GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

[nChrist]

THE INFINITE WORTH OF GOD'S AMAZING LOVE
By Pastor Robert Roosendaal

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:7

The love scene takes on a total transformation as we examine God's love as given in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. From the heart of God flows the riches of His love, expressed by the Greek word "agape"----shining forth with eternal splendor and glory. Think of its surpassing beauty, purity and holiness. Our wonderful Lord who never changes is also constant in exercising this divine quality of love. It is expressed in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son ... " This love is the basis for Paul's declaration: "Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it" (Eph. 5:25). This fabulous love overwhelms God's family as told in Romans 8:35--- Who shall separate us from the love of Chris!...?" There is only one answer---Absolutely nothing! What marvelous details of assurance: In verse one there is "no more condemnation" and verse 29 guarantees "no more separation" and through it all the promise that "all things work together for good". Yes, Romans 8 is a gold mine of riches. What kindness and comfort for God's child. This wonderful story of love goes on and on as told in God's Word. How thankful we should be for God's boundless provisions, praising God for all that has been done for us in the Person of Christ His Son at Calvary where we behold the greatest exhibition of love ever displayed.
 
John's lovely Gospel closes with the re-commissioning of Peter. As the Lord tenderly probes the nature of Peter's love we detect Peter's honesty, confessing that his love for the Christ was limited--- a "phileo" love, a tender affection. It was Christ's amazing love and compassion that reached out to a troubled and faltering Peter, restoring him into fellowship and service. The Holy Spirit here draws our attention to the wondrous love of God---man's love is a different story. Let us be honest about it as Peter was! When David sinned by numbering the children of Israel, God gave him three choices, and you will recall that he very wisely chose to fall into the hands of God, for His mercy is far greater than men. Christ was better at restoring preachers than we would ever be.

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From Grace And The Truth Ministries

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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GOD'S TRANSFORMING GRACE
By Pastor Robert Roosendaal


"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, right and godly in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:12, 13).
 
The religious world in the realm of Christendom is blinded to salvation by grace. The cults are unanimous in its rejection. Within the ranks of fundamentalism and evangelicalism much confusion remains. In the latter group there is further confusion relative to what effect this has in the believer's walk. Paul answers this in verse 14- "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works."
 
Let us learn how effective God's grace can he in the home: God's grace will create love to replace the sting of bitterness. A beautiful obedience to God's Word will terminate disobedience, and the miracle of harmony will prevail over disharmony. The grace of thoughtfulness will touch the heart and dispel indifference. Divine hope will triumph over the pain of hopelessness. The preeminence of Christ will blossom forth---no longer will Christ be ignored. Prayerfulness will certainly be victorious over prayerlessness. Unselfishness now enters in to bless the home and to dispose the shame of selfishness. The parents learn to excel in spiritual positives, avoiding the folly of nagging negatives. The hearts of lovers now offer praise to God and for each other to wipe out the depression of murmuring. Contentment will bring glory to God for His goodness. Our Wonderful Lord is the giver of rest and refreshment for those in turmoil, the restlessness and fatigue that afflict so many. God is willing to direct us in attaining meaningful goals to replace the aimlessness and indirection that makes life so dull. Emerging from a life of wandering and confusion, Christ will thrill our hearts with eternal joy. The loveliness of Christ will shine with glorious beauty while the lackluster of sin with its attractions, will fade away. God's grace can do all that and much more.

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From Grace And The Truth Ministries

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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Know ye not that we shall judge Angels
By Mike  Szafranski


Something had changed for the Apostle Paul to be able to make this statement. Normally, when we see angels interact with mankind in the Scriptures prior to Paul, angels not only outrank men, but also instructed them as to the Scripture and indeed gave them Scripture. So what happened?

The Greek word for angel is aggelos (ang'-el-os). It is translated in the AV-"angel" 179 times, "messenger" 7 times; 186 in all. Strong's' rightly defines it as "a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God." Some commentators think Paul is here referring to fallen angels, but this is not the case since elect or non-elect angels are not specified in the context like they are in other places. For example I Timothy 5:2I, " I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. "

The Body of Christ now has a position above the elect angels. Colossians 3:1: " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" Also, Ephesians I:20-22 says: "Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And hath put all things under His feet."
 
No other economy has been so lifted up as the Body of Christ when it comes to eternal destiny. This will be one of our main occupations in eternity, to co-judge the angels with Christ from His throne. Praise God!

The English word "angel" is used 175 times in the entire New Testament but only 13 times in the Pauline Epistles. This is huge and not merely an argument from silence. Angels in the Kingdom Dispensation normally deliver saints and instruct them in Bible studies, like Daniel, for example, or the Apostle John with the Revelation. But Paul's Epistles do not mention anything about these types of angelic activities as in the Old Testament or even the times after Matthew to the present Age of Grace. Indeed, Paul's only mention of the assistance of an elect angel is Acts 27:23 and there is no deliverance here or sense of hierarchy, but of encouragement and what God will do in His time of need.

