Category: Satan and Policy of Evil

Hated Without a Cause

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

“But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause” (John 15:25 KJV).

No marvel the world hates us Christians—they hated Christ first!

On the night of His arrest, our Lord uttered a long discourse (John chapters 14-16) to His disciples in the upper room. In that light, we read today’s Scripture in context:

“[18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. [19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. [20] Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. [21] But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. [22] If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. [23] He that hateth me hateth my Father also. [24] If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. [25] But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law [Psalm 69:4], They hated me without a cause.”

While these verses were not spoken to or about us, the world persecuting believing Israelites parallels the world persecuting us believers today. The commonality is the Lord Jesus Christ, who indwells both born-again Jews and the members of the Body of Christ. “For to me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). “Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20). Lost people do not hate us personally; they do not realize it, but they hate Jesus Christ who lives in us. Let it be for that reason alone that they hate us. May we not be hated for acting obnoxious, contentious, or unrighteous! 🙂

333’s 1700th – The Reign of Grace

Monday, January 25, 2016

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20,21 KJV).

Dearly beloved, devotional #1700 is here!

Readers, friends, and brethren, these last 4½ years (!) have been quite a learning experience for us all. With each passing day, we are moving onward and upward in the Holy Scriptures. For years, we were spiritually starved in denominational systems. Whether we were lost and sitting in spiritual ignorance, or saved and sitting in spiritual ignorance, praise our Lord Jesus Christ that we have been delivered from that mess!

Today’s Scripture says the Mosaic Law was instituted to point out “the offence.” The Law is God’s straight line (righteousness) to manifest our crooked one (sin). Still, in His grace, He sent His only begotten Son (Jesus Christ) to die for our sins, resurrect, and give us eternal life—His life! Sin only leads to death, but by Jesus Christ, grace will reign through righteousness unto eternal life. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). We have daily victory over sin by simply relying on Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. The grace life will be manifested in us and through us who believe!

As our world rushes toward more uncertainty, more problems, more error, and more darkness, let us not lose sight of what really matters—the eternal Word of God being deposited into our eternal souls. We have all been privileged to take a few minutes here every day—for 1700 days nonstop!—to look at the preserved words of God. We were all wondering if our Saviour would come in 2015. He has not come yet, of course. Whether or not He comes in 2016, we must be about our labor in Him. More studies must be written about the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and more people must be reached with it. May we all continue to let grace reign in our Christian lives!

Beloved, thank you for your prayerful support, and onward to #1800! 🙂

(NOTE: By the way, we have some VERY exciting ministry news to be revealed in the coming weeks!! Please stay tuned!!!)

The Blame Game

Sunday, January 24, 2016

“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12 KJV).

Prepare for a psychology lesson from the Word of God!

The Bible is often viewed as an “anti-science” book. Today’s Scripture and its context illustrate this is simply not true. Psychologists and psychiatrists can study the human mind and human behavior in a lab and conclude that Genesis chapter 3 is certainly literal history—not “primitive fables invented and compiled around ancient Jewish campfires.” Whether the first man in the first instances of human history, or the 21st-century human in the most recent instances of human history, blame-shifting is one trait they have in common. There is no fantasy here, friend!

After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, Genesis chapter 3 says: “[9] And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? [10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. [11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? [12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. [13] And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”

God called Adam to accountability—“Where are thou?” Adam, although now discovered, did not confess to any wrongdoing, however. He surreptitiously shifted the blame (God was not fooled). Today’s Scripture says Adam not only blamed Eve, but declared, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” In other words, “God, it is Thy fault, for Thou gavest me Eve!” And, Eve, she replied when God asked her what she had done, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” That is, “The Devil made me do it!” (So, friends, whether in Genesis chapter 3 or modern society, we see human nature at its best—blaming God, blaming Satan, but never self!)

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Did Adam die a saved man?”

Divine Source and Human Receptor

Saturday, January 23, 2016

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8,9 KJV).

How does today’s Scripture explain Bible translation?

Friend, if you have ever stood for the King James Bible as the final authority for us English-speaking people, inevitably you have heard the old, soggy worn-out argument at some point, “Yeah, but the Greek really says…. The Hebrew really says…. The oldest and best manuscripts really say…. The King James Bible is not the original manuscript so it can have mistakes. Here, let me take that old book from you and tell you how it should read.” The King James rejecter and corrector flashes a foreign language text, lexicon, seminary textbook, book of scholarship. Thus begins the lecture on how your 1611 translators were inept buffoons.

In the spirit of a cult leader, looking to gain power over you, he or she laments: “Oh, look at this word here—how unfortunate they missed its full meaning! It should really read…. Oops, look another wrong word. How misleading! That should have been…. You should praise God that I am here with my ‘scholarly wisdom.’ Oh, how you would have never, ever understood your Bible had I not been here to remove all of its mistakes! But, let me assure you. The Bible is God’s Word, it is our authority, and you can always believe it.” (That utter foolishness is voiced every Sunday from “Christian” pulpits worldwide. It is taught in most every Bible college and seminary.)

What the know-it-all (actually know-nothing) King James Bible corrector does not know is that before God’s Word was translated into English from Hebrew and Greek, God’s thoughts were perfectly translated into human words. You can call me crazy, but I think it takes more power of God for Him to perfectly translate divine thoughts into human thoughts, than it takes for Him to perfectly translate one human language into another. After all, did He not create the languages of the world (Genesis chapter 11), and yet reverse that confusion by translating His Word perfectly in Acts chapter 2?

Their Loss Not Ours!

Thursday, January 21, 2016

“Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out” (Proverbs 24:19,20 KJV).

What great advice—to Israel or to us!

A Christian sister recently browsing social media grew angry. (We can all relate.) She had drifted onto the webpages of certain people who had greatly wronged her in the past. Her stirred-up emotions, not having a mind of their own, had caused her to (wrongly) believe the past was ongoing. She had kept perusing to see more text and additional pictures of their “success,” “popularity,” and overall “nice” outward appearance. Everyone had “flocked” to them—she was the outcast, even after all those years trying to do right. The anger gradually escalated. My advice to her was simple: “Get off! Move on! Get off!”

Brethren, let today’s Scripture sink into your hearts and minds. This is as close to “heaven” as lost people will get. Let them heap to themselves as many “friends” as possible on Earth—there are no “friends” in hell! Let them heap to themselves as many “pennies” as possible on Earth—there are no “riches” in hell! Let them heap to themselves as much “nice outward show” as possible on Earth—there is no “beauty” in hell! Let them live it up now. Except they die in Jesus Christ, here is as good as it will ever get for them. Once their “candle” is “put out”—their house is darkened because they have died—we certainly do not want to envy them at that point! Most certainly, they gained the whole world temporarily and lost their soul eternally (Matthew 16:26)!

Today’s Scripture is actually God the Holy Spirit encouraging believing Israelites (poor, destitute of goods, rejected, despised, imprisoned, bereaved) not to look at their unsaved Jewish brethren who are prospering materially and socially for following the Antichrist, yet future (Revelation 13:15-17; cf. Psalm 37). Why? The unsaved… when death comes, they lose their fortunes, their friends, their lives, and finally their souls. My, how we pray earnestly for their eternal salvation in Jesus Christ before it is too late. Without Him, it is their loss, not ours!

Delivered!

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

“[God the Father] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13 KJV).

Two very special people celebrate their spiritual birthday today!

Mom grew up in an “Evangelical”/Protestant denominational church, but she never recalled hearing a clear Gospel message until age 25. Her paternal grandmother, who mostly raised her, was very influential in her “religious” life for many of those years.

One day, a Christian lady friend, “Ms. S.,” phoned Mom and invited her to a cookout get-together. While there, Mom was curious about the eternal destiny of her father who died three months earlier. So, the lady put Mom on the phone with “Ms. P.,” one of her Christian friends. Ms. P. told Mom, “Honey, it’s too late for your father. Don’t worry about him. Where would you go if you died?” Mom assumed that her water baptism would save her. Long story short, right there over the phone, Ms. P. led Mom to simple faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone. “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). Dad was rescued from Roman Catholicism by trusting Jesus Christ alone that same evening. Friends, that was 1980—exactly 36 years ago today. But the story continues.

Mom led me to Jesus Christ back in the mid-1990s. My eldest brother trusted Christ about a year or two later. For years, however, my parents and I were in and out of denominational churches and we struggled to understand the Bible. We learned certain “hints” of dispensationalism, but very little. Then, in January 2007, we began to discover pure dispensational Bible study. So, Mom and Dad were saved from their sins in January. And, another January, 27 years later, they (and I) were delivered from denominational bondage.

Where are these people today? The current whereabouts of Ms. S. are unknown. Mom is one of our faithful blog readers. (Dad rarely uses computers.) Ms. P. is still living. She, another reader, will no doubt read this. Mom’s paternal grandmother never lived to see Mom saved—she died just three weeks before Mom’s salvation. We will see my great-grandmother in heaven one day. She will be glad to hear what happened! 🙂

Understand and Enjoy the Bible! #15

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15,16 KJV).

Yes indeed, we can understand and enjoy the Holy Bible!

In his final epistle to the Church the Body of Christ, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7). Years earlier, he wrote: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:13).

The Holy Spirit Himself believes you will have “understanding in all things” if you “consider” what Paul wrote in his books, Romans through Philemon. He also believes that, once you understand His Word, then you will believe His Word, and finally you will enjoy His Word. Too many today do not understand the Bible, ever so discouraged by Satan’s schemes. Religious tradition has hidden dispensational Bible study from them. We MUST “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15)—separate “that which was kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25) from “that which was spoken since the world began” (Acts 3:21). Mystery MUST be separated from prophecy, Paul MUST be separated from Peter, the Body of Christ MUST be separated from the nation Israel, the Grace of God MUST be separated from the Law of Moses, et cetera.

Friends and brethren, now we know how to understand and enjoy the Bible; may we be faithful in telling others. Second Timothy 2:24-26: “[24] And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, [25] In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; [26] And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

-FINIS!-

Understand and Enjoy the Bible! #14

Monday, January 18, 2016

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15,16 KJV).

