PT-4 "The Characteristics of Antichrists" (1 John 2:19, 22-23, 26)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/30/2024 7:58 PM

 

My Worship Time                                              Focus:  PT-3 “The Characteristics of Antichrists”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1 John 2:19, 22-23, 26”

 

            Message of the verses:  “19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us… 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also…26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.”

 

            In this evening Spiritual Diary from the verses referenced above we will look at the second clearly recognizable characteristic of antichrists and that is that they deny the faith.  MacArthur explains that “Specifically in this context they fail John’s Christological test.  The spirit of antichrist is that of the liar…who denies that Jesus is the Christ.”  Now how do they do this?  They do not look at the right view of Jesus Christ which is His person, work and saving message which is an essential mark of genuine saving faith; no one can be saved who rejects the biblical revelation about Christ.  Let me give you a verse that goes along with that statement, and then compare an number of other verses after looking at John 8:24 which says “"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.’”  Now we can compare the following verses with that one:  John 1:12-13; 3:18, 36; Acts 4:12; Rom. 10:9-10; and 1 Cor. 15:1-4.  Now there is no hope for one who relies on some personas, speculative notion of who He is (cf. Matt 16:13-14).  The truth is that genuine salvation requires embracing Jesus as the anointed Messiah of God as seen in John 1:43-39, affirming that He is the one and only God-man (1 Tim. 2:5; Titus 2:13), and obeying His gospel teachings (Mark 1:15; John 3:36; 15:10).

 

            MacArthur writes “As elsewhere in this letter and in his gospel (1:3; 4:2-3, 9-10; cf John 1:1, 14; 5:23; 10:30; 12:45; 14:7-10), John stresses the inseparable divine equality of the Father and the Son, noting that an antichrist is one who denies them both.  He further emphasizes this point by asserting that whoever denies the Son does not have the Father (cf. 4:2-3).  Despite their claims to the contrary, those who deny the deity of Jesus Christ do not know God (cf. Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:16; John 5:23; 15:23-24; 2 John 9).”  I think that what we are talking about here is the difference between what we call “religion” with Christianity. These antichrists that are being discussed here are “religious people” people who believe that one can work his way to heaven.  Now I do believe in doing work for the Lord, but not doing work in order to be right with God.  True Christianity is realizing that I am a sinner and on my own can do nothing to gain eternal life, and so I have to confess to the Lord that I am a sinner and agree with Him that Jesus paid it all on the cross for my sins.

 

            “Any denial, deviation, or distortion of the scriptural view of Jesus Christ—His incarnation (Matt. 1:18-25; John 1:14); that He is both Son of God (Mark 1:1) and Son of Man (John 9:35-37), the promised Prophet (Deut. 18:15, 18), Priest (Heb. 4:15-4:10), King (Isa. 9:7; John 12:12-15), and Redeemer (1 Cor. 1:30; Gal. 3:13; 4:4-5; cf. Isa. 59:20)—constitutes the spirit of antichrist.”  Now let me just say at this point that once a person becomes a true born-again believer in Jesus Christ that they have to grow in their faith, and it will take a little while for you to understand what you are in Christ.  That is why it is important to study your Bible, to go to a church that preaches the gospel, and read some good commentaries like from John MacArthur, Warren Wiersbe, and Dr. David Jeremiah, among others.

 

            “An equally intolerable view, and one more common in John’s day when incipient Gnosticism threatened the church is to deny that Christ—born, living, dying, rising, and ascending as a real man—came in human flesh (cf. Phil. 2:5-9; Col. 2:9).  In his second letter, John wrote ‘Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.  This is the deceiver and the antichrist’ (v. 7).  That heretical perception of Christ several decades later became a major tenet of Gnosticism.  Its unbiblical philosophy envisioned a ‘Christ spirit,’ and ethereal but powerful supernatural being who descended on a man named Jesus at His baptism and left Him just before His death.  Thus the ‘Christ spirit’ was not fully human but only temporarily indwelt a man through whom that spirit, before departing demonstrated extraordinary power and wisdom.” 

 

            I kind of have a saying when I am teaching my Sunday school class and even one of my friends picked up on this when he is teaching a class, and that is that when I say something that is not really biblical, but is given to be my opinion which I believe is true I will stand beside the podium to say what I am going to say.  Well I am doing this now as I think of the importance of Jesus’ baptism and I think that once Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist that the Spirit of God was controlling Jesus’ life while on earth.  The things that He said and taught were given to Him by the Holy Spirit.  Some may not believe this and say that Jesus was doing all of His ministry on His own, but I think that it was done through the power of the Spirit.

