaanites? God’s selection of Judah corresponded with the blessings given by Jacob. Judah was one of the most numerous and powerful tribes and was destined for leadership in Israel (Gen. 49:8-12). The names of the sons of Jacob throughout refer to the tribes of the same title. Judah chose Simeon, both being off springs of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:33-35), to go into battle with him. Among the warriors of Canaan was king Adoni-bezek, who fled for his life but to no avail. Upon his capture, Judah’s men cut off his thumbs and big toes. This disabled the king from further military service, since he could no longer carry arms, nor could he flee from capture. Humiliation was suffered by the king since according to the sacrificial laws (Ex. 29:20); he could not be consecrated by the ram of sacrifice with no toes or thumbs. He would be cursed with no hope for sacrificial covering. He would become a king of a nation opposing THE KING and he and his people, not covered by the blood, would be condemned. Adoni-bezek, being a cruel and dangerous enemy, had captured tribal chiefs and mangled them in this very same way (Jud. 1:7). These captives could have included men of Judah. Although horrified at this treatment of captives, Judah followed the ‘eye for an eye’ method of punishment for the captured king. This is the only place this kind of pay-back is mentioned being used by the Judeans. The king not only cut off the body parts but further humiliated them by making them ‘gather their meat’ from under his table. He realized he had gotten his just reward before dying from his injuries.

The generations after Joshua did not know the Lord nor what He had done for Israel (Jud. 2:10). They knew of Him and had heard and believed in His covenant, looked to Him for help, but had not had a miraculous experience with Him. They depended on their forefathers’ knowledge of God to continuously pull them out of the miry sin they fell into. The message to Christians today is that we cannot depend on the blessings of the past or the salvation of our parents and grandparents for our own salvation and forgiveness. The test then and now is to respond to God on an individual and present basis. The new generation of Israel welcomed God at their feasts and sacrifices only! Sound familiar? Do Christians acknowledge and fellowship with God at church and religious gatherings only? They held to the Baal worship and compromised God, keeping obedience to Him in name only and not in actions. Israel was told to drive out the Canaanites, to be separate from them and their idol worship. This reminds us to separate ourselves from anything that will lead us astray. If we find it cools our fervor for God, we should drive it out. Otherwise we may find God’s anger upon us as it was on the children of Israel. I pray we do not have to have our thumbs cut off in order to break the grip of sin over our lives. Do not hold onto what you know is evil in God’s eyes. There is always a price to be paid for sin and we need proper leadership in our lives. This leader and Judge is Jesus Christ! God in His mercy will deliver us when we repent wholeheartedly and obey.

The chronology of the book of Judges is impossible for me to untangle mainly because of the failure to document the length of every reign and the time span between judges. There are detailed accounts of a few judges, namely Deborah, one of the most notable women in the Old Testament. Deborah is identified in Judges 4:4 by two terms; a prophet and as one who was judging Israel at the time of the 20-year period of oppression by the heavily armed Canaanites. Some list Deborah as the wife of Lappidoth because she was called ‘iset lappidot’, however this could also mean ‘woman of torches’ or ‘fiery woman’. The need to have a woman identified in relation to a man rather than standing alone apparently influenced virtually all modern and ancient translations. As a judge she was involved in military activities, same as the male judges. She was unique in the fact that she rendered judgment or legal decisions and the only one called a prophet. She is also referred to as the mother of Israel and is consulted by the Israelites when threatened by the Canaanites. She ordered her general, Barak, to round up troops from two tribes (4:6) or more tribes (5:14-15) but Barak refused to go out, being out-numbered, unless Deborah went also. She taunted him, saying the victory would not belong to him but rather to a woman. Turns out the woman was not Deborah but Kenite Jael who enticed Sisera into her tent and killed him (4:17-22) assuring Israelite’s victory. Deborah, still talked about today, may represent other women in Israel’s history who were left unheralded.

Samson is the last judge mentioned in the book of Judges, although Eli and Samuel carried judgeship on into the book of 1 Samuel until the people asked for a king (1 Sam. 8:5-9). Psalm 11:4-5 could be applied to the people’s situation in Judges; “He sees what people do; He keeps an eye on them. The Lord tests those who do right”. Israel failed over and over when God tested her. What is He testing in us? As He tested Israel, God is testing our loyalty and faithfulness to Him to see if we will keep the covenant in all situations. These tests do not come at a convenient time do they? Do they not always seem to hit when we are in a bind making the choices more difficult? They force us to decide who comes first in our life, God and faithfulness or our desires of the flesh. Always remember the last words of Joshua; “If you do not want to serve the Lord, you must choose for yourself TODAY whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.

“THE JUDGES” Lesson 189

After Joshua’s death, the Israelites asked the Lord; “now what”? Joshua was one of the great leaders in the Old Testament, taking the responsibility of bringing the people into the Promised Land. God’s servant Moses, whom He knew face to face, was dead and Joshua was appointed to prepare the people to cross the Jordan. Joshua followed the ways of the Lord and the people followed Joshua and did as he commanded. The book of Judges covers the time following the death of Joshua and the Israelites’ initial conquest of Canaan. Joshua had destroyed the Canaanites in some sections of the land and kept others in subjection. The people were ruled by a series of judges and fell into a cycle of apostasy, judgment, repentance and mercy. As in the wilderness, the people failed to learn their lesson. This cycle is repeated seven times in the book of Judges, emphasizing God’s love and forgiveness and the penalty for lack of faith and their disobedience.

The form of government in Judges was the “Theocracy” meaning God Himself was supposed to be the direct ruler of the nation. But the children of Israel did not take their God seriously and continued to fall into idolatry. The Israelites’ desire to fight the Canaanites came from Joshua’s command for them to occupy their allotted tribal territories (Jos. 18:3, 23:5). They needed to fight and conquer and break away from the Canaanites. They asked God, likely through a high priest, who would go up against the Canaanites? God’s selection of Judah corresponded with the blessings given by Jacob. Judah was one of the most numerous and powerful tribes and was destined for leadership in Israel (Gen. 49:8-12). The names of the sons of Jacob throughout refer to the tribes of the same title. Judah chose Simeon, both being off springs of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:33-35), to go into battle with him. Among the warriors of Canaan was king Adoni-bezek, who fled for his life but to no avail. Upon his capture, Judah’s men cut off his thumbs and big toes. This disabled the king from further military service, since he could no longer carry arms, nor could he flee from capture. Humiliation was suffered by the king since according to the sacrificial laws (Ex. 29:20); he could not be consecrated by the ram of sacrifice with no toes or thumbs. He would be cursed with no hope for sacrificial covering. He would become a king of a nation opposing THE KING and he and his people, not covered by the blood, would be condemned. Adoni-bezek, being a cruel and dangerous enemy, had captured tribal chiefs and mangled them in this very same way (Jud. 1:7). These captives could have included men of Judah. Although horrified at this treatment of captives, Judah followed the ‘eye for an eye’ method of punishment for the captured king. This is the only place this kind of pay-back is mentioned being used by the Judeans. The king not only cut off the body parts but further humiliated them by making them ‘gather their meat’ from under his table. He realized he had gotten his just reward before dying from his injuries.

The generations after Joshua did not know the Lord nor what He had done for Israel (Jud. 2:10). They knew of Him and had heard and believed in His covenant, looked to Him for help, but had not had a miraculous experience with Him. They depended on their forefathers’ knowledge of God to continuously pull them out of the miry sin they fell into. The message to Christians today is that we cannot depend on the blessings of the past or the salvation of our parents and grandparents for our own salvation and forgiveness. The test then and now is to respond to God on an individual and present basis. The new generation of Israel welcomed God at their feasts and sacrifices only! Sound familiar? Do Christians acknowledge and fellowship with God at church and religious gatherings only? They held to the Baal worship and compromised God, keeping obedience to Him in name only and not in actions. Israel was told to drive out the Canaanites, to be separate from them and their idol worship. This reminds us to separate ourselves from anything that will lead us astray. If we find it cools our fervor for God, we should drive it out. Otherwise we may find God’s anger upon us as it was on the children of Israel. I pray we do not have to have our thumbs cut off in order to break the grip of sin over our lives. Do not hold onto what you know is evil in God’s eyes. There is always a price to be paid for sin and we need proper leadership in our lives. This leader and Judge is Jesus Christ! God in His mercy will deliver us when we repent wholeheartedly and obey.

The chronology of the book of Judges is impossible for me to untangle mainly because of the failure to document the length of every reign and the time span between judges. There are detailed accounts of a few judges, namely Deborah, one of the most notable women in the Old Testament. Deborah is identified in Judges 4:4 by two terms; a prophet and as one who was judging Israel at the time of the 20-year period of oppression by the heavily armed Canaanites. Some list Deborah as the wife of Lappidoth because she was called ‘iset lappidot’, however this could also mean ‘woman of torches’ or ‘fiery woman’. The need to have a woman identified in relation to a man rather than standing alone apparently influenced virtually all modern and ancient translations. As a judge she was involved in military activities, same as the male judges. She was unique in the fact that she rendered judgment or legal decisions and the only one called a prophet. She is also referred to as the mother of Israel and is consulted by the Israelites when threatened by the Canaanites. She ordered her general, Barak, to round up troops from two tribes (4:6) or more tribes (5:14-15) but Barak refused to go out, being out-numbered, unless Deborah went also. She taunted him, saying the victory would not belong to him but rather to a woman. Turns out the woman was not Deborah but Kenite Jael who enticed Sisera into her tent and killed him (4:17-22) assuring Israelite’s victory. Deborah, still talked about today, may represent other women in Israel’s history who were left unheralded.

