Verse of the Day - 1 Timothy 3:16

"Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory." 1 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
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There are many mysteries in this world, many of which have been revealed to us by God, and many that are still unknown. Scientists have uncovered the mysteries of many things since time began, but there are still things we just can't quite grasp. I watched a TV program recently about black holes, and some of Einstein's theories related to it. All I can say is that it blew my mind! How can Einstein's math help us travel through the universe via black holes? You got me, but that's what they were discussing. Talk about a mystery...!

Several years ago, a friend of mine shared with me that God used 1 Timothy 3:16 to open her eyes to the truth of Jesus Christ when she was in young adulthood. And, at that time, I couldn't remember ever having read that passage..."the mystery of godliness" being a new phrase to me. But it definitely had a significant impact on her. Whenever I hear that phrase, I think of her and how God changed her life. Praise God!

It is a great mystery how God could and would become a man. This mystery is a great stumbling block for a lot of people. Many religions in this world just can't reconcile this mystery and create heretical side roads around it. Jesus -- a good man, yes...a great teacher, absolutely...but God? No, they say.

The mystery of the resurrection is another piece of this stumbling block. It proves that Jesus is God, since no one rises from the dead and stays alive. (Jesus did raise some people back to life, but they later died again [resuscitated and/or restored vs. resurrected]). He spent a fair amount of time with hundreds of people after the resurrection, and ascended into heaven before the eyes of many. When people can't acknowledge Jesus' divine nature, they must sidestep the resurrection.

"The teaching about the cross is foolishness to those who are being lost, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. It is written in the Scriptures: "I will cause the wise to lose their wisdom; I will make the wise unable to understand." — Isaiah 29:14

Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where is the skilled talker of this world? God has made the wisdom of the world foolish. In the wisdom of God the world did not know God through its own wisdom. So God chose to use the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe. The Jews ask for miracles, and the Greeks want wisdom. But we preach a crucified Christ. This causes the Jews to stumble and is foolishness to non-Jews. But Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God to those people God has called—Jews and Greeks." ~ 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 (NCV)

God asks us to believe that which seems unbelievable, too crazy to be true...a mystery. It forces us to fall on Him, trusting Him, regardless of what our eyes can see or what our minds can grasp...to trust His word and His character...it's called faith.

One day, those who have faith in Jesus will sit at His feet, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, and the source of all mysteries--He Himself being the greatest mystery of all.



Love,
Joelene