Two Minutes With The Bible

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Two Minutes With The Bible - SO VERY RICH (II COR. 8:9)


Sep 22

SO VERY RICH (II COR. 8:9)

By Cornelius R. Stam

So rich, so very rich, was Christ
Through past eternity!
As God the Son, with God enthroned,
The Heir of all was He.
So poor, so very poor, did He
As Son of man become!
>From manger birth to shameful death
Rejected by His own.
For us, ah yes, it was for us
He bore such poverty.
That we by His redeeming grace
Might be as rich as He!
- C.R.S.

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - THANKSGIVING


Sep 23

THANKSGIVING

By Cornelius R. Stam

God’s verdict upon the pagan world is that "they are without excuse, because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful..." (Rom. 1:20,21). The Psalmist, on the other hand, declares:

"IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, AND TO SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME, O MOST HIGH:

"TO SHOW FORTH THY LOVINGKINDNESS IN THE MORNING.
AND THY FAITHFULNESS EVERY NIGHT" (Psa. 92:1,2).

Believers today have even more to be thankful for than did the Psalmist, for we can rejoice in what God has done for us through Christ and His redeeming work. Thus Paul, by divine inspiration, speaks of...

"GIVING THANKS UNTO THE FATHER, WHO HATH MADE US MEET [FIT] TO BE PARTAKERS OF THE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS IN LIGHT:

"WHO HATH DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS, AND HATH TRANSLATED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF HIS DEAR SON" (Col. 1:12,13).

It is because of this "deliverance" that the humblest believer can cry with Paul: "Thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ!" (II Cor. 2:14) and "Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (I Cor. 15:57). How appropriate, then, are the following exhortations:

"In everything give thanks" (I Thes. 5:18) and "By [Christ], therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise... giving thanks to His name" (Heb. 13:15).

"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God" (II Cor. 4:15).

Most of all, "THANKS BE UNTO GOD FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT," our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! (II Cor. 9:15).

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - A SOLEMN AGREEMENT


Sep 24

A SOLEMN AGREEMENT

By Cornelius R. Stam

The Apostle Paul, referring to his journey to Jerusalem to tell the apostles and elders there about the good news that had been committed to him, says:

"And I went up by revelation and COMMUNICATED UNTO THEM THAT GOSPEL WHICH I PREACH AMONG THE GENTILES, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain... And when James, Cephas [Peter] and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, THEY GAVE TO ME AND BARNABAS THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP, that we should go unto the heathen [Gentiles, nations], and they unto the Circumcision [Israel]" (Gal. 2:2-9).

Here, by solemn agreement, Peter, James and John promised publicly to confine their ministry to Israel while Paul went to the Gentiles with his "gospel of the grace of God." This is striking in view of the fact that the twelve, not Paul, had originally been sent into all the world. Were they all out of the will of God in making this agreement? By no means! Subsequent revelation proves that they were all very much in the will of God and that with the rejection of Christ God had ushered in a new program.

In the light of these Scriptures it is difficult to understand how anyone can argue that Paul’s ministry was merely a perpetuation of that of the twelve, or that "the gospel of the kingdom" and "the gospel of the grace of God" are identical.

If the above passage teaches anything clearly, it teaches the unique character of Paul’s apostleship and message. The Apostle devotes almost two chapters of his letter to the Galatians to the fact that he had not received his message from the twelve, but rather had communicated to the twelve.

He stresses the fact that those who had first been sent to all nations, "beginning at Jerusalem," had now, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, agreed to turn over their Gentile ministry to him that he might proclaim far and wide "the gospel of the grace of God," as found in Eph. 2:8,9 and Rom. 3:24.

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - PRECIOUS HERITAGE


Sep 25

PRECIOUS HERITAGE

By Cornelius R. Stam

The book, We Americans, published by the National Geographic Society in 1976, depicts a family of eight early settlers, four of whom are holding Bibles in their hands. The caption opens with the words: "Book of books, the Bible, was the end and means of the education of early Americans."

This is confirmed by the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which declares that "The New England Primer... for 150 years widely used as a textbook, was largely composed of Scriptural and doctrinal material. Catechisms were taught in the public schools and prayer was offered twice a day" (EB under School and Curriculum in the United States).

This does not mean that all our Revolutionary forefathers were saved, or regenerated by personal faith in Christ, but the evidence is abundant that they were, as a whole, God-
fearing men, and this was bound to have a significant effect on their thinking and their conduct. And, indeed, there were among them many born-again believers.