Samson is the last judge mentioned in the book of Judges, although Eli and Samuel carried judgeship on into the book of 1 Samuel until the people asked for a king (1 Sam. 8:5-9). Psalm 11:4-5 could be applied to the people’s situation in Judges; “He sees what people do; He keeps an eye on them. The Lord tests those who do right”. Israel failed over and over when God tested her. What is He testing in us? As He tested Israel, God is testing our loyalty and faithfulness to Him to see if we will keep the covenant in all situations. These tests do not come at a convenient time do they? Do they not always seem to hit when we are in a bind making the choices more difficult? They force us to decide who comes first in our life, God and faithfulness or our desires of the flesh. Always remember the last words of Joshua; “If you do not want to serve the Lord, you must choose for yourself TODAY whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.

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“WE CHRISTIANS NEED A DANIEL ATTITUDE” Lesson 188

Daniel was an old fashioned Christian! Customs meant nothing to him! God’s Word meant everything!

Daniel was among the exiles in Babylon; handsome, quick learning, from a family of nobility, and was among the few chosen by the king to serve in the palace. The chief of the king’s court officials was to teach these young men the language and literature of the Babylonians and bring food to them from the king’s own table. Daniel, however, had a spirit of decision, resisting temptations with the right methods. Where there is faith there are trials and simple temptations such as fine food and wine on which the Babylonians dined along with unclean food that went against the Law of Moses. Daniel resolved not to eat the royal food and asked permission not to defile himself this way. What difference does it make what you eat or drink? The food and drink were not the focal points here but rather the religious background of faith in God that Daniel was holding steadfastly to. The first sign that the king intended to change the faith of Daniel was the change to his name from Daniel to Belteshazzar. A change of a man’s name in the bible meant a change of religion and Daniel did not want to meld into a Caldian and give up being an Israelite.

Not only would the change or the giving in to the king’s “suggestions” go against Daniel’s religion but he would become a stumbling block to those captives around him (1 Cor. 10:32-33). Some temptations SEEM to be the road to honor, acceptance and popularity such as the promise of entering the king’s service if and when they completed Babylonian three year training. Would you refuse to give up your God for special service in a king’s palace, a government job or marriage to the very wealthy? Do we let God get in our way to success? Do we give up being a Christian to get along with those around us in the work place, home and even church services? Are we asked to do something against our belief or Christianity or risk losing our jobs, friends or position in life? We should purpose in our heart or resolve not to defile ourselves! We need a Daniel attitude!

The God that created us, saved our souls and has prepared a place for us in Heaven to live eternally with Him has not changed. Should we change toward our thoughts and feelings toward Him? Come out from among them and be separated (2 Cor. 6:17) for we have nothing in common with them. Deny luxuries if they are associated with unclean food and drink which will make you foolish and physically sick (Prov. 20:1, 23:29-35, Isa. 28:7-8) but rather stick to the food that God offers that the world knows nothing about (John 4:32). Remembering that whatever we eat or drink, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). We develop a spirit of decision and make up our own minds to keep to the right course that God has set for us. We settle it in our hearts to serve God (Jos. 24:14-15) with determination, not bigotry, with character to support our beliefs. We are to be courteous in our protest against evil, asking for wisdom (James 1:5), having a firmness of purpose with gentleness of manner.

We will have to develop a boldness, putting our faith on the line and let others see we are better off, healthier and better nourished from sustaining from the worldly food (Dan. 1:15). May God give us the courage to stand firm, letting nothing move us from our convictions to serve the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58) and withstand the temptations of this life. Remember that no temptation has seized us except what is common to man. God is faithful not to let us be tempted beyond what we can bear and provides a way out so we can stand (1 Cor. 10:13, Dan. 1:9). Show joy and happiness in faith so that the accusers will not have reason to say that Christians have no fun and are always so unhappy, therefore not drawing the unsaved to Christ through our lives (Prov. 17:22).

Christians have been asked what makes them happy and “what do Christians talk about”? Be a fun Christian, showing great glee at going to heaven, at the same time keeping your feet on the ground, showing love to all around you (Gal. 5:22-25). Be holy as Jesus is holy and gracious to others so that they will say your life is right with God and one that they desire to live. Prove that old fashioned faith produces much love not only enthusiasm (Matt. 5:44, 19:19, John 13:34) as love is the fulfillment of the Law (Rom. 13:10). Grieve for those who are lost without judging, but with mercy, snatching them from the fire to save them (Jude 22-23). Lovers of men are first lovers of God. Prove it! God help us to labor for the conversion of souls abound because the fields are ripe for harvest (John 4:35-38). We who hold to the old fashioned faith should be in better spiritual health than the worldly diners who eat from the king’s table. We have an eternal King that has commanded that we make know the gospel of His truth (Matt. 28:19-20). Father, help us to develop a Daniel attitude, holding to our moral convictions, depending on the strength of God to raise us up at the end of days to receive our allotted inheritance (Dan. 12:13).

“ARE YOU SERVING IN A DEAD CHURCH?” Lesson 187

The Book of Revelation assures us that God knows our reputation! The Church of Sardis was known to be alive but God said they were dead (Rev. 3:1-6). Sardis was the capital of the Kingdom of Lydia, what now is known as Western Turkey. Lydia was a flourishing empire, home of dreaded warriors on horse and chariot and their streams seemed to run with gold. Although archaeologists have not found hoards of gold or ruins of splendor palaces, they do believe they have established that the gold of ancient Sardis was no legend. The finds have proven that these ancient people were able to refine the gold and silver and even mint them into coins. Ruins reveal magnificent baths and gymnasiums and fine jewelry. All of this showing great wealth, power and intelligence within a highly civilized society, ruled by King Croesus who was confident that no one could break through the fortress built high above the city. Cyrus, King of Persia and his army invaded the area and scaled the wall of the fortified city. Since Croesus was so certain that the city was safe he had no guards stationed along the walls. A small band of Persian soldiers were able to capture the entire fortress, in total defeat simply because the king’s self pride left him open to destruction by the enemy.

This is the background of the letters Christ dictated to John in the Book of Revelation. The Church of Sardis is rebuked for the same tragic lack of diligence that King Croesus displayed concerning his great city wall. Like Croesus, the Church thinks it is doing fine but risks being overcome by the enemy. God knows the true condition of each of His Churches, their future is in His hand and the truth is about to be exposed. The reference to being dead stems from the fact that the Church had ceased to be a witness for God and the Church of Jesus Christ. Although not a pagan worshipper, the cities around Sardis certainly were. A blind eye and deaf ear was turned to this idol worship because of some event that had impeded this Church’s progress and snuffed out their witness to those around them. Christ gives them a wake up call in Revelation 3:2, saying to strengthen what remains and is about to die. The Church has failed to be a light in the darkness but verse two would indicate the presence of the Holy Spirit still exists.

Here is another wake up call! Jesus Christ is speaking to every Church member, every Christian, every believer and every born again person living in this present world. Members of the Body of Christ are to remember what they have heard since the foundation of the Church and go back to being a witness of their salvation through the shed blood of Jesus. Christians are to obey the gospel and if we say we trust in Jesus for our salvation then live like it, showing a distinction from the world. We are to live lives of gratitude before God and reject the life the world offers that we have apparently been tolerating. We must once again become witnesses of Jesus Christ to those around us. We must repent of our lax, passive Christian state before Jesus comes again (Rev. 3:3). We must strive to be among “the few” who have not soiled our clothes and be worthy to walk with Him (Rev. 3:4-6).

That our Savior will acknowledge our names before His Father and His angels is the most glorious promise in the entire Book of Revelation. Sinners have their filthy rags removed and replaced by spotless garments provided by Christ Himself. These white garments reflect Christ’s righteousness and purity which is being worked into us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Our God s a jealous God who will not tolerate claiming the name of Christ and at the same time engage in worldly adultery and idolatry, avoiding proclaiming the gospel of Jesus. Christ’s Church is to be the light of the world not a place where its members make peace with the current fad of the age. We must not pat ourselves on the back, thinking we are alive when in fact, we are dead or dying, risking the judgment that was about to come upon Sardis. His Church is the place where all He has redeemed has gathered to hear His Word, to hear that our names are written in the Book of Life and that we are worthy of wearing the garments of white. Without these things we are not a Church but a building with no light! “He, who has an ear, let him hear”!

