Tag: Bible

Midnight Prophetic Call

bible

On November 17, 1989, I experienced something I’ll never forget.

At the time, I was a new Christian, recently baptized in the Holy Spirit. I’d been doing prophetic journaling, listening to the voice of God and transcribing it for three months.

Soon after I fell asleep that night, I was dramatically awakened by a spiritual presence. Was it God? Jesus? An angel? I didn’t know.

I felt impressed—no, strongly led—downstairs where the streetlight shone through the living room windows onto the hardwood floor.

I opened my Bible there and definitely felt directed to the first chapter of the prophet Daniel.

It was as if an unseen angel stood over my shoulder and highlighted the words of the following passage:

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
—Daniel 1:17 NIV

Daniel 1:17I say “as if,” but I now believe this is exactly what happened: An angel woke me, led me downstairs, and pointed out this verse as a prophetic calling of my spiritual purpose and destiny. I still remember the powerful presence that overshadowed me.

It has taken 30 years, but this message is finally coming to pass.

I’ve studied and practiced all kinds of writing. I earned a BA in English, a master’s in biblical studies, a master’s in genre fiction writing, been employed as a technical writer in the software industry since 1986, written many short stories and six novels, and read hundreds of books about prophecy, prophets, and ministering the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I pastored a house church for three years. I’ve attended many workshops and conferences and taken classes on prophetic ministry.

In 2007 I experienced a profound spiritual awakening, another in 2016, and am continuing to apply my abilities to pursuing my prophetic call.

If you are diligent to learn and practice the things you are uniquely interested in, one day they may pave the way for you to fulfill your destiny.

May God reveal His call to you and enable you to fulfill it for the glory of His Kingdom.

Secret Council of the Lord

Council of the Lord

Council of the Lord Series #1

There is a place in the heavenly realm where the Lord discusses his secret counsel with confidants—angelic beings; departed saints; and prophets, the friends of the Lord.

But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?
–Jeremiah 23:18 NIV

What is the council of the Lord?

The word council is sôd in Hebrew, meaning, “a session, i.e., a company of persons in close deliberation; by implication intimacy, consultation, a secret: assembly, counsel” (Strong’s, H5475).

Sôd is translated as “secret” nine times out of its twenty-one occurrences in the Old Testament.

The council is a confidential assembly of beings who listen to the counsel of the Lord.

The primary meaning of the word is “confidential speech”…, hence, “counsel” (TWOT, 1471a). The GNT translates it “the Lord’s secret thoughts.” The JUB puts it, “For who has stood in the secret of the LORD and has seen and heard his word?”

Eliphaz asked Job,

8 Do you listen in on God’s council? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know? What insights do you have that we do not have?
–Job 15:8-9 NIV

God’s secret counsel must be “listened in on.” It communicates God’s wisdom, information, and insights that others do not know.

The wise and upright person who walks in the fear of the Lord will be privy to God’s secret counsel. See Ps. 25:14; Prov. 3:32; Amos 3:7; Job 29:4. Angels, seraphim, and cherubim are among the Lord’s council.

Besides heavenly beings, there are human servants of the Lord who have special access to the sôd of God.

Amos 3:7 states that “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” (NIV). The EXB translates it as “Before the Lord God does anything, he tells his plans to his servants the prophets.” Many Bible versions translate plans as “secrets,” sôd.

Before doing anything on the earth, God shares his secret plans with his servants, the prophets.

The council of the holy ones

5 The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
6 For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.
–Psalm 89:5-7 NIV

God is surrounded with holy spiritual beings who greatly fear him. He is the most awesome among them all.

  • “Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Ex. 15:11 NIV)
  • “God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the ‘gods’” (Ps. 82:1 NIV).
  • “Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours” (Ps. 86:8 NIV).

This council of holy ones meets in heavenly places—paradise (see 2 Cor. 12:2-4), perhaps before the throne of God—to discuss the secret plans of the Lord. Daniel 7:9-10 describe the Lord’s throne and a court assembled before Him to hear his counsel.

“Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left” (1 Kings 22:19 NIV).

Accessing the council of the Lord

How do prophets and other righteous followers of the Lord attend this counsel in the heavenlies? By being taken there.

Apostle John wrote, “On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit…” (Rev. 1:10 NIV), and “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this” (Rev. 4:1 NIV).

Isaiah was swept up to the throne of God in a vision: “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Isa. 6:1 NIV).

A number of times Ezekiel was escorted in the spirit to see things transpire: “He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and in visions of God he took me to Jerusalem” (Ezek. 8:3a NIV).

Paul was caught up to the third heaven, although he did not know whether it was in the physical body or only in the spirit (2 Cor. 12:2).

Interacting with the council of the Lord

The primary purpose of attending the council of the Lord is to hear and see what God is communicating and to share it with those on earth.

Carlton Kenney, in his excellent booklet, Standing in the Council of the Lord, states: “While on these trips those servants of God not only saw and observed, but also interacted with the scene before them. This occurred in such a way as to even affect the outcome of the events” (32).

This is the ultimate place of intercession. We have access to the secret council of the Lord and can not only listen in on discussions and decisions made there, but intercede as Abraham and Moses did for the fate of others on the earth.

Isaiah stands before the throne, and after a seraph touches a coal to his lips, this transpires:

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for US?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
9 He said, “Go and tell this people:”
–Isaiah 6:8-9a NIV

Among the council of the mighty, the sôd of the Lord, God asks who will go and speak for them. Isaiah volunteers, and God accepts his offer!

The purpose of Isaiah’s participation in the council of the Lord was to hear and heed God’s command to speak to God’s people.

Although Paul heard things in the council of the Lord he was not permitted to tell (2 Cor. 12:4), Isaiah and other prophets were commanded and commissioned to share what they heard. Why? Because “Before the Lord God does anything, he tells his plans to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7 EXB).

And what is a prophet’s job? To declare the word of the Lord (Deut. 5:5; 1 Kings 13:32).

This is why God told Abraham his plans for Sodom: “The Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?’” (Gen. 18:17 NIV). He did not hide it; He divulged his secret counsel to His friend and prophet, resulting in Abraham’s intercession and the deliverance of Lot’s family.

Sharing the council of the Lord

On July 9, 2018, I was listening to the Lord, journaling His inner voice, and this is what He said:

My son, we are calling you up higher. We desire that you come up and be where we are. Seek things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and we will draw you here.

Know that your intention and your imagination will play a part in this transportation. Know that we will begin to do this as you apply yourself to being here.

God invited me to attend His council in the heavenlies. I asked the Lord how I could get started. The Spirit said:

See yourself in the council of the mighty, surrounded by those who would counsel you and give you direction and guidance.

On August 4, 2018, the Lord said:

My son, we are going before you to prepare the way for you to speak the message, even the word of the Lord. For we desire you to take your instructions from this council and that you share with others that which we share with you.

We will give you the word, we will give you the message, we will give you the confirmation, and we desire that you speak this word in humility yet in boldness, for we are able to bring it to pass.

And you will not be the only one speaking this word, but there will be others who speak it. And it will be confirmed here, and it will be confirmed there. It will be taken up, it will be taught on, and in this way the word of the Lord will be revealed to the Body to guide and to direct and to instruct and to encourage, to inform, and to fortify. For we desire that the Body of Christ be ready to do the will of the Lord and to build the Kingdom.

We will release you with Kingdom power. We will release you with a Kingdom word. We will release to you a word not only for the Church, but for the Body yet to be. We will give you a word that draws others unto the Kingdom. Know that as we reveal our secret plans to you and to others, that we will draw those unto the Kingdom that they may become like Christ, become part of the Church, and to become Kingdom builders and spreaders.

I’m planning a series of experiments, although not without some trepidation.

