Two Minutes With The Bible

[Brother Love]

THE CHRISTIAN HOME

By Cornelius R. Stam

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15).
       
There is no place in all this world so wholesome and re-
freshing as a Christian home, a home where Christ is truly
loved and honored.
       
This writer was brought up in such a home. There were
ten of us: dad, mother and eight children. There was lots
going on all the time, but a truly happy home it was, for
dad and mother never let us get so busy with temporal
things that we brushed eternal values aside.
       
On the basis that "man shall not live by bread alone, but
by every word of God" (Luke 4:4), we read some small por-
tion of the Bible before every meal, and had family devotions
before retiring at night.
       
Result: all eight children have blessed the dear dad and
mother who led them aright, morally and spiritually, and
best of all, taught them the importance of trusting in the
Savior who died for all our sins. More: five of the children
and many of the grandchildren have given themselves for
full time Christian service, and have become pastors, col-
lege deans, Christian writers and missionaries in various
parts of the world.
       
This is not because we are one whit better than others,
but because we have experienced the help and grace of God
in our lives. And it all began as, one day, a young Amer-
ican, like Joshua of old, came to a decision and declared:
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers.  When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two
Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many
years, so that local, national and international events are
discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than
rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as
they were when first published.  This, we felt, would add to
the interest, especially since our readers understand that
they first appeared as newspaper articles."

We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references
in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught
therein are timeless.

Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

WHAT GOD IS DOING

By Cornelius R. Stam

The distress and confusion which prevails in the world
about us does not upset the instructed believer in the Word
of God.

He understands the divine plan and knows what God is
doing. He does not expect peace on earth while the Prince
of Peace remains an Exile from His own world. He has no
illusions about this age, or about what statesmen and pol-
iticians can accomplish therein, for God calls it "this present
evil age" (Gal. 1:4).
       
The instructed believer knows too why God does not in-
tervene in the affairs of men and why our Lord remains a
voluntary Exile from the world. "This present evil age," he
knows, is also "the age of grace." It began when God saved
Saul of Tarsus, the "chief of sinners," the leader of the
worlds rebellion against Christ (I Tim. 1:13-16) and sent
him forth with the "gospel [good news] of the grace of God"
(Acts 20:24).

The instructed believer understands clearly that God is
not saving the wreck that man has made. He is rather
saving individuals from the wreck and uniting them, by the
Spirit, to Christ and His Body, "for by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one Body..." (I Cor. 12:13).
       
The instructed believer knows too that this world will not
always be a scene of trouble and sorrow, of war and blood-
shed, of misery and death. He knows that after our Lord
has come for His own, after He has recalled His ambas-
sadors from this world, He will put down mans rebellion
and set up His own beneficent reign, when government will
be purified (Jer. 23:5), war and bloodshed will be abolished
(Isa. 2:4), health and long life will be restored (Isa. 35:5,6;
65:20), the animal creation will be tamed (Isa. 11:6-9), the
desert will blossom as a rose (Isa. 35:1,2,6,7) and Israel will
become a spiritual blessing to all nations (Zech. 8:13,23).
       
Meantime, the instructed Bible believer takes advantage
of "the dispensation of grace," telling others how men may
be "justified freely, by [Gods] grace, through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24).



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers.  When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two
Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many
years, so that local, national and international events are
discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than
rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as
they were when first published.  This, we felt, would add to
the interest, especially since our readers understand that
they first appeared as newspaper articles."

We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references
in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught
therein are timeless.

Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

SOBER CHRISTIANS

By Cornelius R. Stam

"Let us, who are of the day, be sober..." (I Thes. 5:.

Many people entertain the erroneous idea that truly spir-
itual Christians must always be solemn and long-faced. In
fact, they suppose that such Scripture passages as the above
teach this.

Nothing could be farther from the truth, for the word
"sober," in our English New Testament does not mean
solemn, but completely under control. This is also true of
the original Greek word from which the English word
"sober" is translated.

Sobriety in Scripture, as in modern English, is the op-
posite of drunkenness. This is brought out in the rest of the
passage cited above. Along with its context, the above ex-
hortation reads as follows:

"For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken be drunken in the night.

