Category: Bible

Scripture for Tuesday, December 13 (12/13)

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The scripture for today, December 12, is 2nd Corinthians 12:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

PAUL COVER-KINDLE-“The things that mark an Apostle ~ signs, wonders and miracles ~ were done among you with great perseverance.”

This is so interesting. These are not things that mark Christians in general, but the Apostles. (Acts 1 lists qualifications of an apostle.)

Jesus told his Apostles that, when they taught the world about Jesus and baptized them, miracles and signs would accompany the believers (Mark 16:17). The miracles and signs followed conversions of believers by the Apostles to whom he was speaking.

Acts 3:6f and 9:40f involved healing by the Apostle Peter, and Acts 20:9f involved healing by the Apostle Paul which they performed to prove their words were the Words of God. 

In Acts 6:5-6, the Apostles laid their hands on seven men to serve the church in a special way. Of those men, Stephen performed miracles (6:8) and Philip performed miracles (8:5-7), both to prove their words were the Words of God.

In Romans 1:1,11, the Apostle Paul said he wanted to visit the Christians in Rome so he could impart some spiritual gift. In 1st Corinthians 1:6-7 the Apostle Paul said he imparted spiritual gifts to Christians in Corinth. 

We have no examples in the New Testament of anyone other than an Apostle passing on the power to perform miracles. Even the writings of the “Apostolic Fathers” in the late 1st and early 2nd century say things like “Even down to those times there were a few miracles being performed including raising the dead.” 

Yes, the reason for the miracles was to prove the words of the miracle performer were the Words of God (which had not yet been written down). It was this way with Jesus, and this way with his Apostles. Now that we have the New Testament (Jesus’ and his Apostles’ teachings in written form) we no longer need the miracles. 

They were “marks of an Apostle.” The miracles including, healing, renewing the maimed (making limbs grow back), and bringing people back to life. All of them. 

Interesting, isn’t it?

(We sent you the scripture for the 13th yesterday, so today is the scripture for the 12th.)

#Miracles, #Apostles

Scripture for Monday, December 12 (12/12)

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The scripture for today, December 13, is Ecclesiastes 12:13 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Life-Changing-Scriptures-Cover-medium“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

When the King James Version was published in the early 1600s, they italicized all words that were not in the original language of the Bible. The word “duty” above was not in the original. Translators inserted it to help us understand the original. But perhaps, in this case, it did not help. Fearing God is the whole of man ~ not our duty, but our essence.

Fearing the Lord is a gift. Isaiah 11:2 predicted regarding Jesus: “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him ~ 

“…the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,”

“…the Spirit of counsel and of power,”

“…the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

Solomon had tried everything to find happiness, as he explained in his book of Ecclesiastes ~ Pleasure (ch. 2), hard work (ch. 3), advancement (ch. 4), riches (ch. 5). None brought him true happiness.  Eventually, he concluded that only one thing can bring that happiness deep down inside where no one and no situation in life can touch it ~ God. God is the whole of man ~ if we let Him be.

Why? Ecclesiastes 3:11 explains it richly: “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men.” Another way to view this is “There is a God-shaped emptiness in the heart of man.” 

Fill your mind with the Word of God. Then God will fill your heart and being, and make you feel full.

#Wisdom, #Understanding, #Happiness, #Fulfillment, #HardWork, #Wealth, #Emptiness, #God, #Bible, #Stuff, #Prestige, #Fame

Scripture for Thursday, December 1 (12/1)

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The scripture for today, December 1, is Jeremiah 12:1ff as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Life-Changing-Scriptures-Cover-medium“Lord, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you to decide. Now let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil men so happy? You plant them. They take root and their business grows. Their profits multiply, and they are rich. They say, ‘Thank God!’ But in their hearts they give no credit to you. But as for me ~ Lord, you know my heart ~ you know how much it longs for you. And I am poor, O Lord!”

Now compare this with Job 15:20-24:

“All his days the wicked man suffers torment, the ruthless through all the years stored up for him. Terrifying sounds fill his ears….He despairs of escaping the darkness; he is marked for the sword. He wanders about ~ food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand. Distress and anguish fill him with terror.”

These two passages contradict each other. So what is the problem? The words spoken in Job were by Eliphaz, one of Job’s well-meaning friends who took it upon himself to help Job figure out why he had lost all his wealth, all his children, and all his health. Was Eliphaz right? 

