Two Minutes With The Bible

[Brother Love]

Nov 22

LEGITIMATE PRAYER

Prayer, in Old Testament times, was based upon a cov-
enant relationship with God, or it was an appeal to His
revealed nature as merciful, gracious, etc. Today it is based
upon the redemptive work of Christ, whose death opened
the way for us into the Father’s presence. This is why ac-
ceptable prayer today is offered "in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ." With our Lord’s departure from this world in
view, He said to His disciples:
       
"I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN COMETH UNTO
THE FATHER BUT BY ME" (John 14:6).
       
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name.... At that day ye shall
ask IN MY NAME: and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for
you, for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me..."
(John 16:24-27).

Thus today we pray directly to the Father in the name of
the Son.
       
Our prayers, however, are often faltering and sometimes
the way is so dark before us that we do not even know what
to ask for. Thus Paul declared: "We know not what we
should pray for as we ought" (Rom. 8:26). But he was quick
to follow this with the declaration:
       
"AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR
GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE THE
CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE" (Rom. 8:28).

This is why the Apostle Paul encourages God’s people;
       
"BE CAREFUL [ANXIOUS] FOR NOTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING,
BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION, WITH THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD:

"AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTAND-
ING, SHALL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST
JESUS" (Phil. 4:6,7).

"LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY UNTO THE THRONE OF
GRACE, THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY, AND FIND GRACE TO
HELP IN TIME OF NEED" (Heb. 4:16).

Written by Pastor Stam

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Posted By Brother Love For Ambassador4Christ

[Ambassador4Christ]

Nov 23

THANKSGIVING

God’s verdict upon the pagan world is that "they are with-
out excuse, because that, when they knew God, they glorified
Him not as God, neither were thankful..." (Rom. 1:20,21).

The Psalmist, on the other hand, declares:
         
"IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, AND
TO SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME, O MOST HIGH:
         
"TO SHOW FORTH THY LOVINGKINDNESS IN THE MORNING.
AND THY FAITHFULNESS EVERY NIGHT" (Psa. 92:1,2).
         
Believers today have even more to be thankful for than
did the Psalmist, for we can rejoice in what God has done
for us through Christ and His redeeming work. Thus Paul,
by divine inspiration, speaks of...
         
"GIVING THANKS UNTO THE FATHER, WHO HATH MADE US
MEET [FIT] TO BE PARTAKERS OF THE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS
IN LIGHT:

"WHO HATH DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS,
AND HATH TRANSLATED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF HIS DEAR
SON" (Col. 1:12,13).

It is because of this "deliverance" that the humblest be-
liever can cry with Paul: "Thanks be unto God, who always
causeth us to triumph in Christ!" (II Cor. 2:14) and "Thanks
be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ!" (I Cor. 15:57). How appropriate, then, are the fol-
lowing exhortations:
         
"In everything give thanks" (I Thes. 5:18) and "By
[Christ], therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise... giving
thanks to His name" (Heb. 13:15).
         
"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God" (II Cor. 4:15).

Most of all, "THANKS BE UNTO GOD FOR HIS UN-
SPEAKABLE GIFT," our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! (II
Cor. 9:15).

Written by Pastor Stam

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Posted By Brother Love For Ambassador4Christ

[Brother Love]

Nov 24

THE RICHES OF GOD

Some years ago there came to this country a very poor
young man. He found a job in the timber lands of Wiscon-
sin. Being industrious he gradually accumulated some tim-
ber acreage of his own. Soon be began to prosper, and after
a few years he invested in a lumber milling industry. It
was not long after that until he owned more than one mill.
This led him to expand into northern Wisconsin and Min-
nesota. Before long he was very rich, investing in timber
acreage in the far northwest and eventually owning valu-
able land by the thousands of acres, the very finest timber
in the country. At the time of his death neither he nor his
relatives nor friends knew what he was worth financially,
so wealthy had he become.
       
When the time came for him to die, however, he could not
take one cent of his riches with him, for as I Tim. 6:7 says:
"We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can
carry nothing out."

It seems difficult for most men to learn that "a man’s
life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he
possesseth" (Luke 12:15). They close their ears to the words
of wisdom spoken by our Lord:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal" (Matt. 6:19, 20).

The truest, most lasting riches of all are referred to in
II Cor. 8:9 where the Apostle Paul says:

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich."
       
