Two Minutes With The Bible

[Brother Love]

ASLEEP IN A STORM




What a disappointing scene! A terrifying storm, souls in danger of death, but Jonah, the man of God, fast asleep.

Sailors are not soon frightened in a storm, but this time the fury of the gale was so great that "the ship was like to be broken" and even the sailors were driven to their knees
"and cried every man unto his god" (Jonah 1:4,5).

Can it be that Jonah, the only man aboard who knew the true God, was sleeping? Sleeping while souls were perishing? This was the shameful truth, and not one of us would blame the terrified captain for rudely awakening him and crying: "What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God!" (Ver. 6).

But let us not be too ready to condemn Jonah, for we may be more guilty than he. Surely the world today is passing through a fearful storm and souls all about us are in peril of their lives. If they do not accept God’s way of salvation; if they do not trust in Christ, they will perish. And what are we doing about it? Are we pleading for them in prayer? Are we doing what we can to reach them for Christ? Or are we fast asleep?

"What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God!" And when you have cried to God in behalf of your unsaved relatives, friends and business associates, He will
send you to witness to them of Christ and His love. Not until you have talked to God about them will you be ready to talk to them about God.

Politically, morally, spiritually, the night is dark, the Storm is raging and souls are per-ishing, but "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined
in our hearts" (II Cor. 4:6). "...we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others" (I Thes. 5:5,6).

By C.R. Stam

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Berean Bible Society
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[Brother Love]

COLUMBUS THE BELIEVER
By Cornelius R. Stam

Everybody knows that Columbus discovered America, but
few people know Columbus the sincere believer in the Lord
Jesus Christ, who braved the dangers of the ocean vastness
mainly because it was his deep desire to bring the gospel to
the Indies. His perseverance in the face of almost insur-
mountable odds should be a lesson to God’s people. Cen-
turies before Columbus, Paul wrote to the Corinthian be-
lievers:

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable,
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).
         
This stirring appeal of Paul to Christians everywhere (I
Cor. 1:2), implies that there is a tendency to abandon the
work of the Lord through discouragement or carelessness,
for he pleads with us to be "steadfast," and "unmovable" --
not easily shaken, reminding us that our "labor is not in
vain in the Lord."

How we need the exhortation!

We do not soon abandon our businesses or our homes. We
work on in spite of difficulties and obstacles, and when the
outlook is darkest we often toil the hardest. Sometimes our
bodies suffer for it, but we do not immediately give up.
         
If this is so where our own affairs are concerned, how
much more should it be so where the things of God and the
needy multitudes about us are concerned! If it is so where
temporal matters are concerned, how much more should it
be so where eternity is involved!
         
Christians, let us awake! Let us "buy up the time!" Life
is too short to fritter away the precious moments. Let us
rather neglect our own affairs than to neglect the work of
the Lord and the perishing souls about us.

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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

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[Brother Love]

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

By Cornelius R. Stam

This was the question Philip asked of the Ethiopian
prince as he sat reading from Isaiahs prophecy (Acts 8:30),
and it is a question which we should continually keep ask-
ing ourselves as we read the holy Scriptures.

There are always those among Gods people who do not
much care whether or not they understand what they read
if only it warms their hearts! To them the Bible is little
more than a fetish. Taking only those Scriptures which
appeal to them, and leaving the rest, they actually feel
themselves quite spiritual and often talk about believing
the Bible whether or not they understand it!

But such "spirituality" is far from genuine, and such
"faith" is blind and superstitious at best.

While it is true that the Bible teaches many truths which
we believe, although they are beyond our comprehension
(such as its opening verse!), yet how can we believe what
the Bible says unless we understand what it says? God
would have us understand what we read and believe it in-
telligently. Indeed, true faith will want to know and under-
stand more and more of Gods Word. One who does not care
whether or not he understands what God has said is not
truly interested in knowing what God has said. His faith is
based on his own will rather than on Gods Word, for re-
gardless of the meaning of Scripture, he will take any pas-
sage that suits his fancy and use it as he wishes.

How great an emphasis God Himself places upon the
importance of understanding His Word!

On one occasion, when our Lord saw the multitudes, He
"was moved with compassion toward them, because they
were as sheep not having a shepherd; and He began to teach
them many things" (Mark 6:34).

And now that the secret of Gods "eternal purpose" has
been made known, how much more reason there is to study
the Scriptures, with a view to understanding them! How
Paul, by the Spirit, emphasizes this, as he writes of his
prayers for the saints:

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling..." (Eph. 1:17,18).

