The Essence of Sin

The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal God had made. He spoke to the Woman: "Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?" 2 The Woman said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. 3 It's only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'Don't eat from it; don't even touch it or you'll die.' " 4 The serpent told the Woman, YOU WON'T DIE. Genesis 3:1-4 (The Message)

The first entrance of sin into the world was Satan's subtle suggestion to Eve that God's word might not be true and authoritative after all. Then came Satan's blatant "Ye shall not surely die" (v. 4), openly charging the Creator with falsification. Ever since that time, the basic root of every sin has been unbelief--the implicit denial of the Creator's Word.

Therefore, God's judgment on human sin will be in relation to His Word. Jesus said: "There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me" (John 5:45-46). He also said: "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day"(John 12:48). In principle, the Lord Jesus tells us that both Old Testament ("the law of Moses") and New Testament ("the law of Christ") will be witnesses against us at God's judgment throne.

In fact, at the final judgment, the "books" are specifically said to be the basis of God's condemnation of the unsaved: "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened . . . And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" (Revelation 20:12). These books surely include the books of the Bible, wherein are written the laws of God, against which men and women are to be judged. Since even one transgression makes one guilty (James 2:10), none could ever stand at the judgment by his own works. But since unbelief is the effect of sin, faith in God's Word, and in the person and work of the Savior revealed in God's Word, brings forgiveness, salvation, and righteousness.

Renew Your Mind: The child of God immediately loses the following six things upon sinning. A seventh may be lost.

1. The loss of light (1 Jn. 1:6).
2. The loss of joy (Ps. 51:12; Jn. 15:11; Gal. 5:22; 1 Jn. 1:4).
3. The loss of peace (1 Jn. 3:4-10).
4. The loss of love (1 Jn. 2:5, 15-17; 4:12).
5. The loss of fellowship (1 Jn. 1:3, 6, 7).
6. The loss of confidence (1 Jn. 3:19-22).
7. The possible loss of health and even physical life (1 Cor. 5:5; 11:30).

THE REMOVAL OF SIN: "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Hebrews 10:17). In contrast to the Old Testament's yearly remembrance of sin, the New Testament believer's sin is forever forgotten. This is due to the shed blood of Christ who entered into the holiest of all to make a perfect atonement for us.There are a number of descriptive phrases in Scripture to show just how completely God has done away with those sins that once plagued us. They are as follows:Isaiah 44:22: "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." Sins are compared to clouds in that there are a large number of them; they cause darkness; they completely obscure heaven; they come between heaven (God) and earth (man), and they are a sign of an impending storm (judgment). Yet now, in Christ, those sins that separated us from God have once and for all been blotted out. Psalm 103:12: "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." Because of Christ, we will never meet up with our sin again. Micah 7:19: "He will subdue our iniquities; and cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." Iniquity has been conquered (subdued) and sin hurled (cast) into the deepest sea. It is destroyed, lost, and irrecoverable! Isaiah 38:17: "But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." God hurls sin behind His back because it is abominable and loathsome. He will never look at it again. He has completely separated Himself from it. The reason why all of this is true is found in II Corinthians 5:21, "For He hath made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

Genesis 4:7

God's Economic Program

In all labor there is PROFIT,
But the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.
(Proverbs 14:23)

Actions, not words. That’s the essence of Solomon’s wisdom on the subject of profit. But it isn’t just Solomon who advises those who will listen. Behind Solomon’s insight is a Scriptural principle that is evident from Genesis to Revelation. Where men and women commit themselves to strenuous toil (‘eseb), God promises that something extra will remain. The word is motar. Translated as “PROFIT”, it really means what is left over. It carries the idea of results, excess, advantage or benefit. In other words, it is a biblical fact that all labor under the banner of God’s governance will produce something extra. It’s just a fact of common grace. And more importantly, it’s an expectation of the way the world is designed.

