Divine Sugar Sticks for May 2000

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Wednesday, May 31, 2000

The Law of Supplement!

One truth flows out from another
As the root produces the tree
And the trunk the branches
And the branches the leaves, blossom, and fruit.

Christ’s atoning death is the fact of the Gospel, but flowing out of that fact is the living factor of our identification with Him, which causes the sinner to die to sin and self.

Rom 5 is the Gospel for the sinner for He is justified by the blood of Christ. Rom 5:9

But Romans 6 is the Gospel for the saint, for it proclaims we are baptized into His death. Rom 6:3-17

The death of Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice cuts off the old associations of sin and self and unites us to the vitality of Christ’s risen and vitalizing life.

Further examples may be found in the “alsos” of John 14 and John 17, the “much mores” of Romans 5, and the repeated, “Ye have heard,” “But I say unto you” of Christ’s sermon on the mount.

An Adverb of Time

Frequently the adverb of time, “then,” is used and gives the sequence of what follows.

The five “thens” of Isaiah 6 gives the subsequent steps in the prophet’s experience. The sight of the Lord’s holiness made him realize his sinfulness. “Then said I, woe unto me, for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

After that confession, “Then flew one of the seraphim and placed a coal upon the lips of the prophet and said, thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin atoned for.”

When he had been cleansed by his sin being answered for, then he heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” Having heard the voice, he could respond and say, “Then said I, here am I, send me.”

Following the answer to the call, he could speak to the Lord about the message he had to deliver. “Then said I, Lord how long?”

The adverb of time as found in Matt 24 and 25 in connection with our Lord’s return as the Son of man gives the steps and associations of His judicial action. And the “then” is found in relation to Christ’s temptation in the wilderness as showing the time and testing is of telling importance.

Matt 4:1, Matt 4:5, Matt 4:10, Matt 4:11. Then, then, then, then.

The Law of Full Mention

We have been told that the Bible does not give us a full revelation in any one section of any given Truth. But we find that it does!

A full revelation of love’s traits is made known in 17 particulars in 1 Cor 13:4-13

It endures for it “suffereth long”
It is benevolent in ministry for it is “kind”
Iit is unsuspicious for it “envieth not”
It is real for “it vaunteth not itself”
It is humble for “it is not puffed up”
It is thoughtful for “it doth not behave itself unseemly”
It is unselfish for “it seeketh not her own”
It is sweet tempered for “it is not provoked”
It is guileless for “it thinketh no evil”
It is holy for “it rejoiceth not in iniquity”
It is true “for it rejoiceth with Truth”
It is unbending for “it beareth all things”
It is faithful for “it believeth all things”
It is expectant for “it hopeth all things”
It is lasting for “it endureth all things”
It is unfailing for “it never faileth”
and it excels for “the greatest of all” of the graces is love.

Why? Because love is not a thing, but a Person. “God is love.”

Full Mention – Part Two

A full revelation of the characteristics of faith is found in Heb 11, where we are reminded of the nature of faith.

It makes the unseen real. The objective of faith and the basis of faith, the Word of God, and the God of the Word.

The activities of faith in the several persons mentioned and what they did. And the excellencies of faith and its rewards.

For faith honors God to His glory and God honors faith in its benefit and reward.

Full Mention – Part Three

In 2 Cor 8 and 9 there is unfolded the worth and wealth of Christian giving. Money, as such, is not mentioned, but it is described as

2 Cor 8
Verse 2, the riches of liberality
Verse 3, power
Verse 4, the gift and the fellowship
Verses 6, 7, this Grace
Verse 14, abundance

2 Cor 9
Verse 1, ministering
Verse 5, bounty
Verse 13, this ministration and liberal distribution

The Law of Exegesis!

”Exegesis” means the bringing out the meaning of the words employed. A true exposition of God’s Word is an exporter and not an importer, that is, He does not import His own thoughts into the Scripture, but seeks to know and bring out the mind of Christ.

The following is an apt illustration of true exegesis on sin as referred to in John’s first epistle.

1 John 1:7, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.” But it is literally “from every sin.”

The noun “sin” in the singular denotes the sinful principle, the old sin nature, while “sins” in the plural are its specific manifestations.

The verb “to sin.” There is as everyone who knows Greek is aware, a significant difference between the present tense on the one hand and the perfect or the aorist tense on the other.

The perfect tense denotes the pass commission of a sin or sins, at which it is written, 1 John 1:19, “If we say we have not sinned we make Him a liar.”

While the aorist tense refers to a definite act of sin, whether actual or prospective. Thus it is the aorist that is employed where we read, 1 John 2:1, “These things have I written unto you that ye sin not” and “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father.”

What of the present tense? Well, it means  to be sinning, to keep on sinning. And so it is written, 1John 3:6, “Whoso abideth in Him doth not keep on sinning. Whosoever keeps on sinning hath not seen Him.” Which is committing sin, or doing sin, making sin one’s business.

See how he interchanges these phrases? 1 John 3:8, “Whosoever is begotten of God, doeth not sin. Because His seed abideth in him. And he cannot keep on sinning  because he is begotten of God.”

Exegesis!

Elohim – the Hebrew Word for God

Elohim and its relatives:

Eloah, El, Elah, El Shaddai

Elohim – God in the unity of Divine personality and power

Eloah – in the exclusiveness of His Deity, as the Supreme Object of worship.

El – God in the expressiveness of His character and action

Elah – Chaldean form of Eloah

El Shaddai – God in the sufficiency of His Grace and government

Elohim occurs about 2,500 times

Eloah occurs 57 times

Elah occurs 90 times

El occurs 250 times

El Shaddai occurs  8 times, Shaddai  40 times.

Lord – The Greek Word is “KURIOS”

The first time the word “Lord” occurs in the New Testament is, Matt 1:20, “The Angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph about taking Mary, the mother of Jesus to wife.”

Under the circumstances we can quite understand the hesitancy of Joseph and in his quandary of thought, we have the principle that should govern our actions.

Namely, when we are uncertain about anything, we should seek the Lord’s will and act according to His instructions.

Tuesday, May 30, 2000

You Would be Surprised Who is Watching You

And I don’t mean Big Brother. I don’t mean creatures from outer space. But you would be surprised who is watching you and why. Oh, I know you are spiritual and you think I am thinking about the Lord. But I am not. Angels are constantly watching you and learning the Word of God from you.

I have found at least eight verses that say so.

1 Tim 5:21, “I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiality.”
Angels know when you favor one son over another.

When a person accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, the elect angels clap their hands in victory. Angels know when you accepted Christ as your personal Saviour.

Luke 15:7, “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that changes his mind more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no change of mind.”

Luke 15:10, “Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that changeth his mind.”

1 Cor 4:9, “For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.”
The word “spectacle” is literally a theatre or a stage.

1 Cor 11:10, “For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.”

1 Tim 1:12, “Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Spirit sent down from Heaven. Which things the angels desire to look into.”

This is an “Earth Bowl” and the angels are in opposite stands — elect on one side and fallen on the other — and each time a person accepts Christ as Saviour, the elect angels stand up and shout. Resolving the angelic conflict.

”Earth Bowl” not Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is where criminals become millionaires.

Angels are watching you. What is the Gospel according to you???

The Division of the Book of Genesis

Gen 2:4, the generations of the Heaven and the Earth.

Ten generations:
    5:1-6:8, the generations of Abel
    6:9-9:29, the generations of Noah
    10:10-11:9, the generations of the sons of Noah
    11:10-11:26, the generations of Shem
    11:27-25:11, the generations of Terah
    25:12, the generations of Ishmael
    25:13-25:18, the sons of Ishmael according to their generations
    25:19-35:29, the generations of Isaac
    37:1-37:1, the generations of Esau
    37:1-to the end of Genesis, the generations of Jacob.

Dull, boring, not interesting!

Notice the men of the flesh such as Ishmael and Esau and their descendants are summarized in 50 verses. While the men of faith and their seed such as Terah, Isaac, and Jacob cover no less than over 50 chapters. Now, I knew you knew that.

But from this we gather that those who are to play only a minor part in the drama of human history, while they are recognized, they and theirs are dismissed with a few statements of fact. While those who are in the Covenant of promise are prominent throughout.

One’s names are written in the Earth. The other’s names are written in Heaven. Now you know that I just wanted to refresh your memory.

 In this dull list of names …

We Have Seen the Ten Generations Listed in Genesis

Another thing of interest in the realm of the numbers is that there are three other references to prominent men in the Old Testament.

Exodus 6:16-19, the generations of the sons of Levi
Num 3:1, the generations of Aaron and Moses
Ruth 4:18, the generations of Pharez

This brings the generations up to 13, which is an imperfect number. We need one more to make a double perfection, i.e., 14.
Can we find one to complete it? Yes! The New Testament begins …  

Matt 1:1, “The book of the generations of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.”

Do You Know the 14 Titles of the Hyphenated Names of the Lord?

”Lord of lords and King of kings.”

Christ is the Substance of the Divine Provision

Christ is the Effulgence of God’s glory

Christ is the Express Image of His Person

Christ is the Revealer of His fullness. Heb 1:3

God has nothing to give apart from Him. And there is no more when He is given. Rom 8:32

As the diamond flashes forth its excellence in the gold ring of its setting, so is the ring this Scripture Christ’s glory is revealed.

The personal pronouns and His Names and His titles enshrine and illustrate ...  Ephesians chapter four.

The “Lord” is the strength of His support, verse 1

The “One Lord” is the supremacy of His glory, verse 5

The “Christ” in the Grace of His bestowment, verse 7

The “He saith” in the authority of His Word, verse 8

The “He ascended” of His acceptance, verse 8

The “He led” of His splendid triumph, verse 8

The “He descended” of His loving abasement, verse 9

The “He might fill” of wonderful accomplishments, verse 10

The “He gave” of His gracious endowments, verse 11

The “Christ” of the uniqueness of His mystical body, verse 12

The “Son of God” in the glory of His inspiring knowledge, verse 13

The  “Christ” in the fullness of His supply, verse 13

The “Head” in the compacting and controlling ministry, verse 15

Union With Christ, Eph 5:29-33

 Key sentence: verse 30, members of one body.

This union is:
    Loving in its care, verse 20, nourisheth
    Attentive in its regard, verse 20, cherisheth
    Vital in its action, verse 30, members
    Separating in its attraction, verse 31
    Mystical in its nature, verse 32

Responsibility to Christ, Eph 6:1-7, 9

Key verse ... “in the Lord” ... verse 1

Those who are subordinate as children and servants, recognize that they take the place subordinate to Christ, and do all for Him in obeying them.

Those who are over, as parents and masters, are responsible to the Father and Lord of all in acts toward the subordinates with consideration.

Reward from Christ, verse 8. Key sentence ... “Receive the Lord.”

Everything done for love’s sake for the Lord will bring recognition at the Judgment Seat in the glad day of the Lord’s return.

The Divine Panoply, Eph 6:10-20

The key sentence is  “the armour of God,” verse 11

There are “seven star words” which shine out in the sky of this section.

“Star words:”

The  BE STRONG of the Lord’s empowerment, verse 10
The TAKE of the Lord’s equipment, verses 13, 16, 17
The STAND of the soldier’s endurement, verses 11, 13
The SHOD of the feet’s protectment, verse 15
The ABOVE ALL of faith’s encasement, verse 16
The PRAYING of the Spirit’s environment, verse 18
The WATCHING of the patrol’s alertment, verse 18

The condition of soul that can commune with the Lord in order to understand and experience the Grace and Truth found in this mine of wealth is found in the last verse and in the sentence, “Grace be with you all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.”

When the soul of the believer is free from the corruption of sin and has in it the love of incorruption, then there is the obedience of faith and the love of sacrifice.

The Importance of a Small Word Like “Therefore” or “Wherefore”

We find again and again in the Bible in explaining the reason or ground of the Lord’s action, a “therefore” or a “wherefore.”

1. The “therefore” of the incarnation, Luke 1:15, “Therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” There is a good title for a Christmas message. The “therefore” of Christmas.

2. The “wherefore” of inspiration, Acts 13:35, “Wherefore He saith, Thou shalt not suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.”

3. The “therefore” of justification, Rom 4:22, “Therefore, it was imputed to Him for righteousness.”

4. The “wherefore” of ascension, Eph 4:8, “Wherefore He saith when He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”

5. The “wherefore” of exaltation, Phil 2:9, “Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him.”

6. The “wherefore” of intention, Heb 10:5, “Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He said a body Thou hast prepared Me.” Baby talk!

7. The “wherefore” of sanctification, Heb 13:12-13, “Wherefore Jesus also that He might sanctify the people with His own blood suffered without the gate.”

Wherefore. Therefore.

Monday, May 29, 2000 - Memorial Day

There are Seven Things “of God”

1. The Word of God – the basis of all authority. 1 John 2:14
2. The love of God – the secret of all godliness. 1 John 2:5, 4:9, 5:2
3. The will of God – the bliss of all Heaven’s glory. 1 John 2:17
4. The children of God – the relationship of all privilege. 1 John 3:1-2, 19, 5:2
5. The son of God – the center of all revelation. 1 John 3:8, 4:15, 5:5, 10, 12, 13, 20
6. Born of God – the involution of all life. 1 John 3:9
7. The Spirit of God – the power of all ability. 1 John 4:2

John’s Writings

 It is generally recognized that John’s writings are the latest. Supposing the Gospel was written about 85 or 90 A.D., the epistles in 90 A.D., and Revelation in 96 A.D. There is a sequence of thought and a world of suggestion in these dates.

The Gospel takes us back to the eternity of the past. The epistles lead us on to the life of the present. And Revelation unfolds to us the glory of the future.

The Gospel was written: John 20:31, “Was written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing in Him we might have life in His Name.”

The epistles were written: 1 John 1:4, “That we might have fellowship with the Father and with the Son, that our joy may be full.”
1 John 5:13, “And that we might know that we have eternal life.”

Revelation was written: Rev 1:19, that we might know what is going to happen in the hereafter.
And to show unto us, His servants, the things which “must shortly come to pass,” Rev 22:6.

Unity of Prophecy!

Jesus Christ is the key to prophecy. All Scripture centers in Him and is fulfilled in Him.

Among the many prophecies relating to Christ, let us look at the following:
To Adam was made known Christ’s miraculous birth. Being called not, “the seed of man” but “the Seed of the woman,” Gen 3:15.
To Abraham was revealed the nation with which He would be identified, Gen 12:3, Acts 3:25.
To Jacob it was made known that He would be of the tribe of Judah. Gen 49:10.
To David it was communicated that He would be of his family, 2 Sam 7:12-14.
To Daniel  was unfolded the time He would appear, Dan 9:25
To Micah was declared the town in which He would be born, Micah 5:2.
To Malachi it was stated that He would be preceded by a forerunner, Mal 3:1.
To Zechariah it was shown that Christ would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, Zech 11:22, and the way He would enter into Jerusalem, Zech 9:9.
To the psalmist was made known the manner of His death by crucifixion, Psa 22:16. That not a bone of Him should be broken, Psa 34:30, and that He would rise from the dead, Psa 16:10.
And to Isaiah was revealed God’s part in Christ’s death, Isa 53:10. And that He would be identified with transgressors and pray for them, Isa 53:12.

I think there may be a message in these prophecies ...

The Unity of the Books of the Bible!

 John’s Gospel is associated with Genesis by the corresponding expression, “in the beginning.”

Hebrews  is joined with Leviticus by the parallel Truths of worship based on the ground of atonement.

Romans is united with Exodus by the similar blessing of redemption by the blood of atonement by faith.

The pilgrim life of the believer emphasized in Peter is illuminated in Numbers.

