Month: October 2024

It’s not Over

On By TimIn Matthew 26, The CrossLeave a comment

When evening came, He sat down with the twelve. And as they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
They were very sorrowful, and each of them began saying to Him, “Lord, is it I?”

Matthew 26:20–22

I noticed something as I read this. When reclined at what is called The Last Supper, there was a simple exchange of words that reveal a depth of profundity. This Gospel records it succinctly describing that, which would be followed by a meaningful gesture.

Since an Easter Sunday service in Greenville, SC over a decade ago, I cannot ever shake this idea that It Was Unexpected. What I mean is that earlier in the text, Jesus spoke of His being prepared for death and burial.

When Jesus perceived it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor always with you, but you do not always have Me. In pouring this ointment on My body, she did it for My burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her.”

Matthew 26:10–13

As it is always my way of seeing this, the statement seems to go largely ignored. Jesus spoke plainly of His impending demise and resurrection. I get that it’s an argument from silence, but the Gospels clearly demonstrate that Jesus’ talk of death and resurrection wasn’t understood well at all by His followers. It was always with a focus on the death and not the resurrection.

In like manner, there is something similar here. And it also comes with a bit of aloofness in the disciples not quite understanding what is happening.

Lord, is it I?

When Jesus speaks here about betrayal by one of His followers, it was received with sorrow, while they wondered who amongst them who it would be. Yet many times He told them that His betrayal must be, “The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him(.)”

He answered and said, “He who has dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Matthew 26:23–24

The meaning is that it was the determination in eternity past that the Son of Man would be betrayed and die for the lot of humanity. It is not that Judas was fatalistically chosen to have this lot. The way Jesus identified that betrayer proves it.

In that time, the sharing of the dipping of bread was a sign of intimate honor. It signified that the one receiving the gesture was really loved. Here, it was offered by the Messiah to the one who would betray Him that there was still time to believe.

The gesture also came with the assurance of reaping what is sown. That moment was not the culmination of a determination that Judas was the man. It was also an assurance that he was not remanded to eternity in perdition. The grace that Jesus gave to Judas included the same idea that God used to approach Cain.

The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your countenance fallen? If you do well, shall you not be accepted? But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must rule over it.”

Genesis 4:6–7

I want you to pause reading and really think about that. Judas was given the sop. Cain was given a physical mark on his body. Both of these are signs of the abiding love of God toward both of them. In the moment, they were loved without regard to their future endeavors, by a God Who is present with each of them already IN those yet dastardly future endeavors.

Sin is not to Rule

One can always say no.

Yes, this pokes holes in fatalism and determinism. I am also certain there are going to be silent accusations of open theism. Yet it is the truth that the Bible presents. It’s not over until it’s over.

But the Scripture has confined all things under sin, that the promise through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Galatians 3:22

As long as one is breathing… There is still time to believe. Sin is not the inescapable prison.

For God has imprisoned them all in disobedience, so that He might be merciful to all.

Romans 11:32

Yes, it brings death. But death is delayed. Why?

Do you despise the riches of His goodness, tolerance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4

It’s the goodness of God! The grace that is extended to both Cain and Judas exceeds their betrayals.

Sin is Rights

The scriptures say clearly not to give a foothold to the devil. Sin is the foothold. It’s the way he gets in.

From other Gospel narratives, at some point that night Satan entered Judas. He didn’t master his sin and extirpate it with faith. In a way, Satan’s entry into Judas mocks the Spirit God puts in us Christians. The sin Judas held gave foothold to the enemy, Judas extended him that right. One Gospel narrative pinpoints that this sop is the very moment Satan entered him.

Now, recall how the group responded with sorrow and wanted Jesus to point out the betrayer.

Then Judas, who betrayed Him, answered, “Master, is it I?”
He said to him, “You have said it.”

Matthew 26:25

In my mind, I am thinking these are not the words of Judas, but those of the commandant of his body. I can hear the mockery.

The Goodness of God

The history is clear. Cain rebelled and never really sought after the things of God. Judas rebelled to the end.

Considering the grace that is extended in both circumstances. Each lived after their betrayal. They were given stern warnings about the exceeding sinfulness of sin and one reaps what is sown.

Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Galatians 6:7–8

Giving in to sin reaps death… Always. The fact that death doesn’t come suddenly is proof of the goodness of God. Because one has life after they sin, there is still opportunity to sow to the Spirit and reap eternal life.

The admonition to Judas was to do quickly his intentions. But Judas lived after he did that, proving the goodness of God still gave him time for repentance. Judas still had a choice.

Do not Comply

Though it’s over for them, it’s not over for you.

Yes, Satan entered and rebellion escalated. Judas still had life, he still had opportunity to master sin by faith in what God says.

That’s the message to you. If you’ve read this far, and you’ve embraced the lies of the enemy… That you’re too far gone… There is great hope in Jesus. There is no rebellion that hasn’t been covered at the cross.

Maybe it’s embracing the message “You’re not good enough.” Perhaps it’s, “Nobody likes me.” Or it’s like, “I am not very attractive.” Other struggle are body dysmorphia, where the message is “You are not like ____.” These thoughts runs amok in your mind like an incessantly looping program. You can be free with one word, “Jesus!”

Even if you made a covenant with your own blood, there is a greater covenant that God made with His!

The Bible says He erased the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and nailed it to the cross. Those you’ve made agreements with have been exposed to not have any real power…

And having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:15

The enemies trick you into giving rights to them. That is the only way they have it. And you have the authority in Jesus’ name to revoke and renounce it at any time.

No longer comply. Resist the devil, he has to flee.

Covet the Greater Gifts

On By TimIn 1 Corinthians 12, GiftsLeave a comment

But earnestly covet the greater gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:31

Wait! I thought we were not supposed to covet.

Here, Paul is telling the Corinthian church to covet something. They are to covet the greater gifts. One might ask what are the greater gifts?

That could be a good question to ask here. But I think there is one far greater. That is, how often do any of us think about the gifts of the Spirit to even know which are the greater ones to covet?

When speaking of gifts of the Spirit, I am most certain that the first one that comes to mind for most is going to be speaking in tongues. This is foremost in many conversations about the gifts the Spirit gives. But, if Paul is tanking those gifts in an ordinal way, it might be shocking to discover how Paul ranks tongues.

God has put these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

1 Corinthians 12:28–30

Clearly, tongues lands as the last in the list. If the list is ordinal, tongue is the least desirable gift to covet. That fascinates me.

I do not hold to Cessationism. I do not think the Spirit has stopped bestowing these gifts. The gift of apostles, some say is still available today. Others think apostles have to be eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus. It might seem impossible for today, but there are lots of accounts from Iran and China where people are meeting Jesus. Those ideas are fantastical, yes. And apostles were sent out to plant churches. I am uncertain here, and don’t think it is plausible that there are apostles around today, as these would have been taught by Jesus in person. Consider the importance of apostles to the early church… Having been taught personally by Jesus and then sent out Toolan churches.

Setting aside that gift of apostles, look at the next. It’s the gift of prophets. Now prophets don’t predict things. They are not seers. Prophecy is not about predicting or laying out the future. It is simply relating the truth for what It is. To some, the way prophecy is delivered seems rude, curt, and impolite. It comes without ambiguities and subtleties. As one of my pastors called it… It is “forth-telling.” If the gifts are ranked, why would this one be second?

Then there is the gift of teachers. Many know those with this gift. I am one that thinks it abounds. In fact the gifts are given individually but may be shared by many in any one congregation. When thinking of teachers, do you partake of teachings led by others in your local church?

I think wanting and then using these gifts in a congregation makes it healthy and vibrant. What would it do to the faith of anyone who were eyewitnesses to a bona fide miracle?

Paul said there is a gift of miracles, then healings and helps. Healings is basically self-explanatory. Helps is a bit more vague, but consider that hospitality, facilities, and the like. These are the people that setup and clean up. These hold doors, welcome folks, are ready to speak with anyone. They readily engage and encourage others.

Then comes governments. ThatI makes me smile, because these are the leaders and decision makers that affect the entire congregation. In the ordinal rankings, this is second to last on this list. Could it be that this is God’s way of doing things?

He does say that the older shall serve the younger; the strong protect the weak; and the first is last. But on any organizational chart, governments are at the top. In God’s way of doing things, they are necessary, but rank as far less desirable.