Of course, this verse also says something about the opposite approach. Talking and talking and talking doesn’t lead to any benefit at all. It leads to poverty, and bailouts, the lack of the very things necessary for life. Hebrew is incredibly practical. You can’t eat words. If you want results, you will have to work for them. God’s economic program is built on His design. You and I were designed to work, not to wait for someone else to give to us. We are entitled to the fruits of our labor. That’s all. That’s why Paul (who is very Hebraic) can say, “If someone won’t work, don’t feed him.” It might not sound very altruistic, but it is nevertheless an inescapable element of God’s design. Work is part of what it means to be human. Animals might be suited for hibernation, but men and woman are not.

In Hebrew, this little reminder contains a nice alliteration. Motar comes from hard work but mahsor (poverty) results from useless verbiage. These Hebrew words set the framework for God’s purposes regarding our labor. If you want to see what happens to human life where society is reduced to words without work, visit any third world country with unemployment greater than 60%. What you will find is animal existence, human beings reduced to survival behavior. Often this is not the result of lack of things to do. It is the result of those in power talking about the problems instead of providing the economic means and safety needed for real work. Even in Zimbabwe , where unemployment reaches 90%, there is plenty to do, but the government is more concerned with maintaining power and accumulating wealth than it is with providing the economic stability necessary for people to be rewarded for their efforts. In fact, the development of a welfare system has probably done more damage to human consciousness than any other social program. Welfare certainly exists in the biblical record, but it is a function of the community in an effort to restore people so that once again they become workers. Somehow we have lost sight of that divine goal.

Motar is only used three times in the Bible. The other occurrences are in Proverbs 21:5 and Ecclesiastes 3:19. The first instance tells us that the thoughts of the diligent lead to motar. The Hebrew worldview includes the action of thinking in alignment with God. The second instance tells us without God there is no advantage (motar) of Man over beasts. All end up in the grave. Do we as a nation want to see profit? Then we must work, but work with God in mind. Common grace ends at the grave, but God’s motar doesn’t.

Renew Your Mind: Psalms 103:1-5 (King James Version) BLESS THE LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. BLESS THE LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Proverbs 10:2 (King James Version) "....Treasures of wickedness PROFIT nothing:....".

Ecclesiastes 8:12 (King James Version) Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that IT SHALL BE WELL with them that FEAR GOD, which fear before him:

VALUE THE GOD-CONNECTION
[Ps.35:27; Job 22:21; 2 Chr.26:5]

Eyes Completely Colosed - Living In A World Without 'Chozin"

The Lord has made you go into a deep sleep. He has closed your eyes. (The PROPHETS are your eyes.) He has covered your heads.

(The seers are your heads.) Isaiah 29:10 (New Century Version)

You and I can be very glad we did not live in the time of Isaiah. The apostasy of Israel in those days caused God to make a terrible decision. Because Israel refused to accept the responsibility that went along with God’s grace, God had to take steps to chastise them. In this case, the steps God took were drastic. Destruction, captivity, famine and chaos became the tools God used to bring His children to their senses. Yes, it’s a very good thing that we don’t live in those days. In those days, God blinded the people by taking away the ones who could reveal God’s purposes. Once He removed the PROPHETS, they floundered like men in a pitch-black cave.

The Hebrew word for PROPHET is naviy from the root navat (to look intensely, watch, consider). Please put away the idea that a prophet sees the future. While this is occasionally part of the prophet’s message, the preoccupation with foretelling did not enter the believing community until late in the second century AD after the “church” began its steady progression toward Greek metaphysics and pagan mysticism. The Hebrew PROPHET was a man called by God to deliver God’s message. That is all. He was a spokesman for God. He did not bring his own opinion, evaluation or creative application. He said what God said. End of story.

The root word is instructive. It portrays life in the house of the covenant. The prophet is the eyes of the people of the covenant. He points them toward the way of life by unpacking and revealing what God says. There is a rather terrifying implication. Without eyes, the house is a place of death.

