Podcasts about Abiram

Samson, whose name means “brilliant sunshine”, goes to view Timnah (the inheritance ie of his tribe). There ‘he saw a woman' of the uncircumcised – uncovenanted – Philistines, who was ‘right in his own eyes' – his problem was characteristic of the entire nation (14 verse 7; 17verse 6; 21verse 25). In the vineyards of his inheritance, a place to be avoided by a sworn Nazarite. We read that a lion – representing the ravaging Philistines – roared against Samson. And he rips the beast asunder with no apparent effort. Several days later Samson returns to see the ‘ruin' (AV ‘carcass') of the lion only to find that miraculously and uncharacteristically a swarm of bees had made their hive in the putrid carcass. It was God's sign to Samson that by trusting in the Almighty the Philistines could be overthrown and sweet deliverance come for the Covenant people. Samson is deceived time and time again by the enemy and he engages tit for tat with them throughout these two chapters. Samson declares on each occasion that after avenging himself just once more against the Philistines he will leave the matter there. However this is not the intention of the Almighty – the Philistines need to be weakened. Notice how the LORD escalates the conflict: in 14verse 19 he slays 30 men at Ashkelon; then in 15verse 15 at Lehi a 1,000 are slain. Also observe the recurring of multiples of 3, as troubles escalate. Samson's mighty acts should have inspired his people to follow him as he could have been God's instrument for victory. But his own people reject him just as they had rejected Moses centuries earlier. Instead as the pressure of the Philistines grew stronger upon God's people 3,000 men of Judah come to plead with Samson for his surrender and then they bind him and hand him over to the Philistines. Surely we are reminded by this of the Lord Jesus being bound in the Garden of Gethsemane; being eventually sent to the Roman authorities to be tried and crucified. Samson, like our Lord, was thirsty after his great victory. In Isaiah 38 faithful God cures Hezekiah of the leprous boil, which threatened to end his life and which was preventing him from worshipping in the Temple. At this time of Hezekiah's and his nation's greatest need, when everything seemed hopeless, their Sovereign delivered them. However in spite of his recovery Hezekiah later becomes lifted up in pride as we will learn tomorrow in chapter 39. Nonetheless at this time the faithful prayer of a faithful man availed greatly (James 5verse 16). Hezekiah's prayer is a model prayer for us. It shows an elevation of king Hezekiah's God. The prayer gives glory to God. It also praises Yahweh's loving kindness in saving Hezekiah and delivering the people of Judah. His prayer states our lack of power to help ourselves and pleads for our Omnipotent Creator to show mercy for His children. It acknowledges our need to respond to God's love in praise and thanksgiving every day of our life. We too, like king Hezekiah, have been blessed and delivered from the gates of sheol (the grave): Matthew 16 verse 18-19; Revelation 1verses17-18. Marvel at the wonderful metaphors and imagery that Hezekiah uses to describe the frailty of humanity. Meditate on the significance of his exhortation to us in verses 19-20. King Hezekiah is given a sign that he will recover in Isaiah 38:21. 2 Peter is also written to the dispersed Jews in Asia Minor ie Turkey. It commences in the same way as the first letter. The time of writing is in 66-67 AD and the persecution by Nero is now at its fiercest. According to tradition, the two foremost leaders of the believers, Paul and Peter, were both executed in 67 AD. Clues in Peter's 2nd epistle indicate that the most likely date of the epistle is 67 AD. Believers in Christ Jesus had attained to the same precious faith as the great Apostle to the Jews. From verses 3-15 these disciples are urged to make their calling and election ie selection by God sure. Peter tells them in verses 2-4 that our Father has given them all things that are necessary for a godly life; and that these great promises, which they now share, are graciously granted them offering believers a sharing of the Father's character and life. From verses 5-7 Peter enumerates the virtues being developed by God in their lives. These virtues are not sequential, but rather they are a group of traits befitting saints, and to be cultivated simultaneously. They summarise the character of our Lord Jesus Christ, outlined in Matthew 5:1-12. Great blessings accompany such saints who, in measure, develop the character of their Lord Jesus Christ. These divine virtues are called by brother Marshall – “The Portrait of a Saint”. Belief is the foundation upon which the faithful build (and that foundation is Christ Jesus see 1 Corinthians 3 verses 10-15 and Ephesians 2:19-22. Peter elaborates further on this theme at the start of chapter 2). The last 2 are at the apex of the developing saint's life – brotherly kindness (Philadelphos) and love (agape, self-sacrificing love); embody both of these fully exemplified in our Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Where these qualities abound fruit is produced in the disciple. But a short-sighted approach stultifies the life of a disciple; and is the product of forgetting and neglect. In the practising of these qualities the disciples will attain the glory and the kingdom, which they seek. Peter would strive with his last breath to remind them of this. The Apostle speaks of “departure” (Greek “exodus” verse 15). The Tabernacle; of “the ecclesia in the wilderness” (Acts 7:44). This was emblematic of the LORD going with them. Peter talks of the entrance (“eisodus”) into the kingdom. How frequently is the theme stated, “Yahweh BROUGHT you out of Egypt, that He might BRING you into the land promised to the fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). Verses 16-21 speak of Christ's incomparable glory and the transcending greatness of the prophetic Word of our God (compare 1 Peter 1 verses 22-25). There can be no mistaking what we (Peter, James and John) saw on the Mount of Transfiguration – compare with Luke 9 verses 28-38. The glory of Moses and Elijah paled into insignificance alongside the glory of the Son of God – John 1 verses14-15. And that glory was reminiscent of the Father's own glory (Hebrews 1-1-4). As great as the prophetic Word was when spoken through Moses and Elijah the Father's Word from heaven boomed, “This is my Beloved Son, HEAR HIM”. If this witness was not enough, we have the added testimony of the prophetic Word centred on, and embodied in our Lord Jesus Christ. The prophetic Word shines more brightly as we see its fulfilment day by day. (Proverbs 4 verses 18-19). Prophecy never originated from the prophet's own mind. Instead the inspired Word of God found its source in holy men of God being “impelled”, or “driven along” by God's power. And so although the style of the prophet is individual, the message is infallibly that of the Almighty (see 2 Timothy 3 verses 14-17). In chapter 2 Peter deals with the tragedy of false teaching. Peter uses Biblical history to show that those who would attempt to deflect God's elect are always active among the believers. The Apostle Peter uses 3 historical examples. These examples are similar to those in Jude's letter – one from before the flood; one from the era of Abraham; and another from the time of the Wilderness wanderings in Moses' epoch. Peter explains the inevitability of false teachers arising from their midst (compare Acts 20 verses 29-32). Peter says that the errorists are not genuine – the words that these false teachers use are called “feigned” (Greek “plastos”) – taught for effect, with no concern for truth. The doctrine is moulded to fit the teacher's designs (2 Timothy 4 verses 1-5). But God has long ago decided to destroy people like this (See Revelation 22verses 15). The first example is in verse 5 and speaks of the gainsayers opposing Noah (cp Jude verses 14-16). The second is from the era of faithful Abraham (2 Peter 2verses 6-10). These verses tell of total detesting by God of homosexuality. And lastly, verses 10 (the second half) to verse 11. Here Peter deals with the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses (also in Jude verses 5-7; the original account being in Numbers 14). All of those historical events highlight two Divine principles – 1) Yahweh demonstrated His capacity to deliver the righteous out of their trial; and, 2) that the ungodly have been earmarked by the Almighty for judgment and destruction (Acts 17verses 30-31). Verse 17 uses metaphors to describe these vain talkers. Verses 18-19 reveal the true motives of those apostates. And verses 20-22 a further two metaphors describe their sickening behaviours. Those who once knew God's truth, but chose to turn away are described in two tragic pictures which illustrate God's perspective. These reprobates are like dogs eating their own vomit; or like washed pigs returning to their miry muddy past. Audio Player      

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TODAY'S TREASURENow Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”Numbers 16:1-3Send us a comment!Support the show

Passage: 1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. 2 And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. 3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” (Numbers 16:1-3) Song: Open Space by Kirby Kaple and Rob Kaple Lyrics: Pull me in closer close to Your heart May I be a pure reflection of all You are Love that is patient love that is kind A love that keeps no offenses or wrongs in mind Make me like Jesus Make me like Jesus My heart is an open space For You to come and have Your way I'm open I'm open You're faithful to find me right where I am Even in my wandering You call me friend Mercy receives me and lifts me to my feet And I'm caught up in the wonder and mystery Of knowing Jesus Of knowing Jesus Do whatever You want to do Say whatever You want to say Move however You want to move Change whatever You want to change What are You saying Where are You going My heart is open wide My eyes are open wide Prayer: O Lord, grant that I may not be puffed up with worldly wisdom, which passes away, but may be built up in love. May I submit to your will and not seek to please myself or others, but only you. Amen. —John Calvin

Welcome to Day 2598 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2598 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 55:15-19 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2598 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2598 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In today's Wisdom Nugget, I'll guide you through the trails of life's challenges, opportunities, and moments of insight that come directly from the Word of God. It's an honor to journey together, digging deeper into the Psalms and finding strength, comfort, and wisdom for everyday living. Today, our trek continues in Psalm 55. Specifically, we're exploring verses 15 through 19. In this powerful section, we hear King David wrestling deeply with feelings of betrayal, pain, and anger—yet ultimately turning to God, reaffirming his faith in divine justice. These verses speak candidly about human emotions, vividly expressing David's honesty before God and reminding us of the tension between our desire for justice and our trust in God's perfect timing. First, let's read Psalm 55:15-19 from the New Living Translation: 15 Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them. 16 But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. 17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. 18 He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me. 19 God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them. For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God. David's Raw Desire for Justice (Verse 15) David begins this section with a strikingly harsh request: “Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them.” At first glance, these words can be shocking. David's anger and pain leap off the page. We might feel uncomfortable reading such blunt honesty. Yet, there's powerful authenticity here. David is openly expressing a deep longing for immediate justice because his pain from betrayal is incredibly real and personal. The phrase “let the grave swallow them alive” echoes the dramatic story in Numbers 16, where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled against Moses, and God caused the earth to open up and swallow them alive as judgment. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, such judgment represented God's swift and direct action against rebellion and wickedness. David isn't asking merely out of spite; he's calling upon God's known character of righteousness, believing that justice demands intervention. Evil had taken root deeply in his betrayers—friends turned enemies—who had rejected God's ways and embraced wickedness wholeheartedly. David sees their sin clearly, and he pleads passionately for God's righteous judgment. Illustration: Imagine watching someone intentionally harm a child. Most of us would feel an immediate sense of righteous anger, desiring swift justice to protect the innocent. David's intense words capture this same passion for justice. He's deeply hurt by betrayal from those who once walked closely beside him. His reaction is raw and honest. Application: Have...

Fr. Mike dives into the recurring issue of the Israelites rebelling against God and remaining stuck in their past as we read about the revolt of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. Today's readings are Numbers 16, Deuteronomy 15-16, and Psalm 97. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Numbers 16 recounts the rebellion led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. These men, along with 250 prominent leaders from Israel, challenged the authority of Moses and Aaron, claiming that the entire congregation was holy and that Moses and Aaron had taken too much power for themselves. The rebellion began when Korah, a Levite, along with Dathan and Abiram from the tribe of Reuben, gathered 250 men to challenge Moses' leadership. They argued that all Israelites were equally holy and accused Moses and Aaron of exalting themselves over the community. Moses, in response, fell on his face before God and proposed a test. He instructed the rebels to present incense before the Lord, and God would reveal whom He had chosen. He also reminded the Levites that they already had a special role in serving in the tabernacle and were overstepping their boundaries by seeking the priesthood as well. Dathan and Abiram refused to meet with Moses, accusing him of leading the people out of Egypt only to let them die in the wilderness. Their defiance angered Moses, and he prayed to God not to accept their offering. The following day, Korah and his followers stood at the entrance of the tabernacle with their censers. The glory of the Lord appeared, and God warned Moses and Aaron to separate from the rebels because He was about to destroy them. Moses pleaded with God not to punish the entire congregation, and God commanded the people to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Immediately, the earth opened up and swallowed Dathan and Abiram, along with their families and possessions. Fire from the Lord then consumed the 250 men who had offered incense. After this dramatic event, God commanded that the censers of the 250 rebels be hammered into a covering for the altar as a warning to the Israelites. However, the people continued to murmur against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for the deaths. As a result, a plague broke out among them. Aaron, following Moses' instruction, made atonement with incense, running into the midst of the congregation to stop the plague. Even so, 14,700 people died before the plague was halted. Numbers 16 powerfully illustrates the consequences of pride, rebellion, and defiance against God's chosen leadership. It reinforces the importance of recognizing God's authority, the power of intercession, and the necessity of obedience. The chapter serves as a warning against challenging divine order while also highlighting God's justice and mercy.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.

Este pasaje sirve como un punto de inflexión en la historia de Israel, destacando cómo las decisiones de un líder pueden llevar a una nación entera hacia la idolatría y el alejamiento de Dios. El reinado de Acab, caracterizado por la injusticia y la infidelidad, contrasta con los llamados de los profetas como Elías, quienes buscaban restaurar la adoración al verdadero Dios. Este pasaje no solo relata eventos históricos, sino que también ofrece una advertencia sobre las consecuencias de abandonar los principios divinos. La introducción del culto a Baal y la reconstrucción de Jericó, a pesar de la maldición pronunciada siglos atrás. Banda sonora: Drop the Tapes - Biblioteca de audio de YouTube Donaciones local: https://iglesiadeciudadreal.es/donaciones Web: http://iglesiadeciudadreal.es/ Podcast: http://www.ivoox.com/podcast-iglesia-. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPq8l9Q7KcX7j6iOGDPP_zg x (antes Twitter): https://x.com/home?lang=es Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IglesiaCristianaEvangelicaDeCiudadReal Nota informativa: En todos nuestros videos se pueden traducir los SUBTÍTULOS a cualquier idioma. Ir a configuración y elegir idioma de subtitulo. 23/02/2025 - PREDICACIÓN DE LA MAÑANA - SERIE:VARIADO 1 Reyes 16:28-34 Y Omri durmió con sus padres, y fue sepultado en Samaria, y reinó en lugar suyo Acab su hijo. Reinado de Acab 29 Comenzó a reinar Acab hijo de Omri sobre Israel el año treinta y ocho de Asa rey de Judá. 30 Y reinó Acab hijo de Omri sobre Israel en Samaria veintidós años. Y Acab hijo de Omri hizo lo malo ante los ojos de Jehová, más que todos los que reinaron antes de él. 31 Porque le fue ligera cosa andar en los pecados de Jeroboam hijo de Nabat, y tomó por mujer a Jezabel, hija de Et-baal rey de los sidonios, y fue y sirvió a Baal, y lo adoró. 32 E hizo altar a Baal, en el templo de Baal que él edificó en Samaria. 33 Hizo también Acab una imagen de Asera, haciendo así Acab más que todos los reyes de Israel que reinaron antes que él, para provocar la ira de Jehová Dios de Israel. 34 En su tiempo Hiel de Bet-el reedificó a Jericó. A precio de la vida de Abiram su primogénito echó el cimiento, y a precio de la vida de Segub su hijo menor puso sus puertas, conforme a la palabra que Jehová había hablado por Josué hijo de Nun. 1 Reyes 17 - Reina-Valera 1960 Elías predice la sequía 17 Entonces Elías tisbita, que era de los moradores de Galaad, dijo a Acab: Vive Jehová Dios de Israel, en cuya presencia estoy, que no habrá lluvia ni rocío en estos años, sino por mi palabra. 2 Y vino a él palabra de Jehová, diciendo

SHOW NOTES:   In Podcast Episode 311, “Don't Miss the REAL Miracle!” Kim discusses the seemingly simple story of the prophet Elisha and a water purification miracle that was much more than it seemed. This story is a reminder of the importance of understanding context, whether it be in the stories of the Bible or in the stories of our lives. You can miss the REAL miracle if you do not understand the context.   Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Kings 2:19-22 with 19 as the focal verse:   19 One day the leaders of the town of Jericho visited Elisha. “We have a problem, my lord,” they told him. “This town is located in pleasant surroundings, as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive.”   20 Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl with salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring that supplied the town with water and threw the salt into it. And he said, “This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility.” 22 And the water has remained pure ever since, just as Elisha said.     WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:   What miracle could have been missed in your life if someone had not known the full context?   Additional Resources and Scriptures:   26 At that time Joshua invoked this curse: “May the curse of the Lord fall on anyone     who tries to rebuild the town of Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn son,     he will lay its foundation. At the cost of his youngest son,     he will set up its gates.” (Joshua 6:26) 34 It was during his reign that Hiel, a man from Bethel, rebuilt Jericho. When he laid its foundations, it cost him the life of his oldest son, Abiram. And when he completed it and set up its gates, it cost him the life of his youngest son, Segub. This all happened according to the message from the Lord concerning Jericho spoken by Joshua son of Nun. (1 Kings 16:34) PODCAST EPISODES: Episode 7: Fighting FROM Victory AND Ep. 282: When a Heart Is So Hard EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com TWITTER - https://twitter.com/EOinLovingJesus INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus   I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.   RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS: “The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume” “Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida “The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God's Kingdom Agenda” “Life Application Study Bible” “The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary “The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors) Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.     "Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:   Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.   This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.   In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.   If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.   Remember, “It's Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”   If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.     National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline   988   https://988lifeline.org/   Reference: Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.   Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.         The HIDDEN Episodes:  If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/  

Numbers 16 and 17 records a rebellion against Moses, led by Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Ultimately this rebellion was against God, and we see in this story that those who rebelled were driven by a spirit of criticism. In today's message, Pastor Phil studies this account from the book of Numbers, and reminds us that when see the sins committed by the nation of Israel back then, we can often see the same sins in our own life today. We all need a Savior.

The story of Korah, Dathan and Abiram is *very* applicable to these current times. There is political and social unrest everywhere and we often look for someone(s) who can lead us back to what we think is right. Sometimes in the desire to see what *we* believe is correct become the law we overlook that we should first follow God and his laws.Andrew and Robert examine Number 26:7-11 & Numbers 16 and discover what happens when we follow charismatic, convincing and very wrong people.Support the showQuestions or Comments? Please reach out to us through email at questions@truewisdom.info or on twitter @truewisdom_podGive instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:9-10We encourage you to download our primary Bible Study resource called “The Key Principles of Effective Bible Study” from http://bit.ly/17vs3LU, and listen to the associated explanatory podcasts that Andrew has provided at https://BibleStudy.asbzone.com/357512/8572886.We pray that this resource will be very helpful to you in your Bible Studies overall.

Escaping Apostate Church Judgments (5) (audio) David Eells – 12/1/24 Let's continue with our study on escaping apostate church judgment through the apostate ministries. The days we're in right now are days where God is spiritually and, then physically judging these ministries because the greater Man-child ministry is coming on the scene. First let's look at Ezekiel, who was a type of the Man-child ministry; he was a type of the David ministry that was to come upon the scene to speak to God's people and speak to their leaders. In chapter one, from verse 26 down to the end of the chapter, Ezekiel was caught up to the throne of God, where he saw God on His throne. This was like Jesus and the end time Man-child ministers. Then, in chapter two, God began to call him “son of man” and He did this all the way through the book of Ezekiel. As you know, Jesus was called the “Son of man” and Jesus was also a type of the David Man-child ministry. And we see that in chapter two, in verses one and two, that the Spirit of God entered into Ezekiel. This is what happened to Jesus when He was ordained and to David when he was anointed to sit upon his throne. Also, this is a type of the end-time Man-child. So we see in verse three that the Lord sent Ezekiel to the children of Israel, to the nations that are rebellious. Just like Jesus did, Who was coming to His Own people, and David, who was to rule over Israel, Ezekiel was going forth to a rebellious people with a rebellious leadership. (Eze.2:8) But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that which I give thee. So the Lord is telling Ezekiel, “You can't be rebellious like they are.” What is it that they were not doing that Ezekiel was doing? Well, He says, eat that which I give thee. (Eze.2:9) And when I looked, behold, a hand was put forth unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein (This book represents the Bible.); (10) and he spread it before me: and it was written within and without; and there were written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. (3:1) And he said unto me, Son of man, eat that which thou findest; eat this roll, and go and speak unto the house of Israel. Now, we see this same little parallel going all the way down through about verse 11 or 12. And that is, eat the roll and then go and speak to the house of Israel. Don't be like the rebellious house who don't eat the roll; they just go and speak. They like the position of authority and they've usurped the position of authority, just as Korah, Dathan and Abiram did in the wilderness (Numbers 16). They usurped the position of authority; they hadn't overcome yet. But God says, to he that overcometh, … to him will I give authority (Rev.2:26). And how do you overcome? Well, first of all, you have to eat the roll of the book and then you have to walk in that through your faith. Let's read on here in (Eze.3:2) So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat the roll. (3) And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. Praise the Lord! Remember, also, John, in the book of Revelation, ate the roll of the book, but he was also a type of the Man-child in Revelation 10:9,10. He was called up to the throne and received a revelation to give to the churches in the time of tribulation. It's very neat how God does this over and over. We have to eat the roll of the book. (Psa.119:89) Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. And we're told that if any man speaks, let him speak as an oracle of God in 1 Peter 4:11. In other words, we are to say what God says. We are to eat this roll, first, for our own life, and we overcome in our own life. We learn to walk and be an overcomer in our own life before we're qualified to go forth and exercise authority over God's people. In this way, He's preparing here a Man-child ministry to go forth and speak to God's people with His Words. (Eze.3:4) And he said unto me, Son of man, go get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. This is very important. We can't speak with our own words because they have no power to regenerate Christ in the life of other people. It's only His Seed that brings forth His life in His people. So God commands that the son of man here, Ezekiel, go and speak as an oracle of God with His words. (Eze.3:5) For thou art not sent unto a people of a strange speech and of a hard language, but to the house of Israel. The Man-child is once again about to go forth to the lost sheep of the house of spiritual Israel. But the Lord said, “I haven't sent you to the lost, I haven't sent you to those whose language you don't know. I've sent you to Israel.” (Eze.3:6) Not to many peoples of a strange speech and of a hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, if I sent thee to them, they would harken unto thee. It was true in Jesus' day that when the overwhelming majority of the Jews blasphemed the Word of the Lord, that God turned to the Gentiles and they did harken and received. The same thing is about to happen. Now the Church has been grafted into the olive tree called “all Israel,” so the Church is part of “all Israel.” Everybody who believes in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and walks by faith in that is grafted into the olive tree. Romans 11 is very plain. But natural Israel is not involved in that. They were broken off because of unbelief in Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Savior, so they're basically the other nations that God's going to turn to today. When much of the church blasphemes God this time, God's going to turn back to the Jews, which it also says in Romans 11. So we see a parallel here in what is being told to Ezekiel. God said, “If I sent thee to them, they would harken unto thee.” We're coming to a time, when there's going to be a lot of people in the so-called church who are just religious people who are going to fight against the move of God and when they blaspheme, God's going to turn back to the Jews. Back to (Eze.3:7) But the house of Israel will not harken unto thee; for all the house of Israel are of a hard forehead and of a stiff heart. We know that was true about natural Israel when Jesus the Man-child came to them and now it's true about spiritual Israel when the Man-child of our day comes to them. There's a perfect parallel going throughout history. The church is very rebellious. The so-called church is full of people who believe they are members of the church through a born-again experience with the Lord, but they're rebelling because they're building their own kingdom. And they're of a hard forehead and a stiff heart. (Eze.3:8) Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads. (9) As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. (10) Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words which I shall speak unto thee receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears. (11) And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. God's people were in captivity then, just as they are today. They're in captivity to Babylonish religion and Babylonish society, and God is sending His Man-child unto them, but first He tells Ezekiel, all my words which I shall speak unto thee receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears. And go, get thee to them of the captivity (Eze.3:10). Any other way is like that rebellious house back in Ezekiel 2:8 and that's basically what a lot of the leadership is made up of. Ezekiel was going to the Saul ministry of his day, as Jesus went to the Saul ministry of His day. And now we see God is going to choose a Man-child reformer ministry who have received His words into their heart and who hear with their ears. Then they are going to be sent to God's people. We've already seen from Ezekiel's example what it is to be sent of the Lord. First, to get the Word in your heart. God doesn't care about religion or man's Sunday school books. If anybody speaks, let him speak as an oracle of God. Let him say what God says because God has already said it and He said it very well and it's supernatural and  powerful. The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword in Hebrews 4:12, and it will accomplish that for which He sends it. But God rebuked the apostate ministers in (Jer.23:21) I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied. (22) But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. See, the whole point is that if we first put the Word of God into our hearts, we're able to pass on that Word to others. It will deliver God's people. It's supernatural. It will drive the wicked out from your midst and it will deliver those who are honest with God. This is God's plan and it always has been God's plan. Let's go back to the beginning of the chapter. (Jer.23:1) Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. Shepherds like that are destroying God's people. They're not coming into the image of Jesus Christ. They're not prepared for life. They die before their time because they don't believe in a Savior Who provides, heals, delivers, Who does all these things. They don't come into maturity. They don't bear fruit without the true Word of God. So these shepherds are destroyers. God is talking about the Saul ministries here and I'll prove it to you. Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. (Jer.23:2) Therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock…. Now, that's the second time He's said that. What does it mean “scattered”? It's talking about denominating God's people, dividing them up. Instead of being one, they are now divided up into these sectarian groups for the sake of the sectarian groups, not for the sake of the Lord. Jesus said when He prayed, that they may be one, even as we [are] one (Joh.17:22). And when we read in Revelation, the church of Philadelphia was all of the church in that particular city. It wasn't a Baptist church, the Methodist church, the Pentecostal church, the whatever-denomination church. What has happened? Well, wolves came in to divide the flock. That's what we were told. (Jer.23:2) … Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. I will visit upon you. I will cause you to pay for what you have done, is what the Lord says. Back when we were writing on these things, I received two short dreams from Shirley Hinkle. The first one of them she had back in July of 2005 and the second one was just a few days after that. (My notes in red) The first one is speaking about these Saul shepherds having to pay for what they're doing to God's people. She says, “I dreamed that our former pastor walked into the room where a group of us were standing and I wondered to myself, ‘What is he doing here?' I thought maybe we were to pray for him. So I walked over to him and laid my hand on his head. I said to him, ‘You are full of lust and pornography.'” (Now Shirley is a prophetess and, so, in her dream she was prophesying to him.) “You are full of lust and pornography.” (You can't imagine how common this is today among Protestant churches. I heard the percentages one time and I was just amazed. I'm wondering how they found all this out, but it was an extremely high percentage of ministers who are into pornography.) “‘You are full of lust and pornography.' As I said these words, his head turned to mush under my hand.” (In other words, he had a mind that was corrupted by the curse.) “I pulled my hand back, revolted, and had turned to walk away and, as I did, he leered and then sneered at me. I started to wake up and that is when I saw that he was just a shell of a man full of demonic spirits.” (I believe that this was not an individual prophecy here; this was not an individual dream about an individual man. I believe this pastor represents a great group of people out there.) She continues, “God spoke in my heart and He said, ‘As he stole from My people, I am taking his mind from him. He is given over to these spirits.'” (Well, what did he steal? If he lost his mind, what was it that he stole? He stole the mind of the Spirit from God's people. The mind of the Spirit is the Word of God. These men stand in the doorway and they won't enter in to all the precious truths and understandings of God's Word and they won't let the rest enter in either as in Luke 11:52. What they are stealing from God's people is going to be stolen from them; their understanding is going to be taken away. Remember the prophecy of Isaiah that Jesus pronounced upon the Jewish leaders in that time, that their eyes and their ears were going to close, and He was basically reprobating them in Matthew 13:14.) (So what they had stolen from God's people, God was taking from them. And then a few days later she had this second dream.) “All of these people were in booths at a restaurant.” (A restaurant represents a congregation of people gathered together to eat and that sounds like the church because we gather together to eat the Word of God. We just read in Ezekiel that God said, “Here, take the book and eat the roll.” So we're commanded to eat the Word. When you eat the Word it goes into you; it nourishes you in the ways of the Kingdom and it becomes who you are because what you eat is actually what your cells are made of. We need to be the Word made flesh. Jesus was the Word made flesh and we are His spiritual offspring, the Word made flesh. A restaurant is a place where you eat, but if you're eating a bunch of leaven, and things that inoculate you from the truth, then there's destruction coming from these ministers unto you.) And so, she said, “All of these people were in booths at a restaurant and I walked in and it was the congregation of a former church. I began to go from table to table under the anointing and exposing all the lies of the teachings and the sins in the lives of the people. Some looked at me like, ‘What are you doing?' They had no comprehension at all. Others said, ‘Yes, we see it.' And then others were getting very angry at me for exposing all the lies. And I raised my right arm to heaven and I began to pray in the spirit with a loud voice and with authority. Then, as I was walking out, I turned to the people and said, ‘The associate pastor was never supposed to leave his wife for the other woman. He played the harlot. He sold his body to prostitution. He left her.'” (And you'd be surprised how often this is happening in Christianity, too. But this is not ‘Christianity', is it? No, of course not. This is all too common.) “Then the next scene in my dream, my husband and I were walking down a hallway away from the restaurant.” (In other words, they were walking away from those teachings.) “We could hear the former pastor from the other side yelling. We knew he was mad at me for exposing him. He was yelling really loud as he came around the corner, but the weird thing was he was walking on his knees. His legs were twisted up behind him and he was being led by his head usher.” (In other words, he was spiritually crippled. He was not able to walk with the Lord.) “For a split-second, I felt pity for this man who was all disfigured and then I saw his face as he was yelling. And my husband and I just stood there quietly watching at first. This pastor was so mad and yelling so loud that his hair was all matted and he snarled with his face all contorted. Then, all of a sudden, I looked at him and said, ‘Everything you have stolen from My people (she said this in the spirit of prophecy), everything you've stolen from my people (Which is what? Their walk with the Lord.), I have taken from you. Judgment has come to your house.' I then brought my right hand down like a gavel was in it.” This sounds very familiar, doesn't it? It's what we read here in Jeremiah. (Jer.23:2) … I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. (3) And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply. Yes, God's people, in a spiritual way, have been taken captive to all nations, exactly as the Jews were physically captive. We are now captive to the nation, full of patriotism and things that make us pledge allegiance to our nation, rather than the nation that we truly belong to, which is the nation of spiritual Israel Peter spoke of. (Jer.23:4) And I will set up shepherds over them … Here is where He's delivering His people from these Saul shepherds. He's bringing them out of captivity back to their own land, to the Promised Land, to live on the promises of God, so to speak. (Jer.23:4) And I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, saith the Lord. So they will be fed the nourishing Word and will not be hungry and leave. That sounds good, doesn't it? And especially concerning the days that we're coming to, right? They shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, saith the Lord. That's kind of what was said about those under Jesus. None were lacking except the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled (Joh.17:12). The Scripture continues (Jer.23:5) Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch … This refers to those new shepherds whom we just read about whom God is raising up in these days to take the place of those foolish Saul shepherds. They are a righteous branch. (Jer.23:5) … And he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. (6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: the Lord our righteousness. Our righteousness represents a corporate name. It's a group of people. “The Lord our righteousness” is David in our day. The Lord said He would multiply the seed of David to rule over the house of Israel. In our day there's a corporate body of David whom He says are these shepherds He's going to raise up. And He tells us that we're going to understand this in the last days (23:20). These righteous shepherds will replace those in (Jer.23:16) Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. We are to teach what comes out of the mouth of the Lord. (Mat.4:4) … Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Jer.23:17) They say continually unto them that despise me, the Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you. These apostate religions of “Christianity,” using the term loosely, these stubborn, rebellious people, have been trained to be that way. Their leaders are telling them that they're going to have peace and security and safety. They're telling them that they will all fly away, and all the other deceiving doctrines out there, such as ultimate reconciliation, unconditional eternal security, everything is okay – it's all peace and safety, peace and safety. But God says differently. (Jer.23:18) For who hath stood in the council of the Lord, that he should perceive and hear his word? who hath marked my word, and heard it? We know Ezekiel did. (19) Behold, the tempest of the Lord, [even his] wrath, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked. (20) The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it perfectly. (21) I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied. (22) But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Yes. Amen. We need a ministry that God is raising up and sending, starting with the John the Baptist ministry, leading on to the Man-child ministry, leading on to the Two Witness ministry, leading on to the raising-up of the five-fold ministry. And this is all going to be wave after wave of a coming revival in the earth happening all during the time judgment is going forth, while both spiritual and physical judgment is going forth. Spiritual judgment is much more detrimental than physical judgment. Physical judgment can take people out who might even go to heaven, but spiritual judgment takes away their seeing and hearing, bringing reprobation upon a people which are not able to walk with the Lord anymore. That's an eternal judgment there, so it's far worse to be in that kind of a situation. (2Co.11:13) For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. (14) And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. (15) It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. Satan's ministers look like ministers of righteousness. They're in pulpits teaching God's people. They “fashion themselves”, it says, as “ministers of righteousness.” In other words, they usurp this position. Like Korah, Dathan and Abiram, they usurp this position. They didn't come to authority by overcoming, by hearing the Word, by eating the roll, by having eyes to see, by being ordained by God, etc. They fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works (2Co.11:15). But notice that the judgment upon them starts down here and now, folks. It's not just going to be passing off into eternity. Now this judgment is catching up. God is going to judge these ministries and judge all their organizations. There's going to be a reprobation. What we need to do, is make sure that we're eating the roll of the book individually, every one of us. It doesn't matter whether you're a minister or not, we all need to eat the roll of the book to be Christlike and not be like Korah, Dathan and Abiram and followers, upon whom the judgment fell. As you know, Korah, Dathan and Abiram were usurping not only the High Priest's position but the priesthood. Korah was a Levite, but he was usurping the authority of Aaron and Moses. (Num.16:20) And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, (21) Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. This was one of the trials in the wilderness. The Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebellion happened in the wilderness, which is the Tribulation. The first 3½ years of the Tribulation are called “wilderness” in Revelation 12 and the second 3½ years are called “wilderness” in Revelation 17. So here they are in the wilderness with this trial of usurpers. They've been there all along but now God's dealing with them. Now God's sending His Man-child. Now God is going to speak the Word before them, make them responsible and tear down their organizations. (Num.16:21) Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. (22) And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? Well, but all the congregation was following them, you see. (Num.16:23) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (24) Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle (tent) of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. (25) And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. (26) And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. Oh, yes. And God was planning just such a consumption, wasn't He? (Num.16:27) So they gat them up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side…. So, what is this saying in our day? This is talking about a revival of God's people coming out from among these usurpers who have taken a position that's not theirs. It's similar to what Jesus spoke about in John 10 when He called His sheep by name and called them out of the sheepfolds. This is what's coming. (Num.16:27) … And Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones. (28) And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works; for [I have] not [done them] of mine own mind. (29) If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. (30) But if the Lord make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into sheol; then ye shall understand that these men have despised the Lord. What is it to be swallowed up by the earth? The earth is our flesh. Adam's flesh was made out of the earth, so to be swallowed up by the earth alive is to be consumed by the fleshly old man. That's to be totally reprobated. You know, the Bible says, She that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth (1Ti.5:6). In other words, you can be dead while you're alive. They were swallowed alive by the earth, by their flesh. (Num.16:31) And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them; (32) and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. (33) So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol (the place of the dead): and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly. This is repeated again when we see Saul, and everybody that appertained unto Saul, died on Mt. Gilboa, and then David was made king. This is where we are one more time; we're right here. There is a rebellion and it's not going to be over until the Tribulation period, until God has reprobated all of the wicked and brought in all the righteous. Reprobation represents this dying while you're alive, being dead while you live. (Jud.11) Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. (12) These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. It also speaks about the shepherds, those who followed after Cain and Balaam through their lusts to lead the people. They were twice-dead and plucked up by the roots. Twice-dead means you have to be born again and die again. Yes, there are multitudes of people who have had a new birth in their spirit, but they refuse to be reborn in their soul; they refuse to follow their spirit and eat the Word of God, and be an overcomer. So God is going to reprobate their leadership. That will enable the people to see that there's something wrong with this, especially when they're able to compare it with a new ministry that God is bringing onto the scene. These twice-dead shepherds are going to be falling into more and more sinful lusts of their flesh; that way the people will be able to see it. Even today ministers fall into the most corrupt, sinful ways and yet the people who don't love truth and don't love righteousness, those people don't depart from about their tent. Those people will go down with their ministers, still justifying them, because they're in idolatry with their organizations. They won't see that these men have become corrupt. Well, God is going to corrupt them so that all of the people of God will be without excuse when they continue to follow them. God is delivering His people in these days and it's great! What's really happening is similar to what Jesus speaks about in (Mat.24:15) When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the... Literally, in the Numerics, it says, “a holy place,” not “the holy place,” but the translators thought, “It couldn't be; there's only one holy place.” So they put “the holy place” but the original says “a holy place.” The Numeric pattern proves it's a holy place, so what is Jesus talking about? (Mat.24:15) When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let him that readeth understand) [That's in parentheses because He's telling you, “Hey, look a little deeper here; there's something here.”], then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains: let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house: (Mat.24:18) and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak. (19) But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! (20) And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a Sabbath: (21) for then shall be great tribulation…. Daniel speaks of an abomination that maketh desolate (Dan.11:31). And who is it who is “standing in a holy place”? Well, it calls to mind 2 Thessalonians 2. So who's standing in a holy place? And what is a holy place now, in our day? Is there any holy place? Well, there is no such thing as THE holy place anymore, but there are holy places all around the world. They are assemblies of God's people who are truly God's people. So it's an abomination for anybody to stand in these holy places who is an antichrist. Jesus said in (Mat.12:30) He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.. See, we don't have any choice: we're either going to speak the Word and agree with the Word or we're antichrist. It's either Christ, Who is the Word, or antichrist, who is against the Word. God's been very merciful, but with the knowledge, the understanding, the anointing that's coming upon the scene right now, He's no longer going to be merciful because we're coming to the end. (2Th.2:3) Let no man beguile you in any wise: for [it will not be,] (that is, our gathering together unto the Lord) except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. Folks, before we gather unto Him there's going to be a falling away and the son of perdition is going to be revealed. Why do apostate ministers read this as the very opposite of what it's saying? It's because they want to make sure they get out of here. (2Th.2:4) He that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. There he is in the holy place, right? And the word “temple” here is the word naos. Everywhere else the apostle Paul used that term, he used it to talk about the temple comprised of the people of God, not a temple building. You know, hieron is the word they used when they spoke of the building, but here he's talking about the people of God, just like he used it everywhere else. So that he sitteth in the temple of God (that is, amongst God's people), setting himself forth as God (2Th.2:4). They act like gods but they are rebels. Now, if you're not paying any attention to God and you're ruling in the temple of God, then you're the god there. The whole problem is that these men think that they can do what they want to do, say whatever they want, and lead you any way they want to lead you. They don't have to do it according to the Word; they make up their own rules and their own organization. But, you see, God already has an organization. It's called the Church and it's supposed to be one; it's supposed to be one with Him and it's supposed to be one with the Word. It's supposed to be led by people who have eaten the roll of the book and who hearken unto the roll and then go and lead God's people. So they set themselves forth as God. (2Th.2:5) Remember ye not, that, when I yet was with you, I told you these things? (6) And now you know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. The falling away is what restrains the revealing of the son of perdition. The falling away is this reprobation of these people. God's taking away their seeing and hearing. (2Th.2:7) For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only [there is] one that restraineth now, until he be come out of the midst (Numerics). What is restraining the revealing of the son of God? The son of perdition in the midst of God's people. We ought to be a spotless, blemishless people. Talking about them in their corporate body, Jude called them spots in your love-feasts, these apostate leaders. They are spots in the body of Christ. They have to be removed before He can come for His people. Only [there is] one that restraineth now, until he be come out of the midst. (2Th.2:8) And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord shall slay with the breath of his mouth…. The Lord is going to destroy these wicked leaders of God's people and every other son of perdition who leads God's people astray. We are on the verge of a great corporate move like this. God's given me a little training several times in watching how He does this and I know He is about to do it now on a worldwide scale. I know that He is training up other people around the world to understand these things too. There is a corporate body of the son of perdition leading multitudes of people astray, but God is sending some help. He's sending a new anointed ministry like we saw in Ezekiel, anointed with the Holy Spirit. This ministry will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to go forth and deliver His people. Praise be to God! Thank You, Father! Now I have some revelations to share, beginning with a revelation sent to us some time ago which points out that the true people of God will have a great victory. This will be as when they came out of Egypt at the Passover and their enemies were conquered there and at the Red Sea. Esther the Bride fought for the true people of God and won.     You Have Lost; We Have Won Mike Thompson - 10/5/18 (David's notes in red)   Well, hello, you mighty prayer warriors and beloved of God. I had to share a vision with you. It may be a little difficult for me to get through because it's still on me. I'm sitting in the sanctuary and this is where it happened last night. I had a class that started at 7:00, and while I was coming in to do the class, I could just feel myself being overcome by the Spirit. I could hear sounds in the Spirit, and catch images; and I want to talk to you about the Lion's Army: The Lion of the tribe of Judah. I want to share with you a victory that's happening in the spirit right now.     An Open Vision of the Lord's Army The first thing that I began …, In the Spirit, the way it swirls around me when these things begin to occur is that I could see darkness and I could see lightning. Here I am talking to people, in fact, standing behind the podium teaching a class, and I could hear, just muffled sounds that resembled strife and conflict. I would catch just glimpses, the glint of light that seemed to be reflecting off of swords. I slowed down in my presentation, my teaching, and the Spirit of God overwhelmed me, invaded me and just began to pull me away. The scene became clearer and I could see a battleground. And that's when I stopped the class and I just shared with them what I just shared with you: I said, Let's go into prayer, and we did. And as we did, the vision developed and went further. I could see this large battleground in front of me in the spiritual realm. It was a full vision; it was an open vision occurring. On the far side of the battleground were these hoards of grotesque disfigured demonic spirits. They were advancing and coming toward us screaming. When I say us, my position and those that were around me. The sound of their screams at the top of their lungs, and the screaming was violent, it was in anger and rage, blood-curdling screams of demonic spirits as they were advancing. Their screams were not only of anger and rage and meant to psychologically throw the opposing army off, but behind the screams, hidden in those screams I could sense fear; the fear that they have of losing the fight, of losing their purpose. It was a fear that was so strong you could tell that it caused them pain, but they screamed even louder. On the near side of the battleground were warrior believers and warrior angels, a mighty army. They were covered in light and glory. There was such a strength and a determination on the inside of them that it's like, ‘This battle is so important, we will not lose; We recognize our authority and who we are and we will not lose; We will not give up; We will not back down.' And they stood in confidence against that fear and the screams of the advancing hoard. I was part of the army. It was – it's hard to explain, but simultaneously I was both watching it from an elevated position, as well as being part of that righteous army. I could see that the army wore armor, they carried shields, they had drawn swords, light was reflecting off of the swords as they held them up; swords against the screams. Then I heard a thundering voice from behind the righteous army, and the words that just echoed with authority and power across the battleground saying to the demonic legion, YOU HAVE LOST; WE HAVE WON. (This is the Gospel, We have won through Jesus.) And as that voice thundered, I turned to look and it was a large lion that was immediately right behind the righteous army: The Lion's Army. As I write this, I'm getting overcome right now; I'm back in it. I wish I could articulate what I see and feel adequately to you. Just catch the anointing. Catch what the Spirit of God is dropping on the inside of you right now. As the words from the Lion came, they entered the army, the warriors, and simultaneously with the voice of the Lion the warriors released the same words. It was as if one voice through thousands, millions perhaps, all came forth with the Lion's voice: YOU HAVE LOST; WE HAVE WON. It was a faith declaration. The strength, the confidence, the authority from heaven, from the throne, through the Lion, through the backs of the warriors and out of their mouths. And it was like the sound of many waters as it flowed across the battlefield toward the advancing hoard. And then it shifted a little bit and at that point, the Lion's army at the same time was lifted up into the air and was carried over the heads of the advancing hoard and they began to speak down upon the advancing hoard words of authority, the Word of God, faith declarations, speaking against them in great authority and power. And when they did, there was a flaming sword that came out of their mouths and the swords launched straight down on the heads of those advancing legions. There were angels in the fire in the swords and when the fire would hit one of the demonic spirits, then his power was diminished, he slowed, his screams weakened. And it was having an effect. And then I noticed behind the legions arose a great beast. And I knew it was the same beast that I had seen in preceding visions. I knew it was the same beast that was connected with Leviathan and with Jezebel. The same beast that I saw before came up to the edge of Europe, the west coast, jumped into the ocean swam over, and crawled up on the east coast of the United States. And that beast began to yell as loud as he could. It was saying, ‘Scream harder! Scream harder!' But it was too late. The screams were no match for the flaming swords of the Lion in the mouths of His warriors and the battle, the tide of which began to change. I knew instinctively, I could feel it, that the beast had the ability to influence and call in more warriors and more screams, but the power was in the screams. But the authority in the advancing army of God, the Lion's Army, was also coming out of their mouths in prayer, in faith proclamations, in prophetic declarations, in speaking the Word, in pulling down the strongholds and the strategies and the structures, all the things that were happening. People, I feel that this vision is timely in several respects: (This was given in 2018 regarding the political scene at that time. But it fits today.) Number 1, for what's going on in the spiritual atmosphere over America right now; for what's going on in the confirmation hearing for Judge Kavanaugh; for the upcoming midterm election; for … I even see behind that, the 2020 Presidential election. (The Supreme Court is deciding who won the 2020 election now. So, this is still true and relevant for today with the current DS political situations, fake administration, the 2024 presidential vote, and imminent EBS, GCR, human trafficking, illegal immigration, weather warfare, etc. We need to be declaring the defeat of the DS/apostate church and the victory of the Lion's Army.) I see all those things just coming at me in the Spirit. And I hear the screams and the violence and the threats. And the Lord says, “Do not be afraid, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. The Lion's Army is well able to do its job. The Lion's Army with flaming words of authority will rise up and defeat the enemy.” I also feel that it's a progressive revelation that we will see a progressive vision that we will see come to pass in various forms through the upcoming years. The Lion's Army. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are part of the Lion's Army. If you will dare to stand up in prayer, you're part of the Lion's Army. If you will stand up against the unrighteousness, if you will stand against the work of the beast; you don't have to fight the beast, the LION will destroy the beast, but you are part of the army that is launching those fiery projectiles down on the heads of the legions of the damned. And it is disempowering them, it is stopping them, it is paralyzing them. It is diminishing their power and their authority in the earth, and in America, and against the body of Christ, and against God's purposes and plans for the political structure of our nation, the destiny that He has already proclaimed. YOU are a warrior … clothed in Beauty and Garments of Praise, the Armor of God, the Shield of Faith, and the Sword of the Spirit. And the angels are flowing like fire from your mouth as you speak into the second heaven, the spiritual atmosphere the words of the Lion: “YOU HAVE LOST; WE HAVE WON”; and every other word that He places in your mouth. Stand up and give it with the third-heaven authority!     Discerning Shepherds and Apostles Ellen Cary - 09/10/2008 (David's notes in red) Prophetic Word - The seven-year cycle is over. I have called and you have not answered. I have warned over and over, but you have refused to hear. You shepherds who sit in your high towers have told my sheep that I didn't cause the towers to fall, that I didn't bring Katrina for destruction (of Mardi Gras in two states), that the floods and fires are not at the hand of My judgment, teaching them that all power is not Mine, so they learn to not heed My warnings, they learn to not hearken to My voice because they believe your lies; and for this, you false shepherds will pay a high price. I call you false, for you have turned from My divine plan for your life. You've allowed the enemy to entice you with the pleasures of this world, the riches and loftiness of sitting in high places. You have exalted your throne above Mine in making the choices you have to please men, to tickle their ears and tell them what they want to hear, rather than telling them the truth. Few there are who are listening to My voice and calling My church to repent of their wicked ways, for they have gone the way of the world; their lives are compromised and not set apart for Me, to live in the holiness I've commanded. See now you false prophets who speak lies of peace and safety, you shall all be brought down by My Elijahs I'm about to release upon the land. They will smite you with the sword of the spirit that will come forth from their mouths and it shall be wielded with precision and accuracy. You who have given yourselves a title of apostle, know ye not it is only the Lord God Almighty who decides who I call as an apostle, or any of My ministry gifts to My body for their edification and growth to build My church. You gather together in your convocations to discuss your lofty plans of dominating My earth, but you know not of what you speak, for this world will never be dominated by your flesh. It is only by My Spirit that My Kingdom is established on the earth because it is established in the hearts of those I choose. My true apostles are in the fields of the world, in the dark places establishing My kingdom, for I have sent them. I alone, and no man, for I called and I instructed and I gave the order to go and they have obeyed My voice to not only listen to obey My call, but to be chosen to follow My orders. They are nameless and they are faceless only to you, for l know their names and I know their faces. I know their hearts and I know their minds, for they seek only My will, not to build their mighty kingdoms, as you have done, and for this they shall be rewarded greatly. For they are true warriors and true soldiers of the cross who have died to their own plans and purpose and allowed Me to send them out for My glory only, nothing to exalt themselves, but only Me. For they recognize they are but dust willing to be blown by the wind of My Spirit to wherever I will them to go. These shall have great reward in My house, for they have laid down their lives for the sheep, some even to death, never even thinking they are great or doing anything for recognition in My body, but only having a heart to follow after Me and being obedient to My word. Yes, the time has come for all false ones to be exposed, for you want to be leaders but you lead My sheep into the darkness and for this, the blood of many will be on your hands. The hour has come for your judgment, America, the great America whom I have blessed to such measure that all the world envies you. But shortly in an hour you think not, you shall fall and the whole earth will groan and the nations will lament and rejoice at the same time, for your greatness shall be over. (DS Babylon in America and DS Babylon in the church are falling.)     Shaking Out the Sinners Vision Given to Ueli Surbeck I saw the Father standing above me with the world in His hand and He began shaking it -- violently shaking the world up and down, left to the right and backward and forward and this is what the Father says: “My church has to be shaken out of the world. I want it out, and I am shaking my church until it comes out of the world! They have become so entwined in the world it is the only way to get them out”. He continued to shake the world violently (it very much reminds me of the process of harvesting potatoes); as I saw the church being shaken out of the world, I saw 3 things happening in the Church: Preachers were falling out of the pulpits, head first, pulpits started falling out of the Church, I saw the prophets falling, as they fell they lost their mantles, their mantles fell out of the churches and then I saw the reprobates start falling out of the Church. And then the Father said in the Voice of the General, “THEY HAVE MISSED THE HOUR OF THEIR VISITATION”. He said it 3 times consecutively. They missed the hour of My visitation; they think they are somebody, but in fact they are blind and naked. As the prophets fell out and lost their mantles, I saw the Father pick up the mantles and give them to the faithful prophets of the hour who had not missed THE HOUR OF THEIR VISITATION. (Isa.66:15-16) For behold the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword the Lord will judge all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many.     Tell My People I Love Them Janet M. - 11/23/2012 Around 8:00 PM, as I was lying in bed, the Lord spoke to me, saying, “Tell My people that I love them”. He had a great urgency in His voice and He did this three times. Over the course of almost an hour, He spoke to me and showed me things. But of all the things that He said, He put the greatest emphasis on the message: “Tell my people that I love them”. He started by answering a prayer of mine: I asked the Lord, “Please confirm that You do not want us to participate in Christmas”. The Lord explained that He never asked us to commemorate His birth and yet people make the manger scene of Jesus into an idol. He is not a baby in a manger anymore. There will be no Christmas in Heaven and God does not honor that day. (When we share this with family and friends we should be graceful and weak to the weak so it can be received.) The Christmas holiday is a creation of man. He continued that it grieves Him how selfish people have become, all the exchanging of gifts is merely vanity for pleasing the flesh. (Jesus taught us to give to the poor and we will be rewarded.)  Jesus already gave the greatest gift of all. How can man ever top that? He showed tremendous emotion as He spoke. I saw Him cry with trembling concerning those perishing in sin. We must repent (turn from what we know is wrong). We must forgive those who have wronged us, so that God will forgive us. Jesus died so that we can be redeemed to the Father. The blood of Jesus was that perfect sacrifice to restore fallen man unto God. We must come out from among those who covet evil and be separate from the pleasure and distractions of the worldly “Egyptian” system. Then, the Lord showed me how sin separates us from Him. I saw a narrow path and Jesus waiting at the end of it. As the people traveled the path toward Jesus, the devil would place many temptations along the way to widen the path and divert the believer from Jesus. If the believer endured, the path would again narrow, as Jesus drew them ever closer to Himself. Eventually, the believer would be near enough to abide in the Lord (they knew Him and were sure of Him). That is the place where you can reach out and touch the hem of His garment. When I saw the sincerity of the Lord as He spoke, I feared for my relatives and I pleaded to God to have mercy on them. He replied, “Believe on Me and you and your family will be saved”. I asked, “Should I do anything?” He said, “Intercede for them by lifting them up in prayer. As it is written, pray without ceasing. Since an idle mind tends to be the devil's playground, think on the things of God, for where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.” And when it comes to the devil and demons, the Lord said, “I have given you power and authority over the enemy; use it”. As the Lord saw us praying and travailing for others in obedience to God, He smiled. His smile was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I cannot describe it. I did not see His face but I saw His smile somehow. His smile had real feeling to it and was so reassuring. His smile was light, love and perfect. God then showed me how He freed my husband and me from the oppression and deception that blinded us for so long. Then I saw the chains and something like a heavy weight that bound the people who desired to stay in the world system and refused to repent. He also said that we should be willing to open our homes and our hearts to the poor on more than just Thanksgiving Day and He asked us if we would do that. As He spoke, He took me up in the spirit and showed me some things that are important to Him. I saw Jesus pointing to the Earth. The Earth looked to be about the size of a tangerine compared to Him. Somehow, I was standing next to Him. He pointed to the Earth and said, “I have commissioned you to tell them, 'Tell My people that I love them'. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Start the conversation by telling them that I love them. It is your job to tell them. The Holy Spirit will convict them”.     The Harlot's Final Moments Jenni Davis - 06/30/2009 (David's notes in red) I had a vision the other night. I cannot believe it took me a couple of days to understand its meaning, as it is so incredible and obvious to me just now after God opened my eyes. In my vision, a group of people, including myself, were kneeling around an old, dying woman who was on the ground, taking her last breaths of air. Other people were standing around watching the scene, but a small number of us were knelt beside her. She was a very old woman, heavily wrinkled and ancient-looking, to the point it was clear she had shrunk in her old age. She was decked out in the most humorous way to hide her age. She had an enormous, thick, long, blond, curly wig on to hide her balding, thin hair. She had decked herself out in thigh stockings and lots of fake jewelry. She was so “in costume” that she just looked hilarious, as she was trying to cover her age and recover her youth. She was fooling no one, of course; she looked like she was dressed up for a costume party -- like an old hooker. As she lay there dying, taking her last breaths, suddenly, a horrifying-sounding demon started speaking out of her mouth. It was just like a Poltergeist movie. Here was this tiny old woman dying on the ground and this awful, male, evil voice started speaking in a language I could not understand out of HER mouth; it was clearly pure evil. I have no idea what she was saying but I could feel the evil in the air -- thick and awful --and her body slashed and flexed as she spoke these evil words forth. Suddenly, all the other people who were knelt beside her started breaking into spiritual warfare to combat the demon that was speaking. They were flailing their arms, pointing their fingers, binding demons and speaking in tongues in their own chaos all around her. My mouth dropped a bit and my eyes widened a bit, watching this mad display going on around me as this old woman lay hardly breathing, but still managing to speak forth evil. I remember thinking, ‘what in the world is going on here?' Then, like a mother who is tired of watching someone rock her whaling baby in the wrong way and finally gets frustrated and screams, “Give me that baby!” and snatches the infant into her own arms; well, I did the same. I took the old woman's upper torso into my arms and pulled her to my chest (my heart), out of their flailing hands and away from their words, and I held her to my heart and said, “Jesus”. One time only. Instantly, the demon(s) were gone! She was instantly healed and alive and she jumped to her feet and ran around happy and jumping like a little kid. Everyone was shocked, including me a little. It felt like such a natural response to pull her to me, that I was also shocked at the result. I only saw her for a second before the vision ended, but I saw that her wig and the rest of her costume was falling off. I am embarrassed to say it took me two days to realize it was the false harlot church that is the old woman, who even now lies dying. (I believe this old woman more specifically represents a body of people in the midst of the larger Harlot church who will turn to God because of the love of more mature brethren who will reach out to them as Jenni did here.) God knows what evil she will speak as she takes her last breaths (what more or new madness she will speak) and who will listen to it, but I do know how some will try and fight it. They will try and fight it with their own wisdom, their own power, their own warfare. It will not work. Jesus is the hero, He is the answer and He is the dragon slayer. He knows how to fight; it is our job to call on Him. He lives in our heart; we are His bride if we understand and know His love. It is His love in us and through us that will conquer the demons that hold the (harlot) church captive. She IS loved and out of love and genuine empathy for anyone who is lost, confused, bewitched and evil, we should do as God says: “Bring them to me and I will give them life”. All we do is hold them in our hearts and love them in Jesus' name and He will give them life. He will accomplish this --not us. I am reminded in this vision of the day that God asked me if I wanted to know what the “Best spiritual warfare is” and I eagerly said, “Yes! Tell me!” He said this slowly to me: “Close your eyes, lay your head on My chest and rest”. It is finished. It is all His work; we just call on Him.

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 106Part IConfitemini Domino1Hallelujah!Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, *for his mercy endures for ever.2Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord *or show forth all his praise?3Happy are those who act with justice *and always do what is right!4Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you have for your people, *and visit me with your saving help;5That I may see the prosperity of your electand be glad with the gladness of your people, *that I may glory with your inheritance.6We have sinned as our forebears did; *we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.7In Egypt they did not consider your marvelous works,nor remember the abundance of your love; *they defied the Most High at the Red Sea.8But he saved them for his Name's sake, *to make his power known.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up, *and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10He saved them from the hand of those who hated them *and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.11The waters covered their oppressors; *not one of them was left.12Then they believed his words *and sang him songs of praise.13But they soon forgot his deeds *and did not wait for his counsel.14A craving seized them in the wilderness, *and they put God to the test in the desert.15He gave them what they asked, *but sent leanness into their soul.16They envied Moses in the camp, *and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.17The earth opened and swallowed Dathan *and covered the company of Abiram.18Fire blazed up against their company, *and flames devoured the wicked. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsJoel 3:1-2English Standard Version“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land,Joel 3:9-17English Standard VersionProclaim this among the nations:Consecrate for war;    stir up the mighty men.Let all the men of war draw near;    let them come up.Beat your plowshares into swords,    and your pruning hooks into spears;    let the weak say, “I am a warrior.”Hasten and come,    all you surrounding nations,    and gather yourselves there.Bring down your warriors, O Lord.Let the nations stir themselves up    and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;for there I will sit to judge    all the surrounding nations.Put in the sickle,    for the harvest is ripe.Go in, tread,    for the winepress is full.The vats overflow,    for their evil is great.Multitudes, multitudes,    in the valley of decision!For the day of the Lord is near    in the valley of decision.The sun and the moon are darkened,    and the stars withdraw their shining.The Lord roars from Zion,    and utters his voice from Jerusalem,    and the heavens and the earth quake.But the Lord is a refuge to his people,    a stronghold to the people of Israel.“So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,    who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.And Jerusalem shall be holy,    and strangers shall never again pass through it.1 Peter 1:1-12English Standard VersionPeter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:May grace and peace be multiplied to you.Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.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. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 29Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

The passage that we just read comes at the end of a section of narrative in Numbers. It comes right in the middle of the whole section we will cover this morning, which is Numbers 16-19. Not only does it come in the middle of the chapters for this morning, it comes right at the middle of the book of Numbers as a whole. We see at the heart of the book of Numbers, which has been a theme in the Pentateuch as a whole, the question of how can an unholy people come near a Holy God? Or vise versa, how can a Holy God come and dwell in the midst of a sinful people, without them being consumed by his Holy justice? We have seen this focus in the books of Moses (the first 5 book of the Bible). The book placed right in the middle is Leviticus, which gives instruction about sacrifices, laws, and the duties of the priests. And right at the heart of that book, right in the middle, is instructions for the Day of Atonement, where the priest once a year will enter behind the curtain of the Holy of Holies, the Most Holy place, to make atonement for the sins of the nation.So it is not a coincidence that the tabernacle and the priesthood seem to take center stage, once again, in the book of Numbers. We will return to that theme at the end this morning. But first, we are going to look at what comes prior to this story, and what comes after it.In Chapter 16, we see three distinct acts of judgement connected with rebellion, grumbling and unbelief. After the three acts of judgement, we will look at three provisions from God for the people of Israel in Chapters 17, 18, and 19. That is the high level outline this morning; 3 acts of judgment, and 3 acts of provision.Would you pray with me as we get started?1. Three acts of Judgment from God (Ch. 16:1-40, 41-50)Hear again verses 12 and 13,“And the people of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Everyone who comes near, who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?”This is the desperate question we see in response to all that has happened in chapters 16 and 17. Death, because of God's judgment related to sin, is all over the camp. So let's look back at the acts of judgment that led up to the people crying out to Moses. The first story incapsulates two of these acts of wrath.Korah's Rebellion (Numbers 16:1–19)Numbers 16:1-19,Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him. Do this: take censers, Korah and all his company; put fire in them and put incense on them before the LORD tomorrow, and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!” And Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the LORD and to stand before the congregation to minister to them, and that he has brought you near him, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also? Therefore it is against the LORD that you and all your company have gathered together. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?”And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and they said, “We will not come up. Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us? Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.” And Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.”And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, before the LORD, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow. And let every one of you take his censer and put incense on it, and every one of you bring before the LORD his censer, 250 censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.” So every man took his censer and put fire in them and laid incense on them and stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.Korah, who was a leader among the Levites, has banded together with Dathan and Abiram, who are leaders from the tribe of Rueben. They have gathered 250 well-known leaders, from the whole camp to come and rebel against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. This is not a small group of complainers, this an organized revolt that has a sizable group with it. Besides the leaders mentioned, there are 250 well-known leaders that have joined in along with them. We need to see a few things here to appreciate the magnitude of what is going on. First lets do a historical fly by. Here we'll see revelation and rivalry…Starting back in Genesis, in Genesis 49, Jacob calls his 12 sons together so that he may tell them “what shall happen to [them] in days to come.” And in his speaking to each of them, it says that he “blessed them, blessing each with a blessing suitable to him.”Genesis 49 gives us prophetic blessings, that fit his sons and will play out in the coming generations. It gives us revelation into the coming days. There are three things to see in the first few blessings:To Rueben, the firstborn, he says: “[you are] preeminent in power, but you will not have preeminence”To Levi, he says: Their “weapons of violence are their swords.” Their anger is fierce and their wrath, cruel. God says: “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”To Judah, he says: “your brothers shall praise you.” “The scepter shall not depart from Judah.” Exodus 32 gives us a glimpse of this playing out for the Levites. This is the infamous story of the golden calf. Moses has been up on the mountain for a while and the people become restless. Along with Aaron, they make themselves an image to worship. Moses comes down and sees the wickednesses of the camp and how Aaron has let them stray. Moses says, “‘Who is on the LORD's side? Come to me' And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.” They are then commanded to slaughter the wickedness around them and about 3,000 fell that day. And Moses said,“…today you have been ordained for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and his brother, so that He [God] might bestow a blessing upon you this day.” (Exodus 32:29).The Levites are blessed for their faithfulness to God and execute his judgement. We see their warrior-like fierceness, and an ordaining that will fulfill what is said back in Genesis.Numbers 2 gives us a glimpse of these “prophetic blessings” playing out for the tribes of Judah and Rueben. As the camp is ordered, Judah is placed in the first position over all his brothers, first in the first camp which will be on the east. While Rueben is listed as first in the camp on the south side, the second camp.This is the same order used when it comes to Numbers 7 with the contributions for the tabernacle. Judah goes first. The firstborn tribe of Reuben is not the leader, the tribe of Judah is.In Numbers 3, we see the redeeming of the firstborn from all the tribes. So rather than all the firstborns, being taken to serve before the Lord, they are redeemed and replaced by all the sons of Levi. The firstborns of the tribes are swapped out for the whole tribe of Levi. Service of the Lord before the tabernacle is concentrated under the Levites. So what may have been brewing for quite some time, is rivalry among family as God's revelation starts to take place. God has chosen leaders different than the natural order.And it just so happens, that Korah, Dathan and Abiram all camp together in the south camp, so they have had some time to talk. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram suspect that Moses and Aaron have carved out their own position of power, which they think they have equal or greater right to. (But we have seen this many times already in scripture, that God's choosing is not restricted by natural order. And there issue is ultimately with God, although they focus the blame on Moses and Aaron).We see their astounding wickedness.Last week Pastor Mike Schumann highlighted how unbelief adds and removes things from what is true. And in this passage we see much of the same: They disregard God's choosing and say that Moses and Aaron have gone too far by exalting themselves over the people of Israel. Their plea is that “everyone is Holy,” yet they really just want to lead. They are suspicious and suspect that Moses and Aaron seek to punish or kill the men who have confronted them by exposing their ploy for power over the people of Israel. They say: “Will you put out the eyes of these men?” They describe Moses as making himself prince over them, so they won't take any of his commands anymore… “Don't tell us to come up to the tabernacle.”They give a jaw dropping account of what has transpired:“Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself prince over us?” (Num. 16:13).A land flowing with milk and honey in the Bible is exclusively used to describe the promised land, that they refused to go into only a few chapters earlier. And here, this wicked rebellion describes Egypt as a land flowing with milk and honey that Moses has taken the people from.This is absolutely stunning, I don't even know what to say…We see the power of sin and unbelief.We either have men who have been jealous of Moses and Aaron this whole time, despite God's provision through them again and again, and now see an opportunity to overthrow them because they have not received the Promise Land… They are unchanged by example after example of God's grace….Or, we have sin and unbelief that is so potent that these men change their opinion of all that has happened. They so quickly see it all differently now, because they don't like their circumstances. Their unbelief darkens them to all God has done, and in borderline blasphemy, they call Egypt “a land flowing with milk and honey!”A word for us here: Be careful to not get caught up in the sins of others. Gossip, slander, grumbling. Do not get entangled in the sin of others. A few men of the camp, maybe talking to much around the campfire, ended up gathering 250 known leaders, which will lead to the demise of them all.So the rebellion, with leaders from the tribe of Levi, and Reuben, and 250 other notable leaders, who likely have natural first born privileges, contend with Moses and Aaron, and this is taking place in two different places, with two different challenges. And the Lord will respond with 2 different and fitting judgements. You have the 250, with Korah standing before the tabernacle, and you have Dathan and Abiram staying in their own camp.These two locations highlight two different challenges to Moses and Aaron. One to Aaron and his Priesthood, and one to Moses and authority.Korah, a leading Levite, desires to lead the Priesthood and kick Aaron aside. Dathan and Abiram, are done taking instructions from Moses and seek to lead.And as the stage is set “the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.” The Lord tells Moses and Aaron to separate so that God can consume them all. Moses pleads for the people to not be killed based on one mans rebellion. God tells them to command the people to separate from the camp of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. So Moses goes to them and commands the people to separate, and says, verses 28-30,“Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD”. And immediately as Moses finishes speaking, the Lord acts in judgement. To those who contend against the leadership of Moses, and seek to exalt themselves over the Lord's chosen, they are brought down alive into the earth. And to those who contended against Aaron as the high priest, their incense is not accepted and, verse 35, “a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men.”This was a terrible and fearful day in the camp of Israel, a significant rebellion which was against God, experiences of just wrath directly from Him. God defends Moses and Aaron. We would think that the people now see, but it is about to get worst. Verse 41,“But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron and said ‘You have killed the people of the LORD.'”The very next day, those who survived put their lot in with those who were judged in Korah's rebellion, and sided with them! One of the literary themes in this passage is the assembly of God versus the assembly of Korah. Those who belong to Yahweh, and those who “belong to Korah.”The very next day the people cry out and complain that Moses and Aaron have killed the true people of the LORD. Then the glory of the Lord appeared again. God tells Moses and Aaron to separate from the people again, and they hear that a plague has already started to wipe out the people.Moses commands Aaron to light his censor from off the altar and to run into the midst of the people, to make atonement for them, and he ran and stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was stopped. And when the plague had subsided, he returned to Moses. 14,700 died that day, in addition to all who were killed the day before.Here is the scary thing: Our hearts have the same seeds of sin and unbelief as Israel in the wilderness. They have that same capacity for wickedness, slander and unbelief. If not for the grace of God, we would fall into the same suspicion, the same grumbling, they same self-deception, the same unbelief. Our ability to deceive ourselves should be terrifying. Apart from God's grace and work, that is the capacity of your heart!You need to see that. You need to understand that. And when you do, the grace and rescue of Jesus looks like amazing news. We understand the “power of the gospel for salvation.” It was no small thing to save you, it took supernatural power, for God to overcome your sin and your heart, so that you may be alive, to see and believe in him. And not have eyes that are so blind to his grace and provision over and over again.Death is all over the camp of Israel. But God is committed to his people. And in chapters 17, 18, and 19, we see three provisions for Israel which bring hope and stability.2. Three acts of provisions for life from God (Ch. 17, 18, 19).Provision of the priest, provision for the levites, and provision for the rest of the camp.1. God Reaffirms leadership and the priesthood in the camp (Ch. 17).God reestablished the order that was for Israel's good. The wheels have been coming off, it was all falling apart, and God reestablished order out of increasing chaos. He does not abandon his plan or try something different, but he establishes again the order of the community that was given prior and brings it back into shape and form.12 staffs are brought, one from each tribe of Israel. Aaron's staff is placed among them and they are all brought into the tent of meeting, so that God will show his people who is Holy and who he has chosen by making their staff bud.Aaron's staff alone is chosen, it not only buds, but bears fruit and undeniably shows that the Lord has still chosen Aaron and the Levites to be near his house.And God says, verse 10, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumbling against me, lest they die.”God graciously gives the people a sign of his chosen leadership, and it is a perpetual sign to hold back the grumblings of rebels so they don't die.Much like the censors of the 250 that were taken and hammered out as a cover for the altar, to remind and warn the people that only the sons of Aaron can come near and offer incense on the altar.These signs don't remove the wickedness in Israel, but are described as holding it back, stopping it from breaking through to cause death.2. God reaffirms the duties of the priests and Levites (Ch. 18).Numbers 18:1–3,So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood. And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die.”The Levites will serve with the priest, they will guard and help, and bear the burden together. There is mutual responsibility, a failure in duty could cause both to die. And they will serve as a buffer between God and the people.God also gives provisions to the Levites, because they will not have an inheritance in the land. They will be provided for by what is brought to the Lord. And as we zoom forward to Numbers 35 we see this fulfilled as they are given cities throughout the land, but not given their own portion. Sound familiar?Genesis 49, “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”We see the fulfilling of what was spoken of them back in Genesis. They are a warring people that will be scattered among the people of Israel, but they also stood by Moses and the Lord at the golden calf, and have been ordained to the burden and privilege of serving before the Lord. 3. God provides purification from death to enter back into the camp (Ch. 19).Numbers 19:2–5,“This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come. And you shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered before him. And Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. And the heifer shall be burned in his sight. Its skin, its flesh, and its blood, with its dung, shall be burned.”There are some similarities in this offering and the offering on the Day of Atonement. Both involve action outside of the camp and both are entrance rites. The Day of Atonement sacrifices were to cleanse the priest so he may enter the Most Holy place. The red heifer ashes were to cleanse those who had been near death so that they may be cleansed and return back into the camp. The Lord provided entrance back into the camp for those who were ceremonially unclean.Only through the Priesthood of AaronBefore we close, we need to return to the miracle of Aaron's staff flowering, and what it means.For Israel, God is saying: Only Aaron and his sons may come near … Aaron's staff buds, shoots, blossoms and bears fruit. The other staffs remain dead sticks. There aren't many ways to the presence of Yahweh. Only through a sacrifice for sin mediated through whom God has chosen. And when Israel saw this, they responded with great fear.But, God is also saying: I will bless all the people through Aaron and his sons. Them coming near to God was not for them alone, but for all the people. It was not a sign of death on the other leaders, but a sign of life for all through the mediation of the Levites. Aaron will stand in the gap between death and life for them.There is another place in which we have heard a description like this before. Of branches, and blossoms and fruit. It's the golden lampstand, with its seven branches and cups like almonds blossoms.The lampstand gave light to the Holy place, and shined on the 12 loaves of bread that represent the tribes. The priests were also to put Yahweh's name on the people of Israel by saying “may the Lord bless you, and keep you, may the LORD makes his face to shine upon you...”Aaron's staff shows once again that the Lord through His priests will abundantly bless his people and will shine on them. There is abundant life and blessing that is still offered to the people of Israel. God has not left his people, He will still dwell in their midst, and he will hold back their sin until he one day conquers and removes it for good. And we have the greater reality. Jesus stands in the gap for us, between life and death, but more than holding back sin and death, he defeats it. God will bless us, and keep us, and make His face to shine upon us, but only through the mediation of Jesus. Jesus is the only way back to God.Israel problem wasn't their circumstances, it was their unbelieving hearts. Better food won't make them believe, better land won't make them believe, rescue from wrath over and over won't make them believe. And apart from Christ, our hearts are the same. But God, through Christ, has given us new hearts. And because of this, we will make it though our own wilderness. We won't make it because God gives us favorable circumstances, but because we have faith in the Son of God who loved us and died for us. The TableThe only way to be reconciled to God is through Jesus. And that is what this table represents. Jesus's sacrifice cleanses our consciences, and gives us new hearts. Hebrew 9 says exactly this as it looks back at Numbers 19. It says:“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”His life, death, and resurrection is for you. If you believe in Jesus, you are welcome to this table.

