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A new audio CD by Peter Wade has just been released!
See the details below.
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He Breathed The Word
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV).
This passage of scripture has been my foundation for just about all of my ministry. Like any good teacher, I've been criticised for many things, and have "agreed to disagree" on many points, but I am willing to have fellowship with anyone who believes the truth in these verses.
"All Scripture" or better "every scripture passage" (God's Word translation) refers, of course, to the Old Testament. Other passages assure us of the divine inspiration behind the New Testament -- see for example II Peter 3:16 where Peter labels Paul's writings as Scripture. The greater part of the New Testament had been written by this time, so for all practical purposes, the verse indicates that the whole Bible is divine inspired.
The five words "given by inspiration of God" are better translated "God-breathed", one word in the Greek text. "They are "written by the Spirit", as the Syriac version renders it. "Every scripture is God-breathed." God accomplished this as "men spoke from God who were borne along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit" (II Peter 1:21 Amplified). God knew the vocabulary and style of each person who penned the Bible, so some books seem simple and direct (like Mark, for example), and others like Paul's letters use complex words and sentences, yet they are all "God-breathed". Most scholars agree that the verb "is" must be added in an English translation, to show that "all" means "all" or "every", not "that is", which would imply that some Scripture is inspired and some is not.
Since the scriptures are God-breathed, for those who believe in God's existence it is almost an understatement to say that they "are profitable", "useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval" (GW). The word "doctrine" means teaching material, not the Articles of Faith of some denomination or other Christian group. I am first and fore-most a Bible teacher, and the material that I teach from is "God-breathed". Notice that teaching is first in order here, as you can only reprove and correct by referring back to what has been already taught to a believer.
Reproof is the pointing out where we have strayed from the teaching, and correction is showing the path back to the truth of the teaching. The word for "reproof" is only used here and in Hebrews 11:1, where it is translated "evidence". The legal profession uses the words "evidentiary proof". So God's Word is designed to show the proof of our straying from the teaching. The word for "correction" is only used here in the New Testament, and means a "restoration". Young's Literal Translation says "for setting aright". Again, the order is important: "reproof", this is where we went wrong, then "correction", this is how we set it right -- neither implies a punishment.
"Instruction in righteousness" -- how to put the truth into practice in our daily lives. Instruction is a word used in education. "A triangle is an object with three sides" is teaching; "Use an equilateral triangle to get an even slope on the roof of your house" is instruction. As Matthew Henry said, "Oh that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer to them! then shall we find benefit, and at last gain the happiness therein promised by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the main subject of both Testaments. We best oppose error by promoting a solid knowledge of the word of truth; and the greatest kindness we can do to children, is to make them early to know the Bible."
"So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work" (verse 17, Amplified). The two key words in this verse are "complete" and "fully furnished". The KJV "perfect" is not moral perfection but "perfect completeness". Without the teaching of the Word of God our lives are not complete and we are not fully equipped. On the other hand, we do not need a college degree to follow the teaching and instruction of the Word, but as we follow it we are "fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do" (NLT). -- Peter Wade
For additional teaching on what the Word says about itself, read my article "The Word is Power", which covers verses in Hebrews and Thessalonians. < http://www.peterwade.com/articles/wade/wordpowr.shtml >
The Hallelujah Principle
A new audio CD by Peter Wade based on Psalm 150:6, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." "Hallelujah" are the Hebrew words translated "Praise the Lord". Here are three clear motivating teachings by Peter Wade that will help you get through these difficult times as you praise the Lord.
- "The Perspective of Praise" shows that this is what Heaven is doing right now -- praising God. The foundation of praise is that God reigns; He's got things under control.
- "How To Bless A Mess" (or the Process of Praise) goes through the steps we take from a mess to a mansion. Praise doesn't just enable us to survive; it enables us to thrive!
- "The Paradox of Praise" -- Paul and Silas praised God with their feet in stocks in the inner prison. You can get out of your inner prison of negativity and mediocrity by praising the Lord.
Psalm 119:164 "Seven times a day I praise You." You'll want to listen to this CD many times so you can drill these truths into your mind. Now ready for mailing to you, this single audio CD is only $5.00 US a copy plus postage. We're offering it to our newsletter subscribers first. Go to:
< http://www.peterwade.com/modules.php?name=Store&op=cd06 > and order your copy today.
Insights From Every Chapter Of The Bible
G. Campbell Morgan was a well-known preacher and writer of over 60 books from the first half of the 20th century. In each issue of this newsletter he gives a comment from one verse in every chapter of the Bible. We continue with Paul's first letter to the Corinthians.
"Saved; yet so as through fire" (I Corinthians 3:15).
These words describe a possible condition of a saint of God in the Day of final testing. The subject is one of service. That of life is not in view, save as in some senses that is always involved in service. As we have seen, the saint of God is in fellowship with the Lord in responsibility. That means work; and Paul here deals with it under the figure of building upon the foundation. All such building is to be tested by fire. That which is true and precious will be made more beautiful by the fire. That which is false and unworthy will be destroyed by the fire. When that is so, the man himself will be "saved, yet so as through fire." His ultimate salvation will be secured by the destruction of his work.
Can anything be more calculated to give us pause in our work? What are we building? That is, what sort of material are we laying upon the foundation? The things of gold, silver, costly stones, are the things of eternity. Those of wood, hay, stubble, are those which are only of time. When the saints of God are tempted to forget the spiritual and eternal implication and application of all they do, they are in danger of doing work which must be destroyed in order that they may be saved. We are humbled by the grace which will destroy our unworthy works to save us. We are constrained thereby to take heed how we build.
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For current news of upcoming "In Christ, Christ In" seminars in the US and other meetings with Peter Wade, check out our seminars section:
< http://seminars.peterwade.com >
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