THE RAIN/REIGN OF GOD

“It’s beginning to rain, hear the voice of our Father, Saying “who-so-ever will come drink of my water; I promise to pour out my Spirit on your sons and your daughters.” If you’re thirsty and dry, look up to the sky, it’s beginning to rain.”

That is a chorus from IT’S BEGINNING TO RAIN, Words and music by Gloria Gaither, C. Aaron Wilburn & William Gaither.

As I have been sharing in my lastest posts, the storm clouds are gathering and there will be ‘unprecedented unrest’. I am referencing that ‘unrest’ in the context of Jesus’ words found in Matthew 24, 25 (NKJV).

Storm clouds bring rain, some times, torrential downpours, such as the world experienced in the days of Noah. Jesus referenced those days in Matthew 24, telling us, that “as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Based upon what He had earlier explained in Matthew 24, those days will not be pleasant.

As we enter a new year, many individuals are looking forward with anticipation to fulfill personal goals and even lofty expectations. That excitement is not wrong; however, as I have been sharing , there is an ‘unprecedented unrest’ thundering in the storm clouds that have and are forming throughout the world. That unrest is ‘shaking’ nations. It is even shaking our nation, and I suggest that that shaking will increase. What kind of ‘flood’ will deluge on our nation will be seen and experienced in 2024 and possibly beyond.

The good news is that while this ‘unrest’ is shaking our nation, God, the Father, has a parallel outpouring that is, and will continue to grow, and take place on the nations of the world, and on our nation.

That parallel outpouring is an outpouring of His RAIN. What is that rain? It is found in the words of the chorus above. He is pouring out the rain of His Spirit on His sons and His daughters. This is an outpouring of His Presence, His Power, and the Preaching of the Gospel. This activity is accomplished by His Spirit poured out upon His Church, His followers of Christ, the Bride of Christ, and His sons and His daughters. Matthew 24:13,14 NKJV, ”But he who endures(holds one’s ground in conflict) to the end shall be saved, And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (insert mine)

It is time, not to get caught up in the ‘what ifs?’ of the ‘end-time’; it is time to focus on the gospel being preached to the nations.

Yes, the dark, foreboding, clouds have and are continuing to gather. There are two types of rain being poured out upon the world. The rain of ‘unprecedented unrest’ and the rain of the Holy Spirit.

The first rain is described by Jesus in Matthew 24:4-8; the results of this ‘unrest’ are outlined in Matthew 24:9-12. All of these are “precursors to the end times”. (notes in Spirit Filled Life Bible).

As previously mentioned in Matthew 24:13-14, Jesus alludes to another rain. Let me offer this thought: The rain of the Holy Spirit is a manifestation of the ‘reign’ of God.

God, the Father, sovereignly rules over all rain being poured out on the world.

Jesus is emphasizing His reign as the King of His Kingdom. 

We, as believers, are ‘in Christ’. Jesus is our ARK. The ARK is A Righteous Kingdom. The Kingdom, Adonai’s Righteous Kingdom, is ruled by Christ Jesus who is our King. In the Kingdom, we are governed by the Holy Spirit, God’s rain, who directs us to fulfill His reign in our lives.

We are in the A.R.K. In the ARK, we are safe and secure in the midst of the storm. (We are not immune to suffering) The ARK is our place of refuge. It is our dwelling place in the Presence of the Most High God.

Matthew 24;8, referring to the previous seven verses, outlining the tumultuous times; Jesus says, “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:8, Spirit Filled Life Bible study notes: Beginning of sorrows refers to “labor pains”, which were expected to precede the end, making the transition from this age to the Age to Come. The severe labor pains, followed by delivery and fulfillment, are also a pledge to the end and the joy at the time of “delivery”.) 

We are being told what it will be like now, what to expect, what we are to do, and what the end result will be when Christ returns. 

In the previously written posts, we, have understood that this current ‘unprecedented unrest’ is NOT the great tribulation. These storm clouds are bringing God’s Sovereign intervention into the affairs of mankind. There are issues that must be judged; but simultaneously, there will be an outpouring of His grace and mercy seeking to redeem His fallen humanity before the return of Christ. That is the work of the cross.

In Matthew 24: 15-28, Jesus shares the details surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D..

In Matthew 24:29-31, Jesus redirects His dialogue to the time of His return; then in Matthew 24:32-35, He tells a parable to His listeners focusing them on a natural event that prepares them for His next statement, a parable about the fig tree.

In Matthew 24:36-41, He reflects upon the days of Noah (see posts entitled: The Storm Clouds Are Gathering; The Entrance To The Ark Is Shut; go to livingwordsofencouragemnt.com) explaining what the climate of the culture and the society will be like prior to His return. I think that it is safe to say that we are living in that same climate and that is growing increasingly hostile and becoming more corrupt.

In the previous posts that I recommended that you read, it was emphasized that we needed to be be grounded in our relationship to the Lord, knowing that to be ‘in Christ’ is to be in the ARK. Saying it again, the ARK is a Person; and that Person is Jesus Christ. In Him, we will ride out and weather the storms that impact our nation and the nations of the world.

It’s 2024, It’s beginning to ‘rain’ as He continues His ‘reign’.

I want to encourage you to re-read Matthew 24: 1- 41.

Now, turn your attention to Matthew 24:42-44.

This is where I will begin in the next post.

Blessings, reminder, “It’s beginning to rain, hear the Voice of the Father, if you are thirsty and dry, lift your hands to the sky”… because the rain of the Holy Spirit is coming afresh to fall upon you. You are His sons and His daughters in Christ.

deo

Christmas According to AI

This is the third revision to the original post: Incarnation: Significant or Insignificant.

Humanity can be actively alive in their daily lives, yet dead in relationship to Divine life.

How is that possible?

Outside of Christ, mankind is dead in their trespasses and sin. Humanity is lost, estranged from their Creator, God the Father.

But, God, has not abandoned His creation.

He loves them deeply.

So, what is God the Father’s solution for His fallen creation of humanity?

What if I answered this question with one word?

Christmas.

Most people throughout the world are busily ‘hustling and bustling’ getting ready for the celebration of Christmas. If you asked a number of people what is the meaning of Christmas, no doubt you would receive a myriad of different answers? I suggest that all the answers would fall into one of two major broad categories. One, it’s the remembering of Christ’s birth; and two, it’s a day to give and receive gifts, with little or no response to Christ. I think that it is safe to say that for many people, it is a combination of both, the recognition of Christ’s birthday, and the giving and receiving of gifts. Most have heard about Christ’s birth, or formally recognize it; and they celebrate Christmas with the giving of gifts to their family and friends. It is a time of festivity. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Unfortunately, I suspect that there are a growing number of people who ignore Christmas because they have turned their back on the Church; they have turned their back on God; they have no religious upbringing in their life; and/or they deemed it irrelevant because of their political and cultural persuasion.

There is a lot that could be said about each of the above categories; however, the historical fact remains that Jesus was born.

Incredible statements surround the birth of Jesus.

Those statements are made in God’s Word, the Bible.

Some people revere God’s Word; some people denounce God’s Word; and some people embrace God’s Word as it is personally convenient for them.

I am one, who reveres God’s Word.

So, my title to this blog is ‘Christmas According to AI’.

What am I implying?

Luke 2:11 (NKJV), ” For there is born to you in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.“

Christmas According to ‘Adonai’s Incarnation’.

Adonai is the Hebrew word for Yahweh, the LORD.

What does the word incarnation mean?

John 1:14, NKJV says, “And the Word became 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.”

So, who is the Word of God? John 1: 1-4, NKJV says, “In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

Paul writes in Philippians 2:5-7, NKJV, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men.” The words ‘coming in the like of men’ is referring to the incarnation. Take time to reflect upon these words. Now go back to John 1:14 and re-read that verse in light of the words, ‘coming in the likeness of men’.

How magnificent is this truth!

The time line of the Bible says that Isaiah lived 700 years prior to Christ’s birth.

Isaiah 9:6, NKJV says, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Recently I had this thought when reading this verse. I submit it to you. The words, ‘a Child is born’ may refer to Jesus’s birth as the Son of Man, His Perfect Humanity; and the words, ‘a Son is given’ may refer to His Deity as the Perfect Son of God: Jesus is both fully Man, fully God.

Coupling this verse with Isaiah 7:14, NKJV says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son (the Perfect Son of Man), and shall call His name Immanuel (the Perfect Son of God, God is with us). (inserts mine)

Let us turn our attention back to Paul’s writing in Philippians. Take the thoughts from the passages in Isaiah and filter them through Philippians 2:5-7. Jesus Christ, ‘being in the form of God’, ‘made of Himself no reputation, taking on the form of a bond servant’, ‘coming in the likeness of men’. Here, we have reference to Jesus Christ, in all His Deity, coming in human flesh, and becoming the Son of Man embracing humanity.

Only God could do this.

That happened with the virgin birth.

For many, the details of the birth of Christ enriches their hearts every Christmas season as they read and remember the story as told by Matthew and Luke.

I recommend that you read Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-38.

In these passages the dynamics are set into motion in lives of two people, Joseph and Mary.

Surrounding these two individuals are other people and events that dramatically impact the total story of the birth of Christ.

I leave that to your reading.

Christmas is Adonai’s Incarnation. (Christmas According to AI)

Well, I given to you verses to think about regarding the coming of Christ; but I have not formally given to you a definition of the word, incarnation.

Suppose we simply look at a dictionary definition. I googled, ‘incarnation definition’. I found the following: Oxford Languages: incarnation means, a person who embodies in the flesh a deity, spirit or abstract quality.

Question: Is Jesus Christ a deity who was embodied in the flesh? As a person who reveres God’s Word, I can affirmatively say, yes. For me, that is John 1:14, which says (NKJV), “And the Word (Jesus Christ) became flesh (humanity) and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth.”

Now let’s consider if this is significant or insignificant?

What do you think? and why?

To answer this question, I would like to refer you to gotquestions.org. , “What is the meaning of the Incarnation of Christ?”.

Their answer puts forth two important reasons regarding the significance of the incarnation.

They, begin with their definition of incarnation.

They say that it means, “the act of being made flesh”. They reference John 1:14.

They substantiate this definition historically relating it to the Church’s “use of the Latin Vulgate throughout the Middle Ages”. Because of this extensive use they say that “the Latin term became standard”.

I am setting aside their Biblical support of Jesus’ humanity, and transitioning to the meaning of the incarnation.

“The Son of Man came in the flesh in order to be the Savior of mankind”.

They put forth two reasons: 1. “It was necessary (for Jesus) to be born under the law” (Galatians 4:4); and 2. “it was necessary for the Savior to shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins”. Matthew 26:28 NKJV says, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (inserts mine)

These two requirements are the Gospel.

This is weaved throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

How do we summarize these two thoughts?

First of all, I am going to assume that most of my readers know the Lord.

