Month: March 2019

The title “son of man” is used 100 times or more in the Old Testament … 93 of those are in Ezekiel. God is basically telling Ezekiel that “I am God … and you are human.”

But in Daniel, someone is described who is “LIKE a son of man.” He looks like he is human … but he was taken to the Ancient of Days (God) and given Authority, honor, and sovereignty over all. The Ancient One is described as having white clothes and and hair like pure wool.

Jesus is described as “Son of Man” more than 50 times in the New Testament … almost every time time it is Him describing Himself.

In Daniel, someone like a son of man leaves earth and goes to Heaven to be with God.

In the New Testament, someone leaves Heaven and goes to earth to be like a son of man.

In Revelation 1:13-14 … the person like a Son of Man … is God.

I love that.

One of the hardest facts for an American Christian to wrap their head around is this: the kingdom of Jesus is a monarchy … and democracy has no place in it. Likewise, the kingdom of Satan is a monarchy … we have no say in how the system is set up or how it works. Nobody can be a Switzerland and claim neutrality. Nobody can rebel and create their own kingdom. We have two choices: Jesus or Satan. That makes many Americans uncomfortable.

I have several friends and relatives who “speak in tongues” on a regular basis. They are smart people, sane, not overly emotional, rooted in truth, not fanatical, and certainly some of the most dedicated followers of Jesus I know.

I’ve had many long and in-depth conversations with them. I truly wanted to understand what was happening, how it was happening, and why it was happening. After years of non-judging conversation (not argument – just talking) I was finally able to present a scenario explaining to them how I could view their “tongues” in a way that made sense to me, and that they also found accurate.

The Holy Spirit lives inside of me. Sometimes when I pray – the words just don’t come that adequately portray my thoughts. I know I feel a certain way, but don’t have the words to explain it to God. The joy I have cannot be expressed. Or, sometimes, I don’t know how to tell God how much love I have for Him, or how much I need Him, or how much I want His guidance. When that happens, I just remain still in my prayers – and I quietly ask the Holy Spirit to explain things that I cannot. Then – I humbly remain quiet and let the Holy Spirit intercede for me while I remain blessed in the presence of God.

My friends who “speak in tongues” have the same feelings as I do. But, instead of being quiet, they audibly make sounds. My “silence” that asks the Holy Spirit to speak on my behalf … is (for them) replaced with babbling that asks the Holy Spirit to speak on their behalf.

That probably isn’t a great explanation of every instance of speaking in tongues. But, it sure did help me understand their perception of what is happening in many cases.

The day before Jesus was nailed to a cross and died, He had dinner with His disciples. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell the story of Jesus and the Last Supper. What I think is interesting is that the gospel of John talks of the other things that happened that evening.

John wrote five chapters detailing what Jesus did and spoke to the Apostles in that upper room. So, when almost 25% of your book details one evening’s conversation … it must be pretty important.

But what Jesus did at least four times that night was this: Jesus told them that even though He was leaving, He would send someone else to them … the Holy Spirit: John 14:16; 14:26; 15:26 and 16:7.

Same topic – four times in one night – significant.

In John 20: 21-22 we read: “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

THAT, my friends, is one of the most wonderful scriptures in the Bible. You see, Jesus follows through on His promises. Every single time. And, did you know that we have a promise too?

In John 7:38-39 Jesus said, “’Whoever believes in me, as scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.”

As believers in Jesus, as His followers, we have been given a gift that nobody else in the world has: the Holy Spirit -God – actually living inside of us.