Bad to the bone - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 1 Timothy 1:16,

"But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life."

I look up to Paul, as many do. He was a prolific apostle for the Lord, taking the gospel to so much of the known world and penning half of the books in our New Testaments. In this passage, however, Paul extols what the Lord can do in the life of a sinner as himself. He claims to be "the worst of sinners" as "a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man." Verse 13. He acknowledged it was for this very reason the Lord picked him for his purposes.

In his confession of being the worst of sinners, Paul demonstrates none are beyond the love and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If the "worst of sinners" can have the grace of the Lord poured out on him, then certainly someone like me is among those who can have it as well. Paul's expression of the grace of the Lord being poured out on him means all are within his call and all have opportunity. Only those who reject the gospel message are beyond salvation.

No sin, no life of rebellion, no life of debauchery places anyone beyond the saving grace and sacrifice of the cross of Jesus Christ. Any can respond to the gospel no matter what they have done with their lives. This is the power of the cross of Jesus Christ. This is the extent of his payment for our sins. No matter what we may have done, there is plenty payment available for it in the court of God's justice. All he asks is that we place our trust in him.

If the Lord can do what he did with the "worst of sinners"... what he can do with the rest of us?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

God on homosexuality - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in 1 Timothy 1:9-11,

"We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for
lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and
irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for
murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing
homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers--and for
whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the
gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to
me."

As Paul observes the proper use of the law, he lists some of those for
whom the Lord gave it to Moses, those who are violators. Here is the
listing Paul provides:

lawbreakers and rebels
ungodly and sinful
unholy and irreligious
those who kill their parents
murderers
sexually immoral
those who practice homosexuality
slave traders
liars and perjurers
those practicing what is contrary to sound doctrine that conforms with
the gospel

Not the first choice of folks you might invite over for dinner - a
wicked lot. And, yet, society today is demanding that we accord one
group - homosexuals - with the same legitimacy and acceptance we might
any other person. Further, it is demanded we no longer speak of
homosexuality as sinful, and that to suggest so is an expression of
hate. So insistent is this move to legitimize homosexuality, we are
told that the disgust and repulsion we may feel about the practice of
homosexuality is really due to "fear". It isn't to be viewed through a
moral compass, but to be embraced and if we don't do so then we are
the ones with the problem, a problem born of fear. So, anyone who
suggests something wrong with homosexuality, that it is not to be
embraced as an altogether appropriate alternative lifestyle, are
branded as "homophobes." I think we might dismiss the
mis-characterization of "homophobia" with the simple point that
disgust and fear are two entirely different emotions.

What does God say about homosexuality? He told Moses, "Do not have
sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is
detestable." Leviticus 18:22. Paul tells us that for those who reject
God, he will give many over to homosexuality as something sinful,
debasing and degrading as a judgment against them, "They exchanged the
truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things
rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this,
God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged
natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men
also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with
lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and
received in themselves the due penalty for their error." Romans
1:25-27.

We read in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, "Do you not know that wrongdoers will
not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the
sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex
with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." Just as God does not
embrace the sexually immoral, idolaters, thieves and so forth, he does
not embrace homosexuals. No one enters the kingdom of God as a
homosexual.

When it comes to identifying what is good/bad, right/wrong,
moral/immoral, holy and righteous or the profane, God is my source. I
don't care what society, culture, the leaders of our day have to say
about homosexuality, they are not a reliable source for such
determinations. Anyone listening to them is a fool. Why listen to
anyone who is "evolving" on the issue when we can just go straight to
the source for knowing if it is a sin or not?

What God has to say is that those engaged in homosexual acts are
engaged in sin. However, like all people who enter into the kingdom of
God, it is not something that cannot be forgiven. We have all sinned
and we all have sins we need forgiven. Listen to what Paul goes on to
say about those who cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, "And that
is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified,
you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the
Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:11. Isn't that wonderful? God
loves homosexuals as he does any other sinner and sent his Son Jesus
Christ to pay the penalty for that sin!

In spite of what the geniuses are telling us these days, just as other
sinners, homosexuals can turn from their sin to embrace Jesus Christ.
Many have done just so. Pointing to the sinfulness of homosexuality is
not hate at all. It is an act of love which just might result in
someone embracing Jesus Christ and changing their eternal destiny.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send
me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are
receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just
respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Beware the false teachers! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 1 Timothy 1:3-4,

"As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith."

Paul's charge to Timothy here was to refute the false doctrines of "certain people." Along with the false doctrines, these certain people also devoted themselves "to myths and endless genealogies." These false doctrines, myths and endless genealogies promoted "controversial speculations" and did not advance God's work.

Who were these people? What did they think they were accomplishing? How had they become deluded such that they, in turn, sought to delude others? What was their motivation, why did they throw themselves into such a task as to teach false doctrines?

