DISCIPLINE#2 OF 12 - THE WORD OF GOD

 THE BMIC BLAST: DECEMBER 2024

THE REAL ORIGINS OF HUMANKIND

 READ THIS TEXT:  COLOSSIANS 1:13-22

HIGHEST PRAISE TO THE MOST HIGH GOD

Dear Great Father in Heaven, we come to You in with humble hearts, bowing them before Your Throne as we seek daily forgiveness, grace and mercy for each new day this week and always.

 

The Bible says, oh Great God of the Universe, that the depths of the earth are in Your Hands and so are the mountain peaks. We know the seas are Yours, and recall how Your Holy Spirit hovered over the surface of the dark and called dry land into being.

You are the real Climate Changer, the Miracle Worker, the Promise Keeper of all promise keepers and the Way the Truth and the Life. We kneel before You, oh Matchless Maker of all mankind.

Nothing was, until You spoke.

No one was saved, I AM became flesh and dwelt amongst us.

No one had hope, until the Resurrection. 

No one could access Your Throne Room, until the Veil was torn – from the TOP down! Hallelujah, You are good.

 

You, oh God are our God. There is no other

You, oh Lord, are our portion in the land of the living.

You, Mighty King, rule the hearts of your people.

You, Sovereign Lord, are Lord of all and one day EVERY knee will bow to You, including those who reject You now, thereby following their father the devil as sons of perdition.

 

Let those of us, who hear Your Voice, immediately turn from our worldly ways, repent and be made right before You.

Let those of us, who are weak and doubting and are not sure of just Who You are, have an real encounter with You, Lord Jesus.

Let those of us, who are pressed down on every side, realized we are not crushed, because You hold us up with Your righteous Right Hand.

Let those of us, who are perplexed and confused by the tribulations of this world, find hope in the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Let those of us, who feel struck down and walked on, realized that no one can really destroy us, because we are Your children, the people who once walked in the darkness but now have seen the great Light!

 

Hallelujah, thank You Jesus.

 

At the start of a new day and week, we sing a new song to You and pray the entire world sings its refrain.

We praise Your Holy Name

We worship You in spirit and in truth and proclaim Your Salvation from day to day, first in our own lives and then in our households.

We declare Your Majesty as there is none like You, oh Mighty King.

Thank You for watching over, protecting, guiding and providing and for Who You are, on Lord of our hearts and my heart and those who love, obey and were transformed by the same Spirit Who raised Jesus from the Dead. We worship and adore You, dear King of Heaven, in  the Mighty and Strong Name of Jesus Christ, the Lord of all, amen and amen. 

CONSIDER THIS: AUTHENTIC

 AUTHENTIC….”But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart….1 Samuel 16:7

CONSIDER THIS: Shakespeare once said “be true to thyself and thou shall not be false to any man”. One of the definition of the word “authentic” is being “accurate in representation of the facts; trustworthy…and genuine”, according to most dictionaries.  The world can spot a fake Christian over a period of time, after observing the speech and actions of that person. God sees our actions, intentions and our spiritual heart, which is who we really are.

If we say we are a Christian, we are saying we are a reflection of Christ. Would both God and those around you agree with that?  One more time, let us be resolved to not just be authentic in our inward faith, but in a life full of integrity before both man and God.  It is only a heart full of no double-mindedness and no twisting things into pretzels to make them fit a template, that can truly move forward in Christ, in a new year and at any point in our brief time here on earth.

ACTION: The Apostle Paul himself exhorted us to examine ourselves daily to see if we “be in the faith”. Paul did not say this because we need to get “saved again” (which is impossible). All of this self-examination is so necessary moving forward. Therefore, let’s take the following few steps:

• Pray the Lord reveal any hidden sin in you…from even way back in your childhood, of which there has been no repentance or closure. Trust me – there are many which were hidden and which God Himself will bring to mind, if you ask and He allows since ALL sins were forgiven at the point of conversion. When He brings them to mind. Repent of them and it is so simple – they will be gone! This is important. Our sins are forgiven when we get saved, but there are things in our hidden past which must be resolved before God and, I know from experience, He will wipe the entire slate clean. Hold nothing back. He knows, so be authentic.
• Pray the Holy Spirit takes absolute control in both your prayer and devotional life as well as your daily life, where you live and work and eat and drive etc. If you do this, He will guide you into a new plane of Spiritual maturity and power of which you never would.