Therefore, I believe you are familiar with what these two statement mean; and secondly, I will remind you of scripture that addresses each point; and finally, I am relying on the Holy Spirit to guide my thinking incorporating the thoughts from the answer to the question in gotquestions.org.

All humanity has sinned and failed to keep God’s law (See Romans 1-3).

Romans 3:23, NKJV says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Jesus, “born under the law” (Galatians 4:4) came and perfectly kept the law .

Jesus said, Matthew 5:17 NKJV says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

He perfectly kept the Law so that He could represent humanity who did not keep the Law, meaning what?

2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV says, “For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus). (inserts mine)

At this point I would like for us to focus on a passage found in Hebrews 10.

The reality of what we are considering is the topic of the entire Letter to the Hebrews. Chapter 10 specifically addresses what we are considering.

I recommend that you read chapter 10 before proceeding.

(Pause )

We want to focus on Hebrews 10:5-7. It is a quotation from Psalms 40:6-8.

Hebrews 10:5-7 NKJV says, “Therefore , when He (Jesus) came into the world (His birth, incarnation), He (Jesus) said, “Sacrifice and offering You (God) did not desire, but a body (human flesh) You (God) have prepared for Me (Jesus). In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You (God) no pleasure. Then I (Jesus) said, ‘Behold, I (Jesus) have come (birth, incarnation)–In the volume of the book (Law and Prophets) it is written of Me (Jesus)–To do Your (God) will, O God. “” (inserts mine)

From this passage we understand that all the sacrifices of the Old Covenant served an intermediary purpose but they could not fulfill the complete purpose of the satisfaction of God’s anger and wrath against sin. So, God, the Father, undertook solving the problem Himself within the eternal counsel of the Trinity before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1)

The Father would send His Son to be born of a virgin.

That Son would be a unique human being.

There would be no one else like Him born in human form.

That Child would be a human being, fully God and fully Man, without sin.

As such, God in the flesh, in a human body, would be a perfect sacrifice to be offered for the purpose of satisfying God’s wrath and anger against sin justifying Divine Judgement.

Therefore, we can strongly state that the first significance of the incarnation is that God came in the flesh so that there would be a body that could be sacrificed for sin.

That is not a pleasant thought at Christmas, but it is what God was providing so that His grace and mercy could be freely given to as many as would receive His Son as their Savior and Lord.

This brings us to our second consideration.

In preparation for this consideration, I would like to refer you to Romans 4-5. Please take time to read it. (

Pause)

Jesus, the Son of Man/Son of God, that unique human being created by God, in a human body, is the Perfect Lamb of God, who will take away the sin of the world. (see John 1:29-36)

Referencing Jesus as being the Lamb of God, tells us what? Lamb’s were for sacrificing under the Law for the atonement of Israel’s sin.

Jesus understood this from before the foundation of the world.

He was born so that He would live in a human body that would be the means for the shedding of its blood for the remission of sin.

However, because His body was unique as a result of the Incarnation, His blood would, too, be unique because He is the Son of Man/Son of God without sin.

There is not trace of sin in Him. He is the Perfect Sacrifice.

Read Romans 5:6-11

This brings us to Hebrews 9:22b, NKJV says, “…without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” Again, I ask for your patience.

I recommend that you read Hebrews 9 in its entirety. In this chapter you will clearly understand the power of Christ’s blood and its efficacy. As the chorus says, ‘there is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb’,(by L.E.Jones).

For blood to be shed there must be the killing of an animal.

That was first pictured in Genesis.

It is referenced in God clothing Adam and Eve, see Genesis 3:21(not stated but assumed).

However, in Genesis 4, it tells us that Abel was a keeper of sheep, and when he brought an offering before God, Genesis 4:4 NKJV says, “Abel also brought of the first born of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering”, why, because it foreshadows the type of offerings that are outlined in the Law to be brought before God.

We see the same kind of offerings being offered up by Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Book of Genesis.

The assumption is made that the sheep was killed and its blood was spilled out.

Ultimately, it foreshadows the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and the shedding of His blood as the Lamb of God.

In the article, about the Incarnation in gotquestions.org, this statement is made: “Without the incarnation, Christ could not really die, and the cross is meaningless.”

Do not read that too fast. Read it again, and consider what you have been reading about the incarnation.

The incarnation is significant. Jesus was both fully Human and fully Divine: therefore, He is the unique, Perfect Sacrifice; His body and blood is without sin; He perfectly kept the Law. He alone is Worthy of all praise, glory and honor.

In Revelation 5, we encounter the Lamb.

John records what he saw transpiring in the throne room of heaven.

John writes, Revelation 5:6 NKJV says, “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain…Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”

Our Ascended Lord, Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God, the One who is “…worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals”; the One who was proclaimed as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Rood of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

This same Jesus, the Lamb, to Whom was sung a new song: “Your are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Revelation 5:2b; 5b; 9,10 (NKJV) (the titles referred to by John are titles found in prophecies recorded in the Old Testament) (insert mine)

And then there were “ten thousand times ten thousands, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation 5:11b,12 NKJV

When Jesus came into this world, the heavens declared the glory of God.

Luke 2:14 NKJV says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

And the adoration still continues, “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever. Then the four living creature said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13,14 NKJV

Worship is eternal.

Let us give Glory to God in the Highest this Christmas season.

When you sing the Christmas songs, remember the importance of the Incarnation as you lift praises to God. The truth of the Incarnation is found in many of the songs, hymns, and choruses that we sing.

(Note: As I was proof reading this blog, it struck me that at Communion, when we eat the bread and drink the wine, which Jesus said symbolize His Body and Blood, we are partaking of the elements of the Incarnation that we have been studying. Jesus said, that when we take Communion, to do this in remembrance of Me. Thought: when I take communion I need to remember the Incarnation that made His death on the Cross a reality.)

In closing I would like to share something that my wife said to me that was separate from what I was doing. She said this yesterday. It summarizes what I have saying with many words; and, it expresses the same summary thought in gotquestions.org.

Christine said, “Without Christmas and the manger, there is no Calvary, No Cross.” Today she drew a picture depicting what she said, and it was posted on Facebook for 24 hours.

Thank you Father for your unbelievable grace, mercy and love.

You have given the ultimate present, Your Son, in a body, to be a Perfect Sacrifice so that we might become Your sons and daughters.

You spared no cost giving us Your Son.

Thank you Father for Your unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Blessings to all, Merry Christmas

Rejoice a Child has been born, a Son has been given.

The Incarnation of Christ, the Son of God brought something else besides being the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

The Incarnation provided a human body through which the Authority of God was revealed to a hurting world. Jesus manifested His Father’s A.I.-Authority Incarnate.

Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB20, “For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders, and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this.”

Not only was the wrath of God satisfied; our sins forgiven; but the authority that Adam forfeited to Satan was reclaimed through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

As He said to His disciples just prior to His ascension, “All authority(all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on the earth has been given unto Me.” (Matthew 28:18, Amplified Bible)

Learning to be governed by Christ’s Authority, deo

[originally published 12-19-2022, part 1, with the title, Incarnation: Significant or Insignificant?]

[edited and re-published 12-13-2024 under the same title: Christmas According to AI}

THE ENTRANCE TO THE ARK IS SHUT.

Looking backward to the post entitled ‘The Storm Clouds Are Gathering’, that post concluded with two passages of scripture. One found in 2 Peter 2:4-6; and the second one found in Hebrews 11:7. Both of these scriptures gave us information about Noah.

Remembering Jesus’ words spoken in Matthew 24:37-39, He told His audience that the coming of the Son of Man would be as were the days of Noah.

So an appropriate inquiry would be to ask ourselves what were those days like? Does the Word of God give us any understanding?

Let us begin by looking at Peter’s words found in 2 Peter 2:4-6; and then examine what the writer to the Hebrews recorded in Hebrews 11:7.

Peter compared God’s judgment upon the sinning angels to His judgment upon the world by means of a flood. Peter specifies that God did not spare the world; but He did spare Noah and his family. 

Why? Peter says that Noah was a “preacher of righteousness”. Peter also infers that Noah’s witness brought “in the flood on the world of the ungodly.”

In Hebrews 11, which is referred to by many as the ‘hall of faith’, the following is recorded about Noah. Noah heard God’s voice, received God’s Word, and responded obediently in faith.

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV, defines faith as follows, “Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (confidence) of things not seen.” (inserts mine from marginal notes)

The definition is exactly what is said of Noah.

Hebrews 11:7, NKJV, “By faith Noah being divinely warned of things not seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

Noah’s obedience, by faith, to God’s word was a witness and a testimony of the coming judgment that condemned the world. Noah’s obedience faithfully preached the righteousness of God to a godless society.

Question: What is the witness of the Church in the world today? 

Does it obediently preach the righteousness of God to a godless society? 

Who is the Church? 

We are the Church, believers in Jesus Christ. 

Is my life, a witness of righteousness to a godless society?

The answer to that question is between you and the Lord.

Selah.

What was the impetus that compelled God to bring judgment upon the earth?

What did God see then? He saw darkened sinful hearts ignoring Noah’s preaching. 

What does God see now? He sees darkened sinful hearts ignoring His Voice.

Remember Jesus’ words, “As it was in the days of Noah…”

Let’s visit Noah day.

The back round for Noah’s day is found in Genesis 1-5. The major stories are the Creation account; the Fall of Adam and Eve; and a history of humanity until the days of Noah.

I will leave the study of the events recorded from Genesis 1:1 through Genesis 6:4 to your personal study, and the commentaries.

I will begin with Genesis 6: 5-8 (NKJV). I see these scriptures as a succinct summary of what God saw.

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great *(of major importance) in the earth, that the intent *( thoughts) of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually *(all the day). And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, I will destroy man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (*marginal notes)

The commentary for Genesis 6:5 in the Spirit Filled Life Bible says, “The degeneration of the human race was proceeding rapidly inspite of a few good men such as Enosh (Enos), Enoch, and Noah.

What are their testimonies in scripture? 

Genesis 4:26, “And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.” (NKJV)

Genesis 5:24, “And Enoch walked with God; and was not, for God took him. (NKJV)

The third person is Noah. He is the one front and center mentioned in the words of Jesus.

Reviewing the testimony of Noah, Peter said, Noah was ‘a preacher of righteousness’. Hebrews said, Noah responded in faith to God’s voice, obeyed His directions, built an ark, and in doing so condemned the world.

Genesis 6:9 (NKJV) says of Noah, “This is the geneology of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect, in his generations. Noah walked with God.

Reminder, God always has His remnant.

Continuing in Genesis 6:11-12 (NKJV), we are told, “the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked on the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”

Summarizing what we just read, “the Lord saw the wickedness of man”; it was great(large in number); man kinds thoughts in his heart were “evil continually”. (insert mine, marginal note)

The word corrupt is mentioned three times in Genesis 6:11-12, and it says “the earth was filled with violence”.

Sounds very dark to me. 

