Are You Beyond the Reach of God's Mercy?

 ...by the favor of God I am what I am and his favor which is in me be not in vain  [1]

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[1] 1 Corinthians 15:10, tells us that no one is beyond the mercy of our loving Creator. 

The apostle Paul imprisoned and participated in the murders of the earliest Believers. He hated Jesus, and he hated His followers. 

Paul was a man of incredible bigotry, arrogance, hatred, and self-righteous anger. But God had a divine appointment planned for him. At that appointment, God turned his life around. 

Paul, who had been the greatest enemy of the first Christians, was a changed man. After his divine appointment, Paul, who had once happily dragged good women and men to their deaths, was used mightily of God and did much good.

No one has gone too far [or done so much] that God cannot change them and use them. If you are reading this and you're wondering if perhaps you have. I assure you...you haven't. 

Your Creator has a divine appointment for you. Don’t walk away from it. 

Speaking in Tongues Prophesied in Old Testament

 

 20: Brethren be not children in understanding howbeit in malice be ye children but in understanding be adults 21: In The Law [nomo] it is written With other tongues and strange lips will I speak to this people [2] ^{Isaiah 28:11} and yet for all that will they not hear me says the Lord

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[2] Speaking in tongues was prophesied in the Old Covenant. Isaiah wrote that God would speak in other tongues to his people. In 1 Corinthians 14:21, Paul defined Isaiah 28:11 as a prophecy of speaking in tongues.

This is an excerpt from The Hungry Hearts Bible Commentary edited by this author.

The Bible Does Not Teach a Latter Day Revival

 

 There is much talk of movements of God and "restorations" going on in these last days, with prominent leaders teaching that God is restoring this, and God is restoring that.

   Where, in the scripture does it say that there will be a restoration of godliness in the latter days? Such a thing cannot be found.

   It simply is not there.

   The Bible says just the opposite. It says there will be a departing from the faith in the latter days.

   The Bible speaks about a shaking that will take place. The purpose of which is to shake everything loose that is not firmly connected to The Eternal through Jesus Christ. Only those things which cannot be shaken will remain. 

   The Bible teaches that in the last days, people will not endure sound doctrine and ungodliness will increase. Any person, prophet, or ministry that teaches there will be restoration of godliness in the last days, is false.

   The shaking has been happening for some time. Many who claim to follow Christ are running as fast as they can down the broad, easy, road. In fact, it has turned into a stampede. And some will go over the cliff.

   They will fall away. 

   The Bible says they will.

   Do not be seduced by the smooth words of those who teach a latter day restoration movement. Do not be seduced by good feelings listening to their teachings or reading what they write. That in itself is an earmark of false doctrine. False doctrine "tickles the ears." That means it sounds really good and can make people feel really good while listening to it, but it does not promote the fruit of the Spirit in the lives of believers.

   The Bible does not say that "making us feel good" is the earmark of truth. Truth brings life. Truth brings change for the good. But it doesn't always make us feel good, especially not at first. In fact, it may make us feel really awful at the first. 

   Repentance is a sorrowful thing. It does not feel good. It is heartbreaking. It is the awful realization of the gravity of our sin against God. 

   God sent his Son to save us from our sins--first and foremost--not to tickle our ears and make us feel good about ourselves. Jesus, and what he did (and continues to do) for us, is the only thing we have a legitimate right to feel good about. 

   God, who loves us more than we can imagine, said the best we can do is no better than a menstruous rag (that's a used sanitary napkin to us modern folks). Disgusting isn't it? But that's the language the inspired text uses, so, we need to get off our ego trips and the self-esteem wagon, and get serious about believing the Bible.

   The Bible says the danger of falling for every wind of doctrine and the possibility of falling away is very real in these latter days. But if we are doers of the Word, as well as hearers, Jesus promises that our house will stand. We will have the discernment needed to cling so tightly to our Savior that no amount of turbulence or false teaching can shake us loose.

 ... Redemption: Bible Prophecy Simplified: A Study of HOPE: Andersen, Jocelyn: 9781702619462: Amazon.com: Books

1 Corinthians 14:26-30 Tongues & Interpretations

 

 26: How is it then brethren when you come together every one of you has a psalm hath a teaching has a tongue has a revelation has an interpretation Let all things be done unto edifying 27: If any speak [in unknown] tongues let it be by two or at the most by three and by course  but let [only] one interpret [1] 28: And if there be no interpreter let them keep silence in Ekklesia and let them speak to themselves and to God 29: Let the prophets speak two or three and let the others judge 30: If anything be revealed to another that sits by let the first hold their peace [2]

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[1] 1 Corinthians 14:27 gives protocol for the gifts of tongues and interpretation in gatherings of the Out-Called. The Holy Spirit may give more than one person the same message in tongues, but that doesn’t mean they all must speak it. Once any given message in tongues has been spoken by three people without being interpreted, it is time to be silent and wait for the tongues to be interpreted. In gatherings of believers, tongues should always be spoken along with prayer for interpretation. As long as the tongues are being interpreted, there are no limits on how many manifestations of tongues and interpretations can be given in a gathering.

[2] All the gifts of the Holy Spirit are supernatural, with God initiating the manifestation of his gifts. But it is entirely up to believers whether or not they allow God to use them in the spiritual gifts. 

