Category: God’s faithfulness

Hope Deferred, Sick Heart Incurred

Sunday, September 2, 2012

“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12 KJV).

Regarding today’s Scripture, we can all shout, “Amen!”

Have you ever had an intense desire to have something (or perhaps, someone)? Your heart was thrilled beyond words, was it not? How you looked forward to that wish coming true. In effect, that want became a crutch, something that you depended on entirely. You had such hope, and you looked forward to that certain event happening (a relationship, raise at work, new car or house, friendship, job, vacation trip, et cetera).

But to your horror, that hope was shattered, as that dream was “deferred” (delayed), or worse, it never even came to pass. Were you not sick to your stomach? Did you not have a horrible feeling inside, like something in you died? Maybe you despaired even of life? Perhaps you felt angry, sad, or both. This is to be expected, since the first part of today’s Scripture reads: “Hope deferred [delayed, overdue] maketh the heart sick.” When we hope for something, and it fails to come to pass, it wounds us emotionally. Our innermost being feels sick.

Now, the second part of today’s Scripture declares: “but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Here is the flipside to our previous paragraph: suppose that wish or hope did come true. Were you not overjoyed? You wanted to live and enjoy that good time, right? The Bible describes this as “a tree of life,” something that makes you want to live and makes you happy that you are alive.

Saints, life is full of disappointments. While we are emotional beings, we need to be reminded that our emotions should not be in control of our lives. Let us walk by faith in an intelligent understanding of God’s Word to us (believing the King James Bible rightly divided), and let our emotions follow us (not vice versa). Above all, let us hope in Jesus Christ and our sufficiency in Him, which hope is never deferred, and a sick heart is never incurred.

Many Coming and Going

Saturday, September 1, 2012

“And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat” (Mark 6:31 KJV).

Today’s Scripture testifies that ministry work in the Lord, although joyous and rewarding, can be extremely time-consuming, demanding, and exhausting.

The book of Mark focuses on Jesus Christ as God’s Servant, what He did (that is, the miracles He performed). In the context of today’s Scripture, the Lord Jesus and His apostles have preached, performed miracles, and travelled to such an extent that they have not even had time to eat! The Lord knows He and His apostles need a “lunch break,” so He invites them to come with Him into a “desert” (lonely, private) place to rest. “And they departed into a desert place by ship privately” (verse 32). Jesus Christ and His apostles need rest, so they attempt to quietly sail away! Will they escape?

Nevertheless, “And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him” (verse 33). The people see Jesus and His apostles floating away, so they run ahead of them, and meet Him and His apostles on the other side of the shore! Jesus and His apostles will get no rest.

“And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd [cf. Matthew 9:36; Matthew 10:6]: and he began to teach them many things” (verse 34). “And when the day was far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:” (verse 35). Now, it is nearing evening, Jesus is still teaching, and He and His apostles still have not eaten! (Here, Jesus feeds the 5,000 with the two fishes and five loaves of bread; verses 36-44.)

Saints, ministry is very strenuous, but let us not grow weary. Yes, we do take time to rest, but may we never permanently rest! 🙂

A Miraculous Escape

Thursday, August 30, 2012

“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (Acts 12:5 KJV).

Evil King Herod has imprisoned the Apostle Peter, but the saints are praying to God for him, and those prayers will be answered!

It is nighttime. Peter is firmly imprisoned: guards are protecting the prison doors, and he is sleeping between two Roman soldiers, bound with two chains (verse 6). The Lord must intervene, or Herod will soon execute Peter!

As the angel of the Lord appears, he illuminates the prison, and strikes Peter on his side. Waking Peter, he commands, “Arise up quickly,” and Peter’s chains instantly and literally fall away (verse 7)! Can you just imagine this? It was not some “miracle” (sham) of a televangelist or magician; it really happened. But there is more!

The angel instructs Peter, “Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals,” which Peter does, and then the angel commands Peter, “Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me,” and Peter obeys (verse 8). “And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision” (verse 9). Peter is so overcome that he believes this is a dream!

They pass the first and the second ward, and come to the iron gate that leads to the city—“which opened to them of his own accord” (verse 10)—and soon Peter is freed from prison and the angel has immediately vanished. Imagine that: God’s Word says the gate opened by itself! “And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews” (verse 11). Amazing!

Brethren, while we should not be expecting these miraculous demonstrations in this the Dispensation of Grace, we can study them in the Scriptures and appreciate how God performed them for His “signs and wonders” people, Israel, in her program (John 4:48; 1 Corinthians 1:22). Saints, praise the amazing God we serve!

We Troublemakers Are Grace Partakers #6

Monday, July 30, 2012

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (Romans 3:9 KJV).

By God’s grace, we troublemakers can partake of the results of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary.

From today’s Scripture to verse 20, God’s Word proved that we are all sinners, offensive to God’s righteous standards (particularly, the Ten Commandments). The Mosaic Law was given “that the offence might abound” (Romans 5:20a): the Law clearly identifies and condemns man’s sins. Israel mistakenly believed the Mosaic Law would prove their “righteousness” (Deuteronomy 6:24,25)—it proved their unrighteousness, as it does ours, and proved God’s righteousness!

