GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

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HIDDEN WITHIN, MANIFESTED WITHOUT
By Miles Stanford


"Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God" (Ps. 92:13).

Defeat reveals the flesh; testing reveals the Father.

"The inward exercise of Romans Seven and the testing of the wilderness serve the purpose of teaching us what sin in the flesh is, and what is in our hearts; while such special discipline of the Father as Paul's thorn in the flesh is rather to protect us from the unalterable tendencies of the flesh. The latter is always needed, and goes on in one form or other to the end of our course here."

"We belong to another sphere altogether. We have died, and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). We are like a tree that has its roots in heaven, and its branches down here. No doubt our branches are fretted and ripped by the atmosphere here, but nothing can touch the roots up there. Planted inside, they flourish outside." -J.B.S.

"No one can question the right of the Father and the Son to have and to hold the sheep; and if we see what it has cost them to secure us, it cannot fail to give us the most blessed assurance. Much yet may have to be done for us. We shall need support, preservation, discipline. If we are left here a little longer we shall need the grace, mercy, and forbearance of the Father in a thousand ways, but all that will be needed in the future to keep us from ourselves is small compared with the stupendous cost at which divine love forever secured us."-C.A.C.
By M. Sanford

"There is more in the Lord Jesus, in the Father, in the Spirit, in heaven to give us rest and peace and joy, than in the whole universe to disquiet, trouble, or grieve us." -G.V.W.

"Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17).

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NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST
By JON D. BEKEMEYER, Pastor

Scripture Reading: Romans 8: 1

To many, the word condemnation always indicates eternal judgment in the Lake of Fire. While it is true that because we are in Christ we are saved from eternal judgment, that is not the point of Romans 8:1. What is condemnation? According to Webster, condemnation is to "disapprove of strongly, to declare guilty of wrongdoing."

With the proper definition, one must readily admit that the believer can be condemned. Even a casual reading of the verse indicates that those who walk after the flesh have condemnation. This is also supported by the context.

A similar idea is expressed by the word damnation. The word damnation sometimes expresses eternal judgment, but certain passages indicate that this is not always so. For example, 1 Corinthians 11:32 says that a believer who partakes of the Lord's Supper unworthily (i.e. without discerning the Lord's Body), eats and drinks damnation to himself. Does that mean if one partakes of the Lord's Supper while his mind is on carnal things, he will go to Hell? Of course not. It indicates that such activity is seriously wrong and will be dealt with by chastisement (see context and Romans 13:2; 14:23 & 1 Timothy 5: 12).

Thus, there are two criteria in Romans 8:1 to escape condemnation: to be in Christ (everything about the unbeliever is under condemnation) and to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Let's all seriously contemplate this truth today.

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GRACE, AND HOW THIS AFFECTS US
by C. R. Stam

    Ask the average believer what the Bible word "grace" means, and he will doubtless reply, "unmerited favor".

Actually, however, grace is much more than this.

Subjectively, it is that loving attitude, or disposition, on God's part, from which all His kindness toward us flows.

Objectively, it is all the kindness that flows from His love toward us.

Thus we read in Ephesians 2:2-6 that we were "the children of disobedience" and therefore "by nature the children of wrath, even as others".

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

Note: This passage begins with those who were "children of disobedience" and "children of wrath" and, saving them "by grace," gives them a position in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus!

God's grace to us as sinners was great indeed, for:

"In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS [God's] GRACE."

But now, having given us a position <>in His beloved Son, God's grace goes out to us in still greater measure.

Ephesians 1:6 declares that God has "made us accepted [Lit., ‘engraced us'] in the Beloved".

Beholding us in Christ, God loves us and delights in us more than any father ever delighted in his son, or any grandfather in that precious grandchild.

Thus, while in Ephesians l:7 we read that we have "redemption...the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace", in Ephesians 2:7 we see these riches of grace increased to us "exceedingly", now that we occupy a position "in the Beloved":

"That in the ages to come He might show THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE..."

How?

"...in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus"!

What a prospect! Through the ages of eternity God will lavish His loving kindness upon us to demonstrate to all the universe "the exceeding riches of His grace"!

"What a prospect, child of glory,
  Doth the future hold in store!
By the wildest flights of fancy
  Thou couldst never ask for more.
Heir of God; joint heir forever
  With His own beloved Son
God could not to you have promised
  More of bliss than He has done!"

-Author Unknown

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STOP, THINK, LIFT
Part 1 of 2
By Mel Flogel


We see these words on boxes in large bold print, reminding us to bend our knees and keep the back straight as we lift the heavy box. Prepare yourself, brace yourself and use correct strategy or you might be paying for a thoughtless action afterward.

For many of us, active lives can hinder our thinking. Sometimes by accident our activity, even good activity, crowds out and limits the amount of thinking we do. This can be very detrimental to our lives and souls for God does not by-pass our minds in communicating to us human beings. He has very crucial truth to convey concerning our everlasting destiny, so if we fail to stop, think, and lift our thoughts to what God has revealed through Paul's gospel, we could pay for this by spending eternity in the "Lake of Fire", and in "everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord". (II Thessalonians 1: 9)

Our Lord Jesus Christ communicated this principle through a parable when He ministered to Israel saying, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, THOU FOOL, THIS NIGHT THY SOUL SHALL BE REQUIRED OF THEE, then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12: 16-21)

Failing to stop, think, and lift his thoughts to our Creator this man died leaving his acquired possessions to new owners. But worse than this, he was not rich toward God before Whom he now stands.

Later, our Lord Jesus Christ revealed much more about the dilemma mankind is in. Man is under the condemnation of God and is pronounced guilty of coming short of the glory of God. Stop for a moment and consider the righteousness of Jesus Christ. In Luke 23:41, we read of His sinless life, it says "but this man hath done nothing amiss." In II Corinthians 5: 21, it says He "knew no sin". Hebrews 9: 14, says He was "without spot".

You may have heard and understood this, but now through Paul it is revealed that the righteous of Jesus Christ is the only acceptable standard for everlasting life, and that we all come short of it. Paul wrote "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; EVEN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD which is by faith OF JESUS CHRIST." (Romans 3:21) Please take note of those two words "but now". They denote a change from what was previously revealed.

Paul goes on to explain and declare why we all come short of God's newly revealed holy righteous standard by saying, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God". (Romans 3:23) God's standard is perfect, sinless, and holy. He revealed His holy standard in giving the Law to Israel. People often are not informed that there were many more commandments and ordinances than the ten commandments initially given. There were at least six hundred and thirteen (613) which we can find in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. And out Lord Jesus added commandments to that number as He ministered to Israel. He perfectly fulfilled all righteousness in living a sinless life but also in that" he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father". (Philippians 2: 8-11)

So then now with Paul declaring the righteousness of Jesus Christ to be God's only acceptable standard and that we all come short of it, this places us in quite a dilemma. But with this new declaration, Paul also is chosen to declare imputed righteousness. This is the good news that God will impute to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ when we believe the good news concerning the cross of Christ. The good news is that Jesus Christ made complete satisfaction to God for our sins by His shed blood once for all. The word for this is propitiation. Paul said, "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith OF Jesus Christ UNTO ALL AND UPON ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE: for there is no difference. 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, whom God hath set forth to be a PROPITIATION through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at this time his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. " (Romans 3: 21-26)

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STOP, THINK, LIFT
Part 2 of 2
By Mel Flogel


So Paul's gospel is a message of imputed righteousness, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to our account the moment we rest by faith in His death as the only payment for our sins. Paul writes, "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." (Romans 4: 24-25)

This is God's gracious provision for our dilemma of falling short of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the condemnation that came with this declaration.

May I also ask you to STOP, THINK, and LIFT your thoughts to another reason God can impute His righteousness to us. Paul's gospel declares that Jesus Christ died in our place. He died our death at Calvary. The word for this is vicarious. The righteousness of Jesus Christ not only shows us that we come short, it also shows us that we are guilty and are under the penalty of sin which is death. Our sins place us under the curse of the law. Paul wrote, "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." (Galatians 3:10)

Paul was chosen to reveal that now the law is not of faith and that "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, BEING MADE A CURSE FOR US: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." (Galatians 3:13) This means He died in our place, He died the death we deserved because of sin. He paid it all.

This seems to imply that all men needed Jesus' death in their place doesn't it? Read Paul's words, "For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again." (II Corinthians 5: 14-15)

This also seems to imply that the world as a whole stands at emnity with God, but through the death of Jesus Christ in our place reconciliation is made for us if we will believe it. Again, read Paul's words, "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (II Corinthians 5: 19-21)

I would just ask you to please stop and take a moment out of your busy and active life to think on these truths. Lift your thoughts to the One who came to earth, His creation, and endured the death of the cross in your place making complete satisfaction to God for your sins and mine, and rose again from the dead showing that His offering was accepted. Believe this message of God's grace and receive it for yourself and never regret it. Don't let thoughtless activity rob you of God's gracious offer, for we now live in His" accepted time". Paul wrote, "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 Corinthians 6: 1-2)

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THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND DEATH
By Paul Hume



Scripture Reading: James 4:13-17; Psa.31:15; Job 14:5

"The clock of life is wound but once,
And no one has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop
At late or early hour."

When will I die? When will you die? No one has answer to these questions because our blessed, all-wise, sovereign Lord, who is "the God of the spirits of all flesh" (Num. 16:.22; Heb. 12:9), holds the number of our very months and days, as well as years, in His power. We are not born of mere natural accident--even though many are born out of wedlock and the like. We are born to fit into the purposes of God. Our time of birth as well as I time of our death is in His counsels. Little wonder the devout Psalmist could state, "My times are in thy hand" (Psa. 31:15).

Therefore, how pointed is the inspired advice James: "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we  are going to such and such a city and stay a year, go into, business and make money,' although you do not have the slightest knowledge of tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? It is really nothing but a mist which appears for a little while and then disappears. Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord is willing, we shall live and do this or that.'  But, as it is, you boast of your proud pretensions. All such boasting is wicked" (William Trans.).

"Unto God the Lord," declared the Psalmist, "belong the issues from death" (68:20). Since HE "giveth and taketh away" (Job 1:21), what can we do but live in holy, submission to His will, and live a day at a time, seeking to be wise, "redeeming the time" for "the time is short" (Eph. 5:15,16, 1 Cor. 7:29)? Are YOU ready should the Lord be pleased to remove YOU by way of death TODAY?

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THE CROWN OF CREATION
By Dr. William Hallman



Scripture Reading: Gen. 1:26-31; 2:7; Psalm 8

Whence came man on the earth? Did he develop, through untold billions of years, from a simple form of one-celled life? Science can prove no such thing. If evolution were true it would be in continuous operation, and there would be forms of life half-way from the ape to man. How good to turn to this record, and find that this original creation presents both animals and man as coming by direct creative fiat or decree by God.

Man was created, first of all, by God's Sovereign Power. "And God said, Let us make man," ... "And the Lord God formed man. " It is Elohim, the triune God, Who in consultation, acted to create man. Here is unity of purpose, a unanimous decision made in Heaven by the Trinity to create man. What a noble thing it is to have our beginning in a direct creation from above, rather than from the scum of the pond below!

Man was also created through God's Sovereign Process. "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, .... male and female created He them. "The Image Dei, the image of God, is the chief possession of man which relates him to God. It is man alone, who like God, is self-conscious, with ability to rationalize, to create, and to make moral judgments. The "image" establishes relationship; while the "likeness" establishes similarity of character. God takes from the ground and forms a body; then breathes into this body His breath of lives. Man then comes forth as a living soul. Here he stands the crown of God's creation.

Man is created in the third place by God's Sovereign Purpose. Physically, "God made man upright" (Eccl. 7:29). The actual form that sinful man still bears (Gen. 9:6; I Cor. 11:7) was the form that God the Creator took in the person of Jesus Christ. Mentally, man had absolute power to have dominion over, and subdue the earth; also he had wisdom to name every living creature. He was also a moral being with power of choice; not a mechanical entity. Truly we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psa. 139:14). Meditate upon and rejoice in such passages as 2 Cor. 3:18; Col.3:10; Rom. 8:29.

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WASHED, SANCTIFIED AND JUSTIFIED
by C. R. Stam




"And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (I Cor. 6:11).

The preceding verses of I Cor. 6 contain a long list of vile sins and vices into which men have fallen, and the Apostle adds:

"And such were some of you." God’s Church is not made up of "good people" who have never fallen into sin. It is rather made up of sinners, saved by grace, through the infinite payment made for sin by Christ on Calvary’s cross.

"And such were some of you." Had the Apostle included the more "refined" sins, such as pride, self-righteousness, etc., he would have had to say: "And such were all of you."

Note further, however, that the Apostle says: "And such were some of you." Thank God, he goes on to say of those who had been thus stained with sin: "But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

How beautiful these three phrases: "But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified"! The word "but" appearing before each phrase indicates that each should be considered separately. Such vile creatures were some of you, "but ye are washed," cleansed from the sins that contaminated you. "But ye are sanctified." Having been cleansed you are now set apart as sacred for His glory. "But ye are justified." When God justifies us, who can condemn?

"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth?"

All this is done for the believing sinner, as our verse says, "in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

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POWERS ORDAINED OF GOD
By Ivan Burgener




"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God· (Rom. 13:1). These words are clear and shocking. Their clarity gives no room for misunderstanding, yet some find it, impossible to esteem world leaders as "ordained of God," and "the minister of God ......for good" (v. 4). They feel it must refer to a pastor or spiritual leader. A pastor or shepherd might wield a shepherd's staff, but could he bear "a sword .." or be "a revenger to execute wrath "on the evil doer" (v. 4)?

The words, "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God" might give pause to a Jewish believer, for God had written, "thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, who is not thy brother" (Dt. 17:15). But with the captivity of Judah, God commanded all nations to obey His servant, Nebuchadnezzar! (See Jer. 27:6-8.) Thus the times of the Gentiles began with Israel's captivity and servitude. Now God warns us through Paul that "they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation" (i.e., judgment by the ruler).

"For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil" (v. 3-4). God forbids us to take vengeance because He has established government as His representative, "a revenger to execute [His] wrath" on evildoers.

"Wherefore we must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake," conscience because we know it is the right thing to do. And we should fear the wrath of "the powers that be" as well.

This passage shows the grace of God given us for service; first toward believing brethren, then toward the world, living peaceably as much as possible without being overcome with the evil of taking vengeance, and lastly to be subject to the government which God has placed in all nations throughout the world. If government oversteps its bounds, our path is clear, "We ought to obey God, rather than men" (Acts 5:29), even when there may be dire consequences as in Daniel 3 when Jews were commanded to worship an image of gold.

One observed long ago that the "times of the Gentiles" began with government enforced idolatry, as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar, and that it might very well end the same. May we ever look to God for grace and courage.


"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well.

"For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
"Honor all men.
"Love the brotherhood.
"Fear God.
"Honor the king." (1 Peter 2:13-17)

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THE PRECIOUS DEPOSIT
By IVAN L. BURGENER


Scripture Reading: II Timothy 1:12-14

"I. .. am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me ... That good thing which was committed unto the keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us,"

It might not look like it, but "that good thing" Paul wrote about to Timothy was the precious deposit.  This deposit had first been committed to Paul. The sense is somewhat the opposite of what you might think upon reading verse 12. It was not something that Paul had committed to God, but rather what God---the Risen Lord----had from glory committed to Paul. This precious deposit refers to the great truth of the mystery, God's sacred secret which He had kept in silence throughout the ages past. Now, in this due time, God had deposited His secret with Paul. God was the One who would guard it, in the primary sense. It was His. He had kept it for ages. Now He had revealed it to Paul, and God was able to keep or guard it!

Paul had referred to this same precious deposit  in I Timothy 6:20 telling him to  "keep that which is committed to thy trust .. ," Just as these great truths about the mystery, Christ's one Body composed of Himself  as our risen Head  in heaven and ourselves as members, the Rapture of  this Body to glory (1 Tim. 3:16) had been first committed to Paul, they had also been committed to Timothy----thru Paul! Timothy was to keep them or to guard them in the sense of being a trust agent. These truths did not belong to Paul or to Timothy. But both were to act as trustworthy "trust agents" and "make all men see what is the dispensation" of these. What a deposit of precious truth!

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READY MY PLACE TO FILL
By Pastor Paul Hume

Scripture Reading: John 4:1-42; Acts 16:6-12

 There is a hymn which we seldom sing, yet its words fit the spirit of the suggested Scriptures for our meditation today:

"Ready to suffer grief or pain,
Ready to stand the test;
Ready to stay at home and send
Others, if He sees best.
Ready to go, ready to stay,
Ready my place to fill;
Ready for service, lowly or great,
Ready to do His will."

We observed yesterday that God the Holy Spirit under the Headship of the Lord Jesus Christ sovereignly bestows His gifts. If you have read Acts 16:6-12 you will also notice that God sovereignly assigns the place of service. It was not in the sovereign will of God for Paul and Silas to enter into Bithynia and certain parts of Asia (Minor) to preach the gospel. That was for "another" man" (see Rom. 15:20). But it was the will of God for them to "go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them." What a ministry they had in that part of Greece! Later on it became the will of God (I am sure) for Paul to go to Rome by way of being a political prisoner! Some argue that Paul was out of God's will in his journey to Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-23;30). 1 don't believe he was, else the words of the Lord-- "Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of Me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also in Rome"--actually commend him for getting out of His will. No, Paul was in the will of God, for he had "a place to fill" in Rome!

What about you? What about me? You may not be a preacher or a missionary, but are you in God's place for you? You may be a "humble housewife," yet God has that "place" for you to represent Christ in. You may be a student at such and such a school, yet you are there not by chance but by Divine choice to represent Christ there! You may be a businessman or even an executive, yet God has you in this place so you can represent Christ there! Are you in your "place?"

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TRUE LIBERTY
by C. R. Stam


As true Americans celebrate their liberty, true Christians should rejoice in the even greater liberty which they have in Christ.

Our Lord said: "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" and "If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:32,36). Likewise St. Paul declares that believers in Christ have been made "free from sin" and have become "servants to God," who deals with us in grace (Rom. 6:22).

It is strange that so many sincere religious people actually wish to be in bondage to the Mosaic Law, which can only judge and condemn them for their sins. Peter called the law: "a yoke... which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear" (Acts 15:10). Paul called it "the handwriting of decrees, that was against us, which was contrary to us" (Col. 2:14). He called it "the ministration of death" and "the ministration of condemnation" (II Cor. 3:7,9).

He challenged those who "desired" to be under the law:

"Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?" (Gal. 4:21).

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them" (Gal. 3:10).

Thank God, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13). Man always responds better to grace than to law. The law was "added because of transgressions" (Gal. 3:19). "By the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). But Christ died for our sins and now true believers serve God from gratitude and love. Hence Rom. 6:14 says: "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law but under grace." Since Christ has redeemed us from the law (Gal. 4:5) God says to every true believer:

"Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Gal. 5:1).

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VICTORY ASSURED
By late Pastor Win Johnson


   So often the Lord's people ask the question, "Why," when they are called upon to endure suffering, pain, heartache and sorrow. Some become bitter toward the Lord about it. Some lose their testimony. Some begin complaining instead of praising. Some allow hardness of heart rather than meekness of spirit to prevail.

   Job is a good example for us all. He apparently never knew the reason for his great sufferings but in the midst of his deepest trials, he was able to say, "I know that my redeemer liveth," and, "though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." Job retained his testimony and his faith. He proved by experience that the Lord is tender and merciful and that I Corinthians 10:13 is true. "There hath no temptation (trial, testing) taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful Who will not suffer (allow) you to be tempted (tried or tested) above that ye are able but will with the temptation (trial or testing) also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it."

   However, while Job didn't know the reason for his sufferings, God has revealed to us in His Word that Job's patience in suffering vindicated God and shut Satan's mouth. Satan was proved to be a false accuser and a liar.

   As we near the end of this age of Grace, those who are faithful to Christ must expect greater trials and more severe persecutions. They may often be called upon to suffer without knowing exactly why. Let us not forget, however, that, "If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him." The battle may be severe but the victory will be glorious. "Thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," (I Corinthians 15:57).

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THE TRIUNITY OF GOD
by Russell S. Miller

    "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).

Have you ever considered that God's image is stamped upon all creation? The whole universe bears the image of God. Just ask yourself what the universe is made of. It bears the image of its Creator.

The Universe is made of three elements: Time, Space, and Matter. And each one of these is a triunity in itself:

Time is Past, Present, and Future.

Space is Length, Width, and Height.

Matter is Energy, Motion, and Phenomena.

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

"So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them" (Gen. 1:26,27).

When God created man, He said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." (Gen. 1:26). Paul the Apostle tells us that man is "...spirit, soul, and body..." yet one man (I Thes. 5:23)! In John 1:1 the Lord Jesus Christ is called, The Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God" (John 1:1,2). In I John 5:7 we read most clearly these words concerning the Trinity: "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

It's a shame the New World translation leaves these verses out because, not only does nature itself confirm the Triunity of God, but the Bible also clearly declares that God--God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three Persons, yet one God--stamped His "image" and "likeness" upon all creation. In Colossians 2:9 the Deity of "the Man Christ Jesus" is confirmed: "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

Much, much more could be said on a subject so involved as the Triunity of God.

"But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him" (I Cor. 8:6).

"...and no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (I Cor. 12:3).

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GRACE TODAY AND TOMORROW
By C. R. Stam


Paul learned what thousands upon thousands of God's saints have learned from his day to ours: that it is often more blessed to experience God's grace in suffering than to enjoy deliverance from suffering, for in the former case we lean the harder and pray the more, and so are drawn closer to Him. Moreover, we find that His strength is made perfect in weakness and that when we are weak, then are we strong (II Cor. 12:9,10).

But even better things are in store for God's people: Someday, "in the ages to come," God will display to all the universe "the exceeding riches of His grace." How will He do this? "In His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:7).

Dear reader, have you accepted the grace of God in Christ Jesus? Do you believe that He loves you and that He "came into the world" to bear all the blame and shame and punishment that was your due, so that you might be "justified freely by His grace" (Rom. 3:24)?

If not, will you take Him at His Word now and come to know the truth of II Cor. 4:15:

"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God."

Whatever your past; however great or many your sins, take God at His Word. Believe that He loves you in spite of all. Believe that He has already provided the payment for your sins in Christ:

"In whom we have redemption. through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).