Jesus loves you

@Livingwater Study 3B THE REWARD FOR OBEDIENCE (Scripture Portion: Psalm 19) 2 . What are the rewards God promises to the man or woman who will keep His commandments? 1. LONG LIFE. Can obedience affect one’s length of days? Look up Deuteronomy 32:46-47; Proverbs 3:1-2. As a general principle, if we will seek to live in the will of God and obey His laws, then our days will be lengthened; but if we break His laws by living careless, intemperate, self-led lives, then our days may be shortened. 2. PROTECTION. There is a wonderful promise in Ecclesiastes 8:5 – look it up! Does it mean that nothing will “go wrong” if we obey God? It means that Romans 8:28 will be fulfilled in our experience. Sorrow, trials and testings will come, but as they come from Him they will never be “evil”, always “good” (Deuteronomy 23:5). 3. GLADNESS. Read Nehemiah 8:13-17, and notice the last words in verse 17. The most joyful people in the world are those who are constantly seeking to keep God’s commandme

@Livingwater Study 3A THE REWARD FOR OBEDIENCE (Scripture Portion: Psalm 19) The key-words of this study are in Psalm 19:11 – “In keeping them there is great reward.” In this simple statement the psalmist tells us that there is a reward for obedience. Some of God’s children are disobedient, (in fact, we all are at times); but when we obey Him the Lord promises us a “great” reward. The reference is not primarily to future rewards which we shall receive at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10), but to rewards we receive here and now. One day we must all appear before the Lord to be rewarded, or to suffer loss, according to the way we have lived and laboured for Him (1 Corinthians 3:9-15), but Psalm 19 is speaking of a reward for obedience which is to be received and enjoyed here and now. Notice the words “in” and “is”; that means that in the actual process of doing God’s will and keeping His commandments there is great reward. 1 . Before we think about the rewards that Go

@Livingwater Study 2B THE HEAVENLY CITIZEN (Scripture Portion: Psalm 15) #THE HEAVENLY CITIZEN IS ONE WHO IS CAREFUL OF HIS FRIENDSHIPS In the first part of verse 4 we have a negative and a positive description of the right kind of companions to have. We are constantly surrounded by worldly and ungodly people, but we are not to make them our bosom friends. We cannot be true to God if we court the friendship of ungodly people. “The friendship of the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4). We cannot serve two masters, God and mammon (Luke 16:13). How bad can be the influence of a bad friend; but how good can be the influence of a good friend! A great man was asked the reason for his success, and he replied, “Well –- I had a friend!” So, “make friends of God’s children! #THE HEAVENLY CITIZEN IS ONE WHO IS CHARITABLE TOWARDS HIS NEIGHBOUR #THE HEAVENLY CITIZEN IS ONE WHOSE WORD IS HIS BOND #THE HEAVENLY CITIZEN IS ONE WHO IS MERCIFUL IN HIS DEALINGS Verse 5 tells us this. God has

@Livingwater Study 2A THE HEAVENLY CITIZEN (Scripture Portion: Psalm 15) This brief but wonderful psalm presents to us a picture of a true citizen of Zion, one who is travelling on to the city of God, where he will dwell with Him for ever. The psalm may be said to be ethical rather than evangelical; it tells us what a Heavenly Citizen is like rather than the way to become a Heavenly Citizen. The psalm might well be entitled, “Practical Christianity”. In verse 1 the psalmist asks God a two-fold question. What is the significance of and difference between “sanctuary” and “holy hill”? Is there perhaps a reference here to the Church Militant (on earth), typified by the Sanctuary/Tabernacle, and to the Church Triumphant (in Heaven)? Before we can go to Heaven we must be a member of the true Church on earth, so the psalmist asks, “Lord, who are those who belong to the true Church down here……and who are travelling on to the Heavenly City? Describe them, Lord.” And the rest of the psalm i

