The Christmas story found in Luke chapter two denotes the presence of shepherds at the birth of the Messiah. While they may have been present at some point, it is difficult to comprehend the mixture of Magi (wise ones of great authority) and shepherds at so monumental an event.
Why would shepherds be interested in such a prophetically denoted event that is clearly the type of subject relegated to scholars of Israel’s Sanhedrin, Rabbi’s and other scholarly interested parties such as the Magi?
Why would the heralding Angels appear to the shepherds rather than the princes of the people?
Unlike farmers, shepherds were often wage earners, being paid to watch the sheep of others. Shepherds also lived apart from society, being largely nomadic. It was mainly a job of solitary males without children, and new shepherds thus needed to be recruited externally. Shepherds were most often the younger sons of farming peasants who did not inherit any land. Still in other societies, each family would have a family member to shepherd its flock, often a child or youth or an elder who couldn't help much with harder work.
Shepherds would normally work in groups either looking after one large flock, or each bringing their own and merging their responsibilities. They would live in small cabins, often shared with their sheep and would buy food from local communities or the shepherds lived and traveled with their flocks.
Shepherding developed only in certain areas. In the lowlands and river valleys, it was far more efficient to grow grains and cereals than to allow sheep to graze, thus the raising of sheep was confined to rugged and mountainous areas.
So we have a group of socially displaced males who earn a living caring for the livestock of others and do so with so much care that they literally live with the animals. They have little outside interests available but were quite well equipped to live in the wilderness in solitude.
What kind of person is this?
The child: Responsibility often matures a young male quickly. These young men would be delegated to the role of shepherd for various reasons, no doubt, but in my personal experience responsibility will wake up the dreamer and quiet the rowdy spirit of a boy.
Seeing the destitution of a lost sheep, the painful neediness of the animal would stir up in these young fellows a driving need to protect the sheep form the outside influences that would destroy them. They might suddenly see how they were a responsibility to their families and feel the surge of desire to compensate for the drag they placed on their own family. Perhaps they were relegated to this duty as punishment or rejection.
The young man: This is the painful story of the poor. There is no inheritance, and no job opportunities in town. Very little was available to these poor landless men and so a life of solitude was about all they could hope for. This is indeed an oppressive experience that many people today suffer. Loneliness is as common as credit cards.
Hopelessness is not a modern issue but an issue that faces everyone. It does require some maturity to become aware of your own hopelessness, and this happened frequently to young men and women in the days of Christ.
The Adult male: Usually adult male shepherds had been at this job for many years. The right circumstances for becoming a shepherd left the market open for new recruits and often were filled by very young men.
The adult male has matured greatly in the wilderness and has adapted to the hardened life of the Bedouin-like lifestyle that a shepherd must lead. Hope for a fulfilling family life was gone for many of them. There was no money to speak of, no land, and no certain home. While it was not impossible for a shepherd to marry, the long absences and poor financial outlook were not conducive to happiness in family life.
Why then were these folks alerted to the presence of the Messiah?
Who had more time to ponder the meaning of prophecy, talk with God and find solace in the promises?
Who would recognize and empathize with the tender love and care of the Great Shepherd more readily than these folks?
The shepherd recognized themselves in the sheep they tended. The ones who understood the need to leave the many and search out the one that is lost because it would be destroyed; the ones who recognized the goodness of discipline and the need for changing the habits of the wayward.
The shepherd was possibly the only individual who could understand the mission of the Messiah to the poor and rejected clearly; the great hope they saw in this small newborn child would be of immense interest to them.
As we travel around town, we come in contact with several people. Are they candidates for the shepherds role? Are they rejected, poor, and lonely? If so they are the ones Jesus is still looking for.
Are any dissatisfied with modern religion that serves to build itself at the expense of a spiritual life? Do they know inside that what they have is not fulfilling the need to know God?
What will tell them that the Messiah is really here, seeking for them?
Mar 16:15,16 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
There is no licensing requirement, no building requirement. Go and preach the gospel-in the wilderness, in the entire world and to every creature.
You go.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The Mystery , Part 2
What is the Mystery, then?
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
We remember that this wisdom was founded before the creation began. This concept was brought out in the New Testament by the preaching of Paul.
1Co 1:
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Salvation of the believer is brought about by faith in the Word which must be preached. Since John points out that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, then Jesus is preached for salvation of the believer.
The law did not bring man to a point where he could know God. The law was a schoolmaster which brought us safely to the time when the Word was made flesh. Therefore, man does not know by wisdom who God really is. It is only known by the foolishness of preaching.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
To the Greeks this was foolish because logic does not dictate How crucifying a man could save other men. That makes no sense!
To the Jews the life of Christ was not the Messiah they hoped for. He should have been a warrior, not a simple carpenter.
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
In the beginning, there was a division of light and darkness (Gen. 1:5). Light is used to build, to create and to save, while darkness is used to cover up, dismantle and destroy. It is simple now to see the parallel between light and dark in the creation of a savior who will allow us (the creation) to be saved from the destruction of darkness (Satan).
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Jesus also refers to this same early relationship between the creation and the wisdom of God:
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Moses wrote the event like this:
Gen 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
The apostles were familiar with the phraseology used to denote the Messiah:
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
1Jn 1:5-7 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
This is what Gen 1:5 is talking about. This is the story of the history of the world from before the creation until the time of the New Testament Church. This is told as a story where the past the present and the future are intermingled like a child’s story so that it is presented in a seemingly jumbled way.
Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
This is a time-lapse view of that point in time where the rebellion in heaven begins because God has revealed His plan; the woman with a crown. Satan is still Lucifer and is in charge of things under the authority of God. Lucifer expects to be made the senior authority of the kingdom of God, and in fact was created with a nature to do so.
Lucifer will rebel in heaven against the plan of God which was to devise a covenant made with mankind and culminated in a sacrificial man born of woman. This one will be the one that will bring about the kingdom of God on Earth. Lucifer wishes to destroy this plan. You see, Lucifer was to be that one who ordered the day for each human on Earth. That was his mission and his territory.
This is the place and time where Lucifer becomes the enemy of God and starts planning his attempt to build a kingdom on Earth to oppose God.
The “she” in this narrative is the plan of God, His counsel and will.
