Jon is the author of “Stuff Christians Like.” It started out as a blog back in 2008 and is now a book. The guy is really a hoot.

The post he wrote today was called “Finishing What We Didn’t Start” and boy was it timely for me. Although I’m super excited about rejoining my former team mates at my new job, I was thinking last night that I feel like I’ve lost the vision for my life.

Did you get that?

I’ve lost the vision for my life.

Has God?

No. Not a chance. He knows exactly the vision He has for my life and that is what I need to place my trust in.

Have I not yet learned in my 40 years of life that if I put my trust in myself, I’m an expert at screwing things up? Have I not yet learned and been an eye-witness to what happens when I place my trust in my Lord and my God?

Who am I? I’m but dust. How egotistical of me to think that it’s about me!

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. –Philippians 1:6.

We can finish the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1 and 1 Corinthians 9:24) but ultimately it is God who began the work in us and He will finish it!

What about you? Are you trying to take matters into your own hands instead of waiting on God? What has been your experience?

May He Increase!

I’m very squeamish when it comes to giving blood. I can’t look at the vial as they are doing it. I have to look in the opposite direction and think of something else until they are done. This is what my plan was for Friday morning.

“I’m almost done,” the nurse said. I thought to myself: “I sure hope so, because I’m starting to feel light-headed . . . .

Next thing I know, I’m being asked “Are you with us?” The room is fuzzy and spinning. I feel horrible and completely disoriented. Turns out, I had passed out for 5-10 seconds although it seemed a lot longer.

What’s my point?

Well, for most people–maybe the exception of doctors–they are repulsed at the sight of blood. Have you ever stopped to think of why the sight of blood makes people faint or causes them to recoil? Sure, there might be all sorts of psychological and evolutionary theories, but I think it’s put there by God. What does God have to say about blood?

The word “blood” appears 342 times in the Bible. The first mention (which is always significant) of the word is in Genesis. Cain had just killed his brother Abel. God says:

He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.” –Genesis 4:10.

You see, blood is the basis for human (and animal) life. But what is the deeper issue here?

There are 2,045 pages in my NASB Bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. It only took until page 8 for man to screw up! It then takes over 2,000 pages for God to explain the consequences of that sin and how to make it right again!

It is an issue of blood. After Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3, there is a subtle but key verse later in that chapter:

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. –Genesis 3:21.

You see, Adam and Eve, after they sinned, tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. This was inadequate clothing by God’s standards. Now that they have sinned, that sin must be paid for. The only currency God accepts is blood.

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. –Hebrews 9:22. (Emphasis mine.)

Unfortunately, our modern culture misses what ancient Israel had to witness from the Garden to 70 A.D. Blood constantly ran in their culture by the countless thousands of animal sacrifices. We have little capacity to imagine the sights, sounds, and smells of this.

But why? Why would God choose this method? Simple: we are to realize the abhorrence of our sin which causes all this blood to flow! Sin causes death!

However, all those animal sacrifices only covered the people’s sin, in never removed it. And one of the biggest problems in Biblical Judaism today is that once the temple was destroy in 70 A.D., there is no way to deal with the sin issue because they cannot perform their ritual sacrifices as outlined in the Old Testament.

Still, all of those laws set down by God in the Old Testament pointed to the one sacrifice that dealt with mankind’s sin issue once and for all: the cross. Jesus paid our debt of sin with His blood! He bore the debt we can’t pay.

Next time you see blood and recoil from its sight, think about that reaction in light of God’s reaction to our sin! Deal with your sin issue now! Take it to the foot of the cross of Jesus now! Tomorrow may be too late. Five minutes from now may be too late because you don’t know when Jesus is coming back.

May He Increase!

It pointed back to a blog post written by Daniel Pink called “When ‘I do’ becomes ‘I don’t.’” Dan’s post referenced a study by the Population Reference Bureau entitled “In U.S., Proportion Married at Lowest Recorded Levels.”

Dan summarized the article with this sobering fact:

For the first time in U.S. history, the number of young adults (those between 25 and 34) who have never been married exceeds those who are married.

