Daily Devotions

[Berean]

Hi To all

 

CLEVER HANS

Daily Devotional

AN AMAZING FACT: In Germany around 1904, Wilhelm von Osten owned an extremely bright horse he named Clever Hans. He earned his name because, von Osten claimed, his horse could solve complex arithmetic problems, tapping out the answer with his hoof. Observers asserted that Hans could even read the instructions to a mathematics problem written on a chalkboard and then tap out the correct answer.
Hans never seemed to give the wrong answer. It appeared that the horse had the mathematical ability of a calculus professor. Skeptical researchers tested Hans, asking strangers to present the math problems. Nothing made a difference. Hans was even able to answer questions posed in foreign languages, questions whispered to him, even questions not asked at all but merely thought. Hans still came up with the correct answer. For a brief moment in history, Clever Hans had the German scientific community chasing its tail trying to explain the phenomenon. Many believed they had found a horse that was at least as intelligent as a human and possibly even brighter.

But along came a skeptical psychologist, Dr. Oskar Pfungst, who refused to believe the obvious. Through a series of tests, Dr. Pfungst proved that although Hans was able to provide correct answers, he was not solving the problems himself. The horse was exceptionally clever about observing people. Hans was carefully watching the person presenting him with a problem, slowly tapping his hoof until he noticed a slight flicker of behavior that told him it was time to stop tapping. His perception was so keen that he noticed slight reactions that humans could not see. He was so gifted that he could recognize the slightest change in the facial expression or body language of everyone he observed. Hans was better at reading the behavior of people than people are at reading the behavior of horses.

Some have wondered, “Do angels know what we are thinking by reading our minds or are they simply observing our body language?” The Bible teaches that only God can read our minds. “The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile” (Psalm 94:11). Perhaps angels can observe our body language better than human beings, but only God can see deeply into our inner thoughts. That’s why even when we pray silently, the Lord can hear us.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? Matthew 9:4
 

[Berean]

Hi To all

WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK WAS PENTECOST?

Daily Devotional

Pentecost, also called the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15–21), occurred on what we would call Sunday and was a celebration of the spring harvest. The root word “pente” means five; for example, a pentagon has five sides. After Passover, there are seven weeks, and after the last Passover Sabbath, which is the 49th day, comes the day of Pentecost. The word literally means “fiftieth day.”

Unfortunately, some people use this ceremonial day as a justification for going to church on Sunday, ignoring the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. But that is quite a stretch. There is nothing in the Bible that says to keep Pentecost, Sunday, or even the day of Jesus’ resurrection holy as a replacement for the seventh-day Sabbath.

By that logic, we could keep Thursday as the Sabbath because that’s when the Lord instituted the New Covenant at the Lord’s Supper. You could even argue that it should be Friday, because that’s when Jesus was crucified.

But nowhere in the Bible does God pick any other day to replace the seventh day. I think it’s pretty reckless for Christians to start altering the law of God, the one He spoke with His voice and wrote with His finger. Jesus said, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Matthew 15:3).

If you can show me a Scripture that says, “Keep the first day as the Sabbath,” then I’ll do just that. But until I find it, should I take men’s traditions over the very clear Word of God? The Bible says that the Lord blessed and sanctified the seventh day. He wrote it in stone with His finger; He spoke it with His voice, saying, “Remember,” meaning that we’re not to forget it. We can’t simply ignore the Word of God. “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9).

 

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. Deuteronomy 16:9
 

[Berean]

Hi to all

October 1, 2021

BY RECEIVING CHRIST, THE SOURCE OF LIFE

In her was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1.4)

THE LORD made all arrangements so that our experience would be rich, abundant and joyful. John writes of Christ: “In her was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1.4) Life is associated with light and, if we do not receive the light from the Sun of Justice, we cannot have any life in it. But this light is offered to every soul, and it is only by moving us away from it that darkness covers us. Jesus said: “He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). In our world, there can be no life without light. If the sun were to stop shining, all vegetation, all animal life would come to an end. This illustrates the fact that we cannot have spiritual life unless we place ourselves under the rays of the Sun of Justice. If we put a flowering plant in a dark room, soon it will wither and die. Likewise, we can have some spiritual life, and still lose it by remaining in an atmosphere of doubt and sadness. […]

We are called, as John was, not to take the place of Christ, but to bear witness to the light, to direct the minds of others towards him. […] That whoever wants to testify for Christ, never put himself in the foreground and not seek to draw attention to him. But let him strive to exalt Jesus (1).

