THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
HI!
A stockbroker had managed investments for a very rich man several years.
The rich man had become much richer through the wise investments.
He wanted to give the stockbroker a gift, and offered to do so several times.
But the stockbroker always refused.
One day, though, the rich man offered to give the stockbroker something, and to his surprise the man made a suggestion.
He said, "I've recently taken up golf, and a set of nice clubs would be a good gift."
Later that afternoon, the phone rang in the stockbroker's office.
The rich man said, "So far I've purchase you three golf clubs. I hope you won't be disappointed, only two of them have pools."
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________SCRIPTURE__________________________________
Col 2:6-7
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
KJV
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________THOUGHT____________________________________
THE Gift of salvation is Christ Himself!
There are many other gifts that come through our relationship with Christ, but THE Gift is HIM!
Think of salvation as a full circle.
The first quarter of the circle is surrender to Jesus.
We can only receive Christ through our surrender to Him as Lord.
Unless He is Lord He cannot be Savior.
The statement above, "As ye have received," reflects upon our total surrender to Christ as Master of who we are.
We have "received" Him in this manner.
The second quarter of the circle is daily obedience.
"AS" we have "received" Him, we should "walk in Him."
If we truly have received Him as Lord, we should daily walk in obedience to His Lordship of our lives.
The third quarter of the circle is companionship.
When we receive Christ, we receive also the reality of His Personhood, and the companionship of this One and only Faithful Friend.
Through that companionship we become "rooted" in His love and "built up" by His constant nearness.
The fourth quarter of the circle is learning.
We become "stablished in the faith" because we are "taught" by His Word.
His Word has never failed, and never has been proven wrong - not even in one verse!
The more we learn of His eternal truths, the stronger we become in faith (clinging to Him).
Now that we have made a complete circle, we will be "abounding therein with thanksgiving!"
And this is what the circle should look like:
Love ya!
Bruce