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#30/ 01-Dec-2000

          P O S I T I V E     W O R D S
               Editor: Peter Wade

       ----- http://www.peterwade.com/ -----
   ... helping you discover who you really are!
       ----- http://i.am/in.Christ/ -----

     CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS TO ALL OUR READERS!

IN THIS ISSUE...
	1. New this month
	2. Songs I Remember
	3. Positive Words for Today
	4. Searchlights from the Word
	5. Bible Study Outlines

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1.   n e w   t h i s   m o n t h
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FOR YOU TO LISTEN ...
   "Then Jesus Came", a Christmas teaching by Peter Wade (audio,
25:34). Why did He come? What effect did His coming have on
humanity? Listen to the complete teaching at
< http://www.peterwade.com/modules.php?name=zina >

FOR YOU TO READ ...
   "A New Type of Christianity" by E.W. Kenyon
The most outstanding article you will read all year. Powerful,
positive teaching.
< http://www.peterwade.com/articles/kenyon/newchrst.shtml" >
   "The Christian's Crown-Jewels" by A.T. Pierson
A devotion and practical look at "precious" things in Peter's
epistles. 
< http://www.peterwade.com/articles/pierson/crownjwl.shtml" >
   Also on our home page, read about the amazing technology that
you can use today! < http://www.peterwade.com/ >

For advanced Bible students...
   "The Great Cloud of Witnesses" by E.W. Bullinger
We continue with another two excerpts from E.W. Bullinger's study
of Hebrews chapter 11. From chapter 1 of the book, "Abel: Faith's
Worship of God" -- Two Ways of Access: Man-made religion versus
God's Word; this study will open your eyes! Two Ways of Worship:
What is "true" worship? What worship touches the heart of God?
< http://www.peterwade.com/articles/bullingr/cloud00.shtml >.

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2.   s o n g s   I   r e m e m b e r
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I was looking through my music collection and found a book titled
"The World's Best Christmas Carols". That's a title only a
publisher could dream up! Many of the carols I did not know, and
many took generous artistic liberty with the biblical record.
However, the first carol in the book is our song this month.
First published in 1719, it has stood the test of time and is
still widely sung today. There is no mention of shepherds, angels
or wise men. Instead it is a paraphrase of the last part of Psalm
98, starting at "Make a joyful noise to the Lord." It's author
was Isaac Watts. I remember playing this on
the piano one Christmas at a fast pace, and my pastor came over
and commented that he had always heard it sung slowly. Yet as a
song of joy, I think you'll agree it needs to be sung joyously
and not as a dirge!

   Joy to the world! the Lord is come!
   Let earth receive her King.
   Let every heart prepare Him room,
   And heaven and nature sing.

   Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns,
   Let men their songs employ.
   While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
   Repeat the sounding joy.

   No more let sins and sorrows grow,
   Nor thorns infest the ground;
   He comes to make His blessings flow
   Far as the curse is found.

   He rules the world with truth and grace,
   And makes the nations prove
   The glories of His righteousness
   And wonders of His love.

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3.   p o s i t i v e   w o r d s   f o r   t o d a y
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                             STAY AWAKE!

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be
strong" (I Corinthians 16:13).

The third step to receiving guidance is simply this: Stay awake.
Now that may seem obvious, yet it needs emphasizing because God's
Word emphasizes it.  Guidance has to be recognized even when it
is freely offered. "Now we obtained, not the spirit of the world,
but the spirit which is of God, that we may be perceiving that
which is being graciously given to us by God" (I Corinthians 2:12
Concordant).
   So "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of
courage; be strong." To be on guard, to watch, has every
implication of being awake, for sleeping saints are in no
position to recognize guidance when it comes.  With the mind
fully in gear, I can look for and expect guidance from God.
   "For it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it
is said: 'Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will
shine on you.'" (Ephesians 5:14). Ephesians is written to the
Body of Christ today, and this verse certainly implies that I can
be asleep or unaware of God's guidance. On the other hand, the
promise is clear. Awake, "and Christ will shine on you" or
"Christ shall give thee light" (KJV).
   Light is used figuratively in God's Word to denote God's truth
and guidance. Staying awake and recognizing God's guidance will
have its sure reward. Light will dawn for me. Without that light
I can only stumble along in the darkness of sense knowledge,
sometimes finding smooth going yet at other times tripping up
badly. (From "You Are A New Creation", Chapter 4, adapted by
Hildy Matthews.)

AFFIRMATION: God's Word tells me light is available. I will
remain alert and awake in order to receive His guidance.

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                    F I N A L   C A L L
             *** AUSTRALIAN BIBLE CONFERENCE ***
                JANUARY 5-11, 2001 (Fri-Thur) 
   DR. NORMAN CAMPBELL and DR. PETER WADE with great fellowship.
   January 5th to 11th, 2001 -- 6 nights, 7 days. All rooms are
motel-style, carpeted and with their own en suite. All meals
catered by conference centre staff.
   *** ONLY 2 ROOMS LEFT!! *** (minimum twin-share, plus room for
a few singles sharing). We may be able to accommodate some casual
visitors if prior notice is given. 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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4.   s e a r c h l i g h t s   f r o m   t h e   W o r d
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G. Campbell Morgan was a well-known preacher and writer of over
60 books from the first half of the 20th century. In this spot
each issue we reproduce a comment from one verse in every chapter
of the Bible. We continue with Paul's second letter to the
Thessalonians.

"He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be marvelled
at in all them that believed... in that day" (II Thessalonians
1:10).

The coming of the Lord to which the Apostle was referring in
these words, is that which he had already described as "the
revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with the angels of His
power in flaming fire" (see verses 7 and 8). This is the
Apocalypse or Unveiling aspect of that Parousia or Presence of
the Lord, which is to consummate the age commenced by His first
Advent. It will be the Day of the Lord, in all the fulness of the
great prophetic phrase. 
   One aspect of it he has already described, that, namely, of
punitive judgment. In these words another aspect is named, that,
namely, of His vindication in His saints, that is, in those who
have believed. In them He will be glorified; in them He will be
marvelled at. While this implicates the fact of their close
identification with Him in that great day of His triumph, its
chief value is that it reveals how absolutely perfect His work
will be in them. Then they will be "without blemish in exceeding
joys"; then their spiritual being will be perfected, their minds
completely conformed to His mind; the very bodies of their
humiliation will be "fashioned anew and conformed to the body of
His glory." 
   The wondrous perfection of the saints will be the central
glory of the unveiled One, the Lord Jesus Himself; and their very
glory will be such as to direct attention to Him rather than to
themselves, for it is He Who will "be marvelled at in that day."
While that is a radiantly beautiful description of the goal
toward which we travel, should it not also be the ideal for our
present life: that we should so live that He may be glorified in
us daily; and He be marvelled at as the One to Whom we owe
everything?
  
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5.   B i b l e   s t u d y   o u t l i n e s
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These Bible Study outlines come from the excellent book by F.E.
Marsh, "1,000 Bible Study Outlines". GET YOUR COPY before this book goes out of print!

CHRIST AS THE BOY OF NAZARETH (Luke ii. 40-52)
How many stars shine in the sky of Christ's early days as the Boy
of the humble home of Nazareth.
1. The Growing Child. The Child grew. He was supernatural in His
being as "The Son," but He was perfectly natural in His
childhood.
2. The Strong Spirit. Waxed strong in spirit. The spirit nature
in man is evidenced in his individuality and in his intelligence
-- I Cor. ii. 11.
3. The Wise Mind. "Filled with wisdom." To be wise is good, but
to be filled with wisdom is better. Wisdom is the right
application of knowledge.
4. The Graced Boy. "The grace of God was upon Him."
5. The True Israelite. He went with His parents to Jerusalem to
keep the Passover -- 41, 42.
6. The Tarrying Lad -  43. The reason why He tarried is given by
Himself. He felt He must be about His Father's business -  49.
The consciousness He had come into the world to do a definite
work was pressing upon Him.
7. The Missed Son -- 43-45. The parents of Jesus lost Him in one
day, and it took three days to find Him. They supposed He was
with them, but suppositions do not make realities. It takes a
longer time to recover our blessings than it does to lose them.
8. The Central Figure -  47. He was found "in the midst" of the
doctors, "hearing them, and asking them questions."
9. The Higher Relationship -  49. How startled Mary must have
been when she heard the words: "Wist ye not I must be about My
Father's business?" especially following her statement: "Thy
father and I have sought Thee sorrowing."

CHRIST ABOUT HIS FATHER'S BUSINESS
What was His Father's business --
1. To do the Father's work -  John x. 37.
2. To proclaim the Father's words -  John xvii 8
3. To reveal the Father's character -  John i. 14, 18. 
4. To glorify the Father's Name -- John xii 28
5. To carry out the Father's will -  Luke xxii. 42.
6. To unfold the Father's love -  John xvi. 27.
7. To bring to the Father's house -  John xiv. 2.

CHRIST AND HIS FINISHED WORK
1. The Panacea for the ill of sin -  I John i. 7.
2. The Peace-maker for our reconciliation with God -- Col. i. 20.
3. The Price for our redemption from sin's slavery -- Titus 
	ii. 14.
4. The Power which enables us to overcome Satan's malice -- Rev.
	xii. 11.
5. The Potentiality which constrains us to live for God -- 
	II Cor. v. 15.
6. The Pattern for our imitation in dying to self -- 
	John xii. 24, 25.
7. The Propeller in Christian service -- II Cor. v. 14.

CHRIST AND "MANY"
1. Many healed by touching Him -  Matt. xiv. 36.
2. He gave His life a "Ransom for many" -- Matt. xx. 28.
3. He "shed" His Blood for "many" "for the remission of sins" --
	Matt. xxvi. 28.
4. Christ "cast out many devils," and delivered them who were
possessed -  Mark i. 34; Luke iv. 41.
5. "Many hearing Him were astonished" at His teaching -- 
	Mark vi. 2.
6. "As many as received" Him are "born of God" -- John i. 12, 13.
7. Gives "eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him" --
	John xvii. 2.

CHRIST AND EVIL SPIRITS
There are many who are possessed by evil spirits still.
1. The evil spirits of the greed of covetousness  - I Tim. 
	vi. 10.
2. The love of the world -- II Tim. iv. 10.
3. The inflation of pride -- I Tim. iii. 6.
4. The exaltation of self -- III John 9.
5. The blight of error -- I Tim. i. 19, 20.
6. The division of sectarianism -- I Cor. i. 11-13.
7. The demon of envy -- Acts vii. 9. 
These are some of the evil spirits around. Christ can expel
these, and cure from the ill effects, as He did of old -- Luke
viii. 2.

CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IN LUKE IV
Evidences of being "full" of the Holy Spirit are seen in Christ's
experience.
1. Led. "Led by the Spirit."
2. Tested. "Tempted of the Devil."
3. Word Used. "It is written."
4. World Refused. "Get thee behind Me Satan."
5. God only Recognised. "Him only shalt thou serve."
6. Victory. "Satan departed."
7. Testimony Borne. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me."

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THANKS for reading Positive Words. Please share it with a
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(c) 2000 Peter Wade
http://www.peterwade.com/