Category: evil world system

Three Weeks and New Spiritual Habits

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17 KJV).

Saint, you may be surprised to learn that you can get in the habit of doing God’s will in just three weeks!

While it is extremely difficult to break away from religious tradition, ideas that you heard in church all your life and you had assumed were true, it is not impossible if you truly wish to see God’s truth and do His will (John 7:17). It is usually easier just to “go with the flow,” to do what most everyone else is doing, to encounter the least resistance. However, the Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles and prophets certainly went contrary to the evil world system of their day, and if we are people of faith, we will do the same. Today’s Scripture tells us to “redeem the time, because the days are evil.” We should not be “unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” God’s will is that we understand what He is doing today and by faith do the same with Him—this is how we do God’s will!

Statistics show that we can form a new habit in as little as three weeks. If you read through Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, in three weeks (about four chapters a day), you would form a habit of daily Bible reading. In three weeks, you could gain a brief overview of what God is doing today! If you prayed in accordance with Paul’s model prayers (Ephesians 1:15-23; Ephesians 3:14-21; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-12) every day for three weeks, your prayer life would be permanently revolutionized. You would be speaking to God in light of what He is doing today in this the Dispensation of Grace, and you would begin to rid yourself of vain denominational prayers.

Our earthly lives are short, and Satan’s policy of evil is quite active, so let us buy and take back for the Lord Jesus’ glory the time that His adversary has taken from Him! 🙂

Darkness and Light

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

“And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them, derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God” (Luke 23:35 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is proof that God’s ways and God’s thoughts are truly higher than ours!

As Jesus Christ hung on Calvary for those last three hours, there was spiritual darkness over all the earth and “the sun was darkened” (Matthew 27:45,46; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44,45). God the Father and God the Holy Ghost had forsaken God the Son (Matthew 27:46), and the physical darkness hid from the onlookers that most horrific portion of Christ’s crucifixion. We can only wonder what His disciples were thinking as they, in complete darkness, heard Him crying out in agony to His Heavenly Father. Satan and his policy of evil were working their mightiest, as Jesus had said to those who were arresting Him: “When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53).

That (spiritual) darkness has yet to be lifted from this planet. We still live in a world where spiritual ignorance and spiritual wickedness abound, whereas we Christians are “light in the Lord,” and we should “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8-17). As Romans 13:12 says, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand [approaching]: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”

Thankfully, there is coming a day when the night will end, when Jesus Christ returns to Earth in all His radiance, He will shine forth in the skies and, via His blood shed 2,000 years ago, usher in spiritual healing for the nation Israel: “but unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings…” (Malachi 4:2). The darkness will be past and the light will shine forth. Before the light could come, Jesus Christ had to face the darkness, that we children of darkness could become children of light today in our Dispensation of Grace, and that Israel could become children of light when He returns! What wisdom!

Upside Down and Right-Side Up

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

“And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus” (Acts 17:6,7 KJV).

We find ourselves in a similar “trial” today!

When the Holy Spirit first preached the Gospel of Grace through the Apostle Paul and his ministry coworkers, the pagans said Jesus Christ’s ministers had turned the whole world “upside down” (today’s Scripture)—technically, right-side up! The Gospel of Christ had rippled through the cultures of the Roman Empire. Untold hundreds had abandoned heathen beliefs, practices, and temples, and were now rejoicing in God’s grace to them in Jesus Christ.

Today, since the last few decades, but particularly the last 10 years, the dominant Christian voice has become increasingly suppressed here in our beloved United States of America. Nowadays, pagan culture is infiltrating us—the reverse of the first century. What was right-side up because of Christianity is now returning to upside-down (pagan religion and culture).

Bible-believing Christians, we should be concerned, but let us not lose hope. If the Word of God prospered in a pagan world as it did throughout the book of Acts, it will surely prosper here as our culture slips into paganism. Despite all the persecution—the imprisonment, torturing, and execution—of believers, we read, “And the word of God increased…” (Acts 6:7). “But the word of God grew and multiplied” (Acts 12:24). “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (Acts 19:20). No matter what happens, God’s Word will never return to Him void/empty; it will prosper wherever He sends it (Isaiah 55:11).

