Category: God’s grace

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.” 🙂

When Truth is Error #2

Sunday, May 27, 2012

“But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness” (2 Timothy 2:16 KJV).

Being scriptural is not enough. To follow God’s will you must also be dispensational. All of the Bible is for us, but not all of the Bible is to us or about us.

For example, Mosaic Law-keeping is biblical (Exodus 20:1-17). But, to whom are these Scriptures written and spoken? The nation Israel—not us. Additionally, millions of precious souls are basing their salvation on what Jesus said in Matthew 19:17 (cf. James 2:24): “…but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” This is scriptural, but not dispensational: it was true for Israel, but it is error for us.

Friend, if you are basing your salvation on your works, you are going to hell. Following salvation verses that God spoke to someone else is error: God never gave them to you. If you want salvation from your sins and hell, you MUST go to Paul for God’s current plan of salvation. Our doctrine is found only in Paul’s epistles (Romans through Philemon) (Romans 11:13).

We are not under Israel’s works-religion (legalistic) economy. God has replaced Israel’s works-religion acceptance system (our performance) with something better: the grace-based acceptance system, what Jesus Christ did for us at Calvary’s cross. “Ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14b). In our dispensation, salvation is “to him that worketh not” (Romans 4:5).

The Gospel that saves you today is not Acts 2:38 or 1 John 1:9, but 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day.”

James 5:14,15 is error for us to practice, but it is truth in Israel’s program. This includes Revelation 3:20, Hebrews 6:4-6, 1 John 2:27, Matthew 24:13, John 20:22,23, Acts 2:4, Matthew 6:9-13, and Mark 16:15-20—verses that Christendom steals from Israel’s program and (wrongly) practices today.

Dispensational Bible study is critical to your soul salvation, as well as to your Christian health. You MUST use God’s Word, God’s way (“rightly dividing the word of truth;” 2 Timothy 2:15), or you will make truth error (today’s Scripture)….

Vengeance Belongeth Unto the Lord #4

Thursday, May 24, 2012

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19 KJV).

Injustices abound. The wicked are applauded and often go unpunished while the righteous (God’s people) are despised and penalized. As the cliché goes, “God never sleeps.” All wrongs will be righted one day (today’s Scripture).

When the Lord Jesus Christ went to Calvary’s cross, He purchased our salvation. There, He suffered God’s eternal wrath against our sin: “He became sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21; cf. Isaiah 53:10; Matthew 26:46; Galatians 3:13). Once we trust Christ Jesus alone as our personal Saviour, Christ’s finished crosswork for our sins is applied (imputed) to us, and we will never suffer God’s wrath (Christ suffered that wrath for us).

However, those who physically die without having trusted Christ will remain forever dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23): physical and spiritual death. Thus, they must pay for those sins by suffering the eternal wrath of God against sin (the everlasting lake of fire; the “second [or spiritual] death” [Revelation 21:8]).

For the past 2,000 years, God has been offering the world His grace and peace. But, when this the Dispensation of Grace ends (at the rapture), God “shall speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (Psalm 2:5). During that seven-year Tribulation—“the day of the LORD’s vengeance” (Isaiah 34:8), “the day of vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 61:2), and “the days of vengeance” (Luke 21:22)—our wicked world will finally experience God’s righteous wrath. According to 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, Christ’s Second Coming will conclude those seven years, and fire will further execute vengeance on God’s enemies (Christ-rejecters).

“God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked…” (Nahum 1:2,3).

Indeed, “vengeance belongeth unto the Lord….”

Vengeance Belongeth Unto the Lord #2

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19 KJV).

Today’s Scripture explains that God Himself will ultimately take vengeance on those who harm us. Its context explains how it is our responsibility as Christians to let God’s grace teach us how to handle that mistreatment.

“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men” (verse 17). When people do us wrong, our flesh wants to retaliate, to get even, but God’s Word exhorts us to “recompense to no man evil for evil.” (Note: Please understand that God instituted government, and He encourages us to seek legal intervention in severe cases of wrongdoing [Romans 13:1-5]).

As Christians living in a fallen (corrupted) creation, we will suffer abuse and injustice. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (verse 18). Because of sin, unity and peace are not always possible. But, it is our responsibility to get along with others as best as we can (without compromising God’s Word, of course).

When someone does offend us, grace teaches us that God will ultimately exact vengeance on the guilty (today’s Scripture). “Therefore [consequently] if thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink: for in doing so thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (verses 20,21; cf. Proverbs 25:21,22; Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27,28).

We can let evil “overcome” (defeat) us (grudges, bitterness, et cetera), or we can defeat evil by doing good to those who have harmed us (especially if they are Christians; Galatians 6:10). “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). We need not repay evil for evil: by faith, we send that mistreatment to Christ’s cross, we forgive it, and we move on (lest it be a hindrance).