 

11/30/2024 8:38 PM

 

PT-5 "Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18"

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/30/2024 9:14 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  PT-5 “Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: 2 Timothy 1:6-18

 

Message of the verses:  “6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me —  18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day — and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.”

 

            I begin with an important paragraph from the commentary of John MacArthur:  “A person who refuses to openly proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior gives evidence that he does not belong to Christ, no matter what claim is made for being a Christian.  True discipleship is costly.  A nominal Christian who will not even ‘confess [Jesus] before men’ surely will not pay the price that faithful, ongoing discipleship can incur.  ‘He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me’ Jesus said, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it’ (Matt. 10:37-39).  The mark of a true follower of Christ is willingness to put his very life on the line.  From the prospect of eternity, however, that is a small price.  ‘For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?’ Jesus asked rhetorically, ‘For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?’ (Mark 8:36-37).”

 

            I suppose that living all my life in the US that I don’t actually think too much about persecution, but I do have to say that once I became a believer and was listening to a tape from Hal Lindsey 50 years ago he said something that I will never forget.  There was a Christian slogan “One Way” which meant that the Lord Jesus Christ was the only way and in his sermon Lindsey said that people who saw that slogan were beginning to get hostel and could be a sign of things to come.  In our constitution we have in it religious freedom, but when Satan is the head of the world system that can be changed, and in the last four years it was as if that was not even in the constitution as Satan is truly alive and well in the United States of America.  I am thankful that God gave mercy to our nation by again electing Donald Trump as the 47^th President of our country, but that does not mean that I as a believer can relax, as I am to pray for his safety and pray that God will use him to cause believers in our country to continue to pray for a great spiritual revival so that many will come to know the Lord and I pray that will set the stage for the rapture of the church something I have been praying for since I became a believer over 50 years ago.

 

            This last paragraph fits into what MacArthur writes about next:  “The English word martyr translates the Greek martur, which simply means witness.  But because so many early Christians paid for their witness with their lives, martyr eventually acquired that special meaning.”

 

            The cost of being a believer did not just begin in the New Testament era but was also in the Old Testament as countless saints under the Old Covenant, and even before the Old Covenant, willingly and gladly suffered because of their unswerving faith in the Lord.  We read in the book of Hebrews the following in 11:16 “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”  And then the following was written in that wonderful book of Hebrews that explains more about the suffering of the Old Testament saints.    “32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”  What that was going on with Paul was certainly not new, and what was going on with Timothy too was not new, and so Paul desires to give encouragement to Timothy so that he will not fail in his walk with the Lord.

 

            MacArthur now comments on those saints mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11, which is called by some God’s hall of fame, and when I was teaching through that book in our Sunday school class I mentioned that it is possible for that chapter to be added to as persecution continues to go on.  “Like those saints, the great Reformer John Hus was not ashamed of his Lord and for it paid the ultimate physical price.  In 1415, when he was a pastor in Prague, this ‘morning star of the Reformation,’ as he is often called, was arrested, condemned, and sentenced to burn at the stake for preaching the true gospel.  As the flames engulfed his body, he quoted Psalm 25:2, praying, ‘O my God, in Thee I trust, do not let me be ashamed; do not let my enemies exult over me.’  He was not afraid of dying, only of being ashamed of his Master.”  And with that I will end this SD, but there is still more to the introduction of these verses in 2 Timothy.

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I have to say that as I study more about the life of Timothy I can see things in it that are similar problems that I have.  Being persecuted for the cause of Christ is something not to be ashamed about, but knowing the pain that it could bring makes me similar to Timothy as I struggle with that.  However the truth is that this is not something that I need to continually fear, for if and when that time comes I know that the Spirit of God will be with me in a wonderful way just as He was for Timothy.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I trust the Lord to continue to give me a desire to live for the cause of Christ and to give me grace everyday to overcome issues that I fight with each day.

 

11/30/2024 9:55 AM

 

 

PT-2 "The Characteristics of Antichrists" (1 John 2:19, 22-23, 26)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/29/2024 9:37 PM

 

My Worship Time                                              Focus:  PT-2 “The Characteristics of Antichrists”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1 John 2:19, 22-23, 26”

 

            Message of the verses:  “19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us… 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also…26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.”