"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation.

"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

"Who died for us that... we should live together with Him" (I Thes.5:7-10).

Thus those who are "of the day," and know Christ as
their Savior, should not "sleep" on the one hand, or "be
drunken" on the other, but should be awake and alert, their
faculties completely under control, so that they might wit-
ness the more effectively to the saving grace of Christ.

If ever there was a time when true Christians should
"watch and be sober," it is now.




++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers.  When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two
Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many
years, so that local, national and international events are
discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than
rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as
they were when first published.  This, we felt, would add to
the interest, especially since our readers understand that
they first appeared as newspaper articles."

We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references
in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught
therein are timeless.

Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

TRUE BLESSEDNESS

By Cornelius R. Stam

It has been said that the word "blessed," in our English
Bible, simply means happy. Thus the "blessed man" of
Psalm 1 is a happy man and the "blessed God" of I Tim. 1:11
is a happy God. (We refer to the Hebrew and Greek words
most often rendered blessed).

To say the least, this is a superficial understanding -- or
misunderstanding -- of one of the most wonderful words of
Scripture. A fool can be happy, a drunkard can be happy, a
wicked man can be happy, but none of these are truly bless-
ed, for one who is blessed has a deeply valid reason to re-
joice.

Thus Psa. 1:1,2 says that the man who shuns "the counsel
of the ungodly ," "the way of sinners" and "the seat of the
scornful" and meditates and delights in the law of God, is
"blessed." He is well off and has great reason to rejoice.
Few, of course, would dare to claim that they have fully
lived up to this passage in the Psalms, but Gods Word has
good news even for such. In Romans 4:6-8, St. Paul declares:

"David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

This blessedness is not a mere feeling of happiness. It is
rather the state of being well off; with a deep and abiding
reason to rejoice.

Thus Psalm 40:4 says: "Blessed is that man who maketh
the Lord his trust," and when the Galatians stopped trust-
ing completely in the Lord and began leaning on their own
works, the Apostle asked them: "Where is then the blessed-
ness ye spake of?" (Gal. 4:15).

Thus to be truly blessed is to be well off; with the greatest
possible reason to rejoice. This is why the believer in Christ,
saved and eternally safe in Him, is, like God Himself,
"blessed for evermore."



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers.  When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two
Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many
years, so that local, national and international events are
discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than
rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as
they were when first published.  This, we felt, would add to
the interest, especially since our readers understand that
they first appeared as newspaper articles."

We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references
in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught
therein are timeless.

Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

CHILDREN AND GROWN-UPS

By Cornelius R. Stam

The Lord Jesus said to a religious leader of His day: "Ex-
cept a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God"
(John 3:3). All true Christians have been born again by the
Spirit of God (Tit. 3:5). They are therefore the children of
God (Rom. 8:16).

Children are a joy in any normal household, but it is a
tragedy when a child remains a child, physically, mentally
or both. It is a tragedy too, that so many Christians, truly
born again, remain spiritual babes -- they do not grow. They
know that Christ died for their sins but have made no prog-
ress in grace or in the knowledge of the Word. To such Paul
wrote:

"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual [men], but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear [digest] it, neither yet now are ye able" (I Cor. 3:1,2).

Thus those who, spiritually undeveloped, were able to
digest only the milk, or the simple things, of the Scriptures,
were called "carnal" and "babes," in contrast to those "spir-
itual" believers who had grown in grace and were able to
assimilate the deeper, richer truths of the Word of God.
This is not a compliment to those who constantly boast that
they are satisfied with "the simple things," and fail to study
God’s Word, as II Tim. 2:15 commands. To such Paul
writes, by divine inspiration:

"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again... and are become such as have need of milk...
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the Word of righteousness,for he is a babe. But strong meat [solid food] belongeth to them that are of full age..." (Heb. 5:12-14).

A new-born babe in Christ is a joy to behold, but every
born-again Christian should grow through the study of the
Word. I Pet. 2:2 says: "As newborn babes desire the sincere
[pure] milk of the Word, THAT YE MAY GROW THERE-BY."


