Over the last several posts, we have talked about what happens when individuals experience God’s glory and about a near future date when God’s glory will be poured out upon the earth in a big way. Is there a difference between God’s glory and God’s spirit?

The two are connected, but there seems to be a difference as well. We understand that the Trinity is intricately interconnected. Jesus stated that if we have seen him, we have seen the Father (Jn 14:9), and the writer of Hebrews states that Jesus is a reflection of God’s glory (Hb 1:3). Also, the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Glory (1Pt 4:14) and is a Spirit of power enabling Christ to be raised from the dead (Ro 1:4). So, despite all these interconnections, what is the difference when it comes to experiencing God’s glory and God’s Spirit?

If we look at our past posts, those who experienced God’s glory fell to their faces in worship as they felt unworthy to be in God’s presence. His glory humbles us and puts us into a place where we can worship God in purity of intent without any hidden agenda. Yet, we find when people experienced God’s Spirit, they became empowered to act in a way that is pleasing to God and uphold God in the highest regard.

There were also physical manifestations when humans experienced God’s Spirit. In Acts chapter 2 we see that “tongues of fire” fell upon Christ’s disciples, they spoke in other languages, became embolden to proclaim Jesus Christ to the masses and many people came to believe in Jesus Christ that day. In many other encounters in Scripture, speaking in tongues was a manifestation of their experience of receiving God’s Holy Spirit, and many signs and wonders manifested as well. That was not always the case, but it did occur quite often. Why is that not seen today as well? This was covered in a previous post (Kingdom Age), so I will not go over that again here. I refer you to that post.

I will also point out that while the two are different, they do work in concert. God’s glory humbles people and helps them to understand their hopeless position compared to who God is, and that all praise must go to God because he is the all-in-all. Once an individual understands they are nothing compared to him, then God’s Spirit can use that person and make them a powerful instrument for God, embolden them to teach about who God is, his love for mankind, and how to help others come to him.

So, it seems we are poised for a time no one has ever witnessed before. God’s glory is going to fill the earth bringing in the greatest harvest of souls ever experienced by helping humans understand their place with God which will increase their desire to know him. Then God’s Spirit will empower those who come to him to go and be his ambassadors to their fellow humans to help them experience both God’s glory and God’s Spirit as well.

This will be a remarkable time in which to live. Are you ready for it?

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

I read a verse which I had read many times before, but the words suddenly stunned me. This was when Moses was interceding for the Israelites asking God to forgive them for their sin of rebellion by not entering the Promised Land due to the bad report ten of the twelve spies gave when they returned from spying out the land which God had promised them. “The LORD replied, ‘I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times—not one of them will ever see the land I promised an oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it’” (Nu 14:20-23).

Now the word translated here as “fills” in the Hebrew means “will be filled.” So, it seems to be a future action and not a present action. It seems God is making a contrast here. While the Israelites experienced God’s glory through the various miracles he performed for them, they did not esteem him and trust him to carry them through. Yet, at some future point, God’s glory will become so profound that it will seem to fill the entire earth and will not be able to be denied as the Israelites had done.

Now, to my knowledge, that has not yet been fulfilled. As we saw in the last post, God’s glory is displayed constantly for us to see. Yet, this particular verse seems to imply something different, something more dramatic. Are there other references for this within Scripture? Yes. Yes, there is.

In Psalms, we read, “Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen” (Ps 72:19). Again, this seems to indicate some event to occur at a future time.

In Isaiah, when he experienced God and the seraphim surrounding God’s throne, we read, “And they [seraphim] were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’” (Is 6:3). Since this is occurring in heaven where there is no time element, this is an exclamation in the present even though as we see from other verses, this will be an event in our future.

Then in Habakkuk we read, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Hk 2:14). Again, Habakkuk seems to imply a time in his future which this would occur and just how impactful it will be. And, so, it seems, it is still a time future for us as well. Yet, it may be closer than you think.

Some may claim this proclamation of God’s glory filling the earth is referring to Christ’s millennial kingdom when he will be the King of kings reigning over the entire earth from Jerusalem. Yet, there are additional verses within Scripture that talk about this time in our future describing it to be somewhat different from this time described by the verses we have identified above. The timing seems to be tied to what is described in Daniel chapter 7 where one of the verses states, “Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High” (Da 7:27). This is in reference to the fourth beast which Daniel saw in a vision that was different from any beast he had ever seen. God stated he would destroy this beast and turn its rule over to “the holy people,” that is, those who follow him. You can learn more about this aspect from a previous post I did (Kingdom Age).

