Scripture John 7: 38-39
indicates the holding back of the Holy Spirit for some reason. Why? Why couldn’t
the Holy Spirit be given fully until Jesus was glorified?
In this section, 3 reasons will follow to explain God’s
seeming hesitation.
1) The first reason seems to be because a
transition by Jehovah Father was to allow that love/part of himself to become recognizable
and available to everyone, not just the Hebrew people.
[Follow next day for point 2]
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will
believe in me through their word…” [John 17:20]
Can you believe it?
The son of God prayed for us then and established a permanent
word for all who would come after. That is us!
Since you have eternity on your side, trust in the
promise and do not give up. Yes, hurt when you love but also, love while you
hurt.
Slow down. Read scripture more slowly. Let the words read you.[Jo. 10:27]
We read the scripture. But when the
scripture reads you, you may absorb each metaphor. You may enter every example
of scripture with your own personal experiences.
No illustration means much until you can feel it and live
it.
Remember, Christian people exist as representatives of
heaven couched in a culture that actually ends in death.
The Kingdom of God remains mysteriously
buried with all the potential of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom stays submerged
in persons because it flows with Jesus Christ who is also embedded in persons.
What is the implication of
knowing Jesus and the kingdom? The purpose establishes an interactive
relationship of love that becomes a social bond among Christians. We are to follow
a course of God’s love.
Although we may not all
agree, we are to flow with the kind of love that not only tolerates mistakes,
but lives to establish a heavenly path on earth.
Flow with the love.
One of the writers of
the New Testament gives us an amazing thought about our failings. He says that
through the blood of Jesus Christ, God poured out his overflowing kindness by
forgiving our failures, that He decided to reveal his mystery to us through
wisdom and insight and He brought all this into our history and decided to do
this even ahead of time. [Eph. 1:10-11]
Nothing
is ahead of time. Nothing is ahead of existence yet God is the origin of existence.
What
else can be said.
Heavenly Father be our journey.
Son Jesus be our words.
Holy Spirit be our shield.
The
belief about the Trinity is that God is one God existing as three
different beings: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The
idea is not tritheism as in three gods working in some harmony. Harmony
implies one or the other would have to give up some power for the other to
operate.
The
idea is not unipersonalism when sometimes God takes the form of one
personality and at other times, the form of another.
Or Trinity
is not some other designation [ not yet labeled] that would say God just takes
on the form he chooses at different times, who can argue, after all he is God!
But
true Trinity sees God in three persons who know, love, and receive each other
as equal but may seem to perform differently yet sustaining permission of each.
They have no contradiction operating as one, or to us what seems separately,
because they can [ all three] operate as one, at the same instance without
contradiction.
God
is basically one as he is essentially three. He is essentially three as he is
basically one.
We think in literal time: this is to
this, as that is to that, thinking.
God
has ultra-literal, many lateral kinds of thought, another kind of time
operating with perfect vibrations.
When we look at an eclipse, when we view a newborn babe,
when we lose ourselves in the beauty of a flower, bird, or deer. . . we
experience awe, wonder, a kind of magnificent glory. Sometimes the feeling is
mystery, sometimes delight, sometimes sadness. The feelings run up and down the
glory scale.
The most amazing thought though is when Jesus prayed for
us to share in his glory, the kind he shares with heavenly father John 17:1-3.
What is it?
His glory is to be a part of everlasting magnificence,
eternal existence that never fades, that the item itself, like a flower is not
only bringing awe but exists as beauty in itself, just like the Son of God. He
does not just bring glory; he is glory, and he shares.
History changes. Culture changes. Science changes. Technology
changes. Values change. Complex life
conditions change. On and on changes happen every day. We get dazzled, confused, misled. What do we
hold onto?
The scripture offers an astounding truth, based on the
ultimate/reality truth that never changes.
“If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
[John 14:14]
Whoa……. That is a big one! Based on what?
“So Jesus answered and said to them, assuredly, I say
to you, if you have faith and do not doubt . . .” Mt 21:21
We take a deep breath and grasp the faith.
We ask, we ask, we ask. But often we do not know how to pray.
We are afraid God will not answer. At times, we think we want to know him better, but we are not sure what specifics he would require of us if he answered more clearly.
We start to feel alone, that no one really understands
us. What are we to do?
The scripture serves us with truth again:
“Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, For we
do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the spirit himself intercedes for
us with groanings too deep for words.” [ Ro. 8: 26-27]
We can groan for God.
