Category: spiritual growth and maturity

Be a Berean Bible Student

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11 KJV).

The believing Jews of Berea (verse 10) were certainly not like most professing Christians today. According to today’s Scripture, there are two defining characteristics of a Berean:

  1. “They received the word with all readiness of mind.” — A Berean will have a balance between an open mind and a mind that cannot be “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Lost people, and even some saved people, are so set in their ways they do not want to believe the Bible, especially if it contradicts what they have always heard in religion/church. We should be open-minded about what someone says, but we do not want to be swayed by every whim of religious leaders and hierarchies. What is most important is that we receive God’s Word—not “preacher talk”—“with all readiness of mind.”
  2. “They searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” — Here is man’s number one failure: he believes anything and everything except what God’s Word says. Even the average Christian is guilty of ignoring the testimony of God’s Word! Never depend on what the preacher says, and never depend on what I say. Rather than “going by what the preacher said,” these saints actually studied the Bible to determine if what the preacher said was really what God’s Word said. The Bereans compared what Paul said to the Old Testament Scriptures. God’s Word “rightly divided” is the standard whereby we judge the veracity or the dishonesty of anyone’s statements. Study the Bible “rightly divided” as 2 Timothy 2:15 instructs, believe the Bible “rightly divided” as 2 Timothy 2:15 instructs, and you will be a Berean Bible student… never mind you do not live in Berea! 🙂

“Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7).

Pray for the Grace Saints

Saturday, October 1, 2011

“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12 KJV).

For what should we pray? Notice in today’s Scripture that Epaphras prayed that his Christian brethren would “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” Epaphras wanted the saints to understand what God’s will was, and then he wanted them to allow God to accomplish His will by transforming their lives for His glory. That is our prayer for you, beloved!

Epaphras is not noted as a pastor or teacher (someone in the “spotlight”), yet he still had a vital role within the local church. He “laboured fervently… in prayers.” A praying saint is just as important to the Body of Christ as a church elder. Whether it is a saint silently praying for God’s Word to prosper and accomplish His will, or a saint audibly teaching God’s Word, every Christian is useful in the ministry.

Pray daily for the grace brethren to “stand perfect and complete in all God’s will.” They, like you, grow weary under the continual bombardments of this present evil world. They too need encouragement and strength, for they are also hated by the lost world and are belittled by the denominationalists and religionists. All over the world, there are clusters of grace saints, your brethren! You should be praying for them, and they should be praying for you.

In Ephesians 1:16, Paul writes: “[I] cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;….” From verses 17 through 23, Paul explains what he prayed for believers (basically, that God would open their understanding, allowing them to comprehend the awesome work He was accomplishing by forming the Church the Body of Christ). Pray continually for the saints with that in mind.

The Apostle Paul, in one of the closing verses of his first epistle to the Thessalonians, simply wrote: “Brethren, pray for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:25). So, “brethren, pray for us”… for we are praying for you!

Ezra’s Heart Beat Synchronously With God’s Heart

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7:10 KJV).

Ezra was a priest and “a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel” (verses 11,12). Today’s Scripture tells us that Ezra valued the things that God esteemed. God wanted Israel to know Him and His laws, and He wanted them to obey His laws. Ezra, as a Jew, sought to know JEHOVAH and His law, and to obey Him. Furthermore, Ezra desired to teach His people (Israel) the law of God.

We should all be as Ezra, who valued God’s Word, and desired to teach God’s Word to others. As saints of God, we are His vessels in this present evil world. We have a God-given commission to be Christ’s “ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20). God left us here on earth because we have a ministry, and He has given us His written Word, our instruction manual. Everything that God wants us to know is found in His Word, the King James Bible.

If you are a man or woman of faith, your heart will beat synchronously with God’s heart. You will desire what God desires. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 2:3,4: “God our Saviour… who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” God wants everyone to be saved, so we should want everyone to be saved. Also, God wants everyone to come to a spiritual maturity. Since God wants us to know His Word, He wants us to share with others the truths taught in His Word.

We marvel that God wants to use us, lowly creatures who still rebel against Him at times, to accomplish His work. Just as Jesus Christ’s heart beat synchronously with His heavenly Father’s heart, “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42), so our heart is the heart of Christ, beating synchronously with our Father’s heart! Let His will be done!

Be Established Saints

Saturday, September 17, 2011

“For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me” (Romans 1:11,12 KJV).

The best book to use to introduce anyone to the Bible is the book of Romans, not John’s Gospel Record. The Holy Spirit designed the Bible’s canon so that Romans is the first of Paul’s epistles in Scripture. Lost people seeking salvation should study Romans chapters 1 through 5. Saved people seeking spiritual understanding from the Bible also need to begin in Romans, the foundational (basic) book of the doctrine committed to the Apostle Paul’s trust.