Although not every event in Israel's wilderness wandering is recorded, the rebellion led by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram typifies the rebelliousness of the older generation. Although the descendants of Kohath already hold the honored position of carrying the holy things of the tabernacle, still they desire for themselves the priestly service given to Aaron. Likewise, the descendants of Reuben desire the authority given to Moses.  The LORD deals swiftly with this rebellion by opening the earth to swallow up Korah and his company. The LORD provided a physical reminder of this event in a covering that was made for the altar.   Rev. Jason Schockman, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Oconomowoc, WI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Numbers 16:1-40.  "Wilderness Wanderings” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Numbers. After the LORD delivers His people from slavery in Egypt, He leads them toward the Promised Land. Although the first generation of Israelites proves faithless, the LORD remains faithful to His people and brings a new generation of Israelites to the plains of Moab. This strengthens us to listen to God's promises today and stay faithful to Him as He guides us toward resurrection life. 

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 106Part IConfitemini Domino1Hallelujah!Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, *for his mercy endures for ever.2Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord *or show forth all his praise?3Happy are those who act with justice *and always do what is right!4Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you have for your people, *and visit me with your saving help;5That I may see the prosperity of your electand be glad with the gladness of your people, *that I may glory with your inheritance.6We have sinned as our forebears did; *we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.7In Egypt they did not consider your marvelous works,nor remember the abundance of your love; *they defied the Most High at the Red Sea.8But he saved them for his Name's sake, *to make his power known.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up, *and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10He saved them from the hand of those who hated them *and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.11The waters covered their oppressors; *not one of them was left.12Then they believed his words *and sang him songs of praise.13But they soon forgot his deeds *and did not wait for his counsel.14A craving seized them in the wilderness, *and they put God to the test in the desert.15He gave them what they asked, *but sent leanness into their soul.16They envied Moses in the camp, *and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.17The earth opened and swallowed Dathan *and covered the company of Abiram.18Fire blazed up against their company, *and flames devoured the wicked. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Lessons2 Kings 21:1-18English Standard Version21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem will I put my name.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the Lord said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. 8 And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.10 And the Lord said by his servants the prophets, 11 “Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations and has done things more evil than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols, 12 therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 And I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, 15 because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.”16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did, and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza, and Amon his son reigned in his place.1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1English Standard Version14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.11 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.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. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 22Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

The Word is Our Standard   (audio)   David Eells (9/15/24)  We see in Hebrews 2:2For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; 3 how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard.   How shall we escape if we neglect this wonderful salvation? What is salvation? Well, it's Jesus. You want to see what salvation looks like? Look at Jesus. When you get saved and filled and sanctified, look at Jesus because He said, ….behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. You're coming into the image of Jesus. That was God's plan from the beginning.   Let me just point out a few verses to give you the flavor of this teaching and then the Good News at the end. It says in verse Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; (That certainly sounds a little like our time.) 11 and there shall be great earthquakes, (that certainly sounds like our day, doesn't it?) and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven. (Again, this sounds like warnings for our day and the days that are coming, right?)   Verse 25 And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; (We're certainly seeing that) and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. (and they have been shaking.)   And verse 34 But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting(Overindulging in things of the world), and drunkenness(Not seeing things in reality.), and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: And it will; it is coming as a snare, the Lord has shown us.)   35 for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. We know that there are those who dwell in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, by abiding in His Word and Spirit. But this is going to come upon those that dwell on the Earth; they're earthly bound.   36 But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. What do we need to do to be counted worthy to escape? Well, one verse that comes to me is Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; And we know that this means that we need to have the renewed mind of the Word. We need to agree with the Word when it speaks about what is sin and what is our sin. And we need to agree with the Word when it speaks about justification through faith and the blood of Jesus when we repent of our sins. If we don't repent of our sins, we don't really get that.   So …let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, Justified means accounted righteous. To escape all these things, you have to be accounted righteous, and you have to agree with God. Some people because of their pride, they pervert and twist the word, or they just don't apply the Word, so they neglect their salvation. That thou mightest be justified in thy words. (Your words have to justify you so that you can have God's benefits.) And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment,   Is judgment coming upon the world? Everybody that really, truly knows God knows that it is, and that it's here now. So, we need to escape. We need to be justified by our words by agreeing with God, by being humble enough to say, “Yes, Lord, this is right and I am wrong, and I have sinned; and I need you. And I thank You, Father for Jesus bearing this curse upon Himself.” Now, in willful disobedience, you don't have any benefit of the Passover Lamb because if we sin willfully after we receive a knowledge of the truth, there remains no sacrifice for sin; Heb 10:26. So don't sin willfully; if you do sin, do it in failure. But don't do it willfully.   Also, you probably know this by heart: Rom 10:10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (See something has to start in the heart. You have to believe; you can't be self-deluded and grow in your salvation, which is, as we said, Christ in you.)   … and with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. That is in the thoughts of your heart you believe unto righteousness; believing what God says about you and what He says about your future. Now the devil has to change this in some kind of a way in your mind about your circumstances. He has to get you to believe something else because salvation is sure if you do this. He has to pervert the Truth. Many people act as though they believe they're under the authority of the devil and are not justified in that. And if you know that you're not under the authority of the devil, why are you not walking out from under there? Because faith without works is dead, right? You have to get up and walk in the light by faith in God. Amen   We see in Rom 12:2 And be not fashioned according to this world: In other words, don't be molded by the world around you, the circumstances, the curse that was passed down to you. Don't be molded by anything but the Word of God. The Word of God gives you authority over all the power of the enemy. People who are not taking that authority are just going around in a circle in the wilderness, not getting to their promised land. So, He says, … And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,… Now let's see, God says if you're transformed, it's because your mind is renewed. So if you renew your mind, you'll be transformed. Just to pound the point home.   If you're not being transformed, your mind mind isn't being renewed. Are you believing with your heart? Are you confessing with your mouth that Jesus is your Savior? If you're not continuing to renew your mind, you're not continuing to be transformed. If in some area of your life you're not transformed, you haven't repented and believed. You have not renewed your mind. You have not said, “God, You are right here, this is truth.” Are you seeking out your own salvation with fear and trembling? The Holy Book is what God renews your mind with and with that, you are transformed.   He says …that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. In other words, we can't say that we abide in Him unless we walk as He walked. If we want to walk as He walked, we have to have a renewed mind. We have to repent and believe. Concentrate when you read the Word and do not quickly pass up any point where your conscience convicts you. That's how you renew your mind. Repent means change your mind, believe what God says to believe. Well, it really is always simple so us children can receive it. People have to make it complicated to not understand it, and the simplest of minds can understand it. It's a gift from God, He draws us unto Himself. The theologians couldn't understand it but the fisherman and tax collectors could.  So what is our warfare? Our warfare is to renew our mind and not accept the things that have been programmed in there through our history, through our sins, through what was passed down through our parents and through demonic bondages. The devil seeks to and must convince us of something other than the Word of God in order to take authority over us. When you see somebody that stays under the authority of the devil, they are not repenting, they are not believing the Word. We see that, …with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. They are not acting on the Word. They are not being transformed because they're not believing and confessing the Word. There is a stronghold.   We are told in 2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (Yes, and many Christians get caught up in warring according to the flesh. And God doesn't give any victory there. We have to go by the rules, right? And the rules restrain us from fleshly warfare. The spiritual man has dominion, not the flesh. So we have to fight a spiritual warfare.) 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds).  Strongholds are places where the enemy has dominion. Where he has not been routed out; he has not been attacked with the Word and cast out. A stronghold is a place where Satan rules because of ‘reasonings or imaginations' that are against God because the next verse says,)   5 casting down imaginations.. There is all kinds of reasonings that are against the Word of God, that the devil has put there in order to protect his ground. He does not want you to renew your mind. If you do, he loses his house! So he has to convince you that those reasonings are reasonable and to be accepted. Those imaginations that are against God have to be accepted by you to give the devil this stronghold. He wants to have this control in your house.   All who receive the Holy Spirit as they did in the book of Acts with gifts will have power and discernment over the devil and his demons to destroy those strongholds. It was expected of those who got saved to be filled with the Holy Spirits power.  Back to our text …Casting down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. There it is, carnal worldly thinking and dead religion will keep us from knowing our rights and the devil will be sure to take advantage of that. So be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The devil wants, at all costs, to keep you from knowing about your authority over him. Luk 10:19-20 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. 20 Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. But he has to deceive you out of this authority because he has no legal right to keep that ground if you know this. That ground was given to you by Jesus Christ. You ‘behold Christ in the mirror' by faith, right? The Israelites took that ground as they put their trust in God and they lost ground when they put their trust in themselves. The old man took over the promised land or kept it, and he had no legal right to it.   Verse 6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full. Jesus said, ‘get the board out of your eye so you can see clearly to get the moat out of your brother's eye'. Be careful, don't let the devil distract you into judging other people because there's unforgiveness, criticism and every foul work there. People that get caught up in that do not grow, they fall away. That's the way God generally treats people who judge and criticize and slander and so on. They always fall away. Always, without exception.   And 2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, (There's as many Jesus's out there as there are Christian religions.) or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with him. God demands repentance. He demands that we hold strictly to the Word so that we cannot be deceived. We should say, “the sum of thy word, is truth” Psa 119:160, so that we cannot be deceived.   We can be continually transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, if we'll continually repent. If we'll continually change our mind, we'll be transformed by the renewing of the mind! So we have to hold to the Standard, and that is the sum of thy Word; not just a little bit here and a little bit there. We see all kinds of doctrines made-up that way.   Now I'm going to Pro 4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many. 11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness. (Seek wisdom, seek knowledge, and be seeking to have a transformed mind. The renewed mind is most important.) 12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straightened; (In other words, your steps will not be conformed or limited. You have a lot of freedom when you are full of the Word of God. But there's a lot of bondage when you're not full of the Word of God and you cannot be trusted by God, so He limits your walk. We walk into a large place the Bible speaks about when we walk into the freedom of Jesus Christ.)   12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straightened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. (Yes, people who stumble are in darkness, so get out of the darkness, get into the Light, get into the instruction of the Lord.) 13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.Notice, instruction from the Lord, instruction from a wise Father like Solomon. The words of Solomon which he taught to his sons. Don't be talked out of the Word of God by deluding spirits because they cater to your flesh.   And 14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on. 16 For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. Yes they are continually on their beds calculating how they can come against their enemies or how they can answer, or retaliate, or how they can criticize or destroy someone else, because that's what the devil does. He has to program you.   But you have to be programmed by the Word of God. The restraint of the Word of God puts you on your cross. But these people can't sleep because they're continually thinking about what they can do to someone else because of their competition, jealousy, or anger.   17 For they eat the bread of wickedness. When a person is partaking of that, they are not partaking of the clean Bread of the Word of God. It's the bread of wickedness. When you're giving your mind over to Satan to speak to you against other people, that is the bread of wickedness.   …And drink the wine of violence. Wine is intoxicating. The violent and the people who retaliate, they feel a high when they've been vindicated by their own violence. But they're killing themselves and they don't know it.   18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, They are seeing more and more light until the perfect day comes, which is when the sun is straight up and there's no shadows. And it says, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. There's no shadows, it's all Light. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble. Yeah, you can look at the people who are overcome by wickedness and you think, ‘how foolish.' But they can't see it. They think they are wise. They don't even know at what they stumble.   20 My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Hear them; not just know them. People like to know them, and they think they're something because they know them. But it's only if you hearken are they going to do you any good. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; David said, “I will put no evil thing before my eyes.”  Keep them in the midst of thy heart. When they are in the midst of thy heart, they are life! Your ‘thoughts' is what He's talking about. Again, being transformed by the renewing of your mind. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh. Notice, a renewed mind is a healthy flesh. The flesh is where you get chastening from the Lord. The things that hurt, things that come against your flesh are chastening. And many of God's people are under chastening of the Lord for their sins and for their rebellion against the Word. But a person who has a renewed mind, can have healthy flesh.   23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. Life comes out of your own heart when it is renewed with the Word of God. They are life unto those that find them. That's His Word, the Word of God! You want life? The renewed mind is the way be transformed; that's Life. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.   A condition is in 24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee. As we read earlier, …with the heart believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. If we confirm the Word in our hearts, if we confess Him before men, Who is the Word, we will have Life. But a wayward mouth speaks out of an evil heart; a heart that's not transformed. Just as the words of Life come out of you as Life and brings Life to everything around you, like the river in the Book of Revelation that brought Life. Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. So a wayward mouth brings destruction and death and perverse lips put far from thee, 25 Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee. In other words, don't get them out of the path of life; fill them with scripture.   And it says in Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear: What does regard mean? It means to give heed to, to have respect of, to listen to. What is iniquity in your heart? Well, again, we're talking about those thoughts that defile a man. Giving heed to these thoughts in your heart that are not of God. The devil keeps many people in bondage and they've been that way from their youth because they had the sins passed on from the parents through their blood. Demons get passed on from their inheritance, or sins they received later. These demons rule and they reign from these high places and from these strongholds. The only way they can be taken down is repentance and faith through confession. They don't have a right there. Jesus took away their rights to be there.   If you regard iniquity in your heart, these evil thoughts and reasonings that are against the word of God, then the Lord will not hear you. That's what He says in that verse. In other words, He doesn't forgive you. You don't have forgiveness because you're following, listening to, heeding, hearkening to the devil. Jesus said that If you're not for Him, you're against Him.   Now we're still talking about, how are we going to escape? We cannot neglect our salvation. We're talking about the manifestation of this salvation. And then we read in Ecc 1:15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. Wow, there must be a lot of it, right? Wanting means falling short of. And Ecc 7:13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? Who can straighten it out? No one but Him! So therefore what we have to do is have the renewed mind which is His mind. Then He can straighten it out. Psychiatrists can't straighten it out.   This reminds me of a time when Michael and I were building a table and everything looked real good until the last board for the tabletop. And when we put the last board up against the nice straight boards, we could tell there was a gap in the middle, it touched on both ends, but there was a gap in the middle. And so it is when you're around people that are straight and somebody ‘crooked' gets around them; he sticks out like a sore thumb, doesn't he?    And how can you take that board if you've only got just so much to cut on there because you don't want to lose the width of the whole tabletop right? You only have so much to cut so you can take that board and stick it in a table saw. And if the board is longer than the guide of the saw is wide, and you run it through there, it'll just put the same curve right back in it. You'll just put the same bow right back in and you stick it through there until you don't have enough wood left to use your tabletop.   So the only way to correct it is to go back to the standard. Unless you have a guide on your saw that's twice as long as the board you can't cut a curvature, or the warpage out of that board. And that's because the guide slips up into it, it gives way to the warpage. It goes into the warpage, so it just follows around it. Then you cut the warp in it again. So what you can do is you can get a straight board as a standard.   Now we know Who the straight Board is. It's Jesus! He is our Standard. If you don't go by the standard, no matter what you do, that's going to be a crooked table. And Jesus is our Standard; He is straight. If you want know what straight is, what right is, you look at Jesus. Now you can take a straight board like Jesus and you can lay it on top of that other board and use it as a straight edge and mark it and then cut it with a saw and it will be straight. If not, it's going to be crooked, there's nothing you can do about it. You've got to go back to the Standard, just exactly like we're reading here in Proverbs, and reading in Romans. You must go back to the Standard.   If you build a house and you don't start by squaring the house, everything in the house will be crooked. Because you're laying things up against things that are crooked, they will all become crooked. If you have a nice square wall and you throw a piece of plywood up there, or you throw a piece of sheetrock up there, it's going to fit, and the next one will fit and the next one will fit. Otherwise, you're going to spend an awful lot of time and money cutting things to fit a house that's not square and it'll drive you crazy. It will be a waste because you did not square it from the beginning and keep it square as you went, right?   A square is a standard. You can build many things on the sand, but if you haven't laid it on the Standard, which is the Rock, it's never going to be right and it will not hold up to the problems of life, the troubles, the tribulations; it just will not hold up. You can use a Plumb Bob to find out what is upright. We know what upright means to us, right? It means righteous; it means right, and pure.   You could use a Plumb Bob and it always is going to tell you the truth as long as there's gravity, it's going to tell you the truth. But you've got to use a standard. If you don't go back to the standard, everything you build on it will be crooked. Your house will be crooked, your table will be crooked, and everybody will look at that and know you don't know what you're doing.   So, we have to get back to the Standard. If you've got a problem, if you've got something crooked in your life, you've got to go back to the Standard. You've got to change your mind; you've got to be renewed in your mind so you can be transformed. And each one of us is a house that's being built. And some of us are master craftsmen and some of us are not because they don't know the principles of going back to the Standard, Who is Jesus.   And one thing we have to do in order to renew our minds so that we can go on is make sure that we're thinking on the right things. Paul tells us how to think inPhp 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,… Now, is it true? How do you know it's true? Have you ever had a thought in your mind about a brother? Is it true? How do you know it's true? Did you go by the rules? Did you receive it not unless you had two or three witnesses, as the Bible commands? Is it the Word of God? Is it in agreement with the Word of God? If it's “no”, it's not true. The word of God lays down the rules. If you don't go back to the rules, you're building a crooked house and everything you put on it after that is going to be crooked. Nothing is going to be right.   …whatsoever things are honorable, Is it honorable? Is your thought honorable? Is it a good thing? Is it something you could say openly without being embarrassed? Well, maybe it's not honorable then. Are you saying something behind somebody's back that you wouldn't say to their face? Well, then you're not honorable. You're crooked. …whatsoever things are just, So are your thoughts justice; is it God's justice? Is it the world's justice? Is it right? Is it correct?   whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely (God says a lot of lovely things about us in His Word.), whatsoever things are of good report(You remember the guys that brought back the bad report about the Promised Land? They made the heart of the people fail. They spoke the word of the devil. They didn't bring back the faithful report of what God said about it and they're still not doing that. They don't believe you can even take the Promised Land and those guys are all going to die in the wilderness.)   … if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (He wants us to meditate on the good things. As we've said before, you can always tell the bad things by knowing the good things, but you can't study enough of the bad things to know all bad things. It would take you too many lifetimes. But the good is the Standard, that's what we need to keep in our minds. That's what we need to know and know it well, because anything that doesn't measure up to the Standard is wrong.)   9 The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you. You'll live in peace. Praise be to God! The things that you see in the apostle Paul, mimic; he is showing us the Standard. Now, the devil doesn't want you to think on all these things. Because you're renewing your mind when you do. You're casting out thoughts that are those strongholds he put there, when you think on these things.   So now I'm going to Jas 4:6-12 But he giveth more grace. (We need more grace, don't we?) Wherefore the scripture saith,God resisteth the proud, (Proud people will not speak in agreement with God's word, because it's humbling.) but giveth grace to the humble. (We need to humble ourselves to the Standard. Like laying that crooked board up to a straight one, it's the crooked one that needs to be fixed. Now you can take that same crooked board and use it for a standard but the whole tabletop will be crooked. They'll all fit together but you've got a crooked top. It doesn't measure up to the Standard and so “a little leaven leavens the whole lump”. If you copy the crooked, then you've lost the Standard and it's corrupt. It's not worth having.)   7 Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Why does he flee? Because he has no authority if you submit to God. If you let Him straighten you out, if you receive His straight thoughts, His good thoughts, the devil will flee because he has no authority and he knows it. Sadly many Christians don't know the Gospel and that the devil has no authority when you submit to the Standard.)   8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. (This actually means two-souled. There's the soul of the flesh (worldly thinking), and then there's the soul of the spirit. A person cannot quite walk straight when they're double minded. They need to spend more time in the Word, to give them a Standard so they can be renewed in their minds, be transformed by the Word.)   9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: (That sounds like repentance to me.) let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you. 11 Speak not one against another,brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, (He's not receiving those good thoughts.) speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.   12 One only is the lawgiver and judge, even he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor? Don't let critical thoughts into your mind. Don't let jealousy, wrath, slanderous thoughts come into your mind against someone else that has no foundation because you haven't submitted to the Standard. You have no right to think things that have no biblical foundation. The devil puts them there on purpose because he wants to defile you. And speaking of defilement, you know that according to the scriptures, if a person is defiled, they cannot partake of the Passover, which means they cannot escape. Passover is when the death angel passes over you because you're living under the blood of Jesus Christ.   Now I'm going to Mar 7:18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from without goeth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 because it goeth not into his heart, but into his belly, (It's what's in your heart that really counts here.) and goeth out into the draught? This he said, making all meats clean. (No matter what you've heard about having to abstain from certain meats, that's the doctrine of demons according to the scriptures. The parable there means to not partake of unclean animals, beasts, all their false natures and so on. Jesus made it plain. He's talking about what goes into the heart, that defiles a man or what comes out of the heart, that defiles him.)   20 And he said, That which proceedeth out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed (Thoughts that are contrary to God's Word.), fornications, thefts, murders,adulteries (If you hate your brother, you're a murderer, Jesus said. And adulteries, if you lust after someone in your heart, you've committed adultery, right?),   22 covetings, (Desiring something that's not yours.) wickednesses, (that covers a lot, doesn't it) deceit, (People who love to dwell on deceit do so because it permits them to do whatever they want and live after the lust of their flesh.) lasciviousness, (which is a license to do excess, what you want, to overindulge in things.) an evil eye, (an eye not single on the things of God.) railing, (People who rail against people do so from anger, unforgiveness and criticism.) pride, (It doesn't let someone repent, they're good enough like they are. They're maybe proud of their heritage from their natural parents, which is foolishness. That's the next word.) foolishness: 23 all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man.   So how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Amen. I tell you God's word is awesome! I mean, if you don't love it, ask Him to make you love it! Because it's for your own good that you spend time with the Word of God.   I'm going next to Luk 6:39 And he spake also a parable unto them, Can the blind guide the blind? shall they not both fall into a pit? (That's like taking a crooked board to use for a straight edge.) 40 The disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher. (You got to make sure your Teacher is the Lord, Who is the Word, and it's Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and Paul and Peter. Make sure these are your teachers, and if you're listening to anyone who's not teaching what's there, you're getting away from the Standard; you'll never be perfected. You'll never be transformed, and you will not escape as we've seen.)   41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, (These are people who are critical of other people, judgmental of others, correcting others when they're doing the same themselves.) cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. (You must have the Standard in you before you can pass it on. If anybody uses you as a straight edge, are you going to corrupt the whole building, the whole table? Many of these went to Bible school and they're corrupting everybody. Just like the rest of the Pharisees that they were born from.)   Luk 6:43 For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; (Again your life proceeds from the thoughts that are in your heart.) and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (So we got to get back to the Standard and lay the right foundation and the foundation has got to be right. Not the sinking sand of man's ways.)   Here's a good word about standards in Amo 7:1 Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, he formed locusts (That sounds like the army that destroyed God's people in Joel 2. It represents demon forces that have come against God's people to take away their fruit and blessings.)in the beginning of the shootingup of the latter growth; (You know how a nice rain causes the grass to suddenly shoot up? Well, that's because it just loves that nitrogen. You can water it with your hose for a week and you won't get that result. This latter growth is at the time of the latter rain, which we're about to receive.) and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings. (We have certainly seen the King's mowings. He's been cutting down the grass and Peter said, ‘All flesh is as grass.' So this fruit is going to come after the King's mowings and He's been cutting down the flesh!)   2 And it came to pass that, when they made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord Jehovah, forgive, I beseech thee: how shall Jacob stand? For he is small. (In other words, ‘There's a lot of flesh, Lord, and if he eats up that flesh, there won't be anything left.' Well, some people are small in God. And if their flesh gets eaten up, there's nothing left. We have to be gradually transformed by the renewing of our minds.)   3 Jehovah repented concerning this: It shall not be, saith Jehovah. (Well, that was the first threatened judgement.) 4 Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, the Lord Jehovah called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land. 5 Then said I, O Lord Jehovah, cease,I beseechthee: how shall Jacob stand? For he is small. 6 Jehovah repented concerning this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord Jehovah. (That's the second threat, answered by mercy.)   7 Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood beside a wall (A wall is separation from the world outside, it represents sanctification or holiness. It means a renewed mind.) made by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand. 8 And Jehovah said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line. A Plumb line is this, you put a Plumb Bob on the end of that line and you hold it up and it shows you what's straight up and down because the Plumb Bob hangs down by gravity; it is a law. It tells you according to the law what is upright. That's what a plum line and the Bible does.)   Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; (In other words, He's going to check them out to see if they are upright, perfectly upright according to the law, which is the Word. It's a Standard. You know when God relents a few times, He delays judgment a few times so fruit can be born. He can hold up the Standard and say, “Nope they're still crooked. It's time to tear this thing back down to the foundation. It's on sand anyway, so we'll tear it back down and start all over.” Well, that can be major, major judgment. Continuing He said, I will not again pass by them any more; (meaning I'm not going to pass by them with judgment anymore. It's coming now. I'm going to judge according to the Word. That's what He says in His Word; every man is going to be judged according to the Word.)   9 and the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword. Well, Jeroboam is the guy that factioned Israel away from the House of David. He is the critical, angry, judgmental leadership of Israel when they fell into their apostasy and started worshipping the golden calf instead of God in His Temple in Jerusalem. That represents a lot of people out there, a lot of Judases and a lot of people that are judging other people. They themselves are crooked and Jeroboam made everybody else crooked. He made the whole House crooked and they were full of faction, full of railing and full of rebellion and warfare against the House of David.   Now I'm going to share some revelations that confirm the importance of how we should build a sure Foundation.      A Sure Foundation   Lorrie Deeter 01/09/2009 (David's notes in red)   While being still before the Lord, I drifted off to sleep: A group of people appeared to be in a classroom seated at desks. As I watched I saw different people as teachers standing over each one. I looked down and saw a group of people sitting, holding in their hands each a different book. I looked closer and saw the faces of the teachers who were standing over them, on the cover of the textbooks. (The poor apostate Christians are coming into the image of their false teachers rather than Christ, as 2Co 3:18 demands: But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.)   I looked around the room and in a far corner were cubicles. I walked over to them. As I looked, in each one sat a single person, alone, reading a bible; in another praying and in another being still, each having a bible. (Representing those teachers getting a personal revelation from God's Word to lay a good foundation.) I was saying, “What is this, my Lord?” A person then stepped out of the cubicle and walked to the group of people seated at the desks. The textbook was gone from the people seated at the desks and now placed in their hand was a ruler to each person. The cubicle person began to open the Bible and was sharing what the Lord had given. (Those who study the Word and fellowship the Lord individually, without the teachers of men, are blessed by their Lord to bring direction to those trained by false leaders.)   All of a sudden the people seated became angry and began pointing (Accusation/Judgment) with one hand while hitting the person on the hand with their rulers (With what measure you judge it shall be measured unto you). As I continued to watch each person come from the cubicles to the seated people, each time they were rejected from the people seated at the desks. (Those of denominational mindsets.) The people from the cubicles returned after being rejected with Bibles, returned each time to and remained in their cubicles; some were ushered out of the room. (The righteous are judged and rejected of the apostates. Judge not lest ye be judged.)   All of a sudden, I heard raging wind and I looked and saw a gathering tempest in the middle of the classroom. Very quickly it was picking up everyone and everything becoming more powerful by the second. (Judgment on those who reject the true messengers of the Word.)   Then it began to spit things out. It was pulling shelves off walls, as nails were pried loose. Everything was pulled from its place, desk and chairs thrown to and fro. Then I saw some people fly out of the storm and thrown out to the outside and they were no longer in sight. The storm continued to spit everything out -- the teachers and the textbooks until only those with the Bibles remained in the eye where it was calm. (Those founded on the Rock of the Word are safe.)   I then heard this spoken forth: "REST! Rest in the eye of My storm! Be anxious for nothing! Do not be shaken! I AM doing a SWIFT SIFTING! Plant your feet in righteousness, For lo I Am with thee always".   The wind picked up but there was silence inside the storm. Then I looked and the middle of the room and the floor started to buckle as though there was something underneath it. It started to crack. (As Jesus said the storm comes to those on the foundation of shifting sand.) The surface of the floor looked like matte linoleum. The cracks started to spread to the corners as though it was being torn from the underside of the surface. (These are like the wind and waves that destroyed the house built on sand that Jesus spoke of.)  Then I saw the sharp tip of something silver beginning to pierce through. It twirled slowly like a corkscrew and as it came to the surface it was a large screw. When this giant screw was all the way through I noticed all of the fresh soil around its base it burrowed through. (It came from beneath like hell.) Suddenly, many smaller machines sprung out of the ground around the screw and in the distance. They circled the screw. The machines opened up and multitudes of bats flew out and covered the sky. (These are creatures which live in darkness and do not have eyes to see.) Then this was spoken: "Demons of Doctrines". (This represents the destruction of those whose foundation is based on the shifting sands of Demon Doctrines instead of the Word.)   Then I saw a LARGE rod, and then a LARGE staff come above the storm. (The shepherd's guidance and protection of the sheep in the midst of the storm.) The whirlwind picked up and everything in its path was destroyed. I looked at all of the debris that littered the ground. The surface of the floor was destroyed. The linoleum was scattered in large and small pieces. The parts of the machines that had been destroyed by the storm also lay scattered. Then I looked and saw a large rake that came through and cleared all of the debris to the side and then it was gone.   The Holy Spirit spoke forth again: "Once more I will turn the soil, for these are they whose foundation is not built upon Me, says the Lord".   1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (The Word) Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.   Upon waking up this was spoken forth: "Those who speak falsely in My Name and are carried about by doctrines of men shall be spewed out of My tempest!"   Job 27:21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.   Isa 29:6 Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.   Isa 32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.   Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.     Escaping Judgment By Abiding in Christ   Gordon Borneman 03/23/2012 (David's notes in red)   Last night I had a dream. I was walking/hiking in a mountainous area on the West Coast. The ocean was just on the other side of some rocky peaks to my left. There were some peaks of lesser height above me and also one ultimate high peak in this set of mountains. Just then I saw a tsunami wave crest the lower peaks and water rush over those into the high meadow below them. In that high meadow, I had a white stucco house (house of the Lord) to run to, even though it was in the path of that water.   I was not in the path of the water, but after it flooded the meadow, it would have drained off, coming right back at me. I started running to the house. I got to the house in no time (indicating it's not a physical place, but a spiritual house always with the saints). I reached the door, got inside the house, then looked out the window to see a giant sea rush of dark grey water blanketing the meadow and the house was right in the path. The grey sky reflected in the surface of the massive, dark grey water surge. The doors were closed and I took notice of the many foundation bolts in the treated wood floorboards that anchored the house to the foundation (a properly-built house of God is firmly anchored to Jesus Christ).   The water hit the house hard and began to rise to near the top of the windows. No water got into the house at all. The walls were open on the inside, showing the studs (not always plush inside the house of God, but always safe) and I ran around to check all of the seals at the floorboards and they were holding. I felt a particular emphasis on the anchors to the foundation as the key to safety. None of the water got into the house at all. I did not see much of any of the floor plan of the house and it was small and simple.   I knew in my spirit this dream was from God and shows our safety amidst the flood of the end times inside of God's house, a clean house made of white that is firmly anchored to our Lord Jesus. (The safety of the white house represents abiding in Jesus Christ, the secret place of the Most High of Psalm 91. Psa 90:1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. Psa 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in whom I trust.)   I have pondered this with the Lord more since the dream. I think this is much more general judgment than an actual tsunami. It is the woes and judgments on the world -- "the end will be as a flood", for example. The emphasis on this dream is more about the house of God and protection therein. The water came over the lower peaks, but not the highest peak. There was a mountain there in the range that the water could not reach (likely spiritual Mount Zion). Within the house of the Lord, we were completely safe.  It may not always be extremely plush or massively comfy, since all was laid open (nothing hidden), rather than finished drywall inside. This agrees with other UBM dreams in which people were at a camp and one says to another, "I don't think I can stay here". I.e., It's not comfortable to the flesh to be there. That's the nature of the cleanness, the whiteness of the house. The meaning is interlinked with the open walls within and all is seen, nothing hidden in darkness or closed behind walls. Emphasis was placed on the soundness of the floorboard anchors to the foundation.   The house was in a very high meadow, relative to the highest peak, with some peaks higher than the house, but not the highest peak. The water came with speed and it was like a wave cresting against a rocky shoreline. It was the speed of the water, along with the total volume that splashed it over these lower peaks. Even when rushing to the relatively humble house of God and building speed on the downhill, there was not enough power behind that wave to overtake that little white house in the high meadow. There are two senses of these lower peaks:   1. Those lower peaks are kingdoms of the world overtaken with judgment, even who were part of the range of mountains right by Mount Zion.   2. Those lower peaks may be those organizations which are their own kingdoms trying to usurp the power of the saints on Mount Zion by attaching themselves to them. But these have not the power of Mount Zion and are still overtaken.   This little white house in the high meadow reminds me of protection of the Israelites in Goshen during the 10 judgments of Egypt where, after the first four judgments, the judgments could not overtake the Israelites safe in Goshen. These judgments destroyed the great empire of Egypt, but Goshen was spared and preserved.   When I started to run for the house, I was not in the direct path of the water. But after the water hit the house, it would come back toward me soon. It was better to run into the refuge and fortress, even when it was in the direct path, rather than be outside trying to stay out of the way of the water. (Many may be in the direct path of terrible judgments but eating all of the Passover Lamb; the Word of God is our deliverance, as it was in Egypt. They had to abide in their house for this disaster to pass over. Jesus is our house. 1Jn 2:24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. Notice that modern religions will not be a covering, only the original Word received will deliver.)     The House That Stood   Michael Boldea - June 2012   On April 11, 2016, I had this short dream.   …I have always found fasting to be a great bringer of clarity, and given the times and the seasons that are upon us, who among us couldn't use a little more clarity? The first day of the fast, I had picked my brother Sergiu up from the airport in Chicago, brought him home, and gone to bed, when I had a dream.   I dreamt I was walking down a street, but to the left and the right of me everything was utterly destroyed. If not for the foundations sticking out of the earth, one would not have known anything had once stood there. I have seen the aftermath of earthquakes while living in California in the '80s; I have likewise seen the aftermath of tornadoes live and in person, and this looked like neither of the two. The best way I can describe it is that the entire street seemed to have been razed. From trees, to homes, to fences, everything had been flattened and annihilated.   The street curved to the left, and as I followed it turning the corner, I was surprised to see a house standing a couple hundred yards ahead of me on the right. There was nothing special about the house. A single story home, with a porch and a porch swing, once painted white by what I could gather, but having taken on a charred look. I quickened my pace, as even in my dream this seemed odd and surreal, and as I approached the house I heard what could only have been prayer coming from inside. This was no typical prayer. It was passionate, and fervent, and the only time I remember having heard prayer like this, is when we would have prayer nights in our home in Romania during the Communist occupation.  (My note: This reminds me of seeing a report in CA where a fire had swept through an area and the top of a mountain where there was a circle of homes. All were burnt to the ground but one. When the reporter put his mic in front of the owner asking why their house was untouched, he probably wished he hadn't. The woman spoke boldly saying. This is God's house and we have prayer meetings here or something close to this.)  This was anything but a restrained prayer gathering, and the voices coming from inside the house were praising God, and giving glory to Him. I stood just short of the front step, and listened to the prayers coming from within the house, until in my dream, I woke up. As I awoke from my dream within a dream, the man I have grown accustomed to seeing was standing at the foot of my mattress.   "Do you understand what you've just seen?", he asked without prelude.   "I believe I do", I answered somewhat confidently. The man gave me a look one might give to a slowwitted individual and said, "Perhaps in part", then reached out and touched my shoulder.   Suddenly I was back on the same street, and I realized this only because of the house with the porch swing, now a pristine white. It was the only thing that was the same as in my previous dream, because now there were trees, and homes, up and down the block. It looked and sounded like a typical neighborhood, but above the din of chirping birds and barking dogs; I could hear prayer coming from inside the home with the porch swing. It was the same kind of fervent, passionate prayer I had heard on the previous occasion. I strained to hear what they were praying for, but I could only hear snippets from time to time. As I made to climb the first of three steps, I was back in my bed, with the man standing patiently by my mattress.   "Now you understand", he said, "Tell them not to fear, but to draw close to the Father in whom is shelter from the storm, and protection from destruction". I then woke up, disoriented, wondering for a while if this was yet another dream within a dream. Realizing that it was not, I knelt beside my mattress and started to pray.   I have not released a dream or a vision in two years, and if not for the specific instruction "tell them" I would have been hesitant in releasing this dream as well. As I explained in a recent radio interview, the reason why I have not released any visions or dreams is because many within the household of faith have become, for lack of a better term, prophecy junkies. At every gathering, at every meetings, there is always the inevitable "What's the Lord been showing you lately?" as though He hasn't shown us enough, or as though His word is not clear enough.   I specifically asked permission of God to withhold what He was showing me for a season, and have single-mindedly focused on preaching Christ, and Him crucified wherever I was asked to preach, because our safety, our shelter, and our protection is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Savior and King.   Our refuge, our shelter, our place of safety is not a geographical location; it is in the arms of Jesus, in the will of God, in fellowship and intimacy with Him. If we are walking in the will of the Father, then we have nothing to fear. If we are being obedient to His word, His guidance, and His leading, then wherever He will guide us will be a safe place, and wherever He will lead us will be a place of shelter. Our safety is found in obedience. If God has told you to go to a certain place, then do as He has commanded. If however God has not spoken, then be at peace where you are, for God is able to protect you in the midst of the storm.   It is time to draw closer to God than ever before, to come before Him in prayer, and fasting, in righteousness, and purity of heart. The day draws near when we will behold the miracle working power of our God firsthand, when we will see what our God can do, and glory in His omnipotence.   (Psa.18:25-30) With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; with a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; with the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the devious You will show yourself shrewd. For You will save the humble people, but will bring down haughty looks. For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.   (Psa.25:4-5) Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.     Judgment on Apostate Ministries   (David's Notes in red and Joyce in Green)   First let me share a little background to this dream I received in 1992. I was in New Orleans sharing my faith and making disciples when I noticed that a lot of people could not grasp or see the real, living Jesus. After a long day of sharing my faith and running into this wall of apathy, I prayed under my breath, "They just don't get it".   That night I was given this dream:   I was in a black cast-iron helicopter, seated with Jesus. I was surrounded by total PEACE. I was there to observe what was happening below. In the air were other black cast-iron helicopters, also. (The helicopters were cast-iron, strong and shielded. This represents the protection afforded those who are seated with Christ in heavenly places. They will witness the judgment but not be affected by it. The helicopters are "in the air" for our battle is not against flesh & blood but principalities and powers, rulers of the air.)   To my right was a skyscraper that resembled the Bank One Tower in downtown Fort Worth. I looked down and noticed several tornadoes sprouting on the ground, growing in numbers and growing in intensity. I looked again at the skyscraper. The skyscraper began to shatter. (The skyscraper represents man-made prosperous mega churches; towers of Babel. Those who try to reach to the heavens without Jesus, the foundation they build on is SELF.) Some of the shattered glass came into the helicopter and into my mouth and on my arm. I spit out the glass and wiped the glass from my arm. (Joyce: Jesus showed me in 1992 that 8 years later these ministries would briefly influence me. The shattered glass represents their easily shattered false teachings. The shattered glass went in my mouth because I spoke these false teachings, but later spit them out. The glass was on my arm because my works were influenced by these teachings. The megachurch ministers are being bribed as we speak to join into a corporate false prophet to trap the harlot body into the U.S./U.N. Bablon DS Tower of Babel.)  I looked down again and there was a theological seminary building. (I used to live down the street from the Southwestern Baptist Seminary so I recognized it as a theology building.) Jimmy Swaggart ran out of the building and down the stairs. He was running as if he was very frightened. (Some megachurch leaders will discover the trap they and their followers have been led into as their rights are taken away and the mark of the beast approaches.) (Fear of judgment coming to apostate teachers and their false doctrines that are taught in the prosperous religious institutions of man.) He was wearing a nice shiny suit and he got into a green Mercedes Benz. (The Mercedes represents materialism, and the color of the car is green, which represents money and envy.)   The wind took the Mercedes and it was being blown around in a circle very fast. (They will be very disoriented because of their lack of understanding and the judgments to come.) The earth split open and the Mercedes crashed into the uprooted earth. (Just as the "earth opened its mouth" and swallowed Korah, Dathan, and Abiram because they were usurping the authority of the truly ordained servants of God.)   I then looked down and saw BLIND EYES on a man who was running without shirt and shoes. (The blind eyes represent the ministers to whom it is not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom. The lack of a shirt represents the ministers who have not put on the Lord Jesus Christ's teaching and works. Having no shoes says that they have not been shod with the preparation of the true gospel of peace. They and their lukewarm churches are BLIND and NAKED.) The man was yelling, "The occult! The occult!" (As in Jesus' day, the apostates will blame their problems on the true servants of God, who to them are always of the devil. However, their judgment is from God and only through the mouth of God's servants.)   End of dream   You see the judgments are on the false teachers, false doctrines, religious institutions, prosperity preachers and those who have profited at the expense of the blind, lukewarm sheep. Jesus answered my prayer with understanding in 1992. The apostates "just don't get it".   An interesting confirmation is that the skyscraper in the dream was across the street where I worked in 2000 in Ft. Worth. A tornado hit downtown Ft. Worth and that skyscraper was shattered and stood condemned for years. The glass came into our building and we had a lot of damage. I picked that glass off my desk and carpet for months. Things that make you go, “Hmmm”!   My prayer: Father in the name of Jesus give us a love for Your Word. A desire to be holy before You. A desire to please You and You alone. Lord, give us this gift, we desperately need it! Lord, judgment is at the door and we need a Passover. Yet many, many of your people are defiled by their thought life, and they deserve no Passover. They're defiled by what comes out of their mouth and what is in their feet as far as the way they walk. I ask You to give everyone a respect for the foundation, a respect for the Standard, which is Jesus Christ and what is upright. Everybody should fear the Plumb-line. Everybody needs to fear to be straight up and down with God. Lord, we ask You to give Your people a deep, deep respect for the Word of God, so that they can be transformed by their renewing of their mind, so that they can escape all these things and to stand before the Son of man. Lord give us that grace to escape all these things that we see coming upon the world. Lord we ask it in Jesus name. Amen. 

