A Joyful Endurance in Tribulation (1 Thess. 1:6b)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/16/2014 8:59 AM

My Worship Time                                                         Focus:  A Joyful Endurance in Tribulation

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                     Reference:  1 Thess. 1:6b

            Message of the verses:  “having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit.”

            We are going to take a look at the sixth characteristic of the elect in today’s SD.

            The second half of verse six tells us that the Thessalonian believers received the Word, and later on we will see that Paul tells them that they knew what he was telling them was the Word of God, they received it in much tribulation, that is they were under much pressure, but it goes on to tell them that they had joy in the Holy Spirit.  Paul is not talking about joy that a person can have because they are happy, but the kind of joy he writes about in Romans 14:17 “God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy.”  (Message)  “After all, the kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of whether you get what you like to eat and drink, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  (Philips) 

            We have discussed the fact that Paul was not with these new believers very long, but the Bible does not tell us how long he was with them as far as an amount of weeks or months.  We do know that Paul taught in the Synagogue for three Sabbaths but the Jews did not want to hear any more of his teachings so he went to the Gentiles.  We also know that Paul worked there so that he would not be a burden to this new church, and we also know that according to Philippians 4:16 that he received two gifts from the believers at Philippi.  We then can conclude that he was there for a few months, but exactly how long we cannot say for certain.  He was there to teach them much about the Word of God, and especially about the end times as we can conclude from both of his letters to them. 

            Let’s look briefly at the tribulation that Paul went through in taking the Word of God to the Thessalonian believers from Acts 17:5-10 “5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.  10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.”  Paul seems to many times was preaching and teaching the Word of God in tribulation, that is in extreme pressure.  We can read about this in the book of 2Cor. 11: 22 “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ?-I speak as if insane-I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.”  Paul was defending the fact that he was a real Apostle of Jesus Christ in these verses written to those in Corinth.  We can rest assured that Paul, in all of his sufferings received the true joy in the Holy Spirit.  Let us now look at the joy that Christ had in dying for our sins:  “1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  (Hebrews 12:1-3)  I think that we can conclude that the highlighted part of verse three was true of the believers from Thessalonians.

            John MacArthur writes the following about the word “tribulation.”  “The Greek word rendered tribulation is thlipsis, which means ‘intense pressure,’ as opposed to something mild.  So the new believers in Thessalonica experienced severe persecution, but the genuineness of their salvation transcended that affliction so that they never lost their joy (cf. 1 Thess. 3:4; 2 Thess. 1:4; in contrast, see Ps. 51:12).” “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit (Ps. 51:12).”  This psalm was written by David as he confessed the sin he had done in reference to sleeping with Bathsheba and then killing her husband.

            In explaining the fact that the Thessalonian believers acted similar to those from the church in Judah MacArthur writes “But one should not consider those Spirit-filled responses of joy strange or incomprehensible—joy is a divine benefit of the Christians standing in Christ, one of the ‘spiritual blessing (s) is the heavenly places in Christ’ (Eph. 1:3).  Romans 5:1-4 declares:  ‘1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2  through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4  and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.’”

            “Mere human joy will die under persecution; the joy of the Holy Spirit will transcend it and grow.  Yet again, though such joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), all believers are called on to pursue greater and greater joy (Phil. 4:4).” 

3/16/2014 2:03 PM

            I am back from church service and while there I thought of a parable that Jesus taught that I would like to include on this SD.  “1 That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. 3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5  "Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 “But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 “Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 “And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 “He who has ears, let him hear." 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?’”  Before we look at this parable let us try and answer the question that the disciples asked from verse ten.  In chapter twelve of Matthew Jesus was told by the Pharisees that He was doing miracles through the power of Satan, and so Jesus told them that they had committed the unpardonable sin by saying that His parables were done in the power of Satan.  When we come to chapter thirteen we now see Jesus teaching in parables so that those who did not belong to the Lord would understand them, but those who did not would not understand them.  “11 Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted’” Matthew 13:11. 

