“Intro to ‘The Saints Guarantee’” (Jude 24-25)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/31/2025 10:14 PM

My Worship Time                                                            Focus: “Intro to ‘The Saints Guarantee’”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                           Reference: Jude 24-25

            Message of the verse: “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.”

 

            Now before I begin to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary on this introduction to these last two verses in Jude’s letter I have to say that these two verses to me are the best conclusion to any of the epistles found in the New Testament.  I think that it will take at least two days for me to go over this introduction, and then I will begin to look at this last chapter in MacArthur’s commentary on this letter by Jude, and then, Lord willing we will begin to look at 2 Timothy, and I think that will be another great study from God’s Word.

 

            “All of the doctrines of salvation are absolutely essential and profoundly precious to the redeemed.  But the doctrine of eternal security, more accurately known as the perseverance of the saints, stands out as the most marvelous of them all.  The glory of the other aspects of salvation—such as justification, regeneration, conversion, and adoption—could not be fully appreciated if salvation were not forever.  Without the assurance and confidence of eternal security, the Christian life would give way to doubt, worry, and fear as believers wondered if the other doctrines were permanent.  And the thought of giving up everything to follow Christ would hardly seem worth the cost if all might be lost in the end (cf. Luke 9:23-25).  Yet, because of the doctrine of eternal security, we as believers can rest assured that nothing can rob us of that saving faith that will ultimately produce an ‘eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison’ (2 Cor. 4:17).”  Now please take the time to re-read this paragraph as it is a very, very important paragraph to dwell on.

 

            “If it were up to us alone to maintain our salvation, we would surely lose it.  As those who still struggle with sin (1 John 1:8-10; cf. Rom. 7:15-23; 1 Cor. 1:11; 5:1; 11:18; James 1:14-15; 4:1-3), we would repeatedly forfeit our righteous standing before God.  Even the apostle Paul acknowledged his continuing battle against the flesh, exclaiming, ‘Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?’ (Rom. 7:24).  He recognized that he could neither gain nor maintain salvation through his own self-righteousness efforts (Phil. 3:4-14)

 

            “Thankfully, true salvation is not based on works as believers, but rather the work of Christ.  It is His righteousness that covers those who trust in Him (Phil. 3:9; 2 Peter 1:1).  We need not worry about keeping, or losing our salvation because it is not based on our deeds.  Instead, it is based on the unchanging person of Jesus Christ (cf. Heb. 13:8).  The plan (Rom. 8:29-30), promise (Heb. 10:23), power (Rom 1:16), and provision (2 Cor. 5:21) from God Himself guarantees our eternal destiny.”

 

            Ok I will stop here, but I want to repeat how important this introduction to these last two verses in Jude are, and how important is the introduction that MacArthur gives here, so please take the time to re-read it and then, Lord willing I will finish it tomorrow evening.

 

8/31/2025 10:36 PM

 

 

PT-3 “Themes” (Intro to Jonah)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/31/2025 8:09 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                      Focus: PT-3 “Themes”

            In today’s SD, I continue to look into the intro to Jonah what John MacArthur calls “Themes” and there are seven different titles that we will be looking at, and today we will begin with the theme of “Salvation of Gentiles”

SALVATION OF GENTILES

            “The main thrust of the book of Jonah deals with God’s saving love for Gentiles.  The very first words of God’s commission to Jonah (‘Arise, go’) demonstrate the heart of Yahweh for those outside of Israel (Jonah 1:2).  Instead of immediately judging the Ninevites for their wickedness, the Lord showed them grace by giving them a warning (1:2; 3:2); and instead of abandoning them when Jonah refused to go (1:4), God persisted until His reluctant servant submitted and went (3:3).  Throughout Jonah’s journeys, the Lord saved the Gentiles that the prophet encountered, from the sailors (1:16) to the Ninevites (3:10).  The entire plot of Jonah is driven by the unrelenting compassion of God for those outside of Israel.

