Putting Work Clothes On Your Dreams

Once upon a time, there was a happy little boy who went out into the field wearing blue jeans, sneakers, a baseball shirt, and a very cool baseball cap.  In one hand he had a baseball and in the other hand a baseball bat.  He had the look of absolute confidence.  He had just watched his favorite baseball players on TV and knew he could one day be one.  You just have to practice.

Cocking his bat, he tossed the ball into the air saying, “I’m the greatest batter in the world!”  The he swung and missed.  “Strike one,” he said.  He then picked up the ball, examined it carefully, and then threw it into the air again.  As the ball was coming down he said, “I’m the greatest batter in the world.!  Once again he missed.  “Strike two,” he said.  This time he knocked off any sand which may have been on his sneakers, examined his bat carefully, picked up the ball, adjusted his baseball cap, and tossed the ball into the air for the third time.  He cried out again even louder, “I’m the greatest batter in the world!  He swung with all his might but he missed it and struck out.  “Wow,” he shouted, “What a pitcher.  I’m the greatest pitcher in the world!”

Confidence can be a great thing for this new year.  Our attitude toward events, our frame of mind, our determination to put work clothes on our dreams is what will make this new year a great year.  We can talk about what we are going to do every day.  However, it is not until we stop talking about what we are going to do and begin doing it that anything meaningful is going to happen.  

The Apostle Paul didn’t just talk about doing things.  He put work clothes on his dreams and made them come true.  Here is his attitude toward attaining the victor’s crown as seen in Philippians 3:12, 14.  “I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it . . . but one thing I do:  forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”    In this new year, let’s begin by putting work clothes on our dreams and not just talking about them - but doing them.  

Love Is Blind

I was talking with Ginger (church secretary) in the church office one day and I mentioned how, as a teenager, I had a crush on the film actress and one of the most beautiful women in the world, Sophia Loren.  How I was shocked that she married Carlo Ponti, a film producer.  Carlto Ponti was 5'5" tall, 23 years older than her, and not very handsome.  To make matters worse, she turned down Cary Grant who proposed to her.  How did that happen?  Ginger said, "Love is blind."

I didn't know exactly what that meant.  So I turned to William Shakespeare.  One of his favorite quotes which he used in "The Merchant of Venice,"  "Henry V," and "Two Gentlemen of Verona," was:  "But love is blind, and lovers cannot see.  The pretty follies that themselves commit."  But what does that mean?

I did a little survey and found that most people interpreted the saying as, "That's when a girl falls in love with a bad guy that treats her mean but she didn't know it at first because she thought she loved him."

I got many different responses.  I finally went back to Ginger and said, "Tell me exactly what "love is blind" means.  Ginger said, "That's when you see with your heart.  Not with your eyes."  

I got it.  I then immediately thought of how God sees us.  He doesn't look at our physical appearance.  He looks at our heart.

How do we look at other people?  Do we see only their physical faults?  Do we see only with our eyes?  Or do we see with our heart?

In this Christmas season and New Year, may we make a point to see others as God sees us.  When we look at our friends, loved ones, and even strangers.  Let us see with our heart.

The Underworld: Part II of II

So where is this place called Paradise that Jesus is talking about?  The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus found in Luke 16:19-31 helps us to understand.  Jesus is telling this story in the Old Testament course of things.  He shows Hades (it is called Sheol in the Old Testament), the land of shadows.  It is in two compartments.  In Hebrew, the first compartment was referred to as Abraham's bosom.  That was the place of the abode for the righteous dead.  Abraham's bosom in Hebrew and Paradise in the Greek or New Testament.  

On the other side it was referred to as a place of torment, which I believe was referred to as Tartarus; although properly speaking both of these places had the general category of being called Sheol in the Old Testament and Hades in the New Testament.  It was the grave, the land below, the underworld.   

Here is a picture I have drawn which may help to explain it.

II Peter 2:4-5:  "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell (tartarus) and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly."

Jude 1:6:  "And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day." 

Genesis 6:4-8:  "There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them.  Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.  Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.  So the Lord said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.'  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."

Outside of Elijah and Enoch who went straight to heaven, everyone who died went there.  Now Jesus said the rich man being in torment  in Hades lifted up his eyes and across this gulf called to Abraham and said, "Send Lazarus back up to tell my five brothers about this place of torment and they will repent  because I don't want them to come here."  Jesus rose from the dead and still people don't believe.  This place of torment was a temporary place.  After the Final Judgment, Great White Throne judgment they will be transferred to a place called gehenna, hell, the lake of fire which burns forever.  

