Category: lost souls

Forked Tongues of Venom Versus Vocal Cords of Grace

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” (James 3:5 KJV).

In today’s Scripture James discusses the power of our tongues (our speech). Notice how God uses shocking language to describe our tongues. “The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity… it setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell” (verse 6). “The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (verse 8). Also, the Bible explains that we curse our fellow man with the same tongue we use to bless God (verses 9-12)!

Proverbs 18:21 says: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Our tongues (speech) can give life or it can kill. Words can comfort a troubled soul, or drive that soul to suicide. It all depends on the choice of words, and the manner (tone) in which those words are spoken. Words are very powerful, so be careful what you say.

Proverbs 15:1 declares: “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Words spoken in harsh, disrespectful, or condescending tones will anger an audience. But, gentle and loving words will deter provocation. Again, it all depends on the choice of words, and the manner (tone) in which those words are spoken.

James also wrote to the Jews: “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain” (James 1:26). Be careful what you say, and how you say it, because you can never take back those words you spoke.

“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). Use your tongue to “minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29c). Choose your words (and tone) wisely. The lost people are listening… your vocal cords should be echoing the message of God’s grace. Are they?

Christ Crucified

Monday, September 26, 2011

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2 KJV).

Christ’s cross is seldom preached in Christendom’s “praise and worship” meetings. We Bereans know Christ crucified, yet religion emphasizes everything but. Most churches stress Jesus’ teachings and miracles, but our salvation is not found in anything that Jesus preached during His earthly ministry. Christ ministered to Jews under the Law (Matthew 15:24; Romans 15:8; Galatians 4:4,5). We are neither Jews nor under the Law (Romans 6:14,15; Romans 11:11; Galatians 2:16,20; Galatians 3:28).

Many claim to “follow Jesus”—but, which Jesus? The Bible speaks of “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:3,4); the “Jesus” of religion (the Four Gospel Records) is not the Jesus God wants us following today. We follow Jesus Christ as our Apostle Paul followed Him.

Paul did not follow Christ after His earthly ministry: “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” (2 Corinthians 5:16). Today, in the Dispensation of Grace, we follow Christ according to His heavenly ministry as described only in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon.

Recently, a clergyman used his weekly column to voice his concern in my local newspaper. Why was he so distressed? That souls were going to hell? No! His column’s theme was that he feared cigarette butts were greatly polluting our streets! There was not one word about how to be saved by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. Not one word about Calvary’s cross or Christ’s shed blood. Sad.

What did our Apostle Paul preach? “Save the planet?” Christ’s earthly ministry? No, today’s Scripture says he preached, “Christ crucified.” Today, the message of Christ’s cross is the foremost issue, not His earthly ministry. Paul’s Gospel—Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This message, the Gospel of the Grace of God, is the most important message we proclaim, for it alone is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16b).

Separate Unto Truth, Do Not Unite in Error

Sunday, September 25, 2011

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV).

As the years pass, there is an increasing cry for unity among all (38,000+!!!) “Christian” denominations. The goal of the “ecumenical movement” is to have all “Christians” of every denomination ignore their doctrinal differences, and fellowship! Today’s Scripture screams against such foolishness. (Actually, the ecumenical movement is preparing society for the one-world religion of Revelation chapter 17.)

Opposed to the ecumenical slogan, “Come as ye are, we accommodate all faiths!,” Scripture declares: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:18).

Now, please understand that the Bible says God loves all people: Jesus Christ shed His sinless blood to pay for the sins of the world (1 Timothy 2:3-7; Hebrews 2:9; 2 Peter 3:9; et al.). However, most of them are lost, never having trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary. Instead, the world’s religious people make every attempt to please God with their own “good” deeds, thereby ignoring Christ’s finished cross work.

As King James Bible-believing Pauline dispensationalists, we cannot unite with religionists and denominationalists because they deny the clear teachings of the Holy Bible. We refuse to embrace man’s “wisdom” and church tradition. Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 6:15: “What concord [agreement] hath Christ with Belial [Satan]? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel [unbeliever]?”

God does not want us fellowshipping in any religion or any denomination. Religion is satanic and anti-grace. If you compromise God’s truth and unite in error, your Christian life will be polluted and destroyed.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17). As grace lifers following the Apostle Paul as he follows Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1), we have unashamedly chosen to separate unto truth, and we unapologetically refuse to unite in error.

The Precious Blood of Christ

Friday, September 23, 2011

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” (1 Peter 1:18,19 KJV).

The term “redeem” means “to buy something back that which was originally yours.” When God created Adam (the first man), mankind was in complete fellowship with God. There was no sin or death. That all changed when Adam disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6,7). Sin had ruined God’s perfect creation. There, in Eden, God lost the human race to sin and mankind became part of Satan’s policy of evil, “the power of darkness” (Colossians 1:13; Ephesians 2:2).

Coming up through the Scriptures, we see God setting His plan into motion. Somehow He would redeem man, and restore the fellowship He and man had once shared. God purposed in Himself to die for man—God would become a man to shed His sinless blood for our sins. The sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ, has “purchased us with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).

First and foremost, Jesus Christ died to redeem the nation Israel (today’s Scripture). Matthew 20:28: “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many [Israel]” (cf. Luke 1:68). But, 1 Timothy 2:5,6 says: “the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” When we come to Paul’s ministry (“in due time;” see verse 7), God reveals that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for Israel and for everyone else (us Gentiles!).

Just as God will restore Israel at Christ’s Second Coming (Acts 3:18-21; Romans 11:26-29), Christ has restored us unto Himself now: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law…” (Galatians 3:13). If you have not done so, trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, His dying for your sins, His burial, and His resurrection for your justification, and God will save you forever.

Believers and Unbelievers

Thursday, September 15, 2011

“And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not” (Acts 28:24 KJV).

Near the close of Acts chapter 28, the Apostle Paul, who is under house arrest in Rome, invites chief leaders of the Jews (verse 17) to hear him teach the Old Testament. Verse 23 says Paul “expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening” (verse 23). Today’s Scripture says some Jews believed God’s Word, and some did not believe.

In Acts 4:4, “many of them which heard the word believed.” While about 5,000 believed, many did not believe. Acts 14:1,2 and Acts 17:4,5 speak of believing Jews and Gentiles, but also mention unbelieving Jews disrupting the ministry work of Paul, Barnabas, and Silas. According to Acts 17:32, some mocked Paul, but verse 34 says that “certain men clave unto him, and believed….”

Many of Israel’s religious leaders refused to believe John the Baptist’s message (Luke 7:29,30; Luke 20:4-7). In fact, some never believed the words spoken by the Lord Himself! “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him” (John 6:64).

John 12:37-40 says: “But though he [Jesus] had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: that the saying of Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report?…”

When you share the message of God’s grace to us in Christ Jesus, some will believe but many will not believe. Be not discouraged if they refuse to hear you and believe God’s Word. Most have always refused to receive—let alone believe—God’s Word. Remember that the multitudes never believed the Lord Jesus and His apostles when they preached, but they still preached to reach those who did want to believe. So, for the sakes of those who will respond to God’s Word by faith, but have not yet believed, we continue in the ministry!

Two Extreme Ministries

Saturday, September 10, 2011

“For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: and profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers” (Galatians 1:13,14 KJV).

Saul of Tarsus, a religious fanatic, hated Jesus Christ. According to Philippians 3:5, Saul was a Pharisee, a religious leader in Israel, and a member of the Sanhedrin (Israel’s governing religious council). If Saul heard you had trusted in Jesus Christ, he wanted you imprisoned or dead (Acts 26:9-11)!

Jesus of Nazareth threatened his religion, so Saul personally made sure Jesus’ followers deeply suffered (see today’s Scripture). In a great persecution immediately following the prophet Stephen’s death, which Saul encouraged, Saul forced every Jewish believer in Jesus out of Jerusalem, except for the twelve apostles (Acts 8:1).

As angry Saul was heading north to Damascus, to arrest any Jewish believers in Christ there, the Lord Jesus from heaven suddenly struck down Saul and saved him in His grace and mercy (Acts 9:1-8)! Saul’s fanatical ministry against Jesus Christ was eternally “out of commission;” his fanatical ministry for Jesus Christ had “come into commission!”

For the next 35 years, Saul of Tarsus (now the Apostle Paul) served and preached Jesus Christ, the very Person he had so hated (Acts 9:21): “But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name [Jesus Christ] in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?” Galatians 1:23: “…That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.”

Until his death, Paul tirelessly preached God’s grace and Christ crucified, suffering greatly for Christ’s name (2 Corinthians 11:22-28). Paul was once known for his zeal against Jesus Christ. But, even to this day, he is known for his zeal for Jesus Christ.

By faith, we follow our Apostle, considering the name “Bible fanatics” a privilege. 🙂

A Wise Man

Saturday, September 3, 2011

“A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool” (Proverbs 17:10 KJV).

Lawlessness abounds today. The lost world around us is quite foolish in that they hate God and vehemently refuse His Word. God’s Word contains instruction, and yet they blatantly reject it. Not surprisingly, they blame God when their lives are wrecked and destroyed.

Proverbs 1:5-7 says: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: to understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Today’s Scripture declares that a wise man will hearken unto reproof (instruction, advice). The reproof will be more effectual in the life of the wise man than 100 whippings will be in correcting the fool. A fool can be instructed time and time again, and he can be harshly punished, but he will still be set in his rebellious ways. This is typical human nature: “I refuse to obey any authority, especially God!”

We can all be so stubborn at times that even God Almighty giving us a kick in the seat of the pants would probably not help. Throughout the Old Testament God would chastise wicked Israel by cursing her and her daily activities. Her crops would not grow, and sickness and death would vex her people. In the book of Judges, Israel would suddenly behave, enjoy a brief respite and God’s blessings, and then she would quickly return to her rebellious ways and suffer more punishment.