Did the dark storm clouds gather?

Is there a storm pending?

Is there a righteous remnant in the ark?

The answer to all three questions is YES!

Except for Noah and his family, did the rest of the people have any idea what was about to take place?

According to Jesus, the answer is no.

The current series has been forecasting a gathering of storm clouds; and that there will be an ‘unprecedented unrest’ that is about to ‘rain’ on our nation and the the other nations of the world.

I believe the ‘unrest’ has already begun. 

How else does one describe what happened with Covid? the Ukraine/Russia war? the Israel/Hamas conflict? invasion of Armenia? China’s desire for domination? North Korea’s threats of nuclear war? Increased persecution of the Church throughout the world? the political, social, and cultural unrest in the United States? And these only touch the tip of the ice-berg.

All of these events and many more speak of ‘unrest’.

Considering the words of Psalm 64:7-10, God’s ‘unprecedented unrest’ is the result of His arrow that has been launched at those who have bent their bows to shoot “their arrows–their bitter words” at the citizens of this nation. (Psalm 64:3b, NKJV)

The result will be that those who spoke bitter words will be wounded by God’s arrow. ”So He (God) will made them stumble over their own tongue (they will reap what they have sown) (inserts mine)

Psalm 64:8b tells us that all who witness their wounding will flee away (separate themselves from them) It continues saying that all who fled and in are in fear will “declare the work of God (this is God’s doing, no fake news); For they shall consider His (God’s) doing”. (inserts mine)

The word ‘all’, I believe speaks of all humanity, believers and unbelievers. Why? Because of the Sovereign impact of God’s work that brings both judgment and redemption.

Now picture with me, Psalm 64:10 in the context of Noah’s ark. 

Noah and his family were in the ark because Noah had “found grace in the eyes of the Lord”. So, we too, those of us who have “found grace in the eyes of the Lord’, and are ‘in Christ’ are in ‘principle’ in the ark. The difference is that the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ is our Ark. 

Just as Noah and his family were safe and secure in the ark as it ‘rode out’ the flood waters that God had unleashed upon the earth; so we too, are safe and secure in our ark, Christ Jesus, as we ‘ride out’ the ‘unprecedented unrest’ that God is allowing to take place throughout the nations of the world and our nation.

Just as the ark did not sink, but was buoyed as a vessel ‘riding out’ the waves of the storm; so Jesus, our ark, walks on the water for us in the midst of the storm.

Psalm 64:10 says (NKJV), “The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and trust (take refuge) in Him. And all the upright of heart shall glory.” (insert mine-from Tree of Life Bible)

What part of the ‘all’ are you? The righteous remnant that is Christ; or the unrighteous people who do not know Christ?

What are we safe from?

What is God confronting?

Peter said that the flood came because of ungodliness and not heeding Noah’s preaching of righteousness. Genesis 6:5 told us that there was continuous wickedness in the heart of mankind; Genesis 6:11-12 told us that the earth was corrupt and filled with violence.

What else can we expect from humanity that is totally depraved with darkened hearts ? 

The ungodliness of Noah’s day is no different than the ungodliness of humanity today. There is constant corruption; and the earth is filled with violence.

Does God see that today? Absolutely!

If God had not promised to flood the earth again because of corruption and violence, would He be justified in doing it again today ? Yes.

There will not be another flood because God said so. He made that promise.

But there will be a ‘shaking’.

The storm clouds have gathered. ’Unprecedented unrest’ is being showered upon the nations, and that includes our nation, the United States of America.

God is revealing Himself to humanity.

All will become fearful.

Some will be judged; other will seek refuge in the Lord..

All will recognize that this is the work of God.

God is seeking the lost; and He is seeking the prodigal.

Humanity’s safety is ‘in Christ’, our ARK

How we endure the storm will be determined by the grace of God and our knowledge (ginosko) of the Lord. (see the previous posts in this series)

Noah had to wait it out in the ark

We, too, will be waiting it out ‘in Christ’.

I commend to you Genesis 7 to use as a fact check of Noah’s story.

In conclusion, I want to quote Robert Mumford from his Plumbline 44:2, ‘The Arena of Truth: the Trouble with Truth’.

Truth is often troublesome when encountered in the arena of life. Truth requires active pursuit. As followers of Christ, our life’s journey is not an accumulation of facts and theories (ekoi). We seek moral and spiritual alignment (ginosko) with reality in God. (inserts mine)

The ‘unrest’ is upon us. We, who know Christ are shut up in our ark, Christ Jesus. We now wait it out, during the ‘unrest’.

I think we had a foreshadowing of that during the Covid shutdown.

The ‘unrest’ may become more violent than we are personally perceiving at this time. 

I recommend Psalm 61, 62, 46, and 91. They are Psalms of Refuge.

We, also, need to finish looking at Matthew 24-25. 

Jesus gave us instructions that are apropos for our current situation.

Blessings, a brother in Christ, waiting in the ark, deo

Luke 2: 10-11 ESV, The angel said to the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Christ the Lord.”

“Fear not”, the ark is under construction.

Merry Christmas!

A MOMENT OF DIGRESSION

Part 8

For the past several weeks, I have heard teaching messages from three different pastors at the local church I attend.

The content of their teaching has confirmed the words that I have been sharing in the current post series.

I am grateful for the Holy Spirit’s confirmation of His direction through the Word being shared by other ministers in the Body of Christ.

On November 12, 2023, Jeremy Pray shared from Romans 8:18-30 outlining how the Lord uses suffering in our lives today. He encouraged us by emphasizing that “God is for us!” Life can be hard; but God works it out for our good.

He listed seven statements of hope from the text of Romans 8:18-30.

He closed his teaching emphasizing that as a believer we have no cause to worry as long as everything is ok between the Father and the Son-we have no issues to fear.

Therefore, in the context of the blog series, we have ‘no issues to fear’ as believers in Christ during the time of ‘unprecedented unrest’.

The following week, on November 19, 2023, Matt Rehrer’s, sermon was a continuation of the text found in Romans 8. He shared verses 31-39.

His teaching was entitled: Anchorings, and Moorings of the Soul.

He began with showing a picture of a vessel in a severe storm that was painted by Leonardo da Vinci, entitled ‘The Storm on the Sea of Galilee’.

When I saw the picture on the screen, I immediately thought of the impending ‘unprecedented unrest’.

Pastor Rehrer shared our moorings in Christ.

  1. If God is for us, who can be against us? Who can wrestle me from God? Is my sin too much for God? The answers are unequivocal: No one, No one, and NO!
  2. “In Christ, I am not just, justified, but I am declared righteous.”
  3. Not only did Christ die, and was resurrected, but He, also, ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of His Father. The act of being seated speaks to us of the permanency of His atoning work. His work is finished. His work is completed. He said, hanging on the cross before He died, “It is finished”. Jesus eternally secured our salvation.
  4. In heaven, He is our High Priest and He ever lives making intercession for the saints. Hebrews 7:25, NKJV, says, “Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Therefore, as we go through the storm of ‘unprecedented unrest’, our High Priest is making intercession for us before the throne of grace. We have that mooring.

Because of our moorings in Christ, we can walk in security. We can ‘ride out the storm of ‘unprecedented unrest’ as we stay focused on Christ.

We are secure in Christ, Who is our Ark. We are safe and secure just as Noah and his family were safe and secure inside the ark being tossed about in the ‘unprecedented storm’ that God unleashed to flood the earth.

After sharing about our moorings, Pastor Rehrer shared from the same passage our anchors in Christ.

Does God have a purpose allowing us to encounter storms in our life? Is there a purpose for suffering?

I ask, Does God have a work He is doing in the earth using a storm of ‘unprecedented unrest’ at this time in our nation and the nations of the world?

As I have previously shared, I see a two-fold purpose. The two-fold purpose is judgment and grace. God’s judgment upon those who need to be judged; and God’s grace available for those who turn to the Lord to receive the message of the Gospel. It’s a picture of Calvary. The Cross judged sin and becomes the instrument of new life in Christ.

As Pastor Rehrer emphasized, ‘in Christ’, we have an anchor of security in the present and security in the coming age. In Christ, we have safety. I do not need to live in fear and doubt. ‘In Christ’, no circumstance will separate me from God’s love. He is the anchor of my soul. ‘In Christ’, my suffering, my trial, my tribulation, my personal turmoil is not pointless.

Let me turn our attention to Hebrews 5: 5 b, 7-9, NKJV. It is written of Christ, “You are My Son, Today, I have begotten You…Who(Christ), in the days of His flesh(in a human body); when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him(His Father) Who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son; yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect (Gr. teleios, mature, a word that means the goal, purpose or end for which something exists or is performed.) He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” (inserts mine)

Q: If God’s Son, Jesus, learned obedience here on earth through suffering, robed in human flesh, how do you think, we, who are here on earth, robed in human flesh ,are going to learn obedience and grow into maturity?

A: Through suffering: suffering is the paramount means that God will use to bring His children to maturity in Christ. It comes by the way of the Cross throughout our life. It is the ‘inwrought’ discipline that takes us through the process of sanctification.

Consider Paul’s words found in Colossians 1:24-29, NKJV.

Q: What is the goal of Paul’s ministry as he understood it from the Lord?

A: “I now rejoice in my suffering for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages, and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known (ginosko) what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect (teleios, mature) in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor striving according to His working which works in me mightily. (insert,emphasis mine)

What did Paul understand regarding the impact of his ministry ? Preach Christ, and water that preaching so that believers could mature ‘in Christ’, NOW!

I realize that this ‘diversion’ has been extensive; but I believe that it is necessary because it verifies that God is doing a work in the earth. He is stirring the ‘unrest’; He is moving the puzzle parts of the nations; and He is pouring out His Spirit saving the lost in a darkened world.

In the midst of this ‘unrest’, our security, safety, and refuge is in our ARK, Christ Jesus, the Lord.

Recalling Psalm 64:10, NKJV, “The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust (find their refuge) in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.” (insert mine)

We now give our attention to the Senior Pastor at NCC.

On December 10, 2023, Pastor Kent Dresdow, shared from Matthew 20:17-34.

At the conclusion of His teaching, he addressed the congregation forcefully, yet compassionately as a shepherd feeding and tending his sheep.

In Matthew 20: 29-34, it records an interaction between two-blind men, calling out to Jesus, and a large crowd that was following Jesus. The two-blind men called out to Jesus saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” The crowd accompanying Jesus, “warned them that they should be quiet; but they (the two-blind men) cried out all the more saying, “Have mercy upon us, O Lord, Son of David! (insert mine)

Jesus stood still and called to the blind-men, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” There response was direct, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

Pastor Kent confronted the congregation lovingly inferring that we, in the days in which we are living, can be like these blind-men, not seeing what is happening around us and to us. He said that we need to cry out to the Lord that we may see.

How so, you ask? We are blind to the darkness and death all around us.

