Category: pagan idolatry

God’s Grace on Parade

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

“…But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20 KJV).

Today, especially here in southern Louisiana, the Catholic festival of Mardi Gras takes advantage of God’s grace. God’s grace abounds even when drunkenness, lasciviousness, and gluttony are committed overtly on our streets for religion. Because we live in the Dispensation of the Grace of God, they can flaunt their sin without being consumed by fire from heaven!

“Mardi Gras,” French for “Fat Tuesday,” is a day when religious people—professing “Christians”—lose self-control (excess alcohol, food, and partying). The following day, Ash Wednesday, they promise to live “holy” for the next 40 days (Lent). A priest will then place ashes on their foreheads proving that God forgave them for that riotous living. Blasphemy!

Regardless of all its biblical allusions (illusions!), Mardi Gras is still evil and anti-God. It was never Christian, originating from pagan Roman festivals, Saturnalia and Lupercalia (interestingly known for riots, drunkenness, gluttony, and fornication, and subsequent repentance).

The Holy Spirit, speaking through the Apostles Peter and Paul, was clearly against Mardi Gras reveling and drunkenness (Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 4:3). So why do professing Christians engage in the very activities that God the Holy Spirit condemned?! As Christians, we should “deny” the activities of Mardi Gras (Romans 6:11-15; Titus 2:11-15).

If I appear offended, I am. Mardi Gras, despite its godly façade, is offensive to the great God and my Saviour Jesus Christ! God’s grace continues to tolerate such foolishness from mankind. Man parades his sin, and God parades His grace, holding back wrath.

Are you a Mardi Gras reveler? I declare unto you the wonderful Gospel of the Grace of God. God did for you at Calvary what you could never do: “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus Christ shed His sinless blood and died to put away all of your sins, Mardi Gras revelry included.

If you rest in Christ Jesus alone as your Saviour, God will save you forever, make a trophy of His grace, and then YOUR life will be God’s grace on parade!

*Adapted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

You may also see our archived Bible study Q&A, “Should Christians celebrate Mardi Gras?”

A Hope Reserved for Israel in Heaven? #7

Thursday, February 5, 2026

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,…” (1 Peter 1:3,4 KJV).

Perhaps we can search the Scriptures to resolve an apparent contradiction, thereby perfecting that which is lacking in superficial readers….

It is “the Kingdom of Heaven” because the God of Heaven will found it: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever” (Daniel 2:44). He is the God of Heaven because His manifested glory left Jerusalem and returned to Heaven prior to the Babylonians destroying Solomon’s Temple. Concerning the Temple’s rebuilding, 2 Chronicles 36:23 states: “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.”

The LORD had promised regarding Israel’s habitual pagan idolatry: “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early” (Hosea 5:15). Israel’s believing remnant (that of today’s Scripture!) speaks now: “Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth” (Hosea 6:1-3). Here is Israel’s national resurrection and restoration to the LORD at Christ’s Second Coming.

Although God’s kingdom for Israel is in Heaven for now, it does not occupy Heaven forever as our kingdom does. It eventually comes to Earth….

Your Right to Eat Meat

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

“For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4,5 KJV).

Before we advocate animal rights, let us understand that we have a God-given right to eat them!

An animal rights activist once appeared on television to complain about the consumption of turkeys on Thanksgiving. He argued that turkeys “feel pain” when they are slaughtered, and thus we should not eat them. His line of reasoning was, “If we would not eat our pet dog, then we should not eat turkey.” Such people, despite their sincerity, are ignorant of today’s Scripture.

Originally, all people and animals were herbivores; they only ate vegetation. “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so” (Genesis 1:29,30).

Then, sin entered, and God incorporated meat into the human diet: “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat” (Genesis 9:3,4).

When we ignore the fact that God gave us animals to eat, and we demand that others must also abstain from meat for religious (nature-worshipping) purposes, that is a “doctrine of devils” in this dispensation (1 Timothy 4:1-5). The creature should not be worshipped; only the Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ, should be worshipped (Romans 1:25). As long as we thank the Lord for whatever creatures we eat, consuming animal flesh is acceptable and godly. It does not sit well with the pantheists—who exalt nature as God—but it is approved of the living God, and that alone ultimately matters.

Possessed with Devils #23

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

“And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them” (Matthew 4:24 KJV).

What does the Bible say about devil possession?

Although the Holy Bible distinguishes between lunacy and devil possession (see today’s Scripture), certain evil spirits did cause mental illness (Matthew 17:15; cf. Mark 5:15). Israel’s spiritual insanity resulted from not thinking according to God’s words, the Law of Moses. Some possessed men were “dumb” (Matthew 9:32; Matthew 12:22; Mark 9:17,25). This muteness portrayed how sinful Israel could not speak the Word of God to the nations, merely emitting spiritual “foam [froth, air bubbles]” (cf. Mark 9:18,20; Luke 9:39). Evil spirits also caused loss of sight (Matthew 12:22) and loss of hearing (Mark 9:25), depicting Israel’s spiritual blindness and spiritual deafness to God’s words.

