"HIS GRACE BRING'S US GOOD THINGS"

The Inescapable Tension

  Because of grace we have freed from sin's slavery, from bondage to sinful attitudes, urges, and actions. But that creates a tension. Once we become free in Christ and live by grace, we can take our liberty to an extreme and live a life of license. Paul addresses this tension in. 

Romans 6 :1-15.

  What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the end of whis death, certainly we shall be also in likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified With Him, that our body of sin might be dine away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if We have died with Christ, we believe that we shall we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to Die again; death no longer is master over him. For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the member of your body to sin as instrument of unrighteousness: but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! The freedom we have in Christ is not a freedom to do anything we want to do, but to be everything God created us to we're become emancipated not to run riot through the dead-end all ways of self-indulgence, but to serve a greater master. . . Righteousness (see v.18).

"graciously Disagreeing and Pressing On"

                        Modeling Grace through Disagreeable Times

              We will all encounter those with whom we disagree. We can't escape that. But we can learn to disagree graciously. Here are four suggestions to help you become a model of grace when those disagreeable times come.

           First: always leave room for an opposing viewpoint. A word for those of you with teenagers: if you don't have room for an opposing viewpoint, you're not going to fare well in weathering their adolescent years. During that time teens can wuite vocal in thrir opposition. And what catches us off guard is tha sometimes it's not rebellion; sometimes they're right! Their different point of view can at worst, be challenging. At best, it can change our persoective.

           Second: if an argument must occur. Don't assasinate. An argument is one thing. Character assassination is another. If you have to put on boxing gloves and got in the ring, don't resort to hitting below the belt. If you must fight, fight fair.

            Third: if you don't got your way over it and get on with life. If you wind up on the short end of the stick in a congregational vote, don't take your ball and pout all the way home. Get over it and get on with your life. Don't call for a recount or a referendum. Don't filibuster the congregation, droning on and about your defeat. Life is too short to be petty and too precious and to piddle it away pouting.

            Fourth: sometimes the best solution is a separation. The situation with Paul and Barnabas set a biblical precedent for this. They couldn't come to terms so they took to the road. If separation is the best solution, fo it graciously. How do you know when it's time to put a little distance between you and the person you're having problem with? When your disagreements start to outweight your agreements. Separation is never easy, but it may be God's way of moving you on to another dimension of ministry, that ministry may be the mountaintop experience of your life. Separation is merely the valley you have to go through to get there.

"The Pernament Separation"

"Graciosly Disagreeing and Pressing On" 

Acts 15:36-41; Ephesians 4:29-32

                                  Part 4

 "The Final outcome? They separated from one another" The two men went their separate ways and never ministered together again. If you take out a Bible atlas, you'll find that they trekked off in opposite directions. Barnabas and John Mark traveled the water route to Cyprus. Paul and his new partner, Silas, traveled the land route in a northeasterly direction to Syria, turning westward to Cilicia and the surrounding cities.

 But Paul chose Silas and departed, being committed By the brethen to the grace of the Lord. And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the Churches (vv.40-41)

  Keep in mind that Paul and Barnabas were longtime friends. Remember, Barnabas was the one introduced the converted persecutor of the church to the Christian community (see Acts 9:19b-27). But in a fireworks display of emotion, their ministry together blew up in their faces.

 Yet just as a violent storm leaves a nourishing rain in its wake, so alsogood things can result from a temperatuous falling out. Who know what ministries grew up in Cyprus and blossomed in the regions beyond? Futhermore, it was John Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark.

 Time healed the wounds of that closing encounter between Paul and Barnabas. Later in life Paul wrote favorably of Barnabas (see 1 Cor. 9:6). He even wrote favorably of John Marj: "Pick up Mark and bring him with you. For he is useful to me for service" ( 2 Tim. 4:11b).

 The best part of this story is that both of these strongly principled men got over their disagreement. In too cases the battles go on and on, long after the dust of the original conflict has settled. How many people today are sitting in a stew of bitterness over past battles, still licking their wounds?

