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Divine Sugar Sticks for March 2000
Friday, March 31, 2000 The Bible is called the Mind of Christ - Part 1 So then we have Christ’s thinking on any subject in the Bible. Why did Jesus Christ think a young man needed growing up? Young people’s activities? Ping pong and basketball in a converted sanctuary? No! He said the way to grow up as a young man is the way in which He grew up as a young man. How did Jesus Christ grow up as a young man? What did He think He needed as a young man? They didn’t have video games then, which now occupy not only young men but older men, too. Well, this is what He thought and this is what He did. We will see how He grew up and the Young People’s Program God His Father had for Him. 1. Matt 4:4, “Man cannot live by bread alone but by
every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” 2. Psa 119:9, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy Word.” 3. Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then shalt make thy way properous and then shalt thou have good success.” 4. Isa 50:4, “The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary, He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as the learned.” Hold on to this and next time I will show you from the Word how Jesus Christ went to Bible Class every day!
When Jesus Christ went to Bible Class every day - Part 2 Luke 1:80, “And the Child grew and waxed strong in
Spirit. And was in the desert till the day of His shewing unto Israel.” The Grace of God was upon Him and poured into His lips, and so He spoke only the Grace of God. We are commanded to “taste and see that the Lord is Gracious,” “Kiss the Son lest He be angry.” Where did Jesus Christ in His humanity, not His Deity,
but in His humanity learn this Grace which is found in the Word of God? John 8:28, “Then said Jesus unto them when ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He. And that I do nothing of Myself, but as the Father hath taught Me, I speak these things.” ”As the Father taught Me, I speak these things.” John 17:9, “For I have given them the words which
Thou gavest Me and they have received them.” So, Jesus Christ thought that the best way to grow up is to “Grow in Grace by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” And He took His own advice. Next time we will see from the Word of God how God the Father taught His Son the Lord Jesus Christ the Word of God every day in Bible Class. I think you will like this one, sitting in on a class where God the Father is teaching God the Son the Word of God.
Jesus Christ Went to Bible Class Every Day – Part 3 Isa 50:4, “The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. He wakeneth morning by morning, He waketh mine ear to hear as the learned.” Isa 50:5, “The Lord God hath opened Mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.” Jesus Christ was positive to the Word of God and most Christians are not! 1. Jesus Christ, in His humanity, had to learn the Word of God. He spoke as a member of the human race. And his human brain had to learn just as our human brains have to learn. His human spirit was taught by God the Holy Spirit.
2. Isa 50:4a, Reasons to come to Bible Class: ”The Lord God” - God the Father Part four to follow, the subject: the Mechanics of How the Lord Jesus Christ learned the Word of God.
When Jesus Christ Went to Bible Class – Part 4 Isa 50:4b, Mechanics of how the Lord Jesus Christ learned the Word of God. ”He waketh morning by morning,” that’s every
day! ”Mine ear” – This is the system of perception. “Faith
cometh by hearing and by hearing the Word of God.” His purpose for getting up each morning was to learn the Word of God. God the Father taught the Bible Class. Isa 50:4a. In His humanity, Jesus Christ knew why He was here. He knew what His mission was. He knew that He was going to the Cross and He understood it all from the Word of God He had learned. Isa 50:5b “I was not rebellious.” Here is the response of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Word of God and the Plan of God: “Neither turned away back.” Jesus Christ had positive volition towards the Word of God and God’s plan for His life. Isa 50:6. His positive volition towards the Word of God was tested before He went to the Cross. Read the verse, you can’t read unless you look it up. As a result of His learning the Word of God, Jesus Christ, in His humanity, grew in wisdom and Grace and in stature with God and man. I won’t tease you. You may not have a Bible or want to
look it up but here it is: Why? He had you in mind! Me too.
Thursday, March 30, 2000 Hebrew Honeys! Manna Manna could sustain life but it couldn’t give eternal
life. “Man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of
the mouth of God.” “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life,” Grace received. “But he that believeth the Son of God not shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him, Grace rejected.
S.O.S. 8:6, “Set me as a seal upon thine heart.” The word “heart” is the mind. The meaning of this passage is that soul love precedes sex love. The mind is the mentality of the soul, where you do your thinking. The man must be in her soul before she can surrender to
him her body. Once a woman has her Right-Man in her soul, she will
never be satisfied with another man. She may be unfaithful, but she will never
be satisfied in her relationship. In the heart, the mind, the right man fulfills the Right-Woman soulishly and he does it in at least four ways: 1. He fulfills her norms and standards. Note: All good sex comes from the soul. ”Whom my soul loveth.” The man in fulfilling the women in sex, becomes her strength. “Set me as a seal,” is a signet ring that fulfills this principle. The wedding ring is a signet ring. Why all this? Because love is stronger than death, S.O.S.
8:6. And love here is category two love, love toward the Right-Woman, soul and
then sex love.
How Christ Matured 1. Jesus Christ came into this world as an infant, Luke
2:12 3. Jesus Christ was hungry, Matt 4:2, 21:18
Wednesday, March 29, 2000 You will find that the most dangerous weapon in this world is not a gun. And it is not a blonde either. They may try to register guns and add more and more laws, but the adding of laws will not stop people from killing one another. Killing/murder is a sin, Proverbs 6, and it comes from the old sin nature. But the real weapon that is being registered, unnoticed to even Christians because their attention has been diverted with this issue of guns. The real weapon that is being registered is the most powerful weapon in the world and Satan knows it better than most people do, because he always attacks it. We are finding that it is becoming more and more scarce. By now you should know what I mean. It is what Satan, the ruler of this world, is registering. “The Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword.” This is the weapon that we wield in this warfare and yet from the pulpits of our country it is lying dormant in preachers’ hands. Satan doesn’t mind if you register guns. He is more interested in stopping the most effective weapon in the world – the Word of God, the mind of Christ, the voice of the Holy Spirit. And he is succeeding. Help spread the Word!
Christology – the Doctrine of Christ 1. Human necessity 2. Hypostatic union, the God-Man, Phil 2:6-7, John 1:1-14, Rom 1:2-5, 9:5, Heb 2:14, 1 John 1:1-3, Gal 4:4-5 3. Resurrection 4. Spheres of ministry
The Mechanics of Knowing God’s Will for Your Life 1. Guidance through prayer, Acts 11:5
Tuesday, March 28, 2000 The Necessity for the God-Man! Part 1 It was necessary for one Member of the Godhead to become humanity because as God: a. Sovereignty is not subject to death.
The Necessity for the God-Man! Part Two 1. It was necessary for Jesus Christ to become man to be qualified to be our Saviour. Only a human being who lives a perfect life would be qualified to pay the penalty of sin, which is spiritual death. Absolute righteousness cannot have contact with sin. 2. It was necessary for Jesus Christ to become humanity in order to die physically so that He could have a resurrection body, so that believers could have a resurrection body. 3. It was necessary for humanity, in a resurrection body, to ascend into Heaven and be acceptable to God the Father so that believers in resurrection bodies would also be acceptable to God the Father. John 3:13 4. It was necessary for God to become man in order to act as Mediator between God and man. A mediator must be equal with both parties. 5. It was necessary for Jesus Christ to become man in order to be our High Priest. Hebrews chapters 7-9 6. It was necessary for Jesus Christ to become man in order to fulfill the Davidic covenant which says that David will have a Son who will reign forever. 2 Sam 7, Psalm 89, 2 Chr 21. Jesus Christ is the unique member of the human race. He is God and He is man, He is the God-Man. 1 Tim 2:5, “There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.”
Three Miracles that Followed the Death of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Matt 27:51, “Behold the veil of the temple was rent
in twain from the top to the bottom.” 2. The second miracle, Matt 27:15, “And the Earth
(Palestine) did shake and the rocks rent.” 3. The third miracle, Matt 27:52-53, “And the graves
were opened and many (not all) bodies of the saints which slept (Christian
death) arose and came out of the grave after, (associated with His resurrection)
and went into the holy city and appeared unto many.” 1. The tremendous power of God exercised in resurrection
brought them out of the lower part of the Earth, the believer. The result of these three miracles: Salvation. Example: the salvation of the centurion and those with him, Matt 27:54.
Hebrew Honeys! Ecc 3:11, “He hath made everything beautiful in His time. Also he hath set the world in their heart so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” Now the Hebrew word that the translators put here for “world” is the Hebrew word OLAM, which means eternity. He has put eternity in their minds. The easiest and the most normal thing in this world is to receive Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. It is abnormal for a soul not to receive and respond to the soul’s Creator and Saviour. Because we have the instincts of eternity in our mind. That is why sin is called sin, iniquity, and transgression. It is a revolt. It is a perversion. And it is missing the mark of what God’s plan is for your life. Christ created man for the purpose of being saved. The Creator is the Saviour. Created to be saved. It is abnormal to reject so great a salvation.
Hebrew Honeys! God’s great plan of redemption from His sovereignty was set into operation when Adam sinned. Throughout the Old Testament the Jews looked forward to the coming of a Saviour as revealed through the sacrifices, feasts, holy days, etc. Extensive preparation was made so that there was no doubt as to who He was. The first promise of salvation with emphasis on the virgin birth is given in Gen 3:15, the Seed of the woman. 1. God prepared a nation, Israel . Gen 12:1-3 God has also prepared a place for us. God provides! Jehovah Jireh!
Peace propaganda is used as one of the greatest weapons of warfare. The passage is Micah 3:5-7 The easiest way to whip someone is to talk peace and not fight. Then unexpectedly you hit them, and hit them hard, catching them off guard, i.e., Pearl Harbor. 1. The source of the peace propaganda comes from false preachers, which today would be the National Council of Churches. Micah 3:5, “Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make My people err, that bite with their teeth and cry, peace, and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against them.” ”Bite with their teeth” means they talk sweetly peace, they say peace. Let's disarm and show the world the way to world brotherhood. They, the enemy, even prepare war against us. This is exactly the way the Communists work and they are not dead yet. They have sold the United Nations on peace propaganda and you can read it in their literature. You can hear it from their pulpits. They talk about disarmament and world peace, and visualize world peace. All our “dear friends,” the Communists, talk about communistic understanding. You can always trust a Communist … to be a Communist. Micah 3:5 is being fulfilled right now before our eyes. This is a quote from a speech given in 1931 in the Lenin School of Political Warfare: ”War to hilt between Communism and Capitalism is inevitable. To win we shall need the element of surprise. The middle class must be put to sleep. So we should begin by launching the most spectacular peace movement on record.” 1931, Dematri Manuleski, Lenin School of Political Warfare There will be no peace till the Prince of Peace comes and till then there are wars and rumors of wars. How many wars are going on at this time? I guess Christ was right.
How to Identify the Old Sin Nature in Scripture - Part 1 There are six terms used for the old sin nature in Scripture: 1. Sin, Psa 51:5 In part two, I will explain why it is called what it is called.
