Nahum 3

The only constant in life is God. Man may surround himself with perceptions of wealth, power and control but it is all in vain. We cannot protect ourselves. God is all powerful and all knowing. All life exist in Him and is in His control alone.

Nahum 3

The Woe of Nineveh

3 Woe to the bloody city!

It is all full of lies and robbery.

Its victim never departs.

2 The noise of a whip

And the noise of rattling wheels,

Of galloping horses,

Of clattering chariots!

3 Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear.

There is a multitude of slain,

A great number of bodies,

Countless corpses—

They stumble over the corpses—

4 Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot,

The mistress of sorceries,

Who sells nations through her harlotries,

And families through her sorceries.

5 "Behold, I am against you," says the Lord of hosts;

"I will lift your skirts over your face,

I will show the nations your nakedness,

And the kingdoms your shame.

6 I will cast abominable filth upon you,

Make you vile, 5

And make you a spectacle.

7 It shall come to pass that all who look upon you

Will flee from you, and say,

'Nineveh is laid waste!

Who will bemoan her?'

Where shall I seek comforters for you?"

8 Are you better than No Amon

That was situated by the River,

That had the waters around her,

Whose rampart was the sea,

Whose wall was the sea?

9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength,

And it was boundless;

Put and Lubim were your helpers.

10 Yet she was carried away,

She went into captivity;

Her young children also were dashed to pieces

At the head of every street;

They cast lots for her honorable men,

And all her great men were bound in chains.

11 You also will be drunk;

You will be hidden;

You also will seek refuge from the enemy.

12 All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs:

If they are shaken,

They fall into the mouth of the eater.

13 Surely, your people in your midst are women!

The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies;

Fire shall devour the bars of your gates.

14 Draw your water for the siege!

Fortify your strongholds!

Go into the clay and tread the mortar!

Make strong the brick kiln!

15 There the fire will devour you,

The sword will cut you off;

It will eat you up like a locust.

Make yourself many—like the locust!

Make yourself many— like the swarming locusts!

16 You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of heaven.

The locust plunders and flies away.

17 Your commanders are like swarming locusts,

And your generals like great grasshoppers,

Which camp in the hedges on a cold day;

When the sun rises they flee away,

And the place where they are is not known.

18 Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria;

Your nobles rest in the dust.

Your people are scattered on the mountains,

And no one gathers them.

19 Your injury has no healing,

Your wound is severe.

All who hear news of you

Will clap their hands over you,

For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?

Revelation 13:1-9

13 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

 

Clearly, God has placed restraints on evil.

Today, as we watch televised reports of death and disaster around the world, and as we experience pain and suffering in our own families and among our neighbors and associates, we too need to maintain a godly perspective. God has placed limits on evil. The very fact that we have a distaste for it reflects that we do indeed bear God's image as His creatures

We have not and will not experience the full onslaught of pain and suffering that could be delivered. This restraining work of God can be seen in several incidents in the Old Testament:

Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:22–24). After Adam and Eve sinned, God sent them out of the garden and sealed it off. According to Genesis, this was not a matter of retaliation by God but a protection from the possibility of eating from the tree of life and being separated from Him forever.

The Flood (Gen. 6:5–8). When evil had corrupted the entire world, God acted with "severe mercy" by sending the flood. This restricted evil and made possible a second start for the earth.

The Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1–9). Again, widespread evil threatened to consume the creation. God intervened by confusing the languages of the peoples to limit their collusion in wickedness. This was a case of God preserving sinful humanity from itself.

Job (Job 1:6–2:10). Satan wanted to prove to God that Job's faithfulness was merely the result of God blessing him. So God granted Satan limited permission to inflict suffering.

John was writing to believers to help them maintain a realistic view of good and evil in the midst of intense persecution.

Luke 16

In this life we need to be as wise as serpents but as gentle as doves. We cannot allow the world to deceive us in our innocence or we will be devoured and quickly become disillusioned. Everything comes from the Father, everything, so that no man can take pride in it. We need to make the best use of the talents that God has given us and in generosity share them and the fruits of our labor with others always giving thanks to God for them. In so doing we build up treasures in heaven where nothing can destroy their value. Love God above all others and love your neighbor as you love yourself and you will fulfill all the commandments of the law. God's
love never fails!

it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

Luke 16

Parable of the Unjust Servant

16 He also said to His disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'

3 "Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'

5 "So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' 7 Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9 "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?

