Category: boldness

Good Riddance! #1

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

Our Lord Jesus Christ was certainly unpopular with the religious and political leaders of His day because they dared not submit to Him, the God of creation, and His righteousness. They hated His message, so they attempted to get rid of Him any chance they got. Ultimately, they were quite pleased to have Him hanging on Calvary’s cross and slowly dying, during which time they mocked Him, laughed at Him, and reviled Him!

Just hours before that crucifixion, Jesus reminded His Jewish followers: “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me” (John 16:1,2). Ironically, the Jews, only about half a day later, would kill Jesus because they believed He was an imposter, and they believed their JEHOVAH God would want Him to be put to death. Imagine their horror when He resurrected and started preaching again!

The Apostle Paul was called a “pestilent fellow” (Acts 24:5)—he was not just annoying to the hell-bound pagans to whom he preached, but he was also a “mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” Paul’s lost critics could not figure him out: he was a former Jewish religious leader who had hated Jesus Christ, and yet, for the past 25 years, he has constantly preached against Israel for killing her Messiah (Jesus), and unbelieving Israel had attempted to get rid of him for years! (For instance, read about the Jews fatally stoning Paul years earlier in Acts 14:19,20.) Regardless of who he was, he had to go, too!

We should not be surprised to experience the lost world treating us the same way….

Unlearned and Ignorant Men… Sort Of

Saturday, February 23, 2013

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13 KJV).

They were not entirely “unlearned and ignorant….”

Christendom often requires one to have a degree to teach the Bible… or, ludicrously enough, even to sing in the church choir (!). Dear saints, memorize today’s Scripture, and let it, not traditional thinking, be your authority in that matter.

Firstly, studying the Bible’s original languages of Hebrew and Greek is not evil in and of itself. Regardless, our King James Bible says in English exactly what the divinely preserved Bible texts read in Hebrew and Greek. Also, it is critical to note that knowledge of Greek and Hebrew does not necessarily make one a sound Bible authority. Millions of heretics and apostates are Hebrew- and Greek-literate!

Music degrees are not evil either, but they do not necessarily equip us to worship God with musical instruments and singing. Millions of hell-bound Bible-haters have prestigious music awards and impressive discographies: their lyrics and lifestyles are certainly not bringing the God of the Bible any glory.

The second greatest blunder of the professing “church”—ranking just under its failure to study the Bible dispensationally—is its emphasis on education. Frankly, unless you have attended seminary for a decade, and save you have been “approved” by some denomination, you really are a nobody. While you certainly want a degreed surgeon, you might want to reconsider that principle when seeking a church leader! Why? Some of the most ridiculous, heretical, and blasphemous statements I have ever read and heard came from the pens and lips of preachers and teachers from seminary!

In today’s Scripture, Israel’s “educated” religious leaders were amazed when they observed the Apostles Peter and John. “Look at those silly fishermen who lack our education! How can such unlearned and ignorant men boldly preach such wisdom?!” HOW? “They had been with Jesus.” They had the Lord of glory as their personal teacher, as do we (1 Corinthians 2:11-16). Beloved, be not intimidated by the “sort of educated” (1 Corinthians 1:25-31). 🙂

Fearful Versus Fearless

Monday, February 4, 2013

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV).

As our world wallows in fear and uncertainty, we have peace and strength in Christ.

In recent months, I have spoken to Christians and lost people who are concerned about national and world events. Both lost and saved people alike know that our culture, especially in the United States, is undergoing significant change. Decades ago, one Christian brother lamented, “Society’s moral fabric is rotting.” I wonder what he would say today?! To exacerbate the situation, the quality of much of Christendom’s teaching and preaching is just as godless and unscriptural as society’s morality. But there is hope!

God did not take us to heaven the moment we trusted Christ as our personal Saviour. Instead, He left us here on earth. Why? Jesus Christ, “the light of the world” (John 8:12), now lives in us members of His Body. We Christians are the vessels in which God has deposited the life of His Son, so He can then manifest His spiritual light to this dark world! Beloved, it is our privilege to be here as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Let us not shrink away in fear.

Instead of being fearful and hiding in our homes to avoid the evil world system, we can be fearless beacons of hope and light in and to this lost and dying world. Paul’s encouraging words to the Philippians were: “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain” (2:14-16).

We, the Church the Body of Christ, may be a small group of people, and yes, we King James Bible Pauline dispensationalists are a remnant within that remnant, but God Almighty is on our side, and nothing He does is in vain. Let us fearlessly continue in sound Bible doctrine!

Saint, Why Sayest Thou Nothing? #7

Saturday, February 2, 2013

“Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:13 KJV).

You are not alone in being shy about witnessing for Jesus Christ….

