What has God made known to us?

I was looking at Eph 6:19, the greek word made known

Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should (Eph 6:18-20)

The Mystery of God's Redemptive Plan — this is by far the dominant subject, especially in Paul's letters. Ephesians alone hits it four times: the mystery of God's will (Eph 1:9), the mystery revealed by revelation (Eph 3:3), the mystery hidden from prior generations (Eph 3:5), and the mystery of the gospel (Eph 6:19). Colossians 1:27 ties it to "Christ in you, the hope of glory," and Romans 16:26 describes the mystery now disclosed to all nations.

God's Own Attributes — His power and wrath (Rom 9:22–23), the riches of His glory (Rom 9:23), His grace (2 Cor 8:1), and His manifold wisdom made known to heavenly rulers through the church (Eph 3:10).

The Father's Name and Character — Jesus declares in John 17:26 that he has made the Father's name known and will continue to do so, connecting to John 15:15 where he says he's disclosed everything from the Father to the disciples.

The Gospel itself — 1 Cor 15:1 and Gal 1:11 use gnōrizō for the gospel's content and origin (not from human beings).

Christ's power and coming — 2 Pet 1:16, explicitly distinguishing eyewitness proclamation from myth.

Mundane/practical uses — Tychicus making Paul's circumstances known (Eph 6:21, Col 4:7, 4:9), requests made known to God (Phil 4:6), and Paul saying he doesn't know which to choose (Phil 1:22).

The theological weight of the word clearly falls on divine disclosure of what was previously hidden — particularly "the mystery," a technical term in Paul for God's plan to unite Jews and Gentiles in Christ, kept secret for ages but now actively being revealed through proclamation.

Read More ->>

Be strong and courageous... be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Joshua 1:9, Eph 6:10-20)

 I was listening to the idea yesterday:  You Were Never Told to "Be Strong". The Hebrew Behind Joshua 1:9 Reveals the Real Command. 

• According to the video, the Hebrew word amatz (אמץ) means to dig in or to be steadfastly determined.
• While the word chazaq (grip) refers to holding onto something external, amatz describes an internal posture—setting one's jaw and fixing one's direction. The narrator explains that chazaq and amatz are often paired together (as in Joshua 1) to form a complete picture of biblical strength: one is the act of holding on, and the other is the inward resolution to keep going,

Today in my normal reading I came to Eph 6:10-20, so I did a word study with biblehub.com to see how well these ideas match up.

"Be Strong and Courageous" — A Study in the Original Languages

The Core Command: Ephesians 6:10

The Greek is ἐνδυναμοῦσθε (endunamouste) — a present passive imperative. That grammatical form does most of the theological work. It's not "generate strength" but "be continuously empowered." The source is outside you; you are the recipient. The command is to keep receiving, keep positioning yourself under the supply.

Paul then piles up three distinct Greek power-words: κράτει τῆς ἰσχύος (kratei tēs ischyos) — "the dominion of his inherent strength." Kratos is ruling, governing power. Ischus is raw, inherent capacity. Neither belongs to you by nature.

This is the frame for every other verse.

---

The Hebrew Foundation: Joshua 1:9

"Be strong and courageous" = חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ (chazaq we-'emats).

Chazaq (חָזַק) means to grip, to seize, to hold fast — the image is fingers tightening around something. In context it's closer to brace yourself or hold your position than a feeling of confidence. It's used of Elijah gripping the hand of Ahab, of hands being clasped. It's volitional and bodily.

'Emats (אָמַץ) carries mental resolve — obstinate determination, refusal to flinch. Isaiah 41:10 uses the same root when God says "I will strengthen you" (immatstiykha) — meaning God does to you what you are commanded to do yourself. The divine action and the human action use identical vocabulary. That's intentional.

Critically, the command precedes the reason: be strong… because the Lord your God is with you. Courage is not the precondition for God's presence; it's the appropriate response to it.

---

The Greek Power-Cluster: Ephesians 1:19-20

This is the densest power passage in the NT. Paul uses four Greek words in two verses:

• δύναμις (dunamis) — latent power, inherent ability
• ἐνέργεια (energeia) — active, working energy
• κράτος (kratos) — dominion, ruling might
• ἰσχύς (ischus) — strength as raw capacity

And he says: that same power — the resurrection power that lifted a dead man out of the grave and seated him over every cosmic authority — is the power toward (εἰς) those who believe. Not power for you as a distant resource, but power actively directed at you right now.

---

Key Themes Across the Passages

1. Weakness is the prerequisite, not the obstacle (2 Cor 12:9)
"My power is perfected in weakness" — τελεῖται (teleitai), "brought to its full expression, completed." God's dunamis reaches its telos in your acknowledged insufficiency. Strength in your own resources actually limits what he can do; weakness creates the opening.

2. Waiting as weaving (Isaiah 40:29-31)
"Wait upon the LORD" = קָוָה (qavah) — not passive sitting but a word that means to twist together, to braid, to bind into a cord. Waiting on God is an intimate intertwining, not idleness. Those who qavah don't just get rest — they get renewed strength, literally "they exchange strength" (יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ, yachalifū koach).

3. Joy as structural strength (Nehemiah 8:10)
"The joy of the LORD is your strength" — Hebrew עֹז ('oz), often translated fortress or refuge. Joy isn't an emotional bonus; it's a load-bearing wall. The context is fascinating: the people are grieving over the law they'd forgotten, and they're told this is not the day for grief — there's a holy boldness to appropriating joy as a weapon against despair.

4. The Word as the source of the young man's strength (1 John 2:14)
"You are strong… the word of God abides in you." The strength of the young men isn't their youth or zeal — it's the residing, settled presence of the Word. Abides = μένει (menei), a favorite Johannine word for permanent, relational indwelling.

5. Patience and endurance as the fruit of power (Colossians 1:11)
This one surprises most readers. Being "strengthened with all power according to his glorious might" produces… ὑπομονή (hypomonē, steadfast endurance) and μακροθυμία (makrothumia, patient long-suffering). The proof of divine strength in a person isn't dramatic displays — it's the capacity to bear weight over time without breaking.

6. Grace as the medium (2 Timothy 2:1)
"Be strong in the grace" — same endunamou as Eph 6:10. Grace isn't just forgiveness; it's the operative field in which divine empowering takes place. You're not strong by discipline alone, but by inhabiting the grace-space.

---

The Synthesis

The phrase "be strong and courageous" is not a pep talk. In both Hebrew and Greek, it's a command to reorient your source. Chazaq/emats in Hebrew and endunamoō in Greek both assume you don't have what's needed in yourself and that there is somewhere to get it.

The theological logic runs like this:

• God's power raised Christ from the dead (Eph 1:19-20)
• That same power is actively directed toward believers
• The passive voice — "be empowered" — is the appropriate posture
• Weakness, not strength, opens the channel (2 Cor 12:9)
• Joy, the Word, waiting/intertwining, and grace are the means of access
• The outcome is not invincibility but endurance — the ability to keep walking without fainting (Isaiah 40:31)

The command to be strong is, at its root, a command to trust someone else's strength rather than your own.

Read More ->>

Preach quietly and see the world change one relationship at a time

Had a wonderful time this weekend sharing the gospel with my brother and then recreation with Scott and Carolyn at their cabin with Kim. Encouraged to get into OKF and OSI for tri-bible.ai this week and my conversation with Michele to translate her study into Spanish. 

Today our church gave a report of growth in every area. Troy preach this message and I gravitated to Acts 19:9-10, Paul's two years at the hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus. Here are the core themes with cross-references to deepen each one. Great week with Troy Dobbs:  Riot | Acts 19:21-41 - Grace Church

1. Faithful, unglamorous ministry over time
Paul preached "quietly" and "daily" for two years (Acts 19:9-10). No spectacle, just steady proclamation. The fruit came from persistence, not a single dramatic event.

• 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (Paul planted, God gave the growth)
• Colossians 1:28-29 (working hard with the energy God supplies)
• 2 Timothy 4:2 (be ready in season and out)
• Galatians 6:9 (don't get tired of doing good)

2. Conversion first, then renounced sin
The order on the slide is the gospel order. People were saved, and changed living followed. Behavior change is the fruit, not the root.

• 1 Thessalonians 1:9 (turned from idols to serve the living God)
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 (anyone in Christ is a new creation)
• Titus 2:11-12 (grace teaches us to turn from godless living)
• Ephesians 2:8-10 (saved by grace, then created for good works)

3. Power of the Spirit, not human strategy
The slide credits the Spirit for the social impact. Paul's method worked because God's power was behind it.

• Romans 1:16 (the gospel is the power of God to save)
• 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (not clever words but the Spirit's power)
• Zechariah 4:6 (not by force or strength, but by my Spirit)
• Acts 1:8 (you will receive power when the Spirit comes)

4. The gospel reshaped the economy as a byproduct
Paul never targeted Artemis or the silver trade. Changed hearts changed spending, and the ripple hit the whole regional economy.