            Next we will look at the meaning of the parable of the sower and the seeds:  “11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. 12 “Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. 13  "Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. 14  "The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15  "But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:11-15).”  My point in all of this is to show that not all people who hear the Word of God will be saved, something we discussed in our last SD, and also that the seed that was sown on the rocky soil were people who had joy when they heard it, but then when troubles came they lost their joy.  The Thessalonian believers did not lose their joy because it was joy in the Holy Spirit, while those in the parable was joy of their own.  The Thessalonians would fall into the last part of the parable the part that the seed fell into the good ground and a great crop would come from it, for this is the only part of the parable that speaks of true believers.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Having joy in the Holy Spirit is something that is real joy, and it does not mean that I will be happy all of the time, but that I will be assured that God is in control, that God is sovereign, and that God will work out all things for His glory and for my good.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Philippians 2:5-9

5 Have this attitude in yourself which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God did not regard equality with a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking on the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by being obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Yes” (2 Kings 25:7).

Today’s Bible question:  “Who did Paul send unto the Corinthians?”

Answer in our next SD.

3/16/2014 2:34 PM

Fifth Characteristic of the Elect (1 Thess. 1:6a)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/15/2014 9:07 AM

My Worship Time                                                              Focus:  Fifth Characteristic of the Elect

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1 Thessalonians 1:6a

            Message of the verse:  “6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord.”

            This fifth characteristic of the elect is “A genuine imitation of the Lord.”  The first thing I want to look at from this part of verse six is the word “imitators” and the word means to mimic, so Paul is saying that a characteristic of the elect was to mimic Paul, and those who were with him, Silas, and Timothy, but they were also to mimic the Lord Jesus Christ.  When a person is genuinely born-again they become a new person:  “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come (2 Cor. 5:17).”  How did this happen “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).”  This is what is called the “Exchange” for Christ took our sin while on the cross and in exchange for that He gave us His righteousness so that God does not see our sin anymore, but only sees Christ’s righteousness in us.  Because of this new birth He gives us His Holy Spirit to live in us and thus we have the power from His Spirit to live a life that will mimic Christ.  Now Paul was also a good person to mimic, for we know that He lived a life, after he became a believer that was pleasing to the Lord.  I can say that one of the first things that happened to me after being born from above on the 26^th of January of 1974 was that I completely lost the desire to swear, for before my conversion I could hardly say a sentence without swearing, but God took that away from me.  This was one of the first steps of me mimicking my Lord, along with having a desire to begin to study His Word, and to tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ and how to be saved, things we will look at in more detail as we go through this first chapter of 1 Thessalonians.

            The Thessalonians were living in a difficult place, for because of the location of the city there was much travel going through the city, both by water and on land.  This would bring into the city people of pretty low reputation.  There was much prostitution and worship of idols that went on in this city.  Paul was not there for a very long period of time to teach them, but God changed the heats of these people so that they wanted to follow the Lord in a very dark place.  It was through the power of the Holy Spirit that they desired to become imitators of both Paul land of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The work of sanctification begins immediately after salvation:  1  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2  according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure (1 Peter 1:1-2).”  Paul reminded the Romans about this in Romans 6:3-4 “3  Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4  Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”  We have already looked at 2 Cor. 5:17, but now we will look at Galatians 6:15 “For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”  When a person becomes born from above there are many things that happen to him at this time, things we will not go into right now, but just to say that when a person is born again he has new desires and one of those desires is to become an imitator of the Lord Jesus Christ.

            John MacArthur writes:  “The Thessalonian believers’ lifestyles started becoming far different from the sordid, idolatrous paganism of their past and from the legalistic self-righteousness of the Jews in their city.  They had become imitators of Jesus Christ.  Paul commanded believers to pursue that reality as a way of life:  ‘Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ’ (1 Cor. 11:1).  He told the Corinthians that it was a progressive experience of sanctification by the Holy Spirit that moved them upward to increasing levels of glory, more and more into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I believe that just as when a baby is born that they have a protectiveness that comes from their mother, so when a person is born again into the family of God that God protects them from harmful things that could cause great discouragement to them and thus stop their spiritual growth.  A new believer often sees great answers to their prayers, and I believe that this is God’s way of increasing their faith.  However when a person walks with the Lord for a longer period of time they sometimes try to live the Christian life on their own, and this will never work.  Looking back on these characteristics of the elect has been a good experience for me as I remember what it was like when God first saved me, and that is good to remember.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Be an imitator of Christ.

