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@Livingwater Study 8B STANDING UP FOR THE TRUTH DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: The Letter of Jude) There is no other faith. This is the one and only perfect revelation of God, and Jude is careful to use the definite article here! It is “ “the Faith once entrusted…”…”, not a faith –- compare Hebrews 1:1-3.Now that we have known what to defend,why are we defending it and how do we go about defending the Faith. 2 . Notice now: WHY ARE WE TO DEFEND THE FAITH ? The answer is: because the Faith is being attacked. Today all the great fundamental truths of the Christian Faith are being attacked and denied –- not just by outsiders, but by men inside the church. All the teaching in our schools and in the media about Evolution is a direct denial of the truth of God; and this denial has percolated into most of our denominational colleges, pulpits and much literature. Prophecy has been fulfilled –- look up 2 Timothy 3:1-8; 4:1-4. We are to defend the Faith and stand up for t

@Livingwater Study 8 STANDING UP FOR THE TRUTH DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: The Letter of Jude) When Jude began writing this letter he had in mind “”the salvation we share”” –- that is, the salvation shared by all who are saved; but in verse 3 we see that as he began to write, the Holy Spirit compelled him to appeal to his reader ““to contend for the Faith which was once for all entrusted to the saints”” –- or as J. B. Phillips translates it, ‘‘Put up a real fight for the faith which was once for all committed to those who belong to Christ.’’ Thus, we are reminded of the fact that it is our solemn duty, as believers, to stand up for the Truth. Verse 1 tells us that as Christians we have been ““called……loved by God the Father, and kept by Jesus Christ””; but verse 3 tells us that we are to contend for the Faith, or, as the word may be translated, we are to defend the Faith. This pre-supposes that the Faith is being attacked. This was the case in AD 66 when Jude w

@Livingwater Study 7B A LESSON IN STEWARDSHIP DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: Acts 11:19-30) Second Lesson : THE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF GIVING IS THE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL THE LORD’’ S PEOPLE . Notice in verse 29 – – “each…”…” gave –- they all gave! The great constraint for our giving to the Lord is His giving to us –- look up 2 Corinthians 5:14. When we remember Calvary surely we are immediately constrained to give to Him who gave so much for us! In the Old Testament giving was looked upon as a responsibility ; but in the New Testament it was looked upon as a privilege. Under the Old Covenant it was commanded ; under the New it is commended. Then, it was a matter of Law ; now it is a matter of Grace. We are not bound by Law ; we are bound by Love. If Christians today were diligent and conscientious in their giving there would be no lack of funds for Christian ministry.  Third Lesson : WE ARE TO GIVE PROPORTIONATELY. Verse 29 tells us that

@Livingwater Study 7B A LESSON IN STEWARDSHIP DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: Acts 11:19-30) Second Lesson : THE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF GIVING IS THE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL THE LORD’’ S PEOPLE . Notice in verse 29 – – “each…”…” gave –- they all gave! The great constraint for our giving to the Lord is His giving to us –- look up 2 Corinthians 5:14. When we remember Calvary surely we are immediately constrained to give to Him who gave so much for us! In the Old Testament giving was looked upon as a responsibility ; but in the New Testament it was looked upon as a privilege. Under the Old Covenant it was commanded ; under the New it is commended. Then, it was a matter of Law ; now it is a matter of Grace. We are not bound by Law ; we are bound by Love. If Christians today were diligent and conscientious in their giving there would be no lack of funds for Christian ministry.  Third Lesson : WE ARE TO GIVE PROPORTIONATELY. Verse 29 tells us that

@Livingwater. Study 7A  A LESSON IN STEWARDSHIP DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: Acts 11:19-30) It is strange that some Christians seem to resent any teaching on the giving of our money to the Lord. If that is so then surely this would indicate a lack of understanding of the real meaning of Christian stewardship. If we belong to the Lord, and if we have given back to Him all that we possess, then surely we shall welcome instruction from the scriptures on the right use of ‘‘our’’ money. We are disciples, which means we should be disciplined people. Let us then look at some lessons on stewardship, seven of which are indicated in Acts 11:27-30 There had been a revival at Antioch (Acts 11:19-26), and one day a prophet named Agabus stood up and spoke of a very great need that existed among “”the brothers living in Judea””. The Christians in Antioch immediately said, ‘‘We want to help relieve this need’’ – (verse 29) – and they did (verse 30)! It was not a matter of compul

@Livingwater Study 6B GRACE SUFFICIENT FOR EVERY NEED DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10) But notice, Paul's prayer was answered –- not in the way he expected, but in the way God wanted. When we pray, sometimes the Lord answers our prayers with a YES, sometimes with a NO, sometimes with a WAIT, and sometimes He answers quite DIFFERENTLY from what we expect –- as He did here. What a good thing it is that He does not always answer our prayers in the way we want! 2. THE SUFFICIENCY PAUL RECEIVED Paul’s prayer was answered in the greatest possible way –- by a revelation of the Lord Himself! The greatest answer to prayer is not the thing we pray for –- but HIM! Study verse 9 carefully, and notice that with the revelation of Himself the Lord gave the promise of His sufficiency. It was a Powerful Sufficiency –- for the Lord said, ““My grace……My power…”…”; and link these expressions up with Isaiah 40:28-31. It was a Personal Sufficiency. Notice als

@Livingwater Study 6A GRACE SUFFICIENT FOR EVERY NEED DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10) We, as Christians, are always in need of grace –- not only ‘’dying grace’’, but grace to enable us to live to the praise and glory of God. We may experience that God’’s grace is sufficient for our every need, not only to enable us to get through difficult situations but to do so triumphantly! There are three main thoughts in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10: 1 . THE SUFFERING PAUL EXPERIENCED Every Christian experiences trial and testing. First , because this is the common experience of all members of the human race (Job 5:7); and second , because it is the common experience of all Christians (Philippians 1:29). In verse 7, the apostle tells us about a very hard trial – – “a thorn in my flesh””. Concerning this, notice: The Nature of it. It was real, and not imaginary. It was not a recurring carnal desire, otherwise Paul would not have gloried in it (verse 9); nor d

@Livingwater Study 5B THE SEVEN-FOLD MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: Acts 13:1-13) While every member of the body of Christ has some gift, some are called by the Holy Spirit and set aside for specific ministry –- which is always missionary in its emphasis. In verse 2 we read that “”the Holy Spirit said…”…” – and the whole object of the Holy Spirit’s calling of these two men was that of evangelism. He still calls men and women in the same way today. His call must always precede our going. 2 . The Second Act of the Holy Spirit is to give gifts to the Church . Verse 1 tells us that in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, but many other gifts were operative as well. There is no such thing as ‘a one-man ministry’. In every true church initiated by and administrated by the Holy Spirit many gifts are in operation. One man, or several, may be set aside for the position of leadership, ministry and pastoral oversight, but this doe

@Livingwater Study 5A THE SEVEN-FOLD MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: Acts 13:1-13) In this study we consider Acts 13:1-13, where we have a seven-fold picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in the church, the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23), of which all believers are members. The Book of Acts is rightly ‘‘The Acts of the Holy Spirit’’; that is, His activity in and through the church. In the four Gospels we see Him operating through the perfect human body of the Lord Jesus; in Acts, however, we see Him working through the mystical body of Christ –- the church. In the Gospels we have the record of “”all that Jesus began to do and to teach”” (Acts 1:1) during the three years of His public ministry; but the Acts records all that He continued to do from the throne, by the Holy Spirit, through the church. 1 . The First Act of the Holy Spirit is to initiate or form the Church . Notice the words in verse 1 –- ““the church at Antioch…”…” How did t

@Livingwater Study4B How do we limit Him? (Scripture Portion: Psalm 78:25-41) DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH From this psalm notice all the ways in which the Israelites sinned against God and displeased Him. The complete list is a long one, but notice the following seven ways in which we also limit Him: We limit God by our DISOBEDIENCE. Look at verse 10. The one fundamental condition of blessing in the lives of God’’s people is obedience, which simply means gladly and unquestionably doing what God says. How do we stand with regard to this? Are you a disobedient Christian? Look up John 15:7,10,14 and note the condition; and compare John 14:15; 1 John 3:21-24. Disobedience limits God’’s blessing in and through us. We limit God by our WORLDLINESS. In verse 33 we read “”so he ended their days in futility”” –- and surely a modern word for this could well be worldliness. Many of us are worldly! We fail to realise that our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20), that the Lord has ca

@Livingwater Study 4A LIMITING THE HOLY ONE DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: Psalm 78:25-41) In this psalm the writer gathers up a wealth of historical evidence to show that in spite of the folly, the constant disloyalty and the disaffection of God’’s ancient people the Lord still loved them and patiently watched over and provided for them. This historical account is recorded for our benefit, and particularly for our warning –- read verses 4-8. The sins of God’’s own people were very numerous –- look at verses 8,11,17,18,22,32,36,37,40! Perhaps the most astounding statement appears in verse 41 (KJV), where we are told that by their sins and follies God’’s people actually ‘’limited the Holy One of Israel’’. But can man limit God? Can the church limit His purpose and intention? Yes! Within the context of this psalm we see that these people did limit Him –- and you and I may do the same. In verse 41 two great principles emerge: God is ready and longing to do great thi

@Livingwater Study3B: IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD? DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: Genesis 18:1-14) What a hard thing it was, humanly speaking, to give Abraham and Sarah a child! Biologically it was impossible, yet their prayer was answered. Let quickly run through the remaining propositions that God made and later fulfilled... God is ever faithful. 2 . There is no PRAYER too hard for the Lord to answer . One of the great prayer-promises in the Bible is Jeremiah 33:3, where the word ‘‘unsearchable’’ may be translated ‘‘hidden’’, ‘’fenced in’’, or ‘‘hard’’. The Lord loves to answer hard prayers –- look up Matthew 17:20; John 16:23. In every situation and circumstance of life He invites us to pray, and He promises to answer our prayers. 3 . There is no PROBLEM too hard for the Lord to solve. Possibly you have a problem which you have been trying to solve by yourself –- and you have failed! Ask the Lord to solve it for you. He enabled them to pass through th

@Livingwater Study 3A IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD? DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON EARTH (Scripture Portion: Genesis 18:1-14) The title and theme of this study are suggested by the challenging question in Genesis 18:14. What is your answer to it? for this will reveal our estimate of the power of God and also the extent of our own faith in God. In these days many of God’’s people are discouraged, despondent and filled with doubt. This ought not to be, for discouragement always comes from the Devil, despondency paralyses us for useful service and doubt dishonours the Lord. If encouragement is needed, however, here it is in this study! If our faith needs to be fortified, this meditation in God’’s Word will do the trick! The circumstances in which the question, ‘’Is anything too hard for the Lord?’’ was asked, are brought before us in Genesis 15:1-6; 17:1-5; 15-19; 18:1-14; 21:1-8. Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 –- and look at Genesis 18:11. Humanly speaking, it was impossible