• Acts 19:18-19 (new believers burned magic books worth a fortune)
• Acts 19:23-27 (Demetrius admits the gospel is hurting their trade)
• Acts 17:6 (these men have turned the world upside down)
• 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (gospel weapons tear down strongholds)

5. Preach Jesus, not a culture war
The slide's main point. Paul aimed at the person of Christ, not at smashing idols. The idols fell because Jesus rose higher in people's hearts.

• 1 Corinthians 2:2 (I decided to know nothing except Christ crucified)
• 2 Corinthians 4:5 (we don't preach ourselves, but Jesus as Lord)
• Acts 17:16-31 (in Athens Paul reasoned and pointed to God, didn't vandalize altars)
• Colossians 2:15 (Christ disarmed the spiritual powers)

The throughline for teaching: lift Jesus high, stay faithful over the long haul, and trust the Spirit to handle the culture. 

Read More ->>

Ten Years Later, Same Promise, Bigger Field (Matthew 7:7-8)

From a localization conversation with BSF to tri-bible.ai. The promise never moved. I just kept knocking.

---

Ten years ago I sat down with BSF to talk about an architect role. My focus was data management, localization and web app distribution (moving away from print). Getting the Word into more languages, for more people who had never read it in their own. As I talked about localization and the "international" aspect of BSF it become clear this was the wrong direction at that time. In fact, during an interview I was caught in a hail storm and had to leave the early. This was the Lord's providence. 

Expectation vs Budget in God's economy - requires Character that is only developed over time. 

The verb that built it

Jesus did not say ask once and wait. The NLT catches the tense the way He meant it: keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking (Matthew 7:7-8).

• The door opens to people who stay at the door. (John 10:7,9, Psalm 23)
• That is the whole story of the last ten years. Not one big yes. A thousand small knocks.

Three witnesses, one pattern

God hands us a miracle. Then He does something bigger we never thought to ask for. And some of what He starts in us takes generations to finish.

Moses: the miracle you remember is not the biggest one. We remember the sea. But God had more. Moses never set foot in the Promised Land in his lifetime. He saw it from a mountain and died there (Deuteronomy 34:1-4). Then, centuries later, he stood on another mountain, in the land he had been kept out of, next to Jesus Himself (Matthew 17:1-3; Luke 9:30-31). The miracle he is famous for was parting water. The one he never asked for was standing with the Messiah in glory.

Nehemiah: a prayer for courage, then a wall in 52 days. Nehemiah's first miracle was small and quiet. He prayed for the nerve to ask a king one question (Nehemiah 1:11; 2:4-5). God answered. Then came the bigger one. A wall that had been rubble for over a century went back up in 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15). Less than two months. The courage to ask came first. The wall came after.

Joseph: some dreams take generations. Joseph saved a nation from famine. That is not what Hebrews 11 remembers him for. It remembers his dying words: carry my bones out of Egypt (Hebrews 11:22; Genesis 50:25). He believed a promise he would not live to see. His bones waited about 400 years, until Israel walked out and carried them home (Exodus 13:19; Joshua 24:32). God gives dreams that outlive us. That is not failure. That is faith.

The invitation

God can do infinitely more than we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

• Read the order again. He does the more. But He waits for us to ask.
• He wants us to imagine. Then He says: ask, seek, knock. And keep on.

The bottom line

Ten years ago I thought this was a localization conversation and had the idea of explaining how loaves and fishes worked.

Today I can tell you what it really was. I found treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44). And I am selling everything to buy the field.

Alleluia.

Read More ->>

Acts 19: Real Power, Real Repentance, Real Freedom

 In Acts of the Apostles 19 by Troy Dobbs, we encounter one of the most striking passages in the New Testament. It includes extraordinary miracles, demonic confrontation, public repentance, and a city transformed by the power of the gospel.

At first glance, the chapter feels dramatic and unusual. But beneath the extraordinary events lies a deeply practical message for every believer today.

Acts 19 teaches four enduring truths: spiritual darkness is real, Jesus has unmatched authority, repentance must be genuine, and Christ offers new life rather than better management of the old one.

Spiritual Darkness Is Real, But Do Not Obsess Over It

The early church had no trouble acknowledging spiritual warfare. In Ephesus, demonic activity, occult practices, and magic arts were woven into the culture. Luke records extraordinary miracles through Paul, including healings and deliverance from evil spirits.

Scripture is clear that spiritual darkness exists.

As Ephesians 6:12 reminds us:

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, authorities, and spiritual forces of evil.”

