Category: encouragement

Just a Few

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13,14 KJV).

One-third of the world’s population professes Christianity. Are there really over two billion Holy Spirit-indwelt believers on earth? Of course not, for today’s Scripture says only “few” will ever trust in God’s Word for salvation. How can so many people be wrong? The Lord has always had a remnant of believers, never large crowds.

Of the millions of people on earth in Noah’s day, only eight (!) individuals believed God and came into the ark of safety (Genesis 7:7; 2 Peter 2:5).

There were not even 10 believers in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:23-33; Genesis 19:24-25)!

When Israel went to possess the Promised Land under Moses’ leadership, twelve spies were sent to search Canaan. Ten spies said that Israel could not defeat the Canaan’s inhabitants, thereby calling God a liar. Only two spies believed God’s promise to fight for Israel and give them the land (Numbers 13:27-33; Numbers 14:6-9).

In Elijah’s day only 7,000 men in the whole nation Israel were not worshipping the pagan god Baal (1 Kings 19:18; Romans 11:4).

After three years of earthly ministry the Lord Jesus Christ had just 120 believers in Jerusalem (Acts 1:15).

The majority was wrong in the above passages; the same is true today. Only a fraction of today’s two billion professing Christians are genuine, Holy Spirit-indwelt individuals. As King James Bible users, we are a sliver of that fraction. We Pauline dispensationalists who study and believe the Bible rightly divided, we are a fraction of that fraction of a fraction.

We are the smallest (Christians)… of the smallest (King James Bible users)… of the smallest (Pauline dispensationalists). But be not discouraged! God’s people have always been outnumbered. Still, in the end, God wins. Despite the fact that we are “just a few,” the victory is still ours in Christ. 🙂

Christ Crucified

Monday, September 26, 2011

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2 KJV).

Christ’s cross is seldom preached in Christendom’s “praise and worship” meetings. We Bereans know Christ crucified, yet religion emphasizes everything but. Most churches stress Jesus’ teachings and miracles, but our salvation is not found in anything that Jesus preached during His earthly ministry. Christ ministered to Jews under the Law (Matthew 15:24; Romans 15:8; Galatians 4:4,5). We are neither Jews nor under the Law (Romans 6:14,15; Romans 11:11; Galatians 2:16,20; Galatians 3:28).

Many claim to “follow Jesus”—but, which Jesus? The Bible speaks of “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:3,4); the “Jesus” of religion (the Four Gospel Records) is not the Jesus God wants us following today. We follow Jesus Christ as our Apostle Paul followed Him.

Paul did not follow Christ after His earthly ministry: “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” (2 Corinthians 5:16). Today, in the Dispensation of Grace, we follow Christ according to His heavenly ministry as described only in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon.

Recently, a clergyman used his weekly column to voice his concern in my local newspaper. Why was he so distressed? That souls were going to hell? No! His column’s theme was that he feared cigarette butts were greatly polluting our streets! There was not one word about how to be saved by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. Not one word about Calvary’s cross or Christ’s shed blood. Sad.

What did our Apostle Paul preach? “Save the planet?” Christ’s earthly ministry? No, today’s Scripture says he preached, “Christ crucified.” Today, the message of Christ’s cross is the foremost issue, not His earthly ministry. Paul’s Gospel—Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This message, the Gospel of the Grace of God, is the most important message we proclaim, for it alone is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16b).

Mine Own Familiar Friend

Saturday, September 24, 2011

“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9 KJV).

For some three years, he was one of Jesus’ closest friends. His name meant “the praised one.” He “had [kept] the bag;” as treasurer of the twelve apostles, he was one of the most trusted apostles (John 13:29). At the Last Supper, he sat behind Jesus, guarding His back. If there was someone to die fighting for the Lord Jesus Christ, he appeared to be that person. Until….

While eating that final meal with His apostles, the Lord Jesus Christ warns them: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one shall betray me” (John 13:21). The apostles look at each other, wondering of whom Christ is speaking. “Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered him. Then Jesus said unto him, That thou doest, do quickly” (verses 26,27).

The apostles, according to verses 28 and 29, misunderstand this to mean that Judas, since he is the treasurer, is being sent to buy for the feast or give to the poor. According to John 13:18, today’s Scripture was fulfilled when Judas Iscariot, who ate the bread that Christ dipped, betrayed Him. Today’s Scripture was written some 1,000 years before it happened!

As God, Jesus Christ foreknew Judas would betray Him (John 6:64,70,71), but imagine how shocked the other eleven apostles were to see Judas—“the praised [and trusted] one!”—guiding those who would arrest Jesus! Ironically, the Bible revealed that Judas was “a thief,” who previously stole from the apostles’ treasury bag (John 12:4-6)!

We have all had “friends” who have stabbed us in the back. Those who gained our trust, only to later greatly harm us. The Lord Jesus Christ’s most trusted apostle and “friendliest” (“familiar”) friend did the same to Him.

Brethren, we Christians rejoice to endure backstabbing for God’s glory as Jesus Christ endured it!

