Timothy Nathaneal, a doulos of Jesus the Christ by the will of God, to the Saints and faithful in Christ who are outside or behind the wall: Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah! I pray that out Lord Jesus will bless you and your family during this time of year. I also ask you, as the New Year is approaching, to spend some time one on one with the Holy Spirit, asking for clear guidelines for His path for you.
I have spent some time looking back in past Phish Bowls and I want to share with you the joy I have in our King; how blessed I am to have Him living inside me as I do this time. In an attempt to be transparent and to never put on a mask, I come across as being down at times and that is the truth. I also need to show you how blessed I am by our King. How much joy I have seeing Him working on and in me. He is taking me to a personal and real relationship, pouring out His love on me. I am blessed to serve Him and His people. I know that He has a plan for my life.
The other day, I read a quote from Billy Graham on his 92nd birthday. It sent me into deep thought. While I know he was talking about old age catching up to him; I could not help but apply this to “living” in prison. “As I said, I can’t do everything I once did, and I admit it frustrates me sometimes, but God knows our limitations, and the key is to be faithful in doing what we can do. We can still pray, and we can still encourage others to live for Christ. We also should make it one goal to be more like Christ. Ruth used to say that the devil loves a grumpy old Christian –and I don’t ever want to be like that!” [BGEA-2010]
Well, Mr. Graham, neither do I! I have so much to be grateful for; every day I have the chance to reach one more future saint with the love of our Lord. Most of all, I belong to Jesus, to the family of God, with a loving Father. Going to prison would make you think it was the end of life. “Game over”. “Lock the door and throw away the keys; bitterness”. No, no Saints. It has just started! It’s no easy path. I have the Holy Spirit who walks with me. I truly believe in His right timing. I am able to help others because of my past. My fall is what God wants to use to free others from the power of sin. I have to be transparent, but at the same time I show you the pain. I need to share with you the Victory over this world which I have with a loving King. Prison has set me free. I am no longer trapped by the past and Jesus is daily working out the habit of sin in my life. I’m thankful that so little people will ever know the pain of losing their children. I miss my kids so much and our Father in Heaven knows this. Without coming to prison, I would have never been set free. I would have never become the man of God He always wanted me to be. Through my sin, God has chosen a path for my life. I will do the will of my King.
Let’s get back to Acts. This week I was asked about why I teach the way I do. I don’t want to come out with a personal agenda. I don’t want to convert you to a religious system. How and where God wishes you to worship Him; will be directed by Him. He led me to “Calvary Chapel”, but I don’t promote “Calvary Chapels” per se. I promote a personal relationship with out Lord. I know He will place you in service where He wishes you to be. As my Pastor taught me, the best way to get out of the way of God when teaching, is to teach His word. By doing this, His teaching is center and I find it very hard to add my personal agendas. Romans 10:17 tells us: “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. So, I think P.B.M. will continue to teach God’s word line by line!
Study of Acts 1:6-11
Last month we learned that Acts is part two of a two volume set called “Luke-Acts”. We covered Acts 1:1-5. Luke ends this thought with Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit which triggered some concern among the disciples about the establishment of the Kingdom. Connecting the coming of the Spirit and the coming of the Kingdom was consistent with Old Testament thought. Now we don’t see Jesus correcting His disciples’ views concerning the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel. Instead, He corrects their view of the timing of events which He covers in a three point teaching.
First: Only God knows the timing of events.
Second: Soon they will receive the fulfillment of the New Covenant promise of the Holy Spirit.
Three: The Spirit will empower them to serve as witnesses of Christ throughout the world.
“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel”? [Acts 1:6] The Apostles’ question is commonly assumed to reflect some of the fanatical zealot tendencies of the time, or, at the very least, a political rather than spiritual concept. Their question was a legitimate question, even a natural one at that. Keep in mind that these men were brought up and schooled in the Old Testament. They understood that the Messiah is the One who was going to set up His kingdom on earth and to bring Israel’s physical liberation from the yoke of Roman occupation.
“And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority’”. [Acts 1:7] When the Apostles asked Jesus whether He would restore the kingdom “at this time”, His answer was that this was not the subject for discussion at that time. There are a great number of inmates that ask me, “Don’t you think the Lord will be coming soon?” I do believe He is coming back soon! However, I don’t have any authority to tell you that He is coming soon, because I don’t know. Our Lord said it is not for us to know the times or seasons. What is our business today? Keep in mind again that the Lord did not rebuke them. Instead, He showed that He had something else in mind. There is something else for us to do. Here is your commission:
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” [Acts 1:8] Instead of being concerned about the date of Christ’s return, our job is to carry His message throughout the world. Note: Believers will receive the Holy Spirit, which is a promise along with the wording “you shall” which is a command to us to be witnesses of Him regardless of the consequences or situation. Church tradition tells us that all but one of the eleven apostles who heard this promise became martyrs, John having died in exile. “In Jerusalem”, applies to our family; “all Judea” is equivalent to our hometown or community; “Samaria” represents the other side of the tracks, the people we don’t associate with and “the end of the earth”, in a first century Jewish manner of speaking, could be a reference to Rome. Luke does draw the Book of Acts to a conclusion with Paul reaching Rome which was the center, the capitol city. The empire extended far to the North, as far as the province of Britannia which today is England and to the West, now Spain. We know that Paul planned to preach in Spain (see Romans 15:24). Jesus here echoes Isaiah 49:6, “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth”.
“Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight”. [Acts 1:9] The ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is an important and significant miracle in the earthly ministry of our Lord. This cloud that received Him, what kind of cloud was it? Was it a fluffy white cloud or was it a rain cloud? No, this was no earthly cloud; it was the same Shekinah glory cloud that filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34). The same cloud that enveloped Jesus and the other two figures with Him when He was transfigured in the presence of His three disciples. (Luke 9:34-36).
“And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel”. [Acts 1:10] These two men are actually angels. These messengers could manifest their appearance in dazzling white as the two did at the tomb: “Suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them” (Luke 24:4). The fact that there are two is important for establishing their credibility as witnesses in a Jewish context. The Torah stipulates that “a matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”. (Deuteronomy 19:15)
“Who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’”. [Acts 1:11] The angels assured the disciples that not only will Jesus return, but that it will be in the same way. Jesus taught: “At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory”. (Mark 13:26) It is the glorified Jesus who went up into heaven. This same Jesus, the glorified Jesus, will return in like manner and to the same place. Zechariah 14:4 tells us: “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives…” He left the earth from that place and He will return to that place.
I hope that you are learning something new each month. I’m not setting out to teach you everything. I hope to give you something to chew on. “Feed with a spoon, not a bulldozer”. And I pray that Phish Bowl teachings will lead you to open your Bible and study His word.
Next month: Acts 1:12-26. Go ahead…sneak a peek!
Updates: I’m sitting here thinking of what to share. As I looked back at P.B. newsletter, it seems like I talk about the same stuff; well, here it is, life is good! Jesus lives! I have only 30 minutes to finish this, get it in the mail and be at the chapel by 6:30 to set up for tonight’s bible study. So, I love you all. The small poster is a gift from the Phish Bowl family to say thank you all for your support and prayers.
I have spent some time looking back in past Phish Bowls and I want to share with you the joy I have in our King; how blessed I am to have Him living inside me as I do this time. In an attempt to be transparent and to never put on a mask, I come across as being down at times and that is the truth. I also need to show you how blessed I am by our King. How much joy I have seeing Him working on and in me. He is taking me to a personal and real relationship, pouring out His love on me. I am blessed to serve Him and His people. I know that He has a plan for my life.
The other day, I read a quote from Billy Graham on his 92nd birthday. It sent me into deep thought. While I know he was talking about old age catching up to him; I could not help but apply this to “living” in prison. “As I said, I can’t do everything I once did, and I admit it frustrates me sometimes, but God knows our limitations, and the key is to be faithful in doing what we can do. We can still pray, and we can still encourage others to live for Christ. We also should make it one goal to be more like Christ. Ruth used to say that the devil loves a grumpy old Christian –and I don’t ever want to be like that!” [BGEA-2010]
Well, Mr. Graham, neither do I! I have so much to be grateful for; every day I have the chance to reach one more future saint with the love of our Lord. Most of all, I belong to Jesus, to the family of God, with a loving Father. Going to prison would make you think it was the end of life. “Game over”. “Lock the door and throw away the keys; bitterness”. No, no Saints. It has just started! It’s no easy path. I have the Holy Spirit who walks with me. I truly believe in His right timing. I am able to help others because of my past. My fall is what God wants to use to free others from the power of sin. I have to be transparent, but at the same time I show you the pain. I need to share with you the Victory over this world which I have with a loving King. Prison has set me free. I am no longer trapped by the past and Jesus is daily working out the habit of sin in my life. I’m thankful that so little people will ever know the pain of losing their children. I miss my kids so much and our Father in Heaven knows this. Without coming to prison, I would have never been set free. I would have never become the man of God He always wanted me to be. Through my sin, God has chosen a path for my life. I will do the will of my King.
