a great mystery: great and abundant gain

I asked the Lord fresh words for this blog and perceived a verse: 1 Timothy 3:16 which talks about Godliness (Christlikeness) of/from Jesus. Both the apostles Paul and Peter told us to be godly. I quote below some related verses (red letters added by me). Note that godliness is associated with other characteristics: perfection (maturity in mind and character), virtue, integrity, righteousness, reverence, seriousness, faith, love, patience, gentleness of heart, contentment (inward sufficiency), knowledge, self-control, brotherly affection and Christian love.

Paul reminded Timothy that godliness requires training like he did physical exercises! It is not difficult, based on the assurance given by apostle Peter (2 Peter 1:1-4). Godliness promises great and abundant gain for this present life and the life to come! This is certainly good news!

Summary: Godliness is of divine nature. By the faith that God has given us in Jesus, through the divine power of the Holy Spirit, we get to know God and Jesus, and partake this godly nature.

1 Timothy 3:16 And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He [God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the [Holy] Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, [and] taken up in glory.

The same passage 1 Timothy 3:16 from The Message Bible:
…This Christian life is a great mystery, far exceeding our understanding, but some things are clear enough: He appeared in a human body, was proved right by the invisible Spirit, was seen by angels. He was proclaimed among all kinds of peoples, believed in all over the world, taken up into heavenly glory.

Some passages on godliness from the New Testament:
Matthew 5:48 You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1 Timothy 2:2 For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way.

1 Timothy 4:7-8 But refuse and avoid irreverent legends (profane and impure and godless fictions, mere grandmothers’ tales) and silly myths, and express your disapproval of them. Train yourself toward godliness (piety), [keeping yourself spiritually fit]. For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come.

1 Timothy 6:6 [And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain.

1 Timothy 6:11 But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart.

2 Peter 1:6-7 And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety), And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love.

2 Peter 1:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)

Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Jesus has given these keys for harvest

When Jesus looks at the fields He sees a sea of people to be led into the Kingdom of God. He sees how best the Father’s will can be fulfilled. He has given the keys to what His followers must do to work with Him, using His resources: His name and His authority and power. The power of His words. The power of the Holy Spirit.

Reading from Luke 9 (57-62), 10 (1-20)
The Lord (Jesus) now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places He planned to visit. These were His instructions:

The harvest is great, but the workers are few. See what God sees. Focus on His perspective. The time? Now.
So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields. God is the One who sends. He has lots of reserved workers. Just call Him. A prayer away. Use more of prayers than using our cell phone.
Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Beware. There are wolves out there, even in our midst.
Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. No excessively cumbersome equipment. No need the latest tech. Use prayer.
And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road. No distraction. No disclosure of God’s confidential strategy to the enemy. Speak less and pray more. Beware. Watch and pray.

Prerequisites: (Luke 9) Focus on the spiritual and not physical. Kingdom of God becomes their focus.

Get Out of your comfort zone: no more concern with your usual physical needs, e.g. routine living, stability, shelter, bed, regular sleep.
Forget your past pattern/tradition/ritual: no more concern with your usual practices, e.g. physical preparation, continuing association with past duty, physical aspects of life, what others think of you.
Let go of your present relation/emotion: no more concern with even things that matter to you: sentiments with the past, meeting others’ expectations.

The real invincible equipment that each disciple carries: power and authority of Jesus over spiritual and physical realms (both seen and unseen worlds.) Use His words -The power of God’s words. Be led by His Spirit. Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. Let the Son of God manifest in us.
In practice, Jesus has given these examples in Luke 10 of what the disciples would encounter in real life. They would not lack the physical supplies they needed. But their focus continued to be on the spiritual reality. Jesus told them that what they proclaimed in the spiritual realm would become real in the physical realm.
The positive supernatural power of the phrase “MAY GOD’S PEACE BE WITH YOU” proclaimed by the disciples based on the authority given by Jesus is real and tremendous.
Only the disciples can carry the blessing of this phrase on their mission.
The blessing is real and brings tangible outcome in the physical world.
It will go to the house that genuinely opens and grants hospitality to the disciples.
But the recipients in the house must respond correctly: they must be in peace and not in strife. They must supply the disciples all they need during their stay including free lodging and food –as an obligated payment for their work.

The disciples have Jesus’ authority over all the power of the spiritual enemy, and can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure them. Evil spirits have to obey them. They can do miraculous work in the town that welcomes them: heal the sick and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Grace to you

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:
So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.
But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

(Verses quoted from the Holy Bible New King James Version, 2 Corinthians 1:2, 1:12, 4:15, 6:1, 8:1, 8:6, 8:7, 8:9, 9:8, 9:14, 12:9, 13:14)