From: "Dick Stoddard" Subject: Reading The Bible Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 09:24:37 -0400 Organization: Gospel Messenger Service MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_01C438CC.22D3B480" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C438CC.22D3B480 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable READING THE BIBLE By Clinton White When Jesus was a baby, His mother and Joseph brought Him to the temple = in Jerusalem. Jesus looked just like any other baby. There was no ring = of light over His head as we sometimes see in pictures. There was no = glowing aura about Him that made people realize He was a very special = infant. Those are just the inventions of artists. There was nothing at = all unusual about the appearance of this tiny Jesus. Yet one man, a devout person named Simeon, walked over and took Jesus = from the arms of His mother. He recognized Jesus as the promised = Messiah. He held Jesus up and looked lovingly and reverently into His = face. He praised God the Father for letting him see the Christ before he = died. "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to = Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation" (Luke 2:29, 30). Some men pick up the Bible and see just another book. They see only = poetry, history, religion and literature. But others hold that book as = lovingly as Simeon held Jesus, for they see His face reflected in its = pages. They see salvation, light, life and hope. Why? Why did others brush by Joseph and Mary without a second glance at the = sacred infant? Why did they see nothing, while Simeon saw the hope of = the world? The reason Simeon recognized Christ in the arms of Mary is the very same = reason that some see life in the Scriptures while others do not. The = Holy Spirit! The Bible says concerning Simeon, "It was revealed unto him by the Holy = Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's = Christ" (Luke 2:26). And in the next verse we see that it was the Holy = Spirit who led Simeon into the temple that day. Others thought Jesus was = the son of Joseph because they looked upon Him with their natural eyes = and in the light of their human knowledge. But Simeon saw Jesus as the = Son of God because He was seeing in the light of the Spirit's = revelation. He did not just "figure out" that this infant was the = Messiah. It was a revelation from the Holy Spirit! It was supernatural! Years later, after Jesus began His earthly ministry, He asked His = disciples, "Whom do men say that I am?" (Mat. 16:13). Men had tried to = "figure out" the identity of Jesus. The disciples told Jesus, "They say = you are John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets" . . = . the reincarnation theory, a result of human reasoning. Men scratched = their heads, knit their brows, and said, "We will figure it out." This = is what they came up with! The reincarnation theory. They were terribly = wrong, of course. Then Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom do ye say that I am?" Immediately, = Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mat. = 16:16). Jesus said, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona (Peter): for flesh and = blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" = (vs.17). Peter did not "figure it out." His answer was not a product of his flesh = and blood brain. It was a supernatural revelation from God! By a spiritual revelation Simeon saw that the infant Jesus was God's = Messiah. By spiritual revelation Peter saw the true identity of Jesus. And in the very same way you will see light in the Scriptures! If you = try to "figure it out" relying only on the ability of your mind, you = will stumble down a blind alley. Without the Holy Spirit as your Guide, = you will never comprehend truth. You, too, must have a spiritual = revelation. Always remember Jesus said, "Learn of Me" (Mat. 11:29). The revelation = of God's nature and God's will is found in the person of Jesus. Read the = Bible to know Jesus. Do not let your human nature and Satan sidetrack = you into reading the Bible to prove what church is right, or get you all = tangled up in legalistic doctrinal matters. The Holy Spirit always = testifies of Jesus!=20 Christ said, "When the Comforter (Holy Spirit) is come, whom I will send = unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth = from the Father, He shall testify of Me" (John 15:26). Let the Holy Spirit lead you into the Scriptures. Always pray before you = open your Bible, "God, I pray in Christ's name that you will open my = heart to truth. Let me see wonderful things in your Word. Teach me about = Jesus." The one who opens the Bible and reads in the brilliant light of the Holy = Spirit will see and know the Word of God. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C438CC.22D3B480 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
READING THE=20 BIBLE
 
By Clinton=20 White
 
When Jesus was a baby, His = mother and=20 Joseph brought Him to the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus looked just like = any other=20 baby. There was no ring of light over His head as we sometimes see in = pictures.=20 There was no glowing aura about Him that made people realize He was a = very=20 special infant. Those are just the inventions of artists. There was = nothing at=20 all unusual about the appearance of this tiny Jesus.
 
Yet one man, a devout = person named=20 Simeon, walked over and took Jesus from the arms of His mother. He = recognized=20 Jesus as the promised Messiah. He held Jesus up and looked lovingly and=20 reverently into His face. He praised God the Father for letting him see = the=20 Christ before he died. "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in = peace,=20 according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation" (Luke = 2:29,=20 30).
 
Some men pick up the Bible = and see just=20 another book. They see only poetry, history, religion and literature. = But others=20 hold that book as lovingly as Simeon held Jesus, for they see His face = reflected=20 in its pages. They see salvation, light, life and hope.
 
Why?
 
Why did others brush by = Joseph and Mary=20 without a second glance at the sacred infant? Why did they see nothing, = while=20 Simeon saw the hope of the world?
 
The reason Simeon = recognized Christ in=20 the arms of Mary is the very same reason that some see life in the = Scriptures=20 while others do not. The Holy Spirit!
 
The Bible says concerning = Simeon,=20 "It was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see = death,=20 before he had seen the Lord=92s Christ" (Luke 2:26). And in the next = verse we=20 see that it was the Holy Spirit who led Simeon into the temple = that day.=20 Others thought Jesus was the son of Joseph because they looked upon Him = with=20 their natural eyes and in the light of their human knowledge. But Simeon = saw=20 Jesus as the Son of God because He was seeing in the light of the = Spirit=92s=20 revelation. He did not just "figure out" that this infant was the = Messiah. It=20 was a revelation from the Holy Spirit! It was supernatural!
 
Years later, after Jesus = began His=20 earthly ministry, He asked His disciples, "Whom do men say that I = am?"=20 (Mat. 16:13). Men had tried to "figure out" the identity of Jesus. The = disciples=20 told Jesus, "They say you are John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or = one of=20 the prophets" . . . the reincarnation theory, a result of human = reasoning.=20 Men scratched their heads, knit their brows, and said, "We will figure = it out."=20 This is what they came up with! The reincarnation theory. They were = terribly=20 wrong, of course.
 
Then Jesus asked His = disciples,=20 "Whom do ye say that I am?" Immediately, Peter answered, "Thou = art the=20 Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mat. 16:16).
 
Jesus said, "Blessed art = thou, Simon=20 Barjona (Peter): for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto = thee, but=20 my Father which is in heaven" (vs.17).
 
Peter did not "figure it = out." His=20 answer was not a product of his flesh and blood brain. It was a = supernatural=20 revelation from God!
 
By a spiritual revelation = Simeon saw=20 that the infant Jesus was God=92s Messiah. By spiritual revelation Peter = saw the=20 true identity of Jesus.
 
And in the very same way = you will see=20 light in the Scriptures! If you try to "figure it out" relying only on = the=20 ability of your mind, you will stumble down a blind alley. Without the = Holy=20 Spirit as your Guide, you will never comprehend truth. You, too, must = have a=20 spiritual revelation.
 
Always remember Jesus said, = "Learn=20 of Me" (Mat. 11:29). The revelation of God=92s nature and God=92s = will is found=20 in the person of Jesus. Read the Bible to know Jesus. Do not let your = human=20 nature and Satan sidetrack you into reading the Bible to prove what = church is=20 right, or get you all tangled up in legalistic doctrinal matters. = The Holy Spirit always testifies of = Jesus!=20
 
Christ said, "When the = Comforter=20 (Holy Spirit) is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, = even=20 the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify = of=20 Me" (John 15:26).
 
Let the Holy Spirit lead = you into the=20 Scriptures. Always pray before you open your Bible, "God, I pray in = Christ=92s=20 name that you will open my heart to truth. Let me see wonderful things = in your=20 Word. Teach me about Jesus."
 
The one who opens the Bible = and reads=20 in the brilliant light of the Holy Spirit will see and know the Word of=20 God.
 
 
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