Romans 3:21ff. teaches that today, in the Dispensation of Grace, God is not demanding we keep any laws to gain His acceptance or forgiveness: the Dispensation of Law demonstrated that we sinners cannot measure up to His righteousness. So, God nailed the Mosaic Law that condemned us, on Calvary’s cross (Colossians 2:14), and replaced Israel’s performance-based acceptance system (Law) with His Jesus-based acceptance system (Grace)! “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” (Romans 3:24).

Verses 26-28 conclude: “To declare, I say, at this time his [God’s] righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

We are justified by faith without works because Jesus Christ already worked for our salvation. We cannot boast that we worked for heaven; we can only brag that we could not work for heaven! Jesus Christ is well pleasing to God (Matthew 3:17), so when we trust His finished crosswork as the “propitiation,” the fully satisfying payment for our sins, God “accept[s] us in the beloved [in Christ]” (Ephesians 1:6). Our sins and our “righteousness” are not the issue: Jesus Christ’s perfect sacrifice for our sins and His righteousness are!

Indeed, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20b). 🙂

An Unforgettable Family Reunion

Saturday, July 7, 2012

“Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5 KJV).

Today’s Scripture summarizes an unforgettable family reunion… 20 years in the making….

The story begins approximately 1729 B.C., when Joseph, currently Jacob’s youngest son, is 17 years old (Genesis 37:2). Having sired Joseph in his old age, “Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than all his children… and he made him a coat of many colours” (verse 3). Consequently, Joseph’s 10 older brothers grow envious and hate him (verse 4). God gives Joseph two dreams, which further antagonize his brothers because they learn that the dreams concern them bowing to Joseph (verses 5-11)!

Later, when Joseph’s brothers are out feeding the flock, Jacob sends Joseph to check on them. Joseph learns that his brothers are not where they are supposed to be, and when he finds them, they mock him and conspire to murder him (verses 12-20). The eldest brother Reuben forbids the murder, so they throw Joseph into a pit instead, later selling him into slavery (verses 21-28). So, Joseph winds up in Egypt (verses 28,36). Joseph’s 10 brothers smear goat’s blood on his coat, deceiving Jacob into thinking that a wild animal killed Joseph (verses 31-35).

The years pass—20 long years actually….

Canaan (Israel’s land), Egypt, and surrounding regions are suffering famine, so Jacob sends his 10 sons down into Egypt for corn (Genesis 42:1-5). Who do you suppose is in Egypt to give Israel (Jacob’s sons) food? “And Joseph was the governor over the land…” (verse 6). Wow! God has been watching over Israel!

Pharaoh had appointed Joseph to second-in-command in Egypt some years earlier, so when Joseph’s brothers return to Egypt, they recognize him the second time, and Joseph is able to give them food (Acts 7:10-13). Today’s Scripture records Joseph’s comforting words to his brethren: “God did send me before you to preserve life.”

“And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,” (Acts 7:9). Indeed, faithful God was with Joseph, and with Israel to save her from famine.

Jesus Christ: A Minister of the Circumcision #3

Sunday, July 1, 2012

“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” (Romans 15:8 KJV).

Why was Christ’s earthly ministry limited to Israel? Today’s Scripture gives us the answer.

In John 4:22, Jesus explained to a (Gentile) Samaritan, “…For salvation is of the Jews.” The Bible says Jesus Christ came to Israel, to save them from their sins (Matthew 20:28; Luke 1:67-75; John 1:11; Acts 3:26). Jesus, in Matthew 15:24, bluntly declared: “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But why? Why only Israel? Was Jesus unconcerned about Gentiles being saved? Why was God so focused on saving Israel during Christ’s earthly ministry? Rather than (blasphemously) accusing Jesus of “bigotry” and “racism”—as some foolishly and recklessly assert—we will approach the Bible from the dispensational standpoint, and what amazing clarity there is regarding this oftentimes-confused topic!

When God called Abram (Abraham) about 2000 B.C., He told him: “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:2,3). God will bless the whole world through the nation He will make using Abraham, and this nation is Israel. This is the Abrahamic Covenant, which was in force until the middle part of the book of Acts.

Isaiah 2:1-4, Isaiah 60:1-3,14, Isaiah 61:6, Micah 4:1-3, Zechariah 8:20-23, and others show that God will bless Gentiles through Israel: Israel will one day be a kingdom of priests, and Jews will evangelize the Gentiles (this is where Matthew 28:19,20 and Mark 16:15 belong: contrary to religious tradition, these verses do not belong to us). This was God’s plan in redeeming Israel first: this is why Jesus Christ was sent to Israel only. God would save Israel first, and then He would use redeemed Israel to reach Gentiles with the salvation He had given them first (still future).

Inspiration from God’s Viewpoint

Thursday, June 28, 2012

“And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4 KJV).

What is God’s definition of Bible inspiration? Today’s Scripture explains.