Old Sin Nature - Part 2 ”Sin” in the singular is the old sin nature compared
with sins in the plural. The old sin nature had a field day.
Monday, March 27, 2000 For years growing up I always enjoyed a good trumpet
player and I even do so now. Who do you think is the greatest trumpet player in the world? Do you have your favorite? Well some churches won’t allow musical instruments in
their church and they have a problem because they may not welcome the greatest
trumpet player of all times. We may be the generation that is alive to hear the
greatest trumpet player of all times. He won’t be allowed in certain churches. But just
listen to Him as He plays this favorite of all tunes and songs, 1 Thess 4:16, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, AND WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” We may get to hear the greatest trumpet Player of all times. And the song will be …“Going home, going home. Been away from you.”
Here is a joke! But it is a Greek Grace Gem. I will preface my jokes so that I don’t confuse the troops. Did you know that Jesus Christ was an EPISKOPALIAN? Guess what denomination Peter belonged to! It was not the Catholic Church. Check in next time. The joke is designed to teach a principle of Doctrine.
Peter’s qualifications to be the first pope. 1. Peter was Jewish, so he could not fall into the succession of priests. They have all been Italians or Polish. Or, when I grew up, we were called, Dagos and Pollocks. 2. Peter was married and had a mother-in-law who was sick
and he couldn’t heal her so Christ healed her. Luke 4:38. 3. Peter was never in Rome. It was the Apostle Paul who went to Rome and we know what happened to him. Well we have the prison epistles. Paul would be more qualified as a pope. He was not married. 4. Peter was a Jewish Presbyterian. In 1 Pet 5:1 he calls himself “an elder,” which is the word used for the Presbyterian Church. The Greek word is PRESBUTEROS. ”Elder,” by the way, is a name for a pastor, not some officer in the church. The word “bishop” is also a name for a pastor and the third designation in Scripture for a pastor is “shepherd.” Have fun!
Here is something you can use as a category of doctrine. You may be able to use this in Sunday School or home Bible Study or even your pastor may be able to use it when he runs out of subjects to cover. The Beatitudes: Matt 5:1-12 The Sermon on the Mount was a crash program to teach the disciples the Word of God. The term, “blessed” is a plural word and it means inner and outer happiness. 1. The beatitude of salvation, verse 3. This is a reminder of the Grace of God. “Blessed is the poor in spirit.” This refers to the spiritual IQ, which begins at salvation. True inner happiness begins at the cross. 2. The beatitude of suffering, verse 4. “They that mourn.” This is inner happiness in the soul, which can handle any pressure situation, and any suffering situation in life. This believer carries his happiness with him. 3. The beatitude of relaxed power, verse 5. “The meek.” This speaks of the believer who is Grace oriented. This is a believer who is spiritually poised. It is in antithesis to the pride power generated by the energy of the flesh. 4. The beatitude of desire for the Word of God, verse 6. :They which hunger and thirst.” This is a believer daily taking in the Word of God and applying it to his experience. Righteousness is God’s “brand” of goodness. 5. The beatitude of operation grace, verse 7. “The
merciful.” Mercy is Grace in action. 6. The beatitude of fellowship, verse 8. “Pure in
heart,” literally mind. Based on 1 John 1:9. No inner happiness is present
when one is out of fellowship. 7. The beatitude of witnessing, verse 9. “Peacemakers.” This is one who witnesses to the way of peace between God and man, which is called reconciliation. Called the children of God. They are identified with God because they carry His message without mental attitude sins. This speaks of a relaxed mental attitude. 8. The beatitude of persecution and pressure, verses
10-12. So, keep on rejoicing, keep on staying in fellowship regardless. Verse 12, God’s plan of Grace is greater than any pressure or persecution in life. The idea is to draw upon the Grace of God.
Significance of the Rainbow in Relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ These principles are found in Gen 9:12-16 1. No one ever saw a rainbow before the flood because of
Antediluvian weather conditions. There was no rain, therefore no rainbow. 2. The first rainbow was a sign and promise from God, before the written Word of God existed, that God never again would destroy the Earth by water and that the creatures would be perpetuated. 3. The color of the spectrum of the rainbow is cause by refraction of light, the rays of the sun on drops of rain, or mist whereby parts of the spectrum become visible to the human eye. The bow always forms when the rain lessens or stops. 4. Since the rainbow is formed by the refraction of light
from the sun’s rays, it becomes a token, a principle of God’s promise. 5. In Rev 4:13, the color that is dominant in the rainbow
is green, transient green, which speaks of eternal life. 6. Just as the rainbow is a joint reproduction of storm
and sunshine, so eternal life is to the believer is a joint production of storm
and sunshine. 7. The rainbow, therefore, in every respect, is a token of the Grace of God. When was the last time you saw a rainbow in the sky
and noted its significance?
Light and Darkness 1. The physical universe is mass designed to illustrate
spiritual realities of God’s plan. Light and darkness are mutually exclusive.
The Impeccability of the Lord Jesus Christ 1. The Deity of Jesus Christ was always impeccable, Psa 145:17. “Impeccable” means sinless. 2. The humanity of Jesus Christ is also impeccable, 1 John 3:5, 2 Cor 5:21. 3. Jesus Christ was born spiritually alive. The sin of Adam was not imputed to Him, 1 Cor 15:22. 4. Jesus Christ was born without a sin nature because of the virgin birth. 5. Adam was the first man created without a sin nature. 6. Jesus Christ’s humanity was the first man born without a sin nature. 7. Jesus Christ remained sinless while on Earth, 2 Cor 5:21, Heb 4:15, 1 Pet 2:22. 8. Jesus Christ was never commanded to be filled with the Spirit. He was always filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit was given to Him without measure, John 3:34. 9. Jesus Christ was unable to sin when filled with the Holy Spirit, which was all the time, because the Holy Spirit is God and God cannot sin. 10. He remained impeccable to the Cross, even though the trials where they beat Him and slugged Him were awful. 11. As humanity: Humanity revealing Deity.
Sunday, March 26, 2000 Psa 18:10, “And he rode upon a cherub AND DID FLY.” The next time you take a flight, make sure you don’t
buy a one way ticket. It is unscriptural. Always buy a round trip ticket. There is no place like home. Ask Christ.
Saturday, March 25, 2000 What is Man’s Greatest Need? Christ solved man’s greatest need. It was not what Christ said that did it. And it was not what Christ did, like miracles, not that which was beautiful and helpful. But the vital factor is what is repeated over and over in Scripture: “Christ died for ours in according to the Scriptures.” He died for our sin and that is what solved man’s greatest need. That is why over and over again in Scripture the key to the Gospel is Christ suffering for sins. You leave that out and you have a social and ethical gospel, which will never save nor solve our greatest problem that is sin. A clear declaration of the Gospel is found in 1 Cor 15:1-4 and in that passage you will notice it is according to the Scriptures.” “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:” Our Gospel is the Gospel which is according to the Scriptures.
Friday, March 24, 2000 Christ and His Cross — The Center of the Universe Notice these three clauses taken from the first pope: 1 Pet 1:10-12: Prophets looking forward to Christ. Christ, cross, center ... Of the universe. Acts 10:43, “To Him give all the prophets witness that through Him is the remission of sins.”
I talked to my Brother last night, you know, my Brother or you have heard of Him? His Name is Jesus Christ. I said to Him, note – I didn’t pray to Him – I was just talking with Him and I said “You know you have been God our Father’s Son longer than I have (how long) and you know Him longer than I do, how long to you think Dad is going to put up with this fool in the Vatican?” And He said to me, “Buddy, you know our Father is very long suffering and very gracious and you should know because of how He is putting up with you!” Thanks Bro!
Here is a simple formula for God having a plan for your life: 1 Pet 1:10-12, “Of which salvation the prophets inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you. Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Spirit sent down from Heaven, which things the angels desire to look into.” Notice the words that are highlighted with boldface letters for your formula. Salvation Grace Christ Suffering Glory Salvation comes by the Grace of God through Christ suffering and being received up into glory. GCSG = Salvation
Thursday, March 23, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! The word “sincerity” appears four times in Corinthians, once in Ephesians, and once in Titus. 1 Cor 5:8, “The unleavened bread of sincerity and
truth.” What is “sincerity?” We use the word in our language all the time. “Do you think he is sincere?” The Greek word is ELLIKINERIA, and the way it was used in the ancient world was like this: If you went into a store to buy a plate, in order to find out if it was cracked or not, you held it up to the light. And then you were sure it had no cracks and that is “sincerity,” clear, without blemish. But notice you have to hold it up to the light, the light of the Word. In the light of the Word of God are you sincere. No blemishes no cracks no flaws.
Greek Grace Gems! Do you remember the first time you read the word “girdle” in the Bible? Now don’t get carried away. The Bible must be understood in the time it was written and the way it which it was used What is a girdle? Eph 6:14, “Stand therefore having your loins girt with the Truth.” Now in this case, the Greek word is plain and tells you immediately what it really is. The Greek word is PERIZONNUMI. PERI is a preposition and ZONNUMI means to fasten around. The girdle was a belt that they wrapped around them so that they didn’t trip over their robes. The belt spoken of here is Truth or the Word of God and the belt was like a web belt in the service on which you hang everything and anything. Everything hangs on the Truth. And the Truth sets you free so you can run the race that is set before you.
Greek Grace Gems! Matt 5:22, “But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say to his brother “RACA” shall be in danger of the counsel. The word “RACA” is an Aramaic word equivalent to the Hebrew word “REQ” which means empty. In the Authorized Version of 1611 it was spelled RACHA, and the edition of 1638 it was RACA. It was a word of utter contempt signifying empty, intellectually rather than morally. Empty-headed like Abimelech’s hirelings in Judges 9:4 and the vain man in James 2:20 as condemned by Christ in Matthew. It was worse than being angry inasmuch as an outrageous utterance is worse than a feeling unexpressed, or somewhat controlled in expression.
Christians are missing a great deal when they don’t seem to be interested in the Greek language of the New Testament. For one reason alone I am interested in the Greek language of the New Testament, because it gives you tremendous security and comfort and accuracy. Now, in a day when even the Pope has to confess his sins to the Jews in Israel, we need some accuracy. Some one ought to tell him to confess his sins to God the Father. Anyway, here is an example of the accuracy and assurance of comfort of the Greek language. There are 29 different words for the one word in our English language of the word “put.” There are 29 “puts” in the New Testament, so you know where to put it. Matt 5:15, “Put it under a bushel.” TITHEMI = to
place. I won’t go into all the 29 different words. This will give an idea of the accuracy and the confidence and the security that we have in the language alone. But who needs confidence? We are all so secure.
Greek Grace Gems! There are 11 Greek verbs expressing how the Lord will keep and guard and protect you, and two nouns also. Example: Acts 12:5-6, “Keep” TEREO = to watch over, preserve,
guard. This will give you an example, each one has a different connotation on how the Lord keeps and guards and protects and preserves and watches over you and with you. I know, who needs it!