PLUMBLINE DEVOTIONAL: COLOSSIANS 1:1-8

TEXT:

COLOSSIANS 1:1-8

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

THE TRUTH ABOUT HEAVEN

TEXT:

THE ENTIRE BIBLE (SELECTED PASSAGES)

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”


5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

THE JOYFUL LIFE - THE BLESSINGS OF FORGIVENESS, PART 3

The Holy Spirit is our direct, or “wireless” if you will, connection to Almighty God our Father, and Jesus Christ- our Lord and Savior. Only the redeemed/saved/born-again of the Lord can testify to this Truth. So when sin and guilt reside in one end of this pipeline – the living, breathing Christian, there is a “clog” or glitch in the communication.

This glitch can only be resolved if the steps described in Parts 1 and 2 of this series on Psalm 32, are mirrored into the soul of the believer. Repentance comes before Restoration.

The Lord walked us through this process in His Word (Psalm 32) and now in verses 8 and 9, the Almighty Himself response to His servant David, and anyone who is serious about repentance and restoring the most important relationship we will ever have – the one with Jesus Himself.

Here is what the Lord Himself says:

Psalm 32

8   I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will guide you with My eye.

9   Do not be like the horse or like the mule,

Which have no understanding,

Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,

Else they will not come near you.

Here is what He literally means in His own original Hebrew language:

“I will instruct you” – The Lord is saying here “I will make you prudent and wise and give the ability to have the proper insight (you and I will need). The original word here is “Sakal”

“I will teach you” -  After God says He will provide insight and the proper view of things, He says here that He will guide and direct. The original word is “Yara”.

“I will counsel you” – Then, our great and Gracious God goes one step further in promising to give advice and provide the right counsel to His people. The original word is “Yaats”.

IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED WE READ THOSE THREE STATEMENTS FROM THE LORD OVER AGAIN! Let this sink in for a moment. When we are given the ability to have the proper view (insight) and then God Himself takes a whole of the direction of our lives and we seek His counsel in many things, we could never go wrong!

What we should always hold near, daily, minute by minute even, is this truth – God loves us and only wants the best for us. When we mess up, He wants to give and forgive and then give again. He is the Lord Who welcomes us with open arms. He is more loving than our earthly parents and more forgiving than anyone every born, except the Lord Jesus Himself.

This is why He exhorts in Psalm 32:10 and says “he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness (grace and mercy on steroids) will surround him (her). 

This is why we rejoice, as in Verse 11 “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!"

This is the true Joy than can only be found in Forgiveness.

CRITICAL THINKING - A COMMAND FROM GOD FOR PARENTS

6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
These directives from God is absolutely clear. They are real. They stand for ALL generations.  Lack of financial resources, opportunities or circumstances of birth are of no excuse or import to these Biblical Commands from the God of all Creation, all the Universe and all Mankind. Absolutely no parent is exempt of accountability for these commands, anywhere in the world, at any point in history.

So how does this generation and all future generations (since it is too late for all who have gone before) avoid the fatal eternal mistakes of not bringing up their children in the ways of Yahweh? First we start with these important commands from our Heavenly Father and we establish a home, from Day One, where Jesus Christ is the Head of the Household.

This is so for one very valid reason – Christianity is the only Thinking Man’s religion. We do not need to examine any other fake system out there, which either requires a person to sit like a sponge and empty their mind so the god of this world can fill it with untruths or, some of the other systems which require a certain amount of “good works”, no matter how degenerate the person may be in their personal lives. They never say how much is enough “good stuff” or what percentage their god will accept.

Christianity calls the sinner to not just come and “reason” but to “test” the Words of the Lord of the Bible. He invites anyone and fellowship with and learn from Him. He also has a special place in His heart for the children and raising them in not only in the way they are to go. Educating our children in the ways of the Thinking Man’s Religion is mandatory. Look at the commands from the above Deuteronomy passage:

