faith – Page 4 – 333 Words of Grace

Wisdom for Life #6

Friday, June 27, 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….

Using diabolical ingenuity, Satan seeks to overthrow the four Divine institutions in creation. Whereas the LORD God established volition (free will), Satan’s lie program draws people away from God’s choice. Satan has no specific path for us to take, just as long as we choose to disagree with God’s way of life.

Marriage, God’s lifetime union of a biological man and a biological woman, is also under attack from Satan’s policy of evil. Pedophilia, homosexuality, transgenderism, divorce, bestiality, polyandry and polygamy (multiple husbands and multiple wives, respectively), spousal abuse, premarital sex, and extramarital sex, are all outside of God’s design in sexual relationships. Marriage forms the core of the family unit, so, if the marriage is in disarray, the family is automatically devastated.

The family is the most basic unit of nations, but fratricide (murdering one’s brother, such as Cain killing Abel), sororicide (murdering one’s sister), mariticide (murdering one’s husband), and uxoricide (murdering one’s wife), all complicate and destroy the family relationship. Here, we can also include disobedience to parents, child abuse, child neglect, child endangerment, abortion, and absentee mothers and absentee fathers.

Nations are the largest God-ordained entities of people—and while they have their distinct cultures, languages, and borders—internationalism blends them. Various religions and ideologies are thus mixed, and man in his own wisdom seeks to create the perfect life by leaving out the life of Jesus Christ. World peace, prosperity for everyone, eradication of all diseases, and so on, can supposedly be addressed by multicultural cooperation. In anarchy, borders do not matter, laws do not matter, government does not matter. Other complications are corrupt regimes, genocide, weak to no criminal punishments, unrestrained immigration, and so on.

All of these are departures from God’s standards. Romans 1:18-32 (note well verses 21,22,28) offers the details as to how sinful man—thinking his own thing and doing his own thing—contributed to his own spiritual, physical, moral, ethical, social, psychological, and emotional decline….

Wisdom for Life #5

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

According to the Book of Genesis (which is literal and historical), the LORD God wisely ordained four institutions in creation for the perpetuation of human life. The first is volition or free will, the second is marriage, the third is family, and the fourth is nationalism. Man’s problem is that he errs in all four spheres, choosing to lean unto his own understanding—thereby complicating and destroying life for himself and those around him.

The first two Divine institutions in creation were desecrated in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. In Genesis chapter 3, they chose to exercise their free will in a negative or sinful manner (following Satan, not God), and they turned on each other instead of living for the wellbeing of each other. The third Divine institution in creation is family, but that was overthrown when their unbelieving son Cain followed Satan and thus killed his believing brother Abel (Genesis chapter 4). The fourth Divine institution in creation was neglected after the Great Flood of Noah’s life. Whereas God commanded the people to scatter to represent their various nationalities in their respective territories (Genesis chapters 9–10), those nations assembled via internationalism—fellowshipping in satanic religion at the Tower of Babel (Genesis chapter 11).

Satan’s evil world system entices man to see something evil, want it, and assume he deserves it. Yet, the Bible instructs, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15,16). As Moses told Israel, “Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes” (Deuteronomy 12:8).

Yet, those four Divine institutions of creation are attacked even now because man has still not departed from evil….

Wisdom for Life #4

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

“I can be good without any god!,” boasts the atheist (one who “does not believe in a higher power”). This is just one form of secular humanism, the idea that humans are their final authority. What man thinks and does is the highest form of living, and he answers to no one but himself. If man can be “good without God,” who exactly is determining this “good?” Has man appointed himself to be his own judge? Such is most convenient! If he serves as his own critic, man can do no wrong and never does wrong.

The Corinthians lived in a culture that esteemed the wisdom of men (philosophy, human viewpoint). In fact, they are the secular humanists of the Bible—skeptics or doubters, rationalists or intellectuals, entertainment- or pleasure-seekers. Man, if left to himself, will end up being a part of the spiritual circus or pandemonium described in the Corinthian epistles (see 1 and 2 Corinthians). “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. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 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” (1 Corinthians 2:9-11).

It was here in Corinth that fortifications of bad information had to be demolished, as Paul wrote: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; ) 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;…” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Only then could the Corinthians have true wisdom for life….

Wisdom for Life #3

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

Many years ago, a so-called “grace Bible teacher” was constantly promoting false doctrine in the grace community on social-media. He relentlessly attacked people’s souls, and I in futility tried to reason with him from the Scriptures. I finally replied to him how God would hold him accountable for deliberately corrupting His people with man’s wisdom. This “Bible teacher”—who had also asked me to “pray for God to bless his ministry” (HA!)—wrote to me, “You are just trying to scare me!” He was not the least bit bothered. Well, he continued in his willful ignorance and spiritual immaturity, leading more and more people astray. He had no fear of God, no fear of the LORD. Why? His religious affiliation had taught him to lean unto his own understanding and the understanding of other natural-man thinkers. A best-selling “Christian” book he read had meant more to him than the Bible ever did… or probably will! He is just one of the many in our churches and schools we would be better off dismissing and ignoring!

