Category: inspiration of the Bible

The “Friends” of Jesus #7

Sunday, August 24, 2025

“And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself” (Mark 3:21 KJV).

With “friends” such as these, did Jesus need enemies? (NO!)

Indeed, people can attend Bible studies or church services for many years before they finally quit pretending. The flesh can fake it for only so long before it gives up. Regardless of what those “friends” of Christ in today’s Scripture professed to believe, we know the malicious words they said about Him will be preserved in God’s Book throughout the endless ages to come. The very existence of that record that testifies against them is far worse than they ever anticipated. How did Jesus’ earthly ministry end? Once His most trusted Apostle (Judas Iscariot) betrayed Him, “Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled” (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50). Finally, His chief Apostle of Israel (Peter) denied Him three times (Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-18,25-27).

Unfortunately, brethren in Christ, there is no guarantee our friends will always stay with us or treat us fairly. In the end, not even our beloved pastors or dear Bible teachers will necessarily be standing with us to maintain sound doctrine. They might wind up becoming Christ’s enemies instead, like His so-called “friends” of today’s Scripture. We hope and pray we ourselves will never be found in that predicament, that snare of the Devil, that apostasy (falling away from the truth)—adopting the very principles and practices we once resisted and condemned.

Paul’s final inspired words of God written in this life included, “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15). These were his grace converts of western Turkey, his “friends” whom he had known for as much as two decades, now having abandoned him. Furthermore, he pens later, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica…. Only Luke is with me” (2 Timothy 4:10,11).

May we not build our Christian life on other people, for they, like we, are unfaithful. The only true friend we have is the Lord Jesus Christ—and, though we fail Him, He will never let us down. 🙂

The “Friends” of Jesus #6

Saturday, August 23, 2025

“And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself” (Mark 3:21 KJV).

With “friends” such as these, did Jesus need enemies? (NO!)

John 1:10,11: “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” The Word (verse 1), God in human flesh (verse 14), Jesus Christ, entered His creation. A Jew by blood (Hebrews 2:14,16), His own nation refused Him!

“But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified” (Matthew 27:20-23). “And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he [Pontius Pilate] saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:14,15).

Long before His crucifixion, Christ commissioned His 12 Apostles in Matthew 10:25: “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub [‘Satan’], how much more shall they call them of his household?” If they spoke such negative words about the Lord, their words about His followers would be equally nasty. Whether it is Jesus Christ in the Little Flock, or Jesus Christ in us, the lost world is naturally inclined to dislike Him. Interestingly, a “friend” in ministry (who, for 15 years, was allegedly our side!) once told me, “The Devil does not need to bash the name of Christ because ‘Christians’ do that already!” Incidentally, he fell away from the truth some time ago. He hurried off after I greeted him at a local store.

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

The “Friends” of Jesus #5

Friday, August 22, 2025

“And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself” (Mark 3:21 KJV).

With “friends” such as these, did Jesus need enemies? (NO!)

In today’s Scripture, the “friends” of the Lord expressed their negative opinion about Him. They alleged He was insane. Another one of these so-called “friends” is also found in the context: “And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him:…” (verse 19).

“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;…. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me…. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me” (John 13:1,2,18,21). Psalm 41:9 is indeed Messiah Jesus talking about Judas Iscariot, “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”

The “friends” of Jesus in today’s Scripture disappear from the record just as suddenly as they surfaced. Who they were and whatever became of them are unknown. Down through the 2,000 years of church history since their time though, many such “friends” of Christ have come and gone, also speaking inflammatory or incendiary words about Him. Usually, these so-called “friends” of Jesus—the people serving in “Christian” churches and at “Christian” schools—have ridiculed Him, lied about Him, and contradicted Him. Such individuals have filled our hearts and minds with so much error that it would take many earthly lifetimes just to begin fathoming it. They pillaged and killed in His name, led billions of people in their religious smugness to an eternal Devil’s Hell, imprisoned hundreds of millions in spiritual kindergarten, and on and on and on. It is they who oppose the truth in us, who seek our elimination, these purported “friends” of ours….

The “Friends” of Jesus #4

Thursday, August 21, 2025

“And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself” (Mark 3:21 KJV).

With “friends” such as these, did Jesus need enemies? (NO!)

Read 1 Corinthians 2:9-14: “[9] But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. [10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. [11] For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. [13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The Greek word for “foolishness” in verse 14 is “moria” (as in “moronic”). Unless a person accepts the Holy Spirit’s teaching ministry, God’s words (the Bible) are nonsense to that individual. That man or woman has no natural capacity to know the truths of God because such information is “spiritually discerned [judged, evaluated, perceived].” As Spanish is unintelligible to a French speaker, and Arabic is unknown to a Mandarin reader, so the Scriptures are written in a language foreign to the natural man.

Bewildered and intimidated, all the lost person can do at this point is make fun of the Bible—when the problem lies with the person rather than with the Book. Hence, Jesus’ “friends” believed He was “beside himself [crazy]” in today’s Scripture! Whatever words they heard from Him were irrational or ridiculous to them. Like children struggling to understand adults, they (spiritual children) simply could not figure out what He (a spiritual adult) was saying or doing….

Liberated to Serve

Friday, July 4, 2025 🇺🇸

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 KJV).

Today, as we in the United States celebrate the 249th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we invite our Christian brethren worldwide to rejoice with us concerning our freedom in Jesus Christ.