 

            According to MacArthur the ones that John is writing about here were teachers and if those teachers and their followers had possessed the true eternal life, they would have remained with us.  MacArthur adds that “God allowed—and still allows—liars, deceivers, and false teachers to come into the assembly of believers to purge it, so that it would be shown that they are not of the fellowship.  Those who defect give clear evidence of their true character and unregenerate condition.  Thus, in His perfect plan, God uses false teachers to draw away false believers from the church, so they will not remain in the assembly as harmful and corrupting influences (cf. 1 Cor. 5:6; Gal. 5:9).”  Now let us take a look at those two verses to help us better understand the truth that MacArthur just wrote about.  “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?) (1 Cor. 5:6).  “9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough” (Gal. 5:9).  If I understand these two verses correctly Paul is saying that it only takes a few unbelievers in the church to cause it to not be speaking the truth as they can affect the entire congregation.  MacArthur’s not from his study Bible on 1 Cor. 5:6 as he writes about the leaven states “In Scripture, it is used to represent influence, in most cases evil influences, although in Matt. 13:33 it refers to the good influence of the kingdom of heaven.”  “Whole lump: When tolerated, sin will permeate and corrupt the whole local church.”  I think that those explanations will help us to understand more thoroughly what John is talking about here.  I move on to say that God permits antichrists to do their sinister work in His own church for the ultimate good of His body, and here is an example from the Old Testament, and of course it really has nothing to do with the church but I think we will understand why I am including Genesis 50:20 here:  “"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”  I don’t think that it would be a problem to also quote Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  It is in a surprising way that the Lord allowed a messenger from Satan to fracture the Corinthian church in order to wound the apostle Paul and produce in him greater humility, trust, and strength and this is seen in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, verses that most of us will know about, but if not take the time to look them up.  Now of course false teachers are fully responsible for their heinous actions. Earning for themselves the severest eternal judgment and an example can be seen in Jude 13 and also 2 Peter 2:12, verses that we will not look at.  “wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 13).  “But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed,” (2 Peter 2:12).  MacArthur concludes this paragraph by writing “Nevertheless, in spite of their hatred for God, they serve His end to purify His people.  Satan and all his demons, in the final analysis, serve the sovereign purposes of God.”

 

            Now if you are a genuine believer you need not fear some fatal influence from the activities of antichrists, and the reason is because the children of God will always stay true to the faith and persevere to the end.  Let us look at a few verses to confirm this last statement beginning with John 10:27-30.  “27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 “I and the Father are one.’” I want to also look at Jude 24-25 “24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”  This benediction from Jude is one of my very favorite verses in the entire Bible.  Now I have recently been studying the book of Colossians as I am teaching this book in our Sunday school class and there was a problem with this church as they had false teachers come into their assembly to teach lies and so Paul writes to them and assures them that because they were reconciled to God that they would not defect as seen in Colossians 1:21-23.  “21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach —  23  if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.”  Now I want to move onto the book of Hebrews as the author gave a similar assurance in Hebrews 3:6, and 14, verses that I will allow you to look up on your own.  MacArthur concludes this paragraph by writing “On the other hand, those who oppose the truth or engage in apostasy (cf. Num. 16:1-35; 22-25; 1 Tim. 4:1-3, 2 Peter 2:1-9; Jude 10-13), or are not anchored in the truth (Matt. 7:26-27; Mark 4:17; Heb. 6:4-6), have no real salvation.”

 

            I hope to finish this section in my next SD but there is still much ground to cover.

 

11/29/2024 10:19 PM

 

PT-4 "Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-19"

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/29/2024 10:12 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  PT-4 “Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: 2 Timothy 1:6-18

 

Message of the verses:  “6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11  for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me —  18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day — and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.”

 

            Now before I begin to write more about these verses I have to say that I am thankful for the good time that my wife and I spent over at our daughter’s house for Thanksgiving Day.  Tradition says you have to watch a little football, you have to eat a turkey, and you have to have pumpkin pie.  Well we hit all of those bases and also the main thing was to be thankful to the Lord for allowing us to celebrate another Thanksgiving Day.  Our family has much to be thankful for as there is a total of thirteen of us in the family, six adults and seven grandchildren from ages 11-18.  Our son’s family spent Thanksgiving Day with his wife’s parents as they switch off with our daughter’s family each year.  God has truly blessed our entire family and for that I am thankful, most of all because everyone in our family has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, which is the best thing to be thankful for.

