Tag: mystery
Day 5–The Mystery–Christ In You!
Scripture reading for June 5: Colossians 1:27-28 “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone will all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” 1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
The great mystery of God’s indwelling presence in each believer is discussed in this passage by Paul the apostle. God’s specialty is revealing mysteries to those truly seeking answers. He delights in showing grace to the humble, but opposes the proud and arrogant.(1 Peter 5:5-6) Although hidden from many Jews, God had revealed the mystery of His grace made available to Jew and Gentile through Christ Jesus. In Christ, God’s glory was displayed in His death for lost sinners and His resurrection from the grave in power and glory. God was making forgiveness of sins and His indwelling presence in the Holy Spirit available to all, Jew and Gentile, not based on works or deeds of righteousness, but through faith alone.
The mystery was simply, “Christ in you, the hope of glory!” The Holy Spirit reveals the ever-increasing glory of Christ in our mortal bodies as we live by faith. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) Paul proclaimed Christ as Lord and Savior, warning them to repent and believe, teaching all the revealed mystery that all may become mature in Christ through His indwelling Holy Spirit. John stated plainly, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Eternal life through the indwelling Son and Holy Spirit is revealed to whoever believes.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for responding to my need to have Your indwelling presence with me each day by bestowing on me the Holy Spirit. Teach me daily the riches of the glory of this mystery: “Christ in me, the hope of glory.” Use me to proclaim Jesus Christ through my life and service. Amen.
No More Delay!
Scripture reading for December 12: Revelation 10
“Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by Him Who lives forever and ever, Who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.” Revelation 10:1-7
John saw another angel of majestic power with a little scroll open in his hand. This angel called out over the earth and sea, sounding like a lion roaring. Answering his call, seven thunders rumbled out and evidently John understood what message they were conveying. But God spoke from heaven telling him to seal up what he had heard. He was not to write it out. There are some mysteries that God has hidden until the proper time comes for their understanding. God’s infinite knowledge is shared with man as needed and sought out.
God never does anything in judgment except He warns His people through His prophets. (Amos 3:6-7) He always gives mankind time to repent and to make necessary changes. He is patient towards us, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) But John was told that the time for delay was past. What God had warned of through His prophets was now at hand. The mystery of God’s mercy and justice would soon be fully revealed and prophetic words fulfilled by God Who is true to His Word. The seventh trumpet would sound across earth and heaven.
Does the message of the seven thunders make you want to seek out God and His Word for answers? When there are delays that make it seem like God is distant or out of touch, how do you keep yourself and your own soul in the rest of faith?
Prayer: Father, watch over me and my family, and keep us in faith trusting Your amazing Word. Reveal to us daily truth and understanding of the signs and the times that we might be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. Amen.
God’s ‘Mystery’ revealed!
Scripture reading for June 9th: Ephesians 3, Psalm 115, Proverbs 22
Ephesians 3:4-9 “When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. Of this Gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, Who created all things.”
Paul was given grace and stewardship of a once-hidden mystery, now revealed in Jesus Christ. This mystery was that God’s plan of salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ was to make adoption into God’s forever family available to both Jew and Gentile alike! The ‘unsearchable riches’ of Christ Jesus is forgiveness of sins and the Father’s Gift of the Holy Spirit living in all who repent and believe. Social status, male or female, Jew or Gentile made no difference to God, Who alone created all things and gives grace to those who humbly receive it. God wants all those who receive His Gift and grace to share it as a man shares bread with the hungry! Blessings flow to those who faithfully share and bring increase!
Psalm 115:13-15 “. .He will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great. May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the Lord, Who made heaven and earth!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the ‘unsearchable riches of Your Son! Thank You for the light of the Gospel and the Gift of the Holy Spirit revealing the path of adoption and new birth. Thank You for revealing the mystery of Your Gospel to both Jew and Gentile! Give me a ‘bountiful’ eye to share this ‘Bread’ with the hungry and may all my children and offspring be blessed to receive and increase!
Proverbs 22:9 “Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.”
