GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

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The God of Peace - Part 2 of 7
by K. Blade



Moreover in the outworking of our sonship edification, (as we progress through its curriculum for our godly edifying, processing its numerous forms of doctrine and so growing and maturing), we encounter God presenting Himself to us as "the God of peace" in various contexts and for various reasons. For example,...

     "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. (Romans 15:33)

      "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Amen. (Romans 16:20)

       "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. (II Corinthians 13:11 )

         "Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 6:23)

          "Those things, which ye have both learned,and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

           "Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. (II Thessalonians 3:16)

God is indeed "the God of peace." And though realizing this is not something that is exclusive to us in this present dispensation of God's grace, there is a real sense in which we today are to have a special understanding and appreciation for God as such. For the fact is that knowing God as "the God of peace," deeply appreciating Him as such, and hence loving Him as such, is a definite and preplanned objective in our sonship education and edification. It is not only one of the specific ways in which we as "sons" have intimacy of fellowship with God our Father, it is also one of the primary ways in which we learn about the excellency of the power of God's word operating within us. Moreover this particular aspect of our education and edification provides for the development within us of an increasing ability to trust in, and operate upon, the power of the effectual working of God's word within us no matter what.

Wherefore our God and Father presents Himself to us as "the God of peace" a number of times and in several different contexts. With this being so, as we proceed through the curriculum for our sonship edification we are taught to understand and appreciate the issue of "peace" in a number of different ways, ranging from the fundamental issue of having "peace with God" being justified in His sight, to the issue of possessing complete inner peace,  along with joy, even when encountering the most extreme adversities from the Satanic policy of evil against us.

Therefore the "peace" that God extends to us is manifold and varied, existing in many forms. Yet of all its forms and occurrences, one of the most fundamental is the Godly peace for our inner man that our Father wants us to possess when we experience disquieting, disturbing, and trying circumstances in the details of our lives. And though this is a fundamental matter, and we are taught about it right from the outset of our sonship edification, it is also something that God has designed for us to benefit from throughout the growth and maturing of our Christian lives. In view of this the Godly peace that our Father extends to us is far-reaching and mighty in its capacity, being able to deal effectually with whatsoever may come our way as we progress through our sonship edification.

Wherefore it behooves us to be certain that we understand and appreciate the issue of possessing such Godly peace. Especially the particular mechanism by which God has purposed for us to acquire it and enjoy it, and also through which we are to grow to love Him as "the God of peace." And the mechanism for all of this is the direct communion and fellowship we are able to have, and should have, with our Father through prayer.

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The God of Peace - Part 3 of 7
By K. Blades



Peace and the Role of Prayer

Prayer truly is designed to be an integral component of our peace. For this reason when we are in the initial stage of our sonship edification and the apostle Paul deals with us about properly responding to tribulation in our lives, he teaches us to be,...

     Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; (Romans 12:12)

Likewise in God's program with Israel is this so. Hence, for example, as James says to the members of the remnant of Israel,. . .

     Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. (James 5:13a)

Prayer, therefore, is a pivotal mechanism for producing peace when needed. It is designed to have a tranquilizing ministry to it. And as we partake of its tranquilizing ministry, and benefit from it amid the details of our lives, we come to know, understand, appreciate, and love our God and Father as "the God of peace" that He is.

Now before considering this any further, there is an important matter that needs to be addressed regarding prayer itself.

An Intelligent Communion; Not an Abstract or Mystical Experience

Unfortunately a lot of Christians lack a real solid and clear understanding of what prayer is. Hence their ability to appreciate its tranquilizing ministry, and fully benefit from it, is hindered. Moreover there is also much misunderstanding, misinformation, and erroneous teaching about prayer today, which contributes to a lack of proper understanding and so compounds the problem all the more. Because of this a lot of Christians actually look upon prayer as something different from what it really is. Likewise many seek to obtain benefits from it that either do not exist, or that do not pertain to what God is doing today.

Now when Christians learn the need to be "rightly dividing the word of truth" in accordance with the great dispensational change that God has made, this certainly goes a long way towards rectifying the problem. For at least they are no longer trying to operate upon doctrines and promises about prayer, and examples of it, that pertain to God's program and dealings with Israel, and not to us in this present dispensation of His grace.

Yet this does not clear up all the misunderstanding and misinformation about prayer. For often times the very nature of prayer itself is either not clearly understood, or it is badly misunderstood. And sadly this seems to be on the rise today, with prayer more frequently being taught and described as something other than what it really is. Consequently instead of prayer being understood to be an intelligent, thoughtful activity that we participate in with God, in which we have heart-to-heart fellowship based upon specific knowledge that God has given to us in His word, Christians are given to understand it to be something other than this; something more lofty and transcendental in nature; something more experiential.

Hence increasingly prayer is being looked upon, and actually taught to be, 'an incomprehensible experience that transcends our knowing,' through which one 'feels God's presence' or 'experiences contact with God' in an inscrutable way and on a 'higher or different level of consciousness.' Though expressions and descriptions like these are normally encountered in mysticism, idolatry, the occult, and mystical forms of men's religions, such ideas and thinking about prayer also exist 'under the umbrella of Christianity.' Sometimes even among ones known for being 'Bible-believing' and 'fundamentalists. '

However neither the tranquilizing ministry of prayer, nor prayer itself, is some unintelligent or abstract or inscrutable experience. It is not some mindless, or mind-emptying experience by which one achieves a state of mental relaxation and inner peace. Hence it is not a yoga-like exercise or practice. Nor is it a transcendental meditation of any kind. Neither is it some process for the abstraction, or the distraction, of the mind; nor a practice involving the concentration of the mind by which a mind-over-matter state is reached, through which our disquieting thoughts and overwrought emotions are mastered. Nor is it a relaxation technique; or a calming exercise.