Strong words, but words we need to embrace in the hour in which we are living, because the ‘days are evil’.

We are not spiritually aware (seeing) what is happening daily in our homes, our families, our community, our work place, our state, our nation. He exhorted us and encouraged us to be like the blind beggars who cried out, “Have mercy upon us, O lord, Son of David!” For what are we crying out? to receive sight!

He warned us that just as the crowd told the beggars to stop it; the world, will tell us to stop it; you won’t find any help from God, from religion, from Christ. Are we going to listen to the world; or are we going to turn to the Lord?

Pastor Kent, told us that we can be as ‘blind-men’ in this age. We need to cry out to the Lord. We need to humble ourselves, ask the Lord to heal us, so that we may ‘see’.

Why? So that we will have eyes to see the world as it is; to see the Lord working in our lives; but most importantly to see the world as the Lord, Himself, sees the world.

In summary, these three sermons have been sharing the same subject matter that the Holy Spirit has been emphasizing in the current series of posts.

Jesus said, Matthew 24:37-39 NKJV, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know (ginosko) until the flood came, and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (insert mine)

Jesus’s words imply blindness to what was happening in their midst. Noah obediently built an ark for the safety of himself and his family, and all the animals, creatures, and fowl God directed to come into the ark. But the people who witness the construction of the ark were blind to what was taking place.

The ark was God’s appointed place of safety for the coming ‘unprecedented unrest’ that He was going to unleash upon the world, in the form of a flood.

As I shared, in the previous post, the storm cloud have gathered; there is ‘unprecedented unrest’ in our world. It is growing throughout our nation, and the nations of the world. Do you ‘see’ it?

God has provided a place of safety for His people during this season of ‘unrest’. We are in a time of preparation to ready ourselves for the ‘unrest’. We need to pray and ask the Lord to ‘see’ what is going on, and how to be prepared for what is coming.

The truth is that all who are ‘in Christ’ are always in have a place of refuge. Do you as a believer understand that? Is that knowledge just a fact or a living reality?

We are citizens of His Kingdom. We live in a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Knowing (edoi) that and Knowing (ginosko) that are two different things. (inserts mine) [see the post: Knowing is not Knowing: Edoi is not Ginosko]

We are safe and secure ‘in Christ’.

We will be going through a ‘suffering’ (an unprecedented unrest) that will shake the nation in which we are living and that same ‘unrest’ will be used by the Lord to grow us in our ‘teleios’ (made perfect) which manifests itself in maturity as a son or daughter of God.

end of Part 8

tbc

a brother in Christ, deo

The Storm Clouds Are Gathering, Now What?

Part 7

The word of the Lord has been that an ‘unprecedented unrest’ is coming. It may, in fact, already be upon us; but, are we focused on what is taking place right before our eyes and not seeing it? I am not sure that we are totally conscious of the ‘unprecedented unrest’ growing in our midst.

Why?

That is for you to ask yourself.

What keeps you from knowing what is taking place in our nation and the other nations of the world that is having a direct effect upon you and your family?

What spiritual forces are blinding you to the reality of what is taking place throughout the world, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters, and in our own very nation?

I suggest that we pray and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken us to the events that are happening both in the nations, our nation, and in the Church, both the positive and the negative.

For myself, I need to take advantage of news sites that will give me the information that I need to know about what is truly going on in our world.

But the bottom line is that we stay focused on Christ!

The scripture tells us that God is preparing humanity for the return of His Son, Jesus Christ, to this world.

There are many who believe that what they are seeing and hearing taking place now throughout the world is fast forwarding us to Christ’s return.

I am not saying that is not true; however, what I am sharing is that I believe that the coming ‘unprecedented unrest’ will be used by God, the Father, as a witness to this nation and to the other nations of the world of His Reality,of His Existence, and of His Sovereignty which will culminate in His salvific plan.

This ‘unrest’ will leave no doubt about His Existence and the Truth of the Message of the Gospel of Christ.

In short, God is getting humanity ready for the close of the age.

That said, I do not believe that this ‘unprecedented unrest’ is the Great Tribulation. It will be a trial; it will be a tribulation; and it will bring turmoil; but its purpose is will be two-fold.

One purpose will be to bring judgement upon those who need to be judged; and the second will be the manifestation of God’s grace to a dying world, bringing salvation to the many that are called, and it will shake the Church out of its lethargy.

That two-fold purpose is the message of Calvary.

So what does that mean for us today as believers ‘in Christ’?

I want to revisit Psalm 64:7-10 (NKJV), “But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded. So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; All who see them shall flee away. All men shall fear, And shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust (take refuge) in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.” (insert, emphasis mine)

God’s ARROW will be the catalyst of the ‘unprecedented unrest’.

God’s people will take refuge in Him, because they trust in Him.

[I have written about this psalm in a previous post. I would like to refer you to: THE A.R.R.O.W. OF GOD. Go to lilvingwordsofencouragement.com]

This nation has been the target of an unrelenting barrage of vociferous words that have incarcerated the nation and put its people into verbal bondage.

We are a nation of POW’s-we are the Prisoners of Words.

God is going to judge those who have lied and deceived this nation; He is also going to bring the truth of the Gospel to this nation afresh in the power of His Holy Spirit; and He is going to bring about a righteous course correction to our nation. His ‘works’ will bring the ‘unprecedented unrest’. There will be ‘spiritual warfare’; In fact, we are currently in the midst of spiritual warfare for the soul of this nation. In addition, there also may be civil unrest that is the result of God working mightily in our midst manifesting His works in our nation.

I know that is a strong statement.

I am not saying that civil ‘unrest’ is a certainty; however, I am saying that it would not surprise me if civil unrest occurs.

Why?

Because we have been witnessing civil unrest taking place throughout our nation for the past several years.

What has been the source of civil unrest? lawlessness

What will be the continued source of civil unrest? lawlessness fighting against what God is doing in our nation.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:12-14 NKJV, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love (agape) or many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Please note, the love (agape) that has grown cold is in believers. Why do I say that; because ‘agape’ is God’s love. The love of God (agape) is shed abroad in the hearts of the believers by the the Holy Spirit.(Romans 5:5)

Do you remember what Jesus said in a letter to the Church in Ephesus, written by the Apostle John, in Revelation 2:1-7, you have left your first love.

Has the Church left its first love? Their agape, love for Christ.

Some of you might be wondering, where are you headed? I am glad you asked.

Matthew 24 and 25 outlines Jesus’ response to His disciples questions after they had asked him an innocuous question about the temple buildings. Jesus begins outlining what will take place regarding the coming destruction of Jerusalem that occurred in 70 A.D. Jesus then switches their attention to answering their questions regarding His coming and the end of the age.

In the context of this post, The Storm Clouds Are Gathering, let us look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:36-42.

First, Jesus settles the issue of His return. In Matthew 24:36, He says “But of that day and hour no one in heaven knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (NKJV)

The inference is that the Incarnate Son of God does not know when He is returning.

Jesus, then, elaborates on the condition of society at the time of His coming.

He says in, Matthew 24:37-39, NKJV, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood , they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came, and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

At face value these words do not sound very troublesome; but..

What can we conclude from His words ?

I would like to take some literary license. Allow me to suggest a speculative picture that probably contains some elements of truth.

What was the normal weather like in Noah’s day? The weather was most likely pleasant. There was no reason to consciously think about changes in the weather. People were enjoying a normal lifestyle. Jesus said they were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. Sounds like an easygoing community of people. They are enjoying an atmosphere of life that was relaxing, peaceful, and restful. These people are engaged in the normal activities of life.

From Jesus’ words, there doesn’t appear to be any ‘lawlessness’ going on.

Then, one day, sometime during the day, things change. It begins with the weather.

They have never seen weather like this before.

They may not have had the proper words to describe what they are witnessing; but, let me insert these words: they were watching storm clouds gathering.

Storm clouds, what are storm clouds?

As the storm clouds were gathering, it was getting colder, and it was getting darker.

And this was happening during the daylight hours.

There conversations were most likely centered on what was taking place.

What does all this mean? What is going on? I’m cold!

They probably didn’t have proper clothing for the change in the weather.

In a clearing, somewhere, in the vicinity of the people, there was a building project that had been going on for many years. In fact, the building project was now in its 120th year.

Recently, those who had been interested, had observed an unusual activity taking place during the past week at the project site.

There were lots of animals coming from every direction, walking up a ramp into the large construction project.

It would be natural to assume they pondered what this all meant; but I surmise they didn’t have a clue.

Or, did have a clue?; but they never really paid serious attention to what they had been told.

Told what, by whom? Noah.

Quoting T. Austin Sparks, “they heard the words, but they did not hear the Voice”.

In the course of time, during this parade of animals, going up the ramp, into the construction project, the line came to an end. The onlookers also realized that Noah’s family, too, had entered the large structure.

Now what? they thought.

It maybe that some of the family members were the last ones to go inside because Noah and his sons had been assisting and guiding the animals as they sauntered up the ramp into the construction project.

Who knows?

Then, as I just said, the moment comes when the last of the animals are inside, and all of Noah’s family, too, is inside.

The entrance to the structure is closed and secured.

I wonder if the entrance was closed with a bang or shut in silence?

I wonder if anyone was paying attention when it happened?

Chances are, some of the people were inquisitive enough to stay and watch the proceeding to the end.

The reality was that the entrance to the structure was closed.

Some of the people may have dispersed; some of the people may have been mingling around trying to make sense of what was happening; and some of the people may have ignored the whole thing completely, simply because they were not interested.

Suddenly, there was a momentous change in the weather. The heavens opened up; a downpour of rain was unleashed upon earth; and people were filled with a horrific fear and panic.

This fear and panic fell upon all those who were stranded outside this large structure.

Why?

Because of a deluge of rain (what’s that?) came down, and the level of the waters rose, and those who sought for safety found no safe place of refuge.

They found themselves fighting for their very lives.

An ‘unprecedented unrest’ was occurring.

There was no place of escape from the volume of water that was being unleashed upon the world.

Have you ever seen an artist’s rendition of the flood, depicting the horrified people banging on the large structure, crying out for safety in the midst of the rising waters?

For them there was no response of help from inside the structure; nor was there any way to climb up the structure’s side to safety.

The scene was in total despair, a helpless desperation!

What were these people, who are struggling for safety and floundering in the rising waters, going through mentally?

What were Noah and his family members struggling with mentally, knowing that they are safe inside the structure; yet, they are listening to the loud cries of despair of the people who are not inside with them?

One can only conjecture.

Had these people, who had witnessed the building project, ridiculed Noah as he obeyed God, faithfully building the structure? And had these same people refuse to heed the words Noah had spoken to them?

“…had they heard the words, but not the Voice?”

Obviously, Noah’s family believed him, and heeded his word. They were safe inside the building project.

Does the Word of God shed any light on this event in human history?

2 Peter 2:4-6 NKJV, “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;”

What words stand out to you as you read this passage of scripture?

