Saturday, December 22, 2007
Daily Reading
"Pray without ceasing." This command is not requiring the incessant reciting of prayers. Rather, it is a call to a way of living: "continuing steadfastly in prayer" (Rom_12:12). Praying without ceasing is an attitude of the heart, as well as an addressing of prayers consistently to the Lord. To pray without ceasing is to have the inner man focused in humble dependence upon the Lord, while consistently addressing actual prayers to the Lord.
Daily Reading
QUESTION: Why did Moses and Elijah appear with Christ at the transfiguration?
ANSWER: The purpose of the transfiguration is very significant to us today! Moses represented the “law” and Elijah represented the “prophets.” When God said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him” (Matthew 17:5), He was saying that, under the New Testament dispensation, we are not to hear and obey Moses and Elijah (the Old Testament, i.e., the law and the prophets), but, rather, we are to hear and obey Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son! The Old Testament (represented by Moses and Elijah) would be fulfilled with the death of Christ and taken out of the way (Colossians 2:14).
For Further Information Contact:Truth For The World P.O. Box 5048Duluth, GA 30096-0065e-mail: info@tftw.org
Friday, December 21, 2007
Daily Reading
Once More on Following Jesus as a Disciple
If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (Luk_9:23 and Joh_10:27)
Daily Reading
QUESTION: Why was the transfiguration not a strange thing to Christ?
ANSWER: Because He was God (John 1:1) it would not be a strange thing, since He was very familiar with miracles (John 11:47; John 12:37). Not only this, but He, being eternal (Micah 5:2; John 8:58) as God, was very familiar with Moses and Elijah, before and after their deaths. And, certainly, it would not be strange for the Son to hear His Father’s words!
For Further Information Contact:Truth For The World P.O. Box 5048Duluth, GA 30096-0065e-mail: info@tftw.org
ANSWER: Because He was God (John 1:1) it would not be a strange thing, since He was very familiar with miracles (John 11:47; John 12:37). Not only this, but He, being eternal (Micah 5:2; John 8:58) as God, was very familiar with Moses and Elijah, before and after their deaths. And, certainly, it would not be strange for the Son to hear His Father’s words!
For Further Information Contact:Truth For The World P.O. Box 5048Duluth, GA 30096-0065e-mail: info@tftw.org
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Daily Reading
More on Following Jesus as a Disciple
If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me . . . But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Luk_9:23 and Gal_6:14)
Daily Reading
QUESTION: What things did the disciples not understand about Jesus?
ANSWER: There were many things that, at the first, they did not understand. They did not understand when He spoke of His death (Luke 9:43-45; Luke 18:31-34); when He spoke of the Father (John 8:27); when He spoke in parables (John 10:6); nor when He spoke of the establishment of His spiritual kingdom, the church (Luke 18:20-37; Acts 1:6-7). They would not understand or remember these things fully until Jesus was glorified (John 12:16), that is, until He was resurrected and enthroned at the right hand of God. The Holy Spirit, who would guide them into all truth (John 16:13) and bring all things to their remembrance (John 14:26) was not promised or could be given to them until after Jesus was glorified (John 7:39). After this was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was given to the twelve in a great way in Acts 2:1-4, after which they understood and remembered all things “whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26; John15:26; John 16:13).
For Further Information Contact:Truth For The World P.O. Box 5048Duluth, GA 30096-0065e-mail: info@tftw.org
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Daily Reading
Mat 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Daily Reading
Following Jesus as a Disciple
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . Follow Me . . . If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. (Mat_28:19; Joh_1:43; and Luk_9:23)
Daily Reading
QUESTION: Where was Jesus residing during the forty days before He went to heaven?
ANSWER: During the period of His public ministry, Jesus did not enjoy a residing place as such. He said in Matthew 8:20, “the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” There is no reason to think that in the forty days after His resurrection it was any different. He did “shew Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them (the apostles) forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 of some of Christ’s appearances, being “seen of above five-hundred brethren at once.”However, we have no account of a residing place.
For Further Information Contact:Truth For The World P.O. Box 5048Duluth, GA 30096-0065e-mail: info@tftw.org
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Daily Reading
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Jas 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
Jas 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Daily Reading
QUESTION: During the temptation of Christ, did he actually fast for forty days or is this just an estimation?
ANSWER: Christ actually fasted for forty days and forty nights! There is no scriptural reason to think otherwise. Note that Moses (Exodus 34:28) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:8) also fasted for forty days.
For Further Information Contact:Truth For The World P.O. Box 5048Duluth, GA 30096-0065e-mail: info@tftw.org
Monday, December 17, 2007
Daily Reading
Jas 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
Daily Reading
QUESTION: Jesus was not a sinner. Why was He baptized?
ANSWER: When Jesus came to the Jordan river to be baptized (Matthew 3), John at the first refused to baptize Him saying, “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” What John implied by this was, ‘You (Jesus) are without sin and, therefore, do not need to be baptized for the remission of sins, but, I am, indeed, a sinner and have need to be baptized of thee!’ Jesus did not argue with the truth of John’s statement. In fact, He agreed with it in saying, “Suffer (permit) it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus knew the design and purpose of John’s baptism (Luke 3:3), and He approved of it, but by saying “Permit it to be so now,” He is telling John that they, in this one case, must make an exception to this purpose, because He was without sin. Nonetheless, Christ insisted that He be baptized in order to “fulfill allrighteousness.” In other words, God commanded all men everywhere to be baptized and because Christ was, at that time, in the flesh (as a man), in order to satisfy the will of the Father, He, too, needed to be baptized in order to fulfill His will, or all righteousness! Some people today who reject the scriptural teaching of baptism “for the remission of sins,” (Acts 2:38) say, that since Jesus was not baptized for this purpose, neither do they have to be baptized “for the remission of sins.” They, too, want to be baptized (as Christ was) to “fulfill all righteousness.” This could be the case, if they were (as Christ was) sinless, or without sin. But it is the case that they are not without sin, for Paul said in Romans 3:23 that, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." The logical and scriptural conclusion is that since “all men have sinned,” they (all men) cannot be baptized (as Christ was) solely to fulfill all righteousness, but must be baptized for the express scriptural purpose of “remission of sins,” which, in man’s case, results in the fulfillment of righteousness, or God’s will. Christ was the only one not to be baptized “for the remission of sins,” simply because He did no sin (1 Peter 2:22). There are no other exceptions, because all other men have sinned! Every man must, therefore, be baptized “for the remission of sins” in order to be saved (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:15-16)!
For Further Information Contact:Truth For The World P.O. Box 5048Duluth, GA 30096-0065e-mail: info@tftw.org
ANSWER: When Jesus came to the Jordan river to be baptized (Matthew 3), John at the first refused to baptize Him saying, “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” What John implied by this was, ‘You (Jesus) are without sin and, therefore, do not need to be baptized for the remission of sins, but, I am, indeed, a sinner and have need to be baptized of thee!’ Jesus did not argue with the truth of John’s statement. In fact, He agreed with it in saying, “Suffer (permit) it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus knew the design and purpose of John’s baptism (Luke 3:3), and He approved of it, but by saying “Permit it to be so now,” He is telling John that they, in this one case, must make an exception to this purpose, because He was without sin. Nonetheless, Christ insisted that He be baptized in order to “fulfill allrighteousness.” In other words, God commanded all men everywhere to be baptized and because Christ was, at that time, in the flesh (as a man), in order to satisfy the will of the Father, He, too, needed to be baptized in order to fulfill His will, or all righteousness! Some people today who reject the scriptural teaching of baptism “for the remission of sins,” (Acts 2:38) say, that since Jesus was not baptized for this purpose, neither do they have to be baptized “for the remission of sins.” They, too, want to be baptized (as Christ was) to “fulfill all righteousness.” This could be the case, if they were (as Christ was) sinless, or without sin. But it is the case that they are not without sin, for Paul said in Romans 3:23 that, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." The logical and scriptural conclusion is that since “all men have sinned,” they (all men) cannot be baptized (as Christ was) solely to fulfill all righteousness, but must be baptized for the express scriptural purpose of “remission of sins,” which, in man’s case, results in the fulfillment of righteousness, or God’s will. Christ was the only one not to be baptized “for the remission of sins,” simply because He did no sin (1 Peter 2:22). There are no other exceptions, because all other men have sinned! Every man must, therefore, be baptized “for the remission of sins” in order to be saved (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:15-16)!
For Further Information Contact:Truth For The World P.O. Box 5048Duluth, GA 30096-0065e-mail: info@tftw.org
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Daily Reading
Good Morning, why not start today in service to our Lord. As I posted before today is the first day of the week. The first day is the Lord's day. How much better can we feel if we put the Lord first. I know that it seems like we only have just so much time, just think our Lord only had 33 years and He gave it all for us. Then we quibble about a few hours in his service. For me and my wife we want to worship our Lord. I hope that this might inspire you also. In Christian love, Lonnie
Daily Reading
AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST
"Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you."-- Joh_15:16.
"All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations, And, lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the end of the age."-- Mat_28:18-20 (R.V.).
Our Lord is supreme in heaven, and equally so on earth. He has authority over winds and waves; over the natural world with its laws and elements; over gold mines and harvest fields; over the minds and souls of all men who have been purchased by His precious blood. It would greatly facilitate our obedience to His Command if we realized that the whole world is His by creation and redemption, and that wherever we go throughout its vast territory we are within His domains.
Notice the care with which Christ insists that those who were disciples should be taught to observe all His commands (Mat_28:20). He chose the Apostles that they might receive His commands, not for their own obedience alone, but that they might impress them upon others. Obedience is the law of spiritual growth and blessedness. Let us resolve, first to observe whatsoever the Master has appointed; the second, to teach others to do the same. Whenever the task seems too great for our strength, let us remember the precious promise that He is with us always, as the margin puts it--"all the days," Never a day can come with its demands, its call for dutiful obedience, but He will be at hand to bear our burden, to help us by the right hand of His strength, to inspire us by the light of His face.
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