GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

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Conduct Worthy of the Gospel
(Part 4 of 4)
By Gregg Bing


Striving Together with One Mind

Paul wanted to hear that they were "with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel." The expression "striving together" is from the Greek word "sunathleo." The last part of this word, "athleo," is where we get our word "athletics." It means to engage in an athletic contest or to compete in public games, to contend for the prize. This competition requires endurance, sometimes even pain and suffering. The Christian life is not an easy life. Paul often uses the concept of athletic competition to describe the Christian life. He speaks of it as "running in a race" (1 Cor. 9:24-27), of engaging in a wrestling match (Eph. 6:12), of "fighting the good fight" (1 Tim. 6:12).

The first part of the word "sunathleo" is the preposition "sun" which means together with. Paul is stressing that, as believers, we are not in this alone; we are to contend and compete together, as a team. To do so effectively, we must have one mind. The word "mind" is actually the Greek word for "soul." The soul speaks of our natural life (Gen. 2:7). It is the seat of our emotions, our feelings, our passions. To effectively strive together we need to have a real, shared passion for the work.

What are we to be passionate about? What are we to strive and contend together for? The faith of the gospel. As we have already seen, "the faith" refers to the truth of God's Word that we put our faith in. We live in a time when the Word of God in general, and the gospel of Jesus Christ in particular, is constantly under attack. Satan opposes and seeks to keep people away from God's Word (1 Tim. 1:18-20, Titus 1:9-11) because he knows "it is the power of God unto salvation" to those who hear and believe it (Rom. 1:16). This is why, as heavenly citizens, we need to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).

We need individuals, and local churches who will stand firm and strive together for this precious message with one soul, with a real passion for the Lord, for His Word, and for reaching people with the gospel of God's grace.

Suffering in the Same Conflict

As we take a stand and strive together for the faith, we will most certainly find opposition. Satan and his ministers will take a stand against us, speak out against us, persecute us, and seek to hinder us in every way possible. Paul told the Philippians not to be "terrified" by this prospect. The word "terrified" means to be frightened or scared; it is also used to describe a horse being "startled." Paul is basically saying, "Don't be surprised" and "Don't be scared" when you are faced with persecution and suffering from your adversaries. "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Phil. 1:29). The word "granted" is the Greek word "charizomai" which is from the Greek word for "grace." It is been "freely given" to us, by God's grace, not only to believe in Him (as Savior and Lord), but also to "suffer for His sake." We don't often look at suffering as a gift, particularly a gift from God, but this is exactly what this verse teaches. It is a privilege to suffer for the name of Christ, to experience sufferings on His behalf (John 15:18-25). In Acts 5 we read of the twelve apostles being held by the Jewish Sanhedrin for teaching and preaching in the name of Jesus Christ. After the apostles were beaten, commanded not to speak any more in the name of Jesus, and let go, "they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:41).

As heavenly citizens, the way we respond to sufferings and opposition, is an important part of our conduct. We must realize that "all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). The Philippians were facing the "same conflict" which they had seen in Paul (when he was in Philippi, Acts 16), and now heard was in Paul (as he was in prison in Rome). This same conflict rages on today as Satan continues to oppose the truth of God's Word and the people of God who proclaim it. As we face these sufferings that will come, let us not be surprised, let us not be scared, but let us "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10) and "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 2:1).

May each of us take heed to this important directive from the Apostle Paul: "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ." May we stand fast in one spirit, striving together with one mind, one soul, for the faith of the gospel, joyfully enduring the sufferings that we will all face, knowing that, as we do, it all will redound to the glory of God.

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Walking in Him
By L. Peterson
Ephesians 1:18


It should be the heartfelt desire of all believers to know the will of God. While volumes have been written and spoken on this subject, it seems to me that most have missed telling us that we are God's will. Let's look at Ephesians 1:18.

Eph 1:18 (KJV) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

Looking at the word enlightened, we find that this may be fully rendered having had light thrown upon, or having had illuminated to the eyes of your heart. The construction of this is as such that prior to giving to them a spirit of wisdom and revelation, they had their eyes of their hearts enlightened. This can be interpreted to include their initial salvation when the Lord transferred them from darkness to light. Furthermore, it implies that the results continued.

