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#32/ 15-Feb-2001

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

       ----- http://www.peterwade.com/ -----
        ... in Christ and Christ in you!

IN THIS ISSUE...
	1. Positive Words for today
	2. Searchlights from the Word
	3. Bible Study Outlines
	4. New this month

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1.   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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                     GUIDANCE IN DAILY LIFE

"Then Peter said Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I
give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk" (Acts
3:6).

In Acts Chapter 3, Peter and John went to the temple at the hour
of prayer. Luke 24:53 tells us that they went to the temple
continually, which in Jewish custom meant five times a day for
six days a week and at least once on the Sabbath. We can
therefore confidently say that at least 31 times a week they trod
that same path. This walk could be called one of the "humdrum"
activities of the day, a normal, everyday occurrence.

We can also assume from this record that the lame man had been
sitting at the Beautiful Gate many times when Peter and John
walked past, perhaps for many years. And yet, in this normal
situation, guidance is given to Peter to tell the lame man to
look at them both.

The record goes on to reveal the man did more than walk. "He
jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into
the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God" (Acts
3:8). This record shows me that guidance from God is available in
the normal course of daily activity.

Receiving guidance from God is easy if I recognize the guidance
that is freely offered to me. There is no magic or metaphysical
"mumbo-jumbo" in receiving guidance from God. Guidance is mine
for the taking moment by moment throughout the day.

In summary, in order to maximize my God-given potential, I need
to (1) get quiet, (2) fix my mind on God, (3) stay awake, and (4)
be convinced that God has guidance for me. I know I can get to
the top of the ladder by taking one step at a time. (From "You
Are A New Creation", Chapter 4, by Peter Wade, adapted by Hildy
Matthews.)

AFFIRMATION: I get still and fix my mind upon God, I stay alert
and I remember that God's guidance is available to me every
moment of today.

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2.   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.

"The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the
patience of Christ" (II Thessalonians 3:5)

That is the true attitude toward life, both with regard to its
trials and its one blessed hope. Our trials are ever likely to
produce restlessness; and unless we are careful our very watching
for our absent Lord may degenerate into impatience. Therefore it
was that Paul expressed this desire for the sorely tried
Thessalonians, to whom he had been writing in this letter very
specially about future things, and the Lord's Return. I think the
very method he adopted in stating his desire is in itself
instructive.
   Let us glance at the desire, beginning where the Apostle
ended. What a wonderful thing "the patience of Christ" was, and
may we not say is, as He still waits in longsuffering love for
the final victory! How He bore with men! How He still bears with
them! That we may have His patience, is surely one of the
greatest needs of life. What, then, was the secret of their
patience? Surely "the love of God." Christ wrought and waited,
secure in His knowledge of His Father's love for Him, and in His
love for His Father. That is still the secret of patience. The
measure in which we are sure of the love of God is the measure in
which, amid all the afflictions of the little while, we shall
rejoice in His tarrying, as surely as in the hope of His Coming.
Finally, for our meditation notice the Apostle's first words:
"The Lord direct your hearts." This also must be His work. Only
let us not hinder Him.

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3.   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", available for purchase
online from < http://www.peterwade.com/store/store2/selectm.shtml >. 
GET YOUR COPY before this book goes out of print!

