The longest train ever recorded in history was the Australian BHP Iron Ore. The cars behind it stretched approximately 4.6 miles. To provide some mind-boggling perspective here's what one train-fanatic wrote,
“Driven by a single driver, the line’s 99,734-ton and 682-car train was able to carry 82,000 tons (181 million pounds) of iron ore. The Australian BHP Iron Ore can fit about 24 Eiffel Towers…The weight of this train being the same as about 402 Statues of Liberty.”
Trains are impressive heavy-haulers, but only under the right conditions. On the tracks they’ll whistle while they work but once they’re derailed— they only whistle. Trains don’t work without tracks.
Paul would make an interesting appeal to the saints who met at the infant church family in Thessalonica. He asks that they pray for the powerful gospel to have a straight path so it could move quickly. His exact words were,
“pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified…”
2 Thess. 3.1b
In a simple yet inspired prayer request a practical and profound implication steps out of subtlety— Prayerlessness will hinder the furtherance of the gospel.
Based on this text, the content of congregational prayers may be in need of careful inspection. Reevaluating your evangelistic ministries, online presence, visibility in the community, advertising efforts, kingdom expenditures, and even the dynamics the worship service— all must fall below the prayer line on the priority list.
While Paul was writing to the Thessalonians, God was writing to the rest of us. He reminds us that this request should ring in the prayers of His congregations today. The written petition by itself informs the modern church that this is something that God is willing and able to do for us, He would just have us ask. The powerful gospel needs prayer— like a train needs tracks.
A 21st century church member may occasionally think
The gospel doesn’t seem to be as convicting in my community. It works just fine in other parts of the world, and it worked well in the past— but not so much here and now.
More Reasons Can Be Found
Here: James 4.2-3 Here: Matthew 21.22 And Here: Ephesians 6.19-20
FILLING IN FOR DALE THIS WEEK AS HE AND JANELLE WERE BUSY WITH THIS:
Jude Mitchell Pollard (born 8/20/23)
Neal Pollard
Luke shows us two demonstrations of Jesus’ power as He traverses the roads and villages of the northern half of Palestine during the early part of His public ministry. These show the diversity of Jesus’ work, even what He did simultaneously. This ultimate example of “multi-tasking” was performed for two situations that were about as opposite of each other as could be. Notice some of these contrasts in Luke 7:1-17:
The Centurion’s Servant
The Widow’s Son
The Centurion reaches out to Jesus (3)
Jesus reaches out to the widow (12-13)
The Centurion was already convinced of His power
The widow was seemingly oblivious to His power
The Centurion was rich and powerful (2,5,8)
A widow with no children had no prospect (12)
The servant is about to die (2)
The son is dead already (12)
Jesus marveled at the man’s faith (9)
Jesus felt compassion for the grieving mother (13)
The Centurion was a Gentile
Nain, a Galilean city, would be Jewish (12)
Jesus healed the servant from afar (6-10)
Jesus touched the coffin and raised the son (14)
Nothing is said of the people’s reaction (10)
The crowd fears and glorifies God (16-17)
Yet, Jesus is the thread that holds them both together. Whether He is responding to the faith of a devout Roman or responding to the grief of an indigent widow, He knew He could help and He was willing. He knew He had something to offer they could not find anywhere else. He is willing and able to transform sorrow into celebration. These events serve to spread good news about Him all around Him (17). People may not yet understand who He is, but these actions let them know He was no ordinary man or rabbi. Those in the funeral procession say, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” And, “God has visited His people!” (16). As glowing a tribute as this was, they didn’t yet grasp the full picture of Jesus. But, they knew He was special.
I think about the diverse people we see and know every day. They are black and white, young and old, male and female, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, natives and transplants. Perhaps you can take two people in your circle of influence and make up a column of contrasts like the one above. Despite their differences, they will be united by one significant thing. They need what only Jesus can give, and He can certainly give it to them. Whether they are actively seeking Him or unaware of their need of Him, you and I can forever change their life and circumstance when we introduce them to Jesus. May God help us to do that for someone today!
The name is derived from a Greek word meaning “human-eater.”
In the movie 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea there’s a scene where one of the main characters finds himself on an island in the middle of the ocean. Suspense begins to build as he hears the faint sound of bongo drums beating in the distance and that sound becomes louder and steadily closer. Suddenly, out of the jungle line a large group of spear-wielding cannibalistic natives appear and they’re running right at the protagonist. They chase the poor man across the beach and he barely escapes by the skin of his teeth.
That scene was terrifying and it even instilled in me this irrational fear of cannibals, even though they’re rare here in Tompkinsville Kentucky.
Did You Know?
In the 1830s, European explorers came to the Fiji islands and they were horrified to discover the local custom of cannibalism. In my humble opinion, exploration is just not worth a run in with human-eating humans. Today, there are allegedly isolated tribes in the most remote places that still partake in the practice of plating people.
Fear Is Natural
We all fear something! The one who claims to be fearless is afraid to admit or confront their fear. Fear isn’t wrong; it’s actually natural. We’re supposed to have a healthy fear of the Lord (Job 28:28) and Solomon discusses the natural fear of death in Ecclesiastes. Facing fear is a noble thing but it only truly matters in a spiritual sense.