 

            I left off in my last SD by talking about Peter and quoted a part of his sermon that he preached on the day of Pentecost which is the birthday of the church.  Now peter continued to preach the gospel in Jerusalem without compromise and without fear.  He was brought before the very Council where Jesus was falsely charged and outside of which he had denied Him.  However on this occasion Peter was a very different man, and the filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was the reason that he was so different.  When Peter was commanded to stop preaching, he declared with John “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard”(Acts 4:19-20).” 

            I can say that it did not take long for Satan to cause the leaders of the Jewish faith to begin to persecute the true believers in Jesus Christ after the church began.  Early in the fourth chapter the persecution began and it has been going on ever since that.  It still goes on today and I cannot really know how many millions of believers have been killed for the cause of Christ, but all of those who have been through that will one day receive a crown in heaven for that sacrifice and courage that they went through.

 

            Now as with Peter, “it is only when we move from shame and fear to ardent conviction and bold commitment that we become useful in the Lord’s service” writes John MacArthur.

 

            He goes on “It is possible that Timothy had become somewhat fearful or apathetic in his ministry.  The difficulties and opposition he encountered at Ephesus, both from within and without the church there, may have taken a toll on his courage.  His spiritual fire may have cooled.  In this second letter to Timothy, Paul gives only one commendation, saying, ‘I am mindful of the sincere faith within you’ (1:5).  The remainder of the letter is devoted to exhortation.  Although he does not accuse Timothy of sin, he gives many admonitions (see 1:8; 1:13; 2:1, 15, 22; 4:1-2, 4:5).”  I have to say that I was not aware of that before, and I have to believe that this is one of the reasons that the Holy Spirit has put on my heart to study this book.  Our former “seniors Pastor” had a saying, and that saying for us seniors was “Finish Strong.”  It is my hope and prayer that the study of this last letter that Paul wrote right before he was killed for the cause of Christ will aid me greatly in finishing strong.

 

                In studying the gospels of Jesus Christ, and I have actually studied them all, but more intently studied Mark, John, and recently Matthew I find that during the earthly ministry Jesus made clear the cost of discipleship for those who are faithful and unashamed.  “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven” (Matt. 10:32).  Jesus then gives the sobering converse of that promise:  But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (v. 33).  Those two verses speak volumes on what believers are to do.  Now as we look at Mark’s account, Jesus spoke the same truth even more expressively: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).

 

            I think that it is best that I stop here so that I can think about these statements that Jesus spoke as they are very powerful.

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Sometimes the truth of Scripture steps on my feet and those verses from Matthew and Mark have done that today, so it is time to be praying to the Lord for strength to do what is right.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I trust the Lord that through His Spirit He will work in my heart so that I will learn the lessons that Paul is teaching Timothy found in this last letter he wrote.

 

11/29/2024 10:53 AM

 

PT-1 "The Characteristics of Antichrists" (1 John 2:19, 22-23, 26)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/28/2024 10:10 PM

 

My Worship Time                                              Focus:  PT-1 “The Characteristics of Antichrists”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1 John 2:19, 22-23, 26”

 

            Message of the verses:  “19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us… 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also…26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.”

 

            It is not very many times that I write these Spiritual Diaries that I find that the verses that I am looking at are not all in order, but that is the way that John MacArthur has set up this section, a section that will not be as long as the introduction for us to get through.

 

            The subject that we have been talking about for some time is about antichrists, and eventually the Antichrist, and it is antichrists who infiltrate the church and also mingle among true believers as they attempt to destroy by three characteristics.  Now the first one is that they depart from the fellowship.  What they do is enter the church only to sabotage it through an often-sophisticated strategy of false teaching an also lies.  The truth is that eventually most depart, separating from true Christians, leaving a path of spiritual destruction in their wake, and inevitably taking some of the weak with them.

 

            I had a friend who is now with the Lord who grew up during World War 2, when he was a teenager.  He told the story of going out one day with the intent of killing himself, but he said that his mother who had never came looking for him did that day and so she stopped him from killing himself.  He eventually ended up in the United States after the war and settled in Cleveland, Ohio.  He was going to a church in Cleveland and was very upset with the deacons who were running it, and perhaps they could have been described as antichrists.  My friend, Paul began to pray and he said that every month for a number of months one of the deacons died until the others figured out that they were doing something wrong.  In this case these antichrists did go out from them, but not in the way that John is describing in these verses.