The spiritual nature of the Law laid down in Christ’s teaching as recorded in Matthew finds it counterpart in Deuteronomy. And a further correspondence is seen in Christ’s quotation from the book in meeting Satan’s temptation.

The book of Joshua is connected with Ephesians, by the contrast between Israel’s earthly inheritance and the believer’s riches in heavenly things in Christ.

Daniel’s sealed book is explained by the book of Revelation.

And the apostasies recorded in the book of Judges are repeated in the second epistle of Peter and John and Jude.

The Oneness of Christ and God the Father

24 times in the “real” Lord’s prayer in John 17 this oneness is expressed — which is a study all in itself. “I and the Father are One.”

1. Oneness in purpose. Verse 1
2. Oneness in gift. Verse 2
3. Oneness in knowledge. Verses 3, 7
4. Oneness in work. Verse 4
5. Oneness in Deity and position. Verse 5
6. Oneness in manifestation. Verse 6
7. Oneness in mission. Verse 8
8. Oneness in possession. Verses 9, 10
9. Oneness in glorification. Verse 10
10. Oneness in keeping. Verses 6, 11, 12, 15
11. Oneness in Scripture. Verse 12
12. Oneness in joy. Verse 13
13. Oneness in being opposed. Verse 14
14. Oneness in separation. Verses 15, 16
15. Oneness in the Truth. Verse 17
16. Oneness in commission. Verse 18
17. Oneness in aim. Verse 19
18. Oneness in outlook. Verse 20
19. Oneness in end. Verse 21
20. Oneness in glory. Verse 22
21. Oneness in love. Verse 23
22. Oneness in place. Verse 24
23. Oneness in fellowship. Verse 25
24. Oneness in intimacy. Verse 26

Now, here are some principles to appropriate.

The Bible

The fact of Christ’s death for our sins is said to be “according to the Scriptures,” 1 Cor 15:3, 4.
This “according to” is full of suggestive meaning. The preposition is “KATA” and the accusative case suggests one object bending over another to meet its need. Even as a nursing mother bends towards her baby to feed it.

The Holy Spirit again and again in referring to the death of Jesus Christ emphasizes that His death was the fulfillment of Scripture. Luke 24:27, 32, 45; John 13:8, 17:12, 19:21, 28, 36, 37; Acts 8:32, 33.

Remove the atonement from the Bible and we have a casket without a treasure,  a body without a soul, a tree without a root, a check book without a balance in the bank, and a Gospel without its message.

God!

There are seven great facts about the acts of God relative to Christ’s death, each of which are mentioned in the book of Romans.

1. The first fact is that God hath set Christ forth to be the propitiation for our sins, and that by means of His blood. Rom 3:25
2. God’s love is commended to us because Christ has died for us. Rom 5:8
3. God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Rom 8:3
4. God condemns sin in the person of His Son on the Cross. Rom 8:3
5. God did not spare His Son when dealing with sin. Rom 8:32
6. God delivered Christ up for us when He gave Him over to death. Rom 8:32
7. The death and resurrection of Christ is God’s answer to every charge that might be brought against us. Rom 8:32, 36

Therefore, at the Cross, God is seen at His best in giving His Son for the worst. And in all that Christ did, God was acting, therefore in that death there is all the value of what He is in Himself.

God cannot die, but He who died for us is God.

Man!

At Calvary man is seen at His worst. We are told, “Where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound,” Rom 5:20.

This super-abounding of sin and Grace is not a general statement, but a specific and formal one. Wicked hands nailed the Christ to the Cross, Acts 2. It does not say “sinful hands,” but “wicked hands” which means rebellious hands, defiled hands, and shows man in the climax and concentration of his guilt.

The believer in Christ in the tripartite nature of his being is made up of spirit, soul, and body. Man is identified with Christ, and Christ is identified with him in that He suffered in spirit and soul and body:

His body was pierced for “He was wounded for our transgressions,” Isa 53:5.
His soul was poured out for “He is the good Shepherd who laid down His life, His soul, for the sheep,” John 10:11.
And, He suffered in the Spirit for in anticipation of His death His Spirit is said to be troubled on more than one occasion. John 12:27, 13:21.

Christ!

Christ’s goal was His death. His star of destiny was His death at Calvary.

His death was no accident. On many occasions Christ in His teaching referred to His death on the Cross. If the Gospel of John alone is read with this thought in mind, it will be found that Christ directly and indirectly was indicating the nature and the necessity of His death.

There loomed before Him the momentous hour when He would pass through the suffering for human guilt. Till the hour was come, He could not die! But, when He arrived, He gave Himself up to the answer for sin, John 17:1.

There is one special occasion when Christ indicated the nature of His death. In John 10 we find He stated that the good Shepherd would lay down or give His life for His sheep. John 10:11, John 10:15, John 10:17, John 10:18.

And it is the Gospel of John that we read of Christ’s triumphant cry when He, in His sixth utterance on the Cross exclaimed, John 19:30, “It is finished,” in the past with a result that lasts for ever. But He uttered only one word, “TETALESTAI,” which means  completed, finished. How much was completed in that death!

If He had stopped one step short of the Cross, His mission would have been a failure. For the Holy Spirit had declared that the climax of Christ’s ministry, as well as its nature, was, Heb 9:28, “That He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”

Salvation!

The three-fold cord of salvation finds its fiber in the Cross. We are saved from condemnation through faith in Him who gave Himself for us. Therefore, we are said to be saved from wrath through Christ. Rom 5:9

Believers are being saved from the control of sin as the vitality of the risen life of Christ pulsates within them and overcomes the law of sin and death. Therefore, Rom 5:10, “Much more being reconciled to God by the death of His Son, we shall be saved by His life.”

And, believers will be saved from the body of sin and death when Christ comes back again. Therefore, 1 Thes 5:9, 10, “God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain the
salvation by the means of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us that whether we watch or sleep we shall live together with Him.”

And all the people said, I believe it, “Amen.”

The Church! The Body of Christ! The Bride of Christ!

The Church always finds her basis in the Rock, the smitten Rock. And it is her business to remember she has been purchased by Christ, as Paul reminded the elders at Ephesus when he charged them to tend the flock which the Lord “had redeemed with His own blood.”

This is proclaimed in the Lord’s Supper and in the believer’s baptism. It is also the Church’s business to proclaim the evangel of the Lord’s passion.

Now, a few believers grow weakened and exhausted by sporadic efforts to assist in countless good causes. They forget in their breathless activity that Christ has not set His
Church on Earth primarily to do things. But to bear witness that He has done everything and that the burden of humanity lies upon the Rock of Ages. “Upon this Rock I will build My Church,” the Rock of Ages.

If you are interested in witnessing, I have through the years found a very easy and light way of witnessing for the Lord. I have been using a Free Ticket to Heaven. If you are interested, I would be glad to send them to you. They are very effective.

Angels!

The objective fact of Christ’s sufferings is always the object of the study of good angels. As the cherubim is made out of the same piece of gold which constituted the Mercy Seat, he is represented as gazing upon the blood upon it. Exodus 25:18-22

So, we read of the angels who desired to look into those things that related to Christ’s sufferings and glory. 1 Pet 1:12

Wicked angels are found too in connection with Christ’s death. The prince of the angels has been overthrown in his authority and power by means of the death of Christ. Heb 2:14

In the great battle which shall take place between Satan and his angels, before Christ sets up His Millennial Kingdom, and those whom he sought to overcome are able to overcome him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death. Rev 12:11

The Last Things!

The word of the last things, the book of Revelation, reveals Christ in a peculiar and unique character, namely, as a little Lamb. The word alone is found in the book of Revelation. For it is literally “a little lambkin,” and not a full-grown lamb, as in four other places where He is mentioned as the Lamb of God.

28 times in the book of Revelation Christ is seen as the little Lamb. As the Lamb, He is worshipped by all Heaven’s host.
As a Lamb, He makes His enemies to feel His power and indignation. For they are made to know “the wrath of the Lamb.”

And, in the Golden Age, after the Millennium, Christ with His Bride is seen coming forth in His glory and the glory is glorious in the heavenly city because the light of it is the light of the glory of the Lamb.

”Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Once a Lamb, always a Lamb.

”They will look upon Him whom they have pierced.”

The Meat Offering

I know this is a very popular subject, but anyhow …

8 times in Lev 2 we have the expression “unto the Lord.” Verses 1, 2, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16

Once we have the sentence, “the salt of the covenant of thy God.”  Verse 13

And twice the words, “the offerings of the Lord made by fire.” Verses 3, 10

In all Christ was said and did, he ever was, “Unto the Lord.”

He walked in His Father’s ways, John 16:28
He willed His Father’s will. John 5:30
He spoke His Father’s Word. John 14:24
He did His Father’s work. John 17:4
He rejoiced in His Father’s love. John 10:17, 15:9
He sought His Father’s aid. John 11:41
He aimed at His Father’s glory. John 8:49

The salt of the covenant of Thy God, is indicative of God on His part, keeping to His covenant promise to Christ, John 17:24

And on Christ’s part, indicative of His faithful service seasoned with the salt of Grace, in perfectly fulfilling our obligation to God and tasting death in so doing. Heb 2:9

To this day among the most diverse people, salt is the recognized symbol of incorruption and unchangeable perpetuity.

Among the Arabs of today, for example, when a compact or covenant is made between different parties, it is the custom that each eat of salt, which is passed along on the blade of a sword by which act they regard themselves as bound to be true, each to the other, even at the peril of life.

In like manner in India and other eastern countries, the usual formula for perfidity and breach of faith is literally, unfaithfulness to the salt. And a man will say, “Have I not eaten of your salt?”

”Ye are the salt of the Earth.” You have made a covenant with the Lord. Don’t throw it over your shoulder for good luck.

Lord! 

The Greek word for “Lord” is “KURIOS.” Eight times in John 20 Jesus Christ is called “KURIOS,” Lord.

John was the first to recognize on the shore and so he said, “It is the Lord.”

Peter reverenced the Lord when he “saw it was the Lord” and covered up his nakedness.

The disciples “knowing that it was the Lord” did not need to put the inquiry, who are Thou?

Peter responded twice to the Lord when he said, “Yes, Lord,” and further remarked to Him, “Lord, Thou knowest all things.”

Reference is made to the question of John when he asked the Lord at the table, “Lord, who is it that betrayeth Thee?”

And lastly, Peter’s inquiry as to what John was to do, is recorded in his, “Lord, and what shall this man do?”

Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is KURIOS. Jesus Christ is Deity.

The Doctrine of the Bible

One of the earliest of the epistles, if not the earliest, is Paul’s letter to the Church in Thessalonica. It is generally agreed that this epistle was written A.D. 54–56. We are sometimes told that these earlier epistles do not give us the larger view that the later ones do. But is that so?

We will find in these letters the ten great Truths of the Bible. The doctrine of God, the doctrine of the Bible, the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of man, the doctrine of sin, the doctrine of salvation, the doctrine of the Church, the
doctrine of angels, and the last things.

Now, do you remember reading all that in these epistles? I know you do.

The doctrine of the Bible:
1 Thes 1:5, “Our Gospel came not in Word only.”
1 Thes 1:6, “Received the Word.”
1 Thes 1:8, “The Word of the Lord.”
1 Thes 2:4, 8, 9, “The Gospel of God,” “The Gospel.”
1 Thes 2:13, “The Word of God.”
1 Thes 3:2, “The Gospel of Christ.”
1 Thes 4:15, “The Word of the Lord.”

Sunday, May 28, 2000

Miracles

The Scripture says that John the baptist never performed a miracle. Miracles do not save you. The lame may walk, but they are still walking according to the course of this world.

Miracles were designed to draw attention to the hearing of the Word. There is a perfect illustration of this in John 6.

Two miracles and four messages — John 6
A. First miracle – the feeding of the 5000, John 6:1-15
B. Second miracle – walking on water, John 6:16-21
C. Four messages, John 6:22-71
    1. First message –John 6:2-40
    2. Second message – John 6:41-51
    3. Third message – John 6:52-59
    4. Fourth message – John 6:60-71

It is better to walk into Heaven lame than to jump into hell with both feet.

Four Days From the Divine Diary, John 1:15-51

A. Religion’s ire aroused, John 1:15-18
B. First day, John 1:19-28
C. Second day, John 1:29-34
D. Third day, John 1:35-42
E. Fourth day, John 1:43-51

Wine, Money and a Three-Day Building Program, John Chapter Two

Grace is the Greek word “CHARIS” and it occurs 12 times in Ephesians.

Accepted in the Beloved, Eph 1:6

To be accepted of the Lord means to be well-pleasing to Him. The Greek word is “EUARESTOS,” which is a compound word. “EU” means that which is well and is translated “well done” in Matt 25:21, 23, ”good” in Mark 14:7 and “well” in Eph 6:3. ”ARESTOS” signifies that which is fit, agreeable, pleasing. It is rendered “pleasing” in 1 John 3:22.

The compound word “EUARESTOS” is rendered “well-pleasing” in Phil 4:18, Col 3:20, and Heb 13:21. It is “acceptable” in Rom 12:1-2 and Eph 5:10, ”please well” in Titus 2:9 and “accepted” in 2 Cor 5:9.

The more correct rendering of each of these verses  would be “well-pleasing.” Therefore, to be accepted in the Beloved and well-pleasing to the Lord are different.

Righteousness is Used in Seven Different Ways in Romans

The primary meaning is to be right, and the context suggests the sense in which it is to be understood.

1. Personally. What God is or His acts consistent with His nature, therefore that which is right. Rom 3:5, 9, 25

2. Righteousness of the law, or what God demands from man. Rom 10:5, Rom 10:9, 25

3. Righteousness displayed in the Gospel, God’s Grace consistent with His character. Rom 1:17, 3:22-26, 3:17, 21, 8:10

4. The righteousness of God personified in Christ. He is all that God wishes and fulfilled all that He required. Rom 10:3, 4

5. The righteousness of faith. What God puts to our account when we believe in Christ. We are made the righteousness of God in Christ. Rom 4:3-22, 9:30, 10:6, 10

6. The righteousness of the spirit and what He produces in the life of the believer. Rom 14:17

7. The righteousness of the believer or the produced outcome of union with Christ. Rom 6:13, 16, 18, 19, 20

”He made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him,” 2 Cor 5:21

Your Next Trip

Do you realize all the planning you need to take a trip?
    Pack your bags.
    Make airline reservations.
    Be on time.
    Walk through a metal detector.
    Hope the plane arrives on time.
    Hope you have nice weather.
    Hope you get to the place of your destination safe and sound.
    Anxious about all the terrorists.

How about this next trip?
    Your reservations are already made for you.
    And your plane and pilot are safe and sound and sure.
    And you don’t have to pack your bags.
    There are new clothes waiting for you when you arrive.

1 Pet 2:4, “An inheritance reserved for you in Heaven.”
And the pilot ...
1 Thes 4:11, “The Lord Himself shall descend for us and those who remain will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.”

Destination: Heaven.

He will be on time and you will be on time and there will be no need to pack your bags. You will wear white linen. I guess it will be summer time all the time.

Believe

Faith is a self-abasing Grace and is a God-reliant one. It detaches itself from earthly supports and attaches itself to God by resting in Him.

Faith has God for its Object, the Word of God for its warrant, prayer as its outlook, obedience as its expression, love as its accomplishment, the Spirit as its life, and Christ as its Lord.

1. The first time the word “believed” occurs is in Gen 15:6 where we read “Abram believed in the Lord and He counted it to him for righteousness.”

The Hebrew word means to build up or support, and therefore it is used of a nursing mother carrying her child on her hip, as the mother does in the East. The word is rendered “nursed” in Isa 60:4. How beautiful is the picture of Abram’s faith — as a child rests upon its mother’s hip, with the parent’s arm around it, and it is thus supported. So, Abram resting in God’s Word had the Lord’s protecting arm to keep Him.