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
The many centuries of genealogies of the Hebrew people were going to help produce that body, the body of the Messiah. The people suffered under the destruction of sin. But something would happen first. There was to be open rebellion in Heaven…
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Lucifer becomes Satan (literally:the enemy), the deceiving one who has a plan of his own. God said that Lucifer had said in his heart that he was as powerful as God, this means that the rebellion had not become public among the angels just yet…
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Satan is now removed from authority over the Earth, but was still able to come and go to see “what is up” in heaven, and to stand before God. Satan is now on Earth waiting for the unfolding of God’s plan in order to “nip it in the bud”, so to speak. Satan began a work on Earth with Eve and her firstborn Cain.
Satan came to Jesus immediately after Jesus began his preparations to start his ministry. Satan’s purpose was to afflict Jesus by “biting his heel”. Jesus came to “crush Satan’s head”. To crush the head means to remove the authority from someone. After his resurrection, Jesus held the keys to the grave, death and hell removing the authority of Satan from them.
Next we see the wisdom of God ascending to the throne in God’s plan for the Earth. This is now in the New Testament era when the plan of God brought forth the Messiah.
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
This is Jesus Christ. He was brought about for a specific purpose and that was to be the final sacrifice for all mankind and then ascend back into heaven. He was also to rule with a rod of iron. That is, he was born to live perfectly thus providing the basis for judgment. This phrase is used on the Old Testament to mean judgment having severe consequences.
Now back to the past:
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Here Satan is no longer allowed to enter heaven to both see and report to God. He is permanently chained to the Earth. Job tells us that Satan came before God with the other angels. He is now no longer able to do that. Something happened to cause Satan to never return to heaven. In the future he will also be barred from heaven as God has prepared a place for him called hell.
This event took place before Jesus the Messiah was born:
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Jesus said in Luke 10:18 “…I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven”.
Jesus saw Satan barred form heaven with the third of the angels. How was that possible as this took place before the birth of Jesus Christ?
It is because Jesus is the name of God both before, and after the birth of the Messiah. The sacrificial body was the wisdom of God to reconcile man to Him, but His name has never changed. Man has called Him by several different labels, but God has always had a name. Jesus. (In Hebrew this is “Yehoshua” which means: Jehovah, The lord saves. Jehovah is derived from the phrase that means “I am” and comes from a basic root that is “the self existent one”).
So this explanation by Paul now fits: The light that was separated from darkness in Genesis 1:5 is the wisdom that God ordained before the world began to bring His power to bear on our salvation. Not only was God’s counsel to create the universe and man, but to bring salvation from the darkness already begun in heaven with Lucifer and his angelic followers. Lucifer was not able to penetrate the light, so it was not something he could plan against effectively. God had separated Lucifer from His plan that would ultimately bring salvation to mankind and defeat Lucifer. This is why there was a “mystery” of godliness.
Col 1:
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
So it is that Jesus was the actual creator, the very wisdom of God that was the flesh that God became. The story plays out even today as we sit in heavenly places because of that wisdom that began before the world was even formed. Because there was a savior promised to Adam and Eve that would one day bring about a joining of humanity to the Light that is God himself.
This strange way of bringing salvation to man may have been to prevent Satan from attacking and destroying Jesus before the right time, or it may have been to remove doubt from those who perceive the mystery, but in any case the mystery of godliness is the way that light was brought into our lives by the Messiah:
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
We now understand clearly what John was talking about. He told this story also but with a different perspective. He talked about the salvation of man as a result of the wisdom and power of God that was evident in the face of Jesus Christ. He tells us how this came about in a more spiritual way:
John 1:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Clearly John is alluding to the fact that the wisdom of God discussed in Proverbs 8 was there from in the beginning and was also the Word of God; in fact the Word was God, the creator of the Universe. The Greek word for Word is logos and implies the thought or plan. This word “logos” would be similar to “counsel” in Hebrew.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
The implication of this statement is that counsel and wisdom were present since eternity as this is the same explanation of “when” God began. The statement is a re-iteration of Proverbs 8 where wisdom declares that he was present form the beginning.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
The Word (wisdom, counsel) is what everything was made by. The Ancient Hebrew word for “God the Creator” is Elohiym which means “God of great Power”. Jesus is the wisdom and power of God. That means that the body of Jesus is the factual representation of the all powerful God of creation.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Jesus is the light of the world and wisdom has been separated from darkness since Genesis 1:5.”…God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all”(I John 1:5).
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Satan did not understand the plan of God in any detail as God had separated him from the light. Lucifer did not know anything about what God was doing in this plan by watching events transpire. It may be that Lucifer still thinks he can win a kingdom against God’s kingdom.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ( This is referring to John the Baptist)
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
The true light is Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Of course John later wrote that God was light.
Notice that this light lighted every man that came into the world, from Adam until the mystery is ended.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
The Messiah certainly came in to the world, as this was the culmination of the wisdom of God. This was the pathway that God ordained before the world was made to redeem mankind to Him. Of course many have rejected the Messiah including his own people, the Hebrews. Since it was the power of God that created the universe and the world, it becomes clear that Jesus is truly the power of God. That is, the name (authority) of God is Jesus.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
We cannot of ourselves create a right spirit or clean heart within us. We cannot complete any act that will gain us a place in the kingdom of God. It is the power of God that is the name Jesus that allows man to enter into the kingdom of God. To become a Son of God is to be one who has the power of God in him.
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
There is no sacrifice (even a human one) that can redeem even one man except that Messiah that is the power of God. It is not our will that allows us to be saved, nor is there any will on Earth that can allow us to be saved except that one will (present from the beginning) that wanted us to be redeemed. The one will that created a plan for us.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
According to John, Jesus (the Word made flesh) was the very template from which all things were made. He is the express will and wisdom and power of God to create and also to save. He is also the express image of God. When we get to heaven, Jesus is what we will see, and not another.
The Glory of God here is the strength and power of God. In the Old Testament, glory was often the way the defensive armor and strength of God was represented. In this instance, Jesus is the power of God to save, that which holds all power in heaven and in Earth.
When will it be finished?
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
The Mystery will end because Satan will be disposed of. There is no need for salvation after this point in time.
If the mystery will have an ending, does that mean that Jesus will have an ending? No. Jesus is the name of the Almighty, for there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved. He will continue for eternity.
Jesus will never end, but the purpose of wisdom will end. The need for great ability to save will be over after time ends forever and we are forever with Jesus, reconciled unto him for eternity.
The Psalms declares that the salvation that came from God is eternal and will never be abolished. Therefore the power of God to save will never end for those who have been redeemed.
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
We remember that this wisdom was founded before the creation began. This concept was brought out in the New Testament by the preaching of Paul.
