The Secret To King Solomon's Incredible Wealth

Solomon was the son of King David. It was about 1000 B.C.  when his empire became incredibly huge and he became immensely wealthy. 

His palace was stunning. The daily food requirements for his palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal; also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry. That's for just one day!

His throne was covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. It had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.

His wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. The king had very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He wrote three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to him, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:29-34).

How did King Solomon become a genius, so wealthy and so powerful and so wise? What's the secret to his success? The answer is found in how he answered one question! It was a question from God himself! That's right, when Solomon first started his reign, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5).

Makes you wonder, doesn't it? What would your answer be if God asked you that same question this very moment? If you knew that you would be granted whatever you wished for, what would it be? Would it be success? Would it be wealth? Would it be health? Would it be money? Would it be power and influence? Would it be fame? Would it be popularity?

Solomon's response to God's question didn't match any of the above answers. Instead of asking for power and victory and treasures and fame, He gave an answer that was filled with humility and honesty. 

Here is Solomon's answer. “Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

His answer was perfect! God was so pleased with Solomon's answer He said,“Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:11-14).

God certainly rewards the humble and opposes the proud. Even today!

Reading The Bible - Where To Begin

For someone getting serious about reading the Bible, the common question is, "Where do I begin?" But before that question is addressed, there are some other fundamentals to establish first. 

1) THE TYPE OF BIBLE

First, buy a new Bible, even if you have an old one --  get a physical paper-bound book. There's something special about an actual book. And don't be afraid to use a marker to highlight favorite verses, and to make notes in the margins. It makes your Bible more personal and valuable to you. 

"But there are so many different translations!" Here's a good recommendation for a first Bible: The New Living Translation (NLT) -- it's easy to read and understand. And if you need to, get a large print version. Just search Amazon for an NLT Bible. For first timers, I wouldn't go with a study Bible yet, but add that as a reference book later because study Bibles can get large and overwhelming.

2) THE HABIT OF READING

"When should I read?" You need to establish a Bible reading habit. For example, read during the same time period every day. Usually early mornings are best. 

"How much should I read?" Try starting with only one chapter a day. Take your time. Go slowly. Speed reading may be good for the newspaper, but not for the Bible. 

3) WHERE TO START

"Should I just start on page one?" No! Do not start on page one like it's a novel. You'll get bogged down in Jewish law and history. Not that it's unimportant, it's just best to first start in the New Testament that more directly applies to Jesus and His church. Start in the Old Testament after you've read the New Testament. 

"How is the Bible divided up?" The Old Testament has 39 books of History, Law, Poetry, and the Prophets. The New Testament has 27 books starting with the Gospels (life of Jesus), History (of the first century church), Letters to Christians, and Prophecy (Revelation). 

"So where do I begin?" A good plan is to start in the New Testament with the book of Mark -- it's one of the 4 Gospels, talking about the life and teachings of Jesus. 

"Where do I go after that?" Keep in the New Testament Books. Here's a good practical order: 

Mark, Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, Luke, Acts, James, John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Matthew, Galatians, Hebrews, Philemon, Romans, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Jude, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Revelation.

"After the New Testament, where do I start in the Old Testament?" Start with Genesis then Exodus. Then Joshua and Judges. Then go back and forth between a Psalm, a book of one of the prophets, a historical book (Kings, Chronicles) -- your choice.

"Why should I read the Bible?" It can change your life by bringing spiritual awareness, transforming how you should think and act. It will give hope and peace developed through a maturing faith in God. The Bible is the word of God -- of divine origin, the writers inspired by the Holy Spirit! The Bible reveals the nature of God, and how our personal, trusting relationship can develop with Him.

The Bible all points to the Messiah, Jesus, and culminates with how we are forgiven of all our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus giving us salvation and the promise of eternal life. In the New Testament especially, we learn of God's grace, mercy, and love for us as His adopted children through Christ. 

So if you haven't started yet, make today day one!

The Ancient Prophecy That Eerily Predicted The Very Details Of The Crucifixion!

The many Old Testament to New Testament parallels and foreshadowings found in the Bible are astounding. They show the big picture continuity of God's overall providence and plan of redemption through Christ. One of the most striking parallels is found in a psalm written by David 1000 years before Jesus died on the cross that gives an accurate prophecy of the crucifixion. It is Psalm 22. 

