Jesus loves you

@Livingwater Study 10B  A PROMISE TO CHRISTIAN WORKERS (Scripture Portion: Psalm 126) The Christian Worker is one who SOWS SEED All true Christian service consists of seed sowing – taking a Sunday School class, distributing tracts, preaching, visiting the sick, letter-writing……Look up Luke 8:11 and see what the seed is. 1. This seed is precious (Psalm 126:6 (KJV); 2 Peter 1:4). There is none like it; it is life-giving (John 6:63). 2. This seed is powerful (Romans 1:16; Hebrews 4:12). It can turn sinners into saints (Psalm 19:7). 3. This seed is productive (Daniel 12:3). It brings forth an eternal harvest. But the seed must be sown! Seed in the basket will never produce a harvest. It is not the truth we know but the truth we sow that bears fruit –- and we shall reap what we sow! Sow wheat, and there will be a harvest of wheat; sow truth, and there will be a glorious harvest; sow error, and there will be a harvest of shame –- look up Galatians 6:7. 4 . The Christian Worker h

@Livingwater Study 10A  A PROMISE TO CHRISTIAN WORKERS (Scripture Portion: Psalm 126) The last two verses of this psalm are the key-verses of this study, and the last two phrases in particular are wonderfully prophetic, in a three-fold sense. First , they are prophetic of Israel’s history. The words have already received a large measure of fulfilment, and today the Jews everywhere are passing through the time of tears and weeping. Soon their time of weeping will pass and they will “return with songs of joy”. Second , they are prophetic of our Lord’s ministry. Meditate on the separate phrases in verse 6, and compare the following: Psalm 40:7; Luke 9:51; 19:41; John 11:25 and Hebrews 5:7; John 12:24; 14:3; Jude 14. Third, these words are prophetic, or descriptive of Christian workers. There is a three-fold contrast: (1) going out and coming in again; (2) weeping and rejoicing; (3) carrying seed and carrying sheaves. Let us look at the description of the Christian worker in verse 6.

@Livingwater Study 9B HOW TO BE WELL-BEHAVED (Scripture Portion: Psalm 101) The deeds of faithless men David hates, and he resolves that they will not cling to him. “I’ll not let a worldly spirit get hold of me!” It is so easy for a Christian to be like a worldling: by indulging in the world’s questionable pleasures, using the world’s corrupt forms of speech, adopting the world’s debased standards, and so on 3 . The well-behaved Christian refuses to regard iniquity. See verse 3. We cannot help seeing “vile” things, but it is a very different matter deliberately and willingly to set them before our eyes –- look up Psalm 66:18 and Romans 13:14. How necessary it is for us to make the resolve of verse 3, and to apply it to the literature we read, the places we go to, the people we associate with and the thoughts of our heart! We are called unto holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1); and what have we to do with wickedness (2 Timothy 2:19)? 4 . The well-behaved Christian is separate from the

@Livingwater Study 9A HOW TO BE WELL-BEHAVED (Scripture Portion: Psalm 101) It has been said that there are two kinds of psalms: psalms of Praise and psalms of Practice. An example of the former is Psalm 100 –- full of praise and thanksgiving; and an example of the latter is Psalm 101. Psalm 101 is full of resolutions made by David at a time when he was about to become king of Israel. They all have to do with daily life and conduct, and that is why the psalm is so practical. Eight times David says, “I will” . The key-verse is verse 2: “I will be careful to lead a blameless life.” That is: “My behaviour shall be such as will be pleasing to God and commendable in the sight of men.” Are you a Christian? Are you a well-behaved Christian? 1 . The well-behaved Christian has a spirit of praise . A life that is filled with praise to God –- verse 1. The important thing to notice is that the psalmist sings just as much of “love” as he does of “justice”. Naturally speaking, it is far easie

@Livingwater Study 8B THE SEVEN-FOLD GLORY OF THE CHURCH (Scripture Portion: Psalm 87) All types of people are in the Church –- verses 4 and 5 –- “this one and that one”. How wonderful it is to sit at the Lord’s Table and remember that all over the world others gather in a similar way to worship the same Lord, to remember the same death, and to rejoice in the same great salvation –- rich and poor, nobles and common people, who have been proud, rebellious, worldly –- all saved by Jesus Christ and brought into His Church! 4 . THE GROWTH AND COMPLETION OF THE CHURCH ARE CERTAIN Look at verse 5 (last part), and compare Matthew 16:18. How wonderful to know that the Lord Himself is building His Church and that nothing will prevent Him from completing the work! Many forces are arrayed against the Church, as well as many from within, but the Lord has declared that He will build it, and He will not fail! Look up Acts 2:47 –- it is still happening! –- and read Philippians 1:6. 5 . ALL T

@Livingwater Study 8A THE SEVEN-FOLD GLORY OF THE CHURCH (Scripture Portion: Psalm 87) The Church is distinctively a New Testament revelation, and the epistles of Paul tell us much about the glories of the Church. For example, in Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV) we find the expression “a glorious Church”; but link this up with Psalm 87:3, and let the “city of God” represent the Church, then read the rest of the psalm and discover the glories of the Church that are mentioned –- at least seven. The word “Selah” at the end of verse 3 means, “Pause, and think of that!” So the psalmist is saying, “Glorious things are spoken of the Church. Pause and think of them! 1 . THE CHURCH HAS A SURE FOUNDATION What is the sure foundation upon which the Church is built? Turn to Matthew 16:13-18 and in particular notice our Lord’s words to Peter just after his confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). He said, “You are Peter ( petros , a piece of rock, ‘a little rock’), a