My Grandmother used to say,
“Son, you may be
listening but you ain’t harkening?”
I think what she meant was
that I might be listening, but did I put action to what I heard.
When we pray, are we harkening
back? What are we supposed to do?
Throughout scripture much of
action/behavior seems to be based on one’s generosity. God’s word is full of
examples. Generosity comes out of love.
We just need to review the list
in Mt. 25: 35-38.
Many people pray to the
Father and have no question about it. But someone asked what if you had a very
bad relationship with your earthly father. It is hard to pray to a “father” who
gave you mostly misery.
There is no easy answer, but
one approach helps. Try to think of a father that should have been.
The heavenly Father is all
that should have been, all that is, and all that will be. He cannot and will
not let you down. This means you are born for a good reason. Finding it is the
adventure.
Abba Father.
Since we have been given a
truth that does not fail to remain true, how are we to live? One of the hardest
ways has to be when people misunderstand you or even criticize.
The hurt that cuts deep from
misunderstanding your good intentions seems to scar the soul like no other. How
could they not hear you? How could they not know you better than that. Why didn’t
they clear up the confusion? Don’t they really care?
“But even if you suffer for
doing what God approves . . . defend your confidence in God. . . with gentleness
and respect . . . then those who treat a good Christian life with contempt will
feel ashamed that they have ridiculed you.” [1 Peter 3: 14-17]. GWT
translation.
Sneaky dart of doubt, a
first step to tear away any confidence of stable truth, waits in the shadow of
respected reality.
But God reminds us to defend
our confidence in Him.
Since we are assured that
heavenly Father remains divine truth that does not fool us, how do we know
which voice speaks to us, especially with regard to behavior?
In Psalms 12: 6 we are
reminded that God’s word, his scripture is pure. So, when we struggle with some
decision, know the difference of who is talking.
When there is an argument
going on inside about one of our behaviors, that is the subconscious working
and motivated by the survival concern. When God speaks, he does not argue. His
yes is yes, his no is no, his maybe is maybe. He does not argue because his
word is pure.
Listen properly.
What does it mean to possess
the real truth?
When the modern person
believes in ultimate reality, not just fleeting fact that gets changed by
technology or culture, a person can realize truth without the wonder of being
tricked.
“This is how we will know
that we belong to the truth and how we will be reassured in his presence. Whenever
our conscience condemns us, we will be reassured that God is greater than our conscience
and knows everything.” [1John 3:19-10,
God’s Word Translation].
Trust is the word today.
“The Lord is close to the
brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” [ Psalm 34:
17-18, NIV]
“The righteous cry out
and the Lord hears them and delivers them out of all their troubles.” [
Psalm 34, NKJ version]
Enough said. Believe.
We often wait for a word from
God. We wonder what did he say? We agonize to get a definitive, actual word
from heaven. Is God even speaking anymore? We pray Psalm 119: 149, “Hear my
voice according to your steadfast love…” Unashamedly, we expect an answer.
And then we remember: Psalm 147:15,
“He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly…”
God speaks to us everyday if
we pay attention. The trees and flowers burst forth the green of Spring. The
Creator has given them rest through Fall and Winter. A new lizard looks up at
you and says, “Oh, hello.” A breeze moves through your hair and says, “Let
me sweep away the dust.” The fire crackles and keeps you warm until the
time of change.
And while God is not
literally in the specific nature, he created ways to speak all around us.
Thank you, Lord, for color,
for new babies, for drinking water, for breathable air, for the messages you
have created to send us a word all around us.
Help us pay attention.
Sometimes we pray and we are
not certain we are even on the right subject. Of course, our self-serving
prayers are always present. We, at least care for others.
But how do we know our
prayers get heard? How do we know they are even answered?
There are, at least, two ideas any prayer gets
answered.
1) When prayer
gives total credit to Jesus. [This is God’s dominion]
2) We mean it when we say, “God’s
will be done.”
As believers in Christ and
followers of a divine arrangement, we have the unchanging word, “I am able
to [can do] all things through Christ who strengthens me.” [
Phil.4:13 NKJV]
Does this mean we can be
like a superhero and leap tall buildings in a single bound? No, we have to
invent an airplane to fly over them. We are much slower, but we get there
because there is a part of us made in the Creator’s image. So, what does “can
do all things” mean?
If we major on “Seek
first the kingdom of God” [Mt.6:37], we maintain an opportunity, an ability
to go beyond the now, join God’s transcendence, and become more than the sum of
our parts.
