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

It is the Lord’s House!

Saturday, August 5, 2017

“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22,23 KJV).

It is “His” Body indeed!

Church leaders should be concerned about the countless heresies that threaten to undermine and dissolve their assemblies. Doubtless, they must vigorously guard their pulpits, careful not to let false teachers slip in and do the Devil’s “dirty work” among God’s people! Yet, some well-meaning Christians have overwhelmed themselves in this regard. They spend most or all of their time and energy seeking and refuting error—leaving little to no time and energy to study the truth they already have in the Holy Bible rightly divided!

Moderation in the ministry is key, for even good things can be taken too far. It is easy to get caught up in addressing this error, that heresy, this splinter doctrine, that new “fad” belief. The Christian must always keep things balanced. Focusing on one issue and ignoring the rest is unwise. Yet, focusing on everything to the point where you cannot firmly grasp any one Bible doctrine is also imprudent. Eventually, the Christian will adopt the self-view of “saviour”—“I must save the Body of Christ from this, from that….” That believer will then worry about “correcting” everyone, hunting people down and making sure they have the right doctrine. Many sleepless nights will result—“Without me, all Christians will be deceived. I must warn every last person about every single doctrinal inaccuracy.”

Dear brethren, relax! There is no need for exhaustion. Our English word “church” is ultimately derived from the Greek kurios, meaning “lord.” To wit, “church” means “the Lord’s:” it is an entity that belongs to Him. The Church the Body of Christ is just that—it is His Body. He can and will take care of it. He nurtured it before we were born and He will take care of it after we die (if He tarries and we die). Rather than worrying about all congregations, we need to be focused on our individual group (assembly, family, et cetera). We maintain the testimony of sound Bible doctrine there, and let other leaders do the same with their group! 🙂

Think!

Friday, August 4, 2017

“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” (Romans 12:2 KJV).

Christian friend, it is only “reasonable” that ye “be… transformed by the renewing of your mind!”

Someone recently asked me why so many people blindly follow a certain individual who is so exceptionally corrupt. To say that she was amazed is an understatement. She just could not figure out why they could not see past the mirage and notice what was really there. My answer to her was one word: “emotions.” People are using their hearts rather than their heads.

Emotions in and of themselves are not sinful, but sin has tainted them. They want to control us in a negative way. Emotions have no brain: they are dumb and constantly changing. Do we really want something so unstable and unreliable running our life? Yet, we yield to emotions and do all sorts of foolish things and embrace all kinds of nonsense. We Christians conducting our lives according to our emotions is ever so dangerous. Our changed minds should be guiding us! God does not want “know-nothing” children, people dependent on ignorant emotions. Saints must be taught sound Bible doctrine so they can think properly. How tragic it is that the Body of Christ has had the completed Bible for 2,000 years, and how pitifully ignorant Christian believers still are concerning it! No wonder we have so much difficulty concerning what to believe or do.

Today’s Scripture says in context: “[1] 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. [2] 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.” After delivering 11 chapters of doctrine, the Holy Spirit says, “Now that you know what Jesus Christ has done for you and what He wants to do with you, think on it, believe it, and then walk in accordance with it!” Regardless of our emotions, friends, we walk in these truths.

God Is Not Fooled!

Thursday, August 3, 2017

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:9,10 KJV).

Be not fooled, friend. You cannot fool God!

Long ago, a farmer said, “God, if You give me a good harvest, I will go to church.” Suffice it to say he reaped a great harvest. He then bragged with laughter, “I fooled God! I had no intention of going to church!” This cycle continued for years. The man never purposed to go to church, but he supposedly “talked God into” doing what he wanted, allegedly “making God believe” that he would attend church. This all occurred many decades ago, so he is likely already dead… physically.

When the aforementioned man died, he surely realized he had not fooled God after all. Furthermore, he saw that he was the fool! He wasted God’s grace, God being longsuffering and tolerating his nonsensical rhetoric for so long. Instead of being thankful for God’s goodness, he became increasingly hardened. He continually deceived himself, believing he could actually hide his true and innermost feelings from his Creator (see today’s Scripture).

Many attempt to “make deals with God.” If He will just help them out of their difficulty, they will turn to Him. Some legitimately come to personal faith in Christ. Others, however, have a religious high, mere temporary self-reformation. Still others had no intention of ever doing right—they just wanted to treat God like Santa Claus (“gimme, gimme, gimme”). In the end, however, they manifest themselves as fools. God sees who has a heart of faith in His Word to them, and who is simply speaking empty words out of an ungrateful (wicked and unbelieving) heart.

Hebrews 4:12-13: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

A Grace Study Bible

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2 KJV).

Today, we reflect on five full years of the arC Ministries’ Grace Study Bible Project!