The way this ancient psalm predicts and details the crucifixion is remarkable. Let's look at some of the excerpts from Psalm 22 and show the parallels to the cross. 

1) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1a)

The words in the very first line of Psalm 22 are the exact same words that Jesus said on the cross! (Matthew 27:46)

2) But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. (Psalm 22:6)

Luke 23:31: But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

3) All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. (Psalm 22:7)

Luke 23:36a: The soldiers also came up and mocked him.

4) “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” (Psalm 22:8)

Matthew 27:43: "He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 

5) Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. (Psalm 22:13)

Matthew 27:26b: But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

6) I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. (Psalm 22:14)

John 19:34: Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

7) My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. (Psalm 22:15)

John 19:28: Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 

8) Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. (Psalm 22:16)

Mark 15:25: It was nine in the morning when they crucified him.

9) They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. (Psalm 22:18)

Matthew 27:35:When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 

10) They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! (Psalm 22:31)

This last verse proclaims victorious triumph -- mission accomplished! It reminds me of the words that Jesus said in John 19:30, "It is finished." Although Psalm 22 starts out in distress, it ends with a declaration of worship and praise. The ending of Psalm 22 is a prophecy of the lasting effect of Christ's sacrifice, the good news of the gospel, extending to us even today, and to those people yet unborn. 

One more thing. Jesus certainly knew this psalm, and on the cross in His agony, quoted verse 1, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", relating to it, expressing it, feeling it, fulfilling it, and living in out in real time. Amazing. 

Why Moses Never Made It To The Promised Land

Did you know that Moses never made it to the Promised Land? Even though he was called by God to lead his people out of Egyptian slavery, led the people through the parting of the Red Sea, carried the 10 commandments down from Mt. Sinai, and spent 40 years leading his people in the wilderness, he was banned by God from entering the Promised Land! 

Not only that, Moses' brother Aaron, who was the first high priest of Israel, who helped Moses lead the nation, whose descendants comprised the Levitical priesthood, was also banned from entering the Promised Land!

Exactly why? It all resulted from one episode in the desert:

Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!” (Numbers 20:2-5)

The people grumbled, God heard, and God had the solution. It would be a miracle. And like many times before, Moses and Aaron would be the ones God would use to execute the miracle. 

Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.” (Numbers 20:6-8)

Place close attention to the specific instructions from God: "Speak to that rock". Then look at the following verses.

So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. (Numbers 20:9-11)

Did you notice that Moses did not follow God's command? There's two things that Moses did wrong. First, in his frustration with the grumbling people, he struck the rock twice instead of speaking to the rock as God had commanded. Secondly, he said,"must WE bring you water out of this rock?". He implied that himself and Aaron were the source of the miracle, not God, taking the credit.

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” (Numbers 20:12)

And it came to pass -- Moses and Aaron never made it to the Promised Land. Moses did get to view the Promised Land from Mount Nebo before dying at the age of 120. Before he died, he passed the leadership to Joshua, who would lead the Israelite nation into the Promised Land. After Aaron died, his son Eleazer took his position.

One more thing.....not only was it true of Moses and Aaron, but because of the nation's disobedience and unfaithfulness, no one else who crossed the Red Sea made it to the Promised Land either, except for Joshua and Caleb who were found faithful! After 40 years (one generation in Biblical terms) of wandering in the wilderness, and after all the original people who crossed the Red Sea died (except for Joshua and Caleb), only the children who were born during the journey entered the Promised Land.

Just shows you how important obedience and faithfulness are to God.

The Hidden Meanings Behind Bible Names

In reading the Bible, you may miss the hidden meanings of people's names. Many names have significant meanings that can lead to a deeper understanding of scripture. 

➤ First, let's look at some people whose names were changed by God Himself to reflect a new identity:

Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5)

Abram means "exalted father". God changed it to Abraham which means "the father of a multitude". This was done to reflect Abraham's role as the father of many nations, the father of the faithful, which was God's covenant promise with him.

Sarai to Sarah (Genesis 17:15)

Sarai means "my princess" while Sarah means "princess" in a broader sense. God changed her name to reflect her role as the mother of nations. 