Some devil-possessed men cut themselves while living in mountains (Mark 5:5): such self-mutilation signified Israel’s Baal-worship or heathen idolatry in “high places” or at pagan shrines (cf. 1 Kings 18:28). Devil possession and physical nakedness meant Israel lacked spiritual clothes or God’s righteousness (Mark 5:15; Luke 8:27; cf. Genesis 3:7; Isaiah 61:10). Evil spirits also contributed to falling on the ground (Mark 9:20; Luke 9:42), like Israel’s incapacity to walk in God’s ways or function smoothly in His ministry. Other devil-possessed individuals lost self-control by convulsing/shaking, rolling, or being thrown around (Mark 1:26 [“torn him”]; Mark 9:20 [“tare him… wallowed”]; Mark 9:26 [“rent him sore {brutally}”]; Luke 4:35; Luke 9:39,42 [“teareth him… threw him down, and tare him”]). Israel was spiritually wild (cf. Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:4), not under God’s influence and therefore spiritually unstable.

Falling into fire and water was especially destructive (Matthew 17:15; Mark 9:22): Israel committed spiritual suicide by following Satan’s policy of evil, dwelling among tombs or associating with spiritual death (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:3; Luke 8:27), “pining away” or gradually weakening (Mark 9:18), “crying aloud” or wailing in distress (Mark 1:26; Mark 5:5; Luke 4:33; Luke 9:39), and “gnashing teeth” in pain (Mark 9:18). These various maladies or disabilities that accompanied devil possession in Scripture corresponded to Israel’s spiritual diseases God needed to cure for the Jewish people to function as His kingdom of priests….

Asset or Liability to the Establishment? #9

Monday, August 4, 2025

“[Our Lord Jesus Christ] Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:…” (Galatians 1:4 KJV).

Are we assets or liabilities to Satan’s Establishment?

Ephesians 4:17-21: “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. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:….”

When a Christian lives in the energy of the flesh, he or she is just as useful to God as a lost person (non-Christian) is. Why? Both people are separated from God’s life. An ignorant Christian is just as useful to God as a lost person (non-Christian) is. Why? Both people are isolated from God’s thoughts. The separations are positional for the lost person and practical for the Christian. Moreover, the Christian living “at Corinth” is no bother to Satan. The Christian living “at Galatia” is no bother to Satan either.

A Corinthian will readily see the error of the Galatian, but not his own faults. A Galatian will spot with ease the error of the Corinthian, but not his own faults. The mature Christian recognizes both. Living apart from Christ’s life, the Corinthian engages in human evil—idolatry, theft, fornication (habitual sexual misconduct, especially outside of marriage), coveting, reviling (insulting language), extortion, drunkenness, homosexual behavior, and so on (see 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Living apart from Christ’s life, the Galatian participates in human “goodness”—rites, rituals, ceremonies, self-righteousness, commandment-keeping, including holy meals, confession of sins, fasting, water baptism, physical circumcision, kosher food laws, prayer recitation, and so on (see Galatians 3:1-3; Galatians 5:1-3).

Neither Corinthian living nor Galatian living is Christian living—both are man living, Adam living, not Christ living. If it is not Christ living, it is no bother to Satan, for Adam living enhances and extends Satan’s work. Christ is set aside, and man gets all the attention. It is man’s efforts, man’s intellect… man, man, MAN….

Wisdom for Life #5

Thursday, June 26, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

According to the Book of Genesis (which is literal and historical), the LORD God wisely ordained four institutions in creation for the perpetuation of human life. The first is volition or free will, the second is marriage, the third is family, and the fourth is nationalism. Man’s problem is that he errs in all four spheres, choosing to lean unto his own understanding—thereby complicating and destroying life for himself and those around him.

The first two Divine institutions in creation were desecrated in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. In Genesis chapter 3, they chose to exercise their free will in a negative or sinful manner (following Satan, not God), and they turned on each other instead of living for the wellbeing of each other. The third Divine institution in creation is family, but that was overthrown when their unbelieving son Cain followed Satan and thus killed his believing brother Abel (Genesis chapter 4). The fourth Divine institution in creation was neglected after the Great Flood of Noah’s life. Whereas God commanded the people to scatter to represent their various nationalities in their respective territories (Genesis chapters 9–10), those nations assembled via internationalism—fellowshipping in satanic religion at the Tower of Babel (Genesis chapter 11).

Satan’s evil world system entices man to see something evil, want it, and assume he deserves it. Yet, the Bible instructs, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15,16). As Moses told Israel, “Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes” (Deuteronomy 12:8).

Yet, those four Divine institutions of creation are attacked even now because man has still not departed from evil….

I Will Love Them Freely #7

Sunday, June 8, 2025

“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him” (Hosea 14:4 KJV).

Behold, the LORD God’s free love for the nation Israel!

