General Articles

God Is In Control :: By Dale V. Nobbman

Published on: by RR10

These current days in which we find ourselves living will become increasingly scary and seemingly out of control as we personally experience many of the ‘signs of the end times’ prophesied in the Bible. The culmination of these prophetic signs will eventually result in the ‘rapture’ of Christians from this earth, followed by the terrible seven-year tribulation period, and then the physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth to begin His thousand-year reign upon the earth during the Millennium. The Bible describes end-times signs as ‘birth pangs,’ with periodic pauses in between the signs, but which will continue to increase in frequency and intensity until the return of Jesus Christ at His Second Coming.

Despite the fearful days we may find ourselves in at the current time, and even more so in the future, you can help calm your anxieties by ‘lifting up’ your daily prayers to God and ‘laying down’ your fears, worries, and cares at the feet of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Rejoice in the fact that, as Christians, we have the power of the Holy Spirit living and working within us to help us through all the trials and tribulations we will face in this earthly life. We can rest in the fact that our great and awesome God is in control of all human events, including the time when “God gave His only begotten Son [Jesus], that whosoever will believe in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

God, you are in control
You’ve got things well in hand
You are doing all that’s best
For Your eternal plan

God, you are in control
I pray for Your Will to be done
I will put my trust in You
God, the Three-in-One

(God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit)

Once you have placed your trust in God’s divine direction for your daily Christian walk, you will find yourself praising God in ‘everything’ for the grace He provides in your life.

Praise God, Praise God!
From the bottom of my heart
No burden too great He’ll let me bear

Praise God, Praise God!
From the bottom of my heart
I know how much He really cares

Praise God first thing every morning!
Praise God all throughout each day!
Praise God for His grace and mercy!
Praise God for all His blessings today!

(All poems by Dale V. Nobbman)

Revealed in Upper Room: Holy Spirit & New Testament :: By Paul J. Scharf

Published on: by RR10

As Jesus taught His disciples in the Upper Room on the night before His death, He addressed them in light of their collective position as “the foundation” (Eph. 2:20) for the forthcoming church.

The church age would begin on a specific “day” (John 14:20), which we know would occur on Pentecost Sunday. Once this age began, these men would bear the responsibility of leading a worldwide evangelistic and teaching ministry.

But, as we have seen, this would require renewed strength and direction. Jesus combined these subjects by speaking to these men regarding “the Spirit of truth” and His purpose to “guide (them) into all truth” (John 16:13).

The Holy Spirit would have an entirely different kind of ministry during the church age, in which His relationship with the disciples would change. “He dwells with you,” Jesus said, “and will be in you” (John 14:17).

Jesus gave revelation regarding the Holy Spirit in numerous texts in this Upper Room Discourse. Consider the following passages that speak about His new role in this dispensation of the church:

  • John 14:16-18 speaks of a new, permanent relationship for believers only.
  • John 14:20, 23 explains how Christ would be “in” His disciples in the Person of the Holy Spirit.
  • John 14:26 expands on the revelatory nature of the Holy Spirit’s ministry.
  • John 15:26-27 touches on the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit, unleashing the worldwide “witness” (v. 27) of the disciples.
  • John 16:7-11 explains the relationship that the Holy Spirit would have to the world.
  • John 16:13-14 explains the relationship that the Holy Spirit would have to Scripture and to Christ Himself.

In light of Jesus’ impending departure (John 16:28), His teaching about this promised “Helper” (John 14:26; 15:26) and this expanded place of the Holy Spirit in their lives and ministries must have truly brought tremendous “peace” (John 14:27) and comfort to these beleaguered disciples.

The Holy Spirit would, in fact, work miraculously within the apostles to produce the inspired writings of the New Testament—a brand new revelation providing instruction for this new church age. Jesus gave the disciples several key points related to the way in which He would disclose this new revelation:

  • He would enable the disciples to record history—the four gospels as well as the book of Acts—based on a “remembrance” (John 14:26) of Jesus as their Divine teacher.
  • He would equip the disciples to receive and communicate a more complete revelation (John 16:12). This would include previously unrevealed truths that only then they would have the capacity to “bear” (v. 12).
  • He would authorize the disciples to write both the 21 epistles of the New Testament and also “things to come” (John 16:13)—especially the book of Revelation.

The Upper Room Discourse is certainly one of the most significant messages that we have from Jesus as recorded in the gospels, based upon both its content and its context. It is amazing that He shared it before engaging in His High Priestly Prayer of John 17—and, then, before a long and arduous night of trials and physical suffering.

Perhaps because of its setting amidst such other incredibly weighty subjects, we do not seem to give this discourse the proper attention, in my opinion. Jesus truly presented the disciples with an outline of their assignments for the coming church age. Surely, they must have looked back upon it with intense interest many times in the years that followed.

May we, likewise, return often to study the inspired recording of this most momentous sermon.
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Paul J. Scharf (M.A., M.Div., Faith Baptist Theological Seminary) is a church ministries representative for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, based in Columbus, WI, and serving in the Midwest. For more information on his ministry, visit sermonaudio.com/pscharf or foi.org/scharf, or email pscharf@foi.org.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version.