So, why did God take away the eyes of His children? Why did He cause them to become blind? The answer is all about their behavior. They ignored God’s purpose for their election. They did not become the distribution point of grace to the world. They looked after themselves first and foremost. They accumulated rather than distributed. They acted as an exclusive hierarchy of regulation rather than an inclusive community of forgiveness. They denied the priority of God’s commandments. They worshipped man-made institutions and success. They stopped training their children in the ways of the Lord. They were sexually immoral. They took advantage of the weak and the poor. They lived for gain. They served a profitable justice. They followed leaders who did not demonstrate godly character. They clamored for fame. They believed in prosperity for themselves. They turned aside from duty. They let their passions loose. They did not control their appetites or their imaginations.

Therefore, God brought judgment upon them. He led them blindly to destruction. He took away their eyes.

Of course, that was a long time ago. We’re not like that, are we? All those actions and attitudes that characterized the children of Israel don’t look familiar to us, do they? We aren’t blind. We know exactly what we are doing. Can I get someone to turn on the light, please.


Renew Your Mind: Hosea 12:10 (Amplified Bible) I have also spoken to [you by] the PROPHETS, and I have multiplied visions [for you] and [have appealed to you] through parables acted out by the PROPHETS.

Hosea 12:13 (New Century Version) Later the Lord used a PROPHET to bring Jacob’s descendants out of Egypt; he used a PROPHET to take care of the Israelites.

Matthew 10:41 (King James Version) He that RECEIVETH a PROPHET in the name of a PROPHET shall receive a PROPHET'S reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

Luke 1:67-77 (New Century Version) Then Zechariah, John’s father, was FILLED with the HOLY SPIRIT and PROPHESIED: 68 “Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to help his people and has given them freedom. 69 He has given us a powerful Savior from the family of God’s servant David. 70 He said that he would do this through his HOLY PROPHETS who lived long ago: 71 He promised he would save us from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us. 72 He said he would give mercy to our fathers and that he would remember his holy promise. 73 God promised Abraham, our father, 74 that he would save us from the power of our enemies so we could serve him without fear, 75 being holy and good before God as long as we live. 76 “Now you, child [John the Baptist], will be called a PROPHET of the Most High God. You will go before the Lord to prepare his way. 77 You will make his people know that they will be saved by having their sins forgiven.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (New Century Version) "IN THE PAST spoke to our ancestors through the PROPHETS many times and in many different ways. 2 BUT NOW in these last days God has spoken to us through his Son. God has chosen his Son to own all things, and through him he made the world.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (King James Version) Knowing this first, that NO PROPHECY of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the PROPHECY came not in old time by the will of man: but HOLY MEN [PROPHETS] of God spake as they were MOVED by the HOLY GHOST

Revelation 19:10 (Amplified Bible) ".... WORSHIP GOD! For the substance (essence) of the truth revealed by JESUS is the SPIRIT OF ALL PROPHECY [the vital breath, the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of the divine will and purpose, including both mine and yours].

"When Any Minister Of God Speaks Under The ANOINTING,
You Are Hearing The VOICE of GOD.
(2 Chronicles 20:20; 1 Peter 4:11)

F.A.M.L.I (Fatherhood And Marriage Leadership Institute) Skills

Restoring Love

“A new commandment I give to you, that you

LOVE ONE ANOTHER , even as I have loved you,”

John 13: 34)

One word does not say it all! In our society, almost everything that we describe by the verb “love” is based on Greek concepts. Our possessive desires (“I love that dress”), our infatuations (“I love fast cars”), our quest for gratification (“I love being rich”), our passionate fixations (“I love my job”), even our identification with relationships (“I love you”) almost always is an expression of either Eros or Phileo, the two rock-bottom pillars of a Greek worldview. That’s why the New Testament authors, who were thoroughly Hebrew in their thinking, chose the obscure word Agape to express the kind of love that does not fit the Greek categories.

Eros is not about erotic love. Yes, it includes erotic sexual attraction, but it is really about the desire to possess. It is “love” that seeks to own, to take and to use. That is not always a bad thing. After all, I love wisdom. I love beauty. I want to make both part of my life. As an expression of possession, this kind of love is focused on me, myself, and I. I am the beneficiary of the action, even if it involves a consensual relationship with another. Eros is a fickle partner simply because Eros makes its bed in my heart – and I can’t be trusted. Don’t believe me? Just ask yourself how many infatuations you have experienced (not just about other people), how many passions you have passed through or how many daydreams have ended up nightmares. Eros is the seductive hope of a better self projected onto something outside me.

Phileo doesn’t make it either. Of course, brotherly affection is important. Sometimes phileo is almost used as a synonym of agape. But it is very rarely used to describe love of God. Love of God is most consistently described with agape. Phileo pictures the love I have for those who are like me. It is brotherly in the sense that I share a common bond. Today we might say, “I really like you,” and mean that you and I have a lot in common. It’s the kind of love that belongs to match-making according to “areas of compatibility.” But things change. What we like today is not what we liked ten years ago. That’s why Phileo friends drift apart – and, by the way, so do Phileo-based marriages. Phileo might be a step away from the self-enhancement Eros ego, but it is not strong enough to produce the love that lasts forever.

If you want to understand how agape really differs from Eros and phileo, you need only consider one statement from Jesus, who has a Hebrew mind-set: “Love your enemies.” When it comes to enemies, Eros and phileo are bankrupt. I simply cannot love those I hate or those who would keep me from being what I wish to be if all I have in my arsenal is Eros and phileo. This is why Greek religion could never deliver on the concepts of FORGIVENESS and REDEMPTION. The gods could not be permanently placated because they were never really on my side or in my favor.

What can we take away from this little examination? Let’s start here: Who is my enemy? The paradox of life is that my “perfect” enemy is the one given to me in marriage. That person is uniquely placed to prevent me from wasting my life in Eros and Phileo. That person knows my victories and my failures, my ego excuses and my deflations, my hopes and my fears. There is no other person on earth better equipped to slap away my blind desire to possess. There is no other person on earth better positioned to prevent me from surrounding myself with like-minded admirers. My WIFE (spouse) is the perfectly designed grinding wheel to smooth all my rough edges, even when it hurts.

Now we begin to understand the context of AGAPE. Agape love is displayed by loving the one who has the greatest power to harm and the greatest potential to heal. Why does marriage model my relationship with God? Because it is God’s intention to turn perfect enemies into perfectly united lovers. That’s what He did with us. That’s what we are supposed to do too.

Renew Your Mind: 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (Amplified Bible) Therefore if ANY person is [ Ingrafted ] "IN CHRIST" (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! ¹⁸ But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him]. ¹⁹ It was God [personally present] "IN CHRIST", RECONCILING and RESTORING the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but canceling them], and committing to us the MESSEAGE of RECONCILITATION(of the restoration to favor).

"Falling In Love" is the mental picture that Illustrates

dethronement of self and the elevation of another"
--Dr. Mike Murdock, the Wisdom Commentary Vol. 1

The POWER of The SEED, The WATER and The WORD

"So then neither is he that PLANTETH anything, neither he that WATERETH, but God that GIVETH the increase" 1 CorInthians 3:7)

This verse is a salutary corrective to the common somewhat boastful claim of the evangelist or the personal "soul winner"--that "I won Joe to Christ," or "I led Martha to the Lord." On the other side of the coin is the similar man-pleasing testimony that "I was won to Christ by Pastor Brown's sermons." While it is commanded and is urgently important that each Christian be a FAITHFUL and EARNEST witness for Christ, it is needful to give God alone the credit for one's salvation, since it is only He "that GIVETH the increase." We can be grateful whenever God uses something we have preached or written or said to bring someone to Himself, but He is by no means limited to such human efforts, and it is the sin of pride to take credit for what only the Holy Spirit can accomplish.
The Christian's ministry is necessarily limited to "PLANTING" and "WATERING," but these constitute a tremendous responsibility and is a privilege of eternal value. And even these are productive only if centered around the Holy Scriptures, because both the SEED which is PLANTED and the WATER which enables it to grow are said to be the WORD OF GOD. Even the great evangelist, the Apostle Paul, must say: "I have planted, Apollos watered; BUT GOD gave the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:6)।

Nevertheless, we do have many gracious promises that, if we are faithful in planting and watering, God will give the increase, and we can share His joy. "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:6). "For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7).

