Jesus loves you

@Livingwater Study 4 LIVING VICTORIOUSLY (Scripture Portion: Exodus 14: 1-14) Many of God’s children are living defeated, unsatisfying and unsatisfactory lives. They have never entered into the experience of the peaceful life (Isaiah 30: 15); the overflowing life (John 7: 37-39); the abundant life (John 10: 10); the joyful life (John 15: 11); the liberated life (Romans 6: 7); the triumphant life (2 Corinthians 2: 14); and the loving life (1 John 2: 5) – and yet they long to do so! 1 . WHAT IS MEANT BY A LIFE OF VICTORY ? Seven characteristics of such a life are mentioned above, and many other scriptures could be cited. Consider the following:- (1) It is not a life in which it is impossible to sin, but a life in which victory over sin is possible. The first is unobtainable in this life, but the second is attainable. (2) It is not an abnormal life or a life to be enjoyed by just a few of God’s children, but it is His provision for every Christian. (3) It is not a life where the...

@Livingwater Study 3 THE ONE THING NEEDED (Scripture Portion: Luke 10: 38-42) One thing is absolutely necessary if we are to live a healthy, happy and useful Christian life. Do you know what that one thing is? Mary and Martha were entertaining the Lord Jesus. Martha, a splendid hostess, busied herself with preparations for a meal for Jesus and His disciples. Mary, however, sat at His feet and listened to all the wonderful things He had to say. Martha said to herself, “What a privilege to prepare a meal for Him!” and Mary said, “What a privilege to sit at His feet!” – and they were both right in thinking that (verse 39). But Martha felt that Mary was unreasonable in leaving her to serve up the meal, and she even questioned the Lord for allowing Mary to sit there while there was work to be done (verses 39-40). Then it was that Jesus spoke very tenderly to Martha, calling her by her name and saying, “You are careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is absolutely necess...

@Livingwater Study 2 FIRST STEPS IN THE NEW LIFE (Scripture Portion: Acts 9: 1-31) In the verses before us we have the dramatic account of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who was so wonderfully brought face to face with the risen Lord Himself. Saul’s conversion was striking, it was sudden, and there is a very real sense in which it was a sample conversion; it is an example of the kind of thing that God can do and is doing today – look up the last phrase in Acts 2: 47. But it is the post-conversion experiences of Saul that we are to study, the things that happened immediately after his conversion. What was the first thing that happened after he became a Christian? 1 . HE MADE AN OPEN CONFESSION OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST Verse 18 tells us that “he got up and was baptised……” Some few years previously John the Baptist had baptised in the River Jordan, and he baptised the Lord Jesus (Matthew 3: 13-17). The disciples of Jesus baptised (John 4: 1-2), and before He went b...

@Livingwater Series 4 Study 1 BEING DELIVERED (BORN) INTO GOD’S FAMILY (Scripture Portion: John 1: 1-16) There is only one way of entrance into the family of God, and that is by being born into that family. The way of entrance into an earthly family is by physical birth, and the way of entrance into the heavenly family is by the miracle of a spiritual birth – a second birth, a birth from above – look up John 3: 3-8. What a wonderful thing it is that poor sinning creatures such as we are can actually become children of the most High God! We can well understand the apostle John’s sense of awe as he wrote 1 John 3: 1! 1 . But are we not already the children of God ? Are not all people, everywhere, God’s children? Is not God the Father of all? In a creatorial sense He is our Father and we are His children – look up Malachi 2: 10 and Acts 17:28. In that God has created us, He is our Father; but when we turn to such verses as John 1: 12 and Galatians 3: 26, we discover that there is...

