CONTENTS

WHAT THIS eBOOK CAN DO FOR YOU

JOSHUA 1 Secret of Courage and Strength

PSALM 91 Protection and Guidance Always

ISAIAH 55 Living in Depth

EZEKIEL 37 Hopes and Dreams Can Live Again

DANIEL 6 Faithfulness Is Its Own Reward

MATTHEW 5 Description of the Christian Life

MARK 6 Amazing Things Can Happen

LUKE 22 Weakness Can Become Strength

JOHN 14 Formula for Comfort

I CORINTHIANS 13 Love: The Greatest Thing in the World

EPHESIANS 6 Strength Wards Off Defeat

PHILIPPIANS 4 Joy and Victory

WHAT THIS BOOK CAN DO FOR YOU

he Bible is an invaluable spiritual resource; it can truly helpyou. And that’s what this eBook aims to do: Show you how

the Bible can give you real help for real problems. The Bible is a book of faith. It not only contains great

philosophy but also outlines the plan of salvation. It explains theorigin and purpose of the world and deals with man’s relationship to God. It shows God as the Creator and as the first cause.

But many people don’t know how to let the Bible help them. Toexplain how to receive that assistance and learn from the wisdomof biblical passages and stories, I selected one chapter from eachof 12 books of the Bible (there are 66 books in all). Through briefinterpretations, I try to show how to use these and other chaptersto live a faith-filled life. The goal is to open a door through whichyou may pass into Scriptural riches.

I suggest that you first read the biblical chapter then the briefexposition. Next, go back and meditate upon the chapter itself. Inso doing, you will find that the Bible begins to be moremeaningful to you and more applicable to your daily life.

And, as a result of this exercise, the Bible will, in time, open uptruth for you in such a way that it will change your life in amanner that is wonderful indeed.

Personally, I believe in the value of committing biblicalpassages to memory. When you do, you establish it first in yourconscious mind where it becomes a guiding light for you. Then,as you hold it in your consciousness, it will gradually be absorbedinto your subconscious—that depth of the soul where the realmotivating part of our nature exists.

The verses quoted here are for ready reference, although due to

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space considerations, I have, in many instances, printed only aportion of a given chapter. Still I hope you find the chapter andaccompanying reflection useful.

Remember: You need not struggle with defeat, nor live insorrow. You need not give in to weakness and sin, nor hold hatein your heart. Let these Bible verses help you. They really can,and more effectively than you may imagine.

Norman Vincent Peale

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JOSHUA CHAPTER 1

ow after the death of Moses, the servant of the LORD, theLORD said to Joshua, the son of Nun, the assistant of

Moses: 2 Moses My servant has died; so now arise, pass over this

Jordan, you and this whole nation of Israel, to the land which Igive them.

3 Every place on which the sole of your foot shall tread, I havegiven you, as I said to Moses.

4 Your territory will be from the desert and yonder Lebanon asfar as the great river, the river Euphrates, including all the land ofthe Hittites, even to the great western sea.

5 None shall hold out before you all the days of your life. As Iwas with Moses, I shall be with you. I will never fail you, and Iwill not forsake you.

6 Be resolute and strong; for you will enable this people toinherit the land, which I vowed to their fathers to give them.

7 Only be very resolute and strong, to keep practicing the wholeLaw, which Moses My servant commanded you; do not departfrom it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosperwherever you go.

8 This book of the Law must never depart from your mouth;you must meditate on it day and night, so that you may keepliving in accord with all that is written in it; for then you willprosper.

9 Have I not commanded you? Be resolute and strong! Be notafraid, and be not dismayed; for the LORD your God is with youwherever you go….

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JOSHUA CHAPTER 1 Secret of Courage and Strength

like the first chapter of the Book of Joshua because it reassuresus that God will always be with us; He will always help us. The chapter tells about a man who was in a real spot. The great

leader Moses had died and Joshua was made leader of the people.He must have had qualms about his ability. But he rose above anyself-doubts, for the Lord told him that even as He had been withMoses, so He would be with him as well.

