GraceNTheTruth@ COX.NET~OUR ASSURANCES UNDER GRACE

THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD
Part 2 of 3
by Pastor K. R. Blades

THE RECORD OF THE GOSPELS

The testimony of the Gospel accounts is that the "time past" situation 
of Eph. 2:11 12 WAS in effect when the Lord was here. And if that is the 
case, then it is evident that God did not have this dispensation of His 
grace in effect during the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God's exclusive program with Israel was not only still in effect when 
Christ was here, it was coming to its climax. Christ had come to be 
Israel's redeemer, and to provide for them to have their kingdom and so 
be the blessing to the world God covenanted for them to be. Israel's 
exclusive "covenants of promise" were what everything focused upon. We 
Gentiles were still "far off" at this time. God's program was not the 
dispensing of His grace to us Gentiles as it is today, but rather it was 
His continued dealings with His people Israel. Consider, for example, 
the following...

Luke 1:67-79 - This is a prophetic declaration made by John the 
Baptist's father at the time of John's birth. Notice in verses 68 75 
that he "blesses" God for what He was doing at this time. It is plain to 
see from what Zacharias says that God was still dealing with Israel in 
His special covenant relationship to them. Israel was preparing at this 
time for the fulfillment of all the things God's holy prophets had been 
speaking about. They were preparing for God to "perform the mercy 
promised unto the fathers" and "to remember His holy covenant which He 
made with Abraham". It is obvious from this that God at this time was 
not bringing in a new dispensation of His grace for us Gentiles, which 
was a "mystery". Also, it is obvious, that Israel was not set aside at 
this time.

Matthew 3:1-2; 4:17; Mark 1:14 15 - In these passages it is stated that 
the gospel being preached at this time was "the gospel of the kingdom". 
This was the good news about the time being “fulfilled" and the "kingdom 
of heaven being at hand". That kingdom was what Israel was waiting for 
in fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. (Luke 1:26 33; Isa. 9:6 7; Dan. 
2:44)

It was what the prophets foretold would be established by the coming of 
the Messiah, the son of David. It was the literal kingdom of the Messiah 
brought down from heaven to be established in the land of Israel. The 
prophet Daniel had prophesied the time at which it would come, as 
recorded back in Dan. 2:44, and 9:24ff. Because the time which Daniel 
had spoke of was just about completed, the kingdom of heaven was being 
preached as being "at hand". Again, it is obvious from this that God's 
special program and dealings with Israel were still in effect at this 
time, and the "mystery" of the dispensation of Gentile grace was not the 
issue. Matthew 10:1-7; 15:21-28; Mark 7:24 30 - Here are some passages 
which show us that the Lord's ministry at this time was pointedly 
limited to the people of Israel, and that the Gentiles were not to be 
dealt with. Notice that the Lord's commissioning of the 12 apostles 
involved giving them the power to perform signs which testified to the 
reality of Israel's kingdom actually being "at hand". But especially 
notice that the Lord instructed the 12 not to preach to the Gentiles, or 
even to the Samaritans, but they were to "go rather to the lost sheep of 
the house of Israel". This was so because it was Israel's kingdom which 
was "at hand", and the program of God with them involved them receiving 
their kingdom and glory first, and then for them to be the blessing to 
the rest of the world in their kingdom. Just as the Lord told the 
Gentile woman, He was sent "only to the lost sheep of the house of 
Israel", and "the children" were to be filled "first". We Gentiles were 
still "dogs" and "far off" at this time. Again, it is evident the 
dispensation of Gentile grace was not in effect at this time

Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, and 
the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 "Till 
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son 
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fulness of Christ:"

OUR COMMISSION IN THE AGE OF GRACE IS:

2Co 5:16-21 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, 
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we 
[him] no more. Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new 
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become 
new. And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by 
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To 
wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not 
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word 
of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God 
did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye 
reconciled to God. For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no 
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD
Part 1 of 3
by Pastor K. R. Blades

We, today, live in "the dispensation of the grace of God" to us 
Gentiles. This dispensation, or program, which God is now conducting is 
a new program and it is different from His program with the nation of 
Israel. In this present dispensation, God's program with Israel is set 
aside and remains temporarily in abeyance, and the "time past" status of 
Israel being "nigh" to God and the Gentiles being "far off", no longer 
exists. (Romans 11:11 25; Ephesians 2:11 22) According to the apostle 
Paul in Ephesians 3:1 6, the revelation of this present dispensation, or 
program, was something God first made known and committed unto him.

"For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 
if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given 
me to you ward: how that by revelation he made known unto me the 
mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may 
understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages 
was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his 
holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be 
fellow heirs, and of the same body and partakers of his promise in 
Christ by the gospel:"

This present dispensation is something which was a "mystery" before. God 
kept it secret unto Himself in ages and generations past, and it wasn't 
known about before or anticipated. Not until God raised up the apostle 
Paul and revealed unto him the "mystery of Christ", was this new 
dispensation of Gentile grace ushered in.

It is extremely important that we understand the "mystery" character 
of this present dispensation of the grace of God, and that we don't make 
unwarranted assumptions with the testimony of the word of God. 
Unfortunately, two assumptions are commonly made by many Christians as 
they handle the Scriptures, which are at variance with what God teaches 
us through the apostle Paul.

On the one hand, often times it is assumed that the present dispensation 
is the program which God has always had in effect. On the other hand, 
the assumption is often made that even though the apostle Paul says what 
he does about God committing to him the revelation of this new program, 
it actually began before God raised up Paul. These are two common 
assumptions, but they are actually misconceptions which conflict with 
the testimony of Scripture and only lead to confusion and error. That 
this present dispensation of Gentile grace has not always been in 
effect, is evident from what the apostle Paul declares in Ephesians 2:11 12.

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, 
who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision 
in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, 
being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the 
covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world"

Obviously, Jew and Gentile have not always been on the same level in 
God's dealings. But rather, in "time past", before God ushered in this 
dispensation of His grace, we Gentiles were "far off", "without Christ", 
and "without God in the world". It is erroneous, therefore, to assume 
that this dispensation of grace has always been in effect. In "time 
past", it wasn't.

But it is just as erroneous to assume that this change in programs was 
ushered in by God before He says it was. It is just taken for granted by 
many that this dispensation of grace was in effect before God raised up 
the apostle Paul, even though God has the apostle Paul repeatedly 
declare how that God revealed it and committed it unto him. (Eph. 3:1 
12; Col. 1:25 27; Gal. 2:1 10;eg) The assumption is made that the "time 
past" situation of Eph. 2:11 12 ended when the Lord was here upon the 
earth, as recorded in the Gospel accounts. Or, at least, once He had 
died upon the cross. But this, we suggest, is also a misunderstanding, 
and it needs to be corrected.

*THE HAND OF LIFE *
*By Miles Stanford*
*
"That I may know Him ... being made conformable unto His death" (Phil.
3:10).

'The life that emerges from death is administered by a loving,
nail-pierced hand.

"As with the seed that is buried once for all, but then disintegrated
through a gradual process that sets free the new life, even so does our
Father deal with our old nature by delivering it to death with the Lord
Jesus once for all, and then bringing about its mortifying in detail
through the circumstances of daily life, until the power of the old man
has lost its hold on us."---L.T.

"We are going to have to learn death in order to know life. Redemption
must be known first, and the ultimate effect will be death to sin, to
selfishness; and all this is very trying. One might be tempted to say,
All this trial comes upon me because I have not been redeemed. Not so;
it is just because you are redeemed. We may seek to avoid the bitter
waters of Marah, but our Father will bring us to them. He intends to
break down what is of the old man, and then, in His own good time, He
will pour in that which sweetens all.

"But because God has brought me to Himself, He is putting His finger on
everything that hinders complete dependence upon Him, or my soul's full
enjoyment of Himself. So count it not strange, though it be a fiery
trial which is to try you; for the Father will have you drink of the
very thing (death) that redeemed you." -J.N.D

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5).
*THOUGHT *
*
I’ve dropped by today to remind you that if you’ve accepted Jesus as
your Savior, you have been "adopted" by His Father. Think about who you
are!!! Jesus is God’s Son; you are His "adopted" son/daughter. Jesus is
your big brother; you’re really somebody!

Eph 1:5 For He predestined us to be adopted by Himself as sons through
Jesus Christ--such being His gracious will and pleasure--

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Taking God At His Word
by Pastor C. R. Stam

Because of a failure to understand God's purposes as outlined in the
Scriptures some have felt it necessary to alter many of the plainest
statements of Holy Writ. Supposing that God could not have meant exactly
what He said, they have concluded that these things must be interpreted
in a "spiritual" sense.

Actually there is nothing spiritual about failing to take God at His
Word, and seeking to explain away difficulties by arbitrarily altering
what He has plainly said.

First, this would leave us at the mercy of theologians. If the
Scriptures do not mean what they say, who has the authority to decide
what they do mean? And how can we turn to the Word of God for light if
it does not mean what it says, and only trained theologians can tell us
what it does mean?

Second, this altering of the Scriptures affects the veracity of God.
It is a thrust at His very honor. If the obvious, natural meaning of the
Old Testament promises are not to be depended upon, how can we depend
upon any promise of God? Then, when He says: "Whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13), He may also mean
something else instead of what He actually says.

Third, this "spiritualizing" of Scriptures endorses apostasy, for it
allows men to alter the meaning of God's Word according to their will.

The path to a true understanding and enjoyment of the Bible is not in
altering but in "rightly dividing" it (II Tim. 2:15).

Those who have resorted to the "spiritualization" of the prophetic
Scriptures because they cannot account for the seeming cessation in
their fulfillment, will find the solution to their problem in are
cognition of the unique character of Paul's apostleship and message.
Recognize "the mystery" revealed through Paul and there will be no need
to alter prophecy.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*
www.graceandthetruth.com

When He First Loved Us *
*Oscar M. Baker *

We can never fully express the love of God. It is past finding
out, as far as the fleshly nature of man is concerned. It is the same
with the love of Christ (Eph. 3:19). In looking at John 17:24 we find
the Sons reminding the Father that He had loved Him before the
foundation of the world. The questions that arise are, When was this?
and why?

This word foundation, KATABOLE, occurs 3 times in the Bible (John
17:24; Eph. 1:4; 1 Peter 1:20). It is made up of two words, KATA and
BOLE. BOLE is a noun and occurs once in the Scriptures (Lu. 22:41).
There it is translated "cast". Our Lord went about a "stone's cast"
from the disciples to pray. KATA is variously translated as down, out,
away, etc. One can readily see that there is nothing in the word
foundation that would fit the idea given by the Greek. But at the same
time one must note that this casting is not a striking. There was
nothing done to the stone; it was flung away.

Some time the earth must have been cast or flung from its place,
either in this solar system or some other, and did not always have the
same orbit and place that it now does. This could account, in part at
least, for the overthrow of Gen. 1:2. This may be more understandable to
those who have studied the known history of Venus.

We have before connected this overthrow of the world with the
downfall of Lucifer. Here is where sin and death entered the universe.
Now we also have noted before that there was a promise of life in Christ
before the ages began (Eph. 3:6; 2 Tim. 1:1 ; and Titus 1:2).

This life was to be made possible by a great sacrifice which was
determined before age times, before the flinging away of the world (1
Pet. 1:20). Here the lamb was foreordained. Contrary to popular
notions, God's wrath did not fall on the sacrifice, not ever. The
sacrifice was accepted, it was a sweet-smelling savor. God did not pour
out His wrath on His Son at Calvary, but accepted Him and all that
believe in Him. That is why we are accepted in Him.

Because the Son was to be the sacrifice and would be obedient, the
Father loved Him for the very time that this was planned, which was
before age times, before the flinging away of the world. This love is
in contrast to the hate a holy God must have for sin and death. God's
rule had been questioned; His glory dimmed; and His creation ruined by
the revolt.

Since this ruin and its effects were not confined to this little
earth, but affected the heavens as well, this promise of life and this
Lamb that was to be slain would have more than the earth for their
sphere of influence. So that the heavens might be restored, a people
was chosen from before this flinging away and disruption which followed
(Eph. 1:4). That a kingdom should be established on the earth was a plan
that was made later, after the failure of Adam and his race. So the
things that pertain to the kingdom are since the foundation, or rather
disruption of the world.

*Dear Lord of light, *
*I praise You for bringing me out of darkness*
* into Your gracious light.*
* Grant me grace to proclaim Your excellencies. *
*Shine Your light into the hearts I hope to reach. *
*Grant them the miracle of resting and trusting you*
* in your high calling of us,*
* in the Lord Jesus we pray. , Amen.*
*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

WHEN DID SATAN FALL*
* PART 3 of 3*
*Correction made By R. Edward Beaucha
Scripture Reading: Gen. 1:26,31; II Cor. 4:4; Eph. 4:17-18

Conclusions: It is evident and Scriptural that Lucifer became resentful 
when he discovered God would give earth's dominion to man rather than to 
him and the other angels. However, Satan could not have caused any great 
cataclysm for it would not be possible for God to state that the 
creation was "very (exceedingly) good (pleasant, agreeable)" if there 
had existed millions of years of suffering and death between Gen. 1:1 
and 1:2.

Sometime during Genesis 2, the events of Ezek. 28:15-17 took place. 
Lucifer fell from his absolute authority as head of the angels and was 
sent to walk the earth (Job 1:6-7), the only inhabited place in the 
universe that Satan had not had control over (Gen. 1:26, 28). He is 
still the "accuser of the brethren" in heaven and will be until Rev. 
12:10 when he and his other angels have gathered for the war in heaven 
against Michael and the faithful angels. Every reference to the 
permanent removal of Lucifer from heaven (that many would suppose 
happened in the book of Genesis) is a future event.

The reference noted in Job 2 is that Satan has been out as the prince 
and power of the air and had been looking for his next victim when the 
Lord asks him if he had considered Job. It is evident that Satan had 
left heaven for some time to roam to and fro to see what trouble he 
could cause. He then goes back to heaven with some other fallen angels 
and God asks (even though He knows), "Where have you been?" Satan 
evidently had and still has access to the earth but as time and methods 
change in God's plans for man, Satan now seems to be content to be 
reigning as a usurper in the earth (II Cor. 4:4; Eph. 4:17-18) and is 
content to be the father of all those accepting his philosophy of 
independence from God (John 8:44; Eph. 2:2). How important it is to 
study the, Scriptures so that we can answer the skeptics and are able to 
stand for the word rightly divided (II Tim. 2:15).
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them 
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who 
is the image of God, should shine unto them.

