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WHAT FAITH NEEDS Colossians 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy. • As a Christian you are a citizen of TWO worlds. • Faith is the BRIDGE between the two worlds. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. • Faith takes the blessings of heaven and gives substance to them on earth. • The period of time between your believing and receiving is when the enemy attacks. THREE THINGS FAITH NEEDS 1. Faith requires patience to protect against circumstances. Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Romans 5:1-3 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance. Luke 8:15 But the ones [seeds] that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. • Patience comes from the power of God's presence. • Patience comes from the strength of God's Word. • Patience gives faith its strength. 2. Faith needs longsuffering. Colossians 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy. Ephesians 4:2 …with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love. • Longsuffering does with people what patience does with circumstances. • Longsuffering is the thermostat of the soul. Your emotions are not beyond your control. • Longsuffering retaliates in love. 3. Faith needs joy. 1 Peter 1:8…whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. • For faith to sustain, joy must prevail. Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. • Joy is having heaven's attitude towards life.

Life As It Was Meant To Be Part 9: Dealing with Life's Difficulties Louie Marsh, 8-8-2021   4 slides as intro.   1) BE THANKFUL to God   “3We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers…(2 Thessalonians 1:3a, ESV)   2) VIEW TROUBLE as an opportunity to:   … because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3b, ESV)   STRENGTHEN my faith   “22strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22, ESV)   putting muscle and sinew in the lives of the disciples, urging them to stick with what they had begun to believe and not quit, making it clear to them that it wouldn't be easy: "Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times." Acts 14:22 (Mes)   DEEPEN my love   “8Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8, ESV)   3) RECEIVE God's comfort.   “7It is also right for God to give all of us relief from our suffering. He will do this when the Lord Jesus is revealed, ⌊coming⌋ from heaven with his mighty angels in a blazing fire.” (2 Thessalonians 1:7, GW)   “7We have confidence in you. We know that as you share our sufferings, you also share our comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:7, GW)   4) STAY FOCUSED on God's Purpose for you!   “11To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,” (2 Thessalonians 1:11, ESV)   “26So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.” (1 Corinthians 9:26, ESV)   5) GLORIFY God in my troubles.   “12so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:12, ESV)   “4But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”” (John 11:4, ESV)   6) TRUST GOD to bring justice at the right time.   “6since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,… “9They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.” (2 Thessalonians 1:6, 9–10, ESV)   Don't ask Why? – ask WHAT?      

Ruth 3:1-181 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.'” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

Teaching Notes“Dear woman, that's not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” John 2:4But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” John 2:5Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.”When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:6-11God is faithful not just while we wait, but while we work.Keep working while you are waiting.Going Deeper DiscussionWhat is it you are asking God to do in your life? Turn that into a prayer…“God, I'd really like you to… but until then I'll keep...” What are your answers?What is it you are asking God to do in your life?Turn that into a prayer.Sunday Set ListWFC Lenexa + WFC AnywhereHouse of the Lord- Phil WickhamWho My God Is- Mitch LangleyPeace Be Still- Belonging Co. feat./ Lauren DaigleIt Is Well- Bethel MusicWFC SpeedwayWorthy- Elevation Worship Make Room- Community Music The Lion and The Lamb- LeelandThis Is Amazing Grace- Phil WickhamBe sure to save our Spotify Worship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday's set!

Life As It Was Meant to Be Part 6: How to Have Hope Louie Marsh, 7-21-2021   Slide of “new” old series! TWO QUOTES:   “What oxygen is for the lungs, such is hope for the meaning of life.” - Emil Brunner   “Hopes are for the living, the dead are without hope. – Theocritus   “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ― Epicurus   “Hope is a waking dream.”  ― Aristotle   1) FIND IT in Christ alone!   “13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, ESV) Christ is God – so my hope is RELIABLE! Jesus is alive so my hope is ALIVE He's coming back – my hope extends beyond this     2) GRASP Hope's full extent.   “15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15–18, ESV)   Hope is for the living & the Hope lasts Hope brings me BACK to Christ.     3) LIVE OUT hope's implications by…   FOCUSING on what I'm doing.   “5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5–6, ESV)   UNDERSTANDING my new nature.   “4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.”…“8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4, 8, ESV)   LIVING by faith.   But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. 1 Thes. 5:8 (NLT)   ACTING in love.   But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation. 1 Thes. 5:8 (Mes)   4) COMPREHENDING my true destiny!   “9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9–11, ESV)   God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master… 1 Thes. 5:9 (Mes)   Your purpose in life is to serve God in a special way!!!  Not to be a object of wrath – but part of His family!        

Have You Trusted In Jesus? Has Your Life Moved From Where It Was All About You, To A Life That Is All About Him! Titus 3:3 - 8 3At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

XI. The Basic ConflictYou are willing to accept primarily what does not change your mind too much, and leaves you free to leave it quite unguarded most of the time. 2You persist in believing that when you do not consciously watch your mind, it is unmindful. 3It is time to consider the whole world of the unconscious, or unwatched mind. 4This will frighten you because it is the source of fright. 5You may look at it as a new theory of basic conflict if you wish, which will not be entirely an intellectual approach, because I doubt if the truth will escape you entirely.1282 The unwatched mind is responsible for the whole content of the unconscious which lies above the miracle level.129 2All psychoanalytic theorists have made some contribution to the truth in this connection, but none of them has seen it in its true entirety.3 Jung’s best contribution was an awareness of individual versus collective unconscious levels. 2He also recognized the major place of the religious spirit in his schema. 3His archetypes were also meaningful concepts. 4But his major error lay in regarding the deepest level of the unconscious as shared in terms of content.1304 The deepest level of the unconscious is shared as an ability.131 2As miracle-mindedness, the content—or the particular miracles which an individual happens to perform—does not matter at all. 3They will, in fact, be entirely different, since I direct them, because I make a point of avoiding redundancy. 4Unless a miracle actually heals, it is not a miracle at all.132 5The content of the miracle level is not recorded in the individual’s unconscious because if it were, the miracle would not be automatic or involuntary, which we have said repeatedly that it should be.133 6However, the content is a matter for the record, which is not within the individual himself.5 All psychoanalysts made one common error, in that they attempted to uncover unconscious content. 2You cannot understand unconscious activity in these terms, because “content” is applicable only to the more superficial unconscious levels to which the individual himself contributes. 3This is the level at which he can readily introduce fear, and usually does.6 Freud was right in calling this level “preconscious,” and emphasizing that there is a fairly easy interchange between preconscious and conscious material.134 2He was also right in regarding the censor as an agent for the protection of consciousness from fear.135 3His major error lay in his insistence that the preconscious is necessary at all in the psychic structure. 4If the psyche contains fearful levels from which it cannot escape without splitting, its integration is permanently threatened. 5It is essential not to control the fearful but to eliminate it.7 Here, Rank’s concept of the will was particularly good, except that he preferred to ally it only with humanity’s own truly creative ability, but did not extend it to its proper union with God’s.136 2His “birth trauma,” another valid idea, was also too limited, in that it did not refer to the separation, which was really a false idea of birth.137 3Physical birth is not a trauma in itself. 4It can, however, remind the individual of the separation, which was a very real cause of fear.8 The idea of “will therapy” was potentially a very powerful one,138 but Rank did not see its real potential because he himself used his mind partly to create a theory of the mind, but also partly to attack Freud. 2His reactions to Freud stemmed from his own unfortunate acceptance of the deprivation fallacy, which itself arose from the separation. 3This led him to believe that his own mind’s creation could stand only if the creation of another’s fell. 4In consequence, his theory emphasized rather than minimized the two-edged nature of defenses. 5This is an outstanding characteristic of his concepts, because it was outstandingly true of him. 6He also misinterpreted the birth trauma in a way that made it inevitable for him to attempt a therapy whose goal was to abolish fear.139 7This is characteristic of all later theorists, who do not attempt, as Freud did in his own form of therapy, to split off the fear.9 No one as yet has fully recognized either the therapeutic value of fear or the only way in which it can truly be ended. 2When you miscreate, you are in pain. 3The cause and effect principle here is temporarily a real expeditor. 4Actually, Cause is a term properly belonging to God, and Effect, which should also be capitalized, is His Sonship. 5This entails a set of cause and effect relationships which are totally different from those which humanity introduced into the miscreation.10 The fundamental opponents in the real basic conflict are creation and miscreation. 2All fear is implicit in the second, just as all love is inherent in the first. 3Because of this difference, the basic conflict is one between love and fear.11 So much, then, for the true nature of the major opponents in the basic conflict. 2Since all such theories lead to a form of therapy in which redistribution of psychic energy results, it is necessary to consider our concept of psychic energy next.140 3In this respect, Freud was more accurate than his followers, who were essentially more wishful. 4Energy can emanate from both creation and miscreation, and the particular ratio between them which prevails at a given point in time does determine the behavior at that time. 5If miscreation did not engender energy in its own right, it would be unable to produce destructive behavior, which it very patently does.12 Everything that you make has energy because, like the creations of God, it comes from energy and is endowed by its maker with the power to make. 2Miscreation is still a genuine creative act in terms of the underlying impulse, but not in terms of the content of what is made. 3This does not deprive what is made of its own creative power. 4It does, however, guarantee that the power will be misused, or used fearfully.13 To deny this is merely the previously mentioned fallacy of depreciation.141 2Although Freud made a number of fallacies of his own, he did avoid this one in connection with psychic energy. 3The later theorists denied the split-energy concept, not by attempting to heal it, but by reinterpreting it instead of redistributing it.142 4This placed them in the illogical position of assuming that the split which their therapies were intended to heal had not occurred. 5The result of this approach is essentially a form of hypnosis.143 6This is quite different from Freud’s approach, which merely ended in a deadlock.14414 A similar deadlock occurs when both the power of creation and of miscreation coexist. 2This is experienced as conflict only because the individual feels as if both were occurring at the same level. 3He believes in what he has miscreated in his own unconscious, and he naturally believes it is real because he has made it. 4He thus places himself in a position where the fearful becomes real. 5Nothing but level confusion can result as long as this belief is held in any form.15 Inappropriate denial and equally inappropriate identification of the real factors in the basic conflict will not solve the problem itself. 2The conflict cannot disappear until it is fully recognized that miscreation is not real, and therefore there is no conflict. 3This entails a full realization of the basic fact that, although you have miscreated in a very genuine sense, you need neither continue to do so nor to suffer from your past errors in this respect.16 A redistribution of psychic energy, then, is not the solution. 2Both the idea that both kinds must exist and the belief that one kind is amenable for use or misuse are real distortions. 3The only way out is to stop miscreating now, and accept the Atonement for miscreations of the past. 4Only this can reestablish true single-mindedness.14517 The structure of the psyche follows along the lines of the particular libido concept the theorist employs.146 2Freud’s psyche was essentially a good and evil picture, with very heavy weight given to the evil. 3This is because every time I mentioned the Atonement to him, which was quite often, he responded by defending his theory more and more against it. 4This resulted in his increasingly strong attempts to make the illogical sound more and more logical. 5I was very sorry about this, because his was a singularly good mind, and it was a shame to waste it.18 However, the major purpose of his incarnation was not neglected. 2He did succeed in forcing recognition of the unconscious into humanity’s calculations about itself, a step in the right direction which should not be minimized. 3Freud was one of the most religious men I have known recently. 4Unfortunately, he was so afraid of religion that the only way he could deal with it was to regard it (not himself) as sick.147 5This naturally prevented healing.19 Freud’s superego is a particularly interesting example of the real power of miscreation. 2It is noteworthy throughout the whole development of his theories that the superego never allied itself with freedom. 3The most it could do in this direction was to work out a painful truce in which both opponents lost.148 4This perception could not fail to force him to emphasize discontent in his view of civilization.14920 The Freudian id is really only the more superficial level of the unconscious and not the deepest level at all.150 2This, too, was inevitable, because Freud could not divorce miracles from magic. 3It was therefore his constant endeavor (even preoccupation) to keep on thrusting more and more material between consciousness and the real deeper level of the unconscious, so that the latter became increasingly obscured. 4The result was a kind of bedlam, in which there was no order, no control, and no sense. 5This was exactly how he felt about it.