God reminded Joshua that because of His guidance and supportnobody would successfully oppose him. The Lord made a veryexplicit promise: “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

This story reminds us that, when we have a responsibility thatlooms large, when we are a bit frightened and overwhelmed, wemust not be discouraged for God will be with us too. He willnever fail us, never leave us.

But that isn’t the whole story. We have to do something too.First, we have to be strong and courageous. Second, we have todo everything that God commanded us to do; we must beobedient. Third, we are not to look to one side or the other, but togo straight ahead.

If we do these three things, all will go well, for we have thepromise: “The LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

So, whenever you need to feel support, courage and strength,read the first chapter of the Book of Joshua.

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PSALM 91

e who lives in the secret shelter of the Most High lodges in theshadow of the Almighty.

2 I will testify of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, myGod; in whom I am trusting.”

3 Certainly it is He who rescues you from the hunter’s trap, and from the fatal pestilence.

4 He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings youwill find protection; His faithfulness is a shield and armor.

5 You will not fear night’s hidden terrors, nor the arrow that fliesin the daytime,

6 Nor the plague that lurks in darkness; nor the calamity thatspreads havoc at noontime.

7 A thousand may fall right beside you and ten thousand at yourright hand, but it shall not come near you.

8 You will merely see it with your eyes and witness the sinners’ reward.

9 For Thou, O LORD, art my refuge. Since you, too, haveestablished the Most High as your shelter,

10 No harm shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near yourtent.

11 For He gives His angels orders regarding you, to protect youwherever you go.

12 They will support you with their hands, lest you strike your footagainst a stone.

13 You will trample on the lion and the adder; you shall tread uponthe lion cub and on the snake.

14 Because he has anchored His love in Me, I will deliver him. Iwill place him securely on high, for he has faith in My name.

15 When he calls upon Me, I will answer him; I will be with him introuble; I will rescue him, and honor him.

16 I will satisfy him with long life, and show him My salvation.

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PSALM 91Protection and Guidance Always

hen my mother died, her Bible lay open on her bed to the91st Psalm. That great psalm was part of her life. Partly

because it meant so much to her and partly because it is soprofoundly helpful, I have made it part of my life also. The 91stand the 23rd Psalms are the greatest of all the psalms to me.

The 91st Psalm contains the marvelous message that if you live“in the secret shelter of the Most High,” you will live “in theshadow of the Almighty.” This simply means that if your religionis deep and not merely formal, you will have the protection andguidance of God, always and in everything. He will be yourrefuge, meaning that you will be under God’s loving protection.He will deliver you from a long series of difficulties, fears andtroubles. No evil will ever befall you.

Though you may have plenty of difficulties, you will be able tohandle all of them, for God will give His angels charge over you.This is to say that His goodness and love will always surroundyou and will protect and guide you on the path of life. God willnot let you lose your way.

Among the many marvelous blessings that come from spendingyour whole life in the secret place is the knowledge that when youcall upon Him, He will answer. He will be with you in any troublethat may come to you. Your life will be long and at its end, youwill enter into eternal salvation.

So write this psalm on your heart. Embed it deeply into yourmind. Live by it. And, no matter how hard your life may be, youwill always be on top of things.

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ISAIAH CHAPTER 55

ause everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters, and he whohas no money, come, buy and eat; yes, come, buy wine and

milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread and your

labor for what never satisfies? Listen carefully to me, and eatwhat is good; let your soul delight itself in abundance.

3 Incline your ear and come to me; hear, and your soul shalllive; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even theunfailing mercies to David….

6 Seek the LORD while He may be found. Call upon Himwhile He is near!

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man hisschemings; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercyon him, to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your waysMy ways, says the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My wayshigher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, anddo not return thither, but water the earth, and make it bring forthand bud, and so give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater,

11 So shall My word be, which goes forth from my mouth; itshall not come back to Me uselessly, but it shall do what Ipurpose and accomplish what I commissioned it.

12 For you shall go out with joy and be led forth into peace, themountains and the hills breaking out in song before you, and allthe trees of the field clapping their hands.

