Category: The Nation Israel

Our Refuge, Strength, and Help

Monday, July 18, 2016

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1 KJV).

Despite all the recent violent acts in our world, today’s Scripture is just as true as it ever was!

A frequent complaint made against the Bible is that it has “no relevance” to us today. Scientific achievements, education, and technological advancements have allegedly replaced the need for the Holy Scriptures. Mankind believes that, because he has leapt many intellectual hurdles in recent decades, he has progressed enough to no longer need God’s insight. The Bible, while “nice reading,” has been relegated by most to an inferior status. It is said, “Only fools believe that old Book!”

Despite all the educational institutions, religions, political platforms, social movements, scientific innovations, and technological discoveries in the world, however, man’s fundamental problem—sin—remains. Times have indeed changed; unfortunately, mankind never has! Fortunately, God has never changed either! For such an “old Book,” the Bible still provides a logical answer. We must seek help from Someone beyond our human frailties!

Today’s Scripture (yet future) finds Israel at the very end of her quest for righteousness. She has exhausted all avenues of deliverance. The Antichrist has failed her. Her religion has failed her. Education has failed her. Her human “allies” have failed her. Economics have failed her. She has finally come to realize what God had been trying to teach her for the last 4,000 years. He is her only hope. He, not her works, is the answer to her sin problem. He, not her politics, is the answer to her enemies. He, not her education, is the answer to her confusion. He, not her economics, is the answer to her poverty.

Read today’s Scripture in context. Psalm 46 is only 11 verses. In it, we see Christ’s glorious Second Coming to Earth, Him rescuing Israel from all her enemies, Him restoring Israel to Himself, and Him establishing His earthly kingdom. It was all because of Him and His faithfulness, not because of her!

Friends, as our world becomes more chaotic, more uncertain, the unchanging truths of the eternal Word of God must be forefront in our minds. The Lord Jesus Christ—our refuge, our strength, a very present help in trouble. He is our only hope, too! 🙂

Forgiven for Christ’s Sake #7

Sunday, July 17, 2016

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32 KJV).

What is true forgiveness?

At a Bible conference, I overheard a man talking with one of my pastor friends. Steeped in denominationalism, he was chiefly confused about whether God had forgiven him. He struggled with the so-called “Lord’s Prayer” (“Our Father” Prayer). Specifically, Matthew chapter 6: “[14] For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: [15] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” The poor man needed to “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The “Our Father” Prayer was spoken to Israel (Matthew 15:24)—not us Gentiles (Matthew 10:5-7)!

God’s spokesman to us, the Apostle Paul, on this side of the Cross, tells us God has forgiven us all our sins. We do not have to beg or wonder! In Christ, forgiveness is total, free, and forever. He forgave us because of what Jesus Christ did at Calvary, not because of our religious performance (today’s Scripture). We are already forgiven in Christ. As God forgave us, we forgive others. Lost people will have their sins taken care of at two places—the cross of Christ if they trust Christ before physical death, or eternal hellfire if they do not trust Christ before physical death.

One of Satan’s schemes to destroy the local assembly is when Christians do not forgive each other as God for Christ’s sake has (past tense) forgiven them. Second Corinthians chapter 2 warns about bitterness: “[10] To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; [11] Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

Forgiveness is not pretending like nothing happened. You have been wronged, and God punished Jesus Christ for that sin. Forgiveness is sending the shame, guilt, and pain to Jesus Christ’s cross (where God dealt with our sins). We need not keep dredging up the past, beloved. We learn from our mistakes, and are thankful Jesus Christ has already provided our forgiveness forever! 🙂

Prayer and the Word

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4 KJV).

Any ministry worth anything must have these two elements—prayer and the ministry of the Word.

When the book of Acts opens, Israel’s Little Flock grows more and more. Please note that while early Acts has absolutely nothing to do with us, the Church the Body of Christ, we can still learn a valuable lesson. As these Jewish kingdom saints are pooling together their wealth (Acts 2:44,45; Acts 4:31-37; cf. Luke 12:31-33), goods are being distributed to needy believers. They are living for one another—a picture of God’s earthly kingdom yet future!

Chapter 6 of Acts, the context of today’s Scripture, says: “[1] And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians [foreign Jews] against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. [2] Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. [3] Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. [4] But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

The 12 apostles, unlike so many (clueless) church leaders today, actually knew their priorities. It was not to distribute funds to those in need. Rather, they chose seven honest, Spirit-filled, wise men to undertake that task. The 12 apostles were very much aware of the importance of prayer and the ministry of the Word. They were to continue talking to God in light of His Word to them, and they were to continue telling others His Word to them. Every other responsibility could be delegated elsewhere.

Philanthropic issues are all well and good, but when our churches are too busy organizing blood drives, clothing drives, food drives, et cetera, they are ignoring prayer and God’s Word. They need to get their priorities straight, lest their “ministry”—void of God’s words and power—vanishes!

Liberated to Serve

Monday, July 4, 2016

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 KJV).

Today, as we in the United States celebrate the 240th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we invite our Christian brethren worldwide to rejoice with us concerning our freedom in Jesus Christ.

When we proclaim Romans 6:14—“Ye are not under the law, but under grace”—people tend to assume “loose living.” Does “grace living” really mean we can now live any way we want? Lest anyone be misled in that regard, God the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write in the next verse, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [May God never let that happen!]” (Romans 6:15). Grace living is not Law-keeping, but it certainly is not Law-breaking either.

God still cares how we live, albeit He is not operating the “weak and beggarly” system of “bondage” (Law) that He once did with Israel (Galatians 4:9). God proved to the entire world that since Israel could not keep His commandments perfectly, no other sons of Adam (the Gentiles) could either: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [Gentiles] may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

We sinners cannot keep the Law. However, God in His grace provided us a way to escape that condemnation by sending Jesus Christ to offer Himself on Calvary’s cruel cross to pay for our sins. By simple faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the fully-satisfying payment for our sins, we can now be “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can be delivered from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire) and the power of sin (flesh-walking).

Why are we Christians free? To selfishly live any way we want? NO! Today’s Scripture says we are liberated to now serve others, especially our Christian brethren, just as Jesus Christ selflessly served His Father and selflessly died on our behalf. That is grace living!!!!

Please see our 2011 Fourth of July Bible study “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” which can be watched here or read here.

Spiritualize to Tell Spiritual Lies

Friday, July 1, 2016

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt” (Amos 9:13 KJV).

Does today’s Scripture apply to us today?

Recently, I watched “Christian” (?) television to see many of today’s “Christian” charlatans. They talk about “Jesus” and Scripture, but they are seriously deficient of any clear Gospel message and greatly wanting of any solid Bible understanding.

Two men—one a well-known “faith healer” (still aging) and the other a self-proclaimed “apostle”—sat around a table of prayer requests. The “apostle” told people to give to the faith healer’s ministry so God could bless them. They were to “claim their debt-free BMW in Jesus’ name” as a young lady had recently (allegedly) done using his ministry.

This “apostle” outright told his viewers Amos 9:13 was “written to them.” They needed to claim their prosperity and demand God give them material wealth. “You will reap so many blessings you will not be able to harvest them before the sower will sow more seeds of blessings!” This is utter abuse of God’s precious words. Like so many, he spiritualized the Bible and lied about the Bible. To him, it did not mean literal plowing, literal crops, and literal harvesting. Yet, that is exactly what the Prophet Amos meant… and he was not writing to or about us in the Dispensation of Grace!

Amos 9:11-15 clearly declares today’s Scripture is about the nation Israel. When Jesus Christ returns (cf. Acts 15:14-18), He will rejuvenate Israel’s agrarian lifestyle. In God’s earthly kingdom, there will be so many literal crops harvested in Israel’s land they will not get it all harvested before planting the next crop!

Amos 9:14,15 supplements today’s Scripture: “And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.”

Bible Q&A #280: “Are 2 Thessalonians 1:9 and Revelation 14:10 contradictory?”

Praise and Thanks to the LORD

Thursday, June 30, 2016

“And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid” (Ezra 3:11 KJV).

Just imagine Israel’s joy as the Temple is being reconstructed!

The Babylonian armies had come many decades earlier and destroyed Jerusalem. Solomon’s Temple, the house of the LORD, the magnificent center of Israel’s religious life, was burned to the ground! The Jews of the southern kingdom (Judah) were violently carried away to Babylon (2 Kings 25:1-21; 2 Chronicles 36:14-21).

JEHOVAH God commissioned Persian King Cyrus the Great to rebuild His Temple (Isaiah 44:28—written nearly two centuries previous to Cyrus!). Obeying Cyrus’ decree, Zerubbabel leads some of his Jewish brethren from Babylon back to Jerusalem to begin the construction (2 Chronicles 36:22,23; Ezra 1:1-11). These Jews have given of their material riches to construct the Temple. As chapter 2 of Ezra says: “[68] And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place: [69] They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments.”

In today’s Scripture, they are excited that they have now laid the foundation for this new Temple. Literally, they are “re-laying the groundwork” for their Mosaic religion. They want JEHOVAH’S presence to return to them. They desire for Him to dwell in Jerusalem with them as He did before their Babylonian captivity/exile. It is a very emotional time. The older men, those who had seen Solomon’s Temple before it was destroyed over 50 years earlier, observe the construction of this new Temple’s foundation and they “wept with a loud voice” (verse 12)! They recognize that they had sinned (leading to their punishment in the captivity) but their God has been faithful in bringing them back into the Promised Land. Not because of their faithfulness, but because of His!

Ye Would Not!

Friday, June 24, 2016

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37 KJV).

As in Christ’s earthly ministry, so today—God never takes free will away!

Recently, a brother in Christ shared his heavy burden with me. One of his relatives is in dire health, suffering 99 percent brain damage. His doctors say, even if he survives, he will be in a vegetative state. The brother explained to me that he shared the Gospel with this man years ago, but had not heard from him since. He is still worried the now-dying man never did anything with the Gospel—especially sad now that he is holding to life by a thread and maybe drawing closer to hell.

This brother had to understand it is beyond his control. He has shared the Gospel most faithfully, and there is nothing he can do for his relative but pray for him now. His brain is not functioning properly anymore, but he still may be aware in his soul. We cannot be sure just how alert such people are spiritually. If they so desire, God can always bring His Word to memory in those who have heard it years before.

Beloved, we should never beat ourselves up wondering if we shared the Gospel enough with someone who is dying or who has since died. If they only heard us share the Gospel with them once, that one time was all that we were able to do. While we care for them deeply, we cannot force people to trust Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. The God of the Bible is all about freedom. If people do not want Him, He will not force them to accept Him. After three years of ministry, with a heavy heart, Jesus looked at Jerusalem and wept. They had no interest in Him or anything He had to say to them (today’s Scripture).

God has done everything to keep people out of hell by sending Jesus Christ to die for their sins. If they want to ignore that, that is their choice. Let it not be ours!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Can you explain Jude 9?”

Not Intimidated But Exhilarated

Thursday, June 23, 2016

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4 KJV).

Therefore, onward in Christ we go!

Not long ago, a girls softball team lost a game 5-15. After this discouraging loss, their coach told them the opposing team was “beatable,” but that they had allowed the opposing fast-throwing pitcher to intimidate them. The losing team disagreed: the winning team was not “beatable” as their coach suggested. Yet, the next day, they practiced and determined within themselves to win the rematch. How excited the former “losing” team was to win 7-2! They were stunned to learn that the team that seemed “unbeatable” was actually beatable!

Recently, I had a discussion with a discouraged sister in Christ. People had done her much wrong. Her Christian life was still greatly damaged. Satan had had—and was having—a great time destroying her life. I reminded her of today’s Scripture: “…Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” She could not help but reply, “Amen, brother!”

Friends, we are surely in a spiritual battle—the most important war ever. Yes, many are sleeping while it is being waged, but there is a conflict between God and Satan, good and evil, over the eternal souls of men and women and boys and girls! As Christians, we see Satan as “unbeatable.” Wielding so much influence, using so many allies, and implementing so many schemes, he seems invincible. No wonder so many poor Christian souls just throw up their hands in complete helplessness and hopelessness!

