Christ: Sovereign King - 1 Timothy 6:14-16

1 Timothy 6:14-16 (ESV)
to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

What is eternal dominion?   What is Lord of Lords?  To understand these terms we have to understand the context of this chapter of the letter to Timothy.  Paul wants Timothy to continue to carry out the mission of the Church.  Timothy is charged with obeying the commands from this book in an “unstained” manner and “free from reproach.”  How long is Timothy to minister in this way?  Until the Jesus returns in a “proper time.”  The words give us the truth that Timothy is to serve, faithfully, through any circumstances UNTIL Jesus returns at the “proper time” (a time of God’s own choosing).   What God? 

1. The blessed and only Sovereign God.   This is the only time in the NT that this phrase is used. It denotes that God is ruling the world.  

2. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords God.   These phrases have a long history in God’s word and denote that God is the Sovereign (big S) over those who believe they are sovereign (little s).   God has absolute sovereignty over all things.  Including other earthly and heavenly hosts.  

3. The Immortal God.   This speaks of God unchangeableness.   His immutability.    We can rejoice in the fact that God is bound only by one thing: His character.  God can not go against who God is.   

4. The God of unapproachable light.  This speaks to God’s glory.   Light speaks of purity.   God’s glory is often shown and spoken of in John’s writings as pure light (John 1:7-9; 3:19-21; 1 John 1:5-7).

5. The God who is unseen nor can be seen.  This ties into His unapproachable light because light cannot mix with darkness.  When light comes darkness is gone.   God can never mix with sinful humanity (which shows the need for Christ’s mediation).  

6.  The honored and dominion God.   This shows God’s might.  This thought is repeated in Revelation 5:13.  That God is the most powerful and full of might that gives Him dominion of all things, brings this entire doxology to a close.  

What is the  purpose of all these statements about God in the context of the statement of Christ’s return? Paul writes them to encourage Timothy to not lose heart in the battle agains sin and demonic forces that are trying to pull the church apart.  The “gates of hell” are fighting against the church.  We can rejoice that the most mighty, pure, unchanging, King of Kings and Lord of Lords Sovereign God is not only in charge, but fighting back ... through Timothy.   That is encouraging. Knowing we serve a Sovereign God gives us power and hope in ministry.  

Christ: Totalitarian King

Luke 1:32-33 (ESV)
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

The above passage is a section of the angel Gabriel giving Mary the news about her soon coming virgin birth - her big reveal party, as we say today.   What Gabriel tells her is that she is going to have a boy.  But, not just any boy.  This boy will be conceived by the Spirit, and will be the Son of the Most High.   A key truth taught in this verse is the very end where it states of Jesus’ kingdom there will be “no end.”  The Greek word for “end” is the word “tello.”    The word is a very special word in the Greek as Aristotle made it famous.   For Aristotle, this word meant the final cause of something.   It meant that their was a formal design from something to have.   Gabriel tells Mary that Jesus’ kingdom will have “no” end.    In Mary’s mind (and our’s today) we think of a kingdom in earthly terms.   Yes, Jesus’ earl they kingdom would have no end as He will rule the entire earth.  But, defining it in terms of the kingdoms of this earth would make have an end; a “tello.”   Gabriel is telling Mary that, no, her son, Jesus, would have a kingdom that has no end.  Gabriel is speaking of the earthly kingdoms of this world, but also the expanse of the spiritual kingdoms over the spirit world and in the hearts of mankind.   Jesus is NOT limited to this earth.  His “tello” is broader than this.  The Jews were waiting for a King to crush Rome.  Jesus would be a King that crushes Rome (and all earthly kingdoms) but also conquers sin, conquers Satan, congers the pride of our hearts, conquers demonic hosts, conquers fill-in-the-blank.   Christ is the totalitarian King!   There is no tello with Christ kingdom!!

Christ: Benevolent King - Genesis 22:15-19

 Genesis 22:15-19 (ESV)
And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

The above passage is the end of the story of God asking Abraham to offer his son Isaac (his only son) on an alter on Mt. Moriah.   Abraham has already knew in his mind that Issac was God’s promised son to him and God had already said that through Isaac blessings would come.   Now, if God was asking him to sacrifice Isaac that meant only one thing:  God would have to either miraculously save Isaac through the sacrifice or would have to bring Isaac back to life if he died as a result of the sacrifice.  We do not see that in the above verse, but we do read about it in Hebrews:

Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

One truth in this passage that we might over look is the prophetic utterance the angel of the Lord said to Abraham.  He told Abraham that through his obedience God would bless him, his family AND THROUGH HIS FAMILY THE NATIONS.   The only way that will happen is through a descendent of Abraham that would have the power and position to bless the nations.  This is a prophecy about the coming of a King that would be in position to bless all mankind.   That would be the Messiah, Jesus Christ.    When reading the book of Revelation it might be easy to miss this obscure mention about the new heavens and the new earth and God’s purpose to heal the nations:

Revelation 22:2 (ESV)
through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Even though we see nation rise against nation throughout the history of mankind, God’s intent from the beginning is to restore the harmony that was seen at the Tower of Babel.  But, that harmony was in rebellion to God.   God has full intention to heal the nations and bring them in perfect harmony to His will.   All of creation will be blessed by the Messiah King. 

Christ: Conquering King - Genesis 3:14-15

Genesis 3:14-15 (ESV)
The LORD God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”

When Adam and Eve sinned they radically messed up mankind’s path to and with God.   God immediately, however, gave man a promise that would be the golden thread that weaves through all the pages of Scripture.  That promise is contained in the above verse.   After man sins, God’s first attention was NOT to the woman or the man.  It was in the order of where the falling started.  First Satan, then the woman and then the man.  Satan is addressed because he set out to deceive mankind.  That is why God states that the woman (not Eve, but a prophetic woman ... Mary) would give brith to an offspring that will crush Satan’s head.   Even though Satan will bruise the heal of the offspring of this woman, the offspring will crush the head of Satan.   This is the promise of Christ coming as the conquering king that runs through out the Scriptures.   Notice that the verse states that the “seed” of the woman would crush Satan’s head.   As we know from our biology class, the woman does not have the seed.  The woman has the egg. It is man that supplies the seed.  This is the first and most important picture of the virgin birth of Jesus.   God, the Holy Spirit, would provide the seed to impregnate Mary.   This is the power of the virgin birth.  Not only would Jesus NOT have the sin of mankind (the man passes on the sin of Adam through each seed), but He would be the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15.  That is the power of this promise.  Jesus would come as conquering King to conquer man’s sin and Satan’s grip on us.  