Hebrews 11:7 NKJV, “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

What words stand out to you as you read this passage of scripture?

Remember, Jesus said, that as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man.

What does this mean to us in light of the two previous verses that you read?

What did God see that caused Him to have Noah build an ark and unleash a flood of water that brought judgment upon the world?

What does God see, today, that would cause Him to bring an ‘unprecedented unrest’ upon this nation and the other nations of the world?

End Part 7

a brother in Christ, deo

Knowing You, Jesus, Knowing You…

Part 6

A number of years ago, Graham Kendricks composed a song entitled, Knowing You Jesus. I do not know if you are familiar with this song; but I do strongly encourage you to listen to it. The chorus begins with these words, “Knowing You Jesus, Knowing You, There is no greater thing, You’re my all, You’re the best, You’re my joy, my righteousness…” To which, I simply say, Amen.

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:10 NKJV, “…that I may know(ginosko) Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”

How does that happen?

That, knowing,(ginosko) does not come from sermons, Bible studies, classes, conventions, books, etc., that knowing (ginosko)comes from embracing the work of the cross in your life, based upon what you have read and/or heard from the Word of God. This life comes from what Paul said is found in the fellowship of His sufferings. It is the work of the cross, based upon the Word of God, to your life by the Holy Spirit.

I am of the opinion that the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings is not something that is taught very much in the Church. I could be entirely wrong. When I reflect upon the teaching sermons that I have heard during the past seventeen years, I do not recall many teachings about ‘suffering as a believer’. I know that it has been alluded too as something Jesus said to expect. I do know that it was emphasized when I sat under the teaching of the the Sermon on the Mount.

How many of us have actually experienced Biblical suffering? I am not talking about inconvenience or temporary uncomfortableness. I have had those experiences; and I am confident that many of you too have had such experiences.

I am referring to persecution, being reviled, having all manner of evil spoken against you, as Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5).

He also taught that if you were going to follow Him as His disciple it would cost you.

How?

You would be treated like He was treated. You would be ostracized, ridiculed, and even rejected (Read John 13-17,the Upper Room Discourse).

Jesus said, to His disciples, when preparing them (Matthew 10:5-31) to be sent out to minister in Matthew 10: 24-26 (NKJV), “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be known.

I have heard this referred too as vocational suffering. It’s suffering that is part of what to expect when you identify with Christ. It is part of your job description.

The Apostle Peter, also, spoke of suffering for Christ’s sake in his first epistle.

I Peter 4:1-19 ( the entire chapter), speaks to believers about suffering. I recommend that you read the entire chapter.

Quoting from this chapter, I Peter 4:1,2,12-19(NKJV):

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God…Beloved, do think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange things happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgement to begin at the house of God, and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now, “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God, commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

Paul summarized his position in the Lord like this (Galatians 2:20-21 NKJV), ” I am crucified with Christ; yet it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

As a believer ‘in Christ’, this is our foundational position. Understanding this position and experiencing it’s reality was the essence of Paul’s life and ministry. This is what Paul taught to the believers throughout the churches he founded ‘in Christ’.

When the shaking comes, that ‘unprecedented unrest’, God will shake everything that can be shaken. This will include everything that has not been established or found to be ‘in Christ’. All will be shaken.

I have been sharing that an ‘unprecedented unrest’ is coming to our nation. Looking at the daily headlines, it is obvious that it has begun and is growing in our nation and throughout the world.

I have shared my concern about believers ‘in Christ’ who will struggle in the time of ‘unprecedented unrest’ because of their lack of spiritual maturity that is the result of knowing (edoi) a lot of information about Christ and the Word of God; but lacking in spiritual maturity because that knowledge(edoi) has not been changed into a living experience (ginosko) in the Lord.

Jesus, in John 17:1-5, NKJV, prayed to His Father, “Father the hour has come, Glorify Your Son , that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life that they many know (ginosko) You, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify me together with Yourself, with the glory I had with You before the world was.”

He continues in verses 14-17 (NKJV), “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Your truth. Your word is truth.

Jesus, continued His prayer for His disciples, and also prayed for those who will come to know(ginosko) Him (John 17:20 NKJV), “I do not pray for these alone but also for those who will believe in Me through their word. ” (That’s us)

Jesus closes His prayer with these words, John 17:25-26 NKJV, “O righteous Father! The world has not known (ginosko)You, but I have known(ginosko) You, and these have known (ginosko) that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it that the love with which You love Me may be in them, and I in them.”

The essence of being born again, is knowing God, the Father and Christ, the Son, as your personal Savior. This is your beginning of being saved; but God’s purpose is for us to mature beyond just being saved here on earth and waiting it out to go to heaven.

When you read Philippians 3, you will see that maturity was Paul’s goal and understanding. Paul ‘presses on’ to know (ginosko) the Lord.

The thrust of the Letter to the Hebrews is to ‘go on’.

Go on to what?

As I have mentioned before, the letters of the New Testament are written to believers to mature them, to come to fulfillment, ‘in Christ’ here on earth.

Let us recall Paul’s words, “… that I might know (ginosko) Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being confirmed to His death. (Philippians 3:10, NKJV)

I understand this statement, Philippians 3:10, to be an equivalent restatement by Paul of Galatians 2:20.

I have been using the word ‘ginosko‘ multiple times in the previous posts and in this one. I have not formally defined the word. I would like to do that now.

In the Spirit Filled Life Bible, the Word Wealth Section for John 8:32 records: know, ginosko (ghin-oce-koe); Strong’s #1097: compare “prognosis”; “gnomic”, “gnomon”, “gnostic”; To perceive, understand, recognize, gain knowledge, realize, come to know. Ginosko is a knowledge that has an inception, a progress, and an attainment. It is the recognition of truth by personal experience.”

Notice the progression: inception, progress, attainment. This presents a progression of growth. There is an implied maturity taking place.. ‘Hearers’ of the Word are becoming ‘Doers’ of the Word. What is taking place? We are Justified (Inception), Sanctified(Progress)–growing into spiritual maturity(teleios),a level of attainment here on earth ,and then glorified (Attainment) in the Presence of the Lord.

We are growing ‘in Christ’ now, as we walk with the Lord.

This is our Father’s purpose for His children.

The last sentence of the definition explains to us how this happens. “It is the recognition of truth by personal experience.” This is what we need to keep before us as we walk with the Lord. This is what is meant when teachers of the Word say that doctrine must become duty. This is what is implied when we are told that what we know objectively (edoi) must be balanced subjectively (ginosko) in our lives so that we can walk in the truth of the Word with the Lord.

We embrace this balance through personal experience . This personal experience is sovereignly applied and/or orchestrated by our loving heavenly Father in our daily lives.

I have been saying that there is coming to our nation a time of ‘unprecedented unrest’.

I suggest that another term for ‘unprecedented unrest’ is God’s Sovereign intervention in the affairs of our nation through tribulation, trial, and testing. I am not referencing moments of inconvenience or momentary uneasiness. I am referring to difficult times. This reminds me of God’s Sovereign intervention for His Chosen nation, Israel, in Egypt.

The scripture has a lot to say about suffering. The New Testament is replete with the role of suffering that matures (teleios) us as believers ‘in Christ’.

This is also true of the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 summarizes their walk of faith; and if you go back and read about their life in the context of the Old Testament you will read about the suffering that they endured and the faithfulness of God working in their lives.

We need to remember and understand that ‘self’ seeks to avoid suffering.

Self is our number one obstacle to following the Lord.

Why? It wants nothing to do with the Cross of Christ.

The truth is that the foundation of the Christian life and growing into maturity (teleios) is by grace through the work of the Cross.

Ask Paul.

Read his letters to the Churches.

Writing to the Corinthian Church, Paul says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise , and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know (ginosko) God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For the Jews request a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. I Corinthians 1:18-25, NKJV) (emphasis mine)

Is “Christ crucified” taught where you assemble with a community of believers?

“Christ crucified” is the foundation of the Christian life for the growth of the Body of Christ.

Jesus said, if you want to be His disciple, a follower of Him, you must learn to deny yourself, reckon your old man dead to sin ‘in Christ’, purposely pickup your cross daily, embrace the work of the cross in your life, and follow Me. (Luke 9:23)

Do those steps characterize your lifestyle? I submit to you, that you will have difficulty embracing situations that bring ‘suffering’ into your life; then the general times of suffering that you encounter and the time of ‘unprecedented unrest’ will be hard for you.

I encourage you not to despair. Jesus said, to His disciples in the upper room, the night He was betrayed, John 14:18 (NKJV), “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

In Ephesians 3:17-19 (Amplified Version), Paul tells the believers, that he prays for them “…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints [God’s people] the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself]. (emphasis mine)

Do you understand what Paul was praying for them?

Paul is praying for their maturity to know God’s love for them, not ‘here say’ knowledge, but ‘real’ knowledge.

Paul is praying that the knowledge they have been given which does not have personal experience (edoi) will become practical personal experience (ginosko) in their spiritual growth.

His desire is for them to experience the fathomless love of God and to be completely filled with God’s Himself.

This knowing (ginosko) is a result of God, Himself, working in our lives, walking with us personally through hard times, sufferings, situations, trials, tribulations, testings, and/or circumstances that mature us into His sons and daughters.

As I have shared previously, there is an ‘unprecedented unrest’ coming to our nation and to the other nations of the world.

The magnitude of this ‘unrest’ will be the Sovereign will of God.

Returning to the Apostle Peter’s words regarding suffering, he speaks this benediction, 1 Peter 5:10-11 NKJV, “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect (will perfect), establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.” (insert mine, from notes in the Study Bible)

I want to close this post with this scripture.

Hebrews 5:7-10, Tree of Life Version, the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews, referring to Jesus says, “In the days of His life on earth, Yeshua offered up both prayers and pleas, with loud crying and tears, to the One able to save Him from death; and He was heard because of His reverence. Though He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered. And once made perfect (greek word is teleios: mature), He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him–called by God Kohen Gadol (high priest) according to the order of Melchizedek.” (inserts mine,)

If Jesus, the Son of God, who took on human flesh, was made perfect (teleios, mature) through suffering, what process do you believe God the Father will use to mature(teleios) us who are His sons and daughters ‘in Christ’ ?

God has an eternal plan. He is working out all things for good who are called according to His purpose. The word, purpose is defined as (The greek word, prothesis, suggests a deliberate plan, a proposition, an advanced plan, an intention, a design.) (See : Romans 8:28-30) Insert, emphasis mine, notes from Spirit Filled Life Bible)

Blessings, a follower of Christ, deo

End of Part 6

TBC

Knowing Is Not Knowing: Edoi Is Not Ginosko

Part 5

I hope that you have taken the opportunity to read the previous 4 blogs in this series. The thought is progressive and has been very repetitive as necessary.

I believe there is a shaking coming to our nation and to the nations of the world.

