GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

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THE WORKS OF THE FLESH vs. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
by Russel S. Miller


Adultery heads the list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, with fornication and uncleanness following second and third in succession. There is a world of sinners out there, unrestrained with unbridled lusts, to which the Lord sends His ambassadors with "the message of reconciliation" (II Cor. 5:14-21).

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like..."

It was adultery that ruined King David, for when it came time for the king to go to war, he was on his rooftop:

"And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon" (II Sam. 11:2).

Did the Lord have this in mind when He said: "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matt. 5:28 )? It is truly "from within, out of the heart of man, [that] proceed evil thoughts"; and "adulteries" are at the top of this list in Mark 7:21-23 also.

Again, in Romans Six, the Apostle Paul speaks of the works of the flesh as unfruitful and leading to death: "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death" (Rom. 6:21). In Colossians, we read that these works of the flesh originate from within, and pointing to the Christ of Calvary’s cross, Paul says: "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, YET NOW HATH HE RECONCILED IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight" (Col. 1:21,22).

Consequently, there is real "joy and peace in believing" (Rom. 15:13) as God’s grace saves and transforms lives so that Christ may be seen, and not the works of the flesh.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:22,23).

It is only right that there are laws against the works of the flesh, but how could there be laws against the fruit of the Spirit? A striking contrast indeed!

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THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
by Russell S. Miller



In I Corinthians 2:6-8 the Apostle Paul declares that his gospel, and the finished work of Christ, was hid from the Roman authorities as well as the scribes and Pharisees in Israel. It was hid from the Twelve Apostles, and most mysterious was it to the angels; and even the devil couldn't figure it out:

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet NOT the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught: But we speak the wisdom of God in a Mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would NOT have CRUCIFIED the Lord of glory. (I Cor. 2:6-8 ).

It is the preaching of the cross in Paul's Gospel alone that is good news today (I Cor. 1:18 ). This wisdom of God was also HIDDEN in a Mystery and ordained before the world began unto our glory, as Paul goes on in Ephesians to declare:

How that by revelation He made known unto me the Mystery (as I wrote afore in few words,

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the Mystery of Christ)

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is NOW revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit... (Eph. 3:3-6).

To be sure, the Gentiles are fellowheirs, and of a joint-body and joint-partakers of His promise in the Christ  and, Yes, we are baptized by one Spirit into the one Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13), but, mark well, that both Jews and Gentiles are MADE NIGH by the BLOOD of Christ (Eph. 2:13).

But, the Apostle Paul declares that his gospel is a secret hitherto NOT made known (Eph. 3:5), ...HID IN GOD (3:9), HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS, but NOW is made manifest... (Col. 1:26). Does the Apostle therefore contradict himself?

It is, of course, blessedly true that where the Body of Christ is concerned, and this dispensation of grace, the Mystery is NOT found in the Old Testament. But where the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned it is even more blessedly true that all the types and shadows of the Mosaic sacrificial system (Heb. 10:1-4) mysteriously pointed forward to Christ and Calvary's cross:

IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE. (Eph. 1:7).

The fellowship of the Mystery, in Ephesians 3:9, includes the Church, which is the Body of Christ, while the Mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19) speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, and His finished work of redemption. And He is the Head of the Body, the Church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence (Col. 1:18 ). It is these two aspects of this great Mystery that even the devil did not know.

Paul does not contradict himself. Could anything be clearer than The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans with regards to the finished work of Christ! Paul declares that the GRACE of God in Calvary's cross is first revealed to him, in all that God promised (Rom.1:1-4), and in all that God kept secret (Eph. 3:1-9), concerning the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:15,16). This is why God raised up the Apostle Paul to reveal the blood stained cross of Christ and His finished work on Calvary:

By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name (Romans 1:5).