• Parents shall have the Word of God in our hearts. How? By reading, studying, memorizing and LIVING them (verse 6).
• Parents shall teach them DILIGENTLY. This is an active, ongoing command to take painstakingly good care to teach, instruct and demonstrate Godly attributes and His Character as found in His Word – the Bible (Verse 7a)
• Parents shall use every opportunity to demonstrate the power, majesty and creative brilliance of God in creation (nature) and everyday living.  This runs the gamut from nightly prayer with the kiddos to grace before meals, married with regular church attendance- WEEKLY (verse 7b). Children should be taught that even the act of getting off the bed each morning is a gift from God. Having something to eat at breakfast and clean clothes are daily gifts from our Heavenly Father. Reference Matthew 6: for this….and more.
• Parents should teach by their actions and when given a choice,  openly where Christian apparel or jewelry where appropriate and as much as possible, since we do not wear the little bible boxes and other items on our person as they wore back in Old Testament days. We are supposed to be the entire package (Verse 8).
• Parents should have something in their interior décor at our homes which tells the casual visitor; utility or repair man, that THIS is a Christian home. Deuteronomy 6:9 talks about writing the Word of God on “doorposts” – these are the Mezzuzahs which Jewish people still have by their front doors (see photo).  Most people will not do this, but they will have coffee mugs with Bible verses; fridge magnets or inspiring canvases in their living rooms. These are the items which have and even stronger cumulative effect of some verses on the door, in a metallic container. The best Bible is the one which the world reads by looking at our lives.

So, what does any of this have to do with Critical Thinking? The answer is – more than meets the eye. A child brought up in a functional 100% Christian home with two parents already has the tools to win in life, without this child even realizing it. The first thing is salvation. When dad takes the family, or leads the family to church, statistics prove that the child is saved and born again 85% of the time!

What needs to take place next, is something  for which parents are just as responsible. That would be instruction, mentoring and discipleship.  Leading our children to Christ is the main event, but there is more.  If they do not know about their Faith; how to study and comprehend it and then, how to defend it in the public arena, we would have fallen short.

In his book ALREADY GONE,  Ken Ham along with his researcher Britt Beemer, keyed into the terrifying problem of church-raised kids who end up losing their faith by their sophomore year in College…and increasingly now – High School.  While this book was released  in 2009, the underlying discovery stunned the world of church leadership.  Sure, we officially lost most church raised children in college. But the truth was that we lost them in 6^th grade Sunday School!

Teens and millennials who walked away  from Christianity; still call themselves “Christians” yet believed “all religions worshiped the same God”, are as lost as a grain of wheat in a soybean silo at Harvest Time.  It is not they do not think, but they do not know how to think and process the information in the Bible…..because no one taught them. Most Sunday School members are well-meaning church members who may or may not have a well-read background in Apologetics (or how to explain/defend the Truth of Scripture).  Most  youth group leaders are even less trained and more apt to direct towards fun, games and entertainment than serious, deep age-appropriate bible study.

So, in light of all of this, how can we get this steadily downward trend to a halt before we can even attempt to turn the tide? We appeal to the mind and the heart of the young person.  It is never too late to start. The following two components are absolutely essential:

• Take the time to teach critical thinking to your own kids, or hire a tutor.
• Promote actual book reading (as in physical books) to compliment what is being taught
• Spend time doing writing exercises with the kids which will cause them to both think and then write it down in a coherent fashion.

Teaching our children, as God commanded, about the Bible and Faith is critical to grasp every other aspect of life.  The reason the vast majority of people under 30 years old have no hope, no core belief and no eternity in mind, is because they were misled in churches or never got to the front door in the first place. 

We must teach them first to think on their own but according to God's Truth - NOT the world and through the brainwashing they receive in public schools and bad private schools.

We must teach them to understand both the meaning AND consequences of Words and especially the long term results of living part from the pure Word of God.

We must teach them to evaluate each situation against the plumb line of Truth, because there is this yardstick called Absolute Truth. There are things which are black and white. 

We must teach them that their misled peers who do not believe there is Absolute Truth are not thinking individuals but are misled into making absolute statements which can be absolutely denied by our children, under the terms of logic.

We must raise them up in the way they should go, because this is our ultimate responsibility, to which we will answer before God, if we fall short - like all of the secular world, and sadly, too many Christians. 

REVIEW: GOD'S NOT DEAD 3 - HIS LOVE CONQUERS ALL

In an age where an increasing number of young people under 30 are now starting to walk away from the One True Faith, it is fitting that those of us with a large megaphone, speak up with solutions. This is precisely, one of the major takeaways from the brand new movie (released March 30, 2018) - GOD'S NOT DEAD 3 - A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS. 

In a sense, one of the major solutions reminds us that the old must become new again. That particular solution is Love and a great message coming out of this new movie by David AR White and his Pure Flix production company. We live in times of extreme hatred, bullying, permanent division and upside down morals. GND 3 attempts to address some of this division, in light of everything else, with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and some strong human emotions from both sides of the conflict, in the movie.