Christ: Everlasting King - 2 Samuel 7:1-17

2 Samuel 7:16-17 (ESV)
And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David’s kingdom was spoken by God as being “established forever.”    That is a powerful and assuring truth.  That truth is the reason for the virgin birth of the Messiah, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Jesus was a descendent of King David.  He will sit on the throne of the world forever and ever.  He may not be sitting there now, but this one of the first promises that a descendent of David would sit on the throne.  To do this Jesus would have to die and raise from the dead.   But, we can see that this promise was a prominent thought process of the Jewish mind in regard to their Messiah, King.   This is why in Luke 4 Satan tried to temp Jesus to allow “him” (the Devil) to give Jesus the kingdoms of the earth.  Note:

Luke 4:5-8 (ESV)
And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’”

The Devil had authority over the earth at that point and offered to give to Jesus his kingdoms.  But, to do so, would have meant that Jesus would have to worship Satan’s plan and not His Fathers.   God the Father had already giving Jesus authority over all things.   The Devil was dealing from the bottom of the deck.   Jesus would be king.  He would have to follow God’s plan to make Him king and He did - through the way of the cross.   

Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV)
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Evil Men Reject God’s Authority - Jude

 Jude 1:8-9 (ESV)

Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

How we respond to evil can make us look exactly like the evil we are responding to, or it can show that we are different than that evil.   The book of Jude is small little book. The authors wanted to write to the church about their “common salvation” (vs 3).   But, instead he wanted to warn the church about false teachers who were acting in rebellion toward church leadership and toward Christ’s commands.  This is how he both describes them and, subsequently, makes an argument for his powerful letter:

Jude 1:4 (ESV)

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

These false leaders have become, as stated above, people who “rely on dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority and blaspheme the glorious ones.”    The point Jude is making is that these false teachers have no respect for authority, or chains-of-command.   These are dangerous people to the Body of Christ.  Their rejection of authority and failure to honor what God honors can destroy the Church.   The comment that they “blaspheme the glorious ones,” is a reference that not only do they reject the human authority of the church, but the also reject the work God in the church through angelic hosts.   To put it simply:   They reject all authority that represents God.  To explain further, Jude gives the example of the actions of Michael (God’s highest “glorious one”) at the time of Moses’ death.   There are no other Old Testament references that Michale and the Devil had a fight about Moses body, after his death.  So, this is a new revelation from the Spirit.  To explain it might be that since Moses did murder an Egyptian, Satan was trying to lay hold of Moses’ body, claiming Moses as wicked.   Yet, God’s blood (at the Passover) cleansed Moses.  Or, it could be that Satan wanted to turn Moses’ corpse and burial site into a place for Israel to set up a false worship system around it.  We have no idea why Satan wanted the body of Moses but we do know Michael’s response.   Michael, God’s most powerful and favored angel, did not use that privilege, or any power, against Satan (God’s move fallen, evil and despised angel).   All Michael did is say, “The Lord rebuke you.”   The point Jude is making is that our privilege in Christ does not give us permission to become our own judge and jury and authority.    These false teachers were not submissive to Christ, or His church, or church leadership.  That is Jude’s point.  Jude is say that even Michael, who had power and privileges to act upon Christ’s behalf, did not use that authority, but submitted to the Lord by calling on the Lord to rebuke Satan.   How we respond to authority and evil situations shows as much about our character as those who are evil.   Jude will go on to mention Cain, Balaam and Koran as examples of those who responded in an evil way toward authority.   Our submissions to the authority and power of Christ reveals a heart that is submissive to Christ.   How we respond to evil tells us if we are like evil or we are submissive to the power of Christ over evil.  

Fulfill the Mission - Acts 27-28

Acts 28:17-22 (ESV)

Paul in Rome

After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation. For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”

In the above verses we read about Paul's sixth defense of his message.  He called the Jewish leaders together not because he thought "this would be the time" they would listen.  But each time he defended himself someone became a believer.  In fact, he knew some of them would not listen.  This entire book of Acts ends with Paul quoting Isaiah 6:9-10 about the hearts of the people rejecting God’s word and their own Messiah.   But, that does not dissuade Paul in his service for Christ.  It does not cause he to cast away his purpose and mission to proclaim Christ.  In our society results really matter to us.   Men and women are always looking to check off the proverbial box at the end of the day.   We like to accomplish something and we like to have tangible evidence of those accomplishments.  However, Paul did not always see that evidence.   But, in each case, one or two or a handful of people would come to Christ.   But, most of the time he would preach and not see the results others might expect.  It is interesting that the book of Acts begins with Peter preaching and 3,000 come to Christ and then 5,000 come to Christ.   The book ends with Paul preaching (a far greater influence in the Christian Church) and a handful come to Christ and most of the Jewish leaders walk away.   Yet, the movement of Christianity changed the world.  Christ being preached changed the world.   Paul was simply faithful to the end to preach the name of Christ to anyone who would hear. Imagine that Roman guard assigned to watch over him each day.  We wonder how he heard that message every day.   Paul’s mission was to preach Christ.   God’s mission was to turn hearts.  Paul knew His place and was faithful to the end.   History does not tell us for certainty that Paul would die in Rome, but that is the most likely scenario.   Most historians would say that Paul died at the hands of the Roman Emperor, Nero, when he purged Rome of those who proclaimed Christ.   But, to the end, we read that Paul was faithful to proclaim Christ.   May that be all of our ending stories.  

Therapeutic!! Revelation 18-22

Revelation 22:1-2 (ESV)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Apparently, when we get to heaven, we will be eating.   Note, there is no recorded words that heaven will have a Starbucks on each corner.   The above verse points out that there will be a crystal river that is surrounded by the tree of life, that contains twelve kinds of fruit and has leaves that are therapeutic for the nations.  The word for “healing” in the above verse is the Greek word, “therapeia.”   Since there is nothing accursed in heaven (21:4) what could this mean?  Apparently the tree, the fruit and the leaves are all life giving and provide something we will need in heaven; something “therapeutic.”   The word carries the meaning of “health” or “healthy.”    Heaven is a place of health.   Our entire world system is focused on health.  We are told to eat better, exercise more, stress less and live conflict free.   These, in combination, allow us to improve our health. But, the reality is that heaven is a place where Christ reigns and we live in complete joy.  But, we also will have complete health.   Sin destroys the earth and mankind.   Sin impacts our health.   So, it is only natural to understand that the place we all go, once we are free from sin and glorified in Christ, is a healthy place.  Sin destroys our lives.   The wages of sin is death.  Death is the deterioration of the body, slowly.  But, when we die and are glorified in heaven we are free from sin and have perfect “therapeia.”   