13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of thebrier shall come up the myrtle; and they shall be to the LORD forHis renown, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

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ISAIAH CHAPTER 55 Living in Depth

his chapter uses senses as hunger and thirst to illustrate truth.If we hunger and thirst after God and the joy that He offers,

we may find God and happiness by coming to Him. In the process, we must learn to listen, to really listen: “Incline

your ear and come to Me; hear, and your soul shall live.” Mostly, we hear superficially but do not listen. God’s truth does

not penetrate the control center of our lives. But when you“incline your ear,” lean earnestly toward God and with yourwhole personality, then you will experience such quality andintensity of life that your soul will live in depth.

But there is a cost to this benefit. God, in effect, makes aproposition, an everlasting covenant. It’s this: You must forsake any wicked way and stop thinking bad thoughts and return to theLord. It’s as simple as that.

This is a change that may not be easy. It requires discipline. Butthe chapter promises that if we accept this covenant, life will beso wonderful that it will be just as if the mountains and the hillswere singing and every tree was clapping its hands. Good things,not bad things, will happen to you. And this flow of goodnessshall never cease as long as you live.

When life seems empty and you are not satisfied, when youlong for something that you can hardly describe, read thispassage, one of the greatest chapters in the Bible.

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EZEKIEL CHAPTER 37

he hand of the LORD came upon me, and by His Spirit theLORD brought me out and set me down in a valley which

was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; and observe, there were very

many on the surface of the valley; and see, they were very dry. 3 He said to me: Son of man, can these bones live? I answered,

“LORD God, Thou knowest.” 4 Then He said to me: Prophesy over these bones. Say to them,

You dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the LORD God to these bones: Notice! I will put

breath into you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews upon you, clothe you with flesh, cover you

with skin, put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shallknow that I am the LORD.

7 So I prophesied as I was ordered; and as I prophesied, therewas a noise, a rattling; and see, the bones were uniting, bone to its[fitting] bone.

8 And as I looked on, see, sinews came upon them, and flesh,and then skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.

9 Then He said to me: Prophesy to the wind; prophesy, son ofman, and say to the wind, Thus says the LORD God: Come fromthe four winds, O Spirit, and breathe upon these slain, that theymay live.

10 So I prophesied as He had ordered me, and breath came intothem; they lived and stood on their feet, an unusually largearmy….

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EZEKIEL CHAPTER 37 Hopes and Dreams Can Live Again

n everybody’s life, there are times when it seems thateverything goes wrong. Hopes and plans lie broken around

you. The things you looked forward to achieving have failed. Thespirit has gone out of you. And life seems dead and desolate.

At such times, reading the 37th chapter of Ezekiel will help. Itis an amazing chapter that, through picturesque symbolism,teaches a great truth in a striking way.

The prophet Ezekiel was taken out by the Lord and shown awide valley that was full of dry bones stretching as far as he couldsee. Here a great host had perished and their white bones lay starkand desolate. Nothing could appear more hopeless than a valleyof dry bones, grim and silent.

But the Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy: meaning, to believe andaffirm that, by God’s power, even these dry bones could liveagain.

The story dramatically tells how the bones came together: fleshcame upon them. Life was renewed, and a great host of livingmen marched out of the valley of death.

The incident is designed to remind us of the truth that whenGod’s spirit really comes upon us, that which is harmonious withHis spirit shall live in us. Old dead things such as dead hopes,dead dreams, dead ideals, shall take on a new vibrant quality. Thedead bones of our lives shall live again.

Your great hopes, dreams and ideals are not dead if you let Godbreathe into them the breath of fresh spiritual life. The spirit ofGod can revitalize anything. With God, life can always be vital,always dynamic. Life is renewable.

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DANIEL CHAPTER 6

t pleased Darius, the Mede, to set over the kingdom a hundredand twenty provincial governors to administer the whole

kingdom, 2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, so

that to them the governors might be responsible, and that the kingwould suffer no loss.

3 Above all the other presidents and governors Danieldistinguished himself, because of his surpassing spirit, so superiorthat the king was planning to set him over the whole kingdom.

4 Then the presidents and governors sought some ground ofcomplaint against Daniel in the discharge of his official duties;but they could find no ground of complaint, because he wasfaithful, and no error or fault was found in him.

5 So these men said, “We shall not find no ground of complaintagainst this Daniel, unless we find it in connection with service tohis god.”