Believe — Part Two

The key verse on believing is

Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ signifies to believe on Him as Jesus, and thus to be saved. To believe on Him as Christ, and thus be sanctified, set apart. And to believe on Him as Lord and thus be swayed by Him.

This is not one act merely, but a life’s attitude.

This is implied in the preposition “on” which is the word “EPI,” and as it means with the accusative case, signifies direction towards. And thus motion is implied. It denotes pressing upon as when one is letting one’s self go in order to trust absolutely in the object of its faith.

Believe — Part Three

The book in the Bible where believing God is emphasized is John. The word “PLEROO” occurs 99 times. It is once rendered “commit” in John 2:24.

The whole subject focuses around seven pivotal points.
1. The object of faith. “Believe on Him whom He hath sent,” John 6:69
2. The warrant of faith. “They believed the Scriptures,” John 2:22
3. The call to faith. “All men through Him might believe,” John 1:7
4. The chapter in which a full revelation of what believing in God means is John chapter three, where we have Christ’s own teaching about it. John 3:32
5. The word in the New Testament which corresponds to the one in the Old Testament is the one we have been considering. For there is implied not only confidence in God’s Word, but also commitment to the Lord Himself. Gal 2:7, 1 Thes 2:4
6. The derived word “PISTEUO” is derived from “PISTIS” and this comes from the primary verb “PEITHO,” which means “to convince by argument true or false.”
The word is rendered “agree” in Acts 5:40, “assure” in 1John 3:19, “believe” in Acts 17:4, “have confidence” in 2 Thes 3:4, “persuaded” in Rom 8:38, “trust” in Phil 2:24, and “yield” in Acts 23:21.

7. The practical outcome of faith in the Lord is evident when we read the many applications and associations of believing in Him.

Believing in Christ expresses itself in appreciation of Him. 4:41, 42
Satisfaction with Him, 6:35 
Confession to Him, 11:36-38
Manifestation of Him, 14:12
Acknowledgment of Him, 20:8
Walking with Him, 12:46 and
Blessing from Him, 20:31

Saturday, May 27, 2000

What We Were and What We Are! From the Book of Ephesians

What we were, what we are. Our past and our present. That is, if you are a believer in Christ, If not, your past is your present.

”For by Grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Instructed by Christ, Eph 4:17-21

Key verse, “Ye have not so learned Christ,” verse 6

Instructed by Christ:
    About the life of the walk, verse 17
    About the old man of past, habit, verse 22
    About the new man and holy living, verse 24
    About the mastery of the wayward tongue, verses 25, 26
    About the obtrusiveness of the devil, verse 27
    About the commendableness of honest labor, verse 28
    About the hopefulness of helping others, verse 29
    About the sensitiveness of the Holy Spirit, verse 30
    About the blight and bitterness of unholy temper, verse 30

Illumination in Christ, Eph 4:3-20

Key verse, “Now light in the Lord,” verse 8

Out of darkness of sin, verses 3-8
Into the relationship of light, verse 8
Swayed by the Spirit of light, verses 9, 18
Acting to the God of light, verse 10
Keeping from what is not light, verses 11-13
Walking as children of light, verses 11, 15
Worshiping in the light, verses 19, 20
Submission to Christ, verses 21-28
Evidence of being Spirit filled, verse 21
Evidence of being under Christ’s authority, verse 24

The Law of Emphasis!

The word “to abide” will illustrate:

The command of Christ to abide in Him is fruitful. And is one of the things He emphasizes. Let us see how the following questions are answered.

First, what does the word “abide” (MENO) mean? The word means “to be in the same place all the time.” It is used to where a person dwells, as when the disciples asked Christ in John 1:38, “Where dwellest Thou?”

It is used for a person tarrying in a place as when the Samaritans “besought” Christ to “tarry with them,” John 4:20.
It represents something that lasts. Here, the Lord exhorts us to labor for the meat which “endureth unto everlasting life,” John 6:27.
And Christ also used the word when He speaks of “the sin which remaineth,” John 9:41.
The continued presence of one person with another finds its explanation when Christ says, “These things have I spoken being yet present with you,” John 14:25.
The word is used when a ship is stuck fast on the rocks as when the vessel in which Paul was being conveyed to Rome. ”Stuck fast and remained unmovable,” Acts 27:41.
The word is translated “might stand” in speaking of the “fixed purpose of God,” Rom 9:11.
Christ states that those “who continue in the Word are His disciples indeed,” John 8:31.

The word is translated “dwellest, tarry,  endureth, remaineth, present, might stand, and continue.” The Greek word “MENO.” The word is interpreted in the way in which it is used.

How Did Christ Use the Word MENO?

The word MENO is mentioned by Christ in John 15, 12 times. And it is translated, “abide,” “continue,” and “remain.”

1. Command to abide. Verse 4, “Abide in Me,” This is a call to obedience.

2. Christ’s abiding in us depending on our abiding in Him. Verse 4, the order of our obedience secures the omnipotence of His presence.

3. Necessity of abiding. Verse 4, the branch is useless and helpless in itself. Ezek 25:1-6, its fruitfulness depends upon being united to the Vine. So, union and communion with Christ are essential for fruitfulness.

4. Result of abiding. Verse 5, the “much fruit” of His dying. 12:24 finds its counterpart in the “much fruit” of His living in us by our abiding in Him.

5. Consequence of not abiding. Verse 6, want of fruit proves we are professors and partakers. There may be a fruitless vine, but there cannot be a fruitless Christ. Our union with Him proves itself by fruit from Him. Hosea 14:8.

6. Blessing of abiding. Verse 7, as we answer to the Lord in our obedience, He answers to our prayers with His blessing.

7. Sphere of abiding. Verse 9, “Continue in My love.” As we live in the element of God’s love, we inbreathe His affection to our comfort and we outbreathe to others help.

8. “How to abide.” 10 “If ye keep My commandments ye shall abide in My love.” The royal road of God’s benediction is the loyal road of our faithfulness.

9. Fellowship of abiding. Verse 10, Christ does not ask us to do anything He has done to God for us, and which He promises to do in us to God’s glory.

10.  Joy of abiding. Verse 11, “The things of the world pass away, but the joy of the Lord comes to stay.”

11. Reward of abiding. Verse 16, abiding in the Son, we as abiding sons find the abiding fruit. For He not only gives the fruit of union, Verse 4 and the “much fruit” of His disciples, Verse 2 and the “much fruit” of His indwelling and abiding life to God’s glory. Verses 5, 8, but the “fruit that remains,” Verse 10, which puts us in the place of prevailing prayer.

Abide, abiding. MENO.  Christ’s teaching of the Word.

Friday, May 26, 2000

Divine Formula!

Grace always precedes peace.
You can’t have peace apart from Grace.
By “peace” we mean inner peace, not the stopping of wars. Peace with God, which is salvation, which comes from Grace, Eph 2:8-9.
And the peace of God, which is the Christian way of life. Gal 5:22-23.

When it comes to national peace, peace from military victory, the formula is that you can’t have peace apart from righteousness. Righteousness always precedes peace and the illustration is the Second Advent of Christ.

We always try to have peace. “Peace, peace and there is no peace.” We need righteous wars. When the Righteous One comes back, we have peace on Earth, i.e., the Millennium.

1 Pet 1:2, “Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
A Divine formula.

The Double Action of the Lungs of the Soul!

As we have lungs that breathe in and breathe out air, so we find that we have “lungs” of the soul that also breathe in and breathe out.
We find that there is a double aspect of every Christian Truth. And the great example is the First and Second Coming of Christ.
Every blessing that comes to us through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has a double meaning.

Here is that which God gives to us in His objective Grace. There is the result of that Grace in a subjective sense, operating in our souls and in our life.

I have found just briefly 12 such illustrations. I won’t bore you.

Here is one:
”Two-fold meetness.” God the Father, in His love and Grace, Col 1:12, “made us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.”

And we are responsible to see that we are, 2 Tim 2:21, “Vessels meet for the Master’s use in being sanctified and prepared unto every good work.”

”Two-fold meetings”
”Two-fold acceptance”

God in His Grace has made us:
Eph 1:6, “Acceptable in the Beloved.” And because of this we are to make it an aim and ambition, 2 Cor 5:9, “that it is well-pleasing to Him.”

”Two-fold justification.”
We are justified before God without works. Rom 3:26, 28. But, we justify our faith by our works, James 2:14-26.

Does this whet your appetite for more??

To the depth of studying the Bible there is no end.

Double Action of the Soul — Part Two

The Two-Fold Work of Grace

The Grace of God saves us from what we deserve as sinners. But it also teaches us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly , righteously, and godly.

Titus 2:11-12, “The Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly, righteously and godly.”

The Grace of God saves and the Grace of God teaches — teaches the Christian way of life. This is the School of Grace. Grace School.

Double Action of the Soul — Part Three

Two-Fold Deliverance

God has delivered us from the power of darkness, Col 1:13, that we should be delivered from this present and evil world. Gal 1:4.

Two-fold forgiveness.
God in His wondrous love, graciously forgives us of our sin, Eph 1:7
And that is to be the incentive to forgive one another even as He has forgiven us, Eph 4:32.

Two-fold rest.
Christ promises the rest of salvation to those who come to Him. And thus they find rest of conscience from their sins.

But there is also a deeper rest, the rest of soul from anxiety. We take the yoke of God’s will upon us and keep in that yoke with our Lord, Matt 11:28-29.

“In Christ” — This is the Emphasis in the Book of Ephesians. “In Him, in Him, in Him.”

We know who the “Him” is, but what about Him?

The centralization is in “The Christ.” Not in the national blessings of Israel. Not in the doom of the world. Not in the many-headed monster of mystified 21st century development, but in Christ.

Verse 1, In the Christ of Deity, Lord.
Verse 7, In the Christ of Calvary, His blood.
Verse 5, in the Christ of Sonship, by Jesus Christ.
Verse 3, in the Christ of the heavenly places.
Verse 10, in the Christ of God’s purpose.
Verse 13, in the Christ of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 14, in the Christ of the coming glory.

Also, blessing is in Him and in no one else.

The centralized are spoken of as:
Verse 1, “saints,” as to their standing – set apart unto God for all eternity.
Verse 1, “faithful,” as to their service.
Verse 3, “blessed,” as to enrichment.
Verse 5, “children,” as to relationship.
Verse 6, “accepted” as to their position in Him.
Verse 7, “redeemed,” as to their liberty.
Verse 13, “sealed,” as to possession.

Thursday, May 25, 2000

The Personal Pronouns That the Lord Uses

Christ speaks of the Holy Spirit as another Comforter, a distinct Individuality apart from Himself.

The personal pronouns of John 14 and John 16 are these:
    The personal Helping. “He will abide with you.”
    The personal Friend known. “Ye know Him.”
    The personal Companion indwelling. “He dwelleth in you.”
    The personal Teacher instructing. “He shall teach you all things.”
    The personal Witness testifying. “He shall testify of Me.”
    The personal Ambassador coming. “I will send Him unto you.”
    The personal Comforter arriving. “When He is come.”
    The personal Reprover convicting. “He will reprove, convict.”
    The personal Title proclaiming. “When He, the Spirit of Truth.”
    The personal Guide directing. “He will guide you.”
    The personal Voice declaring. “He shall not speak of Himself.”
    The personal Ear attending. “He shall hear.”
    The personal Tongue rehearsing. “That He shall speak.”
    The personal Revealer unfolding. “He will show you.”
    The personal Glorifier enhancing. “He shall glorify Me.”
    The personal Receiver initiating. “He shall receive of Mine.”

The third Person of the Trinity. Another Comforter — another of the same kind of Comforter.

There Are 13 Greek Prepositions Connected with God the Holy Spirit

For example:

”PROS” is mentioned twice in connection with God the Holy Spirit in the accusative case. And it signifies the coming of one person to another, as Nicodemus when he came to Christ. John 3:2

Christ said of the Spirit, John 16:7, “The Comforter will not come “unto” PROS, you, I will send Him.”

”Unto you” is “PROS.” The word “PROS” means “face-to-face” with you. Intimate.

Christ promised the Comforter to carry on His work while He was away. “PROS” is used in a great sense when we find that, when we are absent from the body, we are present “PROS” face-to-face with the Lord. It’s the same preposition.

The Law of Gravitation!

This law is a power which causes objects to draw to a center, like the law of gravitation, which causes the falling apple to fall on the ground.

The bride in the Song of Solomon prays to her beloved. S.O.S. 1:4, “Draw me and we will run after thee.” The drawn one draws others. 

Notice the “me” and the “we” of the early disciples when the authorities let them go. It is said, Acts 4:23, “They went to their own company.” When Peter was let out of prison, he went immediately to the company who were, Acts 12:12, “gathered together praying.”

One of the first things that Saul of Tarsus did after his conversion, Acts 9:26, “He assayed to join himself to the disciples.”

The very names of believers demonstrate how they gravitate the one to the other — brethren, disciples, branches, members, saints, sheep, and children.

”If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.”

Let gravity have its sway.

The Law of Geological Intent

To study the strata of the Earth and to understand its formation is always of captivating interest. And to study the Words of Scripture and to get to know the soul of their meaning is of paramount importance.

What a world of clinging meaning is made known in Psa 63:8, “Followeth hard,” when the psalmist exclaims, “My soul followeth hard after Thee,” literally “my soul is glued to Thee.”

There is the thought of not only following, hard but so close that nothing can come in between.

The same words are used of the scales of the sea monster Levithan of which it is said in Job 41:15-17, “His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near another that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another. They stick together that they cannot be sundered.”

When the soul is so joined to the Lord, no blighting air of the world can contaminate and nothing of self or sin can come between.

Cleaving unto the Lord.

Greek Grace Gems!

The words “exceedingly, abundantly, above” are worthy of careful analysis. The word “abundantly” means “beyond measure and overmuch” in Mark 6:5 and 2 Cor 2:7. ”Exceeding” means “what is beyond measure and beyond measure.” And “above” means “what is beyond what is beyond measure. And what is beyond what is beyond measure.”

That is not all for this passage. It is an elliptical one. That is, there is something wanting yet.

So God is able to do what is beyond measure.
And what is beyond what is beyond what is beyond measure.
And what is beyond what is beyond and what is beyond measure.

Yet, what is beyond what is beyond and what is beyond what is beyond of beyond measure? That is the literal translation.

 We also must not forget “the two accordings.” What He can do for us is according to what we allow Him to do in us.

If we allow Him to work unhindered in us, He can work unlimited for us.

Wednesday, May 24, 2000

When Saul Became Paul

Religion kills. Christianity makes alive.

Christ’s Superiority! Col 1:15-19

Superior to all. “The image of the invisible God.”
Superior in order. “Firstborn before all creation.”
Superior in creation. “In Him were all things created.”
Superior in power. “In Him all things consist.”
Superior in position. “Head of the body.”
Superior in resurrection. “First begotten from the dead.”
Superior in place. “Pre-eminent.”
Superior in possessions — “All things” dwell in Him.

There is no subject as glorious as Christ. No theme so affecting to us.

Divine Source!

If we take one book of the Bible, the book of Acts, we find “the Word” is referred to
35 times as “the Word of God.”
8 times as “the Word of the Lord.”
1 time as “Thy Word.”

”The Word” is dynamic in its operation. Notice what it says about His Word in the book of Hebrews (verses 1:3, 2:2, 4:12, 6:5, 11:3, 13:7).

There lies in the dynamics of God’s Word all the latent possibilities of the life of the Almighty …  “The Word of God is alive and powerful.”

Definite in its Claims.

The book of Thessalonians illustrates the claims of the Word.
”The Word” in its authority. 1:8, 4:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:1
”The Word of God” in its power. 2:13

The Word claims the faith of our obedience and the loyalty of our love and the desire of our hope.
”I have magnified My Word above My Name.”
”Man cannot live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
”Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against Thee.”