@Livingwater. Series 3 Study 7 INDWELLING (Scripture Portions: John 14: 16-18 and 26; 15:26; 16: 7-11 and 13-14) It may be helpful to compare the following relationships which God is pleased to sustain towards His children:- He is ABOVE us – Deuteronomy 4:39; Ephesians 1:20-21. He is BENEATH us – Deuteronomy 33:27. He is BEFORE us – Exodus 13:21-22; John 10:4. He is BEHIND us – Exodus 14:19. He is AROUND us – Psalm 34:7; 125:2. He is WITH us – Isaiah 41:10; Hebrews 13:5-6. He is WITHIN us – Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27. Of all the associations short of Glory itself, the last (above) is the greatest – that the Lord Himself should come and live within the human personality. In Ezekiel 36:27, we find the fact of His indwelling anticipated, but it was our Lord Himself who spoke fully about this – in John 14:16-18 and 26; 15:26; 16:7-11 and 13-14. Notice the following important truths in John 14:16-18: 1 . The Holy Spirit is a Person Notice the four persons referred to ...

@Livingwater. Series 3 Study 6 ADOPTION (Scripture Portion: Romans 8: 1-17) In Exodus 2:10 (compare Hebrews 11:24), Esther 2:7, and in Luke 15:11-24, we have three illustrations of adoption, and these will help us to answer the question: What does Adoption mean? It means – the placing of a son. When we are born again we become children in God’s family (John 1:12-13), and God becomes our loving Heavenly Father (John 6:32). But, we not only become children of God; we become sons of God and legally recognised heirs – look up Romans 8:14-17. Thus, by adoption, God gives us a new status, and this new status, or position, at once brings us into the place of new Privilege and of new Responsibility. 1 . THE PRIVILEGES OF THE ADOPTED According to Ephesians 1:4-5, we, as believers, were adopted in the purpose of God “before the creation of the world.” What are the privileges and blessings which are ours as the result of our adoption? WE HAVE RECEIVED HIS SPIRIT. Look up Romans 8:15 and...

@Livingwater Series 3 Study 5 JUSTIFICATION (Scripture Portions: Luke 18: 9-14; Romans 5: 1-11) The question asked in Job 25:4 is still being asked today, and the glorious message of the gospel is that God has provided a perfect and an entirely satisfactory way of justifying the ungodly (Romans 3:26; 4:5). 1 . WHAT IS THE MEANING OF JUSTIFICATION ? Look up Acts 13:38-39, and notice that through believing we receive “forgiveness of sins” (verse 38), and we are “justified” (verse 39). Justification is more than forgiveness; it is to be cleared of all blame and to be free from every charge. In an earthly court, a judge cannot both forgive a man and justify him at the same time, for if he forgives him then the man must be guilty and therefore he cannot be justified; on the other hand, if he justifies him, he does not need forgiveness. God, however, undertakes both to forgive the sin and to justify the sinner; that is, to forgive the guilty and condemned sinner and to place him in ...

@Livingwater Series 3 Study 4 REGENERATION GREAT WORDS OF THE GOSPEL (Scripture Portion: John 3: 1-16) By regeneration, or the new birth, we mean that act of the Holy Spirit whereby He communicates the divine life to the sinner, thus making him a child of God. The new birth is the key doctrine to every other truth revealed in the Word of God. To understand this doctrine is to open the door to an understanding of every other Bible doctrine. In the professing Church today, in every denomination, there are two classes of members – those who have been born again and who are therefore members of the true Church, and those who have never been born again. 1 . WHAT THE NEW BIRTH IS NOT IT IS A NEW BIRTH, A SECOND BIRTH, A BIRTH FROM ABOVE. Note “again” in verses 3 and 7 – “from above” (margin). IT IS BEING MADE ALIVE FROM THE DEAD; PASSING FROM DEATH TO LIFE.By nature man is spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1), but by the miracle of the new birth he is raised to newness of life (Romans...

@Livingwater Series 3 Study 3 FAITH (Scripture Portion: Mark 5: 25-34) The human race is divided into two classes of people – believers and unbelievers. God’s people are believers; they are characterised by faith and they live by faith (Romans 1:17); faith is the operative principle of the new life, the Christian life. There are many aspects of faith, as Hebrews 11 so wonderfully illustrates, but in this study we shall confine ourselves to what is called saving faith – the faith which brings us into the experience and enjoyment of God’s salvation. 1 . WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED ? (Acts 16 :30 ) This is the question of questions, and it asks: What is the human responsibility in the matter of salvation? At infinite cost, salvation has been provided for every sinner (1 John 2:2). God’s only-begotten Son came down from Heaven and procured salvation by dying for us upon the cross (Isaiah 53:5-6; John 1:29; 2 Corinthians 5:21). God the Father accepted His finished work and raised H...

