Month: December 2012

Psalm 23 in HD #3

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3 KJV).

Cutting through the “static” of religious, traditional thinking, we present to you Psalm 23 in HD, dispensationally delivered with astounding clarity.

“He restoreth my soul.” The human soul is naturally rebellious. It devises wicked, anti-God thoughts, which thoughts lead to actions (sinful acts). Each human soul needs to be rescued from its sinful condition; otherwise, upon physical death, those souls will be lost to everlasting degeneration and conscious suffering in the lake of fire (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ is the way we sinners escape this deserved eternal damnation.

David, who wrote today’s Scripture, penned in Psalm 32:1,2: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” This describes a believing Jew in Israel’s program (1 John 2:12). In Romans 4:6-8, Paul quotes some of that to describe our salvation in the Dispensation of Grace.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making simple the wise” (Psalm 19:7). The Hebrew word translated “converting” is rendered “restoreth” in today’s Scripture. How does God “restore” (“convert”) the human soul? With His Word! “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). In Israel’s program, a Jew is converted by trusting Jesus as his Messiah/Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 16:16; John 11:27; Acts 8:37; 1 John 5:1-14).

“He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” After our dispensation, the nation Israel, who is currently nationally blinded, will be saved (Romans 11:25-27). At Jesus Christ’s Second Coming, He will blot out Israel’s national sins by instituting the New Covenant (Acts 3:19-26; Hebrews 8:8-13; Hebrews 10:16,17; cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34). They will receive the same forgiveness we have now in Christ (Romans 5:11). According to the New Covenant, God will write His righteous laws in Israel’s heart, and they will serve Him faithfully forever, bringing glory to His name.

Psalm 23 in HD #2

Monday, December 10, 2012

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters” (Psalm 23:2 KJV).

Cutting through the “static” of religious, traditional thinking, we present to you Psalm 23 in HD, dispensationally delivered with astounding clarity.

Today’s Scripture is often understood to be “heartwarming poetry;” we have reason to believe Scripture is teaching a literal concept here, albeit prophetic, unfulfilled until after our Dispensation of Grace has concluded and Israel’s program resumes.

In Matthew 3:1-6, God the Father through John the Baptist is calling a believing remnant of Jews into the wilderness, away from the apostate nation and corrupt Temple. Jews who are waiting for Christ’s kingdom promised in the Old Testament, confess their sins and receive John’s water baptism.

Interestingly, God is causing John the Baptist to fulfill prophecy, for He had promised Israel’s restoration centuries earlier: “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt” (Hosea 2:14,15). This applies not only to John’s day, but also a future time from ours.

One day, the antichrist will arise and deceive Israel (reminiscent of Israel’s apostasy in John the Baptist’s day). Christ instructed believing Jews in Jerusalem and Judaea to flee for their very lives, to escape Israel’s apostasy and judgment, and head into the mountainous wilderness (Matthew 24:15-22; Mark 13:14-20)—near where John water baptized believing Jews 2,000 years earlier! They will stay there in that wilderness for 42 months, the latter half of the Tribulation, where the Godhead will feed and protect them (Revelation 12:6).

Hosea 2:14,15 mentions vineyards; water is present where Israel’s believing remnant will flee. “The valley of Achor” is northwest of the Dead Sea, near the Jordan River. Prophetically, God will lead Israel to the literal “green pastures” and “still waters” of today’s Scripture, to wait for Christ’s coming kingdom (like John’s converts). Amazing!

Psalm 23 in HD #1

Sunday, December 9, 2012

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1 KJV).

Cutting through the “static” of religious, traditional thinking, we present to you Psalm 23 in HD, dispensationally delivered with astounding clarity.

“The LORD is my shepherd.” Jesus Christ likened Himself to a shepherd who led and cared for His sheep (Israel): “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep…. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” (John 10:11,14). Jesus used the term, “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6; Matthew 15:24; cf. Matthew 18:11-14; Luke 15:3-10).

