Month: December 2018

Encouragement for Some

On By TimIn Church, Daily Walk, Eternal Security, Last Days, Love, Prophecy, Revelation 03, Seven Letters to Seven ChurchesLeave a comment

“To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write:
“The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says these things: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich, and have stored up goods, and have need of nothing,’ yet do not realize that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments, that you may be dressed, that the shame of your nakedness may not appear, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
“Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.
“To him who overcomes will I grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Revelation 3:14–22 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Please do reread this portion of Scripture when finished reading the entire post.

This is for each of us. Any of us may be of those who are in a church, that for all intents and purposes, appears as the Laodicean one. Our first reaction may be to flee. For some, that may be the best way to handle the situation. But is that what Jesus instructs?

Please pay attention to the admonitions that Jesus gives. The first is to the church itself. He urges the church to repent.

Immediately after, He speaks directly to the individuals in the church. It becomes personal. He encourages us to open the door to Him as His voice is heard. Though Jesus may indeed be standing outside the door of this church and those like it, His entreaty is to anyone who hears. That’s you and I!

For those that hear and respond… The promise to that person is a sweet fellowship with Him. This would be even in the midst of trying circumstances were a believer ‘churches.’

Jesus doesn’t tell us to flee such a situation. Perhaps we are called to stick it out. To be that one person who helps others to hear Jesus’ voice. If enough do, it would change things dramatically.

Listen, the local body of believers may have problems… But the promises are to the individuals in those bodies. It’s you He came to save. It’s you He wants to serve. The promises are to him who overcomes.

Hear what Jesus says to the churches. Listen for His voice and let Him in. Be one who overcomes!

He Shall Send Them

On By TimIn Jesus, Prophecy, The Cross, Triumphal Entry, Zechariah 09Leave a comment

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! And cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king is coming to you; he is righteous and able to deliver, he is humble and riding on a donkey, a colt, the offspring of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I know. This is more of an appropriate post for springtime. It works for this season simply for the fact that we ought to know Who it is Whose birth we celebrate.

This is a familiar prophecy to lag of us. I’m reading in Matthew of the Messiah’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem just before He was crucified.

When they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, on the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go over into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them.’ And he will send them immediately.”
All this was done to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Look, your King is coming to you, humble, and sitting on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

Matthew 21:1–5 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I couldn’t help but to notice, “he will send them immediately.”

Them… That word. There was more than one animal that was sent. It says a donkey and a colt.

When I read Scripture, I like to pay attention to the precision of the text. Oft times, it has caused me to rethink what I thought I knew Scripture teaches. What is God trying to convey here?

I am going to say something about the translations. I use the MEV for reading. It is sufficient for that task. I will use others to grasp the nuances in meaning or to be aware of the biases of the translators.

When comparing the translation of Matthew’s quotation of the Zechariah passage with how the translators actually rendered Zechariah 9:9… There are some differences. Notably, the Zechariah passage could be vaguely referring to one or two animals in the MEV. As rendered it isn’t clear. In other translations, we see the conjunction. The donkey would be joined with the colt. What is literally written in Zechariah is this: “and riding on an ass, And on a colt — a son of she-asses.” The literal rendering says Jesus is riding on two donkeys.

Think about that.

No earthly king would present himself on a donkey if the more majestic horse was available. Jesus riding on a donkey would immediately bring to mind lowliness and humility. It would be without comeliness, that is it wouldn’t be attractive.

I know the picture we have conjured in our mind’s eye of this event. Consider this: Jesus did ride into Jerusalem. He did it on a date precisely foretold almost 500 years earlier by a prophecy shown to and recorded by Daniel. Jesus expected the Israelis than to know of their visitation.

The disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their garments on them, and He sat on them.

Matthew 21:6–7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

He sat on them.

This is as precise a picture of the presentation of the Messiah as Daniel’s dating. The King would be riding on an ass and a colt of she-asses. This was foretold by Zechariah. We see it fulfilled precisely in Matthew.

The presentation of the lowly Servant-King riding on the back of a wobbly donkey barely able to support Him. A colt who needed help from his own mother.

Now… How many kings are presented on two donkeys like that?

Stumbling Stones: Not Speaking Truthfully

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Last Days, Matthew 18Leave a comment

But whoever misleads one of these little ones who believe in Me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung about his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of temptations! For it must be that temptations come, but woe to that man by whom the temptation comes!

Matthew 18:6–7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It goes without saying, Jesus is being firm. He is conveying the seriousness with which we as believers must comport ourselves.

It seems to be for our own good, yet Jesus explains the greater concept. It’s for the good of the “little ones,” that is our younger siblings in Christ.

We ought to act circumspectly, minding closely how we affect others not only by our actions but what we say about our faith. Not just ‘others’ outside the circle of faith, but to the younger in the faith.

In recent days, there is a bit of controversy over remarks made by a popular contemporary vocal artist who has made public appearances. It’s a great thing, though the name of Jesus is being proclaimed in novel ways. (Novel to today’s culture.) The publicity eventually strayed into one issue of contention. Whether fairly or not, she was blind-sided by a direct question.

As mature believers, the citation of Jesus above may clearly show how what Jesus is saying applies to this controversy. For those who need a bit of help, let me say the struggle is real. There are some Christians who struggle with sexual sin. For those who struggle with exactly the essence of this controversy, the wishy-washiness of the response may be taken as permission or endorsement. This can lead to dire consequences.

When we are asked matter-of-fact questions by those who hold sway over the culture, we ought not to be caught unawares. Let us all have proper answers from studying and understanding issues. Let us ask our Lord for appropriate answers that are truthful. Because if you speak the truth, it is the only way to love the culture.

Christianity is offensive. It begins with the truth that none of us measure up to the standard God gives. In fact, the moment we can understand that, we realize we’ve already fatally failed. God stepped in. He sent His Son to stand in that gap, reconciling the world to Himself. Those that trust in Him has been redeemed of the mortal debt owed. Our job transitions to an ambassador of reconciliation.

Just as Jesus died for you, He also died for those whose struggle is not like yours. Let’s love them by being truthful. Soft-pedaling sin is really an endorsement of it.

The cultural divide will only continue to grow exponentially. We have the Book that tells us this. We can try to go along to get along, what does that win us?

Let us urge others to be reconciled to God, and let Him clean them up. I know He is still trying to clean me up. I have His promises to see that through.