Public Affection is God Ordained - Song of Songs 7-8

Song of Songs 8:5 (ESV)
Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on her beloved?

Public display of love can have mixed reactions.   When you see an elderly couple walking down a sidewalk, hand-in-hand, there is a moving of the spirit within you.  When you see a couple hanging onto each other other, engaged in public, but intimate play, there is a moving of the spirit within you.   Depending on your age, up-bringing and/or values, these scenes can create different emotions.   In the above passage we have onlookers noticing the couple of Song of Songs (Solomon and his bride) coming out of the “wilderness” (an unknown location).  The previous chapter and verses paint the picture that the two have consummated their marriage.   They are now walking out of the “private” into the “public.”   The verses are probably the previously mention (and soon to be mentioned again, in just a few verses) the “daughters of Jerusalem.”   The on-lookers are noticing that the woman, in this love story, is “leaning” on the man, in this love story.  This is a public display of affection (PDA as it was referred to by the older generation).   Here we have the love of one person toward another being expressed.  We all probably have different limits as to what is permissible in public and what is not.  But, a couple of truths here that should be highlighted.

1.  Physical touch is ordained by God as a way to express love and feelings of emotion.  This should not be turned into an evil thought or evil lens. 

2. Those in love will express their love.   You can’t hide love.  It is a real tangible expression of thought, mind, and emotion.   Hiding it is unnatural. 

3.  Public display of love is natural and even though the world makes it become overtly sensual, that is not God’s intent.   

4. There is a time for outward display of love and a time when it probably would be wise to not display love and affection.  

God gives touch, emotion and sexual sensations for the purpose of the lover’s expression.  It has been bastardized by the world.   It should not be.   Physical touch is ordained by God to demonstrate to others that love is connecting a husband and wife.   

Emotion and Intellect in Our Worship - Psalms 149-150

Psalms 150:3-5 (ESV)
Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Make noise for God!! I normally like to write my own thoughts in the morning after I read a sections of God’s Word, like the above.  But, in studying this passage I came across a great thought from the following commentary:

(Understanding the Bible Commentary Series - Old Testament Set (18 vols.):

The bulk of the remaining calls to praise list the musical instruments that are to accompany the singing. The praise of God is not simply contemplation, confession, and prostration—it is also music, and so engages the mind, voice, body, and heart. It captures the emotions and the brain, both left and right brain. And these observations on praise have implications not only for humans but also for our understanding of God. He too is pleased with, even enjoys, music. It is no accident that the book of Praises (Hb. tehillîm, the Hb. name for the book we call “Psalms”), which is shaped for the worship of God, consists of poetry set to music. The God whom we praise is no mere ground of being or dispassionate judge; he is a person.

The fact that God loves music, created music and wants us to make noise with musical instruments to glorify Him ought to challenge us and change our worship mindset.   In my history you would have heard me say that I could simply go to church and hear good teaching/preaching and be perfectly satisfied.  Even though my children love music and I was in the high school band and select choir, I have never really embraced that concept in church settings.   But, the above verses are part of my transformative mindset about music and the corporate worship in the Body of Christ and in our individual worship.   God wants us to worship Him in song.  He apparently wants it to be loud.  None of the instruments in the above passage are that quiet.   As stated in the commentary, music solicits our emotion.   It is obvious in our modern day worship service many people like emotion.   That should not be out of control and drawing attention away from Christ.  But, God does want our emotional responses to be included in our logical recognition of His attributes to be praised.   There is not “either/or” mentality here.  In regard to logical worship that recognizes the awesome nature of God, music is to be added to solicit our emotions toward God.   

Dig a Pit and Fall In It - Esther 6-10

Esther 9:23-25 (ESV)
So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

The above passage is at the end of the book of Esther and it summarizes what happen in the previous chapters.   Haman was a bad man and a self-promoting official in King Ahasuerus’ kingdom.  He wanted to be second in command.  To achieve this rank he would need to please the king and to satisfy his own vengeance by taking out the Jew, Mordecai.   The tables are turned however, and it is Haman who, in his haste to be promoted and his vengeance to do harm, was hanged on the very gallows he intended to hang the subject of his vengeance: Mordecai.   So, the evil Haman meant for Mordecai become his dome and tomb.   Note how Solomon and the Psalms sum of the lessons of the book of Esther: 

Proverbs 26:27 (ESV)
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

Proverbs 28:10 (ESV)
Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
will fall into his own pit,
but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.

Psalms 7:14-16 (ESV)
Behold, the wicked man conceives evil
and is pregnant with mischief
and gives birth to lies.
He makes a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole that he has made.
His mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.

The mischief of mankind that is imposed upon other men is noticed by God.   God is the God of justice and will vindicate those who walk with Him and for Him.   We can read the stories of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel as prime examples of these very truths.   The world will come at those who believe in God and live for Christ.  But, the world will not prevail.   

1 John 4:4 (ESV)
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

God’s Plan - Use Man - Deuteronomy 32-34

Deuteronomy 32:9-11 (ESV)
But the LORD'S portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted heritage.
“He found him in a desert land,
and in the howling waste of the wilderness;
he encircled him, he cared for him,
he kept him as the apple of his eye.
Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,
that flutters over its young,
spreading out its wings, catching them,
bearing them on its pinions,

This passage, along with the previous verse (v. 8) is a very significant passage in the Old Testament.  Moses is dying and his singing his last praise song to God.  Moses is outlining in chapters 32 and 33 the final blessings and curses on the nation of Israel. In the above verses we are reading Moses’ thoughts about how God called out Abram from his land to make of him a great nation (Israel).   In verse eight we read that God divided the nations (at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11).  In that division God set boundaries for all the nations based upon God’s desire.   In essence the verses imply that God set aside these nations and then (v. 9) created a new nation, by which God would save the nations through this new nation, Israel.   From Israel would come a Savior, who would save the world (the nations) from their sins and restore God’s righteous rule over the entire earth.   That is the significance of this passage.   As we read though from verse nine and on, we see the insignificance of Israel, prior to it becoming Israel.  Remember, this is Moses’ poem that he is reciting over the nation of Israel that is about to enter the Promise Land under Joshua’s leadership.  This is a history lesson for them.  God wants them to know that until He found them in the desert and until He encircled them and made them the “apple of his eye,” Israel was nothing.  It was only that God reached down and created, seemingly out of nothing, a great and powerful nation.   He took one man (Abram) and turned him into the father, with sons as many as the stars of the heavens.   We have to remember that it is God intervening into the world that makes of one man a powerful nation.  God is not done with this plan and project.  He is still taking small men and using them to complete His divine plan over the nations.   God takes from the desert and puts man into places of prominence to do His work.  God is bringing the nations into subservient compliance to His divine authority.  But, He does so one man (one small man) at a time.   God has a plan and has chosen to complete that plan by using men and women of faith, who walk in obedience to Him. That is Moses’ final song to Israel.    

