Jesus

Lost that Loving Feeling

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Have you ever heard someone say that God is silent? Or maybe He doesn’t answer his or her prayers? Did they say they’ve been searching for Him, but He seems absent?

The fact that they feel a lack is a good sign they haven’t grown complacent to a distant relationship with God. If they’ve been searching and praying, God has been showing up and answering. The question is, why don’t they see or hear Him in their lives? Why can’t they feel Him anymore?

He exists and loves you external to and despite your feelings. Whether you perceive Him or “feel” anything in relation to Him doesn’t change the fact He is there, always moving, speaking, and reaching out to you. Consider the oxygen around you. If you didn’t know it existed, would you be unable to breathe? Does it change its existence. No, the truth remains outside of our perception or acceptance. It just is.

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

The hard fact about God’s love is that more than just a feeling. It’s an action. If you don’t sense God or feel as though He’s distant, consider that maybe you’re the one who walked off. Walk your way back, and the best way to do that is be called into action to show your love for Him and His creation. Volunteer, donate, spread comfort, love, and cheer to others, tell others of your love for Him, whatever you do, do it in Love. You’ll find Him there.

You should be aware that you’re not the only one to have felt this way. In fact, it is said David (God said he was a man after His own heart) wrote this psalm:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
    by night, but I find no rest
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
    you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
    they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
    since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
    you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
    strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
    open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
    it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
    You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
    Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
    before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—
    may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord
    and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
    all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,
    declaring to a people yet unborn:
    He has done it!
Psalm 22

God answered many times during David’s time, which he speaks of in his other Psalms. However, He answered again, this time to all of humanity who felt this way. Notice Jesus mentions this psalm when He hung on the cross:

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Matthew 27: 45-46

He feels the cries of countless souls who suffer in this fallen world, and in answer, He dies to save them from the darkness. Know that although David felt unheard at times, God heard and remembered.

I know many are having a hard time lately with all that’s going on in the world, but know that despite your feelings, God loves you and is still reaching out to you. Know in your heart that He hears and answers. It may not be the answer you like, and it may not come when you want it, but God knows better than any of us. You’ll find it was the right answer and the right timing. Please love one another in action, not just emotion. We all need each other more than ever.

God bless!

The World’s Afraid to Die

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Photo by Ian Panelo on Pexels.com

It’s on every corner of the internet, TV, radio, podcast, heck even my Bible app was asking me to wash my hands today… the Coronavirus. I remember when I was a child, everyone talking about mad cow disease, Y2K and the strange weather patterns they called El Nino. As I grew older, the world was discussing bird flu, SARs, gosh I can’t remember the names of all the scary new sicknesses through the years.

Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.

John 14:27

I’m not really here to tell you not to be afraid. God is. However, fear can be motivator for action. Maybe we need to know that we aren’t invincible sometimes. Maybe we need reminders that our old, sick, and vulnerable are not being taken care of as well as they should. There’s really no need for worry of the future or whether you and your loved ones will get sick or how this sickness will progress as we learn more about it. Your worry will do nothing. However, if you use the scariness of the situation to pull you into the thick of loving others, if it makes you aware that the world is afraid and many are drowning in storms on a sea of hopelessness without a rock to stand, then maybe all this can be made purposeful.

I was going to repeat my post called “Fear is a Liar,” and you can read that too as it could apply as well in some ways. Yet, I didn’t think it really encompassed this sort of situation where there is a fear about a real and present danger.

If you’re younger than 80 and in fairly good health, you’ll probably be fine and suffer no worse than you would with a flu, according to various sources. But, what if you are older, have bad health, or, like most of us, have loved ones that could be vulnerable? You need to know you have the Rock of Yahweh. He’s here today, like He was here yesterday, and will be here tomorrow. In fact, He exists outside of time itself, so He’s already there in tomorrow before you.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you where you go.

Joshua 1:9

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you.

Isaiah 41:13

There are those of us who have already been affected either ourselves, our loved ones, or simply being quarantined and locked down, our normal lives disrupted. I want you to know that God is by your side, arm around your back, waiting for you to speak to Him your fears, to let Him handle them, so you can be the disciple and priest (all Children of God are His priests!) who loves others and brings them hope and comfort.

You were made for such times as this. It’s no accident you were born in the period you were, so rise, rise up on the faith and hope of God. With Him, you are enough to walk through this fire of fear and chaos on behalf of the many who cannot.

