Category: mystery program

Wisdom for Life #8

Sunday, June 29, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

In contradistinction to the love of man’s wisdom—the philosophy the Corinthians so treasured—Paul reminded those saints of the capital city of southern Greece: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Here is how their Christian life began… and this is how it would work!

Now, chapter 3: “[9] For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. [10] According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. [11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [13] Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. [14] If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [15] If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

God gave Paul, the “wise masterbuilder,”  the “blueprints” for His current dealings with man—namely, wisdom for life in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God….

Wisdom for Life #7

Saturday, June 28, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

Judges contains the record of some of Israel’s darkest years. Two particular verses that encapsulate the deplorable spiritual conditions that time are as follows. “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6). “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Such is not “dead history.” Relative righteousness—“what is good to you may not be good to me,” “what is right for me does not govern what is right for you”—is nothing new.

“Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). Man’s wisdom is that which he reasons apart from God’s wisdom. In short, man’s wisdom is but satanic wisdom. God kept a secret from “wise” Satan, but He revealed this hidden wisdom to the Apostle Paul (2 Peter 3:15,16). Not only would Father God use Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary to redeem Israel from her sins, He would also redeem us from our sins as members of the Church the Body of Christ. Man in his wisdom cannot figure this out.

Human effort is not enough and will never be enough; human wisdom is not enough and will never be enough. Wisdom for life starts with faith in the Lord God’s words to and about us, and this is Paul’s epistles of Romans to Philemon. We study Genesis to Revelation, because it is all inspired of God and all for our learning, but Paul’s ministry focuses on what God is doing today as He forms a heavenly people for His name….

Training Replacements #11

Friday, June 20, 2025

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26 KJV).

One of the lesser-known purposes of Christ’s earthly ministry was that He trained 12 men to continue His work once He returned to His Heavenly Father!

The Lord Jesus Christ has not been on planet Earth physically for 2,000 years. However, He did send the Holy Spirit to take His place. Firstly, the Holy Spirit came upon the Little Flock, Israel’s believing remnant, in Acts chapter 2: He enlightened the people of God as touching prophecy (today’s Scripture). Secondly, the Holy Spirit’s ministry moved over to Paul’s ministry and the Gentiles in chapter 9, after unbelieving Israel had fallen and mystery had interrupted prophecy.

Acts 26:16-18 describes our Apostle Paul’s commissioning: “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I [the Lord Jesus Christ] have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee [‘apostle’ = ‘sent one’], To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

First Corinthians 4:1,2 likens Paul unto a “steward”—a household manager who distributes his master’s goods throughout the estate as his master directs. Paul delivers (“dispenses”) to us information the Lord Jesus Christ directly gave to him: this is the 13 Pauline epistles, Romans to Philemon, or what the Bible calls “the Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Ephesians 3:1,2). Here is how Christ lives His life in and through us as members of the Church the Body of Christ. Unless we know God’s will to and about us, we cannot work with Him by faith in accomplishing His will. If we do not hold firm to that sound doctrine, our lives and ministries are simply the works of sinful flesh.

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Training Replacements #10

Thursday, June 19, 2025

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26 KJV).

One of the lesser-known purposes of Christ’s earthly ministry was that He trained 12 men to continue His work once He returned to His Heavenly Father!

Notice the phraseology of our King James Bible in Galatians 2:7: “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;….” These are two separate and distinct Gospel messages, one given to Peter (Peter’s Gospel) and another given to Paul (Paul’s Gospel). Modern English versions do an extremely great disservice to their readers by retranslating it as “the gospel to the uncircumcision” and “the gospel to the circumcision”—thus teaching that Peter and Paul preached the same Gospel, but to different groups. We know this is wrong. Their Gospels themselves were opposites.

Whereas Gentiles blessed of God through Israel’s fall was the central point of Paul’s apostleship and Gospel (Romans 11:11-14), Gentiles blessed of God through Israel’s rise to kingdom glory was the heart of Peter’s apostleship and Gospel (Acts 3:19-26). Paul learned nothing from Peter, but, the very reverse was true: Peter learned something from Paul. Even at the end of his earthly life, Peter struggled to understand that radical dispensational change that transpired when prophecy gave way to mystery (2 Peter 3:15,16).

Failing to make these distinctions between our Apostle Paul and Israel’s 12 Apostles, we will assume God is training us to replace Israel. NO! In the grand scheme of things, both prophecy and mystery, both Israel and the Church the Body of Christ, both entities and programs are necessary to fill the Heaven and the Earth with Christ’s life, God’s life.

The same Holy Ghost who revealed Christ’s doctrine to the 12 in prophecy (today’s Scripture), reveals to us Christ’s doctrine through Paul in mystery: “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;…” (Ephesians 3:4,5). Here is Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon….

Training Replacements #8

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26 KJV).

One of the lesser-known purposes of Christ’s earthly ministry was that He trained 12 men to continue His work once He returned to His Heavenly Father!

With national Israel failing to repent and believe the Gospel of the Kingdom during the three years of Matthew to John, God granted them a one-year extension—a renewed opportunity for repentance (Luke 13:6-9). That year encompassed the first seven chapters of the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit’s ministry to Israel through the Little Flock led by the 12 Apostles.

Expanding on Christ’s sermons from His earthly ministry, Peter preached the Lord Jesus Christ would still return and establish God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21).

By the time of Acts chapter 7, Stephen’s sermon to lost Israel’s religious leaders, Christ is standing (no longer sitting) at the Father’s right hand—preparing to make His enemies His footstool at His Second Coming (verses 55,56). In chapter 9, Saul of Tarsus, the religious leader heading Israel’s rebellion against Jesus Christ, is saved and commissioned by that same resurrected, ascended, and glorified Son of God! God kept a secret, finally revealing it to Paul and, through Paul, to us.

“Now to him that is of power to stablish you 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, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:…” (Romans 16:25,26). With prophecy paused and mystery operating, God in “but now” shows a new set of principles completely separate and distinct from His “time past” information….

Training Replacements #7

Monday, June 16, 2025

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26 KJV).

One of the lesser-known purposes of Christ’s earthly ministry was that He trained 12 men to continue His work once He returned to His Heavenly Father!

Strangely, some who claim to be “speaking for God” tell us that the Bible writers occasionally suffered from “poor memory.” To wit, whatever verses they composed might not have historically accurate! However, this is nothing but unbelief, natural-man thinking, complete and utter nonsense to the spiritual adult. If we truly are Bible believers, the position of faith is that the Bible writers ultimately had the Holy Ghost carrying them along to produce an infallible (dependable, without error) recollection of whatever they had seen and heard. Read today’s Scripture again: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

The Holy Spirit bears the title, “Comforter” (John 14:16,26 [today’s Scripture]; John 15:26; John 16:7). In Greek, it is “parakletos” (literally, “called alongside”)—translated “advocate” (intercessor, defense attorney, mediator) when referring to Jesus Christ in 1 John 2:1. “Comfort” is derived from Latin, and means “with fortitude/strength.” Therefore, the Holy Ghost is the “Comforter” in that He would aid, encourage, and empower the Little Flock to keep going on in ministry while Christ was away at His Father’s right hand. This, of course, was the period of early Acts. Nevertheless, as the unbelieving nation Israel blasphemed the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) during Matthew to John, so in the opening chapters of Acts they spoke against the Holy Spirit (thereby disregarding the severe warning issued in Matthew 12:31,32 and Mark 3:28-30). Such apostate Israelites were still stubbornly opposing the Messiah-King and His replacements (the 12 Apostles) by the time God finally broke away from the prophetic program.

With the mystery program now in effect, Christ has raised up more replacements, and He has been training them for the last 20 centuries….

To Be Seen and Heard #7

Monday, March 24, 2025

“But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,…” (Matthew 23:5 KJV).

Should we be in attendance at the “Desperate-for-Attention-and-Relevance Conference?”

In case we assume “to be seen of men” is confined to the prophetic program, we can and should refer to Paul’s epistle to Galatia. Even in the mystery program, we are vulnerable to boasting or “advertising self” by means of works-religion: “As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:12-14).

“To make a fair shew” in Greek is “euprosopeo,” as in “beautiful/good countenance/face.” An attraction is on display, and such an eye-catching sight is sure to draw attention and admiration. In the case of Galatians, it is the observance of physical circumcision in Judaism (law/Moses and grace/Paul mixed). Yet, it can also apply to any other rite, ritual, or ceremony that underscores the flesh doing something in an attempt to merit God’s favor—being water baptized, partaking of holy meals, lighting candles, confessing sins, walking aisles, attending church services, fasting, giving money, making religious gestures, and the like. Such works-religion activities become grounds for boasting, or “glorying in the flesh” (“look at what I did in religion,” or “see our new church member’s faithful performance!”). More weight is placed on men-pleasing and outward appearance (formalism) than on God’s approval and sound Bible doctrine motivating this conduct or that behavior.

When Christ saw crowds gathering around Himself, He withdrew, for He wanted His Heavenly Father to receive the praise rather than Himself (see Matthew 8:18; Mark 1:45; Luke 5:15,16). The Lord Jesus would not let Satan use even the slightest opportunity to turn something good (Father’s ministry) into something bad (Son’s praise). Perhaps we had better take notice….

Paul in the Synagogues #11

Sunday, March 16, 2025

“…Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Acts 9:19b,20 KJV).

What are the three reasons the Apostle Paul went to the synagogues?

Paul’s visits to synagogues had a three-fold purpose. Firstly, his preaching the Gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20:24; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4) was to win some lost Jews to Jesus Christ and therefore have them join the Church the Body of Christ (see Romans 9:1-5 and Romans 10:1-3).

Secondly, such a provoking ministry automatically left the entire nation Israel without excuse. Read Romans 11:11-14. Jews in the land of Palestine had already rejected the LORD God by refusing to believe the Gospel of the Kingdom during Matthew to John and early Acts. Now, outside the Promised Land and throughout the Roman Empire as he travelled, they were resisting, obstructing, and attacking Paul’s ministry during Acts chapters 9–28. Whether under Peter or under Paul, their mounting unbelief and protracted hatred for Jesus Christ increasingly justified God turning to the Gentiles without them. Salvation and blessing would go to the world through Israel’s fall because, although there was a Jewish believing remnant (the Little Flock or Messianic Church), the nation itself was unconverted.

Thirdly, and lastly, Paul’s trips to those synagogues for 15 or 20 years (Acts chapters 9–19) were God’s method of announcing to Israel out of the land about the change in program from prophecy to mystery. To wit, Paul preached Romans chapters 9–11 as he went to those synagogues. National Israel’s history of unbelief (Romans chapter 9, Abraham to Christ’s earthly ministry) continued to the present (Romans chapter 10, the Acts period) and would remain even into the future until mystery ceased and prophecy returned (Romans chapter 11). Israel was not walking by faith in Old Testament prophecy, persisted in that unbelief, so God unfolded a secret program through Paul. Even as Paul himself preached that, apostate Israel fought him! See Acts 13:44-48 and Acts 18:5,6. From the world capital of Rome, his farthest point from the Promised Land, Paul announced to lost Jews at the end of the Acts transitional period how the God of Israel had gone to Gentiles in spite of their nation’s unbelief (see Acts 28:14-29)!

Paul in the Synagogues #10

Saturday, March 15, 2025

“…Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Acts 9:19b,20 KJV).

What are the three reasons the Apostle Paul went to the synagogues?

As Romans 11:11-14 specifies, Paul’s Acts provoking ministry was designed to attract some unbelieving Jews from the prophetic program (who had rejected the Gospel of the Kingdom) to now believe his Gospel and thereby join the Church the Body of Christ (mystery preaching of Jesus Christ; Romans 16:25,26). Before they could see and believe how the Lord Jesus Christ died for their sins, was buried, and rose again (Paul’s Gospel of 1 Corinthians 15:3,4), lost Jews had to receive the historical facts of how Jesus was Christ (God’s Son, God’s anointed) and had risen from the dead. Therefore, Paul made sure to preach in those synagogues both Jesus as Christ and His resurrection (see Romans 10:9,10; cf. Matthew 28:11-15). Re-read today’s Scripture, Acts 13:23-37, Acts 17:1-3, and Acts 18:4-6.

Like the Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry, Paul targeted synagogues because this was where Jews assembled for religious purposes. It would be here that they would be most receptive to spiritual truth. However, going to the synagogues outside of the land of Palestine, Paul could not, and thus did not, offer those lost Jews God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom (the Gospel of the Kingdom; see Peter’s sermon in Acts 3:19-21). Nevertheless, Paul could and did offer them immediate justification and forgiveness through Jesus Christ by means of his Gospel (Acts 13:38,39).

As unbelief abounded in synagogues during Christ’s earthly ministry, so unbelief dominated in synagogues during Christ’s heavenly ministry (Paul’s ministry). See Acts 9:23-25,29; Acts 13:45-48; Acts 14:2-5; Acts 17:5-9,13; Acts 18:6; and Acts 19:9. Such lost individual Jews proved they were just as ignorant of their Old Testament and worthy of God’s displeasure as Israel who had put Christ on the cross years before in the first place! Whether under Peter’s ministry of early Acts or under Paul’s ministry of latter Acts, Jewish unbelief prevailed because of a preference for works-religion (Romans 9:30–10:4; especially see Romans 10:14-21).

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Litanies of Philosophies #6

Monday, March 3, 2025

“Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:…” (1 Corinthians 2:6 KJV).

What wisdom really matters—and what wisdom really does not?

Today’s Scripture is a clarification. The Apostle Paul in no way disparages or discourages all wisdom, for he does “speak wisdom among them that are perfect [spiritually-mature Christians, who alone can appreciate true wisdom—God’s wisdom].” The world in its so-called “wisdom” had no capacity whatsoever, and still has no capability whatsoever, to comprehend just how God kept a secret (“mystery… hidden wisdom”).

Read today’s Scripture within its context: “[6] Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: [7] But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: [8] Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

Had Satan known what precisely was God’s secret, he would have never influenced man (apostate Israel and pagan Rome) to crucify the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ, “the Lord of glory,” is at the center of a plan called “Glory” whereby Father God will glorify Him eternally in both Heaven and Earth. Man, in all his satanic wisdom, still cannot fathom how God will use Christ’s finished crosswork as the plan of salvation to redeem two peoples—Israel (for Earth) and us, the Church the Body of Christ (for Heaven).

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool [“moros” = moron!], that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness” (1 Corinthians 3:18,19). Saints, far better it is to be temporarily labeled “fools” according to the world’s (flawed) standards—devoid of all their advanced degrees, “clever” explanations, and elaborate arguments—than for God to use His exceeding mightier (perfect) standards to forever prove us fools!