The Fear of Truth
A common phobia in our world today seems to be the fear of truth itself. Many in the Lord’s church know family members and friends who have refused to listen and act on the truth found in God’s Word. They’re afraid to give up the teachings taught to them by their families or the religious groups they grew up in. They’re afraid that the truth requires them to give up a sin they tightly hold on to and the sacrifice which is required to follow Christ.
The Power of Truth
The gospel of John is all about truth. In it we learn that Jesus is the only way to heaven— and that’s the truth (John 14:6, 17:17). Though confronting that truth might occasionally make us fearful, we must show others that it also has the power to free and cleanse us of our past and future sins. We must teach through our actions, daily lives, and yes, by inviting them to look at this great truth in Bible study.
As Christians it can be easy to lose sight of what our purpose is now that we have been justified through Christ. We are offerings to God. Romans 11:36 says, “from God and through God everything exists.” Now present your bodies a living sacrifice to THAT God. So that your life is acceptable to THAT God. Renew your mind so that you will prove what the will of God is.
You know when you buy toys for your kids or grandkids often times on the package in fine print are these words, “Batteries not included.” Do you know what that means? It means that you get the toy, but the power to make it work is not included. That is not the kind of gift that God gives. God’s gift of holiness includes the power of the fullness of the Holy Spirit – the power to make it work.
We are different from the rest of the world (Rom. 12:2). I am not an offering to me.
A sacrifice is “an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy.” What is worthy of your sacrifice? What is worth the sacrifice of your life? For way too many in the world it’s not God and I’m convinced it’s because they just don’t understand who HE is.
Will I sacrifice my life to my job? My spouse? Family? Who is it that is worthy of my soul? If any of those things pull you away from the One that holds your breath and life in your hand and determines your eternal destination, you’ve made a costly and foolish mistake. A truly faithful christian is one that lives as an offering to God.
God offers us something that nothing in this world can, He offers transformation that prepares us to be in His presence. God knows what we need and He has offered it.
I found some advice for those of you that are married, what not to buy your wife…Don’t buy clothing that involves sizes. The chances are one in seven thousand that you will get her size right, and your wife will be offended the other 6999 times. Avoid all things useful. No mops, brooms, Clorox wipes, etc.
Don’t buy jewelry. The jewelry your wife wants, you can’t afford. And the jewelry you can afford, she doesn’t want. Finally, don’t spend too much. “How do you think we’re going to afford that?” she’ll ask. But don’t spend too little. She won’t say anything, but she’ll think, “Is that all I’m worth?”
Unlike shopping for your wife, God knows exactly what we need. He knows our struggles. He knows our battle with sin, so He offered salvation. So will we recognize who we are and what God has done to make us who we are today?
Timothy is working with an infant congregation in the 1st century. Persecution makes life fearful for the faithful but Timothy’s obstacles are both external and internal. On the outside he faces pagan people, jealous Jews, and the sword swinging soldiers of Rome.
On the inside, the Christians who make up this young congregation are being led and taught by a young man— Timothy. He battles self-doubt and a lack of confidence in his own abilities. To top it off, his mentor is in prison.
Paul perfectly pens the inspired words that would lift young Timothy’s spirit by reminding him that the human spirit was designed to handle and persevere under such daunting circumstances. Paul writes (from a cell),
“God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1.7
The spirit (πνεῦμα) referred to here is not the Holy Spirit, but it’s the “disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one” (Strongs, G4154).
God did not give us the spirit of skittishness so that we’d cower under confrontation or burn out under prospects of suffering.
Holiness amidst hostility is an ability that comes standard on the base model human spirit. It’s not a possibility, it’s a guarantee.
Power
We’re equipped with power (δύναμις) that is, “inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature” (Strongs, G1410).
Love
That aggressive strength is powerfully combined with love (ἀγάπη). In this case the word refers to an affection or good will towards others (Strongs, G26). The God given spirit is not heartless. We have the power to show affection yet some chose to pretend as if their personalities are simply not capable of showing this attribute.
Self-control
A sound mind (σωφρονισμός) is simply the ability to control yourself (Strongs, G4995).
We share a commonality with Paul’s protégé. Some have tried to cheapen and downgrade the human race, God’s focal point of creation, to an animalistic status. It’s taught by educated but ignorant scholars who try to deny an undeniable God.
We’ve been fashioned in the image of an eternal Being and our spirits drive an immortal soul. We aren’t designed to live in a constant state of timidity we’re creations of courage.
Courage is not the absence of a fearful feeling but it’s the ability to face that fear— and move forward.
From 1 Samuel 15.12–28, we observe the following. After erecting a monument to himself at Carmel, Saul met Samuel at Gilgal. Saul greeted Samuel and proclaimed he had done as God commanded. Given Saul was supposed to destroy the Amalekites, Samuel questioned why he could hear the bleating of sheep and the lowing of oxen. Saul justified his actions, stating that only the best livestock were spared for sacrifices while he had destroyed the rest.
Saul faced a stern rebuke from Samuel, who reminded him of his humble origins and God’s directive to annihilate the Amalekites. Samuel emphasized Saul’s disobedience in seizing the spoils, a direct violation of God’s command. Saul defended himself, insisting that he had obeyed God and completed his mission, shifting the blame onto the people for preserving the best livestock for sacrifices.