The world needs you because there are many who are unbelievers or are weak of faith, and they are awash in this storm. Stand on the Rock, and call them to the firm place beside you.

God bless! May He heal, comfort, and protect you all.

Aliens – Like the Space Kind

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According to ancient astronaut theorists… you know you’ve watched it: So many “experts,” so many conspiracy theories. It’s fun to think about other beings inhabiting the universe, the deep space full of more lives than our own. So, what does this have to do with God and His heavenly estate? Apparently a lot according to Ancient Aliens show. If you’ve watched this show or just heard similar perspectives, you’ll know they look at God from an alien enthusiasts’ view. So, here, we’ll be looking at the idea of aliens from God’s. So, let’s dive into the vacuum of space and look around.

If you read the Bible trying to scan for terms like space, aliens, planets, or maybe UFOs, you’re not going to find them. Modern people have different ideas about beings from other planets, about what to call them, and really about the universe all together. You really should open your mind a bit to the idea that neither of us really know what we’re seeing when we see strange things in the sky. We all are describing events in a way our audience will understand. What we call spacecraft, the people of long ago may have called a chariot or wheels within wheels.

Let me tell you a strange, true story, and you can believe it or disbelieve it. That’s fine. Maybe there’s a good, rational, society-accepted explanation for the event I’ve experienced. When I was in my twenties, Johnnie was driving me back home from a date we’d been on. It was somewhat late, from what I recall. The dirt road that leads back to my parents’ house goes down a fairly large wooded and uninhabited area. As we neared the road, we saw a metallic-looking cylindrical thing, maybe as large as a semi hovering just above the trees. It made no noise, and it was lit up all around with lights. It had blue and red lights that alternated from what I recall.  Anyhow, despite the fact we both had phones with cameras, neither of us took photos (of course!). We were in shock and couldn’t move. We just stared. When we finally high-tailed it out of there, Johnnie decided to return just a minute later, and it was completely gone.

I told someone about this experience back in college, and they, a devout Christian, called it a weather balloon and dismissed the idea outright, stating that aliens were a myth. Um, you believe in flying chariots and angels who come from where (heaven = sky)? Okay, I’m not here to argue the existence of aliens, rather the hypocrisy of immediate dismissal when you’re a Bible-toting believer. Open your mind to the fact that God is omnipotent and has the capability of being a God and creator to not just this world but many. I’m not saying He has made more worlds with other intelligent beings. I’m just saying that with God all things are possible.

Now, I do find about 90% of the Ancient Alien show hogwash because they really, really stretch things to fit the theory that basically everything was done by or initiated by “otherworldly beings.” They also will try to justify Satan’s actions (let’s pause for a moment of silence), stating that he was “just trying to impart helpful knowledge.” *Cue maniacal laughter here* It wasn’t so much that he was imparting knowledge. It was that he was acting in direct disobedience to God’s commands and attempting to get humans to do the same (“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat of any tree in the garden?'” Genesis 3:1). Sure, if you don’t believe God is an all-good God full of love, you may be tempted to believe Satan was a rebel with a cause. He only wishes he were that cool.

There are instances in the Bible where you can see strange events that sounds otherworldly. For instance, Ezekiel:

I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber, and within it was the form of four living creatures… The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship was like a wheel within a wheel. As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as the moved.

Ezekiel 1:4-17

Maybe you’ll be interested in how Elijah was taken up into the skies by fiery chariots:

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind. As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more.

2 Kings 2:11-12

God is amazing, omnipotent, and omniscient, and He can do anything. It’s possible aliens exist, but it’s okay whatever you believe on that matter. The fact of the matter is that we really aren’t alone in the universe. We’re already told there are beings God created other than us called Sons of God or angels. We see prophecies throughout the Bible with various strange creatures that could be figurative, symbolic or maybe not. Just looking around the Earth, we can see wondrous lives swimming deep in the ocean, flying in the air above, teeming all around us. It’s not a stretch to believe He may have created more we are unaware of, whether that’s on another planet or in another dimension, if those exist. What do you think?

God bless!