Let’s get back to Acts. This week I was asked about why I teach the way I do. I don’t want to come out with a personal agenda. I don’t want to convert you to a religious system. How and where God wishes you to worship Him; will be directed by Him. He led me to “Calvary Chapel”, but I don’t promote “Calvary Chapels” per se. I promote a personal relationship with out Lord. I know He will place you in service where He wishes you to be. As my Pastor taught me, the best way to get out of the way of God when teaching, is to teach His word. By doing this, His teaching is center and I find it very hard to add my personal agendas. Romans 10:17 tells us: “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. So, I think P.B.M. will continue to teach God’s word line by line!
Study of Acts 1:6-11
Last month we learned that Acts is part two of a two volume set called “Luke-Acts”. We covered Acts 1:1-5. Luke ends this thought with Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit which triggered some concern among the disciples about the establishment of the Kingdom. Connecting the coming of the Spirit and the coming of the Kingdom was consistent with Old Testament thought. Now we don’t see Jesus correcting His disciples’ views concerning the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel. Instead, He corrects their view of the timing of events which He covers in a three point teaching.
First: Only God knows the timing of events.
Second: Soon they will receive the fulfillment of the New Covenant promise of the Holy Spirit.
Three: The Spirit will empower them to serve as witnesses of Christ throughout the world.
“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel”? [Acts 1:6] The Apostles’ question is commonly assumed to reflect some of the fanatical zealot tendencies of the time, or, at the very least, a political rather than spiritual concept. Their question was a legitimate question, even a natural one at that. Keep in mind that these men were brought up and schooled in the Old Testament. They understood that the Messiah is the One who was going to set up His kingdom on earth and to bring Israel’s physical liberation from the yoke of Roman occupation.
“And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority’”. [Acts 1:7] When the Apostles asked Jesus whether He would restore the kingdom “at this time”, His answer was that this was not the subject for discussion at that time. There are a great number of inmates that ask me, “Don’t you think the Lord will be coming soon?” I do believe He is coming back soon! However, I don’t have any authority to tell you that He is coming soon, because I don’t know. Our Lord said it is not for us to know the times or seasons. What is our business today? Keep in mind again that the Lord did not rebuke them. Instead, He showed that He had something else in mind. There is something else for us to do. Here is your commission:
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” [Acts 1:8] Instead of being concerned about the date of Christ’s return, our job is to carry His message throughout the world. Note: Believers will receive the Holy Spirit, which is a promise along with the wording “you shall” which is a command to us to be witnesses of Him regardless of the consequences or situation. Church tradition tells us that all but one of the eleven apostles who heard this promise became martyrs, John having died in exile. “In Jerusalem”, applies to our family; “all Judea” is equivalent to our hometown or community; “Samaria” represents the other side of the tracks, the people we don’t associate with and “the end of the earth”, in a first century Jewish manner of speaking, could be a reference to Rome. Luke does draw the Book of Acts to a conclusion with Paul reaching Rome which was the center, the capitol city. The empire extended far to the North, as far as the province of Britannia which today is England and to the West, now Spain. We know that Paul planned to preach in Spain (see Romans 15:24). Jesus here echoes Isaiah 49:6, “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth”.
“Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight”. [Acts 1:9] The ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is an important and significant miracle in the earthly ministry of our Lord. This cloud that received Him, what kind of cloud was it? Was it a fluffy white cloud or was it a rain cloud? No, this was no earthly cloud; it was the same Shekinah glory cloud that filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34). The same cloud that enveloped Jesus and the other two figures with Him when He was transfigured in the presence of His three disciples. (Luke 9:34-36).
“And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel”. [Acts 1:10] These two men are actually angels. These messengers could manifest their appearance in dazzling white as the two did at the tomb: “Suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them” (Luke 24:4). The fact that there are two is important for establishing their credibility as witnesses in a Jewish context. The Torah stipulates that “a matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”. (Deuteronomy 19:15)
“Who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’”. [Acts 1:11] The angels assured the disciples that not only will Jesus return, but that it will be in the same way. Jesus taught: “At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory”. (Mark 13:26) It is the glorified Jesus who went up into heaven. This same Jesus, the glorified Jesus, will return in like manner and to the same place. Zechariah 14:4 tells us: “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives…” He left the earth from that place and He will return to that place.
I hope that you are learning something new each month. I’m not setting out to teach you everything. I hope to give you something to chew on. “Feed with a spoon, not a bulldozer”. And I pray that Phish Bowl teachings will lead you to open your Bible and study His word.
Next month: Acts 1:12-26. Go ahead…sneak a peek!
Updates: I’m sitting here thinking of what to share. As I looked back at P.B. newsletter, it seems like I talk about the same stuff; well, here it is, life is good! Jesus lives! I have only 30 minutes to finish this, get it in the mail and be at the chapel by 6:30 to set up for tonight’s bible study. So, I love you all. The small poster is a gift from the Phish Bowl family to say thank you all for your support and prayers.
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