VIII. The Sole Responsibility of the Miracle WorkerWe said in a previous section that the miracle is an expression of miracle-mindedness.97 2Miracle-mindedness merely means right-mindedness in the sense that we are now using it. 3Right-mindedness neither exalts nor depreciates the mind of the miracle worker or of the miracle receiver. 4However, as a creative act, the miracle need not await the right-mindedness of the receiver. 5In fact, its purpose is to restore him to his right mind. 6But it is essential that the miracle worker be in his right mind, or he will be unable to reestablish right-mindedness in someone else.2 The healer who relies on his own readiness is endangering his understanding. 2He is perfectly safe as long as he is completely unconcerned about his readiness, but maintains a consistent trust in mine. 3Errors of this kind produce some very erratic behavior, which usually points up an underlying unwillingness to cooperate. 4These errors inevitably introduce inefficiency into the miracle worker’s behavior and temporarily disrupt his miracle-mindedness. 3 We have established that for all corrective processes, the first step is know that this is fear.99 2Unless fear had entered, the corrective procedure would never have become necessary. 3If your miracle-working propensities are not working, it is always because fear has intruded on your right-mindedness and has literally upset it (i.e., turned it upside down).4 All forms of not-right-mindedness are the result of refusal to accept the Atonement for yourself. 2If the miracle worker does accept it, he places himself in the position to recognize that those who need to be healed are simply those who have not done so. 3When you feel the vast radiation range of your own inner illumination, it will be because you are aware that your right-mindedness is healing.1005 The sole responsibility of the miracle worker is to accept Atonement himself. 2This means that he knows that mind is the only creative level, and that its errors are healed by the Atonement. 3Once he accepts this, his mind can only heal. 4By denying his mind any destructive potential and reinstating its purely constructive powers, he has placed himself in a position where he can undo the level confusion of others. 5The message which he then gives to others is the truth that their minds are really similarly constructive, and that their own miscreations cannot hurt them.6 By affirming this, the miracle worker releases the mind from overevaluating its own learning device (the body), and restores the mind to its true position as the learner. 2It should be re-emphasized that the body does not learn, any more than it creates.101 3As a learning device, it merely follows the learner, but if it is falsely endowed with self-initiative, it becomes a serious obstruction to the learning it should facilitate.7 Only the mind is capable of illumination. 2Spirit is already illuminated, and the body in itself is too dense. 3The mind, however, can bring its own illumination to the body by recognizing that density is the opposite of intelligence, and therefore unamenable to independent learning. 4It is, however, easily brought into alignment with a mind which has learned to look beyond density toward light.8 Corrective learning always begins with awakening the spiritual eye, and turning away from belief in physical sight. 2The reason this entails fear is because you are afraid of what your spiritual eye will see, which was why you closed it in the first place. 3We said before that the spiritual eye cannot see error, and is capable only of looking beyond it to the defense of Atonement.102 4There is no doubt that the spiritual eye does produce extreme discomfort by what it sees. 5The thing that you forget is that the discomfort is not the final outcome of its perception. 6When the spiritual eye is permitted to look upon the defilement of the altar, it also looks immediately toward Atonement. 7Nothing which the spiritual eye perceives can induce fear. 8Everything that results from accurate spiritual awareness merely is channelized toward correction. 9Discomfort is aroused only to bring the need to correct forcibly into awareness.9 What the physical eye sees is not corrective, nor can it be properly corrected by any device which can be physically seen. 2As long as you believe in what your physical sight tells you, all your corrective behavior will be misdirected. 3The reason why the real vision is obscured is because you cannot endure to see your own defiled altar. 4But since the altar has been defiled, this fact becomes doubly dangerous unless it is perceived. 5This perception is totally nonthreatening because of the Atonement. 6The fear of healing arises in the end from an unwillingness to accept the unequivocal fact that healing is necessary. 7The fear arises because of the necessary willingness to look at what you have done to yourself.10 Healing was an ability which was lent to human beings after the separation, before which it was completely unnecessary. 2Like all aspects of the space-time belief, healing ability is temporary. 3However, as long as time persists, healing remains among the stronger human protections. 4This is because healing always rests on charity, and charity is a way of perceiving the true perfection of another, even if he cannot perceive it himself. 5Most of the loftier concepts of which humanity is capable now are time-dependent. 6Charity is really a weaker reflection of a much more powerful love-encompassment which is far beyond any form of charity that humanity can conceive of as yet. 7Charity is essential to right-mindedness, in the limited sense in which right-mindedness can now be attained.11 Charity is a way of looking at another as if he had already gone far beyond his actual accomplishment in time. 2Since his own thinking is faulty, he cannot see the Atonement himself, or he would have no need for charity at all. 3The charity which is accorded him is both an acknowledgment that he is weak and a recognition that he could be stronger. 4The way in which both of these beliefs are stated clearly implies their dependence on time, making it quite apparent that charity lies within the framework of human limitations, though toward the higher levels.12 We said before that only revelation transcends time.103 2The miracle, as an expression of true human charity, can only shorten it at best. 3It must be understood, however, that whenever you offer a miracle to another, you are shortening the suffering of both. 4This introduces a correction into the record, which corrects retroactively as well as progressively.

