Month: July 2023

arC Ministries Is 16!

Monday, July 31, 2023

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20 KJV).

To our Lord Jesus Christ’s glory, arC Ministries celebrates its 16th anniversary today!!!

Sixteen years ago, as a 19-year-old college student, I endeavored to use Facebook to create a Bible study group for teens and college students. Thus, “ambassadors for the risen Christ ministries” was born. As I grew more in God’s Word rightly divided, I grew increasingly aware of the need for additional ministry projects. The more I had been learning drove me to share those precious truths with others. That eventually led me to look for supplementary avenues of ministry.

During these past 16 years, God’s grace has enabled us to continue the original group on Facebook. In addition, we have branched out quite a bit in other areas. This devotionals blog has been operating for over 12 years now. For the last 11 years, we have focused on developing and drafting a grace study Bible (now in its twelfth year). Other ministry projects include a 22-week newspaper ministry column (this devotionals blog’s predecessor), a YouTube channel with home Bible study videos, a Twitter feed, a full-length Bible studies blog, a college campus ministry, a nursing-home ministry, and our Bible-question-and-answer blog. Seven years ago, we launched our new main ministry website and now have a line of printed Bible study booklets available for sale there. Four years ago, we recorded and distributed our Old Testament Survey video series. Later that year, we launched our New Testament Survey video series (which will last a few years). We hear from people all over the world!

Our name says it all: we serve the risen Lord Jesus Christ, not some “dead Jew” and not ourselves. The original motto of our ministry was, “To equip ambassadors, and to encourage others to become ambassadors.” Our primary goal is to teach Christians, and our secondary goal is to evangelize the lost world. Sixteen years later, we still endeavor to uphold God’s Word (King James Bible) rightly divided, whether it be in edifying the Christian brethren or preaching the clear Gospel of the Grace of God to this lost and dying world. For those of you who have been with us from day 1, thank you for your prayer and encouragement. We pray for you upon every remembrance! There is still plenty more for the Lord Jesus Christ to do in and through us, so let us give Him all the praise and glory as we enter Year 17! 🙂

 

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Praise

Sunday, July 30, 2023

“Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:13 KJV).

Elderly King David is talking to the LORD as young Solomon will soon occupy the throne and build the Temple!

A pastor of many decades once remarked how he had attended countless “prayer services,” hearing and/or taking innumerable prayer requests. Reflecting on all these occasions, he summarized them in the following way: the most common topics were the healing of the sick and the blessings of the healthy! People wanted deliverance from illness, poverty, and so on. However, (he mused) where were the prayers of thanksgiving to God and of praise to God? Prayer had been reduced to an excuse to fulfill selfish purposes, for God had been reduced to Santa Claus!

No matter the place on the Bible timeline, prayer is simply people talking to the Lord in light of His revelation to them. They know—or should know!—what He is doing at that present moment, they speak to Him according to that, and now what He is doing becomes reinforced in their minds and hearts so they can cooperate with Him in doing exactly what He is (the will of God!). Contrary to popular belief, prayer is more than making a “wish list.” When we pray, we should be thanking Father God for His righteousness, goodness, grace, love, mercy, peace, kindness, wisdom, fellowship with us, and so on. Also, we should be striving to seek His glorification, not ours. Let us be mindful chiefly of His words to us, the 13 Pauline epistles of Romans through Philemon, praying in agreement with them above all else.

Read the context of today’s Scripture. In verses 1-9, David addresses Israel, recounting how he has organized supplies for Solomon to erect the Jerusalem Temple, and they subsequently give willingly of their treasures to add to the building. From verses 10-19, David rejoices and praises the LORD in prayer, remembering all natural resources belong to the Creator. In verses 20-25, the Jewish people further celebrate and again recognize Solomon’s right to David’s throne, the LORD magnifying Solomon thereafter. The chapter closes (verses 26-30) with a review of David’s reign and death.

A Lost Love #10

Saturday, July 29, 2023

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1 KJV).

Just the other day, an aged friend in ministry for several years now, shared with me the news of one of his recent undertakings. Let us see how his sentiments and efforts match those of Paul in today’s Scripture.

Undoubtedly, dear friends, we should share with everyone the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished crosswork as sufficient payment for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). It is needful that we attempt to tell as many people as we can. However, we must be blunt here. As it was in Bible days, so it is now: a great many people will never come to Christ. This is true of at least some of our lost loved ones. Though we wish we could believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in their behalf, this is not how God has designed the plan of salvation to work. It is personal faith, not “by proxy” faith. If people do not want to hear and believe the Gospel of Grace, we need to move on to those who do. The more time and energy we waste on those who refuse to believe, the fewer people we are able to reach.