Since the passive voice used indicates that one other than themselves, namely, God the Holy Spirit, had enlightened them. There is no way for those who are in the sphere of darkness to be launched into the sphere of light part from God Himself doing the launching. The eyes of a depraved heart are blind, totally incapable. God the Holy Spirit, according to sovereign election, had and continued to enlighten their hearts. (Eph. 4:18 )

Paul says that the object of enlightenment is "that ye may know" better rendered "unto the end that you may know" that you may know three key things? We need to recognize that God's sovereign enlightening, this was not an end in itself, but was unto the end that they might be knowledgeable regarding their spiritual eyes. God will give via the Spirit, minds of wisdom and insight into the Truth for the Church.

The first specific aspect of the Mystery which Paul wants them to know is "what is the hope of his calling," This means the expectation, anticipation and that which is looked forward to. The word "calling" as used here, means a summons, an irresistible invitation, and a non-disobeyable order to come. Now lets put this in an amplified translation, God has given to believers spiritual enlightenment to know the hope, expectation and anticipation that belongs to His sovereign calling, summons and irresistible invitation.

The calling is Gods sovereign purpose of making man alive in Christ and members of His Body, the Church. (Romans 8:30; Phil. 3:14; Phil. 1:21)

The second specific aspect which Paul desires them to know is "what is the richness of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." Since the word for "richness" is in the singular, speaking of only one things that belongs to the glory of His inheritance, it should be translated rich, opulent, and profuse the glory is which belongs to God's inheritance. This word defines the quality of the "glory" which in turn, describes God's inheritance.

Now let us look a the statement "his inheritance in the saints." The possessive pronoun "his" clearly indicates that this inheritance belongs to God. It is an inheritance which God has in the sphere of the saints, i.e. the saints themselves are the inheritance. Rich, opulent, and profuse glory surrounds and circumscribes God's inheritance, the saints. Apart from what God has done for us saints, "having blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ... Eph. 1:3 having foreordained us unto a position of sons.. and having made us heirs" with Christ, we would not be a rich and glorious inheritance (vs 3,5,11). Paul wants all the saints to know that God has sovereignly made them a rich-in-glory "inheritance" or possession for Himself. We are God's will.

PRAISE THE LORD

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YESTERDAY, TODAY and TOMORROW:
GOD'S TIMETABLE  Part 1 of 4
By Jack Trumm



It's been said that you can buy a newspaper and find out what happened yesterday. You can turn on the radio, television, or computer and find out what's happening today, but thank God, you can open your Bible and find out what's going to happen tomorrow. Actually, the Bible can tell us about and explain all three (yesterday, today and tomorrow).

GOD'S TIMETABLE

First of all, to learn where we are on God's timetable, remember this: the status of the nation Israel tells us where we are on God's timetable. Like the hands on a clock, this points to where we are in God's dealing with mankind.

Let's take today for example. What is the status of the nation Israel today, as far as God's word is concerned?

1. They have been set aside in unbelief.

2. Currently, they have no covenant relationship with God. (In fact no nation has.)

3. They are in partial (or temporary) blindness, and are being avoided (even considered enemies) by God as He blesses the Gentiles and focuses on them for the time being. Paul writes, "as concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes." (Romans 11:28 )

We can see from a brief study of the Bible, from Genesis 12, all the way through the rest of the Old Testament, and continuing through the four gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and through the first seven chapters of the Book of Acts, God's focus of attention is His nation, Israel. The Book of Acts records the failure of the nation Israel to believe the claims of Christ, and their failure to accept the offer of their King and Kingdom nationally for the time being. Then with Paul's conversion, calling and message, we learn of Israel's temporary casting away or being set aside and avoided.

We can look around us, study current events and see that Israel still remains in unbelief, and still wails at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, crying out for God to speak to her. She wishes God would focus on her as in the days of old, and speak to her as in days of old. She remains in unbelief and blinded to this very day. So then, from examining Israel's current status and looking at the Bible, we can see where we are on God's timetable.

OUR YESTERDAY

The Bible explains our yesterday. It tells how God chose Israel to be his favored nation, and how He gave the Gentile nations over to their own lusts. Paul writes, "when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." (Romans 1:21-25)

From then on the Gentiles are avoided, and often times ordered to get out of the way as God placed Israel into the promised land. And so from Genesis 12 unto Paul's conversion in Acts 9, the Gentiles are avoided by God and ignored. Paul wrote,"Wherefore remember, that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:11-12)

In our yesterday, God's focus, His attention was on His favored nation, Israel. Even in our Lord's earthly ministry He made it very clear saying, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" adding, "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to the dogs. " (Matthew 15:24,26) He commanded His disciples, saying, "Go NOT into the way of the Gentiles, and into ANY city of the Samaritans enter ye NOT: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 10:5-6) And in further clarification, to the Samaritan woman our Lord Jesus said, "Ye worship ye know not what, we (Jews) know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews." (John 4:22)