Renew Your Mind: Proverbs 11:18 (King James Version) ".... But to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward..." Luke 8:11 (King James Version) "..: The seed is the WORD OF GOD..."

Revelation 7:17 (King James Version) For the LAMB which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters:....."
John 3:5 (King James Version) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of WATER and of the SPIRIT, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God।

"Every Believer Must Understand that God PLANTED us in the earth purpose. What we might not understand is the planting and growth process"
---Dr G. Vincient Dudley Sr. D. Min, Power of the Seed
New Life In Christ Interdenominational Church, Lebanon, IL

With The End In Mind

FINISH!

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course,
I have kept the faith.
(2 Timothy 4:7)

God is not interested in you just crossing the finish line. Do you know that? Do you know that getting to heaven is not the goal, that dying “saved” is not what this race is about? When Paul uses the verb teleo, he says a lot more than simply taking the checkered flag, because teleo is not just finishing. It is bringing an end to a desired goal with perfection. It is the natural result of a “good fight,” a contest that emphasizes excellence and beauty. Is that what you are pursuing? Are you struggling to finish in such a way that the end glorifies God? Or are you such trying to cross the line?

When Jesus says that He has finished the course and glorified the Father, he captures the full meaning of teleo. He shouts from the cross (it is not a whimper), Tetelestai (“It has been accomplished!”) In beauty, excellence, harmony and virtue, Jesus finishes the course. That’s the standard. Is that what you have in mind?

We have a natural tendency to water down the goal. We would like God to just accept the fact that we’re running. We want Him to give us the blue ribbon no matter how we end up crossing the finish line. But God is a mentor, trainer and coach who won’t settle for less than His image stamped into our character. In God’s program, finishing well is the goal, no matter how long it takes to get there. The race is not to the swift but to the obedient.

We need these words from Paul. We need to know that there are men and women who have finished well. In fact, there is a great crowd of witnesses, cheering me on when I feel like giving up because my progress toward beauty and harmony seems so slow. I remember that the man who said, “I have finished the course,” is the same one who struggled with a thorn, who had a personality conflict with a brother, who cried out that he did what he didn’t want to do. I need to know all this because, in order to finish well, I need hope that God will stick with my training plan until He accomplishes what He wants, not until I think I’ve had enough.

The Author and Finisher is the One Who pushes me toward the high goal of beautiful perfection. He is the Author because it is His plan. He is the Finisher because He led the way – and He lifts, encourages, teaches, trains, mentors, and manages us as we follow Him. When the course gets really rough, when we falter and stumble, we know He won’t quit on us. He has the end in mind. So must we.

Now dominate your turf!

Renew Your Mind: Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NCV) I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. ¹² Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me!

Every Victory Is Worth The Price.
Never Forget It!

The Answer To Holiness

Psalms 22:4 (AMP)

Our fathers trusted in You; theyTrusted
(leaned on, relied on You,and were confident)
and You delivered them।

Pay very close attention to the implications in this verse, especially since what is says is so rare in Old Testament literature. While we find dozens of uses of the verb batach exhorting and commanding trust in God, there are less than a hand-full of verses that actually say the people of Israel did trust in God. This verse is one of those rare occasions.

We are so used to the idea that Israel trusted God that we fail to recognize that most of the uses of bathach describe cases of false trust. Batach certainly means, “to feel secure, to be unconcerned, to rely on someone or something,” but most of the time we find that people find security in the wrong things. The very short list includes wealth, households, military might, political alliances, other people, religious rituals and, last but certainly not least, ourselves. The Bible puts it quite plainly. Anyone who places security in these things will become double-minded. Disappointment stands in the wings, ready to jump to center stage.