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

NOT DYING FOR LACK OF LOVE

By Cornelius R. Stam

It has been said that "the world is dying for the lack of a
little bit of love."  When this statement is examined in the
light of Scripture, however, it is found to be the exact op-
posite of the truth.  Listen to what God’s Word says about
this:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).  "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom 5:.  "In this was mani-fested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only be-gotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (I John 4:9,10).

Many about us are dying in their sins, but not "for the
lack of a little bit of love."  It is rather because they reject
the great love that God has manifested to us in His Son.  
We are told in John 1:10,11 that "He was in the world, and
the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.  
He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."  
This is the problem:  men are rejecting His love.  "And this is
the condemnation," says John, "that light is come into the
world, and men loved darkness rather than light"  (John
3:19).

But while others reject Him, you may accept Him as your
Savior and know the joy of sins forgiven and of everlasting
life, for "as many as received Him, to them gave He the pow-
er [Lit., right] to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on His name" (John 1:12).

"The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that be-lieveth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on Him" (John 3:35,36).

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

A COFFIN FOR THE LAW

By Cornelius R. Stam

God had barely given the Law to Moses when He ordered
that it be put in a coffin. Thats right -- a coffin. The reason
for this is that the Mosaic covenant clearly stipulated:
       
"Now therefore, IF YE WILL OBEY MY VOICE INDEED, and keep My covenant, THEN ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people, for all the earth is Mine" (Ex. 19:5).
       
Israel, of course, did not obey Gods voice indeed, but
broke the Law before Moses even got down from Sinai. It
was because of this that God, in grace, commanded: "And
they shall make an ark..." (Ex. 25:10). This word "ark" is
rendered "coffin" in the last verse of Genesis and that is its
simple meaning. But why did God order a coffin as the very
first article of furniture for the tabernacle? The answer is:
To put the Law in. Read it for yourself:

"And thou shalt put into the COFFIN the testimony [the Law] which I shall give thee... and thou shalt put the MERCY SEAT above upon the coffin..." (Vers. 16,21).
       
If God had not put the covenant of the Law in a coffin and
met His people from a "mercy seat" none of them ever
would have been saved.

This Old Testament type has a lesson for us today, for if
God dealt with us according to our works none of us would
ever be saved, but "Christ died for our sins," meeting for us
the just demands of a broken Law, so that we might be
saved by grace through faith in His redemptive work.

Col. 2:14 says concerning this "handwriting of decrees,
that was against us," that our Lord, in death, "took it out of
the way, nailing it to His cross," and Rom. 7:6 explains:
       
"But now we are DELIVERED FROM THE LAW, that being DEAD
wherein we were held; THAT WE SHOULD SERVE IN NEWNESS OF SPIRIT, and not in the oldness of the letter."
       
Thus believers in Christ are saved "by grace... through
faith... not of works" but "unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-10).



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

BETHLEHEMS BABE EXALTED

By Cornelius R. Stam

The Bible accounts of the birth of Christ are touching
indeed. The angelic announcements, the virgin with child,
deeply embarrassed, yet highly honored; the holy Babe in a
stable because there was no room in the inn, wrapped in
swaddling bands and laid in a manger; the night suddenly
turned to day, the multitude of the heavenly host praising
God!

Surely it is fitting that we remember all this and cele-
brate it, especially since our Lord thus humbled Himself
that He might die for our sins. Yet here we must be careful
not to be led astray, lest we know Him only as a sweet babe
in a manger rather than as the mighty Savior that He is.

As Americans we celebrate the birthdays of great men,
but we do not emphasize their babyhood! We rather honor
them for what they have accomplished, rejoicing that such
men were born into the world.

Our Lord is no longer a babe and He does not wish to be
thought of as a babe, but rather as the One who, having
died for our sins at Calvary, now lives to dispense to a
world of lost sinners the riches of His grace.

It was from His glory in heaven that He revealed Himself
to St. Paul and instructed him to write: "Henceforth know
we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him [so] no
more" (II Cor. 5:16).