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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

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[Brother Love]

SICKNESS AND SIN

By Cornelius R. Stam

One thing that really concerns this writer about modern
life, is how sin is constantly called sickness. A man com-
mits some moral outrage and they say he is sick -- they even
tell him that.
       
I went to see a man some time ago who had fallen into
unspeakable immorality and it had caught up with him.
For years his sanctimonious life had been a sham; now the
mask was torn off and he was in trouble -- deep trouble.
       
I had been telling him that now his best course was to
make a clean confession -- to the courts and to God. But
someone else had gotten to him first. While he stood by,
listening, this man had told his wife: "You must get Jim to
see that hes sick and needs help. Im not condoning what
he has done, but Im hopeful that if he gets the proper help
he can be cured."
       
What a way to evade the sin question! Of course the man
was sick -- I imagine you and I would be sick too if we lived
as he had been living! But lets get this straight: His sick-
ness came from his sin, not his sin from some sickness. He
would have been far better off to sob out his heart in con-
trition before God for his sin than to excuse his conduct on
the grounds of illness. Rom. 5:12 says: "By one man sin
entered into the world and death by sin," and Rom. 6:23
says: "The wages of sin is death."
       
The sobering fact is that while there may be differences
in the kinds of sins we commit, or in the degrees of our sin,
Rom. 3:23 declares that there is no difference in this, that
"all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
       
This is why we are so pleased and proud to proclaim "the
gospel of the grace of God," how Christ paid the penalty for
our sins that we might have a perfect standing before a
holy God, "being justified freely by His grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24). "Thanks be
unto God for His unspeakable gift!" (II Cor. 9:15).

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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

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[Brother Love]

THE SUPREME IMPORTANCE OF GODS WORD TO THE BELIEVER

By Cornelius R. Stam

The Bible will always have first place in the life of the
spiritual Christian.

It is of utmost importance that we understand this, for
some who feel themselves quite spiritual give much time to
prayer, but little, if any, to the study of the Word. Such
have actually fallen for the subtle trick of the adversary to
play upon their natural human pride and cause them to
exalt self and push God into the background.

In saying this we do not for one moment minimize the
importance of prayer; we only stress the supreme impor-
tance of the holy Word of God. In this we are surely Scrip-
tural, for David says, by inspiration:

"For Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name" (Psa.
138:2).

Of those who would still object and place first emphasis
upon prayer rather than upon the Word, we would ask one
simple question: Which is the more important, what we
have to say to God or what He has to say to us? There can
be but one answer to this question, for obviously what God
has to say to us is infinitely more important than anything
we might have to say to Him. Our prayers are as fraught
with failure as we are, but the Word of God is infallible,
immutable and eternal.

Yet some, having fallen for one of Satans "devices" and
feeling quite spiritual about it, are like the talkative person
to whom one listens and listens, occasionally nodding his
head, but receiving little or no opportunity to "get a word in
edgewise." They do all the talking, but give little time
listening to what God has to say to them.

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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

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[Brother Love]

WHEN THE LORD ASKED WHY

By Cornelius R. Stam

There are two occasions when the Lord asked "Why?"
that stand out from all the rest.

Once it was to God He cried it and once to Saul of Tarsus.
Once to the Holy One and once to the chief of sinners. Once
He cried it from the shameful cross and once from His glory
in heaven. In each case the name was repeated.

In Matt. 27:46 we find the first anguished "Why?" as He
cried: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" The
other is found in Acts 9:4, where He called from His exile in
heaven: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"

These two questions represent the greatest riddles of
history and yet strangely, one of them is the simple solution
to the other! Why did God forsake His Son? You will find
the answer when you ask why mankind, represented by
Saul, forsook and even persecuted Gods Son. Gods action, in giving Christ up to die, was the antidote to mans.
Christs death was the remedy -- the only possible rem-
edy -- for mans sin. It was because of the utter unreason-
ableness of mans sin that God, to save him, had to be more
than reasonable.

Saul had led his nation and the world in rebellion against
Christ, but this is just why, in infinite love, God chose
him to become the great apostle of grace, telling the world
that "Christ died for our sins."

Hear him tell how he had been "a blasphemer, and a
persecutor, and injurious" but how "the grace of our Lord
was exceeding abundant" (1 Tim. 1:13,14). Hear him say:

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief, Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting" (Vers. 15, 16).

