Category: Grace Living (Christian Life)

Wisdom for Life #3

Tuesday, June 24, 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….

Many years ago, a so-called “grace Bible teacher” was constantly promoting false doctrine in the grace community on social-media. He relentlessly attacked people’s souls, and I in futility tried to reason with him from the Scriptures. I finally replied to him how God would hold him accountable for deliberately corrupting His people with man’s wisdom. This “Bible teacher”—who had also asked me to “pray for God to bless his ministry” (HA!)—wrote to me, “You are just trying to scare me!” He was not the least bit bothered. Well, he continued in his willful ignorance and spiritual immaturity, leading more and more people astray. He had no fear of God, no fear of the LORD. Why? His religious affiliation had taught him to lean unto his own understanding and the understanding of other natural-man thinkers. A best-selling “Christian” book he read had meant more to him than the Bible ever did… or probably will! He is just one of the many in our churches and schools we would be better off dismissing and ignoring!

A wise preacher once told his congregation, “I have no desire to tell you how to run your life, because I have trouble managing my own.” Indeed, he did—and we all do. If we know anything about ourselves—or, if we do not know this, we had better come to know it quickly—we know that we cannot trust ourselves. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Moses warned Israel, “Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people” (Deuteronomy 4:5,6). Israel’s wisdom would be the wisdom God taught her, not what “wisdom” Israel learned on her own….

Wisdom for Life #2

Monday, June 23, 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….

“Acknowledging the LORD in all our ways” is recognizing His authority and accepting His truth in each and every area of life, inclining our ear as He speaks about what to do in this situation or as He talks about how to think about that circumstance. The opposite would be to ignore Him—claim He is not there or maintain He has not expressed any words in a Bible.

Read the latter part of today’s Scripture: “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” To be “wise in our own eyes” means that, instead of acknowledging the LORD, we make ourselves the standard. Or, we are right because we believe we are right. We find our justification in our own opinions. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15). The wisest man is he who pays attention to the LORD’S counsel or advice. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20,21). Misunderstanding, misery, and misfortune await those who are right in their own eyes!

To “fear the LORD” (today’s Scripture) is to have respect or reverence for Him, to stand in awe of Him. Why should we not have such a high regard for our omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (all-existing), and omnipotent (all-powerful) Creator? After all, we did not create ourselves, meaning there is someone greater than we. Therefore, self-sufficiency (“I need no one!”) and autonomy (“I am my own authority!”) are foolishness, and such failure to “depart from evil” is disobedience to that Creator God and His words to and about us.

He has designed life, so we had better consult Him about life….

Wisdom for Life #1

Sunday, June 22, 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….

A professing Christian wrote these so-called “words of wisdom:” “Life is precious, live life to its fullest, be kind, be gentle, place your trust in the Lord… or whatever your belief is, but believe in something good….” This is typical of watered-down Christendom. Half-truths are more dangerous than lies because a little truth is enough to convince many that the rest of the statement has to be true. Indeed, life is precious, we should live life to its fullest, we should be kind and gentle, and we should place our trust in the Lord.

However, we simply cannot agree with, “place your trust in the Lord… or whatever your belief is, but believe in something good.” The folly at the end detracts so much from the potency of the prior words; trusting in the Lord and trusting in someone/something else is antithetical. Being open to belief systems not founded on the Lord is to blatantly contradict the Bible. Read today’s Scripture again: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” If we do not trust in the LORD wholeheartedly—trust Him in our soul totally—then we automatically lean to our own understanding (trusting in ourselves to some degree). To place our faith in someone or something other than the LORD is foolish, especially since we are not perfect. Moreover, if it is not of the LORD, it is not good.

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” These “ways” are courses of life or modes of action. If we desire, God will point us where to go—which path to take, what we should do, and so on. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

Let us consider this further.…

Training Replacements #12

Saturday, June 21, 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!

We Pauline dispensationalists are frequently charged with exalting Paul above Jesus—this is Bible ignorance. For example, God’s inspired words in Romans 11:13 are: “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:….” We do not worship Paul, but we do “magnify” (lift up, honor, esteem, glorify) his God-given office or apostleship. To diminish its importance or ignore it entirely, like many do, is a most serious error.