1Co 1:
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Salvation of the believer is brought about by faith in the Word which must be preached. Since John points out that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, then Jesus is preached for salvation of the believer.
The law did not bring man to a point where he could know God. The law was a schoolmaster which brought us safely to the time when the Word was made flesh. Therefore, man does not know by wisdom who God really is. It is only known by the foolishness of preaching.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
To the Greeks this was foolish because logic does not dictate How crucifying a man could save other men. That makes no sense!
To the Jews the life of Christ was not the Messiah they hoped for. He should have been a warrior, not a simple carpenter.
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
In the beginning, there was a division of light and darkness (Gen. 1:5). Light is used to build, to create and to save, while darkness is used to cover up, dismantle and destroy. It is simple now to see the parallel between light and dark in the creation of a savior who will allow us (the creation) to be saved from the destruction of darkness (Satan).
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Jesus also refers to this same early relationship between the creation and the wisdom of God:
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Moses wrote the event like this:
Gen 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
The apostles were familiar with the phraseology used to denote the Messiah:
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
1Jn 1:5-7 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
This is what Gen 1:5 is talking about. This is the story of the history of the world from before the creation until the time of the New Testament Church. This is told as a story where the past the present and the future are intermingled like a child’s story so that it is presented in a seemingly jumbled way.
Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
This is a time-lapse view of that point in time where the rebellion in heaven begins because God has revealed His plan; the woman with a crown. Satan is still Lucifer and is in charge of things under the authority of God. Lucifer expects to be made the senior authority of the kingdom of God, and in fact was created with a nature to do so.
Lucifer will rebel in heaven against the plan of God which was to devise a covenant made with mankind and culminated in a sacrificial man born of woman. This one will be the one that will bring about the kingdom of God on Earth. Lucifer wishes to destroy this plan. You see, Lucifer was to be that one who ordered the day for each human on Earth. That was his mission and his territory.
This is the place and time where Lucifer becomes the enemy of God and starts planning his attempt to build a kingdom on Earth to oppose God.
The “she” in this narrative is the plan of God, His counsel and will.
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
The many centuries of genealogies of the Hebrew people were going to help produce that body, the body of the Messiah. The people suffered under the destruction of sin. But something would happen first. There was to be open rebellion in Heaven…
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Lucifer becomes Satan (literally:the enemy), the deceiving one who has a plan of his own. God said that Lucifer had said in his heart that he was as powerful as God, this means that the rebellion had not become public among the angels just yet…
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Satan is now removed from authority over the Earth, but was still able to come and go to see “what is up” in heaven, and to stand before God. Satan is now on Earth waiting for the unfolding of God’s plan in order to “nip it in the bud”, so to speak. Satan began a work on Earth with Eve and her firstborn Cain.
Satan came to Jesus immediately after Jesus began his preparations to start his ministry. Satan’s purpose was to afflict Jesus by “biting his heel”. Jesus came to “crush Satan’s head”. To crush the head means to remove the authority from someone. After his resurrection, Jesus held the keys to the grave, death and hell removing the authority of Satan from them.
Next we see the wisdom of God ascending to the throne in God’s plan for the Earth. This is now in the New Testament era when the plan of God brought forth the Messiah.
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
This is Jesus Christ. He was brought about for a specific purpose and that was to be the final sacrifice for all mankind and then ascend back into heaven. He was also to rule with a rod of iron. That is, he was born to live perfectly thus providing the basis for judgment. This phrase is used on the Old Testament to mean judgment having severe consequences.
Now back to the past:
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Here Satan is no longer allowed to enter heaven to both see and report to God. He is permanently chained to the Earth. Job tells us that Satan came before God with the other angels. He is now no longer able to do that. Something happened to cause Satan to never return to heaven. In the future he will also be barred from heaven as God has prepared a place for him called hell.
This event took place before Jesus the Messiah was born:
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Jesus said in Luke 10:18 “…I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven”.
Jesus saw Satan barred form heaven with the third of the angels. How was that possible as this took place before the birth of Jesus Christ?
It is because Jesus is the name of God both before, and after the birth of the Messiah. The sacrificial body was the wisdom of God to reconcile man to Him, but His name has never changed. Man has called Him by several different labels, but God has always had a name. Jesus. (In Hebrew this is “Yehoshua” which means: Jehovah, The lord saves. Jehovah is derived from the phrase that means “I am” and comes from a basic root that is “the self existent one”).
So this explanation by Paul now fits: The light that was separated from darkness in Genesis 1:5 is the wisdom that God ordained before the world began to bring His power to bear on our salvation. Not only was God’s counsel to create the universe and man, but to bring salvation from the darkness already begun in heaven with Lucifer and his angelic followers. Lucifer was not able to penetrate the light, so it was not something he could plan against effectively. God had separated Lucifer from His plan that would ultimately bring salvation to mankind and defeat Lucifer. This is why there was a “mystery” of godliness.
Col 1:
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
So it is that Jesus was the actual creator, the very wisdom of God that was the flesh that God became. The story plays out even today as we sit in heavenly places because of that wisdom that began before the world was even formed. Because there was a savior promised to Adam and Eve that would one day bring about a joining of humanity to the Light that is God himself.
This strange way of bringing salvation to man may have been to prevent Satan from attacking and destroying Jesus before the right time, or it may have been to remove doubt from those who perceive the mystery, but in any case the mystery of godliness is the way that light was brought into our lives by the Messiah:
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
We now understand clearly what John was talking about. He told this story also but with a different perspective. He talked about the salvation of man as a result of the wisdom and power of God that was evident in the face of Jesus Christ. He tells us how this came about in a more spiritual way:
John 1:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Clearly John is alluding to the fact that the wisdom of God discussed in Proverbs 8 was there from in the beginning and was also the Word of God; in fact the Word was God, the creator of the Universe. The Greek word for Word is logos and implies the thought or plan. This word “logos” would be similar to “counsel” in Hebrew.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
The implication of this statement is that counsel and wisdom were present since eternity as this is the same explanation of “when” God began. The statement is a re-iteration of Proverbs 8 where wisdom declares that he was present form the beginning.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
The Word (wisdom, counsel) is what everything was made by. The Ancient Hebrew word for “God the Creator” is Elohiym which means “God of great Power”. Jesus is the wisdom and power of God. That means that the body of Jesus is the factual representation of the all powerful God of creation.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Jesus is the light of the world and wisdom has been separated from darkness since Genesis 1:5.”…God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all”(I John 1:5).
