Category: Christian good works

A Life That Will Please

Sunday, January 4, 2026

“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” (Galatians 2:20 KJV).

Today’s Scripture tells us who alone can live a life pleasing in God’s sight!

Everyone does “good” deeds. Yet, doing “good” is not necessarily good. For instance, people often do “good” just to receive praise/reward, make up for their wrongs, feel good, et cetera. Furthermore, despite our “good” deeds, we have plenty more bad ones! Pride, lying, evil thoughts, being a false witness, and being contentious are some of the things the LORD hates (Proverbs 6:16-19).

Mankind cannot even keep 10 simple rules from God. However, religion continues to urge us to keep seven sacraments, utter various prayers, give assorted offerings and “tithes,” attend numerous feasts and festivals, and perform sundry other tasks to “hopefully” please God and avoid hellfire. Whether we attempt to keep a church’s laws, our laws, or God’s laws, our flesh is far too weak to ever measure up. Just look at what God’s religion did to Israel—how much worse some man-made religion does to us!

As Saul of Tarsus, the Apostle Paul was a Pharisee, a religious leader of Israel. He was a nitpicker concerning Law-keeping, and yet, after his soul salvation, he admitted that all of his religion was “but dung” compared to Jesus Christ’s righteousness (Philippians 3:3-11). Even for the Christian, to live a perfect life is impossible (read of Paul’s miserable existence in Romans chapter 7). Paul had to forsake his vain religion and learn today’s Scripture: the Christian life is NOT the performance of the Christian, but the Lord Jesus Christ living and working in the Christian, as the Christian walks in an intelligent understanding of God’s Word to him or her!

If we trust a Saviour who will save—the Lord Jesus Christ—and trust a Book that will teach—the King James Bible—we can redeem the year for the great God and our Saviour, “who loved [us], and gave himself for [us]!” 🙂

Saints, please remember this work of the ministry requires monthly financial support to operate (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:16-17; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Those who prefer electronic giving can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. Anyone who wishes to donate by regular mail can visit https://333wordsofgrace.org/contact-us-mailing-address-for-donations/ for details. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! Unfortunately, since our ministry audience is so large and our ministry staff is so small, I can no longer personally respond to everyone. Thanks so much for understanding in this regard. 🙂

Redeem the Year!

Thursday, January 1, 2026

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17 KJV).

What great advice for 2026!

Despite 2,000 years of Bible schools and seminaries, 2,000 years of a completed Bible canon, 2,000 years of Bible reading in churches, several decades of “Christian” television and radio, and a decade-plus of widespread use of “Christian” websites, how sad that Bible ignorance is still quite extensive (it is as if God never gave His Word to start with!).

Frankly, the Church the Body of Christ needs to wake up! The verse previous to today’s Scripture says, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (verse 14). Paul, loosely quoting Isaiah 60:1, reminded us that the spiritual ignorance that gripped Israel in Isaiah’s day seized Christians in his day—and it still grips Christians 20 centuries later. Feel-good sermons, enjoyable “worship” services, and rites, rituals, and ceremonies will NOT solve this problem—they exacerbate it!

“[God] will have all men to be saved…” (1 Timothy 2:4a). Do you want this New Year to count for God’s glory? First, you need to get saved from sins and hell! You need to become a Christian by trusting in and relying on Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for your sins (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). That is only part of God’s will for you, for 1 Timothy 2:4b continues, “[God] will have all men… to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” Now, God’s will for your Christian life is daily, personal Bible study to renew your mind, so your faith in those verses can cause God to work in your life—it will be His life, thus making you “perfect [spiritually mature], throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

Today’s Scripture urges us to buy back the time Satan has robbed from God (time created for God’s glory). By faith, we need to make that time glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by applying His Word, particularly Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon, to our lives. Have a good year in Christ! 🙂

You can download our free “One-Year Bible Reading Schedule.”

See our archived Bible Q&A: “What Scriptural advice can you give me for the New Year?”

The Person of the Year

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:9,10a KJV).

Let us praise the 2025 Person of the Year—our Lord Jesus Christ!

Society’s most stressful time of year, the Christmas Season, is winding down. The year 2025 is nearly over, and a new year, 2026, will dawn soon. At this time every year, various groups and publications feature their particular choice for “Person of the Year.” Whether a chief of state, a philanthropist, a religious leader, a distinguished author or scientist, a television or radio personality, or some other “professional” who impacted society in a negative or positive way the most during the past year, they are all still people with limitations and frailties. One can accomplish all sorts of praiseworthy, generous, and awe-inspiring feats. However, what carries the most weight is the attitude, the heart, underlying the action, not the action. Was it Jesus Christ, or simply the flesh?