The Precious Blood of Christ

Friday, September 23, 2011

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” (1 Peter 1:18,19 KJV).

The term “redeem” means “to buy something back that which was originally yours.” When God created Adam (the first man), mankind was in complete fellowship with God. There was no sin or death. That all changed when Adam disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6,7). Sin had ruined God’s perfect creation. There, in Eden, God lost the human race to sin and mankind became part of Satan’s policy of evil, “the power of darkness” (Colossians 1:13; Ephesians 2:2).

Coming up through the Scriptures, we see God setting His plan into motion. Somehow He would redeem man, and restore the fellowship He and man had once shared. God purposed in Himself to die for man—God would become a man to shed His sinless blood for our sins. The sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ, has “purchased us with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).

First and foremost, Jesus Christ died to redeem the nation Israel (today’s Scripture). Matthew 20:28: “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many [Israel]” (cf. Luke 1:68). But, 1 Timothy 2:5,6 says: “the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” When we come to Paul’s ministry (“in due time;” see verse 7), God reveals that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for Israel and for everyone else (us Gentiles!).

Just as God will restore Israel at Christ’s Second Coming (Acts 3:18-21; Romans 11:26-29), Christ has restored us unto Himself now: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law…” (Galatians 3:13). If you have not done so, trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, His dying for your sins, His burial, and His resurrection for your justification, and God will save you forever.

Our Greatest Opportunity to Glorify God

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.” (John 21:18,19 KJV).

In today’s Scripture, the Lord Jesus Christ, after His resurrection, informs the Apostle Peter that some 35 years into the future, evidently, Peter will die by crucifixion—“[he will] stretch forth [his] hands.”

Over in 2 Peter 1:14, we read the Apostle Peter writing, some three decades after Jesus Christ spoke today’s Scripture: “Knowing that shortly I must put off this tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.” Peter, shortly after writing that, glorified God in death (likely executed by evil Roman emperor Nero, who had also murdered the Apostle Paul around that time).

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Colossians 3:17 explains: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Every single detail of our lives—from the routine chores to laying down our lives for Christ or the Christian brethren—should bring the Lord Jesus Christ all the glory, praise, and honor He so rightly deserves.

It is noteworthy that today’s Scripture says that the Apostle Peter would “glorify God” by dying. Naturally, we shudder at such a thought, but the least we could do for Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us, is give our lives for Him! Our Christian lives should glorify God; likewise, our deaths should also glorify God. Should we ever be executed for being Christians, we give our heavenly Father many thanks, considering that our dying for Christ is perhaps our greatest opportunity to glorify God.

Ezra’s Heart Beat Synchronously With God’s Heart

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7:10 KJV).

Ezra was a priest and “a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel” (verses 11,12). Today’s Scripture tells us that Ezra valued the things that God esteemed. God wanted Israel to know Him and His laws, and He wanted them to obey His laws. Ezra, as a Jew, sought to know JEHOVAH and His law, and to obey Him. Furthermore, Ezra desired to teach His people (Israel) the law of God.

We should all be as Ezra, who valued God’s Word, and desired to teach God’s Word to others. As saints of God, we are His vessels in this present evil world. We have a God-given commission to be Christ’s “ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20). God left us here on earth because we have a ministry, and He has given us His written Word, our instruction manual. Everything that God wants us to know is found in His Word, the King James Bible.

If you are a man or woman of faith, your heart will beat synchronously with God’s heart. You will desire what God desires. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 2:3,4: “God our Saviour… who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” God wants everyone to be saved, so we should want everyone to be saved. Also, God wants everyone to come to a spiritual maturity. Since God wants us to know His Word, He wants us to share with others the truths taught in His Word.

We marvel that God wants to use us, lowly creatures who still rebel against Him at times, to accomplish His work. Just as Jesus Christ’s heart beat synchronously with His heavenly Father’s heart, “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42), so our heart is the heart of Christ, beating synchronously with our Father’s heart! Let His will be done!

We Shall Not All Sleep

Monday, September 19, 2011

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51,52 KJV).

Save Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), every believer has died physically. Today’s Scripture speaks of a secret (“mystery”) that the Lord did not reveal until He showed it to our Apostle Paul. There is a group of believers who will not experience physical death (“we shall not all sleep”). It will be some members of the Church the Body of Christ.

The Old Testament only spoke of the Lord Jesus Christ as coming to earth to meet believers and set up His kingdom (Job 19:25,26; Zechariah 14:1-4)—this is called the “prophetic program.” But, when we come to Paul’s epistles, God has interrupted that program, split it into two segments of time, and has inserted our “mystery (secret) program” into that gap. Before Jesus Christ can come earth (as prophesied in the prophetic program), He must first conclude our mystery program.

Our mystery program, the Dispensation of Grace, will terminate at an event we call the rapture (derived from the Medieval Latin “raptura,” meaning “caught up”). According to 1 Thessalonians 4:17, all believers of this dispensation will be “caught up…to meet the Lord in the air.” Contrariwise, believers in the prophetic program will meet the Lord on the earth (His Second Coming).