“DEVOTIONALS – T to Z” Lesson 186

Tact: Proverbs 15:1 – “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”. Think of the word “tact” as being a “tack” with the pointed barb removed. This will leave only the “head” which holds wisdom which is another word for “tact”. Paul used tact in his preaching in order to win people to Christ (1 Cor. 9:19-23), all for the sake of the gospel, sharing its blessings. He used wisdom and tact in stimulating benevolent giving (2 Cor. 8:15, 9:1-7), and in arraying the two religious factions of the Jews against each other when he was in trouble (Acts 23:3-11). Jesus used the utmost tact when the Pharisees tried to trap Him about paying taxes (Mark 12:13-17). Father, help us to add tact to our faith, along with goodness, knowledge, self-control and brotherly love and kindness.

Unpardonable Sin: Matthew 12:31 – “Blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven”. Blasphemy against the Spirit means someone denies that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Some of the people questioned the authority of Jesus, attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit through Jesus, or rejecting the testimony of the Holy Spirit regarding the person and the work of Jesus (Luke 11:14-16). This is most probably the sin that leads to death (spiritually) spoken of in 1 John 5:16b. Thank you Father, for faith to believe in the Son of God, that we might be called the children of God, having victory in Jesus (1 John 5:1-5).

Vanity: Ecclesiastes 5:7, KJV – “For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities; but fear thou God”. With modern translations of the word “hebel”, the word vanity is replaced with futility (Job 7:3), what is worthless (Job 15:31) or meaningless (Ecc. 5:7). In Hebrew the word hebel refers to lack of permanence rather than lack of value. Hebrew translation means a puff of air, a breath or a vapor (Ps. 39:5, 144:4). The prophet Jeremiah used the word hebel to imply that idols are air like and lacking in substance and warns those who worship idols will become worthless themselves (Her. 2:5, 2 Kings 17:5). Father, even though our lives are but a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes (James 4:14), we praise you, Lord, that our sins to you are the same. “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud; your sins like the morning mist” (Isa. 44:22). Thank you Father!

Watchfulness: Proverbs 8:34-35 – “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors”. Jesus refers to Himself as the Door by which all must enter (John 10:1-18), and also He is the Watchman who opens the gate. Some of the Scriptural people waiting at the Door for Jesus were the sick gathered at the door of the mother-in-law of Peter wanting to be healed (Mark 1:33), Peter at the door of the courtyard (John 18:16) and Paul at the door the angel opened in the prison (Acts 12:6-11). Figurative meanings are Christ’s coming (Matt. 24:33) and we are warned by Jesus to be watchful because we do not know then He will come again (Matt. 24:42-44). Christ stands at the door and knocks, waiting for you to open your heart to Him (Rev. 3:8). Father, we never want to turn a blind eye to your gospel or plan of salvation. We must be ever watchful for false prophets (Matt. 7:15), keeping watch over ourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made us overseers (Acts 20:28).

Xerxes: Esther 2:1 – “Later, when the anger of King Xerxes subsided, he remembered what he had done”! A great lesson is to be learned from this drinking, self-serving, high tempered king. Anger and pride go hand in hand (Prov. 21:24), as does anger and cruelty (Prov. 27:4). Malice, slander, strife and contention all stem from anger (Col. 3:8, Prov. 21:19, 29:22). Heavenly Father, we must remind ourselves daily to read the writings of James, warning us that the tongue is a restless evil full of deadly poison (James 3:8). Hold tight to our anger, Lord, lest it spew words of irreparable damage from our mouths. Thank you, Jesus, for giving Xerxes as an example to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did (1 Cor. 10:6).

Youth: Psalm 25:7 – “Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways”. The Scripture is filled with youth, children or as Proverbs refers to them, my son, meaning both male and female children. A child is known by his actions (Prov. 20:11), are protected by angels (Matt. 18:10), accepted by Jesus (Matt. 19:14) and are subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by their fathers (Gal. 4:2). A son (child) honors his father (Mal. 1:6) and is a joy to his parents (Prov. 10:1, 15:20). Older members of the Body of Christ are to teach younger women and encourage the young men to be self-controlled (Titus 2:4-6). The prayer of the youth should be that God be in complete control of their lives. It should be the prayer of parents, friends and the more spiritually mature to guide and teach the youth with love and respect. Father, we as youth pray for godly examples to be set before us that we may be a blessing to our parents and elders and glorify God. Father, we as elders pray for your guidance to set this example that our youth, the future leaders of the Body of Christ, will follow the Holy Spirit all the days of their lives.

Zion: Hebrews 12:22 – “You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the City of the living God”. This is the City John saw when he looked and saw the Lamb and heard the roar of heaven (Rev. 14:1-2). This is the New Jerusalem that will come down from heaven to become our eternal home with God. It will shine with the glory of God, like Jasper, clear as Crystal. Made of pure gold, the foundations decorated with precious stones, and the glory of God will give it light. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will enter (Rev. 21:1-27). Father, thank you for preparing this beautiful City for those who love and accept you! We know you are coming soon and we pray the Holy Spirit keep prompting us to keep the Words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation! “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with God’s people. Amen”. (Rev. 22:2-21).

“DEVOTIONALS – N to S” Lesson 185

Needle’s eye: Luke 18:25 – “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God”. The eye of the needle refers to a half gate in the city wall where the laden camels had to get on their knees to crawl through. This obviously was very difficult and many times the camels had to be unloaded to pass through the needle’s eye. Jesus used this metaphor to illustrate how hard it was for some of the wealthy to “unload” their riches to the will of God (Matt. 6:1-4, 1 Cor. 16:2, 2 Cor. 9:6-15, 8:11-12). One’s salvation is not threatened by wealth but one will not enter the Kingdom based on his wealth but only on the saving grace of God and the finished work of Jesus (Matt. 19:25-26). Father, remind us continuously that our true riches are those stored in Heaven and help us daily to strive toward this goal and not the materialistic goals of the world.

Ostrich: Job 39:13-17a – “The Ostrich does not care that its work is for nothing, because God did not give the Ostrich wisdom”. We humans did not hatch from an egg but are children of God. We have the Holy Spirit to keep us from doing as we please if it is out of the will of God. We are free to make our own choices but true freedom lies in the consequences of the choices made. The wrong choices put you in bondage and you become a slave to neglect, such as the Ostrich, and your heart will become as hard as its egg shell. Father, we pray our hearts and minds be pliable enough that you may write your teachings there (Heb. 10:16). We ask for help to pay heed to the Holy Spirit (Heb. 3:7), taking care of others as though they were our own children, never to leave anyone in the sand to be trampled as an Ostrich egg.

Punishment: Matthew 25:46 – “These people will go off to be punished here, forever”. Punishment is taught in Scripture for those who reject God’s love revealed in Christ (Matt. 24:31-46, Dan. 12:2). The final place of everlasting punishment is called the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20, 20:10) also called the second death (Rev. 14:9-11, 20:6). The reason for eternal punishment is man’s rejection of God’s provision for the forgiveness of sin through the life and work of Jesus Christ, God’s Son (John 3:16-18). Father, thank you for your Son’s sacrificed life that we might be saved from eternal separation from you and escape the fires of hell. The punishment of hell is real and I ask that you burn into our minds and hearts that the only escape from this eternal punishment is to call on the name of the Lord and be saved (Rom. 10:13, Heb. 8:10, 10:16).

Quickening: John 16:8 – “When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment”. A quickening is a coming to life. God brought us physical life and will again give us life when we are brought up from the depths of the earth (Ps. 71:20). God gives life both physically and spiritually (Rom. 4:17, 8:11, Eph. 2:1). Our flesh is nothing, rather we find life through the work of the Holy Spirit (John 6:63) and the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives within us (Rom. 8:11). Thank you Father for life! Thank you for the Holy Spirit who quickens our senses that we may be brought out of darkness and into the light (2 Cor. 4:6, 2 Pet. 1:19)! Thank you Father for the hope and assurance of that City you have built for us where the glory of God gives light eternal (Rev. 21:22-25).

Rest: Exodus 16:23 – “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord”’. The Old Testament’s annual feasts added ‘rest days’ on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:26-32), the Passover (Num. 28:18, Ex. 12:16) and the entire year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:11-12). In the New Testament Jesus recommended rest (Mark 6:31) but had no place of His own to rest (Matt. 8:20). Jesus Christ offers to all, spiritual rest (Matt. 11:29, Heb. 4:1-11), and heavenly rest to all those who believe (2 Thess. 1:6-10). Father, we ask forgiveness for the times we have neglected your Day of Rest. Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy is not a suggestion but God’s command. We will, by the grace of God, strive to ‘rest’ on this designated day on earth until we rest in the presence of Jesus Christ on the Day of His return.

Sacrilege: 1 Corinthians 11:27 – “Whosoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the Body and the Blood of the Lord”. Sacrilege is to profane something sacred or holy things. Sacrilege is forbidden in the Old Testament when the Lord tells Moses to speak to the entire assembly, calling them to the holy (Lev. 19:1-18). Esau despised his sacred birthright when he sold out to Jacob for a bowl of soup (Gen. 25:29-34). Nadad and Abihu offered unauthorized fire (Lev. 10:1-7, Num. 3:4), Uzzah irreverently touched the Ark (2 Sam. 6:6-7) and king Uzziah unlawfully entered the temple to burn incense (2 Chro. 26:16-21). Jesus cleaned out the money changers from the temple (Matt. 21:12-13) and He will clean out His Body today provided we are sacrilege to His Holy Name. Father, forgive us when we get so lax that praise and worship become a habit rather than a blessed honor. Thank you Lord, for the Word of God to lead us into being holy as you are holy.

