The last cause I shall name is nonobedience. Truth is given to be believed and obeyed. Certain truths can only be believed, the reason being that they are revelations of fact and contain no command or instruction to be carried out. Other truths must be obeyed or for the hearer they have no meaning. "I will come back" (John 14:3) is a statement of fact which cannot in the nature of it be obeyed; there is nothing in it to obey; it can only be believed. "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19) is a command which can only be obeyed. It is addressed to the will, and the only proper response is obedience. We cannot possibly discharge our obligation to such a passage by trying in some dubious manner to "believe" it, though I am sure many try to do just that. Is it any wonder that confusion arises" We will go far to simplify our religious concepts and unify our lives if we remember these four points: First, truth is a spiritual entity and can be grasped in its inner essence only as the Spirit of truth enlightens our hearts and teaches us in the deep, mysterious recesses of our souls. Secondly, since God is love we must surrender ourselves to love or we can never know the truth of God in its higher meaning. Thirdly, we must come to the Word with the simple faith of a child, ready to believe it whether we can understand it or not. And lastly, we must obey the truth as we see it, trusting God with the consequences.

A.W. Tozer's materials are a mainstay in Evangelical churches in our day and he is one of the most quoted authors. He was a prophet in his day and his writings are even more influential in our day. One of his books: The Pursuit of God, has had over 1 million copies sold world-wide.

Morning and Evening with A.W. Tozer

Believing the Declaratives and Obeying the Imperatives

For Reading and Meditation:      John 20:19-30Dr. W. E. Sangster tells the story of following three children out of church. One remarked to the others: "I can't understand all this 'Three in One and One in Three' business." "I can't either," said another child, "but I think of it like this: my mother is Mummy to me, she is Mabel to Daddy, and Mrs. Douglas to lots of other people." Is that the answer? Is it just a question of names? Are we right in finding the doctrine of the Trinity in the text we looked at three days ago (Matthew 28:19), where the word "name" is singular but three names are given - Father, Son and Holy Spirit? No, that is just part of it; there is much more to it than that. God, we know, is one God. But there stepped into the world one day someone who claimed also to be God. His name was Jesus. He forgave sins, claimed to have existence before Abraham, and accepted worship as His right. Worship, remember, is for God alone. After Jesus was resurrected and returned to heaven He sent back the Holy Spirit, who was also seen as God (2 Corinthians 13:14). He - the Holy Spirit - came into the disciples and brought with him the resources of the Godhead, breaking the sin in their nature, pleading in prayer, and exalting the Savior. Thus we see God is One but also Three in One: God above us, God among us, God within us. The Father in majesty, the Son in suffering, the Spirit in striving. This is the central mystery of our most holy faith. Together, and with all our hearts, let us adore the great triune God.Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, though I cannot comprehend Your essential oneness and unity, I can worship You nevertheless. This I do now, in humble adoration. Glory, honor, and power be unto Your Name forever and ever. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>John 1:1-14</li><li>John 8:58</li><li>John 10:30</li><li>John 17:5</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>How did John describe Jesus?</li><li>What did Jesus declare of Himself?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God!' " (v. 28)

For Reading and Meditation:      Matthew 28:1-20We ended yesterday with the words of Augustine that if we want to see the Trinity in action then all we have to do is to go to the River Jordan. It was Augustine who pointed out also that the Trinity can be seen in the verse that is before us today, which we call "the baptismal formula." Note that we are bidden to baptize in the Name (not "names") of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, indicating their essential unity and oneness. I know there are many in the Christian Church who do not accept the doctrine of the Trinity and this makes me very sad. I just wish they would look at the matter again, for I have found it to be one of the most satisfying of doctrines as it meets the greatest needs of my soul. George Matheson spoke for me and millions of other Christians when he said: Some seek a Father in the heavens above, Some ask a human figure to adore, Some crave a Spirit vast as life and love, Within thy mansions we have all and more. Alfred Tennyson, a man with an incisive mind who saw deep into the creation, put it like this: "Though nothing is such a distress of soul to me as to hear the divinity of Christ assailed, yet I feel I must never lose the unity of the Godhead, the three persons being like three candles giving together one light." Note his words: "I must never lose the unity of the Godhead." I would simply add: neither must we. Neither must we.Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I freely confess my mind finds it difficult to comprehend how You can be Three in One, and One in Three. Yet this is the teaching of Scripture. So I believe; help Thou mine unbelief. In Jesus' Name. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>2 Corinthians 13:1-14</li><li>1 Thessalonians 5:19-24</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>How does Paul affirm the truth of the Trinity?</li><li>How does he illustrate it?</li></ul></div></div>