A note of understanding form what is going on now:  I am attempting to do two new blog posts a day in order to continue to keep up with our study in Jeremiah, so when I do the bog post on Jeremiah I will not include some of the things that are on the post from 1 Thessalonians so in order to follow the Bible questions they will be on the post from 1 Thessalonians until we finish this first chapter.

Memory verses for the week:  “Philippians 2:5-8.

5 Have this attitude in yourself which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking on the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Thirty-nine.”

Today’s Bible question:  “Was Zedekiah carried to Babylon?”

Answer in our next SD.

3/15/2014 10:11 AM

 

  

A Reception of the Gospel in Power and the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1:5)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/14/2014 6:00 AM

My Worship Time                  Focus: A Reception of the Gospel in Power and the Holy Spirit

Bible Reading and Meditation                                              Reference:  1 Thessalonians 1:5

            Message of the verses:  “5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”

            Two things to remember as we look at this verse:  First this is the fourth characteristic of the elect, and second this is the second part of our ten characteristics of being elect which MacArthur calls this section “Their Past Conversion.”  From verses 5-10 we will look at these last seven characteristics.  MacArthur writes “Paul’s certainty regarding the Thessalonians’ election encompassed his memories of their past conversion.  The apostle confidently set forth those memories in verses 5-10 as reasons affirming their salvation.”

            As we look at this verse we might at first think that Paul was addressing what the Thessalonians’ went through when they became believers, however what we see here is that Paul, Silas, and Timothy were the ones who received the power from the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel to these people.  In 2 Thessalonians 2:14 we read the following “It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Paul was taking the gospel so personal that he called it our gospel, speaking of him, Silas, and Timothy.  As believers we should be able to relate to this when we are giving out the gospel to those who are lost, for it should become very personal to us also.

            Notice that the gospel did not come to them “in word only.”  Now this may sound a bit strange but when we look at Romans 10:17 which reads “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”  MacArthur writes “It was not simply the words themselves that mattered, although any message—including the gospel—by definition has to consist of words setting forth from the message.  Faith does come by hearing those words of truth, but the transformation process involves far more than that.”  I left a church which I attended for 32 years because we got a new pastor who wanted to water down the gospel.  He wanted to make the church weak by what is now called a “seekers church.”  The gospel will make people different and when you water down the church so that when a person who is not a believe comes into the church and sees little difference than what the world has to offer then that is not what is suppose to happen, for it is done in word only and not by the power of the Holy Spirit.  MacArthur continues his thoughts by writing “Regardless of the erudition, (learning) the compelling logic, the soaring rhetoric, or the clever and interesting communication style, if the truth spoken is not accompanied by the power of God, it accomplishes nothing.  But when empowered by God as it enters the prepared soul, the gospel truth saves:  ‘23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

 24 For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." And this is the word which was preached to you.’”

            I once heard an illustration from a man I knew as he was showing that because of the fall that all men are born spiritually dead.  He asked an undertaker who was going to our church at the time if he ever got a response from someone he was about to bury when he asked them “what kind of a tie would you like.”  Of course the answer was that dead men cannot talk, and Jesus gives out this truth when we look at John 3:19-20 “19  "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”  Jesus is saying that men love the darkness more than the light, but we must realize that we are all born into the darkness, and it takes the miracle of hearing the gospel accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit to take us from the darkness to the light.  The man Jesus was talking to was “named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews,” and he came into the light as we see in the later chapters of John’s gospel.  Paul also said the following in 2 Cor. 4:3-4 “3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  Ephesians 2:1-2 “1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.”  Our point in all of this is that there will be many people who hear the truth, the gospel, who will not be saved, for it is not through “word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”  MacArthur writes “Genuine soul-transforming power accompanying the gospel preaching is the work of the Spirit energizing both the preacher and the hearer.  Jesus alluded to this truth when He promised the apostles just prior to His ascension, ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth’ (Acts 1:8).”