“DEVOTIONALS – G TO M” Lesson 184

Grumbling: Numbers 14:26-35 – “I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites; they will meet their end in this desert; here they will die”. The Israelites spoke rebelliously against God’s appointed leaders, Moses and Aaron and God disciplined them with death (Num. 16:41-49). Paul warned the Corinthians that the God of Israel would deal with them in the same manner (1 Cor. 10:10). The Lord’s Supper was the subject, partaking in an unworthy manner was the sin and weakness, sickness and death was the judgment (1 Cor. 11:17-34). God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8) so need we dare think that our grumbling will be tolerated at His table today? Father, forgive us for not remembering your Body and Blood in an awesome, reverent manner. Remind us when we grumble against others that we are indeed grumbling against our Lord and Savior. We must not forget to examine ourselves and through your strength we will succeed and escape judgment (Phil. 2:14, James 5:9, Prov. 19:3).

Hand: Acts 11:21 – “The Lord’s hand was with them and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord”. Only God can save! This does not mean we just sit back and watch as He brings people to Himself. We have been commissioned to go and tell the world about Jesus Christ and the gospel (Matt. 28:19-20). Let someone else do this you say? God will be very displeased with you as He was in Isaiah 59:16, being appalled that there was no one to intervene. Father, it is not easy for us to change our own selfish, personal plans but we wish to become willing followers of your lead without complaining. Support us Lord with your right hand (Ps. 18:35, 37:24).

Intercession: Like 22:32 – “I have prayed that you will not lose faith”. The devil was after Simon Peter but Jesus Christ prayed that Peter not lose his faith. Jesus prayed for His followers, asking that the Father send the Holy Spirit to be their helper, counselor and comforter (John 14:16). He prayed for all of His followers’ safety by the power of God’s holy name (John 17:9-12). Now Christ sits on the right hand of His Father still making intercession for us (Rom. 8:34, Heb. 9:24, 1 John 2:1). Father we well strive to meet your standards in being an intercessor for others. We stand boldly at the throne of grace, bringing each and every request into your capable, faithful hands.

Joy: Ecclesiastes 2:26 – “To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness”. We find joy in God because through His Son we receive justification, salvation and reconciliation (Rom. 5:1-21). We have not seen God, but knowing that we are ore precious to Him than gold, we love Him and rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Pet. 1:7-8). Prayer and joy go hand and hand in the scripture (Rom. 12:12, 1 Thess. 5:16-17) and the two should not be separated in our daily lives (Gal. 5:22). Father, let us never forget that joy is a fruit of the Spirit and if we live in the Spirit we will also walk in the Spirit, being a witness and testimony to your Holy name.

Kindness: Luke 6:31 – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. This probably is the hardest scripture in the Bible to adhere to; the second hardest being; “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35b). A believer’s reaction to the actions and emotions of others, whether Christians or not, should be that of Jesus Christ as He hung on the Cross (Luke 23:24) and Stephen while he was being stoned (Acts 7:60). Father, we pray for your faithful help and guidance to be able to live in harmony with others (Rom. 15:5, Phil. 2:2, 1 Pet. 3:8), not to think too highly of ourselves than we ought (Rom. 11:20, 12:3) and to be willing to associate with people of low position (James 2:1-9). Teach us, Lord, to always remember your kindness through love for us that we may treat others with the same love and compassion.

Lord’s Day: John 20:1 – “Early on the first day of the week”. The Lord’s Day is associated with a day consecrated to the Lord, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The argument and controversy as to which day we should serve should come to an immediate halt (Rom. 14:5). Father, remind us to not go beyond what is written (1 Cor. 4:6b-7), that keeping God’s commands is what counts (1 Cor. 7:19b) and if we must boast, boast in the Lord (2 Cor. 10:17). Everyday in our life should be celebrated as the Lord’s Day with joy and thanksgiving.

Manners: 1 Peter 3:8-11 – “All of you live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers” Having good manners is more than saying please and thank you and knowing which fork to use when eating a dinner salad. Christian manners include being kind without envy or anger, keeping no record of wrongs (1 Cor. 13:4-7). Christian manners will always show gentleness and self-control included in the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25), keeping us in step with the Spirit of God. Father, we pray for our social conduct along with our spiritual conduct to be pleasing to your as well as edifying the Body of Christ. We pray that our spiritual manners will teach someone to live a godly life.

“DEVOTIONALS – A TO F” Lesson 183

Affection to the Lord: Psalm 105:12-13 – “Then they believed His promises and sang His praise. But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel”. In these verses the Psalmist is recounting the history of Israel in which the Lord fulfilled His promise to make Israel a great nation. He protected them on their journey through the wilderness and remained faithful to His people. Father, it is our prayer today that you forgive us for our unfaithfulness and thank you that You are always faithful (Rom. 2:6-7, 3:25, Ex. 34:6, 2 Pet. 3:9, Col. 3:1-2, Ps. 91:14).

Blessings: Mark 13 – In this chapter Jesus tells us that there will be many that will try to deceive us about their being the Christ. He explains there will be wars and rumors of wars, nation against nation, earthquakes and famines. We Christians will be brought to trial because of our beliefs and we will be betrayed by our friends and families (Ps. 55:12-14). These Words of Christ do not seem to be blessings on our lives but we must remember that none have suffered to the point of shedding our blood as Christ did for us (Heb. 12:3). The mighty blessing will come after we have persevered when we see our Lord and Savior coming in clouds with great power and glory to gather us to Himself to live forever in His Heavenly Kingdom (Rev. 22:3-5). Help us Father to fight the good fight, keep the faith and finish the race (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

Chains: 2 Peter 2 – “God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but sent them into chains of darkness to be held until the Day of Judgment”. Christians were never meant to be in chains. A man is a slave and chained to whatever he allows to master his life. During the flood, Noah, a righteous man, was spared. God condemned Sodom and Gomorrah but rescued Lot, a righteous man. The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from the chains of trials and hold the unrighteous for the Day of Judgment. Knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will free us from the chains of this corrupted world and we pray Father that we never, by the grace of God, turn back and become entangled with worldly pleasures.

Duty: Deuteronomy 6:5 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength”. It is our duty to love the Lord, choosing Him for an intimate relationship and to obey His commands. This command to love Him is given often throughout the book of Deuteronomy (5; 7:9; 10:12; 11:1; 19:9; 30:6). Loving Him was to be wholehearted and was to spread through and within every aspect of an Israelite’s being, life, soul and strength. Moses stressed that obedience and love for God could not be separated. The ultimate test of an Israelite’s love for God was whether they obeyed Him and this is our test of love today (John 14:15). Joshua (25:15) did not even consider natural ground when he told the people to choose either God or Baal. “No one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24, 12:30). Father, although it is our duty to love and obey you, we do this in all freedom through the grace, mercy and gift of salvation that you have given us and because you first loved us. Thank you Father, for eternal love given freely to us through the shed blood of your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Emulation: 1 Peter 1:15-16 – “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’”. Emulation is the act of attempting to equal or excel in qualities or actions. Meaning in a good sense, to attempt to equal or excel others in that which is praise-worthy, without the desire of depressing others. Paul attempted to arouse the Gentiles to envy the salvation of the Jews so that they might be saved (Rom. 11:11-26). Leviticus 19 addresses the entire nation of Israel to be holy because the Lord was holy. Every biblical statement about God carries with it an implied demand upon men to imitate Him in daily living. We are commanded to love as Jesus loved us (John 13:34) and assured that through faith in God we can do what Jesus has done (John 14:12). Father, we desire to keep your Word and have your love perfected in our lives so that we will constantly emulate your ways and walk as you walk. With your help we will follow your example.

Falsehood: Colossians 3:9-10 – “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Though the Colossian Christians used to walk in evil, Paul commanded that they do so no more. He taught they should rid themselves of all such things. The word rid means to put off like a suit of clothes or throw off a dirty shirt. In the bible, behavior is often likened to a garment (Job 29:14, Ps. 35:26). Repulsive habits like anger, rage, malice and lying do not fit or suit the Colossian Christians and does not suit the Christian today. Truthfulness is essential in followers of the One who is the Truth (John 14:6). Father, remind us to read daily the truth of your Word and speak the Words of God, letting our yes be yes and our no be no (James 5:12, Lev. 19:11-12, Ps. 34:13, Eph. 4:25).

“GOD’S MYSTERIOUS WAYS” Lesson 182

We have all heard and used this old adage; God works in mysterious ways. This short study will show just a peek at how God works and the people He uses. Oh, and do not miss the part where He also uses a talking donkey. I suppose when we, like Balaam, try to go our own way, God has to use something less stubborn and hard-headed than we such as a mule! Have you compared your obedience record with a donkey’s lately? Who won?

