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TFTD - February 2017


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01 February 2017

 

"Our stewardship now is a training for our role in the coming kingdom of God. “Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?” And the answer: “Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing” We shall be given responsibilities in the kingdom only if we fulfil our responsibilities with regard to our brothers and our sisters now."

 

- Peter Watkins

Our Responsibility to the Brotherhood (1980)

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02 February 2017

 

"... As we go through this chapter and read the various commands therein, we have a picture of what holiness involves in daily life. Holiness begins at home: “You shall fear every man his mother, and his father” (Leviticus 19:2). It extends to an observation of the form of worship ordained by God, in this case the observation of the sabbath. Holiness is faithfulness to God, not turning aside to the idols of the world; it involves sacrifice, not merely self-denial but as an act of fellowship with God. Holiness is generosity, for they were not to reap the corners of their fields but to leave them for the poor. Holiness is honesty, leaving no room for theft, deceit or falsehood. Holiness is reverence for God so that His name is not profanely invoked. Holiness is fair dealing with employees, the giving of a fair return for services rendered. Holiness is compassion for those who are disabled, so that no hindrance is placed in their way. Holiness is integrity, so that partiality and respect of persons cannot be tolerated. Holiness is freedom from malice—there must be no gossip or talebearing. Holiness is frankness in our dealings with our brother, so that our differences are brought out into the open and not allowed to fester in our hearts. Holiness is love, so that there is no place for revenge or vindictiveness."

 

- Philip Hinde

Holiness (1985)
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03 February 2017

 

"The concept of severity in relation to the God we worship is one which many people find hard to accept, and indeed it may present some difficulty even to those who believe the Bible. For the emphasis often placed, and correctly so, on the God who is love, can lead to the misconception that He is not so much “Our Father in Heaven” as a benevolent grandfather in the sky. A proper and consistent reading of Scripture, however, will lead us to appreciate that there is a “severity” as well as benevolence in God’s dealings with mankind. Not, that is to say, the severity of an austere schoolmaster, but the firmness of a wise and loving Father."

 

- Len Richardson 

The Goodness and Severity of God (1978)

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04 February 2017

 

"The worship of God, the proclamation of His truth, and the exhibition of His love, are the main purposes of a Christian ecclesia. One of the lessons to be learnt from the first letter to the Corinthians is that discipline and regulation are needed to avoid disorder in the achievement of these purposes: “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints ... Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40). If this instruction was needed in years when special gifts of the Spirit were bestowed, the need for orderly arrangements in modern ecclesial affairs will not be questioned, even if it were not obvious from a practical point of view. The Christian communities of all centuries are to be protected from lawless self-seeking, unedifying whims and serious departures from truth and righteousness. Essential tasks must be neither neglected nor duplicated for lack of sensible oversight of the work of the Lord."

 

- J.B. Norris

The First Century Ecclesia

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05 February 2017


 

"Surefootedness is vital for the soldier. So we too must be surefooted in our preaching of the truth--sure of what we are saying in God’s Name. The feet of Jesus walked throughout the land of promise bringing a message of hope and joy to his oppressed fellow countrymen--this is why they were “beautiful” (Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15). What a paradox that the soldier of Jesus Christ brings a message of peace--peace between God and man, achieved in the death of Christ. The victory was achieved because Jesus laid down his life. No one took it from him, he laid it down of himself. “Greater love hath no man than this” (John 15:13)."

 

- Trevor Pritchard

Put on the Armour of light (1997)

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06 February 2017

 

"The essence of Christianity then is faith in God’s activity past, present and future. If that is so, there can be no question of its failure, for God cannot fail. Our question then must be restated. Do we or do we not accept the Christian message concerning the activity of God? It is a question which we cannot ignore, because the claim which Christianity makes to be a revelation from God is too big a claim for any to ignore. We have seen also that we cannot reasonably accept part and reject part of the message. There are, therefore, only three possibilities open to us. We can reject the claim entirely and turn elsewhere for an explanation of the meaning and purpose of life or do without one altogether. Secondly we can “restate” the elements of the Christian message in our own language. This is a healthy occupation if it means that we really make sure that we understand what is involved in that message and express our understanding in our own words, but modern “restatements” frequently are little more than attempts to camouflage rejection or whittling down of essential features of the original message. Finally, we can accept the message as it was revealed to faithful men of old and so be led on to a fuller understanding of God’s revelation, and thus to fellowship with God and the Lord Jesus Christ, basing our hope for the future, not on man’s own capacity to work out his salvation, but on the power and purpose of God manifested in the past, and assuredly therefore to be manifested again."

 

- E.J. Newman

Has Christianity Failed? (1950)

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07 February 2017

 

"To have companionship with God means that firstly we must take heed to His word, we must be cleansed from all things that are fleshly, and we must be spiritually minded. We are told that Enoch walked with God (Genesis 5:22), and in Hebrews 11:5 we have these words: “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him, for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Faith with works brought to Enoch life, and not death. Here are words of encouragement to us all. Jesus told his hearers: “If a man love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him” (John 14:23)."

 

- G. Ashman

Walking with God: Step by Step (1960)

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08 February 2017

 

"In the Gospels lame people walk with a firm step; the crippled from birth leap with joy; those born blind look upon the blue sky and the green grass with amazement. What they were is no problem to the anointed Saviour. What is past cannot be changed, but the Saviour stands between the sinner and the past sin. He is the rearguard. He is a shield against the overtaking adversary. He is a sentinel against a man’s past creeping in front of him. The New Testament words insist the old things are over—a new creation, a new birth, from darkness to light, instead of the briar a myrtle tree. How things once were is no obstacle. To be thrilled by the promise is right and natural, but those who have been there and have known it by experience, understand it best. And such were some of you.

 

- Dennis Gillett

Words and Weights 

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09 February 2017

 

"The Law has proved decisively, and for all time, that man cannot obtain righteousness and salvation by works. He must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. But belief has its own works. If a man believes something deeply, he will act consistently with his belief. He will produce the works of faith. If one who claims to be a believer does not act like a believer, then it is fair to say that he does not really believe. As James would say, "Faith without works is dead."

 

- Peter Watkins

Some Difficult Passages - Book 3 

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10 February 2017

 

"Among the figures of speech which Jesus used concerning himself, none is more attractive than that of the Shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). “The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:10,11,27,28). In this language, with crystal clearness, Jesus asserts that men are mortal and that the one hope of immortality is centred in himself. If there had been no shepherd, or if he had not laid down his life, there would have been no life for us beyond the present one."

 

- John Carter

God’s Way
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11 February 2017

 

"We are told in Proverbs 21:3, that to do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. In fact we may assume that unless a suppliant at least makes an effort to be just his sacrifice would not be acceptable.

 

David in his last inspired words said, “He who ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” Such a just ruler has been provided and it was he who offered a perfect sacrifice in both life and death."

 

- Islip Collyer

Principles and Proverbs 

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12 February 2017

 

"The tomb was empty. The Lord had risen indeed. The Father had given assurance unto all men. Every one who came to the Father through him would behold the “working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come”. Each one of us must stand, our heads bowed, before the empty grave. “I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore.” “Thou art worthy”, we cry, “to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue and nation.” But it will be our lives not our lips which will give to our Heavenly Father our acknowledgment of His unspeakable gift."

 

- Melva Purkis

A Life of Jesus 

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13 February 2017

 

"Faith is honouring to God: and faith requires time for its exercise. God had made “great and precious promises” to the fathers: and He tried them by not specifying time and causing them to wait long. “And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise” (Hebrews 6:15). Let us not weary under a similar test: “a patient continuance in well doing” is the revealed rule of our acceptance (Romans 2:7), and this means a long time of waiting with nothing to rely on but confidence in the pledged word of Jehovah, i.e., faith, “without which, it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6). By such a process, we shall be prepared for a place among the tried sons of God, with whom we shall be enabled to say at the last, “Lo, this is our God, we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation” (Isaiah 25:9)."

 

- Robert Roberts 

The Ways of Providence
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14 February 2017

 

"The Gospel which Jesus preached was “the gospel of the kingdom of God” (Mark 1:14,15; Luke 4:43). It was not new as to its fundamental ideas, but only as to Jesus’ person and office. The Gospel was preached to Abraham (Galatians 3:8,16) when God promised him the blessing of all nations in his Seed, the Christ. The form of blessedness proposed was “the kingdom of God”. There was once a “kingdom of God” upon earth, but not of the kind that is coming. That was a mortal, though divine, administration. This will be an immortal “everlasting kingdom” in the hands of Christ and the saints. The kingdom of Israel of old was the kingdom of God (Exodus 19:4-6; 1 Chronicles 29:23), and God covenanted with David that his throne and kingdom should endure for ever in the hands of the Son of David and Son of God, that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Read carefully the terms of the “everlasting covenant” (2 Samuel 7:4-16) and “the last words of David” (2 Samuel 23:1-7). It is true that, because of Solomon’s sin, the kingdom was divided, and because of continued iniquity both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were overthrown. But concerning the latter, when God gave the last king, Zedekiah, into the hands of the Babylonians, he said, “I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him” (Ezekiel 21:27)."

 

CMPA

The Christadelphian Shield 

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15 February 2017 

 

"God began to make promises to men as soon as the first sin had been committed. Man’s dilemma was matched by God’s willingness to help. God’s promises sprang out of God’s inherent goodness and not out of any obligation or indebtedness to man. The promises were mighty and they were sure. The basic content of the promises was dependent on nothing but God’s faithfulness for its fulfilment.

 

God is not looking into an unknown future, as man is obliged to do, but sees the end of everything from the beginning. God challenges man with this very fact. God declares His ability to speak of the future as certainly as we speak of the present, as the incontrovertible evidence that He is God. This is how the Scripture sets it forth:

 

“Who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.” (Isaiah 45:21)

 

“Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:10)" 

 

- Harry Tennant

The Christadelphians - What they Believe and Preach 

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17 February 2017

 

"Compassion is one of the attributes of God which David summarises in Psalm 86:15: “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” This in turn draws from the testimony of God Himself on mount Sinai when His glory was revealed to Moses. In the New Testament we find Jesus too displaying the same characteristic. The well-known words, “He was moved with compassion”, occur some fourteen times.

 

Compassion is shown when the heart is touched, and only then are forgiveness and reconciliation possible. This applies when one man forgives another, and it applies when God forgives us. Our Father’s mercy, love and pity towards all His children are at the centre of His forgiveness. Only when the heart has been touched is the response made certain, as Jesus makes plain in this parable. The father’s compassion is immediately translated into action: “And he ran” (Luke 15:21)"

 

- H.G. Tucker

Five Steps to Forgiveness (1994)

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18 February 2017

 

"Strife and contention threaten our unity, and those things within us which lead us down such paths can only be overcome in the exercising of true humility towards those with whom we share the precious fellowship of the blood of Christ. Though our human nature finds this so hard, God tells us that we will be given the strength and determination we need through the very attitude of humility itself; those who strive to attain it will be given the grace to achieve it“I will dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15). The life lived in a true spirit of humility is the life which God will glorify, for He has said:

 

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6)." 

 

- Graham Cooke

A Good and Joyful Thing (1988)
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19 February 2017

 

"Man may cut God’s Word to pieces with the penknife of his intellect. Like Jehoiakim he may cast his hope of salvation in the fire. But the “word of the Lord endureth for ever,” and by that word shall he be judged in the last day (1 Peter 1:25; John 12:48)." 

 

- Claud Lamb

The Pen and the Penknife (1975)

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20 February 2017

 

“Which is the first commandment?” a scribe asked Jesus, with evident appreciation of his ability to answer questions. The answer was ready, clear and unmistakable: “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (Mark 12:29,30). Thus Jesus gave his endorsement to the great declaration of Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4,5: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

 

- J. Carter

God’s Way 
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21 February 2017

 

"A man's reaction to the needs of the body to which he has supposedly given allegiance is often a measure of the true character of the man himself. Self-seeking, opportunism and disregard for the lasting well-being of the corporate fellowship can cause untold unhappiness both to the individual and to the higher cause of the association and community spirit by which his fellows live. This is especially true of our relationship as individuals to the ecclesia and community to which we belong. Our attitude to the body is our attitude to Christ. The church is his body. If we are superior to it, we lack humility; if we are divisive within it, we deny the atonement by which we were reconciled and made one."

 

- H. Tennant

The Man David

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22 February 2017

 

"... let us remember to be incessantly thankful for the character of God, that He is "a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6). His love abounds, and we are mystified and bewildered; for we know that we are unworthy. His love is pervasive like the daily sunshine. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23)."

 

- Arthur Armstrong 

Love and Thanksgiving (1958)

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23 February 2017

 

"If one makes a mental survey of all that is written regarding the second advent, the conclusion is inevitable that experiences will very in that great day even as they have varied in ordinary life. The end will come to some in such an hour as they think not (Matthew 24:44); at a time when faith is almost extinct (Luke 18:8); at a time of feasting and careless living; in a time of unequalled trouble; to some who are watching and waiting for their Lord (Isaiah 25:9). “One will be taken and another left”, in bed in some lands, at work in others. With some their will be deliverance from places which are to be utterly destroyed even as Noah was saved from the flood and Lot from Sodom. There is room for all such circumstances, and the fact that we cannot be sure which experience will be ours gives added point to the injunction always to be ready lest the day should find us unprepared."

 

- Islip Collyer

The Book of Ecclesiastes (1941)
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24 February 2017

 

"... How then can we gain approval at the Judgment Seat of Christ? The answer is simple and final—by seeking Christ’s approval now. If we earnestly try to follow the things we know he approves, and to avoid those he condemns, there need be no doubt of our ultimate success in that day. Every day and every hour brings its opportunity for service, in thought, in word, in deed. Let us redeem the time whilst it is yet day, for the night cometh when no man can work; and the possibility of service and forgiveness alike has passed away."

 

- F.W. Turner

Meditations (1967)

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25 February 2017

 

"Christian soldiers must not be self-centred; they must not be either egoists or egotists. The Son of man said of himself, “I do always the things of my Father”, and those who serve him must do the same. It is not an easy task, but it must be borne in mind that the promises of the Apocalyptic letters are for those who overcome.

 

All the messages took into account circumstances that applied to the particular churches to which they were addressed. Yet they were intended for Christians of all ages and of all places. No one is to be satisfied with the attainments of a particular church, not even of the one to which he belongs. The promise is in every case an individual one, “To him that overcometh”. Each message, though addressed to a particular church, is personal."

 

- W.H. Boulton

What the Spirit Saith to the Churches (1958)

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