Revelation 20:10 tells us, "The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.  And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."

Satan is not in charge of hell.  He will not rule in hell.  He will be tormented in hell.  Also, remember that Satan does not even live in hell now.  His headquarters is in heavenly places.   


Ephesians 6:12:  "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."  

Ephesians 3:10:  "To the extent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places."

Headquarters of Satan is not on earth or under the earth.

Genesis 1:1:  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Heaven is plural and earth is singular.  One earth but more than one heaven.  Paul tells us in II Corinthians.

II Corinthians 12:2-4:  "I know a man  in Christ who fourteen years ago - whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows - such a one was caught up to the third heaven.  And I know such a man - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know - God knows - how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

Here Paul identifies the third heaven with Paradise and Paradise (since the resurrection of Christ) is located in heaven.  The first heaven is the visible heaven that we see if you walk outside and look up into the sky.  Then Revelation talks about a mid heaven and then there is the heaven which is the dwelling place of God and identified with Paradise.  Thus, three heavens.  The heavenlies, where Satan has his headquarters, must be the mid heaven which lies between the visible heaven and the third heaven which is God's dwelling place.

Christians do not go before the Final Judgment.  That is for unbelievers, remember?  Christians will go before the Judgment Seat of Christ.  

II Corinthians 5:10:  "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."

This has nothing to do with salvation.  The Judgment Seat of Christ is for believers.  The Final Judgment, Great White Throne Judgment is for unbelievers.  Hear what Jesus tells us from John:

John 5:24:  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My words and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."

This is why Paul can say in Corinthians.

II Corinthians 5:8:  "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."

I Peter 3:18-20:  "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine long-suffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water."  (The prison was Hades).  

At some point in Jesus' descent into the underworld, having been made alive in the Spirit went and preached.  What did Jesus preach to these spirits in prison?  The word preach in Greek means euangellion.  The Greek word used here is kerygma, not euangellion.  This word means to proclaim.  Jesus is here making a proclamation to the spirits in prison.  

What did Jesus proclaim?  I don't think it was an offer of mercy or a second chance.  I think Jesus made a proclamation that He now was in charge and Lord over life and death.  Jesus now held the keys of Hades and death.

Revelation 1:18:  "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.  Amen.  And I have the keys of Hades and Death."  

Hebrews 2:14:  "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil."

I Corinthians 15:55-56:  "O Death, where is your sting?  O Hades, where is your victory?  The sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Gospel was also preached though.

I Peter 4:5-6:  "They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.  For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." (preached is euangellion).  

In Hades there was also the other side separated by the gulf which is referred to as Paradise or Abraham's Bosom.  This was made up of the souls of the believers from all previous ages.  Abraham and all the other believers.  They had a separate place in Hades separated by a  great abyss from the souls of the wicked.  Remember the story of the poor man who died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's Bosom and he lifted up his eyes and saw the rich man in the other part of Hades suffering moment.  

So they are in Paradise.  They had died in faith but had never received the promise.  So Jesus preached to these souls of the righteous.  He preached the gospel to them basically saying that it is finished and you can go free now.  I have paid the penalty.  At this time they were transferred out of Hades and into heaven.  He emptied this segment of the underworld.  This side is empty today.  Jesus moved Paradise from their into he presence of the Father.  That's why Paul can say, "Absent from the body, present with the Lord."

Jesus went down into the underworld.  He endured the entire wrath of almighty God in all aspects.  Having finished that, He was made alive in the Spirit.  He made a proclamation to the wicked dead that He is now Lord of life and death, and preached the gospel to the righteous believers telling them that it was finished and they were free to go to heaven.

When a person dies one of two things happen.  They either go immediately to be with the Lord; or they go to the other place in the underworld, Hades, where there is torment and wait until the Final Judgment at which time they will be cast into the lake of fire.  The Bible calls it eternal judgment.  

The good news for all of us is this.  Because of what Jesus has done for us - we will spend all eternity in the presence and power of love.  

John 14:6:  "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Romans 10:9:  "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Romans 10:13:  "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

John 3:16:  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  


Copyright © 2014 by Allen C. Minor

A Better Note

It has been four months since my wife has died and I have had time to reflect on what has happened.  

I want you to know how much my friends and loved ones have helped me through this process.  Your generosity and kindness have alleviated much of my pain through this journey.  The outpouring of love was seen in how many prayers and cards Reva received through her illness and beyond.  

I have been very humbled by this entire experience and am eternally grateful for everything everyone has done.  

I am now ready to continue the next chapter of my life.  This blog, "The Underworld," has taken many years of research to finally understand it completely.  In order to examine difficult passages of Scripture from the Bible, it is imperative that you understand the original language it was written in.  Bible translators have made mistakes as it is difficult to translate one language into another.  As such, I have been extremely careful in providing what the original koine text reveals.  I believe you will have a greater understanding of the Underworld after reading this.  

Thank you for being understanding and caring.  

A sad note

My wife Reva died this morning at 4:35 a.m.  She died peacefully beside me in bed.  I want to thank everyone who sent letters and prayers how very much we are grateful to you for helping us get through this.  

A sad note

Sorry for the delay for the second part of this blog, but my wife is gravely ill, and I try to spend as much time as I can with her.  I will try to post the last part of this blog when I can.  Thank you so much for those of you who have been praying for her.  

The Underworld: Part I of II

Where did Jesus go between His crucifixion and His resurrection? 

Luke 23:42-43:  "Then he said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.'  And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.'"

So where is this place called Paradise that Jesus is talking about?  We will find out shortly but let's first understand why Jesus had to go there.  He had to fulfill prophesy.

Romans 3:23:  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  

Romans 6:23:  "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  

Romans 5:8:  "But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us."

Hebrews 2:9:  "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone." 

The Bible tells us that Jesus didn't just die for a group of people.  He died specifically for each individual.  If there was only you, He would have died for you.  It's not just a group experience.  That's why we have a personal relationship with Christ.  Jesus came to earth in human form in total dependence on the Father.  No life except through the Father.  He never sinned so continual fellowship with God.

John 6:57:  "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me."

When Jesus became our sacrifice on the cross, His union with God was broken by sin.  Jesus died on the cross.  Forsaken by His Father.  

Matthew 27:46:  "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

Abandoned.  No answer from heaven.  First time Jesus prayed and did not get an answer.  Why was His prayer not answered?  It was because He had taken on sin at the cross.  The sins of all humanity.  Thus, cannot be in His presence anymore.  Sin separates the person from God.  At that moment He was rejected on earth and not accepted in heaven.  

Luke 23:46:  "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit."

When the spirit of Jesus left His body on the cross, His physical body was taken down from the cross and wrapped in linen clothes. Placed in the tomb and lay their from Friday afternoon until early Sunday morning.

His spirit had much more to do.  His spirit descended into Hades or Sheol.  In the Old Testament, the word is Sheol.  In the New testament, the word is Hades.  It is exactly the same place.  This is the realm below the earth referred to as the underworld.  This is where the wicked are imprisoned awaiting the final judgment.  Don't confuse Hades or Sheol with the lake of fire.  The lake of fire is gehenna which is hell.  No one will be sent there until after the Final Judgment which is for unbelievers.  That is also where the souls and spirits of the righteous were waiting for the time when Jesus would come and declare deliverance to the captives.

Jesus, after His physical death, in spirit, descended into Sheol, or Hades.

Psalm 16:10:  "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption."  

These words spoken by David are quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost.  He is talking about Jesus Christ.  In regard to some of the Psalms of David, David speaks in the first person about many things that are not about him.  For example, 

Psalm 22:1:  "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

Notice that "Me" is capitalized.  (New King James Version).

Psalm 22:16-18:  "For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.  They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones.  They look and stare at Me.  They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots."

This never happened to David.  David is not talking about himself. He's talking about Jesus.  Why would David do this?  You need to know.

I Peter 1:10-11:  "Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow."  

What this means is that the Spirit of Christ was in David.  It is very possible that David may have wondered why he was speaking these prophesies himself.  The Bible tells us that it was not really David the man speaking here, but rather David the anointed one was speaking in a prophetic way about what was to happen to the Messiah.  So, when we read these words in some of the Psalms of David, although they are spoken in the first person, they really do not apply to David but rather to Jesus.

Psalm 16:10:  "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will you allow Your Holy One to see corruption."  

Here David is talking about the Holy One again which would be the Messiah.  When David says, "nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption, what he is referring to is that Jesus' physical body resting in the tomb did not see corruption which would be a physical miracle.  