église AB Lausanne ; KJV Deuteronomy 11 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm, And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land; And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day; And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place; And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel: But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did. Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it; And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey. For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: ...

SHOW NOTES:   In Podcast Episode 282, “When a Heart Is So Hard,“ Kim discusses the dangers of having a hard heart. Although we usually think about a hardened heart as a spiritual condition, it also impacts decisions in all areas of life. Who do you have in your life who suffers from a hardened heart?   Our focal passages for this episode are 1 Kings 16:34 and Joshua 6:26:   “It was during his reign that Hiel, a man from Bethel, rebuilt Jericho. When he laid its foundations, it cost him the life of his oldest son, Abiram. And when he completed it and set up its gates, it cost him the life of his youngest son, Segub. This all happened according to the message from the Lord concerning Jericho spoken by Joshua son of Nun.”~1 Kings 16:34   “At that time Joshua invoked this curse: “May the curse of the Lord fall on anyone who tries to rebuild the town of Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn son, he will lay its foundation. At the cost of his youngest son, he will set up its gates.””~Joshua 6:26 WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT FEATURE:   Pray for someone whose heart is hard: “Please take away the stony, stubborn heart and give a tender, responsive heart.”   Additional Resources and Scriptures:   19 And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, (Ezekiel 11:19) Episode 7: Fighting FROM Victory INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.   RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS: “The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume” “Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida “The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God's Kingdom Agenda” “Life Application Study Bible” “The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary “The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors) Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III. "Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:   Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.   This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.   In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.   If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.   Remember, “It's Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”   If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com. National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline   988   https://988lifeline.org/   Reference: Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.   Podcast recorded through Zencastr and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack was created in GarageBand by Kim Smith. The HIDDEN Episodes:  If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/

église AB Lausanne ; KJV Numbers 26 And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their father's house, all that are able to go to war in Israel. And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt. Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites: Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty. And the sons of Pallu; Eliab. And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign. ...

église AB Lausanne ; KJV Numbers 16 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? ...

download the notes here:https://esm.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/07.06.24-.2024-Congregation-TM-Notes.pdf__________________________________________________Numbers 16:1-3 Now Korach, קרח the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, theson of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son ofPeleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, withcertain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of theassembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gatheredthemselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them,Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy every oneof them, and the LORD is among them: Wherefore then lift ye up yourselvesabove the congregation of the LORD?

The people are on edge after a severe decree that all men over 20 years old will die in the desert over a period of 40 years. Korah and Datan and Abiram from the tribes of Levi and Reuben respectively, protest and challenge the leadership of Moses and the establishment of Aaron as Kohen along with his descendants. Jealousy is running high. In this episode we look at the issue of thinking with our emotions and why that almost certainly leads to terrible failure.

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, May 15, 2024Worship Service: 2:00 p.m.Bible Study: 2:30 p.m.All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relativeVisit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”Archive of BULLETINSNumbers 16:23-40 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Say to the congregation, Get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.” So they got away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones. And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.” And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men offering the incense. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers out of the blaze. Then scatter the fire far and wide, for they have become holy. As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the LORD, and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the people of Israel.” So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered, and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar, to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his company—as the LORD said to him through Moses. Luke 19:29-48 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?' you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.'” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers.” And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words. The Sacrament of Holy BaptismWhat is Baptism? Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God's command and combined with God's word. Which is that word of God? Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 28:19)

Send us a Text Message.This Podcast is Hosted at;https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.comEnjoy hours of exclusive content every month and help keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free  for listeners everywhere at;patreon.com/JeremyMcCandlessSubscribe here to receive my new church history podcast every few weeks at.https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.comEpisode Notes: "Rebellion in the Church" (Number 16: 1-50)Introduction:Personal Experience: Visiting churches with internal unrest.Biblical Parallels: Examining Numbers chapter 16 for insights into God's perspective on rebellion.Background:Previous Challenges to Moses' Leadership.Introduction of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.Rebellion against Moses and Aaron's Authority.Distinction between Priestly and Non-Priestly Levites.The Initial Challenge:Accusations against Moses and Aaron.Desire for Priestly Status.Moses' Response: Challenging Korah's Rebellion.The Ground-Splitting Judgment:Moses' Test: Validation of Leadership.Earth Swallows Korah and His Followers.Confirmation of Moses' Authority.Divine Instructions and Subsequent Rebellion:Repurposing the Censers as a Reminder.Lessons from Scripture: Sodom and Gomorrah, Ananias and Sapphira.Persistent Grumbling and Accusations.Contemporary Reflections:Parallel Experiences in Modern Church Settings.Dangers of Self-Righteousness and Division.Cautionary Tale: Importance of Humility and Discernment.Conclusion:Toll of Rebellion: Plague and Death.Spiritual Truth: Rebellion Leads to Death.Anecdote of Reversal of Fortunes.Reminder of Consequences and Need for Obedience and Humility.Join us next time for more insights into biblical narratives and their relevance today. Remember, humility and obedience are key in navigating the complexities of faith and our approach to those in leadership.Support the Show.Jeremy McCandless is creating podcasts and devotional resources | PatreonHelp us continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

Psalm 106 English Standard VersionGive Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good106 Praise the Lord!Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,    or declare all his praise?3 Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times!4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance.6 Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8 Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10 So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11 And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12 Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise.13 But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14 But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15 he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them.16 When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord,17 the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18 Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked.19 They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20 They exchanged the glory of God    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21 They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22 wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23 Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them.24 Then they despised the pleasant land,    having no faith in his promise.25 They murmured in their tents,    and did not obey the voice of the Lord.26 Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,27 and would make their offspring fall among the nations,    scattering them among the lands.28 Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;29 they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,    and a plague broke out among them.30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,    and the plague was stayed.31 And that was counted to him as righteousness    from generation to generation forever.32 They angered him at the waters of Meribah,    and it went ill with Moses on their account,33 for they made his spirit bitter,    and he spoke rashly with his lips.34 They did not destroy the peoples,    as the Lord commanded them,35 but they mixed with the nations    and learned to do as they did.36 They served their idols,    which became a snare to them.37 They sacrificed their sons    and their daughters to the demons;38 they poured out innocent blood,    the blood of their sons and daughters,whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,    and the land was polluted with blood.39 Thus they became unclean by their acts,    and played the whore in their deeds.40 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people,    and he abhorred his heritage;41 he gave them into the hand of the nations,    so that those who hated them ruled over them.42 Their enemies oppressed them,    and they were brought into subjection under their power.43 Many times he delivered them,    but they were rebellious in their purposes    and were brought low through their iniquity.44 Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,    when he heard their cry.45 For their sake he remembered his covenant,    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.46 He caused them to be pitied    by all those who held them captive.47 Save us, O Lord our God,    and gather us from among the nations,that we may give thanks to your holy name    and glory in your praise.48 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,    from everlasting to everlasting!And let all the people say, “Amen!”    Praise the Lord!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.

