PT-1 "The Means of Reconciliation" (Col. 1:20b, 22a)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/31/2017 10:55 PM

My Worship Time                                                    Focus:  PT -1 “The Means of Reconciliation”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Colossians 1:20b, 22a

            Message of the verses:  “having made peace through the blood of His cross…He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death.”

            I may have mentioned this before and may not have mentioned it before, anyway when I was a rather young believer the first Pastor that I had talked about verse twenty and said that it is the only verse in the entire Bible that has both peace and blood in it.  Now according to John MacArthur “blood speaks metaphorically of His atonement.  It connects Christ’s death with the Old Testament sacrificial system (cf. 1 Pet. 1:18-19). ‘18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.’  It is also a term that graphically notes violent, blood-shedding death the final sacrificial Lamb would suffer.”  Let us look at Hebrews 13:11-12 “11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.”

            As we compare the death of Jesus with the death of the Old Testament animal sacrifices we know that the OT sacrifices would bleed to death, but that is not the case with our Lord as we can see from John 10:17-18,

            “17 “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."”

            I know that I have told this story in earlier SD’s but it is worth telling again.  The very first time that we hear Jesus speak through the pages of Scripture comes from the gospel of Luke and this happens when Jesus is left behind after a Passover celebration in Jerusalem.  Mary and Joseph though He was with someone else and did not discover He was “lost” from their family until the caravan they were traveling in was gone from Jerusalem a couple of days.  They hurried back to Jerusalem and finally found Him in the temple talking to some of the spiritual leaders of Israel.  They were amazed that someone 12 years old knew so much.  His mother was upset because they looked long and hard for Him.  He said to his mom “Didn’t you know that I would be about My Father’s business.  The last thing that we hear Jesus say is “it is finished.”  The business of the Father that He sent Him to do was finished, which was the reconciliation of those who would believe in Him for their salvation.  The Greek word for “it is finished” means “paid in full,” and that is exactly what Jesus did through His death on the cross, pay in full the payment that was required for sin. 

            Now in our next SD from this section we will look more at the blood of Christ.

1/31/2017 11:15 PM

PT-2 "Love" (John 16:25-27a)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/31/2017 1:19 PM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  PT-2 “Love”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  John 16:25-27A

            Message of the verses:  “25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26 “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me”

            We know from the “focus” part of this SD that it is about “love” but we did not get that far yesterday as we talked about “figurative language” in most of that SD and hopefully we will get to “love” in this SD.

            Jesus told His disciples that an hour is coming when He would no longer speak to them in “figurative language.”  The disciples before the cross could not understand the figurative language that Jesus was talking to them as we gave some examples, but only a few, as there are many more in the gospels that we could have included, but really did not need to.  Now we have also spoken about what it means when Jesus uses the word “hour” as it could mean different amounts of time, and this time He is speaking about Pentecost when the Spirit of God would come upon the disciples enabling them to understand the figurative language that Jesus had used when He was with them, and so this would enable them to tell others as Peter did on that day.  One of the things that the disciples would better understand was Jesus’ relationship with the Father.

            Now we come to a somewhat difficult portion in this section which is the last part of this section including verse 26-27a.  John MacArthur writes “That statement clarifies what it means to pray in Jesus’ name (cf. the expositions of 14:13-14; 15:16; and 16:23-24” we looked at these in earlier SD’s.) “It does not mean that believers ask Jesus to ‘request of the Father on’ their ‘behalf,’ as though the Father were indifferent to their requests.  If that were all that praying in the name of Jesus meant, it would be an inestimable privilege.  But the full privilege believers have is that of making their requests directly to the Father consistent with the will of the Son.  They have that privilege because ‘the Father Himself loves’ them, ‘because’ they ‘have loved’ Christ—love that they demonstrate through their obedience to Him (John 3:36; 14:21, 23; Heb. 5L; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:1-2.”

            Now there is a portion from MacArthur’s commentary, which I follow that speaks of a horrendous falsehood of the Roman Catholic church that they believe that God is indifferent and harsh, and so they have to go through Mary whom they believe is God also.  Now I have been thinking about their belief that Mary is also God and I realize that there are many places in the Word of God to prove that this is false I began to think that because the virgin birth had to between the Holy Spirit and a woman in order for Jesus to qualify to die for our sins, so this would rule this out if Mary was God which is what they believe.  It does no good to believe that you can use Mary as an intercessor to get to God, as we see in this and other passages that since the death of Jesus Christ true believers can go directly to the Father in prayer. 

