Category: Jesus Christ

Unfathomable Distances, Unsearchable Speeds #2

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20,21 KJV).

The vastness of space is mindboggling; today’s Scripture is equally mind-blowing….

God will use us, the Body of Christ (who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour), in eternity future to rule the heavens, just as He will use Israel to rule the earth. In order to function in the heavens, we need glorified bodies like Jesus Christ’s (today’s Scripture).

On resurrection Sunday around sunrise, Mary Magdalene goes to Jesus’ empty tomb. After seeing two angels, Jesus Himself appears. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). Jesus must travel to the third heaven to present Himself to the Father, so sinful human hands must not taint Him.

“Then the same day at evening” He reappears, showing Himself to His other disciples (Thomas absent): “after eight days,” He again appears to His disciples, and when Thomas doubts, Jesus instructs Thomas to touch Him (verses 18-29). So, in as little as 12 hours (but no more than eight days), Jesus left earth, crossed a vast portion of the universe and exited it, went to His Father in the third heaven, re-entered and traveled across the universe, and landed right back on earth! We can fathom neither the distance nor the speed Jesus Christ’s resurrected body traveled.

The Apostle Paul described our heavenly glorification in today’s Scripture. At the rapture, we Christians will receive glorified bodies like Jesus Christ’s. We cannot enter heaven with these current, sinful bodies: “for this corruption [deceased Christians’ bodies] must put on incorruption, and this mortal [Christians whose bodies are not yet dead] must put on immorality” (1 Corinthians 15:49-55).

Those new bodies will enable us to travel through outer space….

Unfathomable Distances, Unsearchable Greatness

Monday, June 3, 2013

“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3 KJV).

Let us consider the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ from the perspective of astronomy….

One of the most difficult scientific concepts to grasp is the scale of the universe, but using a familiar unit, we can better appreciate its size. Consider these mathematical calculations from my personal notes.

Assuming a nonstop driving speed of 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), it would take:

  • 68 years to travel from the sun to Mercury.
  • 127 years to travel from the sun to Venus.
  • 176 years to travel from Earth to the sun.
  • 269 years to travel from the sun to Mars.
  • 918 years to travel from the sun to Jupiter.
  • 1,683 years to travel from the sun to Saturn.
  • 3,384 years to travel from the sun to Uranus.
  • 5,304 years to travel from the sun to Neptune.
  • 6,960 years to travel from the sun to Pluto (our solar system’s “edge”).

Another way to comprehend the vastness of the solar system is (using the same speed of 60 miles per hour):

  • Mercury is “108 years” away from us.
  • Venus is “49 years” away from us.
  • Mars is “93 years” away from us.
  • Jupiter is “742 years” away from us.
  • Saturn is “1,507 years” away from us.
  • Uranus is “3,208 years” away from us.
  • Neptune is “5,304 years” away from us.
  • Pluto is “6,784 years” away from us.

Now, think of this… the solar system (above) is merely a speck in the Milky Way Galaxy, which itself is but a speck in the Local Group, which itself is merely a speck in the universe! In fact, traveling at the previous speed of 60 miles per hour, it would take you 580,000,000,000,000,000 years to traverse the known universe from “end” to “end!”

What is most amazing? “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6). God spoke it all into being—from nothing!

Our Second Anniversary – Perfected Saints

Saturday, June 1, 2013

“[Christ] Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily” (Colossians 1:28,29 KJV).

Only by God’s grace, “333 Words of Grace” celebrates its second anniversary today!

Proper Bible study—yea, Bible study at all—is rare. Hence, spiritual ignorance has vexed the Church the Body of Christ for nearly 20 centuries. But, it does not have to be that way. God has given us the written, completed revelation of Him and from Him!

Today’s Scripture summarizes our goal these last two years. To teach the Bible truths that religion denied us for many years. The Holy Bible can be understood and enjoyed—and you do not need a decade of Bible cemetery… I mean, seminary! Simply find a King James Bible, study it dispensationally, and believe what it says where it says it.

For years and years, denominationalism never taught us: (1) that all of the Bible is for us, but not all of the Bible is to us or about us; (2) that the ascended and glorified Lord Jesus Christ committed to the Apostle Paul a special ministry and message; (3) that Israel’s prophetic program for the earth and our mystery program for the heavenly places are separate. We were never taught the Word of God “rightly divided” as 2 Timothy 2:15 declares. Every Bible verse was thoroughly mixed with every other. The Bible became confusing and burdensome, just another weapon Satan used to discourage and defeat us.

Oh, but now Bible study is thrilling! The fetters of religious tradition and spiritual blindness are broken in twain. We now appreciate the Holy Bible like never before! We are maturing spiritually: now we know what God the Father is doing, and we can join Him by faith, declaring to Him in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “I delight to do thy will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8a; cf. Hebrews 10:5-9).

Onward, dear readers and saints, in spiritual maturity, for we have several hundred more studies of sound Bible truths to consider and in which to rejoice! 🙂

Note: Please feel free to view our “Original 7” devotionals by clicking here.

For In This We Groan #4

Friday, May 31, 2013

“For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:” (2 Corinthians 5:2 KJV).

Having been stricken with a bacterial infection of the sinuses and eyes for the past week, I can give a hearty “Amen!” to today’s Scripture!

Physical death is actually a blessing for us Christians—it severs the final link we have to this fallen creation. (Can you imagine living in these bodies forever?) Once we leave these physical bodies, we are eternally, physically isolated from sin, and we go to be with the Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever!

In the context of today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul writes that God the Father has given us “the earnest of the Spirit.” “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (verses 5b-8). By giving us Christians the indwelling Holy Ghost, God has guaranteed that He will one day rescue our physical bodies from sin (just as He has already rescued our spiritual bodies from sin).

While we moan and groan during sickness, let us remember that this body is not meant to last forever anyway, for it would pollute heaven. Our suffering is simply a testament that the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ still has a mighty work to accomplish—the redemption of these mortal “vile” bodies and their transformation into immortal and perfect glorified bodies like Jesus Christ’s (Philippians 3:20,21).

Dear readers, take comfort. This limited body of flesh and blood is not our permanent abode. It is merely the vehicle that carries around our soul and our spirit in this time-space continuum we call the natural world. As today’s Scripture states, it is actually our soul that is groaning, the “real” us inside this weakly and sickly physical body. How we long for a change of clothes, some which will not turn to rags! Patiently waiting for the “wardrobe upgrade….” 🙂

The Greatest War Hero

Monday, May 27, 2013

“For God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 KJV).

In the United States, today is Memorial Day, when we remember those who sacrificed their time and lives to provide our physical freedom. Likewise, as Christians, we have spiritual freedom, which was more costly. Someone had to die to give us the eternal life we now enjoy….

Scripture describes a spiritual warfare between good and evil, God’s truth program versus Satan’s lie program: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles [schemes] of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:11,12; see also verses 13-20).

Satan distracts mankind from God’s pure Word, the Bible, keeping unbelievers lost (dead in their sins), and preventing unbelievers and Christians from knowing God’s will. The devil draws them away (seduces them) from God’s Word by using religious tradition and human “wisdom” (1 Timothy 4:1-3; cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Galatians 3:1-3).

God loves us, so at Calvary’s cross, Christ fought for us sinners, died in battle (today’s Scripture), shed His divine sinless blood, and eternally rescued us from Satan and sin: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:14,15).

Hebrews 9:12 says Jesus Christ has “obtained eternal redemption for us.”

If we have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Now, God can use us for His glory for all eternity.

Beloved, let us rejoice in our victory over sin, death, and hell that Jesus Christ secured for us by going to Calvary’s rugged cross! Jesus Christ is now alive forevermore—He is our Hero, the Greatest Hero!

*Adapted from a larger Bible study “The Greatest Hero.” It can be read here or watched here.

Why Do the Wicked Prosper? #7

Sunday, May 26, 2013

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1,2 KJV).

“Why do the wicked prosper?” is an “age-old” question the Bible answered ages ago….

According to its context, today’s Scripture is actually referring to the end of Satan’s evil world system: “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (verses 9-11). Jesus Christ quoted this—“The meek shall inherit the earth”—in His “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5:5), referring to believing Jews who will inherit His millennial earthly kingdom, when Satan is bound and his policy and its adherents are removed from earth and then ultimately confined to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1-15)!

“The wicked plotteth against the just [believers], and gnasheth upon him with his teeth” (Psalm 37:12). Now, behold verse 13, “The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.” Today’s Scripture amplifies that just as one would mow a lawn and cut down tall grass, so the Lord Jesus Christ, with a righteous sword, will sever the (haughty, prosperous) wicked from earth at His Second Coming! “For in one hour so great riches is come to nought” (Revelation 18:17a).

Return to Psalm 10, the thoughts of the believing Jews being persecuted for righteousness’ sake in the Tribulation. Note verses 12,15: “Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble…. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.” This is Christ’s Second Coming, when He defeats Satan’s antichrist. Finally, verse 16: “The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.” There is the earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ, and Satan’s evil world system and its followers are removed!

Why Do the Wicked Prosper? #3

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1,2 KJV).

“Why do the wicked prosper?” is an “age-old” question the Bible answered ages ago….

When Adam joined Satan’s rebellion against God in Genesis chapter 3, he relinquished his God-given dominion over earth (Genesis 1:26-28). Consequently, when Satan tempted the Lord Jesus Christ, notice what happened: “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:8,9; Luke 4:5-7). Satan offered to give Jesus Christ the kingdoms of the world because he had possession of them, and he wanted worship from God so badly that he offered to give those kingdoms over to Jesus if Jesus would worship him. Jesus never denied that Satan had those kingdoms in his power. (One day, Jesus Christ will rule the world’s kingdoms, without having to worship Satan!)