At the end of GND 2, released in 2016, the scene was set for this sequel at the end of the credits. David White, as Pastor Dave, was taken away in cuffs because he refused to submit his sermons for review by an oppressive city hall. At the time, this issue was heavy in the air with the overreach of the former Houston Texas Mayor, in real life, who had subpoenaed the sermons of five Houston preachers in 2014, over the pastors teaching directly from God's Word. This unconstitutional act backfired nationally, as it should.

However, GND 3 - heads off in a completely direction. The arrest of Pastor Dave brought up another issue, which while related to the freedom of religion and to preach the Bible, tested the limits of the so-called "separation of Church and State". Religious liberty is still a potent issue with atheists attempting to remove chaplains from NCAA football teams in recent years, in the Bible belt of all places. Here in this movie, the increasingly liberal and narrow thinking of an anti-God society led to the accidental burning down of a historic church on the "Hadleigh" college campus.

The secular staff, of this once Christian school, used that tragic occasion, which resulted in the death of a visiting African pastor, to kick the burnt out church (St. James) off campus for good. This, obviously, did not sit well, with Pastor Dave and his congregation or friends.  He decides to travel to Chicago in his Prius to seek legal help from his brother, Pearce, who is a social justice advocate. Pearce is not a believer even though both he and David grew up in the same home with dad as the pastor of St. James. Pearce is played by John Corbett, who just a year ago, had the lead role as the real-life Pastor Michael Spurlock, who became renowned for rescuing a Tennessee church, which he was assigned to close down. Corbett is one of the well-known star-studded cast of God's Not Dead 3. 

The amazing thing, from the casting point of view, was how all cast members appeared in sync with both the screenplay and the execution of their roles. Christian movies with controversial themes are difficult enough for an authentic Christian to bring off the role with believability. David White did this perfectly here. I have seen his movies from the early evangelical short films of over 20 years ago, up to now. This role was his best ever, as all the nice happy church days of God's Not Dead 1 and 2, disappeared with the reality of late 21st Century American attitudes towards church and God.


This movie is full of drama with a well-written screenplay, which was obviously keyed in on current real-life events, and how it affects both the Church and young people. One particular scene involves the coed lead Samantha Boscarino (Keaton) telling Pastor Dave off about the reason millennials are not interested in Faith (Christianity) anymore. While Keaton character has a point, this did not happen in a vacuum. The "NONES" - the increasing number of people who do not believe in God etc. - got that way because of school indoctrination, parents who did not raise them with the Bible and THEN a church which is still playing games, instead of reaching souls and making disciples of their members. 

All of us in strong ministries which focus on discipleship, prayer, and families should go see this movie.  It will also remind us in ministry, especially the pastors and church leaders among us, that the Church of Jesus Christ is NOT theirs to do as they/we please. It is God's and He will do as He pleases. It is also a good one to take an unsaved friend to, because those who doubt or walk away, need to come around to the Truth that is an old-fashioned concept like Love, is still answer. However, more importantly, this Love has only one Name - and His Name is Jesus! His Love is victorious over all.

MOVIE WEBSITE HERE
PURE FLIX WEBSITE HERE

PALM SUNDAY - A STUDY IN TWO SIGNIFICANT CONTRASTS

6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats. 8 Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. 9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:6-9)
The Events of the Final Week of the Lord Jesus Christ, in earthly form, during Passover week of 33 AD is a huge comparison in contrasts. There could not be a bigger display of the thinking of man versus the Incredible Mind of God.

CONTRAST 1:
The people were looking for freedom from the brutal Romans and a king, or strongman leader, who would free them from this evil oppression from the Caesars; his criminal governors and their soldiers.

Jesus WAS that leader and King, however, His Kingdom was not one of flesh and blood run by sinful men. He came with the message of personal deliverance and freedom from bondage, but they would not listen. His "Freedom Agenda" was freedom from sin, death, and hell. Many saw His miracles of healing and even ate His loaves and fishes. BUT even though they followed Him and believe in WHAT He was doing, they ignored their own Scriptures and turned from Him.

66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 
These words of John 6:66-68 tells the story many then and especially today. Jesus had just finished laying down the "rules of the road" in John 6 and the crowds, realizing that a personal decision had to be made, turned away like many have and will, today and in the future. 

Every Easter, more so than Christmas, many like those who turned away when the rubber hit the road, will pack our churches; dressed to the nines and tens with spectacular Easter clothing.....only to go back to their lifestyles and lives, the Monday after Resurrection (Easter) Sunday. Nothing has really changed.