On the day of Pentecost, Peter says these words as recorded in Acts.

Acts 2:25-32:  "For David says concerning Him:  'I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.  Therefore, my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.  For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will you allow Your Holy One to see corruption.  You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.'  "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.  Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to Him that of the fruit of His body, according to the flesh, He would raise Christ to sit on His throne, He, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.  This Jesus God has raised up, for which we are all witnesses."

You can see this also in Ephesians 4:8-10:  "Therefore he says, 'When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.'  Now this, "He ascended" what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?  He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things."

We can see clearly that Jesus did not ascend into heaven  until He first descended into the lower parts of the earth, Hades, Sheol; the underworld.

So we can see clearly that while the body of Jesus rested in the tomb, the soul, the spirit of Jesus descended into "Sheol, Hades."

  

So, where is this place called Paradise that Jesus is talking about? 

David, Bathsheba and Uriah

There are consequences to sin.  This is the first time that it is recorded anywhere that David, a man after God's own heart, displeased God. 

 It happened in the spring of the year, when kings go out to battle.  David, however, decided not to go out to war, but rather stayed home.  One night David had trouble sleeping and woke up.  He walked on the roof of his mansion and saw a beautiful young woman bathing.  A woman so beautiful that he was willing to do whatever it took to see her.  He sent his servants to go and get her and bring her back.  She was so beautiful that he had to have her.  Forget the months of courtship.  David wanted her now and David had sex with her knowing full well that she was a married woman. 
Later on, she informed David she was pregnant.  

Now David has a king size problem.  What are you going to do now?  David decides the only solution is to get rid of Bathsheba's husband.  His name is Uriah and he is one of David's "37 mighty men."  Uriah was a mighty soldier and was currently fighting in the battle that David was supposed to be commanding.  David sent a message to General Joab requesting that Uriah be sent back home.  When Uriah got back, David had dinner with him.  The next morning, David wrote a letter to General Joab.  In the letter, David tells the general to put Uriah in the front line and then pull the troops back so that Uriah will be killed.  David than gives the letter to Uriah to deliver to the general.  Uriah goes to Joab and gives him the letter that will be his death sentence.  General Joab opens the letter and then did as directed and Uriah died.

When Bathsheba heard that her husband died in battle, she mourned him.  Afterwards, she went to King David and they were married shortly afterwards and bore him a son.  However, what David did was evil in the eyes of God.  

Later, the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to visit David.  Nathan told David the story of a rich man who had many sheep and a poor man who only had one.  The rich man took the poor man's little lamb.  David became very angry and asked Nathan to tell him the rich man's name and he would have him killed.  Nathan than said, "You are the man!  Thus saith the Lord, 'I anointed you king over Israel and you have sinned.  The sword will never leave your house for 400 years!"  David immediately recognized his sin and said, "I have sinned against the Lord."  Nathan told David that God was not going to kill him but the child who is born will surely die."  

The Lord struck the child that Bathsheba bore to David and it became ill.  David prayed and fasted for seven days.  The servants were worried that David would kill himself as he was so upset and would not eat.  On the 7th day, the child died.  David then got up and ate.  When the servants asked why he was no longer sad, David said, "While he was alive I fasted and wept.  But now he is dead.  Why should I fast?  I will go to him but he will not return to me."  What David is saying, is that he will meet him again in the after life.  David writes Psalm 51, which is the greatest example of repentance ever written.  

David than comforted Bathsheba and "lay with her."  She bore her second son which they named Solomon.  The story does not end here.  David had a close friend.  When David became king he made this friend counselor to the king.  His name was Ahithophel. David trusted him more than anyone else on earth.  He told him everything about his life and about his military strategy. Ahithophel knew everything about David.  What David didn't know was that Ahithophel's granddaughter was Bathsheba.  Bathsheba's reputation was dragged through the mud because of what David did and Ahithophel hated David for doing that.  Ahithophel bided his time, waiting for the moment he would get even with David.  

The moment came when David's own son, Absalom, wanted to kill his father and become king.  He joined forces with Ahithophel and the conspiracy was on.  Absalom wanted to kill his father because he wanted to be king.  Ahithophel was not interested in ambition.  He wanted revenge.  Ahitihophel stated he would kill David himself if he could have 12,000 troops.  When David became aware of a coup, he fled for his life.  Later, when spies told him that it was his own son, Absalom, and his counselor, his best friend, Ahithophel, who were behind all of this, David fell apart.  He suspected his son would betray him.  However, never in a million years would he suspect that his best friend, his counselor, the man he told all of his secrets to, his ambitions, his military strategy - Ahithophel - could possibly betray him. 