Face-to-Face is Powerful and Preferred - 3 John

3 John 1:13 (ESV)

Final Greetings

I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink.

There is power in face-to-face conversations.   We live in the virtual world.    Whether it is a world we were supposed to invent or not, the argument is moot ... we are here.   God intends us to talk to Him spiritually.  That means we neither see Him or have face-to-face conversations.   Notice what He said to Moses, when Moses asked to see Him:

Exodus 33:20 (ESV)

But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

We will see Jesus face, eventually.  The end of the Bible records the glory of the new heaven and the new earth.  One of the truths we, as believers, hold on to is that we will see Jesus face:

Revelation 22:4 (ESV)

They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

So, there is power in seeing Jesus, eternally.   When God sent Jesus to the earth, we were able to see God in the flesh in the face and activities of Jesus:

John 14:9 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

There is power in seeing face-to-face.   John, in this little gospel knows this truth.  He said the same thing at the end of 2 John.  He wants to see those in the Body of Christ.   We can communicate virtually all we want, but the power in inter-personal relationships is what Christ came to create.  Through His life and death and resurrection we are able to have the hope of a face-to face meeting with God.   Should not we long for the same thing with God’s people.   John could write more.  But, he longs to see them more.  That should be the desire of every believer ... to see other believers and fellowship and instruct one another.  

God is Working Behind The Scenes: Acts 25-26

Acts 25:1-5 (ESV)
Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”

When we are falsely charged it can go terribly wrong.   Yet, God shows His power by intervening, even at that highest forms of power, and we don’t even know it.   The above passage is what is happening behind the scenes while the Apostle Paul sits in prison, waiting to be tried on false charges.   He is not aware of this conversation between his accusers and the highest official in the land.   But, never-the-less, the conversation is taking place and God is directing these non-believing and wicked men to do exactly what God wants them to do.   Paul, no doubt, is in prayer about his position and circumstances.  Yet, in the background, behind the scenes, God is doing a great work and moving the hearts of his accusers and those who will make judgements about his future.   This truly is an example of Solomon’s words:

Proverbs 21:1 (ESV)
The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;
he turns it wherever he will.

Paul is not to worry about this false acquistaion: 

Proverbs 26:2 (NIV 1984)
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

For those who put their trust in God, we can be assured that God is always working, even when we don’t know that He is and we can’t see it.  Paul, during this entire discussion, was in chains.   Yet, God was, on his behalf, orchestrating something even greater for Paul’s ministry:  A chance to proclaim Christ to even higher officials in the land.   While many would have thought that Paul was finished and being moved down the ladder of success, he was actually being placed in a higher level of influence because God was working for him behind the scenes.  Remember, God is always working behind the scenes.   

Evil Has Boundaries - Revelation 12-17

Revelation 13:5-10 (ESV)
And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

The wickedness of Satan and his allies is only “allowed” to do what God “allows” them to do and gives the “authority” to do.  That truth is what is contained and demonstrated in the above passage.  We, as believers, can endure in our faith (see the last line of the above passage) because we believe this truth.   Yes, the allies of Satan are going to be able to reck havoc across the world’s stage in the future (and, in a limited sense today).   John is giving this teaching to the church to enable us to endure that even though this is happening and will happen to an extreme extent in the future, God is “allowing” only to the extent that He will “allow.”  He is giving “authority” to the extent that He will give the Evil One “authority.”  This material from the last book of the Bible, of course, brings to mind the same truth from one of the first books of the Bible, Job. Notice how God limited Satan in regard to his power over Job’s life:

Job 1:12 (ESV)
And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

The Evil One can do his evil only to the extent that the Holy One allows and give authority to do so!!!

Evil has boundaries.  

Physical Attraction In Marriage - Song of Songs 5-6

Song of Songs 5:14-15 (ESV)
His arms are rods of gold,
set with jewels.
His body is polished ivory,
bedecked with sapphires.
His legs are alabaster columns,
set on bases of gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as the cedars.

In chapter five of Solomon’s love song, we read the only place where the woman is speaking out about the physical appearance of the man.  The man in the love story does so about the woman on numerous occasions.    However, this the first and last that we read her comments about his physical features.   Perhaps that gives us some insight into the world we see around us today.   Right or wrong it is more prevalent to hear men talk about the physical features of a woman, more than the woman about the man.  (That can be very sexist in nature to think that way, but it does appear to be the normative in our society.)   The above descriptive phrases is only talking about a few of the physical aspects of the man, taken from a longer list the woman mentions in her side of the poem.  In the above the woman mentions the man’s arms, his body (probably chest and abs), his legs and, possibly the reference to “bases” is his feet.   She is basically saying that from head to toe this guy is built!!    She admires the strength of his arms (rods of gold), the brilliance of his chest and abs (polished ivory and sapphires) and the stability of his legs (alabaster columns) and feet (again, gold).  Since the world has sexualized all things male and female it is hard to think about the male body (and even the female body) in the way God intended us to look at them.   Before sin entered the world, man and woman would be in a pure relationship.   Perhaps when Adam first saw Eve, what he really said was, “Wow, man,” rather than, “woman.”    In Christ we ought to come to the  place where the body of our mate titillates us and causes us to be attracted to them.  Yes, we are to be attracted to the inner man, but we are also to be thankful for the body God designed for them. Note what Solomon told the man about his wife:

Proverbs 5:19 (ESV)
(She is) a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;
be intoxicated always in her love.

That is not looking only on the inner person.   God designed our bodies and the attraction of them is not sinful. It certainly can be.  The world we live in has exploited and objectified the body (especially the woman’s body).  Yet, God designed the marriage relationship with this appeal and we ought to celebrate it the way God intended us to celebrate. 

God is Engaged in Our Struggles! Psalms 146-148

Psalms 146:8 (ESV)
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.