At times do you feel
defeated? Feel a failure too much? Feel stuck?
Absorb God’s transcendence,
review 1 John 5: 4, you can overcome the world.
We are bombarded today with all kinds of information. So
much so that our innate filtering systems have almost disappeared. We used to
have family, school, religion to promote good guidance values upon which we
made decisions. Now we are slammed with electronic, commercial logic that we
are supposed to take in as answers to every aspect of life, whether health,
education, prosperity, or religion.
All this will not change as technology speeds up our
lives. And so, we enter that huge category of DOUBT.
We hear an issue, is it right? Is that issue, right? Is
he right? Is she correct?
As believers and Becomers, we must hold onto Mt. 8:26.
“Why are you fearful?”
Are we to handle sickness or pain any differently as people
of faith, as Becomers?
Yes, we will still hurt like others. Yes, we may not
avoid the trials of pain in this world. Yes, we will ache like everyone else.
But wait!
Jesus said in Mt. 8:17 he has fulfilled Isaiah 53:4 which
says, “he has carried our infirmities and sicknesses.”
There is a path of endurance for the believer. Our partnership
with Christ helps us “go beyond” in ways the world does not accept. We build upon faith, trust, endurance given by God himself as a buffer for pain.
There is a huge difference between hurt which offers NO
relief and hurt laced with spiritual and eternal hope.
Even when you vomit, Christ holds your hand. Hold on!
Some have asked, what
difference does it make to have the extra strength of God’s Spirit to help us
go beyond our circumstances? For instance, what difference does it make when
you are angry?
There is some truth to the idea that our imagination
sometimes outranks our ability. But we have a working suggestion in Romans 12:
17-21 and Eph. 4:26. The effort falls within the “conquer evil with good…”
With the generous power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit
we can “go beyond” by practicing a new approach to living.
And here it is. . . we have the opportunity to trade for
better emotions. Through forgiving yourself and others, the Spirit can help move
anger away from fear and into forgiveness.
Since we are to seek first the kingdom of God, then this
means he will clear the way. Nothing gets zapped for us, necessarily. Sometimes
hours must flow.
Yet, struggling through any trial, remains a promise,” …And
behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [Mt.28:20]. Whoa! He is
with us always!
If you feel alone, if loneliness attacks, stop, and say, “I
am never alone.” Because we are not. Christ is always there, holding up our
shield of faith so we become more like him.
We are to practice His presence because we are still
becoming the new kind of people Jehovah intends.
Say: ABBA, FATHER.
For the true believer and follower of Jehovah God, one
foundational meaning of faith remains; God is answering any prayer. The result
may not be what we thought because we do not understand all the connections in
the universe that are time linked. But God is always hearing prayer because he
is ever present.
So, we look to another beyond measure in Mt. 6:33.
We ask God to clear the way. Give us the right guidance
as we try to seek first his established kingdom. He will show the best way
through any troubling condition.
Live as if the best is already true.
Because we can now “do all things in Christ” as we look
forward instead of backward? [Phil 3:13], what is our beginning energy? Are we
left on our own? What quality of life must we exercise?
When crisis comes, Jesus gave a story and example of the
kind of energy needed. It jumps at us in Lk. 8:22-25. And the main question is
in verse 25.
For those of us who believe, the start of beyondedness
gets displayed in this story.
Think about the one word.
Are the Psalms good today? We would say YES.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves
those who are crushed in spirit.” [ Ps.34:17-18, NIV]
So, a guide for going beyond. “Blessed are they
that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” [Mt. 5:4]
“And God will
wipe away every tear from their eyes…” [Rev. 21:4].
No believer has to be alone through anything, especially
those who hurt deeply.
Since
we are true believers in Christ and answered prayer, what challenge comes next?
We
are given other scripture and knowledge that we are becoming a new race of
people in Christ. “I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens
me.” [Philippians 4:13]
Earlier
the Apostle had said” …forgetting those things which are behind and reaching
forward to those things which are ahead…” [Phil.3:13]
What
is that new race of people? We are growing as BECOMERS. We now possess the Holy
Spirit energy to “go beyond.”
In
the days ahead, watch for topics to “go beyond.”
A word from us to God can happen at the same time a word
from God to us.
Think about it. We pray into a Divine listening. He hears
us because he is already listening BEFORE we pray. How He answers lies buried
in our faith.
“Heavenly Father, Lord of all, and son Jesus……”
The point here is not saying
if you just do these steps your prayer will be answered.