CHRIST IN CONTRAST TO PHARISEES.
CHhrist plainly indicates the outward observances of ceremonies
will not suffice, but the inward life of consecration to God. He
says, we must have a righteousness which exceeds that of a
religious Pharisee -— Matt. v. 20. If we contrast the conduct of
a Pharisee with the character of Christ’s holy principles, we
shall see how much the latter goes beyond the former.
1. The Pharisee thought that the whitewash of religiosity would
do -— Matt. xxiii. 26, but Christ emphasises the purity of a
clean heart -— Matt. v. 8.
2. The Pharisee was satisfied with the inflation of self-
righteousness -— Luke xviii. 11, but Christ calls for the denial
of self itself -— Luke ix. 23.
3. The Pharisee measured himself with the rule of self-importance
-— Matt. xxiii. 6, 7, but Christ gauges everything by the
holiness of God -— Matt. vii. 24.
4. The Pharisee was pugnacious in his hold upon little things of
minor importance, but loose in his obedience to the weighty
claims of Jehovah -— Matt. xxiii. 23, but Christ points to the
path of loving obedience -— John xiii. 34.
5. The Pharisee was an expert in laying burdens upon others -—
Matt. xxiii. 4, but Christ was the Example of lifting burdens
from the oppressed -— Matt. xi. 28.
6. The Pharisee boasted of his earthly relationship to Abraham —-
Matt. iii. 9, but Christ declares likeness to God in action is of
more importance -— Matt. v. 44, 45.
7. The Pharisee would not go near the sinners to help them -—
Matt. ix. 11, but Christ sought to benefit them by His teaching
and grace -— Luke xv. 1.
8. The Pharisee believed in the form of fasting -- Matt. vi. 16,
but Christ emphasised the needs be of being right with God -—
Matt. vi. 33.

CHRIST CRUCIFIED
"The power of God" I Cor. i. 24
1. Power to reconcile to God -— Eph. ii. 16.
2. Power to separate from the world -— Gal. vi. 14.
3. Power to exalt to the highest place -— Phil. ii. 9.
4. Power to extinguish the flesh -— Gal. v. 24.
5. Power to remove the handwriting of ordinances -— Col. ii. 14.
6. Power to put off the old man with his deeds -— Rom. vi. 6.
7. Power to ignore sinful self -— Gal. ii. 20.
8. Power to set forth Christ before others -— Gal. iii. 1.

CHRIST IN HEBREWS
1. He saves to the uttermost -— vii. 25.
2. He lives eternally -— vii. 25.
3. He obtains redemptively -— ix. 12.
4. He appears continually -— ix. 24.
5. He sits permanently -— x. 12.
6. He pleads incessantly -— vii. 25.
7. He succours effectively -— ii. 18.

CHRIST IN HIS HUMANITY
He was -—
1. Divine in His origin -— Mark xv. 39.
2. Faultless in His character -— Luke xxiii. 4.
3. Powerful in His actions -— Matt. viii. 27.
4. Loving in His grace -— Luke xv. 2.
5. Wonderful in His teaching -— John vii. 46.
6. Perfect in His offering -— Heb. x. 12.
7. Unchanging in His priesthood -— Heb. vii. 24.

CHRIST IN I PETER
1. Resurrection of Christ our Hope -— i. 3.
2. Appearing of Christ our Reward —- i. 7.
3. Suffering of Christ our Glory -— i. 11.
4. Blood of Christ our Redemption -— i. 19.
5. Sacrifice of Christ our Acceptance -— ii. 5.
6. Footsteps of Christ our Example -— ii. 21.
7. Death and Resurrection of Christ our Pledge -— iii. 18, 22.
8. Suffering of Christ our Joy -— iv. 12, 13.
9. Eternal Glory of Christ our Call -— v. 10.

CHRIST IS ALL
Everything comes easy when we know Christ. He is --
1. Oil to the wheels of life -- I John ii. 20.
2. Light in the lamp of the heart -— John viii. 12.
3. Salt in the character of being -— Col. iv. 6.
4. Power in the machinery of service -— Phil. ii. 13.
5. Love in the dwelling of home -— John xi. 5.
6. Food on the table of need -— John vi. 35.
7. Sweetness in the cup of trial -— I Peter i. 7, 8.

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A special audio event... "Spiritual Vitamins" by Vivien Wade. She
discusses the effects of vitamins A, B, C and D in our body, and
how similar effects are evident in our spiritual life. This
popular teaching is from the Denver 1999 "In Christ" seminar.
You'd better hurry and listen to this before she finds out its
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(c) 2001 Peter Wade
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