Promises

Miracle of Willingness

Ken

Can’t understand, unwilling to hear. First, we must be willing. Only then can we understand. “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine” (John 7:17 KJV). We highly underrate willingness. Only God’s Spirit infallibly knows how to reach each of us with a saving and useful understanding of Christ. Or, whether we can be reached at all. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power” (Psalm 110:3). In these NT times, we have an even greater opportunity of knowing Christ because of all the history of God’s unfolding revelation of Himself to humanity through the birth, ministry, sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of His Son; but especially, the sending of the Spirit of Christ to make us willing. 

“And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27).

“8 And when He [the Holy Spirit] is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on Me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:8-15). 

Father, grant us the miracle of a willing heart. Make today the day of Your power for me. Cause me to be fully surrendered to whatever You want from me. Take my heart and do whatever You know is best to bring about Your Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. Lord Jesus, return quickly. Amen and amen.

Team Jesus

Ken

Christianity is a team sport, and Jesus, as the Head of the Team, always wins. Apart from Jesus, there is no victory. “And they overcame him [the adversary, the devil] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11 KJV). “Enoch walked with God” (Genesis 5:24) because he was not a solo performer. Paul encouraged others to be followers of him “even as I also am of Christ” (1Corinthians 11:1). If others fall away from Jesus, then they forgot or never truly learned that victory is only in Jesus. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Corinthians 15:57). Satan hates us, though he may succeed in martyring some of us, he can never defeat Team Jesus. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1John 5:4). Father, help us to keep our eyes on Jesus for without Him, we have no victory. Cause us to think, act, and pray like we truly believe it. Return quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

What Is Baptism for the Dead?

Ken

I’m not Mormon, yet Paul did say, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” (1Corinthians 15:29 KJV). Baptism depicts: “we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Baptism is a Loyalty Oath of confessing ‘Jesus is Lord’ before the world, required by those who do the baptizing, so the convert can have the understanding they are now saved. “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9 NET). 

[This is a longer entry. Scan ahead to see how long.]

Mormons believe, “With a few exceptions everyone will be redeemed” — kind of a universalism — but first, Mormons will go to Paradise, everyone else will go to Spirit Prison, where “Righteous spirits” will preach to them, giving them a chance to repent. Meanwhile, on earth, Mormon faithful will consent to be “baptized or confirmed by proxy for (in behalf of) someone,” which would be done in Mormon temple worship, i.e., being baptized for the dead. But, before dealing with Baptism for the Dead —

How does Scripture deal with Mormon beliefs? 

First, since God was here first, humanity in general, and Mormons in particular, have the burden of proving their case to God. In other words, God is the Judge, not you. Remember, the words of Joseph Smith or Doctrines and Covenants do not establish truth, but must reply to What Saith the Scripture? “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou Me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding” (Job 38:2-4 KJV). 

Second, Mormons significantly add to the divine revelation of the traditional Word of God by establishing the Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price as of equal importance. “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). 

Third, Mormons fatally mistake Jesus as merely one of the gods or simply a spirit brother of Lucifer, when He is in fact the Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, Him By Whom All Things Consist, Him With Whom We Have to Do, the Judge of All the Earth, the Savior of the World. “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works’ sake” (John 14:9-11).

Fourth, Mormons misrepresent the afterlife, since Jesus’ account of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) informs us that the Rich Man in “hell” (Greek, hadēs) was not exceptionally evil, just rich, was not debating for a second chance, no Righteous Spirit was attempting to gain his repentance, and a “great gulf fixed” (16:26) prevented his escape or help ever to reach him. 

Now, what about Paul’s statement, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for [Greek, huper, concerning] the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for [Greek, huper, concerning] the dead?” (1Corinthians 15:29)? 

First, evangelical Bible interpreters do not agree what baptism for the dead must absolutely mean, but it concerns the resurrection, i.e., why baptism for the dead, “if the dead rise not at all?” (15:29). 

Second, since evangelical Bible interpreters (along with Mormons) have offered their opinions, so I offer my opinion. I will paraphrase 1Corinthians 15:29, ‘Else what shall they do which are baptized concerning or because of the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized concerning or because of the dead?” 

Third, baptism is not then for the benefit of the dead or departed ones (as Mormons mistakenly believe), baptism is concerning or because of the dead, who will resurrect with Christ, as shall we, who are baptized. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1Corinthians 12:13). Baptism is that truth representing our death to sin, conversion to Christ, forgiveness of our sins, reception of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), resurrection to new life, and final resurrection to eternity in Heaven with Christ. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). 

Father, cause Your Spirit to bless us with a revelation of Your Son to us. May our appreciation of Baptism for the Dead be an occasion for rejoicing what You have done for us, giving us newness of life in Christ Jesus. Magnify Your name. Lord Jesus, return quickly for us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen.

Sound of Their Master’s Voice

Ken

My sheep know My voice is the assurance of their Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). “4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:4, 27 KJV). The owner of the sheep imprints the sound of his voice on his sheep. This assures both the owner and the sheep that they belong together. No thief can accurately imitate that voice or plunder those sheep. The goal is not to build a system to protect the sheep, but to promote the sound of their Master’s Voice so the sheep will be wedded to their Master’s side. Father, You are the Gate Keeper, who established Your Son as the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. May we the sheep follow no other than our Good Shepherd. Lord Jesus, return quickly that we may follow You home. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Spiritual Israelites

Ken

Christians are fellow citizens with True Israel making them Spiritual Israelites. Israel is not the Church, and the Church is not a replacement for Israel. For modern Israelis to become fellow citizens with the True Church, they must recognize and receive Jesus as their True Messiah. The comprehension of the Christian’s spiritual ancestry unlocks the power of unseen forces at work unappreciated but encouraging when better understood. OT prophecy has especial significance to the NT disciple, since it affects “how should we then live” (Ezekiel 33:10 KJV). “12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:12, 19). LORD, teach us to number our days according to Your Word and who You say we are. Make us to be a well pleasing people, more concerned about Your good pleasure than man’s approval. Grant us Your help and mercy to overcome until Your soon return. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1John 4:4). In Jesus’ name , we pray. Amen.