Now if there is a time coming where God will reveal his glory in a miraculous and marvelous way, wouldn’t it be at least implied in the New Testament? Well, I think it is there. I think many times we gloss over its reference because many of us haven’t been taught about such an event occurring. Perhaps Jesus was implying such a time when he taught his disciples how to pray. He first says, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10). Many say Christ is referring to his millennial rule here. Yet, that would be Christ’s kingdom, not necessarily God’s kingdom. Perhaps Christ is referring to this time where God’s glory will be spread out over the entire world in a tangible way, just like his glory is spread out over the entire heavenly realm. So, maybe our view of what Jesus was praying needs a little re-thought on our part.

Another aspect to consider is that when God’s glory was experienced by anyone, it brought them to obeisance and a feeling of unworthiness causing one to bow in reverence. Yet, when Christ rules, God’s spirit will instead empower individuals. We’ll talk more about this in a future post.

In addition, it seems Jesus prophesied about this aspect of God’s glory filling the earth as well when he was telling his disciples about future events. He says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be peached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Mt 24:14). Many claim this is Christ speaking of the evangelism that will occur during the Tribulation period through the leadership of the 144,000 evangelists that Christ will raise up to evangelize the whole world (Rv 7, 14). Yet, after speaking about this time, Christ goes on to talk about what will occur after this time, so it seems the time spoken of here is before the Tribulation period and may likely be the time of God pouring out his glory over the earth.

Why did the apostle Paul not talk about such a time occurring? I addressed this in a previous post (Church Age). He likely assumed he was already in such a time because God had poured his spirit out and much of what will occur when God pours out his spirit again was already occurring. Yet, one of the things he said to Titus likely helps us to understand that he began to understand this time of God pouring out his glory was not yet occurring (Empowerment of the Holy Spirit). He told Titus to teach what Jesus had taught them until God’s glory has manifested itself to purify a people for his very own (Tt 2:11-14).

So, it seems we are on the cusp of something wonderful that God will bring upon our world and upon us. Are you ready for it? Are you excited about it? I’m reminded about a scene from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey where the question was asked, “What’s going to happen?” The simple response was, “Something wonderful.” Well, that’s what’s going to happen here: something wonderful. Do you plan on being around to experience it? I trust you will.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

For many of you, I’m sure the last several posts have been like being on a roller coaster. It has been new, somewhat exhilarating, yet riddled with much caution. I get you. I was there for a long time. Let me get a little personal and show how the Lord has led me here.

In 2019 my son, only 28, died from cholangiocarcinoma. This is somewhat of a rare autoimmune disease where the body attacks one’s own bile ducts. By the time it was discovered, the tumor had already spread beyond the liver itself. Therefore, surgery, the only sure form of treatment, was no longer possible. He quickly went from working full time, to being in the hospital, to being placed in hospice, to entering eternity. While we knew he was in heaven as he had accepted Christ as his Savior, it was still devastating to live through. My wife went through a type of crisis wanting to really understand for sure that our son was where we knew Scripture stated he now dwelt. It wasn’t a crisis of hope or not believing, but one of reassurance. She read books about the experiences of those who had died and came back to life as well as listened to several prophets, one being one who claimed to have been in heaven many times.

I, of course, was extremely skeptical, but knew I needed to listen as I wanted to be supportive of my wife and at the same time ensure she was not getting trapped into anything contrary to Scripture. There were several of these “prophets” who seemed to refer to scripture with their claims. So, I had to reconsider some of the things I had thought my entire life. During this time came the lockdowns, the mandates, and the chaos. This made me rethink what I had been taught about many aspects of end-time prophecy. The more I read Daniel chapter 7, the more I felt we were living through the very pages of Scripture as I read and reread them.

I then began to hear about another outpouring of the Holy Spirit that was coming which we should prepare for. I then learned how our country turned from a Republic to a Corporation in 1871 and how our enemy, Satan, had been scheming for way longer than I ever realized to rebuild our world into his image. But I knew that prophecy, if from God, always had a message of hope within its message of doom. That’s where Daniel 7 first came into play for me. I saw the message of hope there. The kingdoms of the world would be turned over to the holy ones, i.e., the followers of Christ. I then began to see all the other scriptures that supported this and are the ones we have covered over the last several posts. I encourage you to go back and review those.

So, the bottom line is that it seems we are on the verge of God doing something wonderful—bringing about the biggest revival the world has ever experienced. Does this excite you? Are you ready for something like that? But we also have a responsibility. Paul gave that to us. He said, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Tt 2:11-12). I grant you; this is easier said than done. We live in a world where feelings have been equated with truth. But if we follow what Paul has said, what is the outcome? “The appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Tt 2:13-14). Again, the prophet Habakkuk tells us, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hk 2:14). Can you imagine it? The outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will make Acts 2 look small and insignificant in comparison. Buckle up. It’s coming. I hope you’ll be ready.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

In my previous post, I discussed what modern prophets should be focused on if they are indeed prophets of God. In this post, I want us to focus on the main topic that has been brought forth and for us to consider if such is true or not. So, what is this message that has stirred up so much controversy within Christian circles: a new outpouring of God’s glory on the earth.

Prophets in the past tried to warn their fellow citizens of the error of their ways and to focus on what they could not see rather than what they were seeing all around them. Many believed they were doing nothing wrong and that all was in order. Yet, the prophets stated that was not the case and they were living in sin. If they didn’t repent, then God was going to bring doom to them (in their case, captivity). Many did not listen, but for those who were true followers, the prophets also gave a message of hope to those who would hear. Isaiah prophesied and warned of the kingdom of Israel being taken captive by Assyria (Is 8:7-8) but also prophesied of their coming Messiah (Is 7:14), Jeremiah prophesied that Judah would be under Babylonian rule for seventy years (Jr 25:11) but also prophesied of their divided kingdom one day being reunited (Jr 30:3) even more glorious than the way it had been in the past (Jr 31:38-40), and Ezekiel prophesied of the destruction of Jerusalem’s temple (Ek 24:29-21), but then prophesied of a new and glorious temple that God would have built so they could worship God once again (Ek 40-48). Each of these prophets wanted their people to come back to God but warned of consequences of not doing so. Yet, they also made sure everyone knew that God would never abandon them and would bring wonderful things for them in their future.

Is this what modern prophets are doing as well? It seems some are. What is the message of hope some are giving to us? I have talked about this somewhat in a previous post (Kingdom Age). As I mentioned in that post, while some are saying we are on the cusp of the Kingdome Age, I see this as a fourth and final component of the Church Age. What are the Scriptural bases for such a thing to come about?

One such passage of Scripture is Daniel chapter 7. I have spoken about this passage as to what has been going on in our world recently (Will God Show Up Today?), but let’s focus on what was told Daniel that would come about after this. We find this in verses 26-27: “But the court will sit, and his [i.e., the fourth beast’s] power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.” It would seem this is not Christ’s Millennial Kingdom because he will be sovereign at that time, not the holy people themselves. Perhaps this is to what Paul alluded to when he said, “Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?” It seems Paul is comparing the Christians in Corinth to how they will be before Christ’s Kingdom, otherwise, it would not be such a straightforward comparison as to how they would be able to judge others.

Some have stated that this passage is referring to Christ’s Millennium Kingdom because the next sentence states that the kingdom of the Most High will last forever. While this is true, it is not necessarily implying that this kingdom is the same as the kingdom of the previous sentence. The consistency between the two sentences is the “Most High” not the “kingdom” of each sentence. While it is the holy people, or followers of Christ, who will be the rulers of this kingdom, it is under the leadership of the Most High as will the Millennial Kingdom be under his direction as well.

So, it would seem that our hope is not the return of Christ as this time, but the return of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. While this is not saying that all Christians don’t have the Holy Spirit living within them, we must admit that we are not operating in all the power of which we have access to through the Holy Spirit. Paul does tell us that because of what Christ did on the cross, we have access to the same power that raised Christ from the dead. Who can say we are operating with that same power?

If this is the only passage of Scripture about this, we would perhaps gloss over it. Yet, there are others we should review before we make a final consensus on this topic. Join me, and we’ll discuss this topic next time.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

In my last post, I went over three of the seven ways Christians and angels are similar. Let’s go over the final four now.

1.      Both are Called to Obey and Enact Christ’s Word (that is, the Logos of God)

David tells us about angels in Psalm 103: “Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word” (Ps 103:20).

