Category Archives: Scripture Expounded

08/15/13

Romans 14 God Accepts All

The question of what foods to eat in God’s Kingdom had become a stumbling block among the Jews and Gentiles, and the early church was suffering because of the difference of lifestyles and opinions. This was one of many challenges that the early church faced, and all was based predominately upon differences of interpretation. We as humans tend to judge easily and forgive after much struggle.

 

 

Sadly, the church today is still challenged by differences of opinion and interpretation. There are so many scripture versions as to make your head spin–and while they may all benefit the church body, we are faced with a sanctuary filled with so many different versions at a given moment that it becomes hard to read along with one another. Any area of confusion can cause division or misunderstanding. Perhaps this can inspire us to all listen to the speaker, for in so doing we all hear the same words.

 

Joy comes from acknowledging our differences to one another in an atmosphere of openness and trust.  Prayerfully this is not a means of control and challenge, but a method of  sharing in dialogue so that all may partake at the table. What is true, good, and nourishing will reveal its refreshment if we can allow others to have a right to taste different foods. The key is seeking and tasting so that truth is revealed–and as we all know, ‘the truth will set you free”.

 

Charlene

 

Romans 14

 

 

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

 

Don’t Criticize Others

 

 

14 Be willing to accept those who still have doubts about what believers can do. And don’t argue with them about their different ideas. 2 Some people believe they can eat any kind of food,[a] but those who have doubts eat only vegetables. 3 Those who know they can eat any kind of food must not feel that they are better than those who eat only vegetables. And those who eat only vegetables must not decide that those who eat all foods are wrong. God has accepted them. 4 You cannot judge the servants of someone else. Their own master decides if they are doing right or wrong. And the Lord’s servants will be right, because the Lord is able to make them right.

5 Some people might believe that one day is more important than another. And others might believe that every day is the same. Everyone should be sure about their beliefs in their own mind. 6 Those who think one day is more important than other days are doing that for the Lord. And those who eat all kinds of food are doing that for the Lord. Yes, they give thanks to God for that food. And those who refuse to eat some foods do that for the Lord. They also give thanks to God.

7 We don’t live or die just for ourselves. 8 If we live, we are living for the Lord. And if we die, we are dying for the Lord. So living or dying, we belong to the Lord. 9 That is why Christ died and rose from death to live again—so that he could be Lord over those who have died and those who are living.

10 So why do you judge your brother or sister in Christ? Or why do you think that you are better than they are? We will all stand before God, and he will judge us all. 11 Yes, the Scriptures say,

 

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘Everyone will bow before me;
everyone will say that I am God.’”

 

12 So each of us will have to explain to God about the things we do.

 

Don’t Cause Others to Sin

 

13 So we should stop judging each other. Let’s decide not to do anything that will cause a problem for a brother or sister or hurt their faith. 14 I know that there is no food that is wrong to eat. The Lord Jesus is the one who convinced me of that. But if someone believes that something is wrong, then it is wrong for that person.

 

15 If you hurt the faith of your brother or sister because of something you eat, you are not really following the way of love. Don’t destroy anyone’s faith by eating something they think is wrong. Christ died for them. 16 Don’t allow what is good for you to become something they say is evil. 17 In God’s kingdom, what we eat and drink is not important. Here is what is important: a right way of life, peace, and joy—all from the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever serves Christ by living this way is pleasing God, and they will be accepted by others.

 

19 So let’s try as hard as we can to do what will bring peace. Let’s do whatever will help each other grow stronger in faith. 20 Don’t let the eating of food destroy the work of God. All food is right to eat, but it is wrong for anyone to eat something that hurts the faith of another person. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that hurts the faith of your brother or sister.

 

22 You should keep your beliefs about these things a secret between yourself and God. It is a blessing to be able to do what you think is right without feeling guilty. 23 But anyone who eats something without being sure it is right is doing wrong. That is because they did not believe it was right. And if you do anything that you believe is not right, it is sin.

 

 

Footnotes:

 

Romans 14:2 any kind of food The Jewish law said there were some foods that Jews could not eat. When they became followers of Christ, some of them did not understand that they could now eat all foods.

 

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

 

Copyright © 2006 by World Bible Translation Center

04/25/13

Woman Thou Art Loosed: Music and Message

We desire to worship You, O Lord. Let our praises be lifted high unto your throne room. May we be granted peace.     Charlene

 

WTAL Worship Part 1

The Sound of Worship Woman Thou Art Loosed 2012

Bishop T.D. Jakes Woman Thou Art Loosed

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Charlene’s Source: youtube

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04/17/13

Words of Life: Unresolved Disappointment

Unresolved Disappointment

by Linda Godsey

 

I remember a time when someone disappointed me so deeply that I didn’t believe that life could ever be the same again. My heart also broke for others involved who were hurting that caused another whole level of pain. When I finally realized that I couldn’t physically or emotionally carry it any longer, I gave it to the Lord to carry it for me.

 

I was driving my car when a wave of emotion came over me that was overwhelming. I pulled to the side of the road, my body fell across the steering wheel of my car as I wept and cried out, “Jesus, help me! I am so disappointed – I bring that disappointment to you. I can’t carry it anymore!” And He took it, just as I asked him to. I felt the emotional pain lift from me and my body relaxed for the first time in days.

