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Truth

Are You A Noble Berean?

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Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (NIV) Acts 17:11

In the dark of the night, Paul and Silas are sent from Thessalonica to Berea. There had been trouble in Thessalonica – turmoil because of their teaching of God’s Word and people coming to faith in Christ. Their time with the early church in Thessalonica was cut short and they travel south to Berea. Upon arriving there, they go to the Jewish synagogue and find something unique, the Bereans.

Luke writes that the Bereans were of noble character. They were open to God’s Word. They received Paul’s message with great eagerness. The reason why – they were serious about their Bible study.  They were diligent about wanting to learn what God has to say in his Word. Day by day they searched the Scriptures to see if what Paul was saying aligned with the Word. They knew the Old Testament so they recognized their Savior when Paul spoke of Jesus. They believed because they knew God’s Word!

For the Bereans, the Bible was not some dusty old scroll or book occasionally pulled off the shelf. They believed. . .

That it contained Wisdom, Truth and Life.
That it was living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.
That it contained all that they needed for life and godliness.
That it revealed the very nature of God Himself.

How about you? Are you known for your noble character? For your diligence in studying God’s Word? For your eagerness to verify the Word of God? For your daily examination of Scripture? If you’re not a Berean, why not start today?

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The Guarantee of Redemption

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And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, (NIV) Ephesians 1:13

The transaction of redemption is legitimized when Paul says in Ephesians 1:13 that believers are “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (RSV). (In Paul’s time, a seal was used to confirm that an object or a document was genuine and/or to mark a thing as one’s property.) The Holy Spirit is a deposit or payment of earnest money guaranteeing the inheritance promised by God. The Spirit is our down payment, the first installment made in advance, that secures the “legal” claim of our redemption.

When all seems lost. . . when it seems that God is silent. . . when it looks like God has disappeared. . . remember, God has not forsaken you. Jesus Christ died for you. The Holy Spirit secures God’s payment in your relationship with Him. Read the Truth – cling to the Truth – and trust God!

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Juicy Morsels

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Think back over the past few days. . . what did you talk about? Were the words that you spoke true? Were they pleasing to God? Did you gossip about anyone? Or any event? How did you embellish a story to keep your audience entranced? When was the last time you passed along hearsay? Or “shared a juicy morsel of news” with someone? Or shared a “prayer request” that was actually rumor? Be careful! Listen to what the Bible says about gossip. . .

  • A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends. (Proverbs 16:28)
  • My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. (Proverbs 8:7)
  • A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much. (Proverbs 20:19)
  • Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. (Proverbs 26:20)
  • Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue. (Proverbs 17:28)
  • A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. (Proverbs 11:13)

Take the time to inspect your speech today. Ask God to point out those false stories that you may be passing along. The next time you’re tempted to gossip just close your mouth. . .and you will earn the legacy of being a trustworthy, wise follower of Christ!

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Walk In The Light

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In 1 John 1, John writes about 3 attitudes towards sin. The first attitude is hypocrisy – “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth” (1 John 1:6). John emphasizes that this attitude is a clear contradiction between what we say we believe and how we act. If you claim to be walking in the light, but your actions show otherwise, it’s hypocrisy. The correction is found in the following verse, simply said, “walk in the light” and you’ll be right with God and with others.

To walk in the light means to follow God. You’re either following God’s way or man’s way. You can’t follow both God and man because they are opposite directions. You can’t face both ways at the same time. You’re either facing God or you’re not.

Which direction are you facing?  Who are you following? God’s ways or the world’s ways?  Do you follow God on Sunday, but how about at home on Wednesdays? or at the tennis club? or at work? or at your child’s school? or at social events? Even more enlightening, who would others say you’re following?

The best way to know if you’re following Christ or not, is to follow the guidelines God gives us in His Word. Spend time in His Word. . .allow it to saturate your thoughts and you will find yourself following God more and more. Focus on, and follow the Light!

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Light and Darkness

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John proclaims what he had seen and heard about Christ. He begins with contrasting God’s light versus the world’s darkness. God’s perfection is seen in the phrase “in him there is no darkenss at all.”  John wrote extensively about light and darkness in his gospel. . .

  • In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. John 1:4, 9
  • This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” John 3:19-21
  • When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12
  • While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  John 9:5
  • Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.  John 12:35-36
  • I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.  John 12:46

Jesus is the Light of the world. All who believe in Him live in the light. Where are you living? in the light? or in the darkness? If you’re in the light, you have life. . . eternal life. If you’re in the darkness, by believing in Jesus Christ, you too, can experience light and life.

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Christian Unity

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I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (NIV) John 17:23

“The task to which we are called is not the sacrifice of any principle in which we firmly believe. It is rather to return to Christ not a figure of the imagination, but the Christ of the Scriptures and to listen to His voice in obedience, to discover afresh what is the Truth. All unpretentious Bible study, every effort to disseminate a true scriptural theology, and every earnest prayer is part of the task of promoting that unity which is truly Christian. We must not envisage Christian Unity as consisting of far off and doubtful schemes, but as something very nigh which affects us all.”

“If we are really to seek for Christian Unity, we must be prepared to pay the cost. For it must be based upon love, and love is always costly. It will never be attained until there is ‘far more humility, far more thought, far more self-sacrifice, and far more prayer, than there is at present.’ (Streeter) If we are right in the conclusion that such disunion as has been sinful in the history of the Church has been due to pride, self assertion, and contempt for God’s Word and commandment, then it follows that the way to the unity which God wills [is] through humility, love of the brethren, and obedience to the Divine Revelation. When Christians pray to be shown where they have been wrong, proud, complaisant, or censorious, and to be put right; when they meet for common counsel and study of the Word, in the spirit of obedience and prepared to subject their individual opinions to the guidance of the Spirit; where the strong are willing to foster and strengthen the weak; and where all are seeking the common good rather than their own sectional interests: then the pathway to unity will become plain, and God will grant His blessing.” – G. T. Manley, Christian Unity [1945]

What are you doing to promote Christian unity?

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Truth

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Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (NIV) John 17:17

What are you doing to diffuse Truth? TRUTH. . . not opinions, not traditions. . .not what you’ve heard and believed, but never lined it up against Scripture. How are you sharing Truth with your neighbors? co-workers? children? everyday acquaintances? When do purposely spread Truth? Is your life saturated with Truth?

Truth is found in one place, in one person, Jesus Christ. The only way you and I will know if what we believe about Jesus Christ is Truth, is if we line up our beliefs with the Word of God? Will you choose to dig into the Bible today with the purpose of knowing Truth in a more intimate way so that you can spread His Truth everywhere you go?

Written by Marji “Mike” Kruger

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Spirit of Truth

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And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.  (NIV) John 14:16-17

Jesus asked the Father to send the Spirit of Truth which is. . . a deposit. . .the earnest money. . .another Counselor. . .breath of the Almighty. . . Holy One. . .Holy Spirit. . .Holy Spirit of God. . .Spirit of Christ. . .Spirit of counsel and of power. . . Spirit of faith. . .spirit of fire. . .Spirit of glory. . .Spirit of God. . .spirit of grace and supplication. . .Spirit of His Son. . .Spirit of holiness. . .Spirit of Jesus Christ.

A prayer to pray. . . Dear God, You sent Your Spirit to be the mark of Your ownership in my life. Your Spirit is my Counselor, the breath of the Almighty, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of faith and of fire. O Spirit I want more and more of You. I want the fullness of God to be dwelling and active within me. Set my mind on what you desire. I want to be controlled by You and in step with the Spirit throughout today. Amen

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