John tells us what Jesus said about us: Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching [Greek: logos: i.e., word]. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (Jn 14:23).

The Holy Spirit enables us to do, or possess, at least six things: (1) Our Speech: “For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit” (Jn 3:34). So, the Holy Spirit allows our speech to be in alignment with God’s Word; (2) Our Authority: “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ep 2:6). Therefore, we have authority given us though the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us as we yield to his control; (3) His word to not return void: “It [my word] will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Is 55:11). Therefore, if we speak God’s words, they will also not return void; (4) His word to not fail: “For no word from God will ever fail” (Lk 1:37). So, if we speak his words, they also will not fail; (5) Us to remember His words: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (Jn 14:26). We can rely on the Holy Spirit to bring to our minds God’s words appropriate for whatever occasion we need them, as long as we have stored them in our minds; and (6) Us to have the mind of Christ: The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1Co 2:16). Therefore, the Holy Spirit will help us to think like Christ does.

Scripture (words of God) impacts both us and angels. When we pray Scripture, we are giving voice to God’s Word causing angels to respond. Angels will serve us: “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hb 1:14). Therefore, they minister for us because they obey God’s word. If we have the mind of Christ, then we will be praying his words which will be effective and enable angels to act on our behalf. This does not mean we are praying to angels, but we are aligning our thoughts and desires with those of God. And angels act on God’s words. The Holy Spirit allows us to do this. It is amazing how the Trinity works in concert in our lives.

We influence angels according to Scripture because angels observe us. Paul tells us, “. . . We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings” (1Co 4:9). We should therefore be conscious of our actions because not only are others looking at us but so are the angels. Are we teaching the right things to those who observe us?

We help angels understand salvation. Peter tells us, “Concerning this salvation . . . Even angels long to look into these things” (1Pt 1:10-12). Salvation is an awe and mysterious thing to angels. We should not take it for granted for, indeed, it is awesome and a mystery. While the angels had a choice to make, they did not have multiple opportunities as we do or have their status change by choosing Christ over Satan as has been done for us. We are now joint heirs with Christ. That is not true for angels.

What can praying scripture do for us? It aligns our thoughts and will with that of God. We cannot be effective if we are not in his will. It gives us confidence in our prayers because they are aligned with the word of God. Only his word is powerful and effective; ours is only if they repeat back to him his words or our words are spoken according to his will. It increases our faith because God cannot go back on his word so we can pray with confidence in his response. His words will not return to him void.

God’s word is powerful. Scripture tells us: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hb 4:12). His word changes us inside and out. Scripture also tells us: Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word (Ps 103:20). His word sends angels into action.

2.      Both are to Fight Against Evil

Paul tells us in Ephesians: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ep 6:12). We often forget this and make our struggle with other individuals forgetting the dark forces which are manipulating many human beings. We need to focus on the spiritual. God’s angels also fight these dark forces. Scripture tells us that Michael the archangel helped to defeat a principality of Persia so another angel could get a message to Daniel (Dn 10:13); Michael will defeat Satan in the end (Rv 12:7-8).

Angels fight for us and with us. We have examples in Scripture of this to encourage and strengthen us. In one example, the king of Aram, a country in Mesopotamia where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are located, which is today’s Iraq, went to capture the prophet Elisha because he was telling the King of Israel how to evade the Aramean army. The king of Aram thought he had a spy in his army but was told the prophet Elisha was telling the King of Israel his own battle plans. He therefore sent his army to the city of Dothan in Samaria where Elisha was staying so he could capture him and thereby prevent him from speaking further to the king of Israel.

We find what happened in 2 Kings chapter 6: “When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots [of Aram] had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hill full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2Ki 6: 15-17). God had his angels to protect Elisha with an entire angelic army and in greater number than the king of Aram could muster in the physical.

Angels fight other angels of Satan. An angel fought a demon to get an answer to Daniel concerning his prayer (Dn 10:12-14). Angels fight against human foes as well. A large host of angels came with God to Mt. Sinai (Dt 33:2) and provided protection to Israel (Ps 68:7, 17). As we just mentioned, an angel army surrounded Elisha when the Arameans came to take him (2Ki 6:17). Jesus had access to more than twelve legions of angels at his beck and call (Mt 26:53). We would likely be surprised at what we would see if we could visualize what is going on around us in the spiritual realm.