Whatever the answers where to those questions then, the questions are just as valid for what we see today. Where is Timothy today? We sure could use him! We have a never-ending supply of false teachers these days. Teachers who claim for themselves the real inside-scoop into the things of God. You don't know these "deep spiritual truths", but they do. Follow them, give to their "ministries" and you can share in these deep-dark mysteries as well!

The problem with people teaching false doctrine is that they lead others astray and do not advance God's work. In their own delusion, I suspect many think they are "doing the work of the Lord", but I'm certain far more of them do it knowingly - in an effort to gain the same old fortune and fame fools always pursue.

Paul provides a key insight in this passage. He points out that God's work "is by faith." Faith always seems to be the first thing out the door with these kinds of folks. One group of false teachers promote ecstatic episodes as the real-deal from God. Why look for faith when you can act like a fruit-loop to demonstrate you are "in" with God?  Another group has abandoned salvation by faith in favor of salvation by appointment from God. Faith is reduced to merely the manifestation of your appointment! You've been "chosen!" Another group insists on the fourth commandment being "kept." Maybe someday you will arrive at their level of spiritual maturity and insight when you finally arrive at the importance of law-keeping!

Of all these things, Paul reminds us that his request to Timothy to oppose these false teachers is "love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." Verse 5. Of false teachers it can always be said, "They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm." Verse 7. I think this is an important thing to note. We all, including myself, may be a bit too confident in what it is we think we may know. Might that confidence be misplaced, if even a bit?

I am reminded that when it comes to false teaching, look at what is being said about faith. Faith is first and foremost if we are to approach the things of God. If faith does not have its proper place in what is being taught, it can't be good teaching. "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. 

Perhaps there is no better medicine for false teaching than what Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Our best protection from false teachers is a thorough knowledge of the word of God. Not just little snippets here and there, but the entire counsel of the word of God from Genesis through Revelation.

May we all be spared from the false teachers! (And, may we all be spared being that false teacher!)

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Anticipated celebration! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 122:1-2,

"I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.' Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem."

As one of the "songs of ascents", this psalm of David is thought to have been sung by those returning to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the annual feasts on the nation's calendar there. To participate in the feast, they would have to make the trek up to Jerusalem. It is not difficult to sense the excitement and anticipation of these worshipers.

As I read the psalm, I can't help but think of the first time when we gather together in God's kingdom to celebrate his love, kindness and mercy. There will be that very first gathering where we meet to worship God the Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, to celebrate the salvation and eternal life he has provided us. We will make the trek to God's throne to acknowledge his wonderful love for us.

I suspect we will both celebrate, in a boisterous joy, over the eternal life he has made possible, and marvel in wonder at God's many-splendored and intoxicating perfections as we see him face to face for the first time. I suspect we will express euphoric appreciation and acknowledgement to God the Son, Jesus Christ, for coming to earth to die a horrible death to pay the penalty for all our sins and for making of himself our way to heaven.

Perhaps I am engaging in a bit of speculation here, but it does seem to me there will be that first time we approach God on his throne. In the anticipation of that very first encounter, will we be like those who were anticipating the national celebration and worship of God, those who sang this song of ascent on their way up to Jerusalem millenia ago? Might those treks, accompanied by worshipful songs of ascent, have been a small precursor, illustrating a much grander event when we present ourselves before our transcendent, majestic God for the first time in eternity?

What do you think might be on our calendar of events as we enter into our eternal estate at the end of the age?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

What shall I return to the Lord? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 116:12,

"What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?"

The psalmist here asks the kind of compelling question that flows from
a meditation on the Lord's compassion and blessings. These blessings
are of a personal nature and the answer the psalmist asks of himself
will be of a personal answer.

The psalm recounts the great compassion expressed to him by the Lord
following his cry to God for mercy. He says, "I love the Lord, for he
heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear
to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death
entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by
distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: 'Lord,
save me!' The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of
compassion. The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he
saved me."

As I read this I can't help but note my own great need the Lord saved
me from. Condemned to an eternity in a fiery lake of burning sulfur
for my own sins, the Lord looked upon me in his compassion and saved
me. The Lord's great mercy and compassion is extended to all who call
upon him, to those who embrace him in faith, to those who cry out to
him for his mercy and salvation.

The psalmist's question in verse 12 is reminiscent of other passages
of Scripture. Notably, Paul answers this question for us all,
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to
God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind." Other passages beg the question, "We continually ask God to
fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and
understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life
worthy of the Lord and please him in every way..." Colossians 1:9-10.
Also, "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals
with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live
lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory." 1
Thessalonians 2:11-12.

We are to live our lives worthy the Lord, worthy of his
incomprehensible love for us, worthy of his mercy in forgiving us,
worthy of his compassion for us in having his very own Son, Jesus
Christ pay the penalty for our sins, worthy of the eternal life he has
given us as an inheritance.