Revolutionary times conjure up in our minds such pictures as Washington praying earnestly at Valley Forge, the members of Congress kneeling together in prayer for divine guidance, and the precepts of Scripture being pressed home again and again by those high in government, while the citizens in general trembled at God’s Word.

It goes without saying that our nation plays a strategic role in the affairs of the world. Our influence is great. However, America will not again exert the right kind of influence in the world until the Church of Christ recovers from her spiritual illness and our national leaders and the populace once more become at least God-fearing. The fear of God does not in itself save from sin’s penalty, but it is the first step toward salvation. Moreover, God’s Word declares:

"By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil" (Prov. 16:6).

________________________

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Two Minutes With the Bible
Daily Devotional for September 26

THE PRIMARIES AND CHRISTIAN FAITH

By Cornelius R. Stam

The presidential primaries are now in full swing, with nearly all the candidates talking confidently about winning, but it has long been a question just how much these primaries mean. Some, indeed, have started by winning in the primaries and have gone on to become president. But others have done well in the primaries, yet have never even come close to being nominated by their own parties.

It's something like this with faith. The primaries are like mental assent, or intellectual faith. Before a person can be saved he must, of course, know about sin and salvation and must give mental assent to what the Bible says about these things. He must agree that Christ died for man's sins. But while intellectual faith is a good start, it is not enough to save you. You must go on from there to trust yourself to Christ, who died for our sins (I Cor. 15:3), otherwise your intellectual faith has done you no good.

God wants our heart trust; it is this kind of faith that honors Him, and it is this kind of faith that saves. In Romans 10:9-13 He says:

"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE IN THINE HEART that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith: Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." If Christ is not a risen, living Savior, He is no savior at all. We must believe this in our hearts if we are to call upon Him for salvation.

Thank God that "He showed Himself alive, after His passion, by many infallible proofs" (Acts 1:3) and that millions have indeed found the peace and joy of sins forgiven through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His redemptive work at Calvary.

________________________

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Two Minutes With the Bible
Daily Devotional for September 27

THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST

By Cornelius R. Stam

"...the righteousness of God... by [the] faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe" (Rom. 3:22). Note, the Apostle Paul here does not refer to faith in Christ, but the faith of Christ. Nor does he refer to what Christ believed, but rather to His worthiness to be believed, His fidelity, His trustworthiness.

We must not forget that faith is a reciprocal matter; it is two-sided. One side is objective; it believes in another. The other is subjective; it is a trustworthy character. One refers to what a person does; the other to what he is. If I have faith in you, you should keep faith with me; you should be trustworthy.

Seven times in St. Paul's epistles he refers to "the faith of Christ" and each time his purpose is to emphasize our Lord's worthiness of our complete confidence. That he does not refer to our faith in Christ is evident on the surface in each case. In the passage above he declares that the righteousness of God, which is "by the faith of Christ," is conferred "upon all them that believe" (Here's your faith in Him).

Similarly, in Gal. 3:22 he states that "the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise, by faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to "them that believe." Here again, we believe because He is worthy of our confidence.

Again in Phil. 3:9, the Apostle expresses his desire for a righteousness not of his own, "but that which is through the faith of Christ" -- and then adds: "the righteousness which is of God by faith." Here's man's faith again! He has faith in Christ because Christ is completely faithful, completely worthy to be believed in. He paid the full penalty for our sins and is now in heaven dispensing the merits of Calvary -- riches of grace, mercy and forgiveness.

But remember, "the faith of Christ" always precedes our faith in Christ. What good would it do us to believe in Him for salvation if He were not wholly to be relied upon for this? But He can be trusted "to save... to the uttermost [all] who come unto God by Him" (Heb. 7:25). This is why Paul could say to the terrified jailer at Philippi: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - OPEN DOORS


Sep 28

OPEN DOORS

By Cornelius R. Stam

"I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it" (Rev. 3:8).

This prophecy concerning the church at Philadelphia doubtless looks forward to a future day, but who can deny that it contains a lesson for our day?

When, in our walk through life, God sets before us open doors of opportunity, He clearly intends us to enter them. The only way to avoid entering an open door set before us would be to deliberately sidestep the opportunity. Alas, how prone we are to do this! Indeed, we often pray God for open doors when He has already set them before us and all about us.

Examine the record of Paul’s ministry and see how he thanked God for open doors (Acts 14:27; I Cor. 16:9), grasping such opportunities as God set before him on every hand. He did not pull strings or ask his friends to use their influence to gain more comfortable or better-paying positions. He faithfully entered whatever doors God set before him. His best known requests for prayer for open doors came from Rome, where a prison door had closed behind him. Should not this put us to shame!