May I be direct once again? Nine years ago this month, I delivered the eulogy of one of my relatives. Some 30 unsaved family members were present at that funeral home—and it was for this express reason I made certain to preach a clear Gospel message. It was undoubtedly the plainest presentation of the Gospel they had ever heard in their lives. (In fact, I was told later, it was so explicit that the works-religion cult leader standing beside me began blushing!) Those hearts were quite convicted and shocked so that the room become deathly silent. After I finished speaking, a single family member came up and voiced approval of the message. The rest of these my relatives have never heard the Gospel or any Bible verse from me in more than nine years now because I respect their free will. If they do go to Hell, I can rightfully say with Paul, “I am clean [of their blood]” (Acts 18:6). May we be able to declare this concerning all our lost loves.

A Lost Love #9

Friday, July 28, 2023

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1 KJV).

Just the other day, an aged friend in ministry for several years now, shared with me the news of one of his recent undertakings. Let us see how his sentiments and efforts match those of Paul in today’s Scripture.

Though Paul attempted to preach the Lord Jesus Christ to every lost Jew in the synagogues of the Mediterranean world, he knew he could not force any of them to believe. In fact, when apostate Israel opposed him and his message, instead of lingering to quarrel with them, he respected their free will and departed to minister to others.

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles…. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium” (Acts 13:46,51). “They were ware of it [Jewish plot against them], and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:…” (Acts 14:6).

“…Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue” (Acts 18:5-7).

“And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus” (Acts 19:8,9). As far as the record of Acts is concerned, because of this exceptionally adverse reaction, Paul never again preached in a synagogue! He valued free will, and so should we.

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

A Lost Love #8

Thursday, July 27, 2023

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1 KJV).

Just the other day, an aged friend in ministry for several years now, shared with me the news of one of his recent undertakings. Let us see how his sentiments and efforts match those of Paul in today’s Scripture.

As Saul of Tarsus back in Acts chapter 9, the Apostle Paul met the Saviour Jesus Christ face-to-face. This was when he came to understand just how misinformed—just how lost—he really was. His righteousness meant nothing before God, so he was actually headed for Hell quite smug in his “goodness.” He was not good enough to merit Heaven, and he finally swallowed his religious pride. What mattered in eternity was God’s perfect righteousness available only by faith in Jesus Christ. If necessary, re-read Paul’s testimony in Philippians 3:1-11.

In today’s Scripture, Paul has been saved for roughly 25 years (internal evidence suggests he wrote Romans during the opening verses of Acts chapter 20). Ever since chapter 9 of Acts, he has been meeting and preaching to lost Jews in synagogues scattered throughout the Mediterranean world. These are the very people of today’s Scripture, who, like he as Saul of Tarsus had been, are satisfied in their works-religion (Judaism). “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3).

Re-read Romans 9:1-3. Paul felt sorry for self-righteous Israel, and he so was troubled for lost Israel, but it was neither sadness nor anger (emotions) that made him preach the Gospel of Grace to them. It was his renewed mind, his admittance that the Bible was right, that caused him to share his Saviour with them. No matter how “good” they were in religion, regardless of how hard they tried to be godly, they could never save themselves from their sins because they were not perfect. Still, their hearts had deceived them, and, as they heard the Gospel of Grace from Paul’s very lips, they shut their eyes and ears to the truth so as to keep (emotionally) clinging to their vain religious system all the more….

A Lost Love #7

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1 KJV).

Just the other day, an aged friend in ministry for several years now, shared with me the news of one of his recent undertakings. Let us see how his sentiments and efforts match those of Paul in today’s Scripture.

Instead of spite (negative emotions) or “warm fuzzy feelings” (positive emotions), what stimulated Paul to conduct his ministry was sound Bible doctrine he believed in his heart or soul. Here are some facts that constituted his renewed mind. “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his [God’s] sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). No matter how “good” someone’s religious performance appeared, the Law of Moses pronounced that person to be a sinner who fell short of God’s glory (verse 23). Sinners cannot reach that perfect standard of all that God is (everything He believes and does).

Consequently, every sinner has innately and automatically merited the following penalty: “…unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, [God will render to them; verse 6] indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;…” (Romans 2:8,9). This is man’s nature and destiny. His feeble efforts in religion (good works) indeed “clean up” the outward to some extent, creating an existence that imitates God’s life. Alas, his nature or inward makeup is unchanged. He is still dead in his trespasses and sins, separated from God’s life. As Saul of Tarsus in Judaism, the Apostle Paul knew all about this firsthand. Read Philippians 3:1-11.

Verses 7-9: “But what things [religious works] were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:….”

In today’s Scripture, Paul wanted lost Israel to learn this….

A Lost Love #6

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1 KJV).

Just the other day, an aged friend in ministry for several years now, shared with me the news of one of his recent undertakings. Let us see how his sentiments and efforts match those of Paul in today’s Scripture.

Emotions are untrustworthy because they can be easily manipulated. They change according to the situation. Yet, most unfortunately, because of sin, they tend to govern our lives by forming the basis for our decisions. Those choices might turn out to be our worst mistakes ever, but they “felt” right or acceptable when we made them. As opposed to relying on subjective data (personal opinions or feelings), we need an objective standard (facts). It is impossible to eliminate our emotions, but the renewed mind can overpower them.