What an appropriate question the psalmist asks! "What shall I return
to the Lord for all his goodness to me?" This is the question I ask of
myself today. How about you?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send
me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are
receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just
respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

It has been foretold! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 102:18-22,

"Let this be written for a future generation,
    that a people not yet created may praise the Lord:
'The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high,
    from heaven he viewed the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners
    and release those condemned to death.'
So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion
    and his praise in Jerusalem
when the peoples and the kingdoms
    assemble to worship the Lord."

I love the foretelling of events in the pages of Scripture. In Psalm 102, the psalmist looks ahead to two events in the future. The first is the Lord's releasing of "those condemned to death." The second foresees a time when "the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord." This will take place when they come together to praise the Lord in "Jerusalem" for this release from death to eternal life.

The first reminds me of a comment Jesus made, "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself." John 5:24-26. Here is the fulfillment of release of those condemned to death. We have all sinned. We are all condemned to an eternal death for our sins. But Jesus Christ has made a way for us, and all who respond to the gospel message by embracing him in faith have "crossed over from death to life." Here is found the release of "those condemned to death."

In the context of Psalm 102:18-22, it is a looking back to this release of those condemned to death that "the peoples and the kingdoms" will assemble to worship the Lord. Might it be something akin to what we read in Revelation 19:6-8?,

"Hallelujah!
    For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
    was given her to wear."

Here we see worship, a celebration of the Lord's great salvation for those previously condemned to death. These prisoners have now become the bride of the Lamb, her Savior!

I am reminded that I don't have to wait till that day to worship the Lord, to celebrate his release of those condemned to death. I can celebrate today what he has done for all of us who have embraced him in faith!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

On economic recovery - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Ruth 1:6,

"When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his
people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law
prepared to return home from there."

Naomi and her family lived during the time of the judges. We read of
that time in Israel's history in the seventh book of the Old
Testament, aptly named "The Book of Judges." In that book we read of a
number of famines, and the story of Naomi takes place during such an
event. The book of Ruth begins with the observation, "In the days when
the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from
Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live
for a while in the country of Moab." Ruth 1:1.

These famines were caused by the Lord to bring Israel back from their
wandering from him. They chased after the idols of their neighbors.
Israel would stray, God would bring pain upon them through famine,
enemy occupation, and so forth. He did this to bring Israel to her
knees, confess their great need of him and turn back to him.
Unfortunately, Israel would stray again once the nation experienced
the Lord's blessings of peace and affluence following an earlier
national repentance.

I note in the above verse, that it states it was the Lord who had come
to the aid of his people. Israel found relief in the Lord once again
as he ended the present famine. It wasn't Keynesian economics, it
wasn't Laffer's curve, it wasn't trickle down. It was the Lord.

Israel was and is God's chosen people, a chosen nation, chosen for his
purposes on planet earth. The reason this people was chosen was
because of Abraham's faith. As God observed Abraham and his faith, he
told him he would make a special people of him and we see that he has
carried out his agenda to redeem mankind through this nation.
Consequently, the history of the nation of Israel is important to us
all. God's involvement and interaction with the people of Israel is
instructive for us. Paul's observation on this is found in 1
Corinthians 10:11, "These things happened to them as examples and were
written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages
has come."

The very short observation of Judges, is that if a nation wants to
experience recovery - God's blessings, it will need to repent of its
evil and turn to the Lord. Not a popular thought today. It is my
observation that many people today would rather cling to their sin
rather than turn to God, rather than to embrace Jesus Christ in faith.
Unfortunately for us, it is these very people that are the loudest
among us as a nation. A noisy throng that ridicules anyone who might
suggest or offer that we as a nation ought to turn to the Lord. Anyone
who dares to take such a stand in our pop culture is dismissed as an
odd-ball.

As in Israel's day, when the judges ruled, the same holds true today.
Any people who would wish for the peace and prosperity God provides,
will have to turn to him, embrace him, acknowledge him. It will only
be when a people rise up in the face of the pop culture's tiny little
fist waving and mocking will they have any hope of national blessing
that only the Lord can provide.

It is in the Lord's hands that any nation experiences his judgment or
his blessings. Listen to what the Lord says, "If at any time I
announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and
destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I
will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if
at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up
and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me,
then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it." Jeremiah
18:7-10. A word to the wise.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send
me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are
receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just
respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The place of difficulties in the task of spiritual growth. - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 1:4,

"Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring."

I can't help but notice the juxtaposition of "persecutions and trials" with perseverance and faith in Paul's comment.

The Scriptures speak to how difficulties and trials in life are a part of the maturing process God has for each one of us. God's goal is that us sinners, with all our baggage, grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ - to emulate his character and nature. Paul says, "For those God foreknew [believers who would respond to the gospel] he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." Romans 8:29.