All of Paul's revelations, regarding Scripture and the Body of Christ, were received without angelic assistance, directly from the Lord Himself. Galatians I:11-12: "But 1 certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. " This is quite different from the norm in the past, as angels were instrumental in the dispensing of Scripture, as well as the understanding of them. Angels were also used of God to protect Israel in many physical battles of even sustenance by eating angel's food. Psalm 28:25: "Man did eat angel's food" This verse does not mean that manna was what the angels were used to eating, but those angels delivered this food to the nation Israel. This kind of intervention is not even mentioned in Paul's instruction for the Body saints for today. This information would surely have been mentioned in Paul's Epistles for us today.

It may even be pointed out that part of the angelic ministry to Israel was to assist the Jews in their worship of God (1 Kgs. 19:5; Ps. 34:7; 91:11; Dan. 6:22; Mt. 2:13,19; 4:11; 18:10; Lk. 22:43; Acts 5:19; 12:7-10; Heb. 1:14).

The angels observe us (Ecc. 5:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Eph. 3:1), a fact which should influence conduct. They receive departing saints (Lk. 16:22). Man is made "a little lower than the angels." Ecclesiastes 5:6 says: "Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?"

In the Kingdom program, the angels instructed Old Testament saints; today we are instructing them, a direct reversal of ministry.

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From Grace And The Truth Ministries

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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~A Warning Against Mysticism~
By Pastor Dick Ware


Col 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

In our verse we find that Mysticism was disqualifying the Colossian's daily walk with Christ, and was robbing them of their future reward with Christ (3:24). The false teachers probably intimidated the Colossians into believing they would be disqualified if they didn't follow their prescribed course. Mysticism is professing to have direct contact with God or direct insight into truth by some special means. In our verse we find four of the special means that were used.

The first was a voluntary or self-imposed humility, which could include asceticism. We can accept ourselves in Christ, but this rigid self-denial will only work toward self-occupation (vs. 23). The second was the worship of angels. Angels are ministering spirits, but they never were to be worshipped! This would be Demonism. It denies the union of the believer with the Head, Christ in Glory. The third intruding into the unseen. This would be visionary dreaming and Spiritism. This could also include Demonism. What a wide scope this covers! The last one was being vainly puffed up by the fleshly mind. God call-ed it "the wisdom of this world" (1 Cor. 3:19); today it is called "Humanism." It could include: Rationalism, Intellectualism; Higher Criticism; Liberalism; Neo-Evangelicalism; Situation Ethics; etc. It is the mind of the sin nature and can only produce death (Rom 8: 6).

In verse 19 Christ as the Head of the Body, is not so much an issue of authority, as it is an issue that as the Head, He is the origin and source of the Body's nourishment. Therefore, we are to hold fast to Him "in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (vs 3). As the Body holds to the Head, we may experience "the increase of God!"

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From Grace And The Truth Ministries

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
PART 1 of  4
By Gregg Bing


How would you feel if you knew when you would die? And you knew for your whole life. You even knew how you would die—a slow painful death at the hands of cruel men. And you knew that you would have to face it all alone—forsaken by all those you held dear in life. How would you feel? This is what Jesus Christ experienced in His life on this earth. This was the “passion” of the Christ.

The word “passion” is used in the King James version of Acts 1:3: “To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs.” It comes from the Greek word “pascho” which means “to be affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo” (Strong’s Enhanced Lexicon). In the Greek, the word can be used in a good sense, but in the New Testament it is almost always used in a bad sense, of one’s sufferings, in particular the sufferings of Christ (cf. Matt. 16:21, Acts 3:18, 1 Pet. 3:18 ). The “passion” of the Christ speaks of the sufferings that Jesus experienced in His life on earth, especially the sufferings connected with His death on Calvary. How did these sufferings affect Jesus’ life? How did He feel?

The recent movie by Mel Gibson, “The Passion of the Christ,” seeks to allow viewers a more vivid look at what Jesus’ sufferings were like. There are several problems with a movie such as this. For instance, there are several scenes in the movie that have no Scriptural basis. They are, instead, based on extra-Biblical material or are inserted under the guise of “artistic license.” Another problem is that the filmmaker’s own religious slant is often evident. In Gibson’s case, there are many things in the movie that reflect his Catholic beliefs, especially the great emphasis put upon Jesus’ mother, Mary. Finally, in the case of this movie, there is a great deal of graphic violence included. While it may have been an accurate portrayal of the physical sufferings Jesus went through, it tends to downplay the fact that not all of Jesus’ sufferings were physical in nature.

