Previously, Folkpotpourri has provided important information to hopefully attract new believers and keep current believers on track without getting too far into the woods behind false teachers. Lately, Christians’ obligation to refute the Gaza genocide has been extensively discussed. Sometimes these posts venture onto the passionate side, but even though we have to be careful to keep it tamped down, righteous anger is different from vitriol and hatred. Containing this gets a lot easier as we get closer to Jesus, and this writer does everything in his power to love every human being. It’s important for us to keep our eye on the ball, especially during the troubles we have before us.

Today there will hopefully be some meaningful information about understanding His Word as we look forward and as the Kingdom approaches and is revealed. Though you won’t always see locations of verses and passages, what these Spiritual posts say comes from the Word of God and those who are familiar with the Bible will recognize where some of the notions come from – certain aspects are informative tidbits from the Spirit which interprets the Bible, and while studying it’s very important to pay attention to things we might likely ignore, such as fleeting thoughts and glimpses that God gives us, especially when we study His Word – these nudges are the Spirit of God trying to get our attention. It is also important that we understand that Jesus only had a short time with men on this earth, so every word He uttered is of immense value and every believer is obliged to study them and pray for understanding!

If you’re like me, you sometimes go past things you read in the Bible that don’t register or make sense and only record in your mind those things you readily understand, and I think that’s a mistake – at least it is for me – that can cause us to miss out on some really wonderful and important information. When we come across things in scripture which don’t seem mean anything, we should stop and meditate on them and pray that understanding will come to us. Many who read this will realize I’m stumbling around trying to communicate a thought which God communicates to us through thoughts and not words, so to put these into words is only possible as the Spirit gives leave, but with His guidance, I shall try.

On Freedom:

[John 8:36] “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” This, to me, means among other types of freedom that He bestows upon us, free to understand. As an example, when we see the phrase “water of Life”, what is He describing? To those who are free indeed, the unspoken meaning of this may be understood, though to what degree is governed by what degree of freedom one has claimed. So how do we claim that level of freedom? Jesus said [John 8:31,32]: “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” So what level of understanding do you seek? The level that comes from abiding in His word would seem to be the answer. Jesus reinforces this notion in other places when He tells them more about this freedom. Not free in the imaginary sense of unchained worldly existence, but free to explore profound Spiritual reality – only possible if one believes the Son and of course, abides in His Word.

Many souls of this earth believe they are “free”, and when they only consider freedom as a notion that they are not another man’s servant or property, that might be correct. The freedom Jesus speaks of is another, entirely different and ethereal freedom, a concept that cannot be understood nor appreciated by anyone without the Spirit, which teaches profound knowledge without words of man, even to us who are simple.

Understanding of the truth that resides in any word or phrase that is found in God’s Word can be gained at more than one level; indeed everyone doesn’t see things mentioned at the same depth, but we all see them and if you’re like me you sort of envy (not in a bad way) people who “get it” more than I do (seek these people out and listen to what they say – they have a great gift). So, we can and do understand the Word at more than one level. That’s why novice believers need milk and seasoned believers are capable of meat (deeper understanding). It is important to keep in mind however, that there is only one Truth, but the meanings in scripture are understood by different believers at different depths, and this depth is determined by how profoundly one chooses to study, and how diligently we “abide in His Word”.

For one example, there are undoubtedly Bible scholars who read this post who will get a better understanding of “water of life”, than I, but at my level of understanding and way over simply-put, the water of life is that which nurtures those who have chosen Life. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well [John 4:14] “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” Understanding the meaning of the life of which He speaks is another matter, and I do not have the literary skill to even begin to put it into words, but the idea of Life as the Word speaks of it is an existence, not the ephemeral heartbeat, breathe in, breathe out, eat, sleep routine we normally associate with life as we know it, but a continuum, a spiritual habitation of infinity with the blessed accoutrements of love, peace, joy in the presence of Holiness – the presence of the Spirit, the Father, and the Lamb. This life is another concept, or aspect of knowledge that cannot be described with words, and that is intentional, for to have an understanding of it is a gift for the believer. The Spirit knows, God knows, angels know, and our Lord Jesus certainly knows what it is and what it encompasses, but only believers who “abide in His word”, are allowed, as with some other concepts and “gifts” of understanding, some level of knowledge of what this life means to mankind – a whole other dimension of life we have opportunity to partially experience (as in a looking glass dimly) today but to fully live on the other side tomorrow.

Another good example of how the Lord extends our understanding (and limits it for the unbeliever) is the parables through which Jesus taught. When Jesus reveals to His disciples the reason He speaks in parables, He allows us another insight to how He imparts understanding, and this passage gives another revelation of how we can become able to understand Him. [Matthew 13:13]: Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. This passage is a warning to those who allow themselves to believe in lies, and yes, the world is full of such people, but it is also an instruction to believe what the Spirit tries to tell your heart. A good example of this is a person who has his fortune invested in weapons manufacturing (“defense” contractors). This person knows full well that his stock profits come from wars; from human blood, so to assuage his conscience he is inclined to buy into lies like the civilian women and children in Gaza are some kind of ominous threat to the occupation, and the occupation is defending itself, so of course, uses lots of bombs. He buys into them simply because of the money he makes; he doesn’t believe them; he knows better. What his heart is trying to tell him is that he is on the wrong side of morality, but he isn’t interested in listening, so God gives him over to the lie, and he remains void of understanding. Seeing (the destruction in Gaza) he does not see; hearing (the bombs exploding, the children screaming) he does not hear; therefore, by his own volition he does understand his culpability in the death, and destruction – this is but one (an extremely important one today) example, and I use it in this missive because of it’s current relevance.

If we are believers, it is important to understand God’s Word at the most profound level we can achieve – the Spirit is there to help us, but the big requirement is that we abide in His Word – that’s where it starts. His word is indescribably critical and is growing more so as we approach the end. It is to our detriment to ignore or disobey any part of it. Jesus is real – get to know Him as well as you can, we don’t have much longer.

May the blessings of the Almighty God find and keep us all.

MK