Blessed
Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author
Close Window
In this Bible study we will discover some truths, some misunderstood truths, as well as some misquoted truths.
First - God states He knows who will be saved or who will make it, or what some call predestination. Compare this to your standing on a corner watching a parade. You only see what is in front of you, but if you go up to the 30th floor and look down you can see the beginning, middle, and end of the parade. God is looking down on the parade of mankind on earth and can see the beginning, middle, and end of time. He knows because He has seen it, not because He preordained a few to make it.
Some even take this verse wrong because the translators added a few words.
Literal translation.
Matthew 22:14
14.
|4183| many
|1063| For
|1526| are
|2822| called,
|3641| few
|1161| but
|1588| chosen
In the verse before this Jesus was talking about 3 servants, 2 who did well and one who did not. Many are given the chance to grow in the Lord and find out just what the Lord has for them and what they can do for Him.
Mostly it is living a life dedicated to God, not hiding what God has given but investing it in others; some evangelize, some preach, and some do mission work. A lot of others just live a life dedicatedto God so He can work through them and use them. SO others can see in you the love of God and want it, even desire it.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Jesus stands at the door knocking. It's not us knocking, but Him. We open the door, not Him. Sometimes the best way to get someone to open the door or even hear the knocking is by allowing him or her to see in you what they are missing. There is an old saying; "People do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care." It is the same with God. People do not care about God until they understand how much He cares for them. Remember He first loved us, not us Him. When people realize that our lives are driven by His love and they like what they see, they want it also. Not being holier than thou, but being just you, allowing the love of God to shine in you.
Here is one I had the hardest time with: I always thought that this meant I had to hate myself (too much time around certain religions).
Actually it means hate the life of this world. Not who we are, unless of course we are of the world.
Abraham had all the land he could see, livestock overflowing so much that his nephew had to move far away with his livestock. Based on that time period it made him very rich. He did not have a Bible, or a church, or even others who believed as he to fellowship with. But he became the father of faith.
John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
It is not having things or even enjoying life that is wrong, it is allowing anything to come between you and God that is wrong. He wants you to have things, He just does not want the things to have you.
LIT John 12:24-25
24.
|0281| Truly,
|0281| truly,
|3004| I say
|5213| to you,
|1437| Unless
|3361| -
|3588| the
|2848| grain
|4621| of wheat
|4098| falling
|1519| into
|3588| the
|1093| earth
|0599| dies,
|0846| it
|3441| alone
|3306| remains.
|1437| if
|1161| But
|0599| it dies,
|4183| much
|2590| fruit
|5342| it produces.
25.
|3588| He
|5368| loving
|3588| the
|5590| soul
|0846| of him
|0622| loses
|0846| it.
|2532| And
|3588| he
|3404| hating
|3588| the
|5590| soul
|0846| of him
|1722| in
|2889| world
|5129| this,
|1519| to
|2222| life
|0166| eternal
|5442| will keep
|0846| it.
I honestly believed I had to hate myself, and that I should give it all away. Do you see how religion uses some of these verses to get what they need? Here is another.
I am sure some of you have heard "Blessed are the poor" and some may even heard a pastor afterwards ask for money but the entire verse has nothing to do with money.
Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
This has to do with a person's soul, and their way of thinking. People who see their own unworthiness to receive anything from God are on the way to receiving EVERYTHING from God. None of us is worthy without Christ. Without the sacrifice He made for us, none of us could inherit the Kingdom.
The only thing Abraham did that was like our ways today was he tithed.
Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Malachai 3:
8. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
12. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
13. Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
14. Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
15. And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
The idea is this, you give the first 10th to a place that stores the meat to share with others, or should I say a place that supplies others with the (meat) word of God. From the 10th this place should have enough to meet all of its needs completing the task of getting the meat out. If all who proclaim to be Christian just gave a 10th and no more, there would be more than enough. Actually only about 3% give to take care of the 100%. I guess like the one verse, many are called, but few are chosen, how about many are called, but few are chosen to be worthy.
I am not covering tithe to get you to tithe, hopefully if you are reading this you already tithe to where you are fed the word of God.
But to point out that too many religions use to many verses to get their ways, especially funds when all that is needed is the tithe.
Phil 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
What are the riches in glory by Christ Jesus? Is it not all that are saved by His blood?! If that is the case are we not supposed to take care of each other? I'm not pressuring anyone into doing things, including giving, but to be there for each other, and bless each other all we can, no matter if it is with money, words, prayer, or love.
Copyright © 1996 -
Gods Gift For You
All Rights Reserved.
1-27-04-121