I am saying if you take on
the principles laid out for us, God WILL hear you.
1)
“Love the Lord with all…” [Lk.10:27]
2)
“Love all as Jesus loved…” [Jn.13:34]
3)
NOW: “If you ask me to do something, I will
do it.” [Jn. 14:14]
These are not taken out of context.
They are rather strung together as a growth pattern for
any Christian. You see, if you ask after you are doing the first two, God can
complete the conversation because His Son stays involved with the asking.
Our challenge/struggle is truly living the first two. We
try to skip those and say God must owe us so he should do the third anytime.
He still hears the
prayer, but he waits on our proper growth to fulfill his purpose which is a loving
harmony. 50% commitment is not enough but 100% willingness can make a better
conversation [ two-way event] with the Almighty.
Remember
the first stage was Luke 10:27, “Love the Lord your God…” And we
mentioned that could take a lifetime of continual growth.
The
second stage follows as Jn. 13:34, Jesus said, “I am giving you a new
commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have loved you.”
This
is another lifetime growth pattern because we have to learn love. We can’t just
get it like a shot in the arm, one time to cover all infections. There are days
when we accomplish Jesus’ love, and then there are times we miss it totally.
However, we can get better at it when we allow the Holy Spirit to make the
right connections of Grace.
So, to
have assurance of answered prayer:
1)Step
one we love God with all.
2)Step
two we love as Jesus loves.
3)Step
three follows as a huge surprise. See later.
The scripture surprises us in Luke 8:10.
In
the Nestle’s Greek Text translation, Jesus says to his followers: “To you it
has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in
parables.”
What
does this mean?
First, followers of Jesus will understand
certain God-truth that non-believers won’t ever get.
Second,
he is saying that the kingdom of heaven works within the substance of what is
real. [ all around us]
So
where is the kingdom? It is more than a place. It is couched in truth and reality, not sham, pretense,
or lies that we excuse and now just call “manipulated data.”
What
are the mysteries? Truths that the non-believers miss. Truth that will never trick
us by confusing data.
While we think about
growth-progress in God’s Kingdom, there may exist three stages needed to
actually realize answered prayer, especially the most difficult prayer requests
or at least, giving us some assurance that God is listening. When Jesus said,
Jn.14:14 [“If you ask me to do something, I will do it.”] Why aren’t all prayers answered?
I think there is a growth pattern as we look:
1)
Loving the Lord with all takes a long time
and maybe a lifetime, so Lk.10:27.
2)
Seeing what Jesus said may come next. Well…
what were the old commandments of growth about love? Love your neighbor, love yourself,
love your enemies, now…love all AS Jesus loved. “I’m giving you a new commandment”
[Jn.13:34].
3)
So how do we get that love? Does it
float around like wind? NO.
Of
course, the Holy Spirit has to instill in us the kind of devotion that Jesus
has, and it is foundational, and we have to build the house upon love. So, the
right praying helps to build the house.
Can we ask Anything if we are not building the
house correctly? It is hard to stop a leaky roof if you keep allowing holes in
it.
Maybe
one of the fulfilments of Col. 3:17 is how we address Jesus in prayer.
Maybe our prayers would give as much dynamic to God as we give emotion to our request if we addressed the part of God concerned. In Christ, God may be one but has many functional names for us to understand.
“Oh bread of life” [John
6:48], thank you for the abundance of food you give.
“Oh God of Light” [Ps.104:2], thank you for a new day!
Addressing God’s name with that part of your prayer you
want answered certainly helps our prayer language.
Heavenly Father may not need
the distinction, but we do, so we can grow in our praying language.
After we practice putting on
the whole armor of God, we are more ready to accomplish Lk.10:27 based on Deut.
6:4-5 which Jesus has the lawyer quote, “love the Lord your God with all…”
Every
Christian has intentions. But we have to move from intention to invention,
finding our personal ways of growth-progress.
Before the really tough
prayers become real, we may need to move through the above as a first stage for
answered prayer.
And remember, authentic prayer is not just one-way
bargaining, but a two-way conversation with God. Speak-Listen-Do.
Does a person have to wear
the whole armor to get protection from the Tempter? First see the whole suit of
Eph.6:10-19.
Experiencing only one
protection can help a specific temptation. You may not have to wear the whole
armor at once to repel a temptation but LOOK at the power if you do.
More growth happens
by practicing all each day to partner with the Holy Spirit’s presence.
When
Jesus told his followers to go into “your room and when you have shut your
door, pray to your Father…”, [Mt.6:6] ---what did he mean?
Some
scholars have interpreted the word room as “closet.” Well, I don’t think Jesus
was necessarily being literal. Most of the houses in Jesus’ day were just one
room with only a door in and out. No closets.
But
an important message is still here and that is no matter how we may hide any
personal subject, God still knows it all. We don’t have to say long worded
prayers for God to hear us. In fact, most of the time, God often answers us
with one word: Yes, No, or Maybe.
Also,
an emphasis here may be that Jesus is reminding us that there is a special
place to go between you and God that no other can enter. Life thrives on conversation
between you and God when you two are alone.
The
physical place may not matter, the emotional heart-position does.
How do we learn who God really
is? How do we stay alert to Creator God? How do we recall His existence?
In His word [ Eph.6:18-19]
we are reminded to offer prayer as an alert effort to remember who God is. When
the word talks about praying at all times, it refers to a perseverance toward
all people but especially for “all the saints and also for me” continues
the writer, Apostle Paul. So perhaps this request is a reminder to pray for
all, but especially those who preach, those who speak boldly for Christ in
whatever form.
Does God need to be reminded
of such praying? Not really. Then why pray?
Maybe through prayer we help
make a connection for the Holy Spirit to operate more specifically in our
earthly dimension.
Praying is not some magic
formula or cake mix. But it may be an evident practice to be a part of the
connections we are unaware that God is already doing.
Thank you, Lord, for the
connect.
Since the Bible words and
Jesus’s words last forever, as we continue to review His instructions, another powerful
protector is displayed to use. We always have prayer [Eph.6:18-19].
Not everyone believes prayer
is a weapon, but it is as a protection. One translation says to pray in the
Spirit and use every kind of prayer there is, specially make requests for ALL
people. Prayer is not a weapon of aggression [Lord, strike em down!] except as
aggressive love [Lord, interrupt their stubbornness]. But it is another shield
of our faith, given to block the tempter. [Lord, I hold up Christ’s banner
for you].
How we pray matters. We need
to grow in prayer language, so we appeal to the feature of God with the right name
and theme. Too many people go to God and ask like someone goes to a librarian
and asks for a hammer.
Some pray: “Oh
God, why is all this happening?” Instead: “All merciful Creator, you
who own everything, reveal your Grace to us about all creation.”
Words matter.
After Jesus came and
introduced a new way of a kingdom, one of submission instead of might makes
right, are we to fight about anything?
Even the scriptural teaching
of “turning the other cheek” concept has in it a kind of defense idea. There is
of course a better defense part of the body than your cheek [like a thrown-up
elbow for instance] but I think a Christian has some right to defend,
especially those that have weaker moments, and ourselves as well.
So, when Eph.6:17 talks
about a sword of God to ward off the Tempter, there exists a defense. It is the
Word of God, a sword of the Holy Spirit that lasts forever. Jesus is the Word;
Jesus is the Sword. And a sword has two edges, it protects us coming and going
along our journey.
Our full protection is to
know and remember God’s Word.
Footballers wear helmets.
Motorcyclists wear helmets. Soldiers wear helmets. History has shown that day
after day, people have tried to protect their heads. Why? Well basically the
head houses the computer for the whole body, right? The head houses all comprehensive
intelligence. We often think and so we are.
The scripture [Eph. 6:17]
declares another significant helmet, a protector helmet of salvation. The Holy
Spirit helps us snuggly strap on the divine knowledge of Jehovah God. He is the
great I AM who eases into our brain, giving us divine moral intelligence that
we can live, that will protect our thinking ability because it gives us a
better choice to keep us from moral harm.
So, we have placed on our
heads the helmet of salvation, the Good News that Christ, the Son of God will
help us think through every challenge, every circumstance, every disappointment,
every perception that temptation of evil throws at us.
With the true God as our
helmet, nothing can knock it off.
In our automobiles we have
wind-shields that protect. We have glass windows in homes that protect us from
the elements. We have eyeglasses that shield. We have wrappings that protect food. There are literally all kinds of shielding
available.
For the believer, we have a
shield of faith. [Eph.6:16]. This shield protects from the fiery darts of evil.
We have the Holy Spirit to help us grow faith that can throw up a shield of
trust. The shield of faith helps deflect the fiery darts of evil that try to penetrate us daily.
While evil is no longer in
control since Jesus came, the tempter still attacks us with evil principles and
powers of lust [whether for persons, money, or power in the form of significance].