Then there are tongues on the bottom.

I know the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given me. Some are on this list. Others are not. There are even gifts that I’ve asked for and received. Yes, I can think of a few I’ve asked just for myself. But others were a desire to share them with the body of believers. It took me over 30 years of being a Christian to get to that point of wanting gifts from God, and asking for them. What opened my eyes was the first thing I remembered asking God to give me. I even like the way He revealed it to me. That is one of those anchor points of my faith just as much as my salvation and baptism are.

My God is real! And He is lavish in giving. He gave His Son. He gave eternal life to any who would want it. And He gives a multitude of gifts.

This list cited so far is not all inclusive. There are additional gifts listed in this chapter. That list contains one gift I covet over the others. I want it because I think it is of utmost importance in these dark days. Our lives are ever-increasingly crushed by evil. The Church needs people that can prophecy. It needs people that can teach. It also needs miracles and healings. There will always be plenty willing to pitch-in, lead a project, and speak.

What would your church be like if there were regular workings by prophets, teachers, miracle-workers, and healers?

Have you ever given a thought to be one of those in your church?

Which Side Are You On?

On By TimIn Psalm 002, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

History provides some poignant lessons… Among those is this one. I know I’ve written about this recently, but here is an important contemporary idea that needs to be considered in light of what the Bible says.

Why do the nations rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord
and against His anointed, saying,
“Let us tear off their bonds
and cast away their ropes from us.”

Psalm 2:1–3

How could this apply today, it’s just poetic literature, right?

Reading it carefully, it is God speaking to the nations and the people of those countries about their policies. God calls their plans self-serving.

The kings of the Earth set themselves. This clearly states that the leaders of the nations set themselves in opposition to God and Jesus. There are also rulers who counsel with these kings. Some of your translations read princes, but I think something a bit more sinister is at play. The Hebrew word translated here as ruler is razan. It means heavy, as in commanding. It is translated as prince or ruler. When we look at the Septuagint, the Hebrew scholars chose the Greek word archon. This adds a spiritual context that may hint at some underlying context.

Archon is used in many forms and places in the New Testament. It is used in the gospels as a descriptor of Beelzebub, ruler of demons (Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15.) It is also used in the Gospel of John to describe the ruler of this world. For the discussion at hand, let’s look at the two ways Paul uses it.

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the age of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

Ephesians 2:1–2

And again here:

For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

In the first citation, Paul says there is a prince of the power of the air. To understand, think that there is an archon of the exousia of the air. The second instance tells us we wrestle not against principalities, those are the archons. We also wrestle against exousias (powers) and kosmokrators (rulers.) These are dark powers at work in this world.

Considering that, what may be said in Psalm 2 of the kings and rules taking counsel together is that there are dark powers working with human leaders to effect policies in our world. The question then comes, is there evidence for such a thing?

I think there is ample evidence. Step back into recent history:

There is a source called Secret Nazi Plans for Eastern Europe A Study of Lebensraum Policies by Dr. Ihor Kamenetsky. He writes of the German occupation of Poland and the desire to eliminate what the Germans deemed as sub-human. The occupiers desired to weaken Polish society to accept their ideas. Those socialist Germans issued the following decree:

“All measures which have the tendency to limit births are to be tolerated or to be supported. Abortion in the remaining area (of Poland) must be declared free from punishment. The means for abortion and contraceptive means may be offered publicly without any police restriction. Homosexuality is always to be declared legal. The institutions and persons involved professionally in abortion practices are not to be interfered with by police. Racial-hygenic measures are not to be promoted.” — (Page 139, Secret Nazi Plans for eastern Europe)

It is said… Those that do not know history are doomed to repeat it. Looking again at Psalm 2 seems to reveal a prophetic pattern that comes with substantial consequences and an ultimate consummation.

The first point in the socialist’s decree is unrestrictive abortion and contraception. Given modern propensities, these may be perceived as desirable things to have. After all, with global warming, limiting the human population is probably a good practice. But is it?

Except the Lord build the house,
those who build labor in vain;
except the Lord guards the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain for you to rise up early,
to stay up late,
and to eat the bread of hard toil,
for He gives sleep to His beloved.
Look, children are a gift of the Lord,
and the fruit of the womb is a reward.
As arrows in the hand of a mighty warrior,
so are the children of one’s youth.
Happy is the man
who has his quiver full of them;
he shall not be ashamed
when he speaks with the enemies at the gate.