While my generation and younger ones are distracted in the world, we should still proclaim the King James Bible rightly divided, for it contains the solutions to the problems they will face in the coming decades. As long as we get God’s Word out there, it will take care of itself (it has for 2,000 years). Let us be faithful stewards of God’s precious words now, that the future faithful remnant perpetuate them (2 Timothy 2:2).

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Could you please explain Romans 2:14?”

Kooks for Christ

Saturday, September 13, 2014

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11 KJV).

Are you a “kook for Christ?” Happy are ye!

Satan is a very shrewd enemy, having perfected his strategy for 6,000 years. Equipped with above-human intelligence and practice with mankind during all those millennia, he knows us better than we know ourselves. If he is unsuccessful in attacking the message (if he cannot entice us to corrupt/change God’s Word), then he will focus on us—attack us and discourage us, to discredit us, to force us to quit.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians that, like he and the other apostles suffered for Jesus Christ, they too should be willing to do so: “[9] For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. [10] We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised” (1 Corinthians 4:9,10).

Our Lord Jesus said to His Jewish disciples in today’s Scripture: “[11] Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:11,12). Jesus reminded them that, like all the saints of old, they too would suffer because of Him. Yet, God would not overlook their suffering; He Himself would reward them in due time.

When people give us bizarre looks for preaching the pure Word of God, call us evil names, think of us as crazy, physically attack us, we should be thrilled to suffer for Jesus Christ. What an honor! Even when professing Christians side against us by allying with lost people, we need not be bothered or discouraged. As a dear Christian friend and brother in the ministry says, “I would rather be a ‘fool’ for Christ, than an idiot for the Devil!” 🙂

God’s Offer to the Nations

Thursday, September 11, 2014

“…[T]hat God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is God’s offer to all the nations of the world today.

September 11, 2001 was a day that changed our nation forever. It was the worst terrorist attack in our two-century national history. Afterward, many Americans began to talk about “God Bless America” and “God Save the United States.” These phrases are not as commonplace as they used to be.

In the 13 years that have passed since that awful day, it is a sad commentary that “God” is now the least of our nation’s concerns. With the redefining of marriage, controversial political arena, moral decay, skyrocketing national debt, and the uncertainty as to what constitutes a human life and what does not, obviously, the God of the Bible has been largely pushed out… until we need His help, and then we cry out to Him. Unless we need Him, we rather not think about anything He has to say.

While many argue that God is judging America today for its sins, the Bible does not support such an idea. Certainly, God dealt with Israel in that manner—“Do good and I will bless, but disobey and I will curse” (Leviticus chapter 26; Deuteronomy chapter 28)—but we have no relation to that Old Covenant of Law.

For the last 20 centuries, God has offered His grace to all the world’s nations, to have a right standing before Him by trusting Jesus Christ. People still die and go to hell, but today’s Scripture says that God is not judging nations for their sins. Through Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork, God offers reconciliation to sinners, whether here or around the world. However, that grace is exhaustible, and one day, it will be replaced with His wrath (Romans 2:1-16). Still, we believers are not appointed to God’s wrath; we are saved from all wrath through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).

The only hope for America—yea, for any nation—is faith in Jesus Christ alone!

*You can also see our 2011 Bible study commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. It can watched here or read here.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Must I say the ‘sinner’s prayer?’”

Faith During Life’s Storms #8

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

We re-read Romans 5:1,2: “[1] Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [2] By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” What is that “hope of the glory of God?”

Blackness abounds in our universe—astronomical dark voids between celestial bodies. One day, God Himself will illuminate them with His glory… with us! Romans 8:18,19 explain: “[18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. [19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”

While we Christians are God’s children today, we do not look it. These sinful bodies cannot reflect Jesus Christ’s radiant glory (manifested in Matthew chapter 17). Our inward bodies (soul and spirit) are redeemed; our outward bodies are not (Romans 8:18-25). They are “earthy” (bearing Adam’s marred image), but one day—the Rapture—we will have “heavenly” outward bodies (1 Corinthians 15:40-58). Those bodies will shine very brightly, manifesting outside the glory we have inside now, lighting up the heavens for Jesus Christ’s glory (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:14)! “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6,7).

Saints, always thank Father God in prayer, rejoicing that He will one day physically remove us from this fallen world forever. Until then, life’s troubles that Satan uses to distract us, are to be considered not worthy of our consideration, and not worthy to be compared with our glorification! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should the King James’ term ‘Christ’ actually be ‘Lord’ in 2 Thessalonians 2:2?”