13 f"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Christ Warns the Pharisees

14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16 "The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

Daniel 4:14-37

Be humble and fear the Lord who can destroy both body and soul. Remember all things belong to God and we are just caretakers of that which He has provided. We cannot earn heaven it is not our worthiness or our deserved honor, only through the grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus can we do anything. There was a period of time about 2 years in length that the Holy Spirit taught me the Bible in its entirety, waking me up in the middle of the night to show me something that I had never known. He used visions and dreams to make sure that I understood the magnitude of His glory and the depth of His love for me. God had shown me the wall of protection He had around me so the fiery darts of hell could not harm me. He allowed me to hear the darts ping the walls and to smell the essence of the Holy Spirit. I attended a church 5 nights a week where the congregation was poor and the people were from backgrounds that had been filled with violence, scandal and poverty. I felt spiritually superior to these people, why I have no clue! I remember talking to the Pastor and saying I didn't understand how these people who professed such love for God could live the lives that they did. I would come to know and to understand them, but it would be 7 years later. People in desperate situations do desperate things. Only after 2 divorces and the loss of my only son did I understood that only by the grace of God do we ever stand. God is in control, He gives and He can take away! To God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all glory, honor and praise!

37
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar was allowed a full year in the hope that he might repent and avert the judgment of God for his arrogant pride.

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you."

Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!

20 "The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, 21 whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

23 "And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him'; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.

26 "And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."

Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"

31 While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."

33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

And His kingdom is from generation to generation.

35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;

He does according to His will in the army of heaven

And among the inhabitants of the earth.

No one can restrain His hand

Or say to Him, "What have You done?"

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

James 1

Keep the faith! Doubt nothing that you ask in His holy name. In the measure that you believe in Him and in His love, mercy and salvation in the cross is the measure that you can receive from Him the true blessings of life. In this life we will have trials and tribulations BUT in the glorious age to come there will be no more tears, sickness or death. He has set the captives free!!

The perfect law of liberty is the law of love. Loving God and loving one's neighbor sums up the Law (see Matt. 26:36–40). But it is Christ's love (Eph. 3:17–19) which frees us from our sins to truly love others (John 8:36–38; Gal. 5:13).
Orphans and widows were among the most unprotected and needy classes in ancient societies (see Ezek. 22:7). Pure religion does not merely give material goods for the relief of the distressed, it also oversees their care (see Acts 6:1–7; 1 Tim. 5:3–16).

Greeting to the Twelve Tribes

1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:

Greetings.

Profiting from Trials

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he isia double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The Perspective of Rich and Poor

9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

Loving God Under Trials

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

Qualities Needed in Trials

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Doers—Not Hearers Only

21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Ezekiel 3

The religious right is most times the hardest group of Christians to reach; in their hearts they feel that they are right and that it is their way or no way, how sad. The Christians taken captive by sin and knowing their unworthiness are more apt to take to heart the words spoken to them and to desperately want to change their life to reflect God's worthiness not theirs. God hates pride and arrogance. We need to rethink the parameters that we use for judging and make sure that love for God and others is the barometer that we use. If we know that something is wrong and fail to warn others about the pit that they are about to fall into we will be held accountable for those actions. Lord, help us to clearly hear You and to only speak when You give us utterance and the wisdom to know the difference.

3 Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.

3 And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

4 Then He said to me: "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. 5 For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, 6 not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. 8 Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 gLike adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house."

10 Moreover He said to me: "Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. 11 And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord God,' whether they hear, or whether they refuse."

12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: "Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place!" 13 I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise. 14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me. 15 Then I came to the captives at Tel Abib, who dwelt by the River Chebar; and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.

Ezekiel is a Watchman

16 Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."

22 Then the hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, "Arise, go out into the plain, and there I shall talk with you."

23 So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 24 Then the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and spoke with me and said to me: "Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 And you, O son of man, surely they will put ropes on you and bind you with them, so that you cannot go out among them. 26 I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and not be one to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God.' He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Mark 2: 1-17

God walked this earth and taught men the way to live. Can you imagine the excitement and the clamor of those that came to hear and to see the Son Of God knowing that if only they could touch the hem of His garment or if He only said a word they and their loved ones could be heal ed. There is no person righteous or worthy of His salvation in themselves, no not one, it is a gift of God. Jesus Christ came to earth to give freedom to those bound by sin and the traditions of men and call them into the light of God's mercy and grace.

A Paralytic is Healed

2 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,  "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned
thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—He said to the paralytic, 11 "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Call of Matthew

13 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. 14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him,  "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.