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THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD
By H. Steinbron


Scripture Reading: II Timothy 3: 16·17

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God".... It is so good to have this clear and absolute statement of what every redeemed one knows, namely, that we have all the Scripture, and all of the Scripture is breathed out to us from the creative breath of God. We must never come under the influence of any unbeliever who casts doubt upon the extent, content, or origin of the Holy Scriptures.

True believers do not corrupt the Word of God because they know God has given His Word by inspiration.  This word "inspiration" means that God controlled the human writer of Scripture in such a way that the WORDS were put down exactly as God wanted man to have them. These inspired words are therefore infallible and inerrant, which is another way of saying that they are perfect and have no errors connected with them whatsoever. The Bible may deal with numbers, history, science, chronology, the knowledge of God, or man's salvation; and we should be sure that there is no mistake in the words.

True believers reverence the Word of God for many reasons. (I) "...man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4). (2) The Bible is the RECORD that God gave concerning His Son (I John 5:9-11). (3) God has magnified His Word above all His name (Psalm 138:2).

True believers should be taught that the Word cannot be lost or changed. Listen to the testimony of I Peter 1:25. " ... the Word of the Lord endureth for ever." Is this Word in heaven or some far away place where man cannot get all of the Scripture? No, it is "the Word" which is preached unto you! The inspired Word of God!

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THREE TIMES WHEN THE LORD WOULDN'T ANSWER
by C. R. Stam




    In the various accounts of our Lord's earthly ministry we find three occasions when He declined to answer those who appealed to Him or questioned Him.

First there is the Gentile woman of Matthew 15:21-28. Her daughter was possessed of a demon and in her trouble she appealed to the Lord to help her, "but He answered her not a word." Finally, in His grace He did help her, but not until He had taught her the lesson that as a Gentile she had no claim on Him. As Romans 1:28 tells us, the Gentiles had been "given up" because "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge." In this connection we Gentiles should read carefully Ephesians 2:11,12 and see how utterly without hope we are apart from the grace of God.

Next there was a Jewess, in trouble of a different kind. She had been caught in adultery and was brought to him for judgment (John 8:1-11). Unlike the Gentile woman, she belonged to the chosen race and possessed God's holy Law, a distinct advantage -- unless you are a law-breaker. Our Lord also helped her in grace, but not until He had demonstrated that the law is the great leveler of mankind, bringing all guilty before God (Rom. 3:19).

But finally we find how it was that our Lord could show grace -- and do it justly -- to both Jew and Gentile, for in the third instance we find the Lord Himself in trouble. On trial for His life before the representatives of Hebrew and Roman law, He is accused of all sorts of wicked crimes. But on this occasion too, He declines to answer.

First Caiaphas, the High Priest, said to Him: "Answerest Thou nothing? What is it which these witness against Thee? But Jesus held His peace..." (Matt. 26:62,63).

Next Pilate, the Gentile judge, said: "Hearest Thou not how many things they witness against Thee? And He answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly" (Matt. 27:13-14).

Why did our Lord not answer and defend Himself? Because He had come into the world specially to die for man's sins. Had the sinners of all ages been there to accuse Him of their sins, He would still have remained speechless for He stood there as man's representative, so that we might be "justified freely by God's grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom.3:24).

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LIBERTY FOR ALL
By Miles Stanford



 "If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances?" (Col. 2:20, R.v.).

When it comes to spiritual growth and walk, any help from ourselves is a hindrance to us. The source is wrong. On the death side, we are to receive deliverance from sin's power through the Spirit from the Cross; on the life side, we are to receive growth through the Spirit from the Lord Jesus. It is a matter of receiving, not contributing. We are branches, not vines.

"The old elementary legal rudiments of a legal age are for those 'living in the world' (having an earthly temple and worship). Believers are seated in the heavenlies in Christ, and are spiritual people with a sanctuary in Heaven. 'Touch not,' 'taste not,' 'handle not'; such commandments of men have no value. They perish with the using.