Beloved, we need not avenge ourselves, for “vengeance belongeth unto the Lord.”

Vengeance Belongeth Unto the Lord #1

Monday, May 21, 2012

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19 KJV).

When people do us wrong, human nature wants to retaliate, to devise a plan to get even. Today’s Scripture causes us to think otherwise… literally.

Paul is quoting the LORD’s words in Deuteronomy 32:35: “To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.” This phrase originally described God chastising Israel for their wickedness. (He will do this during the seven-year Tribulation too; Hebrews 10:26-31.)

God’s wrath, Daniel’s 70th week, the seven-year Tribulation, is still postponed. God has not yet poured out His wrath on wicked man (Psalm 2:4,5). For nearly 2,000 years, our sinful world has enjoyed the riches of God’s grace. God is extending our Dispensation of Grace so that more people can get saved before His wrath is poured out on earth. Scoffers mock God, having deceived themselves into thinking that they will never face His righteous wrath. What foolishness!

“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men” (1 Thessalonians 5:15). We need not “pay back” those who hurt us, for that sin will either be dealt with at Christ’s cross (if these people trust Christ), or they will have to pay for that sin by enduring God’s wrath during the Tribulation and finally, suffering in the everlasting lake of fire.

“O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud” (Psalm 94:1,2). “…The righteous judgment of God… [He] will render to every man according to his deeds… to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish…” (Romans 2:5-9).

Rest assured, no injustice will ever go unpunished…. for “vengeance belongeth unto the Lord.”

A Double Promise, A Triple Failure, A Second Chance

Friday, May 4, 2012

“And Peter went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62 KJV).

Why is Peter weeping bitterly in today’s Scripture?

Moments from His arrest, trial, and ultimate crucifixion, our Lord Jesus tells His eleven apostles: “All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written [Zechariah 13:7], I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee” (Matthew 26:31,32).

Jesus knows that He is about to be arrested. He explains to His apostles that they will be ashamed of Him and they will abandon Him when the soldiers come to capture Him. “Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended” (verse 33).

The Lord Jesus then replies, “Verily, I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice [three times]” (verse 34). Peter argues, “Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee” (verse 35). In fact, all of the disciples agree they will not abandon Jesus Christ (verse 35).

Once Jesus is arrested, Peter goes to the palace to watch Jesus’ trial from a distance. On three separate occasions, Peter is recognized as a follower of Jesus, and all three times he denies he is a disciple of Christ (Matthew 27:69-74; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:16-18,25-27); then, the rooster crows.

What a heartbreaking verse: “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice” (Luke 22:61). Then today’s Scripture says, “And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”

Peter miserably failed the Lord—thrice—despite his double promise not to. We too are sinners: oftentimes, we miserably fail the Lord, even when we doubly promise not to. But, just as Jesus Christ forgave Peter and gave him another chance (John 21:15-17), we are thankful that our gracious God has forgiven us in Christ (Colossians 2:13) and that He gives us second chances too! 🙂

Behold, God’s Abounding Longsuffering!

Monday, April 9, 2012

“Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (1 Timothy 1:16 KJV).

Imagine seeing the entire universe. Zooming in, we see the Local Group, a massive coalescence of dozens of galaxies. In the Local Group, we find the Milky Way, and in the Milky Way, we find our Solar System, eight bodies and their natural satellites orbiting Sun. One of these eight bodies is Earth. Earth, the “blue and green marble,” appears very peaceful and hospitable. Beware!! The chief occupants are sinners!

Our holy and righteous Creator, Jesus Christ, is currently looking down from heaven, and He sees us humans, some of the most wretched, miserable, and selfish creatures. Mankind’s sin has so complicated His simple and “very good” creation (Genesis 1:31). Earth, viewed from outer space, seems so appealing… until you consider its residents—the wicked human race. We (mankind) have caused God such indescribable grief. Once, God was so “grieved” by man’s sin that He literally sent a global flood to destroy the earth and most of the human race (Genesis 6:5-7).

We may never fully understand it, but God had such pity on us that He came to rescue from our sins. He became a Man, Jesus Christ, to save us from ourselves, to die for our sins. God even knew most of mankind would totally disregard His sacrificial death, but He had such longsuffering, mercy, and grace that He still went to Calvary’s cross to purchase our salvation. God in His abounding grace, mercy, and longsuffering is still tolerating wicked mankind.