The world is plunged into darkness. Without Christ we are like an extinguished wick, like the moon when it does not reflect the light of the sun; we do not have the slightest ray to project on the world. But, when we turn to the Sun of Justice, when we come into contact with Jesus, the whole soul is illuminated by his radiant presence (2).

(1. The Youth’s Instructor, May 25, 1893.
2. Blessed are those who, “The Beatitudes,” p. 39.)

[Berean]

Hi To all

October 2, 2021

Daily devotional

 

Righteous father, the world never knew you, but I knew you, and
them, knew that you sent me. I let them know your name, and I
will make known to them, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them,
like me in them. John 17:25, 26. (NBS}

“Christ came into the world to represent the Father
to men, for Satan had presented him to the world under a false
day. Because God is a God of justice, of dreadful majesty, who has
power to destroy as well as to preserve man, Satan has
led men to regard him with fear, to regard him as a
tyrant. Jesus was with the Father from eternal times, before the
creation of man, and he came to reveal the Father by declaring: “God
is love. ”Jesus represented God as a loving Father, who takes
care of the subjects of his kingdom. He said that not a sparrow
falls to the ground without the Father noticing it, and the children of
men are more valuable in his eyes than many sparrows, than
the very hairs of their heads are all numbered. (see Luke 12: 6,7)
In the Old as in the New Testament the Lord is
represented not only as a God of justice but as a
Father of infinite love. The psalmist says:
‘The LORD acts for justice, he defends the right of all
oppressed … The LORD is compassionate and merciful, patient and
great in faithfulness … he does not treat us according to our sins, he does not
not make us according to our faults. As the sky is high above
the earth, so strong is his loyalty above those who fear him
’(Psalm 103. 6,8,10,11 NBS)
Satan had decked out the Father with his own attributes, but Christ
represented him under his true character of benevolence and love.
Christ presented the character of the Father to the world as if he offered a
new gift to man
The Son of God has stated unequivocally that the world
was devoid of the knowledge of God; but this knowledge
was of supreme value. It was the gift of himself, the treasure
priceless that He brought into the world. In the performance of his
sovereign prerogative, he transmitted to his disciples the knowledge of
character of God, so that they communicate it to the world ….. All those
who believe in God’s message should lift up Jesus, show Christ
to men and say: “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of
world.” …
The soul imbued with the love of Christ is one with Him; she
communion with Christ, Christ is formed in her, the hope of
glory, and the Christian goes to represent the Father and the Son to the world. ”
(The Signs of the Times, June 27, 1892)

[Berean]

Hi To all

KNOWLEDGE VS. WISDOM

Daily Devotional

AN AMAZING FACT: Sixteen-year-old Andrew Kamal holds the record for the highest IQ score ever recorded. His score of 295 makes him the most gifted child prodigy in the world. But a high IQ does not always translate into wisdom.
The Bible tells us that Solomon was the wisest person who ever lived. Soon after taking the throne, the dedicated young king earnestly prayed for God’s help to govern the kingdom. During the night the Lord revealed Himself to Solomon and said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5). Can you imagine receiving an invitation like that from the Creator of the universe? It was like receiving a blank check. Have you ever pondered what you would do if you were given a billion dollars?

King Solomon humbly responded to the Lord, “O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.” Then he asked, “Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?” (2 Chronicles 1:10). God was pleased that Solomon had not asked for fortunes, long life, or even the death of his enemies. He said, “Behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you” (v. 12). In fact, the Lord said that even though the young king had not asked for riches or honor, these would be given to him anyway, along with a long life …

… But there was a condition. “If you walk in My ways, to keep My statues and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days” (v. 14).