The story ends with the coup being destroyed.  David's son, Absalom, is killed.  Ahithophel knows his days are now numbered.  He cannot face the king because he knows that as soon as David finds out the truth that he will be killed.  Ahithophel knows there is no other way out.  David will track him down wherever he goes.  Ahithophel decides to hang himself and he is successful.

Now David is stuck with incredible anger toward his "friend."  What can he do now?  How do you clear the air with a dead man?   David than writes Psalm 109.  He is angry.  By verse 21 he has calmed down and now is right again.  The question than becomes, "What do you do with your anger?"  The Psalms are full of people who are angry and than it resolves itself. 

One suggestion is to write Psalm 151 (there are only 150 psalms).  Write it to the person who has offended you.  Write it in great detail but don't mail it.  Instead, pray over it and then burn the letter.  (These suggestions are for those who have offended you but are no longer alive or available to talk with.)

Another suggestion is to pray that something good will happen to the person who has offended you.  You do this right before you go to sleep at night.  Simply pray that something good will happen to the person who you are angry with.  You will be surprised that you may wake up feeling very good.  The purpose is to release yourself from anger.  This very act, even though you are not really concerned about the person, will actually free you.  Unresolved anger can result in depression.  You may never be the person you were meant to be until you have resolved this internal conflict.  Also, as David did, reveal all of your feelings to God.  May God bless you in your journey.   

Lent

Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of the Lenten season.  The lenten season has its origins in the early Christian Church.  Somewhere between the 6th & 8th century.  Originally, the idea was that a Christian, as a sign of repentance, would sprinkle ashes on his or her head.  

Ashes in the Bible are associated with humility and mortality, fasting and remorse.  If you had sinned and felt remorse, you were repenting of that sin by sprinkling ashes on your head as a sign of sorrow and repentance.  Ashes were supposed to remind you that you are mortal, and that eventually you will become ashes when you die.

During the 6th or 7th century, Christian Churches liked the idea.  People, in private, would at times sprinkle ashes on themselves as a sign or repentance.  Eventually, it became a public practice.

Instead of sprinkling the ashes on your head, the ashes were rubbed onto the forehead in the shape of a cross.  It thus became a sign of repentance and reminder of your baptism, when the sign of the cross was placed on you with water and the Word.  Eventually, the ashes would come from palm branches from Palm Sunday burned the year before.  Throughout the centuries, some churches retained this practice while others stopped it.  What is important, is what is going on in your heart.

For every Christian, whether they celebrate the ashes or not, Ash Wednesday marks beginning of the Lenten season.  Lent is a 40 day span of time from then until Easter.  The word comes from the Anglo-Saxon word, "lencten" the time of the year when the days grow longer.  

During the forty day period the focus is on Christ's battle with sin and Satan that He waged in order for us to receive salvation.  The 40 days of lend do not include Sundays, because each Sunday is considered to be a "miniature Easter."

Why 40 days?  Because right after Jesus was baptized, the Bible tells us Jesus went into the desert to fast an to be tempted by the devil for 40 days.  For Jesus, these 40 days were a time of reflection and battle of temptation.  He that was without sin had to go through this.  

During the 40 days, we think about our own temptations and trials we go through and repent.  To evaluate ourselves in light of God's Word.  A time to receive God's forgiveness and receive strength to lead a Christian life.  To renew our own commitments to serve the Lord.

Lent, lastly, is a time when many people decide to give something up, e.g., chocolate.  For me, I am giving up 20 pounds of unwanted weight.  I am totally dedicated to giving this up and I will succeed.  May you also be successful if you decide to eliminate something in your life.  

Why God Was Going To Kill Moses

One of the rather strange episodes of the Bible features God on the verge of killing His great leader Moses, who was to rescue the Israelites and bring them out of slavery and into the promised land of Canaan.  Exodus 4:24 states, "And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him."  Why would God want to do that?  

Some background information will prove to be useful.  In the 17th chapter of Genesis we have the meeting between God and Abraham.  Verse one and two state, "When Abraham was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless, and I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.'"  

In Genesis 17:10-14:  "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you, and your descendants after you:  Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.  He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant.  He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.  And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."

