Month: September 2020

14.y.

John 3:8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Ecclesiaasties 11:5  As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

1 Corinthians 12:11   All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

  Job 37:10-13   By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast.  He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning.  They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world.  Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.

  Isaiah 40:28    Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

Romans 11:33   “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”

Jesus’ idea to Nicodemus was “You don’t understand everything about the wind, but you see its effects. That is just how it is with the birth of the Spirit.” Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know that he didn’t have to understand everything about the new birth before he experienced it.  The same can be said about Creation, God’s love, mercy, and grace, God’s wrath, anger, and judgment, time and eternity, Holy Trinity (God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit), Redemption, salvation, and forgiveness, Earthly and heavenly, etc….we do not fully understand it but we see the effects.  The root of the problem of not seeing or denial of these seeing effects (of God) is the lack of or limited faith in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  The lame were able to walk.  The dead were raised back to life.  The deaf were able to hear. The sick were healed. Demons were cast out. Water was turned into wine. The sea was calmed.  Seas were parted. Armies defeated.  Creation (earthly and heavenly). God’s Word.  The birth of Jesus. All of this and so much more are the many mysteries and wonders of God.  We do not need to fully understand them to see the effects and glorious power, wisdom, and might of God.  The writer of Hebrews tried to explain this when he said; “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is the key to beginning to understand things of God, creation, and His grace, mercy, and love.  Without this beginning faith creation will be seen as nothing more than a big bang, people healed will be nothing more than a coincidence, the work of the Holy Spirit will be attributed to man’s ability to change, the Word of God will be seen as writings of men, and the wonderful glorious, power, might, strength, and unsearchable wisdom and knowledge of God will be seen as nothing more than a chance and coincidence of nature.  Look around with new eyes of faith and begin to see the Hand of God in all of its wonder, glory, and majesty.

4.y. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:1   Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.

1 Peter 1:3    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:23-25     since you have been born again, not of perishable seed

1 John 2:29    If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

1 John 3:9    No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

1 John 5:1    Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.

1 John 5:18  We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

To be born from above is to be born again.  “If we were asked to read to a dying man who did not know the gospel, we should probably select this chapter as the most suitable one for such an occasion; and what is good for dying men is good for us all, for that is what we are; and how soon we may be actually at the gates of death, none of us can tell.” (Spurgeon)  “To belong to the heavenly kingdom, one must be born into it.” (Tenney) Jesus’ reply to Nicodemus shattered the Jewish assumption that their racial identity – their old birth – assured them a place in God’s Kingdom. Jesus made it plain that a man’s first birth does not assure him of the kingdom; only being born again gives this assurance. (Guzik)  Jesus clearly said that without this – that unless one is born again – he cannot enter or be part of (see) the kingdom of God. Moral or religious reform isn’t enough. One must be born again.  This isn’t something that we can do to ourselves. If Jesus had said, “Unless you are washed, you cannot see the kingdom of God” then we might think, “I can wash myself.” A man might wash himself; but he could never birth himself.  All over the New Testament this idea of rebirth, re-creation occurs. Being born anew by God’s great mercy, being born anew from an imperishable seed, the washing of regeneration, dying with Jesus and rising anew, new-born babes, being a new creation in Jesus,  the new man is created after God in righteousness, are all New Testament references to being “Born Again”.

 Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God: If a nation passed a law that said no one could live there except those who were born in that nation, and someone wanted to live there who was not born there. It wouldn’t matter if he took a name that was common in that nation. It wouldn’t matter if he spoke the language.  It wouldn’t matter if he observed some of the customs.  It wouldn’t matter if he dressed like those in that nation.  It wouldn’t matter if he practiced some of the religious traditions of that nation.  It wouldn’t matter if his parents were born in that nation.  It wouldn’t matter if his children were born there.  It wouldn’t matter if he had many friends in that nation. All that would matter was if he was actually born there.  “A man may cast away many vices, forsake many lusts in which he indulged, and conquer evil habits, but no man in the world can make himself to be born of God; though he should struggle never so much, he could never accomplish what is beyond his power. And, mark you, if he could make himself to be born again, still he would not enter heaven, because there is another point in the condition which he would have violated — ‘unless a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (Spurgeon)  Without the new birth of the Spirit, the flesh taints all works of righteousness.