Solomon put the kingdom and righteousness of God first, and God blessed him with all the other things. This is what Jesus says will also happen if we have our priorities straight—“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

The wisdom of Solomon, which comes from God, can be yours today. We, too, may humbly come before the Lord with faith and seek a discerning mind. In fact, that is the whole purpose of the book of Proverbs, penned primarily by this wise man. Such wisdom comes through faith and humility. “The fear of the Lord” means that we recognize our great dependence on God for all wisdom and knowledge. Thank you, heavenly Father, for answering the prayer of Solomon. Please hear my own humble cry for instruction and guidance today.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

[Berean]

Hi to all

DO PEOPLE BECOME ANGELS WHEN THEY DIE?

Daily Devotional

When the apostle Peter was miraculously delivered from prison, the young lady, Rhoda, who answered the door could hardly believe it was him. In her excitement, she left Peter locked outside and rushed to tell the others. Since he had been previously delivered by an angel, the other believers in the house praying for Peter’s release apparently thought this might be his angel.

It is not strange that these followers of Jesus believed Rhoda saw a spiritual being. Even Christ’s disciples had moments when they thought they were seeing some type of spirit. When Jesus came to them on the water during a storm, it says, “When they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out” (Mark 6:49). After the resurrection, Jesus’ appearance alarmed some. “As they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’ But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit” (Luke 24:37).

Some people believe Acts 12:15 indicates that when people die they immediately become angels. During the time between the Old and New Testaments, many interesting theories about angels were formulated by Jewish teachers.

But the Bible teaches that angels are not of the same order as human beings (Psalm 8:5) and existed before people were even created (Job 38:4–7). Before any person ever died angels existed in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24). God has provided each of His children a guardian angel (Matthew 18:10; Psalm 34:7). Someday God’s angels will come and gather the Lord’s people at the second coming of Jesus (Mark 13:27).

 

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. Acts 12:13-15

[Berean]

Hi to all

Daily meditation

October 6, 2021

BEING UNITED AS CHILDREN OF GOD

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3.26)

WE RARELY FIND two people exactly alike. Among human beings, as among things in the natural world, there is diversity. Unity in diversity among the children of God – through the manifestation of love and tolerance, despite differences of disposition – is a testimony that God sent his Son into the world to save the people. sinners.

The unity which exists between Christ and his disciples does not destroy the personality of each one. In spirit, in purpose, in character, they are one, but not in person. By participating in the Spirit of God, by conforming to the law of God, man becomes a participant in the divine nature. Christ integrates his disciples into a living union with the Father and with himself. Through the action of the Holy Spirit on the human spirit, man is made perfect in Jesus Christ. Unity with Christ establishes a bond of unity between them. This unity brings to the world the most convincing proof of Christ’s majesty, virtue and power to take away sin.

The powers of darkness have little scope for action against believers who love one another, as Christ loved them, who refuse to be a source of alienation and conflict, who struggle together, who are kind, courteous, and tender, and cherish the faith that acts out of love and purifies the soul. We must have the Spirit of Christ, otherwise we do not belong to him.
Union is strength and division is weakness.
The closer our union with Christ, the closer will be our union with one another. Fickleness and discontent, selfishness and vanity strive for supremacy. These are the fruits of a shared heart open to suggestions from the enemy of souls. Satan rejoices when he can sow the seeds of dissension.

In unity there is a vitality and a power which cannot be obtained otherwise.

[Berean]

O Father …

1
O Father, source and end of all creatures
Whose temple is wherever nature stretches,
Whose presence hollows out and fills the infinite,
May your name be everywhere in every blessed soul!

2
May your eternal kingdom rise every day
With the endless work begins again and ends;
May divine love, chain of your goodness,
All will will with your goodness!

3
Give to the man for a day, let your breast hatch,
What bread she needs to live her dawn.
Give us the tribute that we have given
Ourselves by forgiving all our enemies.

4
Lest the clay prevail over the spirit,
Don’t try us too hard,
But yourself, lending your strength to our struggles
Help your children here below to triumph over evil. 

Amen!