            “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:14-16).”

            “19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20  by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22  let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb. 10:19-22).”

            Now we have mentioned that the tearing of the veil which was in front of the Holy of Holies was ripped from top to bottom once Jesus had completed His payment for sin and died on the cross.  This was a very thick veil and for it to tear from top to bottom was something that God did to show those who are believers that they can come to the presence of God in order to pray to Him.

            There is another reason that we can do this and that comes from the biblical doctrine of the priesthood of believers”

“9  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9 ESV).”

“6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father-to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen (Rev. 1:6).”

            God’s motive for allowing believer’s access to Him is that He loves them.  Now I mentioned we are going to talk about the Greek word for “love” used here.  John MacArthur writes:

            “Loves translates a form of the verb phileo. Which is the love of deep, caring affection.  It is the love of emotion, which is consistent with agapao, which is the love of the will.  Phileo describes the love of parents for their children and children for their parents (Matt. 10:37) and of friends for each other (John 11:3, 36).  God loves (agapao) sinners (John 3:16), but expresses a special, fatherly affection (phileo) for His children—so much so that He sent His Son to die as the sacrifice for their sins (Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:9-10).  Because of that they can boldly and fearlessly enter His presence in complete confidence, as children for whom He cares deeply (cf. Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6).”

            With this said I can understand why the Holy Spirit had John use phileo as His choice of words for love in this section and it does mean much to me.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Knowing that I can go to the Father with my requests and petitions because He is described as ABA-FATHER, meaning daddy or papa makes me ready to go and talk to Him.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I want to remember this truth when I go to the Father in prayer and saying to Him that I am coming to You because Jesus instructed me to do so.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Pharaoh’s daughter” (Heb. 11:24).

Today’s Bible question:  “What event is described as ‘Jesus coming to take His church, composed of saints of both dead and living, out of this world’?”

Answer in our next SD.

1/31/2017 2:02 PM

PT-4 "The Plan of Reconciliation" (Col. 1:20-21)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/30/2017 10:56 PM

My Worship Time                                                         Focus:  PT-4 “The Plan of Reconciliation”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                             Reference:  Colossians 1:20-21

            Message of the verses:  “20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,”

            We want to begin by looking at the phrase “Hostile in mind,” this evening.  The Greek word for “hostile” is Echitros and according to John MacArthur this word could very well be translated as “hateful.”  Unbelievers are both hatful of God by their attitudes, but they are also hateful of God by their attitude.  We can go back to the first murder recorded in the Bible to see that Cain hated God as he resented God’s holy standards.  Cain knew what offering to bring to God but refused to do so because He did not agree with what God wanted him to bring thus He hated not only God but His standards.  By doing this we can plug in the last part of verse 21 for him which states “engaged in evil deeds.”  That is exactly what Cain did as he killed his brother Able.  Unbelievers love the darkness rather than loving the light and they do this because their deeds are evil.  “19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed (John 3:19-20).”  The problem with unbelievers is not that they are ignorant but they willfully love sin. 

            “21  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them (Romans 1:21-24).”

            Let us look at Romans 1:18-19

            “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.”

            John MacArthur writes “The question arises as to whether man is reconciled to God, or God to man.  There is a sense in which both occur.  Since ‘the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God’ (Rom. 8:8), reconciliation cannot take place until man is transformed.  ‘Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ’ (2 Cor. 5:17-18).”

            As I look at the attributes of God, one of them that certainly is needed in our salvation, our being reconciled to God has to be His wisdom.  We have a Holy God who is angry with sin and we read “the wages of sin is death,” but we also have a Holy God who loves man “For God so loved the world.”  The story is told of a man who was a judge and into his courtroom came his guilty son, who committed a crime.  The father loved his son, but the father, being a judge also had to uphold the law.  He pronounces his son guilty and then says that he will take off his robe and go to jail to serve his son’s punishment.  Basically that is what God did for us to take care of what we humans would call a dilemma in order to satisfy His wrath and love along with He being just. 

            Ephesians 2:16 tells us “and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.”  This tells us that Christ’s death on the cross reconciled us to God. John MacArthur concludes this section by writing “In Romans 5:6-10, Paul gives four reasons for that.  First, lack of strength:  ‘we were still helpless’ (v. 6).  Second, lack of merit:  we were ‘the ungodly’ (v. 6).  Third, lack of righteousness: ‘we were yet sinners’ (v. 8).  Finally, lack of peace with God:  ‘we were enemies’ (v. 10).  It is only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ that anyone can receive reconciliation (v. 11).”

