Overview: Galatians
Overview: Galatians https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmx4UjRFp0M
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Showing posts from June, 2022
Does the Bible say anything about living a healthy lifestyle?
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Does the Bible say anything about living a healthy lifestyle? Answer: Yes, the Bible certainly urges us to take care of our bodies. God gave our bodies to us, and He doesn’t want us to abuse them or neglect them. Many of the laws in the Old Testament, for example, warned the people against foods that might be harmful (particularly since they had few ways to keep food from spoiling). The Apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you?… Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). At the same time, it’s possible to become so absorbed with our physical well-being that we let it take over our lives. When that happens, life can lose its joy and we end up ignoring things that are just as important (or more so). Don’t let this happen to you. Most of all, don’t let your concern for your family’s physical well-being blind you to a far more important issue: their moral and spiritual health. Some day, this life will end—no matter ...
Charles Grandison Finney
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In Charles Finney (Charles Grandison Finney (August 29, 1792 – August 16, 1875) was an American Presbyterian minister and leader in the Second Great Awakening in the United States. He has been called the "Father of Old Revivalism.") autobiography he said, “A revival may be expected when Christians have a spirit of prayer for a revival. That is, when they pray as if their hearts were set upon it.” Finney’s accomplishments were built on a foundation of purposeful and passionate prayer. The first thing we must do to see revival in our nation is pray. Take a moment right now to pray. Pray for the gospel to spread and the church to be strengthened and revived. Pray for America to turn to the only person that can bring true revival: Jesus out Lord and Savior.
Why do Christians suffer?
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Why do Christians suffer? Rest assured that there is a reason for Christian people being afflicted. One reason why God’s people suffer, according to the Bible, is that it is a disciplinary, chastening, and molding process. From the Scriptures we learn that the chastening of affliction is a step in the process of our full and complete development. Affliction can also be a means of refining and of purification. Many a life has come forth from the furnace of affliction more beautiful and more useful than before. BG
Fellow Heirs
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Devotional Fellow Heirs Do we feel that our spiritual heritage makes us superior to others? Do we feel that our values and religious practices give us a special relationship with Jesus that is closer than that of others with different backgrounds? That is how the Jewish believers in the early church felt, that in some ways they were 'superior' to the gentile believers. But the Bible is very clear on this - all of us believers - irrespective of what religious, ethnic or social background we come from, have the same blessings and benefits in Christ and are partakers of the same promises. Let us not use our backgrounds, however 'good' they may be, to build differences with others in the body of Christ, but let us always hold to the truth that we are all one in Christ and the ground at the foot of the cross is level ground. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that we as believers are partakers of your promises and have an inheritance in you. Let us continue to live in the truth t...
“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial
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“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12) There is great liberty in following Christ. Paul knew it, rejoiced in it, and proclaimed it: “For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). But Christians dare not think that because Christ has clothed them in his righteousness that they are free to act in an unholy manner. That is the thrust of Paul’s teaching in the latter part of 1 Corinthians 6:12. Though many things are permissible, it is possible to be mastered by those things. “Things” here could be anything that is permitted—engaging in an activity or consuming a substance like food, drink, or a mind-altering drug like marijuana. Christians have the liberty to engage in all sorts of activities, but that does not mean those activities are necessarily good. One test for whether something is good, acc...
Thoughts On What Bible App You Use
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Thoughts: Interesting in when reading your Bible have you ever wondered why some versions do Historical or Chronological on there apps? So an example today Bible Gateway Chronological-Historical 2 Peter 1-3 https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/chronological/2022/12/25?version=TLB then on to Jude, now if you go with a Bible it's Jude comes before Revelation? So if your a stickler for being correct, hmm, just be patient your reading your Bible and let's hope it's not on the test. https://www.cogwriter.com/original-bible-order.htm https://www.themystica.com/books-of-the-bible-in-order/
Empowered by the Spirit
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Empowered by the Spirit Scripture Reading: Colossians 3 Before His ascension to heaven, Jesus promised His followers that He would send a Helper who would be with the believers forever. Jesus instructed them to stay in Jerusalem until they had received the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's job is to empower us Christians to progress in our spiritual lives. Far too many Christians find themselves on a spiritual treadmill. They're working up a sweat with religious activities, but still remain in the same place spiritually. If your life seems powerless right now, you may have a connection problem between you and the Holy Spirit. The disciples were so in tuned to the Holy Spirit that they were able to write the New Testament three decades after Christ's death. The Holy Spirit - the Helper - empowered the apostles to remember. When you have the Holy Spirit, you have all the power you need to live the Christian life. T E
Thoughts: People say God doesn't talk to them
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Thoughts: People say God doesn't talk to them I beg to differ with them there are many, many times I have asked a question of him and the answer shows up through a devotional and in the Bible, so yes, yes he does talk and listen! Prayer is important, but there is something else as important. When I pray, I am talking to God; when I read the Bible, God talks to me. We need both.
The Sufficiency of the Word of God
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The Sufficiency of the Word of God Today, we are often faced with challenging questions about things that are not specifically addressed in the Bible. Christians of the 21st century face topics like marijuana use, stem cell research, cloning, internet use, and a host of other issues that were not on the radar of the original recipients of the Scripture. Try as you might, you will not find those topics in the concordance of your Bible. But just because something is not explicitly in the Bible does not mean that God does not care or has no thoughts on the issue. Far from it. Paul taught Timothy, “And you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 3:15, CSB). We should remember two things taught in this verse. First, Paul promised Timothy, the young pastor of the church in Ephesus, that the Scriptures were sufficient to give wisdom for salvation. Wisdom is the right and deft use of...
Crisis and Character
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Crisis and Character “In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God” (Job 1:22 NLT). Some people abandon God when hardship, even tragedy, comes into their lives. Yet others show genuine faith. Think of Job, whose very name is a point of reference for the worst suffering imaginable. Job was living a great life. He had a beautiful family and was very wealthy and successful. Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, a series of calamities struck. From the Old Testament book of Job, we know that a conversation took place between God and the angels, which included Lucifer (Satan), a fallen angel. God was bragging on Job, saying, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil” (Job 1:8 NLT). Satan basically said, “Oh give me a break. You let me have a little time with Job, and we will see what he’s really made of.” Then God allowed Satan to bring a series of difficulties into Job’s lif...
Jehovah El Elohim, teach me to love like you
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Jehovah El Elohim, teach me to love like you. Teach me to walk in the strength and might of which you are made. As your child, your Spirit lives within me and I can access your strength through your Spirit’s presence. I’m not always strong, especially in the face of health issues or financial issues or even with regard to relational issues – but you are. So I ask you to intervene in my thoughts, heart and mind when these situations arise so that I can then fully manifest your might and power in my life.
1 Peter 3:20-21 TLB
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1 Peter 3: TLB 20 spirits of those who, long before in the days of Noah, had refused to listen to God, though he waited patiently for them while Noah was building the ark. Yet only eight persons were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21 (That, by the way, is what baptism pictures for us: In baptism we show that we have been saved from death and doom by the resurrection of Christ; not because our bodies are washed clean by the water but because in being baptized we are turning to God and asking him to cleanse our hearts from sin.
Not Just Positive Thinking
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Not Just Positive Thinking Fifty years ago a number of speakers and pastors promoted the idea of positive thinking. While it may be better than negative thinking, the Apostle Paul reminds the Christians in Galatia that the true Gospel is much more than that. It's revolutionary. It's life changing. It's double-edged, separating right from wrong. Prayer: We confess, Heavenly Father, that we all have a tendency to make your Message different from what it is. Forgive us for substituting our own feelings, interpretations, and biases into your Truth and thereby making it confusing or misleading for the unsaved. Give me clarity of speech and a humble heart as I share your 'good news' today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Fully Surrender
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Fully Surrender Those who still reject me are like the restless sea. . . . There is no peace, says my God, for them! —Isaiah 57:20,21 (TLB) Faith has legs . . . I heard about a man some years ago who was rolling a wheelbarrow back and forth on a tightrope across Niagara River. Thousands of people were shouting him on. He put a 200-pound sack of dirt in the wheelbarrow and rolled it over, and then he rolled it back. He turned to the crowd and asked, “How many of you believe that I can roll a man across?” Everybody shouted! One man in the front row was very excited in his professed belief. The man pointed to this excited professor and said, “You’re next!” You couldn’t see that man for dust! He didn’t actually believe it. He thought he believed it—but he was not willing to get in the wheelbarrow. Just so with Christ. Many people say they believe in Him, they say they follow Him. But they never have stepped into the wheelbarrow. They actually never have committed and surrendered themselves...
