Christadelphians Talk

Here's a YouTube summary and description written from the perspective of ‘We' (Christadelphians), using British English spelling and the required elements.---**Video Title:** The Christadelphians: #13 A Priest Forever – Harry Tennant**Description:**In this **outstanding** and **thought-provoking** presentation, we explore a question that lies at the very heart of God's purpose: *Who will be the promised King?* If human sinfulness doomed Israel's kingdom, how can anything better emerge? The answer is **revealing** and breathtaking.Join us as we trace the golden thread of prophecy from Jacob's blessing over Judah to God's unbreakable covenant with David. We then examine Nebuchadnezzar's dream—a **wonderful**, divinely given panorama of world empires—and the mysterious stone that smashes them all. This stone, we learn, is none other than Christ Himself, the Priest-King forever.This **expositional** journey is packed with **insightful** connections between Genesis, Ezekiel, Daniel and the New Testament, demonstrating that God's Kingdom on earth with Christ as King is the Bible's clearest hope. If you long for a world of righteousness and peace, this video will inspire and strengthen your faith.**

A @Christadelphians Video: [Inspiring] **Ai Summary** – Thought-provoking, insightful, and wonderfully expositional, this outstanding episode of *The Bible Standard* reveals why humility is essential when wrestling with Scripture's most puzzling passages. We, as Christadelphians, explore the strange case of King Saul's age—does the Hebrew really say he was one year old?—and the textual twists behind Lamentations 3: “we are not consumed.” We also dive into the cutting‑edge debate over Greek verbs: do they really tell us *when* something happened, or just *how* the author saw it? This is a wonderfully revealing journey into the “things we still don't know,” reminding us that following God is a process of continual learning, not stagnant certainty.**

A Christadelphian Video:In this interview, Justin Reich talks about how he came into the Truth, having not been brought up as a Christadelphian. Having been encouraged to come along to Christadelphian events by his aunt and uncle, Justin highlights the need for good influences, and the importance of perceiving what the Word of God has to offer, in contrast to the world.Justin's experiences demonstrate the need for everyone to engage with the comforting message of the Bible, and the fact that God is always helping us to grow in every circumstance of life. Justin has some sound advice for those wishing to share the Gospel, and also for those who are on their own journey of discovering the wonderful truth contained within Scripture and the beauty of fellowship with like-minded believers.

Let us link up the closing words of our reading in Hebrews (ch.9) “Christ … will appear a second time … to save those who  are eagerly waiting for him” with the words God gave to Isaiah, in today's ch. 25, which we referred to yesterday.  This describes the time when God “will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth …”  It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him … let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” [v.8,9]How eagerly are we waiting?  Is the world around us full of ways of living that attract us, things that largely or fully occupy our minds?  Yes, we have to live in the world and earn our living, but are we keenly interested in the vision God's word provides for us that goes far beyond the present materialistic way of thinking and doing?  We are forced to admit that this computer communication age, which is very helpful in many ways, is also very distracting – do we need to allow it to be totally distracting?  The more our minds feed on God's word the more we will be attracted to that word.  In that coming day, the LORD tells us through Isaiah, the redeemed will say, “O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you … for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure … Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.” [v.1,3] At that time those who have been “eagerly waiting” and showing this by their priorities in life will “be glad and rejoice”. Peter in his 1st epistle, which we will soon read,  expresses this powerfully, “Though you do not now see him, you believe him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith …” [1 Pet. 1 v.8,9]  Imagine the joy?  Imagine the glory?Finally, note the point Paul made earlier in Hebrews ch. 9!  “How much more will the blood of Christ who … offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” [v.14]   If we do not sense our progress in that purifying and, as a result, serving, then we have to ask ourselves, ‘Do I genuinely belong to Christ?' 

Today's and tomorrow's chapters in Isaiah (24 & 25) contain a powerful message about the climax of human history, yet they are not very often quoted.   Chapter 24 ends with “for the LORD of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and Jerusalem and his glory will be before his elders.”  The next chapter begins with the reaction of the righteous, “O LORD, you are my God, I will exalt your name for you have done wonderful things …”  Humanly fortified cities have become ruins, never to be rebuilt (v.2) and the “cities of ruthless nations will fear you.” [v.3]  God has “been a stronghold to the poor … to the needy in his distress” [v.4]Then a glorious scene opens up, “On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food … he will swallow up death forever and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces … Behold this is our God, we have waited for him … “ [v.6,8,9].    But go back, we jumped over nearly all of Ch. 24 – it speaks of what is to happen before this time of wonder and joy on the earth.  It is an extremely frightening picture!  Is it about to happen?  The chapter started, “Behold the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate …”The next verse indicates that all the buyers, sellers, lenders, borrowers, creditors and debtors will suffer.  Verse 3 says, “The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the LORD has spoken this word”.  Then we read “the earth lies defiled under its inhabitants” [v.5], “its inhabitants suffer for their guilt” [v.6] and then follows details of the ways in which they will suffer.Reading further – “The earth is utterly broken … is violently shaken … its transgression lies heavily upon it and it falls and will not rise again” [v.19,20].  This is symbolic language of the heavens and the earth (rulers and people) that now exist being destroyed.  But later in Isaiah we will come across a wonderful vision, for God says, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold I create Jerusalem to be a joy  … my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” [Ch.65 v.17,18,22]  Will you behold these things?

We continue reading the challenging chapters of the letter to the Hebrews. It was obviously written in the final years the Temple existed in Jerusalem before it was destroyed in AD70. Those who made the Temple and the Mosaic Law a highly important part of their lives and expectations, although accepting Jesus as their Messiah, were going to be devastated when the Temple was destroyed.Paul, whom it is generally agreed wrote Hebrews, is making a most urgent appeal to these believers to realize that although “Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant” this was “to testify to the things that were to be spoken later” [3 v.5] by God's son. Moses was God's “servant” – “but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son.” [v.6] The Law was “the house” Moses created, it had now been superseded by the work of Christ in creating a spiritual house “not made with hands” [2 Cor. 5 v.1] that could not be destroyed.“And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting (rejoicing –AV) in our hope” [Heb 3 v.6] Note that word “if” and that Psalm 95 is quoted twice, [3 v.7; 4 v.5] “Today, IF you will hear his voice”Today – in 2020 – let us “hold fast” to what we hear – and read. If we are not really listening and taking the message into our hearts and acting on it – then the message is no benefit to us. We noted verses 2 and 4 in ch. 4, “For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.”Could this be true of us also? Are you united with others in the original faith? Note how the word “if” occurs in ch. 3 v.13,14; “But exhort one another every day as long as it is called ‘today' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” May “the message … benefit' us as ”every day” we seek exhortations as we read God's word.

Today's readings.. (Joshua 16), (Isaiah 22), (Hebrews 1,2) Today we began reading the specially thought-provoking letter to the Hebrews.  The author is not named, but the best conclusion is that Paul wrote it as a message to his fellow Jews and he didn't name himself because a prejudice against him had developed and some, maybe many Jews, would have ignored the letter if it had been obvious it came from him.  Now Paul had a special relationship with his Saviour because he appeared and spoke to him on the road to Damascus.  He is wonderfully conscious of the continuing unseen presence of Christ in his life and encourages his fellow  Hebrews to develop the same consciousness, he quotes many Old Testament passages from the Psalms and Moses' writings that foretold the special and wonderful role God's Son would have.  We see the emphasis in these two chapters of how he would first come into the world to die as a once and for all sacrifice for sins and also experience life as we do and so be able to understand and help us,We note in particular the closing verses in ch. 2 (from v.16) “For surely … he helps the offspring of Abraham.  Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.  The Greek word, translated ‘tempted' essentially means ‘tested.' Yes, “he is able to help,” but we do not receive this help, this guiding oversight of our lives, unless we prayerfully seek it.  We will see Paul's warning in ch. 3, where, quoting David's words in Psalm 95, Paul says, “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” [v.15]  It is God's ‘living word' that we read and ‘hear' – and “he is able to help” if we truly ‘listen' and respond.