Physical Sufferings

There is no question that Jesus suffered extreme levels of pain and physical suffering. The Romans were very cruel in their treatment of others. Crucifixion, the form of capital punishment used by the Romans, was a most horrible way to die. It was a slow, excruciating death that lasted as long as nine days in some cases (The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, page 265). It was considered a curse by the Jews (Deut. 21:23).

Jesus suffered in many different ways physically. He was exhausted from lack of sleep, being awake all night prior to His crucifixion. He was scourged with a whip which left many stripes on His back (Matt. 27:25 with 1 Pet. 2:24). He had a crown of thorns pushed down upon His head (Matt. 27:29). He was beaten on the head with a reed (rod) (Matt. 27:30). He was forced to carry His own cross through the streets of Jerusalem (John 19:17) until He was unable to continue and had to be relieved by Simon of Cyrene (Matt. 27:32). His hands and feet were pierced as He was nailed to the cross (Psalm 22:16, John 20:25). He hung on the cross for over six hours (Mark 15:25 with Luke 23:44).

As terrible as all this was, the passion of the Christ involved more.

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From Grace And The Truth Ministries

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
PART 2 of  4
By Gregg Bing



Social Sufferings

Crucifixion was a humiliating experience. It was a punishment reserved for the vilest of criminals, for men such as the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus. Yet, Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, was “numbered among the transgressors” (Mark 15:27-28 ).

Crucifixion was also a public spectacle. Jesus was paraded through the streets of Jerusalem to a place outside the city gates, stripped of His garments, and hung in open shame upon the cross (John 19:23).

For Jesus, the humiliation was made worse by the insults and taunts of the Jewish leaders, the Roman soldiers, the two thieves crucified with Him, even the people who just passed by the place of crucifixion (Matt. 27:39-44).

This would have been a humiliating experience for any man, but how much more for the Son of God. Yet, even this shame was not the full extent of Jesus’ sufferings.

Emotional Sufferings

Though Jesus Christ is very God Himself, He “became flesh” and lived on this earth as a Man. The sufferings He went through were emotionally draining on Him, personally. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the emotional nature of Christ’s sufferings.

“He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” (Isa. 53:3) The Lord Jesus Christ “came unto His own and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). His own nation, Israel, rejected Him, but so did the Gentiles, who were also His own, for He created them. Those whom He loved so much, despised and rejected Him, and all without a cause (John 15:25). People hid their faces from Him; they looked at Him with utter contempt, counting Him as nothing. No doubt, such hatred and rejection brought great sorrow and grief to the Lord Jesus personally, especially knowing that by rejecting Him they brought spiritual judgment upon themselves.

Think how painful it must have been for Jesus when Judas, one of the twelve, betrayed Him into the hands of the Jewish leaders. When Judas led the arresting party into Gethsemane, you can almost hear the pain in Jesus’ words to him: “Friend, why have you come?”

The twelve apostles were Jesus’ closest friends. While Judas was the only one to betray Him, after Jesus was arrested in the garden, all of them “forsook Him and fled” (Matt. 26:56).

Later, during Jesus’ interrogation by Caiaphas, Peter, who was waiting outside in the courtyard, denied Jesus three times, saying, “I do not know the Man” (Matt. 26:74). This was the same Peter who earlier had vowed, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matt. 26:35). Think of the pain Jesus must have felt when the cock crowed and He turned to look at Peter (Luke 22:61).

The emotional suffering were part of what “troubled” Jesus’ soul (John 12:27). Still, as painful as it was for Jesus to be rejected by men and forsaken by those closest to Him, it could not begin to compare with what He experienced His last three hours on the cross.

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From Grace And The Truth Ministries

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
PART 3 of  4
By Gregg Bing


Spiritual Sufferings

The final three hours Jesus hung on the cross were shrouded by a darkness over all the land. What did this darkness signify? Some feel that it indicated that Satan, the “power of darkness,” was at work. More likely, the darkness pictured God’s judgment upon sins—our sins! While Jesus hung there on that cross, in particular for those last three hours, He “bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24). This One who “knew no sin” was “made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Peter described it this way:

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” (1 Pet. 3:18 ) Christ “suffered” for our sins. This was the ultimate passion of the Christ—the pain, the feelings He experienced while bearing the sins of the world on that cross. Just think how this holy and righteous person, the very God of glory, would be affected by even one sin, much less the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). For on that cross, for those three terrible hours, our sins became His. When He died, the Lord Jesus Christ paid in full the debt that we owed (Rom. 6:23). Not just physical death, though that was required: “for without shedding of blood there is no remission” (forgiveness of sins) (Heb. 9:22); Jesus also experienced spiritual death for us as well, being separated from His Father in heaven.

