Rightly Dividing: 16 What Part’s Ours?

Since we now understand that not all of the Bible was written to or about us let’s look at the parts which are. First, let me stress that the entire Bible was written for our benefit and is the word of God. However, not all the information contained in the Bible is given for our obedience today. For example the command God gave to Adam about not eating of that one specific tree doesn’t apply to us today cause he done ate from it and jacked everything all up and the situation he had in Eden doesn’t even exist today. Same with Noah, God told him that in order to be saved he had to build an ark, guess what, that command won’t help us much today and it sure won’t save us. We need instead to be concerned with the particular information God tells us today to follow during the dispensation of the age of grace.

Since the dispensation of grace was given to the Apostle Paul alone, the whole mystery I talked about last night. We already noted how Peter had a very different message to proclaim as did Christ himself, they preached Israel’s kingdom of heaven gospel that was a world based salvation. But we aren’t under the law and it’s works, today it’s all about grace and we find the information spoken by and written by our apostle to us and for us in the Pauline epistles.

That’s the books of Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon. That’s where we go for all our doctrine, correction and reproof.

But what about the rest of the books in the New Testament after Philemon you ask. Those books are written for a time when there is once again a difference between Jew and Gentile. That’s not today as we have already established using verses like this one from Galatians.

Under the Old Testament though there was a major very clear distinction between Jew and Gentile, and there will be again in the future when God once again treats Jews and Gentiles differently. The book of Hebrews for instance is written to the Hebrews but there is no group of people whom God is dealing with today known as Hebrews. The same with the book of James, just look at how it starts out.

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.”  (James 1:1)

It’s written to the twelve tribes of Israel. Folks that ain’t us! Right now God just sees people, no Jew no Gentiles, he deals with us all the same way, so James can’t apply dispensationally to us today. It will apply in the future when God changes programs again and deals with the Jews in a special way.

All the books after Philemon (Hebrews through Revelation) are addressed to a time period when there is once again a distinction between Jew and Gentile and faith and salvation will once again be demonstrated by performing certain required works as expressions of faith in order to obtain salvation. Thank God that we live in the age of grace and salvation is a free gift through Christ all we need do is accept it by believing in his death, burial and resurrection. It can’t be any easier.

And just in case you really want to think the books after Philemon are to you read them carefully and remember that when God starts dealing with Israel as a chosen nation again they are going to pick back up on their kingdom program and plunge headfirst into Daniels 70th week, otherwise referred to as the Great Tribulation, spoken of by the prophets and detailed in full in the final book the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Folks trust me it is great to be under grace, cause I’ve read the prophecies and that is some jacked up crazy worst nightmare kinda stuff. The disasters, the Antichrist, the beheadings, the locusts (ugh, those locusts man they are like spiders from hell, actually they are locust from hell) you do not want to be here when God begins to give a rebellious and rejecting world exactly what it’s been asking for.

Through the Bible In 7 Hours – pt. 6

Tonight I am sharing the last hour of this dispensational bible study with you and I pray you will really think about what you are hearing in these studies. That Jesus paid for your sins on the cross, then he rose from death the third day and is in heaven now at the Father’s right hand waiting to claim all who believe in Him. He is offering you dear broken sinner a free gift more precious than you can fathom, He asks nothing for it He already paid it all and it is yours, just take it. Believe in your heart truly that Jesus died for your sins and that by accepting the grace of the Cross you are saved and one with Him, you are made dead to sin in Him His up fathomable love for you poured out in the flow of His precious blood as He hung there dying will wash your sins away making you sinless and righteous before the holy God whose laws you broke. He paid it all for you, accept His gift and live in Him.

Through the Bible In 7 Hours – pt. 6

Tonight I am sharing the fifth hour of this dispensational bible study with you and I pray you will really think about what you are hearing in these studies. That Jesus paid for your sins on the cross, then he rose from death the third day and is in heaven now at the Father’s right hand waiting to claim all who believe in Him. He is offering you dear broken sinner a free gift more precious than you can fathom, He asks nothing for it He already paid it all and it is yours, just take it. Believe in your heart truly that Jesus died for your sins and that by accepting the grace of the Cross you are saved and one with Him, you are made dead to sin in Him His up fathomable love for you poured out in the flow of His precious blood as He hung there dying will wash your sins away making you sinless and righteous before the holy God whose laws you broke. He paid it all for you, accept His gift and live in Him.

Through the Bible In 7 Hours – pt. 5

Tonight I am sharing the fifth hour of this dispensational bible study with you and I pray you will really think about what you are hearing in these studies. That Jesus paid for your sins on the cross, then he rose from death the third day and is in heaven now at the Father’s right hand waiting to claim all who believe in Him. He is offering you dear broken sinner a free gift more precious than you can fathom, He asks nothing for it He already paid it all and it is yours, just take it. Believe in your heart truly that Jesus died for your sins and that by accepting the grace of the Cross you are saved and one with Him, you are made dead to sin in Him His up fathomable love for you poured out in the flow of His precious blood as He hung there dying will wash your sins away making you sinless and righteous before the holy God whose laws you broke. He paid it all for you, accept His gift and live in Him.

Through the Bible In 7 Hours – pt. 4

Tonight I am sharing the fourth hour of this dispensational bible study with you and I pray you will really think about what you are hearing in these studies. That Jesus paid for your sins on the cross, then he rose from death the third day and is in heaven now at the Father’s right hand waiting to claim all who believe in Him. He is offering you dear broken sinner a free gift more precious than you can fathom, He asks nothing for it He already paid it all and it is yours, just take it. Believe in your heart truly that Jesus died for your sins and that by accepting the grace of the Cross you are saved and one with Him, you are made dead to sin in Him His up fathomable love for you poured out in the flow of His precious blood as He hung there dying will wash your sins away making you sinless and righteous before the holy God whose laws you broke. He paid it all for you, accept His gift and live in Him.

 

Through the Bible In 7 Hours – pt. 3

Tonight I am sharing the third hour of this dispensational bible study with you and I pray you will really think about what you are hearing in these studies. That Jesus paid for your sins on the cross, then he rose from death the third day and is in heaven now at the Father’s right hand waiting to claim all who believe in Him. He is offering you dear broken sinner a free gift more precious than you can fathom, He asks nothing for it He already paid it all and it is yours, just take it. Believe in your heart truly that Jesus died for your sins and that by accepting the grace of the Cross you are saved and one with Him, you are made dead to sin in Him His up fathomable love for you poured out in the flow of His precious blood as He hung there dying will wash your sins away making you sinless and righteous before the holy God whose laws you broke. He paid it all for you, accept His gift and live in Him.

Through the Bible In 7 Hours – pt. 2

When my husband got saved he was Spirit filled from the get go.  He had a strong understanding of grace alone through faith alone and seemed to rightly divide the word dispensationally right away.  Then man made religions and traditions started confusing us and jacking up God’s glorious message of grace, making us think we had to do something to secure our salvation, to earn it and keep it.  It took us a while to sort out why man’s salvation didn’t seem to match the message of grace Paul preached through his epistles.  We kept studying and always coming up with certain doctrines and truths only to be told we were misunderstanding or that we had to do x,y,z as well as what we were reading in God’s infallible Word.  To be honest it was grieving our souls and hindering our growth.  Then a few weeks ago there was light as we found a church who taught what we had been Spirit led to know as truth.  I want to share an introduction of that truth with you starting tonight.

Through the Bible In 7 Hours – pt. 1

When my husband got saved he was Spirit filled from the get go.  He had a strong understanding of grace alone through faith alone and seemed to rightly divide the word dispensationally right away.  Then man made religions and traditions started confusing us and jacking up God’s glorious message of grace, making us think we had to do something to secure our salvation, to earn it and keep it.  It took us a while to sort out why man’s salvation didn’t seem to match the message of grace Paul preached through his epistles.  We kept studying and always coming up with certain doctrines and truths only to be told we were misunderstanding or that we had to do x,y,z as well as what we were reading in God’s infallible Word.  To be honest it was grieving our souls and hindering our growth.  Then a few weeks ago there was light as we found a church who taught what we had been Spirit led to know as truth.  I want to share an introduction of that truth with you starting tonight.

THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT

Today’s devotional is  from Our Daily Walk by F. B. Meyer.

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“Come ye yourselves apart, and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.” — Mark 6:31.

THERE IS something in our blood which cries out at certain times for rest and change. We may love our home, our work, and chance of doing our share in the toil of this work-a-day world, but when the summer comes we long to escape from the crowded city, the arduous toil, and pine for respite and rest. The love of Nature is a sacred heritage from the love of God, and it is His voice that calls to us: “Come, My children, Be glad with Me, breathe the scented air which I have flavoured in its passage through clover-fields, gorse, and heather; rejoice in the woods and flowers, golden sunsets and purple mountains; the glory of the ocean and the sea-shore.”
But we must be unselfish, if we would really enjoy our holiday. It is difficult to resist the temptation to obtain the best possible return for our money, and a little over, even at the expense of others. Always think of some one else—the short Zacchaeus who cannot see over your shoulder! The child who loves to look out of the carriage window; the invalid who cannot stand the draught; the tired mother with the restless children! Look out for daily opportunities for showing the gentleness, sweetness, and unselfishness of the Lord Jesus.
Make time to be alone sometimes. It is a mistake always to be in the presence of another. The soul must be still and quiet. There are accents in the voice of God so deep and still, that the breathing of a companion may make them inaudible. But it is delightful to have a choice friend and companion with whom you can hold sweet fellowship, and “there is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” He will draw near and walk with you, and as He talks with you by the way, your hearts will bum within you.
Remember those who are in poverty, in sickness, and in need, and amidst your own gladness and joy, send a portion unto them for whom nothing is prepared.

