God is….Witness

I think for the most part this is a reference to God's omniscience and omnipotence.  In other words God is everywhere at all times and He sees and knows what the truth is.  God witnesses EVERYTHING!  

Genesis 31:50(NKJV)

If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”

1 Samuel 12:5(NKJV)

Then he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.”

1 Samuel 20:12(NKJV)

Then Jonathan said to David: “The Lord God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, 

Jeremiah 29:23(NKJV)

because they have done disgraceful things in Israel, have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken lying words in My name, which I have not commanded them. Indeed I know, and am a witness, says the Lord.

Jeremiah 42:5(NKJV)

So they said to Jeremiah, “Let the Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not do according to everything which the Lord your God sends us by you. 

Micah 1:2(NKJV)

    Hear, all you peoples!      Listen, O earth, and all that is in it!     Let the Lord GOD be a witness against you,     The Lord from His holy temple.

Malachi 2:14(NKJV)

    Yet you say, “For what reason?”     Because the Lord has been witness     Between you and the wife of your youth,     With whom you have dealt treacherously;     Yet she is your companion     And your wife by covenant.

Malachi 3:5(NKJV)

    And I will come near you for judgment;     I will be a swift witness     Against sorcerers,     Against adulterers,     Against perjurers,     Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,     And against those who turn away an alien—     Because they do not fear Me,”     Says the Lord of hosts.

John 8:18(NKJV)

I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

Romans 1:9-10(NKJV)

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 

making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 

1 Thessalonians 2:5(NKJV)

For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. 

1 John 5:7(NKJV)

For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 

Wow, what is the most important part of this Scripture?

So much wisdom in two verses.  Which sticks out to you as the most important.  I'm going to highlight several things that really stick out to me.  I'm going to alternate colors just to make it easier to read.  You decide which is most important to you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17(NKJV)

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 

that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Paul's wording here bothers me for some reason.

2 Timothy 2:8-10(NKJV)

Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 

for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 

Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Who's Gospel is it Paul? 

I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it but it just bugs me. 

As a Christian, do you live in fear?

If you do, then stop it because a "spirit of fear" isn't from God!!!

2 Timothy 1:7(NKJV)

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Don't live in fear.  We need to use the tools that God gave us!

Does calling God a liar seem like a good idea to you?

It just doesn't seem like a good idea to me and yet millions of people do it every day.  Why do you think that is? 

1 John 5:10(NKJV)

He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 

"Do not neglect the gift that is in you…"

Great advice.  It's easy to get wrapped up in our daily lives.  What can we do to keep from neglecting those gifts? 

1 Timothy 4:14(NKJV)

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 

I guess I would suggest first of all being aware of your gifts.  Then I think the next thing is to make it a point to ask God to guide you in how He wants you to use those gifts.  And then finally, take action.  Use the gifts.  It is by using the gifts that you grow. 

In fact it is my belief that if you use your gifts for God, He will give you more gifts.  It's like the Parable of the Talents.  The servants who used their gifts wisely were given more.  The servant who didn't use his gift ended up losing the gift that he had.  What's the old saying?  Use it or lose it! 

Here's a puzzle.

So here is a question.  Who are "the Spirit, the water, and the blood" referring to?

1 John 5:7-8(NKJV)

For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 

And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

I think the first part is obvious.  "The Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit" refer to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. 

I'll take a guess at the second part.  The Spirit is again the Holy Spirit.  The water is John the Baptist testifying as to who Jesus is.  The third is Jesus Himself. 

Not sure if that is correct but it is what made the most sense to me. 

Here is something I need to do more of.

This is something that I need to do more of. 

1 Timothy 2:1-2(NKJV)

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 

for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 

Quite honestly I can't remember the last time I prayed for our leaders.  I need to be more aware of that and include them in my prayers.

"…direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ."

What an interesting juxtaposition!  Here is a verse that tells us to direct our hearts to "the love of God and the patience of Christ".  Then it goes on to tell us to withdraw support and shun certain people.  It also tells us to withdraw charity from some but not others. 

There are many who would argue that those actions don't reflect the "love of God".  I would disagree.  Just as with any good parent, God's discipline does not reflect a lack of love in my opinion.  Make sense?  I especially love the way the verse makes the distinction between can't work and won't work. 

2 Thessalonians 3:5-18(NKJV)

Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 

For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 

nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 

not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 

For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 

Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 

And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 

Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The Evil One

As you know I am not one who believes we can predict when Jesus will return.  We can watch for clues however.  Here is one clue that tells us the Evil One has to appear before Jesus comes.  Seems like it will be kind of hard to miss this one.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4(NKJV)

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 

not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 

who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

I'm not sure I get this.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-9(NKJV)

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 

so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 

which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 

since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 

and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 

in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 

Not sure what to think of this.  I think we have all heard the phrase "vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord".  This seems to go along those lines.  What I find interesting is that it says it is a righteous thing when God takes vengeance on our behalf.  That almost makes it seem that it is required that He take vengeance.

I'll have to keep an eye out for more Scripture supporting or negating the idea. 

And how do we test all things?

 

1 Thessalonians 5:21(NKJV)

Test all things; hold fast what is good. 

Two questions.  Why do we need to test things?  And how do we test them.

Scripture tells us that we will be held accountable if we allow ourselves to be led astray.  That is why we need to test things.  We will hear things in everyday life as well as in sermons.  We should never just take them at face value.  We need to test them.  Test them for what?

We need to test them to make sure they are Scriptural.  We need to test them to make sure they line up with the Word of God.  Where some people get in trouble is that they test them against their own knowledge.  They think to themselves "that makes sense" or maybe "that sounds good".  Wrong standard.  The only test we should apply is "does this line up with God's word?".

As long as we test everything by that standard we can never be led astray.  Make sense? 

Interesting choice of words.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12(NKJV)

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 

and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 

that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 

that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

Sounds like great advice to me!

My how time flies!

Time sure can sneak away if you don't stay vigilant.  I just realized that I was only in the Word one day last week.  Not sure how that happened.  It is great to be back in the Word today though! 

Now am I in trouble with God for missing 4 days?  Nope.  God knows my heart.  As soon as I realized the mistake I corrected it.  I don't believe God is so petty that He takes daily attendance.    Isn't it great that we serve a loving and forgiving God?