As you can see, each male shall be circumcised in order to keep God's covenant.  Any male not circumcised will be cut off from his people.  So we see that in the Old Testament that circumcision is crucial to staying in covenant with God.

Now back to our story.  God had given Moses instructions to go to Pharaoh and warn him that he must let the Israelites go or God will kill his first born son.  God had groomed Moses for eighty years for this mission.  How strange it is after all of this planning that God has decided to kill Moses and abort the mission. 

Let's continue the story in the fourth chapter of Exodus, verse 25:  "Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses' feet, and said, 'Surely you are a husband of blood to me!'"

Moses had two sons.  What we now see is that his youngest son, for whatever reason, was not circumcised.  We can speculate that his wife was against circumcision and that somehow she had convinced Moses not to do that.  Moses was the leader and was required to set the highest example; however, it is clear that Moses was breaking the covenant with God, that God had begun with His other leader, Abraham.  God has basically declared Moses as spiritually unfit to lead.  Moses is breaking God's law and the penalty is death.  Zipporah knew what God was about to do and saved Moses by doing the circumcision herself.  Her anger was apparent as she threw her son's foreskin at Moses feet and called him a "husband of blood to me!"  God accepts this action and does not kill Moses.  Verse 26 tells us:  "So He let him go . . ."  

Not much is heard of from Zipporah after this episode.  The implications today, for all Christians, is keeping in covenant with God.  Being and staying in covenant with God involves the new covenant which was ushered in by Jesus Christ.  There is basically only one message in the Bible.  God loves you and Christ died to forgive you of your sins and give you a place in heaven if you will accept it as a free gift.  That is the only real message there is.  We will be in heaven for one reason and one reason only.  Not because we were good, bad, or indifferent but because we put our trust in Jesus Christ and Him alone for salvation.  We celebrate this new covenant whenever we take communion as we remember the words of Christ in the Upper Room on the night in which He was betrayed.  "In the same manner He took the cup and said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you."

The Baptism In The Holy Spirit

I.  The situation of the Corinthian Church.

     A.  Paul has written them in regard to speaking in tongues.
           1.  They were abusing the practice and had lost the beauty
                 and blessing of it.
            2.  Unfortunately, Paul addressed the issue by focusing on
                 the negative rather than the positive.
                 a.  He wanted to preserve the practice of spiritual 
                      language.
                 b.  He did not want to condemn it.
            3.  Look what Paul said about the spiritual language of
                 speaking in tongues.
                 a.  "I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you
                       all."  (I Corinthians 14:18).
                 b.  ". . . do not forbid to speak with tongues."  
                                                                      (I Corinthians 14:39).

      B.  Four times in Acts it tells of people receiving the baptism
            in the Holy Spirit.
            1.  Acts 2:4.
            2.  Acts 8:5-25.
            3.  Acts 10:44-48.
            4.  Acts 19:1-7.

      C.  Other references in the Bible are the following:
            1.  Isaiah 28:11-12.
            2.  Mark 16:17.
            3.  Romans 8:26-27.
            4.  I Corinthians 12:10, 13:1, 14:1-39.

II.  The spiritual language is understood only by God to know 
      God's heart.  There are two ways of speaking in tongues:  
      "prayer language" and the "gift of tongues."

     A.  Prayer language.
           1.  Paul talks about speaking in tongues in I Corinthians
                12, 13, and 14 and moves back and forth between the 
                two which confuses people.
           2.  Prayer language is what you get when you receive the
                Holy Spirit.  For everyone.  Can be used at any time.  
                Apostle Paul calls it "praying in the spirit."
           3.  Difference from regular prayer in that you speak to God 
                but instead of using words you know in your own 
                language, you trust the Holy Spirit to give the words He
                chooses.  That can be any language He selects for you.
           4.  The prayer language helps you grow spiritually.  
                                                                         (I Corinthians 14:4).
           5.  Speaking in tongues helps you to talk to God and praise 
                Him exactly as He wants you to, which brings us into a
                more open relationship with Him.
           6.  Wonderful for intercessory prayer.  Helps us to pray for
                the needs of others.  We don't always know but God 
                does.
           7.  Emotion is not that involved because it is our spirit, not
                our soul or body.  Our spirit is what we are made in the
                image of God.  It is through our spirit we have fellowship
                with God.  Your emotions may not be affected when you
                first receive.  However, you will probably be full of joy
                knowing you can.  
           8.  In other words, you don't experience God by becoming 
                all emotional, but when you do experience God, it will
                probably stir your emotions.   

