The Bible Standard - Re-Discover the Truth.

Today we read about the cities of refuge which were set up to protect someone who killed a person accidently. But if it was not an accident and was murder which was committed, the murderer would not be allowed in the city and be at the mercy of the avenger of blood to “purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel” (Deut. 19:13). The principal of the cities of refuge ironically really comes out in the life of Ahab. Our attention is first drawn to the cities of refuge when Ahab asks Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth gilead?” (1 Kings 22:4). The city of Ramoth-gilead had been taken by the Syrians and Ahab wanted it back. But Ramoth-gilead happened to be one of those cities of refuge.

Bro Richard Morgan

 Read more... 

 https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/its-the-thought-that-counts-when-religion-goes-wrong-252020/

A small group of young Christadelphian brothers have taken the time to produce this valuable resource for the brotherhood and beyond, they are using the Bible reading planner developed by Brother Robert Roberts called The  Bible Companion. The Bible Companion (or Bible Reading Planner) is a guide developed by the Christadelphians to aid reading the Bible. It was first produced by Robert Roberts when he was just 14 years of age, in about 1853, and revised by him over a number of years into its current format. 

 Most Christadelphians use this plan each day and it was designed to help you read the old testament once and the new testament twice each year.

 These readings which we feature are recorded using the KJV or the NKJV of the Bible and we hope will be helpful to those who may struggle with time or who have poor eyesight.

“NOT TO ALL THE PEOPLE” May 2

These days so many strive to convince themselves there is no God. We pondered the fact that God does not

make it abundantly evident that he exists. If he did there would be no need for faith, no need to search out what is the

real cause of human existence. These thoughts arose as we read of the conversion of Cornelius, the Roman

Centurion, in Acts ch. 10, a man whose prayers show he was genuinely seeking to have a relationship with God.

First, Peter had to learn that the hope of salvation was no longer primarily for the Jews; the death and resurrection

of Jesus had changed that. One of the reasons for the conversion of Saul/Paul we read about yesterday, was that

the time soon came when Jesus said to him, “Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.” [ch.22 v,21]

As Peter starts to talk to Cornelius and the Gentiles (non-Jews) with him, he first states that God has shown him

that he is no longer to think that any person, apart from a Jew “as common or unclean” [10 v.28]. He says his hearers

are aware how Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed … for God was with him. And we

are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging

him on a tree” [v.38,39] Peter is stating widely known facts.

What happened after that was not so publicly known – that “God raised him on the third day and made him to

appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after

he rose from the dead.”[v.41,42] Because Cornelius was such a God fearing man, his remarkable conversion and

baptism is a lesson as to the kind of people Jesus, now at the ‘right hand of God’ (Acts 2 v.33), is calling to his

service.

The challenging principles Jesus stated still apply, “ Many are called but few are chosen” [Matt.22 v.14] and

Cornelius was among the chosen. This causes us to contemplate what really matters in the sight of God as to the

basic factors which will lead to one being among the chosen. For this reason we are wise to read and reflect on his

word every day and make every effort to put into practice the principles we find there.. More than this, to reflect on

another saying of Jesus, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him (or her) much will be required …” [Luke 12 v.48]

Going Blind is a Real Eye Opener

It’s not very easy to admit you’re wrong. In fact, sometimes you need something very dramatic to happen in your life to have your eyes opened, and that’s what happened to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. He was made blind so that he might see that he was on completely the wrong path. And that was despite the absolute certainty in his mind that he was right and doing God’s will. By persecuting the followers of Jesus, he thought he was “offering service to God” (John 16:2), but he learned that the truth was entirely different.

 Richard Morgan

 read more.... https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/its-the-thought-that-counts-going-blind-is-a-real-eye-opener152020/

A small group of young Christadelphian brothers have taken the time to produce this valuable resource for the brotherhood and beyond, they are using the Bible reading planner developed by Brother Robert Roberts called The  Bible Companion. The Bible Companion (or Bible Reading Planner) is a guide developed by the Christadelphians to aid reading the Bible. It was first produced by Robert Roberts when he was just 14 years of age, in about 1853, and revised by him over a number of years into its current format. 

 Most Christadelphians use this plan each day and it was designed to help you read the old testament once and the new testament twice each year.

 These readings which we feature are recorded using the KJV or the NKJV of the Bible and we hope will be helpful to those who may struggle with time or who have poor eyesight.

