The Bible Standard - Discover the Truth. (By Christadelphianvideo.org)

The great majority of human beings, apart from many in poor countries, are totally motivated to gain and enjoy wealth.  Of course we need to have some money but Paul wrote, “Keep yourself free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.” [Heb 13 v.5]       Remember our thoughts 2 days ago about those who “turned aside after gain” and today’s 2 chapters in Revelation provoked us to f...

Behind every significant event in history has been the “will of the LORD” bringing about things that are “good” or things that are “bad” – more often the latter.      This is even sometimes the case with seemingly insignificant events!  In our reading of 1 Samuel 9, donkeys belonging to a Benjamite become lost and the owner’s son, Saul is sent to look for them and in the end he ‘chances’ to meet u...

1 Samuel 8 starts by telling us “when Samuel became old …” and the next few chapters tell us of all the drama that happened in his old age.  The first problem was that Samuel’s sons whom he had made judges “did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain.  They took bribes and perverted justice.” [v.3]. There is no record of Samuel’s wife.  How important it is for a wife to support her husba...

Our readings in Isaiah and Revelation both challenge us with figurative language about the climax of life on earth.  There are many passages in God’s word which make reference to the heavens in a way in which it seems clear they symbolise, in certain contexts, the ruling powers on earth.      Through Isaiah God says, “My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge t...

We do not know a great deal about Isaiah’s personal situation.  In John’s Gospel we read that “Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him” [12 v.41], so the  seeing  was with the eye of faith, a vivid picture in the mind.  Isaiah “saw” what was to come, believing with such total conviction that the experience was counted as  seeing  and John’s quotations from Isaiah are of...

As we continue reading the final message of Jesus in Revelation we reflect on how much heart searching it has caused believers in every generation.       It’s wonderful visions of an ultimate age of perfection and glory are balanced by the awesome series of woes beforehand. The last 1900 years bear testimony to the judgements that were predicted – but so many crisis have been the natural results o...

It appears to us as we read the unfolding visions in Revelation that their sequence reveals different aspects of the ‘march’ of human history – as human beings try to avoid their responsibility to their Creator and the Saviour he provided.   These different aspects all climax in the time when “the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone … (say)… hide us … from (God)...

Our readings today all provoke some challenging thoughts. First we read Hannah’s impassioned prayer leading her to tell Eli the priest, “I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD” [1 Sam. 1 v.15] Such is human nature that we usually only do this when there is some real crisis. Hannah proves herself to be a very spiritual woman and tomorrow we will read her marvellous prayer of gratitude, “My...

Today we started reading the thought challenging last book of the Bible.  At the start the symbolic language is clearly explained, assemblies of believers (which is the meaning of the word for ‘church’) are called “lampstands” (1 v.20 – candlesticks in the old A V – places where light should shine forth).    The book is “a revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the...

The account of Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi has a special message for us in encouraging us to see the ‘bigger picture’ of life, the picture as God sees it.  Because of a severe famine Naomi with her husband and 2 sons move from Bethlehem to Moab. Some years pass but then her husband dies and she “was left with her two sons”[1 v.3]. The sons marry Moabite women and “they lived there about ten y...

Habakkuk: I will stand upon my Watch - 5 Studies ( Mark Johnson) linktr.ee/cdvideo #Christadelphianvideo #christadelphianstalk #Christadelphians #openbible #cdvideo #bibleverse #thoughts #thoughtoftheday #meditate #think #christadelphian #God #truth #faith #hope #love #Gospeltruth #truebibleteaching #thegospelmessage #thegospeltruth #firstprinciples #bibletruth #bibleunderstanding #exploringthebib...

In this series of Bible talks, Jesus draws a profound parallel between the ancient narrative of Noah’s Ark (Genesis 6-9) and the unfolding story of Bible prophecy (Matthew 24:37-38). This Bible series explores Jesus’ perspective when he uttered the phrase “As in the days of Noah” (Matt 24:37). He begins by linking the cataclysmic flood of Noah’s time to historical events, such as the destruction o...

What is love?  As we read the aged disciple John’s final two short Epistles, his use of the word “love” jumps out at us. He writes how, “I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth  … and  this is love, that we walk  according to his commandments.” [2 John v.4,6] This is how we show our love in response to God’s love. We rejoice because others do the same.  Remember what...

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world,” writes John, and then he adds, “And this is  the victory that has overcome the world  – our faith” [1 John 5 v.4]. What is faith?  That’s is a fundamental question – and the answer is simple!  Or is it?  Consider what happened in the First Century – beginning with 12 ordinary men, most of them fishermen.      Yes, miracles happened at ti...

Our chapter in the First Epistle of John (Ch. 3) starts with the above words!  Love comes in different “kinds” and fully genuine love is proved by the actions that follow.   When we get to v.18 we read, “let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”   That kind of love should create a reaction in those who benefit from it.  Look at and see how meaningful is the rest of that quotation,...

 Today we read the fascinating 40th chapter of Isaiah which was largely taken and put to music in the Oratorio ‘The Messiah’ about 250 years ago.   It begins “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem … that her warfare is ended and her iniquity is pardoned.” Jerusalem has been the centre of warfare for much of the time since God gave these words to Isaiah.  This city,...

The list in Hebrews of those who are named as examples of faith has some surprising inclusions and Samson is one of them.   None of those in the list lived ‘perfect’ or blameless lives, but all had times in which they displayed great faith in God.   We have just read the accounts of Samson’s remarkable strength because his hair had never been cut. When Delilah finally succeeded in getting him to t...

Description: As disciples, it is critical to develop a Biblical worldview, which alters our view from fleshly reasoning to spiritual. It is a course which moves us to assess all situations through the eye of the spirit, which arouses opposition in ourselves and often those around us. God revealed his view of the Earth through the Creation, and in his hands, justice, peace and love were in perfect...

We read the first 2 chapters of Peter’s second epistle today and he, like Paul in his 2nd letter to Timothy, is nearing the end of his mortal life.   Peter is greatly concerned that all too many who had accepted Jesus as their Saviour were losing their commitment and turning back to fleshly ways of thinking and living.  There is no half way position, either we are for Christ or we are not: either...

What is “very precious” in “God’s sight”?  The 3rd chapter of Peter’s First Epistle includes a message addressed specifically to wives.    He writes, “… wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives – when they see your respectful and pure conduct” [v.1,2] Believing wives have a vital role in living f...

Peter’s letters contain so much that is appropriate to life today and the circumstances that challenge those struggling to believe and develop their faith in God. This is equally true of those who have spent a lifetime as believers but now struggle in a world that has become almost totally godless.  The world distracts us from taking “ the pure spiritual milk ” – and many are experiencing a spirit...

What are you going to do today?  Some people act and speak on the spur of the moment – and when they do they sometimes regret it afterwards.  We began reading the first letter of Peter today and it occurred to us that Peter’s comment to his readers about “ preparing your minds for action ” may reflect on his own impulsiveness in his earlier years as illustrated in the gospel narratives. He is writ...

Our chapter (34) in Isaiah today clearly has some application to our days.  This is further illustrated by the way it flows into the next chapter which is so evidently a picture of life in God’s Kingdom: this chapter is often quoted and some of its verses form part of our hymns about the kingdom. The vision presented in today’s chapter has, of course, its roots in a situation in the prophet’s own...

Our Bible readings today provoked a great multitude of thoughts.  Isaiah 33 is quite a mixture and may be better if it had been broken up into 2 or 3 short chapters.  Verse 2 is a delightful ‘prayer’ we can start the day with, “O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you.  Be our arm every morning , our salvation in time of trouble.”  There is a hymn which we sing that we have no other arm to lean...

Summary This presentation provides an overview of the significant events and trends observed in the world, particularly in relation to Russia, Israel, and the rise of anti-Semitism, from a biblical perspective. It explores the connections between current events and biblical prophecies, highlighting the importance of understanding the signs of the times and being prepared for the return of the Lord...