" baptizing  in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit " (v. 19)

For Reading and Meditation:      Mark 1:1-13Those who accept Scripture's teaching concerning God must be prepared to say that He is not only personal, but that He is a plurality of Persons also - a Trinity. The next aspect of God's character we must examine is His triune nature. The doctrine of the Trinity, that God is One yet three separate Persons, is not easy to understand, but it is clear in Scripture. The term "Trinity" nowhere appears in the Bible (it was first used by Tertullian around AD 210), but its roots are deeply embedded in the Word of God. It is mainly a revelation of the New Testament, but there are glimpses of the truth to be seen in the Old Testament also. "Let us make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26). To whom was God speaking at this stage? Some say the angels, but nowhere in Scripture are angels seen as being involved in the act of creation or as being on the same level as God. Read Colossians 1:16 and it will become clear to whom God was speaking. "Man has now become like one of us" (Genesis 3:22). In Isaiah 6:8 God says: "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" "Go to the Jordan," wrote Augustine, "and you find the Trinity. There at the baptism of Jesus the three Persons in the Godhead are simultaneously in evidence. The Father is heard speaking directly from heaven, the Son is seen being immersed in the river, and John the Baptist beholds the Spirit descending upon the Christ." Three in One and One in Three. On this truth we must stand, even though we may not fully understand.Blessed Trinity, Three in One and One in Three, I worship You this day in spirit and in truth. My spirit joins with Your Spirit, and Your truth, though sometimes darkness to my intellect, is nevertheless sunshine to my heart. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>Matthew 28:16-20</li><li>John 14:26-27</li><li>John 15:26-27</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>How were the disciples to baptize new converts?</li><li>How did Jesus confirm the truth of the Trinity?</li></ul></div></div>

" Jesus  saw  the Spirit descending  And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son ' " (vv. 10-11)