 

I’m sure you have experienced disappointment – we all have! Just as we have all experienced regrets that we wish we had the power to change. We’ve all thought, “If only” or “What if”.
Disappointment has been called the twin-sibling to regret. Regrets stem from our human nature to question the path our lives have taken because of the decisions we’ve made. Here is a helpful way to distinguish between regret and disappointment.

 

Regret focuses on the personal choices that contributed to the poor outcome.
Disappointment focuses on the outcome itself: such as failure, non-fulfillment, defeat or setback.

 

I challenge you to consider the “what ifs” and “If onlys” in your life? They will keep you stuck in the past until you deal with them. Does anything come to mind? Have you grieved those losses? Have you asked God to carry the pain? Have you asked God to show you how he sees your regret and disappointment? Jeremiah 33:3 says,“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

 

Let God show you his heavenly panoramic perspective of what you are going through. I think you will be amazed!

 

Surely He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows (This represents both physical and emotional sickness and pain). Isaiah 53:4

 

Linda Godsey is the author of Letting Go

 

Charlene’s Source: LifeToday

 

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02/12/13

1 Corinthians 13 (NIV) Love Does Not Dishonor Others: You Are The Salt of The Earth

     This is a world of usage thus there exists service. The term user is applied to many applications today. Mankind delights in service. We expect others to serve us because we live in a generation of conveniences. Whether someone is paid to do that service seldom enters our thoughts. Yet, there are volunteer positions in society and paid positions. What distinguishes one from the other? A paid position comes with a salary. Volunteer positions do not. Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary defines salary as: “fixed compensation paid regularly for services”, but does compensation define the worth of the position? No. As a person who has occupied both paid and volunteer  positions, I feel qualified to express that a position is not defined by whether it is compensated, but by the worth of the position in the servant’s heart. It is connected with passion, with calling, and with the ability to listen to GOD’s Holy Spirit.

 

 

     The term salary has its root in the word ‘salt’. Salt has maintained an important position throughout history as a seasoning, flavor enhancer, and preservative. It is priceless to some. Jesus says in Matthew 5:13:

 

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by man.”

 

     A job is one thing. A calling is another. A calling never loses its flavor, its appeal, or its seasoning. This is because GOD is the salt, the flavor, and the appeal. He is the one who draws, much like the salt, upon our hearts and our spirits. By GOD I mean the Persons of the HOLY Trinity–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They do a perfect work using imperfect beings to prepare the way. This is a key point. Imperfect people do imperfect things. Does this deter GOD from using them? If that imperfect heart knows and expresses true repentance, and if they are willing to be used, GOD will use them to do His will.

 

Numbers 18:19 states:

 

 

“All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before The LORD with you and your descendants with you.”

 

 

     We enter into covenant with GOD when we honor those things that are worth “their salt”. Who determines their worth? GOD does. Mankind is judgmental to the extent that leaving the task  of determining the worth of persons or things becomes totally subjective. What appeals to one person may not appeal to another, be it tangible or ideological. It is not our job to determine worth–this is the work of The Holy Spirit. Just imagine how much more could be done for the Kingdom of GOD if we would refrain from judging others so harshly that we make their ministry ineffective. I have had opportunity to hear and observe how others view former leaders or followers. This is a disposable generation. When someone who has served moves on it is understood that there are others who can take their place. Their ministry is placed on the table and sifted to determine its former effectiveness and how that person can be replaced. Yet, if we are all individuals made by GOD for specific purposes–how can we be replaced? Even if the task at hand requires simple skills–no one does it the same.  This is not egotistical, it is logical. Does this mean that the earth will screech to a grinding halt because we have left a task behind? No, because someone will pick it up. What it does mean is that each person is unique in their approach to life and ministry. Their service, if done in Christ, should be treasured as a gift to those whom they have served. As a result–respect them and love them as GOD loves you. You are both imperfect. You may not always agree on the methods or results of a person’s ministry in Christ–but never lose sight of the fact that they have served you. Love does not dishonor nor cast out others.

 

 

One more thought. It is not mandatory to love those who have given you their time, love, and support. It is GODLY.

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 13

 

 

New International Version (NIV)

 

 

 13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

 

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 

 

 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 

 

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

 

 

 Footnotes:

 

  1. 1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages

  2. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames

 

New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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01/17/13

Back Against The Wall? There Is Hope in The WORD

Revised June 25th,2014

“For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body according to the working by which He is able to subdue all things to Himself.” 

 

Philippians: 3:20&21

 

 

   Does life seem to be pressing you and prodding you until you are ready to burst your containment? I know that change comes in life and that it can be stressful, but there are some changes that try you to the fullest measure.  Death of a loved one is an example. I’ve experienced this many times, but the death of my parents hit the hardest. Perhaps you struggle with a chronic or terminal illness, or have just been through a medical procedure and are waiting on the LORD for a miraculous healing.  Perhaps you have lost daughters or sons in the military, have handicapped loved ones, or are just facing a change in your job or in your marriage. My family is facing the reality of a daughter leaving the nest. Stress comes in many forms. Yet, beyond this level of everyday existence that produces change, thus stress, there are some who live an even more challenging lifestyle than what is considered the norm, especially those who are constantly in the public eye.