Still, I’m not necessarily surprised, especially in light of other recent posts where we looked at the world’s view of sex versus the Biblical view of sex.

Paul cautioned young Timothy:

But the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. –1 Timothy 4:1-3.

Now, Paul is mainly focusing here on the Christian body and apostates. However, Satan hates marriage. Satan hates families. And you cannot help but see this trend as being satanic! What better way to destroy an entire nation than to attack and destroy the very fabric of it?

Something I heard recently from Chuck Missler really rings true to me. The United States government has found that social crises are huge benefits to growing the size of government. Don’t believe me? What do you think drove Obama’s healthcare program? Social crisis! Now, take it just a step further. What drives social crises (not just healthcare, but ironically, this totally goes to prove this point)? Immorality! Think about it. Because of lax social values, we have rising healthcare issues with HIV/AIDS, abortions, STDs, you name it. So what do you think the government–especially the “liberal”-side–promotes? Continued immorality!

And so the study by the Population Reference Bureau only goes to serve to confirm the continued, downward spiral into the gutter of the United States and eventually the world.

The writer of Hebrews has a warning for those who refuse to acknowledge the sanctity of marriage:

Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. –Hebrews 13:4. (Emphasis mine.)

May He Increase!

But it’s also a praise report for what God showed me so vividly this past Saturday.

It was my wife’s birthday so I wanted to take her to a nice breakfast. She didn’t care where we went, as long as it had a patio. She likes eating outside and so I quickly though of a local restaurant that has a nice patio area.

As we pulled up to the restaurant, I saw a group of men sitting at a table in the patio section. It appeared to be a business meeting as I saw at least one open laptop. I grumbled under my breath and got irritated because if there was even a table left, I was bugged because I figured my two year old son would be a distraction to their meeting. All I wanted was to have a nice, relaxing birthday breakfast for my wife and this group of guys was spoiling my plans!

So we walked to the restaurant and I was still irritated at what was going to await us. When we got inside, I told the host it was a party of three and we wanted to sit on the patio. At this point, I didn’t care if we disturbed their meeting because after all, this was Saturday morning and it was my wife’s birthday, darn it!

One of the waiters peeked out and said there was a table available but they’d have to clean it off. I thought to myself: “Get busy, buddy.” After a few minutes, our table was ready and we followed the host outside to the patio.

The gentlemen–I think there were about six or eight of them–were quietly discussing something but I didn’t pay any attention. I just wanted to get to our table and ignore them. I was hoping my son wouldn’t cause too much of a commotion at this point.

Then, God showed me what HIS plan was!

I don’t recall exactly what was said, but it had something to do with a church and . . . the Gospel! Yes, this group of men sitting at this table appeared to be pastors of a local church!

I was brought to tears as I told my wife how bad I felt that I would be that selfish. I told her that I was recalling that passage in Proverbs that went something along the lines of:

For you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. –Proverbs 25:22.

I was the aforementioned head in this passage and I was being showered with burning coals! Shame on me, I told my wife for acting so wickedly!

After repenting of this, I thanked God for loving me so much that He would not let this behavior go unnoticed by Him. Thank you, Lord, for correcting me.

For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son who He receives. –Hebrews 12:6.

What about you? Has God disciplined you in an obvious way? What has been your experience?

May He Increase!

Like Ephesus, Smyrna was one of the better churches. Smyrna, however, did not receive any word of condemnation. Jesus only had positive words to speak to Smyrna.

We will now study the third letter, the letter to the church of Pergamum.

Pergamum: The Pagan Church

Pergamum was located about 45 miles north of Smyrna. It had one of the finest libraries of antiquity, boasting over 200,000 volumes. It was the place where parchment was first used. At one time, it was the capital of the Roman province of Asia.

The word “Pergamum” in the Greek is “Πέργαμος.” Transliterated it is “Pergamos” which is the word used in the King James Version. The word means “height” or “elevation.” Quite picturesque considering that it was built on a mountain and was a fortified city.