Evil still wants us to think we can outdo death and become our own gods.
Increased faith helps us
throw up a shield of trust to block temptation.
We are never alone. Ask.
We live in a day when we are
bombarded with different ideas of what life should be. We are constantly told
new things, new places, new diets, new clothes, new ways to worship, new
technology can be had to make life more enjoyable. While some of these are not
bad, all of a sudden, the scripture tells us to put on a certain kind of shoes.
[Eph.6:15].
Of course, the literal shoes
we wear are extremely important. We spend immeasurable hours on our feet. But
the Bible shoe is a kind of shoe of Good News that brings peace.
The Bible shoes are not
literal, but symbolic, reminding us to not allow the worldly stuff to cause us
anger. The Good News of Christ in us covers our feet [our coming and going] in
such a way that even though we see so much happening in the world that is not Godly,
we can rest in peace as we walk in God’s plan with Holy Spirit guide.
Spiritual shoes belong to
the believer. When temptation comes, walk in the right shoes.
After a belt of truth
protects a vital part of our body, the scripture mentions a breastplate of
righteousness. [Eph.6:14]
Maybe the only equivalent
item today would be something like a bullet-proof vest. Of course, we also wear
other modern vests for style, but I do not know how much they protect except
from the cold.
A vest does cover the upper
body. In the days of Breastplates, they served as shields to deflect arrows and
sword strikes. They were especially important to deflect unnoticed arrows,
sneaky deliverers of death wounds.
In the spiritual realm, a
breastplate protection of right doing, which covers the heart and emotions,
points to the suggestion that the heart [life blood] of a person needs to put
God there to retrain the other 5 senses. While this is happening, the breast-cover
helps protect the sneaky attacks of evil, those issues that appear good but disguise
evil.
Sometimes people wear belts on
clothes that show and other times hidden. Typically, so goes God’s truth being
present.
But the scripture says to
put on the belt of truth regardless. This is the reference of Eph. 6:14. Before
putting on the belt, we are to “stand therefore” which indicates taking a
stance of truth.
What does this basically
mean? Are we to be honest with ourselves and others? Are we to be honest with
all people? Are we to be honest with those who do not accept our Biblical
values?
Honesty should be the result
of living integrity with all circumstances and all people. Honesty includes
living the correct moral values of Jehovah God.
We may even have to say to
loved ones who do not follow Christ’s teachings, “I am a sinner saved by
Grace and I am still learning what it means to be a Christian.”
According to scripture, symbolically,
a belt helps to hold a position of right doing, so goes Truth.
When you view any military movie,
sci-fi tv, or most any battle you will see how different protective measures
are shown to insulate the combatant. [suits of armor from head to toe].
You know what? It appears to
be Biblical.
The Apostle Paul uses such
imagery in Eph. 6:10-19 to illustrate God’s protective shielding that humans
can do. Of course, he emphasizes we fight against other kinds of enemies
[principalities and powers] which means we are to use our God-given unseen
forces as well. The word is significant that we are to use ALL of the
protectors to enhance the Holy Spirit’s energy within.
In the days ahead, let’s
view all the armor intended.
The first is a belt. Today
there are substitutes, like drawstrings, but for true stability, a belt is
needed for firmness. A belt is to hold up the waist protection and represents
God’s truth. Clothes with belts cover vital body parts. Truth should cover our
guts. In Bible days, some believed our emotions resided in the lower gut
channels.
So, with Jesus’s example
through the temptations, he shows life DOES matter how we get to the end
result. The means we use to get to an end must align with the heavenly Father’s
words. All attempts should lead to John 13: 34. The eternal foundation is John
14:6.
What is one important road,
set of principles, proven method we can embrace to become more than sneaky
methods to obtain even legitimate goals?
Our next adventure is to
look at what was meant by a whole armor of God Eph. 6: 10-19. This review by
the Apostle shows a combination of the core of what Jesus meant by a new
commandment.
Follow with me for a new
armor, one even better than any cybernetic shield or high tech protection.
Again “Satan takes Jesus up
to an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world
and their glory…” Mt.4:8. The tempter continued with a promise he says he can
keep…” I will give you all this if you will bow down and worship me…”
First, this is a lie because
since Jesus came and the heavenly Father gave him ALL power, Satan no longer
has the power to do what he promised. He may think he has, but He does not.
Second, he uses ‘ends/means
tactic again’…If you’ll do X I’ll do Y.
