The Bible Standard - Re-Discover the Truth.

Description:  In this series, Christ strengthens Paul (even in his absence) to address the needs of the early ecclesias who were struggling with varying issues—Just like the contentions amongst believers in our day. The first letter to the Corinthians commissions us to carry our cross, why we must crucify the flesh; to become the new man! The second letter to the Corinthians gives us the motivation to do this! By focusing on the empty tomb; the resurrection of our Lord, we are being comforted to live eternally with our Lord and the Father despite enduring the painful, short reality of our lives.

“FOR THEY SOW TO THE WIND”    Nov. 11

You may have heard the proverb about sowing to the wind and reaping the whirlwind?   Do you know what it means?  Did you know it was taken from the Bible?   The farmer in ancient times, sowed seed in his field by carrying a basket and scattering the seed around as he walked.  He took care to scatter it as evenly as possible but still some fell in unproductive places as the parable of Jesus tells us; it was very unwise to sow on a windy day.

Our reading in Hosea today [Ch.8] has God, through his prophet telling the nation, “For they sow to the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind” [v7]. The spiritual application here for them – and for us - is about how we use our life, our intellect, and our energies.  When you go to school; you are - or were -  “sowing” for your future.  Those who sow to the wind blow the seeds of thought and purpose in their minds all over the place. Lots of useless stuff comes into their minds that will not only be of no benefit in the future, but has quite a chance of being destructive.

The context in Hosea is that Israel, especially the northern ten tribes, had done just that! We read in the very next verse, “Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel.”  They have become a ‘vessel’ sailing they know not where – there are no thoughts about direction- only about their immediate future.

Hosea’s contemporary prophet in Judah, Isaiah, was similarly telling them, “…the Lord God … called for weeping … and behold (instead)  joy and gladness … drinking wine (and saying) ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” [22 v.13]. This is living totally for the enjoyment of the moment, today, this week, this month …

The essential fault, as Hosea puts it is that [v.14] “… Israel has forgotten his Maker”.  That is exactly the case today, most do not want to believe their Creator even exists!

The result of this non-belief  – this sowing in the wind, is that our world today is now getting very worried about the whirlwinds looming on the horizon. Some of these are literal as the effects of the apparent climate change become more and more evident and violent.

Jeremiah, the final prophet God sent to his nation as it collapsed, said, “I know O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps” [10 v.23]  We can only direct our steps, our future in a meaningful way if we direct our minds to the ways of God: daily Bible reading and meditative reflection will lead us to know how to direct our steps, not only preventing us from sowing to the wind, but giving us a totally wonderful eternal future.

"THE HELP THAT COMES FROM GOD" Nov. 10

It is Luke “the beloved physician” (Col. 4 v.14) who travelled with Paul in the later years of his preaching – for it is evident he was with him when he returned to Jerusalem (Acts 21 v.17) and Paul was arrested. The detailed account we are reading is therefore an eye witness account, and Luke shows himself in many ways to be a diligent historian as sceptics trying to prove otherwise have had to admit..

We read the 3 fascinating speeches Paul gave in his defense in which he stresses how his life was turned around on the road to Damascus to cause him to preach the message of Jesus “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light … that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” [26 v.18]   Genuine faith brings us into a position of ‘holiness.’ Read Heb. 12 v.14

The “darkness” in the world was dramatically pierced by that light, indeed only 300 years later  Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.  However – history shows how the teaching of Jesus and the Apostles had become seriously corrupted by that time.  Nevertheless God’s word endures in written form, and now brings “light” into the minds of those who will take its message seriously and respond to what they read.   Paul is one of the outstanding examples for them to follow.   We noted today how Paul said to King Agrippa, “to this day I have had the help that comes from God” [v.22] and his letters and what Luke has written illustrate this.

Paul is ready to appeal and challenge everyone, great or small, as to what they believe about the meaning and purpose of their lives. He says to the king, “do you believe the prophets?  I know that you believe.” [v.27] to which the king responds, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

Maybe some have too much time!  Many are not sufficiently conscious of “the help that comes from God” and fail to read the scriptures daily and allow God’s word to live in their hearts and minds.  For ourselves, and we know it is the case with others, it is only when we look back on the varied pathways of life one fully realizes the help that has come from God. Do you want that help?  Do you need that help?  Can you sense that help in the pathways of life you have travelled?  Key questions to meditate on today.