May God convict us of the inconsistency of praying for open doors while failing to enter the many open doors He has set before us! May He forgive us for ever being selective about working for Him! May He give us the grace to take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves to us, "buying up the time because the days are evil."

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - GOD'S TWO POEMS


Sep 29

GOD’S TWO POEMS

By Cornelius R. Stam

In Romans 1:18-20 the Apostle Paul declares that ungodly men are "without excuse" because they are surrounded by the evidences of the Creator’s "eternal power and Godhead."

Our Authorized Version calls the creation, in this passage, "the things that are made," but in the Greek it is called literally "the poyeema," from which we get our word poem. The Apostle refers, of course, to the harmony of God’s creation, and is it not indeed amazing how billions of heavenly bodies can continually revolve in the vastness of space and never collide! And are not the flowers, the seasons, the sunsets all part of a harmonious creation, which God alone could have conceived and set to music? But very interestingly, this word poyeema is used just once more in Scripture. We find it in Eph. 2:10, where it is translated "workmanship." Let us consider this passage in its context:

"For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship [Gr., poyeema], created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-10).

Romans speaks of the poem of creation, Ephesians of the poem of redemption, and the latter is the more wonderful. An old hymn says: "’Twas great to speak a world from naught; ’tis greater to redeem."

In this poem of redemption which God has composed, we believers too often want to change some word or phrase. We would like this or that in our circumstances to be different. Ah, but this would destroy the meter and meaning of God’s new creation.

Thank God, when we believers go to be with Christ, we will see the beauty and glory of the poem of redemption. Then we will rejoice that He did indeed "work all things together for good" for us.

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - ENEMIES OF GOD AND WORSHIPPERS OF SATAN


Sep 30

ENEMIES OF GOD AND WORSHIPPERS OF SATAN

By Cornelius R. Stam

"...we were enemies..." (Rom. 5:10). "...the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not..." (II Cor. 4:4).

Many religious but unsaved people will not accept the fact that they are enemies of God, and fail to understand why the Bible should insist that they are.

The trouble is that, not knowing God, they have conjured up in their minds a "god" of their own, a "god" who says:

"Be good and do good, and I will accept you." This "god," of course, they revere and may even worship. Certainly they are not at enmity against him.

But the God who says that they are sinners, worthy of everlasting judgment; that their only hope of salvation lies in the One who poured out His life’s blood to pay the penalty for their sins -- this God, the God of the Bible, they cannot abide. Let one of His servants tell them what He says about them and they are insulted. When this God, the true God, refuses to accept their "good" works or their "righteous" conduct they react like Cain, of whom we read:

"And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell" (Gen. 4:5). They simply will not bow to this God, and their attitude betrays their enmity against Him.

But why will they not turn away from their self-righteousness and trust in Christ, who died for their sins? Simply because they worship Satan, "the god of this age," who "hath blinded the minds of those who believe not." Worship Satan? This too is hard for the unregenerate man to believe about himself. As he has his own conception of God, he also has his own conception of Satan -- a wrong one.

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

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - "FROM FAITH TO FAITH"


Oct 1

"FROM FAITH TO FAITH"

By Russell S. Miller

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:17).

What does Paul mean by the phrase, "from faith to faith", in this passage? His words in Galatians 3:23-25 may give us food for thought and substance to our faith:

"BUT BEFORE FAITH CAME, WE WERE KEPT UNDER THE LAW, SHUT UP UNTO THE FAITH WHICH SHOULD AFTERWARDS BE REVEALED.

"Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

"BUT AFTER THAT FAITH IS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER" (Gal.3:23-25).

Hence, the Apostle’s use of the phrase, "on whom the ENDS of the ages are arrived", and the Greek word, telos, in I Corinthians 10:11, is pertinent here, for Paul’s gospel is the unveiling of God’s "eternal purpose" in Christ. In his epistles alone we learn that "the time of reformation" had come as "works" gave place to the Age of Grace (Heb.9:10-14). This, then, and the passage in Galatians, gives us additional light and under-standing upon our text, "from faith to faith", in Romans 1:17. When God does something, it affects the whole Universe as is evidenced in the Epistles of Saint Paul concerning the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary’s cross.