Continued

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GOD'S TIMETABLE
Part 2 of 4
By Jack Trumm


ISRAEL'S YESTERDAY

So with an outstretched hand and tender nurturing, God led the children of Israel and cared for them. He sent His Son to them confirming the promises made unto the fathers. Some of the promises made unto the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, etc.) were conditional. If they would be obedient, God would bless them, or if they disobeyed, He would punish them. However, God also made UNCONDITIONAL promises unto them, promises in which He would not take back. Among these was the promise that national Israel would be the instrument of blessing to the Gentile nations under the reign of Christ. Isaiah 60 and 61 describe this in detail, predicting a redeemed Israel, shining forth the glory of God, reigning over the rest of the nations as head.

Paul explains that God will fulfill this promise to them when He takes away her blindness, and takes away her sins in accordance to prophecy. Paul explains, "and so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." (Romans 11:26-27)

The cleansing and deliverance of Israel was the subject of every prophet which spoke, beginning with "Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken" (Acts 3:24), also John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus Christ, and all of the apostles. This period of her cleansing can be summed up in the phase: "the great tribulation period". In the Old Testament it is referred to as: "the time of Jacob 's trouble ", and her "day of trouble ". (Jeremiah 30:7, Daniel 12:1, Zephaniah 1:15, Ezekiel 7:7) Paul the apostle called it "the day of the Lord", (I Thessalonians 5:12) John the apostle called it "the revelation of Jesus Christ". (Revelation 1:1)

But this terrible time of trouble has been put on 'hold' so-to-speak, "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in ". (Romans 11:25) God has chosen to reveal and dispense a Gentile dispensation first. He chose to set Israel aside temporarily, avoiding her, considering her an enemy for the sake of the Gentiles. He chose to bless the world thru her fall, taking out of the Gentiles a people without Israel's instrumentality. And so God has ushered in a Gentile dispensation in which He shows mercy and grace to all who come to Christ by faith. In fact, even an individual from the rebel nation Israel may receive the spiritual blessings of grace, but he must come to God in the avenue which the Gentiles now receive it, by grace through faith alone. For the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile is now broken down, the Israelites have lost their favored nation status, that covenant relationship. They must come to God with no merit of their own. Paul writes "even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy (the Gentiles) they also may obtain mercy (the Jews)." (Romans 11:31) Today, in the day of grace, they must come to God through the mercy and grace presently being shown to the Gentiles. Paul makes this declaration against national Israel as the Book of Acts closes, "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." (Acts 28:28 ) We are in a Gentile dispensation. Israel nationally is still being ignored (actually considered as an enemy of God) for our sakes. "as concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes." (Romans 11:28 )

God today is not answering Israel, for if He were to answer her, He would have to answer in His wrath for He still holds her responsible (nationally) for the rejection of His Son. It is spelled out by Paul in Romans 11:27 where it says, "when I shall take away their sins."

How long will the Gentiles continue to receive this blessed opportunity to approach God in this way, and enjoy this goodness? Paul answers this in Romans 11:25 by saying, "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in ". This tells us that God has a number in mind, a number which will bring Him to what He considers "fulness". Maybe there is only one more to be added to "the church which is His body" (Ephesians 1:22-23) before He comes to gather us to Himself. "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." (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)

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GOD'S TIMETABLE
Part 3 OF 4
By  Jack Trumm



TOMORROW

Paul warned the Gentiles concerning the end of this blessed standing, saying "boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee" "well because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee goodness, IF THOU CONTINUE IN HIS GOODNESS, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they (Israel nationally) abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again." (Romans 11:18,20-23)

Paul predicted that after "the fullness " of the Gentiles are come in, God will do just that-graft Israel in again. "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, "when I shall take away their sins." (Romans 11:26-27) And then they will be that channel of blessing to the world, for Paul wrote that if setting Israel aside proved to be a blessing for the world, "how much more their fulness?" "now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, HOW MUCH MORE THEIR FULNESS?" "For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but LIFE FROM THE DEAD?" (Romans 11:12,15)

