When Hidden Things Are Revealed!

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Corinthians 4:1-4 NKJV

What ministry do we have? We have the ministry of the Holy Spirit reigning in our lives, dwelling in our hearts, and leading us along the path of righteousness–if we are willing to hear Him.

It is because of Holy Spirit ministering to our spirits that we have renounced, given up and now avoid those things that bring shame to us and who we serve. We are no longer walking in darkness, doing the bidding of the evil one, nor are we blinded by his influence, but the shutters have been removed with the Truth of the Gospel and hope in Jesus Christ so we can see–in His marvelous light–the path He desires us to take.

When we know truth, we can walk in truth and speak truth, confidently–to everyone we meet or has a question regarding our faith. There is nothing hidden in what we do–we have no hidden agendas since our desire is to please God and preach Christ crucified for our sake. We no longer have to hide behind lies and deceitfulness or deception because our lives are an open book and we are ready for inspection and to be read by any who dare to want to know Truth.

If how we live is not an open book that others can read with clarity, then we have neglected the gift that is in us and are quenching Holy Spirit from operating in our lives. We don’t have to grin in anguish to hide our feelings, nor do we have to hide our joy and exaltation because of the joy of the Lord rising in us. We can be open about our feelings about the state of the world and in doing so–promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ so everyone will have a benchmark to use to measure our words. If our words do not align with the Word of God, then we must examine ourselves to see what hidden thing yet abides within us.

We love and not hate, we help and not hinder. We are compassionate, not dispassionate. We love the light rather than the deeds of darkness. We are imperfect, flawed human beings who understand our shortcomings and stand ready to receive correction and instruction from the only Wise God through Holy Spirit. We are confident, not arrogant about our relationship with God. We have no need to lie or deceive since doing so would represent Satan and not Jesus Christ. We understand who our Father is and will not serve another. We have no hidden agenda–our openly disclosed agenda–to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ is widely known and we will not keep silent nor will we allow the influence of the enemy to deter us–no matter what fiery darts are launched our way.

The hidden things that kept us from receiving God’s best in our lives are no longer hidden, but revealed as we move through this journey, sharing our experiences and God’s love for all. This is what happens when the hidden things are revealed–we can openly confess our love for God and receive His many benefits.

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On The Journey–Mem!

MEM
Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.

You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.

I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.

I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.

I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.

I have not departed from Your judgments,
For You Yourself have taught me.

How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.

The 13th letter and the 13th stanza which appear to be revelation–eyes-wide-understanding of God’s Word.

The writer has reached a point in his life when he realizes he loves God’s laws and principles and meditates on them daily. He’s letting God know, that he has learned more from meditating on God’s Word than anything his teachers have taught him and more than those who came before him who apparently did not have the same attitude towards God’s Word.

What I love about this is the fact that the writer states–he is wiser because of the testimonies–what he has witnessed God do for him.  When I look at the conduct and behavior of the masses in our society, I have to wonder if any have loved God’s Word enough to meditate on it. Have we reached a point where God’s Word has revealed to us–God’s Truth in how we should live?

I cannot imagine any of us living today being able to say, we are wiser than those who came before us (those in relationship with God). However, it is more than possible that many of us know more than those who tried to teach us–to the best of their ability–about God’s Word, through Him.

Here’s what I get out of this the most–when we have personally witnessed God’s operating on our behalf, we have a testimony that no doubter or hater can ever shake. The doubters and haters could not possibly understand God and even if God had performed a miracle on their behalf, they wouldn’t recognize it because to them–it is all about them.

The more I study and meditate on God’s Word, the more I see Him and understand how I am to live my life representing all that He is–not me. That does not mean that I ignore the gifts He has given me; it means that I use the gifts to promote who He is. The more I please Him, the more He gives me favor with others.

On much of the social media we use, we see the term, “influencer” as it pertains to how many followers and connections are made through them. I want to be an influencer in promoting the Gospel more than I want to be an influencer on social media. If anyone has come into greater understanding by something I’ve written that brings them into relationship with God, I have achieved my goal.

Oh yes, His Word is sweeter than honey and will sustain us more than a drink from a fountain, since we have a well of living water rising in us, that never runs dry. And when we recognize what we have in Him, we will exercise self-control and stay out of evil’s way.

On The Journey–Yod!

Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.

Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.

I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.

Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.

Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.

Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.

Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed. Psalm 119:73-80 NKJV

The tenth letter (Jod in KJV and YUD in HNV and Yodh in the NIV) and the tenth stanza and for the tenth time–we see the writer vow to keep and obey God’s Word.

Even though the writer acknowledges God’s place in His life–“you made me” he still wavers with his own shortcomings and it sounds like he’s on a roller coaster of emotional turmoil.

He wants people to rejoice when they see him, but he doesn’t to be put to shame before those same people. And in this stanza, as well as with others, we see a bit of arrogance in the writer, even though he talks about what should happen to the arrogant. Hmm!

Is he better than everyone else because he promises to obey God’s Word and meditate on His precepts? Does he think he’s fooling God who knows at every turn what he’ll do? Do we have these same attitudes–thinking we’re better than everyone else because we know some of the Word? Are we expecting others to turn to us because we have demonstrated understanding of God’s Word instead of them turning to God?

What I see in this passage (and may have missed in others) is a person more concerned about being shamed in front of others than in obeying God. If he truly understood God–as his maker–wouldn’t he know that God is not fooled by the words of our lips, but knows our heart and what we’ll do before we do it?

This is not to say we should ever turn from God’s Word. I know that every time I read The Word–even if I’ve read something twenty times or more–God is yet revealing Himself clearly. And perhaps, just perhaps, the writer of this Psalm realizes that no matter how much he meditates on God’s Word, he has yet much to learn and so we see redundancies in his expression throughout this Psalm.

Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy when we think we “have arrived” at a level of understanding we really don’t have. What happens with us in that mindset is that we become arrogant in our thinking that no one–not even God–can tell us anything and it is in that mindset that we can be brought to shame. Hallelujah! “Getting wisdom is the foundation for learning and with all of our getting, we need to get understanding.”

Lord, help us to keep seeking You as we meditate on Your Word daily, open to new revelation every time we read it. Help us to not be so full of ourselves that we have no room for You in our lives. Encourage our hearts in doing what You would have us to do and to turn others to you, and not us. It is to You we give the glory, the honor, and the praise for You alone are worthy!

Insight Into The Mystery of Christ Jesus!

“Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has not been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together in the promise of Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:2-6 NIV)

What is a mystery? By definition–anything that is kept secret, unexplained, or unknown. Here Paul tells us that the mystery–the unknown has been explained to him by the Spirit of God because of the grace–unearned, unmerited favor given to him.

If the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been explained, then why is it that some are still left in the dark, shaking their heads either in amazement or unbelief?

The answer is quite simply this: For those who do not have the Spirit of God living within them, they cannot understand the spiritual wisdom given to those who are totally dependent upon His teaching and are always listening to Him who knows more than any mere man will ever know.

Though some of us have experienced spiritual revelation about God’s Word, we will never know the totality of God’s Word because if we did, we’d be arrogant enough to think we are gods. Even without the revelation experience, there are some individuals who think they are gods and attempt to corrupt and manipulate The Word to control others. In an effort to appear “spiritually deep” some people have caused others much anguish and pain, they eventually turn away from the One true God because their little gods treated them so miserably.

Who are these little gods? Anyone who thinks they are the only ones who have rightly interpreted the Bible and misuse their interpretation for a variety of reasons that include appeasing flesh. One such group is those who “reinvented God’s Word” to justify practicing sin–the “Rainbow Bible” which has eliminated any reference to homosexuality. Then there is the New World translation which eliminates any references to hell, and any translation that denies the divinity of Jesus Christ, and the Godhead totally. Let’s face it–there are so many translations which eliminate gender reference that many are confused.

God is a spirit–and Jesus called Him Father, therefore, He is a male archetype of what men should be–and He shall ever be a He, not a she or an it. Those of us who have Holy Spirit living within us know this because truth is only revealed to those operating in the spirit and others will not understand for they cannot understand.  Therefore, the mystery of the Gospel will remain a mystery for those who refuse to accept spiritual revelation.

But for those of us who have received the indwelling power of Holy Spirit, He can reveal to us–all the Father directs Him to give us. Notice that Holy Spirit will not say anything the Father has not said, or until the Father directs Him to speak to us. This is why we must receive the indwelling of Holy Spirit, so we can have access to revelation knowledge (revealed by Holy Spirit) and share what we’ve been given to others so they will also have access and insight to the mystery of Jesus Christ.  None of what we receive from Holy Spirit is intended for us to keep to ourselves, but to share the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ so all will come into the knowledge of God’s Truth. We are not responsible for whether people receive the information; we are only responsible for sharing it.

So pray in the spirit, study God’s Word, seek Him about everything and receive the revealed Truth to share with others, not to manipulate them as so many have attempted to do.

Speak Holy Spirit!

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26 NIV).

When I read this (probably for the 100th time) today, I was reminded of people who say they were called into ministry, but never saw the need to study before getting up before people to preach. Their philosophy was that Holy Spirit would tell them what to say. Part of what they believed was based upon this verse of scripture. They misunderstood it–but then–for those who do not read, but rely upon others to “tell them” anything, this is what happens. And this is how mis-teachings about what God has said are promoted.

The role of Holy Spirit is to “remind us” of what we’ve been told, speaking on behalf of the Father, not Himself. So, if we’ve never known or studied anything, how can we be reminded of it?

Now, Holy Spirit can “reveal” and teach us whatever He has been told to say. I love it when Holy Spirit reveals The Word–with clarification to me.  I’m not the only person He reveals things to and I would never be so presumptuous in thinking that I am. Anyone–absolutely anyone–in relationship with God can and will hear Holy Spirit speak to them, bringing understanding and insight into His Word and He will never say anything God has not already said.

This is why I feel it is such a tragedy when those–who have garnered trust and respect–about their knowledge, twist God’s Word to appease those who are only interested in appeasing their flesh. The common justification used for the promotion of homosexuality is that Jesus said nothing about “it” and those who promote the twisting and outright lie, use the segment of scripture when the woman “caught in adultery” was brought to Jesus. And before people get their bloomers tied in knots–and want to start labeling me–anything, I have said this before.  Jesus did not say anything about “specific” sins, He encompassed them all when He told the woman to “go and sin no more.” Sin is sin and there is not one greater than another.

I am not homophobic–as I have been called at other times–I have no fear of being anything I know I am not. Nor do I have any hatred towards anyone–hating takes too much time and I will  not spend my time hating anyone, for any reason. My time is far too valuable for that. But I will teach The Word and for all who are interested in learning and establishing a relationship with God–I will say what Holy Spirit puts upon my heart to say.

But getting back to the verse at-hand. We are given a clear understanding of Holy Spirit’s role in our lives. When in doubt–ask Him–hear Him when He speaks and trust that He is speaking what God is giving Him to say. In order to know that Holy Spirit is speaking, one must know what God has already said in His Word and know that God is not changing His mind nor will He oppose Himself. After all, when a king makes a proclamation and it is put in writing–even He cannot change it!

SPEAK, Holy Spirit–our hearts and minds are open to hearing what You have to say to us, this day!