Am I a doom and gloom prophet? I do not believe so. I will leave that to your opinion. I am certain that the Lord shared with me a few months ago that there would be an ‘unprecedented unrest’. I have seen that unfold since He spoke it. I am also persuaded that the Lord showed me that Psalm 64 outlines what has been, and is, taking place in our nation. In many ways it summarizes a previous set of posts that were composed about our nation being a ‘A Nation Of POW’s’, meaning A Nation Of Prisoners of Words. (emphasis mine)

Please understand that I am not predicting what the outcome of the ‘unprecedented unrest’ will look like. I don’t know. Have I thought about it? absolutely. But we know that our thoughts, and God’s thoughts don’t line up unless He makes them known to us.

Let me proceed.

I have a concern for those who name the name of Christ as their personal Savior. I am not questioning anyone’s salvation. Knowing (edoi) Christ as your personal Savior guarantees your eternal salvation. That is an absolute.

Note: [The inserts of ‘edoi’ or ‘ginosko’ are my inserts throughout this post]

This concern was first made evident to me 40 plus years ago. At that time the Lord impressed upon me that prior to His return there would be a mighty outpouring of His Spirit, and a visitation of God that would leave the world with out excuse regarding the existence of God and the truth of the Gospel message in Christ.

I am becoming convinced that now is the time that I will see the fulfillment of what I believe the Lord showed me many years ago. Part of that knowing (edoi) was that there would be many believers who would need personal care and encouragement when this visitation of God took place because they have not been taught the Word of God in a way that would prepare them for such a visitation. What I am saying is that I am concerned that a lot of the factual knowledge (edoi) believers in Christ have been taught, and have embraced, as spiritual knowledge will be found to be insufficient in their time of trial and tribulation, in the ‘unprecedented unrest’. Factual knowledge (edoi) is not personal relational knowledge (ginosko).

What’s the difference?

Simply put, I have factual knowledge (edoi) that I am a direct descendent of John Cooke who was a passenger on the Mayflower, who survived the brutal beginnings coming to this land; but I do not know (ginosko) him personally, I only know (edoi) about him.

I am not seeking to be judgmental. What I am concerned about is the level of spiritual growth and maturity in the Church. Are we, as believers, solid in our knowledge (ginosko) and experience in walking with the Lord that when a level of ‘unrest’ arises will it disrupt our relationship with the Lord? Or, saying this, another way, if the spiritual atmosphere and/or tension, elevates around us and affects us personally so that the level of stress becomes, in our estimation, too much to cope with, what will we do? how will we react? to whom will we turn?

I am sure that all of us at one time or another have faced stressful situations in our lives. How did you fare going through it? What was your attitude toward God? Did you blame God? Or did you seek God to understand the significance of the ‘unrest’?

Have you ever considered the level of stress the nation of Israel encountered when God brought a series of ten plagues to Egypt? It would not surprise me, at all, that many people in the nation of Israel experienced a high level of anxiety and extreme worry as they lived through those plagues. I wonder what the heart palpitation rate was in the Israeli households the night of the tenth plague? Had they been fully convinced having witnessed the first nine plagues and experiencing the word of God as spoken by Moses to be true, so that they could confidently apply the blood of a lamb to the doorposts of their dwellings, believing, that the death angel would ‘passover‘ them? Israel was living through an ‘unprecedented unrest’ that had come upon them because a new Pharaoh had boasted, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know(edoi) the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” (Exodus 2:2, NKJV) This Pharaoh had no personal knowledge (ginosko) of the God of the Hebrews. And in reality, neither did the nation of Israel at this point in their history. They knew(edoi) enough to cry out to God; but they really did not know(ginosko) Him. That is a major part of the drama surrounding the ten plagues.

God responded to Pharaoh’s boast ‘who is the Lord?” and revealed Himself to Pharaoh, to Egypt, and to Israel. God turned factual knowledge (edoi) into personal knowledge (ginosko) through an ‘unprecedented unrest’.

Does humanity today have a factual knowledge (edoi) of God? Or is God just a concept or idea that is bantered about? Does the Church just know the facts (edoi) about God or does it really have a living relationship based upon a living (ginosko) knowledge?

[I recommend the website, ezraproject.com. Find the title Ginosko–Knowledge that Goes Beyond Information‘ January 24, 2021, please read the article.]

As followers of Christ, I call to your remembrance these words of Jesus’ in Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

This type of interaction has been going on in the world against believers since the time of Christ. The reality is that it has been and is escalating throughout the world. The Church is beginning to experience this type of behavior toward it’s existence being raised to a new heights in our nation.

What if we (you and I) had to ‘live’ out these words? Does the Church have the mental fortitude to walk in that accusatory atmosphere? Am I, are we, is the Church prepared to walk in ‘unprecedented unrest’?

Please read Matthew 24:4-14. Jesus’ words are hard.

Will we be, like His disciples reacted in John 6, when they heard Jesus’ words about ‘eating His flesh and drinking His blood’, say ‘this is hard’, and choose to walk away? [John 6:59-60, NKJV “These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”]

Jesus continued to speak to His disciples other words and eventually the moment came when “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” “Then Jesus turned to the twelve , “Do you also want to go away?” ” (John 6:66-67 NKJV).

What if, as the level of the ‘unrest’ increases, we found ourselves wavering in our commitment, and Jesus turned to us and asked “if we, too, are going to leave? ” What would be your response? I trust that you and I, like Peter, would respond, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, we have come to believe and know (ginosko) that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68 NKJV).

Regarding those who walked away in John 6 Jesus knew that they had not been called by God, the Father.

How do we know (edoi) that?

John 6:64b, NKJV, “For Jesus knew (ginosko) from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.”

When there is ‘unprecedented unrest’ and stressful spiritual challenge, will we be like those to whom the Epistle to the Hebrews was written and contemplate falling away? Or will we be “…anxious for nothing … and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5b-7 NKJV)

What makes the difference?

In Christ, we have peace with God because of our justification by faith through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Roman 5:1) That is our position(edoi) in Christ.

Question: As a believer, have you experienced that positional (edoi)peace experientially(ginosko) in your walk with the Lord as Paul described in Philippians 4:7?

In Philippians 4:5b-7, Paul is saying that peace is not just a factual knowledge (edoi) but also a relational personal experience (ginosko) given to you by the Lord when you need His peace in the trial, the tribulation, the ‘unrest’ that you are walking through and/or experiencing.

This is a lot to comprehend. This is a lot to pray about. But the time in which we are living demands that we be ready in Christ Jesus.

Listen to Jesus’ words to His disciples the night in which He was betrayed. Jesus is preparing them for an ‘unprecedented unrest”. Seeking to quiet their inward ‘unrest’, He says to them, “Indeed the hour is coming , yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me, you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:32-33 NKJV.

Jesus knew that what was about to happen to Him would completely ‘undo’ the disciples personal understanding (edoi)of Him, and whatever personal relationship (ginosko) they thought they had with Him. Their knowing (edoi/ginosko) was going to be severely shaken.

Again, I am NOT saying that true believers will lose their salvation. However, I do believe the ‘unprecedented unrest’ will shake (separate) the false from the true. And I believe that the ‘unrest’ will require that true believers in Christ will undergo a radical change in their mentality to be able to peacefully move forward. For some believers this might be a very hard and a stressful process?

In the midst of this teaching that will unravel the disciples’ understanding, Jesus includes these words, John 14:10 NKJV, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

I would like to schedule a stop here and have you take a reflective break. I recommend that you go back and re-read what you have just read. Maybe you need to prayerfully put your thoughts before the Lord and ask Him for guidance and understanding? A simple prayer might be something like this. Lord, am I ready for a shaking of ‘unprecedented unrest’?

Selah.

I trust that you took a break to think and pray about what you have just read.

Looking backward to 2019-2020, the world had an ‘unprecedented unrest’.

It was called Covid.

Question: Did Covid cause mental stress in your life? How did handle it? cope with it? process it? Did it bring changes in your relationship to the Lord?

On the CBN news app, 11-12-23, I read an article about a theologian who is concerned about the lack of Biblical knowledge among believers. The article was entitled, ‘Biblical Illiteracy’ Harming American Christians’ Understanding of the Old Testament. I want to quote from the article.

“To make his case, Youssef referenced the American Bible Society’s latest State of the Bible survey, which revealed a mere 9% of Americans read their Bibles on a daily basis. Only a quarter of respondents said they open the Scriptures each week. Thirty-eight percent said they never use their Bibles.”

Question: How often do you read the Word of God?

Taking this survey at face value, it is easy for me to justify my concern that professing Christians will have difficulty coping mentally with ‘unprecedented unrest’ in this nation or in any other nations in the world.

Why? If Christians are not availing themselves of reading God’s Word (edoi) then how can they be growing (ginosko) in a personal relationship with the Lord?

I can visualize the following happening in the time of ‘unprecedented unrest’.

I John 2:18-23, NKJV, the Apostle John writes, “Little children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know (edoi) that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest that none of them were of us. [Sounds like John 6 when some of Jesus’ disciples left Him because they said His sayings were hard.] But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know (ginosko) all things. I have not written to you because you do not know (ginosko) the truth, but because you know(ginosko) it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the the Son has the Father also.” (insert mine)

The shaking, the ‘unprecedented unrest’, will reveal who really knows (edoi/ginosko) Christ and who is of the truth.

Can we agree, let the shaking come! It is for the good of the Body of Christ.

Jesus said, “You shall know(ginosko) the truth and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32 NKJV

To whom did Jesus speak these words?

John 8:31-32, NKJV, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed (edoi) in Him. If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know(ginosko) the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

You may be pondering? Ok, you say that a shaking is coming. You are saying that it will separate those who falsely say they know the Lord from those who really do know the Lord. Then what is your concern, deo?

Let me strongly say again.

I am not saying a person will lose their salvation. The ‘unrest’ will shake out the false from the true.

But understand this principle, it will also shake out what is false in a true believer.

What am I saying?

Is the Body of Christ mature in its relationship with the Lord to experience a season of hardship that will probably be harder than most Christians have had to personally experience in their Christian life? And that includes me.

Have I, has the Church, grown in its discipleship ‘in Christ’ to weather a storm of ‘unprecedented unrest’?

Why am I presenting this concern? Because, I am concerned for my fellow believers(edoi) in Christ, who have walked with Him, served Him, and ministered to others, who, when their daily life as a believer faces a serious challenge, wonder how they will respond? Do they have a solid experiential ‘knowing’ (ginosko) of Christ as their personal Savior beyond just being saved? And, if these same Christians are not spending time in the Word of God, I believe that will greatly impede their ability to face ‘unprecedented unrest’.

I ask, are we, the Ekklesia, the Body of Christ, the Church, mature enough in the Lord (have we embraced the process of discipleship or have we ignored the process of discipleship?) to be prepared for the coming tribulation/trial of ‘unprecedented unrest’?