In response, Samuel delivered a profound message, declaring that obedience to God’s instructions outweighs the value of sacrifices. Saul’s insubordination and rebellion were exposed and equated with divination, a grave sin. Samuel announced that since Saul had rejected God’s word, God had reciprocated by rejecting Saul’s kingship.
Saul confessed his transgression and pleaded for mercy, admitting that he succumbed to public pressure out of fear. He begged Samuel for forgiveness and expressed his desire to worship God. However, in his refusal, Samuel asserted that because Saul had dismissed God’s word, God had rescinded Saul’s kingship. As Samuel left, Saul desperately grabbed at his robe, tearing it. According to Samuel, this symbolized God stripping Saul of his kingship in favor of a more deserving ruler.
The narrative of King Saul, serving as a potent cautionary tale about pride and disobedience, hinges on two pivotal events in the books of Samuel. Samuel credits Saul’s humble beginnings with his initial rise to kingship (v. 17). 1 Samuel 15.17–19 records Samuel’s critical observations, hinting at a drastic character shift with grave repercussions. Samuel’s inquiries into Saul’s behavior, which underscore his failure to carry out God’s command to exterminate the Amalekites, highlight a drastic deviation from obedience and the principles that initially defined his character.
In 1 Samuel 13.8–14, we encounter the first instance reflecting Saul’s shifting attitude. In haste, he performs the sacrifice, a task designated for priests. This incident glaringly showcases Saul’s audacious belief that he could usurp responsibilities not assigned to him and his flagrant disregard for God’s laws and timing. This choice sets a precedent for Saul’s subsequent disobedience, eventually losing his kingship and favor with God.
The second occurrence in 1 Samuel 15 provides deeper insight into Saul’s transformation. Saul brazenly disregards God’s command, sparing King Agag and the choicest livestock. His rationale that He intends to use the animals for sacrifice underscores his presumption that his judgment surpasses God’s. This act of rebellion exhibits Saul’s tendency to place his will before God’s and to rationalize his wrongdoings. These actions further strain his already deteriorating relationship with God.In conclusion, the story of King Saul serves as a potent reminder of the dangers of misusing power. While Saul’s story begins with him as a reluctant leader who exhibits humility, his rise to power ultimately results in his fall. The Bible does not inherently vilify power, but its misuse, as manifested in Saul’s arrogance and disobedience, is sternly critiqued. His downfall offers a stark lesson in humility, obedience, and the responsible use of power, contrasting his actions with those of subsequent faithful kings. The story’s moral underscores the need for humility, obedience, and respect for the law, regardless of one’s position of power. It teaches that no one should consider themselves above God’s laws that He has entrusted them to uphold.
Inevitably, every congregation of God’s people has an overriding emphasis. It’s probably the thing that the community, if it knows about them, associates them with. It could be the thing that the entire brotherhood associates them with. It’s almost certainly the thing those who attend there understand it to be. The same is true of you and me. It’s true of our families, our marriages, and our individual selves. Something is so important in our lives that it is what people think of when they think of us. What is that? What should it be?
Corinth had developed a reputation, as Chloe’s household reported, for quarreling (1:12). That was a problem! Paul is writing this letter, in part, to help them right the ship and move in the proper direction (1:10). How did he propose to do that?
WHAT NOT TO EMPHASIZE
Superiority Of Speech (1)–This was not going to help. His goal was proclaiming to them the testimony of God. Saying it in high, lofty ways would be a hindrance rather than a help. The remedy was much, much simpler.
Human Wisdom (1)–He has already told them why this was counterproductive. Human wisdom led to thinking the cross of Christ is foolish (1:22-23). Two, the “foolishness” of God (1:21) was wiser than men (1:25). Third, not many who are wise according to the flesh answer God’s call (1:26). Fourth, God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise (1:27). Fifth, Jesus became wisdom from God to us (1:30). So often, the foundation of man’s capacity to understand and function from that understanding is faulty. Logic, reasoning, and understanding devoid of God’s wisdom is destined to destroy and divide.
Persuasive Words Of Wisdom (4-5)–If human wisdom is the cause, persuasive words of wisdom is the effect. Listen to the world’s experts in just about any discipline. If they do not ignore God’s plan and His way, they mock and ridicule it. They even rail against it. To those who refuse to take the time and effort to scrutinize those persuasive words, it may sound intelligent or at least adequate to build their lives on. Tragically, their persuasive words are spiritual sand (Mat. 7:24-27).
WHAT TO EMPHASIZE
Jesus Christ And Him Crucified (2)–Paul has laid the groundwork for this at the very beginning of the letter. When a people are known for divisiveness, they need to train their eyes on the crucified Lord. If we let His love and sacrifice dominate our thinking and focus, there is NO WAY we will let our selfish agenda, pride, or hunger to be in charge. This emphasis trumps being entertained, being unconditionally tolerant, being Pharisaical, being comfortable, or being a social club.
Demonstration Of The Spirit And Of Power (4)–What will happen if we base our plans, our budgets, and our works on what God can do through us? What if what we hear when we assemble for worship or get together for fellowship is God’s thoughts and ways? That’s what Paul wanted Corinth’s faith to be in.