God actively engages us in this process, often through difficulties. In Romans 5:3-4, "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." This perseverance, character and hope are a part of being conformed to the "image" of Jesus Christ.

Peter tells us the grief of trials is designed for us that we might grow in our faith, "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7. In light of this, Jesus warned us ahead of time of the difficulties he intends to bring into our lives for our good, much like the discipline a child receives from a loving parent to bring a level of maturity, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19.

Note what the writer of Hebrews says, "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all." Hebrews 12:7-8.

There may be those times in our lives we feel God just does not love us at all, with all the difficulties and trials we might face. The reality is just the opposite. It is precisely during those times of difficulty God is very involved in our lives, bringing us growth and maturity, conforming us into the image of his Son. It is those very difficulties that declare God's confidence in us that we are now ready for what he brings our way.

Good to keep in mind the wonderful words of encouragement from the writer of Hebrews, "They [our parents] disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Hang in there while God works his wonders in you!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The cause of marveling - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10,

"He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you."

Paul speaks of a time when the Lord will right all wrongs. The fellowship in Thessalonica was suffering for their participation in the kingdom of God and Paul wanted them to know that their perseverance and faith would not go unnoticed and that judgment would be coming for those who caused their suffering. Possibly a good message for today for believers in other parts of the world and possibly our part in the not-to-distant future.

In his encouragement to them, Paul mentions that the timing for their vindication will take place when the Lord returns. Of that day, Paul says that Jesus Christ will come "to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." He encourages them with the words, "This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you."

We also are included in this number, all who have believed the gospel message, "our testimony" Paul speaks of. We will be among those who will glory in the might of Jesus Christ when he comes. We will be of those among whom the Lord will be glorified, we will be among those who will marvel at the Lord.

What is it exactly that we will "marvel" about? Merriam-Webster defines "marvel" as "one that causes wonder or astonishment... intense surprise or interest." What is it that will cause this reaction among us? Will it be due to the vindication of our faith, belief and trust in him? As we marvel at the Lord, is it because of his pristine nature, or his tremendous love for us? His mercy and his kindness expressed toward us? Will it be due to the power he exerts in his return to earth with his "mighty angels, in blazing fire? Will it be due to the ferocity of his judgment he visits upon of his enemies? Will it be all these things?

What do you think will be the cause of your marveling at the Lord when he comes? Will it be the eternal life he brings for believers? Will it be the nature of the new age he ushers in? The order of things we find within this new age, this new kingdom on earth? Will it be that we finally will come face to face with our Creator with a new sense of purpose and fulfillment in life? What will bring about your marveling at him?

I am certain all believers will marvel at him. I suspect we have many things in hand today, that we need not wait until that day to marvel at our wonderful Savior! What might cause you to marvel at the Lord today?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Our ever present help in our need - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 1:4,

"Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring."

Here is a fellowship that was praiseworthy. Indeed, Paul recognizes just that in verses 3 and 4 as he observes the Thessalonian's growing faith and increasing love. Yet, we see them suffering. Paul commends them for their perseverance and faith "in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring." Paul acknowledges their suffering because of their participation in the kingdom of God.

I think the only suffering I have seen in my life has been due to my acting like a half-wit at times. That is an entirely different matter. What we are looking at in 2 Thessalonians is suffering for the sake of, for the cause of, the kingdom of God.

There are those who attempt to tell us that because God loves us, he doesn't want to see us suffer. When you love someone, you don't want to see them suffer, right? Among other things, I have heard this logic applied in an effort to present an argument for a "pre-tribulational" rapture of the saints. The assumption is that since we are the objects of God's love, he will keep us from suffering in this life, including a time of tribulation anticipated at the end of this age. Without getting in to that issue here, to apply the above logic as an argument reveals either a misunderstanding or lack of knowledge of the things of God told us in the Scriptures.

Yes, God does love us. Yes, I am certain that in his love he holds us near and dear to his heart and cares about our circumstances. However, we read over and over that God does not keep us from hardship in this life. He accompanies us through the hardships, strengthening and aiding us, but we go through them nonetheless. As Paul contemplates this in Romans 8:35-36, he quotes Psalm 44:22, "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

Paul points out that it is not in this life or in this age that God will right all the wrongs, when he will pay back those who may trouble us, who may cause us hardship, "God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10.

God will judge those who cause us trouble. He will provide us relief. However, Paul is clear to point out this will take place at the end of the age, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven, when he comes to be glorified in his holy people.

As we face troubles at the hands of others, as we struggle with hardship and difficulties, we need to be encouraged to recognize that troubles and hardships are no indication we are not loved by God or that we may have been abandoned by him. We need to take strength in knowing he will provide us relief in his own time, even though we may be struggling in hardship at the present time. He will also bring to justice those who may mistreat us and seek to harm us for our faith in him.