A wise preacher once told his congregation, “I have no desire to tell you how to run your life, because I have trouble managing my own.” Indeed, he did—and we all do. If we know anything about ourselves—or, if we do not know this, we had better come to know it quickly—we know that we cannot trust ourselves. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Moses warned Israel, “Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people” (Deuteronomy 4:5,6). Israel’s wisdom would be the wisdom God taught her, not what “wisdom” Israel learned on her own….

Wisdom for Life #2

Monday, June 23, 2025

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

“Acknowledging the LORD in all our ways” is recognizing His authority and accepting His truth in each and every area of life, inclining our ear as He speaks about what to do in this situation or as He talks about how to think about that circumstance. The opposite would be to ignore Him—claim He is not there or maintain He has not expressed any words in a Bible.

Read the latter part of today’s Scripture: “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” To be “wise in our own eyes” means that, instead of acknowledging the LORD, we make ourselves the standard. Or, we are right because we believe we are right. We find our justification in our own opinions. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15). The wisest man is he who pays attention to the LORD’S counsel or advice. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20,21). Misunderstanding, misery, and misfortune await those who are right in their own eyes!

To “fear the LORD” (today’s Scripture) is to have respect or reverence for Him, to stand in awe of Him. Why should we not have such a high regard for our omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (all-existing), and omnipotent (all-powerful) Creator? After all, we did not create ourselves, meaning there is someone greater than we. Therefore, self-sufficiency (“I need no one!”) and autonomy (“I am my own authority!”) are foolishness, and such failure to “depart from evil” is disobedience to that Creator God and His words to and about us.

He has designed life, so we had better consult Him about life….

Wisdom for Life #1

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

A professing Christian wrote these so-called “words of wisdom:” “Life is precious, live life to its fullest, be kind, be gentle, place your trust in the Lord… or whatever your belief is, but believe in something good….” This is typical of watered-down Christendom. Half-truths are more dangerous than lies because a little truth is enough to convince many that the rest of the statement has to be true. Indeed, life is precious, we should live life to its fullest, we should be kind and gentle, and we should place our trust in the Lord.

However, we simply cannot agree with, “place your trust in the Lord… or whatever your belief is, but believe in something good.” The folly at the end detracts so much from the potency of the prior words; trusting in the Lord and trusting in someone/something else is antithetical. Being open to belief systems not founded on the Lord is to blatantly contradict the Bible. Read today’s Scripture again: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” If we do not trust in the LORD wholeheartedly—trust Him in our soul totally—then we automatically lean to our own understanding (trusting in ourselves to some degree). To place our faith in someone or something other than the LORD is foolish, especially since we are not perfect. Moreover, if it is not of the LORD, it is not good.

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” These “ways” are courses of life or modes of action. If we desire, God will point us where to go—which path to take, what we should do, and so on. “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).

Let us consider this further.…

God’s Grace on Parade

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

“…But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20 KJV).

Today, especially here in southern Louisiana, the Catholic festival of Mardi Gras takes advantage of God’s grace. God’s grace abounds even when drunkenness, lasciviousness, and gluttony are committed overtly on our streets for religion. Because we live in the Dispensation of the Grace of God, they can flaunt their sin without being consumed by fire from heaven!

“Mardi Gras,” French for “Fat Tuesday,” is a day when religious people—professing “Christians”—lose self-control (excess alcohol, food, and partying). The following day, Ash Wednesday, they promise to live “holy” for the next 40 days (Lent). A priest will then place ashes on their foreheads proving that God forgave them for that riotous living. Blasphemy!

Regardless of all its biblical allusions (illusions!), Mardi Gras is still evil and anti-God. It was never Christian, originating from pagan Roman festivals, Saturnalia and Lupercalia (interestingly known for riots, drunkenness, gluttony, and fornication, and subsequent repentance).

The Holy Spirit, speaking through the Apostles Peter and Paul, was clearly against Mardi Gras reveling and drunkenness (Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 4:3). So why do professing Christians engage in the very activities that God the Holy Spirit condemned?! As Christians, we should “deny” the activities of Mardi Gras (Romans 6:11-15; Titus 2:11-15).

If I appear offended, I am. Mardi Gras, despite its godly façade, is offensive to the great God and my Saviour Jesus Christ! God’s grace continues to tolerate such foolishness from mankind. Man parades his sin, and God parades His grace, holding back wrath.