We take sound Bible doctrine and think and live according to it, regardless of emotions (!). Our life and ministry should be founded on faith in Bible truth we hear or read (clear, faithful words of God applicable to our circumstances). This is the only safe path: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1,2). A mature Christian thinks a specific way and conducts his or her life according to the facts of Bible truth. Here is the proper course, for God originally designed mankind (prior to sin and Adam’s fall) to use the mind rather than the heart (emotions) to make choices. The alternative is to be a babe in Christ or a lost person, depending on feelings or hunches to evaluate life….

A Lost Love #5

Monday, July 24, 2023

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1 KJV).

Just the other day, an aged friend in ministry for several years now, shared with me the news of one of his recent undertakings. Let us see how his sentiments and efforts match those of Paul in today’s Scripture.

Consider how emotions can deceive Christians serving in ministry. For instance, the concept of an eternal Devil’s Hell might be deliberately omitted from “Gospel conversations/presentations.” Raw emotions lead these church members to suppose “no loving God would ever send people to such a horrible place!” Or, if they have loved ones depending on their religious performance to get into Heaven, they will not bother to share the Gospel of Grace at all, preferring to assume everyone will enter Heaven eventually. They care not to think their loved ones are on their smug way to everlasting punishment (where God’s justice will enforce His offended righteousness by punishing their self-righteousness). This is why and how the Gospel of the Grace of God is repeatedly compromised in denominational circles. It is not completely denied, just softened so it is not offensive. Or, the Christian might try to force a pure Gospel onto a person who has vehemently expressed no interest in believing. Emotions pronounce, “Keep talking, no matter how infuriated they get!”

Lost people have emotional attachments to their works-religions. For example, a loved one likely introduced them to that system, so to abandon it equates to disrespecting that person. It has been stated, “I will die a member of the religion of mom and dad.” They cannot bring themselves to admit the possibility their parents may have been wrong and deceased loved ones are actually in Hell right now. Furthermore, the error possibly stretches back centuries—many generations of one family, putting great pressure on the individual to shun Bible truth. To trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone might mean being barred from estate proceeds, social functions, and many other misfortunes. “I am doing the best I can, and I think I will make it into Heaven,” is nothing but their emotional seat trying to justify why they are in their spiritual position.

Instead of subjectivism, we need objectivism….

A Lost Love #4

Sunday, July 23, 2023

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1 KJV).

Just the other day, an aged friend in ministry for several years now, shared with me the news of one of his recent undertakings. Let us see how his sentiments and efforts match those of Paul in today’s Scripture.

Dear friends, we must constantly (!!) be on guard against emotional revolt, making sure our emotions do not dictate to us what we should think or do. Emotions are deceptive, so if we allow them to control us, we will live in a fantasy world as opposed to reality. For example, remember when you watched a television show or movie. Depending on the actions you saw and the dialogue you heard, you moved from feeling anger to feeling sadness to feeling happiness to feeling peaceful to feeling distressed. People sob as they observe the tragic scenes, leap for joy when they see the pleasant situations, and scowl when they view the frustrating scenes. Of course, what they are watching is all make-believe—but it “feels” real, it “seems” real, because dominating emotions have no thinking process attached to them. Emotions are stupid or brainless. How can we ever expect our lives to function if we rely on this foundation of sand? It literally does not make sense.

The Bible tells the truth: sin forever changed human makeup. If we doubt this, we just need to look around at society and agree with the Scriptures. When Adam and Eve rebelled against the LORD God, human nature was significantly altered. Spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional modifications were introduced—and they are passed down from Adam to each and every successive generation. The key to solving all these problems is not therapy sessions with a “positive thinker,” endless drug usage, alcoholic beverages, or any of the other “solutions” man has developed to cope with his symptoms (minor) instead of addressing his sickness (major). The disease is sin, and it afflicts Christians and non-Christians alike. Christians conducting ministry based on emotions are on dangerous ground, and the non-Christians they are trying to reach are in an equally perilous condition. Let us see how the renewed mind remedies the matter for both parties….

A Lost Love #3

Saturday, July 22, 2023

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1 KJV).

Just the other day, an aged friend in ministry for several years now, shared with me the news of one of his recent undertakings. Let us see how his sentiments and efforts match those of Paul in today’s Scripture.

“And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled [was amazed!] because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching” (Mark 6:1-6; cf. Matthew 13:53-58).

In the above passage, we gather how the Lord Jesus’ own family, friends, and neighbors were in unbelief—the very people who had grown up with Him in Nazareth for 20 years. Additionally, even His half-siblings (four younger brothers [named above] and at least two younger sisters [unnamed]) through His mother Mary were in unbelief. “For neither did his brethren believe in him” (John 7:5). One brother, James, became a believer at some later time, possibly because of Christ’s resurrection (Galatians 1:19; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:7).

As it did Paul in today’s Scripture, so it deeply grieved the Lord’s heart that His people could have no faith in God’s words to them—even after the overwhelming proof they heard and saw. It was not an evidence problem, but a heart problem that caused them not to believe. These lost loves we ourselves (literally) know all too well….