In theology, there are the five opposing views of Bible inspiration:

  1. Natural — The Bible is a high level of human achievement.
  2. Partial — Only portions of the Bible are inspired of God.
  3. Existential — Only parts that “speak to me” are inspired of God.
  4. Dynamic — Bible thoughts or concepts are inspired of God.
  5. Plenary verbal — All Bible words are inspired of God.

According to Jesus Christ (today’s Scripture), which of the above five views is God’s definition of inspiration? (You must have a King James Bible in order to answer this, for modern English “bibles” omit “but by every word of God” from today’s Scripture!)

In Matthew 4:4, we re-read Jesus’ statement: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Again, how much of the Bible is inspired? Some of it? Just its thoughts? Consider Deuteronomy 8:3, the verse Jesus quoted: “…that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16a, which modern English “bibles” also twist). Yet again, how much of the Bible is inspired of God? (And notice that the Bible is not “a high level of human achievement,” for it is God’s accomplishment). “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21).

Jesus Christ stated, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33). Surely, our Lord did not lie, as demented textual critics would have us believe, about preserving every one of His inspired words perfectly forever. Today, in English, we have all of God’s perfectly preserved inspired words—the Authorized Version King James Bible.

Yearn Not for the Old Life

Saturday, June 23, 2012

“And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat” (Numbers 11:18 KJV).

Israel has been free from Egypt for just over one year (Numbers 1:1). The Jews begin complaining against God, so God in righteous anger literally sends fire to consume some of them (Numbers 11:1-3). Why are they murmuring?

The Jews want to return to their old life in Egypt. Notice what they claimed in today’s Scripture, “For it was well with us in Egypt!” Life in Egypt was “well” for them?! The Jews, like all sinners, refused to follow God, even if it meant returning to Egypt, to once again be brutally treated as slaves and to have their children’s lives threatened (Exodus 1:7-21)!

Israel is hungry for meat, and she longs to return to Egypt and eat that former diet: “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: but now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes” (Numbers 11:5,6).

During verses 7-15, the Jews gather manna and continue complaining, so discouraged Moses talks to God. In today’s Scripture, God instructs Moses to tell Israel that He hears their whining, and if they want flesh, He will give it to them! God will punish them for their rebellion against Him by giving them quail for a whole month, until they are literally sick of it (verses 19-23,31-34)!!

In 1 Corinthians 10:5,6,10, Paul warned the Corinthians not to be like Israel, ungrateful for what God had done for them. Just as Israel should not have wanted to return to Egypt (bondage), we should not want to return to our lost state of bondage to sin (our life before we trusted Christ). Let us stand firm in our identity in Christ, yearning not for the old life!

An Overwhelmed Heart

Friday, June 22, 2012

“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:1,2 KJV).

Sometimes, the circumstances of life can be overwhelming. To where does the psalmist (David) in today’s Scripture turn during these disheartening times?

King David continues, “For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name” (verses 3-5). David had faith in the LORD: he knew that his God would always be there for him, even if no one else were.

Life in this sin-cursed world is not always easy, but let us remember, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

“And he [the Lord Jesus Christ] said unto me [Paul], My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 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 12:9,10).

Just as King David could flee to God for peace and consolation, we can too! We can go to God’s Word rightly divided for comfort, and talk to God in prayer during disturbing times (Philippians 4:6,7). What a privilege!

David concluded the chapter of today’s Scripture with, “So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever…” (Psalm 61:8). Let us sing praise unto God’s name forever… even when we have an overwhelmed heart!

333’s First Anniversary: Yet Not I, But the Grace of God

Friday, June 1, 2012

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10 KJV).

We rejoice in the Lord, for we reach a special milestone today: one full year of grace-oriented devotionals. We commemorate our first anniversary by joining our Apostle Paul in remembering: “Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (After all, this is “333 Words of Grace!”)

This past year, we were thrilled beyond words to know the great God and our Saviour was using this devotionals blog to lead people to salvation by His grace through faith in Christ Jesus, and to spiritually enlighten His people with sound dispensational Bible study (1 Timothy 2:3,4). But, again, it was not us, “but the grace of God.”

Paul could have continued wasting his life away by opposing God’s work (1 Corinthians 15:9, the verse preceding today’s Scripture). Instead, he chose to trust Christ Jesus as his Saviour, and Christ saved him by His grace. Thus, Paul, now God’s chief apostle to the Gentiles, could honestly say, “by the grace of God I am what I am.” Just as we could have wasted this past year in unbelief, we chose rather to rely on God’s grace by faith. Thus, we too honestly say, “by the grace of God [we are] what [we are].”

Much labour and prayer went into the past 366 devotionals, so that the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word could be exalted. How the grace and love of God worked in us this past year, and it is our great hope and prayer that He will continue this ministry.

Saints, we extend our utmost appreciation to you, whose input and prayer were not in vain. How we are so grateful to God, for without His grace, this ministry would not exist. And, above all, as we enter our second year, we remember, “not I, but the grace of God that [is] with me.” 🙂