Certainly, the promise
sounds tempting because then Jesus could accomplish his mission sooner and
without such painful experience. But then, Sin would not have been paid for and
THAT is Satan’s goal.
So, the answer comes again, “Go
away Satan. The scripture says, “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”
[Mt.4:10]
**Then the devil left him,
and angels ministered to Jesus.
The Tempter tries the same
technique on us. He always tries to tempt the Jesus in
us. Satan wants us to take his lying short cuts to destinations.
“Just do this little
thing because the result is worth it. No one cares anymore.” [tempting lie]
Remember:
Waist=truth; shod feet=Gospel; Shield=Faith; Helmet=Salvation; Sword=Spirit; then
pray for all people. [Eph.6:10-19.]
Satan takes Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem
to the top of the temple [ Mt. 4:5-6]. The Tempter changes emphasis by appealing
to Jesus’ national heritage, and the Son of God’s operational efforts. And
remember, the temple is where God is supposed to live according to the Jewish
national belief.
“If you are the Son of God…jump!
Scripture says he will put his angels in charge of you. They will carry you in
their hands so that you never hit your foot against a rock. “[NEV,
Mt.4:6]
First, Satan subtly choses the top of temple to
suggest the Son is higher than the heavenly Father. A lie but then, he states a
truth from scripture [Ps. 91:11-12] “the angels will protect”, another disguise
to confuse, misdirect but appear truth bound.
Jesus responds with true fact. “It is written,
you shall not tempt the Lord your God.” [ Mt. 4:7, based on Deut. 6:16]
So, what is the real truth in Mt. 4 [ No
tempting by God like in James 1: 13], and John 13:34 Jesus says he gives a new
idea].
Satan always misdirects the truth, even when
shrouded with what appears to be right. His essence is not love but death to
life. Evil remains a liar constantly. It cannot help itself. It wants to die
and promote that is all there is.
Jesus keeps affirming that He is truth and truth
still has a built-in reality in this world made by the heavenly father.
We struggle but not without help and hope. [ Use
Eph. 6: 10-19].
Right before the famous Sermon of Mount in Mt. 5, Jesus embarks on a strange but significant journey in Mt.4:1-11. He gets led into the wilderness by the Spirit. He gets led into the wilderness by the Spirit and fasts for 40 days and nights and is hungry. And if that isn’t bad enough, he gets tempted by the devil.
For spiritual reasons, in my younger days, I lived on orange juice and water for 28 days. I can’t imagine 40 days with nothing. We just have to trust in the workings of the Spirit with Jesus.
After the hunger time, the
tempter visits Jesus and says, [and I paraphrase] “Hey, if you are really
the son of God you have the power why not command these stones you see into
bread. No one is looking. You need it. You can do it. I’d be ok for this little
thing. You deserve it.”
On this occasion, the devil
tempts the human body and uses the method of an end-means inversion technique.
In other words, the end you seek is necessary and justifies the means, the way
you get there. Even if the means and method is a little sneaky, it’s ok because
the end result is absolutely needed.
Jesus must have groaned but said, “It is written, not on bread only shall a man live,
but by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God.” [Mt.4: 4].
“Oh, I’ll sneak two
doughnuts in the sack and only pay for one. They have So many anyway.”
Bam! Nope! To interpret a
method of behavior on the slightest dark side of activity as ok does not get justified by the
bright side of the end result.
We have to admit we live in
a day of consumer atmosphere. Just about everywhere we turn, someone or some
thing wants to sell us something, like a better way of life. We are in America
after all! And while the atmosphere still has many plus moments, there are
masked occasions that turn our compulsion buttons.
Temptations are so accepted
these days. We are tempted to buy a new car, to change our clothes style, to
benefit our health by changing our bodies, to hire the right lawyer, to go to
the right church. The list bombards us to the degree that we all seem to accept
the offers as part of a happy life.
But there are soft and
subtle temptations that hurt. Some are obvious; others are so faint they get
overlooked. The next few days, the focus of the devotionals will center on
those methods of temptation that sneak in to confuse our impulses, that twist
and obliterate an honest lifestyle that we as Christ believers try to follow.
The discussions will be
based on the Biblical records of Jesus experiencing the 3 temptations [ Mt.
4:1-11; Mk. 1:12-13 -–a short word mentioned only; then Lk. 4: 1-13] we have on
record. And while there were many more not recorded, we can learn a great deal
from the three.
Why is this important today?
Because we have to up our alertness factor, pay more attention to avoid culture
values trying to redefine our Christian value system.