Jacob to Israel (Genesis 32:28)

Jacob means "heel-grabber or deceiver" which reflects how he took his brother Esau's birthright. God changed his name to Israel which means he "struggles with God" which reflects the time he wrestled with God (or an angel) found in Genesis 32:22-31.  Jacob's twelve sons formed the twelve tribes which became the nation of Israel which took on his name. Interestingly, the nation of Israel throughout history struggled with obedience and loyalty to God, reflecting the God-given definition of the name Israel: "struggles with God".

➤ Next is an example of a name changed by Jesus:

Simon to Cephas (Peter)

The everyday language that Jesus spoke was Aramaic, and He gave Simon the Aramaic name "Cephas" which means "rock or stone" to signify what his role would be in the church (Matthew 16:18). Later, the Apostle John, in his gospel, written in Greek, would use the Greek translation of Cephas, which is 'Petros" or Peter in English translations. Therefore Cephas and Peter mean the same thing, it's just that one is Aramaic and one is Greek, both meaning "rock or stone". 

Note: Most of the New Testament is written in Greek, the formal language of the day. But for a few verses, the common language of the day,  Aramaic, was retained, probably for intimate effects. For example, in Mark 14:36, Jesus addresses His Father in Heaven as "abba", the Aramaic word for "Daddy". In Romans 8:15 the Apostle Paul uses the Aramaic "abba' to describe our intimate relationship we have with God as His adopted children. 

➤ Some names are different simply because of language or culture:

Saul to Paul

Actually, there is no name change here. Saul is his Jewish Hebrew name while Paul is the Greek Roman version. In some of his New Testament books, the Apostle starts out with "I, Paul" perhaps to better relate to the Gentile world he was evangelizing to.

➤ There is one name that Moses changed that is not only significant, but prophetic:

Hoshea to Joshua (Numbers 13:16)

Moses changed the name of his assistant Hoshea ("salvation" in Hebrew) to Yehoshua (meaning "Yahweh is salvation" or "the Lord saves") to indicate that although Joshua would deliver the nation of Israel into the Promised Land, it would be the result of the Lord's power, not Joshua's personal ability. Yehoshua became shortened to Yeshua in Hebrew which eventually became translated into the English word Joshua.

Hoshea → Yehoshua → Yeshua → Joshua

  

Here's what's amazing -- there's something very significant about the name Joshua. It's this...... the name Joshua and the name Jesus are exactly the same name! 

What then is the source of the name Jesus? It came about as the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (the Septuagint), then Latin (4th Century Vulgate), then eventually to English.

Yeshua (Hebrew) → Iēsous (Greek) → Iesus (Latin) → Jesus (English)

Joshua = Jesus!!

They both mean exactly the same!:  "Yahweh is salvation" or "the Lord saves". And what's more, Jesus would have been called Yeshua while He was on earth.

➤ This leads us to one of my favorite examples of typology in the Bible, Joshua foreshadowing the role of Jesus. What I mean is this: 

Joshua, as Moses' successor, would be Israel's deliverer. He would lead them into the Promised Land. Jesus, in a much larger and significant way, fulfills the example of Joshua. Jesus, on a much greater scale than Joshua, is our Deliverer, and will lead us into the Promised Land of Heaven. Jesus is the true and only source of salvation. Jesus saves!! Hallelujah!

Jesus = Yahweh is salvation,  the Lord saves!

➤ What about the word Messiah?

Messiah means "Anointed One" and comes from the Hebrew Mashiach. The Greek version of Mashiach is Christos, where we get the name Christ. Therefore, Messiah and Christ mean the same thing, "Anointed One", just derived from different languages, Hebrew and Greek. 

Messiah = Christ   (Hebrew -- Greek) --  Both mean "Anointed One".

Jesus Christ  = Jesus, the Anointed One =  Jesus, the Messiah

Christ is a title, not a last name!

➤ Immanuel vs Emmanuel

They both mean "God with us". Immanuel comes from the Hebrew language, while Emmanuel is from the Greek translation. 

➤ One more thing. Although only a sampling of names was covered in the above text, there are so many more examples in the Bible, including names of places, as well as people. It just shows you the amazing depths and layers that are contained in the Bible. It's such an amazing book. And no wonder --  it's God's word!!

 

Is Drawing Straws A Biblical Solution?

Were you ever in a situation where, all things being equal, two or more of you couldn't decide a solution, so you drew straws to make a decision? Many methods could be used in such situations including flipping a coin. Or how about "rock, paper, scissors", or cutting a card deck, or rolling dice, or drawing from a hat?