Actually, all human experience confirms this Biblical truth. There is simply no security in this world. If we are foolish enough to trust in what the world has to offer as substitutes for the divine, we will discover, sooner or later, that we made a terrible mistake. Nevertheless, in spite of universal human affirmation, we go right on placing our trust in the list of Biblical errors. Money, power, influence and even intimacy, become welcomed substitutes for real security. Since we all know better, but we go right ahead acting like fools(and then bemoaning the tragedy that follows), we must ask the obvious question: why are we so gullible?

Let me declare that the answer is in this verse; not in what is says but what it implies. This verse does not say that the fathers trusted in God because He delivered them. It says that they trusted God, and (as a result of that trust) they were delivered. What is the difference? This is the critical observation. If I trust God because I believe that He will do such-and-such, then my faith is not really in God but in the subsequent action He will perform on my behalf. In other words, I have faith in His deeds, not “IN HIM”. But if I trust God simply for Who He is, then He can respond in grace and mercy toward me. Why? Because I have learned to trust a person, not an action. I have discovered that I can have an intimate, secure relationship based on His character. I do not need to see Him act in order to know that He is reliable. The reason why we are constantly persuaded into placing our trust in the list of false security is that we are still looking for action items. We have not stepped forward in faith and anchored our lives in the character of God. We do not understand what it means for God to be holy. We think of God in terms of actions. Our vocabulary reflects this when we are asked to describe the message of the Bible in a single word and we come up with “love,” or “mercy,” or “forgiveness.” Very few of us would first think of “holy.” We are geared toward God’s acts (and taught to think like this) rather than toward God’s being.

Psalm 78:22 complains that the father did not trust God. This is the typical occasion. Which use of bathach describes you?

Renew Your Mind: Psalms 4:5 (AMP) Offer just and right sacrifices; trust (lean on and be confident) in the Lord. Psalms 29:2 (AMP) Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness or in holy array. Isaiah 35:8 (NCV) A road will be there; this highway will be called "The Road to Being Holy." Evil people will not be allowed to walk on that road; only good people will walk on it. No fools will go on it.

”Respect The Presence Of God”

Jehovah Shammah, God is always there

(Eze 48:35)

My Last WORDS To Future Generations

“Truly I say to you, this GENERATION will not pass आवे
until all these things have occurred।”
(Matthew 24:34)

What a lot of agony and confusion accompanies this verse! Everyone wants to know the signs of the end time. Century after century, well-meaning believers have proclaimed the end of days is near. Yet here we are, still fighting the good fight. What are we to make of all this?

Matthew 24 is the great revelation of Jesus about the end times. There are a lot of instructions here, but they all revolve around the final parable – the fig tree. How do you know when the fig tree is about to give fruit? Simple. You watch for the tender shoots. As soon as you see them, you know that the fruit is on the way. If someone runs up to you and says, “The fig tree is blooming,” but you know that it is the middle of winter, you don’t even bother to run to the garden. It’s the wrong time of the year. The signs come before you take action to gather the fruit. So it is with the end. No one knows the day, but we can SEE the signs.

The conundrum is this: the signs are not quite as obvious as tender shoots on the fig tree. At least they don’t appear to be as obvious. Of course, that might be because we are so anxious to see the fruit that we ignore what the real evidence is. In the same way, we are so preoccupied with knowing what will happen that we see “blossoms” everywhere, even if the evidence doesn’t quite fit. As a young adult, someone told my aunt that God wanted her to know that the Lord would return before she died. She died thirty years ago. I remember The Late Great Planet Earth phenomenon. I am sure you have similar stories. The problem is not on God’s end. The conundrum is with us. Are we motivated because we see the need for absolute holiness and preparation, or do we want to know in order to have one more answer? According to Jesus, the SIGNS will be clear. Look for fig tree shoots. When the sun darkens, the moon does not give light and the stars fall from heaven, then get ready. When the Son of Man comes, it won’t be a secret. Everyone will know it. There is no point in running around the “garden” inspecting all the evidence in hopes of seeing green shoots if the stars are still shining at night. Wait. Be patient. Persevere.