According to today’s Scripture, Paul wanted to “establish” the Roman saints, to educate them so they would have the same understanding of God’s Word as he did. Notice how the book of Romans is laid out:

  • Romans chapters 1-5: JUSTIFICATION — our salvation and position in Christ Jesus.
  • Romans chapters 6-8: SANCTIFICATION — how our salvation and position in Christ affect our lifestyle.
  • Romans chapters 9-11: DISPENSATION OF GRACE — where is the nation Israel today?
  • Romans chapters 12-16: CHRISTIAN SERVICE — sound doctrine for daily Christian living.

Romans 16:25,26b explain how God will “stablish” (stabilize) your Christian life: “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,”

The foundation of your Christian life is “my gospel,” Paul’s Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Built on that is “the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery,” sound doctrine from Paul’s epistles. Finally, “the scriptures of the prophets” refers to all of Scripture in light of the doctrine in Paul’s epistles.

If you want your Christian life to be “established” (fixed) and “stablished” (stabilized, strengthened), you need to build up a structure of sound doctrine inside your inner man. Study and believe the book of Romans, and ye will be established saints!

Trust in the LORD

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

“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” (Proverbs 3:5,6 KJV).

What is the basis for your worldview? Who (or what) is your final authority? What gives you guidance in life? In our world of “glorified fools” and “educated ignoramuses,” Christians can quite easily fall prey to the “wisdom” of human viewpoint.

Human viewpoint seems wise and authoritative, yet the Bible pronounces, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19a). Paul admonished the Corinthians: “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:5). The Holy Ghost through Paul warned the Colossian believers: “Beware lest any man spoil [rob] you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

Today’s Scripture reaffirms what the Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” We are so wicked we even deceive ourselves! We should not trust in ourselves or anyone like us; therefore, we need to trust in the LORD.

All aspects of your life should be lived with God’s will in mind. So, how will God “direct your paths?” In Psalm 119:105, the Bible says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” The Bible is our guidebook, the only Book that God wrote: “we have the mind of Christ” in the form of the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:16).

King David wrote (Psalm 62:7,8): “In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

May we always trust in the King James Bible rightly divided, and not rely on our intellects, or anyone else’s human viewpoint. May we always trust in the LORD!

333’s 100th: Be Ye Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind

Thursday, September 8, 2011

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1,2 KJV).

The Bible is “the mind of Christ” in printed form (1 Corinthians 2:16). God does not want you as a Christian to be conformed to the world’s profligate example. He wants to take His Word and renew your mind so that you will think like He does, and then your life will reflect the “good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The key to the Christian life is not obeying a list of rules, but rather placing your faith in sound doctrine so that sound doctrine can transform you from the inside out for God’s glory!

Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me….” “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Christ lives His life in and through us: we do not live the Christian life because we cannot live the Christian life.

As we Christians study and believe the Holy Scriptures “rightly divided,” using dispensational Bible study, the indwelling Holy Ghost will utilize that sound doctrine to transform us. The more sound doctrine we store in our inner man, the more material the Holy Ghost will use inside of us to spiritually mature us. “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” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Spiritual growth requires a daily study of God’s Word rightly divided, and our minds need to be cleansed daily by God’s Word, as taught in Ephesians 5:26, and daily devotionals fulfill both. The Scriptures we discuss daily will make a difference in your life and the lives of those around you if you will study them and, most importantly, if you believe them.

[*Beloved, we rejoice in the Lord that this is our 100th devotional. We trust that these devotionals, despite their brevity, have been a great help and blessing to your inner man, and that they have contributed to your spiritual growth and enlightenment, as they have to ours. It thrills our hearts to prepare these devotionals and hear of the wonderful work that God is accomplishing with them. It is our great hope and prayer to continue this project for many years to come, Lord willing. Thank you for your continued prayer regarding this ministry endeavor.  –in Christ, Shawn Brasseaux]

Gather With the Saints

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 KJV).

“The house of God” of today’s Scripture does not refer to a church building, but the group of saints that meets in that building. “Church” in the Bible always refers to a group of God’s people, never to a stone or wooden structure. God designed the local church so we could have an assembly to fellowship with like-minded believers in Christ. Today’s Scripture encourages Timothy (and us) to gather with the saints.

While in Troas (northwestern Turkey), the Apostle Paul fellowshipped with the saints, “Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus” (Acts 20:4). Verse 7 says, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”

Notice that first-century saints fellowshipped by eating a meal together and listening to Bible preaching. Interestingly, Paul’s preaching “until midnight” caused Eutychus to literally fall asleep, falling from the third loft to his death (Paul raised this “church sleeper” in verses 10-12)!