About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying,

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46) The depth of Jesus’ anguish during this time is seen in the question He asked: “Why?” Why had the Father completely and utterly forsaken His Son on that cross? The answer is found in the 22nd Psalm.

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed. But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people.” (Psalm 22:1-6)

What a vivid picture this passage gives us of Jesus’ death on the cross and His spiritual sufferings. Earlier on the cross, Jesus had called Him “Father,” but here His anguished cry was to “My God, My God,” asking, “Why have You forsaken Me?” “Why are you so far from helping Me?” Why do I “cry out in the daytime, but You do not hear?” The answer to these piercing questions is twofold. Verse three of Psalm 22 declares of God, “But You are holy.” A holy and righteous God simply cannot look upon sin (Hab. 1:13). Then in verse six of Psalm 22, Christ says of Himself, “But I am a worm and no man.” Why would He describe Himself this way? Because bearing our sins on the cross, this is what He was to a holy God: a worm and no man, one that God must turn away from. How can we even begin to understand the depth of Christ’s spiritual sufferings? As I thought about Mel Gibson’s focus on the violent death and physical sufferings that Christ experienced, I began to wonder why Jesus had to suffer such a cruel and painful death physically. If Jesus’ spiritual sufferings—His separation from God for our sins—caused Him the greatest pain, then why did He have to endure a death of such excruciating physical pain and public humiliation?

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From Grace And The Truth Ministries

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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mailto:GRACENTHETRUTH@COX.NET
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THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
PART 4 of  4
By Gregg Bing


As human beings we are constrained by the finite world we live in. We are limited in our knowledge and understanding of an infinite God. We could never completely understand the reasons for the cross. We can’t truly feel the agony the Lord Jesus Christ experienced being separated from His Father because of our sins. We can’t fully understand the abomination that sin is to a holy and righteous God or the terrible curse and judgment that sin brings. We can’t fathom the depth of Christ’s love that would lead Him to make such a sacrifice for us, “even while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8 ).

The physical pain, the social humiliation, and the emotional pain that Christ suffered puts Christ’s passion in terms we can more easily understand.

We can identify with Jesus’ humiliation and shame, for we know what it means to suffer shame. As we think of the shame Jesus experienced while hanging on that cursed cross, it helps us understand the shame of sin.

We can identify with Jesus’ rejection by men, being despised and counted as nothing, for we have experienced rejection and hatred from people at times in our own lives. This helps us, at least a little, to understand what Jesus experienced when He was rejected by His own Father.

We can identify with Jesus’ excruciating physical pain. We can imagine the pain of the whip, the crown of thorns, and the nails, for we have experienced physical pain ourselves. Maybe the intense level of Jesus’ physical pain makes it possible for us to better understand the terrible spiritual pain Jesus experienced for us on that cross. If this is the case, maybe there is some justification for the level of violence depicted in Mel Gibson’s movie.

But, do we really need such a movie to understand the passion of the Christ? To grasp the meaning of the cross? To present the gospel of Jesus Christ? No, God has chosen another way, a better way to convey this truth.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18 ) The “message of the cross” is literally the “word of the cross.” The passion of the Christ, the meaning of the cross is found in God’s Word. It pleased God to convey the truth of the cross through the preaching of His Word (1 Cor. 1:21). It is in God’s Word that we find the gospel of Jesus Christ: “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). It is in God’s Word that we find how we can be saved from our sins: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). The Word is the power of God unto salvation to all who will simply believe (Rom. 1:16).

What about you? Having heard the Word of the cross, will you believe and be saved? You don’t have to see the movie to understand the passion of the Christ. The message is there in God’s precious Word. You can simply respond in faith to the Word (Eph. 2:8-9) and experience the joy of salvation; the peace of knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

__________________________________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others.
The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from
the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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Why Do Good Men Disagree?
By S. Lee Homoki


“But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, live after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compel thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews” (Galatians 2:11-14)?

Here we have a sad and troubling report of the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter in conflict! I am sure that some will find this shocking and disturbing. It seems unthinkable that two of the great heroes of the faith - “Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” – would engage in a heated controversy and division!  And yet, it happened and it still happens today, even among good Christian men and ministries.

To find an answer to the question, “Why do good men disagree?” – is not easy in every case. We know that most controversies are generated at an emotional level and are, therefore, avoidable. We are reminded, “If it be possible,” we are to “live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18 ). However, there are times when disagreement and separation is necessary. We are to, “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). One such time was Paul’s confrontational disagreement with the Apostle Peter.