The Wisdom Of God (5-9)–Human wisdom led Jesus to be crucified in the first place. God accomplished His eternal purpose through it, but the rulers of Jesus’ day did not kill Him on a cross with that understanding. It was God’s wisdom, revealed by the Spirit, that Paul is speaking about when he says, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him” (9). This quotation of Isaiah 64:4 is not a reference to heaven. Many have quoted 1 Corinthians 2:9 to say that heaven is going to be greater than anything we’ve seen, heard, or even dreamed of. That’s a true sentiment, but it is NOT what Paul is talking about here. He’s talking about something the Spirit has already revealed (10), the revelation of God’s Word. That must be our emphasis!
The Spirit’s Revelation (10-16)–This is what to preach and practice. Paul gives insight into the process that brought us Scripture. The Spirit searches the deep things of God (10), gives it to us (12), teaches us, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words (13), and reveals the mind of Christ (16). Jesus promised that this would come to fruition (John 14:26; 16:13), and this letter to Corinth was part of that process. How do we know what we SHOULD emphasize? We need to consult the “mind of Christ” found on the pages of the New Testament.
Wouldn’t it be great if our congregation, with every single member in it, had the reputation in our brotherhood and our community as a people so full of the saving message of Jesus and Him crucified that it consumed our thinking and actions and drove our purpose and our mission? I want to be able to say with integrity, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
Seeing Paul’s prayer life and how strong it was and how much he relied on it shows me how much I lack in my personal prayer life. A major eye-opener is reading about the absolute and total trust that he had in prayer.
In Philippians 1:3-8, we read Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving. Most often in our own prayers we are not specific in our requests. And it seems like more and more, the only times we pray is when we need something. But this is not the case for Paul. Just by reading through a few of his prayers you can see his genuineness and the true relationship that he had with God.
Not only did Paul have a genuinely healthy personal prayer life, he also didn’t pray for just himself. The next time you read one of Paul’s prayers, notice in how detailed a way he prays for others. In Philippians 1, we read of how he prayed for the Christians there. But he wasn’t vague; his prayers were specific to their needs. He prayed that they would approve the things that are excellent, that they would be sincere, that they would be without spot, for their perseverance, that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness, and that God would be praised and glorified.
Paul recognized the power of prayer and what praying for others can accomplish. And I think sometimes we can forget just how powerful prayer truly is. Most say, “All we can do now is pray.” But we have it all wrong when we say this. The very first thing we should do in trials and struggles is to pray. We see our greatest example, Jesus, do this before He went to the cross. We read of Paul and how he was always praying for others.
Paul prayed for the Philippians’ perseverance, and we need to persevere in our prayers during trials. Paul says in Philippians 1:3-4, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy…” He says “every prayer” not some or a few of his prayers. He was dedicated to praying. Paul tells the Philippians he prayed that “your love may abound more and more…” And I pray the same thing, that our love may grow more for others and that we might be able to pray for others more and remember their needs when we go to the Father.
Colossians 2 repeats the confidence theme — “I want them to be strengthened and joined together with love, and to have the full confidence that comes from understanding.” We can only get this confidence by sticking to the essentials that Jesus gave us.
2.4 says, “I tell you this so no one can fool you by giving you ideas that seem good, but are false.” Then 2.7-8, “You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from him. Just as you were taught the truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. Never stop thanking God. Be sure you aren’t led away by the teaching of those who have nothing worth saying and are only trying to trick you. That teaching isn’t from Christ. It’s only human tradition and comes from the powers that influence this world.”
Man-made traditions are powerless and often damaging, since they come from the powers that influence this world. But that wasn’t Jesus’s purpose!
2.13-14 says, “You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you weren’t free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life with Christ. He forgave all of our sins. Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt — a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross.”
This leads to 2.16 — “So don’t let anyone make rules for you about eating or drinking or about Jewish customs. In the past, these things were like a shadow that showed what was coming. But the new things coming are found in Christ.”
The entire book of Colossians is summarized with 2.18 — “Some people enjoy acting as if they are humble. They worship angels, and they always talk about the visions they’ve seen. Don’t let them cheat you out of your reward. It’s foolish for them to feel any kind of pride because it’s all based on their human ideas.”
The keyword of 2.18 is καταβραβευετω (translated “cheat” in the verse above) — today we might say something like “umpire”. Don’t let anyone try to force you to observe a man-made tradition and then say “you’re out” if you don’t follow it. Paul lists some specific traditions in Colossians — circumcision (2.11) and prohibitions like “don’t eat that” or “don’t taste that” or “don’t touch that stuff” (2.21).
This is after he says, “You died with Christ and were made free from the powers that influence this world. So why do you act as if you still belong to the world? I mean, why do you still follow those rules? Those rules are talking about earthly things that are gone after they’re used. They are only human commands and teachings. These rules may seem to be wise as part of a made-up religion in which people pretend to be humble and punish their bodies. But they don’t help people stop doing the evil that our sinful self wants to do.”
This section reminds us that the power of our faith comes from Jesus, not man-made traditions. In fact, enforcing man-made traditions as important to our faith is sinful. If we follow those enforced traditions, we run the risk of losing our reward. If we want to see God, we need only what Jesus told us and nothing more (2.13-14).
Jesus came back to life after he died. In his new body, he spent time with his apostles and ate with them (Acts 10.41). Clearly this resurrection body was a real, physical body (though different in ways we don’t yet understand, cf I Cor 15.44). God the father used his power to bring Jesus back to life (Acts 2.32), and will do the same for us after we die.