And these riches may be had by faith -- by accepting them
as a gift, for "the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus
Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

Written by Pastor Stam

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
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Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email:
berean@execpc.com

Telephone:  262-255-4750

Posted By Brother Love For Ambassador4Christ

[Brother Love]

Nov 25

GODS FAITHFULNESS AND OURS

Many people suppose that salvation is God’s reward to
those who do their best to live good lives. This is not so, for
God’s Word says of those who are saved:
       
"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (II Tim. 1:9).
       
Referring to this "salvation which is in Christ Jesus," St.
Paul says: "It is a faithful saying, for if we died with Him,
we shall also live with Him" (II Tim. 2:10,11).
       
In other words: The believer, viewing Calvary aright, has
"died with Christ." Viewing the Cross, he has said: "This is
not Christ’s death. He was no sinner. He had no death to
die. He is dying my death!" And so by faith he is "crucified
with Christ" (Gal. 2:20). The penalty for all his sins has
been fully paid, for he died -- in Christ, and thus has also
risen with Christ "to walk in newness of life" (Rom 6:3,4).
       
This is all God’s doing, and only now is the believer in a
position to do good works that will please God. Thus the
Apostle writes of believers, in II Tim. 2: "If we suffer, we
shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny
us" (Ver. 12). When the believer’s service for Christ is re-
viewed some, indeed, will "receive a reward," but others will
"suffer loss," though they themselves will "be saved, yet so
as by fire" (I Cor. 3:14,15).
       
It will be deeply embarrassing, in that day, for unfaithful
Christians to face empty-handed the One who gave His all,
Himself, to save them. Yet salvation is by grace, thus the
Apostle hastens to conclude his statement in II Timothy 2,
with the words:
       
"If we are unfaithful, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself" (Ver. 13)
       
Thus our rewards as believers depend upon our faithful-
ness, but our salvation, thank God, on His!

Written by Pastor Stam

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Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

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Email:
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Posted By Brother Love For Ambassador4Christ

[Brother Love]

Nov 26

TRUE THANKSGIVING

Many people entertain only vague notions about thanks-
giving, just as they do about faith.

They confuse faith with optimism, will power, presump-
tion, imagination, and all sorts of other things. A doctor
tells his patient that but for his faith, he never would have
come through his illness. Somehow the patient was "just
sure" he would recover. A smiling mother encourages her
married daughter to "have faith, that everything will turn
out all right." But faith in God is believing God; believing
what He has said. True faith is based on the written Word
of God (See Rom. 10:17).

But unregenerate men have vague ideas about thanks-
giving. A man escapes some great harm and thanks his
"lucky stars." Another says: "I’m grateful for a healthy
body," but to whom is he grateful? He doesn’t say. In many
cases it doesn’t even occur to him to ask. He’s "just thank-
ful"!

How refreshing, then, it is to open our Bibles, especially
to the Epistles of Paul, the chief of sinners, saved by grace,
and to see him giving thanks for specific blessings, and
to a specific Person -- God!

"Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet [fit] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son" (Col. 1:12,13). "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!" (II Cor. 9:15). "Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory!" (I Car. 15:57). "Thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph!" (II Cor. 2:14).
       
It is our prayer for all our readers that this Thanksgiving
season, and always, you may be especially thankful for "the
gift of God [which] is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our
Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

Written by Pastor Stam

Subscribe at:
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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
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Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email:
berean@execpc.com

Telephone:  262-255-4750

Posted By Brother Love For Ambassador4Christ

[Ambassador4Christ]

Nov 27

MORE THAN CONQUERORS

Two boys fight in a back alley. Fists fly. Shouts go up
from the other youngsters standing by. "Give it to ‘im! Let
‘im have it!"

Finally one of the two struts away with an arrogant bear-
ing, head and shoulders wagging. He has won!
         
But has he? Look at him. He has a bloody nose, a black
eye and welts on his face and arms. And if looks could kill
he wouldn’t even be alive, for while his friends shout his
praises, the boy he has beaten gives him a look that says:
"Just wait." He has not won anything except, perhaps,
a bitter and lasting enemy.

So it is with the wars that nations wage against each
other. Necessary as it sometimes becomes to defend our
liberties, our homes, our way of life, by force of arms, sel-
dom does any nation actually win the war. Rather all lose,
even the "victors," as in their "victories" they sow the bit-
terness and hate which are the seeds of future wars.

It is different, however, with "the good fight of [the]
faith," for the Christian may come out of every battle
stronger than when he went in. Only the Christian can say
with regard to the heartaches and disappointments, the
difficulties and obstacles, that cross his path: "In all these
things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved
us" (Rom. 8:37).