And again in Hebrews 2:8,9, the Apostle declares: "Now
we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus....
crowned with glory and honor" as the One who "tasted
death for every man."

It is wonderful to remember our Lord as the Babe born at
Bethlehem, but still more wonderful to know Him now as
the One who is "able to save unto the uttermost all them that
come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make inter-
cession for them" (Heb. 7:25).



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

REDEEMED

By Cornelius R. Stam

"We have redemption through His blood..." (Eph. 1 :7).

Our English word "redeem" is actually a translation of
three beautiful Greek words:

Agarazo: to buy at the market.

Ex-agarazo: to buy out of the market.

Lutro: to set free (upon receipt or payment of the ransom
price.)

It is the last of these that is used in Eph. 1:7. The be-
liever in Christ has liberty -- purchased liberty -- through
Christs shed blood.

First we were "bought with a price" and "redeemed to
God" (I Cor. 6:20; Rev. 5:9). Further, we were "redeemed
from the curse of the law" (Gal. 3:13). And now, best of all,
we have been set gloriously free (Eph. 1:7; Gal. 5:1).

Why not turn in your Bible to Ephesians 1:6-8 and read
this brief passage thoughtfully to see the boundless gen-
erosity of Gods dealings with those who put their trust in
Christ as their Savior.

"To the praise of the glory of His grace" God "hath made us ac-cepted [or, hath engraced us] in the Beloved One, " in whom we have, "redemption" and "the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us..."

Redeemed! Purchased out of the slave market of sin and
the law -- and set gloriously free! Does this foster loose,
careless conduct? By no means! When our Lord had given a
blind man his sight, He said to him: "Go thy way; thy faith
hath made thee whole," but the record hastens to add that
he "followed Jesus in the way" (Mark 10:52).

Could anything be more natural? And could anything be
more natural than a redeemed, liberated sinner longing to
please and serve his divine Benefactor? The Apostle Paul
expressed this well when he wrote, in II Cor. 5:14: "The love
of Christ constraineth us."


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

CONDEMNATION AND DEATH -- RIGHTEOUSNESS AND LIFE

By Cornelius R. Stam

Contrasting the New Covenant with the Old, the Apostle
points out that "the letter," with its requirements and pen-
alties, "killeth." Therefore the dispensation of the Law is
called "the ministration of condemnation" and "the ministra-
tion of death" (II Cor. 3:7,9).

The ministration of the Law began in a blaze of glory.
Mount Sinai was "altogether on a smoke... as the smoke of
a furnace." There were thunderings and lightnings and an
earthquake. There was the sound of a trumpet, "exceeding
loud." There was the glorious Shekinah cloud in which God
Himself appeared and "spake all these words" (Ex. 19:9-
20:1).

But ere Moses had even come down from the mount with
the tables of stone, the people were breaking the very first
commandment, dancing like heathen about a golden calf.

From here on the administration of the Law took on
another aspect. Judgment had to be pronounced and pen-
alties inflicted. Nor could any escape its just sentence of
condemnation and death. What had begun in glory led but
to gloom, "because the law worketh wrath... (Rom. 4:15).

"...for it is written: cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Gal. 3:10).

But there can be no gloom associated with the ministra-
tion of the New Covenant, says the Apostle, for under it
righteousness and life are administered to all who will re-
ceive them by faith. And this because the claims of the Old
Covenant were fully met by Christ at Calvary. Thus the
ministration of the New Covenant outshines the ministra-
tion of the Old in every respect.

But was not the New Covenant made "with the house of
Israel and with the house of Judah," rather than with the
Church of our day? Yes, but with Israels rejection of Christ
and her temporary blindness the blessings of the New Cov-
enant are now bestowed by grace upon those who do receive
Christ. Hence, it was not Peter or the twelve, but Paul who,
with his associates, was made an "able minister of the New
Testament" (II Cor. 3:6).

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com

[Brother Love]

THE WATER OF LIFE

By Cornelius R. Stam

For almost twenty-four hours, recently, Chicagoans had
to boil their drinking water! Millions of small fish had
jammed the water intakes far out in Lake Michigan, and
had died there. It was, of course, a major operation to clear
them all away and to make sure that Chicago’s drinking
water was uncontaminated.