            For that we are blessed beyond measure!

1/30/2017 11:24 PM

PT-1 "Love" (John. 16:25-27a)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/30/2017 10:00 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                          Focus:  PT-1 Love

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  John 16:25-27a

            Message of the verses:  “25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26 “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me.”

            As you can see I chose not to do another introduction on this section and wanted to jump right into the first main point which as we see is love and you may be surprised as to which Greek word in verse 27, as I know that I was, but once informed why it was used I understood and hopefully can help others understand as well.

            I have highlighted the words “figurative language” the two times it is used in this section and I want to look at what my English/Greek dictionary has to say about this and may make more comments on this later on.  “1) a saying out of the usual course or deviating from the usual manner of speaking 1a) a current or trite saying, a proverb 2) any dark saying which shadows forth some didactic truth” The highlighted section describes this word best in the way that it is used here.  Some translations use the word “Proverb” instead of figurative in them.

            Now as we look at this word we can say that there were several times when Jesus spoke to His disciples that they did not understand what He was saying.  Let’s look at several illustrations:  Matthew 15:11, 15, 16 “"It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."”  15 Peter said to Him, "Explain the parable to us."”  “16 Jesus said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also?” 

            MacArthur writes that “Matthew 16 records another example of their miscomprehension.  On that occasion ‘the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread,’ and oversight that caused them to misunderstand Jesus’ warning, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees’ (vv. 5-6).”  I may have used this illustration in an earlier SD, but I think that we can get the point we are trying to make, that is that sometimes the disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying.  Another example comes from when the Jews asked for a sign from Jesus and He told them to destroy this temple and in three days He would raise it up again.  The disciples did not understand that He was talking about His body until after the resurrection.   

            MacArthur writes “On some occasions the disciples’ initial lack of understanding was due to the fact that the Lord had spoken to them in figurative language.  Paroimia (‘figurative language’) refers to veiled, pointed, enigmatic, cryptic sayings—statements for which the meaning is not immediately apparent, but must be diligently searched out.  The purpose for such sayings was to judgmentally and mercifully (cf. Luke 12:47-48) viel the truth from unbelievers, who are spiritual blind as a result of their own unbelief and rebellion (cf. Matt. 15:14; 23:16-26; John 9:39-41; Eph. 2:2-3). When the disciples asked Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables’ (Matt. 13:10), Jesus replied

            ‘"To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12  "For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13  "Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14  "In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ’YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; 15  FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’’ (Matt. 13:11-15; cf. vv. 34-35).’

Even the disciples, as noted above, failed to understand much of Jesus’ teaching until He explained it to them (cf. Matt. 13:36-43).  It was not until after Christ’s death and the coming of the Spirit that things hard for the disciples to understand during His life became clear.  They actually understood Jesus’ ministry and teaching better then than they had when He was with them.  In their post-Pentecost Spirit-empowered ministry, they unfolded the teachings of Christ and expounded the rich truths of His person and work.”

      I understand that this section is suppose to be about love, but I think that we will discuss that aspect of these verses in our next SD. 

     Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I look at this word (Paroimia) and how I can apply it to my life I think that God is patient with me in teaching me things from His Word when He desires for me to understand them.  I believe that I am just scratching the surface of the Word of God and will not understand all that is in it until I am in glory, but for now I continue to search and learn and pray that God will show me things that He wants me to understand so that I can share it in order to bring glory to His Son.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to teach me the things that He wants me to understand from His Word.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Salem” (Genesis 14:18).

Today’s Bible question:  “Moses refused to be called the son of whom?”

Answer in our next SD.

1/30/2017 10:34 AM

 

PT-3 "The Plan of Reconciliation" (Col. 1:20-21)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/29/2017 9:09 PM

My Worship Time                                                         Focus:  PT-3 “The Plan of Reconciliation”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Colossians 1:20-21

            Message of the verses:  “20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds (ESV).”

            We have been talking about Jesus Christ reconciling all things to Himself, making things in the Millennial Kingdom similar to what they were when the earth was created, including animals, and also the universe.  We have also spoken about that everything will be reconciled when the Lord creates the new heaven and the new earth, along with the new Jerusalem which is talked about in Revelation 20:10-15.  This all happens after the Great White Throne judgments and the destruction or maybe better stated the un-creation of the universe, including the earth.  Satan was also mentioned and John MacArthur has the following to say about him and the reconciliation:  “On the other hand, there is a sense in which even fallen angels and unredeemed men will be reconciled to God for judgment—but only in the sense of submitting to Him for final sentencing.  Their relationship to Him will change from that of enemies to that of the judged.  They will be stripped of their power and forced to bow in submission to God.  Paul writes in Colossians 2:15 that after Christ ‘disarmed the rulers and authorities [fallen angels], He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them.’  Because of Christ’s victory, ‘the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet’ (Rom. 16:20).  And ‘at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth’ (Phil 2:10).  God has elevated Christ to a position above all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven.  Paul wrote to the Ephesians that God ‘raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.  And He put all things in subjection under His feet’ (Eph. 1:21-22).

            “Through the sacrifice of Christ, God made provision for the world (cf. John 3:16; 1 John 2:2), all persons will not be reconciled to God in the saving sense of being redeemed.  The benefits of Christ’s atonement are applied only to the elect, who alone come to saving faith in Him.”

            I can honestly say that I did not realize the scope of reconciliation extended to all these things that we have been looking at and am thankful to learn it.  All of these things we have been looking at are what could be called God’s general plan to reconcile all things to Him.  We will see that Paul is going to talk about specific reconciliation of believers like those he is writing to, the Colossian church, as their reconciliation foreshadowed the ultimate  reconciliation of the universe. 

            To accomplish this and to impress on them Christ’s power to reconcile men to God we will see that Paul reminds the Colossians of what they were before their reconciliation.  Every believer who is truly a born-again believer can take a moment to remember what they were like before they came to know Christ as their Savior and Lord.  As for myself for many years before the Lord saved me my mouth was a great problem as I could not hardly say a sentence with using a cuss word, taking the Lord’s name in vain, but once I was reconciled to God and He to me He took that away from me.  Yes there are still other things I have to trust the Lord to give me victory over, but once saved my mouth became clean from taking the Lord’s name in vain.

            Paul tells the Colossians that they were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds.  MacArthur writes “Apallotrioo (alienated) means ‘estranged, ‘cut off,’ or ‘separated.’”  The Colossians like all believers before they become saved were completely estranged from God, and a similar passage is seen in Ephesians 2:12-13 “12  remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  You either a born-again believer or not, heading for heaven or heading for hell “"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him’ (John 3:36).”

            I mentioned that this section was going to take a while to get through, but hopefully we will gleam many truths from it and that will draw us closer to the Lord and bring glory to His name.

1/29/2017 9:41 PM

Intro to John 16:25-33

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/29/2017 7:29 AM

My Worship Time                                                                             Focus: Intro to John 16:25-33  

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  John 16:25-33

            Message of the verses:  “25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26 "In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.   28 "I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father." 29 His disciples said, "Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech. 30 “Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God." 31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? 32  "Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33  "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.’”

            John MacArthur entitles this chapter in his commentary on John’s gospel “Three Cardinal Christian Virtues,” something I mentioned in our last SD.  Faith, hope and love are these three Cardinal Christian Virtues, a question I also asked in our last SD.  Now what I want to do for this Spiritual Diary is give a rather long quote from a sermon MacArthur preached on from these verses last year, and then we may take the time to add another introduction after this one.  He entitled this message “The Hope That Overcomes the World.”

            “Before we look at the text itself, starting in verse 25, just a kind of a setup, if I might, for just a few minutes. The world, in which we live, obviously, is bleak and filled with fearful people who are struggling to make some sense out of life. Their fears are personal, private, individual, but they are also collective. It’s not enough that we have the trouble of our own. But thanks to the media, we have everybody else’s troubles also to carry. There is a massive accumulated deposit of saturated issues that every person has to face. At the same time, we find ourselves struggling to face them because we’re so bad at relationships. So, we lack real support. Trying to secure a meaningful, lasting relationship in marriage seems well-nigh impossible. Families are full of chaos and disintegration. Add to this decades and decades of propagating self-esteem and pride and what you have is people who are consumed with their own desires and their own wants, who then double-down on the impossibility of making meaningful relationships because they’re so self-centered.

The more materialistic the culture is, the more this becomes a reality. The more things we possess, the more things occupy is – the less significant our relationships become. If you live in an isolated part of the world where you have nothing but family, family takes on a completely greater significance.

There is a kind of pervasive angst in our culture. Even in the midst of all this material prosperity, in all of this supposed freedom, we are engulfed in fears, and anxieties, and doubts, and questions. And there is a kind of cosmic dread that looms in the lives of people in this part of the world and this time in history. People are searching for things that give them meaning, desperately searching while consumed with selfishness and self-consumption. They find themselves unable to be satisfied, to be at peace, and to have any lasting joy.

Now, let me simplify it. Deep in the heart of all people is a need for three realities. This is the irreducible minimum. Three realities: At the same time, it is the requisite maximum. There are three things people need. They need love. They need to be loved. They need to be loved unconditionally. They need to be loved lavishly. They need to be loved generously, and they need to be loved by someone who knows all their faults and still loves them that way.

Secondly, they need someone to trust: Someone to believe. Someone who’s consumed with their well-being. Someone into whose hands they can place their lives who is powerful enough, and generous enough, and have the resources to secure them in the midst of an insecure world. They need someone to love them, and someone to care for them, who has the power to rescue them from all their troubles.

Thirdly, people need hope. They need to know there’s a future. They need to be able to see the light at the end of the ever-darkening tunnel, to know that someone has a plan, and someone has a purpose. And somewhere in the future, something good is going to happen, and it’s going to be far greater than any of the bad experiences that occupy our lives.

Love, faith, and hope. Someone to love you. Someone you can trust, to care for you, to rescue you, to deliver you, to live you above your problems. And someone to give you a future. Love, faith, and hope. Sound familiar? That’s the Christian triad. That’s what is offered to every person in the gospel – the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul the Apostle, in 1 Corinthians 13 says there are these three: “Faith, hope, and love,” and “the greatest of these is love.” Often, the apostle Paul refers to that triad. A couple of times in 1 Thessalonians; again in Colossians and elsewhere. Those three divine provisions that come to us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are essentially what we need to live life with peace and joy. Peace is the sort of negative side. It’s the tranquility. It’s the absence of angst. It’s the absence of anxiety. It’s the tranquility in the midst of the trouble. Joy is the positive side. It’s the exuberance in spite of it. Peace and joy come from these three realities.

Now, as we come to this text, our Lord is going to say the last few words to His 11 disciples. The words that He gave them on that Thursday night of Passion week the night before His crucifixion started in chapter 13, and they’ve run all the way now to the end of chapter 16. Very long, long, drawn out discourse by our Lord. He’s made them all kinds of promises, given them all kinds of warnings. It all sort of culminates in their mind and the reality that He keeps talking about dying and leaving. And they are full of concern and full of anxiety. While He has been with them, they have had someone to love them. While He’s been with them, they had someone to believe in, who has delivered them from every issue and provided everything they need. While He has been with them, He has filled their lives with hope.

But now, He’s leaving. He’s dying, and He’s leaving. In addition to that, He has told them, “You’re going to be persecuted the same way I’m being persecuted.” You’re going to be hated, resented, rejected, and this is going to go on through all of human history, to all the followers of Christ. People are going to arrest you. He says in Luke 21, they’re going to turn against you, brother against brother, family against family members. The society is going to turn against you. Ultimately, they’re going to throw you out of the synagogue, He says earlier in chapter 16 here. And they’re even going to kill you, and think they do God’s service when they kill you.

It’s not going to go well for you. Why are they going to hate you? Because they hate Me. Why are they going to hate you? Because you’re not part of the world’s system and they resent those who aren’t. Why are they going to hate you? Because they don’t know God, and they’re the subjects of Satan. This is a bleak kind of moment for the disciples. Jesus is dying, He is leaving, and it’s going to get far worse for us.

So, as He closes out this evening – by now, it’s in the early hours of Friday morning, past midnight, the day of His crucifixion. They’re headed for the Garden of Gethsemane. A final prayer of Jesus in chapter 17. Then comes the arrest, the trial in the darkness of night, and then His execution in the morning on the cross. It’s all coming to an end, and they are profoundly troubled. Several times in this text, John notes that their hearts were deeply troubled.

So, as our Lord closes in verses 25 to 33, He offers them comfort. And the comfort He offers them is built around these three realities. You have one who loves you. You have one who can be trusted with your life in time and eternity. And you have one who has planned a hope for you. Faith, hope, and love then dominate this final section. You wouldn’t necessarily see that until you dig down a little bit into the text. So let’s begin by reading it, starting in verse 25.”