That is meant to be a wake up call. A reality check. What I am implying is that church as we know it may not be church as usual; but a church that is going to be different because of ‘unprecedented unrest’.

We may experience Hebrews 10:23-25 (NKJV), “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

In a time of ‘unprecedented unrest’, the previous verses may take on a whole new, different dynamic and significance.

I know Jesus as my Savior (edoi). I seek to know (ginosko) Him as my Lord.

The bulk of the New Testament was written to believers for their instruction in personal growth to walk with Jesus as Lord and to become mature in Christ here on earth before they go to heaven.

Is it possible to spend so much time emphasizing being saved, and maintaining one’s salvation, that a believer does not grow and properly mature ‘in Christ’ according to our Father’s purpose?

I believe the answer to that is yes.

I encourage you to read Philippians 3. The thrust of Paul’s encouragement and exhortation is “…I press on…”

Are you ‘pressing on’?

Why am I concerned? It comes from what I believe the Lord showed me 40 plus years ago, that in a heightened visitation of the manifest Presence of God, there would be many believers who would be shaken in their relationship to the Lord because they would be experiencing and witnessing things they were not prepared to comprehend.

I am concerned for believers, who love Christ, but will need help to get through the ‘unprecedented unrest’, i.e. the tribulation, the trial, the distress, the uncertainty…whatever comes, as that ‘unrest’ becomes a daily experience and expectancy.

It sounds daunting; but the Lord in His grace has been preparing a people to stand in the gap and help these believers in their time of need.

I am convinced that the Lord has been preparing many believers that will be ready to help struggling believers in the Body of Christ. Those who will need someone to put their arm around them and help them through the turbulent times.

That is what family ‘is’, and that is what family ‘does’.

It may be that you, who are reading this post, will bear witness to what I have just said, and will be used mightily by the Lord to come alongside a struggling believer (family member) in the ‘unprecedented unrest’.

As I said previously, in Part 3, of this series, the Epistle to the Hebrews is as relevant to the Christian community today as it was then to the Hebraic community.

Today’s Christian community must hear, embrace, and resolve to remain steadfast in the midst of the ‘unprecedented unrest’.

Hebrews 12:25-29, NKJV, says, “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised , saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” Now this, ‘Yet once more’, indicates the removal of those things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” (emphasis mine)

There will be a shaking; but we abide in a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. (emphasis mine)

This post is entitled, KNOWING IS NOT KNOWING: EDOI IS NOT GINOSKO.

And so, I summarize my concern. Is it possible for a believer to have a lot of knowledge about the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word (edoi) and have a minimal personal, experiential knowledge (ginosko) regarding the understanding of God’s Word?

I believe the answer to that question is yes.

Simply put, we can be saved and posses a lot of factual knowledge(edoi) about who Christ (edoi) is, which is a positional understanding of our salvation, and not have a practical, understanding of the teachings, the doctrine, and the Word of God experientially (ginosko). In short, what we know(edoi), we have not experienced. We have a lot of objective understanding with little or no subjective understanding that has become real life to us in our walk with Christ. What you have been taught is not false; but it hasn’t been made alive to you. Again, it’s factual, but not part of your Christian life experience. That does not negate your salvation but it reflects not having grown in your relationship with the Lord.

How does the transition from ‘edoi’ to ‘ginosko’ take place? By the work of the Cross.

Question: Have you grown as a disciple of Christ by just listening( hearer ) to the Word of God? Or, have you become a doer of the Word that you have been taught, applying and obediently seeking to live God’s Word to the extent that you become disciplined by that Word? Is the reality of your Christian maturity based upon your obedience to God’s Word making it an integral part of your daily life?

Jesus said If you want to be My disciple and follow Me, you must deny yourself, and choose to take up your cross daily, then follow Me. That is what a disciple must do. When you faithfully do that the principle of the cross is applied to your life. You deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. That following begins with being immersed in His Word. The Word will center you in Christ. The Spirit of God will apply that Word to you as you follow the Lord. What is worked into your life is what Paul preached, ‘Christ crucified’.

What I am sharing is the reality of Jesus’ words to the Jews who had believed in Him, when He said to them, “If you abide in My word (edoi), you are My disciples, and you shall know (ginosko) the truth (Objective Doctrine) and the truth(Subjective Duty) shall make you free.”

Some of you may be saying, you are being too repetitive, I get it. Good, that’s edoi, you have heard the facts; now ask the Lord to make it real in your daily life, that’s ginosko. Ask the Lord to change your objective teaching into subjective doing. Let your ‘doctrine’ become ‘duty’. Live what you have learned, that’s discipleship.

The Apostle Paul said to the Ephesian Christians, “Therefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus(edoi) and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (edoi), the eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that you may know(ginosko) what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” Ephesians 1:15-19 NKJV

What did Paul share with us about how God did this in his life?

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach among the Gentiles…” Galatians 1:15-16a, NKJV

Guess what? This is what the Father wants to do in each of us, His children. He wants to “reveal His Son” in you. God wants to change what you know (edoi) and make it alive (ginosko) in you. Revealing His Son in You becomes the witness of Christ through you to a darkened world.

On the evening of His betrayal, Jesus said to His disciples in the Upper Room, “A little while longer and world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. And that day you will know(ginosko) that I am in My Father and you in Me, and I in you. He who has my commandment (edoi) and keeps them (ginosko), it is the one who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest to him.” John 14:19-21 NKJV.

Note: definition of manifest: cause to shine, to appear, come into view, reveal, exhibit, make visible, present oneself to the sight of another...emphanidzo is the self-revelation of Jesus to believers. A secondary meaning of the word is to declare, make known(Acts 23:15, 22; 24:1;25:2,15). [Spirit Filled Life Bible, Word Wealth 14:21 manifest, emphanidzo (em-fan-id-zoe) Strong’s #1718].

What did Jesus just tell them? The Father and the Son desire to make themselves personally known to you, not just knowing about them (edoi) but experiencing them personally (ginosko).

I want to stop here and encourage you to pray and think through your relationship with the Lord.

Ask the Lord to take what you know (edoi) about God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and ask God to give you a spirit of wisdom and understanding to know them in a more personal way (ginosko).

May the Lord richly bless you as seek the Him, a brother in Christ, deo

end of Part 5

TBC

a brother in Christ, deo

Part 5 has been long, and probably for some very tedious. However, I encourage you to consider the importance of having an ‘up-to-date dynamic’, living relationship with the Lord that transcends just hearing about him, but actually results in fellowshipping with Him on a daily basis. We need Him. He will be our refuge in the midst of the storm of ‘unprecedented unrest’.

Remember, Christ is our Ark, and the Ark rode out the storm.

Does Tribulation mean Tension?

Part 4

In October of 2022, I published the following post. I am re-publishing it now in light of what is transpiring in our nation and throughout the other nations of the world.

Does tribulation Mean Tension?

Answer: Of course it does! Now what?

In the post, Habakkuk’s Headlines, it concluded with Jesus’ words spoken to His disciples in the upper room. Jesus said, (John 16:33, NKJV), “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me, you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Jesus statement summarizes His words spoken to His disciples in the upper room prior to His arrest the night He was betrayed.

His arrest would accelerate the tension that His ministry had created between Himself and the religious Jewish leaders.

In human terms, Jesus was walking a path of no return. He had been walking that pathway since His Incarnation. That pathway would lead Him to Calvary. There He would be crucified on a cross. On that cross He would die, be put into a grave, and that grave would have a large stone rolled across its entrance so that His body would be sealed in the grave. In essence His life and ministry is over.

But, His death, burial, and a sealed tomb, would not, and could not terminate His life. In actuality, all of this, would only create the framework from which Jesus would be resurrected from the dead just as He had said. Matthew 17:22-23, NKJV, “Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.”

What had transpired during His years of ministry had been a succession of events that caused a growing of tension that was fraught with trials and temptations. His tribulation was great; but His resurrection was glorious.

Hear the Word of the Lord. Hebrews 12:1-2,(NKJV), “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:3-4 NKJV, continues, “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Your have not yet resisted to blood shed, striving against sin.”

For fear that we become complacent in our walk with the Lord, Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 4:12-19 NKJV, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part His glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murdered, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

Question: Are we ready for what is coming?

Let us reflect upon these words found in Hebrews 13:10-16, (NKJV). “We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore, Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him (where?) outside the camp, (for what purpose) bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (inserts mine)

This is the type of lifestyle we are to be living as believers in Christ Jesus. This lifestyle is not a religious organization. It is the Body of Christ functioning by the Spirit of God, according to Word of God, of Whom Christ is the Head.

Are we prepared to “bear His reproach”? meaning am I willing to be disgraced for the name of Christ, to be joined to His sufferings.

Change is coming. Our religious endeavors are going to shaken and judged; and we are going to have to leave the camp(of religion) and join ourselves to Jesus outside the religious camp. (insert mine) (Hebrews 13:13)

This will cause upheaval and misunderstanding. But it a necessary change that is coming to the church.

Prior to the Passover week when Jesus was crucified, He had raised His friend Lazarus from the dead. Jesus is coming to raise His Church from the dead. Consider the words of the Apostle Paul written to the believers in Ephesus. Ephesians 5:8-21 (NKJV).

“For you were once darkness, but NOW you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for what makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” (emphasis mine)

Between the raising of Lazarus from the dead and Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover the religious leaders had “plotted to put Him to death”. (John 11:53, NKJV).

We know that Christ’s death was planned from eternity passed before the foundation of the world. See Ephesians 1:3-14. Verse 3, NKJV, says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…(vs 7), In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…”.

Question: Is there tension in the world? in our nation? in our family relationships? Absolutely. As Jesus faced His crucifixion, He was totally aware of the tension, tribulation, and trial He was going to personally face. What other conclusion could we assume based upon what He said in John 16:32-33, (NKJV).

“Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

These words were spoken to His disciples the night in which He was betrayed. As we have remembered He was arrested, then mocked and ridiculed, questioned by Pilate, sentenced to death, and subsequently crucified. When the tensions, tribulations, and trials come, how will you react to the pressure of the moment? Will you scatter as the disciples did? will you deny Christ as Peter did? or will you overcome in the hour of your tribulation, trouble, and suffering?

Prior to His betrayal, Jesus had taken His disciples to the garden of Gethsemane. There He asked Peter, James, and John to come with Him to the place where He wanted to pray. The other disciples He left behind in the garden. He asked Peter, James, and John to wait for Him as He went to His place of prayer. There the Lord poured out His soul to the Father. There we witness the Son of Man crying out to His Heavenly Father asking if the cup that He was being asked to drink could be removed; but Jesus knew that it was not a matter of what He wanted or willed to have happen, but what was the Father’s will for Him. Three times He petitioned the His Father, and three times, He resigned Himself to His Father’s will, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42, NKJV)

But what about the disciples, especially Peter, James, and John? Did they watch as Jesus had asked them? No, they slept. Is the Church watching, or is it asleep? It is time for the Church to wake up, and be the Church. The Lord is coming to awaken, stir, shake, and judge His Church, as necessary, to prepare His Church in these last days, for the propagation of the Gospel.