When I was a kid, we lived next to a family who had a few little donkeys and the same number of boys and girls. We had free access to these donkeys and the pasture behind out houses. Thing is we only had one saddle. We drew straws for the saddled donkey and the rest of us rode bare back. Off we would go in our caravan across the cactus and mesquite tree infested pasture. We would yell, poke, slap and coax our little steeds to no avail. Take my word for this; when trying to drive or lead a donkey, you might have to be going where he wants to go or trouble is in store. They will balk, dig their heels into the ground, kick, duck and turn in total disobedience to your authority over them. Their pace was slow and resentful, biding their time when they would catch us off our guard and dump us off their backs.

That anticipated upheaval came on our return trek to the barn. Exhausted, tired and thirsty from making our way to the far side of the pasture, we turned our mounts and headed to the lot. Once the little donkeys sensed they were homeward bound, there was no stopping them. Having preserved their energy on the painfully slow walk to the pasture’s end, they had the advantage over the weary travelers. No amount of pulling on the make-shift rope reins deterred their race to the pens, water and freedom from their passengers. The word whoa fell on deaf ears or perhaps it meant something different to a donkey; as in run under a mesquite tree and see if we could be knocked off or scratched severely by the merciless thorns. We abandoned the reins and fell forward on the back of our racing animals, with a tight grip around their necks. Most of the riders would make it intact to the donkeys’ resting place but a few would eventually lose their balance and be left to walk the trail home. You might think the remaining ones were lucky but this is only because you did not witness the “all four feet planted in the ground firmly screeching halt” the donkeys made at the gate, spilling the troops onto the ground. If only those donkeys could have talked!

Balaam’s donkey talked! Moses had been trying to lead the disobedient Israelites across the wilderness. They were moving northward, almost to the plains of Moab across from Jericho, on the verge of invasion and conquest of the Promised Land. The plains of Moab must have been a contested territory (Num. 21:26) because they were apparently under Amorite control at this time though normally they belonged to Moab. Moses asked for permission from King Sihon of the Amorites to go through his country, peacefully and taking no food or water (Deut. 2:26-29). Sihon refused and attacked Israel but was defeated (Deut. 2:31-37) and the Israelites claimed his territory. Although they took the land of the AmoRItes, the land of the AmmoNItes was spared because their border was fortified and they were related to Israel through Lot (Gen. 19:36, 38, Deut. 2:19) so Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.

When Balak, Moab’s king, saw what Israel had done to the Amorites, he and his people were terrified and began to look for a way to save themselves from the inevitable destruction at the hands of the Israelites. Balak knew that Israel was too powerful to be defeated militarily so he decided to seek out and hire a diviner to bring down curses on Israel. There were pagan prophets in the land who were devious enough to pronounce curses and/or blessings in such a way that they were bound to come to pass one way or the other. Balaam was one such prophet among the complex cult of prophets and seers. Balak called on Balaam to come to Moab and curse Israel at least to the extent that she would be weakened enough to be defeated. Balaam answered that he would spend the night seeking the will of the Lord, just in case there were believers of the real and true God in earshot. This was in keeping with the pagans’ general spirit of broad-mindedness and their knowing that each person believed their own god had the greatest power.

In keeping with God’s Spirit, it was not unusual for Him to appear to use what man meant for evil and turn it into good (Gen. 50:20). The Lord appeared to the diviner and warned him not to heed Balak’s instructions to curse God’s blessed people. This convinced Balaam and he told Balak’s messengers to tell their king that the Lord had forbidden him to go out to the Israelites and curse them. Not one to give up, Balak made the same request again but Balaam said that no amount of silver or gold would persuade him to attempt the impossible. However, he promised to ask God once more if he might carry out the wishes of Balak. The Lord granted permission to go but not to curse His people and in allowing Balaam to go God would then reveal Himself gloriously through him. The day of Balaam’s departure the Lord became angry with him, not because of his mission but because of his unspoken motive or intention (he loved the wages of wickedness; 2 Pet. 2:15) contrary to God’s will (Num. 22:32b, 34-35).

The Angel of the Lord appeared to block the road and Balaam’s donkey veered into the field only to get a beating from her master. Being obedient to her human master, the donkey returned to the road only to be stopped once more by the Angel, pressing Balaam’s foot into the wall of the narrow passage. Again Balaam beat the donkey into submission to continue on but finding the now narrow passageway blocked totally by the Angel the donkey lay down. Again the beast was beaten, but this time God opened her mouth to speak the question; “why she had been beaten” (Num. 22:28). Balaam did not act surprised at the talking donkey but was angry at the public humiliation and said if he had a sword he would kill the donkey on the spot. The donkey continued to try and save his rider’s life and soul by asking him to explain just why a donkey could suddenly speak human words, adding that there must be a hidden explanation. Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, he saw and recognized the angel with the drawn sword, and fell on his face before the Lord. He acknowledged his sin in opposing the Lord and not seeing divine direction in the donkey’s behavior. Having this little problem settled, the Lord told him to continue his journey but he would speak only what God put in his mouth.

King Balak met Balaam but would not accept that the prophet would not do as Balak directed but would follow the instructions of the Lord. However, Balak, nearly as hard headed as the donkey, moved the sacrificial altars several times trying to change the mind and the seer only to be told by Balaam that he must speak the words the Lord had put into his mouth. Balaam almost seemed to wish that he were one of God’s people. He told Balak directly that the immutable God of Israel had promised to bless His people and would not change His mind. In dismay, Balak, seemingly wanting to back out of his cursing on Israel, pleaded with Balaam to speak neither cursing nor blessing, but Balaam reminded him that he was powerless in the hand of the Lord and could do only as he was told. His eyes and ears had been opened to the truth of God (Num. 24:1-4). Balak, not having his eyes opened to the truth of God, but rather clearly seeing that Balaam would not or could not curse Israel, dismissed him without payment for his services. Balaam showed no surprise but in fact repeated his earlier statement that no amount of money could have made a difference in undoing the will of God. Throughout the remaining verses of Numbers 24, Balaam prophesied in favor of the Lord and in the will of the Lord. Having completed his mission, Balaam returned to his homeland and Balak went his own way.

“IS YOUR JOB IN A CELLAR”? Lesson 181

God has given every believer a place of service in the Body of Christ (Eph. 2:10, 1 Cor. 12:7, 11). If He chooses you He will equip you for the job, bestowing gifts upon you that can only be supernatural. It is a blessing beyond compare to be chosen, gifted and used by the Lord. Do not pass up this honor with excuses like the one Moses used. Do not be indecisive like Gideon asking for not one but two signs that the Lord was serious. David’s court is listed in 1st Chronicles 27:25-34. Each person was called by name just as God calls each of us by name and keeps track of all we do (Matt. 10:29-31). God arranged all the parts of the Body and we need to stay and grow where He plants us. The king placed each worker where he wanted them and our King places us where He can best use us for His glory and edification of the Church (Eph. 4:10-13, 1 Cor. 12:7, Eph. 4:16). In David’s court there was a man named Joash who was in charge of the supplies of olive oil (1Chro. 27:18). He served the king in a dark, damp cellar, unnoticed by others with more important jobs and most likely never called upon to give an oil supply report before the “court body”.

Oil was very important in the Jewish society. We find in Leviticus 2:1 that it was poured over the grain offerings of fine flour, along with incense. This mixture was burned as a memorial portion on the altar; “an aroma pleasing to God”. Aaron and his sons, priests, were to be continuously furnished with clear oil of pressed olives for the lamps. These lamps were kept burning before the Lord from evening until morning (Ex. 27:20-21). Remember Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins that went to meet the bridegroom? The wise took along extra oil for their lamps but the foolish were not fully prepared to meet the bridegroom. While they were gone to meet their own needs, they missed the open door and were not allowed entrance. The oil keeper had a supply of oil to sell them but their timing was in disobedience to the Lord, therefore the oil did them no good. Not only is the oil essential but the keeper of the oil must be alert and sensitive to the importance of his job (Matt. 25:1-13). Let us not forget the inner-self fueled with oil that keeps our individual light shining (Matt. 5:16). The Psalmist wrote the Word of God was a lamp and a light for his path, drawing from the literal oil lamps that were strapped to traveler’s ankles to light their way along the dangerous, dusty roads. Oil was used in commerce (1 Kings 5:11), as medicine (Luke 10:34) and in praying for the sick (James 5:14).

It must have been hard for Joash to “stay in the cellar” tending the oil supply, but he would prove to be faithful. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2). “Each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him, and to which God has called him” (1 Cor. 7:17). If you want to always be in the will of God then keep on doing the last thing He told you to do until He moves you. If you want to live a life that is pleasing to God just be faithful in the cellar, tending the oil. The oil keeper’s job was to protect the precious supply from intruders and thieves. We still need to be watchers and wide awake to the devil’s schemes to steal our spiritual oil (Eph. 6:11). Satan will use complacency, apathy, worldliness and quest for popularity to take your eye off the job that God has given you (Eph. 4:27). Anything you are protecting the devil will come after (1 Pet. 5:8), however, the Son appeared to destroy Satan’s work (1 John 3:8) and has given you the power to resist him (James 4:7). The ancient watchmen stood guard with courage and strength through their faith (1 Cor. 16:13) and that same kind of commitment is needed today. Other, not so evident thieves will be those who use smooth talk and flattery to cause you to waver in your obedience (Rom. 16:17-19). Do not let your deeds be found incomplete in the eyes of God (Rev. 3:1-3). The eyes of the Lord are always on you, therefore do your job for the King just as Joash did for his king (Prov. 15:3) and you will receive your reward (Rev. 22:12).