The Pope’s recent attacks and defiance of Israel on his latest trip will cause him some problems with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, according to Gen 12. “I will bless them that bless Israel and I will curse
them that curse Israel.” Can the Pope confess sins? To whom? To the Jews? No! To himself? No! To whom? God the Father ... that is if He is your Father.
Prayer Life! When we as Christians pray, we pray to God our Father. You can call Him Dad, if He is your Dad. And He said that if our human fathers can give good gifts to their sons so could He. So last night I prayed, “Dad, you know there is some pompous old man going around insulting you, and I don’t know if I were you, I would do something about it. It is insulting for me as your son to hear him being addressed as holy father. He is not holy and he is not my father, nor is he anyone’s father. Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ taught me how to pray to you, Father, and He called You ‘Holy Father.’ I think it is insulting for that old man to call himself by Your Name. I think it is time for You to do something about him. In Christ’s name, I pray, Amen.”
Christ and the Cross — the Center of the Universe I have taken the liberty of putting three clauses to make my title. Christ, Cross, Center, Universe. 1 Pet 1:10, “Of which salvation the prophets have
enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the Grace that should come
unto you.” Here we have the old and the new revelation of the fact that Jesus Christ and His sufferings are the center of the world’s history. The prophets, the apostles, and the angels, who looking to Christ as the center of the universe. Christ and the Cross are the keys to history.
Wednesday, March 22, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! The Widow’s Mite. The Greek for “mite” is LEPTON, the neuter of the
adjective LEPTOS. It means to “signify,” firstly; “peeled,” then “fine
and thin, small and light.” When used as a noun, it denotes a small copper.
Often mentioned in the Mishna as proverbially the smallest Jewish coin. It was
valued at 1/8 of the Roman as, and the 128th part of the Denarius. Mark 12:42 reads literally, “Two lepta which makes
quardrnas.” It is not the gift, it is the giving.
Greek Grace Gems! In the Old Testament in the Hebrew language, one of the titles for the Lord Jesus Christ as being our Provider is the hyphenated word “Jehovah-Jireh,: which means “the Lord sees and provides.” Now, in the New Testament Greek, this is expressed beautifully in the word translated “provide” in the New Testament. Notice the beauty of the New Testament Greek. Provide: HETOIMAZO ... “Hast provided,” Luke 12:20, prepare And the noun is, PRONOIA … “Forethought, before to think,” Acts 24:2, translated providence; Rom 13:14 Conclusion: “The Lord sees and provides.”
Tuesday, March 21, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! ”PARAKLESIS” is the word for “comfort.” What a great word “comfort” is even in our own language. PARA = To come alongside. KLESIS = to comfort or console. God the Father is called the God of all comfort, 2 Cor 1:3. God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are also called Comforters. John 14:16. The Word of God is also called comfort, Rom 15:4. As a result of receiving all this comfort, we are also called comforters. We are comforted not to be comfortable, but to be able to comfort others with the comfort wherewith we have been comforted with, 2 Cor 1:4. We are comforted in order to comfort with the Trinity and the Word of comfort. No wonder Isaiah said, “Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people.”
Hebrew Honeys! So that you get an idea what sin is like in the eyes of the Lord, we find in the Hebrew language three words used for sin – all looking at it in a different light in the eyes of the Lord. Isa 1:4, iniquity. The Hebrew word is AVON, which means
perverted. So if you sin, you are perverted. So, now as a believer, when you confess your sins to be restored back to fellowship, this is what it is, iniquity, sin, and transgression. And what we have done is missed the mark and we are perverted and we are in revolt. Who said amen?
Monday, March 20, 2000 Hebrew Honeys! If you ever saw the movie called “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” if you noticed they never opened it up and showed you what was inside the ark. Like Joseph’s bones – it was a testimony for the Lord. What was inside the ark? What did it say? What was its testimony? Heb 9:4, “The ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.” A POT, A ROD, AND TABLETS. Gold overlaid and beneath was wood, representing the Deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. And inside, in contrast, three emblems of rejection: The pot of manna reminded them of how they rejected the Lord’s provisions. Aaron’s rod, reminded them of how they rejected God’s constituted authority. The Table of Covenant revealed their rejection of God’s Word. This was a constant reminder to them but they took no heed. Does it sound familiar? We reject His provision, His appointed authorities, and His Word.
Christ Taught Himself! That is a play on words! God the Father taught God the Son the Word of God and
Jesus Christ taught what His Father taught Him. Christ said, “I have declared
Thy Name and I will declare it.” Christ But when Christ taught, He was the Teacher and He was the lesson. He taught Himself! ”I am the Light of the world.” “I am the Bread of life that came down from Heaven. I am that I am.” Christ is unique in a lot of ways and here He is unique in that He is not only the Teacher, but the Lesson also. We are only teachers at best. He is our lesson. He was His lesson.
Saturday, March 18, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! In the book of Ephesians, we have listed for us the whole armor of God with which we are equipped as we go into combat in this world system. The helmet of salvation – “with the mind man believeth unto salvation.” The breastplate of righteousness – which we have imputed unto us at the point of salvation, 2 Cor 5:21. The shield of faith – with which we defend ourselves by claiming the Promises of God. Our loins girded with the Truth – which is the Word of God, Heb 4:12. And our feet shod with the Gospel of peace, i.e., witnessing for Christ, Rom 1:16. The only offensive weapon we have is the one we don’t
use which is THE The word “sword” is the Greek word MACHARIA, which was a special sword that the Romans used to conquer the world. There were other swords that existed at that time such as the Romphia, and a broad Thracian sword, which was cumbersome and made you vulnerable. But God the Holy Spirit specifically picked out this one conquering sword, the MACHARIA. It had two edges and a point, so you could attack from many angles. In WWII we had bayonet practice and there was a command for the bayonet, “FIX BAYONETS” and we attached our bayonets to “our,” or I should say, English rifles – we didn’t have our own – WE ARE STILL THE UNPREPARED STATES OF AMERICA. They saved many a life when we were out of ammo or didn’t have the time to reload our single-bolt-action rifles. Then the government said we could no longer use our bayonets because they were inhumane, but they forgot to tell the Germans and the Russians. THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT IS THE WORD OF GOD. USE IT THRUST WITH IT, SLASH WITH IT, CHOP WITH IT. It is not only an offensive weapon, but it is a defensive weapon also because you can parry off the thrust of the enemy with it. The command in WWII was “parry right and parry left.” ”The Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than a TWO-EDGED SWORD.”
We have been told as Christians that we have to make sacrifices. According to the church or the denomination, they dictate what the sacrifices should be. I was told to take a vow of poverty before I became a Christian. And yet it is very interesting what the Bible says is the greatest of all sacrifices that a Christian can make. Do you know that it is??? Well, I will display the verses: Heb 13:13, “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of the lips giving thanks to His Name.” Psa 50:23, “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me.” The best sacrifice you can make is to say, ”Thank you, Father.” “In everything give thanks.” Now that is the ultimate of sacrifices.
There is No Such Thing as a Dumb Christian We can speak on many subjects like politics, economy, and government, but we can never find words to express our relationship to the Lord. What is bred in the bone comes out in the flesh. What is deep in the soul demands expression. You have to make a decided effort to stop the Word of God in you from expressing Itself. Jer 20:9, “Then I said I will not make mention of Him nor speak any more in His Name. But His Word was in my mind as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay.” Luke 24:32, “And they said one to another did not our minds burn within us while He talked with us by the way and while He opened to us the Scriptures.” Acts 4:19-20, “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye, but we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” If our Christianity were deeper, it would not be so dumb. Jer 22:29, “Is not the Word like as a fire saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces.” We strengthen our conviction by speech.
Friday, March 17, 2000 Hebrew Honeys! The English language has 26 letters and the Hebrew language has only 22 letters. But they have meaning and definition and purpose and complete accuracy. The “A” in our Engish language means nothing by itself, something has to be added to it in order to make sense. Like “what a dog.” But in the Hebrew language, the letter “A” is the letter ALEPH and ALEPH by itself means something. Aleph means prosperity. So when you see it at the beginning a Hebrew verse, you know the contents of the verse before you read it. It is going to talk about prosperity. And prosperity in the ancient world under an agricultural economy was depicted as having an ox. So, the letter ALEPH is a picture of an ox, which is prosperity under an agricultural economy The same is true with all the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. There is therefore no wonder why God the Holy Spirit used the Hebrew language for the Old Testament. Do you know you’re a A B Cs? Well, first is prosperity. What is next?
Hebrew Honeys ! There are seven verbs for “believe” in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament. We say one when it says, “Abraham believed,” AMAN, God. Now, here is another one in another passage: Psa 37, “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.” Now, the word “trust” is not AMAN this time, but a different word. The word is BATACH. This is a wrestling term and it means to slam another wrestler to the ground. Now that is the aspect of putting your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, the word in this text which says “commit” is a Hebrew word GALAL, which means to roll it on Him. If it is too heavy, don’t lift it, roll it, roll it on Him. You ought to know what you are reading, or God forbid, studying. Jehovah Jireh.
Hebrew Honeys! Here is another one of the very expressive verbs in the Hebrew language for our one word “believe” or trust. Prov 22:19, “That they may be in the Lord thy trust, I have made known to thee this day even to thee.” Now the word here for “trust” is the Hebrew word MIBTACH, which means a place of refuge, a hope, a security, a trust. It is like going into a fortified refuge for safety and comfort. That is another aspect of trust or belief for faith. ”When I am afraid I will trust in Thee.”
Thursday, March 16, 2000 God’s Plan for Your Life! God Has a Plan for Your Life. 1. The decrees of God are the sum total of the Father’s plan designed in Eternity Past. Billions of years ago God had a plan for you. He had you personally in mind. He is perfect, therefore His plan for you is perfect. 2. The plan centers about the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 3:23, Eph 1:4-6, Jesus Christ is the revealer of the Father and of the Father’s Grace. 3. Entrance into that plan is based on the principle of
Grace. No one enters the Father’s plan apart from Grace. Grace is where the
sovereignty of God and the free will of man meet at the Cross. Eph 2:8-9. 4. God’s plan was so designed in Eternity Past so as to
include all events and actions. This is the omniscience of God. He knows them
related to their causes and conditions. 5. Without interfering with human volition in any way, God has designed a plan that includes causes and effect, directive, provision, preservation, and function for all believers. 6. Under His plan, God has decreed to do some things directly, some through agencies like Israel and the Church, and some through individuals. 7. Therefore, there are primary, secondary, tertiary functions within the plan of God. But all of these constitute one great all-comprehensive plan, eternal, unchangeable, and without loss of integrity. Regardless of how bad history becomes or how corrupt man gets. 8. The plan of God is consistent with human freedom. God does not limit or coerce human freedom. However, distinction should be made between what God causes, like the Cross, and what God permits, like sin. The distinction, God created man with free will, therefore He permits that free will to function. That is how Adam sinned. God never caused sin, never sponsored sin. It was never compatible with His character. God has a plan for your life and it is a perfect plan. He was thinking about you personally when He went to the Cross.
Hebrew Honeys! The word we use “precious” is also found in the Old Testament in the Hebrew language. We say, for example, “what a precious child.” But there is a difference in the Hebrew language. Psa 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the
death of His saints.” The word “precious” in the Hebrew language is the word YAQAR. It means the following for an accurate translation: Rare, brilliant, honorable, excellent, costly, valuable, most highly praised. Those are the Lord’s thoughts about a believer departing to be with Him. Can we say “ahmen?”
A Hebrew Honey and a Greek Grace Gem! Gen 4:8, “And Cain talked with Abel his brother and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up and against Abel his brother and SLEW HIM.” 1 John 3:12, “Not as Cain who was of that wicked one, and SLEW his brother, and wherefore SLEW he him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.” The word “slew” in the Hebrew is the word HAWRAG,
which means to slaughter, to murder, to smite with a deadly intent. Cain killed Abel with a sacrificial knife used for slaughtering lambs, picturing the sacrifice of Christ as “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.” NO GUNS IN THE GARDEN.
Hebrew Honeys! When Abraham said “Amen” to God. The Hebrew word for “believed” is AMAN. So, Abraham just said AMAN to God's invitation of salvation. “Amen” meaning in the Hebrew, to trust, to believe, to use as a support, or a foundation. When we say “amen,” we are saying the same thing, “I believe it.”
When Abraham Said Amen to God Gen 15:6, “Abraham BELIEVED in God and He counted it unto him for righteousness.” The Hebrew word “believed” is the word AMAN, which means to believe, to trust, to use God as a support or a foundation. Faith and/or to trust in. Abraham said “amen” to God just as we say amen and
mean by it “I believe it.” There are seven different words in the Hebrew
language for believe or trust and this is just one of them.
Hebrew Honeys! Psa 106:12, “Then believed they his words.” The Hebrew word for “believed” here is AMAN, which means to trust, to believe, to use God as a support or a foundation, to believe it. The same verb used for “Abraham believed in God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.” And all the people said, “Amen,” along with Abraham and the Psalmist.
Hebrew Honeys! Isa 53, “Who has believed our report?” The Hebrew word is the same as with Abraham and the Psalmist. It is the word AMAN, which means to trust, to believe, to have faith in, to use God as a support or foundation. Amen = we believe it. There is no merit in faith. All the merit is in the object of faith and the object of faith is the Lord Jesus Christ. One ounce of faith in Him brings eternal life, a car load of faith in anything or anyone else is meaningless. ”Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”
Wednesday, March 15, 2000 Notice Moses’s Objections and God’s Answers 1. Who am I? Moses is not Grace oriented. He has illusions about
himself, eyes on self. What are his illusions? Do you know anyone like that?
Moses Went 5 Rounds With God at the Burning Bush Round one: First objection — Who am I? Ex 3:11-12 Round two: Second objection — I don’t have a message. Ex 3:12 Round three: They won’t lean on me. I have no visible authority. Ex 4:1-9 Round four: Fourth objection — I am not eloquent. Ex 4:10-12 Round five: Fifth objection — Lord send someone else. Ex 5:13 Does it sound like anyone you know? Did Moses deliver Israel? No way! The Lord did. He always does.
Moses’ Objection — Part Two Who am I? Moses is not essence oriented. He does not understand who and what God is. God is omniscient, all knowing. Moses is not a mature believer at this moment and he is not functioning like a mature believer. He has the information, but he needs what most Christians need — some application of the Word of God to experience. You have to be able to categorize the Word of God and Moses has to exercise his faith in the Word of God and the Plan of God in order to reach maturity. Therefore, God promises Moses His personal presence with him. Ex 3:12, “Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say.” That is the way in which it always happens. When is He never with us, especially when He sends you on a mission?
Moses’s Second Objection I don’t have a message, Ex 3:13-22 I can’t go to these Jews without a message. Yes, you can. You have a deposit in you, get with it! 40 years of training and Moses still doesn’t have a message. 40 years of daily Bible classes and he still doesn’t know anything. He can’t tell anyone how to be saved and how to maintain fellowship with God in time. ”Ever learning but never coming to an understanding of
the Truth.” Tune in next time …
God’s Answer to Moses’s Second Objection that he Doesn’t Have a Message God’s two-fold answer: Ex 4:2, “What is that in thine hand.” What do you have in your hand? A Bible class. The rod becomes a snake, cobra. Moses runs. The snake represents Egypt. Moses is running from Egypt in his mental attitude. But Moses follows instructions. His second credential: Leprosy. Moses, I am going to protect you, leprosy. He knew when his hand had it. And it was hopeless and he knew he was dying. “I will take you through every hopeless situation in life.” And He also turned the water into blood. God uses pollution for judgment.
God Answers Moses in a Two-Fold Declaration Ex 3:14-15, Verse 14, “I am that I am.” Doubled means perfect existence. “I am, that I am.” The first application is the essence of God. God’s character is first. Some people couldn’t list the essence of God if their life depended upon it. And they may have heard it a 100 times. The application of God’s essence to your experience is first. It is important for the Jews to understand that deliverance depends on who and what God is, not on who and what they are. The Jews are helpless in slavery. God will deliver them in Grace. He says, “I am powerful and I can do something about it.” Secondly, we have the covenant of God. Verses 15-16. This is the Abrahamic covenant. ”I am the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.” “I protect and watch out over My own.” A. He promised them the land, Canaan Then we have the promise of God. ”I have said and I will bring you in,” Ex 3:17. Now look Moses, you have a message. All the way from the Person of God to the promises of God. A promise is no stronger than the person who makes it. The person who makes the promise secures the promise, otherwise it is worthless. Here we have a perfect promise backed up with a perfect
Person, God. John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation. Be
of good cheer for I have overcome the world.”
Moses’ Fourth Objection, Ex 4:10-12 “I am not eloquent.” He lied. Act 7:22, “Mighty in words.” Moses was a very accomplished speaker. The phrases of Ex 4:10 Slow of speech, I am a slow thinker. God’s reply, Ex 4:11-12 Who made man’s mouth ... “I will be your mouth.” Moses is actually chastised because Aaron becomes the spokesman, Ex 4:14-18 and Moses had to listen to him.
Moses’ Fifth Objection Ex 4:13, “Lord, send someone else.” This is the fifth round and this is where Moses gets knocked out. And the Lord, guess what, gets angry, verse 14. “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses.” And Moses gets disciplined. This dialogue has to come to an end, so God raises His voice. In the study of Moses’ messages in the Old Testament, you will find them among the most eloquent in the Bible. He had tremendous public speaking ability. And he had to listen to a lesser speaker, Aaron.
Hebrew Honeys! Now only is the Hebrew language different and more accurate than ours, but their time is different also, which is important when it comes to the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just when did it happen? 1. The Jewish day is 24 hours, and it goes from sundown to sundown, i.e., 6:00 pm. to 6:00 p.m. 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. is called night. 6 am to 6 pm is called day. Acts 23:23, “third hour of the night,” is 9 p.m. Then the sixth hour = 12 noon, and ninth hour = 3 p.m. Because of the method of time telling used then, that the “using of the day” 1. Third hour, could be any time from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Now what is the conclusion when it comes to the time of
the Cross? Forget your Catholic background.
Hebrew Honeys! The day is Wednesday, April 14, 32 A.D. A. 9 a.m. Gentile time. Jesus Christ is put on the
Cross. B. 9 a.m. to 12 noon. The Holy Spirit sustained Him, John 3:34. C. 12 noon to 3 p.m. Christ bore our sins, 1 Pet 2:24 (sixth to the ninth hour), darkness covered the face of the Earth, Matt 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:44. The Word of God sustained Christ. D. 3 p.m. Matt 27:46, 50, Mark 15:23, 37, Luke 23:44, 46. “About the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, Why hast Thou forsaken Me?” He was forsaken for eight hours, darkness. E. 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. During this time His body was taken down (before sundown) so that He would not remain on the Cross on a Sabbath day, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, John 19:31.
Tuesday, March 14, 2000 Union with Christ At the moment of salvation, we are placed permanently in union with the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Cor 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature and all things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new.” In Christ ... in union with Christ Because of being in union with the Lord Jesus Christ, we share nine things: 1. Jesus Christ is eternal life. We have His life. 1Jn
5:11-12
Jesus Christ is One With the Father Therefore, because of union with Christ, we have the Father as well as the Son, 1 John 2:23, John 14:20. We have also the unification of believers. Eph 4:3-5 Eph 4:3, the spirit of unity. Unity which belongs to the
Spirit. The Holy Spirit enters believers into union with the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 12:13 One hope of our calling. All are going to have the same
type of resurrection body at the Rapture. One faith. All save in the same way, by faith. We have all distinctions removed. Gal 3:26-28 Racial. Neither Jew nor Greek. Woman under Christianity only have equality.
Light and Darkness The physical universe is mass designed to illustrate spiritual realities of the plan of God. Light reveals the character of God, 1 John 1:5, Rev
21:23. Absence of light characterizes man apart from
regeneration. This is unbelievers, or apart from spirituality, carnal believers. Spirituality is walking in the Light, 1 John 1:7. Jesus Christ, at the Second Advent, comes as the Sun of Righteousness, Mal 4:2, Matt 4:2, 24:29-31 Judgment in the Word is expressed in the sense of darkness in regard to Heaven or Earth, Ex 10:21, Matt 27:45, Job 3:4, John 12:46, Joel 2:2, Rev 8:12. The eternal state has no night nor need of sun or moon. God is light and He illuminates the universe forever, Rev 21:23-26, Rev 22:5, Rev 21:9 with 22:3, no night. Light and darkness are mutually exclusive. You are either saved or lost. You are either spiritual or carnal. Designated by light and darkness.
The Mosaic Law and the Harmony Between the Mosaic Law and Justification by Faith 1. There is a four-fold harmony between the Mosaic Law as
it operated in the previous dispensation and justification by faith, B. Both affirm the universal suffering
of man. C. Both reveal character. D. Both have the same source, God. Conclusion: 1. The Mosaic Law proves that man is a sinner. The Mosaic Law shows man the need of a Saviour and points to Christ as the Saviour. ”The Law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, but
then after Christ is come we are no longer under the schoolmaster.”
Physical Life 1. Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things. Col 1:16,
John 1:3, Heb 1:10
Monday, March 13, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! The word “mystery” in the Greek is the word “MUSTERION.” A mystery was something that was known only by those in a secret fraternity in the Greek. ”Mystery” are doctrines known only to those on the inside and the fraternity is all believers in the family of God. There are eight mysteries referred to in the New Testament. 1. Of the body, Eph 3:1-11 The word “mystery” is used in all these passages. ”Behold I show you a mystery. We shall not all die, but
be changed in a twinkling of an eye.” There are three passages which deal with the principle of the Greek word “mystery.” And these define the word: 1. Eph 3:1-6, 7-11 The etymology of the word “mystery,” MUSTERION. A Greek word in 5th century B.C., where a group of fraternities existed which had a sacred doctrine. Those on the outside did not know the doctrines. However, once inside and initiated into the organization, the mysteries became known. Thus the word “mystery.” The Bible must be interpreted in the time in which it was
written. Every time you find the word “mystery” in the New Testament, it pertains to some fact of the Church Age. Basically the doctrine of the mystery is the doctrine of the dispensation of the Church. The reason the doctrine is called a “mystery” is because these truths were not revealed in the Old Testament. Nowhere in the Old Testament is there Church Age Truth. The Old Testament was a time of detailed information with regard to many things. The death of Christ, burial, resurrection, ascension and
session at the right hand of the Father Then when chronologically you would start the Church Age, you skip right over that area, the Church Age, and get into the Tribulation, to the Second Advent, and the Millennial Reign. Therefore, the information pertinent to the Church Age, was not revealed in the Old Testament. So it is a mystery. Not know to them, but known to you.
Pentecost, Day of ... The day of Pentecost was the fulfilling of two prophecies: A. The prophecy of tongues, Isa 28:11 Jews would be evangelized in Gentile languages as a sign, 1 Cor 14;21-22, that the 5th cycle of discipline would soon begin. 1 Cor 14:22, “Wherefore tongues are for a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not.” B. The prophesy of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1:5 The baptism of the Holy Spirit signals the beginning of
the Church Age, John 14:20, The day of Pentecost was approximately 32 A.D. That is the day the Church Age began. Do not confuse 32 A.D. with 70 A.D. In 70 A.D., the Jews went out under the 5th cycle of discipline. Lev 26. The Church began in one local spot, Jerusalem. Consequently, on the day of Pentecost and after, there
were Jewish Age believers in other locations. That had not had the baptism of
the Holy Spirit, which entered them into union with Christ, making them Church
Age believers. Acts 2:1-4, You have Jewish believers The Church started locally and then became universal. In 30 years the Church covered the world! The book of Acts is simply a history of the pre-Canon Church. The Holy Spirit could not come, the baptism of the Spirit, in the Age of Israel because Christ had not yet come in the flesh. Christ had not yet died, risen, ascended, nor was He seated at the right hand of God the Father. John 7:37-39 We had to have the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ before we could have positional Truth in Christ.
Greek Grace Gems! The word “minister” is used in three ways in Scripture: 1. Those who are in authority in a national entity,
believer or unbeliever. Example: a judge. Rom 13:4, ministering a Divine
institution. Several words are used for a pastor of the Church: Five Ways to Know That God Exists! 1. Religious approach. God exists because men universally believe in His
existence. This is the religious instinct. Psa 42:1-2 2. Moral or anthropological approach. Man possesses a conscience with the urge to chose between
right and wrong, preferring right, indicating that behind it is an absolute norm
of right or wrong. Point one and two are more meaningful in primitive cultures. 3. The Philosophical approach. The mind possesses a concept of a perfect, absolute,
something behind the relative pattern. 4. Teleological approach. The structure of the universe demands an Absolute Being
as Designer, a Master Designer, i.e., an atom, galaxies. 5. Cosmological approach. The intuition, perceived by the mind immediately, the law
of cause and effect, demand the existence of God. The universe is not its own
cause. Numbers 3, 4, and 5 are more meaningful in highly developed societies.
Greek Grace Gems! “PANTOKRATOR” = God is all powerful This word is used for omnipotence, and it refers to umlimited power. It is used ten times in the Greek New Testament and it is usually translated almighty. Rev 19:6, 2 Cor 6:18, Rev 1:8, 4:8, 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 14, 19:15, 21:22 Rev 19:6, “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of many thunderings saying, Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” Now, do you think He has the power to safely keep you? Well, He said so. John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.”
The word “omnipresence” doesn’t appear in the Bible. But what would you say about verses like these? 1 Kings 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on the Earth, behold the Heaven and the Heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee, how much less this house that I have builded?” 1 Chron 2:6, “But who is able to build Him an house seeing the Heaven and the Heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then that I should build Him a house save only to burn sacrifices before Him?” Isa 66:1, “Thus saith the Lord, the Heaven is My throne and the Earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you built unto Me and where is the place of My rest?” Acts 17:27, “That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after Him and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us.” Acts 17:28, “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being,” The word “omnipresence” may not appear, but He is omnipresent.
Remembrance and the Doctrine of Memorial 1. Believers are commanded to remember the death of the
Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Cor 11:24-25 2. Remembrance means thinking, thinking about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in this case. 3. Bonafide remembrance demands doctrine. 4. Knowledge of such doctrine in the human spirit and frame of reference results in occupation with Christ and the maturing of the individual, resulting in edification. 5. The more Bible Doctrine one assimilates, the more the fragrance of memories comes into focus as far as our Lord’s person and work is concerned. 6. Throughout eternity the Lord Jesus Christ will carry His scars from the Cross and therefore we will never forget what our Saviour did for us dying in the Cross. 7. Also in the doctrine of Right-Man and Right-Woman, like the Song of Solomon, the doctrine of remembrance keeps the Shulamite woman faithful to her shepherd lover. 8. Thus the doctrine of remembrance of the fragrance of memories is a very powerful doctrine and very effective, and very necessary in the life of any mature believer.
The Biblical Doctrine of Murder 1. The devil was a murderer from the beginning, John 8:44. This means that after the fall of man, the devil was guilty of mental attitude sins. Murder always involves two other mental attitude sins—jealousy and anger. 2. The devil motivated Cain as an unbeliever to murder his brother with a sacrificial knife – no gun. He killed a believer, his brother Abel. 1 John 3:12, “slew him.” 3. Hatred, a mental attitude sin, was the motivation for the first murder in the human race. Gen 4:5. 4. Murder is prohibited in the Word of God. Ex 20:13 literally is, “Thou shalt not murder.” See also Deut 5:17, Matt 5:21. 5. Capital punishment is the penalty for murder according to Num 35:30-31 and this is true from the time of Gen 9:6. Also shown in Rom 13:4. 6. Murder is one of the seven worst sins and the only one in the overt category. Prov 6:16-19. 7. Both anger and hatred are considered to be mental murder. Matt 5:21-22, 1 John 3:12. 8. A person can be a believer and commit murder. 1 Pet 4:15. 9. However, every murderer does not have eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15. 10. First degree murder, premeditated murder, involves mental attitude sins. Rom 1:29, Gal 5:21. Envy or jealousy precedes murder. Religion was envious of Jesus Christ and for envy, they killed Him. 11. Murder is a part of crime. As any nation approaches the fifth cycle of discipline, it also has a rise in crime of this type. Jer 4:31.
Saturday, March 11, 2000 20 Reasons Why Christians Suffer! When I first became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I watched a young lady, who was a Christian, suffer from cancer and the question came to me, “Why do Christians suffer?” We have all heard or said, “Why did God let this happen to me?” For those of you who have this question, here are 20 passages for why Christians suffer. 1. Christians suffer when they are on a frantic search for happiness in the details of life, apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole book of Ecclesiastes is the story of Solomon pursuing the details of life apart from the Lord and the result was “vanity, vanity, all is vanity and a vexation of spirit.” 2. Christians suffer from the guilt reaction to sin and the suppression of the sin in the self-consciousness of the soul. 1 Tim 1:5-6, “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. From which some having swerved have turned aside into vain janglings.” Verses 19-20, 3:9. 3. Suffering from calluses on the soul because of negative volition to the Word of God. Eph 4:17-19, “This I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you henceforth walk not as other gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind. Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness.” 4. Suffering from the failure to isolate sin. Heb 12:15, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” This is the principle of chain sinning, adding one sin to another. 5. Suffering from the rejection of authority. Judges 19-21, Matt 7:29 – 8:13, Jer 7, Prov 30. 6. Suffering from rejecting the Right-Man or the Right-Woman. Ezek 16, Ezek 23. 7. Christians suffer because of interrelationship with those who suffer. 1 Cor 12:26, Rom 14:7, 1 Chron 21. 8. Christians suffer from Divine Discipline. Heb 12:6 9. Suffering because of rejecting the Word of God and therefore rejecting the Lord as the Right-Man. Jer 13. 10. Suffering directly related to the angelic conflict. 1 Pet 1:12, 1 Pet 3:17, Eph 3:9-13 11. Suffering in order to demonstrate the power and the Grace of God. 2 Cor 12:1-10. 12. Suffering to learn the value of the Word of God. Psa 119, especially verses 67, 68, and 71. 13. Suffering from the rapid and accelerated growth in the Word. James 1:1-6. 14. Suffering from natural disaster. Isa 59:15-21. 15. Suffering from the temporary loss of norms and standards. Jer 2;24-25. 16. Suffering from war. Deut 21, 24, Matt 24:6-7. 17. Suffering from the emotions of the soul being short circuited in times of tragedy. John 20:9-18. 18. Suffering while in the process of dying. Job 5:20 ff 19. Suffering because of taking the Lord’s table, communion, when you are out of fellowship, taking the Lord’s table unworthily. 1 Cor 11:29-31, ‘For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves we would not be judged.” There is an additional sort of suffering but this is only for a very few. 20. Suffering because of a special spiritual gift, like the Apostle Paul. Paul suffered in many passages.
The Sin of the Lack of Thinking Grace 1. The spirit of pride: Exalted feeling based on success
or position. Or, because of good 2. Love or lust for human approbation or praise: A secret fondness to be noticed and recognized by Christians. A love of supremacy and drawing attention by conversation, exhibitionism, or playing “spiritual king of the mountain.” 3. Social interaction: Anger or impatience, touchy and sensitive nature. Resentment and retaliation when disapproved and contradicted. Jealousy, sour grapes, envy, etc. 4. Self-will: Concept of the stubborn or unteachable nature. A disposition to be argumentative, harsh and bitter. A nit-picker, one who is critical, one who minds the business of others more than their own. One who has a long proboscis. 5. The tendency to magnify the faults and failures of others while emphasizing their own virtues. It is having an unpleasant feeling when others succeed and prosper. 6. A negative disposition: Peevish, fretful disposition, that loves to be coaxed and honored. A dishonest, deceitful disposition. A disposition that tends toward discouragement and despondency under pressure, or an attempt to solve one’s problems by hysteria and tantrums. 7. Apathy: Indifference to the Word of God and the Scriptures in general. These are manifestations non-Grace thinking. They can be corrected by the study of the Grace of God, confession, and the importance of the mental attitude.