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Mary Magdalene” (John 20:13).

Today’s Bible question:  “Where was Melchizedek king?”

Answer in our next SD.

1/29/2017 7:49 AM

 

 

                                                                                               

PT-2 "The Plan of Reconciliation" (Col. 1:20-21)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/28/2017 8:13 PM

My Worship Time                                                         Focus:  PT-2 “The Plan of Reconciliation”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Colossians 1:20-21

            Message of the verses:  “20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds (NASB95).”  “20 Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the Cross. 21 You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got (Message).” “20 and through him God planned to reconcile to his own person everything on earth and everything in Heaven, making peace by virtue of Christ’s death on the cross. 21 And you yourselves, who were strangers to God, and, in fact, through the evil things you had done, his spiritual enemies, he has now reconciled (Philips).”

            We have talked about animals and the universe being changed during the Millennial kingdom because of what we see in verse 20 that is reconciling all things to Himself.”  Now we can look at some verses that speak of the tremendous, dramatic changes that will mark the reconciliation of the world to God.  First we will look at Romans 8:21 “that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”  God and the creation will be reconciled to God from the curse that He made when Adam and Eve sinned, but during the Millennial Kingdom it will be removed.  Peter writes about the universe being made new during the Millennial Kingdom:  “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”  After the earth is burned with fire along with the entire universe God will make a new heaven and a new earth, and perhaps that is what Peter had in mind, but during the Millennial Kingdom things on earth will surely be changed too.  Revelation 21:1 states “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.”

            The Lord will make everything new as we have seen.

            Paul is taking aim at the false philosophical dualism which is a part of the Colossian heretics in these verses as they were teaching that all matter was evil and the spirit was good.  They did not think that God created the physical universe, I guessed they must have missed reading the first chapter of the Old Testament.  Some people at that time as today like to pick and choose what they want to believe from the pages of Scripture, and some choose to believe none of it.  Paul is stating that God will reconcile the material world to Himself which shoots a whole in what these heretics believed.  God is going to do this reconciliation and will do it through His Son, Jesus Christ as He is the agent through which God will accomplish the reconciliation of the universe.  John MacArthur quotes the German theologian Erich Sauer who comments,

            “The offering on Golgotha extends its influence into universal history.  The salvation of mankind is only one part of the world-embracing counsels of God…The ‘heavenly things’ also will be cleansed through Christ’s sacrifice of Himself (Heb. 9:23).  A ‘cleansing’ of the heavenly places is required if on no other ground than that they have been the dwelling of fallen spirits (Eph. 6:12; 2:2), and because Satan, their chief, has for ages had access to the highest regions of the heavenly world…the other side becomes this side; eternity transfigures time and this earth, the chief scene of the redemption, becomes the Residence of the universal kingdom of God. (The Triumph of the Crucified)”

            Now I have to say that some have mistakenly imagined ‘all things’ to include fallen men and fallen angels.  John MacArthur writes that this “they overlook a fundamental rule of interpretation, the analogia Scriptura.  That principle teaches that no passage of Scripture, properly interpreted, will contradict any other passage.  When Scripture interpret Scripture, it is clear that by all things Paul means all things for whom reconciliation is possible.  That fallen angels and unregenerate mean will spend eternity in hell is the emphatic teaching of Scripture.” Jesus said in Matthew 42, 46 “41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ’Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’”

            We will end this SD with a quote from the apostle John where he writes the following in Revelation 20:10-15,

                        And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

1/28/2017 8:49 PM

 

The Blessed Promise (John 16:23-24)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/28/2017 10:43 AM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  The Blessed Promise

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  John 16:23-24

            Message of the verses:  “23 "In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.”

            Jesus is saying to His disciples that in the day when you see Me again, when you sorrow is turned into joy that you will not question Him, and this further suggests that this day cannot be the resurrection as we compare what we discussed from verse 16 with this.  MacArthur adds “The disciples undoubtedly asked many questions during the forty days between the resurrection and the ascension that the Lord spent ‘speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God’ (Acts 1:3; one of their questions is recorded in vs. 6).  But after the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they would no longer question Jesus.”