3.      Both Have Abilities to Fight and Serve

Not all angels are of the same rank and purpose, and, therefore, have different missions in how they follow and obey God’s purpose, whether it is to deliver messages, protect, or to fight against the enemy. Christians are given different gifts of service and ministry for fighting spiritual battles as well. All Christians have access to the armor of God (Ep 6).

Angels do God’s bidding on our behalf. There are many examples in Scripture of this as well: Angels visited Lot and his family in Sodom to keep his promise to Abraham (Gn 19:1); an angel helped Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, obtain a wife for Isaac (Gn 24:40); an angel guarded the children of Israel along their way (Ex 23:20); an angel kept Daniel safe from the lions (Dn 6:22); an angel fought a demon to get a message from God to Daniel (Dn 10:13); an angel rolled the stone away from Christ’s tomb (Mt 28:2-7); an angel opened the gates of the prison for Peter to escape (Ac 5:19); and an angel caused Herod Agrippa to be struck with a sickness causing him to die quickly (Ac 12:23).

We are also equipped to do God’s bidding. God has given us both defensive and offensive weapons (Ep 6): the belt of truth holds the armor together understanding that Jesus Christ and his words are the only truth in this world; our minds are protected with the helmet of salvation as the knowledge about our present and our future is based upon what Christ did for us on the cross; we have the breastplate of righteousness which we have only because of Christ’s blood which he shed for us. God who is above any and all declares us righteous. Anyone who says otherwise are in error to the One True God. We have the shield of faith which is strong enough to defend anything the enemy sends our way because we are solid in our belief in what Christ has done for us. And we have the Sword of the Spirit; the Word of God; which wields only truth and is sharper than any two-edged sword which penetrates to the very essence of one’s thoughts and world perspective to deliver that truth. All of this is accomplished through the footwear which delivers the Gospel of Peace beyond all comprehension to all those who we come in contact with: both friend and foe alike. All of this makes us truly powerful in our spiritual battles with the enemy.

4.      Both Encourage Each Other

We are told in Psalms: “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Ps 91:11). While this is also a prophetic psalm about Christ, the psalmist is also stating what is true about his followers.

The psalmist also tells us: “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (Ps 34:7).

Peter tells us: “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things” (1Pt 1:10-12).

We need to be more mindful of our actions because the spiritual realm is listening, watching, and being taught by us. Next time, we’ll look at some cautions we need to consider as we partner with angels to follow God’s commands.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Last time we discussed how God took our place on the cross and reconciled our sin debt. He did not cover it up but took it away completely. It was nothing we did. It was all him. If you missed it. You can access it here: Christ Reconciled Our Sin Problem.

Did we gain anything else by this gracious act of our Messiah? Oh yes: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way (Ep 1:18-23, NIV).

Did you catch that? Paul is telling us that we have the same power that raised Christ from the dead within us. What is within us with this power? The Holy Spirit.

Paul goes on to say: But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ep 2:4-10, NIV)).

His Holy Spirit will now be able to do great things through us because of what Christ has done for us on the cross. This is likely why Paul talks to us about the armor of God in Ephesians chapter 6. Let’s examine this armor:

We have the Helmet of Salvation: If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Ro 10:9, NIV). This is by the spoken word and accomplish by Christ.

We have the Breastplate of Righteousness: It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has been for us wisdom from God—that is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption (1Co 1:30, NIV). This is by words of wisdom from Christ.

We have the Belt of Truth: Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me (Jn 14:6, NIV). This comes from Christ who is the Word of God.

We have the Feet of Gospel of Peace: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (Jn 14:27, NIV). The words of Christ give us peace.

We have the Shield of Faith: Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer [author] and perfecter of faith (Hb 12:2a, NIV). Christ and his words give us the faith upon which we believe.

We have the Sword of the Spirit: Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ep 6:17, NIV). Paul then tells us to Pray in the Spirit.

This passage in Ephesians 6 is often used to portray the armor as a defense against Satan and his “fiery darts” as Paul stated when he talked about the Shield of Faith. While true, these verses seem to indicate that the main reason for the armor is one for offense more than it is for defense. These are all action verses and show that each piece is a representative of Jesus Christ and of the power of the spoken word.

So, if we are donning the armor, this means we as the warrior are within Christ. And if we were to look at ourselves in a mirror, we would see him and not ourselves because we are in him, and he is in us. This is just as he prayed with his disciples: that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me (Jn 17:21, NIV).

