Dispensation of Knowledge

1 Timothy 4:1–5 (CSB)

Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created to be received with gratitude by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, since it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer.

Jetsons

A.I. or = Artificial Intelligence

In reference to the end times the book of Daniel says

Daniel 12:4 (CSB)

“But you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.”

Biblical history as we know it is divided up into sections of time. They are what have come to be known as dispensations. There isn’t a biblical name for this, other than what most of us would classify as the “last days,” but I truly believe We are in the dispensation/era of information

We have now what no other generation ever had until now, “Instant information.” The know now mentality

I believe that God meant for man to ponder Him. It brings us closer to Him by default or rather through the effort.

He would at times reward the diligent searcher by signs, wonders or even both.

I remember once a Christian Counselor

said he didn’t like any other versions than KJV. Because he believed it was the pondering of His word that bore fruit. I don’t know that I agree with him 100% but there is something to his argument. We in this age have the info and the technology right at our fingertips. Right now even here in church.

Yet many of us are far from God or farther than we should be. But we have more information. We just don’t ponder any more.

While we were in Mexico,

this last mission trip. My son Mateo, my sister Donna & I were shivering together under a bright starry sky one evening. As we were gazing at the awesomeness of God,

As I remember this, it brings to mind an appropriate Psalm in Scripture.

Psalm 8 (NKJV)

To the Chief Musician. On the Instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, our Lord,

How excellent is Your name in all the earth,

Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have ordained strength,

Because of Your enemies,

That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

What is man that You are mindful of him,

And the son of man that You visit him?

For You have made him a little lower than the angels,

And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet,

All sheep and oxen—

Even the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air,

And the fish of the sea

That pass through the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,

How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Mateo began asking questions about the cosmos & creation etc. He again re-affirmed to us his interest in pursing a possible future in Astro Physics, as we argued about which star was Mars.

He pointed to a red-tinted one, and I was sure it was another. However, even in one of the most remote places in the world, I told him to pull out his nifty little hand held information super pack, and look up the position of Mars, and verify which one of us were correct.

So, he consulted today’s modern brainiac, Google, and found out I was wrong, haha. who would have guessed. Yes, it was hard for me to accept at first too. lol

Let’s be clear. I don’t say that technology is a bad thing.

I am a “techie,” I like technology. But, we in this new dispensation of knowledge need to be very diligent about figuring out how to stay close to His word now, in these days within this scope of information overload. We have no time to Ponder his Word anymore.

We are constantly being bombarded with information. Even our children. We are addicted to it. My son Jacob, just the other day, we were in Augusta Ga., I took him to a store to pick up some hygiene products he would need back on base. As I am going up one isle after another, looking for a certain product, I thought he was behind me, helping me look as well. Nope, he was behind me, but he wasn’t looking. He was completely consumed in a show he was watching on his phone this whole time.

We hear every day about a new revival breaking out in some distant country other than our own And how people are being saved and miraculously healed and so on.

Why not here? In America? We send more money than any other nation in the history of world for missions. We send gifts, planes, cars trucks and build building for their worship,

So why I ask not here so much?

I think it has something to do with the lack of pondering. The Bible calls pondering , “meditating”

“This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth. Meditate on it day and night so that you may act carefully according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way successful, and you will be wise.”

Joshua 1:8 (CSB)

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

1 Timothy 4:15 (NKJV)

“Meditate” on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.

Let us never get so caught up in whatever new discovery come out. Thereby making it easy for them to convince us that the Bible couldn’t be right, or must have gotten this or that fact wrong.

Scientist told us for years that eggs were bad for cholesterol and we believed it. Now that’s not the case.

Animals thought for decades to be extinct are found again in the wild, and I just the other day, I saw a report that says, Lard is better for you than vegetable oils. For all these years I refused to eat Lard due to cholesterol concerns. Come to find out, it was better for me than the oils. Who knew?

God Knew!

My son asked not long ago, if I believe acid rain will one-day destroy the planet.

To quote Malcom Mugridge

“We have educated ourselves into imbecility”

This is what I mean, don’t allow Gods word to be second in your life. When we are blessed with a new discovery, or are confused about something in life.

Bring it to Gods word and test it against it

Ponder it, Meditate on it day & night.

Global warming, Coronavirus, Joe Biden & Kamala Harris.

God said there will always be seasons, and that he would never destroy the earth with water again, but the God of this world is constantly bringing you new reports, & over-filling your mind with information causing you to question all that God said.

John 5:43–44 (CSB)

I have come in my Father’s name, and yet you don’t accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, since you accept glory from one another but don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?

So, make it a point

Start to ponder, start to meditate of the scripture. Take a walk, take a drive and leave the information at home. Have that one on one conversation God. Don’t consult Google about that spot on your skin, or that lump in your body. That information will eventually come, wether right or wrong.

So who you need to hear from is not Science anyway, or man-made. You need to hear from God on the matter first.

Matthew 6:33 (CSB)

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Don’t worry about getting any information, because you are already being bombarded with the info.

on a Personal note,

When my son Jacob was a very young, Yadi & I were actually starved for information. We had no idea what was going on with our son. In this scar instance, not even Science had the answers. As you can imagine, we consulted that merciless, brutal, compassionless, self-proclaimed know-it-all, Dr. Google with his symptoms.

Let me give you advise, if you are sick, do go to Science first and for the love of God, don’t consult Dr. Google.

Unless you want to be scared out of your mind with all possible diagnosis that you’ll get.

Never, will Google say, “Oh, thats what your worried about? That’s nothing to be worried about, don’t worry about that little thing.”

Anyway, because we had no answers to go to, I was forced, I can see now in retrospect, the hand of God in that.

I was forced to consult with God. and to ponder, and meditate on all the promises He has given us. Until God answered me with this.

God is always in control. If He decides to take my son from us, If I truly believe in Him, I would know, that I would see Him again in heaven. That gave me the hope I was looking for. That regardless how this whole chapter played out, This would not be the end. I will see my boy again in Heaven.

Friends, that kind of hope only lies with Jesus. There is no other person, place or thing, that could’ve given me the hope I needed other than Jesus.

And if you, or someone you know is struggling right now, know, this is not the end.

Don’t put your stock in what the world tells you.

Jesus said, Fear not, Believe Only, Mark 5:36

AMEN