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Read Philippians 2:15 , 16 ; Psalm 119:9-16 Never forget the centrality of the Word of God to the believer's witness. The Christian is to study the Word, apply it to himself and then translate it into daily living before a crooked and perverse world. And every believer may be assured that as God's Word is held forth it will have an effect on those who hear it. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as f

Read Genesis 27:18-29 One lie always leads to another lie. Jacob kept adding sins to his previous ones. First, he impersonated his brother. Second, he lied to his father when he said, "I am Esau." Finally, he even went so far as to bring the name of the Lord into his deceit, for he said, "Because the LORD thy God brought it to me" ( Gen. 27:20 ). Jacob most probably did not anticipate all of his father's questions; therefore, he had to have quick answers, which caused him to

Read 1 John 2:7-11 The statements concerning the old and the new commandment sound paradoxical. They can be readily reconciled, however. The Apostle John wrote here, as 1 John 2:9-11 shows, about our love for one another. In a sense this is not a new commandment; it is an old one that goes back to the time when God made man in His own image. Since man was made in the image of God, love was part of the expression of his life. It is old also in the sense that the Old Testament

Read James 4:1-3 James was well aware of the fact that conflict among believers comes from the personal war that goes on within each person. This conflict within the believer is also referred to in Romans 7:23 : "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." Also, Peter warned, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war aga

2 Corinthians 10:1-6 We must depend on the Spirit's power to control our thoughts. Here is what the Scriptures have to say on that point: "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God [the indwelling Holy Spirit].... bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" ( 2 Cor. 10:4 , 5 ). Only the Spirit of God can make this possible in our lives, and He does it only when we are under His complete control. When an evil thought comes to our

Genesis 14:17-24 When the king of Sodom tempted Abraham by urging him to take the earthly goods, Abraham's attitude was the same as the Apostle Paul's. In 2 Corinthians 4:18 Paul said, "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." Because Abraham had been spiritually fortified beforehand, he was ready when the king of Sodom offered him earthly rich

Read Ephesians 6:10-18 The armor is not to be put on and taken off periodically but to be put on and left on. The armor is actually an attitude of faith; therefore, it is something that is put on by an act of the will and left on. As we mature in the Christian life, we will discover areas in our lives where our faith is not as strong as it should be; that is, the armor is weak in a certain place. At such a time, our responsibility is to go to the Word of God to study His prom

Philippians 3:17-21 All of us who have believed in Christ, like the patriarchs, are "looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God" ( Heb. 11:10, NASB ). Believers of old were "seeking a country of their own" (v. 14, NASB), and we, too, are seeking a heavenly country. Even though we reside on earth, our legal residence is in heaven. Therefore, our minds should be on that which originates in heaven rather than on that which originates on earth.

Read Galatians 3:1-14 The Christian life is a "by faith" life not a "by Law" life. Paul makes a very strong statement at the end of Galatians 2 when he says, "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (v. 21). If we could save ourselves and if we could live a righteous life by our own efforts, there was no purpose in Christ's dying in the first place. He might as well have stayed alive. Many things were in vain if

Read 1 John 1:5-10 For a person to walk in the light requires that he first receive Christ as personal Saviour. The light of God's Word must first have enlightened that person's heart and convicted him of his sin. That same light reveals to us the holiness of God and brings us to a reverential fear of Him, something foreign to the natural man (see Rom. 3:18 ). That same light reveals to us how Christ came to reconcile us to God. To us is offered "the righteousness of God whic

Read 1 John 4:1-6 It is sad, but many who talk about our Saviour and use His name do not believe that He is the eternal God, the Creator of all things, and that He came to die for the sins of mankind. In the verses previous to this, the apostle discussed false teachers who talk about Jesus but fail to acknowledge that He truly is the Son of God. Such people are representatives of Satan, not messengers of God. They speak the type of message that the world loves to hear. Often

Galatians 3:15-25 The passage before us says that the Law "was added" ( Gal. 3:19 ). It was added to something already existing. John the Baptist introduced our Lord to the public and said of Him, "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." The Law had a definite beginning. It began not with Adam but with Moses. There was not a God-given Law in all those 2500 years or more between Adam and Moses, but there was sin, and because there was sin there w