"FOR HE HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US, [CHRIST] WHO KNEW NO SIN; THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM" (IICor.5:21). Therefore in Paul’s gospel, both Jews and Gentiles can "now" live "without the law":

"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

"WHOM GOD HATH SET FORTH TO BE A PROPITIATION THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, TO DECLARE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS THAT ARE PAST, THROUGH THE FORBEARANCE OF GOD:

"TO DECLARE, I SAY, AT THIS TIME HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS: THAT HE MIGHT BE JUST, AND THE JUSTIFIER OF HIM THAT BELIEVETH IN JESUS" (Rom.3:24-26). Thus in Hebrews 9:26 Paul’s words about our Saviour, and His finished work of redemption, are most significant:

"For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: BUT NOW once in the end of the world hath He appeared to PUT AWAY sin by the SACRIFICE of Himself."

In the book of Romans we see that God’s righteous standards are maintained, "from faith to faith". Whereas God once required obedience to the Law of Moses for acceptance with Him, now, in this Age of Grace, you must accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior today, for His righteousness is "witnessed" by the Law and the prophets:

"EVEN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD WHICH IS BY FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST UNTO ALL AND UPON ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE..." (Rom.3: 21,22).

How important Paul’s words are then, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." (Acts 16:31), and do it today.

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - SLAVERY AND LIBERTY


Oct 2

SLAVERY AND LIBERTY

By Cornelius R. Stam

We thank God for Abraham Lincoln and for his part in emancipating the negro slaves in the United Sates. Yet, in a deeper sense, there is a slavery from which we all need to be emancipated.

The children of Adam are slaves by birth. Partaking of his fallen nature they find it an uphill fight to do right and easy to do wrong. No mother has ever had to teach her child to tell lies, or to steal or to disobey. Every child does these things naturally. All, by nature, are slaves to sin. Some, on the other hand, have sought to make themselves slaves to the Ten Commandments in order to overcome their natural tendencies toward evil, but this does not produce the desired results. God did not give the Law to help us to be good, but to show us that we are bad and need a Savior. In Rom. 3:19 He says that He gave the Law "that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become [be exposed as] guilty before God" and in Verse 20 He says that "by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Only believers in the finished work of Christ are liberated from sin and its results. This does not mean that it is not possible for them to sin, but that it is now possible for them not to sin -- to have victory in any given case. "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law but under grace" (Rom. 6:14).

In grace Christ died to pay for our sins and in response to that grace believers seek to live for Him, just out of sheer love and gratitude for what He has done for them. This is the secret of victorious living, and God would have us keep it that way. Gal. 5:1 says: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Yet, he also cautions believers, who enjoy this wonderful liberty: "Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak" (I Cor. 8:9).

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another" (Gal. 5:13). "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth" (Rom. 14:22).

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - GRACE, FAITH AND SALVATION


Oct 3

GRACE, FAITH AND SALVATION

By Cornelius R. Stam

The largest segment of the organized Church has long opposed the teaching that salvation is by grace, through faith alone. She teaches that it is by grace, through faith and good works, protesting that we do not place the proper stress on good works, and that she does place as much emphasis upon grace and faith as we.

One advocate of this religious denomination agrees that men cannot be saved without Christ or faith or grace, but objects that the grace of God, accepted by faith in Christ, is not enough to save.

He says: "All men are born in original sin, and all must be cleansed by Baptism. In Baptism, Grace is implanted in the soul by God and confers the right to heaven."

But what about the thief on the cross, who looked to Christ in his dying moments and never had an opportunity to be baptized? Was he not saved? (See Luke 23:42,43).

If, according to Heb. 10:4, it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sins (even though required by God), could this writer explain to us how any amount of water could possibly wash away one sin or right one moral wrong?

But one might gather from the above quotation that the baptized soul at least is safe and secure, since the grace implanted by God "confers the right to heaven." But not so. "The Church" never gives her devotees true peace or assurance; never sets them free. "The right to heaven," conferred upon the baptized person, is the right to strive for it! This writer goes on to say, "We worship God by the practice of our religious duties in order to obtain our salvation."

How satisfying and reassuring is the Word of God itself on this subject:

"Now to him that worketh [i.e., for salvation] is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

"BUT TO HIM THAT WORKETH NOT, BUT BELIEVETH ON HIM THAT JUSTIFIETH THE UNGODLY, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Rom. 4:4,5).

________________________

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Two Minutes With The Bible - DOES MISERY LOVE COMPANY?


Oct 4

DOES MISERY LOVE COMPANY?

By Cornelius R. Stam

We have all heard the statement: "Misery loves company."  It is true that when one is sick or in trouble he does not feel quite so sorry for himself when he realizes that others are as unfortunate, and perhaps more so, than he. However, some have used this phrase:  "Misery loves company," in speaking lightly of hell.  Perhaps you have heard someone say:  "Well, if I go to hell, at least I’ll have lots of company."  This is true, but the company the lost will have when cast out of God’s presence will hardly afford them comfort.

The Bible story of the rich man and Lazarus brings this fact out with great force. The rich man, you will remember, "fared sumptuously every day," while Lazarus "was laid at his gate, full of sores, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table."

In the process of time both died, and the rich man, having felt no need of salvation, suddenly was made to experience God’s wrath upon sin, for the sacred record says: "In hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments" (Luke 16:23).  From his place of torment the rich man saw Lazarus with Abraham "afar off," but this surely afforded little comfort, while we do read that "Lazarus was comforted."  The rich man, then, still with haughty superiority, asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to warn his five brothers, "lest they come into this place of torment."  He did not wish his brothers to join him in hell.  "Misery" among those cast out of God’s presence, then, does not "love company."

The story is brought to a close as Abraham refuses the rich man’s request, explaining that if his brothers would not hear the Word of God "neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:31).

The way to avoid the lot of the rich man, then, is to believe the Word of God, particularly that part of the Word which tells how Christ died for our sins that we might be justified by grace through faith.  Don’t be deceived by the old adage: "Misery loves company." Receive Christ as your Savior today.  "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

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Two Minutes With The Bible - FAITH AND HEARING


Oct 5

FAITH AND HEARING

By Cornelius R. Stam

"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).

This important passage of Scripture is, sad to say, little understood. Many people think of faith in the abstract, as though it had some mysterious power in itself. They speak of faith, but what do they mean? Faith in what? or in whom? Surely it is not possible just to have faith, without something or someone to have faith in.

Faith is not wishing hard, or feeling confident. It is not optimism or presumption or imagination. Faith must have a basis, a foundation. Thus the Christian’s faith is founded on "the Word of God" -- on what God has said in the Bible. The above passage explains: "Faith cometh by hearing."

Isn’t that simple? Isn’t it true? Some have said that "seeing is believing," but a moment’s reflection will reveal that, like the phrase: "I’m from Missouri," this saying is an expression of unbelief. When we have seen a thing we need no longer believe it; it has been demonstrated to us. But when we hear [or read] a matter reported, we may either believe or doubt it. "Faith cometh by hearing." And likewise hearing comes through what has been said. We believe, or doubt, what we hear and we hear what has been said. The Christian’s faith, then, comes by hearing (God) and hearing by the Word of God. All true Christian faith is
founded on the Word of God.

Actually the word "hearing," in Rom. 10:17, however, has the idea of heeding -- paying attention, listening eagerly. This is why Gal. 3:5 speaks of "the hearing of faith." And thus Eph. 1:13, referring to Christ, says: "In whom ye also trusted, having heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation." Thus, too, we read in John 5:24 the words of the Lord Jesus:

"HE THAT HEARETH MY WORD, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM THAT SENT ME, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE, AND SHALL NOT COME INTO JUDGMENT, BUT IS PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE."

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Two Minutes With The Bible - THE SUPREME IMPORTANCE OF GOD S WORD TO THE BELIEVER


Oct 6

THE SUPREME IMPORTANCE OF GOD’S WORD TO THE BELIEVER

By Cornelius R. Stam

The Bible will always have first place in the life of the spiritual Christian.

It is of utmost importance that we understand this, for some who feel themselves quite spiritual give much time to prayer, but little, if any, to the study of the Word. Such have actually fallen for the subtle trick of the adversary to play upon their natural human pride and cause them to exalt self and push God into the background.

In saying this we do not for one moment minimize the importance of prayer; we only stress the supreme importance of the holy Word of God. In this we are surely Scriptural, for David says, by inspiration:

"For Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name" (Psa. 138:2).

Of those who would still object and place first emphasis upon prayer rather than upon the Word, we would ask one simple question: Which is the more important, what we have to say to God or what He has to say to us? There can be but one answer to this question, for obviously what God has to say to us is infinitely more important than anything we might have to say to Him. Our prayers are as fraught with failure as we are, but the Word of God is infallible, immutable and eternal.

Yet some, having fallen for one of Satan’s "devices" and feeling quite spiritual about it, are like the talkative person to whom one listens and listens, occasionally nodding his head, but receiving little or no opportunity to "get a word in edgewise." They do all the talking, but give little time listening to what God has to say to them.

________________________

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