            We will look at a third point from this verse by quoting Commentator Leon Morris who wrote “The third point is that the gospel came ‘in much assurance.’  There is no repetition of the ‘in’ in the Greek.  The effect is to link these words very closely with the foregoing.  Assurance [plerophoria] is not some human device whereby men persuade themselves.  Rather it is the result of the activity of the Holy Spirit working within believers.  Some have felt that the assurance meant here is that which came to the converts as they put their trust in Christ, and this may not be out of the Apostle’s mind.  But his primary meaning is the assurance that the Spirit gave to the preachers, for Paul is dealing with the way he and his companions came to know the election of the Thessalonians.  They had the assurance in their own hearts that, as they were preaching, the power of God was at work.  The Spirit was working a work of grace.”  This quote comes from “The First and Second Epistles of the Thessalonians, the New International Commentary on the New Testament [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989], (57-58).”

            It is a wonderful thing when believers realize that they have the power of the Holy Spirit when they are telling someone about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and can be assured that their message is being received in His power, working so that the person or persons they are talking to will become believers.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”  (1 Peter 3:15).

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I want always to be ready to be used of the Spirit to tell others about how they can be saved.

Memory verses for the week:  Philippians 2:5-8

5 Have this attitude in yourself which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  8 Being found in the appearance of a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Luke” (Colossians 4:14).

Today’s Bible question:  “How many books are there in the Old Testament?”

Answer in our next SD.

3/14/2014 7:16 AM

 

           

 

An Understanding of Election (1 Thess. 1:4)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/13/2014 10:40 AM

My Worship Time                                                                Focus:  An Understanding of Election

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1 Thessalonians 1:4

            Message of the verse:  “4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you.”

I wrote in yesterday’s SD that there are seven characteristics that are true of those whom God calls for salvation, the elect, and as we come to verse four we find that there is a transition from the proceeding statement found in verse three.  Verse three describes Paul’s confidence in the Thessalonians’ present spiritual condition while as we move forward we will see his focus on their past conversion which we will see in verses 5-10 of chapter one.  In those verses we will look at the seven remaining characteristics of the elect.

            The first word in verse four “knowing” and John MacArthur explains that this word could also be translated as “seeing” or as “perceiving.”  He states “Here Paul used it to express his perception that the assembly in Thessalonica was genuine.”  As I read MacArthur’s commentary on 1 Thessalonians I can’t get over how important it is to have an understanding of the Greek language, something that I don’t have, but appreciate the knowledge that he has and has put into his commentary.  It brings greater insight into what the Word of God says.

            In his commentary on 1 Thessalonians John MacArthur states something that I do not completely understand as he states “Beloved by God translates a perfect passive participial phrase in the Greek (egap emenoi hupo [tou] theou), explaining the reality that Christians are recipients of the sovereign love of God (cf. Deut. 7:78).”  Now we will look at Deuteronomy 7:7-8 and also quote the verse not from the MacArthur Study Bible which I hope will help us understand more of what he writes about on this subject.  “7 “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”  “7:8 loved you…kept the oath.  The choosing of Israel as a holy nation set apart for God was grounded in God’s love and His faithfulness to the promises He had made to the patriarchs, not in any merit of intrinsic goodness in Israel.”  Here we see the election of God in action described in verse eight.  After the fall of man which happened in the Garden of Eden all of mankind that was born from the seed of man were born sinners, all having a sin nature.  God in His love, grace, and mercy chose some for salvation as He states in Ephesians chapter one.  “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”  This was a choice that our Sovereign God made, because He is God and can make this choice. 

            Let us look now at some verses that will show us that when Paul told the Thessalonians he was certain of God’s “choice of you” (them), the words that he wrote were in perfect harmony with other New Testament’s usage on this subject: Matthew 24:22, 24 “"Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 24 “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”  Luke 18:7 “now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?”  Romans 8:33 “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.”  Col. 3:12 “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  2 Timothy 2:10 “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.”  MacArthur writes “Christians are the elect, chosen of God solely by His sovereign, loving purpose, apart from any human merit or wisdom.  God in eternity past sovereignty chose all believers to salvation, drawing them to Himself in time, by the work of the Holy Spirit (John 6:37, 44; Rom. 9:15-16; 1 Cor. 1:9; Eph. 1:4-6, 11; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 1:9; cf. Acts 13:46-48; Rev. 13:8; 17:8).”  I will not look at all of these verses in this SD, but I would like to look at Acts 12:46-38 “46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 “For so the Lord has commanded us, ’I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’" 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”  We also read the following in John 15:16 “"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”  One more verse to look at and that is found the high priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17:9 “"I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours.”

            One more quote from John MacArthur that is important and then we will be done with this portion of this SD:  “As 1 Thessalonians 1:6 and 9 suggest, man’s will participates in conversion in response to God promptings. Thus true evangelism is a call to repent and believe (e. g., Acts 20:21).” 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The sovereign election of God is difficult to understand but it is taught in the Word of God.  All of the Godhead is involved in it as the Father did the choosing as we saw in Ephesians 1:4-6, the Son died in the place of those whom God chose, and the Holy Spirit gives the effectual call to those the Father chose and the Son died for. It was on the 26^th of January of 1974, a little over forty years ago that this happened to me.  I surely did not see this happening to me, nor did I understand exactly all that happened to me, but I knew for sure that my life was different, and that God loved me so much that He sent His Son to die in my place so that I could spend eternity with Him, and that I could live for Him while on planet earth.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I desire to live for the Lord today and everyday.

Memory verses for the week:  Philippians 2:5-8

5 Have this attitude in yourself which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking on the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  8 Being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Enoch” Genesis 4:17.

Today’s Bible question:  “Who was called the beloved physician?”

Answer in our next SD.

  3/13/2014 12:18 PM

              

 

 

PT-1 Evidence of Being Elect (1Thess. 1:3)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/12/2014 10:48 AM

My Worship Time                                                          Focus:  Evidence of Being Elect PT-1

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1 Thessalonians 1:3

      Message of the verses:  I want to begin with a quote that perhaps I may begin many of the SD’s with while we are in the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians, and that quote is from John MacArthur explaining the Greek word that can be translated “elect.”  This is important to understand so that we can better understand this chapter.  “Paul’s use of the Greek word translated church (ekkesia) emphasizes the reality of the Thessalonians’ election.  Ekkesia is related to the phrase ek kaleo, ‘to call out,’ and means ‘the called out ones,’ or it can mean ‘the elect ones,’ especially when connected with the phase ‘His choice of you’ (v. 4), which is specific.  Paul was certain that the Thessalonians were among God’s elect because he had seen the evidence of their transformation.”

            As we go through this first chapter we will see that there are ten characteristics revealed to show that the people in Thessalonica were believers or were “elect.”  The following is a definition of the word “elect” from the Greek/English dictionary from the 24^th chapter of Matthew:  “Mt 24:22  "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Mt 24:24  "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

Mt 24:31  "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

“1588 ἐκλεκτός eklektos ek-lek-tos’ from 1586; adj; TDNT-4:181,505; { See TDNT 431}

1) picked out, chosen

1a) chosen by God,

1a1) to obtain salvation through Christ

1a1a) Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God

1a2) the Messiah is called "elect," as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable

1a3) choice, select, i.e. the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians”

            I want to give a list of these characteristics at this time:  “How do you know the true Christians? Listen very carefully now to what I say or you might be confused. You can tell a true Christian, he has a faith that works, a love that labors, a hope that perseveres, has been under a preaching that is powerful, has a life that is new, has a joy that is transcendent, a behavior that is exemplary, a witness that is strong and an allegiance that submits, and a waiting for Jesus. Now listen carefully. If these don't mark you, then I can't tell if you're a Christian and very likely, neither can you.”  (From John MacArthur’s Sermon “Identifying the Elect PT-3)

 

            A Faith that Worded (1 Thessalonians 1:3a):  “constantly bearing in mind your work of faith.”