Many times random methods of decision making are used today. For example, when a football game goes into overtime, the referee will flip a coin to see who take possession of the ball. Random number generators will make you a secure password. Lottery numbers can be randomly produced.

In the Bible, there are many examples of the use of casting lots. It's unknown what exactly was used to cast lots -- perhaps stones or straws. Whatever the case, casting lots was a method used to discern God's will in decision making. Even though casting lots was a random method, it was trusted that God, in His sovereign power, would control the result. 

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)

There are several examples of casting lots in the Bible. Here are a few:

Joshua used the casting of lots to divide the land among the tribes of Israel.

And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion. (Joshua 18:10)

The casting of lots was used to determine that it was Zechariah's turn to go into the temple. He was the father of John the Baptist.

Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. (Luke 1:8-9)

There's even a case where the outcome of drawing lots definitely provided the correct answer. When Jonah was on the ship that was being pummeled in a severe storm, the crew chose to cast lots to determine who was responsible for causing such a terrible, life-threatening situation.

And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. (Jonah 1:7)

As you can see, casting lots was believed to be a method to invoke God's will in determining a solution to a problem.  

In the New Testament, when the eleven Apostles met to determine a replacement for the apostle Judas, they first identified the requirements (must have been at the baptism of Jesus all the way to His resurrection), then they prayed. After praying,  they proceeded to cast lots, trusting that God would make the choice.

And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:24-26)

So, should we be doing this practice today -- casting lots, or drawing straws? It's interesting that after Pentecost, when the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, and the church began, there is no more mention of casting lots in the Bible.

Could it be that now, in the Christian age, we can rely on prayer, wise discernment, the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit in us to make important decisions? It sure seems the consensus according to most theologians. 

I just wonder, if after prayer, wise discernment, the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit to guide us, we are still stuck between two choices -- hmmm. 

Where's the straws? 

What Is Worship?

How would you define worship? I've heard many different explanations. Some say that worship is how you live your life. Or worship is serving God. Or worship is obeying God's commands. These are fine, however, I disagree with all of these as definitions of worship. Worship is much more focused. 

PRAISE

Is praise worship? It all depends on who it is addressed to. Praise is simply boasting about God. When I boast about God to someone else, for example, how God is working in my life, I'm praising God, though indirectly. But it's not worship, it's praise. On the contrary, when I address my praise directly to God ("God, You are an awesome Father"), it's worship.

SERVICE

Is service worship? Not in itself. True worshipers will be compelled to serve the Lord and be driven to live their lives for God. One who worships God will naturally serve Him. We need to serve, but it is not the same as true, intimate worship. Even Jesus separates worship and service.

"Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only." (Luke 4:8). 

So what is worship then? The best way to come up with a definition is to look at the components of what worship looks like. 

1 - Worship Is Intentional 

We cannot worship God without being aware of it. Worship is deliberate. It can be prompted by many things -- a song, a situation, a beautiful sunset, etc. Worship can happen anywhere.

2 - Worship Is Spiritual

When we worship, it is a spiritual encounter. It's when we spiritually come into God's presence. Jesus said that we must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). 

3 - Worship Is Emotional

True worship is about the heart, it's heart-felt. And in this sense it's emotional. Our worship moments are full of wonder and awe - full of admiration and reverence done with a sincere, humble attitude. Our worship involves an expression of thanksgiving, praise, adoration, and awe. 

To summarize:

Worship is Intentional

Worship is Spiritual

Worship is Emotional

When all three of these components are engaged, we are truly worshiping God. Another way to describe these 3 components of worship: 

1. THE MIND   (Worship is Intentional)

2. THE SOUL   (Worship is Spiritual) 

3. THE HEART  (Worship is Emotional)

When we involve the mind, the soul, and the heart in worship, we are, what I call, "worshiping in the zone." This is the true form of worship. It can happen anywhere, at anytime. It can happen in a brief moment or an extended time period. It can be prompted by a song, or a sunset, or a sermon, or anything that reminds us of God. 

ONE SENTENCE DEFINITION OF WORSHIP

So what is worship? We can come up with a one sentence definition based on the above components:

"Worship is a deliberate moment when we spiritually bow down before the Lord and express our heart-felt praise, awe, thanksgiving or adoration."