The Apostle Paul, before salvation, was anti-God. Saul had God’s people imprisoned and/or put to death; he hated Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 26:9-11; Galatians 1:13,14; 1 Timothy 1:13). And yet, as today’s Scripture teaches, God saved Saul, “shewing forth all longsuffering.” If God could save His chief enemy, Saul, and make him Paul our Apostle, and if He could save us wretched infidels who still enjoy sin, we exclaim, having eternally thankful hearts, “Behold, God’s abounding longsuffering!”

What Does God Want Me to Do? #10

Saturday, April 7, 2012

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV).

Today’s Scripture tells us God’s “good pleasure” is to work in and through us to accomplish His will. When we place our faith in the sound (dispensational) Bible doctrine that tells us what God is doing today (Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon), then God the Holy Spirit will use that doctrine to transform us from the inside (soul) out (lifestyle)!

Epaphras prayed that the Colossian believers “would stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (4:12). Compare that to Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonian believers: “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11,12; cf. Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-11). The goal of God’s working in and through us is to glorify “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in [us],” and to “glorify [us] in him.”

God wants “the word of Christ” to “dwell in [us] richly in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16)—to fill us with sound (dispensational) Bible doctrine that will literally “dwell” (live) in us (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13)! The indwelling Holy Spirit takes the sound Bible doctrine we believe and He uses it to form Christ Jesus in us, so that the sound Bible teaching (Christ’s life) is literally transferred to us, and then our lifestyles better reflect God’s grace (Titus 2:11-15).

The “fruit of the Spirit” (evidence of the Holy Ghost working in us) will then be manifested in our lives: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22,23).

What does God want you to do? He (Jesus Christ) wants you to allow Him to live His life in and through you (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21) as your study and believe His Word His way (dispensationally).

What Does God Want Me to Do? #5

Monday, April 2, 2012

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV).

God gave us the Bible so that we could learn what He is doing. We do not have to grope in spiritual darkness—although religion hopes that we do! Do you want to do God’s will? Find out what God is doing today, and then, by faith, GO DO THAT!

When we “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), we understand that the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is a giant timeline. God has divided, or segmented, His Word into dispensations, bodies of truth applicable during separate and distinct time periods when He deals with mankind differently. Never confuse the dispensations, or combine directions given in one dispensation with information given in another dispensation.

For instance, millions of church members have been taught that God wants them to “keep the Mosaic Law.” While God strictly commanded Israel to obey the Mosaic Law or suffer divine chastisement (Exodus 15:26; Leviticus 26:1-46; Deuteronomy 28:1-68), Paul writes to us in the Dispensation of Grace, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). God has replaced Israel’s performance-based acceptance system (legalism, Judaism) with His grace-based acceptance system.

God’s will for you is that you not “resurrect” the Mosaic Law, which was nailed to Calvary’s cross and crucified with Christ (Colossians 2:14; cf. Romans 3:21,22; Romans 7:4-6). Today, God’s grace, not the Mosaic Law, teaches us to live “soberly, righteously, and godly” (Titus 2:11,12). Grace shows us that we Christians have died with Christ, so sin is not who we are anymore (Romans 6:6-23; Romans 8:12-14; Romans 12:1,2; et al.).

If you want to let God “work in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (today’s Scripture), do not place yourself under religious bondage (legalism, performing religious duties to get God to accept or bless you). Your Christian life operates on the basis of God’s grace, Jesus Christ working and living in and through you (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21), not you striving to keep God happy (law-keeping).

Be Thou Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel

Thursday, March 15, 2012

“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8 KJV).

Has God promised us Christians a “carefree, trouble-free life,” as today’s prosperity preachers assert?

Young Timothy, pastor of the Ephesian church, has grown weary because of satanic opposition: he is fearful, for the lost world has intimidated him to the point of discouragement and/or silence (verse 7). Timothy is ashamed of God’s Word, and of imprisoned Paul. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul encourages Timothy with today’s Scripture: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord!” “Speak up, Timothy! They need to hear God’s Word, so endure the suffering!”

Satan is against us, saints, because he is against our God. The devil wants to wear us out; he will use unbelievers—and even “Christian” brethren—to intimidate and mock us. Satan uses evil men to persecute us, so we grow “ashamed” of God’s Word, and then throw up our hands and quit! We need to be “partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel.” No greater privilege do we Christians have than suffering for the God who died for us!

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). In verse 11, Paul speaks of his “persecutions” and “afflictions,” “but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” How did God deliver him? The end of today’s Scripture tells us: “according to the power of God.” In order to endure Satan’s attacks, we rely on God’s power, not on our strength and resources (or we shall be defeated) (2 Corinthians 1:8,9).

“And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation” (2 Corinthians 1:3-10; 2 Timothy 2:11-13). We have God’s sufficient grace to comfort us: “Therefore I take pleasure… in reproaches,… in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

So, be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel!