• Admit it. You like reading the Psalms, the Gospels, Paul's epistles and maybe Esther and Ruth.
    But what about the least read Bible books -- I call them Orphan Books -- because they almost are never read. Here's a list I found.
    Hope you take the challenge to read an "orphan" or two this week.
    ------------------------------------
    # Book Why read it? Difficulty
    1 Obadiah A miniature study of pride, injustice, and God's judgment Easy
    2 Haggai A surprisingly relevant book about misplaced priorities Easy
    3 Philemon Paul, slavery, forgiveness, and Christian brotherhood in 25 verses Easy
    4 3 John A fascinating glimpse into early church politics and leadership Easy
    5 2 John Truth, love, hospitality—and boundaries Easy
    6 Nahum The dark counterpart to Jonah: what happens to Nineveh? Medium
    7 Zephaniah Judgment followed by one of the OT's beautiful pictures of God's joy Medium
    8 Jude Strange, intense, apocalyptic, and packed with unusual references Medium
    9 Habakkuk One of the Bible's best books for wrestling honestly with God Easy
    10 Lamentations Biblical poetry about grief, catastrophe, and hope Medium
    11 Joel Locusts, the Day of the LORD, and the famous promise about God's Spirit Medium
    12 Malachi A surprisingly sharp ending to the Old Testament Easy
    The ones I'd especially recommend
    If you only want to read five, I'd pick:
    Habakkuk — perhaps the most rewarding “orphan.” The entire book is essentially a conversation between a confused believer and God. Habakkuk starts by asking, “Why aren't you doing something about this?” and ends somewhere radically different.
    Haggai — extremely short but surprisingly practical. Its central question is basically: What happens when God's people become preoccupied with their own houses while neglecting God's house?
    Philemon — don't let its size fool you. It's an extraordinarily compressed little letter about power, status, forgiveness, reconciliation, and what the gospel does to human relationships.
    Nahum — read it immediately after Jonah if you can. Jonah tells you that Nineveh repented; Nahum, written later, tells you what eventually happened to Nineveh. Reading them together makes both books considerably more interesting.
    Lamentations — probably the most emotionally neglected book on the list. It gives you something the Bible is unusually good at: language for grief when everything has gone terribly wrong.
    And here's the really fun challenge
    Don't read these as if they're merely the Bible's “B-list.”
    Try reading one orphan book a week, with no commentary at first. Just read the entire thing in one sitting.
    You'll discover something interesting: some of the books that feel least important at first are actually the ones that illuminate the famous books around them.
    Jonah → Nahum
    Isaiah/Jeremiah → Lamentations
    Romans/Galatians → Habakkuk
    1 John → 2 John → 3 John
    Ezra/Nehemiah → Haggai
    Admit it. You like reading the Psalms, the Gospels, Paul's epistles and maybe Esther and Ruth. But what about the least read Bible books -- I call them Orphan Books -- because they almost are never read. Here's a list I found. Hope you take the challenge to read an "orphan" or two this week. ------------------------------------ # Book Why read it? Difficulty 1 Obadiah A miniature study of pride, injustice, and God's judgment 🟢 Easy 2 Haggai A surprisingly relevant book about misplaced priorities 🟢 Easy 3 Philemon Paul, slavery, forgiveness, and Christian brotherhood in 25 verses 🟢 Easy 4 3 John A fascinating glimpse into early church politics and leadership 🟢 Easy 5 2 John Truth, love, hospitality—and boundaries 🟢 Easy 6 Nahum The dark counterpart to Jonah: what happens to Nineveh? 🟡 Medium 7 Zephaniah Judgment followed by one of the OT's beautiful pictures of God's joy 🟡 Medium 8 Jude Strange, intense, apocalyptic, and packed with unusual references 🟡 Medium 9 Habakkuk One of the Bible's best books for wrestling honestly with God 🟢 Easy 10 Lamentations Biblical poetry about grief, catastrophe, and hope 🟡 Medium 11 Joel Locusts, the Day of the LORD, and the famous promise about God's Spirit 🟡 Medium 12 Malachi A surprisingly sharp ending to the Old Testament 🟢 Easy 🏆 The ones I'd especially recommend If you only want to read five, I'd pick: Habakkuk — perhaps the most rewarding “orphan.” The entire book is essentially a conversation between a confused believer and God. Habakkuk starts by asking, “Why aren't you doing something about this?” and ends somewhere radically different. Haggai — extremely short but surprisingly practical. Its central question is basically: What happens when God's people become preoccupied with their own houses while neglecting God's house? Philemon — don't let its size fool you. It's an extraordinarily compressed little letter about power, status, forgiveness, reconciliation, and what the gospel does to human relationships. Nahum — read it immediately after Jonah if you can. Jonah tells you that Nineveh repented; Nahum, written later, tells you what eventually happened to Nineveh. Reading them together makes both books considerably more interesting. Lamentations — probably the most emotionally neglected book on the list. It gives you something the Bible is unusually good at: language for grief when everything has gone terribly wrong. 🕯️ And here's the really fun challenge Don't read these as if they're merely the Bible's “B-list.” Try reading one orphan book a week, with no commentary at first. Just read the entire thing in one sitting. You'll discover something interesting: some of the books that feel least important at first are actually the ones that illuminate the famous books around them. Jonah → Nahum Isaiah/Jeremiah → Lamentations Romans/Galatians → Habakkuk 1 John → 2 John → 3 John Ezra/Nehemiah → Haggai
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  • Note





    The Stick You Write With



    When we read the bible,what do we think about? Do we think about the writer being inspired by the Spirit of God? Do we look to the setting it was written in, the culture of the times, etc? Do we look at the style of writing as some scholars teach us to do?

    These and more are often taught as the way to read the bible. In more modern education we are taught to think critically and what is being said and written. In other words what can we infer or deduce from the text we are reading?

    Questions such as these, more often than not lead to an overly complicated mess of confusion that is sometimes hard to navigate. Complicating the simple way the people of the day actually thought. What is more is that the New Testament was written in Koine ( common Greek).

    This Greek as written in the NT is often studied by scholars, pastors and laymen alike, searching for a clearer picture of what the biblical writers were intending. And in this way, we may more accurately discern the truth that God, through His servants, is trying to convey to us, 2,000 years later. Mind you in a culture that is very far removed from the culture it was written in.