[Berean]

Hi to all

Daily meditation

October 7, 2021

CHRIST IS THE REAL CEP

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard. (John 15.1)

THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW Christ must believe in him. They must open their hearts to him in order to welcome him as a permanent guest. They must abide in Christ, as the branch abides in the living vine. A vital union is formed between the vine and the branch, and the same fruit visible on the vine also appears on the branch. Thus, the Lord will work through the human agent who unites with Jesus Christ. Those who have an unshakeable confidence in Christ will, like Enoch, have a sense of the permanent presence of God. Why do so many people feel uncertain, or feel orphaned? It is because they do not cultivate faith in the precious assurance that the Lord Jesus took charge of their sin. It was on behalf of those who had transgressed the law that Jesus took on human nature and became like us, so that we may have everlasting peace and assurance. We have an advocate in heaven, and anyone who accepts him as their personal Savior will not be left an orphan to endure the curse of their own sins.

We must cultivate our faith every day and contemplate the one who has taken charge of our case. He is a merciful and faithful high priest. “For because he himself suffered when he was tempted [not in some things, but in all things as we are], he can help those who are tempted. “(Hebrews 2.18)” For we have not a high priest unable to sympathize with our weaknesses “(Hebrews 4.15). Even now in heaven he is moved by our afflictions, and as a living Savior, as a concerned advocate, he intercedes for us.

Every day we must exercise our faith. Thus, this faith will increase daily through exercise. We then realize that not only has he redeemed us, but that he has loved us and washed away our sins in his own blood. He made us kings and priests to God the Father.

[Berean]

Hi to all

Daily meditation

October 8, 2021

WE ARE THE SARMENTS

I am the vine; you, the branches. He who abides in me bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. (John 15.5)

WE HAVE NOTHING, we are nothing unless we receive the virtue of Jesus Christ.

Until he surrenders his heart unconditionally to God, the human agent does not abide in the true Vine. It cannot flourish in the Vine, nor bear rich clusters of fruit. God does not compromise with sin in the slightest. If he could, it would not have been necessary for Christ to come to suffer and die in our world. No conversion is genuine if it does not transform the character and behavior of those who accept the truth. The truth works through love and it purifies the soul.

What we profess is of no value if we do not abide in Christ for we cannot be living branches unless the essential qualities of the vine abound in us. The genuine Christian reflects the characteristics of his master, and when we reflect the graces of Christ in our lives and characters, the Father loves us as he loves his Son. When this condition is fulfilled by those who profess to believe in the present truth, the church will be prosperous; for its members shall not live for themselves, but for him who died for them, and they shall be blossoming branches of the living vine.

The root of the tree has a dual function. It should cling firmly to the ground, while absorbing the necessary food. It is the same with the Christian. When his union with Christ, his progenitor, is complete, when he is nourished by him, currents of spiritual force are given to him. Can the leaves of such a branch wither? Never! As long as the soul stretches towards Christ, there is little danger of it withering, sagging and decaying. The temptations that will come like a storm will not uproot her. The true Christian draws his motives for action from his deep love for his Redeemer. His affection for his master is genuine and healthy.

[Berean]

Hi To all

Daily meditation

October 9, 2021

GOD WORDS US TO MAKE US MORE SUCCESSFUL

Every branch which is in me and which does not bear fruit, he cut off; and every branch that bears fruit he prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. (John 15.2)

THOSE WHO WILL WALK faithfully in the footprints of their self-sacrificing Redeemer will reflect the spirit of Christ. The Savior’s purity and love will be seen in their character and in their daily lives. Meekness and truth will guide their steps. Each branch is pruned, so that it bears more fruit; a few have rich foliage, but this appearance is deceptive. The disciples of Christ can do some work for the Master, and yet not accomplish half of what they could do. Then Christ pruned them, because worldliness, love of self, pride must be banished from their lives. The cultivator cuts off unnecessary tendrils so that the branches bear more fruit. We must suppress the causes which render the branches sterile, suppress what is defective to make room for the salutary rays of the Sun of Justice. […]

Many do not understand why they were created; they do not know that it is in order to be a source of blessing for their fellow men, and to glorify God rather than themselves. God is constantly pruning his children; he cuts off unnecessary branches, so that they bear fruit to his glory, and not only have leaves. God tests us with sadness, disappointments and afflictions so that the faults of our character give way to qualities. It is necessary that the idols are abandoned, that the conscience becomes more sensitive, the intimate meditations, more spiritual, the character, finally, more harmoniously balanced.