 

 

      The stress of everyday life can be over-whelming for people who live public lives. Public service can vary in scale from teachers to preachers; local officials, legislators, movie stars, rock stars, presidents, CEO’s, kings, and other persons of influence. It can become difficult to maintain family solidarity because of the revolving door of commitments and obligations. Too little resource can create a scramble to just stay alive. Too much resource can become a deterrent to depending on others, which can create a lucrative but lonely existence.

 

 

 

” For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Mark 8: 36&37

 

 

 

      All of us are born with a God-given desire to produce and to be creative.  It is in our nature to want to produce children and establish families, regions, countries, commerce, political societies, mores, and religion. It is also our nature to produce art, crafts, music and entertainment. Laughter and joy truly are the best medicines, and there is much joy to be found in the arts. As a testament to the importance of art, literature, music, politics, and religion as personal expression–when an invading force enters a city or country they immediately seek to steal, tear down, and desecrate the art, literature, politics, music, and places of worship. They forbid the speaking of the mother tongue in an effort to alienate the citizens one from another [divide and conquer], and those things that all hold dear are forbidden, such as sacred books. This is a controlling spirit. It’s objective is to steal, kill, and destroy. The art, literature, politics, music, and religious expression contain the heart and spirit of the people. What happens when that spirit is quenched? Where am I going with this?

 

 

 

“Do not quench the Spirit”

 

 

1Thessalonians 5:19

 

 

 

     In a world that is rapidly changing and shrinking to the extent that you feel as if your personal rights and choices are being compromised, it is natural to feel angry, and confused.You can feel as if  your back is being pushed against the wall. Nothing seems stable in this world. Everything is changing so rapidly that you are on a constant learning curve. New inventions and expressions crop up every day, and you are presented with so many choices as to make your head spin. So…do you give up the fight to maintain your own identity, or do you go where you can get help?  At one point in time this was a simple thing. You could rely upon churches, social agencies, and government agencies to be there when you had a legitimate need. You could depend on family in a time of crisis.  This is fast becoming a rarity. The cyber world has created a climate for a generation of persons who are self-contained. Some do not bother to engage the “world’ out there at all, but are content to do everything on their computers from shopping to forging personal relationships. Gaming engages our young people so completely that there is a down swing in dating and commitment. The human voice is no longer sought after as a comforting, guiding presence. Many are content to text instead of call. Companies can become so large or so busy that they employ technology to address business concerns instead of providing a human to relate to. It doesn’t matter how sophisticated an answering system is–it cannot exclusively take care of the details or questions that arise in the conduct of business. Thankfully, after much button-pushing you are usually given the option to speak to a person.

 

 

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of GOD, having a form of godliness but denying it’s power.  And from such people turn away.”

 

2 Timothy 3: 1-5

 

 

 

     My instinct is to go to The Source that never lets me down or refuses to relate to my personal needs. That source is GOD. Despite all of the hubbub and turmoil present in this world, I can find peace and answers to my questions in my Abba Father.  Jesus’  “Sermon On the Mount”, Matthew–Chapters Five through Seven, gives me the assurance of a Father who cares and provides for His children. His Holy Spirit is here on earth for those who are willing to seek him where He may be found. The world does not understand things of the Spirit because they do not possess GOD’s  Spirit. The ways of Christians appear foolish to the world. If only they could understand the joy and comfort The Holy Spirit brings. It is our responsibility as Christians to model the image of Christ to this world, and to teach and exhort the way of Christ. How will they know without a preacher?

 

 

“And I will pray The Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever–the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.'”  

 

 

John 14: 16&17

 

 

 

 

     I can anticipate world events and understand change by reading the Scriptures.This earth is truly in its last days. Pay attention to the prophetic signs. The seasons are changing. Last winter was more like spring, and this winter was a cold, frozen terror. We are now in the midst of one of the coolest summers in recorded history. We stand at the place of supplication as we observe the Tetrach of 2014-2015 (series of blood moons) and its application to future events.

Mankind has destroyed the ecosystem in our determination to have it all our way. Now we face trying to restore what should never have been abused or destroyed. Famines, earthquakes, and other natural disasters strip whole regions of their resolve and resources.

 

The clock is ticking, and the technologies that will separate the believers from the unbelievers are already here. Biometric implants under the skin are being used as a practiced technology to the extent that an economic system controlled by a world domination seems possible. There is a movement underway to create a one-world currency. What will be the result? The requirement that all “patch” into the system or go without? The technology to view the Two Witnesses on the street is here. As a child I could not imagine how the whole world would see this apocalyptic event occur.  Modern communications are so advanced that I can now understand. We read in the Book of Revelation that:

 

 

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”  

 

 

Revelation 11: 3

 

 

 

 

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of GOD, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”  

 

Revelation 20: 4

 

 

 

    People are content to go from day to day searching for meaning in a failing system that demands more and more sacrifice as time goes by, and offers less and less reward for hard work. You may ask, “then where is the hope?”  The Hope is in Jesus Christ who is coming for His Bride “The Church”. Understand that the event in which the church is gathered to Christ’s bosom is known as ‘The Rapture’ . There are many theories about the Rapture of the Saints. Is the church to be removed from the world prior to, during, or after the Tribulation?  Scripture speaks for itself…

 

 

 

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so GOD will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.For this we say to you by the Word of the LORD, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of The LORD will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the LORD Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of GOD. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet The LORD in the air. And thus we shall always be with The LORD. Therefore comfort one another with these words” 

 

 

1 Thessalonians: 4: 13-18

 

 

 

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed–in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed, For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.”

 

“O Death where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

 

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to GOD, who gives us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, knowing that your labor is not in vain in The LORD.”

 

 

1 Corinthians 15: 51-58

 

 

 

 

The church is not a building–It is the heart and spirit of the saints world-wide who strive collectively to fulfill the “Great Commission”.  Jesus gave His disciples, and all of us as His disciples, the task of living our lives in His Spirit as an inspiration to others.

 

 

 

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe. In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

 

 

 Mark 16: 15-20

 

 

 

 

Personal choice is still there for us all.  God’s arms are open to embrace His people. He does not expect us to be perfect, because only He is Perfect, therefore feel free to approach Him, surrender yourself to Him, and be accepted into The Kingdom of Heaven. Salvation is of The LORD. In this time in which Biblical events are unfolding rapidly, I believe that we must be prepared to meet The LORD in the air or remain on this earth to experience the Tribulation period.  We do not know the day or the hour in which Christ will come for His Church, but I believe that He will come.  I can choose to embrace those things of this world which do not feed my soul, spirit, and body– or I can embrace Christ, be full in Him, and refuse to live without hope. I choose not to live with my back against the wall.

 

 

GOD Bless You, Charlene

 

 

Picture credit: www.clipartof.com+Yahoo

 

Narrative Credit: Chaelwest/Charlene

 

©2013  Charlene’s Attic/Women Under His Wings

 

All Scripture quotes taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers 1992

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2013-2014 Charlene Kirst
12/5/12

T.D. Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Leslie Parrott, Creflo Dollar, and Cindy Trimm Sermons

“Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.” Psalm 51:6 NIV

I have been Blessed by GOD through the teaching and preaching of these evangelists. I Pray that you will be Blessed also.   Rev. Charlene

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MikeOfLowland+Drsles&Leslie

 

Charlene’s Source: youtube

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09/11/12

Haggai 2 The Future of The Temple

 

Haggai 2 Expounded

 

There are seasons in which the work we are called to do for Christ is prolific and productive–then we walk into a quieter season where what we have accomplished in the past seems to be just  there, in the past. If we can keep the perspective that The Heavenly Father has more work to be accomplished, and a different productive season for us in which those things that we have learned from the past can enhance the work of the future–then we can relax in His love and proceed to the next challenge.

 

Why do I say challenge?

 

          The work of the Kingdom; “The Great Commission”  is a challenge to listen well, hear clearly, and walk uprightly before a righteous Savior who is not only willing to equip us for the challenges ahead of us, but through His Holy Spirit seeks to inspire us to trust Him for guidance and direction. It is the measure of our ability to discern and perceive the direction in which Christ is leading us that produces either a perfect work or a work that lacks some of the spiritual and corporeal elements needed to produce good fruit mete for the Harvest.

 

          ‘Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in Heaven and Earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples; baptize them in the Name of  the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28: 18-20

 

          The call to the Great Commission, through the unction of the Holy Spirit, is a task not to be taken lightly and for which we must be prepared. Just as the world prepares us for higher education and personal achievement–The Holy Spirit prepares us through the Scriptural Word,  teaching, preaching, and the example of those saints equipped to instruct and lead us to seek first The Kingdom of GOD, and then to place all other things in their proper perspective.

 

         As saints living as imperfect people in an imperfect world, we struggle to rise above the tide; to stand out in a crowd as those who truly care about our brothers and sisters; fellow travelers on this road of Life. What does standing out involve?  It is a heartswork conducted and led by The Holy Spirit that uses all that we have learned to instruct and help others not as advanced as ourselves in their spiritual walk in Christ. This is not a matter of pride or superiority–it is a recognition of those who have worked hard and have paid their dues through pain and even bloodshed for the Cause of Christ. After all, Jesus paid our price on the Cross. How can we do less?

 

          The Temple represents not only our physical bodies, but the entire body of believers. The walls of the church are spiritual walls independent of hewn rock, pillars, and pews. These walls are held upright through the intercessory prayers and petitions of those who approach GOD’s throne daily, building up a foundation of faith and perseverence, and of allegiance to the Fruit of the Spirit as found in Galations 5: 22-26.

 

So, how does GODly application yield Good Fruit? What is the Future of The Temple?

 

           That depends upon you and me. Do we “study to show ourselves approved”, or do we study to simply announce our worth to other’s? The zeal to take The Word to the entire earth is our inner being responding to the desires of GOD’s Holy Spirit. Following His lead brings peace and inner healing to all who would receive Him. The commissioned work is already proclaimed, the victory is already sure, and the war’s results are already ordained. As soldiers in GOD’s army we must grab hold of the promises of GOD as weaponry, and trust to His Mercy and Grace to see us through the battle for hearts and spirits. Jesus’ grace and mercy abound in limitless measure. We simply need to approach the Temple where provision is laid out for us and walk in the door. Jesus awaits us there. We are then in His Holy Temple and the peace of His perfect Will.

 

GOD Bless You, Charlene

 

 

Haggai 2

 

The New Temple’s Diminished Splendor

 

2 Then on October 17 of that same year,[a] the Lord sent another message through the prophet Haggai. 2 “Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua[b] son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of God’s people there in the land: 3 ‘Does anyone remember this house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! 4 But now the Lord says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 5 My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’

 

6 “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

 

Blessings Promised for Obedience
10 On December 18[c] of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord sent this message to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law: 12 ‘If one of you is carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his robe happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or olive oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?’”

 

The priests replied, “No.”

 

13 Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?”

 

And the priests answered, “Yes.”

 

14 Then Haggai responded, “That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the Lord. Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled by their sin. 15 Look at what was happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of the Lord’s Temple. 16 When you hoped for a twenty-bushel crop, you harvested only ten. When you expected to draw fifty gallons from the winepress, you found only twenty. 17 I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy everything you worked so hard to produce. Even so, you refused to return to me, says the Lord.

 

18 “Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day[d] when the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid. Think carefully. 19 I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn.[e] You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward I will bless you.”

 

Promises for Zerubbabel

20 On that same day, December 18,[f] the Lord sent this second message to Haggai: 21 “Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overthrow royal thrones and destroy the power of foreign kingdoms. I will overturn their chariots and riders. The horses will fall, and their riders will kill each other.

 

23 “But when this happens, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, I will honor you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the Lord, for I have chosen you. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

 

Footnotes:

a.Haggai 2:1 Hebrew on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event (in the second year of Darius’s reign) occurred on October 17, 520 b.c.; also see note on 1:1a.
b.Haggai 2:2 Hebrew Joshua, a variant spelling of Jeshua; also in 2:4.
c.Haggai 2:10 Hebrew On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar (similarly in 2:18). This event occurred on December 18, 520 b.c.; also see note on 1:1a.
d.Haggai 2:18 Or On this eighteenth day of December, think about the day.
e.Haggai 2:19 Hebrew Is the seed yet in the barn?
f.Haggai 2:20 Hebrew On the twenty-fourth day of the [ninth] month; see note on 2:10.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Charlene Kirst
08/31/12

Psalm 95 NLT A Call to Worship and Obedience

Psalm 95

New Living Translation (NLT)

1 Come, let us sing to the Lord!
    Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
    Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
3 For the Lord is a great God,
    a great King above all gods.
4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
    and the mightiest mountains.
5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
    His hands formed the dry land, too.

6 Come, let us worship and bow down.
    Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
7     for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
    the flock under his care.

If only you would listen to his voice today!
8 The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah,
    as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
9 For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
    even though they saw everything I did.
10 For forty years I was angry with them, and I said,
‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me.
    They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in my anger I took an oath:
    ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”

 
New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights r

06/5/12

June 5, 2012 The Tempting In The Wilderness Parts 1 & 2 Matthew 4 Expounded

What Is The Purpose of Temptation, Testing, and Trial?

 

Part 1

 

Temptation, Testing and Trial are gifts from GOD placed in your life to help you to mature and to give you solid foundation for the implementation of GOD’s work. As GOD tested His son in the wilderness–he also tests us, his sons and daughters, in our own wilderness–the wilderness of life. Since the Fall, even with the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ to provide salvation, mankind tends to follow the beat of the wrong drummer. This results in wrong decisions, mistakes, and an unclear path through the wilderness. While seeking to focus on the correct path–there will be numerous trials to endure, and temptations of every sort will be placed in front of you by the Tempter to trip you and make you fall. It is up to you to seek direction from GOD to order your steps and to keep you on the right path once it is gained.

 

Now, supposing that you are a willing worker for Christ–discerning His will for your life and the special vision that He placed inside of you many years ago. This vision was shared by your partner in ministry, and even though time has passed since the prophecy came forth–time did not invalidate the prophecy; people invalidate prophecy.

 

How is this Done?

 

Prophecy is timeless. GOD determines the season of fulfillment based upon our growth and understanding. Many times we are called to support another’s vision for a season. This is good in the sight of GOD, but there comes a moment when you realize that the vision placed on your heart-line so long ago is starting to give birth. This vision may have been thwarted at some point or perhaps the laborers were too few or too immature.and the vision faded for a season. Whatever the reason for the delay–this is where you now stand.

 

Obviously this becomes subject to interpretation, especially on the part of those whom you have labored with and for through many years. They would rather have you support their vision as all things do point to GOD. I agree that this is logical, however, even within the realm of visions, there is not one vision or visionary, except Christ, who reigns over all. GOD can plant seeds in many of His servants, water them, then watch them either stagnate, sprout and die,  or sprout and flourish. Read ‘Parable of The Sower’ Mark 4: 1-32.

 

The timing of fruition or produce is in the food and provision. Spiritual food is different from physical food. Physical food is designed to feed the cells of the body; to nourish and stimulate more growth of our physical shell–because that is what the body is. The physical acts as a repository (a place where non-material things are placed or stored) for our spiritual being, and, if we are saved, the home of the Holy Spirit, for He is within us. Spiritual food has a different natural make-up and function. Spiritual food is designed by our Creator to feed our souls and spirits, and without this spiritual food, we are doomed to die from lack of nourishment. A baby fed with physical food but denied physical touch and comfort of their spirit will die. Jesus said, “it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD.’   Matthew 4: 4

 

Seeking GOD at this time of prophetic revealment is crucial. The noise of living can crowd GOD’s voice out and make it difficult to hear. Sadly, we can become so busy that we are performing works, not Kingdom building.

 

Part 2

 

How Do We Seek?