Hence, Paul referred to Satan as “the god [ruler] of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The Lord Jesus called Satan “the prince [ruler] of this world” (John 12:31). It is also why Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence” (John 18:36).

Jesus Christ cannot use today’s governmental structure to be His kingdom—that whole system will have to be cleansed thoroughly, and it will be when Jesus Christ returns. When Satan is bound at Christ’s Second Coming, the 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ on earth will begin (Revelation 20:1-7). Satan’s evil world system—the “course of this world” (Ephesians 2:2)—will thereby end, and Jesus Christ’s righteous world system will take over (reversing what happened in Genesis chapter 3).

Until then, Satan’s evil world system will reign, and it will reward those who follow it….

Why Do the Wicked Prosper? #2

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1,2 KJV).

“Why do the wicked prosper?” is an “age-old” question the Bible answered ages ago….

When Adam ate of the forbidden fruit in Genesis chapter 3, he gave in to Satan’s rebellion against God. The entire human race became a part of Satan’s policy of evil: no longer would man seek the Lord Jesus Christ’s will, but his own will. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6ab). “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Psalm 14:1-3; cf. Psalm 53:1-3).

Sin—that is, our sin nature—values everything that the Lord Jesus Christ does not. In His Holy Word, the God of heaven and earth has declared how He has purposed creation to function. Whenever we go against those principles He has instituted, we sin. Whenever we value and glory in the things in which the Lord Jesus Christ does not esteem and praise, we sin. A sin is not necessarily an action; it can also be a thought and/or an attitude.

With both the heavenly places and planet earth now polluted by sin, God would have to implement His plan to restore His authority in heaven and earth. In fact, much of the Holy Bible is the account of the battle between God’s plan for creation and Satan’s policy of evil aimed at preventing that plan from being accomplished.

When Adam ate of the forbidden fruit in Genesis chapter 3, he also allowed Satan to take over the earth’s governmental structure. The entire system of beliefs, actions, and consequences that God disapproved, would also reign….

Why Do the Wicked Prosper? #1

Monday, May 20, 2013

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1,2 KJV).

“Why do the wicked prosper?” is an “age-old” question the Bible answered ages ago….

When God placed Adam and Eve on the earth, He gave them “dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Mankind occupied a God-given office of government over planet earth: Adam and Eve were the king and queen over earth for God the Son’s glory. They were to prepare planet earth for Jesus Christ to come down and permanently dwell with them on this planet.

Nevertheless, when Adam gave in to Satan’s tempting and disobeyed His Creator in Genesis chapter 3, he rebelled against God’s purpose and plan for him (just like Satan had sometime earlier). God the Son’s glory and honor had been stolen from Him, for now the human race—those created in His image (Genesis 1:26,27)—was against Him.

Immediately, sin infiltrated the planet: man’s physical body was now depraved, his soul was now darkened, and his spirit was now dead. Adam had lost sight of his purpose, and he was no longer able to function in a capacity that brought His Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ, glory and honor. In short, Adam relinquished man’s office over earth and Satan usurped earth’s governments. The entire human race, although not yet born, was now tainted by rebellion against God.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…. For if through the offence of one many be dead…. for the judgment was by one to condemnation…. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one…. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation…. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners…” (Romans 5:12,15-19).

This is the underlying cause of the wicked prospering….

What’s the Bible Got to Do With Me? #5

Friday, May 17, 2013

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8 KJV).

One frequent charge the lost world levels against Christians preaching and teaching the Holy Bible is, “That ‘old’ book has nothing to do with me!” Is this a valid objection?

The Holy Scriptures not only provide a window into the mind of the God of heaven and earth, in all its wisdom and prudence, but they also show us our own humanity, in all its frailty and vileness. Are you a child of Adam? The Bible is for you! Are you hopeless? The Bible is for you! Are you dead in trespasses and sins? The Bible is for you! Are you curious about where your soul will spend eternity? The Bible is for you!

God is doing something marvelous to bring glory to His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and He gave us His written Word so we could learn what He is doing and how we can join Him in what He is doing!

By studying the Holy Scriptures, we can learn from the mistakes of its characters. We can see the personalities and emotions of the holy men God the Holy Spirit used to write the Holy Bible. Those men were just as human as you and I, and to say what God wrote through them is relevant, is to deny your own humanity.

Whether A. D. first century or A. D. twenty-first century, the same problems still exist and the same solution still exists. The Holy Bible is the most relevant book to mankind that there is. While today’s technological advances abound, we still have a sin problem—watch your local news! Man is still trying to cover up or ignore his sin. Creation is still wasting away, groaning, and dying. The devil is still ruling this evil world system. The Gospel of Grace is still saving precious souls from eternal hellfire. God is still forming the Church the Body of Christ. Sin is still the problem—life in Christ Jesus is still the solution.