Category: God: The Father, the Son Jesus Christ, & the Holy Ghost

Their Vanities #2

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

“They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation” (Deuteronomy 32:21 KJV).

What are these “vanities?”

Looking closely at today’s Scripture, notice two sets of parallel clauses. “That which is not God” is equivalent to “their vanities”—“those which are not a people” is the same as “a foolish nation.”

Jeremiah 8:19 again: “Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?” Notice the “graven images” (carved idols) and “strange vanities” (“strange” as in “foreign”). Jeremiah 14:22 again: “Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.” So, “vanities” are “strange” (foreign) or “of the Gentiles.”

Acts chapter 14: “[11] And when the people saw what Paul had done [healing the lame man], they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. [12] And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. [13] Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. [14] Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, [15] And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: [16] Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.”

Clearly, Israel’s “vanities” are the Gentiles’ pagan idols….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What is the fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ?”

Their Vanities #1

Monday, August 14, 2017

“They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation” (Deuteronomy 32:21 KJV).

What are these “vanities?”

Using context clues, we surmise that they are bad. Notice how Israel’s “vanities” have made JEHOVAH God jealous. The Jews should be paying attention to Him, but they ignore Him because these “vanities” have preoccupied them. Thus, He is angry with them, and will not overlook their association with “vanities.”

First Kings 16:13 says: “For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.” And verse 26: “For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.”

We read in Jeremiah 8:19: “Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?” Jeremiah 10:8 says: “But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.” Jeremiah 14:22 provides even more information: “Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.”

Finally, Acts 14:15: “And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:….” Our English word “vanity” means “the quality of being worthless or futile.” It comes from the Latin vanitas, from vanus “empty.” That perfectly describes the “vanities” in today’s Scripture….

The Wise, The Rich, and The Generous

Sunday, August 13, 2017

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11 KJV).

The wise men… the rich men… the generous men!

Due to much abuse, money is always understandably a very touchy topic in churches. There are so many schemes and scams designed to take people’s hard-earned cash. Sadly, they are most successful in “Christian” settings. There is such a nice ring of truth to these religious messages. After all, over two billion people hold the name of “Jesus Christ” in such high regard. When that name is uttered—or even the general name “God”—people suspect nothing nefarious (even if the matter involves absurdities). The wise men of today’s Scripture indeed gave… carefully investigating instead of blindly supporting a charlatan!

When the wise men came to Jesus Christ, notice He was a “young child,” as much as two years old (see verse 16). He was not a baby. It was not the manger scene but a “house” in Nazareth. These wise men were also rich men, and they were willing to give their money for God’s work. They did not give indiscriminately. They gave in faith, believing God’s Word. They had seen the star of Israel’s King in the east. They had come to worship Him after that star had led them to His house. Their worship was not merely falling down before Him, or shouting, “Praise Jesus!” No, part of their worship was giving material goods. They were not greedy. They were not idolatrous. Rather than worshipping their wealth, they used it to worship Jesus Christ.

Brethren, let us by faith follow the example of the wise men. While we may not be rich, we can be wise in using what we do have, and we can be generous in giving to any sound (grace) Bible churches and ministries that benefit us. Second Corinthians 9:7: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Where in the Bible did Peter say he could not be crucified like his Lord?”

The Best Day Ever!

Saturday, August 12, 2017

“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:5,6 KJV).

While we all have our good days, nothing will ever even come close to the best day of the Lord Jesus’ life!

Some days are so enjoyable, are they not, that you wish they would last forever? Things are going well at work, at home, and at church. There is money in the bank, romance in the air, promotion on the job, and good health in the body. While these are wonderful blessings in life, and we dare not take them for granted, they will never, ever compare to the best day of the Lord Jesus’ life.

It was on that resurrection day, today’s Scripture, that He conquered Satan, sin, death, and Hell! While the good things in our life, being subject to change, are not guaranteed, the victory that Jesus Christ secured on that resurrection morning is eternal. Death still cannot hold His soul. His physical body still has not experienced decay. He has paid man’s sin debt in full by shedding His blood on that awful cross. Now, He is raised again as a confirmation of that payment being fully satisfying to Father God. He will never die again and will never again suffer physical torture. His Father has never left Him again. He has secured the nation Israel’s salvation from sin, and He has secured the Body of Christ’s salvation from sin. Now, He is the glorified Son of God, heir of all the governments of Heaven and Earth. His reign will never end.