Some 100 years ago, the Scofield Study Bible was published. It was a work that popularized—not invented—dispensational Bible study. For a century, the Church the Body of Christ has used this monumental aid to edify itself. It was (and still is) useful in recovering precious Bible truths that had been lost for centuries, doctrines still pushed aside by denominational hierarchies that prefer to be the “authority” with their “tradition of men.”

Five years ago today, after much prayer and consideration, I began the formation of a new grace study Bible. Using the King James Bible, my goal in this project is to build on Dr. Scofield’s foundation laid long ago. We are (and will always be) indebted to that brother for his faithful service, his submission to the Holy Spirit to produce a profitable study Bible. (Incidentally, Dr. Scofield led a missionary to Christ, that missionary led a preacher to Christ, that preacher led a woman to Christ, that woman led Mom to Christ, and Mom led me to Christ.) What took Dr. Scofield decades to learn, we can acquire in a fraction of that time. Brother Scofield did not live long enough to progress any further in Bible understanding, but in the century since he has gone to heaven, a faithful remnant within the Body of Christ has expanded upon Dr. Scofield’s insightful notes. We recognize where he was wrong in certain areas, and we can improve those areas in our understanding and study.

In brief, some stats about our grace study Bible. We seem to be roughly 50 to 55 percent completed with it. How many more years it will take remains to be seen, but rest assured, what cannot be condensed into marginal notes or footnotes, will be, Lord willing, expanded into a full-Bible commentary book series! Stay tuned in the coming years and thank you for your prayer in this regard! 🙂

* You can read more about our Grace Study Bible Project here.

Bible Q&A #405: “Do the words “to be” belong in Romans 1:7 and 1 Corinthians 1:2?”

arC Ministries Is 10!

Monday, July 31, 2017

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20 KJV).

To our Lord Jesus Christ’s glory, arC Ministries celebrates its 10th anniversary today!!!

Ten years ago, as an 18-year-old college student, I endeavored to use Facebook to create a Bible study group for teens and college students. Thus, “ambassadors for the risen Christ ministries” was born. As I grew more in God’s Word rightly divided, I grew increasingly aware of the need for additional ministry projects. The more I had been learning drove me to share those precious truths with others. That eventually led me to look for supplementary avenues of ministry.

During these past 10 years, God’s grace has enabled us to continue the original group on Facebook. In addition, we have branched out quite a bit in other areas. This devotionals blog has been operating for over six years now. For the last five years, we have focused on developing and drafting a grace study Bible (now in its sixth year). Other ministry projects include a 22-week newspaper ministry column (this devotionals blog’s predecessor), a YouTube channel with home Bible study videos, a Twitter feed, a full-length Bible studies blog, a college campus ministry, a nursing-home ministry, and our Bible-question-and-answer blog. Last year, we launched our new main ministry website and now have a line of printed Bible study booklets available for sale there (40 new ones are forthcoming this year, hopefully). We hear from people all over the world!

Our name says it all: we serve the risen Lord Jesus Christ, not some “dead Jew” and not ourselves. The original motto of our ministry was, “To equip ambassadors, and to encourage others to become ambassadors.” Our primary goal is to teach Christians, and our secondary goal is to evangelize the lost world. Ten years later, we still endeavor to uphold God’s Word (King James Bible) rightly divided, whether it be in edifying the Christian brethren or preaching the clear Gospel of the Grace of God to this lost and dying world. For those of you who have been with us from day 1, thank you for your prayer and encouragement. We pray for you upon every remembrance! There is still plenty more for the Lord Jesus Christ to do in and through us, so let us give Him all the praise and glory as we enter Year 11! 🙂

Please note that you can support our ministry financially by securely giving here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. Thanks!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What are ‘lewd fellows of the baser sort?’”

Not Hearing God’s Words #6

Sunday, July 30, 2017

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47 KJV).

Friend, have you ever talked to a lost person about the Bible? Have you also ever spoken to another Christian about the Bible? If you paid attention to both scenarios, you will recall that they were two drastically different conversations. There was such disconnect when dealing with the lost person whereas there was more receptivity on the part of the Christian (usually). Why? Today’s Scripture highlights the reason.

Considering John chapter 8, the Lord Jesus’ conversation with unsaved and disbelieving religionists, we see typified our interactions with such individuals today. When we present spiritual issues, they can respond only in fleshly or material terms. To them, the Scriptures are nonsense: spiritual insanity afflicts them. Focusing on their works, they do not believe God’s message to them. Lacking spiritual insight, they have no ability to see they are lost, enslaved to sin. They cannot handle the message, so they resort to petty name-calling and other personal attacks directed toward us (the messengers). Convicted, they seek to harm, silence, imprison, and even kill us—using whatever means available to them.