In this one-sentence definition, the Mind ("deliberate moment...."), the Soul ("spiritually bow down...."), and the heart ("heart-felt praise,....."), are engaged.

The act of worship is always a one way street – from you to God. It has nothing to do with you. It’s all about Him. It’s never a time when you are asking or praying for something for yourself. It’s a time of complete focus on Him alone. When this special moment of worship occurs, you are in the zone with God, and you know it!

 

The Ability To Imagine The Future

The Christian author C. S. Lewis has said that one of the things that separates humans from any other creature is the ability to imagine the future. All other creatures from the largest whale to the smallest single-cell amoeba, only live in the moment, driven by God-given instinct. In other words, a bear knows when to hibernate, a bird knows when to migrate, and an owl knows when to hunt. But only humans can plan, reason, and make decisions about their future life. That doesn't mean that someone can foresee what will actually happen in the future, only God can do that. But we can imagine and plan what will or could happen. 

Since humans have the ability to imagine the future, they can have basically just 3 different views about the future: a positive view, a negative view, and a neutral view. One with a neutral view would be one who is indifferent about their future, and don't really care. The negative view would be the idea that the future is dim, and filled with failure and disappointment. However, the positive view looks to the future with expectation that good things will happen in the future. This positive view is called hope.

For sake of time, let's look at only the positive view of the future: Hope. A non-believer's definition of hope is much different than Christian's definition of hope. A non-believer will see hope as a positive outcome of some future situation, either by chance, by effort, or by personal skill. For example, winning a card game, or buying a newer car, or getting a better job, or developing a close relationship would be their hope.

A Christian's definition of hope differs greatly from a non-believer's definition in the fact that it involves faith in God. There's a supernatural aspect to it. So, for a Christian, hope can be defined as this: A confident expectation that some future situation or condition will turn out favorably based on faith in God's sovereignty, providence and promises. 

A Christian's confident hope is founded in Jesus, and if we are in Christ and He is in us, our hope can never be taken away. Our hope gives us peace. The question then becomes what does a Christian hope for? What does hope look like?

Below are 4 types of hope for believers.

1) HOPE IN HIS WORD

We put confident faith in every word of scripture -- that whatever God says is truth -- that His promises are trustworthy. 

"I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word." (Psalm 130:5)

2) HOPE IN HIS PROVIDENCE

We believe that, as God's children, whatever we go through in life, He will be aware of our situation, will go through it with us, and has the ability to intervene if it's His will. And God desires to work all things for our good. 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

3) HOPE IN HIS RETURN

As Christians, we have the hope and promise that Jesus will literally return in a visible, glorious, victorious way. His second coming will conclude the current age, and bring about the resurrection of the dead, and usher in a new heaven and earth. 

"...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13 ESV)

4) HOPE IN ETERNAL LIFE

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 ESV)

 One of the core foundations of Christian faith is the belief in the promise of eternal life in Heaven.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 ESV)

In conclusion, as Christians we absolutely do have the ability to imagine the future, and we do it with faith and confident hope -- hope in His Word, hope in His Providence, hope in His Return, hope in Eternal Life.

"I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance."  (Ephesians 1:18)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13)

Solved: The Location Of The Bible's Golden Calf

The Old Testament Book of Exodus describes the construction of a calf made of solid gold. It all occurred while Moses was up on Mount Sinai, receiving the 10 Commandments from God. Moses received a lot more than just the 10 Commandments. God gave him many rules and regulations for the people of Israel to live by. The Bible tells us that Moses was up on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights before he returned to the people. Unfortunately, the people became impatient. Let's pick up the story in Exodus:

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” (Exodus 32:1-4 NLT)

God knew exactly what they were doing, making a false idol to worship, and He became very angry.

The Lord told Moses, “Quick! Go down the mountain! Your people whom you brought from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed down and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” (Exodus 32:1-4 NLT)

As a matter of fact, God became so angry He wanted to wipe out the entire nation of Israel. Fortunately, Moses convinced Him to change His mind. Here's what happens next:

When they (Moses and Joshua) came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and he burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain. (Exodus 32:19 NLT)

The next verse solves the mystery of what happened to the golden calf and reveals its final destination.