Today's readings.. (Joshua 15), (Isaiah 20,21), (Philemon)The short letter of Paul to Philemon has some valuable lessons for us in the area of spiritual relationships of believers with one another.  Paul is writing as “a prisoner of Christ Jesus” [v.1] and Timothy is with him – and other visitors support him, “Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke” [v.24]. He tells Philemon, “I remember you in my prayers.” (v.4)We meditate on what filled Paul's hours and days in his imprisonment, his mind was very much occupied with thoughts about the believers he knew and the news he hears about them. We  remember the dramatic night when he and Silas sang hymns while in prison, and we surely imagine him singing hymns with “Epaphras my fellow prisoner” [v.23]. How do we compare, we who are free to do as we please – does how we spend our time help or hinder our spiritual life?  We have to admit that, unless we are at some spiritual gathering, the events of our daily lives rarely help us spiritually; it is vital that we ask ourselves – do they hinder, do they undermine?  Paul is pleased with Philemon “because I hear of your love and the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints (fellow believers), and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective …” [v.5,6]Would others hear the same sort of thing about us?  If not, what would they hear?  Would it have any effect on them in the sense of a good (or bad) example we set them? Paul is able to say to Philemon, “I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” [v.7]   Do we shed abroad a spirit that refreshes the hearts of other believers – so that we are a light that really shines in the increasing spiritual darkness of this world – the effect of that light being so good that even some unbelievers will notice?    Let us live so that we do this, it maybe that we do it unconsciously, only realizing the effect we have had as we look back on events.  And in communicating with fellow believers – and those who do not yet believe, which may include some of our children, we can state, “I remember you in my prayers.” 

Today's readings.. (Joshua 14), (Isaiah 19), (Titus 1,2,3)In Joshua ch. 14 today we read of the blessings received by a man who “wholly followed the LORD.”  Caleb was the other man, who with Joshua, spied out the land and brought back an optimistic report; this was after the people had miraculously escaped from Egypt, been fed in the wilderness, built the tabernacle and received the law. Surely the whole nation had evidence on which to base their faith – and today, God's book is available for all to read and provides much evidence to build up our faith.Caleb is now aged 85 and seeks his promised reward. We read his testimony to Joshua of the time “when Moses … sent me … to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart” [v.7] His was a good positive report, spoken in faith.  Sadly, he adds, “my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the LORD” [v.8] A prophecy about Egypt features in our Isaiah chapter 19 – and today the Coptic Christians in their midst are an unhappy and somewhat persecuted minority. Verse 17 came remarkably true after Israel was re-established in 1947/48.  We read, “In that day the Egyptians will be like women and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts shakes over them.  The land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians …” [v.16,17]  This never happened in history – until then!  But then Isaiah is caused to look further into the future to the time when “the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship …” [v.21]  In that day all the world will become dramatically aware there is a Creator – and a divine law to be obeyed (see Isaiah 2 v.2,3)Let us “wholly follow the LORD” now, for, said Jesus, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” [John 20 v.29].  Caleb saw – yet in seeing he was aware of all the difficulties, but he “wholly followed the LORD”.  We see the unfolding fulfilment of prophecy, especially with Israel, as an aid to strengthening our faith; may we be able to say in that day, “yet I wholly followed the LORD”

Today's readings.. (Joshua 13), (Isaiah 17,18), (2 Timothy 3,4) Today we completed Paul's 2nd letter to his “son in the faith” Timothy. He deplores what he sees the future is going to hold for believers; a serious decline of faith and a Christ-like way of living.  As Paul looks into the future  “the Spirit” gives him a ‘picture' of what is going to develop in “the last days.” [3 v.1]   Paul of course has no idea as to how far off this future time is. But the description of this ‘time' that is revealed to him has a specific focus on the condition of believers: they “will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness but denying its power” [v.4,5]. The word “power” is the Gk word dunamis, it does not necessarily refer to something miraculous, earlier this month we saw Paul use it twice in his first chapter in writing to the Colossians, ”may you be strengthened with all power” [v.11]  “… I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” [v.29] Believers need real energy of mind – and the real pursuit of godliness generates such power – spiritual strength of mind.   Paul told the Corinthians that the Lord said to him as he struggled with a divinely given “thorn in the flesh”, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” [2 Cor. 12 v.9]  Paul then adds, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me”   This is not power in the sense of miracle working, but inner strength developed through the reality of our relationship with our Lord and the Father.  We read 2 days ago how Paul told Timothy,  “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” [ch. 1 v.7]Back to chapter 3; we are aware how true Paul's prediction has been throughout history that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and imposters will go from bad to worse.  But as for you (and us!) continue in what you have learned and firmly believed … how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred scriptures … breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” [v.12-14,16]  May we  increase our zeal for the Holy Scriptures and develop a greater “spirit .. of power and love and self-control” as we complete our “training in righteousness”.

A @Christadelphians Video: [Inspiring]In this outstanding and thought-provoking episode of the Watchman Report, we delve into a major geopolitical shift that is quietly reshaping the world order: Europe's move towards strategic independence from America. As headlines from February 2026 report that European leaders are preparing for a future without the US as its ultimate security guarantor, we ask the question—what does this mean for the student of Bible prophecy?This is an insightful and revealing exposition of Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 17, exploring how current events are aligning with the prophetic stage. We examine the ancient nations of Magog, Meshech, Tubal, and Gomer, using the historical writings of Josephus to identify them with modern-day Russia and Europe. The video lays out a wonderful, scriptural framework showing how a Russian-led European confederacy is set to emerge in the latter days, standing apart from the Anglo-Saxon maritime powers of Tarshish (Britain) and her young lions (the United States).Join us for this inspirational study as we connect the dots between today's headlines and the sure word of prophecy, pointing towards the ultimate intervention of God and the establishment of His Kingdom.*Chapters:*00:00 - Introduction: The Shifting Alliances in Europe01:52 - News Headlines: Europe Prepares for Life Without US Backing03:26 - The Prophetic Significance: Ezekiel 38 and the Latter Days04:55 - Identifying the Nations: Josephus and the Scythians07:00 - The Prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal: The Russian Connection08:39 - Gomer and his Bands: Identifying Western Europe09:52 - Revelation 17: The Ten Kings and European Unity11:25 - The Merchants of Tarshish: Britain, America, and the Young Lions13:28 - The Direction of Travel: Setting the Stage for Prophecy15:05 - Conclusion: Moving Towards God's Kingdom*Bible Verses Referenced:*

A @Christadelphians Video: [Inspiring] We, as Christadelphians, find this **thought-provoking** and **insightful** exploration of Bible translation wonderfully humbling. In this **outstanding** sixth instalment (Part A), we tackle the **revealing** reality that translators often work with incomplete knowledge. Join us as we examine the **expositional** journey through textual criticism, from Erasmus's bold solutions to the enduring mystery of Genesis 12:3—where we still don't know if “all families shall be blessed” or “shall bless themselves.” This is a **wonderful** reminder that humility sits at the heart of faithfully handling God's Word.

**The Word Became Flesh – A Revealing Exploration of John 1:14**In this outstanding and thought-provoking presentation, we continue our expositional series on what Christadelphians believe. Harry Tennant delivers a wonderful, scripture-centred examination of one of the most profound truths in the Bible: that the Word was made flesh. This is not a dry theological exercise but an inspiring journey into the heart of God's purpose, revealing how Jesus Christ—truly and uniquely the Son of God—embodies the very mind of God. From creation to the virgin birth, from the Old Testament prophecies to the perfect life of our Lord, this talk illuminates the beautiful consistency of God's plan. Join us as we honour the Son who shared our nature, overcame temptation, died for our sins, and now sits exalted at the Father's right hand.---## Chapters00:00 - Introduction: John 1:1-14 and the uniqueness of Christ 03:00 - The nature of God's Word: creation and consistency 07:30 - Christ: the pre-eminent purpose in God's mind 10:00 - “Before Abraham was, I am” – understanding Christ in the Old Testament 14:30 - The working of God's Word through prophecy 17:30 - The virgin birth: Mary's faith and the Word made flesh 22:30 - Jesus as a child: growing in wisdom and obedience 27:30 - The image of the invisible God: Father and Son distinguished 32:30 - Christ's true death, resurrection, and exaltation 36:30 - Explaining “pre-existence” passages: God's foreknowledge 42:00 - The Word radiated in Jesus' life and teaching 45:10 - Conclusion: What a word is this!---## Bible Verse Categories

Here is the YouTube Summary and Description for the video, written in British English from the perspective of Christadelphians.**Video Title:** Conversations: Geoff Dawe Talks About His Faith (A Christadelphian Perspective)**Description:**Join us for a **thought-provoking** and **insightful** conversation with brother Geoff Dawe as he shares the reasons for his faith. This is an **expositional** discussion that goes beneath the surface, revealing why the Holy Scriptures are a dependable, divinely inspired roadmap for our lives.Geoff openly discusses his spiritual journey, from being raised in a Christadelphian family to making the faith his own through personal conviction. He shares a **wonderful** and relatable encounter with atheist friends, challenging the assumptions of modern secularism and revealing why belief in God is not a blind leap, but a reasoned response to evidence.What makes this discussion truly **outstanding** is its focus on Bible prophecy as the ultimate proof of God's existence and plan. Geoff demonstrates how the **revealing** of God's purpose—particularly the regathering of the nation of Israel—stands as a powerful, verifiable witness in today's world. We explore the consequences of obedience and disobedience as laid out in Deuteronomy, the sure hope of the Messiah's return, and the coming Kingdom of God on Earth.If you have ever questioned the validity of the Old Testament or wondered how prophecy confirms Scripture, this video is for you.**Chapters:**00:00 - Introduction & Geoff's Family Background02:23 - Making the Faith Your Own: Personal Conviction05:20 - A Conversation with Atheists: Evolution vs. Design10:38 - Why Prophecy is the Key to Faith13:45 - Deuteronomy 28: The Blessings and the Curses27:40 - The Regathering of Israel: Prophecy Fulfilled37:31 - The Old Testament: Did Jesus Believe It?52:05 - The Days of Noah & Lot: Signs of Christ's Return1:08:06 - The Hope of the Kingdom: Righteousness & Peace1:10:19 - Conclusion: An Informed Decision**Bible Verse Categories:**