15 Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"

17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them,  "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

Revelation 8

Christ will return some time in the future, and His return will be a welcome sight to His people. Our hope and prayer is the same as the apostle John's: "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets

8 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck

7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck

8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck

10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck

12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.

13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"

The NKJV Study Bible says this: The seventh seal on the scroll is opened, finally allowing it to be unrolled. Silence in heaven for about half an hour seems to mark a brief but significant break between the unsealing of the scroll and the trumpet judgments. This silence is broken only by a heavenly offering and "the prayers of all the saints". It is, however, the eerie silence before the storm as all of heaven awaits the coming judgment. The judgments of the seven trumpets unfold in a pattern parallel to the unsealing of the seven-sealed scroll. This has led some to conclude that both describe the same time period from different angles, but greatly increased severity of the trumpet judgments makes this unlikely. The sounding of a trumpet had more than one significance in the OT. It was used to gather the Lord's people, to assemble the Lord's army, to announce a new king, and to proclaim the Year of Jubilee. In this context, the sounding of trumpets indicates a declaration of war. The seven angels who stand before God are likely "the angels of the seven churches". The prayers of God's saints seem to have a part in the judgment of God. The censer is a firepan used for burning incense. The golden altar reflects the splendor of the heavenly throne room . Incense here may speak of the fragrance of the infinite perfections of Christ that accompanies the prayers of all the saints or is mingled with their prayers. The addition of this incense is necessary to make our prayers acceptable before the throne. In breaking the silence in heaven, the prayers of God's people for God to act in just judgment are heard and responded to with noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. As in the sequence of the first four seals, the angels sound the first four trumpets in rapid succession. But the effects of the trumpet judgments on earth are far more devastating than the seal judgments. A third of all trees and grass; a third of the sea, the living creatures in the sea, and the ships on the sea; a third of all rivers and springs of water; and apparently a third of all daylight and moonlight are affected by the trumpet judgments. The first four judgments seem designed to reverse in part the original creation of God. The Lord initially assaults the environment. Food is destroyed; distribution of goods is crippled; water supply is severely limited; production is cut drastically.

 

 

 

 

Luke 2:1-14

There was no room for them, God controls all and knows all from the beginning the end, what are we to learn from this? Is it that the world will never make room for the spiritual, that money cannot buy a place in God's Kingdom or just to fulfill the prophesy of the Old Testament? The Father could have brought His Son into the world born to the religious hierarchy and He could have been raised in wealth and earthly comforts but He chose to bring forth His only Begotten Son in a humble stable and to be welcomed first by the Shepherds, not the elite, with shouts of Peace, peace, goodwill toward man. Glory to God in the highest that His gift of salvation is for all people, rich or poor, bond or free, who will humble themselves and choose to accept it!

Christ is Born

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Angels Announce Jesus to the Shepherds

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 "Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

The Study Bible says this: The registration, following Jewish custom, took place at a person's ancestral home. The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 90 miles, at least a three-day trip. The fact that Mary made the journey with Joseph suggests that they were already married. However, the marriage had not yet been consummated. The manger was probably a feeding trough for animals. Jesus was probably born in a stable or in a cave that served as one. The inn was most likely a reception room in a private home or a space at a public shelter, not a large building with several individual rooms. The night watch was kept to protect sheep from robbers and wild animals. In this scene, the glory is the appearance of light in the midst of darkness. Savior … Christ … Lord: These three titles together summarize the saving work of Jesus and His sovereign position. What God was called in 1:47, Savior, Jesus is called here. The word Christ means "Anointed," referring to Jesus' royal, messianic position. The word Lord was the title of a ruler. The meaning of the word is defined by Peter in Acts 2:30–36. Jesus is destined to sit and distribute salvation's benefits from God's side, ruling with the Father. Heavenly host refers to an entourage of angels. goodwill toward men: The phrase means that people are the objects of God's goodwill. In ancient Judaism, this phrase described a limited group of people who were the objects of God's special grace. The promise of peace and goodwill would come to those who welcome God's only Son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 12

WE are the Body of Christ. We are made up of many different peoples with many different gifts BUT we are all the Body Of Christ. We were made by God the Father and given different gifting by the Holy Spirit for the good of all of the Body. No one is more necessary or is less necessary than another. In the unity and power of the Holy Spirit we can accomplish the purpose for our calling through the agape love gift of God given in Christ Jesus. No greater love has ever existed then Jesus who laid down His life in exchange for yours and mine out of His great love for God. Everything that we do should be done within the parameters of God's Love.