As I apply myself to attending the council of the Lord, I will share what I hear and see here on my blog. It will be tagged in the category “Council of the Lord.”

If you encounter similar messages from others or through what the Spirit is saying to you, please comment and include links, if any.

Until then, God bless you, and may He share His secrets with you for good!

Conclusion of the Sodom Series and Challenge

God Hates Fags

Sodom Series, #16

We see from a study of the Scriptures—all the passages which mention Sodom—that the sins of the cities of the Plain are idolatry, pride, gluttony, violence, hatred of strangers, and inhospitality to outsiders—not same-sex coupling.

When we compare Genesis 19 with the Judges 19 account of Gibeah, we understand that rape—the dehumanization of one human being by another—is the ultimate expression of their hostility and violence toward strangers, whether male or female.

We must study the Scriptures thoroughly before forming doctrine

A thorough study of the Scriptures, as this series has provided, should suffice to determine what the sins of Sodom were. This is especially important when we use the Bible to form doctrine about Christian living while we ignorantly flirt with the danger of condemning entire classes of people.

Christian teaching should speak only what the Scriptures teach. It should conform its logic and argument to that contained in the Scriptures. Most importantly, it should remain silent when the Scriptures are silent. Mark Jordan asks:

Do we meet these tests when we invoke the history of Christian moral teaching to speak about what we call homosexuality? Our readings in medieval texts have suggested that we do not meet them. Indeed, we fail much lesser tests. We typically disregard the most basic rules of respectful reading when arguing about same-sex love. We rip words out of context; we magnify what is microscopic and ignore what is enormous; we refuse to examine the rifts that divide our languages, our discourses, from the patristic or medieval discourses we want to invoke. (The Invention of Sodomy in Christian Theology, 160)

The Apostle Peter admits that some things in Scripture are hard to understand, “which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Pet. 3:16b NKJV). We therefore must be diligent to correctly interpret and apply its teachings.

This wrenching of the Scriptures leads to the dangerous process of demonization.

Demonization of sodomy

The crimes of the destroyed ancient cities changed from the original scriptural understanding to focus solely on one type of sexual behavior. From there, the term sodomy was coined and abstracted to refer to homosexual behavior and then to homosexuality in general.

“The last thing we should do is to translate ‘Sodomy’ as ‘homosexuality.’ ‘Homosexuality’ is a term from late nineteenth-century forensic medicine, a diagnostic term for regulating the behavior of the patients or prisoners it presumes to classify. If you ask, What does medieval moral theology have to say about homosexuality? the only precise answer is, absolutely nothing. ‘Homosexuality’ is no more discussed by medieval theology than are phlogiston, Newton’s inertia, quarks or any of the other entities hypothesized by one or another modern science. ‘Sodomy’ is not ‘homosexuality’” (Jordan 161, emphasis mine).

“There are two separate mistakes here,” Jordan points out. “The first is to think that the story of Sodom is centrally about same-sex pleasure—or even a particular kind of same-sex copulation. It is not” (162). Yet, a great segment of the Church believes that all homosexuals are sodomites, worthy of a fiery death sentence.

The citizens of Sodom lumped together all outsiders as strangers, suspicious as a class and worthy to be abused and violated. They condemned visiting travelers to certain victimhood in every case. Just as nothing good could come from Nazareth, nothing good could come from outside the walls of Sodom.

Tom Horner discusses this process of demonization:

It is doubly unfortunate that a great portion of the public identifies all homosexuality with the conduct of the men of Sodom and says, “The men of Sodom were bad; therefore all homosexuality is bad.” Well, the men of Sodom were bad, but they were bad not because of their homosexuality but because they had allowed themselves to become so callous in their dealings with other human beings that they had turned themselves into brutes. (Jonathan Loved David, 47, emphasis mine)

Those who name Jesus Christ as their Savior and claim to live according to the Bible must see that such disregard and mistreatment of people, even if they’re considered “sinners,” is unquestionably unchristian and brings reproach upon not only the gospel message, but the Lord himself.