Jesus explains marriage and divorce
Scripture reading for July 23rd: Matthew 19
Key Scriptures: Matthew 19:3-9 “And Pharisees came up to Him and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that He Who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to Him, “Why did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.””
Marriage issues have been around for a long time, even in and amongst God’s chosen people! The Law of Moses contained instructions about marriage and divorce. Jesus pointed the questioners to God’s written Word for help and then explained to them God’s plan for marriage. God made humans in two sexes–male and female. Marriage was to be between a man and a woman. They must leave their father and mother and cleave to each other, forming a new family entity of ‘one flesh’. God, Himself joins them together and man is commanded not to separate. God would use the union to bring godly offspring into the earth to fill and care for it. Jesus went on to explain that Moses was given instructions about divorce because of man’s harness of heart, not because it was God’s plan. Jesus emphasized that sexual immorality was the only ground for divorce. Getting married to another after a divorce for any other reason resulted in committing adultery. Broken marriages sow violence into our lives. God’s plan is simple for marriage. Man’s hard hearts make it complicated. Godly marriage is a reflection of Christ and His Bride the Church.
Ephesians 5:31-32 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the Church.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for Your plan for godly marriages and the raising of godly children. Thank You for grace when marriage is broken by hardened hearts. Have mercy on our land and Your people as many have not believed Your plan for marriage–one man and one woman till death parts. Heal us from the violence sown from broken covenant marriages. Protect those living according to Your plan.
Malachi 2:15-16 “Did He not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife or your youth. For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not be faithless.”
The Great Mystery of Godliness!
Scripture reading for June 29th: 1st Kings 8, Psalm 30, 1st Timothy 3
Key Scriptures: 1st Timothy 3:14-16 “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”
Paul was writing to help Timothy understand how to behave in Christ’s “household”, the Church! The Church of Jesus Christ is likened to a building held up by a single pillar–the Truth of God’s Word and Son, Jesus Christ. God revealed the “mystery of godliness” by sending His own Son in human flesh. He vindicated Him by resurrection through the power of the Holy Spirit and the witness of the Spirit on Christ Jesus without limit. His Name is proclaimed among all nations and He is believed on in the world.
1st Kings 8:10 “And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, You alone are the pillar and ground of Truth, the living Word of God. Help me to hold this mystery with worship and awe of Your unsurpassing glory and godliness.
Psalm 30:4 “Sing praises to the Lord, O you His saints, and give thanks to His holy Name.”
The obedience of faith!
Scripture reading for June 12th: Proverbs 19-21, Psalm 40, Romans 16
Key Scriptures: Romans 16:25-27 “Now to Him Who is able to strengthen you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writing has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith–to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Paul closed out his letter to the Roman believers with a benediction blessing. All glory goes to Jesus Christ and God His Father for their wisdom and revelation of God’s great plan of salvation. This plan was kept secret for long ages but was revealed by the prophets and their writings and now through the preaching of Jesus Christ. Jesus preached God’s eternal Word and through that Gospel of repentance He brings faith to all nations of men enabling them to obey God and become His children. To God be glory through Jesus Christ!
Psalm 40:3 “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, I give all glory to You and my heavenly Father for the Gospel I received by the preaching of God’s eternal Word, Jesus Christ. Anoint me with the Holy Spirit today and with boldness to declare the Gospel to all You put in my path. You are my precious Treasure!
Proverbs 21:20-21 “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it. Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”
Thankful for Revealed Secrets!
Scripture reading for February 24th: Deuteronomy 25-29
Key Scriptures: Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”
God made a covenant with His people. He had them recite the blessings that would overtake them if they obeyed God’s law. He had another group recite the curses that would come after them if they disobeyed and broke the covenant. This covenant truth was for God’s people then and for all generations. The Law revealed God’s holiness and love for His people, calling them to live by faith in every Word and ultimately in Jesus Christ!