Regarding the gift of tongues, the speaker must judge whether it is time to withhold the tongue [glossa] and allow an interpreter to speak. This, is what is meant by the phrase, “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” 

Regarding the audible gifts of tongues and interpretation, the scriptures instruct believers in the proper execution of these gifts in public assemblies.  During gatherings of believers, the Holy Spirit may give more than one believer a prophetic message in tongues. The person giving the message in tongues, may or may not be given the interpretation. God may give five or ten believers the same message in tongues, but that does not mean everything single one must be brought forth. The scriptures are clear, after two or three [of the same] message spoken consecutively [in tongues], it must then be interpreted, or the remainder of believers [who were given that tongue] must remain silent. The same goes for interpretation of tongues. God may give more than one person the interpretation, but only one is to give it. 

This does not mean that the Holy Spirit is restricted to only two or three separate messages in tongues and interpretations in a single meeting—only that believers have a limit on how many times they will bring forth a single message before it is interpreted.

This is an excerpt from The Hungry Hearts Bible Commentary edited by this author.

Another misrepresentation of the Proverbs 31 Woman

A virtuous woman, who can find her ?!?

What a disservice most translations of Proverbs 31:10 does to women.  

The Proverbs-31-woman is virtuous indeed, but the Hebrew does not say she is a "virtuous" woman. And, as most translations suggest, women of good character are not difficult to find. These two ideas are due to translator bias.  

Read a more accurate translation below:

...woman of valor  chayil,[1] he [shall] find [her]![2] Her value is far above rubies

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[1] The Hebrew word Chayil [H2428] means: Valor, Strength, or Might. The word never means “virtue.” 

Chayil is mistranslated as “virtuous” only three times in the Hebrew text, and each of these mistranslations is deliberate due to translator bias against women. 

This bias is not found only in ancient translations but in modern translations also, as translators continue to add to and take away from the Word of God, with respect to the word, chayil…. But only when it is associated with women.

Other than misogyny, there is no lingual or textual reason to translate the Hebrew word, Chayil, as virtuous. The Woman of chayil, according to scripture, is a woman of strength and valor.

[2] The common translation, “Who can find her?,” is also a mistranslation. Nothing in the text that suggests strong women are impossible or even difficult to find, but that is almost impossible know by reading most translations. James Strong defined the Hebrew word, mi (translated as "who?") as an interrogative pronoun. But It appears that exegetical rules apply only when it suits scholars, as Exodus 24:14 translates the word, mi,  as “any,” and not in an interrogative sense. 

When it comes to Bible translation, rules are often followed or ignored according to translator bias. Such is the case concerning women of chayil. 

This is an excerpt from The Hungry Hearts Bible Commentary edited by this author.

 ... Woman this is WAR! Gender, Slavery & the Evangelical Caste System: Andersen, Jocelyn: 9780979429323: Amazon.com: Books

What readers are saying:

"This book is well written, well researched, and a real eye opener."

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"The author is not only a gifted writer but clearly well-studied and informed."

" I was pleased that translation bias was covered in a chapter, an issue that needs to be addressed, and one that I find quite hard to bring up with lay people or everyday believers who lack knowledge about Bible translation. We can trust our Bibles, but we also need to acknowledge that certain passages are hard to translate and bias can come into play."

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Woman this is WAR! Gender, Slavery & the Evangelical Caste System: Andersen, Jocelyn: 9780979429323: Amazon.com: Books

Speaking in Tongues Builds Faith: 1 Corinthians 14:16-18

Else when you shall bless with the spirit how shall they that occupy the room of the unlearned say Amen at your giving of thanks seeing they understand not what you say For you truly give thanks well but the other is not built up [1] I thank my God I speak tongues more than you all[2]

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[1] In terms of faith building (Jude 20) and praying the perfect will of God (Romans 8:26-27), much good comes from praying in the Holy Ghost (tongues).

[2] Paul clearly did not discourage speaking in tongues. How could he when he just boasted that he spoke in tongues more than anyone? Yet some persist in missing the point that this chapter of Paul’s letter is meant to address motives and method. It is not meant to disparage the gift. Those who oppose the gift of tongues, tend to do away with the gifts of the Holy Spirit altogether by teaching that they were only for the early church, but that teaching is not found in this chapter, nor anywhere else in scripture.

This is an excerpt from The Hungry Hearts Bible Commentary edited by this author.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15: Tongues of Angels

For if I pray [in] tongues my spirit prays but my understanding is unfruitful What is it then I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also [1]  I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also

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[1] Praying in the Spirit is not the same as praying with our understanding. Praying in the Spirit is praying in heteroglossos, strange unknown tongues of a different sort (a language but not any earthly dialect), “for no mortal understands." 

That is because we are speaking to God and not to mortals. (1 Corinthians 14:2).” Paul mentioned speaking in the tongues of angels (1 Corinthians 13:1). That is heteroglossos. One of the benefits of praying in tongues is that our faith is built up. 

Jude wrote that we build up “our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost.” That is not silent praying. That is praying in heteroglossos. 

Romans 8:26-27 tells us that when the Holy Spirit prays through us, we are praying the perfect will of God. The passage in Romans refers to spoken prayer. The text supports an audible, though not linguistically understood, utterance. The “groanings which cannot be uttered” are audible but inarticulate speech.

This is an excerpt from The Hungry Hearts Bible Commentary by Jocelyn Andersen