 Disagreement are discouraging, but they need not be debilitating. Paul and Barnabas didnt spend the remainder of their lives getting back at each other. That takes grace. 

"Critical Issue"

                         "Graciously Disagreeing And Pressing On"

                               Acts 15:36-41; Ephesians 4:29-32

                                                       Part 3

          

            Sometime after returning from that first journey, Paul wanted to see now thise churches were doing, so he planned a return trip. That's when the disagreement happened.

                       And sfter some days Paul said to Barnabas,

                       "Let us return and visit the brethen in every 

                        city in which we proclaimed the word of the

                        Lord, and see how they are." And Barnabas

                        Was desirous of taking John, called Mark, 

                        alng with them also. But Paul kept insisting 

                        that they should not take him along who had

                        not gone with them to the work.(15:36-38).

Remember what we said earlier? In every disagreement there are two ingrediennts an objective issue and an opposing viewpoint.

The issue: Should a person who defects from a mission and leaves peoples in the lurch be given a second chance on a similar mission? The viewpoints: Paul said no, Barnabas said yes.

         The Opposing Viewpoints

          Each man was fully convinced he was right, because each viewed the issue from a different vantage point. Barnabas was people-oriented; Paul was more task-oriented. Barnabas was a man of compassion; Paul was a man of conviction. Barnabas a builder of men; Paul was planter of churches.

          Paul looked at the issue from the viewpoint of the overall good of the ministry. Barnabas looked at the issue from the viewpoint of the overall good of the man.

          A close examination of the text reveals the intensity of Paul's feelings. The Greek word translated "deserted" in verse 38 is a term from which we get the word apostasized. In Paul's mind John Mark had done more than jump ship; he had apostasized, he had been unfaithful.

          To some of us, Paul more seem harsh and Barnabas greathearted. But before we side with Barnabas, lets look at a proverb that undoubtedly had popped into Paul's pragmatic mind:

  

                      Like a bad tooth and unsteady foot

                      Is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.

                       (Prov. 25:19)

   

            Paul had a point. But we're really not trying to get you to cast a vote for either viewpoint. We're just trying to get you to see both sides of the issue. It's hard to do that, thought, when emotions are flaring which is what was happening in verse 39

                    And there arose such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. (Acts 15:39)

The Greek word for "Sharp disagreement" is paroxysm, Interestingly, our English word "paroxysm" is translated letter for letter. Webster says paroysm is "a fit, attack, or sudden increase or recurrence of symptom (as of a disease)." It is convulsion, a violent emotion. Such a rift resulted from Paul and Barnabas' disagreement that the time relationship could not easily mended.

"Disagreement between Two Godly Leaders"

                        "Graciously Disagreeing and Pressing On"

                            Acts 15 : 36-41; Ephesians 4 : 29-32

                                                     Part 2

       Sometime God uses a major disagreement between two capable servants of His to spread the gospel in different directions. That is exactly what happened with Paul and Barnabas. Two more delicated, more godly men couldn't have been found in the first century. Both were effective and spiritual,y minded. Neither was selfish or immature. But what sparks flew when those two men of spiritual steel clashed!

       Lets's look now into the biblical account and set the stage for the tremor that shook those two pillars of the New Testament church. It all started when they took first missionary journey together. Accompanying those two well-rooted men of the faith was a young man named John Mark, a mere sapling of a saint, who was Barnabas' cousin.

            And when they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim

            the word of God in synagogues of the Jews; and they also

            Had John as their helper. (Acts 13 :5)

      When the team trudged through Pamphylia, they reached an imposing range of mountains that stood before them like strong shoulderd giants of stone. To make matters worse, the coastline was infested with malaria-carrying mosquitos. Needless to say, when they reached Perga in Pamphylia, the honeymoon of adventure had become totally eclipsed. Pershap he lost heart. Perhaps he grew homesick. Whatever the reason, John Mark had had enough of missionary life.