    In short a lot has happened in 2,000 years, and some ideas just don’t translate well. To make up for this, scholars have tried hard to come up with different and new translations, paraphrases etc, that are everything from absolute trash, to literal word for word hard to read versions of the bible.

    Many popular bible translations we read are something of a dynamic equivalent, that’s thought for thought. Others are word for word. And still others are a paraphrase giving the general sense of what is being spoken of. Yet, for all this we seem to lose a little or a lot depending, when we try to bring this all into a culture, language and thought process that is far removed from the original.

    So we dig, scholars and laymen alike, dig. We dig into the language it is written in. We find meanings to words, and their roots. Sometimes we look at the society and culture around them and it brings out even more. Yet for all that, it seems we still come up short and we wonder why.

    In my own life, the more I dug into some limited Greek studies, the more I saw it was not really going too far, so I stopped looking. I would only look up what I was curious about or led to. If I am honest at times, I would remember my pastor who told me of his friend who was a biblical Greek scholar, who said it really doesn’t do you that much good to know Greek. As I studied I could see that, but why. Aren’t we taught to look into the language? Isn’t that the example that is set by many, if not most pastors and writers of biblical material? Look into the Greek to find the meaning of the words used in the NT, so we can understand a bit better? But its really not helping that much so what am I missing?

    What I found was not intentional. I was not looking for it. At all.

    I found where Jesus wrote about being the bread of life In John 6:35:

    “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

    In our minds we wonder what that means so we dig. And that is just what I did. I wanted to find out what that meant, exactly. My research led me to the cultural life of the Jewish people. And I found out that they, without a long explanation, knew that Jesus was saying, without bread, you die, you have no life.

    That may seem obvious and overly simplistic, yet for a people who lived in the desert, to not have bread and water, was a fact of certain death. Biblically the principle stems back to the time in the wilderness when God supplied bread for them in the form of mana. Again, this may seem obvious, but it’s not something most in western culture know very much about.

    We don’t know starvation as a possibility as well as they did then, we don’t know the waterless tracts of land they made their home in for thousands of years. They knew intimately the slow agonizing death by starvation and thirst, in a land where water is a commodity. Unlike us who just go to the faucet or by another water bottle at the nearest grocery store. These things were their reality, unlike ours.

    Finding this set me on a journey of sorts to looking into their culture more. As I did I began seeing things that we don’t often talk about. Then one day I realized that almost every NT writer with the exception of Luke was born Jewish. That meant that they came from a Jewish background, culture, traditions and language.

    Then I began to wonder how come we are looking at the NT from a western outlook, through the Greek language, when we should possibly be looking at it from a more Hebraic outlook? Why weren’t we looking at what they were saying through the culture, history etc of the person who was speaking it? They knew the language and ideas of the OT far better than we do.

    So, again I began digging. What I found was that as a general rule, the Jewish people of that day, had gained some complexity of thought because of outside influences, such as the Babylonian captivity, the Roman occupation etc, they still retained much of their original simplicity and straightforward thinking. In fact, without going too deep in this, most Jewish men at the time had at least some knowledge of the OT scriptures and how they were written and the thoughts behind them. This is due to the fact that they would teach the fathers trade to the children and were required to teach them the word of God as well.

    For them, things were relatively simple. Their culture and thought process, at least so far as these things are concerned, was simple compared to the Romans, or Greeks where we in the west get much of our way of thinking.

    To see the difference when we describe something, such as a pencil, we say its long, often yellow, with lead or graphite inside, it has an eraser on one end and the other is sharpened to a point so you can write with it. In ancient Hebrew, it’s literally a stick you write with, that is the description.

    To us, who habitually over complicate everything, even a bowl of Cheerios, this seems way too simplistic. Truthfully one may be right with that assessment. But that does not negate the fact that they understood things far different than we do.

    Now, I am doing more digging. Looking into the Hebrew language and looking at the NT from somewhat of a different angle. What happened is the truth we all see, written within the pages, started taking on a deeper meaning. Instead of looking at the Word through the lens of our culture or even the Greek, I began to see things that way I think the biblical writers were seeing them, and thus seeing the intent of God through them. Regardless of how it was written.

    When we look at the bible in this way it seems to take on new life. It doesn’t change the meaning, but deepens it, brings a fuller, more clear revelation, and application to our lives and ministries.




    I write my own writing, I do not use AI to write. All my writing is my own and can be scanned for AI content as well as plagiarism.