When we, in our own relationships, disregard other human beings as persons, we kill them little by little.

Who are the real sodomites?

It is ironic that for almost two thousand years in Western culture this is how people have been treated who’ve been honest enough with themselves to accept homosexuality as a given fact of their existence. They’ve been treated as less than human for no other reason than because they have expressed a sexual preference for members of their own sex.

If we would begin to judge people as individual persons, instead of prejudging them on the basis of their sexual prefer¬ence, maybe we would begin to see where the real propensity for violence and lawbreaking in our society lies. (Horner 57)

McNeill aptly states an irony: for 1000 years in the Christian West, homosexuals have been the recipients of inhospitable treatment. “Condemned by the Church, they have been the victims of persecution, torture, and even death” (Taking a Chance on God, 42).

There’s a sad irony about the story of Sodom when understood in its own historical setting. People oppose and abuse homosexual men and women for being different, odd, strange or, as they say, “queer.”

Lesbian women and gay men are simply not allowed to fit in. They are made to be outsiders, foreigners in their own society.

They are disowned by their families, separated from their children, fired from their jobs, evicted from apartments and neighborhoods, insulted by public figures, denounced from the pulpit, vilified on religious radio and TV, and then beaten in the schools and killed on the streets and in the backwoods of our “great,” “freedom-loving” nation. And all this is done in the name of Christ.

Such wickedness is the very sin of which the people of Sodom were guilty. Such cruelty is what the Bible truly condemns over and over again. So those who oppress homosexuals because of the supposed “sin of Sodom” may themselves be the real “sodomites,” as the Bible understands it. (Helminiak 49–50, emphasis mine)

Being gay is not the unpardonable sin

In some parts of the Church, there is neither mercy nor forgiveness for those who identify themselves as homosexual. “Sodomy,” says Jordan, “seems to be an unrepentable sin… an exception to divine grace…” (Jordan 162). However, there is only one unpardonable sin: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29; Luke 12:11).

Yet God’s promise to those who are hospitable to strangers, those who accept the outsider and the gospel messenger remains:

I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and I will restore your own fortunes along with theirs…
–Ezekiel 16:53 NRSV

What will you do?

Two final questions:

  • What will you do to combat the ignorance and misinformation of the Church toward LGBTQ people?
  • How will you treat the stranger in our midst?

The Judge of All the Earth awaits your answer. Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

More information:

The Sin of Sodom coverTo read the full story, get my book, The Sin of Sodom: What the Bible Really Says About Why God Destroyed the Cities of the Plain, for Kindle and in trade paperback.

All the Sins of Sodom

Sins of Sodom

Where does the story of Sodom and Gomorrah leave us? We see that inhospitality, violence, and abuse toward strangers was their primary sin—not homosexuality.

But what about the rest of the Scriptures that mention the cities of the Plain?

In all of the biblical passages, we find the following sins and crimes delineated:

Bible Book Sins akin to Sodom’s
Genesis 13:13; 19 Wickedness and sin
Inhospitality
Forcefulness
Prejudice against outsiders
Disrespect
Cruelty
Violence and physical/sexual abusiveness
Intent to degrade, debase, dominate and humiliate
Deuteronomy 29:17-28; 32:32-35 Detestable practices
Idolatry
Apostasy
Spiritual adultery
Abandoning God
Scoffing the Rock of their salvation
Following after strange gods
Sacrificing to demons
Isaiah 1:4, 7-11, 15-17; 3:8-9; 13:19-20 Unfaithfulness
Hypocrisy
Iniquity
Violence
Bloodshed
Evildoing
Oppressing the helpless
Haughtiness
Pride in sinfulness
Jeremiah 23:14-15; 49:16-18; 50:39-40 Adultery
Walking in lies
Strengthening the hands of evildoers
Promoting ungodliness
Inspiring terror
Pride
Idolatry
Sinning against the Lord
Challenging the Lord
Defying the Lord
Arrogance
Lamentations 3:34-36; 4:6 Transgressions
Grievous sin
Uncleanness
Rebelliousness
Iniquity
Becoming cruel
Injustice that exploits human rights
Ezekiel 16:46-51 Abominations
Whorings with heathen nations
Idolatry
Child sacrifice
Wickedness
Lewd behavior
Spiritual adultery
Lust
Shedding blood
Pride
Greed
Gluttony
No concern for the poor and needy
Amos 4:11 Ruthless oppression and enslavement of the poor
Fathers and sons sexually using the same girl
Interfering with the Nazirites and prophets
Oppression
Wrongdoing, looting, hoarding plunder
Idle luxury
Oppressing the poor and crushing the needy
Drunkenness
Making sacrifices without turning from sin and then boasting about it
Zephaniah 2:8-11 Idolatry
Complacency
Sinning against the Lord
Pride
Scoffing
Boasting
Matthew 10:14-15; 11:20-24 Hardheartedness
Unrepentance
Luke 10:5-12; 17:28-33 Inhospitality
Romans 9:29 Unbelief
2 Peter 2:4-9 NIV Ungodliness
Depravity
Lawlessness
Jude 5-7 NASB Gross immorality
Going after “strange flesh” (angelic)—violating God’s created order
Revelation 11:7-8 Rejecting God’s messengers
3 Maccabees 2:2-5 CEB Violence
Arrogance
Wicked deeds
2 Esdras 2:8-9 CEB; 5:7 CEB; 7:106 CEB Ignoring the Lord and his advice
Disobedience
Idolatry
Sexual immorality
Sirach 16:8 CEB Disobedience
Rebellion
Pride
Arrogance
Wisdom 19:13-17 CEB Failing to welcome sojourning strangers
Making guests and benefactors slaves
Treating people unlike themselves as enemies
Forcing strangers to do hard labor

The chief sins are inhospitality, idolatry, hatred of strangers, and abuses against human rights. Sexual sins are in the minority, most are metaphorical of spiritual adultery, and homosexuality is not mentioned. Instead, pride and arrogance are primary.

Next time, we’ll make some conclusions about the teaching of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

More information:

The Sin of Sodom coverTo read the full story, get my book, The Sin of Sodom: What the Bible Really Says About Why God Destroyed the Cities of the Plain, for Kindle and in trade paperback.

Speaking in Tongues: Intelligible Languages or Unknown Tongues?

When the Bible mentions “speaking in tongues,” is it referring to intelligible human language or unintelligible unknown tongues?

Both.

Yet these two types of speaking in tongues are closely related. Let’s take a look.

Tongues as Intelligible Languages

The first time speaking in tongues is mentioned is in Acts chapter 2:

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
–Acts 2:1-4 NIV

The Greek phrase for “other tongues” is heterais glossais. Glossais is also used in Acts 10:46 (Spirit-baptism of the Gentiles) and 19:6 (Spirit-baptism of the Ephesians).

However, the occurrence in Acts 2 is the only place where “other tongues” are identified as known human language.

6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?”
–Acts 2:6-8 NIV

The word “language” is translated as such because it comes from the Greek dialekto. In Acts 2, heterais glossais is understood as native dialects—known human languages.

Peter indicates that this understandable form of tongues, xenolalia, is a type of prophetic utterance foretold by the prophet Joel: “‘Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy‘” (Acts 2:18 NIV).

The foreign hearers understood the Spirit-baptized disciples to be “declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:11 NIV) Spirit baptism manifests itself in prophetic declaration and praise.

Although the tongues at Cornelius’ house and in Ephesus are not identified as intelligible human languages, heterais glossais is still used. We see that the circumcised believers who accompanied Peter to the Gentile’s house “heard them speaking in tongues and praising God” (Acts 10:46 NIV). When Paul laid his hands on the Ephesians, “the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:6 NIV).