You may be thinking, well we Gentiles are blessed either way! In the end, yes, but in between time, NO! Because at this present time many restraints are in place in this world, restraints in which God Himself has in place. These seals of restraints will be removed during the great tribulation period which is to come after the last trump of grace. Some people look at wars, natural disasters, various pestilences, earthquakes, and Tsunamis as acts of God's wrath, but the Bible makes it clear that when God pours out His wrath, there will be no mistaking it for natural disasters, or the folly of men. God at that point will speak as He answers in His wrath, as it is written, ''Then shall he speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure." (Psalm 2:5)

It will be during "the great tribulation ", that time referred to as "Jacob's trouble", and her "day of trouble", that Israel is delivered, cleansed, redeemed, and grafted back in as God's favored nation. During the great tribulation the Book of Hebrews, the epistles to the circumcision, and the Book of Revelation will be much more than books "for our learning." For those writings will find direct obedience and application necessary for the believers in those coming days, as God will have moved on in His dealings with man from the grace He shows today, to His righteous judgment. Once the fulness of the Gentiles have come in, through obeying the gospel of the grace of God, and we are caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, the remaining Gentiles will find themselves in the "day of the Lord." The remaining Gentiles will find themselves in "the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." (Rev.  3: 10) As God removes the seals of restraints upon the "mystery of iniquity ", they will be deceived, tested, and judged "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." (II Thessalonians 2:7, 1:7-9)

With the restraints removed allowing the "mystery of iniquity" to do what he wants, those remaining Gentiles will be easily deceived. "And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be darned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (II Thessalonians 2:8-12)

So do you see it? God's dealings with mankind after the present Gentile dispensation will not be so gracious as they are now. God will have moved on from showing the attributes of the grace, mercy, and love which are in Christ Jesus to His other important attributes. He will have moved on to show "who is the ONLY Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who ONLY hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen." (I Timothy 6:15-16) Those who remain on earth after "our gathering together unto him" (II Thessalonians 2:1), if they are able to endure long enough, will experience the revelation of Jesus Christ as He shows "his wrath" and makes "His power known" upon "the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction." (Romans 9:22) The time will have come when God the Father fulfills His promise to His Son in which He said, "sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool". (Matthew 22:44)

Continued

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GOD'S TIMETABLE
Part 4  Conclusion
By Jack Trumm


They will wish for the days of grace which we now have much like those Jews wail now at the Wailing Wall, wishing they could go back in time, but they cannot "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." (Matthew 24:21-22) "then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." (I Thessalonians 5:3)

So, the Bible tells us what happened yesterday, what is happening today, and what will happen tomorrow. But what about you, friend? Have you obeyed the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? Will you be among those of us who "shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" of grace? (see I Corinthians 15:51-58 ) OR will you be among those who remain here to endure the most horrible time of testing man has seen or ever will see because you failed to accept God's gracious offer of salvation in the day of salvation? Evidently the fullness of the Gentiles is not "be come in" yet. You can be the next, and who knows, maybe the last Gentile to receive this blessing before the Gentiles are "cut off" again and God turns His attention back to the "natural branches" (the nation Israel) to graft them back in through the time called "Jacob's trouble." Receive the good news of God's grace. Take it to heart, and apply it to your soul. Jesus Christ died the death you and I deserve. He made complete satisfaction to God for your sins and mine. God is satisfied completely by His shed blood on the cross and through His death. We know this because He raised Jesus Christ from the dead to assure us of His satisfaction. But you must believe that this is the only way of salvation, and that it is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but rather it is by His grace and mercy He saves us today as a free gift through faith. Trust Him with your soul now. "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." (Ephesians 2:8-9) "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. " (Galatians 3:13) "For he (God) hath made him (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: BEHOLD, NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME, BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION" (II Corinthians5:21-6:2)

Trust Him now while this gracious offer is still being made.

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PATTERN OF MERCY
By M. Stanford




"That He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory" (Rom. 9:23).

Mercifully, day by day, He unfolds before our startled eyes the evil depths of the self-life. It is thus we come to know Him as the "God who is rich in mercy," and ourselves as "vessels of mercy."

"Today sinful men, not angels, are entrusted with the preaching of the Gospel, and before they can be used of God must first of all have plumbed the depths of their own sinfulness, and have, there-- fore, discovered the heights and glories of God's long-suffering. In this way they can become a pattern of His mercy, by means of which He can demonstrate His grace to others." - ].C.M.

"The power effectively to present Christ as Lord, is by means of revelation deep within us, bringing into being an unshakable knowledge of His authority and might, and making us content to accept our weakness and nothingness in order that we may see the pleasure of the Lord prosper in His hand (Isa. 53 :10)." - J.C.M.

"The more useful anyone is, the more he requires to be brought to an end of himself, and to find that his all is in the Lord Jesus. We find some of His servants deeply chastened at first, in order to prepare them for a useful course; and some after a useful period are brought low and afflicted in order that they might learn how truly and fully our Father is sovereign." - ].B.S.

"From Me is thy fruit found" (Hosea 14:8 ).

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HEART OF THE MATTER
By Miles Stanford

"That I may know Him" (Phil. 3:10).

 Immaturity is selfish; maturity is selfless. "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). "The question for the tried and tempted, the harassed and oppressed, is this: 'Which would you rather have, the power of Christ's hand in deliverance from trial, or the sympathy of His heart in the midst of trial?' The carnal mind, the unsubdued heart, the restless spirit, will, no doubt, at once exclaim, 'Oh! let Him only put forth His power and deliver me from this insupportable trial, this intolerable burden, this crushing difficulty. I sigh for deliverance. I only want deliverance.'

"But the spiritual mind, the subdued heart, the lowly spirit, will say, and that without a single particle of reserve, 'Let me only enjoy the sweet company of the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ in my trial, and I ask no more. I do not want even the power of His hand to deprive me of one drop of consolation supplied by the tender love and profound sympathy of His heart. I know He can deliver me, but if He does not see fit to do so, if it does not fall in with His unsearchable counsels, and harmonize with His wise and faithful purpose concerning me so to do, I know it is only to lead me into a deeper and richer realization of His most precious sympathy.''' - C.H.M.

"The same faith that sees glory for us at the end of the path sees God for us all through the path. This is the secret of real strength. What unbelief does is to compare ourselves and our own strength with circumstances. What faith does is to compare God with circumstances."

"For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ" (II Cor.1:5).

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COLOSSIANS 3:23-25
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons."



GRACE AND GOOD WORKS
By Pastor R. Hanna



Lest we mistakenly relegate the position of good works only to dispensations other than the dispensation of the grace of God, it will behoove us to take note of some of the apostle's admonitions as well as his personal example "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore WE LABOR, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him. FOR WE MUST ALL APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:8-10).

Note the terms, so clearly set forth. "If any man's work abide which he hath built (upon the foundation of Jesus Christ), he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned (having been "tried by fire), he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved: yet so as by fire" (1 Corinthians 3:14-15). These words clearly delineate between loss of reward for lack of good works and loss of salvation, which is a free gift apart from good works.

Again offering his own personal example for our edification, "the apostle looks back over his career of service for Christ as he approaches the end of his mortal years. "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6-8 ).

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God's Will For My Life
by: The late Pastor Lloyd Peterson


Is it possible to know God's will for my life? If so, how may I know? These questions are often asked. Another question associated with these is 'does God have a certain pattern for my life,' a particular calling and a place to serve him? The latter of these questions is obviously for the Lord declares in Mark's Gospel that the believer is sown in places of service: 'And these are they which are sown on good ground' Mark 4:20. In other words, the seed is personalized and sown. If we are in the center of God's will we are in just the place and business where he wants us to be. We are not just simply making a living where we find it most convenient, but we are living witness to God's matchless grace while we are making a living. Paul speaks of the Christian as having been 'Chosen in him before the foundation of the world' Eph. 1:4a . It is very evident then that God must have a pattern for each life; for yours and for mine. This then being true it must likewise be true, that it is possible to know God's will for my life. The important question remains, 'how may I know for a certainty, God's will for my life?'

The three following steps are major factors to seriously consider in ascertaining divine directive, or the answer to the above question.

NO 1. You must have no will of your own. ( We shall enlarge upon this after briefly discussing the remaining two steps).

NO 2 .Every decision should lie within the boundaries of Scripture. That is no step should ever be made contrary to Holy Writ e.g., if a Christian fellow is in love with a girl who is not a Christian, he need not waste his time seeking God's will concerning his marrying her. The message of God is clear.

We, however, are often guilty of interpreting the Scriptures to fit our desires and wishes. We must never do this. The Word of God must be left to apply what it teaches. Again, we are sometimes guilty of ignoring what God's Word says. If we do so we can never come to know God's best and sweet will for our lives.

The Word of God does not openly declare every bend or turn on life's road but there are posts along the way giving the general directions that must be followed. When we adjust our lives to obey the carefully interpreted Scriptures we will have within us the witness of God, the Holy Spirit, that we are in His way and have the blessing and approval of God's good will. This bring us to the third step.

NO.3. We must have the witness of perfect rest which is given by the Holy Spirit when the correct decision is made. This is imperative! If we make a choice for life and uneasiness and restlessness is a result you may be sure the wrong decision has been made. On the other hand, when the correct decision has been made there comes to the believer's life a sweet assurance that 'this is what God wants for me'. We are told, 'And a peace of God that passeth understanding shall keep (really guard or umpire) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' Phil. 4:7).

We now resume our discussion of No. 1, above. We have left it for this place in our brief message because of its major importance. The above outline is simple enough. Why then is so hard to be sure of God's will in the matters of life? And believe me, it is hard, easy to talk about, preach and teach, but so hard to experience. The answer to that is what I want to touch on in this brief writing, because it (the answer) involves so much of life.

If a person can come through the first step in the above outlined, the other two are relatively simple. It is when we deal with a human will that the battle starts. We are, the most of us, so deceived by our own selves. Jeremiah spoke of this very thing, he said, 'the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked:' (really incurably sick) who can know it? Jeremiah 16:9. The human nature and will are absolutely bend away from any other will. It is operative in coordination with self, not some other person. To think that it is simple to subject our will to another's will is as simple as paying your neighbor's house rent and letting yours go by the board. It's just as simple as sending someone else to the doctor for bodily cure, paying all the charges and you stay at home sick. It is completely unnatural for us to submit our will to another's directing and care. Yet, when you or I come to God for His guidance there must be absolutely no will of our own! It means something when we say 'not my will but Thine'. Most of the time we lie when we say that. We are even deceived to thinking that we really mean it. Dr. Strong, the theologian said, 'mind is always greater than the its conscious operations. The man is more than his acts The man is more than acts. Only the smallest part of self is manifested in thoughts, feelings and volitions.'

Christian, study the human will! If you can get it to really submit itself to His will, you're the winner. Remember 'God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.'

[nChrist]

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"CEPHAS" AND PAUL'S GOSPEL
by Russell S. Miller


The name "Simon," and this phrase, "whose surname is called Peter," is found some six times in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. But "Cephas," this name, is found only in Paul's epistles, and John 1:42:

"...And when Jesus beheld him, He said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone."

Having established that Peter's name was to be changed to Cephas, we can now consider the subject before us, "Cephas" and Paul's Gospel. Thus it is essential that we realize that when Paul speaks of Cephas in his epistle to the Galatians, he is actually referring to the Apostle Peter:

"And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision" (Gal. 2:9).

This is most significant because, although our Lord had changed Peter's name to Cephas, he is referred to as "Simon Peter" some nineteen times in the Gospels. However, it is also interesting to note that the Apostle Paul refers to Peter as Cephas four times in First Corinthians (I Cor. 1:12; 3:22; 9:5; 15:5). And these are the only passages where this name Cephas is found. But what's more interesting about the  gospel that Paul preached is that in the context of I Corinthians 15:3,4, the Apostle of the Circumcision, "Cephas" (I Cor. 15:5), had come to understand that salvation today is "through faith" in Christ's shed blood -- Romans 3:25; I Peter 1:18,19. In early Acts, Peter had only preached the resurrection of Christ to sit upon the throne of David's prophesied kingdom (Acts 2:25-31). He did not know what the crucifixion of Jesus Christ had accomplished (Luke 18:34). There he only knew that "by wicked hands [Israel] had crucified and slain" the Son of God (Acts 2:23). Even as late as his visit to see Cornelius in Acts 10, the Apostle Peter had not understood the preaching of the cross. It is through Paul's Gospel that Peter came to see what the finished work of Christ actually accomplished, and through this knowledge he became a stalwart for the truth. And this is why he is called Cephas in Paul's epistles, a "PILLAR" for the truth of God's Word "rightly divided."

According to the Apostle Paul then, Peter and all believers, Jews or Gentiles, are instructed to leave the so-called Great Commission with its repentance and water baptism, and come on unto "perfection" through the Pauline revelation (Hebrews 6:1,2). And having seen this, Peter obeyed, and gave to Paul and Barnabas "the right hands of fellowship" (Gal. 2:9). Again Peter's own words later written in his first epistle:

"For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (I Peter 1:18,19).

Again, in the context of I Corinthians 15:3,4, Paul goes on to say: "Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed" (I Cor. 15:11). In Acts 15:7-11 Peter had declared that Jews are saved exactly the same way Gentiles are saved today. No longer does the law, nor repentance and water baptism save.