Yesterday we were told one of our baby grandsons was born with some type of challenge.   In combination of other things it has something to do with his eyes.   As I went to sleep I, like the his mom and dad and the rest of the family, was anxious.  I know I am not supposed to be anxious, but, never-the-less, I was.   I went to bed asking God to give me something to hold on to Him in faith.    This morning I turned to my “previously” scheduled Bible reading and God brought me to the above praise psalm.   Psalm 146 starts with demanding our praise to God as a command.   It simply says, “Praise the LORD!”    The writer goes on to give us 15 reasons to praise Him.   15!!!   The above verse contains three of those reasons.  Obviously the one that drew my attention is God’s power over the health of our bodies, especially our sight.   Right there in the text God sent me a message about the His power and His engagement in our lives; especially the life of a little boy.   This is not a promise of healing, but it is a promise that God can heal and does heal.   On numerous occasions, to show His power, Jesus healed those who had trouble seeing (both physically and spiritually).   See Matthew 9 and John 7.   Today I will probably still be anxious as we watch God continue to unfold this miraculous journey.  But, I will do so knowing that our God is powerful and highly engaged in the life and health of His children.  Especially His littlest children!!!   The verse also tells us that God lifts up those who are bowed down.   So, today I will bow down to Him in praise and adoration as He does what He will with three little boys in the NICU.  Especially as He works in the life of one who needs His power in his life. 

Utilizing the World’s System for God’s Kingdom - Esther 1-5

Esther 2:15-18 (ESV)
When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.

The story of Esther and her uncle, Mordecai, is a story of the providence of God kissing the preparation of mankind.   Mordecai and Esther, as captives in the land of Babylon, are nothing more than pawns in the hands of the leadership of Babylon.  They are slaves.   However, the king (Ahasuerus) is about to make Esther the queen.  He doesn’t even know that God is controlling all aspects of these events.   Esther will become one of many “virgins” to “audition” for the job of “queen.”   Esther is taking for a one-year beautification ceremony and then will appear before the king. If the king likes her, she becomes queen. If not, she becomes another one of the kings many concubines.   This was the life of a slave, especially a female slave in the land of Babylon.  A person of faith might simply reject all this.   But, notice what Esther does.  She actually uses the system that the Babylonians put in place to her advantage.   She actually sought out counsel from the world’s system.   Listening to the “wisdom” of the world ... she gathered appropriate data and used the data to make a decision.  That use of the world’s system put her in the best possible light for impacting the world around her.   We are not to be conformed to this world, but that does not mean we are not recognize the power structures and the systems of the world and use them to the advantage of the Kingdom of God.   Esther, given a choice, would not want any of this.  But, Esther also knew she was where God had her and she used the world’s system to her (and God’s work in her life) to an advantage.  Joseph did the same thing in Egypt.    Daniel does the same thing in his captivity.   Paul did the same thing in the Roman court system.  God even used the evil justice system of the Romans to fulfill the promise of a crucified Savior by sending His Son to die on the cross for us.  The world’s system crucified Him so that the world’s system would have a Savior.  In the end times, God will use the world’s system to bring His wrath on the world.  We are not to be conformed to the world, but we are not to shy away from using God’s system to advance God’s Kingdom, either.  

Retirement Plan - Deuteronomy 29-31

Deuteronomy 31:1-3 (ESV)
So Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel. And he said to them, “I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in. The LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’ The LORD your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them, and Joshua will go over at your head, as the LORD has spoken.

God knows our limits. In fact, God sets our limits.  Mankind believes they have no limits.  When their bodies begin to fail them they act surprise that time has caught up with them.  The rich turn to medicine to heal that problem.  The poor turn to substances to heal that problem.   In the above passage, Moses tells Joshua (the future leader of Israel) that he is old and can no longer come in and out.  The solution for that problem is to prepare for death and create a succession plan, that continues God’s work.  Most Christians do not ever think of a succession plan for their life to carry on the work of Christ they are doing.   We mostly think about retirement, not the continuation of our work.   In a church, when a long time servant of Christ, stops serving, do they think of a succession plan for the work in the church?     This is what Moses is doing.   

In the above passage we read that Moses is 120 years old.  Apparently that was God’s retirement age for him.   Notice that in the Bible there is not retirement plan actually outlined.   When Joshua would later try to get Caleb (the one person who was with Joshua during the coming out of Egypt) to take the easy route in securing the land, this is what the eighty-plus year old said: 

Joshua 14:11 (ESV)
I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.

No matter our age or our strength, we ought to fight for God’s Kingdom to the end.  When we reach that “end” (whatever that means for each person’s walk with God), we ought to find someone to carry out the work we are doing for the Kingdom.  That is a great retirement plan.  

Hospitality is to be Governed by Truth - 2 John

2 John 1:9-11 (ESV)
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Failing to discern truth makes one complicit in lies.     In the early church there were many traveling pastors/teachers.   Remember, most of “church-life” was conducted in homes.  The “church-home” was the standard.  This little letter was written to the “elect lady and her children.”  That is probably reference to a specific “church-home.”   This small congregations would offer “hospitality” to these traveling pastor/teachers.    The issue we are facing her in 2 John is that John was warning this church about false teachers who were traveling and taking advantage of their hospitality.    The Apostle John is warning this church that their hospitality can’t be based upon a mere “giving” of yourself and your home.   It had to also be based upon truth.  The Apostle uses the word “truth” five times in the first four verses of the epistle.   He wants them to be hospitable, giving and sacrificial.  But, he also wants them to stand on truth. Even “caring” has to be govern by “truth.”   In our world today we are so interesting in the “giving” part we often miss the “truth” part.    This is the point of John’s gospel.   Giving and caring and being hospitable is to be governed by truth.   If not, you are complicit.   

Politics! Acts 23-24

Acts 23:6-10 (ESV)
Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.