The one single event in history that pleased God the Father most was when His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, went by faith in His Word, to an awful Roman cross to suffer the worst possible and most graphic death a human ever experienced, to pay for our sins. “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). It is through that finished crosswork of Jesus Christ that He is still doing mighty works, 20 centuries later. How our Lord Jesus Christ has saved countless souls from sins and hell this past year, and how He has saved innumerable Christian souls from false doctrine and spiritual ruin.

Jesus Christ, who in death defeated His greatest enemy (Satan), was raised by God the Father and is now the ascended and glorified Lord Jesus Christ (today’s Scripture). Saints, may we ever thank and praise our Saviour Jesus Christ for what He has done for us, what He has done with us, and what He will do with us next year… and all the countless ages thereafter….

NOTE: Saints, believe it or not, we close yet another year of grace ministry. Thank you for your continued prayer and encouragement these last 12 months. We surely needed it. While we have come so very far, we still have so much more ground to cover, so much more sound Bible doctrine to learn and believe, and we look forward to serving you here for at least another year (provided our Lord Jesus Christ wills it). So, with that, I sign off for 2025. See you in 2026! 🙂

Scrooges and Christians

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV).

To the old identity, we say, “Bah, Humbug!” To the new, we say, “God has blessed us, everyone in Christ.”

Other than Jesus Christ’s conception and birth as found in the Holy Bible, there is one other classic story associated with Christmastime. British author Charles Dickens’ 1843 book, A Christmas Carol, focuses on the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge (the novella has some Christian influence).

From the onset, Scrooge is a wealthy, miserable, mean, stingy, and selfish old man. His employee, Bob Cratchit, is underpaid (yet, strangely, Ebenezer observes, Cratchit is cheerful). Scrooge refuses to donate to charities collecting for the destitute—to him, Christmastime is a time for others to “pick his pocket.” He even refuses to attend his nephew’s Christmas party. What a miser!

Through visitations by four Spirits—his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley; and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future—Scrooge is forced to realize what a thoroughly rotten man he is. Once confronted with his future, the awful events that lie ahead, he asks for another chance to make things right (which, thankfully, he receives and does!). The Scrooge at the end of the book is drastically different from the Scrooge at the beginning. Scrooge is now loving, warm, cheerful, and generous—he is a brand-new man.

Bible-believing Christians recognize parallels between Dickens’ work and the Holy Scriptures. The sinner starts off rotten, a rebel from birth—selfish, miserable, and mean. When he or she comes to realize that pitiful condition he or she is in, and comes by simple faith in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for their sins, God gives him or her a new identity (today’s Scripture). That identity is designed to influence subsequent actions. Scrooge did not simply change his outward activity; he had a change in heart first. This Christmas, let us be submissive to God’s Holy Spirit working in our hearts, as He uses sound Bible doctrine to manifest in our behavior our identity in Christ, that we be not Scrooges.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing #5

Sunday, December 7, 2025

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:14-17 KJV).

The final verse of the classic Christmas carol highlights today’s Scripture.

“Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King!”

Religion has done an excellent job (wrongly) teaching us that God likes to rehabilitate humans—that He wants to make us quit doing certain things (“fleshly”) and make us start doing other things (“churchy”). What a very shallow, and actually a false, perception. God wants to do much more than what we could ever do by ourselves.

For good works to reign in our lives, God has to kill us! As sinners, in Adam, we are dead in our trespasses and sins, no life in ourselves (see today’s Scripture). Nothing we can do in our own strength will ever change our (sinful) nature in Adam. However, God offers us death to Adam and a new identity through Christ at Calvary. When we trust that Jesus Christ died for our sins, in God’s mind, we died to sin, too. Christ did not simply die for us but as us. Romans chapters 5 through 8 describe the victory is in Christ, not in Adam or in ourselves. Success is by the power of the Holy Ghost working with the grace doctrines we study and believe, not in our struggles to do right. And so, “Christ [is] formed in [us]” (Galatians 4:19).

Something about which the angels cannot sing, but we can, should, and do! 🙂

The Mighty Man #8

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

“Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually” (Psalm 52:1 KJV).

Let us see how Psalm 52 can teach us something about the past, the present, and the future….

Re-read the rest of Psalm 52, verses 5-9: “[5] God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. [6] The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: [7] Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. [8] But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. [9] I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.”

As David the Psalmist had faith in JEHOVAH God, so we ought to trust the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as David was said to be like “a green olive tree,” so we have spiritual life and access to Father God through Christ: “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). We the righteous should not fear the so-called “mighty man”—those who fight against the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for He is the true Mighty Man and our victory in Him is certain. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:57,58).

Similar to how David praised God in the midst of trouble, so our Apostle Paul did and we should too: “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:17,18).

The Mighty Man #7

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

“Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually” (Psalm 52:1 KJV).

Let us see how Psalm 52 can teach us something about the past, the present, and the future….