6 Whereupon these presidents and governors rushed in jointlyto the king, and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever!

7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the chiefs and thegovernors, the counselors and the rulers have agreed that the kingshould establish an ordinance and enforce a strict decree, thatwhoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, Oking, shall be cast into the den of lions.

8 Now, O king, lay down the law, and sign it as a document,which cannot be changed forever, according to the law of theMedes and Persians, which cannot be changed.”

9 Therefore King Darius signed such a document in keepingwith this decree.

10 When Daniel learned that such a decree had been officiallysigned and issued, he went to his house on the roof of which there

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were chambers with windows opening toward Jerusalem, andthree times a day he kneeled and prayed and gave God thanks ashe was accustomed to do.

11 Then these accusers came in throngs, and found Danielpraying and making humble petition before his God.

12 So they approached the king and reminded him of hisdecree. They said, “O king! Did you not sign a decree to theeffect that any man who prays to any god or man within thirtydays, except to you, O king, should be cast into the den of lions?” The king replied, “The thing stands fast according to the law ofthe Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”

13 Upon this they protested to the king, “That man Daniel, ofthe exiles of Judah, neither heeds you, O king, nor regards thedecree which you have signed; for thrice a day he continues topray to his own god.”

14 When the king heard these words, he was greatly distressedand set his mind to deliver Daniel. He struggled till sunset torescue him.

15 But these men together rushed to the king, and said, “Know,O king, that a law of the Medes and Persians, in particular adecree of royal authority, cannot be changed.

16 So the king gave the order and Daniel was brought and castinto the den of lions, the king, voicing the hope, “May your God, whom you worship so faithfully, deliver you.”

17 Then a great boulder was brought and laid upon the openingof the den and the king sealed it with his own seal and also withthe seal of his rulers, to prevent any possible change of plan aboutDaniel.

18 Then the king went to his palace, and spent the night inmeditation and fasting, instead of enjoying his usual diversions,and his sleep fled from him.

19 In the morning, as soon as it was light, the king arose andwent in haste to the den of lions.

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20 When he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried ina tone of anguish and anxiety, “Daniel, servant of the living God,has your God, whom you worship so regularly, been able to saveyou from the lions?”

21 Daniel answered the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel, and shut the lions’ mouths, and they

have not hurt me; because He found me innocent, not having doneyou any injury.”

23 Then the king was exceeding glad, and ordered that Danielbe lifted out of the den. So Daniel was lifted out, and no kind ofhurt was found on him, because he had trusted in his God….

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DANIEL CHAPTER 6 Faithfulness Is Its Own Reward

his chapter contains the fascinating story of Daniel in thelions’ den. As you read it just as the Bible tells it, you will

agree that it is one of the best stories ever told. Moreover, it contains a great lesson, for it is a story of fidelity,

honor and uprightness. It highlights the fact that these virtues arerewarded in life, though perhaps not without suffering andhardship.

King Darius, recognizing Daniel’s extraordinary ability andtrustworthiness, had made him head over the nation, directlyunder the king himself. Naturally other leaders in the countrybecame jealous. These men tried in every way to “get” Daniel. But no fault could be found in him, even though they went overhis record and actions with a fine-tooth comb.

Then cunning enemies figured out a plan to unseat Daniel.Knowing that Daniel worshiped the eternal God, they tricked theking into establishing a decree that any man who worshiped a godother than the king himself for 30 days would be thrown into thelions’ den.

Once the king made an edict, it was unchangeable according tothe law of the Medes and the Persians, and even the king couldnot set it aside.

Daniel, of course, faithfully prayed to the Lord. His enemiesthen made this fact known to the king, who was angry withhimself for being tricked. But there was no way out of thedilemma, so he gave orders that Daniel be thrown into the den oflions. But he believed, or at least hoped, that Daniel wouldsurvive.

The king’s own faith had been growing because of Daniel’sinfluence, and he fasted and prayed all night. In the early morning

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he went to the lions’ den and, to his joy, Daniel’s God hadindeed preserved His faithful servant.

The king realized that Daniel’s God rewards honor, goodnessand fidelity, and so he proceeded to decree that Daniel’s God bethe God of his kingdom.