 

The Holy Bible is our inspirational guide. It was written by GOD’s Holy Spirit through divinely inspired men. If we seek GOD’s Word where He may be found our understanding will be Blessed and we will have the spiritual necessities to press into GOD’s Holy Spirit and thus His saving work. Only through His leading are we able to transcend the ways of this world and emerge victorious on the other side. The present world weighs us down with the cares and anxieties of life. No longer is life simply work, church, and home–our present lives are full of temptations from a vast amount of sources. The entertainment industry bombards our homes and resources as we purchase Computers, TVs , DVDs, Blu-Ray, CDs,  and any other technology and its support technology presented to the masses. Large portions of our income are absorbed into this field alone. Mankind loves to be entertained, but with that entertainment comes influence that, if not discerned and checked, will result in backsliding and spiritual loss.

 

I recall being told as a child that a Christian should not be seen going into a bar or a house of ill-repute (brothel). As I have progressed spiritually and in my Christian understanding, I realize that those brave souls who do venture into such places with the intent of trying to rescue the lost, do so only in the strength of their convictions. They emerge unscathed only through the support and intervention of The Holy Spirit who keeps their minds and bodies free from temptation. This is accomplished through prayer and supplication before GOD prior to entering the establishment. Asking Jesus to be with you as your Intercessor and The Holy Spirit as your Guide and Comforter will enable you to enter places that would swallow you whole in your own strength.

 

It is only through seeking the Trinity that we can overcome the temptations ever-present in this world. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work as three-in-one to help us to be overcomers.  Galatians 5: 16-25 NIV states:

 

“So I say, live by The Spirit , and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy; fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of GOD.

But the fruit of The Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by The Spirit, let us keep in step with The Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other”.

 

 Jesus came to earth for many reasons, primarily to bring salvation and redemption for mankind–but He also came to gve us example of what to do and what not to do. He taught the way to overcome temptation by example. Jesus showed us the way to deal with the devil and his works by living a blameless life that enabled Him to call upon GOD’s Spirit to endure and to accomplish the work. We should be inspired by Jesus’  example–it is the only example that will ensure eternal life. We gain heaven not through the law of man but by the law of The Spirit. Romans 8: 1-4 NIV says:

 

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

 

Go In Christ and if tempted know that GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Spirit are with you and will bear you up.  Rev. Charlene

 

All scripture quotes retrieved from the world-wide web [www.biblegateway.com] and the Zondervan Publishing House NIV Version 1984 

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Charlene Kirst
05/24/12

Romans 9 We Are Called To Be His Children

We Are All Called To Be His Children

 
 

In a time when we all struggle to maintain our faith in a doubting world–we read in Romans 9 of the adoption of Gentiles and Jews alike. This adoption is based on faith, not works, therefore it is for everyone who believes on The Son of GOD as their Savior and Redeemer. Paul speaks of his grief at the plight of the Jews–brought about by their stubbornness and disobedience. Their guaranteed inheritance was forfeited by their unbelief, so only those who believed in the promise of the Savior entered into adoption in Christ. It is not by birth or inheritance only that we become children of the Living GOD-it is through the Cross and the path of redemption that we can enter into the Kingdom. GOD showed His plan of Grace and Mercy through the adoption of the harlot Rahab, and the adoption of the Moabitess Ruth into His Son’s earthly bloodline. When Christ shed blood on the Cross this blood was spilled for the redemption of all and purified through the essence of who Jesus is. I Am made a way for all to eat and partake of the inheritance.Let us all rejoice and be glad that we have a right to become Sons and Daughters of the Most High GOD.

 

Romans 9 NIV

 

Paul’s Anguish Over Israel

 

9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised![a]Amen.

 

God’s Sovereign Choice

 

6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[b] 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”[c]

10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad —in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”[d] 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”[e]

14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”[f]

16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[h] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory — 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea:

“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
    and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”[i]

26 and,

“In the very place where it was said to them,
    ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”[j]

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
    only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out
    his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”[k]

29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:

“Unless the Lord Almighty
    had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
    we would have been like Gomorrah.”[l]

 

Israel’s Unbelief

 

30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall,
    and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[m]

 

Footnotes:

 

  1. Romans 9:5 Or Messiah, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Messiah. God who is over all be forever praised!

  2. Romans 9:7 Gen. 21:12

  3. Romans 9:9 Gen. 18:10,14

  4. Romans 9:12 Gen. 25:23

  5. Romans 9:13 Mal. 1:2,3

  6. Romans 9:15 Exodus 33:19

  7. Romans 9:17 Exodus 9:16

  8. Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9

  9. Romans 9:25 Hosea 2:23

  10. Romans 9:26 Hosea 1:10

  11. Romans 9:28 Isaiah 10:22,23 (see Septuagint)

  12. Romans 9:29 Isaiah 1:9

  13. Romans 9:33 Isaiah 8:14; 28:16

 

Cross References:

 