Read Genesis 12:7-9 The tent symbolized Abraham's dependence on God. Hebrews 11:9 , 10 says of Abraham that "by faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles [tents] with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Every child of God is a pilgrim in this world and is to have his eyes fixed on his home in heaven. The altar that Abraham

Ephesians 3:14-17 Paul referred to his relationship to the indwelling Christ when he wrote: "I am [have been] crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" ( Gal. 2:20 ). Thus, as Paul prayed for the Ephesians, he prayed that Christ might dwell in their hearts in the sense of being enthroned in their lives--that He might be truly at home, not just a guest. He will be completely at home in our lives to the extent that He is truly Lord of our l

Read James 4:8-12 Concerning James's command to "draw nigh to God" ( James 4:8 ), we must remember that it takes time to be holy. Although our position in Christ at the moment of salvation provides an absolute holiness, as we live the Christian life from day to day, it takes time to apply the principles that result in holy living. But as we move toward God, we can count on God's moving toward us. However, we must remember that our moving is the result of His indwelling power

Read James 3:7-12 Is it not strange that the tongue can be praising God one moment and be slandering some person the next moment, often right in the church where the tongue had been used to praise God? We may even hear the preacher talk about not slandering others, but before we leave we will say things concerning others that amount to slander. Such inconsistencies are not found in nature, but out of the human being can come both bitter and sweet words. Remember that the tong

Read Ephesians 1:3 ; Romans 8:35-39 The individual who has received Christ as Saviour has been united to Christ, but he is traveling through a world that has an ungodly, hostile atmosphere. Thus, the believer needs a spiritual atmosphere in which to breathe. Just as astronauts have to take along their own atmosphere when they go to the moon, the believer needs spiritual atmosphere to sustain his spiritual life while on earth. The believer needs spiritual food, spiritual compa

John 17:13-19 The Bible speaks of our being sanctified by the Word of God as well as by the blood of Christ and by the Holy Spirit. Just as Christ is not of the world, so the believer is not of the world. God uses His Word, under the power and work of the Holy Spirit, to bring about the changes He wants in our conduct. Concerning this our Saviour prayed in John 17:16-19 , "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is

Romans 12:6-16 What a shame when there is a spirit of envy among the members of the Body of Christ. Instead, there should be praise for the way God is using each one. One translator paraphrases Romans 12:3 : "Now I have a warning for you, prompted by the divine grace bestowed on me--and I address it to all who are among you:--do not be uplifted with unjustifiable notions of your importance. Let your thoughts tend to sober views, proportioned to the measure of faith which God

Read Philippians 4:1-7 The word "moderation" ( Phil. 4:5 ) emphasizes pliability and agreeableness. It is a special consideration given to other people, and it is to be the additive that causes a believer to patiently forbear under injury without desiring revenge. It is a spirit that is ready to forgive, and it possesses a gentleness of temper. It is also temperate in physical desires and demonstrates equity; that is, justice and impartiality in business. Having moderation me

Read James 2:14-26 A cold, austere, intellectual faith that does not manifest itself by action is nothing more than a mental assent to the existence of God. James taught that this kind of faith is really no faith at all--it is a dead faith. It is not enough just to believe that God exists or even to believe that He died on the cross for the sins of the world. An individual must realize he will be eternally condemned apart from what Jesus Christ did for him personally on the c

James 5:17-20 ; 1 Kings 18:36-39 Because this was such a crucial prayer, it is worth noting the specific things for which Elijah prayed. He had four specific requests of God. First, "Let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel" ( 1 Kings 18:36 ). The burden of Elijah's heart was that others would know the true God and that they would realize that He alone is God. Second, " That I am thy servant" (v. 36). This revealed Elijah's humble attitude--he wanted to be know

Genesis 12:14-20 Abraham's downward steps away from God eventually led to open rebuke. The Bible says, "Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her , and go thy way" ( Gen. 12:18 , 19 ). It is sad when a child of God has to be corrected by the world. All of this came about becaus

Genesis 12:9-13 After Abraham pitched his tent, built an altar and called upon the name of the Lord, the Scriptures say that "Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south" ( Gen. 12:9 ). Instead of staying where he had his altar--his contact with God--Abraham went farther south. He went away from the altar and made "provision for the flesh" ( Rom. 13:14 ). Have you not also found that failures arise when you neglect the altar? The altar is representative of our communion