Bible Studies

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Lesson 39 brought us to what many think of as the door at end of the road. In this world death is the end of life, but worse than death is the spirit of evil which many people embrace. It has them act as if they were untouchable by anything but the final release of the constraints of this life. They assume death is final but what they don’t understand is we all have the power to make our hopes come true. We all get what we work toward and the success in this life is of no importance compared to eternal triumph. Our actions are guided by a completely different set of rules and we are working for unearthly goals.

Everyone knows that the body dies and others will continue, for a time, in their stead. Death is a part of life and like all things, we must learn from it. Christ taught that a man must be born again in the spirit in order to live at all, but it was not a new teaching. The hundreds of laws kept by orthodox Jews were designed to produce a spiritual life. A life to be lived as if walking with God every day, just like Adam in the garden. The Law was perfect, but men were not. The sacrifices did cover their sins, but they couldn't keep it up.

And now, lesson 40 is the answer to Nicodemus' question, "How can a man be born a second time?" Since the time of Moses the Jews had striven, mostly unsuccessfully, to create a nation of spiritually led citizens. What men needed then and need now is for the spirit of Truth to awaken their souls from long sleep. In the truth is the power of life that had been of the body before.






40. The Spirit Brings Life to the Soul

I waited patiently for the Lord and He saw me, He heard my cry. He brought me up out of the horrible pit, out of the mud; set my feet upon a rock and I came to be. He put a song in my mouth, it was praise to our Maker; many shall hear it and fear Him, and shall trust in the Lord. Life comes to the soul of one who makes the Lord his trust, who does not respect the proud or listen to liars.

Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done. Your thoughts have gone out to us, so many that if I could speak them all, their number could not be added up. It was not sacrifice and offerings that You desired; You have opened my ears: it was not sin offering and burnt offering that You required, You wanted our trust. I heard, and answered: I come. I found my name written in your book.

Now, I delight to do your will, O Lord. Your law has become a part of me. I have told all who would listen about your righteousness, You know I have not been bashful. I have not hidden your righteousness; I have declared your faithfulness and salvation. I have not concealed your loving-kindness and truth from the world.

May your tender mercies continue to come, O Lord: let your love and truth constantly surround me. For evil is all around and my own weakness is sometimes so hard to overcome that I am afraid to look up; more troubles than the hair on my head so that my heart almost fails.

If it pleases You, Lord, deliver me, come help me quick. Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek to destroy me and ruin my soul; let them be driven back and put to shame that wish me evil. Let those who mock me have desolation for the reward of their shame.

Let all who seek after You rejoice and be glad, let those who love your salvation say always that the Lord is the truth and the life. I am poor and full of need, but the Lord remembers me: You are my help and my deliverer, come to me now, O my God.





This is the understanding of the glory of doing, but it is not about accomplishment. Our action was in the previous psalm to recognize the reality of death. This thoughtful lesson describes how it works. Life comes to the soul of the one who makes the Lord his trust. Our Father does not want our offerings, we do not prove ourselves by what we sacrifice but by the trust give. We hear his word and we come, it is like a dance to the music of the love and truth of the Lord.

We tell all who can and will listen that the Lord is good and worthy of our trust. By our words and actions, by our being we show the world what is the Lord. We find joy and hope in the relationship we establish but make no mistake, we do not become bulletproof. Our enemies will take notice and show up our weaknesses but all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord.

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