The Greek word for GENERATION is genea. Not surprisingly, we see this in our word “GENERATION.” It is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew toledot. The Hebrew word suggests a picture of the seal that guarantees authority. In other words, the point of a generation is to pass the authority of the family from one to another. In the biblical world, this is not the same as a contemporary forty-year span from father to son. In fact, the word toledot can cover hundreds of years. Consider the statement in Genesis 6:9 about the generations of Noah. Are we to imagine that Jesus meant that all the signs that He revealed would be evident in the same forty or fifty years of a single lifetime? Not if we understand the range of years that a word like toledot can cover. So, since Jesus clearly knew that GENERATION had a much bigger scope than our idea of a few decades, what is the purpose of this teaching: to give you the time when the end will come, or to emphasize the need to be aware and ready? If you want some entertainment, read the latest speculative version of the end times. But if you want to be in line with Jesus, get ready. When He comes, you’ll know it. Just make sure that it isn’t too late.

Renew Your Mind: 2 Corinthians 2:9 (King James Version) For to this END also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

Psalms 22:27-28 (King James Version) ^{Psalms 27} All the ENDS of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the KINDREDS of the nations shall worship before thee. ²⁸ For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.

Psalms 119:96 (Amplified Bible) I have seen that everything [human] has its limits and END [no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent]; BUT Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity].

Psalms 39:4 (King James Version) LORD, make me to know mine END, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.

Psalms 119:33 (King James Version) Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

Matthew 24:13 (King James Version) But he that shall ENDURE unto the END, the same shall be saved.

Mark 13:33 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) "...Watch! Be alert!...."

"UNDERSTANDING Is Also SEEING God's Purpose

In Some Of Life's More Unpleasant Events"

Nations that Forget God

Today's Seed:

"The WICKED shall be turned INTO HELL,

And ALL the NATIONS that forget God."

(Psalm 9:17)

The subject of hell is widely ignored today, even by evangelical teachers and pastors. Heaven is commonly mentioned at funerals, of course, since almost everyone attending a funeral wants to think that the deceased has gone there (assuming there turns out to be such a place). Hell is rarely acknowledged as even a possibility, on the other hand, even for mobsters or other criminals.

Nevertheless, HELL [ SHEOL ] real and it is going to be more fully populated than heaven. The Lord Jesus said (and He should know!), "Broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: . . . Narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

But just who are the "wicked" that will be turned into hell? According to the Bible, "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10), and "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 John 5:19), by the principle of Hebrew poetic parallelism, our text would indicate that "the wicked" are those who "forget God," where the connotations of "forget" is "become oblivious to."

Can whole nations become oblivious to the true God of creation--and do business and legislate and conduct all their affairs just as though God no longer existed? If so, those nations (or at least those citizens of those nations who practice such wickedness) are in mortal danger. "Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross" Psalm 1119:119).

In the days of old, the leaders of the city resided daily at the city's gates. The gate was the place of business and government interaction. Everyone had to enter or exit through the gate which made it the obvious location of commerce and political affairs. Genesis 19:1 says, "...and Lot sat at the gate of Sodom..." Many biblical scholars believe that high rankling officials such as governors or mayors, High Priests, and Judges dwelled daily at the gates of their city. Something evil was going on at the city gates. (Read the story of Lot, Absalom, and Eli the High Priest)

But "Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6) and "blessed are all they that put their trust in him" (Psalm 2:12). We who trust Christ therefore surely need to work and pray earnestly for our nation, and our people, that we return to genuine love of God and His Word.

Renew Your Mind: Psalms 91:1-16 (The Message) You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, ² Say this: "God, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" ³ That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. ⁴ His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. ⁵ Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, ⁶ Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. ⁷ Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. ⁸ You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the WICKED into corpses. ⁹ Yes, because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home, ¹⁰ EVIL can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. ¹¹ He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. ¹² If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. ¹³ You'll WALK unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions CALL ME and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times; I'll rescue you, then throw you a party. ¹⁶ I'll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!"

And the Lord said - "Tell My people that THEY DO NOT HAVE TO FEAR. Things Will get ROUGH - Things will get TRUBULENT - BUT I will keep them safe IN THE EYE OF THE STORM'"

The Sex of Humanity: Gender Bias

Today's Seed:

Greet Andronicus and JUNIAS, my kinsman, and my fellow-prisoners,

Who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Romans 16:7

The role of women in the church is perhaps one of the more incendiary issues among conservative denominations। Marshalling verses from Paul’s letters, especially from remarks in Corinthians, many people argue that Scripture teaches that women should not have prominent leadership positions, especially positions of authority over men in teaching and preaching. This view affects translators as well, and in this particular passage, attempts have been made to make the text be consistent with the doctrine rather than allowing the text to speak on its own. A very tiny change leads to a very big mistake.

In the Greek text of Paul’s letter, Paul names a couple, Andronicus and Junia (that’s right, Junia, not Junias) as exemplary fellow-laborers for the gospel. The actual Greek word is ‘Iounian [ee-oo-nee'-as ]. Now, this could be a contraction of the masculine Junianus, but there are no other examples of this type of contraction. Furthermore, several famous Greek scholars argue that this is really the transformation of the name into a form that expresses a direct object (Greek is not like English. It changes the form of the word to express relationships like direct object, possessive case, etc.). That means that this person’s name is ‘Iounia, or in English “Junia,” a woman. In other words, Paul is recognizing a couple where both the man and the woman are “outstanding among the apostles.” In fact, this couple were Christians before Paul, probably indicating that they were Greek proselytes and Messianic believers in the early church in Israel. The early church fathers understood Paul’s remark to be about a married couple, both of whom were apostles।

Several notable Greek scholars argue that the grammar of the phrase “outstanding among the apostles” can only be understood to mean that Junia was an apostle. We certainly know that there were more people considered apostles than the original twelve. Even Chrysostrom (one of the earliest theologians of the church) recognizes Junia as an apostle। In spite of the NIV and the NASB and other contemporary translations to make this woman into a man, the Greek won’t allow it. Neither will the evidence from history.

Why is this important? Because if Junia, a women, is an apostle, then it hardly makes any sense to claim that women in the early church were not allowed to teach or preach or be leaders. What else does an apostle do? How can we possibly understand Paul’s positive acclaim for Junia if this same Paul instructs that all women are to be silent in all churches? The propagation of the idea that women are to be segregated to roles different than men flies in the face of biblical teaching, including Pauline teaching. It is inconsistent with equality under Christ, it ignores the Hebrew role of the ‘ezer (from Genesis) and it is in opposition to the interpretation of the church fathers. We have invented this idea and it’s time to get rid of it. Translations of the text that propagate this bias verge on heresy. They reveal the misogyny of the translators, not the intent of the Most High God. It mystifies me that we could be so easily led astray by the change of one letter (from Junia to Junias), but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Everyone comes to the text with an interpretive scheme. That includes me. Let’s pray that God will gently remove the blinders so that we can see the truth through His Spirit, not our bias.

The Bible has many examples of women who were leaders,teachers, and prophetesses who exercised authority over men
A. Miriam is stated to be a leader of the Exodus alongside Moses and Aaron (Micah 6:4)

B. Deborah served as a judge in Israel (Judges 4-5).

C. Huldah was a prophetess consulted by both men and women (2Kings 22:14).

There were prophetesses in the New Testament who carried the authority of their Office Teaching men

(Luke 2:36-38; Acts 2:16-18; 21:8-9;1 Cor 11:4-5)

History has conclusively demonstrated that women have been very effective spiritual leaders and pastors