By abiding in Christ, we can have his sweetness, his fragrance, his light. […] He shines in our hearts. His light in our hearts shines on our faces. As we contemplate the beauty and glory of Christ, we are transformed into the same image.

[Berean]

Hi To all

Daily meditation

10 October 2021

WE ONLY BEAR FRUIT WHILE ABIDING IN CHRIST

Remain in me, as I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides on the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me. (John 15.4)

THE REASON WHY we indulge in sin so complacently is that we do not see Jesus. If we saw how much sin grieved our Lord, we would not take it lightly. […]

A correct estimate of the character of God would allow us to properly represent him in the eyes of the world. Hard and brutal words or attitudes, backbiting, angry words cannot exist in the soul which looks to Jesus. He who abides in Christ lives in an atmosphere that forbids evil and leaves no excuse for it. Spiritual life is not nourished from within, but derives its nourishment from Christ, as the branch is sustained by the vine. At all times, we are dependent on Christ. He is our sustenance. All our exterior forms, prayers, fasts and alms cannot take the place of the interior work that the Spirit of God operates on the human heart.

When a person is entirely emptied of himself, when every idol is rooted out of the soul, the emptiness is filled by the outpouring of the Spirit of Christ. Such a soul is purified by faith and protected from all filthiness. […] We are a branch of the true vine, and we bear abundant fruit to the glory of God. What is the character of these fruits? The fruit of the Spirit is “love” and not hatred; “Joy” and not discontent and sadness; “Peace” and not the irritation, anxiety and difficulties that one creates for oneself. It is also “patience, kindness, benignity, fidelity, gentleness, temperance. “(Galatians 5: 22,23)

A branch cannot derive its subsistence from another branch. Our life must come from the mother vine. It is only by being personally united with Christ, by communion with him, every day and every hour, that we can bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit. […] Our growth in grace, our joy, our usefulness, everything depends on our union with Christ and on the degree of faith we exercise in him.

[Berean]

Bless God …

1
Let us bless God, my soul, in everything,
Him on whom alone all my hope rests.
Let us sing his name without ever getting tired.
May everything in me celebrate its power;
Above all, my soul, let us exalt its mercy,
And let’s not forget any of its benefits.

2
It is this great God who, by his pure grace,
Your sins blemishes away;
He heals you from all infirmities; From the very tomb he takes your life,
And make your days still worthy of envy,
Surrounding you everywhere with his goodness.

3
It is this great God whose rich largesse
Satisfy you, and make that in your old age
Like an eagle we see you rejuvenate.
Fair judge, to any man he grants
Justice and law, and his mercy
The oppressed deign to remember.

4
As to his son a father is gentle and tender
If our heart comes to the Lord to surrender,
He receives us with compassion;
For he knows what men are made of,
He knows, alas! He knows that we are not
That powder and ashes, and that corruption.

5
The days of the man on the grass I compare
Whose countryside is adorned in our eyes,
That a little while has seen grow and mature
And who suddenly, from the battered aquilon,
Falls and fades, and is no longer recognized
Even from the place that saw it bloom.

6
But your favors, O God, are eternal
For whom invokes you, and always the faithful
From century to century test your goodness.
God keep those who walk in his fear,
Those whose heart is attached to his holy law,  Finally, all those who do his will.

 

 

Daily meditation

October 11, 2021

OUTSIDE CHRIST, THE BRANCH WITHDRAWNS

If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out like a branch, and he withers; then we collect the branches, throw them into the fire and they burn. (John 15.6)

HE [JUDAS] … was not transformed and converted into a living branch by being connected to the true vine. This dry branch did not adhere to the vine to grow into a perennial and fruitful branch. He turned out to be the graft that didn’t bear fruit, the graft that didn’t, fiber by fiber and vein by vein, welded to the vine to participate in its life.

The withered and disconnected branch can only become one with the vine if it participates in the life of the living vine and receives its nourishment from it by being grafted to it, by being brought into the closest possible relation with it. […] The branch clings to the vine which gives life until the life of the vine becomes the life of the branch and it produces fruits like those of the vine.