The tranquilizing ministry of prayer is also not some mystical, mysterious, and unexplainable experience. It is not an ethereal thing, which is beyond comprehension; or something that takes place unconsciously, passively, magically, or subliminally. Hence it is not an experience in which you just let the Spirit of God infuse you with a calming sensation, as you shut out all outside distractions and concerns by focusing upon God in prayer; intoning His holy name, letting go, and feeling the Spirit take control.

Instead the tranquilizing ministry of prayer is a function of what prayer itself is: i.e. intelligent, communicative communion and fellowship with God based upon specific knowledge that God has given to us in His word. There is nothing abstract, inscrutable, or mystical about it. In accordance with this, the tranquilizing ministry of prayer is the product of intelligent, thoughtful communion with God, by which our minds are actively occupied with knowledge, understanding, and thoughts that God has designed to produce peace. To put it more pointedly, the tranquilizing ministry of prayer is the product of specifically designed living words of the living God effectually working within us to displace what is disturbing our inner man and replacing it with intelligent Godly thinking that produces peace.

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The God of Peace - Part 4 of 7
By K. Blades


Once again, there is nothing abstract, mystical, or mysterious to this. Instead both prayer itself and its tranquilizing ministry are functions of the intelligent, information-based functioning of our inner man, which God has designed to be both the source and the foundation for the Godly lives that He has purposed us to live with Him.

Accordingly, therefore, prayer and its tranquilizing ministry are functions of Godly thinking. With this being so, the mechanics of prayer's tranquility are easily described. Indeed they are just what Isaiah declared to Israel in Isaiah 26:3 regarding God's provision for the peace of their inner man, ...

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on thee: because he
trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)

So it is then that as we intelligently and doctrinally commune with our Father in prayer, it functions to keep our minds and hearts sober and sound in godliness, instead of the opposite. Through prayer we deliberately and pointedly hold ourselves accountable to sound doctrine that we have learned as "sons." In so doing "the doctrine which is according to godliness" controls and governs our thinking; stabilizing it, adjusting it, and thereby settling our minds and hearts.

Moreover this is something that prayer does especially when our minds and hearts have become unsettled by some situation, circumstance, or event with the result that we are upset, disturbed, distressed, and lacking inner peace. This, once again, is prayer's tranquilizing ministry. And it is something that we should deeply appreciate and enjoy when we are experiencing any of the afflictions belonging to "the sufferings of this present time" and/or any of "the sufferings of Christ."

Godly Peace

Now as was previously stated, specific living words of the living God are designed by God to effectually work within us to displace what is disturbing our inner man and replace it with Godly thinking that produces peace. And indeed this is accomplished by specific living words of the living God. In fact they are the very same words that live and operate in God's own mind. They are the very words that form and comprise His thinking about us and about our situation, which in turn has Him in a state of peace and contentment regarding us.

It may seem almost silly to put it this way, but the truth of the matter is that neither God our Father, nor the Lord Jesus Christ, nor the Spirit of God within us, become distressed when we encounter and experience disturbing situations. With God there is no onset of anxiety or worry; no racing of the mind; no 'fight or flight response'; no wringing of the hands, pacing of the floor, sleepless nights, or any other product of distress and uneasiness of mind. Instead our Father, our Lord, and the Spirit within us, are at peace within themselves regarding us.

Yet this is not simply because God is God, and anything but contentment is impossible for Him. For though God is God, He is not a detached, impersonal, or unaffected God, as He clearly testifies. Rather He has a direct, interactive and personal relationship with His creation as a whole, and more specifically with His people. Because of this God is personally affected by what occurs, having not only purposed and designed for this to be so, but also having enabled it to be so. And this is true both in His program with Israel and with us in this present dispensation of His grace. With this being so God acts and reacts with real actions and reactions; not merely with sentiments that are anthropopathisms in description, but not true sentiments in nature. For God is not only the "true" God, He is also the "living God." As such God lives and has a living, involved relationship both to us and with us. So much so that He is neither a casual, nor detached, nor unaffected observer of us or of what occurs with us. Instead God is genuinely touched by us and by what occurs with us; and this is true and real with God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Ghost that dwells in us.

So it is, therefore, that God is genuinely touched by any and all of the disturbing and distressing things that we may encounter in our lives.

Now though God is genuinely affected by them, He is not disturbed and distressed by them. For operating within Him is some particular peace-producing and peace-maintaining knowledge, which is the product of His own counsel and purpose regarding us as His "sons." And on the basis of this particular knowledge God thinks differently about our situations and circumstances than we do. Hence His mind generates responses to our situations that differ from those that are typically generated by our natural minds. Consequently with this particular knowledge operating within Him, God is not distressed regarding us. Instead, He is at peace and content.