It is of the utmost importance, always, that the water we
drink is pure and fresh, and this is no less so where spir-
itual matters are concerned. The Bible has much to say
about stagnant water, and foul water, and poisoned water,
but the water which God would give to us is called in Scrip-
ture, "the pure water of life," doubtless because it is so
wholesome and refreshing.

Perhaps the reader will recall the picture our Lord drew
for that fallen Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar.
John 4:10-14 tells how he and this woman had discussed
Jacob’s well. Somehow she seemed to sense that He was
contrasting her vain pursuit of pleasure with eternal life,
when He said:

"Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him, a [fountain] of water, spring-ing up into everlasting life" (Vers. 13,14).

How true this is! The pleasures of this world do not sat-
isfy. Men go on "pursuing pleasure" to keep from being
bored, but the everlasting life that God gives to those who
trust in Christ is a never-ending source of refreshment and
joy. Also, it provides the greatest incentive to serve Him.

Those who possess the joy of sins forgiven and of peace
with God naturally long to serve and please Him, and God
desires no service except that which springs from genuine
gratitude and love. "We love Him because He first loved us"
(I John 4:19).

=================================


To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers.  When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two
Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many
years, so that local, national and international events are
discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than
rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as
they were when first published.  This, we felt, would add to
the interest, especially since our readers understand that
they first appeared as newspaper articles."

We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references
in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught
therein are timeless.

Reply:
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Literature:
One year's worth of Two Minutes With The Bible daily devotional articles are also available in book form, along with many other Bible study materials, in the Literature Corner section of our website at https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/literature.

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[Brother Love]

THAT WHICH WAS LACKING

By Cornelius R. Stam

"I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied" (I Cor. 16:17).

Sad, was it not, that the Corinthian church, undoubtedly
the largest of all the churches founded by Paul, had been so
ungenerous and insensitive, even to Paul’s personal needs,
that he had to labor at tentmaking in order to minister
among them. They did not even provide for the Apostle’s
meager needs. Thus, sadly, he writes:

"And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself" (II Cor. 11:9).

It was no different where the work of the Lord in general
was concerned, for whereas the churches of Macedonia had,
out of "great trial of affliction" and "deep poverty," given
"to their power" and had desired to give "beyond their pow-
er," the Apostle had to exhort the Corinthian believers to
"perform" their promises to help "the poor saints at Jerusa-
lem" and to "prove the sincerity of [their] love" (II Cor.
8:8,11).

Those who suppose that men of God should remind be-
lievers to live godly lives, to labor for Christ and to witness
for Him, but that for some reason they should not remind
them of their responsibility to contribute of their means --
these should read Paul’s letters to the believers at Corinth
and see how much the Apostle has to say about this matter.


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[Brother Love]

THE VISITING PREACHER

By Cornelius R. Stam

Paul and Barnabas had seated themselves in the large
synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. They were soon recognized
as "clergymen," however, for "after the reading of the law
and the prophets" they were asked whether either of them
might have some word of "exhortation" for those who had
gathered.

These details are important, for as Moses, in giving the
Law, had declared God’s moral standards, the prophets had
for centuries challenged the people to obey the Law and had
warned them of the dire consequences of breaking its com-
mands. Hence, in the synagogues passages were generally
read from the Law and the prophets, and the religious
leaders would then "exhort" the people to heed the prophets
and obey the Law.

Paul and Barnabas, the visiting preachers, therefore,
were asked whether either of them had a "word of exhorta-
tion for the people." Paul responded to the invitation but,
rather than merely exhorting his hearers to keep the Law,
he proclaimed Christ, who in love had died for all lawbreak-
ers, closing with these words:

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38,39).

How we need this message today! We may forever exhort
one another to keep the Law, but who of us has not already
broken it? Let us thank God, then, that He is a loving
Savior as well as a just Judge and that as God the Son He
paid for our sins Himself at Calvary so that we might be
"justified freely by His grace."

