I know that sometime along the way of doing this blog, that I have stated that for me, my quest to learn the Bible started in darkness not knowing or understanding this the worlds best selling book. And that at the age of 19, the evening after my active enlistment in the Air Force and stating the sinners prayer, that I told the LORD that I could not make heads or tails out of what the Bible was saying. This took place on September 16th, 1966. In the autumn of 1971 the LORD appeared to me and called me into His work (as seen in 2Timothy 4:1-4,5) but I relaxed in Him or waited on Him. For me life moved along on its natural course until Mach of 1985, when my family and I receive the Holy Spirit of GOD. That was a life changer for us all. My kids were all in school by that time, so they had limited knowledge of Jesus and the things of GOD. As we were attending a mainline church then and because even though we were in church there was not any growth of revelation. We were part of the world as all of us begin. Now with all that said I will look at Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace. And then I will look into the things of GOD which I have looked at over the years as the title of this blog brings to light. I will with the LORD's help and the use of the ESV translation share on this subject again.
"A Precious Promise of God's Provision"
"By which (Grace and Knowledge) have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises . . . And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (2Peter 1:4 and Philippians 4:19)
"Many of this worlds churches take the last passage here an use it to raise tithes and offering in there churches not realizing that Paul is speaking of these spiritual things first and foremost. In our recent meditations, we have looked at two differing categories of promises: "exceedingly great and precious promises" and that they remain "unpopular" promises. Both play a vital role in GOD's plan and purposes or put another way, doing His Will. The first category of promises brings encouragement, comfort, and hope. The second category warns, convicts, and awakens. When received in our soul and spirit, when it has been awakened by the callous shells removal in the circumcision of the heart. Both types are equally certain of fulfillment. Both types are to be heeded and embraced. For awhile now, let's alternately consider promises from these two categories.
Our present verses contain a promise of the first type. "And my GOD shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." The context of this promise concerns material provisions. "Now you Philippians know . . . no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities" (Philippians 4:15-16). The saints at the church in Philippi regularly gave of their financial resources that the Apostle Paul might concentrate on ministering the gospel. "Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God" (Philippians 4:18). Their recent gifts left Paul abundantly supplied. This generosity was also a pleasing spiritual sacrifice in the eyes of the LORD.
As He did with Paul, the LORD promises to meet the physical needs of all of His children. We can rely on His promised care for us. We do not need to worry or fret. "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" (Matthew 6:31-32). Our faithful and loving Father is fully aware of our material needs, and He has committed Himself to supplying them. "But seek first the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). Our heavenly Father wants us to give our attention to seeking after Him, not after our needs. He wants us to be on a quest to know Him. He desires that we seek after His holy rule and His righteous ways. Then He will be faithful to "supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." He may typically use a paycheck to fulfill His promise, but He will supply our needs. Even if we are flat on our backs and unable to work, GOD is our faithful source."
Secret Things belong to GOD,
Deuteronomy 29:22-28, 29 "The next generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, will say, when they see the afflictions of this land and the sicknesses with which the LORD has made it sick— the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrown like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger and wrath— all the nations will say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land? What caused the heat of this great anger?' Then people will say, 'It is because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which HE made with them when HE brought them out of the land of Egypt, and went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they had not known and whom HE had not allotted to them. Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, bringing upon it all the curses written in this book, and the LORD uprooted them from their land in anger and fury and great wrath, and cast them out into other lands, as they are this day.'
"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."
Psalm 25:1-3 "To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my GOD, in You I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for You shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous."
Daniel 12:5-13 "Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. Someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, "How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?" And I heard the man clothed in linen, Who was above the waters of the stream; He raised His right hand and His left hand toward heaven and swore by Him Who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, "O my LORD, what shall be the outcome of these things?" He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end (of its appointment after which). Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.(this took place on the entry of Jesus on the back of a colt into Jerusalem, to the very day and He was thereafter taken away) Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days."
Mark 13:28-32, 33-37 (Jesus is speaking) "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that He is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Therefore be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the Master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest He come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you I say to all: Stay awake."
Revelation 5:1-5 "Then I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that HE can open the scroll and its seven seals."
Revelation 10:1-7 "I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. When the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down." The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by Him Who lives forever and ever, Who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of GOD would be fulfilled, just as HE announced to His servants the prophets."
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