This story is a direct refutation of the cynical notions that “younever get anywhere trying to be good,” that “honesty doesn’t pay”and that “it’s only the clever who get theirs.”

In fact, the story of Daniel is actually a series of affirmations:First, in life, honorable and faithful though we may be, there willcome times of great testing. Second, there will be misunderstand-ing, hostility, even enmity. But finally, if we are loyal and true toGod, He will see us through no matter what. That is the greattruth: even in our “den of lions,” if we keep the faith, we shall besaved and life will be good.

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MATTHEW CHAPTER 5

o when He saw the crowds He went up on the hill; and whenHe was seated His disciples came to Him.

2 Opening His lips, He taught them: 3 “Blessed are they who know their spiritual poverty, for theirs

is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, for

they shall be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called God’s

sons. 10 Blessed are those persecuted on account of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they slander and persecute you and

falsely accuse you of every wrong because of Me. 12 Be glad and supremely joyful because in heaven your

reward is rich; for the same way they persecuted the prophets whowere before you….

39 But I say to you, Do not resist injuries, but whoever strikesyou on the right cheek turn to him the other as well.

40 And if anyone wants to sue you for your tunic, let him haveyour robe as well.

41 And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him twomiles….

44 But I say to you, Love your enemy and pray for yourpersecutors….

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MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 Description of the Christian Life

atthew, Chapter 5 is a blueprint for happiness and the bestdescription of the Christian life. But it does not promise an

easy or superficial happiness. It offers you joy above anythingyou have ever dreamed of. But you have to pay a price.

The chapter is very explicit in what is required. It tells us that ifwe have certain attitudes, called Beatitudes, we shall be blessedand deeply happy.

If we live as outlined in this chapter, we will be the light of theworld. We will light up the darkness in this our mixed-up world and, in so doing, bring happiness to many. Of course, if we do notbring happiness to others, we shall never have it for ourselves.

This chapter lays out a hard way of life because we are told notbe angry or resentful, but to be reconciled to our enemies. That’s not easy, but it’s a vital part of the formula for happiness. In fact,we are to discipline ourselves, for whoever conquers himself, fillshis heart with joy.

We are not to fight back, but to love our enemies and treatkindly those who mistreat us. This is probably one of life’s greatest inner struggles. But the happiness to be found faroutbalances the pleasure we gain from our hostility.

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MARK CHAPTER 6

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother ofJames and Joses and Jude and Simon? And do not His sisters

live here with us? And they took offense on His account. 4 Jesus told them, “No prophet is without honor, except in his

own country and among his relatives and in his home…. 6 And He wondered at their unbelief. So He went around the

nearby villages teaching, 7 and called the Twelve, whom he began to send out two by

two, giving them authority over the unclean spirits…. 38 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and

find out.” When they had found out, they reported, “Five, and two fish.”

39 He then gave them all orders to sit on the green grass bygroups,

40 and they sat in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves of bread and the two fish, and looking

up toward heaven, He gave thanks and broke the bread and gaveit to the disciples to set before the people. He also divided the twofish for them all.

42 They all ate and were fully satisfied. 43 They picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces of

bread and fish. 44 And there were five thousand men who partook of the

food…. 56 And wherever He went, into village or town or country, they

placed their sick in the market place, and begged Him to let themtouch if only the hem of His robe. And as many as touched Himwere healed.

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MARK CHAPTER 6Amazing Things Can Happen

his chapter in Mark stresses the amazing things that canhappen in the lives of people who believe in Jesus with all

their hearts. When Jesus came back to His village, the local people were

astonished by His wisdom and His mighty works. But they didnot believe, since He had grown up there and was only thecarpenter’s son. He Himself marveled at the unbelief that theyshowed. He could do little among them because of their lack offaith; they had the tragedy of a closed mind.

But then He went to other villages and found that the faith ofthe people there was very great. In fact, their faith was so greatthat they believed if they could simply touch the edge of Hisgarment, they could be healed. And they were.

This chapter also tells of the calling of the disciples and how Hegave them power over unclean spirits and the ability to cast outdevils and heal the sick.

The power that He gave His first disciples is still present andactive in those who are His modern disciples. Disciples livingtoday possess it when they have faith and humility.

The story of the feeding of the 5,000 reminds us that Jesusprovides everything we will ever need, if we put our lives in Hishands.

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LUKE CHAPTER 22

So He sent Peter and John with instructions, “Go and get thePassover ready, for us to eat….

19 And taking the bread, He gave thanks, broke and gave it tothem, saying, “This is My body [given up for your sakes; do thisin My memory.”

20 Similarly He gave the cup after supper, saying, “This cup isthe new Covenant in My blood, poured out on your behalf.]…

54 They arrested Him, led Him away and took him inside thehouse of the high priest, while Peter followed from a distance.

55 When they kindled a fire in the center of the courtyard andsat around it, Peter sat in their circle.

56 Then a maid noticed him seated by the fire, took a good lookat him and said, “This fellow was with Him too.”

57 But he denied, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him!” 58 A little later another looked at him and said, “Yes, you are

one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59 About an hour had gone by when another insisted,

“Unquestionably this fellow was with Him, for he is a Galileanalso.”

60 But Peter said, “Man, I cannot make out what you aretalking about!” And instantly, while he was still speaking, therooster crowed.

61 Then the Lord, turning around, looked at Peter and Peterremembered the Lord’s warning, how He had said to him,“Before the rooster crows tonight you will disown me threetimes.”

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LUKE CHAPTER 22 Weakness Can Become Strength

uke 22 gives a marvelous picture of the Last Supper, inwhich deep fellowship was developed. This became one of

Christianity’s greatest characteristics, a deep bond in the spiritbetween kindred Believers, centered around Christ.

In this chapter is also one of the most dramatic human stories inthe Bible, the tragic, yet glorious, story of Simon Peter, whoprotested vehemently that he would never betray Jesus. But Jesusknew that before the rooster crowed that night he would denyHim three times.

When the soldiers took Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, thedisciples scurried away in fear. But Peter followed the Master at adistance to the high priest’s house. Peter crept up to a fire in thecourtyard where bystanders three times accused him of being afollower of Jesus. Three times he denied it. Then he heard a cockcrow. Just then, Jesus, surrounded by soldiers, emerged. Helooked at Peter, who remembered Jesus’ words, and he wept bitterly.

Later, however, Peter became strong in his faith and his loyalty,living and dying for his Lord.

If we have been weak and have denied Him—and who of ushasn’t—we, too, can become rock-like in our faith.

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JOHN CHAPTER 14

et not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believealso in Me.

2 In my Father’s house are many dwelling places. If this werenot so, I would have told you. For I am going away to prepare aplace for you.

3 And when I have gone and have prepared a place for you, Iwill come again and take you to Myself so that where I am, youalso will be.

4 And where I am going, you know the way.” 5 Thomas remarked to him, “Lord, we do not know where You

are going. How do we know the way? 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life;

no one comes to the father except through Me.”… 12 Truly I assure you, the one who believes in Me will himself

do the works I do, and do greater things than these, for I go to theFather.

13 And I will bring about whatever you ask in My name, so thatthe Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 I will do whatever you ask in My name.… 18 “I shall not leave you as orphans; I shall come to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see Me; but you

will see Me, for I live and you, too, will live. 20 In that day you will know I am in My father, and you in Me

and I in you. 21 He who has My orders and observes them loves Me, and he

who loves Me will be loved by My father. I, too, shall love himand show Myself to him.”…

27 “Peace I bequeath to you; My peace I give to you. I do notgive you gifts such as the world gives. Do not allow your hearts tobe disturbed or intimidated.…”

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JOHN CHAPTER 14 Formula for Comfort

his chapter is often called the “comfort chapter” for it deals with the bliss and serenity of the believer both now and after

death. It tells us to not let our hearts be troubled, for the heavenly

father has a house with room for all His children. And, He hasprepared a place for us; we will be with Him and with our lovedones forever.

Moreover, we are told how to make our way to those heavenlydwellings, how to reach our eternal home. It is through Jesus, whosaid: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes tothe father except through Me.”

We are told of the unlimited goodness of God, who not onlyprepares a wonderful place for us in the afterlife, but who willgive to us whatever great benefit we ask in the spirit of Jesus.

But, we must show our love for Him by keeping HisCommandments. If we do that, He will be with us always; He willnever forsake us or leave us comfortless. We are told thewonderful truth that because He lives, we will live also.

Meanwhile, in this troubled life, the Holy Spirit will ever bewith us, if we are faithful.

As a result of our loving relationship with God, He will give useverlasting peace, a peace greater than anything else in this world.The deep loving kindness in this chapter finds expression in thewords: “Do not allow your hearts to be disturbed or intimidated.” Indeed, let your mind and heart be comforted.

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I CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 13

ven though I speak in human and angelic language and haveno love, I am as noisy brass or a clashing cymbal.

2 And although I have the prophetic gift and see through everysecret and through all that may be known, and have sufficientfaith for the removal of mountains, but I have no love, I amnothing.

3 And though I give all my belongings to feed the hungry andsurrender my body to be burned, but I have no love, I am not inthe least benefited.

4 Love endures long and is kind; love is not jealous; love is notout for display;

5 It is not conceited or unmannerly; it is neither self-seekingnor irritable, nor does it take account of a wrong that is suffered.

6 It takes no pleasure in injustice but sides happily with truth. 7 It bears everything in silence, has unquenchable faith, hopes

under all circumstances, endures without limit. 8 Love never fails. As for prophesyings, they will pass away; as

for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will lose itsmeaning.

9 For our knowledge is fragmentary and so is our prophesying. 10 But when the perfect is come then the fragmentary will

come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, thought like a

child, I reasoned like a child, but upon becoming a man I wasthrough with childish ways.

12 For now we see indistinctly in a mirror, but then face toface. Now we know partly, but then we shall understand ascompletely as we are understood.

13 There remain then, faith, hope, love, these three; but thegreatest of these is love.

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I CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 13 Love: The Greatest Thing in the World

his superb chapter consists of 13 verses, each a gem in and ofitself. Taken together, they form one of the most beautiful

and important writings in all literature. The poetic rhythmicquality comes from a magnificent repetition.

The chapter deals with the one supreme, greatest thing in theworld; namely, love. We are told that no matter what otherabilities and qualities we may possess, how profound ourknowledge, how great our achievements, if we do not have love,none of these is of any value. If we have love, it adds the extraquality of greatness to our lives.

In this magnificent description of love, the writer personifieslove, gives it the characteristics of a person: Love, we are told, islong suffering and kind. It has no envy, no egotism. It never actsin an unseemly fashion, it has no evil thoughts, it is steadfast andloyal and endures to the end.

Other things pass away, but love is eternal. Love deepens andsharpens our insights and understanding, it stimulates growth, itmakes us mature. It is the one sure way in which we may clearlycomprehend life and its deeper mysteries.

When we love, we will understand life. When we don’t love,we only know life partially, not as a whole. The clouded mirror oflife will clear when we truly love. Three great words stand outsupreme above all others: faith, hope and love. But the greatest ofthese is love.

The basic message of this wonderful chapter is that if we learnto love as Christ loved, we truly become masters of life; if we fail,nothing else really matters.

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EPHESIANS CHAPTER 6

hildren, be obedient to your parents in the Lord, for this isright.

2 “Honor thy father and mother,” which is the firstcommandment with a promise,

3 “that it may be well with you and that you will enjoy greatlength of life on the earth.”

10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord and in the strength ofHis might.

11 Put on the complete armor that God supplies, so you will beable to stand against the devil’s intrigues.

12 For our wrestling is not against flesh-and-blood opponents,but against the rulers, the authorities, the cosmic powers of thispresent darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in theheavenly spheres.

13 Take up, therefore, the whole armor of God so that you maybe able to stand when you have done all the fighting.

14 So stand your ground, with the belt of truth tightened aroundyour waist, wearing the breastplate of righteousness on yourbody,

15 with the readiness of the good news of peace bound on yourfeet;

16 above all taking up the shield of faith, with which you willbe able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God,

18 praying in the Spirit on every occasion with ceaseless prayerand entreaty, constantly alert to pray with all perseverance andentreaty for all the saints;

19 also for me, that, when I open my lips, the message may begiven me that I may announce fearlessly the secret of the good

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news 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may

present the good news freely, as it is my duty to speak.…

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EPHESIANS CHAPTER 6 Strength Wards Off Defeat

he Bible tells us how to live as strong people: When you arestrong in the Lord—not in yourself alone—you have life’s

greatest strength. “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of Hismight.”

To understand the Bible, we must become acquainted with itssymbols. When we fully understand its rich symbolism, the wordsof the Scriptures will be illuminated.

Here, the symbolism is based on the ancient armored warriorwho goes forth to fight the good fight. The fight we are to wage isagainst the devil, against evil in one’s own heart and in the worldas well.

The struggle of the believing Christian is against vast andentrenched forces of evil; he must be very strong. And he will be,if he puts on the whole armor of God.

This armor is put on first by girding yourself with truth. Whenclothed in truth, nothing can ever get through your spiritualdefenses to defeat you.

Then put on the breastplate of righteousness. This refers to theprotection given by goodness and by rightmindedness. Put onyour feet the gospel of peace, so that wherever you go, goodnessgoes and evil flees.

Take the shield of faith. The shield was designed to protect theheart, the vital center. if always you have faith in your heart, yourlife center is shielded and protected.

Then put on the helmet of salvation. The helmet was designedto protect the head against thoughts of evil, against negativethoughts. The mind must be kept strong in the Lord, for the mindis ever subject to the attack of wrong thoughts. And wrongthoughts destroy.

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And finally, take the sword of the spirit, the bright and shiningsword of God’s power, and with it strike out against every evilthing in life.

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PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 4

Be joyful in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Be known by all the people for your considerateness; The

Lord is near. 6 Entertain no worry; but under all circumstances let your

petitions be known before God by prayer and pleading along withthanksgiving.

7 So will the peace of God, that surpasses all understanding,keep guard over your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever iskindly spoken, whatever is lofty and whatever is praiseworthy—put your mind on these.

9 And what you have learned and received and heard and seenin me, that put into practice. And the God of peace will be withyou.

10 I was uncommonly happy in the Lord because of late yourthoughtfulness toward me came to life again, a matter in whichyou were interested but lacked opportunity.

11 Not that I mention this because of need, for I have learned tomake ends meet in whatever situation I am.

12 I know how to live simply and I know how to enjoyprosperity. I am acquainted with all circumstances: to be filled upand to be hungry, to have abundance and to suffer want.

13 I have strength for every situation through Him whoempowers me.

19 And my God will fully supply all your needs according toHis abundant wealth so glorious in Christ Jesus.

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PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 4 Joy and Victory

n this chapter are some of the most important truths of ourfaith. For example, the admonition to “be joyful in the Lord

always; and again I say, Rejoice.” It has been assumed, by some who do not know, that

Christianity is a gloomy religion. Its chief emblem is, of course,the Cross, symbol of suffering. But, in a higher sense, the Cross isthe symbol of glorious victory. Faith in the Cross of Christ givesvictory and salvation, and therefore the true Christian is alwayshappy. He always rejoices.

One reason for his happiness is his wonderful relationship witha good God. So loving is the heavenly Father that we are not to becautious and hesitant. But we are to “entertain no worry; but under all circumstances let your petitions be known before Godby prayer and pleading along with thanksgiving.” Do this joyfully and lovingly and with true faith, then what happens to you will bebeyond all price.

For one thing, “the peace of God, that surpasses allunderstanding” will keep guard over your hearts.

Then comes a list of the things we are to think about and makevital in our lives. If our thoughts are filled with truth, honesty,purity and loveliness, we will have God’s peace.

So great and meaningful is the sense of Christ’s presence that,when we have this greatest of all possessions, we also have aconsciousness of spiritual power. Then are we ready to make thatmost astonishing affirmation, “I have strength for every situationthrough Him who empowers me.”

Christianity opens the way to joy and victory, and the secret issimply this: Live with Christ. Then, as St. Paul says, “my God will fully supply all your needs according to His abundant wealth

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so glorious in Christ Jesus.”

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