    Note The Stick You Write With When we read the bible,what do we think about? Do we think about the writer being inspired by the Spirit of God? Do we look to the setting it was written in, the culture of the times, etc? Do we look at the style of writing as some scholars teach us to do? These and more are often taught as the way to read the bible. In more modern education we are taught to think critically and what is being said and written. In other words what can we infer or deduce from the text we are reading? Questions such as these, more often than not lead to an overly complicated mess of confusion that is sometimes hard to navigate. Complicating the simple way the people of the day actually thought. What is more is that the New Testament was written in Koine ( common Greek). This Greek as written in the NT is often studied by scholars, pastors and laymen alike, searching for a clearer picture of what the biblical writers were intending. And in this way, we may more accurately discern the truth that God, through His servants, is trying to convey to us, 2,000 years later. Mind you in a culture that is very far removed from the culture it was written in. In short a lot has happened in 2,000 years, and some ideas just don’t translate well. To make up for this, scholars have tried hard to come up with different and new translations, paraphrases etc, that are everything from absolute trash, to literal word for word hard to read versions of the bible. Many popular bible translations we read are something of a dynamic equivalent, that’s thought for thought. Others are word for word. And still others are a paraphrase giving the general sense of what is being spoken of. Yet, for all this we seem to lose a little or a lot depending, when we try to bring this all into a culture, language and thought process that is far removed from the original. So we dig, scholars and laymen alike, dig. We dig into the language it is written in. We find meanings to words, and their roots. Sometimes we look at the society and culture around them and it brings out even more. Yet for all that, it seems we still come up short and we wonder why. In my own life, the more I dug into some limited Greek studies, the more I saw it was not really going too far, so I stopped looking. I would only look up what I was curious about or led to. If I am honest at times, I would remember my pastor who told me of his friend who was a biblical Greek scholar, who said it really doesn’t do you that much good to know Greek. As I studied I could see that, but why. Aren’t we taught to look into the language? Isn’t that the example that is set by many, if not most pastors and writers of biblical material? Look into the Greek to find the meaning of the words used in the NT, so we can understand a bit better? But its really not helping that much so what am I missing? What I found was not intentional. I was not looking for it. At all. I found where Jesus wrote about being the bread of life In John 6:35: “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” In our minds we wonder what that means so we dig. And that is just what I did. I wanted to find out what that meant, exactly. My research led me to the cultural life of the Jewish people. And I found out that they, without a long explanation, knew that Jesus was saying, without bread, you die, you have no life. That may seem obvious and overly simplistic, yet for a people who lived in the desert, to not have bread and water, was a fact of certain death. Biblically the principle stems back to the time in the wilderness when God supplied bread for them in the form of mana. Again, this may seem obvious, but it’s not something most in western culture know very much about. We don’t know starvation as a possibility as well as they did then, we don’t know the waterless tracts of land they made their home in for thousands of years. They knew intimately the slow agonizing death by starvation and thirst, in a land where water is a commodity. Unlike us who just go to the faucet or by another water bottle at the nearest grocery store. These things were their reality, unlike ours. Finding this set me on a journey of sorts to looking into their culture more. As I did I began seeing things that we don’t often talk about. Then one day I realized that almost every NT writer with the exception of Luke was born Jewish. That meant that they came from a Jewish background, culture, traditions and language. Then I began to wonder how come we are looking at the NT from a western outlook, through the Greek language, when we should possibly be looking at it from a more Hebraic outlook? Why weren’t we looking at what they were saying through the culture, history etc of the person who was speaking it? They knew the language and ideas of the OT far better than we do. So, again I began digging. What I found was that as a general rule, the Jewish people of that day, had gained some complexity of thought because of outside influences, such as the Babylonian captivity, the Roman occupation etc, they still retained much of their original simplicity and straightforward thinking. In fact, without going too deep in this, most Jewish men at the time had at least some knowledge of the OT scriptures and how they were written and the thoughts behind them. This is due to the fact that they would teach the fathers trade to the children and were required to teach them the word of God as well. For them, things were relatively simple. Their culture and thought process, at least so far as these things are concerned, was simple compared to the Romans, or Greeks where we in the west get much of our way of thinking. To see the difference when we describe something, such as a pencil, we say its long, often yellow, with lead or graphite inside, it has an eraser on one end and the other is sharpened to a point so you can write with it. In ancient Hebrew, it’s literally a stick you write with, that is the description. To us, who habitually over complicate everything, even a bowl of Cheerios, this seems way too simplistic. Truthfully one may be right with that assessment. But that does not negate the fact that they understood things far different than we do. Now, I am doing more digging. Looking into the Hebrew language and looking at the NT from somewhat of a different angle. What happened is the truth we all see, written within the pages, started taking on a deeper meaning. Instead of looking at the Word through the lens of our culture or even the Greek, I began to see things that way I think the biblical writers were seeing them, and thus seeing the intent of God through them. Regardless of how it was written. When we look at the bible in this way it seems to take on new life. It doesn’t change the meaning, but deepens it, brings a fuller, more clear revelation, and application to our lives and ministries. I write my own writing, I do not use AI to write. All my writing is my own and can be scanned for AI content as well as plagiarism.
    0 Commentarios 0 Acciones 13 Views
  • Aflame - Shared by Smith Wigglesworth
    "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. -Ezekiel 37:5
    As we speak in the Spirit, we feel that the fire that burned in the hearts of the two men on their way to Emmaus, when Jesus walked with them, is burning in our hearts. (See Luke 24:13-32.) It is sure to come to pass that when we walk with Him, our hearts will burn; the same power of the Spirit is present today to make it happen. The two men on their way to Emmaus could not understand what was happening on the road, but a few hours later, they saw Jesus break the bread, and their eyes were opened.
    But, beloved, our hearts always ought to burn. There is a place where we can live in the anointing and the clothing of the Spirit, where our words will be clothed with power. "Do not be drunk with wine ... but be filled with the Spirit" (Eph.5:18). Being filled with the Spirit is a wonderful privilege.
    It was necessary for John to be in the Spirit on the Isle of Patmos so that the revelation could be made clear to him (Rev. 1:9- 10). What does it mean to this generation for us to be kept in the Spirit? All human reasoning and all human knowledge cannot be compared with the power of the life that is lived in the Spirit. In the Spirit, we have power to loose and power to bind (Matt.16:19). There is a place where the Holy Spirit can put us where we cannot be anywhere else but in the Spirit. But it is only in the Spirit.
    Now, I read in Matthew 16:19 that Jesus says, in essence, "I will give you power to bind, and I will give you power to loose." This is a power that many of us have not yet claimed, and we will not be able to claim this manifestation of the Spirit unless we live in the Spirit. When are you able to bind and loose? It is only in the Spirit. You cannot bind things in human strength or with the natural mind. This power was never lacking in Jesus, but I feel that there is a great lack of it in most of us. God help us!
    "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me" (Luke4:18). Beloved, there was a great purpose in this Spirit being on Jesus, and there is a special purpose in your being baptized in the Spirit. We must not forget that we are members of His body, and by this wonderful baptismal power, we are partakers of His divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4).
    The revelation came this way: I saw Adam and Eve driven out of the Garden and a flaming sword at every side to keep them from entering into the Garden. But I saw 'that all around me was a flaming sword keeping me from evil, and it seemed this would be true if I would claim it, so I said, "Lord, I will." The flaming sword was around me, delivering me from the power of hell. In this way, we are preserved from evil. God is like a wall of fire around us (Zech. 2:5); why should we fear? What a wonderful salvation! What a wonderful Deliverer!
    Notice Ezekiel 37. The only need of Ezekiel was to be in the Spirit, and while he was in the Spirit, it came to him to prophesy to the dry bones and say, "O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD" (v. 4). And as he prophesied according to the Lord's command, he saw an "exceedingly great army" (v. 10) rising up about him. The prophet obeyed God's command, and all we have to do is exactly this: obey God. What is impossible with man is possible with God (Luke18:27).
    I pray to God that your spirit, soul, and body may be preserved holy (1 Thess.5:23), and that you may be always on fire, always ready with the anointing on you. If this is not so, we are out of divine order, and we ought to cry to Him until the glory comes back upon us."
    Read Smith Wigglesworth's other works at http://www.teleiosministries.com/Gifts-of-Healing.html
    Free Downloads at www.teleiosministries.com
    Aflame - Shared by Smith Wigglesworth "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. -Ezekiel 37:5 As we speak in the Spirit, we feel that the fire that burned in the hearts of the two men on their way to Emmaus, when Jesus walked with them, is burning in our hearts. (See Luke 24:13-32.) It is sure to come to pass that when we walk with Him, our hearts will burn; the same power of the Spirit is present today to make it happen. The two men on their way to Emmaus could not understand what was happening on the road, but a few hours later, they saw Jesus break the bread, and their eyes were opened. But, beloved, our hearts always ought to burn. There is a place where we can live in the anointing and the clothing of the Spirit, where our words will be clothed with power. "Do not be drunk with wine ... but be filled with the Spirit" (Eph.5:18). Being filled with the Spirit is a wonderful privilege. It was necessary for John to be in the Spirit on the Isle of Patmos so that the revelation could be made clear to him (Rev. 1:9- 10). What does it mean to this generation for us to be kept in the Spirit? All human reasoning and all human knowledge cannot be compared with the power of the life that is lived in the Spirit. In the Spirit, we have power to loose and power to bind (Matt.16:19). There is a place where the Holy Spirit can put us where we cannot be anywhere else but in the Spirit. But it is only in the Spirit. Now, I read in Matthew 16:19 that Jesus says, in essence, "I will give you power to bind, and I will give you power to loose." This is a power that many of us have not yet claimed, and we will not be able to claim this manifestation of the Spirit unless we live in the Spirit. When are you able to bind and loose? It is only in the Spirit. You cannot bind things in human strength or with the natural mind. This power was never lacking in Jesus, but I feel that there is a great lack of it in most of us. God help us! "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me" (Luke4:18). Beloved, there was a great purpose in this Spirit being on Jesus, and there is a special purpose in your being baptized in the Spirit. We must not forget that we are members of His body, and by this wonderful baptismal power, we are partakers of His divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4). The revelation came this way: I saw Adam and Eve driven out of the Garden and a flaming sword at every side to keep them from entering into the Garden. But I saw 'that all around me was a flaming sword keeping me from evil, and it seemed this would be true if I would claim it, so I said, "Lord, I will." The flaming sword was around me, delivering me from the power of hell. In this way, we are preserved from evil. God is like a wall of fire around us (Zech. 2:5); why should we fear? What a wonderful salvation! What a wonderful Deliverer! Notice Ezekiel 37. The only need of Ezekiel was to be in the Spirit, and while he was in the Spirit, it came to him to prophesy to the dry bones and say, "O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD" (v. 4). And as he prophesied according to the Lord's command, he saw an "exceedingly great army" (v. 10) rising up about him. The prophet obeyed God's command, and all we have to do is exactly this: obey God. What is impossible with man is possible with God (Luke18:27). I pray to God that your spirit, soul, and body may be preserved holy (1 Thess.5:23), and that you may be always on fire, always ready with the anointing on you. If this is not so, we are out of divine order, and we ought to cry to Him until the glory comes back upon us." Read Smith Wigglesworth's other works at http://www.teleiosministries.com/Gifts-of-Healing.html Free Downloads at www.teleiosministries.com
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  • It's true as the bible tells that God created a man in his image like and that's why men are also creating and making wonderful things and glory goes back to who made man
    It's true as the bible tells that God created a man in his image like and that's why men are also creating and making wonderful things and glory goes back to who made man
    Like
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  • Righteousness That Comes from God

    These days, we are meditating on the Gospel of Matthew, especially the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches His disciples the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven. After teaching them to let their light shine before others so that people may see their good works and glorify their Father in heaven, Jesus explains the true meaning of righteousness and obedience to God’s Law.

    Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). He came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill its purpose and reveal its deepest meaning. The heart of God’s Law is love: love for God and love for others.

    Jesus confronted the religious leaders of His time because the scribes and Pharisees often emphasized outward religious practices while neglecting the condition of the heart. They had developed human traditions that sometimes replaced God’s commandments. Jesus asked, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” (Matthew 15:3).

    The Law is holy because God is holy. The Ten Commandments reveal God’s character and help us understand what sin is. However, the Law cannot save us. Instead, it reveals our sin and shows us our need for a Savior. It leads us to recognize our need for God’s mercy, forgiveness, and salvation through Jesus Christ.

    John 1:17 says, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” The scribes and Pharisees practiced righteousness outwardly, often seeking recognition and honor from people. Jesus warned, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them” (Matthew 6:1). Their righteousness was based on self-righteousness rather than a transformed heart.

    Therefore, Jesus declared, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). True righteousness is not merely outward behavior; it comes from a heart transformed by God through faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

    This is why Jesus calls us to be poor in spirit—to recognize our spiritual need and humbly come to Him. May our righteousness never be hypocritical or self-made, but may it be the righteousness God gives through Jesus Christ. Let us love God, love people, walk humbly, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts. May God bless you.
    Righteousness That Comes from God These days, we are meditating on the Gospel of Matthew, especially the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches His disciples the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven. After teaching them to let their light shine before others so that people may see their good works and glorify their Father in heaven, Jesus explains the true meaning of righteousness and obedience to God’s Law. Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). He came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill its purpose and reveal its deepest meaning. The heart of God’s Law is love: love for God and love for others. Jesus confronted the religious leaders of His time because the scribes and Pharisees often emphasized outward religious practices while neglecting the condition of the heart. They had developed human traditions that sometimes replaced God’s commandments. Jesus asked, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” (Matthew 15:3). The Law is holy because God is holy. The Ten Commandments reveal God’s character and help us understand what sin is. However, the Law cannot save us. Instead, it reveals our sin and shows us our need for a Savior. It leads us to recognize our need for God’s mercy, forgiveness, and salvation through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 says, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” The scribes and Pharisees practiced righteousness outwardly, often seeking recognition and honor from people. Jesus warned, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them” (Matthew 6:1). Their righteousness was based on self-righteousness rather than a transformed heart. Therefore, Jesus declared, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). True righteousness is not merely outward behavior; it comes from a heart transformed by God through faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. This is why Jesus calls us to be poor in spirit—to recognize our spiritual need and humbly come to Him. May our righteousness never be hypocritical or self-made, but may it be the righteousness God gives through Jesus Christ. Let us love God, love people, walk humbly, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts. May God bless you.
    0 Commentarios 1 Acciones 46 Views
  • A life without Christ is full of crisis — but a life surrendered to Him is full of victory.

    In this powerful word for July, I share biblical keys to overcome sin, walk in victory, and let the Holy Spirit take full control of your life. If you've been struggling, this message will minister directly to your spirit.

