RECEIVE WITH THANKS

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES WITH BOB

Newsletter 104 September 7, 2008

RECEIVE WITH THANKS

Bob

A portion of this Scripture calls to mind something that once happened to us. We were in Ghana, West Africa stopping over for a week with my parents-in-law who were missionaries there at the time. Knowing that we would be there, a local trader who knew them, had arranged that he would entertain us all to a meal with him and get to know us. Edgar, feeling that we should be cautioned ahead of time, told us that we should not ask what was being served as a meat dish. We should simply eat it. Perhaps it was as well he cautioned us as the main meat dish was shredded from the bone and mixed with other ingredients. It was impossible to know what we were being served, so we followed Edgar’s lead. Some years later in our own home, we served domestic rabbit to our son-in-law and did much the same thing. Phyllis made a delicious curry dish with rabbit and rice. Chris loved it and did not ask what It was. Only later, we confessed what we had served. Verse four reads, “every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving by the word of God and prayer.”

Paul in his letter to much younger Timothy, also gave him this good advice. 1 Timothy 4:1-8

1. Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving, by the word of God and prayer.

5. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

7. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

8. For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Even then, as Paul was writing this his first letter, that has been preserved for us, to Timothy, he used the words, “ in the latter times.” The latter times or the end times, is a reference to what we would call the entire age of the church, from the resurrection of Christ and his ascension back to Heaven until he comes again in the same manner.

During this period, we are to expect that many people will speak “lies in hypocrisy, having their consciences seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving”…. “But refuse profane and old wife’s fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.”

There are, of course, many other references to what Paul calls, “seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” in the latter days, or times, but here Paul is expressly cautioning Timothy to adhere to the straight and narrow of the gospel; to expect lying evangelists, ministering for their own motives rather than to serve the Lord, seeking to debate what he calls “old wife‘s fables.” He could have said, “Don’t argue your own theories, just stay with the Word.” I remember a professor from my own days in Homiletics class saying, “Never say, ‘I believe. No one cares what you believe’” He instructed, “Be positive, be yourself , and, stay with the Word of God..“ That is sound advice.

I PLEDGE TO READ MY BIBLE THROUGH IN 2008

SEPTEMBER

7th. Sunday - Isaiah 15,16,17, 2 Corinthians 7, Psalm 106:1-15
8th. Monday - Isaiah 18,19,20, 2 Corinthians 8, Psalm 106:16-31
9th. Tuesday - Isaiah 21,22,23, 2 Corinthians 9, Proverbs 22:1-16
10th. Wednesday - Isaiah 24,25,26, 2Corinthians 10, Psalm 106:32-39
11th. Thursday - Isaiah 27, 28, 2Corinthians 11:1-15, Psalm 106:40-48
12th. Friday - Isaiah 29-30, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, Psalm 107:1-9
13th. Saturday - Isaiah 31,32,33, 2Corinthians 12, Proverbs 22:17-29
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THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE GEM
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:22-26

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24.And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another

KJV

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HUMOR

On a rural road a state trooper pulled this farmer over and said: "Sir, do you realize your wife fell out of the car several miles back?"

To which the farmer replied: "Thank God, I thought I had gone deaf!"
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