The bible gives us some pretty clear information about where we’ll be going after we die, and it’s amazing. We have life now, and we don’t seriously question its reality. Death is just a blip from our perspective (cf I Cor 15.52). We’ll have life then, and it’ll be just as real. So where are we going? Our citizenship is in “the heavens” (Phil 3.20). For some reason, most translations have it singular — “in heaven,” even though this is dative plural in Greek. Jesus is going to come back from the heavens too (3.20). The plural form of ουρανος (“heavens”) is also found in Col 1.5, 16, 4.1; II Cor 5.1; Eph 1.10, 3.15, 4.10, 6.9; I Thess 1.10, Hb 1.10, 4.14, 8.1, 9.23, 10.34, 12.23, 25; I Pt 1.4, II Pt 3.5, and many other passages. It can mean “skies”, but in many contexts it means “space”. This makes perfect sense in light of II Pt 3.13 and Rev 21.1-2 (cf Is 65.17; use of παλιγγενεσια in Mt 19.28).
After our death, we’ll be given a body and source of life that cannot be killed (I Cor 15.42-49; I Pt 1.3-7). This applies to good people and bad people. The difference for good people is that we’ll get to leave Earth with Jesus, while everyone else will suffer forever. We want to avoid everyone else’s fate, so we do our best to follow God as he gives us constant forgiveness.
When I was younger I used to lay in bed at night and try to imagine what God looked like. I would try to put a face to Him, I’d wonder what He was doing, and I would ask myself if God knew that I was thinking about Him. I still ask those same questions to this day. It is likely that most, if not all of you, who are reading this article believe that there is a God and that He can see and hear all that we say. So the question I’d like us to ask ourselves in this article is this; since there is a God that has all power, why do we sometimes have difficulty following the commands that we find in the Bible?
Jeremiah 10:12 says, “It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom; and by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.”
God has ALL power. There isn’t an area that He is lacking power in. He controls the weather, He created us, and as Jeremiah said, “He made this earth” and we are inhabitants of His world. As humans, we sometimes forget just how powerful God truly is. Since God has all power, shouldn’t we be following what the Creator of everything has told us to do? In seven days He thought of everything we see around us.
Did you know that no one has ever had an original thought? For example, I could say that I’m the only person to have ever thought about a blue turtle. But before I thought of blue turtle, there was such thing as the color blue, and there were turtles before I thought of them. So what I’m actually doing is taking two things that God created and putting them together. We aren’t original; we just use what our Creator has already made. This God, the one who spoke everything into being, has given us specific commands to follow as Christians.
Since God has given us rules on how to live, we shouldn’t have a problem following them. They may be difficult, but God knows how to take care of His creation. The thought of the God of the universe watching out and guiding me through life is a great comfort! But on the flip side, what if we aren’t following what God has told us to do? There’s a saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” Our actions are a direct window into how we truly feel. If we don’t do what God has commanded, then that’s like us saying to God, “I don’t truly believe that there are consequences to my actions.” But that is a deadly place for us to be, because God IS real and there ARE consequences to our actions. God is real and the consequences of our actions are as well.
In the end it comes down to this: Not obeying what God has said is a reflection of how real we make God out to be. If we truly believe He is real, then we shouldn’t have a problem doing what He tells us to do. As Christians we serve the One true God, and He is ever present in the world. I pray that this fact will push us to do the commands He has given us because our God is alive and we all have an eternity with Him if we do what He tells us to do.
Looking back at when I was younger, I’ve realized that I asked the right question, but the most important part of those questions is how I answer them. Will I show through my actions that I truly believe He is alive? Or do I doubt the reality of God by not taking His commands seriously? Let’s try to always prove God is alive by following what He has told us to do!
One of the greatest influences I have had in my life is my mom. I’m not sure if you were aware, but my mom has frequently been in and out of jail over the past several years. Not that she did anything to be thrown into jail, but rather she volunteers to go to the Detention Center in Elizabethtown and conduct bible studies with the women there. However, when she goes, she is only allowed to take her Bible in with her and they shut the door and lock it behind her. We’ve talked about it several times and there is only a couple of instances when she felt scared, when she felt like she was in danger.
Once she was having a Bible study and the topic was things we must do as Christians. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” However, there was one woman there that was adamant that she did not have to do anything once she was “saved”. It got to the point that the woman was furious, and my mom was scared, and she wasn’t sure what to do or if the woman would harm her in some way. So, mom very calmly opened her Bible to Matthew 25 and gave it to the woman and asked her to read verses 31-46.
These verses reveal a judgment scene where the nations are gathered before God’s throne and are separated as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. Those to the right will inherit the kingdom prepared for them (meant for us) because they ministered to the least of these their brethren. Those to the left will depart into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels (not meant for us) because they did not minister to the least of these.
Upon reading the verses the woman broke down crying. She knew what she believed to be true wasn’t. If you ask my mom, she’ll tell you it was nothing she said that provoked this sudden and instant change in the woman, but rather it was the word of God.
Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
– Living – God’s word is active, able to achieve its purpose, working in people’s lives and it’s as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago.
– Powerful – God’s word has the power to change our thoughts, change our lives and change our eternal destiny.
– Pierces – God’s word pierces our soul with truth, points out our sins and provides the cure.
