Category: God’s will

Heart Service #12

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the key to being delivered from and guarded against today’s apostate Christendom.

Carefully consider Galatians 3:1-3, Paul’s rebuke of the churches in Galatia who had trusted Christ, and then abandoned God’s grace for performance-based acceptance (false teachers misled them with works-religion): “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

The moment we each trusted Jesus as our personal Saviour, the Holy Spirit placed us into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). Instantly, we were “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Everything that God could ever give us, He gave us in Christ, and we have it all now in Christ! What can we weaklings possibly do in religion to “enhance” our Christian life, that will improve upon what the Almighty Holy Spirit did?! “O foolish Christendom, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?!”

Colossians 2:6,7 amplifies today’s Scripture and Galatians 3:1-3: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” How did we become Christians? Our efforts? Nay, “[our] faith in Christ” (Colossians 2:5)—our faith, not our works (Romans 4:5). Christ’s works, not ours. The Bible says the Christian life will operate likewise. The same Holy Spirit who made us righteous in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21) will take the sound (rightly divided) Bible doctrine we study, are “taught,” and most importantly believe (trust), and He will work in us (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

But, the Holy Spirit will not work in us until we learn the Bible doctrine He wants to apply to our lives…

Heart Service #10

Monday, May 5, 2014

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the key to being delivered from and guarded against today’s apostate Christendom.

One of the earliest (if not the first) divinely-inspired epistles Paul wrote is the book of Galatians. Galatians 2:20,21 encapsulate the epistle’s theme: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Although our physical bodies are living, breathing, and moving, we Christians are technically dead before God (Romans 6:6,7). Hence, we cannot stay in these physical, sin-riddled bodies forever: they, unlike our redeemed souls and spirits, cannot enter heaven (1 Corinthians 15:50). Thus, these flesh-and-blood bodies must be redeemed from sin, death, and corruption (Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 15:42-58; Philippians 3:20,21). God left us in these mortal bodies so we could temporarily function on earth (until He comes to get us at the rapture). While these flesh-and-blood bodies are aging and perishing, we have in us “the life of Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:10,11). Positionally, our souls have never been more alive! Practically, we need to, by faith in God’s Word to us, apply that life! Again, we must think the way God designed Christians to think (Romans 12:1,2).

Galatians says we do not “frustrate [hinder] the grace of God.” Our positional righteousness (eternal view) had nothing to do with our performance but rather everything God could do for us through Jesus Christ (grace). Likewise, our practical righteousness (daily view) has nothing to do with our performance (inhibitions, restraints, self-reformation) either. If we must keep rules and regulations in religion for us to live the Christian life, then God’s Word says, “Christ is [present tense!] dead in vain [for nothing!].”

Again, our practical righteousness depends solely on God’s grace, everything He can do for us through Jesus Christ….

Heart Service #9

Sunday, May 4, 2014

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the key to being delivered from and guarded against today’s apostate Christendom.

Even the great Apostle Paul, as late as 30 years after his salvation, was still attempting to “know [Jesus Christ], and the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10). He knew that he was already in Christ, saved unto eternal life, forgiven, justified (made right before God), bound for heaven, and so on (Romans 8:30-39; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Galatians 2:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; et cetera). However, to bring that identity into his daily living experience was difficult.

Romans chapter 7—with which we can all identify—explains how Paul would return to old, sinful thinking patterns. Sin would defeat him every time because he thought he had to perform in religion and make himself holy before God (the same thinking patterns he had before he met Jesus Christ; Philippians 3:4-6). Essentially, Paul, a saved man, was acting like a lost man because he was thinking like a lost man (instead of thinking like a Christian). He needed to realize that Christ’s resurrection life, not his performance, was the Christian life!

Romans 12:1,2 explain how our Christian lives operate: “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.” Like Paul, we have to learn that we, in Christ, are already holy before God, already justified, sanctified, forgiven, redeemed, and so on. The grace doctrines found in his epistles must be studied, to the end that they correct our thinking, remind us of who we are in Christ, so that we can then walk in that identity.

Only God’s grace had saved Paul from the penalty of sin (eternal hellfire), so only God’s grace could save Paul from the power of sin (daily failures)….

Heart Service #8

Saturday, May 3, 2014

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the key to being delivered from and guarded against today’s apostate Christendom.

Religion—that is, ceremonies, rites, rituals, et cetera—is very appealing to our flesh—that is, our natural tendency to rebel against God’s Word and will. Israel was guilty of “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness” and having “not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:1-3). The Apostle Paul knew this firsthand. When he was a Jewish religious leader—and a lost man!—he had done more religious works than probably anyone else in his day. Read his “worthless religious résumé” found in Philippians 3:4-6. If anyone could brag about all his achievements in religion, it was Saul of Tarsus!

Now, writing as a saved man—that is, saved from himself, his useless religion, his sins, eternal hellfire, and Satan’s policy of evil—the Apostle Paul informed: “But what things 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: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (verses 7-11).

On the road to Damascus, in Acts chapter 9, Saul of Tarsus had died to self, and he submitted to God’s righteousness. Jesus Christ Himself appeared to Saul from heaven, and he relied exclusively on the Gospel of Grace revealed to him there. Over 30 years later (the context of Philippians), Paul was still attempting to fathom Christ’s resurrection life given him….

Heart Service #7

Friday, May 2, 2014

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the key to being delivered from and guarded against today’s apostate Christendom.

The moment we trusted exclusively Jesus Christ’s bloodshed, death, burial, and resurrection as the sufficient payment for our sins, we received the very life of God Himself. We died with Christ, we were buried with Him, and we were resurrected with Him (verses 3-11). God could do nothing with our flesh, our ability, so He killed it. He made us a “new creature [in Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:17), a new type of humanity, identical to Adam’s righteous standing before the fall!

Follow the logic, the way God thinks, how He would have us to think. It is senseless for us Christians to return to our old identity in Adam, to think those old, vain, sinful thoughts that only lead to wrecked Christian lives. It is senseless to place ourselves under any law-based system: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). The Bible says sin will dominate your life when you return to religious performance, whether it be the Mosaic Law, a church’s law, a preacher’s law, my law, your law, any system that makes you the issue.

The verse that follows today’s Scripture says, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (verse 18). How do we have victory in the Christian life? We already have it in Christ by God’s grace! Jesus Christ paid the price to liberate us from sin’s dominion. “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:22,23). Dear saint, if you want the eternal life, God’s life, you already have in Christ, to be brought into your experience, it is through Jesus Christ our Lord, not through you!

Oh, the wonderful grace of God….

A Prayer According to God’s Will

Thursday, May 1, 2014

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” (1 Timothy 2:1-3 KJV).

On this United States’ National Day of Prayer, we pray you pray according to the Lord Jesus Christ’s will for today!

Today, religious people—the general public, clergy, and government officials—will assemble nationwide, like they do every year, and pray for spiritual and moral revival of the “Christian” (?) United States of America. We commend their noble efforts, but God’s Word says there will be no godly revival of any of the world’s Gentile nations until Jesus Christ returns to earth at His Second Coming (Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 59:20–60:3; Zechariah 8:20-23; Revelation 11:15; et cetera).

The LORD’s words to King Solomon are often quoted on this day: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Friends, this is certainly God’s Word, but has nothing to do with Gentiles in the United States in the Dispensation of Grace. This verse has a context often overlooked—the nation Israel under the Mosaic Law, praying in relation to God’s Temple in Jerusalem (verses 15,16). Actually, that Temple was destroyed over 19 centuries ago! Unlike Israel, the United States was never a divinely-founded nation. The American people as a whole are not God’s people like Israel was.

Rather than praying 2 Chronicles 7:14, remember today’s Scripture (God’s Word to us Gentiles). The verse following today’s Scripture says, “[God] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Pray for those in authority, that they would trust Jesus Christ alone as their personal Saviour, and then grow in His Word to them so they can make wise decisions on behalf of the people they govern.

Heart Service #6

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the key to being delivered from and guarded against today’s apostate Christendom.

When he wrote Romans (circa Acts chapter 20), Paul had never visited the saints in Rome (he was imprisoned there years later in Acts chapter 28). One or more of his ministry coworkers, perhaps Aquila and his wife Priscilla (Acts 18:2; cf. Romans 16:3-5), had shared the Gospel of the Grace of God with these pagan Romans.

Paul rejoiced when he heard about the Romans’ salvation, their trusting in the finished crosswork of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for their sins, their forsaking of worthless idols and vain religion. He yearned to visit them but was hindered; he was forced to write this epistle to them instead (Romans 1:8-15). Thank God He had Paul write to the Romans instead, or we would not have this wonderful, simple book of grace doctrine to study today!

After discussing our new identity in Christ (Romans chapters 1-5), Paul proceeded to ask in Romans 6:1,2: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Our position in Christ has permanently made us dead to sin, that nature we inherited from Adam. Saints, sin is not who we are anymore. “Likewise reckon [conclude] ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (verse 11).

In today’s Scripture, Paul reminded the Romans how they were saved unto eternal life, received forgiveness of sins, had a home reserved in heaven. They heard some sound Bible doctrine—the Gospel of God’s Grace, everything that God did for them in Christ at Calvary’s cross—and they believed it in their hearts. The Apostle made it clear that their salvation from daily sins (the context of Romans chapters 6-8) would operate in the same manner. It would be Jesus Christ’s resurrection life, His power, His righteousness, His strength, His faith, His work. Him, Him, Him, not them, them, them!

