By the Grace of God

Reflections   Paul said, “I am what I am by the grace of God.” (I Cor. 15:10) In other words, except for the grace of God, Paul would be NOTHING. In this short statement, Paul states what is repeated throughout the NT: All that is of value in a Christian is of Christ — received from above — but now of Christ IN US. No value is of us. If you are born from above, you have life from above — Christ within you. And IN CHRIST — the Christ who is in us — is all that God has …

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HEAVENLY REWARDS

Luke 14:12-14 2 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. Some Christians think it’s wrong to want rewards, but our Creator knows people are motivated by …

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Walking in Victory

1 Samuel 18:8-15 (KJV) 8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. 10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul …

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IT IS GOOD TO BE AFFLICTED

Psalm 119:71-76 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. 73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. 74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. 75 I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for …

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I Have Learned… I Know… I Can Do… Through Christ by T. Austin-Sparks

                       “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound: in everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want. I can do all things in him that  strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:11-13).     If there is one statement in Scripture that finds us out, it is this one. …

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TOPIC: WHO IS A JEW (ISRAELOLOGY)?

QUESTION: “If I believe in Jesus Christ do I become a Jew? I have been told that if I believe in Jesus Christ I become a spiritual Jew and am a part of Israel. Is this true?” ANSWER: This is an excellent question, and it goes to the heart of an issue that has for too long created a lot of unnecessary conflict in the body of Christ. How we answer this goes to the root of our understanding how natural law and spiritual law merge together. First, we must remember that all humans originated from one man, Adam (Acts …

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39 The Millennial Mountain

    Now Jehovah God turns from focusing on the sins of the Jews exiled to Babylon and refers again to the future when Israel will be gathered together from the four corners of the earth. Now however He is advancing the time on the world chronology to the second time that He will gather them (Isaiah 11:11-12) after the Tribulation which is discussed in chapters six through nineteen in the book of Revelation. Other passages add clarity to the concept of holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel; the house of Israel. Because of the extent …

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God’s Say-so

                                                                      He hath said . . . so that we may boldly say . . . — Hebrews 13:5-6   My say-so is to be built on God’s say-so. God says – “I will never leave thee,” then I can with good courage say – “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear – ” I will not be haunted by apprehension. This does not mean …

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The Battleground of the Soul by T. Austin-Sparks

Reading: Matt. 16:13-25; Luke 22:31-34( below). “Blessed art thou, Simon… My Father (hath revealed it unto thee)” (Matt. 16:17). “He… said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan” (Matt. 16:23). “Simon… Satan asked to have you… but I made supplication for thee” (Luke 22:31-32; A.S.V.).   We have before us the spiritual history in the making of a servant of God, and this can be seen in the representative and very human case of Simon Peter. The thing which comes out of the passages above is the fact that, in the life of one who stands related vitally to the …

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