Sadly, some believers behave similarly when we attempt to share the rightly-divided Bible with them. They entertain such shallow, manmade perceptions of Scripture. Did you notice the parenthetical “usually” in the introduction? Most lost people refuse to hear the Gospel. Usually, Christian people will talk about the Bible, albeit loosely. Once you delve into the “meat”—deeper things such as the Dispensation of Grace—they behave as lost people. Thinking and walking in the energy of their flesh, they too love religion, human “goodness.” They rebel against those “grace” verses you cite! Second Timothy 2:26 speaks of they “that oppose themselves… [in] the snare of the devil… taken captive by him at his will.” Such Christians, polluted by religious tradition and non-dispensational Bible understanding, cooperate with the Adversary… to defeat themselves!

Thankfully, there are lost people who want to receive the Gospel by faith. They are still coming to trust in Christ every day. Thankfully, there are some Christians who still want to receive the rightly divided Bible. They too are coming to God’s light… “hearing God’s words” also!

Not Hearing God’s Words #5

Saturday, July 29, 2017

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47 KJV).

Friend, have you ever talked to a lost person about the Bible? Have you also ever spoken to another Christian about the Bible? If you paid attention to both scenarios, you will recall that they were two drastically different conversations. There was such disconnect when dealing with the lost person whereas there was more receptivity on the part of the Christian (usually). Why? Today’s Scripture highlights the reason.

Chapter 8 closes: “[48] Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? [49] Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. [50] And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. [51] Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. [52] Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. [53] Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?”

“[54] Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: [55] Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.”

“[57] Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? [58] Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. [59] Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” (They want to kill Him yet again!)

We summarize this gigantic passage and conclude this devotionals arc….

Not Hearing God’s Words #4

Friday, July 28, 2017

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47 KJV).

Friend, have you ever talked to a lost person about the Bible? Have you also ever spoken to another Christian about the Bible? If you paid attention to both scenarios, you will recall that they were two drastically different conversations. There was such disconnect when dealing with the lost person whereas there was more receptivity on the part of the Christian (usually). Why? Today’s Scripture highlights the reason.

Chapter 8 says: “[41] [The Lord Jesus told His religious Jewish critics] Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. [42] Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.” They do not recognize their real father (verse 41). After attacking Jesus’ virgin conception—arguing He is a bastard child!—they claim they are God’s children! If they were God’s children, Jesus rebuts, they would love Him because God sent Him to them (verse 42).

“[43] Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. [44] Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. [45] And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. [46] Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? [47] He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”

Like lost people today, their ears heard sound waves as God’s words went forth. Nevertheless, there was no understanding. Sin had blinded them. They did not care for the spiritual light God’s Word brought. Let us not be shocked when deep hatred for God’s Word and God’s Son are manifested even today….

Not Hearing God’s Words #3

Thursday, July 27, 2017

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47 KJV).

Friend, have you ever talked to a lost person about the Bible? Have you also ever spoken to another Christian about the Bible? If you paid attention to both scenarios, you will recall that they were two drastically different conversations. There was such disconnect when dealing with the lost person whereas there was more receptivity on the part of the Christian (usually). Why? Today’s Scripture highlights the reason.

Chapter 8 of John continues: “[31] Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; [32] And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. [33] They [Israel’s religious leaders] answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?” (Notice how these unbelieving religious Jews focus so much on their physical relation to Abraham. They overlook the Roman government currently ruling over them! Why are Gentiles dominating Israel? Israel is a nation of sinners, covenant-breakers, and God is punishing them as per Leviticus 26:27-46. These unbelieving Jews need to recognize their sinful nature!)

John chapter 8 continues: “[34] Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. [35] And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. [36] If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. [37] I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. [38] I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. [39] They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. [40] But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. [41] Ye do the deeds of your father….”

Now we (finally!) get to today’s Scripture….

Not Hearing God’s Words #1

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47 KJV).

Friend, have you ever talked to a lost person about the Bible? Have you also ever spoken to another Christian about the Bible? If you paid attention to both scenarios, you will recall that they were two drastically different conversations. There was such disconnect when dealing with the lost person whereas there was more receptivity on the part of the Christian (usually). Why? Today’s Scripture highlights the reason.

In order to understand the Bible, one must have the indwelling Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:11-14 says: “[11] For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. [13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Without that third Member of the Godhead, there is no illumination in the soul and no life in the spirit. While people can have meaningful conversations with other people—more meaningful than, say, people “conversing” with animals—Christian people and lost people really have no common dialog. Christians are “of God” in that they have been regenerated—given spiritual life—by the Holy Ghost. Titus 3:5 says: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;….” Unsaved people, on the other hand, are said to be in John 8:44: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do….”

Let us survey the context of today’s Scripture and see just how satanically-inspired and deceived Jesus’ audience really was….