Prime Directive

Ken

“Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people” (Jeremiah 7:23 KJV). Sure, we must first choose God to obey Him, but by our outward obedience, God understands, if “there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not” (2Corinthians 8:12). Likewise, holiness is separating ourself to Him, and worship is our acknowledgment of who He is to us. “Be ye holy” (Leviticus 20:7; 1Peter 1:15, 16) is a command to be obeyed; and, “worship God” (Revelation 19:10; 22:9) is likewise a command to be obeyed. Obedience is the essential act of exercising our Moral Agency of doing what God created us to do — obeying Him. Lest we think obedience is the grudging relationship of tyrant to slave; this is altogether contrary to what God originally envisioned. “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33). God is not our overbearing Master, but our protective Husband. “And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call Me Ishi [my husband]; and shalt call Me no more Baali [my lord]” (Hosea 2:16). Yahweh has always had much higher and deeper intentions for us from the beginning. LORD, bring about Your designs for us. Glorify Your name. And, do return quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Come Out of Her (Revelation 18:4)

Ken

Babylon the Great’s upcoming judgment is certain, but God’s deliverance of His people is just as certain. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15 KJV). Even those who will come to faith in the midst of BABYLON THE GREAT, Jehovah delivers, as witnessed by His audible warning to them, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4). God delivered or will deliver: (1) Noah and family from the judgment of the Flood (Genesis 6), (2) Lot from the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19), (3) the OT Jewish captives in Babylon, by warning them to flee Babylon’s coming judgment, i.e., “My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD” (Jeremiah 51:45), (4) all the Christians residing in Jerusalem, who escaped the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem by Vespasian’s Tenth Roman Legion, i.e., “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto” (Luke 21:20-21).

And, (5) all future faithful watchers, i.e., “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36). “There is no other God that can deliver after this sort” (Daniel 3:29), and He will deliver now and forever. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1Corinthians 10:13).

Father, Your deliverance of Your people from Your judgments upon this world is a trademark of Your continual faithfulness to those who are faithful to You. Magnify Yourself in the upcoming Rapture of Your Church. May these words be a small testimony to Your enduring faithfulness. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your name, we pray. Amen and amen. 

The Godly Will Be Victorious

Ken

“I will bring down all the power of the wicked; the godly will be victorious” (Psalms 75:10 NET). How do you want to internalize this promise of God? For what is the Spirit of God leading you to pray? Jesus said, “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29 KJV). You’ll notice, Jesus had just asked the blind man, “Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord” (9:28). And, once He healed the blind man, He warned him, “See that no man know it” (9:30). Why? He didn’t need the publicity, which would only hinder His free movement (Mark 1:45). Back to the “power of the wicked” one (Psalm 75:10). Jehovah will absolutely remove all power from the Wicked One. The Antichrist, the False Prophet, the Devil, and “whosoever was not found written in the book of life [were] cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15), where all their power is brought to nothing. If you can claim this promise in faith for your peculiar situation, do so! It’s not even necessary to publicize your prayer request. “The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed” (Acts 14:9). You, give God the praise!

Seven Heads Are Seven Mountains (Revelation 17:9)

Ken

Revelation is an understandable story, where the angel explains the vision of the woman sitting upon the beast (Revelation 17:7 KJV). The following only highlights aspects of the description of the Whore, who represents the False Prophet, and the Beast, who represents the Antichrist. “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth” (17:9). The mountains represent kingdoms, i.e., like the “great mountain” (Daniel 2:35) of Daniel’s vision. “And there are seven kings: five are fallen [Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece] and one is [the Rome of John’s day], and the other is not yet come [Revived Roman Empire]; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space” (Revelation 17:10). “And the beast [Antichrist] that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition” (17:11). The Antichrist political system existed at one time, disappeared, and reemerged.  “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings [Ten regions of the world, not just the European Union], which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive no power as kings one hour [possibly only 15 days] with the beast [Antichrist]” (17:12). “These shall make war with the Lamb [Battle of Armageddon at the end of the Seventieth Week of Daniel], and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful” (17:14). “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire [the religious system of the Great Whore will be destroyed by the Antichrist, who got tired of taking directions from the Great Whore]” (17:16). The chapter ends identifying the whore with Rome. “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” (17:18). 

Robbing God

Ken

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8 KJV). But, you say, “We’re not under OT Mosaic law, requiring the paying of tithes (Leviticus 27:30).” And, you’d be correct. But, the concept of tithing was long before the OT Mosaic law, going back to Abraham paying tithes to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20), and Jacob vowing to pay a tenth or tithe of all that God gave him (Genesis 28:22), because tithing represents, God takes care of my business, while I take care of His business. Tithing is not even mentioned in the NT, but the concept remains. I take care of God’s business, while He takes care of my business. On the other hand, offerings are different from the tithing a tenth of one’s income to those who labor for the benefit of God’s Church. 

In particular, the First Fruits Offering (Leviticus 23:10) was a dedication of a portion of the beginning of the farmer’s harvest or income flow, and not the net result of income or harvest after all expenses had been paid, requiring an act of faith for the farmer to pay the First Fruits Offering. “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10 KJV). 

LORD, teach Your NT Church the power of blessing You’ve promised to unleash upon Your Church, when we grasp how magnanimous a God You are when we give our tithes and offerings to support Your Church and advance Your kingdom on earth. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen.