God Working in the Background

God Working in the Background

The Bible clearly says, “Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father above” (Jas. 1:17). While we might sometimes misunderstand what is truly good, there is no doubt that there has never been a good and perfect gift which does not come from God. It is so wonderful to read the Bible and see where God reveals just how He often works in the background to bring blessings to His people.God in the background

Think of the providence of God in the life of Joseph and how it shows He works. Years before anyone understood what was actually happening, God gave Joseph two dreams about what some day would come about. The first dream concerned his brothers’ bundles of wheat bowing down to Joseph’s bundle. When he told his brothers this dream, their hatred of him became even greater. When he told them of the second dream, where the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to Joseph, his father, Jacob, rebuked him by saying, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” (Gen. 37:7-10).

Because we know the “rest of the story,” we read and immediately understand how all of this came about. There was no way Jacob, Joseph or any of his brothers could have imagined how this would happen, even as it was happening. This is such a revelation about how God used events (even the jealous hatred Joseph’s brothers had, the lies of Potiphar’s wife and the seven years of famine) to accomplish His purpose. Any of them could have asked at various times in their lives, “Where is God?“ It is only afterwards that Joseph could look backwards and say to his brothers, “God sent me before you to preserve life…You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Gen. 45:50; 50:20).

Some might foolishly say, “Jacob and his children were so lucky that Joseph was the ruler in Egypt.” It was not luck—it was God working in the shadows. How do we know this for certain? It is because God foretold it in the two dreams.

The only way anyone can know that a specific event was God working in the shadows is for God to speak to that specific event and say, “I did that.” To see this, read the words of Mordecai to Esther about all that had happened to enable her to become Queen of Persia. “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). Without divine revelation, we cannot know any specific event happens because God changed the world to make it happen. We do not need to know, for it is enough to know that every good gift comes from our Father.

Posted in Dan Jenkins | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on God Working in the Background

Three Ways to Defeat Satan

Three Ways to Defeat Satan

In last week’s bulletin, we showed that when Jesus ascended into heaven the power of Satan was amazingly diminished (read that bulletin or study Revelation chapter twelve to see how that occurred when there was war in heaven, and Satan was cast out). His power was so diminished that the Bible says that the life and death of Jesus destroyed his power and released all mankind from the fear of death and the ravages of Hades (Heb. 2:14-15).

The church had just begun when Satan was cast out of heaven, and he immediately attacked the church, knowing that his only hope was to destroy it in its infancy. After the church spread into all the world, the Devil could never destroy the kingdom of God. His time was short, for the text says, “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down among you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Rev. 12:12).

How could those members of the church in its infancy have any hope against the great wrath of Satan? What means did they have to win this battle on the earth which began just after Jesus ascended? The Bible gives such a clear answer to these questions. To understand how they won the battle is to show us how to defeat him in our lives. Look at the answer.  “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Rev. 12:11). Their victory, and ours, was because they were saved by the blood of Jesus, they knew and used the word of God, and they loved heaven more than life!

Christians of all ages have been justified by the blood of Christian and are assured of victory. God, the judge of all mankind asks, “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died…and is also risen…” Rom. 8:33-34). Satan has no basis to claim victory over God’s saints.

Victorious saints of all ages have overcome Satan by the power of the word of God. David hid the word of God in his heart so that he might not sin (Psa. 119:9-11). Jesus used the word of God to overcome all three temptations by quoting that which is written. The devil fled from him and flees from Christians who use the Bible, the sword of the Spirit, to resist Satan.

Christians of all ages have robbed Satan of any power over them because they loved the Lord more than they did their lives. If you are willing to give your life for Christ, Satan has nothing left to use against you (consider Job).

They overcame Satan in three ways. Meditate on these three attitudes they had, and you can rest assured that victory is yours. Heaven is assured to those who know this!

Posted in Dan Jenkins | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Three Ways to Defeat Satan

Revelation: Day Satan Was Cast Out of Heaven

Revelation: Day Satan Was Cast Out of Heaven

There may be details in the last book of the Bible that we struggle to understand, but the message of Revelation chapter twelve so vividly describes, in figurative language, the conflict between heaven and hell and the battle between Satan and Christians. That message is so easy to understand. Take time to read this chapter, and let God assure you that there is no question we will win the battle.satan heaven

Verse four depicts Satan (described as a dragon) standing before the woman, who was in labor and ready to give birth to her son, as soon as he was born. Who was this son?

We know who this son is. The next verse tells us that he was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. The Bible leaves no doubt as to the identity of this child. Let God tell you who this son in the second psalm. “You are My Son, today I have begotten You…Ask of me and I will give You the nations…You shall break them with a rod of iron.” Acts 4:25-27 quotes this psalm and emphatically applies it to Jesus. Jesus is the child born in Revelation twelve whom Satan sought to destroy as soon he was born (Matt. 2).

