The Night the Power Dropped- are you Prepared?

Last night I had just sat up on the side of the bed and felt like I was going to throw up when the room went dark- no warning! And plunged into black so dark a person can't see one's hand in front of one's face!

My husband had been talking about the news that's circulating in my country that iISIS is plotting a major attack on the antiquated power grid system in my nation.

Several months ago "vandals" - never identified- disabled a major telephone feed and all communication exception being the old dial phone was dead for more than 6 hours. Even the 911 system didn't work and a person had to have the old emergency number to call assuming one had an old dial phone. We have the phone but not the number.

Everyone knows that this was some kind of terrorism that was quickly sanitized as a prank from some person . 

This was a great time to reflect as there couldn't be interruptions by phone or Internet as our internet is DSL based.

So back to last night 😊. There was a lot to think about then also.

I was thankful that Ward was with me and I had my flashlight on the bed next to me and grabbed it - also my tracfone worked and I had signed up for the emergency alert program.

Daniel was about a mile away teaching the story of the earthquake that hit Phillipi while Paul and Silas having been beaten and jailed for upsetting the profitability of a demon possessed girl - set free in the name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ- these two followers of Christ Jesus were singing praises of Jesus the savior and true God (the Word made flesh) and encouraging the other prisoners -

So I used my phone to text Daniel- power is out- how about you? His power was on - I asked for the number to call to report the outage to the power company and Daniel gave me the website for APS. My husband has the router on a battery backup so I had internet for nearly an hour. I wrote down the number and my husband goes to call and to look for more flashlights.

We learned that about 1000 homes were in the dark and a line was down and travel restrictions on one of the roads between where Daniel is and our house.

I'm very thin and my feet had been cold all day.

I'm adjusting my attitude toward "what can I glean from this experience other than I should be more like Paul and Silas?"

I remembered Daniel's Bible study of Psalm 2 last Saturday and I got excited! 

How so?

Psalm 2 is written by David 1000 years before the birth of Jesus and talks about the type of things happening in the world that we have now-

The raging of the nations against the begotten Son of the Lord .

Daniel brought in passages from the book of Acts of the apostles and the Revelation written by the apostle John at the end of his life while a prisoner of Christ Jesus by order of the Roman government banished to Patmos since no one could stop John's testimony that Jesus is the one savior from sin and the mediator between Holy God and sinful man. Not the emperor of Rome who had declared himself to be god.

The Revelation speaks of the fulfillment of Psalm 2.

In Acts 4 Peter and John are arrested for saying that the man who was healed (by faith in the name of Jesus Christ) from lameness and dancing around in the temple and Peter is saying that there's no other way to be saved (Acts 4:12)- Peter quotes from Psalm 2- 

Let's look at what is so exciting to me ! 

Here is the beauty of studying the Bible for what it is - One Message- 

Please take time to read Psalm 2, Acts 4 and Revelation 2 the church of Thyatira, verses 24-27.

Revelation 2:24-27 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father." 

Do you see any of the same words or phrases?  Note who is doing the speaking . Note especially about the nations and what is going to happen with the nations who refuse the rule of the begotten Son. In Acts 4, the Holy Spirit through Peter clearly identified the son of Psalm 2 as Jesus Christ.

Also in the Revelation notice chapter 19. The return of Jesus Christ is as follows :

Revelation 19:6-8, 11-16 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,“Hallelujah!For the Lord our Godthe Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory,for the marriage of the Lamb has come,and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. "

Ok here is how I am putting this together. God the Father reveals to King David about a coming King - begotten by Gpd and called the Son , anointed One, who will rule all the nations (including the nations who think they're going to have their own way about Who is God's appointed King).

This King will receive all the nations as His inheritance from the Father. 

God warns that if a person wants receive the penalty of rejecting the rule of this new King, they will perish ( go to the lake of fire for eternal torment and punishment).

Go now to 1000 years later and Peter is speaking to the Jewish religious leaders some of whom don't believe in the resurrection of the dead. 

A great miracle had just occurred and a man who had never walked in over 40 years was cavorting around like a new born calf- and after a night in jail, Peter and John were giving testimony that the miraculous healing was from the power of the name of the Jesus that had been crucified at the insistence of the Jewish religious leaders - AND this Jesus is none other than the One unique, one of a kind Son this Jesus of Nazareth, the King of Psalm 2. 

This must have infuriated the religious leaders who noticed that the disciples were uneducated men ( not schooled in the rabbinical schools) and had "been with Jesus ". 

They ordered them to stop doing anything in the name of Jesus.

The believers heard the story after the two disciples were sternly warned to stop teaching about the King.

Instead of cowering in fear they rejoiced and prayed for greater boldness to continue speaking the Word of God.

Read the rest of the story in Acts 4 and think about the part in Revelation 2 and 19.

The believers who are alive between now and the return of King Jesus have a great work to do! Keep proclaiming this Jesus of the Bible !

In our day of "tolerance " and syncretic religious groups, it's not a popular thing to affirm what Peter said : NO OTHER NAME by which men must be saved-Acts 4:12.

Ask yourself: what Jesus do you follow ? How do you proclaim His message ? The return of Jesus will occur just like the lights going off - no warning- Revelation 19 says that the Bride of Christ is getting prepared by the righteous deeds of the saints , clothed in pure linen and ready to rule and reign with Christ.

Are we nearly at the time to see Faithful and True ride in with the armies of heaven and remove those who have arrogantly thought they are taking over the world? Will the ISIS conquer in the name of their God ? 

Or will the Son of psalm 2 - the one who is coming to Zion to rule all the nations- on his way back to judge the world? 

Warn them of the coming judgment! Be faithful until death to testify before anyone who is this Jesus you are following! 

2016 New Year's Resolutions

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NIV) 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Greetings and may the God Who upholds all things by the word of His Power, the Lord Jesus Christ, grant you grace for each day He grants you life.

The above scripture are the words of the apostle Paul and are best understood in the context of chapter 1 and keep reading. Please take a few minutes and read to understand why Paul was determined to know nothing among the Corinthian believers but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

I want to share about "resolve " or "determination " and the relationship between resolve , the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), and intercessory prayer. We are all commanded to pray. All prayer along with the Word of God are the only offensive weapons mentioned in Ephesians chapter 6:10-20. 

We will look at 3 people: Moses , Jesus the eternal Son of God and Paul. We will also look at some scripture about the first century believers.

This year I encourage you to study afresh the life of these people in the Bible.

Moses , Jesus and Paul  were specially prepared to take a part in  the plan of the Father from the beginning - the plan to display the glory of God among His creation through the redemption of human insurrectionists ( terrorists) against the creator God - humans such as myself and you, my reader.

I  noticed these things in common among these three men. 

They were humbled ( Moses and Paul) or humbled themselves ( Jesus who has always been submitted to the will of the Father ); 

They suffered persecution both from the ones they were sent to help and the enemies of the cross ; 

They were focused on the reputation of God among the nations and not their own will or ways ( they submitted themselves fully to the Father even unto death);  

They were steadfast and persevered in all kinds of adversity. 

They lived separated from the world's enticements. 

They turned down fame and fortune for what Paul says is " reality " - the things not seen.  ( 2 Corinthians 4:18).

What fueled this resolve or determination? What can we learn for ourselves?

First , realize that life is not centered around ourselves. Creation exists for the glory of God . The gospel of Jesus Christ will be the theme song at the marriage feast of the Lamb.

Here are a few key scriptures that give us a glimpse into what forges the character of determination.

Jesus example :

Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Notice: JOY set before Him ? Bringing honor to the Father by becoming a willing sacrifice for sinners and thereby bring many sons to glory is what Jesus kept focused on doing. 

What brings you joy ? 

Luke 9:53 But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem."

Going through Samaria Jesus encounters some hateful people but Jesus was set to go to Jerusalem to first weep for those who rejected Him and then die for sinners. How about us? Are we faithful to continue proclaiming the gospel? 

Paul's example :

Philippians 1:19-26 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again."

 

How can we effectively continue to work with young converts to assure their progress and joy in the faith? 

Here are some ideas I hope to do this year : 

Purpose to ask others what they are struggling with. 

Encourage others to memorize and meditate on scripture and be available to practice the verses aloud with each other.

Encourage others to make praise in song (such as Colossians 3 describes) part of every day- this is with other believers even if only those who live in your home. If you live alone find out who wants to sing along! 

Volunteer to do something practical for a brother or sister- keep aware of what kindness you can demonstrate.

Please write me YOUR ideas on this matter.

Moses example:

Deuteronomy 9:14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.’ 

Please read all of chapter 9. 

Exodus 32:31-34 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.” 

Please read all of chapter 32. This is just one of many accounts of Moses making intercession for the apostasy of the Jewish people. 

There seems to be worldwide confusion about Who is God and how does Jesus show us the way to God. Much intercession is needed and bible based teaching among new converts. The old man must be put to death and the new man in Christ Jesus put on.

Is there any old man still in control of your life? I know my old man often tries to boss me around.

Accountability to others is essential to show us the areas we may not know are rooted in the old sinful nature.

Let's turn to the example of first century believers and how they showed resolve and determination.

The beginning of the church happened at the time of the feast of Pentecost, 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ and ten days after His going back to heaven.

We read in the Acts of the Apostles:

Acts 1:12-14 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. " 

The expression "with one accord " is very meaningful: from a concordance the Greek word means :

1. with one mind, with one accord, with one passion

   A unique Greek word, used 10 of its 12 New Testament occurrences in the Book of Acts, helps us understand the uniqueness of the Christian community. Homothumadon is a compound of two words meaning to "rush along" and "in unison". The image is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different, harmonize in pitch and tone. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ's church.

Here are some other ways we see the early church, their prayer life and the effect on the spread of the gospel: 

Acts 2:42-47 tells the story of the early converts from many different places who were in Jerusalem for the celebration of Pentecost. We can learn much from the joy and self sacrifice of these people. They were studying the teachings of the apostles and praying together. Some may have settled to live in Jerusalem but perhaps many returned to their own country.

Another time the Apostle James was arrested and beheaded and since this pleased the people, Peter was also imprisoned and was to be executed the next day. We read about an incredible prayer meeting in Acts 12. 

Please take time to read the Acts of the apostles and write down ideas you have about how to be a bold witness and how to pray for others who are wiling to suffer persecution.

Applications 

What are some things you need to resolve this year ? 

What things are getting in the way of you fulfilling the plan of God to use you to fulfill the great commission? (Matthew 28:18-30)?

What is your plan to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ?(2Peter3:18).

 To be both discipled and to help disciple others? 

Are you in need of accountability to another person in order to stay on course   ?

Do you have a prayer partner ? 

Have you lost your first love for Jesus? 

I'd love to hear from you. I'm a fellow pilgrim on my way to the celestial city.