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Satan did not understand the plan of God in any detail as God had separated him from the light. Lucifer did not know anything about what God was doing in this plan by watching events transpire. It may be that Lucifer still thinks he can win a kingdom against God’s kingdom.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ( This is referring to John the Baptist)
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
The true light is Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Of course John later wrote that God was light.
Notice that this light lighted every man that came into the world, from Adam until the mystery is ended.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
The Messiah certainly came in to the world, as this was the culmination of the wisdom of God. This was the pathway that God ordained before the world was made to redeem mankind to Him. Of course many have rejected the Messiah including his own people, the Hebrews. Since it was the power of God that created the universe and the world, it becomes clear that Jesus is truly the power of God. That is, the name (authority) of God is Jesus.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
We cannot of ourselves create a right spirit or clean heart within us. We cannot complete any act that will gain us a place in the kingdom of God. It is the power of God that is the name Jesus that allows man to enter into the kingdom of God. To become a Son of God is to be one who has the power of God in him.
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
There is no sacrifice (even a human one) that can redeem even one man except that Messiah that is the power of God. It is not our will that allows us to be saved, nor is there any will on Earth that can allow us to be saved except that one will (present from the beginning) that wanted us to be redeemed. The one will that created a plan for us.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
According to John, Jesus (the Word made flesh) was the very template from which all things were made. He is the express will and wisdom and power of God to create and also to save. He is also the express image of God. When we get to heaven, Jesus is what we will see, and not another.
The Glory of God here is the strength and power of God. In the Old Testament, glory was often the way the defensive armor and strength of God was represented. In this instance, Jesus is the power of God to save, that which holds all power in heaven and in Earth.
When will it be finished?
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
The Mystery will end because Satan will be disposed of. There is no need for salvation after this point in time.
If the mystery will have an ending, does that mean that Jesus will have an ending? No. Jesus is the name of the Almighty, for there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved. He will continue for eternity.
Jesus will never end, but the purpose of wisdom will end. The need for great ability to save will be over after time ends forever and we are forever with Jesus, reconciled unto him for eternity.
The Psalms declares that the salvation that came from God is eternal and will never be abolished. Therefore the power of God to save will never end for those who have been redeemed.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
The Mystery of the Wisdom and Power of God
Part One
Wisdom: skills or abilities to perform a physical action. To be a skilled worker that can accomplish a goal.
Power: firm strength
Rom 16:25,26
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
The preaching of Paul the Apostle dealt with many topics over a large amount of time. In matters related to the doctrine of Jesus Christ, that preaching followed a revelation of a mystery. This mystery was secret, and had been so since before the earth was created. According to Paul this mystery was made manifest to all nations for the obedience of faith. It will be instructive to understand this mystery.
Mystery: anything that arouses curiosity because it is unexplained, inexplicable, or secret.
Throughout the ages, only certain people knew about this mystery. The secrecy was important to allow certain events to transpire according to God’s will. Specifically, had all men understood this mystery, Jesus would never had been crucified.
1Corinthians 2:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Glory: a) strength of God manifested in our physical universe b) To be heavy with honor, to be respected.
Who can Understand this mystery?
There is a qualification that allows you to understand what this mystery is all about. It is a secret kept from man in general; even the spiritual world is ignorant of its true meaning. But for some, it is crystal clear. It is important to know how to acquire this qualification.
Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Pro 3:32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
Froward: to depart from, to turn aside.
It looks like the qualification is righteousness. You cannot be walking far from the tenets of God and understand the secret mysteries of God. He speaks this secret to certain people who are able to understand.
Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
The prophets of the Old Testament were aware of this mystery. Each one knew the purpose and the particulars of Gods mystery, but they were unable to speak it out.
In fact, the Disciples of the New Testament were excited because the Devils were subject unto them, but Jesus told them, you should be more excited because your names are written in Heaven, for the Prophets longed to see what your eyes see…”
Jesus continued to discuss the mystery with His disciples until they understood. At one point Jesus was condemning the cities where His miracles were accomplished because they did not repent. His disciples, on the other hand, were clearly interested in understanding all this:
Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
The disciples were curious about the method of teaching Jesus chose to use because it was hard for the people to understand what underlying meaning they were to glean from the discussion:
Mat 13:
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Even Jesus held this mystery close and revealed it only to His chosen ones. This mystery is a hidden wisdom. We must understand this wisdom to understand the mystery that has been secret from the foundation of the world.
Where is wisdom found?
The ancient discussion of Job reveals that the location of wisdom was always a secret. Job also reveals that knowing the secret mystery was not brought about by anything the Earth could offer, but was a spiritually discerned thing. Even the spiritual world was unaware of the true meaning of the mystery:
Job 28:12-23
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
It seems that God is the only one with this knowledge. There was a very important reason that this should be so.
What is the purpose of Wisdom?
Pro 3:19,20
The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established
the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
Isa 46:9,10
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God,
and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are
not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
This wisdom was the principle factor in creation. This particular skill or ability to create and utilize power was apparent before the creation. It also seems to have been controlled by the counsel of God. God designed and orchestrated everything we now see in order to bring about His will. All things are created so that they function according to this counsel of God:
When did wisdom come about?
Pro 8:
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
So wisdom was around before God created anything at all. In addition, when God did create, wisdom was "rejoicing" in the accomplishment. This is a way of saying that God saw His creation and to Him it was "good". It also implies that this wisdom was specifically about creating and sustaining the habitable part of the Earth, where men were to live.
In the next part, the purpose of this mystery and the wisdom of God are outlined. There is an underlying reason for this mysterious and secret process that is the will of God, and the Apostles used this mystery to great advantage.
Wisdom: skills or abilities to perform a physical action. To be a skilled worker that can accomplish a goal.
Power: firm strength
Rom 16:25,26
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
The preaching of Paul the Apostle dealt with many topics over a large amount of time. In matters related to the doctrine of Jesus Christ, that preaching followed a revelation of a mystery. This mystery was secret, and had been so since before the earth was created. According to Paul this mystery was made manifest to all nations for the obedience of faith. It will be instructive to understand this mystery.
Mystery: anything that arouses curiosity because it is unexplained, inexplicable, or secret.
Throughout the ages, only certain people knew about this mystery. The secrecy was important to allow certain events to transpire according to God’s will. Specifically, had all men understood this mystery, Jesus would never had been crucified.
1Corinthians 2:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Glory: a) strength of God manifested in our physical universe b) To be heavy with honor, to be respected.
Who can Understand this mystery?