Supposedly, we throw away everything in the Bible except Paul—this too is Bible ignorance. For instance, God’s inspired words in 2 Timothy 1:13,14 are: “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.” Timothy has heard something of Paul (not simply “Jesus”). Paul is Jesus’ spokesman, and Timothy would do well to notice just as Moses was God’s spokesman to Israel (see Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14), so Paul is God’s spokesman to us. We study all the Bible, Genesis to Revelation, yet, we are to firmly grip, not let go of, particularly the pattern of sound Bible doctrine in Romans to Philemon.

Now, 1 Timothy 1:3,4: “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.” Finally, 2 Timothy 2:2: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” Timothy is to teach others the same information he learned from Paul. Likewise, we train men to come after us in grace ministry, for we will not always be here on Earth either. We too are training replacements!

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….

Father: A Godly Man

Sunday, June 15, 2025

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4 KJV).

Since today is Father’s Day, we dedicate today’s devotional to the godly (Christian) fathers.

What is a godly father? Oftentimes, fathers are either too authoritative (very strict) or too carefree (little to no concern for their children). According to the Bible (today’s Scripture in particular), fathers must have a balance between setting boundaries and enforcing them, and refraining from being a heartless tyrant.

  • On one hand, the Christian father is to “bring [his children] up in the nurture of the Lord.” “Nurture” is simply defined as “caring for and encouraging their growth or development.” All too often, fathers (sadly) ignore this, usually being too rough, or even, apathetic (unconcerned).
  • On the other hand, the Christian father is to “bring [his children] up in the admonition of the Lord.” “Admonition” is simply defined as “authoritative counsel or warning.” He is to lovingly guide them in life, instructing them from God’s Word rightly divided.

A father is not simply one who procreates. God’s Word makes it very clear that they should serve a lifelong, active role in their children’s lives. A Christian man, especially a father, should be a godly man in beliefs as well as in deed. He needs to set an example for his children (especially his sons): it is his duty as an older Christian man to set an example for younger men.

He should be a hard worker, he should meditate on the things of God (the Bible), his speech should conform to sound Bible doctrine, he should be hospitable and caring, kind and loving, he should respect and love his wife, he should love his children, and he should be reserved and cautious in his actions.

Are you a Christian man or Christian father who desires to be the man God intends you to be in Christ Jesus? Place your faith in this sound Bible doctrine, and God will take care of the rest! Then, you will become the godly man described on the pages of Scripture.

*Adapted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

ARCHIVED: “What does the Bible say about fatherhood?”

333 Turns 14!

Sunday, June 1, 2025

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26 KJV).

Only by God’s grace, “333 Words of Grace” celebrates another birthday!

All this time, we have been searching the King James Bible here, slowly (but surely) linking verses considered and understood in their dispensational settings. It has been painful—even rather traumatic—coming to realize our denominational minds were blinded about numerous matters. Yet, it was for the better that we deserted worthlessness. Though it has been discouraging to meet opposition from the willingly ignorant, we cease not rejoicing in our Lord Jesus Christ that His mercy and grace have been enough to carry us forward on this spiritual battlefield now 14 long years on.

Recently, a dear brother in Christ expressed thanks for our written studies and videos. He and his wife are both learning and growing in grace. Like I told him, it is my pleasure to do for others what others have done for me. There was a time when I too was discombobulated—confused, mixed up—because of my denominational upbringing. It took some years of Bible research to cleanse myself of all the erroneous thinking, but I was a sincere seeker of the truth and some saints showed me the right path to take. Praise our Lord!

Doubtless, there are others who want to know God’s will, God’s words, God’s plan for the ages. They just need the final pieces installed to be on their way in sound Bible doctrine. This is where our ministry comes in, for we teach others as we ourselves have been taught: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). As we did long ago, so we trust they will use the verses we shared here to recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil (today’s Scripture).

Brethren, thank you for all the prayer and support these many years. We look forward to serving you in Year 15!

Note: All 14 years’ worth of studies have been archived here for your convenience!