The Word of God is Distinct in its Prophesy

The book of Revelation illustrates what is found in many other places.
    Christ is the key, Rev 19:13.
    To keep it is our responsibility, Rev 1:9, 3:8, 10, 6:9, 20:4
    To bear record of it is our privilege, Rev 1:2

The Word of God is Distinguishing in its Message

The many qualifying words of the Word of God indicate a manifold message.

It is a Word of life to quicken. Phil 2:16, “Holding forth the Word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

The Word of faith to beget faith. Rom 10:8, “But what saith it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;”

The Word of reconciliation to assure. 2 Cor 5:19, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation.”

The Word of God to slay. Eph 6:17, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:”

The Word of Christ to indwell. Col 3:16, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with Grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

The Word of the Lord to reveal. 1 Thess 4:15, “For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.”

The Word of faithfulness to keep. Titus 1:9, “Holding fast the faithful Word as He hath been taught, that He may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”

The Word of righteousness to adjust. Heb 5:13, “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the Word of righteousness: for he is a babe.”

The Word of incorruption to endure. 1 Pet 1:23, 25, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you.”

And, the engrafted Word to fructify. James 1:21, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.”

The Word of God is Dedicating in its Influence

When we call to mind what the Lord says He will do by means of His Word, we can see how beneficial and practical it is in its in-working and out-working. Christ taught:

To Whom a Scripture is Written!

The book of Titus may be divided into seven sections.

1. Personal salutation, 1:1-4
2. Personal supervision, 1:5-9
3. Personal subjugation, 1:10-16
4. Practical shepherding, 2:1-10
5. Precious supplies, 2:11-3:1-9
6. Perverted sinners, 3:10-11
7. Partners serving, 3:12-15

Give God What’s Right, Not What’s “Left”

Are you wrinkled with burdens? Come to church for a “faith lift.”
A lot of kneeling with keep you in “good standing.”
Don’t put a question mark where God puts a “period.”
A family altar can “alter a family.”
We don’t change the message. “The message changes us.”
In prayer don’t give God instructions. “Just report for duty.”
Exposure to “The Son” will prevent burning.
Many people want to serve God only in an advisory capacity.
Grace is difficult to give away because it is always coming back.
Forbidden fruit creates many “jams.”
Be fishers of men. You catch them and God will clean them.
God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.
If God is your co-pilot, swap seats.
To be almost saved is to be totally lost.

The Word of God and the Word of God!

There was once an artist who made a wonderful shield and worked his own name so cleverly into it that it could not be removed without destroying the shield. The Bible is like that shield.

Christ is so identified with it that the one cannot be taken away without destroying the other. The Living Word and the Written Word are so identical, the One with the Other that they cannot be separated.

As we cannot have music without notes, eggs without shells, kernels without husks, diamond ring, without the ring, tree without life, body without soul, light of moon without sun. Neither can we have the Christ apart from the Bible.

This is true if we will call to mind one fact, namely that which is applied to Christ is designated of the Bible.

His Name is called the Word of God. Rev 19:13, “And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His Name is called The Word of God.”
Pressed upon Him to hear the Word of God. Luke 5:1, “And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon Him to hear the Word of God, He stood by the lake of Gennesaret.”

I will be unto you as a wall of fire. Zech 2:5, “For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.”
My Word is like a fire. Jer 23:29, “Is not My Word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

His Name shall be called Wonderful. Isa 9:6, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Thy Testimonies are wonderful. Psa 119:129, “Thy Testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.”

Worship Him that liveth for ever. Rev 4:10, “The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne,”
The Word of God liveth for ever. 1 Pet 1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

My beloved is chiefest among ten thousand. SOS 5:10, “My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.”
The Law of Thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver. Psa 119:72.

A bone of Him shall not be broken. John 19:36, “For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall not be broken.”
The Scripture cannot be broken. John 10:25, “25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in My Father's Name, they bear witness of Me.”

Christ taught the Truth and He is the Truth.

The Description of Believers in Eph 1:1-13

”Saints,” verse 1, as to their standing.
”Faithful,” verse 1, as to their service.
”Blessed,” verse 3, as to their enrichment.
”Children,” verse 5, as to their relationship.
”Accepted,” verse 6, as to their position.
”Redeemed,” verse 7, as to their liberty.
”Sealed,” verse 13, as to their possession.

The Divine Power, Eph 1:15 - Eph 2, Omnipotence

The Divine power is demonstrated in two ways:

Christ’s resurrection, 1:18-20, there are three “whats” of meaningful importance which the Holy Spirit’s illumination enables us to see.

What is the hope of His calling.
What is the riches of His the glory of His inheritance.
What is the greatness of His power.
The hope of His calling is what we will have when the Lord has accomplished all of His purposes.
The riches of His inheritance is what the Lord has in His people.
The greatness of His power is what He demonstrated in Christ’s resurrection on our behalf. And what He can do for us and in us.

The sweep and the substance of that power is apprehended as we ponder these seven words.
”Power, greatness, exceeding, mighty, working, wrought, power”

The first word “power” signifies power as an inherent quality. The second word “power” is the manifestation of power in action.
Power is latent in the inactive dynamite. But its power is patent when it explodes and rends the massive rock.

The Power of God in Eph 1:19-20

Greatness, exceeding, power, mighty, working, wrought.

Greatness: The word only occurs here. But it is derived from a word which signifies magnitude, and magnificence, and so we read of
The Great God. The Great High Priest.  The Great Shepherd.

Exceeding: This is a compound word and one part means “that which is over and above something else.” The other part meaning “to throw.” And therefore, the word means “to go beyond a given point.”

Power: The second word. Denotes the manifestation of power, as when we read, “He showed strength with His arm.”

Mighty: Expresses inherent power, we speak of a statesman being, wise and a soldier as being valiant, and a powerful person as being strong. Personal force and ability is meant.

Working and wrought: These words come from one and the same source. They denote right and might, with the added thought of efficiency.

The Divine power which raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same which operates in the believer’s salvation. No other power can meet the case.

”Kept by the power of God unto salvation.”

Hope!

It is a shame that the word “hope” has been destroyed by the English language, where it means, “I hope I get a raise,” or “I hope she likes me,” etc. But thank God the Bible is not written in English.

The word “hope” in the Greek language is like this: “ELPIS,” which means a joyful anticipation of something that is absolutely sure to happen in the future. It is used three ways in Scripture, so you can get the idea.

1. A living hope receiving a resurrection body.
1 Pet 1:21, “Who by Him do believe in God that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory, that your faith and hope may be in God.”

2. The blessed hope, i.e., the Rapture of the Church.
Titus 2:13, “Looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

3. The purifying hope, in the Christian way of life.
1 John 3:3, “And every man that has this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure.”

I hope you have a hope!

The Biblical Order of the First Resurrection!

Christ’s Easter, the Church Age believers’ Easter, the believers in the age of Israels' Easter, and the Millennial Age believers’ Easter.

1. Christ the firstfruit. 
1 Cor 15:20-23, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the Firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.”

2. Believers in the Church Age. 
1 Thes 4:16-18, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

3. Believers in the age of Israel plus the Tribulation. 
Dan 12:2, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Isa 26:19, “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”

4. Millennial believers. 
Isa 65:20, “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.”

A Description of Our Inheritance!

1 Pet 1:4, “To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you.”

Characteristics of our inheritance:
1. Incorruptible — Not destroyed by death.
2. Undefiled — Not destroyed by the old sin nature.
3. Unfading — No sin we commit can destroy it.
4. Reserved — Not destroyed by time.

It is waiting there for you when you get there.

Tuesday, May 23, 2000

Saviour!

Luke 2:11, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a ‘Saviour’ which is Christ the Lord.”

The Greek word for Saviour is “SOTER.”"

At least eight of the emperors carried the title “saviour of the world.” They were hailed as the saviours of the people. For the most part the Roman world was well  governed and policed. Roman law was administered in equity. The Roman roads caused travel and commerce to flourish, and the Roman peace made living conditions bearable and in some instances pleasant. Thus the emperors were the “world saviours.”

Now comes Christianity with its imperialistic announcement: A Saviour, Christ the Lord. One who would save them from their sins which they loved and from which they did not want to be separated. What motive would they have in transferring their allegiance from a world saviour who gave them comfort of life and at the same time allowed them to go on in their sins?

And yet for the first 300 years of church history, tons of thousands willingly embraced this new Saviour and went to a horrible death. Why?

John 4:42, “We have heard Him ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”

Grace Greek Gem!

 The Biblical Law of Enclosure

So many of God’s thoughts enclose a world of meaning in the contents of their significance. Christ is called the Word and this title occurs four times in John chapter 1 verse 1 and 14.

The word rendered “Word” is LOGOS, and signifies the thought of God expressed in action. We must remember that its significance covers the whole of Christ’s personality —His life, His work, and His message.

Christ as the Word proclaims:
    1. The glory of His personality, John 1:14
    2. The glory of His miracles, John 2:11
    3. The glory of His love, John 3:16
    4. The glory of His life, John 4:24
    5. The glory of His revelation, John 5:39
    6. The glory of His supply, John 6:38
    7. The glory of His death and resurrection, John 19:30, 20:19-31

A Grace Greek Gem, LOGOS, and a Divine Outline.

The Biblical Law of Recompence

We should not give to get. But we get in giving.

This is one of the fundamental principles which Christ enunciates. The following Scriptural incidents illustrate this principle:

Isaac gave the jewels to Rebekah and Rebekah gave herself to Isaac. Gen 24:22, 58

Ruth clave to Naomi in her affliction, and Naomi clave to Ruth in her service. Ruth 1:18 and 4:16

David received the men in the hold when they were in distress, and David was helped by those when he was distressed. 1 Sam 22:2, 1 Chr 11:15-19

Abigail ministered to David in his need, and David honored her in her widowhood. 1 Sam 25:18-27, 39

The widow of Zarephath gave out of her penury to Elijah and Elijah was the means of bringing her the Lord’s plenty. 1 Kings 17:12-16

The Shulamite woman entertained Elisha in his comfort and the prophet obtained a child for her to her consolation. 2 Kings 4:8-17

The lad gave five cakes and the ten fishes to the Lord and was rewarded by seeing 12 baskets full of broken and unhandled pieces after the multitude was fed. John 6:9-13

And the greatest example of all is He who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. And who obtains by His love and loving ministry in return. Matt 20:28, 2 Cor 12:15

The Biblical Law of “According to”

 A Greek preposition “KATA” — which means according to the Divine norms and standards.

This is the Lrd giving us a standard by which we estimate His Grace and authority. It frequently appears in the book of Ephesians.

Taking “according to” as it applies to the believer, we find seven standards.
    1. Standard of authority. “According to the Scriptures.” 1 Cor 15:3-4
    2. Standard of salvation. “According to God’s mercy,” Titus 3:5
    3. Standard of blessing. “According to the riches of God’s Grace,” Eph 1:7
    4. Standard of power. “According to God’s power in Christ’s resurrection,” Eph 1:19
    5. Standard of giving. “According to the riches of His glory,” Eph 3:16
    6. Standard of effectiveness. “According to the effectual working of His power,” Eph 3:20
    7. Standard of supply. “According to God’s riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” Phil 4:19

”According to,” KATA — a Divine norm and standard.

The Law of Order

We have often been told that we should put first things first. Some things are first in the order of time, others are first in the place of importance.

Paul says in speaking of the soul of the Gospel, 1 Cor 15:3-4, “I declared unto you first of all how that Christ died and rose again according to the Scriptures.”

Peter in speaking of the characteristics of the last days, 2 Pet 3:3-4, “Knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of His coming.”

These are first in importance.

Christ uses the word “first” twice in the Sermon on the Mount. In both of these instances the reference is to the first thing in the order of time.

Matt 5:23-24, “When one brings his gift to the altar and remembers his brother has something against him, he is to leave his gift and first go to be reconciled to his brother.”

Matt 6:33, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things shall be added unto you.”

When the things of life are contemplated, they are to be subordinated to the kingdom of God.

Doctrine over details.

First things first.

The Law of Repetition

Did you know that Christ repeated Himself? Eight times in the prophecy of Amos. In connection with eight people we have this sentence.

”For three transgressions and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof,” Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13, 2:1, 4, 6.
Then follows a reason why God dealt in punishment with the several parties which are associated with the eight times God uses the word “because.”

In the book of Matthew, Christ uses this personal sentence. “Verily, verily, I say unto you.” 30 times! You can count them. But trust me, it is 30 times. Which means His Word settles everything.

In the book of Isaiah, the hand of the Lord is frequently said to be “stretched out still” eight times. ”For all this His anger is not turned away but His hand is stretched out still.”

Sin calls for judgment and the judgment is not abated until the purpose is accomplished.

The Biblical Law of Sequence

Sequence speaks of that which follows as a consequence. Psa 27 is a beautiful illustration of this law. The word “Lord” occurs no less than 13 times in this Psalm. “Jehovah” meaning the unchanging One, who will cause things to be.

The thought of sequence or what follows is recognizing the Lord as the faithful One and it is seen several times.

First, we have faith’s avowal and then faith’s blessing. “The Lord is my Light and my Salvation.” And the sequence is, “Whom shall I fear?”

”The Lord is the strength of my life.” And the sequence, “Of whom shall I be afraid?”

”I may dwell in the house of the Lord.” And the sequence, “In the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion.”

”When my father and my mother forsake me.” The sequence is “The Lord will take me up.”

This has been a true experience in my life.

If the psalmist had not seen the goodness of the Lord, he would have fainted. But the sequence of seeing that goodness was he did not faint.

To “wait on the Lord,” is to find the sequence of good courage and to have the soul strengthened.

The law of sequence.

The Law of Exegesis (Not the Law of Exit Jesus)

”Exegesis” means the bringing out the meaning of the words employed. A true expositor of God’s Word is an exporter and not an importer, in that is he does not import his own thought into the Scripture, but seeks to know and bring out the mind of Christ.

Illustration

1 John 1:7, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from” not “all” but “every sin.”

The noun, “sin,” in the singular denotes the sinful principle, the evil thing called “sin,” while “sins” in the plural are its specific manifestations.

As regards to the verb “to sin,” there is, as everyone who knows Greek is aware, a significant difference between the present tense on the one hand and the perfect tense on the other.

The perfect tense denotes the past commission of a sin, or sins, as when it is written.

1 John 1:10, “If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar.” 

While the aorist tense refers to a definite act of sin whether actual or prospective, this is the aorist that is employed in 1 John 2:1, “These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father.”

The present tense means “to be sinning, to keep on sinning.”

1 John 3:6, “Whosoever abideth in Him doth not keep on sinning, and whosoever keepeth on sinning hath not seen Him.”

Exegesis.

The Soul Winner’s Adornment

1 Pet 3:1, “Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the Word, they also without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives.”

We have a case of Christian women of the first century seeking to win their unsaved husbands to the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. These husbands are of the non-persuadable type. They will not listen to the Word.

”Obey not” comes from a Greek word which means non-persuadable.
”If,” represents a fulfilled condition. If and it is true.

There were such men in those days as they are in our day. The Christian wife is exhorted to be in subjection to her husband in order that he might, without a word, be won by the behavior of the wife. The word “conversation” is behavior.

”Be won without a word.” Not “without the Word of God.” There is no definite article before the second use of the word “word.”

No one has ever been won to the Lord Jesus Christ apart from the Word of God.

Since the husband is so obstinate as to refuse to listen to his wife, well the next best thing for her is to keep quiet and let the Gospel speak through her life. He may refuse to listen to her words, but he cannot but see the Lord Jesus Christ in her life. Her adornment must come from within, from a soul pervaded with the beauty and the fragrance of Christ.