Until we leave these physical bodies of sin, we will continue to deal with our weak, sinful flesh. Hence, we are not always bold in witnessing. The world still appeals to our flesh: we keep quiet about the Bible in order to keep our social standing—our “friends” and their “respect.” We want to avoid conflict and persecution. As our Lord Jesus Christ declared, “It is the spirit that quickeneth [makes alive]; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

Though our flesh is weak, and “good for nothing,” we who have trusted exclusively the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, have life in Christ! Rather than pining away in the old thinking patterns (the ‘say nothing’ attitude), we can have faith in God’s Word. We can believe Christ’s words and let them transform us. “…The word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

The Holy Spirit lives within us members of the Church the Body of Christ. “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Holy Spirit strengthens us through His Word, and gives us the boldness to preach and share Jesus Christ with this lost and dying world. As the Lord told Paul, “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee…” (Acts 18:9,10). God says the same thing to us!

Remember, if the people suffering in hell could come back, they would urge you to tell their surviving family and friends about Jesus Christ, lest they too wind up suffering God’s righteous wrath forever. The rich man in hell told Abraham: “…Send [Lazarus] to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment” (Luke 16:27,28).

“Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee….”

Saint, Why Sayest Thou Nothing? #6

Friday, February 1, 2013

“Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:13 KJV).

You are not alone in being shy about witnessing for Jesus Christ….

In the first half of Acts chapter 18, Paul is on his secondary apostolic journey (circa A.D. 54). He arrives in Corinth, a port city adjacent to Athens (southern Greece). After preaching there some Sabbath days—indicating weeks—the Jews begin to “oppose themselves” (verse 6). They do not want to hear that they have killed their Messiah; they refuse to believe that their prophetic program is passing away. Paul, like earlier in Acts 13:46, announces to Israel that God is now ministering to Gentiles without her: “From henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles” (Acts 18:6). Understandably, they grow upset! “God is saving those wretched, pagan Gentiles [us]?!”

Paul fears what these unbelieving Jews might do now that Crispus, the chief of the synagogue, his household, and other Corinthians, have trusted Christ (verse 8). “Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city” (verses 9,10). Paul continues preaching in Corinth for 18 months (verse 11), no man killing him… yet!

About six years later, Paul is in Ephesus (western Turkey). He convenes with the Ephesian church leaders, informing them that he now goes to Jerusalem, “not knowing the things that shall befall [him] there” (Acts 20:22). Still, Paul explains what he does know: “The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds [chains/imprisonments] and afflictions [troubles] abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (verses 23,24).

Paul’s attitude should be our attitude. Persecution should not discourage us, nor should it silence us. We have the Gospel of the Grace of God to preach, so let us do that boldly!

Saint, Why Sayest Thou Nothing? #5

Thursday, January 31, 2013

“Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:13 KJV).

You are not alone in being shy about witnessing for Jesus Christ….

Once the Apostle Paul began his ministry, and started preaching the glorious Gospel of the Grace of God (that we are saved by grace through faith without works), legalism (works-religion/Mosaic Law-keeping) contradicted his message and confused and divided Christians (sound familiar?). Two areas where legalism was dominant were Ephesus and Galatia.

Paul instructed Timothy, a church leader in Ephesus, to “charge [command] some that they teach no other doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:3). They have swerved from “godly edifying” and “faith unfeigned [genuine],” and have “turned aside unto vain jangling [useless, foolish talking]; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm” (verses 6,7).

Sometime later, Paul writes a second epistle to Timothy. It is the Apostle’s final letter. Paul pens that he is “mindful of [Timothy’s] tears” (2 Timothy 1:4). Timothy is very discouraged in the ministry, as evidenced by Paul’s encouragement: “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 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” (verses 6-8).

Timothy is now ashamed of God’s Word and of Paul’s imprisonment. He once courageously proclaimed God’s Word, but now he is craven. The false teachers in Ephesus have intimidated him to silence, lest they have “competition.” Paul instructs Timothy not to fear the lost world. He should endure the suffering that comes with being a Christian. He should speak up about God’s Word! How can he do this? “According to the power of God!” Dear saints, our flesh is weak, but God’s power is more than sufficient to give us boldness to speak His Word to this lost and dying world.

Saint, Why Sayest Thou Nothing? #4

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

“Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:13 KJV).

You are not alone in being shy about witnessing for Jesus Christ….

In Mark 14:27 (cf. Matthew 26:31), just before His arrest, the Lord Jesus declared to His disciples, “All ye shall be offended because of me this night.” Peter replied, “Although all shall be offended, yet will not I” (Mark 14:29; cf. Matthew 26:33). When Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him thrice, Peter spake the more vehemently, and all the other disciples affirmed that, to the death, they would never be ashamed of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:34,35; Mark 14:30,31).

Once the multitude came and bound Jesus, “all the disciples forsook him, and fled” (Matthew 26:56). When thrice asked whether or not he was with Jesus Christ, Peter denied it all three times (Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:55-62). “And Peter went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62). The very men who claimed they were going to die for and with Jesus Christ, were the ones who abandoned Him during the moments leading up to His death!

