ASSURANCE

For the things I most need assurance about, I must not depend on what someone tells me in their words or in doctrinal statements.
The Words of God in the Bible must be sufficient on their own without added human words to make them count in my life and in my mind.
Any time any teacher explains the Bible, it is vital to end with the Bible Words again, so the listeners or readers go out remembering God’s Words ringing in their mind and soul, not the teacher’s words or revered theologians’ words.

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In most cases, classic doctrine issues are labeled with human words and discussed with human words, with Bible references to prove the theology.

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The Bible says, “. . .”
The Bible says, “. . .”
The Bible says, “. . .”

☆ That must be the trademark of every pastor, teacher, evangelist, leader.

☆ That is the secret of power.

☆ It is not intelligence, education, understanding, revelation.

God put this is focus for Paul, the writer of much in the Bible.
“LEST I SHOULD BE EXALTED ABOVE MEASURE through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of satan to buffet me, LEST I SHOULD BE EXALTED ABOVE MEASURE.”

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If you want to get hold of the rest of the story, and consider application in your own life, read on—

Then Paul describes what it took for God to complete His purpose in his life.
“For this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times, that it might be taken away from me.
And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’
Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.”