Filthy Lucre

Saturday, March 17, 2012

“The scribes… which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation” (Mark 12:38,40 KJV).

Recently, Harold Camping released an online letter of apology for (wrongly) predicting “Judgment Day” would come May 21, 2011. Thousands of dear people fell for the scam: some spent their college funds and retirement savings to finance one of religion’s most recent hoaxes. Beloved, fall not prey to those who “devour widows’ houses.”

God’s Word says, “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). The idolization of material wealth has bred thousands of wars and millions of murders. It has also contributed to the everlasting damnation of billions of souls.

In today’s Scripture, Jesus rebuked Israel’s religious leaders for “devouring [consuming] widow’s houses”… robbing even widows of everything! Religion is the world’s most prosperous business: it was true in Jesus’ day, and nothing has changed. Mankind is still naturally bent toward accumulating much material wealth. I was aghast to learn that one of my community’s churches is “devouring” nearly $700,000 annually! The local mega-church must be “raking in” millions!

Once, when I told one of our former pastors that we are not bound to tithe today, he leaned over and whispered, “Shh, do not tell that to my people. They do not give enough as it is!” How sad. The dear man must have not known that one of the qualifications of bishops (pastors) and deacons was “not greedy of filthy lucre [extorted money]” (1 Timothy 3:3,8; Titus 1:7)—or did he know (?). Someone recently informed me that a lady’s purse was stolen at her church. (I am inclined to think it was the money-hungry denomination!)

Beloved, be cautious about where your money goes, especially regarding churches and ministries. Many churches and ministries are not serving the Lord; they are hiding God’s truth from the masses. How it grieves our heart to see so many good, sincere people being taken advantage of.

A FRIENDLY REMINDER: prayerfully and carefully research a church or ministry’s doctrinal statement (beliefs) before you financially support it. Make sure you are not financing the adversary (Satan)!

I Will Hear What God the LORD Will Speak

Friday, March 16, 2012

“I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly” (Psalm 85:8 KJV).

There are many voices and sounds in our world. They all compete for audience. Obviously, we cannot listen to all of them. There are many books in our world, and they all vie for readership. Obviously, we cannot read all of them. To which voice should we hearken? Which book should we trust?

The psalmist who wrote today’s Scripture made a choice: “I will hear what God the LORD will speak.” He wanted “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). This is the definition of inspiration (notice, “inspiration,” with “spir” meaning “air/breath”). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16a). That means that the King James Bible does not merely contain God’s Word; it is God’s Word. Moreover, it contains His very “words” (not simply His thoughts).

In Romans 3:1,2, the Apostle Paul refers to the Bible as the “oracles of God” (“oracle” means “an authority that was spoken,” etymologically related to “orator”/speaker; cf. 2 Peter 1:21). The prophet Stephen referred to the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Law as “the lively oracles” (Acts 7:38)—infallible, authoritative, living words because God spoke them.

As the future prophet Samuel said to the LORD, “Speak; for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:10). God wants to “speak peace unto his people, and to his saints.” Do you want to hear what He has to say to us Christians? God’s Word comes not in the form of an audible voice, but in a Book—the King James Bible (notice “scripture” in 2 Timothy 3:16 refers to something written [a book], not an audible voice). Open up that Book, begin in the book of Romans, and read what God has to say to you! Once we learn from God’s Word, “let [us] not turn again to folly” (that is, continue in God’s wisdom; return not to your previous thoughts of folly/foolishness).

Be Thou Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel

Thursday, March 15, 2012

“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8 KJV).

Has God promised us Christians a “carefree, trouble-free life,” as today’s prosperity preachers assert?

Young Timothy, pastor of the Ephesian church, has grown weary because of satanic opposition: he is fearful, for the lost world has intimidated him to the point of discouragement and/or silence (verse 7). Timothy is ashamed of God’s Word, and of imprisoned Paul. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul encourages Timothy with today’s Scripture: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord!” “Speak up, Timothy! They need to hear God’s Word, so endure the suffering!”

Satan is against us, saints, because he is against our God. The devil wants to wear us out; he will use unbelievers—and even “Christian” brethren—to intimidate and mock us. Satan uses evil men to persecute us, so we grow “ashamed” of God’s Word, and then throw up our hands and quit! We need to be “partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel.” No greater privilege do we Christians have than suffering for the God who died for us!

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). In verse 11, Paul speaks of his “persecutions” and “afflictions,” “but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” How did God deliver him? The end of today’s Scripture tells us: “according to the power of God.” In order to endure Satan’s attacks, we rely on God’s power, not on our strength and resources (or we shall be defeated) (2 Corinthians 1:8,9).

“And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation” (2 Corinthians 1:3-10; 2 Timothy 2:11-13). We have God’s sufficient grace to comfort us: “Therefore I take pleasure… in reproaches,… in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

So, be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel!

Stand in Awe of the LORD

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

“Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him” (Psalm 33:8 KJV).

Who stands in awe of God today? Very few. For the past 2,000 years, our world has grown very comfortable in its sins. After all, in this the Dispensation of Grace, God is not imputing the world’s trespasses unto it (2 Corinthians 5:19). God’s attitude toward the whole world today, saved and lost, is “grace and peace” (the expression with which Paul began every epistle). Alas, rather than gratefully accepting God’s grace, man has taken advantage of God’s grace.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 explains man’s overall attitude toward God in the Dispensation of Grace: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Today, scoffers mock God and blaspheme His name, with no immediate judgment. They ridicule His Word and persecute His saints. Operating under the false impression they have gotten away with it, they sin even more.

Look at how harshly God dealt with rebellious people in time past (Noah’s contemporaries, Sodom and Gomorrah, et cetera). Today, God does not pour out His wrath and judgment. The day is coming however, when God’s wrath will be executed. Our world is headed for the Tribulation, “the day of the vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 61:2; cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10).

We who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we have submitted to God’s authority. We saints humbly stand in awe of God, our Creator, our Saviour, and our Head, awed by His grace, love, and mercy. We respect His power and authority. But, most of the world, lost and headed for hell, hates God.

Nevertheless, the day is speedily approaching when, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10,11). In that day, ALL will be forced to kneel in awe of the LORD!

The LORD, He is the God

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

“And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God” (1 Kings 18:39 KJV).

Is the LORD of the Bible (JEHOVAH) one of many gods, or is He the only God? Today’s Scripture and its context definitively answer this question.

King Ahab and Queen Jezebel are some of the most notorious rulers in the Bible. Reigning over Israel (the northern kingdom) from approximately 874–853 B.C., Ahab and Jezebel introduced Baal worship among God’s people Israel, angering God and misleading the Jews (Baal was a pagan god of the neighboring Canaanites) (1 Kings 16:29-33). Jezebel also killed many of the LORD’S prophets, who were speaking out against her and Ahab’s wickedness (1 Kings 18:4,13).

Ahab and God’s prophet Elijah meet, and Elijah instructs Ahab to gather Baal’s 450 prophets and the 400 grove (pagan shrine) prophets and bring them to Mount Carmel (verses 17-20).

When Israel and Baal’s prophets are assembled at Carmel, Elijah tells Israel, “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him” (verse 21). In the succeeding verses, Elijah proposes a test to see who is God: if JEHOVAH rains down fire and consumes the animal sacrifice, He is God, but if Baal rains down fire and devours the sacrifice, then he is God (verses 23,24).

Baal’s prophets present an animal sacrifice and repeatedly call to Baal from morning to evening, but neither fire nor voice came from Baal, and the sacrifice remains untouched (verses 25-29).

Elijah then lays out an animal sacrifice, and calls on JEHOVAH: “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel… that this people may know that thou art the LORD God….” (verses 36,37). Immediately, fire rains down from heaven, consuming the wood, the water, the dust, and the burnt sacrifice. After Israel saw that, Israel knew that pagan idols were not God, and they responded with today’s Scripture, “The LORD [JEHOVAH], he is the God!”

Unknown by Face (For Now, Anyway)

Monday, March 12, 2012

“Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; and was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: but they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me” (Galatians 1:21-24 KJV).