Our flesh is weak, as the above verses demonstrate. We can say we will do one thing, but end up doing the opposite. Nevertheless, there is hope for them… and us! Many weeks after Calvary’s crosswork, these timid men, “…Prayed, [and] the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). Earlier, on the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter preached a magnificent sermon to Israel (Acts 2:14-40). “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (verse 4).

Notice this stark difference. Christ’s disciples were shy and weak in their own strength. However, when they relied on the power of the Holy Ghost, they boldly proclaimed God’s Word! The same is true with us today. We grow timid and fearful when witnessing because that is our weak flesh. However, God the Holy Spirit is more than willing to speak through us!

Saint, Why Sayest Thou Nothing? #3

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

“Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:13 KJV).

You are not alone in being shy about witnessing for Jesus Christ….

In John chapter 9, Jesus Christ heals a man who was blind from birth. Because it is the Saturday Sabbath, the pedantic, “law-keeping” Pharisees are filled with anger (verse 14). They proceed to interrogate and harass the healed man, further hardening their unbelieving hearts. Unless they can ask His parents if he was blind, they will not believe that he was healed. So, they call forth his parents.

Read their “testimony” in John 9:20-23: “His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.”

Notice why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” They would have to admit that Jesus Christ performed the healing miracle, and this they refuse to do because it would jeopardize their social standing. They would be labeled a “God nut” and they would lose their “friends,” so, they do not dare declare Jesus is Christ/Messiah.

John 12:42,43 summarizes this issue: “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

People do not always welcome us with “open arms” when we preach the Gospel of the Grace of God, so we are prone to stay silent, just as these people in the Bible did, lest we are relegated to a “Bible-believing fanatic” status. This should not be so. Thankfully, with God, there is a solution!

Saint, Why Sayest Thou Nothing? #2

Monday, January 28, 2013

“Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:13 KJV).

You are not alone in being shy about witnessing for Jesus Christ….

The LORD sends the prophet Jeremiah to warn Judah and Jerusalem of God’s impending judgment, that the Babylonians are coming to take them captive, and to carry them back to Babylon. Once Jeremiah preaches, he learns just how stubborn and wicked the Jews are.

“O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:7-9).

The Jews, upon hearing God’s Word through Jeremiah, mock him. They do not want to hear what God has to say, so Jeremiah vows never again will he speak in the name of the LORD. Yet, notice, God’s Word had filled the heart of Jeremiah—it was like “a burning fire shut up in [his] bones”—and he could not stay silent for long. Soon, he was preaching God’s Word again! (Later, the Jews want to kill him, Jeremiah 26:8. Years later, he is thrown into a muddy pit and imprisoned, Jeremiah 38:6.)

Jeremiah is just one example in Scripture of God’s people being shy when sharing His Word with others. Sometimes, Jeremiah wanted to say nothing about God; other times, he spoke about God. Why is this? Why do believers not speak about God’s Word all the time? That is, why are we not bold all the time in witnessing? Why do we grow shy at times? One of the reasons is we fear the negative public reaction (see today’s Scripture).

But, there are other, more specific, factors involved, too.

Saint, Why Sayest Thou Nothing? #1

Sunday, January 27, 2013

“Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:13 KJV).

You are not alone in being shy about witnessing for Jesus Christ….

A Christian sister recently asked me why she feels nervous when she gets opportunity to talk to people about Jesus Christ and the Bible. Sometimes she says nothing because she is afraid; other times, she is bold enough to speak. There are a few reasons for this.

In the context of today’s Scripture, Jesus’ brethren have come to Judaea (the region surrounding Jerusalem) to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, but He stays behind in Galilee (verses 2-9). When His brethren arrive, the Jews demand to know where He is (verses 10,11).

This inquiry excites the common people. Some say of Christ, “He is a good man,” while others say, “Nay; but he deceiveth the people” (verse 12). Notice the expression in this verse, “There was much murmuring among the people concerning him.” Murmuring is quiet speech, a near whisper. Some of them are grumbling criticism of Jesus Christ; others are praising Him. Contrast this with today’s Scripture: “Howbeit [However] no man spake openly of him….” These people will not utter anything about Jesus Christ in a normal tone. Instead, they talk about Him softly. The context explains their “hush-hush” attitude.

Jesus Christ has just delivered an extensive, “non-feel-good” sermon in John chapter 6, so chapter 7 opens with, “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.” Thus, we see why the common Jews dare not publicly mention Jesus Christ. They fear persecution: “If they want to kill Jesus Christ, and He is not here, then what would they do to us if we even mention His name?!” This disdain for Jesus Christ’s name continues today.

A Christian pastor was recently sentenced to eight years in prison for evangelizing his relatives and friends in his native country. He certainly did not fear the public reaction to his ministry.

What is one of the reasons we grow shy when witnessing? We fear people’s reaction to the name of Jesus Christ!