“I am the vine,” says Christ, “you are the branches” (John 15.5). The most intimate union is shown in this example. Put a scion on a flourishing vine and it will become a living branch, drawing its sap and all its nourishment from the vine. Fiber after fiber, vein after vein, the young graft will attach itself to the vine until it buds and bears fruit. The lifeless branch represents the sinner When he is united with Christ, the soul is united with the soul, the weak and the finite with the saint and the infinite, and he becomes one with his Savior.

The branch, which appears dry, when it is united to the vine, participates in the life of the latter, to which it adheres fiber by fiber. […] The soul, dead in its faults and in its sins, must follow a similar process. […] As the grafts receive life when they are united to the vine, so the sinner participates in the divine nature through his union with the Savior. Finite man unites with infinite God. Then the words of Christ abide in us; we are not driven to action by an intermittent feeling, but by a living and permanent principle.

 

[Berean]

Daily meditation

12 October 2021

WE CONFESS CHRIST

Therefore whosoever shall confess me before men, him also will I confess before my Father which is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, him also will I deny before my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10.32.33)

DO WE CONFESS Christ in our daily life? Do we confess it in our dress, adorning ourselves with simple and modest clothes? Is our adornment that of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which is of such great value in the sight of God? Are we seeking to advance Master’s cause? […] It is useless to tell you not to wear this or that because, if you have in your heart the love for these vain things, to get rid of your adornments will be like cutting the foliage of a tree. The inclinations of the natural heart would once again take over. You have to have your own awareness. […]

We are to abide in him as the branch abides in the vine. […] We need the ax to be put at the root of the tree. We want to be dead to the world, dead to ourselves and alive to God. […] We need to draw closer to Christ so that people know that we have been with Christ and have learned from him.

He who imitates Christ will manifest his abnegation and self-sacrifice. […] Where the conscience of the biblical Christian warns him to abstain, to renounce himself and to stop, is precisely where the worldly crosses the line to indulge his selfish inclinations. On one side of the line stands the self-sacrificing disciple of Jesus Christ, and on the other side evolves the self-centered worldly who submits to fashion, indulges in frivolity, and indulges in forbidden pleasures. Impossible for the Christian to be on this side of the line. There is no place.

Our life must be hidden with Christ, in God, so that when he appears, we too may appear with him in glory.

[Berean]

Hi to all

Daily meditation

October 13, 2021

WE BRING THE FRUIT OF FRATERNAL LOVE

My Father is glorified in this: that you bear much fruit, and you will be my disciples. (John 15.8)

THE UNION BETWEEN CHRIST and his people must be alive, true and flawless, similar to the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart. All the true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brothers. Those in whose hearts Christ dwells will bear the fruit of brotherly love. They will realize that as members of God’s family, they are committed to cultivating, cherishing, and perpetuating Christian love, and fellowship in word, spirit, and deed.

To be children of God, members of the royal family, means more than many imagine. Those whom God considers his children will reveal Christ’s love for one another. They will live and work with one goal: to sincerely represent Christ in the eyes of the world. By their love and unity, they will show the world that they are approved of God. Through the nobility of love and self-denial, they will show those around them that they are true disciples of the Savior. “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. “(John 13:35)

The most powerful proof that a man can give of his new birth and that he is a new man in Jesus Christ is the manifestation of his love for his brothers, by acting like Christ. This is the most wonderful testimony that can be borne for Christianity, and the one that will win souls to the truth.

Christ brings all true believers to unity with himself, that unity which exists between his father and himself. The true children of God are linked to one another and to their Savior. They are one with Christ, in God.

[Berean]

Hi To all

ICEBERGS

Daily devotional

AN AMAZING FACT: On March 21, 2000, one of the largest icebergs ever seen broke free from the Antarctic’s Ross Ice Shelf. An image, taken from a polar satellite 435 miles up, alerted scientists and mariners to the iceberg’s birth. It is one of the largest ever seen at 183 miles long and 23 miles wide, with a surface area of 4,250 square miles. The biggest iceberg ever recorded was 208 miles long and 60 miles wide, a total of 12,000 square miles. That’s larger than the country of Belgium. Even more amazing, it was spotted floating in the South Pacific. It’s astounding how far from the Polar regions icebergs can wander. Icebergs from the Arctic north have reached as far south as the island of Bermuda, a journey of 2,500 miles. One iceberg from the Antarctic has reached almost as far north as Rio de Janeiro, a journey of 3,440 miles.
The tallest iceberg ever recorded was 550 feet high. That’s as tall as a 50-story building! But remember that only 10 percent of an iceberg’s mass is above water, meaning the bulk of this titan could have reached 4,000 feet deep. I have also read there is so much ice stored on the continent of Antarctica, that if you could cut it into huge ice cubes one mile thick you would end up with 6 million cubes. Should all of that ice melt, it would raise the sea level over the entire world by 260 feet. Ice on Antarctica is so heavy that over the years it has pushed the continent itself down several hundred feet.