– Discernment – God’s word can perceive and recognize our every thought and intention.Isaiah 55:11 tells us “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” I’m not sure about the rest of the story. I hope the woman was able to leave with a new resolve to study and obey God’s word. However, we have God’s word available to us and it can do the same in our lives if we allow it. James 1:21 tells us, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” That is, if we read and meditate in it, pray for understanding and if we are faithful and obedient to God’s commandments therein. God’s word is able to do instantly what man is unable to do.
The Bible’s use of symbolic numbers carry with them a mystical tone. While some numerical usage is familiar to us such as the seven days of creation, other passages can leave one perplexed. A portion of Bible readers will choose to simply glaze over what they don’t understand– others will become frustrated toward an unfamiliar abstraction. The sixth-century philosopher Pythagoras believed that numbers carried a deeper meaning and could be used for more than mathematics. It’s interesting to note that the Greeks assigned a number to their alphabet in such a way that one could turn each word into a number and each number into a letter. Alpha was equal to one, beta would be two— and so on. With the intimidating mountain of confusion that’s associated with Biblical numerology, it would be helpful to create a list (though an incomplete one) of the most popular numbers found in scripture.
COMMON BIBLICAL NUMBERS AND THEIR MEANING
666: The number of the beast in Revelation 13.18 could be the most widely feared by the superstitious. It’s possible that much of the symbolism within Revelation is due to the ongoing persecution of the church since the masking of names and places would add a layer of protection from a vicious government. In other words, it might have been written in a coded language in the same way that military intelligence would code their sensitive messages.
12: It’s the number that represents power and authority. Jacob has twelve sons, who then fathered seven nations. The seed of Abraham will bring about the Messiah and His twelve followers. When the number twelve is used, we can be sure of an underlying importance. It’s likely to be in a section which is only part of a prominent Biblical thread. As the holy timeline unfolds, the number twelve is then understood and fully appreciated.
7: Used many times in both the Old and New Testaments (over 600 times), the number seven is prominently found in the book of Revelation. There are seven churches, seven seals, seven angels, seven stars.,etc. It’s a representation of perfection or completeness and is regarded by the Hebrews and Greeks alike to be a number attributed to God. God is perfect and makes all things complete just as He completed all things in a seven day period, including His day of rest.
40: Noah and his family endure forty days and nights of rain while on the ark, Jesus would fast for the same period of time, and for forty days Moses would stay on Sinai to receive the holy law from God. There are other examples, but the number itself symbolizes a period of trial and testing. It’s interesting to note that several ancient cultures outside of Mesopotamia believed that it took twenty days to break a habit, and twenty days to form new ones. A total of forty days. Some psychologists even believe that in order to change a negative personality trait, you’ll need to supplement the negative with a positive for forty days, if the results are to be lasting. While the use of the number outside of scripture is speculative, God is clear in how He utilizes it.
1: A fascinating number that’s independent, yet it makes up all other numbers after it. It represents unity and is also attributed to God along with three and seven.
Though God is made up of three personalities, they are all unified. The significance of both three and one can be found in Ephesians 4.5-6 where Paul would say that there is only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. John 14.6 declares that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. There’s power in the verified and absolute singularity of each use of one, especially when they appear in sets of three. This number brings a heavy humility. Our minds must come to focus on the finality of the Judgment. There will only be one Great Day, and it’s on that Day where each person will be responsible for how they lived their lives here. Every nation and tribe will be there but it will come to a head in a critical moment. A time will come where each one will stand before The One to receive our perfect and just sentence.
The world’s most powerful engine is mind blowing. It stands 44 feet tall, is 90 feet long and weighs 2,300 tons. It’s capable of producing 109,000 horse power, and over 5,000,000 foot pounds of torque. To say this is a powerful engine is an understatement.
You can take the most powerful engine in the world and it pales in comparison to the power of God. This engine could never speak a world into existence, this engine could never raise someone from the dead, and this engine could never forgive sins and give us the hope of eternal life.
Paul would tell us in Ephesians 1:19-20, “…and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.”
Notice Paul’s description of this power:
It is “exceedingly great”
It is shown toward those who believe
It is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at the right hand of God.
Paul shows us how this power is given to those who believe in chapter 2:1-6. This power made us alive when we were dead. Colossians 2:12-13 tells us that those who were spiritually dead are now spiritually alive because of God’s power.
As Christians we must understand the power and might of God.
Do we understand what God could do to the world? Do we understand that God’s power is the only reason we are here today? Paul prays that we might know the power of God, and that that knowledge should shape our every thought and action here on earth.
For the next several weeks, I’ll be repeating the book of I Peter in present-day terminology. It’s not a true translation of the book, as I am not qualified to do so. It will be based on an exegetical study of the book and will lean heavily on the SBL and UBS Greek New Testaments, as well as comparisons with other translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, ERV, NLT). My goal is to reflect the text accurately, and to highlight the intent of the author using concepts and vocabulary in common use today.
This is not an essentially literal translation, and should be read as something of a commentary.
I Peter I – Intro to Hope
I am Peter, one of the special messengers that Jesus chose to follow him. This is for the chosen ones who had to leave their homes; they are spread out over Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
You were chosen by our father, God, because that was his plan. It was his Spirit that made you special people who live differently from everyone else. He chose us [Christians] to be the ones who obey him. He chose us to enjoy grace through Jesus’s blood, the one who came here to rescue us. May you have plenty of grace and peace.
God, the father of our master Jesus (the one who saved us), deserves our love and praise! He has so much good will for us that he gave us new life and a hope that can never die. We have that hope because Jesus came back to life.
This hope is for something we’ll get when we die: a brand new, untouched, permanently perfect place to live forever. It’s reserved for you right now, protected in heaven. God’s power is protecting you right now because of your faith. He’ll make sure you get the results of your hope when it’s revealed at the end of time.
The United States of America has one of the most powerful militaries on earth. Its funding, equipment, and training are second to none. Most countries understand that head-on attacks against the US armed forces are impossible – even our greatest enemies have a healthy fear. That said, asymmetric warfare has thwarted even our great military. Hostile groups with long-obsolete, repurposed equipment have made decisive victory nearly impossible.
Their tactics often involve war crimes/crimes against humanity, so these groups serve as an illustration of a point and nothing more. They will answer to God for their crimes. The point is this: God often displays great power through insignificant, weak people.
God worked through Paul’s weakness to grow the church (II Cor 12.9). God saved the world as an impoverished person (Matt 8.20). God designated the poor to great faith and eternal life (Js 2.5). God included uneducated, blue-collar men in his group of closest followers (Acts 4.13). God considers service-oriented people to be the most important (Matt 20.26). God used Job as an example of endurance, proving his power when Job was at his lowest (1.9, 22).
All of us will face issues that are way beyond our power to handle. In those moments, remember that God does incredible things through insignificant people.
Six hundred years before Christ would make His providential appearance, a righteous man finds himself in captivity. While exiled, Ezekiel was able to witness the spirit of God in a very intimate way (Ezekiel 1). Even so, he was still living under the thumb of the Babylonians like every other Israelite with him. While under these unideal circumstances though, he is privileged to see awe inspiring visions from God. Have you ever paid attention to the eerie sensations described throughout this book? In Ezekiel 1:4, the prophet feels a great and stormy wind on the bank of the river Chebar. The wind brings with it a massive cloud with fire flashing around it and a substance like glowing metal in the center of it. The wings of the creatures he saw (verse 24) made sounds like that of roaring waters. The voice of the Almighty was like the sound of a great army camp. What sights he was able to see! This great connection to God didn’t take away his pain or sorrow, though.
Chapter 19 is one long lament as Ezekiel cries over his hard-hearted Israelite brothers. Why won’t they listen to him? Even after Ezekiel performs some radical visual illustrations like eating his bread over dung and laying on his side for an entire year, they won’t respond to the “invitation.” How frustrating is that, preachers? God never abandons His faithful servant but His confused prophet is still left to wonder what God is going to do about the mess which makes up his reality. A familiar feeling for many faithful Christians today.
Never underestimate the hand of the Almighty. This truthful statement can be pulled from Ezekiel 37, when the prophet is taken up and then placed in the middle of a dark valley. Ezekiel is surrounded on all sides by heaps of dry human bones and he’s probably wondering why in the world God has taken him to such a place. The text answers the question by asking a question. God speaks to Ezekiel and says, “Can these dry bones live again?” What an odd thing to ask. However, Ezekiel responds, “Only you know, oh Lord.”
It’s always when we’re deep in the valleys of life that we’re forced to answer the difficult questions about God’s abilities. When we’re surrounded by darkness, the question we have to ask is, “Does God have the power to see me through this?” If you remember, Ezekiel has become frustrated with the fact that Israel just won’t listen to him or Him. He’s lost hope in their ability to change— they’re just too far gone. However, God demonstrates to His prophet in a dramatic way that NOTHING is impossible for Him.
He doesn’t bring the bones to life in the blink of an eye, but we know He could have. Instead, He allows Ezekiel to hear those bones rattle and to hear the sounds of fibers and flesh sticking together. He wanted to leave an impression on Ezekiel to demonstrate the might of the Almighty. Ezekiel had no idea how those bones came to life, but he knew one thing for certain. God did it. You may not understand why God has allowed you to enter your valley, but you can be certain that He has the power to see you through. You are standing on your two feet because God has given you the strength to do so. God has promised His faithful servants a heavenly light at the end of our tunnels and whatever God says— He will always accomplish (Ezekiel 37:14).
God speaks of Himself as simply “I Am.” This is one powerful statement depicts His infinite presence and His existence through every age. What does it mean to know Him? How do you know if you do? To know of Jesus is very different than knowing Him.
John is one of those books in the New Testament that will help us to become better aquainted with the Christ. John paints us a vivid picture of who He was and is on a deeper level than even the three previous books.
He’s the Bread of life, Light of the world, the Gate, Good Shepherd, Resurrection and Life, the Truth, and the Vine. All of these titles found within the book teach us a little more about the Savior of the world. There are seven “I Am” statements in John referring to Jesus and three hundred throughout the entire Bible. They begin in Genesis and end in Revelation, and in many books in-between. You just can’t read very far without discovering something very profound about it’s Writer.
He’s eternal. God’s desired response to this is simply for us to believe, respond, and live with our minds and hearts prepared to live with Him. When Jesus describes Himself as the “I Am” it makes the religious leaders want to kill Him in John 8. To know Jesus, to really know Him, is something that many people have not fully understood. Even as Jesus walked among us mortals and witnessed His miraculous power there were still several that didn’t realize what it meant to follow Him Luke 9:57-62.