*2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an 
angel of light.
*
Grace And The Truth
www.graceandthetruth.com

*WHEN DID SATAN FALL *
* PART 2 OF 3*
*By Dr. William Hallman
Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 28: 11-17

Once in a while, we hear that man's creation was God's answer to Satan's 
rebellion. For some reason, God was teaching Satan and the fallen angels 
a great object lesson, and since they did not keep their first estate, 
God created man in Satan's place. When Satan brought about Adam's fall, 
God decided to redeem man in order to demonstrate His power and grace 
before the watching angels. It is evident that the angels did have a 
great deal of interest in God's provision for man as seen in I Cor. 4:9, 
6:3; Eph. 3:10 and I Peter 1:12, but this is not an afterthought of God. 
The main purpose for man's creation was to glorify God, man was the main 
character in God's plan. Because angels were always seen in Scripture as 
ministering spirits, sent to minister to man and Israel in particular, 
it leads then that there would be no reason for them to have been 
created much earlier than man.

Consider that even if Satan's sin could have caused a pre-Adamic 
cataclysm on earth, that would still not account for the geologic ages, 
with their evolutionary succession of identifying fossils. The real 
cataclysm, the flood, occurred after creation. The world was without 
form (water, no land) and was void of any inhabitants and darkness was 
upon the face of the deep waters, not land. Angels, including Satan, 
were present to "shout for joy" when God laid the foundations of the 
Earth on the 3rd day of creation (Job 38:4-7). On the 3rd day, "God 
called the dry land Earth" (Gen. 1:10).

This theory still does not bring us to any conclusion as to the whole 
problem of eons of suffering and death, for all this would have occurred 
not only before Adam sinned, but even according to the Gap Theory, 
before Satan (an angel) had sinned.

*THOUGHT FOR THIS WEEK*
Since we are born spiritually dead, our greatest need is spiritual life. 
We received physical life and psychological life and a spirit which was 
dead to God by our human birth. This physical birth gave us temporary 
human life. Unfortunately, every human will die. To escape this living 
death condition, we must be born again into a spiritual life by a 
spiritual rebirth (John 3:3).

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the 
death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His 
life.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*THE HOPLITE OF THE HEAVENLIES *
*PART 2 OF 2*
*By Dr. A. J. RODDY *

"Dress up in God's panoply", Eph.6:11. The emphasis is not upon the 
English word "whole." The word panoply means whole Armor; for what 
Hoplite (foot-soldier) would consider going to war with only part of his 
Armor? This is a war against a master schemer intent upon wrecking the 
life of the Man of the Heavenlies, the Heavenly Hoplite, as he goes 
about his walk. Satan, nor demon, cannot touch the life seated jointly 
with Christ in the heavenlies but he will contest the victory claim to 
the end that the life he cannot touch be rendered as ineffectual as 
possible. It is not rewards that are disputed but the usefulness of a 
person's life for Christ.

Each of these epithets, Eph.6:12, Principalities, Authorities, World 
Tyrants of this Darkness, Spirits of Super mundane Wickedness in battle 
dress - they march, but you are not told to march, you are not told to 
fight. You are told to be dressed in God's panoply so as to be able 
yourself to stand. This is repeated "for this reason pick up God's 
panoply, so that you may be able to withstand in the day, the Evil One, 
and having done all things thoroughly to be able to stand decisively 
there, Eph.6:13.

If one strips away the imagery of physical "Armour" the panoply consists 
of Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, the Faith, and the Word of 
God. Satan's warfare is against these issues.

Before the Heavenly Hoplite takes his stand upon these ramparts he does 
the "girding ... putting on ... binding under the feet (the sandals) ... 
picking up." After the hoplite has done all these, he then takes his stand.

Only the praying is present, 6:18, as though timeless, characterizing 
every act of the soldier. Thus, the warfare of the heavenlies is bounded 
by the command ever to submit to the empowering and ever to be praying 
in every season in spirit.

Praying for whom? For all the saints. They too are heavenly hoplites; 
and they too take their stand. Ever praying, for whom? "And for me ... " 
Ah! for thee, Paul? Bound in chains, gazing perhaps upon the Roman 
soldier to whose wrists thou art chained, whose very Armour may have 
given thee the figures for these passages; for thee Paul, who despite 
chains and prisons art none the less a heavenly hoplite of God? And, why 
pray for thee? Wouldst thou be free of thy chains? Wouldst thou be free 
of thy prison? Ah, hear him, this great soldier-saint: "and for me, that 
to me may be granted utterance, in opening my mouth (not these prison 
doors), with boldness to make known the Mystery of the Good News, for 
the sake of which I GROW OLD IN MY CHAINS (for this is the meaning of "I 
am an ambassador" that I may speak freely in it, as indeed I must speak."
*
*Hast thou no scar? *
*No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand? *
*I hear thee sung as mighty in the land.*
*I hear them hail thy bright, ascendant star.*

*Hast thou no scar?*
**
*Hast thou no wound? *
*Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,*
* Leaned me against a tree to die: and rent *
*By ravening beasts that compassed me, I swooned: *
*Hast thou no wound?*
**
*No wound? No scar? *
*Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,*
*And pierced are the feet that follow me; *
*But thine are whole ... can he have traveled far*
*Who has no wound or scar? By: Amy Carmichael *
*
*Dr. A. J. Roddy *
*
Hoplite, Gr., "hoplites" - tool or weapon, a heavily armed soldier. A.J.R.

Satan is not Omnipotent, Omnipresent, nor Omniscient. Demon activity 
crested in crisis in view of Christ's impending death and resurrection. 
Curiously, demons used Christ's rightful titles. Mt,8:28,29; Lk.4:33,34. 
Demon activity is within the realm of Satan's pseudo- Ministers of 
Righteousness, 2 Cor.11:13-15. R.H.S.

*THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK*
*Those of us who have been rescued from the domain of darkness can bring 
a little bit of heaven to earth when we are willing to demonstrate the 
power of God’s unique approach to life. Even in our moments of weakness 
and vulnerability, we are given opportunities to demonstrate the power 
and strength of God’s forgiveness by showing His love for our enemies. 
—Joe Stowell*
*Ephesians 3:17-19*

THE SOVEREIGN GOD AND HIS WORD*
*By Pastor Paul Hume*

Scripture Reading: 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Psa. 68:11

"Prove to me in one word that the Bible is the inspired Word of God!" 
demanded King Frederick of Prussia of a Christian minister one time. 
After a few moments of thought the answer came clear, "The Jew, Sir, the 
remarkable Jew is one evidence that the Bible is the inspired Word of God!"

Yes! The Bible IS the very Word of our sovereign God even though He 
chose to use some forty human authors through which to give His Word. 
Yet the truth still stands, "The Lord (the Master) gave the Word" (Psa. 
68:11). "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God"--that is, "all 
Scripture is God-breathed." By His Spirit He brought the Word of God 
into being! No wonder we read in Hebrews 4:12 that it is "living and 
active," "His Word, said the Psalmist, 'runneth very swiftly' (Psa. 
147:15). According to both Isaiah 55:11 and Matthew 4:4 it came forth 
from the very mouth of God! Blessed Book! It is "forever settled in heaven!"

Can men ever destroy this Book? They may burn Bibles by the thousands, 
pass laws preventing the propagation of that Book, jail or even slay 
the preachers of it, yet "heaven and earth shall pass away, but My 
words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24:35). Men may cry that it is 
out-dated and not relevant to our times, yet it still abides and is 
changing the lives of millions who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! 
Why! Because God has sworn to stand by His Word: "I will hasten my word 
to perform it" (Jer. 1:12).

*
*"The Bible stands like a rock undaunted*
*'Mid the raging storms of time;*
*Its pages burn with the truth eternal,*
*And they glow with a light sublime.*
*The Bible stands ev'ry test we give it,*
*For its Author is divine; *
*By grace alone I expect to live it,*
*And prove it and make it mine,"*
*
Now we may say a hearty "Amen" to these blessed truths--and rightly 
should we. But the acid test is this: "Does this Book have authority 
over my life?" If not, then you are in rebellion against its blessed 
Author! I trust you are not, but if you are, remember that "rebellion is 
as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry!"

*God doesn't call the qualified. *
*He qualifies the ones He calls!

The Other Sheep

*by Pastor Paul M. Sadler*
*
*

*Scripture Reading:*

*“And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I
must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one
fold, and one shepherd.” — John 10:16*

*A short time ago I made a passing reference to the “other sheep” which 
generated a lot of interest among our readers. Some were under the 
impression that this phrase had to do with the reunification of the 
divided kingdom. Others had been taught that the “other sheep” is the 
Church, the Body of Christ. Having been in the ministry for many years, 
it has been my experience that when someone has a question such as this, 
there are normally twenty standing in the wings wondering the same 
thing. So, with God’s help I shall do my best to shed additional light 
on the matter.*

*Those who are Acts 2 dispensationalists normally hold the position that 
the ones who “are not of this fold” are the members of the Body of 
Christ. This is an inexcusable dispensational blunder, but it is 
understandable since they do not consistently rightly divide the Word of 
truth. Once again, we must ask ourselves the question: To whom was our 
Lord speaking, and at what time? The discourse on the Good Shepherd was 
delivered by Christ when He was on the earth at least two years before 
the Apostle Paul was given his special revelation.*

*Inasmuch as Paul was the first to receive the truth of the One Body, 
the “other sheep” in the above context could in no way be the Body of 
Christ.*

*But there’s more. None of the Apostle Paul’s Gentile epistles contain a 
reference to the members of Christ’s Body being sheep, much less a 
sheepfold. However, these metaphors are found throughout the pages of 
prophecy, which serves as another distinguishing factor between the two 
programs of God.*

THE HOUSES OF ISRAEL

*“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah”
(Jer. 31:31).*

*Under the reign of Rehoboam the kingdom was divided in Israel. The 
division proved to be devastating as the ten northern tribes, which came 
to be called the house of Israel, appointed Jeroboam as their King. He, 
of course, destroyed the religious unity of the nation when he erected 
altars at Dan and Bethel and caused the children of Israel to offer 
sacrifices unto the gods of Egypt (I Kings 12:16-31).*

*On the other hand, the house of Judah (tribes of Judah and Benjamin) 
followed in the ways of the Lord and continued to offer their sacrifices 
in Jerusalem, thus obeying the Law and the prophets. They remained in 
the Lord’s favor in spite of the fact that He allowed them to be carried 
off into the Babylonian captivity for their lapse of faith. These two 
tribes were by far the more spiritual tribes in Israel, not to mention 
that it was in Bethlehem of Judaea where the Prince of Peace chose to be 
born.*

*Consequently, some believe that the “other sheep” are the ten northern 
tribes who will be brought back into the fold at the Second Coming of 
Christ. Hence, there will be one fold and one Shepherd. We surely concur 
that there will be a reunification of the tribes of Israel as 
represented by the binding of the two sticks in Ezekiel 37:15-28.*

*This, however, must not be confused with the sheepfold. Israel is the 
sheep of God, whether they were of the northern or southern tribes. The 
Lord would have never called His chosen people the “other sheep.” They 
are the sheep and therefore the primary fold.*

*If we say that the ten northern tribes are the “other sheep,” then what 
about the kingdom Gentiles — where do they fit into the picture?*

*It is often overlooked, but God had made a provision in prophecy for 
the Gentiles to be saved through Israel. Thus, they are also said to be 
joined to the Lord. And Isaiah goes on to add, “Even them [the Gentiles] 
will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of 
prayer…” (Isa. 56:6,7). Insofar as the Gentiles are the last non-Jewish 
converts to be reached under the Great Commission, the classification 
“other sheep” fits them perfectly. But some are sure to inquire: “Are 
the Gentiles ever called sheep in prophecy?” Indeed they are, please 
read prayerfully Matthew 25:31-46.

* THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL VICTORY*
* by C. R. Stam*
*
Believers in Christ have been made "free from sin" by grace (Rom. 
6:14,18) in the sense that they need not, indeed, should not, yield to 
sin when temptation arises (Rom. 6:12,13). Believers have also been made 
"free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2) for Christ, in grace, 
bore the death penalty for them.

But no believer is free from what Paul calls "the law of sin which is in 
my members" (Rom. 7:23), that is, the old flesh, with its inherent 
tendency to do wrong. Nor is he free from the conflict with the new 
nature which this involves. If the Christian would be truly spiritual 
and deal in a scriptural way with the sin that indwells him, he must 
clearly recognize its presence; he must face the fact that while, thank 
God, he is no longer "in sin", sin is still in him. (Rom 7:18 For I know 
that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will 
is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not.)

But this conflict should not discourage us, for it is one of the true 
signs of salvation. It is unknown to the unbeliever, for only the 
additional presence of the new nature, along with the flesh, causes this 
conflict, for the Bible says about these two: "these are contrary the 
one to the other" (Gal. 5:17).

But not only is this conflict within the believer a sure sign of 
salvation; it also creates within him a deep and necessary sense of our 
inward imperfection and of the infinite grace of a holy God in saving us 
and ministering to us daily in helping us to overcome sin. And this in 
turn gives us a more understanding approach as we proclaim to the lost 
"the gospel of the grace of God".

Paul's epistles show clearly that there is nothing that will so help us 
to overcome sin and live pleasing to God as an understanding and an 
appreciation of what He has done for us in Christ. As we are occupied 
with these "things of the Spirit" we find ourselves "walking in the 
Spirit", and Galatians 5:16 says: "WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND YE SHALL NOT 
FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH". How much better to have our lives 
transformed by occupation with Christ (II Cor. 3:18) and our position 
and blessings in the heavenlies with Him (Col. 3:1-3), than to assume 
the hopeless task of trying to improve the "the flesh"; always engaged 
in introspection; always occupied with the flesh!

* If you are a Christian, *
*you are not a citizen of this world *
*trying to get to heaven;*
* you are a citizen of heaven *
*making your way through this world.*
**
*-----Vance Havner *
*

Lord God of truth, forgive my multiplied attempts to develop a Christian 
walk by my promises to You. Lord, You know how often I have failed. What 
a joyous option this is --- to live by Your promises to me! Please teach 
me how to think and live this way, in Jesus name, Amen.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*The Coming Grace Revolution*
*by Steve McVey*
*

We need a change – a big change. A revolutionary change. The 
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines revolution as “the overthrow or 
renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another 
by the governed; a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or 
visualizing something; a change of paradigm.â€

That’s what we need – the overthrow of the dead religious legalism we 
tried to make nice with for so much of our Christian lives. I’ve seen 
its devastating effect on people’s lives. I talked to the young girl two 
weeks ago who tried to commit suicide last month because she can’t live 
up to the demands she has placed on herself. She was brainwashed by what 
somebody told her was the Bible when it was really nothing but religious 
babble.

I’ve talked to the pastor who is caught in the middle between grace 
lovers and hard core legalists who seek to disrupt the church because 
grace scares them out of their wits. I’ve spoken to the church members 
whose pastor gave a rebuttal on a Sunday night to what I’d taught all 
weekend. I’ve heard from those who innocently ask, “Is this really 
true?†and find it hard to believe that the gospel could really be that 
good. After all, they reason, there must be something that we have to do 
besides simply believe that Christ did it all. Where’s “our part†in that?

Something is happening. Its time has come and I want to be a part of it. 
A grace revolution is under way. In this revolution, those of us who 
are tired of the same-old-same-old we’ve heard declared for gospel truth 
for years only to now discover it’s a load of flesh are going to boldly 
take our stand. We will love everybody. There’s no question about that, 
but we aren’t going to try to sugar coat our words anymore. The truth is 
what it is and, if the only way people are going to be set free is when 
they know the truth, (and that’s what Jesus said) then we need to be 
bold about it. Our love for Christ and His church compels us to do so.

Mild mannered men with mild mannered messages teaching men how to be 
more mild mannered never usher in revolutions. The world isn’t changed 
by a namby-pamby submission to or compromise with a system that is flat 
wrong. It’s time for us to stand up together and bring the message of 
Christ back to the front of the stage. The performance based, 
we-need-to-rededicate-ourselves-to-try-harder approach has been in the 
limelight long enough and has come up short. It doesn’t work. It just 
doesn’t. What works is Jesus Christ.

I want you to get on board with me in this. If you believe in the 
message of the grace walk, don’t sit on the sidelines. Don’t just hope 
that this message will spread. It’s time to sign up for active duty in 
expanding the kingdom of grace. Business-as-usual isn’t going to change 
the world. We must step it up a notch – a big notch.

I want to bombard cities with the grace of God through Grace Walk Groups 
who become the catalyst for revolution where they live. I want to blitz 
pastors with Grace Walk books because I know how God has already used 
the book to transform many pastors. I’m thinking of pastors I’ve talked 
to in the past few weeks. Men like Tom Lanier, who got so excited that 
he bought air time on a local radio station and, over a period of days, 
read the whole book on the air and gave away free copies to everybody 
who called in and requested it. Guys like Don Fugate who started a 
church where he can build up lives on the foundation of this message. 
People like Mike Meadows who said that he can’t teach anything else. 
Their DNA has been changed. Those are the kind of people God is using 
and will use – quiet or not-so-quiet revolutionaries who are willing, 
like Martin Luther, to say “Here I stand, I can do no other.â€

It won’t always be easy. I’ve had attacks ranging from written reviews 
by pseudo-intellectuals who call me antinomian to wild-eyed kooks whose 
review suggested that “Steve McVey is a liar with twisted views and a 
bad haircut.†(I must admit, that one’s pretty funny.) If you get in on 
this revolution, brace yourself. Or to use the words of the Apostle 
Paul, “stand firm in the faith, be a man, be strong†(1 Cor 16:13).

Much is at stake but as C.S. Lewis said in “The Lion, The Witch, And The 
Wardrobe,†Aslan (Christ) is on the move! Let’s follow Him and be tools 
in His hands to usher in a revolution of grace.

* GOD'S POWER PERFECTED IN WEAKNESS*
* by C. R. Stam*
To Paul was committed the greatest revelation of all-time. He was 
divinely commissioned to proclaim the glorious all-sufficiency of 
Christ's redemptive work. He made known God's offer of salvation by free 
grace to all who trust in Christ, along with their heavenly position, 
blessings and prospect in Christ.

Lest he should become puffed up by the glory of these great truths, God 
gave him what he called "a thorn in the flesh," an aggravating physical 
infirmity of some sort. "For this thing," he says, "I besought the Lord 
thrice, that it might depart from me" (II Cor. 12:8). But the Lord knew 
better than Paul what was good for him:

"And He said unto me. My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength 
is made perfect in weakness" (Ver. 9).

How right God was! Every Christian knows that with brimming health and 
"good fortune" comes the tendency to forget our need of Him, while 
infirmity causes us to lean harder and to pray more, and this is where 
our spiritual power lies. Every believer should acknowledge this and say 
with Paul:

"Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the 
power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in 
infirmities... for when I am weak, then am I strong" (Vers. 9,10).

Infirmities of the flesh are common even among God's choicest saints. 
What satisfaction there is, then, in resting upon God's Word: "My grace 
is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would 
protect the rights and privileges of free people and who would preserve 
what is good and fruitful in our national heritage. (Jan. 1954)
-----Dwight D. Eisenhower

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*WHEN DID SATAN FALL - PART 1 *
*By Dr. William Hallman*

*
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-17

Many would suppose that Satan was the cause of the failed planet Earth 
and therefore caused a pre-creation cataclysm. It would follow that God 
would have to re-create the Earth after the terrible fall and removal 
from prominence that Satan experienced. It is important to see where 
Satan is today and what is he doing. Does Satan have access to heaven 
today or is he barred from being in heaven?

A pre-Adamic cataclysm is the basis for the Gap Theory and needs further 
explanation both scientific and theological. In our texts, it is 
supposed that the cataclysm was caused by Satan's rebellion and fall. In 
fact, Lucifer, the highest of all created angels, the supreme of all of 
God's hierarchy, the covering cherub of the very throne of God, rebelled 
and tried to usurp God's dominion. As a result, God expelled him from 
heaven and he became Satan, the great adversary of God. Satan's fall was 
in heaven, in the "holy mountain of God," not on Earth. Scripture does 
not make any statement about Satan on Earth until after the heavenly 
rebellion (see Isa. 14:12). In this text, Satan "which didst weaken the 
NATIONS" is yet a future event, there were no nations prior to creation. 
This, too, places the completion of the "I will's" of Satan also into 
the future tribulation when the antichrist is sitting on David's throne. 
Read Ezek. 28:15-17, Satan is cast to the earth ('erets #0776). There is 
no Scriptural reason to connect Satan's removal from office to a 
cataclysm on earth. Why would Satan try to ruin a non-existing creation 
that had nothing living? It's more accurately that Satan became jealous 
of God's plan for man on Earth after creation and his vanity caused the 
rebellion. Where is Satan today? Before the throne of God accusing the 
brethren. Gen. 1:32 includes the heavens and the earth and ALL the host 
of them as being very good. Therefore, Satan's sin occurred after the 
creation.

2Co 12:9 And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My 
power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather 
glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may overshadow me.

*“You don't need to see the way
if you follow the one that is the Way.” *
*— Author Unknown *

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*MERCIFUL DEATH *
*By Miles Stanford *

"Set your affection on things above ... for ye died, and your life is 
hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:2,3).

The spiritual recession that occurs after the early joys of the new 
birth is not necessarily back-sliding at all. The discovery of the 
sinful old man is the first and foremost step in the discovery of the 
righteous Christ-life.

"We are more disposed to be occupied in telling the Father what we are 
in ourselves, than to allow Him to tell us what we are in the Lord Jesus 
Christ. So often the believer is more taken up with his own 
self-consciousness than with the Father's scriptural revelation of 
Himself. His revelation is one thing; my self-consciousness is quite 
another."

"It gladdens the heart to hear the new convert speak of the blessings he 
has received, and of his new-found joy in those blessings; but we can 
often see very distinctly that he is wrapping all these benefits of 
grace round himself, and we feel pretty sure that he will have to learn 
some lessons presently that will take the shine out of him. He will have 
to learn what a poor wretched thing he is, as in the flesh, that his 
heart may be transferred to a new center altogether.

"Nothing can be more distasteful to a spiritual mind than to hear people 
professedly giving a Christian testimony which begins and ends with 
themselves. It is for the effectual displacement of all this, and to 
transfer the heart to an entirely new center, that the revelation of the 
old man is divinely necessary for our souls. The Father has to come in 
and detach us from that which is our natural center, that He may link 
our affections with another Person - even with the glorified Lord Jesus 
Christ - and make Him everything to our hearts, so that our association 
with Him may be known, and may become the deep, abiding joy of our 
souls." -C.A.C.

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and 
wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing" (Rev. 5:12).

*IF I'D NEVER HAD A PROBLEM,
I'D NEVER KNOW THAT HE
COULD SOLVE THEM.
I'D NEVER KNOW WHAT FAITH
IN GOD CAN DO.
--- ANDRAE CROUCH*

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*THE HOPLITE OF THE HEAVENLIES *
*or HOLDING THE FIELD,
Eph.6:10-20, is worthy of inclusion in this study. *
*PART 1 OF 2*
*By Dr. A. J. RODDY *
We dare not consider the stenai [stand] of Eph.6:13 apart from the 
provisions of chapters one through three. This is no mere privilege: it 
is an imperative. This stand is the third of three great verbs in this 
epistle, the first of which is the prerequisite of the other two.

The first is seen in the ineffable assertion "He made us sit together," 
Eph.2:6. Christ, when He had made purification for sins, sat down at the 
right hand of the Majesty on High, Heb.1:3. God the Father set Christ in 
His own rights in the heavenlies, Eph.1:20. Paul affirms that we share 
in that magnificent sequence, as objects of lavished grace, when he 
states that we are "jointly-quickened with Christ, jointly raised, and 
jointly-seated with Christ in the super- heavenlies," Eph.2:5b,6.

This is, of course, a Fait Accompli. In as much as through His 
incarnation, passion, resurrection, and ascension He has forever 
triumphed over the Accuser, this standing, or should we say, 
joint-seating, is in no jeopardy of failing. Far from being the victors, 
we are the objects of the VICTOR'S interest; our role in this glorious 
enterprise is a passive one, He made us alive in union with Christ 
Jesus, it was He that worked in Christ Jesus when He raised Him from the 
dead, Eph.1:19, so raised us up in union with Him. It was He, by that 
power lifting Christ to the heavenlies and causing Him to be seated in 
the full rights of God, jointly lifted us into that realm and set us 
there with Christ.

Observe, it is not said, in raising us to the heavenlies, we are to be 
seated. He Who delights in the impossible has triumphed over all our 
weakness in His matchless strength and He has set us as objects of grace 
in a joint-union with Christ. He picked us up and set us down. It is 
difficult to accept the fact that we are loved without merit or demerit 
- no deserving, no striving, no reaching, no attaining, no gaining, and 
thus, alas, no boasting! Paul asserts that from first to last this is 
the gift of God. We did not even SIT down, He sat down, and He SEATED US.

Now it is to us, in this heavenly sphere, objects of this grace, that 
the command comes to walk "worthily of this exalted Calling", 4:1. It 
would seem impossible that one so blessed should walk unworthily, or 
otherwise than in love - but the truth we dare not overlook is that the 
exhortation to walk worthily is directed to those who are so seated. The 
walk is expected of those who have been made to sit. Only those who have 
been made to sit with Christ in the heavenlies can hope worthily to 
walk. The "seating" does not depend upon the walking; the walking, one's 
way of life, depends upon the sitting. The "Seating" is the work of God 
in union with the glorified Christ, and we are seated by God and told to 
walk. The seating is bound up with the accomplished, finished work of 
Christ, NOT in the walking. The sitting is the cause, the worthily 
walking is the result.

Here our pride may ensnare us yet. "Here at last," weak flesh shouts 
gleefully, "is something for me to do." But this is, to the contrary, 
also the outworking of the indwelling Christ, Who, by the power that is 
at work in us (that power not being exhausted in our being raised to the 
heavenlies and seated there) is able to do exceedingly abundantly above 
all that we may ask or think, Eph.3:20, in line with the Christ-like walk.

When we come then to the battlefield of 6:10-20, we are told to HOLD THE 
FIELD, it is still within this glorious context. Because of our seating 
and walking the call comes to us to Hold the Field. The seating is not 
in danger, if we yield to the Enemy that which has been wrested from his 
grasp, the walk may be in danger of being unworthy of such a high calling.

The Great War was won in the death, resurrection, and ascension of 
Christ. We are not told to take the field but to hold it. Eph.6:10,11: " 
... keep being empowered (endynamousthe, a passive) in union with 
Jehovah and in union with the effectively-working- might of His 
strength. Put on God's Panoply, so as to be empowered (dynasthai) to 
stand against the skillful strategy of the Devil"

The power is His power working in us the impossible, we are told to 
submit to its constant empowering. No frail human wretch is called upon 
in his unaided strength to face so great a foe, even if the foe is 
already conquered. Here, the man of the heavenlies, in union with the 
Lord of the heavenlies, is reminded of his duty to withstand, he is in 
no danger, for he has the life of His Lord, in this conflict he cannot 
lose, for the victory is assured, before the call to battle, he sings 
the victor's song. The ground is already won, it is his matchless 
privilege to hold it in union with Christ who empowers him, and Who, in 
the final analysis, holds it. But the man of the heavenlies is called to 
share in this enduring conflict, for he who was ousted at Calvary would 
regain the lost ground, he will not, he cannot, try as he may, for the 
ground is held in the power of the Lord Jesus. The war is won, through 
Christ our Victor.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*THE MINISTRY OF YIELDING*
*By Pastor Lloyd Peterson*
*Part 2 of 2*
This is a continuation of the article from yesterday, concerns the 'HOW' 
of yieldedness.

Within the heart of every true child (son) of God there is a desire to 
live a life commendatory to the risen Saviour. It is unnatural for a 
Christian to want to live in sin. 1 John 3:9 says, 'Whosoever is born of 
God doth not commit sin (make life a practice of sin) for His seed 
remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.'

This is not teaching sinless perfection; it is simply stating that if 
you are a saved man or woman God's life abides in you and this life does 
not permit the enjoyable practice of sin. Romans 8:2 is very much like 
this. It declares: 'For the law of the Spirit of, life in Christ Jesus 
hath made me free.' A Christian having a defeated life must bring grief 
to the heart of the Saviour. Do you recall when David had fallen into 
sin that Nathan, the prophet, told him, 'Because of this deed, thou hast 
given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.'

As Christians we do, therefore, want to live above reproach. But HOW? In 
the previous message we sought to show that there must first be 'a 
renewal of the mind.' To me this is Romans 7. There is the willingness 
but........how to perform that which is good I find not,' declares Paul 
in Romans 7:18. To this point Paul had not experienced what he wrote in 
Romans 8. You see my friend, there is not only renewal of the mind but 
there is the renewing of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5. When a Christian 
takes the stand Daniel did in Babylon, 'determining not to defile 
himself,' there comes the quickening power of the Holy Spirit enabling 
the believer to carry out holy dedications. There are two wonderful 
verses that come to my mind at this point. They are Rom. 8:11 and 1 
Corinthians 6:14. Both speak of the same thing. The former often is used 
as a funeral text but has no relationship to a dead man but rather to 
the living. God's Spirit that quickened Christ's dead body will quicken 
our mortal bodies, not after death but NOW. The latter text has the same 
testimony. Romans 8 is an exposition of the thought brought forth in 
these texts.

The renewal of the mind and the renewing ministry of the Holy Spirit is 
well illustrated by an experience related by a veteran missionary from 
Africa. He told of the discipline necessary to be a faithful and 
ambitious servant of the Master in Africa. He said. "I found myself 
becoming lazy, tempted to sleep late in the mornings when I should be 
up, alert and active. My nature was to sleep and the climate was such 
that it was conducive to sleep, especially at the times that I should 
get up. Late hours of work at night gave me good excuse to sleep, and 
yet I felt I should be an example to those working with me. I wanted to 
break that habit that had formed in my life. -- but how? I was not 
willing to 'assist' (same word as in Rom. 12:1 'present' and Rom. 
6:13, (' yield') my body so I set my alarm clock. It awakened me out of 
a dead sleep. But I was still in bed. All forces of nature intrinsic and 
extrinsic said 'stay in bed,' but I jumped out of bed, raised my hands 
toward heavens in stretching, took a deep breath of fresh God-given 
invigorating air and said, 'Thank God for this new day,' ran around my 
bed three times and by that time I was renewed in mind and renewed in 
spirit and was ready for the day."

This is crude perhaps as an illustration but it gives a good picture of 
the two important factors necessary for successful living. And so it is 
in the spiritual realm. God show us all how to be best for Him.


Dear God of faithfulness, how delightful to realize that my persistence 
of faith in You hinges on Your faithfulness toward me. I see that I can 
continue to depend upon You, because you are fully faithful to me. What 
expectation this gives me as I consider Your great promises! You will be 
faithful to fulfill every one of them, as I place my trust in You!
**Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why 
not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one. The Word of God is 
so needed in our troubled USA. We are loosing a great many of our 
privileges the founding fathers of our great county have protected us by 
the Constitution of America, there is no country in the world as great 
as America. Let's stand up and take back our roots.
*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET *

The Fruit Of Grace
by Pastor C. R. Stam

When John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ appeared on earth,God’s 
people had been under the law of Moses for fifteen hundred years. Little 
wonder John and his Master looked for fruit among them.

When the hypocritical religious leaders came to join John’s growing 
audience and asked to be baptized, John called them a“generation of 
vipers” and bade them “bring forth…fruits meet for repentance” (Matt. 
3:7,8). True repentance, with fruit to prove it, was the basic 
requirement of the kingdom John proclaimed. This is evident from his 
declaration:

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore 
every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast 
into the fire” (Matt. 3:10).

Our Lord appeared, proclaiming the same message as John, and also sought 
for fruit among His people (Matt. 7: 16-20; 21:33-43). We know, 
however,that John the Baptist was beheaded and Christ crucified. The 
fruit produced under the Law was meager indeed. Even after the 
resurrection of Christ the majority of His people refused to repent and 
failed to bring forth the required fruit.

But what the Law requires grace provides. It was at this time that God 
raised up the Apostle Paul, whose “preaching of the cross”showed that 
Christ had not died an untimely death, but in infinite love had come 
into the world to die for sinners so that they might be saved by grace, 
through faith (Eph. 2:8,9). Paul’s message was called“the gospel [good 
news] of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), and where the Law had failed to 
bring forth fruit, grace brought it forth abundantly.

God’s grace in Christ, when accepted in true faith, always brings forth 
good fruit. Thus Paul wrote to the Colossians that his good news was 
going forth into all the world, adding: “and bringeth forth fruit, as it 
doth also in you since… ye knew the grace of God in truth”(Col. 1:5,6 
cf. Rom. 6: 21,22).

Accept God’s message of grace, trust in Christ as your Savior and He 
will help you to produce the fruit.

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through 
which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 
6:14 NIV

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*Imagine *
*by Steve McVey*

I'm a bonafide baby boomer. I was a teen during the late sixties and 
early seventies. I loved (and still do) the music of that time. Once 
somebody asked me, â??Do you really like that drug music?â?? I 
answered, â??I guess we know what you were doing during the sixties.â?? 
No, I donâ??t like the drug music â?? never did the music or the drugs. 
But I do like a lot of the old sixties music. In fact, Melanie and I 
heard Peter Noone and Hermanâ??s Hermits recently. It was like entering 
a time machine for me.
 I heard a song lately that I hadnâ??t heard in a long time. It was 
known as â??the atheistâ??s anthem.â?? It was Imagine by John Lennon. I 
thought about it and wondered if there was a way to redeem that song. 
Hereâ??s my attempt: (You do know I write this article tongue-in-cheek, 
right?)

*
*Imagine thereâ??s no legalism, No struggles, no strife.*
*No rules to judge us, Within us only life.*
*Imagine all the Christians, Living really free.*

*Imagine grace filled churches. It isnâ??t hard to do*
*No sermons that condemn you. And no religion too.*
*Imagine all the pastors, Teaching grace and peace*

*You may say that Iâ??m a dreamer, But Iâ??m not the only one*
*I hope someday youâ??ll join us, And know in Him, we all can live as one*

*Imagine no rededication. I wonder if you can*
*No need to make promises, To know in Him we stand*
*Imagine all believers, Enjoying life in Christ.*

*You may say that Iâ??m a dreamer. But Iâ??m not the only one*
*I hope someday youâ??ll join us, And know in Him, we all can live as one.*

*
John Lennon imagined a utopia that he never lived to see. The one I 
imagine is becoming an increasing reality as we partner together to 
share the message of Godâ??s amazing grace and unconditional love with 
people all over the world. One by one, pastors and church members are 
understanding their identity in Christ and being set free from the 
performance based prison of legalism they have lived in for so long.

 Thank you for being a part of what He is doing through Grace Walk 
Ministries. As the summer progresses, please be faithful with your 
prayers. We are partnering together to share the message that will 
free people from condemnation, guilt, and shame and bringing them into 
the freedom known only by those who walk in grace. Together we can 
impact the world with this message. Christianity known, not by what it 
is against, but known by the love that believers have for Christ and for 
every person around us. Imagine that. Imagine.

*THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK*

*If you live close to God,*
*Â Â in His infinite grace,*
*you don't have to tell it,*

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

THE MINISTRY OF YIELDING*
*PART 1 OF 2*
*By Pastor Lloyd Peterson*

*
Romans 6:13 and Romans 1:1-2

Lately I have had several discussions relative to the age in which we 
are living. The consensus seems to be that we are living in strange 
times to say the least. It was generally agreed that we could be living 
in the sunset or eventide of the age of grace. The church is not 
prophesied as to its time and it appears that these 'coming events' are 
casting their shadows before them. If the hour of Christian history is 
rapidly coming to a close, it is possible to remain spiritual and loyal 
to our blessed Redeemer as night shadows lengthen? It would do all of us 
good to study the Gospels and learn well the attitude of Israel as they 
lived before God had cast them away. (Romans 11:15) The experiences of 
their being set aside will be those of the Gentiles. These experiences 
will, and must, affect the church. Some believe the spiritual paralysis 
has already begun. Jesus cried to Israel in their hour, 'Walk while ye 
have the light, lest darkness come upon you! The response to this cry 
was negative, for the Scripture declares: 'But though He had done so 
many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him: that the saying 
of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath 
believed our report?..... Therefore they could not believe.' John 
12:35,37-39.

God sent blindness to Israel. He will do so to the Gentiles. Will this 
spirit be experienced in our age? If so, can the Christian today avoid 
being anesthetized by the spirit of the age? Must my life be affected 
regardless what I might do about it? This is a good question and every 
believer should give very serious thought to it. We believe (many of us) 
that the tide of the age not only will affect many but already has put 
some asleep spiritually. Some will read this article and smile....but 
the smile is evidence of spiritual indifference. No serious child of the 
living God today laughs off our times. But it does not have to be that 
we become spiritually indifferent. We can be true; found at our post 
with lamps burning brightly until the curtain falls on this age. But how 
many will do so? Paul gives the remedy in Romans 12:1-2. At first 
thought we may think we know these verses; but do we? Paul request two 
things in view of God's mercy. (His mercy was that by faith He has 
incorporated us into His Body.)

First: He declares 'present your bodies.' The word present is the same 
word as yield in 6:13 and assist in 16:2. The original word means 'to 
set beside' or 'put beside,' that is 'to assist.' The Holy Spirit is 
called the 'Parakletos'; one called alongside to assist. A parable is a 
'parabollo,' something cast alongside to assist in teaching or to assist 
in making clear some teaching. To present your body is to 'assist' your 
body in its dedication and service to God. So there is something you and 
I can do about our times.

Second: Paul declares the means of assisting, helping or presenting your 
bodies. By (means of) the renewing of your mind. The word 'renew' is 
interesting. It is made up of two Greek words: 'Ana' and kainos'. 'Ana' 
means, 'up' and 'kainos' means 'new.' Really it means to 'up the new'; 
to put the new to the front or show the new. Take down the faded, worn 
and tattered and put up the new life in Christ. It amounts to what Paul 
says in Col. 3:1, 'Set your affections on things above.' A most 
wonderful passage to study with this in mind is Col. 3:5-10. Be sure to 
consider this as it is so related to the renewing of the mind.

I'm rather sure that all of us as Christians have trouble in certain 
areas and we do so want to be victorious and glorify our Blessed Lord. 
The renewing of the mind is the first major step in the direction of 
success. Daniel, as a believer, is a good example of this lesson. He was 
only a boy when he was carried into captivity. The world made a bid for 
his soul. In fact, the head of all Gentile power, King Nebuchadnezzar, 
demanded that Daniel defile himself with a portion of the king's meat. 
But the Word of God says 'Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile 
himself.' Daniel 1:8. This is the 'renewing of the mind.' Divine 
enablement follows this, but man's first step is to take a stand against 
the inroads of evil. 'Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like 
men, be strong.' May we as Sons of our Savior do so.

*Be much with the solid teachings of God's word,*
*and you will become solid and substantial *
*men and women: drink them in,*
*and feed upon them, *
*and they shall produce in you *
*a Christ-likeness,
at which the world shall stand astonished.*
*----- C. H. Spurgeon*  

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*LIVING WITH SIN'S CONSEQUENCES*
*By Neil Anderson*
*

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of 
God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord 
(Romans 12:19).

Forgiveness does not mean that you must tolerate sin. Isabel, a young 
wife and mother attending one of my conferences, told me of her decision 
to forgive her mother for continually manipulating her for attention. 
But Isabel tearfully continued, "She is no different. Am I supposed to 
let her keep ruining my life?"

No, forgiving someone doesn't mean that you must be a doormat to their 
continual sin. I encouraged Isabel to confront her mother lovingly but 
firmly, and tell her that she would no longer tolerate destructive 
manipulation. It's okay to forgive another's past sins and, at the same 
time, take a stand against future sins. Forgiving is not a codependent 
activity.

Forgiveness does not demand revenge or repayment for offenses suffered. 
"You mean I'm just supposed to let them off the hook?" you may argue. 
Yes, you let them off your hook, realizing that they are not off God's 
hook. You may feel like exacting justice, but you are not an impartial 
judge. God is the just Judge who will make everything right (Romans 
12:19). Your job is to extend the mercy of forgiveness and leave 
judgment up to God.

Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another 
person's sin. Suppose that someone in your church says, "I have gossiped 
about you. Will you forgiven me?" You can't retract gossip any easier 
than you can put toothpaste back into the tube. You're going to live 
with the gossip this person spread about you no matter how you respond 
to the gossiper.

We are all living with the consequences of another person's sin: Adam's. 
The only real choice we have in the matter is to live in the bondage of 
bitterness or in the freedom of forgiveness.

Heavenly Father, I give up my right to seek revenge or harbor 
resentment. I want to enjoy the freedom which comes from forgiving others.


*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Grace Not Earned
by Pastor C. R. Stam

Have you ever noticed that God does not hold the great men of Scripture 
up to us because of their personal goodness? Almost invariably their 
records are marred by failure and sin, but God bids us look at their 
faith,to see what their faith did for them. Even those who lived 
consistently good lives are not held up to us for their personal worth, 
because God knows their imperfections. Thus Rom. 4:2,3 says:

"For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory-- but 
not before God. For what saith the Scripture?Abraham believed God, and 
it was counted unto him for righteousness."

And Verse 6 goes on to say about David:

"Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God 
imputeth righteousness without works."

This is because man cannot live a life good enough to make him 
acceptable to God, for with God only perfection is good enough. One sin 
spoiled the earth; God will not allow one sin to spoil heaven too. This 
is why in grace He gave Christ to die for our sins and to pay the just 
penalty for us. Because of the all-sufficient payment of Christ in our 
behalf, God can now be "just, and the Justifier" of those who place 
their faith in Christ (Rom. 3:26).

The famous eleventh chapter of Paul's letter to the Hebrews bears out 
the fact that salvation, or acceptance with God, is obtained, not by 
human effort, but by faith. This great chapter on the heroes in 
God's"Hall of Fame," begins with the words: "For by it [faith]the elders 
obtained a good report," and then goes on: "By faith Abel ...," "By 
faith Enoch...," "By faith Noah...," "By faith Abraham...," etc., and 
closes with the declaration:

"...these all...obtained a good report through faith..."

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by 
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, 
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623 
546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other 
person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL. This worldwide 
ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and 
Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE.


*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

The Noble Bereans And Paul's Gospel
by Pastor C. R. Stam

We have said that the Bereans were commended for listening with
open minds to teachings which they had never heard before.Yes, when they
were confronted with them. It was the Athenians,not the Bereans, who
made it their policy to consider as many viewpoints as possible on every
subject (Acts 17:18-21).

The strength of the Bereans was that they kept close to the Scriptures.
When confronted with some new doctrine, they did indeed give it an
interested hearing, but then“searched the Scriptures daily whether those
things were so” (Acts 17:11). Had they found anything in Paul’s message
which contradicted the Scriptures they would immediately have rejected
it. And for this God calls them“noble”. They were the truly great, the
spiritual aristocracy of their day.

Too many believers today aspire to be like the Athenians rather than the
Bereans. They say they wish to have open minds, and this is good if it
is remembered that an open mind is like an open mouth; not everything
should be put into it.

The Athenians went to the other extreme from the Thessalonians, who
would not even consider a new doctrine when confronted with it— would
not even consider it in the light of the Scriptures.

The Bereans were the wisest of the three. They kept close to that
blessed Book, and, when confronted with unfamiliar teachings,
immediately subjected them to the test of Scripture.

This is the wisest course, even if only because we are all limited in
time and strength. Obviously we cannot spend a great deal of time
looking into the conflicting teachings of men without sacrificing a
great deal of much-needed time for Bible study, and in the measure that
we do this we are bound to grow spiritually weaker.

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him,
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623
546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other
person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL. This worldwide
ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

LIFE GIVEN AND MAINTAINED *
*By Miles Stanford*
*
'"He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of
Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6).

When one begins to realize the complexity of simple spiritual growth, he
learns to keep his hands off. and his faith on.

"Regeneration is a birth: the center and root of the personality, the
spirit, has been re-created and taken possession of by the Holy Spirit.
But time is required for that center to extend through all the
circumference of our being. It is akin to a seed: the life of the Lord
Jesus within must grow; and it would be against the laws of nature and
grace alike if we expected from the babe in Christ the strength that can
only be found in the young man, or the rich experience and stability of
the fathers. Even where in the new convert there is great singleness of
heart and faith, with true love and devotion to the Saviour, time is
needed for a deeper knowledge of the old man and sin, for a spiritual
insight into what the Father's will and grace are." -A.M.

"The process of conformity to the Lord Jesus' image is going on day by
day in the growing believer's life. It is a progression from obedience
to obedience, from dependence to dependence, from righteousness to
righteousness, and from love to love. As the maturing one gets a larger
vision of his perfect Pattern through the daily study of God's Word, he
takes higher ground along the line of that blessed revelation, so that
his life is a progressive growing up into the Lord Jesus in all things."
-R.P.

"The more the believer abounds in the riches of the Father's grace, the
more unsearchable and inexhaustible he finds them to be. The spiritual
man never stops growing, because he is always reaching upward to that
still higher height that is just beyond." -R.P.

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14).

"To know the Word of God, to live the Word of God, to preach the Word,
to teach the Word, is the sum of all wisdom, the heart of all Christian
service."

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*THE MOST IMPORTANT HOUR OF HISTORY
Part 2of 2
By John Steine
*SUBSTITUTION *
*
We have not even begun to understand the cross if we do not understand 
that Christ died there as our Substitute, paying for our sins. "Christ 
died for our sins" (I Corinthians 15:3). "His own self bare our sins in 
His own body on the tree" (I Peter 2:24).

He is our substitute because the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). 
Death is God's required penalty for sin, and by the way, even with all 
the medical advances of our day the death rate remains the same (one 
apiece).

Our Lord Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. He is an eternal being and as 
such "through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God" 
(Hebrews 9:14).

Many people do not get saved because they don't realize they are lost. 
They haven't agreed with God who says they stand condemned and guilty of 
the sentence of death. God's Word tells us we are sinners and therefore 
enemies of God by nature, the nature we inherited from Adam. Paul tells 
us, "I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing" 
(Romans 7:18). So, take it by faith, you're a guilty sinner, lost, 
guilty and condemned. Trust it fully in your heart, mind and soul that 
Jesus Christ died as your substitute on the cross of Calvary.

*
*REPRESENTATION*
*
But Christ was more than our Substitute; He was our voluntary 
Representative at Calvary. He had taken on Himself human form that He 
might represent man before God and die as Man for men. "As it is 
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ 
was once offered to bear the sins of many ... " (Hebrews 9:27, 28) "(He} 
was made ... lower than the angels ... that He by the grace of God 
should taste death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9).

He was qualified to represent man "in that he himself hath suffered 
being tempted" and was "touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but 
was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 
2:18, 4:15)

*
*IDENTIFICATION *
*
It follows from this that if Christ represented me at Calvary, He became 
identified with me there, and I am identified with Him as I accept this 
by faith. The moment we trust Him as Saviour, the Holy Spirit quickens, 
baptizes, or identifies us completely with Christ. "But God, who is rich 
in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were 
dead in sins, hath QUICKENED US TOGETHER with Christ. (by grace ye are 
saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us SIT TOGETHER in 
heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-6)

It is the OPERATION of God. This is why it says "without hands" we are 
identified completely with our Lord. Paul writes, "For in him dwelleth 
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And YE ARE COMPLETE in HIM, 
which is the head of all principality and power. In whom also Ye ARE 
CIRCUMCISED WITH THE CIRCUMCISION MADE WITHOUT HANDS, in putting off the 
body of sins of the flesh by the CIRCUMCISION of Christ, BURIED WITH HIM 
in baptism where in also ye are risen with him through the faith of THE 
OPERATION OF GOD, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead 
in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, HATH HE QUICKENED 
TOGETHER WITH HIM, having forgiven you all trespasses." (Colossians 2:9-13)

We are then so identified with Christ that we are hidden in Him as Paul 
writes, "for you are dead and, YOUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD. When 
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with 
him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4) With all of this being true for us 
who believe, we should exclaim with Paul who wrote, "I am crucified with 
Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the 
life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith (or 
faithfulness) of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." 
(Galatians 2:20)

Considering these four words in connection with our Saviour's death at 
Calvary causes me to believe it was indeed the most important hour of 
history. How about you? God must see it this way for His Word has so 
much to say on this event and what our Savior accomplished in that hour. 
What peace and assurance comes to your heart and mind when you believe 
what the Bible tells us. Believe these truths for yourself if you have 
never done so. Do it this very hour. It could become the most important 
hour of your life.

*Its not Gods fault we don't live in true victory see it as this:
Compare it to turning on a radio.
If you don't have it tuned to exactly the right frequency,
you won't be able to hear the station.
It's not the station's fault.
It's sending out signals perfectly.
The problem is, you haven't tuned in to it. *

Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why 
not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one who maybe defending 
the USA. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world. It is our 
heart at GRACE AND THE TRUTH and mission to reach as many people as we 
possibly can TO SHARE with them the Word of God and and all that the Lord 
Jesus Christ has done for members of the body of Christ.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD
by C. R. Stam

It is not enough to use the Bible as a grand book of wonderful sayings
from which we may choose what we wish for our inspiration, nor will one
who truly realizes that "God hath spoken" ever hold so shallow an
opinion of the sacred Scriptures.

"The Word of truth" must be "rightly divided"; for while it is all given
for our spiritual profit, it was not all addressed to us, or written
about us. Thus one who truly desires to understand and obey God's Word
will seek first to determine what Scriptures are particularly related to
him and will study all the rest in the light of these.

Sad to say, however, there are many who fail to give the Book of God the
respect and reverence it deserves. They flip it open at random, let a
finger light upon the open page and then read the verse indicated to see
if perchance they may find leading from the Lord in that way. And if it
doesn't "work" the first time they try it again and again until it does
"work." They use "promise boxes" in the same way, on the basis that
"every promise in the Book is mine."They take passages out of their
contexts, "spiritualize" them, and give them "private interpretations."
Finding "precious passages" anywhere at all, no matter to whom addressed
or when or why, they place their own constructions upon them and claim
them as promises of God to them! To take isolated statements from the
writings of men and use them in such a manner would be considered
dishonest, but even Bible teachers do it with the Word of God!

The Word, rightly divided, is of supreme importance to the Church at
large as well as to the individual believer, and it is because this fact
has not yet been sufficiently recognized that we have not experienced
the true, heaven-sent revival that the Church so sorely needs.

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him,
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623
546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other
person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL. This worldwide
ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE.
*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*THE MOST IMPORTANT HOUR OF HISTORY
Part 1 of 2
By John Steiner
*
*

The most important hour of all history was the hour when the Lord Jesus
Christ died on Calvary's cross for the sins of mankind. Often in
scripture, the hour of our Lord's death is called simply "the hour," "My
hour" or "His hour."

To fulfill prophecy He could not have died one hour earlier, or one
later. Until that hour arrived, His enemies were somehow restrained from
doing Him bodily harm, so that we read in John 7:30, "Then they sought
to take Him; but no man laid hands on Him, because HIS HOUR WAS NOT YET
COME" (See also John 8:20).

This hour was to be for Him a time of unspeakable agony and shame.
Referring to this, He said to Andrew and Philip, "Now is my soul
troubled; and what shall I say? Father save Me from this hour? But FOR
THIS CAUSE CAME I UNTO THIS HOUR" (John 12:27).

He had come to die for the sins of the world and would not now turn away
from the sufferings involved. But this hour of suffering and shame was
also an hour of glory, for there the Son of God paid a debt which would
have sunk a world to hell. This is why, at this same time, in the very
shadow of the cross, He said, "THE HOUR IS COME THAT THE SON OF MAN
SHOULD BE GLORIFIED. Verily, verily I say unto you, Except a grain of
wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it
bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12:23,24. See Also John 17:1,2).

Little wonder we read in John 3:35,36; "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 BELIEVETH NOT THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LlFE
BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM"

These thoughts are taken from one of my favorite daily devotionals
called: TWO MINUTES WITH THE BIBLE by C.R. Stam. I think these comments
are fitting this time of the year when many are hopefully turning their
thoughts to the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

*
*THE DEATH OF THE CROSS*
*
There are four words which everyone of us should consider in connection
with Christ's death at Calvary if we would fully appreciate what our
Savior did for us there.

*
*CRUCIFIXION *
*
It is doubtful whether man has ever conceived a more cruel and
humiliating way to execute even the vilest criminals. The physical agony
alone must have been horrible beyond comprehension. The criminal was
nailed to a tree and left to hang there, writhing in the most intense
pain until, fevers wracking his body, he died. And then think of the
humiliation as he hung there, stripped and naked, to suffer shame and
disgrace before the public gaze. Little wonder Philippians 2:8 says that
Christ humbled Himself to become obedient "unto death even the death of
the cross."
Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why
not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one who maybe defending
the USA. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world. It is our
heart at GRACE AND THE TRUTH and mission to reach as many people as we
possibly can TO SHARE with them the Word of God and all that the Lord
Jesus Christ has done for members of the body of Christ

*Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, *
*which from the beginning of the world *
*hath been hid in God,*
*who created all things by Jesus Christ*

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*MY FAITH? YOUR FAITH? THE FAITH? *
*By Pastor Bob Hanna
The word "Faith" has suffered untold distortion and misapplication over 
time. There are several proper definitions, but they have been 
shamefully misinterpreted. One accurate definition is "The Faith," 
referring to that which is believed. The apostle wrote, "He [Christ} 
gave some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists; and 
some, pastors/teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work 
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all 
come in the unity of the Faith" (Ephesians 4:11-13).

"And so were the churches established in the faith" (Acts 16:5). Faith, 
in these examples is the common cause in which we believe. This 
definition is ordinarily not the victim of misinterpre-tation. The same 
can't be said, for example, of Paul's declaration, "I am crucified with 
Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the 
life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of 
God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20), Most modern 
translations erroneously render "His faith" to read, "my Faith". This, 
of course, is impossible. Human faith has no power to sustain one's 
spiritual preservation.

Another false impression popularly held, is that faith can be humanly 
generated which can attain one's personal desires. Such a one might be 
heard to say, "The reason the Lord didn't answer my prayer is that I 
didn't have enough faith." Our faith consists of believing and obeying 
God not in producing desired results. "Now faith is the substance of 
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders 
obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were 
framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made 
of things which do appear" (Hebrews 11:1-3).

Strangely, it appears that people can more easily place their faith in 
matters of the secular world than in spiritual things. For example, when 
a person is presented a personal check in payment for a service or a 
purchase, the recipient is accepting it because he has faith that it 
will be honored by the bank. Yet when that same person is offered 
salvation by grace through faith, he resists.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

A Biblical Basis for Unity between Believers
Part 2 of 2
by Pastor E. R. Campbell

When there are difficulties in interpreting what the Greek New Testament 
says, accurate translators will carry these difficulties over into their 
translation, leaving the responsibility of interpreting with the reader. 
For translators to interpret difficult portions according to their own 
personal whims, and come up with translations that are perfectly clear, 
when the Greek Text is difficult, can produce an unjustifiable dogmatic 
mindset that will tend to destroy the unity of the Spirit.

For the Greek student to recognize that certain passages may be 
interpreted in more than one way, this helps to remove unfounded 
dogmatism, and produces a charitable mindset where there is room for 
difference within the sphere of the unity of the Spirit.

Another important factor involved in getting back to the intended 
meaning of the Greek New Testament is that every Greek word has a basic 
meaning. This meaning is closely tied to the derivation and etymology of 
a word, and it can be ascertained, established, and proved by the way a 
word is used in various contexts. With few exceptions this basic meaning 
will be either very obvious, or can be seen lurking in the background.

The accurate translator and interpreter of the Greek New Testament must 
recognize this principle of basic meaning, try to adhere as closely as 
possible to it, deviating from it only to the extent that the immediate 
context requires. The application of this principle is exceedingly 
important in determining the literal meaning of the New Testament, which 
is a necessary basis for unity between believers. Failure to tenaciously 
hold to the basic meanings of Greek words and phrases is one of the 
reasons behind most of the free translations of our day!

The foregoing represents foundational principles to guide us to a solid 
New Testament basis for unity between believers. In the next issue of 
the Expositor we will begin applying these principles to New Testament 
truths which have unnecessarily been made controversial.

I want to thankfully let you know
that the commentaries of the Greek
New Testament have completely
changed my life. I would have never
without the help of these
books. I hope that these writings
will come into the hands of many
other believers and that they also
can live in the truth and joy that
comes from understanding the
Mystery. I love all of you who
faithfully are proclaiming [sic] the
gospel of grace and a special .
Gods [sic] grace be with you"
From Texas

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by 
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, 
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623 
546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other 
person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL. This worldwide 
ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and 
Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

The Mystery
by Pastor C R. Stam

In Eph. 3:1-3 “the dispensation of the grace of God”is 
specifically called “the mystery” (i.e., secret). It is thus designated 
for two reasons:

1. It had been “kept secret since the world began, but now,” through 
Paul, had been “made manifest” (Rom.16:25). “In other ages” it was “not 
made known”(Eph. 3:5). Rather, “from the beginning of the world” it had 
been “hid in God” (Ver. 9), “hid from ages and from generations, but 
now… made manifest to His saints” (Col.1:26).

2. It was at the same time the explanation, the key, to all God’s good 
news, including that which had been proclaimed in ages past. It 
explained how it was that Abel could be declared righteous by bringing 
an animal sacrifice, “God testifying of his gifts”(Heb. 11:4), how Noah 
could become “an heir of…righteousness” by building an ark (Heb. 11:7), 
how anyone could be saved under the dispensation of the Law, and how it 
is that we can be saved today by grace through faith alone.

Thus we have in Paul’s epistles, not only the gospel [good news]of “the 
secret” (Eph. 3:1-3), but at the same time, “the secret of the gospel” 
(Eph. 6:19,20).

This great secret, revealed to and through Paul, has rightly been called 
the capstone of divine revelation, for it concerns God’s eternal purpose 
in Christ. Through Paul, the chief of sinners saved by grace, God has 
now made this glorious secret known to us (Eph. 1:9) that we, in 
turn,might make it known to others (Eph. 3:9).

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by 
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, 
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623 
546 8866, Paris
*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Grace, Not Deliverance*
*by Anabel Gillham*

We can’t deny that painful circumstances invade our lives. But we must 
put them in their proper perspective.

Pres, my eldest, was going through a time of deep disillusion- ment, 
hurt, loneliness, confusion, and penetrating self-evaluation. He shared 
with me how the following thoughts brought clarity in his thinking, how 
they enveloped him in peace and promised endurance.

Pres:

"I know that the difficult circumstances in my life at this present 
moment are very real. But I also know that Christ has provided victory 
for me in these circumstances.

"As you and I well know, this victory is not deliverance but grace, as 
spoken of in Proverbs 3:34: ‘He gives grace to the afflicted.’

"Grace used here refers to the divine influence upon your heart brought 
about through the affliction, the difficulties—difficulties such as I am 
experiencing now, and how that divine influence is reflected in your 
life through the unexpected benefits of the suffering."

Unexpected benefits? Like what? What might we learn from suffering? How 
does it change us, and what can we profit from it?

It might be . . .
the rebirth of compassion for others
a renewal of your covenant with Christ
an awareness of His amazing strength
through you the thankfulness and joy
that will emanate from the depths of
your inner being coming to know—really
know—how much He the tender knowledge
of your complete acceptability by God, your Maker.

Pres again:
"Deliverance is the easy way out. Grace is a training ground run through 
tear-blurred eyes which, in the end, leaves your heart strong, your 
muscles toned, and your head clear and organized."

He has said to me:

"I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak 
people." 2 Corinthians 12:9 tlb

Thank You, Lord, for in these—my WEAKEST moments—I will be strong beyond 
my ability to comprehend.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

A Biblical Basis for Unity between Believers
Part 1 of 2
by Pastor E. R. Campbell

The first basic requirement for unity is mental agreement, i.e., to be 
of one mind, and to think the same thoughts. This posits the need for 
all believers to have a common body of Truth that controls their 
thinking. The Truth is the Bible; the Holy Spirit-inspired and 
infallible Word of God! There is no room for tolerance on the Divine 
authority of the Scripture! There can be no solid unity between 
believers apart from an uncompromising affirmation that the Bible is 
what it claims to be, the Word of God!

Most disagreements between believers are the result of different 
interpretations of the New Testament; therefore we will focus our 
attention in this area, and particularly on the Greek New Testament. The 
most commonly used Greek New Testament is published by the United Bible 
Societies. For all intents and purposes, we believe this is an accurate 
replica of the original Greek manuscripts. Where there are variant 
readings, the supporting evidence for each is evaluated.

As the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language, we 
have a common absolute basis for oneness in thinking between members in 
the Body of Christ. It is our conviction that God the Holy Spirit, 
energizing through all who contributed to the canon of the Scriptures, 
wrote those things which would accomplish God's purpose--- the unity of 
all believers (cf. John 17:11; Gal. 3:27f).

The apostle Paul emphasizes the need for unity between believers in all 
of his epistles, and specifically deals with the subject on three 
different occasions (cf. Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-31; Eph. 4:1-16). 
There is no doubt about it, God's purpose in the original manuscripts 
was to instruct believers to keep (tereo, Eph. 4:3) the unity which is 
their's in the Body of Christ!

Those who are adequately mature in handling the Greek New Testament are 
in a position to more accurately understand what it is teaching than 
those who have to depend upon a translation. This is not to say that 
knowledge of the Greek will make all difficult passages clear. True, in 
many cases this will be the result, but on the other hand, some passages 
that certain translations seem to make clear will be found to have 
problems. Such clarity may be at the expense of accuracy; it may be 
interpretation beyond that which is written (cf. 1 Cor. 4:6).

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging 
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by 
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him, 
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13 
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623 
546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other 
person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL. This worldwide 
ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and 
Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*POSITION AND POSSESSION *
*By Miles Stanford*

"I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am 
apprehended of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:12).

To know our position in the Lord Jesus is necessary so that we may 
understand His ways and rest in His means. Then, by processing through 
the years He slowly narrows the discrepancy between our heavenly 
position and our personal condition. Truth is received in the mind, 
assimilated in the heart, and manifested in the walk.

"First, the believer, like a bird, flies at once to the top and sees 
everything accomplished on his behalf; and then he, as it were, comes 
back and creeps up every inch of the way. It is like ascending a ladder 
of grace.

"The first step is, we believe that the Lord Jesus was sent of the 
Father; second, that in the fulness of His work we are justified; third, 
we make His acquaintance; fourth, we come to see Him in heaven - we know 
our association with Him there, and His rest here; fifth, we learn the 
mystery, the great things we are entitled to because of being in His 
Body, sixth, that we are seated in heavenly places in Him; seventh, we 
rejoice in wonder and in praise in the knowledge of Himself." ---J.B.S.

"As the result of the work of His Cross and resurrection, eternal life 
is received complete by those who believe. But while that life is itself 
victorious, incorruptible, and indestructible, the believer has to come 
by faith to prove it, to live by it, to learn its principles, to be 
conformed to it. The life in itself in the believer needs no addition, 
so far as its quality and quantity are concerned. So far as its power, 
its glory, its potentialities are concerned nothing can be added to it. 
But the course of spiritual experience, of spiritual life, is to 
discover, to appropriate, and to grow in all that the life represents 
and means." ---T. A-S.

"Rooted and built up in Him, and established" (Col. 2:

* Lord God of resurrection,*
* I praise You for the resurrection of Your Son,*
* Jesus, my Savior.*
* Lord Jesus, I am so thankful that you have placed*
* me in the body of Christ and that I have*
* been given a wonderful place in the heavens*
*You truly have blessed we Gentiles, *
*thereby missing the day of Vengeance of our Lord.*
* Please work in my life the richness of Your grace, *
*secured by Your sacrificial death and resurrection victory.*
* In Your mighty name, I pray, Amen.*

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

THE SECOND ADVENT and THE GLORIOUS APPEARING*
*By Pastor Robert Hanna *

*Scripture Reading: Zechariah 11: 1-4; Titus 2: 11-13 *
*
*
*"The day of the Lord" is that future day when "The Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ." (II Thessalonians 1:7,8) In Zechariah 14: 1-4 we
read: "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh ... And His feet shall stand
in that day upon the mount of olives, which is before Jerusalem on the
east, and the mount of olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward
the east and toward the west. .. " The Lord Himself foretells,
"Immediately after the tribulation shall the sun be darkened . Then
shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and they shall see the
Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
(Matthew 24:29,30) The apostles witnessed Christ's ascension. "While
they beheld, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their
sight. And two angels standing by said, "This same Jesus shall so come
[back] in like manner. .. "(Acts 1:9-11) At His coming He will establish
the millennial kingdom and sit on the throne of His father David - all
in accordance with prophecy.*
**
*So much for Israel's expectation. But what about the saints today in
the Body of Christ? We are "Looking for [expecting] that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ." (Titus 2:13) "Then shall ye also appear with Him in glory."
(Colossians 3:4) *

*GraceNTheTruth@ COX.NET*
IF GOD BE FOR US"*
*

"If God be for us, who can be against us?" asks the Apostle in Romans 8
and the chapter demonstrates how fully the triune God is indeed "for
us." In verse 26 we see the Holy Spirit "for us." In verse 31 we find
the Father "for us." Then in verse 34 Christ is said to be "for us."

The Godhead is "for us" in our weakness, in our sickness, in our moment
of loss and despair. When we doubt, God is still "for us." When we fail,
He is "for us." When we fall, God is "for us." There is no time, no
place, no condition in which God is not "for us." Such assurance should
cause us to take courage and press on with confidence in Him alone!

Strength does not rise out of the inferiority or superiority, the
presence or the absence of our adversaries. It is not who is against us
but who is "for us" that matters! And how do we know, how can we be
assured that God is ever for us? The objective evidence unanswerably
demonstrated in human history is given in the inspired words of verse 32:

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how
shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

Should this Inspirational be a blessing and encouragement to you, why
not send to a friend, coworker or, to your loved one who maybe defending
the USA. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world. It is our
heart at GRACE AND THE TRUTH and mission to reach as many people as we
possibly can TO SHARE with them the Word of God and all that the Lord
Jesus Christ has done for members of the body of Christ.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

* FORGIVENESS IN THE KINGDOM GOSPEL FORGIVENESS IN THE GRACE GOSPEL *
*
Scripture Reading: Mark 11:25,26; Ephesians 4:30-32

The power of the forgiveness of sin is, and always was, in God's hands.
But He has not always dealt with the process in precisely the same
manner. Under the kingdom economy, the stated condition is recorded
thusly in the words of Christ to His disciples:

"When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your
Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if
Ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive
your trespasses." (Mark 11:25,26) " ... Forgive, and ye shall be
forgiven." (Luke 6:37) When teaching His disciples how to pray, He said,
"Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." (Matthew 6:12) The
condition is clear - forgive, so that God can forgive you. Such was
forgiveness under the kingdom gospel.

But we today are not under the kingdom gospel but the Gospel of the
Grace of God! Our instruction from the risen Lord Jesus Christ comes to
us through the apostle to the Gentiles, by the name of Paul. "Be ye kind
one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ's sake HATH FORGIVEN YOU." (Ephesians 4:32) "In whom (Christ) we
have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of His grace." (Ephesians 1:7) "And you, being dead in your
sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together
with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses." (Colossians 2:13)

*THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
*THE POWER THAT COMPELS COMES FROM THE *
*SPIRIT WHO INDWELLS US.*
*THE MEASURE OF YOUR USEFULNESS
IS THE MEASURE OF YOUR *
*FAITHFULNESS. *
*WE EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM
THE CHILD OF GOD THAT GOES *
*ABOUT TENDING TO THE
BUSINESS HE WAS CALLED TO DO.*
**
*--Richard DeHaan
*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

Glorious Deliverance
by Pastor C. R. Stam

In I Thes. 1:10, the Apostle Paul, by divine inspiration, assures
believers that the Lord Jesus Christ has “delivered us from the wrath to
come.†He refers, of course, to deliverance from the penalty of sin. But
in other passages he declares that we are also delivered from the power
of sin.

In Col. 1:12,13, for example, he gives thanks to God “Who hath delivered
us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of
His dear Son.â€

This deliverance, and the glory of our heavenly position and blessings
in Christ, we may enjoy experientially now, by grace. Rom. 6:14
says:“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the
law but under grace.†This does not mean that it is not possible for the
believer to sin, but rather that it is possible, in any situation, not
to sin. Thus the same passage in Romans goes on to say that we should
not yield ourselves as servants to sin, but to God, who, in grace has
broken sin’s power over us.

Finally, the believer in Christ will one day be delivered even from the
presence of sin, for at our Lord’s coming for us “we shall all be
changed†(I Cor. 15:51). Believers should long for Christ’s coming for
them, not merely because these bodies of humiliation will then be
glorified, but because from that moment on they shall never again be
tempted or defiled by sin. What a change that will be!

In II Cor. 1:10 the Apostle includes all three tenses of the believer’s
deliverance. Here he tells how God has “delivered us from so great a
death, and doth deliver, in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us.â€
This is why he could write to the Philippians about his confidence that
“He who hath begun a good work in you will perform[complete] it until
the day of Jesus Christ†(Phil. 1:6).

Some may not feel the need of deliverance now, but we all need
deliverance from sin and its results. If you have not yet experienced
this deliverance, why not place your trust in Christ who died to
“deliver us from the wrath to come.â€

*Our Purpose and Mission

The ministry of "Grace and The Truth" has the purpose of encouraging
Christians to believe what God says.

Message "CHRIST" Rom. 16:25, Col. 1:28
Material "All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16, 17
Method "Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, 2 Tim. 2:15
Mission "To Make All See" Eph. 3:9

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ." Eph.2:13.

**We are dedicated to helping Christians to a fuller knowledge of Him,
and the Grace of God. Until we all come into the Unity, Ephesians 4:13
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ:"

We are wiling to help you on this journey just give us a call, 1 623
546 8866, Paris

Would you like to help this ministry? Consider trying to get one other
person to subscribe to the GRACE DAILY INSPIRATIONAL. This worldwide
ministry asks for no funds and is sent to glorify our precious Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, AND TO HELP YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*LIBERTY*
*WHO GETS IT? AND HOW? *
*BY GEO. CUTTING
*Part 7 of 7
Let us now come to the third thing.

*3. YIELDING TO GOD. *
In the history of David, in the first Book of Samuel, we are told that 
on one occasion, when pursuing the troop of Amalekites who had burned 
Ziklag, they found in the field a young Egyptian, abandoned three days 
before by his master, an Amalekite, because, as he said, " I fell sick." 
David's men brought him to their master, gave him food and drink, and 
thus saved his life. When David asked if he could conduct him to their 
retreating foes, he made entreaty that he might not be delivered into 
the hands of his old master. To this David consented, and henceforth the 
young man willingly yielded himself to the service of his deliverer.

This will serve to illustrate our present subject. The young Egyptian 
had before his mind two masters, the old and the new. The old master's
service would have landed him in death but for the timely interference 
of the new. He owed his life to the new master, and nothing but death to 
the old. To which, then, should he now yield himself to serve and obey? 
Yield to his old master? Never! The question was as quickly settled as 
it was proposed. Grace, kindness, and power were all on the side of the 
new master, and to his service he would gladly and instantly yield 
himself. In doing so, next to death itself, his greatest fear was being 
given up again into the power and service of the old, though both his 
fears were groundless.

Now, our old master was "sin," and to his service we once yielded 
ourselves as willing slaves, and the end of it was, as with the young 
Egyptian, death; "for the wages of sin is death." But a deliverer has 
come in out of pure grace, and has by the Lord Jesus Christ wrought 
deliverance. Thus I am set free, "free from sin" (Rom. 6:18); not in the 
sense, as pointed out elsewhere, of being free from its presence, as a 
horse is sometimes spoken of as being "free from vice;" but free from 
its dominion, as the young Egyptian was free from his old master. I am 
set free by death; am free in the life of Him who on my account once 
"died to sin." Being thus set at liberty, the question arises, "To which 
master shall I now yield myself?" And then how agreeably to the renewed 
heart comes the answer by the Spirit--- "Yield yourselves unto God, as 
those that are alive from the dead," v. 13. Now, we do not yield to get 
freedom. This exhortation clearly supposes that we have got it. We yield 
because we are free, though only in yielding thus do we enjoy our true 
liberty; only thus have we "our fruit unto holiness," v. 22.

To God, then, we are debtors, and "not to the flesh, to live after the 
flesh;" for we are alive in the life of Christ, and not in our own; and 
this blessed position of being "alive" out of death is entirely of 
grace, and not of legal effort, and therefore He can add, " Sin shall 
not have dominion over you; for ye are not under law, but under grace," 
Rom. 6:13,14; 8:12. The claims of the law supposed that I had power to 
obey its commands, or that I thought I had; grace supposes that I have 
none at all, but teaches me, as in the life of another, now my life by 
the Spirit, to yield myself to God, thereby getting His victorious power 
in place of my own utter helplessness. "When I am weak, then am I strong."

A young miner in Yorkshire, who had recently been converted, was being 
closely watched one day by an overlooker in the pit, who stood 
unobserved at a little distance. This young collier was in difficulty. A 
little truck of coal had got off the rails at a point where the metals 
curved, and he was trying hard to get it on again. The overlooker 
noticed that when he lifted the truck on at one end it jumped off again 
at the other. Then he would go round and lift once more, when off went 
the wheels from the opposite end! Now, the watchman knew what a violent 
tempered young man this collier had been, and how rash he had often been 
with his tongue, so he thought to himself, "I' m sure he'll break out 
directly." And break out he did, as we shall see.

Once more he went round the truck, and with more than usual care he was 
seen to lift the wheels on to the metals, when, lo! how wearying! how 
annoying! the other wheels immediately left the rails. And then it was 
that he "broke out" ---but broke out with what, think you? He broke out 
singing---

*"I need Thee every hour,"

*In the moment of need he turned to Him whom he had learned to know as 
his sufficiency. How blessed! Oh that all our "outbreaks&quo t; in moments of 
trial were of this kind! What praise would redound to our blessed Lord! 
What joyful victories for us
*"As weaker than a bruised reed, *
* I cannot do without Thee,"*
*
should be our constant cry, as in absolute weakness we cling to Him alone.

Another word as to this "yielding. " There are many true, earnest souls 
to-day who are seeking what is called a "higher life." No doubt what 
they are really seeking is the deliverance we have been speaking of, but 
they hope to reach it by an act of entire consecration, thus beginning 
altogether at the wrong end. But look at Rom. 6:13 again. We are here 
exhorted to yield ourselves to God as those that are alive from the 
dead. In other words, we do not yield to get this blessing, but because, 
through grace, it is ours already. We hold ourselves to be such. On the 
other hand, we cannot have peace and joy by the Holy Ghost in our souls 
unless there is unreserved surrender to the Lord. It is thus that we 
prove " what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God," 
Rom. 12: 2.

This must be the practical every-day exercise of our souls before God: 
"Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the 
life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body," 2 Cr. 4:10.

The more our souls are set upon this the more shall we look forward with 
JOY to the day when our very bodies shall be conformed like to His body 
of glory. Then we shall enjoy the "liberty of the glory of the children 
of God." But now He would have us enjoy the liberty of grace. And, oh, 
what liberty it is! Liberty to look at my sins in the light of His 
judgment throne, and know that I am justified from them all, and that 
the very One who will sit in judgment has done it. Liberty to look at 
all the evil of my corrupt Adam nature, and not only know that God 
expects no good thing from it, but that its condemnation has taken place 
once for all upon the cross. Liberty to reckon with God as to indwelling 
evil, and to regard it as having been condemned in the cross, and that 
my new standing before Him is in Christ, the old man, the flesh having 
no place before Him at all, save as a thing whose judgment is passed 
already. "There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in 
Christ Jesus," Romans 8:1. Liberty to look away from self for 
everything, knowing that all God could wish for in a man He finds in 
Christ, and that "as He is, so are we in this world," 1 John 4:17 ; John 
14:20. Liberty to regard myself as entirely connected with the renewed 
nature, the old "I" no longer, but Christ my life, and the Holy Spirit 
the power of occupying my heart with Christ, in whom is all my 
expectation. Liberty to regard God no longer as a Judge taking notice of 
what I am in myself, but as having put me in Christ's place as a son, so 
that by the spirit of adoption I cry, " Abba, Father ;" and as finding 
His delight and joy in blessing me, and making me happy. Liberty to know 
that if the Son has made me free I am free indeed. John 8:32-36. Liberty 
to look at the glory shining in the face of Jesus, and to be at home in 
that blessed place of holiness and love. Liberty to remember that every 
blessing comes to me through and in Christ in such unmerited grace that 
I need never henceforth search my own heart for a single reason why He 
should or should not bless me, either here or hereafter. Liberty to 
serve, in the constraint of loving gratitude, the blessed Deliverer 
Himself, and His beloved saints for His sake, until I the return of His 
Son from heaven. This is liberty indeed, dear reader. Is it yours?

*Dear Lord, You are my salvation, *
*from justification throughout a lifetime of sanctification. *
*Forgive me for underestimating my need for You.*
* And concerning the self-sufficient, *
* self-confident ways by which I have often lived. *
*I now thank you for all the Liberties that are mine *
*which you have given to me. *
* I want to live by trust and confidence in You.*
* I long to live by Your grace, not by my best efforts. Amen.
*GraceNTheTruth@ COX.NET*

THE "RIGHTNESS OF GOD
by C. R. Stam

St. Paul's great Epistle to the Romans has much to say about "the 
righteousness of God"; in fact, this is the theme of the Book of Romans. 
Sad to say, however, the Bible is so little read and studied of late 
that many people do not even know what the word "righteousness " means.

Actually, every man, woman and child should know about the righteousness 
of God -- or, to simplify the word -- the rightness of God. It is most 
important to understand that God does always and only that which is 
right. He can do nothing and will do nothing that is not right.

Thus God cannot and does not merely forgive sinners and smuggle them 
into heaven, for this would not be right. As Job 8:20 says, "Behold, God 
will not cast away a perfect man, neither will He help evil doers," for 
neither would be right.

It was Bildad who said this to Job, and Job replied, almost exasperated: 
"I know it is so of a truth, but how shall a man be just with God?" (Job 
9:2). In other words, how can a holy God look upon a sinner and 
pronounce him righteous? With this background let us consider Paul's 
great declaration in Romans 1:16,17:

"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God 
unto salvation to everyone that believeth... . for therein is the 
righteousness [i.e., the rightness] of God revealed.... "

True, the love of God is also revealed in the gospel, but what made Paul 
so proud to proclaim the gospel is the fact that it tells how God dealt 
"righteously, " or rightly, with sin, paying its just penalty Himself at 
Calvary so that He might offer salvation to all by free grace.

Thus the Apostle declares in Romans 6:23: "The wages of sin is death 
[this is its just penalty] but the [free] gift of God is eternal life 
through Jesus Christ, our Lord."

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*LIBERTY*
*WHO GETS IT? AND HOW? *
*Part 6 of 7*

*A story is told of an old Scotchman who might be seen reading his 
Bible, and that after a very interesting fashion, too; for while doing 
so he would slowly run his finger along each line, saying, "I think Thy 
thoughts after Thee, 0 God." Now, here was a simple, bright specimen of 
faith. Consider it well, my reader. Faith gets God's thoughts, and 
thinks with Him; faith learns how He reckons, and reckons with Him; and 
does this even when appearances, or even experiences, may go dead 
against it May like wisdom be ours!

Now, it is because God reckons us as dead with Christ that we are 
privileged to reckon ourselves as having died with Him.

After the prophet Daniel had been brought out of the den of lions by the 
very king whose unalterable law had put him in, he had nothing more to 
fear from that side. Let the accusers, if they will, repeat their 
charges against him. The king himself can now give a righteous answer, 
and Daniel be free to echo the same. "He has already been into the den, 
and having thus endured the full penalty, it is now behind his back for 
ever." So also with the three Hebrew children; they could say, "We have 
been into the furnace at its hottest, in company with one like unto the 
Son of God; we have passed through it, and come out of it, and all that 
the fire did was to sever the cords that bound us."

Now, we repeat, it is not that we have been bodily into the judgment, 
but our blessed, adorable Substitute has, and God holds us as identified 
with Him there, and alive in Him at the other side of it; and here come 
in for us the reckonings of faith, Rom. 6. In other words, faith reckons 
that the judgment of death (like the fire) has severed the tie which 
bound me to my old self as a fallen child of Adam, and I live now before 
God in Christ beyond both death and judgment. If that old Christian who, 
in the writer's hearing, once said, "I dare not even tell myself how bad 
I am," had known this, she could have well afforded to face the worst 
about herself.

Mark well, then, that there is a double reckoning, and that both sides 
must go together. 1. That we are "dead indeed unto sin." 2. That we are 
"alive unto God in Christ Jesus." (R.V.)

Not only, therefore, are our sins gone on the cross, but our status as 
in the flesh too. We have lost our old position, and are now set before 
God in the life of Him who died for us. "The law of the Spirit of life 
in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death," Rom. 
8:2. It is a new life, and a free life.

A distressed lady once remarked to the writer, "I' m so worried with what 
I find in myself that I often feel I should just like to jump out of my 
own skin into some one else's." So making use of her figure, I replied, 
"That is exactly what I have done." Or, I might rather have said, what 
God's grace has done for me. Let me explain. I once saw a little 
salamander in a small aquarium belonging to some children in Ireland. A 
few days before my visit they had been greatly interested in seeing him 
perform the feat of casting his skin, and coming out in his bright 
scarlet new one. But, after all, you see, this little lizard had only 
got the same kind of skin over again---brighter looking and fresher, it 
is true, but still the same kind.

Now, if the lady just referred to could really have done what she 
wished, all that could have been said to her would be, " Be sure you 
find a better, and remember that the whole of Adam's race cannot furnish 
you with one, for God has reviewed the whole, and pronounced that there 
is no difference."

But it is not with us as with the salamander; for though, by our death 
with Christ, we have got out of our old state, yet, instead of only 
getting into a better one after the first Adam type, we have come into a 
new one altogether; i.e., in the life of Christ risen. We are "alive to 
God in Christ Jesus." As another has put it, Christ having died, we 
reckon ourselves dead, as though we had done so. He who has become our 
life, the true I, has died. I have died, have been crucified with Him, 
and, as a Christian, do not own the flesh to be any more alive at all. I 
speak of all that has happened to Christ as if it had happened to me, 
because He is become my life, and I live by Him. As a son (whose father 
has not only paid his debts, but made him partner) would speak of 'our 
capital, our connection,&# 39; because he is partner, though he brought 
nothing in, and all was done and acquired before he became partner; so 
we, in much truer, because living association with the Son.

The great difficulty arises from not seeing that, while the evil 
principle still exists in us, it is no part of the Christian' s new 
status before God. Until this has been learnt the soul must, if honest, 
be constantly deploring that he is not what he ought to be; for in the 
state of his soul he is still in connection with the flesh, and, as we 
have seen, that never can be what it ought to be, never be bettered. But 
when he is taught of the Spirit to look upon the flesh as having only to 
do with his former state (as the salamander might regard his cast-off 
skin), that death has severed the tie between the old and the new, and 
that he is set in a new position before God----alive in Christ BEYOND 
CONDEMNATION- --what a relief it is! what a deliverance!

May the comfort of it be yours, dear reader!

* Of Himself He said, *
*"The Son can do nothing of Himself" (John 5:19), *
*and you He says, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5) *

*Therefore expect and allow Christ to work *
*in and through you just as Christ,*
* in His life on earth,*
* expected and allowed the Father*
* to work in and through Him. *
*Expect Him to do this ... *
*and He will, Just say*
* "Thank You"--- *
*and let Him surprise you! *

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

LIBERTY*
*WHO GETS IT? AND HOW? *
*Part 5 of
Not long since a man who had led a very dissipated course was converted. 
He had got the name among his comrades, of "Bulldog Tom," because he 
kept and trained a number of fighting dogs. One day he was met by a 
fellow-Christian, who enquired after his spiritual welfare; and in the 
course of their conversation Tom made the following remark:

"When I had a dog in training I only allowed him a certain kind of food 
at certain times in the day. Sometimes, while walking with me, he would 
see a bone, and, of course, instantly make toward it. ( 'No!' I would 
say, firmly; and at once he would turn away his eye from the bone to 
look at me. Then he would slyly turn toward the bone again, until I once 
more spoke, and got his eye. And so I found in this way, that while he 
was looking at me there was a power in me that kept him from the very 
thing which of all others a dog likes best. And thus it is with myself," 
he said. "If I would be kept from my old besetments, my only power is in 
looking to Him."

Full well he knew that these old habits were far too strong for him to 
conquer in his own strength.

Of course, like other human illustrations, this one falls short; for, 
after all there was nothing in the dog but the nature which loved the 
forbidden thing, unless it was the fear of consequences if he took it; 
whereas in every converted soul there is. He can say, " I delight in the 
law of God after the inward man;" so that there is a nature which takes 
pleasure in doing His will, though he finds no power in himself to 
accomplish it. He is like lame Mephibosheth, who ardently wished to 
accompany his royal benefactor during his exile, but was robbed by Ziba 
of the means of doing so, 2 Samuel 19:26.

Let us now consider the question, How is this Deliverance brought about?

It may simplify the matter somewhat, perhaps, to put what is said under 
three heads; viz., learning from God; reckoning with God; yielding to 
God, Rom. 6 :11,16

*1. LEARNING FROM GOD. *
*
We have seen that conversion neither improves nor removes the sinful 
flesh, and this at once suggests another question; viz., "How can such 
an evil thing escape the judgment of God?" There is but one answer. It 
cannot, and what is more, it has not escaped; for already has it had its 
condemnation. "What the law could not do, in that it was weak through 
the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and 
for sin, condemned sin in the flesh."

There is an immense difference between a criminal escaping, or even 
being forgiven, and his getting the full penalty of his wickedness. Now, 
sin in the flesh has not escaped. Its full judgment was awarded when He 
who knew no sin was made a sacrifice for sin on the cross. And thus, if 
God has already judged this evil thing in the death of Him who is now my 
life, then in God's account I am associated with Him in that judgment, 
and my life is in Him beyond it. The apostle can therefore write to the 
believers in Colosse, though he had never seen their faces, and say, "Ye 
are dead (or, "ye have died "), and your life is hid with Christ in 
God," Col. 3:3.

When faith has received from God this wondrous fact, the language of 
Romans 6:6 becomes consciously ours; we are entitled to count all that 
happened to Him as having happened to us- "Knowing this, that our old 
man is (or " has been ") crucified with Him, that the body of sin might 
be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." This verse says 
nothing about our feeling it, though when the fact is learned from God 
by faith, we become morally affected by it, and know the blessed power 
of it. But it may be asked, What is meant by our "old man"? It is our 
entire standing as fallen children of Adam, our state as characterized 
by the flesh, and it is this which faith now sees, and which we now own, 
has come to an end in judgment before God at the cross; and deliverance 
is ours, experimentally, in consequence.

*2. RECKONING WITH GOD. *
*
"Our old man," then, we have seen, has not escaped, was not forgiven 
(though our sins have been forgiven), but has been crucified--- " 
crucified with Christ." I learn from the Word that this is the way God 
reckons, and what I have to do is to reckon with Him. "Likewise reckon 
ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in 
Jesus Christ our Lord," ver. 11. There is no other life for me before 
God but the life of Christ. As in the Flood, all flesh was either in the 
waters of death and judgment outside the ark, or alive inside, so is it 
now. See John 12:31; Gen. 6:13. I am either alive to God (and that can 
only be in Christ) or I am alive in self under judgment. A soul must 
quit the ground of self to be clear of condemnation, and this he can 
only do as by faith he reckons with God.

But now comes a practical difficulty. Some troubled one may say, "How 
can I go and reckon myself dead to sin when I daily find the actual 
workings of the flesh within me? What shameful hypocrisy do I find in 
myself, what pride, what unworthy motives, what unclean thoughts! Yea, 
even in the attitude of prayer, what vain and unholy feelings will 
spring up within me! How, then, can I reckon myself to be dead unto sin?"

God does not ask us to feel that "our old man" is dead; for, as an 
actual fact, the flesh is still within us, and will be to the end of the 
story; but He does ask us to reckon with Him about it, and to remember 
that He counts it as having already had its judgment.

*We need to cast our eyes upon His Word,*
* and what He says about situations*
* which try to beat us down. *
* We don't have to carry burdens,*
* but only release them to the One*
* Who can handle them all.

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*LIBERTY*
*WHO GETS IT? AND HOW? *
*Part 4 of 7*
*DISAPPOINTMENT NO.2. *
*
I know what is right, but have no power to do it.

"To will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I 
find not," Rom. 7:18.

To see the right thing to do; to have a wish to do it, and yet so 
constantly to fail in the performance of it, is galling indeed. Nor is 
the bitterness diminished, but rather increased, when one sees in others 
a thorough contrast to one's own state. "They seem to have devotedness; 
they have evidently got the secret of power for a holy walk; but as for 
myself there seems to be nothing but defeat and disappointment, do what 
I may."

We have seen that God has to show us what total bankrupts we are as to 
goodness, that we may find all we want---nay, more, all He Himself 
wants---in Christ. And He must next bring us to realize our perfect 
weakness that we may find our strength in Christ as well. " Apart from 
Me," saith the Lord, "ye can do nothing." On the other hand Paul could 
say, " I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (or 
"who gives me power") , Phil. 4:13. And when Paul had learned the lesson, 
he could even glory in his infirmities, and do it "gladly, " because he 
knew that his weakness only made the more room for Christ's power, as he 
says, "That the power of Christ may rest upon me," 2 Cor. 12:9. He does 
not make me conscious of having power, but in the consciousness of my 
weakness I avail myself of His power. "I take pleasure in infirmities 
... for when I am weak, then am I strong," ver.10.

The fact is that we are, when really put to the test, as powerless to 
keep ourselves, as a bit of thistledown is unable to stand its ground 
before a driving north-east wind. Stand in the current and hold it if 
you will, but the instant you relax your hold it is gone. Yet how slow 
we are to learn this lesson! What we naturally do, after a fall, is to 
resolve more solemnly to try the harder next time. But this is not the 
way of true power; and it is only when we find, through perhaps a sad 
series of crushing disappointments, that we really have no power of our 
own, that we submit to look to Him as our alone sufficiency. Peter could 
not, by any amount of effort, have walked on the water, even had it been 
ever so smooth. It was only with his eye upon his Master that he could 
do it.

A few years since, while the Royal Charlotte was being launched, a 
gentleman from G---- was standing by. Hundreds at the same time were 
crowding a small bridge to witness the event, when suddenly the bridge 
gave way, precipitating numbers of them into the water. Mr. S------stood 
looking on, not offering to go to the rescue, though he was well known 
to be an expert swimmer.

"How is this, Mr. S----?" exclaimed one of the bystanders. "How is it 
that such a powerful swimmer as you are, and one so well able to save 
some of these people, can stand so calmly looking on? "

"The time has not come yet," he replied; "I am waiting till some of them 
have done struggling."

Then, pulling off his coat, he jumped in, and bravely rescued several.
As with those drowning ones so with us. We never really get out of this 
second disappointment until we find that struggling means sinking, and 
until, having done with it as utterly fruitless, we look for deliverance 
altogether in Another. Naturally we want to make self better, and get 
nothing but heart-sickening disappointment every time we try. And as for 
the law, while exposing the wrong and condemning us for it, it gives no 
more power to do what is right than does the lighthouse, which discovers 
to some exhausted boatman that in battling with adverse currents he has 
missed his way, but gives him no power of rowing his leaky, disabled 
boat to the wished-for harbour. His only chance now is in an outside 
deliverer. Not that he gives up the thought of deliverance; he dare not 
do that; but for the first time he feels that it must come from another 
source. His hope is not in being himself made stronger, or better able 
to cope with the tidal currents, or of bringing to land in any way his 
fast filling boat. No; but lighting his flaring signal of distress, he 
is soon out of his sinking craft and on board a rescuing steamer, no 
longer to trust to his own boat or his own strength for reaching the 
desired haven.

This is the point reached in Romans 7:24: "0 wretched man that I am! who 
shall deliver me?" It is not, "Who shall help me to deliver myself?" or, 
"Who shall help me to make myself better?" but, "Who shall deliver me 
from myself altogether? " And the answer is found in God Himself. "I 
thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Deliverance does not come 
through his battling for the victory, but by finding that he is in 
Christ, through whom before God he now lives; that he has died to sin, 
and is no longer in the flesh before Him.

He now stands before God in the life of Another---Christ- and is 
victorious in the power of Him whose grace has placed him there.

The point of deliverance being in principle thus reached, we are then 
free, in the details of daily life, to put it into practice. We learn to 
look to the Lord in helpless dependence for everything; and in that 
happy confidence, of which the Spirit of God is the power, we find in 
Him our entire sufficiency.
*Be renewed in the spirit of your mind,*

* in true righteousness and holiness.*
**
*Ephesians 4:23-24 *

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*

*LIBERTY*
*WHO GETS IT? AND HOW? *
*Part 3 of 7
The mistaken notion in the minds of many professing Christians as to 
this, is a fruitful source both of mischief and of misery; mischief for 
the unconverted and indifferent; misery for those born of the Spirit, 
and really in earnest. Endless pains are bestowed upon the improvement 
of the dead lion (to use our figure); i.e., upon bettering man in the 
flesh; and every kind of moral disinfectant resorted to to make him more 
bearable in decent and religious society; but the lion is the same lion 
still, adorn him as you will.

On the other hand, who can estimate the misery which has resulted in 
honest, newborn souls from the mistaken idea that the new birth either 
improves the flesh, or gets rid of its presence? It does neither; and 
hence the experimental discovery of its unimproved existence is most 
distressing. They are not prepared to find old tastes coming up again, 
and are shocked to find, after their first joy, perhaps, has abated, 
that their old habits are re-asserting themselves with increased power. 
Again and again they are tripped up; deeper and deeper grows their 
inward distress, until they discover that the source of all the mischief 
is "the flesh" within ever lusting against the Spirit, and that 
conversion has not removed or changed it in any sense. Hence the 
discovery recorded in Romans 7:20, "If I do that I would not, it is no 
more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." That is, there is the 
"I" In connection with the newborn life which hates the inward evil, and 
deplores its workings; and there is also the evil nature-the indwelling 
sin.
"But how is it," says the troubled soul, " that
" I can't make myself any better?"
" I try hard enough to be different, but it is fruitless, 
disappointing work, and I am often ready to give all up in despair. I 
know that the flesh still lusts within me, and that every trace of evil 
in me springs from it; but still I feel I must have goodness for God, 
and how can this be if I can't in some way overcome the badness of the 
flesh ? "

This is the language of thousands of perplexed believers. Let us, by the 
Spirit's help, seek to meet their difficulty.

First, then, we must learn that God is not expecting to improve man in 
the flesh, or looking for goodness in him of any kind. "The carnal mind" 
(or "mind of the flesh," as it really is), is now declared to be " 
enmity against God" (enmity itself); "it is not subject to the law of 
God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh CANNOT 
please God." Romans 8; 7, 8. Take a New Testament illustration. The " 
fig-tree" was a picture of the nation of Israel; i.e., of man under the 
most favourable circumstances, man under God's own culture. When the 
Lord came to the fig-tree, and found no fruit thereon, He pronounced 
this solemn sentence upon it, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward 
for ever," Matt. 21;19. Passing by the same road the day following, the 
disciples found it "withered away," "dried up from the roots," Mark 
II:20. Now, who would expect to get fruit from it after that? What would 
you have thought of the disciples commencing some new method of pruning 
and cultivating that tree, with the hope of getting fruit from it after 
all? Oh, but they knew better; they knew that the tree was hopelessly 
gone, and that they must look to some other tree for fruit, or figs they 
would never see again. So with man, as man, even at his best. The end of 
all hope in him came, when at Calvary he crucified the Son of God, and 
refused the grace He brought. But God has found another "tree," One that 
"bringeth forth His fruit in His season," and whose "leaf shall not 
wither." That ever fair, ever fruitful One, is Christ

Yes, God has Christ before His eye, and finds all His pleasure in 
connection with Him. He would have us to learn, therefore, that He has 
set man aside, as in the flesh, and begun a new order, an entirely new 
race, in Christ, the last Adam, as its Head, and those who live through 
Him. This, however, we are very slow to learn, and consequently have 
often to be brought through the bitterest experiences before we are made 
willing to submit to the fact that---
" No good in creatures can be found,
All, all is found in Thee."

We are like a man who has lost his way at night in some extensive 
slate-quarry. Finding himself in complete darkness, and totally unable 
to grope his way out (to say nothing of the peril of trying to do so 
without a light), he remembers, with thankfulness, that he has in his 
possession a box of matches, and sets to work at once to get a light. 
One by one they miss fire. Still he has plenty left, and will go on 
trying more carefully for the future. More than half the matches have 
now been struck, and yet no light. He begins to fear they are damp or 
worthless; but surely, he thinks, one good match will be found among the 
number. So, with increased painstaking, he continues the striking. 
Eventually the very last is reached. It is his only hope; and when he 
puts it to the test it is no better than the rest. It is all over now! 
Alas! alas! what can he do? He must give up his efforts, and throw away 
his box in despair. But no sooner has he done so than he finds coming 
toward him, in the hand of another, the very thing he was trying to get 
by his own hand; viz., a light. What a welcome and timely discovery! The 
way out is now made clear.

As with this man so with us; we do not believe that there is no goodness 
to be got out of the flesh, and are therefore allowed to go on with our 
fruitless "trying" until, like the man In Romans 7, we are brought, by 
heart-breaking experience, to the humbling confession, "I know in me 
(that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing." And then it is that we 
find, to our joy, that what we could not find in ourselves for God, God 
has found in Christ for us, and that if we look there for what is "good" 
we shall lever be disappointed.

What a relief, then, after all one's ~efforts to make the flesh better, 
to find that God cannot find a good thing in it, and does not expect me 
to do so. Never again, then, need I look for any good in myself; never 
again be disappointed at the discovery of any depth of evil.


*Dear Lord Jesus, what a good reminder *
*this is of the desperate condition I was in when*
* You justified me.*
* I was not merely needy; I was spiritually dead. *
*I thank You for burying that old life*
* with Jesus in His tomb.*
* I praise You for raising me with*
* Christ to a new life.*
* I rejoice in the radical nature of Your saving grace. *
*Lord, by the power of the resurrection, *
* lead me in the reality of newness of life, in Jesus name, Amen.*

*GraceNTheTruth@COX.NET*