Jesus warned us in the last days, because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. How can we have our hearts warmed and our first loved rekindled in a spiritually cold world? Perhaps it is found in the words of John the Baptist: “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16).

When we invite Christ into our hearts and are filled with the Holy Spirit, there is a warming of our lives from within that will melt away the cold clutches of sin on our hearts. Then we will have purpose and not float aimlessly like a drifting iceberg.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12

[Berean]

Hi to all

DOES THE BIBLE REALLY SPEAK AGAINST SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE?

Daily Devotional

It has always been God’s plan that the gift of sexual intimacy be experienced only within the protective confines of a marital union. Jesus quotes from Genesis 2:24 to support that the sexual act, described as becoming “one flesh,” is only to be shared between a husband and wife.

There is always an effort to rationalize away Bible truth and look for loopholes, often by young people pressuring their significant others into having pre-marital sex. But defining love by flowing hormones is anything but true love. There is no physical human act more intimate and personal than sex; the bond that is developed from this act of marriage is never meant to be broken.

The Bible teaches, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). You defile the marriage bed by sleeping with someone who is not your spouse. The apostle Paul specifically defines such sin: “Because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband” (1 Corinthians 7:2).

Paul becomes even more blatant in describing the act of unmarried people engaging in sex. “Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ‘the two,’ He says, ‘shall become one flesh’ ” (1 Corinthians 6:16). Sex is like spiritual glue that connects two people, a husband and a wife. Marriage safeguards this special bond.

It is not without reason that God wants us to protect this gift. When we look at the broken hearts and bodies of people who believe in recreational sex outside the boundaries of marriage, we see people who struggle with sexually transmitted diseases, abortions, unwed mothers, unwanted pregnancies, and kids growing up with one parent. Abstinence before marriage honors life and can save us from grief.

 

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Matthew 19:4-5

[Berean]

Hi To all

Daily Devotional

AN AMAZING FACT: Assassinations of presidents are a tragedy for a nation. The injustice of one person changing the course of the country is felt by millions. People have wondered, “What if Lincoln had not died? Would the nation’s Civil War wounds have healed faster?” Interestingly, four U.S. Presidents have been assassinated while in office (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy), but there have actually been at least a dozen failed assassination attempts on either sitting or past United States Presidents.
Did you know that President Harry Truman was almost assassinated while he temporarily was staying at the Blair House, while the White House was undergoing renovations? On November 1, 1950, two Puerto Rican nationalists, Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo, tried to shoot Truman from the street outside the residence. A White House policeman was mortally wounded, but Leslie Coffelt shot and killed Torresola before dying. Collazo was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death, but Truman commuted his sentence to life in prison. The president was actually taking a nap when he heard shooting and jumped up to look out his bedroom window to see what was happening.

Three years before Kennedy was killed in Dallas, Texas, the president-elect was almost a victim of an assassination plan by a retired postal worker. The family was vacationing in Florida in December 1960 when Richard Paul Pavlick loaded his car with dynamite. He intended to ram the president-elect’s limousine. But when Pavlick saw Kennedy’s wife and two children, he changed his mind. Secret Service agents, who had been investigating Pavlick’s strange behavior, arrested him a couple days later.

The Bible actually records several instances of people being assassinated, often rulers or kings. For instance, Eglon (king of Moab) was assassinated by Ehud, a deliverer raised up by the Lord during the time of the Judges (see Judges 3:15-22). King Joash was assassinated by his servants (see 2 Kings 12:20). And Amnon was assassinated at the command of his brother Absalom (see 2 Samuel 13:28, 29). Of course, the greatest murder of a King was when the Jewish leaders unjustly condemned Christ to death on a cross.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Acts 7:52

[Berean]

salut à tous 

LA BIBLE ENSEIGNE-T-ELLE QUE LE CORPS ET L’ÂME SONT DES ENTITÉS SÉPARÉES ?