    In this video:
    Why a life without Christ is a life in crisis
    Biblical keys to overcome sin and temptation
    How to let the Holy Spirit rule and influence your decisions
    The power of studying and meditating on God's Word daily

    If you've never given your life to Jesus, or you want to rededicate your life to Him, stay tuned — I'll be leading a simple prayer of faith in the next part of this series.

    Scriptures referenced: 2 Corinthians 5:21
    Psalm 107:20

    Part of my "Prophetic Prayers and Declarations for July" series. Watch Part 1 here:
    https://youtube.com/shorts/XlnhiXGT_SY?si=mBXL8zpnQemrzokl

    Subscribe for daily prophetic prayers, declarations, and life-transforming words.
    Share this with someone who needs to hear it today.

    #GiveYourLifeToChrist #OvercomeSin #VictoriousLiving #HolySpirit #PropheticPrayer #JulyDeclarations #ChristianMotivation #BornAgain #WordOfGod #FaithOverFear #ChristianTikTok #GodsWord #DailyDevotion

    https://youtube.com/shorts/4f8I7r6yPVw?si=Bjx9pBtVJjmy6clV
    A life without Christ is full of crisis — but a life surrendered to Him is full of victory. 🙏🔥 In this powerful word for July, I share biblical keys to overcome sin, walk in victory, and let the Holy Spirit take full control of your life. If you've been struggling, this message will minister directly to your spirit. In this video: ✅ Why a life without Christ is a life in crisis ✅ Biblical keys to overcome sin and temptation ✅ How to let the Holy Spirit rule and influence your decisions ✅ The power of studying and meditating on God's Word daily If you've never given your life to Jesus, or you want to rededicate your life to Him, stay tuned — I'll be leading a simple prayer of faith in the next part of this series. 📖 Scriptures referenced: 2 Corinthians 5:21 Psalm 107:20 👉 Part of my "Prophetic Prayers and Declarations for July" series. Watch Part 1 here: https://youtube.com/shorts/XlnhiXGT_SY?si=mBXL8zpnQemrzokl 🔔 Subscribe for daily prophetic prayers, declarations, and life-transforming words. 📌 Share this with someone who needs to hear it today. #GiveYourLifeToChrist #OvercomeSin #VictoriousLiving #HolySpirit #PropheticPrayer #JulyDeclarations #ChristianMotivation #BornAgain #WordOfGod #FaithOverFear #ChristianTikTok #GodsWord #DailyDevotion https://youtube.com/shorts/4f8I7r6yPVw?si=Bjx9pBtVJjmy6clV
    Love
    1
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  • Let's talk about it.
    ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED — A DANGEROUS DOCTRINE

    The statement “Once saved, always saved” sounds comforting, but if it is understood to mean that a person can never fall away from Christ regardless of how they later live, it contradicts the serious warnings of Scripture.

    Jesus said, “He that endureth to the end shall be saved.” — Matthew 24:13

    Why would Christ emphasize endurance if salvation made perseverance irrelevant?

    The Bible repeatedly warns believers about falling away:

    Hebrews 10:26–27 — deliberately continuing in sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth brings fearful judgment.

    1 Corinthians 10:12 — “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

    John 15:6 — Jesus warned that branches that do not remain in Him are cast forth and burned.

    Revelation 2:10 — “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

    Matthew 24:13 — “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

    Biblical salvation is not a license to live in rebellion. Grace forgives sin, but grace also teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (Titus 2:11–12).

    We are saved by grace through faith—not by works—but genuine faith produces obedience and a transformed life (Ephesians 2:8–10; James 2:17).

    So the issue is not whether God is faithful. He is. The issue is whether we will continue abiding in Christ.

    Don't let a false sense of security replace watchfulness, repentance, faith, obedience, and perseverance.

    “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” — Revelation 2:10

    Eternal life is promised to those who continue in faith and faithfulness to Christ.

    Amazing Love
    Let's talk about it. ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED — A DANGEROUS DOCTRINE The statement “Once saved, always saved” sounds comforting, but if it is understood to mean that a person can never fall away from Christ regardless of how they later live, it contradicts the serious warnings of Scripture. Jesus said, “He that endureth to the end shall be saved.” — Matthew 24:13 Why would Christ emphasize endurance if salvation made perseverance irrelevant? The Bible repeatedly warns believers about falling away: 📖 Hebrews 10:26–27 — deliberately continuing in sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth brings fearful judgment. 📖 1 Corinthians 10:12 — “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 📖 John 15:6 — Jesus warned that branches that do not remain in Him are cast forth and burned. 📖 Revelation 2:10 — “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” 📖 Matthew 24:13 — “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Biblical salvation is not a license to live in rebellion. Grace forgives sin, but grace also teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (Titus 2:11–12). We are saved by grace through faith—not by works—but genuine faith produces obedience and a transformed life (Ephesians 2:8–10; James 2:17). So the issue is not whether God is faithful. He is. The issue is whether we will continue abiding in Christ. Don't let a false sense of security replace watchfulness, repentance, faith, obedience, and perseverance. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” — Revelation 2:10 Eternal life is promised to those who continue in faith and faithfulness to Christ. Amazing Love
    0 Commentarios 0 Acciones 10 Views
  • The Advent Truth
    What are the first and second greatest commandments? Jesus answered that question plainly:

    “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” And, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37–39)

    But here’s the part law-haters conveniently leave out: Jesus wasn’t abolishing the Ten Commandments. He was summarizing them.

    Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. And what surrounds those verses?

    Deuteronomy 5 gives the Ten Commandments, then Deuteronomy 6 explains that obedience flows from wholehearted love for God. Leviticus 19 likewise commands honoring parents, keeping God’s Sabbaths, rejecting idols, refusing to steal, lie, defraud, murder, hate, or covet—and then says, “thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

    So what does loving God look like? The first four commandments show us. What does loving our neighbor look like? The last six commandments show us.

    That is precisely why Jesus concluded:

    “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” — Matthew 22:40

    Notice He didn't say, “These two commandments replace the law.” He said the law hangs upon them.

    Imagine someone saying, “The whole door hangs on these two hinges,” and responding, “Great! Then throw away the door!”

    The two great commandments are the principles upon which God's law hangs. Love doesn't abolish God's commandments; love fulfills them.

    “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” — 1 John 5:3

    You cannot use LOVE to abolish the very commandments Scripture says love causes us to keep.

    Jesus settled this one.
    The Advent Truth What are the first and second greatest commandments? Jesus answered that question plainly: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” And, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37–39) But here’s the part law-haters conveniently leave out: Jesus wasn’t abolishing the Ten Commandments. He was summarizing them. Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. And what surrounds those verses? Deuteronomy 5 gives the Ten Commandments, then Deuteronomy 6 explains that obedience flows from wholehearted love for God. Leviticus 19 likewise commands honoring parents, keeping God’s Sabbaths, rejecting idols, refusing to steal, lie, defraud, murder, hate, or covet—and then says, “thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” So what does loving God look like? The first four commandments show us. What does loving our neighbor look like? The last six commandments show us. That is precisely why Jesus concluded: “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” — Matthew 22:40 Notice He didn't say, “These two commandments replace the law.” He said the law hangs upon them. Imagine someone saying, “The whole door hangs on these two hinges,” and responding, “Great! Then throw away the door!” 😂 The two great commandments are the principles upon which God's law hangs. Love doesn't abolish God's commandments; love fulfills them. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” — 1 John 5:3 You cannot use LOVE to abolish the very commandments Scripture says love causes us to keep. Jesus settled this one.
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  • Daily Bible Lesson.
    GOD DOES NOT BRING HIMSELF DOWN TO HUMAN STANDARD, HE CALLED US TO RISE TO HIS STANDARD

    God does not bring Himself down to our human standard. He calls us to rise to His standard.

    We live in a generation where people are increasingly comfortable redefining God’s Word to fit their preferences. Some say, “I will keep this commandment, but that one is no longer necessary.” But the question is not, “Which commandments do I prefer?” The question is, “What has God commanded?”

    The Ten Commandments are not ten suggestions. They reveal the character, righteousness, and moral will of God. Scripture says, “The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” — Romans 7:12.

    Look carefully at the commandments:

    1. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
    Are we putting God first, or have we allowed something else to occupy His place?

    2. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.”
    Are we worshiping God according to His Word, or according to human tradition?

    3. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.”
    Do our words and lives honor the name we claim to represent?

    4. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
    Why do people readily accept nine commandments while arguing against the fourth? If God wrote all ten, who gave us permission to erase one?

    5. “Honour thy father and thy mother.”
    Do we respect the authority God has established in the family?

    6. “Thou shalt not kill.”
    God values human life.

    7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
    God calls us to purity and faithfulness.

    8. “Thou shalt not steal.”
    God requires honesty and respect for what belongs to others.

    9. “Thou shalt not bear false witness.”
    God calls His people to truthfulness.

    10. “Thou shalt not covet.”
    God is not merely concerned with outward behavior; He searches the heart.

    Notice something important: the commandments are connected. We cannot claim to honor the God who gave the law while deliberately rejecting the commandment we find inconvenient.

    James 2:10–11 teaches that the One who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not kill.” The same God stands behind the whole law.

    But let us be clear: we are not saved by keeping the law. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet grace does not give us permission to live in rebellion. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15.

    The law does not replace Christ. Christ leads us to obedience.

    So before we select which commandments we want to keep, let us humble ourselves and ask:

    “Lord, what does Your Word say?”

    God does not need to lower His standard to accommodate our disobedience. He calls us higher.

    Let us stop choosing between commandments and start choosing obedience to God.

    “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” — Revelation 14:12

    God’s standard remains God’s standard—even when society changes.

    Amazing Love
    Daily Bible Lesson. GOD DOES NOT BRING HIMSELF DOWN TO HUMAN STANDARD, HE CALLED US TO RISE TO HIS STANDARD God does not bring Himself down to our human standard. He calls us to rise to His standard. We live in a generation where people are increasingly comfortable redefining God’s Word to fit their preferences. Some say, “I will keep this commandment, but that one is no longer necessary.” But the question is not, “Which commandments do I prefer?” The question is, “What has God commanded?” The Ten Commandments are not ten suggestions. They reveal the character, righteousness, and moral will of God. Scripture says, “The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” — Romans 7:12. Look carefully at the commandments: 1. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Are we putting God first, or have we allowed something else to occupy His place? 2. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” Are we worshiping God according to His Word, or according to human tradition? 3. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.” Do our words and lives honor the name we claim to represent? 4. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Why do people readily accept nine commandments while arguing against the fourth? If God wrote all ten, who gave us permission to erase one? 5. “Honour thy father and thy mother.” Do we respect the authority God has established in the family? 6. “Thou shalt not kill.” God values human life. 7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” God calls us to purity and faithfulness. 8. “Thou shalt not steal.” God requires honesty and respect for what belongs to others. 9. “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” God calls His people to truthfulness. 10. “Thou shalt not covet.” God is not merely concerned with outward behavior; He searches the heart. Notice something important: the commandments are connected. We cannot claim to honor the God who gave the law while deliberately rejecting the commandment we find inconvenient. James 2:10–11 teaches that the One who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not kill.” The same God stands behind the whole law. But let us be clear: we are not saved by keeping the law. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet grace does not give us permission to live in rebellion. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15. The law does not replace Christ. Christ leads us to obedience. So before we select which commandments we want to keep, let us humble ourselves and ask: “Lord, what does Your Word say?” God does not need to lower His standard to accommodate our disobedience. He calls us higher. Let us stop choosing between commandments and start choosing obedience to God. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” — Revelation 14:12 God’s standard remains God’s standard—even when society changes. Amazing Love
    0 Commentarios 0 Acciones 7 Views
  • The Kitchen Newsletter

    Good day,
    Welcome to The Kitchen, where we explore, prepare and serve the contents in the Body of the Word as the delicacies of God—to create the form of the Father on the earth, to make the earth in His likeness, and to take charge of the economic destinies of nations for God.

    Relax, and let's journey through the scriptures to see the Body of the Word.

    What does God look like?

    It is a simple question, but Scripture gives us an answer that is far more concrete than we often realise.

    The Bible calls God invisible. Yet Scripture also tells us that the invisible God has made Himself known—not merely through ideas, doctrines, or written sentences, but through a Person.

    John, on the island of Patmos, saw Him.

    “I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me…”

    And what John saw was astonishing: a figure with a head and hair, eyes, feet, a voice, hands, a face and a mouth. John was describing the appearance of Jesus Christ—the living Word of God.

    Revelation 1:12–17

    This is why Scripture says:

    “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.”

    Hebrews 1:3

    And again:

    “Christ, who is the image of God.”

    2 Corinthians 4:4

    So we can say:

    The Body of the Word is the image of the invisible God.

    The Scriptures Reveal a Person

    This changes the way we should read Scripture.

    We are accustomed to reading the Bible primarily as a collection of words, teachings, commandments, promises and historical accounts. But Scripture itself tells us that the Scriptures testify about a Person.

    Jesus said:

    “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.”

    John 5:39

    The Scriptures are therefore not merely information about God. They testify about Jesus Christ, the living Word.

    Consider one example.

    John saw the eyes of Christ and wrote:

    “His eyes were like blazing fire.”

    Revelation 1:14

    That is a detailed description of the Body of the Word.

    But Scripture also says:

    “Our God is a consuming fire.”

    Hebrews 12:29

    The description of the Body therefore becomes a revelation about God Himself.

    The same principle runs through the Scriptures: the details of the Body of the Word testify about the Person of the Word and reveal the invisible Father.

    Paul writes:

    “God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

    2 Corinthians 4:6

    The “face of Christ” becomes a point of revelation—the Body of the Word revealing the invisible God.

    Scripture Must Be Unfolded

    This is where something particularly provocative begins to emerge.

    What if the Scriptures are not simply information about God, but the Father's script for revealing Himself?

    Psalm 119:130 says:

    “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

    Psalm 119:130

    The Word must be unfolded.

    We can read a Scripture without necessarily seeing the revelation contained within it.

    We can know the sentence without knowing the Person whom the sentence reveals.

    That is the difference between merely reading Scripture and receiving revelation.

    The detailed descriptions of the Body of the Word are therefore not decorative language. They are scriptural descriptions that can be unfolded to reveal the Father.

    Paul describes this revelation as:

    “the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

    2 Corinthians 4:6

    So the purpose of the unfolding is not simply to give us more biblical information.

    It is to give us the revelation knowledge of the Father.

    The Body of the Word: White Like Wool and Snow

    Consider the description John gives:

    “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow.”

    Revelation 1:14

    This is a detailed description of the Body of the Word.

    But John is not alone in seeing this.

    Daniel saw the Ancient of Days and wrote:

    “His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool.”

    Daniel 7:9

    Then Song of Solomon gives another description:

    “His appearance is like Lebanon.”

    Song of Solomon 5:15

    Lebanon was associated with its mountainous, snow-covered appearance.

    The Scriptures are therefore giving us a repeated picture.

    The Body of the Word is white like wool, as white as snow.

    And because Christ is:

    “the exact representation of his being”

    Hebrews 1:3

    the description of Christ also becomes a revelation concerning the invisible God.

    This is why the details matter.

    The head matters.

    The hair matters.

    The eyes matter.

    The face matters.

    The hands matter.

    The feet matter.

    The mouth matters.

    The voice matters.

    The entire Body becomes a vocabulary through which Scripture speaks about the Person of the Word.

    The Body Is More Than a Description

    Every detailed description of the Body of the Word is also a Scripture because it testifies about the Person of the Word.

    Jesus said:

    “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.”

    John 5:39

    Therefore, the description of His whiteness is not simply a physical observation.

    It is a testimony.

    It is a Scripture.

    It is a figure of speech.

    It is a revelation waiting to be unfolded.

    And Scripture gives us a principle for understanding this:

    “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”

    Matthew 13:35

    God uses visible and natural things to communicate invisible and spiritual realities.

    The Body of the Word is therefore not merely something we look at.

    It is something Scripture teaches us to understand.

    The Father Is Speaking Through the Body

    Isaiah gives us another remarkable statement:

    “The hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants.”

    Isaiah 66:14

    Why the hand?

    Because the hand is part of the body.

    The hand becomes a doorway into understanding the Body of the Word.

    And the Body becomes a doorway into understanding the Person of the Word.

    And the Person of the Word reveals the invisible Father.

    Body → Person → Father.

    This is why I believe Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, is addressing His Church through the detailed descriptions of His Body.

    He is continually making the Father known.

    Jesus said:

    “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

    John 14:9

    And the Holy Spirit does not speak independently of Christ. Jesus said:

    “He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”

    John 16:14

    The Spirit takes what belongs to Christ and makes it known.

    And Paul tells us:

    “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”

    1 Corinthians 2:10

    So there are depths in God that the Holy Spirit searches and reveals.

    Scripture Is God's Script for His Work

    There is another dimension to this revelation.

    The Scriptures are not merely records of what God has done. They are also the script through which His purposes are fulfilled.

    Again and again, Jesus said:

    “It is written…”

    Matthew 4:4, 7, 10

    And concerning His ministry:

    “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

    Luke 4:21

    The Scriptures therefore have a relationship with God's performance on Earth.

    When the Father has an intention, He opens Scripture according to that intention.

    When He is doing a work, He brings particular Scriptures into revelation.

    When the Spirit speaks to the churches, He speaks through what is being revealed:

    “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

    Revelation 2:7

    This makes the present question very important:

    What is the Spirit saying to the Church through the Scriptures He is opening?

    And if Christ is presently revealing Himself through the detailed descriptions of His Body, then these revelations deserve our attention.

    The Body of the Word Is Our Inheritance

    The Father has not given us Christ merely so that we can know facts about Him.

    He has given us Christ so that we can know Him.

    The Body of the Word is therefore not something we should approach casually.

    It is an inheritance.

    It is a revelation.

    It is an invitation to know the Person of the Word in greater detail.

    The Scriptures testify about Him.

    The Holy Spirit reveals Him.

    The Father is seen in Him.

    And the more the Scriptures are unfolded, the more light we receive concerning the Person of Christ and the glory of the invisible Father.

    So perhaps the question is no longer simply:

    “Do you read the Bible?”

    The deeper question is:

    “Do you recognise the Person whom the Scriptures are revealing?”

    Because the Bible is testifying.

    The Spirit is speaking.

    The Scriptures are being unfolded.

    And behind the revelation stands a Person:

    Jesus Christ, the living Word of God—the image of the invisible God.

    Listen to The Kitchen Podcast

    Continue this exploration of The Body of the Word on The Kitchen Podcast by Omodolapo Ogunye, available on Audible, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts.