Thus, it is the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the life of the soul winner which the Holy Spirit uses to attract unbelievers to Christ, not the adornment that one puts on.

This is the principle that Peter brings before us in verses 3 and 4.

1 Cor 9:26, “I therefore so run not as uncertainty, so fight I not as one that beateth the air.”

The word “fight” is from a Greek word which means to fight with the fists. He speaks of the Greek boxer who beats the air, that is, practices without an adversary. We say today “shadow boxing.”

Paul says that he is not like the Greek boxer in that respect. In his conflict with evil, he strikes straight and does not spare.

Verse 27, “But I keep under” are from a word which means “to strike under the eye.” This is literally “to give him a black eye.”

When we think of the Greek boxer wearing a pair of fur-lined gloves covered with rawhide which was loaded with lead and iron. We can imagine the punishment to which the recipient of the blows was subjected.

Monday, May 22, 2000

Charity!

1 Cor 15:4, “Charity suffereth long and is kind. Charity envieth not. Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.”

The word “charity” is the Greek word AGAPE, which is love. This is the filling of the Holy Spirit. Gal 5:22, “The fruit of the Spirit is love.” This is “the love of God which shed abroad in our minds by means of the Holy Spirit,” Rom 5:5.

Love vs. envy. Love envieth not.

1. Love is disinterested goodness. Envy is unmingled selfishness.
2. Love is the brotherhood of the soul. Envy is as malicious as it is selfish.
3. Love is a meek and a quiet spirit. Envy is as outrageous as it is malicious.
4. Love is ready unto every good work. Envy is mischievous.
5. Love is free from deceit. Envy is hypocritical.
6. Love is fraught with Divine peace and contentment. Envy is miserable.

For envy they killed Christ.

Victory Through Jesus Christ

1 Cor 15:57, “But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1. A great duty. Thankfulness is a great duty. “In all things give thanks.” But more especially for what pertains to our eternal interest.

2. A great gift. Is our victory over sin, over sorrow, over death.

3. A great medium. Through the Lord Jesus Christ. It was His work that rendered our victory possible. It was accomplished:
    A. By His life.
    B. By His work.
    C. By His death.

4. A great giver, God. “Thanks be to God.” The highest Object in the universe. The Source of all power and glory and honour. He does not require our thanks, but He will accept them.

A great duty. A great gift. A great medium. A great Giver.

Thankfulness, victory, Jesus Christ, and God our Father.

Christian Steadfastness

 1 Cor 16:13-14, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.” i.e., love (AGAPE).

1. This is addressed to new believers, to restored backsliders, and to all Christians generally.

2. The necessity for Christian steadfastness.
    A. Many foes to contend against.
    B. Much difficult service to perform.
    C. Only the steadfast know true happiness and peace.
    D. Lack of steadfastness is dishonoring to the Lord.

3. Its means.
    A. Prayer.
    B. Watchfulness.
    C. Use of every possible means of Grace.
    D. Faithful, open profession of allegiance with Christ.

4. Its end.
    A. A place on Christ’s own throne. Rev 3:21
    B. A crown of life. Rev 2:10
    C. A call to the service of Heaven.

Sainthood

2 Cor 1:1, “With all the saints which are in all of Achaia.”

1. To the constitution of a true saint there is

    A. Separation.
        1. Separation unto God for all eternity, eternal security
        2. Separation unto God in time, in fellowship
        3. Separation unto God in eternity, ultimate separation.

B. A dedication of ourselves to the service of the Lord.
C. An inward qualification. We are all saints at the point of salvation.
D. A new conversation. A Christian carries himself even like to Him that “hath called him out of darkness into marvelous light.”

You don’t have to reach sainthood. You are a saint at the point of salvation.

Notice, there were saints in Corinth, which had the worst of all Christians. Notice there were saints in Caesar’s house, not a popular place to find a saint.

A saint is one of the names for a Christian along with believer and brethren.

Faith: The Mainspring of Action

2 Cor 4:13, “We, having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I have believed and therefore have I spoken. We also believe and therefore speak.”

1. First, a man must have faith before he can hope to speak successfully.
2. That in proportion to our faith will be the energy of our speech.
3. When a man believes, he is bound to speak.

We cannot but speak what we hear and see. ”Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

A Favorite Verse of Mine

2 Cor 5:21, “He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

The heart and soul of the Gospel.

Four questions:
1. Who was made sin for us?
2. What was done with Him who knew no sin?
3. Who did it?
4. What happens to us in consequence?

Jesus Christ
Was made sin
God the Father
We become the righteousness of God in Him.

 Imputed righteousness gives qualification for eternal life.

Dedication to God

2 Cor 8:5, “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God.”

1. What is implied in our giving ourselves to the Lord?
    A. He has a natural and unalienable right to us as the Author of our existence.
    B. We had sold ourselves to sin, and the world had too much reason to claim us for its own.

2. How are we to give ourselves to the Lord?
    A. With humility and reverence.
    B. Deliberately, with the prudence and caution of those who know what they are doing.
    C. Cheerfully, not by constraint, but willingly.

3. Why this should be our first and principal concern? Because
    A. God has the first and indisputable claim to us.
    B. It may otherwise never be done.
    C. All other things will then succeed much better.

”Gave their ownself unto the Lord.” He wants you, not yours. “The Lord has need of thee.”

Gal 1:1, “Paul, an apostle not of men neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead.”

The Divinity of the Gospel
1. Its ministers are Divinely commissioned.
2. Its blessings are Divinely secured.
3. Its end is the Divine glory.

From Grace to glory …

A Pastor’s Alternative

Gal 1:10, “For do I now persuade men or God? Or, do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of God.”

1. To please men by:
    A. Watering down the doctrines of the Gospel until they mean whatever hearers like to make them.
    B. Toning down the precepts of the Gospel until they are undistinguishable from the maxims of worldly policy.
    C. Introducing secular expediency to attract audiences over whom an attenuated Gospel has lost its power.
    D. Sinking the stern preacher of righteousness in the bland mover about in society.

2. To serve Christ by:
    A. The proclamation of unalterable truth.
    B. The insistence of, and personal conformity to a high moral standard.
    C. The disdain of mere clap trap and popular arts.
    D. The imitation of the self denying example of the Lord.

The one may please men but the other will save them.

The pastor’s alternative.

Zealots

Gal 4:17, “They zealously affect you, but not well. Yea they would exclude you that you might affect them.”

1. Zeal’s objects — good things
    A. Acts of worship.
    B. Acts of secular calling.
    C. Acts of righteousness.
    D. Acts of love and mercy.

2. Its nature
    A. Forward and cheerful.
    B. Resolute in spite of discouragement.
    C. Diligent and earnest.
    D. Constant.

3. Its place in Christianity.
    A. It is a note of God’s people.
    B. It is the fruit of Christ’s death.
        1. By way of obligation
        2. Because Christ has purchased for us the spirit of power.

4. Application.
    A. How earnest men are in sin. Shall Satan be served better than God?
    B. Consider how zealous you once were.
    C. We cannot afford to be lukewarm.
        1. Time is short.
        2. The enemy is earnest.
    D. The object deserves the warmest zeal.
    E. Coldness is dangerous to ourselves and others.
    F. Christian comfort depends on zeal.
    G. The want of zeal is odious to God, dishonorable.

”When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, they knew that they had been with the Lord.”

The Fruit of the Spirit

Gal 5:22-23, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self control, against such there is no law.”

1. We have here the inspired definition of Christianity.
    A. A great many men have religion who have no Christianity.
        1. They are devout, but they are inspired by fear.
        2. Orthodox, being learned in theology.
        3. Moral, being controlled by the Law.
    B. Christianity is a life of liberty, spirituality, and joyous love.

2. This representation of Christianity is eminently fitted for the young, who are repelled by many representations.

3. The inspiration of the ministry is the practical experience of the Spirit, and the development of His fruits.

4. The fruit of the Spirit is the antidote to infidelity.
    A. Men may question the doctrines  of Christianity.
    B. They cannot deny its practical effect.

The Spiritual Harvest

Gal 6:7-8, “Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. He that soweth to his flesh shall reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

1. That every man in his earthly condition is to be regarded as a sower.
2. That the kind of seed sown depends on every man’s choice.
3. That the sower at length becomes the reaper.
4. That the character of the harvest will exactly correspond with the kind of seed.

”Every seed after its kind.”

An Exalted Christian

Eph 1:20, “Which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and sat Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places.”

1. The same power which raised Christ, raises us.

2. God leads His dearest children to the depth of misery before He sends relief.
    A. This He does to glorify His power, which does not so brightly appear until things are desperate.
    B. That we may learn the better to put our trust in Him when reduced to extremities.
    C. That He may the more endear His benefits to us. He lets us struggle on long without them.

3. God always sends salvation to His people in due time.
    There is a double salvation.
    A. A staving off of evil, so that He cannot come near us or touch us.
    B. Keeping us, so that it shall not hold us, much less prevail over us.

4. Glory correspondent to humiliation.

We Are Family

Eph 3:15, “Of which the whole family in Heaven and Earth is named.”

Part of our family is in Heaven and part of our family is here on Earth.

The unity of the family.

1. The whole family in Heaven and Earth are knit in one, because they have but one everlasting Father.
2. The whole family in Heaven and Earth is knit together also in love and compassion of one common mother, the Church.
3. The whole family in Heaven and Earth are still more knit in one in that they have one common Spirit.
4. The whole family in Heaven and Earth are bound together still further, and if possible, even more endearingly in that they have one elder Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. They have one family likeness, “The beauty of the Lord their God is upon them.”
6. They have one common affection, the love which is in Christ Jesus constrains them to love one another.
7. The have one eternal home.

Believers, saints, brethren, family.

Ask, Seek, Knock ... Ask, Seek, Knock.  No matter how you look at it.

This is the attitude that God responds to: Ask, Seek, and Knock.

How does He respond? Well:
”Ask and you shall receive.”
”Seek and you will find.”
”Knock and it shall be opened unto you.”

”You have not because you ask not.” And “You ask and you ask amiss …  upon your own lusts.”

”Search the Scriptures for in them you will find Me and eternal life.”

Up and down and from side to side. Ask, seek, knock.

One of the Most Misunderstood Passages in the Bible is Due to a Faulty Translation

Heb 11:3, “Through faith we understand that the ‘worlds’ were framed by the Word of God.”

This passage is constantly being understood and taught as a reference to the material universe, to creation, and to that great phrase:
Gen 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

But that is a glaring error. The word used for “worlds” is not the word for “worlds,” which would be COSMOS. But it is another word and the word is AION, which refers to “ages.”

This word refers to a time element not a material structure. It does not refer to the cosmos materially, but to the passing of time, the passing of the ages.

The translator made the same mistake in the beginning of this letter. Heb 1:2, “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son whom He appointed Heir of all things, and by Whom He also made the ‘worlds.’” The word there again is the word for “ages,” AION.

So, the translation is like this, “By faith we understand that the ages were framed by the Word of God.”

Heb 1:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

The Greek word “substance” had a technical meaning in the business world of the first century. It referred to one’s property of effects. It was used in such expressions as, ”Out of this, estate, I declare that my husband owes me.” Or, “More land than I actually possess.”

A woman by the name of Dionysis described as a women of set jaw and determination, sent a note to the judge, which has been uncovered after many years. And it says, “In order that the lord, the judge, may know that my appeal to him is just, I attach my 
’HYPOSTASIS’.” That same word is translated in Heb 11:1 as “substance,” like a title deed.

Many Greek words have been uncovered upon various materials stone, metal, wax tablets. Or, on scribbling found on walls and inscriptions in bronze and lead or gold tablets. A great number have been found on papyrus or pieces of pottery.

So, we can get a good understanding of how these Greek words were used.

Saturday, May 20, 2000

Saturday day is usually when believers emphasize the material more than they do the spiritual. So I will try to shock you into spiritual awareness.

Heaven and hell are alike! Don’t shoot yet till you hear me out.

We know that in Heaven there is no pain, no tears, no sickness, no sorrow. And there sure is in hell. But those are the differences. What is similar about Heaven and Hell?

There is no death in either. You live forever somewhere and you decide where you want to move, too.

I just wanted to say as a part of God’s gracious provision, today is my birthday and the Lord has keep me alive through different types of circumstances and privations and I find at this point in my life I have been able, through His matchless Grace, to have studied and taught the Word of God now for the past 40 years — an illustration of what the Lord can do with a dedicated nobody.

”He chooses the weak things of the Earth, the despised things of the Earth to manifest His power and Grace.” “He lifts the beggar out of the dunghill.”

Trust the Lord and keep trusting the Lord and don’t let a day go by when you don’t take in His matchless Word.

2 Pet 3:18, “Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

1. Grace in its strict sense is the free favor of God to the unworthy.
2. We may overlook too much the importance of Christian growth.
3. Having life by union with our Saviour, we grow in Grace by using the means of Grace.
4. That we may grow in Grace we need to use the means of Grace in their due proportion.
5. He who grows in Grace can expect suffering.
6. Growth demands earnestness.
7. Growth demands exercise.

The Presence of God to the Believers in Christ

Hab 2:20.
1. The Lord is in His Holy Temple to receive the adoration of His people and to hear their prayers.
2. The Lord is in His Holy Temple that He may manifest Himself to His worshipping people in the way of gracious communication.
3. The Lord is in His Holy Temple for the purpose of bringing each wandering sinner to Himself.

The Desire of All Nations. Haggai 2:7

1. Desire as referring to the expectation of the whole human race.
2. Desire as referring to the wants of the whole human race.
3. Desire as referring to the happiness of the whole human race.

Friday, May 19, 2000

Why Didn’t Christians Call Each Other Christians?

It was a term of derision and scorn from the outsiders the people in Antioch where the believers were first called Christians. But what did they call themselves? Disciples, which means “taught ones.” But that name soon faded after the book of Acts. Why?  Simply because we need more than a teacher. Ask Nicodemus.

What then did Christians call themselves?

Col 1:2, “To the saints. And faithful, brethren in Christ.”

Saints - set apart to God for all eternity, a relationship.
Faithful, believers, full of faith.
Brethren, brothers in Christ.

The Church hasn’t grown much in all that when we find ourselves today being called and calling each other Christians, when it is a name given to us by the outsider and a scorn. It speaks nothing of salvation or our relationship with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jonah and the Grace and Mercy of God!

Jonah 4:2, “And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country, therefore I fled before unto Tarshish; for I knew that Thou art a gracious God. And merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest Thee of the evil.”

1. As delineated by Jonah, Jonah “knew” God to be a gracious and merciful God. He knew it.
    A. From the description which God Himself had given of His own character.
    B. From the marvelous display which had been made of it, throughout the whole of His dealings with His people in all ages.

But the chief object here is to open up the Grace and mercy of God here.

2. As illustrated in this history before us. In view of this,
    A. In the preservation of Jonah himself.
    B. In the sparing of the whole city of Nineveh.
    C. In the enduring with inconceivable forbearance the expostulation and remonstrance of this faithless man.

So we see in this history.
    A. What monuments of Grace and mercy we are.
    B. What encouragements we have to be restored back to God.

”And the Word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time.” The second time!

The Vital Graces! 1 Thes 1:3-4, “Faith, love, hope” PISTIS, AGAPE, ELPIS

1. An active faith.
2. A laborious love.
3. A patient hope.

Thankfulness!

Col 3:15, “And let the peace of God rule in your minds. To the which also ye are called in one body; and be thankful.”

1. Things to be thankful for:

A. Providential Grace.
    1. Your food
    2. Your clothing.
    3. Your health.
    4. Your learning.
    5. Your reason.
    6. Your parents, your friends, and homes.
    7. Deliverance from danger.

