Category: mystery program

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #32

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

According to the Bible rightly divided, it is not God’s current will to directly intervene in the affairs of man to punish evil, deliver the righteous, and remove the curse of sin from creation. He is neither apathetic, nor cruel, nor nonexistent: instead, He is gracious, merciful, and peaceful toward our human species that has rejected His dear Son (the Lord Jesus Christ) for almost 20 centuries. We should not despise His goodness and/or moan about His plan simply because we do not understand what we ought and have not gotten our way. Far better if we considered the Holy Scriptures dispensationally, find out what He is doing today, by faith do that, and thereby do His will.

Jesus Christ is not where He should be, Satan is not where he should be, the Church the Body of Christ is not where it should be, and the nation Israel is not where it should be. In God’s due time, all will be set right. If we could say it as succinctly as possible: God’s purpose and plan in creation will truly be brought to pass one day, but that cannot happen until redeemed Israel (Earth) and the Church the Body of Christ (Heaven) rule in their respective realms, and this cannot happen until Christ Jesus Himself reigns, which cannot occur until Satan is removed, which cannot happen until Israel is complete, which cannot occur until prophecy resumes, which cannot occur until mystery ends, which cannot transpire until the Body of Christ is closed, which cannot happen until the Dispensation of Grace is rescinded, which cannot be until the Apostle Paul’s ministry is terminated.

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him…” (2 Timothy 2:12a). We members of the Church the Body of Christ—who have trusted the Lord’s finished crosswork alone as sufficient payment for our sins—understand that this world is not our home. Though this life is rough and tough, God’s grace is sufficient for us to handle all of its problems… all the way up to our departure to be glorified in, and govern, the heavenly places with Christ Himself.

-FINIS!-

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. 🙂

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #22

Sunday, January 26, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

Psalm 2 outlines the prophetic program: “[1] Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? [2] The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, [3] Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. [4] He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. [5] Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. [6] Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” After Calvary of verses 1-3 (cf. Acts 4:23-28), there would be Divine wrath (verses 4,5) followed by Christ’s reign (verses 6-9). Stephen foresaw that coming of Christ in wrath (Acts 7:55,56), but it never transpired. Why?

The Apostle Peter penned about Christ’s delayed coming in wrath: “[3] Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, [4] And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation…. [9] The Lord is not slack 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…. [15] 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; [16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:3,4,9,15,16).

God kept a secret—especially a coming of Christ un-prophesied by, or unknown to, the Old Testament. This was the hidden coming of Christ to open the Dispensation of Grace in Acts chapter 9 to save and commission Saul/Paul. Let us hear Paul on the subject….

NO Bible Ignorance in the Midst of Tragedy! #14

Saturday, January 18, 2025

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In light of the recent New Orleans terrorist attack just a few hours away from my home, we are delighted to dispel the associated Bible ignorance….

While God was speaking prophecy (unfolding His purpose and plan for Earth’s restoration; see Acts 3:19-21, Matthew 25:34, and Luke 1:70), He was withholding mystery (keeping secret His purpose and plan for Heaven’s restoration until He revealed it to and through the Apostle Paul; see Romans 16:25,26, Ephesians 3:1-11, and Colossians 1:24-27). God is currently forming the Church the Body of Christ, using anyone and everyone who will trust exclusively Paul’s Gospel: “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). This is His heavenly people, who will one day occupy Heaven’s governmental offices in accordance with Colossians 1:16-20.

“And [Father God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together [in seats of authority] in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6,7) “Which [mighty power] he [Father God] wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:20-23).

Here is how God deals with the pollution of sin in the heavenly places referenced in Ephesians 6:12. When no one else wishes to trust Paul’s Gospel, the Dispensation of Grace will close, and Christ will return to take the Church which is His Body back to Heaven to reign (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). As long as the Church the Body of Christ is not ruling in Heaven, conditions in the heavenly places will not improve….

Note the Horizon! #20

Sunday, October 27, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

A Christian of nearly four decades—a deacon in my family’s former church and teacher of home Bible studies—came to understand dispensational Bible study. He told me, “The Bible is so clear now! Difficult passages make sense!” All those years he had struggled in the Scriptures. There was more darkness than understanding because much of what he believed was so shallow. His story is just one of innumerable reports throughout church history and around the world.