    Please share and spread the Revelation Knowledge of the Body of the Word.

    celebrating the Body of the Word

    #foodmoneyshow
    #bodyoftheword
    #marketplace
    #worldwide
    #moneymindset
    The Kitchen Newsletter Good day, Welcome to The Kitchen, where we explore, prepare and serve the contents in the Body of the Word as the delicacies of God—to create the form of the Father on the earth, to make the earth in His likeness, and to take charge of the economic destinies of nations for God. Relax, and let's journey through the scriptures to see the Body of the Word. What does God look like? It is a simple question, but Scripture gives us an answer that is far more concrete than we often realise. The Bible calls God invisible. Yet Scripture also tells us that the invisible God has made Himself known—not merely through ideas, doctrines, or written sentences, but through a Person. John, on the island of Patmos, saw Him. “I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me…” And what John saw was astonishing: a figure with a head and hair, eyes, feet, a voice, hands, a face and a mouth. John was describing the appearance of Jesus Christ—the living Word of God. Revelation 1:12–17 This is why Scripture says: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” Hebrews 1:3 And again: “Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 So we can say: The Body of the Word is the image of the invisible God. The Scriptures Reveal a Person This changes the way we should read Scripture. We are accustomed to reading the Bible primarily as a collection of words, teachings, commandments, promises and historical accounts. But Scripture itself tells us that the Scriptures testify about a Person. Jesus said: “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” John 5:39 The Scriptures are therefore not merely information about God. They testify about Jesus Christ, the living Word. Consider one example. John saw the eyes of Christ and wrote: “His eyes were like blazing fire.” Revelation 1:14 That is a detailed description of the Body of the Word. But Scripture also says: “Our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29 The description of the Body therefore becomes a revelation about God Himself. The same principle runs through the Scriptures: the details of the Body of the Word testify about the Person of the Word and reveal the invisible Father. Paul writes: “God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 The “face of Christ” becomes a point of revelation—the Body of the Word revealing the invisible God. Scripture Must Be Unfolded This is where something particularly provocative begins to emerge. What if the Scriptures are not simply information about God, but the Father's script for revealing Himself? Psalm 119:130 says: “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130 The Word must be unfolded. We can read a Scripture without necessarily seeing the revelation contained within it. We can know the sentence without knowing the Person whom the sentence reveals. That is the difference between merely reading Scripture and receiving revelation. The detailed descriptions of the Body of the Word are therefore not decorative language. They are scriptural descriptions that can be unfolded to reveal the Father. Paul describes this revelation as: “the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 So the purpose of the unfolding is not simply to give us more biblical information. It is to give us the revelation knowledge of the Father. The Body of the Word: White Like Wool and Snow Consider the description John gives: “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow.” Revelation 1:14 This is a detailed description of the Body of the Word. But John is not alone in seeing this. Daniel saw the Ancient of Days and wrote: “His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool.” Daniel 7:9 Then Song of Solomon gives another description: “His appearance is like Lebanon.” Song of Solomon 5:15 Lebanon was associated with its mountainous, snow-covered appearance. The Scriptures are therefore giving us a repeated picture. The Body of the Word is white like wool, as white as snow. And because Christ is: “the exact representation of his being” Hebrews 1:3 the description of Christ also becomes a revelation concerning the invisible God. This is why the details matter. The head matters. The hair matters. The eyes matter. The face matters. The hands matter. The feet matter. The mouth matters. The voice matters. The entire Body becomes a vocabulary through which Scripture speaks about the Person of the Word. The Body Is More Than a Description Every detailed description of the Body of the Word is also a Scripture because it testifies about the Person of the Word. Jesus said: “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” John 5:39 Therefore, the description of His whiteness is not simply a physical observation. It is a testimony. It is a Scripture. It is a figure of speech. It is a revelation waiting to be unfolded. And Scripture gives us a principle for understanding this: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” Matthew 13:35 God uses visible and natural things to communicate invisible and spiritual realities. The Body of the Word is therefore not merely something we look at. It is something Scripture teaches us to understand. The Father Is Speaking Through the Body Isaiah gives us another remarkable statement: “The hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants.” Isaiah 66:14 Why the hand? Because the hand is part of the body. The hand becomes a doorway into understanding the Body of the Word. And the Body becomes a doorway into understanding the Person of the Word. And the Person of the Word reveals the invisible Father. Body → Person → Father. This is why I believe Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, is addressing His Church through the detailed descriptions of His Body. He is continually making the Father known. Jesus said: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9 And the Holy Spirit does not speak independently of Christ. Jesus said: “He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” John 16:14 The Spirit takes what belongs to Christ and makes it known. And Paul tells us: “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10 So there are depths in God that the Holy Spirit searches and reveals. Scripture Is God's Script for His Work There is another dimension to this revelation. The Scriptures are not merely records of what God has done. They are also the script through which His purposes are fulfilled. Again and again, Jesus said: “It is written…” Matthew 4:4, 7, 10 And concerning His ministry: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:21 The Scriptures therefore have a relationship with God's performance on Earth. When the Father has an intention, He opens Scripture according to that intention. When He is doing a work, He brings particular Scriptures into revelation. When the Spirit speaks to the churches, He speaks through what is being revealed: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 2:7 This makes the present question very important: What is the Spirit saying to the Church through the Scriptures He is opening? And if Christ is presently revealing Himself through the detailed descriptions of His Body, then these revelations deserve our attention. The Body of the Word Is Our Inheritance The Father has not given us Christ merely so that we can know facts about Him. He has given us Christ so that we can know Him. The Body of the Word is therefore not something we should approach casually. It is an inheritance. It is a revelation. It is an invitation to know the Person of the Word in greater detail. The Scriptures testify about Him. The Holy Spirit reveals Him. The Father is seen in Him. And the more the Scriptures are unfolded, the more light we receive concerning the Person of Christ and the glory of the invisible Father. So perhaps the question is no longer simply: “Do you read the Bible?” The deeper question is: “Do you recognise the Person whom the Scriptures are revealing?” Because the Bible is testifying. The Spirit is speaking. The Scriptures are being unfolded. And behind the revelation stands a Person: Jesus Christ, the living Word of God—the image of the invisible God. Listen to The Kitchen Podcast Continue this exploration of The Body of the Word on The Kitchen Podcast by Omodolapo Ogunye, available on Audible, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts. Please share and spread the Revelation Knowledge of the Body of the Word. celebrating the Body of the Word #foodmoneyshow #bodyoftheword #marketplace #worldwide #moneymindset
    Love
    1
    0 Commentarios 0 Acciones 52 Views
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