The Greatest Gift

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

1 Corinthians 12

Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 mto another the working of miracles, to another nprophecy, to another odiscerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Unity and Diversity in One Body

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Matthew 12:15-21

Don't allow the religious scribes and Pharisees of our time determine your relationship with the Father. In Jesus Christ we are freed from the works mentality of the past to the love relationship that He seeks with those who believe in Him. The truth of the Cross of His Salvation is that He died so that we could live, in truth, in love, in peace with Him. In the power of His Holy Spirit we will be taught the ways of God from the inside out and then and be able to walk in that truth. Love God above all and your neighbor as much as you love yourself and you will fulfill the meaning of the agape love embedded in His commandments.

14 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.

15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

18 "Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,

My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.

19 He will not quarrel nor cry out,

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed He will not break,

And smoking flax He will not quench,

Till He sends forth justice to victory;

21 And in His name Gentiles will trust."

The NKJV Study Bible says this: From this point on, the Lord's ministry was characterized by opposition, withdrawal from that opposition, and continued ministry to His followers. The most significant aspect of this prophecy is that Jesus' reserve in the face of Jewish opposition would lead to blessings on the Gentiles.

 

 

Galatians 1

If righteousness could have been attained by our good deeds and obedience to the Law Jesus Christ would not have died. It would not have been necessary for God to use His own right arm, His only begotten Son, all God and all man to give His sinless life in exchange for ours. We are incapable of saving ourselves; we are incapable of changing ourselves into the image of His Son that He sees in those who place their trust in Him. In His agape love, His mercy and His grace He looked down on His creation and provided a way in Christ Jesus to receive redemption and the power to be changed precept upon precept into the temple of the Holy Spirit.
To God be all the glory, honor and praise.

Galatians 1

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Only One Gospel

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Call to Apostleship

11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Contacts at Jerusalem

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, "He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy." 24 And they glorified God in me

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Paul calls himself an apostle to assert his divinely given authority to speak to the problem confronting the Galatian churches. Through Jesus Christ and God the Father refers to Paul's unique call to be an apostle, which came to him at the same time as his salvation on the road to Damascus. Galatians is a circular letter, intended for several churches. Paul commonly combines the two ideas of grace and peace in the introductions of his letters. The true message of salvation is based solely on God's grace received by faith, and it provides peace with God. Christ's death is for you. Christ "has delivered us from the power of darkness" into His kingdom. The Galatians had unwittingly fallen for a different message, one which was not another true message of salvation at all. Those causing the trouble were guilty of seeking to pervert the gospel of Christ, not to present a better alternative. To please men was neither Paul's motivation nor the source of his authority. Paul continually sought the approval of God. He did not base his decisions on the opinions of other people. Instead he single-mindedly aimed at pleasing God. As an apostle Paul was a leader, but he was always a bondservant of Christ. There was no human creativity flavoring the gospel Paul preached. Paul knew it only because he received it by special revelation from Jesus Christ at his conversion. Paul's conduct before his conversion had greatly distinguished him in Judaism in two ways: (1) He painstakingly kept the law and traditions, certainly more so than the Judaizers in Galatia. (2) He persecuted the church of God in order to destroy it, doing so under the authority of Jewish religious leaders. Paul relates that God had chosen him to be an apostle before his birth. Paul, like the Judaizers in Galatia, had previously tried to earn his salvation by works. However, his apostolic call and conversion both came through God's grace, His undeserved favor. Paul's "revelation of Jesus Christ" enabled him to see that Christ was God's Son, the sole object of our faith, and the unique source of oneness of all believers—whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female. Paul received his knowledge by special revelation. Paul was thus an independent witness to the gospel; and although he had received no instructions directly from the apostles but only from the Holy Spirit, his teachings agreed with theirs.

 

 

 

 

 

Hosea 2

Our God is an all consuming fire and He will not share us with false gods whether a false religion or the deceit of the world. He wants us to come to Him of our own free will and to stay because we love Him and are united with Him forever through the bonds of our covenant with Christ Jesus. If we think that we can live in complacency we are sadly deceived. God wants a passionate relationship with us and will settle for nothing else.

Say to your brethren, 'My people,' And to your sisters, 'Mercy is shown.'

God's Unfaithful People

2 "Bring charges against your mother, bring charges;

For she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband!

Let her put away her harlotries from her sight,

And her adulteries from between her breasts;

3 Lest I strip her naked

And expose her, as in the day she was born,

And make her like a wilderness,

And set her like a dry land,

And slay her with thirst.