Trinity

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Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

~ Matthew 28:19-20

As with any relationship, in order to get closer to another, it’s important to learn about them as much as you can.  So, what or who exactly is God? We can learn much about how He works, thinks, and feels from his Word and the world around us. However, what about His physical essence? God is largely unknowable simply because we are humans and incapable of fully understanding a being so far advanced, complex, and all-encompassing as Yahweh. It’s fun to try, though, and I believe He encourages us to learn as much as we are able.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

~ Matthew 7:7-8

The Bible never says the word “trinity,” and it never says a lot of words we use to describe Biblical concepts; however, the trinity idea itself is throughout the Bible. Let’s start at the beginning.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

~ Genesis 1:1

The word God in the above verse was translated from the Hebrew Elohim, which is used to describe all spiritual beings from God Himself to angels and other divine existences throughout the Bible (Blue Letter Bible). You may be surprised to know this is a word that can be used for both singular or many beings (for an example in English, think “sheep”).

The word Spirit was translated from the Hebrew Ruach, which is used to describe breath, mind, and spirit, especially as in reference to the Holy Spirit (Blue Letter Bible). Whether we listen to its “still, small voice” is up to us.

There are many times the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Old Testament. He is described as words being placed into people’s mouths or the Spirit of God who guides and comforts.

“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.

~ 2 Samuel 23:2

“As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants-from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

~ Isaiah 59:21

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

~ Psalms 51:11

But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.

~ Micah 3:8

The Spirit is spoken up numerous times in the New Testament in the exact same manner. His attributes are unchanged.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My [Jesus’] name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

~ John 14:26

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

~ Acts 2:1-4

God speaks in the plural several times, yet it isn’t clear who He’s speaking to until you get further along in the Bible and meet more and more of the Trinity.

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.

~ Genesis 3:22

God speaks in the plural, and in Hebrew, the words used indicate that Yahweh Elohim (as in Yahweh the divine being) proclaimed that man has become knowing, the word also in the plural (Strongs, “Angels”). Is He speaking to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or just the other divine beings among Him?

Jesus shows up many times, possibly more than we realize. However, here’s a few clear examples that point toward a Son of the Father God.

I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill. I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you… Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in him.

~ Psalm 2:6-7, 12

Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!

~Proverbs 30:4

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

~ Isaiah 9:6

It’s obvious that He shows up in the New Testament, so I won’t post the entirety of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John here. 🙂

God, the divine Elohim, has shown up since the beginning in a three-fold force of love, light, and power. Understanding fully how He functions is probably impossible. However, we can peek a glance at His face at times when we read His Word and seek Him with all our heart. God bless!

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

~ Matthew 3:16-17

Sources other than the Bible:

Blue Letter Bible

Strong’s Concordance

Angels: What the Bible Really Says About God’s Heavenly Host – Michael Heiser

Middle Eastern Revival

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Christian Revival In Unlikely Places

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

~Mark 16:15

There have been rumors from various sources of a Middle Eastern Christian revival in countries as anti-Christian as Iran. Please pray for our brothers and sisters of God as they strive to simply follow their path toward God and gather in secret groups to worship while avoiding the law. It is illegal to preach and convert people to Christianity in Iran. Church services in the national language are forbidden. Yet, still, a revival has been sweeping the country, and converts have been fleeing to surrounding countries in order to live in safety: https://www.npr.org/2018/12/14/669662264/iranians-are-converting-to-evangelical-christianity-in-turkey.

Yet, the influx of Christians are beginning to burden Turkey, and there is fear that their welcome won’t be for long. Many are under the risk of being deported back to Iran where they could face jail, torture, or death due to their beliefs: https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-tortured-in-iranian-prison-fears-deportation-from-turkey-after-4-years.html.

A major distributor of Bibles and Biblical materials to various countries (Eastern European Mission – although they aren’t solely for Eastern European countries anymore) reported that some anti-Christian countries (for obvious reasons they aren’t specific) have groups begging for Bibles in their language and books for their children to teach them the Word. There is a desperate cry for God coming up from these persecuted lands!

In fact, there have been a flood of people reporting dreams and visions, most of them featuring a man who calls Himself Yeshua who guides them to people who can share the gospel. It has become so common that in more open countries, like Turkey, there have been billboards asking if anyone has had a vision or dream and who they can contact to receive the gospel (nakedbiblepodcast).

Sometimes, we can take for granted, especially here in the U.S., our religious freedom. Please pray for those of us who live in fear. May they be able to simply love Him and guide others to love Yahweh.

God bless!

