Love Fulfilled Ministry

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3) A purpose of the book of Hebrews was to exhort Christians to endure in the face of persecution, to be encouraged in the discipline of God. The letter is addressed to a church that "had seen the Light and weathered many struggles with suffering, in this very thing you were made public spectacles, both insulted and afflicted now these becoming partners of living this way. For in fact you suffered as prisoners and with joy accepted the confiscation of your belongings, knowing you had yourselves a better and lasting possession, therefore do not throw away your freedom which has great reward. you have the need for endurance..." (Hebrews 10:32-35) And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a Father addresses his son? It says, 'My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, f...

he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring everything together in Christ, that of heaven and that to the extent of the earth . (Ephesians 1:9-10) What God planned and purposed in Christ was before time eternal, " ... the gospel according to the power of God, the one saving us and calling us to a holy calling, not because of our works rather according to his own purpose and grace, that given to us in Christ Jesus before time eternal. " (2 Timothy 1:8-9) God purposed in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring everything together in Christ. The word fullness πλήρωμα (plērōma) refers to that which fills and to a filling up, a completing. Paul writes of the mystery made known that God purposed in Christ as a plan of the fullness of time and that Christ through the Church is filling all in all. This fullness is meant to fill or bring to fullness all in heaven ...

so that at the present through the church, the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in him . (Ephesians 3:10-12) In context, Paul speaks about the dispensation or administration or arranged plan of the grace of God given to him, that through revelation from God the mystery was made known and he is writing so that we might have insight into the mystery of Christ. God had a plan, it was a mystery (something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain) which was not made know before in the old ages, but now revealed, that the Gentiles are joint heirs and united in the same body and sharers together of the promises of Christ through the gospel. Paul became a servant, according to the gift of grace and exercise of God's power, to preach the infinitely searchable riches of Christ....

For the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame . (Isaiah 50:7) Flint is a rock "made up of such minute crystals that its crystalline nature is only vaguely revealed even microscopically," and though it is not exactly known how it is formed it is found inside of brittle rock like limestone and chalk. *  Compared to the limestone and chalk rock the flint would be much harder, but not too hard as it could be cracked to make tools and weapons. Flint struck against metal or other rocks like pyrite creates a spark that can be used to start a fire. Perhaps the writer is saying he is setting his face hard as a rock, or like a weapon, or set ready to start a fire? We read further and get a hint, "let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by ...

who is this that questions my wisdom? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me ,  where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth ?... (Job 38-40)  Job had been afflicted, the scriptures say not because he was an unrighteous man nor because he lacked faith, but because God had tried him. Job had said to his wife, "shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10) God asked Job who was he to question him. Finally, Job's response is "behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth," and God says again "dress for action like a man..." (Job 40:3-14) Job came to this realization saying I had heard you with my ears now my eyes see you. (Job 42:5) "Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." (Job 42:3)  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that...

for this is how God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that all the ones believing in him will not perish but having eternal life. For he did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world is saved through him . (John 3:16-17)  God so loved the world that he gave his only Son to save us, that would be enough, we could stop there. God gave his son, born flesh in a manger, so we might be saved and have eternal life. An indescribable or Inexpressable Gift  to the world for salvation. God so loved the world, Christ the Savior was born. Blessed the Lord the God of Israel because he has visited and brought redemption to his people, and he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, just as he spoke through the mouths of the prophets from old, salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. (Luke 1:69-71) A horn represented a figure of power and position, so God has raised up someone with the p...

for this reason, I came into the world... (John 18:37) The true light that enlightens everyone came into the world. (John 1:9) Existing in the world and the world was created by him but the world did not know him. He came unto his own and his own did not receive him but as many as did accept him he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, born not from human stock nor from physical impulse nor from a man's decision rather from God. (John 1:10-13) He came into the world to give us the right to become children of God, to bear witness to the truth, to be a light unto the world, to redeem and forgive sin, to destroy the works of the devil, to bring freedom and life, and to conform us to His image. For these reasons, He came into the world... You must be born from above. (John 3:7) He came into the world to give us the right to become children of God . The one who created the world came into the world. As the Son of Man, he was conceived of the Holy Sp...

thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15) The word inexpressible ἀνεκδιήγητος (anekdiēgētos) means which cannot be related, inexpressible, unutterable, indescribable. Paul uses words like these to describe the blessings we receive through this indescribable gift of Christ, words like superabundant, inexpressable, unsearchable, immeasurable, incomprehensible. They are too large, extensive, or extreme to measure, to search, and comprehend fully. The blessings we receive through the gift God gave of his Son is too strong to be described or conveyed in words. For if many died of the transgression of one, much more did the grace of God and the gift in the grace of God, that of the one man Jesus Christ, to be gifted in abundance to the many. (Romans 5:15) All received the gift of death through Adam's one-act (of disobedience, unrighteousness, transgression, fall) but through the one righteous act of Jesus, many will receive the free gift. "For if the transg...

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth. "Midnight Christians, it is the solemn hour, When God as man descended unto us."1 He was with God and was God, through him all things were made that were made, he became flesh and dwelt among men. (John 1:1-3, 14) He becomes like his brethren, born as flesh, to come to our aid. (Hebrews 2:16-18) O what a holy night, of our Saviour's birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appear'd and the soul felt its worth. O what a night, "when God as man descended unto us. To erase the stain of original sin. And to end the wrath of His Father."1 When we were dead in our trespasses and sin, children of wrath, without hope and God in this world, God was rich in mercy through his great love. (Ephesians 2:1-5, 12) God as a man became a propitiation, appeasement, of wrath. (1 John 2:2)  A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorio...

Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through to heaven, Jesus the Son of God, hold fast to your profession. For we do not have a high priest not sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one tried accordingly in all, yet without sin . (Hebrews 4:14-15) Jesus is our great high priest who has passed through to the heavens and is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because he was a man in sinful nature, proved in all ways but without sin. If our high priest is one who sympathizes with our weaknesses then this implies he is not just a high priest for that to come, but a high priest in the heavens for us here on earth. Let us look at what it means that Jesus is our advocate, intercessor, and great high priest.  we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous one, also himself is a propitiation for our sin and not just our sin only but also for the entire world. (1 John 2:1-2) The word advocate παράκλητος ( paráklētos : from pará, ...