He has promised to be our help in need, but he has not promised to take away our need.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Passion, stereotypes, and fulfillment - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 1:3,

"We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and
rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love
all of you have for one another is increasing."

Paul was thankful to God for the growth in faith, "growing more and
more", and increase he saw in their love for one another.

Just musing here... I have a question. How much faith would be enough
in Paul's view? How much love would be enough in Paul's view?

I'm probably going to get some push-back for what I say here, but it
is something I find the Scriptures stir within my heart - frequently.
It springs from what God reveals of himself. He is not someone to be
painted in nice relaxing pastels, he is not mild, he is not what we
might call "reserved" or taciturn. Not the quiet type. As I read of
God, as I read the things he has to say of himself, as I read of the
things he has done, I have found him to be with an overwhelmingly
"big" personality of bright and bold colors. He is passionate. I mean
crazy-passionate (if you understand what I'm saying here). His sense
of justice is not of some milquetoast bureaucratic judge, but an
horrific and frightening final arbiter of all things, whose judgment
can be dreadfully horrendous. His love is overwhelming, astonishing,
prompting him to do things that are both startling and astounding. Big
emotions, really big emotions with correspondingly big actions.

We happen to live during a time where God's actions and his
involvement in the affairs of mankind may not often reflect the full
intensity of his being, but the Scriptures assure us, his
self-revelation to us assures us, that he is very intense and very
passionate even if we may not experience that on a daily basis. I am
entirely convinced we could not survive the intensity of his
personality were we exposed to its fulness on an ongoing basis.

So we read things like the Lord's comment that those who are just a
little too composed, a little too "balanced", a little too moderate,
make the him sick, Revelation 3:16, etc. The heroes he points for us
to look up to did amazing things born of a fiery and passionate faith,
Hebrews 11.

When I was young in the church, I somehow had the notion that nice
Christians were well-balanced individuals who were well composed, who
showed up in the fellowship all showered up in clean clothes with a
pleasant disposition. All things attended to properly, in a "nice"
manner. Passion, "gusto", a fiery outlook just did not seem to fit
into the picture. And, unfortunately, my perspective on God seemed to
follow suit. I could not have been more wrong.

Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that believers should strive to
be offensive or overbearing. However, when it comes to how much faith
is "enough faith" and how much love is "enough love", I think we might
find the answer well beyond our consideration. If our God is intense,
it is no wonder we find Paul, Peter and others astonishingly intense
while seeking passion from the rest of us. Passionate faith,
passionate love, passionate expression of our embrace of Jesus Christ.

I suspect this passion that should be ours for the things of God as
well as the passion of our reaction to what we see of God is in fact
what God has made us for. I believe he has even wired us this way as
our Creator. I could be wrong here, but it seems to me that many who
have yet to discover God's wonderful love in the gospel message, and
found this love as his expression to us -- as his response to our
faith in him -- are needy. They experience a God-sized hole in their
hearts that only our intensely passionate God can fill. Nothing in
this life can quite fill it, so they struggle with an emptiness, a
void where passion should be, where excitement should be, where
intensity should be.

I'm not speaking of all people. Lets face it, there are many among us
we might consider as simply "duds". I don't think we are all wired by
God the same for passion, but I believe there are plenty of people who
do struggle with that emptiness that the intensity and passion that
only God can provide can satisfy, and the struggle can be intense for
them. I'm thinking here of folks who struggle with an emptiness, have
not embraced the Lord in faith, at least not yet, and are driven to
find fulfillment in ways that many around them just cannot understand.
They may be looking in all the wrong places.

It is my thought that the desperate need to assuage that emptiness can
find its expression in alcohol abuse, drug abuse, sexual perversions
and addictions, etc. This list could be long here but I think you get
the point. It is my belief that it is these very individuals who would
become some of the most wonderful believers, were they to look in the
right place - to Jesus Christ to find fulfillment where emptiness
exists. They, I believe, are the ones that have the greatest capacity
for the things of God, the greatest capacity for intensity and passion
for the things of God. Things like a growing faith and an increasing
love.

As I say... just musing here. In the meantime, may we all grow in our
faith and may our love increase in ways that are worthy of our
passionate God.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send
me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are
receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just
respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The wickedness of misplaced compassion - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12,

"In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and
sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive
and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For
you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not
idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without
paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and
toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this,
not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to
offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were
with you, we gave you this rule: 'The one who is unwilling to work
shall not eat.' We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive.
They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and
urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they
eat."