When Jesus finished his Lord’s
Prayer of Mt.6: 13-14 the [“…forever: Amen.”] a huge significant word
gets embedded in our universe.
It is the word FOREVER. This is an immeasurable
amount of a particular quality of time. This is not linear time, like just one
thing after another as we know, time that has a beginning and ending. The
closest description of forever time is like what the wind does; the wind just
appears from any direction whenever; however, it wants.
Forever
suggests a form of time we just do not understand because it has no specific
place, limit, or ending and God moves in it as Himself. He never has to wait
like we do. His story, his glory, his existence always is and will remain to
grow even after linear time ends.
As Jesus shares the forever
time with us, we have to step back and let him direct the known and the unknown
and he will always have our backs.
Amen. No argument. A divine Yes. Let it be!
“…the power and glory
forever. Amen” [Mt.6:13] What does this mean?
Everyone’s life journey
rests in the hands of the true King. He has the power to give and take because
he combines passion [ the drama of life] with compassion and all wisdom. Why?
Because he cares for his realm better than any through His Son, as he channels
the Holy Spirit. Nothing else can do it all.
The display of his power,
the result shows His glory. His unending love is his power, and he gives it to
us in a way that all can radiate his glory. No other system, no earthly power,
no imitated god can sustain his kingdom goals.
His eternal goal is to
establish a new creation, a new kind of kingdom, a new race of people who can
out-love, out-think, and out-live any other.
The concluded doxology is
given…” For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
[Mt.6: [last of verse 13 in KJV only]. Think of this last proclamation from
about 1640 AD as an extended AMEN.
It pronounces heavenly
Father as true king. Jesus prays: He is with us. God’s Kingdom is a done deal,
and it is His energy, His power, His glory, and He should receive the
adoration.
God maintains the throne of
the universe. He has the last word. He decides any final outcome. And yet He
submitted His Son as a substitute example for us to share in the kingship as
both followers and rulers of a new kind of order, a new family of created
beings.
Full power means Jesus is involved
in remaking the Father’s kingdom through sacrifice and establishing the Holy
Spirit life in us. This new kingdom, based on willing submission will glorify
heavenly Father somehow.
We now belong to Him in a
new kind of kingdom and our task is learning how to live and die in it.
God’s word continues…”
for thine is the kingdom…” [Mt.6:13, NKJV]
Historically, these last
words of the prayer were added about 1600. Mostly, the King James Versions have
them. They are, of course, a true doxology of God. Perhaps in those days they
understood a kingdom. We do not fully understand a true kingdom.
And yet, Jesus certainly
would give the Father the last proclamation. Through Christ, the Son, God’s
kingdom has come. The king has the last word. He maintains the throne. He
decides outcomes of equal mercy and justice. The whole universe [us included] belongs
to him.
Any debt due is paid for to
the kingdom by the Son of God.
And remember, his kingdom is
not a democracy only; it is a theocracy [God ruled]. His ways are not always
our ways.
One version of Mt.6: 13 says
“don’t allow us to be tempted, but instead, deliver us from the evil one.”
[God’s Word Translation]
So, we are to be delivered
from evil. You see, it seems to me Evil does not want you to be TOO evil
because then you might repent now that Satan is not in full control. So, his strategy
may be to disguise evil with what appears goodness, like its ok to cheat a little
bit against the government because they are such bullies. In other words, the
end result can justify the means of how you get there.
We have to pray and stay
alert to disguised goodness…Just like Jesus showed us in his temptation
experience. [Mt.4:1-11].
Jesus certainly knew living
daily was much less complicated when we can avoid evil trouble, not have to
redo our mistakes or dishonesties.
Prayer:
Heavenly father, lead us in every pathway, move us out of the way of evil.
Jesus continues,” …and lead us not in temptation, but deliver
us from evil…” [Mt.6:13].
This verse can be misread because God does not lead people into
temptation or evil. [See James 1:13-14].
But there is a goal and purpose here. He did not say keep us from
Sin. He emphasized temptation, which involves our decision-making and
our choices. Here, He seems to pray for a prevention approach and not the cure.
Temptation is that sneaky, not-so-obvious sin potential, lurking at our door.
How often are we convinced something is right when it is wrong? Things that
appear good in result but getting there is misguided.
This reminds us of Jesus’ temptation [ Mt. 4:1-11] Satan’s method
was to get Jesus to do something good in result and not worry about HOW he gets
there.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us and help us recognize concealed goodness that
is actually rotten.