At the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), the questions, “What is the Gospel?” and “What must a person do to be saved?” were settled. According to Dr. C. I. Scofield, “Dispensationally, this the most important passage in the New Testament. It gives the divine purpose for this age and for the beginning of the next” (Page 1169). A transition was taking place. God was shifting gears! A change was taking place because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ! “Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4). If that means anything, it means that neither Jews or Gentiles have to keep the Jewish Law to be saved or holy! Salvation comes by “faith” in the faithfulness of Christ (Galatians 2:16,20) and holiness comes by, “walking in the Spirit” (Romans 8:4). We are free from the Mosaic Law! We are “dead to the Law” (Galatians 2:19). We are not bound by all those laws and ceremonies.

At this first church council, a great fight took place because the Judaizers wanted to enslave the Gentile converts to their legalism (Acts 15:5).  According to Galatians 2, Paul defended “that Gospel” which he preached (Galatians 2:2) – specifically the gospel which, “was not according to man, for he had not received it from any man; he had not been taught it.”  That gospel had come to him by direct “revelation” given to him “by Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-17). Concerning this gospel he warned, “Though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8 ).

At the same time, James, Peter and John, (the “Pillars” of the Jerusalem Church) “extended the right hands of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas” to verify the authenticity of Paul’s gospel being sent to the “heathen” and to reaffirm Peter’s apostolic authority to preach the Gospel to the Jews.

Both Paul and Peter had an active and fruitful ministry. They had labored for a considerable time under the Scriptural guidelines set forth in Acts 15 and Galatians 2. Both believed in the oneness of Jews and Gentiles who believed in Christ. Peter testified, “God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, as He did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:8-9). However, by the time Peter comes to the Antioch Church, which was composed largely of Gentiles, Peter played the part of a coward and a hypocrite because of the “fear of them…the circumcision.” He believed one thing but behaved in a contrary manner. He “walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel!” This is what ignited the controversy between Paul and Peter! The very barrier that once stood between both Jews and Gentiles - once removed by the finished work of Christ - was in danger of being rebuilt (Galatians 2:18 ).

Lesson: The church cannot be run on legalism and be Christian in the Biblical sense of the word! Though we are sympathetic to, and can understand the pressure and intimidation brought to bear on Peter and others – (He even seduced Barnabas to frustrate the Gospel of God’s Grace (Galatians 2:13) - Peter was wrong and was to “blame.” Truth cannot be compromised without conflict. In this sad incident, we learn that it is better to follow Paul than Peter. Peter stumbled and wobbled occasionally in his spiritual life. His example is a reminder that we all are “smeared with the same stick!” We need to “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15).

Thankfully, Peter recovered from this strong censure of the Apostle Paul (2 Peter 3:15-16) and serves as an encouragement to all when the finger of “blame” is pointed at us – there is hope and grace of our recovery too!

Evangelist S. Lee Homoki

_____________________________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
If this devotion has been a blessing to you,
please share it with others.
The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been
hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
_______________________________________________________

[nChrist]

DO-IT-YOURSELF SOUL WINNING
Part 1 of 3
BY EVANGELIST JOEl MCGARVEY



As our caravan continues its journey in ministry over the summer and fall, I continue to share in many of the churches I visit the two-fold challenge of soul winning and standing true and firm for the Word of God rightly divided. It is in the message of God's Grace that we find the Gospel of the Grace of God and the only message that can save today; therefore, I have been encouraging the saints to be soul winners. By using the term "soul winning" I do not mean to indicate some sort of sporting event or attempting to put notches in one's belt. The term "soul winning" is used exclusively to describe the work of evangelism, or the preaching of the Gospel of the Grace of God to individuals in a lost and dying world. The one thing that I, or any individual, must always keep in mind when sharing the Gospel is that he or she is merely the one who plants or waters - it is the Holy Spirit Who is the real soul winner (1 Cor. 3 :6-7).

Over the years, and now in my travels, I have seen, and continue to see, an alarming trend among believers toward a philosophy of "professionalism." When the roof needs to be repaired, a roofer is called; when a sink backs up, a call is placed to a plumber. The same is seen in the area of soul winning and much of the work of the Lord. Souls need to be saved soooo...call the preacher! In my years of ministry, I can't begin to count how many times I received a phone call on Saturday evening informing me that an unsaved friend or relative would be attending church in the morning and so I was asked to really preach the gospel hard. I didn't mind, and usually included a gospel presentation in all of my messages anyway, but it was the thought behind the request that often bothered me. The saints don't visit the sick and shut-ins (except close family)... "That's the preacher's job." People don't witness, as they should... "That's why we pay the preacher." The idea of "professionalism" is one of Satan's little lies he has successfully used to keep the saints of God content and quiet. If you silence the army, who is left to fight?