Matthew 28:1-20We think of death ordinarily as the end of a man's life. He can do no more work in this world. Only his influence remains. But it was not the end of the life of Jesus Christ. He came again from the grave after a brief rest - and took up once more His work of redemption.The women watched beside the grave after the burial of the body there, until they were compelled to hasten into the city before the gates would be shut upon them. Meanwhile they were in deep grief. The Sabbath was a sad and dark day for them. They were eager to get back to the grave to honor their Lord's dead body. So at the very dawn, after the Sabbath, as soon as the gates would be opened, they left their home and hastened away to His grave, carrying spices and ointments to anoint His dead body.No one saw the resurrection. We are told something, however, of what took place. "There was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it." The rulers thought they had the sepulcher well-secured. The stone had been sealed with Pilate's seal, so that to meddle with it would be a high crime. Besides, they had procured a guard of Roman soldiers to watch by the grave. They seem to have expected thus to keep Jesus from rising. When they asked for the guard, they gave this as the reason, "He said: After three days I will rise again" (27:63). They pretended to suspect that the disciples would try to carry away the body by night, to give the impression that their Master has risen. But we see how useless were all their precautions. There was no power in the universe that could keep the body of Jesus in that rock-prison.The effect of the resurrection and its attendant circumstances upon the Roman soldiers who kept watch, was startling. "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men." The soldiers were hardened to all sorts of danger. They never recoiled in the presence of any enemy. But when an angel of God stood before them, with shining face and shining garments - they were in great terror.But the angel who caused such dread in the Roman soldiers, spoke with all gentleness to the women who stood before the grave in great sorrow. "The angel said to the women: Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." This was the first announcement of the Resurrection. It was made by an angel to the Lord's women friends. They had ample proofs of the fact thereafter.No event in all history is more incontestably sure, than that Jesus arose from the dead. Nor can the importance of the fact be overestimated. Everything depends upon Christ's Resurrection. All the hopes of redemption waited outside that sealed sepulcher. Jesus had said that He would rise; His Messiahship therefore depended from confirmation on His rising. He had made promises to His disciples that He would come again from death and live forever. Indeed, His kingdom depended altogether upon His rising. If He had remained under the power of death, no soul that trusted in Him could have been saved. For a Savior vanquished and held as a prisoner - could not be deliverer of others. A Savior locked in a grave - could not appear before God to intercede for men, could not walk with His people in their trials and sorrows, could not lead the dying safely through the valley which He had not Himself been able to pass through victoriously, could not bring believers from death's prison from which He had not Himself been able to come.These are hints of what depended upon Christ's rising from the dead. Thus we see something of the tremendous importance of the fact which was announced by the angel to the women that early morning. "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said!" We have a living Christ, therefore, for our Savior. He was victorious over all enemies - then, over death, the last enemy. Therefore, He is able to deliver us from all our enemies - and from death's power at the last. He stands before God for us, and also walks with us on the earth in all our experiences, a living Friend, to love, to help, to comfort, to deliver, to keep, all who have committed themselves to Him in trusting faith.The angel sent the women on an errand the disciples to bear to them the glorious news. "Go quickly, and tell His disciples." They obeyed promptly and with joy. "They departed quickly." On their way Jesus Himself appeared to them. "Jesus met them, saying, Greetings!" Notice that it was as they were hastening in the path of obedience, that they met their Lord. It is always and only in the way of duty that we ever meet Christ, and find blessing and joy. Had the women loitered by the grave instead of hastening away as they were bidden, Jesus would not have appeared to them. It is only in the way of obedience, in the service of love, that Jesus meets us. There are Christian mourners who never go away from the grave where they have buried their loved ones. They hear the words of hope which the gospel brings - but sit still in their grief, and no comfort reaches their sad hearts. Jesus does not meet them. If they would rise and hasten on errands of love to the living, the Divine comfort would come to them. They would meet Jesus Himself in the way, and receive His Greetings!" Grief is often selfish. It forgets the living - in its sorrow for the dead. To such mourners, true comfort never comes. Rise up and go on errands of service - and Jesus will meet you.The women worshiped their Master, rejoicing that they had Him back again from the grave. He then Himself sent them on an errand to the disciples. "Go tell My brethren to go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me." Whenever Jesus makes an appointment with His friends, He will keep it, He will be present, and will have blessings to bestow upon those who meet Him there. Suppose that some of our Lord's disciples had stayed away from the appointed meeting in Galilee, not quite believing his promise, or having other things to do instead - what would they have missed? Or they might have said, "It is a long distance to the place"; or, "The mountain is steep, and I do not like to climb it"; or, "I fear it will rain or be stormy"; or, "Perhaps He will not be there at all - I cannot understand how He can indeed be risen." For any of these reasons, or for any other reason - some might have been absent that wonderful day. But they would then have missed the glorious sight of the risen Jesus, and would not have received His commission and promise. To the end of their lives they would have regretted that they had not kept their Lord's appointment that day.Jesus makes appointments with us to meet us at times of prayer in church services, at the Holy Communion, at some holy appointed place. Sometimes we do not think these appointments very important, and are easily influenced to omit them. We never can know what we lose by these failures or neglects. Jesus always comes where He asks us to meet Him, and gives blessings there to those who have been faithful in gathering to wait for Him. We do not know what we may miss by staying away from any appointment with our Master.The risen Lord's promise to His disciples when He sent them forth is one of great comfort. "Lo, I am with you always - even unto the end of the world!" If Jesus had given His commission without adding His promise, His disciples might well have shrunk from going forth to the work to which He assigned them. But having His promise, they could not hesitate.This assurance was not for the first disciples only; He says to us also, "I am with you always!" In what sense is Christ with us always? It is not merely as our departed human friends are with us - in the sweet memories of their lives. It is a real and personal presence. He is present with us - as He was with Mary and Martha when He came to them that day after their brother had died. He is present with each one of us, not only on the bright days but on the dark days. Let us believe in the actual presence of Christ with us, and then let us act as if we believe that He is with us. This is he secret of Christian power and Christian peace!

A unique type of devotional from the writings of James Russell Miller, published between 1908 and 1913.

Devotional Hours Within the Bible

Matthew 28:1-20

The Resurrection

I am the true vine. (John 
15:1)

The true vine is that which fulfills the 
one and only purpose of its existence. So Jesus brings this illustration over to 
Himself and His Church, and it is perfectly clear what is the nature of the Lord 
Jesus. He is reaching out to all men, embracing the whole world. He asks ALL
the nations into His heart. ALL men are His concern and not any one nation. 
He said to His disciples: "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of ALL THE 
NATIONS" (Matthew 28:19). It is the very nature of Jesus to do that. It is quite 
foreign to Him to be exclusive, small and narrow and self-occupied.... 
But it
 is all very well to think of this objectively. It has to
 come down to every one of us. What is the proof that
 Christ is in you and in me? How can it be known that
 Christ is in us? Only in one way – that others are
 receiving Life through us, that we minister the Life of
 Christ to others, that when hungry and needy people come
 into touch with us they feel the touch of Life. They may
 express it in different ways, but it amounts to this:
 'That man, that woman, has something that I have not got
 and it is something that I need. There is something about
 them that I feel, and it is what I really need.' That
 should be true of every Christian because Christ is in
 us, expanding Himself through us and ministering His Life through us.
 Oh, do
 pray, dear friends, every day as you get up: 'Lord, make
 me a channel of Life to someone today. Lord, minister
 Your own Life through me to someone today. May I
 bring Life wherever I am.' The Lord has no other purpose
 for you and for me. We may try to do a lot of things, but
 if we belong to the Vine we are no good for anything but
 to bear fruit; and that is to bring Life to others.

This devotional contains short daily portions from a selection of Mr. Austin-Sparks' messages. In his own words, “Perhaps this is just like a window opened into heaven. If you get the right window you can see quite a lot. You can see great things and you can see far things. But the best that I can hope is that this has just opened a window, and that as you look through it you are seeing one thing - how superior is Jesus Christ to all else, and how superior is the dispensation into which we have come, and how superior are all the resources at our disposal to all that ever was before!” Open Windows messages have been selected and compiled by Austin-Sparks.Net from the works of T. Austin-Sparks. In some cases they appear in abridged form. The introductory verse and its associated Bible version have been selected by the editor and did not always appear within the original message.

Open Windows

The On-High Calling - Chapter 6

 A Channel Of Life 

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, as you go, 
disciple people in all nations. 
(Matthew 28:18,19 ISV)
But who is to go? It is the Church, and His 
irreducible nucleus of the Church is two. It is a corporate thing, the bringing 
of the significance of the Body into view. When there is a functioning in the 
Spirit, it is nothing less than Christ risen, ascended and exalted, going on 
with His work through His Body, with all those limitations dismissed. That is 
tremendous! It is either true, or it is not true. If it is true, it is an 
immense thing. If it is not, well, what fools we are! But here it is, and, oh! 
that the Church might learn more of what it means to be in living union with a 
risen Christ! That there should be a company, two or three or more, though 
limited physically here on this earth by time and space, yet really functioning 
in the Holy Spirit, so that the universal Christ – all that it means that He is 
there at God’s right hand – is having some expression! I would to God that 
this could come home to you by the Spirit and that you could grasp it, for 
what differences it would make! We have a long way to go yet before this is 
appreciated adequately. But it is true!
When you touch these things, human language 
is a vain instrument for expression. “The exceeding greatness of His power” – the 
superlatives in this realm! Oh, for this enlargement by a new apprehension of 
the greatness of Christ in His Person, in His death, in His resurrection! Well, 
then, the supreme thing the New Testament shows is that the Church on its true, 
spiritual basis corresponds to Christ risen. Not "the Church" that we know here 
on earth, for it does not. But God’s thought about the Church is not an 
impossible and merely idealistic one. It is a practical thing. Two saints, 
simple, humble and unimportant in this world, but really meeting together in the 
Spirit, can be a functioning instrument of Him to whom has been committed all 
authority in heaven and on earth. With them all these old limitations can be 
dismissed and they can at one moment touch all the ends of the earth. Do you 
believe that? That is really the meaning of our glorying in Christ risen. It 
has to be something more than emotion, and more than glorious doctrine; yes, 
more than a truth to which we give some assent.... If it is true 
that we are one with a risen, enthroned Lord, it ought to have tremendous 
repercussions. May it be so!

Four Greatnesses of Divine Revelation - Chapter 6

 Tremendous Repercussion in the Church 

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . . and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! … I have become all things to all men that I might by all means save some. Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart § My word … shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please. § Neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Evening Daily Light

 Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net. 

19 <woj>Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, </woj>

<woj>Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,<cr>1</cr> baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,<cr>2</cr> </woj>

Matthew 28:19

 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,   baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

<woj>Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, </woj>

 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,   baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  

Bible Verse of the Day

August 24, 2018

Matthew 28:19 NIV

Verse by Verse Bible Study

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