While we should always make distinctions between Israel and the Body of Christ, and differentiate between prophecy and mystery, we would also do well to notice similarities. For example, take Psalm 52. It is not to or about us, but it is for our learning. Certain principles are true no matter where we are on the Bible timeline: these are “transdispensational” or “intradispensational” truths.

Re-read Psalm 52:1-4: “Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.” Did you notice the evil man, someone working against the God of the Bible, someone conspiring to lie and commit sin, someone not depending on the God of the Bible? This man is doomed to destruction. He trusts in temporary material wealth; “mammon” is his god, and it is impossible to serve God and money (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). We should not repeat his sins, as the Lord through our Apostle Paul affirms.

“Charge [Command] them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;…” (1 Timothy 6:17). “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;…” (Colossians 3:9). “That no flesh should glory [brag] in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:29-31). “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Let us go back to Psalm 52 to see David the believer’s viewpoint….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #20

Monday, September 29, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

In Acts chapters 7–9, religious leader Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee who hated Jesus’ name and tirelessly hunted believing Jews. Yet, Saul gave up depending on his “goodness” and trusted Christ’s righteousness (Philippians 3:3-9). As Paul the Apostle decades later, he writes of himself: “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (1 Timothy 1:13-16).

The salvation or justification of Saul/Paul is a “pattern” of how God has dealt with Christ-rejecting sinners for 2,000 years now. Firstly, He has been “merciful” or compassionate, holding back the wrath we sinners deserve. Secondly, He has been “gracious” or generous, giving us the favor we sinners do not deserve. Thirdly, He has been “peaceful” or friendly, pausing the war we sinners deserve. For a moment, He has interrupted the prophetic program, “[that] which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21), that He may operate the mystery program, “[that] which was kept since the world began, but now is manifest [through the Pauline epistles, Romans to Philemon]” (Romans 16:25,26).

God has caused the nation Israel to temporarily fall, concluded all Jews and all Gentiles in unbelief, that He might have mercy on all nations without distinction (see Romans 11:11-14,30-32). What we need to do is the only thing we can do without doing anything: we need to believe on Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for our sins. Since the Lord Jesus was our substitute on Calvary so long ago, we now enjoy God’s blessings….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #19

Sunday, September 28, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

It is the good pleasure of the God of the Bible, the Creator God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to fill us with His life. After all, it is His purpose for the human species, which is separate and distinct from the animal kingdom. Yet, until we have a personal relationship with Him by faith in His finished crosswork as sufficient payment for our sins, we cannot experience this true life (eternal life).

His attitude toward mankind today is “grace and peace” (and so begins each of the 13 Pauline epistles, Romans to Philemon). No Divine wrath or Divine war has been declared on our world—yet. Mockers and skeptics have been granted a season of leniency, during which period they are free to spitefully wag their finger in God’s face and speak against Him without repercussion. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily [quickly, swiftly], therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming [to judge and punish]? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation…. [Peter replies to them] The Lord is not slack [lazy, inattentive] concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance…. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;…” (2 Peter 3:3,4,9,15).

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:…” (Romans 2:4-6). May we not despise (hate, think lowly of) the riches of God’s goodness, forbearance, and lllllooooonnnnngggggsuffering….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #18

Saturday, September 27, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Definitely, those who have not trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone as their personal Saviour have grown accustomed to avoiding the righteousness of God in Christ. Positionally, they are “in Adam” when they need to be “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Tenaciously clinging to their “fig-leaf aprons” (Genesis 3:7), they are under the impression they can produce the same good works Christ can (or, generate what can come only from being “in Christ”—see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Unfortunately, those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone as their personal Saviour, those “in Christ,” can also be deceived here (albeit, practically, or on a daily basis). Remember, a confused believer is just as unusable to God as a lost person is; an ignorant Christian is precisely as handy to Satan as a non-Christian is.

Human nature—the sin nature, the Adamic nature—has two extremes. On one side, there are asceticism (strict living, giving up pleasures for religious reasons), self-righteousness (man’s “fidelity”), philanthropy (desire to help people), and commandment-keeping (regulations, rites, rituals, and ceremonies)—the Galatians’ human “goodness.” On the other side, there are lasciviousness (wild, crazy, loose living), philosophy (man’s wisdom), malice (desire to harm people), and law-breaking (no respect for propriety or authority)—the Corinthians’ human evil. All lost people and most Christians wind up leaning toward either end, failing to realize the only life that will please Father God is that of Jesus Christ (true holiness, genuine righteousness, eternal life).

The Lord Jesus Christ’s life is neither human goodness nor human evil, but solely God’s goodness. Consequently, our trying to live the Christian life in our own strength is just as offensive to God as the lost person’s efforts to live the Christian life—it is flesh, rotten flesh, the Adamic nature or sin nature. Victorious Christian living, grace living, as found in the Book of Romans, is the standard (the standard from which the Corinthians and the Galatians deviated). Let us as believers not attempt to avoid God’s righteousness either….