4 "I will not have mercy on her children,

For they are the children of harlotry.

5 For their mother has played the harlot;

She who conceived them has behaved shamefully.

For she said, 'I will go after my lovers,

Who give me my bread and my water,

My wool and my linen,

My oil and my drink.'

6 "Therefore, behold,

I will hedge up your way with thorns,

And wall her in,

So that she cannot find her paths.

7 She will chase her lovers,

But not overtake them;

Yes, she will seek them, but not find them.

Then she will say,

'I will go and return to my first husband,

For then it was better for me than now.'

8 For she did not know

That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil,

And multiplied her silver and gold—

Which they prepared for Baal.

9 "Therefore I will return and take away

My grain in its time

And My new wine in its season,

And will take back My wool and My linen,

Given to cover her nakedness.

10 Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers,

And no one shall deliver her from My hand.

11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease,

Her feast days,

Her New Moons,

Her Sabbaths—

All her appointed feasts.

12 "And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees,

Of which she has said,

'These are my wages that my lovers have given me.'

So I will make them a forest,

And the beasts of the field shall eat them.

13 I will punish her

For the days of the Baals to which she burned incense.

She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry,

And went after her lovers;

But Me she forgot," says the Lord.

God's Mercy on His People

14 "Therefore, behold, I will allure her,

Will bring her into the wilderness,

And speak comfort to her.

15 I will give her her vineyards from there,

And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope;

She shall sing there,

As in the days of her youth,

As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.

16 "And it shall be, in that day,"

Says the Lord,

"That you will call Me 'My Husband,'

And no longer call Me 'My Master,'

17 For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals,

And they shall be remembered by their name no more.

18 In that day I will make a covenant for them

With the beasts of the field,

With the birds of the air,

And with the creeping things of the ground.

Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth,

To make them lie down safely.

19 "I will betroth you to Me forever;

Yes, I will betroth you to Me

In righteousness and justice,

In lovingkindness and mercy;

20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,

And you shall know the Lord.

21 "It shall come to pass in that day

That I will answer," says the Lord;

"I will answer the heavens,

And they shall answer the earth.

22 The earth shall answer

With grain,

With new wine,

And with oil;

They shall answer Jezreel.

23 Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth,

And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy;

Then I will say to those who were not My people,

'You are My people!'

And they shall say, 'You are my God!' "

The NKJV Study Bible: God would mercifully restore His covenant relationship with His people. The Lord formally accused Israel of unfaithfulness to the covenant. This may be a formal announcement of divorce or a realistic confession that the relationship between God and Israel had lost its vitality. The Lord warned that He might publicly humiliate His unfaithful wife by stripping her naked, an appropriate punishment for a nation that had sought fertility by worshiping another god. The Lord warned that He might disown the children because they were a reminder of their mother's unfaithfulness. Since Israel refused to acknowledge the Lord as her source of agricultural prosperity, the Lord would take back His blessings and no longer provide for the nation's basic needs. The Lord would publicly expose Israel's unfaithfulness through judgment. The Baal idols would be unable to help Israel, proving their unworthiness to be worshiped. The Lord would break down the nation's defenses and turn them into overgrown thickets inhabited by wild animals. Having separated Israel from her lovers, the Lord would seek to win her back by making romantic overtures and wooing her with tender words of love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zephaniah 1

Zephaniah was a doomsayer and most people are not comfortable with prophets who bring messages of hardship and destruction. He speaks of the certain reprisals of not following God's way but he also speaks of the Lord's forgiveness to all who will repent of their sins and call upon Him in truth asking for His mercy and protection. Our God is a jealous God and He will not share us. We must choose whom we will serve. In the measure that we believe in His power and in His control is the measure we can receive His protection and guidance in our lives. Praise Him for His mercy, goodness and grace He gives us hidden in Christ Jesus!

2:3 Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth,

Who have upheld His justice.

Seek righteousness, seek humility.

It may be that you will be hidden

In the day of the Lord's anger.

Zephaniah 1

1 The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

The Great Day of the Lord

2 "I will utterly consume everything

From the face of the land,"

Says the Lord;

3 "I will consume man and beast;

I will consume the birds of the heavens,

The fish of the sea,

And the stumbling blocks along with the wicked.

I will cut off man from the face of the land,"

Says the Lord.

4 "I will stretch out My hand against Judah,

And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

4I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place,

The names of the idolatrous priests with the pagan priests—

5 Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops;

Those who worship and swear oaths by the Lord,

But who also swear by Milcom;

6 Those who have turned back from following the Lord,

And have not sought the Lord, nor inquired of Him."

7 Be silent in the presence of the Lord God;

For the day of the Lord is at hand,

For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice;

He has invited His guests.

8 "And it shall be,

In the day of the Lord's sacrifice,

That I will punish the princes and the king's children,

And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.

9 In the same day I will punish

All those who leap over the threshold,

Who fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

10 "And there shall be on that day," says the Lord,

"The sound of a mournful cry from the Fish Gate,

A wailing from the Second Quarter,

And a loud crashing from the hills.

11 Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh!

For all the merchant people are cut down;

All those who handle money are cut off.

12 "And it shall come to pass at that time

That I will search Jerusalem with lamps,

And punish the men

Who are settled in complacency,

Who say in their heart,

'The Lord will not do good,

Nor will He do evil.'

13 Therefore their goods shall become booty,

And their houses a desolation;

They shall build houses, but not inhabit them;

They shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine."

14 The great day of the Lord is near;

It is near and hastens quickly.

The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter;

There the mighty men shall cry out.

15 That day is a day of wrath,

A day of trouble and distress,

A day of devastation and desolation,

A day of darkness and gloominess,

A day of clouds and thick darkness,

16 A day of trumpet and alarm

Against the fortified cities

And against the high towers.

17 "I will bring distress upon men,

And they shall walk like blind men,

Because they have sinned against the Lord;

Their blood shall be poured out like dust,

And their flesh like refuse."

18 Neither their silver nor their gold

Shall be able to deliver them

In the day of the Lord's wrath;

But the whole land shall be devoured

By the fire of His jealousy,

For He will make speedy riddance

Of all those who dwell in the land.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Zephaniah means "Hidden in the Lord," a name that relates to the principal message the prophet presented. The names of the prophets were often significantly associated with the message that God gave them to present to the people. The message of Zephaniah begins with a pronouncement of universal judgment. (These words not only introduce the particular judgment that would be pronounced upon Judah, but they also speak of the final judgment that will usher in the kingdom of God on earth (see Rev. 19). Stumbling blocks here refers to idolatry, or substitutes for God in the life and affections of a person. Because there is nothing in the universe that really may be compared to the Creator, God abhors all forms of idolatry. The people had experienced God and then turned away from Him. The complacency of the wicked people led them to believe that God is similarly complacent. Foolishly these people believed that the Lord would be inactive, neither blessing nor cursing, neither benefiting nor punishing His people. God's judgment would be so sudden and so overwhelming that the survivors would be in a state of shock, stumbling around in the dark.

 

 

 

Acts 2:1-24

God loves His creation so much that He provided His own arm for our salvation. He sent His only begotten Son to suffer, die and rise again by the power of His Holy Spirit to conquer sin and death to all who would call upon His holy name. When Jesus left this earth He said that it was necessary for Him to leave so that the Father would send His Holy Spirit to guide and direct those who placed their trust in Him. The Holy Spirit gave the gift of tongues to praise God before all nationalities who were there.
The Holy Spirit will take the teachings of Jesus and explain them to us so that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.

Coming of the Holy Spirit

2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and 4Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?"

13 Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,

That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your young men shall see visions,

Your old men shall dream dreams.

18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days;

And they shall prophesy.

19 I will show wonders in heaven above

And signs in the earth beneath:

Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,

And the moon into blood,

Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

21 And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord

Shall be saved.'

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Pentecost was one of the three major Jewish festivals; the other two are the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. From the Greek word for "fifty," Pentecost was so named because it fell on the fiftieth day after the Sabbath of the Passover. Pentecost was also known as "the Feast of Weeks," "the Firstfruits of the Wheat Harvest," and "the Day of Firstfruits." During this harvest celebration, the Jews brought to God the firstfruits of their harvest in thanksgiving, expecting that God would give the rest of the harvest as His blessing. This particular Day of Pentecost was the day of firstfruits of Christ's church, the beginning of the great harvest of souls who would come to know Christ and be joined together through the work of the Holy Spirit. A sound like a rushing mighty wind was needed to attract the multitudes to the small gathering of apostles who were sitting, the normal position for listening to someone speak, rather than standing for prayer. After the great crowd-gathering sound of v. 2 came the visual manifestation of God. Fire often indicated the presence of God. The word translated tongues here is the normal Greek word for known languages. Speaking in "tongues" or diverse languages underscored the universal outreach of the church. These witnesses were speaking foreign dialects to the people who had gathered for Pentecost from other nations. The Day of Pentecost, as one of the three major Jewish celebrations, was a pilgrimage event. People who lived outside Israel traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival. They came from Arabia, Crete, Asia, and even as far away as Rome. Many of these people stayed in Jerusalem for the entire 50-day celebration. The visitors to Jerusalem probably expected the apostles to use Aramaic or Greek, but instead they heard their own dialect. The visitors were astonished because they knew this was most unlikely unless the speakers had come from their land. This was a sign from heaven, a supernatural event. Peter preached his sermon to men of Judea who had judged the whole episode as being the effect of too much wine. God would speak to and through all those who would come to Him, whether in visions, dreams, or prophecy. This was the beginning of the last days. God's final act of salvation began with the pouring out of His Spirit. This final act of deliverance will continue to the end of this age. Jesus Christ was God's provision for the judgment of sin; yet it was our sinfulness that made His death necessary. In other words, it was both the sinfulness of humanity and God's plan to save humanity that put Jesus to death on the Cross. God exercises sovereign control over all events—even the death of His Son. Yet at the same time, people are still responsible for their own sinful actions.

 

 

 

Mark 12

In this world there will always be a struggle for power and control. The very people who were placed in high positions in the Jewish Church had the most to lose if the truth of God's grace in Christ Jesus was revealed. They would no longer be able to manipulate the masses for their own selfish gain. God owns all and He alone should reap the fruits of His labor. The fruit of the Holy Spirit should be not only our guide but also our judge in human relations. God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit show no partiality but respect the rights of all people.

Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Parable of the Vineyard Owner

12 Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 2 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. 3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5 And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. 6 Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 7 But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

9 "Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not even read this Scripture:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

11 This was the Lord's doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

12 And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

Question of Taxes

13 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14 When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?"

But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it." 16 So they brought it.

And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's."

17 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

And they marveled at Him.

Question of the Resurrection

18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife."

24 Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob' ? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken."

Question of the Greatest Commandment

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"

29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32 So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

But after that no one dared question Him.

Jesus Questions the Leaders

35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:

'The Lord said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

37 Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"

And the common people heard Him gladly.

Jesus Condemns the Leaders

38 Then He said to them in His teaching,  "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

The NKJV Study Bible says this: This parable represents God as carefully preparing the nation of Israel (a vineyard) and leaving it in the care of others (the vinedressers). Great care was taken to fence the vineyard, to prepare a wine vat for crushing the grapes, and to build a tower in order to keep watch and protect the property from thieves. In this parable, the owner of the vineyard represents God, but God Himself was never so mistaken as to assume they would respect His Son. God is omniscient, whereas the vineyard owner in the parable is not. This story illustrates the immense patience God had with Israel. The destruction of the vinedressers, the Israelites who rejected the Son of God, took place in a.d. 70 when the Romans smashed a revolt in Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. Giving the vineyard to others refers to the importance the Gentiles would assume in the growth of Christianity. The chief priests, scribes, and elders sought to lay hands on Him, to arrest Jesus, and to carry out their plot to destroy Him. Only as the final points of the parable were made did these evil men realize that Jesus had spoken the parable against them. The Herodians are mentioned in the NT three times, all in conjunction with the Pharisees. The Herodians wanted to kill Jesus because He threatened their authority. Their attempt to catch Him in His words was their hope that Jesus would say something that could be grounds for His arrest. The Sadducees were an elite group of religious leaders who denied the existence of angels, the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection. They rejected the oral traditions and accepted only the validity of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the OT. The purpose of this story was to discredit the doctrine of resurrection. Two categories support the resurrection—the Scriptures and God's power. The Sadducees undoubtedly did know the Scriptures, but lacked spiritual insight to understand God's purposes. Jesus quotes from the Law—the Book of Exodus—to make His point. God said I am the God of the three patriarchs mentioned, not "I was their God, but now they are dead." He still is their God because they are still alive. Their souls not only live after death, but their bodies will be raised anew as well. Jesus' argument about the Messiah being Lord as well as Son showed that the Messiah, even though a descendant of David, would be superior to him. In fact, He would be His Lord. He was both man and God at the same time. The scribes of Jesus' day were teachers of the law, often dependent on people's gifts for their support. Some, however, overstepped the bounds of humility, piety, and dignity by flaunting their position of respect and trust. They sought the glory that belonged to God and even took advantage of widows who helped feed and support them. By contrast, the widow worshiped God out of deep humility and genuine devotion. Jesus' comparison of the percentages contributed by the rich and the poor reminds us that God measures not how much we give, but how much we retain. Those with greater income have an obligation to return a larger percentage of it to God's work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John 3

I think that the whole of Scripture Is summed up in this verse. If we believe that the Bible is His love letters to man then lift Him up and give this message of hope and salvation to a dying world.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born 1again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"

10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!"

27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

The NKJV Study Bible says this: The phrase ruler of the Jews indicates that Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish council, the group that had sent a committee to investigate John the Baptist. Nicodemus no doubt knew that John the Baptist had denied being the Messiah, but had said that the Messiah was present. The fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night may reveal the timidity of his faith; however, his faith was developing. The Greek word translated again can mean either "from above" or "anew." The new birth, or regeneration, is the act by which God imparts spiritual life to one who trusts Christ. Without this spiritual birth, a person cannot perceive spiritual things, nor can he or she enter the kingdom of God. A person must experience a spiritual rebirth. Jesus spoke not only to Nicodemus, but to all whom he represented. Jesus used the wind as an illustration of the work of the Holy Spirit. As the wind seemingly blows where it wills, so the Holy Spirit sovereignly works. Likewise, no one knows the origin or destination of the wind, but everyone knows it is there. The same is true of the Holy Spirit. Nicodemus, referring to the new birth, asks, "How can these things be?" Here Jesus answers the question. New birth is by the Son, by the Cross, and by faith. Every time the words lifted up occur in the Gospel of John there is a reference to Jesus' death. When Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, those who looked at it lived. So it is with the Son of Man. When a person trusts Christ, he or she is born again and receives eternal and spiritual life, God's kind of life. God's love is not restricted to any one nation or to any spiritual elite. At His first coming, Jesus came so that the world through Him might be saved. When Jesus comes again, He will come in judgment upon those who refused His offer of salvation. To believe is to receive life and avoid judgment. A person who does not believe not only misses life, but is condemned already. People offer many excuses for not accepting Christ. Some cite the presence of hypocrites in the church. Others claim inability to believe some of the truths about Christ or the gospel. These are merely attempts to conceal a heart in rebellion against God. The ultimate reason people do not come to Christ is that they do not want to. A person who comes to the light not only believes, but also openly identifies with the light so that his or her works can be seen as things done in union with God. The impression here is that Jesus baptized. John corrects this idea in 4:2. Jesus provided the authority, but the disciples performed the baptisms. The synoptic Gospels, particularly Matthew and Mark, give the impression that the imprisonment of John the Baptist came right after the baptism of Jesus. This verse indicates that there was an interval between Jesus' baptism and John's imprisonment during which both ministered. The disciples of Jesus and the disciples of John were both baptizing people; as a result, a question arose. The question came from John's disciples when they entered into a discussion with the Jews. Purification here refers to baptism. John the Baptist's disciples were loyal to him. They were deeply concerned that one of his "disciples," Jesus, was competing with and surpassing him. In their astonishment, they exaggerated the predicament, saying, all are coming to Him. They were concerned that John was losing his audience to another preacher. John explained that he could not accept the position of supremacy that his disciples wanted to thrust upon him because he had not received it from heaven. John compared himself to the friend of the bridegroom, who was appointed to arrange the preliminaries of the wedding, to manage the wedding, and to preside at the wedding feast. When the friend of the bridegroom finished his job, he had to get out of the way. His joy came from the success of the bridegroom. John was satisfied with his position in life. He was content to be a "voice" and a friend. John the Baptist insisted that Jesus Christ had to increase in popularity and that he, John, had to decrease. John explained that Jesus had to increase because of (1) His divine origin (v. 31), (2) His divine teaching, and (3) His divine authority. Even though John encouraged his disciples to also follow Jesus, there were still some found many years later in Ephesus. He who comes from above refers to Jesus Christ. He who is of the earth refers to John the Baptist. John emphasized his earthly origin and its limitations. John proclaimed divine truth on earth; Jesus, on the other hand, is from heaven and above all. The Holy Spirit was given to Jesus completely. All three Persons of the Trinity are referred God the Father sent Christ the Son, and gave Him the Holy Spirit without measure. God the Father not only gave Jesus, in His humanity, the Holy Spirit, He also gave Him all things, including the authority to give life and judge. The one who believes has eternal life as a present possession. Likewise, the one who refuses to believe on Christ has the wrath of God abiding on him or her as a present reality.