In spite of Israel’s unbelief and idolatry throughout the millennia, the LORD God who was treated so unfairly and disrespectfully still seeks the nation’s best interests (what genuine love is). Justice must be carried out first though. Once Israel’s sin problem is fully dealt with in judgment, then God’s goodness and unconditional love can be fully displayed. Man’s “goodness” got him nowhere spiritually, and Israel had to learn it. As today’s Scripture explains, God can and will love Israel “freely” because He wants to do it, not because He has to or because Israel inherently deserves it! “Freely” in today’s Scripture is “nadabah” in Hebrew, usually rendered “freewill offering” in the King James Bible (Leviticus 22:18,21,23; Leviticus 23:38; Numbers 15:3; Numbers 29:39; Deuteronomy 12:6,17; et cetera). Occasionally, it was translated “willingly” (2 Chronicles 35:8; Ezra 3:5).

Of course, when Hosea ministered, Calvary’s cross was over 700 years into the future, yet the Holy Spirit knew what was coming. Now that Christ’s work on the cross of Calvary has been accomplished, we can see what God’s love really means—its abundance and its “no cost” to us sinners. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)…” (Ephesians 2:4,5). “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;…” (Ephesians 5:25). “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

The best way we can express gratitude to God for His love toward us, is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.

Saints, please remember this work of the ministry requires monthly financial support to operate (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:16-17; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Those who prefer electronic giving can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. Anyone who wishes to donate by regular mail can visit https://333wordsofgrace.org/contact-us-mailing-address-for-donations/ for details. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! Unfortunately, since our ministry audience is so large and our ministry staff is so small, I can no longer personally respond to everyone. Thanks so much for understanding in this regard. 🙂

I Will Love Them Freely #6

Saturday, June 7, 2025

“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him” (Hosea 14:4 KJV).

Behold, the LORD God’s free love for the nation Israel!

The last verse of Hosea chapter 14—yea, of the entire Book—is: “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein” (Hosea 14:9). What JEHOVAH God says and does is right and good. Anyone reading His words of prophecy here is either a believer or an unbeliever, someone of understanding and knowledge or someone of confusion and ignorance. They can either take Him at His Word and turn to Him in faith (walking in righteousness), or neglect Him and continue in their sin (falling in unrighteousness). It is their choice!

“Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land…. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children…. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. My people ask counsel at their stocks [idols], and their staff [idols] declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God” (Hosea 4:1,6,9-12).

“They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD. And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them” (Hosea 5:4,5).

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

I Will Love Them Freely #5

Friday, June 6, 2025

“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him” (Hosea 14:4 KJV).

Behold, the LORD God’s free love for the nation Israel!

Earlier in Hosea (4:17), “Ephraim is joined to idols”—and God wanted that Northern Kingdom to be left alone in that pagan idolatry they desired. They would soon face judgment under the Assyrian Captivity (as in 2 Kings 17:1-23). As Hosea’s Book draws to a close now, however, Ephraim has a believing remnant (especially in the ages to come) confessing and forsaking that foolish sin of idolatry of their forefathers. Hosea 14:8 reads: “Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.” “Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 37:23).

“And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi [husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [my lord]. For I will take away the names of Baalim [idols] out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name” (Hosea 2:16,17). Ephraim’s idols could not hear, for they were dead and deaf, but the living LORD has heard and saved Ephraim (cf. Psalm 115:1-11). The evergreen fir tree (Hosea 14:8) symbolizes that living LORD as the answer to Israel’s spiritual and functional death. Again, Israel is seen prospering in God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic kingdom. Israel’s model prayer is thus, Matthew 6:9-13: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

We reach the final verse of Hosea now….

I Will Love Them Freely #4

Thursday, June 5, 2025

“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him” (Hosea 14:4 KJV).

Behold, the LORD God’s free love for the nation Israel!

JEHOVAH God continues talking in verse 5: “I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.” The imagery is figurative, of course, but a literal truth is nevertheless conveyed. Heathen idolatry rendered the nation Israel spiritually dead and functionally dead, separated from the Creator’s life and totally unable to accomplish His will in the Earth. With New Covenant blessings (as in Jeremiah 31:31-34 or Ezekiel 36:25-38), Israel thrives, matures, and blossoms like a plant receiving sufficient rainfall, sunlight, and nutrients. Observe the reference to the cedars of “Lebanon”—the most prized Middle Eastern trees!

Psalm 1:1-3 is such a saint who belongs to that Jewish believing remnant: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Now, Hosea 14:6: “His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.” Israel is as a strong, massive tree—deriving life from the LORD God and His words of life. The ugliness of sin has given way to the attractiveness of righteousness. Enjoying access to God means the nation Israel now emits a wonderful or pleasant odor to the LORD, as the cedars of “Lebanon!”

Consider verse 7: “They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.” This “shadow” is protection with Israel (as in Song of Solomon 2:3 or Ezekiel 31:6). The “vine” is national Israel in the LORD, able to bear spiritual fruit (John 15:1-8; cf. Isaiah 5:1-7; Hosea 10:1) for all the nations to be blessed (Zechariah 8:20-23)….