Revelation
Revelation – You Knew It, But You Didn’t KNOW It!
Just the title of this blog is making me chuckle. This is something that has been said by me and to me several times in my life. It is the shorthand way we tell each other that we have had a revelation about something in God’s Word. Being a disciple of Christ, I am continually learning about Him. My Bible studies have been hit and miss throughout my walk, but the most consistent studies I have done were through the Online Bible College (www.onlinebiblecollege.com). I was introduced to this wonderful resource through its founder, Dave Collins, more than twenty years ago. There is no charge for using the studies. Even though it is a college, the coursework is laid out so well, (and without any denominational slant) I personally have used it to teach classes that have ranged from my own homeschooled children to grown Christians of 60+ years old. I have had more than one of the mature disciples to comment that they had never participated in a Bible study that was so succinct and informative.
When have you EVER started a weekly study group that EVERY member read EVERY lesson EVERY time and attended EVERY meeting? I’m gonna just answer for you – NEVER! OBC has been a tremendous blessing for us at DaySpring. Since it is a ‘work at your own pace’ set-up, over the years most of my ‘classes’ morphed into discussions about what each of us learned that week wherever we were in our studies. Invariably we found a common thread – it is, after all, one Spirit – and the participation level was unanimous in groups of people of varied ages and levels of maturity. Even those who didn’t do ANYTHING bible-study wise were able to share their challenges and victories and the fellowship has been wonderful. We have recently been going through the study on Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, The Book of Romans, lesson by lesson through Skype and Facebook. It has been another blessing through the challenges of technology to continue our discussion group online! Drop in any time – all are welcome.
I recently found some of my journals from my personal Bible Study in 2018. By July of that year, after about a year’s time, I had completed studying the New Testament letters and wrote myself a little note about things I knew but didn’t really KNOW until I had revelation (repeatedly) from God. From an overall perspective, these men were basically trying to pass on the same information Jesus gave them to various groups of people. This is my interpretation of what they said to ME:
1 – JESUS CHRIST IS GOD and the promised Messiah. We MUST stay the course in believing this and preaching this even though His second coming may not happen in our lifetime.HAVE FAITH!
2 – GET ALONG – don’t quibble and quarrel and fratch over ridiculous things that have no eternal value! It is just a DISOBEDIENT to God’s commands for you to be ugly to others as it is to be ugly to Him. This isn’t a competition, child of God. You should want EVERYBODY to win. Your pride will NEVER be more important than that. Just KNOCK IT OFF!
3 – BEHAVE – ACT like the new creation that you are and STOP mimicking the patterns of behavior that you relied on when you were still in darkness. Your disobedience DOES NOT negate your salvation, but it sure undermines your testimony. What better way to witness to those who have NO IDEA what God is to man than evidence of a life CHANGED by Him? You are but an ordinary tool in the hands of an extraordinary God. ACT LIKE IT!
[3a – If YOU are having difficulties with other people (#2) or yourself (#3) the simple fix for both issues is SEEK THE LORD. Only a closer walk with HIM fixes US and only a closer walk with HIM fixes THEM. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind and the love of Christ.]
4 – BEWAREOF FALSE DOCTRINE – ANYTHING added to or subtracted from the simple message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is WRONG. Don’t entertain it; don’t debate it; don’t teach it. Guess what? Jesus is enough… JUST DON’T GO THERE!
5 – I’M NOT JEWISH – Captain Obvious raises his head here, but it is a reminder. The book of Hebrews is like a reverse teaching for the Jews. It’s as if the writers took the Gentile perspective and translated the Truth into the Hebrew perspective so the Jew could see Jesus without the law. Granted, the practices and laws of Judaism were divinely designed as a ‘how-to’ express true worship and devotion to God – the best religion. But Jesus is better and relationship with Him exceeds the worship proscribed by the Law. Religion is a poor substitute for a relationship with the Father and Creator of us all through the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the continual guidance and support of the Holy Spirit. Don’t read the Old Testament as a handbook for disciples of Christ. Bring it through the Cross, as Pastor John used to ALWAYS say. Practicing a religion without a relationship is just an upside-down exercise. Seek first a relationship with God. Engaging in religious worship will then become a natural expression of our corporate devotion to God. RELATIONSHIP FIRST, RELIGION SECOND!
I knew it but didn’t KNOW it. 😊 The Cass definition of the word REVELATION. It is so cool to experience the reality of the description of God’s Word being ‘living and active.’
Be blessed.