"… LIKE A MORNING CLOUD"  Nov. 9

Today’s chapter in Hosea is a message given when God was about to send the 10 northern tribes into captivity in Assyria.  There are several points made by God through this prophet which are helpful for us to think about. Notice the line of thought that starts from verse 4 of ch. 6, - where the chapter break is in the wrong place.

“What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? (the leading tribe in the northern kingdom) What shall I do with you Judah?  Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.”  How remarkably true this of the course human love so often takes these days!  If we live in a rural area and wake to the rising of the sun and see the dew on the ground and the mist hovering above it, we accept it is an altogether peaceful and tranquil scene.  But it is also rather like human expressions of love for each other can be like all too often these days.

The Jews made a great show of worship and sacrificing in their temple, especially on the appointed feast days – but Jesus saw much self-exaltation in their worship.   Two verses further on Hosea states God’s attitude, “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of Godrather than burnt offerings”

There is no difficult in understanding “steadfast love” but it is valuable to realize that sometimes the context in which the word “knowledge” occurs shows it has the sense of ‘knowing’ as in a true relationship between two people.

Isaiah 53 v.11 is an outstanding example.  It forecasts the work of Christ, “ … by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous and he shall bear their iniquities”.  Jesus had a total “knowing” relationship with God and with the strength of mind that relationship produced he was able to overcome all the fleshly inclinations of his human nature.

Let us aim to follow his example as closely as we can and develop a really ‘knowing’ relationship with God. It is valuable to bear in mind the prayer of our Lord, “… this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God” [John 17 v.3]

Please share on your timelines and with anyone /ecclesial pages etc that you believe may benefit from this video.?? that it may bring Glory to our God.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/christadelphians-talk/id1448751691

https://christadelphianvideo.podbean.com/

https://anchor.fm/Christadelphians-Talk

Watch / read / Listen to other thoughts for the day on our site here

https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/category/thought-for-the-day-2/

“I AM INNOCENT. FROM NOW ON …”  Nov. 6

    Today we read two very stirring chapters about the total commitment of the Apostle Paul to preach – to witness to as many as possible about the eternal life giving message of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is the only message that matters (eternally). 

    These chapters give some indication of the dangers that surrounded the Apostle.  At Corinth “the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent …” [Acts 18 v.9].  In his 2nd letter to the Corinthians Paul commented on “the affliction we experienced in Asia.  For we were so utterly burdened  beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death.  But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.  You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks …” [1 v.8-11]

    Returning to Acts we notice how Paul “when they (the Jews) opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent.  From now on I will go to the Gentiles. [v.6}   Is our understanding clear as to his meaning – “I am innocent”?  He means he has fulfilled his responsibility before God to witness to his own countrymen!

    These words have a lesson for us: first to witness to those among whom we live – and then – after we have done that and become “innocent” –  having a clear conscience having carried out our responsibility there in the service of God, we should seek to make an opportunity to go further afield seeking places where people are prepared to listen – as Paul did. And there are certainly countries today where people are prepared to listen.  If it is physically impossible for us to do this then the next best thing is to support those who can and so be “innocent” in the sight of God and our Saviour.   

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Please share on your timelines and with anyone /ecclesial pages etc that you believe may benefit from this video.?? that it may bring Glory to our God.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/christadelphians-talk/id1448751691

https://christadelphianvideo.podbean.com/

https://anchor.fm/Christadelphians-Talk

Watch / read / Listen to other thoughts for the day on our site here

https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/category/thought-for-the-day-2/

“UNTIL THERE WAS NO REMEDY”  Nov. 7

    Today we completed reading 2nd Chronicles, a chapter which describes the final end of the kingdom set up in God given glory in the reigns of David and Solomon.  Now it has become a time when “all the officers of the priests and the people were exceedingly unfaithful …” [v.14] to God.  Despite this, The LORD, the God of their fathers , sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people …” [v.15]

    We can see parallels with today.  There was a resultant awareness and awe of God in the generations following the time the Bible was first printed.- and initially many parts of the world became God fearing.  This spirit has now just about all disappeared – yet human beings still benefit from the “compassion” God still shows in holding back from the severe judgment human beings deserve. 