"'Voluntary humility,' 'neglecting of the body,' 'fasting,' etc., have a show of wisdom. They gratify religious pride and self righteousness, they 'puff up the fleshly mind,' but they are 'not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.' The flesh is not subdued by fasting, nor pride by whipping, nor worldliness by neglect of the body. These are of 'no avail' though men glory in them. Only the Holy Spirit brings one into liberty - and that via the Cross. 'The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death' (Rom. 8:2)."  -G.G.

"Stand fast, then, in the freedom which Christ has given us, and turn not back again to entangle yourselves in the yoke of bondage" (Gal. 5:1, Cony.).

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SOLID GOLD TRIALS
By M.Stanford


"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).

Since He is both my God and my Father, and since all of the hardships He takes me through are specifically designed to conform me to the image of the Lord Jesus, how can I help but trust Him and rejoice in His faithfulness?

"It is well to remember that the deepest and truest spiritual qualities are not learnt or established in us by our happy or enjoyable times, but in the difficult ones! There is nothing wrong in times of great joy and spiritual blessing; in fact we long for more of them, and look back perhaps to some days of much blessing in our lives or in the work of the Lord; but in the securing of Christ in greater measure in our lives, we find that it is by the things which we suffer that we learn most. So let us give thanks for the joyful days, and learn all that the Lord intends by the days of waiting and difficulty." - C.J.B.H.

"Faith asks for no props from the men and things around it; it finds 'all its springs' in God; and hence it is that faith never shines so brightly as when all around is dark. It is when nature's horizon is overcast with the blackest clouds, that faith basks in the sunshine of the divine favor and faithfulness." - C.H.M.

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (II Cor. 4:17).

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How to Have Boldness
by Paul M. Sadler,



Scripture Reading:

"And [pray] for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."
 -- Ephesians 6:19,20

In our modern day there is a great demand for instant success.  We read frequently of how many have risen to fame and fortune practically overnight.  Seldom, however, do we hear of the hours of labor, practice, sacrifice and discipline it took to build that career.  Most times we only hear and see the end result.  Many have been deceived and disillusioned to think that they can have fame and fortune with little or no effort.

In these days in which we live, the world seems to have a powerful influence over the lives of many believers.  For this reason many members of the Body of Christ are looking for that book, conference or seminar that will be a shortcut to spiritual maturity.  When it comes to our spiritual lives and having boldness of faith we want instant results with little or no effort put into it.  As a Pastor, I would have to say that to have boldness in the faith as the Apostle says, there must be three key ingredients.

Time:

Just as physical growth takes years, spiritual growth also takes time.  As we come to spiritual maturity we become more and more confident to speak out for the Lord.  It takes time to learn that we have to take our eyes off of ourselves which causes us to be reluctant to speak because of the fear of men.

Discipline:

It takes discipline to sit down with the Word of God and study to acquire a knowledge of the Scriptures.  We don't mean just reading the Bible devotionally.  It is said that we retain only about 20 percent of what we read.  But, if we read and study, we retain about 60 percent when comparing Scripture with Scripture.  The better equipped you are in the Word of God the more comfortable you will be to share the truth, rightly divided.

Consistency:

If we are to gain the respect of others in order to more effectively minister the gospel, we must be consistent with the truth.  Don't sound an uncertain trumpet, be able to substantiate what you teach with the Blessed Book.  Not only should we speak the truth in love consistently, we must also live the truth.  Our lives are the only Bibles some men see.  That's why the Apostle Paul warns us to put "away lying, [and] speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another" (Eph. 4:25).  True boldness in the faith does not come naturally, it is something we grow into as we increase in the knowledge of Him Who has called us into the glorious light.

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THERE IS ONE FAITH
By HAROLD STEINBRON, Bible Teacher

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:5

Some speak of the Catholic "faith" or the Muslim "faith". I used to, until I studied God's Word. Since God gave His Word to reveal "one Faith", all other "faiths" must be spurious. They may be very similar, but if God has one Faith for our hearts to believe, then we better detail and define that One Faith, because there is none other! !!! The more some of these "faiths" look and sound like the One Faith, the more dangerous they become. Some are so far from the real one, only the most gullible are deceived.

I believe God permitted a variety of "faiths" to cloud our vision, so that only the student of the Word of God ever arrives at the One Faith. The reward for this demanding, even exhausting search, is Eternal Life! A heart void of offense before God! A life of tranquility in a very troubled age! If you have talked to some who are searching for "the truth" or "reality", you see in their eyes the unrest, the unsettled feeling, the uncertainty. No human is TRULY happy until he has discovered and settled his life on -THUS SAITH THE LORD. It is not enough to just read the Bible, good as that is. It is not enough to study the Bible, rewarding as that is. We must persevere in our reading and study until we arrive at the ONE FAITH Paul speaks of, lay hold of it, build our life upon it, and know it well enough to teach others also, then the joy of the Lord will permeate our being even though everything may be going wrong.

The price for this attainment is high. Five minutes a day devoted to a "quiet time" will not suffice.

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LIVING BY FAITH
By ROBERT E. HANNA,

Scripture Reading: Romans I: 17; Habakkuk 2:4

"Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 18:4,5). Such are the unquestionable and irrefutable conditions of life under the law. There were no exceptions stated, no shadows of meaning, no gray areas.

But notice another positive and unequivocal declaration---also the Word of God! "As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live in them. 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 3:10-13).

A seeming paradox! But our Apostle provides the answer.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23,24). "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith [provided by God for our justification] to faith [received by the believer as the enablement to walk pleasing to God]." "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak in the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3).

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MORE ON "IN"
By Pastor P. Hume



A while back we spent some time looking at the use of the big-little word 'in' as it relates to the believer being 'in Christ Jesus'. The emphasis in this truth is that God brings the sinner 'out' and 'into.' He takes the believer 'out of darkness', and places him 'into His marvelous light' (I Peter 2:9). How assuring it is to realize again and again that 'by His doing you are in Christ Jesus' (I Cor. 1:30), We shall never - even in the ages to come - cease to be in this wonderful Place!

Now we want to look at another aspect of the truth which employs this little preposition. It relates to Christ being 'IN YOU, the hope of glory' (Col. 1:27). The moment we receive Christ by faith, Christ by the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within our hearts. Several truths cluster here, and we want to note some of them.

CHRIST HIMSELF IS IN EVERY BELIEVER. So declare the Scripture of truth! Listen to these words: 'And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit  is alive because of righteousness' (Romans 8:10), 'My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you' (Galatians 4:19). 'I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who. live, but Christ lives in me' (Galatians 2: 20). 'So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith' (Ephesians 3:17). 'But Christ is all and in all (who are saved)' (Colossians 3:11). 'But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts' (I Peter 3:15). These passages tell us something tremendous. Jesus Christ, by the Spirit, is actually within every true Christian! Just as we have blood in our veins and a heart by which it is pumped, so Christ is within our hearts from the moment we were regenerated until the day we die or are raptured into glory; and even in the ages to come Christ will still be in us, and we'll be in Him.

We often are not conscious of His being within, and we do not always have feelings indicating He is dwelling within us. But nevertheless, he is there - all the time. And we are to act upon His dwelling within by faith based on the 'sure promises' of the Word of God. Do you?

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN EVERY BELIEVER. This is clearly declared in the New Testament: 'Guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the treasure (good deposit) which has been entrusted to you' (II Timothy 1:14). 'Or do you not know that your body is a temple (sanctuary) of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?' (I Cor. 3:16.) 'And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father!' (Gal. 4:6.) 'However you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of God, he does not belong to Him' (Romans 8:9). 'The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God' (Romans 8:16). We could add more passages but these should suffice. Here is a marvelous fact: GOD ALMIGHTY, IN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, LIVES IN THE CHRISTIAN!! How this ought to revolutionize our Christian lives!! Not only is God 'with' me, He is IN me!


     'As lives the flow'r within the seed,
      As in the cone the tree,
      So, praise the God of truth and grace,
      His Spirit dwelleth in me.'

Grace, Peace and Love, Pastor P. Hume

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WITH CHRIST
By Pastor Paul Hume

There is a well-known Negro spiritual which begins with these words: 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord?' The immediate answer is 'No, I wasn't there.' But after deeper reflection we have to answer differently, 'Yes, I was there-in the person of Jesus Christ.'

   'How do you arrive at that?' we inquire. The Word of God-especially in the epistles of Paul-sets forth a marvelous truth. It centers in another 'big-little' word. This word is 'with.'

   When Christ was crucified, we were crucified 'with Him. 'When Christ died, we died 'with Him.' When He was buried, we were buried 'with Him.' Then when He arose from among the dead, we were raised 'with Him.' When He ascended and passed through the heavens, we ascended 'with Him.' When He took His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on High, we were seated together 'with Him.' When He appears in His glory, we will also 'appear with Him in glory.' Then the promise is that if we 'endure, we shall also reign with Him' (2 Timothy 2:12).

   Now all of this speaks not so much of our union with Christ as our association with Christ. We were 'with Him' in His death, burial, resurrection and enthronement. We are 'with Him' in His glorified life now. We shall be 'with Him' in the ages to come. This is glorious 'positional truth.' But what about the experiential side of this blessed truth? How does this affect my daily life here on earth?

   It means that by faith, based on the divine facts. I reckon myself to have died with Christ unto sin and 'the elements of the world' (Romans 6: 2-11; Gal.  2:20); to have been buried with Christ in death (Colossians 2: 12); to have been 'quickened together with Christ (Ephesians 2:1,5); to have been 'raised up together' with Christ (Eph. 2:6); to have been 'made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.' (Ephesians 2:6.) God has already accomplished these feats, and it is up to each one of us to believe what God has spoken and to rest upon them.'

   Then it also means that I presently share in the very life of Christ. We are 'saved by His life' (Romans 5:10). We have been called 'unto the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord' (1 Corinthians 1:9). This involves communing with Him, meditating in His Word of Truth, engaging in praise and prayer and drawing wisdom, grace and strength from Him. It means also not only to suffer for Him, but to 'suffer with Him' (Romans 8:17). Only His grace can enable us to do this, since we naturally are averse to suffering. But what eternal rewards will be ours if we do so!

   Finally, it means to walk with Him 'in newness of life.' 'How can two walk together, except they be agreed?' (Amos 3:3.) As we daily 'trust and obey' we can walk together in every circumstance, and experience what one hymn writer states, 'It is glory just to walk with Him!'

   You are not only 'in Christ' but 'with Christ' today?

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THE GROUND OF FAITH
By JOHN McKAY, Pastor

Scripture Reading: Romans 10:17

Some think faith is a "blind leap in the dark" or believing something that is irrational. While Christians must admit that there are many things in faith and in science that can't be proven, the foundation of our faith is firm. It is based upon the written revelation of the Almighty God Who cannot lie.

Please notice that far from being a leap in the dark, our faith originates as the work of God. "This is the work of God, that ye BELIEVE on Him Whom He hath sent" (John 6:29). Our faith is "the faith of the operation of God" (Colossians 2:12). Human faith that originates in humans and terminates in human ideas of God the Father and the Son, will prove itself to be "vain" faith. Read I Corinthians 15:1-4. Perhaps more enslaving---although with the same outcome---is the satanic and demonic faith that brings another Jesus, another gospel, false apostles, angels of light, and ministers of righteousness to modern religious movements (II Corinthians 11:1-15). Many of these people have faith in faith itself and promote the kind of unhealthy super naturalism from below that produces signs and miracles which are inferior imitations of those produced for Israel's benefit by the Lord's true representatives (Acts 4:13-16, I Corinthians 13:8-10 and 14:22).

Our faith is not in faith. Our faith comes from the Lord and rests solidly upon the foundation of the Holy Bible. " .. .faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17).

The beginning of our faith and the finishing of our faith has the Word of God as its foundation and the Lord Jesus as its worthy and glorious Crown.

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LET IT GET YOU DOWN
by C. R. Stam

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 3: 14).

When adversity strikes, the world keeps telling us: "Don’t let it get you down," but believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have learned that it is good to let troubles and difficulties get them down -- down on their knees.

A native evangelist in Africa sat outside his hut discouraged and unhappy. Trouble and disappointment had brought "great coldness" into his heart and he seemed ready to give up. The Lord, he felt, had utterly forsaken him. As he sat there, though, his little girl kept nudging him and saying: "Daddy, go inside and pray ." Finally it worked! The evangelist went inside, poured his heart out to God and arose feeling sure that the Lord would see him through.

It is good for us to get down on our knees before God. There is no attitude more appropriate to the redeemed sinner. And as we pray, often falteringly....

"The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
"And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. "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. 8:26-28).

"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 understanding. shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6,7).

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FAILING CHRISTIAN LEADERS
by C. R. Stam


Have you been disappointed in your pastor or the officers of your church or perhaps in Christian leaders in general? Have you placed great faith in some spiritual leader only to be disillusioned and to find out that your faith has been misplaced? Have you observed the growing popularity of some evangelist or Bible teacher whom you "know" to be insincere, while noting that another, whose fidelity and sincerity are beyond question, seems to get nowhere?

How it helps, in such situations, to be able to "rightly divide the Word of truth," and to enjoy "the full assurance of understanding" that comes with "the full knowledge [Gr., epignosis] of the mystery"! (Col. 2:2).

In "this present evil age" we are living under "the dispensation of the grace of God."

God is not saving good people today, nor even people who will repent and "do works meet for repentance." Rather, He is saving poor sinners who will come to Him with all their sin. This is God's gracious response to man's rejection of the King and the kingdom as offered at Pentecost.

Look at the way believers lived together in love and harmony during the Pentecostal era and you are apt to exclaim: "Why can't we live that way today? Let's get back to Pentecost." But look at the way believers lived together after the raising up of Paul, even among his beloved Philippians, and you will say: "It is no different today." This is because the believers at Pentecost were all filled with the Spirit in fulfillment of a prophetic promise, while today He has in grace committed His message to failing men and women, who indeed possess the Spirit, but often grieve Him.

[nChrist]

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THE TRUTH IN CHRIST
By Ralph Balog



Scripture Reading: Romans 9:1

How wonderful it would be if every member of the Body of Christ could state: "I say the truth in Christ!" What a unified message of grace would be proclaimed to a lost and dying world. Paul speaks, in our text verse, from a heavy heart. He had to defend his Gentile ministry everywhere he went.  And now from the extreme depths of his compassionate heart comes the call to "hear what I say," because "I speak the truth in Christ."  None of the Jewish Kingdom apostles ever had to defend their message and ministry in such fashion.

Paul wanted the Romans to know not only his love for them, but also for "my kinsmen according to the flesh" (vs. 3). He knew what Israel, nationally, was deliberately passing up ---"truth in Christ"---to follow the traditions of the early fathers.

In 1984 it is not "truth in Christ" to proclaim the earthly ministry and message of Christ as "good news" for sinners today. What was once truth can now be false teaching in the light of new revelations from the glorified Lord Jesus Christ given to and through the Apostle Paul. Though for all intents the Body of Christ today is predominantly Gentile, we, too, know that through Israel's fall we are now made near to God by the blood of Christ. When we speak "the truth in Christ," we too can claim our conscience will bear witness with the Holy Spirit and His written Word, rightly divided.

May we never lose sight of Paul's burden for those outside of Christ. We too were there once and God's grace is sufficient to save those not yet in the Body of Christ.