The Bible Standard - Re-Discover the Truth.

Many of us haveheard of the EDEN project in the uk - but what about the real Eden project that God has in store?

"TEACH ME THY WAYS O LORD"  Feb. 18

Today we read a most moving and personal prayer of David. It begins, “Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life for I am godly.” [Psa. 86] Can we pray as David did? But in what sense are we poor and needy? Many might say this today, but not mean it in the sense we think David did, In his prayer he said, “O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seek my life, they do not set you before them.” [v.14]

In this the experiences of “the son of David,” our Lord are parallel; we read today in Mark 14 of his arrest when Judas Iscariot, under the cloak of darkness, led “a crowd with swords and clubs” [v.43] in betraying him. The disciples fled, but the time was to come when their eyes were opened to the meaning of it all and their lack of faith was forgiven.

It would be then that Psalms such as this one would be most meaningful to them – as they are, or should be, to us. “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.” [v.5,6] Verse 11 has a special appeal, “Teach me your way O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.”

How often does our heart experience a sense of discord – the world’s values and desires pull one way – and divine thoughts pull another! Tragically some give up reading the Bible to avoid feeling this discord.

Does the Bible seem unreal in this modern world? Many have that feeling. Well, think, do the attitudes in the world seem real – in the sense of having a purpose and direction for the future? Paul wrote of the attitudes in his day, “ … they did not honour him as God, but became futile in their thinkingand their foolish hearts were darkened.” [Rom. 1 v.21] In contrast, may we say with David, “I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart …” [v.12]

6 talks examining God's righteousness.

A five-part series from the Shippensburg bible school 2019 the studies delve into the life and example of Jonathan ( Saul's son) who demonstrated great love and friendship towards his friend David. Wonderful example are presented to us to reflect upon as to how we too ought to show love to one another.

 Watch the video version here...

https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/jonathan-whose-love-was-wonderful-5-videos/

From the Shippensburg Bible School, we have 6 videos from Bro S.Palmer, The first is an exhortation and then the remaining 5 are slide presentations that go into great detail - A very Worthwhile study which is also available on our podcast - link in any of the videos description area.

“IN WHOSE HEART ARE THE HIGHWAYS TO …”        Feb 17

Today we travel on highways, freeways and motorways.  Different countries call them different names. These allow us to travel at speed to our destinations.

Our thoughts “raced” along these lines as we read Psalm 84 and the words he addressed to God, “Blessed are those whose strength is in you and in whose heart are the highways to Zion” [v.5]  Let us all create a “highway” in our heart for godly thoughts and then the distractions of this godless world can be more easily brushed aside.  The Psalmist continues, “They go from strength to strength, each one appears before God in Zion.” [v.7].

This is an exhilarating picture of strength that grows in those who have developed the right kind of highway in their hearts!  They will reach a wonderful eternal destination, one beyond our imagining.

Sadly we see around us, more and more examples of those who have developed the wrong kind of highways in their hearts.  Almost as bad are those who try to maintain two kind of highways!  One makes more noise than the other – and so ends up getting more and more use!

We notice the humble ambition of the Psalmist. “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness” [v.10]   Some, in their youth, have great ambitions for their lives, but sadly we hear and read too many examples of those who sacrifice principles and integrity in their efforts to achieve them.  They will realize, probably too late, that their highway has really been directed toward Mammon instead of toward Zion.

But the Psalmist would rather be a doorkeeper!  And what a privilege that would be! Imagine being a doorkeeper in God’s house of prayer for all nations (Mark 11 v.17) What experiences!  What a privilege!

Finally, let us absorb the meaning of the words that are used to end this Psalm. “… the LORD is a sun and a shield;  the LORD bestows favour and honour.  No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.”

Can you feel the warmth of the Sun and the protection of the Shield the Lord provides?  Let us feed constantly on his word, it will provide the motive force for our hearts as we head towards Zion – and how much more will this be needed as that destination gets closer – but the distractions greater! .

"LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR  ..."  Feb. 16

Can we know some sayings of Jesus too well?  It is possible to get to know some things so well that we cease to let them dwell in our thoughts very much – moving on to what we may see as more profound matters. We wonder who the unnamed scribe was who came to Jesus – having heard his fellow scribes were “disputing with one another” after Jesus “answered them well” [Mark 12 v.28] as we read today.   We would like to imagine that he became a disciple – sooner or later.

This scribe asks, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”  Jesus says it is, “Here O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one”[v.29].  But then he states the most important principle in all the Scriptures, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and will all your mind and with all your strength.”  Draw a breath – and read that again – slowly.

Our world is full of knowledge  - of knowing a massive array of facts and information- but they are often far from wise in the way they use that knowledge.  How much real love – as Jesus defines it – is there in our world?

Now Jesus most significantly adds a sort of codicil to that first commandment which was not in the commandments given at Sinai that we read last week in Exodus 20.  Jesus says, “The second is this; ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘ [v.31]

This provokes a comment by this scribe who says, “You are right teacher” and he restates what Jesus has said about loving God “with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength” [v.33] and to “love one’s neighbour as oneself” [v.33] is of far more value, says the scribe, than offering sacrifices.

Of course there is a reference to the need to love your neighbour ‘buried’ in Leviticus 19 v.18.  Let us recall how James, in his epistle challenges believers, “If you really fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself, you are doing well” [2 v.8]   What a difference that “royal law” would make to this world – but you cannot “command” love.

Jesus commends this scribes’ wise answer and tells him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” [v.34] We must each ask ourselves, ‘Would be say the same to me?’   In searching our hearts to imagine the answer we need to ask, is my knowledge of God only an intellectual one?  If we really ‘know’ God then our names are recorded in his book of life and the words of John 17 v.3 will resonate in our minds.

Marriage Children are the Heritage of the Lord Bro. Bob Lloyd 

Who needs news channels when the word of God predicts what will happen with accuracy. Persia or Iran has been mentioned in the pages of scripture for over a thousand years, and are a key player in the unfolding of end times. Ezekiel 38:4-6 (KJV) And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

"BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED ..."  Feb. 15

There is a puzzling statement by Jesus in today’s 11th chapter of Mark. Jesus makes a triumphant entry into Jerusalem creating much speculation. He curses a fig tree and it withers ; Peter expresses astonishment when they see it the next morning (v.21). God’s fig tree (Joel 1 v.7) was to dramatically wither in that generation.

In response to Peter, Jesus simply says, “Have faith in God.” [v.22] And what a great measure of faith by the faithful was needed as the terrible events Jesus predicted unfolded in and around Jerusalem in that generation..

Now, looking at our situation, what a great measure of faith will be needed amongst us as our world starts falling apart. Jesus foretold that God, while bringing on the world a time of “such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect… he shortened the days.”

These are words, expressed in the ‘tense’ of God’s time and we will read them this Sunday in Mark ch. 13 from v.19. One day – maybe soon – we will read them with a sense of awed anticipation - mixed with fear – we must then make sure we remember Jesus’ simple but so meaningful answer to Peter, “Have faith in God.”

Next we notice another strange statement by Jesus, “I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” [v.24] Is the tense wrong here – “you have received” in the past tense? No, the Gk tense, by all accounts is in the past tense, so what does Jesus mean? We conclude he is saying - look at the things you have asked and received in the past! For us, this is both personal and the prophecies we have now seen to be fulfilled and, as a result, we pray with confidence convinced God is in control and he will continue to act.

Finally we noted how the next verse tells us to make sure “whenever you stand praying, forgive … if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” There will be an even greater need for believers to be in harmony and to “stand praying” – and in every other posture - as our world starts to fall apart.

The Gk word does not mean “stand” in the physical sense, it is the only time this word occurs in the Gospels, but Paul uses it 7 times. Two examples: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” [1 Cor. 16 v.13] and “ I may hear of you … that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith …” [Philpns 1 v.27] Let us all be sure and certain that our prayers will be answered because we have past experiences to build upon and we will therefore “stand firm in the faith.” .