There is a qualification that allows you to understand what this mystery is all about. It is a secret kept from man in general; even the spiritual world is ignorant of its true meaning. But for some, it is crystal clear. It is important to know how to acquire this qualification.
Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Pro 3:32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
Froward: to depart from, to turn aside.
It looks like the qualification is righteousness. You cannot be walking far from the tenets of God and understand the secret mysteries of God. He speaks this secret to certain people who are able to understand.
Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
The prophets of the Old Testament were aware of this mystery. Each one knew the purpose and the particulars of Gods mystery, but they were unable to speak it out.
In fact, the Disciples of the New Testament were excited because the Devils were subject unto them, but Jesus told them, you should be more excited because your names are written in Heaven, for the Prophets longed to see what your eyes see…”
Jesus continued to discuss the mystery with His disciples until they understood. At one point Jesus was condemning the cities where His miracles were accomplished because they did not repent. His disciples, on the other hand, were clearly interested in understanding all this:
Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
The disciples were curious about the method of teaching Jesus chose to use because it was hard for the people to understand what underlying meaning they were to glean from the discussion:
Mat 13:
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Even Jesus held this mystery close and revealed it only to His chosen ones. This mystery is a hidden wisdom. We must understand this wisdom to understand the mystery that has been secret from the foundation of the world.
Where is wisdom found?
The ancient discussion of Job reveals that the location of wisdom was always a secret. Job also reveals that knowing the secret mystery was not brought about by anything the Earth could offer, but was a spiritually discerned thing. Even the spiritual world was unaware of the true meaning of the mystery:
Job 28:12-23
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
It seems that God is the only one with this knowledge. There was a very important reason that this should be so.
What is the purpose of Wisdom?
Pro 3:19,20
The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established
the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
Isa 46:9,10
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God,
and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are
not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
This wisdom was the principle factor in creation. This particular skill or ability to create and utilize power was apparent before the creation. It also seems to have been controlled by the counsel of God. God designed and orchestrated everything we now see in order to bring about His will. All things are created so that they function according to this counsel of God:
When did wisdom come about?
Pro 8:
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
So wisdom was around before God created anything at all. In addition, when God did create, wisdom was "rejoicing" in the accomplishment. This is a way of saying that God saw His creation and to Him it was "good". It also implies that this wisdom was specifically about creating and sustaining the habitable part of the Earth, where men were to live.
In the next part, the purpose of this mystery and the wisdom of God are outlined. There is an underlying reason for this mysterious and secret process that is the will of God, and the Apostles used this mystery to great advantage.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
…whose god is their belly”
Phillipians 3:18-19
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
From ancient Hebrew we understand that the anatomy of the human body is used to "allegorize" the basic mental and physical attributes of humanity. The “belly” in the scripture above refers to the seat of the emotional and instinctive parts of the human psyche (the stomach is the source of physical life, the intestines the instincts, the kidneys are the seat of emotions, etc. All these organs are in the belly). This includes things such as need, lust and desire. It also includes emotional responses to the things that give rise to our learned “tastes” that come from experience. That means the root of addictions lies in what the Hebrew mind referred to as “the belly”. The Biblical use of "belly" is to describe that which comes forth. One concrete use is the birth of a child that comes forth out of the belly. In many cases the use of "belly" is allegorical. Therefore, anything associated with the belly will be transformed into something in the character of the individual, or concretely into their life.
If that is the case in this reference, then it is possible to understand further what the Apostle was writing to us about
The phrases in this passage suggest to us carnality as a way of thinking. The behavior of such a person will become distasteful to others because of habitual craving for things. Lest we think that this is related only to drugs or alcohol, it must be pointed out that it relates to any addicting thing. It does not have to be foodstuffs or any other material consumable. It can be anything related to the emotional context as well.
A short list of these will bring to mind the power that this phenomenon has over people.
We can start with the obvious:
-Drugs that affect the psyche
-Foods that affect the psyche including intense flavorings or over consumption as a response to the psychological discomfort of hunger, or as a simple lust for variety.
-Mind altering environmental factors such as music or even vocal chanting
-Stimuli: such as sexual ones, or egotistically inflating ones, or any other form of
gratification, especially self gratification.
-Athletic challenges which give a sense of command to the individual where physical skill or strength produces the euphoria associated with self-reliance and self-ability to overcome.
to the more subtle:
Recent research suggests that many young people are completely addicted to gaming because they can win often. This produces the same chemical responses in the brain that winning a major goal in life would cause. The result is that young people who are naturally impatient and without resources are now able to receive the psychological gratification of winning. This boosts the ego and supports self-importance internally while reducing or eliminating the responsibility associated with the real gaining of personal ground. This then results in irresponsible behavior.
Research also points out that a chemical stimulus in the brain is responsible for the triggering of energy bursts, emotional outbursts, and feeling of superiority or self-aggrandizement and is a result of certain types of music. This stimulus can be so intense as to elicit physical changes and in the mentality of the individual over time.
This leads us to the following realization: sensuality is larger in scope and meaning than just sexual responses and desires. Sensuality includes all of the psychological needs for stimuli from any addicting phenomenon.
One of the most important and effective sources of sensuality for virtually any age group is television and it’s originator, the movie. This form of stimulus is so pervasive and so intense that there is little hope of spontaneous recovery. It takes more than 20 days of complete abstinence before the struggle to avoid it begins to diminish. The combination of sound, visual stimulus and story line produce the greatest non-chemical narcotic available today. Demonstrations of non-sensuous material, even Bible oriented material, can lead to over-stimulation and sensuality. In this fashion it is possible to avoid negative material and propaganda but still be addicted to the source.
This lust to satisfy the mental addiction of entertainment is from your "belly". The attempt to obtain both material and time to use in this fashion costs the home many thousands of dollars in equipment and materials, and untold costs in terms of time.
The important thing to recognize about sensuality is that it can come from a variety of sources and is caused by several different mechanisms; but because of the effect in the brain, it is a powerful mechanism and is entirely addicting. According to the Apostle Paul this makes us an enemy to the cross of Christ. What that means is that our life is not a testament to the saving Grace of God. We are an open epistle read of all men, and the story is not about salvation:
Rom 16:17
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple
The effects of sensuality are described clearly in the epistles. It is important to note specific things about the sensual:
Jude 17-19
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
James 3:13-17
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
The sensual person cannot display godly wisdom, cannot avoid contention, and will not be a partaker of the fellowship of other Christians. The sensual person is marked. Their walk is after the things they are addicted to, that they are placing above God. The result is clear to everyone who observes the life of such people. We are warned to stay away from such as they will be the deceitful mockers of Jesus Christ and all that follow Him, given the opportunity.