Like the aforementioned girls softball team, they are focusing on the opposition and ignoring their provisions. They have been equipped to fight the battle in Christ, but they focus too much on the enemy and they ignore their commander’s instructions. Israel’s believing remnant will endure a very difficult and wearisome time during Daniel’s 70th Week; despite the innumerable false prophets (verses 1-3), the Holy Spirit through the Apostle John exhorts believing Jews to remember that the Creator God is in them, and He is more powerful than Satan who is in the world (1 John 5:19)! Let us remember likewise. 🙂

False Prophets

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:11 KJV).

While actually describing the future state of the world, today’s Scripture is easily seen today.

Recently, while visiting a local park, I encountered four cult members distributing free literature at a sidewalk booth. They undeniably call themselves “Christians.” While they were friendly people, and probably more generous and loving than the average Christian, their doctrine is so far removed from sound Bible teaching that they could not be rightly called and never be rightly called Christians. Having spoken with a friend who was saved out of that group, having read their literature, and having spoken with several of them over the years, I know their denominational hierarchy has them slaving away in doing good works in hopes of them entering God’s kingdom. You can be sure these four heard the Gospel of God’s Grace from me. What they do with God’s Son is on them now!

The Lord Jesus gave His Second Olivet Discourse in Matthew chapter 24—the context of today’s Scripture. His apostles wanted to know the characteristics of the end-times, events that would occur leading up to His return (Second Coming). He issued seven warnings not to be deceived (verses 4,5,11,23-26). The chief characteristic of the end-times is deception. In the words of Jesus Christ, “Many” deceivers deceiving “many.” Why?

People will be claiming to be “Christ,” God manifested in human flesh. There will be people professing to be “prophets,” God’s spokespeople to mankind. People will be performing miracles using Satan’s power, but claiming to be God’s miracle-workers. They will all pave the way for the Antichrist, the epitome of deception, the Man of Sin and the Son of Perdition (Damnation), the physical representation of Satan’s lie program. The world having been so deceived in the 2,000 years since Jesus spoke today’s Scripture, it is so easy to see just how easily the Antichrist will enter with little opposition. Having rejected the love of the truth, they can now enjoy “strong delusion [deception]” and “believe a lie” (2 Thessalonians 2:2-12).

Friends, let us stay with the Word of God rightly divided. ‘Tis the only way to avoid the deceivers!

Our special-edition Bible Q&A #275: “Was the Apostle Paul a false prophet?”

The Good Shepherd

Friday, June 17, 2016

“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:14,15 KJV).

Jesus came to do what Israel’s shepherds failed to do!

Four primary Bible chapters feature lengthy, stinging rebukes to Israel’s corrupt religious leadership—Jeremiah chapter 23 (they pervert the Lord’s words), Ezekiel chapter 34 (they mislead the Lord’s people), Matthew chapter 23 (they feign to be the Lord’s people), and John chapter 8 (they are Satan’s children).

Jeremiah 50:6 says: “My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.” In Ezekiel 34:1-31, God sharply disapproves of the way Israel’s religious leaders are guiding the whole nation into error. He promises to come personally and deliver His people from these evil leaders, and to cause His people to return to Him (Millennial Kingdom). This is the context of Christ’s earthly ministry: He is the Good Shepherd come to lead the wayward sheep of Israel back into His ways (today’s Scripture). In the Four Gospels, we read about “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6; Matthew 15:24) and Israel being a flock of sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34).

Peter wrote of Israel’s believing remnant who responded to Jesus Christ by faith: “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). Hebrews 13:20 says: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will….”

Ancient Israel’s shepherds were focused more on themselves than leading God’s people. Then, Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, came. He selflessly gave for Israel instead of selfishly taking from her. He laid down His life for His sheep, to save them from their sins and the ravening wolves of Satan, and to make them His people able to do His will!

Please see our related archived Bible Q&A article for additional insight: https://forwhatsaiththescriptures.wordpress.com/2016/01/25/is-john-10-16-the-body-of-christ/.