The church in Thessalonica had heard the rumor, that the day of the
Lord had come upon them. While Paul disabused them of the notion,
nevertheless, the outlook prevailed that the return of the Lord was
imminent. You can sense it in Paul's first letter to this church. In 1
Thessalonians 5:1-11, there is a distinct note of immediacy while
considering the Lord's return. In Romans 13:11 we read, "Do this,
understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to
wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than
when we first believed." Paul clearly anticipated a near term return
of the Lord. Possibly this gave rise to the thought for folks in
Thessalonica that earning their keep was not in keeping with an
expectant, "the Lord is going to show up any day now" kind of outlook.
Why keep working, since this age is at an end? Why not just live off
our savings till the Lord returns (or, someone else's savings...).

Whatever it was, something prompted these Thessalonian believers from
earning their own keep and caused them to become dependent upon
others. While idle, they also drifted into becoming disruptive - a
natural course of events. Recall the present day proverb, "Idle hands
are the devils tools." Whatever the cause, believers in Thessalonica
needed a scolding - and got it from Paul - to start earning their own
keep and to stop contributing to others who refused to do so. "The one
who is unwilling to work shall not eat." How uncompassionate of Paul!

I suspect Paul was familiar with Proverbs 16:26, "The appetite of
laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on." The best way to
encourage those around us to become productive is to allow the truth
of this proverb to become operational. Conversely, the best way to
thwart God's command concerning work, is to manifest a misplaced
compassion for those who need to be working:

"By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return." Genesis 3:19.

Paul was not an uncompassionate man, but he was driven by truth and
reality. When it came to loving others by helping them in a time of
need, consider the instructions he gave to Timothy regarding the help
for widows in the fellowship:

"Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But
if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of
all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family
and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing
to God. The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her
hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for
help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she
lives. Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open
to blame. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and
especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse
than an unbeliever." 1 Timothy 5:3-8. It was Paul's position that the
church needed to help those who truly needed it. Those who did not
really need the help tended to slip into sin, "Besides, they [younger
widows who shouldn't be on the church's "welfare" list] get into the
habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only
do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying
things they ought not to." 1 Timothy 5:13.

Extending a misplaced compassion can lead the recipients of that
supposed "compassion" into sin. We are to love one another, look out
for one another, and help one another when truly needed. We are not to
participate in those things that provide for others to go astray. God
has directed us to work. Enabling others from God's command leads them
and us astray. Caring for those who are really in need is another
issue. May we not confuse the two!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send
me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are
receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just
respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

"A dreadful thing..." - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12,

"The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness."

"Those who are perishing", who, "refused to love the truth and so be saved" are sent a powerful delusion from God to believe "the lie" and be condemned. These are ones who delight in their wickedness, such that they reject the truth. I am reminded of what Jesus taught Nicodemus in John 3:19-20, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed."

It is my understanding from Paul's comments in 2 Thessalonians that there is a point at which God will take action against someone who refuses to believe in the truth, rejecting it, in favor of clinging to their sin. This action is identified as a "powerful delusion", so they will believe "the lie."

Certainly, inextricably bound up in this lie, is that there is no merit in the claims of the gospel message. The gospel informs us that we are all sinners, that Jesus Christ died on that cross to pay the penalty for our sins so we might gain eternal life with him, and that all he requires is that we place our faith, our trust in him. The gospel tells us Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that his Father raised him following his crucifixion, proving that the Father's sense of justice was satisfied in the payment Jesus made through his death on the cross.

The horror of the delusion from God is that these folks will never respond to this gospel message.

Why would God do such a thing? In addition to God being loving, God is just. God is holy and righteous. All who reject him, reject the gospel are subject to his wrath. Jesus also told Nicodemus, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son." John 3:17-18. These that fall under God's judgment of delusion first exercised their own free will in refusing "to love the truth and so be saved."

Can someone reject the gospel and go for a time without being sent a "powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie" and be condemned? When is that line crossed? At what point can someone be found to be deluded such that they will never embrace Jesus Christ in faith? I don't know the answers to those questions. All I know is that this is something Paul raises as he considers future things. The consequences of rejecting the truth of the gospel are horrific.

"It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Growing in faith - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4,

"We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring."

We become children of God through faith. A lot of folks have a lot of ideas as to how one gets to heaven. The Scriptures have their own direction and it could not be clearer. Salvation is by faith and faith alone. Over the years I have seen and read a number of "lists" of things required for salvation. Many denominations and groups have sprung up with their own ideas.

At the heart of the issue is that Jesus Christ sacrificed himself on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins. The Scriptures are perspicuous - we cannot add to his sacrifice or adorn it with our own good ideas or actions. Jesus' sacrifice was entirely sufficient, it lacks nothing. He did all the heavy lifting on the cross when he satisfied his own Father's sense of justice. All sin will be paid for. Either we pay for our own sin (and all have sinned) or we can have Jesus' payment for our sins credited to our account in God's courtroom. The gospel message is clear that we have Jesus' payment for our sins credited to our account with our Creator God by placing our faith and trust in him. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9. There is nothing we can do to add to Jesus' sacrifice. We can't adorn it, as if his sacrifice was not sufficient to bring us salvation. "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:9-10. We just cannot add anything to what Jesus wrought on that miserable cross!

