Author: Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Grace and peace! What a privilege to be an ambassador for the risen Christ here on WordPress! I am a Pauline dispensationalist Christian saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus plus nothing! My goal is to "have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3,4). I seek to preach Jesus Christ crucified for our sins, buried, and raised again for our justification as the only way to salvation. Also, I seek to edify and perfect the saints using dispensational Bible study and the Authorized Version King James Bible!

One More Night with the Frogs! #1

Saturday, January 29, 2022

“And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God” (Exodus 8:10 KJV).

Who has replied with, “To morrow,” and why has he answered thusly?

Reading today’s Scripture with its context: “[1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. [2] And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: [3] And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs: [4] And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.

“[5] And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. [6] And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. [7] And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

“[8] Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD. [9] And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? [10] And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God. [11] And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.”

What happens next? Let us see….

On the Run!

Friday, January 28, 2022

“But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:10-12 KJV).

Read this sobering statement from a Christian living in the Middle East: “Because we don’t have a church building to gather in, we have to keep our groups small, not more than five or six people. We constantly change days, times, and locations to avoid getting caught.” These are current affairs, friends, reminiscent of the days when the early churches had to hide from Roman authorities or risk death!

Although anti-Christian voices have greatly multiplied and increased in volume in recent years here in the United States, we still have our constitutional rights that protect spiritual liberty… for now. Compared to what Christians are undergoing in other countries, we Americans have it good. Dear friends, never take the Holy Scriptures for granted. Be appreciative of them—especially thankful for those saints who died through the centuries just to make sure we had a copy. This cannot be emphasized enough!

It is so tragic we who have the greatest “religious freedom” in the world are usually the ones most spoiled to the non-spiritual. We bicker about the stupidest matters on social media, sit in front of our television and computer screens several hours a day for amusement, and talk and text message and play games on our smartphones the rest of the time. Meanwhile, Christians in other nations are literally being hunted down, imprisoned, tortured, and executed for God’s Book that sits on our shelf collecting dust. Oh, it is a terrible commentary regarding our beloved nation, but it shows just how shallow in the Scriptures we have been all these centuries. Now, our corporate attitude can no longer be hidden because the culture behind the façade has bulldozed through its shell.

Dear saints, if you are suffering for Jesus Christ’s sake today, remember, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). God’s grace is sufficient—even when you are “on the run!” 🙂

Idols in the Heart #3

Thursday, January 27, 2022

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?” (Ezekiel 14:2,3 KJV).

Look at their heart problem!

Reread the main thought of today’s Scripture and its context: “…these men have set up their idols in their heart, Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart,… every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart…” (verses 3,4,7).

Before sin becomes a physical action, it is a heart attitude. Jeremiah 17:9 explains: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Our soul is naturally wicked, spiritually darkened and inclined to believe and do everything contrary to our Creator’s will. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:21). “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians 4:17-19). After a pattern of poor thinking, poor conduct follows.

The conversion of a soul dead in trespasses and sins, to new life in Christ, is far more than forcing people to give up physical trinkets and other religious paraphernalia. It involves a humble heart willing to finally give up on self and admit all that “performance” in religion is not worth bragging about. In light of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for our sins, all else is “but dung” (Philippians 3:8). Once we in our heart come to trust in that Gospel message—and that alone—our idols in our heart will be removed and now we remove our idols from our shelf! 🙂

Idols in the Heart #2

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?” (Ezekiel 14:2,3 KJV).

Look at their heart problem!

Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah and Jerusalem on three occasions during a 20-year period. The Prophet Ezekiel began his ministry between the second and third attacks, circa 593 B.C. Judah, the Southern Kingdom, had engaged in heathen religion for centuries. Now, the Fifth Course of Chastisement was underway, the curses of the Law of Moses falling upon these two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin. (It had already resulted in the Northern Kingdom, Israel’s other 10 idolatrous tribes, being taken captive to Assyria more than 100 years prior.) If necessary, see Leviticus 26:27-39.

In the context of today’s Scripture, the “elders” or aged men leading Israel approach Ezekiel, but, as we can see, the LORD is greatly displeased with them. The nation is apostate, turned from the truth, because those in power have caused it to be thus. God is not interested in listening to what they have to say (for they “have set up their idols in their heart”), but He does want them to pay attention to His message to them!

Keep reading: “[6] Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. [7] For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself: [8] And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”

The Israelites must “repent,” change their mind by remembering the Hebrew Bible—particularly the Law of Moses. Only then will they abandon their idols in their hearts….

Idols in the Heart #1

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?” (Ezekiel 14:2,3 KJV).

Look at their heart problem!

Decades ago, a pastor friend was doing missionary work in a foreign country, among a people steeped in heathen religion and superstition. He and his ministry companions happened upon a house wherein they found one lost man who was most eager to hear what they had to tell him concerning “Christianity.” As they began sharing the Gospel of Grace with him, he responded quite enthusiastically, “Oh yes, I will believe in Jesus!” However, when they explained to him “Jesus” was not “just another statue” he could put on his shelf, but that Jesus was supreme and would not “share his shelf” with other “deities,” the man invited these Christian missionaries to leave his home. When we think critically about his situation, his problem was not idols on his shelf but rather idols in his heart. The idols in his heart (the sickness) led to the idols on his shelf (the symptoms).

Now, let us read today’s Scripture in context: “[1] Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. [2] And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [3] Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? [4] Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; [5] That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.”

Remember, Israel’s problem is not idols in their hands but rather idols in their hearts….

An Increase Long After Our Decease

Monday, January 24, 2022

“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:5-7 KJV).

Even death itself cannot stop the Lord’s ministry!

Several years ago, a dear Christian sister shared the Gospel of Grace with an unsaved man. He trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, and passed from death to life! She relayed the news to me and we rejoiced together, but, for the next four years, we heard from him just a few times. The lady eventually graduated to Heaven because of an accident, but she always wondered whatever happened to him. Over a year after her death, I receive a phone call. It is he! He had just learned about her moving to Heaven, and was so dismayed he wanted to reconnect with me, and tell me what had been happening since we last heard from him. I explained to him how we had thought about him often—and though her absence was a devastating loss to us all, we would see her again in the Lord’s presence and he could thank her there.

Over the last two years, he and I have tried to keep in more contact. Recently, he has informed me he is endeavoring to reach his adult children and young grandchildren with the Gospel of Grace—but they are so entangled in works-religion (his former denomination, Roman Catholicism) that it is most difficult. Moreover, he is still battling other denominationalists in a church he had started attending before he believed the Gospel of Grace. I encouraged him with more Scriptures and ministry advice, especially how the lady dealt with her own family (all of whom were of the same cult as he was and his family still is).

The sister now in Heaven almost three years will be most excited to hear one day how the Lord’s ministry through her continued to bear fruit long after she left us. She planted, we watered, but God gives the increase (cf. today’s Scripture). Indeed, long after our decease, His words will take care of themselves!

Bible Q&A #915: “Is it fair for John to refer to them as ‘the Jews?’”

A Decision to Embrace Right Division

Sunday, January 23, 2022

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

We give a hearty “Amen!” to today’s Scripture….

Having trusted Jesus Christ alone as my personal Saviour just a few weeks shy of age seven, I spent the first 12 years of my Christian life in utter spiritual shallowness, immaturity, and confusion. Denominational systems had been so detrimental to my inner man! One day, the Lord mightily used a dear brother in Christ to introduce my parents and me to dispensational Bible study. Later that year, another Christian brother showed us even more advanced sound Bible doctrine. Recently, we marked 15 years since first coming to understand right division. To say the least, it has been quite the journey this last decade and a half!

What we have discovered through the years of talking with others in ministry is countless souls within churches are “too comfortable” where they are. Religious tradition is most difficult to relinquish—but we left our vain theological systems and they can do just the same if they so choose. However, it is far easier to keep “praise and worship” services, “humbling” ceremonies, mindless church attendance, light or “feel-good” sermons, philosophical counseling sessions, and all the rest that strokes the ego of sinful flesh. To embrace the truth is to lose so many relatives and “friends”—and that intimidation factor keeps many people right where they are in their spiritual life (if they even have one!).

Dear friends, the Bible laid out on a timeline is most helpful, and respecting the dispensational boundaries God the Holy Spirit has placed in His Word is how we understand and enjoy the Scriptures. If nothing else, we know the Apostle Paul is God’s spokesman to us (Romans 11:13), and Romans through Philemon are God’s words to and about us. We study all 66 Bible Books, but we study them rightly divided, and we seek God’s approval instead of man’s approval (today’s Scripture). Indeed, we all have more growing to do with regards to learning God’s plan for the ages, but we are well on our way. Let us remember to continue on this path without turning to the right or the left—at least for another 15 years! 🙂

Certainty!

Saturday, January 22, 2022

“Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed” (Luke 1:1-4 KJV).

According to pagan philosophers, nothing can be known for certain. Truth is relative, not absolute. Consequently, the “narrowminded” Holy Bible is immensely unpopular (to put it mildly, of course!).

The Holy Spirit is superintending as Doctor Luke addresses one “Theophilus” (a Gentile or Greek whose name means “lover of God”). Almost nothing else is known about Theophilus, although his title “most excellent” may suggest he occupies a high-ranking political office within the Roman Empire (cf. Acts 23:26; Acts 24:3; Acts 26:25). Theophilus is a Christian believer who has been taught basic Bible truth, but lacks a firm, systematic understanding of spiritual matters. Consequently, the Holy Ghost deemed it most beneficial to have the Gospel Record of Luke penned directly to him. Luke, having interviewed firsthand and secondhand witnesses of Christ’s earthly ministry, collates his information into one volume—and be sure to note the Holy Spirit (not Luke!) had the final say in what was included and what was not included in this third Gospel Record!

Today’s culture does not know what to believe—and that is because its sponsors tossed aside God’s words and (like vacuum cleaners) sucked up everything else. At this point, it is far too costly to limit themselves to one belief system—for then they must (humbly) admit they were wrong about all others! Thankfully, as the Holy Spirit wrote to ensure Theophilus would “know the certainty [sureness, firmness, undoubted truth, stability] of those things” in which he had been educated, so the Scriptures tell us everything the one true God would have us know. “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14). “Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

The Accursed Thing! #8

Friday, January 21, 2022

“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel” (Joshua 7:1 KJV).

Just what is this “accursed thing?” How will it affect the Israelites here in “time past?” What does this say about their fate in “the ages to come?”

Recall Achan’s sin was judged in “the Valley of Achor [trouble]” (verses 24,26), an area due south of Jericho, roughly halfway between the city and the Dead Sea. This area is significant in prophecy, for it is one of the regions to which Israel’s believing remnant will flee as they escape the Antichrist. Whereas the nation Israel was steeped in idolatry in the Old Testament and will be even more so with the Antichrist, there is a group of saints within the nation who will be preserved from Satan’s policy of evil. Achor will not only be a place of judgment and trouble, but also one of salvation and hope.

Hosea chapter 2: “[14] Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. [15] 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. [16] And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi [‘husband’]; and shalt call me no more Baali [‘lord’]. [17] For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.” Also, Isaiah 65:10: “And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.”

Here, Israel is purged of pagan idolatry, including Baal worship, and is triumphant over all Satan’s policy of evil, ready to become God’s kingdom of priests in God’s land at Jesus Christ’s Second Coming to meet them!

The Accursed Thing! #7

Thursday, January 20, 2022

“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel” (Joshua 7:1 KJV).

Just what is this “accursed thing?” How will it affect the Israelites here in “time past?” What does this say about their fate in “the ages to come?”

In Scripture, Babylon (near modern Baghdad, Iraq) is notable for its pagan idolatry. “…Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground” (Isaiah 21:9). “Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel [Babylonian deity] is confounded, Merodach [another Babylonian deity] is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces” (Jeremiah 50:2). “Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her” (Jeremiah 51:47).

Dear friends, never should we see the Bible as “dead history,” things of the past, events never to be repeated. These passages of Scripture are not only historical, they are also prophetic. What happened then loops forward to what will transpire in the future. While these Old Testament Prophets were foretelling the short-term destruction of ancient Babylon by Persian King Cyrus the Great in 536 B.C. (Daniel 5:30-31), they were also providing a glimpse of the long-term destruction of new Babylon under the Antichrist beyond our day. You can read about future Babylon in Revelation 14:8, Revelation 16:19, and Revelation chapters 17–18. Satan’s monstrous political-religious system will finally and permanently be annihilated at Christ’s Second Coming!

Also, consider the evil religion and devils in Zechariah 5:5-11, with “the land of the Shinar” (verse 11) being the site of Babylon and the Tower of Babel (cf. Genesis 10:10; Daniel 1:1,2)—this is the Whore of Babylon and all her attendant spiritual harlot “daughters” (religions, cults, denominations) corrupting Israel and the nations. Thankfully, for believing Israel, however, the Valley of Achor will provide an escape….

Our two latest Bible Q&As: “What does ‘All hail’ mean in Matthew 28:9?” and “Can you explain ‘God speed’ in 2 John?”

NOTE: Happy 42nd Spiritual Birthday to my Mom, who will no doubt read this!