Mystery of the Ages

“The Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations, but now is made manifest to His saints:”  ~Colossians 1:26

What an awesome generation we live in today!  While there seems to be unrest in our country, there is Peace in the Lord Jesus Christ whom we love and serve.  Mystery is mentioned quite a few times in Scripture especially in the New Testament. When I see the word “Mystery” I always have a depth of wonder what the Mystery of God is teaching us.  The Bible Teaches that there was a “Mystery” hidden in God before the world began. This Mystery was Ordained of God and had powerful purpose for His people.  It was an Eternal Purpose that God desired to make known unto the Church, it is seen as the “Manifold Wisdom of Himself. Truly God was a Mystery waiting to be revealed unto humanity through Jesus the Sacrificial Lamb of the Ages.  Scripture reveals in Rev 10:7 that the Mystery is finished.  “But in the days of the voice of the Seventh Angel, when he shall begin to sound, the Mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the Prophets.”  What a thought, there is yet “Mysteries” to be revealed!  Imagine – Scriptural Knowledge tells us: “In other Ages such knowledge was not known  unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His Holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit; In this Mystery of the Ages, God has planned for the Gentiles to be fellow heirs, and partakers of a glorious Promise!” [see Eph 3:2] His Gospel came first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles; O thank you Jesus for including us in the Mystery of the Ages! We are knowledgeable of this Passage of Scripture, but perhaps it takes on deeper meaning as we discuss the Mystery of the Ages. Eph. 2:4-7 “God, who is rich in Mercy, for His great Love wherewith He Loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by Grace ye are Saved; And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the Ages to come He might shew the Exceeding Riches of His Grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Hallelujah!   Loving you, Pastor

Continual Trust in God

“I will bless the Lord at all times: His Praise shall continually be in my mouth.” ~ Psalm 34:“Continual Implies enduring existence often through constant renewal – reoccurring thoughts without fear…” Let’s meditate on this as we think about “Continual application of God’s Word, the constant Love of Christ, and the strengthening Power of the Holy Ghost.  Last week the Message was about “Enduring or temptations.”  A good way to do this, when we truly Love the Lord with all our heart, is to enter into Continued Praise of our Lord and Saviour! To walk in Continued Trust no matter the circumstance.  The Holy Spirit prompted David in the Psalms/songs to speak of “Continual Praise, Truth, and the Goodness of God.  Off times when a crisis occurs we are weakened by the circumstance and perhaps tempted to question God, or to let discouragement set in upon us. It is quite thought provoking to think about God’s Continual Truth, and His awesome Continual goodness to us in the land of the Living.  David comforted himself in Praise, Song, and Trusted in God in the midst of his circumstance. Jesus had not yet come; avid did not know Salvation as we know it today, yet He Trusted! His was a Continual Trust in God, an enduring existence in the Commands of God and constant renewing of himself in his commitment to a Holy God. How did he handle his difficult times? Psalm 27 is a song of great distress, a time of discouragement that David was going through, he recalls;  “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the Goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”  We have all had times of waiting, and here, we are encouraged to wait, to remember the Goodness of the Lord.  It would be a great period of waiting if we could do it with “Continual Praise” in the midst of our waiting. “Enduring through constant renewal!” Renewing ourselves in our Faith, our commitment to Christ, and Continually giving thanks for His Mercy endures forever.  Our God is a “Continual” God. God never gives up on us! He is a Faithful God. The Psalmist wrote in the 52^nd Ps., “…the Goodness of God endureth Continually!” We serve a God that said: “Nevertheless I Am Continually with Thee:”  O let the Church enter into Continual Praise and Worship for in Christ we have the Peace that passes all understanding!   “I will Hope Continually, and will Praise Thee more and more…!” Ps. 71:14

Lappers and Slurpers

“Gideon brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. ~ Judges 7:5

  

Gideon finely has recognized the power of God! After asking God two times for confirmation, he is ready to do what God as asked him to do.  In these Messages from Judges 6 you will see that God wants to “Show Us His Way” in our life.  We are in a great warfare with the enemy of our soul, and those who seek to follow Him will experience Battles. I love this Passage of Scripture where the “Spirit of the Lord comes upon Gideon.”  He sounds the war cry upon the Trumpet, perhaps it was a shofar, and the troops are rallied.  Scripture tells us five companies of Israel gathered, some 32 Thousand men. This caused great concern for the enemy, the Midianites and the Amalekites, men of the east, who were gathered against Israel. When the Spirit of the Lord comes upon us, we are well able to stand against the devil. The Apostle Paul writes in, Eph 6:13 “Take unto you the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” God shows us the way to stand against the enemy, by arming ourselves with the Power of His Word. Note what God says to Gideon next; you have too many warriors!? I can’t even imagine what thoughts went through Gideon’s mind at this statement from God. As we follow this Account of Gideon: God releases the fearful, and 10 Thousand remain. God continues to test Israel until only 300 men of Israel are left for the battle against an enemy of 135 thousand. Are you being tested today?  Does your enemy seem bigger than life?  We have this sure Word from God:  Isa. 58:8 “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.”  Do not be detoured by the batter for the “Battle is the Lord’s.” We are His hands extended to declare to this Generation that Jesus is Lord of our battles! Loving you, Pastor ~Phil. 2:15