Paul uses "politics" to his advantage.  There is no doubt that “politics” is a thing.   In the work force, in the school, in the community, in the family, people play “politics.”    The root of all the definitions of politics is some sort of taking a position that enables power over another position.   In the above story we see that Paul, to his advantage, used the position of Pharisee to created a power struggle between these two groups; the Pharisees and the Sadducees.   Politics is about power.  It is interesting that in our country, movements that are “against power” use politics (the exertion of position to create power) to get power.   Paul, because of his faith, was brought before the Jewish Council to defend himself for teaching about Christ.  The rest of the book of Acts will show him before more and more politicians, all who want power.   He will defend his position about Christ (the ultimate power) against those politicians Christ put in power.  Paul uses politics to his advantage because this Jewish council wants to kill him.  They will eventually plot his death and even make an oath before God to take his life.   Politics is not a good thing or a bad thing - it is just a thing.   Throughout the entire Old Testament we see the exertion of one group of power over another group of power.  The key is to remember that it is God who establishes power.  We serve the God of all power through Christ who has all rule over the earth.   When we recognize that politics is in the way of the message of Christ we have to realize that it is Christ who put people in positions of power and we are to honor it (as Paul does in Acts 23:5), but also use it to our advantage to further The Kingdom.  These political leaders are not THE KINGDOM.  But, these political leaders will be used by God to establish His Kingdom.  This is what Paul is doing.  He is not worshiping politics, he is using them to his advantage to further his proclaiming about Christ.  

The Apollyon - The Destroyer - Revelation 6-11

Revelation 9:7-11 (ESV)
In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.

The Destroyer will come to destroy!   In John’s revelation we have the outline of God’s wrath being poured out on the unbelieving world.  There are seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls and seven thunders (the latter John was not even able to write about).  All of them depict the wrath of God on mankind for their failure to believe in Christ the King.   The world, today, is, rightly, devastate by tragedy, especially calamities that have to do with young children.    We rightly recoil at the death of the innocent.    But, in the end times, there will be no innocent.  All will be guilty of rejecting Christ.  The result of rejecting Christ is the outpouring of God’s wrath.  The number “seven” in the Bible is the number that speaks of “perfection” or “completion.”  So, God’s wrath will be complete and without mercy.   In the above verses we are told that locust will come and torment the peoples of the earth.  We are told these locust will do so for five months to “torment” but not kill people.  In fact, during this time, the people will seek death and not find it (Revelation 9:4-6).   This will all be done at the hand of the Abaddon (Hebrew) or the Apollyon (Greek).    This is significant in that John is making reference to political and religious figures.   The Apollyon is from the Greek god, Apollos.  The emperors of Rome believed they were gods, like Apollos.  In fact, John was sent to this island he is on by the emperor of Rome, Domitian. In essence, John is saying that out of pit of demons will come a leader who is the Apollyon (destroyer) who will be used by God to torment  mankind.   This is the fate that is coming upon the earth on all those who do not repent and acknowledge the power and preeminence of Christ.   What will happen to these people when the meet with the locust figure and destroying nature, Apollyon?  Will they repent and acknowledge that Christ is King?  Note what John will write in just a few verses past our above passage.  This is a sad commentary about the nature of man:

Revelation 9:20-21 (ESV)
The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

The Intent of Marriage - Song of Solomon 3-4

Song of Songs 4:8 (ESV)
Come with me from Lebanon, my bride;
come with me from Lebanon.
Depart from the peak of Amana,
from the peak of Senir and Hermon,
from the dens of lions,
from the mountains of leopards.

In Genesis, at the beginning of God’s creation, God said this about the man and the woman:

Genesis 2:24 (ESV)
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

It goes without saying, in a marriage relationship, there is a unity of the man and the woman.  In God’s order, that unity begins with a separation.  The woman is separated from her parents/family.  That is probably either a foreign concept or an offensive concept to the world we live in today.   Never-the-less, that was God’s design.  In the above passage, the dialogue between Solomon and his bride, Solomon is compelling the bride to leave her familiar surrounding and to come with him.   The surroundings she comes from is a mountain region, in northern Israel.   The mountains mentioned would indicate she comes from a rugged places.  The mention of lions and leopards would indicate she comes from a dangerous place.   The groom (Solomon) is inviting her to come to him and live with him.   Solomon is inviting her to a place of beauty and safety:

Song of Songs 3:6-10 (ESV)
What is that coming up from the wilderness
like columns of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?
Behold, it is the litter of Solomon!
Around it are sixty mighty men,
some of the mighty men of Israel,
all of them wearing swords
and expert in war,
each with his sword at his thigh,
against terror by night.
King Solomon made himself a carriage
from the wood of Lebanon.
He made its posts of silver,
its back of gold, its seat of purple;
its interior was inlaid with love
by the daughters of Jerusalem.

This is the marriage theme as established by God.   The two are separated from their family and are untied in love and safety for each other.   God intended for this separation from family to take place.   He replaced one type of love (family love) for another (marriage love).  

God is Unsearchable - Psalms 143-145

Psalms 145:1-3 (ESV)
I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.

God’s greatness is unsearchable!   Nothing else needs to be said.   Mankind, of course, does not believe that statement.  Mankind wants to put everything in a box of knowledge that THEY have figured out.   Mankind likes to boast about their knowledge of God and how they have Him (or, Her) figured out in their mind.  But, how can the think created understand the One who created him/her?    God’s Word, however, maintains that God and His ways are, indeed, unsearchable.  Note:

Job 5:9 (ESV) (In speaking about God ...)
who does great things and unsearchable,
marvelous things without number …

Job 36:26 (ESV)
Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
the number of his years is unsearchable.

Isaiah 40:28 (ESV)
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.

Romans 11:33 (ESV)
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Ephesians 3:7-8 (ESV)
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Yet, even though God is unsearchable, He has chosen to make himself known to us.  In the Gospel of John we read several times that Christ came to make God known to us.   John wrote his gospel that we might know God:

John 17:1-4 (ESV)
The High Priestly Prayer
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

God is unsearchable and to be praised for that mystery of who He is.   Yet, He is also to be praised that God has decided to reveal Himself to us and make know to us aspects of that mystery.   

Chase Evil - Nehemiah 10-13

Nehemiah 13:28-29 (ESV)
And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

Some how the thought of Nehemiah chasing someone because they were corrupting the Temple brings a smile to the face.    The entire book of Nehemiah is about the need to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, the Temple worship and the act of worship from the heart.   As the book draws to a close these last chapters are about the leadership and the people coming together to worship God from the heart.  The main theme of these chapters is that they did the work with thankfulness.   The word, or a derivative, thanks appears almost ten times in these last chapters.   The Holy Spirit is teaching us how this work was done, but also how the heart had changed from fear and bitterness to praise and thankfulness.   However, at the end of the book we still see some of the “squatters” from the beginning of the book, (those who did not want the work to succeed), present.   Sanballat was a man in the beginning of the book who opposed Nehemiah.   Just as Nehemiah had grown an army of obedient leaders and people, so, too, had Sanballat fostered his own followers who would both halt the work and take advantage of the work for personal gain.   From the beginning to the end Nehemiah was resisted.   But, as the book draws to a close, we see Nehemiah so emboldened, that he chases the man out of the Temple/City.   That is a bold and righteous man.   That is how we are to be in regard to the work that God has given us to do:

Proverbs 28:1 (ESV)
The wicked flee when no one pursues,
but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Disobedience Has Consequences! - Deuteronomy 26-28

Deuteronomy 28:68 (ESV)
And the LORD will bring you back in ships to Egypt, a journey that I promised that you should never make again; and there you shall offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.”

Disobedience toward God has consequences!    Chapters 27 and 28 of Deuteronomy are commonly known as the “Blessing and Curses” chapters.   The chapters are about the commands given by God at Mt. Ebal (symbol of the cures) and Mt. Gerizim (symbol of the blessings).   Six of the tribes were to stand before one mountain and six before the other.   They blessings for following God were read by one mountain and the curses for disobeying God were read by the other mountain.   The above verse is the conclusion to the entire section and simply gives the final warning to anyone who would live in disobedience to God.   The summarization is quite severe.   Disobeying God would put the nation back into the same state prior to their redemption coming out of Egypt.   Failure to follow God’s Word results in captivity and the loss of freedom.  Make no mistake, the pleasures of sin might feel good for the moment, but he truth is the end is bitter.  Notice what Solomon said about this when describing following after folly as though she is an enticing woman to a young boy:

Proverbs 7:21-23 (ESV)
With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with her smooth talk she compels him.
All at once he follows her,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast
till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
he does not know that it will cost him his life.

Seduction turns to slaughter.   That is the case with all sin.  Disobedience to God will always result in something bad.  It is difficult to always obey God but the alternative for that hard work is the destruction and captivity of the soul.  Disobedience to God has consequences!

Prayer Can Give Life - 1 John 4-5

1 John 5:16-17 (ESV)
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

(Just a note before this blog is developed.  The thorny part of the above verses is the “sin onto death” phrase.  There are many views on this phrase.  For this journal entry today, ONLY the practical lessons are going to be addressed.  In another post, at another time, the “sin onto death” can be addressed.)

In the above verses we see something that the Apostle John is quite concerned about.  The entire book of 1 John is to address the “assurance” we have in Christ as we walk in faith toward Christ, demonstrated by love toward our brothers.  Looking at the above two verses through the author’s intent for the book, enables us to see his heart and the lesson he wants us to learn.  John is very much concerned that their are among the readers of this letter, some who are claiming to be believers but do not love others and/or walk in continually sin.   He has addressed both of these thoughts through chapters 1-3.  Now he is addressing what the Body of Believers should do about it.  What are we to do if we “see” a brother committing a sin (that means it is visual and it is continual .... the phrase is written in the “present tense” in the Greek, meaning an ongoing action)?  In verses 14-15 we have just been introduced to the power the believer has in prayer.   Verses 16-17 are a new paragraph in the Greek, but are never-the-less a continuation of John’s thought.   Because we have power in prayer to ask, according to God’s will, anything, we should not neglect to do this asking for those in the Body of Christ.  Prayer is NOT simply a tool for the individual believer.  It is a corporate tool to be used to exercise in our walking with and along side other believers.    If we see someone sinning in a continuous manner, we are to ask God to give him life.    This life is freedom from the sin this person is committing.    Yes, as stated in the note above, there are some challenges in regard to praying for someone who is committing a sin that leads to death.  We are NOT being told to pray about the sin that leads to death (whatever that means).   We are to pray for “wrongdoing” (doing an injustice toward God and/or His people).   The key here is to remember, we don’t know what the sin unto death is.  That, therefore, compels us to pray for the person we “see” committing any sin, in an ongoing manner.   We are to lay them before God and God has promised to “give them life.”    Whereas most commentaries get hung up on the meaning of the most complex part of these two verses, we should focus on what the author has been developing:  God wants us to pray for brothers and sisters who commit sin and has promised to hear us and give that brother or sister LIFE!    This is similar to how James closed his book:

James 5:19-20 (ESV)
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

We are to be engaged in the life of our fellow believers.  We have been given power, though prayer, to actually change the life of fellow believers.    We are go bring them back to obedience through that power of prayer.    It will give them LIFE!!!  Imagine if Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) would have had someone praying for them.   We don’t know if this sin of envy and lying were ongoing or not, but they died because envied the giving of others and they lied to the Holy Spirit.  What if someone saw that and prayed for them?   Imagine if the young man who was having sexual relationships with his step-mother in the Corinth church (1 Corinthians 5) had someone praying for him.   Imagine if someone would have been praying for Demas as he fell in love with the world and left the faith (2 Timothy 4).   Our prayers for the saints can be the most powerful act of love we can do toward them.  Prayer is not just for us.  It is for the saints.   God will give them LIFE!!!

In The Spirit - Revelation 1-5

Revelation 1:10 (ESV)
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet

What does it mean to live a life that you can say with John, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day ...?”     The entire book of The Revelation is filled with the work of the Spirit of God.   Notice what John MacArthur says about this phrase:

(MacArthur New Testament Commentary Set (33 Vols.)) John received his vision while he was in the Spirit; his experience transcended the bounds of normal human apprehension. Under the Holy Spirit’s control, John was transported to a plane of experience and perception beyond that of the human senses. In that state, God supernaturally revealed things to him. Ezekiel (Ezek. 2:2; 3:12, 14), Peter (Acts 10:9ff.), and Paul (Acts 22:17-21; 2 Cor. 12:1ff.) had similar experiences.

MacArthur puts this experience of “being in the Spirit” beyond anything any believer would probably have today.    It is certainly true that what we see as the “result” of John being in the Spirit, God did something beyond human apprehension.   However, it should be noted that John was “in the Spirit” BEFORE all this happened.  This is a picture of John’s typical “Lord’s Day” pattern.   He was ALWAYS in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.   It was in this moment that God choose to reveal to him this revelation that ends the entire cannon of God’s Word.   The key to understand this thought is to know that the Spirit of God is not just present in the life of the believer (see John 14), but also active and moving in our lives.   When the people of God lean into the moving of the Spirit of God in their lives, great things happen in their lives.   God is moving.  He does so by the Spirit of God.   John was submissive and was in tune to the Spirit.  That is the walk of the believer.   It is not a walk of the flesh, it is a walk in and with and by the Spirit of God.   

The Fear of Man is a Snare (Especially in Church Leadership) - Acts 21-22

Acts 21:20-24 (ESV)
And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law.

The fear of man is a snare.  Note Solomon’s words, written 900 years prior to the above incident:

Proverbs 29:25 (ESV)
The fear of man lays a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

To fully appreciate this section of Acts, we have to remember what has been happening to Paul and his entourage.   He has been on his second missionary journey and has encountered both blessing and hardship.  He has seen many people believe in Christ and he has been beaten and persecuted in almost every city he preached the Gospel.   These men he is reporting to are completely, however, fixated on their own pressures of the Jewish believers who are still hooked on following the Law.  It should be noted that Paul will, in this very chapter, be beaten by the Jews.  Remember, James and the leaders at Jerusalem were afraid that “these” believing in Christ Jews would attack Paul. Later in this very chapter, Paul is attacked.  Paul is attacked by a mob of Jews who reject that he has taken the Gospel to the Gentiles.    So, we have to conclude that believing Jews were tormented the Apostle Paul, had him arrested and almost beaten.  It is these believing in Christ Jews that start the entire journey of Paul to Rome to death.   There is no doubt that the Jewish council of the Jerusalem Synagogue (non-believing Jews) carried out most of the persecution.  But, it was believing Jews who started the uproar.  However, it is the leadership of the Church at Jerusalem who actually started the entire domino affect.   They so feared the believing Jews that they sent Paul on a mission to appease them.  Those unbelieving Jews started an uproar that the non-believing Jews made their major mission.  All of it ended with Paul in Rome before Caesar. Paul did not fear man.  James and the leadership of the Church at Jerusalem did.  That is one of the many lessons in this story.   The fear of man is a snare.   

Sexual Relations are Designed By God - Song of Solomon 1-2

Song of Songs 2:17 (ESV)
Until the day breathes
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle
or a young stag on cleft mountains.

The above verse in this love Song of Solomon (or, about Solomon and his love) is one of the most confusing in the entire book of Song of Solomon.  How you overall interpret the book will probably determine how you interpret this one verse.   If you see this book unfolding as two people (one, being King Solomon ... see the first verse) then you might interpret the verse one way. The challenge with the above verse is in the phrase that the young woman seems to telling the young man to “turn.”  Is she telling him to “turn” and come in to her (to have sexual relations) or is she telling him to “turn” away so they don’t have sexual relationships.   The Hebrew word and structure can literally be interpreted either way and still do justice to the text.   

Those who teach that pre-martial sex is wrong, would take one view, while those who believe pre-martial sex is okay for someone getting married would interpret the verse the other way. If you view the book as a compilation of love songs you might interpret the other way.   Let’s look at the two ways and draw som obvious conclusions that fit both views. 

1. The love story is unfolding.    There are those that interpret the book as a love story that starts with attraction (chapter one) and ends with the consummation of their relationship (chapters six-eight).   If that is the case the above verse would be interpreted that she is telling him to “turn” away from her to wait for the day of their wedding.  

2. The book is a collection of love poems expressing different emotions of love in the life of two lovers.   This way of interpreting the book would allow for the verse to be showing that the woman is inviting her lover into her bed and asking him to come to her in sexual relations.   

No one can say for certain which way is the “right” way to interpret the book.  It is always best to let the context speak for itself and to allow other passages of Scripture and history to shed light on the passage in question, when possible.  We do know that God’s word teaches that sexual relations were designed by God for married couples.   So, that gives us some insight into the passage.  But, no matter how you interpret these challenges there are a some obvious truths to glean from the verse:

1. Sexual attraction and sexual desire is a strong emotion.   Whether she is sending him away or inviting him in, the power of sexual desire is compelling them both.  If the one interpretation is to send him away, it is his desire that is creating a natural tension. If it is the other interpretation it is her desire.  But, make no mistake, the desire for sexual intimacy is powerful (something we didn’t need this verse to teach us).  

2. Sexual attraction and sexual desire is to be managed by both partners.  No matter which way you interpret this, these two are having a communication about this deep, hunger emotion swelling inside them.   She is speaking up.    Whether she is compelling him to come in or repelling him away, it is an emotion that must be managed with intention.  Neither (throughout the book) is allowing the emotion to control them.  They are stepping in to control the emotion.   

3. Whichever direction he is supposed to turn (at her desire) he is to respect her desire.  She has a desire and he is subservient to it. That truth alone would allow us to have a much better world to live our lives and raise our boys and girls.   

4. Whichever direction he is supposed to then he is to do it with haste.   She tells him to turn like a “gazelle” or like a “young stag” (deer).   His turn is not to be slow, with hesitation, or with resentment. It is to be quick, sudden and decided.    Again, what a truth young lovers should respect in their partners.  

God is not against sexual relations.  He created them.  He has great guidance for them and for us.  Sexual relations has a time and includes great communication and fosters deep respect.  And, that all happens BEFORE sex.   

From Stronghold to Prison to God - Psalms 140-142

Psalms 142:1-2 (ESV)
You Are My Refuge
A MASKIL OF DAVID, WHEN HE WAS IN THE CAVE. A PRAYER.
With my voice I cry out to the LORD;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.
I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.

I have never had to hide from someone in a cave.  I have never, like young David, had to hide from the King of the land who was out to kill me.  I can’t imagine the horror and fright that this would be.   David knows the rocks and the hiding places in the rocks.   When King Saul becomes jealous of David’s popularity among the nation of Israel, King Saul goes on a hunt to destroy David.    David surrounds himself with men of questionable character and goes on the run.   He is hiding in one particular cave and realizes that the cave can’t be his refuge.  This is a stronghold for him to hide, but it is a prison whereby he lives. Notice what he writes at the end of this prayer-song:

Psalms 142:7 (ESV)
Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.

He wants strength AND freedom.   This is what perpetuates Psalms 142.  This is a prayer of deliverance.  David is crying out for help from the only source that can give him help, his God.    Remember, it is God, who only years before this cave situation, that promised David HE WOULD BE KING.  We don’t know the timing of this particular prayer in the story of David and Saul, but on two separate occasions David had a chance to kill Saul.  In both cases, despite the urging of his men, David refused to kills Saul.   Instead of killing Saul and taking advantage of God’s announced king at the time, in this song of prayer, David simply turns the entire thing over to God.   David, by faith in the promises of God for both deliverance and for the position that HE WILL BE king, gives his life and situation over to God and pours his heart out in prayer.   That is what God expects from us.  He expects us to lean into His promises and He expects us to seek refuge in Him and not in caves.   God will deliver David.   In the process of that deliverance, however, David learns to seek God and to pour out his complaint before God to seek refuge in God.