The book of Romans is Paul's effort to show that entering into God's family is a matter of faith, not works we may do. We are simply saved by faith. In a bewildering twist, otherwise wonderful teachers in the history of the church, notably Augustine, Calvin and others have somehow confused the issue by thinking faith is a "work". Paul addresses this so I am somewhat perplexed as to how they have missed it. Here is Paul's observation of Abraham's experience, "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 4:1-5.

The truth of this is seen so clearly in Romans 3:21-25, "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith."

Clearly, salvation is by faith. How much faith? Jesus spoke of a faith as small as a mustard seed in Matthew 17:20. There the issue at hand was an inability to deliver a demon-possessed boy by faith. There was not sufficient faith on the part of the disciples to help out. Jesus taught even a little bit of faith can accomplish a lot. We can have no faith, a little faith, and, more faith. Apparently faith is dynamic and can grow. 

So how much faith does salvation take? Apparently of such a small amount that what is there can be added to.

What we learn from Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 is that the faith required to bring us into God's family is something that is built on. "Your faith is growing more and more." This is not a reference that more people were joining the church in Thessalonica (although that probably was the case), but that the faith of these believers was growing, and that beyond their salvation. It was something God was doing in their lives as it is God Paul gives his thanks to for it. Faith is something that grows and develops as we mature in the Lord, as we continue on our walk with him. God builds upon the saving faith we have as we mature in him, and he is the one responsible for that growth in faith.

We see this in other passages, such as Romans 12:3, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." Paul speaks here of faith God distributes to people who are already "believers", people who are already members of the kingdom of God.

Faith is dynamic and faith can be added to. Where are we at on the faith spectrum? How can we measure our faith? Is it possible the challenges God puts us through in life are designed to "grow" our faith, as God was doing with the Thessalonians? There is a lot to consider here.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

"You didn't build that!" - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 1:3,

"We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing."

A thanksgiving of gratitude goes to the one who has brought about, and is responsible for that which we appreciate. In this passage, Paul thanks God for the growth in faith and the increase in love he sees in these Thessalonian believers. I note he gives his thanks to God and not to these believers, even as he acknowledges the wonderful progress they have made. In verse 4, Paul's boasting in the perseverance and faith of these wonderful believers is his boasting in what God is accomplishing in their lives. God is the recipient of Paul's thanksgiving in what he sees, because God is the one Paul acknowledges as having brought it about.

In one of the more foolish exclamations made by a current political figure, "You didn't build that!", a reference to the need for more socialism in the political and economic arena, when it comes to what takes place in our lives as believers, the statement is absolute truth. Where we might find ourselves even slightly tempted to engage in a "wee bit" of satisfaction for spiritual growth in our lives, Paul points boldly to the one who really is responsible for it: God.

I note a few verses later that Paul prays to God that he would make these believers in Thessalonica "worthy of his calling", that he would "bring to fruition" their "every desire for goodness" and their "every deed prompted by faith." Verse 11. Why pray to God for these things if the Thessalonians are bringing it about? Paul recognizes the wonderful transformation in their lives as that which God brings about.

With this in mind, he prays for these things for these believers so that "the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." Verse 12. For Paul, God is the one who is on display as wonderful things take place in the lives of believers. I'm not suggesting Paul did not feel an appreciation for the Thessalonian's willing participation and involvement in their spiritual transformation, but clearly Paul points to our wonderful God as he observes his work in their lives.

I am reminded of Paul's comment in 1 Corinthians 4:7, "What do you have that you did not receive?" When it comes to acknowledging the wonderful qualities we observe in those around us, or even with ourselves, it is God we need to recognize. He did that!

As I read of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, I see that things like love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control are all things God works in our lives. While these things can be manifested in our lives, it is his fruit not ours. Yes, we need to make ourselves available to God and to participate in what it is he is doing. But, after all, it is what he is doing and he is the one who deserves the recognition. When others take note of these qualities God has built into our lives, we want to point to him as the one from whom all good things flow.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Who is this "man of lawlessness"? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4,

"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God."

Apparently there was a rumor the Thessalonians heard, that claimed Jesus Christ had already come back for his own. This was taught by the apostles, the Scriptures, the Lord himself: the second coming of Jesus Christ for his own -- believers who have responded to the gospel message and embraced the Lord in faith. Possibly the "persecutions and trials", 1:4, these Thessalonian believers were enduring aided traction to this rumor. The second coming of Jesus Christ will be attended not only by joy and the rejoicing of believers, but also upheaval in the world. The Thessalonian believers may have misread their persecutions as a sign of the Lord's return.

