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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center">"<font size="3"><b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE" MINISTRIES</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><font size="3"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b><font size="3">Tel:
253.874.4265 -- Email: <a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></font></b></p>
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<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/">www.2rbetter.org</a></font></b></p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><u><b>2009-01-10
- "THE OPENED SIGHT" - Oswald Chambers</b></u></p>
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<b>(From - "My Utmost for His Highest")</b></p>
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<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<b>Acts 26:17-18 (25:23-26:29) "I now send you, to open their eyes
... that they may receive forgiveness of sins ..."</b></p>
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<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
This verse is the greatest example of the true essence of the message
of a disciple of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament.</p>
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<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
God's first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words, "...
<b>that they may receive forgiveness of sins ..." </b>When a person
fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has
never <i>received</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> anything. The
only sign that a person is saved is that he has received something
from Jesus Christ. Our job as workers for God is to open people's
eyes so that they may turn themselves from darkness to light. But
that is not salvation; it is conversion - only the effort of an
awakened human being. I do not think it is too broad a statement to
say that the majority of so-called Christians are like this. Their
eyes are open, but they have received nothing. Conversion is not
regeneration. This is a neglected fact in our preaching today. When a
person is born again, he knows that it is because he has received
something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own
decision. People may make vows and promises, and may be determined to
follow through, but none of this is salvation. Salvation means that
we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something
from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, </span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>forgiveness
of sins.</b></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<span style="font-style: normal;">This is followed by God's second
mighty work of grace: </span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>"...
an inheritance among those who are sanctified..." </b></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
In sanctification, the one who has been born again </span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>deliberately</u></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself
</span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>entirely</u></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
with God's ministry to others.</span></p>
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<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><u><b><span style="font-style: normal;">NOTE:</span></b></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
I believe it is possible to have a head-knowledge of the above -
possible to preach these principles - possible to con oneself into
hoping that he has made the grade, and will be accepted by God - and
all the time have entirely missed the point of the above.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Oswald
Chambers upset many of his hearers and students with his clear
presentation of the Gospel. There was </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">no</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
evasion of the point with him! He would respond to strong objections
with - "Just put it on the back burner for a while - and it will
eventually come clear."</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Often
it is a critical life experience that catapults us into making the
above two decisions - or a dream. The second is the most difficult,
for it rings the death-knell for our self-life. Once we are truly
identified with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion - then our life is
</span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">His</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">,
and He lives out His victorious, resurrected life through us. Then
Paul's verse in Galatians 2:20 becomes ours also, not something we
merely quote. Then like Paul Rader we also say that when God truly
comes in and takes over, that we begin "Life's Greatest Adventure."</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">It
seems that all who enter the second step, it is through a traumatic
death-dealing experience. This was </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">certainly</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
true for Chambers, Howells, Baker and Muller. It was true for Paul
starting on the Damascus Road when he asked, "Who are You, Lord,"
and received the answer, "I am Jesus, who you are persecuting."</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><span style="text-decoration: none;">"<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">With
Eternity's Values in View" - there is then </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">no</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
decision too hard! May we each one step up to bat, and count the
cost, and follow completely through. - JW.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
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