On the other hand, the person who is not sensual will have the meekness of true wisdom from above. They will not be forward and will not be self-willed. The spiritual minded person will attempt to foster understanding, cooperation, and will portray the other characteristics listed by James: being first pure (not deceitful), peaceable and gentle, full of mercy and good fruits (good works and success in ministering to others) fair and not hypocritical in their lifestyle.
James is clear about one important point: where sensuality is, every other devilish work will eventually be found.
Sensuality is the gateway where those who will loose their salvation may pass, initially.
Fasting is a mechanism for diminishing the effects of the “belly”. An overwhelming stimulus to eat begins after a few hours without food. It is necessary to stop this “belly” response in order to accentuate your connection with heaven and disconnect from the instinctive drive to eat. It is necessary to exert control over the stomach which attempts to use your psyche against you to provide the nourishment the body craves. Being willing to not listen to the craving of your system for the things that spring from your “belly” makes it possible to sense what springs from the river of living water, which may have been displaced to the background when we wander from the path we should be following.
I believe that we are commanded to fast, in part, to show that we can control the instinctive and addictive urges within us. Knowing that you can control, at least for a time, the addictions of carnal nature will produce in you the desire to shun other addictive behavior because you sense an increase in spiritual contact with heaven. The Bible declares we are given power over sin, and this must include addictive things.
John 7:37 -39
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Jesus said that “out of your belly will flow rivers of living water”. This is another application of the word "belly" to indicate the effect of the rivers of living water. This is terminology from Judaism, where water is a reference to the Messiah (that which comes from above) and indicates the real meaning of the phrase. This living water will satisfy all physical need for the things that were previously fulfilled by sensuality; including any type of psychological crutch or addiction. All carnality is replaced with the power of this salvation. The "River of Living Water" is in sufficient supply so that you will not ever run out; that which prevents the stimuli from your carnal nature overtaking you will always be available, and an excess provided to you that can be directed toward others.
Power over addictive behavior is the blessing of salvation. Jesus addressed this particular point in His declaration that we could be free indeed from the lusts and addictions of carnal human nature when we are saved.
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
From ancient Hebrew we understand that the anatomy of the human body is used to "allegorize" the basic mental and physical attributes of humanity. The “belly” in the scripture above refers to the seat of the emotional and instinctive parts of the human psyche (the stomach is the source of physical life, the intestines the instincts, the kidneys are the seat of emotions, etc. All these organs are in the belly). This includes things such as need, lust and desire. It also includes emotional responses to the things that give rise to our learned “tastes” that come from experience. That means the root of addictions lies in what the Hebrew mind referred to as “the belly”. The Biblical use of "belly" is to describe that which comes forth. One concrete use is the birth of a child that comes forth out of the belly. In many cases the use of "belly" is allegorical. Therefore, anything associated with the belly will be transformed into something in the character of the individual, or concretely into their life.
If that is the case in this reference, then it is possible to understand further what the Apostle was writing to us about
The phrases in this passage suggest to us carnality as a way of thinking. The behavior of such a person will become distasteful to others because of habitual craving for things. Lest we think that this is related only to drugs or alcohol, it must be pointed out that it relates to any addicting thing. It does not have to be foodstuffs or any other material consumable. It can be anything related to the emotional context as well.
A short list of these will bring to mind the power that this phenomenon has over people.
We can start with the obvious:
-Drugs that affect the psyche
-Foods that affect the psyche including intense flavorings or over consumption as a response to the psychological discomfort of hunger, or as a simple lust for variety.
-Mind altering environmental factors such as music or even vocal chanting
-Stimuli: such as sexual ones, or egotistically inflating ones, or any other form of
gratification, especially self gratification.
-Athletic challenges which give a sense of command to the individual where physical skill or strength produces the euphoria associated with self-reliance and self-ability to overcome.
to the more subtle:
Recent research suggests that many young people are completely addicted to gaming because they can win often. This produces the same chemical responses in the brain that winning a major goal in life would cause. The result is that young people who are naturally impatient and without resources are now able to receive the psychological gratification of winning. This boosts the ego and supports self-importance internally while reducing or eliminating the responsibility associated with the real gaining of personal ground. This then results in irresponsible behavior.
Research also points out that a chemical stimulus in the brain is responsible for the triggering of energy bursts, emotional outbursts, and feeling of superiority or self-aggrandizement and is a result of certain types of music. This stimulus can be so intense as to elicit physical changes and in the mentality of the individual over time.
This leads us to the following realization: sensuality is larger in scope and meaning than just sexual responses and desires. Sensuality includes all of the psychological needs for stimuli from any addicting phenomenon.
One of the most important and effective sources of sensuality for virtually any age group is television and it’s originator, the movie. This form of stimulus is so pervasive and so intense that there is little hope of spontaneous recovery. It takes more than 20 days of complete abstinence before the struggle to avoid it begins to diminish. The combination of sound, visual stimulus and story line produce the greatest non-chemical narcotic available today. Demonstrations of non-sensuous material, even Bible oriented material, can lead to over-stimulation and sensuality. In this fashion it is possible to avoid negative material and propaganda but still be addicted to the source.
This lust to satisfy the mental addiction of entertainment is from your "belly". The attempt to obtain both material and time to use in this fashion costs the home many thousands of dollars in equipment and materials, and untold costs in terms of time.
The important thing to recognize about sensuality is that it can come from a variety of sources and is caused by several different mechanisms; but because of the effect in the brain, it is a powerful mechanism and is entirely addicting. According to the Apostle Paul this makes us an enemy to the cross of Christ. What that means is that our life is not a testament to the saving Grace of God. We are an open epistle read of all men, and the story is not about salvation:
Rom 16:17
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple
The effects of sensuality are described clearly in the epistles. It is important to note specific things about the sensual:
Jude 17-19
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
James 3:13-17
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
The sensual person cannot display godly wisdom, cannot avoid contention, and will not be a partaker of the fellowship of other Christians. The sensual person is marked. Their walk is after the things they are addicted to, that they are placing above God. The result is clear to everyone who observes the life of such people. We are warned to stay away from such as they will be the deceitful mockers of Jesus Christ and all that follow Him, given the opportunity.
