There are certain things the Spirit of God makes us know just like we know our own name. Another word for this is discernment or understanding:
Colossians 1:9-10 NLT “So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.”
That’s the purpose of discernment; serving God, and knowing Him better. There are times God will give us a Spirit of discernment when we are in danger:
Proverbs 22:3 NLT “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
Matthew 12:14-15 NLT “Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. But JESUS KNEW what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them.”
Sometimes God allows us to see danger ahead. Then it’s our choice to act on what we know. If we are wise we will take precautionary measures to avoid harm. But the simpleton will go on blindly as if he/she sees nothing and must suffer the consequences. Sometimes the consequences are staggering.😳 May we not be simple. May we act properly on the knowledge God gives us in ourselves and be safe from harm.😊
Psalm 37:18-19 NLT “Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. [19] They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.”
The Lord takes care of the innocent or the upright. Joseph comes to mind when I think of Psalm 37:18-19. Joseph was an upright man yet he spent years in prison for a crime he did not commit. “But wait, I thought the Lord takes care of the innocent?” some might ask. And the answer is, “Yes He does.” That doesn’t mean the righteous won’t experience evil or afflictions. Psalm 37:19 says, “They will not be disgraced in hard times,” Not, “They will never go through hard times.”🤔
While in prison for a crime he was falsely accused of Joseph held on to his integrity. He never blamed God for his troubles and remained steadfast worshiping the Lord. But this wasn’t the only tough time in Joseph’s life. When he was a young boy he was sold into slavery by his brothers!😳 That’s right, Joseph’s own brothers were so jealous of him and his close relationship with their father they decided to get rid of him (so they thought). (Genesis Chapter 37) Betrayed by his own brothers, and now in prison for a crime he did not commit Joseph could have easily given up on life and God. But he didn’t. He worshipped God even more! WHAT A MAN!😊
God was with Joseph while he was incarcerated and took care of him. He even saw to it that Joseph was put in charge of the whole prison and made everything Joseph did prosper. (Genesis 39:21-23) Later God took Joseph out of prison and on the same day made him the 2nd most powerful ruler in the world!😳 (Genesis chapter 41) And who says God doesn’t take care of the innocent who are faithful to Him?😊
LET’S BE LIKE JOSEPH😊
How do we respond when we are treated unfairly and accused of evil things we did not do? Like Joseph we can learn to respond favorably by remaining steadfast knowing our Father sees everything that’s going on. We can trust that God has us in the palm of his hands and will vindicate us at the right time just like he did for Joseph. We may not become the 2nd most powerful ruler in the world like Joseph did but we have an inheritance that lasts forever!😊 We are coheirs with Christ in the eternal Kingdom of God!😊 (Romans 8:17)
Daniel 7:18,22,27 KJV “But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. [22] Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. [27] And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”
May we remain steadfast, loyal to God like Joseph when we are afflicted by evil and are innocent:
1 Peter 2:19-20 NIV “For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. [20] But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”
And may we draw comfort from Jesus’ words below realizing what this all means: you have an eternal kingdom!😃
Matthew 5:10-12 NLT “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS THEIRS. [11] “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. [12] Be happy about it! BE VERY GLAD! For A GREAT REWARD AWAITS YOU IN HEAVEN. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”
Matthew 18:10 KJV “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven THEIR ANGELS do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”
Little children have their own personal messengers; that’s right, they’re called angels.😊 And they always see the face of God. So why would anyone want to harm a little child? People who hurt children are in big trouble:😠
Luke 17:2 NLT “It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.”
If causing a child to sin is this serious imagine the penalty for forcing them to commit heinous acts against their will? God will bring fiery judgment on pedophiles who do not repent!🔥
Matthew 10:42 NKJV “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
Genesis 1:7-8 KJV “And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. [8] And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”
God created waters on earth and waters above the earth, above heaven. This is not a subject often discussed (waters above heaven). I remember learning this as a child. I was also told that God emptied all the waters above heaven during the flood in Noah’s day hence there aren’t anymore waters above heaven. But is that what the Bible says?🤔 No. Listen to what David wrote under inspiration of the Holy Spirit many years after the flood in Noah’s day:
Psalm 148:4 KJV “Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.”
The Bible says there were still waters above the heavens after the flood in Noah’s day. What’s also interesting is in this passage the word heaven is plural. That means there is more than one heaven and there are waters above them.🤔 Listen to what Wisdom says about the waters above the heavens:
Proverbs 8:27-28 KJV “When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: [28] When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep.”
According to God’s word the waters above the heavens are deep. But how many heavens are there that we know of? From reading the scriptures I’ve learned there are at least 3 heavens. Listen to what the Holy Spirit inspired Apostle Paul to write:
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 NKJV “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the THIRD HEAVEN. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into PARADISE and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
Wow! Paul speaks about being caught up to the THIRD HEAVEN and called it, “PARADISE.”😊This is why I said there are at least 3 heavens. Whether the waters above the heavens are above the first and second heavens separating them from paradise (the third heaven) I cannot say. But I do know that there are waters above the heavens and they are deep waters as the Bible says.
THE FIRMAMENT IS THE FIRST HEAVEN
Genesis 1:7-8 KJV “And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. [8] And GOD CALLED THE FIRMAMENT HEAVEN. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”
God called the firmament heaven (singular), not heavens (plural). As we’ve seen there is a third heaven which is paradise, which means there is a first and a second heaven. Want to know what is inside of the firmament (the first or lower heaven)?
Genesis 1:14-17 KJV “And God said, Let there be LIGHTS IN THE FIRMAMENT of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: [15] And let them be for LIGHTS IN THE FIRMAMENT OF THE HEAVEN to give light upon the earth: and it was so. [16] And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. [17] And GOD SET THEM IN THE FIRMAMENT OF THE HEAVEN to give light upon the earth.”
Yes, God created the sun, “the greater light to rule the day,” and the moon, “the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. “And GOD SET THEM IN THE FIRMAMENT OF THE HEAVEN,” not above heaven in outer space. The sun, moon, and stars are in the lower heaven, the first heaven (the firmament). We were taught the sun, moon, and stars are in outer space above heaven. But that’s not what the Bible says. They’re in the firmament the first lower heaven enclosed below the waters which are above the heavens. That explains why some days you see clouds in front of and behind the sun. Clouds are in our atmosphere, in heaven. If the sun was 93 million miles away in outer space like we were taught there would be no clouds behind the sun.🤔 God’s great lights (sun moon and stars) are right above us inside the firmament of the heaven as God’s word says.😊
Like The Bereans 