CONTRAST 2:
Unlike those whose contrasting shouts of joy went from "Hosanna, blessed is He Who cometh in the Name of the Lord" (which actually means "please save and deliver us"....in the Name of the Lord) to "CRUCIFY HIM" four days later, Jesus had the long view of His Purpose and time briefly on the Earth.  Like our Heavenly Father, Jesus sees the end from the beginning. The adoring crowds with palms waving as Jesus rode the fresh colt into Jerusalem, (in fulfillment of Zechariah's prophesy) had no idea He was heading to His Death on the Cross, for that same deliverance and salvation they were chanting about. 

The main difference is that Jesus' purpose was divinely ordained by God, while the temporal needs of the flesh called out for something else. This is so significant, as witnessed by so many in the "Christian world" not living in victory or even sure of their position in Christ. 

We are called, in these critical times, to highlight the contrast between those who profess with their mouths and lifestyles to be of the Lord and those whose hearts are actually changed by Him, to the point of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are called to highlight this NOT to criticize and tell people they are going to hell, but to show them the REAL way - the Way of Truth. Love without Truth is deception. The Genuine Love of the Christian towards a lost and dying world is contrasting fake belief with the knowledge of our sinful condition and God's transforming power in Christ. This Genuine Love should then spur us to love like never before, by asking the misguided to search their hearts, acknowledge their sins and turned to the Savior Who will still respond, with your palms upraised to Hosanna!! 

On Palm Sunday, Jesus came gently and peaceful riding on a young donkey to show the humble, loving Savior He still is, 2000 years later. One day, Jesus, Who has always existed from Eternity Past, and will always exist as God, will return as He truly is - fearsome and majestic - riding as the Warrior Commander in Chief of Heaven's Armies on a white horse. There will be no palms or joyful chanting welcoming the Fury and Fire of the Lord Jesus. There will just be the Final Battle.  Let us do our best to make sure that we reach many with the saving Gospel of the Christ, so that many will come to repentance and Faith in Him. It is to their eternal benefit to make this right now, rather than being in line for destruction by the Armies of Heaven. This is something we should run with, this and every Palm Sunday. Amen.

(Image Credit Here)

A VERSE AND A THOUGHT: PSALM 24:2 - LOCATION OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN

(Source & Credit for Map Here)  Also, please read Genesis 2:10-14 for Bible Reference

Psalm 24:2 “For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers”

THOUGHT:

Genesis 1:1-2 tells us about the mysterious, silent and unformed state of the land mass called earth – dirt, water and gases – before the Spirit of the Living God spoke the planet into being. It is intriguing how He laid the foundation of the waterways and seas of this world.

God Himself talked about the limits He put on the waves in Job 38 as well as the type of Marine Life He put down there (Leviathan,being the most fearsome). If He had no order to the seas, we would be hit by Tsunamis from the Pacific ocean, Mediterreanan sea or you name it – twice a day when the tides came in. He is the God of order.

To those who doubt the Creation of the world, He also named rivers in Genesis 2 which are still around today. Read here from Genesis 2:10-14 "10 Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates."                           

By doing so, He gave away the secret of the location of the Garden of Eden! It is such a “secret” it is in every bible every printed and the Hebrew Torah since Moses wrote it!

ACTION: 
With ALL the evidence of Bible places (like the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates)  and archaeology confirming a lot more of the long lost artifacts from Scripture, how do you now view Evolution? Secondly, can a Christian believe in both Creation and Evolution? Are you 100% sure the verdict correspond to that which the evidence demands?

Tip: Something cannot come from nothing. 

Note: Cush is modern day Northern Sudan. Phut is modern day Libya.
VISIT THE BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY WEBSITE HERE FOR OTHER INFO

KEVIN'S KORNER: "WHEN MEN AND MOUNTAINS MEET"

This article comes from a member of Finding Noah, a documentary chronicling the journey of an intrepid group of explorers searching for the final resting place of Noah’s Ark.
Great things are done when men and mountains meet. – William Blake

Finding the Depth of Man

The tag line for Finding Noah reads: “Beyond myth, science, and faith lies

KEVIN DEVRIES

something deeper.” But what exactly does that mean? If time can only tell what eternity has to say, what is the depth of this statement trying to tell us? What can be so deep as to be beyond even our faith? Can myth become fact? Will science someday give way to the supernatural? How can eternities weight thin time into what the early Celtic Christians called a “thin place” – a place where anything can happen in time because it has already happened in eternity? 