             We know that since Jesus was no longer physically with them they could not ask Him questions like when He was present with them, however more significantly, the disciples would then have the indwelling Holy Spirit as their resident truth teacher.  Jesus had told them earlier in verse 13:  “"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”  John 14:26 tells us “"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”  Then in John’s first letter he writes,

            “20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know…27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (1 John 2:20, 27).”

After this the disciples would finally understand what it was that the Lord had to die.  “44 “Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men." 45 But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement Luke 9:44-45).”  They would also better understand His relationship with the Father as this is clarified as we look at John 14:8-9 “8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ’Show us the Father’?”  Another thing that they would realize that it would be to their advantage for Jesus to go away thus sending His Holy Spirit for them “7 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you (John 16:7).”  MacArthur writes that “All of this clarification of the cross and resurrection by the Holy Spirit is contained in the rest of the New Testament.” 

            As we look at the synoptic gospels we can see a change in them once the Pharisees accuse Jesus of doing His miracles in the power of Satan.  The end of Mark three and then the end of Matthew 12 are two places when this happened.  After that happened Jesus began to speak in parables and His disciples asked Him why He was doing this.  “10 As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12 so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN’ (Mark 4:10-12).”  Now when we get to the books of Acts through Jude we do not see any more parables as the Spirit of God shows us exactly what we as believers need to know, and this is what Jesus was preparing His disciples and others who would follow later to understand, for His work on earth would be complete after the cross and then after His ascension back to heaven the Holy Spirit would take over for Him.  Now I understand that we do not know nor will we ever know this side of heaven all about the Trinity and so we have to take things by faith for this is what the Word teaches us that there is a Trinity made up of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

            Now back to John as we look at the familiar words “Truly, truly,” which introduces us to another important truth as we have mentioned in earlier SD’s.  This new discussion is that the disciples can ask the Father for anything in the name of Jesus Christ, and He will give it to them, and this is the third time in that evening that the Lord stated this truth as we looked at it in John 14:13 and also 15:16 as stating this three times underscores its immense significance.  Now before the death of Jesus believers could not go directly to the Father to as Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 4:16 “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  When Jesus died on the cross, at the moment of His death the curtain that was between the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies was torn from the top to the bottom, and this was a very strong curtain.  The significance of this is the truth found in Hebrews 4:16 and this is what Jesus was telling His disciples those three times mentioned above.  We cannot just tack on “in Jesus’ name at the end of our prayers and expect Him to answer us.  Perhaps something like this would be better at the beginning of our prayers to God, “Father I come to You in the name of Jesus who has stated that You will answer my prayers if they would bless His name, and be in His will, and so my prayer is that what I am about to pray will bless His name and be in Your will.” 

            With that we end this section and the next to the last chapter in John MacArthur’s commentary on chapter sixteen of John’s gospel and we look forward to begin looking at the last section in chapter sixteen as we look at verses 25-33 and the theme is “Three Cardinal Christian Virtues,” and so think about what these three are and we will begin looking at them in our next SD.  Hint look at the last verse in the 13^th chapter of 1 Corinthians.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I am thankful that in our study of this section of John’s gospel (13-16) that I am learning a lot about the ministry of the Holy Spirit and also the ministry of prayer.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to continue to teach me more of those two ministries.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Father which is in heaven.”

Today’s Bible question:  “Who said ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him’?”

Answer in our next SD.

1/28/2017 11:28 AM   

PT-1 The Plan of Reconciliation (Col. 1:20-21)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/28/2017 12:22 AM

My Worship Time                                                            Focus:  PT-1 The Plan of Reconciliation

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Colossians 1:20-21

            Message of the verses:  “20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,”  “20  Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the Cross. 21 You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got (Message).”

            This section will take us a few Spiritual Diaries to look at.  I used the Message paraphrased Bible to help us understand what these verses mean, and so we can see from these verses that God’s ultimate plan for the universe is to reconcile all things to Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ.  As we go back to the first chapter of Genesis we see that after God had created everything in six days, and on the sixth day He created man He said that after He saw what He created, what He had made He said “and behold, it is very good (Gen. 1:31).”  Now the problem is that shortly after that sin entered as man fell and disobeyed God resulting in God cursing the earth and also the entire universe along with mankind passing on this Adamic nature through the male to everyone who is born, thus causing the mess that we see in the world today.  Romans chapter eight tells us more “19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21  that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now (Romans 8:19-22).”

