TIME AND CHANCE

I want you to know how you can have “time and chance” happen to you—where you find yourself blessed because you’re at the right place at the right time. Let me show you what the original Hebrew language reveals about how this can be your reality.

The Hebrew word for “time” is the word eth, meaning time or season. The Hebrew words for “chance happen” are pega qarah. Together with eth, they present a picture not of random occurrences, but “right happenings” that are dependent on the Lord’s orchestration.

It’s unfortunate that the word “chance” is used in the English translation. When you read “time and chance happen to them all,” it gives the impression of random happenings, occurrences that happen as if by “luck.”

But if you study the root of the word pega in the Scriptures, you’ll see it is from the word paga, which actually means to make intercession or pray. Let me introduce to you at this point a principle of Bible interpretation called the law of first mention. When you are studying a word, look at the first time it appears in the Bible. There is a lot of spiritual truth and significance in the first occurrence of the word in the Bible.

Applying this principle to the word paga, we see in the Bible that the first time it is used is in Genesis 23:8 (NIV), where it means “intercede.” The same word is also used in Isaiah 53:12 where it says the Lord “made intercession for the transgressors”.

The other Hebrew word, qarah, is often used in other parts of the Bible to explain God-ordained happenings. So “chance happen” should more accurately be translated as “prayed opportunities” or “prayed happenings.”

When you have eth and pega qarah combined here, it speaks of right-time, right-place happenings, or of being at the right place at the right time, doing the right thing as a result of prayer.

What an amazing blessing to possess, which is simply triggered by coming to our loving Father in heaven and expressing our dependence on His protection over us and our families. I want this blessing activated every day, don’t you?

 

THE END IS NEAR

This passage in Zechariah 11 is one of the most poignant sections in Scripture. It describes two shepherds - Jesus as the true Shepherd of Israel Who was betrayed for the price of a slave (30 pieces of silver) - and here in this verse, we read about the coming worthless shepherd who abandons the flock of God and justly deserves condemnation.

Israel rejected the good and gracious Shepherd Who was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel at His First Coming. He was despised and rejected by many. He was a Man of deep sorrow Who was acquainted with grief. His name is Jesus, and He came to His own, created world in His Father's name and was not accepted by His own people... and yet there is coming a false and idle shepherd who will come in another name, pretending that he is the Messiah, and he will be accepted - how tragic.

This is a prophecy which was partially fulfilled at Christ's First Coming when the true Shepherd of Israel was rejected and crucified. However, the worthless and idle shepherd who is the subject of this verse, is yet future. He is the one who will be revealed during the fast-approaching, 'Time of Jacob's Trouble' the 70th week of Daniel which is often identified as the great, seven-year Tribulation period.

He will deceive the people of Israel with lies and trickery, for he will abandon them and rob them. He will abuse them and slay them - but his treachery will finally be exposed.

Zechariah gives a description of this worthless shepherd. We read that, "a sword will be on his arm - and on his right eye! Also, his arm will be totally withered." Although it is more than likely that his physical appearance will mirror this description and he will have a wounded right eye and a crippled arm, the Bible often uses the word 'arm' to identify strength - or the lack of strength and Scripture often uses the word 'eye' to designate intelligence - or the lack of it.

In Revelation, we discover the identity of this worthless shepherd in the, yet future, Tribulation period. This shepherd is none other than the Antichrist. How sad that Israel rejected their true Shepherd, but will accept this worthless, counterfeit fellow. However, God is faithful to His people and we read that the strength of this idol shepherd will be terminated. His intellect will be found wanting and he will be destroyed by the glory of Christ's coming. On that day, God will graciously deliver His people, Israel - and will wipe away all tears from their eyes.

We as the Body of Christ, that is the Church, will not be on earth when the Antichrist is revealed. As Paul explains in 2 Thessalonians, the lawless one (the Antichrist) will be revealed after the Restrainer (the Holy Spirit) is taken out of the way. The Holy Spirit is working out His role as Restrainer through the Church, as He resides in us. This role of Holy Spirit as Restrainer, will come to an end at the Rapture of the Church when He is taken out of the way. He will still be working throughout the Tribulation, convicting people of their need of a Savior, but He will not be restraining as before, "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming."

How wonderful that God has told us the end from the beginning. How wonderful that Israel will be saved at Christ's Second Coming. And how wonderful that the Antichrist will be so easily defeated, by the breath of Jesus' mouth. Let us not fix our eyes on the Antichrist, but on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, our blessed Savior, the true and faithful Shepherd of His sheep.

PAUL PREACHED THE REAL DEAL FROM THE SOURCE

Paul always kept the believers at Thessalonica in his prayers because he was well-aware of their work of faith, their labor of love, and their patience in hope.

They had formerly been idol worshipers, but had responded to the good news of the gospel of grace and were wonderfully born again into the Body of Christ and the kingdom of God

However, there were those that questioned Paul's legitimacy and falsely accused him of improper behavior and ungodly motives. But godly character is the hallmark of a Christian, and in the second chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul outlined his character to defend himself against these accusations. He laid out the manner and means of his ministry and his motivation in sharing the gospel of God, with Jew and Gentile alike - for His apostleship was appointed of God and not of man.

He reminded them how he was the one that brought them the good news of the gospel and of the spiritual fruit that had formed in their lives, due to their salvation. He reminded them of the resistance he received from so many and of the shameful way that he had been treated at Philippi and other cities in the region.

He reminded them how he boldly taught the good news of Jesus Christ, crucified, risen, and ascended into glory... despite the intense hostility his message received and the negativity that he personally received from so many.

He reminded them how he had received the gospel which he preached to them and from Whom he had received the message... for Paul neither received it from man, nor was he taught it, but he received it through a revelation of the glorified Jesus Christ, Himself. Paul's exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit. His message had been given to him by direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul had been intercepted on the road to Damascus by the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus, and he spent time in the desert, being taught by the Spirit of Christ Himself. He was not teaching a false or deceitful message that contained error or impurity, but the truth of the glorious gospel of God - that he had received by direct revelation.

Paul had been entrusted with the gospel message of salvation and was entrusted with many mysteries that had been hidden from ages and generations. But now, as then, there are those that question his word, denounce the legitimacy of Paul's epistles, reject his teachings as an apostle of Christ - and even question his calling.

The enemy's attack on the gospel of God takes many forms and the shocking attacks on the teachings of Paul, then as now, must be resisted and rejected. Paul himself wrote, "our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God, to be entrusted with the gospel - and so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, Who examines our hearts."

WE ARE OVER-COMERS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS

Bitter suffering and significant poverty had to be endured by the persecuted believers in the church at Smyrna, but unlike His letters to the other six churches in the book of Revelation, Christ gave no rebuke to this little Christian community.

Smyrna means 'myrrh', which refers to the sweet-smelling perfume used to embalm the dead... and like their suffering Savior, these believers in Smyrna were going through some of the worst persecution that any Christian community had faced.

The Lord Jesus knew the deep distress they were facing and the shocking persecution that they were going through, and His letter must have given them much comfort and encouragement - enabling them to hold fast to their faith during this time of extreme oppression.

Christ warned that even more suffering and persecution was ahead. Some would be cast into prison and some would face death... but they were not to be fearful. Rather, they were encouraged to be faithful - even to the point of death - and were reminded that Christ, Who died and was risen, had already secured for them eternal life.

What encouragement to discover that enduring suffering and faithfulness to the point of death, would also secure for them the coveted Crown-of-Life - which the Lord has promised to all that love Him. The wonderful Crown-of-Life is not to be confused with eternal life. Eternal life is a free gift to EVERYONE who believes in Jesus for salvation... and cannot be earned or maintained by good works. However, the Crown-of-Life is an earned reward for special acts of consecrated service and perseverance under trial.

The Lord concluded His letter to the Smyrna Church with the words, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death." Jesus is the One Who has overcome. In John's gospel, He told us, "I have overcome the world." All believers should listen carefully to these words of Christ and take them to heart. We are to take courage and find peace in these words. And truly ALL who are saved by grace through faith, have overcome because of their position in Christ. 

In his first epistle, John outlines the qualifications for an over-comer, "he who overcomes the world, is he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." Indeed, the Bible teaches that ALL who believe on Christ are those that overcome... for Christ's victory over sin and death is our victory over sin and death, too. It is because He lives, that we shall live also. Because Christ died we are forgiven, and because He lives, we too will live... and therefore need not fear the second death.

No-one who believes on Christ will be hurt by the second death, not even one - because the second death is that terrible Lake of Fire into which all the unbelievers, who have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God, will one day be cast.

All believers are over-comers because of our identification with Christ. All who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ will certainly receive eternal life. However, like the saints in Smyrna, we are not only saved by grace through faith, but as believers, we are also called to live by grace through faith. We are to walk in spirit and truth and to suffer persecution and even death, for the sake of Christ - and when this is done as outlined in this epistle to the church at Smyrna, it will qualify us for an additional reward - the glorious Crown-of-Life!

May we be those that not only trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting, but continue to trust him throughout our Christian life and love Him with a holy love... prepared and willing to take up our cross and follow Him in spirit and in truth - no matter what difficulties and dangers we may face.

May we be those who are faithful to our calling and heed the words of Jesus, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the Crown-of-Life.

YOU ARE PERFECT IN GOD'S EYES - LIVE LIKE IT!

In Luke's gospel, we find the Lord giving a similar message to the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew. However, He delivers this teaching in the low-lands on the plain. Indeed, in this 'Sermon on the Plateau', Jesus is not only speaking to His disciples, but also to the disinterested multitudes and hypocritical Pharisees that only followed Him for physical healing, self-help, or destructive criticism.

Christ's discourse, is a stern message to anyone who would become His disciple, for everyone who would be Christ's disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow the Lord Jesus. Christ's message was not for false followers or for those that only followed Him for selfish motives. It was not a message for those that were simply bothered by the things of the world. Christ's message was a teaching for those who sincerely desired to know and understand the things of God.

We discover four blessings in this passage which can be received by those who are credited with righteousness. "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for great is your reward in heaven." These four blessings stand in stark contrast with the four bitter woes that are the just desserts of those that refuse to accept Christ's offer of salvation. Though believers may face poverty, hunger, weeping, and rejection, Jesus qualifies this - for the poor in spirit who recognize their need of Christ are blessed and will have a part in His kingdom. Likewise, those that hunger after the Lord, weep for their sin, and suffer for righteousness’ sake, will be blessed.

The four woes that follow are for those that want their best life now... at the expense of their eternal salvation. They may be rich in worldly goods, well-fed, famous, and popular, but if they reject Christ's offer of salvation, by grace through faith in Him... they are men most miserable for they are eternally cursed and excluded from His eternal kingdom. "Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets."

In the passage under consideration, the Lord explains that true righteousness is revealed by love - the love of Christ in-filling us and then overflowing into the lives of others, whom we may meet. Love your enemies, do good to those that hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you, we are instructed. Do not retaliate but give generously and treat others in the way that you would want to be treated yourself, were the superlative words of our Savior - which are so contrary to the ways of the world.

In this verse, Christ taught, "if anyone hits you on the cheek, offer him the other cheek as well; and if anyone takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him, but give him that as well." Retaliation, vengeance, judgement, condemnation, unkindness, and unforgivness, are too often the way of the world, but Christ taught a totally different set of standards - based on His own godly character.

Though God is a God of justice and must punish all sin, nevertheless He is a God of love and mercy, kindness and compassion, long-suffering and of great goodness, and as His children, we are instructed to display the same godly qualities and merciful attitude that He has shown to each one of us who has been saved by grace through faith in Him.

Let us never forget that mercy leads to mercy and pardon will lead to pardon, while judgement results in judgement and the one that condemns will themselves be condemned - not only in this life but in the one to come.

When Jesus instructed, "whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other cheek also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either," He did not simply say it with His lips... the Lord Jesus lived it throughout His earthly life as an example of how we should live in this crooked and perverse world - for Jesus humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death - even death on a Cross. Let us receive Christ's message with all sincerity and truth, deny self, take up our cross, and follow Him.

IS GOD ASKING YOU FOR HELP?

Israel had been called and chosen to be a light to the Gentiles and a voice to the wider world. They were to tell the nations about the great salvation of God, which is offered to all who trust His Word and live by faith in Him.

Both at the beginning and the end of their 40-year long trek through the wilderness, Israel promised, "all that the Lord has said we will do," and yet Israel, as a nation, strayed far from the Lord and became a rebellious and apostate people. This required the Lord to send holy men of God to call the nation back to Himself so that they would fulfill their covenanted promise to take the gospel to all nations.

Imagine, therefore, a prophet of Israel refusing to obey the Lord's instructions and trying to escape from the work that God had prepared for him to do! Yet this is the story of Jonah, who attempted to flee his God-appointed commission to be a light to the Gentiles in Nineveh.

In seeking to flee from God and avoid his divine call to tell forth the good news of salvation, Jonah boarded a foreign ship that was bound for Tarshish, and paid money for his passage - in order to escape from the Lord!

How funny and yet how sad that this prophet of God should desire to flee from the presence of the Lord and refused to carry out God's plans and purposes for his life

But when God has a call on a life, He will move heaven and earth to ensure that His purposes are fulfilled. Indeed, He sent a great storm which caused Jonah to be flung into the sea and face inevitable death - BUT we discover, "the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

God is sovereign over the winds and the waves. He rules over the fish of sea and has authority over all elements of His created universe. God is also omniscient, knowing the thoughts of our hearts before we put them into practice. God knew all about Jonah's rebellious plans. And God, in His grace, prepared a great fish to swallow up his fleeing prophet so that His plans and purposes would not be thwarted.

Jonah had been selected to carry out God's will... and it was by God's grace that He caused Jonah to be swallowed by a great fish and not digested as he remained for three days and three nights in its belly!! God could have carried out His gracious plans for Nineveh through a more responsive individual... but it was God's grace that permitted the reluctant Jonah to have a second chance to take the good news of salvation to the lost Gentiles in that great city of Nineveh. God, in His grace, gave Jonah a second opportunity to fulfill His plans and purposes in his life.

Some of God's servants are willing people who, like the great queen Esther, understand that they have been placed in a special position for such a time as this. Others, like Jonah, can be resistant to God's claim on their life and be unwilling to listen to His voice, heed His commands, and share the good news of the gospel of grace.

How grateful we should be, when God often uses the circumstances of life to cause us to fulfill His plans and purposes in our lives. How stupid we are when we foolishly kick against the pricks and become reluctant to do God's will. How careful we should be that our reluctance to carry out God's purpose for our lives, does not result in a missed opportunity - and a loss of blessing.

May we have ears that are open to His call and a heart that is ready to carry out His plans and purposes in our lives... for who knows what opportunities God has for each of us... if we are willing to faithfully obey the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit, in our daily lives.