@Livingwater Series 3 Study 2 REPENTANCE GREAT WORDS OF THE GOSPEL by Francis Dixon (Scripture Portion: Luke 15: 3-24) Anyone who has any doubts as to the importance of the doctrine of repentance needs only to read the solemn words of our Lord Jesus Christ recorded in Luke 13:3. The Bible is full of this subject, and the word is used over one hundred times – fifty-eight times in the New Testament alone. Yet, someone has rightly said of repentance that it is “the missing note in modern evangelism.” It was the key-note of New Testament preaching: John the Baptist began his ministry with a call to repentance (Matthew 3:2); our Lord’s first word was “Repent…” (Matthew 4:17); those whom He commissioned were commanded to preach repentance (Mark 6:12 and Luke 24:47); there is joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10); Peter preached repentance (Acts 2:37-38); Paul preached repentance (Acts 17:30-31); and repentance leading to faith is everywhere laid down in the Bible as ...

@Livingwater Series 3 Study 1 CONVICTION (Scripture Portion: John 16: 1-11) The salvation of a soul is always preceded and accompanied by the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. No one is ever truly saved without experiencing this conviction of which Jesus spoke in John 16:7-11. People often think that they can be saved “at will”; that is, just when they decide they would like to be saved, and very often those who preach the gospel fail to realise how imperative it is to secure the convicting work of the Holy Spirit if ever spiritual results are to be produced. In the salvation of a soul it is always God who takes the initiative – look up Genesis 3:9 and John 15:16. If God did not seek man, man would never seek after God – look up Romans 3:11, and compare John 5:6 and 6:44. This raises the question: How does the Father draw men and women to Christ? The answer is – by the Holy Spirit, and the first great work that the Holy Spirit accomplishes is the work of conviction; this means...

@Livingwater Series 2 Study 8 THE CHRISTIAN’S RELATIONSHIPS (Scripture Portions: Ephesians 5: 22-33 and 6: 1-19) The importance of this subject is seen by the fact that the Holy Spirit has devoted such a large proportion of this letter to the relationships which should exist between Christian husbands and wives, parents and children, and masters and servants. How, then, should believers behave in the exacting relationships of domestic life? The answer is in verse 21. In other words, the secret of a happy and a harmonious home is mutual submission; not proud resistance, not striving to stand up for one’s “rights”, but a loving consideration of the other person, a mutual respect and loyalty, a Christ-like spirit. Consider in detail the relationships mentioned. 1 . WIVES, submit to your husbands (5 : 22 - 24 and 33 ). These are not man’s ideas, they are God’s instructions. Wives are to submit themselves to their husbands “as to the Lord…in everything.” The Lord is the Head of the...

@Livingwater Series 2 Study 9 OUR ENEMY AND OUR WARFARE (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 6: l0-19) In his Letters the apostle Paul speaks of the Christian life under a number of suggestive metaphors. For example, in this letter to the Ephesians his favourite designation of the Christian is how he should LIVE – compare 2: 2; 4: 1 and 17; 5:2, 8 and 15. In chapters 5 and 6, wives (5: 22-24), husbands (5: 25-3l), children (6: 1-3), fathers (6: 4), servants (6: 5-8) and masters (6: 9), are told how to live and how to behave. But suddenly the apostle changes the metaphor, and in chapter 6, verse 10, he introduces us to something of the stern side of the Christian life; he tells us that there is a fight to be fought, that we have a powerful enemy to face, and that we can only be “more than conquerors” (Romans 8: 37) as we “put on the full armour of God.” As Christians, we are saints (Ephesians 1: 1), children (1: 5), believers (1: 13), servants (6: 5) – but we are also soldiers (6: 11)...

@Livingwater Series 2 Study 10 PRAYING ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 6: 18-24) Paul was a man of prayer. Prayer was the secret of his life, of his amazing influence, of his suffering and endurance, of his burning passion for the souls of men, and consequently he is the one man, apart from the Lord Jesus Himself, who is most qualified to instruct us in the holy art of praying. In the verses before us there are seven vital truths about prayer. 1 . Prayer is the Great Essential Paul speaks of the armour we are to put on, and then he goes straight on without a break – “Praying at all times…” It is tremendously important for a soldier to have on the right armour and to be equipped with a sword, but what is equally important is that the soldier should keep in constant communication with his Commander-in-chief (Hebrews 2: 10). The Christian, while he is on the field of battle, is in direct touch with the throne of God, and the prayer-line of communication with o...

@Livingwater Series 2 Study 7 SPIRITUAL INTOXICATION! (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 5: 1 – 21) In Ephesians 5: 18 a contrast is made between the person who is under the influence of alcohol and the person who is under the controlling influence of the Holy Spirit. We as Christians are not to be drunk with the wine that comes from any earthly vineyard but with the new wine of the Kingdom which comes from the heavenly vineyard, from Him who is the True Vine (John 15: 1). There is a purpose in setting these two commands in contrast. It was a pagan belief that God dwelt in the blood of the grape, so that in drinking wine man was drinking God into himself. Drunkenness was therefore held to be a sacrament in which a man was supposed to be under the control of the god who filled him. Paul reminded the Christians at Ephesus of this pagan belief, and then he pointed them to the true way of being God-possessed. Concerning the Spirit-filled life, let us notice the following truths: 1 . A Dr...

@Livingwater Series 2 Study 6 GIFTS FROM THE ASCENDED LORD (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 4: 4-16) In Ephesians 4: 4-6, emphasis is given to those great fundamental facts of the Christian faith which are at once its unifying features. In verses 7 – 16, the apostle writes of the diversity of gifts which characterise those who are members of Christ’s Body, the Church. This is an intriguing theme, and we need also to refer to three other New Testament passages which deal with the subject of spiritual gifts – look up Romans 12: 3-8; 1 Corinthians l2: 4-11 (indeed, chapters 12, 13 and 14); and 1 Peter 4: 10-11. Let us confine our study to the teaching embodied in Ephesians 4: 4-16, and notice the following:- 1 . The GIVER of the Gifts . This is brought out in verses 7, 8 and 11, where we are told that Christ Himself gives spiritual gifts to the members of His Church; but especially notice verse 8, which is a quotation from Psalm 68: 18. The Lord Jesus went down into death, was raised ...

Livingwater Series 2 Study 5 LIVING WORTHILY! (Scripture Portions: Ephesians 4: 1-3 and 17-26) We now come to the second half of this letter. Chapters l – 3 are doctrinal, and they emphasise our standing “in Christ”; chapters 4 – 6 are practical, and they emphasise our state down here in the world. What we are “in Christ” must be related to what we are in the world. Doctrine must always issue in duty; our creed must be seen in our conduct. There are two dangers which we must always seek to avoid: (1) Teaching doctrine without relating it to duty – this will make for a mere intellectualism and a dead formalism; (2) Teaching duty which does not issue forth from doctrine – this will make for error, superficiality and spurious growth. Notice in verse 1 how the apostle commences this second half of the letter: “…I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” – for the first mark of a saved person is that his life is different. It used to be like Ephesians 2: 2-3 an...

Series 2 Study 4 SEVEN TRUTHS ABOUT THE CHURCH (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 3: 1-12) In these verses we are told seven truths about the Church, and it is very important for us to understand these. 1 . The MYSTERY of the Church . The word “mystery” occurs in verses 3, 4 and 9. It does not mean that which is obscure or unintelligible, but it means a divine secret which is known only to those to whom it is revealed – note verse 3, and compare 1 Corinthians 2: 7-12. The special revelation of the truth of the Church was first made to Paul, but he would not have understood the dispensational significance of the “mystery” of the Church apart from the revelation given to him by God; and likewise we cannot understand the significance of the “mystery” without the help and illumination of the Holy Spirit. For further study look up Romans 11: 25; 1 Corinthians 15: 51; Ephesians 3: 3-4 and 6: 19; 1 Timothy 3:l6. 2 . The MEANING of the Church . What do we mean when we speak of the Church? Wh...