14.w. “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times”

John 2:18   So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

John 6:30   So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?

Matthew 21:23   And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

Acts 4:7    And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”

Mark 8:11   The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.

Matthew 12:38-42    Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”  But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

Matthew 16:1-4    And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.  He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’  And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.  An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

“But you cannot interpret the signs of the times”.  Wars, rumors of wars, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, ungodliness, lawlessness, rioting, hate, fear, delusion, false teachings, unable to separate false from the truth, falling away from God, and denying God, in more and more increasing numbers and occurrences are all signs of the times and the return of Jesus Christ.  These are signs but where is the voice crying out in the wilderness proclaiming them?  We understand the “World” not seeing and believing but why is it the Christian church silent on these signs?  Have we diluted our walk with Jesus Christ to the point where we are unable to see them ourselves?  Have we bought into a lukewarm comfortable life so close in resemblance to the unbelievers that our eyes are closed to the signs?  Have we strayed far enough away from Jesus Christ that our pastors and teachers, wanting to be culturally correct, do not preach and teach the signs of the times?  Is our heart turning to stone and we are not allowing the Holy Spirit into it to teach, lead, and instruct us?

Some may say we have had wars, famine, disease, riots, wars, earthquakes, etc…. and Jesus has not returned.  It was not true before and is not true now.  The frequency surely has increased and yet it is denied.  The number of countries across the globe experiencing these signs is overwhelming and yet it is denied.  When there should be repentance and a turning to Jesus Christ there is denial and defiance.  Where there should be preparing and looking for the return of Jesus Christ there is denial and defiance.  When there should be a proclaiming of the signs of the times there is silence.

In the last days, God will send a strong delusion and people will grab hold of this like finding a lost treasure.  They will believe they have found truth and they are fighting for the right cause and belief.  They believe lies because they have denied the truth.  These too are signs of the soon return of Jesus Christ.  All of the warnings and signs have been given so that through them people will repent and turn to Jesus Christ.  When Jesus Christ returns will He find you watching and waiting or unprepared?  I imagine there are many right now that are waiting for signs before they get serious about their faith in Jesus Christ.  It is both “not too late” and “too late”.  It is never too late to repent and trust Jesus Christ but the signs would indicate the return of Jesus is closer than ever before.  A heart that rejects the need for redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ will certainly reject the signs of His soon return.   Rejection is an intentional choice.  You are just one breath away from eternity and your choice of belief or rejection will determine Heaven or Hell, blessings or torment, peace or anguish, Eternal light or complete darkness.

Jesus has called us to believe and trust in Him alone.  He has demonstrated His love for us in that He died for our sin.  He has promised blessings now and for eternity. He has told us He will return to gather us onto Himself.  He has told us what the signs will be to indicate His pending return and that we are to watch and be ready.  And He has given warnings of what awaits those who reject Him. If you choose to reject His love how much more will you receive His wrath?  Watch and be Ready!  The signs are there if you are seeking and desiring the return of Jesus Christ.

14.v. “They have hearts trained in greed.  Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray.”

John 2:13  The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Jeremiah 7:11     Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD.

Isaiah 56:10-11   All you beasts of the field, come to devour— all you beasts in the forest.  His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.  The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.

1 Timothy 6:5    and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

2 Peter 2:3    And in their greed they will exploit you with false words

2 Peter 2:14-15    They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!  Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

Jews came to the Temple from all over Israel, indeed from all over the known world. Most of the time, they couldn’t bring animals with them to sacrifice.