  1. Romans 9:1 : Ps 15:2; 2Co 11:10; Gal 1:20; 1Ti 2:7

  2. Romans 9:1 : S Ro 1:9

  3. Romans 9:3 : Ex 32:32

  4. Romans 9:3 : 1Co 12:3; 16:22

  5. Romans 9:3 : S Ac 22:5

  6. Romans 9:3 : Ro 11:14

  7. Romans 9:4 : ver 6

  8. Romans 9:4 : Ex 4:22; 6:7; Dt 7:6

  9. Romans 9:4 : Heb 9:5

  10. Romans 9:4 : Ge 17:2; Dt 4:13; Ac 3:25; Eph 2:12

  11. Romans 9:4 : Ps 147:19

  12. Romans 9:4 : Heb 9:1

  13. Romans 9:4 : S Ac 13:32; S Gal 3:16

  14. Romans 9:5 : Ro 11:28

  15. Romans 9:5 : Mt 1:1-16; Ro 1:3

  16. Romans 9:5 : Jn 1:1; Col 2:9

  17. Romans 9:5 : Ro 1:25; 2Co 11:31

  18. Romans 9:6 : S Heb 4:12

  19. Romans 9:6 : Ro 2:28, 29; Gal 6:16

  20. Romans 9:7 : Ge 21:12; Heb 11:18

  21. Romans 9:8 : S Ro 8:14

  22. Romans 9:8 : S Gal 3:16

  23. Romans 9:9 : Ge 18:10, 14

  24. Romans 9:10 : Ge 25:21

  25. Romans 9:11 : ver 16

  26. Romans 9:11 : Ro 8:28

  27. Romans 9:12 : Ge 25:23

  28. Romans 9:13 : Mal 1:2, 3

  29. Romans 9:14 : S Ro 8:31

  30. Romans 9:14 : 2Ch 19:7

  31. Romans 9:15 : Ex 33:19

  32. Romans 9:16 : Eph 2:8; Tit 3:5

  33. Romans 9:17 : Ex 9:16; 14:4; Ps 76:10

  34. Romans 9:18 : Ex 4:21; 7:3; 14:4, 17; Dt 2:30; Jos 11:20; Ro 11:25

  35. Romans 9:19 : Ro 11:19; 1Co 15:35; Jas 2:18

  36. Romans 9:19 : Ro 3:7

  37. Romans 9:19 : 2Sa 16:10; 2Ch 20:6; Da 4:35

  38. Romans 9:20 : Job 1:22; 9:12; 40:2

  39. Romans 9:20 : Isa 64:8; Jer 18:6

  40. Romans 9:20 : Isa 29:16; 45:9; 10:15

  41. Romans 9:21 : 2Ti 2:20

  42. Romans 9:22 : S Ro 2:4

  43. Romans 9:22 : Pr 16:4

  44. Romans 9:23 : S Ro 2:4

  45. Romans 9:23 : Ro 8:30

  46. Romans 9:24 : S Ro 8:28

  47. Romans 9:24 : S Ro 3:29

  48. Romans 9:25 : Hos 2:23; 1Pe 2:10

  49. Romans 9:26 : Hos 1:10; S Mt 16:16; S Ro 8:14

  50. Romans 9:27 : Ge 22:17; Hos 1:10

  51. Romans 9:27 : 2Ki 19:4; Jer 44:14; 50:20; Joel 2:32; Ro 11:5

  52. Romans 9:28 : Isa 10:22, 23

  53. Romans 9:29 : Jas 5:4

  54. Romans 9:29 : Isa 1:9; Ge 19:24-29; Dt 29:23; Isa 13:19; Jer 50:40

  55. Romans 9:30 : S Ro 8:31

  56. Romans 9:30 : Ro 1:17; 3:22; 4:5, 13; 10:6; Gal 2:16; Php 3:9; Heb 11:7

  57. Romans 9:31 : Dt 6:25; Isa 51:1; Ro 10:2, 3; 11:7

  58. Romans 9:31 : Gal 5:4

  59. Romans 9:32 : 1Pe 2:8

  60. Romans 9:33 : Isa 8:14; 28:16; Ro 10:11; 1Pe 2:6, 8

 

 

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®

Charlene’s Source: biblegateway.com

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02/13/12

Hebrews 3: 1-15 Part One

  Hebrews 3: 1-15

Jesus Is Greater Than Moses

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and[a] are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger[b] and High Priest. 2 For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire[c]house.

 3 But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. 4For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God.

  5 Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. 6 But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.[d]

 7That is why the Holy Spirit says, 

   “Today when you hear his voice,
    8 don’t harden your hearts
   as Israel did when they rebelled,
      when they tested me in the wilderness.
 9 There your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
      even though they saw my miracles for forty years.
 10 So I was angry with them, and I said,
   ‘Their hearts always turn away from me.
      They refuse to do what I tell them.’
 11 So in my anger I took an oath:
      ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”[e]

 12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters.[f] Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. 15Remember what it says:

   “Today when you hear his voice,
      don’t harden your hearts
      as Israel did when they rebelled.”[g]

 16 And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? 18 And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? 19So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.

 Footnotes:

  1. Hebrews 3:1 Greek And so, holy brothers who.
  2. Hebrews 3:1 Greek God’s apostle.
  3. Hebrews 3:2 Some manuscripts do not include entire.
  4. Hebrews 3:6 Some manuscripts add faithful to the end.
  5. Hebrews 3:11 Ps 95:7-11.
  6. Hebrews 3:12 Greek brothers.
  7. Hebrews 3:15 Ps 95:7-8.

