Category: counsel

Satan and Dispensationalism #2

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

“…God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4 KJV).

Dispensational Bible study is the key to believing a clear Gospel message and understanding the Bible canon, so Satan seeks to hide or corrupt it, that he may keep the masses in his snare!

Friend, have you ever wondered about God’s will for your life? Now that you have read today’s Scripture, you need not search any longer. It discloses God’s will for non-Christians and Christians. The God of the Bible has done everything needed to save mankind from his sins. Why? He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). The God of the Bible became the God-Man, Jesus Christ, to shed His rich, royal blood to atone for every person’s sins. “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Timothy 2:6). He wants all people to be saved, that they not go to hell! Lost people need to trust Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork alone, that they go to heaven!

Verse 7 continues, “Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.” When was the “due time” for Jesus Christ’s crosswork to be “testified” as available to all people? It was Paul’s apostleship, Acts chapter 9 onward! This is the dispensational aspect of God’s will, the “coming unto the knowledge of the truth” that God wants for Christians. He wants them to recognize the special ministry and message the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ gave Saul of Tarsus, the Apostle Paul. In Paul’s epistles, we find a clear Gospel message and the doctrine needed for a functional Christian life.

Satan obviously does not want God’s will fulfilled. So, his religious system confuses the various Gospel messages and divine instructions given throughout the Bible. This makes it nearly impossible for any lost person to become a Christian, and nearly impossible for a Christian to become a mature believer. Such people under his control are usually very resistant to hearing God’s truth!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How long should I keep witnessing to the same person?”

Satan and Dispensationalism #1

Monday, October 5, 2015

“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).

Dispensational Bible study is the key to believing a clear Gospel message and understanding the Bible canon, so Satan seeks to hide or corrupt it, that he may keep the masses in his snare!

Beloved, as grace believers, as Pauline dispensationalists, we have an awesome responsibility to teach God’s Word to all people, confused Christians and confused lost people. Satan has taken them captive, skillfully and tirelessly fighting to keep them imprisoned. In accordance with his will, he keeps them blinded. Lost people (religious and non-religious alike) have no idea about soul salvation and forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. They are going to a devil’s hell forever. They need to hear a clear Gospel message that can save them! Denominational Christians are so focused on manmade theologies that their service is unacceptable and offensive to God. They are going to heaven, but have not a clue as to what the God of the universe is doing today. They are too busy working in religion to please God. They need to hear sound Bible study to stabilize their souls!

God did not create man to die and go to hell. God did not create Christians to grope about in spiritual ignorance. Alas, man dies and goes to hell, and Christians grope around in spiritual ignorance! How awful! They must “recover themselves” (today’s Scripture). Their minds and hearts must be corrected by divine truth. God has already revealed in His written Word, the answers they need to escape their dire situations. Whether they look in the Bible on their own, or we gently teach it to them, it is ultimately their responsibility to apply by faith the verses applicable to their circumstances. Lost people do not have to stay lost and go to hell. Denominational Christians do not have to stay confused and defeated. Oh, what good news right division literally brings!

Thy Eternal Word of Truth

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (Psalm 119:160 KJV).

The Bible critics can whine and complain, “Never!,” but today’s Scripture says God’s Word will last forever.

Recently, National Geographic published the book, “100 Events That Changed the World.” Listed in chronological order, they started with “man discovers the use of fire” and ended with “the Nobel Peace Prize awarded for youth advocacy.” (Should not number 1 have been how the world and man came to be?!) The list included: the birth of agriculture, construction of the pyramids of Egypt, establishment of the United Nations, founding of Islam, invention of the telephone, Elvis declared king of rock-and-roll, the two World Wars, the Code of Hammurabi, Moses and the Torah, Watson and Crick’s discovery of the DNA helix, Mao Zedong and communism, United States President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, and the Space Race.

Traveling up through history, number 19 on the list was Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry and the foundation of Christianity, the Protestant Reformation was number 38, and number 46 was “the Bible gets a new translation.” There, it was a little article about one King James of England and a book called the Authorized Version. Yes, my friends, believe it! While some “Bible-believing Christians” (?) would object, unsaved people rightly concluded our King James Bible was so important in world history that it belonged on that list. The NIV, the NKJV, the ESV, the NASB, the Voice, the NLT—all popular “bibles” today—did not make one appearance in that book! They do not have God’s blessing. They will never, ever have it. They will never, ever impact the world as much as God’s preserved Word and words in English.

Friends, God’s Word is truth, and it will surely endure forever. We as English-speaking people have it in the form of our King James Bible. In this world of itching ears, we do not consult modern Bible scholarship for spiritual insight. We look to the Book that God Himself has used for over 400 years to impact the entire world. Holding that blessed old Book up high, we uphold the very words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! 🙂

Affections and Lusts Crucified

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:24,25 KJV).

Behold, the key to overcoming temptations!

There is a constant battle in the Christian’s mind. On one hand, we have the garbage thinking from the Adamic sin nature. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:21). On the other, we have the Holy Spirit using sound Bible verses to “transform [us] by the renewing of [our] mind, that [we] may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

Hence, in verses preceding today’s Scripture, we read: “[16] This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. [17] For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. [18] But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

And 2 Corinthians chapter 10: “[3] For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

Whatever does not agree with “the knowledge of God” (His Word rightly divided), throw it out. We are to “bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” This is not you making your thoughts obedient to Jesus Christ. Rather, it is you taking your thoughts and seeing whether or not they agree with Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork (His obedience to Father God; Romans 5:19; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 5:8). The desires of the flesh, they were crucified with Christ. They have no power over you, dear brother or sister in Christ!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What advice can be given to homosexual Christians?”

Lewd Fellows of the Baser Sort

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

“But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people” (Acts 17:5 KJV).

Our King James Bible abounds with interesting phraseology. Today’s Scripture is no exception. As a pastor friend often comments about the verse, “You may not understand that expression ‘lewd fellows of the baser sort’ but you at least know it does not sound good!” We will analyze the phrase and learn just how “bad” it really is. Context first, though.

While Paul and Silas were conducting Paul’s second apostolic journey, they came to Macedonia (northern Greece), to a city named Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. For two or three weeks, Paul reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. He used the Old Testament to prove that Jesus was Christ. Some in the audience believed the Gospel of the Grace of God—Christ Jesus died for their sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). Luke writes in chapter 17 of Acts, verse 4, a great multitude of religious Greeks and many chief women believed unto eternal life. Today’s Scripture picks up the account. Satan was very upset!

Unbelieving Jews who followed Paul everywhere, became envious that God was now working amongst and saving the pagan Gentiles. In response to Paul’s ministry triumphs in Thessalonica, these lost Jews gathered a mob of the worst people they could locate. These men were “lewd” (wicked), but to make it worse, they were “of the baser sort” (the worst of the worst!). That mob then caused a riot in Thessalonica. It physically attacked a Christian, Jason, and his household. After that intense day, Paul and Silas by night barely escaped to nearby Berea with their lives (verses 6-10)!

Saints, may we learn this simple lesson. Let us brush off the silly and snide comments, awful frowns, and rude gestures from the lost world. After all, the Bible says Christians have been assaulted (literally) “by worse!” 🙂

Where True Love is Found

Saturday, September 12, 2015

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10 KJV).

Behold where true love is found!

Many people today seek “love” in all the wrong places—“pimping,” prostitution, homosexual unions, pedophilia, bestiality, necrophilia, and all sorts of other illicit acts. Even concerning “straight” couples (involving two humans), there is usually a very shallow understanding of what true love is. There is a lot of “take, take, take” from one or both sides, and a lot of “me, me, me” on one or both sides. There is very little, if any, altruism (“give, give, give”). Both people really seeking the other person’s best interest—the rarest of all!

Beloved, let us never, ever, ever place another human on a level he or she will never attain. We are all sinners. Mistakes will happen. Other people will disappoint us, as individuals have done before. Break-ups happen, divorces happen, infidelity happens, betrayal happens. Even though both sides try their very hardest, there is still heartache and heartbreak. (Then, there is one or both parties doing nothing to make the situation better, leading to the same dismal end.)

All the unlovely people we have met in our life, the horrible individuals who treated us as though we were utter scum, we need not be bitter against them. We need to pray for them. They have not got a clue what real love is, and were thus unable to show it to us. We should take a moment to remember today’s Scripture. If no one else loves us, if everyone else betrays us, if everyone else disappoints us, if everyone else abandons us, there is still Father God and His free gift offered to us. His only begotten Son shed His rich, royal blood, that He may pay our sin debt. He had nothing left to give! Jesus Christ was Father God’s most precious relationship, and He (yea, They) gave it up, that we sinners might enjoy that perfect relationship forever!

In no other Person but Jesus Christ will we find true love. Let us not search for it elsewhere. Such a search is a waste of time… and of true love.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What about unmarried, divorced, and remarried men in the ministry?”

Not That He Cared for the Poor

Thursday, September 10, 2015

“Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This [Judas] said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein” (John 12:5,6 KJV).

We can only wonder just how much do “eleemosynary-oriented” church leaders actually care for the poor they often talk so much about?

Not too long ago, I listened to a world-famous religious leader who always enjoys talking about helping the poor. Today’s Scripture came to mind as I reflected on his words. This religious leader heads the world’s wealthiest political-religious organization—the Roman Catholic Church! Its vaults have billions in rare pieces of art, real estate deeds, and so on. For a denomination that cares “so much for the poor,” its actions speak louder than its words. They have hoarded material riches for nearly 2,000 years, never “spreading the wealth” that they urge others to do. Smugly, a church official declared decades ago, “Only God knows how much wealth we have amassed!”

One of the chief ways the Devil attacks God’s ministry is “the love of money… the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). God’s Word constantly reminds bishops and deacons to be “not greedy of filthy lucre” (1 Timothy 3:3,8) and “not given to filthy lucre” (Titus 1:7). There is always the temptation for the minister of God to “suppose that gain is godliness” (1 Timothy 6:5).

The Bible reveals in today’s Scripture that one Judas’ predilections was to “alleviate” the weight of the apostles’ treasury bag. As the group’s “accountant,” Judas Iscariot was always willing to have people put cash in the apostles’ money-bag so he could swipe it and use it for himself. In today’s Scripture, he claimed that ointment could have been sold, converted to money, and the money could have been given to help the poor. All he really wanted to do was enhance his own bank account!

God is not mocked, beloved. Oh, the extortionists in religion will have to stand before God one day, and “give account” to Him… literally, for every last penny they pilfered. We can take that “to the bank!” 🙂

For Students This is Safe

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

“Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:128 KJV).

As a new school year dawns, let us awake unto spiritual truth!

The autumnal equinox is a few weeks away here in the Northern Hemisphere, and summer is finally beginning to wind down for most of us. Students—with long faces and deep sighs—have returned or are beginning to return to school. (Thankfully, I am finished with school. Exactly a month ago I finished nine years of college, obtaining a master’s degree in geology!) As students return to the classroom, they need to be particularly mindful of the following.

Firstly, learning in and of itself is not a sin. Moses was “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22). Luke was a medical doctor (Colossians 4:14). Daniel and his companions were skilled in science (Daniel 1:4). Adam was the first taxonomist (Genesis 2:19,20). The God of the Bible is never against learning new things—remember, He gave us His Holy Bible so we can have plenty to learn for all of eternity!

Secondly, what the God of the Bible opposes is when we believe/trust ideas that do not seek our best interests, that contradict the way He designed our lives to function. Certainly, we Christians should never go around believing anything and everything heard and seen. Just because the professor, preacher, pope, or president says it is true, that does not make it so. Scientific consensus has been wrong before, religion has been wrong before, politicians have been wrong before. Much of the ideas that permeate our world today are wrong.

