Category: lost souls

Behind the Scenes #8

Thursday, March 19, 2015

“The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11 KJV).

In the form of the Holy Bible, the Creator God has given us a “behind-the-scenes” look at creation! Will we humble ourselves to take a sneak-peak?

First Corinthians chapter 2 says: “[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…. [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.” To lost people, those who do not have God’s indwelling Holy Spirit, God’s Word is “foolishness.” They study the natural creation in science, and understand and speak of complex natural phenomena, but when it comes to the sixth-grade English (King James) Bible, they are without understanding. It is not a lack of intellect but an absence of the Author of the Bible!

Today’s Scripture says that the God of creation has made known unto us His eternal counsel. To all generations, through His written and preserved Word, He has revealed His innermost thoughts. While the vast majority is uninterested in His love, grace, wisdom, and purpose, let us not be among the many who lack discernment to see “behind the scenes” (and who want to stay blinded!). They emphasize what they can see and completely miss the invisible; they have no spiritual sight to see what really matters, and, sadly, many are content with closed hearts, minds, eyes, and ears!

Friends, by simple faith in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork alone as sufficient payment for our sins, we can glorify our Creator today. Once we are saved unto eternal life, His Spirit will come and live within us, and give us the capacity to understand His Word. Then, we can join Father God in His work that will literally span all eons of eternity future. Creation will be restored to its original glory one day, and how Father God wants us to join with Him in seeing it accomplished! 🙂

Behind the Scenes #6

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

“The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11 KJV).

In the form of the Holy Bible, the Creator God has given us a “behind-the-scenes” look at creation! Will we humble ourselves to take a sneak-peak?

No greater Bible definition for “sin” exists than Isaiah 53:6ab: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” Jeremiah 44:16 supplements: “As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.”

In the heart of every person is a sin nature, deceit and desperate wickedness (Jeremiah 17:9). This part of man rebels against the God of the Bible. Our sin nature causes us to live according to our own decisions. Sinners seek to be their own authority, their own god: in their minds, they are self-sufficient. They refuse to hear any counsel from the Creator God. They want no one to be accountable to, and they want no one to tell them what to do. Our sin nature is the origin of all the dastardly acts every human has committed. It is not God’s fault when sinners sin. May we never accuse God of wrongdoing when we choose to ignore His instructions!

How sad that a marvelous field of study such as science (the method whereby we benefit from medical research and technological advances) has been so manipulated that it is now used as a method to “turn every one to his own way.” We can simply invent an origin that does not involve a holy God (thus no accountability for our sins), take scientific data and force it to fit our imagination (thus replacing the Bible), and then call it “science” (“justifying” ourselves). When someone exposes the flaws in our reasoning, we just dismiss them as “religious bigots” and “superstitious Bible-toters.” No wonder in graduate school we scientists are urged to not falsify data (the implication is that, in science, the temptation is there to report only what we want!).

Still, if we just humble ourselves and believe the Bible record, we will have the “why” question answered for us….

Behind the Scenes #3

Saturday, March 14, 2015

“The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11 KJV).

In the form of the Holy Bible, the Creator God has given us a “behind-the-scenes” look at creation! Will we humble ourselves to take a sneak-peak?

We read just prior to today’s Scripture: “[6] By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. [7] He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. [8] Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. [9] For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. [10] The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.”

These verses summarize certain events of the Creation account of Genesis chapter 1. God spoke the heaven and the earth into existence. “Let there be…” and there was! He brought forth the heaven, the heavens, and all their contents (stars, planets, nebulae, et cetera). He gathered the waters on the Earth, and He gathered waters above Earth. The Psalmist says that since He is a great and powerful God, we should “fear” (reverence) Him and “stand in awe of Him.” He has the power to do mighty works with the mere spoken word! This entire universe and all of its contents, He thought them up from nothing, and then He made them from nothing… taking only six literal days, without working up a sweat, too!

The “heathen” (nations, Gentiles) and the “people” (Israel) have their own agenda. As sinners, they do not want the Creator’s will accomplished in creation. They do not want Him to rule over them (cf. Psalm 2:1-3; fulfilled at the Cross according to Acts 4:25-28). The Creator God, the God of the Bible, is a wise, powerful Being. Oh, may we praise Him dear name! No matter what mortal men may say or do, no matter how many tantrums they pitch or arguments they pose, God’s will for creation shall surely be brought to pass….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Do angels really watch us?”

Behind the Scenes #1

Thursday, March 12, 2015

“The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11 KJV).

In the form of the Holy Bible, the Creator God has given us a “behind-the-scenes” look at creation! Will we humble ourselves to take a sneak-peak?