Dear friends, such victory is beyond our comprehension. We can read about it in the pages of Scripture but these events really do not sink in. Just how shocked were Satan and all his evil cohorts (angels and humans) when they learned that that tomb of Christ was empty? Think of the joy of Jesus’ disciples! Like them, we are speechless. What we can do, the feeble souls that we are, is tell Him, “Thank You, Lord, for the best day in human history!”

The Worst Day Ever!

Friday, August 11, 2017

“And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour [9 A.M.], and they crucified him” (Mark 15:24,25 KJV).

No matter how bad a day we are having, there is always someone worse off. For example, look at the worst day of the Lord Jesus’ life!

We complain about fighting with a broken computer while someone else is down at the cemetery burying a loved one. We whine about high food prices while someone is sleeping in a cardboard box in the alley behind the store. We complain about someone calling us a bad name when at least they did not torture or imprison us!

On the worst day of Jesus’ life, many horrible things happened to Him. You can read Matthew chapters 26 and 27, Mark chapters 14 and 15, Luke chapters 22 and 23, and John chapters 18 and 19. While we always have bad days, we can be thankful that we will never, ever experience the worst of all days in human history. It was far worse than even the Fall of man in Genesis chapter 3. On that day that the Lord Jesus died, His most trusted apostle betrayed Him. His chief apostle denied Him thrice. He was falsely accused and blasphemed against. They spat in His face and punched Him. They yanked His beard off. He was whipped. They struck Him on the head with a reed. A crown of thorns was forced into His scalp. They mocked Him. He was forced to carry His cross. They stripped Him of His clothing. He was nailed to the cross. They taunted Him as they sat at the foot of that cross. After slowly suffocating for six hours, He let Himself die!

Dear friends, such suffering is beyond our comprehension. We can read about it in the pages of Scripture but these events really do not sink in. How could God love us that much, to go through with all of that, just so we could have our sins paid in full? We are speechless. What we can do, the feeble souls that we are, is tell Him, “Thank You, Lord, for the worst day in human history!”

A Filling—Not a Feeling!

Thursday, August 10, 2017

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” (Ephesians 5:18,19 KJV).

Notice, dear friends, this is a filling not a feeling!

A Christian woman approached me recently to ask if I believed in “the filling of the Holy Ghost.” I told her that I most certainly did, as the Bible does tell us to be “filled with the Spirit” (cf. today’s Scripture). However, knowing her background, I quickly added, “But there is no loss of self-control with this filling.” Whether today, or thousands of years ago, Satan’s religious system always has its counterfeits. While “praise dancing” feels good, while “holy laughter” brings some people happiness, feelings and emotions do not have the authority to gauge truth. What does it mean to be “filled with the Spirit?”

If we turn to the companion passage of today’s Scripture, we see the term defined for us. Colossians 3:16 says: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” To be “filled with the Spirit” is to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” In other words, His thinking controls us because we have studied and memorized His Holy Word. The Bible says that we need to “mind the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5-8). This is how the Spirit of God leads us. By recalling what we read, we walk in line with what His Word says today in the Dispensation of Grace (Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon).

How sad it is when people reduce the role of the Holy Spirit to nothing more than some strange feeling that causes one to engage in some pretty wild, disorderly, absurd behaviors. Religious tradition is so intoxicating, so inebriating, it causes people to lose all sense of reason. Nevertheless, when we “let the word of Christ dwell in [us] richly in all wisdom,” it becomes a filling rather than a feeling!

Confidence

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12 KJV).

What assurance the Christian has!

I recently watched a sad documentary on the kidnapping and murder of a teenager. Her murderer had been captured, incarcerated, and executed. Near the end, her father, a preacher, revealed that “she knew where she was going.” In her farewell note, she urged her family to keep on living for Jesus Christ, and that all would turn out right. Undoubtedly, God’s grace is the only reason this family has coped with such a loss all these decades. While it will never bring her back here, it gives them hope to see her in Heaven one day.

Friends, there is no guarantee that our physical bodies will remain intact until we die (or reach Heaven via the Rapture). Due to various sicknesses and injuries, we may lose limbs, tissue, and organs. However, in Christ, we never have to worry about our spirits being separated from Almighty God. By simple faith in Jesus Christ’s finish crosswork, we have been bound forever to God Himself. The Apostle Paul, awaiting execution, wrote in today’s Scripture that he was “persuaded.” God was “able”—yes, more than able—to hang on to him. As someone would store a valuable item in a safe, so Paul had entrusted his soul to Father God. There was complete security in Christ: nothing would be lost or misplaced. God the Holy Spirit would personally see to it that Paul made it safely to Heaven. The Apostle would in the meantime have some obstacles to endure—ultimately, a decapitation—but his eternal abode in Heaven was sure!