 

            I want to focus in on the word “work” for a true believer has had a work of faith in his life.  We can see this work of faith described by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17 which states “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”  MacArthur writes “Simply stated, the elect engage in holy, righteous deeds to the honor of God.  Work is the Greek word ergon, which refers to the deed, achievement, or function itself.  Paul was confident of the Thessalonians’ election because their faith—the authentic saving and sanctifying gift from God—was producing righteous deeds in their lives.”

            Now we cannot get the cart before the horse, and as we look at another “famous” Scripture from Paul’s writing we will see how this works:  “  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Paul is telling the Ephesians that first comes the gift of God through His grace through faith and then after that comes the works that show that they are truly believers.  James also writes about this, and some have gotten mixed up about what James wrote when he writes “18 But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead (James 2:18-22, 26).”  It was because Abraham was a true believer that he could do the works of offering Isaac as a sacrifice, and this was not a work to cause him to become a believer, but a work that showed he was a believer.  Christians are to do the works that God leads them to do, and I believe that according to Ephesians 2:10 that God has chosen special works for all of His children to do, but this does not give them salvation, but proves that they have received salvation.  “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).”

            In the book of Romans and chapter six and verses 16-18 along with 21-22 we read about how believers before they became believers were slaves to sin, but now believers are transformed to a different kind of slavery.

            Labor of Love (1 Thessalonians 1:3b):  “and labor of love.”  I want to give some verses that speak of how believers have a labor of love.  “John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.  John 15:10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” 

            John MacArthur writes the following:  “Labor is a Greek word kopos, which denotes an arduous, wearying kind of toil, done to the point of exhaustion.  Unlike ergon (work), which focuses on the deed itself, kopos looks at the effort expended in accomplishing a particular deed.  It is an effort that strains all of one’s energies to the maximum level.  The noblest, most altruistic and selfless form of love (agape) motivates this kind of spiritual effort.  The apostle Paul referred to the spiritual effort believers make as they work to advance divine truth and the kingdom of the Lord because they sincerely love people.”

            A Hope That Endured (1 Thessalonians 1:3c): “and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, “

            As we look at these characteristics of a true believer we can see that Paul has written about them in the 13^th chapter of 1 Corinthians where he states:  “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  This comes from the “famous” chapter on Love.

            Paul describes this hope that all true believers have, and something we will discuss again in verse ten of this chapter, in Titus 2:11-13 “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12  instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13  looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” 

            Paul could teach this truth to others because he has so much confidence in his own life about the return of Christ as he writes “in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).”  Remember that 2 Timothy was written not too long before Paul was executed in Rome.  Now let’s look at what the author of Hebrews writes about this hope:  “18  so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20  where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:18-20).”

Let us look at what MacArthur says about the word “Steadfastness.”  “It is from the Greek word hupomone, which conveys the idea of endurance or perseverance; literally, it denotes the condition of staying under pressure.  It is closely related to the theological concept the Reformers called ‘the perseverance of the saints’ (cf. Rom. 2:7; 2 Thess. 1:4; Rev. 14:12)—that is, Christians will hold fast to their hope until the end.  There is nothing that should cause a true Christian to lose his trust in God’s promises:  “4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5).  For believers, true hope is a strong longing and groaning to ‘be at home with the Lord’ (see 2 Corinthians 5:2-8).” 