B. The means of Grace:
    1. Your Bible.
    2. Your prayers.
    3. Sunday worship.
    4. Christian companionships.
    5. Christian literature.

C. Christ and your salvation.

A. In words, Thank you, God
    1. At your meals.
    2. In your prayers.
    3. In your praises.

B. In deed.
    1. By the giving of money.
    2. Your time.
    3. Yourselves.

C. The sin of unthankfulness. It is rebuked with the vilest of all sins.

The Sending Forth of the Word of God

1 Thes 1:8, “For from you sounded out the Word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward Godward is spread abroad so that we need not to speak any thing.”

1. It was the Word of the Lord that was spread.
2. They who receive the Word of God are to spread it abroad.
3. How are we to spread it abroad?  Internet????!!!

Christian Comfort!

1 Thes 4:18, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

1. Christians are often in circumstances to need comfort.
    A. In time of persecution, 2 Tim 3:12
    B. In the season of affliction, Job 5:7
    C. In the prospect of death.

2. The words of Scripture are peculiarly calculated to give comfort. Verses 13-17
    A. Resurrection.
    B. A triumph with Christ.
    C. Rest in eternity.

3. The comfort should be mutually administered.

”We are comforted in order to comfort, with the comfort by which we have been comforted.”

Christian Combat! You’re in the Army Now!

Tim 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

1. The fight is on. You are in combat.
    A. It is a defensive fight. Eph 6:12
    B. It is an aggressive fight. 2 Cor 10:4-5

2. It is a good fight.
    A. Our cause is good. Jude 1:3
    B. Our weapons are good. Eph 6:17-18, Acts 6:4

3. It is a fight of faith.
    A. The source of our faith. Rom 10:16-17 and Luke 18:8
    B. The shield of faith. Eph 6:16

”You’re in the Army now, you’re not behind a plough, you’ll never get rich from digging a ditch. You’re in the Army now.”

God Cares!

1 Pet 5:7, “Casting all your care upon Him for He careth for you.”

God’s care.
    1. Its objects.
    2. Its nature.
        A. Cordial and tender.
        B. Active and efficacious.
        C. Patient and unwearied.
        D. Permanent and lasting.
    3. Its evidence.
        A. The relationship He acknowledges.
        B. His own testimony and promises.
        C. Our own experience.
        D. The undertaking for our salvation.
    4. Its inferences.
        A. The wonderful nature of our God,
        B. The duty and obligation which devolve upon us, to love Him in return.
        C. The acknowledgement.

We not only cast our cares on Him because He cares for us, but there is an an enemy, a roaring lion.

Thursday, May 18, 2000

Triads of Transgression, Psalm 1:1

1. Three classes of transgressors.
    A. Ungodly, generally those who are: ignorant of God, deny or defy God.
    B. Sinners, the restless missing their way.
    C. Scorners, mockers, pests, imposters. Psa 26:4-9

2. Three inducements to transgress. Resist them!
    A. Counsel. Flattering and deceptive, Satan in Eden and the wilderness.
    B. Way. Broad and attractive, Matt 7:13-14.
    C. Seat. Boisterous and popular, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent them not.”

3. Three degrees of transgression. Avoid them. Avoid the fast crowd.
    A. Walking, initiatory.
    B. Standing, secondary.
    C. Sitting, grand lodge degree in iniquity.

Prov 4:14-18, “The way of transgressors is hard.”
2 Cor 6:17, “Wherefore come out from among them.”

The Happy Man, Psalm 1:1

The Supremely Excellent Name! Psalm 8

1. The inscription. Verse 1a
2. The ascription. Verses 1b, 2
3. The comparison. Verses 3, 4
4. The compensation. Verses 5-8

The Testimony of God’s Word and Works, Psalm 19:1-11

1. Nature’s testimony to the existence of God. Verse 1-6
2. The revelation of God in Scripture. Verses 7-11

7-11 not a bad number. It will win every time!

Secret Sins! Psalm 19:12b

1. What folly! It is not secret. It is known. God knows.

2. The misery of secret sins.
    A. Those who commit them are in constant danger of discovery. Also conscience.

3. Its solemn guilt. A secret sin is the worst sin, despicable, etc.

4. The danger of secret sin.
    A. It will grow into a public one. When you begin to sin, you continue i.e., chain sinning. Adding one sin to another.

5. Confess them. Judge them. Acknowledge them.

The Life of Faith! Psalm 23

2. Faith’s experience.
    A. Rest, satisfaction, verse 2
    B. Restoration, verse 3
    C. Plenty, protection, verse 5

3. Faith’s prospect.
    A. Companionship in the shadowed valley, verse 4
    B. Celestial attendants all the days of life, verse 6

God’s Mundane Property and Man’s Moral Obligation,  Psa 24:1-2

1. God’s property.
    A. Its extent — The earth and its fulness. Verse 1 – everything.
    B. Its foundation — Creatorship. Verse 2 – “He hath founded it.”

2. Man’s moral obligation.
    A. It urges man to be just. “Will a man rob God?”
    B. To be humble.
    C. To be thankful.
    D. To be acquiescent. God has a right to do what He likes with His own.

Thanksgiving

1.  Creation is a proper subject of thanksgiving.
2. The benefits of providence demand thanksgiving.
3. The blessings of Grace claim our warmest gratitude.

”In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you.”
”Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.”

You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving Day to be thankful.

Christ Cursing the Fruitless Fig Tree! Matt 21:17-21

1. The doom of things that do not meet the wants of the time.
2. The terrific prospect of meeting a disappointed Christ.
3. The perfect dominion of the spiritual over the material.
4. The vast possibilities of undoubting prayer.

Peter, the Pope, in a Storm! Matt 14:28-33

Body and Soul!

1. Human nature is made up of body and soul, the unbeliever.
2. The body maybe destroyed, while the soul remains uninjured.
3. The honest working out of duty exposes the body to destruction.
4. The neglect of the duty exposes both body and soul to destruction.

The word for “destroy” is APOLLUMI, which means loss not of being but of well being.

The believer has a body, soul, and spirit. The soul lives forever somewhere and you decide where you want to live forever. The real you is your soul, not your body, bless your bones. ”Bodily exercise profiteth a little, but godliness in all things.”

Where do you work out? Gold’s Gym or God’s gym?

Wednesday, May 17, 2000

How to Address God, Psalm 139:23-24

2. Man desiring Divine discipline.
    A. Severe testing, “Try me”
    B. Moral discrimination, “know my thoughts,” the mental attitude sins

3. Imploring Divine leadership.
    A. Spiritual ignorance confessed
    B. Divine condescension sought, to be treated in Grace
    C. Perpetual guidance implored

Giving Your Heart to God!

The word “heart” is “LEB,” which is the mind, the thinking part of the soul. You don’t want to give Him your heart. He doesn’t want it because it is deceitful and incurably sick. Just ask Jeremiah.

1. It is the soul and the extent of giving it to Him is entirely.
    A. The affections of the soul, mental attitude love
    B. The confidence of the mind.
    C. The service of the life.

2. The reasonableness of it.
    A. Because of His right over us as our Creator
    B. Because of His Grace toward us as our Redeemer
    C. Because of the utter worthlessness of all His competitors.

”There is no other Name given under Heaven whereby we may saved.”
”To Him give all the prophets witness that through His Name is the forgiveness of sin.”

A Door of Hope!  Hosea 2:15

Hosea 2:15, “And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor,” literally “trouble,” “for a door of hope.”

”A valley of trouble for a door of hope.”
”And she shall sing there. As in the days of her youth and as in the days when she came up out of the land of Egypt.”

Divine Influence in Your Life! Hosea 14:5-7

It sounds like Grace to me.

Hosea 14:5-7, “I will be as the dew unto Israel. He shall grow as the lily and cast forth His roots like Lebanon. The branches shall spread and His beauty shall be as the olive tree, and His smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under His shadow shall return, they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine. The scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.”

Can’t you actually feel the Grace of God here and can’t you see the Lord Jesus Christ here, or am I crazy? Who said yes???
Notice the personal pronoun, He He He

Public Worship

The only biblically-ordained institution is the Local Church.

1. The assembling together.
All on the same level except so far as we may differ in spiritual gifts.
Teddy Roosevelt, while he was president, always preferred a small church where the “common people met.”

2. Assembling together is a duty.
    A. The Lord commanded it.
    B. The practice is co-equal in point of time with the existence of the Church.
    C. It is necessary for carrying out the Lord’s work.
    D. It is essential for the individual well-being of every Christian.

3. It is a privilege. To neglect it is to starve the soul.

4. The object of meeting together.
    A. To draw near to the Lord.
    B. To receive spiritual blessings.
    C. To exhort one another.

5. The increasing importance of the meeting together as the particular day named in the text draws near.
    A. The day that you may be deprived of the opportunity of meeting.
        1. From sickness
        2. From loss of inclination
    B. The day of trial and affliction
    C. The day of departure
    D. The day of judgment.

Notice the emphasis always “to the church at,” “to the church at,” etc. Emphasis is on the Local Church especially as we face 2000 A.D.
“Don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together as some do.”

Speaking to Please Men!

1. To please men by:
    A. Watering down the Doctrines of the Gospel until they mean whatever the hearers like to make them.
    B. Toning down the precepts of the Gospel until they are undistinguishable from the maxims of worldly policy.
    C. Introducing secular expedients to attract audiences over whom the Gospel has lost its power, which is human viewpoint.
    D. Sinking the stern preaching of righteousness into “We want to hear smooth things.”

2. To serve the Lord Jesus Christ by:
    A. The proclamation of unalterable Truth.
    B. The insistence of, and personal conformity to, a high moral standard.
    C. The disdain of mere clap-trap and popular arts.
    D. The imitating of the self-denying example of the Lord.

The one teaching may please men. The other one will save men.

Titus 2:11-12, “The Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Teaching us to deny ungodliness, and to live soberly and righteously.”

Tuesday, May 16, 2000

The Lord’s Plan is to Cause Tribulation Upon His People Israel in the Land

There are seven things which lie on the surface of this prophecy.
1. Prediction. Three times attention is called to “what the Lord said” and “the words that the Lord spoke.” When the Lord predicts, He is under the necessity to do what He predicts. His utterance is like the dawn. It illuminates and arrests.
2. Exception. The time of trouble is exceptional. There has never been “anything like it before not will there be again” and it is not ordinary suffering and tribulation, “it is the great one,” Rev 7:14.
3. Location. The center of the fierceness of this time of anguish is in the land of Palestine and in Jerusalem. Where the blood of Christ was shed, there will be blood shed upon that race who said, “His blood is upon us and our children,” Their prayer will be answered. Matt 27:25, Matt 26:26
4. Description. Fear haunts the people as they hear the “voice of trembling roar” and unrest, and men have the unusual experience of travail in pain, like a woman in the time of her trial.
5. Restoration. “He shall be saved out of it” declares God the Holy Spirit. Calling attention to the time of Jacob’s Trouble “none like it” in the fierceness of the Tribulation, and none like it in the Grace and love of the Lord’s triumph.
6. Emancipation. “I will bring,” “I will come,” “By his own,” “I will.” He assures His people of their deliverance. He cannot go back from the covenant He made with Abraham long ago, Gen 17:1-19. He would not if He could and could not if He would.
7. Affirmation. When we read “Thus saith the Lord,” He binds Himself to all He is as the unchanging One to perform what He says.

The name of Jehovah comes from the ancient form of the verb “to be,” which means He will cause to be what He says, because of what is in Himself. Jer 30:3-7, Jacob’s Trouble, not the Church or the bride of Christ.

Greek Grace Gems!

The Law of Emphasis in Scripture

A. The word MENO means to be in one place all the time. It is used to describe where a person dwells, as when the disciples said to Christ, ”Where dwellest Thou,” John 1:38

B. It is used for a person tarrying in a certain place as when the Samaritans, “brought” Christ to “tarry with them.” John 4:40

C. To represent something that lasts. And the Lord exhorts us to labour for the meat which “endureth unto everlasting life.” John 6:27

D. And Christ also used the Word when He speaks of “the sin which remaineth.” John 9:41

E. The continued presence of one person with another finds its explanation when Christ says “These things have I spoken being yet present with you.” John 14:25

F. The word is used when a ship is stuck fast on the rocks, as when the vessel in which Paul was being conveyed to Rome, “stuck fast and remained unmovable.” Acts 27:41

G. The word is translated “might stand” in speaking of the “fixed purpose of God.” Rom 9:11

H. And Christ states that those who “continue in His Word are His disciples indeed."  John 8:31

Now you have a study of the word MENO, which is translated, “dwellest, tarry, endureth, remaineth,  present, might stand, and continue.”

Smart, Smart, and not so Smart

1 Kings 11:9, “And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his mind was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice.”

The Fall of Solomon. 1 Kings 11:9
1. The fall of Solomon
    A. How it began
    B. To what extent it preceded
    C. With what aggravation it was attended
    D. With what consequences it was followed.

2. The instruction to be gathered from it.
    A. That temporal prosperity is very unfavorable for spiritual advancement.
    B. That however advanced any man may be in age or faith, he is still in danger of falling. “How the mighty have fallen.”
    C. That smaller sins, if not guarded against in time, will issue in the greatest
    D. That every sin we commit is aggravated by the mercies we have received.

1 Kings 11:3, “And he had seven hundred wives, princesses and three hundred cucumbers??? And his wives turned away his mind.”
Now, notice 1 Kings 11:9, “Because his mind was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice.”

1,000 women can turn your head.  So can just one.

A Hole in the Bag!

1. Those persons come under the description who pride themselves on the accumulation and possession of wealth.
2. The man is dropping his money into a “bag with holes,” who is spending any large proportion of it in things which minister chiefly to pride and vain glory.
3. Those persons are putting their wealth “into a bag with holes” who are robbing the ministry of the Word in Grace giving, that they may have more to leave their children.
4. Those persons who are putting their money into “a bag with holes,” who spend it in the pursuit of earthly and temporary joys and pleasure.

”Lovers of themselves, lovers of money, lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God.”

The word for “lovers” is not AGAPE, which is a mental attitude, but the word here for “lovers” is PHILOS, which is a total soul rapport – not only the mind.

Monday, May 15, 2000

The Law of Distinctiveness!

”This” commandment have we from Him, 1 John 4:20.
By “this” we know that we love the children of God, 1 John 5:2.
For “this” is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, 1 John 5:3.
”This” is the victory that overcometh, 1 John 5:4.
”This” is He that came by water and blood, 1 John 5:6.
”This” is the witness of God, 1 John 5:9.
”This” is the record, 1 John 5:11.
”This” is the confidence that we have in Him, 1 John 5:14.
”This” is the true God and eternal life, 1 John 5:20.

How many ways it is possible to study the unending Word of God!

The Law of Concentration

With the Greek, God is beauty.
With the Roman, God is force.
With the Jew, God is Jehovah.
With the scientist. God if the first cause.
With the man in the street, God is providence.
With the moralist, God is righteousness.
With the philosopher, God is thought.

But when we come to the pages of the New Testament we find in profound and simple language that ”God is love.”

The Law of Repetition 

Did You Know That the Lord Repeats Himself?

Eight times to eight peoples.

Then follows a reason why God dealt in punishment with the several parties which are associated with the eight times God uses the word “because.” Eight expressions of punishment and eight different people and eight “becauses.”

Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew uses the pregnant and personal sentence, “Verily I say unto you” no less than 30 times. I can list them for you if you don’t believe me. But check it out.

Principle: His Word is final and His Word settles everything.

The Law of Repetition in the Book of Isaiah

Sin calls for judgment and the judgment is not abated until the purpose is accomplished. But He also says, “My arm is not shortened that I cannot save and My ear is not heavy that I cannot hear, but your sins have separated you from your God.”