            “The book of Jonah, moreover, defends God’s love for the Gentiles.  This narrative exposes the hypocrisy of Jonah who loved divine grace when his life was spared (1:17), but who hated divine grace when his enemies were delivered (4:1-2).  It  reveals Jonah’s pride in that he believed he was more deserving of God’s grace than the Gentiles, when in fact it was the sailors who feared Yahweh more than Jonah did (1:8-10, 16).  It discloses that Jonah’s hatred so twisted his theology that he called God’s mercy evil (4:1) and selfishly demanded to die (4:3).  No one has the prerogative to object to God’s grace (cf. Rom. 9:20-23), for all are sinners in need of salvation.  If one can rightly care about a plant that he neither toiled over nor caused to grow, then the Lord most certainly has the right to care for those He created in His own image (Jonah 4:10-11).

            “As noted above, this theme of God’s salvation of the Gentiles is so pervasive that it echoes throughout redemptive history.  Like Johan, Peter too would one day journey from Joppa to bring the gospel to the Gentiles (acts 10:1-23).  Paul also would travel on a ship through a storm while preaching God’s Word to the Gentiles (Acts 27:1-44).  They did this because Jesus had commissioned them, and all His disciples, to go throughout the world and proclaim the gospel (Matt. 28:18-20).  Thus, what God accomplished in the time of Jonah did not end with Jonah, Rather, God has continued to work out His saving purposes through history to the present, pointing sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who fulfilled the sign of Jonah through His death and resurrection (Matt. 12:39).”

            Lord willing we will look at the purpose and outline of this introduction to the book of Jonah from John MacArthur’s commentary in tomorrow’s SD.

8/31/2025 8:26 AM

 

PT-2 “To The Committed” (Jude 23b)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/30/2025 9:42 PM

My Worship Time                                                                     Focus: PT-2 “To The Committed”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                               Reference: Jude 23b

            Message of the verse: “and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.”

            It would be best if you look at the first SD on this section so you can better understand what is being said here.

            I will begin by quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary “When the church does not deal properly with the spiritual contamination that false teachers can spread, the results can be disastrous.  For example, the Lord told the church at Sardis, ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead’ (Rev. 3:1).  That was because only a few in Sardis had not ‘soiled their garments’ (v. 4).  The rest had indiscriminately embraced apostasy, which damned their souls and killed the church.  Sardis, along with some of the other seven churches in Revelation (especially Pergamum, Thyatira, and Laodicea), failed to heed the apostle Paul’s warning:

Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.  For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting (Rom. 16:17-18).

            “The spiritual survival and prosperity of us who love Christ, especially in times of growing apostasy, requires the utmost perseverance and care.  We must be defensive—remembering what Scripture teaches about the presence of false teachers.  And we must also be proactive—diligently practicing the disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and obedience as we eagerly anticipate Christ’s return.  Finally, we must exercise bold discernment in taking the offensive and reaching out to apostates and those influenced by their heresies.  The Christian life has always been a pilgrimage (Heb. 11) and a spiritual battle (Eph. 6:10-18), but its end will be triumphant (Rev. 18-22).  With that truth in mind, we can take great solace and encouragement in the words of the well-known hymn ‘Onward, Christian Soldiers’:

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before!  Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; forward into battle see His banners go!

As the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; on, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!  Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise; brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise!

            This Spiritual Diary from this evening will end this chapter from John MacArthur’s commentary on Jude 23b, and then we only have one more chapter from his commentary to look at which is verses 24-25 of Jude and that will end this little letter that our Lord’s half brother penned.  After spending much in this letter I have certainly learned much from it, especially about apostates, knowing that many are still around this world today.

8/30/2025 10:02 PM

 

PT-3 “Themes” (Intro to Jonah)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/30/2025 10:01 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                      Focus: PT-3 “Themes”

            In today’s SD, I continue to look into the intro to Jonah what John MacArthur calls “Themes” and there are seven different titles that we will be looking at, and today we will begin with the theme of “Judgment of Sinners.”