Are you a Mardi Gras reveler? I declare unto you the wonderful Gospel of the Grace of God. God did for you at Calvary what you could never do: “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus Christ shed His sinless blood and died to put away all of your sins, Mardi Gras revelry included.

If you rest in Christ Jesus alone as your Saviour, God will save you forever, make a trophy of His grace, and then YOUR life will be God’s grace on parade!

*Adapted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

You may also see our archived Bible study Q&A, “Should Christians celebrate Mardi Gras?”

A Saviour Who Will Save

Thursday, January 2, 2025

“…Jesus Christ of Nazareth… Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10,12 KJV).

Today’s Scripture tells us who alone can save man from the everlasting hellfire he deserves!

A frequent objection made against Christianity is that every religion has “good” members, and to ignore them and limit heaven to a few Christians is unfair. This is a defected notion. How does one arrive at a definite conclusion when there is no one standard to gauge everyone’s “goodness?” They are “good” according to whom, according to what standard? Remember, relative morality actually does not help the sinner—he may be a “better” sinner than another, but he is also a “worse” sinner than yet another, and whether “better” or “worse,” he is still a sinner!

The God of the Bible has a simple method for determining righteousness. Today, He sees two types of people—saints and lost people. While both groups were born in sins (Ephesians 2:1-3), “shapen in iniquity [in the womb]” (Psalm 51:5), and “condemned already” (John 3:18), only the saints have come to realize their lost state. Job asked in Job 9:2, “How should a man be just [righteous, acceptable] with God?” Saints have come to the acknowledgement that they needed God’s righteousness, that they had a massive sin debt that they could never satisfy, that their “righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6), that they could never possibly make themselves right before a holy God (He is the standard; Romans 3:23). The lost people, however, do not realize they are lost, for they believe their religious works “score points” with God and make up for their sinful deeds (2 Corinthians 4:3,4). They ignore the finished crosswork of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for their sins (1 Corinthians 15:3,4).

Saints have come by faith to Jesus Christ, whose name literally means, “Anointed Saviour” (cf. Psalm 2:2; Matthew 1:21). As the writer of the book of Hebrews said, “[Jesus] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” (7:25). Literally, no world religion has such a “Saviour” as Jesus Christ!

The Word Was Made Flesh

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” (John 1:1,14 KJV).

On this Christmas Day, we reflect on the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

The candidate who could solve man’s sin problem had to meet two requirements. He had to be God, and He had to be man—a “God-Man.” It had to be God, because God’s righteousness had to be satisfied, but it also had to be man, for it was man who had sinned. God’s righteousness was offended, since “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But, it was also a man who had sinned, “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

Consider Philippians 2:5-8: “Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” In short, heaven’s best—Jesus Christ—came to save earth’s worst—us! In summary, Jesus Christ was born to die for us.

Brethren, the salvation that we enjoy today in Christ could not be possible without the shed blood of Christ on Calvary’s cross, and the shed blood of Christ could not be possible without the incarnation of Christ! God is a Spirit (John 4:24), and in order for Him to shed sinless blood, He had to first have blood. Thus, it behooved Jesus Christ to take upon Himself the form of a man. It was at this time of year that God the Son entered the virgin Mary’s womb, possessing a body that was conceived by the Holy Ghost.

Remember, “The Word was made flesh” (today’s Scripture) so we could have an opportunity to be “made the righteousness of God in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Merry Christmas!

*Adapted from a larger Bible study with the same name. It can be read here or watched here.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing #5

Saturday, December 7, 2024

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:14-17 KJV).

The final verse of the classic Christmas carol highlights today’s Scripture.

“Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King!”

Religion has done an excellent job (wrongly) teaching us that God likes to rehabilitate humans—that He wants to make us quit doing certain things (“fleshly”) and make us start doing other things (“churchy”). What a very shallow, and actually a false, perception. God wants to do much more than what we could ever do by ourselves.

For good works to reign in our lives, God has to kill us! As sinners, in Adam, we are dead in our trespasses and sins, no life in ourselves (see today’s Scripture). Nothing we can do in our own strength will ever change our (sinful) nature in Adam. However, God offers us death to Adam and a new identity through Christ at Calvary. When we trust that Jesus Christ died for our sins, in God’s mind, we died to sin, too. Christ did not simply die for us but as us. Romans chapters 5 through 8 describe the victory is in Christ, not in Adam or in ourselves. Success is by the power of the Holy Ghost working with the grace doctrines we study and believe, not in our struggles to do right. And so, “Christ [is] formed in [us]” (Galatians 4:19).

Something about which the angels cannot sing, but we can, should, and do! 🙂

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