BEHOLD HE IS PRAYING”  

May 1

How full of zeal Paul was - as a result of his human perceptions of what really mattered in life – 

a zeal which had two sides!  One was self exaltation and the praise of his fellow men who agreed 

with his cause – the other side – was to destroy this movement which was threatening the authority 

of the powerful Jewish Priesthood.

Paul was an exceptional example of human nature which sees situations in clear black and white!  

And yet it was such a personality as his that God could use for the needs of this special era.   

The same as Moses was a special personality  called  to  serve  God  in  the  creation  of  his  

nation  –  and  we  are  currently  reading  his  final  and  powerful message to Israel in 

Deuteronomy.

Paul’s life – all he thought he stood for – was turned upside down.  Our chapter today (Acts 9) 

tells us of him being led blind into Damascus; what intensity of thought occupied his mind!

The voice that came as he fell blind to the ground said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” 

[v.5]  We ourselves should meditate on the significance of those words!   Jesus was “in” every 

believer Paul was persecuting. Paul learnt this  and  states  this  in  various  ways,  again  and  

again  in  his  letters:”  “God  has  sent  the  spirit  of  his  son  into  our hearts.” (Gal. 4 

v.6) This is not just a theological concept but an awesome reality if we are truly “walking” with 

him. He told the Ephesians, “… now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light” (5 v.8)

Paul at this stage called Saul, (his Hebrew name) was led by the hand into Damascus “and for three 

days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank” (v.9)   The Lord comes to a disciple named 

Ananias “in a vision” telling him where to go and “look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold 

he is praying”  (v.11)

How intense   those prayers must have been! Ananias comes to him, his sight returns, “then he arose 

and was baptized … and immediately proclaimed Jesus” (v.18,20)   How earnest are our prayers?   How 

absolute was Paul’s sense of need – followed by a sense of utter appreciation of God’s me           

                              in thought when we

pray? How strong is our sense of need whether we are baptized or not?

The first verse of our reading today in Acts 8 tells us “Saul approved of his [Stephen’s] execution.” He was there when Stephen was stoned to death, but didn’t physically join in the execution, instead “the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul” (Acts 7:58). But even though Saul didn’t throw any of the stones, the fact that he approved of his death makes him guilty. Saul himself was a persecutor. The subsequent verses in Acts 8 show this approval of the actions taken against Stephen caused Saul to take action himself. “Saul was ravaging the ecclesia” (v.3) and “he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin and was certainly living up to the blessing Jacob put on his youngest son – “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil.” (Gen. 49:27). He was like a wild animal in his pursuit for those who followed Jesus of Nazareth.

 read more...

https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/its-the-thought-that-counts-the-secrets-of-the-heart3042020/

Every Monday Paul Cresswell will read a new episode from his beautiful new book – a Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. With his marvellous English voice Paul makes this audio book such easy listening and so thoroughly engaging – you will be anxiously waiting for the next episode … Every Monday!

It was Sir John Dalberg-Acton who uttered the famous phrase “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men..." Which makes me think of today’s readings, the trial of Stephen and the extreme injustice he received at the hands of men in a position of power and authority. Think about what happened to this man of “good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3). He was a man “full of grace” (v.8) and it was members of the “synagogue of the Freedmen” (v.9) who disputed with him but “could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (v.10). But these so-called Freedmen were prisoners of their own sin. Look at the list of things they did – “secretly instigated men” (v.11) who lied about him and stirred up others to bring him before the council (v.12) who also brought in false witnesses against him. Then, after his defense recorded in our reading from today in Acts 7, they were “enraged, and they ground their teeth at him” (v.54) before stoning him to death.

A small group of young Christadelphian brothers have taken the time to produce this valuable resource for the brotherhood and beyond, they are using the Bible reading planner developed by Brother Robert Roberts called The  Bible Companion. The Bible Companion (or Bible Reading Planner) is a guide developed by the Christadelphians to aid reading the Bible. It was first produced by Robert Roberts when he was just 14 years of age, in about 1853, and revised by him over a number of years into its current format. 

 Most Christadelphians use this plan each day and it was designed to help you read the old testament once and the new testament twice each year.

 These readings which we feature are recorded using the KJV or the NKJV of the Bible and we hope will be helpful to those who may struggle with time or who have poor eyesight.