He took the calf they had made and burned it. Then he ground it into powder, threw it into the water, and forced the people to drink it. (Exodus 32:19 NLT)

Now we all know what happens when you ingest something. Since gold is not poisonous, it will pass through the intestines and eventually come out as you know what. In other words, God had the golden calf end up in the dung pile! And as far as trying to get their gold back, they certainly weren't going to try to retrieve any of it.

The morale of the story: When you worship a false idol and not the true God, everything turns to crap.

5 Spiritual Secrets Revealed By The Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul, personally chosen by Jesus, became one of the greatest evangelists who ever lived. He was a gifted preacher and his writings comprise most of the books in the New Testament. 

Through Paul, we find many of God's previous secrets being revealed. Why were these mysteries kept secret for so long? Why were they concealed in the days of old? It's because the time was not yet right for them to be fulfilled. Everything had to line up. 

In the Old Testament, there were many clues, hints, and prophecies about these hidden truths that would be eventually made known through Jesus and the New Testament writers. Below are 5 examples of Paul uncovering some of these once-held secrets. 

#1--THE SECRET OF JESUS REVEALED IN HUMAN FORM

Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16 NLT)

#2--THE SECRET OF ETERNAL LIFE

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! (1 Corinthians 15:51 NLT)

#3--THE SECRET THAT THE GENTILES WILL BE SAVED AS WELL

Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. (Ephesians 3:8-9 NLT)

#4--THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13 NLT)

#5--THE SECRET THAT CHRIST LIVES IN YOU

God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. (Colossians 1:25-27 NLT)

The Divine Weaver

Did you ever wonder how cloth is made? It's done by weaving. Weaving is a method of taking two separate sets of threads and interlacing them together at right angles to form fabric. Weaving cloth is done by using a loom, which is a device that holds one set of threads in place, while lacing the other set of threads over and under the opposing set of threads, perpendicular to each other. Continuing this process over and over again produces cloth.

The first step on a loom is to load the threads in one direction, side by side. This can be hundreds, even thousands, of threads all traveling in the same direction. For our sake, we'll call this direction North. All people are traveling through time, headed in the same direction, side by side on their journey through life (heading from South to North).

Those that accept the Gospel and become baptized believers in Jesus are woven together by a perpendicular thread (traveling East to West) creating the fabric of the church of Jesus. This perpendicular thread is the blood of Christ. This is what weaves us together as brothers and sisters in Christ. It's our common bond.

God is the Devine Weaver. His spiritual loom, which is His salvation plan through Grace, was designed before the world began, but not assembled and ready to use until He sent his Son to earth to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, resurrecting from the dead to give us the promise of eternal life.  When the Apostles started the first church, God hit the start button and the loom began to work, making spiritual cloth, the church. This spiritual cloth lasts for eternity, and is constantly being weaved, and has been for 2000 years, and will continue to be woven together until Jesus returns. 

One thing about a loom. It can be set up to make exquisite colors and patterns. This is done by feeding different color threads through the loom. God's loom is constantly doing that. The church is made up of all types of people, nations, cultures, races, and talents. This is true of the world wide church as well as the local congregation, people woven together by God through Jesus.

Over the centuries a beautiful tapestry is being created. When Jesus returns on that final day and calls us all home to Heaven, this tapestry will be finished. And I can just picture God wrapping this beautiful quilt of many colors, His church, His children, around Him, as His worshipers around His Throne, as a loving Father forever surrounded by His loving children. What a beautiful sight that will be.

The Goodness Of Our God

THE GOODNESS OF OUR GOD

by Chip Vickio 2024

He gives Hope to the Hopeless
Strength to the Weak
Help to the Helpless
Rewards all those who Seek

He gives Light to those in Darkness
Sight to those who cannot see
He's Father to the Fatherless
Provides for those in need 

He'll walk with you in good times
He'll walk with you in bad
He never will abandon you
but protect you with His Strong Right Hand

He's the Rock for you to cling to
He's the Peace that gives you rest
His joy cannot be stolen from you
In Him your life is blessed

His Son’s the Great Redeemer
His Cross our sins to bear
In Him we live forever
Eternal in his care 

He’s the Way and the Truth
And the Life EverlastIng
Hears every prayer that
we’ve ever been asking

And His Word its never failing
His Promises He’ll keep
He's the Counselor to the Hurting
The Good Shepherd to His sheep

You see He’s worthy of all our Praise
and Honor to receive
For His Goodness, Grace and Mercy
falls on all those who believe

But if yet you do not know Him
He's waiting at the door
Inviting you to follow
And be Transformed forevermore

The Case Of The Buried Treasure

My grandfather was a farmer. He had this fantasy of one day plowing one of his fields and inadvertently unearthing a buried treasure chest filled with money, gold, diamonds, and gems. He always kept an eye out for it, but of course, it never happened. That is, until his children set up a prank.