VII. The Miracle as the Means of HealingThe new emphasis will now be on healing. 2The miracle is the means, the Atonement the principle, and the healing is the result. 3Those who speak of “the miracle of healing” are combining two orders of reality inappropriately. 4Healing is not a miracle. 5The Atonement, or the final miracle, is purely a means, while any type of healing is a result.2 Atonement is the remedy. 2The degree of error to which it is applied is irrelevant. 3Essentially, all healing is the release from fear. 4But to undertake this you cannot be fearful yourself. 5You do not understand healing because of your own fear. 6I have been hinting throughout that you must heal others.89 7The reason is that their healing merely witnesses to yours.3 A major step in the Atonement plan is to undo error at all levels. 2Illness, which is really “not-right-mindedness,” is the result of level confusion in the sense that it always entails the belief that what is amiss in one level can adversely affect another. 3We have constantly referred to miracles as the means of correcting level confusion.90 4In reality, all mistakes must be corrected at the level at which they occur.4 Only the mind is capable of error. 2The body can act erroneously, but this is only because it has responded to misthought. 3The body cannot create, and to believe that it can, a fundamental error responsible for most of the fallacies already referred to, produces all physical symptoms.5 All physical illness represents a belief in magic. 2The whole distortion which made magic rested on the belief that there is a creative ability in matter, which can control the mind. 3This fallacy can work either way; that is, it can be believed either that the mind can miscreate in the body or that the body can miscreate in the mind. 4If it can be made clear that the mind, which is the only level of causation, cannot generate effects beyond itself, then neither confusion need occur.6 The reason why only the mind can make or create is more obvious than may be immediately apparent. 2Spirit has been created. 3The body is a learning device for the mind. 4Learning devices are not lessons in themselves. 5Their purpose is merely to facilitate the thinking of the learner. 6The most that a faulty use of a learning device can do is to fail to facilitate learning. 7It does not have the power in itself to introduce actual learning errors.91 8The body, if properly understood, shares the invulnerability of the Atonement to two-edged application. 9This is not because the body is a miracle, but because it is not inherently open to misinterpretation.7 The body is merely a fact in this world. 2Its abilities can be, and frequently are, overevaluated. 3However, it is almost impossible to deny its existence in this world. 4Those who do are engaging in a particularly unworthy form of denial. 5The use of the word “unworthy” here implies simply that it is not necessary to protect the mind by denying the unmindful. 6There is little doubt that the mind can miscreate. 7If one denies this unfortunate aspect of its power, one is also denying the power itself.928 All material means which you accept as remedies for bodily ills are simply restatements of magic principles. 2It was the first level of the error to believe that the body created its own illness. 3Thereafter, it is a second misstep to attempt to heal it through noncreative agents. 4It does not follow, however, that the application of these very weak corrective devices is evil. 5Sometimes the illness has sufficiently great a hold over an individual’s mind to render him inaccessible to Atonement. 6In this case, one may be wise to utilize a compromise approach to mind and body, in which something from the outside is temporarily given healing belief.9 This is because the last thing that can help the non-right-minded (or the sick) is an increase in fear. 2They are already in a fear-weakened state. 3If they are inappropriately exposed to a straight and undiluted miracle, they may be precipitated into panic. 4This is particularly likely to occur when upside-down perception has induced the belief that miracles are frightening.10 The value of the Atonement does not lie in the manner in which it is expressed. 2In fact, if it is truly used it will inevitably be expressed in whatever way is most helpful to the receiver, not the giver. 3This means that a miracle, to attain its full efficacy, must be expressed in a language which the recipient can understand without fear. 4It does not follow by any means that this is the highest level of communication of which he is capable. 5But it does mean that it is the highest level of communication of which he is capable now. 6The whole aim of the miracle is to raise the level of communication, not to impose regression (in the improper sense) upon it.11 Before it is safe to let miracle workers loose in this world, it is essential that they understand fully the fear of release. 2Otherwise, they may unwittingly foster the belief that release is imprisonment, which is very prevalent. 3This misperception arose from the attempted protection device (or misused defense) that harm can be limited to the body. 4This was because of the much greater fear (which this one counteracts) that the mind can hurt itself.93 5Neither error is really meaningful, because the miscreations of the mind do not really exist. 6That recognition is a far better protection device than any form of level confusion, because of the advantages of introducing correction at the level of the error.12 It is essential that the remembrance remain with you that only mind can make or create. 2Implicit in this is the corollary that correction belongs at the thought level and not at either level to which correction is inapplicable. 3To repeat an earlier statement, and also to extend it somewhat, spirit is already perfect and therefore does not require correction. 4The body does not really exist, except as a learning device for the mind. 5This learning device is not subject to errors of its own, because it was made but does not make.94 6It should be obvious, then, that correcting the maker (or inducing it to give up miscreation) is the only application of creative power which is inherently meaningful at all.13 We said before that magic is essentially mindless, or the destructive (miscreative) use of mind.95 2Physical medicines are a form of “spells.” 3In one way, they are a more benign form, in that they do not entail the possession fallacy, which does enter when a mind believes that it can possess another. 4Since this is considerably less dangerous, though still incorrect, it has its advantages.96 5It is particularly helpful to the therapist who really wants to heal, but is still fearful himself. 6By using physical means to do so, he is not engaging in any form of enslavement, even though he is not applying the Atonement. 7This means that his mind is dulled by fear, but is not actively engaged in distortion.14 Those who are afraid of using the mind to heal are right in avoiding it, because the very fact that they are afraid has made them vulnerable to miscreation. 2They are therefore likely to misunderstand any healing they might induce and, because egocentricity and fear usually occur together, may be unable to accept the real Source of the healing. 3Under these conditions, it is safer for them to rely temporarily on physical healing devices, because they cannot misperceive them as their own creations. 4As long as their own vulnerability persists, it is essential to preserve them from even attempting miracles.

The church in Ephesus is the first of seven churches in Asia Minor to receive a spiritual evaluation directly from God through Jesus Christ. It was pronounced world famous for its large temple to the pagan goddess Diana (in the New Testament, Diana’s name is a translation of the Greek word Artemis, Acts 19:27). It was a city on the western coast of Asia Minor, near the mouth of the Cayster River. The city was also known for building the largest outdoor theater in the world, capable of containing 50,000 spectators. For many years Ephesus was the largest city in the Roman Empire next to Rome and boasted a population of more than a quarter million inhabitants. The Bible reveals that Timothy served as the pastor of the congregation in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:1). Apostle John spent many years in Ephesus toward the end of the first century and that this is where he died and was buried. The message to the church of Ephesus Revelation 2:1-7; “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: “I know your DEEDS and your TOIL and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4BUT have this against you, that you have LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE. 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and REPENT and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will REMOVE your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.6 Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God”. The members of the church at Ephesus, hated the DEEDS of the Nicolaitans and would not allow them in their midst. However, the church of Ephesus was characterized by lovelessness and that is why it is referred to as the “loveless church” According to History, John and Timothy were the pastors of Ephesus. Domitian was the ruler who took vengeance against the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and also took serious action against the pastors of the day. He exiled John to the Isle of Patmos, taking everything familiar to him away from him, but he could not prevent the Lord from coming to John. He could not prevent the revealing from taking place. It is this revelation that completed God’s Word. We are reminded as Christians to walk in love.

VI. The Restoration of the AltarAs psychologists know, when defenses are disrupted there is a period of real disorientation, accompanied by fear, guilt, and usually vacillation between anxiety and depression. 2The process discussed here is different only in that defenses are not being disrupted but reinterpreted, even though it may be experienced as the same thing.80 3In the reinterpretation of defenses, they are not disrupted, but their use for attack is lost. 4Since this means that they can be used only one way, they become much stronger and also much more dependable. 5They no longer oppose the Atonement, but greatly facilitate it.2 The Atonement can only be accepted within you. 2You may perceive it largely as external, and this will make your experience of it minimal. 3You can be shown the chalice without accepting it for yourself.81 4This is due to the improper use of the defense of externalization.82 5Do not fail to appreciate, however, how remarkable your progress can be in this respect. 6You may perceive the chalice at first as a vessel of some sort whose purpose is uncertain. 7Even then, however, you can notice that the inside is gold, while the outside, though shiny, is silver. 8This is a recognition of the fact that the inner part is more precious than the outer side, even though both are resplendent.3 The reinterpretation of defenses is essential to break open the inner light. 2Since the separation, defenses have been used almost entirely to defend yourself against the Atonement, and thus maintain your separation. 3You generally see this as a need to protect the body from external intrusion. 4Fantasies about the body arise from the erroneous belief that the body can be used as a means for obtaining Atonement.4 Perceiving the body as the temple is only the first step in correcting this kind of distortion.83 2Seeing the body as a temple alters part of the misperception, but not all of it. 3It does recognize that the concept of Atonement in physical terms is not appropriate. 4But the next step is to realize that a temple is not a building at all. 5Its real holiness lies in the inner altar around which the building is built.5 The inappropriate emphasis which people have put on beautiful church buildings is a sign of their own fear of Atonement, and an unwillingness to reach the altar itself. 2The real beauty of the temple cannot be seen with the physical eye. 3The spiritual eye, on the other hand, cannot see the building at all, but it perceives the altar within with perfect clarity. 4This is because the spiritual eye has perfect vision.6 For perfect effectiveness, the chalice of the Atonement belongs at the center of the inner altar, where it undoes the separation and restores the wholeness of the mind. 2Before the separation, the mind was invulnerable to fear, because fear did not exist. 3Both the separation and the fear were miscreations of the mind, which have to be undone. 4This is what the Bible means by the restoration of the temple.84 5It does not mean the restoration of the building, but it does mean the opening of the altar to receive the Atonement. 6This heals the separation, and places within you the one defense against all errors which can make you perfectly invulnerable.7 The acceptance of the Atonement by everyone is only a matter of time. 2In fact, both time and matter were made for this purpose. 3This appears to contradict free will, because of the inevitability of the decision. 4If you review the idea carefully, however, you will realize that this is not true. 5Everything is limited in some way by the manner of its creation. 6Free will can temporize and is capable of enormous procrastination. 7But it cannot depart entirely from its Creator, Who sets limits on its ability to miscreate by virtue of its own real purpose.8 The misuse of will engenders a situation which, in the extreme, becomes altogether intolerable. 2Pain thresholds can be high, but they are not limitless. 3Eventually, everybody begins to recognize, however dimly, that there must be a better way.85 4As this recognition is more firmly established, it becomes a perceptual turning point. 5This ultimately reawakens the spiritual eye, simultaneously weakening the investment in physical sight. 6The alternating investment in the two types or levels of perception is usually experienced as conflict for a long time, and can become very acute. 7But the outcome is as certain as God.9 The spiritual eye literally cannot see error, and merely looks for Atonement. 2All of the solutions which the physical eyes seek dissolve in its sight. 3The spiritual eye, which looks within, recognizes immediately that the altar has been defiled and needs to be repaired and protected. 4Perfectly aware of the right defense, it passes over all others, looking past error to truth. 5Because of the real strength of its vision, it pulls the will into its own service and forces the mind to concur.10 This reestablishes the true power of the will, and makes it increasingly unable to tolerate delay. 2The mind then realizes, with growing certainty, that delay is only a way of increasing unnecessary pain, which it need not tolerate at all. 3The pain threshold drops accordingly, and the mind becomes increasingly sensitive to what it would once have regarded as very minor intrusions of discomfort.11 The children of God are entitled to perfect comfort, which comes from a sense of perfect trust. 2Until they achieve this, they will waste themselves and their true creative powers on useless attempts to make themselves more comfortable by inappropriate means. 3But the real means is already provided, and does not involve any effort on their part at all. 4Their egocentricity usually misinterprets this as personally insulting, an interpretation which obviously arises from their misperception of themselves. 5Egocentricity and communion cannot coexist. 6Even the terms themselves are contradictory.8612 The Atonement is the only gift which is worthy of being offered to the altar of God. 2This is because of the inestimable value of the altar itself. 3It was created perfect and is entirely worthy of receiving perfection. 4God is lonely without His Sons, and they are lonely without Him. 5Remember the poem which begins:6And God stepped out on space,And he looked around and said,“I’m lonely—I’ll make me a world.”877The world was a way of healing the separation, and the Atonement is the guarantee that the device will ultimately do so.88

III. The Proper Use of Denial48When you are afraid of anything, you are acknowledging its power to hurt you. 2Remember that where your heart is, there is your treasure also.49 3This means that you believe in what you value. 4If you are afraid, you are valuing wrongly. 5Human understanding will inevitably value wrongly, and by endowing all human thoughts with equal power will inevitably destroy peace. 6That is why the Bible speaks of the peace of God which passeth (human) understanding.50 7This peace is totally incapable of being shaken by human errors of any kind. 8It denies the ability of anything which is not of God to affect you in any way.2 This is the proper use of denial. 2It is not used to hide anything, but it is used to correct error. 3It brings all error into the light, and since error and darkness are the same, it abolishes error automatically. 4True denial is a very powerful protective device. 5You can and should deny any belief that error can hurt you. 6This kind of denial is not a concealment device but a correction device. 7The right mind of the mentally healthy depends on it.3 You can do anything I ask. 2I have asked you to perform miracles, and have made it very clear that these are natural, corrective, healing, and universal.51 3There is nothing good they cannot do. 4But they cannot be performed in the spirit of doubt. 5You have asked yourself why you cannot really incorporate my words. 6But remember my own question before you ask yours: “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”524 The idea of cannibalism in connection with the Sacrament is a reflection of a distorted view of sharing.53 2I told you before that the word “thirst” in connection with the Spirit was used because of the limited understanding of those to whom I spoke. 3I also told you not to use it.54 4The same holds for expressions like “feeding on.” 5Symbiosis is misunderstood by the mentally ill, who do use it in that way.555 But I also told you that you must recognize your total dependence on God, a statement which you may not have liked.56 2God and the Sons He created are symbiotically related. 3They are completely dependent on each other. 4The creation of the Son himself has already been perfectly accomplished, but the creation by Sons has not. 5God created Sons so He could depend on them because He created them perfectly. 6He gave them His peace so they would not be shaken and would be unable to be deceived.6 Whenever you are afraid, you are deceived. 2Your mind is not serving your soul. 3This literally starves the soul by denying its daily bread.57 4In this connection, there is a poem about the Holy Family that says:5Where tricks of words are never said,And Mercy is as plain as bread.587 God offers only mercy. 2Your own words should always reflect only mercy, because that is what you have received and that is what you should give. 3Justice is a temporary expedient, or an attempt to teach you the meaning of mercy. 4Its judgmental side arises only because you are capable of injustice if that is what your mind makes.8 You are afraid of God’s will because you have used your own will, which He created in the likeness of His Own, to miscreate.59 2What you do not realize is that the mind can miscreate only when it is not free. 3An imprisoned mind is not free by definition. 4It is possessed, or held back, by itself. 5Its will is therefore limited, and not free to assert itself.9 It is all right to remember the past, provided you also remember that anything you suffer is because of your own errors. 2As an analogy, imagine a very young child who falls down the stairs when an adult has her arms open in welcome at the bottom of the stairs, and who then develops a totally unwarranted fear of that adult. 3The misstep which causes the child’s fall has nothing at all to do with the adult, just as your own missteps have nothing at all to do with me.10 Denial of error is a very powerful defense of truth. 2We have slowly been shifting the emphasis from the negative to the positive use of denial. 3Remember, we have already stated that denial is not a purely negative device; it results in positive miscreation.60 4That is the way the mentally ill do employ it. 5But remember this thought: Never underestimate the power of denial. 6In the service of the right mind, the denial of error frees the mind and reestablishes the freedom of the will. 7When the will is really free it cannot miscreate because it recognizes only truth.11 False projection arises out of false denial, not out of its proper use. 2My own role in the Atonement is one of true projection; that is, I can “project” (or extend) to you the affirmation of truth. 3If you project error to me (or to yourself) you are interfering with the process. 4My use of projection, which can also be yours, is not based on faulty denial. 5But it does involve the very powerful use of the denial of error.12 The miracle worker is one who accepts my kind of denial and projection, unites his own inherent abilities to deny and project with mine, and imposes them back on himself and others. 2This establishes the total lack of threat anywhere. 3Together we can then work for the real time of peace, which is eternal.

The real meaning of possession should be clarified. 2Fear of possession is a perverted expression of the fear of the irresistible attraction of God. 3The truth is still that the attraction of God is irresistible at all levels, and the acceptance of this totally unavoidable truth is only a matter of time. 4But you should consider whether you want to wait, because you can return now, if you choose.2 Possession is a concept which has been subject to numerous distortions, some of which we will list below:3 Type 1: Possession can be associated with the body only. 2If this occurs, sex is particularly likely to be contaminated. 3Possession versus being possessed is apt to be seen as the male versus the female role. 4Since neither will be conceived of as satisfying alone, and both will be associated with fear, this interpretation is particularly vulnerable to psychosexual confusion.24 Type 2: From a rather similar reference point, possession can also be associated with things. 2This is essentially a shift from type 1 and is usually due to an underlying fear of associating possession with people. 3In this sense, it is an attempt to protect people from one’s possessiveness, like the superstition about “protecting the name” we mentioned before.35 Both type 1 and type 2 are likely to become compulsive for several reasons, including:a) 2They represent an attempt to escape from the real possession drive, which cannot be satisfied this way.b) 3They set up substitute goals, which are usually reasonably easy to attain.4c) 4They appear to be relatively harmless, and thus seem to allay fear. 5The fact that they usually interfere with good interpersonal relationships can be interpreted, in this culture, as a lack of sophistication on the part of the other (not the self), and this induces a false feeling of confidence in the solution. 6It is also fairly easy to find a partner who shares the illusion. 7Thus, we have any number of relationships which are actually established on the basis of type 1, and others which hold together primarily because of a joint interest in type 2.d) 8The manifestly external emphasis which both entail seems to be a safety device, and thus permits a false escape from much more basic inhibitions.5 9As a compromise solution, the illusion of interpersonal relating is preserved, along with the retention of lack of love. 10This kind of psychic juggling leaves the juggler with a feeling of emptiness, which in fact is perfectly justified, because he is acting from scarcity. 11He then becomes more and more driven in his behavior, to fill the emptiness.6 When these solutions have been invested with extreme belief, type 1 leads to sex crimes and type 2 to stealing. 2The kleptomaniac is a good example of the latter.7 Generally, three types of emotional disturbance result:a) 2The tendency to maintain the illusion that only the physical is real. 3This produces depression.b) 4The tendency to invest the physical with nonphysical properties. 5This is essentially magic and tends more toward anxiety-proneness.c) 6The tendency to vacillate from one to the other, which produces a corresponding vacillation between depression and anxiety.7All three result in self-imposed starvation.8 Type 3: Another type of distortion is seen in the fear of or desire for “spirit” possession. 2The term “spirit” is profoundly debased in this context, but it does entail a recognition that the body is not enough and investing it with magic will not work. 3This recognition accepts the fact that neither type 1 nor type 2 is sufficient, but precisely because it does not limit fear so narrowly, it is more likely to produce greater fear in its own right.9 Endowing the Spirit with human possessiveness is a more inclusive error than type 1 or type 2, and a step somewhat further away from the right mind. 2Projection is also more likely to occur, with vacillations between grandiosity and fear.6 3“Religion,” in a distorted sense, is also more likely to occur in this kind of error, because the idea of a “spirit” is introduced, though fallaciously, while it is excluded from type 1 and type 2. 4Witchcraft is thus particularly apt to be associated with type 3, because of the much greater investment in magic.10 It should be noted that type 1 involves only the body, and type 2 involves an attempt to associate things with human attributes. 2Type 3, on the other hand, is a more serious level confusion, because it endows the Spirit with evil attributes. 3This accounts both for the religious zeal of its proponents and the aversion (or fear) of its opponents. 4Both attitudes stem from the same false belief.11 This is not what the Bible means by “filled with the Holy Spirit.”7 2The concept of “speaking in many tongues” was originally an injunction to communicate to everyone in his own language, or at his own level. 3It hardly meant to speak in a way that nobody could understand.12 This strange error occurs when people do understand the need for universal communication, but have contaminated it with the possession fallacy. 2The fear engendered by this misperception leads to a conflicted state in which communication is attempted, but the fear is allayed by making the communication incomprehensible.8 3It could also be said that the fear induces selfishness or regression, because incomprehensible communication is hardly a worthy offering from one Son of God to another.13 Type 4: Knowledge can also be misinterpreted as a means of possession. 2Here, the content is not physical, and the underlying fallacy is more likely to be the confusion of mind and brain.9 3The attempt to unite nonphysical content with physical attributes is illustrated by statements like “the thirst for knowledge.” 4This is not what “thirst” in the Bible means.10 5The term was used only because of humanity’s limited comprehension and is probably better dropped.14 The fallacious use of knowledge can result in several errors, including:a) 2The idea that knowledge will make the individual more attractive to others. 3This is a possession fallacy.11b) 4The idea that knowledge will make the individual invulnerable. 5This is a reaction formation against the underlying fear of vulnerability.c) 6The idea that knowledge will make the individual worthy. 7This is largely pathetic.15 Like all of these fallacies, type 4 contains a denial mechanism, which swings into operation as the fear increases, thus canceling out the error temporarily but seriously impairing efficiency. 2For example, one person might claim she cannot read, while another might claim he cannot speak.1216 Note that depression is a real risk here, for a child of God should never reduce his efficiency in any way. 2The depression comes from a peculiar pseudo-solution which reads:3A child of God is efficient.4I am not efficient.5Therefore, I am not a child of God.136This leads to neurotic resignation, and this is a state which merely increases the depression.17 The corresponding denial mechanism for type 1 is physical inability, or impotence. 2The denial mechanism for type 2 is often bankruptcy. 3Collectors of things often drive themselves well beyond their financial means, in an attempt to force discontinuance. 4If this idea of cessation cannot be tolerated, a strange compromise involving both insatiable possessiveness and insatiable throwing away may result.18 An example is the inveterate or compulsive gambler, particularly the horse-racing addict. 2Here, the conflicted drive is displaced both from people and things, and is invested in animals. 3The implied derogation of people is the cause of the underlying extreme superstition of the horse-racing addict.14 4The alcoholic is in a similar position, except that his hostility is more inward than outward directed.15 5Defenses aimed at protecting (or retaining) error are particularly hard to undo, because they introduce second-order misperceptions which obscure the underlying errors still further.1619 The pseudo-corrective mechanism for type 3 is apt to be more varied because of the more inclusive nature of the error, which has already been mentioned. 2Some of the possibilities are listed below:a) 3One aspect of the possession/possessed conflict can be raised to predominance. 4If this is attempted in connection with possessing, it leads to the paranoid solution.17 5The underlying component of “being possessed” is retained in the “persecution” fantasies which generally accompany the paranoia.

