Category: sound doctrine

More About Jesus #2

Friday, August 26, 2016

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18 KJV).

The second verse of Eliza E. Hewitt’s classic 1887 hymn, “More About Jesus,” highlight’s today’s Scripture.

“More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.”

Christian people often pray, “O Father, I need Thy wisdom here! What should I think about that? How should I respond in this situation? Show me Thy will!” Friends, this is all well and good. They sound genuine. But, this is the saddest prayer you could ever hear Christians utter. Why? These precious people usually spend little to no time in the Bible! As one would disregard the owner’s manual of a new gadget, and then complain in frustration, “I do not know how it works!,” so people leave God’s Holy Word unopened and cry out, “Give me wisdom, God!”

Second Peter says in chapter 1, verses 20 and 21: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” And, 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verses 13 and 14: “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. 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.” Finally, 2 Timothy chapter 3, verses 16 and 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, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Dear friends, the Holy Spirit will certainly teach you His written Word. BUT, you must take time to read and study it first!!!!! Unfortunately, most people refuse to do it. Please do not be like them. Be willing to learn “more about Jesus!”

More About Jesus #1

Thursday, August 25, 2016

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18 KJV).

The first verse of Eliza E. Hewitt’s classic 1887 hymn, “More About Jesus,” highlight’s today’s Scripture.

“More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me.”

It only makes sense that we as Christians should be interested in learning more about the most important Person in our belief system. Unfortunately, some professing Christians are not interested in learning about Jesus Christ. Rather, they want you to tell them about religion, the institutions that men have founded (supposedly in “Jesus’ name”). The Bible says that even some true Christians are willfully ignorant, deliberately unlearned in the things of God. They are particularly and willfully uninformed concerning the Lord’s words through the Apostle Paul’s special ministry (1 Corinthians 14:37,38).

Every believer should desire to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (today’s Scripture). We should not remain babes in Christ as the Corinthians—behaving like spiritual children when we should act like spiritually mature Christians. Furthermore, we should most certainly be gracious, courteous, kind to others. After all, that is God’s attitude toward us. The Bible says we should be “gentle unto all men” (2 Timothy 2:24). Colossians exhorts, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (4:6).

Even after nearly 35 years of enjoying salvation in Jesus Christ, Paul confessed he still had not grasped the reason why the Lord had saved him! Philippians chapter 3: “[12] 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. [13] 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….” May we learn more and more of Christ’s love for us, “his great love wherewith he loved us” (Ephesians 2:4)!

“Missing” People?

Friday, August 19, 2016

“He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our LORD, and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:4,5 KJV).

If the LORD God Almighty can number and name the stars (which outnumber the grains of sand on every earthly beach combined!), knowing the whereabouts of every last human being is quite an easy task for Him!

While visiting a store, my eyes glimpsed a giant poster featuring information about and pictures of missing persons. Some of these individuals have been missing for nearly 20 years. One lady disappeared almost 40 years ago, still missing even today. Are they still living? Or, did they die long ago? We can only wonder what happened to them, and to all the countless others who have mysteriously disappeared throughout human history.

The good news is that there is a God, a loving and just God, and He will eventually set these things right. At the resurrection-rapture for Christians (Body of Christ—1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), or the resurrection for the Jewish kingdom saints before the Millennium (Revelation 20:4-6), or at the end of the Millennium for all the lost of the ages (Revelation 20:11-15), God will resurrect every single person who has ever lived. He has never lost track of even one of these 10 billion-plus souls or even one of these 10 billion-plus bodies. They are all somewhere, and while we may not know their whereabouts He certainly does!

Believers separated by time and/or tragedy will be united one day in heaven’s glory. Their relationships are not lost forever, only interrupted momentarily. People have a tendency to want God to “take care” of certain wrongful things, but if He is to “take care” of those disorderly things, He will have to force everything else to be right as well. That means “taking care” (in judgment) of every person without Jesus Christ. Friends, may we not hope for God to “take care” of all the world’s problems just yet. People still need to trust Jesus Christ and be saved from the wrath to come. Joyful reunions for us Christians will come in due time, but let us not rush it or worry about it! 🙂

Bird’s-Eye View of the Chaos

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another” (Titus 3:3 KJV).

One Christian recently told me the more he learns from God’s Word rightly divided, the more he realizes the extent of the “chaos” in Christianity and in the world. What an appropriate word—“chaos!”