These deep questions can drown a shallow man. But there is hope beyond hope for all of us. There is depth in the heart of every man that only eternity can fathom. We live in time, but we are made for eternity. When hope only hinders and faith fails, love alone prevails. Hope helps. Faith believes. Love knows. The bridge from hope and faith to love is an act of grace apart from us.

Finding Our Purpose

And from the place where grace dances among the glorious ruins of our original glory, we discover this: We are all Noah. We are all searching for the same mystery that filled a man with marvel (Genesis 6:8) while a world drowned in madness. In Finding Noah, God’s mystery disguises miserable monarchs as mythic mountaineers. We climb misery to find our message. When we find Noah, we find what is most true about ourselves – we’re all exiled kings in a foreign country, wandering a wasteland of wounds who must climb our own Mt. Ararat – “The Painful Mountain” to discover our purpose. Pain encrypts purpose. 

Find your pain to find your purpose. Your destiny is formed and and most often found in suffering. The same is true of your heart. It is the chamber where eternity resides (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The true and greatest journeys are always within. Everything you need you cannot see unless God’s grace has first opened the eyes of your heart to a secret kingdom only the child within can enter (Matthew 18:3).

Finding Ourselves in God’s Mystery

We know from Proverbs 25:2 that God’s glory is secrecy. The glory of monarchs is the search, so God’s majesty is revealed not in mastery but mystery – a mystery that answers our unanswerable questions with God’s unquestionable Self. Mystery that cloaks itself in the shrouded mists of a mountain’s hallowed halls and ragged ravines rustling with the rumor of a King’s return and with it our original glory as well. This same mystery crowns white, wispy peaks with a crown and robes shoulders with majesty as if they were our own. What else can transcend the savage within to crown us as nobles and give us a new and numinous name except the love of God to us as His beloved sons? 

Love is the mountain that conquers us as we climb towards God. We are climbers not criminals. We must descend to ascend and heal. Nothing heals in thin air. We are patients not prisoners. Pain is more than punishment. We hurt to heal. We cannot heal if we cannot feel. Guilt convicts and hurts to heal. Shame condemns and hides to harm. Guilt is good. Shame is bad. Guilt says you’ve made a mistake. Shame says you are a mistake.

Pain therefore is the passport that takes us to places pleasure has neither the courage to go nor stay. It bends our will so we are formed into the beautiful likeness of God’s Son. It breaks barriers so we pass without sound into a great silence. A silence so deep and profound it can only be shattered by the same silvery voices that sung like morning stars when time was only a wrinkle on eternities face. Pain is heavens salty tears dripping into our wounds made by weapons that have both wrought and wrecked us with wonder. It is the final portal we must pass before we enter into paradise where death drowns in dreams of life that never end. Do we know anything before we suffer? Hardly. Death is the final suffering before we truly know.

Finding A New Beginning

Timeless trauma can only be healed with transcendent time. Sometimes we have to travel to the ends of the earth to reach the end of ourselves and find a new beginning in God that never ends.

And what do we find in the end? An Ark? You’ll have to discover that for yourself. In our search for the Ark of History, we found the Arc of our Story. Finding Noah is more than about finding a boat. It’s about a brotherhood found in Christ. Chaos creates calling and misery moves men to climb mountains to make a movie with a message so large it can only be read from the final frontier of the heart. A message from eternity that echoes into time: The greatest discovery in life is Who finds you when you are looking for something else.

Don’t lose heart. If you cannot change your circumstances, allow God to change your character instead. There is great hope in that. More than that, you’ll find a Fathers love awaiting your prodigal return as a true and mythic mountaineer searching for an Ark inside your painful heart. 

Kevin DeVries is an Entrepreneur-Explorer, Author-Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker and loving father of two from Grand Rapids, MI. He has served as a director and consultant for several faith based, nonprofit organizations across the country and is currently the Founder and President of Grace Explorations.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VISIT HIS WEBSITE AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS POWERFUL MINISTRY AND THE MOVIE "FINDING NOAH".

MYTH BUSTED: MARY AND JOSEPH - NOT HOMELESS, NOT REFUGEES

VICTIMS OF ROMAN OPPRESSION AND TAXATION

Each year around Christmas time, we hear a lot of talk of Joseph and Mary, the first family of the Bible, being either homeless or refugees. The purveyors of this social justice misinformation assume that Christians do not read the Bible and thus, know the Gospel Truth! How can anyone read the following and come to the conclusion that (the then-baby) Jesus and His earthly parents were homeless and/or refugees is sophistry.

The underlying basis of this untruth is the inability of Joseph, the caretaker guardian parent of the yet-unborn Jesus Christ to find lodging in Bethlehem for his very pregnant wife, Mary and himself.

Luke 2:1-7:

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In fact, if anything, Joseph, Mary and Jesus and all who were forced to travel many miles for a census for taxation purposes, were victims of an unaccountable occupying government!

Secular history has borne out the following facts:

-          Quirinius, the Roman Consul and decorated soldier WAS the overseer of Syria when the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus called for a census. He later became the governor there. The secular historian Josephus and Roman official documents confirmed this.

-          The Census unfortunately caused hardship to a lot of poorer people who had to find their way back to the towns of their birth to be counted in the census. Publius Sulpicius Quirinius (c. 51 BC – AD 21)  was the assessor of property....or the chief Tax Commissioner for the Romans in Syria and Judea! This taxation was so heavy that it created the zealot movement, of which Judas Iscariot was a part. Censuses were forbidden for the Jews and many Christians will recall what happened when King David disobeyed God. David called for a census in his older days, after God had forgiven him of adultery and murder. This census resulted in thousands killed for David's mistake. Jews remembered that census well, even though it was almost 900 years after the fact!

-         The Census was taken that all the known Roman world should be taxed (Luke 2:1 KJV).This tax was area wide across the entire conquered Roman Empire as they needed funds to continue the expansion of their military conquests. The great Jewish historian Josephus, who was friends with the Apostle James wrote the following, from his history of the Jewish people (commissioned by Rome. Josephus wrote: "So Archelaus's country was laid to the province of Syria; and Cyrenius, one that had been consul, was sent by Caesar to take account of people's effects in Syria. Cyrenius came himself into Judea, which was now added to the province of Syria, to take an account of their substance." - Josephus - Antiquities of the Jews - Book 18

-          Bethlehem is 7-8 miles south of Jerusalem (still is). Travel for the Census had to have been done in good weather, most likely in late September.  Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus back to the Temple in Jerusalem to be circumcised eight days after he was born and their part in the census was over. Josephus wrote that over 6000 pharisees refused to obey the Census rules to return to their birth town, and were heavily fined.

Will the facts get in the way of the continued misuse of this temporarily transient couple’s plight for political purposes? Not really. As for the rest of the story, as the great raconteur Paul Harvey used to say, it would appear that after Jesus fulfilled the Torah command on the 8^th day in Jerusalem. Then, after that the couple returned to Bethlehem for almost two years. This is where the Persian Magi found them, following the Star of Bethlehem. Here is also where Herod committed the atrocity of having all baby boys age 2 and under murdered to prevent one of them from becoming King of Jerusalem.

God, the Father, was way ahead of the evil Herod. God had Joseph and Mary flee to Egypt to avoid this horrible genocide. Jesus returned with Joseph and His earthly mother Mary, to live as a carpenter in Nazareth, until He began His ministry at age 30. The rest of His Story….as well as history is written in the Scriptures. The Scriptures, confirmed increasingly by archaeological finds and the Faith of billions over 2000 years, reveal that Jesus the Christ, is indeed the Savior of the world. The Holy Spirit testifies to this solid fact, in the hearts of all true believers.

(Photo Credit Here)

THE LORD'S PRAYER: THE MODEL EXPLAINED: PART 7

For Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory

So what is the Kingdom.  By all means, it means – the Kingdom of Heaven.  But Kingdom living actually begins at the point of conversion, where we are changed transferred in an instant, supernaturally, from the domain of death and darkness to the Kingdom of Light. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that “if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation”.  The original word “creation” here is “kitsis”. This is the same word which is used in Genesis 1:1 where the earth was darkness and a void and God CREATED the world out of nothing! Please let that sink in for a moment. We are new creations living in a faulty creation, yearning for its creator! Wow!

The Creation of the earth and mankind was supposed to be an joyful thing for eternity. We all know what happened in Genesis 3 when sin entered the world. The Kingdom on earth which Jesus set up in the Garden of Eden was disrupted by Eve, Adam and the serpent (Satan). But there was an expiration date on this flawed state.  This expiration date is up when the Revelation chapter 19 white horse of Christ signals the permanent return to His planet of the Risen Messiah – Jesus Christ. He will then proceed to set His 1000 year (or Millennial ) Kingdom up in Jerusalem until the Final Judgment, which then leads to the Lake of Fire.