We have all heard the objectionable complaint, “The Bible is anti-science! It is an old book of superstitions and we need to be rational and think for ourselves! This is the 21st century!” These are such bombastic words, uttered in most classrooms… and sadly, even in some churches! “Unless I can analyze it under a microscope or place it in a test tube, I have no time for it! I can do without your ‘religion!’”

Dear friends, as a scientist (geologist), I can assure you that science is truly amazing, but—it may come as a shock—it has its flaws. Why? Humans are flawed, and everything scientists do is faulty to some extent. Experiments can be accidently contaminated, equipment (manufactured by imperfect humans) can malfunction, data can be deliberately manipulated or deleted to achieve desired information, et cetera.

Furthermore, any honest scientist will tell you that science, as any branch of learning, is an ever-changing discipline. Ideas are constantly being refined, rejected, and proposed. Nothing in science is 100 percent certain. You can find good scientists on both sides of important issues. To say, “I do not have ‘blind’ faith in the Bible, I believe in something I can actually see and rationalize!,” is to advertise Bible ignorance and scientific ignorance.

Scientific ideas are not static (they are ever-changing), and because science has limits, we cannot make it into an absolute authority. There are plenty of natural processes scientists still cannot explain. There are trillions upon trillions of celestial bodies we have never studied on-location. There are processes we have no idea about yet. Science is the means of obtaining answers, but we do not have all the answers. In fact, there are plenty of answers out there to questions we scientists have never yet asked!

We must humble ourselves and recognize that there is something going on “behind the scenes” in this wonderful universe of ours….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Why does the Bible give two conflicting accounts of Judas’s death?”

Greet the Brethren!

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

“Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen” (1 Peter 5:14).

Dear saints all around the world, we greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! 🙂

Elsewhere in the Bible’s canon, we find similar expressions to today’s Scripture. For instance, 2 Corinthians 13:12-13: “Greet one another with an holy kiss. All the saints salute you.” Or, “Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss” (1 Thessalonians 5:26). And 1 Corinthians 16:20: “All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.”

To “greet” is an action of endearment, a gesture of love and respect. As custom in apostolic days, to “kiss” other believers was to do so on the cheeks, beard, hands, or forehead. Men would kiss men and women would kiss women. Today, we shake hands, hug, wave, smile, say “Hello,” et cetera.

Many times the Greek word for “greet” is translated “salute” in our King James Bible (Romans 16:5,7,9,10-16,21-23; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Philippians 4:21,22; Colossians 4:10,12,15; 2 Timothy 4:19; Titus 3:15; Philemon 23; Hebrews 13:24; 1 Peter 5:13; 3 John 14; et cetera). Our English word “salute” is from Latin salutare ‘greet, pay one’s respects to,’ from salus, salut- ‘health, welfare, greeting’; the noun partly from Old French salut.

In this world of busyness and worldliness, love is greatly lacking—even within the professing “Body of Christ.” Christians talk about how there once was an atmosphere of love in their local assembly; now, the ambiance is cold and unconcerned, full of backbiting, division, and selfishness. Christians do not seem to be as caring as they once were concerning other Christians. It is described by the phrase “without natural affection” in 2 Timothy 3:3. What a shame when Christians treat other Christians as lost people treat Christians!

Today, find another Christian and “salute/greet” him or her. Give a handshake, a wave, blow a kiss, do something to acknowledge their presence. After all, you need your practice. There will be millions of saints for you to “salute/greet” when you get to heaven. And, never forget, some will be the exact same saints mentioned in today’s Scripture! 🙂

Let Him Alone!

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

“Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone” (Hosea 4:17 KJV).

Let us hear and follow these wonderful words of wisdom from Hosea of old!

As a Bible teacher, I assure you there is no greater thrill than to teach the precious words of God to open hearts, and to see those words work effectually in those who believe them (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Some people are so eager to hear the wonderful words of God that they will sit down and let you teach them for hours and hours on end. They are starving spiritually, and oh, how you are so burdened to give them as much spiritual food as possible! As someone starving would grab handfuls upon handfuls of food and force-feed themselves, these precious souls never seem to get enough verses. They make ministry so rewarding and delightful.

On the other hand, you get the exact opposite type of feedback from others as well. You could teach them God’s Word for years, but they have no interest in anything spiritual. As in the days of Jesus Christ’s preaching in the flesh, you will meet people who have “gross” (callous) hearts and ears “dull of hearing” (Matthew 13:15). Eventually, Jesus stopped preaching to national Israel, and confined His ministry to smaller crowds. He taught for three years and look how many Jews He converted—only 120 believers in Jerusalem in Acts 1:15!

In today’s Scripture, JEHOVAH God told the Prophet Hosea not to bother preaching repentance to Ephraim (the northern kingdom, Israel). After many decades of idolatrous kings, the nation was too far gone. The Assyrian armies were coming for Ephraim, God’s judgment was imminent, and they were beyond hope. “Hosea, do not waste your breath!”