Your job may not be in the oil cellar but may be in an equally uncomfortable place. All of God’s assignments are not pleasant. If He calls you He is showing His faith in you and your obedience shows your faith in Him. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48b). God does not like infidelity and will take your lamp stand away if you forget your first love (Rev. 2:4-5). Not much use for oil if you have no lamp stand! You cannot ride the fence and sit on the throne (Rev. 3:15-16, 21)! Work at your assigned job; keep the oil and it will all be worth the effort when the King comes (Matt. 25:21). People may have mocked Joash for having to spend his time in the cellar and people may very well mock you for the job God has given you (Ps. 35:16, Isa. 28:22, Jude 18). They will not always understand you but serve the Lord and Him first and He will pour out His blessings on you (Matt. 10:32, Rev. 22:4-5).

As Nehemiah, you may get a message to come down from your job. If you are serving the Lord, you are doing the greatest work in the world! Do not step down for anything the devil might entice you with (Neh. 6:1-4, 8). It is a special person who will just stay put and serve the Lord even when there is harassment, difficulty, fatigue and when no one notices your work and accomplishments. This is a worker energized by God Himself and strengthened by obedience. “To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22b).

You may wonder why 1st Chronicles 27:25-28 would be a lesson to us today. Remember that these guys were in charge of the storehouses and their contents. The Church is God’s storehouse and servants like Joash represent much of the Church today. Like Joash, many Christians serve the Lord in obscurity, yet the service they provide is absolutely essential in the life of the Church. Joash was JUST the keeper of the oil, JUST working in a cellar but did his job faithfully and humbly. What is your job? Where are you working? How are you doing with what God gave you to do?

“STANDING IN AWE” LESSON 180

The definition of awe is a mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread and wonder inspired by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity or might; the ability to stand back and be amazed. People travel thousands of miles to see the “wonders of the world” but hesitate to open the Bible long enough to discover the wonders of God. This is not to say that God’s wonders are contained within the pages of the Scripture because there is no place from which God is absent (Ps. 139:1-12). David wrote this Psalm acknowledging that God knows everything and nothing can overpower Him. David’s heart yearned as our hearts yearn today for a personal intimacy with our Creator and Savior. Most know about God but do most truly stand in awe of His majesty, knowing without a doubt that the one who created us (Ps. 139:15-16) can recreate in us a pure heart and make our spirit right again (Ps. 51:10)? De we stand amazed in the presence of Jesus Christ the King? He spoke and it happened! He commanded and it appeared! His plans will stand forever and forever we should be standing in awe of this (Ps. 33:6-11). This reverence includes church services but should not be exclusive to one or two hours of worship weekly. Wherever and however you choose to worship is not the issue. Your body is the temple of God and He goes where you go not waiting inside a building for you to visit Him at your convenience.

Take a minute to step outside and stand in amazement of God’s creation. Go ahead! This study will be waiting here on the computer when you get back. When you sit down in front of your magic machine then you can be in awe of God’s wisdom, knowledge and talent within the workings of modern tech.

Awe, reverence, worship, praise and prayer should all be combined and continuous. Too many think that reverence is something to be done quietly, praise is categorized as song services, prayer is bound within specified times, worship is thought of as the weekly sermon and awe, well sadly to say, this is seldom mentioned. Feelings to often come into play during segments of “God time”. If we are not moved emotionally we are disappointed in the songs, sermons and the prayers offered in our presence. Suggestion! Sit in awe before the Word of God whether through song, sermon or prayer. He is speaking to you in many ways! Hear His voice, enjoy His presence, forgetting yourself and the ones around you and stand amazed in His glory.

If we have a poor concept of meeting with God then our appreciation of corporate worship will be crippled. Christians should have an unveiled frankness before God so that one’s life becomes a mirror for other lives. The glory evident in Moses’ face later disappeared but in the face of a Christian shines God’s everlasting glory coming from the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. This glory is the experience of salvation in Christians being transformed into Christ’s likeness (2 Cor. 3:18, 4:6, 4:17). Paul continuously stated that the suffering, burdens and hardships were temporal and would be replaced by a glory that Peter says would never fade away (1 Pet. 5:4, 10). Now that is awesome! Jesus gave us a perfect example of communion with the Father. We come freely into God’s presence in Jesus Christ’s name through the Holy Spirit. Jesus says that He and the Father will come and make their home with us (John 14:23). However, a warning is tacked on here when Jesus said that He and the Father would not manifest themselves to those who are disobedient to His teachings.

Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1-12) and answers the questions on the heart of every Jew. “Am I eligible to enter Messiah’s Kingdom”? “Am I righteous enough to qualify for entrance”? The only standard of righteousness the people knew was that laid down by the current religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees. Would one who followed this standard be acceptable in Messiah’s Kingdom? The Sermon showed how a person who is right with God should conduct his life and applies to Jesus’ followers today. These qualities include a pure heart, clean internally, and a spiritual appetite, a continuing desire for personal righteousness. Look for God! Anticipate His presence! Expect Him to show up! Be honest and stand at the threshold (Ps. 84:10) staying away from the tents of the wicked. Fellowship with God as you would a best friend (1 John 1:3). God began a good work in each Christian and will see it to the end in spite of the person, although it would be so awesome if everyone would submit to His plan and enjoy the ride of fellowship (Phil. 1:6).

Pray this prayer with me if you will: “Father, I have failed! I have sinned! I have neglected your Word and the fellowship of your presence. Forgive me! I want to really know you, stand in awe of you, and have revival in my spirit and joy in my life. I need your help to do all these things. Wake up my spirit to the presence of your Holy Spirit living within me. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen”.

Believe that everything is possible (Mark 9:23), do not believe in God for too little and do not just LOOK like a Christian but live like one. Talk to God and give Him time to answer. You will be amazed at how much He loves you. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).

“DO NOT!” Lesson 179

Do not are two words that every parent has said to their child at some time and most likely many times. Parents tell their children, “do not” to keep them from harm, keep them from falling and to guide them to maturity. Our Father in Heaven has written a host of “do not” scriptures for the same reasons. “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

The book of Romans carries a lot of do not scriptures starting with Paul stating general implications of a believer offering his life to God as a sacrifice. Such an offering represents a complete change in lifestyle, involving both a negative and a positive aspect. Paul commanded, ‘do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world’ (Rom. 12:1-2). Living according to the lifestyle of the present evil age (Gal. 1:4, Eph. 1:21) must now be put aside. Then Paul commanded, ‘but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’. The Greek word, transformed, means a total change from inside out (2 Cor. 3:18). The key to this change is the mind, the control center of one’s attitudes, thoughts, feelings and actions (Eph. 4:22-23). Do not be proud and do not think too highly of yourself and be willing to associate with people of low position (James 2:1-9, Rom. 12:16). These orders are summarized in the command, do not be conceited or do not become wise concerning yourself, an attitude that makes empathy impossible. The Old Testament principle of justice was an eye for an eye but Paul commanded, ‘do not repay anyone evil for evil but rather Christians are to do what is right, good noble and honorable. Do not take revenge after you are misused but leave room for God’s wrath because He has promised to avenge His people (Deut. 32:35, Heb. 10:30). David’s refusal to kill Saul on two occasions when it seemed that God had delivered Saul into David’s hands is a classic biblical example of this principle.

Paul and Apollos served as examples of men under authority who did not go beyond what was written (1 Cor. 4:6). They obeyed the Word of God, not their own inclinations or worldly opinions. By example, Paul hoped the Corinthians would learn humility and grow to become those who practice what they were taught. This was a difficult lesson, because the Greeks believed humility was a despicable trait of a slave, a sign of weakness and not a characteristic of a great man. What hampered the Corinthians’ open, loving response which Paul called for, were the rival pagan idolaters or more likely false apostles (2 Cor. 6:14-15, 10:14, 11:2-4). Paul did not say that Christians should have no contact whatever with unbelievers but considered the false apostles to be unbelievers from whom the Corinthians needed to separate. Religious unbelievers might lead believers astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ and this concerned Paul leading him to write, ‘do not be yoked to an unbeliever’. Believers do not speak unwholesome, rotten words but rather helpful, good, beneficial words for the purpose of edification (Eph. 4:29-30). One’s words are to be true and pure and also are to contribute to benefiting others and we are kept on track by the Holy Spirit who guards one’s speech. The fact that the Holy Spirit may be grieved points to His personality and confirms the seal of ownership upon the believer until the day of redemption, at which time the believer receives his new body (Phil. 3:20-21). Going from the general to the specific, Paul commands ‘do not’ get drunk on wine which causes wasteful living for a drunken man acts abnormally (Eph. 5:18).