On the other hand, the person who is not sensual will have the meekness of true wisdom from above. They will not be forward and will not be self-willed. The spiritual minded person will attempt to foster understanding, cooperation, and will portray the other characteristics listed by James: being first pure (not deceitful), peaceable and gentle, full of mercy and good fruits (good works and success in ministering to others) fair and not hypocritical in their lifestyle.
James is clear about one important point: where sensuality is, every other devilish work will eventually be found.
Sensuality is the gateway where those who will loose their salvation may pass, initially.
Fasting is a mechanism for diminishing the effects of the “belly”. An overwhelming stimulus to eat begins after a few hours without food. It is necessary to stop this “belly” response in order to accentuate your connection with heaven and disconnect from the instinctive drive to eat. It is necessary to exert control over the stomach which attempts to use your psyche against you to provide the nourishment the body craves. Being willing to not listen to the craving of your system for the things that spring from your “belly” makes it possible to sense what springs from the river of living water, which may have been displaced to the background when we wander from the path we should be following.
I believe that we are commanded to fast, in part, to show that we can control the instinctive and addictive urges within us. Knowing that you can control, at least for a time, the addictions of carnal nature will produce in you the desire to shun other addictive behavior because you sense an increase in spiritual contact with heaven. The Bible declares we are given power over sin, and this must include addictive things.
John 7:37 -39
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Jesus said that “out of your belly will flow rivers of living water”. This is another application of the word "belly" to indicate the effect of the rivers of living water. This is terminology from Judaism, where water is a reference to the Messiah (that which comes from above) and indicates the real meaning of the phrase. This living water will satisfy all physical need for the things that were previously fulfilled by sensuality; including any type of psychological crutch or addiction. All carnality is replaced with the power of this salvation. The "River of Living Water" is in sufficient supply so that you will not ever run out; that which prevents the stimuli from your carnal nature overtaking you will always be available, and an excess provided to you that can be directed toward others.
Power over addictive behavior is the blessing of salvation. Jesus addressed this particular point in His declaration that we could be free indeed from the lusts and addictions of carnal human nature when we are saved.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Pressures of Life
I am not currently active on this blog for several important reasons. I have not had a moment to even consider writing what God has put in my heart to place on this page. I have been writing it down, but not taking the time to fill it all out just yet.
After October the first, I will return to actively writing on this page. Until then, I think the following link is important enough for all of us to read and ponder, for the message is crystal clear and extremely important.
The point is at the end, and believe me this is an excellent example of the meaning of service.
God Bless
Place a copy of this link in your web browser. It will take only a few minutes to read.
http://www.eielson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123111092
After October the first, I will return to actively writing on this page. Until then, I think the following link is important enough for all of us to read and ponder, for the message is crystal clear and extremely important.
The point is at the end, and believe me this is an excellent example of the meaning of service.
God Bless
Place a copy of this link in your web browser. It will take only a few minutes to read.
http://www.eielson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123111092
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Today has been a good day...
I went to work, taught my classes, and came home. I have talked with my daughter about a pet turtle, and even went to PETCO to look at several. She really wants a pet to take care of.
I have prayed today, and God was never far from my mind. Even though I was talking about thermodynamics and other physics-like subjects with students, my mind was not really altogether on my subject matter.
I did not really notice the time that went by today. It seemed to be a hazy experience, like being in the Dentist chair breathing gas- you go through all the motions and even respond correctly to questions, but the experience seems insular. I know I talked to students, and even gave advice on changing classes for a student.
Nothing today was different from yesterday, except that my mind has been working without my permission on a different problem. A different drum beat is sounding in my ears today. My heart has been changed somehow without a good medical reason.
Yesterday, I spent the afternoon going to a facility that cares for the elderly and the infirm.
I helped with the Nursing Home ministry Sunday afternoon, and I met a few people. We sang songs, and I spoke for a few minutes about the salvation brought to man by God that, even though the heavens and Earth would pass away, would never be abolished. Then I spoke about the need for salvation and how salvation can be had easily through obedience to the Word of God. After telling the group about Peter’s instructions for salvation, we closed the service.
Afterward, a man sitting in the very back asked to be baptized. We talked with him, and as he was very elderly, carefully explained repentance and baptism to him. He insisted that he needed to be baptized.
So, yesterday the Pastor and I checked this man out of the facility, brought him to the church and baptized him in Jesus Name.
This gentleman is very aged, and suffering from senility to a degree. He was a helpless individual with no future to speak of. He could not dress himself or get around. Carrying on a conversation was difficult. His time left on Earth may be short. Yet he adamantly wanted to be baptized. He said he wanted all that God had for him.
As he went down in the water, he was focused on the process of holding his nose and breath. When he came out of the water, there was a pronounced change in the look of his countenance and he was emotionally stirred. He said “in the name of Jesus”. He was so happy, and quietly went with me back to the car for the ride back to the home. When I witnessed the change in this man, at the same moment a change occurred in me also.
He listened and obeyed the Word, just as a small child would. He simply accepted what he heard and obeyed.
I have had a good day not because everything is the same, but because everything is different.
I have constantly wondered how this man has been faring, and how the other residents are doing at the nursing home. I have stopped several times today and asked God to care for this man and his needs. I wonder right now how he has done today. I have known this man a total of 48 hours.
What, you may ask, is so profound?
God has answered a prayer today.
My heart is totally changed, completely switched around. I have not worried about work or bills or even food. But I have constantly been thinking about how our newest convert is faring. How the folks at the home are doing.
You might be curious about my mental state right now, but I am fine. Never better.
You see, I have been praying that God would open my heart and fill it with compassion and care for the lost as much as possible. I asked Him to let me “see with His eyes” when I look at people. Just one time, just so I can sense the need of people and feel a small portion of the love that God gives to us.
I now realize that God allowed me to meet this fellow at the nursing home, and help get him to the church, and He let me see the change in his life in order to let me “see”. It has taken me a day to figure it out, but there is no doubt. I cannot shake the feeling in my heart. I cannot get the image of that change in the face of this man out of my mind. I feel such an intense desire to go back and talk to each one of those folks in the home. To find out how they are doing. Is all well with them today?
I think I know to a small degree how God sees a lost soul, and how He is concerned. A small measure no doubt, but enough. I am changed forever.
I have prayed today, and God was never far from my mind. Even though I was talking about thermodynamics and other physics-like subjects with students, my mind was not really altogether on my subject matter.
I did not really notice the time that went by today. It seemed to be a hazy experience, like being in the Dentist chair breathing gas- you go through all the motions and even respond correctly to questions, but the experience seems insular. I know I talked to students, and even gave advice on changing classes for a student.