JUDGMENT OF SINNERS

            “This narrative also reveals that the Lord is the supreme Judge.  At the beginning of the story, God declared judgment against Nineveh because their evil had reached Him (Jonah 1:2).  He then illustrated that His judgment is destructive, ravaging the sea (1:4) and nearly destroying the sailors (1:6-16).  God showed that the wages of sin is death, as He nearly killed His prophet who disobeyed Him (1:17; 2:1-5).  The Lord also displayed the fearsomeness of His wrath, as evidenced in the terror-stricken reaction of the Ninevites at God’s threat of their destruction (3:4).  Accompanied with God’s grace, the warning of judgment ultimately moved the Ninevites to repentance (3:5-9); cf. Matt. 10:28), and God relented from His burning anger (Jonah 3:9).  Thus, the book of Jonah demonstrates not only the severity of God’s wrath against sin but also the reality that His wrath should cause all sinners to repent (Acts 2:37-38; 17:29-31).

REPENTANCE OF SINNERS

            “Powerful illustrations of repentance appear throughout this book.  Jonah’s prayer in chapter 2 exhibits numerous components of righteous repentance, including the fundamental element of calling on the Lord in desperate dependence (Jonah 2:1).  Jonah repented of His perversion of God’s nature, acknowledging that though he had fled from God’s presence (1:3), he could not evade the Lord’s omnipresence (2:1-4).  Sincere repentance recognizes the wonder of God’s salvation, as Jonah did when he exclaimed that he should have died in the storm but was spared because God rescued him (2:5-6).  Repentance also acknowledges the mercy and grace of God which He shows because of His compassion (2:7).  As Jonah’s prayer demonstrates, those who repent turn away from sin and idolatry, and turn, instead, toward the Lord and His salvation (1:16; 2:9).

            “The Ninevites manifested such repentance.  They understood the urgency of their situation and grounded their repentant faith in the one and only God (3:5a).  They bore fruit in keeping with repentance by forfeiting food and drink to focus on their relationship with the Lord (Jonah 3:5b; cf. Matt. 3:8).  Thus, they demonstrated the humility that accompanies genuine repentance, recognizing that it is not merely the word but also in deed (Jonah 3:7-8).  Ultimately, however, the fact that the entire city of Nineveh repented-which was clearly a divine miracle-affirms that God alone is the source of repentance (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25).

            “Nevertheless, Jonah’s life illustrated that while repentance must be earnest and vigorous, it can also be dangerously partial. Even though the prophet repented in the fish, his repentance proved to be incomplete, for he still detested the Ninevites (Jonah 4:1).  God, therefore, continued refining His servant (4:6-11), chastening him and driving him to further repentance.  Thus, the Lord affirmed that repentance is not merely a single act but a lifestyle the bears fruit (cf. Matt. 3:8; 1 John 1:8).”

Spiritual meaning for my Life Today:  Repentance is one of the keys to living the Christian life, and to me here is a key to doing this “23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way” (Ps. 139:23-24).

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trusting the Lord to allow me to do the things today that the Lord desires for me to do.

 

8/30/2025 10:28 AM

 

PT-1 “To The Committed” (Jude 23b)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/29/2025 10:16 PM

My Worship Time                                                                     Focus: PT-1  “To The Committed”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                               Reference: Jude 23b

            Message of the verse: “and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.”

            Now we have been talking about how true believers can reach out to apostates, and from what we have learned about apostates that task seems to be very difficult, but I have to believe that God has used very committed believers to reach out to apostates with the result of them being saved from their sins and have come into being a true born-again believer.  MacArthur writes that “Such heretics are profoundly deceived individuals who are deeply committed to their own deceptions.”  This certainly is true of most of these apostates, but the truth is that once one of these apostates turn from their sins and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord that they will look back on their old life and understand then that it was all false, and then move onto their new life and begin to really do things for the cause of Christ.  It is possible that in some cases before one of these apostates come to truly know the Lord that they are even the articulators of heretical doctrine and the leaders within the false system.  So when reaching out to such people, we who know the truth must proceed with utmost caution and clearheadedness. The admonition on some have mercy with fear indicates the sobering, frightening nature that outreach to such people entails. Fear stems from an awareness that getting too close to corrupt, apostate error could result in somehow being tainted by those lies as compared to Matt. 16:6, 12; 1 Cor. 5:6-7; 25:33; Gal. 5:7-9).