What is the Sin Unto Death? 1 John 5:16, “There is a sin unto death.” Also found in Psa 118:17-18, Ezek 18:21-32 Characteristics of a sin not unto death
Characteristics of a sin unto death. 1 John 5:16 b
Case histories of the sin unto death. 1 John 5:16
b
Some of these sins are gross and some are mental attitude. Conclusion: the sin unto death is not a specific sin, but continued carnality.
Does Suicide Cancel Out Eternal Life? 1. Jesus Christ died for the sin of suicide. 1 John 2:2, Isa 53. He bore all sins paying the penalty for everyone, but this does not mean that everyone is automatically saved. 2. Saul, a believer, died of suicide. 1 Sam 31:1-6. Saul was a believer study, 1 Sam 10 and 11. Saul went to Heaven after he died. 1 Sam 28:19, “You and your sons will be with Me,” i.e., in Heaven. A believer cannot lose his salvation or be separated from the love of God for any reason. Rom 8:15-39. When verse 38 says that death cannot separate the believer from the Lord, it includes suicide … the doctrine of eternal security. A believer may be out of fellowship when he dies, but not out of his eternal relationship with the Lord. A believer or an unbeliever commits suicide when calluses have completely closed the eyes of the soul. You can study the life of an unbeliever, Judas Iscariot in Matt 27:3-10. A misunderstanding of some major doctrines stemming from positional Truth and union with Christ causes many believers to be off in their understanding of suicide. Suicide is horrible, but it never causes the loss of salvation.
The Unpardonable Sin! The unpardonable sin is an unpardonable act. It is unbelief in rejecting Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. The unpardonable sin is listed as a sin against the Holy Spirit therefore we need to understand it. The unpardonable sin is not adultery, suicide, using profanity, or the willful sin. It is not the constant repetition of any sin. It is not calling your brother a fool, or falling away, etc. These are the most common concepts people have of the unpardonable sin. And they are wrong. ”All sins shall be forgiven,” Mark 3:28, which is a source of comfort. Correlate this with the doctrine of unlimited atonement. The unpardonable was not poured out on Jesus Christ and therefore not judged. All sins are pardonable except rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. 1 Pet 2:24, 2 Cor 5:21. Characteristics of the unpardonable sin:
The alternative to this unpardonable sin is to believe and be saved. But if rejection persists to the point of physical death, then there is no hope and no help. ”Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”
Six Circumstances Under Which the Human Race Suffers A. Health Categories of suffering in time: 1. The Lord Jesus Christ suffering on the Cross.
Human Freedom in Scripture The 10 Commandments are the Magna Carta of human freedom. Ex 20:2, Deut 5:6. The year of jubilee in Codex #3 of the Mosaic Law is designed to maintain and continue the freedom of a nation, Lev 25:10. As the Mosaic Law provided freedom in the age of Israel, so today God the Holy Spirit provides freedom for the believer in the Church Age, 2 Cor 3:17, Rom 8:2-4. Today in our country we have a double freedom. We have the freedom in the structure of our nation, we also have the freedom of the indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit and the means of growing in Grace by the knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ. In Jeremiah’s day, slavery was a national issue, Jer 34:8-17, and he constantly warned them against SOUL SLAVERY. Soul slavery leads to physical slavery and death. Eternal liberty belongs to the child of God, Rom 8:21. Our eternal freedom is related to the doctrine of Redemption, Isa 61:1, Luke 4:18-20. Christ bought us out of the slave market of sin. Experiential sanctification provides daily freedom to
serve the Lord. Rom 6:16-20. Therefore liberty is the modus vivendi of Christianity. Gal 5:13 and 1 Pet 2:16 that means that every born again believer, even with a thimble full of Doctrine, ought to understand freedom, privacy, free enterprise, patriotism. Freedom provides the stability of soul necessary for both occupation with Christ and worship. 2 Chr 29:31. Body slavery should not hinder a believer from serving the Lord. 1 Cor 7:20-23, in slavery serve the Lord. Delivered from slavery, then you are a slave of the Lord and serve Him.
Friday, March 10, 2000 I wonder how many churches and denominations would welcome this person as a member of their church. Notice his qualifications for becoming a member. 1. He repented, Matt 27:3 He would probably become the treasurer in most churches.
Psa 2:12, “Kiss the Son lest He be angry and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” Kiss the Son. 1. The kiss involves recognition of who and what Christ
is — the only Saviour. You only kiss one Saviour. The literal translation is “Kiss (believe) on the Son lest He will be angry and ye perish from the way (a believer out of fellowship) when His wrath is kindled but a little.” You don’t kiss everybody.
Prov 24:26, “Every man shall kiss lips that give a right answer.” 1. This is describing a man who wants to kiss a girl, which is an analogy of a believer hungry for the Word of God. 2. The girl who responds is the analogy of a believer with Bible doctrine. 3. If the girl is unresponsive, then it is a picture of a believer minus doctrine, supplying human viewpoint. The result is that the man, believer, minus doctrine but with positive volition does not want to kiss this person, the believer minus doctrine, any more. 4. An individual may kiss many girls without getting a great response. And this is the analogy of people getting great amounts of human viewpoint answers. 5. To get a passionate response that stimulates is the analogy of seeking the Truth and finding it and learning the Word. This brings a rapport. 6. In this analogy, the one woman who returns the kiss is equivalent to the communication of the Word of God. She fills the desire or need satisfying the thirst for doctrine by providing Divine Viewpoint. The man with unfulfilled needs is the man not being satisfied by doctrine. Remember this the next time you kiss your wife or husband.
Hebrew Honeys! There are three words translated in your Bible “to make or create.” A. BARAH: to create something out of nothing. Isa 43:7, Man … Isa 45:18, The universe … The Lord that created the heavens, BARAH The lord can make, BARAH, something out of nothing.
Government Legislation Dan 6:10-13,a”Ad when Daniel knew that the writing was
signed,” i.e., Divine Institution number four is a national entity and legislation is for the protection of the people of that nation. Divine Institution number four protects Divine Institution number one, which is free will and Divine Institution number two which is marriage and Divine Institution number three which is family. Legislation cannot make all people equal. That is the prerogative of the Lord Jesus Christ. People are not born equal. Legislation cannot remove poverty. The federal government does not have the right to tell me that I cannot believe in the Lord Jesus Christ nor does it have the right to keep me from worshipping in the church of my choice. Also, the government does not have the right to penalize me if I am an atheist. The law of the Medes and the Persians forbid Daniel to pray, Dan 6:7. Daniel did the right and the proper thing by praying. Daniel is actually operating under a higher law and is actually doing more for the Persian Empire by praying. It is God who sustains the Persian Empire. Isa 45. Therefore, by violating this ludicrous legislation, Daniel is faithful to the Lord and a patriot of the Persian Empire. Patriotism is the heritage of regeneration. Born again believers in fellowship are the salt of the Earth.
Hebrew Honeys! Repentance is not a separate step in salvation. There are
no “steps” in salvation. When a person believes, he repents. When he
repents, he believes. It is the Hebrew word “NACHAM” and this word is used in connection with God. It is an anthropopathism, which is a human characteristic ascribed to God. Here are the uses:
The Hebrew word means a complete change of mental attitude. God is always the subject of repent in the Old Testament. God did not feel sorry for His sins!
The evaluation of the believer’s works and production will take place at the Judgment Seat of Christ, found in 1 Cor 3. There are two categories of material: 1. Acceptable to God. 2. Unacceptable to God.
Worldliness is a Mental Attitude 1 John 2:15, “Stop loving the world, neither the things
that are in the world.” To love the world is worldliness. It is to have the
mental attitude of human viewpoint in your mind. Principle: The love of the Father and the love of the
world cannot coexist in your mind. They are mutually exclusive. One drives out
the other. The first thing that has to be straightened out after salvation is not what you do, but what you think. Because in Prov 23:7 it says, “As a man thinketh in his mind so is he. For out of the mind are the issues of life.”
Thursday, March 9, 2000 How to Divorce Christ From Your Life Without Even Trying. In Luke 14:3, men make excuses for not coming to the feast of Jesus Christ. One bought some property, one bought some oxen, and one was recently married. The excuses they made are the same we all make today, not realizing that we are in full-time Christian service at the point of salvation. These men tried to exclude Christ from their business, from their home, and from their marriage. We are complete in Christ and we are incomplete without Him. Don’t divorce Him from your life by not including Him in your job, business, or your marriage. That is the more abundant life that He came to give us. Try it you will like it.
At the beginning of the last century there was an election in our country that began the cause for the fall of our nation. The election was between Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. It was the first time we had a professor in the White House. The people chose Wilson over Roosevelt. There are many things that Wilson did wrong. I personally don’t like him. But don’t tell anybody, but Woodrow Wilson spoke in the First Baptist Church in Dallas where Dr. Truett was the pastor. He spoke for an hour. Here is what he said, Dr. Truett is quoting him. “For one hour he unfolded his defense of the Bible, the noblest defense of the Bible I have ever heard from human lips. In that address he told us that he had staked his all on Christ. For life and death and for the great beyond forever and that he would not give up his hope in Christ for the whole world.” I can’t believe that he is a member of my family. Now that shows you something about the Grace of God. The Lord doesn’t care who He saves. I know what Jonah felt like when he didn’t want the people in Nineveh to be saved. Are you not glad that I am not the Saviour? I sure would not include Woodrow Wilson and he probably wouldn’t want to include me either. ”The Grace of God that bringeth salvation, has appeared to all men.”
Greek Grace Gems! Baptize unto repentance. John says in Matt 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with
water unto repentance.” The word “unto” signifies result. The word “for” in our second text has the same meaning. The Greek words “unto” and “for” are the preposition EIS, which means literally, “because of.” They were baptized because of the remission of sins. Baptism is for believers only, depicting living in the newness of life, or the Christian way of life.
Greek Grace Gems! Rom 5:20, “Where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound.” The words “much more abound” are from a word referring to a superabundance of something with an additional supply added to this superabundance. Paul’s teaching here is that no matter how much sin there might be committed, there are always unlimited resources of Grace in the soul of God by which He can extend mercy to the sinning individual. The reaction of the soul that does not understand Grace
is seen in the question asked, The answer: “God forbid,” literally, “may it not become.” He dismisses it as being unthinkable. Far be the thought.
Greek Grace Gems! HELL HADES TARTARUS There are three Greek words in the New Testament translated by the one English word “hell,” which fact results in some confusion in our thinking. To quiet your nerves, “Hell” was never prepared for people. “Hell” was prepared for Satan and his angels. But if you want to go there, you can. Simply reject Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and if you don’t want to go to Heaven then go to Hell. Now, I didn’t say it. Blame it on Christ. ”There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus our Lord.” HELL HADES TARTARUS. Notice there’s no Purgatory.
Hebrew Honeys! Using the verb “to kill” in Scripture, there are seven stems. 1. Qal stem, active voice, indicative mood. Literally,
“kills.” The believer should be familiar with both the Greek and Hebrew language and basic grammar because knowing the original languages are the basis for accurate Bible teaching.
