MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/27/2026
9:09 AM
My
Worship
Time Focus: PT-2“John’s Powerful Contribution”
Bible
Reading &
Meditation Reference: “Luke 7:29-30”
Message
of the verses: “When all the people and the tax collectors
heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the
baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s
purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.”
“Having inaugurated the era of fulfillment with His
coming, Jesus could say to His disciples, ‘Blessed are the eyes which see the
things you see, for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see
the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which
you hear, and did not hear them’ (Luke 10:23-24). The writer of Hebrews notes that ‘all these
[the heroes of faith from the era of promise], having gained approval through
their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something
bet ter for us, so that apart from us
they would not be made perfect’ (Heb. 11:39-40).
“In contrast to John and the others
in the era of promise, believers in the era of fulfillment have the full record
of the life of Christ in the gospels, the spread of the gospel by the Spirit’s
power in Acts, the explanation of Christ’s person and work and the purpose of
God in salvation in the epistles, and the details of Christ’s glorious return
to establish His earthly kingdom and the eternal st ate that follows in the
book of Revelation. Believers in the era
of fulfillment also have the indwelling Holy Spirit to empower (Acts 1:8) and
guide them (1 John 2:20, 27).”
(Acts 1:8)
“8 But you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’
(1 John 2:20, 27)
“20 ¶ But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and you all have knowledge.
“27 But the anointing that you received from him
abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his
anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it
has taught you, abide in him.”
“As a
result, we understand truths not understood by those in the era of promise, not
even by its greatest prophet, John the Baptist.
Paul identifies those truths as mysteries, hidden in the Old Testament,
but revealed in the New. They include:
1)
The
mystery of Christ’s incarnation (Col. 2:2-3); that He would be both God and
man, a truth hinted at in the Old Testament (e.g., Isa 7:14; 9:6), but not made
clear.”
(Col. 2:2-3)
“2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being
knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of
understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge.”
(e.g., Isa 7:14; 9:6)
“14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a
sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel.”
“6
For to us a child is born, to us a son
is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be
called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
2)
The
mystery of Israel’s unbelief (Rom. 11:25-29).
(Rom. 11:25-29)
“25
Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do
not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has
come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as
it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness
from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my
covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are
enemies
for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their
forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the
calling of God are irrevocable.”
3)
The
mystery of Gentile salvation (Rom. 16:25-26).
(Rom. 16:25-26)
“25
¶ Now to him who is able to strengthen
you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the
revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the
prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command
of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—”
4)
The
mystery of Jews and Gentiles in one body (Eph. 1:11-22).
(Eph. 1:11-22)
“11
¶ Therefore remember that at one time
you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the
circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated
from
Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the
covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far
off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 ¶ For he himself is our peace, who has made us
both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments
expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place
of the two, so making peace, 16 and
might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing
the hostility. 17 And he came and
preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access
in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then
you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the
saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined
together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are
being
built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
5)
The
mystery of the indwelling of Christ in believers (Col. 1:25-37).
(Col. 1:25-37)
“25 of which I became a minister according to the
stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God
fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for
ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great
among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ
in you, the hope of glory.”
6)
The
mystery of lawlessness embodied in the future antichrist (2 Thes. 2:7-8)
(2 Thes. 2:7-8).
“7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at
work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,
whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing
by the appearance of his coming.”
7)
The
mystery of the rapture of the church (1 Cor. 15:51).
(1 Cor. 15:51)
“51
¶ Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,”
8)
The
mystery of the summing up of all things in Christ (Eph. 1:9-10).
(Eph. 1:9-10)
“9 making known to us the mystery of his will,
according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a
plan
for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and
things on earth.”
“Those
in the era of fulfillment have full revelation concerning the depravity of man,
Christ’s substitutionary atonement, resurrection, ascension, and the future
return in glory, heaven and hell, the justification, sanctification, and
glorification of believers; in short, we have in the word of God revelation of
the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) and the full purpose of God (Acts 20:17-20,
27).”
(1 Cor. 2:16)
“16 ¶ Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in
questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a
Sabbath.”
(Acts 20:17-20, 27)
“17
"’And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour
out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the
moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.”
27
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see
corruption.”
“The
cross and empty tomb mark the point at which promise became fulfillment. Believers on this side of the resurrection
are greater than John the Baptist, not in terms of personal character or
influence, but because they have the privilege of proclaiming the fulness of
the gospel. John preached that sinners needed to repent and be reconciled to
God to prepare themselves for Messiah’s coming.
But to believers in the era of fulfillment, God ‘has committed…the word
of reconciliation’ (2 Cor. 5:19), sending us out as ambassadors for Christ,
pleading with sinners to be reconciled to God through Him (v. 20; cf. Matt.
28:19-20). Our message is to proclaim
the full truth of the Savior’s death and resurrection.
(v. 20; cf. Matt. 28:19-20)
“20
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through
us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
“19
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Spiritual Meaning for my life
today: It is my desire and my obligation to tell others
about the Lord Jesus Christ, so they too can be saved.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
Continue to trust the Lord so that this period of mourning will be
easier on me, as right not it is not.
8/27/2026 9:52 AM
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