@Livingwater Study 1B THE SECRET OF TRUE HAPPINESS (Scripture Portion: Psalm 1) THE SECRET OF THE HAPPY MAN ’ S HAPPINESS Is there a secret? Yes! It is clearly stated, first negatively and then positively , in verses 1 and 2. It is a four-fold secret: 1. Repentance.This is implied in verse 1 2. Faith.This is indicated in verse 2. 3. Obedience. “His delight is in the law of the Lord”; therefore he is a man of obedience, and faith plus obedience brings true happiness. Trust and obey, For there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey. 4. Communion.Verse 2 tells us this 3 . THE SOLEMN PATH AND PROSPECT OF THE UNHAPPY MAN Unbelievers are described as the wicked (verses 1, 4, 5), sinners (verses 1 and 5), and mockers (verse 1). Notice that: 1. The path, the position and the prospect of the unbeliever is quite different from that of the believer (verse 4). 2. The unbeliever is like “chaff” – no life, no vitality, no fruitfulness, no security, no stabilit

@Livingwater Study 1A THE SECRET OF TRUE HAPPINESS Psalm 1 forms an introduction to the whole psalter. It shows us the secret of true happiness – and who does not want to learn that secret? There is an idea abroad that God does not want us to be happy. This, of course, is the Devil’s lie, though unfortunately even some Christians half believe it. But God wants us to be happy. Let's consider this. 1 . GOD ’ S PICTURE OF THE HAPPY MAN If we ask, What is the blessed, or happy, man like? verse 3 tells us. “He is like……”, and then follows a seven-fold description of the godly man, the believer, the Christian. We introduce these characteristics by the seven key-words so helpfully suggested by the late Dr W. Graham Scroggie. 1. Vitality: “a tree……” This denotes life, and the happy man, the true Christian, has received a new life (John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1), a divine life (2 Peter 1:4). 2. Security: “a tree planted……” This suggests a carefully chosen tree, cared f

@Livingwater Study 10B GIVING HIM THE FOREMOST PLACE Key Verse: ““…so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” (Colossians 1:18) But though it is His right to occupy the foremost place in human experience, He does not always do so He is not always free to exercise His right. For example: in our life very often self is first –- look up Luke 9:59 and 61; notice the words ““first let me””! and compare 3 John 9. Sometimes another life is first –- look up Matthew 10:38; sometimes personal ambition, pleasure or possessions come first –- look up Luke 18:23. How true it is that: The better often is the foe That keeps us from God’’s best! 2. The Lord Jesus may be PRESENT in our life, yet not PRE-EMINENT If you are a Christian He is truly present –- but is He pre-eminent? It is true to say that He is present in our national, political, commercial and religious life, but He is not by any means pre-eminent. The same may be true in your life or mine. “”If He is not Lord of all, t

@Livingwater Study 10A GIVING HIM THE FOREMOST PLACE Key Verse: ““…so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” (Colossians 1:18) The day is coming when the Lord Jesus Christ will have the supremacy, when He will be Lord and when ““at the name of Jesus every knee should bow”” (Philippians 2:10). What a glorious prospect this is for Him –- and for us! But though the prophetic application of these words is important, there is an equally important personal application. The word ““supremacy”” means ““occupying the foremost place””, and here we are not thinking of the supremacy of one doctrine over another, one creed over another or one denomination over another, but of one personality over another. The one personality is the Lord Jesus Christ and the other is you –- or me; so when we speak of the supremacy of Christ we mean Christ occupying the foremost place in our life. Does He? Is He first in our life, home, business, friendships, pleasures……? See the warning of 3 John 9. 1

@Livingwater Study 9B FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT Key Verse: ““And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:52) Notice the characteristics of a Spirit - filled Christian 1. The first characteristic of the Spirit-filled life is power and effectiveness in witnessing. The primary purpose of the infilling of the Holy Spirit is to make us effective witnesses. Read Acts 13:44-52, and notice how mightily God’’s Spirit-filled servants witnessed for Him The first characteristic of a Spirit-filled Christian, then, is that he is a witnessing Christian –- look up Acts 1:8. 2. The second characteristic of the Spirit-filled life is discernment, a Spirit-taught understanding of God’’s plan and programme. This is brought out clearly in this portion of scripture in two ways: 1. In verses 46-47, Paul and Barnabas explained that the gospel was first given to the Jews, and then, when rejected by them, it was given to the Gentiles. Thus, they understood God’’s dispensa

@Livingwater Study 9A FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT Key Verse: ““And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:52) There is no greater need in the life of a Christian than that there should be a full understanding of the New Testament teaching about the Spirit-filled life. Because this subject is so neglected and so little understood many Christians are living on a very low level of Christian experience. Their lives are powerless, defeated and joyless and their service is ineffective and productive of little real fruit. For the same reason many of our churches are struggling, and the forces of darkness seem to be gaining ground on every hand. The greatest need of every Christian is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and in this study we will consider some vital aspects of this important truth. life: Notice that our key -verse tells us several important things about the Spirit - filled life: 1. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a very definite exper

@Livingwater Study 8B WHAT WENT WRONG? Key Verse: “”You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”” (Galatians 5:7) What hindered you? Was it persecution , misunderstanding or opposition? Then you need to take heed to John 16:32. Many people have accepted Christ and have then had to face the misunderstanding and opposition of loved ones and friends, and the test has been so severe that later they have become discouraged and have “given everything up”. But, “it is hard to be a Christian”, and our Lord expressly told us that it would be so – – look up Matthew 5:11-12. The Lord Jesus was threatened with stones (John 8:59); they put a crown of thorns upon His head (John 19:1-3); they mocked Him (Luke 23:33-37); then they crucified Him (John 19:16). Is it not a privilege to suffer with Him? –- look up Philippians 1:29, and compare Acts 5:41 and 2 Corinthians 11:23-30. What hindered you? Was it some severe trial or sorrow? Then you need to take

@Livingwater Study 8A WHAT WENT WRONG? Key Verse: “”You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”” (Galatians 5:7) What a wonderful thing it is when someone is converted! A truly converted person is born again (1 Peter 1:23); saved (Romans 10:9); justified (Romans 5:1); and is made a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Do you recall the day of your conversion, or if you do not remember the day, are you sure you have been converted? But it is inexpressibly sad when one who has been truly converted turns back (Acts 7:39); backslides (Proverbs 14:14); becomes lukewarm (Revelation 3:16); loses his first love (Revelation 2:4). What a tragedy – to be out-and-out for Christ, a soul-winner, an earnest worker, and then to turn away from the Lord! There were those in the Galatian Church in AD 56 (when Paul wrote his letter), who had been turned aside by false teachers who had succeeded in getting them into bondage again to the Law. The though

@Livingwater Study 7B THE MARKS OF THE LORD JESUS Key Verse: ““For I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.”” (Galatians 6:17) This descriptive passage of scripture explains the marks on Paul’s body –- the brand-marks of the Lord Jesus. Do they not put us to shame? Most of us want to be popular Christians, and we know little of suffering for Christ’s sake. Let us remember those in many lands today who are suffering much at the hands of men and who are, for their Lord’’s sake, bearing in their body the marks of the Lord Jesus. And let us pray that should we ever be called upon to suffer shame for His name we may be given grace to be faithful even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10). 2 . THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF THE APOSTLE’ ’ S STATEMENT The description of Paul’s suffering does not apply to many of us, but there is a spiritual application which applies to all who name the name of Christ. Just as those physical marks branded Paul as one of Christ’s slaves, as His property, as

@Livingwater Study 7A THE MARKS OF THE LORD JESUS Key Verse: ““For I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.”” (Galatians 6:17) The apostle Paul wore a badge that marked him out as being a true servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. He bore in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Is there anything about us that marks us out as belonging to Christ and identifies us with Him? The word “”I”” is emphatic in the Greek. Paul said, ““I bear in my body the marks of Jesus.”” Was he boasting? No, but in this letter Paul was vindicating his ministry. Many of the Jewish teachers had subverted these Galatian Christians into believing that he was not truly an apostle because he had not known the Lord Jesus in the days of His flesh. So Paul compared himself with these judaising teachers and he asked, ““Have they the marks of the Lord Jesus upon them? No –- but I have!”” What is the proof of our attachment to Christ? Is it the words we speak? No, not primarily. There should be some distinctive marks about