Moreover, Passover was the time that people paid the annual temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27; Exodus 30:13, 26). In Jesus’ day, many kinds of coinage were circulating. The  Romans, of course, had their own coins, but so did many kings and city-states across the empire. The various Herodian kings issued coins, as did the Phoenicians, Aegeans, Corinthians, and Persians. If these were voluntary offerings, perhaps, coins from these various countries and kingdoms might have been accepted. But this was a tax, not an offering. So, probably because of its exact weight and good alloy, Tyrian coinage (from Tyre) is specified in the Mishnah as the only coinage acceptable for the temple tax. Of course, there was a fee to exchange one’s coins for the Tyrian coins. The chief priest controlled the entire enterprise of money-changing and sale of sacrificial animals — and got his percentage of the gross. The sacrificial animals and money-changing tables were located in the Court of the Gentiles within the temple grounds. So the place designated for believing Gentiles to pray and worship was cluttered with the clink of coins, the braying of animals, and the sounds of commerce — hardly a place of peace wherein to seek the Lord. Jesus was offended, not that pilgrims needed to purchase sacrificial animals — cattle, sheep, goats, doves/pigeons, etc. — but that God’s house had become perverted from its main function as a house of prayer, and turned into something resembling a market, at which everyone brought their products, set up stalls, and crowds came to do their shopping.

Psalm 69: “I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face. I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons; for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.”

I recently asked my Pastor about something that had been on my mind for a while and I could not wrap it up to understand it.  I love to listen to godly expositional preaching on the radio when I am driving.  There are some who seem to bring the Word of God alive.  The problem I had was at the end of their message there were 3-5 minutes of requesting money, need for money, and promise of blessing for sending in money.  To add to this problem I routinely would visit their web sites and read their sermon.  During visits to their web-site, I would be required to give my email address.  During my visit to their web site, there were pop-up ads for donations.  After they had my email address I would at least once or more per day get offers of deeper meaning to enhance my walk, through books, tapes, pod-casts., and other teachings for either a minimum donation or a flat fee.  This was the problem for me, there were more promotions and marketing for selling and making money than there was for proclaiming God’s Word.  The second concern I had was for what I was hearing on certain Christian radio stations.  They were offering a chance to win something.  If you call in and donate today we will enter you into a “chance to win” this once in a life time experience.  They all seem to be exchanging the humble sacrificial giving of a servant of Jesus Christ for a personal book that will bring you closer to God or a game of chance.  In either case, they are robbing that person of giving the honor and glory to Jesus alone.  I have no problem with being made aware of a need for a ministry.  It is when a ministry converts to using worldly marketing and cultural enticements to obtain donations or sell merchandise that I think it is wrong.  My Pastor said this “God’s will, God’s bill”.  God will provide, empower, and supply for those who do and follow His will.  When we go about commercializing His Word  He is not being honored or glorified or worshiped.  God’s Word is given to us by our loving heavenly Father and its application in our lives is through the Holy Spirit’s leading, and the blessings that come from and through His Word are rewards directly from and through Jesus Christ. God’s Word and its application into our lives is not something that can be bought and sold.

Some scripture is difficult for me to understand and I go searching for help.  I came across “The Enduring Word” website by David Guzik and his commentaries on the bible.  I have used it often and especially when studying the Old Testament.  I notice early this week that other than personal use permission must be given.  I had been using this commentary for over a year.  I sent David an email confessing my use and how I used it.  This was his response “Please, don’t worry at all about citing or using my online commentary in the preparation of your devotional writings. I make my material freely available; my main concern is that they would not be sold in some form without my permission. I’m happy to hear the online resources have been of some use to you.”   

To me, this is a humble heart wanting to honor and glorify and proclaim Jesus Christ.  We do well to seek God’s discernment in applying His Word without contaminating the honor and glory Jesus Christ deserves.

14.u. “Do whatever he tells you.”

John 2:1   On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

Shortly after Jesus told Nathanael that he would see greater things they are at a wedding in the small town Cana.  Cana was the home town of Nathanael.  This first sign of Jesus was in an insignificant place.  He did not go to a big flashy wedding but to a small village.  We should note Jesus comes to the lowly not arrogant.  His birth was proclaimed too lowly shepherds.  His disciples were from lowly occupations.  His mother was a virgin engaged to be married to Joseph a carpenter. Jesus was rejected by the teachers, rabbis, and rollers but was worshipped by the lowly.

It is hard to imagine what Mary was thinking when she told Him “They have no wine”.  Did she expect Jesus and His disciples to go buy some from somewhere?  Did she think He would do a miracle?  Even after Jesus says “Woman, what does this have to do with me?  My hour has not yet come.”, Mary tells the servants to do whatever He says.  Whatever Mary was thinking one thing is for sure, she trusted Jesus and did not lay any expectation out on what Jesus should do other than leaving it into His hands to accomplish.  There must have been some worry in Mary for the family of the bride and groom.  I have read where running out of wine at the wedding feast would have been demeaning to the family.  Mary could have been helping the bride’s family at this wedding and this could have been the reason for Jesus and His disciples being invited.  This is nothing more than speculation and adds nothing to Mary’s trust and faith and Jesus’s power over creation.  I am not sure why John laid out in detail the volume of the jars or to the fact they were filled to the brim with water.  Possibly to point out there was no way to add anything to the jars.  Mary’s trust and faith should be an example to us.  When we have a problem give it to Jesus without trying to tell Jesus how to handle it.  This reminds me of; “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”  They trusted in God without laying out the expectations of what God should do.  They had faith God could save them if He chose to and they were content if He chose not to.

We do well to grow our faith and trust in Jesus to the level of being willing to allow what He deems best in our lives.  He alone is able to do more than we think and much more than we can imagine.  Why do we presume we know what is best and for that matter, how to do it?

14.t. “How do you know me?”

John 1:43  The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Jesus found Philip.  Would this indicate that Jesus was looking for him, or that Jesus came upon him, or that Jesus tracked him down?  This is Jesus the Son of God and I am sure He knew exactly where Philip was.  Philip, like Andrew, followed and told someone else.  Philip tells Nathanael “we have found Him” and then tells him who they have found, “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph”.  The one who Moses in the Law and the prophets wrote.  It would appear that Nathanael is a bit of a cynic.  “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  Note that Philip did not argue with Nathanael, he just said come and see.  A good point for us to remember is that it is Jesus who will soften the heart and open the eyes not us.  We share but at no time is a person coming to Christ a result of us, it is all of God and His calling.  The fact that we shared is actually the direct result of the Holy Spirit of God working through us.  Never us, never about us, and never to be claimed by us.

Somewhere in this calling, softening, and eye-opening a person either responds to the Gospel or rejects it.  I can tell you this is a mystery to me.  I had heard the gospel for over a year but never had an understanding in my heart or have my eyes opened.  Then, one special day a neighbor across the street who we hardly knew invited us (my wife and I) to hear an evangelist speak. It was a Thursday night 22 March 1979.  On that day my heart understood the need for forgiveness, redemption, and salvation.  My eyes were wide open and when the offer to come to meet Jesus at the altar was given.  I could not say no.  There was no way to say no.  No, was not even a thought.  It was as if I had no choice. I did not even have to think about it.  It was more like having a severe cut to your jugular vein and a doctor being present and asking if you want to be saved.  You don’t give any thought to saying no.  The urgency in responding yes to be saved left no room for that thought at all.

I am sure there are those who Jesus has softened their heart to understand and has opened their eyes but they do choose to not believe the urgency of their impending eternal death and separation from God.  This is a big mystery to me.  I could not have said no and yet there are others who easily say it.  I am not sure how many times a person will be allowed to reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Could it be once or 1,000 times?  Some hearts are softened and other hardened – this I do not understand. I am sure the more times the offer of salvation is rejected the easier it is to reject the offer the next time.  I guess this is why Jesus said narrow is the path the eternal life and broad is the highway to hell.

It is up to us to share the Gospel.  It is up to us to speak of Jesus Christ, forgiveness, redemption, salvation, and repentance.  It is up to us to live and speak in such a way that people see Jesus.  It is up to us to honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust, and obey Jesus.  Be a willing servant to be used and led by Jesus and allow Him to do the work of softening or hardening.  Our task is to say “Come see Jesus”

14.s. “And they followed Jesus.”

John 1:35   The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

I really did not give much thought to “John was standing with two of his disciples” before.  I guess I just glanced over this and thought John was standing out in some body of water and telling people to repent and be baptized.  John the Baptist preached a message of repentance expressed in water baptism and bearing active fruit in one’s life in preparation for the appearing of the Messiah. Mark 1:4  John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John was sent to call the people to urgent repentance in light of what God would soon bring about.  John had disciples who learned from him.  Acts 18:25 introduces us to a man named Apollos of whom it is said: “This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John.”  While Apollos still needed further instruction and clarification in the faith, accounts like this make it clear that the core of the gospel was preached and taught by John.  When John saw Jesus walk by he said to the two disciples standing with him, “look, the Lamb of God”.  John preached repentance, confession, baptism, and the coming Messiah.  Even unto death, John called people high and low to turn their hearts and their lives from their sin unto God.  John preached warning people of the wrath to come.  Luk 3:7-10  He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”

Many times people were cut to their heart and asked “What then shall we do?”  From the warnings of the wrath of God to come, people made intentional choices to repent, confess, and be baptized.  Some of these men stayed on with John.  We see Andrew was one of the two and when he heard John say “behold the Lamb of God” they immediately followed Jesus.  Andrew did something else too, he first went and told his brother, Peter, “We have found the Messiah”.  To the heart that is seeking, Jesus will be seen. If the warning about the coming wrath of God is rejected the need for Jesus will never be seen as needed.  Sin is always at the door of our heart, knocking and trying to open the door to entice us to live for self, rely on self, and deny there is any need to change.  There is a yielding that allows this door to open just as there is a firm resistance to keep it closed.  It is an intentional choice and both become easier over time.  Yielding day after day to sin will harden the heart to the point where the door is wide open and wrong seems right and false seems true.  The intentional choice doesn’t even need to be made anymore because this way of life has become common, regular, and established.  Resisting day after day will keep the door firmly closed. The intentional choice to keep the door closed is made every waking moment.  God’s Word will strengthen the resistance and give power to the weak who intentionally choose to resist.  Sometimes we don’t even know what to resist until God’s Word reveals it to us.  That is the power of His Word.  Be mindful of your heart and bath it in God’s Word every day.

14.r. “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

John 1:29   The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John 5:32   There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

Matthew 11:27     All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Hebrews 1:1-2     Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

1 John 4:9    In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

John said; “I myself did not know Him”  “And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God”.  Jesus said; “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”  “yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”  God sent His Son into the world that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

When Jesus Christ is rejected so is the testimony about Him.  Think about how many times you make judgments for or against someone or something based on the testimony of one person.  That person may have a bias, deceit, fraud, false pretense, etc…. and yet their word printed or spoken is taken as truth while truth and testimony of Jesus Christ recorded and proclaimed by hundreds is rejected.  Why is this?  “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”  They choose to believe a lie and they choose to reject the truth.  Testimony after testimony about Jesus Christ, the Love of God, salvation, redemption, forgiveness, eternity, eternal life, and heaven are chosen to be rejected.  They have rejected the Son of God and His revelation of God’s grace, mercy, and love.  It is in this choice to believe a lie over the truth of Jesus Christ they are given strong delusion to further enhance their false belief. 

Imagine a person/company builds you a house and says it can never catch fire, it is fireproof.  Then imagine a person coming to your house, knocking on the door to warn you that your house is on fire, and you say no it is not, I don’t believe you.  Another after another comes knocking on your door and says your house is on fire you must believe me or you will surely die.  Time and time again you reject what they are saying and then the fire marshal comes with a fire truck and firemen and knocks on your door and says you must get out before the fire kills you.  You still maintain your house is not on fire because it is fireproof.  You have a piece of paper from the builder that says you paid for and bought a fireproof house.  You do not and will not believe it is possible your house will catch fire and burn.  Your hopes and trust and belief had consequences.  The result of this is your death.  You refused to believe the truth.  So it is with everyone who rejects Jesus Christ, the truth, and believes the lies, God is not real, His Son is not real, I am not that bad, God loves everyone so I am loved by God and He will not judge me or cast me into Hell, I am a good person on my own, I do not need to confess, I do not need forgiveness, I do not need redemption, my house is not burning down.

Belief in Jesus Christ means there is a reliance, trust, and clinging to Him alone.  It means you have come to the knowledge of His holiness and your sinfulness.  It means you come to the knowledge and understanding of there being only one way to be right with God and that is through belief in Jesus Christ.  It means you have surrendered all thoughts of being self-righteousness before God and with all your heart, mind, and soul you are clinging to, relying on, and trusting in Jesus Christ alone.  Because of this belief you humbly serve, honor, follow, obey, and rely on Him.  Believing the truth of Jesus Christ results in eternal life.  Believing in anything else is believing a lie and results in eternal death, Hell.

