The BIG Picture (Q&A)

Question from Social Media: When Jesus declared, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matthew 28:18). Did he, "exalt himself over everything that is called God so that he sets himself up in God’s temple proclaiming himself to be God" (2Thessalonians2:4)? Answer: When Jesus declared, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matt.28:18), He was not exalting Himself in rebellion. His authority was given by the Father. Scripture confirms this: “As thou hast given him power over all flesh” (John 17:2), and “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him” (Phil.2:9). Christ’s exaltation is the Father’s act, rooted in His obedience unto death (Phil.2:8). He is the rightful Lord, seated at the right hand of God (Heb.1:3), and in Him “dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Col.2:9). By contrast, 2Thess.2:4 describes “that man of sin…who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God.” His authority is self-claimed,...

Why It Matters: Rightly Dividing and Spiritual Maturity A common misunderstanding about rightly dividing the Word is the belief that it’s optional—or worse, that it’s merely academic. Many believers assume that all Scripture applies equally to all people at all times. But Scripture itself warns against this approach. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Tim.2:15) When believers fail to rightly divide, they often mix law with grace, Israel with the Church, prophecy with mystery. This leads to confusion, misplaced expectations, and spiritual instability. They may claim promises not given to them, fear judgments that don’t apply, or pursue experiences that belong to another dispensation. The result? A distorted view of God’s character, a fragile sense of assurance, and a walk governed by contradiction rather than clarity. Right division isn’t about intellectual pride—it’s about spiritual heal...

📌 Did You Know?  Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles.    This isn’t a theological nuance—it’s a foundational truth that defines God’s present work in this dispensation of grace. Paul was not one of the twelve apostles sent to Israel; he was uniquely chosen by the risen Christ to reveal a mystery previously hidden, and to establish the doctrine for the Church, the Body of Christ. "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office." —Romans 11:13 Understanding the Truth in Context Paul’s apostleship is not a continuation of the prophetic program—it is a divine interruption. While the twelve apostles were commissioned by Christ during His earthly ministry to minister to Israel (Matthew 10:5–6), Paul was called from heaven’s glory after Israel had rejected her Messiah. His calling was not earthly, but heavenly. His message was not foretold, but revealed. Why was Paul made an apostle to us, the Church? Because God began someth...

One might hear others say, "What is all this talk of prophecy and mystery in the Bible?" Isn't the whole Bible the word of God and for us? And what is this mystery anyways? I've never known of a any mysteries? Well, remove all the hard theology, and the denominational boxes, and the preconceived mindsets, and the answer becomes surprisingly simple and clear when we follow our apostle, Paul's sound advice, 2 Tim.2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Prophecy and mystery is one of the primary divisions in the Bible and is clearly identified in the Word. Throughout the Bible we find references to prophecy, which are proclamations and instructions of future events that have been spoken by prophets since the world began. But, it is only in Paul's 13-epistles where we find the revealing of mysteries , which are proclamations and instructions that have been kept secret since the wo...