The Key To A Worry-free Life

According to doctors at the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, rattlesnakes thought to be dead can still strike, bite, and kill you. Doctors in Phoenix said they have a large number of patients admitted each year suffering from bites from rattlers thought to be dead. Sometimes the snakes were shot and their heads cutoff; but, the snake head retains a reflex action. In fact, one study showed that snake heads could still make striking-type motions up to sixty minutes after decapitation.

Satan, that old Serpent, was defeated at Calvary—his head was cut off. Hebrews Chapter 2 says that our Savior, by His death, destroyed him who holds the power of death. But for a season Satan can still strike and wound us. He can still hurt us and poison our relationships and spread his deadly venom into our homes and lives.

Paul admonished the Corinthians to take great care in this area, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Cor. 2:11). Although this may have been true in the apostle’s day, we are not sure it is the case today. It seems to us that many believers are unaware they are under attack. Satan can be very subtle and his devices are well planned. While his devices take on many forms there is one in particular that he uses quite effectively— worry! If the enemy can keep you off balance in this area he can successfully hinder your service for the Lord.

WORRY

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” —Phil. 4:6,7

Do you worry? I didn’t think so, but there are some who struggle with this problem. Paul says, “Be careful for nothing.” In our modern day language we would say, “Don’t worry about anything.” The Greek word behind the term “careful” here is merimnao, which means to pull in different directions, to distract. This is exactly what worry will do to you—it will tear you apart both emotionally and physically. It can be one of the leading causes of ulcers, which is something else to worry about!

Worry always dwells on the future in regard to what may or may not happen. It mulls over every worst-case scenario imaginable until you are tied in knots. We might say it this way: the past belongs to the ages, the present belongs to us, but the future belongs to God.

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.


Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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Satan And The Truth

“If any man be in Christ he is a new creation…” (II Cor. 5:17).

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…” (Eph. 2:10).

“And ye are complete in Him…” (Col. 2:10).

“In Christ!” What a glorious truth! What a high and holy position! No religious ceremony, neither circumcision nor baptism, needed to make us spiritually complete. God only asks now: “Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Eph. 4:1).

Many Christians are satisfied with salvation through the blood of Christ, but God wants us to have much more than this. He wants us to have “the full assurance of understanding” (Col. 2:2), to know the security, the blessedness, the glory of a position in Christ. He wants us to know “the exceeding riches of His grace” (Eph. 2:7), and to enjoy “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

But Satan does not!

For proclaiming these glorious truths the Apostle Paul was bitterly opposed on every hand, even by some saved religious leaders of his day.

And Satan has not changed!

Proclaim this message today and “your adversary the devil” will soon be roused to action. He hates this message of grace which the glorified Lord revealed through Paul (Eph. 3:1-3) and let us not be asleep to the fact that, as in Paul’s day, he will again seek to use even saved religious leaders, evangelical “big guns,” if he can, to oppose it, thus robbing Christ of His glory and believers of their blessings.

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.


Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

Earth’s Greatest Day

The incomparable English preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once said, “Every circumstance connected with the life of Christ is deeply interesting to the Christian mind. Wherever we behold our Savior, He is well worthy of our notice….All His weary pilgrimage, from Bethlehem’s manger to Calvary’s cross, is, in our eyes, paved with glory. Each spot upon which He trod is, to our souls, consecrated at once, simply because there the foot of earth’s Savior and our own Redeemer once was placed.

“When He comes to Calvary, the interest thickens; then our best thoughts are centered on Him in the agonies of crucifixion, nor does our deep affection permit us to leave Him, even when, the struggle being over, He yields up the ghost. His body, when it is taken down from the tree, still is lovely in our eyes—we fondly linger around the motionless clay. By faith we discern Joseph of Arimathea, and the timid Nicodemus… drawing out the nails and taking down the mangled body; we behold them wrapping Him in clean, white linen, hastily girding him round with belts of spices; then putting Him in His tomb, and departing for the Sabbath rest.”

On the first day of the week, Christ broke the bands of death and rose again. In the words of the angel who was there that glorious morning, “Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matt. 28:6). It is in every sense of the word, earth’s greatest day.

WITNESS OF THE EMPTY TOMB

After the crucifixion of Christ, Joseph begged Pilate for the body of Jesus, that he might give it a proper burial. Once in his possession, Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped the body and placed it in the tomb — they placed the Rock of Ages in a hewn-out rock. Then they removed the object holding the “great stone” in place, allowing it to roll in front of the entrance of the tomb. This stone is estimated to have weighed more than a ton; in fact, it is said that it would have taken the strength of twenty men to move it. According to the Scriptures, there were four believers that day who witnessed the entombment of our Lord’s body: Joseph, Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary (Matt. 27:57-61; John 19:38-42).

Shortly thereafter, the Chief Priest and the Pharisees requested that Pilate secure the tomb. This was accomplished by doing three things:

“So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch” (Matt. 27:66).

To make the tomb sure meant that the stone would have been removed from the entrance so the religious leaders and the Roman soldiers could confirm the body of Jesus was actually there. Obviously it was present and accounted for, seeing that the soldiers sealed the tomb with the Roman signet. The motto in those days was, “Break a Roman seal, and lose your life.” Finally, they set a watch, which meant sixteen Roman soldiers were posted nearby, four of which were stationed at the door of the tomb. We know for certain that there were more than two soldiers on duty because Matthew clearly states that “some of the watch came into the city” after Christ’s resurrection (Matt. 28:11,12).

As dawn was breaking on resurrection morn, the air, in all probability, was cool and crisp. When Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome arrived at the burial plot, they were amazed to find that the massive stone had been removed and the tomb was empty (Mark 16:1-3). When Peter and John arrived on the scene, they too were puzzled, but eventually realized that the reason the body was gone was because Christ had risen from the dead, as He had promised (John 20:19,20). The secured tomb was empty, which bears witness to the fact that Christ did indeed rise from the dead. Even the unbelieving Roman watch confirmed that the tomb they had been guarding was empty (Matt. 28:11-15).

THE WITNESS OF ANGELS

“And, behold… the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it” (Matt. 28:2).

It is interesting that, according to the four Gospels, there were two different appearances of the angels on the day Christ rose from the dead. As messengers of God, they announced the Savior’s birth, and now one of them announces His resurrection. But is it possible for one angel to move what Mark calls a “very great” stone (Mark 16:4), estimated to weigh well over a ton? The strength and ability of the angels of God go far beyond our comprehension; they are supernatural beings. For example, in the days of Hezekiah, one angel smote dead 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night (II Kings 19:35; Isa. 37:36).

The account given to us by Matthew makes it very clear that the Lord had already risen from the dead prior to the angel of the Lord rolling the stone away from the doorway. You see, the removal of the stone was for our benefit.  It was removed by the angel so we could see the tomb was empty. This is why the angel said to the women present that day, “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen” (Matt. 28:5,6).

THE WITNESS OF THE LORD

Luke records for us that the Lord showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs —undeniable, irrefutable proofs (Acts 1:3). In addition to the aforementioned witnesses, the Lord was seen by over 500 brethren at once in Galilee (Matt. 28:10; I Cor. 15:6). This was followed by perhaps the most credible evidence of all: He appeared to James and Paul, both of whom rejected Him before His resurrection.

Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus, when He saw the resurrected Christ, was similar to that of Thomas, who couldn’t deny his senses and said, “My Lord and my God!” But there’s still another infallible proof for those who believe: He lives in our heart by faith. Amen!


You can receive More Minutes With the Bible every week in your email inbox. This list features longer articles, including both original content and articles that have appeared in the Berean Searchlight.

The Great Deceiver

“Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken.” —Habakkuk 2:15

There are many passages in the Word of God, such as the above reference, that are timeless principles. While the alcohol industry goes to great lengths to get people to believe that drinking is a harmless way to have a good time, the facts are otherwise. It is very careful never to advertise the alcoholic who is dying of cirrhosis of the liver or the homes that have been destroyed by strong drink. And of course, there’s always a voice in the crowd that says a few social drinks will never hurt anyone. Most recovering alcoholics, however, tell a much different story of how their slide into a life of drunkenness all started with social drinking.

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Prov. 20:1).

Many years ago, I was driving through Apollo, Pennsylvania, where I saw a mangled piece of wreckage alongside of the road. Upon slowing down, I discovered it was an automobile, or at least what was left of it. Apparently someone survived the crash because there were beer cans strategically placed beside the car with a sign, which read, “And they told us we were going to have fun!” Someone lied.

Contrary to the world’s view that alcoholism is a disease, the Word of God calls drunkenness a sin (Gal. 5:19-21). Excessive drinking is not a disease; it is a matter of choice. Although some drunkards overcome their addiction through programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, apart from faith, all too often they return to their drinking ways when confronted with a crisis. The world’s answer to the problems of this life is, “I need a drink.” However, the answer is not found in the bottom of a bottle. The answer is a personal relationship with Christ!

Everyone reading these lines has a family member, a dear friend, or a neighbor who struggles with this temptation. Yes, even believers wrestle with this sin, as Paul makes very clear:

“Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness….But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:12-14).

The best thing we can do for those who grapple with this addiction is to show them our love and support. It is important to share with them that they are dead to this sin in Christ and therefore, it doesn’t have to control their life any longer. Since alcoholism is such a deeply seated problem, encourage them to search out a godly pastor or Christian counselor who can assist them in a better understanding of Romans, Chapter 6.

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.


Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

Wonderful News

The newspapers are filled with sensational news these days, but the divine extension of this present age of grace is the most sensational news of all, yet most newspapers rarely, if ever, mention it.

We are prone to take the blessings of our times too much for granted. We forget too easily that for more than 1900 years the world has been ripe for God’s judgment — ever since His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, was crucified and sent from this world a royal Exile.

All through the Old Testament Psalms and prophets it is clear that the world’s rejection of Christ was to be visited with awful judgment. The Second Psalm, describing the world’s rejection of “the Lord and His Anointed,” goes on to say: “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath and vex them in His sore displeasure.” In Psalm 110:1, too, we have the Father saying to His rejected Son: “Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.”

Yet, when all seemed ready for the divine judgment to fall, God interrupted the prophetic program and saved Saul of Tarsus, the “chief of sinners,” the leader of the world’s rebellion against Christ. More: He appointed this Saul, as the Apostle Paul, to proclaim “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), the wonderful news that because Christ suffered, the Just for the unjust, at Calvary, any sinner may be saved by grace through faith, apart from religious or other works.

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). And therefore: “To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5).

Judgment will come, but thank God, He has in grace delayed it until now.

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Cor. 6:2).

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.


Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

True Unity

There are many unions all over the world, but in only one place is true unity to be found: in the Lord Jesus Christ. The children of fallen Adam have always been divided. Adam’s first two children could not get along together. One killed the other. And now that the race has multiplied there are about three billion separate, individual wills in the world. Some of Adam’s children try to get along together amicably and enjoy some measure of success, but this always takes effort. It does not come naturally. Even the dearest lovers must be prepared to yield to each other’s wishes frequently to get along well together. There is no true unity in this world.

But where Adam’s children have been divided by sin, they may be saved and truly united in Christ. As Christ became one with us when He died our death (the wages of sin) at Calvary, so we may become one with Him as in faith we acknowledge that that death was not His but ours. This is what the Apostle referred to when he asked:

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?” (Rom. 6:3).

This verse does not refer to water baptism, for no one can be baptized into Christ — become one with Him — by a physical ceremony. The only way to become one with Him is to accept by faith the fact that He died our death on the cross. The meeting place must always be Calvary. And as we acknowledge His death as ours and become one with Him, we automatically become one with each other.

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” (I Cor. 12:13).

Unity in Christ is not something for which Christians are to strive. It is a fact of grace to be recognized and enjoyed by faith. True believers in and out of all denominations have been baptized into one body, whether or not they recognize this.

Now it is for us to appropriate and enjoy this unity in Christ, “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3) i.e., seeking to experience the unity which the Spirit has made. Only those who have been baptized into Christ by faith can appreciate the blessed oneness which believers may enjoy.

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.


Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

Accepted

In Ephesians 1:6 the Apostle Paul sings a doxology, as it were, “to the praise of the glory of God’s grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved”.

In the story of the Prodigal Son it is touching to see the father accept his wayward son back to his bosom — and so generously! He does not merely admit him back into his home; he clothes him with his best robe, puts a ring on his hand, shoes on his feet and kills for him the fatted calf so that they call all to “eat and be merry” in celebration of his return.

But the prodigal was after all the father’s son, whereas Paul bids us “Gentiles in the flesh” to remember that originally we were “without Christ…aliens from the commonwealth of Israel…strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph.2:12).

Hence it is even more touching to contemplate God’s gracious acceptance of us who were not sons but “aliens” and “enemies” (Col.1:21).

The word “accepted” in the above passage actually comes from the word “grace” (Gr. karis) with which the verse begins: “…His grace, wherein He hath engraced us in the Beloved One”.

Thus God looks upon us now with delight; He delights to favor and bless the believer because He sees him in Christ, His beloved Son.

This passage reminds us how God once broke through the heavens to declare: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt.3:17). And now He is delighted with us and blesses us with “all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies” because we are in Christ, the “Beloved Son”. Not that we have attained to this position, far from it, for “HE hath MADE us accepted” — HE hath engraced us in the Beloved.

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.


Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

The Resurrection Day

In Psalm 2:7 we find the prophetic words: “I will declare the decree: The Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son: THIS DAY have I begotten Thee.”

Should we ask: “What day?” or “When was Christ offi- cially declared to be the Son of God?” We will find the answer in Acts 13:33:

“God hath fulfilled the same [promises] unto us… in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second Psalm: Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee.”

So it was at Christ’s resurrection that the “decree” was made and He was “declared” to be the Son of God — “begotten” in the larger sense of the word.

This agrees with what we find in the first chapter of Romans, where St. Paul speaks of God’s good news,

“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power… by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:3,4).

This is a wonderful truth. It was Christ’s resurrection from the dead in power that proved that He was indeed God the Son. And more wonderful still: it was our death He died at Calvary, so that He might impart to us this everlasting resurrection life. In Eph. 2:2,3, we are all declared to have been “the children of disobedience” and therefore “by nature the children of wrath,” but see how this passage continues:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved), and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4-6).

Thus, because of Christ’s finished work of salvation, those who place their trust in Him are given His resurrection life and “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). This is their RESURRECTION DAY!

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.


Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

Open Doors

“I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it” (Rev. 3:8).

This prophecy concerning the church at Philadelphia doubtless looks forward to a future day, but who can deny that it contains a lesson for our day?

When, in our walk through life, God sets before us open doors of opportunity, He clearly intends us to enter them. The only way to avoid entering an open door set before us would be to deliberately sidestep the opportunity. Alas, how prone we are to do this! Indeed, we often pray God for open doors when He has already set them before us and all about us.

Examine the record of Paul’s ministry and see how he thanked God for open doors (Acts 14:27; I Cor. 16:9), grasping such opportunities as God set before him on every hand. He did not pull strings or ask his friends to use their influence to gain more comfortable or better-paying positions. He faithfully entered whatever doors God set before him. His best known requests for prayer for open doors came from Rome, where a prison door had closed behind him. Should not this put us to shame!

May God convict us of the inconsistency of praying for open doors while failing to enter the many open doors He has set before us! May He forgive us for ever being selective about working for Him! May He give us the grace to take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves to us, “buying up the time because the days are evil.”

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.


Two Minutes with the Bible lets you start your day with short but powerful Bible study articles from the Berean Bible Society. Sign up now to receive Two Minutes With the Bible every day in your email inbox. We will never share your personal information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Two Minutes with the Bible is now available on Alexa devices. Full instructions here.

Six Billion Wills

As long as man remained obedient to the will of God, his Maker, all was well with him. His life was perfectly balanced because it was centered in God. As soon as he listened to Satan, however, and set his will against God’s, all began to go wrong. His life was now off center and out of balance. It was no longer subject to one central Will. Alienated from God, man now reaped the fruits of his rebellion, not only in his banishment from Paradise but in the self-will of his offspring.

Of the first two children born into the world, one bludgeoned the other to death and this was but the beginning. Whereas God had originally created man in His own “image” and “likeness” (Gen. 1:26,27) we read later that Adam begat Seth “in HIS own likeness, after HIS image”(Gen.5:3).

And so parents down through the ages have begotten children like themselves, with fallen natures and wills of their own, until today we have some six billion wills operating in the world instead of the one central will of God.

This does not mean, however, that God has abdicated, or that the future of the world is now subject to the wills of six billion fallen creatures, but at least we get a glimpse of why the world is in the mess it is. Nor was God forced to formulate new plans because of the fall of man. Far from it, for despite man’s rebellion — even through it — God has been carrying out His plan and every true believer rejoices that God “worketh all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph.1:11). While He does not rule directly in the affairs of men, He very definitely overrules, and as a result, “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom.8:28).

To the Reader:

Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.


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