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
Nehemiah 8:10-12

PRAYER
What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits to me?
I will praise, and bless, and give thee Thanks, all the days of my life. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power. AMEN.

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may the Father bless, keep and strengthen you as you continue to:

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

knowing that you can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you. Philippians 4:13

Biblical Astronomy

Eclipse day here in the U.S., who all watched it?  We of course did, it was our first day back to school so we had eclipse day. It was fun and provided a great opportunity to refresh the kiddo on all we had studied in creation astronomy last spring. Especially since some people seemed to be linking watching the eclipse with astrology and sun worship instead of Son worship as God intended.

Eclipse watching is definitely not astrology though which is Satan’s twisting of God’s creation and message in the stars changing the name from the original Hebrew mazzaroth to the zodiac and corrupting the meanings and even the names of the stars.   Astronomy – which is the biblical study of the heavens and all that God placed in them, is a wonderful opportunity to get to know our Creator more deeply as we see the mighty work of His hands and glorify and praise Him.  You know how I like to tie everything together with Scripture so take a few moments and consider the following key verses in Genesis, Job, the Gospels and Revelation.

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years: Genesis 1:14

The first purpose God gives us for the lights in the heavens (sky) is as signs, which in the original Hebrew is the word ‘owth, which means sign, token, ensign,miracle, or mark. Seasons is the hebrew word “moedims”.   We should note that these are the first two purposes given for the creation of the sun, moon, and stars.  It helps keep us from being misled by Satan’s deceptions or man’s misunderstandings when we truly dig into the Word on a subject, going back to the original languages for clarification when needed. This helps us see that  studying or looking at the stars, which were created by God as we learn a couple verses later, first and fore most for signs, signals, even miracles.

And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. Genesis 1:16

Since God didn’t make any thing bad the stars aren’t bad, only the twisting of their God given meaning is. We see in Scripture that He even named the stars, all of them!  He did that for a reason, so He could tell man His great story and it could be passed down through all generations.

He telleth the number of the stars; he giveth them all their names.  Psalms 147:4

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Psalms 19:1

Praise ye him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.
Psalms 148:3-5

Today I have heard people express concerns that looking up at the sky to see God’s signs and messages to us there is dabbling with the zodiac and therefore not of God, but sadly the deceiver has tricked them.  He has them believing his lies that the constellations are his but the truth is that the zodiac was originally called the Mazzaroth and is entirely Biblical. God himself mentions it in Job.

Canst thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? or canst thou guide the Bear with her train? Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?
Job 38:31-33

Studying astronomy from a biblical starting point led our family to the truth that God placed the sun, moon, and stars (including the wandering stars we now call planets) to point every person who has ever lived to His Son, to tell the story of Salvation to all for all time.In fact this past spring we realized that those stars and constellations mentioned here in Job, which is the oldest book in the Bible; Job was a contemporary of Abraham some 400+ years before Moses wrote the Pentateuch; tell a glorious story, the story of Christ Jesus. Every one of the 12 major constellations of the Mazzaroth tells of Him from Virgo the virgin (symbolizing Mary his mother and the nation of Israel) the first constellation to Leo the lion, the last God placed a picture book of the redemption plan in the sky for us to see on the 4th day of creation! It was ole Slewfoot, the Deceiver, who twisted the story to try and make it about man, not our sweet Savior, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lamb who was slain for our sins.

Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour and there be none to quench it in Beth-el: Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth; seek him that maketh the Pleiades and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night; that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth; the LORD is his name;  Amos 5:6-8

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.  Revelation 1:16

Even Jesus himself said to look up that there would be signs in the heavens to point us to the time of His return.  I think if the Son says to look up at the sun, moon, and stars it’s ok to do so.

And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; Luke 21:25

But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:28

But immediately, after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:  and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  Matthew 24:29-30

We looked at many other verses pointing to God telling us to look to the heavens rightly, focusing on Jesus and His story written in the sky but my favorites come from Psalms and Revelation.

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; Psalms 8:3

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language; their voice cannot be heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,  Psalms 19:1-4

And a great sign was seen in heaven; a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; Revelation 12:1

And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God.  Revelation 15:1

All of God’s creation was created very good, it all points us back to Him to give Him glory to tell us of His Son! Glorify God, seek His word my dear sister in Christ then look up and see that God is good and merciful to put the story of grace and forgiveness of sin in the one place and in the on form the entire world though all time has been able to see.  If you would like to learn more about God’s picture book in the sky then check out my star study series here and to learn more about the Revelation 12 sign Jesus showed to John then start here.

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ our Savior, keep looking up, He is coming soon.  May the Father bless and keep you until that glorious day!