==================
...neither God our
Father, nor the Lord
Jesus Christ, nor
the Spirit of God
within us, become
distressed when we
encounter and
experience disturbing
situations.
==================

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The God of Peace - Part 5 of 7
By K. Blades



Godly Peace from "The God of Peace"

Now it is God's own brand of peace that He not only offers to us, but expects us to receive and operate upon in our lives. In connection with this, what the Lord said to His disciples in the climactic stage in Israel's program is also true regarding us in this present dispensation.



Peace I leave with you, my
peace I give unto you: not as
the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be
afraid. (John 14:27)


The peace that God provides for us to have in this present dispensation is also "not as the world giveth." It too is "my peace"; i.e. God's own peace.

Furthermore just as the peace that the Lord gave to the remnant of Israel comes from specific information and knowledge about God's counsel and purpose with them in the climactic stage of their program, so too does our peace come from specific knowledge and information regarding God's counsel and purpose with us as His "sons" in this present dispensation. Through both general and specific information thereon God provides us with the ability to possess the very thinking and understanding that He operates upon regarding us. This makes it so that when we likewise think what He thinks, and understand what He understands, it effectually produces within us the same peace and contentment that it produces in Him.

Therefore when this is the case with us we not only have peace from "the God of peace," but we truly have Godly peace. That is, we have the very same peace that God Himself possesses.

Let's appreciate the reality of this by briefly considering some examples of it. First in God's program with Israel. Then we will deal with our Godly peace today.

Godly Peace in God's Program with Israel

The book of Psalms deals with many of the distressing, worrisome, and dreadful situations that the remnant of Israel will experience throughout the climactic stage in Israel's program. In particular, as their program enters its final installment, the intense afflictions that will come upon them will have the tendency to easily overwhelm them and drive them to despair. Indeed, this will be one of the objectives of the Adversary's persecution as he works to 'wear them out' and have their hearts fail them in their stand for the truth.

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The God of Peace - Part 6 of 7
By K. Blades



However they will not be 'in a lurch.' For they will have much knowledge from God's word upon which to operate at  that time. Knowledge that is specifically designed to produce peace and stability within them in the very situations they find themselves, and knowledge that does this by being specifically about God's counsel and purpose with them during that time. Hence, as the following examples show, it will be by having their minds occupied with this specific knowledge, and communing with God about it in prayer, that they will have the peace that the Lord promised them when He said to them,...

     In your patience possess ye
     your souls. (Luke 21 :19)


God has given them specific knowledge and information for 'their patience.' And when they operate upon it, and hold themselves accountable to it in prayer, they will be able to 'possess their souls' and be at peace within.

Note the reality of this, for example, in Psalm 94.


       17 Unless the LORD had been
     my help, my soul had almost
     dwelt in silence.
       18 When I said, My foot
      slippeth; thy mercy, a LORD,
      held me up.
       19 In the multitude of my
      thoughts within me thy com-
      forts delight my soul. (Psalm
      94:17-19)

This Psalm has the final installment in God's program with Israel in view. In that time the remnant of Israel will be experiencing the temporary 'triumphing of the wicked' described in the beginning of the Psalm, along with all of the afflictions that they will experience as that apparent 'triumphing' takes place. However during that time there is a specific doctrine that God expects the remnant to have learned, and hence to have operating within them. This is the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ functioning as Israel's Avenger, fulfilling the third mandate of the Davidic Covenant. By its effectual working within them it is designed to give them the clear understanding of what is happening at that time and why. It teaches them about God's counsel and specific purpose with them during that time, including why the wicked are allowed to triumph to the extent they will and the wisdom of God in connection with it. As such this specific knowledge is designed to be  the subject of their prayers and their cries to God for vengeance, as the 'triumphing' is underway and the afflictions are experienced.

Wherefore as this specific knowledge of God's counsel works effectually within them, the Psalmist declares,.. .

      12 Blessed is the man whom
     thou chastenest, 0 LORD,
     and teachest him out of thy
     law;
      13 That thou mayest give him
     rest from the days of adver-
     sity, until the pit be digged for
     the wicked. (Psalm 94:12-13)

So then when the distress of this particular situation becomes overwhelming for the believing remnant during that time, as the Psalmist says there is tranquility, rest, and even delight for their souls as their prayers hold them accountable to the specific doctrine that God has given to them for this situation and it effectually works within them.

Hence as the Psalmist says, "In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul"; with those "comforts" being the specific knowledge from the law about the Lord being their Avenger at that time.

A similar type testimony is found earlier on in Psalm 55 and Psalm 61 in connection with some different afflictions.

      16 As for me, I will call upon
     God; and the LORD shall save
     me.
       17 Evening, and morning, and
     at noon, will I pray, and cry
     aloud: and he shall hear my
     voice.
       18 He hath delivered my soul
     in peace from the battle that
     was against me: for there
     were many with me. (Psalm
     55:16-18.)

      1 Hear my cry, a God; attend
     unto my prayer.
      2 From the end of the earth will
     I cry unto thee, when my heart
     is overwhelmed: lead me to
     the rock that is higher than I.
    (Psalm 61 :1-2)

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The God of Peace - Part 7 Conclusion
By K. Blades



Our Godly Peace Today

The Godly peace is true and with us today. When we too through prayer intelligently commune with our Father about specific matters of His counsel and purpose with us as His "sons," it effectually works within us to displace disturbing thoughts about what may be happening to us and have them replaced with the Godly thinking that produces peace.

For this reason after our sonship edification gets underway in Romans 8:14ff, and we are taught the fundamentals of God's specific counsel and purpose with us as His "sons" in this present dispensation, we are then immediately exhorted to make use of that knowledge as we encounter the inevitable "sufferings of this present time" and tribulations of this life. Hence, for example, in Romans 12:12 we are told to be,...


12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in
tribulation; continuing instant
in prayer; (Romans 12:12)


Through what we are taught regarding God's counsel and purpose with us in this present dispensation we learn about the particular "hope" in which we should be "rejoicing." We also are taught to understand and appreciate a number of specific, fundamental reasons why we should be "patient in tribulation" when it occurs in our lives. Hence when such tribulation does occur, the issue for us is to think on the things that we are taught regarding God's counsel and purpose with us, and to commune with our Father about them by being "instant in prayer" in connection with them.

Now when we do occupy our minds with this information, and do intelligently commune with our Father about our tribulation specifically in the light of this information, it effectually works to produce within us the Godly peace that our Father Himself has regarding our situation. The tranquilizing ministry of prayer occurs within us as the disturbing and distressing thoughts that we have in response to the tribulation are displaced by the effectual working of God's word regarding us, making it so that our thoughts become the same as our Father's thoughts, and there-by producing Godly peace within us.

And not only so, but Godly peace is able to be effectually produced within us throughout the entire range of sufferings, afflictions, tribulations, and trouble to which we can be subject in this present dispensation. Nothing is outside its range, or beyond its capacity. For it is produced within us by the excellency of the power of God's word to us, which in perfect accordance with God's counsel and purpose regarding us has been specifically written to address and deal with every form of suffering to which we are subject as His "sons."

Wherefore even when it comes to facing the extreme tribulations belonging to the policy of evil against us, as was the case when Paul wrote to the saints in Philippi, the tranquilizing ministry of prayer is effectual. Hence as they faced death and were being 'terrified by their adversaries,' Paul said to them,...

     4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
      5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at      hand.
      6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
     7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

Indeed our Father is "the God of peace." He truly has provided for us to have His peace - Godly peace-in all areas of our lives. Both within and without; from mild disturbances to the most extreme occurrences of carefulness, anxiety, or distress.

May it be that through our sonship edification and sonship prayer, as we learn both general and specific matters regarding God's counsel and purpose with us and commune with Him about them in prayer, that we truly learn to know our Father and love Him as "the God of peace" that He is, and thereby possess peace "always by all means." Especially may this be so as we frequently encounter and experience any of the common "sufferings of this present time," but more so as we are privileged to bear any of "the sufferings of Christ." - K.R. Blades

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The Days of Our Life
By Charles W. Wages


"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)

Much is being said and written about accountability in every medium of communication today. It means different things to different people, but what place does it have in the life of a believer in Christ? God is not particularly interested in the counting of our days as He is in our being accountable for our words and deeds. Most of us are not really serious about the day by day business of living for the Lord.

The Psalmist spoke of "spending our years as a tale that is told" (verse 9). It appears that he was pointing up the fact that life is often taken lightly or as fiction instead of fact. Some people go through life in a "make-believe" world like Cinderella or Snow White. Others follow the view of "eat, drink, and be merry," never thinking that they really will die in time.

To "number" our days simply means to make our time count for the Lord as we realize that we are accountable to God. We must realize that the quality of our days is more important than the quantity of our days. If we are not careful we are in danger of letting our lives gradually slip away without accomplishing God's "ordained good works." The captain of a ship often does not realize that an anchor is slowly slipping until it is too late.

Oftentimes we become too familiar with important things, and we fail to see the real reasons for them. The story is told of a man in a restaurant who called the waiter and said, "I cannot eat this soup." The waiter became alarmed, thinking something was wrong with the soup. He called the manager, who in turn called the chef from the kitchen. They all asked in chorus, "Why can't you eat the soup?" the man replied, "I don't have a spoon."

We might well ask, what is the purpose in numbering our days? The answer is quickly forthcoming from God—"that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

God's ancient people used to say, "that we may bring home a heart of wisdom." This can often be accomplished by not rushing through life. I read not long ago of a man who waited two weeks in line to watch men travel at 140 m.p.h. in cars. In reverse, an old military expression used to read, "hurry up and wait." It is wonderful to see and feel God work every day. That most beautiful passage in Lamentations 3:22-26 is always appropriate.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; Therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord."

It is very instructive to see that when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, God only gave them bread enough for a day at a time (Exodus 16:4). Not only did this allow them to know that God was the giver of every good gift, but served as a test of their dependence on the One that delivered them. This dependence required their faith in God to be exercised every day. It also gave them a means or source of continual rejoicing. It is a wonderful and exhilarating feeling to see God work in the fulfilling of our needs. The Lord led Paul to say,

"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19)

We must understand that God supplies our needs not only for us to rejoice, but that we may be able to serve Him. The provision of God should not be used to satiate the flesh or even satisfy a spiritual longing, but rather to bring glory to His name.

In closing, it must be seen that we need to be taught how to "number" our days. In order for this to be accomplished we must feed upon Christ and His Word every day. The most responsible or accountable persons are those who look to God for their strength (Phil. 4:13) through food He supplies, continually rejoice in His bountiful provisions, and "apply their hearts unto wisdom." May we all be diligent to follow and apply these fundamental principles in our own lives.

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How Full Is Your Assurance?
Part 1 of 2
by Pastor Ricky Kurth



“For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them… That their hearts might be comforted…unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding…” (Col.2:1,2).


There is nothing worse than running low on assurance! During the gas shortage of the ‘70s, I was traveling from Illinois to Minnesota for a fishing trip with my father, when we began to run low on fuel. As we looked for a place to fill up, we were alarmed to find that one gas station after another had posted an “Out of Gas” sign. Suddenly all assurance that we wouldn’t find ourselves stranded along the Interstate was gone!

While the assurance that a full tank of gas can give is a comfortable thing, the assurance of salvation is infinitely and eternally better! No wonder the Apostle Paul was willing to endure “great conflict” for the saints to whom he ministered, that their hearts might be comforted by “the full assurance” that can be ours with a proper“understanding” of how simple faith saves us in the dispensation of grace (Col. 2:1,2).

But as we rightly divide the Word of truth (II Tim. 2:15), we find that to obtain the assurance of salvation, God required more than just faith of the Hebrews. In Hebrews 10:22, for instance, we read:

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Here we see that in a day when God required water baptism for there mission of sins (Mark 1:4; 16:16; Acts 2:38; I Pet. 3:21), Hebrews could not enjoy “full assurance of faith” unless their bodies were “washed with pure water.” Of course! While men have always been saved by faith,when God required certain works as an expression of that faith, there could be no salvation without a performance of whatever work He required 1, and no assurance apart from that expression of faith.

We see this again in I John 3:17-19:

“But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?… let us not love in word…but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we… shall assure our hearts before Him.”

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How Full Is Your Assurance?
Part 2 of 2
by Pastor Ricky Kurth


Clearly, if John’s readers wanted to assure their hearts, they had to express their faith by sharing “this world’s good” (things like food and clothing) with fellow Hebrews in need of these things. Here it must be remembered that John wrote these words with the coming Great Tribulation in view 2. After the Beast issues his mark, many Hebrews will find themselves unable to buy this world’s good without it (Rev. 13:17). Thus God has ordained that men seeking salvation in that day must express their faith by helping Hebrew sin need (James 2:14-17 cf. Matt. 25:31-46). Under this arrangement, there can be no salvation without these works, and no assurance of salvation apart from these mandatory expressions of faith.

Nor could this brotherly benevolence be a one-time occurrence. Such charity will have to be maintained throughout the duration of the Tribulation, as we see in Hebrews 6:10,11:

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love…in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.”

The words “unto the end” here help us understand the meaning of verses like Matthew 24:13, where Hebrews were told, “He that endureth to the end shall be saved.” In a day when “the love of many shall wax cold” (v. 12), true believers will maintain their love for their brethren by continuing to supply them with this world’s goods all the way to the end of the Tribulation. Of course, this will become increasingly difficult as Daniel’s seventieth week wears on, especially since true believers will themselves be unable to buy food or clothing without taking the mark.No wonder these Hebrews are exhorted to “shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.” There can be no assurance of salvation in that day without continuing in these necessary expressions of faith.

How then can believers today enjoy “the full assurance”Paul described in our text? Well, notice that Paul speaks of “the full assurance of understanding” (Col. 2:2). To attain the full assurance of salvation today, in the dispensation of grace, God does no task us to do something, He asks us to understand something. And He doesn’t leave us guessing as to what it is we must understand, for Paul goes on to talk about “the acknowledgment of the mystery” (2:2). The only way to enjoy the full assurance of faith today is to acknowledge that the mystery has introduced an era in which works are no longer required as expressions of faith. There can be no assurance of salvation without an “understanding” and an“acknowledgment” of this dispensational change.

Many suspect that the gas shortage of the ‘70s was man-made, designed to drive up the price of gasoline. While we know nothing of this, we do know that if you are suffering from a shortage of assurance, it is a man-made shortage, caused by men (perhaps well meaning men) who taught you God’s Word without rightly dividing it. But we trust that the“understanding” we have shared in this article will enable you to rejoice with us in “all riches of the full assurance of understanding.”

Notes:
Except when this was impossible, as with the thief on the cross ?
The Hebrew epistles were written to 1st century Hebrews to instruct them as to how to be saved and enjoy the assurance of faith, even amid the terrors of the Tribulation. Had the dispensation of grace not interrupted God’s prophetic program, these people would have lived to see that terrible time. Even after the mystery was introduced, it was thought that the Rapture would take place quickly (as Paul’s use of the word “we” in I Thessalonians 4:15,17 indicates) and that the time of Jacob’s trouble would then come upon them.

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FELLOWSHIP IN THE GOSPEL
By the late Pastor L. PETERSON


In writing the church at Philippi Paul said, 'I thank my God .... for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.' Phil. 1:3,5. What does fellowship mean? Dr.Harry Ironside illustrated it by picturing a team of horses pulling together. The word itself means partnership. It implies working together with a common goal in mind. There are various aspects of fellowship. There is the possibility of sweet and wholesome communion while working together.

When we were boys and working together in the field we didn't spend all  our time talking about the work we were doing. While we were doing that work we exchanged ideas, planned our recreation, told stories and debated. This was fun too; it helped us to pass the time as we labored and to make the burden of the day lighter. Fellowship is so important to all of us as Christians. We need to get together and have some of the other folk share life with us and we with them.

Man in a sense is a triumvirate, that is, an association of three in the governing forces of life. Genesis 2:7 says, 'And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.' To me this is Body, Soul and Spirit. Dust of the ground---Body; Breath of Life--- Spirit; and living soul (union of body and spirit)---Soul. Daily we care for the body by feeding, washing and repairing it. The spirit is cared for too if we are right with God. This is done by the ministry through the Word of God. Jesus said 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. ' Matt. 4:4.

What about the soul? Can its needs be met by physical culture or spiritual exercise? Indeed it cannot. There is therefore the need to care for the soul. In my way of thinking this is done by fellowship; the communion with fellow Christians. It does us all good to become acquainted with each other. The exchange of ideas, the expression of convictions concerning life, to get the other fellow's slant on life, the making known of burdens and problems, spiritual and economic, to gain the attention and sympathies of others. This is good and wholesome for us all. Do you want me to prove it to you? Doesn't it make you feel better to know your friends have problems financially as well as you do? Really now, wouldn't you hate to be the only person in your circle of friends having mortgage on your property? It may not really be right in a deeper sense to 'feel good' because your close friend is paying installments on his car, but it sure goes for encouragement. This may all seem trite but it is only to illustrate that we need fellowship as Christians in order to learn how goals are gained, problems are solved and trials are endured. We need one another more than we know. Should you be a person inclined to shut yourself off from the rest of the world, break the spell or habit. meet with fellow Christians for pure, good, clean and wholesome fellowship. The early Christians did, why not today? God forbid that we as a church should ever major, in socials. This is not our calling. We are called of the Lord to 'preach the gospel'. However, in the preaching of the gospel there necessitates In our program a place for expression and communion relative to the soul.We can thus better pray for, sympathize with and encourage one another in our pulling together in the matters that are spiritual and eternal. Thus, should your class in Bible School or circle of friends in any auxiliary of the church meet for fellowship, be sure to meet with them. May God our Heavenly Father guide us in our spiritual programming that in all things we may please Him.

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The Timeless Sovereignty of God
by Dr. Bill Gillham

The topic of "authority" began to intrigue me some time ago as I was reading the account of Jesus' encounter with the Roman Centurion in Matthew 8. Verse 9 captured me where the centurion states, "I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go' and he goes." Wait a minute! Did he say under authority? He surely meant to say, "I, too, am a man with authority…" I believe the Holy Spirit revealed to me that it was through submission that the centurion gained the authority he had over his men. He had been granted authority due to his submission to authority.

When a sergeant gives an order to a private, the sergeant represents his captain, his general, his president …indeed the entire United States. He can back up his commands with plenty of force should the private resist his authority. But this unregenerate centurion knew something that I had never seen. He had earned it over the years by submitting. He never arrived at such a point of power that submission ceased to be the key to authority. And Jesus said, "I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel." The centurion clearly understood the source of Jesus' authority to be His submission to the Father, and that authority is earned via submission. You earn authority in the kingdom of God by submission to authority, as unto the Lord.

Earthly Implications of Spiritual Authority

The principle is so clear once you see it in the world! We are granted authority in the realm of the spiritual in proportion to our submission to all authority as unto the Lord. "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant…" (Matthew 20:26). Jesus Christ actually earned His Title via submission to the Father's authority by obedience unto death (Phil. 2:5-11). Verse eight points out His obedience and verse nine states that for this reason God bestowed upon Him His Name…and that Name is "Jesus Christ is Lord!" Praise His Lovely Name! He is the Lord Creator of the universe, yes, but He laid it all aside and took on the form of a servant man when He came to earth. He then earned His Title through obedience (Hebrews 5:8,9).

Years ago I recall tuning into the TV program "Dallas" to see what all the hoopla was about. I saw on that show the graphic contrast of how the world views authority. The old patriarch, Dad Ewing, chairman of the board of Ewing Oil, had made one of his sons, J.R., president of the company. There was about $20,000,000 in the general fund, and J.R. had pulled a slick deal to purchase oil leases obligating the major portion of the twenty. Meanwhile, the old man had worked a side deal with an old cronie for other leases and he had used most of the twenty for his deal. At the showdown in the Petroleum Club J.R. angrily tells his dad, "You had no right to do that! You gave me authority over this company!" Where upon the patriarch grabbed him by the coat lapel, jerked his shorter frame up to his height, and with fist in face spat out, "Listen! Nobody gives you authority! You take it!" Case dismissed! I thought, "Lord, how true. That's the way it works in Satan's kingdom. You get authority in his rat race by running over people with power plays, but authority in Your Kingdom comes only by submission." The exact opposite of what Satan tries to make us believe! But then, would we expect God to operate in any other way than the opposite of Satan's way?

Submission in the Real World

I have sat under some teachers who, quite frankly, have not seen some of the truths that God, purely by His grace, has shown me. There have been times in my Christian walk where Sunday morning has been the most difficult time of my week as I'd sit and listen to "salvation by grace" served up with a heavy side of "law gravy" to motivate the flock into obedience." Motive good, method bad. Ultimately, God began to get through to me that despite this mis- interpretation, here was a chance to just love this dear brother (instead of getting frustrated with him) and submit to his authority over me. What a neat opportunity!

Oh, it's easy to submit to authority that I admire and respect! But the Lord had me closed into a mini-laboratory where I was given a chance to learn to submit to authority when I felt I was more mature in the faith! And after I had earned his respect by loving him and submitting to his authority via gentleness and kindness, God gave me opportunity to share some of the truths with him that the Holy Spirit had taught me. I believe my encounter never would have happened without my practicing submission, yet never compromising convictions, and always watching my tone of voice if the occasion called for taking a stand.

All authority on Planet Earth, indeed in the universe, is established by God (Rom. 13). I believe that in many ways we are to see our earthly experience as simply a laboratory wherein the Father choreographs the circumstances (even sometimes by allowing the devil more latitude to work) so as to teach His children to act more like family (Rom. 8:28-29). The world, the flesh, and the devil say the pathway to authority is muscle; God's Word teaches that authority is gained through submission to authority. We Christians will one day sit as co-regent with the Lord Jesus Christ. Now is the time to learn how to gain and use authority in an eternal social order, where agape reigns as the order of the day. Humble yourself, dear Christian. You are standing on God's gracious tutoring ground for granting you authority and rule from here to eternity (1 Peter 5:6).

According to Ken Cummins, our Thanksgiving celebration is a wonderful illustration of CHANGE AND THE UNCHANGEABLE.

Recently I realized that Thanksgiving, one of the biggest holidays we celebrate in the USA, is both about change and things that never change.

Have you noticed when God is at work things change? Those who fear its consequences often fight it with vigor or retreat in denial. On the other hand, those who embrace the changes that spring forth from a revelation of truth find it offers new hope and a richer, more meaningful life. Our Thanksgiving celebration is an event born of inspired revelation, tumultuous changes, courageous vision, and obedience to the heart of God.

As we study the history of Thanksgiving we find connective threads that run from Martin Luther challenging papal authority to the Puritan landing at Plymouth Rock. Though one hundred and four years separate these events Martin Luther and the Puritans' shared the same heart and mission. In their heart, they were prepared to face whatever changes resulted from their convictions. They were labeled heretics. They were excommunicated. This because they resolutely identified with and kept their focus on the immutable mission they shared with Jesus.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are downtrodden, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18,19)

They knew, as we do, that the mission Jesus was on as He walked the hills of Israel 2000 years ago is the same mission He was on 600 years ago in Germany, 500 years ago at Plymouth Rock, and today wherever a heart is surrendered to Him. When we share the heart of God; when we experience the freedom that truth brings; when we witness the destruction of lives that high sounding lies have produced; everything changes.

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The Offense of Grace
by Steve McVey


The thing about grace that many have a problem with is its appearance of being carelessly and indiscriminately thrown around by our Heavenly Father as if there is no limit to it. It just isn’t right by human standards. After all, fair is fair. Give people an inch and they’ll take a mile. Go soft on those who have sinned and the next thing you know everybody is doing it. People make their beds and they should lie in it. They need to learn their lesson. You’ve got to think about the message you’re sending!

Jesus didn’t seem to worry about all that in His ministry. He just loved people and poured out grace, grace, and more grace on the most unlikely candidates. It galls the self righteous when their own sense of justice is violated, but Jesus never seemed to worry about what they thought. He seemed to show such little discernment in how and to whom He gave so much. Even His stories seem to communicate a message that sounds downright wrong to religious ears.

In the parable of the laborers found in Matthew 20, those who came in to work at the last hour received the same salary as those who had worked all day. Those with the admirable ethic of hard work and dependability had been out in the hot sun all day long. Then the slackers show up at the last hour and get the same pay? Come on now! What’s fair about that?

Then there is the prodigal son – a religious zealots worst nightmare. Here, this young boy in the youth group decides he wants to leave it all and move to Los Angeles. He asks His father to give him his inheritance (a subliminal insinuation that he has been thinking he’d be better off if his Dad was dead) and off he goes to the big city. His life soon becomes a blur of Jack Daniels, marijuana and strip clubs.

When all his money is gone and he wakes up in bed one morning and rolls over to see a skanky-looking crack whore (a King James Bible word) who he doesn’t even remember meeting, he is jolted back to reality. “I’m outta here,” he thinks to himself. “Even Dad’s minimum wage guys at home don’t have to live like this.”

So off he goes, hitchhiking home and all the way thinking of how he will grovel when he gets there, how he will promise to do better if Dad will only give him back his old room. “I’ll even sleep in the barn if you want me to,” he figures he’ll say.

You know how the story ends. The moment comes when this scraggly looking, nasty smelling, son comes stumbling up the long driveway. His Dad sees him and immediately tears out running at full throttle.  He falls on his boy and, oblivious to the stench, starts laughing and crying, hugging and kissing him, all at the same time.  The son is forgiven before he even asks.

 The boy chokes up and tries to talk. This isn’t what he had expected. He gets out half a sentence when Dad interrupts and yells orders to fire up the grill, call our family and friends, see if JJT is available (Jerusalem Jazz Trio) and let’s get this party started!

 Hmm...that’s a strange story, Jesus. Don’t you think it might give the wrong message? “No,” our loving Savior would answer. “It gives the right message. The message is this: It doesn’t matter how pathetic you are, how low you have gone and how long you have been there, I love you and accept you.”

 It isn’t about you and me. It never has been and never will be. It’s about Him and His ridiculous, irrational, excessive, loving grace. The self righteous crowd might as well shut up. Jesus is Jesus and He’s not going to change to fit their expectations. Thank God.

www.gracewalk.org

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ENEMIES OF GOD AND WORSHIPERS OF SATAN
by C. R. Stam



"...we were enemies..." (Rom. 5:10).

"...the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not..." (II Cor. 4:4).

Many religious but unsaved people will not accept the fact that they are enemies of God, and fail to understand why the Bible should insist that they are. But the God who says that they are sinners, worthy of everlasting judgment; that their only hope of salvation lies in the One who poured out His life’s blood to pay the penalty for their sins -- this God, the God of the Bible, they cannot abide. Let one of His servants tell them what He says about them and they are insulted. When this God, the true God, refuses to accept their "good" works or their "righteous" conduct they react like Cain, of whom we read: "And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell" (Gen. 4:5). They simply will not bow to this God, and their attitude betrays their enmity against Him.

But why will they not turn away from their self-righteousness and trust in Christ, who died for their sins?

Simply because they worship Satan, "the god of this age," who "hath blinded the minds of those who believe not." Worship Satan? This too is hard for the unregenerate man to believe about himself. As he has his own conception of God, he also has his own conception of Satan -- a wrong one.

Unbelievers do not know that the real Satan, the Satan of the Bible, has a vast wardrobe and, in this dispensation of grace, doubtless appears most often as "an angel of light" with "ministers of righteousness" (II Cor. 11:14,15). This Satan they do indeed worship. They adore him, and try to live by his precepts, convinced that the way to salvation is to do and be good.

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Grace From Calvary
Pastor C.R. Stam


          If you want to enjoy a real spiritual feast, take a concordance to the Bible and look up the word “grace.” First notice how often this word is found in the four Gospels: only four times and only once in a doctrinal sense. Then notice how often it is used in Paul’s epistles (less than half the size of the four Gospels). Here it is found well over one hundred times and practically always in a doctrinal sense, about the love and mercy of God toward sinners and toward His own. Think of it: only once is grace referred to doctrinally in the four Gospels, yet in Paul’s epistles, less than half as large in volume, it is used more than one hundred times.

This is because St. Paul was God’s chosen apostle to make known His grace to sinners. In Acts 20:24 he speaks of “the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

But on what basis could God, through Paul, proclaim salvation by free grace to sinners? Ah, now take your Bible and begin looking up those passages which refer to the cross, the death and the blood of Christ, again noticing that while Paul does not actually relate the story of Christ’s death, he has more, far more, to say about that death, and what it accomplished, than any other Bible writer. It would thrill the heart of any sincere Christian to go through the Epistles of Paul and see how much good news Paul proclaims on the basis of the death of Christ. This is why his message is called “the preaching of the cross”— God’s good news about what Calvary has accomplished for us (1 Cor. 1:17-23).

In Paul’s epistles we learn that through Christ’s death for us at Calvary believers are “justified,” “accepted”by God, and pronounced “complete in Christ.” By His death they are reconciled to God in one body, given a position at God’s right hand in the highest heavens and assured “the exceeding riches of His grace” in “the ages to come” — this and more Riches of grace flowing from Calvary; this is the very essence of the glorious message which Paul was raised up to proclaim. Read his epistles and see.

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God's Eternal Purpose
by Pastor C. R. Stam


       Have you ever considered carefully the opening words of the Bible? “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Why doesn’t it simply say that God created the Universe? Why the heaven and the earth?

As we go on reading we find the answer to this question, for the Bible clearly teaches that God has a two-fold purpose; one having to do with the earth and the other with heaven. The former is the subject of prophecy, while the latter is the subject of the “mystery”, or secret, revealed to and through St. Paul. (See Acts 3:21; and cf. Romans 16:25). The former concerns Israel and the nations; the latter “the Body of Christ”, the Church of the heavenly calling.

Some people are surprised to learn that there is not one promise in the whole Old Testament about going to heaven. There the whole outlook is earthly, with Messiah reigning as King (Jer. 23:5; et al). When our Lord appeared in the flesh the angels cried: “Peace on earth” (Luke 2:14). He Himself said that “the meek”shall “inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). He taught His disciples to pray: “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

Even at Pentecost Peter declared that after “the restitution of all things” God would send Jesus back to earth and the times okay leave the door what will I was asking Would you do what of the planned will you did water the plant you out there will is beyond know how to get the My 1st BUT IS WILL YOU WILL WHERE YOU would “come from the presence of the Lord”(Acts 3:19-21).

Not until the raising up of Paul do we learn that now all believers . I WILL BE are “baptized into one body” (the sure will.12:13), and Colossians 1:5 and many other Pauline passages, speak of“the hope which is laid up for you IN HEAVEN”. Indeed,before God, believers are already given a position “in heavenly places” and are “blessed with all spiritual blessings In [THE] HEAVENLIES in Christ” (Eph. 1:3; 2:4-7).

The prophecies regarding the Kingdom, however, will still be fulfilled and Christ will reign on earth and bring the promised “times of refreshing”. Thank God, this world will not forever be a place of fear and bloodshed, sickness and death, misery and woe. Indeed, at that time,heaven and earth will be opened to each other, and thus will be fulfilled God’s two-fold purpose: “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ…” (Eph. 1:10).