This Age is Never Our Focus

 1 Peter 2:13 "For the Lord’s sake, submit yourselves to every human authority—whether to a king as supreme, 14 or to governors sent by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is God’s will, that you silence the ignorance of foolish men by doing good. 16 Live as free people, but not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil. Rather, live as God’s slaves. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.18 Slaves, with all respect submit yourselves to your masters—not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For this finds favor if, for the sake of conscience toward God, someone endures grief from suffering undeservedly."  

This age has a purpose, to make us aware of our weakness and of our need for God, and to give us opportunity to live by His life and proclaim the coming Kingdom.  

Who the ruler is doesn't matter.  How the ruler is treating you doesn't matter.  Whether you are rich or poor doesn't matter.  Whether you are slave or free doesn't matter.

As the veil of this age is ripped away, what is revealed is almost none of the stuff associated with this age matters.  

What ultimately matters?  Did you live like you were a stranger and sojourner in this age?  Did you live like all your hope was in the King and the Kingdom of the age to come?  

"and they loved not their lives unto the death"

Apocalyptic Gospel

 We live in “this evil age” there is coming the Day of the Lord which closes this age and inaugurates the age to come. This understanding, that history is moving toward a cataclysmic end and a confrontation between the brokenness of humanity and the righteousness of God gives

1. CLARITY to the things that are important in this age and the things that are meaningless.

2. CERTAINTY and endurance to our hearts because the God of Israel who is faithful and true has clearly defined where the future is going.

3. COMMITMENT to proclaim this message that we are to lay down all striving to attain in this age and live by the Spirit for the age to come.

The restoration we long for, to see a gathering “like in the Book of Acts” is tied to our coming to the same understanding that they had.  The signs given by the Holy Spirit attest to the age to come.  

 Hebrews 6:4,5 “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age 

to come, ” 

Romans 8:18-25  “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, [n]in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”  

The signs like taking a little taste of the turkey before the Thanksgiving meal give us the grace to persevere in this evil age.  So the outpouring of the Spirit results in temporary changes in this age that point to the eternal changes that are to come.  God raised Jesus to point to the hope of the resurrection in the age to come.  

The Messiah is waiting for the day chosen by God when all His enemies will be defeated.  That day will come, this is the good news.  

There are 3 feasts of the Lord left in this Jewish narrative. Trumpets, judgment and tabernacles.  Trumpets to announce the end of this age and the Day of the Lord.  Judgment = the Day of the Lord.  Tabernacles = God dwelling with man.  

One book, one story.

(Grateful for the Apocalyptic Gospel podcast)

Keep Trusting, Surrender to Obedience

 1 Peter 2:6-12  " For it says in Scripture,

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone,
    a chosen, precious cornerstone.
    Whoever trusts in Him
    will never be put to shame.”

7 Now the value is for you who keep trusting; but for those who do not trust,

“The stone which the builders rejected—
    this One has become the chief cornerstone,”

8 and

“a stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they are disobeying the word—to this they were also appointed. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

10 Once you were “not a people,”
    but now you are “God’s people.”
You were shown “no mercy,”
    but now you have been shown “mercy.”

11 Loved ones, I urge you as strangers and sojourners to keep away from the fleshly cravings that war against the soul. 12 Keep your conduct honorable among the Gentiles. Then while they speak against you as evildoers, they may—from noticing your good deeds—glorify God in the day of visitation." TLV

It is in trusting faith, leading to surrendered obedience that we grow into the likeness of Him to whom we are called.  Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.  We are grafted into the people of God, the root supports our gentile-ness and allows us to be seen as chosen.  Gentiles should simply rejoice and obey from a heart of gratitude that appreciates the life of the Messiah being given for and to them.  This really is not a complicated thing.  Good thing because not many among us are wise!

A Living Sacrifice

 1 Peter 2:4 "As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house—a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua." 

As Romans 12 tells us, we are the living sacrifice.  It is such a high and beautiful calling.  Voluntarily dying daily, to be a small unveiling of the glory of God.  "Rejected by men" should be our expectation, if we expect anything else we may fall into self-pity and bitterness.  God raise up a people who are faithful to You, from a heart of gratitude and as my friend says, "We love You back, Lord."