Would to God that all our Baptist friends would come to see the truth of the Mystery as Peter had. These are not the words of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:31, but Peter's own inspired words, to his own countrymen at that Jerusalem Council:

"BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WE SHALL BE SAVED, EVEN AS THEY" (Acts 15:11).

Paul not only "received" this Gospel from the Lord Jesus, but he also "delivered" that same Gospel, which he had "received" to the Corinthians.

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you... For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES; And that He was buried, and that He ROSE AGAIN the third day ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES" (I Cor. 15:3,4).

And this, beloved, is consistent with the Apostle Paul's words in Romans 16:25,26, that Christ's death, burial, and resurrection (I Cor. 15:3,4) was "according to his gospel, AND THE PREACHING OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY, WHICH WAS KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN, But now is made manifest, AND BY THE SCRIPTURES OF THE PROPHETS, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to ALL NATIONS for the obedience of faith" (Rom. 16:25,26).

This also explains how John 3:14-16 is so greatly used of God today. Peter and John had both come to see "the grace that was given" to the Apostle Paul in all the types and shadows of Calvary's cross (Gal. 2:7-9; II Pet. 3:15-18; I John 1:7).

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:14-16).

[nChrist]

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THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN
by Russell S. Miller



"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (I Cor. 15:3,4).

There is, in fact, only one way of salvation in this day and age of grace in which we live today: Christ's death upon that cross. In the above passage we read that "CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS" and it is upon the basis of this one Sacrifice that God saves souls today. Thus the extreme importance of trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour! His death upon Calvary's cross is the only means of salvation from sin's consequences. The Lord Jesus "made peace" for every believer "through the blood of His cross" (Col. 1:20). Listen to the Apostle's declaration to the Ephesians:

"BUT NOW IN CHRIST JESUS YE WHO SOMETIMES WERE FAR OFF ARE MADE NIGH BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST" (Eph. 2:13).

Our communion with God today is based upon the blood of Christ (I Cor. 10:16; Heb.1 0:19; Eph. 3:12). In Hebrews alone there are twenty-two references to the blood of Christ whether in type or antitype (Heb. 2:14; 9:7-25; 10:4,19,29; 11:28; 12:4,24; 13:11,12,20). "AND WITHOUT [THE] SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION" (Heb. 9:22). Such is our access to God.

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh" (Heb. 10:19,20).

"According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him" (Eph. 3:11,12).

The Apostle Paul uses the Greek word, katallagee, rendered "atonement" once (Rom. 5:11) and "reconciliation" three times in his epistles (Rom. 11:15; II Cor. 5:18,19), in speaking about the basis of the only way into God's presence today.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

"By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom.5:1,2).

But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US.

Much more then, BEING NOW JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, MUCH MORE, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

"And not only so, but WE ALSO JOY IN GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement? (Rom. 5:9-11).

So we have here the blessed truth that "Christ died for our sins"; that we are "justified by His blood"; that we are "saved from wrath" through the death of Christ, and not by our own works. And we are "reconciled to God by the death of His Son" (Rom. 5:10). "His life" at the right hand of God is the manifest evidence of His resurrection and His Almighty power to save those that believe. The fact that "He ever liveth to make intercession for us"  keeps us for time and eternity (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34). So, whether we like it or not, even changing our minds cannot change His mind about our salvation in Christ Jesus.

No, God does not change His mind regarding those who place their faith in His Son. Jesus Christ is the Eternal God and "whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever" (Ecc. 3:14; Rom. 8:35-39).

It is therefore not a conditional salvation that Christ wrought upon the tree, but a perfect and complete redemption was fully accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross. If there had been any other way surely "the only wise God" would have known. "If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the Law" (Gal. 3:21). But there was no other way! None other can save you from Hell and the Lake of Fire. Oh, keep this in memory and don't ever forget that "CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS" because this is the only way to heaven.

[nChrist]

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What the Resurrection of Christ Means to Us
Part One of Two
by Pastor R. Jordan

"Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was
raised from the dead according to my gospel."
-II Tim. 2:8



When the Apostle of the Gentiles declared that Jesus Christ was "raised from the dead according to my gospel" he made it imperative that we understand just what this tremendous event means to us.

Because of limited space, we offer the following brief (and admittedly incomplete) outline, and trust our readers will use it as a springboard to look further into this important truth. The resurrection of Jesus Christ.

REPRESENTS A FACT TO BE BELIEVED

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (I Cor. 15:3,4).