Since the "chief of sinners" is now in heaven, there is
hope for us all if we but trust in the Christ who died for us.

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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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[Brother Love]

FEAR OF DEATH IS IT NECESSARY?

By Cornelius R. Stam

Most people live in almost constant fear of death. They do
not like to think that man’s days are as grass and all his
glory as the glory of a fading flower (Psa. 103:15,16). They
do not wish to face up to the fact that "it is appointed unto
men once to die" (Heb. 9:27).

This is natural, for God’s Word declares that death is "the
wages of sin" (Rom. 6:23) and "after this the judgment"
(Heb. 9:27) and the "second death" (Rev. 20:14). This is why
I Cor. 15:56 says that "The sting of death is sin."

Yet the Psalmist David was not afraid of death. He said:
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil" -- but note the reason: "for Thou
art with me" (Psa. 23:4). David had come to know God and
had been graciously delivered from the fear of death.

But we, today, have an even greater reason to be free
from the fear of death, for 1,000 years after David, Saul of
Tarsus, the chief of sinners, was saved by grace and was
sent forth to proclaim the "gospel [good news] of the grace
of God" (Acts 20:24).

He went forth to tell men how "Christ died for our sins"
(1 Cor. 15:3) and robbed Satan of all his claims against us:

"That through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb. 2: 14, 15).

When the Apostle himself neared death, he said: "To die
is gain" (Phil. 1:21), "to depart, and to be with Christ... is
far better" (Ver. 23), and "the time of my departure is at
hand... henceforth there is laid up for me a crown..."
(II Tim. 4:6-8).
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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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[Brother Love]

PEACE AND ACCESS

By Cornelius R. Stam

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access..." (Rom. 5:1,2).

"Being justified... we have peace with God"! What a
priceless blessing! We believers are prone to take this bless-
ing altogether too much for granted.

Since the day we trusted Christ and the burden of sin
rolled away, most of us have never had another question
about our eternal destiny. Hence the danger of taking our
salvation for granted. We often fail to appreciate suffi-
ciently what it means to be able to arise in the morning, go
about our business during the day and give ourselves up to
unconsciousness at night, always assured that through our
Lord’s redemptive work we have "peace with God" and our
eternal destiny is secure. Surely this knowledge should
overwhelm our hearts with constant gratitude and have a
profound effect upon our daily conduct.

The companion blessing to "peace with God" is our full
and free access into His presence: another blessing of grace
far too little appreciated. Think of the wonder of our free
access to God; how He, the Ruler of the Universe, invites us
to come confidently before His "throne of grace" at our con-
venience -- "in time of need."

"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).

We should never forget that this high privilege was pur-
chased for us by the precious blood of Christ, and that
having thus been purchased, it is His will that we believers
avail ourselves of "this grace." Could there be greater proof
of His love for us?

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

"...a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.

"....Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith..." (Heb. 10:19-22).


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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

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[Brother Love]

LIBERTY -- HOW PRECIOUS!

By Cornelius R. Stam


We were interested to read, recently, about the man in
California who ran short of grazing land for his herd of 13
buffalo. To solve this problem he put them on a barge and
took them over to a large island in Lake Berryessa where
there was lots of pasture. But what did the buffalo do?
They jumped back into the lake, swam to shore and began
charging fishermen and chasing automobiles -- so enraged
were they at being imprisoned on an island!

After all, neither man nor beast enjoys bondage, though
many of us are in fact enslaved.

Our Lord said in John 8:32: "And ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free." To this the religious
leaders replied: "We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in
bondage to any man: how sayest Thou, Ye shall be made
free?" But our Lord answered: "Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (Ver.
34). St. Paul says the same thing in Rom. 6:16:

"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

Sad to say, many sincere religious people think that they
can free themselves from sin by putting themselves in
bondage to the Law, the Ten Commandments. This never
works, for the Law can only condemn the sinner. Rom.
3:19,20 declares that the Law was given "that every mouth
may be stopped and that all the world may be brought in
guilty before God... for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Again we have to turn to Christ for salvation and true
liberty. He "died for our sins" (I Cor. 15:3) and has "re-
deemed us from the curse of the law" (Gal. 3:13).

Having believed this and trusted Christ as Savior, true
Christians serve the Lord, not from fear, or to gain favor,
but out of sheer love and gratitude. This is true liberty and
this service is the only kind that God desires from us. Prob-
ably no man ever served the Lord more sincerely or tire-
lessly than the Apostle Paul. In II Cor. 5:14 he gives us the
secret: "The love of Christ constraineth us..."