As a little boy, I remember my mom and my aunts and uncles had purposely filled a small treasure chest with money and buried it in his garden. They somehow led him to find it, and I can still remember watching as he dug it up with his hands, and jumped up, dancing round and round with it in his arms, celebrating his great find.

Jesus tells a story about a man who finds a very valuable buried treasure in a field. It's one of the shortest parables that He ever taught. It's only one verse! 

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44)

In this parable, Jesus is emphasizing the enormous value of the treasure that the man found. With great joy the man sold all his possessions to obtain it. Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to such a valuable treasure.

Once we discover the kingdom of heaven, nothing in this worldly life compares to it. The treasures of the kingdom of heaven are peace, joy, and love in a father-child relationship with God through Jesus that lasts forever. We enter into this spiritual domain through our belief in Jesus, receiving forgiveness of sins, and the promise of eternal life in Heaven.

I think humans, by nature, are treasure hunters. I think having the treasure hunting trait is a good thing because it drives us into seeking peace, seeking joy, seeking true happiness, and then ultimately realizing that the only place to find it is in God.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

I hope you have found the treasure!

Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you; collect my counsels and guard them with your life. Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. That’s right—if you make Insight your priority, and won’t take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, believe me, before you know it the fear of God will be yours; you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:1-5, The Message)

3 Ways To Make The Lord's Supper More Meaningful For You

Has taking the Lord's Supper (Communion) just become a ritual for you? Are you just going through the motions when taking it? Do you understand why you take it? 

To better understand the Lord's Supper, you first need to know some things about the "Last Supper". The Last Supper was actually the Passover supper for Jews held once a year to commemorate their release from Egyptian slavery by God's hand through the last plague when the angel of death killed all the first born of Egypt but "passed over" the first born of the Israelites who were spared by spreading the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. Moses then led them out of Egyptian bondage. 

The Passover supper or Seder had different components that symbolized different parts of the story of the Jews escaping slavery. The night before he died, Jesus and his disciples observed the Passover supper, but at the end of the meal, Jesus did something paramount: He instituted his own memorial! 

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Luke 22:17-20)

At that Passover supper, Jesus declared a New Covenant sealed once and for all by His blood on the cross, making the Old Covenant obsolete. The day after that Passover supper, Jesus, the true Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, offered His life on the cross.

Now we as Christians continue to this day observing His memorial: the Lord's Supper. The bread we eat is a reminder of the physical sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, while the cup we drink symbolizes the blood of Jesus shed to forgive our sins. 

So how should you approach taking the Lord's Supper as a Christian today? How can you make it more meaningful? From now on, when taking the Lord's Supper, here's 3 things you should try to incorporate:

1 -- A Personal Attitude

Get yourself into the right attitude. Remember that the Lord supper is a memorial. Have you ever visited a memorial such as the World War II memorial in Washington DC? How would you approach this memorial -- with what emotion? -- reverence, awe, humbleness, thankfulness, honor, and a sense of gratitude? That's the same emotion you should have as you prepare to take the Lord's Supper. 

2 -- A Personal Reflection

We shouldn't just take the Lord's Supper without examining our motive and our sincerity. The Apostle Paul scolded the Corinthian church for making the Lord's Supper an irreverent feast. He said not to take the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner -- with pride, or arrogance, or without acknowledging the sacrifice of Jesus for your redemption. Consider using your personal reflection time to include personal repentance, asking the Lord for forgiveness of your shortcomings.

So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)

3 --  A Personal Connection  

I love the term "communion". It literally means the sharing of intimate thoughts and feelings, both mentally and spiritually. Communion is the participation of the Lord's memorial with fellow believers, united in hearts and minds. But ever more than that, the Lord's Supper is a personal, intimate spiritual communion or connection with Jesus as well. In this sense, the Lord's Supper is relational!

Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

The next time you have the opportunity to take the Lord's Supper, try to make it a habit to practice the 3 ways to make the Lord's Supper more meaningful: 

Attitude, Reflection, Connection.