HEBREWS 3: 1-5

The Book of Hebrews is one of the most beautiful and inspirational books in The Bible. Historians and theologians insist that the author of Hebrews can be conjectured but not determined. Yet as we read the article below–many clues point to either the Apostle Paul or his students/companions. The Authorship  is ultimately God’s Holy Spirit. When you factor out man, Scripture points to GOD.  

The following article was retrieved on February 13, 2012 from www.gotquestions.org on the world-wide web.

Who Wrote The Book of Hebrews? Who Was The Author of Hebrews?

Question: “Who wrote the Book of Hebrews? Who was the author of Hebrews?”
Answer: Theologically speaking, scholars generally regard the book of Hebrews to be second in importance only to Paul’s letter to the Romans in the New Testament. No other book so eloquently defines Christ as high priest of Christianity, superior to the Aaronic priesthood, and the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. This book presents Christ as the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). However, both the authorship and audience are in question.

The title, “To the Hebrews,” which appears in the earliest known copy of the epistle is not a part of the original manuscript. There is no salutation, the letter simply begins with the assertion that Jesus, the Son of God, has appeared, atoned for our sins, and is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven (Hebrews 1:1-4).

The letter closes with the words “Grace be with you all” (Hebrews 13:25), which is the same closing found in each of Paul’s known letters (see Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 6:24; Philippians 4:23; Colossians 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; 1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Timothy 4:22; Titus 3:15; and Philemon 25). However, it should be noted that Peter (1 Peter 5:14; 2 Peter 3:18) used similar—though not identical—closings. Possibly that it was simply customary to close letters like this with the words “Grace be with you all” during this time period.

Church tradition teaches that Paul wrote the book of Hebrews, and until the 1800s, that issue was closed. However, though a vast majority of Christians—both and scholars and the laity—still believe Paul wrote the book, there are some tempting reasons to think otherwise.

First and foremost is the lack of a salutation. Some sort of personal salutation from Paul appears in all of his letters. So it would seem that writing anonymously is not his usual method; therefore, the reasoning goes, Hebrews cannot be one of his letters. Second, the overall composition and style is of a person who is a very sophisticated writer. Even though he was certainly a sophisticated communicator, Paul stated that he purposely did not speak with a commanding vocabulary (1 Corinthians 1:17; 2:1; 2 Corinthians 11:6).

The book of Hebrews quotes extensively from the Old Testament. Paul, as a Pharisee, would have been familiar with the Scripture in its original Hebrew language. In other letters, Paul either quotes the Masoretic Text (the original Hebrew) or paraphrases it. However, all of the quotes in this epistle are taken out of the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), which is inconsistent with Paul’s usage. Finally, Paul was an apostle who claimed to receive his revelations directly from the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:23; Galatians 1:12). The writer of Hebrews specifically says that he was taught by an apostle (Hebrews 2:3).

If Paul didn’t write the letter, who did? The most plausible suggestion is that this was actually a sermon Paul gave and it was transcribed later by Luke, a person who would have had the command of the Greek language which the writer shows. Barnabas is another likely prospect, since he was a Levite and would have been speaking on a subject that he knew much about. Martin Luther suggested Apollos, since he would have had the education the writer of this letter must have had. Priscilla and Clemet of Rome have been suggested by other scholars.

However, there is still much evidence that Paul wrote the letter. The most compelling comes from Scripture itself. Remember that Peter wrote to the Hebrews (that is, the Jews; see Galatians 2:7, 9 and 1 Peter 1:1). Peter wrote: “…just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him [emphasis added]” (2 Peter 3:15). In that last verse, Peter is confirming that Paul had also written a letter to the Hebrews!

The theology presented in Hebrews is consistent with Paul’s. Paul was a proponent of salvation by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8, 9), and that message is strongly communicated in this epistle (Hebrews 4:2, 6:12, 10:19-22, 10:37-39, and 11:1-40). Either Paul wrote the epistle, or the writer was trained by Paul. Although it is a small detail, this epistle makes mention of Timothy (Hebrews 13:23), and Paul is the only apostle known to have ever done that in any letter.

So, who actually wrote Hebrews? The letter fills a needed space in Scripture and both outlines our faith and defines faith itself in the same way that Romans defines the tenets of Christian living. It closes the chapters of faith alone and serves as a prelude to the chapters on good works built on a foundation of faith in God. In short, this book belongs in the Bible. Therefore, its human author is unimportant. What is important is to treat the book as inspired Scripture as defined in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The Holy Spirit was the divine author of Hebrews, and of all Scripture, even though we don’t know who put the physical pen to the physical paper and traced the words.

    

Authorship defined, let us examine Hebrews 3: 1-15 as a declaration of the Sovereignty of Christ. When Jesus was ministering on earth there were many occasions when the High Priests and synagogue leaders  questioned His deity based upon their concept of Abraham as their Father and Moses as the deliverer of the Jews. Mankind finds comfort in religious thoughts, religious ceremony, and rules because it makes life safe and predictable. Jesus came to question every unGodly rule that had crept it’s way, over time, into the Hebraic religious system.

While speaking in the temple Jesus declared in Luke 4: 18, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them who are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord”.

The Scribes and Pharisees could not accept this from Jesus. Even though Israel had been anticipating the Messiah for many centuries they failed to see Him when He appeared because they were looking for a warrior King such as David. They were caught up in their traditions so religiously that their eyes were blinded; their ears deafened; and their  spirits barren.

To be continued…