            As believers we have a great hope that is based what the Scriptures tell us, and we must remember that hope is a noun and not a verb, where as if it were a verb we would say something like “I hope it is sunny tomorrow.”  Our hope is sure and all believers demonstrate that kind of hope, or at least should demonstrate that kind of hope in their lives.  We understand that this world is not our home, but we are here on earth to do the will of God, and we at times have tests in our lives to help us better understand that God is in control of our lives.  Warren Wiersbe has said many times in his writings when talking about tests that believers go through that when we go through the furnace of testing God has His hand on the thermostat. 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I am so happy to study about the different characteristics of the true believer.  I know that no one will always demonstrate all of these characteristics, but they are good to know to show me that I am a true believer.  I know that on the 26^th of January of 1974 that God invaded my life and my life has never been the same since.  I also know that there are battles that I face each and every day, but God is faithful to see me through them.  I will always remember when it comes to those battles what an old Scottish preacher says, whom Dr. Wiersbe has quoted many times “The Christian life is a series of new beginnings.”  God is not through with me yet, and my prayer is that I will begin to demonstrate all of these characteristics of the elect in my life each day of my life.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to lead my life.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Memory verses for the week:  Philippians 2:5-8

5 Have this attitude in yourself which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but humbled Himself, taking on the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Adam” (Genesis 2:23).

Today’s Bible question:  “What city did Cain build?”

Answer in our next SD.

3/12/2014 12:31 PM  

             

 

           

Intro to 1 Thess. (1 Thess. 1:1-2)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/11/2014 10:46 AM

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Paul’s Greeting

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  1^st Thess. 1:1-2

            Message of the verses:  I wanted to give the outline on the book of First Thessalonians according to John MacArthur, which is the commentary that I will be following along with help from Warren Wiersbe’s commentary. 

Outline

I.                    Paul’s Salutation (1:1)

II.                 Paul’s Pastoral Care (1:2-3:13)

A.     Describing his thankfulness (1:2-10)

B.     Defending his integrity (2:1-16)

C.     Defining his concerns (2:17-3:16)

III.               Paul’s Practical Instructions (4:1-5:22)

A.     Moral purity (4:1-8)

B.     Disciplined living (4:9-12)

C.     The Rapture (4:13-18)

D.     The Day of the Lord (5:12-15)

E.      Church relationships (5:12-15)

F.      Basic Christian living (5:16-22)

IV.              Paul’s Benediction and Closing Admonition (5:23-28)

“1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.  2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;”

As we go through this first chapter of the letter to the Thessalonians we will be focusing on the characteristics of the elect, and we will see ten of these as we go through the first chapter. We can never actually see when the Holy Spirit of God gives an effectual call to the unbeliever; however we can see the results of that call.  As we look at these ten characteristics of the elect it will help us answer the questions that sometimes come up in our lives as to whether or not we are a true believer or perhaps help us answer questions to others who doubt their salvation. 

We mentioned in our first SD on First Thessalonians that Paul had suffered much for the cause of Christ as he was beaten in Philippi before even going to Thessalonica and if we read about his sufferings that he describes in 2 Corinthians we will see that he suffered much more for the furtherance of the Gospel.  “24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.   Jesus told Ananias the following things that would happen to Paul “"Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.’ (Acts 9:15b-16).”

As we look at the first verse in chapter one we see that Paul does not say that he is an apostle as he did in other letters that he wrote, and the reason that he did not put this in there is because the believers there did not have a problem with the fact that he was an apostle like seen in other churches he ministered too, in fact the portion we read from 2 Corinthians about his suffering was to show that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ.  The Thessaloian believers were a joy in the heart of Paul for he could write to them as a church that was truly all believers unlike other churches that he wrote to.  When we look at the seven churches that the Lord Jesus spoke of in Revelations 2-3 we can see that not all of the people attending there were truly believers, but not so in Thessalonica. 

“1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.”

As we look at this first verse we know who Paul is for he was the most influential apostle of the early church.  Silvanus is also called Silas and he went with Paul on the second missionary journey.  MacArthur writes of Silas “Silas, probably an Hellenistic Jew, was a prominent member of the Jerusalem church who first accompanied Paul on the apostle’s second missionary journey (Acts 15:40) and later was a scribe for Peter (cf. 1 Peter 5:12).”