One more thing.....

The Lord's Supper, Communion, is not just a silent, invisible, mental exercise. Because of the nature of taking the bread and the juice, it becomes a visible, physical demonstration of our belief in Jesus. In other words, by participating, you are personally, outwardly proclaiming and confessing Jesus as Lord!

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 10:26)

How The Eclipse Glorifies God

A total solar eclipse is an amazing, unique event in the sky. It's a rare occurrence and causes us to view the heavens with a sense of awe. But such a phenomenon should mean more to us than simply an astronomical wonder. 

And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. (Deuteronomy 4:19)

The eclipse should be a reminder that there's a Creator.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

When we as believers look at the sky, the stars, the sun, the moon, and the heavens above, it should always prompt us to be in an attitude of praise and worship of our God. Whether it be an amazing sunrise, a beautiful sunset, a star filled night time sky, a full moon rising, or a solar eclipse, we should be in awe of God. It should remind us that we have a Creator.

The eclipse declares the glory of God! It glorifies Him because it proclaims the work of His hands. 

It's all summed up in the following verse:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

Psalm 19 continues to explain that the evidence of a Creator is evident to everyone, everywhere:  

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words;  no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 19:2-4)

I urge you to memorize Psalm 19:1. And I encourage you to say it out loud each time you look at the sky with amazement. Don't just look at the beauty of the sky and leave God out, not acknowledging and praising Him. Here is Psalm 19:1 once more:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)

Make it your memory verse today.

 

Jesus And The Miracle Of The Speeding Boat

Let's take a glimpse in the life of Jesus just prior to the miracle of Jesus walking on water. At the time, He was on a roll, doing a string of incredible miracles. He was healing countless people who were sick.

And a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. (John 6:2 NIV)

He was drawing huge crowds. The Bible calls them multitudes which can mean thousands of people. On one evening, the disciples asked Jesus to send the people away so they could go buy food for themselves since it was getting late. 

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. (Matthew 14:15-17 NIV)

This is when Jesus performed the famous miracle of feeding the 5000. He took the five loaves and two fish and miraculously kept multiplying them until everyone was fed, leaving 12 baskets of leftovers! What's astonishing is that there were actually more than 5000 people.

The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:21 NIV)

We can assume that were an equal amount of women there, and many children. So an estimate of 12,000 people being miraculously fed (men, women, and children) wouldn't be unreasonable. 

What about the speeding boat? 

That scene develops right after feeding the multitudes. And what a scene! It involves 4 incredible miracles. Jesus makes the disciples get in a boat and head toward the other side of the lake while He withdraws to the mountain alone to pray. The disciples, however, got stuck in the midst of the lake in the middle of the night, battered by wind and waves. Then Jesus comes walking on water! That's the first of the miracles, and no doubt the most dramatic. 

When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:26-27 NIV)

What's crazy to me is that it seems Jesus was initially just making a shortcut to get to the other side of the lake and not necessarily planning to meet up with the disciples. Why walk around the lake, when you can just walk on top of the lake? And in Mark's version Jesus intended to pass by them. I guess Jesus was in a hurry to reach the other side!

Seeing them straining at the oars—for the wind was against them—at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. (Mark 6:48 NASV) 

The second miracle occurs when Peter actually walks on water as well! Even if it's for just a brief time. 

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:28-31 NIV)

The third miracle occurs when Jesus calms the sea. 

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:32-33 NIV)

Next is a very interesting part of the story is overlooked by many. In John's version, a fourth miracle occurs besides Jesus walking on water, Peter walking on water, and Jesus calming the sea. That is, the boat immediately reaching the other side of the lake in a split second! 

Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. (John 6:21)

Some scholars say this is not a miracle but just a description of them making a bee line to the other side of the lake. Other scholars say this is absolutely a miracle. They "immediately" reach the shore where they were heading. And why not? Nothing is impossible for Jesus, especially in this dramatic scene loaded with supernatural events. He was intent on getting across the lake!

Thus the miracle of the speeding boat! Or the time warp boat. Or the Mach 3 (2310 mph) boat. 

One thing is for sure. Jesus was doing incredible things at that time, displaying powers only God can do, and it's still early on in His ministry. No wonder the disciples said, "Truly you are the Son of God." That's our Lord! Wow!