Moses, because of his rebellion, cannot enter into the Promised Land, so he asks the LORD to “set a man over the congregation [nation Israel]… that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd” (Numbers 27:16,17). The LORD then chooses Joshua to take Moses’ place in leading Israel into Palestine. Moses and Joshua are types/previews of what Jesus Christ will ultimately do when He returns at His Second Coming, to lead Israel into His kingdom and her Promised Land.

Israel’s restoration (after our Dispensation of Grace has ended) is described in 1 Peter 2:25: “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (cf. Hebrews 13:20). The Bible calls the LORD the “Shepherd of Israel” (Psalm 80:1).

In today’s Scripture, David, a believing Jew, also wrote, “I shall not want.” Christ will meet Israel’s spiritual and physical needs (yet future), just as a shepherd provides for his sheep. Israel will lack neither material goods (Amos 9:11-15; Joel 3:17-21; Luke 12:22-32) nor spiritual blessings (particularly forgiveness; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Acts 3:19-26; Hebrews 8:8-13) in her kingdom.

Describing the Millennial Reign (Kingdom) of Christ, we read: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11). Recall John 10:11,14 from earlier? As their faithful Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, upon His Second Coming, will feed Israel, spiritually and physically, forever. They will lack nothing.

Wilt Thou Serve the Denomination, Or the Lord? #6

Saturday, December 8, 2012

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23,24 KJV).

Beloved, we have a choice—we can serve a theological system (which is worthless), or we can serve the Lord (which is priceless).

We who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:17; cf. today’s Scripture). In eternity, we will inherit what Jesus Christ will! “But unto the Son he [God the Father] saith, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever” (Hebrews 1:8). In the ages to come, Jesus Christ will rule the governments of heaven and of earth (Colossians 1:16-20)—God’s original intention before sin (Ephesians 1:9,10). He will use redeemed Israel to reign for His glory on earth (Exodus 19:5,6; Job 19:25,26), and He will utilize us, the Body of Christ, to rule for His glory in heaven (Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 2:6,7).

Before we can serve in the heavenly places for Christ’s glory, God left us here so we can study and believe the doctrine regarding the program that He is operating today. We go not to the “Old Testament,” Four Gospels, early Acts, or even to Hebrews through Revelation, to find God’s will for us—that is Israel’s program. Our doctrine, duty, walk, and destiny as members of the Body of Christ are found only in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon. Applying Israel’s program to our lives, as denominations encourage, profits us nothing, for we are not Israel!

At the Judgment Seat of Christ, when the Lord Jesus evaluates the doctrine we Christians believed, vain religious tradition (denominationalism) and philosophy we have stored in our inner man, will be consumed, while the sound Pauline Bible doctrine will remain (1 Corinthians 3:8-15). Hence, Scripture cautions, “take heed how [you] build thereupon” (verse 10). Be careful what doctrine you believe. Remember, Jesus Christ, not a denomination, “loved you and gave Himself for you.” Your loyalty should be to the Lord, not to man (today’s Scripture).

Wilt Thou Serve the Denomination, Or the Lord? #5

Friday, December 7, 2012

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23,24 KJV).

Beloved, we have a choice—we can serve a theological system (which is worthless), or we can serve the Lord (which is priceless).

Much of the last 2,000 years of “church history” is actually organization- and denomination-building. In the first century A.D., you were either a member of the Church the Body of Christ, or you were not. It was that simple. There were no Roman Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, or Assemblies of God churches (we could list 38,000 others that man has developed since Bible days!). Those were all founded by man centuries after Jesus Christ founded Christianity using the Apostle Paul’s ministry.

Uncompromisingly, we remind you that if you are not following what Jesus Christ founded, then you are serving man! Today’s Scripture reminds, “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” In the context, we are exhorted not to work in order to be seen of others (“eyeservice”) or to be praised by others (“menpleasers”). Religion (denominationalism) encourages us to do just the opposite!

Christ rebuked Israel’s religious leaders: “But all their works they do for to be seen of men” (Matthew 23:5). “For a pretence [show] [they] make long prayers” (Mark 12:40). Religion is man’s attempt to approach God through his own efforts, generating self-righteousness. “Look at all the religious ceremonies in which I participate! Praise me!” The denomination announces it (“he walked the aisle” or “she got baptized”), and everyone praises the person’s “piety.”