There Is an Age to Come (1 Peter continued)

 There is an age to come.  Actions in this age determine how things will go in the age to come.  Obedience (trusting surrender) to the Messiah of Israel is the key.  Get out of the way and let His life flow through you. 1 Peter 2:1 "So get rid of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all lashon ha-ra."  This is a sentence on the Hebrew word  lashon ha-ra. "It has been said that lashon ha-ra (disparaging speech) kills three: the person who speaks it, the person who hears it, and the person about whom it is told."   This speech can be true speech, but words that should not have been spoken.  That takes it to a new level doesn't it.  "But it is true." is no longer a good enough reason to open your mouth and let spew, are the words coming from the tree of Life?  Did the Lord direct you to say them?

"But I tell you that on the Day of Judgment, men will give account for every careless word they speak."  Matthew 12:36  There is an age to come.  There is a coming judgment and your words in this age are an important part of that judgment.  

The Cost Demands Action

 Continuing through Peter's first letter.   1 Peter 1:18 You know that you were redeemed from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors—not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with precious blood like that of a lamb without defect or spot, the blood of Messiah. 20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through Him you are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your trust and hope are in God.

22 Now that you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth,[e] leading to sincere brotherly love, love one another fervently from a pure heart. 23 You have been born again—not from perishable seed but imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,

“All humanity is like grass,
    And all its glory like a wildflower.
The grass withers, and the flower falls off,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

God is saying very clearly, this life, this age, is not the point!  Nothing in this age stands alone.  Pursuing things in this age is a ridiculous waste of the imperishable, incredible cost that was paid to redeem you from death, hell and the grave.  Focusing on this life is FUTILE - "incapable of producing any useful result, pointless".  The precious blood of the Lamb, demands, draws out, hounds us, to a much higher calling in this age, with an unbroken focus on the next age, the earthly kingdom of the Messiah, with an open heaven and angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man, a truly amazing, restored picture of earth ruled by the only One worthy to open the seals.  Lift up your eyes!

Suffering Before Glory in a PIcture

 

 

On a walk with a dog and came upon this scene that I feel perfectly illustrates the true principle of suffering before glory.  In the forefront of the picture is a part of the forest that has been harvested and it looks like it has been devastated, but further out and further away the glory of the forest and the mountains and the view is breathtaking.

As we continue through First Peter, this picture can help us see the hope that keeps us on the path of life.  First Peter 1:13 So brace your minds for action. Keep your balance. And set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Yeshua the Messiah. 14 Like obedient children, do not be shaped by the cravings you had formerly in your ignorance. 15 Instead, just like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in everything you do. 16 For it is written,

“Kedoshim you shall be, for I am kadosh.”

17 If you call on Him as Father—the One who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds—then live out the time of sojourning in reverent fear."

Peter says clearly we should deny the cravings of our flesh, our self-life.  Instead, we gaze upon, we focus, we press into the reality of the beauty of His holiness and this transforms us into the image of the One we are obsessed with.  The Tree of Life version makes this so real.  Holy ones you shall be, for I am Holy.  Circumstances and the things that happen to us through the actions of other people are never to be our focus, there is no justice there, there is no beauty there. Expectations and hope not placed in the Holy One will be dissappointed and crushed.  "Holy One, what are you doing here and now?  How can I receive this in a way that glorifies Your Son?  I am poor, blind and lame, You are all-sufficient come and Live through me."  This suffering in my flesh is here to make me holy.  Thank you for Your covenant faithfulness to me.  

Do you see what a horrible lie the pre-trib rapture is?  It says, "You can bypass suffering and go straight to glory."  It says, "Love wouldn't allow you to go through tribulation, it would remove you before it comes."  This ear-tickling message is simply not true.  The very foundation of it is cracked and cannot be built upon.  When the shaking comes all who trust in it will be shaken and fall and it is only a cry for the mercy of God that will pick them back up.