Bible Ballistics: Q & A Time.  January 26, 2014 Vol.3 No.11

Well, it’s our Question and Answer time again.  I have chosen two questions for this week; one a question about a Bible word, and the other about a Biblical doctrine. 

Our first question comes from Chad, he asks, “Who were the Nicolaitanes?” Referring to those mentioned in Revelation 2:1-7, 12-17.  I’ll only list a portion of these passages (for time and space constraints), and then offer an answer.

Revelation 2:6, “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.”

And Revelation 2:15, “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.” 

These verses were to two of the seven churches that Jesus addresses directly in the book of the Revelation.  In both, Jesus declares that HE hates the deeds and doctrine of the ‘Nicolaitanes’.  Not something we’d want to be a part of, but who and what were the ‘Nicolaitanes’?  There is no direct scriptural answer to this question, and though scripture itself does not identify these people, I’d like to offer my simple answer.  Theories abound, but in Greek, the word literally means, to “be a victor over the people”, from two Greek words Nike (victory) and Laos (people).  While it could refer to a specific person and his followers, as some suggest, I prefer the simpler approach.  It seems the church was being influenced by those promoting an “exalted” class of Christians.  Throughout scripture Jesus calls us to practice ‘servanthood’, not ‘lordship’.  He calls HIS followers to a different standard, the standard of humble service.

Jesus called for His followers to meet the needs of others with humble service and example, not to divide themselves into segments of a superior “clergy” and an inferior “laity”.  Jesus said it clearly:

Mark 10:42-43, “ But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:”

Luke 22:25-26, “ And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.”

Jesus pointed out the contrast– ‘lord it over’, ‘rule’, ‘exercise authority’, OR (as His children) to be ‘servants’ to one another and the world.  So, to me the simplest answer is the best answer.  The  ‘Nicolaitanes’ are those who promote segmentation and division in the church according to some innate, special or imparted gift, a right or authority to ‘rule’ over the ‘laity’ of the church.  Jesus said He hates this.  One of the greatest pictures of ‘servanthood’ is in Philippians 2:5-8,

“5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” 

Are we serving?  

The second question is part of a question, which I’d like to address today (and address the rest later), from Jarred. “I’ve run into some Muslim people who believe in Jesus but don’t believe that Jesus IS God.  How do I counter this?”  This answer goes beyond just one group not accepting the ‘deity’ (being God) of Jesus, unbelievers of many persuasions and some of the so-call “Christian cults” deny that Jesus is God.  We counter this the same way for all of them, with scripture.  Scripture clearly deals with this, and the absolute necessity of accepting and believing in the ‘deity’ of Christ to be saved.  This is one of the fundamentals of our faith that we CANNOT waver on. Let’s begin with the gospel of John:

Portions of John 8:19-27, “Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also……. 21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come…. 23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. 27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.” 

The ‘I AM’ here is a reference to the covenant name of God from Exodus, when God revealed himself as the “I AM” to Moses. John’s gospel focuses on the “I AM’s”, and Jesus clearly states that we MUST believe that HE is “I AM”—God.

John 8:58, “ Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” 

And John 5:18 where the people understood that Jesus was claiming to be God but rejected HIM,

“Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”   

Jesus IS GOD!!!

John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

And we’ll finish up with some other passages that reveal Jesus to be ‘creator’, as we all know Genesis 1:1,

“In the beginning God created……”

Colossians 1:15-17, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” 

Go back and reread Philippians 2:5-11.  And remember Isaiah 7:14, which was fulfilled in Matthew 1:23,

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” 

Jesus is God, He claimed it himself. 

I hope this helps, as I believe that Scripture is often commentary enough.  Please feel free to send your questions and we’ll answer them together during this time each month. And if you’d like a private answer I’ll do my best to reply, or if you don’t want your name mentioned just let me know.  We’ll only use first names so the person who asked will know it’s their answer, but not everyone else will know who they are.                                                                                                

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”  #29   January 19, 2014

I hope that you are warm and snug this cold winter morning, as much of the nation is in the ‘deep freeze’. Concerns abound over power outages and fuel shortages.  We have become a people dependent on “power”— for our homes, our vehicles, which take us places speedily and in comfort (some of us remember when cars didn’t have radios, air-conditioning or power windows and doors, much less videos).

What ‘power’ are you depending on?  Electric ‘power’ to get you through? Other people’s ‘powerful’ personalities to lift you and lead you?  ‘Powerful’ vehicles to take you where you want to be?  There is a ‘power’ that will do all of those things without a plug, pump or power strip. HE IS POWER—GOD Almighty.  How do we connect to this power?

Ephesians 5:8, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”

Without Jesus we are walking in darkness—lost, powerless to help ourselves and unsure of where we’re going or how we’ll get there.  When we trust in Jesus sacrifice on Calvary to save us from our sin, God has “delivered us from the power of darkness”, and He puts His light within us.

Psalm 27:1, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” 

His power and confidence!!!

And Psalm 18:2, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”  (Horn refers to strength and power)

And because of what God does in our hearts we have power to live right, do right and be right with God and others—to be clean.

1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

So?  Here’s our shot for the day—????? Walk in the light–God’s light.  It will never go out.  HE IS POWER!!!

So?  ??????  Keep looking up!!!  Stay in HIS Word. You have the power of Jesus working in YOU to walk in His light.

 “Christ in YOU the hope of glory” (Col 1:27b)

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”  #28  1/22/14

After looking last week at the God who is our ‘help’, I’d like to caution us to ‘be aware’ and to ‘beware’ of what’s going on around us.  Listening to the TV recently, a news report told of another ‘pastor’ who was promoting an issue that is in direct violation of ‘God’s Word’. I’d like to remind us of what God said to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 23:1,16-18, “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord…. 16 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. 17 They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. 18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?” 

They LIE! Don’t listen!

God reminds us that not everything that quacks is a duck!!  As Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 7:15,

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” 

As I like to remind people in regard to a lot of things, ‘saying so, don’t make it so’.  There are so many voices around us, so many claiming to speak for God, to speak for Jesus.  Which ones are we to listen to?  Well, that’s a question I can answer and so can you!!!  Heed the ones that agree with God’s Word, the Bible-reject the rest.  But we MUST know what God’s Word says.  We must read and study it for OURSELVES!

So?  Here’s our shot for the day.  Find out what God says! 

So?  Read and study God’s Word and order your beliefs & living accordingly.  If others’ words speak contrary to it—reject their words—regardless of title or position.

Bible Ballistics: Prayer? January 19, 2014 Vol.3 No.10

It’s been a long week, a week of trials, sorrow, grief and pain, but at the same time a week when God has made Himself real and powerful in my own heart.  One of those times when through the clouds, God came near.  I’d like to do something a bit different today.  I’d like us to look at two of Paul’s prayers for his ‘believing’ friends in two churches, the Churches at Ephesus and Colossae.  I’d like to just emphasize the flow of these prayers and walk through them with minimal commentary.  Please hear Paul’s heart and mine for YOU and me.

Ephesians 3:16-21, “16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory,

to be strengthened

with might

by his Spirit

in the inner man;

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;

that ye,

being rooted

and grounded

in love,

18 May be able to comprehend

 with all saints

what is the breadth,

 and length,

and depth,

and height;

19 And to know

the love of Christ,

which passeth knowledge,

that ye might be

filled with all the fulness of God.

20 Now unto him that is able

to do exceeding abundantly

above all that we ask

or think,

according to the power

that worketh in us,

21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

That Christ may ‘dwell’ (be at home in our hearts) in us by faith.  That we may be: rooted, grounded, comprehending of God’s abundant provision to and for us.  That we might KNOW the unsurpassed LOVE of God IN Christ Jesus, and be empowered to be a  ‘glory in the church (HIS church) BY Christ Jesus’.  Forever!!!  AMEN-so be it- this is my prayer for each of us!!!

Colossians 1:9-17, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that

ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will

in all wisdom

and spiritual understanding;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord

unto all pleasing,

being fruitful in every good work,

and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might,

 according to his glorious power,

unto all patience

and longsuffering

with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet to be partakers of

 the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us from

the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom

of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

 even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God,

 the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him were all things created,

 that are in heaven,

and that are in earth,

visible and invisible,

whether they be thrones,

or dominions,

or principalities,

              or powers:

all things were created

              by him,

and for him:

17 And he is before all things,

and by him all things consist.”

My prayer also—that we will be: filled, obedient, walking worthy, being fruitful, strengthened by HIM, patient, longsuffering (putting up with it), joyful and grateful.  That we are saved, delivered, translated and redeemed by the blood of Jesus, which ‘forgives’ and ‘cleanses’ us for His use and glory.  All this from the creator of all things.  Amen and Amen.  May these things speak to you as they have to me?

Bible Ballistics: “BBs”  #27  Help Part 2

As we continue our thoughts on Psalm 121, I am reminded through tear-filled eyes, how grateful I am for the God who is my help.  That the God who is ‘my help’ never fails, even when I do.  That HE will provide when I’m broken, hurt and weeping.  That HE knows the tears and the fears and can calm both.  That HE said all things DO  ‘work together for good’, to those who love God and belong to HIM.  Have you called on HIM to be ‘YOUR’ God through Jesus?

Let’s continue our look at Psalm 121:4-8

“4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep”. 

My God-the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-is always there.  I don’t have to check His ‘business hours’ to see if He is available.  I can ‘pray without ceasing’, day or night and know that He hears and cares.

“5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.” 

My God keeps me safe in His hand.  He is my shade, my place of rest and comfort when I’m hurting—like right now!!!

“6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.”

My God keeps me from harm (not from experience, see Romans 5:1-9)—from the elements, from life, from the ‘fiery darts’ that come at me, even when they come from unexpected places, and cause excruciating pain.

“7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” 

My God preserves me for HIS purposes. As Paul said to the Philippians, “…He which hath begun a good work in you will complete it….”  Phil 2:6.

“8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore”.

My God never gives up on or quits working in and through HIS OWN.

So?  Here’s our shot for the day.  God’s got you covered!!