Time is short and there is no time to call the professional. What the Church of Christ needs today is some "do-it-yourselfers." The Acts of the Apostles written by Luke records the activities that took place following the stoning of Stephen. "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). Some may read this verse and think that the work going on here was the work of the "professionals" - the Apostles; but that was not the case. According to the opening verse of the chapter, the "professionals" had remained in Jerusalem. "...And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles" (Acts 8: I). The Apostle Paul writes how God had given the office of the pastor/teacher (Eph. 4: 11) and then proceeds to set forth its function, or purpose - "For the perfecting [equipping] of the saints" (Eph. 4:12a). The Biblical purpose of the pastor/teacher (the "professional") has little to do with what man has made it and everything to do with the proclamation and teaching of the Word of God to the saints of God. It is his responsibility to train the saints in the Scriptures. But for what reason is this training to be accomplished? The Apostle continues with the word "for" which introduces the next result clause, "...the work of the ministry. "

The ministry that God has given to His Church is two-fold in nature. The first is the "ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5: 18 ), and the second is "to make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery" (Eph. 3:9). Let me illustrate Ephesians 4:11-12 in the following manner in an attempt to give it clarity.

Eph. 4:11- "And He gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. "

Eph. 4:12 - "For [introduces the result clause] (1) the perfecting of the saints ...
for [introduces another result clause] (2) the work of the ministry...
for (yet another result clause] (3) the edifying of the Body of Christ. "

You see, God gives the pastor/teacher for the purpose of perfecting (equipping, training) the saints. That is why the Apostle Paul instructed the pastor to "feed the Church of God" (Acts 20:28 ). The word translated "perfecting" is used many ways in Scripture. One of those ways is found in Hebrews 10:5, where it speaks of preparing. The farmer prepares the ground for planting. A meal is prepared for consumption. The child of God is to be prepared for service. This perfecting is then carried out to the end that the saints do the work of the ministry which is sharing the Gospel, making all men see the Mystery, and caring for one another. All of this is done for the purpose of edifying, or building up (strengthening and expanding) the Body of Christ.

_____________________________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
If this devotion has been a blessing to you,
please share it with others.
The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been
hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
_______________________________________________________

[nChrist]

"DO-IT-YOURSELF SOUL WINNING"
Part 2 of 3
 BY EVANGELIST JOEl MCGARVEY




The word "edifying" has the idea of structure or building up. We use the same word today in relation to a building when we speak of its edifice. The edifying of the Church (the Body of Christ) is carried out in two distinct areas, each one important. First is the area of soul winning. As saints of God share the gospel, unbelievers are brought to a saving knowledge of  the Lord Jesus Christ and, thus, the Body of Christ is built up, or expanded. Some speak negatively about this and make the accusation that we're only interested in numbers. Well, friends, soul winning is never about increasing church membership or gaining a following; it is only about where a soul will spend eternity - Heaven or Hell! But in the scheme of things, souls are people and people are often counted (numbers). Hence, edifying the Body of Christ includes increasing its size or number of members. Second, edifying the Church has to do with the education, or the training of the flock. This is the primary role of the pastor/teacher. It is his function to train or equip the saints in the Word of God so that they may in turn take the gospel to a lost and dying world and also have an answer for the things that come their way each day. It is the responsibility of the pastor/teacher to equip the saints in the Word of God "rightly divided" - so that they can be rooted, grounded and established in the faith (Col. 2:6-8 ). The failure on the part of the pastor/teacher to do both of these is the failure to carry out his God-given responsibility.

This two-fold ministry is given to all of the saints and it is the function, or purpose of the pastor/teacher to equip or train the saints to carry it out. The preacher is not paid simply to alleviate the saints of their God-given responsibilities. The work of the ministry belongs to everyone. It was received that day you took Christ as your Savior. People will request prayer for an unsaved loved one but never stop and really share the gospel with them. They may mention to the individual how thankful they have been to know the Lord and how He has blessed their life. Now while all of that is true, that is not sharing the gospel. The saints of God must awake, arise and begin to do what God has called them to do. "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" (2 Cor. 6:2).

As the days of our summer travels slow down, and the Grace Revival for Evangelism VI draws near (October 4-7 in Branson, MO at the Stonecroft Conference Center), I wanted to take this space to encourage you in your daily walk to be a soul winner. Don't leave it up to the so-called "professional." Do what God has called upon all of His children to do - share the gospel of Christ with others.

To do this, I want to quickly set forth what I believe to be the gospel (if we're to share the saving gospel of Christ, we need to know what that gospel is) and present a quick outline of some "do's" and "don'ts" of soul winning.

Soul winning is not:

I.    A system of human effort or good behavior carried out for the
purpose of gaining the favor of God;
2.  Seeking people to add to a church membership drive or the
following of religious ceremonies (Titus 3:5-6; Eph. 2:8-9); or
3.  Rehabilitation, redevelopment or reformation (Rom. 3:9-12; 
10, 13).