Spirit baptism manifests itself in prophetic declaration, praise, and speaking in tongues, whether they are intelligible (xenolalia) or unintelligible (glossolalia).

Tongues as Unintelligible Utterances

In 1 Corinthians 12-14, Paul discusses “speaking in tongues” (lalousin glossais) at length (12:30; 13:1; 14:2, 4, 6, 13, 18, 23, 27, 39).

In these chapters, however, Paul assumes that the Corinthians’ utterances in tongues are unintelligible: “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit” (1 Cor. 14:2 NIV). And “Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air” (14:9 NIV).

Therefore, these unintelligible tongues must be interpreted by someone gifted by the Holy Spirit to do so: “For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says” (14:13 NIV). And “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret” (14:27 NIV).1

If Paul insists these tongues must be interpreted, he apparently considers they are not intelligible human languages being spoken, as in Acts 2. Yet, Paul says, “No matter how many different languages there are in the world, not one of them is without meaning” (14:10 GW).

These Corinthian tongues may be unintelligible, yet they are not meaningless. They merely need to be interpreted.

A key to the difference between xenolalia and glossolalia is found here:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
–1 Corinthians 13:1 NIV

Paul, here, could be comparing prophecy in the native language with a glossolalic message in an unknown tongue that must be interpreted. But he could also mean that some speaking tongues is understandable human languages (“tongues of men”), as at Pentecost in Acts 2 (xenolalia), and some are unintelligible unless interpreted (“tongues of angels”), as in these chapters of Corinthians (glossolalia).

As Robert P. Menzies points out in his excellent Speaking in Tongues (CPT Press, 2016), all of these passages:

  • Associate tongues with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
  • Use similar vocabulary (glossais)
  • Describe resulting speech as praise and prophecy

There are contemporary instances where private tongues or public messages in tongues are recognized as known human languages. Jordan Daniel May has collected testimonies of xenolalic occurrences in his inspiring Global Witnesses to Pentecost: The Testimony of ‘Other Tongues’ by Jordan Daniel May (Cherohala Press, 2013).

Whether we use tongues as private prayer language or deliver a Spirit-prompted message in tongues at a gathering of believers, we are speaking prophetically and glorifying God.

16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.'”
–Acts 2:16-18 NIV

1. Paul is comparing private prayer language, given as evidence of being baptized in the Spirit, with the spiritual gift of tongues, a Spirit-prompted utterance in a public setting that must be followed by the Spirit-prompted gift of interpretation.↩

Reading the Bible Chronologically

bible

Did you know that the material in the Bible is not arranged in strict chronological order?

Here’s the current pattern of books arrangement: https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/misc/66books.cfm.

And here’s a link that lists the books chronologically, according to the historical time periods they cover: https://ichthys.com/mail-Bible%20chrono.htm

Have you read the entire Bible, cover to cover? I have. But now I want to read it chronologically—in the order the historical events occurred. The following plan from Blue Letter Bible will enable you to read the whole of Scripture chronologically in a calendar year:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/assets/pdf/dbrp/1Yr_ChronologicalPlan.pdf

Here’s another plan that lets you read from the Old Testament, Psalms or Proverbs, and the New Testament each day: https://www.biblica.com/resources/reading-plans/

What version or translation should you read? There are many. But the five most popular are listed here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_translations_into_English#Popularity. I prefer the New International Version (NIV).

To access many Bible versions online, I go to https://www.biblegateway.com.

Many blessings on your reading adventure!

The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
–Psalm 119:130 NKJV

Sins Against the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit as a Dove

The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, a member of the triune Godhead. And as God, the Spirit can be sinned against. The New Testament warns us of six specific sins against the Holy Spirit. But first, let’s examine the Spirit’s personhood.

The Holy Spirit is a Person

Sins Against the Holy Spirit

Of the six sins against the Holy Spirit, three can be committed by Christians, and three by those who do not know Jesus Christ. We’ll examine the ones non-Christians can commit first.