NOTE: We will briefly suspend this devotionals arc. Stay turned!

Heart Service #4

Monday, April 28, 2014

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the key to being delivered from and guarded against today’s apostate Christendom.

Romans chapters 6-8 are three basic, but highly important, Pauline passages about Christian practical sanctification (that is, daily, holy living). Yet, before our Apostle Paul discussed Christian living in these verses, he had already taught how to become a Christian in chapters 1-5. This textual arrangement is indicative of one simple fact: Christian living is of no value if the person is not truly a Christian! To wit, Romans chapters 6-8 will only be effectual in the lives of people who already understand and believe Romans chapters 1-5.

Religious tradition has caused overwhelming confusion as to who is and who is not a Christian. Living separate from the world’s practices and customs does not make one a Christian. Participating in sundry religious activities does not make one a Christian either—this includes church programs, pilgrimages, water baptism, giving, church membership, prayers, communion (Lord’s Supper), seminary or Bible-college training, and emotional experiences.

A person, after becoming a Christian—that is, after realizing he or she cannot save himself or herself and after trusting with the heart (today’s Scripture) Jesus Christ’s righteousness demonstrated at Calvary as the fully satisfying payment for his or her sins (Romans chapters 1-5)—should then have a Christian life (Romans chapters 6-8). Unfortunately, many churches teach lost people time and time again to live like Christians, when they are not Christians to begin with!

Furthermore, Christianity is not we making ourselves holy; Christianity is we walking in the identity that God gave us in Christ. It is not, as religion teaches, we living a life like Jesus’. True Biblical Christianity is we studying and believing sound Bible doctrine (rightly divided Scriptures), so the indwelling Holy Spirit can then take that doctrine and cause our behavior to match the doctrine. Christianity is Christ’s life in us Christians! Religion makes the Christian life very complicated, but this, dear readers, is the “simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3)….

Heart Service #2

Saturday, April 26, 2014

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the key to being delivered from and guarded against today’s apostate Christendom.

Religious people appear and sound very godly. However, dear friends, even Satan himself talks about Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:3,4). Remember, “Everyone who sings about heaven ain’t going there!” We can sing every hymn in the songbook, give 100 percent of our income to a ministry, attend every prayer meeting, help the poor and homeless, and even join every local church of every denomination. Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus Christ sees beyond all that. The famous Scripture, 1 Samuel 16:7, synopsizes: “The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

One can perform many rites, rituals, and ceremonies, and can fool everyone into thinking he or she is God’s child. The individual looks so pious he or she has to be going to heaven, right? WRONG! Study Matthew 7:21-23, where some people stand before Jesus Christ and brag about how they preached in His name, how they cast out devils in His name, and how they did “many wondrous works” in His name. Jesus replies, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity!” If it is not Jesus Christ doing the good works in and through a person, the Bible says it is iniquity, wickedness, no matter how good the work appears! God is not looking for good works per se; God wants Christians who let Him do good works in and through them!

Again, Christian service is an issue of faith in God’s Word rightly divided, not blind religious activity. We obey God’s Word to us through Paul by trusting with our heart the pattern of doctrine, his epistles, Romans through Philemon (today’s Scripture). Being well versed in Paul’s epistles protects us from Satan’s deception (the devil wants us to follow Israel’s program, that which is Scripture but outside of God’s will for today). This is the key to serving the God of the Bible….

Messiah’s Joy Amidst Calvary’s Grief #2

Saturday, April 19, 2014

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 KJV).

Do you ever wonder what our Lord Jesus Christ was thinking about while He hung there on Calvary’s cross?

Jesus knew Bible prophecy had to be fulfilled: He had to suffer in accordance with the Old Testament prophets. Even when He spoke seven times from the cross, He quoted various Old Testament verses. The Old Testament prophets also gave Him comfort: “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (today’s Scripture).

For instance, He remembered that Jonah’s prophecy had to be fulfilled: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). On the third day, He would live again, and be reunited with His heavenly Father!

He knew that His Father would resurrect Him. His spiritual torment and physical death were only temporarily, as David quoted Jesus 1000 B.C., “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10; cf. Acts 2:24-31).

Our Lord thought of reigning over that glorious kingdom that His Heavenly Father would give Him after His resurrection. As the psalmist wrote centuries before Calvary’s crosswork, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Psalm 2:6-8). “Begotten” refers to Jesus’ resurrection, not His nativity in Bethlehem (Acts 13:33,34).

Jesus Christ, during His torturous crucifixion, thought about and rejoiced in the promises in the Scriptures that applied to Him. Likewise, we, during difficult circumstances, can remember and rejoice in God’s promises to us—Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon.

We too can share Messiah’s joy amidst grief! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should Christians celebrate Easter?”