Work

Monday, September 22, 2008: Romans 8:28–29

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

What are the ‘things’ that work together for good? Circumstances, material possessions, and people are all in God’s plan.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008: 1 Corinthians 3:12–15

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

What is THE DAY? Judgment day!
What is the condition for salvation? The condition is that you build on One foundation: Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008: Galatians 6:3–4

For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

What examination must our work pass? Answer: is it for self-glory or for God?

Thursday, September 25, 2008: Philippians 1:3–6

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Who should be at work in your life? It should be God but it often is us.

Friday, September 26, 2008: 2 Thessalonians 2:7–8

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

Who is the restrainer? The Holy Spirit in us.
When will He be taken out of the way? When the believers are raptured away.

Misconceptions in Revlation

Monday, September 15, 2008: Revelation 1:20

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

What is the mystery? The seven stars and seven lampstands are symbols.
What is the revelation? Stars are Angels (of each Church); lampstands are Churches.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008: Revelation 2:1a, 8a, 12a, 18a

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,

To whom was John told to write? John was to write to the Angels or Stars.
To whom was John NOT told to write? John was NOT told to write to the Churches or Candlesticks. Many preachers, pastors and priests confuse the two and read the passages as letters to Churches when the Bible says seven times they are not.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008: Revelation 3:1a, 7a, 14a

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
Revelation 1:11a
saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia:

What was John told to do? The letters he was to write were not to be mailed to separate places; they were to be put in a book, Revelation.

Thursday, September 18, 2008: Revelation 2:7a, 11a, 17a, 29a

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

Are these sections a letter, a text message or a voicemail? I believe this is closest to a text message. The ear is spiritual ear and the hearing spiritual hearing: it refers to those who read the book of Revelation.

Friday, September 19, 2008: Revelation 3:6, 13, 22

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”

Who speaks in these sections? The Holy Spirit speaks (through Christ)
To whom does He speak? To all seven Churches, NOT to a single Church.
To whom is the message? To anyone who reads Revelation.

Worship Service

Λατρεύω, latreuō
1) to serve for hire
2) to serve, minister to, either to the gods or men and used alike of slaves and freemen
i) in the NT, to render religious service or homage, to worship
ii) to perform sacred services, to offer gifts, to worship God in the observance of the rites instituted for his worship
(1) of priests, to officiate, to discharge the sacred office
Verb: from latris (a hired menial) adapted from Thayer's Greek Definitions.

Monday, September 8, 2008: Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

What is our circumcision? We have cut off, or have no confidence in the flesh, but worship God in the Spirit.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008: Hebrews 9:13–14

For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

How are dead works different from living works? Dead works go only as far as remembering that you have sinned before God and have to sacrifice to ‘cover’ the sins every year. Living works start from a clean conscience cleaned by the blood of Christ and proceed to serving not self but God.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008: 2 Timothy 1:3

I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,

What is one of Paul’s service before God? Paul served by remembering fellow believers in prayers daily.

Thursday, September 11, 2008: Hebrews 12:28

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

What service is acceptable to God? The Savior said it all: “not My will but Yours be done.”

Friday, September 12, 2008: Hebrews 10:1–2

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.
For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.

What is the difference between a shadow and an image of hope? A shadow reveals a dark silhouette or outline: an image has details, but in fewer dimensions than reality. Part of our worship is remembering what sacrifice gave us hope of eternal life.

ICQ

ICQ (pronounced: I Seek You)

Tuesday, September 2, 2008: Matthew 6:31–33

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Background: this is part of the ‘Sermon On The Mount.’

Is there an element of childlike faith in seeking after God’s kingdom first? Jesus Christ calls Him our Heavenly Father who is aware of our physical needs. The implication is that our eternal spiritual needs far outweigh what the world brings to our attention as important.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008: Luke 19:9–10

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Background: this is the end result of the change that took place in the life of Zacchaeus, a disliked tax collector.

What is the prerequisite to salvation? A realization that one is lost: if you think you know where you are and know the way, you cannot be saved.

Thursday, September 4, 2008: Luke 24:5

Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

Background: In spite of all that Jesus Christ had told His disciples, the human mind cannot conceive life after death, especially after crucifixion.