He also writes the following about Timothy:  “Timothy was a native of Lystra (Acts 16:1-3), a city in Asia Minor.  He was Paul’s son in the faith and protégé.  He toured with Paul on the second and third missionary journeys and remained near the apostle during Paul’s first incarceration in Rome.  Later Timothy served the church at Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3) and was himself imprisoned (Heb. 13:23).  At the end of Paul’s life, when Timothy was in Ephesus, he wrote the two inspired letters to him.”

It is important that we know about the Greek meaning for the word “church” as it shows us that Paul was speaking about those who were elect.  MacArthur writes “Paul’s use of the Greek word translated church (ekkesia) emphasizes the reality of the Thessalonians’ election.  Ekkesia is related to the phrase ek kaleo, ‘to call out,’ and means ‘the called out ones,’ or it can mean ‘the elect ones,’ especially when connected with the phase ‘His choice of you’ (v. 4), which is specific.  Paul was certain that the Thessalonians were among God’s elect because he had seen the evidence of their transformation.”

We next look at the phrase “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Paul uses the phrase “in Christ” many times in his writings showing that when a person is truly born again that he is now in Christ and once in Christ there is no way to have you removed from Him.  “John 10:29  "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  There is something else we need to look at here and that is as MacArthur writes “Modifying the phrase God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ with a single preposition emphasizes the equality of essence between Father and Son.  It is worth noting here that Paul used the Saviors’ full title, the Lord Jesus Christ.  That combines in one phrase all the major aspects of His redemptive work.  Lord describes Him as creator and sovereign ruler, the One who made us, bought us, rules over us, and to whom we owe full allegiance.  Jesus (“Jehovah saves”) refers to His humanity; it was the name given Him at His birth (Matt. 1:21, 25).  Christ (“the anointed one”) is the Greek term for the Messiah, the one promised by God to fulfill His plan of redemption.” 

Next we look at the last words of the verse “grace and peace.”  One cannot have peace without grace for grace is undeserved favor to the sinner in the form of complete forgiveness of sin and the granting of eternal life.  We receive peace with God through His grace and we can also experience the peace of God too.  “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).”  “Ro 5:1  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We see from verse two: “2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;” that all of the men who are mentioned in verse one are praying for the people of Thessalonians and giving thanks to the Lord for them for what He has and still is accomplishing in their lives.

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I cannot explain what it was that God called me to be a part of the salvation that He offers through Jesus Christ, but I am thankful and have a great desire to serve Him all of my days.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to direct my path.

Memory verses for the week:  Philippians 2:5-8

5 Have this attitude in yourself which was also in Christ Jesus 6, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking on the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Pluck it out, cast it from thee.” (Matthew 5:29)

Today’s Bible question:  “Who said ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: She shall be called woman?”

Answer in our next SD.

3/11/2014 11:55 AM

 

 

Future (Gen. 50:26)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-26-2008

 

My Worship Time                                                                                          Focus:  Future

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                         Reference:  Genesis 50:26

 

            Message of the verse:  “26 So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.”

 

            Joseph’s work was not done even though he was dead and in his coffin, for as the children of Israel went from being guests in the land to being slaves in the land they could look at the coffin with Joseph in it and remember the promises that God had given to them through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph and not give up hope that God would visit them and bring them out of the land of Egypt and into the promise land as He promised them.

           

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  This portion of Scripture says that my work for the Lord does not have to be done even after I die, (I hope to be raptured while still alive though).  Dr. Wiersbe quotes the apostle John and also G. Campbell Morgan as he ends his commentary on Genesis:  “He who does the will of God abides forever (1John 2:17”  “Commit your life to God, see vision do the work that’s nearest, the work He appoints, truly and well and faithfully, and die knowing that you have started delicate influences, dynamic forces which will proceed through every succeeding generation until they gather up the harvest of glorious results about the throne of the Eternal  The man of God has not finished his work in the world when they put him in a coffin.”

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Always do right, even when tempted to do wrong, so that if the Lord takes me home through death that my good works will live on especially in my families lives.

 

Memory verses for the week:  Philippians 1:9-11

 

9. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
10. so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;
11. having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.