“Chaos” is “a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order.” Utter confusion, total perplexity! That dear grace Christian mentioned above has only understood rightly-divided Scripture for five years. Previously, he hopped from one religious group to another. Many years he was lost—religious but still headed for hell. Now, he reflects and is amazed that he ever escaped such deception! God’s grace has lifted him out of the mire of spiritual ignorance. He soars above to see all those swimming below in religious filth and Bible illiteracy! He knows all about struggling, striving, and getting nowhere! How he wants to tell them about Father God’s saving grace in the Lord Jesus Christ! How he wants to tell them how to make sense of the Holy Scriptures!

Friend, whenever you get angry with lost people for acting like lost people, just remember you were just as lost before you trusted Jesus Christ! “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another!” Rather than serving their Creator, sinners serve their own various lusts and pleasures. They want to harm others and take what others have. They are insufferable, and they hate others. Horrible! That is certainly not how God designed human life to function. Yet, because of sin, foolishness abounds, disobedience is widespread, and deception flourishes.

Praise God! Verses 4-7 continue: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What about the ‘talking snake’ in Genesis 3?”

When All You Have is Christ Jesus

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3,4 KJV).

When all you have is Christ Jesus, then you realize He is all you need!

Here in southern Louisiana, significant rainfall and extensive flooding have caused tremendous destruction these last several days. One grace Christian I spoke with via phone said his house had over four feet (1.2+ meters) of water in it! Thankfully, he and his wife escaped with their dog. They lost all their other possessions.

I reminded that brother that God’s grace is sufficient for them. He and his wife can still rejoice in being alive. I reminded him they were going to lose those possessions at death anyway. Scripture calls our material goods “uncertain” (1 Timothy 6:17). At any moment, we can lose them to various events. If our identity is found in our things, and we lose our things to disaster, then we lose our identity. That is the danger of materialism, exalting riches as a god. The Bible calls this “mammon,” material riches worshipped as a deity (Luke 16:13).

However, as Bible believers, we know that our identity is in Jesus Christ. Fellow saint, that identity is the only thing that cannot be taken from you. You can lose your house, job, family, vehicle, and even your physical life, but you can never lose your eternal life in Jesus Christ. God freely gave it to you forever! With that identity in Christ, Father God has promised us comfort, abounding security. He provides us with spiritual stamina, fortitude, to endure all of life’s troubles (Philippians 4:11-13).

Paul, in the context of today’s Scripture, was very depressed because of violent opposition in Ephesus (verses 3-10; cf. Acts chapter 19 and 1 Corinthians 16:8,9). Yet, Father God gave him victory over that enormous burden. He was thus able to comfort others. When we suffer, let us rely on God’s grace too, that we may comfort others with, “When all you have is Christ Jesus, He is all you need!” 🙂

Organize and Prioritize

Monday, August 15, 2016

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11 KJV).

Paul’s prayer for the Philippians—a timeless glimpse of Christian priorities!

I am often asked how I manage my extremely busy writing ministry. There are two methods. Firstly, I have organized on calendars the various tasks that need to be done on any given day, or in any given week or month. Those schedules reach several days or weeks into the future. At times, when much needs to be written, I resort to electronic dictation (where my computer types for me as I speak). On other occasions, when little writing in necessary, I manually type (like right now). There are times when typing is actually more efficient than dictation.

Secondly, I am selective when addressing written correspondence from others. Every critic does not need to be answered. I receive so many Bible questions every week, so I try to answer the easier ones first and get them out of the way. The more detailed questions are set aside for further study and thoughtful prayer. Ninety-five to ninety-nine percent of our emails get answered. The other five to one percent of emails are actually disregarded and deleted/spammed because of insulting, uncivilized language and downright stupidity. (Yes, “stupidity” is the most appropriate term to describe it!)

The Apostle Paul prayed that the Philippians—although mature—would grow more. They needed to love “more and more in knowledge and in all judgment” (today’s Scripture). We can all come to a greater awareness and discernment as to why we should love God and love others (especially fellow Christians). This will cause us to “approve things that are excellent [of greater value].” Daily intake of sound Bible doctrine enables us to see which actions are necessary in any given situation to best glorify Father God. Let us be wise in using our time… let us be wise in how we use our time, too! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What is ‘the Lord’s day’ of Revelation 1:10?”

To Sell a Bill of Goods

Sunday, August 14, 2016

“And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not” (2 Peter 2:3 KJV).

What does “make merchandise of [someone]” mean?