    Let us ask ourselves – are we worthy of God’s calling?   We recall Paul’s words, “… we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling …” [2 Thess 1 v.11]; yet how can God make us worthy if we take little or no notice of his word?   

    We fearfully note the next verse in Chronicles for it is parallel with what must be about to happen to our world, for the people then were “despising his words and scoffing … until the wrath of God rose … until there was no remedy” [v.16]  Well, the only remedy was destruction of ungodliness!

    There is also a clear parallel to this in what we read in Hosea today.  This prophet was giving a message in the final years of the northern kingdom saying “the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God …” [4 v.1]  What a contrast with the last verse of the previous chapter and its remarkable vision of the future!  This is as much a vision for us as for them!  A time will come, says God through the prophet when “the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days.”    

    This verse will be fulfilled when the kingdom of God is established!  Today we see that Israel has, at least in part, returned to their land, but are yet to “seek” the LORD.  We are in “the latter days” – but how we individually believe and behave will decide whether we experience “the goodness of the LORD” and rejoice in the incredible wonders that are promised to God-fearing men and women of all ages and all races.

Brand new release

Please share on your timelines and with anyone /ecclesial pages etc that you believe may benefit from this video.?? that it may bring Glory to our God.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/christadelphians-talk/id1448751691

https://christadelphianvideo.podbean.com/

https://anchor.fm/Christadelphians-Talk

Watch / read / Listen to other thoughts for the day on our site here

https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/category/thought-for-the-day-2/

“I AM INNOCENT. FROM NOW ON …”  Nov. 6

    Today we read two very stirring chapters about the total commitment of the Apostle Paul to preach – to witness to as many as possible about the eternal life giving message of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is the only message that matters (eternally). 

    These chapters give some indication of the dangers that surrounded the Apostle.  At Corinth “the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent …” [Acts 18 v.9].  In his 2nd letter to the Corinthians Paul commented on “the affliction we experienced in Asia.  For we were so utterly burdened  beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death.  But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.  You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks …” [1 v.8-11]

    Returning to Acts we notice how Paul “when they (the Jews) opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent.  From now on I will go to the Gentiles. [v.6}   Is our understanding clear as to his meaning – “I am innocent”?  He means he has fulfilled his responsibility before God to witness to his own countrymen!

    These words have a lesson for us: first to witness to those among whom we live – and then – after we have done that and become “innocent” –  having a clear conscience having carried out our responsibility there in the service of God, we should seek to make an opportunity to go further afield seeking places where people are prepared to listen – as Paul did. And there are certainly countries today where people are prepared to listen.  If it is physically impossible for us to do this then the next best thing is to support those who can and so be “innocent” in the sight of God and our Saviour.   

“WHILE HE WAS YET A BOY”   Nov. 5

Reading the context about the one who is described as being “yet a boy” we discover he was 16 years old.   Who was he?  What did he do at this age?  Today we read 2 Chronicles Ch, 34 about a really young boy who “was eight years old when he began to reign” [v.1].  His father Amon had died after reigning only 2 years but he was a very ungodly king, like his grandfather Manasseh of whom we read (33 v.10) “The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention.”

The LORD speaks to every generation these days through his written word, but so few pay any real attention.  Well, we read in today’s chapter how this 16 year old boy, “in the eighth year of his reign , while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father” [v.3].  When he was 20 he started to take action to destroy all the false places of worship.  At his command, “they chopped down the altars of the Baals in his presence” [v.4].  When he was 26 he gave orders to repair the Temple and make it fit for use in the worship of the LORD.

In the process of doing this, Shaphan the secretary reported to him, “I have found the book of the Law in the house of the LORD” [v.15].  After it had been read before him “the king sent and gathered together all the elders” [v.29]; then the King himself “read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the covenant” [v.30].

The result was a great reformation!  What a total difference reading God’s word makes when it is read with intent and purpose by a heart that is seeking to really know God and develop a real relationship with him.  How great is the need for such a reformation today. In those days it was initiated by the King as we will read tomorrow.  But today it has to start with the individual and God has seen to it that His word is available in all languages. It will be diligently read by those who are mentally awake and see the need to really seek God. Those who are ready to practice the result of such a seeking will make sure they read it.  What position are you in?

Three wonderfully in-depth studies based in the epistle of Paul to Titus

 You can watch the videos here..

 https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/the-epistle-of-titus-3-videos/