But Christians must avoid two extremes.

First, we should not ignore spiritual reality. Evil exists. Satan is real. Spiritual deception happens.

Second, we should not become obsessed with darkness. Not every hardship, mistake, or inconvenience is demonic. Sometimes a problem is spiritual. Sometimes it is simply human weakness, poor judgment, or lack of competence.

Biblical maturity means balance.

Do not ignore darkness.
Do not glorify darkness.

Instead, fix your attention on Christ.

1 John 4:4 gives us confidence:

“Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

The Christian posture is awareness without fear.

The Name of Jesus Carries Real Authority

One of the most memorable scenes in Acts 19 involves the seven sons of Sceva.

These men were itinerant exorcists who observed Paul’s ministry and decided to imitate his methods. They attempted to cast out demons using the phrase:

“In the name of Jesus, whom Paul proclaims…”

But something went terribly wrong.

The demon answered:

“Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”

The possessed man then overpowered them, and they fled wounded and humiliated.

The lesson is profound.

Spiritual authority does not come from memorized words, religious performance, or borrowed faith. It comes from genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.

You cannot outsource intimacy with God.

This story also warns against using Jesus for selfish gain.

Many still approach Jesus transactionally. They want blessing, influence, protection, status, or success. They want what Jesus gives more than Jesus Himself.

But Jesus is not:

• a lucky charm
• a religious formula
• a self-help strategy
• a brand-building tool

He is Lord.

Philippians 2:9–11 declares that God gave Jesus the name above every name, before whom every knee will bow.

The key question is simple:

Do we love Jesus for who He is, or mostly for what we hope to get from Him?

Genuine Repentance Produces Visible Change

After witnessing the power of Jesus, many in Ephesus came forward to confess their sins.

They did not merely feel emotional conviction. They acted.

Luke tells us they brought their expensive books of magic and publicly burned them. The total value was 50,000 pieces of silver, roughly 50,000 days of wages.

Repentance cost them something.

That is the nature of biblical repentance.

Repentance is more than guilt.
It is more than regret.
It is more than getting caught.

True repentance begins with godly sorrow.

2 Corinthians 7:10 says:

“Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation.”

There is an important difference between regret and repentance.

Regret says:
“I hate the consequences.”

Repentance says:
“I hate the sin because it offends God.”

A genuine Christian may struggle with sin.

But a genuine Christian cannot comfortably make peace with sin.

Real repentance produces fruit:

• confession
• surrender
• changed behavior
• costly obedience

As Luke 3:8 says:

“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

Repentance is not proven by words alone. It becomes visible in transformed priorities and actions.

Our Culture Prefers Tolerance Over Repentance

One of the greatest spiritual tensions today is the cultural elevation of tolerance.

Modern culture often says:

• Accept yourself
• Validate yourself
• Never challenge identity or behavior

But the gospel offers something deeper.

The Bible does not call us to redefine sin. It calls us to confess sin and bring it into the light.

Tolerance can sometimes preserve comfort while leaving bondage untouched.

Repentance, though painful, leads to freedom.

This does not mean Christians should lack compassion. Jesus embodied both grace and truth.

But grace without truth becomes permission. Truth without grace becomes condemnation.

The gospel gives both.

1 John 1:9 promises:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us.”

Freedom comes not through self-affirmation, but through surrender to Christ.

Jesus Offers New Life, Not Better Management of the Old

This may be the most important truth in Acts 19.

Jesus did not come merely to help people manage sin better.

He came to make people new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 declares:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”

Christianity is not behavior optimization.

It is transformation.

Jesus offers:

• forgiveness for the past
• power for the present
• hope for the future

He replaces shame with grace.
He replaces bondage with freedom.
He replaces death with life.

The old life loses its grip when Christ becomes greater.

That is exactly what happened in Ephesus.

People willingly abandoned magic, power, money, and control because they had found Someone better.

They found Jesus.

Final Reflection

Acts 19 gives us a clear progression:

Spiritual reality leads us to recognize Jesus’ authority.
Jesus’ authority leads to real faith.
Real faith leads to repentance.
Repentance leads to transformation.
Transformation leads to gospel breakthrough.

Luke concludes with this powerful statement:

“So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.”
— Acts 19:20

That same gospel still transforms lives today.

The invitation remains.

Ask yourself:

• Am I worshiping Jesus or using Him?
• Am I more fascinated by darkness than by Christ?
• Am I managing sin instead of repenting?
• Is my faith producing visible transformation?

Jesus offers more than improved coping mechanisms.

He offers a brand new life.

Read More ->>