Category: encouragement

333’s 1500th – Renewed Minds

Thursday, July 9, 2015

“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. 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 12:1,2 KJV).

Praise our Lord Jesus Christ! We have reached yet another ministry milestone!

For 1500 consecutive days now, God’s Word has renewed our minds daily. (Today’s Scripture was the text for our 100th study. Since then, we have had 1400 Bible studies.) It has been quite a learning experience, has it not? The Holy Spirit Himself has taught us His Holy Word. Scholarship, denominational doctrines, and all the rest were not the issue. Hence, we have had God’s Word work in our lives for His glory. Remember, there is no power of God apart from the rightly divided Word of God. We cannot make God do something He is not doing today, but we can learn and rejoice in what He is doing today.

These past 1500 days, faithful Father God has saved us from a wide range of doctrinal errors. We allowed Him to teach us through the Apostle Paul what He wants us to do. Also, we allowed Him to use the rest of the Bible to teach us how He has used the nation Israel and will use Israel yet future.

Dear readers, it has been our privilege to share with you what “little” we have learned, that you may share with others what you have learned. As we are witnessing great social changes and an unprecedented moral deterioration, we need to remember that we are not here to change the culture. This world is headed toward the seven-year Tribulation. It will not get better until Jesus Christ returns. Until He does, we need to be faithful in teaching and preaching these precious truths to others, that they may be rescued from this evil culture as well.

Now, to the glory of God’s grace, we open our fourth 500-study unit…. 🙂

Preach the Word!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2 KJV).

Dear brother, dear sister, your #1 priority is to “preach the Word!”

Have you ever heard someone justify a local church or ministry by talking about its philanthropic endeavors? Giving to the poor, opening and maintaining homeless shelters and orphanages, sending relief to disaster-stricken areas, holding blood and food drives, and so on. They do not praise the doctrine taught there (they probably do not know it), just the duty done there (the main emphasis is religious busyness). While we have no interest whatsoever in criticizing kindness, we do intend to recall priorities God has instructed us Christians to fulfill. Our primary reason for being here on Earth is not to help the poor, operate homeless shelters, send aid to foreign countries, and collect goods for others.

When I hear about churches and ministries helping the disadvantaged, I hear about how lost people are given food, clothes, shelter, and other commodities. And you know what? Many of them—though now fed, now clothed, and now sheltered—are still lost and going to hell! That which matters most—the Gospel of the Grace of God—is ignored while we worry about giving a smile! We provide them garments of cotton and polyester but we fail to tell them how to be clothed in God’s righteousness! They benefit from our blood drives but they do not have Jesus Christ’s blood credited to their accounts! Their physical bodies get relief while their souls are sick and dying! We give them physical food to help them live another day, while they die and go to hell for lack of spiritual food!

God’s will is, “All men be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Lost people should have the Gospel of Grace preached to them (Christ’s death for our sins, buried, and raised again for our justification). Saved people should have sound dispensational Bible study taught to them (Paul’s epistles apply to us, everything else in Scripture is God’s Word to Israel). These are our two priorities. Yea, the eternal Word of God in the eternal souls of men! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Did God ‘rape’ Mary?”

Liberated to Serve

Saturday, July 4, 2015

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 KJV).

Today, as we in the United States celebrate the 239th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we invite our Christian brethren worldwide to rejoice with us concerning our freedom in Jesus Christ.

When we proclaim Romans 6:14—“Ye are not under the law, but under grace”—people tend to assume “loose living.” Does “grace living” really mean we can now live any way we want? Lest anyone be misled in that regard, God the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write in the next verse, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [May God never let that happen!]” (Romans 6:15). Grace living is not Law-keeping, but it certainly is not Law-breaking either.

God still cares how we live, albeit He is not operating the “weak and beggarly” system of “bondage” (Law) that He once did with Israel (Galatians 4:9). God proved to the entire world that since Israel could not keep His commandments perfectly, no other sons of Adam (the Gentiles) could either: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [Gentiles] may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

We sinners cannot keep the Law. However, God in His grace provided us a way to escape that condemnation by sending Jesus Christ to offer Himself on Calvary’s cruel cross to pay for our sins. By simple faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the fully-satisfying payment for our sins, we can now be “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can be delivered from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire) and the power of sin (flesh-walking).

Why are we Christians free? To selfishly live any way we want? NO! Today’s Scripture says we are liberated to now serve others, especially our Christian brethren, just as Jesus Christ selflessly served His Father and selflessly died on our behalf. That is grace living!!!!

Please see our 2011 Fourth of July Bible study “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” which can be watched here or read here.

Bible Believers Boldly Broadcasting Beliefs

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

“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 20:8,9 KJV).

Brethren, be Bible believers boldly broadcasting blessed beliefs.

JEHOVAH had commissioned the Prophet Jeremiah to warn sinful Judah of the coming Babylonian invasions, to warn them to get right with the God of their fathers. Now, 20 chapters into his ministry, Jeremiah has received some “feedback”… and it is not positive! Pashur, the son of the priest, the chief governor in the LORD’S house (Temple), hears Jeremiah speaking against Judah’s sins and foretelling God’s judgment using Babylon. Does Pashur believe JEHOVAH’S message? Nay, on the contrary, Pashur physically beats Jeremiah and places him in the stocks (structure to imprison, holding hands and feet, for public display) (verses 1 and 2).

Today’s Scripture is excerpted from Jeremiah’s pity party: he was just as human as we. He laments that no one wants to hear him preach God’s Word, that he was now being mocked for speaking truth. So, Jeremiah determines just to shut his mouth, not to speak at all about JEHOVAH, or preach anything else in His name. It has gotten him into trouble and—like most—he wants to avoid persecution for the sake of the God of the Bible. But then, Jeremiah just could not keep it inside anymore. God’s Word was just bursting forth! It was exhausting trying to keep quiet when people needed to hear the truth! He preached for many more years, despite further persecution and imprisonments!

Have you ever greatly wanted to share the Gospel or the Bible with someone? You just had to say something because you could not stay quiet any longer. Jeremiah felt the same way! May we study God’s Word, especially Paul’s epistles, and may we believe those words, so they burst forth from our lips for all to hear… no matter the cost! 🙂

Christ’s Calvary Crucifixion Covers Christians

Monday, June 29, 2015

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7 KJV).

Certainly, Christ’s Calvary crucifixion covers Christians!

In and of ourselves, there is nothing special about us Christians. Who we are in Jesus Christ, now there is something special!! We have the privilege of standing before Father God in the manner Adam did before the Fall! In Christ, we have the same standing before Father God as Jesus Christ Himself! A very exciting truth, one that precious, precious, precious few believers are ever taught (sadly).

Denominations always instruct them to strain and strive to have a right standing before God. They fail to realize that God places them in Christ at the very top of the ladder. Instead, they become busy in religion, desperately trying to reach the top rung Jesus Christ already gave to them! When you consider it, it makes your head spin how far off religious tradition brings one from the Holy Bible rightly divided.

What Israel has to wait for at Jesus Christ’s Second Coming (Acts 3:19-21), we have now received the atonement (Romans 5:11). When we trust the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished crosswork, the Holy Spirit places us into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). We then share Jesus Christ’s identity (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are just as close to Father God as Jesus Christ is—unconditional acceptance (grace).

It is when we come to the Apostle Paul in the Bible that we learn that God’s salvation is available as a free gift to all men (1 Timothy 2:3-7; Titus 1:1-3). What was once reserved for Israel is now being offered to every person in every nation under heaven today. Rich or poor, black or white, male or female, Jesus Christ’s merits are available to all. Jesus Christ is “the Saviour of all men, specially those that believe” (1 Timothy 4:10). While it is unto all, salvation is only upon all them who believe (Romans 3:21-28). Lost people can come to Calvary’s cross by faith, and Father God will welcome them with open arms, no matter what they have done. There is nothing that Jesus Christ’s blood cannot cover.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Is there ‘healing in the Atonement?’”

Noteworthy Ninth

Sunday, June 28, 2015

“I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word” (Psalm 119:16 KJV).

To God’s glory alone, it was nine years ago today that I entered the writing ministry!

Dear friends, it has been quite an exciting journey these last nine years in the Holy Bible. Long before we had these daily devotionals, decuple-monthly Bible Q&A articles, weekly newspaper columns, scores of tweets, and thousands of Facebook posts, there were brief notes and reflections on Bible passages. (Those writings have never been released.) Drafting them for many months “primed” me to get to where we are today. I had no idea what I was getting into!

When I entered the writing (teaching) ministry, I thought I had some Bible knowledge. Looking back on it all these years later, I now realize that I knew nothing! My writing style was crude, my theology was denominational, but in time that all straightened out. Over 2,000 completed written Bible studies later, and over 2,000 incomplete written Bible studies later, only by God’s grace we have come quite a long way. A handful of you have been with us from the very beginning. You have grown with us all these years. With each passing day, the Holy Bible is becoming more and more thrilling, is it not? What glorious Bible truths we have uncovered in these last nine years overall!

Being a Bible teacher, one learns more while teaching than those he teaches. Teaching the Bible is a constant reminder of what it says, and being taught the Bible is a constant reminder of what it says. We can delight in God’s Word because we are mindful of it and we understand it (today’s Scripture). It is not the burden or the mess that religion makes it out to be. The Holy Bible is the world’s most marvelous Book. Yes, our King James Bible is the greatest Book, and may we continue to read, study, believe, delight in, and teach it. There is still much more growing to be accomplished. There is still much more treasure to mine from God’s precious Word. It is with great delight that we thus begin our tenth year in the writing ministry! 🙂

Sinners Should Stop Snubbing Salvation

Saturday, June 27, 2015

“Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:32 KJV).

Such sinners should stop snubbing soul salvation!

When the nation once known for leading worldwide Christian missions becomes the leader in the legalization of homosexual unions, the world’s spirituality has reached its lowest point in centuries. When its president can sing hymns about “grace” after applauding such perversion, and not see God’s consuming fire come down from heaven, God’s grace is thus evidenced to be greater than any and all of man’s sin (Romans 5:20).

We read in Philippians 2:15,16: “[15] 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; [16] 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.”

Hold forth the word of life, dear brethren, to this lost and dying world. The “word of reconciliation” has been committed to our trust. We are to share with all the world the good news that God is not imputing their trespasses unto them today (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). They can be right with Him today by simple faith in Calvary’s finished crosswork. They have God’s grace, His friendly attitude, and His love now, but that will instantly change at the Rapture.

As we Christians leave for heaven, unbelievers will remain on earth to experience the undiluted wrath of a holy God. Sin will be dealt with either at Calvary or in eternal hellfire. People can rely exclusively on the Lord Jesus Christ’s shed blood, having Him suffer for their sins, or they can ignore Christ’s sacrifice and go to hell to pay for their sins forever and ever and ever and ever. Remember, God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He does not want people to go to hell. He sent His only begotten Son to die for those sins. May they delay no longer trusting Him and Him alone!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should women serve in the ministry?”

Five Minutes Versus Life Sentence

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6 KJV).

Imagine. Five minutes in the Word could have spared many from life in prison!

I recently watched a documentary about the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. Also known as “Angola,” Louisiana State Penitentiary is about two-hours’ drive from here. Over 6,000 prisoners live at Angola—three-fourths are serving life sentences and 85 percent die there! Several prisoners were interviewed in the heart-wrenching documentary. Having been incarcerated there for 30 or 40 years, they were “reformed.” One prisoner, on death row, was executed shortly after his interview. Another prisoner, an elderly man stricken with cancer, died before filming was completed.

Watching that documentary, the viewer cannot help but wonder where were the parents, especially the fathers, when these prisoners were growing up. Did any parent of any prisoner ever care enough or love enough to sit down five minutes with those children and teach them about Jesus Christ? Evidently not! How many of those 6,000 inmates could have never wound up there had someone—anyone, anywhere—reached them with the Gospel of the Grace of God before the world reached them with their ideologies? Think of the loss. There could have been 6,000 profitable citizens who improved society, trophies of God’s grace, had they each just had someone share Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork with them! Had they just had one adult point them in the right direction with sound Bible doctrine during their childhood years!

Parents, especially fathers, (if you are not a parent, you have an influence on younger generations regardless), please do not neglect your divinely-ordained position as role models in word and in deed. Barring exceptions, many wayward souls had extremely shallow to nothing in their spiritual lives growing up, and all of society suffers because of it. Please make sure that the children in your life are hearing chiefly from you the message of God’s grace and His Word rightly divided. If you must be taught first, get your whole family to someone who can teach. Think—even five minutes in Scripture will outweigh a life sentence in prison! 🙂

When Reality Catches Up

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22,23 KJV).

Paul reaffirms that the Christian is not promised good health in this the Dispensation of Grace!

Scanning a newspaper sometime ago, I read the “obituaries” page and noticed a rather peculiar item—the death notice of the wife of a local “faith healing” pastor! (Her cause of death unknown.) Or, consider the well-known “faith healer” who was recently suffering cardiopulmonary issues and had to be hospitalized. More lately, a “faith healer” preaching on the internet recounted the time when he experienced influenza (and there was no instant healing for him!). All the “healing” claims aside, even the “faith healers” purchase medical insurance, grow sick, seek medical help, and, yes, they eventually die, too.

Dearly beloved, we can deceive ourselves into believing “healing” testimonies and attending “healing” crusades, or we can just believe today’s Scripture. As long as our Dispensation of Grace is operating, there can be no divine intervention regarding physical healing: “The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Someone may object and say that this verse does not apply to us Christians. The next verse of today’s Scripture answers them: “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”

Our physical bodies have not yet been redeemed. They are still subject to sin, sickness, and death (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Thankfully, by God’s grace, we have immune systems, medical professionals, and prescription drugs. Even when these are not enough, and we must succumb to physical death, in Christ, we could not be headed to a better place! Above all, no matter what type of sickness or trouble, God’s grace is truly sufficient, surely enough, for us to bear it, that it not destroy us spiritually (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Spiritual fortitude—may we have it when we have bodily illness, that misery not have us (Romans 5:1-5)! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Was Saul a pastor, a prophet, or an evangelist?”

The Grandest Conspiracy of All

Friday, June 19, 2015

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV).

Behold, the grandest conspiracy of all!

So-called “conspiracy theorists” constantly speak and write of the latest secret government plots to accomplish “this” or do “that.” Health crises, environmental movements, political platforms, military operations, national disasters, et cetera are always under the scrutiny of those seeking to expose possible links to covert evil agendas. Doubtless many plans and scams exist throughout our beloved nation, America, but they exist in every country on Earth as well. But, there is more. There is one common conspiracy that unites all nations.

Unfortunately, professing Christians often lead the hysteria, using Scripture to justify their preparations for “Armageddon.” Hiding in their homes, constructing underground bunkers, stocking up on supplies and ammunition, and utterly fearing every new electronic gadget as a likely link to the Antichrist. These poor people are woefully ignorant of that which they claim to know and believe—the Bible! Honestly, bluntly, frankly, they could not spot the Antichrist’s regime if it was here. How so? They cannot discern the satanic scheme that is presently distracting them in religion, politics, and news media. When more Christians follow the latest news items than Christians reading the Bible, we can see why they parrot news headlines instead of quoting Bible verses. They know more about what their government is doing than what their God is doing!

Today’s Scripture says Satan wars in the Christian’s mind. Just as he misled Israel with worthless information, he is still doing it today with the Body of Christ. Our minds need to be focused on “the obedience of Christ”—what Jesus did at Calvary on our behalf. The greatest conspiracy is that Satan does everything in his power to keep Christians and lost people alike, all over the world, from remembering that perfect sacrifice of God’s beloved Son. May we not be ignorant of the greatest conspiracy of all!