     B.  The "Gift of Tongues."  This is one of the gifts and you must
           know the distinction.
           1.  Remember the spiritual gifts in I Corinthians 12:8-10.
                a.  Word of wisdom.
                b.  Word of knowledge.
                c.  Gift of faith.
                d.  Gift of healing.
                e.  Working of miracles.
                f.  Gift of prophecy.
                g.  Discerning of spirits.
                h.  Gift of tongues.
                 i.  Interpretation of tongues.
           2.  Paul calls the gift of prophecy most important.  Don't
                get love mixed up with the gifts.  Love is the number one
                fruit of the Spirit.  (There are nine fruit of the Spirit and
                these are found in Galatians 5:22-23).  When Paul talks
                of love being most important in the 13th chapter of 
                I Corinthians, he means that none of the gifts are of any
                value, and are like a "clanging symbol," if they are not
                used with love.  The gifts are distributed by the Holy 
                Spirit as He decides (I Corinthians 12:11).  Any or all of
                these gifts may work much more effectively within you
                after you have received your prayer language.  The 
                potential to use these gifts have been in all Christians but
                the release of the Spirit brings a better flow of the gifts.
           3.  As you can see, the "gift of tongues" is different than the
                the regular speaking in tongues which is prayer 
                language.
           4.  Remember, the "gift of tongues" is the second way of 
                speaking in tongues.  This gift is given when God has
                something He wants to say to His people when they are
                meeting together.  This is why Paul says in I Corinthians
                12:30, " . . . do all speak with tongues?"  Also, in 
                I Corinthians 14:27-28:  "If anyone speaks in a tongue, 
                let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and
                let one interpret.  But if there is no interpreter, let him 
                keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and
                to God."
           5.  With the prayer language you can speak in tongues any
                time you want to; however, you do not just decide on 
                your own you would like to bring a gift of tongues.  Can
                you see the difference and why people get confused?

III.  The Baptism in the Holy Spirit according to the original Koine
       Greek manuscript.

     A.  Remember, we are composed of "body," "soul," and "spirit."
          1.  Body is the physical part of you.
          2.  Soul is the psychological part of you:  mind, emotions, 
               will.
          3.  Spirit is that part of you that is like God, in His image.  

    B.  This is why when a person believes in Jesus Christ they are
          born anew.
          1.  Paul says, "But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit
               with Him."
          2.  This is the basic baptism which we refer to as "water
               baptism" which is an outward sign.
          3.  The most important baptism, however, is the one Jesus
               talked about.  Jesus had this to say about it in John 3:5:
               "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water
               and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God." 
               Also, in Acts 1:5:  "For John truly baptized with water, 
               but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many
               days from now."
          4.  There is really one one baptism and that is the inner
               baptism that happens when we receive Jesus, when the
               Holy Spirit brings us alive in Christ and God comes to 
               live in us.  

     C.  There are two parts to the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
           1.  First, the Holy Spirit comes to live in you.  You could
                say indwells you.
           2.  In the second part, He begins to move out from within
                your spirit to flood, drench, and soak the rest of your 
                being which is your soul and then body, and then move
                out into the world around you.  This second part is the
                baptism with the Holy Spirit.  
           3.  Jesus says in John 4:14:  "But whoever drinks of the 
                water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the 
                water that I shall give him will become in him a 
                fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
                Later, Jesus went on to say that if anyone really trusts
                Him, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,
                out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.  But this
                He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing
                in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet
                given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."  
                                                                                 (John 7:38-39)  
          4.  See how Jesus first talked about an inflow of the Spirit
               and then an outflow of the Spirit?  The inflow is salvation
               which is the first half of the baptism; the outflow is the
               baptism with the Holy Spirit which is the second half of
               the baptism.
          5.  The first half, the Holy Spirit comes in and you are 
               indwelled by the Spirit and you have new life.  The 
               second half of the baptism is when the Holy Spirit who
               lives in your spirit flows out to baptize, soak, drench your
               soul and then your body and brings them to new life.  
               Then, He can flow out into the world from you to bring
               love, peace, joy, and healing to other people.  This 
               equips you to carry out the Great Commission found in
               Matthew 28:16-20.