Pergamum represents church history between A.D. 314 to A.D. 590. It was a period marked by the world moving into the church and the church moving away from the person of Christ.

Jesus’ Letter to the Church at Pergamum

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: the One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this.” –Revelation 2:12.

Here is the third description Jesus gives of Himself. The “sharp two-edged sword” is found in the Bible several times.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sward, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. –Hebrews 4:12.

Also,

And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. –Ephesians 6:17.

And,

And out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword. –Revelation 1:16.

What is this sword? The scripture is clear: it is the word of God. What is the Word of God?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. –John 1:1.

It’s Jesus.

The Good News

“‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.’” –Revelation 2:13.

Jesus notes two things right away about Pergamum. He notes that in spite of Satan setting up shop there, Jesus acknowledges His faithful who dwell there and “hold fast [His] name, and did not deny [His] faith.” That’s a huge commendation.

It is also revealing that it dismisses that notion that Satan is in hell. This is such a common belief that it is almost taken for granted. There is nor has there been anyone in hell up to this time. That does not mean that hell does not exist. It very much does. It has already been prepared but no one is there . . . yet. Satan and all his fallen angels as well as those that are not in Christ, will be cast into hell much later in Revelation 20:10-15.

When I first read this passage and saw the name “Antipas,” I initially thought this was referring to Herod Antipas. That was until I read the description of this person that followed: “My witness, My faithful one.” I knew immediately that Jesus was not referring to Herod.

This Antipas–a name which means “like the father–was a Christian whom we know nothing about other than he was a martyr in Pergamum. Although we may know nothing about him, Jesus certainly does as He mentions him by name!

The thought ends much as it began. Jesus says twice that Pergamum is where Satan dwells and that it is the place of his earthly throne at that time.

The Bad News

“‘But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.’” –Revelation 2:14.

The story of Balaam and Balak is found in Numbers 22-24. Balak had asked Balaam–a prophet–to curse Israel who had come into the land of Moab. Every time Balak asked Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam would actually bless Israel!

However, Balaam wasn’t necessarily a good guy. At that time, Israel fell into pagan worship of the god Baal. Later in Numbers we find out who counseled them to do this:

Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord. –Numbers 31:16.

Peter mentions Balaam as well:

Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. –2 Peter 2:15.

This is the covetousness of one who hires himself to do religious work only for personal gain.

The half-brother of Jesus, Jude, also mentions the “error of Balaam”:

Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam. –Jude 11.

Here, Jude explains that Balaam had hired himself out as a prophet. This epitomizes his deceit and covetousness.

Back to Revelation:

“‘So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” –Revelation 2:15.

Remember back in the letter to the Ephesian church, Jesus praised them for hating the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Here it’s word of condemnation for Pergamum’s toleration of them!

“‘Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.’” –Revelation 2:16.

You do not want to be on the opposing side of a war with Christ!

The Promise to the Overcomer

“‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’” –Revelation 2:17.

“The hidden manna” here refers to Christ Himself.

“Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” –John 6:49-51.

The “hidden manna” notes the sufficiency of Christ for the believer’s needs.

The “white stone” refers to a vote of acquittal. In the ancient courts of justice, the accused were condemned by black pebbles and the acquitted by white. It signifies our assurance that we will be acquitted when we stand before God.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. –Romans 8:1.

As for the “new name,” J. Vernon McGee explains:

It is helpful to learn that the people of Asia Minor to whom John was writing had a custom of giving to intimate friends a “tessera,” a cube or rectangular block of stone or ivory, with words or symbols engraved on it. It was a secret, private possession of the one who received it. Well, Christ says that He is going to give to each of His own a stone with a new name engraved upon it. I do not believe that it will be a new name for you and me but that it will be a new name for Him. I believe that each name will be different because He means something different to each one of us. It will be His personal and intimate name to each of us. –J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee.

In spite of the dire message to the church, Jesus ends His letter with a wonderful promise.

This is the pagan church: the church at Pergamum.

The next letter is written to the church at Thyatira: representative of Romanism. We’ll study that letter next time.

May He Increase!