Scams abound everywhere—especially in the name of “Jesus Christ.” For example, take one minister’s modern-day television show. It markets provisions that will supposedly help people survive the end-times. The guy advertises a water filter and barrel to catch and store potable rainwater. For thousands of dollars (!), he sells buckets of food that will (allegedly) last his viewers through the seven years of the Tribulation! (Years ago, he threw in a “free” “marble” statue of “Jesus” with every order placed!) Cleverly, he even invited a guest speaker who was selling his anti-Rapture book. (After all, if you are misled to believe the Body of Christ is not going to be caught up into heaven before the seven years, then you will buy those “helpful supplies” to endure those years of hardship!)

In the context of today’s Scripture, the Apostle Peter mentioned holy men of God who spoke as the Holy Ghost moved them (chapter 1, verse 21). Contrast that with the false prophets of chapter 2 (today’s Scripture). Verses 1-3: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” God’s wrath will come upon them in due time!

To “make merchandise” means to “buy and sell as a peddler.” Using various trinkets and gimmicks, (covetous) religion always aims to cheat people out of their trust and money. They use “feigned” (insincere, fake) words—lies that sound so convincing. Remember, Jesus condemned the “thieves” who were operating a dishonest business in the Jerusalem Temple (Matthew 21:12,13). Friends, beware of the false teachers… they have a “bill of goods” to sell you!

In the Midst, Holding Forth

Saturday, August 13, 2016

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16 KJV).

Christians functioning with God’s might—a glorious sight and blinding light!

I recently talked with a fellow Christian American complaining about the horrible direction in which our country is heading. Severe political, social, financial, and educational problems continue to plague our beloved nation. The somewhat Bible-based culture of my parents’ generation has disappeared. In the name of “progress,” the Bible has been removed. The sound doctrine that once produced the life of God in the lives of Americans is being increasingly rejected—all in the name of “tolerance” (all beliefs accepted but the Bible believer’s!). And people ask why society is falling apart?

Fellow saints, while we should do the best we can with what we have, we need to remember this is not our home. God is not currently converting whole nations, reforming governments, abolishing corruption, and bringing material prosperity and peace to the world. That day will come when Jesus Christ returns. Until then, He is doing something different today. No matter how bad society looks, the Lord Jesus is working so mightily in the lives of people who have taken their stand by faith in the grace doctrines committed to us through the ministry and message of the Apostle Paul—Romans through Philemon.

We should be faithful in “holding forth the word of life,” extending it to all who want to hear. No, they do not all want to accept God’s Son, Jesus Christ, but some do. He wants to save them from this evil culture and its perverted mindset, this “crooked and perverse nation.” They see Him in us, and they see lights burning brightly in the midst of spiritual darkness. He will give them life too if they trust Him. He will work mightily in them as well, that they too be “in the midst … holding forth the word of life!” 🙂

333’s 1900th – The Greatness of God’s Grace

Friday, August 12, 2016

“[The word of the truth of the gospel] Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth” (Colossians 1:6 KJV).

Dear friends, solely by God’s grace, devotional #1900 is here! Here is a “behind-the-scenes” look at “333 Words of Grace.”

The most common question received these past five years concerns the number “333.” (One fearful person inquired if it was related to “666!”) Actually, “333” is the approximate word limit for each study, excluding the words in the main Scripture text. This safeguards me from rambling, and it protects you the readers from being overwhelmed. From day 1, we have always aimed to communicate the dispensational truths of God’s Word (King James Bible) as clearly and concisely as possible!

Inspiration for studies comes from various sources—events in my life, Bible questions people recently asked, snippets from counseling sessions with others, questions raised in my own personal Bible study, news stories, science articles, et cetera. Each study is described as: topical (particular theme), and/or expository (specific verse, passage, or book), and/or exhortation (encouragement). Some devotionals were written in a matter of minutes. Others literally involved years of study and writing before you read them! (I still have dozens of unfinished ones from five years ago when we first started this blog!) At least 1500 new devotionals are planned.

Our studies are designed not only to explain how the Christian life operates, but also clarify how God’s other people in the Bible—the nation Israel—functions. We study all of the Bible, for it is all God’s Word. However, we always recognize and respect its dispensational layout, lest we wind up confused like the rest of professing “Christianity!”

When the Gospel of God’s Grace is preached to the lost, and the Message of God’s Grace is preached to the Christians, it brings forth fruit (today’s Scripture). Lost souls will be saved from hell, and Christian souls will be saved from religious bondage! These last 1900 days have demonstrated that in all our lives. Onward in Christ we go to devotional #2000! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What were the ‘stones’ of Matthew 3:9?”

For Students This is Safe

Thursday, August 11, 2016

“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!

Although the autumnal equinox is still over a month away here in the Northern Hemisphere, 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. 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! 🙂