 

           Now Oaul and his companions put out to sea from paphos

           And came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John left the. And 

           Returned to Jerusalem. (V.13)

John Mark's missionary dream had turned into a major nightmare. When there travel got tough, he got tired. Just when they all neede to pull together, he pulled out. His timing couldn't have been worse. It's very possible that Paul had gone down for the count after a hour with malaria or migraines from an eye disease. Later on the trip, Paul was stoned and left for dead

THINGS WE AGREE REGARDING DISAGREEMENT

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your
 mouth, but only such a word as is good for
 edification according to the need of the moment,
 that it may give grace to those who hear."

                                                     Ephesians 4:29 

That it may give grace to those who hear. "Offer a bit of corrective advice to such people. What a goal! What an incentive to clean up our critical attitudes and speak the truth in love!

     One of the mark of maturity is the ability to disagree without becoming disagreeable. And that takes grace. In fact, handling disagreements with tact is one of the crowning achievements of grace.

     Unfortunately, it seems that the older we get the more stingly wpe become in giving grace to others. This is especially true of those of us in the evangelical community. You would think that the church would be the one place a person could find tolerance, tact, open-mindedness, and plenty of room for disagreement. But it's not. The doors are most often closed to differing points of view. And more often than not these diffferences give rise to dissension. There are wonderful exceptions, of course; but when most Christians disagree, they do so in acblunt and tackless way, sometimes even in an accusatory and sarcastic way. Read (Acts 15:36-34; Ephesians 4:29-32).

     Even if we do pursue peace, and even if we are as positive and as tactful as we can be, disagreements will still arise. The following are four things most of us would agree on regarding disagreements.

1. Disagreement are inevitable. Pick any subject and you will find people perched on either side of the fence. Animal rights. Capital punishment. The enviroment. If you're for it, you can bet someone else is against it. Because we are so diverse, differences are bound to arise. But that's what freedom is all about respecting other poeple's differences, whether those differences are racial, political, or ideological. That's what religious freedom is all about. And even though our theological persuasion may not bend, our involvement with other must. There must be "wobble room" that allows for differences.

2. Even the godly will sometimes disagree. For some, it's difficult to understand how two people who passionately love the Lord and His Word could stand diametrically opposed on certain issues. But they can. Consider the confrontation between Paul and Basnabas in Acts 15:36-41, which we will be studying in more detail in our lesson today. Fortunately, when get to heaven, we will be a renewed body of believers living in perfect harmony with each other. But until then, we will disagree on occasion even the most godly of us.

3. In every disagreement there will be the same twi ingredients: an issueand various viewpoints. The issue involves principles and is usually objective. The viewpoints involves personalities and are usually subjective. Therein lies the source of most every clash a disagreement on an issue because of opposing points of view. Understanding these two simple ingredienrs will help you keep calm and collected in a conflict with others Why? The next fact will explain.

4. In many disagreements each side is valid. Differing viewpoints are not so much an "I am right and you are wrong" matter as they are an "I see it from this perspective, and you see it from that perspective" matter. Both sides of most disagreements have strengths and weakness, which means neither side is airtight in its logic or ironclad in its conclusions. Nevertheless, any disagreement can lead to division; any conflict can create a rift in a relationship.

           

          

"Reviewing Some Though on Slavery"

        "In this lesson we want to focus the emancipation proclamation in Romans 6:1-14. But before we do, let's examine the preamble to that proclamation found in chapter 3, verse -10-20.

         As it is written,

               "There is none righteous, not even one;

               "There is none who seeks for God;

               "There is none who seeks for God;

                 All have turned aside, together they have

                 become useless;

                 There is none who does good,

                 There is not even one."

                "Their throat ia an open grave,

                  With their tongues they keep deceiving,"

                "The poison of asps is under their lips";

                "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness";

                "Their feet are swift to shed blood.

                 Destruction and misery are in their paths,

                 And the path of peace have they not known."