Organized religion and denominationalism will always contain “nuggets of truth” (for even the worst lie is not 100 percent false). Nevertheless, no study system has yet to open the Scriptures more fully than Pauline dispensationalism (recognizing Paul’s ministry is God’s dispensation for us, His set of instructions for us to believe and obey). Having spent many years in doctrinal error and spiritual childishness, my family and I can testify to that firsthand. I can honestly say I have no interest in returning to being one of the millions of “ignorant brethren!”

Unless we study to seek God’s approval, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), we are completely out of His will and we do not know what He is doing. If we are not doing by faith what the Holy Spirit is doing, we are doing the Devil’s work for him. As long as people do not see Paul’s distinctive ministry (separate from, not an extension of, the 12 Apostles’ ministry), as long as they mix law and grace, as long as they combine Israel with the Body of Christ, as long as they blend Heaven and Earth, as long as they confound prophecy with mystery, they have not noted the horizon—and thus have neither a hope nor a prayer of understanding and enjoying the Bible. Far better it is, or so they have been programmed to believe, to defend and maintain manmade church tradition than admit wrongdoing and believe the pure Holy Bible.

To avoid their blunders, dear friend, note the horizon of today’s Scripture!

-FINIS!-

Note the Horizon! #19

Saturday, October 26, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

While the Bible timeline from end to end is replete with changes to God’s dealings with mankind, that which is of utmost importance to us is how Paul’s ministry demarcates—establishes a horizon for—His current program for man. There are the “time past” before Paul, the “but now” of Paul, and the “ages to come” after Paul (see Ephesians 2:7,11-13). “But now” is the 13 Pauline epistles, Romans to Philemon. To reach outside of these epistles and try to apply verses is to attempt to force God to do something He is no longer doing or will do later.

We do not throw away anything from Genesis through Revelation, and we study all 66 Books of the Bible, but we do know our “marching orders” are confined to Romans through Philemon (victorious grace/Christian living in this the Dispensation of Grace). To make everything in the Bible applicable to everyone at all times is to go the way of denominationalism and traditional theology—compounding Bible ignorance, multiplying misunderstanding, and perpetuating spiritual immaturity that so stifles growth, development, and Divine power.

One day, Paul’s ministry will finally come to an end. The mystery program or Dispensation of Grace will close forever. As God extended His hand of grace to the whole world going back to Acts chapter 9, so He will withdraw it at last when no one else wishes to believe Paul’s Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). The Church the Body of Christ will be removed from Earth for the prophetic program to begin again. In that day, it will have been far better had the nations heard absolutely nothing from the Lord through Paul. How dreadful it shall be for them to have had the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon, for at least 2,000 years—for they did not believe a word of them. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (Psalm 2:4,5).

Let us conclude this devotionals arc….

Note the Horizon! #15

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

For three years, Jesus Christ preached repentance (change in mind) to Israel because God’s earthly kingdom was at hand. Alas, most of the nation was uninterested. Luke chapter 13: “[6] He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. [7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? [8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: [9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.”

Israel received a one-year extension to believe, a renewed opportunity for repentance (verse 8)—the first seven chapters of Acts. As they blasphemed against the Son of Man and crucified Him, so they spoke against the Holy Ghost and stoned His prophet Stephen. By Acts chapter 7, wrath could no longer be delayed—as far as the prophetic program was concerned. In Acts chapter 9, the mystery program began: Jesus Christ poured out grace, mercy, and peace on Saul of Tarsus, His chief enemy in the Earth (see 1 Timothy 1:12-16).

Read Peter’s words in 2 Peter chapter 3: “[9] The Lord is not slack 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…. [15] 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; [16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

As God was gracious, merciful, and peaceful to save Saul/Paul, so Saul/Paul is a pattern of God’s longsuffering, His attitude toward sinful mankind even now….

Note the Horizon! #12

Saturday, October 19, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

Denominationalism or Christendom abounds with people (ministers and members alike) who are extremely hostile toward dispensational Bible study. Why? Frankly, dispensational Bible study releases souls longtime chained to the traditions, speculations, and superstitions of men—the very traditions, speculations, and superstitions that denominations simply could not survive without! One of their lame objections to Pauline dispensationalism is that it encourages people to discard the Bible Books that Paul did not write. Allegedly, all we ever study is Romans through Philemon. This is but absurdity and falsehood. It is totally untrue, baseless slander, designed to keep church members shackled to manmade theological systems, institutions, and organizations.

Paul himself definitely did not throw away any Scripture. How do we know? For instance, in today’s Scripture, the very first verse of the very first Pauline Book situated in the Bible canon or layout, we read, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ.” Now, if all we ever read was Paul—that is, if we never read Matthew through John or Acts—then how could we be expected to know who “Jesus Christ” is? Or, unless we knew (read/studied) the Books of Exodus and Numbers, how could we ever hope to appreciate 1 Corinthians 10:1-14? Without some knowledge of Genesis, would Galatians 4:21-31 make any sense? How can we pray to comprehend Romans chapters 9–11 if we are not acquainted with the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament? Paul expected us to study the whole Bible, Genesis through Revelation.

In Greek, Paul’s name is “Paulos” (it was transliterated as such in Acts 13:7, though this is another man). A related word is “pauo,” which means “cease, quit, desist, come to an end, pause.” (See it translated “ceased” in Luke 8:24, Luke 11:1, Acts 5:42, Acts 20:31, et al.) Whenever we see that name “Paul,” we should immediately think of the prophetic program being stopped—because it is, so the mystery program can be in progress. However, though they have to be divided, prophecy and mystery form one whole plan of God spanning the ages….

Note the Horizon! #11

Friday, October 18, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

Ephesians chapter 2: “[11] Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; [12] That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: [13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. [14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; [15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; [16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: [17] And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. [18] For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

In the prophetic program, whether before or after our Dispensation of Grace, there is a difference between Jew and Gentile. However, in Paul’s ministry, our mystery program, this distinction concerning “circumcision” and “uncircumcision” has been removed. All believers in Paul’s Gospel (“Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day;” 1 Corinthians 15:3,4) are one Church the Body of Christ. As God has an earthly people (Israel), so He has an heavenly people (us). Ephesians 1:8-10: “Wherein he [Father God] hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:….”

Let us see how Pauline revelation fits with the Bible overall….

Note the Horizon! #10

Thursday, October 17, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

As God was unfolding prophecy, He was also withholding mystery… for the best way to overcome Satan is to keep a secret! For which reason, the Bible explains in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8: “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.”

“Mystery” in the above passage is defined as “the hidden wisdom.” Ephesians 3:5,9 adds, “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;… the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:….” Please make sure you appreciate how the events of Calvary were not a secret. For centuries prior to Paul, God through His prophets foretold various aspects of how Jesus would die. Christ Himself made frequent references to His crucifixion (Matthew 16:21-25; Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 9:31,32; Luke 18:31-34). Yet, the full scope of Christ’s finished crosswork—all that it would accomplish—was God’s secret!

In Ephesians chapter 3, verses 4-9, we read of “the fellowship of the mystery,” how “that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:….” This is the formation of the Church the Body of Christ, the group of believers God kept secret. It was totally unknown to the Old Testament prophets that God would take believing Gentiles and believing Jews and create one agency, the Body of Christ, an entity separate and distinct from the nation Israel. Isolating the Body of Christ from other churches in Scripture is critical to Bible understanding….

Note the Horizon! #3

Thursday, October 10, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Indeed, Christendom recognizes a difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament—how the Hebrew/Aramaic Books of Genesis to Malachi differ from the Greek Books of Matthew to Revelation. Also, to some measure, they distinguish Israel and “the Church” (though the latter is a pitifully deficient term!). They do tell us, “We ought to divide truth from error!,” but seldom do they actually do that.

To solve our problem, we must define it first. Our fundamental error in Christendom is a failure to see two distinct programs in the Bible, two sets of information that outline God’s overall dealings with man. To state it another way: God has one series of planned events that should never be confounded with another series of planned events. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever should we mix them!

Firstly, read an excerpt from what the Apostle Peter preached: “[Jesus Christ] 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 3:21). Secondly, read excerpt from what the Apostle Paul wrote: “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).

God was speaking prophecy “since the world began” (Acts, Peter’s ministry)—and He was keeping mystery “secret since the world began” (Romans, Paul’s ministry). As the heaven and the earth were and are divided (Genesis 1:1), so the prophetic program and the mystery program must be rightly divided….