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13).

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).


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http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
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P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
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[Brother Love]

REPETITION OF PRAYERS

By Cornelius R. Stam

One of the most unscriptural and unspiritual misuses of
prayer is the repeating of prayers composed by others.
Many members of both Protestant and Catholic churches,
indeed, many sincere believers, repeat over and over again
prayers that have been prepared for them to recite. Un-
doubtedly the greatest number of all make it a practice to
repeat the so-called "Lord’s Prayer," taken from the Gospel
records.
         
Evidently all these millions of professing Christians have
overlooked the fact that it was when the disciples asked our
Lord to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1) that He said:
"AFTER THIS MANNER therefore pray ye" (Matt. 6:9).
Moreover, He prefaced these words with the specific in-
junction:

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for
they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye
therefore like unto them..." (Matt. 6:7,8).
         
Both Protestants and Catholics make much of repeating
the "Lord’s Prayer." They repeat it singly and in unison, in
trouble and sorrow, in sickness and death, in storm and
drought, in war and disaster, with little or no regard for its
contents.

Imagine praying, "Give us this day our daily bread" at a
funeral service! Imagine praying, "Thy kingdom come" at a
sick bed or in a storm at sea! Yet this is solemnly done
again and again throughout Christendom. Whole audiences
continue to repeat the prayer in unison -- and this in the
face of the fact that it was in connection with this very
prayer that our Lord pronounced the mere repetition of
prayers "vain" and enjoined His disciples not to follow the
heathen in this practice.

What a difference there is between praying and saying
prayers! No truly spiritual believer will do the latter.

[Brother Love]

THE FLOOD OF NOAH’S DAY

By Russell S. Miller

During Noah’s flood the canopy of Genesis 1:6 that "divided the waters from the waters" converged with "the fountains of the great deep" to become one gigantic ocean (Gen.7:11-16). And God’s judgment upon the wickedness of man "flooded" this globe.

"And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground...and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark" (Gen.7:23).

Genesis 9:9-17 speaks about a covenant that God made with Noah. In short, the "rainbow" is God’s "token of [that] covenant" (9:13) with mankind, that He will never again destroy the earth by a flood. God’s faithfulness to His Word, here, has been wondrously demonstrated for over 4,000 years.

"I DO SET MY BOW IN THE CLOUD, AND IT SHALL BE FOR A TOKEN OF A COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THE EARTH. ...AND THE WATERS SHALL NO MORE BECOME A FLOOD TO DESTROY ALL FLESH" (Gen.9:13,15).

Indeed God has also been faithful to His covenant of "day" and "night" (Jer. 33:20,21) since the beginning of time, that’s 6,000 years!

Though God shall never again destroy the earth with "water", the Apostle Peter declares that after the 1,000 year reign of Christ, earth and space shall be purified with "fire" from all that with which man has polluted it (IIPet.3:10-12).

Nevertheless before Prophecy is resumed and "that great and terrible Day of the Lord comes" (Joel 2:11,31; Acts 2:20; Rev.19:11-16) the armies of Heaven shall invade the earth.

"HE THAT SITTETH IN THE HEAVENS SHALL LAUGH: THE LORD SHALL HAVE THEM IN DERISION. THEN SHALL HE SPEAK UNTO THEM IN HIS WRATH, AND VEX THEM IN HIS SORE DISPLEASURE" (Psa.2:4,5).

Much as He did in the land of Egypt when Pharaoh would not let His people go (Ex.5:1—14:31). Are you ready for this "Coming" of the Lord Jesus Christ? Probably not, who would be!

But God has some "good news" for you; before His wrath is poured out upon this Christ rejecting world, He shall "catch" us away to Heaven (IThes.4:13-18).

First, my friend, God wants to save you from your sins, if you will only believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Subscribe at:

http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/twominut.html
Two Minutes With The Bible By Pastor Stam

Mailing Address:
Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
P.O. Box 756
Germantown, WI 53022

Web Site:
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/
Gospel Books, Materials, & Free Mailings

Email: berean@execpc.com