Dévotion quotidienne

“Et ne craignez pas ceux qui tuent le corps, mais qui ne sont pas capables de tuer l’âme, mais craignez plutôt celui qui est capable de détruire à la fois l’âme et le corps en enfer.” (Matthieu 10:28)

La première chose que nous devrions remarquer dans ce texte, c’est que « l’âme » et le « corps » sont « détruits » en enfer. Cela signifie que l’âme n’est pas naturellement immortelle. Seul Dieu est naturellement éternel (1 Timothée 6 :15, 16). Mais que veut dire Jésus en tuant le corps mais pas l’âme ? L’âme peut-elle exister en dehors du corps ? Certains disent que oui, mais la Bible indique le contraire.

Le mot grec psuche a été traduit par « âme » dans ce texte, mais dans de nombreux autres textes, il a été traduit par « vie ». Par exemple, Jésus a dit : « Quiconque perdra sa vie (psuche) à cause de moi la retrouvera » (Matthieu 16 :25). L’idée d’une âme immatérielle séparée du corps est une croyance courante chez beaucoup aujourd’hui, mais vous ne la trouverez pas dans la Bible.

Mais qu’en est-il de Matthieu 10:28 ? Mettez le mot « vie » au lieu de « âme » et le texte prend tout son sens et est cohérent avec le reste de la Bible. Le contraste est entre celui qui peut ôter la vie physique et Celui qui peut ôter la vie éternelle. La preuve se trouve dans les paroles de Jésus : « Et je vous dis, mes amis, n’ayez pas peur de ceux qui tuent le corps, et après cela n’ont plus rien à faire. Mais je vais vous montrer qui vous devez craindre : Craignez Celui qui, après avoir tué, a le pouvoir de jeter en enfer ; oui, je vous le dis, craignez-Le ! (Luc 12:4, 5).

En d’autres termes, le mot « âme » signifie ici non seulement la vie, mais la vie éternelle. Remarquez comment le passage de Luc est parallèle à celui de Matthieu, sauf qu’il ne dit pas « tuez l’âme », mais « jetez-la en enfer ». Ils veulent dire la même chose. Les hommes ne peuvent que tuer le corps et emporter la vie physique. Mais Dieu a le pouvoir de jeter en enfer et d’ôter la vie éternelle.

 

TEXTES BIBLIQUES CLÉS
Et ne craignez pas ceux qui tuent le corps, mais ne sont pas capables de tuer l’âme : mais craignez plutôt celui qui est capable de détruire à la fois l’âme et le corps en enfer. Matthieu 10:28

[Berean]

 

 

DOES THE BIBLE TEACH THAT THE BODY AND SOUL ARE SEPARATE ENTITIES?

Daily Devotional.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  (Mathew 10:28)

The first thing we should notice in this text is that the “soul” and “body” are “destroyed” in hell. This means the soul is not naturally immortal. Only God is naturally eternal (1 Timothy 6:15, 16). But what does Jesus mean about killing the body but not the soul? Is it possible for the soul to exist apart from the body? Some say it is, but the Bible indicates otherwise.

The Greek word psuche has been translated as “soul” in this text, but in many other texts, it has been translated as “life.” For example, Jesus said, “Whosoever will lose his life (psuche) for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 16:25). The idea of an immaterial soul that is separate from the body is a common belief among many today, but you won’t find it in the Bible.

But what about Matthew 10:28? Put in the word “life” instead of “soul” and the text makes perfect sense and is consistent with the rest of the Bible. The contrast is between one who can take the physical life and Him who can take away eternal life. Proof lies in the words of Jesus: “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:4, 5).

In other words, the word “soul” here means not only life, but eternal life. Notice how Luke’s passage parallels Matthew’s except that he does not say “kill the soul,” but “cast into hell.” They mean the same thing. Men can only kill the body and take away the physical life. But God has the power to cast into hell and take away eternal life.

 

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

[Author]

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