 

            MacArthur writes that “Some who remained are confused and left wondering if the false teachers and their ‘converts’ took the real truth with them when they left.  They might also find themselves asking why their professed brethren, if they had really been part of the true church, had so readily followed the antichrists.  Such questions were apparently being asked by John’s readers.  And the apostle addressed all those doubts with the simple statement, The went out from us, but they were not really of us.”

 

            Today being Thanksgiving day in our country was a day where my wife and I went over to our daughter and son-in-laws house for our evening Thanksgiving dinner.  They had also invited a young married couple to be with us.  We had turkey and other special dishes along with pumpkin pie, played some games and watched a little American football.  Also in attendance was four of our seven grand-children from ages to almost 11-18.  It seems like that they grow up so fast.  All in all we had a great time and part of that was being thankful for family and friends.

 

11/28/2024 10:36 PM   

 

 

PT-3 "Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18"

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/28/2024 8:51 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  PT-3 “Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: 2 Timothy 1:6-18

 

Message of the verses:  “6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11  for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me —  18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day — and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.”

 

            I continue looking at what is a very long chapter that helps us to understand these verses, and I am only at the introduction to these verses.  I have listened to two of the three messages that John MacArthur preached on these verses and I can say that there is a tremendous amount of information that are in these verses.

 

            Let us continue where we left off in yesterday’s Spiritual Diary by quoting a paragraph from John MacArthur’s commentary.  “The most familiar example in the New Testament of being ashamed of Christ is Peter’s denial during Jesus’ trial before the high priest Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council.  All the disciples fled when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 25:56), but Peter remained and followed ‘Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest’ (v. 58).  While waiting there, he three times denied being Jesus’ disciple or even knowing Him (vv. 70-74).  As soon as a cock crowed, ‘Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before a cock crows, you will deny Me three times.’  And he went out and wept bitterly’ (v. 75).”

 

            I believe that most people who have even a little knowledge of the Bible know this story about how Peter denied the Lord three times as this vivid account makes Peter’s denial an easy target for reproach.  However as mentioned above, every Christian knows that he, too, at times has been guilty of denying the Lord, though perhaps not as publicly or dramatically.  Now true believer who has denied the Lord in any way is not really ashamed of doing it.  Now the encouraging truth we gain from Peter’s experience is that, just as we can be ashamed of the Lord like Peter then we can also be forgiven and restored by the Lord as Peter was as found in the 21^st chapter of John’s gospel where we see that Peter was asked three times if he loved the Lord, and so this goes along with him denying the Lord three times and we can see that the Lord has forgiven him, but it goes even further as Jesus would say three times “Feed my lambs” showing that He was still going to use Peter in the ministry that He had planned for him to accomplish.  I can’t help but think of a time found in the book of Acts where Paul points out a time when Peter sinned and so Paul accused him of it.  This shows me that even how great Peter’s ministry was for the cause of Christ, because he was still in a human body that he would still sin.  Now back to the first story about Peter’s denial we see that a few weeks later, during the feast of Pentecost, Peter fearlessly proclaimed before a great crowd in Jerusalem the truth about Jesus Christ and how the people in that crowd listening to Him could be saved, and I have to believe that some who were in that crowd could have been some of the very people in an earlier crowd crying for the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

            Let us now look in conclusion of this SD Acts 2:22-24, 40-41.

 

“22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know —  23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”  “40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.”

 

 Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Looking at Peter’s life, a small portion of it I can see from it that he was a great man for the cause of Christ, and yet I know that he too had his faults, and I think that the truth is that I need to be like Peter in that even though there were some ups and downs in his life he kept his eye on the Lord Jesus Christ and he desired to be faithful to him even though at times he failed him. 

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Now not just because it is Thanksgiving day in the USA, I can say that I am thankful for the forgiveness that I have through the blood of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

11/28/2024 9:19 AM

 

PT-2 "Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/27/2024 10:01 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  PT-2 “Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: 2 Timothy 1:6-18

 

Message of the verses:  “6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11  for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me —  18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day — and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.”

 

            I continue looking at the introduction to these verses, like I said in my last SD this will take a while just to get through the introduction, but I believe that it will be worth taking the time as it is my prayer that we will all learn things from this section that will have great effects in helping us all serve the Lord in a way that will bring glory to His name.