May we hearken to these truths, lest we misunderstand and dislike the Holy Bible!

The God of Scripture is “longsuffering.” He is not currently pouring out His wrath on Christ-rejecting mankind. Had Israel’s prophetic program operated unbroken, that judgment would have surely come just after Calvary (Psalm 2:1-5; Acts 2:34-36; Acts 7:55,56; et cetera). However, God interrupted prophecy, delayed that judgment, and revealed the mystery program to and through the Apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus). An unprophesied (secret) period of “grace and peace” extended to all mankind (Gentiles), as illustrated by the salvation of wicked Saul in Acts chapter 9 (1 Timothy 1:12-16). The heart of that mystery program is “the Dispensation of Grace,” doctrines and other truths currently applicable, only until “the fulness of the Gentiles” comes in (Romans 11:25).

Peter had preached salvation and blessing to Gentiles through Israel and her kingdom (Acts 3:19-26; cf. Isaiah 60:1-3; Genesis 12:1-3). Through Paul’s ministry and Gospel, “the Gospel of the Grace of God,” Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary, salvation and blessing is currently going to Gentiles without Israel and her kingdom (Romans 11:11-13; Ephesians 3:1-11).

God has offered grace to all; He has been longsuffering, tolerating man’s sins for 20 centuries! Why? “The longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.” That more lost sinners (like Saul) be saved into the Body of Christ by simple faith in Christ alone, thus spared God’s wrath when prophecy resumes! Once our Dispensation of Grace closes, then and only then, God’s wrath and war will replace His grace and peace (1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, 2:1-13). When the scoffers Peter referenced asked about Jesus’ coming in vengeance, they were pitifully ignorant! The message of grace that Paul preached was the very reason why that wrath had not yet come!

Let us conclude this devotionals arc.

Special-edition Bible Q&A #225: “What about the ‘Jewish Roots’ Movement?”
(This 22-page article systematically discusses the dangers of mixing Law and Grace concerning Christian living.)

Understand and Enjoy the Bible! #13

Sunday, January, 17, 2016

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15,16 KJV).

Although there is so much confusion about it, can we really understand and enjoy the Bible?

Let us consider the seventh point from today’s Scripture: “unto their own destruction.” Returning to 2 Timothy 2:15-18: “[15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [16] But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. [17] And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; [18] Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.”

The “overthrow [of] the faith of some” is the “[spiritual] destruction” of today’s Scripture. By confusing God’s will for a believer in this the Dispensation of Grace, with God’s will for a believer in Israel’s program of Law, believers’ lives are hindered and damaged in their respective program. You soften the Law for Israel; you water down Grace for us Gentiles. You force on us their water baptism, their miraculous demonstrations, and their prayer promises. In doing so, you ignore God’s baptism for us, God’s invisible intervention on our behalf, and God’s model prayers for us.

Friend, you cannot force God to do something He is not doing. If you are not doing what God is doing, then you are outside of God’s will, and your spiritual life is sure to be in ruins. Grabbing Israel’s verses and making them fit us, or taking our verses and making them fit Israel, is to fail to “rightly divide the word of truth.” It is to go the way of “profane and vain babblings,” “ungodliness,” worthless teaching. It is to follow Christendom—“the blind leaders of the blind” (Matthew 15:14)!

Now, dearly beloved, we summarize!

Understand and Enjoy the Bible! #12

Saturday, January 16, 2016

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15,16 KJV).

Although there is so much confusion about it, can we really understand and enjoy the Bible?

Let us consider the sixth point from today’s Scripture: “as they do also the other scriptures….” So many people struggle today to reconcile Paul’s epistles with the rest of the Bible. Not surprisingly, people had the same difficulty in the apostolic days. Read today’s Scripture. There was such Bible confusion 20 centuries ago that people were literally corrupting all of God’s Word in order to harmonize Paul’s ministry and message with the rest of the Bible. (Sound familiar?)

Even today, people declare, “I do not go by what some man says. I follow Jesus not Paul.” People ask even today, “Why does Paul contradict Jesus so much?” (Implication: Despite all the verse twisting, there are some people honest enough to see differences in God’s Word. The theologians, preachers, and other “expert” Bible commentators cannot see distinctions in the Bible. But, praise God, simple people without college degrees and seminary training can! See, friends, worldly education is not the answer to understanding the Bible. Having the indwelling Spirit of God and using God’s Word properly are the keys [1 Corinthians 2:10-16]! Education cannot grant them.)

Consider another major example of how people wrest the Bible to hide dispensational distinctions. There is no literal, physical, visible earthly kingdom of God today. So, what “scholarly” people say is, when the non-Pauline Bible books speak of “the reign of Christ,” they did not mean a literal, physical, visible earthly kingdom but “Christ’s invisible, spiritual reign in the hearts of men.” Such heretics even talk about us the Body of Christ replacing the nation Israel, and/or us continuing her program. Just as they twist Paul’s epistles, they pervert Israel’s verses too. No wonder people get sick to their spiritual stomachs!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What does 2 Corinthians 7:5 mean?”