Soul winning is:

1.  The engagement of unbelievers in conversation, and  communicating to them a clear presentation of the saving gospel  (Acts 17:2,17; 18:4,19; 19:8-9); and  2 . Presenting the truth in a clear and systematic fashion by use  of the Scriptures (Acts 17:3).

_____________________________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
If this devotion has been a blessing to you,
please share it with others.
The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been
hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
_______________________________________________________

[nChrist]

"DO-IT-YOURSELF SOUL WINNING"
Part 3 of 3


Next, it is necessary to know what the gospel is:

We live in an age of deception. Satan is doing all he can to keep people from hearing the true gospel of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4). One of the methods he has employed is the use of false gospels (Paul warned the Corinthian believers of this very fact - 2 Cor. 11:2-4). Radio and television are full of preachers proclaiming a wide variety of gospels, many which are corrupted by Satan himself. A false gospel is proclaimed where church membership ceremonies and sacraments are imposed in order for one to gain any hope of Heaven upon their death. Still others speak of good works, benevolence, positive thinking and kindness as being the way. But these all fall short (Rom. 3:23; Isa. 64:6; Eph. 2:8-9) and will not provide a moment of time spent in Heaven. Great religious leaders die and immediately their goodness is proclaimed and the statement is made that they are surely now in the very presence of God. But this is decreed upon them for their goodness, religious service, and social positions, not because of any deep-held faith in the meritorious work of Christ alone. There are increasing numbers of people whose minds have been clouded into thinking that all religions are basically the same and that there is little, if any, difference. This philosophy has caused many a child of God to pull back from sharing the gospel with a loved one or a coworker because "they go to church" or "they're pretty religious - they must already be saved."

The gospel is simply the declaration of the work of Christ on behalf of condemned sinners (I Cor. 15:1-4; Rom. 10:9-10; Eph. 1:12-13). The following outline sets forth a simple approach to sharing the gospel with any individual:

The first hurdle in soul winning is getting the person lost. This may sound strange hearing this, but most people, especially the affluent, see no need of a Savior in a life filled with everything they could ever desire. Most people believe themselves to be basically good, honest citizens who never committed murder, robbed a bank or cheated on their spouse. Using the Ten Commandments as a basic outline of God's righteous standard, it is easy to show people how they have stolen (even a paper clip or pencil is stealing), lied (most will admit to a "white lie"), and used the Lord's name in vain. By this simple comparison, it is easy to show that the person has fallen short of God's standard of righteousness and is deserving of eternal punishment. >From here you move into a presentation of what God the Father did through the person of His Son Jesus Christ on the behalf of sinful man. The following chart is given as a sample of the gospel and its various points:
       

             1. Man has a need (Rom. 3: 10-18,23; 5: 12).
             2. Sin has a penalty (Rom. 6:23).
             3. God made a provision (Rom. 5:8 ).
                    · Christ died for sinners (Rom. 5:6-10; 3:24-25).
                    · Christ was buried and rose again to save sinners (Rom. 4:25).
                    · Christ lives to save sinners (Heb. 7:25).
               4. Man must respond (Rom. 10:9-10).
               5. God is faithful to save (Rom. 10:13).

I would strongly urge you to become a soul winner: The writer of Proverbs wrote, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise. " I believe that the Rapture of the Church grows nearer with each passing day and, thus, the urgency of the hour grows stronger and stronger. The clock of opportunity is ticking and the door of invitation is open wide. But soon it will close and all those left behind who have heard and rejected the gospel of Christ will be doomed to a Christless eternity in the Lake of Fire. Do you believe in a literal Heaven? Do you believe in a literal Hell? Then be a soul winner for the Lord Jesus Christ and stand fast upon the Word of God - rightly divided. Don't leave it up to the professional - do it yourself - it's your responsibility!

_____________________________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
If this devotion has been a blessing to you,
please share it with others.
The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been
hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
_______________________________________________________

[nChrist]

MORE ON "IN"
By Pastor P. Hume



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

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

CHRIST HIMSELF IS IN EVERY BELIEVER.

So declare the Scripture of truth! Listen to these words: 'And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit t is alive because of righteousness' (Romans 8:10), 'My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you' (Galatians 4:19). 'I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who. live, but Christ lives in me' (Galatians 2: 20). 'So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith' (Ephesians 3:17). 'But Christ is all and in all (who are saved)' (Colossians 3:11). 'But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts' (I Peter 3:15). These passages tell us something tremendous. Jesus Christ, by the Spirit, is actually within every true Christian! Just as we have blood in our veins and a heart by which it is pumped, so Christ is within our hearts from the moment we were regenerated until the day we die or are raptured into glory; and even in the ages to come Christ will still be in us, and we'll be in Him.

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

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN EVERY BELIEVER.