Hebrew Honeys! Prov 28:23, “He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue.” The word “flattereth” is a causative hiphil stem, which means to smooth, to flatter, to flirt. The motivation to flattery is a mental attitude sin plus the desire to have the details of life, which produces self induced misery. Patronizing or flattering stimulates one’s approbation lust. The person who flatters has no capacity for love, therefore he must flatter to gain approbation lust. Flattery is human viewpoint designed to gain happiness through the details of life and approbation lust. Bible doctrine is permanent and flattery is temporary. The believer who lives on flattery is a slave to it. Believers cannot be sustained or helped by flattery.
Hebrew Honeys! Prov 25:17, “Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor’s house lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.” The principle is the respect for the privacy of others. Respect the belief of others. You cannot have a woman’s love if you destroy her free will. Understand the social capacity of others. Since you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, there can be no true friendship without occupation with Christ. There must be a sensitivity to another friend, so that you do not overstay your visit or be a burden or cause misery. Avoid those things which cause the other person to be tense, legalism, mental attitude sins, and sins of the tongue. The man that came to dinner and stayed forever.
Occupation with Christ Heb 12:1, “Looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of
our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him …” The believer filled with the Spirit functioning under the principle of growing in Grace heading to maturity is the principle of occupation with Christ. What destroys the believer from being occupied with Christ is mental attitude sin, sins of the tongue, and overt sin. And these involve self pity, having eyes on self, and eyes on others, and also materialistic lust. Four conditions that contribute to occupation with Christ: 1. 1 John 1:9, Confession of sin. The conclusion ends up with a predisposition of mind that sees all of life through the Divine Viewpoint. Isa 55:7-9, “My thoughts are not your thoughts.”
Wednesday, March 8, 2000 Moses was buried by the Lord. He never went into the Promised Land because he was disciplined for misrepresenting the Lord. But, did you ever notice Moses never needed Viagra??? Deut 34:7, “And Moses was 125 years old when he died. His eye was not dim. Nor his natural force abated.” This is literally, “his vigor never vanished.” How about you? Senior citizens take notice. Psa 92:14, “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing.” Don’t retire with a handicapped parking place!
A Hebrew Honey! Psa 41:9, “Yea, mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against Me.” The word “heel” in the Hebrew language is the word for “tripping up an antagonist in a wrestling match.” The same word is found in Hosea 12:3, Jer 9:4, Gen 27:36. One of the words for “trust” in Hebrew is BATACH, which means to throw another wrestler to the canvas. Remember that Christ wrestled with Jacob and he limped
all the way to Heaven.
Greek Grace Gems! Heb 1:1, “God, who in sundry times and divers manners, spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.” The word “divers manners” is POLUTROPOS. POLOS means many. TROPOS means manner or way. The word is used for a leopard’s spots, the spots on a leopard, which are varied and many but on a closer look, each spot on the leopard is made up of many other spots. That is how many times God spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets. Heb 1:2, “But in these last days has spoken unto us by His Son.” ”This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him.”
Greek Grace Gems! The word “dragon” is the Greek word DRAKON. Our English is not a translation, but a transliteration. And it comes from a root word that means to see, the power of sight. 12 times it refers to his majesty the devil. Rev 12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; Rev 13:2, 4, 11; Rev 16:13; Rev 20:2. I didn’t know that snakes had good eyes.
Greek Grace Gems! The word “foreknow” and the word “foreknowledge,”
found in 1 Pet 1:20, Rom 11:2, Rom 8:29, is the Greek word “PROGINISKO.” This is Divine knowledge or omniscience.
Tuesday, March 7, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! The uniqueness of the Lord Jesus Christ is brought out time after time in Scripture starting with the virgin birth and His uniqueness as the God-man, undiminished Deity and absolute humanity. Notice the distinction God the Holy Spirit makes when it
comes to the word LIGHT. There are two words in the Greek language here for LIGHT.
The one for the Lord Jesus Christ is different that the one for John the
baptist. Therefore, the source of light, life, warmth, and illumination is CHRIST. WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT BECAUSE HE LIGHTS UP OUR LIFE. Our light is received.
Greek Grace Gems! Rebuke and reprove. These two words are the usual translations of two closely-related words in the Greek text. When we keep in mind the distinction between these two Greek words, a flood of light is thrown upon the passages in which they occur. The word “rebuke” is the general translation of the Greek word EPITIMAO. The word is used when one rebukes another without bringing the one rebuked to a conviction of any faults on his part. It might be because the one rebuked was innocent of the charge or that he was guilty, but refused to acknowledge his guilt. And the example is of Peter rebuking the Lord Jesus Christ. Matt 16:23, “But He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me Satan. Thou art an offence unto Me for thou savorest not the things that be of God but those that be of men.” Also found in Matt 19:15, Luke 18:39, Luke 23:40, Mark 9:25.
Greek Grace Gems! The second word “reprove” is the Greek word ELEGCHO, and it is usually translated “reprove.” The word speaks of a rebuke which results in the person’s confession of his guilt, or if not his confession, his conviction of his sin. Job 5:17, “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth.” Our Lord uses the word when He says in John 8:46, “Which of you convinceth Me of sin?” ELEGCHO is the correct word here, for it was used in the Greek law courts not merely of a reply to an opposing attorney, but a refutation of his argument. No one could prove the charges of sin against our Lord and no one could bring charges against Him in such a way at to convince Him that He was guilty. ”He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
As a Christian, what do you think is the one thing that Christ needs to further His cause as we face the year 2000 A.D.? Well, some say we need more Christians. No, the Bible never emphasizes numbers. David got into trouble numbering the people. Some say we need more money. Well, money is a glorious servant, but it is an incomparable despot. Some say well, we need a better organization. But it is none of these things. But, it is the one thing we won’t do. What Christ needs for His cause to triumph in our day is life and power. 2 Cor 12:14, “For I seek not yours.” That includes the above list. ”For I seek not yours, but you, the gift of life. We will do anything and give anything but there is one thing we won’t give and that is ourselves. Christ needs you with His gift of eternal life to further His cause in our day.
Monday, March 6, 2000 There is no neutrality in Christianity or Christ. Christ said, Matt 12:30, “He that is not with Me is against Me and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.” Moses said in Ex 32:26, “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, Who is on the Lord’s side, let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.” Joshua said in Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto
you to serve the Lord, choose this day whom ye will serve. Whether the gods
which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods
of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell. You must make a decision for Christ. You cannot remain neutral. There is no such place. Only in Sweden. Pilate tried to be neutral, but he failed. We all have to make a decision for Christ. It is either or.
In Matthew chapter seven, we have two choices. There are: Make a choice. “Who is not with Me is against Me.” “He who gathers not with Me scatters abroad.”
Here is a tremendous Greek Grace Gem! Now I know that Christians don’t know anything about “shooting craps,” which is playing dice. I know you are not familiar with that as Christians, right? But Christ knows something about shooting craps, even if you don’t and it is right in your Bible. It has been there for years. What are the self-righteous Christians going to do when they run into that verse? Eph 4:14, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine. By the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” The word “sleight” is the Greek word “KUBIA,” which denotes dice playing. It’s from KUBOS, a cube, a die as used in gambling. This means that you are shooting craps with Satan and the dice are loaded. He plays with loaded dice and you can’t win. It sounds like Vegas. And you said you never played dice.
Saturday, March 4, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! Many times in Scripture, both in the Old and in the New Testament, you read a phrase like this: God forbid! The word “God” does not appear. The word for “God” is “THEOS” and the Greek translation where the translators tried to force the issue by saying “God forbid,” missed the text. This is the way it appears in the Koine Greek: ”ME” ... an expression of absolute denial. Plus So once again, we have a double negative for that which ever the context is speaking. You can be sure it will never happen.
When we think about compassion, most people think of Jeremiah, the weeping prophet. But we look to Christ, the Weeping Prophet, who wept over the destruction of Jerusalem. When we think of love we think of John leaning on the Lord’s chest. But we look to Christ, and see He loved us and laid down His life for us. When we think of suffering and being patient, we think of Job. But Jesus Christ is the Suffering Servant who opened not His mouth. Jeremiah, Job, and John, received their compassion, their love, and their patience from the Lord Jesus Christ. It didn’t originate with them. He originated with Him. Don’t look to men, look to Him, the Source of it all.
Friday, March 3, 2000 Another misconception that we have in this country When you start with a false premise you end up with a
false conclusion. The women’s liberation movement does exactly the opposite. It doesn’t liberate women, it puts them into slavery. Women sell themselves into slavery, which is one of the worst of all slaveries, apart from being born in the slave market of sin and remaining there. Freedom comes from submission. Eph 5:22, “Wives submit yourselves unto your own,
husbands, as unto the Lord.” 1 Pet 3:5, “For after this manner in the old time the
holy women also, who trusted in the Lord, adorned themselves being in subjection
unto their own husbands.” ”If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” In submission there is freedom. Freedom doesn’t stand long in an idler’s hands. Women’s lib = Women’s slavery
Greek Grace Gems! The word “common” in our language means something low and abased and as some say, “gutter snipes.” The word “common” in the New Testament Greek is the word “KOINE” and it means to hold things in common. Our common faith, Titus 2:4. It stands in contrast to the word “IDIOS,” which means one’s own, like your own husband. He belongs to you and no one else. Salvation is common to everyone. Christ died for all. Faith is common to everyone which is the means of appropriating salvation. ”Common” is not low or base but highly exalted and gracious.
Greek Grace Gems! Part two: The word “common” is the Greek word “KOINE,” meaning available to all and accessible to all and known to all. There are three or four different Greek dialects: Attic Greek, Classical Greek, and Aionic Greek. When Alexander the Great was forming his army to conquer the world, he wanted them to understand his orders. At that time he had different Greek dialects among his men. So, in order for them all to understand his orders, he originated this new Greek language called the “KOINE Greek language,” which God the Holy Spirit used for the New Testament. It is available to all and accessible to all and is the most accurate language in the world apart from the Hebrew of the Old Ttestament. We have in our hands God’s sure Word. “He has magnified His Word above His Name.”
Thursday, March 2, 2000 Misconceptions in Our Country. When you start with a false premise you end up with a false conclusion. Six-year-old Derrick with a gun killed another child because he came from “a hell-ridden home.” No. This is a false premise. His environment isn’t the cause of his murder. Let’s face it, Christians. Derrick was born with an old sin nature. Rom 5:12, and when he was born he was an enemy and an alien from God, Eph 2. The Legislature can’t control the old sin nature. James 4:1-2, “From whence cometh wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members. Ye lust, and have not, ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain, ye fight and war, yet ye have not because ye ask not.” Derrick didn’t become a sinner when he committed his first sin. Murder is one of the seven worst sins in the Bible. He was born a sinner. And Derrick’s lust pattern can do anything that ours can. He doesn’t have to wait to grow up. When you start with a false premise you end up with a false conclusion. One of the many misconceptions found in our country today. Only God the Holy Spirit can control the old sin nature. And that is the problem with most Christians.