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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

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[Brother Love]

LITTLE GIRL, ARISE

By Cornelius R. Stam

I was addressing an Assyrian audience on the raising of
Jairus’ twelve-year-old daughter by the Lord Jesus Christ,
and using the narrative to illustrate how God, through His
Word, gives resurrection life to those who are "dead in
trespasses and sins."

I had as my interpreter the incomparable Bedour Hanush
Afraim Kassab, but there was one point in the narrative
where my audience needed no interpreter. I will explain.
         
It so happens that Aramaic, spoken by our Lord on earth,
is almost identical to Assyrian and there is one small
phrase in the story where our English Version presents the
very words our Lord spoke to Jairus’ daughter: "Talitha
cumi," or "Little girl, arise."
         
Now it also happened that in our audience there was a
little Assyrian girl who, like Jairus’ daughter, was twelve
years old. As I told of Jairus’ anxiety for his dying daughter
and his anguish at the news of her death, the little As-
syrian girl could understand nothing; she had to wait until
my words were interpreted into Assyrian. But when I got to
the words "Talitha cumi" she needed no interpreter. Leap-
ing from her chair she stood looking at me with eager,
sparkling eyes, as if to say: "What do you want of me?
What can I do now?"
         
Like Jairus’ daughter, our little girl had heard and un-
derstood just those three words and had applied them to
herself. So it is with those who have received "life in
Christ." "Dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1), they paid
little heed to the Word of God (I Cor. 2:14), but one day, by
the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, they did take heed
and believe some simple gospel passage, like "Christ died
for our sins" (I Cor. 15:3) and, applying it to themselves,
were "raised to walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4).
         
Nothing would please us more than if some reader should
thus apply the gospel of God’s grace to himself and receive
eternal life. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and THOU
shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

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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

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[Brother Love]

GOOD NEWS FROM CALVARY

By Cornelius R. Stam

All through the Old Testament the cross is but dimly
seen. Though a hundred historical characters and a hun-
dred more Levitical sacrifices and rituals were typical of
Christ and His finished work, not once does the Old Tes-
tament state this. The silence is profound. The clearest
Old Testament prophecy of Christ’s death, Isaiah 53, does
not even specify who the Sufferer would be.

It was the same during our Lord’s stay on earth, for only
toward the close of His ministry do we read: "From that
time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples how that
He must go unto Jerusalem and suffer... and be killed..."
(Matt. 16:21). And what was their response? "Then Peter
took Him and began to rebuke Him" (Ver. 22). Luke 18:34
states three times that they did not have the slightest idea
that He would even die, much less did they understand all
that His death would accomplish. Even at Pentecost Peter
blamed his hearers for the death of Christ and said to them:
"repent and be baptized every one of you... for the remission
of sins" (Acts 2:38). The twelve were preaching "the gospel
of the kingdom" and knew little about the cross and its
purpose.

Not until the Apostle Paul, that other apostle, do we have
what is properly called "the preaching of the cross," i.e., as
good news. And in Paul’s great message our Lord is no
longer seen as the Victim, but as the Victor, not merely
after death, or over death, but in death. His death itself is
seen as His greatest triumph. In Heb. 10:12,14 we read:

"...after He had offered one sacrifice for sins [He] sat down... for by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified."

And in Col. 2:14,15 Paul describes Christ at Calvary nail-
ing the Law to the cross and utterly defeating Satan and
his hosts, "triumphing over them in it (i.e., in the cross)."
Little wonder the Apostle exclaimed: "God forbid that I
should boast, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ..."
(Gal. 6:14).

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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

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[Brother Love]

DON’T PAY ATTENTION TO STORIES
By Cornelius R. Stam

"Neither give heed to fables..." (1 Tim. 1:4)

As the present-day English reader comes upon the word
"fables" in the Authorized Version, he is apt to think of
Aesop’s Fables, but these were illustrations, while the orig-
inal word muthois means simply stories, including stories of
imagined incidents or events.

There are two types of stories that have exerted an amaz-
ing influence upon twentieth century Christendom.  One is
the novel, the other the promotional story.

