"Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." Eccl 11:1

This marks the 700th post of this blog.  The author is grateful to the Lord for spiritual insights to His Word.  Many preachers and writers have directly or indirectly contributed to the posts, for which the author is thankful.

A hearty "thank you" to all readers for your visits, responses and encouraging comments.

Posts will resume on the 1st July 2013, Lord willing.  Watch out for conference recordings in the month of June 2013.  Maranatha!

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" 1Tim 1:15

Proclamation - This is a faithful saying
Persuasion - worthy of all acceptation
Person - Christ Jesus
Passage - came into
Place - the world
Purpose - to save
People - sinners
Prototype - of whom I am chief 

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know" Acts 2:22

Miracles - the mightiness of the works
Signs - the message or meaning of the miracles
Wonders - the marvel of the signs

Read Characteristics of the Gospels Part 3.

Read Part 1.

Babylon the Great
Rev 18:14 No more merchandise
Rev 18:21 No more metropolis
Rev 18:22a No more music
Rev 18:22b No more manufacturing
Rev 18:22c No more machinery
Rev 18:23a No more marvel
Rev 18:23b No more mirth

Acts 14:1-7 Preaching in Iconium
Acts 14:8-18 Power in Lystra
Acts 14:19-23 Persecution in Galatia
Acts 14:24-28 Provision of The Lord

"And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass." Gen 41:32

"And I will put a division between My people and thy people" Exo 8:23

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone" Eccl 4:9-11

The numeral two is the first number that divides.  Therefore it speaks of a difference which may oppose and be for evil, or it may confirm and be for good.  On one hand, it represents division (one against one) and it is symbolical of evil.  Hence, it stands for enmity, opposition, oppression and conflict.  On the other hand, it represents addition (one with one) and it gives the thought of confirmation, help and fellowship.  Generally, the numeral two speaks of the sufficiency of testimony, either for good or for evil.

Read Significance of Numerals in the Scripture.

AD 59 - Least of the Apostles (1Cor 15:9)
AD 64 - Less than the least of Saints (Eph 3:8)
AD 66 - Chief of Sinners (1Tim 1:15)

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea." Rev 20:1-8

Millennium, a period of thousand years.  It is a time of
Restraint - "laid hold on ... bound him ... cast him ...  shut him up"
Rightness - "deceive the nations no more"
Reward - "they lived and reigned with Christ "
Resurrection - "This is the first resurrection"
Reign - "shall reign with Him"
Rebellion - "shall go out to deceive the nations"

"I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church" 3John 1:9-10

Ambition "loveth to have the preeminence"
Animosity "receiveth us not", "neither doth he himself receive"
Action "his deeds which he doeth"
Accusation "prating against us with malicious words"
Arrogance "not content therewith"
Antagonism "forbiddeth them"
Abuse "casteth them out"

3John 1:1- 8 A Prosperous Christian - Gaius
3John 1:9-10 A Proud Christian - Diotrephes
3John 1:11-12 A Pleasant Christian - Demetrius
3John 1:13-14 A Pastoring Christian - John

2Kings 4:14 His Lead
2Kings 4:29-31 His Limitation
2Kings 5:20-21 His Lust
2Kings 5:25 His Lie
2Kings 5:27 His Leprosy
2Kings 8:4-5 His Link

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." Deut 6:4
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Tim 2:5

The numeral one is a primary number.  All other numbers depend upon number one.  It precedes and produces all other numbers; that is, every digit is dependent upon number one.

The numeral one is God's number; without Him nothing could exist.  "In the beginning, God..."  No Creator, no creation.  No Designer, no design.  Without a Former, there can be no formation.  In simple force, the numeral one expresses the unity of the Godhead.   Like the number one which stands alone and is independent of all other numbers, God is independent and self-sufficient.

There cannot be two first's.  The number two confirms that there is a difference.  Christians are admonished to "seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness".  God's will excludes man's will.  This first number excludes all other numbers.  In this, a distinction is make as far as God is concerned.  He did not have to create the universe; He was not compelled to form the first man; He could have excluded the human race.  It was His sovereignty that this universe came into existence.

The numeral one individualizes and concentrates, rejecting plurality.  It has the following meanings
- unity
- exclusivity
- supremacy
- independency
- first, beginning

Ephesians 4:4-6
A There is one body
B  and one Spirit
C   even as ye are called in one hope of your calling
X     one Lord
C'   one faith
B'  one baptism
A' one God and Father of all, 
who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Read Significance of Numerals in the Scripture.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."
 
- Stubborn sheep are restored with the rod
- Straying sheep are restored with the staff
- Starving sheep are restored at the table
- Sick sheep are restored with oil

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." 1Cor 15:58

Fellowworkers - my beloved brethren
Firmness - be ye stedfast
Fixedness - unmoveable
Fullness - always abounding in
Fellowship - the work of the Lord
Faith - forasmuch as ye know
Fortitude - that your labour
Function - is not in vain
Foundation - in the Lord

Source of Sin - Mark 7:21-22 (13 sins)
Surfeit of Sin - Rom 1:29-31 (23 sins)
Severity of Sin - 1 Cor 6:9-10 (10 sins)
Shame of Sin - 2 Cor 12:20-21 (11 sins)
Sorts of Sin - Gal 5:19-21 (17 sins)
Sordidness of Sin - Eph 5:3-5 (10 sins)
Stains of Sin - Col 3:5,8 (11 sins)
Sinners of Sin - 1 Tim 1:9-10 (14 sins)
Subtlety of Sin - 2 Tim 3:2-4 (18 sins)
Sentence of Sin - Rev 21:8 (8 sins)

Prominence - giving out that himself was some great one (Acts 8:9)
Power - this man is the great power of God (Acts 8:10)
Ploy - he had bewitched them with sorceries (Acts 8:11)
Profession - Simon himself believed also (Acts 8:13)
Proposal - he offered them money, saying, give me also this power (Acts 8:18-19)
Perdition - thy money perish with thee (Acts 8:20a)
Purchase - thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased (Acts 8:20b)
Portion - thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter (Acts 8:21a)
Perversion - thy heart is not right in the sight of God (Acts 8:21b)
Profanity - repent therefore of this thy wickedness (Acts 8:22)
Poison - thou art in the gall of bitterness (Acts 8:23a)
Prison - and in the bond of iniquity (Acts 8:23b)
Petition - pray ye to the Lord for me (Acts 8:24)

It is very likely that Simon is not a true believer.  The verb "believed" in verse 13 refers more to a mere mental assent that is based on signs and wonders than a genuine saving faith.  Simon's selfish interest in the display of miraculous power is an indication of his unregenerated heart.  His perversion is demonstrated when he offers money in exchange for divine endowment.  Peter points out that Simon has no part or lot with regard to the gift of God.  His heart is not right.  The words "perish" and "repent" are strong words which apply to unbelievers.  The expressions "gall of bitterness" and "bond of iniquity" are better descriptions of a lost man rather than one who is saved.

1Th 5:1-11 Day of the Lord
1Th 5:12-15 Direction for Leadership
1Th 5:16-22 Devotion for Living
1Th 5:23-28 Dependence on the Lord

Penalty of Sin (1 Cor 6:9)
Propaganda of Sin (1 Cor 15:33)
Product of Sin (Gal 6:7)
Process of Sin (James 1:16 NKJV)