14.q. From Jan Markell, Olive Tree Ministries

2Timothy 3:1   But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.  But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

So many write to me expressing shock, and even horror, at the tide of our times here in 2020. They see America crumbling under the weight of sin, debt, violence, immorality, and strong delusion. Right is wrong, black is white, evil is good, and good is evil.
We Are In the Center of the Storm
People of faith are in the bulls-eye so to speak! Churches are inconvenient. The remnant of true believers is growing smaller while the Laodicea churches are mushrooming! Many churches have not even re-opened yet, and some are saying they won’t until 2021! Many don’t even know how to think about the future much less plan for it. People write about “uncertainty”. Will things get worse? Probably. How can we plan ahead if the turmoil is going to continue?
A Word Fitly Spoken
Then a pastor sent me this e-mail: “We don’t live in uncertain times. Not at all! These times are as certain as any time in all of human history, and the God of the universe laid out this time in great detail, point by point, and in fact, with all the detail needed by His people, to live in times of absolute certainty! So no, there’s nothing uncertain about the times we live in to the believer who is seeking to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
It’s All Aligning
He is right! The Bible outlined all the “things to come” in great detail and they are shaping up: Global government has to form and it is in the process. All governments will become more authoritarian along the way! With the new CDC report that just 6% of Covid deaths are directly attributed to the virus, the “pandemic” was but the crisis the globalists couldn’t let go to waste. God is sending a final warning to a sinful world. For the Church, God is shaking us up, trying to wake us up so that we will look up! There is Tribulation stage-setting going on such as today’s lawlessness — a precursor of what is to come when the Church is gone. We are in the predicted last days’ perilous times (II Timothy 3). America is going to lose international power so that the European power player can arise. Politics are important but they won’t save America. The government will be quite dysfunctional until Jesus rules from Jerusalem. Only a nation “under God” can be blessed and we have one political party that is at war with God. They want the government to be god. There are terrible consequences when a nation goes astray and succumbs to a Romans 1 mentality. The Church is still here to put a lid on total chaos and some delusion as well. Just wait until we are gone.
Are the Pulpits Still Silent? I have referenced an April LifeWay poll before but it takes on even more meaning now. It revealed that a “vast majority of pastors see end times in our current events.” Are they talking about this from their pulpits and re-assuring their people? I do not think so.  Are they sharing about our glorious future, giving assurance to people? How about talking about the “blessed hope” now that hope in the world is fading?  I am not optimistic that they are! Rather, are they telling people that they can have their best life now? Hasn’t that all been proven to be a lie? Are they giving some end-time warnings? A whopping 97% of those polled by LifeWay Research believe Jesus Christ will literally and personally return to earth again and 55% expect Jesus to return in their lifetime. This makes for tremendous sermon material! It also calms the mind and soul in troubled times. Pastors, please don’t be silent! Some people are losing things precious to them: businesses, jobs, even lives or the lives of loved ones. Depression and suicides are at all-time highs.
The Most Certain Times in All of Human History!
Are they, then, re-assuring their people as my pastor friend did? Let me quote him again. He said, “We don’t live in uncertain times. Not at all! These times are as certain as any time in all of human history, and the God of the universe has laid out this time in great detail, point by point, and in fact, with all the detail needed by His people to live in times of absolute certainty. . . .” A secular talk show host said that “A blanket of darkness has been thrown over us.” But the believer cannot and must not think that way! An opportunity has been handed to us! Desperate people are more inclined to listen. Things really aren’t falling apart. In fact, they are orchestrated. To suggest something is falling apart is to say they are out of God’s control. Nothing could be further from the truth as it concerns the last days. It’s just that your average Christian does not know the road map through the final days even though the Bible spends almost one-third of its pages talking about them! In fact, everything is falling into place. Stay cool. Look up. The King is coming. It may be today! And you can’t throw a blanket of darkness over anyone with an eternal perspective.