            We now live in a cursed world headed up by Satan as he is both “the god of this world’ (2 Cor. 4:4), and “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2).  MacArthur adds “The devastating effects of the curse and satanic influence will reach a terrifying climax in the events of the Tribulation.  Some of the various bowl, trumpet, and seal judgments are demonic, others represent natural phenomena gong wild as God lets loose His wrath.  At the culmination of that  time of destruction and chaos, Christ returns and sets up His kingdom.  During His millennial reign, the effects of the curse will begin to be reversed.  The Bible gives us a glimpse of what the restored creation will be like.”

            Here are some of those dramatic changes that will take place in the animal world as seen in Isaiah 11:6-9 and Isaiah 65:25.

            “6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. 7 Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.

            “25 “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain," says the LORD.”

Isaiah 24:23; 30:26; and 60:19-20 show us more changes, and this time in the solar system.

            23 Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And His glory will be before His elders.

            “26 The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day the LORD binds up the fracture of His people and heals the bruise He has inflicted.

            “19  "No longer will you have the sun for light by day, Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And your God for your glory. 20 “Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be over.”

1/28/2017 12:45 AM

 

           

The Illustrative Parable (John 16:20-22)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/27/2017 10:15 AM

My Worship Time                                                                           Focus:  The Illustrative Parable

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  John 16:20-22

            Message of the verses:  “20 "Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. 21  "Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.”

            Now we have written about the term “Truly, truly” in the past that it actually means “
Amen, amen,” as it was used many different times in the gospel of John to underscore the importance of what the Lord was about to say to His disciples, so this is important stuff and we should pay close attention to what the Lord is about to say.

            Jesus is comparing what His disciples were about to go through and perhaps Peter got the worst and much of that was brought upon himself because of what he had spoken about dying with Christ, but all of the disciples said the same thing.  Jesus is comparing the pain and suffering that they would go through with the pain and suffering of a woman who is about to have a baby, and although as a man I have never gone through it my wife has and I was with her trying to encourage her.  It was 38 years ago five days ago that our youngest was born and I remember that day very well and I remember the courage that my wife had as she delivered our son, a son who was born with two heart problems.  I could see firsthand what the Lord was talking about in this parable.  I could see the pain and suffering as it turned into joy when I looked at my wife’s face after the birth of our son.  I know that it was a terrible time for the disciples of Jesus, and yet when the Day of Pentecost came and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit you can just see and you can know that their sorrow had turned into joy.  Jesus is saying in this passage that your grief will be turned into joy.  MacArthur adds “The Lord was not saying that the event causing their sorrow would be replaced by an event producing joy but rather that the same event (the cross) that caused their mourning would be the cause of their joy.  The dark shadows of sorrow and grief cast by the cross fled before the brilliant, glorious light of the resurrection and the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts. 2:4-47).  That light also caused the disciples to view the cross in its proper perspective, making it an unending source of joy for them (cf. v. 22; Acts 12:52).  As Paul exulted, ‘But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal. 6:14).  The cross is foundational to all Christian joy, because it is the basis of redemption.”

            Well we have one more section to look at and then one more chapter in MacArthur’s commentary to do and then we will be finished with this 16^th chapter of the book of John and move onto the 17^th chapter, a chapter that may take a long time to go through because of the subject matter found in it.  Chapter sixteen ends the teaching of Jesus to His disciples before his death on the cross and I have to say that this chapter has meant a lot to me, in fact chapters 13-16 have meant much to me as I have learned many important things from John’s gospel.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  In my older Spiritual Diaries that I am looking at from 2003 I was going through the book of Hebrews and that time of my life was a very difficult time indeed.  I heard a sermon that God had prepared from a missionary that I knew entitled “Hidden Blessings in the Storms of Life” which was given on May 18, 2003, a sermon that I will never forget as I was going through a very bad storm, a storm that was mainly brought on by my disobedience and yet I was not alone in that storm as many others had made the same mistake.  The blessings from that storm were seeing at least 18 people come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and there were other blessings too.  The storm to me, falls into what Jesus was talking about in these verses so I know that what He is saying is true.  God is good, all the time!

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I know that at times I go back to something a mentor who mentored me when I first became a believer told me when he said to me that you have to keep your emphas on the right salible.  It is hard to write this as my spell checker wants to tell me that what I am writing is not spelled correctly.  Keep your right emphasis on the right syllable is the correct way to say it.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

Today’s Bible question:  “Complete Matthew 5:16 ‘"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify…’”

Answer in our next SD.

1/27/2017 10:51 AM