When we proclaim Romans 6:14—“Ye are not under the law, but under grace”—people tend to assume “loose living.” Does “grace living” really mean we can now live any way we want? Lest anyone be misled in that regard, God the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write in the next verse, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [May God never let that happen!]” (Romans 6:15). Grace living is not Law-keeping, but it certainly is not Law-breaking either.

God still cares how we live, albeit He is not operating the “weak and beggarly” system of “bondage” (Law) that He once did with Israel (Galatians 4:9). God proved to the entire world that since Israel could not keep His commandments perfectly, no other sons of Adam (the Gentiles) could either: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [Gentiles] may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

We sinners cannot keep the Law. However, God in His grace provided us a way to escape that condemnation by sending Jesus Christ to offer Himself on Calvary’s cruel cross to pay for our sins. By simple faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the fully-satisfying payment for our sins, we can now be “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can be delivered from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire) and the power of sin (flesh-walking).

Why are we Christians free? To selfishly live any way we want? NO! Today’s Scripture says we are liberated to now serve others, especially our Christian brethren, just as Jesus Christ selflessly served His Father and selflessly died on our behalf. That is grace living!!!!

Please see our 2011 Fourth of July Bible study “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” which can be watched here or read here.

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….

Liberated to Serve

Thursday, July 4, 2024 🇺🇸

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 KJV).

Today, as we in the United States celebrate the 248th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we invite our Christian brethren worldwide to rejoice with us concerning our freedom in Jesus Christ.

When we proclaim Romans 6:14—“Ye are not under the law, but under grace”—people tend to assume “loose living.” Does “grace living” really mean we can now live any way we want? Lest anyone be misled in that regard, God the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write in the next verse, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [May God never let that happen!]” (Romans 6:15). Grace living is not Law-keeping, but it certainly is not Law-breaking either.

God still cares how we live, albeit He is not operating the “weak and beggarly” system of “bondage” (Law) that He once did with Israel (Galatians 4:9). God proved to the entire world that since Israel could not keep His commandments perfectly, no other sons of Adam (the Gentiles) could either: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [Gentiles] may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

We sinners cannot keep the Law. However, God in His grace provided us a way to escape that condemnation by sending Jesus Christ to offer Himself on Calvary’s cruel cross to pay for our sins. By simple faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the fully-satisfying payment for our sins, we can now be “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can be delivered from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire) and the power of sin (flesh-walking).

Why are we Christians free? To selfishly live any way we want? NO! Today’s Scripture says we are liberated to now serve others, especially our Christian brethren, just as Jesus Christ selflessly served His Father and selflessly died on our behalf. That is grace living!!!!

Please see our 2011 Fourth of July Bible study “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” which can be watched here or read here.

Remember the LORD and His Word on Leap Year Day!

Thursday, February 29, 2024

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:7-9 KJV).

Since it actually takes 365.25 days for the Earth to revolve once around the Sun, an extra day is inserted into our calendar every four years. Unless it is our birthday (celebrated every four years), February 29 is just another day of God’s grace, but we need to make the most of it by remembering Him and His Word.

“Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read…” (Isaiah 34:16). “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:4). “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13). “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7). “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). “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).

The Christian life will not operate on the basis of ignorance because it cannot operate on the basis of ignorance. We need to take our Bible—the King James Bible, if we are English speakers—and read, study, and believe its sound doctrine. It is especially important that we pay attention to the Books of Romans through Philemon, God’s current dealings with man. Only when our faith is resting in an intelligent understanding of God’s Word to and about us, will it make a difference in our life for His glory.

“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).

333’s 4500th – To Eat Bread, Not Hold Pebbles

Monday, September 25, 2023

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 KJV).

Dear friends, only by God’s grace we present our 4500th daily devotional!

Once, a “Christian philosopher” (whatever that means!) confronted another preacher. The preacher had endorsed heretical beliefs, so, attempting to reform him, the “Christian philosopher” asked precisely what had happened to him. This heretical preacher explained his spiritual dilemma.

After he as a young man had forsaken agnosticism (“I do not know if God exists”), he went on to “become a Christian” (whatever that means!) and attend seminary. He had hoped for “bread,” spiritual nutrition, at that institute. However, upon graduation, he had nothing but “a handful of pebbles.” He was so resentful to learn his professors cheated him of Bible truth. All he received was words of men—not words of God. Moreover, he had since passed on that bad education to his congregation. As it turned out, both men (the philosopher and the preacher) had been robbed of the truth. Neither was grounded in Scripture rightly divided, and though they departed this world long ago, each man’s ministry still misleads the Body of Christ.

What Moses wrote 3,500 years ago; what Christ quoted 2,000 years ago; is just as applicable to us. There is absolutely no substitute for “every word of God” (see today’s Scripture). People can talk about “God,” “Jesus,” the Bible, church history, philosophy, creeds and doctrinal statements, Hebrew or Greek or Aramaic or Latin, or various religious topics, but if there is no sound Bible doctrine being studied, there is no Holy Spirit building anything in the inner man. It is just man using his limited intellect to reason about life, the creature usurping the Creator, a task doomed to fail. The aforementioned example is but one of millions.

Dear brethren, we trust and pray we have left you each of these last 4,500 days—over 12 years (!)—with bread not pebbles, spiritual nourishment that will truly sustain your soul and those to whom you minister. Perhaps the good Lord will grant us another 4,500 days of bread not pebbles! 🙂

NOTE: All 4500 devotionals of “333 Words of Grace” are archived here for your convenience: https://333wordsofgrace.org/master-list-of-devotionals-chronological/.