Sources other than the Bible:

https://www.charismanews.com/opinion/53443-the-underground-revival-in-the-middle-east-that-might-take-down-islam

 https://www.christianpost.com/news/scores-of-muslims-turning-to-christ-in-middle-east-churches-expecting-millions-of-converts.html 

https://nakedbiblepodcast.com/episodes/ (episode 305 EEM.org)

Why Doesn’t God Heal Everyone?

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To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ~2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Paul states that he had an unnamed affliction that would not disappear, but he comes to understand that it’s more to God’s glory that he persists in his weakness.

If God only wants the best for us, then why doesn’t He heal everyone? Jesus certainly seemed to heal everyone who demonstrated faith in the New Testament. Aren’t we more faithful since we can’t see Him and yet still believe?

God DOES want only the best for us, and we don’t always know what that is exactly. You can’t lean on your own understanding of good and bad. He wants for us to eventually be beyond a world that causes death, disease, pain, and infirmities, yes. However, He uses the bad that occurs in our corrupt world to bring out the good, either for ourselves or others.

Let’s not forget Job who suffered from a skin disease (not to mention losing his entire family and all his possessions). In the most beautiful passage in the Bible, God explains everything and nothing when He responds to Job’s moans. He told him and his faithful friends that Job certainly didn’t suffer due to lacking faith.

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! ~Job 38:4-5

People, many times good people, suffer because of reasons unknown to us. We should trust that God is in control and He is good.

Your purpose here on Earth is bigger than living in comfort. It’s to show others the Light and the joy of His Love. Sometimes, that comes from miraculous healing. Sometimes, that comes from a believer withstanding through hardship and serving as a guide to others who must suffer the same. Sometimes, the circumstances call for a bit of both.

You may see all the healing Jesus did during His ministry here, and see that He healed everyone who asked for healing and had faith He would. He was also here for a purpose bigger than living in comfort. Part of His mission was to show that He cares and loves us.

There’s no possible way to list all the times God healed in the Bible from Old through New Testaments (or God was referred to as a healer or God was asked to heal) without just linking to the entire Bible. He is the ultimate Healer. However, He doesn’t heal everyone all the time. With the exception of those faithless who reject His healing, why would He not heal His children?

Jesus healed everyone who had faith and pursued Him in the new Testament, but that can’t be said to be true before nor after. He was here on Earth for the express purpose of proving that He was God (only God can heal, forgive, etc.) and to serve as a sacrifice for our sins to eliminate the forces of darkness for His disciples’ souls. His healing had a dual purpose: Healing is symbolic of His spiritual healing and salvation. Notice this though: Jesus still died.

Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke this message quite frankly, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But Jesus, turning and looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” ~Mark 8:31-33

They say courage is not the absence of fear but rather the knowledge that there is something bigger than it. This is exemplified by Jesus.

Death, serious injury, and disease are products of an evil world. Notice that evil still exists, even for us believers. We still live in a fallen world, and God has not yet eliminated it all. Though we are Children of God, we must suffer a little while just as Jesus did.

Yet, this evil is not forever.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” ~ Revelations 21:4

God is bigger than anything you may ever face. Keep your eyes on Him and not the storm.

God bless!

~Dedicated to my mama who is facing great unknowns right now. Our Healer is in control, and your suffering is not without purpose.~

Sources other than Bible:

https://www.learnreligions.com/why-doesnt-god-heal-everyone-701958

https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/why-didnt-jesus-christ-heal-the-gentile-womans

https://www.ligonier.org/blog/why-jesus-heal/

https://www.biblestudytools.com/blogs/chris-russell/why-doesn-t-god-heal-every-sickness-disease-and-illness.html

The Seed, The Branch, The King Forever

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Did you know God announced Jesus’ birth to Adam and Eve? Did you know the Bible repeatedly prophesized Jesus in books dated thousands of years before His arrival as human?

God spoke to the serpent in the garden:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15

Abraham is told that through his offspring, “all nations on earth will be blessed.” Genesis 22:18

Many times in Genesis, the Angel of the Lord (just a title for a messenger of heaven) appears who is also called “the Lord/Yahweh,” which makes many believe He may have been Jesus himself. Hagar even tells this “Angel”, “You are the God who sees me… I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13

Abraham was halted in his sacrifice of Jacob by an Angel of Yahweh (Genesis 22:11,15), Moses spoke to an Angel of Yahweh who spoke through a burning bush (Exodus 3:2) and announced He was Yahweh, at which point Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God(Exodus 3:6). This “angel” shows up many more times throughout the Old Testament.

Jacob is told “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” Numbers 24:17

Jesse is told “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. The spirit of the Lord will rest on him.” Isaiah 11:1

Jesus would be born of a virgin as foretold long before:

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and you will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

David is told “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land … This is the name by which he will be called: the Lord our righteous savior.” Jeremiah 23:5-6

He is also told “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-13

This turns out to not be Solomon (notice his throne was not established forever). He failed to be the perfect man needed for the job.

Jeremiah prophesized the King’s edict to kill all first-borns once Jesus was born:

“A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” Jeremiah 31:15

Micah, a prophet, announced “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2

The fact Joseph and Mary would flee to Egypt until King Herod died was predicted by Hosea:

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” Hosea 11:1

Finally, Jesus’ earthly parents learned of His nature when God sent messengers and dreams to them:

“Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!” Luke 1:30-33

The prophecies of old came to fruition, and the angels praised God.

Suddenly, a multitude of the Heavenly Army appeared with the angel, praising God by saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!” Luke 2:13-14

For those doubtful of His identity, Jesus stated, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,” John 5:39

May you all have a Merry Christmas and God bless!

Sources other than the Bible:

Jesus in the Old Testament

Old Testament Prophecies about the Birth of Jesus

Finding Eden

/ EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

God spoke through me this past weekend.

I’ve been listening to a Podcast (The Bible Project, if you’re interested) in which the hosts have been speaking about the Sabbath, the number 7 as reflective of the Sabbath day, and the repetition of both in the Bible. The first time the Kingdom of God was recognized was within the Garden of Eden. During this time of bliss, we were in complete harmony with each other, with nature, and ultimately with God. It was there where work never exhausted our souls, and we never depended on our blood, sweat, and tears to ensure our survival. We depended only on God and never doubted that we had enough.

The Sabbath, a day of rest, existed even then, but it appeared to be more of a reminder of God’s providence than a necessity. In a way, every day was Sabbath. The 7th day is a microcosm of the Kingdom of God, and now that we no longer live in the Garden of Eden, we need that reminder of God’s promises more than ever. Plus, we need the rest.

Over and over, God reminds us to rest. There first was the weekly Sabbath, then as festivals and holy days were added to the Hebrew calendar, there were yearly Sabbaths, and Sabbaths which came every 7 years (all slaves were freed and debts forgiven as the ideal God wanted every day). Every time the number 7 comes up in the Bible (and I dare say elsewhere in our lives), God is reminded us of this:

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Psalm 37:7

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Psalm 127:2

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Hebrews 4:9-10

I can’t put here all the times God told us to rest. We’ve been out of Eden so long we don’t even realize how hard we toil, but God does, and He wants you to stop, be still, rest. However, we no longer live in Eden; we no longer live in the Kingdom of God… or do we? Where is the Kingdom of God? People throughout history have searched for the elusive Eden that used to be between the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates. If we found that place, would we find the Kingdom of God? Or maybe it’s in the land of Israel, the promised land the Hebrews wondered the desert for forty years to find?

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:36-37

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17

I need for you to understand this thing God has revealed to me. Eden is not here or there. Eden is wherever God is. Is it not with Him that we are provided for, in Him we rest with peace and joy, for Him that we raise one another up in love? The Kingdom of God is here, amongst us, and those who have faith and live in love live also in the Kingdom of God already. We have enough, and we are enough through God.

As you reflect on the Christmas season that’s upon us, notice the “Christmas Spirit,” as people call it. We should be living it daily. Can you imagine the dark corners of this world that would be illuminated with the light and joy we could spread? When Jesus walked on this Earth, He lived as a person already in the Kingdom of God. One day, there will be a new Heaven and Earth, and the whole of humanity will live without the storms and darkness we have now. Until then, live as if you already are in the New Heaven and Earth because the Kingdom of God resides wherever the King does, and that’s here and now.

It is by Him, not our own toils, that we live and die. So, rest.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10

God bless!

Sources other than the Bible:

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/513212/jewish/When-Is-the-Next-Jubilee-Year.htm

How the Bible, Fairy Tales, and Judicial Branch are Related

/ EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

Some unbelievers like to call the Bible a fairy tale, but did you know there actually is a similarity in their purpose?

There is such a disconnect between the mind set and cultural norms between our modern world in the West and the ancient world in the East that it’s easy to misunderstand where the writers of the Bible were coming from. Did you know there are 613 laws in the Old Testament? Did you know Torah (the first give books of the Bible) is not correctly translated as the Law but as Instruction or Revelation? In fact, our understanding of law and judges are not the same as the understanding of people living in the Old Testament.

