mysteries

May 6, 2019

“In the Fullness of Time”

20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. — 2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT

2 Cor. 1:19-22 NLT

God  is omniscient which means He is an all-knowing God, He is never surprised by anything that is said or done by any of His creations.  He is omnipotent which means He is all-powerful and thus He has the ability to fulfill every promise He has ever made.  He was not surprised when Adam and Eve fell to satan’s delusions in the Garden of Eden.  He already had a plan in place to redeem fallen man.  1 Peter 1:18-20 NLT  Every promise God ever made was fulfilled when He resurrected Jesus from the grave. There is not one instance in the Bible where God has not fulfilled exactly what He said He would do.  He fulfills them at a set time known only to Him. When “the set time” or “the fullness of time” had come, He sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins.  When the time had come, He revealed His plan to us and instructed us to tell the whole world about that plan.  He is not surprised when we fail Him in this plan.  He stands ready to forgive us each time we fail Him because that is one of His promises to us as well.  The Bible is complete, there will be no new Scriptures, but our understanding of those Scriptures is not complete.  Hidden in those Scriptures are mysteries that will be revealed and fulfilled in His timing.

1 Cor. 13:12,13 NLT  

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 05-06-2019

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November 29, 2017

“Go Ye Into All the World…..”

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12 So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up. 13 First they took him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time.[a] 14 Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “It’s better that one man should die for the people.” – John 18:12-14 NLT

​Once Jesus was arrested, He was tied up and taken to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest. This was the same Caiaphas that had prophesied that it was better that one man should die than the whole nation. If Caiaphas had have fully understood the situation, he probably would have preferred that Jesus not die for the people. God was allowing satan to use the unbelief and stubbornness of the high priests and religious leaders to accomplish His plan. God’s plan has been in existence since before the world was spoken into existence. No thing or no one had or has the power to stop what God has decreed will be. The reason that Jesus had spoken in parables to the crowds and early in His ministry had told those He healed not to tell anyone was to accomplish the mission that God has sent Him here to do. If satan had figured it out, he would not have wanted Jesus to be crucified on the cross.
7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord–1 Cor.2:7,8 (NLT)
Jesus said:
13 That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.—Matt. 13:13 (NLT)
​There are still those who look but don’t see and hear but they aren’t really listening. But since we aren’t able to know the minds and hearts of others, we cannot be selective in who we witness to. We are to tell everyone the Good News and let God be in charge of the results.

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous

Post 11-29-2017

November 16, 2017

Mysteries Revealed by the Holy Spirit

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13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. – John 16:13 NLT
 
John 16:12-15 NLT

Jesus has many more things to tell us as well and like the disciples we are not spiritually ready to hear some of them. God opened up the “mystery” of the Gospel in the first century, Paul uses the word mystery seventeen times in his writings. (In the KJV)
6 However, I speak a wisdom to those who are mature. But this wisdom is not from this world or from the rulers of this world, who are losing their power. 7 I speak God’s secret wi​sdom, which he has kept hidden. Before the world began, God planned this wisdom for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this world understood it. If they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.–1 Cor.2:6-8 (NCV)

The eighth verse gives us a clue as to why God has mysteries. If the world had known the great plan, they would never have crucified Jesus or killed Him in any other way for that matter. But the Holy Spirit has so much more that He wants to tell us. So much more that He wants to accomplish through us
20 With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. 21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen–Eph. 3:20,21 (NCV)
If we walked in the Spirit, without doubt, God could accomplish so much more through each of us. He is able! It is worth repeating!
20 With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. 21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen–Eph. 3: 20,21 (NCV)
He is able!