While we do not set dates, the Bible teaches a pre-Tribulation (pre-seven years) rapture. The rapture may or may not occur in our lifetimes. However, we have the prospect that if the Lord Jesus Christ would come now, we Christians would not experience physical death! Our bodies would just be instantly changed, without dying, into glorified bodies fashioned like unto Jesus Christ’s body (Philippians 3:20,21).

If you have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, keep looking up! We may be that group of believers who will not see physical death…. 🙂

Be Established Saints

Saturday, September 17, 2011

“For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me” (Romans 1:11,12 KJV).

The best book to use to introduce anyone to the Bible is the book of Romans, not John’s Gospel Record. The Holy Spirit designed the Bible’s canon so that Romans is the first of Paul’s epistles in Scripture. Lost people seeking salvation should study Romans chapters 1 through 5. Saved people seeking spiritual understanding from the Bible also need to begin in Romans, the foundational (basic) book of the doctrine committed to the Apostle Paul’s trust.

According to today’s Scripture, Paul wanted to “establish” the Roman saints, to educate them so they would have the same understanding of God’s Word as he did. Notice how the book of Romans is laid out:

  • Romans chapters 1-5: JUSTIFICATION — our salvation and position in Christ Jesus.
  • Romans chapters 6-8: SANCTIFICATION — how our salvation and position in Christ affect our lifestyle.
  • Romans chapters 9-11: DISPENSATION OF GRACE — where is the nation Israel today?
  • Romans chapters 12-16: CHRISTIAN SERVICE — sound doctrine for daily Christian living.

Romans 16:25,26b explain how God will “stablish” (stabilize) your Christian life: “according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets,”

The foundation of your Christian life is “my gospel,” Paul’s Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Built on that is “the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery,” sound doctrine from Paul’s epistles. Finally, “the scriptures of the prophets” refers to all of Scripture in light of the doctrine in Paul’s epistles.

If you want your Christian life to be “established” (fixed) and “stablished” (stabilized, strengthened), you need to build up a structure of sound doctrine inside your inner man. Study and believe the book of Romans, and ye will be established saints!

Ask and Ye Shall Receive?

Friday, September 16, 2011

“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23,24 KJV).

Unanswered prayer is confusing. Have you ever prayed to God for something, and yet you never received it? Why did today’s Scripture not work? Did God lie? Not at all. Dispensational Bible study dispels confusion and doubt: today’s Scripture was not spoken to us. Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry spoke exclusively to Israel (Matthew 15:24; John 4:22; Romans 15:8).

Faith healers and prosperity preachers enjoy Matthew 18:19: “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” This too has nothing to do with us Gentiles: it belongs to Israel’s apostles.

If you pray according to today’s Scripture (or Matthew 7:7; Matthew 18:19; etc.), and do not receive what you prayed for, it is not because the Bible has mistakes, or because God does not love you, or because you had too little faith. God demonstrated His love for us, fully and clearly, at the cross of Calvary. These verses do not work today because God did not speak them to us. God is not doing today what He did with Israel in time past.

When our Apostle Paul prayed three times for the Lord to deliver him from his “thorn in the flesh,” Jesus Christ answered “No” three times (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Why did today’s Scripture not work for Paul? Again, today’s Scripture was spoken to Israel, not to Paul and us in this Dispensation of Grace.

Saints, while God will not answer our prayers in the same way He answered Israel’s prayers, He does hear our prayers. Regardless of what happens, we have “the peace of God which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:6,7).

Believers and Unbelievers

Thursday, September 15, 2011

“And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not” (Acts 28:24 KJV).

Near the close of Acts chapter 28, the Apostle Paul, who is under house arrest in Rome, invites chief leaders of the Jews (verse 17) to hear him teach the Old Testament. Verse 23 says Paul “expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening” (verse 23). Today’s Scripture says some Jews believed God’s Word, and some did not believe.

In Acts 4:4, “many of them which heard the word believed.” While about 5,000 believed, many did not believe. Acts 14:1,2 and Acts 17:4,5 speak of believing Jews and Gentiles, but also mention unbelieving Jews disrupting the ministry work of Paul, Barnabas, and Silas. According to Acts 17:32, some mocked Paul, but verse 34 says that “certain men clave unto him, and believed….”

Many of Israel’s religious leaders refused to believe John the Baptist’s message (Luke 7:29,30; Luke 20:4-7). In fact, some never believed the words spoken by the Lord Himself! “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him” (John 6:64).

John 12:37-40 says: “But though he [Jesus] had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: that the saying of Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report?…”

When you share the message of God’s grace to us in Christ Jesus, some will believe but many will not believe. Be not discouraged if they refuse to hear you and believe God’s Word. Most have always refused to receive—let alone believe—God’s Word. Remember that the multitudes never believed the Lord Jesus and His apostles when they preached, but they still preached to reach those who did want to believe. So, for the sakes of those who will respond to God’s Word by faith, but have not yet believed, we continue in the ministry!