We are a society with statutory law. In other words, nowadays, judges use detailed written law codes to make judgements. Back then, as sources state, they used a fluid wisdom tradition or an “intuition of justice with a background of cultural norms” (bibleproject). It was not formulaic. They relied on the morality of the judges. Now, we hope they are moral, but they are still allowed to make judgements as they are no longer considered the authority: the law is.

The laws as described in the Old Testament included both natural, obvious transgressions and other customary wisdoms, which could be fluid within reason. For instance, “Don’t murder” is obviously a good rule for ever and everywhere. There are exceptions even in that law, present even in the Bible (i.e. self-defense, warfare, etc.). Some are murkier like “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard” (Leviticus 19:27). This is generally agreed to be a practice done by other nations who were idolaters either in the worship of their gods or in excessive, immoderate mournings. This is, in our western modern world, not a known practice that still exists. If you’re cutting the sides of your head or beard, you probably aren’t doing it because you worship other gods. This is what the laws boil down to. Most of the odd laws in the Bible are simply clarifying, for the people of that time and place, the main commandments such as the Big 10 (i.e.Don’t worship other gods).

Fast forward to the 1800’s Germany, there were two brothers whose father was a lawyer. They were librarians, writers, and scholars. The two professions collided when they decided to collect old tales from across Germany.

What compelled the (Brothers) Grimm to concentrate on old German epics, tales, and literature was a belief that the most natural and pure forms of culture—those which held the community together—were linguistic and based in history. According to them, modern literature, even though it might be remarkably rich, was artificial and thus could not express the genuine essence of Volk culture that emanated naturally from experience and bound the people together. Therefore, all their efforts went toward uncovering stories from the past. (neh.gov)

They’d realized that old tales, passed down to children throughout the ages, held the collective moral conscience and what it meant to be a German. Publication of their collected tales spurred several other European countries to do the same (neh.gov/notablebio).

In the same way, the writers of the Bible were writing down history, stories, poetry, much of which were previously conveyed before by oral traditions in order to pass down the collective moral conscience of the community and what it meant to be a Child of God. Throughout most of history, people just didn’t think to write every single thing down, but at some point someone realized that it might be important preserve this sense of right and wrong and sense of cultural identity for future generations.

By the time Jesus arrived on Earth as a human, there were several sects of Judaism who were seeing the Old Testament in more of a statuary law sense. This is what people call legalism. It can sprout many rabbit trails, which begin to make things impossible.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matthew 5:17-22

The law remained the law. The collective knowledge of God’s ways and truths remained His truths. However, as Jesus explains, some people were so tied up in correcting people over washing of hands and plucking an ear of corn on the Sabbath that they failed to see that these laws were there to promote a gentle, loving soul. The heart and spirit of the laws were not about just abstaining from causing death: they were about raising up to life.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said: ‘Honor your father and mother’a and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘The help you would have received from me has been given to God,’ he need not honor his father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:

‘These people honor Me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from Me.

They worship Me in vain;

they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ …

“Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.” Matthew 15:1-20

Jesus was returning their attention to the spirit of the law, which boils down to the collective moral conscience of the Israelite people.

It’s important to know where the writers and intended readers of the Bible were coming from in context of their own culture, time period, assumed mores, etc. It helps us to fully understand the messages they’re trying to convey.

God bless!

https://www.notablebiographies.com/Gi-He/Grimm-Brothers.html
https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2015/marchapril/feature/how-the-grimm-brothers-saved-the-fairy-tale
http://www.yashanet.com/library/under2.htm
https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study/va-etchanan/torah-rules-or-wisdom
http://www.helsinki.fi/teol/pro/_merenlah/oppimateriaalit/text/english/judaism.htm

Podcast:
The Bible Project – Law as a Revolution (and others)

Fulfilling of a King

/ EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

Jesus fulfilled the prophecies as King of Israel when He came down to Earth.

Was there any chance that He wasn’t the Messiah? Let’s study that.

His exact genealogy was foretold. The coming King was to be a descendent of Shem (Genesis:26-27), Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), Isaac (Gen. 26:3-4), Jacob (Gen. 35:11-12), from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), specifically through Jesse (Isaiah 11:1), from the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12). Whew!

The city of His birth was foretold to be Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and His death was predicted to be before the temple and the city of Jerusalem were destroyed (Daniel 9:26).

These are all factors that Jesus, if merely human, would have absolutely no control over so, as to avoid manipulation of false messiahs.

Let’s talk about the Magi, those wise men who came to visit Jesus when He was born. They are a mysterious people were know little about; however, we have some information. The Magi were the pagan priest clan within the larger tribe of Medes, somewhat like the Levites were to the Israelites. Once upon the Old Testament time period, they appeared many times such as in the books of Esther, Acts, Jeremiah, and Daniel. Now, with Daniel, the Magi were close to be being killed by Nebuchadnezzar because they couldn’t figure out the meaning of his dream. However, Daniel stepped up and deciphered it, calling on the one, true God, after which point he was made a ruler and chief prefect over all Magi. Now, this affected them, and they began a search for a unique king, one they’d been taught would arrive by Daniel. The future King of Israel was indeed a prophecy held close to the heart of all Israelites, and Daniel would’ve let the Magi know.

The Magi were such a powerful people, politically speaking, at the time of Jesus, that no one became king in Persia without their approval. No one. They were the king makers. So, understand now the significance of their influence in that time and the fact that they crossed lands just to meet Jesus and acknowledge Him as king. If you’re imagining a few men riding camels in the night, pulling up in silence outside some inn to see Jesus, you have it wrong. They were rich, powerful men with hundreds, maybe even thousands of mounted bodyguards. They would have been a sight to behold.

Then, the Magi didn’t just acknowledge Jesus as king, they worshipped Him (Matthew 2:11). This means they understood Him to be God. They were, perhaps, the first gentiles to be saved since Jesus’ birth.

The gospels tell of how Jesus’ own people had a hard time believing He was the foretold King. They had in mind a different picture. The Jews thought He would arrive and take their troubles away. He would come in and unite the Israelites, and the Israelites alone, into a powerful kingdom on Earth. The Jews would be sought for their knowledge of God by all other nations. The world would enter into peace and utopia. They had a hard time understanding that Jesus came to unite all the peoples on Earth into a Kingdom of God, which wasn’t immediately apparent. They knew Jesus would lead a rebellion, but they didn’t see Jesus as a Messianic king leading His people in the way they expected.

What they got instead was a dusty-footed peasant with ordinary looks. No entourage, no crown. Only a commanding, yet humble presence, and a thorough yet heretical knowledge of the Torah. How would this person, who was just like them, lead them into battle against the world?

Some were surprised, sure, by His miracles. Some converted, sure. Many more were suspicious. They were right to be wary. There were many false prophets and “messiahs” who had popped up through the many years. They were desperate but already hardened.

See, since ancient times, the Israelites had wanted to conform to the other nations in what a leader and king was supposed to be like. After lifetimes of being led by God and His prophets, they begged to have a king like the others (1 Samuel 8:5). God warned them of the consequences of having a king but said He would allow it. Now, fast forward thousands of years, and they forgot that their ideas of what a king should be was completely world-derived. And, this strange man sitting on hillsides preaching strange words wasn’t it.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. – John 1:10-11

“Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” Luke 4:24-27

Here was baby Jesus, whom His Father heralded with the Magi’s announcement and visit. Yet, He was so very normal and un-kinglike, according to worldly standards. Yet, Jesus wasn’t here to change just the surface of things. He was here to change hearts and souls, to be the very ripple of water needed to usher a spiritual tsunami never before known.

When life looks hopeless and dark, it’s important to remember that God is there working in the small things, stirring up the world in unknown ways, in order to bring about the utmost good.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1

God is by our side, even if we don’t see Him. He’s not about appearances of things but about the deepest recesses of our souls, so He’s not always obvious. However, He’s always there, forming His kingdom amongst us and within us, fulfilling His promises.

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

“Then You are a king!” Pilate said.

“You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.” – John 18:36-37

Jesus wished for Pilate to come to his own conclusions about His kinghood, but He states His kingdom is not of this realm. He was leading a spiritual battle.

This Christmas, we celebrate the arrival of the newborn King, the King of Kings in heaven and on Earth.

So, to which leader will you pledge your allegiance?

Sources other than Bible:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_234.cfm
http://blogs.christianpost.com/confident-christian/the-king-makers-a-look-at-the-magi-13659/
http://www.egrc.net/articles/director/articles_director_0605.html