Psalm 127:1–5

God commands humans to be fruitful and multiply. He calls children a gift of His, they are a reward. They are even deemed weapons of a mighty warrior. Could that be why the Germans wanted to curtail these things under the lie of freedom?

There is also the unspoken idea present in the decree… Marriage to one person for life is too restrictive.

Look… The enemy doesn’t change tactics at all. He gets people to buy into the idea that the institutions given by God are too restrictive. God gave gender, male and female. That is now declared too binary. God told humans to be fruitful and multiply, but having children binds one to home. God gave marriage as a gift, but the idea of one man and one woman is old-fashioned. The means to be fruitful, that is sex for procreation is also considered too narrow. These things are now declared as too binding, just like ropes used to tie something up. They are considered limitations to human freedom. It is the same proclamation of bondage and a false promise of liberty that the nachash (serpent) spoke to Eve in the garden, “You shall be as gods.”.

The National Socialists in Germany knew how to demoralize humans. We are witnessing the repeat by decree of governments worldwide. It is just as if what Psalm 2 says… Is true now. Yet, history demonstrates that atrocities follow such things.

The War Against Humans

The enemy is at war with humans. There is an all-out battle waging in both the spiritual world and the physical world centered on human procreation. It was declared in Genesis 3:15, and it has God as Victor on one side and dark powers on another. It is like the activities of world governments are telling us Who the real Victor is.

I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures saying, with voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and there before me was a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow. And a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering that he might overcome.
When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come and see.” Then another horse that was red went forth. Power was given to him who sat on it to take peace from the earth, causing people to kill one another. Then a great sword was given to him.
When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there was a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” So I looked, and there was a pale horse, and the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed him. Power over a fourth of the earth was given to them, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had held. They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers should be completed, who would be killed as they were.
I watched as He opened the sixth seal. And suddenly there was a great earthquake. The sun became black, like sackcloth made from goat hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when it is shaken by a strong wind. Then the heavens receded like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the commanding officers and the strong and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath has come. Who is able to withstand it?”

Revelation 6:1–17

It is just as He said in Psalm 2…

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD ridicules them.
Then He will speak to them in His wrath and terrify them in His burning anger:
“I have installed My king on Zion, My holy hill.”
I will declare the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are My son; this day have I begotten you.
Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You will break them with a scepter of iron; you will dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Now then, you kings, be wise; be admonished, you judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear; tremble with trepidation!
Kiss the son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath kindles in a flash. Blessed are all who seek refuge in Him.

Psalm 2:4–12

Truth is pure. He knows the end from the beginning and has told us in advance.

Children are a heritage. There is no middle ground.

Which side are you on?

He Who Preaches Another Jesus

On By TimIn 2 Corinthians 11, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

But I fear that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve through his trickery, so your minds might be led astray from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might submit to it readily enough.

2 Corinthians 11:3–4

This is a warning against gullibility. Paul is teaching us to be circumspect and not immediately tolerant of other ideas without inspecting them throughly. There are other versions of Jesus being preached. There are other spirits you can receive.

These false teachings use the seemingly right-religious words. These often seem to be pious, and even Christian in nature. Yet the idea being offered in then may not necessarily align with the truth of Jesus Christ.

The strategy is to get the false ideas into the body. Whether that body is the corporate church or the individual believer. This is how the enemy a foothold. It’s an entrance inside the armor, a permission slip that gives him rights to exploit.

Do not give place to the devil. Let him who steals steal no more. Instead, let him labor, working with his hands things which are good, that he may have something to share with him who is in need.
Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you are sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and blasphemies, with all malice, be taken away from you. And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Ephesians 4:27–32

When false ideas enter the body of Christ, the strategy employed is to savagely destroy that body from the inside. The seduction of false doctrine hoodwinks many.

How can you be certain you’ve not succumbed to such a subtlety?

Pray to God to give you discernment. And when He shows you what it is, disavow it out loud in Jesus’ name. And then don’t do those things that give the enemy a place.