            I remember a long time ago when I was going to another Baptist church that there was a lady who was single and getting a bit older began to date a person who was Catholic and after a while they got married.  Once this man married this lady he talked her into joining the Catholic church that he had been going to, and so she left the confines of being taught from the Word of God by a very wonderful Pastor and went into a place where she would not be able to get fed from the Word of God.  I remember that our Pastor had said that this kind of thing had never happened to him since he had become a Pastor, and he was very upset about it with good reason.

            I will quote one paragraph from John MacArthur’s commentary and then will leave the rest of this section for tomorrow evening.

            “Jude used extremely graphic, coarse language to highlight the degree of danger involved in this type of outreach. Garment translates chiton and refers to the clothing that the people of that day wore under their tunics—it was their underwear.  The word translated polluted is a participial from the verb spiloo, meaning ‘to stain,’ or ‘to spot.’  To be polluted by the flesh means ‘to be stained by bodily function.’ Just as one wants to handle someone else’s dirty underwear and be defiled physically, so we should be extremely wary of getting too close to the spiritual defilement of those corrupted by false teachers.  Even in bringing the gospel to committed apostates, saints must exercise great caution and wisdom (cf. Matt. 10:16).”

“"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt. 20:16).

8/29/2025 10:39 PM

              

PT-2 “Themes” Intro to Jonah)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/29/2025 9:18 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                      Focus: PT-2 “Themes”

            In today’s SD, I continue to look into the intro to Jonah what John MacArthur calls “Themes” and there are seven different titles that we will be looking at beginning with “YAHWEH.”           

             “Several theological themes drive the story of Jonah and its main purpose.  These include the Person of Yahweh and the divine perfections of God’s sovereignty, omnipresence, grace, and judgment of sinners.  The book also highlights the need for sinners to repent and the Lord’s willingness to forgive the penitent, whether Jew or Gentile.

OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD

            “God’s omnipresence is a key truth that manifests itself throughout the entire story.  At the outset, Johan’s flight proved that God was not limited to any physical space, as the Lord was present at Joppa (Jonah 1:3), on the ship (1:4-7), in the sea (1:17), and in the fish (2:1-9).  At Nineveh (3:10), and outside of Nineveh, God was present to hear the prayer of His prophet (4:5).  Despite his flagrant attempt to flee, Jonah himself recognized God’s omnipresence, declaring that Yahweh is ‘the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land’ (1:9), and then praising God because ‘from the belly of Sheol,’ he heard Jonah’s voice (2:2).  God’s omnipresence is a reminder of man’s inescapable accountability (1:3-17), the Lord’s unrestricted availability to hear and answer prayer (2:2), and His ever-readiness to save (2:3-9; 3:10; 4:2, 11).  Above all, the theme of divine omnipresence serves as a vivid reminder that God reigns not only over Israel but over all the earth.  Because He is Lord over all mankind, He not only had the authority to send Jonah to the Ninevites, but He also had the ability to bring them to repentance and salvation.

GRACE OF GOD

            “From its beginning to its end, the story of Jonah abounds with the grace of God.  Yahweh demonstrated His grace when He commissioned Jonah to bring a message of warning to Nineveh in order to save the Ninevites (Johan 1:2).  God expressed grace by persisting with His plan even though Jonah rebelled against Him (1:4; 3:2).  The Lord also extended His grace to the sailors by bringing them to repentance (1:16).  When Jonah was thrown into the sea, God showed grace to His wayward prophet by delivering him from death (1:17; 2:2, 6, 9, 10).