 

            I have been listening to the first of three sermons that John MacArthur preached on these verses and am learning that no matter how gifted a person may be, or no matter how well talented, biblically literate, astute, or articulate, and no matter how much opportunity or privilege he may have, if he lacks spiritual courage and commitment, he will not speak and act effectively for the Lord.  One of my favorite verses, actually two of my favorite verses are found in this letter that Paul wrote to Timothy.  Verse 2:7 has been a verse that I have quoted to the Lord on different occasions when I was fearful about something, and I am learning that it is not good to be fearful for the Lord is always in control.  I remember a time a very long time ago when our very young family were all going to stay with another family who had five children, in a cabin at a park.  I had to go to the entrance of the park in order to meet them and take them to the cabin.  There was a sense of fear that overcame me and so I quoted that verse to myself, trusting that if this fear was coming from the evil one that quoting this verse would get rid of the fear.  Well it did and I was very thankful for that.  The other verse that is very special to me is 2 Timothy 2:15 and I have mentioned that is what the name of my blogs are.

 

            Now back to Timothy and we can see that Paul is calling for a level of commitment in which he is saying, (MacArthur paraphrasing) “I don’t care what the world thinks, says, or does.  I know what God has mandated for me to be and to do, and that is what I determine, by His power, to be and to do.  Whatever the consequences, I will boldly stand for Christ.”  “The apostle specifically mentions that theme three times in this passage (vv. 8, 12, 16), because it is the heart of his message to the young pastor Timothy. It is a call for him to have an uncompromising, unflinching commitment to proclaim Jesus Christ, regardless of the danger of difficulty.”

 

            In earlier letters that Paul had wrote he used the word content: 

“2Co 12:10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Php 4:11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

1Ti 6:8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.”  I write these verses because I think that one of the things that Paul is saying to Timothy, and to us too is we all must learn to be content, and if we are content in doing what the Lord has called us to do then we will not be fearful.  The story of Elijah taunting the false religious leaders, the Baal worshiper comes to mind as he did taunt them as they were trying to get Baal to burn their sacrifice, but to no avail and then Elijah would pour water on the sacrifices he was going to offer and the Lord sent fire on the sacrifices and it licked up the water and consumed the fire.  Many Baal worshipers were killed that day.  Soon after that Elijah became fearful of the queen and ran off and hid desiring to kill himself.  He went from fearless to fearful in a short amount of time.  God would feed him and told him where to go and things got straightened out.  Perhaps earlier in Timothy’s life he was fearless, but now that he knew that his mentor was about to die he was becoming fearless.  We are humans and even though believers in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord we have ups and downs in our walk with the Lord.  Paul is desiring to help Timothy through this rough patch and I believe that is what this letter is about.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  2 Timothy was not really the book that I wanted to study after spending almost five years in Matthew’s gospel, but it surely seems to me that this is the letter that the Holy Spirit was leading me to study, and perhaps it is because I have some things in my life that are similar to the things that were going on in Timothy’s life.

 

            My Steps of Faith for Today:  I pray that the Spirit of God will use this letter to cause me to grow in my faith and help me get through some issues that I am going through at this time.

 

11/27/2024 10:34 AM  

 

PT-4 "Intro to Antichrists" (1 John 2:18)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/26/2024 11:21 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                        Focus:   PT-4 “Introduction to Antichrists”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                         Reference:  1 John 2:18

 

            Message of the verse:  “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.”

 

            It is my desire to conclude this introduction to 1 John 2:18 in this evenings Spiritual Diary as there is one more series of verses that we have to look at and some commentary and then we will be done. Now we ended the last SD by quoting from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 and so we begin by giving some commentary on those verses as Paul declared that those climactic events would not occur until “the apostasy comes first.”  The word “apostasy” is the transliteration of apostasic MacArthur writes “(‘a falling away,’ ‘a forsaking,’ ‘a defection’).  Theologically, it is the deliberate abandonment of a formerly professed position. But in this context the word denotes more than a mere general abandonment of God and Christ.  Throughout redemptive history a certain general apostasy will always be occurring in the churches, in keeping with the ever-present Laodicean spirit (Rev. 3:14-16; cf. Heb. 10:25-31; 2 Peter 2:20-22).  In fact as time passes there will be an escalating defection from the truth:

 

‘But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be grateful shared in by those who believe and know the truth. (1 Tim. 4:1-3; cf. Matt. 23:12; 2 Tim. 3:1-9; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Jude 4, 17-19).”