No wonder James said: The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (Ja 5:16b, NIV). The spoken word is very powerful when spoken through inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Proverbs also tells us: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who live it will eat its fruit (Pr 18:21, NIV). This seems to imply we need to be living within the armor of God for our words to be effective. Paul also tells us: Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold (2Co 3:12, NIV). Speaking through inspiration of the Holy Spirit allows us to speak boldly for the Lord. And, again, in Proverbs we understand the following: The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion (Pr 28:1, NIV). We can be bold as a lion because the Lion of Judah dwells within us. This helps us to see how powerful our words are and that they should be under the control of the Holy Spirit.

We are commissioned as Paul tells us: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power (Ep 6:10, NIV). If we live within Christ by donning his armor, then we can be strong in him and work through his power which he has bestowed to us as Paul tells us: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (2Co 10:4, NIV). Our words, if operated under the control of the Holy Spirit, can destroy strongholds. So, our words can be very powerful.

We have the same blessing as Paul gave the church at Rome: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Ro 15:13, NIV). Our hope is a tangible hope because it is secured in the promise of Jesus Christ and in the power given to us by the Holy Spirit. If we pray with the words of Christ (Scripture) and pray as the Holy Spirit urges us to pray, then we will be powerful and we will be effective.

Isn’t God awesome?! He has paved the way for us to have a hopeful, eternal future with him. And, he has given us his Holy Spirit so we can have the same power he utilized which can make us strong and effective, accomplishing great things for him. All we need to do is be yielded to him and his Spirit. Praise God!

Are you ready for your future—both now and in the world to come? You can be. Just reach out to him and he will never fail you.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

It’s a surprise to many, both Gentiles and Jews, that the Church was originally Jewish, composed of only Jews and Jewish proselytes. When the Holy Spirit descended on that first Shavuot (Pentecost) after Christ’s ascension, all who believed and received the Holy Spirit were either Jews or Jewish proselytes (Ac 2:1-4, 41, 47). This continued as more and more people believed. It seems that the Christian Jews were very accepting of Jewish proselytes becoming Christians and were treated as equals. Nicholas, a Gentile and Jewish proselyte, was made a deacon of the church in Jerusalem (Ac 6:5). Philip preached to many in Samaria who accepted Christ as their Savior (Ac 8:12-17). Normally, Samaritans were not accepted by the Jews because they were considered half-breeds. Therefore, these were either Samaritans who had become Jewish proselytes prior to their acceptance, or the current Christian Jews were willing to accept them because of the similarity in their religious beliefs since no one challenged their becoming Christians. Even Philip preaching to the Ethiopian eunuch was not challenged since this eunuch was already a Jewish proselyte (Ac 8:26-39).

When God, through a vision, lead Peter to preach to a Roman Centurion and his household and they believed and received the Holy Spirit, it caused quite a stir. The Jewish Christians in Jerusalem had a hard time accepting that true Gentiles – not proselytes – had received the Holy Spirit. However, when Peter explained how God had orchestrated the whole thing, they accepted it and rejoiced (Ac 11:1-18). After that, other Jewish believers started telling other Gentiles (i.e., non-Jews) about Jesus Christ and they believed (Ac 11:19-21). During this time, Saul, who was a very zealous Pharisee, had received permission from the Sanhedrin to charge and arrest any Jew who had converted to what was then called “The Way” so they could be brought to trial for conviction of heresy (Ac 8:3, 9:1-3). This persecution first started with the stoning of Stephen. Stephen had been a deacon of the Jerusalem church and very outspoken about Jesus Christ (Ac 6:8-15, 7:57-58). Saul was adamant about finishing the job. This persecution caused many Christians to flee Jerusalem to other nearby areas – one being Damascus. Word got to Saul that The Way was spreading its teachings in that area. There has been much criticism of this passage of scripture with some saying that neither Saul, the high priest, nor the Sanhedrin would have any clout in Damascus to carry this out. However, since the letters from the high priest were to the synagogues, it is likely Saul would solicit their help in finding the correct suspects, ask their help with getting judicial authority or going under the radar of judicial authority, or help in securing the necessary means for carrying out the arrest. Also, the letters would carry the weight of the high priest’s authority and may have had financial implication to their synagogue for not helping. In addition, Jerusalem and Damascus would both have been considered part of Syria at this time of history. However, on the way to Damascus, Saul encountered Jesus Christ, had a change of heart, became part of The Way, and then poured his zeal into spreading the gospel (Ac 9:1-22). Later Saul’s name was changed to Paul (Ac 13:9).

