Chapter Eight:
RU A Steward?
I Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of
the ministers of Christ, and steward of the mysteries of God
September 23,
2012 – National Whitewater 5K Trail Run
I
can remember this race like it happened yesterday. It was my 3rd actual race; I was
just running it because I hadn’t, as yet, run a trail race … and this one
seemed like a pretty good challenge with lots of hills and over one hundred
runners competing.
Trail
runs are a little slower than road races due to the stumps, roots, and hills;
so, one can usually add about 2-3 minutes to a regular road race time. My road races are usually between 22-24
minutes, depending on the course, and because of this I was shooting for a time
of about 25 minutes.
I
arrived at the race about an hour early, as usual, to get my pre race warm-up
in … and to also check out the competition.
It looked like I had my work cut out for me with quite a few fit looking
runners my age stretching and chatting with their other fit middle-aged
friends.
The
race began with a frenzy; I looked at my Garmin and noticed that we were
running at a 6:40 pace, which is a little fast for me. I did my best to stay with the front pack,
but was slowed when we hit the woods and the trail narrowed. In a nice way this gave me a little respite
from the frenzied pace, as most everyone else had to slow also. When I caught my wind, I closely watched for
the trail to widen so I could pass the runners in front of me in order to catch
up with the leaders who weren’t slowed by the mass of people on the narrow
trail.
About
a mile and a half in I had caught and passed about 15 runners; setting my eyes
on a young fellow just in front of me in a yellow shirt. He glanced back and saw me coming, quickening
his pace a little. I stayed with him
step for step, and about 200 yards farther up the trail he pulled over and lost
his breakfast, giving me an opening to scoot by. I’m probably mean, but it felt really
excellent for me, an old guy, to press on by a youngin to the point that he had
to stop and throw up. That gave me a burst of confidence to trust my training
and push harder in order to make up more time.
From
the top of a winding trail I could see about 8 or so runners through the
leafless trees, and increased the pace even more. I guess that gives me more enthusiasm that
anything else, setting my sights on people in front of me to catch. By the time we hit the clearing heading into
the home stretch I had caught every person that was visibly in front of me; the
best I could do now was just to push as hard as I could until I crossed the
muddy finish line next to the man-made rapids at the National Whitewater
Center. I crossed the finish line in a
time of 27.17, and I was feeling pretty let down until I checked the results
board and found out that I had finished 25th out of 135 runners …
giving me 2nd place for my age group; thus, earning me a medal for
my efforts.
This
race taught me to just give it my best and let the chips fall where they
may. The same is true in the race of
life. It is important to trust the
equipping process invested into you by spiritual leaders who have been there
and done that; thereby, giving you confidence to trust your training and expect
an excellent result for your efforts.
When you are faced with challenges of life, just look them squarely in
the eye and give it your best, trusting in your training to carry the day.
Authors Note: I will alert you in advance that some of the
mysteries that will be revealed in this chapter will be a little, shall I say,
substantial. This is imperative in order
for proper understanding to take place.
There is much debate, especially as to the timing of Christ’s return (invisible)
for His bride and the elements of the second coming (visible) of Christ to rule
and reign for one thousand years.
Because
of this fact it is my desire to be as clear as possible. I take this responsibility seriously, for I
know I shall answer to my LORD for the information I furnish in this book. That weighs on my heart tremendously as I
write each chapter. But I will tell you
this … understanding the seven mysteries will give you an incredible advantage
in your attempts to share the gospel with those in your worlds of influence:
where you live, work, and play on a daily basis.
The Seven
Mysteries of God Revealed
Definition of a mystery: A Biblical mystery is a
truth that was hidden to those in the Old Testament, but revealed to those in
the Church Age dispensation (from the ascension of Christ until the catching away
of the church).
The following mysteries are
not closed to the masses (Ephesians
3:1-6 / Romans 16:25-26)! God wants us to be acquainted with what
these mysteries because they are vital to our success as we battle against the
forces of the false reality.
Running Tip: These mysteries are not revealed by our intellect, but by
our willingness to submit to the true teachings of the Word of God – as
revealed by the Holy Spirit.
The reason that these seven
mysteries (given to the Apostle Paul during his 17 years of preparation) are of
utmost importance is because they help prevent BAD DOCTRINE and HERESIES. If
you come across someone – like Aquila and Priscilla did with Apollos in Acts 18:24-26 – who is wallowing
in incorrect doctrine, you can use the seven mysteries to help clear up the
matter.
Spiritual
Leaders Should Be Qualified To Lead – Shouldn’t They?
One of the glaring
weaknesses of the modern Institutional Church is that its spiritual leaders are
not guardians of the SEVEN MYSTERIES
that were given to Church Age believers for use in its battle
against the powers of the false reality (I Corinthians 4:1).
Running Tip: The reason these MYSTERIES are so important is that they
give us the necessary tools to defend the Gospel against religions that
are not based on the sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ.
The Bible says in Acts 4:12 - neither is there salvation in any other: for
there is none other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The MYSTERIES construct
a difference between authentic Christianity and every other religion on the
face of the earth. The SEVEN MYSTERIES make
it impossible for anyone to add
Christianity to their smorgasbord of religious beliefs. It is Jesus Christ alone
or nothing at all. It is no wonder,
then, that Satan has attempted – and succeeded – to blind the minds of many of
our spiritual leaders and religious institutions as to the power that lies
within these SEVEN MYSTERIES. I know, if not by the grace of God I’d be
blind to them also.
The SEVEN MYSTERIES
are the driving force behind the reason we go through the seven stages of
spiritual growth. Remember: God will
never lead us into a situation
where He will not work it out for His glory.
Running Tip: Spiritual success will
be given to those who know and use the proper tools.
What I am sharing with you
are the tools of the spiritual trade. It is vital that we keep our tools sharpened, well oiled and in good shape to ensure their
effectiveness whenever we are called upon to use them. We never know when they
will come in handy, so we must always be ready for the opportunity.
These Mysteries Are To Be
Used OUTSIDE the Four Walls of a Building
Most Christians do not see
the need for these tools because, in the hustle and bustle of their weekly
church activities, they never infringe on the enemy’s territory. They are as
dangerous to the false reality as a leaf blowing aimlessly in the wind; Satan
leaves them to the barrenness of their busy lives, knowing that all their
effort will avail them nothing.
The following pages are
going to be a simple cross-referencing of the mysteries found in the Pauline Epistles (doctrine for the
church). An incredible thread of
supernatural power is revealed as we trace this word through the preserved
Bible. Now – let’s take a look at these SEVEN MYSTERIES that
are openly declared in the Bible.
Pay close attention to the
meaning of these SEVEN MYSTERIES. Again
– it is not my purpose to overwhelm you with flowering academic words that are as lasting as cotton candy
once it makes contact with our tongues. I trust that you will flesh the
following principles out to their fullest extent as you learn to apply the keys
of Bible study to your daily routine. My goal is to lead you to the point where
you can fish for spiritual truth
(keys of Bible study) on your own, and not have to always rely on someone else
to do the spiritual fishing for
you. I think I’ve said enough for an
introduction, so let’s get to the good stuff and dive into the SEVEN MYSTERIES
that set true Christianity apart from all other faiths/religions on the face of
the earth. They are very powerful in
your witness for Christ.
Live OUT LOUD!
Mark Harrell - Habakkuk 2:2
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