Category: spiritual growth and maturity

Strengthened!

Monday, February 26, 2018

“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;” (Ephesians 3:16).

Without further delay, we need to be strengthened by God’s Spirit in the inner man.

The Apostle Paul advised young Pastor Timothy at Ephesus: “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do” (1 Timothy 1:4). Accentuating religious stories and lauding personalities should be discouraged in ministry; they only cause uncertainties. The local church should engage in “godly edifying.” Edification means constructing a building or strengthening someone spiritually.

In Ephesians 4:11-16, God’s goal is to produce mature saints, Christians who have grown up into grace doctrines beyond elementary level. Only perfected saints do the work of the ministry (which leads to everyone’s maturity). By and large, though, the professing “Church” is weak, mixed up, spiritually crippled. Why? There is ungodly entertainment and no godly edification! We read books about Scripture, but we rarely read Scripture. We sing about the Bible, but we seldom read the Bible. We talk about Scripture, but we hardly study Scripture.

God’s power lies in His Word, as 1 Thessalonians 2:13 says: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Friend, you toss out the Bible, you thereby remove faith (Romans 10:17), and the Holy Spirit has nothing to use to strengthen you internally. Now you know why the alleged “Church” is able only to confuse and amuse you!

Second Timothy 3:16,17: “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 [spiritually mature!], throughly furnished unto all good works.” Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, were the final installment of God’s revelation to man (see Colossians 1:23-28, especially verses 23-26). Since Pauline authority and doctrine are largely ignored today, we need not marvel at or wonder why spiritually impotency is characteristic of most Christians.

Superstitious!

Sunday, February 25, 2018

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” (Ephesians 4:14,15 KJV).

Without further delay, we need to guard against superstition.

When tragedy strikes, people plead for God to stop it. They pray for the criminal’s apprehension, a miraculous recovery from an illness or mortal injury, floodwaters to recede, earthquakes to cease, poverty and war to disappear. When these things continue, it is supposed that God does not love them, was not listening, or could not care less. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Dear friends, what masquerades as “Christianity” is usually nothing but vain superstition. Most church members have not a clue as to what God is doing today—not a clue! How skilled they are in what God did in time past—miracles, signs, wonders, Sabbath days, water baptism, tithing, et cetera. They are naïve as to what He is doing in the but now. Dispensational Bible study is completely foreign to them; hence, they cannot find where they fit in God’s timeline for the ages. They are totally unable to locate their information in Scripture. They just grab whatever verses fit their agenda/denomination; context means nothing.

The most inconspicuous place for superstition in a Christian’s life is prayer. Doubtless, superstition abounds in most prayer lives. Church members are asking or demanding God do things He is not doing today. He has already declared in His Word to us, the Pauline epistles of Romans through Philemon, what He is doing today. However, they go to the rest of Scripture—what God did long ago and what He will do yet future—and try to make Him do that now. We cannot make God do something He is not doing. Just because the Bible says it, that does not mean that it is God’s Word to us. Do we build a boat as Genesis chapter 6 says? Do we bring a trespass offering for touching an unclean animal as Leviticus chapter 5 commands? See, stop grabbing things haphazardly from the Bible and start respecting contexts.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “But what if they read the Bible at my church…?!”

The Mischievous Minister of Music #13

Thursday, February 8, 2018

“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created” (Ezekiel 28:13 KJV).

Who is this musician, and how did he destroy his ministry?

Dear friends, Satan knows music far more than we ever will. Yea, his superior intellect and expertise in musicology for thousands of years, afford him skill in operating in that unseen (!) realm to advance his cause. Satan’s policy of evil is summarized in Romans 1:25: “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” What better way to worship and serve Satan than to fall into his trap of music designed to satisfy the lust of our flesh?

How do we guard against using music to glorify Satan instead of the God of the Bible? Primarily, we must, must, must know sound Bible doctrine. My, what rank spiritual ignorance there is in the tens of thousands of “Christian” churches worldwide! No wonder deception and immaturity abound. Religious tradition is deficient; the Word of God not rightly divided is dangerous. We must, must, must understand the Bible dispensationally delivered. No prayer in the world can save us from false teaching if we refuse to use the Bible God’s way.

Moreover, we must look beyond the type of music that is nothing more than a way to “feel good.” Contemporary “Christian” songs are often so shallow in doctrine; their rhythms induce physical movement, do they not? In the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon, however, we are encouraged to seek spiritual edification. Entertainment will profit us absolutely nothing in eternity. Let the Word of Christ rightly divided dwell in you richly, and then you will sing songs to the Lord to express gratitude (Colossians 3:16; cf. Ephesians 5:15-20). Jesus Christ will indeed be honored.

Dear friends, one final thought. If we let that mischievous minister of music into our assembly, he will surely destroy our ministry too!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Who will be Israel’s King in the Millennium—Jesus Christ or David?”

The Mischievous Minister of Music #12

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created” (Ezekiel 28:13 KJV).

Who is this musician, and how did he destroy his ministry?

Satan, the narcissistic creature that he is, will not eagerly surrender his mischievous ministry of music. What Lucifer was designed to utilize to glorify his Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ, he perverted to praise himself and all those other angelic beings that rebelled against God. Once he transformed into Satan, he brought that evil music ministry down to man. Whether man in the centuries preceding the Flood, or the nation Israel after her deliverance from Egypt, or the Jews after David’s demise, or Israel in Babylonian captivity, Satan tirelessly peddled his vain musical “arrangements.” Under no circumstances would he let music praise the Creator God. Even today, he subtly uses music to draw attention from the Creator to himself. The future will be no different.

The Bible’s final reference to music is Revelation 18:22: “And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee;….” After our dispensation, New Babylon, the Antichrist’s political-religious system, will play music for the Devil. Thankfully, it will be utterly destroyed at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Satan will never again be allowed to undertake his mischievous music ministry on the Earth! God’s praises thereafter will be heard and His Son will be glorified like this universe has never seen. The “New Song” Psalms are sung by all of God’s elect (people and angels) as their Heavenly Father inaugurates Jesus Christ as King over all the Earth (see Psalms 93–100). What a day that will be!

Until then, dear brethren, we had better (!!) not be ignorant of Satan’s devices (schemes). Those plans are very ingenious, hiding under the guise of “religious music.” We must guard our Christian lives from music that fails to express and reinforce God’s Word rightly divided. Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

The Mischievous Minister of Music #11

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created” (Ezekiel 28:13 KJV).

Who is this musician, and how did he destroy his ministry?

Nearly everyone is familiar with the following Scripture found in Ephesians chapter 5: “[18] And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; [19] Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;….” What exactly does it mean to be “filled with the Spirit” though? Is it an emotional high—loss of self-control, speaking in gibberish, the sudden ability to perform healing miracles? Religion tells us yes, but we let the Bible interpret itself, dear friend.

Colossians 3:16 is the companion verse: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Notice how “the word of Christ dwell[ing] in [us] richly in all wisdom” is a synonym for “be[ing] filled with the Spirit.” God the Holy Spirit wrote the Bible, thus making it “inspired” (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21). When we study and believe the Holy Bible (rightly divided, of course), the Holy Spirit is then controlling us. He is governing our hearts and minds, “renewing” our thought processes and outlook (Romans 12:1,2; Ephesians 4:23; Colossians 3:10).

Once God’s Word gets inside of us, our spirit and soul (inner man), it will flow out of us in the form of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. These are not (as commonly assumed) to entertain but rather to edify, build up. They are to “teach” and “admonish” (Colossians 3:16): they should be instructing and warning, reinforcing truth. This is why sound Bible doctrine is so important! If there is no sound Bible doctrine, the lyrics “praise and worship” anyone and everyone but the God of the Bible….

The Mischievous Minister of Music #10

Monday, February 5, 2018

“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created” (Ezekiel 28:13 KJV).

Who is this musician, and how did he destroy his ministry?

Notice more about Israel’s worship services under King David. Second Chronicles 5:13: “It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;….” Finally, 2 Chronicles 7:6: “And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.”

Notice Amos 6:5, Israel a few centuries after David: “That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;….” While mimicking David’s actions of making musical instruments, they do not share his attitude. It is a counterfeit worship system: pagan idolatry has consumed Israel’s music ministry. David had not used music to praise himself; he worshipped JEHOVAH God. Second Chronicles 7:6 again: “…the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever,….” However, the Jews in Amos’ day are defiled, thus pursuing and fulfilling their own desires: “they invent to themselves instruments of musick….” Also, they are chanting (something totally new—a pagan practice adopted). This, of course, is Satan’s policy of evil.

In this the Dispensation of Grace, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, let us not repeat Israel’s mistake. Let us not allow Satan to become our minister of music….

The Mischievous Minister of Music #9

Sunday, February 4, 2018

“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created” (Ezekiel 28:13 KJV).

Who is this musician, and how did he destroy his ministry?

Music in and of itself is not sinful. After all, God, who cannot sin, designed Lucifer’s body to generate music (today’s Scripture). Music is sinful when it fails to communicate God’s doctrine: when His will is not conveyed in lyrics and behaviors, Satan’s policy of evil is followed. Once music draws attention to the musician, or those singing become infatuated with their own desires, then Lucifer’s iniquity is repeated.