“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous

Post 11-17-2017

September 8, 2016

Mysteries

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20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
— 2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT
2 Cor. 1:19-22 NLT

God  is omniscient which means He is an all-knowing God, He is never surprised by anything that is said or done by any of His creations.  He is omnipotent which means He is all-powerful and thus He has the ability to fulfill every promise He has ever made.  He was not surprised when Adam and Eve fell to satan’s delusions in the Garden of Eden.  He already had a plan in place to redeem fallen man.  1 Peter 1:18-20 NLT  Every promise God ever made was fulfilled when He resurrected Jesus from the grave. There is not one instance in the Bible where God has not fulfilled exactly what He said He would do.  He fulfills them at a set time known only to Him. When “the set time” or “the fullness of time” had come, He sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins.  When the time had come, He revealed His plan to us and instructed us to tell the whole world about that plan.  He is not surprised when we fail Him in this plan.  He stands ready to forgive us each time we fail Him because that is one of His promises to us as well.  The Bible is complete, there will be no new Scriptures, but our understanding of those Scriptures is not complete.  Hidden in those Scriptures are mysteries that will be revealed and fulfilled in His timing 1 Cor. 13:12,13 NLT  

Post 09-08-2016

April 9, 2016

Pray Together – Stay Together

even-smaller-bug-light11 Then Job replied to the Lord:  2  “I know that you can do anything,   and no one can stop you. — Job 42:1,2 NLT

Job 42:1-7

​We are all familiar with Job’s story and all the things he had suffered at the hands of satan.  ​God had allowed this to happen even though God considered Job a righteous man.  Remember that God pointed Job out to satan and asked him “have you considered my servant Job?”  Reading through the book of Job brings up a lot of questions.  It also shows us that sometimes good friends can give us some bad advice.  God wasn’t happy about the advice Job’s three friends had given him.  It is good to get advice from Godly people, but sometimes God wants to speak to us directly and wants us to lean on Him and Him alone.  There are mysteries that only He can solve and situations that only He understands.  There are lessons that only God can teach us.  God considered Job a righteous man but that doesn’t mean that Job didn’t sin.  After all, there has only been one perfect man to ever walk this earth.  Perhaps Job sinned in that he was always the one that offered sacrifices after the lengthy parties that his sons threw at their homes.  Job1:1-5   We are not told whether or not he taught this practice to his kids, only that he always did it for them.  Which begs the question. are we actively teaching our kids how to walk with integrity before God?  Are we praying with them or just praying for them?  When situations arise, are we doing all the praying and sacrificing or are we teaching them that the whole family prays, ask for God’s forgiveness and sacrifices together?

Post 04-09-2016
July 20, 2015

True Love

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1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. — 1 Cor. 13:1-3 NIV

​Anyone can do good works and have good intentions. You can help people without getting involved in their lives. It seems that in today’s society, that is the preferred way to help. If we just throw some money at the issue, maybe it will go away. But, our example, Jesus, got involved. He knew and we are learning that money is not the cure for a sinful world. We can take vows of poverty and give away all we have, but if we don’t love, it is a useless endeavor. Our churches can exercise all the God-given gifts, but if we don’t show love, it will not bring others to Jesus. We tend to show others “love” when it is convenient and cost us very little in terms of investing time and touch. Before anyone can really show love, they must have the love of God in their hearts. True love comes only from God.

16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.– 1 John 4:16 NIV

Post 07-20-2015
May 9, 2015

There Are No Qualified Stone-Throwers

God is waiting to show you the Way.

God is waiting to show you the Way.

1 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.—1 Cor. 4:1-5 NIV
​Paul is instructing the​ Corinthians in what their attitude toward Paul should be. But it is also instructions to us in how we should regard those in Spiritual authority over us. They have been placed over us at God’s direction and they have been entrusted with messages that we need to hear and obey. Those over us are required to be faithful in delivering the truth to us. Paul is so concerned about being faithful and obedient to His calling in Christ Jesus that it makes it appear as if he has no regard for other’s opinions of him. He can do this with a clear conscience since he is being judged by the Lord. Not judging someone does not mean that we throw away all reason and discernment. We are still responsible for deciding to whom and to what message we listen and adhere to. We must be very humble in assessing the value of another person since we know that we will be measured by the same standards we use. None of us can qualify as stone-throwers.
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” —John 8:7b NASB

Post–05-09-2015