Jewish religionists (legalists) had pressured the Galatians that they needed the rite of physical circumcision for soul salvation. Why? Paul wrote, “[They] desire to make a fair shew in the flesh… that they may glory [brag, boast] in your flesh” (Galatians 5:12,13). Paraphrased, “Notice our new converts, our new church members. Look what they did to further our religion [partook of the ceremony]!”

Again, this will profit us nothing in eternity….

Wilt Thou Serve the Denomination, Or the Lord? #4

Thursday, December 6, 2012

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23,24 KJV).

Beloved, we have a choice—we can serve a theological system (which is worthless), or we can serve the Lord (which is priceless).

If we desire to know the Lord’s will for our lives, should we consult manmade “articles of confession” and “catechisms” published by denominations? No! It is only logical to find God’s will for our lives by reading the Book God wrote!

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17). Everything we will ever need to know about God’s plan for us is found in the Holy Bible. Found therein is everything that He has done for us, and everything that He purposes to do with us! When we grasp that information, we progress in spiritual maturity, and by faith, we “labour together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9).

Satan knows God’s Word is effectual, that it accomplishes what God intends (Isaiah 55:11). So, to the devil’s delight, sinful man corrupted God’s Word by fabricating perverted Bible manuscripts, creating elaborate organizations instead of preaching the Gospel of Grace to perishing mankind, wrongly dividing the word of truth, and thus splintering into 38,000-plus denominations. These activities still distract lost people (and even Christians) from discovering God’s will and the clarity of His Word.

The Bible warns us: “Beware lest any man spoil [rob, cheat] you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8). Doubtless, this refers to empty religious tradition, denominational doctrine which is “not after Christ.”

Let us walk by faith in an intelligent understanding of what God is doing today, Paul’s epistles Romans through Philemon, and not what some denomination is doing. After all, dear saints, serving a denomination will profit us nothing in eternity….

Wilt Thou Serve the Denomination, Or the Lord? #3

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23,24 KJV).

Beloved, we have a choice—we can serve a theological system (which is worthless), or we can serve the Lord (which is priceless).

Almost all of the world’s two billion professing Christians attend and/or serve in a denominational church (over half in Roman Catholicism; just under half in Protestantism). Every denomination can be summarized with: “Dr. So-and-So” leads it, it prefers its own Bible translation and/or other literature, funds its own seminary or college, and promotes its own “programs” and “verses.” Can they all be right?! (No!)

Despite their godly façade, upon being queried regarding their authority, denominationalists mindlessly parrot their group’s unique, manmade “catechism” or “articles of confession.” All groups quote antithetical sources to support their beliefs and practices, and they all claim to be doing “God’s work.” Impossible! This is not Christianity, but Christendom (Christendumb). Denominationalists are blindly serving man, not the Lord.

Frankly, all denominationalism has ever done is divide and confuse, corrupting people who are already going to hell. “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33); therefore, God is not the author of denominations. These dear people shackled in religious duty claim to be following and serving Christ, but they have no idea what He is doing today. How can they be doing God’s will if they do not even know what God is doing? Impossible!

When the ascended and glorified Lord Jesus Christ first revealed Christianity to the Apostle Paul, He had no intention of giving us another set of rules, a list of programs, or a highly complex system of rites, rituals, and ceremonies. We sinners had enough trouble keeping TEN simple commandments!!! He had no intention of us serving and pleasing fellow man. He wanted to give us His life, so it would not be our performance in religion, but His performance in us! Thus, it is vain to follow a manmade system, for we should “serve the Lord Christ” (today’s Scripture).

Wilt Thou Serve the Denomination, Or the Lord? #2

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23,24 KJV).

Beloved, we have a choice—we can serve a theological system (which is worthless), or we can serve the Lord (which is priceless).