Sanctified From Wickedness (1) (audio)  David Eells 3/17/24  Sanctification is necessary before we receive God's blessings. He can't bless a body if it's polluted by the world, whether you're talking about the corporate body or whether you're talking about an individual body. God first separates His people from the world and bringing His people out of Egypt is a type of that. But after He brings His people into the wilderness, He separates them again. He separates the “leaven” out of their midst, those who worship false gods, those who are in rebellion and serve their own flesh.  We see over and over in the scriptures that God wants us truly sanctified, both from the world and from those who call themselves “Christians” but who continue to walk in the world. According to the Bible, sometimes unbelievers are what we call “Christians”. Jesus is the one who is qualified to identify believers. (Mar.16:17) And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; (18) they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. These are Christians the way Jesus made Christians, not Christians from the Dark Ages, which is much of what we have now.   When He identifies believers, He's talking about Spirit-filled people who walk in His steps and that's what we need to desire earnestly. We don't want to be yoked, as in a fellowship with, the dark age Christians but we do want to influence them to come into the light. (2Co.6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? (16) And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? (We saw that the children of God actually created idols, like the golden calf in Exodus 32, that they thought were God.) for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. That's what Christianity is all about! It's not about us; it's about Him.   (17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them.... Paul is talking to Christians when he says “ye” here because Paul was addressing the Church. So he says, (17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate (The word “separate” is the best description for the word “sanctification” and that is “separation from the world.”), (17)…saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing.... We see that God commanded His people to separate from apostate leadership because very little fruit of Christ and no power is manifest there. (Num.16:26) And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. These people were rebellious against the Word and the true leadership. “Touching not” means “separation from”; it represents sanctification.   Back to (2Co 6:17) …And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, (18) And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Without “sanctification” or “holiness,” without hagiasmos, God doesn't receive us and we don't become sons of God for we stagnate as children of God. (Heb.12:14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord.   (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness (or “sanctification”-same Greek word ) in the fear of God. Those who are defiled need the “water for impurity” “sprinkled” upon them and the “water for impurity” is God's Word, called “the washing with water by the Word”. We have to humble ourselves to God's Word, letting it rule in our hearts and lives because this is what brings us out of our defilement. (Num.19:13) Whosoever toucheth (in other words, “is not separate from”) a dead person, the body of a man that hath died (The dead body, of course, represents the “old man who died in the waters of Baptism.”), and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.   We need to be separate from the old man; he does not have authority in this vessel and he cannot rule our life. The cure for impurity is the Word of God. We saw in the Old Testament that God separated His people and we see in the New Testament that Jesus came to do the same thing. He came to separate His people from the apostates. Although, according to the Old Covenant, these apostates were already separated from the world, they were still full of the world. They who come out of Egypt must then get Egypt out of them. They are represented by the “mixed multitude”. They wouldn't repent at the teaching and the preaching of the Lord, so the Lord called His people out of them, which is exactly what He's doing today. When Jesus separated His disciples from the worldly church of that day, He came first to the Old Covenant people. (Joh.1:11) He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. It didn't become the New Covenant until after they had rejected Him and the Covenant that He was bringing by His blood. And, if you look around, you can see that most of Christianity today is rejecting that Covenant.   Jesus said in (Joh.10:1) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name.... Did you notice that we've been given a new name (Romans 6)? The problem is that we don't all live up to that name. (Mat.28:19) Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (The literal translation there is “into the name,” not “in the name.”) They all have the same name because the word “name” means “nature, character and authority.” So when you are baptized “into the name,” you put on the “nature, character and authority” of the Lord and in (Exo.20:7) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.   In other words, don't say you're a Christian and don't take His name in baptism, if you're not going to walk in the nature and character of His name. (Joh.10:3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name.... It's not a title He's talking about; what should draw us unto Christ is His name, His nature, His character. These are what we desire because sanctification is living in the name of Jesus. (Col.3:17) Whatsoever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Joh.10:3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name (so we take His name), and leadeth them out.   (Col.3:4) When he hath put forth all his own (Jesus separated them, which is the first part of sanctification. He separated them from the apostate church of that day.), he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. Yes, we need to be able to hear the voice of the Lord and we do that by becoming familiar with His Word because He is the Word made flesh. (Joh.1:14) And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. If we become familiar with His voice, we won't follow another. (Joh.10:5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. These “strangers” He was talking about were the apostate leaders from whom He was delivering His people. They were the “thieves and robbers” who came before Him.  They weren't overcomers and they had taken positions of authority that God hadn't given them. (Rev.2:26) And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations. God gives authority only to those who overcome and do His works, which the apostates refuse. (Joh.10:5) And a stranger will they not follow (Being unfamiliar with the nature and authority of the Lord makes them strangers.), but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. (6) This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. (7) Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (8) All that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. This is a prophecy of the end time, and we're going to have a repetition of history. In these days leading to the time of the coming of the Man-child ministry, a lot of people with all the wrong attributes have taken over the Church. They have not overcome and they have not been placed in their position by God.   (Joh.10:8) I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. (10) The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy (Babylonish religion is guilty of the blood of the saints and of the prophets. They believed they were God's people, but the things that they taught and the spirits they put into people made them more enemies of Christ than followers of Christ.): I came that they may have life, and may have [it] abundantly. (Joh.10:11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. Jesus came to separate God's people and to make them like Himself.   That's going to happen once again in the very near future. The Lord Jesus is going to repeat everything you see here in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts. What method is God going to use to separate those who are His from those who are unrepentant apostates? (Joh.6:51) I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. So the “bread” symbolizes His flesh, but what does His “flesh” represent? (52) The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? (53) Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves. We know that Jesus was “the Word made flesh” and as His disciples are to be the Word made flesh. The Greek word for “disciple” is mathetes, meaning “a learner and a follower.” He is our example of a Christian believer.  When the Word lives through you, it will separate you from the apostate Christianity. As Jesus said in (Joh.17:16) They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. (17) Sanctify them in the truth (In other words, separate them by the truth being in them.): thy word is truth. (Joh.18) As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world. (19) And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. Why is that important? The only person who could speak a Word from God was someone who was sanctified, someone who was holy. (Num.19:18) And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave. Meaning the defiled apostate.  (So these are people who haven't been sanctified and notice it says only “a clean person” is the one who can sprinkle the water for impurity.): (Num.19:19) and the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify him (The seventh day is the day of rest; it's when you enter into the rest by ceasing from your own works.); and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. The “even,” or “evening,” is when the Sabbath rest starts. Only a clean person could legally sprinkle the water for impurity upon somebody who was defiled, who was not sanctified, who was not separated from the world. Jesus said ”All that came before me are thieves and robbers.” The Pharisees and Sadducees weren't clean and they couldn't make anybody else clean just like those of our day. In other words, they couldn't give away what they didn't have.   You can take a true Word and put it in front of somebody who's unclean and when they read and then teach that Word, it will be defiled by them. It takes a clean person to teach a clean Word. If you're sitting under somebody you know is not clean, you're not going to get the pure Word. It's not possible. You might get some knowledge and you might even get some wonderful revelation, but it won't be clean and the spirit behind it won't be clean, either. Jesus said, (Joh.6:63) It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.   God's life is being manifested through the Words of Jesus; He was the Sower Who sowed the seed of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:3-20; Luke 8:5-15) and it's still that way today. The Word can only come through Him. (1Jn.2:27) And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that anyone teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you; concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him. We don't have any need for any man to teach us; we only have a need for the Lord to teach us and a man who is sanctified can be used of the Lord to sanctify others, to “sprinkle” them with the “waters for impurity.”   So Jesus said to His disciples, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves.” We need to know how the blood is manifested because we can't “drink” the blood if we don't know where to get the blood. Well, didn't Jesus turn the waters to “blood”? (Joh.2:5) His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. (6) Now there were six waterpots of stone (representing the body of clay flesh) set there after the Jews' manner of purifying, containing two or three firkins apiece. (7) Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water (representing the Word). And they filled them up to the brim.   (8) And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast. And they bare it. (9) And when the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants that had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast calleth the bridegroom, (10) and saith unto him, Every man setteth on first the good wine; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse: thou hast kept the good wine until now. (11) This beginning of his signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.  That was the first sign Jesus did and it was called a “sign” because it was a parable. The very first thing we need to do is to be filled with the Word and then Jesus will turn that “water” of the Word into “wine.” In the Lords supper the wine represented His blood. He will turn that “water” into His “blood,” which is His nature and character. The Word needs to be a part of us. You are what you eat and we need to partake of God's Word. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light (What's the “light”? The “light” is also the Word and the “light” is the “water”; they're all the same parable.), as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. As you “walk” in the “light,” as you “walk” in God's Word, you are “drinking” the “blood.” So here He was giving them something that some of them thought was impossible.   (Joh.6:60) Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard [this,] said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? (61) But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples (Notice that now He's calling them “disciples.”) murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause you to stumble? (62) [What] then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before? (63) It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. (64) But there are some of you that believe not. In other words, these were disciples, but they weren't completely believers. You know, there are a lot of people who call themselves “Christians” but there are very few “disciples,” and very few believers, according to what Jesus called a “believer.”   A believer will have signs, and His works, as Jesus said. (Joh.14:12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. A believer has a gift from God to “do” and to “see” because faith is our access to this grace in which we stand. (Rom.5:1) Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; (2) through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. So if you have real faith, you're going to have grace to “walk as He walked”, but there are some followers who do not believe. (Joh.6:64) But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him. (65) And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.   So there were a number of people there who were going to betray Him, not just Judas. Judas continued on with the disciples at this time, but these people were about to depart. (Joh.6:66)(Notice the number identifying the apostates, meaning, fallen away.” Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Notice what the Word did here: the Word separated those who were following as students of Jesus but who believed not. He didn't separate Judas, but there were others there who probably would have been big trouble down the road. You know, God will have His Judases with us in the wilderness, but, thank God, not those we see around us now.   (Joh.6:67) Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away? (68) Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. They were hungry for the Word! They wanted the Word! The other disciples said, “No, this Word's too hard; we can't do this!” (Joh.6:69) And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God. (70) Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? (71) Now he spake of Judas [the son] of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, [being] one of the twelve. We know believers are going to be tried, just as God took Israel into the wilderness to try them, to see who would believe and who would murmur. (Joh.8:31) Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, [then] are ye truly my disciples. The trial is to see if you abide in His Word and stay disciples.   Sure, you might be a Christian, but do you abide in His Word? Notice He was talking to “those Jews that had believed him.” They had believed that He was of God and yet some of them were going to be weeded out because they didn't abide in His Word. We are warned, (Jas.1:22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. There are many deluded people who don't think it's even possible to be obedient to God's Word, but grace comes to those who truly believe and those people will be able to walk in the Word of God.   So “those Jews that had believed him” were deceived and in (Joh.8:33) They answered unto him, We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? (34) Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. (35) And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth forever. He's talking here about a separation of people who were considered to be Christians. Don't pay any attention to what the world considers to be a “Christian.” Pay attention to what the Bible says a believer truly is because that's the only thing that's going to count in the end.   The Lord is coming for those in whom the Word is manifested, those in whom the Word is made “flesh,” so there has to be a separation now because we have a lot of people who are claiming Christianity but they're not Christians. (Rev.3:15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (16) So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. This means spewed out of the body of Christ. You need to either come in or get out; you either have to be hot or cold and the Lord is going to force the issue in the days to come. Paul speaks about separating these people from the body. They had already been separated from the world because his letter is addressed to the Christians. (1Co.5:1) It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one [of you] hath his father's wife. Did you notice he said, “It is actually reported”? Somebody reported this!   The overwhelming majority of Christians won't report this. But elders who are truly interested in obeying the Word of God will do something about this and it should be reported. Some people think, “Well, I don't believe in ‘ratting' on people.” Well, then you don't believe in sanctifying the body! Don't you remember what the Levites did in the wilderness? (Exo.32:27) And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. (28) And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. (29) And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord, yea, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.   They took up the sword and put to death those people who worshipped the golden calf, and the Lord said, “You have to do this to get to the blessing.” The “sword,” of course, is the Word of God. You have to use and submit and stand upon the Word of God. So somebody who was more interested in the sanctification of the body than “honor among thieves” reported this. There are people who think, “Well, this is my friend,” but the Levites picked up the sword even against their friends and even against their brothers.   The body has to be sanctified. We are not to be with idolaters. There's nobody more important than the Lord and His body, and the body has to be sanctified. It's everybody's job to report willful sin to the elders because we see here that someone reported this to the apostle. We've been learning a lot about how to minister to people online, over the airwaves, and so on, but what do you do when people come into your midst and they're “dirty”? They're “leaven” and God says in (Gal.5:9) A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Well, what you do is obey the Word: (Mat.18:15) And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.   (16) But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. (17) And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican. If someone comes to you with gossip or slander or to backbite against another person, instead of going to that person privately first, then you tell that someone to go and speak with the person. And if they say, “No, I don't think I'll do that,” then you go and you tell the person to see if it is a lie or truth! If it is a lie, you bring that gossip, or slander, or backbiting, or whatever the grievance may be out into the light and that will put an end to it.   (1Co.5:1) It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one [of you] hath his father's wife. This fornicator, who was defiling the body of Christ, was reported because somebody didn't want the body of Christ to be defiled. I certainly don't, the Lord doesn't and I don't think we should put up with it for the body's sake. The Bible says that the man who touched the dead body defiled the tabernacle. As we saw, the dead body represents our old man and his sin that we are to be separate from in (Num.19:13) Whosoever toucheth a dead person, the body of a man that hath died, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him. The “tabernacle” is God's body in the wilderness, His portable temple in the wilderness. We need to be zealous and jealous for God.   (1Co.11:18) For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear (notice, somebody told him) that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it. (19) For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you. So factious people will come to make divisions. They want to build their own little kingdom by getting people to agree with them and they use slander and backbiting and so on to accomplish that. But notice he said that this test is to show who are are approved. Factions can come in order to test the body because God wants to separate the wicked from among the righteous. Factions show who is approved of God and take away the people who are not approved of God. He doesn't want a little leaven to leaven the whole lump.   The Greek word there for “factions” is hairesis and it means “heresies.” According to Strong's, this is “a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the power of truth, and which leads to division and the formation of sects.... Such erroneous opinions are frequently the outcome of personal preference or the prospect of advantage.” Obviously, these are opinionated persons who, quite often, use Scripture as well as slander, backbiting and so on, to separate people unto themselves. (Tit.3:10) A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; (11) knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned. In other words, separate from them.   If you have a factious person, somebody who is trying to divide the body, and they're gossiping and slandering behind people's backs, “refuse” them. Separate from them; don't have anything to do with them. Your friendship with a man cannot be more than your friendship with the Lord. Notice that again we see, “when ye come together in the church, I hear....” Somebody told him; somebody brought it to the attention of the elders that these people were causing divisions. And he says, (1Co.1:10) Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfected together in the same mind....   Of course, we should not let anybody come in with faction to divide you from somebody else by saying one thing to you and another thing to another. If they do that, they are going to separate the tares from the wheat and they are going to be one of the tares.  But the people who are approved of God will not be separated by these sinners. Only the wicked will be separated by the sly ways of the factious because only the wicked will break the rules and listen to gossip and slander contrary to God's Word.  Pro 17:4  An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue. God will let these be taken out, but that's okay because the factious can get only that which is their own and the body will be cleansed. (Joh.14:30) ... for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me.... That's what Jesus said.   (1Co.1:10) Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (11) For it hath been signified unto me (Notice that somebody told them! Somebody here had an interest in not letting this go on in the body.) concerning you, my brethren, by them [that are of the household] of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. (12) Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos: and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13  Is Christ divided?  They were beginning to divide up, you see. They were having favorites and possibly holding grudges against each other, probably magnifying somebody else's problem while they didn't have the beam out of their own eye.   (Mat.7:1) Judge not, that ye be not judged. (2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. (3) And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (4) Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? (5) Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. If you want to be forgiven, you have to forgive, but that doesn't apply to outward moral rebellion. It doesn't apply to willful sin, like that of the man who was in fornication with his father's wife (his stepmother).   You don't forgive people who are willfully defiling the body, which is what this is talking about. Luk 17:3  Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  People who are causing the divisions are in moral rebellion. (1Co.1:18) Is Christ divided? No, Christ is not divided. Criminals divide criminals out of the body. Jesus said, (Joh.17:20) Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; (21) that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. (22) And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one;    (23) I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me. We want that kind of oneness, that kind of unity, but there will be people who are spots and blemishes who need to be separated. So God will permit a person with a factious spirit, or with unforgiveness, or with a critical spirit, and even with paranoia, and so on, come into the body and carry away the people who will listen to them. The ones who aren't carried away will be the ones whom God has approved of, and this is a good thing in God's eyes. We may wonder, “Why would You let that happen, Lord?” Well, He's a sovereign God and He knows what He's doing.  He tests His people and removes the tares. Deu 13:1  If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder  2  and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3  thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4  Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. 5  And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death… (1Co.5:1) It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one [of you] hath his father's wife. (2) And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you. This is a Scripturally legal separation. God sends people to try us, to see if we're going to permit them to stay and defile the body, or if we're going to separate them from the body. Is it more important to us to be friends with these people and have some kind of a “greasy grace” for them or is it more important to us to have the sanctified body? It should be more important to us that we be holy individually and holy corporately; when these people come along, we should deal with them according to the Scriptures.   It's not necessarily the elders who see this. Anyone who catches these people doing these things needs to speak up because notice again that Paul said, “It is actually reported that there is fornication.” (1Co.5:3) For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing (In other words, there is judgment and God does put it in the hand of His elders to come against people who do these kind of things to the body.), (4) in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, (5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. There has to be a penalty, a cost involved. Just as with a rebellious child, you have to give them a reason to repent.   This is mercy because, if you permit people to continue on with their sinful, evil ways in your midst, they have no reason to repent and others will think it is acceptable. (2Th.3:6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us. They have to feel ashamed for what they're doing and they need to be reported, if they continue to do it. (1Co.5:6) Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? You'll have a leavened body and the individuals in that body will be leavened because of this poison in their midst.   (1Co.5:7) Purge out the old leaven (Separate from them! Be sanctified! Sanctify the local body as well as your own personal body.), that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, [even] Christ: (8) wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Some people don't know truth! Jesus said they are liars and they are of their father the devil. (Joh.8:44) Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. They don't have a love for truth and, if you correct them, you are almost wasting your breath, so there has to be somebody with authority to make this separation. Those who permit this are puffed up and leavened through their acceptance of somebody who's defiling the body of Christ.   (1Co.5:9) I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators (I.e. separate from them if you want God's blessings.); (10) not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners (Extortioners are people who use their position with you as a Christian to plunder you.), or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world: (11) but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler (A reviler is somebody who is abusive, a railer; they speak against other people, usually behind their back.), or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat. What does he mean, “no, not to eat”? He's talking about not partaking of the spiritual Passover with them. The spiritual Passover is when you eat the body and blood of Christ, and now we're back to John again!   (Joh.6:53) Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh (Word) of the Son of man and drink his blood (The life and nature of Christ.), ye have not life in yourselves. (54) He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (55) For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. (56) He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. (57) As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me. (58) This is the bread which came down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth this bread shall live forever.   We are partaking of the body and blood of Christ, but as we have seen we are not to eat with people who are defiled. In the Old Testament, there was the symbolism of eating with “defiled” hands, meaning their works were filthy. You don't fellowship with these people, “with such a one no, not to eat.” You don't break the bread of the Lord with somebody who is defiled; you separate from them. And the Lord's Supper is, of course, a parable, too. We are constantly “breaking the bread” and partaking of the “blood” as we study the Word and share our revelations with one another. (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood.... The “blood” represents the blood of Christ, which we manifest through partaking of His life and nature through the Word.   (1Co.5:12) For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? (13) But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves. How many times does he have to say this? If you want a holy body, if you want the Spirit of God, the presence of God to be there, then “put away the wicked man from among yourselves.” If you don't want the whole atmosphere defiled with demon-possessed people who refuse to repent, then “put away the wicked man from among yourselves.” Are we speaking of the lost who may come to be saved? No, as we just saw we don't judge those that are without but those within the house. Show them the truth and if they don't want it, show them the door. These people are not saved; it matters not what they once had.   For instance, the factious person is not saved because, if you don't forgive, you are not forgiven (Matthew 18:23-35). They are slanderers and fornicators without conscience. You're not walking in God's salvation, if you walk in these sins, and something has to be done to shock you to deal with this. You can't be lukewarm anymore. So God gives us these rules in order to force people to come to a decision before it's too late. (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified (That means you were “separated” from these sins.), but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. We have to do what the Word says is necessary to cleanse the body.   Many local bodies are totally defiled. They are just religion, that's all they are, because they don't have elders with the wisdom to separate from people who are defiled and won't repent. (2Th.3:6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us. Jesus taught His disciples to sanctify the body, to separate from the body those who are not willing to repent. (2Th.3:7) For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; (8) neither did we eat bread for nought at any man's hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you: (9) not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us. (10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat. (11) For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies. (12) Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. (13) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing. (14) And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. (15) And [yet] count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Another good example of sanctifying or separating the body. (2Jn.8) Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. There are many people who start out with us, but go astray as 3 out of 4 in the parable of the sower did. (9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. (10) If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into [your] house, and give him no greeting (In other words, separate!): (11) for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works.  Jesus said to those who believed Him in (Joh.8:31) ... If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples, and The Church is not the place for evangelism; the Church is the ekklesia, the “called-out ones.” The Church is the place for the gathering of the brethren to study and pray. Evangelism is when you go outside the body to reach the lost which should be common. You tell them the Gospel and, if they repent and if they desire sanctification, then they become a part of the body. In the days of the apostles, people were afraid to join themselves to the Church because God protected it from sin. (Act.5:1) But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, (2) and kept back [part] of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles feet. (3) But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land?   (4) While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied unto men, but unto God. (5) And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it. (6) And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him. (7) And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. (8) And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.   (9) But Peter [said] unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out. (10) And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband. (11) And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things. You know, that's coming again! There are people who die today because they're trying to join themselves to a body, but they are being deceitful. They're not really there to submit to the Lord.   (Gal.1:8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema. That means “devoted to God for destruction.” (Gal.1:9) As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema. In other words, give him no greeting! Invite him not into your house! Be separate from him! Cling to the pure and holy Word!   Sanctification has to come before blessing. God first separates us from the world and then He separates us from those who are leavened and those who are carnal. He is making a spotless, blemishless body. The “spots and blemishes” in our midst are people who refuse to walk after the Lord. (2Pe.2:10) But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities: (11) whereas angels, though greater in might and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord. (12) But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed,  (That identifies the faction, Jezebels, witchcraft, and what is happening to them.) (13) suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you; (14) having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing; (15) forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the [son] of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing.   (Jud.12) These are they who are hidden rocks (“spots”) in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds (No Numeric pattern) that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; (13) Wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved forever. (16) These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words]), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage. So correct them or separate from them.  In the Old Testament, how did God deal with the Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebellion? (Num.16:20) And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, (21) Separate yourselves (This is the word that means to “sanctify,” “sanctify yourselves.”) from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. God was again condemning the whole congregation because, as a body, they were polluted. So what does God have to do? He has to make a smaller body that is not polluted. When you do that, you have to separate the wicked from among them and in this case it was those people who were bound and determined to follow false prophets, false pastors, false leadership. We are coming to a great division, and those who won't “come out from among them” will be reprobated.   (Num.16:22) And they (Moses and Aaron) fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? (23) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (24) Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. That's what Jesus did. He went into the sheepfold and called His sheep by name, and they followed him. He separated them from those apostate leaders.   (Num.16:26) And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. In other words, the Lord demanded, “If you want to live, this is what you must do. Separate yourselves, get away from their tents, their tabernacles, their churches and don't touch anything of theirs.” So the people did that and God opened the earth and it swallowed up Korah, Dathan and Abiram, along with their families and all their possessions. Then the Lord sent out a plague that killed another 14,700 people because they murmured about it. In other words they sided with the sinners against God and Moses. And when they murmured about it once more, He separated them again.  Is God going to do that in these days? That is exactly what He is going to do in these days. He is going to have a spotless, blemishless Bride. He is also going to get rid of the corrupt people in the midst of the corporate body of Christ who do not repent. Of course, individually, He wants to clean us up, too. We're talking about two kinds of separation here: sanctification for the individual and sanctification for the body. This separation is necessary for the blessing and the blessing in this case was that those who separated themselves from the rebellious weren't destroyed along with them.   Why does He say, “touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins”? It's because these people are corrupt; they are dead men. You know, the Lord said in (1Ti.5:6) But she that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth. There are people who are dead because they walk after the lusts of the flesh, they walk after the works of the flesh instead of becoming transformed by the renewing of their mind; that is, the mind of the spirit.  Let me share a little parable with you here that implies “not touching” is necessary in order to be sanctified and in order to receive blessing. (Num.19:11) He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. Remember, you are not to touch anything of these corrupt people and that means don't be influenced by anything that they have, do and think. Sanctification represents being separate from them. (2Co.6:17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you. “Touching” is the opposite of “separate.”   Touching is when you are not sanctified; you're too close to this dead person. The dead people are the ones we have to separate from. They have no business in the body. They're “spots and blemishes,” darkness in a light body. They have to come out of the body and, if you do what the Bible tells you to do, they will either submit to the Word of God, repent and obey, or they will leave. If you preach the Word of God, they can't stand it for very long. I've seen people come and go. I've seen some people become sanctified, holy and walk in the steps of Jesus. And I've seen others who don't fit in. They do all kinds of deceitful things and live in sin behind the scenes, and after a while they become offended. Then, finally, they leave because they can't stand the Word. The Word is the sword. It will drive them out. If you love and submit to the Word, there will be people who don't want to be around you. That sword will separate you from them, which is a good thing because a little leaven leavens the whole lump. In other words, if you are not sanctified, then you are unclean.  (Num.19:11) He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. So what is this “touching the dead body”? What is this parable trying to tell us? Well, a good explanation can be found here: (Eph.2:1) And you did he make alive, when ye were dead (spiritually) through your trespasses and sins.... That means people who are walking in trespasses and sins are walking in death, aren't they? And when you aren't separated from them, that means you are not sanctified from their trespasses and sins. It means “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” and the Lord doesn't want you to have anything to do with that.   (Eph.2:1) And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, (2) wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world (Christians who walk according to this world are dead while they live, just as Timothy says. They're not alive because they are not sanctified. They're “touching” the old man, the dead man.), according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; (So there are people who call themselves Christians but they are following the devil. You can't get them to submit to the Word. You can correct them over and over, but they won't and can't submit to the Word because their nature is contrary to that.)   (Eph.2:3) among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind.... (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. People who walk after the flesh are dead people. You're not walking in the light, walking in the Kingdom. If you're not abiding in the life of Christ, which is partaking of His body and blood, you're a dead man. You need to be separate from the old man; he is dead and gone. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. That old man was crucified with Christ and he's dead. If you go back and touch him, if you aren't separate from him and he rules in your life, then that is where this destruction comes from.   (Eph.2:3) Among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. There are a lot of Christians who are “children of wrath” because they are not separate from the old man. The old man isn't dead and they're “touching” him; they're not separate from him. There are apostate churches where they don't teach that when a person walks in outward immorality, it has to be dealt with so that the body is not corrupted. They teach some kind of “greasy grace” where everybody is accepted, so individually and corporately, the whole body is totally corrupt. (Eph.2:4) But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved).   Of course, there are still people who are dead in their trespasses because they don't believe in separating from sin. They believe that they are a sinner saved by grace and don't understand that they were a sinner who has been saved by grace. Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  So they think they can continue to live as a sinner the rest of their life but still go to Heaven. These people are dead. This is not a step-over-the-line type of thing. If you are not walking by faith now, you don't have grace and you don't have salvation now. Are you being saved now from your sins and the curse? Are you saved now, are you bearing fruit? Or are you “touching” the old man? Are you living in the works of the old man?   Well, Paul says here that you're dead, if you're doing that. If you walk after the flesh, remember that the soul that sins must die. Either you are walking in life or you are walking in death. He is telling you that there are people in the midst of the body who are dead and you are not to “touch” them. The flesh is dead; don't have anything to do with it. We were crucified with Christ; it is no longer you who lives but Christ Who lives in you. Separate yourself from the old man and his works, both as an individual and as a body.   Let's read it again. (Num.19:11) He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days (meaning until you enter the “rest” on the seventh day.). The “rest” is when you cease from your works. We just read that the people who live in the works of the flesh are dead. The Sabbath represents when you cease from your works and you enter into the rest through faith in God's promises. (Heb.4:3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. That is the Sabbath according to the New Testament. So we have to separate, we have to come out from among them and be separate.   The Sabbath is no longer a physical day but we have entered the seventh thousand year day of God. Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. (This is the only place Christians are commanded to keep the sabbath and this word is only used once - Sabbatismos – meaning a continual rest.) As we have seen we are commanded to cease from the works of the flesh every day not one of seven. Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works (of the flesh), as God did from his.  (2Co.6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? A yoke couples two creatures together and you don't want to be yoked to the old man; the old man is dead. You aren't pulling alongside the old man, you aren't giving the old man equal time, are you? He's dead and now you're in control; you're not supposed to let him lead at all. This is like those two stages of separation. The first separation was to come out of “Egypt” or, in other words, separate yourself from the wicked world. The second was to come out from among those who proclaim to be “Israelites,” yet they walk after the flesh, they walk after false prophets and false leaders. 

Fr. Mike dives into the recurring issue of the Israelites rebelling against God and remaining stuck in their past as we read about the revolt of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. Today's readings are Numbers 16, Deuteronomy 15-16, and Psalm 97. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Numbers 13–31Main Point: The Israelites, even their leaders, continue to fail and exhibit a lack of faith in the LORD to keep His promises. Still, the LORD preserves and judges His people.Texts to Consider:Numbers 14:5–10; 26–38What were the results of the spies' mission and their report back?Numbers 16:12–16What is interesting about the words used by Dathan and Abiram?What happened (Numbers 16:31–32; 16:41–50)?Numbers 20:1–13What did Moses do wrong?Numbers 21:4–9; 2 Kings 18:4; John 3:14–15Moses put what on a pole?Numbers 22:1–6Why was Balak, king of Moab, so afraid of Israel?Numbers 24:15–19Who is Balaam talking about?Numbers 27:12–23

We Need To Check Ourselves (2) (audio) David Eells 1/14/24 Pray Alone With God David  The Man-child is coming to chose the Bride and we need to be in love with the Lord. Did Jesus teach that we are to have a personal relationship prayer life with God? More than that He commanded it. Or did He call for prayer meetings?  Mat 6:5 And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.  Did Jesus also demonstrate this personal prayer life alone with God?   Mat 14:23 And after he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray: and when even was come, he was there alone.  Mar 6:45-46 ASV And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he himself sendeth the multitude away. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he departed into the mountain to pray.  Mat 26:36-40 ASV Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. (So even when His life was threatened He sought God personally.) 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?   Luk 6:12 ASV And it came to pass in these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God.  Others followed Jesus' command and example to have a personal prayer life to God.  Act 10:9 Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:  Act 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, 31 and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.  Some are afraid their faith is never enough but it should be so; we should cast off this fear for He loves us and cares for us. Some had a bad relationship to a parent or spouse and see God in the same light and are not sure God loves them and wants to meet their every need as He said. An expectant bride should trust that her groom loves her enough to provide for her like it was with Esther.  We must seek this personal relationship in prayer alone with God not just in a crowd trusting in their faith. “Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to God.” When Jesus ministered to others he said, “be it unto you according to your faith.” And “As you have believed so shall it be unto you.” Ask Him for the gift of faith to love Him and respect Him as our provider, our Jehovah Jireh. Cast out double mindedness and doubt demons.  Father is asking us to seek this faith relationship with Him now before the return of the Lord to choose His bride. If you have this faithful relationship with him then adding your faith to others is of worth. Then if any two agree its powerful. Ask Him for this relationship and forgive everybody from the heart.  If you only feel comfortable in a crowd or an eating meeting, then you need to seek this relationship to Him now. He got alone with God for 40 days and forgot about the food.  My best talks with Father are when I am reading the Word or in the middle of the night alone when there are no responsibilities and all is quiet.  Father has been telling me that many are too busy, even religiously busy, to spend time alone with the Lord so check your heart and seek repentance if so.  What is the secret cause of the coming revival? Is it power? No that's a result of the revival. Is it timing? Thats part of it. The Man-child anointing will bring revival and it won't happen before. Is it “vain repetition” in prayer? Jesus said no. We are to believe we have received whenever we pray according to Mark 11:23-24.  How many times have we heard that past great revivals were traced to some old ladies praying on their own and believing God. :0) I have watched pre-promoted church revivals come and go for 54 years and its always the same. A few people get healed and delivered or just saved in some churches who don't believe in the power today. This probably would have happened anyway but they still call it revival. But the people didn't seek deliverance of their sins from and by the Lord. They trusted they were in good standing because of their association with an a church, a preacher, or “what we believe”, etc.  What is the foundation and preparation for the coming greatest revival? It is the condition so often repeated in scripture: “Repent and believe”. The churches are full of “just accept Jesus” converts who will miss this opportunity. Let's look at the cause and foundation for this coming revival.  Exo 19:10-12, 10 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments, (So will it start with the multitudes? No it will start with the anointed Man-child represented by Moses here. No one can prime it until then, as it was with Jesus, The Man-child. But we can prepare to receive it by personal relationship with the Lord and sanctification from our sins.) 11 ASV and be ready against the third day (Here is some timing, plus 40 days (as we shall see). We are at the morning of the third thousand year day from Jesus.); for the third day Jehovah will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. (He is coming in His Man-child reformers by Word and Spirit to begin revival and the timing is set.)  12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: (To ascend the mountain of the Lord's presence represents death to self, I.e. repentance and sanctification. So it is with Paul who said “ye are come unto mount Zion” Heb 12:22, with the presence of the Lord at the top.)  Exo 24:12-18 ASV And Jehovah said unto Moses (The Man-child, but it is true of all who want to come into his presence through death to self.), Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayest teach them. (Time alone with the Word prepared Moses to come to the people with the glory shining from his face.)  13 And Moses rose up, and Joshua his minister: and Moses went up into the mount of God. 14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: whosoever hath a cause, let him come near unto them. 15 And Moses went up into the mount, and the cloud covered the mount. 16 And the glory of Jehovah abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day (More timing plus 40 days. We are at the 7th thousand year day from the first Adam.) he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 And the appearance of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire (Our God is a consuming fire; consuming the wood, hay and stubble of the old man.) on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.   18 And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud (Representing entering the glory of God), and went up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights. (Forty is the number of testing. Jesus, the Man-child, also got alone with God and was tested for forty days. Both got alone with God, heard Him, and then overcame the enemy, the flesh and the Devil. They both used fasting too in order to weaken the flesh. So why is food now days so involved with drawing near to God and seeking revival? Busyness, even religious busyness, or constant fellowship, robs this most important time of soul searching with God and prevents the revival in one's heart where it has to begin. I watched for years those who came to the Lord the same time as me and where are they? They spent no time with the two edged sword, one edge being for self.)  Once again the foundation and cause of revival is repentance and sanctification. Didn't God tell Moses, Take your shoes off this is holy ground. He didn't want Moses separated from holiness. He had to stand holy/sanctified to be in God's presence.  Luk 3:2-8 ASV in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins; (And he preached this to God's people many of whom turned against Jesus because their repentance from sin was skin deep.)  4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. (Notice: The path from the Word of the Lord to your heart must be prepared by repentance.) 5 Every valley shall be filled (Meaning the humble will receive from the Lord), And every mountain and hill shall be brought low (The proud will hold to their sin and receive judgment instead of the revival of Christ in them just as the faction has.); And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth; (Departing from crooked ways to follow the straight path without stumbling blocks of sin is necessary for the Lord to enter the heart.)  6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (All types of men saw Him but not all men saw with the eyes of their heart.) 7 He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (The Pharisaical didn't believe repentance was for them because of religious pride just as we can have now.) 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father (You may think, “But I follow David or Michael or Jesus”): for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 9 And even now the axe also lieth at the root of the trees (Have you not seen them cut off? And we thought some were holy.): every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Fruit is proven through testing, which they failed.)  Luk 3:21-22 ASV Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, (John tried to stop Jesus from receiving the baptism of repentance but Jesus said, “thus it behooves us to fulfill all righteousness.” Without true repentance 3 out of 4 fall away.) 22 and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son: in thee I am well pleased. Is He please to dwell beside willful sin? Luk 4:1-21 ASV And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan (Where He received the baptism of repentance as a demonstration to us.), and was led in the Spirit in the wilderness 2 during forty days (Again timing + 40 days alone with God overcoming the devil as a type of the Man-child to come.), being tempted of the devil. And he did eat nothing in those days: and when they were completed, he hungered. (Fasting and prayer through alone time with God was the key to overcoming temptations that to us identifies sin that most don't even know are there.)  3 And the devil said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command this stone that it become bread. (To us this would be the temptation to prove our power for self-glory to feed our flesh in the next verse.) 4 And Jesus answered unto him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone. 5 And he led him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said unto him, To thee will I give all this authority, and the glory of them (Representing temptation to have the glory of men.): for it hath been delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7 If thou therefore wilt worship before me, it shall all be thine. (Temptation to gain disciples and authority over them for self-glory like the factious and ambitious always do. This is always bowing the knee to the devil.) 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.   9 And he led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple (Temptation in a very visible place for self-glory.), and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: 10 for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to guard thee: 11 and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Temptation to test God's ability to save while being self-seeking.) 12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.   As we can see, most of Jesus' temptations were about seeking the glory of men, which He of course did not do. But there are many who do. There is jealousy, competition, exclusiveness, putting on shows, disrespect, self-seeking, etc., such as those who fall into faction among leadership people or otherwise.  Seeking self-glory is a common temptation for leadership and makes them unqualified for the Man-child status or any other leadership position. Joh 12:42-43 ASV Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God. (Jesus said qualification is to reject the approval of men to confess Him before men.)  Joh 5:41-44 ASV I receive not glory from men. 42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves. 43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (And the wicked with their fear of rejection did receive the wicked testimony of men.) 44 How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not?  Joh 7:18 ASV He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. (So did God send you to say that against all of God's commands or was it for your own glory?)  Mat 6:1-4 ASV Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.  Back to our text: 13 And when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him for a season. (After overcoming selfish temptations by drawing near to God alone the revival began through Him as a type for the Man-child today.) 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.   16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, (After overcoming all temptations through fellowship with the Father He was anointed to bring the revival.) 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.  So I say that God warned me to tell you this because your time to be chosen to be in the Man-child and Bride body is very short. As we saw with Jesus, when the Man-child came He chose the Bride. Go into your spiritual 40 days, representing a time of testing, alone with God and ask Him to seek out your sin and reveal it to you so you may reject it as Job did and be cleansed with the pure glowing white robe of the Bride. And the Lord and Baruch gave an Amen to this revelation!  We are told that there will be 10 days to 2 weeks of media darkness during martial law except to declass criminal activities in an 8 hour video playing over and over. This is mostly for those who listen to news on TV. The rest of us already know what is going on. I suggest you use this time to draw near to Father and ask Him to show you any sin. Then renounce and forsake them believing they were nailed to the cross as in Rom 6. Shortly after this time the Man-child reformers will begin to appear and the Bride will be chosen. God bless you my friends. The advantages of the Bride are tremendous.    Beware Be Watchful, My Glory  Debbie Fenske 1/8/24  It was on my heart to ask the Lord that in my time alone with Him this morning He would allow me to hear Him speak to me. Thank you, Father.   "Beware of the subtle one. Beware of the pretender who will try to come to you with a voice as the sound of My voice. Beware. He will try to come in your thoughts. He will come with a still small voice. He will come in your flesh. And he will come to try and deceive you in this time. I say to beware. Be watchful unto yourselves. Beware and be careful to do everything that you have been told to do. This time is crucial, and your light will soon shine forth as the stars. Intense, and in great brightness will it shine forth from you; My glory in you, shining forth through you, bringing attention to Me, your Glory and the lifter of your head. So be lifted up, My people.   You have been hearing that the time of My glory coming to be revealed in you is soon. I say, it is here. I am standing at the door ready to make My entrance. This is not the time to yield to temptation, lies, deceptions. Beware. For these will try to speak very loud to you, now, and in the days ahead of you. Much louder. So, as you have opportunity, hold one another up. Be strong for one another.   I say to you, My Glory, beware, be watchful, be obedient and steadfast with a single eye on My glory ready to shine through you. What glory awaits! Keep your eyes on me. Nothing else. What glory awaits!"  I asked Father if He would give me a couple scriptures about our seeking Him and waiting on Him in our times alone with Him, and, about us being His glory. The first place my finger landed in was Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek Me and find Me when you will search for Me with all your heart." I landed on "for Me." Thank you for that, Lord,  The next scripture came to me a little differently. But it was exciting for me how Father did this. I first landed in Isaiah 47:6, which is about God's anger with His people who profaned His inheritance. (When the Lord returns in His Man-child reformers he will judge these Edomite haters of their chosen brothers.) I was like, "No. no. this can't be it!" I turned my eyes to look directly across to the previous page which was chapter 46. (The opposite of them is the chosen.)  How awesome! Isaiah 46:13 "I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; and My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation (The meaning of Jesus is “Jah is Salvation” and where is He >) in Zion, and My glory for Israel." Glory to your name Lord!  And I thought it very interesting how He spoke of His glory, "My Glory," in this word, because I almost didn't use it, thinking it may just be from myself. But then I heard, "Use it." Thank you, Lord! (He is the glory of the Lord and His people.) Yes Lord. We want to seek You, to search for You with all our hearts, and come into Your very likeness from glory to glory. We are to be Your glory on this earth, and by faith we are Your glory, Your glorious Bride. Thank You for helping us to give You not just our time, but that all our time with You will be with You and You alone. I thank You for Your great mercy and Your great grace towards each of us. Thank You that in Your sovereignty You desire us to show forth Your glory, to be Your glorious spotless Bride.  Now help us to be obedient to You, to be to so watchful and aware of Satan's devices, his temptations to lure us away from our time alone with You. We can do all things through You, Jesus, Who strengthens us. We thank You that Your salvation and Your righteousness will not delay. Make us understand the urgency in what is required of us if we want to be in Your glorious Bride and be Your Glory as You shine through us on this earth doing the work You have called us to do, all for the glory of Your name. Thank You for Your grace given to all who are called to be in Your Bride, all over the world. Thank you, Father! Amen.    Bike Usage, A Prayer Life Vision  Anonymous 9/1/23  I had a vision of a standard BMX on the floor in a dank gloomy garage. There was clutter and items that had collected a large amount of dust. It was possible to make clear writing in the dust. (The bike ends up being a prayer life that is ignored and the consequences.) Then I saw a young man, he was in his room reading and doing tasks. He would then occasionally pick up a manual on bikes and say he liked a particular model. Then he placed it by his side and slept.  (A bike represents balance and the manual the Bible represents the same thing.) Another day and not many changes. He grew old and rarely even considered looking at the bike manual anymore. (The Bible) He then got old, and declared to throw it all out, his time had gone for that. Then he never thought of it again, he was caught in his impending death.  Then I saw a fit young man who had stories and excitement every moment. All he wanted to do was ride his bike. He shared it with everyone. He rode everyday everywhere. And he was constantly happy.   He had accidents and was seriously hurt but never stopped riding his bike once he was healed. He never changed because of his age or his other life duties.   His family then rode too and independently had a love for it their own way. He got old and couldn't ride but passionately wanted to and would encourage everyone to ride. He spoke and wrote books and submitted articles to enrich lives with the use of the bike.   Then he donated it to young children all just before his death. He and his family all cherished the times together well spent.  I then realized; this is our PRAYER LIFE.  The bike is getting close to God. It's a means and relationship. You can do much more when you use the bike and go places doing more amazing things than it laying on the floor. You could read about a bike but not ever think about where it could take you. Praying is an adventure. It's real and when you keep doing it, it will get easier and more in tune with God. Then when you connect with God, that is all you want to do is bathe in His presence and talk with Him and talk about Him with others. He becomes your all, your desires, wants, He is your only need.   I'm convinced, convicted and a flame kindled to go to the Lord and pray. Pray openly, pray about everything.    Be Ye Separate  David In the New Testament, “sanctification” is the Greek word hagiasmos and it means “separated from sin and consecrated unto God.” This sanctification has been given to us as a gift through Jesus Christ; it is also something that we attain to through faith in that gift. In other words, the Lord will fulfill it in us, if we go after it by faith.  (Rom.5:1) Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; (2) through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. We believe the Lord has given us this sanctification and holiness because of His promises. God can't really bless an individual, nor can He bless a body of people, that's been polluted by the world. If we walk in repentance and faith, the Lord will account it to us as righteousness, but if we walk in rebellion and self-will, the Lord's chastening will be upon us.   The Bride will have special protection and provision from the Lord. The Bride is not all the people of God, as much of the Church says. (Son.6:8) There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, And virgins without number. (9) My dove, my undefiled, is but one.… He was speaking about the Bride. There are many people of God whom God loves, but the Bride is a special place because the Bride represents Zion, as we know from Revelation 21.   Zion, of course, was only a small part of the parable of God's people in the Old Testament. There was all of Israel and there was all of Judah, and then there was Zion.   I'd like to briefly review a little about the protection that is afforded the Bride. In 2 Kings 18, we have the revelation of the end-time Beast's attack upon God's people. The Assyrian empire and the king of Assyria conquered all of Israel, and those whom they didn't kill, they carried away captive. (2Ki.18:9) And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.   (10) And at the end of three years they took it: in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. (11) And the king of Assyria carried Israel away unto Assyria, and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, (12) because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear it, nor do it.  They conquered all of Judah next. (2Ki.18:13) Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them. (14) And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.   (15) And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house. (16) At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.   But we find that God zealously protected Zion, or Jerusalem, because it represented something for our day. Assyria was the second of the seven heads of the last Beast (Revelation 12:3, 13:1, 17:3,9), which consists of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medio-Persia, Greece, Rome and the revived Rome. Every one of those Beast kingdoms represents a revelation that is going to happen in the end time because today all seven heads are a part of this Beast. Assyria, as that second head, gives us the revelation of God's protection for His Bride, Jerusalem.   (2Ki.19:30) And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. (31) For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of mount Zion they that shall escape (This is talking about escape from the Beast kingdom that is conquering God's people.):the zeal of the Lord shall perform this. So the Lord is zealous, but why is He zealous over this particular part of His people and not the rest of His people? Why was He not zealous to protect and to destroy the Beast before it conquered all of Israel and Judah? It's because of what Zion represents: it represents the Bride.   (Rev.21:9) And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues; and he spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. (10) And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem (New Jerusalem), coming down out of heaven from God,  (The Bride is manifestly born from above.) (11) having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal: (12) having a wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (13) on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. (14) And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Amen!   What is it about Jerusalem that represents something so holy and so perfect? Well, the wall of Jerusalem represents something. In the Song of Solomon, the bride, the Shulamite, which means “perfected one,” said (Son.8:10) I am a wall.... A wall represents sanctification; it represents separation from the world. Jerusalem was encompassed with this wall and it was a separation, a protection, from the Beast. And the bride also said of her immature little sister, (Son.8:9) If she be a wall, We will build upon her a turret (or “battlement”) of silver.... “If she be a wall” sounds strange. Why would the bride be a “wall”?   And why would this be something to protect her little sister? It's because God will defend us, if we are sanctified, if we are separated. He will defend us, if our hedge is not let down for the enemy to come in and dwell in us, either individually or as a body of people. God defends the Bride and He will even defend the little sister before she comes to maturity, “if she be a wall.”   (2Ki.19:32) Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come unto this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it. (33) By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and he shall not come unto this city, saith the Lord.   (34) For I will defend this city to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. (35) And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand (185,000 men): and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. There is a place of safety in holiness and separation from the world, but there is none for those who walk in their own self-will and rebellion.   Then, after Hezekiah became ill, he pleaded with God for his life, saying that he had served the Lord. (2Ki.20:1) In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thy house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. (2) Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, (3) Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.   (4) And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, (5) Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of Jehovah. (6) And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.   That's exactly what the rest of the Bible says about the regenerate daughter of Zion. God promises to defend them. When they walked in righteousness and purity, that wall represented separation and sanctification. (Pro.11:4) Riches profit not in the day of wrath; But righteousness delivereth from death.  Again, the Greek word for “sanctification” is hagiasmos, which means “separation unto God”; in other words, “purification and separation from the world and from sin unto God.” The word for “saints,” hagios, is the root word for “sanctification.” “Saint” means “sanctified ones.” “Saints” are those people who are “separated from the world unto God” and all through the New Testament the Lord addresses the “saints,” the separated and sanctified ones.   (Heb.12:14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord. We certainly want to see the Lord, don't we? We want to see Him after this life, but we also want to see Him in this life. (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. Without sanctification, we are not going to see the Lord. We won't see Him in the mirror, we won't come into His image and we won't ultimately see Him.   However, even the little sister can be sanctified and separated from the world. Even the little sister can be running after the Lord with all of her heart. The Shulammite was seeking to bring her little sister into the presence of the king, Solomon, who represents our King. She was protecting and raising her up, just as the Bride will do in these days.   And Paul says, (Heb.12:14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord: (15) looking carefully lest [there be] any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you,] and thereby the many be defiled. Many so-called “Christians” in these days are being defiled by roots of bitterness or by other people who have roots of bitterness. Those who are slanderers, gossipers, back-biters, these people are defiled. They are like Esau who sold his birthright through bitterness.  You need to be careful to remain sanctified and separated from them, as we're commanded. (Tit.3:10) A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse. In other words, separate yourself from them. (Heb.12:16) Lest [there be] any fornicator.... “Fornicator” has a spiritual aspect here: this is someone who has relations with the world and not the Lord. Esau was ordained, as a son of Abraham, to have relations with the Lord, yet he was having relations with the world and receiving the seed of another kingdom. He was receiving this root of bitterness which was, of course, from the devil and not from God. (Heb.12:16) Lest [there be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright.   Now I know “meat” here just means “food,” but it also brings to mind the thought of “flesh” because Esau followed, or “sought after,” the flesh. He found that “meat” was more important than his birthright, which was the inheritance he received because he was a child of Abraham. (Heb.12:17) For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected.... There isn't going to be a blessing to those who refuse sanctification through the Word. There isn't going to be a blessing to those who choose to receive the seed of the world, instead of being separated from the world, its nature and its curse. Esau was “rejected.” He sold his birthright and forfeited the double-portion blessing of the first-born.   There are people who are considered to be people of God, but who have been reprobated. They do not know the ways of peace and do not “follow after peace with all men,” as the Scripture says here. They have a root of bitterness and they spread their root of bitterness, so God has rejected them. (Heb.12:17) For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind (which is basically the meaning of “repentance”) [in his father,] (“In his father” was added in by the translator, according to his own understanding, but it's not in the original.) though he sought it diligently with tears.   In other words, Esau himself wanted deliverance from this curse, but he was defiled by a root of bitterness and, of course, his seed after him was defiled because the sins of the parents are passed on to the children of the third and fourth generation (Exodus 20:5, 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9). We know that Jesus came to break genetic curses that have been passed on, but Esau, even though he was a seed of Abraham, refused the inheritance that he had received through his father and traded it away just like Judas. Remember how Jacob, Esau's brother, was greatly blessed after he separated himself from Esau. The Lord gave Jacob so much fruit and such great abundance that it surprised Esau when, after many years, Jacob returned with his wives, children, herds and flocks (Genesis 32, 33).   Bearing much fruit and receiving many blessings is a symbol of being sanctified and separated from that which is unholy, corrupt and bitter. It's a symbol of being separated from that which has been rejected as “accursed.” Jacob bore much fruit and received much blessing because he separated himself from those who were not sanctified. We find this pattern repeated all the way through the Bible. We are all sons of Abraham through faith and we receive our inheritance through faith, but God demands of us separation and we see many types and shadows of this in the Scriptures.   There are actually two stages of separation: First, God separates His people from the world and then, second, He separates from His people those who are worldly. After Abraham was called out from Ur of the Chaldees, which was Babylon, Abraham was later separated from Lot and his family, who initially came with him out of Babylon. Lot unwisely chose to settle in Sodom, which obviously was not a place of sanctification or separation from the world, and that decision brought a great curse upon Lot and his family. So notice that God called Abraham to separate from the Babylonians and then Abraham was separated from those who were not living a life that was as holy as his.   Another good type is when God separated His people, Israel, in the land of Egypt. He separated them from the Egyptians through the judgments that Moses, the Man-child, brought upon the Egyptians. Goshen represents that land where the Israelite was separated from the Egyptian. We know the first three judgments came upon both the Israelites and the Egyptians, but after God's people had once again received the fear of the Lord, then the rest of the judgments fell only upon the Egyptians. (Exo.8:23) And I will put a division between my people and thy people: by to-morrow shall this sign be.   A different representation of that is the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea, where God made a separation of His people from the Egyptians, a separation of the spiritual man from the carnal man. (Exo.14:21) And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.   (22) And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. (23) And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. (28) And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the host of Pharaoh that went in after them into the sea; there remained not so much as one of them.   Apostle Paul used that parable to show that in the Red Sea there was a baptism unto death for the Egyptian, who represented the old man that had been keeping Israel in bondage. (Heb.11:29) By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up. Folks, in these days God's people are once again in bondage to the old man. And, once again, the Lord is going to send deliverance by the hand of the Man-child in the form of judgments on Egypt. Those judgments are going to cause God's people to realize that they need to depart from Egypt and stop submitting to the old man, who has been keeping them in bondage.   So God separated the Israelites from the Egyptians and brought them into the wilderness, but now He still had to separate the unbelievers from among them. You know, people like to think that only Egyptians are unbelievers, yet the unbelievers who complained in the wilderness were the unbelievers of His Own people. God could not bring Israel, even the faithful Israelites, into the Promised Land of blessing that was “flowing with milk and honey” (Deuteronomy 31:20; Numbers 14:8; Exodus 33:3; etc.) until all the unfaithful and unbelieving had died in the wilderness.   The righteous people among the Israelites, whom Joshua and Caleb represented, had to endure a time of trial and tribulation so that these unbelieving, murmuring Israelites would be separated from them. The righteous didn't get to see the blessings they should have received until that happened because God wasn't going to bless the unrighteous among the righteous. Who entered into the Promised Land? Other than Joshua and Caleb, it wasn't those Israelites who left Egypt; it was their children who entered the land of milk and honey, the blessings, the provisions of God.  Their old man shall die in the wilderness but their fruit will enter in. This is a process that God does in each and every one of us, too. We need to learn to come out from among the world and be separate because there is no place of blessing without sanctification. God wants us to separate ourselves from the “leaven” of wicked people. (Mat.16:12) Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Even if they call themselves “Christians,” He wants to separate them from us so that we can receive the blessings.   I once asked the Lord, “Why are there so many Judases and Jezebels rising up? You know they can't help themselves; it is demons in them that rise up and torment the Church, speak and rail against the people, argue about doctrine, take authority they don't have and all these things. Why is this happening?” And the Lord told me very plainly, “I'm doing you a favor.” I said, “How so, Lord?” The Lord answered, “Because you don't want all these people going into the wilderness with you, do you?” I replied, “No, I don't.”   I do know that in the wilderness there will still be some of these people to try the people of God because when Jesus chose the 12, one of them was the “son of perdition,” Judas. Of course, Judas had a ministry, but there are many more than we evidently need, from what the Lord told me. He is certainly revealing and separating them from His people in these days. God's people also need to understand and cooperate with God in this process of separation because this wasn't a job for only Moses or just the elders of Israel. This was a job for all of Israel to do. We are going to see from the Scriptures that we need to separate ourselves from those who are “leaven” and are keeping us from being sanctified.   Sanctification is needed individually and corporately. First of all, individually we are to (2Co.6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? (16) And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, (18) And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.   And then, corporately, we are to be sanctified as the body of Christ. The Bride is so beautiful to God because it is a body of people who become separated from the rest of Israel because of their purity and holiness. By the way, the Greek word hagiasmos is translated as both “holiness” and “sanctification” in the New Testament. “Holiness” and “sanctification” both mean “separation from the world and from that which is impure, unto God.”   When Israel went into the wilderness, they had already been separated from the Egyptians, which basically represents salvation. When you go through the Red Sea, the Egyptian is cut off; it is your water baptism. So these are people who are what we call today “saved”; however, they still weren't sanctified as a body. Yes, there were people among them who were sanctified and always walked in righteousness, but as a body, they weren't sanctified and couldn't come into the blessings of God.   So God brought them through trials in the wilderness to prove them. He was going to show who was a part of the sanctified body and who it was who would refuse being sanctified and separated from the world.   (Exo.32:1) And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods.... The word for “gods” there is Elohim and it's the same word that they used for the true God because what they really wanted was something visible that the flesh could follow. Our God is invisible for a reason. He doesn't want us making pictures or statues of Him to bow down to or follow. He wants us to know Him by the Spirit and not by the flesh; the flesh won't obey God. He wants us to walk by faith and faith is when you don't see, but you obey anyway.   (Exo.32:1) And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. Well, God delayed this in order to try them, to see if they would turn aside out of the way and that's just what they did.   (Exo.32:2) And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. (3) And all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. (4) And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf: and they said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Obviously, it was just a pile of gold. They had made a god after a fleshly image that impressed them, but had nothing to do with Elohim.   (Exo.32:5) And when Aaron saw [this,] he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow shall be a feast to the Lord. (6) And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. You know, there are many false gods that people proclaim to be the Lord God because they permit them to live in a way that pleases their flesh.  (Exo.32:7) And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people (Notice they aren't God's people anymore.), that thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: (8) they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it, and said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. This molten calf was probably a replica of Apis, the calf god of Egypt. They knew of a god in Egypt and when Moses wasn't around to lead them, they quickly reverted back to their Egyptian god.   (Exo.32:9) And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people (Not all of them were stiff-necked, but a majority of them were.): (10) now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. So we see that when they were all together as a body, God condemned them. There needed to be a separation of that which was good in their midst and God agreed to this a little further on.   (Exo.32:11) And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, that thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? (12) Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people.   (13) Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it forever. (14) And the Lord repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his people.   The Lord didn't consume them at that time, but He did lay down some conditions: (Exo.32:26) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoso is on the Lord's side, [let him come] unto me. (This is interesting; evidently, there were some who were on the Lord's side during all of this. There were people who didn't believe the golden calf was God.) And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.   The Levites represent something in the New Testament: (Exo.19:5) Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: (6) and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. God's true people are a “holy” people, meaning “separated from the world and sanctified.” The Levites were separated to be God's own possession and in this situation the Levites were not in agreement with the rest of the body of Israelites about the golden calf.   Moses said, (Exo.32:26) Whoso is on the Lord's side, [let him come] unto me. And all the sons of Levi (the holy nation, the priests of God) gathered themselves together unto him. (27) And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. (28) And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.   What does this represent? It represents a sanctification of the people who had not fallen into this worship of a false god. Now we know in the New Testament that we are forbidden to use a physical sword against our enemies: (Mat.26:52) Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. But we do have a sword which we are commanded to use. Our sword is the Word of God.   (Eph.6:13) Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one]. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.   When you are in the midst of a body and some of those people are unholy, they are what is blocking you from receiving the blessing as a body because God cannot bless the body without also blessing these evil, wicked people. We just read that it was Moses and all the priests of God who were called to sanctify the body. And as a kingdom of priests of God, we're all called to use the sword of the Word to separate and sanctify the body.   If someone who is called a “believer” comes unto you but is walking in willful sin, the Bible tells you what to do about it: (1Co.5:9) I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators; (10) not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world: (11) but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.   (12) For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? (13) But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves. You are to separate from them, (Eph.5:11) and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them.   In other words, you take your sword and you point out to this person that they are one of the people who is stopping the body from receiving the great blessings that God wants to pour out. God couldn't bless Israel while they were in Egypt; He had to separate them from that body. But then there was still something that was blocking them from receiving the great blessings from God in the wilderness and it was those unbelievers in their midst. Even though they were Israelites and they would today be called “Christians,” they were blocking the blessings from the body and something had to be done about it.   Would you take the sword? The Bible says we are cursed if we don't use our sword. (Jer.48:10) Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. Would you sit on that sword? Or would you use it to correct the brother or sister who comes to you with slander, gossip, hatred or judgment against the body? Would you obey the Word and correct that person?   (Mat.18:15) And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. (16) But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. (17) And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.   For instance, would you tell the brother who is assaulting the elders, “Look, it is forbidden for us to receive an accusation against an elder without witnesses”? Would you correct a brother or sister in your midst who is committing fornication and yet they are sitting right next to you in a church pew, being accepted by the rest of the body? Would you be the one with the sword and do what was necessary for the local body to be blessed? Is your allegiance to your friend or is your allegiance to God? Is it more important to build up the body to receive the blessings of God because it is holy or is it more important to keep the friendship you have with your friend? I believe most of Christianity would think, “That's not my job. That's the preacher's job.” No, that's not what we are seeing here and that's not what we see in the rest of the Scriptures, either.   Let's read on. (Exo.32:28) And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. (29) And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord, yea, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. There wasn't going to be a blessing until there was this separation and the sword was applied to these people who had caused the problem.   (Exo.32:30) And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin. (31) And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. (32) Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. (33) And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.  He pardoned. He did not bring wrath upon the whole body because He wanted to bring wrath upon those who sinned. The trials that they were about to go through were going to reveal those murmurers and unbelievers among them, and through these trials, those people were put to death in the wilderness. So those who sinned against Him, those who worshipped the false god and polluted the body, these people bore their judgment. He said, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book,” and God is still doing this in the New Testament.   (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. (Rev.3:5) He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.   (Exo.32:34) And now go, lead the people unto [the place] of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them. Those people died in the wilderness because of their unbelief, their murmuring and their lack of sanctification. God was their provider that whole time, but they still rebelled against the Lord. (Exo.32:35) And the Lord smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.   The truly righteous people in their midst had to suffer for these other people because there had been no sanctification of the body. Think about the Joshuas and the Calebs, who were going through the wilderness with these people and suffering along with them. They actually deserved to go and walk into the Promised Land, yet they were suffering.   There has to be a separation so that we can come into the great miracles, great revival and great blessings of provision that are just ahead of us for the people of God.   Another trial that God used to separate between the righteous and rebellious Israelites was the Korah rebellion. If you remember, Korah took it upon himself to be a leader in Israel, even though that position wasn't given to him by God. Yet Moses was someone who never wanted the authority that the Lord gave him. (Exo.4:10) And Moses said unto the Lord, Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. (11) And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? Or who maketh [a man] dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? (12) Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak. (13) And he said, Oh, Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.   Moses considered himself to be inadequate and was trying to convince God to send someone else. So why did so many people follow Korah? I'm suspecting that Korah was a smooth, persuasive talker and maybe even good-looking. The people followed him, but think about all the miracles that God had done through Moses, who was slow of tongue, evidently not quick-witted and not eloquent. (Num.16:19) And Korah assembled all the congregation against them (Moses and Aaron) unto the door of the tent of meeting: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. (20) And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, (21) Separate yourselves (this represents sanctification) from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.   The Lord didn't want to consume all of them; He wanted to consume those who were taking sides with Korah. (Num.16:22) And they (Moses and Aaron) fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? Obviously, the people had the choice of whom to follow, but while they were one body and in rebellion, the Lord was considering the whole body as perpetrators. (23) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (24) Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. In other words, separate yourselves from among these people so I can protect you, so I can bless you, so I can chasten them.   (Num.16:25) And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. (26) And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs (Be separate from all their thoughts and doings.), lest ye be consumed in all their sins. If you're touching something, you are not separated, are you? (27) So they gat them up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.   (28) And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for [I have] not [done them] of mine own mind. (29) If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. (30) But if the Lord make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then ye shall understand that these men have despised the Lord.  (We have certainly seen the wicked going to hell while alive.) I've shared with you in the past that being swallowed alive by the earth represents being swallowed up by the flesh. (1Ti.5:6) But she that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth. We're not here to please the flesh or to be consumed by the flesh, yet people who are in rebellion against God will be delivered over to their flesh. They will be unable to overcome that flesh because of their rebellion. The Lord is saying to separate yourself from people who live after the lust of their flesh, so that you're not swallowed up by the curse that's upon them.   It has to be important to us that God's body be holy and separate from these people because people in willful disobedience need to be judged. Of course, if they are repentant, if they are turning away from their sin, then we should encourage them. But if they are happy to sit in the midst of their sins and want to use doctrine to justify themselves, then they need to be separated. Paul said, (1Co.5:6) ... Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (7) Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened....  He commands us there to separate from these people so the whole body is not leavened or considered by God to be leavened. In whatever place you are, you always want that body to come into the blessing and provision of God. But when God reveals these people, and you can see that He has turned them over to be consumed by their flesh, then you need t

Apostate Church Witchcraft (4)  (audio)  David Eells - 12/13/23  Separating From The Carnal Authority And System    When the Israelites were in the wilderness, symbolizing the Church in Tribulation, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram as a corporate false prophet usurped the authority of the true ministers of God. (Num.16:1) Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took [men]: (2) and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown; (3) and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron….   At that time, as in our time, the extent of the apostasy was so great that almost the entire congregation followed these false prophets. (16:19) And Korah assembled all the congregation against them (the true ministry) unto the door of the tent of meeting. In the Gospels the God-ordained authority was Jesus, the Man-child, and His disciples, the two witnesses. Those whom Jesus said were sons of their father the devil and from beneath usurped the authority of the true ministers of God. So it is in our day.   The Levites were the God-ordained ministers of the sanctuary, and Aaron as high priest was a type of Christ. Korah was a Levite and an ordained minister of God, but he sought to usurp the high priest's office. (16:8) And Moses said unto Korah, Hear now, ye sons of Levi: (9) [seemeth it but] a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them;   (10) and that he hath brought thee near, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee? and seek ye the (high) priesthood also? (The Levites were already priests so God was speaking here of usurping the high priesthood.) (11) Therefore thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord….   Each believer is like the tabernacle in the wilderness. We have a Holy of Holies, which is our spirit, a holy place, which is our soul, and an outer court, which is our body. Anyone other than the high priest entering the Holy of Holies had the sentence of death upon him. The only One permitted to rule in our spirit is our High Priest, Jesus Christ (1Cor.11:3). This teaches us that a minister is not to take the place of Christ in our life. He is to make disciples of Christ and not of himself. He has authority only when he is in obedience to the Word (Christ). A minister who is leading God's people astray from the Word is usurping the place of the High Priest, Christ. Korah represents one out of three end time apostate ministers who, though ordained, will turn against our High Priest, Jesus, to claim their own authority.   Since Dathan and Abiram were not Levites, they were not ministers ordained of God, but ordained of themselves and men. According to the percentage represented here, two out of every three ministers who go their own way in the Tribulation are not ordained by God but man. History has always supported this claim, but it has never proved more true than today.   (Jer.23:20) The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it perfectly. (21) I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied. (22) But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Even a brief examination of the conditions for office in the New Testament would exclude the majority of ministers (1Tim.3:1-10; Tit.1:5-9,16; Act.1:4-5,8; Mk.16:17-20). No one was ordained to go until they were filled with the Holy Spirit in the same way they were first were ordained. Jesus told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they were filled. God separated His true people from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. (Num.16:23) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (24) Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. (26) And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. In Jesus' day all the disciples came out of the apostate denominations of Judaism to follow Him. True disciples still come out of apostate Christianity to follow Christ. The Man-child will bring the same message to those who are fellowshipping among the apostate church in the coming days. (Rev.18:4)...Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Notice that to spiritually come out of Babylon is to depart from her sins.   Those who did not come out were judged, along with their Babylonish teachers, “and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah…went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed upon them” (Num.16:32-33). Notice in verse 26 they had to come out or be “consumed in all their sins”; and here those who didn't “the earth…swallowed them…alive.”   According to Genesis 2:7 the earth and our flesh are one. To be swallowed alive by the earth, our flesh, is to be consumed in sins. All that follow the false prophets will be consumed in their own fleshly lusts. We all know “Christian” leaders whose hidden sins came to light. The New Testament Korahs and Balaams are hidden among us but they are dead while they live. (Jud.1:11) Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. (12) These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.   They are “twice dead” meaning born again and died again, and “plucked up by the roots” meaning removed from being a member of the body, though they are still “hidden rocks in your love-feasts.” In God's eyes they are dead while they are living. In 1 Timothy 5:6 “She that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth.” Korah, Dathan, and Abiram went down alive into Sheol (Num.16:30,33) because they cared more about feeding their lust for leadership than keeping their own rightful position in God. The falling away of the factious into their lusts have identified many of these people.  When Jeroboam was king of the northern ten apostate tribes he was afraid that his people would go to worship in the ordained temple at Jerusalem, and in so doing, stay and serve the king of Judah, representing Jesus. He decided to make the two golden calves and their altars in Bethel and Dan for the people to worship at. Jeroboam and his people were serving another Jesus. The golden calf was the Egyptian god Apis who was called the creator. In other words, they were worshiping the god they knew in the world before they ate the Lamb and came out of Egypt.   Many “Christians” are worshiping a Jesus that is acceptable to the world and the flesh. He is not the true God but an impostor. Jeroboam and his apostates were also making priests (ministers) who were not Levites in 1Ki.12:31. This tells me that in ten of the twelve tribes the ministers were not ordained of God but men. That is exactly what has happened in the Church today. Ten of the twelve spies brought an evil report and died in the wilderness because they made the congregation to speak against the Lord (Num.14:36-38).   God sent a young prophet to prophesy against the altar in Bethel. “Bethel” in Hebrew means “house of God.” Of course, at this time it was a false house of God because the true house was in Jerusalem. At that time the king was standing at the altar offering incense before the people. When the prophet prophesied against the altar, the king stretched out his arm and pointed his hand at the prophet and told his men to seize him. At that moment the king's hand dried up and he could not draw it back.   The altar rent and ashes poured out, which the prophet prophesied would happen. This obviously symbolized that God did not accept their sacrifices in this place of apostasy. The king asked the prophet to restore his hand, so the prophet prayed and the Lord healed him. As a result the king wanted to take the prophet home and reward him. (1Ki.13:8) And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thy house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place; (9) for so was it charged me by the word of the Lord….  This is perfect advice for many today. What was “this place”? It was the place where God's people were in apostasy and where their leaders were not ordained of God. It was an apostate religious system. We are forbidden to “eat bread” in such a place. Any bread that we would partake of in such a place would be a false Jesus or Word. Jesus is the “bread of life” (Joh.6:48), which is the Word (Joh.1:1). (Joh.6:51) I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever…. Jesus said to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. Leaven changes the bread (the Word) to make it more acceptable to the flesh.  Neither should we drink water in the places of apostasy. Their water represents a false spirit formed by a false word. Jesus commanded us to come unto Him and drink of the living water of the Spirit through the Scriptures. (Joh.7:37)…Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. (38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. (39) But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive…. Without this, any spirit we might exhibit is a “different spirit” as Paul said.   The prophet was obediently leaving those backslidden people so as not to be defiled by them. In this city of Bethel there was an older prophet who had evidently been defiled with their lying spirit. He heard what the young prophet did and sought him out. (1Ki.13:15) Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. (16) And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee; neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: (17) for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.   (18) And he said unto him, I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread and drink water. [But] he lied unto him. (19) So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. The young prophet falsely believed that God had changed His Word that was originally given, and so ate and drank of the apostate word. Many old false prophets today are imparting the same lying spirit. (Jud.1:3)…I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.   Today, many without Scriptural foundation tell us that, after the apostles, God changed what He had called an “eternal covenant.” This lie has robbed the Church of its power by replacing the true bread and water with their own. Daniel and his three friends would not defile themselves with Babylon's food (Dan.1:5-16). After refusing Babylon's food they were said to have ten times the wisdom and understanding of those who did eat of it (Dan.1:17-21). They also were the only ones that did not bow down to the image of the beast (Dan.3:12,18), Babylon's version of the golden calf. The young prophet was deceived into a modern gospel.   (1Ki.13:20) And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back; (21) and he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast been disobedient unto the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee, (22) but camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy body shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers.   The Lord tried the young prophet, but he was said to have “not kept the commandment” of the Lord, which was synonymous with partaking of apostate spiritual food. He lost his life in that place as many do today. The old prophet of God spoke a lie for personal gain. That place had leavened him and he was now a false “profit.”   We have to respect the Word of God so much that nothing or no one will be able to turn us away from it with “another Jesus.” We have to always be on guard, for even vessels of honor can sometimes be used as vessels of dishonor to try us. When the young prophet left, a lion met him in the way and slew him. (1Ki.13:26)…It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the mouth of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the Lord….   The lion was given permission from God to kill the one who ate the apostate spiritual food. (1Pet.5:8)…The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. “May” is used here because the devil must have permission to devour. He is ordained to devour apostates. The penalty for the young prophet's apostasy was that he would “not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers,” spiritually meaning he was not joined with his fathers in death, therefore, he would not be among the righteous in the resurrection.   The one who partakes of a false word from the false prophets will lose his life by the devil and will not be among the righteous in the resurrection. (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: (19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life …. (Gal.1:8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema (Greek: “cursed; devoted to destruction”).     False Churches Fall  Chuc Osegueda - 11/05/21 (David's notes in red)  I dreamt that I was in a building on the first floor that had the appearance of an amusement park or a Chuck E. Cheese, which is an American (type of Babylon) family entertainment center and pizza restaurant, however the place was now a church building. (The building description is that of the worldly Babylonish church, where “Christians” play church while being entertained and fed a mixture of flesh pleasing doctrines, and teachings and not the real Gospel that saves.) I was there with a group of people, some being from our local UBM body and one person's presence in particular, I believe was Leon. (The Lion)  Some of the others in the group I did not recognize.  I looked up and could see the second floor, which was a room for smaller children. I was able to see the room through a protruding balcony, and it looked like some of the balconies they use to have at McDonald's restaurants where children could play and look down to see what was going on. (Most of the Church has degenerated into a playground for children who never grow up and whose leadership are likened to a clown whose spiritual food makes sure they never do.)  I went up to the second floor (the soul, which is the mind, will and emotions, is identified as the second floor in many dreams) and entered into a room where I saw Zoé and I noticed that there were certain elements of the play place which had been left behind. (Their fantasy is that they will be raptured while the rest are “Left Behind”.)  I would describe the elements as cables where they used to have soft-play hanging foam cylinders for kids to play with. I saw the balcony that I had been looking up at from the first floor and decided to walk onto it and when I did, it began to move (It is an unstable foundation for the soul because it never grows up into the mind, will and emotions of Christ.). I went towards the very front of it to test it further and it fell down and crashed while I was still on it. (Representing a falling away or losing their position in the heavenlies as a son of God.) Thankfully I had no injury and found my way out of it. I tried to lift it back up, and as I was lifting it, there were others there helping me lift it and we were able to raise it back up again.  ( Jer 51:6-10 ASV  Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life; be not cut off in her iniquity: for it is the time of Jehovah's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense. …8  Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.  9  We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country; for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.  10  Jehovah hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of Jehovah our God.     We attempted to secure it in order to prevent it from falling again, however it was no longer suitable for mounting, as the wood was dry rotted and crumbled. (Dry rot is caused by a fungus (leaven) that digests parts of the wood which give the wood strength and stiffness. This could be the apostate church religious works of “wood, hay and stubble” now decayed and cannot support the test of “weight” of trials.) We were still trying to make it work, although I knew in my mind it did not look good.  (9  We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed; forsake her..) I left the place and saw a gas station and went over to it. (A place where you should find fuel to propel your vessel forward.) When I went in, I noticed a completely bare section on the right and there was a mother and her children crouched down picking up some items from the gas station that I suppose they were going to purchase. I went towards where people were in line to purchase their items to look for something, and I noticed that the area where they normally have the Styrofoam plates, only had scraps of food left in there, but no plates, so I left. (Meaning no food and nothing to feed the soul or even serve the food with.)  When I went outside, I saw a man driving his boat mounted on a trailer in the street. He somehow rigged the boat and trailer and made it into one unit to be able to be driven in the street. I then heard the man say, "Who said I can't drive my boat on the road?" (Boats are designed to move on water. The apostate church is traveling without the Water of the Word and creating another way.)  Winnie asked the Lord for a couple of verses by faith at random and received:   Jer 52: 17 And the pillars of brass that were in the house of Jehovah, and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Jehovah, did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon. (Their vessel was conquered by Babylon and was deemed more valuable than the water it held and was no longer capable of holding the water of the Word.) … 20 The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve brazen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon (The Prince of Peace, Jesus) had made for the house of Jehovah the brass of all these vessels was without weight… Luk 22:26 (24-27 in context) And there arose also a contention among them, which of them was accounted to be greatest. 25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles have Lordship over them; and they that have authority over them are called Benefactors. (When Jesus is the benefactor and all we are brethren) 26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. 27 For which is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am in the midst of you as he that serveth. (In Babylon the leaders are not servants but Lords.) I also asked the Lord for a couple of texts by faith at random and received:  (The Babylonian siege and desolation of Jerusalem, the apostate leadership of God's people, which in a parable is coming in our day.) Eze 5:3 (1-6 in context) And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp sword; as a barber's razor shalt thou take it unto thee, and shalt cause it to pass upon thy head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair. 2 A third part shalt thou burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and thou shalt take a third part, and smite with the sword round about it; and a third part thou shalt scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.   3 And thou shalt take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts. 4 And of these again shalt thou take, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; therefrom shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel. 5 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are round about her.   6 And she hath rebelled against mine ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries that are round about her; for they have rejected mine ordinances, and as for my statutes, they have not walked in them.  (The apostate leadership in Jesus' day foreshadows our day.) Mat 3:7-8 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:      Come Out Of Her  Ben Slojewski 11/20/22 (David's notes in red)  Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:  Many of us came out of Grandma's old church house and considered it pretty dead due to not being very scriptural. Ben and Grandma are acting the part here for this play. I was back in Baba's (Grandma's) old house and she was getting evicted meaning we all had to gather our stuff and leave. I was sitting in the top floor room thinking about old memories of the house when all of a sudden, the police abruptly opened the door and said, "You're getting evicted you have 5 minutes to gather your things or it all stays here".   Nothing in the house really belonged to me but I could only think of two things to pick up. There was a really nice wardrobe that was really well taken care of that was tall and had a nice heritage look to it. She also had a small tube T.V that was full of dust that I didn't think was very valuable but thought maybe I could get a few bucks for it. I decided to leave them where they were and think about it because I didn't have anything to lift the wardrobe with. (The thing I wanted).   I decided to go pick up my sister Megan so that she could be there on the final day. As I was driving back to the house, I told her I was thinking about picking up the wardrobe and she very rudely said, "It's garbage don't bother!!!” When we arrived back, I had to dismantle this cheap aluminum coat rack in the hallway in order to get it out of the house. The rack fell into pieces the moment I touched it.   I looked in the next room over and there was a Hindu lady sitting on a dining chair. She was going to be the new owner of the house when my Baba left. The Hindu lady noticed that the rack had broken and was very argumentative and angry about all of us still being here. I decided to ignore her because she was being very mean to all of my family packing. She wanted us out faster.   As I was ignoring her, I noticed that my Baba was being escorted out by 2 police officers and all I was thinking was "Baba is an old lady; why do they feel the need to escort her out like a criminal." She was using a walker getting out of the house and wouldn't look at me straight in the eye as we were leaving.   We went outside and the whole family was there. Uncles, Aunts, and all my cousins. They were all on some sort of huge flatbed truck and were sitting on a bench that was in the middle of it. They were very excited to see Baba but I was very sad and worried about what would happen to my Baba. As she was struggling to come down the stairs my dad threw the walker aside and said, "I'll take care of this" and he guided her to the passenger seat and I felt a lot better. She waved goodbye to all the neighbors' kids.  The dream ends with the truck starting and all of the neighborhood kids running into a forest that was beside the house. (I believe grandma's house represents the old apostate Churches. Their worthless furnishings represent that there was little of Kingdom value there and it was pretty much a social club. The Law wanting everyone out of it so quickly represents that the Law of God is about to judge all who do not come out from among them and return to scripture. The Beast is going to treat those who do not come out very roughly. The kids represent the immature members of the apostate body. Their flee into the wilderness represents them fleeing from the judgment of God's Law.)    Come out of Her (2)  Ben Slojewski 12/4/22 (David's notes in red)  My dream starts in the living room of my grandmother's old house (another grandmother). We had to build her a new T.V stand to replace the old one. I was thinking how ridiculously big this new T.V stand was and wondered why she would need one so big. (An addiction to the worldly view.) There was a bit of a rush to get it done so we were all helping her build it for a big reason because she needed the space. My stepfather told me that she needs somewhere to put all of the cookies she has. To my surprise she had mountains of boxes of cookies in the hallway. It was quite disgusting how many there were and I said to myself, “There is no way she needs or is going to eat all these cookies.” As I was looking at all the cookies, I noticed that they were all maple cookies that were in the shape of a maple leaf. (The symbol of Canada where Ben lives. The Canadian flag is called the Maple Leaf Flag.)  Then the dream ended.  What caught my attention was the maple leaf. I think something might happen in Canada regarding quantities of food not being accounted for and hidden from the public. (Spiritually the old Church has hidden the true food of God's Word from the people. I believe grandma's house again represents the old apostate Churches. The large TV stand represents a desire to only see and hear the worldly rather than the spiritual. The mountain of cookies represents an appetite for the sweet doctrines which please the flesh rather than those which crucify the flesh and are spiritually healthy.)     According To His Will  Samuel Fire 3/15/23 (David's notes in red)  I saw how the lost only know evil, they have yet to be given the measure of grace from our Father. As God ordained and set before the foundation of the world those who are to be vessels of honor and dishonor, and so they do not know what they do. NENT Luk 23:34 And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast a lot.  (Rom 8:29-30 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.   Rom 9:13-15 Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.)  I saw a half-eaten apple. Just as only part of the fruit was eaten, and not finishing it, the core was discarded. The part which they ate was only that of evil and not the good. The inner part (the core) was not palatable and didn't please the flesh, and it was thrown out, not knowing that the inner part of the fruit and the seed are extremely healthy. (The seed is the Word.)  (Eating the “inner part” reminds me of eating the “inward parts” (the heart) of the Passover Lamb in Exodus 12. Exo 12:8-11 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it. (The word is bitter to the belly of flesh) 9 Eat not of it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roast with fire; its head with its legs and with the inwards thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is Jehovah's Passover.)  Surprisingly, only with the blessing from the Father can anyone have knowledge and wisdom of eating anything, especially the spiritual. In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. As only part of the measure from Father God has been poured out on the vessels of dishonor, they can only have that part until further receiving understanding and perception of His Word and Truth. (The Knowledge of good and evil brings condemnation to the natural man as Adam and Eve were. Before that they were naked but innocent for they had no knowledge to condemn them. Jas 4:17 ASV  To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. Rom 5:13  for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Rom 4:15  for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. The spiritual man is commanded to receive the knowledge of good and evil because he has the capacity to be obedient and grow with this knowledge into the image of Christ. Therefore he must lead our life and not the flesh. The New Testament is the knowledge of good and evil and it was given to the born again man and woman of God.) NENT Mat 13:14-17 And to them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and in no wise perceive: 15 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, and should turn again, And I shall heal them. 16 But blessed YOUR eyes, for they see; and YOUR ears, for they hear. 17 For Amen I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what things ye see, and saw not; and to hear what things ye hear, and heard not.  The same is for hearing the voice of the Lord Jesus and the Way of the Master to follow Him. NENT Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 

Proper 29 First Psalm: Psalm 106:1–18 Psalm 106:1–18 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,15   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. Footnotes [1] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 106:19–48 Psalm 106:19–48 (Listen) 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God1    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 24   Then they despised the pleasant land,    having no faith in his promise.25   They murmured in their tents,    and did not obey the voice of the LORD.26   Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,27   and would make their offspring fall among the nations,    scattering them among the lands. 28   Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;29   they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,    and a plague broke out among them.30   Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,    and the plague was stayed.31   And that was counted to him as righteousness    from generation to generation forever. 32   They angered him at the waters of Meribah,    and it went ill with Moses on their account,33   for they made his spirit bitter,2    and he spoke rashly with his lips. 34   They did not destroy the peoples,    as the LORD commanded them,35   but they mixed with the nations    and learned to do as they did.36   They served their idols,    which became a snare to them.37   They sacrificed their sons    and their daughters to the demons;38   they poured out innocent blood,    the blood of their sons and daughters,  whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,    and the land was polluted with blood.39   Thus they became unclean by their acts,    and played the whore in their deeds. 40   Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,    and he abhorred his heritage;41   he gave them into the hand of the nations,    so that those who hated them ruled over them.42   Their enemies oppressed them,    and they were brought into subjection under their power.43   Many times he delivered them,    but they were rebellious in their purposes    and were brought low through their iniquity. 44   Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,    when he heard their cry.45   For their sake he remembered his covenant,    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.46   He caused them to be pitied    by all those who held them captive. 47   Save us, O LORD our God,    and gather us from among the nations,  that we may give thanks to your holy name    and glory in your praise. 48   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,    from everlasting to everlasting!  And let all the people say, “Amen!”    Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory [2] 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit (ESV) Old Testament: Joel 3:1–2; Joel 3:9–17 Joel 3:1–2 (Listen) The Lord Judges the Nations 3 “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, (ESV) Joel 3:9–17 (Listen) 9   Proclaim this among the nations:  Consecrate for war;1    stir up the mighty men.  Let all the men of war draw near;    let them come up.10   Beat your plowshares into swords,    and your pruning hooks into spears;    let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” 11   Hasten and come,    all you surrounding nations,    and gather yourselves there.  Bring down your warriors, O LORD.12   Let the nations stir themselves up    and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;  for there I will sit to judge    all the surrounding nations. 13   Put in the sickle,    for the harvest is ripe.  Go in, tread,    for the winepress is full.  The vats overflow,    for their evil is great. 14   Multitudes, multitudes,    in the valley of decision!  For the day of the LORD is near    in the valley of decision.15   The sun and the moon are darkened,    and the stars withdraw their shining. 16   The LORD roars from Zion,    and utters his voice from Jerusalem,    and the heavens and the earth quake.  But the LORD is a refuge to his people,    a stronghold to the people of Israel. The Glorious Future of Judah 17   “So you shall know that I am the LORD your God,    who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.  And Jerusalem shall be holy,    and strangers shall never again pass through it. Footnotes [1] 3:9 Or Consecrate a war (ESV) New Testament: 1 Peter 1:1–12 1 Peter 1:1–12 (Listen) Greeting 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Born Again to a Living Hope 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time1 the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. Footnotes [1] 1:11 Or what time or circumstances (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 19:1–12 Matthew 19:1–12 (Listen) Teaching About Divorce 19 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”1 10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.” Footnotes [1] 19:9 Some manuscripts add and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery; other manuscripts except for sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery (ESV)

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 106Part IConfitemini Domino1Hallelujah!Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, *for his mercy endures for ever.2Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord *or show forth all his praise?3Happy are those who act with justice *and always do what is right!4Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you have for your people, *and visit me with your saving help;5That I may see the prosperity of your electand be glad with the gladness of your people, *that I may glory with your inheritance.6We have sinned as our forebears did; *we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.7In Egypt they did not consider your marvelous works,nor remember the abundance of your love; *they defied the Most High at the Red Sea.8But he saved them for his Name's sake, *to make his power known.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up, *and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10He saved them from the hand of those who hated them *and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.11The waters covered their oppressors; *not one of them was left.12Then they believed his words *and sang him songs of praise.13But they soon forgot his deeds *and did not wait for his counsel.14A craving seized them in the wilderness, *and they put God to the test in the desert.15He gave them what they asked, *but sent leanness into their soul.16They envied Moses in the camp, *and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.17The earth opened and swallowed Dathan *and covered the company of Abiram.18Fire blazed up against their company, *and flames devoured the wicked. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsJoel 3:1-2English Standard Version“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land,Joel 3:9-17English Standard VersionProclaim this among the nations:Consecrate for war;    stir up the mighty men.Let all the men of war draw near;    let them come up.Beat your plowshares into swords,    and your pruning hooks into spears;    let the weak say, “I am a warrior.”Hasten and come,    all you surrounding nations,    and gather yourselves there.Bring down your warriors, O Lord.Let the nations stir themselves up    and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;for there I will sit to judge    all the surrounding nations.Put in the sickle,    for the harvest is ripe.Go in, tread,    for the winepress is full.The vats overflow,    for their evil is great.Multitudes, multitudes,    in the valley of decision!For the day of the Lord is near    in the valley of decision.The sun and the moon are darkened,    and the stars withdraw their shining.The Lord roars from Zion,    and utters his voice from Jerusalem,    and the heavens and the earth quake.But the Lord is a refuge to his people,    a stronghold to the people of Israel.“So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,    who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.And Jerusalem shall be holy,    and strangers shall never again pass through it.1 Peter 1:1-12English Standard VersionPeter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:May grace and peace be multiplied to you.Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.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. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 29Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 106 Psalm 106 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,15   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God2    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 24   Then they despised the pleasant land,    having no faith in his promise.25   They murmured in their tents,    and did not obey the voice of the LORD.26   Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,27   and would make their offspring fall among the nations,    scattering them among the lands. 28   Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;29   they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,    and a plague broke out among them.30   Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,    and the plague was stayed.31   And that was counted to him as righteousness    from generation to generation forever. 32   They angered him at the waters of Meribah,    and it went ill with Moses on their account,33   for they made his spirit bitter,3    and he spoke rashly with his lips. 34   They did not destroy the peoples,    as the LORD commanded them,35   but they mixed with the nations    and learned to do as they did.36   They served their idols,    which became a snare to them.37   They sacrificed their sons    and their daughters to the demons;38   they poured out innocent blood,    the blood of their sons and daughters,  whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,    and the land was polluted with blood.39   Thus they became unclean by their acts,    and played the whore in their deeds. 40   Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,    and he abhorred his heritage;41   he gave them into the hand of the nations,    so that those who hated them ruled over them.42   Their enemies oppressed them,    and they were brought into subjection under their power.43   Many times he delivered them,    but they were rebellious in their purposes    and were brought low through their iniquity. 44   Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,    when he heard their cry.45   For their sake he remembered his covenant,    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.46   He caused them to be pitied    by all those who held them captive. 47   Save us, O LORD our God,    and gather us from among the nations,  that we may give thanks to your holy name    and glory in your praise. 48   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,    from everlasting to everlasting!  And let all the people say, “Amen!”    Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation [2] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory [3] 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit (ESV) Pentateuch and History: 2 Kings 14:23–15:38 2 Kings 14:23–15:38 (Listen) Jeroboam II Reigns in Israel 23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, began to reign in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. 24 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. 25 He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher. 26 For the LORD saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter, for there was none left, bond or free, and there was none to help Israel. 27 But the LORD had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. 28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he restored Damascus and Hamath to Judah in Israel, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 29 And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, the kings of Israel, and Zechariah his son reigned in his place. Azariah Reigns in Judah 15 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 3 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 4 Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. 5 And the LORD touched the king, so that he was a leper1 to the day of his death, and he lived in a separate house.2 And Jotham the king's son was over the household, governing the people of the land. 6 Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 7 And Azariah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Jotham his son reigned in his place. Zechariah Reigns in Israel 8 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. 9 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. 10 Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down at Ibleam and put him to death and reigned in his place. 11 Now the rest of the deeds of Zechariah, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 12 (This was the promise of the LORD that he gave to Jehu, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it came to pass.) Shallum Reigns in Israel 13 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah3 king of Judah, and he reigned one month in Samaria. 14 Then Menahem the son of Gadi came up from Tirzah and came to Samaria, and he struck down Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and put him to death and reigned in his place. 15 Now the rest of the deeds of Shallum, and the conspiracy that he made, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 16 At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on, because they did not open it to him. Therefore he sacked it, and he ripped open all the women in it who were pregnant. Menahem Reigns in Israel 17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel, and he reigned ten years in Samaria. 18 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart all his days from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. 19 Pul4 the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents5 of silver, that he might help him to confirm his hold on the royal power. 20 Menahem exacted the money from Israel, that is, from all the wealthy men, fifty shekels6 of silver from every man, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land. 21 Now the rest of the deeds of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 22 And Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son reigned in his place. Pekahiah Reigns in Israel 23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. 24 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. 25 And Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him with fifty men of the people of Gilead, and struck him down in Samaria, in the citadel of the king's house with Argob and Arieh; he put him to death and reigned in his place. 26 Now the rest of the deeds of Pekahiah and all that he did, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. Pekah Reigns in Israel 27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. 28 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. 29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and he carried the people captive to Assyria. 30 Then Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah and struck him down and put him to death and reigned in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. 31 Now the rest of the acts of Pekah and all that he did, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. Jotham Reigns in Judah 32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 33 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 34 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done. 35 Nevertheless, the high places were not removed. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD. 36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 37 In those days the LORD began to send Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah. 38 Jotham slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Ahaz his son reigned in his place. Footnotes [1] 15:5 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13 [2] 15:5 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [3] 15:13 Another name for Azariah [4] 15:19 Another name for Tiglath-pileser III (compare verse 29) [5] 15:19 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms [6] 15:20 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 2 Isaiah 2 (Listen) The Mountain of the Lord 2 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2   It shall come to pass in the latter days    that the mountain of the house of the LORD  shall be established as the highest of the mountains,    and shall be lifted up above the hills;  and all the nations shall flow to it,3     and many peoples shall come, and say:  “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,    to the house of the God of Jacob,  that he may teach us his ways    and that we may walk in his paths.”  For out of Zion shall go forth the law,1    and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.4   He shall judge between the nations,    and shall decide disputes for many peoples;  and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,    and their spears into pruning hooks;  nation shall not lift up sword against nation,    neither shall they learn war anymore. 5   O house of Jacob,    come, let us walk    in the light of the LORD. The Day of the Lord 6   For you have rejected your people,    the house of Jacob,  because they are full of things from the east    and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines,    and they strike hands with the children of foreigners.7   Their land is filled with silver and gold,    and there is no end to their treasures;  their land is filled with horses,    and there is no end to their chariots.8   Their land is filled with idols;    they bow down to the work of their hands,    to what their own fingers have made.9   So man is humbled,    and each one is brought low—    do not forgive them!10   Enter into the rock    and hide in the dust  from before the terror of the LORD,    and from the splendor of his majesty.11   The haughty looks of man shall be brought low,    and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled,  and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. 12   For the LORD of hosts has a day    against all that is proud and lofty,    against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;13   against all the cedars of Lebanon,    lofty and lifted up;    and against all the oaks of Bashan;14   against all the lofty mountains,    and against all the uplifted hills;15   against every high tower,    and against every fortified wall;16   against all the ships of Tarshish,    and against all the beautiful craft.17   And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled,    and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low,    and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.18   And the idols shall utterly pass away.19   And people shall enter the caves of the rocks    and the holes of the ground,2  from before the terror of the LORD,    and from the splendor of his majesty,    when he rises to terrify the earth. 20   In that day mankind will cast away    their idols of silver and their idols of gold,  which they made for themselves to worship,    to the moles and to the

Old Testament: Jeremiah 8–9 Jeremiah 8–9 (Listen) 8 “At that time, declares the LORD, the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be brought out of their tombs. 2 And they shall be spread before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and served, which they have gone after, and which they have sought and worshiped. And they shall not be gathered or buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. 3 Death shall be preferred to life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family in all the places where I have driven them, declares the LORD of hosts. Sin and Treachery 4   “You shall say to them, Thus says the LORD:  When men fall, do they not rise again?    If one turns away, does he not return?5   Why then has this people turned away    in perpetual backsliding?  They hold fast to deceit;    they refuse to return.6   I have paid attention and listened,    but they have not spoken rightly;  no man relents of his evil,    saying, ‘What have I done?'  Everyone turns to his own course,    like a horse plunging headlong into battle.7   Even the stork in the heavens    knows her times,  and the turtledove, swallow, and crane1    keep the time of their coming,  but my people know not    the rules2 of the LORD. 8   “How can you say, ‘We are wise,    and the law of the LORD is with us'?  But behold, the lying pen of the scribes    has made it into a lie.9   The wise men shall be put to shame;    they shall be dismayed and taken;  behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD,    so what wisdom is in them?10   Therefore I will give their wives to others    and their fields to conquerors,  because from the least to the greatest    everyone is greedy for unjust gain;  from prophet to priest,    everyone deals falsely.11   They have healed the wound of my people lightly,    saying, ‘Peace, peace,'    when there is no peace.12   Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?    No, they were not at all ashamed;    they did not know how to blush.  Therefore they shall fall among the fallen;    when I punish them, they shall be overthrown,      says the LORD.13   When I would gather them, declares the LORD,    there are no grapes on the vine,    nor figs on the fig tree;  even the leaves are withered,    and what I gave them has passed away from them.”3 14   Why do we sit still?  Gather together; let us go into the fortified cities    and perish there,  for the LORD our God has doomed us to perish    and has given us poisoned water to drink,    because we have sinned against the LORD.15   We looked for peace, but no good came;    for a time of healing, but behold, terror. 16   “The snorting of their horses is heard from Dan;    at the sound of the neighing of their stallions    the whole land quakes.  They come and devour the land and all that fills it,    the city and those who dwell in it.17   For behold, I am sending among you serpents,    adders that cannot be charmed,    and they shall bite you,”      declares the LORD. Jeremiah Grieves for His People 18   My joy is gone; grief is upon me;4    my heart is sick within me.19   Behold, the cry of the daughter of my people    from the length and breadth of the land:  “Is the LORD not in Zion?    Is her King not in her?”  “Why have they provoked me to anger with their carved images    and with their foreign idols?”20   “The harvest is past, the summer is ended,    and we are not saved.”21   For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart wounded;    I mourn, and dismay has taken hold on me. 22   Is there no balm in Gilead?    Is there no physician there?  Why then has the health of the daughter of my people    not been restored?9   5 Oh that my head were waters,    and my eyes a fountain of tears,  that I might weep day and night    for the slain of the daughter of my people!2   6 Oh that I had in the desert    a travelers' lodging place,  that I might leave my people    and go away from them!  For they are all adulterers,    a company of treacherous men.3   They bend their tongue like a bow;    falsehood and not truth has grown strong7 in the land;  for they proceed from evil to evil,    and they do not know me, declares the LORD. 4   Let everyone beware of his neighbor,    and put no trust in any brother,  for every brother is a deceiver,    and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.5   Everyone deceives his neighbor,    and no one speaks the truth;  they have taught their tongue to speak lies;    they weary themselves committing iniquity.6   Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,    they refuse to know me, declares the LORD. 7   Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts:  “Behold, I will refine them and test them,    for what else can I do, because of my people?8   Their tongue is a deadly arrow;    it speaks deceitfully;  with his mouth each speaks peace to his neighbor,    but in his heart he plans an ambush for him.9   Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD,    and shall I not avenge myself    on a nation such as this? 10   “I will take up weeping and wailing for the mountains,    and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness,  because they are laid waste so that no one passes through,    and the lowing of cattle is not heard;  both the birds of the air and the beasts    have fled and are gone.11   I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,    a lair of jackals,  and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation,    without inhabitant.” 12 Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through? 13 And the LORD says: “Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accord with it, 14 but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them. 15 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink. 16 I will scatter them among the nations whom neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.” 17   Thus says the LORD of hosts:  “Consider, and call for the mourning women to come;    send for the skillful women to come;18   let them make haste and raise a wailing over us,    that our eyes may run down with tears    and our eyelids flow with water.19   For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion:    ‘How we are ruined!    We are utterly shamed,  because we have left the land,    because they have cast down our dwellings.'” 20   Hear, O women, the word of the LORD,    and let your ear receive the word of his mouth;  teach to your daughters a lament,    and each to her neighbor a dirge.21   For death has come up into our windows;    it has entered our palaces,  cutting off the children from the streets    and the young men from the squares.22   Speak: “Thus declares the LORD,  ‘The dead bodies of men shall fall    like dung upon the open field,  like sheaves after the reaper,    and none shall gather them.'” 23 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” 25 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh—26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.” Footnotes [1] 8:7 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [2] 8:7 Or just decrees [3] 8:13 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 8:18 Compare Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [5] 9:1 Ch 8:23 in Hebrew [6] 9:2 Ch 9:1 in Hebrew [7] 9:3 Septuagint; Hebrew and not for truth they have grown strong (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 106:1–23 Psalm 106:1–23 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,15   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God2    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. Footnotes [1] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation [2] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory (ESV) New Testament: Romans 5–6 Romans 5–6 (Listen) Peace with God Through Faith 5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we1 have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith2 into this grace in which we stand, and we3 rejoice4 in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Death in Adam, Life in Christ 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men5 because all sinned—13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass6 led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness7 leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21&nb

Old Testament: Jeremiah 8–9 Jeremiah 8–9 (Listen) 8 “At that time, declares the LORD, the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be brought out of their tombs. 2 And they shall be spread before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and served, which they have gone after, and which they have sought and worshiped. And they shall not be gathered or buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. 3 Death shall be preferred to life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family in all the places where I have driven them, declares the LORD of hosts. Sin and Treachery 4   “You shall say to them, Thus says the LORD:  When men fall, do they not rise again?    If one turns away, does he not return?5   Why then has this people turned away    in perpetual backsliding?  They hold fast to deceit;    they refuse to return.6   I have paid attention and listened,    but they have not spoken rightly;  no man relents of his evil,    saying, ‘What have I done?'  Everyone turns to his own course,    like a horse plunging headlong into battle.7   Even the stork in the heavens    knows her times,  and the turtledove, swallow, and crane1    keep the time of their coming,  but my people know not    the rules2 of the LORD. 8   “How can you say, ‘We are wise,    and the law of the LORD is with us'?  But behold, the lying pen of the scribes    has made it into a lie.9   The wise men shall be put to shame;    they shall be dismayed and taken;  behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD,    so what wisdom is in them?10   Therefore I will give their wives to others    and their fields to conquerors,  because from the least to the greatest    everyone is greedy for unjust gain;  from prophet to priest,    everyone deals falsely.11   They have healed the wound of my people lightly,    saying, ‘Peace, peace,'    when there is no peace.12   Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?    No, they were not at all ashamed;    they did not know how to blush.  Therefore they shall fall among the fallen;    when I punish them, they shall be overthrown,      says the LORD.13   When I would gather them, declares the LORD,    there are no grapes on the vine,    nor figs on the fig tree;  even the leaves are withered,    and what I gave them has passed away from them.”3 14   Why do we sit still?  Gather together; let us go into the fortified cities    and perish there,  for the LORD our God has doomed us to perish    and has given us poisoned water to drink,    because we have sinned against the LORD.15   We looked for peace, but no good came;    for a time of healing, but behold, terror. 16   “The snorting of their horses is heard from Dan;    at the sound of the neighing of their stallions    the whole land quakes.  They come and devour the land and all that fills it,    the city and those who dwell in it.17   For behold, I am sending among you serpents,    adders that cannot be charmed,    and they shall bite you,”      declares the LORD. Jeremiah Grieves for His People 18   My joy is gone; grief is upon me;4    my heart is sick within me.19   Behold, the cry of the daughter of my people    from the length and breadth of the land:  “Is the LORD not in Zion?    Is her King not in her?”  “Why have they provoked me to anger with their carved images    and with their foreign idols?”20   “The harvest is past, the summer is ended,    and we are not saved.”21   For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart wounded;    I mourn, and dismay has taken hold on me. 22   Is there no balm in Gilead?    Is there no physician there?  Why then has the health of the daughter of my people    not been restored?9   5 Oh that my head were waters,    and my eyes a fountain of tears,  that I might weep day and night    for the slain of the daughter of my people!2   6 Oh that I had in the desert    a travelers' lodging place,  that I might leave my people    and go away from them!  For they are all adulterers,    a company of treacherous men.3   They bend their tongue like a bow;    falsehood and not truth has grown strong7 in the land;  for they proceed from evil to evil,    and they do not know me, declares the LORD. 4   Let everyone beware of his neighbor,    and put no trust in any brother,  for every brother is a deceiver,    and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.5   Everyone deceives his neighbor,    and no one speaks the truth;  they have taught their tongue to speak lies;    they weary themselves committing iniquity.6   Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,    they refuse to know me, declares the LORD. 7   Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts:  “Behold, I will refine them and test them,    for what else can I do, because of my people?8   Their tongue is a deadly arrow;    it speaks deceitfully;  with his mouth each speaks peace to his neighbor,    but in his heart he plans an ambush for him.9   Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD,    and shall I not avenge myself    on a nation such as this? 10   “I will take up weeping and wailing for the mountains,    and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness,  because they are laid waste so that no one passes through,    and the lowing of cattle is not heard;  both the birds of the air and the beasts    have fled and are gone.11   I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,    a lair of jackals,  and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation,    without inhabitant.” 12 Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through? 13 And the LORD says: “Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accord with it, 14 but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them. 15 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink. 16 I will scatter them among the nations whom neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.” 17   Thus says the LORD of hosts:  “Consider, and call for the mourning women to come;    send for the skillful women to come;18   let them make haste and raise a wailing over us,    that our eyes may run down with tears    and our eyelids flow with water.19   For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion:    ‘How we are ruined!    We are utterly shamed,  because we have left the land,    because they have cast down our dwellings.'” 20   Hear, O women, the word of the LORD,    and let your ear receive the word of his mouth;  teach to your daughters a lament,    and each to her neighbor a dirge.21   For death has come up into our windows;    it has entered our palaces,  cutting off the children from the streets    and the young men from the squares.22   Speak: “Thus declares the LORD,  ‘The dead bodies of men shall fall    like dung upon the open field,  like sheaves after the reaper,    and none shall gather them.'” 23 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” 25 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh—26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.” Footnotes [1] 8:7 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [2] 8:7 Or just decrees [3] 8:13 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 8:18 Compare Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [5] 9:1 Ch 8:23 in Hebrew [6] 9:2 Ch 9:1 in Hebrew [7] 9:3 Septuagint; Hebrew and not for truth they have grown strong (ESV) New Testament: 2 Peter 1:1–11 2 Peter 1:1–11 (Listen) Greeting 1 Simeon1 Peter, a servant2 and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Confirm Your Calling and Election 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to3 his own glory and excellence,4 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,5 and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities6 are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers,7 be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Footnotes [1] 1:1 Some manuscripts Simon [2] 1:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface [3] 1:3 Or by [4] 1:3 Or virtue [5] 1:5 Or excellence; twice in this verse [6] 1:8 Greek these things; also verses 9, 10, 12 [7] 1:10 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 106:1–23 Psalm 106:1–23 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,15   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God2    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. Footnotes [1] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 83 Psalm 83 (Listen) O God, Do Not Keep Silence A Song. A Psalm of Asaph. 83   O God, do not keep silence;    do not hold your peace or be still, O God!2   For behold, your enemies make an uproar;    those who hate you have raised their heads.3   They lay crafty plans against your people;    they consult together against your treasured ones.4   They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;    let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”5   For they conspire with one accord;    against you they make a covenant—6   the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,    Moab and the Hagrites,7   Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,    Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;8   Asshur also has joined them;    they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah 9   Do to them as you did to Midian,    as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,10   who were destroyed at En-dor,    who became dung for the ground.11   Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,12   who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves    of the pastures of God.” 13   O my God, make them like whirling dust,1    like chaff before the wind.14   As fire consumes the forest,    as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,15   so may you pursue them with your tempest    and terrify them with your hurricane!16   Fill their faces with shame,    that they may seek your name, O LORD.17   Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;    let them perish in disgrace,18   that they may know that you alone,    whose name is the LORD,    are the Most High over all the earth. Footnotes [1] 83:13 Or like a tumbleweed (ESV) Pentateuch and History: 1 Kings 15:25–16:34 1 Kings 15:25–16:34 (Listen) Nadab Reigns in Israel 25 Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. 27 Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. 28 So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29 And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 It was for the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned and that he made Israel to sin, and because of the anger to which he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel. 31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. Baasha Reigns in Israel 33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. 16 And the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 2 “Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins, 3 behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4 Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.” 5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 6 And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried at Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place. 7 Moreover, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it. Elah Reigns in Israel 8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. 9 But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place. 11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends. 12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Zimri Reigns in Israel 15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died, 19 because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Omri Reigns in Israel 21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents1 of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. 25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place. Ahab Reigns in Israel 29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun. Footnotes [1] 16:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Ezekiel 46 Ezekiel 46 (Listen) The Prince and the Feasts 46 “Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 2 The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening. 3 The people of the land shall bow down at the entrance of that gate before the LORD on the Sabbaths and on the new moons. 4 The burnt offering that the prince offers to the LORD on the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish. 5 And the grain offering with the ram shall be an ephah,1 and the grain offering with the lambs shall be as much as he is able, together with a hin2 of oil to each ephah. 6 On the day of the new moon he shall offer a bull from the herd without blemish, and six lambs and a ram, which shall be without blemish. 7 As a grain offering he shall provide an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he is able, together with a hin of oil to each ephah. 8 When the prince enters, he shall enter by the vestibule of the gate, and he shall go out by the same way. 9 “When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead. 10 When they enter, the prince shall enter with them, and when they go out, he shall go out. 11 “At the feasts and the appointed festivals, the grain offering with a young bull shall be an ephah, and with a ram an ephah, and with the lambs as much as one is able to give, together with a hin of oil to an ephah. 12 When the prince provides a freewill offering, either a burnt offering or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the LORD, the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall offer his burnt offering or his peace offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out the gate shall be shut. 13 “You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. 14 And you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, one sixth of an ephah, and one third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour, as a grain offering to the LORD. This is a perpetual statute. 15 Thus the lamb and the meal offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, for a regular burnt offering. 16 “Thus says the Lord GOD: If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons as his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons. It is their property by inheritance. 17 But if he makes a gift out of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty. Then it shall revert to the prince; surely it is his inheritance—it shall belong to his sons. 18 The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their property. He shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people shall be scattered from his property.” Boiling Places for Offerings 19 Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, to the north row of the holy chambers for the priests, and behold, a place was there at the extreme western end of them. 20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so transmit holiness to the people.” 21 Then he brought me out to the outer court and led me around to the four corners of the court. And behold, in each corner of the court there was another court—22 in the four corners of the court were small3 courts, forty cubits4 long and thirty broad; the four were of the same size. 23 On the inside, around each of the four courts was a row of masonry, with hearths made at the bottom of the rows all around. 24 Then he said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.” Footnotes [1] 46:5 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters [2] 46:5 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters [3] 46:22 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [4] 46:22 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Romans 15:1–13 Romans 15:1–13 (Listen) The Example of Christ 15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For 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. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles 8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,   “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,    and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said,   “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again,   “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,    and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says,   “The root of Jesse will come,    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;  in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (ESV)

With family: 1 Kings 20; 1 Thessalonians 3 1 Kings 20 (Listen) Ahab's Wars with Syria 20 Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it. 2 And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad: 3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.'” 4 And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.” 5 The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.” 6 Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.'” 7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble, for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.” 8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” 9 So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you first demanded of your servant I will do, but this thing I cannot do.'” And the messengers departed and brought him word again. 10 Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “The gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.” 11 And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.'” 12 When Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, “Take your positions.” And they took their positions against the city. Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad 13 And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” 14 And Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Thus says the LORD, By the servants of the governors of the districts.” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.” 15 Then he mustered the servants of the governors of the districts, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand. 16 And they went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him. 17 The servants of the governors of the districts went out first. And Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, “Men are coming out from Samaria.” 18 He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive.” 19 So these went out of the city, the servants of the governors of the districts and the army that followed them. 20 And each struck down his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen. 21 And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow. 22 Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you.” 23 And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. 24 And do this: remove the kings, each from his post, and put commanders in their places, 25 and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so. Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad Again 26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27 And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went against them. The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country. 28 And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'” 29 And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30 And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left. Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city. 31 And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.” 32 So they tied sackcloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please, let me live.'” And he said, “Does he still live? He is my brother.” 33 Now the men were watching for a sign, and they quickly took it up from him and said, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go and bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he caused him to come up into the chariot. 34 And Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” And Ahab said, “I will let you go on these terms.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go. A Prophet Condemns Ben-hadad's Release 35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the LORD, “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him. 36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down.” And as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and struck him down. 37 Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him. 38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent1 of silver.' 40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.” 41 Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42 And he said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction,2 therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.'” 43 And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria. Footnotes [1] 20:39 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms [2] 20:42 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction) (ESV) 1 Thessalonians 3 (Listen) 3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker1 in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. Timothy's Encouraging Report 6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you—7 for this reason, brothers,2 in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? 11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. Footnotes [1] 3:2 Some manuscripts servant [2] 3:7 Or brothers and sisters (ESV) In private: Psalm 106; Daniel 2 Psalm 106 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,15   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God2    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 24   Then they despised the pleasant land,    having no faith in his promise.25   They murmured in their tents,    and did not obey the voice of the LORD.26   Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,27   and would make their offspring fall among the nations,    scattering them among the lands. 28   Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;29   they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,    and a plague broke out among them.30   Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,    and the plague was stayed.31   And that was counted to him as righteousness    from generation to generation forever. 32   They angered him at the waters of Meribah,    and it went ill with Moses on their account,33   for they made his spirit bitter,3    and he spoke rashly with his lips. 34   They did not destroy the peoples,    as the LORD commanded them,35   but they mixed with the nations    and learned to do as they did.36   They served their idols,    which became a snare to them.37   They sacrificed their sons    and their daughters to the demons;38   they poured out innocent blood,    the blood of their sons and daughters,  whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,    and the land was polluted with blood.39   Thus they became unclean by their acts,    and played the whore in their deeds. 40   Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,    and he abhorred his heritage;41   he gave them into the hand of the nations,    so that those who hated them ruled over them.42   Their enemies oppressed them,    and they were brought into subjection under their power.43   Many times he delivered them,    but they were rebellious in their purposes    and were brought low through their iniquity. 44   Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,    when he heard their cry.45   For their sake he remembered his covenant,    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.46   He caused them to be pitied    by all those who held them captive. 47   Save us, O LORD our God,    and gather us from among the nations,  that we may give thanks to your holy name    and glory in your praise. 48   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,    from everlasting to everlasting!  And let all the people say, “Amen!”    Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation [2] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory [3] 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit (ESV) Daniel 2 (Listen) Nebuchadnezzar's Dream 2 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,1 “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm—9 if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” 12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared2 to Arioch, the king's captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream 17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said:   “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,    to whom belong wisdom and might.21   He changes times and seasons;    he removes kings and sets up kings;  he gives wisdom to the wise    and knowledge to those who have understanding;22   he reveals deep and hidden things;    he knows what is in the darkness,    and the light dwells with him.23   To you, O God of my fathers,    I give thanks and praise,  for you have given me wisdom and might,    and have now made known to me what we asked of you,    for you have made known to us the king's matter.” 24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.” 25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” 26 The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: 29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind. Daniel Interprets the Dream 31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. 36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 

With family: 1 Kings 16; Colossians 3 1 Kings 16 (Listen) 16 And the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 2 “Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins, 3 behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4 Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.” 5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 6 And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried at Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place. 7 Moreover, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it. Elah Reigns in Israel 8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. 9 But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place. 11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends. 12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Zimri Reigns in Israel 15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died, 19 because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Omri Reigns in Israel 21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents1 of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. 25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place. Ahab Reigns in Israel 29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun. Footnotes [1] 16:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms (ESV) Colossians 3 (Listen) Put On the New Self 3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your1 life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:2 sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.3 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self4 with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,5 free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Rules for Christian Households 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters,6 not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. Footnotes [1] 3:4 Some manuscripts our [2] 3:5 Greek therefore your members that are on the earth [3] 3:6 Some manuscripts add upon the sons of disobedience [4] 3:9 Greek man; also as supplied in verse 10 [5] 3:11 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for Bondservants in verse 22 [6] 3:22 Or your masters according to the flesh (ESV) In private: Psalm 102; Ezekiel 46 Psalm 102 (Listen) Do Not Hide Your Face from Me A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD. 102   Hear my prayer, O LORD;  let my cry come to you!2   Do not hide your face from me    in the day of my distress!  Incline your ear to me;    answer me speedily in the day when I call! 3   For my days pass away like smoke,    and my bones burn like a furnace.4   My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;    I forget to eat my bread.5   Because of my loud groaning    my bones cling to my flesh.6   I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,    like an owl1 of the waste places;7   I lie awake;    I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.8   All the day my enemies taunt me;    those who deride me use my name for a curse.9   For I eat ashes like bread    and mingle tears with my drink,10   because of your indignation and anger;    for you have taken me up and thrown me down.11   My days are like an evening shadow;    I wither away like grass. 12   But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;    you are remembered throughout all generations.13   You will arise and have pity on Zion;    it is the time to favor her;    the appointed time has come.14   For your servants hold her stones dear    and have pity on her dust.15   Nations will fear the name of the LORD,    and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.16   For the LORD builds up Zion;    he appears in his glory;17   he regards the prayer of the destitute    and does not despise their prayer. 18   Let this be recorded for a generation to come,    so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:19   that he looked down from his holy height;    from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,20   to hear the groans of the prisoners,    to set free those who were doomed to die,21   that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD,    and in Jerusalem his praise,22   when peoples gather together,    and kingdoms, to worship the LORD. 23   He has broken my strength in midcourse;    he has shortened my days.24   “O my God,” I say, “take me not away    in the midst of my days—  you whose years endure    throughout all generations!” 25   Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,    and the heavens are the work of your hands.26   They will perish, but you will remain;    they will all wear out like a garment.  You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,27     but you are the same, and your years have no end.28   The children of your servants shall dwell secure;    their offspring shall be established before you. Footnotes [1] 102:6 The precise identity of these birds is uncertain (ESV) Ezekiel 46 (Listen) The Prince and the Feasts 46 “Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 2 The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening. 3 The people of the land shall bow down at the entrance of that gate before the LORD on the Sabbaths and on the new moons. 4 The burnt offering that the prince offers to the LORD on the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish. 5 And the grain offering with the ram shall be an ephah,1 and the grain offering with the lambs shall be as much as he is able, together with a hin2 of oil to each ephah. 6 On the day of the new moon he shall offer a bull from the herd without blemish, and six lambs and a ram, which shall be without blemish. 7 As a grain offering he shall provide an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he is able, together with a hin of oil to each ephah. 8 When the prince enters, he shall enter by the vestibule of the gate, and he shall go out by the same way. 9 “When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead. 10 When they enter, the prince shall enter with them, and when they go out, he shall go out. 11 “At the feasts and the appointed festivals, the grain offering with a young bull shall be an ephah, and with a ram an ephah, and with the lambs as much as one is able to give, together with a hin of oil to an ephah. 12 When the prince provides a freewill offering, either a burnt offering or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the LORD, the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall offer his burnt offering or his peace offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out the gate shall be shut. 13 “You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. 14 And you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, one sixth of an ephah, and one third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour, as a grain offering to the LORD. This is a perpetual statute. 15 Thus the lamb and the meal offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, for a regular burnt offering. 16 “Thus says the Lord GOD: If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons as his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons. It is their property by inheritance. 17 But if he makes a gift out of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty. Then it shall revert to the prince; surely it is his inheritance—it shall belong to his sons. 18 The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their property. He shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people shall be scattered from his property.” Boiling Places for Offerings 19 Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, to the north row of the holy chambers for the priests, and behold, a place was there at the extreme western end of them. 20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so transmit holiness to the people.” 21 Then he brought me out to the outer court and led me around to the four corners of the court. And behold, in each corner of the court there was another court—22 in the four corners of the court were small3 courts, forty cubits4 long and thirty broad; the four were of the same size. 23 On the inside, around each of the four courts was a row of masonry, with hearths made at the bottom of the rows all around. 24 Then he said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.” Footnotes [1] 46:5 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters [2] 46:5 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters [3] 46:22 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [4] 46:22 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters (ESV)

Proper 22 First Psalm: Psalm 106:1–18 Psalm 106:1–18 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,15   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. Footnotes [1] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 106:19–48 Psalm 106:19–48 (Listen) 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God1    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 24   Then they despised the pleasant land,    having no faith in his promise.25   They murmured in their tents,    and did not obey the voice of the LORD.26   Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,27   and would make their offspring fall among the nations,    scattering them among the lands. 28   Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;29   they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,    and a plague broke out among them.30   Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,    and the plague was stayed.31   And that was counted to him as righteousness    from generation to generation forever. 32   They angered him at the waters of Meribah,    and it went ill with Moses on their account,33   for they made his spirit bitter,2    and he spoke rashly with his lips. 34   They did not destroy the peoples,    as the LORD commanded them,35   but they mixed with the nations    and learned to do as they did.36   They served their idols,    which became a snare to them.37   They sacrificed their sons    and their daughters to the demons;38   they poured out innocent blood,    the blood of their sons and daughters,  whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,    and the land was polluted with blood.39   Thus they became unclean by their acts,    and played the whore in their deeds. 40   Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,    and he abhorred his heritage;41   he gave them into the hand of the nations,    so that those who hated them ruled over them.42   Their enemies oppressed them,    and they were brought into subjection under their power.43   Many times he delivered them,    but they were rebellious in their purposes    and were brought low through their iniquity. 44   Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,    when he heard their cry.45   For their sake he remembered his covenant,    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.46   He caused them to be pitied    by all those who held them captive. 47   Save us, O LORD our God,    and gather us from among the nations,  that we may give thanks to your holy name    and glory in your praise. 48   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,    from everlasting to everlasting!  And let all the people say, “Amen!”    Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory [2] 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit (ESV) Old Testament: 2 Kings 21:1–18 2 Kings 21:1–18 (Listen) Manasseh Reigns in Judah 21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem will I put my name.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 And he burned his son as an offering1 and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. 7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the LORD said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. 8 And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel. Manasseh's Idolatry Denounced 10 And the LORD said by his servants the prophets, 11 “Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations and has done things more evil than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols, 12 therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster2 that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 And I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, 15 because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.” 16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. 17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did, and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza, and Amon his son reigned in his place. Footnotes [1] 21:6 Hebrew made his son pass through the fire [2] 21:12 Or evil (ESV) New Testament: 1 Corinthians 10:14–11:1 1 Corinthians 10:14–11:1 (Listen) 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel:1 are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? Do All to the Glory of God 23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. 11 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Footnotes [1] 10:18 Greek Consider Israel according to the flesh (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 8:28–34 Matthew 8:28–34 (Listen) Jesus Heals Two Men with Demons 28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes,1 two demon-possessed2 men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. 31 And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” 32 And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. 33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region. Footnotes [1] 8:28 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; some Gerasenes [2] 8:28 Greek daimonizomai (demonized); also verse 33; elsewhere rendered oppressed by demons (ESV)

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 106Part IConfitemini Domino1Hallelujah!Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, *for his mercy endures for ever.2Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord *or show forth all his praise?3Happy are those who act with justice *and always do what is right!4Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you have for your people, *and visit me with your saving help;5That I may see the prosperity of your electand be glad with the gladness of your people, *that I may glory with your inheritance.6We have sinned as our forebears did; *we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.7In Egypt they did not consider your marvelous works,nor remember the abundance of your love; *they defied the Most High at the Red Sea.8But he saved them for his Name's sake, *to make his power known.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up, *and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10He saved them from the hand of those who hated them *and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.11The waters covered their oppressors; *not one of them was left.12Then they believed his words *and sang him songs of praise.13But they soon forgot his deeds *and did not wait for his counsel.14A craving seized them in the wilderness, *and they put God to the test in the desert.15He gave them what they asked, *but sent leanness into their soul.16They envied Moses in the camp, *and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.17The earth opened and swallowed Dathan *and covered the company of Abiram.18Fire blazed up against their company, *and flames devoured the wicked. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Lessons2 Kings 21:1-18English Standard Version21 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem will I put my name.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the Lord said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. 8 And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.10 And the Lord said by his servants the prophets, 11 “Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations and has done things more evil than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols, 12 therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 And I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, 15 because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.”16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did, and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza, and Amon his son reigned in his place.1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1English Standard Version14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.11 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.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. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 22Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Psalms 106–107 Psalms 106–107 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,15   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God2    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 24   Then they despised the pleasant land,    having no faith in his promise.25   They murmured in their tents,    and did not obey the voice of the LORD.26   Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,27   and would make their offspring fall among the nations,    scattering them among the lands. 28   Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;29   they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,    and a plague broke out among them.30   Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,    and the plague was stayed.31   And that was counted to him as righteousness    from generation to generation forever. 32   They angered him at the waters of Meribah,    and it went ill with Moses on their account,33   for they made his spirit bitter,3    and he spoke rashly with his lips. 34   They did not destroy the peoples,    as the LORD commanded them,35   but they mixed with the nations    and learned to do as they did.36   They served their idols,    which became a snare to them.37   They sacrificed their sons    and their daughters to the demons;38   they poured out innocent blood,    the blood of their sons and daughters,  whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,    and the land was polluted with blood.39   Thus they became unclean by their acts,    and played the whore in their deeds. 40   Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,    and he abhorred his heritage;41   he gave them into the hand of the nations,    so that those who hated them ruled over them.42   Their enemies oppressed them,    and they were brought into subjection under their power.43   Many times he delivered them,    but they were rebellious in their purposes    and were brought low through their iniquity. 44   Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,    when he heard their cry.45   For their sake he remembered his covenant,    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.46   He caused them to be pitied    by all those who held them captive. 47   Save us, O LORD our God,    and gather us from among the nations,  that we may give thanks to your holy name    and glory in your praise. 48   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,    from everlasting to everlasting!  And let all the people say, “Amen!”    Praise the LORD! Book Five Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So 107   Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,    whom he has redeemed from trouble43   and gathered in from the lands,    from the east and from the west,    from the north and from the south. 4   Some wandered in desert wastes,    finding no way to a city to dwell in;5   hungry and thirsty,    their soul fainted within them.6   Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,    and he delivered them from their distress.7   He led them by a straight way    till they reached a city to dwell in.8   Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,    for his wondrous works to the children of man!9   For he satisfies the longing soul,    and the hungry soul he fills with good things. 10   Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,    prisoners in affliction and in irons,11   for they had rebelled against the words of God,    and spurned the counsel of the Most High.12   So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;    they fell down, with none to help.13   Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,    and he delivered them from their distress.14   He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,    and burst their bonds apart.15   Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,    for his wondrous works to the children of man!16   For he shatters the doors of bronze    and cuts in two the bars of iron. 17   Some were fools through their sinful ways,    and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;18   they loathed any kind of food,    and they drew near to the gates of death.19   Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,    and he delivered them from their distress.20   He sent out his word and healed them,    and delivered them from their destruction.21   Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,    for his wondrous works to the children of man!22   And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,    and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! 23   Some went down to the sea in ships,    doing business on the great waters;24   they saw the deeds of the LORD,    his wondrous works in the deep.25   For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,    which lifted up the waves of the sea.26   They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;    their courage melted away in their evil plight;27   they reeled and staggered like drunken men    and were at their wits' end.528   Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,    and he delivered them from their distress.29   He made the storm be still,    and the waves of the sea were hushed.30   Then they were glad that the waters6 were quiet,    and he brought them to their desired haven.31   Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,    for his wondrous works to the children of man!32   Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,    and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 33   He turns rivers into a desert,    springs of water into thirsty ground,34   a fruitful land into a salty waste,    because of the evil of its inhabitants.35   He turns a desert into pools of water,    a parched land into springs of water.36   And there he lets the hungry dwell,    and they establish a city to live in;37   they sow fields and plant vineyards    and get a fruitful yield.38   By his blessing they multiply greatly,    and he does not let their livestock diminish. 39   When they are diminished and brought low    through oppression, evil, and sorrow,40   he pours contempt on princes    and makes them wander in trackless wastes;41   but he raises up the needy out of affliction    and makes their families like flocks.42   The upright see it and are glad,    and all wickedness shuts its mouth. 43   Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;    let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD. Footnotes [1] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation [2] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory [3] 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit [4] 107:2 Or from the hand of the foe [5] 107:27 Hebrew and all their wisdom was swallowed up [6] 107:30 Hebrew they (ESV)

Proper 18 First Psalm: Psalm 45 Psalm 45 (Listen) Your Throne, O God, Is Forever To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil1 of the Sons of Korah; a love song. 45   My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;    I address my verses to the king;    my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. 2   You are the most handsome of the sons of men;    grace is poured upon your lips;    therefore God has blessed you forever.3   Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,    in your splendor and majesty! 4   In your majesty ride out victoriously    for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;    let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!5   Your arrows are sharp    in the heart of the king's enemies;    the peoples fall under you. 6   Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.    The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;7     you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.  Therefore God, your God, has anointed you    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;8     your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.  From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;9     daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;    at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir. 10   Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:    forget your people and your father's house,11     and the king will desire your beauty.  Since he is your lord, bow to him.12     The people2 of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,    the richest of the people.3 13   All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.14     In many-colored robes she is led to the king,    with her virgin companions following behind her.15   With joy and gladness they are led along    as they enter the palace of the king. 16   In place of your fathers shall be your sons;    you will make them princes in all the earth.17   I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;    therefore nations will praise you forever and ever. Footnotes [1] 45:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 45:12 Hebrew daughter [3] 45:12 Or The daughter of Tyre is here with gifts, the richest of people seek your favor (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalms 47–48 Psalms 47–48 (Listen) God Is King over All the Earth To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. 47   Clap your hands, all peoples!    Shout to God with loud songs of joy!2   For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared,    a great king over all the earth.3   He subdued peoples under us,    and nations under our feet.4   He chose our heritage for us,    the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah 5   God has gone up with a shout,    the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.6   Sing praises to God, sing praises!    Sing praises to our King, sing praises!7   For God is the King of all the earth;    sing praises with a psalm!1 8   God reigns over the nations;    God sits on his holy throne.9   The princes of the peoples gather    as the people of the God of Abraham.  For the shields of the earth belong to God;    he is highly exalted! Zion, the City of Our God A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. 48   Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised    in the city of our God!  His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,    is the joy of all the earth,  Mount Zion, in the far north,    the city of the great King.3   Within her citadels God    has made himself known as a fortress. 4   For behold, the kings assembled;    they came on together.5   As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;    they were in panic; they took to flight.6   Trembling took hold of them there,    anguish as of a woman in labor.7   By the east wind you shattered    the ships of Tarshish.8   As we have heard, so have we seen    in the city of the LORD of hosts,  in the city of our God,    which God will establish forever. Selah 9   We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,    in the midst of your temple.10   As your name, O God,    so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.  Your right hand is filled with righteousness.11     Let Mount Zion be glad!  Let the daughters of Judah rejoice    because of your judgments! 12   Walk about Zion, go around her,    number her towers,13   consider well her ramparts,    go through her citadels,  that you may tell the next generation14     that this is God,  our God forever and ever.    He will guide us forever.2 Footnotes [1] 47:7 Hebrew maskil [2] 48:14 Septuagint; another reading is (compare Jerome, Syriac) He will guide us beyond death (ESV) Old Testament: 1 Kings 16:23–34 1 Kings 16:23–34 (Listen) 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents1 of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. 25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place. Ahab Reigns in Israel 29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun. Footnotes [1] 16:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms (ESV) New Testament: Philippians 1:12–30 Philippians 1:12–30 (Listen) The Advance of the Gospel 12 I want you to know, brothers,1 that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard2 and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word3 without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. To Live Is Christ Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy4 of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. Footnotes [1] 1:12 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 14 [2] 1:13 Greek in the whole praetorium [3] 1:14 Some manuscripts add of God [4] 1:27 Greek Only behave as citizens worthy (ESV) Gospel: Mark 16 Mark 16 (Listen) The Resurrection 16 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. [Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.]1 Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene 9 [[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. Jesus Appears to Two Disciples 12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. The Great Commission 14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]] Footnotes [1] 16:9 Some manuscripts end the book with 16:8; others include verses 9–20 immediately after verse 8. At least one manuscript inserts additional material after verse 14; some manuscripts include after verse 8 the following: But they reported briefly to Peter and those with him all that they had been told. And after this, Jesus himself sent out by means of them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. These manuscripts then continue with verses 9–20 (ESV)

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 45Eructavit cor meum1My heart is stirring with a noble song;let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.2You are the fairest of men; *grace flows from your lips,because God has blessed you for ever.3Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *in your pride and in your majesty.4Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *and for the sake of justice.5Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.6The peoples are falling at your feet, *and the king's enemies are losing heart.7Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;you love righteousness and hate iniquity.8Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *with the oil of gladness above your fellows.9All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.10Kings' daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *on your right hand is the queen,adorned with the gold of Ophir.11“Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *forget your people and your father's house.12The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *he is your master; therefore do him honor.13The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *the rich among the people seek your favor.”14All glorious is the princess as she enters; *her gown is cloth-of-gold.15In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.16With joy and gladness they are brought, *and enter into the palace of the king.17“In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *you shall make them princes over all the earth.18I will make your name to be rememberedfrom one generation to another; *therefore nations will praise you for ever and 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 forever. Amen. Lessons1 Kings 16:23-34English Standard Version23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place.29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.Philippians 1:12-30English Standard Version12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.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. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 18Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Morning: Psalms 105–106 Psalms 105–106 (Listen) Tell of All His Wondrous Works 105   Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;    make known his deeds among the peoples!2   Sing to him, sing praises to him;    tell of all his wondrous works!3   Glory in his holy name;    let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!4   Seek the LORD and his strength;    seek his presence continually!5   Remember the wondrous works that he has done,    his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,6   O offspring of Abraham, his servant,    children of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7   He is the LORD our God;    his judgments are in all the earth.8   He remembers his covenant forever,    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,9   the covenant that he made with Abraham,    his sworn promise to Isaac,10   which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,11   saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan    as your portion for an inheritance.” 12   When they were few in number,    of little account, and sojourners in it,13   wandering from nation to nation,    from one kingdom to another people,14   he allowed no one to oppress them;    he rebuked kings on their account,15   saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,    do my prophets no harm!” 16   When he summoned a famine on the land    and broke all supply1 of bread,17   he had sent a man ahead of them,    Joseph, who was sold as a slave.18   His feet were hurt with fetters;    his neck was put in a collar of iron;19   until what he had said came to pass,    the word of the LORD tested him.20   The king sent and released him;    the ruler of the peoples set him free;21   he made him lord of his house    and ruler of all his possessions,22   to bind2 his princes at his pleasure    and to teach his elders wisdom. 23   Then Israel came to Egypt;    Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.24   And the LORD made his people very fruitful    and made them stronger than their foes.25   He turned their hearts to hate his people,    to deal craftily with his servants. 26   He sent Moses, his servant,    and Aaron, whom he had chosen.27   They performed his signs among them    and miracles in the land of Ham.28   He sent darkness, and made the land dark;    they did not rebel3 against his words.29   He turned their waters into blood    and caused their fish to die.30   Their land swarmed with frogs,    even in the chambers of their kings.31   He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,    and gnats throughout their country.32   He gave them hail for rain,    and fiery lightning bolts through their land.33   He struck down their vines and fig trees,    and shattered the trees of their country.34   He spoke, and the locusts came,    young locusts without number,35   which devoured all the vegetation in their land    and ate up the fruit of their ground.36   He struck down all the firstborn in their land,    the firstfruits of all their strength. 37   Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold,    and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.38   Egypt was glad when they departed,    for dread of them had fallen upon it. 39   He spread a cloud for a covering,    and fire to give light by night.40   They asked, and he brought quail,    and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.41   He opened the rock, and water gushed out;    it flowed through the desert like a river.42   For he remembered his holy promise,    and Abraham, his servant. 43   So he brought his people out with joy,    his chosen ones with singing.44   And he gave them the lands of the nations,    and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil,45   that they might keep his statutes    and observe his laws.  Praise the LORD! Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,45   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God5    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 24   Then they despised the pleasant land,    having no faith in his promise.25   They murmured in their tents,    and did not obey the voice of the LORD.26   Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,27   and would make their offspring fall among the nations,    scattering them among the lands. 28   Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;29   they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,    and a plague broke out among them.30   Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,    and the plague was stayed.31   And that was counted to him as righteousness    from generation to generation forever. 32   They angered him at the waters of Meribah,    and it went ill with Moses on their account,33   for they made his spirit bitter,6    and he spoke rashly with his lips. 34   They did not destroy the peoples,    as the LORD commanded them,35   but they mixed with the nations    and learned to do as they did.36   They served their idols,    which became a snare to them.37   They sacrificed their sons    and their daughters to the demons;38   they poured out innocent blood,    the blood of their sons and daughters,  whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,    and the land was polluted with blood.39   Thus they became unclean by their acts,    and played the whore in their deeds. 40   Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,    and he abhorred his heritage;41   he gave them into the hand of the nations,    so that those who hated them ruled over them.42   Their enemies oppressed them,    and they were brought into subjection under their power.43   Many times he delivered them,    but they were rebellious in their purposes    and were brought low through their iniquity. 44   Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,    when he heard their cry.45   For their sake he remembered his covenant,    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.46   He caused them to be pitied    by all those who held them captive. 47   Save us, O LORD our God,    and gather us from among the nations,  that we may give thanks to your holy name    and glory in your praise. 48   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,    from everlasting to everlasting!  And let all the people say, “Amen!”    Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 105:16 Hebrew staff [2] 105:22 Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome instruct [3] 105:28 Septuagint, Syriac omit not [4] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation [5] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory [6] 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit (ESV) Evening: Romans 15:1–20 Romans 15:1–20 (Listen) The Example of Christ 15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For 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. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles 8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,   “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,    and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said,   “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again,   “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,    and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says,   “The root of Jesse will come,    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;  in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Paul the Minister to the Gentiles 14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers,1 that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, Footnotes [1] 15:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 30 (ESV)

Old Testament: 1 Kings 16–17 1 Kings 16–17 (Listen) 16 And the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 2 “Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins, 3 behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4 Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.” 5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 6 And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried at Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place. 7 Moreover, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it. Elah Reigns in Israel 8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. 9 But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place. 11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends. 12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Zimri Reigns in Israel 15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died, 19 because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Omri Reigns in Israel 21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents1 of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. 25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place. Ahab Reigns in Israel 29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun. Elijah Predicts a Drought 17 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe2 in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2 And the word of the LORD came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. The Widow of Zarephath 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'” 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. Elijah Raises the Widow's Son 17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, let this child's life3 come into him again.” 22 And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.” Footnotes [1] 16:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms [2] 17:1 Septuagint; Hebrew of the settlers [3] 17:21 Or soul; also verse 22 (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 133 Psalm 133 (Listen) When Brothers Dwell in Unity A Song of Ascents. Of David. 133   Behold, how good and pleasant it is    when brothers dwell in unity!12   It is like the precious oil on the head,    running down on the beard,  on the beard of Aaron,    running down on the collar of his robes!3   It is like the dew of Hermon,    which falls on the mountains of Zion!  For there the LORD has commanded the blessing,    life forevermore. Footnotes [1] 133:1 Or dwell together (ESV) New Testament: Hebrews 12–13 Hebrews 12–13 (Listen) Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Do Not Grow Weary 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?   “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,    nor be weary when reproved by him.6   For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,    and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken 18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly1 of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. Sacrifices Pleasing to God 13 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,   “The Lord is my helper;    I will not fear;  what can man do to me?” 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent2 have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. 18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. Benediction 20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us3 that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Final Greetings 22 I appeal to you, brothers,4 bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. 25 Grace be with all of you. Footnotes [1] 12:23 Or church [2] 13:10 Or tabernacle [3] 13:21 Some manuscripts you [4] 13:22 Or brothers and sisters (ESV)

With family: Deuteronomy 19; Psalm 106 Deuteronomy 19 (Listen) Laws Concerning Cities of Refuge 19 “When the LORD your God cuts off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, 2 you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess. 3 You shall measure the distances1 and divide into three parts the area of the land that the LORD your God gives you as a possession, so that any manslayer can flee to them. 4 “This is the provision for the manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life. If anyone kills his neighbor unintentionally without having hated him in the past—5 as when someone goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down a tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live, 6 lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past. 7 Therefore I command you, You shall set apart three cities. 8 And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers—9 provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the LORD your God and by walking ever in his ways—then you shall add three other cities to these three, 10 lest innocent blood be shed in your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, and so the guilt of bloodshed be upon you. 11 “But if anyone hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and attacks him and strikes him fatally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities, 12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die. 13 Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood2 from Israel, so that it may be well with you. Property Boundaries 14 “You shall not move your neighbor's landmark, which the men of old have set, in the inheritance that you will hold in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess. Laws Concerning Witnesses 15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. 16 If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, 17 then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. 18 The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, 19 then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil3 from your midst. 20 And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. Footnotes [1] 19:3 Hebrew road [2] 19:13 Or the blood of the innocent [3] 19:19 Or evil person (ESV) Psalm 106 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,15   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God2    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 24   Then they despised the pleasant land,    having no faith in his promise.25   They murmured in their tents,    and did not obey the voice of the LORD.26   Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,27   and would make their offspring fall among the nations,    scattering them among the lands. 28   Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;29   they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,    and a plague broke out among them.30   Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,    and the plague was stayed.31   And that was counted to him as righteousness    from generation to generation forever. 32   They angered him at the waters of Meribah,    and it went ill with Moses on their account,33   for they made his spirit bitter,3    and he spoke rashly with his lips. 34   They did not destroy the peoples,    as the LORD commanded them,35   but they mixed with the nations    and learned to do as they did.36   They served their idols,    which became a snare to them.37   They sacrificed their sons    and their daughters to the demons;38   they poured out innocent blood,    the blood of their sons and daughters,  whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,    and the land was polluted with blood.39   Thus they became unclean by their acts,    and played the whore in their deeds. 40   Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,    and he abhorred his heritage;41   he gave them into the hand of the nations,    so that those who hated them ruled over them.42   Their enemies oppressed them,    and they were brought into subjection under their power.43   Many times he delivered them,    but they were rebellious in their purposes    and were brought low through their iniquity. 44   Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,    when he heard their cry.45   For their sake he remembered his covenant,    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.46   He caused them to be pitied    by all those who held them captive. 47   Save us, O LORD our God,    and gather us from among the nations,  that we may give thanks to your holy name    and glory in your praise. 48   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,    from everlasting to everlasting!  And let all the people say, “Amen!”    Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation [2] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory [3] 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit (ESV) In private: Isaiah 46; Revelation 16 Isaiah 46 (Listen) The Idols of Babylon and the One True God 46   Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;    their idols are on beasts and livestock;  these things you carry are borne    as burdens on weary beasts.2   They stoop; they bow down together;    they cannot save the burden,    but themselves go into captivity. 3   “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,    all the remnant of the house of Israel,  who have been borne by me from before your birth,    carried from the womb;4   even to your old age I am he,    and to gray hairs I will carry you.  I have made, and I will bear;    I will carry and will save. 5   “To whom will you liken me and make me equal,    and compare me, that we may be alike?6   Those who lavish gold from the purse,    and weigh out silver in the scales,  hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;    then they fall down and worship!7   They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,    they set it in its place, and it stands there;    it cannot move from its place.  If one cries to it, it does not answer    or save him from his trouble. 8   “Remember this and stand firm,    recall it to mind, you transgressors,9     remember the former things of old;  for I am God, and there is no other;    I am God, and there is none like me,10   declaring the end from the beginning    and from ancient times things not yet done,  saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,    and I will accomplish all my purpose,'11   calling a bird of prey from the east,    the man of my counsel from a far country.  I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;    I have purposed, and I will do it. 12   “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,    you who are far from righteousness:13   I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,    and my salvation will not delay;  I will put salvation in Zion,    for Israel my glory.” (ESV) Revelation 16 (Listen) The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath 16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” 2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. 3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. 4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel in charge of the waters1 say,   “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,    for you brought these judgments.6   For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,    and you have given them blood to drink.  It is what they deserve!” 7 And I heard the altar saying,   “Yes, Lord God the Almighty,    true and just are your judgments!” 8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed2 the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. 10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. 12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The Seventh Bowl 17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings,3 peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds4 each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe. Footnotes [1] 16:5 Greek angel of the waters [2] 16:9 Greek blasphemed; also verses 11, 21 [3] 16:18 Or voices, or sounds [4] 16:21 Greek a talent in weight (ESV)

Fr. Mike dives into the recurring issue of the Israelites rebelling against God and remaining stuck in their past as we read about the revolt of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. Today's readings are Numbers 16, Deuteronomy 15-16, and Psalm 97. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Fr. Mike dives into the recurring issue of the Israelites rebelling against God and remaining stuck in their past as we read about the revolt of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron. Today's readings are Numbers 16, Deuteronomy 15-16, and Psalm 97. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.