Today's readings.. (Joshua 12), (Isaiah 16), (2 Timothy 2)We continue with our reading and reflections on the final epistle that Paul wrote: our chapter (2) begins with his encouragement to Timothy, “my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ …” He encourages him to “share in the suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” [v.3]Paul is “bound with chains as a criminal”, but says, “the word of God is not bound.” [v.9]  Today, with widespread translation and printing and websites, the word of God is more unbound than ever before, but how few are taking notice of it, especially in western countries which are overflowing with fleshly distractions and “the love of money.” Paul and Timothy are examples to us; Paul declares, “I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” [v.10]Before his conversion Paul served himself, developing his ego as a Pharisee, blind to “the way” – the way of Christ; the human ambitions he then had, in a sense, “died” outside Damascus.  Among the early believers inspirational sayings began to circulate and Paul includes one in this letter, “The saying is trustworthy, for: ‘If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.” [v.11.12]  This saying remains totally true today, have we “died with” him?  Our thoughts immediately go to Paul's words to the Colossians, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness … for on account of these the wrath of God is coming” [ch. 3 v.5,6] As the moral restraints on our world totally disintegrate, even more endurance will be required – and our endurance will need to include the confession of our faith in Christ for v.12 in today's chapter concludes Paul's quotation of the ‘saying' – “if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful …” to his promise that “if we endure, we will also reign with him.”

Today's readings.. (Joshua 11), (Isaiah 15), (2 Timothy 1)The final letter of the Apostle Paul was his second letter to Timothy.  His opening verses after his usual greeting is to write of Timothy's faith.  Note how he expresses it, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” [Ch.1 v.5]  We know nothing of his father, except he was a Greek, although his mother was a Jewess (Acts 16 v.1).What a lesson this is of the valuable role of women in their commitment to Christ and the inspiration they can give to children and grandchildren, we know well the commitment that was obviously in the women who went to the tomb on the morning of the resurrection.  In the next verse Paul writes, “For this reason (your faith) I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” [v.6].  A “sincere faith” is an essential ingredient in any natural abilities and talents we have.  In those days abilities or gifts were given by Apostles such as Paul.  His first letter to the Corinthians illustrates the range of such abilities, many of which we would see as “natural” – such as wisdom and knowledge (1 Cor. 12 v.8] Paul desires “especially that you may prophesy.” [14 v.1] which means, to reveal God's attitude and purpose, not necessarily to predict the future – this is evident in the Old Testament prophets such as Jeremiah.  Today God's word should “fan into flame” our desire to use our various abilities to do as much work as we can for our Lord.Back in the letter to Timothy we noted the next 2 verses (7 & 8) “for God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control.  Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord …”  In so many countries in the world the message of Christ is now held in low regard, so it is now more necessary than ever to develop this spirit of strength of mind to enhance our “sincere faith” and follow in the footsteps of Timothy.  How would someone who knows you well write about your faith?

Today's readings.. (Joshua 10, (Isaiah 14), (1 Timothy 6)It is evident that when Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy whom he had left “at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine …” [ch.1 v.3,] that already there were those who were trying, using their own ‘wisdom', to ‘improve' on the true teaching they had received.  In today's ch. 6, Paul tells Timothy, “if anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.  He has an unhealthy craving for controversy … “ [v.3,4]  Each generation since then has needed to heed Paul's warning, the failure to do this is the reason why we have so many different churches. It results, all too often, in the basic instincts of human nature being displayed.  Paul says such people are “deprived of the truth” and, even worse they see “godliness as a means of gain” [v.5], and so we have seen wealthy churches emerge with leaders who display an affluent lifestyle. We saw in ch. 5 that Paul is not saying it is wrong for “those who labour in preaching and teaching” to receive support for “the labourer deserves his wages” [v.17,18]But Paul himself, as we read 4 days ago, in writing his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians said, “nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but … worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you” [3 v.7,8]. Paul was a tentmaker [Acts 18 v.3] and set a worthy example.His aim in life should be, Paul tells Timothy, to “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.  Fight the good fight of faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called …”   [6 v.11,12] Timothy is to encourage them “to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves …” [v.18,19] for the kingdom. Let us all do this, trying at the same time to correct “anyone who teaches a different doctrine” and develop our understanding of “the words of our Lord Jesus Christ” and the other writings God has caused to be written and preserved – as much as we can – and then make greater efforts to put them into practice. 

Today's readings.. (Joshua 9), (Isaiah 13), (1 Timothy 4,5)Isaiah ch. 13, todays' reading, appears to have a double application: it tells us [v.1] it is an “oracle concerning Babylon,” but much of its content is remarkably parallel to the ‘Babylon' described in the book of Revelation.  It is enlightening to note that the word ‘Babylon' in the Hebrew is actually ‘Babel'; part of this chapter appears to be about the ‘Babel' of the last days.In the days of Isaiah Assyria was the enemy Israel feared, Babylon was not yet a nation to be feared. Isaiah is caused to write of “The sound of the uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The LORD of hosts is mustering a host for battle … the weapons of his indignation to destroy the whole land”  [v.4,5]  What “land” is to be destroyed?     The same Hebrew word (eretz) is translated as “earth” in v13, “the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the LORD of hosts in the day of his fierce anger”.  To our way of thinking it should be understood as “earth” in both places. We note the context, look at v.9 -11, “Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger …the sun will be dark at its rising and the moon will not shed its light. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity”   This describes a far greater calamity than when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and brought to an end the kingdom established under David and Solomon. We must seriously consider how it describes the world today, with its' world-wide ungodliness when “every way of man is right in his own eyes” [Prov, 21 v.2] and there is no thought that an all-seeing Creator even exists.  Are we to expect physical signs – will the sun “be dark” and “the moon will not shed its light”?   Jesus made some awesome prophecies, that “there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven” [Luke 21 v.11]  But he also said, “there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation  … if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose …”  [Mark v.19,20]Make sure you are among the elect – for “he will send out the angels and gather his elect … from the ends of the earth” [v.27]  An utterly awesome divine forecast of events – we close our eyes to it – at our peril.

Today's readings.. (Joshua 8), (Isaiah 12), (1 Timothy 1-3)We usually have a reasonable idea of what we are going to talk about as today progresses, also some of the things that are likely to be part of our thoughts and conversations tomorrow – but it is invaluable to meditate on what the 6 verses that make up the entire 12th chapter of Isaiah told Israel and tells us of what “you will say on that day.”  How utterly wonderful to be among those who will say, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD God is my strength …” [v.2]   Of course, believing in God and his Son should always be the foundation on which our “strength” rests – it is not physical strength is it!  What strength of mind do you have?  How much does your mind meditate on the ultimate future? In v.3 we read “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation”. This takes our thoughts to what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “… whoever drinks of the water that I will give him …(it) … will become in him (or her) a spring of water welling up to eternal life” [John 4 v.14] We link this saying with his words “on the last day of the feast” that the one “who believes in me … out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” [7 v.38]    After Jesus left them, “the Spirit” [v.39] was to flow out of the heart of the disciples to produce more of the words of God – on which we can (and must) feed our minds.Now back to Isaiah, the last 2 verses vividly picture the time when the redeemed will “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously … Shout and sing for joy. O inhabitant of Zion. For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”  These words take us to “the song of the Lamb” in Revelation 15.  Let us live so that, by the grace of God we will be there to experience and sing this “in that day” “Great and amazing are your deeds O Lord God the Almighty!  Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!  … For you alone are holy.  All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” [v3,4]   At the moment they have been concealed – except to those who read and mediate on God's word and prepare themselves for what they “will say (and sing) in that day”