God & History Last CCR Sunday By Louie Marsh, 1-10-2021 Show History Quotes – 5 slides.   1) God LOVES history!   He CREATED   “1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1, ESV)   “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1–3, ESV)   2) He GUIDES & SUSTAINS it.   “21He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;” (Daniel 2:21, ESV)   The grand difference between the ancient view of history and that found in Scripture is the difference between what is called “cyclical” and “linear-progressive.” A cyclical view indicates that there was no beginning to the universe and no goal for it; rather, history creates itself and eventually repeats itself—forever.   SHOW SLIDE WITH QUOTE THEN - History does not repeat itself – people do!   “8From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 12:8, ESV)   3) He USES history in our lives.   To help us REMEMBER Him & His work.   “4Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”” (Joshua 4:4–7, ESV)   Show Baptisms slide – 83 names, these don’t count those baptized in the 5 years I was gone, a few years where I kept bad records, those baptized at the jail, etc.   To TEACH us how to act.     “4But he did not put their children to death, according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, “Fathers shall not die because of their children, nor children die because of their fathers, but each one shall die for his own sin.”” (2 Chronicles 25:4, ESV)   To BLESS us & show us His love.   “8This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8, ESV)   To ENCOURAGE us to keep on going.   “4For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4, ESV)   4) God and the GOSPEL are rooted & grounded in history.   “16So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. 17The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.” (Acts 13:16–17, ESV)   “28And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.” (Acts 13:28–31, ESV)    

Fourth Sunday of Advent Sunday, December 20, 2020 Year (cycle): B   The Collect:  Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Old Testament:  2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 1Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” 3Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.” 4But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: 5Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 6I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. 7Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” 8Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel;9and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 16Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever. Psalm:  Canticle 3 or Canticle 15 or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *         for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: *        the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him *        in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, *        he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *        and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, *        and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *        for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, *        to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. or 1 Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing; *        from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness. 2 For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever; *        you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens. 3 "I have made a covenant with my chosen one; *        I have sworn an oath to David my servant: 4 'I will establish your line for ever, *        and preserve your throne for all generations.'" 19 You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people: *       "I have set the crown upon a warrior        and have exalted one chosen out of the people. 20 I have found David my servant; *        with my holy oil have I anointed him. 21 My hand will hold him fast *        and my arm will make him strong. 22 No enemy shall deceive him, *        nor any wicked man bring him down. 23 I will crush his foes before him *        and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and love shall be with him, *        and he shall be victorious through my Name. 25 I shall make his dominion extend *        from the Great Sea to the River. 26 He will say to me, 'You are my Father, *        my God, and the rock of my salvation.' Epistle:  Romans 16: 25-27 25Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen. Gospel:  Luke 1:26-38 26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”29But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

DARK MORALITY IN AND BEYOND HUMAN DNA InsideOut https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=CHRISTIAN+SONG+OF+SET+FREE&&view=detail&mid=B7AC6B1B5EA44D99549CB7AC6B1B5EA44D99549C&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DCHRISTIAN%2BSONG%2BOF%2BSET%2BFREE%26FORM%3DHDRSC3 1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Galatians 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 2 Peter 1:4 by which He has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, so that through these things you might become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 2:12 But these people are like irrational animals, born to be captured and destroyed. They speak evil of the things that they do not understand, and in their corruption they will be destroyed. 2 Peter 2:19 Although they promise them freedom, they themselves are slaves of corruption, for by that which a man is overcome, to this he is enslaved. Cognate: 5356 phthorá (from 5351 /phtheírō) – destruction from internal corruption (deterioration, decay); "rottenness, perishableness, corruption, decay, decomposition" (Souter). See 5351 (phteírō). The heart is more deceitful than all things and desperately wicked; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17 Sin struggles against the Spirit. The sin nature is utterly contrary to the Spirit and beyond the control of the person (Gal. 5:17; cf. Rom. 7:7–25). It is death to the human (Rom. 8:6, 13) and an offense to God (Rom. 8:7–8; 1 Cor. 15:50). From it comes the epithumia, the entire range of unholy desires (Rom. 1:24; 7:8; Titus 2:12; 1 John 2:16). Sin even dwells within the person (Rom. 7:17–24; 8:5–8) as a principle or law (Rom. 7:21, 23, 25). Actual sins begin in the sinful nature often as the result of worldly or supernatural temptation (James 1:14–15; 1 John 2:16). One of sin’s most insidious characteristics is that it gives rise to more sin. Sin, like the malignancy it is, grows of itself to fatal proportions in both extent and intensity unless dealt with by the cleansing LIVE NOTES FOR WWW.THERAGGEDEDGERADIO.COM BY RUSS DIZDAR © 10 of Christ’s blood. Sin’s self-reproduction may be seen in the Fall (Gen. 3:1–13), in Cain’s descent from jealously to homicide (Gen. 4:1–15), and in David’s lust giving birth to adultery, murder, and generations of suffering (2 Sam. 11 through 12). Romans 1:18–32 recounts humanity’s downward course from the rejection of revelation to complete abandon and proselytization. Similarly, the “seven deadly sins” (an ancient catalog of vices contrasted with parallel virtues) have been viewed not only as root sins, but also as a descending sequence of sin.53 This process of sin’s feeding on sin is realized through many mechanisms. The ambitious author of wickedness, Satan, is the archantagonist of this evil drama. As the ruler of this present age (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2), he constantly seeks to deceive, tempt, sift, and devour (Luke 22:31–34; 2 Cor. 11:14; 1 Thess. 3:5; 1 Pet. 5:8), even inciting the heart directly (1 Chron. 21:1). The natural inclination of the flesh, still awaiting full redemption, also plays a part. The temptations of the world beckon the heart (James 1:2–4; 1 John 2:16). Sin often requires more sin to reach its elusive goal, as in Cain’s attempt to hide his crime from God (Gen. 4:9). The pleasure of sin (Heb. 11:25–26) may be self-reinforcing. Sinners provoke their victims to respond in sin (note the contrary exhortations: Prov. 20:22; Matt. 5:38–48; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9). Sinners entice others into sin (Gen. 3:1–6; Ex. 32:1; 1 Kings 21:25; Prov. 1:10–14; Matt. 4:1–11; 5:19; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13; 2 Tim. 3:6–9; 2 Pet. 2:18–19; 3:17; 1 John 2:26).54 Sinners encourage other sinners in sin (Ps. 64:5; Rom. 1:19–32).55 Individuals harden their hearts against God and try to avoid the mental distress of sin (1 Sam. 6:6; Ps. 95:8; Prov. 28:14; Rom. 1:24, 26, 28; 2:5; Heb. 3:7–19; 4:7). Finally, the hardening of the heart by God can facilitate this process. Horton, Stanley M.. Systematic Theology: Revised Edition . BookMasters. Kindle Edition. Intro1. THE TOTALITY OF US INFECTED • Mind • Perception • Feelings • Body • The HEART … the very center of who you are a. The thoughts, feelings and choice LIVE NOTES FOR WWW.THERAGGEDEDGERADIO.COM BY RUSS DIZDAR © 11 2. FROM SIN NATURE TO SINS …. IT ONLY GETS DARKER • The spiraling into total back out • So dark… inspiring, reveling and protecting sin 3. SATAN’S PLATFORM • Eph. 2 is it his very substance? • Birds of a feather … • Can you sin so much ……you become a demon? The imago satanas 4. DISSECTING THE SIN NATURE … a. Splicing it out genetically b. Subduing it law and order c. Denying it just education d. Exhalating it the satanic bible What salvation does / Salvation is so overwhelming it 1. It brings the real needed moral forgiveness … sin against GOD 2. It applies the work of Jesus to our total being: By a. It severs the sin code LIVE NOTES FOR WWW.THERAGGEDEDGERADIO.COM BY RUSS DIZDAR © 12 b. It severs satans chain/ rights/hold/use c. It removes the wrath of God d. It implants God’s gift of justification and righteousness e. It implants a new nature/operating animating presence f. It implants the coming immortality Jesus in you is the NEW LIFE Titus 3 3We also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various desires and pleasures, living in evil and envy, filled with hatred and hating each other. 4But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward mankind appeared, 5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of rebirth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life

Going Deeper What is the primary message Peter and John were proclaiming to the religious leadership in this chapter? With the 40 year old man having been healed and present in the gathering, why do you think the Jewish leaders were undecisive as to how this message could be stopped? This early A2 community was marked by unity, prayer and generosity. What could/should that look like in your life group? In our church? How do you plan to move in that direction?Teaching NotesWhen God makes a wave, it is unstoppable. Acts 4:1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.5The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11Jesus is“ ‘the stone you builders rejected,which has become the cornerstone.’12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. 23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. …31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Three ways we ride God’s unstoppable wave:1. Prayer - We don’t move without prayer When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God…Acts 4:24 2. Unity - We are better together. All the believers were one in heart and mind.Acts 4:32 “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:22-23 3. Generosity - God is generous and so are we. …they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.Acts 4:32-34 God loves to use people just like you. “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13Sunday Set ListEvery Beat- North Point InsideOutO the Blood- Mitch LangleyPeace Be Still- The Belonging CoGreat Are You Lord- All Sons & DaughtersBe sure to follow our Spotify Worship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday’s set!

IN GOOD HANDS Week 3 Outline - 08.16.20 ~ He’s Still *Got The Whole World In His Hands SeriesJeremiah 18This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2“Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.”3So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. 5Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord.But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8SCRIPTURE“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12"It is written..." Matthew 4:4, 7, 10HOLY SPIRIT “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14“He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. John 16:13,14Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Acts 16:6-9III. CIRCUMSTANCES: Opened And Closed Doors.But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me. 1 Corinthians 16:8,9And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household." And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:57, 58IV. WISE COUNSEL: Mature Christian Friends And Spiritual Authorities.For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, "I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith." Luke 7:8, 9My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:8Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; Isaiah 59:1Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 1 Peter 5:6

A Plot to Kill Paul 12When it was day,the Jews made a plot andbound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.13There were more than forty who made this conspiracy.14They went to the chief priests and elders and said, We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul.15Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near. 16Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and enteredthe barracks and told Paul.17Paul called one of the centurions and said, Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.18So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, Paulthe prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.19The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is it that you have to tell me?20And he said,The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him.21But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, whohave bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.22So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, Tell no one that you have informed me of these things. Paul Sent to Felix the Governor 23Then he called two of the centurions and said, Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night.[a]24Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely toFelixthe governor.25And he wrote a letter to this effect: 26Claudius Lysias, tohis Excellency the governor Felix,greetings.27This man was seized by the Jews andwas about to be killed by themwhen I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him,having learned that he was a Roman citizen.28Anddesiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council.29I found that he was being accusedabout questions of their law, butcharged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment.30And when it was disclosed to methat there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once,ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him. 31So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.32And on the next day they returned tothe barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him.33When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him.34On reading the letter, he asked whatprovince he was from. And when he learnedthat he was from Cilicia,35he said, I will give you a hearingwhen your accusers arrive. And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod'spraetorium. Paul Before Felix at Caesarea 24Andafter five days the high priestAnanias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid beforethe governor their case against Paul.2And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight,most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation,3in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.4But, to detain[b]you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly.5For we have found this man a plague,one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader ofthe sect of the Nazarenes.6He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him.[c]8By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him. 9The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so. 10And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense.11You can verify thatit is not more than twelve days since Iwent upto worship in Jerusalem,12andthey did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city.13Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me.14But this I confess to you, that according tothe Way, which they calla sect,I worshipthe God of our fathers, believing everythinglaid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,15havinga hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will bea resurrectionof both the just and the unjust.16So I alwaystake pains to have aclear conscience toward both God and man.17Nowafter several yearsI came to bring alms tomy nation and to presentofferings.18While I was doing this, they found mepurified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. Butsome Jews from Asia19they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me.20Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council,21other than this one thingthat I cried out while standing among them: It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day. Paul Kept in Custody 22But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge ofthe Way, put them off, saying, When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.23Then he gave orders to the centurion that heshould be kept in custody but have some liberty, and thatnone of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs. 24After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak aboutfaithin Christ Jesus.25And as he reasonedabout righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, Go away for the present.When I get an opportunity I will summon you.26At the same time he hopedthat money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him.27When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by PorciusFestus. Anddesiring to do the Jews a favor,Felix left Paul in prison.

The Temptation of Jesus 1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,' and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'” 7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'” 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'” 11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Matthew 4:1–11 1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone,     but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up,     lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God     and him only shall you serve.’” 11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2“Go down tothe potter’s house, and there I will give you My message.” 3So I went downto the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4But the pothe was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potterformed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. 5Thenthe word of the LORD came to me. 6He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel,as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter,so are you in My hand, Israel. 7If at any time I announce that a nation orkingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8and if that nationI warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it thedisaster I had planned. 9And if at another time I announce that a nationor kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10and if it does evil in My sightand does not obey Me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended todo for it. 11“Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those livingin Jerusalem, ‘This is what the LORD says: Look! I am preparing a disasterfor you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, eachone of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’ 12But they willreply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will allfollow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.’”Jeremiah 18:1-12 (NIV) Jeremiah 18:1-12

What made God so very angry that He poured out such wrath upon Judah? They not only broke His weekly Sabbath, but... LEV 25:1 The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: `When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD. 3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. 4But in the seventh year the land is to have a Sabbath of rest, a Sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards… The Sabbath is meant as a commanded restorative time. Not only for Israel, the people, but also for Israel, the land! The land cannot make a choice for itself, so God had to kick out the people to provide the Sabbath rest for the land, in spite of their disobedience. He warned them before hand with all solemnity: LEV 26:14 " `But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, 15 and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you: … The "this" God used to punish Judah for breaking the land Sabbaths was to use Babylon to dispossess them from the land. Join the class as we continue our detail introduction to the times and seasons, and the evil Advisory of Babylon that set the stage for the book of Daniel. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/biblestudyweekly/message

Luke 14:1–14 1One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6And they could not reply to these things.     7Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”     12He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Peter and John Arrested 1While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, 2because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening. 4But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. Peter and John Face the Jewish Leadership 5The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem 6with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family. 7After they had Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “By what power or in what name have you done this?” 8Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders: 9If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he was healed, 10let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead — by him this man is standing here before you healthy. 11This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”

http://www.victoriousgc.org/podcastituen_en/622019pleasingGod_e1.mp3   Eph 5: 8-10  NKJV  “8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. ” Titus 3: 4 – 5   NKJV    “4But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man […]

Day 14Matthew 4:4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.40daysofsts.com

Click Here for Daron's Other Sessions Acts 6:4-8:4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” And Stephen said:“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.“And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.“But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God's sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house, and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.“When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.“Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look.Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’“This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:“‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship;and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’“Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for him. Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?Did not my hand make all these things?’“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.And Saul approved of his execution.And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

You Are a Child in God's Family – March 24, 2019 – Steve MillerWhen I was a teenager, every time my brothers or I would leave the house to go out somewhere, my mom would send us off with this directive: “Remember whose you are!” This truth, if I believed it and kept it in mind, would have a big impact on my confidence and the choices that I made.Galatians 3:23 – 4:726So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.4But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. We should not be afraid, for God is with us. For we are His children, and He is our good Father. We should not take lightly what that means for us. We are sons and daughters in the same family in which Jesus is a Son. We are beloved by the Father and co-heirs with Christ. We have been made new and given entrance into the family of God.Romans 8:14-17, 28-3014For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.Again it says that we are heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ. The concept reminds me of the cartoon character Little Orphan Annie, who was adopted by the wealthy and powerful industrialist Daddy Warbucks. Imagine the ways that this new relationship impacted her life, and what protection, care, influence, and resources she became heir to, not just what she would own after he died, but even more with him looking after her as a father.Now think about the grace that Jesus walked in as He lived His life as a man on earth. Although He is God, He laid aside His heavenly glory and lived as a true man filled with the Holy Spirit. So we now, as God's children filled with the same Holy Spirit, have access to the same grace, power, and resources to live God-pleasing lives and bring the influence of the Kingdom to the world around us! Are we mindful of this?Romans 8:28-3028And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. We are members of a household, God's household. We are being built together into a house, God's dwelling. We're like the Brady Bunch, only better and not dressed in plaid bell-bottoms. Ephesians 2:19-2219Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. I think about how our family has grown from our marriage until now. With hope, prayer, and training of our children, I look forward to what we will be in the future. In the same way, we are growing and maturing and adding to God's family. In Christ the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.1 John 3:1-31See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Now we must remain in His love, remembering who we are and Whose we are. He will never leave us, neglect us, or abandon us. He will not abuse us, for He is a good Father, and we are His true children by faith. Our Father has loved us, and we must love our brothers and sisters in His family. Because we are His, that is who we are.John 15:9-129“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. We live under grace, and not through our performance. Yes, God wants us to please Him, but He provides the grace and love that empowers us to do that. God loves His children! He provides for us and trains us so that we will mature, growing to be like Jesus. He wants us to put our trust and hope in Him, for He has promised to be good to us. All this He has accomplished at the cross.

有声英语少儿读物 月亮月六便士 Volume 3 Chapter 1-4But all this isby the way.I was veryyoung when I wrote my first book. By a lucky chance it excited attention, andvarious persons sought my acquaintance.It is notwithout melancholy that I wander among my recollections of the world of lettersin London when first, bashful but eager, I was introduced to it. It is longsince I frequented it, and if the novels that describe its presentsingularities are accurate much in it is now changed. The venue is different.Chelsea and Bloomsbury have taken the place of Hampstead, Notting Hill Gate,and High Street, Kensington. Then it was a distinction to be under forty, butnow to be more than twenty-five is absurd. I think in those days we were alittle shy of our emotions, and the fear of ridicule tempered the more obviousforms of pretentiousness. I do not believe that there was in that genteelBohemia an intensive culture of chastity, but I do not remember so crude apromiscuity as seems to be practised in the present day. We did not think ithypocritical to draw over our vagaries the curtain of a decent silence. Thespade was not invariably called a bloody shovel. Woman had not yet altogethercome into her own.I lived nearVictoria Station, and I recall long excursions by bus to the hospitable housesof the literary. In my timidity I wandered up and down the street while Iscrewed up my courage to ring the bell; and then, sick with apprehension, wasushered into an airless room full of people. I was introduced to thiscelebrated person after that one, and the kind words they said about my bookmade me excessively uncomfortable. I felt they expected me to say cleverthings, and I never could think of any till after the party was over. I triedto conceal my embarrassment by handing round cups of tea and rather ill-cutbread-and-butter. I wanted no one to take notice of me, so that I could observethese famous creatures at my ease and listen to the clever things they said.I have arecollection of large, unbending women with great noses and rapacious eyes, whowore their clothes as though they were armour; and of little, mouse-likespinsters, with soft voices and a shrewd glance. I never ceased to befascinated by their persistence in eating buttered toast with their gloves on,and I observed with admiration the unconcern with which they wiped theirfingers on their chair when they thought no one was looking. It must have beenbad for the furniture, but I suppose the hostess took her revenge on thefurniture of her friends when, in turn, she visited them.Some of them weredressed fashionably, and they said they couldn't for the life of them see whyyou should be dowdy just because you had written a novel; if you had a neatfigure you might as well make the most of it, and a smart shoe on a small foothad never prevented an editor from taking your "stuff. " But othersthought this frivolous, and they wore "art fabrics" and barbaricjewelry. The men were seldom eccentric in appearance. They tried to look aslittle like authors as possible. They wished to be taken for men of the world,and could have passed anywhere for the managing clerks of a city firm. Theyalways seemed a little tired. I had never known writers before, and I foundthem very strange, but I do not think they ever seemed to me quite real.I remember thatI thought their conversation brilliant, and I used to listen with astonishmentto the stinging humour with which they would tear a brother-author to piecesthe moment that his back was turned. The artist has this advantage over therest of the world, that his friends offer not only their appearance and theircharacter to his satire, but also their work. I despaired of ever expressingmyself with such aptness or with such fluency. In those days conversation wasstill cultivated as an art; a neat repartee was more highly valued than thecrackling of thorns under a pot; and the epigram, not yet a mechanicalappliance by which the dull may achieve a semblance of wit, gave sprightlinessto the small talk of the urbane. It issad that I can remember nothing of all this scintillation. But I think theconversation never settled down so comfortably as when it turned to the detailsof the trade which was the other side of the art we practised. When we had donediscussing the merits of the latest book, it was natural to wonder how manycopies had been sold, what advance the author had received, and how much he waslikely to make out of it. Then we would speak of this publisher and of that,comparing the generosity of one with the meanness of another; we would arguewhether it was better to go to one who gave handsome royalties or to anotherwho "pushed" a book for all it was worth. Some advertised badly andsome well. Some were modern and some were old-fashioned. Then we would talk ofagents and the offers they had obtained for us; of editors and the sort ofcontributions they welcomed, how much they paid a thousand, and whether theypaid promptly or otherwise. To me it was all very romantic. It gave me anintimate sense of being a member of some mystic brotherhood.但是这一切都是题外之言。我写第一本书的时候非常年轻，但由于偶然的因缘这本书引起了人们的注意，不少人想要同我结识。我刚刚被引进伦敦文学界的时候，心情又是热切又是羞涩；现在回忆起当时的种种情况，不无凄凉之感。很久我没有到伦敦去了，如果现在出版的小说里面的描写是真，伦敦一定发生了很大变化了。文人聚会的地点已经改变了。柴尔西和布鲁姆斯伯里取代了汉普斯台德、诺廷山门、高街和肯星顿的地位。当时年纪不到四十岁就被看作了不起的人物，如今过了二十五岁就会让人觉得滑稽可笑了。我想在过去的日子里我们都羞于使自己的感情外露，因为怕人嘲笑，所以都约束着自己不给人以傲慢自大的印象。我并不认为当时风雅放浪的诗人作家执身如何端肃，但我却不记得那时候文艺界有今天这么多风流韵事。我们对自己的一些荒诞不经的行为遮上一层保持体面的缄默，并不认为这是虚伪。我们讲话讲究含蓄，并不总是口无遮拦，说什么都直言不讳。女性们那时也还没有完全取得绝对自主的地位。我住在维多利亚车站附近；我还记得我到一些殷勤好客的文艺家庭中去作客总要乘车在市区兜很大的圈子，因为羞怯的心理作祟，我往往在街上来来回回走好几遍才鼓起勇气去按门铃。然后，我心里捏着一把汗，被让进一间高朋满座、闷得透不过气的屋子。我被介绍给这位名士、那位巨擘，这些人对我的著作所说的恭维话让我感到坐立不安。我知道他们都等着我说几句隽词妙语，可是直到茶会开完了，我仍然想不出什么有风趣的话来。为了遮盖自己窘态，我就张罗着给客人倒茶送水，把切得不成形的涂着黄油的面包递到人们手里。我希望的是谁都别注意我，让我心神宁静地观察一下这些知名人士，好好听一听他们妙趣横生的言语。我记得我遇见不少身材壮硕、腰板挺得笔直的女人。这些女人生着大鼻头，目光炯炯，衣服穿在她们身上好象披着一挂甲胄；我也看到许多象小老鼠似的瘦小枯干的老处女，说话柔声细气，眼睛滴溜溜乱转。我对她们那种总是戴着手套吃黄油吐司的怪毛病常常感到十分好笑；她们认为没有人看见的时候就偷偷在椅子上揩手指头，这让我看着也十分佩服。这对主人的家具肯定不是件好事，但是我想在轮到主人到这些人家里作客的时候，肯定也会在她朋友的家具上进行报复的。这些女人有的衣着入时，她们说她们无论如何也看不出一个人为什么只因为写了一本小说就要穿得邋里邋遢。如果你的身段苗条为什么不能尽量把它显示出来呢？俊俏的小脚穿上时髦的鞋子绝不会妨碍编辑采用你的稿件。但是也有一些人认为这样不够庄重，这些人穿的是艺术性的纺织品，戴着具有蛮荒色调的珠宝装饰。男士们的衣着一般却很少有怪里怪气的。他们尽量不让人看出自己是作家，总希望别人把他们当作是老于世故的人。不论到什么地方，人们都会以为他们是一家大公司的高级办事员。这些人总显出有些劳累的样子。我过去同作家从来没有接触，我发现他们挺奇怪，但是我总觉得这些人不象真实的人物。我还记得，我总觉得他们的谈话富于机智。他们中的一个同行刚一转身，他们就会把他批评得体无完肤；我总是惊讶不置地听着他们那辛辣刻毒的幽默话。艺术家较之其他行业的人有一个有利的地方，他们不仅可以讥笑朋友们的性格和仪表，而且可以嘲弄他们的著作。他们的评论恰到好处，话语滔滔不绝，我实在望尘莫及。在那个时代谈话仍然被看作是一种需要下功夫陶冶的艺术，一句巧妙的对答比锅子底下噼啪爆响的荆棘①更受人赏识，格言警句当时还不是痴笨的人利用来冒充聪敏的工具，风雅人物的闲谈中随便使用几句会使得谈话妙趣横生。遗憾的是，这些妙言隽语我现在都回忆不起来了。我只记得最舒适顺畅的谈话莫过于这些人谈论起他们从事的行业的另一方面——谈起进行交易的一些细节来。在我们品评完毕一本新书的优劣后，自然要猜测一下这本书销售掉多少本，作者得到多少预支稿费，他一共能得到多少钱。以后我们就要谈到这个、那个出版商，比较一下这个人的慷慨和那个人的吝啬。我们还要争辩一下是把槁件交给这一个稿酬优厚的人还是哪一个会做宣传、善于推销的人。有的出版商不善于作广告，有的在这方面非常内行。有些出版商古板，有些能够适应潮流。再以后我们还要谈论一些出版代理人和他们为我们作家搞到的门路。我们还要谈论编辑和他们欢迎哪类作品，一千字付多少稿费，是很快付清呢，还是拖泥带水。这些对我说来都非常富于浪漫气味。它给我一种身为这一神秘的兄弟会的成员的亲密感。①   见《圣经》旧约传道书第七章：“愚昧人的笑声，好象锅下烧荆棘的爆声。”

Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 5 weeks on this journey. Today we are going to see how Grace Changes Everything and How Martin Luther Changed The World. Martin Luther remains one of the most important and influential people in the western world. The year 2017 will see both scholarship and popular media reflect and comment on Martin Luther and his legacy—sometimes negatively. His reform of the church, his translation of the Bible, and his reshaping of Christian life changed the religious, social, and political face of Europe. These reverberations are still felt today—even here in far-away America, where Christianity and even the nation itself would look very different were it not for Martin Luther. Grace is a word that believers sing about all over the world. Sadly though, many people fail to understand the full meaning of God's grace and how it applies to their daily lives. As a result, they spend their days with no real sense of peace, joy, or happiness. This is an answer to the question why grace changes everything. The word freedom as defined by Dictionary.com is "the condition of being free of restraints". To a believer freedom means we are free from the restraint of sins. We no longer have to obey what our flesh desires. We can choose to follow after our Spirit and thus denying our flesh. Without the freedom that we receive through the blood of Christ, this is not possible. Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV) "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." We were all incapable of living righteously because we had to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. We were forced to do what it wanted. There was no choice, no freedom. Why? Because we had no ability to turn from sin. To remain free in the liberty of Christ we must choose not to do any that will bring us back into bondage. When we are saved, we are freed from the restraints of our sin. But we can choose to give up areas we have freedom over. We can choose to do what the flesh wants. In doing so we are giving our freedom in that area away. But if we turn to God, and ask for His help we can regain that freedom again.

Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 5 weeks on this journey. Today we are going to see how Grace Changes Everything and How Martin Luther Changed The World. Martin Luther remains one of the most important and influential people in the western world. The year 2017 will see both scholarship and popular media reflect and comment on Martin Luther and his legacy—sometimes negatively. His reform of the church, his translation of the Bible, and his reshaping of Christian life changed the religious, social, and political face of Europe. These reverberations are still felt today—even here in far-away America, where Christianity and even the nation itself would look very different were it not for Martin Luther. Grace is a word that believers sing about all over the world. Sadly though, many people fail to understand the full meaning of God's grace and how it applies to their daily lives. As a result, they spend their days with no real sense of peace, joy, or happiness. This is an answer to the question why grace changes everything. The word freedom as defined by Dictionary.com is "the condition of being free of restraints". To a believer freedom means we are free from the restraint of sins. We no longer have to obey what our flesh desires. We can choose to follow after our Spirit and thus denying our flesh. Without the freedom that we receive through the blood of Christ, this is not possible. Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV) "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." We were all incapable of living righteously because we had to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. We were forced to do what it wanted. There was no choice, no freedom. Why? Because we had no ability to turn from sin. To remain free in the liberty of Christ we must choose not to do any that will bring us back into bondage. When we are saved, we are freed from the restraints of our sin. But we can choose to give up areas we have freedom over. We can choose to do what the flesh wants. In doing so we are giving our freedom in that area away. But if we turn to God, and ask for His help we can regain that freedom again.

Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 4 weeks on this journey. Today we are going to see how Grace Changes Everything and How Martin Luther Changed The World. Martin Luther remains one of the most important and influential people in the western world. The year 2017 will see both scholarship and popular media reflect and comment on Martin Luther and his legacy—sometimes negatively. His reform of the church, his translation of the Bible, and his reshaping of Christian life changed the religious, social, and political face of Europe. These reverberations are still felt today—even here in far-away America, where Christianity and even the nation itself would look very different were it not for Martin Luther. Grace is a word that believers sing about all over the world. Sadly though, many people fail to understand the full meaning of God's grace and how it applies to their daily lives. As a result, they spend their days with no real sense of peace, joy, or happiness. This is an answer to the question why grace changes everything. The word freedom as defined by Dictionary.com is "the condition of being free of restraints". To a believer freedom means we are free from the restraint of sins. We no longer have to obey what our flesh desires. We can choose to follow after our Spirit and thus denying our flesh. Without the freedom that we receive through the blood of Christ, this is not possible. Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV) "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." We were all incapable of living righteously because we had to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. We were forced to do what it wanted. There was no choice, no freedom. Why? Because we had no ability to turn from sin. To remain free in the liberty of Christ we must choose not to do any that will bring us back into bondage. When we are saved, we are freed from the restraints of our sin. But we can choose to give up areas we have freedom over. We can choose to do what the flesh wants. In doing so we are giving our freedom in that area away. But if we turn to God, and ask for His help we can regain that freedom again.

Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 4 weeks on this journey. Today we are going to see how Grace Changes Everything and How Martin Luther Changed The World. Martin Luther remains one of the most important and influential people in the western world. The year 2017 will see both scholarship and popular media reflect and comment on Martin Luther and his legacy—sometimes negatively. His reform of the church, his translation of the Bible, and his reshaping of Christian life changed the religious, social, and political face of Europe. These reverberations are still felt today—even here in far-away America, where Christianity and even the nation itself would look very different were it not for Martin Luther. Grace is a word that believers sing about all over the world. Sadly though, many people fail to understand the full meaning of God's grace and how it applies to their daily lives. As a result, they spend their days with no real sense of peace, joy, or happiness. This is an answer to the question why grace changes everything. The word freedom as defined by Dictionary.com is "the condition of being free of restraints". To a believer freedom means we are free from the restraint of sins. We no longer have to obey what our flesh desires. We can choose to follow after our Spirit and thus denying our flesh. Without the freedom that we receive through the blood of Christ, this is not possible. Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV) "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." We were all incapable of living righteously because we had to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. We were forced to do what it wanted. There was no choice, no freedom. Why? Because we had no ability to turn from sin. To remain free in the liberty of Christ we must choose not to do any that will bring us back into bondage. When we are saved, we are freed from the restraints of our sin. But we can choose to give up areas we have freedom over. We can choose to do what the flesh wants. In doing so we are giving our freedom in that area away. But if we turn to God, and ask for His help we can regain that freedom again.

What’s In Your Hand? Exodus 4 Then Moses answered and said, “What if they will not believe me, or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’” 2And the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A Rod.” 3 Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4But the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail”—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand. 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the rod of God in his hand. Moses’s Rod Represents: Identity Income Influence The Four Phases Of Mine Change: What's Mine Is Mine. What's Mine Is God’s. What's Mine Is Your’s. What's God’s Is Mine. EVERYTHING YOU POSSESS, ALSO POSSESSES YOU. What's In Your Hand? Nothing Is Safe Until It Is Surrendered. “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” - Martyred Missionary Jim Elliott

April 6, 2014 Seize The Day John 12:1-10 1Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. ” 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” 9Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,

Pastor Zenzile Legend February 16, 2014 Judges 61The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. 2Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 3Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. 4They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. 5They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. 6Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help. 7When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.” 11The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” 13“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” 15“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” 17Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.” And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.” 19Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. 20The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so. 21Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared. 22When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” 23But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” 24So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 25That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.” 27So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. 28In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! 29They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” 30The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” 31But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” 32So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.” 33Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them. 36Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. 39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew. Judges 7 1Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. 4But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” 6Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. 7The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” 8So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. 9During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. 13Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” 14His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” 15When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 16Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. 17“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ” 19Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. 22When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.

GENESIS 2:15-17, 3:1-7 2:15The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.16And the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” 3:1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’” 4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; 5for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Titus   3:3-7 3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for...

Gal 4:4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law

click here Visit the Recover In Christ web site. click here to visit michael shull web site. In 1604, King James I of England authorized that a new translation of the Bible into English be started. It was finished in 1611, just 85 years after the first translation of the New Testament into English appeared (Tyndale, 1526). The Authorized Version, or King James Version, quickly became the standard for English-speaking Protestants. Its flowing language and prose rhythm has had a profound influence on the literature of the past 300 years. The King James Version present on the Bible Gateway matches the 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. Genesis 9 1And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. 3Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. 5And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. 7And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein. 8And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 10And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. 11And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. 12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. .

click here Visit the Recover In Christ web site. Romans 11 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, 3Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 7What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 10Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 11I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. 29For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.