     D.  You are not trying to get the Holy Spirit to come into or 
           fall down upon you.
           1.  The Holy Spirit is already there if you have accepted
                Christ as your Lord.  John 1:12-13:  "But as many as
                received Him, to them He gave the right to become
                children of God, to those who believe in His name:
                who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,
                nor of the will of man, but of God."  You just need to 
                release Him.
           2.  Jesus said, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; 
                and My Father will love him, and We will come to him
                and make Our home with him."  (John 14:23).
           3.  Thus, what is needed is not an incoming but an 
                outflowing of the Spirit.  

           


  
  

                 

    

       





     

Coming Out Of The Spiritual Closet

Every Christian is on a spiritual journey, i.e., a faith journey.  The Apostle Paul calls young Christians (in spiritual age not chronological age) as being fed milk.  As their faith journey proceeds he says it is time to feed them meat.  For some Christians, the journey is not very long.  For whatever reason they stop growing.  For others, they are content to go half way in their journey but stop at a certain point and absolutely will not go any further.  Then, there are those who are fearless and disregard warnings and ridicule.  These are the braves ones who are on a search for the truth and do not stop just because someone tells them to.  They truly believe that the Holy Spirit will lead them into all truth.  

Todays blog is targeted to non-charismatic folks.  It is directed to the average Christian growing up in a mainline denomination.  Mainline denominations consist of the following denominations:  United Methodist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (USA), Episcopal Church, American Baptist Churches in the USA, the Disciples of Christ, and the United Church of Christ.  These traditional Protestant denominations are considered to have more liberal theologies.  One variable they all share is that they are all shrinking in membership every year.  

There are charismatic people in every mainline denomination, but for the most part, average church members in these denominations who are charismatic (believing in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit) generally keep it to themselves for fear of being ridiculed by others.  They are literally too afraid to come out of their spiritual closets.  

To avoid any confusion, let's be very specific in every instance.  Let's take a look at the word "charismatic."  It is not being used in the way we would call Muhammed Ali a person with a lot of charisma.  That's not what we are talking about here.  That's a psychological word.  We are talking about a spiritual word.  The Greek meaning is that of a gift of grace, a spiritual endowment.  It is especially used to designate the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The nine gifts of the Holy Spirit can be found in I Corinthians 12:4-10. Today, a "charismatic" is a person who has one or more of these gifts functioning in his or her life.  

Most mainline denominations as a whole believe that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit stopped after the last Apostle died.  This position is referred to as "cessationism."  An interesting concept but there is no Biblical foundation for that assessment.  Just because a young man who responds to the question of whether the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are still in operation, and says, "No they are not."  When asked how they know that, they will generally say, "That's what my minister said."  That does not make it true.  

In this blog, I'm not interested in what any particular minister said. I'm looking for the truth.  There are mainline denominations on record who say plainly that their parishioners must not believe in the Gifts.  Again, just because a person, minister, or even a denomination makes pontifical pronouncements does not make it true.  There is no Biblical foundation (chapter and verse) where it says they have ceased.  I Corinthians 1:7 states, "so you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The 12th chapter of I Corinthians presents the Gifts in full operation.  

 In the next blog, "The Baptism in the Holy Spirit," I will present in precise detail with total Biblical foundation (chapter and verse where it is found) on everything we have referred to in this blog.  It is ironic that most people who claim to be "open minded" are essentially "closed minded" when it comes to Gifts of the Holy Spirit.  No one can explore the truth of any situation if your mind is closed before you begin your examination.  In a court of law, a jury is considered to be "truth finders," and they are instructed by the judge to "keep an open mind" so that the truth can be discovered.  The truth will set you free.  

The Sin That Keeps You Out Of Heaven

"Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son."  

                                                                            I John 2:22

The Bible states that the sin above all sins is unbelief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God.  The following verses all come from the first half of the Gospel of John.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke as well as many other books of the New Testament present even more Scriptures.  The following are from the New King James Version and reveal that belief in Jesus is paramount.

3:15-16:  "That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

3:18:  "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

5:21-22:  "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.  For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son."

5:24:  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."

6:29:  "Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.' "

6:40:  "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."  

6:47:  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life."

6:54:  "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

8:24:  "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."  

9:35-37:  "Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, 'Do you believe in the Son of God?'  He answered and said, 'Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?'  And Jesus said to him, 'You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.'  Then he said, 'Lord, I believe!' And he worshiped Him."  

10:9:  "I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."

10:26-28:  "But you do not believe, because you are not My sheep, as I said to you.  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand."

11:25-27:  "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?'  She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.' "