Nothing today was different from yesterday, except that my mind has been working without my permission on a different problem. A different drum beat is sounding in my ears today. My heart has been changed somehow without a good medical reason.
Yesterday, I spent the afternoon going to a facility that cares for the elderly and the infirm.
I helped with the Nursing Home ministry Sunday afternoon, and I met a few people. We sang songs, and I spoke for a few minutes about the salvation brought to man by God that, even though the heavens and Earth would pass away, would never be abolished. Then I spoke about the need for salvation and how salvation can be had easily through obedience to the Word of God. After telling the group about Peter’s instructions for salvation, we closed the service.
Afterward, a man sitting in the very back asked to be baptized. We talked with him, and as he was very elderly, carefully explained repentance and baptism to him. He insisted that he needed to be baptized.
So, yesterday the Pastor and I checked this man out of the facility, brought him to the church and baptized him in Jesus Name.
This gentleman is very aged, and suffering from senility to a degree. He was a helpless individual with no future to speak of. He could not dress himself or get around. Carrying on a conversation was difficult. His time left on Earth may be short. Yet he adamantly wanted to be baptized. He said he wanted all that God had for him.
As he went down in the water, he was focused on the process of holding his nose and breath. When he came out of the water, there was a pronounced change in the look of his countenance and he was emotionally stirred. He said “in the name of Jesus”. He was so happy, and quietly went with me back to the car for the ride back to the home. When I witnessed the change in this man, at the same moment a change occurred in me also.
He listened and obeyed the Word, just as a small child would. He simply accepted what he heard and obeyed.
I have had a good day not because everything is the same, but because everything is different.
I have constantly wondered how this man has been faring, and how the other residents are doing at the nursing home. I have stopped several times today and asked God to care for this man and his needs. I wonder right now how he has done today. I have known this man a total of 48 hours.
What, you may ask, is so profound?
God has answered a prayer today.
My heart is totally changed, completely switched around. I have not worried about work or bills or even food. But I have constantly been thinking about how our newest convert is faring. How the folks at the home are doing.
You might be curious about my mental state right now, but I am fine. Never better.
You see, I have been praying that God would open my heart and fill it with compassion and care for the lost as much as possible. I asked Him to let me “see with His eyes” when I look at people. Just one time, just so I can sense the need of people and feel a small portion of the love that God gives to us.
I now realize that God allowed me to meet this fellow at the nursing home, and help get him to the church, and He let me see the change in his life in order to let me “see”. It has taken me a day to figure it out, but there is no doubt. I cannot shake the feeling in my heart. I cannot get the image of that change in the face of this man out of my mind. I feel such an intense desire to go back and talk to each one of those folks in the home. To find out how they are doing. Is all well with them today?
I think I know to a small degree how God sees a lost soul, and how He is concerned. A small measure no doubt, but enough. I am changed forever.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Strength from Weakness. Unity from Diversity.
As I sit here tonight thinking about the kingdom of God and my opportunity to be in it, I have decided that there is a strange connection between me and everyone else in the kingdom with me.
Consider that each of us is so different. I am a small person with a small life; I am not powerful or terribly skilled and I have no inheritance on this Earth. I am limited in thinking ability and vision; even though I have tried to expand my horizons, I am terribly limited.
I look to my left or right and I see similar people, entirely similar yet different. We all hail from wildly different backgrounds and have tasted defeat and shame and maybe only a little success as far as our society would estimate. Many of us have had the test of time upon us and have failing parts connected in the same fashion, while others have yet to taste time and run around with boundless energy with no particularly useful point in mind.
I have skin of a particular type, while my brother standing next to me has another type. He likes certain types of food, and I appreciate another. My musical tastes are not really quite like yours, I am certain. In the workplace this demographic can lead to small and isolated groups who do not work effectively.
So what is it that makes me want to find my place next to you in a worship service, work along side you in the Spanish ministry, toil to help in a kitchen or just encourage our neighbor? Why am I anxious if you miss a service and no one knows why?
Why do I concern myself that you are having a hard time with your rent, or that another of you has a child in trouble, or that young person over there is in need of a mentor? Why do I care that your Aunt has cancer and wake myself early in the morning to pray for this stranger?
How can such a mishmash of weak human diversity ever be used of God or be useful in the kingdom of God?
What causes us to work together in any way, small or large, to affect any thing in God’s plan to find the hurting and the halt? We are all wholly ineffectual taken alone.
Unity.
We are all tied together by the hope within us. We are all seeking the same thing. We all want to find God in our lives everyday so that we can hear Him say “well done”. We gladly throw ourselves at His feet, right next to each other, elbow to elbow, so that we can find His presence in our lives. “Where two or three are gathered together…”
He gives the weak strength.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with
wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isa. 40:29-31)
Consider that each of us is so different. I am a small person with a small life; I am not powerful or terribly skilled and I have no inheritance on this Earth. I am limited in thinking ability and vision; even though I have tried to expand my horizons, I am terribly limited.
I look to my left or right and I see similar people, entirely similar yet different. We all hail from wildly different backgrounds and have tasted defeat and shame and maybe only a little success as far as our society would estimate. Many of us have had the test of time upon us and have failing parts connected in the same fashion, while others have yet to taste time and run around with boundless energy with no particularly useful point in mind.
I have skin of a particular type, while my brother standing next to me has another type. He likes certain types of food, and I appreciate another. My musical tastes are not really quite like yours, I am certain. In the workplace this demographic can lead to small and isolated groups who do not work effectively.
So what is it that makes me want to find my place next to you in a worship service, work along side you in the Spanish ministry, toil to help in a kitchen or just encourage our neighbor? Why am I anxious if you miss a service and no one knows why?
Why do I concern myself that you are having a hard time with your rent, or that another of you has a child in trouble, or that young person over there is in need of a mentor? Why do I care that your Aunt has cancer and wake myself early in the morning to pray for this stranger?
How can such a mishmash of weak human diversity ever be used of God or be useful in the kingdom of God?
What causes us to work together in any way, small or large, to affect any thing in God’s plan to find the hurting and the halt? We are all wholly ineffectual taken alone.
Unity.
We are all tied together by the hope within us. We are all seeking the same thing. We all want to find God in our lives everyday so that we can hear Him say “well done”. We gladly throw ourselves at His feet, right next to each other, elbow to elbow, so that we can find His presence in our lives. “Where two or three are gathered together…”
He gives the weak strength.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with
wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isa. 40:29-31)
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