Barnabas was part of the delegation from Jerusalem to go and investigate what was going on in Antioch where Gentiles were becoming believers. He saw that it was a good thing and of the Holy Spirit. He later went and got Paul from Tarsus where he was staying at that time and brought him to Antioch (Ac 11:22-26). From there, Paul and Barnabas went on their first missionary journey (Ac 13:1-3). This started many debates about how one should become a Christian, and how Jews and Gentiles could be part of the same group identifying with Jesus Christ.

For some reason, debate has always been a part of the Church – probably because we don’t all look at things from God’s point of view. Unity only comes from a single point of view, and that point of view must be God’s. Let us all strive to find and keep that unity.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Last post, we found out that God’s fingerprint is found is the very essence of matter itself. All of matter is composed of atoms. So, let’s go deep and look at the essence of atoms like we did the essence of God.

An atom is further divided into its nucleus, composed of protons and neutrons, and electrons. If we go even deeper, we find that protons and neutrons are composed of even smaller particles called quarks. Now for all you science fiction fans out there, I am not talking about Quark the Ferengi on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I am talking about, as far as we know, the most basic building blocks of all matter.

There are six types of quarks, yet only two are the building blocks of protons and neutrons. Now you would think that if these were the most basic building blocks of atoms, they would have a profound name. I don’t know what was in the scientist’s brain at the time. Can you imagine going up to him and saying, “I hear you found the most basic building block of all matter, what did name did you give it?” And he simply replies, “Up” and “Down.” Sort of anticlimactic. That’s like going to Baskin Robins which has, or used to have 31 flavors, and asking for vanilla. Anyway, that’s what they named them.

What prevents the nucleus of an atom from exploding apart? After all, if protons are positively charged, wouldn’t they repel each other? Well, a proton is made up of two Up quarks and one Down quark, and a neutron is made up of two Down quarks and one Up quark. There is something else to ponder here. There are gluons which hold the quarks together. Let’s look more at these.

So, the gluons not only hold quarks together within a proton or neutron, but between them as well. This is what keeps the protons from flying apart. This effect of the gluons is called the Strong Force because it keeps the protons and neutrons within the nucleus and makes the nucleus stable. This Strong Force overcomes the repulsion force between the protons.

Now, here is where God’s fingerprint comes into play. These quarks are individual units, but you can never observe them as separate units even though they are. Doesn’t that remind you of the 1st and 2nd Persons of the Godhead? They are individual, but you cannot separate them. Christ stated, “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30), and “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). The effect of the gluons, I think, is a corollary to the Holy Spirit. He is the Strong Force which allows the Justice and Love of God to co-exist without repelling each other. We, too, are like protons. We naturally repel God. Paul tells us in Romans 8:7 -8 that we are naturally hostile toward God and cannot please him. Yet, once we are drawn to God, the Holy Spirit is the force which binds us to him and never lets us go. Christ stated. “…no one will snatch them out of my hand” (Jn 10:29). We are held by the Strong Force.

So, there you have it. This is a picture of God’s fingerprint. It is in the very essence of all matter. If God created all matter, isn’t this where you would expect it to be?

Yet, there is another building block of an atom that reveals more about the Trinity of God. That is the electron. They are typically depicted as travelling around the nucleus as discrete particles. Yet, that is not a true representation of electrons. Science teaches us that electrons are not discrete particles and are not in any one place. One must use a probability function in order to describe an electron, even if an atom has only one electron. It can be anywhere and everywhere, yet the most likely place is a certain distance from the nucleus. You can detect it in any moment in time, but never predict where it will be. Doesn’t this also remind you of the omnipresence of God? He can be anywhere and everywhere yet be right beside you when you call on Him.

Okay, let’s summarize.

• God left his fingerprint upon creation.

• Science points to him – no matter how we try to explain it away.

• We believe in quantum physics and it’s “weird science” as fact, but can’t believe in a holy, unique God?

• God’s justice is revealed from God the Father; God’s love is revealed from God the Son; yet they cannot be viewed separately – just as quarks cannot be viewed separately from each other.

• The Holy Spirit binds the attributes of God the Father and God the Son together to be shared with us.

