Prophetic Prospective Daily Devotional

That phrase, "the fullness of time be come in" is the lead-in to what God did, He sent forth His Son for us. Have you ever thought of what is meant by the phrase, "the fullness of time?"

Let me suggest several things to consider. At the first coming of Jesus Christ, the Roman Empire ruled the known world. It is because of the "Roman rule" that there was a situation in the world for the coming of the Messiah.

For example, there was stability across the known world due to the strength of the Roman government. These days, some 2000 years ago, were days of constant conflict but the mighty Roman army helped to bring a world-wide stability.

The Romans also had an elaborate road system in place that would enhance travel to all parts of the known world. This would allow for the spread of the Gospel message to all parts of the world as the Lord had directed His disciples to do after He departed.

Travel over this road system put in place by the Romans would still need a common currency across the empire so that the travelers could pay their way from place to place as they would spread the message. That common currency was the dinarius.

By the way, in order to spread any message, there needed to be a common language for man to be able to communicate with his fellow man. At this time in history, in the "fullness of time", there was the Empire-wide common language of Koine Greek.

The one other factor that would enhance the spread of the gospel would be a meeting place in each town to gather the citizens of that community together to reason with the facts of what Jesus Christ had come to earth to do, to become the Saviour of all of human kind. That meeting place would be the synagogues, which had been built during the time of the Babylonian Empire and were still in operation almost everywhere.

These Jewish worship centers would provide the comfortable venue to discuss the claims of the Gospel and study to see if indeed Jesus Christ was the Messiah He claimed to be and the Saviour promised to the world. In the "fullness of time," God brought forth His Son to be that Saviour.

This great truth is applicable for today as well - as we look at current events in light of Biblical Prophecy, we can recognize that once again, in the "fullness of time" God will bring forth His Son, for the Second Coming.

Paul, in his letter to the churches of Galatia, wrote on the authority of the "resurrected Jesus Christ". Jesus was the one who made Paul the apostle, not man, and the author of this book lets the recipients of the letter know on whose authority he was speaking.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ, the "cornerstone of our faith", is in reality the only authority we have in order to serve Him. But what other authority do we need? With this authority, Paul moves ahead with the central message of this letter to the churches of Galatia. That central message is that a Gentile did not have to become a Jew before he would or could become a Christian.

Later in this book, Paul upbraids Peter for having one foot in Judaism and one foot in Christianity. In fact, Paul writes that any other gospel than the Gospel, the good news, of the "grace of Christ" is heresy and must not be preached.

Paul actually calls for the preacher of any other gospel to be accursed, verse 9. Paul also told the Christians in Galatia that he was not only made an "apostle" by Jesus Christ, not man, and that he was not the "servant" of man and thus would not seek to please them.

Paul made it clear that he was the "servant of Christ", verse 10, and Him alone. Paul was a preacher, an apostle, made so by the Lord Jesus Christ appointed to preach the "grace of Christ" and serve Him only. This was all possible because Paul had been converted to Christ by what Christ did, dying on a cross to become sin for him and take away man’s sin, verse 4.

Notice what else Paul says about the "grace of Christ" in verse 4. Paul tells the believers in Galatia that they would be delivered from sin according to the "will of God". Rejoice dear friend we will be delivered from sin and this evil world.

That deliverance is yet future when Jesus shouts to call us up to be with Him at the Rapture. We will then be delivered from the "presence of this evil world". What a "blessed hope" that is for each of us as believers.

Sometimes people say, "you believe in the Rapture? You believe in an 'escapism' religion". They are absolutely right. We will "escape" from this evil world and it will be the "will of God". I am looking forward to escaping this evil world and doing it in the will of the Most High God - praise His name.

As we come to our reading today, I am eager to share several thoughts with you about the experiences of the Apostle Paul. These experiences in the life of Paul will give us insight into biblical principles that we each can appropriate for ourselves.

Let me remind you that Paul was a brilliant man. Some scholars have said he was one of the five greatest minds that ever lived. His writings are masterpieces of literature, from a worldly perspective.

Paul tells us that in order for him to not be exalted above measure, above what he should be, he was given, by God, a "thorn in the flesh", verse 7. We don't know exactly what the "thorn" was except that it was something physical, a physical ailment of some type.

Verse 8 tells us that Paul went to the Lord in prayer to request the removal of the "thorn." It is with this backdrop of weakness that God's divine power is displayed. Just think of the awesome statement from God to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

Even as I wrote God's statement I had to pause to think about it. This philosophy is opposite to what the world, even some elements of the Church, believe is for today. We are told all you do is pray and God will heal you. That was not the case with Paul. God's plan for Paul was to make manifest in his life the power and strength of God in his weakness, his physical ailment.

Notice in verse 10 that Paul says he took pleasure in his infirmities because it was for the "sake of Christ" that this was happening to him. In weakness Paul knew he was made strong. This is such a blessing to each of us as we face everyday with our own weakness. His grace is, indeed, sufficient.

But now look again at the beginning of our reading for today, verses 2-4. Paul writes that he knew a man who about 14 years earlier was caught up into heaven, the "third heaven". Let me explain the three heavens.

The "first heaven" is where the sun and the clouds are located. The "second heaven" is where the stars and galaxies are located. The "third heaven" is where God and Jesus are today. You see the first heaven "by day", the second heaven "by night" and the third heaven "by faith".

Paul spoke of himself as "a man in Christ" and not as one of great worthiness or as one who had achieved spiritual excellence. Paul was "caught up" into the third heaven in the will and plan of God. By the way, the phrase used here "caught up" is the same phrase describing the "Rapture" in I Thessalonians 4:17.

Paul experienced the "Rapture," the event that he had explained to the people in Thessalonica. Remember Paul's last words in II Timothy 4:8, he was looking forward to a "crown of righteousness" as he eagerly looked for Jesus to Rapture the Church into heaven.

He had the experience of the Rapture and wanted to go to heaven in that way, instead of by death. I want that also, don't you?

PRAYER THOUGHT: Lord, help me to understand Your strength through my weakness and also eagerly await Your call for me to join You in heaven.

Congratulations on your appointment as an "ambassador". This would be a very high-ranking position for you, and for me, in any of the world’s "human governments". However, the text tells us that you and I are both "Ambassadors for Christ" in the "heavenly government". You cannot get any higher than that. What an honor He has bestowed on each of us that know Him as Lord and Savior.

Did you notice the first verse in the extended reading for today, verse 10? Once again we are reminded that we all will stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ. As we learned last time, that will be an awesome time.

This truth found in this chapter is to remind us of why we are ambassadors. We are to go forth to the world and be involved in a "ministry of reconciliation", verse 18. The word "reconciliation" is used in the context of making all the facts and figures fit together in perfect harmony. We reconcile our bank accounts so that our records agree with the bank records as it relates to our personal accounts.

The ministry of reconciliation is to find those at odds with the Lord and reconcile them to Jesus Christ. What a privilege He has granted us in ministry – "the ministry of reconciliation".

Now, back to that which the Lord uses to motivate us to be active in our ministry of reconciliation. He reminds us of His “terror”, His holiness that requires Him to sentence people to the lake of fire, eternal damnation, if they reject Jesus, verse 11. Then He tells us of His love that flows through us which will constrain us to be involved in our ministry of reconciliation, verse 14.

Our appointment as an ambassador has some real responsibility. We must be busy at upholding our side of this assignment. We cannot live unto ourselves, but to Him that died and rose again for us, and all of mankind, verse 15.

If you will look at the verse just before our expanded reading, verse 9 of II Corinthians 5, we see that Paul was ready to labor that we might be acceptable to Him, to the Lord. I believe this verse says Paul had an ambition and that was to be acceptable of Him at all times and for all purposes.

We must be ambitious to serve Him as an "ambassador", however, the truth is we serve Him because of the love that constrains us to do so, that love of Christ.

Each day as I come to my time in the Word of God, devotionally, I am continually amazed at how practical the Bible is for my every day experience of living out my Christianity in the days in which we live.

Today's passage for our devotional is no exception. I won't be able to elaborate on everything in our passage, but let me challenge you to spend time in this passage and "dig deeper" for the "treasure" in His Word.

Paul begins this chapter with the fact that his ministry compels him to not be dishonest even in secret, verse 2. The apostle sets the standard for every person in ministry, and I must remind you that each of us do have a ministry in this life, thus we must follow the standard that Paul sets for us, until He calls us home.

We must walk honest, not in craftiness, not handling the Word of God deceitfully, as related to us in verse 2. Verses 3 and 4 reveal how the "god of this world," that would be Satan, is today blinding the  minds of the lost people of our world to the "gospel".

The "gospel", I Corinthians 15:1-5, is the death, burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This "gospel" is the "power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth", Romans 1:16.

Paul exhorts us to not allow the "gospel" to be hid from the lost. That "gospel" is being hid today from lost people by false teachers, pseudo-ministries and unresolved sin.

I mention "pseudo" or "false ministry" which would be a ministry that allows the "things of this world" to direct how we perform ministry in the "church". Many churches are moving in that direction in order to build a "large" church. The "things of this world" distract from the "purity" of the "gospel" and dilutes the "gospel" so that it is of none effect.