Jesus loves you

@Livingwater Study 2 THE PROMISE OF THE COMING OF  CHRIST All unfulfilled prophecy in the Word of God is bound up with the personal, bodily and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in this study we shall consider the urgent question asked in 2 Peter 3:3-4. This is the question of the scoffer, but we shall ask it earnestly and reverently, and as we do so we shall be impressed with the weight of testimony which scripture gives to the certainty of our Lord’s second coming. It will be well, however, for us to look at the context in which this question is found. In 2 Peter 3:3-4, we read of something we are to know and be sure about, and it is something which relates particularly to the last days, the closing days of the dispensation of grace, the period immediately prior to the Lord’s return. We are to expect that there will be scoffers in the last days. Why? Because everyone who scoffs at the glorious truth of the return of Christ is fulfilling this prophecy! Peter tells us

@Livingwater     SERIES 6 Study 1 THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPHECY Because the Bible is the only book which gives us an accurate forecast of the future, we must turn to its pages in order that we may be delivered from inexcusable ignorance and be prepared as God unfolds His prophetic programme (Matthew 22:29). Many Christians do not study prophecy, and there are several reasons for this: Some mistakenly think that the subject is too involved and difficult. It is true that prophecies can only be fully understood in the light of their fulfilment, but the “main lines of prophetic truth” revealed in the Bible may be understood by all who will obey 2 Timothy 2:15. Some feel that to study prophecy leads to speculation. There is a danger of this, but surely we can be Spirit-led in our study of God’s truth? Still others say that the prophetic outlook is a very dark one and that to study it leads to pessimism –- but can a believer be pessimistic? –- see what Isaiah 53:11 and Hebrews 10:13

@Livingwater Study 10 WORLD,A STRANGE LAND (Scripture Portion: Philippians 4: 19-23) This study is based upon Philippians 4:21-22, in which the apostle Paul adds a postscript to his letter. In this P.S., the saints at Rome (and in particular the slaves in Nero’s household) send their greetings to the saints at Philippi. Who were these Roman saints? They were Christians, believers, disciples of Christ. Every true believer is a saint, so far as his or her standing before God is concerned. Verse 21 gives us a clue as to what a saint is: a saint is one who is “in Christ Jesus”. Very often this word is used only in reference to those who have departed this life. In the official sense in which the word is used, no one is given the rank until he is dead; but to reserve the name for those canonised by the Church, or for those called to asceticism and solitude, has absolutely no warrant from the New Testament. Paul addressed a number of his letters to the saints – in Rome (Romans 1:7); in

@Livingwater Study 9 EVERYTHINGS THROUGH HIM(JESUS) (Scripture Portion: Philippians 4: 13-17) What an amazing verse Philippians 4:13 is! If we take the first half of the verse alone we might be tempted to think that these are the impudent words of a proud boaster or the words of some superman; but the explanation of the first part of the verse, “I can do everything……” is in the second part –- “through him who gives me strength.” Here is the statement of a man who had learned the secret of a victorious Christian life. A fair rendering of the verse is, “I am master of every situation through Christ.” Now, that surely is the secret we most want to learn –- to be master of every situation which arises, and can arise, and to live victoriously day by day; to be victorious in the midst of temptation, over our problems and perplexities, and at all times to be able to say, “I am master of every situation through Christ.” And, according to the testimony of the apostle Paul, such a life of

@Livingwater Study 8 HEAVEN’S CONCERN(CURE) FOR EARTH’S CARE (Scripture Portion: Philippians 4: 1-9) “Heaven’s cure for earth’s care” is, according to Philippians 4:7, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding.” “The peace of God” (verse 7) is the remedy that “the God of peace” (verse 9) offers for corroding care, anxiety, fear and worry. The difficulties and uncertainties of life have always afforded men and women abundant opportunities for worry, but never have the temptations to worry and anxiety been so great as in the days in which we are living. On every hand there is confusion, suffering and loss, and the words of our Saviour are being fulfilled –Luke 21:26. But the true child of God, the one who is “in the Lord” (verse 1), and whose name is in “the book of life” (verse 3), should not be overcome with the distressing maladies of fear and worry, yet many of us are! With some of us, our fears and anxieties arise from experiences which have to do with the past, ma

@Livingwater Study 7tTHE BYGONES AND THE THINGS AHEAD (Scripture Portion: Philippians 3: 12-21) The life and ministry of the apostle Paul was dominated by one supreme objective, and it is to this that he refers in Philippians 3:13-14 –- “But one thing I do. Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal.…” Paul is employing an illustration from the realm of athletics. He pictures a Greek runner. As he runs along the prescribed course he banishes all thoughts of past failures, and he strains every nerve in an effort of tremendous concentration on reaching his goal; his one and only concern is to win the race. Likewise, if we are to succeed in the race of life we must very deliberately “forget “, and very deliberately “press on “. 1 . THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND WHICH WE SHOULD FORGET Strangely enough, a good memory is not always a great asset! It is not the things we forget which we should have remembered which cause the most trouble;

@Livingwater Study 6 HOW DO I KNOW THE LORD FULLY? (Scripture Portion: Philippians 3: 1-11) In this letter the apostle Paul tells us of seven great aspirations which he had, all of which centred in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. These earnest longings, which should characterise every Christian are, progressively:- (1) To KNOW Him – 3:10; (2) to GAIN Him – 3:8; (3) to EXALT Him – 1:20; (4) to BE FOUND in Him – 3:9; (5) to ATTAIN to the first resurrection – 3:11; (6) to BE WITH Him – 1:23; and (7) to BOAST in His Day – 2:16. Of these seven great aspirations, the first is the most important –- to know Him – for the other six all build up on the foundation of a personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. See how the apostle speaks of this personal knowledge of Christ in verse 8, and notice the importance of each emphasised word:- (1) “…knowing CHRIST …”; (2) “…knowing Christ JESUS…”; (3) “…knowing Christ Jesus my LORD…”; and (4) “the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Je

@Livingwater Study 5 PAUL’S SON IN THE FAITH (Scripture Portion: Philippians 2: 19-24) What do we know about Timothy? We know that he had a Greek father and that his mother was a Jewess (Acts 16:1); that his home was at Lystra and that his grandmother was Lois (2 Timothy 1:5); we know also that it was a godly home (2 Timothy 3:15). When young Timothy was about 15 years of age Paul and Barnabas visited Lystra when they were on their first missionary journey (Acts 14:6-7), and it is probable that it was at this time that Timothy was converted. When Paul re-visited Lystra six years later “The brothers……spoke well of him” (Acts 16:2). During this second visit Paul invited Timothy to join forces with him (Acts 16:3), and subsequently these two were together at Corinth, Athens, Antioch, Philippi and Rome. When Paul wrote this epistle to the Philippians he was probably about 65 years of age and Timothy was about 35. Now turn to Philippians 2:19-23, and notice:- 1 . PAUL ’ S SPIRITUAL RE

@Livingwater Study 4 How do I have HIS mind? (Scripture Portion: Philippians 2: 1-13) There was evidently one weak spot in the church at Philippi, for three times in his letter the apostle Paul reproves the Christians, not for doctrinal error, but for careless and undisciplined living –- look up 1:27, 2:1-5 and 4:1-5. They were sound in doctrine, but they were not manifesting “the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3). Instead of concord there was discord; instead of harmony there was disharmony; their believing was all right, but their behaving was all wrong. It is very easy for those who are sound in doctrine to fail to “make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive” (Titus 2:10). What is the reason for the presence of these hindering things in the church? What causes them? S-E-L-F every time –- and self in its ugliest manifestation –- P-R-I-D-E! It was because some of the Philippian Christians were self-centred and proud that Paul appealed to them (in the words of 1 Peter 5

@Livingwater Study 3 SUFFERING AS A MINISTRY (Scripture Portion: Philippians 1: 22-30) There is a vast difference between viewing suffering as a mystery and as a ministry. Philippians 1:29 makes it clear that rightly understood suffering is a ministry entrusted to the believer by the Lord. This is a subject which must concern every Christian, for every real Christian without exception is characterised by two things: faith and suffering. As Christians, we are believers (John 14:1), and the one great mark which distinguishes us from the world around is that we believe. But the second distinguishing mark is that we have to suffer because we believe (1 Peter 4:16). The experience of suffering comes to all people, everywhere –- to the Christian and the non-Christian alike. Here is something which touches us all, irrespective of our class or creed. Suffering is universal: the king suffers, and so does the commoner –- look up Job 5:7 and 14:1. It has been said that: “Existence and suffe

@Livingwater Study 2 My contribution to gospel (Scripture Portion: Philippians 1: 1-11) It is significant that the word ‘gospel’ occurs in this letter nine times: (1) It is a glorious word. It means “good news”, and in John 3:16 we have “the gospel in miniature”, and in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 we have the gospel defined. (2) It is a precious word. All who are truly saved love this grand old word. (3) It is also a much hated word. The Devil hates it like poison, and so do all who oppose the gospel. (4) It is a greatly misunderstood word. How many there are who are ignorant of the gospel and who confuse “religion” with the gospel! (5 ) It is a saving word. It is God’s dynamite to open the human heart (Acts 16:14); to overcome the powers of darkness (Acts 16:18), and to awaken, save and transform (Acts 16:26-34). (6) It is an identifying word. Anyone who is truly born again will speak of “the gospel” – not of religion, or even of Christianity. (7) It is a biblical word. Look up the foll

@Livingwater Series 5 Study 1 GOD’S GREAT WORK IN US  (Scripture Portion: Acts 16: 6-34) The letter to the Philippians, which begins with grace (1:2) and ends with grace (4:23), has been called “The Shepherd Psalm of the New Testament”, and it is one of the most beautiful of Paul’s letters. It can be read in half-an-hour or less, and there are seven reasons why it should make a special appeal to us:- It is different from most of Paul’s letters. Most of his letters were written to emphasise God’s truth, to teach doctrine, to correct error or to defend the Faith. Philippians, however, is not in any sense a theological treatise; it is a personal letter which reveals the loving disposition of the writer. It is easier to understand than some of Paul’s letters. Not everyone has the capacity to understand doctrine or to follow the massive arguments which Paul puts forward, for instance in Romans, but all can understand Philippians. It is a letter written from prison. It was written

@Livingwater Study 7 LEARNING TO PRAY (Scripture Portion: Luke 18: 1-43) There is no greater work than the work of praying, for prayer is work of the highest order. Prayer means contact and fellowship with God; it is not simply asking God for things, though it does include that. Our Lord related the parable in Luke 18: 1-8 in order to stress the great importance of prayer. Notice that in verse 1 He said that we “should always pray……” It is the privilege of all to pray, and in this chapter we are given five examples: (1) In verse 3, we read of a praying Widow. (2) In verse 11, we read of a praying Pharisee. (3) In verse 13, we read of a praying Publican. (4) In verse 18, we read of a praying Ruler. (5) In verse 38, we read of a praying Beggar. 1 . WHY SHOULD WE PRAY ? There are many ways in which this question can be answered, but let us confine our answer to the suggestion that arises out of the word “should”. It simply means, “We owe it to pray……” Prayer is an obligation. I

@Livingwater Study 6 UNDERSTANDING GOD’S WILL (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 5: 1- 21) Every Christian should seek to understand the will of the Lord; or, to use a literal translation of Ephesians 5: 17, we should “not be foolish, but have discernment as to what is the will of the Lord.” Some Christians are “foolish”, for they have no discernment in the things of the Lord, and this disqualifies them from real usefulness in the service of God. For example: (1) They do not understand the true nature of the Christian life – that it is imparted by a new birth (John 3: 3, 5, 7), and that it is experienced upon receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour (John 1: 11-13). (2) They do not know the secret of life more abundant (John 10: 10), of fruitfulness in service (John 15: 5), of deliverance from bondage to sin and self (Romans 6: 11; 7: 24-25; 8: 2), and of a life of triumphant holiness (2 Corinthians 2: 14). (3) They do not understand the true nature and purpose of the Church, which i

@Livingwater Study 5 GETTING INTO THE BIBLE (Scripture Portion: Acts 17: 1-12) No Christian can progress very far in the Christian life or be effective in Christian service who does not make much of the Bible. Unfortunately, many do not really value the Bible. What place has God’s Word in your life? Perhaps one of the greatest needs today is for a re-emphasis upon the nature, the message and the power of this wonderful Book. In Acts 17: 1-12, there are several references to the scriptures which provoke and answer three questions. 1 . WHAT IS THE BIBLE ? The Bible is a book, but what is in it and of what does it consist? In Acts 17: 2 and 11 we are told – “the Scriptures……” THE BIBLE CONSISTS OF THE SCRIPTURES.Here the reference is to the Old Testament scriptures, for the New Testament books were only in the process of being written. To us, the Bible consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, and each Testament may be divided into four sections. The Old Testament consi