While it’s true that everyone is made in the image of God, few reflect the Father’s image. Those that know Jesus introduce others to Him. With the knowledge that we are imperfect, let’s not forget that we also have the ability to have a relationship with Him. I am flawed and I am weak, but the Great I Am is interested in who I am.
By the grace of God, I am His child. He is the bread of life that sustains us, the light that guides us, the gate we’ll walk through, and the truth that will save us. It’s not how great I am, but how great the Great I Am is. Do you know Jesus?
Jesus has come to Jerusalem and taken the gloves off. By His unparalleled authority, He is directly challenging the religious establishment whose shallow righteousness has been rejected by His Father. He has come to take the Old Law out of the way and establish His church. It’s teaching like this parable in Luke 20:9-18 that will provoke those leaders to the point that they will trump up charges and bribe false witnesses to arrest, try, and have Him crucified. This parable is stark and shocking, and the moral as heavy as an anvil. Notice.
THESE LEADERS WERE GUILTY OF IMPROPER STEWARDSHIP (9). The “man” in the parable represents God, the Father. He made Israel a nation and gave the Jews a Law to follow and keep. The Jews, particularly the religious leadership, were entrusted with faithfully carrying it out, but they did not.
THEY WERE GUILTY OF TAKING WHAT DIDN’T BELONG TO THEM (10). In fact, these leaders–dubbed “the vine-growers” by Jesus in this parable–thought that they were in charge. They sought to make people subject to them, to follow their rules (cf. Rom. 10:3-4). The end result was vain religion (Mat. 15:8-9).
THEY WERE GUILTY OF ABUSING THOSE SENT TO THEM (11-15). The “slaves” sent to them were presumably prophets and teachers, no doubt inclusive of John the Baptist. These were the Father’s spokesmen, come to teach and correct them. Each one sent was treated the same, sad way: they “beat him and sent him away empty-handed.” Last of all, the son was sent (13-14). The “owner” (the Father) sent Him, saying, “I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him” (13). Instead, seeing Him as the heir, they plotted to kill Him (14). Obviously, Jesus is referring to Himself and the very thoughts these religious leaders were thinking as He told the parable!
THEY WERE GUILTY OF LOSING WHAT WAS ENTRUSTED TO THEM (16-18). Instead of being convicted by this parable, these religious leaders recoil at the moral of the parable: “What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others” (15-16). Their emotion boils over and they audibly reply to Jesus’ parable, “May it never be!” They missed the travesty of the behavior they and their forefathers had shown to God’s messengers and the sin they were about to perpetrate on His Son. They didn’t want to lose their grip on the power and influence they had taken. But Jesus doubles down, changing the imagery from a vineyard to building construction. They were going to reject Jesus, the stone, but He would be made the chief corner stone. He would judge and destroy them, if they did not abandon their rebellion.
Jesus is full of love, kindness, and peace. But, that’s an incomplete picture of Him. He came to establish His rule and reign. He must be King and Lord of our lives. We must submit to His way and truth to enjoy His life.
We’re impressed by the intricacies of craftsmanship or artistry. A well-made instrument or diorama or painting can sell for thousands or more. Watching the process of those things coming to life leaves an even more profound impression of the talent required! I’ve lost track of time while watching hyper-realistic dioramas take shape (by other artists, not me). The sheer effort involved is incredible. While those artists are very, very talented and impressive, they’re nothing compared to reality’s architect! Hours, weeks, or months are invested in breathtaking artwork, yet those pieces come from extant materials and are based on extant concepts. Humanity cannot create anything new. It took God less than a week to fabricate an unfathomably large universe. We explore and investigate our world, only to be blown away by its complexities. Even the simplest life forms require highly intelligent minds and sophisticated equipment to understand. The more we discover, the more we understand how little we know. For several years, science has been adopted by many as an explanation for reality. Besides the fact that science is merely our observations of what already exists, it still leaves plenty of questions unanswered. For example, look into how many medications say something like (paraphrased, of course), “We don’t know how this works, but we think it…” We can perform complex surgeries using robots, but we can’t cure the common cold. We can explore our galaxy, but we’re not sure how exactly some antidepressants work to alleviate symptoms. Humanity has accomplished some amazing things, but even the most “basic” issues continue to evade our understanding. Therefore, it isn’t entirely unreasonable to assume that something or someone intelligent was responsible for our incredible existence. Our greatest accomplishments pale in comparison to the magnitude of our universe. Every great piece of art has an artist behind it. Every piece of groundbreaking technology has a design team behind it. Our universe must have also had an immensely powerful, creative, compassionate designer. Far from somehow disproving the existence of God, our greatest accomplishments merely highlight how powerful God really is. He gave us a beautiful world and way more than we need to survive. The sheer beauty of this planet alone should tell us that our God is a loving God. “I look at the heavens you made with your hands. I see the moon and the stars you created and I wonder, ‘Why are people so important to you? Why do you even think about them? Why do you care so much about humans? Why do you even notice them?’ But you made them only a little lower than angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You put them in charge of everything you made. You put everything under their control…Lord our Lord, your name is the most wonderful name in all the earth” (Ps 8.3-9)!
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