Another Misconception Found in Our Country. The reason why our schools have become a gun range is because “prayer has been taken out of our schools.” You can’t take prayer out of school. What is prayer? Jesus Christ taught us how to pray. But He never said to cross yourself. He never said to get down on your hands and knees. He never said to light a candle. He never said to speak audibly. Prayer is not an overt expression. Is a silent mental attitude towards God our Father. Christ said when you pray go into your closet and shut the door, so that no one can see you or hear you. ”To be seen of men.” This is approbation lust of the old sin nature. You don’t have to go to a school in order to pray for a school. You can pray right in your kitchen or bathroom or in your car. Ten percent of our population are Christians. Ninety percent of our population can’t even pray. The only prayer of an unbeliever is “Father, I am accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour.” Most believers are out of fellowship and their prayers are not heard either. I refer you to Psa 66:18 and Isa 59:1-3. Prayer is not an overt manifestation. Instead of making the issue prayer in school, what you should do is go to the school of Grace and come boldly to the throne of Grace wherever you are. Our country sets aside one day a year for everyone to
pray and who is even heard???? 0.000%
Misconception Number Three ”Oh, he committed that crime, poor thing, because he came from a broken home. He lived on the other side of the tracks.” Well I lived on the other side of the tracks. In fact, both sides of the tracks were the other side of the tracks. I didn’t know who my parents were. I didn’t murder anyone. I have never tried drugs. And I only tasted beer one time and I like root beer floats much better. Now, I am not a saint, but on the other hand yes I am. But my environment or lack of it didn’t make me a criminal or a drug addict. We have three sets of twins in Scripture. They came from the same environment and parents, and one turned out good and the other didn’t. How come? THEIR ATTITUDE ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. He is the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, not the God of Nahor, Esau, and Ishmael. Three were believers and the other three were not. The three unbelievers had no capability of controlling the old sin nature. What about Cain and Abel? Both of them were from the same environment and both had the same parents. No, it is not the other side of the tracks or a broken home. It is “WE ARE ALL THE SONS OF GOD BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS.” You, too, have an area of weakness in your old sin nature
and when you are out of fellowship, you go out through the area of weakness. False premise — false conclusion.
Another Misconception in Our Country This misconception is that we can do away with poverty, because poverty causes people to commit crimes. But you can’t do away with poverty. We have had wars on poverty and soup kitchens and food stamps, etc. But you can’t do away with poverty. Simply because Christ said, “The poor you have with you always, but Me you have not with you always.” One of the reasons for poverty is because … “If any would not work neither should he eat,” 2 Thes 3:10. And “Ye have not because ye ask not, and ye ask it upon your own lust.” ”A man is worthy of his hire.” “Never muzzle the ox that treads out the corn.”
We as Christians hold the most exalted of all royal titles and Christ is the Head of a new dynasty, the Church, in which we belong. During the present era of history, the Church Age, every individual who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as his or her personal Saviour is adopted as an adult son into the royal family of God. This is found in Rom 8:15, Gal 4:1-5, Eph 1:4-5. Our adoption occurs at the first moment of faith in Christ, when we are all placed into union with Christ. Gal 3:26, “We are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” We are royalty now and will be royalty forever. This is our eternal position in our current experience. However, we must learn to think like royalty. We must conduct ourselves as royalty. In order to live and think as spiritual royalty, we need royal assets.
Christ in all the Scriptures! Christ is the Beautiful Messenger of Isaiah.
At the moment of salvation, God the Holy Spirit places each member of the royal family of God into a magnificent individual environment that is a system of living that can compare to a royal palace. Because the believer’s very own invisible palace is a sphere of spiritual powers, God has made available to each believer the exercise of Divine omnipotence. The palace is a teaching aid that clearly explains the tremendous assets and privileges that God has given to each Church Age believer. Living as royalty in the palace is a synonym for the Christian way of life. Only in the palace can we use spiritual assets and develop capacity for life with wisdom, happiness, and graciousness as the spiritual aristocrats that we are. The palace is the only place in which Christian growth can occur. God designed the Christian way of life and we must do things His way. ”Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” The Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life which demands a supernatural means of execution. Anything the unbeliever can do is not Christianity.
Another Misconception in Our Country “Register guns and the killing will stop.” Guns don’t kill people. People kill people of all ages. Why? James 4:2, “YE LUST, AND HAVE NOT, YE KILL.” Killing comes from the old sin nature and everyone has one, no matter how old we are. The only exception is the Lord Jesus Christ. Suppose there was a time when no guns were around. Would that end killing? No. Show me... 1 John 3:12, “Not as Cain, who slew his brother.” Judges 3:21-22, “And Ehud and took the dagger and
thrust it into his belly and the haft went in after the blade and the fat closed
upon the blade so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly and the
dirt came out.” Judges 4:21, “And Jael took a hammer and smote the nail
into his temples and fastened it into the ground, so he died.” Judges 7:15, “A cake of barley bread tumbled into the
host of Midian and came into the tent and smote it that it fell and overturned
it.” 1 Sam 17:50-51, “David prevailed upon the Philistine
with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine in the forehead that the
stone sunk into his forehead and he fell upon his face to the Earth.” As long as there are people there will be old sin natures and the only thing you can do with an old sin nature is to control it by means of the Holy Spirit. ”The flesh lusts against the Spirit and they are contrary one to another.”
Eph 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us will all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” ”According as He has chosen us in Him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” The highest priority is our scale of values which we learn from the Word of God, which teaches us what assets we possess and explains how to utilize them. Only by adhering to God’s precise policies for the royal family, do we fulfill the conditions for receiving our blessing created in Eternity Past that glorifies God. Divine Grace has created a royal way of life which Divine authority commands the royal family to exercise. We are responsible for fulfilling the plan of God, but God never issues an order for which He has not already provided the means of execution. To obey God’s commands is to tap His resources. ”Man cannot live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” ”He has exalted His Word above His Name.”
Wednesday, March 1, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! Sometimes a very slight shade of meaning in a word may speak volumes. Paul in Acts 22 is presenting his defense before his fellow countrymen. He states that he is a man, Jewish by race, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, yet brought up in Jerusalem at the feet of Gamaliel, Acts 22:3. Tarsus was a city outside of Palestine and Greek in its culture. The fact that Paul was born there would put him in an unfavorable light with the Jerusalem Jews. We see that prejudice of the Jews against their fellow countrymen who had absorbed Greek culture and who read the Old Testament in the Greek Septuagint version rather than in their native Hebrew, manifested in the early church, Acts 6. But Paul was strictly honest in recounting his life. He said born in Tarsus, yet brought up in this city. The word “yet” is from the milder of two adversative particles in the Greek, both meaning “but.” He could have used the stronger adversative, and had he used the latter, he would have washed his hands of Tarsus and of all Hellenistic culture. But he could not honestly do that. Saul of Tarsus had received training in the Greek language and literature. He was well read in the latter for in Acts 17:28 he quoted from two of the minor Greek poets, Aratus and Cleanthes. And in Titus 1:12 he quoted from one of the Creatan poets. He was educated at the feet of Gamaliel. He could have used either of three prepositions each meaning “at.” Had he used either of them, he would have had a position before the great teacher. But the preposition he used means “beside, alongside,” and carries with it the idea of close personal connection. Paul was a scholar. It may be a small touch, but it speaks volumes.
Greek Grace Gems! An illustration of the tactfulness delicacy of feeling of the apostle Paul is seen in respect “to the gift” which the Philippian saints sent to him and which was the occasion of the letter. Chapter one verses three through five. Paul says, “I thank my God for your ‘fellowship’ in the Gospel from the first day until now.” ”Fellowship,” is from a Greek word that means literally “to have in common with” and speaks here of the joint-participation of the Philippians with Paul in the Gospel. The word “in” is from a preposition of motion, and that speaks of progress. Thus, Paul thanks God for the joint-participation of the Philippians in the progress of the Gospel. The Philippian saints were joint-participants with Paul in the work of the Gospel in that they helped supply his needs as he preached. They had been helping him from the first day when Lydia, the purple dye seller, had opened her home for the preaching of the Gospel, until that present moment when they had sent a gift to the great apostle who was in prison. In the Greek text, the definite article “the” occurs
before the adverb “now,” which is a construction that we do not find in the
English language. The definite article in the Greek points out individual
identity. It makes the thing referred to stand out in contrast to other things.
Paul said that the Philippians had helped him in his missionary work The word “now” refers to the time at which Paul wrote, but the article particularizes that time as being characterized by the receipt of the gift. Now, is not a mere point in time, but a point in time whose character was marked by the receipt of the gift. The article is a delicate finger pointing to the gift without referring to it in so many words.
Greek Grace Gems! In our English word “visit” we usually mean the act of calling to see another, or paying a visit in the sense of a special call. Consequently, we sometimes attach the meaning to the word when we find it in Scripture. But the Greek word that is the translation means something more than that. The word “visit” is the translation of two closely related words that have the following meanings. First: to look upon or after, to inspect, to examine with the eyes. Second: to look upon in order to help or benefit, to look after, to have a care for, to provide for. The word “visit” is possibly the best single word translation of the Greek words, but the English reader can see that it does not adequately translate it. For example, Matt 25:14, “Sick and in prison and ye visited me not.” What richer, fuller meaning we have when we go back to the Greek text. It was no mere social call that would have met the need of the prisoner. Oriental prisons sometimes where cold and uncomfortable. And Paul writes to Timothy from his prison in Rome in 2 Tim 4:13, “The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest bring with thee.” What a prisoner needed was ministering care like the help which the Philippians sent to Paul by Epaphrodius. Truly the latter’s visit to Paul in his Roman prison is a good illustration of the meaning of the Greek word translated “visit.” The Lord will visit you!
Greek Grace Gems! Some of the Scriptural evidences of the difference between our English word “visit” and the Greek word for “visit:” Heb 2:6, “What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visitest him?” The words “son of man,” are here a designation of the human race. The word translated “visitation” is allied to our text and refers to the day when God looks after them and cares for their souls in salvation. In 1 Peter 2:25, the word “bishop” is from another word closely allied to the same verb. Thus God becomes the bishop of the soul of the saints in that He looks after their spiritual welfare and gives them aid. The word “visit” means to look after them. James 1:27, “Pure worship and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” This is not a social visit, but looking after and caring
for them.
Greek Grace Gems! The noun form of the word “visit” is found in the following passages: Acts 20:28, Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3:1, 2, Titus 1:7, 1 Pet 2:25 The word is translated there “bishop of the souls.” The word has the following meanings: to oversee, one charged with the duty of seeing that the things to be done by others are done correctly, a guardian. The Lord is the Bishop of the soul, Overseer and
Guardian. Pastors are bishops of the soul. And your right man is also the bishop
of your soul. They visit you and it is not a social call.
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