Evidently, that was the confidence that that preacher and his wife had concerning their murdered daughter. She had lost her life at a very young age, but Father God did not lose her soul and neither did she. What persuasion, what hope, what confidence Calvary’s cross provides us! “That ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What is Romans 2:24 talking about?”

Guarded

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6,7 KJV).

With today’s Scripture in our hearts and minds, those hearts and minds are guarded!

Second Timothy 3:12 tells us: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Acts 14:22 says of Paul and Barnabas: “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Whenever we purpose to live godly in Christ Jesus, we will suffer persecution. This is a fact of Christian doctrine, even though the popular idea in “churchianity” today is that God wants to remove all of our problems (or remove us from them).

If Satan cannot cause us to change or pervert the doctrine that we teach and preach, then he will do his best in using whatever he can to stop us from teaching and preaching. In other words, after unsuccessfully attacking the message, he proceeds to attack the messenger. Should we worry? Should that bother us? Should we fret? Should that discourage us from even trying to do right at all? No, dear friends, no! Today’s Scripture reminds us not to be “careful”—we should not be anxious, worrisome, taking thought of it.

In our circumstances, regardless of our circumstances, we are “by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving [to] let [our] requests be made known unto God.” Why? Prayer is not designed to change our circumstances, as commonly thought, but it is to change us within as we endure those circumstances. “The peace of God, which passeth understanding, shall keep [our] hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The idea here with “keep” is guard. Satan is out to harm us internally (mentally and spiritually). Thankfully, God has given us the ability—through His written Word and us praying according to it rightly divided—so we can ward off his attacks. Ultimately, it will cause us to think of our circumstances the way God Himself does.

Young and Old(er), Take Heed!

Monday, August 7, 2017

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

By God’s grace, dear brethren, I celebrate my 29th birthday today!

Every passing birthday, Christian friends, causes us to realize two things. Firstly, we see how far we have come in our understanding of life, the world, and God’s ultimate plan. Secondly, we see how far we still have to go! Grace living is a process. Father God does not just “zap” us with sound Bible doctrine so we instantly have sinless behavior. We start as babes in Christ, knowing little. Yet, we do not stay there. Every time we open God’s Word and study it rightly divided, there is steady maturity. That daily intake of sound Bible doctrine allows the indwelling Holy Spirit more material to use in our lives. He takes those verses we believe and transforms us internally, thereby causing our behavior to conform to those grace doctrines.

Notice Ephesians 3:16: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;….” And 1 Thessalonians 2:13: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Finally, 1 Timothy 4:13: “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

Whether young or old(er), we can cleanse our filthy ways by paying attention to God’s Word rightly divided. Psalm 119 proceeds with: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (verse 105). The Holy Bible guides us right now, where we stand. It also illuminates us into the distant future, that we still not deviate left or right. When we do find ourselves drifting away from this right path, or if we find ourselves not even on that path anymore, then we take heed to the grace doctrines in the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon. (This reformation will save us much headache and heartache the next birthday… and countless others!) 🙂

Sins Forgiven!

Sunday, August 6, 2017

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;….” (Ephesians 1:6,7 KJV).

Dear friend in a world religion, what will you do with your sins?

Several years ago, while a college classmate and I were eating together in our university’s cafeteria, the topic of religion came up. He already knew that I was a Christian, but it was here that I finally learned about him. He had joined an Eastern religion. Upon learning that, I asked him a very simple question, “What are you going to do with your sins?” After a short pause, he responded, still somewhat startled, “I do not know. Let me find out.” I was under the impression that he would research it for me, but he never did get back with me about it. We became close friends before ultimately losing contact a few years ago. Thankfully, though, I was able to cause him to think about eternal matters, even it was for a brief moment.

Whenever meeting with a person of a world religion, I always try to bring up the issue of sin first. As with the case of my friend, they probably have not actually thought about it. They are doing the best they can, but they are so busy working that they have not really thought it through just how their efforts will take care of their sin problem. Maybe they are too afraid to come to terms with the fact that they know deep down inside they still fail and those unpaid sins are still on their account.

As a small boy over 22 years ago, I came to realize that Jesus Christ paid for my sins by dying for them, and that I simply had to trust Him and Him alone for my forgiveness of all sins. Thankfully, I came to that simple truth of the immeasurable grace of God before works-religion could confuse and pollute me. Friend, if your religion cannot take care of your sin problem in full, I would strongly urge you to consider today’s Scripture and the Lord Jesus Christ whom it exalts as Saviour.