Since we are under grace and not law (Romans 6:14,15), we are not obligated to go to church (going to church is not Sabbath day keeping). We go to church willingly. Why? God designed the local church to “perfect” (mature) the saints and “edify” (build up) the Body of Christ with sound Bible teaching so they can then share what they learned with the lost (Ephesians 4:12).

If you get an opportunity to meet with the grace brethren, make every attempt to attend. You will be greatly edified and encouraged by hearing some sound preaching from the rightly divided Word and seeing God’s grace and Word working in the lives of others!

Babes in Christ

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1 KJV).

The Apostle Paul stated six times he did not want “ignorant” Christians (Romans 1:13; Romans 11:25; 1 Corinthians 10:1; 1 Corinthians 12:1; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13). “Ignorant” describes people who are uninformed (or misinformed), not people who are stupid.

Most professing Christians today are ignorant of the Bible because they seldom hear God’s Word properly taught, if at all. Sadly, many churchgoers attend “church services” that resemble circuses! Preachers usually rattle on and on about worthless topics. Rituals are performed with impeccability, and yet they are nothing but vain, faithless activities. Sadly, many people attend church to feel “religious,” to be entertained with “Christian” rock and rap music, to socialize, or just to shake the preacher’s hand.

In today’s Scripture, we gather that the Corinthians were spiritually immature. They loved emotional highs and supernatural experiences, yet the Corinthian assembly was plagued with fornication, lawsuits, and drunkenness. There was almost no spirituality within the Corinthian church, and yet, the same applies to “the Church” today!

Corinth had great apostles and teachers, particularly Paul and Apollos. Yet, whatever sound doctrine the Corinthians heard, they never placed their faith in that sound doctrine. However, “the Church” today is not as fortunate as the Corinthians. Today, many church members do not even hear sound doctrine in the first place.

To avoid the Corinthians’ pitiful spiritual state, and the shameful spiritual state of today’s Christendom, we need to study the Holy Scriptures “rightly divided” and believe them! After all, “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” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

The only way to reach spiritual maturity is to study God’s Word “rightly divided,” apart from denominational eyeglasses, and then place our faith in God’s Word. Otherwise, we too will be “babes in Christ.”

Christ Which Strengtheneth Me

Monday, July 25, 2011

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is often misconstrued. People take this verse out of its context and misunderstand it. Does this verse mean that God will empower us to do anything and everything (heal the sick, raise the dead, and so on)? This verse has a context, and it is not miracles.

Remember that the Apostle Paul was imprisoned when he wrote to Philippi (1:12-16). Paul was experiencing some rather difficult circumstances, yet notice what he wrote in Philippians 4:11-12, the context of today’s Scripture: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

God never promised us Christians carefree living. Sometimes, we may experience financial burdens while other times we may have material riches. Whether shackled in a Roman prison, or free to do the work of the ministry abroad, Paul could be content. Regardless of our circumstances, God’s Word says that we can endure them in Christ.

Colossians 1:11 says we are “strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;” The Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Where will God strengthen us? God will strengthen us “with might by his Spirit in the inner man,” in our soul (Ephesians 3:16).

We can benefit from trying circumstances, beloved! “We glory [rejoice!] in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:3-5).

In moments of heartache or happiness, of poverty or abundance, of sickness or wellness, “we can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us!”

Brethren, Press Toward the Mark!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13,14 KJV).

Soul salvation is instantaneous. The Christian life, however, is a process. We have to die daily to the old thinking patterns and the former lifestyle (Ephesians 4:20-24). Our minds have to be continually renewed and transformed by the washing of God’s Word (Romans 12:1,2; Ephesians 5:26).

Positionally, in Christ, we Christians are “sanctified” (set apart) (Acts 26:18). God wants to transform our conduct so that it reflects our sanctified position in Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7). This is spiritual maturity (“perfection”): “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12).

In today’s Scripture, Paul explains that he is “pressing toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We Christians have a goal! Our goal is to know Christ and the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:8-10). Furthermore, our goal is to understand why God saved us and get a firm grasp of what He will do with us in the ages to come in the heavenly places.

We all need spiritual growth, some more than others. Every Christian grows at a different rate. We all, however, should be focused on the same goal that Paul had: spiritual maturity. Our desire should be to have a greater understanding of who Jesus Christ is, what He did for us, and our role in God’s purpose and plan for the ages. “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,” (Ephesians 1:18).

Study God’s Word rightly divided, believe it, and you will be pressing toward the mark!