The Bible likens the Holy Spirit to a flame (Isa. 4:4, Matt. 3:11, Acts 2:3-4). He warms the heart, enlightens the mind and empowers people’s spirits. Paul warned against hindering the Holy Spirit’s fire since His fire can be diminished or even snuffed out if resisted. Sine His working can be opposed by believers it is this that Paul warned against (1 Thess. 5:19). “Do not believe every spirit” John warned, but test them to distinguish God’s Spirit from false spirits. John explained the necessity of this was because many false prophets had gone out into the world and are here today (1 John 4:1-6). The failure to acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is precisely what exposes the spirit of the antichrist which John had already warned his readers about (2:18-27). Continuing in the truth about Jesus Christ calls for a firm response against those who have become teachers of false doctrine, therefore, John added ‘if anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching (God’s) do not take him into your home or welcome him (2 John 10). Diotrephes had been guilty of gossiping maliciously refused to welcome the brothers and wanted to put them out of the church. He forced other believers to be inhospitable or if they were not, even prevented them from gathering with the church. John wrote to Gaius that he was not to imitate what was evil but what was good. Diotrephes’ behavior was to be avoided and not copied. Anyone who does what is good is from God and anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. This statement should not be watered down, for evil never comes from a real spiritual perception of God but is always a product of darkness of heart and blindness toward Him (3 John).

James is point blank in saying that we can read the Bible daily and not benefit anything from this unless we do what it says. ‘Do not merely listen to the Word, do what it says’! One must become or keep on becoming a doer of the Word! To look into the marrow of the Word of God involves an obligation. One must look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and is the key to spiritual growth and continued maturity. The word for ‘looks intently into’ literally means ‘to stoop down’ in order to have a good close look (James 1:22-25). “Do not be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:16-17). James threw this statement in for those who were trying to free themselves from sinful actions by blaming the temptation on God. James made it clear that God could not be tempted, furthermore He tempts no one (James 1:13-14).

“Do not harden your hearts” is Paul’s writing and to reinforce the lesson he quotes from Psalm 95. The choice of this psalm is highly appropriate in a context that is concerned with worship and priestly activity. Psalm 95 is, in fact, essentially a call to worship; “come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care”. The following words in Hebrews go along with this psalm in saying that we should be careful to guard against a sinful, unbelieving heart which God’s flock in the wilderness displayed. This is the heart that turns away from the living God and to prevent this we must encourage one another so that none be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. This statement should hold true today in any local congregation where the hardening tendencies of sin can often be counteracted by truly concerned fellow Christians. The expression ‘as long as it is called today’ means something like ‘while you still have opportunity’ (Heb. 3:7-13). This opportunity will not last forever! Take advantage now and do not be left out of Revelation 22. MARANATHA!

“GETTING CLOSER TO GOD” Lesson 178

When we hear of an author or a celebrity that we like we do all we can to get to know that person better by reading their autobiographies. When we are in love with someone we do all we can to get closer to that person by finding out their likes and dislikes, their needs and desires. To get closer to God we must read His autobiography and find out His likes, dislikes and His desires. We will find in John 21:25 that “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written”. My humble translation of this verse is that if we read the Bible on a daily basis for the rest of our lives, we will never learn everything there is to learn about our Lord and Savior. Revelation 12:12 speaks of the devil’s time being short. This is referring to the time when he will be cast out of heaven for the last and final time only to be “loosed” for a time (Rev. 20:1-3) to gather as many to his kingdom of hell as he possibly can. He knows that there is a short time before the casting out of heaven and even shorter time to pounce on the population of the earth before he is cast into eternal hell. Therefore it is his main purpose to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10) and to wear out the saints (Dan. 7:25). However, as we get closer to God we realize that He is our glory and the lifter of our heads and a shield around us (Ps. 3:3). He promises that if we come near to Him, He will come near to us (James 4:8) assuring us that His arm is not too short to reach us and He will do what He promises (Num. 11:23). “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame” (Rom. 10:11) and that is something we cannot say about any other friend except Jesus Christ.

Ask some how to know God better and draw closer to Him and their answers will be; “go to church every Sunday; go to Sunday school; join a Bible study group”. These are all good suggestions; however, this is only the tip of the iceberg in knowing God. We find in Mark 13:37 that Jesus instructs us to ever be on the watch. He compares His hour and day of the second coming to a man that leaves his house in charge of a servant with assigned tasks. Our bodies are the temples of Christ, His houses, and He has left us in charge and assigned us tasks while He is away. According to Jesus in Matthew 28:19 we are to “GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you”. “If He comes suddenly, do not let Him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone; ‘Watch’”! Five of the ten virgins were found sleeping and were left out of the wedding banquet (Matt. 25:1-13). This watch we have been assigned to is a 24/7 job and not to be put in little boxes of Sundays or prayer meetings on Wednesday nights. There is another kind of watch and that is the one that David prayed for. “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3). James 3:8 tells us that no man can tame the tongue but you can surely ask God to help you as David requested. You cannot pass your watch to someone else since Jesus just told us that this He said to everyone. You must stand your own watch!

No one can get close to God part time. God calls this being lukewarm and He warns sternly against being neither hot nor cold in Revelation 3:15-16, saying that He will spit you out of His mouth. To Sardis He writes that they have the reputation of being alive but are really dead (Rev. 3:1). The only word of approval here is actually a word of rebuke as Christ declared that they had a reputation for being alive and apparently were regarded by their contemporaries as an effective church. However, Christ quickly stripped away their reputation of being alive by declaring, YOU ARE DEAD! Like the Pharisees, their outer appearance was a façade hiding their lack of life (Matt. 23:27-28). Christ added that He has not found their deeds complete in the sight of God. They were falling far short of fulfilling their obligations as believers. Are you falling short? Are you as close to God as you would like to be or know you need to be? The church of Sardis was warned to wake up from their spiritual slumber and to strengthen the few evidences of life they still had. Can others recognize the evidences of Christianity in you? Can you find them in yourself? Jesus said that He was coming suddenly and unexpectedly. Would you not like to be living close enough to God to “feel” His coming daily? Close enough to hear Him knocking (Rev. 3:20)? The best way to get closer to God is on your knees, devoting yourself to prayer (Col. 4:2), straining toward what is ahead (Phil. 3:13-14). Because, guess what? What is ahead is that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil. 2:10-11). I think I would rather already be kneeling and not wait to be forced when Jesus comes again. How about you?

We, just as Adam, were created for God’s pleasure and that we He might fellowship with us (Rev. 4:11). It is hard to fellowship with someone you never see or talk to and it is hard to see God and talk to Him unless you spend time searching. “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you” (Jer. 29:12-14). He has made good plans for your life (Jer. 29:11), comforts you every time you have trouble (2 Cor. 1:4), and never changes His mind about the people He calls and the things He gives them (Rom. 11:29). You can not ask for a better friend than Jesus! In turn He wants your praise, obedience and above all your acceptance of His Son through salvation. The power of the Lord has won the victory over Satan and spiritual death and He has done mighty things. “I will not die, but live and I will tell what the Lord has done” (Ps. 118:17)! Paul writes that if anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him (1 Cor. 16:22) so I will proclaim that I love the Lord, rise at midnight to praise Him (Ps. 119:62), set my thoughts on things above (Col. 3:1), be not ashamed of the gospel (Rom. 1:16), not understanding some things I do but knowing God will rescue me through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 7:15, 25).

MARANATHA!

“QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS” Lesson 177

Q: What is deliverance?

A: Deliverance is being set free or rescued. This is why Jesus Christ was sent by the Father so that we might be set free from our sins and rescued from the spiritual death of hell (Isa. 61:1, John 3:16-18, Rev. 20:14-15). If we believe in God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead and that Christ was delivered over to deliver us from our sins and through Him we were justified then we too will be resurrected into life eternal (Rom. 4:24-25, 1 Cor. 15:20-23). The entire creation and everything in it will be delivered when Christ comes again (Rom. 8:18-25, Rev. 21:1-4). “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36). He (God) has rescued (delivered) us from the dominion of darkness (sin) and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son (Christ Jesus) He loves in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins (col. 1:13-14). God delivers us from sin just as He delivered Daniel from the mouths of the lions (Dan. 6:19-23) and we are not wounded (eternally) from sin in our lives (Rom. 8:38-39).

Q. When God says that He has set our ending and the beginning, does that mean everything in between, even our sins,
short comings and faults? If so, why does the Body of Christ criticize each other when one falls short?

A: God told and showed Peter through a vision that he should not call any person impure or unclean (Acts 10:28b). And God shows no favoritism (Acts 10:34). It is sad that Christians think more highly of themselves than they should (Rom. 12:3-8) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). It is by grace we all have been saved and not from anything we do on our own (Eph. 2:8) so no one of us should criticize another. Yes, God knows the end from the beginning and this includes everything you do in between (1 John 3:20). Romans 12:9-21 tells us to be devoted to one another in sincere love, do not be conceited, as far as it depends on you live in peace with everyone and whatever you do, do it to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31-32). We are warned against passing judgment (Rom. 2:1-4), slandering others (Lev. 19:16) and being idle busybodies (2 Thess. 3:11). Remember that Satan is the accuser and critic of the brothers (Rev. 12:10b) and we never want to be like him.

Q: What responses can I make about sex to someone who says; “if it happens, it happens. I believe God lets everything happen for a reason”?

A: I am presuming that you are speaking of premarital sex when I write these Scriptures out for you. These are direct quotes from the Bible as I could never say it as well as what is written in God’s Holy Word. Whatever happens should happen for a reason and that reason is to glorify God and not to “blame” God for one’s own lack of pride and self-control. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to god the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). “Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality…because these are improper for God’s holy people” (Eph. 5:3); “Flee from sexual immorality. The one who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:18-20)? “Each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband, so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Cor. 7:2-6); “It is God’s will that you should avoid sexual immorality and that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (1 Thess. 4:3-8).

Q: When Abraham denied Sarah was his wife, Abimelech took Sarah and God came to Abimelech in a dream. Please let me know why God spoke to Abimelech. Was it because Abimelech did not know Sarah was married and God did not want him to sin or because Sarah was the wife of a prophet? If both, which was the main reason?

A: You are right on both counts. This story records God’s providential protection of His people and His plan to produce a godly seed through Abraham and Sarah, which was the covenant He made with Abraham (Gen. 17). God’s preventing the destruction of Abraham’s marriage by adultery reinforced the fact that the Israelites should not destroy their marriages by adultery or intermarry with pagans. Since Abimelech was, in a sense, innocent, he pleaded to Abraham’s God not to destroy a Nation because of his “almost mistake”. Abimelech was spared because he obeyed God and returned Sarah, untouched, and asked Abraham to pray for him. I am sure the main reason was to preserve the covenant between Abraham and God but also to bring Abimelech to God as stated in Genesis 20:17. Man makes mistakes and God allows this but prayer and repentance always brings forgiveness from God.

Q: What specific thing did Pharaoh do in Ezekiel 30 that would make God so angry that he would break both his arms?

A: Ezekiel 30:20-26 is Ezekiel’s fourth of seven prophecies against Egypt recorded after the Babylonians defeated Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon) broke the ‘arm’ of Egypt (disarmed; took away the strength to fight) so she was unable to defend Judah. Egypt’s arm, symbolizing strength (not a literal arm) was not even put in a splint so as to become strong enough to hold a sword. Egypt ‘broke her arm’ (lost power) in her feeble attempt to rescue Israel but this was only a prelude to God’s full judgment. God said He would ‘break both of Egypt’s arms, the good arm as well as the broken one’. In other words God would totally destroy Egypt’s strength. Her ability to protect both others (the broken arm) and herself (the good arm) would be eliminated.

“A MAN CALLED JOHN” Lesson 176

The book of John was written around 85-96 A.D., some fifty years after the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This would make John an elderly man, most likely living in Ephesus. When John was in exile on Patmos, an island off the coast of Asia Minor, he wrote to seven Asian churches, the first being Ephesus (Rev. 1:9-11). This leaves a good probability that his book was first published at Ephesus. John was apparently the youngest of the twelve disciples. We assume he had a hot temper from the names Jesus gave he and his brother James; sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). He was first a follower of John the Baptist until he was called to follow Jesus at the beginning of our Lord’s ministry (John 1:19-51). He was one of the twelve main disciples (Luke 6:12-16) and became a member of the inner circle along with Peter and James. John was known as the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 13:23) and wrote the most memorized verse in the Bible; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

John was with Jesus when He healed Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29), at the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1), when Jesus healed Jarisus’ daughter (Mark 25:22) and in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36). John, along with James and Cephas, was considered “pillars” of the gospel (Gal. 2:9). He helped prepare the Passover meal (Luke 22:8), was at the Crucifixion (John 19:25) and one of the first at the open tomb (John 20:3). According to John 21:7, this disciple KNEW the Lord.

Tradition tells us that the leaders knew the things Jesus said to the disciples. Such as; “some people standing here will see the Son of Man coming with His Kingdom before they die” (Matt. 16:28) and when Peter asked Jesus about John, Jesus’ answer was; “If I want him to live until I come back this is not your business” (John 21:23). Knowing Jesus was talking about John, they drew the conclusion that John could not die. Tradition further has it that this is why the rulers (Nero’s followers) ordered John cast into a pot of boiling oil. When John miraculously survived the ‘dunking’, the people were more convinced than ever that the Apostle John would never die.

When he grew too old and weak to preach, he was brought into the Assembly of the Faithful where he was constantly heard to say; “my dear children, love one another’. This quite possibly prompted his exile to the Isle of Patmos, where he was taken in the Spirit to Heaven and given the visions and words to the final book of God’s Scripture.

The book of John, often called the book of love, was written “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). John wrote late in the first century when people were questioning whether Jesus was truly or fully God. John wrote a strong declaration of Christ’s deity, declaring that Jesus was who He claimed to be; the Son of God, and wanted people to experience eternal life that comes through belief. Belief and life are the two key words in the gospel of John.

John stresses the eternity and deity of Jesus, reminding us of the opening words of Genesis, referring to Jesus as God and Creator. John is very positive that Jesus was a personality existing from eternity and that He had a hand in the creation of the universe. In John 17:5 Jesus is quoted as referring to the glory He had with the Father before the world was. Jesus is here called the Word, that is, Jesus was God’s expression of Himself to mankind. Jesus was God! Jesus was like God! Jesus is God’s message to mankind! John tells us that Jesus in the light of the world, making clear the meaning and destiny of human existence. He makes clear the incarnation of God becoming a man in order to win man to Himself. God could have made man with an instinct to do His will but He chose rather to give man the power to decide for himself his attitude toward his Creator. But God is a spirit and man is hedged in by the limitations of a material body and has scant conception of what a spirit is, so the Creator came to His creatures in the form of one of them to give them an idea of the kind of being He is. Son of Man was Jesus’ favorite name for Himself and occurs about seventy times in the gospels. This name is thought to have been equivalent to a claim of Messiah and suggests that Jesus rejoiced in His experience as God in human form, sharing the life of mankind. He carried the title with Him to Heaven (Acts 7:56, Rev. 1:13, 14:14).

After brief statements about the deity of Jesus, His pre-existence and incarnation, John’s gospel, passing over Jesus’ birth, childhood, baptism and temptation, starts with this testimony of John the Baptist before the Committee from the Sanhedrin as to the deity of Jesus (John 1:19-24). Note that John the Baptist’s profound humility in his devotion to Christ, not worthy even to untie His shoe latch is recorded in all four gospels (Matt. 3:11, Mark 1:7, Luke 3:16, John 1:27). What a boon to the world if all preachers could exhibit the same humble adoration of the Lord of whom they preach! Jesus’ early Judean ministry lasting eight months, beginning at Passover time and ending before harvest, includes cleansing of the Temple, visit of Nicodemus and ministry by the Jordon, and is told only in John’s gospel. In chapter four, John tells us about Jesus’ return to Galilee through Samaria. Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman was only incidental but is one of the most beautiful, delightful and helpful things in the story of Jesus’ life. One of the ever-recurring contrasts of the gospels is the repudiation of Jesus by the religious custodians of His nation and His acceptance by the outcast, sinners and common people. This acceptance was the case of the Samaritan woman and laid the groundwork for the reception for the reception of the gospel by Samaritans a few years later (Acts 8:4-8).

John followed His Lord and Savior to Cana where He healed the son of a royal official and he was with Him when He healed the crippled man at the pool. He watched the persecutions of Jesus because of the miracles He performed on the Sabbath. He listened as Jesus explained who testified for Him (John 5:31-47) storing all of these facts in his mind that he might teach others about Christ for the remainder of his life. He witnessed Jesus feeding the five thousand with only five small barley loaves and two small fish, Jesus walking on the water to the boat the disciples were in and heard Him say; “the work of God is this; to believe in the One He has sent” (John 6:29). John believed that Jesus was the living Bread and that whoever believes in the name of Jesus would have everlasting life and set his mind to make believers of the world population though his gospel.

John records Jesus’ final farewell to the twelve (John 13:31-17:26) and then eleven after Judas makes his departure (John 13:30). These four chapters are the most tender words in the Bible. Chapter fourteen was uttered while yet at the Supper and fifteen, sixteen and seventeen while on the way to Gethsemane. Jesus knew the end had come and was ready for it. Instead of calling it crucified, He called it glorified (13:31) and although dreading the pain, kept His eye on the joy beyond the Crucifixion. He closes His tender farewell by commending them to God, praying both for Himself and for the disciples as he turns away to tread the winepress alone. Remembrance of His pre-human existence, and its glory, gave Him courage. He prayed for His own, not for the world. John records Jesus’ words that He had come to save the world, but His special interest was in those who believed on Him. He drew a definite line between those who were His and those who were not and this “warning message” runs all the way through John’s writings. The most important chapter in the entire Bible is considered to be John 20 because John tells of the most important event in human history, the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. John alone, of all the disciples, believed at the sight of the empty tomb (John 20:8) and he writes his book that you, too, might believe in the risen Son of God and His love for mankind that you might spend eternity in the home He has gone ahead to prepare for you (John 14:1-3).