In considering the above passage, this writer examined
the contents of the popular Christian periodicals coming to
his desk and was astonished to find how many of them were
largely filled with fiction and with stories written to pro-
mote projects or viewpoints.  The Apostle says about such
stories that they raise questions but do not answer them,
for stories really prove nothing.  This is also true of many
Christian films.

Many Christian novels have indeed exerted a savory
influence upon their readers -- when they have been
founded upon Scriptural truths and principles.  Obviously,
however, an author can make his novel "prove" exactly
what he wishes to prove, for the novel involves us in a
world of make-believe.  Thus a novel can be dangerous to
Christian faith and practice.

The promotional story holds, perhaps, an even more
prominent place in our popular Christian magazines.  No
one can object to factual reports of what God has wrought,
but too many of these stories are nothing more than pro-
motional efforts.  Many of these "success stories" are so
successful that thoughtful readers question their validity
and are apt to lay them aside without even finishing them.  
Less discerning readers, however, are often deeply moved
by them.

We are well aware that our objections are not popular,
but we are not trying to be popular;  we are trying to help
sincere Christians find their way back, step by step, to
renewed spiritual power.  This power has been too long
frittered away by substituting the will of man for the Word
of God.

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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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[Brother Love]

THE RICHES OF GOD

By Cornelius R. Stam

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 mans
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 cor-rupt, 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).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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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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[Brother Love]

ITS YOUR ATTITUDE

By Cornelius R. Stam

Many people fear that they will never reach heaven.
Some try not to think about it, while others struggle to "be
good," hoping that they will finally "make it." Very few,
comparatively, are sure of heaven.

The real pity is that so few understand what it is that
keeps people out of heaven. If you are confused about this,
just remember that according to Scripture, it is not ones
sins that keep him out of heaven, but his attitude.

God has made full provision for our sins. "Christ died for
our sins" (I Cor. 15:3) and "we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His
grace" (Eph. 1:7).

But God has made no provision for a self-righteous at-
titude. He gave the Law "that every mouth may be stopped
and that all the world may be brought in guilty before God"
(Rom. 3:19). Thus He does not want you to keep saying
things in your own defense. In fact, before you can know
God as your Savior, you must recognize Him as your Judge,
righteously condemning you as a sinner.

Often, when capital crimes are involved, the defendants
attorney will tell him: "It will be to your advantage to plead
guilty and to throw yourself on the mercy of the court."

This is especially true of us as sinners in the sight of a
holy God. If we will only plead guilty and cast ourselves
upon His mercy we will find Him more than gracious, for
He has already paid the penalty for our sins Himself.


Yes, unsaved friend, it will be to your eternal advantage
to plead guilty before God and to cast yourself upon His
mercy, "for the wages of sin is death, but THE GIFT OF
GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
OUR LORD" (Rom. 6:23).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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

<))><

[Brother Love]

GRACE ABOUNDING

By Cornelius R. Stam

In a letter to his spiritual son, Timothy, Paul wrote, some
1900 years ago, about his conversion:

" was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. AND THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT..." (I Tim. 1:13,14).

And he follows this with the now-famous declaration:

"THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTA-
TION, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE
SINNERS, OF WHOM I AM CHIEF" (Ver 15).

Upon reading this statement by Paul, those who know
their Bibles will immediately recall the words of Rom.
5:20,21:

"...the law entered, that the offence might abound, BUT WHERE SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND; THAT AS SIN HATH REIGNED... SO MIGHT GRACE REIGN..."

These two passages from the pen of Paul have a closer
connection than may appear on the surface. The Apostle
Paul, once Saul of Tarsus, had led his nation and the world
in rebellion against Christ. "As for Saul," we read in Acts
8:3, "he made havoc of the church," and he himself testified
to the Galatians: "Ye have heard... how that beyond meas-
ure I persecuted the church of God, and laid it waste" (Gal.
1:13).

Yet God, in infinite mercy, had saved Saul, not only for
Sauls own sake, but to make him the living demonstration
of His grace. Thus in writing to Timothy, the Apostle goes
on to explain:

"Howbeit, FOR THIS CAUSE I OBTAINED MERCY, THAT IN ME
FIRST JESUS CHRIST MIGHT SHOW FORTH ALL LONGSUFFER1NG, FOR A PATTERN TO THEM WHICH SHOULD HEREAFTER BELIEVE ON HIM TO LIFE EVERLASTING" (I Tim. 1:16).

Let us, then, take our places with Saul, the sinner, and
find salvation by grace through Christ, the Savior. "Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts
16:31).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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

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