At the end of the book of Job, is this: “The Lord…said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends because you have not spoken of me what is right.” Then God ordered Eliphaz and his friends to sacrifice seven bulls and rams (not small sacrifices), then ask Job to pray for them so God “will not deal with you according to your folly.”

When we read scripture, let us be careful to investigate its context and ALL other scriptures on the same subject. Only then can we have the whole picture. Only then can we avoid religious folly.

 
#Scriptures, #Bible, #Folly, #Creeds, #Doctrines, #Understanding

Scripture for Tuesday, November 29 (11/29)

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The scripture for today, November 29, is Matthew 11:29f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 3-HEARTS AFIRE-COVER“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Everyone has problems, and pretty much the same kinds of problems. They may be rich or they may be poor, but it happens to everyone. Just because someone smiles a lot, it does not mean their heart is not aching inside. Just because they wear nice clothes, it does not mean they are not torn with a growing crisis. Just because they live in a nice home and drive a nice car, it does not mean they are not riddled with guilt over past sinful acts.

Jesus knew this. And so he said to the world ~ to you and me ~ let’s trade. I’ll take your burden and you take mine. What is Jesus’ burden? Telling others of his love. What a wonderful trade. 

So today, make that decision. Will you continue to carry your burdens and let them weigh you down so you can’t move? Or will you let go of them and smile as Jesus smiled, reach out to others as Jesus reached out, teach God’s love as Jesus did? 

Jesus would not have asked you to do the impossible. It is your choice. Today let go and let God.

#Problems, #Troubles, #Relief, #JesusChrist, #Burdens

Scripture for Thursday, November 24 (11/24)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Holy Spirit, InspirationalLeave a comment
The scripture for today, November 24, is Ezekiel 11:24 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Life-Changing-Scriptures-Cover-medium“The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God.”

How did the Holy Spirit move people? Not by making them fall down, but by lifting them up. Ezekiel was the prophet who experienced this most often, and the Spirit always lifted him up.
Jesus said in John 14:17 that he would send the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth. And in John 17:17 he said, “Your [God’s] Word is Truth.”
The Word of God does throw some people off, and that’s because they don’t like everything it says. So, they, in turn, throw the Bible down. Let us be grateful for the Bible and that we do not have to guess what God is like and how he says we can live the best possible life. Let us continue to read the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit continue to lift us up.
#HolySpirit, #SlainInTheSpirit, #SlayInTheSpirit, #FallDown, #LiftUp, #Bible, #WordOfTruth

Scripture for Tuesday, November 22 (11/22)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, faith, Inspirational, ScriptureLeave a comment
 The scripture for today, November 22, is Genesis 11:22 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Bible Puzzles for Young And Old-Cover“When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor. And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.”

How can it be that people could live so long in the early centuries of the world? Isn’t that stretching things a bit? Isn’t it just folklore? Here’s more.

Noah had his first son at age 502 (Genesis 5:32, 11:10). Noah lived a total of 950 years (Genesis 9:29). Noah’s son, Shem, had his first son at age 100 and lived a total of 600 years (Genesis 11:10-11). Now we have Serug, the 7th-generation grandson of Noah, who had his first son at age 30 and lived a total of 230 years (see above).

Do you see the trend downward of ages after the flood? Most of Noah’s life was lived before the flood. Some of Shem’s life was lived before, but most of it was after the flood. All of Serug’s life was after the flood.

Many scientists believe that the earth originally had a constant cloud covering like the planet Venus does. Genesis 2:5-6 says it had not rained yet, but a mist rose to water everything. The King James Version of the Bible regarding the flood in Genesis 7:11 says the windows of heaven were opened. Genesis 8:2 says the windows of heaven were stopped.

Notice, it did not say the windows of heaven were closed; they were just stopped, meaning it could rain again periodically after that. If indeed, Earth did have a constant thick cloud covering before the flood, then humans would have been protected from radiation from the sun and therefore could live longer. After the change in Earth’s atmosphere after the flood, humans being exposed to more radiation would have lived shorter lives.

Something to think about…. And, one more thought ~ rainbows wouldn’t be possible with a constant cloud covering. The flood brought us rainbows! (Genesis 9:13)

#Flood, #BibleEvidences, #Noah, #Faith

Scripture for Wednesday, November 16 (11/16)

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The scripture for today, November 16, is John 11:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Joseph-Cover-Kindle-Medium“Then Thomas…said to the rest of the disciples, ‘Let us also go that we may die with him.’ “

This apostle is most often called “Doubting Thomas.” We’ve all heard the story about Thomas being absent when Jesus appeared to the other apostles, then later said he wouldn’t believe Jesus was alive again unless he could touch him. Well, the other apostles hadn’t believed until they saw him either.

After returning to life, Jesus first appeared to the women. Then, “when they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others…But they did not believe the women because their words seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke 24:9-11).

Now let’s look at our scripture for today. In the months before Jesus’ death, he had been traveling everywhere except to Judea where Jerusalem and the religious leaders were. Those leaders were after Jesus’ life, and everyone knew it. Then Lazarus died and was buried about six miles from Jerusalem. It was dangerous for Jesus to go there.

John 11:7-8 says, “Then he [Jesus] said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea.’ ‘But Rabbi,’ they said, ‘a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?’ “

After explaining that he needed to get to Lazarus, it was Thomas who bravely spoke up and said, “Let us also go that we may die with him!”

Doubting Thomas? Far from it! Brave Thomas. Devoted Thomas. Thomas who was willing to follow his Lord to the death. That was the real Thomas.

#Thomas, #DoubtingThomas, #Judging, #Faith

Scripture for Sunday, November 13 (11/13)

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The scripture for today, November 13, is Zechariah 11:13 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 7-SHADOW OF DEATH-Cover“And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’ ~ the handsome price at which they paid me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.”

The book of Zechariah is full of prophecies about Jesus, especially circumstances surrounding his death. Compare the above scripture with this:

“Then one of the Twelve ~ the one called Judas Iscariot ~ went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand him [Jesus] over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty silver coins” (Matthew 26:15).

and….

“When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests….So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself….So they [chief priests] decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners” (Matthew 27:3, 6-7).

The prophet Zechariah wrote this prophecy some five centuries before Jesus. The prophet had been long dead before it was fulfilled. This could not possibly have been contrived to fit such a distant future ~ the exact sum Judas was paid, the money being thrown into the temple and then given to the potters.

This is only one of many proofs. The Bible is the only religious book in the world with built-in proofs it is of divine origin.

#BibleEvidences, #BibleProofs, #MessiahProofs, #HistoricalProofs

Scripture for Saturday, November 12 (11/12)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, Inspirational, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, November 12, is Leviticus 11:12 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

FunWithBibleNumbers-Cover-Kindle“Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be detestable to you.”

This is just one of the over 600 laws in the Law of Moses. They were intricate laws governing both their worship and their everyday life. This one chapter in Leviticus says in part they could not eat camels or coneys or rabbits or pigs. They could not eat eagles, vultures, kites, ravens, owls, gulls, hawks, osprey, storks, herons, hoopoes or bats. But they could eat locusts, katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers. And this is just part of chapter 11!

Why did God give so many intricate laws to the Jews? To give them a chance to keep them all perfectly so they could be perfect. In the meantime, God did not give any laws to the Gentiles; He let them try whatever means they could on their own to become perfect. But during the same time period, both the Jews and Gentiles proved to themselves that it was impossible to keep their religions perfectly and thus be perfect themselves.

Now Jesus was ready to come. He lived the Jewish law perfectly, then nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Now we live under a law of grace, and his commandments revolve around loving God and loving each other.

Aren’t we fortunate to live in the Christian era?

 

#LawOfMoses, #OldTestament, #Tithing, #Perfection, #Crucifixion, #Perfection, #Salvation

Scripture for Thursday, November 10 (11/10)

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The scripture for today, November 10, is Acts 11:10 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Life-Changing-Scriptures-Cover-medium“This happened three times and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.”

Acts 11 is about God telling Peter that his new heavenly kingdom was for the whole world, not just the Jews. What was pulled up to heaven again was a “sheet” holding all the unclean animals which the Old Law of Moses commanded not to eat. Now God was saying, “Eat it. The Old Law of Moses isn’t in effect anymore.”

This was hard to grasp. So hard that, even though it was God telling Peter directly a new spiritual concept, Peter refused it. So hard for him to believe it, that God had to tell him three times!

Isn’t this the way many of us are? We read something in the Bible that we never believed before. We read it and re-read it and re-read it, and it never sinks in. After all, we never believed that before. None of our religious friends believe it. None of our religious leaders believe it. No one on Christian radio/TV or in Christian magazines believes it.

But God’s Word remains, and so over the weeks and months and years we pass through that scripture and read it and re-read it. Over the weeks and months and years, its meaning for our life goes right over our heads.

Then one day, the light goes on! Viola! We see it! We get it! We are blessed!

#Scriptures, #Understanding, #Rebellion, #Blindness, #Blessing #Bible