Today, more than ever before, we live in a herd environment, a human herd.  Mass advertising in a great variety of media confronts us hour after hour, this creates a herd mentality. We reflected on this as we read Paul's words this morning.  He told the Thessalonians that we “give you in ourselves an example to imitate.” [2 Thess. 3 v.9]  What do we imitate? What or who do we take as our examples in life?  An equally important question – why do we see them as examples that we might feel inclined to imitate?  Bad examples surround us!   But there are other things that are in some aspects good, but are dangerous in other ways! In these cases we need to acknowledge the good but be conscious of the potential for danger, seeing the aspects that could be deceitful, as Paul did.      Do you remember what he wrote about sin in Romans ch. 7?  Verse 11 challenges our understanding.  Paul wrote, “For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me …” Yet, the next verse says, the “law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” What does he mean?  It appears to us that in studying the law and keeping them they became proud of their righteousness, that pride, deceived them! Now he was a follower of Christ, Paul sees life through Christ's eyes, he now has what we might call, a down to earth perspective. He  writes, “you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it … that we might not be a burden to you.” [v.7,8]  So we need to ask ourselves – are we pulling our weight, doing our share?  We live in a world (in the west in particular) where getting something for nothing is the aim of quite a percentage of the population.  Some have seen a career in ‘Christianity' as a means of making a living with very little hard work attached to it.  This is sometimes evident in India, especially if some overseas organisation is pouring in money. In this country the degree of ‘social welfare' encourages some to try to live ‘idle' lives, but the true believer must have an attitude that is the very opposite.  Soon we will be reading the letter to the Hebrews where it is stated, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.  Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” [13 v.7] They did not have the blessing of a Bible to read every day and we cannot help but think that, if they had, they would have read it every spare moment – and made as many such moments as possible.  Today with so many Bibles available, it is vital we ask ourselves what part does God's word take as we live each day?    One of the smallest “books” in the Bible is the 3rd letter of John. Let's take our final point from what he wrote at the end of his long life. “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good.  Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” [v.11]  What will you do today that you would call “good”? We should read the Bible with such dedication of mind that we “see” God.

Today's readings.. (Joshua 5,6), (Isaiah 10), (2 Thessalonians 1,2)Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians shows he now has greater confidence in them, in their faith and love, this causes him “to give thanks to God … because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” [1 v.3] He commends their “steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions”  [v.4]  We are aware that there are true believers in some countries of whom this can be said today – and this is true of every generation.  As Jesus said in his message to Smyrna, “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) … Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.” [Rev.2 v.9,10]   Let us all be “rich in faith.”Ukraine is much in the news these days – and there are true believers there today and we pray specially for them and for those in Iran  – and we know that Stalin wiped out our community of believers in Ukraine in the 1930s.   We ponder the reference in the 2nd chapter  to a particular “man of lawlessness” and that there will be a “rebellion”.  We see just about everyone, in a sense, rebelling against any meaningful belief in their being a God. The “day of the Lord” then occurs.  The leader of this rebellion is “against every so-called god or object of worship” [v.4]   In a sense the ‘doctrine' of evolution fulfils this, being against any concept of their being a God, a Creator whom humans should worship and serve. Humans are also worshipping money – and Jesus said, no one “can serve two Masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money.” [Luke 16 v.13]  Nearly everyone is devoted to the things money can buy today. Finally we note Paul's warning that “those who are perishing” will do so because “they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” [v.10]   James wrote [2 v.5], “has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him”  Let us be “rich” in the things our Master approves making sure we truly “love him” and that our “faith is growing abundantly”.

**YouTube Summary/Description****Video Title:** The Christadelphians - #11 The Christ – Whose Son Is He? – Harry Tennant**Description:**Join us for this outstanding and thought-provoking exposition as we explore one of the most profound questions in Scripture: Whose son is the Christ? In this wonderful presentation, Brother Harry Tennant guides us through an insightful, verse-by-verse examination of the sonship of Jesus.We look at the two extremes of belief—from those who deny the virgin birth to the traditional creedal teaching of an eternally begotten Son. Neither, we believe, fully reflects the beautiful, consistent revelation of the Bible. Instead, we delve into what Scripture actually says: that Jesus is the uniquely begotten Son of God, born of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. This revealing study walks through key passages from Matthew, Luke, John, Paul's letters, and Hebrews to show that Jesus worshipped His Father, that the Father is greater than the Son, and that Christ's glory comes from His faithful obedience—not from a pre-existent divine nature.This is a respectful, humble, and deeply Scriptural look at one of the most important doctrines of the faith. Whether you agree or disagree, this video will challenge and inspire you to return to the Word of God as the only foundation for truth.**Chapters:**00:00 – Introduction: Seeking to Know the Son03:55 – The Virgin Birth: A Non-Negotiable Bible Truth08:09 – Examining the Creeds: “Eternally Begotten” or Biblically Revealed?13:41 – Old Testament Promises: Foreordained, Then Born15:49 – Born as the Son of God (Luke 1:35, Galatians 4:4)16:56 – Philippians 2:5-11 Explained: “Form of God” – On Earth or in Heaven?24:40 – Jesus Worships God – Even After His Ascension30:13 – Conclusion: Honouring Christ Without the Creeds**Bible Verse Categories:**

A @Christadelphians Video: Inspiring. Join us for a thought-provoking and insightful expositional Bible study on the current crisis in Iran. We examine the outstanding prophecies that reveal the future of Iran, Syria, and the surrounding nations, offering a wonderful biblical perspective on today's headlines. This revealing presentation connects scripture with global events, showing the sure hand of God in human history.*Chapters:*00:00 - Introduction: Iran in Crisis01:17 - Iran and Syria in Bible Prophecy02:40 - Daniel 11:40: The King of the North and South04:45 - The Identity of the 'Him' in Prophecy08:01 - Russia's Role as the Latter-Day King of the North10:39 - Mapping the Future Invasion12:38 - Proof 1: Iran in the Prophecy of Ezekiel13:44 - Proof 2: Persia in Ezekiel 38:515:49 - Proof 3: The 'Residue' in Daniel 719:50 - The Historical Empires and the Unconquered Land22:49 - Russia's Strategy and Current Movements25:37 - Summary of Three Key Prophecies27:47 - What We Should Look For Next30:16 - The Coming Catalyst: Global Economic Collapse32:36 - The Future of a Palestinian State & Israel's Peace34:11 - Conclusion and Call to Action*Key Bible Verses Discussed:*

A @Christadelphians Video: **Ai Summary**[Inspiring] In this thought-provoking and wonderfully expositional video, we continue our series exploring why so many Bible versions exist. This episode focuses on **textual criticism** (or “lower criticism”) – a careful, honest discipline that seeks to recover the original text of Scripture by comparing thousands of ancient manuscripts. We explain why we don't have the original autographs, how scribal errors and intentional changes crept in, and why having over 5,600 Greek manuscripts (with ~400,000 variants) is actually a blessing, not a problem. Using outstanding examples like Matthew 17 (prayer and fasting), John 5 (the angel at Bethesda), the Lord's Prayer doxology, and Mark 1 (Isaiah or the prophets?), we walk through the four-step process of textual criticism: determination, external evidence, internal evidence, and identification. We also reveal the difference between the Textus Receptus (behind the KJV) and modern critical texts like the Nestle-Aland/UBS (behind the ESV, NIV, etc.), and why about 50 verses (including the woman caught in adultery and the longer ending of Mark) are treated differently. This is a revealing, insightful journey that equips us to understand where our Bibles come from – so we can agree or disagree with textual critics for the right reasons. Ultimately, we want what God originally inspired. Join us as we grow in appreciation for the remarkable manuscript evidence God has preserved.**Chapters**00:00 - Introduction00:47 - What is Textual Criticism? (Lower Criticism)02:43 - The Goal: Recovering the Original Text03:18 - No Original Manuscripts? A Timeline Challenge04:31 - Why So Many Manuscripts? (And Variants)07:40 - The Four-Step Process of Textual Criticism10:48 - Internal Evidence: Examining the Reading Itself12:58 - Case Study 1: Matthew 17 (Prayer and Fasting)17:55 - Case Study 2: John 5 (The Angel at Bethesda)20:29 - Case Study 3: The Lord's Prayer Doxology21:45 - Case Study 4: Mark 1 (Isaiah or the Prophets?)23:37 - What is a Critical Text? From Textus Receptus to UBS26:10 - Missing Verses? (Mark 16, Woman Caught in Adultery)29:02 - Why This Matters: Seeking the Original30:42 - A Privilege of Many Manuscripts31:24 - Conclusion & Next Time**Bible Verse Category**

A Christadelphian Video: Christadelphian John Owen has had to overcome some major obstacles in his life, not least, having Cancer in his early years, he explains how being part of the Christadelphian Community really helped him in those difficult years. Accepting God into his life has made him realise how blessed and loved he is. He is now an international speaker declaring the True God of the Bible to all those who will listen.

Today's readings.. (Joshua 3,4), (Isaiah 9), (1 Thessalonians 5)We follow on from our thoughts yesterday about our “our hearts being established blameless in holiness” with Paul's conclusion to his first letter to the Thessalonians where he stresses very strongly to them that “having put on the breastplate of faith  … God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us …” [ch. 5 v.8-10]The wonder of that salvation which those who truly serve God will experience is illustrated for us in today's chapter in Isaiah (ch. 9) where there are words which have found a prominent place in the famous Oratorio ‘The Messiah.' “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder … of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and uphold it  with justice and with righteousness …” [v.6,7]We took particular notice of the phrase, “the increase of his government”  which implies the spread of his control – and noted Paul's words today – that when “people are saying , ‘There is peace and ‘security' then sudden destruction will come upon them” [v.3]  People everywhere will feel a more urgent need than today for peace and security, and when they think they are achieving it, then – disaster!  But then, wonderfully,  the child who was born, the “Son” of God, returns to rebuild life on earth on divine principles; a complete rebuilding will be necessary.  “The increase of his government” indicates this as the general population recovers from the terrible experience of the “sudden destruction.”  As we read on in Isaiah we will come across passages such as in ch. 34, of the time coming when “the LORD is enraged against all the nations and furious against all their host (armies); he has devoted them to destruction …”[v.2]May we all live our lives so that we are among those of whom it will be true to say and experience that, “God has not destined us for wrath,” but to obtain salvation. 

Today's readings.. (Joshua 1), (Isaiah 7, (1 Thessalonians 3,4)All 3 of our readings today provoke serious meditation about human reactions to God. We started reading Joshua and saw God's challenge to him to take his people over the Jordan.  He is told, “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.  I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land … [1 v.5,6] In Isaiah (ch. 7] the prophet is told to “Go and meet (king) Asa” [v.3] and encourage him to face the threats from the north.  He is to tell him, “Be careful, do not fear, and do not let your heart in faint …” [v.4]  Then the king is bluntly warned, “If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.” [v.9]  It is not possible to have a sort of half-faith!  Ahaz feels he is putting God to the test if he asks with a full expectation God will preserve him, he says, “I will not ask, I will not put the Lord to the test” [v.12]  Because of his lack of faith the LORD then gives, through Isaiah, messages to him of bad times to come when, among other things, “all the land will be briers and thorns” [v.24]In the New Testament we started to read Paul's 1st letter to the Thessalonians and saw how he is commending them on “how you turned … to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” [v.9,10] These words as so meaningful for us today; let us be “firm in faith” that God means what he caused his servants such as Paul to write.   May we, with full conviction in the word of God, “wait for his son from heaven' sensing that “wrath” will soon be coming on our world because it has reached the stage of near total godlessness. Let us not neglect our regular Bible reading as it lays the foundation to being “firm in faith” and to “be strong and courageous” both now – and even more – when the promised “wrath to come” actually happens and the dramas we will read of tomorrow in Paul's words actually takes place.

Paul writes in a very challenging way to the Colossians; he spells out very plainly that the pathway in following Christ is the very opposite to the pathways of those whose way of life leaves Christ and God out of account; their way of life becomes increasingly tragic especially if they believe there is no God – and therefore reject there is any need of a Saviour. When Paul tells the Colossian believers, “for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” [Ch. 3 v.3] he means that believers have ‘died' to the appreciation of the things that the ungodly see as valuable and important in their lives.Paul tells them to “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth” [v.2]  The things “above” will become a wonderful reality “when Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” [v.4] In setting our minds on the things that are above, that are not earthly or fleshly, Paul tells them that the result is that you “put to death … what is earthly in you; sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness” [v.5]Our world is increasingly full of this; so many are now spending their lives thirsting to possess the next clever invention; spiritual considerations find no place at all in their thinking. Paul says “on account of these the wrath of God is coming” [v.6] and it came upon Colossae long ago as it did on so many other ancient cities.What fate awaits the cities of today at God's hands we can only ponder in apprehension – and we will tremble to think about this all the more as we will read soon the long term prophecies God gave through Isaiah.Our aim must be that, having “put off the old self” [v.9], we “put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” [v.10]  It is an ongoing process of renewal in becoming more and more like Christ.  May we all make some progress each day, our daily reading of the Bible is a foundation factor in this renewal of knowledge.

Moses has reached the end of his long life, he is now 120 years old and his final effort is a final message to the nation.  We read, “then Moses spoke the words of this song  … in the ears of the assembly of Israel.” [Deut.31 v.30].  His words were designed to be memorised.  “When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel” [32 v.45] “he said to them, take to heart these words … that you may command them to your children … for it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live …” [v.46,47]  We can see his final message as a microcosm of all God's words that he has caused to be preserved for humanity for the guidance of those who seek to believe in him and seek to do his will. Such will therefore read his word and apply their minds to understand.Moses final message to the emerging nation of Israel applies, in its basic principles, to all who seek to serve God.  God could see that many in succeeding generations in Israel would lose their vision of God and not remain faithful – and so, sadly, this has also largely been the case with those who say they are following Christ. God says to Israel, prophetically through Moses, “I will hide my face from them … for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faithfulness.” [v.20] and so it has been – and is equally true in this 21st Century with so many who claim to follow Christ.  Through Moses, God said the people would become “a nation void of counsel and there is no understanding in them.  If they were wise they would understand this; they would discern their latter end.” [v.28,29] Other scriptures give us more details of their latter end but Moses ends his song positively seeing a time when God “avenges the blood of his children and takes vengeance on his adversaries and cleanses his people's land” [v.43].  Then Moses “came and recited all the words … in the hearing of the people” [v.44] and added in conclusion the words we quoted at the start; “it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live”  This is parallel with the words of Christ and the apostles by which we must live – and, as a result, live eternally.  “Words” in our world are “empty” of eternal meaning – so let us make God's words our “very life.”

The Apostle Paul, said Peter (2 Peter 3 v.16), writes “some things … that are hard to understand which the ignorant and unstable twist”!  We suspect some verses in today's reading of Chapter 1 of Colossians are an example of this. Paul writes about Jesus as “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” [1 v.15].  He goes on to say that “he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” [v.18].From this we learn that the resurrection of Jesus, following a life in which he succeeded in making God's will his will led to his being made pre-eminent by God. . But doing God's will was not an automatic process, it was an incredible challenge, remember his agonizing in the garden of Gethsemane.  (see Luke 22 v.42).  His resurrection to eternal life was the starting point at which he was made pre-eminent in everything. It was a new beginning, one could say, a new creation. Paul says, in reasoning with the Galatians, that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, “but a new creation” [6 v.15]  He said the same thing in 2 Corinthians 5 v.17, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation”.  Our awareness of these quotations provide the foundation for our understanding of how all things were created FOR Christ. God's work of creation was with him in mind from the very beginning. We note how Peter expresses this about Christ, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times … “ [1 Peter 1 v.20] by “God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory …” [v.21] The glory of Jesus came from God, he gave him pre-eminence because he was obedient unto death.  Our understanding can be confused by translators who, thinking of Jesus as God himself; this appears to have influenced their translation in a few places.  An example is the Greek preposition ek.  It occurs in our Colossians chapter no less than 31 times. It has the primary meaning of in, but the translators have used no less than 6 different English words in that chapter. Now we know you cannot translate from one language to another word for word and always make meaningful sense, but we noticed how in verse 16, they have rendered it as “by” – “for by him were all things created”  Yet the ESV, we use has a footnote against ‘by' – that says – That is, ‘by means of', or ‘in'Think, if they were created for him, it does not make sense that they were created by him.  Have we confused you?  God created the world with Jesus in mind.  Jesus lived and died with us in mind (Read John 20 v.20-21)   The “new creation” flows on from the original creation of Adam and Eve.  Are you part of the new creation, taking on the name of Christ in baptism?   Or will you be among those who fail because they stay related to Adam? 

Today we completed reading ACTS. The last 2 verses of the book tell us that Paul was in Rome for “two whole years … and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” That is where Luke ends his narrative, we have no inspired record of what happened to him after that. We notice the emphasis on Paul proclaiming God's Kingdom – it is sad that as the generations passed that the message preached about the personal future of the righteous became totally corrupted to one of human imagination; that of an immortal soul having some kind of existence in heaven.Our reading today in Isaiah has wonderful details about God's Kingdom that “shall come to pass in the latter days … and all the nations shall flow to it … and say:  Come let us go up … to the house (temple) of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths for out of Zion shall go the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem … he shall judge between nations … nation shall not lift up sword (weapons) against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” [2 v.2-4].        The kingdom Paul was proclaiming was this kingdom that Isaiah reveals. God spoke of it also through other prophets, and we should know well how Jesus preached it.   But – now note – Isaiah has another vision of our days, a fearsome vision, three times in the last 11 verses of today's 2nd chapter we encounter the phrase, “in that day”!  His vision describes a time when “the lofty pride of man shall be humbled” [v.11] with a warning “against every high tower” [v.15] – and never have there been more towering buildings than today.    Later Isaiah sees in vision “the day of the great slaughter when the towers fall … the LORD comes from afar, burning with anger … to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction” [30 v.25,27,28]  This compares with words in today's chapter, “the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day … when he rises to terrify the earth” [v.17,19].  Those who do not know God's word and have no relationship with him will be terrified.     Let us make sure we know what God has spoken through the prophets, we will come across some awesome words about “that day” as we continue our readings in Isaiah for the next several weeks.

Today we read the dramatic account of Paul's experience of shipwreck on the way to Rome. It is a first person account as Luke, the author of the book of Acts, is with him.  The point which particularly caught our attention was Paul's way of talking to the crew when they were in utter desperation and the loss of the ship with everyone on it seemed certain.  We read, “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.” [27 v.20]  It was then that Paul stood up and said, “I urge you to take heart for there will not be loss of life among you, but only of the ship.  For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship.”{v.23]Note that Paul, in referring to his God, whom no one except he and Luke would know.  Many gods of human imagination would have been worshipped by the Romans, Greeks and others in the crew; Paul says “the God I worship” and then significantly adds, “to whom I belong.”  We are sure none of the idol worshippers viewed their Gods in that way! Do we view our God in that way?Consider the point Paul makes to the Corinthians after reproving them for their sexual and other immoralities (I Cor.5). “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” [1 Cor. 6 v.19,20]  Those who are baptised commit their lives into the service of God and of Jesus Christ His son.In the same way, the people of Israel under Moses entered into a covenant with the God that had delivered them, they belonged to him!  Moses had told them, “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.  The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession” [Deut. 7 v.6]   Sadly, most of the people in the generations that followed failed to have the sense of belonging to God possessed by those entering the promised land.   If we make no commitment to belong to God, then we belong to the world – a world which is facing an awesome shipwreck!. 

A @Christadelphians Video: [Inspiring] **The Cross of Christ: A Thought-Provoking & Revealing Exploration of Redemption**What is the true meaning of the cross? In this outstanding and wonderfully expositional video, we dive deep into Scripture to uncover the heart of the Gospel. Moving beyond confusing theories and speculative ideas, we explore the inspiring truth that redemption is rooted in love, expressed through grace, and sealed by the sinless life and sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ.This insightful presentation examines the vital link between the Saviour and the sinner, explaining how—through faith, repentance, and baptism—we can personally connect to Christ's victory over sin and death. Join us as we celebrate the beautiful consistency of the Bible's message: that God's love, not a transaction, is the foundation of our hope.###

Things done in a corner are concealed from general knowledge. It seems evident that Luke, the writer of the book of ACTS was with Paul on some of his travels. Ch. 27 v.1 shows he was with him as he travelled after his appeal to Caesar (v.1,3,4 &c “we” experienced this and that). The defense of Paul before King Agrippa and the Roman Governor is given in such detail it is evident it is a personal report. Festus, the Roman Governor struggles to comprehend what Paul is saying, he desires to write a report to Caesar detailing the nature of the accusations against him.Paul declares, “To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” [26 v.22,23] Festus is confused saying, “Paul, you are out of your mind.” Paul responds, “I am not out of my mind … I am speaking true and rational words … for this has not been done in a corner” {v.24-26]The events of nearly 2,000 years ago are powerfully evidenced by history – not just the Bible text – but in Roman history. Alongside this we can put our reading today in Deuteronomy 28. Moses sets out the blessings the nation will have if they truly serve God when they enter the promised land. The first generation did so – as the book of Joshua we are about read shows.!But the latter part of our chapter details the curses that would come upon them for turning their back on God – ending with an awesome description which had its ultimate fulfilment in the Holocaust 70 years ago. “The Lord will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyes and a languishing soul. Your life will hang in doubt before you. Night and day you shall be in dread …” [v.66,67] Some try to deny the Holocaust but “this has not been done in a corner”What position do we take? There is no neutral position! Jesus said, “whoever denies me before me, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” [Matt. 10 v.33]

A @Christadelphians Video: Inspiring. In this thought-provoking edition of the Watchman Report, we examine the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. With its founding mission to secure global peace, we explore the sobering reality of our conflict-ridden world and measure its achievements against the ultimate standard: Bible prophecy. This revealing presentation offers a powerful, Scripture-based analysis of current international tensions and the wonderful, enduring hope for true peace that God has promised.**Chapters:**00:00 - Introduction: A Biblical Perspective on World Events00:13 - The UN at 80: Founding Ideals vs. Reality01:34 - A World in Conflict: Assessing the UN's Effectiveness02:45 - Biblical Prophecy Foretells Global Militarisation03:38 - Nations Question the UN's Role and Funding04:05 - Contemporary Peace Initiatives Outside the UN Framework05:16 - The Biblical Warning of "Peace and Safety"06:09 - The True Future of International Peace08:10 - Conclusion: The Good News of God's Coming Kingdom**Bible Verse Category:**

How i became a Christadelphian! Tony Puim

A @Christadelphians Video: **Ai Summary**[Inspiring] Have you ever wondered why modern Bibles sometimes differ—or even appear to miss out verses? In this thought-provoking and wonderfully expositional video, we tackle a subject rarely discussed among believers: **textual criticism**. This is the fifth instalment of our series on Bible versions, and we're diving into the vital difference between *textual criticism* and *higher criticism*.We begin by explaining why translators must care about which manuscript they use—because although God inspired the Scriptures, we still have to ask: which manuscript best preserves that inspired text? Then we reveal why many believers feel uneasy when they first hear the term “criticism.” That unease often comes from confusing textual criticism with **higher criticism**—a deeply flawed 19th‑century German movement rooted in anti‑Semitism, which denies inspiration and tears the Bible apart verse by verse.Higher criticism claims Isaiah was written by two authors (or more), that Daniel was composed after the events it prophesies, and that we cannot be sure Jesus even spoke the parables recorded in the Gospels. As Christadelphians, we reject that approach entirely. The New Testament itself quotes from both parts of Isaiah and calls Isaiah the prophet. We believe the Bible is inspired, harmonious, and trustworthy.This insightful presentation clarifies that **textual criticism is not higher criticism**. Instead, it is the careful, reverent work of comparing manuscripts to recover the most accurate wording of God's Word. Outstanding teaching like this equips you to understand why translations differ—without losing confidence in Scripture.**Chapters** 00:00 – Introduction 01:10 – What Is Textual Criticism? 02:19 – Why We Feel Uncomfortable 03:01 – The Problem of Multiple Manuscripts 04:26 – Higher Criticism Defined 05:00 – Origins and Anti‑Semitism 06:32 – Literary History vs Biblical Claims 07:25 – The “Second Isaiah” Theory 09:28 – Higher Criticism Rejects Prophecy 11:56 – New Testament Affirms One Isaiah 13:05 – Higher Criticism on Jesus' Parables 15:07 – The Jesus Seminar's Quest 17:22 – Assumed Contradictions in Acts and Paul 18:56 – Why Higher Criticism Fails 19:19 – Conclusion: Trusting the Inspired Text**Bible Verse Category**

What do we/you reason about? This question is prompted by verses in today's 24th chapter of Acts. The arrest of Paul which had been predicted by the prophets in the early church possessed by the gifts of the Spirit, had now taken place in Jerusalem.Paul is brought to Caesarea and kept in custody by the Roman Governor Felix who has a Jewish wife and “having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way” [v.22] (‘the way' being the earliest phrase used to describe followers of Christ), the Governor is not willing to aid Paul's accusers, instead he arranged for him “to have some liberty” [v.23] and then, when his wife came, “he sent for Paul and heard him speak about the faith in Christ Jesus. And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgement Felix was alarmed …” [v.24,25]If someone like Paul was alive today and we heard them reasoning about such things – would they alarm us? Or would we welcome such reasoning? Would we make it part of our reasoning and reason for living? Don't we make our answer rather obvious by the extent to which we read the Bible – and put what we read into practice.

Today's readings.. (Deuteronomy 25), (Song of Solomon 5), (Acts 20)In today's 20th chapter in Acts we have the account of a long conversation Paul had with “the elders of the church” [v.17] at Ephesus whom he called to see him at the port of Miletus.  He told them then “that they would not see his face again' [V.38].It was obviously an intense discussion.  He tells them,  “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock …  I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.  Therefore be alert …”  [v.27-31]It is natural for most of us to want to try to avoid all problems, all controversy, to ignore it if we can.   But what does that achieve?  Does it bring us closer to God and to Christ?  We have many lessons on this from Christ himself in the gospels.  Of course the circumstances in Ephesus are different, it is an entirely Gentile community – but what is not different is human nature – and the only solution to that is the development of a genuine Christ-like frame of mind.  The foundation ingredient to do that, especially for us today, is the meditative reading of God's word.Bible reading is the only way to untwist things that have been twisted.   With what intensity did Paul seek to do this! We might think he did this by intense study, reasoning and constructive argumentation, and we see some of this in his letter to them – but what does the text in Acts say?  What is the point he makes in reminding them of the spirit of mind he showed when he was among them?   “…. Be alert  remembering that for three years I did not cease night and day to admonish everyone with tears.”  [v.31]  A most challenging example to follow. The lesson is clear – academic reasoning is not the major part of dealing with “twisted things”.  Paul left Timothy at Ephesus [1 Tim 1 v.3] and he ends his letter to him by saying, “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions …”  We must do the same

Once again we have some interesting and, to quite a degree, challenging chapters today.  Our Deuteronomy chapter (24) caused us to meditate on the nature of life without banks, or any money as we have it today, so that there is no situation in which it can be borrowed!   What will be the nature of any “money” in the kingdom age?  Real gold and silver?  The Israelites, as God's people, were told by Moses in his final message, they are to “purge the evil from your midst” [Deut. 24 v.7] How much purging will be needed in the kingdom when all peoples will be expected to serve the one real God and “out of Zion shall go the law, and  …. he shall judge between the nations …” [Isa. 2 v.3,4]?The Songs of Solomon are usually understood as a spiritual ‘parable' of the bride of Christ, and Christ says to her, “You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you … You have captivated my heart … my bride … how beautiful is your love … my bride!” ” [4 v.7,9,10]  With this perspective on the meaning of this ‘parable' to what extent are we today, “captivating” the heart of our Saviour?  How can we live so that we do so?Our chapters in Acts show how the message of the gospel captivated the hearts of some of the converts so that they were really committed in serving Christ; “a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria … was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. (the Old Testament of course) … being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus …” [18 v.24,25] When he came to Achaia ” he greatly helped those who through grace had believed,  for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.” [v.27,28]He was showing, in practice “how beautiful” his “love” was for Christ!  “How beautiful is (y)our love?”  There are many ways of showing it!  Let us try harder to live so that “Christ is formed in you” [Gal. 4 v.19] which was what Paul was agonising in his heart about – concerning the believers in Galatia. As we live day after day, absorbing the real spirit of God's word so that “Christ is formed” in you and I, realising more and more fully that we do this by serving one another in the spirit of Christ – as parts of “the body of Christ.”  Let us meditate on Paul's words to the Colossians in ch. 1 v.28,29.

A @Christadelphians Video: [Inspiring] What is the "certain place" where mercy and truth meet, and righteousness and peace kiss? In this thought-provoking and insightful Memorial exhortation, Bro Ted Hodge takes us on an expositional journey through Scripture to reveal the wonderful intersection of God's divine attributes. From Jacob's vision at Bethel to the seven ecclesias of Revelation, we explore how this special place is not just a location—it's a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, full of grace and truth.This outstanding presentation challenges us as individuals and as an ecclesia to examine whether we truly dwell in this place where goodness and severity, love and faithfulness exist in perfect harmony. With practical application for our Memorial meeting and daily walk, Bro Hodge reminds us that we are soldiers of Christ, battling to remain at this place where true righteousness and peace abide. A revealing and uplifting study that will transform how you view the emblems and your spiritual warfare.**Chapters:**00:00 - Introduction: A Place Where Mercy and Truth Meet02:14 - Jacob's Vision at Bethel: The House of God03:27 - The Lord Jesus Christ: The Person Who Is This Place05:35 - The Beauty of Scripture's Couplets06:29 - The Seven Ecclesias: Who Is at This Place?09:17 - As Individuals: Searching the Reins and Hearts10:37 - The Soldier Analogy: Enduring Hardship12:28 - 2 Timothy 2: Passing the Baton15:11 - As an Ecclesia: The House of God16:46 - The Importance of Assembling Together19:25 - Lampstands and Imperfect People21:28 - Practical Application: Balancing Divine Attributes22:52 - The Son of Man: Full of Grace and Truth25:40 - The Emblems: Where We Meet God27:07 - The Mercy Seat: Our Place of Forgiveness28:29 - Partaking in Remembrance29:13 - 1 Corinthians 11:23-30: The Lord's Supper30:49 - Prayer for the Bread33:05 - Prayer for the Cup34:47 - Closing Hymn37:28 - Concluding Prayer and Benediction42:50 - Final Reflection: Come and Listen**Bible Verse Categories:**

 How do we “receive” God's word?  It is ‘food' to nourish and build up our minds.  We continue to read about the ‘adventures' of Paul – the challenges he faced as he went from place to place to spread the true message of salvation – fulfilling the words God said to Ananias in Damascus (Acts 9 v.15) that Paul “is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”There was enthusiasm for his message in some places, but not in others – and it is the same in the world today.  Paul's first approach was to go into the local Jewish synagogue, but he almost always  had a better reception among the Gentiles; he usually found some who were looking for real meaning and purpose in their lives – and it has been so ever since.  But today – with nearly all surrounded day by day and week by week by the many activities this modern world thrusts before us, few have interest in seeking and getting to know the eternal purpose of existence.We read today how Paul, when he came to a place called Berea, went into the synagogue, where he found “these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” [ch. 17 v.11]   The Scriptures of course were what we call the Old Testament and we have seen in earlier chapters in Acts passages which first Peter and then Paul quoted to prove  that the coming of Jesus and his sacrifice had been revealed by God to the prophets.  And today we can, if we are genuinely interested, study and quote them to see how they have foretold today's events with the return of the Jews to their own land – and the events which will now follow – of which our New Testament also has much to reveal to us.  So let us be like the Bereans – so that it can be said of us that we have “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily …”     A key question for each of us is, ‘How well-nourished is my mind in eternal matters?

A  Genuine faith is an essential and active ingredient in the lives of those who believe in Jesus – it motivates their actions!  This is made clear in our chapters in the Acts of the Apostles today.  The rapidly developing communities of believers had reached a crisis point when “some believers” in Jerusalem “who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses'.” [ch.15 v.5] These Jewish converts to faith in Christ wanted the Gentile converts to fully follow Jewish ways: because of this “the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.” [v.6] This was held in Jerusalem and there was “much debate.” [v.7] Among the points that Peter made was “God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, havingcleansed their hearts by faith.” [v.8,9]  Peter says that what these former Pharisees were advocating would be a “yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?  But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” [v.10,11] The lesson is – we cannot ‘earn' salvation through keeping rituals; we are “saved through grace” and it will only be through grace that we will gain a place in God's kingdom.  The essential ingredient for those who believe is to develop cleansed hearts, the outcome of having a genuine faith.   At the end of the gathering a letter is composed (v.23) and sent to the Gentile believers.  It makes the point that “it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements…” [v.28] The requirement which it is most appropriate for us to carefully note in this 21st Century is to “abstain … from sexual immortality.” [v.29]  This will come naturally to those who have “cleansed their hearts by faith.”  This was also illustrated for us in some detail in our chapter 22 in Deuteronomy today. (v.13-30) as part of Moses' earnest exhortation before the Israelites enter the promised land. May our faith become stronger – and our vision clearer – and then -how wonderfully ‘clean' our hearts will become.

Our readings in Acts ch. 13 has many lessons about the actions of God and the reactions of men as the message of Jesus was spread.  Paul and Barnabas came to Antioch in Pisidia (southern Turkey) and went into the synagogue and were invited to speak (v.15). Paul started by giving them a history lesson of God's actions in bringing Israel through the wilderness and establishing them in the promised land, giving them kings, in particular David.  Then his message jumps forward to John the Baptist.  We must not underestimate the impact and spread of John's preaching because later, at Ephesus, Paul is to find those who only know John's baptism (19 v.3) – and Ephesus is a long way from the Jordan! Paul's mention of John is a springboard for him to talk about Jesus and his message.  He points out that those who lived in Jerusalem “did not recognise him nor understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day,” and they “fulfilled them by condemning him” [v.27].Paul knew that the same misunderstanding was going to happen in Antioch as they became jealous of the non-Jews when they accepted the message that “everyone who believes (in Jesus) is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the Law of Moses.” [v.38,39]. Then comes the punch line!  “Beware therefore, lest what is said in the prophets should come about.” [v.40]It came about in the punishment that came on Jerusalem!  And the same can be said today! Punishment is coming! Paul quoted the words God inspired the prophet Habakkuk to write, “Look you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.'” [v.41, Hab. 1 v.5]  Today we have scoffers who deride the Bible, apparently learned men who scoff at the very thought that there is a God.  One day, maybe soon, they will “be astounded and perish.”  Then God's laws will come into action, no longer will the permissive laws of man corrupt mankind.  Let us prepare for that time by understanding the utterances of the prophets, including Jesus and Paul – and taking them to heart, and showing that we have done so, by our words and actions. 

These are the final words in Solomon's Book of Ecclesiastes. In the verse 12 he writes, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind” At the start of this book we read, these are “the words of the Preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.”     In today's final chapter we read, “Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging, many proverbs with great care.” [v.9]  We quoted a few days ago v.11 “the words of the wise are like goads, like nails firmly fixed” [v.11] and it reminds us of what Jesus said to Paul on the Damascus road, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads” [Acts 26 v.14] Goads are the nails that are fixed behind horses in harness pulling a carriage, which prick them if they try to disobey the driver.  Paul's conscience was pricking him as he put loving and God fearing men and women in prison and stood approving the stoning of Stephen.  Do we let the “words of the wise” that God has caused to be preserved throughout the Bible prick our conscience? We should.Solomon has a particular message for the young. “Rejoice, O young … let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth.  Walk in the ways of your heart … But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgement … Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come … “ [Ch.11 v.9; 12 v.1]He is writing in the despondency of old age, death is at the door, he had found “enjoyment in all his toil” [2 v.24] and now that is all over.  But today we can put a fuller meaning on “before the evil days come” for our world is facing evil times and the good times (?) are largely over; “They are afraid= also of what is high, and terrors are in the way” [v.5].We must take his final words to heart, “Fear  God and keep his commandments …

[Inspiring] In this thought-provoking and outstanding exposition, we continue our journey through the Christadelphian faith with Chapter 9: “How can this be?” Join us as brother Harry Tennant takes us deep into Scripture to answer a profound question – if the original Garden of Eden was blighted by sin, why and how can paradise ever be restored? This insightful and wonderfully revealing presentation moves from Eden's failure to Gethsemane's victory, showing that God's answer to mankind's plight is found entirely in the sinless life, sacrificial death, and glorious redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We explore two great mysteries – our redemption in Christ and the true nature of the Son of God – and discover that what God planned from the beginning (to make man in His image) was fully achieved in His only begotten Son. This is an uplifting, Scripture-centred message that will strengthen your confidence in God's righteous and merciful purpose to fill the earth with blessing. Whether you are new to Bible study or have long loved its truths, this video offers a rich, expositional walk through key passages that reveal the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.**

A @Christadelphians Video: Inspiring, thought-provoking, and deeply insightful, join us for this outstanding expositional study of one of the Bible's most remarkable prophecies. We explore Ezekiel 37 and its breathtakingly accurate foretelling of the modern restoration of Israel. In this wonderful presentation, Brother Mike Steele provides a revealing, step-by-step analysis of how this ancient vision has been meticulously fulfilled in our time, proving God's sovereign hand in history and signalling the nearness of Christ's return.*Chapters:*00:00 - Introduction00:15 - Exploring Ezekiel 37: The Prophecy of Restoration00:42 - The Historical Context & God's Ultimate Purpose01:57 - The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones03:51 - The Noise Begins: The Zionist Movement (c. 1897)06:32 - The Shaking: World War I & British Control08:04 - Sinews and Flesh Form: The Balfour Declaration (1917) & League of Nations (1922)10:30 - Skin Covers the Flesh: The UN Vote of 194711:38 - The Breath of Life: The Proclamation of the State of Israel (1948)12:47 - An Exceeding Great Army: The Six-Day War (1967) and Beyond14:33 - The Proof: "I have spoken it and performed it"15:53 - The Future King: The Promise of One King Over All19:00 - Conclusion: The Reliability of God's Word*Key Bible Verses Explored:*

A @Christadelphians Video: Pleased to present in collaboration with the Bible Unlocked team, this thought-provoking presentation from the sixth season of Bible Unlocked Live, A foundational series, “Why You Should Believe the Bible,” revealing how faith is built on a rock-solid foundation of evidence and reason. They hold a webinar each week....Find out more @ https://www.bibleunlocked.com/Inspiring. Join us for a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of one of Christianity's most debated doctrines. In this outstanding presentation, we trace the historical origins of the Trinitarian teaching, examine its foundational claims, and offer a revealing, scripture-based perspective on the true nature of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.**Chapters:**00:00 - Introduction: The Central Question14:03 - Defining the Trinity Doctrine14:49 - The Biblical Principle: Tracing a Doctrine to its Origin16:20 - The Foundational Problem: No Direct Biblical Reference17:29 - Historical Origins: From Ignatius to the Nicene Creed20:27 - Constantine and the Council of Nicaea22:35 - Enforcement and the Absence of Challenge23:48 - Can God Be Understood? A Biblical View25:17 - Conclusion: The Call to Personal Bible Study26:10 - Deep Dive & Q&A: Examining Key 'Proof Texts'27:18 - John 1:1-3: "The Word was God"30:44 - Philippians 2:6 & John 14:9: Further Analysis33:08 - Summarising the Biblical Relationship: Father, Son & Holy Spirit35:11 - Closing Remarks & Preview of Next Topic**Bible Verse Category:**

How i became a Christadelphian! Rhe Desjardin

A @Christadelphians Video: *Ai Summary* [Inspiring] This thought-provoking and insightful exposition reveals why so many Bible translations exist, focusing on “challenging words” – rare terms that puzzled scholars for centuries. We explore how discoveries like the Rosetta Stone, Ugaritic, and the Oxyrhynchus Papyri have revolutionised our understanding of Hebrew and Greek. This wonderful, revealing journey shows that translation is a continuous process, not a one-off event. We learn to approach Scripture with humility, using multiple translations to benefit from each one's strengths. Outstanding content for anyone serious about God's Word. *Chapters* 00:00 – Introduction: why challenging words matter 00:42 – Hapax legomena and the need for constant revision 01:52 – Changes & discoveries: learning from ancient languages 02:25 – Akkadian: the language of Abraham and Nimrod's kingdom 05:01 – Rosetta Stone: unlocking hieroglyphics 07:16 – Ugaritic: the closest literary cousin to Hebrew 09:35 – New Testament Greek: from “Holy Spirit language” to everyday Koine 10:32 – Herculaneum papyri and the search for ordinary letters 12:02 – Oxyrhynchus Papyri: a treasure trove of receipts, letters, and everyday Greek 14:44 – Timeline: how translations (KJV, RV, RSV, NIV, ESV, NASB) relate to discoveries 16:00 – Example 1: “nuts and almonds” becomes “pistachio nuts” (Genesis 43:11) 21:04 – Example 2: “Tartan” – from a name to the title “field marshal” (2 Kings 18:17) 23:39 – Why Strong's is outdated, and modern lexicons (BDB, HALOT, BDAG) 25:56 – Conclusion: humility, using multiple translations, and always learning *Bible Verse Category*

Does God hear prayer?  Yes!  But Scripture makes it clear that it depends on the spirit of mind in which prayers are offered.  God sees all, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” [Prov. 15 v.3]  In Ecclesiastes today we read, “Rejoice … in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.” [11 v.19] So what is the nature of the things we rejoice about?   Remember the parable Jesus told about the son who asked for – and received – his share of the inheritance – and ‘rejoiced' in squandering it! (Luke 15 v.12,13)  A remarkable man who was seeking the right way to ‘rejoice', was none other than a Roman Centurion!   We read of him, Cornelius, in Acts ch. 10 today.` He was a man of prayer, he was seeking a relationship with the true God, the only God, and “prayed continually to God.” [v.2] He receives a vision and is told by an angel, “”Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.” [v.4]  Does God ‘receive' our prayers like that? Are we generous in giving alms?He is told to “send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter” [v.5] and wastes no time in doing this.  The events which follow are also a learning curve for Peter, it had not entered his mind that a Roman Centurion could be saved and put on the name of Jesus!  After hearing the testimony of Cornelius Peter declares,  “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” [v.34,35] Peter declares to him the “good news of peace through Jesus Christ” explaining that, “to him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” [v.36,43]  At this the gift of the Holy Spirit falls on the hearers, this leaves Peter in no doubt that God is accepting the Gentiles equally with the Jews, “and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” [v.48]   It was the Holy Spirit that inspired the writing of the Bible, and guided the writers; today we have that word in print to guide and inspire us – and bring us ever closer to God – and one day, maybe soon, we will be told “your prayers … have ascended” – when God sends “out the angels (to) gather his elect” [Mark 13 v27] and our godless world is dramatically transformed as our Lord reigns in Jerusalem – see Isaiah 2 v.2-4.