What did Jesus say about the Pharisees who were offended by His preaching? “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14). Paul wrote, “If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:38). Once people resist us sharing the Bible with them, we need to move on instead of twisting their arms. Beloved, we need to use our time wisely, speaking to those who do want to hear! 🙂

God’s Grace on Parade

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

“…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.

What a Relief to Have Them Go!

Monday, February 16, 2015

“Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them” (Psalm 105:38 KJV).

We can only wonder just how relieved the Egyptians were when Israel left “the land of the Nile!”

By the time the Jews left Egypt, JEHOVAH had smitten the Egyptians with ten separate plagues—bodies of water turned to blood, plus frogs, murrain (cattle disease), lice, flies, boils, hail and fire, locusts, darkness, and the deaths of all the firstborn (Exodus chapters 7-12).

The Psalmist wrote about it in the context of today’s Scripture, providing more detail than what Moses did in the book of Exodus: “[28] He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word. [29] He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish. [30] Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings. [31] He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts. [32] He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. [33] He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts. [34] He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number, [35] And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground. [36] He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength. [37] He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.”

Pharaoh had messed with the wrong nation, and now his nation was in shambles! “And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men” (Exodus 12:33). We can almost hear the Egyptians urging the Israelites, “Oh, please go away quickly! Go! Go! Go!” You can be sure that this world will be just as eager to get rid of us Christians. They are getting tired of us too, and just as God delivered His people from Egypt, so He will deliver them from Earth one day. Keep looking up! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should Christians celebrate Mardi Gras?”

In Evil Long I Took Delight #6

Friday, February 13, 2015

“To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26 KJV).

The final verse of John Newton’s classic 1779 hymn “In Evil Long I Took Delight” highlights today’s Scripture.

“Thus, while His death my sin displays
In all its blackest hue,
Such is the mystery of grace,
It seals my pardon too.”

It is common today to see beautiful jewelry crosses hanging around people’s necks and arms. They give us a false impression of Calvary. It was not a pretty sight to see the Creator God hanging, suffering, and dying for people who hated Him with passion unspeakable. Calvary was a cruel hill where Father God’s wrath against our sin, was revealed. The same wrath that lost people are facing in hell right this moment, the wrath that they will experience throughout the endless ages to come, it was that wrath that was poured out on Jesus Christ at Calvary. There was no anesthetic or dilution. Yes, it was a dark, glum, terrible place, but in such circumstances of apparent weakness and defeat, there was the most amazing victory to ever “grace” the planet.

The glorious aspect of the doctrine of “vicarious atonement” is that Someone else made us “at-one-ment” with Almighty God. The God-Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, so graciously took our sin debt away because we had nothing with which to pay! Moreover, He did not merely get us out of spiritual debt (forgiveness), but His resurrection was the receipt that the debt was gone. There was not so much as one sin to hold Him in the grave. Hence, the Bible says He was “raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25). It was with Jesus Christ resurrected that we were raised again and declared righteous. Never again will God “impute sin” to us who trust Christ alone (verse 8; cf. today’s Scripture). Our spiritual debt has been paid! We are now alive “to walk in newness of life.” Now, instead of delighting in evil, we can joy in our identity in Christ! What a concept! 🙂

In Evil Long I Took Delight #5

Thursday, February 12, 2015

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24 KJV).

The fifth verse of John Newton’s classic 1779 hymn “In Evil Long I Took Delight” highlights today’s Scripture.

“A second look He gave, which said,
‘I freely all forgive;
This blood is for thy ransom paid;
I die that thou mayst live.’”

Our God-given conscience makes us aware of our daily sins (Romans 2:13-15). We also know that there is a Creator God whom we will face in judgment (Romans 1:17-20). What will we do with those sins when we stand before Him? Can we open our wallets and purses and pay off God? Would He let us into His heaven if we simply showed Him our church-membership card, or our baptism record, or our confirmation certificate, or our annual-giving receipt? Religious people have been taught, “Yes!” If they can just give God something good, they assume that He will be happy with them and give them the grace to do good and make up for their wrongs.

Saul of Tarsus learned all about the “value” (nothing!) of his religious performance before God: “[8] Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, [9] And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Philippians 3:8,9).

What are religious works before God? “Dung!” (How “flattering”—activity not done by faith in God’s Word to us is likened to waste product!) What are our righteousnesses before God? “As filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6)! God offers His forgiveness to us “freely by his grace” (absolutely no cost to us) because we have nothing with which to pay our sin debt (today’s Scripture). Jesus shed His sinless blood and died that we might be free from sin, redeemed, bought out of the slave market of sin. He shed His sinless blood and died, that we might truly live to not delight in evil….