                "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

                  Now we know that whatever the Law says, it

                  speak to those who are under the lax, that every

                  mouth may be closed, and all the world may become

                 accountable to God; because by the works of the

                  Law no flesh will be be justified in His sight; for through

                  the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

The book of Romans hold at least three analogies regarding slavery. The first one is based on the above-quotes passage: All of us were born in bondage to sin. Although this first analogy is grim, the second is glorious: a day came when Christ set us free. That day of redemption is shouted from the rooftops of verse 21-22.

                 But now apart from the law righteousness

                 Of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the 

                 Law and the prophets, even the righteouness of God 

                 through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe:

                 For there is no distinction.

"No distinction." Don't those words sound wonderful? Redemption is an impartial gift given freely, regardless of our race,sex  age, color, or national origin ( v. 24; see also Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11). Why? Because we are all in the same sinking ship of sin (Rom. 3:23). Christ saw every one of us manacled to that hull, straining futilely at our oars, while the waters of judgment came rushing in through a hole in the bow. Moved with compassion at our plight, Jesus paid the price for the keys to unlock the leg irons that bound us to destruction.

                The third analogy to,slavery in Romans is tragic: many christian still live as though they are enslaved. Though emancipated, some christian don't live like it. They are enslaved to sin and either rationalized it or cover it up or live in defeat. This is the theme of our passage for today Romans 6:1-14.

" EVERYTHING BUT THE THING"

             "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says 

              to the churches To him who overcome, I Will grant to  

              eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God'"

                                         Revelation 2 : 7

Don't sit back now and make a detached analysis of Christ's commendations and condemnation to the Ephesians. Maybe He's speaking to you too. Are you listening open? Or are you just hurrying through the motion of completing another Bible study so you won't be embarrassed if asked anything when the group meets?

             Perhaps Jesus wants to commend you about your perseverance. Or maybe He has been trying to get your attention so that He can ask you one simple question:

              "Do you love Me?"

You knew we were going to ask this, didn't you? Have you left your first love? Does Christ's portrait of the Ephesian church look easily familiar: diligently, courageous, zealous for the truth yet loveless? It's so easy to slip into sincere service that edges Christ out of our hearts, isn't it? To find ourselves embracing a Christian "lifestyle" but keeping Christ at an arm's distance. After living like this for a while, we become distracted. Estranged, alienated from the One who is Love (1John 4:8). And our works, which once reflected our love of Jesus, swing the spotlight to ourselves. We become more interested in people seeing our goodness, our being right. Pretty soon contempt replaces compassion, harshness supplants humility, self- centeredness suffuses service. How far we have fallen indeed.

               Are we beyond hope? Of course not or else Jesus wouldn't have confronted the Ephesian church and counseled them to repent. He wouldn't have promised a blessing for those who overcame their lovelessness if overcoming wasn't possible. So what do we need to do?

               To begin with, we need to honestly evaluate our condition. Take this week, which is a gift from God to you, and reflect on what choices, your action? What is under the surface of your life,deep in your heart? Come back to these linked during the next seven days to record what you find.

"DIG. . . And You Shall Find"

         "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who

          gains understanding, for its profit is better than the profit of

          silver, and its gain than fine of gold. She is more previous

          than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her."

                                        Proverb 3 : 13-15

Look like Mark Twain might have been sold a bill of goods once or twice in his day. Maybe he had to learn the hard way that some treasures are illusory, that many things glitter from a distance but lose their luster up close, that some promises fail to deliver, fading like an echo in an abandoned mine shaft.

                      A gold mine is nothing more 

           than a hole in the ground owned by liar.

          Perhaps twain would have been encouraged by the authentic treasure found by another seeker, King Solomon of Isreal:

          The wisdom tucked away in God's Word's now there's treasure. And it's right under our nose. It always delivers what promises. It always increases in value. It never run out.

          Unfortunately, many Christian haven't dug deep enough to discover the bounty buried in the pages of Scripture. Many are content to stuff of nuggets in their pockets, when wheelbarrows full  are waitnig to be hauled out and deposited in the vaults of their hearts. There's nothing wrong with polishing and admiring such familiar passages as John 3 :16 and the twenty-third  Psalm.but there's so much more to discover.

          Many of us hardly disturbed the soil above some scriptural treasures. Take 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles, for example. Many Christians walk right by these books for fear of falling into a maze of long genealogies, hard to pronounce names, and miscellaneous shirmishes.

         But running through these histotical books is a mother lode of spiritual truth. Here you'll find God's holiness and righteous judgement. His forbearing love for sinful humanity. The price of disobedience. The preservation of His covenant people through all kindss of adversity. God's sovereignty over nations and kings, godly and pagan. And much more.

         All Scripture was given to us by God for our spiritual enrichment (Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16), including Kings and Chronicles. What we need to do is search as Solomon advised:

         

          My son, if you will receive my sayings,

          And treasure my commandment within you,

          Make your ear attentive to wisdom,

          Incline your heart to understanding;

          For if you cry for discernment,

          Lift your voice for understanding;

          If you seek her as silver,

          And search for her as for hidden treasures;

          Then you will discern the fear of the Lord,

          And discover the knowledge of God.

          (Prov. 2:1-5)

Excited! Then grab a pick and let's start digging. And don't forget your wheelbarrow!

                               

"STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS"

                      For  when i am weak, then I am strong

                                    2 Corinthians 12 :10

Strength is an admirable quality. Everyone wants to be strong; no one wants to be weak. The physically strong always have an advantage over the physically weak. The world relies on such strength. Nations vie with each other for military might They depend on the strength of arms to secure supremacy in the world and often use their strength to suppress the weak. Athletes train strenously to develop strength, because the strong are the winners; the weak are losers.

   

        What could Paul possibly mean when he says, "When I am weak, then I am strong"? How are these two opposites compatible? It is another of Paul's profound paradoxes. Just as he found joy in his sufferings, so he finds strength in his  weakness. What an amazing display of God's grace!

        It is the grace of God that makes us forget whatever human strength we may have depend entirely upon the strength supplied by the Lord. The strong think they have no need of help and do not seek it. The weak know their need and lay hold of the Almighty's strength.

        The accomplishments of the  great heroes of faith were not the result of the human strengths these individuals possessed. Moses could only point to his weaknesses, the abilities he, acked when the Lord called upon him to lead his people out of Egypt. Gospel did Moses say, "I have led you of slavery." It was always, "The Lord with his strength, with his mighty hand has brought us out if Egypt."

         The godpel did not prevail because it originated in the great powers of the first century, in the learning of Greece and in the strength of Rome. It originated in the weakness of Palestine and Galilee. As Paul declared, "God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." The weakness if God is stronger than man's strength. In the weakness of his sufferings the strength of Christ was made perfect. His cross is the strength of Christianity.

         The Lord manifests his strength in our weaknesses, too. The trials we endure, the sufferings we experience, the crosses we are called upon to bear display the grace of him who invites us, "come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and i will give you rest."May we cast all our anxiety upon him because he cares for us, and when we duffer according to his will, cimmit ourselves to our faithful creator and continue to do good. Then in our weaknessess we are strong.

"Behold the Lamb of God"

          "Even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your

           Heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.' Rend your 

           Heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God,

           For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and

           abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity."

                                         Joel 2 : 12-13

The season of Lent can be summed up in one word: repentance. That's why it is the best companion during Lent here is the evangelistic song the Lord reveals to me in (John 1:35-39 ). The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two discipkes heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning round. Jesus saw they following and asked, "what do you want?" They said, Rabbi" ( which means Teacher),"where are you staying?" Verse 39, Come," he replied, "and you will see."

          The season of Lent is a time of soul-searching preparation before the celebration of Resurrection day. Only an honest view of our sin will give us a full appreciation of God's mercy. Only when we understand how lost humankind really is, do we then grasp how great is our salvation. From that verse here is the evangelistic song.

              "Behold the Lamb of God"

              He should be revealed to me

              Where you stay He said Come and See

              He should be revealed to me where you stay

              He said, come and walk with me

              Behold the Lamb of God In Him our life 

              the light of men that set us free

              Behold the Lamb of God In Him our life 

              the light of men that make us free

              Behold the Lamb of God 

              In Him our life the light of men 

              come and see

              Worship Him today!

              King of Kings the Lord of All

              What a Wonderful Counselor

              Everything in His Presence 

              Heaven and Earth will worship thee

              The Lord said blessed thee...

              The fulness, the grace love mercy

              All we have received

              come and see and worship Him

              Today....

"LEADER OF THE PACK

 "See,the former things taken place, and new things I declare;  before they spring into being I announce them to you."

Isaiah 42:9

Being the owner of a small business is not easy. Just when you start to build a clientele, long comes  crafty competitor who copy your style or improve on your methods. Next thing you know, revenues are falling and you find yourself looking over shoulder, trying to avoid being hit by another wave of wanna-be's.

    A man on the west Coast found himself in this situation. His first venture was commercial fishing when larger companies took over the water, he began renting out small sailboats and kayaks to people who wanted to explore the bay. Soon others with stronger financial backing moved in on that business. Once again, he needed a new idea.

    How about submarine tours? After doing some research, the entrepreneur realized the cost of buying and maintaining a sub was beyond his reach. But a semi-submersible underwater viewing boat was not! The boat looks like a sub, but it doesn't dive. Passengers can go below deck and view the fascinating world under sea."

    When your income seems to be going out with the tide, you may need to be a little creative. Talk with other people, do some reseach, consider even the "crazy" ideas and glean what you can learn from them. You never know which wave might be the one that carries you safely and profitable to the shore.

    God's creative work didn't end with His creation of the world. He continues His work today by giving each of us a dose of creativity. He invites us to be part of His plan and purpose of this earth by using this creative energy. Your ideas are God's gift to you for your provision, prosperity, and the fulfillment of your purpose in life.

     Ask the Lord to inspire you anew today. Ask Him to give you His next idea for your life!

"The Person God Uses"

       "Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instrument of

        Wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those 

        who have been brought from death to life; and offer the 

        parts of your body to him as instrument of righteousness."

                                         Roman  6 : 13

         Whatever you give unreservedly to God, He will take. Whatever God takes, He will cleanse. What He cleanses, He fills and what He fills, He will always use.

         God will always take what we give Him when we give to Him without string attached. If you offer to Him a special friend, He will set about the business of purifying that relationship and filling it with His power and purpose. If you offer God your thought life, He will take that as well, helping you to cleanse your mind and fill it with thoughts that are noble and praiseworthy.

         Who wouldn't want to be the vessel God reaches for when 

         He has a job to do? Wouldn't it be wonderful to win His favor

         That He delights in choosing you for special purposes? It's 

         the desire of every Christians to be  handpicked by God for 

         a unique task He has in mind. So if you desire to be used in 

         the Lord's service, take heart. He wants to use you.

                  When you offer yourself to God, as one who has been

         Brought from death to life, He knows you mean business. He 

         is then free to cleanse you and fill you with His power. And

         Remember, the person He fills is the person He uses.

         Lord I want to be someone that You delight i. Using for your 

         glory. When you desire to accomplish a certain task, I want You 

         to think of me. That's why I offer myself unreseversedly to you. 

         Please take me and cleanse me. Fill me and use me. That's all I 

         ask.

"Double standards"

        "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he

         who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the

          wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from

          the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

                                            James 1:6-8

Why is it that we make requirement of others that we don't keep ourselves?

          Some Christians work hard to wipe out social evils like pornography, abortion, and homosexuality. But at the same time their personal morality leaves a lot to be desired. Then there are others who are personally righteous, watching their Ps and Qs at the church and at home, but when it comes to threirs social ethics, it's another story: racism and prejudice abound.

          We cannot have one kind of ethic gor ourselves and another for society. We cannot demand a strong morality in our culture and yet carry on with a personal morality or immorality which dishonors God.

           What we do in private deeply affects what happens in public. The man who is faithful to his wife while exercising bigotry toward his neighbor is no better than the adulterer who crusades for social justice. What God requires is morality with a capital M, both calls for an ethic that's is consistent. No matter how you look at it, nobody can have their ethical cake and eat it, too. . . Without getting moral indigestion.

"COVENANT BLESSING"

        "And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy

         bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the 

          midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be 

          barren , in thy land; the number of thy days I will fulfil.

                                ----EXODUS  23:25-26

         As long as Isreal wLked i. The covenant, there was no sickness among them. There is no revord of a premature death as long as they kept the covenant. No babies, no young people, no middle-aged people died. With sickness taken away from the midst of them, they lived their lives out without disease, and then they just fell asleep in death. When it was for them to go, they would lay hands on their children, pronounce blessings upon them, gather their feet up into bed, give up the ghost, and go home.

         What does that have to do withus? God is thesame God now that He was then! The Bibles says that He does not change. God was against sin in the Old Testament (Old Covenant), and God is against sin in the New Testament ( New Covenant). God was against sickness in the Okd Testament. God made provision for healing in thd Old Testament and God has made provision for healing in the New testament

"THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE"

 If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God and wilt do that which is right in sight, and wilt give ear to his commandment, and keep all his statutes, I will put (literal Hebrew: I will permit) none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought (Permitted) upon the Egyptian: for I Am the Lord that healeth thee." Exodus 15: 26

When Israel crossed the Red Sea and started toward their homeland, the Lord spoke these words to them and revealed Himself as Jehovah-Rapha. Jehovah-Rapha translated is, "I am the Lord thy physician," or "I am the Lord that healeth thee." God didn't put diseades upon Israel or upon the Egyptians. It is satan, the god of this world, who makes man sick. Jehovah declares that He is the Healer.

         F. F. Bosworth, in his book Christ the Healer, said, "this name (Jehovah-Rapha) is given to reveal to us our redemptive privilege of being healed. . . The fact is, that the very first covenant God gave after the passage of the Red Sea, which was so distinctively typical of our redemption, was the covenant of healing, and it was at this time that God revealed Himself as our Physician, by the first redemptive and covenant name, Jehovah-Rapha, 'I Am the Lord that healeth thee.' This is not only a promise, it is 'a statute and an ordinance."

"ITS PERMANENCY"

                  "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven"

                                           Psalm 119 : 89

          It is to some a startling fact that there is not in the known possession of any library, church, or individual a single original manuscript of the Bible. The autographs of the writers of the Sacred Book seem to have been lost. Perhaps the reason for the disappearance of the original sacred writing is not difficult to see to prevent them from becoming objects, first, of veneration and then of worship.

          Yet the truly marvelous thing is that anypart of the Scripture remained at all, when it is borne in mind that subtle and severe attacks were made against the church of Christ by Satan and his hosts throughout the centuries. The first centuries of our era, particularly, were marked by many bloody persecutions of the Christians, but the one which was directed by Diocletian, the Roman emperor, in 303 A.D., against the sacred books was the hardest to bear. The edicts ordered that all these books should be search out and burned  nevertheless, the Lord saw to it that, although many valuabke manuscripts were destroyed at this time and at others, copies were made and preserved. Carlyle tight said, "No lie can live forever'', but the precious Bible is still with us, and a ross its pages falls no shadow of decline or decay. Its very vitality proves its veracity.

          Our Lord declared, "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away'' (Luke 21:33). It would seems as if men today are doing their level best to see to the fulfillment of the first part of the prophecy, with the terrible weapons that are being designed and manufacturec. In this atomic age the Bible shines all the more brightly and speaks all the more authoitatively.

"Bought with price

        "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the 

      forgiveness of sins, accorfing to the riched of His grace."

                                     Ephesian 1 : 7

         During the years when slavery was legal in the United States, a gentleman happened upon a slave-bidding in a crowed street. The man paused to observe the activities. As he watched from the edge of the crowd, he saw one slave after another led onto a platform, their arms and legs shackled with ropes as if they were animals.

          Displayed before the jeering crowd, they were auctioned off, one by one. Some onlookers would inspect the merchandise," grabbing disrespectfully at the women, examining the muscular arms of the men.