Paul corrects that thought and points out that the Lord will not return until "the rebellion occurs" and a man, "the man of lawlessness" is revealed.

I am just musing here: I have wondered on a number of occasions if this "man of lawlessness" may not be a specific individual, but a "stage" in the devolution of mankind's wallowing in sin. As I say, I'm just musing here.

Recall the account of Noah's flood. Mankind had devolved to a point where God, "saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways." Genesis 6:12. So great was the wickedness, we read, "The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, 'I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.'" Genesis 6:5-7.

I have entertained the thought from time to time that possibly rather than an individual, this "man of lawlessness" that precedes the second coming of Jesus Christ is a reference to the people that will be engaged in the "rebellion" Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and not unlike the people in Noah's day. I have thought possibly "the man of lawlessness" is this stage in mankind's development as a whole and would be one where God is rejected and mankind sets himself up to be God.

These would be globalists, like the people at the tower of Babel. People who claim to be able to do those things that really only God can do or legitimately do. People who claim to be able to raise and lower oceans by manipulating the weather. People who take upon themselves the decision for who lives and dies, as in the current practice of abortion and infanticide in our society. People who claim to be able to cast a "social safety net" of welfare, food stamps, free healthcare, minimum wages as if they were our Provider God. People who assume the role of "Creator" to determine if they will be male or female, as in the transgender/homosexuality crowd. People who reject the word of God for their own precepts. People who simply reject God, rewrite history and assume God's position in the world today by their actions and outlook.

As I say, just musing here...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

God will right all the wrongs (also a note on when I was wrong the other day) - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8,

"God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and
give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will
happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire
with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and
do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus."

We all have a sense of what is right, just and fair. I believe it is
due to our being created in God's own image. God has revealed himself
to be both loving and just -- intensely loving and intensely just. We
have the capacity for both, with believers having the opportunity to
experience them both in uncorrupted ways.

When it comes to justice, we have a keen sense of what we define as
"just and fair." It may be that much of what is felt as "unjust" is
far from legitimate, especially when it comes to the political arena
where absurd concepts, such as "economic justice", championed by
socialists, is passed off as a legitimate concern. As a tactic of the
socialists among us, it sells well and works well for them simply
because we all have this sense of what is just, and so it resonates
with the uninformed, not because it is legitimate, but because it
appeals.

In our lost and fallen world, dominated by a collective sin nature,
populated by people animated by sinful impulses, there is ample
opportunity for true injustices to take place. Paul identifies these
Thessalonians as legitimate victims of true unjust treatment by
others. Paul observes their suffering and encourages his readers by
pointing out those who are troubling them will face God as their just
judge. He will visit his justice upon them, "He will pay back trouble
to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and
to us as well."

Of course, I desire immediate satisfaction, and would wish God's
immediate judgment on troublemakers. However, how wonderful for me
that God does things in his own time, as I have certainly caused
others trouble over the years. Where would I be today if God
immediately judged troublemakers?

Paul tells us God will right all the wrongs in his timing. He tells
these Thessalonians that it will take place "when the Lord Jesus is
revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels."

I take comfort in knowing that in the end, God will right all wrongs
and that he will do it in his own timing, not mine. Accordingly, I am
admonished to, "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room
for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will
repay,' says the Lord." Romans 12:19. Also, 1 Corinthians 4:5,
"Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the
Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will
expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their
praise from God."

All in good time... all in good time. And, how wonderful it is to
leave things in the hands of God. It certainly has a way of bringing
relief to the otherwise heavy burdens of bitterness and so forth.

On another note, I wrote the other day on repentance. I made the point
that repentance is a change of direction, not simply sorrow for sin.
In it I made the assertion that it would be impossible for someone who
is yet to be saved, yet without the presence of the Holy Spirit
dwelling within them, to feel sorrow for sin. How could someone be
asked to feel sorrow for sin as an unregenerate person? My good friend
Dave shared a wonderful passage with me, "Godly sorrow brings
repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly
sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:11. That passage confirms that
"godly sorrow" leads to repentance, supporting my claim that sorrow
and repentance are not quite the same thing. Repentance requires
change. However, in Dave's passage, it is a "godly sorrow" that leads
to repentance and is something that is felt before someone is saved,
not a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as believers have,
correcting my assertion. I apologize for the misdirection and am
thankful that others are keeping me on the "straight and narrow." God
knows, I need it!

As I think of Dave's passage, it causes me to think of how God pursues
us for salvation. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father
who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day."
John 6:44. Also, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw
all people to myself." John 12:32. Jesus also taught us about the
ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world today, "When he [the
"Advocate" or "Comforter", that is, the Holy Spirit] comes, he will
prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and
judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about
righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me
no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now
stands condemned." John 16:8-11. I believe Dave's passage has bearing
on each of these things the Lord taught. Thanks, Dave!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

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Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com