When someone who is searching for the true and living God eventually does find out about Jesus Christ and trusts Him alone as personal Saviour, he or she then has a spiritual minefield to navigate. Deciding which denominational church to join is not as easy as it initially seems. After all, these 38,000-plus groups claim to be “Christ’s followers,” but they each teach something radically different. How will this poor Christian soul ever learn the truth? Which denomination, if any, is right?

Satan’s apostate religious system accomplishes exactly what he intended it to—it deters the Christian from serving the Lord. Soon, the person becomes loyal to the denomination and its (faulty) theology. Eventually, the issue is no longer, “What saith the scriptures?,” but “What saith the denomination, preacher, or statement of faith?”

We are not to serve man, nor seek to please him—we are to serve the Lord, not some (man-made) denomination! Today’s Scripture declares, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;….” Ephesians 6:6,7 confirm: “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:”

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17). If we want to do God’s will in our lives—if we are to be “throughly furnished [equipped] unto all good works”—the complete revelation is within “all scripture.” “Scripture” (“writings”) restricts the authority to a Book, thus excluding popes, teachers, theological systems, preachers, and seminaries….

Wilt Thou Serve the Denomination, Or the Lord? #1

Monday, December 3, 2012

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23,24 KJV).

Beloved, we have a choice—we can serve a theological system (which is worthless), or we can serve the Lord (which is priceless).

Colossians 3:22 begins: “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:” Today’s Scripture then follows: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;….”

Compare that to Ephesians 6:5-7: “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:”

Christian employees are exhorted that, when they work, they should not put on a show. That is, we should not be faithful workers for the sake of being seen of others (“eyeservice”) and praised by others (“menpleasers”). Our motivation for faithfully executing Christian service within the workplace is to please the Lord Jesus Christ. We should serve the Lord “in singleness of heart;” to wit, with a sincere (non-hypocritical, non-selfish) heart. We really do not deserve the credit or the praise for our good works—after all, “[We are] crucified with Christ; nevertheless [we] live, yet not [us], but Christ!”

Even though today’s Scripture and these other verses are directed toward Christian servants (slaves, employees), we can still benefit from the doctrine, for we too are “servants to God” (Romans 6:22). Just as we are to be faithful Christian servants “on the job,” we are to be faithful servants of the Lord on this stage called “life.” The same doctrine that governs a Christian in the workplace should, in the grand scheme of things, guide us as we function in our Christian ambassadorship on a daily basis….

Decent and Orderly

Sunday, December 2, 2012

“Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is straightforward regarding individuals’ behavior within the local church.

A lady recently shared with me her experience of visiting a new local church. After an hour of singing, dancing, shouting, jumping, and tongue talking, there was less than an hour of preaching. While she claimed that she learned “a little” (!) from the Bible, she was overall displeased. Thankfully, she said she was not returning there. (I was then able to share some Scriptural truth with her concerning those matters.)

Emotionalism dominated the Corinthian church. The Corinthians, although Christians, were spiritually immature: they failed to learn and grasp the doctrine found in the book of Romans. They could not function like adult saints because they were “babes in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1). Consequently, they abused spiritual gifts.

Rather than using their spiritual gifts to benefit the assembly as God intended, these believers were selfishly glorifying their flesh by drawing attention to themselves (the “charismatic movement” is nothing new). The Apostle Paul spent three chapters—1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14—addressing spiritual gifts. The last verse of that section is today’s Scripture, which summarizes God’s view of the whole issue. We are not to lose self-control under any circumstances.

Dear readers, be not swept away by the charismatic movement. We humans are emotional creatures, prone to fall into the trap of deceptive feelings, and this religious movement appeals to our flesh. Spiritual gifts—even when they operated in biblical times—were never meant to be haphazardly used to lift up the individual Christian, or be utilized to give an “emotional high.”

Lost people are watching us, and is that the impression we want them to have about God? Jumping, shouting, and babbling incoherently? As 1 Corinthians 14:23 says, these lost souls will exclaim, “Ye are mad [crazy]!!!” Remember, everything in the local church should be done “decently and in order.” Let us be grounded in this truth, let us walk by faith in sound Pauline Bible doctrine, and let us not be “children… tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14).