            “God also extended grace to Jonah by giving him a second opportunity to go and preach to Nineveh (3:2).  When Jonah declared the message to the Ninevites, God caused a revival, saving more than half a million people (3:5-10).  Despite Johan’s wicked and heartless response to Nineveh’s repentance, God demonstrated further grace by patiently confronting His prophet and expounding the wonder of His grace (Johan 4:9-11; cf. Eph. 2:8).  The breadth and variety of instances in which God exercised patience and extended grace throughout this book underscore the extent of His mercy and lovingkindness (cf. Ex. 33:19; 34:6).

            “The book of Jonah displays not only the breadth but also the depth of God’s grace.  When the prophet was about to drown, the Lord rescued him from sure death (Jonah 1:17-2:9), which then served as a sign that God’s grace can overcome even the grave (cf. Matt. 12:39).”  I am now going to quote some verses from Matthew 12 “39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; 40 for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 “The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”  Now back to more from MacArthur’s introduction:  “As for the sailors and the Ninevites, God’s grace transformed their hearts so that they would repent and be saved (Johan 1:10, 14; 3:5-10).  God’s grace in those cases was magnified by the fact that Jonah was either minimally involved in or resistant to their conversion (1:9; 3:4).  The story of Jonah illustrates the abundance and the power of divine grace, and reiterates the truth that salvation is rooted solely in the grace of God (cf. Jonah 2:9; Eph. 2:8).”

 

Spiritual Meaning for My Life Today:  Looking at these two attributes of God, omnipresence, and grace shows me some things about when the Lord saved me on January 26^th 1974, and I have told this story a few times in my Spiritual Diaries.  Perhaps I could say that I was running away from the Lord, but did not realize it as I went to visit a friend of mine in January of 1974.  I went there for reasons I will not get into, but they were sinful to be sure.  When I got there he offered to me a series of cassette tapes to listen to “Two Years After ‘The Late Great Planet Earth’” by Hal Lindsey.  These messages were mostly on the end times something I was deeply afraid of, and many answers were given to me as I listened to these messages.  God spoke to my heart and saved me a few days into listening to these messages, as I only could listen to one per day.  I see God’s omnipresence here as the timing was perfect, and I see His wonderful saving grace as that too was perfect.  I am ever thankful for that trip to Florida.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I continue to trust the Lord in dealing with my wife’s condition as it seems to us that the MRI she got was not bad at all.  Praise the Lord!

 

8/29/2025 10:07 AM  

 

 

“To The Convinced” (Jude 23a)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/28/2025 9:08 PM

My Worship Time                                                                               Focus:  “To The Convinced”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                               Reference: Jude 23a

            Message of the verse: “save others, snatching them out of the fire”

            You may remember that in an earlier SD I told the story of our former Pastor who used this partial verse to witness to an older gentleman, and that older man, if I remember correctly became a believer, and in today’s evening SD we will look at some more and different commentary on this partial verse as I will use what John MacArthur has to say about it.

            John MacArthur talked about having mercy on these people who were not really telling the truth, and the word apostate was used to help describe them as it has throughout most of this entire letter that Jude wrote.  

            MacArthur writes “In this aspect of outreach, the challenge for believers increases.  It is no longer merely a matter of showing mercy; it becomes the difficult task of rescuing those who are already convinced of false teaching.  But in humility and faith we who would be faithful must be willing to be used by God to save others.”  Now this is what I was trying to do with this lawyer but he made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with it, he did not want to be snatched out of the fires.  There are some people that make this clear when you talk to them and then the best thing to do is to pray that the Lord will open up their hearts, as there are those who have very hard hearts.  MacArthur goes on, “God remains the ultimate source of salvation (Ps. 3:8; Jonah 2:9; John 1:12-13; 3:6-8; Eph. 2:8), but we are the secondary means He uses to reach sinners (cf. Acts 2:37-41; 4:1-4; 8:26-38; 13:46-48; 16:13-14),  James wrote, ‘My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins’ (James 5:19-20).

            “Snatching translates Harpazo, and presents the strong image of seizing something, or taking something or somebody by force.  Jude undoubtedly borrowed this imagery from the prophets, specifically Amos’s statement about Israel, ‘You were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze’ (Amos 4:11; cf. Zech 3:2).  Even as he penned his letter, Jude apparently knew of some who had already been drawn into the damning doctrines of the apostates.  He pictured them as having been singed by the very fire of hell, a foreshadowing of the eternal inferno that would one day engulf them if they continued to embrace false teaching (cf. Isa. 33:14; Matt. 13:42).

            “The one way to rescue such people is to crush their false ideologies before it is too late.  And this can be done only by the power of God’s truth (2 Cor. 10:3-5).  Jesus modeled this principle during His earthly ministry.  To those who were confused, unsure, and filled with doubts, He patiently and gently presented the gospel (John 4:10-26; 6: 26-59).  But to those committed to false teaching, such as the scribes and Pharisees and their devotees, He bluntly warned of the gravity of their lost condition (Matt. 12:1-37; 15:1-14; Luke 11:37-54; John 8:12-59.)” 

            I realize that Jesus who is God incarnate knew who was going to be saved and who was not and there was another time in His ministry when some Pharisees accused Him of doing miracles in the power of Satan, and after that He said “31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:31-32).  I am sure that many will recognize this as being the unpardonable sin, and it is my belief that this sin could only happen during this time of Jesus’ ministry while He was on earth.  Now I believe that the sin that will cause people to end up in hell is the sin of not accepting Jesus Christ into their lives after they confess that they are sinners and so they will be saved.  If people don’t do that then there is no second chance.

 

            These are difficult things to write about, but if someone reads this and then believes in the Lord Jesus Christ to save them then it will be worth it, even though it is difficult to write.

 

8/28/2025 9:42 PM

PT-1 “Themes”

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/28/2025 9:14 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                       Focus: PT-1 “Themes”

            Today we begin, from the intro to Jonah what John MacArthur calls “Themes” and there are seven different titles that we will be looking at beginning with “YAHWEH,” but before that we will look at a short introduction to this section.  With seven topics you can imagine that this section will take a few days to get through, so enjoy and learn from it as I plan to do.

            “Several theological themes drive the story of Jonah and its main purpose.  These include the Person of Yahweh and the divine perfections of God’s sovereignty, omnipresence, grace, and judgment of sinners.  The book also highlights the need for sinners to repent and the Lord’s willingness to forgive the penitent, whether Jew or Gentile.

YAHWEH

            “The covenant name of God, Yahweh, appears twenty-one times in this concise book.  The account of Jonah’s ministry amplifies the character of Yahweh, declaring that He is the only true God who created heaven and earth (Johan 1:9), who is omnipresent (1:3, 10; 2:2, 7), who reigns over all creation (1:4, 15, 17; 2:3, 10; 4:6-7), who sits in judgment over mankind (1:2, 14; 2:3, 8; 3:2, 4, 5-10; 4:1, 11), and who alone is able to offer salvation (2:9; 3:9-10; 4:11).  God’s personal name Yahweh, moreover, emphasizes His loyalty and love, particularly with Israel whom He chose to be His people (Ex. 3:14-16),  In the past, God revealed Himself as ‘Yahweh, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth’ (34:6).  Jonah affirmed this in saying, ‘I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning evil’ (Jonah 4:2).

            “The book of Jonah emphasizes that Yahweh extends His covenant love not only to Israel but also to the Gentiles.  Yahweh who showed mercy and salvation to Jonah the Israelite (Jonah 2:9) is the same One who extended mercy and salvation to the pagan sailors (1:14) and the Ninevites (3:1, 3, 10).  While the name Yahweh does not appear in the portion that describes Nineveh’s repentance (cf. 3:5-10), underscoring the Lord’s unique relationship with Israel, God still demonstrates that He is the Savior of both Jew and Gentile by granting repentance to the Ninevites.  Their salvation serves as a preview of heaven, where the redeemed include those ‘from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues’ joyfully proclaiming that salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’ (Rev. 7:9-10; cf. Jonah 2:9).

SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

            “Throughout the narrative, Yahweh is presented as the Creator and Ruler of the universe.  He is in full control of every aspect of life.  Jonah proclaimed this truth, saying, ‘I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land’ (Jonah 1:9).  The Lord demonstrated His sovereignty when He sent the storm precisely against Jonah’s ship (1:4), and then subsequently calmed the sea after Jonah was thrown overboard (1:15-16).  When Jonah was in the water, he confessed that God’s sovereign hand was behind this event, declaring, ‘For You had cast me into the deep’ (2:3).  He reiterated the Lord’s supremacy while sinking beneath the waves, acknowledging that the sea belonged to God:  All Your breakers and waves passed over me’ (2:3).  God appointed a fish to swallow Jonah to deliver him from drowning (1:17) and He commanded the fish to vomit Jonah up on dry land so that he could complete his mission (2:10).  In the same way, God appointed the plant to grow and provide shelter for Jonah (4:6), and God appointed the worm to devour the plant (4:7).  It was also God who whipped up the scorching wind of the Sirocco specifically where Jonah was sitting outside Nineveh (4:8).  Even though Jonah initially resisted God’s commission (1:3), he ultimately submitted because he could not withstand the Lord’s sovereign hand (3:3).  As with all history, God’s sovereign will and power directed and drove the events of Jonah’s ministry.”

 Spiritual Meaning for My Life today:  I would suppose that of all of God’s attributes that His Sovereignty is the one that helps me to live a life that is pleasing to Him.  Some believers have a small view of God, thinking that the things that happen are not really controlled by Him.  That is not the case for God is in control of all things.  An example is what is happening in Israel where seven nations have attacked Israel over the last, almost two years, and Israel is defeating them, (with a little help from their friend Donald Trump), which God certainly was in control of that too.  Just to let you know the bombs that the US dropped on Iran were developed for that specific purpose when the USA realized what Iran was going to do under that mountain.  Yes God is in control of all things, and for that I am glad.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Knowing that God is sovereign I can trust Him fully with what is going on with my wife and also with me this year.  Even though I am not liking what is going on with us I know God is in control as Roman’s 8:28 says, “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.”

8/28/2025 9:55 AM

 

“To The Confused” (Jude 22)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/27/2025 9:43 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                 Focus:  “To The Confused”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference: Jude 22

            Message of the verse:  “22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting;

            In yesterday evenings SD we just looked at the introduction to Jude 22-23, and I mentioned that there were three sub-points under this section.  I want to look at the first one this evening, which will be a short one, and tomorrow’s will also be rather short, but then the next days will be longer.  I have to admit that I did not know that I was going to study the book of Jude, but I am so happy that when I received John MacArthur’s commentary on 2 Peter that it also included the book of Jude, as they are similar things in both books.  Jude is the only letter in the Bible written by Jude, the half brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and 2 Peter is the very last letter that Peter wrote that is in the Word of God, and I have always like reading this second letter of Peter, which, Lord willing I will begin to study after I finish up with this letter by Jude. 

            Now remember we are talking about false teachers when we study most of Jude’s letter, and false teachers have been around throughout both the Old and New Testaments, and we still have them today, in fact it is my belief that the Bible teaches us that their teaching will get worse the closer that we get to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Now the heretical and deceptive statements made by these false teachers, along with their licentious lifestyles can easily confuse some people that are within the church.  Examples come from 2 Corinthians 11:3 “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”  Next we will look at Galatians 3:1-5 and then compare that with Galatians 1:6-9. “1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain — if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”  “6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”  Now as mentioned these things are still happening today, as Satan’s tactics never change, and foolish men continue to fall for them. Now in reaching out to such people, Jude called the church to have mercy on them, showing kindness, compassion, and sympathy to those who are doubting.

 

            John MacArthur concludes this short section by writing:  “Like wolves stalking sheep, false teachers prey on weak people (cf. 2 Tim. 3:6), individuals who are vacillating, unsure, and mired in doubt (James 1:6-8; cf. Pss. 73:13-16; 77:7-9).  Those who are strong must show mercy to such souls as they are torn between truth and error (cf. Eph. 4:14), commitment and noncommitment (Heb. 3:7-4:13; 6:1-12).  Showing mercy does not mean ignoring the seriousness of false or commending the weak for their vacillation.  But it does mean exhorting such people with the truth, in meekness and patience, being diligent to present the gospel to them before they are permanently caught in heresy.”