 

Faith During Life’s Storms #5

Sunday, September 7, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

Jesus was sleeping in the ship when the storm struck. He had a pillow and was very comfortable when His panicking disciples awoke Him seeking salvation from their impending deaths. He asked where was their faith, why they were so fearful—their actions were irrational. Remember, there was no way on earth that He would allow a ship to sink if He Himself was on that ship! Some 2,000 years earlier He had been on Noah’s ark: our King James Bible testifies that the Lord told Noah and his family to “come” into ark (Genesis 7:1 means JEHOVAH was in Noah’s ark). Thus, neither the ship of today’s Scripture nor Noah’s ark was wrecked.

While the first part of the seven-year Tribulation will not be peaceful, it is compared to the latter! Believing Israel will come under intense persecution, even facing the death penalty for following Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:17-42). “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

Once the Antichrist betrays Israel’s trust halfway through those seven years, his attitude will change. As the calm waters of the Sea of Galilee instantly transformed into a raging storm, so the trouble for the Messianic Jews will begin. No problem, for JEHOVAH Jesus has promised to bring them through those awful times, to bring them to the other side, their Millennial Kingdom (Jeremiah 30:7; Zechariah 13:8,9; cf. Isaiah 28:14-22; Isaiah 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:16-38)! Believing Israel just needs to trust God’s Word to them.

Let us now dedicate a few studies to learning how today’s Scripture can be beneficial to us in this the Dispensation of Grace….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What is ‘the fellowship of the mystery?’”

Faith During Life’s Storms #4

Saturday, September 6, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

To demonstrate to His disciples that He was the Creator God in human flesh, the Lord Jesus commanded the winds and the sea to be quiet… and instantly, the waters were just as calm as before. JEHOVAH stills the noises of the raging seas and waves (Psalm 65:7; Psalm 89:9; Psalm 107:29); JEHOVAH in the flesh (Jesus Christ) did likewise. “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still” (Psalm 107:29). If He could create those natural laws from nothing with just a few spoken words, He could easily manipulate them to disassemble a storm (with just a few spoken words!).

Both before and after Jesus Christ calmed the storm, His disciples were guilty of unbelief (today’s Scripture; Mark 4:40; Luke 8:25). Their sinful hearts were deceitful. “But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matthew 8:27). Mark (4:41) put it this way, “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Luke wrote (8:25), “And they being afraid wondered, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.” Oddly enough, Jesus’ disciples were just as troubled during the storm as they were after He had dissipated it! The Scriptures indicate they still did not get what He had taught them.

What Israel of the future can learn is this… despite all the horrors of the seven-year Tribulation period, that “storm of life” will pass, and there will be peace as such the world has not seen since the creation week….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Who is ‘the great cloud of witnesses’ of Hebrews 12:1?”

For Students This is Safe

Monday, August 18, 2014

“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. In the near future, I will return to college to hopefully complete my master’s thesis in geology this fall semester. As we students return to the classroom, we 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 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! 🙂

NOTE: You may also see our study “The Spirit-Filled Student.”

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Must Christian women wear head coverings?”

Three On Your Side

Friday, August 15, 2014

“If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31b KJV).

Saint, although no one may be at your side, you can rejoice that there will always be three on your side!

  • GOD THE HOLY GHOST IS FOR YOU. Romans 8:26,27: “[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” God the Holy Spirit takes the sound Bible doctrine you have studied and believed, and works in you to cause you to pray more effectively regarding matters that you could not otherwise adequately express in words.
  • GOD THE FATHER IS FOR YOU. Romans 8:31,33: “[31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? [33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” God the Father looks at Jesus Christ’s blood, and sees it rather than your sins. You are innocent in God’s sight because you are in Christ!
  • GOD THE SON IS FOR YOU. Romans 8:34: “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Jesus Christ has taken Father God by the hand and you by the hand, and joined you both together forever. As 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

When you feel alone, like the whole world is against you, like there is no one on your side, when all your friends and “Christian” brethren have left you, Romans chapter 8 says that the three Persons of the Godhead are all for you! All the power that generated creation from nothing, is on our side! Who cares who may leave—or come against—us?! 🙂