During Paul’s busy ministry for Christ he suffered a
painful "thorn in the flesh," and "besought the Lord thrice"
that it might be taken away. The Lord did not see fit to
remove the thorn, but answered Paul: "My grace is suf-
ficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness"
(IICor. 12:9).

Paul’s response: "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon
me... for when I am weak, then am I strong" (Vers. 9,10).
Let all go well, and we are prone to grow careless in our
Christian lives. Adversity, on the other hand, makes Chris-
tians lean the harder and pray the more -- and therein lies
their strength and their victory.

Written by Pastor Stam

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
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P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
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Telephone:  262-255-4750

[Ambassador4Christ]

Nov 28

THE NEW CREATION

In Romans 5:12 God tells us how we are all related to the
first man, Adam:

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin... so death passed upon all men..."
         
This verse clearly indicates that every child born into the
world since Adam has partaken of Adam’s sinful nature.
         
Parents sometimes wonder why their children act as they
do. The answer is simple! Every child is related to rebel-
lious Adam by physical birth, and soon rebels like Adam,
whose offspring he is.
         
In Scripture we are told that God "commendeth His love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us" (Rom. 5:8).
         
When you are in trouble and someone comes to your aid,
are you not automatically drawn to that person? Should we
not then be attracted to the One who cared so much for us
that He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him
the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:7,8)?
         
Through natural birth we partake of the sinful natures of
our parents back to Adam, and frequently we even have the
same physical features as our parents. How touching, then,
to know that the Lord Jesus Christ took on Him "the like-
ness of men" (apart from sin) and, as the God-man, died for
our sins upon the cross, where sinful men (people like us)
nailed Him! As we recognize this and place our faith in
Him, a spiritual birth takes place and we become the chil-
dren of God (John 1:12). More than this, we become mem-
bers of the Body of Christ, God’s new creation, for "if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creation" (II Cor. 5:17). "cre-
ated in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath be-
fore ordained, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).

Written by Pastor Stam

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
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P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

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[Ambassador4Christ]

Nov 29

SO SOON

How highly the Galatian believers had esteemed Paul;
how heartily they had loved him when he had first come to
them proclaiming grace! The Apostle recalls it in Gal. 4:
13-15:

"Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

"And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
         
"Where is then the blessedness ye spoke of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me."
         
How happy in grace, how thoroughly blessed, had the
Galatian Christians been -- when Paul was with them! But
let the Apostle turn his back, as it were; let the legalizers
come courting on the morrow and suddenly these same
believers were ready to go back under the Law. "So soon"
had they fallen from grace! The Apostle was dumbfounded!
"I marvel," he says, "that ye are so soon removed from him
that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel"
(Gal. 1:6).

How unspeakably sad! And how natural that, hearing
the news, the Apostle should sit down immediately to write
them this urgent epistle, in large letters.

The temptations to "fall from grace" are as great today
as they ever were. It would be well, therefore, to read this
letter to the Galatians often so that we might be among
those who "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath
made us free" (Gal. 5:1).

Written by Pastor Stam

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
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Email:
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Telephone:  262-255-4750

[Brother Love]

Nov 30

THE FIRST BOOK TO READ

In years gone by, when life was simpler, men had more
time to ponder over the really important questions: What
will become of me when I die? Is there a heaven -- and a
hell? Can I know God? Will He forgive my sins? If so, on
what basis? What must I do to be saved?
       
The materialism, commercialism and technology of our
day, however, have so complicated life that secondary prob-
lems hinder many people from even considering at leisure
that which is most important.
       
Yet, despite all the hurry and anxiety, all the noise and
distraction, there are troubled souls, hungering and thirst-
ing for true satisfaction, for hearts cleansed from sin, for
deliverance from the awful burden of a guilty conscience.
       
Such people should read Paul’s Epistle to the Romans and
meditate on its great message of salvation. In fact, this is
the first book they ought to read.
       
In Romans the inspired Apostle declares that "all have
sinned" (3:23) and that "the wages of sin is death" (6:23).
But this is not all. Romans also proclaims the good news
that the Lord Jesus Christ "was delivered for our offences,
and was raised again for our justification" and that there-
fore we may have "peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ" (4:25; 5:1).
       
More than this, Romans offers abundant grace to all who
trust in Christ. "The law entered that the offence might
abound, but where sin abounded grace did much more
abound" (5:20,21). Thus believers are "justified freely by
[God’s] grace, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus" (3:24) and "the [free] gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord" (6:23).
       
We urge those who are not sure of salvation to read care-
fully and prayerfully this great Epistle to the Romans. You
may be thanking God for the rest of your earthly life -- and
forever -- that you did.

Written by Pastor Stam

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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
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P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
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Email:
berean@execpc.com

Telephone:  262-255-4750

Posted By Brother Love For Ambassador4Christ

[Brother Love]

Dec 1

BELIEVERS JUSTIFIED

Our Lords appearance to Saul of Tarsus (later called
Paul) on the road to Damascus, changed the pitiless per-
secutor in a moment into the docile, yes the devoted fol-
lower of the Christ he had so bitterly hated.

This transformation took place not only because he had
now seen the risen, ascended Christ; it was caused also by
what he had learned from Christ. From heaven the Lord
had revealed to Paul the glory of His finished work of re-
demption and had sent him forth to proclaim "the gospel of
the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).

This is seen in the closing words of the Apostles first
recorded sermon, delivered at the synagogue at Antioch in
Pisidia. After mentioning the death and resurrection of
Christ, the Apostle said:

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38,39).

Paul never changed this message, but kept emphasizing
it wherever he went as well as in his writings. He saw in
this truth the answer to man’s condemnation for breaking Gods holy law. Thus he wrote to the Romans:

"...by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested" (Rom. 3:20,21).

"[We] declare, I say, at this time, [Christs] righteousness; that [God] might be just and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Rom. 3:26).

Mark well: He does not say, "believeth and is baptized."
This was the message committed to the twelve (Mark 16:
16; Acts 2:38). With the ushering in of the dispensation of
grace God was manifested as "the Justifier of him which
believeth in Jesus."

Written by Pastor Stam

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Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
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P.O. Box 756
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Email:
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Posted By Brother Love For Ambassador4Christ

[Brother Love]

Dec 2

EVERLASTING LIFE

Romans 8:2, when correctly read, is a most blessed pas-
sage of Scripture. To get the sense we should place a dash
between the words "Spirit" and "of." Thus it would read:
"For the law of the Spirit -- of life in Christ Jesus, hath made
me free from the law of sin and death."

When a sinner places his trust in Christ as Savior he is
justified before the bar of God, because Christ’s death and
righteousness are imputed to him. This is a judicial matter.
But at the same moment something else happens: the
Spirit regenerates and gives new life (Tit. 3:5). This is a
law, an inexorable, unchangeable law. The sinner who
sincerely places his trust in Christ as Savior is given life
by the Holy Spirit. It is always so; it is never otherwise.
I John 5:12 says: "He that hath the Son hath life...." John
3:36 says that "He that believeth on the Son hath ever-
lasting life" and Col. 3:3 declares that the believer’s life is
"hid with Christ in God."

Thus the Apostle could say: "The law of the Spirit, [that
of] life in Christ, hath made me free from the law of sin and
death." Adam forfeited his life by sin, but the believer’s
new life can never be forfeited, for this life is nothing less
than the life of Christ, in whom the sinner has already died
and paid for his sins -- and in whom he now stands perfect
and complete before God.

It is a law, a fixed unchangeable law, that sin brings
forth death (Rom. 5:12; 6:23; et al). This is called "the law of
sin and death," but the believer has already died for sin in
Christ and has been given new life by the Spirit. Thus "the
law of the Spirit," that of "life in Christ," has made the sim-
plest believer "free from the law of sin and death."

Thank God for "the law of the Spirit," everlasting life
through the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins.

Written by Pastor Stam

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Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
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P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
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Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email:
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Telephone:  262-255-4750

Posted By Brother Love For Ambassador4Christ

[Brother Love]

Dec 3

A STONE OF STUMBLING

Some thirty years after the death and resurrection of
Christ, St. Peter wrote to the believers of the Jewish disper-
sion:

"Unto you therefore which believe He is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

"And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient..." (I Pet. 2:7,8).

It is true that Israel’s builders, 1900 years ago, "disal-
lowed" Christ as the cornerstone for their building, and
that when He became the "Head of the corner," according to
Psa. 118:22, it was for them an occasion for stumbling and
embarrassment.

But Christ is a "stone of stumbling" to all who reject
Him. In Rom. 9:33 St. Paul quotes from several Old Tes-
tament passages:

"As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence; and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."

In Peter’s day and in Paul’s, those who looked upon
Christ as their Cornerstone were never given cause to be
ashamed. It was those who disallowed and refused Him
who kept stumbling over Him and were constantly embar-
rassed by Him.

So today, those who put their trust in the crucified, risen
Christ are eternally secure and will never be put to shame
for having done so. But those who reject Christ keep for-
ever stumbling over Him. They hear Him preached over
the radio, they see Him offered as the One who died for
their sins, they are constantly confronted with His claims
and they are embarrassed. They keep forever stumbling
over Him.

Moral: trust Him now as your personal Savior, for "who-
soever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."

Written by Pastor Stam

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Posted By Brother Love For Ambassador4Christ

[Ambassador4Christ]

Dec 4

THAT WHICH WAS LACKING

"I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied" (I Cor. 16:17).

Sad, was it not, that the Corinthian church, undoubtedly
the largest of all the churches founded by Paul, had been so
ungenerous and insensitive, even to Paul’s personal needs,
that he had to labor at tentmaking in order to minister
among them. They did not even provide for the Apostle’s
meager needs. Thus, sadly, he writes:

"And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself" (II Cor. 11:9).

It was no different where the work of the Lord in general
was concerned, for whereas the churches of Macedonia had,
out of "great trial of affliction" and "deep poverty," given
"to their power" and had desired to give "beyond their pow-
er," the Apostle had to exhort the Corinthian believers to
"perform" their promises to help "the poor saints at Jerusa-
lem" and to "prove the sincerity of [their] love" (II Cor.
8:8,11).

Those who suppose that men of God should remind be-
lievers to live godly lives, to labor for Christ and to witness
for Him, but that for some reason they should not remind
them of their responsibility to contribute of their means --
these should read Paul’s letters to the believers at Corinth
and see how much the Apostle has to say about this matter.

Written by Pastor Stam

Subscribe at:
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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
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Email:
berean@execpc.com

Telephone:  262-255-4750

[Ambassador4Christ]

Dec 5

ALWAYS ABOUNDING

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that
your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Cor. 15:58).

We should note carefully that the Apostle Paul here
addresses only his brethren in Christ, those who have truly
been born again -- born into the family of God.

Furthermore, he sent this appeal to Christians every-
where: to "all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus
Christ our Lord" (I Cor. 1:2). He knew that there is a tend-
ency among all believers to be tempted to abandon the work
of the Lord through discouragement or carelessness, so he
pleads with us to be "stedfast" and "unmoveable," remind-
ing us that our labor is "not in vain in the Lord."

How we need this exhortation! We do not soon abandon
our businesses or homes. We toil on in spite of difficulties
and obstacles, and when the outlook is darkest we often
work the hardest. Sometimes our bodies suffer for it, but
we do not immediately give up.

And how much more urgent is the work of the Lord!
Souls are perishing all about us for whom Christ died. It is
our plain duty to pray for them and tell them of His love.
It is our responsibility to toil and sacrifice that they may
hear and believe the good news. What shall we say when
some day we stand before our Savior if we have been sat-
isfied merely to know Him ourselves? And what will He
say?

Let us then be up and doing, "always abounding in the
work of the Lord." Life is too short to fritter away the pre-
cious moments God has given us to proclaim His saving
grace. Let us tell them, then, by lip and by life, by our
testimony and by our behavior, that "Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners" and that "we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the
riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).

Written by Pastor Stam

Subscribe at:
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Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email:
berean@execpc.com

Telephone:  262-255-4750

[Ambassador4Christ]

Dec 6

THE WORD OF TRUTH

In Eph. 1:13 the Apostle Paul declares that men are
saved and sealed by hearing and believing "the Word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation." This declaration is sub-
stantiated by many other passages of Scripture. Our Lord
said: "He that heareth... and believeth... hath everlasting
life" (John 5:24). This at a time when sacrifices and bap-
tism were still required for the remission of sins. Even then
men had to hear and believe to be saved, for "faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).

Now, however, salvation is received by hearing and be-
lieving alone. Works for salvation are not merely unneces-
sary; they are forbidden.

Today salvation is "to him that worketh not, BUT be-
lieveth" (Rom. 4:5). "For by grace are ye saved, through
faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: NOT
OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST" (Eph.
2:8,9).

God has changed His dealings with men from time to
time down through the ages, teaching one lesson at a time.
This is why it is so important to note the dispensational
distinctions in Scripture, "rightly dividing the Word of
truth."

Once the works of the Law were required for salvation:
"But now the righteousness of God without the law is mani-
fested" (Rom. 3:21) and men are saved solely by faith in
Christ, "being justified freely by [God’s] grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24).

We are saved, then, as we hear and believe what Paul
calls, "the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation" (Eph.
1:13), and we are established in the faith as we obey II Tim.
2:15: "rightly dividing the Word of truth."

Written by Pastor Stam

Subscribe at:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email:
berean@execpc.com

Telephone:  262-255-4750