 

8/27/2025 10:06 PM

PT-2 “Historical Context”

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/26/2025 9:04 AM

My Worship Time                                                                      Focus: PT-2 “Historical Context”

            This morning I continue to look at the different things that John MacArthur has written at the beginning of his commentary on the book of Jonah, and today’s SD will begin about “Historical Context.”  My prayer is that all who read these SD’s from the beginning of the study of Jonah will receive a blessing.

            “At the time of Jonah, the major center of Assyria and the surrounding Gentile world was the city of Nineveh.  The city had a long and storied history.  It first appears in Scripture in Genesis 10:11-12, when Nimrod went to Assyria to build ‘Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah.’  Nineveh was briefly mentioned in a record in the context of ancient Akkadian kings, indicating that a temple was build there for Ishtar, the goddess of love and war (ca. 2300 BC).  Hammurabi (ca. 1792-1750 BC) also recognized Nineveh as a place of importance, and in the reign of Tiglath-pileser I (ca. 1114-1071 BC), Nineveh was developed into a grandiose metropolis.  About 550 miles from the Israelite town of Joppa (cf. Jonah 1:3), the city was situated on the east bank for prosperous trade and rich agriculture.  There appears to have been religious significance to the city as well, as the name Nineveh has been linked to the Sumerian word for ‘fish’ and associated with the river-goddess Nina.

            “As the capital of Assyria, Nineveh was home to the royal palaces of Assyrian rulers, culminating with the magnificent palace of Sennacherib (cf. 2 Kings 19:36; Isa. 37:37).  The city was also an academic center as Ashurbanipal (ca. 669-663 BC) assembled a great library there.  While the inner city was about three to four square miles, the rest of the city extended to fifty-five miles all around.  And with a population in Jonah’s day of about six hundred thousand people (cf. Jonah 4:11), Jonah would have needed three days to travel through the metropolitan area as he preached (cf. 3:3).  All of this demonstrates why God called Nineveh ‘the great city’ (1:2).  As one ancient writer declared, ‘No one afterward built a city of such compass or with walls so magnificent.’

            “At a time when Israel’s animosity against the Gentiles was growing, the Lord called Jonah to go and minister in the capital of the hated Assyrians.  In God’s providence, as noted above, Nineveh was suffering from internal strife and weakness at the time.  Famine and plagues in 765 BC and 759 BC added to Nineveh’s woes, and a full eclipse of the sun occurred in 763 BC, which the Assyrians interpreted as an omen of doom.  While none of these circumstances caused the conversion of the Ninevites, the Lord used them to pave the way for His prophet to be heard.  As the book of Jonah emphasizes, the greatest sign God gave to Nineveh was to send a prophet who was delivered from a great fish (1:17).  The Lord sovereignly orchestrated these circumstances surrounding the prophet’s ministry to ensure that the message of His marvelous grace was clearly heard.”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  Like the message that Jonah gave to those in Nineveh that message is something that is my desire to give to those around the world who read these Spiritual Diaries, and that message is that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” but the good news of the gospel is that the Second Person of the Godhead, Jesus Christ came to earth over 2000 years ago as a baby, and grew up and then at the age of 30 He began His ministry as he trained His disciples to carry on His ministry after He would die on the cross for the sins of the world, be buried for three days, and then come back to life in a new body to prove that He was alive.  The gospel is believing that you were born a sinner, to realize that on your own you can do nothing about it, and then to accept the forgiveness that Christ offers you by paying for all your sins when He died on the cross.  Many in Nineveh believed the message that Jonah gave to them and therefore they to became believers as they believed that in the future their sins would be paid for by the One that God sent to earth.  You can do the same thing too.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am trusting that the outcome of my wife’s MRI this afternoon will bring good news to us.

8/27/2025 9:32 AM