James 1:2-4
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J. B. Philips translation of James 1:2-4, which says, “When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize [sic] that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence.” God allows hardship and trials in our lives so that we’ll grow up spiritually. GL
Many people today lack the answers
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Many people today lack the answers they need about how to address the problems in their lives. What’s more, they lack the assurance of faith- that what seems broken in their lives, homes, and nation could ever be restored. Perhaps it’s a broken marriage. Maybe a dead-end career. It might be a miserable mentality. Whatever has caused so many Christians to lie limp on the ground seems to have sucked away hope for a solution as well. If that’s you, remember that it’s hard to fix a problem when you don’t know, or choose to ignore the cause. Hope leaves when we focus on the symptoms and not on the sins that brought the symptoms about. Whenever you are looking for a cure, you must address the cause. Far too many laymen, pastors, and politicians are focusing on symptoms rather than dealing with the systemic roots that have caused the decay. If we are ever to get our lives, homes, churches, and nation right, we have to address the spiritual causes beneath the brokenness we are experiencing. TE
Identity Theft
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Identity Theft One of the biggest challenges today, when it comes to crime, is identity theft. People will steal your identity for their own fraudulent uses. They pretend to be you and take the things that were meant for you to have. Satan is the greatest identity thief in history. He wants to rob believers of all the wonderful things that Jesus has given us. One of the ways he accomplishes this is by confusing us about our identity. This confusion is one of the reasons that racism still exists and reconciliation between races has not occurred. We need to stake our identity in the cross of Christ, but Satan will try to get us to pick up other means of identity like race. This is why you may hear somebody refer to themselves as a Black Christian, a White Christian, a Hispanic Christian, or an Asian Christian. Technically, this phrasing is incorrect because “Christian” acts as the noun and gets modified by the “racial” adjective. This would mean that race modifies who we are as Chri...
Pain, Difficulties, Temptations
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As we all know, pain and difficulties can be temptations. They exist as temptations to give up, blame God, complain, gripe, blame others and more. God never promised us a life without temptation or grief. What He did promise is that in the midst of the affliction and hurt, He will give us comfort. I don’t know how long God is going to allow your pain to persist. I don’t know how long He is going to make you wait for your deliverance to come. I can’t guarantee you that your problem is going to be solved tomorrow, next month or even next year. You can pray toward that end, trust toward that end and desire toward that end, but you and I both know that neither of us can create that end on our own. So I’m not going to spend my time and yours making false promises to you that if you trust Jesus, Monday is going to be better. For all I know, Monday may even be worse. But what I will tell you is that while you are waiting for the pain to subside and the hurt to heal, there is a Comforter given...
Why is spiritual maturity an ongoing pursuit rather than a one-time goal?
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Why is spiritual maturity an ongoing pursuit rather than a one-time goal? An authentic spiritual life doesn’t come through rituals, budgets, programs, buildings, or even religion. Spiritual life, power, and strength come from the Spirit. The closer you are to the Spirit, the more abundant life you experience and the more influence you carry out (John 10:10; 15:7). An important part of maturing spiritually comes from finding healing in those areas that hold you back. Forgiveness frees you from the slavery of self-pity and blame. It’s time we awaken ourselves not only spiritually but also culturally, so we will take to the field and overcome the enemy’s opposition at hand. TE
2 Corinthians 1 is the word paraclete
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2 Corinthians 1 is the word paraclete One of the most well-known biblical characters who understood and wrote about hurtful seasons is Job. During his darkest days, he said that he did not sense God’s presence. Even though he was known as a righteous man, he felt alone, lost and in pain. In Job 23 we read, “Behold, I go forward but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him; He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him” (vs. 8-9). Don’t be fooled. Life does hurt. There are different levels at different times for different people, but suffering is something we all share. We all cry. No matter how much we love Jesus, we all find ourselves in times of tears and sorrow, even periods of depression. But like Paul, who had even reached what many would term a suicidal level of depression, having “despaired even of life” we can discover how to dignify our difficulties through one key decision: focusing on God. It is in God where we w...
TLB 1 Timothy 4:1-2
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TLB 1 Timothy 4:1 But the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some in the church will turn away from Christ and become eager followers of teachers with devil-inspired ideas. 2 These teachers will tell lies with straight faces and do it so often that their consciences won’t even bother them. https://biblehub.com/parallel/1_timothy/4-1.htm https://biblehub.com/parallel/1_timothy/4-2.htm
Look Deeply
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Look Deeply Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word. —Psalm 119:18 (TLB) Some, who doubt that the Bible is the true Word of God, doubt it because they are unwilling to ascribe to God anything they cannot themselves achieve. If you have any uncertainty about the inspiration of the Bible, go back and look at it again. Look at it in the light of a person who has been staring at a mud puddle all his life, and who is confronted for the first time by a view of the ocean! Perhaps you are only now catching your first glimpse of God’s unlimited power. Perhaps you are only now beginning to understand Him for what He actually is. For if God is the Spirit that Jesus declares Him to be, there is no problem of providence, there is no problem of His sovereignty in the affairs of men, there is no problem of His inspiration of the men who wrote the Bible. Everything fits into place, once you understand who and what God really is. BG
Thoughts: In Acts 12
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Thoughts: In Acts 12, we learn that Peter was arrested and that no amount of human effort could free him. However, the supernatural power of God did. The Bible tells us that the church was praying fervently. This means they were praying without ceasing, knowing that God had the power they lacked to release the one they loved. If we all prayed (as we should) don't you think if we all prayed the same prayer that our world would be healed and stay on the straight and narrow path. What are you wrestling with today? Have you rolled it over onto the Lord through prayer, or have you lit a room full of kerosene lamps? Stop struggling on your own and turn on God’s power through prayer and faith. Allow Him to be your strength and your everlasting peace. Just a thought?
1 Peter 4:1
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1 Peter 4:1 https://biblehub.com/1_peter/4-1.htm If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Rage, anger, harsh words, and slander make the Holy Spirit sad. Do you want the Holy Spirit to be at home in your heart? He’s at home in the hearts of Spirit-led believers. God’s command is still relevant for us today. He has given us the work of telling all nations about redemption through Christ’s blood and resurrection. Compared to Paul, we have an abundance of communication capabilities—including radio, television, Internet, and cell phones—which provide easy access into countries all over the world. We could make more disciples by better utilizing these technologies. But how tragic if we get busy and fail to obey God’s command. We stand at a critical moment in history for the church. The door of opportunity is wide open for us to share. Lord Jesus, with so many still rejecting You, take away everything within me ...
"This world comes with trouble"
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"This world comes with trouble" The apostle Paul took his commitment to telling the truth seriously. That’s why we read in his own words a pretty stark summation of his life, showing how God has cared for him amidst a mass of suffering, as found in 2 Corinthians 1. In contemporary language, that would be classified as severe depression. There’s no way to sugar-coat someone writing that they “despaired even of life.” And yet, what I find interesting in all of this is that Paul is also probably the most mature Christian who has ever lived. He stands head and shoulders above most others when it comes to boldly declaring the faith, representing Jesus and suffering for His cause. I want to remind all of us whose hearts may hurt that we are not talking about a bad man in pain when we reference Paul and learn from him. We are looking at a good man hurting—a godly man hurting. He’s a man hurting even as a result of the things he was doing to advance God’s kingdom in the world! See, a...
When you tell yourself
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John 8:32 As a christian, I wish I could in good faith and in good conscience tell you that if you come to Jesus, it won’t rain. You won’t have pain. Nothing will hurt, and life will be a cakewalk. I wish I could tell you that if you have faith in God and choose to obey Him, serve Him and love Him you will have no troubles. https://biblehub.com/john/8-32.htm When you tell yourself, I can’t overcome this addiction, whose thought is that? Or when you think, I have to have this drink, whose thought is that? Or when you entertain such thoughts as, I am nothing. I have no value. I don’t have power over my emotions of lust or anger, who is doing the talking? We know these thoughts come from Satan because they are all lies, and he is the father of lies (John 8:44). Satan makes quick work of planting thoughts and directing them. But his thoughts do not have to have the last word. You have the power to control your own thoughts. So, how should you respond to Satan’s sugge...
Stay Calm And Carry On
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Stay Calm And Carry On In 2 Corinthians 2:5 we are told to "Examine yourselves, whether ye be of faith; prove your own selves." It would seem that the writer of this Psalm has done this. Not proud, not haughty, and not too concerned with the mysterious things of life. What the writer has done, though, is to make himself content. We read that to be this way is to quiet ourselves and to be calm. Some people will try Yoga and Meditation to do this, but it is not what our spiritual lives need. We need His Spirit and His Word working in our lives to transform us into His image. Prayer: I am Yours, Lord. Search my heart and remove pride and haughtiness. My heart's desire is to know You and love You with my whole heart. Teach me to be calm and content so that You will be glorified in me. You know my thoughts and innermost being. Create in me a new heart full of love and passion for You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"We live unto the Lord." — Romans 14:8
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"We live unto the Lord." — Romans 14:8 If God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. It is possible for a man to be taken to heaven? Why then are we here? Why is the army of the living God still on the battle-field when one charge might give them the victory? Why are His children still wandering through a maze? The answer is-they are here that they may "live unto the Lord," and may bring others to know His love. We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed. We are here as the "salt of the earth," to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life. We are here as workers for Him, and as "workers together with Him. Meanwhile we long to be with Him. CHS
Dying to Be a Servant: A Parable
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Dying to Be a Servant: A Parable John 12:23-26 Once upon a time there were two grains of wheat lying on the floor of a warm and cozy barn. But one day, the farmer came in and told them, "I want to take you out of this comfortable barn and plant you in the earth. I'm going to place you in the cold ground and cover you with soil. It will be dark, and you will die. But I promise that you will multiply and become very fruitful." The first grain of wheat turned down the suggestion. "No way!" he said. "Count me out. I like my comfort, and I don't want to die." But the second one, after carefully considering the pain and discomfort of dying, decided the promise of a future harvest was worth the sacrifice. So the farmer took him outside and planted him in the ground, while allowing the first grain of wheat to remain inside the barn. A few days later, a small green sprout appeared over where the seed had been planted. Then it grew and became a tall stalk of...
No Room for Doubt
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No Room for Doubt The Bible offers many accounts regarding doubt to warn us about this spiritual killer. Doubt will inevitably rob us of our spiritual growth and understanding of God's divine purpose for our lives. For example, have you ever wondered why people sometimes doubt God and their salvation? Perhaps you have experienced your own doubts. The primary reason for such doubt is a failure to accept the fullness of God's grace. Too often, people think grace must be earned. Yet grace is a gift from the throne of God - no strings attached. Christ fully paid for our sins on Calvary's cross. When you begin to truly think this way and accept who you are in Christ, you will see the doubts and fears fade away. You must trust and accept what Jesus Christ has already done for you. Romans 8:31-39 More Than Conquerors 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, bu...
The Holy Spirit’s Role in Our Lives
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The Holy Spirit’s Role in Our Lives “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts” (Ephesians 5:18-19 NLT). Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God. He is a member of the Trinity and has a will and a distinct personality. The Holy Spirit also has a purpose and specific work that He wants to do in our lives. Before we became Christians, the Holy Spirit convicted us of our sin and drew us to Christ. And once we believed in Christ, the Holy Spirit sealed us. Now the Holy Spirit leads us, empowers us, and fill us each day. In fact, Ephesians 5 says, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts” (verses 18–19 NLT). The Holy Spirit’s filling has nothing to do with our emotions, by the way. Sadly, I think some people have taken the ...
"The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad." — Psalm 126:3
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"The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad." — Psalm 126:3 Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has vouchsafed them. But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward joyously, and say, "I will speak, not about myself, but to the honour of my God. He hath brought me up out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord hath done great things for me, whereof I am glad." Such an abstract of experience as this is the very best that any child o...
"Search the Scriptures." — John 5:39
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"Search the Scriptures." — John 5:39 The Greek word here rendered search signifies a strict, close, diligent, curious search, such as men make when they are seeking gold, or hunters when they are in earnest after game. We must not rest content with having given a superficial reading to a chapter or two, but with the candle of the Spirit we must deliberately seek out the hidden meaning of the word. Holy Scripture requires searching-much of it can only be learned by careful study. There is milk for babes, but also meat for strong men. The rabbis wisely say that a mountain of matter hangs upon every word, yea, upon every title of Scripture. Tertullian exclaims, "I adore the fulness of the Scriptures." No man who merely skims the book of God can profit thereby; we must dig and mine until we obtain the hid treasure. The door of the word only opens to the key of diligence. The Scriptures claim searching. They are the writings of God, bearing the divine stamp and imprimat...