Rejoice in the ‘mystery’ revealed: God, in Christ Jesus, revealed the mystery of salvation for Jew and Gentile through faith in Christ’s shed blood! “Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given to me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for past ages was kept hidden in God, who created all things.” (Ephesians 3:8-9)
Christ in You–the Hope of Glory!
Scripture reading for September 7th: Colossians 1
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Colossians 1:24-27 “Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the Church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness–the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Paul rejoiced as he suffered in jail for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He rejoiced that he had the privilege to serve Christ’s body, the Church, through preaching the full word of God and suffering in his flesh! He had held nothing back so that their faith would rest on the firm foundation of God’s word and the faith that came from hearing it. There was a mystery that had been hidden from other generations and the Jews that God now revealed to all those “saints” who trusted in Christ. This “mystery” was that Christ Jesus would live in each believer through the indwelling Holy Spirit and revealing the glory of Christ in ever increasing measure.
Observations for over-comers: We are the temple of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, who indwells us and sets us apart to enjoy His presence and glory forever! “I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all My delight.” (Psalm 16:2-3)
The Hope of Glory!
Scripture reading for December 3rd: Colossians 1-4
Jesus Christ is the most important person in the entire universe! He is the firstborn Son of God and is over all creation! (Colossians 1:15) He is the head of all authority in heaven and on earth! He created all things and holds it all together! He existed before everything that was made and is clearly supreme in every way!
Jesus Christ is the head of the church, His body on earth and in heaven. He birthed the church by dying sacrificially on the cross in order to redeem all mankind who would believe on Him. He was also the firstborn from the dead by resurrection! (Colossians 1:19-20) He reconciled us to God the Father, making peace through His own blood shed on the cross! He now lives in us by the Holy Spirit who marks us as belonging to the Father. This truth was a mystery hidden in God before Christ was revealed. Now this mystery has been revealed through the Gospel and is available to Jews and Gentiles alike!
“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness–the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 2:26-27)
The greatest riches in the universe is Christ Jesus! Having Christ in us brings joy, peace with God, and an unbelievable inheritance! Paul calls this inheritance the “hope of glory”! Hope is a firm expectation of coming good! It is not some vaporous thought that maybe something will happen. Hope doesn’t disappoint us because we know this glory is coming! When we see Him, we shall be like Him in glory! (1st John 3:2-3) This hope causes us to purify our lives and live a righteous life of obedient faith.
Christmas is coming! The best gift anyone could ever receive is “Christ in you, the hope of glory”! Why not pray about sharing Christ with those you love who do not know Him? Pray like Paul in Colossians 4:3-6 that you may have an open door, proclaim the message clearly, and be wise!
The hope of Glory!
Scripture reading for October 5th: Colossians 1:20-2:7
The Colossians came from a Gentile background. They were alienated from God because of their lack of understanding about Him and His holy character. Paul came to them and preached the Gospel of Christ. It was through Christ’s death on the cross, burial and resurrection that these Gentiles had been reconciled to God. Through faith they had been washed of their sins and made holy and blameless in Christ’s sight. (Colossians 1:21-23)
Paul told these believers that he was a servant of the Gospel. Christ had commissioned him to present them with the word of God in its fullness. Paul was glad to do this, even suffering for the sake of the church like Christ Himself did. “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” (Colossians 1:27-28) The Gospel is good news for all mankind! It is a simple message that reveals Christ as the Son of God and Savior of men. Those who trust in Him receive the gift of Christ living in them by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the hope of our future glorification!
Paul wanted no one to perish, but all to be complete in Christ. He wrote and taught about Christ and struggled in prayer for believers because he had the heart of God for them. God wanted them all complete in Christ as well. But there were other voices competing for the attention of these believers. The false teachers had some slick arguments and enticing stories that could deceive those ignorant of the Truth.
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” They must grow in their relationship with Christ and become deeply connected with Him through the word and prayer, staying true to the basic teachings of Christ with thankful hearts. This is sound advice for each of us today. Many leave the faith to follow other ways that sound good but lead them astray. The mystery is simple: Christ in you, the hope of glory!