Read Matthew 24:4-51. Matthew 24: 12-14, NKJV, says, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (emphasis mine).

It’s time. Change is coming.

The prophet Isaiah said to God’s people, “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Isaiah 60:1-3, NKJV)

Revelation 12:10-12 (NKJV), “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” (emphasis mine)

I John 5:4-5, (NKJV), For whatever is born of God, overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believe that Jesus is the Son of God?

As tribulation in our nation and the world increases, the tension that is created will increase too. B.U.T. (Believer Understand This), in Christ, we can be of good cheer. Why? Because Jesus said, “I have overcome the world” and we too overcome because as believers we are in Him.

Arise and shine, Church!

Be encouraged with these words. Jesus said, John 14:27-28 (NKJV).

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you: not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither, let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, I am going away and coming back to you. If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I am going to the Father, for My Father is greater than I.”

As the words of the song says, “There is a place of quiet rest, Near to the heart of God. A place where sin can not molest, Near to the heart of God. O, Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the heart of God, Hold us who wait before Thee, near to the heart of God.” [Composer: Cleveland B. McAfee (1866-1944)]

Let us press into the Lord as we embrace for the coming tension amidst the unprecedented unrest.

In the midst of the unrest, we find rest and refuge in Christ.

blessings, a brother in Christ, deo

end of Part 4

TBC

Mentally Adjusting To The Coming ‘Shaking’

Part 3

Matthew 24 begins innoxiously with the disciples showing Jesus the Temple. Jesus responds with this answer, (Matthew 24:2 NKJV), “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Jesus’ answer is going to cause these disciples to mentally adjust whatever thinking they were processing. I believe that, we too, in the Church will be adjusting our mental outlook regarding what we will be going through in the coming months.

Whoa! I wonder how the disciples processed Jesus’ response? Well, we don’t have to wonder very much, because, the narrative in Matthew tells us that Jesus, sitting on the Mount of Olives, is approached by His disciples, and they verbalize what they have been processing, having heard His response. (Matthew 24:3-4 NKJV) “They came to him privately, saying, Tell us when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus’ answer has prompted a lot of thought and discussion about end-times.

The disciples questions are probably similar to the same sort of questions many of us may be processing as we contemplate the ‘unprecedented unrest’ in our world [today]. Matthew 24:4-31, provides us with answers to the disciples questions and food for thought for our own questions. In these verses, Jesus foretells of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Interwoven throughout His explanation, He outlines the ‘unrest’ that will accompany this devastating event. [insert mine]

Quoting the Spirit-Filled Life Bible, the commentary says regarding Matthew 24:4-14 (NKJV), “In warning the disciples against false signs, Jesus sketches the prevailing conditions of their present age down to the very end and states their continuing task. There will be religious deception, social and political upheavals, natural calamities, disloyalty, and persecution (all prevalent in our world today)-all of which are precursors of the end times (things we are asking ourselves about). In the midst of the difficulties, the Lord’s followers are to persevere in the spreading of the gospel (Matthew 24:14). (inserts mine).

In Matthew 24:29-51, Jesus instructs His disciples (and now us) about His second coming. His second coming has been alluded too in the previous verses 4-28; but in Matthew 24:29(NKJV), Jesus dramatically states these words: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be ‘shaken‘.” (emphasis mine) (inserts mine)

Let’s think about things being ‘shaken‘. If God began to ‘shake‘ things up today, how would the world respond? how would I respond? how would you respond? how would the Church respond? (emphasis mine)

Would it impact your mentality? Is the Church prepared for such a shaking?

Was,( my, your), the Church’s experience with COVID a ‘time of shaking‘( in my, in your), in the Church’s daily lifestyle? Yes it was! How were you affected? What did you go through mentally? What mentally did you have to adjust too? What did you learn regarding your relationship to the Lord during this ‘time of unprecedented unrest’?

Bear with me, I visualize God shaking things up. I believe Psalm 64, written by David in a time of personal “unrest”, shares his lament before the Lord, and then he is buoyed by what he has envisioned as God’s intervention. I believe the Lord has used this psalm to show me what has been occurring in our nation and what the Lord intends to do in our nation miraculously, intervening, to bring about change and revelation of Himself. There will be a great shaking.

Before the return of Christ, God is going to Sovereignly intervene in the affairs of humanity to make Himself known to the world. Things will be ‘shaken up’. I believe that God’s A.R.R.O.W. will be, A Righteous Revelation Of Wrong-doing. God will expose the darkness (Ephesians 5) that has incarcerated this nation; He will bring judgment where judgment is needed; and at the same time He is going to pour forth His Holy Spirit so that a great revival is going to take place simultaneously and ‘be’ the result of His intervention in this nation and in the world. “…But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20b-21 NKJV). This is already happening in the world and in places in our nation. There will be signs and wonders. (It is happening now.) Humanity will have no excuse for not believing that God exists and that He loves His creation of mankind, detests sin and will judge it. That is why the message of the gospel is so important. Christ, went to the cross and took the wrath of God against sin (judgement) for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (saved in Christ). (emphasis mine) (inserts mine)

The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to a Hebraic Christian community prior to 70 A.D., before the destruction of Jerusalem. Why was this Epistle written? It appears from the tenor and content of the Epistle that many in the Hebraic Christian community were on the brink of renouncing their Christian faith. Evidently, the ‘unprecedented unrest’ was pressuring them to consider quitting.

Is that possible today? Considering the time in which we are living, if the ‘unrest’ in our nation became such that it was overwhelming to us, might we consider turning away from the Lord?

In John 6, Jesus spoke the crowds and His disciples about Him being the Bread of Heaven. He talked about eating His flesh and drinking His blood (John 6:41-58), John 6:59 NKJV records, “These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.”

How did His disciples respond to these words? Continuing in John 6:60-69(NKJV), the scripture says, “Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying who can understand it?” When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend (cause you to stumble) you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. but there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by the Father. From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” ” (insert mine) (emphasis mine)

I contend that the Epistle to the Hebrews is as relevant today for the Christian community as it was then to the Hebraic community.

I contend that there is a truth that the Christian community must hear, process, and mentally adjust too, to go forward in the Lord, especially in times of stress.

Let me say it this way, todays Christian community must adjust themselves mentally to remain steadfast in the midst of ‘unprecedented unrest’.

Remember Jesus’ word to His disciples in John 16:33, NKJV, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (emphasis mine)

What is He referring too? May I state it this way? That night in the Upper Room, He was telling them that things were going to dramatically change; they would experience ‘unprecedented unrest’; but, He also assured them that He had not forgotten them, and that He would care for them, and that the Holy Spirit would come and be their Comforter.

John 14:15-18 NKJV, Jesus tells His disciples in the Upper Room, “If you love Me keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever–the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither see Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (emphasis mine)

Did the disciples experience stress the night Jesus was betrayed, arrested, processed as a criminal, beat, whipped, scourged, maligned, humiliated, pronounced guilty, struggled up to Calvary and crucified? Absolutely, they scattered. We know John was at the cross. The others fulfilled Jesus’ words to them, when He told them “…that the hour was coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” John 16:32 NKJV.

And then He speaks these words of encouragement and assurance,

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NKJV. (emphasis mine)

Hebrews 12:25-29 (NKJV) says, “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much-more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice the shook the earth (Exodus 19); but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, ‘Yet once more’, indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” (emphasis mine)

There will be a shaking! (emphasis mine)

In the middle of Jesus’ answer to His disciples about their questions regarding the coming destruction of the Temple, His coming, and the end of age, He says, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world (that includes the flood in Noah’s day) , until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22 NKJV) (insert mine)

What a promise! We must learn to take refuge in Him, as Noah, and his family took refuge in the ark.

God may ‘rock the boat’, but we have an Ark that rides out the storm.

Why? Christ is our Ark. In fact, He can walk on the water during the storm.

end of Part 3

a brother in Christ, deo

Mentally Moving On!

Part 2

Assuming that you read Matthew 24 and 25, let us now ‘mentally’ move on.

In Matthew 24, it begins with Jesus’ disciples asking Him an innoxious question. They are making what seems like an insignificant observation. They “came up to show Him the buildings of the Temple.”(Matthew 24:1, NKJV). However, Jesus’ response was exceedingly more than they bargained for or expected. Jesus tells them about the coming destruction of the Temple; the turmoil and tribulation at the end of the age; and the ongoing propagation of the Gospel unto the ends of the earth. In Matthew 25, He discusses what to expect and how to prepare yourself until He comes again.

Matthew 24:14 (NKJV), Jesus says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Is the church functioning as a witness in the earth today? Depends on what you are observing God doing in the nations of the world. God is at work. Are you aware of the revival in Nicaragua ? (November 2023) (emphasis mine)

Many believe this ‘unprecedented unrest’ is spear-heading the prophetic end- time events that will usher in the return of Christ. (Question: Who really knows when the gospel has been preach as a witness to all the nations? Answer, only God, the Father-see Matthew 24:36.

All that we are witnessing is certainly moving us forward toward the return of Christ. All history has been doing that. In light of this, what should be our mental outlook regarding the events we are witnessing? What are you witnessing in your spirit? What is dominating your thinking?

Paul writing to the church at Ephesus, explains how we are to live in times of unrest. He writes, (Ephesians 5:6-21 NKJV), “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says, ‘Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.‘ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.”

Well, that is a study in itself; and I would recommend that study to you. It is a study that will rearrange your mindset toward the world in which we are living today. We are living in gross darkness as a nation. As believers we are to be light. Am I, are we, is the Church functioning as Paul has instructed the believers in Ephesus? Is this my, our, the Church’s mentality?

Not taking lightly what we just read, I do want us to consider this real possibility in our nation. It is a serious thought. It is one that has been considered in previous posts.

The question is this: In the midst of the ‘unprecedented unrest’, am I prepared to take refuge in the Lord? The psalms speak very poignantly about finding refuge in the Lord in time(s) of trouble. Am I saying there will be times of trouble? It would not surprise me. What kinds of trouble? That, I do not know; but based upon Psalm 64, I visualize God’s direct intervention in the affairs of this nation and the world. His intervention will be such that those who have meant harm and destruction to this nation are going to be exposed and dealt with by God. I have written a post about this and what I believe the Lord has shown me regarding Psalm 64 entitled, The A.A.R.O.W. of God. I recommend it to you so that you have an understanding of what I am implying. (it can be found at livingwordsofencouragment.com)

Psalm 64:7-10 (NKJV), “But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded. So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; All who see them shall flee away. All men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust (find refuge) in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.” (insert mine)

I recommend that you read Psalm 64, Psalm 62:1-12 and Psalm 46:1-11 .

end of Part 2

TBC

a brother in Christ, deo