Insulting the Holy Spirit

How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
–Hebrews 10:29 NIV

The word “insulted” means to exercise violence, use despitefully, reproach, or treat shamefully. It is used only here in the Bible.

The salvation offered us through Christ is a gift of grace, not to be spurned, but to be accepted with faith, humility, and joy.

Resisting the Holy Spirit

51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
–Acts 7:51-53 NIV

This word means to oppose. The religious leaders of Stephen the Martyr’s day came from a long line of those who said they honored God but rejected what God’s prophets had to say. Disobedient to the spirit of the Law, they crucified Christ. And, despite the miracles that Stephen did, these stiff-necked people resisted the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Law, the Prophets, the Christ, and Stephen. Their rage led to Stephen’s stoning.

Blaspheming the Holy Spirit

“31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
–Matthew 12:31 NIV

The Pharisees accused Jesus of casting a demon out of a man by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. He warned them against attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to the devil. For these unbelievers, Jesus said that such sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will not be forgiven. Serious indeed.

Quenching the Holy Spirit

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
–1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 NIV

As believers, we must not extinguish the Spirit’s fire through the manifestation of spiritual gifts. Instead, as Paul told Timothy, we are to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6 NIV).

“Stir” is the word anazopureo, meaning “to rekindle or stir up.” It comes from a combination of three words: one meaning “intensely,” one meaning “a live thing such as an animal or beast,” and another, meaning “fiery, fire, or lightning.”

Paul insisted that Timothy “lively and intensely set yourself on fire to use your spiritual gifts!” Do you eagerly desire spiritual gifts? (1 Corinthians 14:1). Stir yourself up. Do not quench the Spirit’s fire.

Grieving the Holy Spirit

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
–Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV

How we speak to and treat others can distress the Holy Spirit. We are to cleanse ourselves from the sins of the flesh and put on Christ (Romans 13:14), speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

Lying to the Holy Spirit

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?”
–Acts 5:3 NIV

Ananias and his wife Sapphira led the church to believe they had sold a piece of land and given the whole amount to the work of the Lord when they actually had held back a part of the money. In lying to the apostles and the church, they had lied to the Holy Spirit. For this, they paid with their lives.

Our Power Over the Spirit

Although the Holy Spirit is sovereign, we as Christians have the power, as Sam Storms says, “either to restrict or release what he does in the life of the local church” (Practicing the Power, 180).

We can quench or resist the Spirit by neglecting the Divine’s work of baptizing (filling) with the Spirit and imparting spiritual gifts through which the church must be built up. We can stymie the Spirit by creating an atmosphere in our church meetings that does not allow for the Spirit’s spontaneous moving. We grieve the Spirit when we despise tongues and prophetic utterances.

Let us honor the Spirit in our lives and in the midst of the Church, allowing the Spirit to have free reign and to manifest the glory of God with signs, wonders, gifts, and fruit.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
–2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV

Finding Godly Confidence

What is confidence? The dictionary defines it as “trust, reliance, belief.”

Have you ever struggled with having confidence? Recently, my self-confidence has taken a hit, so I decided to see what the Bible says about confidence. I found some encouraging words.

Paul, of course, said, “For it is we… who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3 NIV). Our confidence should not be only in ourselves, but should be placed first in God.

Here are some Scriptures about confidence in God. They’re so good, I’m committing many of them to memory.

For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.
Psalm 71:5 NIV

For the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
Proverbs 3:26 NIV

The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
Isaiah 32:17 NIV

Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.
Jeremiah 17:7 NIV

Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.
2 Corinthians 3:4 NIV

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Ephesians 3:12 NIV

We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
Hebrews 3:14 NIV

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 NIV

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
Hebrews 10:35 NIV

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Hebrews 13:6 NIV

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.
1 John 3:21 NIV

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
1 John 5:14 NIV

God bless you with confidence this coming year!