Today’s Scripture says Jewish believers in Judaea (surrounding Jerusalem) merely heard of Paul’s conversion. They had not seen him in person. Nevertheless, these saints rejoiced because Paul, the very man who once murdered God’s people, was now God’s apostle of the Gentiles! Paul wrote “they glorified God in me.”

The Church the Body of Christ spans some 2,000 years. Its members, scattered worldwide, lived during various centuries, all having never met face-to-face (I have never met most of you in person). Paul never met the saints of Colossians 2:1… in this life, anyway. When the Body of Christ is complete, at the rapture, we will see—in person—our brethren, the Christians of the past 20 centuries (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Get excited!!!

Several weeks ago, I received an email from a young grace believer and college student who discovered our devotionals blog (he will be reading this too!). Yesterday, we were finally able to fellowship via telephone… spanning the 1,000-mile distance between us. We know not each other in person—we are both “unknown by face”—but we “glorified God in [each other].” We rejoiced in the Lord, how by His grace, we stood for the grace message (the Gospel of the Grace of God), the King James Bible, young earth creationism, and Pauline dispensationalism. How we were both encouraged by each other’s dedication to sound doctrine, even as our “higher education” systems consider us “outcasts.” Our fervor for upholding God’s Word rightly divided, even in the midst of persecution, encouraged him, and vice versa (1 Thessalonians 3:7,8).

Brethren, when we read or hear about other grace believers proclaiming and defending sound Bible doctrine (Gospel of Grace, King James Bible, Paul’s apostleship, et cetera), let us “glorify God in [them],” even if they are “unknown by face [for now, anyway]!”

The Wisdom Given to Our Beloved Brother Paul

Sunday, March 11, 2012

“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).

The Apostle Peter, in verses 3,4, references scoffers who ask, “Where is the promise of [Christ’s] coming?” Decades after the Lord Jesus had resurrected and ascended into heaven, James, Peter, and John spoke of His Second Coming as if it were just moments away (James 5:8,9; 1 Peter 4:7; 2 Peter 3:3; 1 John 2:18). They wrote 2,000 years ago, and Christ never came. Is Christ ever coming back?

In today’s Scripture, Peter admits that when he and the Apostles James and John met with the Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 15 (Galatians chapter 2) circa A.D. 50, Paul taught them something. To Paul alone God entrusted a body of truth that not even Peter fully understood (even at this late date of 2 Peter circa A.D. 68)—Peter and Paul preached separate messages (see Galatians 2:1-9). Peter acknowledged that Christ gave exclusively to Paul “the revelation of the mystery” (Romans 16:25,26; Ephesians 3:1-9). Furthermore, Peter verified Paul’s 13 epistles, Romans through Philemon, as “scripture.” Peter warned that people “wrest” (corrupt) Paul’s epistles as they do the other Bible books.

Why has Christ not come back, Peter? “The Lord is not slack [lazy, unreliable] concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God wants all people to be saved. He wants no one to suffer His wrath and judgment (the seven-year Tribulation) because His Son Jesus paid for our sins at Calvary’s cross!

Yes, Christ will be back, but God is postponing Israel’s prophetic program in order to extend this the Dispensation of Grace and give more people a chance to be saved before His wrath comes on earth.

Peter’s Sick Mother-in-Law

Saturday, March 10, 2012

“And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them” (Luke 4:38,39 KJV).

Today’s Scripture exposes religion’s modern-day heretics and charlatans. By simply reading the Bible, we realize the difference between what religion claims the Bible teaches and what the Bible actually teaches. “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130).

Notice what the Bible said in today’s Scripture. Firstly, the Apostle Peter—often (wrongly) assumed to the “first pope”—is not celibate as popes are. According to God’s Word, Peter was married, for Jesus went into Simon Peter’s house, where Peter’s “wife’s mother” is sick. Secondly, this healing miracle was instant, unlike the shams and scams we hear about and see in religious circles today. According to the Bible, God’s healing miracles were immediate. (Jesus never charged her for the healing either!)

Lest someone dismiss this as being supported by a “scanty” number of Bible verses, we find that Matthew and Mark both substantiate Luke’s account. Matthew 8:14,15 and Mark 1:29-31 both confirm that Peter did have a mother-in-law (therefore, a wife) and Jesus did heal her instantly. Mark 1:30 says, “immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.” Not only was she instantly well, but physically able to get up and serve them! Please notice that unlike the “miracle” scams on religious television today, this was immediate healing (she did not need a long recuperation period of days or weeks).

Interestingly, there is nothing in these passages about “she had enough faith,” which modern-day “faith healers” demand you have in order to receive physical healing. Furthermore, the passage never said she desired healing—it was something Jesus did in response to the apostles’ request (Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38). Unlike today’s “miraculous” shams, this was a genuine miracle, for many ill people came to Christ afterward, and they too were healed (Matthew 8:16; Mark 1:32-34; Luke 4:40).

Better is Little with the Fear of the LORD

Friday, March 9, 2012

“Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith” (Proverbs 15:16 KJV).

God’s Word uses the expression “better is little” twice, and both instances are found in the book of Proverbs. One is today’s Scripture; the other is Proverbs 16:8: “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.” Today’s materialistic world recommends: “Get all that you can in this life because you only live once.” While this appeals to our sinful flesh, it does not agree with God’s Word.

Wealthy people could not be saved during Christ’s earthly ministry because they preferred their wealth/“mammon” (Matthew 6:24; Matthew 13:22; Matthew 19:16-24; Mark 10:17-25; Luke 16:13; Luke 18:18-25). Thus, Jesus warned Israel (Mark 10:24): “Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!” These Jews would have to endure the horrible seven-year Tribulation and they would lose their material possessions therein (cf. Matthew 6:24-34). Consequently, Jesus instructed His followers, “Sell that ye have, and give alms” (Luke 12:31-33; Luke 18:22). God would then deliver them from the Tribulation and usher them into their kingdom of prosperity and peace.

Our Apostle Paul writes to us in our dispensation: “And having food and raiment [clothing] let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows…. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;” (1 Timothy 6:6-10,17).

Being rich is not a sin, but when gaining material wealth and possessions becomes your priority, that is sin. As a Christian, your priority should be Jesus Christ (and His Word). “Better is little” with “the fear of the LORD” (being a Christian) than owning “uncertain riches” without God.

Where is Thy Confidence?

Thursday, March 8, 2012

“Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint” (Proverbs 25:19 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is straightforward: having confidence in an unfaithful person is like depending on a broken tooth or an out-of-joint foot. None of them art reliable and trustworthy. Where is thy confidence regarding the following?

  • CONFIDENCE IN THE RIGHT GOD: Is thy confidence in the God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ, or art thou trusting in wooden and stone idols? Art thou confident in thy ability to perform, wrongly assuming that thou art thy “own god?” Idols of wood and stone canst do nothing for thou—they cannot hear, see, speak, or breathe (Psalm 135:15-18). Trust not in thyself either (2 Corinthians 1:9). The God of the Bible, He alone is the “living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9)—everyone and everything else shall fail thee. Is thy faith in Christ Jesus alone? I hope so. Trust in Jesus Christ alone—anything else is a broken tooth and an out-of-joint foot.
  • CONFIDENCE IN THE RIGHT BIBLE: Is thy confidence in the King James Bible, God’s perfectly preserved Word for us English-speaking people, a Book that thou canst trust completely? Or, doth thou use a modern English Bible, one that shall fail and disappoint thee because it hath contradictions, deletions, historical errors, and theological blunders? In 2 Thessalonians 2:2, these believers had faith in a false “bible,” one that troubled their minds and caused them great spiritual harm. The King James Bible alone is God’s Word in English—anything else is a broken tooth and an out-of-joint foot.
  • CONFIDENCE IN THE RIGHT GOSPEL: Hast thou complete confidence in Paul’s Gospel—how that Christ died for thy sins, He was buried, and He was raised again for thy justification (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)—as thy only way to salvation? False gospels, including other “gospels” in the Bible, cannot save thee from thy sins. Only the Gospel of the Grace of God can save thee in this the Dispensation of Grace—anything else is a broken tooth and an out-of-joint foot.