Ray Ruppert's Blog

12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when theyspeak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God onthe day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:12

This is always a good reminder for everyday life. I used tohave a fish sticker on the back of my car. It was impressive how rememberingthat it was there changed my driving habits. I don’t have it on my current carbut it still “sticks” with me. When I post on Facebook or other social media, Itry to use the same principle. It is so easy to say something that is correctand right and have even Christians read it wrong.

Remind me, Lord, wherever I am, if I have a fish sticker onmy car or I’m wearing a gospel message sweatshirt, or nothing that wouldidentify me as a Christian, my behavior should be the same with or without the “billboard.”

#BillboardforJesus #fishsticker #drivinghabit#billboard #behaviourmodification #bumperstickers

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

8 After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you willgo against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people weregathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been acontinual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwellsecurely, all of them. Ezek 38:8

I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fallupon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls,and having no bars or gates. Ezek 38:11

I get tired of hearing all sorts of prophecies about the endtimes and how Israel’s current status is a sign of the end. The Lord made itclear that the time of the end will occur only when Israel is dwelling insafety. They will probably not even have an army based on these verses. Thereare several key phrases that describe the Israel of the end times.

1) People brought out from the nations. This istrue of the current Israel.

2) Dwell securely. The image of this is that theyare not worrying about protecting themselves. This is no where near theattitude in Israe.

3) Without walls, bars, or gates. At the time thiswas written, it would be unthinkable for a secure people not to havefortifications. The current Israel is very much concerned with itsfortifications.

There are many other things that are in Scripture that contradictsthe current notion that present day Israel is the one that signals the endtimes. I will wait until I see Israel disarm and turn to the Lord for theirsafety before I’ll say the end is really near.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

 
14 I will feed them with good pasture,and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There theyshall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on themountains of Israel. Ezek 34:14

When I read this verse, I can close myeyes and visualize the scene. I’m sitting in a gently sloping meadow surroundedby sheep. Some are lying down, and others are grazing nearby. There is a gentlestream flowing down the side of the meadow. The meadow overlooks a lush valleyand far down in the valley is a white church with a steeple and a cross on it.It is a vision of peace and closeness to Jesus, who is my Shepherd and watchesover me. All is well in the world and with my soul, it is shalom.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

You have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someoneto teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk,not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word ofrighteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers ofdiscernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Heb 5:11-14

The author rebukes the Hebrews for being dull of hearingregarding things about Jesus. They have been Christians long enough that theyshould be able to teach, but they need to be taught the basics. Because they arestill having problems paying attention to the gospel, they are in danger of driftingaway.

This is the state of most people in the US who call themselvesChristians. They know just enough to understand that salvation is in Jesus.But, they don’t have enough understanding about the gospel to realize that thatthe gospel pertains to every aspect of their lives. It is about how to liveholy lives, to overcome temptations, how to treat others, how to be more likeJesus and less like the world around them.

Why are they in this “barely saved” condition. The end ofthe paragraph is the reason. They have not become mature in their faith becausethey don’t have discernment. Discernment can only come by constant practice identifyinggood from evil. In other words, they have not been consistently studying theirBibles, the whole Bible, not just favorite passages or books. If they arereading, they are cherry picking the verses that tell them what they want tohear. They listen to preachers who tickle their ears with what they want tohear. They don’t check what their teachers are telling them against the Bible. Ifthey are saved, the remain baby Christians feeding only on milk and not solidfood.

Lord, help me to be consistent in my Bible study. To becomemature and live a life that brings glory to you.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into theworld, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 1 Tim 6:6-7

Some questions: Is godliness without contentment any good? Iscontentment without godliness any good? I had to laugh at myself for eventyping that. That one is too easy – of course not. In fact, that is probablyone of the biggest reasons people don’t consider salvation through JesusChrist. They are quite content in their own little kingdom thinking they haveit made. No thoughts for the future beyond their death. They are lulled tosleep by sinful pleasures and the world that is now telling them there isn’tanything beyond the grave.

But the first question is a bit harder to answer. Certainly,there are many godly people who serve the Lord, living holy lives, and beingobedient. Even though they are to all appearance to others and even tothemselves, they are godly, but are they content? Sure, some are content and eventhough they are quite godly, we know that no one is completely godly. Even so, alack of contentment exposes the sin that hinders growth in holiness andtherefore a deficiency in godliness.  

Contentment in this context of 1 Timothy 6 is primarily withmoney and what happens when we are not content with what we have. But itdoesn’t stop with money or other possessions. The big question that will leadto contentment and godliness is, are we content with our godliness. This toocan go in different paths. I can be content with my godliness and thereforethink I’ve arrived (bad path). Or I can be discontent with my godliness and realizehow far I still need to go (good path). Or I can be content with knowing thatGod is in control and is working in me and bringing me forward in sanctification(better path). That is when godliness with contentment is great gain.

Lord, help me be content in you and keep on growing ingodliness, not arriving but looking forward to the day when it will becomplete.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

 17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name! Ps80:17-18

I find this same concept in places in the Bible. Here, Asaphasks God to save them through the king or possibly the nation (vs 14-15). He couldbe talking about asking for the Messiah to come and that is certainly the waysome have looked at it. But I think he is talking about the king that iscurrently on the throne. In the psalm, he has asked for God to turn and restorethe nation probably just before Jerusalem was destroyed or the first timeBabylon took away captive, so I don’t think he had the Messiah in mind. What I seeis someone, or a people, who are in desperate need and ask for deliverance beforethey will repent. This is a foxhole prayer. Save me from the enemy then I willgo to church.

When I was in the Navy and flying over the ocean. I had beenworking in a back compartment and had returned to my seat as the radioman. I lookedout my window and it was covered with oil. The propeller on the one engine wasnot turning. I put on my headset and listened to the conversation between thepilot and another aircraft. The other plane identified itself as “Dumbo 73.” I thought,wait, Dumbo is a designation for a search and rescue plane. My plane was searchand rescue plane but the pilot was using standard designation. That’s when ithit me. While I was in the back, the engine on our plane sprung a leak and wasshut down. The other plane was coming to escort us back to Midway Island andrescue us if we went into the drink.

That’s when I, a non-believing catholic prayed. “Lord if youget us back safely, I’ll go to church every Sunday. Then I stopped and said, no,I probably won’t do that, but I’d still like to get back safely.” I wanted tobargain with God. And quite frankly, it is still a temptation and in some ways,I think I still do.

Lord, help me serve you without any hidden agenda ormotivation. You have already saved me so help me serve you without any “ifs.”

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home isdestroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal inthe heavens. (2 Cor 5:1 ESV)

I've pondered this before and I will probably ponder itagain. When we get to heaven, before the resurrection of the dead, are we goingto have bodies? I've heard preachers say different things and most of the Reformedsay that we will be in an intermediate state. That is probably because theyquote the Westminster Catechism (32:1). But verse 3 clearly says that we willnot be found naked. The NLT goes even further by saying, “For we will put on heavenly bodies;we will not be spirits without bodies.” The clear implication of the verse isthat we will have some kind of body in heaven. The NLT clearly conveys thisidea but it is not what the Greek says.

If this were the only verse in the Bible that helpsunderstand this, it would be puzzling because it isn't crystal clear. However,I can look at one other passage in the Bible that doesn’t speak directly to thisbut provides information. This comes from the transfiguration (Matt 17:2-4, Mark9:2-5). On the mount, Jesus talks with Moses and Elijah. They both appear inbodily form without any mention of being transfigured like Jesus. OK, Elijahdidn't die so sure, he could have a body. Moses died and it says God buried him(Deut 34:6). Yet the disciples were able to identify both. They appeared to bepeople. They weren't spirits and they had some kind of body.

My conclusion is that in heaven before we are united withour resurrected body, we will have some kind of body. What it is and what itcan do is beyond me, but we will be recognized and recognize others.

Thank you, Lord, that this body will not be the one I livein forever.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

 

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of theunbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory ofChrist, who is the image of God. (2 Cor 4:4)

I've read this verse and even memorized it but never stoppedto ponder how Satan could blind unbelievers. Some translations insert Sataninto the text because it is universally believed he is the god of the world.How many unbelievers are there? Billions. We acknowledge that Satan is acreated being and then deduce that he can't be omnipresent or omnipotent. Sohow does he blind billions of people? Possibly, it is his will being carriedout by his minions. That means there must be billions of demons. Yet mosttheologians say that demon activity is far and few between because they don'tsee it in the world at the level anywhere near the level of what was shownduring New Testament times especially in the Gospels.

Back to pondering, if Satan has blinded all theseunbelievers, then there is satanic activity far greater than we imagine. Butthe good news follows, and that is that God has given us light to see his gloryin Jesus. There is hope and the knowledge that no matter how powerful Satan is,God is more powerful.

Thank you, Lord, letting me see the light of Jesus inthe Gospels.Copyright by Ray Ruppert

In Job 33, Elihu starts his speech against Job. Some peoplesay because his name means, “He is my God” and that God does not rebuke himthat he is actually speaking for God or represents God. Yet later, God ignoreshim saying neither good or bad about him when He rebukes Job's friends andcommends Job. So how do I understand whether he really speaks for God or not?

I’ll look at his words to decide. He burned with angerbecause Job’s three friends could not get Job to admit his wrong or convict himof sin. In Job 32:6, 10 and 17, he doesn't attribute his wisdom to God but hisown opinion.

He thinks way too much of himself! He says he doesn'tknow how to flatter (Job 32:22). Then in Job 33:33 he says he will teachwisdom. So, the friends couldn't teach wisdom and Job doesn't have it, buthe can teach wisdom? Wow! He goes on for a long time, but I don't see anythingthat the friends or Job haven't already said.

It is easy to become angry when someone is unable to proveanother wrong, especially on theological or moral issues. I've seen it upclose. It is easy to think I have wisdom better than anyone else.

Lord, help me live out, “I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highlythan he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment” (Rom 12:3).

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. (Ps 37:1-2)

7 Be still before the Lord andwait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. (Ps 37:7-9)

 With the way things are going in the US but even more sowith Ukraine and Gaza, evil is evident. It is all kinds of evil, not justpolitics, and I'm pretty sure it isn't just media bias. So, these verses arewhat I must remember every day. Wait for the Lord. The Lord is forever,eternal, and His justice will prevail.

The ones causing evil are temporary. A president lasts fourto eight years; it is but a blink in God's eyes. I think about all the evilkings in Judah and Israel, some lasting 50 years or so. How did people hang onthat long?

Those who know the Lord are waiting for an eternal city andendless peace and righteousness. I need to remember this while evil seemsunstoppable.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert