Jesus loves you

@Livingwater Study 9 THE SINFUL NATURE VERSUS THE SPIRIT (Scripture Portion: Galatians 5: 16-26) It was surely characteristic of the late Canon Guy King to entitle a sermon he once preached on Galatians 5:19-23 –- “From the Slum to the Orchard”! (Verses 19-21 describe the slum; verses 22-23 describe the orchard). It is God’s will that we, who by nature are in the slum, should be translated into the orchard; that we, from whose lives proceeded such evil things, should be made new creatures in Christ Jesus and that the fruit of the Spirit should be manifested in us. In Galatians 5:16-26, there is a progressive line of teaching concerning the two-fold nature of the believer. Let us consider this very important doctrine. 1 . Before we are born again and become Christians we possess a sinful , fallen, depraved nature . The expression “the sinful nature” occurs in verse 16, twice in verse 17 and in verses 19 and 24, and it is the Bible description for unregenerate human nature. The “...

@Livingwater Study 8 WHERE DID YOU GO WRONG?WHY DID YOU DECIDED TO STAY BACK? (Scripture Portion: Galatians 5: 1-15) How very sad it is when one who has been truly converted turns back (Acts 7:39), backslides (Proverbs 14:14), becomes lukewarm (Revelation 3:16), and loses his first love (Revelation 2:4)! What a tragedy this is –- to be keen and out-and-out for Christ, a soulwinner and an earnest worker, and then to turn aside and turn away from the Lord! There were those in the Galatian Church who had this experience in AD 56; they had been turned aside by false teachers who had succeeded in getting them into bondage again to the Law –- see what the apostle says of them and to them in Galatians 5:7. The thought conveyed to us in this verse is that the Christian life is a race. Paul used this metaphor in 1 Corinthians 9:26 –- and compare Hebrews 12:1-2; but here, in Galatians 5:7, we are told that we might be hindered in the race. A literal translation might well be: “Who has got i...

@Livingwater Study 7 WHEN, HOW AND WHY GOD SENT HIS SON (Scripture Portion: Galatians 4: 1-31) In Galatians 4:4-7, three facts about the incarnation of our Lord are emphasised. In Matthew 1:25-2:1; Luke 2:7 and John 1:1 and 14, we have the historical account of the incarnation. These accounts are not in any way contradictory, but they are supplementary and must be taken together to obtain a complete view of the birth of our Lord. But, whereas the Evangelists present us in the Gospels with the historical account of the incarnation, the apostle Paul in the passage before us gives us the doctrinal explanation of the event. Notice three lines of truth emphasised in this section of scripture: 1 . THE TIME OF THE INCARNATION: WHEN GOD SENT HIS SON When did this take place? Matthew tells us that it was “during the time of King Herod” (Matthew 2:1). We know, by our calendars, that it is now over 2000 years since God sent His Son into this world; but in Galatians 4:4, we are told that it...

@Livingwater Study 6 THE HOLY SPIRIT IN GALATIANS (Scripture Portion: Galatians 3: 1-29) In Galatians, the Holy Spirit is mentioned at least thirteen times –- look up Galatians 3: 2,3,5,14; 4: 6,29; 5: 5,16,17,18,22,25; and 6:8. Of course, the Holy Spirit is a real Person. It is important to emphasise this as many think of Him only as a great power or influence. Possibly this is due to such verses as Acts 1:8, which speak of His power. But He is a real Person, and in the Bible He is spoken of over and over again as “He”, “Him”, “His”, and His name is always given a capital S; moreover, He is spoken of as doing things which only a person could do. Read the references to the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John, chapters 14, 15 and 16, and notice the indications of personality which are shown in the things that He does. But the Holy Spirit is not only a real Person; He is a divine Person, He is God, the third Person in the Godhead. This does not mean that He is of lesser importance tha...

@Livingwater Study 5 THE CROSS (Scripture Portion: 1 Corinthians 1: 17-25) What is meant by the expression “the cross”? – look up and compare 1 Corinthians 1:18; Philippians 2:8; 3:18 and Colossians 1:20. It does not refer to a silver ornament, nor to an emblem which is often seen on a church tower, nor to a crucifix; neither does it refer to the burdens and troubles which we have to bear and which are sometimes referred to as “our cross”. “The Cross” is an expression that gathers up and contains the great fact and significance of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ upon Calvary. Another Bible term is “the blood” –- look up Ephesians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 John 1:7 and Revelation 12:11; and this expression refers to the unique nature of the sacrifice that Christ Jesus made for us upon the cross. The “cross” and the “blood” are interchangeable terms. Both refer to His death and to the great purpose and significance of that death. It is historically true that the Lord Jesus died up...

@Livingwater Study 4 JUSTIFICATION: BY FAITH OR BY WORKS? (Scripture Portion: Romans 5: 1-11) The question asked in Job 25:4 is a tremendous one. How can man, who by nature is sinful (Romans 3:10), the enemy of God (Romans 5:10), condemned (John 3:18) and living under God’s wrath (John 3:36), be justified with God? To be justified means to be made righteous, acquitted and cleared from every accusation, and God has provided and offered to man a method whereby He is able to look upon him as if he had never sinned at all. How can man be justified with God? There is only one way, and that is God’s way. Right through human history man has substituted his own way, a false way, a way that has seemed right but that most certainly leads to disappointment and death –- look up Proverbs 14:12. Let us examine: Man’s way –- a false way, the way of human works, of doing, of merit, of law-keeping, of trying. Man says, “If I do the best I can then God will accept me.” God’s Way –- the true wa...

@Livingwater Study 3 THE MARKS OF A GOOD TESTIMONY(REPORT) (Scripture Portion: Galatians 1: 13-24) Paul was a great theologian and a great preacher, but he loved to give his testimony because he knew that there is a tremendous power in the word of personal testimony. Testimonies can never take the place of preaching and teaching the Word –- look up 1 Corinthians 1:21; but the personal testimony of God’s people empowers the word that is preached. Every converted person should be willing to tell what the Lord has done for him or her –- look up Psalm 107:2 and Acts 4:20. There are, however, good and bad testimonies. What are the marks of a good testimony? It should be SHORT and to the point. The much-used advice is very good – – “Stand up, speak up –- and shut up!” It should ring with ASSURANCE. Read the testimony of the man who had been born blind –- John 9:25, and compare 2 Timothy 1:12. It should be UP-TO-DATE. There is a value in telling what the Lord has done for us in the pas...

@Livingwater Study 2 THE PURE DOCTRINE OF THE GOSPEL(SOUND DOCTRINE) (Scripture Portion: Galatians 1: 6-12) Martin Luther says that when Paul visited the Christians in Galatia, he taught them “the pure doctrine of the gospel”. The word “gospel” appears over and over again on the pages of the New Testament –- look up Mark 1:1; Romans 1:15; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 9:16 and Philippians 1:5 –- and compare Acts 20:24; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians 1:13 and Revelation 14:6. This word “gospel” occurs no less than twelve times in Galatians, and by comparing these references we are able to set out the teaching they bring before us. 1 . The Gospel is Good News from God to Man. The word “gospel” means “good news”. The good news of the gospel is summarised in John 3:16 – and it is important to include verse 17. The Devil would have men to believe that the gospel is bad news, that God sent His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in this he is wrong. The gospel is the best news that has...

@Livingwater Study 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTER (Scripture Portion: Galatians 1: 1-5) Paul’s letter to the churches at Galatia was written in AD 57. He made two missionary journeys to Galatia, and it was during one of these that he founded the churches there. When he preached the gospel, the Holy Spirit blessed the spoken word, souls were saved and churches were formed. Men and women who had been living in idolatry were brought to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and were born again by the Holy Spirit. But Paul was a pioneer missionary; he was always on the move, preaching in new places and planting new churches. Consequently he did not have time to stay very long with those who professed conversion under his ministry. After he had laboured in Galatia for a comparatively short while he moved on into other fields of service. It was probably while he was in Macedonia (Acts 20:1-3) that some very sad news reached him. False teachers had entered the churches in Galatia and ...

@Livingwater Study 10 EBED-MELECH: A WORK OF RESCUE(HELP) (Scripture Portion: Jeremiah 38: 1 –- 13) The prophet Jeremiah was condemned to die (verse 4), and had been confined to prison, which was nothing more or less than a great hole dug in the ground. In this murky dungeon lay the poor prophet of the Lord (verses 6 and 9), and he was even denied food and water (verse 9). When Ebed-Melech, one of the king’s servants, a dark-skinned man of Ethiopia, heard of Jeremiah’s plight he went to the king and pleaded to be allowed to rescue him (verses 8 –- 9). The king not only gave his consent, but he commanded him to take thirty other men with him to deliver Jeremiah (verse 10). Ebed-Melech effected the deliverance, and verses 11 –- 13 describe his great work of rescue. In this simple story we have a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus, who, away back in eternity, seeing that mankind had been plunged into a dark dungeon of death, went into the presence of the King and offered to engage...

@Livingwater Study 9 ISAIAH: STEPS INTO GOD'S BLESSING (Scripture Portion: Isaiah 6: 1 –- 9) It is the plan and purpose of God that every one of His servants should enter into an abiding experience of fulness of spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ. Many have to confess that their experience is often one of defeat and failure. What are the steps which lead to fulness of blessing –- to a life of victorious living and serving? Notice the following sequence:- 1 . The First Step : CONTEMPLATION. All vital Christian experience begins with a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah was worshipping in the temple, when, suddenly, he was over-awed with a tremendous sense of the Lord’s presence –- see verses 1 –- 5. He saw Jesus Christ in His pre-incarnate glory. “I saw the Lord……” (verse 1) –- that is, the glory that was His before He came to earth to be our Saviour – – compare John 12: 41 and 17: 5. He saw the eternal Son of God, who was (and is) one with the Father and the Holy Spir...

@Livingwater Study 8 MANASSEH: OLD TESTAMENT PRODIGAL (Scripture Portion: 2 Chronicles 33: 1 – 13) The story of Manasseh appeals to us because it is a perfect illustration of God’s dealings with men and women today. Manasseh had no thought, place or time for God; in fact, he openly defied God. Yet in a wonderful way, like the prodigal in our Lord’s parable, “he came to his senses”, and then he “came to his father” –- look up and read Luke 15: 11-24. As we read the first part of the story of Manasseh we find ourselves saying, “Surely there can be no hope for such a wicked man”; but as we read on we discover how wonderful the sovereign grace of God is –- that “no one is beyond redemption’s point”, no one is too bad to be saved and transformed –- and the grace of God can do just that! Notice how the story of Manasseh divides into three parts. 1 . THE MAN GOD LOVED Who was Manasseh? He was king of Judah, and he came to the throne at the early age of twelve. He reigned for 55 years a...

@Livingwater Study 7 OBADIAH: SERVANT OF JEHOVAH (Scripture Portion: 1 Kings 18: 1 –- 16) There are no less than thirteen Obadiahs mentioned in the Old Testament, but the man we have chosen for the subject of this study is mentioned in 1 Kings 18: 1 –- 16, and he was governor, or lord chamberlain, in the palace of King Ahab. Some have written most disparagingly about this servant of the Lord, but we read of him not only that he “feared the Lord”, but that from his youth he had “feared the Lord greatly” –- verses 3 and 12. This man had his failures, and he was certainly not an Elijah, but we see in him many noble qualities. He feared the Lord in a day of apostasy, idolatry and immorality. When Elijah asked him to seek audience with the wicked King Ahab then Obadiah was very frightened, but he overcame his fear and “went to meet Ahab”, to whom he delivered the message (verse 16). Here are some main lessons to consider: 1 . Obadiah came to know the Lord when he was quite young. W...

@Livingwater Study 6 QUEEN OF SHEBA: A ROYAL VISIT TO KING SOLOMON (Scripture Portion: 1 Kings 10: 1 –- 13) In Matthew 12: 42, the Lord Jesus authenticated the historical accuracy of this beautiful story of the queen’s visit to the king. She was a wealthy woman, and she lived and ruled in what is now Ethiopia. King Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, and he was not only wealthy and powerful, but he was also very wise. Between Jerusalem and Ethiopia were trade routes by sea and by camel caravans. Thus, there was considerable commercial activity in fragrant spices, precious stones and gold, and it was along this caravan route that the queen travelled to visit the king. As we consider this graphic and heart-gripping story, we shall notice the steps by which men and women may come to the One who declared Himself to be greater than Solomon –- even Jesus Christ our Lord –- and how they may discover in Him all that they need for time and for eternity. 1 . WHAT SHE HEARD . Verse 1 tells us ...