The Law of Repetition

Three times Christ reminded the Jews of the consequence of their unbelief. Namely, that they would
“die in their sins”
and “wither I go ye cannot come,” John 8:21, 24.

And three times Christ asked Peter the question,
”Lovest thou Me?” John 21:15-17.

So don’t be afraid of repeating yourself, if it is the Word of God that you are repeating.
”Repetition is theological glue.”
”Oh he always repeats himself.” I have heard this all before ... etc.

To illustrate the concrete character of God’s Word, we find in the first epistle of John how he plays upon the words: Light, Love, Life.

And we may sum them up by saying, life is the sum of all being. Light is the sum of all intelligence. And love is the sum of all moral excellence.

The whole of John’s epistle may be summarized under the following points:
Division one: 1:1-4, Introduction: The Logos, His eternity and identity with the Father, His revelation in the flesh.
Division two: 1:5-2:11, the message concerning light.
Division three: 2:12-5:3, the message concerning love.
Division four: 5:4-21, the message concerning life.

Light, love, light. There are three points. Now all you need is a poem.

Sunday, May 14, 2000

Hebrew Honeys!

It is found seven times in the book of Leviticus. It means “to be set apart.”

1. Sanctified to keep, Lev 20:8
2. Set apart to purity, Lev 21:7-8
3. Set apart to God, Lev 21:25
4. Set apart to wholeness, Lev 21:16-24
5. Set apart to distinguish, Lev 22:8-9
6. Set apart to guide, Lev 22:15-16
7. Set apart to remember, Lev 22:32

Sanctify, holy, sanctification both in the Old and in the New Testament mean to be set apart. Not “made holy,” but “set apart” and then the context will tell you what we are set apart unto.

In Isaiah the Jews were sanctified unto swine’s flesh, definitely not pure and holy.

There are 12 Greek Prepositions Connected with God the Holy Spirit.

John 16:7, “The Comforter will not come unto you,” PROS, face-to-face with you.

John 3:2, “The same came to Jesus by night,” PROS.

Christ promised the Holy Spirit to carry on His work while He was absent. It is the Holy Spirit’s work to unite believers in Christ, the Head of the Church, by His immersing Grace.

There are 11 other prepositions connected with God the Holy Spirit that are enlightening to our relationship with Him.

APO  DIA  EIS  EN  EPI  KATA  META  PARA  PERI  HUPER  EK and PROS

Saturday, May 13, 2000

The First Question in the New Testament is “Where is He?”

Where was He?
    In the manger of humiliation at His incarnation.
    In the wilderness in His temptation, at His testing.
    In the hall of judgment at His rejection.
    On the Cross of atonement, at His death.
    In the will of His Father, in His service.
    Outside the tomb of death at His resurrection.
    On the Mount of Triumph, at His ascension.

Where is He?
    On the Throne of acceptance with His Father.
    In the surrendered child of God by His Spirit.

Where will He be?
    On His Throne of glory at His coming.

All answering to the title of the Lord, Jehovah Shammah, “the Lord is there,” Ezek 48:35.

Christ is the Substance of the Divine Provision

The “Lord” in the strength of His support, verse 1
The “One Lord” in the supremacy of His glory, verse 5
The “Christ” in the Grace of His bestowment, verse 7
The “He saith,” in the authority of His Word, verse 8
The “He ascended” of His acceptance, verse 8
The “He led” of His special triumph, verse 8
The “He descended” of His loving abasement, verse 9
The “He might fill” of wonderful accomplishments, verse 10
The “He gave” of His gracious endowments, verse 11
The “Christ” of the oneness of His mystical body, verse 12
The “Son of God” in the glory of His inspiring knowledge, verse 13
The “Christ” in the fullness of His supply, verse 13
The “Head” in the compacting and controlling ministry, verse 15

”Christ is all in all and in you all. And you are complete in Him.”

The Grace of God!

The salutation of Grace blesses, 1:2
The glory of Grace adorns, 1:6
The riches of Grace endow us, 1:7
The power of Grace saves us, 2:5, 8
The exceeding riches of Grace elevate us, 2:7
The dispensation of Grace enlightens us, 3:2
The gift of Grace qualifies us, 3:8
The Christ of Grace places us, 4:7
The holiness of Grace separates us, 4:29
The benediction of Grace companions us, 6:24

The word “CHARITOO” comes from CHARIS, and means to be gracious. The word “CHARITOO” only occurs in Luke 1:28, “And the angel said to Mary, thou art highly favoured,” or much graced.

Notice in the book of Colossians that Christ is the Source, Substance, and Chief and it is expressed in many ways.

Now, if you miss Sunday, you can pick up on this brief suggestion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Grace Greek Gems!

ARCHIEREUS: Used of Christ as High Priest. Many times in the epistle to the Hebrews and it is also rendered “Chief Priest.” Matt 2:4

ARCHIPOIMEN: A lead shepherd. Used of Christ as “the Chief Shepherd.” 1 Pet 5:4

ARCHAGGELOS: A chief angel. 1 Thes 4:16 and Jude 1:9

ARCHISUNAGOGS: A director of the synagogue, services, and rendered, “Chief ruler of the synagogue.” Acts 18:17

ARCHITEKTON: A director of the entertainment and rendered “Governor of the feast” in John 2:8

Without giving the association, these words will speak for themselves.

Christ the beginning – ARCHE and Alpha.

Friday, May 12, 2000

The Effect the Word of God Has on Your Physical Being

2 Tim 1:3, 2 Tim 4:3, Titus 1:9 and other passages speak about sound Doctrine.

The word “sound” is the word HUGIANO, which is our word for hygiene. It means “good health.” Taking in the Word of God and applying the Word to your experience provides better health. It has an effect on your physical being.

The Scripture says that “In the latter days they will not endure sound Doctrine.” So, when believers are negative to the Word of God, it affects their health, and it is possible for believers to go home before their time under the sin unto death.

Don’t forget to go to God’s health food store for your physical well being.

The Communion Service and the Lord’s Table

Yet there is a warning about taking the Lord’s Table unworthily. You are never to take the Lord’s Supper when you are out of fellowship. It is harmful to your health. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and you are negative to His Word and are a carnal believer, don’t take the Lord’s Supper. It is self-induced misery.

Here is the challenge:

1 Cor 11:29-30, “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body, for this cause many are weak, sickly among you, and many sleep.”

Weak, sick and depart. They go home after suffering physically. Remember the Word of God is called “sound Doctrine,” “healthy Doctrine.” Your attitude about the Word of God has a spiritual and a physical influence upon you personally.

2 Tim 1:13, “Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” “Sound” is the word “healthy.”

God’s Lamentation of His People’s Incorrigibleness

Zephaniah is one of those books where the pages are still stuck together, so I will wait till you find it …

1. The four facts affirmed in this text are applicable to believers at this present time as well as to the Jews of old times.
    A. Inattention to instruction. “She obeyed not the voice.”
    B. Incorrigibleness.  “She received not correction.”
    C. Perfidy of unfaithfulness toward God. “She trusted not in the Lord.”
    D. Neglect of worship. “She drew not near to her God.”

2. Application.
    A. What a caution we have in Zephaniah against apostasy.
    B. What care and concern does the Lord have in using so many endeavors for the preservation of His people.
    C. What inducement to avail ourselves of the mercy, Grace, and forebearance of the Lord.
    D. How affecting the expressions of the Lord is the in the light of the infidelities and apostasies of His people.

”All Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction in righteousness.” 

Terrible Calamities in Human History, Zeph 3:6-8

2. The grand design of each calamity is the promotion of moral improvement among mankind.
Zeph 3:7, “I said, surely thou wilt fear Me, thou wilt receive instruction so their dwelling should not be cut off, however I punished them, but they rose early and corrupted all their doings.”

3. The non-realization of this design among people exposes them to terrible retribution.
Zeph 3:8, “Therefore, wait ye upon Me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey. For My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger. For all the Earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.”

Take heed America and the United Notions, i.e., Nations.

Self Destruction ...  The Enemy Within Us

1. Self destruction is possible to all men.
2. The only power by which we can destroy ourselves is the power of the old sin nature.
3. Every finally destroyed man is self-destroyed.
4. The self-destroyer who is in this perilous position may yet be saved from self destruction.
    A. A self destroyer cannot save himself.
    B. No fellowman can save the self-destroyed.
    C. God can save the self-destroyer, and God alone.
    D. Think of the encouragement to return.

“As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner. But rather that he should return unto Me and live.”

An Old Testament Prayer

Now, what kind of a prayer to you think this was? Here you are in WWII and some German has his bayonet at your throat. There would not be much time for many words of prayer, would there?

There would be no, “O Mary, mother of God,” etc., etc.
There would be no repeating of the so-called Lord’s prayer, “Our Father which is in heaven,” etc.
There would be no, “Father we thank ye for the flowers and the trees and the birds.” No, that is for the birds.

If you are in a battle and the enemy has you in his sights, you cry “Lord, help me.”
”Lord, I trust You to help me,” etc. Battle cry. Hey, we are in a battle, maybe even greater than WWII.

A Great Paradox

If you pray without ceasing, you will rejoice evermore and in everything you will give thanks.

The main paradox is “pray without ceasing.” To help you with the words “without ceasing” is a Greek word ANALEPTOS, which is an adverb used in the same sense as an adjective.

It does not speak of that which is not interrupted, but that of which is constantly  recurring. It was used in the ancient world of some one who had the consistency of a  hacking cough.

The Teaching Ministry of God the Holy Spirit

Then, you will notice certain things the Holy Spirit says in Scripture to give us the emphasis and thrust of any particular passage.

Illustration: What is the purpose of the book of John?
John 20:30, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this Book.” John 20:31, “But these things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through His Name.”

So, God the Holy Spirit, the Author and Teacher of this book, says there are many things I didn’t write, but I selected this to write. And that is His emphasis. He selected verse 31 out of all the rest for His emphasis.

So, you can see how He reveals and brings into focus what we should know about the book of John.

The Teaching Ministry of God the Holy Spirit – Part Two

Matt 1:23, “Behold a virgin shall be with Child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His Name Emmanual.”  What that means will follow on with the passage and it says, or God the Holy Spirit says, “Which being interpreted is, God with us.” It interprets for you.

There are about six more such expressions by the Holy Spirit, where He interprets the Word for you.

Mark 5:41, “And He took the damsel by the hand and said unto her, Talitha cumi.” Now, what in the world does that mean? Well, the Holy Spirit goes on and says, “Which is being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.”

So, when I say unto you, “cumi,” get up.

Mark 15:22, “And they bring Him into a place Golgatha, which is being interpreted “the place of the skull.”

Follow it through yourself as your own personal Bible study.

Mark 15:34, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI, which is being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”
Also found in John 1:38, John 1:41, and Acts 4:36.

The Holy Spirit is the Author and the Teacher. Look for His interpretations and His emphasis.

God the Holy Spirit – The Most Personal Friend You Have in Life

1. The personal Helper abiding. “He may abide with you.”
2. The personal Friend known. “Ye know Him.”
3. The personal Companion indwelling. “He dwelleth in you.”
4. The personal Teacher instructing. “He shall teach you all things.”
5. The personal Witness testifying. “He shall testify of Me.”
6. The personal Ambassador coming. “I will send Him unto you.”
7. The personal Comforter arriving. “When He is come.”
8. The personal Reprover convicting. “He will reprove, convict.”
9. The personal Title proclaiming. “When He, the Spirit of Truth …”
10. The personal Guide directing. “He will guide you.”
11. The personal Voice declaring. “He shall not speak of Himself.”
12. The personal Ear attending. “He shall hear.”
13. The personal Tongue rehearsing. “That He shall speak.”
14. The personal Revealer unfolding. “He will show you.”
15. The personal Glorifier enhancing. “He shall glorify Me.”
16. The personal Receiver initiating. “He shall receive of Me.”

These personal pronouns tell us plainly of the personality of God the Holy Spirit, especially when we remember the connection we have with Him and our association with Him.

Thursday, May 11, 2000

Greek Grace Gems!

Business

This is not a bad command when it comes to doing business or in business. But the Greek word is not “business.” The Greek word is “SPOUDE.” This is not what we mean by business, a man’s daily occupation. This word means “zeal” or “earnestness.”

In regard to your earnestness or your zeal or enthusiasm, in all directions be not slothful. It means diligence in all directions and every direction, not only at work.

A Christian is Commanded to be Joyful!

Rom 12:12, “Rejoicing in hope.”

Joy is not dependent on circumstances and is not hindered by temperament. It is a command in the Word of God. It can be accomplished depending on what you think about. “As a man thinketh in his mind so is he.”

”Rejoicing in hope.” Rejoicing in something that is going to happen certainly in the future. Hope, the blessed hope, the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore the command:
Phil 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord alway, and I again I say rejoice.”

Rejoice is a duty and rejoice is a command to all believers.

Rom 5:2, “By whom we also have access by faith into this Grace wherein we stand. And rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”

Joy is obtained by thinking – thinking about hope and glory of God.

Prov 4:23, “Keep thy mind with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”

Greek Grace Gem!

The Greek word for “hope” is the word “ELPIS” and the definition is great: A joyful anticipation of something that is certainly going to happen in the future. Now that is hope! Not perhaps, but for sure.

The appearing of the blessed Hope of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which is certainly going to happen. Joyful expectation!

Right-Man/Right-Woman

Sunday, May 7, 2000

“The Just Shall Live by Faith”

This, then, is a description of the Christian way of life.

1. The principle is brought out first in the Old Testament.
2. It is quoted and applied to in three passages in the New Testament.

Hab 2:4, “The just shall live by faith.”

Rom 1:17, “The just shall live by faith.” Emphasis on “the just.”
Gal 3:11, “The just shall live by faith.” Emphasis on “live.”
Heb 10:38, “The just shall live by faith.” Emphasis on “faith.”

”Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”
”We walk by faith and not by sight.”
”We look not at the things which are seen which are temporal, but the things which are not seen for they are eternal.”

We are saved by faith and we serve by faith.

It is consistent with God’s character.

Greek Grace Gems!

This is one word in the Greek, TETLESTAI, which means completed in the past with results that go on forever. When we came into this world, all our sins were paid for – past, present, and future.

1. Our Saviour’s life course on Earth was finished.
    A. As the incarnate Son of God
    B. Of His poverty and toil
    C. Of His weariness, hunger, and temptation
    D. Of His holy obedience and usefulness
    E. Of grief and pain.

2. All that God is in Grace had been made known before was fulfilled.
    A. The promise beginning with that of the fall
    B. The covenant with Noah, Abraham, and Israel
    C. The prophesies
    D. The types

3. The work of man’s redemption was completed.
    A. Every obstacle was removed, symbolized by the rending of the veil.
    B. The way of Grace and mercy was opened.

4. This cry comprehended the future as well as the past.
As the oak is contained in the acorn, as the fruit is wrapped up in the blossom as the fruits of Christ’s redeeming were contained in the death of the Cross.

”TETELESTAI” – it is finished in the past with a result it goes on forever!

Greek Grace Gems!

What does the fullness of the Gospel consist in?
    A. A full Christ for empty sinners
    B. A full salvation for lost sinners
    C. Full assurance for doubting sinners
    D. Full restoration for fallen sinners
    E. Full comfort for sorrowful sinners
    F. Fullness of food for hungry sinners
    G. Fullness of love, joy, hope, peace for all.

What are we to do with this full Gospel?
    A. Believe it
    B. Receive it
    C. Enjoy it
    D. Live it
    E. Impart it
    F. Depart with it in our souls and on our lips.

PLEROMA – the fullness of the Gospel.

The Heart and Soul of the Gospel

1. Who was made sin for us?
2. What was done with Him who knew no sin?
3. Who did it?
4. What happened to us as a consequence?

“Though He Was Rich, Yet Became He Poor,” 2 Cor 8:1-5
The Grace of Giving

”He became poor that we might become rich in His Grace.”
The riches of Grace, is the coin of the realm.

The Deity of Christ, Col 1:14-20

The unique Person of the universe, the God-man.

Saturday, May 6, 2000

Greek Grace Gems!

Phil 1:4, “Always and in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.”

This is not just one day — like taking out one day for everyone to pray, like a national day of prayer — but praying without ceasing. This is how Paul is praying for them.

Phil 1:5, “For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now.”

The word “fellowship” is the word KOINONEO, which means a joint participation in  a common interest and activity.

Now, our English word for fellowship has lost its original meaning in so-called religious circles. The word “fellowship” today means companionship or intercourse between two people. But fellowship here was the Philippians’ joint participation with Paul in a common interest and activity, and that of preaching the Gospel. The preposition in is a preposition of motive. This common interest and activity was in the progress of the Gospel. The Philippians supported Paul with their prayers and their finances, while he went about his missionary labors.

Now that is fellowship — not balancing  a cup of tea on your knee.
See, I told you this was too much for Saturday. Save it for Sunday.

Are you in fellowship and having fellowship in the Gospel?

Greek Grace Gems!

It is a technical term for approaching a king. Also for approaching God in intercession.

It is render prayer in 1 Tim 4:5 and in the plural it is seeking the presence, and hearing of God on behalf of others.

Then there are two verbs:

ENTUNCHANO: To fall in with, to meet with in order to converse, then to make petition either for or against others.

Acts 25:24 against, “and against Paul” in Rom 11:2.
Rom 8:27, the intercessory work of God the Holy Spirit.

HUPERENTUNCHANO: To make a petition or intercede on behalf of another. HUPER means on behalf of. It is used in Rom 8:26 of the work of the Holy Spirit in making intercession.

Friday, May 5, 2000

Greek Grace Gems!

Naturally, this is talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is addressed to those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, this is addressed to you.

Now the word we have here “precious” is the Greek word TIME, pronounced “team may.” It means highly prized, most valuable, most honorable and very costly, and therefore precious.

Christ is precious to the believer. Why?
    1. Christ is precious to believers because of what He is in Himself.
    2. Christ is precious to believers on account of what He has done for us.
    3. Christ is precious to believers on account of what He has done in us.
    4. Christ is precious to believers on account of what He is still doing both for us and in us.
    5. Christ is precious to believers on account of what He has promised and pledged Himself to do for us hereafter.

”He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things,” Rom 8:32.

Greek Grace Gems!

The word to consider is the word “kept” which is the Greek word TEREO, which means “guarded.” It is a military word. Now, the tense here is literally “having been kept.” It is a past tense.

We can take this one word, TEREO, and spend a week on it. But I know you are busy and it’s Miller Time and all that, so I will spare you.

What does it mean to be guarded?

1. We are kept safe.
    A. God hides His people. Psa 27:5, Col 3:3
    B. God guards His people.

2. We are kept up.
    A corpse may be kept safe, but it would only be preserved corruption.
    We have to remember that He who keeps our spiritual life secure from outward attack, also keeps it from internal decay. With perpetual preservation, there is also continual renovation.

3. We are kept back.
    He who knows anything of the tendencies of his own soul thanks God as much for restraining as sustaining Grace.

4. We are kept on.
    If we are found still among the running with patience, give glory to Him unto whom alone it belongs.

5. We are kept through.
    There is as much need for us to be taught how to bear with equanimity as how to serve with unceasing zeal. We are kept through faith’s trial as well as in faith’s service.

6. We are kept clean.
    We who are kept safe in our title, are kept meet in our persons for the coming Glory.

7. We are kept in order.
    The Grace that saves, places us in Christ’s school house for instruction.

8. We are kept always.
    The keeping of the text extends unto the last time. We are kept unto the end.
    What is there before us? Well, there is a sickness for sure. But the promise is, ”He,” that is the Lord, “will make his bed in his sickness.”
    Beyond sickness stands grim death. But that has lost all power to sting. Beyond death there yawns an open grave. But here the Lord’s keeping shines forth most magnificent. Yes, kept for resurrection morning. Kept by invincible might for re-union. Nothing short of eternal keeping becomes the ever-living God or meets the requirement of our immortal soul.

9. We are kept for a public exhibition. Eph 2:7

I told you it would be long. It could be longer, but who has time?

You always wanted to be a kept person!

You and the Devil. 1 Pet 5:8-9

2. We have the devil here counteracted by the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
    A. Thoughtfulness, be sober.
    B. Diligent, be vigilant.
    C. Steadfastness, whom resist, steadfast in the faith.

Greek Grace Gems!

The word that is interesting and is not translated accurately but is strong in the original language is the word “doubtless.” This is the translation of five particles, which are translated,

”Yea,” “indeed,” “therefore,” “at least,” and “even,”

which shows the force and the passion of Paul’s conviction.

The word “count” is in the present tense, showing continuous action in present time.
Paul had come to a settled conviction with reference to what he had gained.

Greek Grace Gems!

Phil 2:1, “If there be therefore any comfort in Christ.
“If there be an consolation of love
“If any fellowship of the Spirit
“If any compassion and mercies.”

Our English word “if” means maybe yes or maybe not.
But there are four different “ifs” in the Greek language, and this one is a first class condition and it looks like this: EI. It means “and there is.”

It should read, “Since there is comfort in Christ.
”Since there is consolation of love.
”Since there is fellowship with the Spirit.
”Since there are compassion and mercies.”

It is an established fact, and not a possibility or a potential. It is a reality!

We have comfort in Christ.
We have consolation of love.
We have fellowship of the Spirit.
We have compassion and mercies.

Since you do have it, then go to verse two.
”Fulfill ye my joy.”

Greek Grace Gems!

The Greek word is META TITHEMI, a compound word.

The verb “TITHEMI” means to place. The prefixed preposition, “META” signifies a change. “META” means change. The compound word means “to transpose two things,” one of which is put in place of the other.

The Bible must be interpreted in the way it was used.

This word is used in Acts 7:16 of the transporting of the remains of Jacob and his sons to Shechem.
In Gal 1:6, it is used of the sudden change of the doctrinal position of the Galatian Christians.
In Heb 7:12, of the change of the Law of the priesthood, a new regulation being instituted in place of the old.

In the case of Enoch, the word speaks of his sudden transference from Earth to Heaven. It refers to a change of position. It is one thing put in the place of another, Heaven for Enoch, rather than Earth.

Sounds to me like 2 Cor 5:8, “Absent from the body and face to face with the Lord.” It also reminds me of the Rapture. How about you?

The original language of Scripture gives us assurance!

THE PRESIDENT'S PHILOSOPHY!

Theodore Roosevelt

Thursday, May 4, 2000

A Hebrew Honey and a Divine Outline!

Zephaniah means, in the Hebrew language, “the Lord has a secret.”

”IAH” means the Lord. “Zephan” means a secret. That is a Hebrew Honey.

Now, the Divine Outline.

Zeph 3:12-13, “I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they shall feed and lie down and none shall make them afraid.”

1. Their station
    A. Afflicted
    B. Poor

2. Their character
    A. Derived from confidence
    ”They shall trust in the Name of the Lord.”

    B. This confidence is founded in holiness.
    ”The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity.”

    C. This confidence is derived from their uprightness.
    ”Nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be in their mouth.”

This is emphasis on some of the worst sins – sins of the tongue.

3. Observe their privilege

    A. The pasture.
    ”They shall feed and lie down.” Sounds like Psa 23.

    B. The repose.
    ”They shall feed and lie down.”

    C. Their security.
    ”And none shall make them afraid.”

Now there is a message for a pastor. Slip it to him Sunday. Or, if you are playing golf on Sunday and can’t go to Church, use it as your daily devotional.

You know, like “Nod to God” on Sunday.

Whom NOT to Marry!

1. They are contrary to the express command of God. 2 Cor 6:14
2. They are inconsistent with the most sacred aspects and ends of marriage.
3. They imperil the salvation of the soul.
4. They are harmful to wise and harmonious home relationships.
5. They are determined not to be in the best interest of the children of the marriage.

Prayers are hindered because of the lack of domestic tranquility.

Three Links in the Golden Chain of the Godhead

1. God the Father, bless thee and keep thee.
2. God the Son, make His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee.
3. God the Holy Spirit, lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace.

Bless, the Father; Grace, the Son; peace, the Holy Spirit.

The Father planned it. The Son executed the Father’s Plan. And the Holy Spirit illuminated the Father’s plan.

Our Stronghold

1. God himself, the Lord is good.
    A. Good, in Himself, essentially and independently.
    B. Good, eternally and unchangeably.
    C. Good, in all His acts of Grace.
    D. Good, in His present act, be it what it may.

2. God to us. A stronghold in the day of trouble. We need this now!
    A. Under special circumstances, our Resort.
    B. Maintaining our peace.
    C. Defying our foes.
    D. Abiding forever the same.

3. God with us. He knoweth them that trust in Him.
    A. His tender care to supply all our necessities.
    B. His loving communion with us.
    C. His open acknowledgment that He owns us now, and will confess us before assembled worlds. Rev 3:5.

Wednesday, May 3, 2000

The Church at Antioch

7. Antioch was taught the Grace of God from the start. Acts 11:23
8. The Antioch Church was interested in the Word of God. Acts 11:26 ff
9. This interest in the Word of God stabilized the situation there and made it possible for the great missionary movement in the first century.
10. Whereas the Jerusalem area was destroyed in 70 A.D.

Your attitude about the Word of God may kill you.

Ten Ways to Grieve God the Holy Spirit, Eph 4:17-30

This turned out to be a Divine outline, too.

Tuesday, May 2, 2000

God Never Sleeps

And while I am sitting there, waiting to “go on,” I am thinking to myself, “O Lord, why me?”

So, I was prepared and I spoke overtime and every one was upset because they were missing the ball game. The message that I had prepared to speak about that day and the only one that I had prepared to think about was this: Psa 121:3-4 and Psa 132:4. Do you know these verses? Well, I won’t tease you, but you can check me out.

”He will not suffer thy foot to be moved. He that keepeth thee will never slumber.”
”Behold He that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
”I will not give sleep to Mine eyes, or slumber to Mine eyelids.”

Now you know why the troops were upset. And the song leader, well …

But there are many songs that are sung that are not Doctrinal.

God Keeps a Diary!

”Then they that feared the Lord spoke one with another. And the Lord hearkened and heard. And a book of remembrance was written before Him. For those that feared the Lord and that thought upon His Name.”

P.S . You know our correspondence through the email is probably recorded also. You can hardly beat that with a stick!

Greek Grace Gem and a Hebrew Honey

Happiness provided by God is always in the plural.
The Hebrew word for “happiness” is ASHARE, i.e., happinesses
The Greek word for “happiness” is MARAKIOS, i.e., happinesses

God can’t give you happiness, singular. He can only give you happinesses, happinesses, happinesses.

Read Philippians 2 and find God’s happiness for you there.

The Objective in Christian Growth

”Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Three Occasions in the Old Testament where the Holy Spirit had a Ministry with a Carnal Believer

Today sin in the life of the believer hinders God the Holy Spirit’s power, but not His indwelling. He indwells once and for all, and we are commanded not to be indwelt but be controlled by God the Holy Spirit. Because we are quenching or grieving God the Holy Spirit.

Never hurt the one who loves you. But we always hurt the One who loves us.

Minimum Requirements for Growth

2. Understanding the principle of fellowship and the filling of the Holy Spirit which results in fellowship through 1 John 1:9.

3. Understand the Grace principle in growth.
    The communication of the Word is by Grace.
    The comprehension of the Word is by Grace.
    The storage of the Word of God in the human spirit is by Grace.
    The frame of reference is by Grace.
    The inhale and exhale of the Word of God is by Grace.
    The advancing toward maturity is by Grace.

4. Understanding how to use the Promises of God, the different techniques, and the different doctrines and principles found in the Word of God.

Monday, May 1, 2000

Types of Production of the Fruit of the Spirit – Part One

Love is a mental attitude, what you think. 1 Cor 13:4-7, the mental attitude which describes the Divine attitude of love. It’s a relaxed mental attitude toward the human race which is free from envy, jealousy, hatred, hostility, and implacability.

Joy is a stimulated mental attitude of inner happiness, which comes from knowing the Word of God.

Peace:
A. First peace with God, which is reconciliation, Romans 5.
B. Secondly, the peace of God, which is the filling of the Holy Spirit.

The next triad will follow.

Fruit of The Spirit – Part Two

Longsuffering – a relaxed overt attitude toward the human race, which is the result of having, love, joy and peace. This is putting your faith in the Word of God during pressure situations from people and circumstances. Eph 4:1-3, “Walk worthy,” “Walk in love-” in the filling of the Spirit.

Gentleness – a mental attitude of kindness and Grace towards others giving others the benefit of the doubt.
2 Tim 2:24, “Strive,” is bullying others, which is wrong. This would speak of having good manners. You remember what that was.

Goodness – an overt expression of Grace. If you think gentleness, you will act goodness. Eph 4:32, 1 Thes 5:15, Col 3:13

Next triad to follow shortly …

Fruit of the Spirit – Part Three

Faith – using faith as the only means of perception, putting your faith in the Word of God and making practical application in your life. “The just shall live by faith.” “We walk by faith and not by sight.” Not using the other means of perception like rationalism and empiricism.

Meekness – is humility, the mental attitude of Grace with regard to the Divine provisions, an attitude of Grace orientation. Not who and what we are. It is who and what the Lord is. We receive humility. This is a passive voice.

Temperance – this word means self-control, self-discipline, controlling the tongue and thoughts and actions. And when it is time to study, you do it. 1 Cor 9:27, self discipline.

When we are in fellowship and filled with the Holy Spirit, you do not necessarily manifest all of the fruit of the Spirit, but various situations bring out various manifestations.

Now you have an outline for a Bible Study if you are so inclined. No charge.

We never sell the Word!

This is Hell!

A. Sheol is the Hebrew word for the lower part of the Earth. It is translated “hell.”
B. Hades is the Greek word for the lower part of the Earth and it is translated “hell.”

In the Old Testament, hell was made up of three parts:
    A. Tartarus – it is the portion of hell where the bound fallen angels are located. 2 Pet 2:4
    B. Torments – Is that portion of hell where unbelievers’ souls are waiting for the last judgment, the Great White Throne. Luke 16:23, Rev 20:11-15
    C. Before the ascension of Christ, Paradise was located in hell. A great gulf was fixed and existed between Torments and Paradise.

Diagram:
Tartarus/Bottomless Pit Torments/Hades, Sheol  Great Gulf Fixed  Paradise/Abraham’s Bosom Angelic hell, Abyss Rich man Lazarus is here 2 Pet 2:4 Rev 20:13, Luke 16:20-31 Luke 16:23, 26 Luke 16:20-21 Emptied at the time of the Great White Throne Judgment Emptied at the time of the Great White Throne Judgment Emptied at the ascension of Jesus Christ How do you like my diagram? I just started crayons.

Oh Hell! Part Two

The transfer took place when Christ ascended, Eph 4:8-10.

A. “Captivity” – they are just soul and spirit, no body. “I ain’t got no body.”
B.  “Captive” – they are still soul and spirit, but no resurrection body yet.

Unbelievers are brought from Torments to face the last judgment, the Great White Throne, where they are judged according to their works and cast into the Lake of Fire, Hell, Tophet, Gehenna. They may have a body which can burn forever. John 5:29b, Matt 10:2

They are “judged according to their works.” All good works will be burned up! Rev 20:13-15

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