What was the effect of the question? It forced the disciples to realize that Jesus Christ was not dead but alive.

Friday, September 5, 2008: Hebrews 13:13–14

Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

How can we seek for something that we know is not here? If we continue to look at life in the same manner as we did before we knew God and His salvation, we have missed the point about eternal life and its everlasting reward in pleasing God.

Choosing To Repent

Monday, August 25, 2008: Matthew 3:1–2

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

What does ‘repent’ mean? It is you choosing to recognize your sin before God and realize of its cost to God- His own Son. This is the great turning point – of your own free will!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008: Mark 1:4

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

What was the significance of baptism? It was a visible sign that, after you choose to repent, your life was begun anew.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008: Mark 1:14–15

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

What did Jesus Christ preach about repentance? The mind-changing choice of repentance was followed by believing the good news of God’s kingdom.

Thursday, August 28, 2008: Mark 6:7,12

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.
So they went out and preached that people should repent.

What were the apostles (twelve) asked to do? They went out and preached repentance with power given by Jesus Christ Himself.

Friday, August 29, 2008: Luke 15:10

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

What did the Lord Jesus Christ say about a repentant sinner? There is joy in the presence of the angels - not that the angels were joyful, but that God Himself was!

Peter's Second Letter

Monday, August 18, 2008: 2 Peter 1:1

Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Background: Peter is writing this last letter just before his execution in A. D. 65-68 because of error that is creeping into the churches in what is now Turkey.
Who does Peter say he is? Peter calls himself a slave and an eyewitness-messenger of Jesus Christ.
Who is he specifically writing to? He writes to other believers who acquire faith as a result of the perfect rightness of God and our savior Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008: 2 Peter 1:2

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

Is this A x B where A = grace and B = peace? No, both grace and peace continue to increase in our lives proportionate to the increase of our knowledge of God and Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008: 2 Peter 1:3

as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

Are the faithful already given ALL things? Yes, but linked to a new life and living that is centered on God and His plan for your life.

Thursday, August 21, 2008: 2 Peter 1:4

by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

What does our knowledge of Him give the faithful? It gives us promises which are so great and valuable that they make us take part of God’s own nature, escaping lust’s worldly corrosion.

Friday, August 22, 2008: 2 Peter 1:5

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

What are we to diligently add? Faith + virtue + knowledge.
But isn't this already there in the previous verses? Yes, but each quality or qualification has many levels to which the circumstances brought into your life by God allow you to grow in stature.

It Is A Must...

δει; dei: It is a Must.

Prelude: certain phrases in Greek loose some of their force in translation. One such example is ‘It is a MUST,’ an imperative statement.

Monday, August 11, 2008: Matthew 16:21

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

Background: This passage lies between Jesus Christ calling Peter blessed (because His Father had revealed to him that Jesus was the Son of God) and calling him (get behind me,) Satan!
Why was ‘must’ used about going to Jerusalem instead of ‘would?’ This was the main purpose of Jesus Christ’s coming into the world.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008: John 3:7

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Background: Nicodemus came to meet Jesus Christ at night.
Did Nicodemus ask a question that Jesus answered thus? No. But the subject was in his heart, which Jesus Christ knew.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008: Acts 4:11–12

This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Background: After Pentecost, Peter healed the beggar born blind. He was brought before the Sanhedrin (Jewish leadership) who still rejected the Gospel. This was Peter’s uncompromising statement.
Does salvation depend on a verb like being good? No, being saved depends upon a Name: Jesus Christ, and on nothing else.

Thursday, August 14, 2008: John 4:23–24

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Background: This took place at a well in Samaria when the woman who was an adulteress sought to change the subject. She did so by invoking a controversy: where do people go to worship God?
Where do people go to worship God? In Spirit and in Truth. Jesus Christ called Himself: the Way, the Truth, and the Life. A worshiper must exalt the Name Jesus Christ before God.

Friday, August 15, 2008: 2 Corinthians 5:9–10

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Background: there is a judgment for all believers called the BEMA, or Judgment Seat of Christ. We all must stand before it.
Is the judgment going to be about good or bad? No, but about weather we were pleasing to Him or not. We, however will receive according to the good or bad we have done, that is reward or no reward (not punishment.)