The Supernatural Part II

The Ancient Book of Secrets & Miracles

Meesha was having a disastrous day. His Army faced destruction.  He rallied 700 armed men to create an escape route, but his attempt failed. Desperate, he resorted to a pagan ritual in the tradition of ancient “holy” war.

King Meesha sacrificed his son -the heir to his throne- as a burnt offering to his god Chemosh in full view of the advancing Israelite Army.  Trauma seized upon Israel after observing this despicable act. The powerful Israelite Army withdrew from the battle that day and returned home. 

The Bible does not clearly explain why Israel withdrew. (2 Kings 3:27) http://cojs.org/why_king_mesha_of_moab_sacrificed_his_oldest_son-_baruch_margalit-_bar_12-06-_nov-dec_1986/

Revelation from God almost always increases in crisis times. GET READY!

He was a priest and a survivor of a prolonged siege that ended in a humiliating defeat for Israel. He and thousands of others were driven hundreds of miles into captivity by the Babylonian Army. There in a strange land, the heavens opened, and he began receiving visions from God. (Ezekiel 1:1-3)

In one striking vision, an angel appeared to him, took him by a lock of his hair, lifted him between heaven and earth, and proceeded to give him a vision of Jerusalem. Ezekiel saw wickedness throughout the city, and worse, 25 men worshipping the sun in the Temple of God. (Ezekiel 8:1-17)

As the vision concluded, Ezekiel saw God’s glory depart the Temple. Hence, the Babylonian Army returned and destroyed Jerusalem -in real life- and burned God’s Temple to the ground.

Our entertainment is saturated with supernatural themes and references.

I thought about the stories of King Meesha and Ezekiel as I was walking through the aisles at Walmart. I wondered how I could connect these two strange and mysterious stories?  I figured readers would think I’d gone crazy.

Then I came to one of the bins at Walmart filled with all of these $5 movie DVDs. Many of the DVD covers had images that were far beyond strange and mysterious.

Then I was reminded of a recent email exchange with a former student. She thanked me for what she learned in my classes and said that I was still speaking into her life through this blog, etc.

She went on to say, “I have to admit that when I first met you, I thought you were crazy.” Her observation presents an excellent opportunity for the people who know me to say AMEN!

I taught Old Testament Survey courses between 2006 and 2020. I began these classes with the following statement: “This is the best class you will ever take at this College.”

I continued, “You may think the Old Testament (OT) is boring, but I am going to show you that the OT is raw, real, and relevant. The OT is electric and pregnant with meaning.”

In the first session, the students learned that in Genesis alone, they’d encounter:

Murder by Cain (4:8; 34:25-26); Sexual intercourse between angels and humans (6:4); God’s destruction of nearly every living thing (7:23); Noah’s drunken nakedness (9:20-21); Violent homosexuality on the part of the Sodomites (19:5-6); Rebekah and Jacob’s trickery, (27:5-3); Rachel’s use of aphrodisiacs (30:15,22).

The rape of Dinah (34:2); Reuben’s incest with Bilhah (35:21) Tamar’s prostitution (38:15); Envy between  Rachel and Leah (30:1-13); Rachel’s lie about her menstrual cycle (31:34-35); Mass murder by Simeon and Levi (34:25-26); Onan spilling his semen on the ground and subsequent death (38:9-10); Slave trading involving Joseph (37:26-28).

I’d wrap things up and tell them that the primary theme of Genesis is not Creation but the beginnings of God’s plan of redemption through one man’s family: Abraham.

I always had motivated students after the first session. They realized that they’d begun a 15-week Biblical odyssey discovering truth they never knew before. 

Let me ask you a question. Did you know about King Meesha’s sacrifice or Ezekiel’s vision of idolatry in Jerusalem before you read this article? Don’t allow the most fascinating and engaging stories ever written to collect dust in your home any longer.

Greatest therapy for the soul.

I wrote this article in hopes of inspiring you to read the Bible. If you already read the Bible, my prayer is that you will read it more. If you are a new reader, consider reading a Psalm or a Proverb every day and be consistent. Over time your appetite will increase.

I believe the Lord will take us on a  journey and reveal precious truth to us, but we must have a Biblical foundation to apply this truth effectively. Faith without works is dead.

You may ask, “Brother Kevin, what about the New Testament (NT)?” Well, I also taught NT Survey. I’d begin every NT Survey class with…”NT Survey is the best class you will ever take at this College.” See why that student thought I was crazy??!! God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

Understanding the Spirit World

What the Bible Teaches About the Invisible World

For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. -2 Cor 4:18

I was watching a video biography of gospel singer BB Winans the other day. He said when he was 33 years old, he was three sizes too big, so he went to a gym, got on a treadmill, and was exhausted after two minutes.

BB Winans

Winans said it didn’t happen overnight, but he dropped the excess weight. BB is 59 now, and he works out daily. He said something profound: “If you really want therapy start exercising.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIKOkVXe_eI

Therapy: treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder.

I subscribe to BB’s philosophy on exercise, which is why I went to the pool the other day to relieve the disorder of heaviness and discouragement. I was in a fog, but I’ve learned when heaviness hits, get up and move! Don’t allow yourself to become a stationary target.

The last thing I wanted to do was jump into that cold water, but I did it, and that’s when it happened.

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Image

Like a flash, I realized that I had left one dimension and entered another. I had the sense that this transition was like leaving the natural world and entering the realm of the spirit.

It takes just under three minutes to transition from earth to outer space, but you can move between the natural and spiritual realms at the speed of thought. The only distance is your ability to perceive the spiritual world.

Let’s take a leap beyond my pool experience to the waters surrounding the globe. Scientists estimate that 91 percent of ocean species have yet to be classified and that more than eighty percent of our ocean is unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored.*

Let that sink in for a moment. No one doubts the existence of countless maritime species below sea level. If you are interested in exploring the expanse of space, check out a few minutes of a YouTube video by Louie Giglio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atUGBua2AzE

Now, let’s cut to the chase. The Bible speaks clearly to the existence of spiritual beings in a dimension beyond our five senses-the spirit world.

I don’t even know where to begin. God had conversations with satan in the presence of the sons of God. (Job 1 &2) All the host of heaven was present when the Lord allowed a lying spirit to mislead King Ahab. (1 Kings 22:19-23) The writer of Hebrews talked about the city of the living God where thousands upon thousands of angels dwell. (Hebrews 12:22)

The Apostle Paul reveals a hierarchy of spiritual wickedness led by satan in Ephesians 6:10-12. Much of what drives our need for therapy is a by-product of the activity of the “rulers of darkness of this world.”

The great war for the souls of men takes place in the spirit world, and I’ve got great news: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)

Triumph of the Cross (1 Cor 2:8)

The Lord Jesus has ALL authority in heaven and earth. He crushed satan and his minions, making an open show of them. (Colossians 2:15) The Lord and His heavenly hosts have achieved OVERMATCH against the powers of darkness, and Jesus loves you whether you are a Christian or not.**

Well, so what?

The so what is that believers have the opportunity -indeed the call- to access and exercise God’s power from the unseen realm to accomplish His purposes on earth. Find a great illustration of this point in this familiar verse:

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

May the Lord open the eyes of our understanding to see the greatness of His power to us who believe. Our world needs believers to bring God’s power to bear in this wicked and perverse generation. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

“For through him (Jesus), God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16, NLT)

*oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceanspecies.html

**You can become a Christian. Check out the following link: https://dreamprayernetwork.com/gods-plan-of-salvation/

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