 

            Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about a unique, identifiable, historical event—the apostasy.  Now before the day of the Lord comes there will be a climactic act of apostasy led by the man of lawlessness, or son of destruction.  Now that man who is the Antichrist will openly defy God’s rule and live without regard for His law cf. 1 John 3:4 “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”  The only thing that “restrains him [the final Antichrist] now, so that in his time he will be revealed” (2 Thess. 2:6) is the Holy Spirit, whom God, in His perfect timing, will take out of the way, and I believe that this event will happen after the rapture of the Church for in that event all who are raptured are the ones who have been indwelt with the Holy Spirit, and in the Tribulation period I do not believe that will be true.  So thus Satan’s man of sin and destruction cannot arrive apart from the divine timetable.  That timetable as I understand it will be after the rapture of the church.  You see in the 490 years that Daniel writes about in the 9^th chapter of Daniel 483 years of that prophecy has already been fulfilled and soon after the rapture that seven years will begin when the Antichrist signs a peace treaty with the re-born state of Israel, which if I understand it correctly that will be like Old Testament times and the Holy Spirit did not indwell all OT believers like He does in the Church age.   11/26/2024 11:44 PM

PT-1 "Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18"

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/26/2024 9:07 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  PT-1 “Intro to 2 Timothy 1:6-18”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: 2 Timothy 1:6-18

 

Message of the verses:  “6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11  for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me —  18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day — and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.”

 

            Today I begin looking at a very long section of Scripture and also a very long introduction to that section of Scripture.  In his commentary John MacArthur entitles this very long chapter “Not Being Ashamed of Christ.”  That is a very important reminder to all believers, for it is a good thing to do even if that will cause trouble for you in this world as it did Paul.  Paul is writing this letter to his son in the faith, the one who is to carry on his ministry, the one that he mentored for a long time and so this is very important to Paul as we mentioned that he is writing this from prison and will soon be killed for the cause of Christ.

 

            I begin with a story from John MacArthur’s commentary.  “During the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1900), extreme nationalist Chinese fomented a campaign of terror against officials of foreign governments, Christians missionaries, and even Chinese Christians.  After they surrounded a certain mission station, they sealed all exists except one.  They placed a cross in the dirt in front of the opened gate and told the missionaries and students that anyone who walked out and trampled the cross would be spared.  According to reports, the first seven students who departed trampled the cross and were sent on their way.  The eight student, a young girl, approached the cross, knelt down, prayed for strength, carefully walked around the cross, and was immediately shot to death.  The remaining 92 students, strengthened by that girl’s courageous example, also walked around the cross to their deaths.”  That is quite a story of the great faith and trust that those 92 students had who all if they truly were believers went straight into the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ and will one day receive a crown during the time of when the church is raptured and in heaven during the tribulation period which will be going on, on earth where many, many more who have become believers will suffer the same fate. 

 

            Now we want to try and tie this story to what is going on in these verses we are looking at today, which is the second section of 2 Timothy that we begin to look at this morning as it focuses on the believers’ not being ashamed of Jesus Christ, like those 93 missionary students demonstrated.  Paul founds this appeal on the motivations were to generate in Timothy the pervasive attitude of not being ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ, the underlying attitude that is indispensable for effective ministry in the kingdom.  MacArthur adds “The positive expression of that attitude is courageous, unapologetic witness to and obedience of Him, no matter what the cost or consequences.  It is the attitude that refuses to equivocate, vacillate, or compromise and that does not hesitate to be confrontational when necessary.”

 

            Let us look at an example from the pen of David as he expresses the attitude of courageous witness in the following words:  “9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O LORD, You know. 10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.”  David would always speak for the Lord without restraint or reservation.  There is another palmist who declares “15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And of Your salvation all day long; For I do not know the sum of them. 16 I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone” (Psalm 71:15-16). Now we will look at a verse from the longest chapter in the Word of God, Psalm 119:46 “I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings And shall not be ashamed.”  There was nothing that could withstand the commitment of those saints to speak of God’s grace and righteousness.”

 

            This is the first of what will be many SD’s that relate to the verses we are looking at, and as stated it will take us awhile to get through the introduction.

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I have to have a great love for the Lord Jesus Christ in order to stand up for him, and my prayer is that my love for Him will continue to grow and grow so that I can do things for the cause of Christ.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I desire to continue to fulfill 2 Timothy 2:15 in my life today and everyday that the Lord allows me to live on His earth.  “Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

 

11/26/2024 9:46 AM