Lastly, there are many wonderful, exciting ideas and concepts out there—medical advancements, technological breakthroughs, and so on—but there are equally detrimental ideas that will mess up your life—religious traditions, secular humanism, and other philosophies. Daily intake of the King James Bible rightly divided will cleanse our souls of the filth and foolishness that we hear and see day in and day out in this evil world system. We highly exalt God’s Word, we know it is right “concerning all things,” and we hate and ignore the error.

Have a wonderful school year in our Lord Jesus Christ! 🙂

The Thing Which is Good

Monday, September 7, 2015

“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28 KJV).

On this Labor Day, we talk about work, “the thing which is good.”

In this day and age of increasing “government assistance,” people are becoming less and less aware of our hard work being the Lord Jesus’ preferred method of the source of our incomes. While the physically and mentally disabled are obvious exceptions, the God of the Bible expects all of us to contribute labor in order to provide for ourselves. For children and young adults, even being a student in school is work enough!

Observe the doctrine being communicated in today’s Scripture. The grace life does not merely teach us to quit doing bad things, but it also instructs us to start doing good things (Titus 2:11,12). Once a thief trusts the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished crosswork as sufficient payment for his sins, then God expects that thief to quit stealing and find a job so he can provide for his needs!

The God of creation calls work “the thing which is good” (today’s Scripture). Work is not something to be avoided; it is something to be embraced for the Lord’s glory!

When the Lord Jesus Christ put the first man, Adam, on earth, that man had a divine commission. Adam was not to simply loaf around and do nothing: “And the LORD God took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Adam was to protect that garden, to till its ground, to prepare it for Jesus Christ to come down and dwell in with he and Eve (because of sin, that earthly kingdom over which Jesus Christ will rule is still awaiting fulfillment!).

Saints, may we work to provide for our families (1 Timothy 5:8), and may we work to help those who truly are needy (today’s Scripture). In the words of God the Holy Spirit, that is “good!” 🙂

What We Really Need

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 KJV).

Do not be a spiritual hoarder. Be content with what you find in Jesus Christ!

Some people live in absolutely deplorable, filthy, unsafe, rotten environments. I am referring to hoarders, individuals who seek identity, meaning, purpose, and security in filling their homes—literally from floor to ceiling—with items. What begins as an innocent hobby of collecting “neat” or “rare” items becomes madness… to the point where nothing is discarded. Every newspaper clipping, every last empty plastic bottle, every single knick-knack, and so on, is stored. Someone’s home is transformed into a death trap, fire hazard, a literal breeding ground for anything and everything harmful and foul-smelling.

A man owning 12 large barns—each packed with miscellaneous items he bought in bulk! A lady amassing over 3,000 purses! Someone living with 120 cats in her home! A man collecting approximately 10,000 sheets of music and an estimated 5,000 books! A lady storing dozens upon dozens of deceased pets and assorted wildlife specimens… in her home’s freezers!

If you listen to these people talk about their situation, you can understand that they suffer mental disorders. They are not thinking rationally. There is a lot of confusion as to what is truly garbage and what is actually useful. There are also underlying emotional problems. Two or three failed marriages, an abusive childhood, a near-death experience such as armed robbery, and the like… these events triggered hoarders to “go over the edge.” They know they are missing peace, security, love, joy, acceptance, and so on. Inside they are hollow. They have tried their very best to fill the void with material items, having only driven a wedge between themselves and family and friends.

Think about today’s Scripture. What we really need, what we truly need, we already have it in Christ. We do not need to go around in religion, “collecting” a water ceremony, a “tithe” receipt, a “miracle healing,” an “epiphany” or some other experience, and so on. Worthless clutter! God has “riches in glory.” If by Christ Jesus we have riches—true riches, eternal riches—why should we collect “valueless papers and empty bottles” in religion?

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What does John 3:16 really mean?”