The text says that “…the Child was caught up to God and His throne” (v. 5). What happened when He ascended into heaven? In figurative language, there was war in heaven with the armies of Satan fighting the armies of God. Satan was cast down to the earth. He “no longer” (v. 8) had access to the presence of God as he did when he brought accusation against Job. Note carefully that this war did not happen before the creation of Adam. It happened when Jesus ascended. When Satan was cast out he tried to destroy the saints—those “…who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (v. 17). The book of Acts describes this.

How was Satan defeated by the resurrected Jesus? Jesus became a mortal that through His death “…He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil…and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:14-15). Jesus destroyed Satan. He did not annihilate him but took from him the fear of death that all men since Adam had struggled with. His open tomb released all mankind from that fearful bondage.

Jesus’ life and death brought a revelation of our immortality. “Now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 2:10).

When John saw Jesus on the island of Patmos, Jesus said, “I am He who lives, and was dead…and I have the keys of Hades and Death” (Rev. 1:18). Our Savior destroyed Satan when He took from him the keys to the grave!

Posted in Dan Jenkins | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Revelation: Day Satan Was Cast Out of Heaven

Signs of the End #3

Signs of the End #3

This is the third article on the signs of the end, and you are encouraged to read the first two as they form the background of this one. (They are readily available on the church’s website). Many are convinced that all that is happening right now points to the end, and Jesus will come very soon to bring the final judgment on the earth.

The details of these signs given by Jesus are found in the first three books of the New Testament in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. Jesus spoke of the coming judge on the sinful Jewish nation (Matt. 23:34) and then told of the coming destruction of the temple. He then went to the Mount of Olives. Very few are aware of the audience when Jesus gave these signs. One will never understand these signs without recognizing those who heard about the signs.

Read Mark’s account very carefully. “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked Him privately, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled’” (Mark 13:3-4). Four men were the ones who were given these signs. Why is this important? They were the ones who would see the signs!

Who did Jesus say would see these signs? Look at the text where I have capitalized the pronouns. Jesus said, “But when YOU hear of wars and commotions…for these things must come first…nation will rise against nation…there will be great earthquakes in various place, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. But before all these things, they will lay hands on YOU, and persecute YOU, delivering YOU up the synagogues…YOU will be brought before kings and rulers…YOU will be betrayed by parents and brothers…and they will put some of YOU to death…but when YOU see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near…so YOU also, when YOU see these things happening know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to YOU, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place” (Luke 21:9-32).

Let Jesus tell us who would see these signs. They were to be seen (all these signs) in that generation! Who was to see them? Peter, James, John and Andrew! Now if they saw all these signs and are all dead, these signs cannot point to WWI or WWII, or Korea, Vietnam, or the battles in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the threat of Russia or China in our day!

Read your Bible rather than books written by televangelists (who have made millions doing this). Read the Bible. Let the Bible explain the Bible. Let Jesus tell you who would see the signs. Next week, we will look at the great tribulation.

Posted in Dan Jenkins | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Signs of the End #3

Working with Problem People

Working with Problem People

If there is one clear teaching of the Bible, it is that people have problems – “for all have sinned” (Romans 3:23). The question is this: how do we work with these problem people? The Bible helps us out by categorizing them into two groups: those who are willing to repent, and those who are not (2 Corinthians 7:10). Those who are willing to repent must be accepted (Luke 5:32). Those who are not must be warned and eventually separated (Titus 3:10). Are we following this pattern in the church?problem people

Penitent people are people who acknowledge, confess their sins, and then seek to change, and they need help from others with the process of change. The only way they will get that help is by being accepted. This, however, means that we must be patient and forgiving with them as they work on making the needed changes in their lives. Unfortunately, some have little patience and forgiveness. They see the penitent as “problems” instead of “people.” Instead of practicing forgiveness and acceptance, they rid themselves of these “problem people,” and kick them out of the church.

The same often enable the divisive by accepting them instead of separating from them. Divisive people are impenitent people and do not change; hence, they don’t need help changing. They will mask themselves as faithful individuals who require little to no help. Then, they will secretly insinuate their teachings in the church appearing beneficent (2 Peter 2:1-3). Ultimately, the church will be divided because of the divisive’s pernicious ways and because members did not practice the pattern of accepting the penitent and warning the divisive.

Are we accepting the penitent and helping them change or are we enabling the divisive? May God help us to follow His pattern.

Posted in Kevin Cauley | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Working with Problem People