          The gentleman studied the group of slaves waiting nearby. He paused when he saw a young hitl standing at the back. Her eyes were folled with fear; she looked so frightened. He hesitated for a moment and then disappeared briefly. When he returned, the auctioneer was about to start the nidding for the young girl he had noticed beforehand.

           As the auctioneer opened the bidding, the gentleman shouted out a nid that was teice the amount of any other selling price offered that day. There was silence for an instance, and then the gavel fells as "Sold to the gentleman" was heard.

           The gentleman stepped forward, making his way through the crowd. He waited at the bottom of thr stros as the young girl was led down ti her nee owner. The rope which bound her was handed to the man, who accepted it without saying anything.

           The young girl stared at the ground. Suddenly she looked up and spit in his face. Silently, he reached for a handkerchief and wiped the spittle from his face. He smiled gently at the young girl and said, "Follow me,"

           She followed him reluctantly. As they reached the edge of the crowd, he continued to a nearby area where each deal was closed legally. When a slave was set free, legal document, called manumission papers, were necessary.

          The gentleman paid the purchased price and digned the necessary documenfs. When the transaction was complete, he turned to the young girl and presented the documenf to her. Started, she looked at him with uncertainty. Her narrowed eyes asked, what are you doing?

          The gentleman responded to her questioning look. He said, "Here, take these papers. I bought you to set you free. As long as you have these papers in your possession, no man ever make you a slave again,"

          The girl looked into his face. What was happening there was silence.

           Slowly, she said, "You bought me to set me free? You bought me to set me free?" You bought me to set me free?" As she repeated this phrase over and over, the significance of what had just hapoened became more and more real to her.

          "You bought me to set me free?" Was it posible that a stranger had just granted her freedom and never again could she be held in bondage and servitude to any man? As she began to grasp the significance of the document which she now held in her hand, she fell to her knees and wept at the gentleman's feet.

           Through her tears of joy and gratitude, she said, "you bought me to set me free?. . .  I'll serve you forever!"

            You and I were once bound in slavery to sin. But the Lord Jesus paid the price to set us free when He shed His blood at Calvary. That's what the Bible calls redemption.

            That's what Paul was referring to when he wrote: 

            For you were brought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's(1 corithian 6:20).

TESTIMONY OF A FOOL"

        "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me."

                                              Luke 12 : 13-21

         Leo Tolstoy tells the story of a young Russian who inherits his father's small farm. The youth starts dreaming right away of how he can expand his property. Then, one morning, an impressive looking stranger visits him and makes a tantalizing offer: the youth can have, free of charge, all the property he can walk around in one day but he must return to the same spot from which he started by sundown, or the deal is canceled. Motioning to the grave of the young man's father, the stranger say: "This is the point which you must return."

         The youth longingly eyes the rich fields in the distance. Without packing provision or saying good-bye to his family, he throw aside his coat and immediately starts off.

         He figures he can cover six square miles in a day. But when he reaches the first turn, he decides to make it nine. Then twelve, and then fifteen square miles. Now he must walk sixty miles before sundown!

        By noon he reaches the halfway point. Taking no time for food or water, on and on he goes, his legs aching and his stomach clawing him with hunger. Still several miles home, he is already fatigued to the point of exhaustion.

        Yet his obsession to own the land drives him forward. A few hundred yards from the finish, he sees the sun setting on the horizon. Only minutes remain until sundown. Gathering his strenght, he staggers on. Just before the sun sets, he the master of fifteen square miles of land stumbles across the line. . .  and collapse on the ground, dead.

        The stranger smiles cynically: "I offered him all the land he could cover. Now you see what that is: six feet long by two feet wide; and I thought he would like to have the close to his father's grave, rather than to have it anywhere else." Having said that, the stranger, whose name is Death, vanishes saying, "I have kept my pledge."

        There's a name for tjis greedy young man: fool. Jesus, too, tells a story about a greedy fool who comes face-face with the same stranger. It's a lesson that flashes a warning to all of us about the deadly nature of greed.