The resurrection of Christ is not fiction--His body was not stolen by His followers, nor did He somehow revive from a death-like coma and walk away by Himself. Further, the resurrection of Christ is not a fable--the modernist claim that He "lives on" in the "continuation of the spiritual principles He taught" is the real "religion myth"!

No, the resurrection of Christ is a fact of history to be accepted and believed. The "many infallible proofs" (Acts 1:3) of His resurrection make it an event as thoroughly and historically validated as any in past history.

Our faith does not rest on a coffin lid! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fact to be believed. It also

PRESENTS A FAITH TO BE EMBRACED

     "...if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:9).

Our faith is to rest in the fact of the resurrection of Christ - not simply in the historic reality but also in the divinely revealed meaning of this event:

"[Christ] was delivered for our offences, and was RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION" (Rom. 4:25).

The reality of Christ's resurrection declares the finality of the work of Calvary. When "Christ died for our sins, "He thoroughly put away sin, paying its penalty in full. Thus, the debt of sin having been paid, death could not hold Him. His resurrection is, as it were, the receipt that declares: "Paid in full!"

It is because the shed blood of Christ fully and completely paid for sin that Jesus Christ could be raised from the dead--and thus, with a perfect redemption accomplished and attested to, we can be declared righteous in Him.

[nChrist]

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What the Resurrection of Christ Means to Us
Part Two of Two
by Pastor R. Jordan




The import of the resurrection does not end with our justification, however, for it also

OFFERS A FORCE TO BE EXPERIENCED

     ".. .like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, EVEN SO WE ALSO SHOULD WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE" (Rom. 6:4).

This is the practical impact in the believer's life of the reality of Christ's resurrection. Rom. 8:10,11 declare:

"And if CHRIST BE IN YOU, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

    "But IF THE SPIRIT OF HIM THAT RAISED UP JESUS FROM THE DEAD DWELL IN YOU, HE THAT RAISED UP CHRIST FROM THE DEAD SHALL ALSO QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES BY HIS SPIRIT THAT DWELLETH IN YOU."

The resurrection life of Christ is a power, a force, to be experienced by every believer. The "newness of life" received from Christ means that He lives His life in us.

Christianity is not a religion--it is a life. It is Christ in us living His life through us. This is the essence of Christianity.

Have you ever found the Christian life difficult to live? If not, you will!  In fact, it is not only difficult, it is impossible. Only Jesus Christ can live His life--and He does just that as we simply walk by faith in His marvelous grace to us.

Experiencing this glorious freedom and power is the goal Paul set before himself and us:

"That I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death:
"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead" (Phil. 3:10,11).

There is something else, too, which Christ's resurrection does for us. It

ASSURES A FUTURE THAT IS GLORIOUS

"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him" (I Thess. 4:14).

The future of many things may be very uncertain, but for the believer it is only glorious. No matter how difficult things may be for us now, one day it will only be ''glory for me!"

One day soon our ever-living Savior will return for us and in that day He "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself" (Phil. 3:21).

May God help us to rejoice in the reality of the resurrection of Christ and all God has made it mean to us.

[nChrist]

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ALIENATION AND RECONCILIATION
by C. R. Stam



It is impossible, and unnecessary, to reconcile friends. Reconciliation postulates alienation. It is only after men become alienated that we may try to reconcile them. Thus the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles to God "in one body"could not begin until Israel, along with the Gentiles, had been alienated from God. This is why the Apostle Paul declares in Rom. 11:15 that "the casting away of them is," or opens the way for, "the reconciling of the world." Thus "God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all" (Rom. 11:32). Little wonder the Apostle goes on to exclaim:

"O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" (Ver. 33).

So now the wonderful message from God to a lost world is one of grace and peace, and it is with these words that the Apostle Paul opens all of his epistles signed by his name. In Ephesians 2, where he declares that we were all "the children of disobedience," and therefore "by nature the children of wrath," he goes on to tell of the riches of God's mercy and love and grace, and says:

"And [He] came and preached peace to you [Gentiles] which were afar off, and to them [Israelites] that were nigh" (Ver. 17).

What a blessing to enjoy peace with God, to be reconciled to Him! But this is possible only as we commit ourselves to Him who was "delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification." Indeed, Paul follows these words in Romans 4:25 with the declaration:

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

Dear God of faithfulness, how delightful to realize that my persistence of faith in You hinges on Your faithfulness toward me. I see that I can continue to depend upon You, because you are fully faithful to me. What expectation this gives me as I consider Your great promises! You will be faithful to fulfill every one of them, as I place my trust in You!