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


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

Grace, Peace and Love, Pastor P. Hume

_____________________________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
If this devotion has been a blessing to you,
please share it with others.
The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been
hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
_______________________________________________________

[nChrist]

CONSIDER CHRIST

In Hebrews 3.1 sinners and saints are told to 'consider' Christ. In Hebrews 12.3 they are told to 'consider' Gethsemane and Calvary, the precious shed blood of the Creator of the universe, the Author and Finisher of our faith. God does want you to 'STOP' ... 'LOOK' ... 'LIVE.'
 
You can afford to forget every other problem, every other phase of this life, until you 'STOP' and 'CONSIDER' Christ and Calvary. Why did the Creator of the heavens and earth die between malefactors on the cross? Why did He wear the crown of thorns? Why did His Father forsake Him? We are told in the closing verses of the fourth chapter of Romans, that Christ was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification. We are told in Romans 3:24 to 28, that this was necessary that God might be both just and merciful. We are told in Hebrews 9:12 that Christ by His own blood entered 'once' into heaven, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Let us accept at full face value the words of Christ in John 10:17 and 18, "Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life. I have power to lay it down: I have power to take it up."
 
Eternal life is God's free gift to believing sinners. (Romans 6:23). God will have all men to be saved. (I Timothy 2:4 to 7). Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God. So 'STOP' ... 'LOOK' , .. 'LISTEN' ... 'BELIEVE' ... 'LIVE.' You may stop, look and listen, but if you do not personally receive Christ by faith, you will die in your sins. (John 8:24).

_____________________________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
If this devotion has been a blessing to you,
please share it with others.
The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been
hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
_______________________________________________________

[nChrist]

THE SHUT DOOR AND THE CLOSED GATE
Part 1  of  2
By Mel Flogel

CLOSED. How many times have you arrived at the store or office to find this word greeting you as it's posted on the door? We know what it means. We are too late and we may have missed the boat, literally. We may see people inside with the lights on, carrying on their business, but all you can do is watch from the outside.

As our Lord Jesus Christ ministered to Israel preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, He predicted this same scenario. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the master of the house, rising up to shut the door in the presence of late-comers. They appeal to Him as Lord, but He replies to them as their judge. "And he went through the cities and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut the door, and you begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not, where are you from? Then shall you begin to say, 'We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you I know you not whence you are, depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last." (Luke 13:22-30)

This pictures the scene for unbelievers as they stand before God at the great white throne judgement, where they have been resurrected to appear before Him. (See Revelation 20: 11-15) What a lesson we should glean from this. The door of access to God, His presence, His blessings and His life, closing before their very eyes. Their pleas and appeals now being denied. They denied Him when the door of opportunity was availed to them, and now comes the recompense of their denial. This will be the scene for unbelievers of the ages in that day. How this should motivate us to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ in faith while the door is open, while we are living and breathing and have our mental faculties about us, believing not only His claims to be God in the flesh, but also believing what He accomplished in His cross for us. How active we should be in preaching to and warning every man as Paul did, knowing that "if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them." (II Corinthians 4:3-4)

 Our Lord Jesus Christ was on His way to Jerusalem, teaching as He went, when someone asked Him, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" (vs. 23) His answer was that many are lost and will be shut out to their dismay. Many who ate and drank in His physical presence, many who heard Him as He "taught in their streets" will be sent away and turned away for good. Many of these people were content with their own ideas of what makes a person good or bad to consider His message. Others considered His message but felt the cost was too dear to become one of His followers, for the nation of Israel was sharply divided over His claims.

The day will come and has come for many in which the door of opportunity to "enter in at the strait gate" will end. The time given to fully embrace in faith the Saviour and His message will have expired. In Noah's day, only Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives took God's message for the day seriously enough to enter the ark until the door shut and the rain came down. Suddenly, public opinion changed but it was too late. Many were preoccupied with the daily events of their lives and concerns like work, fun, recreation and pleasures to consider the warnings. "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5)

Jesus said that there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth." Can you believe it? What a sorry picture this paints and yet how real and how very believable. They shut Him out of their hearts, minds, and lives, yet now argue that He should disregard this and let them enter. They argue as if somehow it is His fault, and that He should remember seeing them for they were "around" when He visited their cities. They were "around" as others spoke of His marvelous deeds such as feeding the multitudes, healing their sick and even raising the dead.

Many today, are "around" true believers who proclaim the gospel of the grace of Christ. They are "around" places where the gospel is preached and around believers who give testimony of the blessedness of being "in Christ" yet they themselves have not entered in. They are "around" the strait gate as in church but haven't gotten around to coming to Christ for salvation. They have failed to apply the truths of the gospel to their own heart and soul calling upon Jesus Christ through personal faith.

_____________________________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
If this devotion has been a blessing to you,
please share it with others.
The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been
hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
_______________________________________________________