Creatures sing to and praise God on His throne (Revelation 4:8-11; Revelation 5:9-14). The nation Israel celebrated her deliverance from Egypt in Exodus 15:1-22 by singing sound Bible doctrine, the women dancing with timbrels (tambourines). The Book of Psalms, half of which was written by King David, formed an integral part of Israel’s religious life throughout the Old Testament (and even today). David, a musician himself (played the harp—1 Samuel 16:14-23), even organized musicians for Israel’s worship. A special segment of Levi, the priestly tribe, was assigned musical roles (“other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick,” 2 Chronicles 34:12 says).

First Chronicles chapter 15: “[16] And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy…. [27] And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen. [28] Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps” (see verses 16-28).

These samples of music are certainly godly….

The Mischievous Minister of Music #8

Saturday, February 3, 2018

“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created” (Ezekiel 28:13 KJV).

Who is this musician, and how did he destroy his ministry?

At this point in our Bible study about this topic, the fervent objection can be heard: “Oh, Brother Shawn, do not be legalistic. Does not the Bible tell us to sing to the Lord? Are we not to have praise and worship with musical accompaniment? Is there no good music to play in the church building?” I eagerly respond, “Why sure, my friend, provided that we are not singing to and glorifying the Devil!” (Remember, Genesis chapter 4, Exodus chapter 32, and Daniel chapter 3.)

Someone commented on social media years ago: “Man!!!!! Church was so awesome!!! We had [guest’s name] visit the church and we learned the new dance step…!!! He showed us the moves!!! The whole church was dancing!!! Loved it!!!… Christians can have fun!!!” We can sense this young person’s emotions running wild, can we not? Notice, however, there is nothing about worshipping Jesus Christ or Father God. See, they just want to “have fun” (remember—food, fun, fellowship, and foolishness!!). As stated already, they want entertainment. They should be seeking edification. Entertainment is temporary and thus will profit them nothing in eternity; however, edification is permanent, lasting forever!

To their shame, and the shame of many others in churches all around the world, they are ignorant of Bible truth. They are pleasing themselves; only here it goes under the banner of “Christianity.” We can find people “doing the moves” at the local nightclub. We can discover individuals “having fun” robbing a bank. We can find people “feeling awesome” because they are high on drugs! Are we going to say the Spirit of God is leading them in praise and worship? Then, my dear friend, we had better realize that praising God is more than dancing, singing, having fun, and feeling awesome.

There must first be sound Bible doctrine….

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Strong Participants Wanted

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

“Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:11-14 KJV).

The nation Israel should be matured in God’s Word—alas, they are not!

I attended my nephew’s recent basketball tournament. For the last few months, our team had diligently practiced and played regular games. At the tournament, we competed against several proficient teams and won… first place! One particular player did exceptionally well, scoring numerous points all by himself (some amazing distant shots). After our final victory, I asked his mother, “He practices a lot, huh?” She replied, “Oh, yes, all the time!” Indeed, it showed.

Watching all those young men playing basketball, I could see who was expert and who was novice. All were clumsy at times—tripping, falling, slipping, and/or throwing too high or too far. A select number were remarkably skilled. These particular individuals strategized: they were not aimlessly wandering the court. They knew how to block opponents, pass the ball to their teammates, outmaneuver rivals without dropping the ball, and so on. Knowledgeable coaches, careful training, focused teamwork, and good sportsmanship were all key to first place!

If only the members of the Church the Body of Christ cooperated as players of a sports team do. Instead, we see it as a competition against other believers in Jesus Christ: the flesh envies, complains, pouts, and attacks. If only we could be as skilled in handling the Word of God rightly divided as undefeated sports players. There is always room for improvement but, sadly, more room has been given to ignorance, immaturity, slothfulness, and carelessness. Israel of old was rebuked in today’s Scripture. Let us learn the lesson she never did! 🙂

The Wise Masterbuilder #9

Saturday, January 13, 2018

“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. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:10,11 KJV).

Who is the “wise masterbuilder?” In what way is he “wise?” What is he building? Where do we fit in?

Immediately preceding today’s Scripture, Scripture says: “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” Whether Paul or Apollos (verses 4-8), both were working toward the same end. Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and risen again was being preached as (1) sufficient payment for sins and (2) the key to victorious Christian living. “According to the grace of God which is given unto [Paul]” (today’s Scripture)—in keeping with the divine favor or office given him—Jesus Christ was being proclaimed.

Notice two disparate passages. Firstly, the Apostle Peter speaking to the nation Israel in Acts chapter 3: “[19] 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. [20] And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: [21] 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.”

Secondly, the Apostle Paul addressing Gentiles in Romans chapter 16: “[25] 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, [26] 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:….”

While Peter was speaking of Jesus Christ according to “prophecy” (“spoken since the world began”), Paul was proclaiming Jesus Christ according to “mystery” (“kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest”). What is “the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery?” We must consult Paul’s apostolic office….