This is the “Kingdom come” we are praying for…on “earth as it is in Heaven”. The Kingdom of Christ is on this planet, believe it or not.  This will occur at the end of the Seven Years of Tribulation. But before all of this, we have today – now, the present time. These are the times God, our Heavenly Father, has chosen for us in which to live. This should be considered a privilege when we pray to Him, according to the model prayer He specifically taught us. 

What I have described above is a summary on the macro or larger picture of the Kingdom.  But to bring it to our own personal walk with God, in Christ, we have to know our own Identity in Christ (IIC). Going back to the original premise, at the point of conversion, the Righteousness of Christ, is imputed and embedded into our own spirit as the blessed Holy Spirit then comes immediately from Heaven to seal us until we come into His Presence – either through death in this life, or the coming Rapture. At that point, we also become heirs to Christ and therefore, are inheritors/participants of the Kingdom from Eternity past way into Eternity future!

What this means is we are living RIGHT NOW, as Kingdom people. The True Christian, born-again, converted and being sanctified in this life, IS a Kingdom man, woman and child in Christ! THIS is our IIC – our Identity in Christ. This is what gives us the right to even pray “Thy Kingdom come” to the King because (John 1:12).

Hence, we are Kingdom people, praying with authority, to the King to come and set up His 1000 year reign.  The discussion of the 1000  year Reign  of Christ with Him actually sitting in the Temple as King of Kings in Jerusalem, is going to happen on this blog, but in an appropriate time. But suffice it to say, that this is the kingdom we are praying for as all the saints will return to reign with Christ, until the second and final Judgment.  

Christians SHOULD be praying “Your Kingdom come on earth, as it is in Heaven…..because Yours is the Kingdom”. This will mean the complete end to ALL trials and tribulations, persecutions and the end of Satan’s reign on earth. There will be NO non-Christian in this Kingdom (and this means NONE)! This is our portion in the Land of the Living. This is what we lived our entire Christian lives for – because HIS is the Kingdom: Our Christ Who died on a Cross for us almost 2000 years ago!

The Power and Glory which will be revealed at the end of the Tribulation which Christians will never see. Jesus will cut through the clouds to destroy the pagans, the one world  government and all who have rejected Him, alive then in all the other fake religions. Read the Book of Revelation to see how scary that moment will be. The same Power with which Jesus defeated the grave....the same Power with which He caused His Spirit to live in all His people for all time...the same Power which gave us the Word became Flesh and which was also written down for us – that Power is coming in ALL His Glory! And the Glory of the Lord will be revealed with all His glorious power is shown to the perishing world one last time. For us, the Christian, we will return to dwell in this millennial kingdom which He asked us to preach about in 

Father in the Name of the Crucified, the One Eternal God, the Ancient of Days Who gave up His Throne in heaven, and became poor that we may become rich, thank You for this privilege not just belonging to Your Eternal family, but for granting mere mortals the right, authority and incredible amazing privilege of praying for the Return of the King! Lord, we long for That Day...that day, when we see Him face to Face, in glory and then fall at His feet, just like Your Apostle John in Revelation chapter 1! Lord Jesus, Yours is the Kingdom - the coming Kingdom which we speak off to Your people. Yours is the Power - You, oh Mighty King are all knowing, ever present and owner of everything. You, oh King of Kings are the true Commander of the Universe! 

You speak and the earth shakes. You speak and the seas roar. You whisper and all creation comes into being. The Heavens declare and reflect Your brilliant countenance. The oceans calls to the deep, the depth of Your Love for us. The winds blow a song of worship of the ever present Holy Spirit Who searches the hearts of men and women and children for those who are loyal to You. Yours is the Glory, the Glory which was Yours before the Foundation of the Earth. 

There is none more glorious. There is none more marvelous. There is none more magnificent. There is no adjective and there are not enough words in all the languages of the earth to describe You, oh Yahweh, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End! You, Who sees the End from the Beginning, birth in us a new birth of freedom to yearn for the pure milk of Truth - Truth of Who You are. Truth of the Glory of the soon coming ruler of the Kingdom. Your Glory precedes You, as we live in the eternal now, as co-inheritors, which You have made us, oh Ancient of Days. We love You. We adore You. We magnify and bless Your glorious and Holy Name above all Names, in Thy Name - the Name of Jesus, we pray! AMEN!!