Do you want to be a wise man (or woman)? Take a King James Bible and study it God’s way, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), using dispensational Bible study. Believe what that Bible says where it says it and to whom it says it, let that Word work effectually in you, and then you will be a wise man (or woman) indeed!

We Will Not Hearken Unto Thee!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

“As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done…” (Jeremiah 44:16,17 KJV).

Israel’s women are “burning incense unto other gods” while their husbands say nothing (verse 15). Shame! So, in Jeremiah chapter 44, the word of the LORD comes to the prophet. God instructs Jeremiah to command Israel to quit worshipping those pagan gods because worse judgment will come (verses 3-5, 11-14). We read the Jews’ response to Jeremiah in today’s Scripture: “No thanks, Jeremiah! We will not listen to the LORD. We will do whatever we want!!”

Noah warned of an impending global flood, preaching for all the world’s peoples to come into the ark for salvation. Millions replied, “No thanks, Noah!” Consequently, only Noah and his seven relatives were saved in the ark (2 Peter 2:5).

Early in Christ’s earthly ministry, many of Israel’s religious leaders refused John the Baptist’s water baptism, a Jew’s only means of salvation from the wrath to come (Luke 7:29,30). “No thanks, John!” And with that, they allowed Herod to behead John.

When God the Son Jesus Christ came, many Jews said, “No thanks, Jesus!” Ultimately, they demanded Rome crucify Him (John 19:15).

As the prophet Stephen witnessed to Israel just a year after Calvary, Israel was still “stiffnecked” (stubborn) and “uncircumcised in heart and ears” (wicked, lost) (Acts 7:51). Israel refused to admit that they murdered their Messiah Jesus. “No thanks, Stephen!” And with that, they stoned Stephen.

God’s messengers have always been ignored, hated, and ridiculed, so we should expect nothing less when we share the message of God’s grace to us in Christ. When confronted with the world’s snide remarks, we Christians reply: “We will not hearken unto thee!” We ignore their silly comments and continue preaching, rejoicing that we can endure the rejection just like the saints of old did.

A Wee Crook with a Large Sin Debt

Monday, August 29, 2011

“And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner” (Luke 19:5-7 KJV).

As Luke chapter 19 opens, the Lord Jesus is passing through Jericho, just north of the Dead Sea. The chief tax collector, Zacchaeus, a short man who cannot see over the crowds, has climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus (verses 3 and 4). Once Jesus calls Zacchaeus to make room for Him in his home, the crowds complain, “Jesus seeks to be a guest in that crook’s house!”

Jesus, being God in the flesh, knows Zacchaeus is the chief publican, the most dishonest tax collector. Of all places, why has Christ chosen to visit a thief’s home? He knows Zacchaeus is genuinely repentant. Zacchaeus confesses, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (verse 8). Lord, whatever money I stole, I will restore it four times over!

The Lord Jesus explains why He went to Zacchaeus’ home: “This day is salvation come to this [Zacchaeus’] house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (verses 9 and 10). “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17). Jesus went because wicked Zacchaeus, like every other Jew, needs salvation!

Christ came to “save His people [Israel] from their sins,” and that included Zacchaeus (Matthew 1:21; cf. Matthew 10:6; Matthew 18:11). Zacchaeus had been a crooked son of Abraham, but now that he trusted in Jesus as His Messiah, he was a righteous son of God (John 1:12)!

So, God can save anyone, even wee crooks with large sin debts….

Something More Evil Than Science

Sunday, August 28, 2011

“And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition” (Mark 7:9 KJV).

Many Christians complain that science accomplishes Satan’s work because it brainwashes kids into believing lies such as an old universe and the ridiculous “molecules-to-man” theory (that all living creatures descended from a common ancestor). Indeed, Satan has used science to mislead the masses, but these fervent church members seldom realize that religion, not science, is Satan’s “favorite hiding place.”

Science is the study of the natural world. The Bible is not anti-science—repeatable, testable, falsifiable science. God’s Word is opposed to “science falsely so called” (1 Timothy 6:20), man’s idle speculations that contradict Scripture. Apart from its numerous silly, unbiblical conjectures, science is not evil. But there is something more evil than science.

Something far more dangerous and misleading than “science falsely so called” is the infamous “Christianity falsely so called.” Religious tradition is more deceptive than false science because the Bible is used to teach some of it (the Bible cannot be used to teach false science). Religion is dangerous because, unlike false science, it has a godly appearance.

In today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ rebuked Israel’s religious leaders (notice He condemned the religious community, not the scientific community): “well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” Church tradition and false science are equally guilty of contradicting the Scriptures.

Scientists without God know they need God, whereas religious people are deceived into thinking they have God (all they really have is empty tradition). Scientists know they are not good enough for heaven, but religious people have been taught they are good enough. It has been appositely stated that, “Religion will send more people to hell than anything else.” Religion will do more harm to your soul than false science ever will because religion encourages you to pit your “righteousness” against God’s.

Many genuine Christians condemn science as “evil,” yet they have no idea that Satan is working just as heavily in their denominational church as he is in the science classrooms. Frightening!

Be not deceived… by false science or religion!