• Just as gluons create the strong force, the Holy Spirit creates a strong force between the members of the Trinity so they can never be separated.

• Once we are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ep 1:13), this strong force binds us to God so we also cannot be separated from Him.

• If we can believe in how an atom is composed and operates, then we can believe in a Triune God and what He tells us of Himself.

We had stated that science points to the truth (it cannot be equivalent to truth) and that God is truth. God’s word [2nd person of Trinity] became flesh [Jesus Christ] (Jn 1:1). Jesus Christ stated, “I [2nd person of Trinity] and the Father [1st person of Trinity] are one” (Jn 10:30) and “Whoever has seen me [2nd person of Trinity] has seen the Father [1st person of Trinity]” (Jn 14:9).

We can change around the first sentence of the previous paragraph. God is equivalent to Truth and Truth is equivalent to Science. Although Science cannot be equivalent to Truth unless the Truth is known. Since God is Truth, then what ever God reveals will be true Science.

When science reveals truth, it reveals God just as God’s word reveals God. Therefore, true Science will always jive with God’s word. Because, as we have seen Science reveals the fingerprint of God.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

What does God’s fingerprint look like? The names of God help us to understand God’s character, but not God’s basic essence. So, what is God’s basic essence? Hashilush Hakadosh – Holy Trinity

Why is this important? It’s the foundation of who God is. It’s how he is unique. It’s how he is able to do what he does. It’s how he relates to us. This is why Lucifer became Satan, the Adversary, because he claimed to be as God. But God is holy – unique – no one can be like him.

So, there it is, his fingerprint, his uniqueness. Who else can claim to be Three-in-One? One part of holiness is being pure and righteous. Yet, the other meaning is that of uniqueness – being like none other. This certainly puts him into a category all by himself. God, the 1st part of the Trinity, became known as God the Father, the 2nd part of the Trinity became God the Son because he came to earth as a child to identify with mankind and pay the ransom for their sin, and the 3rd part of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit. They each have a job to do yet cannot be fully separated from each other.

So, does the Bible really support such a uniqueness to God? It is not explicitly stated. Why? I think because it is his essence, his fingerprint. You don’t have to state a certain fingerprint is yours, do you? It identifies you as you. You don’t have to claim it, it claims you.

In Genesis 1:1-2, it states that God (i.e., Elohim, a plural noun and a unique form in Hebrew) created (i.e., bara, a singular verb, utilizing the qal stem of Hebrew grammar and this form of the word is used exclusively for the activity of God in which he fashions something new and pristine). Then, in verse 2, the Spirit of God is mentioned. In addition, we find the words “us” and “our” in verse 26. These verses support the idea of God being Trinity.

If this was the only place in scripture which supported this, then we could debate, but there are others. In Exodus, we also find the Trinity of God revealed to Israel. “And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death’” (Ex 19:10-12). Here we see the justice of God being revealed.

“On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him (Ex 19:16-19). Here, we see the 1st Person of the Trinity being revealed to Israel.

We then find something very unusual. “Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something, like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank” (Ex 24:9-11). Here, we see the love of God being revealed, and we meet the 2nd Person of the Trinity.

In an account in Numbers, we find more. “The LORD said to Moses: ‘Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone’” (Nu 11:16-17). Here, we see the omnipresence of God is revealed by the 3rd Person of the Trinity.

Then, in the New Testament, we see a culmination of all the components of the Trinity. “At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’” (Mk 1:9-11). This is 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Person of the Trinity working in concert.

Therefore, God can have pure justice and pure love co-exist together. They could exist no other way. Yet, that doesn’t mean God the Father is all justice and God the Son is all love. They are the same, yet different. The Bible tells us that one day God the Son, who has bestowed upon us the love of God, will one day bestow God’s justice to everyone who has not accepted him as their Savior. For those who have accepted him as their Savior, their ransom has been paid so God’s justice will not impact them.

How do we grasp the concept of Trinity? Why do we try to ignore the concept of Trinity? Why do we try to make it out as something impossible? Is there anything in nature that supports such a concept? The Answer is YES. God’s fingerprint is found is the very essence of matter itself. Isn’t that where you would expect it to be?

We’ll further explore this aspect next time, but don’t wait. God is unique so you can rely upon him. It’s hard to believe someone ordinary can so the impossible, but someone unique, like no other . . . now, that’s a different story. He’s waiting. Just talk to him.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens