Hi Brian!
The word for this week is "plainly". We find it in these portions of the New Testament:
John 10:23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. KJV
John 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. KJV
John 16:25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. KJV
John 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. KJV
These are all the Greek word "parrhesia". Strong's Concordance says: all out-spokenness, frankness, assurance. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, free or fearless confidence, cheerful courage, the deportment by which one becomes consipuous or secures publicity. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: boldness, plainness of speech. During the ministry of JESUS, He told His disciples many things that they could not conceive or understand! The reason they could not was because they did not yet have a recreated human spirit, which is necessary in order to discern the Word of God! 1 Corinthians 2:14:
14 But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.
Once we have receieved JESUS as Lord and personal Savior, THEN, and ONLY then, can we properly discern the Word of the Living God! THEN we will understand "PLAINLY" what we are unable to right now! I LOVE that the TRUTH of the WORD of God is hidden for US! Every single time through the Bible Plan, I discover something I never saw before, or never saw in quite the same way! THAT attitude will take us very far in developing a working knowledge of the Word! Here is another song from Hillsong UNITED which speaks about God's Word! "Say The Word":
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
